Josephine Swan never imagined that her stay in South Korea would lead her into K-Pop's glittering and challenging world. Each day, she encounters new hurdles and adventures that fate has in store for her and her four team members. Between gruelling...
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"You're still thinking?" a voice suddenly asked behind me and I turned around in my chair with a jerk. Jihe was standing in the doorway, dinner in her hands. My eyes wandered over the notes before I finally nodded with a big sigh. I dropped the pen on the table and brushed my hair out of my face. My head slowly began to throb from all the information. Jihe stepped closer and placed the dinner on the edge of the desk. Her dark eyes ran over the papers curiously.
"Why are you so eager for me to accept this offer?" I asked after a while, looking at my roommate.
"I don't want you to wake up one day...and regret not taking this chance, Josie. I know you imagined your future differently, but you won't get an opportunity like this a second time. And possibly...I mean...maybe..." she replied and I just raised my eyebrows before turning back to my notes.
"I...a K-pop idol?" I just mumbled unintelligibly and shook my head. My back leaned against the back of my chair as I clicked on the different pictures of boys and girls groups.
"Why not? Many others have tried before you...for example...The Gloss was the first K-pop girl group with a non-Asian member. ESQ is considered the first international K-pop group. Alex, from the group RaNia, is a born American of colour." Jihe explained next to me, clicking on various websites and articles. Some revealed that even in the 90s, attempts were made to make K-pop international. Success, on the other hand, was rare.
"I don't understand why he is willing to take this risk with me. Besides, he doesn't know that I..." I began slowly and looked at Jihe worriedly. The latter just sighed and after a few clicks, the familiar music of Ariana Grande's "Break Free" sounded from my speakers. My voice followed not long after, filling the room.
"Yang Hyun-Suk runs one of the most successful production companies in Seoul. He wouldn't approach you in person. He wouldn't make you an offer if he wasn't one hundred per cent convinced of your talent. Even two of his successful K-pop idols were convinced by your singing. And so are we...' she replied and put a hand on my shoulder, her brown eyes smiling approvingly. I pressed my lips together and tried a smile before placing my hand on hers.
"He's willing to take the risk with you, Josie," she murmured.
"Is he also willing to take the risk with a noblewoman?" I asked, glaring at her. She remained silent. It was one thing not to have an Asian background. The other is to have a noble family tree and to have been named after a deceased personality who still filled the front pages.
"I'm a triple risk," was all I said, and Jihe patted my shoulder.
"You can still tell him, Josie. The risks could indeed go two ways in the future. But you shouldn't always assume the worst-case scenarios. Besides, this contract doesn't guarantee you'll debut as a K-pop idol," Jihe explained quietly and I took a deep breath.
"In my imaginations that I picture...images and scenes form that give me fear and nightmares. They are images of stunned people who, once they learn the truth, would see me with different eyes. They would see no more talent, no more effort..." I said and looked at Jihe.
"I'm afraid that they might consider the possibility...that I might have bought into the entertainment. That, I would have taken all the steps to get in. "That someone else would have taken the spot just because of my title or my family's money. That I was above them... something better. Even if I kept it a secret, the truth would come out sooner or later. The truth always comes out." I told them quietly, only catching the edge of how "Break Free" was slowly ending.
"You are many things, Josie. But arrogance, arrogance or vanity are the least likely I would use in your case. Rather helpfulness, kindness, humility. You never bragged about your title or your family in our presence or the presence of anyone else. You were always very reserved in that regard, even with us. We only found out a week before school started. Of course, we were surprised...but we didn't prejudice you or treat you differently." said Jihe and I smiled painedly.
"People's perspective can easily change once they learn secrets. They can continue to treat you normally as if nothing happened. Or, their entire view changes regarding that person. It's up to people how they ultimately decide," I explained to her, addressing my own experiences that I had already gone through in my life. Jihe's arm went around my shoulder and I felt her warm breath on my ear as she hugged me from behind.
"As I said...you are not guaranteed to become a K-pop idol just because you sign this contract. During your training, you don't have to disclose your family background to the other trainees. You can choose a contract with a short training period. You train, fulfil your contract and then decide what to do next. Either you choose to continue with your contract or end it and return to England," she whispered in my ear, making some perfectly valid points.
The voices of the two girls ran through me. Their excitement, their enthusiasm for the different K-pop groups. The messages and messages they wanted to express through their songs and performances. To inspire the world to do better. To call for change.
To do good.
It was as if suddenly someone strange had flicked a switch. The remaining insecurity suddenly disappeared from my body and my thoughts. My body relaxed more and more. With the girls' voices and my roommates' coaxing in my ear, I reached for my mobile phone and dialled the number on the business card.
It rang.
"Yeoboseyo." I heard on the other side of the line and took a deep breath in and out.
"Yeoboseyo. This is Josephine Swan. I'd like to make an appointment with you to discuss the terms of the contract." I almost breathed into the phone and glanced at Jihe beside me, her thumbs tilted up and a smile on her lips.
