Episode 43: As Long as It Tastes Good, That’s Enough
The moment Jin-ah said “Smile,” it felt like the world stopped.
Could she have created ‘Smile Again’?
Was she about to flex her artistic genius—already proven in web novels and drawings—in music too?
“…Deer-beetle.”
Huh?
What’s that, kid?
“The title is ‘Smile Deer-Beetle’.”
No way!
It’s not some spicy hot sauce or mala soup—why slap “deer-beetle” on everything just ‘cause you love it?
I’m so done with this.
But the word “Smile” still sparked a weird hope in me.
I wasn’t the only one. Everyone else was just as curious, their eyes glued to Jin-ah’s phone.
This was Baek Jin-ah, after all—her artistic talent in novels and art had us wondering if music was her next frontier.
Then the sound came.
—Toong-toong-tari, toong-toong-tak, toong-toong-tari, toong-toong-tak…
What’s with this beat quality?
It was unmistakably the work of a MIDI newbie—a clunky, basic 4/4 drum beat, the kind Seon-yu might use for choreography practice.
Then came a tacky, Indian-style melody that screamed “cobra charmer.”
—Sririri, ssrarirari~!
It sounded like a string session, but the composition was so juvenile and cheap.
Add in some keyboard, guitar, and bass, and every basic instrument was there.
Ocean waves— swoosh, swoosh —tossed in for a summer vibe.
But instead of feeling lush, it was like a chaotic leftover stew from a holiday feast, stuffed with every random ingredient.
Not a whiff of ‘Smile Again’ in there.
Judging by everyone’s faces, they felt the same.
The anticipation in their expressions fizzled out.
As the intro played, Jin-ah, unfazed by the deflated crowd, explained earnestly.
“The opening could use a simple rap. Like, ‘Free Sense in the house,’ you know?”
Sure, whether it’s a spicy stew or a country dog’s meal, if it tastes good, it’s fine.
And the “taste” would come from the vocal melody.
My expectations for Jin-ah were sky-high, but for someone who’s only studied MIDI for a bit, this wasn’t half bad, right?
Ahem, ahem.
The vocals kicked in.
Jin-ah hadn’t recorded them—she sang live.
“So cool, so cool. Your big, beautiful pincers. That glossy shell, like fresh chocolate cake, Oh oh oh~ Oh oh oh oh~!”
Retreat!
It’s a total landmine!
“Jin-ah, I think we’ve heard enough…”
Right after the first verse, CEO Jung Han-yong cut in with a hollow voice.
In an audition, this would’ve been an instant elimination.
But Jin-ah didn’t stop.
She insisted the chorus was addictive, so they compromised—she skipped to it.
“With those cool pincers, hug me tight, skrrt-skrrt, dang-dang! With those tiny lips, call my name, stutter-stutter, lalala!”
Utter disaster.
Humanity’s not ready for deer-beetle idolization.
After the critical-hit chorus, Jin-ah stopped the music and looked at Jung.
“How is it?”
“Huh…?”
“I’m not expecting it to be the title track. But if you arrange it, could it make the album?”
Jung scratched his neck, rejecting her gently.
“…Save it for a solo when you’re rich.”
“Too harsh?”
“It doesn’t meet the criteria. But when did you start learning MIDI?”
“Um, a week ago. Hyun-jong asked if any of us composed, so I learned from YouTube in my spare time.”
Wait, she started learning MIDI because of me?
I vaguely remember asking about the members’ talents for potential YouTube content and mentioning composing. That must’ve sparked it.
Pretty impressive, huh?
It’s like window-shopping with your girlfriend, casually saying, “Oh, that’s cute,” and then getting it as a gift on your anniversary.
Now that I think about it, despite her quirky personality keeping me on edge, Jin-ah’s the one who trusts and follows my words the most.
She’s also the one who swooped in with a big donation to solve Woo-ya’s living expense crisis without anyone knowing.
Maybe it’s the booze, but Jin-ah’s deer-beetle obsession feels extra adorable tonight.
“If you’re interested in composing, come to my studio and learn properly,” CEO Jung Han-yong said. “For something you picked up in your spare time, it’s not bad. What program did you use?”
“GarageBand.”
“MacBook, huh?”
“Yup.”
Jung offered encouraging words, gently tempering Jin-ah’s hopes for an album track.
Known for producing based on his gut and stubbornness, he seemed to be softening this time.
When no other ideas came from the Free Sense members, he turned to the staff for album concepts.
“Jeon, what do you think?”
“I like your style, like ‘Marmalade’ or ‘Fluttering Today’ vibes,” Team Leader Jeon Min-yong said.
Those were Jung’s songs—not mega-hits, but solid mid-tier successes.
“Tropical house?”
“Yeah. Doesn’t it suit our girls?”
“Not bad. So, Jeon’s going tropical…”
Jung then asked Kim Jung-sun.
Despite being new, she seemed to have analyzed Free Sense in her own way based on the conversation.
“I think sticking with the old concept one more time wouldn’t hurt,” she said.
The old concept? Like Halloween Day’s otherworldly chaos?
Kim Jung-sun probably saw the viral backtracking of Halloween Day and other songs on YouTube and got inspired, but to me, that’s a brain-dead take.
Those songs are trending as memes and jokes, not because they’re suddenly musically revered.
I’m not one to judge her career, but while she might excel in fieldwork, her grasp of current trends and musical content feels outdated.
At 28, she’s not exactly too old to keep up.
“Like Halloween Day?” Jung asked.
“Yeah. Back then, the timing wasn’t right, but it’s catching on now. Wouldn’t it be safer to lean into the image the public associates with Free Sense? Like how E-Bin rode their ‘Capjjang’ image to a comeback.”
No, no, no.
Halloween Day’s viral surge was fueled by mockery and meme-driven comment games.
E-Bin’s case is different—a superstar with talent, effort, and recognition from the start. Their offline meme status got a major boost from the hit variety show ‘What Do You Do for Work?’, leading to their resurgence.
E-Bin succeeded by shedding their rigid image for a humorous, relatable one.
Comparing E-Bin to Free Sense is apples and oranges.
Jung might appreciate Kim Jung-sun recognizing his work, but if he doubles down on that concept, it’d prove his producer instincts are shot.
Why even bother with new members then?
“Okay, so Kim Jung-sun wants to push the old concept again…”
Having asked Jeon and Kim, I figured I was next.
I started organizing my thoughts to counter Kim’s idea diplomatically while pushing my own.
But CEO Kim Yong, as if reading my mind, jumped in first.
“Nah, that’s not it. I’m totally against Kim’s idea. Why did we recruit new members? To break away from the old image and transform, right? I’d rather go fresh and trendy, like Jeon said.”
A firm veto from the top boss.
Kim Jung-sun, who’d offered her analysis confidently, nodded, managing her expression.
Jung stroked his chin, acknowledging everyone’s points.
Then, my turn came.
Mimicking a client groveling before a fortune-teller, Jung asked, “So, what does our rookie manager, who’s poured everything into this album, think? Had any good dreams lately? Share some inspiration with me.”
Nine pairs of eyes turned to me.
Thanks to my track record, I could feel their heightened expectations.
And for once, I was brimming with confidence.
Unlike my past desperate pleas of “trust me just this once,” this time I had solid info and results to back me up.
Beyond relying on the future video, my years as a girl group stan gave me a sharp sense of mainstream trends and direction.
Recalling the Free Sense album cover from the future video, the YouTuber’s brief analysis, and Smile Again’s chorus melody, I launched my pitch.
My target? The two CEOs, of course.
“Do you watch ‘What Do You Do for Work?’ lately?”
Team Leader Jeon Min-yong answered, “The ‘Paddaegi’ episode?”
“Yeah. They mentioned forming a team with legendary late ‘90s singers, right?”
“Oh, yeah, I saw that. ‘Refund Expedition’, was it? E-Bin’s idea.”
“Exactly. Knowing PD Kim Myung-ho’s style, I bet they’ll jump straight to the Refund Expedition project after Paddaegi. Probably leaning into retro vibes.”
This was verified by the future video.
I didn’t know Refund Expedition’s lineup, but their song ‘Retro School’ was set to dominate the charts.
Judging by the title and style, ‘What Do You Do for Work?’ would clearly push late ‘90s to early 2000s nostalgia as its main content.
Since ‘Smile Again’ had that first-gen idol feel, we could ride the retro wave they’d kick off.
Retro content isn’t exactly a new trend.
For years, it’s been a steady hit across culture, art, and fashion, coining the term “newtro.”
Songs from nostalgia-driven shows like Starry Night, Topgol Park Music Show, and the Hit Song frozen-singer revival project have topped charts, familiar even to early-20s folks like us.
“If we aim for a comeback around October, that’s when Refund Expedition’s album drops. Just my personal take, but…”
As I carefully laid the groundwork, CEO Kim Yong cut in, pointing at me with his signature exclamation.
“Man, you’re something else!”
His gesture told me my pitch was already landing.
He chugged the rest of his drink and continued.
“Refund Expedition? It started planning yesterday through the agency. It’s not public yet—only insiders know. How’d you guess?”
“Uh…”
“Another dream?”
“No, no, not that.”
“Anyway, so you’re saying Free Sense should go retro to match the timing? Right?”
Exactly.
I built on Kim Yong’s conclusion.
“Yeah, but not full-on retro. Modern outfits and makeup, with just the song carrying a slight first-gen girl group vibe…”
Jung Han-yong muttered, “Hmm, newtro…” then added, “Kids these days like Park Joryong and Rhino do that well. It’s consistent.”
Rhino? Never heard of them. Park Joryong sounds familiar—oh, my sister at home loves that indie artist.
“First-gen vibe means late ‘90s to early 2000s… my era. Yong’s more ’78-’79,” Jung teased.
“Hey, what’s with the ’78-’79? I’m ’90-’91, dude,” Kim Yong shot back.
“No way you’re ’90-’91. At best, you’re ’80-’81.”
After bickering, Jung scanned the five Free Sense girls and got back on track.
“Not bad. Too retro feels tacky, but tropical house as a base with retro session and vocal melodies could work. I’ve got something like that already.”
To prove he wasn’t behind the times, Jung played a few tracks from his phone—instrumental MRs without vocals.
“This one’s synth-pop…”
As he casually swiped through with confident flair, one track hit my ears like a lightning bolt.
No vocals, but the beat was eerily close to Smile Again’s chorus.
I sang it in my head: “You make my heart flutter, you make me smile, the start and end of my day is You & You & You…”
This is it!
It clicked like magnets snapping together.
As he moved to the next track, I blurted, “Wait, CEO! That one!”