Peninsula: I created the golden age of girl groups

Everyone looked on in astonishment.

However, this astonishment only lasted for a very short time.

Apart from Yuri, most of those present were seasoned veterans of the industry, and after a moment's thought, they understood the reasons behind Lee Soo-man's actions.

Kang Woo-hyuk's terrifying singing skills alone would make him an absolute standout even within the SM Entertainment system; all he needs is systematic training and image packaging.

Moreover, his appearance is not bad either, clearly fitting SM's preference for good looks.

SM is still extremely authoritative when it comes to defining aesthetics.

Not to mention his creative abilities, which are the envy of any entertainment company.

And... don't forget, the fact that he was able to establish himself in a national variety show like "X-MAN" proves that his on-the-spot reactions and sense of variety are quite good.

Aside from the dance being yet to be confirmed, it has almost no weaknesses!

A truly top-tier potential stock.

Thinking of this, Kim Young-min and Yoo Young-jin's eyes lit up at the same time, and their gazes toward Kang Woo-hyuk became even more intense.

Such a gem, if he could join SM, whether it's a solo debut, a core member of a future new group, or even just participating in behind-the-scenes production, could bring immeasurable value to SM!

Looking at the stunned Kang Woo-hyuk, Lee Soo-man smiled and continued to raise the stakes:

"You can rest assured, this is not a spur-of-the-moment decision. I can even assure you that everything will be based on your wishes, whether you focus on working behind the scenes, debut solo, or join a subsequent group as a core member... The stage SM can provide for you is far bigger than you can imagine!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuhe fell into deep thought.

It must be said that the conditions offered by Lee Soo-man were extremely tempting.

If he were still that nobody, unaware of Lee Sung-soo's background and influence, he might actually have been tempted.

But the problem is...

In his memory, apart from BoA and Kangta, who came from the original idol group, there seemed to be very few solo artists from SM Entertainment who could be considered outstanding.

Of course, this does not include members who debuted in top groups and then went solo.

As for debuting as a group... SM's next boy group should be EXO, who debuted in 2012, right?

Should I join EXO myself?

It seems... it's not entirely impossible?

Moreover, given SM's track record, they may have already started secretly selecting trainees.

But that's several years from now, and he can't afford to wait that long.

Lee Soo-man was naturally unaware of what Kang Woo-hyuk was thinking. Seeing him deep in thought, he assumed Kang was interested and quickly pressed his advantage.

"With your talent, staying at Starshine would just be a pointless waste of time, which is a real shame! SM Entertainment is definitely the best choice for you, what do you say?"

As he spoke, he seemed to remember something and quickly added, "Are you worried about your contract with your current company? It's alright, SM Entertainment will handle that, you don't need to worry about it."

Looking at Lee Soo-man's impatient expression, Kang Woo-hyuk felt somewhat helpless.

He shook his head slightly. "Thank you for your appreciation, Lee Soo-man, but... I don't have any plans to change companies for the time being. I'm sorry."

"..."

Lee Soo-man's smile froze instantly.

He instantly realized that he had been too hasty.

But Lee Soo-man is Lee Soo-man after all. Although his reluctance grew stronger, his expression returned to calm.

"It's okay, there's no need to rush into a decision right now. After all, it concerns the future, so it's important to consider it carefully. Don't worry! SM's doors are always open for you."

"Yes, I will seriously consider it."

Jiang Yuhe nodded in agreement, then asked, "Speaking of which, what do you all think of this song?"

This question is actually a bit broad.

Upon hearing this, Yu Yongzhen replied without hesitation, "It's a very good song!"

"Especially Yuhe Xi's version, it's like he's infused the song with a completely new soul. If I were to rate it, the original might get 80 points, but your version... I think it deserves at least 95 points!" That'll do.

Jiang Yuhe smiled slightly, then turned his gaze to Jin Yingmin beside him.

"So, what are SM's expectations for the song's performance?"

"expected?"

Kim Young-min naturally took over the conversation, but his tone was extremely official: "We certainly have expectations for the results, but we won't be blindly optimistic."

"As everyone knows, the current market environment is still dominated by boy groups, but we firmly believe that the blue ocean of girl groups is coming soon... In fact, it's not just us. For example, JYP's Wonder Girls have already debuted, and their debut song 'Irony' has received good reviews, which also confirms that our judgment was correct."

He paused, his tone brimming with pride, "And our girls not only practice for longer on average, but their skills are also more balanced and solid, so if we're talking about expectations... I believe they won't lose to Wonder Girls!"

These words were impeccably worded, but the pride in them was already palpable.

Looking at the confident Kim Young-min, Kang Woo-hyuk smiled faintly, "Then let me be more direct. In the eyes of you seniors, how will this debut song compare to Wonder Girls' 'Irony' in terms of success?"

"cough."

Lee Soo-man coughed lightly.

This topic is somewhat sensitive.

"Wonder Girls and our soon-to-debut group are both extremely excellent groups. Moreover, President Park Jin-young is also an extremely excellent producer, and his works have their own unique qualities. Besides, the market is large enough to accommodate enough excellent groups to develop together."

Although he tried to change the subject, the competitive spirit in his eyes did not escape Jiang Yuhe's notice.

Jiang Yuhe smiled and said, "I think this song might not necessarily surpass Wonder Girls' 'Irony' in terms of sales."

"..."

Lee Soo-man's smile vanished instantly.

Kim Young-min frowned deeply.

Yu Yongzhen's eyes were full of confusion.

Yuri suddenly looked up, staring at Kang Woo-hyuk in disbelief.

Looking at their reactions, Jiang Yuhe felt somewhat helpless.

Although he was aware of SM's ambitions, facts speak louder than words.

In his memory, Wonder Girls' debut song "Irony" consistently ranked within the top three on the annual charts, while "Reunion" only ranked around 70th.

Of course, there is a time difference involved, since "Reunion" will be released much later.

Therefore, it is difficult to determine who is more popular simply by using the annual ranking.

However, if we compare the highest position on the weekly chart and the number of weeks on the chart, looking at 2007 alone, Irony seems to be stronger.

"Reunion" was indeed an excellent debut song, but in terms of the explosive popularity and discussion it generated at the time, it was not as high as expected.

But when it comes to its subsequent influence and historical status, there's no need to say more; it's the greatest debut song ever, and that's no exaggeration!

Not to mention the significance it carries!

Seeing the nonchalant attitude of the group, Jiang Yuhe understood.

After all, it's an ambitious project that SM Entertainment poured countless efforts into creating, so it's normal not to believe it.

Moreover, SM's past successes have given them ample confidence and assurance!

Jiang Yuhe didn't intend to wait for them to refute him. He simply turned and glanced at Yuri before speaking again.

"Their debut date should be set by now, right? With this song and a little more practice and preparation... it should be around July or August this year, right? After all, they've been preparing for quite a while!"

"!!!"

Now, Lee Soo-man, Kim Young-min, and Yoo Young-jin all wore expressions of utter shock.

The girls' debut date has indeed been set, but this news is known only to a very small number of high-ranking executives in the company.

How did Jiang Yuhe guess it? And the time frame was almost exactly the same?

The three of them looked at each other in bewilderment. Although they did not admit it directly, it was tantamount to acknowledging it.

Lee Soo-man took a deep breath and said in as calm a tone as possible, "Indeed, their practice time has been long enough, and the members are unlikely to change much. Plus, with this song, as long as they can adapt quickly... then it's about time. This market is ruthless; one step behind can mean being behind forever!"

His words were an indirect acknowledgment of Jiang Yuhe's assertion.

Jiang Yuhe nodded, his gaze sweeping over the three of them again.

"Now that their debut song and approximate debut date have been basically set... then, following your company's consistent planning approach, their follow-up album... should already be in preparation, or at least already in the planning stages, right?"

"!!!"

Lee Soo-man, Kim Young-min, and Yoo Young-jin all suddenly raised their heads at the same time, their eyes widening instantly, their faces filled with shock!