Prince from another dimension becomes an Idol chapter 22

Six months ago, Kijoon had composed a song that had kept him up at night.

However, it had changed so much that it was hard to call it the same song.

“Has he continued to revise it since then?”

It had been a high-quality song back then, but now it sounded like something from a professional composer.

Yet, it wasn’t outdated.

It was fresh enough and catchy.

Dojae was genuinely impressed.

“He’s really been working hard.”

While Dojae and Kyuseong’s singing skills had improved significantly, the other members had also been honing their skills.

“…”

The members were surprised to hear Kijoon’s song, but no one was more shocked than Kijoon himself.

Caught off guard, Kijoon listened to the song with a tense expression.

Team Leader Jung Heeyoung smiled faintly as she watched Kijoon.

The song wasn’t included as a candidate because it was by a member, but because it was genuinely good.

Only Team Leader Jung Heeyoung, Director Lee Jungyeop, and the members knew that it was Kijoon’s song.

But the response was as positive as when Director Lee Jungyeop’s song had been played.

Dojae felt the same way.

He couldn’t decide between the fourth and fifth songs.

The real problem was that it was impossible to choose just one.

‘The fact that my own song might be the debut track…’

That thought alone was enough to make his heart swell with pride.

Even though it wasn’t totally his own work, Dojae felt overwhelmed.

‘I need to study composition even harder…’

Although he was already giving his best effort, Dojae renewed his determination.

Meanwhile, all the candidate songs had finished playing.

A brief silence fell in the conference room.

Team Leader Jung Heeyoung immediately started the voting process.

The outcome seemed predictable, but the process was still important.

“Songs number four and five each received six votes and are the final candidates.”

Since the first song received three votes, the other two tied.

Team Leader Jung Heeyoung revealed the results and displayed the information for songs four and five on the screen.

Those who hadn’t known who the composers were exclaimed in surprise.

“You might not believe it, but let’s decide without worrying about my opinion. I’ll be as objective as possible,” said Director Lee Jungyeop, making everyone chuckle.

It wasn’t unusual, since even the title track of Big Boys’s second album had been chosen from another composer, not Director Lee Jungyeop.

They were professionals who knew what really mattered, so there was no concern about objectivity.

The debate on which song to choose as the debut title began in earnest.

“As you know, Director Lee’s name alone provides a promotional effect. He’s a hitmaker, and many people trust his music.”

“If we choose ‘I’m Different’ as the title track, it will emphasize that Director Lee is nurturing his second idol group after Big Boys, giving the group a distinct color.”

“I believe ‘Dynamic’ should be the title track to differentiate the new group from Big Boys and establish a clear identity.”

“Using a member’s original song as the debut title would certainly enhance the image of a talented group.”

The reason Team Leader Jung Heeyoung revealed the composer information was simple.

When song preferences were similar, the composer’s identity became crucial, especially for a debut track.

The composer could be a selling point.

However, in this case, either song could serve as a good selling point.

“In terms of the team’s concept… This team is meant to be fresher and more distinctive than Big Boys. So, ‘I’m Different’ seems more fitting since the song feels more striking,” said the first planning team leader.

Kim Seokchul countered, “While ‘Dynamic’ conveys a youthful and powerful energy, which aligns better with the overall team image.”

“That aspect is present in ‘I’m Different’ too…” muttered the second planning team A&R staff, clearly conflicted.

The visual team also thought both songs fit well.

The dance trainer, preferred ‘I’m Different,’ as it allowed for dynamic performances highlighting each member’s charm.

Kang Changshik, the vocal trainer, suggested, “To showcase the vocal capabilities, ‘Dynamic’ is better.”

Kijoon’s revised version of ‘Dynamic’ had parts that emphasized the vocals.

“Imagining Kyuseong singing those high notes…”

It was electrifying, as Kyuseong’s high notes were incredibly attractive.

‘Kijoon hyung must have considered that when he made the revisions.’

His assumption was correct.

As Dojae and Kyuseong’s vocals improved daily, Kijoon, as the composer, had more freedom in the notes he could use.

“I think…”

Kijoon, who had been silently listening, finally spoke up.

“So, I believe ‘I’m Different’ is more suitable as the title track than ‘Dynamic.'”

“Why?”

It seemed obvious that Kijoon would want his song to be the title track, so Director Lee Jungyeop asked directly.

“As Mr. Changshik mentioned, ‘Dynamic’ focuses heavily on the vocal parts, especially high notes. This makes it hard for all the members to stand out. Other members might get overshadowed…”

Kijoon explained that he originally wrote the song with the intention of it being a B-side track, not a title, and thus it was not suitable as a title track.

As a composer and leader, Kijoon considered the overall harmony.

Dojae also thought ‘I’m Different’ was better for showcasing the unique rapping styles of Kijoon and Heungmin.

Team Leader Jung Heeyoung seemed to agree with Kijoon’s reasoning and spoke up.

“Originally, during debut, if even one member can leave a strong impression, it’s considered a success… In fact, it might be beneficial to avoid scattering attention.”

No matter how much one might believe the team comes first, this was a rather harsh statement for those members who wouldn’t become the main focus.

However, looking at most successful cases, it was evident that if even one member could stand out during the debut, it was a success.

Team Leader Jung Heeyoung’s comment brought a renewed sense of confusion and silence to the meeting room.

While the basic concept wouldn’t change, it was clear that the team’s detailed strategy would depend on the title track.

“I like both.”

“Me too…”

Woochul and Louis murmured quietly in turn.

Although they had similar strengths, it was hard to decide since they honestly liked both songs.

Even though the full lyrics and arrangement hadn’t been worked out yet, both songs were already impressive.

It was a happy dilemma, after all.

As it seemed they wouldn’t reach a conclusion, Vice President Jung Hyeongseok spoke up.

“Since it’s an important issue, let’s think about it a bit more.”

Everyone nodded in agreement.

“Let’s finalize our opinions in a week.”

Vice President Jeong looked at the members.

“We’ll actively consider the members’ opinions, so think carefully.”

“Yes!”

When Heungmin answered on behalf of the group, Vice President Jeong nodded and stood up.

***

One week until the final decision.

Even amidst their grueling practice sessions, the members took breaks to listen to ‘I’m Different’ and ‘Dynamic,’ intensely debating which song was better.

Even on their day off, they chose to gather in the living room to listen to the songs instead of sleeping.

“Ah, seriously. Why do Director and Kijoon have to be geniuses… making us struggle like this,” Woochul said, grabbing his hair, making Dojae chuckle.

But Dojae was just as conflicted.

As a longtime listener, a member, the team’s vocalist, and a composer.

No matter how he looked at it, he kept circling back to the same conclusion.

“Both are definitely good songs.”

Of course, having a good song didn’t guarantee success.

Both had the potential to succeed, and both could fail.

Even projects and songs from large agencies with extensive experience sometimes got ignored.

Even if both were good internally, the public’s reaction was unpredictable.

‘When you reach the limit of rational decision-making… you have to rely on intuition.’

Dojae had good intuition, along with a keen eye.

But even trying to choose by intuition, both were equally good.

‘I can’t give up on either.’

Dojae murmured quietly.

Choosing one meant giving up on the other.

Although they could save the other song for their next album, there was only one “debut title” spot.

‘Do I really have to give one up?’

While he was deep in thought, Dojae seemed to have a revelation. “Ah.”

“Wow! This is huge!”

Louis exclaimed while fiddling with his phone.

“What? What happened?”

Woochul asked eagerly, and Louis quickly responded.

“Big Boys seniors got first place again!”

“What?”

Heungmin, who was sitting in the corner of the sofa, also checked his phone in surprise.

Dojae looked at the clock on the wall.

It was indeed the time for the music show to be ending.

“Wow… How many weeks is that now?”

In response to Woochul’s question, Louis held up five fingers.

Five consecutive weeks at number one.

It was certainly an impressive achievement.

Big Boys, who had steadily built their fandom, had hit the jackpot with their new release about a month ago and were now walking the so-called “path of success.”

They were transitioning from a group popular with idol fans to one with widespread recognition.

“Wow, our seniors. They really hit it big this time.”

“I heard they’re going to be on all the major network variety shows since they’re still at number one… If they keep appearing on TV, they might stay at the top for six or seven weeks.”

“WoW…”

Listening to the members’ conversation, Dojae reaffirmed his belief in his own instincts.

“That’s great.”

Even though it wasn’t his group, they were still from the same company.

The success of Big Boys would undoubtedly have a positive impact on their own debut.

“Do you think we can get first place when we debut?”

Woochul’s question made Heungmin pause.

“We have to.”

Their excitement was short-lived.

As trainees, they always had to cope with an uncertain future.

Even for members with confirmed debut plans, the anxiety was the same.

Dojae, who had been silent, spoke up.

“We can do it. Definitely.”

When Dojae spoke, it carried weight, so Woochul nodded.

To shake off their growing anxiety, the members focused more on choosing their debut song.

Wanting to see the news for himself, Dojae searched for ‘Big Boys’ on his phone.

Numerous articles about their five-week streak at number one appeared.

As he scrolled through the articles, Dojae’s eyes suddenly lit up.

“This is it.”

The thought he had earlier seemed like it might actually become a reality.