wavenovel Chapter 1424 Isn’t it cold?
Chapter 1424 Isn’t it cold?
Chapter 1424 Isn’t it cold?
"Do you know that you've been photographed on a date with a woman again?"
Ahn Seung-won's words were like a thunderclap, exploding in the previously relaxed practice room. All eyes instantly turned to Kim Jongin.
Kim Jong-in himself was also extremely surprised, and his expression instantly turned tense.
The person who was just joking and laughing with everyone has suddenly become the subject of a scandal.
"Jennie from Blackpink, right? When did she start dating him? The company didn't even know before."
An Chengyuan glared at him angrily: "The company received the news early this morning... We've already been under a lot of pressure lately because of all sorts of things."
Chi Jingyuan raised an eyebrow in surprise, not expecting to hear such explosive news again.
I remember hearing Kim Jong-in say he was going on a date with Kim Jennie when the Gayo Daejeon ended yesterday, but I never expected to be photographed by paparazzi.
This is really bad luck.
"I... I was very careful, I didn't notice anyone next to me."
Kim Jongin also explained somewhat anxiously, his tone tinged with panic as he argued, "Besides, we didn't stay out for long, we left quickly."
"You haven't been out for long? Do you want me to show you some photos? You haven't even been out for long, you don't even need to get out of the car, as long as you're there, someone will take pictures of you."
An Chengyuan laughed out loud as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. He quickly scolded, "The company doesn't really restrict you guys from dating anymore, but you've been in the industry for so long, can't you be a little more careful?"
"Jonghyun's incident just happened a short while ago, and the group's comeback has been postponed for various reasons, and you've already been photographed again! How many times has this happened? Count them yourself!"
"With so many commitments at the end of the year, can't you keep up with your boundless energy?"
An Chengyuan grew angrier as he spoke, his voice trembling slightly: "Why didn't you go to a hotel in the middle of the night? Why did you have to go to the Hanjiang Bridge for your date? What kind of romance are you two having? It was minus ten degrees Celsius last night, didn't you feel cold?"
An Chengyuan was really angry, and his words were becoming incoherent, his voice even becoming shrill.
Chi Jingyuan almost burst out laughing when he heard his last words.
"The company is currently in urgent communication with the magazine to see if we can suppress the photos."
After he finished scolding, Ahn Seung-won's chest was still rising and falling slightly. He waved to Kim Jong-in with a gloomy expression and said, "Go to Director Lee's office right now. Director Lee and Representative Han want to talk to you personally."
Kim Jongin opened his mouth, wanting to say something but then didn't. The relaxed look he had when he was joking with the members was gone. His brows were tightly furrowed, and he turned and walked out with a frustrated expression.
The atmosphere in the practice room was somewhat heavy, and no one dared to break the silence.
“Zhong Da, and you too.”
After Kim Jongin left, Ahn Seung-won turned his gaze to Kim Jongdae, his tone still serious: "Tell your girlfriend to behave herself, and the same goes for you."
"I know, brother."
Kim Jongdae immediately nodded, looking respectful and as if he had listened attentively.
Upon hearing this, Chi Jingyuan's eyes flickered slightly.
He had heard from Oh Sehun that Kim Jongdae had been dating a non-celebrity girlfriend for a long time, and that their relationship was quite stable.
However, his girlfriend, who is not in the entertainment industry, seems to be restless. Perhaps it was because dating a member of a top group like EXO satisfied his vanity, as he always likes to subtly post pictures and texts showing affection on his social media.
Although they didn't bring Kim Jongdae directly, the ambiguous captions and matching items were very dangerous.
Moreover, Kim Jongdae himself doesn't restrain himself and loves to show affection in private, he just sets the content to private so that not many people can see it.
The other members around remained silent, exchanging glances.
It's almost 2018, and EXO will have been around for 6 years. They are no longer the rookies who had to strictly follow the company's rules. During non-activity periods, they don't even stay in the dormitory anymore. Each member has become a seasoned veteran. In terms of male-female relationships and dating, SM Entertainment is actually not so strict anymore.
...And restrictions are ineffective; nobody listens.
Seoul isn't that big, but it's not that small either. The entertainment industry is even smaller. EXO members, including Ji Kyung-won, have actually been photographed by paparazzi many times, but most of the time the company's public relations department stopped them in time, preventing the incidents from reaching the public eye.
However, as a top group, EXO is always in the spotlight. Some things can be prevented, but others are not so lucky.
Chi Jingyuan looked around at the members, and he couldn't tell whether their expressions were sympathetic or relieved... because yesterday was Christmas, and most of them hadn't done anything good, including Chi Jingyuan himself.
Unlike Kim Jong-in, he wasn't unlucky enough to be photographed by some unfriendly media outlets.
"And Chanyeol... never mind."
An Chengyuan looked around, his gaze landing on Park Chanyeol. He opened his mouth as if to scold him, but swallowed the words back. He just shook his head, sighed heavily, and turned to Chi Jingyuan, "Jingyuan, come out with me for a moment."
Chi Kyung-won blinked and followed his manager out of the practice room.
The two walked toward the stairwell, where the lights were dim.
Ahn Seung-won spoke first, his tone much gentler than before: "Jongin's situation this time is not easy to handle. EXO and Blackpink members dating is a very attractive gimmick for the media, and they will definitely make a big deal out of it."
"Moreover, YG's attitude is rather ambiguous, and they don't seem to be cooperating much with our public relations efforts... so it's not easy to suppress this time, and Kai might be in trouble again."
An Chengyuan sighed, his tone full of helplessness: "Kids are really hard to raise these days... Chenghuan was so lucky back then."
“Brother Seung-hwan, haha... But we have indeed been in the industry for six or seven years, so this kind of thing is unavoidable.”
Instead of kicking someone when they're down, Chi Jingyuan offered an explanation: "Jong In is just... unlucky."
"Sigh... Kai has already been exposed once this year. If he is exposed again next year, it will have a really bad impact."
An Chengyuan shook his head, looked at Chi Jingyuan, and said with a hint of relief in his eyes, "If all the members of XO were like you, Jingyuan, then XO..."
Sensing his manager's gaze, Ji Kyung-won subtly puffed out his chest, a little smug, already prepared to become EXO's role model.
"XO...that's it."
But the next second, the agent's tone took a sharp turn, not only failing to make Chi Jingyuan smug, but also delivering a heavy blow to him.
Chi Jingyuan's eyes instantly went dead... looking at An Chengyuan's smug smile, he never expected that this manager would have such a talent for comedy.
"Ha ha……"
Seeing Chi Jingyuan's reaction, An Chengyuan seemed to feel a little better and chuckled.
"Forget it, let Director Li and the others worry about this. Besides..."
An Chengyuan paused, his tone becoming more serious: "The contract renewal period is approaching..."
Upon hearing this, Chi Jingyuan's smile faded, and his expression turned serious.
The manager is right. Next year will mark EXO's sixth anniversary since their debut, and all members' first contracts will soon expire, so it's time to start thinking about contract renewals.
Although everyone knows in their hearts that no one will leave the group, the specific details will definitely be debated for some time. At least apart from Ji Kyung-won, the other members will have a lot of personal development and resource needs.
Moreover, it's not just about contract renewals; the oldest member, Kim Min-seok, is also approaching the age for military service. How his military service will be arranged and how the group's subsequent activities will be adjusted will depend on the results of discussions between the company and the members.
The success of their next comeback in the domestic market is still unpredictable, and all members are starting to focus more on their individual development. It can only be said that EXO has entered a turbulent period.
In comparison, the news of Kim Jong-in's relationship being exposed... only affects him.
"correct."
An Chengyuan seemed to remember something, and his tone became relaxed again: "Regarding the invitation to 'PRODUCE 48,' the company has already conveyed the requirements you mentioned to the production team. The production team is very sincere and has agreed, so there are basically no problems with this case."
"The specific details of the collaboration will require you to attend a production meeting in a while to discuss them in detail."
Ji Jing immediately knew what his manager was talking about. The company had received an invitation to next year's "PRODUCE 48" and hoped that he would serve as the national producer and judge.
After considering it for a while, he decided to proceed.
Firstly, the popularity of the "Produce 101" series is guaranteed, and participating in it can further enhance his national popularity.
Most importantly... Ji Kyung-won is quite interested in this MC + trainee judge position.
After all, they are all lively and adorable children.
However, a few conditions were still set, which were some requirements regarding program filming and individual rights.
I didn't expect the company to reach an agreement so quickly.
Chi Jingyuan nodded:
"Ok."
…………
After lunch, Ji Kyung-won returned to the practice room and met up with the other members. They were chatting together when, not long after, Kim Jongin returned.
"Jongin, how are you?"
Upon seeing him return, Kim Junmyeon and the others immediately greeted him and asked him with concern.
"That's it."
Kim Jongin, however, just pursed his lips, shook his head, and found a seat to sit down: "What else can it be? It's just the same old thing."
He briefly recounted his experience at Lee Soo-man's place, which involved being scolded and threatened with the removal of some resources that had been given to him.
Kim Jong-in's resources have always been top-tier within the group, second only to Ji Kyung-won, and are comparable to Byun Baek-hyun. This year, with Avex's strong recommendation, he even starred in a Japanese drama.
Although it didn't make much of a splash... Ji Kyung-won hasn't filmed a Japanese drama yet.
"What about the thing about you being photographed..." Byun Baekhyun asked tentatively.
"never mind."
Kim Jongin shrugged and spread his hands: "Anyway, I can't stop it... and it's not the first time."
Looking at the man's expression, Chi Jingyuan felt a pang of sympathy.
Around the same time last year, they learned that Kim Jong-in's relationship would be exposed by Dispatch on January 1, 2017. Ji Kyung-won remembers that he was very nervous and anxious in those days. After the exposure, he was also very sad. The fans who unfollowed him and turned against him made him physically and mentally exhausted. He also broke up with his girlfriend soon because of the company's public relations strategy.
Although they may not be the same couple again this year, Kim Jong-in doesn't seem as anxious as he was last year; instead, he seems indifferent.
I don't know if they genuinely don't care, or if they've given up in desperation.
It can only be said that practice makes perfect.
However, once an idol's relationship is exposed, fans become much less sensitive to it... For example, even if Yoona's relationship is exposed again now, it is unlikely to cause as much of a sensation as the couple at the beginning of 14.
After chatting for a while, the EXO members gathered and set off.
As their manager had previously mentioned, their schedule for the last few days of the year was packed. This afternoon, they were going to MBC television station to pre-record their performance for the 31st Gayo Daejejeon.
Because EXO members were going to Japan to participate in the Kohaku Uta Gassen on the 31st, they couldn't attend in person, so they had to participate via pre-recorded message.
Interestingly, MBC's Gayo Daejejeon, as the last day of the year, holds significant importance for the New Year's Eve celebrations and, in some ways, carries more weight than the year-end galas of the three television stations.
However, since EXO debuted in 2012, they have only actually attended a live performance once, last year.
In previous years, he missed New Year's Eve celebrations because he had to attend New Year's Eve galas in mainland China; later, he stopped his activities in mainland China for some reasons. Last year, he finally managed to attend the MBC Gayo Daejejeon, and this year he turned around and went to Japan to attend the Kohaku Uta Gassen.
This makes MBC seem like a pitiful backup plan for no reason.
The stage pre-recording went smoothly. After it was over, the other members went back to their dorm to pack their luggage and prepare to fly to Japan that night to participate in subsequent activities and the rehearsal and interviews for the Kohaku Uta Gassen.
Ji Kyung-won and Park Chan-yeol came to KBS TV station together... As the MCs of the KBS Song Festival on the 29th, they needed to rehearse the program and go over their lines in advance.
"...Kai and Jennie haven't been dating for very long, right? If it gets exposed, won't they break up immediately?"
“Absolutely, Jingyuan, I’m telling you, my judgment is spot on. Jennie doesn’t look like someone I can date long-term at first glance… Well, Kai is definitely not either. As soon as this gets out, these two will definitely break up within a week.”
"...Even if it hadn't been exposed, I don't think they could have dated for long."
Ji Kyung-won and Park Chan-yeol walked into the KBS building, chatting as they went. Putting everything else aside, Ji Kyung-won and Park Chan-yeol have always had a good relationship within the group and have always gotten along very well.
Similar smells.
"I think so too... I still trust your judgment, brother."
Upon hearing this, Chi Jingyuan nodded in agreement, then glanced at Park Chanyeol and casually asked, "In your opinion, who looks like someone I could have a long-term relationship with?"
"Female idol?"
"Of course."
"As for female idols..."
Park Chanyeol stroked his chin, pondered for a few seconds, his eyes suddenly becoming somewhat subtle. He secretly glanced at Ji Kyungwon and slowly said, "I think... Twice's Mina looks quite similar."
"Forehead……"
Chi Jingyuan froze instantly, almost rolling his eyes in frustration.
...Why bring up something you shouldn't talk about? Is this guy genuinely unaware or just pretending?
"Haha, you asked, I'm just saying how I feel."
Park Chanyeol noticed his embarrassment, burst into laughter, and quickly changed the subject with a laugh. After entering the elevator, he looked at the buttons with a blank expression: "By the way, which floor are we going to?"
"Fifth floor."
Chi Jingyuan pressed the elevator button impatiently, and the elevator doors slowly closed.
"You remember it so clearly?"
“I’m very familiar with KBS.”
Chi Jingyuan shrugged.
"Oh, I remember now, you and Irene were MCs for Music Bank for a year."
Park Chanyeol slapped his head in realization, looked at Ji Kyungwon as if he remembered something, and then shook his head in a mocking manner, looking as if he regretted it.
Chi Kyung-won was speechless; this guy was really overacting.
However, after he said that, Ji Kyung-won realized that they had just been complaining about Kim Jong-in and Kim Jennie, but looking at himself... he didn't seem like someone who could be a long-term friend either.
"correct."
As the elevator slowly ascended, Park Chanyeol seemed to remember something and suddenly said, "Jingyuan, do you know a girl group called fromis_9?"
"Hmm... I think I've seen you before. I ran into you at the Tokyo MAMA this year, but I don't remember you very well. What's up?" Chi Jingyuan thought for a moment and asked casually.
“One of the members is from EXO, and he’s a huge fan of yours. He asked someone to get my autographed photo of you, and said it would be best if you could also provide your contact information.”
"seriously?"
Chi Jingyuan couldn't help but laugh and shook his head: "Whether I meet this person or that person, they're all fans. How could I possibly have that many fans?"
“Kai might not be…” Park Chanyeol shook his head: “But Kyungwon, I think it’s true.”
Why bring up Kai all of a sudden?
"I don't know, I just suddenly thought of him."
"By the way, what do you think of that girl who claims to be my female fan?"
…………
The two chatted and laughed all the way, and soon arrived at the waiting room on the fifth floor. As soon as he pushed open the door, Chi Jingyuan saw Bae Joo-hyun and Minatozaki Sana who had already arrived.
The two women were sitting together, chatting and laughing, and seemed to be quite familiar with each other.
Hearing the door open, they both looked up and saw Ji Kyung-won and Park Chan-yeol. Minatozaki Sana immediately stood up, a sweet smile on her face, and politely waved.
"Oppa~"