89: Chapter 89 I like to eat!

Thus, a few days later on a certain afternoon, within the secluded but heavily secured LOEN Entertainment building in Seoul, IU's world-renowned, top-tier private recording studio welcomed several special guests.

The interior of the recording studio was spacious and bright, with professional soundproofing materials and acoustic design making it feel like a temple of sound. Various expensive microphones, monitoring equipment, and mixing consoles gleamed with a low-key, professional luster.

IU herself wore comfortable loungewear, her long hair draped casually, with a gentle and curious smile on her face as she personally greeted them at the door. She had already heard various "legends" about Kim Soo-yeon from Lee Tima, and seeing her in person now, a hint of amazement involuntarily flashed in her eyes.

“Welcome, President Jiang, Tima, and... Chairwoman Kim Soo-yeon.” IU's voice was gentle. “Tima has been praising President-nim as if she were out of this world; I've finally met you today.”

“Senior IU, sorry for the intrusion.” Kim Soo-yeon bowed slightly, her attitude respectful and polite. “Thank you very much for being willing to lend us such a precious place.”

“Don't mention it, Tima is like a sister to me.” IU waved her hand with a smile, her gaze lingering on Kim Soo-yeon with an artist's characteristic keen observation. “I heard President-nim's singing voice is very special; I'm looking forward to it too.”

After the pleasantries, IU thoughtfully indicated she wouldn't disturb their work, sitting instead on a sofa to the side of the control room with a cup of hot tea in front of her, clearly intending to "watch" this highly anticipated audition.

Jiang Zhiyu and Lee Tima assisted the recording engineer with the final equipment testing and connections. Kim Soo-yeon walked into the recording booth alone.

The heavy soundproof door closed behind her, isolating the outside sounds. She stood before the massive pop filter and that expensive Neumann U87 microphone, putting on the monitoring headphones. Jiang Zhiyu's voice came through the headphones: “Soo-yeon, are you ready? Let's try a few scales first to get a feel for it and test the equipment.”

Kim Soo-yeon nodded and, facing the microphone, began to steadily emit long notes from the low to high registers. Her voice was transmitted clearly to the control room through the top-tier equipment; every note was as steady as a rock, the timbre pure and rich in texture, the high register transparent and bright, the low register mellow and warm, and the mid-range full and lush.

Even the most basic sound check caused the professional recording engineer in the control room to show a surprised expression. IU also set down her teacup, leaning forward slightly with a focused gaze.

“Condition is great, and the equipment is a match,” Jiang Zhiyu said from the console. “Soo-yeon, try singing a segment you're familiar with, any style is fine, just to get a feel for singing in this space.”

Kim Soo-yeon closed her eyes, pondering for a moment. Then, she opened her mouth again.

This time, she didn't sing an explosive dance track like 'Our Wannabe,' but a melodic, emotionally delicate ballad segment from a famous film OST on the Tianxuan Continent. She improvised Korean lyrics that fit the mood of the melody; her voice was like a clear spring, flowing slowly, yet containing startling emotional tension at the transitions. The shifts between chest and falsetto were as delicate as silk, and her breath control was long and stable.

In the control room, one could hear a pin drop.

The recording engineer's mouth hung open, and he even forgot to adjust the faders. IU's gaze had shifted from curiosity to complete shock and admiration. As a top-tier singer, she knew better than anyone how terrifying the technical difficulty and layers of emotional expression contained in this seemingly casual a cappella segment were! This wasn't just talent; this was ultimate control achieved through a thousand refinements!

Standing to the side, Lee Tima puffed out her chest with pride and whispered to IU, “Unnie, I didn't lie to you, right! Soo-yeon Unnie is super amazing!”

After the improvised song, Kim Soo-yeon slightly adjusted her breathing in the recording booth.

Jiang Zhiyu pressed the talkback button, his voice carrying uncontrollable excitement: “Excellent! Soo-yeon, your voice is like a fish in water in this environment! Perfect condition!”

He looked at IU, who was equally shocked, and asked with a smile, “IU-ssi, what do you think?”

IU came back to her senses and let out a long sigh, a sincere and admiring smile appearing on her face. “Breathtaking. Chairwoman Kim, your voice... is one of the most special and powerful voices I've ever heard. It’s not just the technique, but that... soul-piercing expressiveness. TG Entertainment... has truly found an incredible treasure.”

Her evaluation was undoubtedly the highest recognition of Kim Soo-yeon's strength.

In the recording booth, Kim Soo-yeon saw IU's admiring expression and Jiang Zhiyu's excited gaze through the glass. She took off one side of her headphones and said clearly into the microphone in Korean:

“Then, Senior IU, President Jiang... shall we begin?”

Her gaze was calm, yet it was as if she could already see those melodies—soon to be performed by her and destined to resonate across the skies of this era—quietly gestating here, in this top-tier recording studio.

The name of TG Entertainment would use music as a hammer and Kim Soo-yeon's voice as a blade to officially sound the war drums for conquering the market. And the first sound check had already shaken the world.

The shocking afterglow of the top-tier recording studio had not yet fully dissipated, and the air in the control room still held the impact of Kim Soo-yeon's brief, stunningly beautiful timbre. IU's admiration came from the bottom of her heart, and the recording engineer's gaze toward the girl behind the glass already carried a near-worshipful awe.

Lee Tima's face was flushed with excitement; she rushed to the talkback, pressed the button, and shouted to Kim Soo-yeon in the recording booth, “Unnie! Did you hear that! Even IU Unnie said it was breathtaking! That segment just now... it felt so much stronger than back in Nanming Kingdom! The control of the voice, and that emotion... woohoo, I got goosebumps just listening!” Her voice trembled with excitement, and her round eyes sparkled with pure admiration.

In the recording booth, Kim Soo-yeon had already taken off the monitoring headphones and was taking small sips of warm water to soothe her throat. Hearing Lee Tima's unreserved praise and wonder, she tilted her head slightly and looked through the glass at the noisy "little apprentice" outside. On her usually cold and calm face, a rare, extremely faint smile appeared, carrying a bit of petty pride and indulgence.

Facing the microphone, her voice came through the speakers clearly, her tone flat yet hiding a few points of natural pride:

“Because I am the Master.”

Five simple words, yet they caused the people in the control room to react differently.

IU blinked curiously, her gaze scanning back and forth between Lee Tima and Kim Soo-yeon. Jiang Zhiyu seemed to recall some interesting past event, a knowing smile curling the corner of his mouth.

Lee Tima froze for a moment, then reacted, her face turning even redder, but this time with a bit of embarrassment and more intimacy: “Ya! Unnie! Why bring that up now!”

Jiang Zhiyu spoke up at the right time, explaining to the curious IU: “IU-ssi might not know, but Soo-yeon is not only the President of TG Entertainment; back where we come from...” He paused, using a more euphemistic phrasing, “...she played a very important role in Tima's growth. You could say she was Tima's introductory teacher for singing and stage performance.”

He looked at Lee Tima, his eyes carrying a bit of teasing: “This girl used to be a rogue talent who sang and danced blindly based on instinct and a sort of 'black hole' brute force. Her vocal conditions were good, but she had no discipline and just did whatever she felt like. It was only after Soo-yeon discovered her that, bit by bit, starting from the most basic breathing, vocal placement, pitch, and rhythm, she guided her and practiced with her hand-in-hand, correcting her bad habits and truly guiding and excavating that bit of talent.”

He recalled back in the Tianxuan Continent, how Kim Soo-yeon, while shouldering Zephyrus's heavy team duties and her own training, still had to find time to "deal with" Lee Tima—a "troublemaker" with excessive energy and wild ideas but terrible basics. At that time, Kim Soo-yeon, though clearly a young girl herself, already possessed the strictness and patience of a teacher.

“So when Tima says Soo-yeon's strength has improved, it's actually not entirely accurate,” Jiang Zhiyu summarized, his gaze shifting to Kim Soo-yeon in the recording booth, who had regained her composure and was speaking in low tones with the sound engineer. “More accurately, it's 'teaching and learning benefiting each other.' In the process of guiding Tima, her own understanding of voice and performance has also been continuously deepening and becoming more systematic. Coupled with her own never-ending extreme training and stage accumulation...”

He didn't continue, but the meaning was already clear. Kim Soo-yeon's strength was built on the foundation of her own talent and hard work, layered with the reflection and refinement brought by teaching others, ultimately reaching a state that was more harmonious, comprehensive, and a return to simplicity.

After listening, IU showed an expression of sudden realization and deep admiration. Her gaze toward Kim Soo-yeon, besides the shock at her strength, added a layer of respect for her status as a "mentor." To be able to cultivate an artist as spiritually vibrant (though rogue) as Lee Tima, and to temper her own skills to this extent, this Chairwoman Kim was truly unfathomable.

“So there's such a relationship,” IU remarked. “No wonder Tima is always so intimate and admiring when she mentions Chairwoman Kim. A famous teacher produces a brilliant student; conversely, a teacher who can educate excellent students must also be a top performer in their field.”

Lee Tima nodded vigorously from the side, wearing an expression that said "My Unnie is the best in the world."

In the recording booth, Kim Soo-yeon seemed to have heard the conversation outside. She looked out through the glass again, meeting Jiang Zhiyu's smiling gaze, IU's admiring eyes, and Lee Tima's proud little look. The faint smile on her face deepened slightly, but she quickly reined it in, becoming focused once more.

She said into the microphone: “President Jiang, Senior IU, let's continue. I want to try a few more different singing styles and timbres to prepare for the upcoming works.”

Her voice returned to the calmness of a working state, but the brief display of pride and intimacy belonging to a "Master" had already been deeply imprinted in the hearts of everyone present.

This was not just a super rookie with the potential of a "Diva of the Generation," but also a top-tier mentor capable of shaping others. What TG Entertainment possessed was not just a powerful president, but an unfathomable artistic core that could potentially give birth to more "Lee Timas."

The audition continued. Under the guidance of Jiang Zhiyu and the sound engineer, Kim Soo-yeon tried more diverse singing styles—power-filled rock growls, ethereal and misty New Age chanting, lazy and sexy jazz blues, and even technical displays mimicking the timbres of some classic male singers... She handled every style with ease, as if her voice were a treasure trove of infinite possibilities.

Every time she opened her mouth, the professionals in the control room felt waves of scalp-numbing shock.

IU was completely immersed in this feast of sound. As a top musician, she could feel the terrifying talent and massive amount of practice represented behind this more than anyone. That vague concept of a "Diva of the Generation" in her mind was becoming clearer and more awe-inspiring through Kim Soo-yeon.

Meanwhile, Jiang Zhiyu recorded Kim Soo-yeon's vocal data in different states while rapidly conceptualizing the "debut" or "vocal" project he was about to create for her. Since a monster-level weapon was already in place, the ammunition (songs) had to be top-tier, and the timing and platform for launch had to be calculated with the utmost precision.

The name of TG Entertainment was destined to resonate through the clouds along with this voice that was bound to dominate an era.

Under the recording studio lights, Kim Soo-yeon's figure behind the soundproof glass appeared focused and sacred. Her era, perhaps, officially began from this borrowed recording studio and today's audition that shocked IU. And the identity of "Master" added a warm and unique undertone to the legend she was about to unfold.

Over the next few weeks, the interior of TG Entertainment and that borrowed top-tier recording studio at LOEN seemed to enter an isolated, high-speed state of "combat readiness." Jiang Zhiyu went into complete "seclusion" mode, unreservedly pouring out the musical knowledge from two worlds, market insights, and his ultimate understanding of Kim Soo-yeon's vocal characteristics.

He didn't choose to outsource, instead personally serving as the general producer and core composer/arranger. This wasn't out of a desire for control, but because only he knew best what kind of melody, rhythm, harmonic progression, and even subtle timbre processing could fully ignite Kim Soo-yeon's "monster-level" vocal potential while precisely hitting the aesthetic G-spots of this era's listeners, and even... leading the next wave of trends.

He referenced the skeletons of some successful works from the Zephyrus period on the Tianxuan Continent, fused them with the most cutting-edge electronic, hip-hop, and Future Bass elements of Earth's K-POP, but then injected grander, more narrative string arrangements and some unique melodic lines that were cold yet full of power, fitting Kim Soo-yeon's personal aura. For the lyrics, he invited a rising but brilliant lyricist to create based on the core concepts of "self-awakening," "breaking definitions," and "gaze from the future," having both an attitude and pop appeal.

Throughout the process, Kim Soo-yeon was not only the singer but also the most important "touchstone" and "inspiration calibrator." She had an amazing intuition and demanding requirements for music, often improvising detailed treatments during recording that made even Jiang Zhiyu applaud, or pointedly identifying when a certain arrangement didn't fit her vocal traits. Their collaboration was more like a peak dialogue and co-creation between masters.

Lee Tima became the most loyal "logistics minister" and "number one fan," serving tea and water, livening up the atmosphere (though often criticized by Jiang Zhiyu for being too noisy), and using her unique "black hole radar" to sense the subtle changes in external public opinion.

Finally, after Jiang Zhiyu's sleepless polishing and Kim Soo-yeon's countless near-perfect recordings, three digital singles with different styles but equally possessing "hit" potential were completed. They were carefully packaged into a mini digital project titled "eclipse: prologue," with no physical album, launching simultaneously on all major music platforms.

Before the launch, TG Entertainment's official SNS only released an extremely brief, suspense-filled teaser—in the darkness, a blurred silhouette of a back wearing a gorgeous stage outfit (using the initial silhouette from the Han River Bridge), accompanied by two lines of text:

[TG Entertainment Presents.]

[Kim Suyeon - Eclipse : Prologue / 202X.XX.XX 00:00]

No MV teaser, no lyric posters, no artist interviews, not even a clear front photo of Kim Soo-yeon. This extreme, near-"airdrop" mystery style instead pushed the curiosity and expectations accumulated from the SM visit and the IU recording studio rumors to the highest point. Countless people waited with bated breath to see what kind of answer this "mysterious president," who had stirred the waters of the Korean entertainment elite, could deliver musically.

The midnight bell rang.

Three songs, without warning, simultaneously landed on all major Korean music sites like Melon, Genie, and Bugs.

Countless netizens staying up late, music critics, industry insiders, and even insiders from companies like SM and JYP who had caught wind of it, clicked the play button at almost the same time.

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

The first song, "Nova." The intro features highly spatial electronic sound effects and heavy 808 beats, creating a sense of vastness and loneliness, like the birth of the universe. Then, Kim Soo-yeon's voice cuts in—not the usual sweet or powerful style, but a cold, detached, metallic chant, as if broadcast from a distant galaxy. In the chorus, the melody suddenly soars; her voice erupts with astonishing power and range. The transitions between chest and head voice are like light-speed travel, accompanied by grand strings and dense electronic beats, creating an epic feeling of "individual awakening, light exploding."

The second song, "Silhouette." The style shifts abruptly to a lyrical R&B track led by piano and relaxed rhythms, with a highly addictive melody. Kim Soo-yeon's singing style becomes soft and narrative, with masterful use of breathy vocals. Every turn of phrase is filled with delicate emotion, vividly portraying the contradictory feelings of "blurred self" and "longing to be seen" in the lyrics. The bridge features an improvised dolphin-sound chant spanning several octaves, so ethereal it feels otherworldly, leaving countless listeners jaw-dropped.

The third song, "Zero Gravity." The style is more experimental and avant-garde, blending glitch hop and industrial electronic elements with fragmented, impactful rhythms. In this song, Kim Soo-yeon displays astonishing vocal plasticity, from deep rap recitations to tearing high-pitched screams, and then to precise, cold, mechanical singing like an AI synthesis, embodying the concept of "breaking free from restraints, floating in weightlessness" with a sense of futurism and dangerous charm.

Three songs, three distinct styles, yet each flawlessly showcases Kim Soo-yeon's terrifying vocal technique, extreme emotional control, and unique vocal charm. The production is top-tier, with complex, exquisite arrangements and perfect mixing; every detail stands up to repeated listening.

Just one hour after the release, the volcano of public opinion erupted completely.

[Melon Real-time Chart Update] "Nova" lands at #1! "Silhouette" at #3! "Zero Gravity" at #5! TG Entertainment's Kim Soo-yeon, how terrifying!

[Hot] I listened to Kim Soo-yeon's three new songs, and I'm stunned... Is this really something a human can sing?

[Explosive] A devil! A devil with an angel's voice! I've listened to that dolphin sound ten times and still get goosebumps!

[Technical Analysis] A brief analysis of the superhuman talent Kim Soo-yeon displayed in "eclipse: prologue" from a vocal perspective...

[Top Comment] SM Entertainment and JYP won't be sleeping tonight, right? This is a dimensionality-reducing strike!

[Hot] What's the deal with TG Entertainment? What kind of god-tier producer is Jiang Zhiyu? This production level is just insane!

[Hot] Lee Tima reposted it! Caption: "My master! The best in the world! [Crying] [Starry eyes]"

[Explosive] IU also posted! "A legendary voice I witnessed in person in the recording studio, finally heard by everyone. Congratulations to Chairwoman Kim, congratulations to TG Entertainment. [Heart]"

Social media was completely flooded with keywords like "Kim Soo-yeon," "Kim Suyeon," "TG Entertainment," and "Eclipse." Music critics gave almost universally high praise, calling her "an existence that redefines the standard for idol vocals" and "the nightmare and benchmark for vocal-focused female singers for the next decade." Ordinary listeners fell into a frenzy of loop-playing and discussion, and the comments section of the songs was filled with exclamations and worship in various languages at a visible speed.

On the music charts, the three songs were like three sharp knives, quickly piercing through the previously stable rankings. "Nova" topped the Melon daily chart at 3 AM, while "Silhouette" and "Zero Gravity" firmly occupied the top three and top ten spots. By early morning, when more office workers and students opened their music apps, the name "TG Entertainment Kim Soo-yeon," along with those three distinct yet equally domineering songs, had been forcefully branded into everyone's ears and minds.

"If you don't dominate the charts, you can't call yourself TG Entertainment."

The words Jiang Zhiyu once said half-jokingly had become reality in such an earth-shattering way.

Dominating the music charts seemed to have truly become the first "tradition" established quickly after TG Entertainment arrived in this world.

And that young President, at the center of the storm and dubbed "the devil with an angel's voice," was not paying attention to the roaring waves outside at that moment. She was sitting in the still-simple office of TG Entertainment, listening to Jiang Zhiyu report the preliminary results. There was no triumphant expression on her face, only a calm that suggested it was "to be expected," along with... thoughts on the next stage of the plan.

"It's just the prologue, Oppa." Kim Soo-yeon picked up her coffee and said calmly, "Next, it's time to let the market see what 'the President of TG Entertainment' can do besides singing."

For her, the shock and revelry on the internet were merely a successful reconnaissance-in-force in this long battle. The true conquest had only just begun.

The success of "eclipse: prologue" brought huge reputation and attention to TG Entertainment, as well as... a considerable amount of music copyright settlement income. Although the direct revenue from "chart domination" was not an astronomical figure in the vast entertainment industry, for a startup like TG that needed funds everywhere, it was undoubtedly a timely help that solved their urgent needs.

On the whiteboard in Jiang Zhiyu's office, a new budget allocation chart was drawn. A portion had to be invested in the plan for TG's self-built recording studio; there was no time to delay. Another portion had to be invested in the next project that could continuously expand their influence and consolidate the TG brand image.

TV dramas? The cycle is too long, the risk is high, and there is no script or team more mature than "destined kim hyo-soon" at the moment.

Movies? Don't even think about it; that amount of money wouldn't even make a splash.

Jiang Zhiyu's gaze finally fell on the word "variety show."

Lee Tima's "black hole charm" had already been verified in the special episode of "destined kim hyo-soon," and variety shows were currently TG's most cost-effective and flexible content breakthrough. Moreover, with Kim Soo-yeon as the "gold-plated sign" and the subtle "exchange" relationship established with SM Entertainment, a brilliant idea quickly took shape in his mind.

He picked up the phone and dialed the number of Group Leader Kim, the content developer at TVN. After the successful collaboration on "destined kim hyo-soon," TVN's trust in Jiang Zhiyu, this young producer who could "turn stones into gold," had greatly increased.

"Group Leader Kim, it's me, Jiang Zhiyu. I have a new project and want to collaborate with TVN again... Yes, a variety show again, but this time, the approach is a bit different."

A few days later, in a conference room at TVN.

Jiang Zhiyu presented his new project proposal to the TVN production team— "code: ae training camp."

The core of the proposal was very simple and brutal: under the name of "recording the final sprint stage before the debut of SM Entertainment's new concept girl group aespa," create a high-intensity, immersive "idol training observation reality show."

But unlike previous variety shows that focused on entertainment or showcased the hardships or interesting stories of trainees, "code: ae training camp" was designed by Jiang Zhiyu to be extremely "hardcore" and "professional."

The show would set up a series of high-difficulty challenge tasks that exceeded conventional idol training, covering multiple dimensions such as vocals, dance, physical fitness, on-the-spot reaction, teamwork, and even psychological stress resistance. Each episode would feature "special instructors" or "observers" to provide near-harsh guidance and evaluation to aespa.

"What do the audience want to see? They want to see the real sweat behind the glitz and glamour, they want to see the struggles behind the geniuses, they want to see the process of a team moving from friction to fusion, and they want to see... how 'professionalism' truly crushes 'mediocrity'." Jiang Zhiyu pointed to Kim Soo-yeon's photo on the PPT, "And we at TG Entertainment happen to have the most talked-about, recognized top-tier 'professional'—Chairwoman Kim Soo-yeon."

His plan was to invite Kim Soo-yeon to serve as the show's "Chief Special Instructor" and "Resident Observer," deeply involved in the pre-debut training of aespa. This would not only maximize the use of Kim Soo-yeon's current popularity but also concretely convey the TG Entertainment brand image of "professional, strict, and pursuing the ultimate" through the show.

"There are only a few months left before aespa's debut, and SM Entertainment is certainly busy with the final polishing." Jiang Zhiyu said to the TVN decision-makers, "Our show is ostensibly 'recording' and 'challenging' them, but in reality, it is using the most real and cruel lens to help SM Entertainment (and of course, the audience) test how good this highly anticipated girl group really is, what their cohesion is like, and what their stress resistance is. At the same time, it can also allow Chairwoman Kim Soo-yeon to further consolidate her professional authority as an 'instructor'."

He paused and threw out the most tempting bargaining chip: "Moreover, all the training content, stage ideas, and even potential musical sparks generated during the program can become pre-promotion material for aespa's future official activities, and we don't rule out deeper music or content cooperation between TG Entertainment and SM Entertainment on this basis. For TVN, this is a high-quality project that combines topicality, professionalism, commercial potential, and future linkage possibilities."

TVN's senior management listened with glowing eyes. This proposal was too smart! It bundled the currently hottest new Chairwoman Kim Soo-yeon with SM Entertainment's future ace aespa, maximizing the topicality. In terms of content, it didn't take the usual path, emphasizing reality and professionalism, which met the current audience's desire for "hard goods" and "insider information." More importantly, the potential cooperation prospects with SM Entertainment described by Jiang Zhiyu meant that this show might not just be a simple variety show, but a platform connecting the two major companies.

"President Jiang, this idea is fantastic!" Group Leader Kim said excitedly, "However, SM Entertainment... will President Lee Soo-man agree? To let someone from TG Entertainment be so deeply involved in the pre-debut preparation of their core girl group?"

Jiang Zhiyu smiled: "This is exactly what we need to discuss. Based on the friendly foundation of the last 'exchange,' and the benefits of this project itself for aespa's exposure and practical training, I believe President Lee Soo-man will see the value in it. After all, for SM Entertainment, this is also an opportunity to 'stress test' aespa in advance and gain huge attention within a controllable range. Of course, the candidate for 'Chief Instructor' is Chairwoman Kim Soo-yeon, which in itself is a recognition of SM Entertainment and... a small 'provocation.' They might not be unwilling to take the challenge."

Soon, a detailed project proposal was sent to the desks of SM Entertainment's Lee Soo-man and Kim Young-min.

The reaction within SM Entertainment was predictable, extremely complex. Letting someone from TG Entertainment, especially that Kim Soo-yeon who had just dominated the charts with music and was in the limelight, to "train" and "observe" their own ace reserve? This was tantamount to sending their most precious porcelain to someone else's iron forge to be "quenched."

Kim Young-min's first reaction was strong opposition. This was too risky! What if the show's effect wasn't good, aespa was criticized, or Kim Soo-yeon's performance was too flashy, making aespa look dull by comparison? TG Entertainment was borrowing a hen to lay eggs, using SM Entertainment's resources to build its own prestige!

However, after carefully reading the proposal and pondering for a long time, Lee Soo-man gave a different opinion.

"Young-min, you are looking at it too superficially." Lee Soo-man said slowly, "Pressure is sometimes the best catalyst. These children of aespa have talent, but what they lack is the tempering of life and death and the gaze from a true mountain. Kim Soo-yeon... is that mountain. Let her do the grinding; although it hurts, the knife ground out will be the fastest and sharpest."

He pointed to the parts about "professional recording," "real challenges," and "team melting" in the proposal: "If this show is handled well, it will be the best pre-debut 'socialization training' we can give aespa. Let them adapt to high pressure under the lens in advance, expose problems, solve problems, and complete the transformation under the public's gaze. This might be better than practicing behind closed doors. As for Kim Soo-yeon..."

A gleam flashed in Lee Soo-man's eyes: "Letting her be this 'instructor' is also beneficial to us. First, we can observe and learn her (and Jiang Zhiyu's) methods and philosophies up close; second, if aespa can endure her 'high pressure' and even perform well, then aespa's gold content and topicality will reach an unprecedented height; third... this is also a way for us to be more deeply tied to TG Entertainment, and even TVN. Future cooperation needs more 'links'."

He looked out the window, as if he had already seen the grand occasion when the show aired: "Most importantly, there are only a few months left before debut. Conventional training methods have limited room for improvement. We need a bit of... 'unconventional' stimulation. This person, Jiang Zhiyu, although from a rival company, his ideas can always hit the most critical points."

After intense internal discussion and multiple rounds of negotiations with TVN and TG Entertainment, SM Entertainment finally agreed in principle to the filming of "code: ae training camp," but added extremely harsh terms: SM Entertainment had the right to review the final edit of the show; training content and schedules had to be coordinated with aespa's original plan and must not excessively affect their health; Kim Soo-yeon's "instructor" status had to be clearly defined as "special invited guidance," and the show had to highlight the professionalism of SM Entertainment's own training team; and so on.

Jiang Zhiyu agreed to all of this. His goal had been achieved—he had obtained a top-tier platform (TVN), a highly topical project, and a perfect opportunity to legally and deeply "squeeze"... ah no, "grind" aespa's team tacit understanding, while maximizing the demonstration of Kim Soo-yeon's professional value.

Once the news was officially announced, it indeed exploded on the internet.

[Explosive] TVN's new variety show "code: ae training camp" officially announced! Recording aespa's final sprint before debut!

[Hot] Chief Special Instructor: TG Entertainment Chairwoman Kim Soo-yeon! This combination is too explosive!

[Hot] SM Entertainment actually agreed?! Letting the rival President train their own girl group?!

[Hot] Looking forward to it! Want to see Instructor Kim's devil training for aespa! Want to see the girls get tortured! (Not really)

[Hot] XXX days left until aespa's debut, this variety show came at the perfect time!

In TG Entertainment's office, Jiang Zhiyu looked at the heated discussion on the internet and smiled with satisfaction. Although the startup capital was still limited, this "ammunition" brought by the copyright fees was precisely invested by him into this project that was bound to set off a new wave of storms.

And in the room next door, Kim Soo-yeon was flipping through the detailed profiles and recent training evaluation reports of the four members of aespa, her eyes focused, as if a hunter was studying prey... no, it was an instructor formulating a training plan.

There were only a few months left before aespa's debut.

Time was tight, and the task was arduous.

It was time to properly "grind" them.