When I Opened My Eyes I Was a Superstar - Chapter 199

# 200

First match (4)

***

In front of Lincoln Center.

There were already quite a few girl fans gathered around, wearing all kinds of cheering gear with KK’s logo and members’ names engraved on them.

Fans continued to flock in groups of twos and threes.

There were an incredible number of fans who had just announced the news.

After the Times Square advertisement aired, KK’s fans living in New York were carrying cheering equipment with them all the time, waiting for an opportunity to visit. I never dreamed that it would be today.

As KK’s performance placard was hung in front of the stage, people passing by Lincoln Center took interest and visited the stage, which also contributed to the quick gathering of the audience.

It was also proof that there were many people who were interested in KK’s music, even among people passing by on the street.

A number of security guards organized the surroundings.

Camera settings around the stage were also completed.

The directors of ‘COME HERE’ inspected the stage and prepared for recording. Everything was in a state of ‘abnormality’.

However, the reason the atmosphere at Lincoln Center, which was filled with pleasant excitement, changed in an unusual way was because of a message that arrived to the producer in charge.

The message starting with ‘I KILL YOU ALL’ clearly foreshadowed terrorism.

The person who sent the message was clearly a racist.

The message contained the content that white girls were being manipulated by a boy group made up of low-class Asian men.

Anger was seething with each word, as if he truly couldn’t bear it.

The motive for terrorism was also clear. It is impossible to open one’s eyes and see what Asians are doing in the middle of New York.

Warnings and threats that if the performance is not canceled, the heads of the KK members will be blown off with guns during the performance.

The PD who read the message froze as soon as he saw it. It could have been a serious accident. The PD summoned the production crew along that route. And I immediately reported this to KK.

After receiving the call, KK’s van was waiting on the road behind Lincoln Center. The plan was to park the car near the stage just before the performance time and have the members leave and perform immediately.

The atmosphere inside the van, which should have been filled with excitement and tension before the performance, was extremely heavy.

None of the members who saw the full text of the message could easily open their mouths. It was clear that if you were so surprised, not even an exclamation of exclamation came out.

It was clear that various thoughts were crossing in the members’ frozen minds.

Director Oh Baek-ho broke the heavy atmosphere and opened his mouth.

“This is so… haha…”

However, he soon let out a deep sigh and was unable to continue speaking.

Team leader Lee Dae-hyung, who has the most freedom of communication among KK officials, asked after finishing his phone call with the producer in charge.

“They say they filed a report with the police. “We haven’t announced it to the outside world yet… I think we need to convey our opinion first.”

“You mean our opinion?”

Director Oh Baek-ho asked back with a sigh. Team leader Lee Dae-hyung nodded, looking at the dark complexions of the members.

“What is your opinion?”

“Well… I think it would be difficult to hold a performance today…”

The United States was very sensitive to security and it was a situation where it could not help but be sensitive. If damage were to occur during a performance under these circumstances, it would be something that could not be repaired, so the production staff sent a stop sign without even considering it.

The members’ complexions darkened even more after hearing Team Leader Daehyung Lee’s words.

No stage would be like that, but this stage was a new challenge for the KK members as well.

Although I had overcome my fear of challenges, I never imagined that I would have to have this fear of terrorism.

Because the message itself was already strongly racist, there was also anger at being racially discriminated against. But that was nothing compared to the anxiety and fear the members felt.

Get hit in the head with a gun. It didn’t feel real because it was something you only see in movies, but it was truly dizzying when I thought about the fans.

From what I heard just a little while ago, there were about 300 people who came to see them.

Their fans, officials who work for their professionals, and even citizens on the streets. Another fear for the members was that they had to feel the fear of terrorism because of them.

If the incident actually occurred, the situation would become truly uncontrollable.

“Hmm…”

As the members continued to remain silent as if they were deep in thought, Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung cleared his throat as if to get some air.

Of course, it was unlikely that the performance would go ahead even if the KK members insisted on performing.

Since it was reported, there could have been sanctions from the police.

However, it was necessary to gather opinions and clearly convey the official position. As the head of the fan-marketing team, thinking about articles to be published in the press even under these circumstances could have felt harsh to the members, but it was work.

Team leader Lee Dae-hyung’s eyes turned toward Do-wook.

It was because I thought he was the member who could express his opinion the fastest among the members at a time like this.

Do-wook felt the gaze of team leader Dae-hyung Lee and checked the time on his phone screen. It was twenty minutes before the performance.

“Ah… I guess we should gather opinions quickly.”

When Do-wook opened his mouth, the members’ attention turned towards Do-wook.

In fact, in Korea, these individual terrorist threats were often not felt as real threats.

It could have been a joke, or it could have been sincere but not put into action. But this was America. It was a message that could never be ignored.

The United States was a country where people could own guns. Thanks to this, large and small gun accidents occurred frequently. Plus he’s racist.

Considering the extremeness of racists, such incidents could easily have occurred even in the 21st century.

‘There is nothing visible in the eyes of those who believe and blindly believe in a certain idea…’

Do-wook thought, feeling bitterness in his mouth.

An outdoor concert hall where an unspecified number of people gather. It was not something that could be done simply by strengthening the security of private security companies.

‘I guess I’ll have to cancel. There is no other way. It would not be possible to catch the person who sent the message in a short time…’

However, what Do-wook was worried about was not the immediate cancellation of the performance.

After the first performance was cancelled, the availability of all performances could become unclear until the person who sent the message was caught.

‘Even if one terrorist threat actor is caught… there will be more than one person with this kind of thought… similar things may repeat themselves. If this incident becomes known, people may become anxious and not be able to visit the concert venue…’

If that happens, guerrilla performances in the United States may become impossible. This could lead to a situation where the program is canceled.

Soon Do-wook shook his head.

There was no way to find an answer even if I thought about things that didn’t happen.

First of all, the urgent priority was to cancel the performance that was scheduled to take place in twenty minutes.

“I think performing will be difficult. Because safety is more important. “Even if it’s a joke, if it becomes known that the performance was carried out after receiving such a message, it will become a problem.”

The members also nodded as they watched Dowook quickly organize his thoughts and speak.

It was closer to a confirmation process than an opinion because it was no different from an opinion that had already been decided.

“After canceling this performance… what happens to the next performance?”

Ahn Hyeong-seo asked with a face full of dejection.

Director Oh Baek-ho answered with a bitter expression.

“Shouldn’t we just cancel the performance today?”

“Ah……”

Team leader Lee Dae-hyung also said as if he was embarrassed.

“We will have a meeting soon, but I don’t know when we will be able to perform right now.”

Sighs flowed from the members’ mouths.

“If this fact becomes known… the fans… will also be worried…”

Park Tae-hyung said. It was clear that fans would become anxious if the truth became known.

Director Oh Baek-ho reported this to Director Kwon Heung-jo and Manager Joanie in Korea, and then quickly contacted the private security company he had connected with.

I understand that the fans are worried, but the direct targets of the threats were the KK members. I didn’t know that the performance wasn’t the problem, but that my goal should be to return safely to Korea.

Team leader Lee Dae-hyung comforted the members that it would be okay and went out of the van.

The purpose was to convey KK’s position to the production staff at the concert hall and discuss future events.

The atmosphere in front of Lincoln Center was already quite chaotic.

Seeing the police arriving after receiving a report, fans who knew nothing were wondering why so many police cars were there.

KK’s first guerrilla performance in New York was suddenly canceled due to terrorist threats.

***

[KK US activities on high alert! Was he threatened with terrorism?]

[K.K. reveals his devastation after failing to perform a guerrilla performance in New York…]

[Threatened by gun terrorism? KK fans are shocked]

[Deep-rooted racism… KK also suffered!]

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With the cancellation of the performance, articles poured in immediately not only in the United States but also in Korea.

This was because expectations for KK’s performance in New York were high even in Korea.

Director Seo Joong-won glanced at the headline of the entertainment article and a wry smile appeared on his face.

“They even help terrorists and make sure to raise issues.”

Director Seo Joong-won turned the pages with an expressionless face, as if he was no longer interested.

As I turned the page, a special article about Man to Man’s successful expansion into Japan appeared.

As KK left for New York to prepare for her American performance, the Korean music industry began to pour out songs by male idol groups targeting the period when KK was away.

If the activity period overlapped with KK, there was no chance for them to see any light, so there were quite a few idols who deliberately avoided that period.

However, even if it was first place on the same music show, it was not the same number one as KK.

While KK took first place in the first week with album sales of 500,000 copies and a digital conversion score of 130 points, other groups’ first place scores dropped to the 80s just by looking at the digital conversion score.

It was true that there was no one among male idol groups that could be compared to KK.

In Korea, where there is no KK, the only thing that could be compared to KK was Man to Man. Since they have been constantly compared since their debut, it was quite tiring for the Man to Man members and fans, but it is true that they have risen much higher than the level that was incomparable when Seo Kang-jun was there.

Man to Man was mentioned as a candidate for this year’s grand prize as it chose the forced march of carrying out activities in Korea and Japan simultaneously.

As Ara Entertainment has been performing well in Japan for a long time, Man to Man’s performance in Japan was also quite good, ranking first on the Oricon chart weekly.

But for the record, it didn’t make sense as long as KK was there. Nevertheless, since KK was not active in broadcasting, there was talk that Man to Man was a better fit for the target audience.

Of course, these were stories cleverly leaked by Ara Entertainment to promote Man-to-Man.

A small number of anti-fans who were uncomfortable with KK’s success story excitedly spread it around.