prynovel Chapter 375: Choose (18)
Chapter 375: Choose (18)
Chapter 375: Choose (18)
Jin-Sung's fast rap fit perfectly with the strong trumpets and jazz melodies. It was surprising how well it all came together. He had received a lot of help from Kim Jin-Wook while creating the rap part, which made me think it would have a relaxed yet aggressive vibe similar to Kim Jin-Wook's style.
However, that wasn't the case. Kim Jin-Wook had suggested a fast, light rap that emphasized rhyme. This matched Jin-Sung's personality and preferences. Despite his tough appearance, Kim Jin-Wook was surprisingly considerate, always thinking about what suited others best.
♪ I wear a gold-plated ring and drown in inferiority
Ah, so heavy that my hands drop to the keyboard
They move uncontrollably
I feel proud of the most pathetic things in the world
I can't let go of the red button in my left hand, boom
Jin-Sung had fully transitioned to Chronos' main rapper, and his skills improved rapidly. Every practice session seemed to unlock new potential. Not only was he great at rapping, but he also excelled in gestures. He matched his hand movements to the dancers’ and changed his expressions according to the lyrics, finishing his part stylishly and with confidence.
After Jin-Sung’s rather long part ended, he exchanged pleased glances with us from behind the dancers. It was now Yoon-Chan’s turn. The members lowered their stances to stay out of sight and blend into the background.
The dancers who had been hiding rushed forward and lined up irregularly. They bent and rose one by one, creating a mesmerizing wave effect. The wave started from the far right and moved to the far left, where Yoon-Chan emerged from behind the dancers like a phantom perfectly on cue.
♪ I no longer getting swept away
Face things head-on
Someday, the crown on your finger
Will wobble precariously and fall off
As Yoon-Chan finished his part, the dancers who had dispersed regrouped in perfect unison and created another wave. This time, the wave moved from left to right, toward where I was standing. When the wave reached me and the dancers parted, revealing me as I began my part.
♪ The king's crown came off
Hey, hater, look at me again
No one is getting swept away by you
I moved forward through the parted dancers. The light beneath me turned red and cast an intense glow. A camera zoomed in on my face for a close-up before pulling back. I finished my part with a serious expression and joined the dancers and members for the chorus formation. The adrenaline rush from performing was exhilarating.
The chorus of "Red Rouge" was a dance break and chorus rather than singing. Unlike our previous title tracks, which exploded with intensity during the chorus, this one was laid-back and addictive. The catchy beat and melody would quickly turn it into a cover challenge, helping it chart on Billboard. The rhythm and moves were contagious, making it easy to see why it would become so popular.
Suddenly, we heard sighs from behind us.
“Yeah, the special training was intense,” Joo-Han said.
“It really was. I'd love to share it with the Rings someday if we get the chance,” Goh Yoo-Joon added.
They said that as if they had truly been overwhelmed by the training. No wonder they looked exhausted. Our comeback preparation was incredibly intense. Whether it was choreography or recording, nothing was easy. Practicing this choreography in particular was grueling. Jin-Sung had practiced until he perfected every move, and he hadn’t let us leave until we perfected the moves.
Since waves were essential to the choreography and Goh Yoo-Joon and Joo-Han were not strong in that area, they had to practice relentlessly. They even revisited the basics they hadn't done since trainee days.
“Ah, I haven't done this since I first started training. It's a blow to my pride,” Goh Yoo-Joon had grumbled.
“If you practiced so much, why can’t you do it now, hyung? Were you slacking off back then, hyung? Or maybe you haven’t practiced waves recently.”
“...I’ve never really practiced waves on their own... I didn’t know I needed to...” Goh Yoo-Joon had mumbled as he glanced at Jin-Sung.
Joo-Han had nodded to himself and silently resumed practicing waves against the wall.
“Head, chest, stomach, hips, legs. In that order, now wave! Practice!” Jin-Sung had become a drill sergeant, and he had instructed the rest on how to perform perfect waves, including the hip wave crucial for "Red Rouge."
“Should we practice the basics too? Hmm, nah. Let’s just focus on the choreography,” I had suggested.
“Yeah, let’s do that...”
Yoon-Chan and I had also been stuck in the practice room, so we mastered the choreography in a few days. Being confined led to increased practice time and higher-quality performances naturally followed. Additionally, all the members had been working on their physiques for "Red Rouge," making us look even better.
Joo-Han clapped his hands and smiled brightly after finishing the monitoring. “I think we will finish this quickly.”
But that was wishful thinking. Joo-Han had no luck with probabilities, whether it was rock-paper-scissors or drawing lots. What were the chances we'd finish quickly today?
Several hours later, we were still reshooting.
Someone let out a hollow laugh. “Haha...”
I lost count of how many times we listened to the full song and performed the choreography.
We shot again and again. We even changed costumes and did it again, back to the set and one more time. Eighteen hours after starting the shoot, we were still going.
“Ugh, I’m exhausted,” Jin-Sung said. He was usually full of energy, but him saying such a thing meant this was really hard.
Just because the music video was simple didn't mean the shoot was easy. Focusing on the choreography meant endless repetitions. I even started thinking that running through the hallways for the "Parade" series in the middle of the night was better.