[Comeback Postponed, KK Activities Red Light!]
[KK Comeback Expected Early July…due to Member Health Issue]
[“We’ll See You, In Good Health, After A Bit More Rest!” Health Issue, KK Comeback Delayed]
[Whose Comeback Will Be Next? Anticipated Singers!]
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-Hyung Seo, be healthy, don’t be sick!
-Be healthy, Hyung Seo! 22222
-Be healthy, Hyung Seo! I’ll wait for you…33333*
(TL Note: The 22222 333333 is like saying “me too” “me three”)
-I cried during study hall because I was worried about Hyung Seo…ㅠㅠ
-They dare bother my precious Hyung Seo!! The universe is scary!! Hyung Seo’s honey-like voice is life!!
– ((((Hyung Seo’s Honey-Like Voice)))))
-I hope you’ll get plenty of rest and come back to us healthy ㅠㅠ
-I couldn’t even sleep all night because I was worried about Hyung Seo. ㅠㅠ This is seriously driving me crazy. You’re ok, right, Hyung Seo???
-It’s definitely worrisome for Hyung Seo fans…Even I’m worried ㅠㅠ;;
-We’ll lend all our tissues to Hyung Seo fans. -Do Wook’s Rolled Tissues-
-Please, don’t overdo it and get plenty of rest first! We’ll wait…
-Maybe his vocal cords got damaged because he drank a lot of cola LOL
-Are you a psychopath? You’re laughing?
-Are you a snowflake? You’re picking a fight LOL
-I wanted to listen to KK songs T.T There’s no songs to listen to these days ~~!
-Hello ^^ I’m a M2M fan passing by! Please listen to M2M’s Call Me! It’s really good! I’ll vouch for it~
-If it’s a fan vouching for it, who would believe it haha
-Call Me is actually good…I can’t wait to hear KK songs too,,
-Nobody is waiting for KK’s comeback LOL It’s only stans that are waiting LOL…
-Everyone except you ^^
-Sir! I don’t think there’s anyone here waiting for you. ^-^*
-I’m so looking forward to KK’s new song. I listened to Call You the Love that they sang recently with LIL so many times that the music file wore out
-It wore out LOL
-I’m really looking forward to it, too. ♡ Get well soon, Hyung Seo!
-They were working like a dog, it’s time for them to rest
-Upgrade to a cultivator~ Please!
-LOLOL crazy LOLOL What’s a cultivator LOLOL
-Grandpa…please go to sleep…
-KK, fighting T.T! Don’t forget that you always have Key Ring behind you cheering you on!
They would have been fine pushing back the comeback for one month to late June, but the reason they pushed it back to July was because of the quarter. During Award Ceremony season, awards are awarded by quarter.
The end of June would make the album sales count towards the second quarter, so it was better to aim for the third quarter.
HIT Entertainment revealed the reason for delaying KK’s comeback schedule without adding anything to or subtracting from the facts.
An article immediately went out saying that Ahn Hyung Seo had a throat problem and the members in general were not in good shape because of the continuous activities, so they would do the comeback after they recovered.
It was unwelcome news for those waiting for KK’s album, but since it was a health issue there was nobody saying to push themselves and proceed with the comeback.
The reactions from fans were as they expected. There were fans who were worried about Ahn Hyung Seo, who had practiced so hard that he had signs of vocal cord nodules, and about the other members’ health as well. There were no fans blaming Ahn Hyung Seo.
Rather, KK fans’ unity was at its peak over concerns for the members.
There were also a considerable number of people preparing to do a group order of the album as they waited for the comeback. Additionally, they were raising money to do something special at the comeback for KK, who had gone through so much.
They felt bad for making the fans worry, but to maintain their fanbase, it was definitely better than simply announcing that the comeback events were postponed or proceeding with plans without making any announcements.
Production Director Kwon Heung Jo often said i meetings to take this period as an opportunity.
Additionally, the employees, who had also worked tirelessly alongside KK, tried to gain a new foothold.
To prevent fans from leaving during the long hiatus, Fan Marketing Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung was planning a reality program that was run by the company.
It involved the members playing games in the dormitory, as well as behind-the-scenes footage. He was in the process of coordinating with the video team to produce 5 episodes, 10 minutes long each.
The external filming crew, who had been preparing for the concept photo and music video, were also preparing for new shoots they hadn’t been able to get to because of the extremely tight schedule.
The scale of the overall visual concept for the next album became significantly bigger.
Not to mention the extremely difficult title song choreography that even the KK members, who now only needed 3-4 days to get used to most choreography, were having a hard time with. They were able to work on that problematic choreography more.
It wasn’t a tight schedule, so they could prepare little by little and master the choreography more.
However, it kept bothering them that the only song KK had released was ‘Call you the love’.
In this day and age, music charts dominate and shake the music market more and more. You have to have your name on the music chart consistently so that the public won’t forget you.
KK’s full-length album getting delayed meant OKAY’s unit album and Do Wook’s solo album that were to follow would, in turn, be pushed back too.
“The name of the company was…Hwa En Su, I think…”
Thinking of other ways to fill the void, Do Wook searched the name of the production company on his cellphone.
When he searched Hwa En Su, he found the production company information. Looking at the dramas they had produced, Do Wook nodded his head.
‘This is the right place.’
Do Wook sent a text to Album Production Team Leader Shim Jun.
[Sir, do you by any chance know anyone from the drama production company Hwa En Su?]
***
A few days later, Do Wook had a slightly late lunch with Manager Oh Baek Ho and Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung.
Manager Oh Baek Ho had arranged it. It was a Korean restaurant close to the office that specialized in bibimbap. It was 2pm on a weekday, but the restaurant was so quiet that there was no lunch rush.
Of the fifty or so tables there, there were only three or four tables with people eating.
The three of them sat in a sunny window seat and ordered three bowls of bibimbap.
After drinking water, Manager Oh Baek Ho and Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung began the conversation by talking about the baseball game that was on yesterday’s news.
“I can’t believe 17:3. I don’t think there’s been such a big score difference in any games I’ve watched recently.”
“I don’t really watch baseball, but it was posted all over the internet so I saw it too. It’d be hard to get that kind of score difference again, wouldn’t it?”
“Of course, of course. Absolutely. Wow, seriously. I’m so glad that it’s not the team I’m rooting for.”
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung shook his head as he clicked his tongue.
Do Wook quietly shook his head, thinking that in the near future there would be a game with a bigger margin of 23:1.
‘Not to mention that the team with the 1 point is the team Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung supports…that game…’
The bibimbap came out just as they were talking about something trivial.
Their discussion began in earnest as they ate.
Team leader Lee Dae Hyung naturally brought up the day he met with Director Seo Joong Won.
When he was contacted by Director Seo Joong Won, he thought, ‘Is he going to try to scout me?’ but when he got there he was surprised that he really tried to scout him.
“Ara Entertainment is Number 1 in the industry so their confidence is unmatched, and…honestly, they have a lot of manpower too. So it’s really uncommon to scout back someone who had left for another company. It’s surprising.”
Honestly, the fact that he even went to the meeting alone meant he might leave HIT Entertainment. However, Do Wook didn’t see it as a bad thing. When he came to HIT Entertainment from Ara Entertainment, he came because he was scouted too.
What company Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung chose was his personal matter. There was nothing to discuss about that.
“Yeah. You really are a coveted talent.”
“No, I’m not. I’m not trying to brag about myself. I’m saying that’s how much Ara is paying attention to KK more than ever. They’ve never lost the top male idol group spot to anyone before.“
However, it was a different matter if they were trying to get inside information about HIT Entertainment.
That’s why, since he had chosen HIT Entertainment, Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung gave Manager Oh Baek Ho every detail to preemptively stop any misunderstandings. He also reported it to Department Head Jo Anna.
“He pretended to praise me while subtly asking about KK.”
“What kind of…”
“Well, what strategy did you come up with; having seen them both up close, do you like working with KK more than with M2M; things like that. It wasn’t even subtle. It was forthright.”
“He probably has nothing to hide. That’s what taking you would mean.”
“Haha, that’s true. Director Seo actually knew that I wanted to be an executive in the company. Ara is a huge company so there are complicated tangled interests. I had come to the conclusion that it’d be hard for me to get the position I wanted, so I left the company. I had told Do Wook this before…”
Do Wook nodded his head. Do Wook was able to trust Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung because he had spoken his mind candidly.
That was the case this time too.
“Director Seo promised to make me a Department Head within 3 years.”
Manager Oh Baek Ho’s eyes widened, a little surprised. A Department Head position in Ara Entertainment was a spot for a key figure.
“What was the condition?”
Manager Oh Baek Ho asked.
“For M2M to beat KK within the next year. I wouldn’t have to worry about investment or support either.”
“Ah…”
Do Wook was surprised that it was a bigger offer than he expected. For Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung, it was an offer he couldn’t help but to want to accept.
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung would be able to attempt everything he wanted to with a lot of authority through M2M.
Of course, if M2M wasn’t able to beat KK within the next year, Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung would not get the Department Head position. That was all. Realistically, there was nothing for Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung to lose.
“But,”
Laughing a little, Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung said why he had turned down Director Seo Joong Won’s offer.
“Despite idols being called ‘manufactured’ singers…realistically, they do rise to the top spot like that and succeed, but. The singer putting in their own effort is essential. Looking at M2M now, I don’t think I’ll have to worry about that, but…”
Manager Oh Baek Ho nodded his head, saying he understood. Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung continued,
“But you can’t beat a ‘self-made’ singer. A successful singer at that. That’s what KK is doing. KK even accepted the company as a group member and a part of their ‘self’. A place where the singer and company are divided can never beat that.”
That was the relationship between HIT Entertainment and KK that Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung had felt until now. Everyone moved towards the top as one body.
On top of that, the KK members, especially Do Wook, had incredible talent. Everything was perfect. Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung didn’t have the confidence to create a better group to compete with KK.
“I wanted to become one with KK like this. I determined that that would be better for my future. Even more than a Department Head at Ara, being in charge of KK’s marketing will become a better qualification.”
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung was certain. That a bigger world was calling him.
Do Wook and Manager Oh Baek Ho were rather touched by the strong will and conviction. It was a huge evaluation of KK.
‘He’s going to make it big.’
Running alongside KK, spreading his wings to the fullest and not looking anywhere else, Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung’s ability was being shown in a much more positive direction than when he was at Ara Entertainment, where he had walked a tightrope in various ways.
“Director Seo Joong Won probably thought that I’d accept his offer for sure. He probably thought that an overly ambitious guy like me would never turn down a Department Head position with a top agency. But I declined it…”
“Won’t there be some repercussions for you?”
When Do Wook asked, Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung shook his head.
“Well, it’s true I got on his bad side, but what can he do? I’m not an Ara Entertainment employee. More crucial than that…he asked if I knew Reporter Choi Sung Joon.”
“Do you mean Reporter Choi Sung Joon?”
Manager Oh Baek Ho asked back.
“Yes. He’s the one that published the interview with Do Wook in a negative way, right? So I told him that something like that did happen and there was an apology. He said, ‘I thought they were close, but I guess not.’ He said he also was a victim of the reporter with what happened to Seo Kang Jun.”
Do Wook’s hunch was right. Director Seo Joong Won seemed to have found out that Reporter Choi Sung Joon was behind Seo Kang Jun’s incident.
And, somehow, he was suspecting there was a relationship between Reporter Choi Sung Joon and HIT Entertainment.
“Could there be…something I’m not aware of?”
Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung asked. Manager Oh Baek Ho and Do Wook gave each other a glance.
—
Next chapter: Do Wook and Manager Oh Baek Ho have a serious discussion with Team Leader Lee Dae Hyung.