Chapter 129: Secret News and Interesting Stories

""I told him he's been super popular lately, and he even admitted it." Sunny pouted."Oh my, this is exactly what I had in mind for Jingyuan, not a bit pretentious."Kim Hyo-yeon gave a thumbs up, clear..."I think we can adopt this pattern for our return this time…"

The first section's behind-the-scenes video just started playing, and on the screen we see Chi Jingyuan with a serious expression, speaking earnestly to those around him, explaining and introducing something.

This footage was likely shot later in the year. Even though the conference room may have had the heating on, everyone appearing in the frame is wearing warm autumn/winter clothing. Among a group of mostly business-dressed corporate elites, Ji Jingyuan stands out in a black casual jacket and dark jeans, with only a section visible.

Especially, it's a bit too young.

It's possible that the interior scene and identities of the staff members were concealed to protect privacy. The image features extensive mosaic and blurring treatments in many areas. However, the faces of some personnel surrounding the room, including Chi Jingyuan and Li Xiuman, are relatively clear.

"What is going on"

Many viewers who watched the beginning didn't react, and didn't understand what it meant.

"Could it be..."

However, many people, seeing this scene and hearing the first sentence, immediately had some guesses in their minds.

The next scene quickly answered the questions in their minds.

“Our previous ways of returning with original and re-packaged albums might work well in ordinary times, but for XO's comeback next year, it feels a little lacking... There have been so many things happening this year, and we all understand the current situation of the group now. So next year's regular album feels particularly important. I think we need a comeback plan that is more unique and grand in terms of both form and momentum...”

"Have a look..."

In the video, Chi Jingyuan picked up the remote control and turned on the projector. The PPT, which had been prepared beforehand, appeared on the screen of the conference room. He walked to the stage, operating the PPT while giving a detailed introduction. Many things suddenly became clear at a glance.

"...I think the proposals for two double title tracks in the previous plan were great, but my suggestion is not to go with a 'remastered' approach. Instead, I propose splitting these four title tracks and making them the core of four EPs. Each EP would feature the title track plus two other high-quality non-title tracks..."

Then, it will be released over four months, such as March, April, May, and June, or May, June, July, and August. Each month will be released on the same day, simultaneously with a singing promotion activity...

"……The album name, I had an idea myself, to name it after our official fan club name, XO. So, *EXO-L* is the final regular second album, and the four letters each correspond to four single albums, *E*, *X*, *O*, *L*. This is also a way of thanking fans for their support. Idols and fans are one, right I believe many fans will be very happy when they see it……”

At this point, Chi Jingyuan, who stood in front of the conference room, paused for a moment. He turned his head and glanced at the large projection screen behind him. His gaze lingered on the clear black lettering on it: "EXO-L". He pursed his lips, a smile in his eyes, which seemed to contain some anticipation.

“We… are indeed very pleased.”

At this sight, countless Ailis' hearts silently echoed the same sentiment. Gazing at Chi Jingyuan in his casual dark attire, bathed in the slightly dim lighting and with a somewhat blurry reflection of the pool behind him, they felt that their idol was radiating light from within. She made them feel warm all over.

Originally, this album was hailed as a masterpiece by all fans, and they believed ** finally had a genuine album title, which he came up with...

Even some highly sensitive, hardcore fans couldn't hold it in and wiped away a tear.

And some passersby, even insiders watching this behind-the-scenes video, focused on what Ji Jingyuan said. They watched in astonishment as he lectured like a professor to the ** company elites, feeling a sense of absurdity about the scene: "So after all this time, EXO's comeback mode this year was really Yuan's idea No way, can a single member actually decide their group's comeback plan"

"Wouldn't it be for hype and posing It feels a bit exaggerated..."

"Does EXO's current popularity and heat require this much hype And would ** gather CEO Lee Soo-man and several board representatives, all high-level company executives, for the photoshoot you mentioned just to create a buzz around Yuan Can your words be more thoughtful Is it really that difficult to admit that Yuan is talented"

"This is someone who not only came up with the plan but also made the PPT Is he an idol or a producer He's really amazing."

"No one's seen the track list Yuan Oppa is one of the producers for this XO 2nd regular album, and he was in charge of several songs."

Because of the popularity of XO and the huge success of this album, their current fame is incomparable to last year. After uploading these behind-the-scenes videos to their official YouTube account this morning, they attracted not only fans but also a large number of ordinary viewers.

"I think compared to , in terms of both style and popularity, is more suitable as the lead single."

"...The concept for that previous promotional video was pretty good, selecting ten cities or regions around the world and having their initials spell out the song title..."

There are many behind-the-scenes clips from the initial few album planning meetings. Many people were meeting for the first time, including discussions about their return format, themes, song selection, and promotional video ideas. Some scenes featuring Park Ji-sung and other members were also included, though they were just a few scattered shots. Despite this, many viewers found it quite refreshing.

Because many people are seeing this kind of idol album and behind-the-scenes footage from their comeback for the first time, most companies won't make this stuff public. Even ** has added a lot of mosaics and heavily edited it this time, leaving out some crucial details.

... but it still makes most people enjoy reading it.

Some passersby who have only heard the name EXO but haven't paid much attention or understanding, after watching the beginning of this behind-the-scenes footage, couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. They felt that this boy group, and this member, seemed really special.

This time, EXO's behind-the-scenes album is very long. It covers everything from the project proposal to the preparation of four single albums, and finally to the release of their second regular album. From high-level meetings at the company where Park Chanyeol spoke, to the choreography and practice of songs, and even the on-site filming, many scenes and shots that EXO themselves didn't pay much attention to were faithfully recorded by the VJ following them.

And inside, it's not all positive; there are also some negative and frustrating parts.

"Call baby, call baby."

"Callbaby callbaby…"

At this point, the video cuts to the next segment. It's clear that it's inside EXO's practice room. The music for "callbaby" hadn't officially finished playing when their manager abruptly cut it off. The remaining music abruptly stops, sounding a bit jarring.

"...Aren't you guys still not able to nail that final crab step The most important Endgame move and kill part in the whole choreography, it’s still not clean..."

"I really am…"

"Suho, and Baekhyun, you guys take a look at how you're dancing, are you seriously going to film an MV like this I..."

The members, who had just finished a dance practice session, stood on the spot panting. Some bowed their heads, while others clutched their waists, silently listening to the manager and dance instructor's angry criticisms. Though many people were in the practice room at this moment, it felt unusually quiet. All you could hear was the harsh and frustrated voice of reprimand. The heavy atmosphere could be felt even through the screen.

In order to play these clips, some words that were too vulgar or harsh for fans to hear from the manager and teacher have been muted.

Otherwise, if it were to be made public, many fans seeing it would cause controversy.

But even if these are played, they still give people a sense of heavy pressure.

"Do you know what's going on with the group now…… Forget it, let's just go eat." After setting things alight, the manager also calmed down, and said with a bit of helplessness and anxiety at the end, then he walked out of the practice room with the teacher.

And the bottom left corner of the screen also provided the date in real time, January 1, 2015.

Many fans felt a pang of anxiety when they saw this date, as they all knew very well what kind of situation EXO was in.

This marks a new beginning for the group after being reduced from 12 to 9 members. They are facing turbulent times, with an uncertain future and widespread pessimism from the outside world.

Everyone knows how important this regular second season is for them, of course, including EXO themselves.

The practice room in the video fell silent, but the tense atmosphere didn't last long. After a while, everyone else left to eat, as they were all famished and exhausted after practicing for so long.

Only Jin Jiumian and Byun Baekhyun, who had just been called out by name, didn't go together. They stayed alone in the practice room. After a few minutes of silence, they stood up and started practicing again.

Next, the video will be sped up, showing what happened next at dozens of times the speed.

The two of them in the practice room, repeatedly practicing the crab walk from the last section of "callbaby." They walked back and forth across the practice room from left to right, facing the floor-to-ceiling mirror, constantly correcting their movements.

After half an hour, Chi Jingyuan and Wu Shixun came back with their meal. After quickly eating a couple of bites, the few people didn't rest and continued to practice together.

...and the other members, after returning and seeing the brightly lit practice room and the constantly repeating music of "Callbaby," didn't say anything else. They just glanced at it and silently joined in.

The team practicing in the video went from two people, to four, then seven, and after a while, back to nine.

At dozens of times the speed, all anyone could see was EXO in the video tirelessly and endlessly repeating the dance, as well as the scene where they specifically practiced the final crab walk.

Meanwhile, the time marked in the upper right corner is also constantly changing, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, and then to 10:00 PM, 12:00 AM, 2:00 AM...

Continuous and repetitive practice looked like a replay, yet the time displayed in the upper right corner reminded everyone that it wasn't.

This behind-the-scenes footage really gave the audience a lot of shock, as well as many indescribable emotions.

Not only are fans touched and heartbroken when they see such fan-abuse scenes, but some passersby also can't help but feel emotional. They realize that no one's success comes overnight. Idols may appear glamorous on camera, but the hard work they put in behind the scenes is truly real.

However, in the world of Korean peninsula songs, effort is the least noteworthy thing. To succeed, this is just the most basic quality.

"Annyeonghaseyo, I'm Chanyeol. We are currently at the set for the 'Call Baby' music video shoot. I just finished getting my makeup and hair done, so I'll take you guys on a tour of the set today. We have several luxury cars being used for filming today, look over there, wow, they are really cool... Over there sitting on the sofa is J-Hope, he was the first one to finish getting ready. Let's go say hi... Shh, he seems to be asleep already. Let's be quiet... Hmm, the members have been pretty tired lately, haven't gotten much rest..."

In the frame, Park Chan-wook, who had been loudly chattering and filming behind-the-scenes moments, lowered his voice at just the right time. He walked closer and took a tiny shot of Ji Chang-wook with his camera. Ji Chang-wook was seen sitting on the sofa with his legs naturally spread apart, his hands clasped in front of him, nodding his head down with his eyes closed as he slept.

Closed eyes, cheekbones and a nose bridge with smooth contours, a long and gentle breathing sound, paired with the newly styled smoky gray hair, form an elegant and beautiful picture of tranquility, making one's eyes light up.

"Wow, he's so handsome!"

"At first glance, his expression looked very tired. He fell asleep right there on the set after filming. It's so heartbreaking."

When a certain young lady saw this scene, she felt a pang of sympathy while instinctively pressing the screenshot button. She carefully captured several pictures and after watching the behind-the-scenes footage, she happily edited them.

The behind-the-scenes footage for EXO's debut single album, "E", is abundant. It encompasses everything from the dance rehearsals to the pictorial shoots and MV filming, all the way to the trip around the world for the promotional film that has fans bragging and other agencies marveling at ** Entertainment's vast resources. This "cinematic" trailer truly showcases every step of preparation leading up to the release of this crucial album, which also marks the beginning of EXO's ascent to the top this year.

Through this meticulous pre-production preparation, professional album production, and the hard work and cooperation of all members, many people unknowingly seem to understand why EXO's second full-length album this year burst forth with such a powerful and dazzling brilliance.

"Just wait for me there."

"Wait for me there."

They entered the next scene, which showed a room resembling a music studio. A group of people were intently looking at a display screen while the background music played, clearly hinting at it being "Haru no Hi" (Spring Day).

"...Jingyuan, what do you think" After asking around for everyone's opinions, Lee Soo-man looked at Ji Chang-wook and asked.

"I think…"

Chi Jingyuan frowned slightly, looked at the displayer that had just played the MV several times, and after a few seconds of pondering, he spoke:

"...the ending at the station felt a bit abrupt. Perhaps it should have been when everyone got off the train at the conclusion, as the nine members walked through the vast and desolate wilderness bathed in the gradually rising warmth of the sun on a bright spring morning. They wandered freely, then the camera slowly pulled back to a bird's-eye view, finally settling. While hinting at a summation of their past youth, it could also express some hope and longing for the future..."

"...I think we should shoot an extra scene to add in later, that's my first reaction and most honest thought after watching this version of the MV."

Although he appears young, Chi Jingyuan, who is the center of everyone's attention, looks serious and composed. He isn’t smiling like he usually does, which makes him seem very convincing despite his age.

In this situation, with this kind of performance, a stark contrast is formed compared to the usual image of an idol in front of the camera. However, it allows us to feel the charm of his other side.

This scene ends with Li Xiuman slowly nodding, as if in deep thought. The camera cuts to a moving van. At this moment, Beakhyun is holding a small camera and shooting behind-the-scenes footage, asking himself questions as he films.

"Ah, Anihaseyo, good morning everyone... We are currently sitting in the nanny car, what will we be doing next"

"That's right, we're going to shoot some more MV scenes in a bit... Ah ah!" He couldn't help but shout at that point, complaining to the camera for a moment: "Because we need snowy scenery, the MV was actually finished a long time ago, but last night at midnight, the manager suddenly informed us that we had to reshoot today. We got up before three o'clock..."

"How could this happen so suddenly…" Bian Chengxian said, his voice growing increasingly hysterical. He suppressed his voice and growled a couple of times to vent his frustration.

At the edge of the picture, Chi Jingyuan, who was sitting by the window, seemed to twitch his mouth and turned his head to look out the window.

"Don't you see Yuan is holding back a laugh"

His little move did not escape the watchful eyes of the incredibly observant audience and fans, and soon

“He was holding back a laugh, Yuan almost couldn't contain himself... The other members didn't even know that Yuan suggested reshooting the MV Being complained to in front of everyone is hilarious.”

“But it turns out that the MV for originally didn't have that last part Although many people say that the MV for is particularly well-made and beautiful, I feel that the last part, where all the members get out of the car and walk on the open prairie, bathed in sunlight, smiling and walking towards the front together, is the most classic. The emotions from before were all released, completely sublimating the feelings of the entire MV. Every time I watch it, I feel particularly healed.”

"Indeed, while the front part was beautifully filmed, the expression of emotions wasn't quite there yet. The last few shots really released all the built-up emotions. I've watched the MV for "Spring Day" dozens of times, and each time it still moves me deeply… I never expected that it was Ji-seong who suggested adding those parts"

I can only say that without the final segment, "Spring Day"'s reputation, especially the MV's reception, definitely wouldn't be as good as it is now.

For this segment, both fans and passersby have shown a high level of enthusiasm in their discussions. The anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories surrounding the production of these albums have proven to be incredibly interesting for everyone.

Originally, the MV for "Spring Day" didn't have the last scene

It turns out that the last shot in the MV, the one that left everyone in awe, was actually Ji Chang-wook's suggestion to reshoot. He even designed the shooting process himself

Besides satisfying the audience's curiosity and desire to peek into their lives, these little tidbits also make one feel that this male idol has truly reached the pinnacle of success.

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First published on the Traditional Chinese Novel NetworkChi Jingyuan closed the screen and chatted with the two about his thoughts: "I just think the plot development is a bit slow, with many exciting parts coming later. Besides, the initial story is indee...