When I Opened My Eyes I Was a Superstar - Chapter 22
# 22
The Rising Sun (2)
#The Rising Sun (2)
***
The main broadcast of Life Song was broadcast live.
The members, who had stopped by the shop early in the morning to get their hair done and received outfits from the stylist team made up of Lucas and Lucas’ assistants, and had completed two rehearsals, were in a state of slight panic.
Of course, the rehearsal went great. Everyone who saw KK’s performance, from the PD of Life’s Song to the staff in charge of setting up the stage, foresaw the birth of a ‘monster rookie’.
Nevertheless, there was no other reason why the members were in a state of panic. It was because I was so nervous.
Dowook was not much different. No matter how mentally he was over 30, and even if he had already lived on this date, this was Kang Do-wook’s first time in life. Standing on stage.
“How about deciding on a slogan?”
Even though he was a rookie who was attracting attention, he was still a rookie. KK was sharing a waiting room with an unknown band and another new female idol group.
Because it was blocked off with a simple partition, the six members and the company staff had to use the cramped space. Thanks to this, everyone listened and listened to Do-wook’s opinions in a low voice.
“Aid?”
Jeong Yoon-ki, who had established himself as the leader, asked again.
The slogan shouted as a sign of fighting before going on stage was determined depending on the characteristics of the group. Not all teams had slogans from the beginning. An idol group chanted a unique slogan loudly on the airwaves, and along with the group, the slogan became famous and became an identity that showed the team’s colors.
It was also good to leave the group name in the minds of the broadcasting staff by shouting slogans before broadcasting. It was an idea that Do-wook came up with while thinking of a way to relieve the tension.
“Good, good!”
Ahn Hyeong-seo was excited and encouraged them to express their opinions about deciding on a slogan. Ahn Hyeong-seo even encouraged Lucas, who was organizing his costumes, with an idea.
In the end, the slogan was decided to be one of Kim Won’s ideas.
***
The live broadcast has begun. KK’s performance was towards the end of the broadcast. The tension was at its peak.
At the staff’s name, the members followed Oh Baek-ho into the hallway leading to the stage. While the members were leaving their bodies to the staff and checking microphones, etc., a new female idol group that had just finished performing a little while ago was coming out wearing identical stage costumes.
“wow.”
Kim Won, who had let out a small exclamation when he saw the pretty female member, gasped and closed his mouth at Oh Baek-ho’s scary spirit.
The KK members were wearing free-spirited hip-hop style outfits. Although the clothes used existing luxury goods, they were reinterpreted with Lucas’s styling and looked new.
“Just do it like you did during rehearsal, guys.”
Just before going on stage with Oh Baek-ho’s words, six people put their hands together and shouted.
“Ai kay u kay! Let’s go, K-K!”
The steps of the six people running to the stage were more powerful than ever.
And the six people on stage couldn’t help but open their mouths and be amazed. At KK’s appearance, a huge roar rang in the eardrums.
It was on a different level than when I saw the reaction on the Internet. The members almost lost their minds when they realized that there was a real audience waiting for their performance.
Amid the pouring cheers and lights, the prelude to ‘Sorry but I Love You’ began to play. As the quiet melody of the sonata cut through the stage, a certain sense of wonder permeated me. The song began in earnest with Jung Yoon-ki’s rap, matching the beat with the words ‘One Two Three’.
It was a stage that lacked nothing. Everyone did their best.
At the part where Ahn Hyung-seo screamed high notes, Ahn Hyung-seo could feel the eyes and ears of the audience gathering towards him.
And when it came to Dowook’s part, the audience was already singing along to ‘Sorry but I Love You’, which they had heard on the audio track.
‘ah……!’
At that moment, a shiver came over Dowook. Dowook could barely hold back tears. Sometimes I still thought that this moment might be a very long dream. I felt like it would be okay even if it was a dream. It was a good dream.
A dream that seemed like it would never come true is coming true. Instead of shedding tears, Dowook sang harder.
successful. It was a debut performance that could only be described as successful.
Oh Baek-ho was monitoring from below the stage. I looked at the real-time reaction on the internet live broadcast page. It was full of praise. I was able to see Do-wook’s heated reaction every time he was caught on screen.
Oh Baek-ho checked the article on the portal site. Even though the performance wasn’t over yet, there was already an internet article based on the distributed article material. The response from the comments was also very good.
Lastly, I checked the music site one more time.
’15th place?’
The effects of the broadcast were not yet in effect. Starting at midnight, it rose to 15th place entirely due to the music video promotional effect and the power of the song alone.
Oh Baek-ho saw the KK members coming down from the stage, feeling the unusual energy of the music charts. All members who did their best were covered in sweat.
“great job. Good job. “Let’s quickly go into the waiting room.”
“thank you.”
“thank you!”
It was that time when the members entered the waiting room, receiving encouragement from Oh Baek-ho and saying thank you to the staff as they had learned.
Dowook’s steps stopped. The members of Man to Man and Seo Kang-jun, who were preparing for the final stage, were in front of Do-wook.
Seo Kang-jun.
While debuting as Man to Man, Seo Kang-Jun was using the stage name ‘Seo-Jun’. Even before, when he debuted as an actor, he used his real name Seo Kang-Jun. Because of this, the name Seo Kang-jun later became more familiar to the public.
While preparing for my debut, I thought that we would meet someday, and I was able to predict our current meeting just by reading the comments of the MCs of Life Song last week.
Do-wook and Seo Kang-jun’s eyes met under the dark stage.
‘here. This is how we meet.’
The audience was erupting in cheers that were on a different level than when KK was standing, just with the anticipation that Man-to-Man would appear next.
Although KK was only around for a couple of months, he was Mantoman’s junior in the music industry. Even considering the year, it was as if it came out a year later.
“hello. thank you!”
Just as they greeted other staff members and senior singers, the KK members passed by bowing their heads towards the Man to Man members and staff.
Dowook also bowed his head.
‘For now, we just pass by this, but we will encounter it often in the future.’
I was anxious to do something to Seo Kang-Jun right away. He was no longer the ‘Kim Bo-myeong’ who used to sit on the bathroom floor and cry.
‘You have to bide your time.’
Dowook walked quickly with his fists clenched.
Man to Man was a typical group focused on mysticism. Each member moved within an absolutely determined concept.
It was a group that brought together the planning power of a large entertainment company called Ara Entertainment, and it would not be an exaggeration to call it a culmination of the ideals that idol fans wanted. Thanks to this, Man to Man was a rookie, but their fandom was growing to the point where it was embarrassing to call them rookies.
Seo Kang-Jun, who was at the center of it all, had the image of an untouchable celebrity with a cool, urbane appearance that made him even more unrealistic.
Because he was wrapped up in a mystical concept and even using a stage name, personal information about Seo Kang-jun, such as his school and family details, had not yet been spread.
However, since there were students who went to the same school, it was only a matter of time before it became known.
‘If we find out Seo Kang-joon’s school, it will be easier to find Kim Bo-myeong in this world even if his memory is torn.’
Do-wook felt his heart tremble as he thought about this. At the same time, I felt afraid.
‘Previously, Seo Kang-joon was embroiled in controversy over school violence. Because I wasn’t the only victim… But it was easily covered up. The power of Seo Kang-Jun’s father, the power of the agency, and the people who don’t believe it will happen because they already like Seo Kang-Jun…’
The author who posted the article on the Internet almost ended up being sued for false accusation and defamation. At that time, Dowook could not help but feel helpless once again.
Do-wook also had to have strength to never feel that helpless again. I was going to do it even if it took time.
And to some extent, I was thinking of letting Seo Kang-Jun rise to a higher place.
‘That way you can be punished more properly.’
As the KK members entered the waiting room, Seo Kang-jun, who was looking at Do-wook in the back, frowned and cursed softly.
“What is that bastard…?”
“Why are you doing this, Jun!”
The manager standing next to Seo Kang-jun asked in surprise. The manager was anxious every day, trying to stop Seo Kang-jun from joining.
Because there were special instructions from Director Seo, Man to Man’s manager was managing Seo Kang-jun almost exclusively.
“no. “There’s a guy with unpleasant eyes.”
“Si… Never mind! “I have to get on stage quickly!”
It was just the right time to go on stage. The manager pushed Seo Kang-jun’s back with an urgent hand.
***
“Ahh, this is awesome!”
At any other time, Jeong Yoon-gi would have told Ahn Hyeong-seo to be a little quieter in response to his loud shouting, but he was also in a good mood.
The corners of the members’ mouths didn’t even think about lowering.
The members who arrived at the office were congratulated by members of the new development team and album production team who came out to celebrate KK’s debut even though it was Sunday. Producer Yong Soo-cheol also attended.
The people gathered in one place first watched today’s broadcast together.
“Wow I’ve seen him before!”
Kim Won shouted when the camera showed a fan holding a banner cheering for KK’s performance. It was because he was a fan who had seen him in front of the agency. Ahn Hyeong-seo shrugged his shoulders and looked proud, saying that he was his fan.
After watching the performance, I was nervous, so I took time to point out my shortcomings, such as what was awkward, but that was only for a moment, and for now, I focused on sharing the joy of the day.
Everyone felt rewarded for their hard work as they cut and shared a simple cake they had bought from a bakery.
“Bro bro! Now real-time rankings!”
At Ahn Hyeong-seo’s urging, Director Oh took out his cell phone from his pocket. It was past midnight and it was time for the chart rankings to change.
“…!”
“What is it, what rank is it?”
“I know. “What rank are you on?”
Even Ahn Young-mi of the rookie development team urged Oh Baek-ho to answer.