🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter – 05
Sing Your Talent
“Yes, this is Jeong Hwi-eon.”
[Hello, this is the program Evening Yard airing on TBS. Are you the owner of the YouTube channel Ssongi Broadcast?]
It had been about a week since I decided to appear on a broadcast.
The YouTube views had already surpassed 10 million.
Maybe because of that,
even though I had left a business email in the channel description,
calls from broadcasting station staff requesting interviews were nonstop—somehow they had found my number.
“Sorry, but I don’t want to do any separate interviews.”
[Wouldn’t it be good to think about it this once?]
I still didn’t have the capacity to officially debut Sori.
I planned to start a one-person entertainment company as intended,
but—
‘Sori is still young. For now, it’s better for her to focus on school.’
“Yes, I’ll think about it and contact you again.”
Then the call ended.
Sori approached me with a bright smile.
“Dad, I’m so excited!”
Today was the first recording of Sing Your Talent.
We were told to arrive by 2 PM after lunch, so we had plenty of time.
“Sori, there’ll be a lot of people at the broadcast station. Aren’t you scared?”
“It seems super fun!”
After today’s filming,
it was scheduled to be edited and aired within about a month.
Saying I wasn’t worried at all would be a lie.
We had never shown Sori’s face on YouTube.
Since the first video upload, no new videos had been posted either.
“If your face gets known, you might get a lot of attention. Are you okay if friends recognize you at school?”
“So that means I’m going to be famous, right?”
“Heh. Maybe.”
“I like it!”
Somehow, people had already found out.
There were even comments cheering for Sori’s broadcast appearance.
Some even suspected she was made by AI.
Others spread rumors that she was actually a short adult.
It wasn’t all positive attention, so I was worried.
‘More than anything… Baeg Ji-na will find out too.’
“Dad, did you see that too?”
“…”
On the TV Sori had casually turned on, a rerun of a drama starring my ex-wife was playing.
I didn’t respond and simply turned it off.
“Dad, later can you buy me something tasty? Let’s stop watching TV for today.”
“…Dad, you know…”
Then Sori’s expression suddenly stiffened.
“If I go to the broadcast station today, can I meet Mom too?”
Was that why she wanted to appear on TV?
My heart sank for a moment.
“…No, it’s a different station from where your mom films, so it’ll be hard to meet her.”
“Mm… that’s good.”
“…Good?”
But—
“…Sori, is that true?”
“Yes!”
Was she just trying to reassure me?
After the divorce, Sori never once talked about her mother.
She was only 11 years old.
Even without fully understanding why her parents divorced, she was trying to act mature.
I gently patted her head without thinking.
Then I held out my hand.
“Alright, shall we go?”
The subway was unusually crowded today.
Maybe because summer was approaching.
A damp, musty smell spread quickly.
I held Sori’s hand tightly, checking if she was okay.
‘…I should take out a loan and buy a used car.’
There were still many expenses.
My mind was still tied to survival, and I was afraid that obsession might pressure Sori.
—This stop is Yeouinaru Station. Doors will open on the right.
“Sori, we get off here.”
We headed toward the broadcasting station near Yeouinaru Station.
Soon,
as soon as we exited the subway, a large building came into view.
“That’s it. That’s where we’re filming today.”
“Wow! The building is so big!”
“Hehe, you can be brave and do well, right?”
“Yeah!”
Come to think of it, who was the singer appearing with Sori today?
I had forgotten to check the guest list.
Ten minutes later,
Sori was preparing for the broadcast in the group waiting room.
“…Huh? Manager.”
While I stepped out to get some water—
someone called out to me.
When I turned my head absentmindedly—
“Oh? Joo-hye.”
It was unbelievable.
Shin Joo-hye.
She was from Maku Entertainment’s group Frensi.
The girl group I managed before leaving the company.
“I heard you suddenly quit. I was sad I couldn’t even say goodbye… but what brings you here?”
Joo-hye was the leader of Frensi.
She was friendly and we talked the most.
But now I didn’t know what to say.
We used to talk so casually…
“Ah, well… my daughter got a chance to appear on a broadcast…”
“…Really?”
Joo-hye’s eyes widened.
“Haha… yeah. That’s how it turned out.”
“Are you talking about Sori?”
I had once briefly shown her my daughter.
She wasn’t very interested in personal topics, but since Joo-hye was unusually friendly, I had told her Sori’s name.
“Yes. Jeong Sori. She’ll be on today’s broadcast.”
“Joo-hye!”
At that moment,
a voice called Joo-hye from the end of the waiting room.
A man with a rough impression and a large build.
He seemed to be her new manager.
“Then I’ll see Sori later. I should go now.”
Joo-hye glanced around and returned to the waiting room.
The stage lights focused on the center.
The MC, a former announcer, stepped forward with a microphone, his clear voice filling the venue.
“Now, let’s introduce the performers who will light up today’s stage!”
Flashy graphics.
The first act’s name appeared on the screen.
“First, a girl group in their 4th year since debut, steadily building their own identity… Frensi!”
Cheers erupted from the audience.
‘…Choi Maku probably isn’t even monitoring this personally.’
Choi Maku, the CEO of Maku Entertainment.
I wasn’t sure if he truly cared about his idols.
Normally, CEOs would monitor performances and care about their artists’ treatment.
But Choi Maku seemed to treat Frensi purely as a money-making tool.
‘Frensi has really suffered at such a young age.’
Unfair contracts aside,
I knew how little they had earned even after 4 years.
‘…Choi Maku will find out about me soon.’
Would he interfere with my plans?
I didn’t know yet, but it wouldn’t be easy for him.
Under dazzling lights stood Frensi’s seven members.
They had grown steadily and gained some recognition, but were still not quite top-tier idols.
Their only notable achievement was a second-place finish on a music show.
‘Soon, they’ll get a chance to rise in popularity…’
I already knew what song it would be.
The MC continued introducing the performers.
“Next! A hot topic who has shaken the entire nation recently with over 10 million YouTube views in just one week! Believe it or not, she’s only 11 years old!”
The audience began to murmur.
Some had already realized.
“But a genius girl who creates her own perfect stage—Jeong Sori!”
—Wait, isn’t that the kid from Ssongi Broadcast?
—Yeah! The little girl who sang in front of the piano!
—Is she debuting as a singer?
The audience erupted again at Sori’s appearance.
Of course, it was only her first video.
Many were still confused since it had only been a week.
“The song Sori sang became a hit within a week, leading to countless memes and challenges. And even more surprising! The person who wrote and composed the song is her father!”
Frensi members noticed me sitting in the audience and began whispering.
They had likely realized Sori was my daughter.
“You can now witness Jeong Sori’s potential live on Sing Your Talent!”
As the spotlight hit Sori, the small child confidently stepped forward.
“Sori, you can do it!”
I was in the front row.
Sori met my eyes and smiled shyly.
Even in front of so many people, she didn’t seem nervous at all.
So far, there had been six acts including Sori.
Groups and solo artists alike.
And now only the final act remained.
“The last group is a team in their 7th year since debut. They’ve endured a long time with nothing but passion for music. No major hit songs yet, but their skill is undeniable…”
Wait.
This program usually didn’t invite artists without hit songs or recognition.
And yet they were 7 years in without a hit?
That meant—
“A 5-member girl group, Madriane!”
“Hello, we are Madriane!”
A so-called “failed idol group.”
They had debuted very young.
The youngest was 14, others were 15 and 16.
Now in their 7th year, even the oldest member was likely only 23.
‘…Their singing is good, yet no hit songs?’
The idol industry really is ruthless.
Talent alone wasn’t enough.
Madriane greeted brightly and sat in the contestant area.
If they had joined a better agency, things might have been different.
Soon they would likely disband when their contracts expired.
But I shifted my attention away.
Today, I only needed to focus on one person.
My daughter, Sori.
Frensi’s performance ended.
Their fandom must have been large.
The cheers were loud.
They performed two songs.
Their signature hit and their debut song.
“…Is it Sori’s turn now?”
I wondered how the audience would react to her quiet, emotional song.
Especially after such a flashy performance.
I felt nervous.
Of course, I had already seen reactions on YouTube.
But performing live was different.
Then—
“Sir.”
Before Sori’s stage began,
the PD called me over quietly.
“We originally planned to use the prepared audio, but since it’s only piano, we thought it might be better if you performed live.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Don’t worry, we can prepare a mask if you don’t want your face shown. We think live piano will create a better atmosphere. Would that be okay?”
“…Ah.”
This was completely unexpected.
I never imagined I would be going on stage.
