Chapter 115: The Third and First Collections

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Entertainment All Around—No Ads
Story Created: January 2007
Recommended Song: Wang Lanyin — “Prank” (Prank Kiss OST)
Disclaimer: This story is purely fictional; please do not take it personally. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental!

Thursday, January 11
This day marks the simultaneous release of Jiang Yihan’s first Chinese album and his third Korean album. As early as the end of 2006, various companies were already probing around the release dates for Jiang Yihan’s albums. Once mid-January was tentatively set, most artists chose to adjust their album release schedules to avoid overlapping within those critical three or four days. The reason? It was simple.

Jiang Yihan’s first album had made a powerful debut as a newcomer, ranking second in annual sales. His second album, riding on the momentum of a film, swept the music scene last year with sales more than double that of the second-place record, completely dominating the charts from January to April. Given such achievements, it was in everyone’s best interest to avoid competing directly with him.

However, MS Entertainment displayed their boldness. Even after the disappearance of Shihsi, Fly’s performance remained strong, with steadily rising popularity. Super Junior had become MS’s most successful boy band since TVXQ, already reaching the top tier in Korea. Whether intentionally or not, Fly’s new album was also scheduled for mid-January. Their release date, January 9, set up what MS saw as a balanced contest. Confident in Fly’s popularity, MS anticipated a fierce rivalry. The media viewed this as a clash of titans, given the longstanding feud between the two companies. Fans, however, saw it as a foregone conclusion—Jiang Yihan’s dominance was undeniable. The market, as an objective environment, would ultimately reveal the truth. Time would tell.

Besides Fly and Jiang Yihan, January also saw Epik High storming Korea with their new single “Fan,” and TVXQ’s Japanese single “Step by Step” enjoying strong sales. What remained to be seen was the competition between Jiang Yihan’s album release and Fly’s challenge. Speaking of Epik High, their song “Fan,” capturing the psychology of fandom with poignant lyrics and catchy melodies, had already achieved two consecutive wins, making the upcoming competition even more anticipated.

Regardless, all eyes were on Jiang Yihan, watching closely for when and where he would make his comeback. Jiang Yihan gave everyone an unexpected answer.

On January 11, the day of the album release, Gwanghwamun’s music market was surrounded by nearly ten thousand fans. Some had been queuing since the 10th, waiting for over a day. The moment the market opened, the crowd moved forward in a tense yet orderly fashion. When the store owner realized the crowd was mostly Jiang Yihan’s fans—the “Castle”—he made a wise decision to open a special checkout counter labeled “Jiang Yihan CD Payment.” This bold move was unprecedented.

On the first day, Jiang Yihan’s third album “Rainbow” achieved a staggering pre-order of 450,000 copies, with actual sales surpassing 90,000, soaring to number one on multiple charts and setting the highest domestic record in Korea in nearly five years. Such commanding numbers shocked the industry inside and out.

Surprisingly, his first Chinese album also achieved incredible sales in Korea, with 200,000 pre-orders and actual sales exceeding 50,000, leaving other artists far behind.

While everyone marveled at the sales of “Rainbow” and “Story,” the charts showed Epik High in second place and TVXQ third. Fly ranked fourth, which was actually respectable. However, comparing numbers revealed Fly’s pre-orders of 120,000 and actual sales just over 30,000—an embarrassing slap for MS Entertainment.

The verdict was clear: in the market’s objective environment, this contest barely qualified as a confrontation, as they were simply not on the same level. Of course, album sales cannot be judged solely on the first day; subsequent sales, promotion, and awareness significantly impact overall success.

Jiang Yihan’s upcoming appearances on music and entertainment shows were eagerly anticipated.

Speaking of Jiang Yihan, one must not forget the loyal “Castle” fans.

As always, Min Xiaoli faithfully supported Jiang Yihan. Due to work commitments, she couldn’t queue for long at Gwanghwamun but had pre-ordered again. By the time the album arrived, it was already the next day, causing some frustration with the delivery company. Yet all grievances vanished upon opening the package.

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Jiang Yihan’s third album “Rainbow” features a cover photo of him sitting in an autumn park, head tilted back, a faint tear streak visible on his face, accompanied by a barely perceptible smile at the corner of his mouth. His hair was cut shorter than at debut, still black with a slight wave. Not far behind him stretched a rainbow against a clear sky, creating an extraordinarily beautiful backdrop.

Just from this cover, Min Xiaoli understood what the album symbolized. After weathering storms last year, Jiang Yihan’s third album was shrouded in uncertainty—would he appear before everyone again? Finally, after the rain, the long-awaited rainbow had appeared.

Taking a deep breath, Min Xiaoli opened the album. The first track, “Rainbow,” began with soft piano accompaniment, Jiang Yihan humming along quietly. Even without the lyrics, the return of his magnetic voice warmed her heart. Suddenly, strong drum beats accelerated the rhythm—it turned out to be a hip-hop fast-tempo track. Riding the intense beat, Jiang Yihan’s voice soared again.

When the chorus arrived, Min Xiaoli was overcome with melancholy.

“Doubt, disbelief, abandonment—these are the wounds you gave me;
Disheartened, hurt, pained—these are my feelings.
When the rain clears and the rainbow appears, are you still there?
Can I still stay by your side?”

The first time she heard this song, it seemed to narrate love’s trials. Despite the fast tempo, the sorrow and frustration in the lyrics were unmistakable. The second time, she realized it reflected Jiang Yihan’s own struggles last year, revealing the complex emotions and heartbreak from lost trust.

When the heart-wrenching interlude “inters1eep” played, Min Xiaoli’s long-held tears finally broke free. The sadness, despair, and agony in the song made her heart ache deeply.

As a steadfast Castle fan, Min Xiaoli was once again captivated by the charm of Jiang Yihan’s voice.

If Min Xiaoli represented the fans, then music critic Liu Taifeng stood as their voice in reviews.

Unlike most of Liu’s usual critiques, this time he analyzed each song in detail.

“Rainbow” and “Fool’s Tears” immediately evoke memories of Jiang Yihan’s deep lows last year. The artistry is outstanding—music born from real experience conveys incredible emotional power. Though these songs follow a melancholic tone, Jiang Yihan eschewed his usual ballad style in favor of hip-hop fast tracks, which was refreshing. The contrast between rhythm and lyrics expressed the emotions uniquely. The music quality exceeded expectations, and combined with the lyrics, these songs rival last year’s hit “Can I Love You?” In fact, considering the whole backstory, these two might even surpass it. Jiang Yihan’s command of hip-hop is impressive.

The collaboration with Han Geng on “Good Man” was a bold attempt. The song’s ups and downs and sharp tempo contrasts, combined with the singers’ live and dance skills and electronic elements, created an irresistibly sexy atmosphere.

“Beautiful Life,” “My Ballad,” and “Hey Girl” maintained Jiang Yihan’s creative standards. Particularly, “My Ballad” is a simple, sweet mid-tempo track elevated by the clever use of children’s voices. The joyful laughter and innocent tones at the start and the chorus’s harmonies made the song very moving.

The four ballads—“Scenery Along the Road,” “Inters1eep,” “Taste of Autumn,” and “Beginning”—were all performed with high artistry. “Scenery Along the Road” painted vivid, touching scenes; Jiang Yihan’s voice conveyed a gentle sadness, making the song especially moving. “Inters1eep” was clearly composed during Jiang Yihan’s toughest times last year. Hibernation symbolizes escape and rest before rebirth. The song’s sad tone and high pitch, especially the transitions to high notes, were brilliantly executed, surpassing even his earlier work “Castle.” The song’s completeness and emotional delivery brought listeners to tears. “Taste of Autumn” suits a romantic stroll, evoking leisurely, relaxing imagery—like walking under falling cherry blossoms or running along a mountain path covered in red maple leaves. The effect is vivid. The final track, “Beginning,” holds special meaning. Jiang Yihan experimented with rap-style vocals, blending contemporary and retro elements, creating a hopeful atmosphere.

If I were to rate these albums, the first would score 85, the second 88, and this third one already reaches 90, possibly even 95. Why? Because Jiang Yihan personally wrote eight of the songs and served as the album’s producer, overseeing everything from behind the scenes. All eight songs are above average, with several outstanding. The quality of the lead tracks is exceptional. Though many excellent dance tracks have emerged recently, Jiang Yihan’s “Rainbow,” “Fool’s Tears,” and the pinnacle ballad “Inters1eep” easily rank among the top five songs of the past two years.

This triumphant return with the third album proves Jiang Yihan’s strength and makes us eagerly anticipate his future breakthroughs.

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Liu Taifeng’s glowing praise stunned other critics. Is this really Liu Taifeng? The once picky, stingy-to-praise Liu Taifeng? This time, Liu generously expressed all the compliments he could muster, leaving everyone amazed that only Jiang Yihan in the past two years could soften Liu’s otherwise ironclad tongue.

Liu’s praise piqued widespread curiosity—was the album “Rainbow” truly that good? This, in turn, further boosted album sales.

Of course, with the third album’s excellence, the first Chinese album, which compiles all the best songs, is naturally even higher in quality.

In China, despite no promotion, Jiang Yihan’s hit “Can I Love You?”—which had swept Asia last year and earned the Cannes Best Actor Award—was a blockbuster hit and a box office legend. Riding this wave, news of Jiang Yihan’s first Chinese album tour thrilled fans in China, with pre-orders reaching 800,000 and daily sales exceeding 400,000. This success brought great joy to One Company and showed Li Ran how strong Jiang Yihan’s influence was in China.

By this point, Jiang Yihan’s album release had already made a grand splash. Meanwhile, competition among Korea’s four major music TV programs had reached a fever pitch. The competition was fierce, and after seeing Jiang Yihan’s first-day sales, the four channels scrambled to secure him for their shows, knowing his presence would bring significant revenue.

Although negotiations between the four stations reached a stalemate, Li Ran, who was expected to make a quick decision, showed no signs of moving, frustrating all four broadcasters. At this moment, if the TV stations had overheard Li Ran’s conversation with Jiang Yihan, they might have fainted.

“When are you heading back today?” Jiang Yihan wiped sweat from his brow after training.

“The day after tomorrow morning,” Li Ran checked the schedule.

“Is the schedule back home hectic?” Jiang Yihan leaned over to glance at the crowded itinerary.

“Yes, you’ll be in two cities—Beijing and Shanghai—but it might be tiring,” Li Ran said, looking at the somewhat exhausted Jiang Yihan. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Heh, no problem. But why is it a whole week for just two cities?” Jiang Yihan sat down, flipping through his schedule.

“Well, we arranged some vacation for you. It’s almost New Year’s, so you can visit your mom in Zhou,” Li Ran said thoughtfully.

“Oh, vacation? That’s great! You really think of everything,” Jiang Yihan happily patted Li Ran’s back in appreciation. “By the way, you said if Korea finds out I’m making my comeback stage in China first, what would their reaction be? Haha, just thinking about it makes me laugh.”

Indeed, after careful planning and discussion, One Company decided to focus Jiang Yihan’s first week of promotion in his homeland, China. There were many reasons: China’s vast market and Jiang Yihan’s Chinese heritage made it logical to capitalize on his fanbase there, despite the high rate of piracy. Also, the third and first albums were released simultaneously, but Jiang Yihan had already been active in Korea for two years while China’s market was untouched—this was a good opportunity to start. Finally, it was a small act of defiance over last year’s issues. Postponing the comeback stage in Korea was not unusual; many artists perform their stages one or two weeks after album release, or sometimes not at all. This was a well-considered strategy.

A week of Jiang Yihan’s activities in China was something to look forward to.