When I Opened My Eyes I Was a Superstar - Chapter 195
# 196
#KK (4)
What V TV suggested was an American guerrilla performance.
Although the overall framework was the same as the guerrilla performance in Korea, the detailed format was slightly different, as if it was planned with the me app.
We perform in one city one day a week.
One city, but many places. There will be a total of three performances, moving from place to place every four hours. Instead, the set list is short, about two songs.
The plan was to travel around the entire United States, both west and east, in one month.
V TV also said that rather than broadcasting live, they wanted to produce a documentary-style program showing the performance for a month and broadcast it to the world.
As the location changed every four hours, the only notice was posted on social media an hour in advance. It could have been a guerrilla performance in the true sense of the word.
In addition, it was the United States, not Korea, which was already enjoying peak popularity.
The guarantee that each performance would be a hit was clearly reduced.
The decision to choose a documentary-style program rather than a live broadcast was probably planned with this in mind.
‘I guess they want to capture both the images of success and the images of disappointment…’
Inside Hit Entertainment, we agonized over whether or not to accept this program for several days.
This was because the risk was too great.
A total of 12 performances. If about 8 of them were successful at the box office and only about 4 showed disappointing results in attracting audiences, it would generally be in line with the purpose of the program.
Even as KK, who is not yet a world-class singer, there was a lot to be gained. This was because the success of number 8 would be highlighted more.
‘But if the probability is less than half…’
He was already a top star in Korea, attracting over 70,000 people despite the sudden news of his performance a week ago.
His popularity overseas was also the highest among Korean singers.
‘Connection’ also landed safely on the Billboard charts and was performing as well as ‘Continue’.
There were differing opinions as to whether it was right for KK to appear in a program that was close to gambling.
If he took on a new challenge in the U.S. and achieved poor results, his status in Korea could have been diminished.
There has already been a precedent for a top Korean star losing popularity in Korea due to failure in the United States.
In any case, as a company that respects the opinions of its members, of course the final decision would be made by the KK members.
However, Hit Entertainment was a management company. From the company’s perspective, KK had to be able to identify various pros and cons in advance and provide direction so that the group could make better choices.
Therefore, the time to tell the members about V TV’s proposal was delayed.
It was because I didn’t want to upset the members’ feelings ahead of the last performance.
While the opinions of Hit Entertainment executives were divided, team leader Lee Dae-hyung took a neutral position.
#KK_please_come_here
was the hashtag attached to the messages that increased explosively starting from the last performance.
It was a huge message.
‘#KK_please_come_here’ was even listed on the overseas real-time trends compiled internally by Facenote.
Looking by region, the numbers were clearly high in Asia and the United States.
It wasn’t just Facenote’s real-time trends. In the United States, KK came up several times a day in the main search terms of a portal site as famous as Friends.
It was the first time since the Billboard Awards. If it was to the point where it was listed as a real-time search term on an American portal site, V TV might have been right in saying, ‘K-K’s popularity in the U.S. will be greater than what Hit Entertainment analyzed.’
If you think about it, album sales in the U.S. were also significant.
Team leader Lee Dae-hyung focused his attention and checked the real-time trends of Facenote once again.
‘#KK_please_come_here’ was the 2nd real-time trend in the United States.
If the guerrilla performance in the U.S. was successful and the program showed good viewer ratings, KK would be completely established in the U.S. market.
***
After the dream-like final performance at World Cup Stadium, the members were given a five-day break.
It was a truly precious break for the members who had been performing guerrilla performances and practicing repeatedly without taking a single day off for a month.
If it had been any other time, the members would have gone out of their overdue appointments and spent time individually, but not like this.
It was because I literally needed a break.
The dormitory, which was treated as an inn where you only sleep, was crowded with members 24 hours a day. For the first few days, I only slept to replenish my stamina, and only then did I relieve stress through games and exercise.
In the meantime, Taehyung Park had concerns.
After the holiday, which was like a nice rain in a drought, it was immediately time to start filming “Dancing Dancing.”
Because it was his first solo schedule, Taehyung Park was particularly nervous.
I became even more nervous thinking that I was ‘guiding’ someone.
‘Can I really do well?’ This worry came to me all the time, even when I was watching TV in the living room of my dorm.
Of course, in the past, Park Taehyung would have been so buried in such worries that he could not sleep and would have been shaking.
However, even though I was nervous now, I was not overwhelmed by the tension.
This was because through KK activities, I had learned with my body how to overcome worry and anxiety while standing in a ready position in front of the starting line and run vigorously.
KK was the group that always arrived at the finish line in first place without falling. Just by being a member of KK, I became someone who could reach the finish line no matter where I was.
In addition, Taehyung Park was not alone in the first filming of
KK members came out to support Taehyung Park, who appeared as a judge and leader of a team on
Ilsan TBN Production Center.
The filming location for “Dancing Dancing” was a huge one-story building built for public broadcasting and other stage broadcasts.
As dance was the theme of the broadcast, the set was set up in a way that the audience seats were pushed back and the stage was widened to secure a wide stage.
“wow……! Taehyung! Taehyung!”
As soon as he entered the set, Kim Won pointed towards the set ceiling and shouted.
Taehyung Park’s face was proudly displayed along with the faces of the other judges, along with a huge banner that read “Dancing Dancing.”
“Oh…”
“How rude?”
As the members expressed their admiration, Taehyung Park’s face turned red.
The judges of 〈Dancing Dancing〉 included Taehyung Park, top dance sports athletes, ballerinas, and street dancers.
Experts from each field were scheduled to lead the participants who were united by their passion for dance.
Among the four judges, Taehyung Park was the one who stood out. They were all tops in their fields, but in fact, there was no one known to the entire nation as well as K.K.
It seemed clear that the topic would focus on Park Tae-hyung. It was natural for Taehyung Park to feel that pressure.
After hearing the news that the KK members had arrived, the assistant director of 〈Dancing Dancing〉 rushed out in a month.
“Ah, you’re here!”
“yes. hello.”
Koo Cheol-min, who brought the members with him, bowed to the assistant director. The members standing behind also bowed politely to the assistant director. Rather, the assistant director bowed even further, as if he was sorry.
From the middle of the broadcast, the viewers’ attention will be captured with the tension and spectacular performances of the contestants’ attractive tournament program, but a certain topicality was needed to make them watch the broadcast first.
In that sense, to the directors of “Dancing Dancing,” KK and Taehyung Park were like the driving force that would lead their program.
As an assistant director of a new program, I had no choice but to follow my boss.
“come here! “You can prepare it in the waiting room over there.”
Gu Cheol-min nodded and led the members to follow the assistant director.
Although it was Taehyung Park’s first filming, he had already filmed ‘Dancing Dancing’ several times.
During the last filming, in which Taehyung Park had no choice but to attend due to his guerrilla performance schedule, three other judges selected 20 final participants, and today was the day to decide on the team.
Taehyung Park had to form his own team by teaming up with a senior ballerina from the National Ballet Academy.
KK members were scheduled to fill their seats as panelists while the judging was in progress and decorate the ending stage of today’s filming.
The KK members who arrived at the waiting room had their makeup touched up and waited for the recording time.
First of all, since they were only participating as panelists, the members’ outfits were not stage outfits for the first time in a long time. It could have been a boring waiting time, but the members came dressed up in their own style and had fun taking pictures.
It was when I was about to eat a steak lunch box sent by fans for lunch before I started recording.
It was a lunch box sent by Taehyung Park’s fan site after learning that it was the filming day for Taehyung Park’s first solo schedule,
Steak lunch boxes had already been delivered to all staff, as well as the judges and contestants.
It wasn’t for nothing that broadcasting officials were singing because they wanted to broadcast with KK. Not only did it guarantee topicality and viewer ratings, but it also improved the working environment.
“Taehyung should take a proof photo of this. “Where did Taehyung go?”
Hyung-seo Ahn visited Tae-hyung Park, who was away.
Taehyung Park said hello to the ballerina who would be forming the team with him and went to discuss the broadcast and did not return.
Koo Cheol-min, who went out with the production crew, also had no news.
“Are we not finished talking yet?”
Jeong Yoongi muttered to himself.
“I will come and see.”
Dowook stood up and said.
Anyway, it was the waiting room right next door, and I thought it would be better to take a quick look at the situation in the waiting room rather than making a unnecessary call and interrupting the conversation.
As I opened the waiting room door, there were people in the hallway who appeared to be participants, each with a large number tag attached to their chest, and were talking in groups of twos and threes.
The story of those who could not find Dowook who opened the door and came out continued.
The group right in front seemed to be a team of street dancers. Just by looking at their outfits, you could generally guess what kind of dance they were doing.
“If you join Park Tae-hyung’s team, won’t you win 100% of the team matches?”
“Dangpa. “The followers will take responsibility for the live voting.”
“But there are separate expert scores. And since we have to compete again within the team… Isn’t that actually a disadvantage?”
First of all, participants were able to support the team. The judges either selected the contestants who applied, or other teams made a bid to bring them in.
As a participant, choosing which team to choose was also an important issue, so these were enough words to say. Although the bad language was irritating to his ears, Do-wook tried to accept it.
“Hey, but Taehyung Park… shouldn’t he have appeared as a contestant? “What are you, judge?”
“why. Aren’t you good at dancing? I think I saw a video…”
“You’re an idol even if you fly and crawl, so let’s just dance well.”
A male participant wearing a torn denim jacket leaned crookedly against the wall and spoke. These were participants who had already made a name for themselves through dancing. That’s why my pride was so strong. To put it nicely, it was pride. In other words, it was arrogance.
“brother! Speak quietly. “How popular is KK these days?”
“If he’s so popular and good at dancing, doesn’t a comedian like Na Jae-seok have to do poppin’?”
“what? haha.”
The two remaining participants burst into laughter at the boastful joke.
On the contrary, Dowook’s impression was crumpled. It was time to clear my throat and pretend to be popular. I made eye contact with Taehyung Park, who was coming out of the waiting room next to me.
And after that, Jo Jung-min was approaching the group.