Prince From Another Dimension Becomes An Idol [EN]: Chapter 227

Teary-eyed, Joo Yuri finished her acceptance speech and left the stage.

Even though it wasn’t Joo Yuri’s first time winning a grand prize, she was just as moved as ever.

Being recognized as ‘the best’.

The effort put into making the album, the unexpected difficulties, the fear when releasing it to the world…

All those hardships and tears were washed away, leaving only the excitement of standing on stage and the joy of being loved.

Of course, even receiving a small award, or just having a song reach number one, was enough to bring such joy.

However, receiving a bigger award meant that the size of that joy also increased.

Joo Yuri returned to her seat, holding the ‘Best Song of the Year’ trophy in her hand.

“Congratulations, Noona [term of endearment for an older sister or female friend]!”

“Really, congratulations!”

The MOST members sent their heartfelt congratulations and envious glances.

Immediately, the ‘Best Album of the Year’ award ceremony followed.

The presenter was actress Kim Hee-jung, who had won the grand prize at the Drama Awards the previous year.

Her presence alone gave off a different kind of aura.

For a moment, the members were engrossed in Kim Hee-jung’s elegant voice, even forgetting that they were also nominees.

“…I’m really curious to see who the winner will be. I’m sure you’re all even more curious, so I’ll announce it quickly.”

While Kim Hee-jung was taking out the list from the envelope, the audience was shouting the names of their favorite singers.

“MOST!!!”

“HOH!!! HOH!!!”

“MOST!!!!!”

“REGINA!”

The camera once again showed the tense faces of MOST, HOH, and REGINA.

Without delay, Kim Hee-jung announced the winner of the ‘Best Album of the Year’.

“Congratulations. HOH!”

“Kyaaaa!”

“Waaaa!”

“HOH!!!”

“HOH!!!”

There were no surprises.

The singers in the audience stood up once again and offered their congratulations.

The MOST members nodded as if they knew this would happen and applauded.

The HOH members bowed their heads and went on stage with joyful faces.

‘Perhaps the Singer of the Year award will also go to HOH seniors, just like last year,’ Do-jae thought, watching HOH give their acceptance speech with joyful faces.

This year, MOST had really achieved good results.

Song, Singer, Album.

They had achieved enough success to be nominated in all three categories.

So, it would be a lie to say that he didn’t want at least one grand prize, but it was okay.

‘This isn’t the end.’

They just had to keep moving forward.

It was good to have a goal.

He just hoped that the fans wouldn’t be too disappointed.

Do-jae sat back down and glanced at the fan seats in the back.

The fans must have been expecting as much as the MOST members.

Just before the announcement of the Best Song of the Year, when the presenter gestured as if calling MOST, a deafening shout erupted from the fan seats.

‘They must have voted hard too…….’

If the members were greedy for the grand prize, one of the reasons was the fans.

Having grown with the love of the fans, they wanted to have a title that would make the fans even more proud.

Grand Prize Winner MOST.

Sometimes, the fans seemed to want it even more desperately than the MOST members, so the members wanted to give the fans the grand prize as soon as possible.

‘Let’s try harder next year.’

Do-jae organized his thoughts, feeling various emotions.

In the end, there was nothing Do-jae could do but work harder.

On the stage, HOH’s acceptance speech was in full swing.

The Album of the Year award was an award that couldn’t be won without fans, so HOH expressed a lot of gratitude to them.

After HOH’s acceptance speech ended, the last commercial break followed.

During that time, HOH was busy preparing for their stage.

It was the last stage of the day, the ‘ending’.

When the commercial ended, the darkened stage gradually lit up, and a deep voice flowed from the speakers.

―Here, the king is coming! HOH!

At the same time, the third-floor audience stirred and shouted “HOH!” in unison.

A large screen rose above the stage, and the silhouettes of the HOH members were revealed.

“Kyaa-!”

“HOH!!!”

To the powerful beat, the shadows of the HOH members (pre-recorded video) began to dance.

The beat was a remix version of the song that was very popular last year.

Then, with a sound effect as if something was exploding, fireworks burst on the stage, and the real HOH members appeared.

It was the main dancer.

He powerfully stretched his arms and legs and took control of the stage.

A strong energy was felt in his tightly clenched teeth as he danced with all his might.

As the HOH members appeared one by one after that, the cheers from the audience grew louder and louder.

To the intro sound, the HOH members moved quickly.

It wasn’t a stage with the same precision as MOST, but it was a stage with its own seasoned feel.

The expressions they made when the camera was on them, the gestures towards the fans, and the way they expressed the song were all relaxed.

‘As expected…….’

Do-jae thought, ‘As expected.’

There was a reason why they had been holding the top group position for several years.

The MOST members watched HOH’s stage with unwavering intensity.

‘They were already an excellent group, but… the stage seems even better than last year.’

It seemed like a group that was still, and always, evolving.

And Do-jae’s thoughts were accurate.

HOH’s stage was bound to be better than last year.

In fact, the HOH members had been in a terrible slump since around last year.

They no longer had anything they wanted to achieve.

They didn’t need to grit their teeth like before their debut, or try as hard as they did right after their debut.

Even if they did it roughly, half-heartedly, they would still get the grand prize at the end of the year.

Nevertheless, their bodies and minds were only getting more tired.

Because there were still many things to give up for the job of being an ‘idol’.

Things they had willingly given up for their dreams had become ‘Why do I have to give this up?’ around that time.

Among some fans, there were even comments saying that they weren’t the same as before, that there was no soul in their eyes, and that they should just rest if they were going to be like that.

It was true, without any reason to be upset.

But the fact that they could maintain the top spot even if they did that was a sweet poison.

At last year’s awards ceremony, even while watching MOST’s stage, the HOH members said things like that.

“They’re really working hard.”

“They’re working hard and doing well.”

“They’re going to do even better, aren’t they?”

Some of the members felt a sense of urgency that they might be caught up with, but other members just thought, ‘Did we have times like that too?’

Even if some of the members tried to have a little enthusiasm again, the others didn’t follow.

After being idols for a long time, there were times when they wanted to run away, but there was also a desire to just get off from a certain position as they were.

Then MOST’s [Song Title] came out.

MOST was growing explosively, and it was at the point when the thought that HOH might no longer be the most popular idol group among several idol fandoms was spreading.

At that time, the HOH members happened to see a stage called the ‘Tongyeong Battle’ among MOST fans.

Regardless of the slightly poor sound, lighting, or any restrictions, they were truly enjoying the stage while facing the sea breeze….

The MOST members were shining without resting for even a second.

There must have been a time when they were like that too.

They must have been the happiest and most joyful on stage.

Even if they wanted to quit everything now, they would get angry if someone told them to really quit.

The HOH members were properly stimulated.

Even if we go down, let’s not be a laughing stock.

Let’s not see the end while being ridiculed for having dead fish eyes.

That determination was a major reason why the quality of HOH’s album that came out this year could be raised.

And today.

While watching MOST’s [Song Title] stage, the HOH members thought the same as the other singers.

Let’s do a great stage too.

―Take my hand and walk along the rough road! Hey you know me!

―If you give me you, I’ll give you the world!

HOH’s main vocalist showed off his skills and belted out a high note.

Dozens of dancers appeared and filled the stage, and spectacular stage effects burst here and there.

It was a stage where you could feel the capital of New Entertainment [Likely the name of the entertainment company].

“Wow, that’s cool.”

Pure admiration burst from Woo-cheol’s mouth as he watched the stage.

The members sitting next to him all agreed.

“Fantastic!”

Louie’s cheering at the dancers showing off acrobatic dances was caught on camera.

The members had forgotten all their disappointment about the Song of the Year and Album of the Year awards.

In the hot atmosphere like the fireworks popping on the stage, the last stage of N TV FESTA also came to an end.

“Waaaaaaa!”

“Aaaaaaack!!!”

It was a stage that left a long lingering impression, befitting the tremendous cheers.

And it was the real last order of today’s awards ceremony.

“Now, there’s only one left. The Best Singer of the Year award.”

“This year’s nominees are really strong. I wonder who the winner will be…. I’m already nervous.”

“How about the nominees?”

On the stage.

The presenters, consisting of men and women, exchanged obvious conversations.

During that time, the nominees looked up at the presenters with tense expressions once again.

A strange tension was also flowing in the fan seats.

When the nominee introduction video was played, voices shouting for each singer finally erupted from the fan seats.

The people shouting HOH and MOST as if they were worried that they would taste blood in their throats raised their voices competitively.

“Huh?”

At that time, something flashed in Do-jae’s eyes, who was clenching his fists tightly with tension.

It was the moment when Do-jae was surprised and widened his eyes.

“The Best Singer of the Year is! MOST!”

“They have been loved a lot this year by successively succeeding with [Song Title], etc. Congratulations.”

Along with the presenter’s comment, a huge resonance occurred in the concert hall.

So, as if their eardrums were blown out, the members couldn’t hear any sound for a moment.

It felt like they had fallen into a vacuum.

“…….”

“…….”

Without making any sound.

Only the members’ time seemed to have stopped.

“MOST!!!”

Someone shouted the group name, and the surrounding singers gave their congratulations with smiling faces.

Among them were Joo Yuri and the HOH members.

Choi Lina of Boost shouted loudly, “Congratulations!” with an almost tearful face.

Only after Infinite Boys’ Seong-chan lightly hit Louie’s arm did Louie get up from his seat.

Starting with Louie, the members with dazed faces got up from their seats one by one.

“Do-jae!”

Heung-min called Do-jae, who wasn’t getting up until the end.

Do-jae blankly got up from his seat.

“Kyaaaaa!”

“Aaaaaaack!!!”

“MOST!!!”

“Kang Do-jae!!!!!!”

Only then did all sorts of sounds pour into Do-jae’s ears.

The Best Singer of the Year.

It was the grand prize.