When I Opened My Eyes I Was a Superstar - Chapter 98
# 98
Issue Maker (4)
***
On the plane heading to John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.
Do-wook realized that 14 hours was indeed a long time. I have never been on such a long flight before in my life.
It was so hard to sit in the business seats, which are said to be comfortable on long-distance flights, but Do-wook was worried about how hard it would be for the staff sitting in the economy seats.
I took off my sleeping mask and checked the screen to see that there were still 5 more hours left to arrive.
‘I thought I slept quite a bit…’
Dowook took out a laptop from the bag under the seat.
Even before getting on the plane, Dowook was working hard on preparing KK’s 3rd album. Although the decision to go to New York was made suddenly, Dowook’s firm position was that there should be no disruption to KK’s schedule.
Before leaving for New York, I was fortunate to have figured out the overall framework and direction of the next album.
Taehyung Park’s ‘Double Quick’ music broadcast with Hyeonji was also in the process of being organized. Thanks to the power of the two fandoms, they swept first place on various music broadcasts and their music scores were also cruising within the top 10.
Taehyung Park also had an easy-going personality off stage, but on stage he showed a sexy and charismatic side and was attracting fans in their 20s on the Internet as a ‘reversed man’.
It was when Dowook put his earphones in his ears and opened the file he had prepared in advance. The bass of a song that would become the title track of their third album was coming out softly from the earphones.
“At least turn on the lights. “It would hurt my eyes.”
It was team leader Lee Dae-hyung who was going to the bathroom.
My companion on this trip to New York was Lee Dae-hyung, head of the fan-marketing team. The managers and stylists rode in economy class, while team leader Daehyung Lee and Wook Do took business class.
I wondered if Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung would accompany me, but it was a marketing-related job and it turned out that Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung had been an exchange student in the U.S. and was fluent in English.
“ah.”
Dowook nodded and turned on the reading light. Because it was a night flight, the entire interior of the plane was quiet and dark.
“Aren’t you going to sleep any more? It will be morning when we arrive. “Wouldn’t it be better to sleep more?”
Team leader Lee Dae-hyung asked in a whisper.
“I want to do that too, but I think I got enough sleep.”
“is it so? If so, I’m glad. Are you working on a song?”
“yes.”
Unlike Do-wook, who is still wary of team leader Dae-hyung Lee, team leader Dae-hyung Lee was making quite an effort to become close to Do-wook.
This was because it was obvious that Hit Entertainment’s current work revolves around Kwon Heung-jo, the production director, and Do-wook, among the celebrities affiliated with the production director.
“Take it easy.”
“yes. thank you.”
Team leader Lee Dae-hyung looked at Do-wook and then checked the economy class seats in the back.
In the economy class, there were not only Koo Cheol-min and other staff members, but also Dowook’s fans.
Do-wook and the staff had to suffer quite a bit because of the crowd of Do-wook fans who came before boarding the plane. There were many young fans who just followed along, and there were also fan page masters who brought professional cameras and pushed each other to get closer shots of Dowook.
Even Do-wook, who tried not to harden his expression, couldn’t help but frown a little as the so-called ‘photographers’ fan page masters were equipped with strobes and set off flashes.
Manager Koo Cheol-min warned the fans several times, but there were too many fans.
“Do-Wook!!!”
“Look here!”
“Kang Do-wook!”
“Ah! “Don’t push!”
“Take off your hat!!!”
“Huh, it looks like the hair color has changed under the hat?”
“hey! Get out! “Please don’t pick up the camera!”
“Have a nice trip to New York!”
Gu Cheol-min frowned as he left the noisy fans, then turned around and sighed. In the meantime, the number of fans increased and Do-wook left the country alone, so I was worried about what would happen when KK left the country in a group in the future.
I understood Japan and China, but I didn’t know how to go to the United States, and there were several fan page masters who booked the same flight.
Team leader Lee Dae-hyung was impressed as he stood in front of the gate to board. His tone of voice showed a bit of fatigue.
“It’s really amazing.”
“I heard that the Four Directions myth is even worse.”
Gu Cheol-min shook his head and answered. Lee Dae-hyung thought for a moment about what Gu Cheol-min said and compared the two. Team leader Lee Dae-hyung once accompanied Sabang Shinhwa’s American schedule, which was becoming very popular. It was a similar situation.
“well. “It seems similar.”
“Oh… Is that so?”
“yes. It really seems like its popularity is increasing day by day.”
Hit Entertainment’s policy of being friendlier and more proactive toward fans than Ara Entertainment was one of the reasons why many ‘producer’ fans like Fan Page Master emerged.
Using fans to promote their singers was one of the know-hows Hit Entertainment learned while raising monsters.
Large entertainment companies such as Ara Entertainment had many opportunities to promote their work through broadcasts without requiring fans to take pictures and upload them to communities or promote them themselves.
And even if it wasn’t mysticism, I wanted to create some distance between celebrities and fans. In fact, it was a policy that worked in the 90s or early 00s.
But now fans wanted two-way communication. Hit Entertainment was taking advantage of those fans to attract other fans.
Of course, there were times when we had to face difficulties due to the increased number of fans on site, but the positive effect was still greater.
“After coming here, I felt like they were really good at fan-marketing. here.”
Gu Cheol-min nodded at Team Leader Lee Dae-hyung’s words. After joining the company, Koo Cheol-min also learned a lot by watching Director Oh Baek-ho and the company’s working-level staff.
Dowook’s trip to New York began with Lucas’ invitation.
Lucas’ brand, ‘Kiss Lucas’, will be holding a show at this New York Fashion Week.
Speaking of New York Fashion Week, it was one of the four major fashion weeks in the world along with London, Milan, and Paris.
New York Fashion Week was a hugely influential event in the fashion world held in central New York.
The reason why Lucas targeted New York in particular and participated in it was because of the color of New York Fashion Week.
Like the characteristics of the city of New York, the New York fashion world was also a place that pursued more urban, sophisticated and practical fashion than other places. That image and Lucas’ fashion world fit well together.
During Fashion Week, many fashion people walked the streets showing off themselves, and celebrities who would nod their heads when they heard their names also attended and graced the event.
The appeal of Fashion Week was that it was not limited to just inside the fashion show venue, but that you could easily see and enjoy the gorgeous fashions of fashion people even on the streets.
Reporters and photographers from various fashion-related magazines also flocked to New York and devoted themselves to taking photos of fashion people’s fashions and writing articles about them.
It was natural to be amazed to hear that Lucas was participating in such a great event.
As he held his first fashion show in New York, Lucas recalled his first runway in Korea. Lucas personally thought it was more meaningful because Dowook participated.
At the time, Dowook’s popularity was lower than it is now, but that didn’t matter to Lucas.
What Lucas saw was an image and an aura. Dowook had those things.
Therefore, the message that Lucas delivered was that even if he could not make Do-wook a model at the New York fashion show, he would like Do-wook to come to this meaningful event.
It was a very good suggestion for Do-wook.
The Korean fashion world was already enthusiastic about Korean designers entering New York Fashion Week. People who already liked Lucas’ brand were now completely praising Lucas.
Meanwhile, it was clear that if Dowook participated in New York Fashion Week, all fashion magazines would be plastered with Lucas and Dowook.
It was clear that Do-wook’s image as a fashionista, which he had built up as an advertising model for ‘7days’, would also become more prominent.
Therefore, both the company and Dowook willingly accepted Lucas’ invitation. As expected, the good relationships I had formed were of great help.
‘Lucas’s brand is growing really fast with the help of Yoosung Fashion…’
Do-wook thought after hearing the news.
It was a fashion world where personal connections were important. Entering New York would have been delayed or more difficult without the power of Yoosung Fashion.
But at the same time, the fashion world is also a place where connections alone are not enough. Lucas’ outstanding talent was fully demonstrated thanks to the power of Meteor Fashion.
In fact, there was news that Yumin Lee, CEO of Yoosung Fashion, would also personally participate in New York Fashion Week to learn about trends in the fashion industry. It was natural for most people in the fashion industry in Korea to set foot in New York during this period.
Dowook thought it would be good to gain a little more besides being recognized as a fashionista in the Korean fashion industry.
‘Just a little more… If you get a chance, you have to take it.’
***
After arriving at John F. Kennedy Airport, Dowook and the staff headed back to the hotel, exhausted from the long flight.
It was around lunch time when we arrived in the United States.
The plan was to rest well at the hotel until today and then attend Lucas’ show tomorrow.
I will be attending Lucas’ show tomorrow, but it was also important to get noticed by street fashion photographers.
It wasn’t a big desire, but the company also had the idea of giving a little more meaning to this visit to New York.
Team leader Lee Dae-hyung strongly agrees, and the stylist team hastily recruited someone who is strong in street fashion and has also worked in the New York fashion industry, rather than the team that originally styled KK’s stage costumes.
Dowook arrived at the hotel lobby and took off the dark gray beanie he was wearing.
After getting off the plane, there were a couple of fans who followed him to the hotel, so Dowook was putting his hat back on.
“and. “It really looks different.”
Gu Cheol-min said as he pressed the elevator button to go up to the room.
Dowook’s hair color was dyed light pink. I had dyed my hair to light brown while working, but this bleached hair was quite unconventional.
I wondered if it would suit her well, but she did a great job with the pink hair.
In addition, his facial expression seemed softer and lighter, perhaps because his hair and eyebrows had become lighter.
“I’m still awkward. “I don’t know if it suits me well…”
Dowook looked at his reflection in the elevator mirror and said as if he was embarrassed. Stylist Han Jeong-ah, who was next to her, waved her hand and praised her.
“Ah, it’s the color I recommended, but it suits you well, so don’t worry!”
“haha. “Then I’m glad.”
Dowook had already changed his clothes again from head to toe on the plane.
Excessive accessories, which were not often tried in Korea, were hanging here and there on Dowook’s clothes, but they matched well without looking unbalanced at all.
If I had the chance, my ability to digest fashion was so great that I wanted to style it not only during this Fashion Week but continuously.
“then. “Go in and rest.”
“You should get some rest! “It might be difficult tomorrow.”
“yes.”
After saying hello to Koo Cheol-min and other staff members, it was time for Do-wook to take his room key and head to his room.
A woman ran out from next to Do-wook’s room. The woman carrying a pile of clothes had black hair. The woman who was running out soon dropped a hat among the pile of clothes.
Dowook picked up his hat and called the woman.
“excuse me.”