wavenovel Chapter 1210 Sit Down
Chapter 1210 Sit Down
Chapter 1210 Sit Down
Recently all the work schedules have been finalized. Next, Chi Jingyuan and XO’s teammates will start to proceed step by step, cooperating with the Osaka Tourism Bureau to shoot promotional videos and pictorials, preparing for the official announcement.
However, despite this, because the agency has reduced a lot of unnecessary schedules, EXO's schedule is much less busy than before.
Therefore, Avex no longer requires all XO members to stay in Osaka, and the company has also opened up personal time. For example, CBX has his own sub-group schedule, Do Kyung-soo also has a movie to participate in a film festival, and Ji Kyung-won, who is working on personal endorsements and Girls' Generation's album, often travels back and forth between Osaka and Seoul.
As a result, EXO, which was once very popular in Japan, became a little quiet because it was in the preparation period, but soon another peninsula group took over the baton.
Twice has been very popular since coming to Japan, with all kinds of promotions and interviews happening all the time. Even before their debut, their fans were very active, and their pre-debut was very successful.
On June 6, Twice finally released their debut album "#TWICE" in Japan, which instantly set off all the preparations and warm-ups that had been made before.
As soon as the five songs included in the album, including the Japanese and Korean versions of "Like OOH-AHH", "Cheer Up", "TT", "Knock Knock" and "Signal", were released, their cute and energetic style was enthusiastically sought after by local fans and directly monopolized the top five spots on Japan's Line music chart.
What is most surprising is the sales volume. On the first day, the sales volume reached more than 2 copies, ranking second on the Oricon daily chart. In four days, the sales volume exceeded copies, and on the fifth day, it ranked first on the daily chart.
On the 30th, they performed on TV Asahi's classic program "Music Station", becoming the first Peninsula girl group to appear on the program since Girls' Generation in 2012.
The overall popularity is really jaw-dropping. This kind of popularity, as well as the acceptance of fans and passers-by, do not seem like a new girl group from the Peninsula that has just made its debut in Japan. Instead, they look like a popular group that has been deeply rooted for many years.
Especially "TT", which was already a hit in Japan last year. After the lyrics were rewritten in Japanese, it was even more popular than "TT". It became popular immediately after its release. The 'TT' hand gesture representing crying became a popular pattern for young people to express their feelings.
I can only say that Twice's style, members, and personalities are unexpectedly compatible with the aesthetics and preferences of Japanese fans. They haven't even had time to do anything yet, but their development curve has soared to the sky... Even Chi Jingyuan is a little jealous.
EXO has been working hard in Japan for so long, and with the double blessing of the previous hit song "Boy with Luv" + Billboard award-winning preparation and popularity, they have finally reached this point, but now they have reached a bottleneck.
But Twice seems to have opened a new door. Although they are not as good as EXO now, they seem to be born for the Japanese market...
To be honest, although EXO is undoubtedly the number one boy band in Kpop today, and Twice is now almost recognized as the number one girl band, Ji Jingyuan has never regarded Chou Tzuyu and others as competitors. Subconsciously, he never thinks that the two groups are at the same level, because no matter in any aspect, data, fans, popularity, revenue, EXO has a gap that is despairing.
But this time, when they met in Japan in a foreign country, Chi Jingyuan felt for the first time that if he didn't work hard, he would be caught up and surpassed by Zhou Ziyu and others.
…………
“…Are you really working hard?”
Looking at the text message sent by Zhou Ziyu on the phone, Chi Jingyuan, who had just finished his work, suddenly wrinkled his forehead.
He pressed hard on the screen: "Nonsense, I'll work a hundred times harder than you~"
"Hehe, I don't believe it~ But I haven't seen any news about you recently~"
There was a playfulness in Zhou Ziyu's tone that made Chi Jingyuan feel upset, but she didn't pay too much attention to it. Soon, she was very energetic and kept sending text messages to tell him about her own things:
"...We just finished rehearsal and are taking a short break now. We will have to familiarize ourselves with our positions later."
"I'm memorizing what I'm going to say during the talk show and interview later. Japanese pronunciation is really difficult~"
"…But the rehearsal just now wasn't going very smoothly. There were some mistakes. Sister Sana tripped while moving, and her legs were all bruised. It hurt just looking at it…If the swelling can't go down, I guess I'll have to use knee-high socks to cover it later."
"..."
"……What are you doing?"
Today is July 7nd, which is also the date when Twice will officially hold their debut showcase. Zhou Ziyu, who had just finished rehearsing, was talking to Chi Jingyuan about this matter. At this moment, she was backstage nervously preparing for the official performance that was about to take place.
This time, Twice's debut showcase was held at the Tokyo Stadium...and rather than being called a showcase, its scale was actually no different from a concert.
Because there are so many people attending this performance, according to reports there will be 1.5 spectators and fans on site today. I heard from Chou Tzu-yu that the original plan was to only have one show that could accommodate people, but the response was so enthusiastic later, with more than local fans signing up, so another show was added.
A showcase with 1.5 people... It was similar to when EXO came to Neon before.
Many girl groups have debuted for several years and released several hit songs, but they still can't support performances with thousands of people. Twice is just a newcomer, and they can directly hold a showcase with tens of thousands of people.
While Chi Jingyuan was communicating with the staff in the work group, he also took the time to reply to Zhou Ziyu's text message. He was typing when a text message banner suddenly popped up. He opened it and saw that the black girl had sent him a selfie.
It's still the same short face, but she's already done with stage makeup. Her already pretty facial features look even more eye-catching with the makeup, and the dark brown curly hair on both sides also sets off her face well.
It’s just that the angle of Zhou Ziyu’s selfie is really not good. She even deliberately made a pouting expression, which looked ugly. The lighting was also not good, making her skin look a little dark.
Although it was dark.
"Does it look good?"
Right after this, Zhou Ziyu sent out a question that was obviously a bit conceited.
"It's okay, just try it~" Chi Jingyuan told the truth.
"Poor, let me see yours."
"You can watch it if you want? I have no face?"
"Humph, forget it... I have plenty of cell phones anyway."
"If someone accidentally sees you, you're dead."
"How is it possible... Well, I'm about to debut in Japan, I'm a little nervous, what should I do? I feel my heart beating so fast, thump thump."
"You've been in the industry for so long and you're still nervous. Why don't you just quit the group, Chou Tzuyu?"
"I hate it... I won't talk to you anymore. I have to memorize my lines."
…………
Twice's two debut showcases were very successful. They topped Japan's hot searches and various news reports followed suit.
The two showcases after the album release also represent that the girl group Twice from Peninsula officially started their journey in Japan.
But they didn’t enjoy the popularity alone… Earlier, Zhou Ziyu was saying in a sinister way that she hadn’t seen Ji Jingyuan in the news recently, but soon EXO reappeared in everyone’s sight.
On July 7, the Osaka Tourism Bureau officially announced that EXO would become the tourism ambassadors for this year's summer event festival.
The official also carried out high-level publicity. In addition to making it public through the city's official website and SNS, a press conference was held in the meeting hall of the city hall. The venue was decorated with traditional lanterns and paper fans of the Tenjin Festival. The background screen played the tranquil image of Okawa Funado and the nine-member poster of EXO.
At the press conference, Naoki Yamamoto, Director of Cultural Promotion of Osaka Tourism Bureau, said excitedly in front of reporters:
"Tenjin Festival is a symbol of Osaka. It started in 951 and is dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane. The drums of Rikuto-go, the lanterns of Funato-go, and the fireworks attract about 130 million visitors every year, and the fireworks display attracts about 50 visitors every year..."
"As one of the three major festivals in Japan, we hope that the charm of Tenjin Matsuri can spread throughout Asia and attract more tourists who are interested in neon and Osaka culture. Therefore, we sincerely invited Asia's top group EXO to serve as this year's tourism ambassadors, hoping that with their popularity and influence, the characteristics of Osaka's traditional festivals will be known to more people..."
It was also announced that EXO will release two promotional songs specifically for this year's summer festival. At the end of the press conference, EXO leader Kim Junmyeon expressed his honor of becoming the Osaka Tourism Ambassador and his determination to fulfill his duties in fluent Japanese pronunciation, which he had memorized countless times.
Once the news was made public, it spread at an extremely fast speed, soon causing widespread discussion and high heat in Japan, the Peninsula, and even the entire East Asia, and even attracted a lot of attention in Europe and the United States.
The related entries soared in the hot searches and world trends in various places in a very short time, and many fans and passers-by who saw it also discussed it:
"I can only say that the Osaka Tourism Bureau is really good at selecting people." - @EXONO1 (3.5 likes)
"EXO becomes Osaka Tourism Ambassador!? So shocking! I was thinking about traveling in the summer but hadn't decided where to go. Now I don't have to hesitate." - @VIPout (2.7 likes)
"Aaaah, as an Osaka local, I'm really excited to see this news. I'm so touched and proud that Osaka's summer and traditional culture have been known to the world because of EXO!! But the competition for tickets will definitely be fierce... The Tenjin Festival is really crowded, and with EXO's promotion, I'm worried that I won't be able to squeeze in... But I really want to see Yuan wearing a traditional yukata, I don't know if I can satisfy you (drooling)" - @LoveY (2.5 likes)
"Two promotional songs? Are you kidding me? EXO hasn't had any new songs in our Peninsula for almost a year, so why are they releasing two promotional songs in Japan? That's too much favoritism, right?... But I'm still looking forward to it. I hope it's nice and distinctive, not the kind of song that's boring upon listening~" - @GDno1
"I'm an Aili from Thailand. I know EXO, but I don't know what the Osaka Summer Festival is. Can anyone explain it to me?" - @Lixa (1.1 likes)
"We will make a travel guide for Osaka Tenjin Festival and Yodogawa Fireworks Festival as quickly as possible. See you in Osaka~." - @EXO-Lclub (10.1 likes)
This news had a very positive impact on online communities in many countries. Fans and even passers-by in several countries expressed their interest in Osaka and summer activities because of XO. The publicity brought by the tourism ambassador had an immediate effect.
Especially for many AIM fans, summer is a great time for students to take a vacation and family travel. When they see their idols become tourism ambassadors, release promotional songs, and continue to perform in Osaka, they can't help but want to follow their idols and start looking for travel guides.
The situation seems to be very good, and EXO's efforts in Asia over the years have also brought great influence.
However, when we switched our focus to Japan, we found that after the official announcement by the Osaka Tourism Bureau, it caused considerable opposition and doubts in Osaka and even in Japan.
“Who is EXO?”
"Tenjin Festival is the soul of Osaka, and it feels really strange to choose the Peninsula band as ambassadors."
"The rituals at Funado and Tenmangu are so sacred. Can a boy band from Japan really understand these traditions? They can't even speak Japanese fluently, right? It would be better to invite Nogizaka46, at least they are Japanese idols, they are our own people, and they are more familiar."
"The rituals of Tenmangu Shrine require reverence, do they understand? The tourism bureau has thrown away cultural bottom line to attract tourists. I think they should choose a local band, like Flumpool, to add Osaka flavor!"
"I don't think a Peninsula boy band is qualified to be the tourism ambassador of the Osaka Summer Festival. Is the Osaka Tourism Bureau too commercialized? Will it do anything to attract tourists?"
"Baga! This is an insult to Japan! Are there no stars or idols in Japan anymore? What is Johnny's doing?"
"The above, Johnny's is still affected by the aftermath of SMAP's disbandment last year, and it's hard for them to take care of themselves. Inagaki Goro, Kusanagi Tsuyoshi, and Katori Shingo are all rumored to be leaving the agency."
"It's just a boy band. I really don't believe it. How many people would really come because of them?"
…………
At this time, in a private room of a restaurant in Tokyo.
"…Osaka Prefecture's tourism ambassador."
The daughter who went to the Peninsula to be an idol returned to her home country to make her debut. As parents, the Nai couple of course came to support her. On the day Nai Minami came to Tokyo, Nai Sachiko came, and the family watched Twice's showcase together afterwards.
After Mingjing Nan returned to Neon, it became much more convenient for the family to meet. At this time, they took advantage of Twice's free time to have dinner together in the restaurant.
At this moment, Ming Jingnan's father Ming Jingyang saw the news pushed on his mobile phone. After reading it, he commented with interest: "XO, it seems that the Osaka Tourism Bureau really values them."
Although he is an elder, Ming Jingyang actually knows EXO, and he even knows that E is silent.
Mingjing Sachiko and Mingjing Minami's brother Mingjing Kai, who were sitting next to them, didn't understand what was going on. After asking a few questions, they couldn't help but take out their phones to check the news.
"..."
Ming Jingnan, who was having dinner with his family in a good mood and smiling all the time, suddenly heard the names of Chi Jingyuan and EXO. The expression on his face suddenly froze, he pursed his lips slightly, and took out his mobile phone to look at it.
She quickly glanced through the news feed, not paying much attention to the "tourism ambassador" cooperation. Instead, her attention was attracted by the picture of EXO in the news. Her heart seemed to be controlled by certain memories and a certain picture, and her eyes were fixed on the face of the person in the picture in a trance.
"…Is this the boyfriend that Mina has been dating?"
Dad looked at the news again, then suddenly picked up his phone, pointed at Chi Jingyuan in the photo, and asked Mingjing Sachiko next to him.
"Yes, that's him~"
Mom Mingjing Sachiko looked at Chi Jingyuan in the picture and nodded immediately, and asked with a satisfied smile: "Not bad, right?"
"...Her looks and temperament are indeed outstanding." Upon hearing this, Ming Jingyang stared at the photo for a few more seconds and nodded in agreement.
He had heard from his wife about his daughter's boyfriend a long time ago, and had also chatted briefly with Mingjingnan, but he did not give much advice. He let Mingjingnan decide everything on her own, giving her a lot of freedom.
However, although he did not interfere too much verbally, he certainly checked the other party's information himself.
"His appearance is absolutely impeccable. He is even better looking in person than in the photo. His temperament is especially great... I met him twice by chance in Seoul." Nai Sachiko added with a smile, and it seemed that she had a very good impression of Chi Jingyuan.
While listening, father Ming Jingyang looked at Ming Jingnan strangely... Why was Ming Jingnan in a daze and didn't have any special reaction when they talked about his daughter's boyfriend?
“…Mina~”
Ming Jingyang thought about the news in his hand, and suddenly called Ming Jingnan. Looking at his daughter who raised her head with a natural expression, he tentatively suggested: "I remember you said before that you would also go to Osaka for activities next month. It just so happens that this person is also in Osaka..."
"You can ask him to come to your house and sit down when the time comes~"