Peninsula: I'm the Top Streamer

Chapter 713 The Second Generation of a Chaebol! Little Ziyu?

In a small conference room in YG's production department, Kwon Heonhyuk unconsciously tapped the table with his fingertips.

Across from me sat two producers from The Black Label, with several sheet music and an iPad spread out on the table, and a PowerPoint presentation on the album's production progress on the screen.

“Xuanhe,” one of the producers turned the iPad toward himself.

"The progress is good so far. There are a few demos available. You can try listening to them and see what you think."

He clicked on the first audio track, and a light and bouncy Synthwave melody flowed out, accompanied by retro drumbeats.

"This song leans towards the synthesizer trend we've discussed. The melody is catchy and the atmosphere is strong. Could we add some layers to the arrangement, or keep the current clean feel?"

Quan Xuanhe listened intently until the end.

"It feels very refreshing, and it's a good experience."

He is somewhat confident in his musical taste, but in the professional field, he respects the producer's opinions more and only expresses his listening preferences, after all, he is an outsider.

"Understood." The producer quickly noted it down and clicked on the second song.

This is a more restrained and profound Urban R&B song, with piano chords as the foundation, and the bass part in the demo is handled with great texture.

“We feel this song better showcases the characteristics of your voice, especially the narrative quality in the mid-to-low range. Should the climax of the chorus be a little more impactful?”

Kwon Hyun-hyuk pondered for a moment, "I think the impact of the chorus is just right now. If we want to improve it further, we'll have to see what the specific effect is."

He is well aware of his own limitations; since he is not a professional, he refrains from giving unsolicited advice and simply expresses his feelings as a listener.

“Okay, Xuanhe-xi.” The producer indicated his understanding and was about to select the third song when there was a gentle knock on the conference room door.

“Xuanhe, Lee Chanhyuk from Akdong Musician is here. He says he has something he wants to tell you.”

Quan Xuanhe's eyes lit up, and he immediately stood up: "Please come in quickly."

Lee Chan-hyuk walked in, holding a USB drive and a simple folder.

"Annyeonghaseyo, Xuanhe-xi, did I disturb you?"

"Ani-yo, you've come at the perfect time." Kwon Hyun-hyuk warmly invited him to sit down, gesturing for the producer to pause for a moment.

"Zanhe-xi, it seems there's good news?"

Lee Chan-hyuk nodded and handed the USB drive to the producer.

"Yes, I've been thinking about it carefully during this time, and there is indeed a melody and feeling of a song that I think fits the direction you mentioned before, Xuanhe-xi."

He opened the folder, which contained several pages of handwritten sheet music drafts and fragments of lyrics. "I made a simple demo."

Park Jung-jung took the USB drive and quickly connected it to the conference room's audio equipment. Everyone quieted down, their eyes focused on the small USB drive, filled with anticipation.

The music is ringing.

The intro is a clean and lively rhythm that instantly creates a relaxed, sunny atmosphere, like a chance encounter on a street corner.

Immediately afterwards, a warm and slightly magnetic male voice joined in, singing a catchy melody that was simple yet memorable—the very tune that Quan Xuanhe had heard countless times in his mind.

You know,

.

You know,

.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk recognized him almost instantly.

that's it!
Love Lee!
The demo was short and finished playing quickly. A few seconds of silence fell over the meeting room as everyone waited for Kwon Heonhyuk to give his opinion.

Kwon Heonhyuk broke the silence first, looking at Lee Chanhyuk with eyes full of admiration and surprise.

"Zanhe-xi, this is it!"

His tone was decisive, without any hesitation, and he gave Li Zanhe a big thumbs up.

"This song is amazing! It's exactly what I wanted—warm, everyday, yet it makes you smile and you can keep listening to it. The chorus melody is simply perfect!"

In fact, Kwon Heonhyuk had specifically told Lee Chanhyuk about the direction he wanted before production, and even hummed a simple melody, saying that he wanted this kind of feeling.

Otherwise, Lee Chan-hyuk wouldn't have produced a work that was so similar to the final product.

This is, after all, a demo, not the final product, and both the male and female voices in the demo are sung by Lee Chan-hyuk.

Further minor modifications are needed.

Lee Chan-hyuk clearly hadn't expected Kwon Heon-hyuk's reaction to be so direct and enthusiastic, and a smile appeared on his face.

"I'm so glad that Xuanhe-xi likes it. It felt very smooth when I was writing this song."

Lee Chan-hyuk continued, "The female vocal part still needs a suitable singer to perform."

"The atmosphere of this song requires a sweet, natural voice with a touch of girlishness or everyday life to fully bring out that sweet and everyday feeling."

Several names flashed through Quan Xuanhe's mind in an instant.

Who should we choose?

But at this moment, looking at the finally released version of "Love Lee," he wanted to focus more on confirming the song itself.

As for the female voice, we can consider that more carefully later.

“The duet part is indeed crucial.” Kwon Heonhyuk agreed, then changed the subject with great sincerity and decisiveness.

Let's get this song first; hesitation will lead to defeat.

"Zanhe-xi, I hope this song can be included in my first solo album as one of the main tracks. In terms of copyright and production, let's go with the highest standards agreed upon in the industry, what do you think?"

Seeing Kwon Heon-hyuk's unwavering determination, Lee Chan-hyuk's last bit of uncertainty vanished, and he reached out his hand without much hesitation.

"Of course, it is my honor to cooperate with Xuanhexi."

Their two hands were clasped tightly together.

That's how the first hit song was decided.

What's next?
Kwon Heonhyuk, Lee Chanhyuk, and the two producers from The Black Label briefly discussed the future arrangement direction of "Love Lee," the initial concept for the female vocals in the demo, and the progress details of the other tracks on the album.

After reaching a basic consensus, Quan Xuanhe tidied up the sheet music notes on the table and got up to say goodbye.

"Thank you for your hard work. That's all for today. Please send me the revised version as soon as possible."

Kwon Hyun-hyuk nodded to Lee Chan-hyuk and the producer, his tone relaxed as if his work had come to an end.

“Okay, Kwon Seonhyuk-ssi, we will follow up as soon as possible.”

Lee Chan-hyuk and the producers also stood up to see them off.

Kwon Seonhyuk picked up his coat from the back of the chair and pushed open the meeting room door.

The corridor was filled with the unique atmosphere of an entertainment agency, a mix of subtle musical beats and a bustling atmosphere.

As soon as he stepped out, he saw several girls standing on one side of the corridor.

Quan Xuanhe paused slightly and looked at them.

They were a few young girls, wearing loose and comfortable training clothes, with a thin layer of sweat on their foreheads, obviously having just finished training.

One of them, however, didn't hesitate at all after seeing Quan Xuanhe. Instead, she looked directly at him with a smile on her face, showing her boldness.

When she saw Quan Xuanhe's face clearly, instead of avoiding it, she stopped and greeted him with a bright smile and a clear voice.

"Hello, senior, I am trainee Moon Seo-yoon."

Quan Xuanhe's gaze lingered briefly on her face, his reaction normal. He was neither surprised nor bothered by her initiative, nor did he show any particular enthusiasm.

He simply nodded slightly and responded in a normal tone.

Her looks are just so-so, single eyelids and a long face. She might look better with makeup, but in the entertainment industry, she's just average.

However, the matter concerning her later debut caused quite a stir.

This woman, with a special background, is the granddaughter of the owner of Shinsegae Department Store. Her first debut controversy occurred before The Black Label's girl group Meovv, when she was rumored to be debuting.

The project eventually fizzled out, but then they debuted as a co-ed group called All Day Project.

They seemed quite low-key and reserved when they first debuted, but they couldn't hide it anymore, and their resources took off.

While being associated with a chaebol may attract more attention, it's still true that pandering to the wealthy brings no benefit, and excessive flattery and praise won't get you anything. If you treat them only as idols, they're really just so-so.

"Ah hello."

Attitude is the polite response that seniors should give to juniors.

His gaze swept over the other girls, and he thought she was prettier.

After scanning a girl, Quan Xuanhe paused slightly and looked her over a few more times.

Why does she look a bit like Tzuyu?

Kwon Hyun-hyuk couldn't help but take a second look.

But Wen Xuyun thought that Quan Xuanhe was looking at her more, and her smile became even brighter.

The producer happened to be coming out of the conference room when he saw Kwon Seonhyuk and the group of girls who had just finished practicing in the hallway. He walked over naturally.

"Ah, Xuanhe-xi, you haven't left yet?"

As the producer spoke, his gaze turned to the group of girls, especially Wen Xuyun, whom he clearly recognized.

"Xu Yun, this is senior Kwon Hyun-hyuk. We were just talking about the album."

Wen Xuyun immediately greeted Quan Xuanhe again.

"I am Moon Seo-yoon, it is a great honor to meet you."

Her movements and tone exuded confidence and initiative.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk nodded politely in response.

"Hello."

Wen Xuyun didn't seem to care about the distance. She turned slightly to the side and pointed to the girls next to her with a hint of introduction.

"Senior, they are all my friends who practice with me."

As expected, Quan Xuanhe's gaze fell once again on the girl who looked remarkably like Zhou Tzuyu, following Wen Xuyun's introduction.

The producer noticed Kwon Seonhyuk's gaze lingering on him and added accordingly.

"Oh, this is Anna, a trainee who just came from Japan. She has good potential."

The girl named Anna seemed a little nervous, hurriedly bowed, and greeted him in Korean with a distinct Japanese accent.

"Hello, Senior Kwon Seonhyuk! I'm Anna. It's nice to meet you. Please take care of me."

Her demeanor and voice revealed the naivety and restraint of a newcomer. Although somewhat similar to Chou Tzu-yu's usual gentle and quiet demeanor, her temperament was more immature and reserved.

Quan Xuanhe looked at her, a hint of barely perceptible inquiry and realization in his eyes. So she was Japanese.

He nodded slightly to Anna, his tone still polite but seemingly a little gentler than when he spoke to Wen Xuyun.

"Anna? Hello, welcome to Korea. Good luck with your practice."

This simple word of encouragement made Anna's cheeks flush slightly, and she bowed again in a low voice to express her gratitude.

"Kamsangmida, senior!"

Wen Xuyun noticed the extra attention Quan Xuanhe was paying to Anna, her smile remained bright, and she took the initiative to speak.

She spoke up at the right moment: "Thank you for your encouragement, senior! We will continue to work hard."

"The company plans to launch the group in the next two years, and these kids are members of the preparatory group."

After the producer introduced the trainees as the prospective members of the idol group the company plans to launch in the future, Kwon Heonhyuk nodded slightly.

"Yes, I understand."

His voice was steady and his tone was gentle: "It's a good thing to have potential. I hope you will become a huge hit when you debut."

"Like your seniors?"

Wen Xuyun said with a smile at this moment.

"If possible, be a little better than me."

Upon hearing this, Quan Xuanhe simply smiled and casually added another comment.

Even if it's a child from a wealthy family begging for a living in the entertainment industry, they'd still have to try to become an actor, right? They're still being fooled by the beautiful illusions that are created for them to become idols.

The producer nodded in agreement: "Yes, we will provide them with more systematic training and planning."

Kwon Hyun-hyuk didn't delve deeper into the topic of the girl group plan, but simply added a polite remark to the slightly nervous yet excited girls in front of him.

"Looking forward to your future performances, keep up the good work!"

"Yes, thank you, senior."

The trainees bowed in unison to express their gratitude, their voices clear and crisp. Although Wen Xuyun's expression was respectful, his demeanor appeared more composed than that of the other trainees.

Anna, still flushed from Kwon Hyun-hyuk's gaze and encouragement, kept her head down.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk said no more, and gestured to the producer: "Then I'll be going now."

He turned around, took long strides, and walked down the corridor toward the elevator.

The producer watched them go, and the trainees maintained their bowed posture until his figure disappeared around the corner of the corridor.

A hushed, suppressed murmur of excitement rose in the corridor. Moon Seo-yoon straightened up, looking in the direction Kwon Hyun-hyuk had left.

"Oppa, please introduce me to him next time."

Moon Seo-yoon was not at all reserved and smiled at the producer as she spoke.

"We'll see. If there's an opportunity, I'll help you get to know them."

Thanks to her family background, Moon Seo-yoon was already hanging out with idols like YG before her debut. Her so-called trainee status was just a formality for her to be a kept woman.

Anna was whispering something to her companion, her face beaming with barely suppressed excitement. The producer clapped his hands, drawing their attention back to the present.

"Alright, stop standing there, let's go back to the practice room. Remember what your senior said, hard work is the key."

Kwon Heonhyuk finished his album meeting at YG's production department and rushed back to the filming location for the second season of "DP".

As soon as I stepped into the temporary rest room, before I even had a chance to drink some water, the screen of my phone on the table lit up, displaying a new message notification.

He picked up his phone and unlocked it; the sender was none other than Han Su-hee.

The message was enthusiastic and showed clear concern.

"Xuan He?"

"So, do you have some free time lately?"

Quan Xuanhe looked at the message and raised an eyebrow slightly.

Several days have passed since Han So-hee returned to South Korea after the AAA Awards ceremony, and now she has sent a message to congratulate him and bring up the script discussion again. Her initiative and enthusiasm are almost too obvious.

Kwon Hyun-hyuk leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping the table unconsciously.

He quickly went through the upcoming schedule in his mind.

Working non-stop to film "DP" and "Breaking the Tomb", plus the Blue Dragon Film Awards, Dior shoots, and album preparation, his time was almost completely filled.

If you want it, just come find me.

He hovered his fingertip over the screen for a moment before finally replying.

"I'm sorry, I've been very busy on set lately and haven't had much time."

"If it's convenient for you, come work for my film crew."

"How about it?"

Quan Xuanhe casually remarked that, judging from the message, the wording did not seem very sincere, and even gave the impression that it was a "take it or leave it" attitude.

Even with this attitude, Han Su-hee readily agreed.

She was too eager to improve.

(End of this chapter)