Chapter 27

“This push and pull game, stop it baby oh… - Out of My Mind”

“This is it, boys. This come back will be an either make it or break it thing.”

The boys went quiet.

They did not know where they have gone wrong.

Perhaps it was their concept all together.

Whatever the case, this talk came to no surprise to them.

Though it came earlier than expected.

“So, anyways, if the response is still lukewarm, PD hyung was thinking of assigning you to other individual tasks. Dramas would be a good option. Song writing too, definitely.”

“In other words, he’ll break us up,” Dowoon said dejectedly, slumping further in his chair.

They were all in their kitchen, bracing for this dreaded talk with Manager Choi.

“Well, can you blame him?” Choi said sadly. “You guys produce really good music, but somehow we are not getting the listeners’ support.”

“Our fans do support us, they’ve been really great,” Wonpil argued.

“Ok then, maybe we don’t have enough of them,” Manager Choi concurred, saying we as he rightfully thought himself as a Day6 member too. “but to the management, it all boils down to dollars and cents. Maybe the world now is not so receptive to band concepts.”

“That’s because you’re marketing them wrong,” Momo suddenly appeared. She was on her way to the bathroom when she heard them talking.

It was her third week with Day6 and she has seen and heard enough to look at the band’s predicament from a third party point of view.

“There’s nothing wrong with being a band. In fact, in Japan, Day6 would be really big,” She said from her position at the door. “Problem is, even Japan do not know their existence. Going to KCon Japan once a year is not enough. Not the whole of Japan goes to KCon. And this is the same with the rest of the world.”

At the boys silence, Momo braved herself and continued.

“While busking and radio shows are good, and help establish you as credible performers, it’s still just Korea you are addressing. Even just Seoul for that matter. If not for the fancams, the rest of the world won’t witness how good you are.”

“Exo is not built on their Korean fans alone, same with Wonder Girls and Psy. The later two ‘went’ to the States just by using Youtube.”

“Day6 can’t reach their true potential on just local audience. You need the world. And you refusing to go on music shows are costing you your popularity. You’ve been using this underground approach far too long.”

“But Momo-ssi, music shows won’t let us play our music. We don’t want to be fake in front of others,” Wonpil explained.

“I know. But there are other shows, maybe not as mainstream, but will let you play your music live. Like Sketchbook, or maybe tape your busk sessions and other live gigs and put it online officially. And not rely on fancams.”

“So, what are you saying?” Manager Choi asked.

“I’m saying, don’t shoot the band down, before they even have the chance to rise.”

Momo spoke in broken Korean, with even a few English thrown in for good measure.

But her message was clearly understood.

“What would you have our Dowoonie do? He doesn’t sing. And if JYPE won’t promote bands, which other bands will uri Dowoonie play for?” Momo said, “and speaking of singing, how can you hide Sungjin-ssi and Wonpil-ssi’s voices from the world. That would be a crime.”

“And Young K-ssi,” Momo continued, making Young K perk up at his name.

She has not spoken to him since that day on the rooftop.

So Young K was surprised when she mentioned his name too.

“True he’s a genius at composing and writing lyrics, but you can’t just send him to productions and write for others. He belongs on the stage. He’ll die if he doesn’t get to be on stage. At this rate, only Jae-ssi is secured.”

True what she said, Jae’s MCing job offers have been pouring, apart from being on AFC. His latest is as a co-host on Music Access. But when Momo mentioned it, Jae felt almost guilty.

“So, what do we do?” he asked her.

“Be more visible. Make a bet with the President. A monthly comeback. Two songs a month for the whole year. And a monthly concert, before or after the release of the two songs. And one of the songs must be a music video,” she said. “Only with videos and at a consistent pace, will the world take notice. A comeback once every 6 months, won’t get you noticed much.”

Momo’s face was dead serious.

“CN Blue only started to get famous internationally after YongHwa starred in that drama. Same with Hongki. But you wouldn’t want to use the same tactics, Day6 must be different.”

“That means 12 MVs, 12 concerts and 24 songs?” Sungjin said thoughtfully. “Omo, is that even possible?”

“With Day6, yes. I believe so. Don’t you have confidence in your music? I do.”

“It’s just like 2 yearly comebacks, only spread to every month,” Dowoon said.

“Exactly,” Momo nodded.

“We already have 8 songs in hand,” Jae said

“Yeah, but that’s only good for 4 months,” Sungjin said again. “What about the rest of the year?”

“16 more songs to go,” Wonpil said.

“Impossible,” Choi said. These crazy Japanese, really.

“Imagine if it’s not, and it explodes,” Momo went closer to the Manager, her face animated and body posed like she was ready to pounce on him if he disagreed with her. “Imagine what it’ll do to your image as a manager in this industry?”

Choi backed away in his seat, looking at Momo in alarm.

This girl is shrewd. And scary. But she hit the nail correctly.

“Your comeback must start with a hard one. Rockish and fast. Not pop.”

This time Momo turned her attention towards Sungjin.

Wonpil who was beside the leader simply stared at her like she was both an angel and devil combined.

“Time to get the fanboys to vouch for you. As well as real music reactors. You don’t need the screaming fangirls anymore. You have enough of those. You want your music to be acknowledged by the world, especially real musicians. Korea is too small for you.”

They all stared at Momo, overwhelmed and impressed.

Young K simply stared at her open mouthed.

I knew she was smart, but... this is something else, he thought.

The boys looked towards each other across the table.

Silence ensued for mere seconds, before they started to discuss the matter excitedly.

Momo simply stepped back as the boys discussed away. Young K and Manager-nim included.

She has put a lot of thought in this, waiting for the best time to pitch the idea.

It was different, and risky.

But she felt the boys needed it.

She was passionate about Day6 and wanted them to be where they deserve.

And in her eyes, they belong nowhere else but at the top.

As she quietly tried to leave the kitchen, Sungjin called out to her.

“Where do you think you’re going, agassi? This is your idea, you’d better come and lend us your brains and make this work,” he grinned and pulled out a chair for her.

Momo returned the grin and gladly joined the group.

Her trip to the bathroom was all forgotten.

***

Surprisingly JYP bought the idea.

And was super excited about it.

So excited he was putting double the money they had budgeted for the comeback.

An extended team was also put into the effort.

While the supporting team concentrated on the productions, live show preps, esthetics, marketing and so forth, Day6 focused on creating new music.

The first instalment would be in an exact one month, in January.

JYP wanted to start the new year with a bang, and the Day6 project may be the very thing they needed.

Perhaps it was time for Korean bands to take the limelight and JYP was all game to be that pioneer.

And they called the project - Every Day6.

***

“We have a slight problem, Momo-ssi,” Manager Choi began.

“What is that?”

“We’re delayed in getting you a working visa, and that means you’d have problems in leaving the country.”

“I still have my working visa with the bookstore, no?”

“That’s null and void since you resigned.”

Momo spoke to Manager Choi a few days after her roof top chat with Young K about resigning within a month.

In fact, that was one of the clauses she put in before she signed the contact – one month notice instead of the standard three.

Something’s off here, Momo thought. There should be no problem at all for a company as huge and influential like JYPE to get a working visa for their non-Korean employees.

She turned to glare at Young K.

“Is this your doing? It’s so not funny.”

Young K simply put up his hands in mock surrender.

Manager Choi caught her as they went about their tasks at the JYPE Building one afternoon and only Young K happened to be with him then.

“And you, Manager-nim, you’re in league with him.”

“Young K has his reasons, mine is purely professional,” Choi smiled trying to placate her. “You must admit you’ve been an asset to us. In fact, we were actually thinking raising your pay, for the things you have been doing, that’s not part of the contract.”

“You can’t keep me here. Not against my will.”

“Relax Momo-ssi. It’s not like you’ll be here forever. Just a short while.”

“How short?”

“3 to 6 months. Maybe slightly more,” Choi tried to persuade her. “But it’s working well, isn’t it? Every Day6 will be announced soon. I’d certainly need extra hands. Also, wouldn’t you want to experience the success of your idea first hand?”

“I want to go home. You don’t really need me here. We all know this contract is bogus. That Young K-ssi requested it. Even the other boys don’t really know who I am. So there’s no reason to keep me here.”

Young K gritted his teeth at her formal salutation to his name. He was getting quite tired of it and of Momo scuttling away from him whenever he was near, like he has a contagious disease or something.

“But you’re doing so well,” Manager Choi said. “I really appreciate your help these past 3 weeks.”

“I’m sure you’ll find a better replacement. Please, Manager-nim, I want to go home,” Momo pleaded.

“Mian,” Young K intervened. “I’m not letting you go home just yet.”

And stuck his tongue out at her like a kid.

And this time, it was Momo who watched Young K walked away.

Foxi’s Notes – I guess everyone knows the Every Day6 (or Everyday6) project.

Two song releases per month for whole year. It’s like heaven sent for me & other My Days. & I’m actually dreading the time when the project finishes. How can we survive having to wait 6 months for a comeback like other regular groups?

What’s fascinating about this project is the pace the boys have to put up with. I read somewhere that for the monthly 2 songs to be chosen, at least 4 has to be presented for the management to choose from. And even tho some songs were created much earlier, as early as mid 2016, the music videos that accompany each release were real time. Not forgetting their monthly concerts, that’s on top of the music shows & other invitations, both local and international.

& even more baffling is that, there are simply no bad songs from these boys. Different genres may appeal more to some than others, but they are still really good songs, & often in a class of their own. Dun take my word for it, but judge simply from the growing fanbase this project managed to get them. With each new song, you can read in the comments of newbies hopping onto the Day6 band wagon, as well as the speed of reaching 1mil viewership for each video.

Yes, we will alll be empty come Jan 2018. The only redeeming factor is that omma’s boys can rest a little then. & they truly truly deserve it.

(P/S their Oct release is TODAY (29 Sept) A week early cos of their upcoming tour of the North Americas next month - Austin, Detroit, Toronto (YK’s goin home 😊), NY and LA.)

When You Love Someone - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWQ1xOfUNYQ

I Need Someone - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSENVHBSdi4&t=0s