Chapter Twenty-Two: Popular Music

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Entertainment at Your Side, No Pop-up Windows

Story Set in: January 2005

Recommended Song: TVXQ – “Rainbow”

Statement: This story is entirely fictional; please do not draw any real-life parallels. If there are any similarities, it is purely coincidental!

January 16, 2005, Sunday. The live broadcast of “Popular Songs” is scheduled for 3:30 PM.

After lunch, Jiang Yihan and Li Ran, accompanied by Korean PD from mpick, arrived at the SBS television station. The main reason for their visit was Li Tong’s good relationship with SBS, as well as the authority of “Popular Songs” in Korea. Each week, “Popular Songs” selects the TAKE7—the top seven songs based on a composite of major charts—and at the end of the program, announces the Mutizen Song, which is the number one for the week. The ranking draws from a wide range of sources, including authoritative media, professional musicians, sales, as well as play rates and online support. It enjoys an excellent reputation in Korea.

In the waiting room, Li Ran went to communicate with the director, while Jiang Yihan and his accompanying Korean PD headed to the backstage makeup room. The backstage was already crowded, filled with many big names: the national group g.o.d, JLT formed by three members after HOT disbanded, the long-standing mixed group Koyote, Wheesung, Lee Seung Hwan, Fly to the Sky, and more—a true gathering of stars. TVXQ, which usually performs during their promotion period, was absent today due to other commitments.

Seeing so many seniors, Jiang Yihan finally felt a sense of reality—he had truly entered the entertainment world. He kept greeting them, bowing frequently in hopes of leaving a humble impression.

“Hey, you’re a newcomer, right? Haven’t seen you before.” Kim Jong Min, known for his good relations in the circle, walked over and patted Jiang Yihan’s shoulder.

“Ah, Senior Kim Jong Min! Hello, hello.” Jiang Yihan, still immersed in the novel atmosphere, quickly greeted Kim Jong Min, who was now standing beside him. “I’m a newcomer from ABC Company, my name is Jiang Yihan. I’m debuting today. Please take care of me in the future.”

“Haha, don’t worry about all that, just relax. Don’t be so nervous.” Kim Jong Min’s friendly temperament eased Jiang Yihan’s tension. “You’re the new face today, so I just came to say hi. No need to be nervous.”

“Jong Min, who are you talking to?” Shin Ji, another member of Koyote, walked over, followed by Baek Ga, the last member.

“Oh, Senior Shin Ji, I’m a newcomer debuting today. Nice to meet you; my name is Jiang Yihan. Please take care of me in the future.” Jiang Yihan hurriedly greeted both seniors. Li Ran had anticipated such situations and had Jiang Yihan memorize the program sheet in advance, so he could recognize all the seniors and avoid embarrassing mistakes.

“Ah, it’s you! I recognize you.” Shin Ji suddenly exclaimed, “You’re the person in that lollipop commercial, right?” Kim Jong Min and Baek Ga looked confused, but Shin Ji’s explanation quickly clarified things. “I’ve been telling you all about that promising newcomer from the advertisement. That’s the one—I kept talking about it after watching.”

“Oh, the kid you kept saying was really handsome?” Kim Jong Min’s remark made both Shin Ji and Jiang Yihan blush.

“Yes, that’s me, Jiang Yihan, from that ad,” Jiang Yihan answered Shin Ji.

“Haha, even more handsome in person—it’s no wonder Shin Ji couldn’t stop talking about you,” Baek Ga joined in the teasing.

“Haha, Shin Ji kept saying it would be a huge loss if you didn’t enter the entertainment industry. Didn’t expect to meet you today!” Kim Jong Min laughed warmly.

“I wasn’t wrong, was I? Look at him—I believe he’ll have a bright future.” Shin Ji’s confidence in Jiang Yihan only grew after meeting him in person.

“Koyote, give Jiang Yihan some words of encouragement,” the Korean PD, mindful of the mpick program, requested.

Koyote agreed readily. Just as they finished speaking, Li Ran came to call Jiang Yihan for stage rehearsal. Jiang Yihan bowed again, said goodbye to the enthusiastic and approachable Koyote members, and headed for the stage.

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Today, Jiang Yihan is set to perform two songs. This privilege for a newcomer was hard-won—Li Tong fought for it for a long time and spent a considerable amount of money. “Castle” and “Puppet” would be his debut tracks.

Jiang Yihan stepped onto the stage and rehearsed “Puppet.” The choreography and positions were arranged by Jin Yiyun’s YY Dance Troupe, providing five backup dancers. Accompanied by music, Jiang Yihan sang softly without the microphone as he danced, focusing mainly on stage positioning—avoiding mistakes or colliding with the dancers was crucial. Since he would be singing live, only the instrumental was played during rehearsal. This didn’t attract much attention, but the three members of Koyote watched closely, assessing Jiang Yihan’s stage presence. Since it was only a rehearsal, Jiang Yihan wasn’t overly nervous and completed the task smoothly.

“Jiang Yihan, I’m really looking forward to your live performance,” Shin Ji’s smile helped ease Jiang Yihan’s nerves, although the thought of the impending performance made his heart race.

Backstage, Jiang Yihan changed clothes—the stage outfits for “Puppet” and “Castle” were entirely different. He put on the “Puppet” attire first. After exiting the dressing room, Xu Xian touched up his makeup and tousled his hair for a casual, dimensional look before letting him join Li Ran, Jin Yiyun, and the Korean PD to warm up.

“Yihan, are you nervous? Your first stage is about to begin,” the Korean PD did a quick interview.

“Yes, I’m so nervous,” Jiang Yihan pouted, acting coquettishly. “What do I do? My legs are shaking, and I can’t remember the dance steps anymore!”

“Haha, don’t be nervous. Once you’re on stage, everything will come naturally.” Jin Yiyun patted Jiang Yihan’s shoulder.

“Right, believe in yourself—you’ll do great.” The Korean PD reassured him.

“Mm, mm.” Jiang Yihan jumped in place a few times. “By the way, when are my friends coming?” Li Tong had given Jiang Yihan a few tickets for live viewing, which he passed to Jiang Ziyi to arrange.

“Xiao Yi just called, said they’d be at the entrance in two minutes—probably inside by now. You should be able to spot them from the audience,” Li Ran said, peering out to look for Jiang Ziyi.

Jiang Yihan retrieved his camera from Li Ran’s pocket and started taking pictures—of the audience, stage, and waiting room. This was his first stage, his debut. Gradually, he became absorbed in the photography, entering his own world, and the tension dissolved.

At that moment, someone pulled him back to reality. “Jiang Yihan, get ready for the recording.” Because the styles and stage outfits for “Puppet” and “Castle” were different, “Puppet” needed to be pre-recorded, while “Castle” would be broadcast live. Jiang Yihan looked around, handed the camera to Li Ran, and joined Jin Yiyun and the dance troupe. Everyone placed their hands together and shouted, “Jiang Yihan, let’s go!” Then he walked onto the stage. Li Ran moved to the front of the audience to watch.

Step by step, he climbed the stage stairs, wiped sweat from his palms, patted his trembling legs, adjusted the ear monitor, and gripped the microphone. Jiang Yihan silently told himself, “It’s finally starting.”

The moment he stepped onto the stage, all nerves vanished, replaced by confidence and a grounded strength. Jiang Yihan glanced at the nearly full audience and easily spotted his sister in the front row. Besides Jiang Ziyi, Kwon Ji Yong, Kim Xiaoxi, Yoon Yuner were there; even senior Li Yimei and Jiang Ziyi’s classmate Kang Jae Min could be seen, with Li Tong and a few company staff in the VIP seats upstairs. Jiang Yihan smiled at his sister, and his relatives screamed loudly, drawing the attention of most of the audience. The crowd began to focus on the stage, curious about the newcomer’s performance. Originally, Li Tong had planned to hire some fans to cheer at the venue to create excitement and avoid a cold atmosphere, but decided against it, letting Jiang Yihan shine naturally.

Jiang Yihan’s stage outfit—chosen from several options—was a black shirt, silver blazer, black pants, silver slim tie, and white sneakers. The style was simple, but Xu Xian had tousled his hair for a bit of structure. The look was clean yet striking, and paired with Jiang Yihan’s barely perceptible confident smile, it instantly captured everyone’s attention.

Jiang Yihan took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and gripped the microphone tightly. The director called, “3, 2, 1, go.” The music began, and the ear monitor delivered the melody clearly.

The prelude to “Puppet” was the ticking of an alarm clock. The stage lights were off, except for a single spotlight on Jiang Yihan, while the backup dancers crouched on the floor. With the ticking, Jiang Yihan moved rhythmically—a puppet dance, expressionless, simple and captivating. In just ten seconds, he commanded the stage, focusing all eyes on himself. The song began, a powerful hip-hop rhythm grabbing everyone’s attention. Jiang Yihan’s voice was pleasant, magnetic; the dance moves were succinct and stylish. During the chorus, you could faintly hear his breath, but his voice remained steady. When it came time for the solo dance, he handed the microphone to Jin Yiyun and danced smoothly—moves not overly difficult, but executed with perfect coordination, controlled and relaxed. After finishing, he took back the microphone and continued singing, leaving the audience breathless, their eyes following his every move. At the end, Jiang Yihan stood in the center of the group, put his finger to his lips in a “shh” gesture, and flashed a charming, mischievous smile.

As soon as the music stopped, it was as if a spell had been lifted—the applause was thunderous, with everyone, regardless of fandom, truly applauding Jiang Yihan’s performance. Jiang Ziyi and her friends jumped up in delight. Li Tong’s decision was right—Jiang Yihan didn’t need hired fans; the genuine live approval was enough.

Jiang Yihan stepped off the stage, wiped the sweat from his face, and took the water handed by Li Ran, drinking deeply. “How did I do today?”

Li Ran didn’t answer, instead used a towel to wipe his sweat and pointed to the audience, meaning, “Just look at the reaction.” At that moment, Koyote, who had been watching from backstage, rushed over. Kim Jong Min punched Jiang Yihan’s shoulder, “Kid, you nailed it! Your stage presence was amazing—the audience went wild!”

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“See? My judgment was spot-on. How about it—my little brother’s stage was great, wasn’t it?” Shin Ji boasted impatiently, looking like she’d discovered a treasure.

“Hmph, the amazing one is Jiang Yihan himself. When did he become your little brother?” Baek Ga teased, dampening Shin Ji’s enthusiasm.

“I’m older than him, so of course he’s my little brother! Right, Jiang Yihan?” Shin Ji argued.

“Haha, yes, yes, Shin Ji, big sister.” Jiang Yihan smiled, indulging his senior’s little request. “Sister, I’ll go change outfits first; let’s chat later.” He greeted them and left the playful Koyote members to change into his “Castle” outfit.

“Hey, Yihan, you really performed well!” Jin Yiyun’s praise made Jiang Yihan blush again. “For your next stage, we’ll be watching from the audience. Do your best!” The dancers were done for the day, but Jiang Yihan still had a full live performance ahead.

“Thank you, everyone, for your hard work,” Jiang Yihan bowed to the dancers in gratitude before heading off to change.

“Castle” was scheduled for the middle of the live broadcast. After changing, Xu Xian applied some wax and styled his hair again, then touched up his makeup—really just wiped the sweat and added a bit of powder, nothing more. In Xu Xian’s words, there wasn’t much to do, so why waste energy?

Soon, it was Jiang Yihan’s turn. The announcer’s voice echoed through the venue: “Next up, the powerful newcomer, the perfect prince, Jiang Yihan—first, Puppet.” As soon as the words finished, the pre-recorded “Puppet” played on the big screen. Jiang Yihan, however, had no time to watch; he walked onto the stage and sat at the prepared piano.

He adjusted the microphone, closed his eyes, and could hear his own heartbeat pounding in his chest. His hand on the piano trembled slightly, and the cheers, screams, and the strong music from “Puppet” filled his ears. He took a few deep breaths; suddenly, all sounds disappeared, leaving a calm silence. Though still nervous, Jiang Yihan was ready.

“Next, Jiang Yihan—Castle,” the announcer’s deep voice concluded.

Jiang Yihan pressed the first piano key, and the tension vanished. Immersed in the music, he wore the previously chosen stage outfit: white shirt, black slim tie, black vest, black suit, with a crown brooch pinned to the collar—prince-like charisma inescapable. After the prelude, he began to sing, his voice clear and gentle, pouring out the pain of betrayal. Deeply invested in the song, his sorrowful expression moved the audience; as the chorus soared, several beautiful falsetto transitions stunned the crowd. After finishing the first part, Jiang Yihan stood up, took the microphone, and walked to the center of the stage shrouded in dry ice, continuing to sing. His voice, expressions, and emotions were all flawless, and the audience erupted in enthusiastic applause—even hosts Andy and Goo Hye Sun joined in.

Jiang Yihan smiled, bowed, and stepped off the stage.

“Wow, Jiang Yihan’s performance was truly amazing!” Andy generously offered his praise.

Jiang Yihan left the stage just as Koyote was about to go on, and all three seniors smiled and gave him a thumbs-up. He reunited with Li Ran and the Korean PD from mpick, then headed toward the exit.

The debut performance was over.

Broken Cat’s Commentary:

Many readers have given suggestions in the reviews these past days, and Broken Cat is truly grateful—thank you all!

Now, let’s address some issues. First, regarding Han Geng: As the first Chinese artist to debut in Korea, I will definitely write about him. However, since this is my first novel and there have already been many characters introduced early on, my ability to manage them isn’t quite strong enough yet, and I’m unsure how to bring Han Geng into the story or what direction the plot should take once he appears. So I’ve been hesitant. Also, I overlooked the relationship between Kim Jaejoong and Han Geng—an oversight on my part. But trust me, Han Geng, such an important figure, will definitely appear in future chapters.

Next, on the topic of YY and harem themes: Yes, there will be YY elements; after all, Jiang Yihan wouldn’t have entered the entertainment industry otherwise, but I’ll keep them under control. As for the harem, I can confidently say: No, because I simply can’t write it—but there will be some ambiguity, haha.

This is my first time writing a book, and often my mind isn’t very clear, so there are many shortcomings. I hope you all forgive me and continue to share your suggestions!