Chapter 109: I Only Go to SM

he crew's enthusiasm was also high, with everyone working hard every day.The past two days, Apk's Park Ji-won and Yoon Puma also joined the cast. They will be making a cameo appearance in "Reply 1997"...Because the local market is small and revenue is relatively low, almost any group with a name and some popularity will try to expand overseas. Both official agencies and fans are very supportive of this behavior.

With the deepening presence in surrounding regions in recent years, Southeast Asia has become a crucial part of K-pop's overseas market. When popular groups hold concerts or similar activities, they always allocate enough slots and shares to this region.

And the fans here have a very high acceptance level for Kpop, they are also very crazy and supportive, but because of postage and channel-related reasons, the fans here don't like buying albums, so their contribution to album sales is very small every time.

But they are particularly obsessed with "data brushing," especially in the area of "YouTube clicks" which has become an increasingly important indicator of overseas popularity and achievements for many groups. This is a significant part of the increasing view count for many groups, making them veritable "click farms."

Since their debut, EXO has never stopped their activities in Southeast Asia. They almost always come here to participate in some variety shows and programs for promotions during every comeback. Last year's first tour and this year's second tour also held or are scheduled to hold many concerts here. It can be said that they value this market a lot.

Their efforts have also borne fruit. The market here has been managed very well, and the overall popularity and recognition of the group are very high. It can be considered one of the most popular and recognized K-pop groups in the past two years. And with this year's continuous comebacks taking a big step forward, it has completely become a top-tier group after which it has begun to pull away significantly from the following groups.

While the popularity rankings among members are somewhat similar in regions like the peninsula and Southeast Asia, including Thailand, there are some notable differences. Among all the members, Ji-sung remains at the top tier, consistently holding the number one spot in popularity.

But what's interesting is that he wasn't as overwhelmingly popular within the team as in other markets. He didn't leave others far behind, unable to even see his tail lights. This is because Wu Shixun's popularity in Southeast Asia is exceptionally high. According to company statistics, while his overall popularity is still significantly lower than Park Ji-won's, he has a clear gap with the third most popular member, a level that others simply can't match.

He might really be the type that Southeast Asian girls like. After two Le, there's then Berhyun and Jin Jongren, all high-popularity members from Korea. Members like Park Chan-wook are a bit less popular here compared to them.

It can be seen that Southeast Asian fans still have their own standards in terms of aesthetics and preferences, and the popularity of many members has changed significantly here.

And fans here show an extraordinary level of support for idols from their own country. Idols who successfully debut and achieve some success on the peninsula are placed at a very high position, and this affection extends to the entire group, boosting its popularity.

Like JYP's male group GOT7, which debuted last year, their development in the peninsula is average, and their debut in Japan hasn't made much splash. After several consecutive comebacks, they are still lukewarm, and they haven't won a single music show yet, so they can't be considered a popular group.

However, due to the presence of Thai member baba on the team, their combination, which was barely making it in the second tier of the peninsula, has become incredibly popular here, far surpassing that of local teams. Baba has directly become a big star here, with his billboards visible everywhere. The other members of the group also have a large fan base.

It can be said that they have fully taken advantage of the national origin benefit. It seems that some economic companies on the peninsula have also increased the number of trainees from Thailand and Southeast Asia, and correspondingly, the number of people who can debut has also increased.

Unfortunately, there are no members from Southeast Asia in EXO. Otherwise, with their popularity and fanbase, the group's heat level could have been raised several notches.

After all, they are ultimately still positioned as male idol groups from China and Korea. They have indeed benefited a lot from this setting in the past.

It's a pity... The plane landed on the 19th, and the concerts on the 20th and 21st were held at ipaa in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. With 30,000 audience members over two days and a large number of fans staying outside because they couldn't get tickets, it proved EXO's popularity and commercial value.

The venues for the second round and the number of open seats were significantly larger than in the first round. They were all around 15,000 people capacity and completely sold out. Unfortunately, it still seemed to lag behind the group's popularity growth. From the beginning until now, every performance has been accompanied by news like "Too few seats, fans are dissatisfied," "Sold out in a second, couldn't get tickets at all," and "Scalpers are rampant, charging sky-high prices."

...After the concert on the 21st, Ji Kyeong-won did not stay in the local area with the other members to participate in some activities and have fun. After completing the performance, he returned to Seoul alone with his assistant by plane overnight....

Actually, "Infinite Challenge Song Festival" was supposed to start filming after the production meeting two days ago. The program team specifically pushed it back two days for this show, which shows how much they value and respect it.

After resting for a few hours, he arrived at the photography studio built by BC early in the morning on the 22nd, ready to participate in the first recording.

"Anihaseyo..." Among the guests, Chikuseon was the first to arrive. As soon as he entered, he greeted the program PD and several staff members with a smile.

The producer director (PD) of is the very famous Kim Tae-ho. He's also well-known to the general public because the members frequently tease him about his looks. He previously rose to fame alongside Roh Young-seok from and , becoming two of the most successful and recognizable variety PDs in the entertainment industry.

However, in recent two years, after Luo Ying shi switched jobs, every variety show he launched was more successful than the last, while Kim Tae Ho, who focused solely on "Infinite Challenge", recently hasn't had the same glory as before.

Let's see if this Wang牌 special song festival can turn things around.

"Jingyuan, I've specifically watched some of your variety shows. I think you don't need to overthink doing idol stuff, it doesn't quite match your positioning and style. Just follow the script's flow and dialogue, then add in some of your own performance. Being natural is already very effective."After greeting him, he was pulled aside by Kim Taeho for a few words. He had a clear understanding of Ji Changwook's positioning, and it was somewhat similar to what Ro Woon-seok had told him before.

“I think so too, pdni.” Ji Jingyuan nodded in agreement. He was very natural and could say anything when joking with friends privately, but he wasn't used to doing variety show performances on air, especially things like deliberately making ugly expressions or using exaggerated physical comedy. He had no experience with that at all.

"Have you read the script... This time, your task at the music festival is very important..." The task was indeed heavy. The program team invited Chi Jingyuan because they saw his current popularity as a top idol, his self-brought traffic and fans, as well as his reputation as the creator of several popular songs. These two combined could create a lot of buzz and heat. This would be very beneficial for this music festival, so much so that they even gave up on the already finalized guest lineup with GD. Chi Jingyuan also knew the complete lineup. Although the other guests were all talented, famous, and had seniority, in terms of popularity, it should have been him and IU."

However, since the Song Festival has built-in traffic and attention, their individual performances are also very important. After chatting with Kim Tae Ho for a few words, Ji Kyeongwon went to chat with several c's.

Several of them are familiar faces too. The entertainment circle on the peninsula is so small, many people also work on other shows, you bump into them everywhere you look.

Like Liu Jae-shik and Haha, Ji-sung met when he appeared on "Running Man" before.

The most familiar one would be Jung Hyung Don. "Weekly Idol" is a program that EXO has appeared on multiple times, and we often bump into each other at the broadcasting station. We've also exchanged contact information, so after meeting up, we can greet each other and chat for a few sentences.

Many variety show stars are completely different in private and on camera. Some people might be crazy and act silly on the show, putting on a wild and wacky persona at will.

But this is just for life and work. In reality, privately things are completely different. The moment the camera turns off, they return to themselves.

Among them, Chi Jingyuan came into contact with some variety show artists. Some people have a big personality difference between on-screen and off-screen. They are more open in front of the camera, but they talk less in private.

Even Liu Jae-seok, though one of them, is not as cheerful and lighthearted off-camera as he appears on TV. His demeanor becomes much more serious, his aura stronger. However, he talks quite a bit and, considering his status, he treats people with humility.

At least Ji Chang-wook felt that the other party was quite enthusiastic when they were laughing with him. The other participants were also the same. Zheng Hengdun, who was most familiar with Ji Chang-wook, came over and patted his back, smiling broadly as if they were very familiar with each other.

There's also Huang Guangxi, this guy has been a self-proclaimed EXO fan since the "M!Countdown" era, if I remember correctly. He even emphasizes his “EXO-L” status repeatedly on many shows, sometimes even showing off EXO's dance moves. Every time they meet, he's always very enthusiastic.

Regardless of whether it's about jumping on the bandwagon or something else, they have been quite dedicated these past few years. After a quick greeting, they started chatting, which was a way to get acquainted with each other before recording.

Actually, cooperating with popular idols like Ji-seong, who have a large fanbase, isn't an easy task for these C actors. This is because idols still need to maintain their image and consider the sensitivity of their fans. Some plot points and dialogues that might be normal for other entertainers could easily spark controversy and fan attacks when used with idols.

The program group may be happy to stir up controversy to increase attention, but c himself would absolutely hate being exposed by fans online.

The view from the pool had already arrived early, but there were people who came even earlier than him. For example, Yukoh, who was standing nearby and listening to their conversation, was the band that the program team had invited overnight to fill in for GD.

They are an independent band that was just formed. They weren't very well-known at first, but they quickly rose to prominence in the underground music scene without much promotion. This year, their consecutive singles and album have received a lot of praise.

Their songs don't belong to Kpop, they are relatively niche, but they have a small group of fans who really love them.

Actually, Chi Jingyuan hadn't paid much attention to them before, but he looked them up on Naver especially for the program shoot.

The four members of Hyukoh didn't seem to know how to be on a program or something, they weren't very talkative. They honestly just stood there listening to the conversation between Ji-won and C, without interjecting. It wasn't what he imagined, the kind of wild and domineering vibe you'd expect from an underground band.

After a short while, the guests gradually arrived one by one. In addition to Ji-seong and Hyukoh from six groups, there were also veteran musicians such as Yoon Sang, popular solo female singer IU who is both well-known and loved by the public, and JYP CEO Park Jin-young.

No, bro, your company's stock has been doing so poorly lately, do you even have the time to be on variety shows

Have they decided on the cast for "Sixteen" yet Of course, these kinds of whispers wouldn't be said aloud. Ji Jingyuan smiled and greeted them with a wave.

All the guests have met at the production meeting the day before yesterday, so they are not strangers. However, since there hasn't been much interaction before, everyone is most familiar with Park Bo-young and Ji Chang-wook. After that, IU, who has interacted a few times before, is relatively familiar. The others are somewhat unfamiliar.

However, since it's just a variety show recording, there's no need to be too familiar. Due to Park Min-soo's absence, the backstage instantly buzzed with five members of C and six guest groups, as well as several special guests like Yoon Jong-shin. They had already reviewed the script beforehand, so they didn't need to do anything else. After a brief chat, Kim Tae-ho came over to hold a short meeting, and after changing clothes, the show officially began recording.

This time, the is divided into three stages according to the plan, and seven episodes of content are edited. They are the appearance, introduction, and individual skills demonstration of all guests at the beginning, and each c and guest pairing cooperate to form a group. There will be two episodes for this link.

Then, after the groups were formed, they began filming individually. Each group started doing activities to get to know each other privately, discussing songs and creating music together. There was also a content where everyone gathered in the middle for communication, which lasted about four episodes.

Last but not least, the live concert of the Song Festival, although only one session, was the most brilliant part.

And today's recording is just the first part of the content. The two episodes are going to be recorded all at once. So much content, this task is a real challenge. Although it's still early morning now, I estimate that we will be busy until late tonight.

The camera light flickered, accompanied by background music. Five C figures wearing masks walked onto the stage one by one from the screen door. The stage was decorated in a rather flamboyant manner.

This time, the guests' theme is 'Fake Mask Ball', which mimics the popular format of 'Masked Singer' in recent years. Each group of guests comes wearing masks and disguises, performing exaggeratedly with deliberately altered voices to sing a song, while C and the special guest judges try to create laughter.

“Unlimited Challenge!” Several masked figures, whose individual characteristics were still very apparent, danced around on stage and shouted the program’s slogan. After that, they removed their masks to reveal this week's theme: “Our vacation is over! So now, it’s…2015, Unlimited Challenge Song Festival!”

"2007, Riverbank Highway Ballad Festival!"

"In 2009, the Olympic Road Chorus Festival!"

"The 2011 West Coast Highway Music Festival!"

"The 2013 Freedom Road Song Festival!"

"Ooooh..." As the VCR of annual music industry hits began playing on the big screen, several people started cheering excitedly.

Then, the host invited special judges Ryu Hee-ryeol and Yoon Jong-shin to the stage. They explained the theme and flow of today's "Face Mask Party," and the two seasoned musicians took turns guessing the true identities of the performers who would be appearing next.

Actually, later, at the 2015 Music Festival, the people who collaborated together will come out... Now on Sunday night, isn't there a very hot program

"Ah~ King of Masked Singers"

"That's right, we'll be using this format again today. These are our judges for today…"

"Then, in 2015, the Nijisanji Fake Face Song Festival, all preparations were complete, and the magnificent curtain rose!"

"Ooh ooh!" Everyone sat down in the audience facing the judges' table. The VCRs started playing soon after, and for imitation and humor, the first guest appeared under the alias "Where Did the Sheep Mask Singer Come From" They even brought several bodyguards to film a segment showcasing their act before taking the stage, introduced by Yoo Jae-suk.

He just stood there, even though he was deliberately shrinking his arms. That tall figure and the air he had in his singing voice immediately made all the c judges laugh.

"Never seen anything so obvious..."

"To slim down your arms, did you tie them up Can you straighten your arms"

"Stop hiding and just dance!" Yoon Jong-shin and Ryu Hee-yeol, along with the other judges, instantly recognized this person as Park Jin-young and immediately began to offer sarcastic and cutting remarks.

"The mask is more handsome than I am."

“Your first line...the next guest, could it be Lee Xiuman senior” Hearing Jung Junho say these words, Ji Kyoung-won who was watching the display screen backstage couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Actually, all the judges knew who those people were. They had already met each other backstage beforehand. However, they still pretended not to know and intentionally said some jokes that made people laugh.

This program and these guys are really interesting.

Even if it's true, please don't gossip about appearances!

"Hahaha..." Liu Jae-shik immediately stopped the other party's appearance bullying in a righteous manner, making Ji Kyoung-won laugh again.

"So, it seems like he's here to recruit me" After finding out he was Park Jin-young, everyone went all out. Hwang Kwang Hee, holding a microphone, looked dismissive and said, "But I'm not interested in him at all. Besides 'S,' there's no place I wouldn't go." Park Jin-young, surrounded and wearing a mask, had his chest visibly heaving, clearly stung by the words.

When he finally couldn't hold it in any longer, he blurted out, "Hey, who said JYP wants you" He felt like the previous attacks on his appearance were nothing, but this sentence really hurt him.

"Haha…" Seeing him like that, flustered and anxious, everyone burst into laughter. During the official broadcast, this part would typically include some introduction VCRs about the guests, as well as comments and praise from judges like Yoon Jong-shin regarding the guests. However, these segments will be filmed separately later and then edited in.

As the president of one of the three major clubs, is it really okay for you to participate in the Music Festival

"I participated in the program as a singer."

“jyp!” The first guest, Park Jin-young's appearance truly caused a lot of laughter. He himself is also a very humorous person. Whether it's the jokes 'half voice and half air' and 'because he was ugly, he was driven away by Lee Soo-man' that have been circulating throughout the peninsula for a long time, every time you hear them, they will make people laugh.

And as the president, he also joked around on the show. The whole recording, even without music or editing, was still very entertaining for Ji-seong to watch in the background.

After finishing his performance, Park Ji-young checked it one last time and then went down to the judges' seats to join the other judges in evaluating the next contestant.

To enhance the effect, pd sometimes paused the recording during filming. When the writer had a brilliant idea, they would also add it in temporarily, resulting in each guest's appearance segment being filmed for a long time.

Although everyone spent a long time filming, some even for an hour or two, the program length is limited after all. When it's finally broadcast, after editing, I estimate that only a few minutes of the footage will actually be shown.

However, the amount of footage recorded is never a concern. There's always more than enough. These variety shows need to sift through countless hours of footage and edit together the most entertaining moments.

After Park Bo-young, IU, Yoon Sang, and the lead singer of Hyukoh, Woo He, are also gradually appearing.

After IU's portion was finished, it was already 1 pm. The PD called a halt to the recording and entered a mid-day break. After everyone had finished their lunch, they started filming again.

After the first five guests had made their appearances, it was finally Ji's turn.

"There's only one spot left. This is the final chance."

"Now, please welcome our last guest..."

First published on the Traditional Chinese Novel Websitebest to keep this on the down low, and avoid being spotted by fans or getting photographed. EXO is doing really well right now, so we definitely don't want any news like this getting out. Don't worry...