God Idol Project: Hope [GIPH]

Chapter 25: Worldbuilding, and Teorra

For an idol group, a worldbuilding concept is a crucial element that allows for storytelling. This world can be linked to the group's concept, songs, and music videos, immersing fans in the narrative. It offers the fun of discovering new clues and interpretations, and it can also serve as a unique identity that sets the group apart from others.

"If we decide on the worldbuilding concept first, it might make it easier to decide on the group's name or overall concept."

"A worldbuilding concept, huh..."

The senior idol group SEED didn't have a particular worldbuilding concept. Back then, only a few idol groups had them, so they didn't pay much attention to it.

"Let me explain in more detail about the significance of having a worldbuilding concept..."

The explanation went on for a long time, passionately conveying the need to create a worldbuilding concept.

"For now, we've come up with a light worldbuilding concept. It's based on the Big Bang theory, where time and space came into existence. The idea is that each of the six members represents a star, showcasing their individual charms. Eventually, these stars interact with one another. We also incorporated the trendy theory of parallel universes. This is the kind of worldbuilding concept we've drafted. How does it sound?"

Ah...

I kind of understood it, but I couldn't grasp why this particular worldbuilding concept needed to be applied to us.

It wasn't just me—everyone else looked equally confused, their minds seemingly lost in another galaxy. The complexity of the explanation was impressive in its own right.

"What... what was that about?"

"I didn't understand a thing. Was it just me?"

"I thought he was speaking an alien language..."

"Complicated worldbuilding is trendy now, so we have to make one, but why do fans even like this? What's the appeal?"

If this worldbuilding concept were applied to our concept, songs, and music videos, would we be able to fully understand and convey a story we didn't quite grasp ourselves? Could we confidently express our worldbuilding concept?

The advantage of having a worldbuilding concept is that it adds storytelling, allowing us to present ourselves to fans with fun and vibrant narratives.

I saw worldbuilding as a tool to express who we are, a way to showcase our unique identity and world. However, the more complex the worldbuilding became, the more disconnected it felt from the idols.

Sometimes the worldbuilding concept didn't mesh well with the group, and fans would either ignore the worldbuilding and just enjoy the idols or dive deep into it. In the end, only a small portion of fans truly engaged with these intricate stories. There were even groups that thrived without a worldbuilding concept at all.

I raised my hand, and all eyes turned toward me.

"Sorry, but this worldbuilding concept feels too convoluted and difficult."

"We put a lot of thought into it because it's trendy. What part doesn't sit well with you, Iwon?"

"Can I be honest?"

"Of course."

"It's not intuitive. It's overly complicated and not fun. In short..."

"It's garbage."

"Oran! That's not what I said!"

Even if it conveyed the general sentiment, I didn't mean to express it so bluntly. I wondered if the staff might feel hurt.

"No, that's not what I meant. After discussing among ourselves, we concluded that we want to try various concepts, and we're confident we can pull them off. We understand that having a big worldbuilding concept can be advantageous because it gives us flexibility. However, I think we should build it up gradually. It might be enough to simply express the potential for growth, like an unnamed seed buried in the soil."

"A nameless seed in the soil, with potential for anything to grow..."

The CEO muttered, falling into thought. It felt like I had an opportunity to share my ideas.

"Based on that, I came up with the name Teorra for our group. It combines 'Terra,' meaning earth or soil, and the Möbius strip (∞), symbolizing infinity. Teorra represents infinite possibilities. It could also be pronounced 'Teura,' depending on how you interpret it."

I thought of the earth as the source of life, brimming with potential and latent power.

I felt relieved after voicing my opinion. Whether or not my suggestion was accepted mattered less than the fact that I had spoken up. It was surprisingly hard to hold back what I wanted to say.

Was it because I had been keeping quiet for so long? Even though I knew I should speak gently, my words often came out directly.

"Did you consider this in relation to our company's name and the names of the other idol groups?"

"Yes, CEO."

"Our company is Hanul, the boys are SEED, and the girls are Cornel. Sky, seeds, trees, and now earth. It's a grand ambition, but it fits the theme. Were flowers not enough for you?"

"I've heard that the senior group Cornel's name comes from the flower's meaning, related to love. So it's connected to flowers too."

The Cornell flower's meaning is eternal, undying love, which is why the tree's scientific name was given to the group.

"The meaning is good, the pronunciation is smooth, and it feels like part of our company's identity. What does everyone think?"

The responses were generally positive. The CEO continued.

"And about the worldbuilding concept... It feels like everyone's been competing to have the most elaborate concept, and that's how we got here. When I talk to other company heads, they admit they're only doing it because it's expected. I always thought it was strange, but it's the trend, so we followed along. However, I've noticed that more fans are feeling fatigued by these complex worldbuilding concepts. If even the artists think this way... How about we change direction this time?"

The staff seemed to be deep in thought. Straying from the trend was a risk, but most of the staff didn't think it would be a disadvantage. Seeing the positive reactions, the CEO made a decision.

"Let's create a new worldbuilding concept that fits the group's name. But let's keep it simple and easy for everyone to understand."

"Understood, CEO."

The person in charge, whose face had turned red, reluctantly agreed, even though it seemed he didn't fully accept the decision.

"Anyone else come up with a group name?"

"I thought of a few, but they're not as good as Teorra. I'll just keep them to myself."

At that moment, Park Ha shyly raised his hand.

"I was thinking... Park Ha-s..."


"No!"

Everyone immediately shouted in unison, myself included. How could he come up with that as our group name?

It seemed like Park Ha had been imagining "Park Ha and the Boys." Park Ha-s.

"Park Ha, I didn't know you were this selfish. Are we just the 'S' to you?"

Chorok hyung jokingly pretended to be hurt, scolding Park Ha. Seohon hyung wore a troubled expression.

"That's crazy."

"Bacchus? The god of wine?"

Oran remarked dryly. It seemed Jion, or rather Jeton, misheard and thought it was Bacchus. Either way, it was an inappropriate name. An idol group named after the god of wine? It felt ominous.

"I was joking, just joking!"

Whether or not it was really a joke, we decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Other suggestions like Ultimate Boys, G-Dan, Sky Prince, and B-Angel were put forward.

Ultimate Boys and Sky Prince were rejected immediately, and G-Dan was dismissed because it sounded like "mouse group" in Korean. The idea behind G-Dan was to represent "Gaia's Group," but no one even paid attention to the explanation.

B-Angel (B-angel) made it to the final round of names. However, Jeton, who knew Spanish, pointed out that it could be interpreted as "bastard" or "delinquent" in Spanish, which soured the name for everyone.

In the end, the tentative name for our group became "Teorra (Te∞rra)," as I had proposed. Though it was still considered tentative, we were told that, barring any major issues, it would likely become the official name.

"So the group name and stage names are roughly decided. The worldbuilding concept needs revision, and we just need to discuss the debut album's concept."

"You mentioned wanting to try various concepts earlier? We can go with that, but we'll need to settle on one concept for the debut album. Should we decide after seeing the revised worldbuilding concept?"

The visual director asked.

She had the sharp demeanor of a strict teacher. Her sophisticated appearance and way of speaking made it hard to guess her age, and her high-pitched voice left a strong impression.

"No need. We already have the core message, and it should be straightforward, right? Once we have that, the outline of the concept will come together quickly."

"You can decide that fast? Wow, you're impressive. Could you share a rough idea?"

The scriptwriter, whose complex worldbuilding had just been rejected, seemed to brighten up at the compliment about her skills.

She began sharing the concept she had come up with during the meeting.

"It's a post-apocalyptic setting, after the end of humanity. In such a world, you all awaken anew. Whether as artificial beings or genetic mutations, it doesn't matter. That's the gist of it. The cause of the apocalypse is unknown, and you, despite possessing vast knowledge, are like children who have experienced nothing."

"That's brilliant! I get why this worldbuilding concept makes sense. You're born with adult bodies and all the knowledge you need, but you'll have to learn about emotions and relationships. We can incorporate new narratives as you discover remnants of civilization through movies, books, and records. There's even room to add Korean elements if we want. The cause of the apocalypse could be zombies or vampires, for instance."

As expected from a visual director, she immediately grasped the direction in which to take the concept.

"The only issue is that, at the beginning, it might be hard to focus on typical love stories. Since it's an all-male world and survival would be the main concern..."

"You're getting too deep into the worldbuilding. It's all about how you build the story."

"Hmm... For the first album, we should focus on birth, or the beginning. That sense of excitement and joy. A refreshing concept would suit that. Something like a sentimental yet refreshing vibe... or maybe a dreamy, ethereal vibe, given the worldbuilding concept..."

She was almost talking to herself at that point, throwing out unfamiliar terms rapidly.

The visual director seemed lost in her own world. Since she was clearly focused, no one disturbed her.

The other staff nodded, seemingly satisfied with the direction.

"Refreshing" was always a popular concept, and given our young ages, it was a natural fit.

"So we've laid out the broad strokes. What's next?"

"We need to receive and select songs. We've already received several, but the quality isn't quite up to par. If we get a good one, we'll move quickly. There's still time, so we ask for your patience."

"Of course. We can wait as long as it takes to get the right songs."

The trainee development team leader added.

"CEO, we'll also need to start acting lessons soon. They should have the basics down before shooting music videos."

"Isn't acting already part of the curriculum?"

"It's optional, and some of the newer members haven't had the chance yet."

That's about me, isn't it? I couldn't argue since I'd never done any acting before.

"Let's do it. We'll also start focusing on skin and body care for the boys."

"Good. They're handsome enough as is, but if they get even more handsome, all the better."

The list of things we needed to do kept growing. But if this was the path to debut, I was more than willing to endure it.

The path to becoming an idol really wasn't easy.