Chapter 152

– There are so many idols who compose these days, what’s the big deal?

└Seriously lol, it’s not like Do-hee Lee and Gong Chae-rin are the only ones composing.

└If they get help, there’s nothing wrong with that.

└We gotta give credit where it’s due to these brothas putting in work! Haha

It was a comment under an article circulating on community boards.

It was true that more idols were participating in songwriting and composing in today’s music scene. A quick search for “participated in composition” would show you. Promotional articles filled the news feeds.

[Pure Girls, Release Fan Song ‘Always’… All Members Participated in Lyrics and Composition]

[3M’s Lee Na Solo Debut, Participated in New Song Composition…”High Completion”]

[Paramax Woo Je Joins as a Composing Idol, Becoming a Self-Producing Idol?]

This could also be seen as a reflection of how the professional expectations for idols had shifted from singers to all-around entertainers, raising the required skill levels.

However, both experts and the general public didn’t pay much attention to such articles anymore since they naturally picked up this information over time.

Because participating in composing wasn’t as hard as people thought.

In reality, composing was simply the act of creating melodies, so even just humming “lalala~” a melody that came to mind could technically count as composing.

But arranging was a different story.

Arranging involved modifying and rearranging the melody line created during the composing process, adding parts like accompaniment, counter-melodies, and choruses to support the main melody, making it a secondary creative task.

In short, arranging played a major role in the overall song production by not only participating in composing but also fleshing out the framework of the song.

Naturally, the musical proficiency required for arranging was double that of composing.

Knowledge of musical pitches, rhythms, and harmonies.

Ability to understand and utilize the characteristics and sounds of various instruments.

Understanding of musical structure and form.

Proficiency in Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) used for arranging.

Skills to effectively edit and modify recorded audio sources.

Musical expressiveness and aesthetic sense.

That’s why it was challenging for members to take on the role of main producers in self-producing idol groups.

[Seven, ‘Wee Hours’ Tracklist Revealed. Main Producers ‘Gong Chae-rin & Do-hee Lee’]

Which is why this article drew even more attention.

===============

[What, Not Just Composing But Main Producers?]

I thought they just participated in composing and maybe directed some concepts or outfits, but they really did the whole arrangement too?

– Yeah, looking at the tracklist, someone else took the lead on the title track composition, but Chae-rin and Do-hee were first and second in arranging. For the B-sides, they did everything from composing to arranging.

└Wow… Aren’t they both teenagers? What kind of talent is this?

– Is arranging something surprising if they already compose?

└Yeah, it’s surprising because arranging is way more specialized. It’s completely different.

└You need a lot of harmonic knowledge for arranging. That’s why usually people who’ve played instruments for a long time do it well.

└Classical bangers!

– What can’t they do?

└Stand still quietly.

└Chae-rin does that well though.

└Do-hee can’t though.

└So Chae-rin is better then.

└Yup.

– I want to marry Do-hee and serve her forever.

===============

[Self-Producing Seven Making a Comeback]

And Seven, which was already receiving significant attention as a top girl group, gained even more interest thanks to their self-producing label.

Instantly pulling up the streaming trends of Seven’s title track across various music sites.

Fans who kept an eye on the annual charts every day couldn’t help but rejoice.

===============

[Unsatisfied Melon User Trend]

(Chart Photo)

If this keeps up, we might really hit number one on the annual chart next month!!! Oh my god, this is insane.

– Whoa jackpot!

– Annual chart number one singer wow.

– There are four awards, but the number one spot on the chart is only one.

– So even with all the streaming, it wasn’t working before, but now it actually might.

– Let’s all stream hard then! Let’s go!

===============

But it was still somewhere between good news and bad news.

***

Do-hee’s Home Mama muttered while looking at Do-hee through the monitor.

“What? How can you plan a comeback in this period?”

She could understand if it were another group.

There was room to think the songs were prepared beforehand from before debut.

But Seven was a project group born from a survival audition.

It was obviously impossible to assume they had been preparing since before debut.

Meaning, after the summer comeback ended,

They practiced concerts and tours while working on new songs, recording, and rehearsing for new stages.

“And how rushed were they that there isn’t even a teaser for the title track?”

She couldn’t help but worry about the members potentially being overworked.

She felt like starting a crowdfunding campaign to send a truck to Shock Entertainment right away.

But there was no evidence.

All she had was circumstantial suspicion.

“Should I just send it anyway…?”

But considering the party involved, Do-hee seemed fine.

Home Mama recalled the bubble message Do-hee sent yesterday.

[GeniusProducerDohee: I’m fine! Not tired at all! Actually, super excited to reveal the song!]

[GeniusProducerDohee: By the way, sister, check this out. It’s a picture I took while working.]

[GeniusProducerDohee: (Selfie photo) Am I dizzy because of it?]

Do-hee, who changed her nickname to ‘GeniusProducerDohee’ and joked around like this, seemed to be telling fans not to worry.

Thinking about such a Do-hee…

“Damn, Do-hee. You know exactly what drives me crazy.”

Even while scrapbooking this cute anecdote to post on SNS, Home Mama felt uneasy deep down.

“Alright, let’s say all that’s fine. But please, let the song be good…”

The anxiety that the song might not be good enough lingered.

Regardless of any sub-titles like participation in arranging or self-producing,

As long as idols are singers, the most important thing is the song.

“The annual chart trends will ultimately be decided by the new song… If the song is bad…”

Especially since it was Do-hee’s first title track.

If the song was even slightly bad, the expected backlash was obvious.

Anti-fans would gleefully leave nasty comments calling it trash.

Which made her even more anxious.

Moreover, Do-hee was a rookie.

Home Mama anxiously tapped her desk while watching the clock.

And finally, at 6 PM.

The comeback title track was uploaded.

[Seven – ‘Fantasia’ Official MV]

“Phew…”

Home Mama clicked the video with trembling fingertips.

The start showed a forest bathed in the indigo hue of dawn, with faint song echoes coming from somewhere—’Unsatisfied,’ aiming for the annual chart crown.

Following the echoes, several footprints quickly swept across grass yet unerased.

Finally, the footsteps stopped.

Slowly, the camera panned upward.

Filling the screen was a vast plain in the middle of the forest and a campfire at its center.

Surrounding the fire were the members.

Among them, Ye-eun slowly turned her head to look at the camera.

And spoke in an eerie tone.

[Oh, Sister.]

As soon as her words ended, all the members suddenly turned their heads and gazes toward the camera.

—Clunk

The music abruptly stopped.

“…What? Is this horror? I hate horror…”

Then the intro of the new song began.

It wasn’t horror; it was a lively beat.

“Huh?”

—Pabam Pabam

As Home Mama focused on the sudden change in atmosphere and the song, the camera view moved among the members, landing on Hana Kwon.

Simultaneously, the first verse started, and the members suddenly regained focus, staring straight ahead with sharp beats as they began their choreography.

「The situation is serious, with you

But I also know fate」

The clear voice of Ha-rang in the intro.

Home Mama, whose lips unconsciously curved upward, blurted out without realizing.

“What is this, why am I already liking it…?”

「Baby, we’re probably twisted fantasy

Still an adventure that hasn’t ended

But we’re Side by side」

It wasn’t just the song she liked.

The large-scale choreography blending cheerleading and hip-hop evoked a cheerful and lively vibe, feeling refreshingly fun.

「Maybe we’re going crazy

But there’s nothing to fear

We’ll do everything we can」

Included in the choreography were gestures pointing at each other.

And each time a member pointed, the screen perspective sharply switched.

「This moment that seemed so insignificant

Dreams unfolding in this fleeting instant」

The music video seemed performance-focused.

So they were using camera movements to create flair.

Normally, this wouldn’t have impressed her.

Instead, she’d have complained and gotten angry at Shock Entertainment for lack of investment and support.

But strangely, while watching the music video, she didn’t feel that way.

「This heartbeat-filled moment

Cool like super heroes」

Definitely not bright codes and melodies.

But somehow, the thumping beat made it sound upbeat.

The subtle harmony created an endless joy.

The sharp, satisfying choreography.

Finally, the happy smiles shared among the members, including Do-hee, as they looked at each other in the music video.

As if mocking her worries.

The mood conveyed by the song was just too good.

Home Mama decided to just act silly as usual.

“Ha… Do-hee, sis is really going crazy.”

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