1novels 97, A Sudden Special Guest Stage
97, A Sudden Special Guest Stage
After news of the MBC strike spread
There's absolutely no hope for a sequel to "The Moon Embracing the Sun".
When Li Jingcheng saw the news, he didn't show much emotion—a sequel is a pleasant surprise if it happens, but it's normal if it doesn't.
On the contrary, the official conclusion of the promotional campaign brought him a sense of relief. The 50% viewership rating was now a historic achievement, and his debut work had solidified his status as a leading actor in Korean dramas.
He had thought he could take a break halfway through, but the news from producer Kim Do-hoon came faster than expected.
No wonder they can become a top producer.
"Mnet has arranged a special stage for you," Luo Yonghao said, a little confused, as he hung up the phone. "No chart rankings, no scoring. It's just for you to go on stage and sing a song, to let the OST 'Only You' warm up your music scene."
Li Jingcheng was somewhat puzzled and asked, "The Moon Embracing the Sun hasn't even finished airing yet, and the songs haven't been broadcast, so am I supposed to sing them first?"
"This is also what MBC is hoping for. They'll see if they can boost the ratings a bit more," Na Yong-ho explained. "It's also to let everyone know that you plan to release a song later. If the audience and fans remember this, they'll be more willing to spend money on your album later."
Li Jingcheng thought for a moment, then said nothing more.
When he arrived at Mnet, the backstage area was more lively than he had imagined, at least more crowded than when he had seen girl groups rehearsing at MBC.
People came and went in the corridor; some were dressed in stage costumes, some carried makeup bags, and some were squatting in the corner touching up their makeup. The air was filled with the smell of hairspray and sweat.
This wasn't his first time at the TV station, but it was his first time as a "singer".
Lee Kyung-sung then realized that he hadn't rehearsed yet, and his costume wasn't finalized. Although he wasn't participating in the music show performances or scoring, and was only a special guest performer, wasn't that a bit too casual?
"The situation is urgent." Luo Yonghao could only say that he understood him too well. "Producer Kim Do-hoon applied for this on your own initiative. Regardless of your priority level in the group or your popularity, they gave it the green light and arranged it."
He glanced again at the group of staff surrounding him.
Well, he's forgotten that he's a powerful member of the royal family.
He had barely sat down, and before Luo Yonghao could even say anything, there was a knock on the door.
"Please come in," Li Jingcheng said, also curious about the newcomer.
It wasn't just one person who came; there were six of them, all little girls.
EXID.
The members lined up in a small squad, with leader Solji at the front. She presented their debut album, "Whoz That Girl," with both hands, bowed at a 45-degree angle, and said, "Hello, we are EXID. This is our debut album. Please take good care of us."
Turns out he was visiting a senior artist; he'd only been in the industry for two months, yet he was already considered a senior!
Lee Kyung-sung was very accommodating, accepting the album with both hands and looking at them, saying, "You've worked hard. It must have been quite a challenge for you to start your debut activities. Just do your best on stage. I'll listen to the album carefully, and I wish you all the best in your future activities."
"Yes...we will continue to work hard," Xu Luzhi replied earnestly but also cautiously.
Li Jingcheng's gaze swept across their faces, lingering for a moment on one of the girls.
She stood at the back, looking very young and reserved, with light makeup, bright but soft eyes, and a small mole under her eye. Even her demeanor was completely different from the intense and sexy Hani she would become.
If the other people hadn't been completely different from the one he remembered, he wouldn't have dared to believe that the girl in front of him was Hani.
Before he time-traveled, he remembered that the group was on the verge of collapse, but Hani's single fancam performance made him a legend and directly saved the group.
She was later engaged to a doctor, but he got involved in a medical malpractice case, apparently causing someone's death, and nothing came of it.
These thoughts flashed through his mind and then dissipated.
Li Jingcheng withdrew his gaze, not looking any longer or asking any further questions, after all, it was their first time meeting.
Just a second before he looked away, An Xiyan seemed to sense something and quietly raised his eyes.
Their eyes met suddenly.
However, seeing that Li Jingcheng had looked away, she also lowered her head, though what she was thinking was unclear.
Shortly after EXID left, there was another knock on the door.
Miss A came in this time.
Everyone is present.
Leader Min walked at the front, handing over the album with both hands, bowing at a 45-degree angle, "Hello, we are miss A. Congratulations on the immense popularity of your drama. Thank you for singing the drama's OST today. This is our comeback album, 'Touch,' please give us your guidance."
Li Jingcheng accepted the album with both hands and politely replied, "Thank you for your hard work. I've listened to your new songs too, they're very good."
Bae Suzy stood near the front, wearing a light-colored top, her hair neatly tied up, and light makeup. Her features weren't the aggressive kind of beauty, but rather the kind that grew on you; she possessed a natural and gentle charm.
She met Li Jingcheng's gaze calmly, her eyes clear, yet she maintained a perfectly appropriate distance.
Bae Suzy also received a sudden reminder from her manager that Lee Kyung-sung had a special invitation to perform on Mnet. So, despite being a senior figure in the music industry, they still took the initiative to visit him.
Moreover, she learned from others that Li Jingcheng's next project was not a TV series, but a movie, and he would be the male lead!
Li Jingcheng didn't linger on her for long. He exchanged a few polite words, took the album, and the process was complete.
Miss A members bowed in thanks and turned to leave.
After the door closed, a series of soft laughs came from the other side of the corridor, but they were not clearly heard through the door.
He didn't remember the names of the next few bands. They would come in, bow, hand over albums, say "please guide me," and then leave. At first, it was fine, but as more and more albums accumulated on the table, Li Jingcheng found that he was starting to forget who was who.
Besides Ahn Hee-yeon and Bae Suzy.
The initial feeling of "it's actually quite nice to be visited" was overshadowed by fatigue. Being an idol is indeed tough; debuting late means having to knock on the doors of each senior artist one by one.
Then G-Dragon arrived.
He brought two people with him, not the whole group. Li Jingcheng recognized them, but didn't know them personally. The face he remembered most clearly was Li Shengli.
The three people walked in slowly and steadily, unlike the younger generation who had visited earlier who were so nervous.
G-Dragon walked up to him and gave a slight bow—not a full bow, just a gesture—"Thank you for your hard work, senior."
Taiyo and TOP nodded slightly in agreement.
G-Dragon handed over an album, their latest comeback album, with a very distinctive cover design.
Lee Kyung-sung took it. He didn't have much to say to the boy band. He didn't even know what G-Dragon looked like until he collaborated with Yoo Jimin on a music video.
He replied politely, "Thank you. Congratulations on your return."
G-Dragon responded, "Your portrayal of the moon embracing the sun was quite good."
This sentence sounds like a compliment, but the tone doesn't actually mean it. It's more like a polite remark, or it's like saying, "What are you doing here as an actor?"
Li Jingcheng wasn't quite sure, but he didn't mind. He nodded slightly, "Thank you. You're not bad either."
G-Dragon didn't say anything more, and turned and left with his men.
After he left, Li Jingcheng put the album aside without looking at it much.
Luo Yonghao didn't offer any comment, simply bending down to gather the albums on the table. To be honest, he was still somewhat surprised that BIGBANG would take the initiative to visit. After all, they debuted in 06 and were practically veterans, even if their attitude wasn't particularly respectful.
As for him, he certainly wouldn't let Kyung Sung, a future top star in the Korean entertainment industry, be visited by these idols who rely on their youth for a living. Kyung Sung's future isn't just in Chungmuro; he's going to go international.
Li Jingcheng didn't think that much about it. He quietly leaned back in his chair and rested for a while, waiting to be told to get ready to go on stage.
"We'll do a sound check before we go on stage to confirm the routine, ending, and exit. There's no time for rehearsals, we've already done the choreography, so you'll just have to make do with the singing," Luo Yonghao's face grew increasingly grim, and he even seemed to have second thoughts. "I really don't know why Kim Do-hoon suddenly arranged this schedule."
"It's alright, Do-hoon hyung was just thinking about my future albums." Lee Kyung-sung seemed quite relaxed about it.
The stage was pretty simple, just as he had imagined. There was no lift, no fancy lighting design, just a standing microphone and him.
Li Jingcheng stood on the side stage, waiting for the staff to adjust the sound. It seemed he wasn't lip-syncing. He needed to hum a few lines to get into the groove.
It gave him time to check out the performance venue. The space wasn't very large, but the audience area was completely full—less than 200 people, giving it a small studio atmosphere.
Most people were holding balloons and looking on with a sense of novelty.
There were also some support signs held up, but they weren't all the same color. Most were handwritten on whiteboards, printed paper, or even some with the words written directly on the back of cardboard with markers. The handwriting on them was also inconsistent.
"Kyung Sung Oppa"
"Sun and Moon"
The handwriting on the "OST Expectations" message was crooked and messy, clearly done by a fan.
Luo Yonghao, watching from below the stage, saw everything clearly. He frowned slightly; it was their mistake—they hadn't confirmed the support color with Jingcheng.
As the lights dimmed, the handwritten whiteboard swayed in the darkness, like a swarm of fireflies, each trying to shine without a unified signal.
Upon receiving a signal from the staff, Li Jingcheng, standing on the side stage, knew it was his turn to go on stage. He adjusted his in-ear monitor and stepped onto the stage.
To be honest, having never rehearsed before, he was a little nervous.
Before the lights had completely dimmed and he had even stepped onto the stage, the sound from the audience had already surged up. Although it wasn't the deafening roar of a concert with tens of thousands of people online, it was enough to make one's heart race in a not-so-large studio.
"Oppa—"
"Look this way—"
"Kyung Sung Oppa—"
The sounds were shrill, piercing out from different directions, as if they couldn't help but leak out.
"Ouyang is so handsome!!!!"
I watched "Embracing the Sun"!!!
Someone shouted, "Jincheng, we're here!" followed by a chorus of muffled echoes, like ripples created by a pebble thrown into water.
Someone was shouting encouragement, their voices deeper, like several girls shouting together. Against the noisy background, they stood out clearly. Then someone shouted, "Kyung Sung oppa, look over here!" and immediately someone else chimed in, "Look at me, look at me!"—shouting several times in a row, with a smile, as if they were vying for some opportunity.
There were no unified cheering slogans, no synchronized clapping, and even the chanting of his name was done at different paces. But the sounds were warm, like a wave surging up from below the stage, hitting him directly in the face.
Suddenly, the tension I felt vanished instantly.
Li Jingcheng waved gently to the fans below the stage, his eyes occasionally glancing at them or making quick eye contact. Fortunately, the audience wasn't large, and there weren't too many people.
When the lights went out completely, the screams suddenly rose a notch.
When the music started, he began to sing.
Although there were no backup dancers or stage movements, he stood there alone, facing the microphone, singing "Only You".
He had never formally studied singing, but he had recorded this song many times, and it was recorded just this morning. The melody was already etched into his memory, so he didn't need to consciously think about what the next line was; his voice would naturally find its way.
When he got to the chorus, he brought the microphone closer, making a very slight pause in his voice, like the moment before a sigh, before slowly continuing.
There was a moment of silence from the audience, then some people started humming along.
Standing on the stage, looking at the small crowd, Li Jingcheng suddenly felt that this feeling was not bad—not the immersive feeling of filming, but a different kind, like peeling off a certain layer of shell and letting the thing underneath breathe.
Will I be able to see you one more time then?
"You are my only one."
The song ended quickly, and he bowed and left the stage.
When I got back to the backstage area, the corridor was still just as noisy.
He leaned against the wall for a while, took out his phone, and waited for Luo Yonghao to catch up.
The screen lit up.
Yoona sent me a message: "Kyungsung, do you have time to visit the set tomorrow?"
Li Jingcheng looked at the screen and smiled.
Then he typed, "Okay."
If it's too late, I can always squeeze in some time.