DEBUT AS PINK GENERATION
Life had taken a new turn for the four girls, and the tides were currently in their favor. Success felt like a new sleeve, and they wore it with gratitude.
They knew that being selected to make their debut as a K-pop star group was not an accident. After all, the girls in the other teams were also very talented, so the fact that they were chosen was incredibly humbling. Four of them had always daydreamed about how delicious the taste of success would be, but the real deal was much more than they had ever imagined. The dream they had been chasing for three years had finally materialized, and there were no words to fully describe how they felt about it.
Name or Be Named
Master Ki-Taek had been in a good mood since the girls had been chosen. He called for a meeting with the entire management of Blue-Sky Entertainment.
“I want to congratulate all of you,” Ki-Taek started as he proudly looked at his team. “You all have displayed a fantastic work ethic since we began training the girls, and now that we’ve chosen the group to make a debut, the real work begins.”
“By that, you mean production, publicity, and the works, don’t you?” Amelia asked.
“No, silly,” Ki-Taek joked. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. The girls don’t even have a name yet. So I called us for a little brainstorming session to come up with something creative and fresh.”
“That’s true,” Chang-Min said. “We need something sassy, something fierce, yet sweet.”
“And what would that be?” Ki-Taek asked.
Chang-Min shrugged. He was undoubtedly good at getting his trainees to learn technical dance moves and improve their flexibility, but naming girl K-pop groups was definitely not in his territory.
“How about we call them the Pow Wow girls?” Hyun Ji suggested, looking pleased with her contribution. She was in the makeup team, and a huge part of the team’s job description was making the K-pop idols in Blue Sky Entertainment look their best.
Ki-Taek looked at her. “What do you think they are, a bunch of dogs?”
Someone in the background chuckled, and Ki-Taek turned around to find the culprit.
“Come on, team, names? Keep them coming.”
A hand was gingerly raised.
Ki-Taek looked at the person impatiently. “Yes?”
“We could maybe consider calling them Shining Stars,” Seo-jun said. He was the guy from the production team.
“Not bad, but we need something more original,” Ki-Taek said, and everyone almost groaned.
Ki-Taek turned to Seong. “You have been awfully quiet throughout this meeting, Seong. I called for contributions, not silence.”
Seong shifted in her seat. She was intentional about not making any contributions because if she suggested a name that didn’t fly by Ki-Taek, he would give her a name himself, and it was most likely not going to be a good one.
“Well,” she started. “It would be nice if we could show off their feminine side with the name. Fans rave about K-pop groups that are girly, and we want their name to express that.”
Ki-Taek stroked his beard. “Go on.”
“They are also the newest generation of K-pop idols in our company,” Seong continued as she leaned forward in her chair. “So, why don’t we call them Pink Generation?”
“Hmm,” Ki-Taek beamed. “Pink Generation.”
He stood up and paced through the length of the conference room.
“Pink Generation, Pink Generation,” he repeated to ruminate on the taste of the name in his mouth and mind.
Ki-Taek looked at the management team and held out his hand as if he was imagining the name on a large billboard.
“Pink Generation, I like it,” he said finally and grinned.
The team heaved a sigh of relief, especially Seong. Ki-Taek was a perfectionist, easy to annoy, and hard to please. That was why, even as the CEO of the company, he was still fully engaged in the nitty-gritty of the establishment. He just couldn’t be comfortable with assigning these responsibilities to anyone else. He had a saying: “To do it well, you do it yourself.”
“Let’s get the ball rolling,” Ki-Taek ordered as he turned to the staff. “I want that name to be on the tongues of every K-pop fan in Seoul. Publicize it as much as possible, you know, the whole works.”
The girls were excited when they were informed about their names. Hearing the words ‘Pink Generation’ just made it all the more official. This was really happening! They had gone from being trainees to being K-pop idols, and it would take some getting used to.
Even getting a manager was exciting to them.
That day, there was a tall woman at the door of the café with pale, white skin and maple brown hair tied in a bun. She had a warm smile and kind eyes.
“Hello, girls, I’m Ye Ji,” she said as she hugged them.
The girls were supposed to meet up with her, and they were excited.
“I’m so excited to meet you girls,” Ye Ji said. “I’m going to be your manager, and I can’t wait to see you all unleash your potential!”
“Thank you,” Julie said as she looked at her friends with a wide grin. Wow. They really did have a manager. That was wild!
“So, I just wanted us to meet up and discuss a few things,” said Ye Ji. “So as you might already know, I’ll be in charge of making sure that your schedule runs smoothly.”
“That’s true,” Sue said happily. The woman sitting in front of them was endearing, and she didn’t mind her running all their schedules at all.
“We have a lot of work cut out for us,” Ye Ji said. “As a brand-new K-pop group, there are a lot of activities lined up. First, you have to release your first single. Then we proceed with a whole lot of publicity, including TV shows and marketing of your albums. The summary is we have a lot of work to be done.”
Sunny almost squealed just hearing the word albums. This was a dream, right? They were once trainees enduring countless rehearsals, and now they had a whole manager who was briefing them on how they would soon release an album.
Sunny looked at Jennie and knew she was thinking exactly the same thing.
Debut Song
Everything was happening so fast. Now that the girls had a name, it was time to make music.
They gathered in the studio, testing out different lines for their new song. Blue Sky Entertainment was known to give their K-pop idols creative freedom with their music. The entertainment company typically just gave them a concept to work with, and they had the liberty to create a quality song based on that concept. They felt lucky. Only a few entertainment companies in Korea were giving that kind of liberty to their signees. But as much as they were enjoying the creative freedom that came with being able to freely create their songs, the process of writing the song itself was not easy.
They had encountered a few obstacles along the way.
The four members of the newly-formed K-pop girl group sat down in the studio, eager to start working on their first song. They had spent months training together, perfecting their singing and dancing skills, and now it was time to showcase their talents to the world.
Jennie had come up with a few solid lyrics, Sunny infused some beautiful melodies, Sue was working on the choreography of the song, and Julie was being the leader she had always been, encouraging the girls and helping them maintain the harmony that their group had fought so hard to create.
As they looked at each other, they knew they had a lot to prove. They were not just any girl group; they were Pink Generation. They were determined to make their mark in the K-pop industry and create music that would inspire their fans.
Julie, who was ever so ready to lead, spoke first. “Let’s try to brainstorm and come up with solid ideas for this song to pop!”
“Alright, Julie,” Jennie said.
“What do we even want the song to be about?” Sunny asked. “That will sort of help us to get an idea of how to start.”
The other members nodded in agreement, and they began to exchange ideas.
“What about love?” Sue suggested, even though she knew it was so cliché.
“Well, we could try and sing about friendship?” Jennie made her input.
“Hear me out, girls,” Julie said. “Our journey has been incredibly unique. So why don’t we transform our story into a song? We can sing about our struggles and challenges to success and fame.”
As they talked, they started to realize that their song could be about all of those things. They could write a song that talked about their struggles and challenges to success and fame while incorporating the love and friendship that they shared amongst themselves. They felt liberated knowing that they could explore all these concepts that they held dear to their hearts.
Excited by the possibilities, they got to work. They started to hum melodies and jot down lyrics, building on each of the ideas until they had the structure of a real song.
Hours passed as they worked, but the girls were determined to create something special. They wanted to make sure that every word and every note would resonate with their fans.
They finally came up with some lines:
"Like the light shines bright
We make our stand known
We will shine, shine, shine
And make our stand known."
Julie took off her headphones and beamed. “This song is incredible.”
“Yeah, I feel like it really captures the essence of our journey and how finally our dreams have come true,” Sunny agreed.
“So, what should we name the song?”
“Dreams Come True,” Julie screamed with delight.
“Sounds perfect,” Jennie agreed.
“A fairytale name,” Sue sighed.
“I don’t know a better name that fully encapsulates our story,” Sunny said, and they all smiled warmly.
Finally, as the sun began to set outside the studio, they looked at each other with pride. They had done it. They had written their first song. After listening to the track, they knew that it was something special. The song ‘Dreams Come True’ captured their spirit and their vision. And they could not wait to share the song.
Together, they worked on their first song. Pink Generation had been working tirelessly for months now, pouring their hearts and souls into their music and dance rehearsals. All the countless setbacks and challenges that they had faced along the way did not matter now. Even when it got tough, they had never given up on their dream of making it big.
They had released their single titled ‘Dreams Come True’ and it spread like wildfire. It was an instant hit and it truly had all the traits of an amazing K-pop debut song. The fans raved about how catchy the tune and melody were, and they also admired the powerful vocals and dance moves exhibited by the girls. Everything about it stunned the fans, especially the catchy tune, the memorable lyrics, and the synchronization of the dance moves that just seemed to suck the viewers in. Even the critics praised Pink Generation's unique style and impressive choreography. Analysts liked the fact that the songs were powerful enough to catch the interest of the people and that the visuals of the music video were up to par as well.
‘Dreams Come True’ was now topping the charts, and the girls were suddenly thrust into the spotlight under the gaze of millions of fans. They started getting invited to perform in all the major music shows, and the girls were ecstatic. This was what they had worked so hard for. Seeing their dreams come true just like the song described was a feeling that they could not fully describe with words.
As the weeks went by, Pink Generation continued to grow and gain massive momentum. Their fan base quadrupled, and ‘Dreams Come True’ became one of the top songs of the year. To sum it up, Pink Generation's debut song was a fresh start to a legendary career.
Radical Success
Soon enough, everyone was talking about it. Who were Pink Generation and where did they come from all of a sudden? On the other hand, the critics were asking, would their fame last, and if they were truly worth the hype.
The professional debut of Pink Generation was a smashing success. The fans adored their sound and stunning choreography. Julie, Sunny, Jennie, and Sue were full of joy because this was exactly what they had trained for years for. They loved the positive response that their performances were generating. They had worked tirelessly to perfect their vocal capacity, dance moves, and stage presence, and it was finally paying off.
“I think you’re something special,” Ki-Taek told the group one day. “But you have to put in some more work.”
Julie turned to her friends. “Did you hear that?” They squealed with excitement. “Yes, we did!” Sue screamed. “Dr. K thinks we are something special!”
The studio gradually became their second home as they had to spend countless hours there in order to create beautiful music for their fans to enjoy. They also began to perform at various venues and events, and Pink Generation’s popularity was gradually increasing by the day. The music video of ‘Dreams Come True’ was applauded and watched by millions of fans around the world. Soon, they became the most talked-about K-pop girl group in all of Korea. Their lives had practically changed from making their debut, but one thing remained constant, and that was their unshaken humility and gratitude to their fans for all the support and love they had received.
Soon enough, the time came for their very first interview. KTV had sought Blue Sky Entertainment’s permission for an interview with the girls, and the company had granted it. The very first interview, and they were beyond ecstatic.
“Today we’ll cover a heartwarming story of fame and love,” the host announced. “And for that, I have with me Julie Kim, Sunny Park, Jennie Lee, and Sue Chung.” As soon as she called their names, the onstage audience cheered loudly. Some whistled, and others screamed happily.
“Together, these four talented girls are called Pink Generation,” the host declared. “But since they are a relatively new group, there’s not much we know about them just yet, and that’s exactly what we are going to try and do today; get to know these girls and hear their stories.” The fans cheered again.
“So, let’s start with Julie,” the host began. “Why did you want to be a K-pop star in the first place?”
“It has always been a question of when, not if,” Julie began confidently. “I loved performing so much that when people around me had their birthdays, I would perform for them for free. Still, people always told me to go be a model, but I just knew that I always wanted to be a K-pop idol.” The host smiled. “Wow, that is so beautiful. I’m glad you got to follow your dreams.”
She turned to where Sunny sat. “Speaking of dreams, Sunny, I learned that being K-pop idols was a dream that you and Julie shared as best friends even before passing the audition to get into Blue Sky Entertainment.”
“Yes, that’s completely true,” Sunny agreed. “I remember how I got into BS before her and how I would cry almost every night waiting for when she would get in. All that crying just made me look a bit silly.”
The audience laughed; they thought it was endearing how Sunny was getting all real and personal.
“Your fans have been raving about the new single,” the host said. “Do you maybe want to speak on that and tell us what inspired the song?”
“Well, the song itself is a written expression of all that we’ve been through as a squad,” Jennie started. “A lot of people see the outer layers of fame and success, but very rarely do people ever consider what happens behind the scenes, which is basically a lot of hard work and effort.”
Her emotional statement was met with a loud applause.
“So, the song ‘Dreams Come True’ tells a story, our story,” Jennie continued. “It’s all about how we rose through the ashes into the light. We are humbled by the fact that it’s not because we were the most talented that we eventually made the debut. We are just so happy that our dreams came true.”
The fans continued to clap again, and even the host clutched her chest to show that she was already getting very emotional.
The girls looked at each other and exchanged knowing glances.
“That is truly beautiful,” the host sniffed. “And I’m sure the fans really want to know more about your personal life, Jennie, if that’s okay by you, of course. You have an obvious American accent, and it’s obvious you have American origins. Do you mind telling us about your struggles as a foreign K-pop trainee?”
Jennie was careful to talk about this sensitive topic.
“It’s not easy being a trainee, whether you are foreign or not,” Jennie began and cleared her throat. “At the same time, it’s a fact that being foreign makes it that much more difficult to get opportunities as a K-pop trainee. I have an American dad and a Korean mom, and their support has gotten me this far. I believe that with lots of dedication and the right amount of talent, you can get to the top no matter what.”
The fans melted into another round of applause.
“Sue, we’ve seen how good you are at dancing and how you’ve got moves that some of us can only dream of. How did you discover your love for dancing?” the host asked.
Sue smiled shyly. “For me, dancing has always been a language. Growing up, I’ve always been shy and reserved, and I sort of turned to dancing, you know. It’s a way to express myself and how I’m feeling at any given time.”
“So, how are you feeling now, Sue?” the host asked.
“I feel excited and just grateful to be here with my friends,” Sue answered.
“Would you like to express that in a few dance moves for us?” the host pleaded.
Sue stood up, and the DJ in the studio played Pink Generation’s ‘Dreams Come True’ song.
Sue danced with a few upbeat steps and beckoned the rest of the girls to join her. Soon, Sue, her friends, and the host were dancing on the stage. As they performed, the girls looked at the audience cheering for them, and they felt a rush of gratitude and joy. They knew that they had a long way to go. They were very determined to keep working hard and chase their dreams.
The girls looked back on that day when they had released their first single. They knew that this was just the tip of the iceberg. They had proven themselves to the world that they had what it took to make it in the world of K-pop. They were ready to take on any challenges that might come their way, and with the speed at which they were making waves, even the skeptics just had to agree on that.
As soon as the song ended, Sue ended the dance moves with a sharp split. The audience roared in loud applause, with some of the people in the audience leaping up to cheer for them. Then, the interview ended on an amazing note.
***
Min Seo switched off the television and felt annoyed. Her face scrunched up as she tossed the remote on a fluffy pink sofa in the room. She was a member of one of the most popular and established K-pop girl groups called Sailor's Girls. They were signed to Apple Entertainment and made their debut about 6 years ago.
The group was taking a little break from studio time, watching TV, and they happened to stumble upon Pink Generation's interview.
“You know you don't have to worry about them, right?" Da-Eun said.
“You are so wrong Da-eun,” Min Seo said. “Remember what happened with Spicy Trio? We saw them as just another girl group. In the twinkle of an eye, they rose to the ranks with a fan base that's only second to ours.”
Da-eun rolled her eyes. She hated how Min Seo would always remind her of the girls. The other girls were laughing at how she rolled her eyes.
“Ugh! Can you believe it? Pink Generation is doing significantly better than us.”
“Are you kidding?” another girl in the group asked in disbelief. “We've been in the game longer than they have. How can you even compare?”
“I mean,” she continued, “We are doing very well. We've got a lot of fans and we sell out all our shows. So why are you so mad?”
“It's not enough,” Min Seo said. “We need to be on top all the time! I want all the attention on our group. We need to come up with something exciting, something new, and something fresh.”
Da-eun was nonchalant about the whole matter. “I don't know, maybe we should just focus on doing what we do best and not worry so much about what others, including Pink Generation, are doing.”
“That's easy for you to say,” Min Seo said. “I know you don't care.”
Da-eun looked at her and let out a sigh. She wasn't angry at Min Seo because she was already used to attitudes like this.
“Girls, what does our CEO always tell us?” Min Seo asked.
“Healthy competition equals healthy profits,” the girls echoed.
“Well then, let's bring it on,” Min Seo said.
“Hold up,” Da-eun said. “This is NOT healthy competition, you know that, right?”
“You're a K-pop singer, not a doctor,” Min Seo replied.
“Well,” Da-eun said after much thought. “Even though I don't agree with your techniques or approach, you are right when you said we need to do something new. We do need to take some risks and go bold if we want our fans to see a different side of us.”
Min Seo took out her phone and hopped on social media. Then she selected a picture of her girl band and crafted a little caption that said,
“Pink is so old school.”
When Da-eun told her that it would be nice if they would try something new, she was definitely not talking about throwing shades at a rival group on social media. Da-eun bent her head and shook it in a way that said,
“This is definitely not what I had in mind.”
Min Seo smiled at her colleagues. “Ladies, let our fans handle it from here,” and then she hit send on her post.
***
The highly anticipated debut album had finally been released. All the studio time had paid off, and the fans couldn't be happier with the quality of the songs. The album showcased the variety of talents that the girls possessed. Sunny's powerful vocals and Sue's impressive dance moves definitely paid off.
The album was called Wow and Wowed, also known as W.W., and it was all the rage among K-pop lovers. The album included a mix of energetic and upbeat tracks, as well as emotional ballads that did well to express Pink Generation's ability to easily convey a wide range of emotions through the beautiful music they created. Fans were talking about how the songs were of superb quality in terms of the lyrics, melodies, and of course, overall production quality.
The effort they put into creating music went a long way to cement their status as one of the most celebrated K-pop groups in the Korean music industry. And then, of course, they could not overlook the massive effect that social media was having on their career. So far, the media had been buzzing with excitement and expressing their love for both the new girl group and the newly released album. On TikTok and Instagram, fans were creating covers of the songs and sharing their favorite tracks off the album, causing a ripple effect of more people sharing on their platforms. Soon, they managed to garner a widespread fan base that couldn't stop raving about Pink Generation. The fans loved it so much that they were eagerly waiting for another release in the near future.
***
The day of the big concert had finally arrived. BS Entertainment had been planning it for a while now, and the members of Pink Generation were getting ready backstage. However, Sue was feeling extremely nervous and anxious. Her friends looked at her with concern and asked what the problem was.
“I don’t think I can do this,” Sue said. Her voice was heavy with fear, her palms were sweaty, her lips quaked, and she shut her eyes tightly. Today, Pink Generation was supposed to have performed at their very first live show. The fans wanted to be part of this history and have bragging rights over being at the very first Pink Generation’s live show. For this reason, the show was sold out.
Now, Sue was confessing her feelings of stage fright and how she did not want to perform on stage. Sue had been practicing for weeks along with the others, so it was surprising to her teammates when she suddenly developed cold feet.
“Don’t be silly, Sue,” Jennie said a bit impatiently. “We’ve been rehearsing for weeks just for this moment. You were born ready.”
“No, I wasn’t,” Sue said. She was convinced that she would mess the lyrics up, twist her ankle/fall on stage, and then get booed by the entire world. Sue was such an overthinker.
Just then, their manager Ye Ji walked in and sensed the tension in the air. She had been working for years with K-pop girl groups and she knew a nervous teammate when she saw one.
“Sue, are you alright?” Ye Ji asked, even though she already knew. She went over to see why the girls were clustered backstage when they would soon get called to perform any second from now.
“Sue’s got the case of nerves,” Julie said empathetically as she squeezed Julie’s hands to help her feel better.
“Sue, it’s okay to be nervous,” Ye Ji put a reassuring arm over her. “But you’ve got this. You have worked so hard, and you’re so good at performing. I believe in you.”
“But what if I mess this up?” Sue asked as she entered further into her emotional meltdown. “I don’t want to let my team down.”
Ye Ji instantly knew that this was not the time for this. She also knew that Ki-Taek would never want to hear this sort of thing. Not after all the promotions he made sure the team did just to set the foundation for Pink Generations’ career. Ye Ji knew that she had to salvage the situation as soon as possible.
“Look at me, Sue.” Ye Ji instructed and waited until Sue did as she was told.
Ye Ji stared into Sue’s eyes. “Even if you do, it is not the end of the world. Look around you, look at your friends, we are all here to support you. You came into Blue Sky Entertainment as a novice trainee and now you are a superstar. I understand how you feel and honestly, I can relate to you on so many levels, but you have to put yourself together.”
Sue nodded slightly.
Julie picked up from where Ye Ji stopped. “Sue, there’s a whole auditorium full of adoring fans that came to see you, to see us. Everyone is rooting for you.”
“I want you to take a deep breath and believe in yourself. Have faith that you're going to crush this,” Ye Ji continued. “Your teammates are depending on you. I need you to not let them down, Sue. You didn't come this far to back down now. So, I want you to put on your big girl pants and show everyone what Pink Generation is all about!”
Sue smiled, took a deep breath, and nodded. She knew that her manager was right. With the encouragement she had gotten from both her manager and her friends, she had a renewed sense of confidence. “You are right, I can do this.”
On stage, they heard the MC announcing that it was time for Pink Generation to perform, and they also heard as the hall vibrated with cheers from the audience.
They walked onto the stage to perform their hit song ‘Dreams Come True.’
As Pink Generation took to the stage to perform, Sue could feel all her nerves and anxiety start to fade away. She looked out at the cheering crowd and began to sing, pouring her heart and soul into each note and dancing with everything she had in her.
The crowd was electric as the K-pop girl group took the stage for their first sold-out show. The cheers and screams of fans filled the air as the girls launched into their opening song, their synchronized dance moves and powerful vocals captivating the audience. Pink Generation had been training all their lives for this moment, and their hard work had finally paid off. They had spent countless hours rehearsing their choreography and perfecting their vocals, and now they were finally getting to showcase their talent in front of a live audience.
As the show went on, the energy in the room continued to build. The fans sang along to every song, waving their light sticks in the air and chanting “Pink Generation, Pink Generation, Pink Generation.” The girls themselves were clearly having the time of their lives, smiling and interacting with the crowd between songs.
As the song ended, the audience erupted into thunderous applause, giving the band a standing ovation.
As the concert drew to a close, the group took a final bow, tears streaming down their faces as they were overcome with emotion. Sue and the others felt a rush of pride wash over them. Sue had done it. She had stood up to her fears and crushed them. With the support of her team, she knew she could do even much better. Overcoming her fears and delivering a stunning performance meant the world to her. Pink Generation had worked so hard to get to this point, and now they had achieved their dream of performing for their fans.
Behind the stage, the girls were walking to the changing room; they felt sweaty and exhausted from all that jumping and dancing on the big stage. Jennie didn’t see where she was going when she bumped into a girl. She was wearing a black hoodie and nose mask. Jennie thought that was quite unusual, especially as everywhere was so hot and uncomfortable for someone to be wearing a thick black sweater.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” Jennie apologized as she looked at her. “I wasn’t looking.”
“If it isn’t the beloved Jennie of Pink Generation,” the girl said as she eyed Jennie.
Jennie looked around, and it was only Sunny that stood beside her. Julie and Sue had already gone to the changing room. Julie saw it in Sunny’s eyes too and knew what happened felt wrong. What was this girl doing backstage when it was clear that she was not part of the crew? Julie was tempted to shout for their road manager to come witness what was happening, but the look in Sunny’s eyes begged her not to do anything stupid.
The girl unveiled her hoodie, removed her mask, and then leaned in closer. “Just so you know, I am not a fan. I just wanted to make that clear.”
By this time, Sunny and Jennie were definitely creeped out, and even Jennie, who was usually ever ready to defend herself and her friends, became suddenly quiet.
Thankfully, the girl burst out laughing, put her hoodie and mask back on, and left backstage.
Jennie and Sunny later told Julie and Sue all about the incident, and that was not the end of the shock. They later found out that the girl who bumped into them backstage was a member of the established K-pop group called Spicy Trio, and that they were signed under KOL Entertainment. The girls were too stunned to even make a formal report to their manager or their entertainment company. They already had enough to worry about, just dealing with two rival groups, and they did not want to overcomplicate things any more than they already were complicated.
***
“Girls, you've been getting some very positive reviews,” Ye Ji chirped as she entered the changing room. The makeup artists were handling the makeup looks of the girls.
“And some not-so-positive ones,” Sue said with a sigh.
They were getting ready for a promotional shoot, and the makeup artists were already doing a wonderful job of getting them to look picture-perfect.
“Oh, you must mean the post from Sailor's Girls,” Ye Ji said. “You know they are signed under Apple Entertainment. They've been on the radar for about 6 years now.”
Nothing went past her without her notice. That was Ye Ji for you; she was always on top of things.
“Who are these girls?” Julie asked with concern plastered on her face. “I know they are popular and all, but I want to know everything about them, especially where they live if possible, so that I can give them a piece of my mind.”
“Don't worry about it,” Ye Ji said. “K-pop group rivalry is considered normal in the industry, even though it doesn’t fly by me. You can’t evaluate your performance based on what another K-pop group says about you.”
The girls nodded in agreement. Everything Ye Ji was saying made sense.
“I have to go make some contacts,” Ye Ji said. “I’ve handled the logistics for the shoot, but there are a few calls I need to make before your makeup is done.”
“Thank you,” Julie said.
“You know she’s right,” Hyun Ji said. “You don’t have to worry about Sailor’s Girls,” the chief makeup artist spoke as she drew a winged eyeliner on Julie. She was the same makeup artist who had suggested the name Pow Wow for the girls. Hyun Ji might not have been the best at naming people or things, but she was definitely a professional at making people look fabulous.
“I know, but it doesn’t make any of it right,” Julie answered. “It's just not fair.”
“Maybe we should be worrying about Spicy Trio instead,” Sue said.
“Oh, Spicy Trio,” Hyun Ji said. “12 awards, three consecutive rankings, and a global fan base. They are the girl group representing KOL entertainment.”
Jennie quickly googled them. “Yeah, I’ve loved their performances for a long time.”
The girls agreed that they were indeed talented. Jennie said as she stared at the pictures of the girls in Spicy Trio, “The girl on the left is the one we met at the show.”
“Yeah, Jennie, it's the girl from backstage,” Sunny told the group. “She’s the one. We already figured it out since then.”
“Great,” Julie said. “So we have two K-pop rival groups that are against us.”
“Julie,” Hyun Ji started with a kind tone full of consolation, “K-pop rival groups are as old as age. It doesn't have to be fair; it just is.”
“But what causes the rivalry?” Sue asked. “I want to know. There's enough space in the sky for all of us to shine.”
“I think I know why,” Jennie answered. “K-pop rivalries usually stem from fan wars. You know, fan bases fighting on behalf of their K-pop idols.”
“Don't forget the fact that these K-pop groups are basically competing against each other for the most sought-after awards. They all want to top the charts at all times.”
“I know I sound naïve right now,” Julie said. “But it’s still not fair.”
Hyun Ji finished off with a pink lip stain that accentuated Julie's pouty lips. “What is not fair is how gorgeous you look right now.”
Just hearing this made Julie and the girls laugh loudly. She felt grateful at that moment to have a makeup artist who could make her laugh, a manager who was working 24/7 to make sure she and her team were good, and a group of friends that she could get a good laugh with. Some parts of this celebrity status might not be comfortable, but Julie wasn't born into the world to be comfortable. She was born to dominate, and that was exactly what she planned to do.
***
Min Seo stared at her phone, and her entire facial expression changed.
“What's the matter?” Eun-soo asked.
“Don't worry about her,” Da-eun said. “I’m sure it’s nothing serious. She’s probably just stalking Pink Generation’s page for the hundredth time today.”
The girls laughed.
Min Seo was still sulking as she crossed her arms, with her shoulders slumped on the couch.
“Okay, now I really want to know what is annoying her,” Eun-soo said as she leaned in to take Min Seo's phone.
“Oh wow, you were right,” Eun-soo said. “It is really because of Pink Generation.”
Min Seo had been scrolling through social media when she came across the promotional shoot that Pink Generation did. It was a stunning picture of the four girls dressed in couture outfits custom-made for them. The picture had been making rounds, and the fans loved every bit of it. Even a famous Korean magazine had featured the girls on their cover, and it was all their fans could talk about.
“You know there’s nothing much we can do about Pink Generation,” Da-eun said. “They look like they have come to stay.”
Da-eun was right.
“We don't have to do it ourselves,” Min Seo countered. “That's what we have a fan base for, and we are going to subtly instigate them against Pink Generation. Of course, it has to be done in a subtle way if we want it to go smoothly.”
Min Seo was sort of right. If a K-pop girl group was ever to display rivalry towards another K-pop girl group through the media, it would have to be done in a subtle or indirect way. For example, members of the group might choose to throw shade against the other group by posting cryptic messages on social media that seem to be directed at their rivals.
Sailor's Girls knew that in the K-pop industry, bullying behavior was generally frowned upon. So, because of that, many of the group strived to maintain a positive and respectful image, even though they were seething inside from feeling envious of the achievement and success of other groups. Engaging in negative behavior was very risky, and it wasn't advisable since it could lead to undesirable effects such as damaging reputations and alienating fans.
Min Seo knew what to do. She would make it her mission to subtly make cryptic messages against Pink Generation in any interviews that they would go to from now on. In addition to that, she planned to subtly rile up the fans through cryptic social media messages to get the fans to do the dirty work for her. Either way, Pink Generation was going down, and she wouldn't stop until she had achieved their aim.
***
Ha Rin and Ha Yoon were attending a fan club meeting today. They were sisters with a handful of things in common, including their unquenchable love for Pink Generation. They couldn't wait to get into the venue and set eyes on their beloved K-pop idols for the first time ever!
Ha Rin brought out her phone and scrolled through. “Okay, so the article says not to pinch the cheeks of the artists or grapple them.”
Ha Yoon checked and looked at her sister who was reading an article on 10 things not to do when attending a fan meeting. It was a witty but very
much-needed article posted by www.koreanpopamazingmusic.com, and they loved it so far.
“I mean, it goes without saying,” Ha Yoon chuckled. “We can get kicked out by the bouncers if we pinch their cheeks, and why would we even want to do that in the first place? We don't want to mess up those pretty cheeks.”
The two of them laughed and walked down to the venue. They had been looking forward to this day for weeks now. The girls had done everything required to make sure they were fully ready, including getting their tickets ready, setting out early to avoid long queues, and yes, searching Google for the lists of things they should and shouldn't do when they were opportune to meet their K-pop idols.
“Yikes,” Ha Yoon said. “It’s a crazy crowd out here.”
They looked around them and were flooded with sights of so many Pink Generation fans. Everywhere they looked, people were trying to get into the building. Some were taking photos, while those who got their tickets online were trying to exchange them with a physical one to enable them to get in.
“Here,” Ha Rin said as she pulled her sister in the direction of the photo booth section right outside the hall. “Please, take a picture of me with Pink Generation.”
Someone hearing that from afar would think that she was referring to the real Pink Generation, but no, it was actually the life-sized standee of Pink Generation. Fans were taking turns to take pictures with the images, and they looked very excited doing it too.
After Ha Yoon was done taking photographs of her sister, she returned the favor and took pictures of her too. Since they had their physical ticket with them already, they didn't have to go to the stand to exchange it. That saved them a truckload of stress.
Luckily, the queue gradually dispelled as the fans were ushered inside the hall.
The sisters couldn't help but notice that Pink Generation's fan meeting was particularly well organized.
Inside the hall, they were warmly greeted, and they found a welcome kit on their seats.
“Look what's in my kit, Ha Yoon,” she told her sister. “These cute photos of Pink Generation, and there are also some snacks here.”
Ha Yoon rolled her eyes. It was the same thing in every fan meeting, and she didn't understand why her sister was announcing it. Well, she kind of understood. That was just how much she loved Pink Generation.
The meeting started with a bunch of interactive games and activities to keep the fans busy, and then Pink Generation finally appeared in the hall. The fans cheered wildly and were so excited that the celebrities they were here to see had finally come.
Ha Rin screamed so loudly that she thought her insides would come out. Ha Yoon laughed because she was just as happy. Soon after, Julie, Sunny, Jennie, and Sue did a little singing and dancing number, and the fans sang and danced along happily. When that was over, the girls went around the venue to meet the crowd. They all went around shaking hands and giving high-fives to random fans. Soon, they got to where Ha Rin and Ha Yoon were seated, and the sisters tried as much as possible to respect their personal space, even though they were screaming inwardly. When Julie approached them, she hugged them, smiled kindly, and proceeded to meet the rest of the fans.
“Did you see that?” Ha Rin screamed and shook her sister, who was laughing at her reaction.
“Yes!” her sister screamed too. “Julie just hugged us!”
They couldn’t subdue the excitement because it was just too much to contain. They were sure the first thing they would do when they got home was to write it in their diaries.
Pink Generation sat down for a little Q&A session. Fans were selected at random to ask any of the K-pop group members a question.
One fan with pink hair and a large grin was chosen first. “Do you ever feel homesick?” she asked Julie.
“A lot of times,” Julie answered honestly. “But then I have a family in Pink Generation, so I feel at home even when I'm not at home.”
“If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what do you think it would be?”
Jennie answered that one without skipping a beat. “Bindaetteo, of course," and the audience laughed.
“How has being an idol changed your life?”
“It's a big change,” Sunny replied. “Just like getting into college or even getting married. Big changes like that demand responsibility, and that's just what we are trying to do. Every day, we adapt to the changes that come our way, and we are just grateful that we get the privilege to be K-pop idols.”
“If you were not a K-pop idol, which K-pop band would you be listening to?”
Sue answered, “It would most likely be Sailor’s Girls and Spicy Trio, just because they are so talented and have a unique style to their performances.”
The answer stunned the fans, and they applauded Sue's honesty.
Finally, it was time for the last question.
“When are you releasing a new album?”
Julie replied after some thought, “It's a surprise.”
But the question got her thinking about how it was indeed time to release a new album. W.W. was their first album, and it served to announce them to Korea. Now, it was time to release another album, an album that would announce them to the world, and they were so ready to bring it on.
***
Pink Generation was not what you would call friends with Sailor's Girls and Spicy Trio, but they were definitely respectful of the fact that they were established and successful at what they did. However, some fans desired something more than this.
Sailor's Girls were already getting exhausted from the subtle rivalry, and Spicy Trio felt the same way too, especially because the clip of Sue's response was already going viral, and they had discovered that Pink Generation had nothing against them. They were really just a friendly K-pop girl group that was just out to make some good music and not necessarily be a threat to either of them.
One day, Min Seo posted a video where she was struggling with a few lyrics and trying to figure out some lines to make it sound better, and Pink Generation replied to their post with a helpful line, even wishing them good luck with the process. Yep, it was officially settled. Sailor's Girls and Spicy Trio officially looked stupid because it was obvious that Pink Generation had no iota of hate towards them.
And so, one day, when a Sailor's Girl fan posted a tweet saying, “Sailor's Girls + Spicy Trio + Pink Generation = The BOMB,” it wasn’t a surprise when it got thousands of retweets. Soon, the fan bases of the three K-pop idol groups, especially the multi-stans, began to repost it. Not long after, it caught the attention of Pink Generation, and they replied with,
“We are in.”
The movement caught on very fast, and the three groups decided that it was best to start on a fresh page. They agreed to collaborate, and the fans were counting down to an amazing experience of watching the three groups perform, if only they kept the promise they made to their fans.
***
Pink Generation blessed their fans with a second album, and that was enough to keep the fans talking for a month. The album gained widespread attention, not just for Koreans, but also for K-pop lovers around the world. The second album was called ‘S.I.O.’ (Shout It Out!). The songs on the album were about the younger generation's identity formation and defiance of social constraints and conventional expectations.
It was an album that so many young people could relate to, and the management, especially Ki-Taek, was pleased with their performance so far. All the staff, including the makeup artists and dancers, were talking about the album beating their expectations.
Ye Ji walked into the lounge area where the girls were having a break. She had an armful of snacks. She stopped a parcel in front of Julie: “Soondae for you.” She walked to Sunny: “Tteokbokki for you,” and went over to Jennie: “Bindaetteok for you,” and finally to Sue: “Some Hotteok.”
The girls stared wide-eyed at their manager.
“Is the world ending?” Sue asked Ye Ji.
As K-pop singers, they were supposed to watch their diets, so she was surprised to see their manager give them street food loaded with carbs.
“Okay, so we know you are amazing and all, but you went all the way to get our favorite snacks, what's going on?” Julie asked.
Sunny laughed. “Yeah, we need to know.”
“Don't worry, I got Pizza for myself too, thanks for asking,” Ye Ji said sarcastically as she did a dramatic bow. “Ladies, I just came found out that ‘S.I.O.’ is currently the Billboard no. 1. Yes, I said it, “No. 1 ranking song!”
“No way!” Sue said as she stood from the sofa.
“Yes way,” Ye Ji replied, her voice heavy with pride.
“I mean, it's just too good to be true!” Jennie said as she blinked.
Ye Ji replied, “It's great news, I know. We've been receiving so much praise from the industry. In fact, the album is doing better than the first one.”
“That's so amazing! I'm happy to hear that,” Julie said with a big smile.
“It feels like all our hard work has finally paid off,” Jennie added.
“Of course!” Ye Ji affirmed. “You girls outdid yourselves on this album. Your vocals, choreography, and overall performance were terrific!”
“There's no way we could have done without our amazing staff and dancers. They really helped bring our vision to life,” Sunny said.
“Yes,” Ye Ji agreed. “They were all incredible as well.”
“I'm just so happy that the album resonates with our fans,” Sue said. “They are the reason we do what we do. I love when they love our songs.”
“That’s true,” Ye Ji said. “And because of the success of this album, we've been able to secure some very juicy endorsement and sponsorship deals for the four of you. So believe me when I say we have not only received praise on this particular album, but we have also made some very healthy profits.”
“That’s fantastic news! We really appreciate all the hard work you've done for us,” Julie said with a lovely wink to Ye Ji.
“It's my pleasure.” I'm just happy to see you girls succeed and reach new heights. We'll continue to work hard and make sure that your next album is even better than this one!”
The girls giggled happily.
“Speaking of greater heights, the planning for the concert with you, sailor's girls, and the Spicy trio are in full force,” Ye Ji added. “It's going to be the concert of the year. Almost all the K-pop fans in Korea are talking about it.”
“I would be talking about it too if I was not a K-pop star,” Sunny agreed. “It’s something that has never been done before. A one-of-a-kind experience for everyone involved.”
“I can't believe this concert is actually going to happen!” Julie exclaimed.
“Still, it's funny how we even became cordial with the groups,” Ye Ji said with pride. “I guess everything just worked out the way it was supposed to be.”
“And I just hope things continue falling into place as we continue this journey,” Sue said.
“They will,” Julie assured her. “We’ve been through so much as a team, and nothing can stop us now.”
The girls hugged each other tightly, and a few tears slipped out here and there.
“I am so proud of you all,” Ye Ji said. “I know this is a very emotional moment and all of that, and I don't want to ruin it, but I'm hungry, so who wants Pizza?”
The girls laughed and inwardly felt thankful for their friendship and camaraderie.
***
It was the most awaited show in the last decades. Pink Generation, Sailor's Girls, and Spicy Trio would be performing.
In a surprising turn of events, three of the biggest K-pop girl groups in Korea would be performing together for the first time ever. Three of these groups had some of the largest fan bases in the history of K-pop, and these fans did not disappoint, which was why the venue was filled to the brim.
All three groups were already well-known for their catchy tunes and even for their fanatical followings.
Now, after a lengthy period of bitter feuding and the struggle to take the crown of the best girl K-pop group, the three groups had decided to bury the hatchet and put on a joint concert for their fans to enjoy. The news of the concert was met with disbelief at first, especially from their fans around the world who had been waging the war, both throwing darts at opposing fan bases and defending their fan bases from incoming attacks.
The concert was a massive success in every sense of the word. The fans of the three groups were screaming and dancing in the aisles as the three groups took the stage. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all those who attended the event because all the biggest hits from all three K-pop groups were played. The show ended with continuous rounds of applause from the fans.
After it was over, the members of both groups expressed their joy at finally putting their differences aside to work together. They might not have passed through the same path in life, but now they had a good sense of mutual respect for their struggles in the industry.
“I’m so glad we could do this,” Julie said to the girls in Spicy Trio and Sailor's Girls.
They were smiling broadly.
“No, I'm glad we could do this,” Min Seo said. “Thank you for putting everything that happened aside so that we could move on to a better future.”
“I have a feeling that this collaboration is more like a stepping stone in the right direction,” Sue said, and her friends agreed with her.
The three groups laughed and admitted that they had been rivals all this while, and at this point, they could not even remember why they were fighting in the first place.
Ye Ji was watching them from a distance, just feeling proud of her girls and how much they had grown since they made their official debut as a K-pop group. She was happy to see this obvious mental growth that the girls had experienced, even though she knew that they would have even more experiences in the years to come.
In the end, the joint concert was a powerful reminder of the unifying power of music and a testament to the fact that even the strongest rivalries can be overcome with a little bit of humility and a lot of good music.