The Producer Who Draws Stars

Prologue: The Wheel of Fortune

Luck (幸運)

Good fortune. Or a happy turn of events.

Looking back, I think I’ve had more than my fair share of bad luck in my life. But, since much of it was due to my own shortcomings and lack of virtue, I just endured it even when misfortune followed me in everything I did.

“I guess this is the punishment from heaven. Well, I suppose it’s fair enough.” 

Thanks to that mindset, I was able to endure the resentment and complaints towards others, but the hardships were still inevitable.

Living as a composer with dreams of becoming a producer, it was painful when the songs I poured my heart and soul into were neither sing nor recognized by the world.

And when the reason for that was not that ‘my songs were bad,’ but that ‘the people who were supposed to sing my songs were unethical,’ and such misfortunes happened 5 or 6 times in a row.

I managed to endure it with a forced acceptance that it was all because of my own inadequacies. After all, my composing skills were indeed far inferior to those of star composers.

But my heart still ached. The anger and stress piled up, causing my blood to pool in my veins. I gained weight because of the binge eating disorder stemming from the stress.

“…I’m screwed.”

Leaning on the railing of Mapo Bridge, I dangled a USB containing my rejected song and muttered to myself. I wanted to shout out loud, but it was still daytime.

The walk took me quite a distance. Coincidentally, the place I found myself at was Mapo Bridge, a symbol of despair and ruin for many people these days.

Of course, I had no intention of committing suicide. I had neither the reason nor the courage to do it.

Today was just particularly hard. The words of a friend who was a manager at an agency stung deeply.

The word ‘give up’, which I had never considered in my life, even came to my mind. No, it’s still floating around in my head.

– So-ha, our team leader said… It’s awkward. I tried to work something out, but…

The voice of my friend, who reluctantly finished his sentence, echoed in my ears.

The song is good, but we won’t use it because of bad luck. It might sound nonsensical at first.

But in this industry, the saying ‘a good song will definitely become a hit’ has long become a mirage.

Every year, there are about a hundred idol groups that are trying to make their debut. Including solo artists and other newcomers, the number is staggering, and it’s impossible that there are no good songs among them.

They all just get buried.

Unless you are an already established singer who has already made a name for yourself or backed by a mid-to-large-sized agency that can take responsibility for the group, your rise and fall is largely a matter of ‘luck’.

Luck. And only then, skill enough to not miss it when it comes along.

I was lacking in both, so I humbly accepted it.

But that didn’t make the regret go away.

‘So-ha’.

Damn, I shouldn’t have debuted as a composer under my real name.

Why composers use pseudonyms in the beginning, and why they don’t put their real names in brackets after their pseudonyms until they’re successful.

I think I can understand a little now. But I guess I should be grateful that it’s not my full name, ‘Kim So-ha’.

“Uggghhh.”

I sighed and lit my cigarette. But for some reason, I didn’t have a lighter. Another trivial misfortune, but I rationalized it as a good thing since smoking is bad and continued walking along Mapo Bridge.

This place is a hub of busy traffic.

Maybe because it’s the weekend, it’s even more crowded today. But some of the cars are moving at an abnormal fast speed. Did those drivers forget about the speed limit, or do they think their cars are bumper cars?

BZZZZZZT— BANG!

That’s when a horn tore through the air like an explosion.

Ugh, that’s so freaking loud, I thought as I turned around.

I saw a chain collision expanding from a double collision to a three-car, four-car, five-car pile-up. Fortunately, it was quite far from me, but based on past experience, I knew it was dangerous for me. No exaggeration, that’s not an empty phrase.

I instinctively ducked.

However, the bad luck that has followed me all my life ended with a piece of the car’s body hitting me in the head.