Celebrity Neighbor: My girlfriend is a big star?

"Have you guys been practicing this whole time?"

During Bae Juhyun's last comeback, Liu Xin'an was involved from start to finish.

He was well aware of how much preparation Bae Juhyun and her group had to do before a comeback.

But the preparations for this comeback were way more extensive than the last one.

This indirectly indicated just how much pressure Bae Juhyun and her group were under this time.

"Yeah, if we're free anyway, more practice can only be a good thing."

Honestly, they're at a rather awkward period right now.

The groups debuting around 2015 with them are nearing the end of their lifespan.

Even Twice, who seemed invincible in recent years, is now facing difficulties sustaining their momentum.

Of course, as the saying goes, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Even if Twice's achievements have visibly declined over the years, their size ensures they can still easily hit a million sales.

What truly makes Bae Juhyun and her group feel powerless is the consistent rise of newcomers.

Their junior group from the same company, aespa, is a prime example.

Red velvet has decent skills and popularity, but given a choice between them with lesser potential versus the explosively popular and promising aespa, the answer is a no-brainer.

In terms of resources, aespa is naturally favored, and they're just juniors from the same company.

Newcomers from other companies won't make way for them either.

"Looks like we can really look forward to this performance."

"Are you coming to watch the music show?"

"Definitely."

Liu Xin'an couldn't possibly miss his girlfriend's performance, and Bae Juhyun's satisfied expression was a testament to his immediate answer.

After having a simple pasta meal with Bae Juhyun, Liu Xin'an pointed outside.

"Are you guys continuing tonight?"

"Not tonight, we've already practiced a lot and need to rest at night to maintain our health. Are you heading back?"

"I'm going to find Manager Kim first."

"Finding the manager? Why?"

"To ask about filming your group's reality show in our country."

Hearing this, Bae Juhyun and her group were momentarily stunned, and their simultaneous gaze made Liu Xin'an a bit awkward.

"Don't worry, it's not a big deal. I'm just inquiring about the details so I can prepare accordingly."

"Go ahead, go ahead."

After his explanation, Bae Juhyun and her group curbed their curiosity and motioned for Liu Xin'an not to worry about them.

It wasn't Liu Xin'an's first visit to S-M, so he was quite familiar with the route.

Soon, Liu Xin'an arrived at Manager Kim's office door and knocked lightly.

Upon receiving permission, he opened the door and smiled at Manager Kim inside the room.

"It's been a while, Manager Kim."

Manager Kim looked up at Liu Xin'an and gave a warm smile.

"Xin'an, here to see Irene?"

"Yes, that's right."

"It's a crucial time for them recently, and they've been working hard."

"I understand, Manager. Do you anticipate good results for their comeback this time?"

When Liu Xin'an asked this question, Manager Kim understood Liu Xin'an's purpose for visiting.

He put down his pen and nodded, providing Liu Xin'an with some reassurance.

"Rest assured, as you know from the presale numbers, it may be slightly below expectations, but the girls are definitely competitive."

He spoke in a firm voice, then displayed a proud expression: "In terms of ability, our kids aren't lacking compared to anyone, and in other aspects, the company is their strongest support."

The top three agencies are called the top three precisely because of their abundant and formidable resources.

This kind of resource support for company artists is unmatched by smaller companies.

Just look at Bae Juhyun's peers.

There were so many strong groups around 2015, yet not many survive now to rival Red Velvet.

This is what we call depth.

With Manager Kim's reassurance, most of Liu Xin'an's anxiety dissipated.

He nodded and continued to ask, "I'm relieved to hear you say that. So after this comeback, will Juhyun's personal variety show be scheduled?"

"This year, they're planned to have two comebacks: one in a few days and another towards the end of the year. As for Irene's personal variety show... it's currently scheduled to start half a month after their comeback ends."

As Manager Kim recalled Red Velvet's plans for the year, he explained and then showed a curious expression: "I heard that this time her plan comes from you, is that true?"

"Yes, I suggested some ideas. What do you think?"

"Honestly, the content is fine, but inspired by your idea, we researched entertainment sections on Bilibili and found many interesting concepts to incorporate into future group shows."

"Uh... you're not talking about those don't laugh challenges, are you?"

"Ah, not those, other ideas, like the culinary concept you proposed this time."

Since this is for synchronized broadcasting on Bilibili, domestically, the personal show is certainly tailored for fans; it won't attract random viewers.

But in the vast market of China, it's different.

So, whether it's making eight beautifully shot personal episodes in a scenic foreign place or filming eight engaging and low-cost culinary videos, which do you think would attract more casual viewers?