Chapter One | Sundrop Studios and the broke owner

Every note is mellifluously trapped inside the studio booth on the second floor. Though the walls are covered with a special material that doesn’t allow it to resonate through the windowed pane that separates the musician from the sound engineer, the floor resonates the piano more loudly in the first floor. It is the sole reason why Kang Seulgi built this studio house. She would hear the sounds freely that she doesn’t miss playing professionally at all.

She is sitting in her office in the first floor, where she ushers clients of different genres. Sometimes, the studio would be used to record classical music. Sometimes, it would be used to cater k-pop idols who are just starting out. Either way, she would hear beautiful music and she would feel more alive.

These days, less and less are renting her studio. She just bought the latest equipment for recording, and still, the clients don’t add up. With little clientele she has, breaking even isn’t really in it for her. She even sold her condo unit in Seongbuk-dong just to buy the best ones, hoping maybe she could attract more clients this way.

It was one tough decision for her. Sleeping in a leather couch isn’t really comfortable but she had to make amends and sacrifices to keep this business going. All she needs is a client who would rent the studio for at least a full month and she’s good to go.

But the question is, how would she find someone to take that long schedule? This isn’t actually the best spot to put up a studio in Seoul. She remembers how she refurbished this old building in an uphill street, with car parking only enough for two cars, and a silly old rooftop. Even her parents thought it was a suicide mission. If only she didn’t quit playing professionally, she wouldn’t be doing this petty business. As if she has any choice at all.

The renter for the day is a band composed of four members, recording for a demo tape. Seulgi thinks that they sound really good. These days, people like the buzz and synth vibe of k-pop music but she still prefers bands and classical musicians since she’s a musician herself.

It might be late when they finish so she decided to stay at the nearby coffee shop. She instructed the manager to message her when they are finished before she went out of her studio carrying her laptop bag. Of course, she didn’t forget to lock the door of her office, which is also her home at the moment, if you can actually call it home.

Walking downhill, she thinks to herself, how would she make ends meet. Sundrop Studios doesn’t have a good portfolio to date even after two years of operating. She’s a one-man team and she does managing, sound engineering, and even cleaning it. It’s really a tough field compared to what she had before. She was sought after, and this lifestyle change had made her too entitled, too complacent.

As she opened the door of the café, she immediately went to the counter. She knew the coffee shop owner does the midnight shifts. She can relate much, as being hands on in a business is really crucial.

“Oh, Seulgi-yah! How’s the studio doing?” Park Sooyoung asked with a wide smile. She is always this cheerful.