1novels 47, OST audition
47, OST audition
Bae Joo-hyun was in a daze when she returned to the practice room. Her limbs, which had been as stiff as a machine just moments before, now felt light and airy, as if she were walking on clouds.
She couldn't even remember how she got back until a rumbling sound came from her stomach, and she belatedly realized she was hungry.
She took out her phone and her fingers flew across the screen, sharing everything that had just happened with Lee Kyung-sung: the contact from CJ, Lee Soo-man's summons, the confirmation of her debut spot, and his tacit approval of the relationship.
After typing this long message, she looked at the screen, feeling a mix of emotions: it all happened so fast and so dreamlike. Her once unattainable dream seemed so close at hand, making her both overjoyed and slightly unreal, as if she was afraid she would fall from the clouds at any moment.
She walked towards the cafeteria while clutching her phone tightly, eagerly awaiting a reply from that person.
Meanwhile, Li Jingcheng had already arrived at CJ's music department to arrange the recording, and had even left.
In his past life, he loved singing and had experience with songs in Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, and even English. Now, facing a professional music production environment,
His interest was barely concealed. As soon as he followed Luo Yonghao into the recording studio area, he noticed that the atmosphere was somewhat unusual.
In addition to the usual vocal coach, the music department's chief producer, Kim Do-hoon, and Director Shin were already seated on the sofa, waiting. As is customary, usually only the assigned composition and planning teams are needed.
Today's reception is clearly a high-level affair.
Luo Yonghao, with his sharp eyes, quickly leaned close to Li Jingcheng's ear and whispered, "That's Kim Do-hoon, the chief PD of the music department, and next to him is Director Shin. They're both high-ranking officials in the music department, so we should take the initiative to greet them."
Li Jingcheng understood immediately. His face showed no displeasure or awkwardness; instead, he wore a perfectly measured, humble smile, and strode forward to shake hands with each of them.
"Chief Shin, PD-nim Kim Do-hoon, nice to meet you. I'm Lee Kyung-sung. Please take good care of me in the future."
Director Xin smiled broadly as she shook hands with him, scrutinizing him intently like a scanner, nodding repeatedly, "Daebak, as expected of the nation's heartthrob, you're even more handsome than in photos and videos."
He happened to have no urgent business today, and knowing how much Representative Li Meijing valued Li Jingcheng, he had long been curious and made a special trip to see him.
PD Kim Do-hoon, who was standing next to him, then shook hands and added with a smile, "I share the same name as the director of 'The Moon Embracing the Sun,' and I also happen to be in charge of the OST for this project. We haven't decided on singers for Parts 2-6 yet. I saw your video online, and your image and temperament are a perfect fit. Plus, you were personally signed by CEO Lee, so Manager Shin and I specifically suggested that you give it a try first."
He looked Li Jingcheng up and down, and continued, "Finally, I've met you in person. Your voice seems to fit the deep yet restrained feeling of Part 6. But we'll have to audition to find out for sure."
Li Jingcheng naturally expressed his gratitude with a smile. After a few polite exchanges, Luo Yonghao chimed in to add to the conversation.
Kim Do-hoon played a pure instrumental demo without any vocals and handed Lee Kyung-sung a handwritten sheet music, saying, "Listen to the melody, look at the first draft of the lyrics, and get a feel for the melody of this song."
Although confident, Lee Kyung-sung didn't pretend to know, and humbly asked, "Excuse me, Kim PD-nim, what exactly do you mean by 'tone'?"
Kim Do-hoon then realized that the person in front of him was an actor, not a professionally trained singer, so he patiently explained, "It refers to the overall emotional direction, atmosphere, and stylistic background of the song. Take a few minutes to memorize the lyrics to avoid forgetting them later, and then try singing a section a cappella. We'll check your musicality and pitch first, and then we'll record it with accompaniment later."
Li Jingcheng took the sheet music but didn't rush to speak. Instead, he closed his eyes and gently tapped his feet to the beat of the demo's instrumental accompaniment. His brows furrowed slightly, as if he were pondering the emotions in the lyrics, because he had never heard this song before; it was truly unfamiliar to him.
After several takes, PD Kim Do-hoon, sitting in the monitoring booth, was somewhat surprised. Lee Kyung-sung's performance felt spot-on. Listening with headphones on, he noticed that Lee Kyung-sung didn't use any flashy vocal techniques; his voice was clear yet had just the right amount of texture, and the emotions built up layer by layer, far exceeding expectations.
Before Director Xin left, he heard Jing Cheng's voice and slowly nodded. The staff around him subconsciously lowered their movements, even reducing the sound of turning pages to a minimum.
As the prelude slowly faded, Li Jingcheng slowly opened his eyes. The awkwardness in his eyes had disappeared. He adjusted his emotions, his gaze softening with a melancholic gentleness that matched the music. His first voice flowed out gently.
Kim Do-hoon had initially only intended to give it a try and have Lee Kyung-sung sing, but now he suddenly sat up straight, his eyes gleaming with surprise. He scribbled something rapidly on a piece of paper, muttering to himself, "Amazing... Is this Lee Kyung-sung's voice? The resonance..."
After the song ended, a brief silence fell over the recording studio.
The recording studio was so quiet that only his singing could be heard. Kim Do-hoon's eyes held a hint of surprised approval. The composer and arranger beside him exchanged a glance and nodded silently.
Clearly, no one expected that a newcomer who auditioned halfway through the process could master an unfamiliar piece so quickly.
After the song ended, its lingering notes seemed to still echo in the recording studio. Li Jingcheng's expression was somewhat complex; the song carried a touch of sadness. He bowed slightly towards the monitoring room, quietly awaiting everyone's feedback.
In the listening room, after a brief silence, undisguised admiration erupted.
Director Xin was the first to take off his headphones, strode to the glass window, pointed at Li Jingcheng through the glass, and exclaimed, "Wow... Jingcheng isn't an actor, but his pitch and musicality are so good, I wouldn't believe he graduated from a vocal music department! That emotional transition just now was so smooth."
Kim Do-hoon picked up the walkie-talkie, his voice coming through the speaker with obvious satisfaction, "Kyung-sung, you handled that chorus very well. There were no unnecessary vibratos, and the emotional control was very restrained. This perfectly captures the feeling of Lee Hwon in 'The Moon Embracing the Sun,' a restrained love that's hard to express."
Lee Kyung-sung was very happy to receive recognition for his music from professionals, and humbly replied, "Thank you for the recognition, PD-nim. The lyrics are so well written that they gave me a lot of empathy."
PD Kim Do-hoon smiled, exchanged a glance with Chief Shin, and said with a final, decisive tone, "We are all very satisfied. Yong-ho, go back and coordinate the specific proposal and schedule here."
Luo Yonghao's smile instantly brightened, and he bowed slightly to express his gratitude, his tone full of polite joy, "Yes, thank you so much for your recognition! Kyung Sung practices singing a lot in private, and we are relieved to receive such praise from PD Kim and Director Shin."
Director Xin glanced at the proposal in his hand and reminded her, "The OST will be released gradually as the drama gains popularity. Part 6, as the core interlude of the male lead's emotional storyline, is scheduled to be released around mid-March."
"So time is a bit tight. Since Jingcheng's audition went so well today, I won't waste any more time. I'll finalize the recording of the official audio as soon as possible this month. I'll have my assistant send you the complete demo and the final lyrics in advance."
Kim Do-hoon added with a smile, "Kyung-sung will focus on mastering this song and finding the right emotional tone. When we go into the studio, I hope I can perform even better than I have now."
Lee Kyung-sung's eyes became more serious as he smiled confidently, "I will practice hard, PD-nim."