Chapter 424: The First Female Solo
Zhang Yuanying’s act of performing two songs at once was noticed by the public, intensifying the anticipation for the female solo battle in early August.
Both Kim Tae-yeon and Lee Ji-eun were set to make their comebacks on August 3rd. As the leader of Girls' Generation, Kim Tae-yeon naturally had higher support.
Initially, the support rates were a fifty-fifty split, but with Girls' Generation's debut, although a significant portion of the member fans were solo stans, many would still support Kim Tae-yeon due to the ‘love me, love my dog’ effect, causing the support rates to gradually become imbalanced.
By now, it had reached a six-to-four ratio, with Kim Tae-yeon's support rate exceeding 10%.
Furthermore, as Girls' Generation's comeback song, “Oh!”, gradually became popular throughout Korea, Kim Tae-yeon's support rate also increased rapidly. By the time the music was released on August 3rd, her support rate had reached a terrifying seven-to-three.
This situation only changed direction after the music was released.
Kim Tae-yeon’s comeback this time was a full mini-album, her fifth, while Lee Ji-eun only released a single. However, public attention for the mini-album was limited to the title track, “fire.”
Therefore, the comparison of songs was between “fire” and “Eight.”
As soon as the two songs were released, some people noticed that the rap part in Lee Ji-eun’s song was performed by a man.
Upon a little investigation, they discovered that it was actually Jiang Shu singing?
Since Jiang Shu had not appeared at several consecutive album release events, fans had been quite curious about him during this period.
Now that Jiang Shu suddenly popped up, and even rapped in Lee Ji-eun’s new song, many people flocked to click on “Eight” with a mindset of watching the show.
As this wave of people poured in, the gap was immediately widened.
August 10th, Inkigayo.
Kim Tae-yeon and Lee Ji-eun gathered together.
Jiang Shu looked at Kim Tae-yeon on his left, then at Lee Ji-eun on his right. The DJI camera in his hand followed Jiang Shu's movements, pointing at both of them in succession.
The staff in the waiting room all had expressions of enjoying the spectacle.
Originally, the two sisters were in their respective waiting rooms, but after Jiang Shu arrived, he called them together. Thus, the two competitors for the title of the first female solo today were forced to stay under the same roof.
“Taeyeon, what are your thoughts on today’s performance?” Jiang Shu asked with a chuckle, holding the camera up to Kim Tae-yeon’s face.
Kim Tae-yeon glanced at the camera, then looked at Lee Ji-eun opposite her, noticing that she was looking down and flipping through her own album. Finally, her gaze fell on the note in Jiang Shu’s hand that the camera couldn’t capture.
Her mouth twitched slightly, but she still obediently read it out.
“I will prove who the first female solo truly is!”
Jiang Shu nodded in satisfaction, then pulled out a piece of paper from his hand and turned the camera to Lee Ji-eun’s face.
“Jieun, stop looking, look at me.”
Upon hearing this, Lee Ji-eun closed Kim Tae-yeon's album in her hand, looked up at the camera, and an expression of speechlessness appeared in her eyes when she saw the note in Jiang Shu's hand.
“Taeyeon said she would prove who the first female solo truly is, meaning you’re at most second, and you’re no match for her. What do you have to say?”
Jiang Shu’s direct instigation left everyone in the waiting room speechless.
Others instigate discreetly, but he didn’t even bother to act.
“Since my debut, I’ve never lost a co-stage performance, and Kim Tae Yeon-xi is no exception.” Lee Ji-eun adjusted her emotions, a slight smile playing on her lips, and calmly recited the lines Jiang Shu had prepared for her.
“Not bad, not bad.” Jiang Shu snapped his fingers, “Very good! Very powerful!”
Then Jiang Shu pointed the camera at himself.
“So, who will win tonight’s performance? Let’s wait and see! This is reporter Jiang Shu, broadcasting live for you.”
Looking at Jiang Shu, who was directly cosplaying as a reporter, both Lee Ji-eun and Kim Tae-yeon showed helpless expressions in their eyes.
They exchanged glances, both seeing the helplessness in the other’s eyes.
“Come on, come on. As senior and junior artists from the same company, it’s fine to have some rivalry, but you still need to get along well.” Jiang Shu handed the camera to an assistant, then took each of their right hands, forcing them to shake hands.
Clap!
“Hmm, DM, a family!” Jiang Shu said contentedly.
Kim Tae-yeon: “...”
Lee Ji-eun: “...”
As soon as Jiang Shu let go, they also quickly released each other.
“Chairman Jiang, Kim Tae Yeon-xi and Lee Ji-eun-xi can prepare now.” At this moment, a staff member walked over and reminded Jiang Shu.
“Okay, I understand.” Jiang Shu replied, and the staff member bowed and left.
“Alright, you can prepare.”
“Yes.” x2.
Then the two left the waiting room one after another.
Without Jiang Shu following them, Kim Tae-yeon and Lee Ji-eun walked one after another, falling into silence. However, their respective teams and staff members chatted incessantly among themselves.
Lee Ji-eun and Kim Tae-yeon were purely colleagues, and due to their solo careers, they were also in competition. Their relationship was naturally not particularly good.
But the staff members of their teams were different; they had no conflicts of interest. Managers received commissions based on the artist’s revenue, while others simply had fixed salaries. As long as they completed the tasks assigned by the company, their salaries would not be reduced by a single cent.
Under such circumstances, why would they be hostile to each other just because the artists they served had an average relationship?
Are they sick?
They’re not children anymore.
Therefore, the relationships between artist teams are actually very harmonious, and there are even cases of two close friends being scattered among different artist teams.
After waiting for more than ten minutes, Kim Tae-yeon was the first to take the stage.
...
“Today’s first place winner is...”
“Congratulations, Lee Ji-eun-xi!”
Watching the stage broadcast on the TV, Lee Ji-eun smiled broadly as she accepted the first-place trophy, contrasting with Kim Tae-yeon, who showed a helpless smile beside her.
Neither of them lacked first-place trophies, but this time, the trophy was not merely symbolic on the surface; it carried a deeper, underlying meaning.
Now, the title of K-pop’s first female solo would no longer be disputed.
And Lee Ji-eun’s bond would also completely transform into its perfect form.
Unique Star: Lee Ji-eun’s exclusive bond.
Effect: When activated, it fully suppresses female solo singers making comebacks during the same period; when recognized by the public as the first female solo, this bond evolves to its full effect, fully suppressing all artists making comebacks during the same period, but it will significantly increase the number of anti-fans.
Jiang Shu recalled the effect of “Unique Star” and suddenly realized a problem.
A significant increase in anti-fans...
Could it be a conversion of Kim Tae-yeon’s fans?
The effect of the bond seemed illogical, but in reality, once it took effect, it would manifest in a logical way.
And anti-fans wouldn’t appear out of thin air...
Damn, it really seems possible!
