When I Opened My Eyes I Was a Superstar

# 144

What is your name (3)

***

“Wow….”

When LIL’s face appeared on the laptop screen, all the members gathered in one place looked at the screen in fascination.

On LIL’s side, LIL was looking closely at the camera, as if KK’s face had not yet appeared.

Next to LIL was also the planner who planned this collaboration album from LIL’s management company.

“Is it really LIL? Real LIL?”

“What… are you making a rhyme now?”

Kim Won muttered in disbelief, and Ahn Hyeong-seo told an awkward joke. Hyungseo Ahn was also in a tense state with his shoulders tense before his first greeting with LIL.

Speaking of collaboration, it was a win-win situation for both KK and LIL by bringing together each other’s strengths and creating synergy.

Knowing each other well was also important to highlight each other’s strengths.

Of course, collaborating did not necessarily mean that there would be active exchange between the collaboration participants. In cases where people thought they were just business partners, there were cases where they only received songs from a producer and even recorded them separately.

However, if you think of it as a musical exchange rather than just a business partnership, emotional communication with each other was definitely a way to improve the quality of the songs.

“I think it would be nice to see LIL’s face through a video call.”

Due to the realistic distance, it was not possible to meet right away and have a face-to-face conversation, but Do-wook thought it would be better to say hello and talk through a video rather than start producing the song without even saying hello.

Although we will continue to send messengers or talk on the phone to exchange opinions about song work, it seemed like it would be good for future communication to have a conversation by looking at their faces and reading their expressions.

It was Dowook who suggested a video call, and LIL happily accepted the offer.

Due to the time difference between LIL’s schedule and Korea and the United States, it was not easy to schedule a video call, but today, under the guidance of team leader Daehyung Lee, we had the opportunity to say hello for the first time.

-Hello!

As if the connection was finally made properly, LIL on the laptop screen waved his hand and greeted the KK members.

There was a slight interruption, but it was so vivid that you wouldn’t think you were 14 hours away by plane.

Even though LIL had a rough beard and was wearing a beanie, he had a look that made even that look stylish.

In fact, LIL’s age was about a year older than KK’s older brother, Jeong Yoon-gi. Despite the small age difference, LIL looked like she was in her 30s. LIL is not a serious form of presbyopia, but it is true that Westerners look older than Asians.

To LIL, it was clear that the KK members looked like high school students.

“hello. My name is Daehyeong Lee and I am in charge of KK. “Let me introduce the members here.”

First of all, Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung came as the person in charge of KK.

Album production was Team Leader Sim Jun’s domain, but today was just a simple greeting, and Team Leader Sim Jun’s English skills were not at a level where he could converse with locals.

Do-wook had seen many of them during New York Fashion Week, but the other members were momentarily impressed by Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung’s fluent English.

After a moment of admiration, the members hurriedly said their names and greeted them. I was in a hurry and felt awkward, so I only greeted them with an honest Korean pronunciation, saying ‘Hello Hi Nice to meet you’.

According to the textbook, ‘How are you?’ They were so honest that it was strange that no member asked.

The members greeting each other looked like shy girls.

“Oh my… I am Hyungseo.”

With Ahn Hyeong-seo saying his name, the greetings of those who did not know or speak English well ended.

Dowook handed the greeting he had prepared to LIL.

“I am Dowook. I’m so happy to be able to work together like this. Thank you for the great opportunity.”

LIL’s eyes widened slightly and she spoke to Dowook.

“Oh…… Dowook! Are you the composer of LAST DANCE? It was very impressive. I hope that the song we will sing together this time will also be like that.”

Although he already knew the contents through an email sent by team leader Lee Dae-hyung, Do-wook couldn’t hide his happiness after actually hearing praise from LIL.

Even though he was not Do-wook, the members also showed proud expressions as their lips naturally lifted when LIL praised Do-wook.

“It’s a great opportunity for me as well. Let’s have fun working!”

Do-wook nodded loudly at LIL’s words.

The last person left was Kim Won, who should play a big role in LIL’s interactions with the members. Among the members, he was the only one who could communicate with natives without any problems.

Kim Won quickly greeted me as if he was very excited.

“This is Kim Won! I’m KK’s rapper. I was a big fan of LIL, but to hear his voice and then talk to him on the phone like this… It feels like a dream. “If I feel like this, I think I can fly.”

LIL responded, waving his hand with a happy expression.

“Call me when you can fly in the sky. “I think I can make more money with that.”

Kim Won laughed at LIL’s joke.

Team leader Lee Dae-hyung also laughed and sighed. In fact, when I proposed a video call, I was considering that LIL would reject it.

As Team Manager Lee Dae-hyung knows, a pop star with a good reputation is closer to finding a needle in the desert.

I heard that there are many pop stars who have a good image on the surface, but when you actually talk to them, they differentiate depending on the person they are talking to and maintain an arrogant attitude.

Rather than it being a question of character, if you live a more extravagant life than anyone else, receiving the attention of countless people around the world and being treated as a goose that lays golden eggs, you are bound to get swept up in it.

At the same time, in order to maintain that life, you have to keep laying golden eggs, so you inevitably become sensitive.

However, despite being a world-famous star, LIL’s attitude was not arrogant, so the KK members were not offended.

It was not because LIL had a favorable attitude toward anyone, but because he recognized KK’s music to some extent and treated him as an artist he should work with.

It was true that LIL, who swept the world in just one year, was arrogant and sensitive like other pop stars.

“I want to talk about the songs that will be included in the album, at least in rough form… so that I can start working on the songs.”

When Do-wook stuttered in English, the planner who was sitting next to LIL, a white man wearing horn-rimmed glasses, answered on LIL’s behalf.

“This album features several singers other than you. Although it is a collaboration album, it is basically LIL’s album. LIL’s color must not die. “The concept of this album itself is to reveal LIL’s colors based on LIL’s unique voice, no matter who or what song we do.”

Dowook nodded slowly.

In some ways, it was a great feeling of confidence.

‘The album concept is the singer itself. ‘You can do this because your own color is clear.’

This was possible because LIL has his own husky yet comfortable voice. Dowook was both impressed and envious. I thought it would be great if KK or Dowook themselves could become singers like that someday.

Team leader Lee Dae-hyung stood behind and quietly and simply interpreted for the other members so that they could follow the conversation to some extent.

“The music LIL wants to make with KK is clear. They want to make sophisticated yet exciting music. Because I thought KK’s energy was good. If I were to just look at the atmosphere, it would be ‘IN THE DARK’ among LIL’s songs. “I want to keep the funky rhythm alive.”

“I see…”

Do-wook nodded, entering important keywords into his head.

Since this video was being recorded anyway, he could watch it later while working on the song, but Dowook wanted to get as much information as possible while talking on the phone anyway.

‘If we’re not careful, we can just collect the cost of the work and end up canceling it… so we can’t make it like that.’

LIL, who was sitting, added his opinion.

“I was deeply impressed by the harmony building in LAST DANCE. “I think I felt that it was the power of the group rather than solo.”

Dowook’s brows narrowed slightly at LIL’s words. However, it wasn’t enough to be noticeable on the screen.

Dowook was able to immediately figure out what song style LIL and the promoter wanted.

“thank you. Hmm… after listening to the explanation, I think I understand the overall color of the song that LIL wants.”

LIL smiled broadly and gave a thumbs up.

“As expected, you are a great producer, just like I heard. I’m also looking forward to the results.”

“Hmm… I will make sure to send you the guide I worked on as soon as possible.”

The planner also sent a positive response to Do-wook’s words. Team leader Lee Dae-hyung, who was behind him, had doubts about whether things were going well, but he felt fortunate that Do-wook seemed to have gotten the hang of it.

As the story about the song came to a close, Kim Won relaxed the mood and asked LIL.

“LIL can I ask you one last question?”

“What is it? “If I can give you an answer, I will.”

LIL answered willingly.

“Where did you get that brooch on your chest? It’s so stylish that I want one too. “Where can I buy it?”

At Kim Won’s question, LIL’s expression completely changed from before and became brighter. Everyone watching the screen could feel that it was a sincere smile, not a business smile.

“Unbelievably, you were the only one today who took interest in this brooch. And unfortunately, you can’t buy this.”

It was morning in Seoul, but it was late at night where LIL was. Even though she had a happy expression on her face, LIL’s voice, which was a bit subdued, went up a notch as she explained the brooch.

“What did you say your name was? one? “Is that the one from ‘only one’?”

“yes that’s right.”

LIL was delighted with Kim Won’s answer, saying that she was the only one who recognized the brooch.

The brooch was designed by LIL herself. One of LIL’s hobbies, as she is very interested in fashion, was designing fashion accessories herself. If you roughly sketch out the shape you want, there are bound to be people nearby who will make it for you at LIL’s location.

Kim Won knew about LIL’s hobbies after researching them in advance.

When I saw the unique, eye-catching brooch that looked a little flimsy, I thought it must have been made by LIL.

While listening to Do-wook’s story about song work, Kim Won was able to figure out to some extent what kind of song LIL wanted.

And Kim Won was now one of the people who knew Dowook quite well.

It was easy to predict that no matter how LIL Do-wook was, he was not someone who would just be dragged around.

That’s why I thought it would be a good idea to be a little more likeable towards LIL. This is what people do anyway… The greater the liking, the more likely one is to listen to the other person’s opinion.

The day of the recording arrived quickly, and the phone call with LIL ended with Kim Won hugging her and even saying that she wanted to give Kim Won the brooch in person.

After the call ends.

Do-wook said thank you to Kim Won. It was clear that KK’s image to LIL had definitely improved thanks to Kim Won.

“No, thank you. Because I really like LIL too… But the song LIL wants…”

Kim Won chose his words.

The conversation was so fast that the members who could not hear the interpretation properly signaled with their eyes shining that they wanted to hear what was being said.

“that’s right. LIL is completely the main and we are the sub. Of course, I expected it to some extent, but it was more than that. “It’s to the point where they want to use us as a full chorus.”

‘IN THE DARK’, which I mentioned as an example, was perfectly LIL’s song. This meant that among LIL’s songs, it was a song that I couldn’t imagine being sung by anyone other than LIL. LIL’s resounding voice naturally resonated in my ears just by hearing the title.

“I guess we should go that way, right?”

It was clear that he was the best singer in Korea, but he was definitely not compared to world-class singers. The size of the market was different.

Kim Won asked cautiously.

As expected, Dowook shook his head.

“Of course, since it is LIL’s album, he should be the main character. Whether it’s a chorus or something else, we may be in a position where we should be honored just by putting our name on it. But…”

Do-wook thought hard,

“I won’t do that. “We need to make it so that they don’t have to do it. So that KK won’t be embarrassed to have their names listed next to each other.”