"Why are you two acting so weird? Are you planning something behind my back?"
After being a manager for so many years, Seong Taekyon’s intuition was razor-sharp.
Seeing Bae Juhyun and Liu Xin’an behaving differently than usual, his first reaction was that the two of them had cooked up some scheme again.
"Don’t give me extra work, you know you guys are making a comeback soon, and I don’t have the energy!"
For the sake of his own health, Seong Taekyon decided to give Bae Juhyun a gentle reminder.
Bae Juhyun put on a stern face, then feigned surprise, "Taekyon oppa, how could you think that, Xin’an and I are always so well-behaved!"
"Your so-called well-behaved means secretly dating without telling the world?"
"It’s not the whole world... you already know, don’t you?"
Bae Juhyun vividly demonstrated the meaning of being cheeky, showing a side that was completely different from the one her fans usually saw, one that was shamelessly playful.
And then she got shut down with one stern look from Seong Taekyon.
What was the point of this nonsense, Bae Juhyun seemed to be rather proud of herself?
"Oppa, what exactly is Juhyun’s reputation like in Korea now, and how much impact did that incident have on her?" Liu Xin’an asked seriously. He had done a lot of homework, looking up various information, but the answers were all over the place, making it hard for him to get a concrete reference.
For this kind of thing, it was definitely more convenient to ask an insider like Seong Taekyon.
"Public favor is definitely out of the question. No matter how clearly we explain, conspiracy theories will keep popping up. Besides, there’s nothing much to defend against; after all, losing her temper and arguing with staff is somewhat natural, but Irene, as a public figure, shouldn’t have done it."
"Will it affect this comeback?"
"That’s actually not too bad. Even if there wasn’t an incident, those who don’t support you won’t support you, so don’t worry too much about it. The exact outcome will depend on the sales of this comeback."
Seong Taekyon picked up a skewer of lamb and responded to Liu Xin’an while eating.
Red Velvet’s fans are very loyal. Those who like Irene and Red Velvet won’t quit the fandom just because of a small incident .
On the other hand, those who never cared for them from the start won’t be won over in the future either.
The impact is there, but it’s relatively minor...
But the benefits from participating in shows in China far outweigh that small impact.
Not to mention Bae Juhyun, just the positive feedback Son Seungwan received in the recent episodes had Executive Director Kim over the moon.
And let’s not forget about the hype around the CP (couple pairing) of Bae Juhyun and Liu Xin’an.
Their popularity was not at all inferior to Son Seungwan, who was also part of the show recording, possibly even surpassing it.
And this popularity brings tangible returns.
These returns primarily mean the purchasing power from Chinese fans.
Album sales to some extent reflect the popularity of a group. Chinese fans can’t participate in music show voting or live support, so they like to participate in crowdfunded album purchases.
Take BlackPink for example, their returns from Chinese sales are enormously exaggerated.
If this time Red Velvet’s sales are impressive... there will be many favorable opportunities for them in the future.
At least, they could make a breakthrough into the Chinese market, which S-M dreams of entering.
If they genuinely receive the favor of Chinese fans, it’s not an exaggeration to say... the members of Red Velvet could live off this for a lifetime.
Of course, the likelihood of this... isn’t very high.
But it’s better than nothing.
Seong Taekyon continued eating his skewer, but soon, he lost his appetite.
Because Liu Xin’an was still looking at him with serious eyes.
The man sighed helplessly, raised his beer and clinked glasses with Liu Xin’an and the nearby Bae Juhyun, took a sip, and then began seriously analyzing for Liu Xin’an.
"Don’t get too hung up on this comeback, most of the company’s plans for you are set for next year. You’ll have a lot of work next year. Some of the previously discussed projects will be put on the schedule."
"Hmm... comebacks, solo projects, solo variety shows, group variety shows, things like that?"
"Yes, all of that. But for solo projects, you still need to wait a bit more. The incident’s impact still lingers, and the company won’t let you debut solo early. You’ll probably be last."
Bae Juhyun pouted; she had guessed it. But she couldn’t say much since it was clearly stated in the contract.
"So, next year Juhyun will be very busy?"
"Busy doesn’t necessarily mean popular, they aren’t equal, but if you two get good feedback, the company might consider filming a group show or producing Irene’s solo variety show in China next year."
"Really?" Liu Xin’an’s eyes widened. Isn’t that a difficult thing to accomplish?
"I don’t know, let’s strive for it, who knows."
Seong Taekyon couldn’t make any guarantees, but the hope wasn’t completely absent.
"Alright then, Taekyon oppa, please bring up the collaboration with S-M."
"I’ll help you secure a good contract." Follow current novᴇls on novel⦿fire.net
"Alright, dinner’s on me next time."
Bae Juhyun couldn’t get a word in, and for some reason, she gently leaned her head on the man’s back.
She couldn’t quite put it into words, but compared to when they first met, Liu Xin’an had changed a lot.
The man who initially knew nothing about the entertainment industry, who hesitated in everything he did, could now stand in front of her, protecting her from the wind and rain, even... helping her with her work.