Chapter 194 : The Real Gift for Taeyoon
Chapter 194: The Real Gift for Taeyoon
Along with the press release for the Club Lunatic project.
A video of the special event at Club Sierra, hosted by Blackhole, was uploaded to KIM Entertainment's YouTube channel.
[ Club Sierra "Invitation Night" with Blackhole (Official) ]
The very first thing shown in the video was a line of men in business suits standing outside the club.
It wasn't exactly an appealing sight.
Their expressions looked strangely sharp, and the way they cautiously watched one another made even the viewers feel awkward.
They looked less like clubgoers and more like prosecutors attending a company dinner.
However, as the video continued, the atmosphere gradually changed.
Especially after they put on Blackhole's signature merchandise—the pink rabbit wristband—just before entering.
A wristband? Of course it's my first time wearing one.
Their stiff expressions softened.
Groups of suited men entered the club together.
Bang!
The club doors closed.
The dark alley outside instantly transformed into a brilliantly lit club.
The opening of <Black or White> echoed through the venue.
The camera focused on the audience more than Blackhole.
Instead of luxury watches, LED wristbands decorated their wrists.
Instead of thick stacks of paperwork, they held tequila glasses.
It felt like a movie trailer.
Or perhaps a music video.
The moment KIM Entertainment uploaded the video to YouTube, viewers immediately immersed themselves in it.
Even through the screen...
The excitement felt vivid.
As though they had been there that very night.
↳ Is this a movie?
↳↳ Seriously, this feels exactly like the opening of a music film. ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
↳ As expected of a major corporation ㄷㄷㄷㄷ They turned an ordinary hotel entrance into something that looks like a Hong Kong back alley. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
↳ Note to self.... Even YouTube videos are different when KW makes them!!!
↳ Were all the guests really over forty? They party harder than people in their twenties. ㅋㅋ
↳↳ These days, middle-aged guys actually have better stamina;;;
↳ But seriously ㅠㅠㅠ Why aren't they showing Blackhole?? Ah, hearing only the music is torture.... DJ performances are important too. ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
↳↳ They said they'll release Blackhole's full solo performance in a few days.
↳ Ahhhㅠㅠ How am I supposed to wait? ㅠㅠㅠ
↳ When does the club open?
↳↳ Since it's just a renovation, it probably won't take that long.
↳ Why does this remind me of Moon Night? Is it because of the song selection?
↳↳ Oh.... Apparently it really was inspired by Moon Night!!!
↳ I know these songs, but they sound incredibly fresh.
↳↳ That's the power of arrangement!
Whether people understood DJing or not...
It no longer mattered.
The set list Blackhole had prepared transcended age, gender, and nationality.
Trendy beats that wouldn't sound out of place even if they topped today's charts.
Combined with familiar melodies that appealed to every generation and every taste.
↳ Honestly, shouldn't this become reference material for the history of Korean popular music?
↳↳ That's a bit much;;;
↳↳↳ It's definitely an exaggeration... but you're not wrong.
↳↳ Seriously. The set list is literally made up of representative songs from every era.
↳ The more I watch, the more obvious it is that he really knows music.
↳↳ I bet Blackhole's actually older than people think. His voice is really deep, and his taste in music is extraordinary.
↳ I don't care about that! Just release these songs officially.... I want to listen to them every day.
↳ I'm watching this on TV with my mom, and she's asking where she can buy the CD;; I have to extract the audio and burn it onto a CD for her, so I can't even answer her questions.
↳↳ Filial child approved.
The video made its final moments even more dramatic.
Hold the beat!
Blackhole's Signature Sound rang out.
<Lunatic Beat> poured through the speakers.
Together with scenes of the club where countless LED rabbit wristbands swayed like waves...
The video announced the rebirth of KW Hotel's club.
CLUB LUNATIC : Beyond the Moonlight
Coming Soon
The video surpassed one million views almost instantly, becoming one of YouTube's trending videos.
Communities.
News comment sections.
Even people who had never cared about clubs before...
Everyone became interested in Club Lunatic's reopening.
[ So this is what KW Gangnam Hotel is going to become, right? ]
↳ Yep.
↳↳ My dad actually went there. He said it was really fun. He's been listening to the songs from the set list nonstop. ㅎㅎ
↳ When does it open?
↳↳ According to the articles, probably in another month or two.
↳ Are old-school nightclubs going to become popular again? ㅎㅎㅎㅎ
Among them...
There were also voices expressing concern.
After all, every fresh idea attracted fresh criticism.
[ Blackhole or not, isn't this just going to become another nightclub for middle-aged people? ]
↳ That's exactly what I think. ㅋㅋ Who's going to a club full of old guys? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
↳↳ Seriously. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ It only looks cool because a major corporation produced the video. In reality it'll just be Arabian Night. ㅅㄱ
↳ Isn't this just riding on Blackhole's popularity?
↳↳ Seriously. Just like KW Electronics. What would've happened if they didn't have Blackhole? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
↳ You can call it Moon Night all you want, but isn't it basically just old-man nostalgia? Am I the only one who thinks a club for middle-aged people with a DJ sounds weird?
Even so...
The original video's view count continued climbing at an astonishing rate.
The derivative videos that followed also became trending alongside the original.
[ Blackhole Invitation Night - Complete Set List ]
Original Songs VS Blackhole DJ Version Comparison!
<Black or White>
<Last Night's Story>
<You in My Faded Memories> <Wow> <Run To You>
<To Tomorrow's You>
<Umbrella> <Dancing Queen>
.
.
.
↳ Both the originals and the arrangements are amazing. ㄷㄷㄷ
↳↳ Seriously. They're great in completely different ways....
↳ Is this really the power of arrangement? They don't sound like old songs at all.
↳ I've been listening to them one by one. The song selection is incredible. Every song is great;;
↳↳ They're all masterpieces to begin with. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
↳ I'll make one prediction. Every song here is going to climb back up the charts.
↳↳ There you go exaggerating again.
↳↳ I think that's pushing it too far. They're just too old....
Club Lunatic slowly continued preparing for its grand opening amid the public's growing anticipation.
Backstage Studio.
"Oh...."
"......"
As I stared at the monitor...
Something unbelievable happened.
The songs I'd rearranged and performed had begun climbing back up the charts!
None of them had reached the very top.
But the fact that most of the songs from the set list had entered the real-time Top 100 was more than encouraging.
I spun around toward my older brother, who had been silently watching the monitor behind me, and held out my hand.
"See? I told you. Hand it over."
"...I'll give it to you when we get home."
"You should've brought it with you."
Knowing he was about to lose one of his treasured CDs, he wore the expression of a man who had lost his country.
"...I'm not trying to get out of it."
Now I definitely had to collect.
"You look pretty reluctant."
"I'm not!"
We'd made a small bet.
Whether every song from this performance would climb back onto the charts or not.
For the record...
My older brother had bet against it.
According to his instincts after spending more than five years working at a major entertainment company...
Maybe one or two songs would briefly appear on the charts.
But all of them?
That would never happen.
Especially older songs.
Yet...
The unexpected had happened.
"No matter how I think about it, this is bizarre. It's not just one or two songs. Every single one charting doesn't even make sense."
He stood there with a blank expression.
He looked happy.
He looked shocked.
Maybe both.
"Ahem. That's just how good I am."
"Hey, be honest. You manipulated the charts, didn't you?"
"Ahem. An entertainment industry employee saying something so sensitive to an artist? You're disqualified as my Handler."
"Tsk... My prediction skills make no sense anymore...."
He still tilted his head in confusion.
He didn't show it, but honestly...
Even I was surprised inside.
Why?
Because everyone had unanimously said it would be impossible.
My older brother, who always supported me.
CEO Kim Minsoo.
Even the Cheongseong Members.
All of them had said the same thing.
Chart reversals weren't easy.
Yet now that it had actually happened...
They were even happier than I was.
"Other agencies have been calling nonstop."
"Why?"
"They're asking if we can release an album. Some are requesting official audio versions of your arrangements. What should we do?"
"You handle that."
"Okay."
That's how it usually worked.
Whenever an important business decision came up, I left it to my older brother.
It was reassuring.
Without giving me headaches, he always chose the most reasonable direction.
"First, check this. How we're going to organize the DJs for Club Lunatic. And let's see.... Ah, this too. Whether to officially release the Orbit Mix Tape as an album. Oh, and this...."
Holding the stack of documents he'd brought in, my older brother began explaining each item one by one.
At moments like this...
He really looked like a capable office worker.
To be honest...
When I first signed with KIM Entertainment, I'd hesitated.
I worried that because I was his younger brother, he might prioritize my personal interests too much.
I didn't want that.
Work was work.
Family was family.
But...
That concern had been unnecessary.
Our Team Leader Seo Dongyoon maintained the line between being Blackhole's older brother and being Team Leader of Track Race perfectly.
Though...
I had to admit it was a little disappointing when he stopped joking around and answered me with a completely serious Team Leader expression.
"Hyung, don't make the album a limited edition or anything like that. Just release it normally."
"Hmm.... Why?"
"If it gets marked up with ridiculous premiums, fans who genuinely just want to hear the music will suffer."
"Oh, fans! As expected of Blackhole! A popular DJ with fans now...! Blackhole, who appeared like a comet and shook the entire club scene!"
I narrowed my eyes and stared at him.
He always had to ruin a perfectly good conversation like this.
"Oh? What's with that look? You planning to eat me?"
"Mr. Handler? Stop teasing your artist and do your job."
"I am working. Boosting an artist's confidence also falls under a Handler's responsibilities~"
"Ugh! I don't need it! Anyway, just proceed with everything else the way I told you."
"So you're agreeing to include Blackhole photo cards with the album?"
"I said no."
It's not like I'm an idol.
Why would I need photo cards?
I guess working in idol management made him want to do everything everyone else was doing.
I really didn't need things like that....
"Alright. I like how decisive you are. By the way... what's this?"
He pointed toward the notebook lying on my desk.
"Oh, it's nothing."
"...What did you write here? Wow, Seo Taeyoon, your handwriting's still terrible. Can you even read this yourself?"
"Just some random things."
"Lyrics?"
"Some of it."
I casually closed the notebook and slid it aside.
Honestly...
His eyesight was too good.
He noticed things he shouldn't notice and poked his nose into things he shouldn't concern himself with.
Well...
I suppose that was a talent too.
He was always quick to notice what was happening around him.
Though sometimes I wondered if it wasn't exhausting.
"Are you writing songs?"
"Of course."
"Take it easy. You've been staying up every night practicing on those analog turntables lately. Make sure you're eating properly too. I sorted your vitamins into a case, so don't forget to take them. Actually, forget it. You're coming to the gym with me."
"Nah, I'm good. You go. Hurry up and leave. I've got work to do."
Whenever I was with my older brother...
Our conversations always became too long.
Maybe it was because we barely saw each other at home these days.
Or maybe Mom had sent him as her secret agent.
Today's lecture disguised as concern continued for quite a while.
"Alright. You're performing at Sierra tonight, right?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"I already reserved tickets. I'm going with Yeonhee. Seriously, getting tickets was brutal. I only succeeded on my third try."
"Oh? You should've just told me. I get two invitation tickets every show, so you could've gone for free."
"That wouldn't be as fun."
...He really had a strange personality.
"Stop by the waiting room later."
"Huh? Why?"
"I'll treat you to a non-alcoholic cocktail."
"Oh, nice. Thanks."
"Oh, and don't forget the CD."
"...Alright, alright. See you later."
The moment the door closed—
I quickly opened my notebook again.
These days...
Every single day, I was taking one step closer to my dream.
Club Lunatic.
It couldn't simply be a renovation with a new name.
It had to become a place that was truly reborn.
And at its center...
Was me.
Blackhole.
I'd take the lead in planning it.
I'd create the set lists.
I'd personally select the DJs.
Everything—from the stage flow, lighting, sound, and audience movement—would be built around my vision.
...I'm nervous.
A thrilling sense of responsibility surged through me.
Something far beyond the word "success."
A place that would fulfill everyone's fantasies.
I could create it.
Couldn't I?
That evening.
Executive Director Kim Jinsoo left his home dressed comfortably for the first time in quite a while.
His chauffeur.
His secretary.
Both could only blink in confusion.
Noticing their expressions, Kim Jinsoo asked,
"Do I look strange? Is it... a bit odd?"
There wasn't a single brave employee who would answer,
"Yes, sir. A little."
To a superior's question like that.
They simply replied with awkward smiles.
Ignoring their reactions, Kim Jinsoo climbed into the back seat of the car.
"Heading to the gym, sir?"
"No. Sierra in Ilsan."
Their meeting wasn't for another week.
But he simply couldn't wait any longer to see Taeyoon.
Kim Jinsoo looked contentedly at the stack of documents beside him.
Gently patting them, he quietly murmured,
"I hope he likes it."
Inside the envelope...
Carefully stored away...
Was the real gift for Taeyoon.
The Joint Operation Agreement for Club Lunatic.