wavenovel Chapter 1416 Completed
Chapter 1416 Completed
Chapter 1416 Completed
The temporary suspension of the comeback plan means that EXO's preparations over the past few months may all be in vain. The meticulously crafted choreography, carefully filmed teaser materials, and pre-planned promotional activities will all have to be temporarily shelved.
The initial buzz generated through promotion will gradually dissipate over time, and when it's restarted, it will require many times more effort to rebuild the momentum.
However, the EXO members were not too surprised by the company's decision.
After all, SM is currently in the eye of the storm. Kim Jong-hyun's passing has plunged the entire company into a low mood, and the work of many of its artists has been suspended. Even the SMTOWN family concert, which was originally scheduled to be held in half a month, has been temporarily canceled.
With EXO's comeback date so close, a postponement is to be expected.
Moreover, several members of EXO had a good relationship with Kim Jong-hyun, and now that this has happened, many of them are indeed not in the mood to return to work.
Such sudden separations always make people deeply realize the helplessness of "not knowing whether tomorrow or an accident will come first".
In comparison, returning to the past seems less important.
Furthermore, EXO's comeback has not only been temporarily postponed, but Lee Soo-man has also stated that he is considering whether it is necessary to modify the album's content, adding or removing some songs.
...This is true of many things. At first glance, they seem perfect, but after a while, when you look at them again, you will always find many things that can be improved. The same applies to albums and songs.
The market environment and public sentiment were different when it was released at the end of 17 and the beginning of 18, so the results were naturally very different.
The specific time for the reissue is yet to be determined, and everything depends on the extent of the impact of this event.
However, not all plans were put on hold; Byun Baekhyun's solo performance was moved up to January 10th next year.
As the second EXO member to launch a solo career, Baekhyun was highly valued by SM Entertainment. The sudden early release of his solo work not only paved the way for his solo development but also subtly revealed their intention to test the market's reaction.
It's basically... paving the way for the larger group.
However, Byun Baekhyun had no objection to this. Ji Kyungwon felt that this guy was really looking forward to it, and his eagerness to try was very obvious.
Clearly, Ji Kyung-won's successful solo performance has also inspired other ambitious members of the team with strong motivation and endless inspiration.
Other related matters will be put on hold for now. SM's primary goal is to smoothly weather the impact of Jonghyun's situation.
As a result, EXO's most important comeback mission for this period has been temporarily canceled. They only need to focus on preparing for a few year-end stages: the year-end music shows on the three major broadcasters, SBS, MBC, and KBS, as well as the Kohaku Uta Gassen on December 31.
After the meeting, Ji Kyung-won was called to Lee Soo-man's office alone.
"Teacher Xiuman, XO's comeback will be postponed for now."
Lee Soo-man poured Ji Kyung-won a cup of hot coffee. Ji Kyung-won thanked him, took the cup, sat on the sofa next to his desk, took a small sip, and asked the question he had wanted to ask in the meeting: "What about my subway song? It was originally scheduled to be released on the 22nd. Does it also need to be postponed?"
His self-composed subway song "Horizon of Events," featuring Jung Eun-ji, was originally scheduled for release on the 22nd of this month, which is less than three days away.
"Regarding the subway theme song, the company thinks it should still be released as scheduled."
Lee Soo-man leaned back in his office chair and said slowly, "The subway song isn't an official comeback, so there's no need to frequently appear on TV for promotion. It won't cause any negative impact like public backlash."
He paused, his tone now showing more approval: "And Jingyuan, I've listened to your song 'Horizon of Events' carefully. It has a very unique style, without the flamboyance of K-pop songs. Instead, it exudes a refreshing feeling. Listening to it can calm you down. How should I describe it... healing, yes, it's very healing after listening to it."
"I think it's perfect for this time of year."
Lee Soo-man looked at him and said, "So, the release plan remains unchanged."
"Um……"
Chi Jingyuan nodded slowly.
The style of the song "Horizon of Events" is indeed very healing, and Lee Soo-man is right; it is indeed suitable for the song.
Moreover, some of the lyrics and concepts, if we step out of his original intention of writing lyrics about romantic love, and place them in the current context, surprisingly fit somewhat.
"Regarding Jonghyun's situation this time..."
Lee Soo-man's tone turned serious as he looked at Ji Kyung-won and asked with concern, "For you close friends, this must be a very sudden and shocking thing, right?"
He took off his glasses, rubbed his throbbing temples, and looked somewhat tired: "Jonghyun's situation... is indeed very distressing, and I never expected it to turn out this way."
“I didn’t hear anything about this from their agent either… By the time I heard the news, it was too late.”
Chi Jingyuan remained silent and did not respond.
Not to mention Lee Soo-man and the company, even their close friends who are in frequent contact with them didn't really notice it.
"After several meetings, the company has recognized the problems and shortcomings and will pay more attention to the mental health of its artists. We will conduct regular check-ups and cooperate with a professional team of psychologists to provide one-on-one psychological counseling services for our artists..."
"We will also adjust our work appropriately based on our mental and physical condition."
Lee Soo-man put his glasses back on and spoke solemnly, revealing many of the company's decisions regarding the matter, his tone seemingly intended to reassure Ji Kyung-won.
“I heard that Jingyuan, you’ve been working very hard lately. The filming of your new drama is very demanding, and you even rushed back overnight this time.”
"And the role you're playing doesn't seem to have much of a burden? You've been under a lot of pressure lately?"
Lee Soo-man changed the subject, asking with concern, "You also need to pay attention to your mental and emotional well-being... After this incident, not to mention others, both I and the company are now, in Chinese terms, extremely anxious."
"I will." Chi Jingyuan nodded gently.
"If you really feel a lot of pressure..."
Lee Soo-man suddenly laughed, his already small eyes narrowing into slits, revealing a hint of humor: "How about you go and start a relationship? It should really help relieve your emotions."
"puff……"
Ji Jingyuan couldn't help but laugh out loud, looking at Lee Soo-man with some surprise: "Teacher Soo-man, from your perspective, it seems you shouldn't say such a thing, right?"
"Aren't you afraid I'll become the first couple in D-Company's annual lineup next year?"
Does the company boss encourage artists to date?
"If we start dating now, we might miss out on being a couple at the beginning of next year... and possibly the year after."
Lee Soo-man chuckled, lightening the atmosphere a bit: "And that depends on who the person is. If it's you, Kyung-won, I don't think that even if the relationship is exposed now, it won't have too strong an impact on your career."
After saying that, his expression became even more interesting, and he recalled with a meaningful look: "Besides, I remember Jingyuan, didn't you start dating right after your debut? You've never stopped... It's just that I haven't heard much about it this year."
"Uh……"
Chi Jingyuan touched his nose somewhat awkwardly. His glorious history with women was really not worthy of his self-proclaimed idol qualities.
"You should see for yourself. You're definitely not short of girls around you. I've heard about JYP... Don't look at me, I've only heard about it."
Lee Soo-man spoke with a playful expression, but before he could finish, Ji Kyung-won asked abruptly, "...By the way, you know the company is selecting a new girl group, right?"
"Yeah, I heard about it."
Chi Jingyuan nodded: "It seems like they're preparing a large girl group, with a style, number of members, and positioning similar to Girls' Generation?"
"That was the original plan, but now there are some disputes and it has not been finalized."
Lee Soo-man briefly revealed some information: "There have been a lot of assessments and internal company showcases recently. If you have time, Kyung-won, you can go and take a look. You can see your juniors in the company, give some advice to the company's new girl group, and relax a bit."
"Is it useful for me to offer suggestions?"
Chi Jingyuan asked with a smile.
"Of course it's useful. I still have a lot of faith in your judgment." Lee Soo-man smiled and nodded earnestly, speaking as if it were the truth.
"When...when I have time."
…………
EXO's schedule has been temporarily slowed down, and SM Entertainment is busy with various remedial and follow-up measures, while online discussions about Kim Jong-hyun continue to be heated.
Fans flooded social media with messages of condolence, sharing memories of Kim Jong-hyun, and many celebrities also posted messages to remember this talented musician.
Some lamented the fragility of life, while others called for attention to the mental health of artists. These various voices intertwined, creating a sorrowful yet lively sea of emotions.
Time flies, and the three-day memorial service passed in the blink of an eye. Soon it was December 21st – Kim Jong-hyun's funeral.
The ceremony started at nine o'clock in the morning, and Chi Kyung-won arrived very early.
Outside Asan Medical Center in Seoul, a biting wind stung the cheeks. A heavy sadness filled the air. Most of those who came to say goodbye were dressed in black, their expressions solemn, rarely speaking to one another, with only occasional suppressed sobs.
Chi Jingyuan was wearing a long, all-black coat over a black turtleneck sweater, with half his face buried in the collar, revealing only half of his face and slightly dim eyes.
Many people gathered at the scene, but many of the celebrities who went to the memorial service were not present today. Most of the people present were SM artists, Kim Jong-hyun's relatives and friends, and SM staff.
At 9:00 a.m. sharp, the funeral procession officially began. The already somber atmosphere grew even heavier, with sobs rising and falling.
Choi Minho, dressed in a black suit, carried the memorial tablet in both hands and walked at the front of the procession. His steps were heavy and slow, as if each step had exhausted all his strength.
Behind him, Jonghyun's sister held his portrait, her head bowed, her shoulders trembling, and she sobbed incessantly.
Following them were Onew, Kim Kibum, and other members of SHINee, as well as Leeteuk, Eunhyuk, and several other pallbearers from Super Junior. They carried the coffin with solemn expressions and with careful steps, their movements neat and heavy.
Chi Jingyuan stood in the group of friends at the back, walking slowly with the group, as if afraid of breaking the solemnity.
After Jonghyun's death, Kim Kibum, who was in charge of the funeral, asked him if he would be willing to be one of his friends to carry the coffin at the funeral.
After considering it for a long time, Chi Jingyuan still declined... He was actually a bit like Choi Sulli; he really disliked, or rather, was terrified of, such occasions of life and death.
Moreover, as someone who considered himself a good friend, he never noticed anything amiss with him until his death... He felt that someone else was more suitable than himself.
All he had to do was quietly see him off on his final journey.
As I stepped out of the hospital, a large number of reporters had gathered outside, their flashes going off incessantly, the blinding light piercing the solemnity of the early morning, yet no one tried to stop them.
As an artist and idol, Kim Jong-hyun's continued presence in public after his death is a somewhat ironic compliment to his career and achievements.
Chi Jingyuan kept a very low profile, silently following the crowd behind him. Because there were so many people, he didn't even leave the hospital and stopped at the entrance.
A few people, like a choir, softly sang a farewell song nearby. It seemed to be some kind of religious song, and the gentle, somewhat divine melody was mixed with the suppressed sobs around them, making one's heart feel even heavier.
Bae Joo-hyun, standing beside him, covered her face, her bangs obscuring her eyes as she lowered her gaze, concealing all her emotions and making her appear exceptionally petite.
Behind him, Yoona, Sooyoung, and Taeyeon were all crying. Taeyeon was crying the hardest, her shoulders heaving violently, and her suppressed sobs were clearly audible.
Ji Jingyuan's gaze followed the coffin as it was slowly stuffed into the hearse, then fell on the portrait of Kim Jonghyun, whose gentle smile was the same one taken at the memorial service.
Even though they had said goodbye, many past scenes resurfaced before his eyes, and an indescribable emotion surged into his heart, overwhelming him like a tide.
It wasn't entirely grief, but rather a kind of sadness, a sense of heaviness.
It seems that I have gained a slight understanding of the concepts of loss and death.
This should be the last time we meet.
The song continued, the surrounding atmosphere of sadness grew stronger, and the emotions in his heart surged and churned in this atmosphere... Suddenly, an impulse arose in Chi Jingyuan's heart.
It was a feeling of wanting to release this emotion, this realization and impulse, to express something, to release something.
Just then, the coffin was carefully placed into the hearse, and the bereaved family members gathered around the vehicle to say their final goodbyes, while the reporters' flashes became increasingly intense.
Just then, an unexpected little incident occurred.
Originally standing at the back of the line, Kim Ye-rin suddenly pushed through the crowd and quickly walked to the front, standing in the place belonging to the bereaved family. She choked up as she looked at the coffin and portrait being placed in the car.
His expression was sorrowful, and he was crying very sadly.
This sudden action instantly attracted everyone's attention, and flashes of light shone down on her.
However, no one said much... It wasn't a good occasion to say anything.
Ji Jingyuan could sense that some people around him were somewhat dissatisfied with Kim Ye-rin's sudden and abrupt behavior.
It seems they felt she was overshadowing the main character, and that it was going too far to try and grab attention and camera shots in such a setting.
Chi Kyung-won didn't know why Kim Ye-rin suddenly did this. Perhaps other people's feelings were correct... but at times like this, he preferred to think positively.
Perhaps she missed Kim Jonghyun too much, or perhaps their relationship was much better than outsiders imagined. She just wanted to be close to him at the last moment and send him off on his final journey.
As the bereaved family and relatives boarded the hearse, it slowly started moving and drove away into the distance, thus concluding the funeral procession.
At least, they have fulfilled their duty as friends to say goodbye.
…………
After leaving the hospital, Ji Kyung-won didn't go straight home. Instead, he drove aimlessly around the streets of Seoul. The cold wind blew in through the cracks in the car window, stinging his cheeks, but he didn't close the window.
His heart was still heavy, but there was a sense of relief. Although there was regret, he had completed his final farewell.
We may hear his name less and less in the future, think of him less and less, and he may never appear in our lives as a friend again. He may only appear as a memory or a topic of conversation, appearing in occasional topics of discussion, causing a brief silence among those around him, leaving them feeling sad and wistful.
But, that's all.
After that, everything remained the same.
The inspiration in my mind became clearer and clearer. Sadness, longing, regret, relief... all kinds of emotions intertwined and turned into a burst of impulse.
After driving around for nearly an hour, Ji Kyung-won returned to SM Entertainment and went straight to his music room.
He sat at the piano, playing and writing down the melody, occasionally pausing for a few seconds of silence before continuing to play.
In the music room, the sound of the piano flowed gently, carrying a deep emotion, and echoed in the quiet space.