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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YG Entertainment
Yang Hyun-suk's office
Yang Hyun-suk's fingers tapped restlessly as he looked intently at the women and men around him. Many of them had been by his side since the beginning of the foundation, helping him to build YG Entertainment and, together with his artists, to gain fame and attention. Others, however, had joined his team over time, including Lim Myung-ok.
His eyes wandered over the petite Korean woman who sat quietly among the others gathered, listening intently to the conversations. Although he was sceptical at first, over time she proved to be a valuable member of his team.
As a manager, he had called her to his side many times over the last few months to get information about the British woman. He was not surprised to see how Josephine Swan had slowly wormed her way into their hearts.
Her work at the hospital in the children's ward alone earned her great respect from the manager, which Yang Hyun-suk shared now through her stories. Due to the exhausting training and the stress associated with it, there was only a short time window of free time on the part of the trainees. Many used it for additional training or they devoted themselves to their school education, which was still present for many of them in addition to their training schedules.
Josephine Swan, on the other hand, used her remaining free time to volunteer at the hospital. Although it was initially considered a school project, according to the information, he guessed that from her point of view, it was probably much more than simple volunteering by now. According to her manager, the children loved her, while the nursing staff and doctors appreciated her as well.
Yang Hyun-suk shook her head and turned back to the meeting.
"All right..." he said aloud and the conversations among his staff slowly died down. He looked at them in turn before his eyes slid back to his laptop. The logo of his soon-to-debut group iKon lit up in the presentation.
"As you can see from the notes, we plan to divide the debut album. One part of the album will be released on 1 October, the second on 2 November." explained one of the men present near him, receiving murmurs of agreement. Yang Hyun-suk also nodded in satisfaction.
"Then we can...as I see it...continue iKon's debut as planned on the 15th of September." He said and the people around him rapped their knuckles on the table appreciatively. Satisfied murmurs rang out in the room again as the presentation was declared over for most with his approval of the debut.
Yang Hyun-suk's fingers played around the casing of his pen.
"As for my next point in this session...now...that we have had two boys' groups debut or will have their debut soon...to what extent would our girls be eligible for a debut in the foreseeable future. After all, the debut of 2NE1 was almost six years ago and I have been planning this group for four years now." he began and clicked on the next slide of his presentation.
Pictures of nine girls appeared on the slide.
With names, ages, heights, weights, as well as nationalities backed up.
He slid back into his chair and bounced the pictures on the presentation so that the girls found themselves in their respective groups.
"From our point of view, we have high hopes regarding our current debut group. Its members have shown us that they still carry the necessary potential and are given prerequisites to become a successful K-pop group. I would suggest... that the group debuts within the next two years." a newer addition cautiously stated, receiving murmurs of approval. Yang Hyun-suk glanced at the five girls, but his gaze kept drifting to the other side. A gnawing feeling spread through him as his dark eyes flitted restlessly from girl to girl.
"You don't approve?" someone suddenly asked from the group and he looked up. One of his long-time producers looked at him frowning, making everyone in the room turn in his direction.
Silence followed as they waited anxiously for their CEO's answer.
The latter, after a few minutes of silence, slowly shook his head. His eyes were still fixed on the presentation.
♛
The tension in the room was noticeable, although none of the people present uttered a word. Their focus was still on what Yang Hyun-suk had just said.
Suddenly, one of the staff cleared his throat.
"Are you sure you really want to consider this step?" he asked cautiously, coughing several times in succession. The black-haired Korean man with dark eyes and a cap on his head looked in his direction.
"Honestly...I've been considering it more since the last evaluation," he replied quietly, staring at the debut group, which had just been joined by another member. Meanwhile, more of his team sat up and looked uncertainly back and forth between the presentation and their CEO.
"Although...we cannot deny that she positively surprised us. Let's see putting her in the designated debut group as...too daring and risky." one of those present opined.
"She has only been training under our entertainment for several months, the others for years. We're worried she won't be able to handle the pressure and will hinder the others in their performances." the man next to him said and Lim Myung-ok only raised one of her eyebrows as her lips drew into a thin line. The manager took a long look in Yang Hyun-suk's direction before speaking up.
"Gentlemen...as I'm sure you know, one of my duties is to look after our trainees, including Josephine Swan. I can assure you all that this girl is the epitome of courtesy and kindness...not only to her members but also to the other trainees and staff. She treats everyone with the utmost respect and uses her free time wisely. In my estimation...far be it from her to obstruct or even manipulate others." she quickly noted, glancing across the table to the other side.
"Her behaviour is one thing. Her talents in singing and dancing are another. She needs to be able to keep up with the others, to improve...to rise above." someone else said.
"She's been doing the choreography for her group for the last two reviews, even though she only had to adjust to this kind of dancing a few months ago. Her singing is getting better by the day, her appearance more confident..." she added, but was immediately interrupted by another.
"Not fast and good enough for a debut.".
"Enough," said Yang Hyun-suk sternly, sitting up before looking around the room.
"I haven't made up my mind one hundred per cent yet regarding the switch...it was just a pronounced consideration on my part. In the worst-case scenario, we can reverse the change. I will take my final decision after the next monthly assessment."
