"Why???"
As expected, Zhou Ziyu's reply came soon after. In just four words, you could see her surprise and a little bit of obvious panic. She quickly replied without even showing an expression, and her tone seemed to be... It was as if he was worried that he had done something wrong to make Chi Jingyuan angry, so he added several punctuation marks to encourage this tone.
Seeing her reply, Chi Jingyuan, who was chewing rice, smiled.
Mingjing Nan and the others did not guess wrong. Just like last year during the first tour, Zhou Ziyu got the tickets from him very early. After the ticket sales channels were just opened and they did not get the tickets for the 13th game on the first day, this girl He just said it, and he knew what it meant at a pitiful glance. After that, Chi Jingyuan found a chance to meet and gave her the ticket.
But this time I gave one. The two friends who attended the concert with Zhou Ziyu last year are no longer in JYP. One has returned to Xia Kingdom before, and the other left JYP to look for a debut in another entertainment company. Opportunity, from what she said, it seems that she left because she failed to be selected for "Sixteen" and felt that there was no hope of debuting.
As for "Sixteen", she didn't seem to have made any very familiar or close friends. The only one she mentioned twice, and the one she was relatively familiar with, was Song Minying, whom she once lived in a dormitory with.
Last year we were able to watch Chi Jingyuan's concert together, but this year there was only one person left.
"Where are you going? Why are you watching a concert when the show competition is so intense? You don't need to prepare for this issue's topic. Do you still want to make a debut? Momo's abilities are pretty good and they won't be able to stay. If you are eliminated, let's see how you cry. No one comforts you!"
After taking a bite of bibimbap, Chi Jingyuan operated the phone with one hand and still typed quickly.
"Why are you still laughing after eating?" At this time, Wu Shixun, who was also eating across from him, looked up at him with strange eyes and a disgusted tone.
You eat your food, why am I so crazy... Chi Jingyuan was a little speechless. He glanced at him and his smile faded, and he replied unceremoniously: "Because you look funny."
"Pfft..." Several members who heard it couldn't help laughing immediately, and even a little squirted out of their mouths. They quickly wiped it with a tissue and looked at Wu Shixun up and down. It seemed that he looked really funny. .
Ignoring the unhappy look from the other side, Chi Jingyuan looked down at his phone. In addition to the conversation with Zhou Ziyu, there was also the one sent by Ming Jingnan last night, but it was read-only and not replied.
Originally, he was worried that some drunk girls might have an accident at night, so he warned him. When the other party responded to the letter, he had already started working. When he saw it later, it was already midnight, and he was too lazy to reply at that time.
It's not an important thing anyway.
"How did you know that Momo was eliminated? I didn't tell you yesterday..."
"I don't want anyone to comfort me (pouts)"
Soon, two text messages from Zhou Ziyu were sent in succession. One was suspicious and curious. She thought she was Chi Jingyuan's only source of information about "Sixteen". She didn't mention this matter to the other party after recording the program yesterday. She was very confused. How did the other party know?
The other one is to be stubborn and angry...
"We met by chance last night..."
Chi Jingyuan did not go out to relax after Hirai Tao cried miserably and complained about Park Zhenying. It would not be appropriate even to face Zhou Ziyu, so he simply explained the encounter.
"Their group lost two consecutive stage battles, and Momo was eliminated in the end... But I also think that with her strength, she shouldn't have been eliminated so quickly. Others may not have thought of it. The person who recorded the program yesterday At that time, PD had just announced the candidates, and many people burst into tears. Neon Sana and Mina looked very sad...but I couldn't cry."
Although Zhou Ziyu talked about yesterday's recording, Chi Jingyuan honestly didn't have much interest in paying attention. He knew that this girl was not eliminated and could just survive. However, he still used this to encourage her: "You Look, Momo is a much better dancer than you and yet he was eliminated from the Tao. Why are you so careless about attending a concert? Don’t you need to prepare for the next assessment?"
"I'm not bad at dancing, okay? And our period is halftime and there are no assessment questions. It's just that those in the major group need to practice dancing, and then they can follow PD Park Jin Young to perform on stage at a university anniversary. Show your face and dance is very simple and relaxed.”
Zhou Ziyu tried to argue.
"University anniversary? Which university?" Chi Jingyuan was stunned when he saw this.
It's May and it's the anniversary time of major universities in the peninsula. Each university has begun to contact idol artists to go to schools to perform for students. This kind of commercial performance itself has a tacit understanding between both parties. The economic company will not charge any performance fees, so it is very popular. The higher the better, and the more popular it will be, the more popular it will be with students. As one of the most popular boy groups nowadays, EXO has naturally received a lot of invitations, but so far they have only confirmed that they will perform once at Yonsei University, Ji Kyung-won's alma mater, or they will take time to go there between concerts. of.
Zhou Ziyu and the others are also going, so it shouldn’t be such a coincidence...
"I heard from PD that it should be Yonsei University."
Even though he had vaguely guessed it, after all, Park Jinying was a graduate of Yonsei University and was Ji Kyungwon's senior, but after actually seeing Ji Kyungwon, he was still a little speechless.
How come I bump into you everywhere?
He pondered for two seconds, then typed and asked: "Which day should we go? Main stage or sub-stage?"
The school anniversary will not only last for one day, but usually lasts for several days. Every day, a special venue will be set up for artists or students to perform. However, the most important audience and the largest number of performers are the main stage on one day. There will be many The leaders of the school will be present, and the scene is very lively, not inferior to some official platter concerts.
"Is it the 15th or the 18th? Let me ask... I don't know about the stage. It shouldn't be the main stage."
"That's it, there's going to be a performance soon. What kind of concert are you going to watch? Don't watch it."
“I want to go see it~~”
"Where are you going? I won't show you."
Seeing Zhou Ziyu's coquettish tone, Chi Jingyuan burst into laughter and deliberately sent a message to tease her. Then he quickly finished the rice in the bowl, wiped his mouth, opened a bottle of drink and took two sips. The phone really replied Here it is, I picked it up and couldn’t help but laugh:
"Just go! Just watch!"
Apparently he was a little annoyed by the teasing, and he acted willfully and stubbornly.
After eating, we didn't continue chatting. In fact, while eating, I remembered what happened yesterday and wanted to tease her. It didn't mean that I really didn't want Zhou Ziyu to come.
Although the seats he gave out for the tickets were not together, they were actually quite close to each other. They were all close to the front row of the main stage. Pei Zhuxuan and the others didn’t know if they knew Zhou Ziyu, which might cause some misunderstandings, but Chi Jingyuan didn't really care about this, after all, they didn't really sit together, let alone Zhou Ziyu...
He doesn't care about Bae Xiuzhi.
After eating, I took a short break and then started working again. Every time when a concert is approaching, I will be so busy. It is much more tiring than when I come back to sing or appear in variety shows.
After practicing like this, it’s May 13th.
…
In the afternoon, there were already many fans waiting outside the Seoul Olympic Park Gymnastics Arena. There were long and dense queues at several entrances, stretching from the inside to the outside under the regulations of the warning tape. , looking down from a high altitude, I thought they were several long winding snakes.
There were many fans at the back who didn’t queue up because it was still early, or who didn’t buy tickets, but still wanted to support their idols and watch the excitement. There were also a lot of these people, and they sat on the open space at the outermost edge of the venue. Together, they formed several square formations that looked extremely lively. It was even better than last year’s first tour. They were wearing raincoats and forming a neat formation outside on a rainy day. It looked very spectacular. The fans did not give in. From various angles, you can see the current EXO How amazing the popularity is, and the loyal love and fanatical support of Ellie.
One is preparing desperately, and the other is supporting crazily. It can be regarded as running in both directions.
Even the doormen and security guards of the Gymnastics Arena were a little surprised by the large number of people who came today and how early they came. Even if the group that can tour in the Gymnastics Arena, the leading venue on the peninsula, is basically very popular, And there are at least 10,000 people attending, but there are really not many that can make the scene so big and so hot.
Noisy and tinny voices came and went, and together they formed a huge stream of sound. Even in the empty square, it was very noisy. Most people came not only by themselves, but also with friends, or There were people who bought male tickets, and some even bought family tickets directly and came with their parents. They chatted excitedly and expectantly while always looking up to the front.
There is a giant gymnastics arena above the main entrance. The promotional poster for this EXO concert is very eye-catching. In the poster, nine members wearing black shirts and trousers are staggered, facing different directions, and their cold faces are looking at the atmosphere. The scene is stunning, and it is obviously just a two-dimensional poster, but it creates a strong sense of layering and space. As soon as you step into the square, you will be attracted by this super-large poster at the first sight, and you will have to take a look at it from time to time.
Chi Jingyuan, who is on the left side of the middle of the pictorial, has a cold gaze and his hands in his pockets. He is the most eye-catching one among them, and is also the target of many people's eyes.
At the bottom of the poster is the logo specially designed by EXO for this second tour. It is composed of the English letters of the official name of this second tour. The sense of design and fashion are overwhelming. It seems that the level has suddenly been raised to a standard. The trend of the group The character is clearly revealed.
It’s hard to say that other departments of sm company may have mixed results, but the design department really has nothing to say. The quality and aesthetics are definitely at the top of the peninsula industry. Every time the designs come out, not only fans, but even Chi Jingyuan like them very much.
At this time, there was a bustling crowd outside the venue, while more than 15,000 seats inside were empty, but the stage was in full swing. Whether it was EXO itself or the team in charge of the concert, all staff were checking reservations. The equipment, as well as the lighting engineer, director and PD are all undergoing final debugging.
The concert that had been prepared for so long was about to start, and everyone couldn't help but become nervous.
"You must have memorized your position and the rotation of using the elevator...but if you don't remember it, I don't have time to remember it for you."
"Don't worry, brother, after practicing so many times, it will definitely be fine."
"But just remind each other about this kind of thing when the time comes. Don't be nervous."
The staff on both sides were busy, and the VJ in charge of filming kept filming with the camera.
"Finally, let's check the lights and equipment. xo Everyone, please check your own ear return. Make sure there is no problem. The audience will be ready to enter soon!"
PD's voice came over, summarizing the final preparations.
As the various lights on the stage lit up one after another, Chi Jingyuan followed the EXO members and began to check their own ears.
Regardless of the fact that in-ear monitors are very common and important for all idols to use, in fact, from time to time on the official stage, we often encounter problems with in-ear monitors. Either the sound is not loud or the hearing is not clear, or it is Failures such as power leakage are not uncommon. EXO encountered this kind of thing once or twice before when playing songs.
However, the ear monitors used in the concert are high-end products specially prepared by SM Company, and the quality will be better. After careful inspection, no fault was found, which can be regarded as relieved. After the lighting inspection was completed, EXO returned to the backstage to take a short rest. Prepare for the official opening of the meeting.
"Obviously I've had so many tours last year, but I'm still a little nervous now, Axi, my heart is beating so hard..."
In the lounge, Jin Junmian drank hard and took a long breath. He felt a little anxious and couldn't sit still on the sofa. He stood up and walked back and forth in the room, as if he wanted to calm down. mood at the time.
"It's normal, it's all like this."
Chi Jingyuan was leaning on the sofa, holding a drink but not drinking it. He felt the vibration of his mobile phone. While reaching for his mobile phone, he said with experience: "You will definitely be nervous before going on stage in such a large-scale occasion, but as long as you stand on the stage and enter The state will be fine.”
His heart was actually beating very fast, as if he had gone back to the time when he held his first concert last year. The nervousness brought about by the first tour was the same, even though they were actually experienced in many battles.
After opening the phone, there were text messages from several friends. The first thing that caught my eye was a selfie sent by Zhou Ziyu. In the photo, she was grinning and looking very naive. In the background, there was a gymnastics competition. The square outside the venue and the giant pictorial of EXO.
Seeing this Chi Jingyuan, he smiled in his heart, and instantly understood what the other person meant.
He joked before that he wouldn't let her come. In the end, although Zhou Ziyu ignored him with a strong and willful mouth, it was obvious that she was still a little guilty and worried that Chi Jingyuan was not joking or would be unhappy, so this I took a selfie of the song and sent it later as a little test and as a way to say hello in advance.
Look at her silly smile, showing all her weakness.
After I casually sent a picture (with an expressionless face), I started reading messages from other people. There were messages from Bae Joo Hyun, Seulgi, Kim Taeyeon, and several other idols I knew in the industry. .
Ji Jingyuan himself gave out several internal votes. People like Taeyeon and Red Velvet came here because of him. Naturally, other members of EXO also have many friends in the industry, such as those who have a wide range of friends. There are many cases where votes are being asked for.
This is the case in the entertainment industry. As long as you are popular, you will always have friends around you, and they will continue to join you.
In addition to some female idols who may themselves like EXO, there may be quite a few artists present today, and maybe one of them is someone's girlfriend.
"It seems like the audience is starting to come in?"
Suddenly there was a noise in the quiet backstage, and they knew what was going on as soon as they heard it.
Several people looked at each other:
"One last check, go to the bathroom and get ready to change clothes..."
…
"With this seat arrangement, the venue is already full, right?"
Huang Meiying followed the two members fully armed and walked into the venue through the internal passage. She found a seat for a few people in the front row near the stage. After sitting down, she couldn't sit still. She looked around and looked around. He said in a sighing tone: "There are so many people, we should be able to fill up the seats, right?"
They had internal tickets to choose from, but they did not choose a seat that was too close. The front row was because they could be closest to the idols and even have the opportunity to interact, so fans would like this very much. It was very popular, but how many of them did they do? I am not a fan. I have met EXO countless times in private. This time I came purely to support my friends and enjoy the stage.
"What are you talking about? You're not talking nonsense?"
Hearing such an innocent question, Kim Taeyeon looked at the empty seats on the left and right sides, sneered and replied angrily: "Have you lost your mind in dating? Do you know how popular xo is now? They Do you know how much the first three single albums have sold so far?"
"I haven't cared about this recently. I'm not you..." Huang Meiying was not annoyed at all by being despised and criticized. She smiled and leaned closer. However, she still asked with interest after hearing this question: " How much?"
"The total of the three albums has exceeded 1.6 million, and it's just a single album..." When mentioning this number, Kim Taeyeon, who has experienced great storms, was also surprised, and at the same time there was some sour jealousy in her heart.
There are only three albums released, followed by a single album and the highlight of the album, the second album. If combined together, I don’t know what kind of terrifying sales figures they will have this year. Just thinking about it is incredible.
I feel that starting from the past two years, one or two hundred thousand in the past was considered the top of the line. The company and fans can publish announcements and big-character posters to celebrate the sales figures, but they are becoming less and less valuable. The upper limit is getting bigger and bigger. Exo’s The sales figures don't look the same as those of others.
But you said that EXO drove the market, but among all the idol groups in the entire music industry, they are the only ones with such high sales. Although others have obviously increased, their growth rate is much worse than them, and they are not the same style. .
But if you want to say that it has not driven it, as of May, the sales volume of his group accounted for one-quarter to one-third of the total physical record market on the Peninsula for the whole year. Compared with last year, the overall market has significantly improved. The data is presented here and there is no way to refute it.
"so tall?"
After learning this number, Huang Meiying couldn't help but widen her eyes and repeated it in surprise.
"It's so high. Do you think... they are so popular that the 15,000-capacity gymnastics arena is actually a bit small. A larger venue is totally fine. I even think it can be opened directly in the dome." Kim Taeyeon nodded and looked around the area. Seeing the audience who kept coming in from outside to take their seats, she made a comment based on her experience.
"It's already been decided. When EXO debuts in Neon in the second half of the year, they will hold a concert at the Tokyo Dome. It will be held for three consecutive days. Their popularity in Neon is also very strong."
Hearing this, Sunny, who had been silent until now, interjected with a slightly hoarse voice.
"how do you know?"
Kim Taeyeon turned her head and looked over in surprise.
"Jingyuan mentioned it casually when we were chatting with him two days ago."
The lips under the mask were pursed, and Sunny looked at the empty stage and said.
Large venues like the Tokyo Dome are very popular and are not always available. You need to make reservations long in advance and coordinate the time with each other. The company had already announced it when Chi Jingyuan and others had a meeting not long ago, and the time has been set. .
"Ah x~Why didn't he tell me?"
The tone was astringent, and it seemed that Kim Taeyeon was a little dissatisfied, but in exchange, Sunny just raised her chin casually.
"I don't know if Yuri and Hyoyeon will come. I heard them chatting a few days ago and said they wanted to come here..."
Huang Meiying hasn't stopped looking around since she sat down. She kept looking around while chatting with the members next to her.
Although the relationship in Girls' Generation was quite good, in private the relationship was still distant, and everyone would usually stay with the person they got along with the most.
At this time, she looked at the figures on the left front and stopped. She blinked and pointed over there unexpectedly: "Hey, look, isn't that our company's new girl group Red Velvet? They are here too. ?”
