A New Career Singer Who Can Read The Future [EN]: Chapter 166

Dohyun’s performance was scheduled for 6 PM, but fans who had entered early for the sound check were already waiting inside.

Dohyun finished his 30-minute sound check around 3 PM and went backstage to prepare for the press conference. With the press conference scheduled for 4 PM and expected to last about an hour, it was a tight schedule.

“Did you collect the questions from the press corps in advance?” Dohyun asked the PR team leader, who confirmed they had. To be safe, Dohyun read through the compiled list of expected questions one more time, committing them to memory.

“Ah, could I also see the list of the Korean press corps?”

“Huh? Why?”

Dohyun explained to the PR team leader that he wanted to see if he recognized any reporters. Huent’s policy was to discourage its artists from forming close relationships with reporters.

They taught their artists to maintain a professional distance, emphasizing the potential risks of close celebrity-reporter friendships. However, Dohyun’s request surprised the PR team leader.

“You know some reporters, Dohyun?”

“I recognize many of the reporters who cover the music scene. I’m just familiar with their faces.”

“Ah! That’s why. For a second, I was confused… Here, would you like to check this list? Most of the reporters have already arrived, so you can cross-reference.”

Dohyun scanned the list. As he expected, he found Yoo Hana’s name. The thought that his reliable ally was here, even in this distant land, filled him with renewed energy.

“Did a reporter you know come?” the PR team leader asked. Dohyun deliberately shook his head.

“No, I guess they didn’t make it. Maybe they were too busy…”

“Ah, I see.”

Dohyun felt he had handled the situation well, noting the relieved expression on the PR team leader’s face.

“By the way, it was a good idea to collect the questions in advance. It’s helpful to review and memorize them, and prepare thoughtful responses. Are you feeling confident about hosting the MC duties?”

For a Korean concert, they would typically hire a professional MC, but since this performance was in England, Huent decided to have the PR team leader host the press conference to save costs.

“I’m a little nervous… but dealing with reporters is part of my job, so I’ll manage.”

“That’s a relief. Thank you for your help, Team Leader!”

* * *

The press conference hall inside Wembley Stadium was buzzing with activity. Some reporters were drafting articles while enjoying the catering provided by Huent, others were preparing to publish stories highlighting Dohyun’s achievements, and some were sharing anecdotes from interviews with fans conducted before the performance. A few foreign reporters even sported Dohyun’s merchandise, openly declaring themselves as fans.

Observing this scene, Reporter Yoon and Reporter Yoo exchanged messages.

[Wow, I’m so jealous. I wish I could wear Dohyun’s merch and do an interview too]

[Foreign media have more leeway with that kind of thing, it seems. It would be great if Korea were like that too; the atmosphere would be much warmer and more relaxed right now]

[I know, right]

[Sadly, goodbye to my merch that I can’t wear this time ㅠㅠ (crying face emoji)]

“Oh, Reporter Yoo! Nice to see you!”

While the two were chatting, the Huent PR team leader approached. Reporter Yoo Hana greeted her warmly.

“Team Leader! It’s great to see you! How have you been? I’m so glad to greet you here in England.”

“I’ve been well. Please give our Dohyun good coverage today!”

“I should be the one asking you to take care of me. I’m grateful to be able to cover the event comfortably in this faraway place.”

“Dohyun seems a little disappointed, though.”

“Hmm? Is it about the press corps?”

“He mentioned that a reporter he knew didn’t come. I don’t know who it is, but he seemed disappointed.”

Yoo Hana felt a twinge of guilt. He probably checked for her name on the press corps list. The fact that he said a reporter he knew *didn’t* come suggested he was being considerate of her situation.

“I see. I wonder which reporter Dohyun is close to.”

“Do you know, Reporter Yoo?”

“Me? I have no idea.”

“Dohyun wouldn’t tell me, no matter how many times I asked. He said he wanted to keep it to himself. I wonder how close they are…”

“It sounds like Dohyun has a close reporter friend. Well, with his years in the industry, he probably has cultivated some close relationships with reporters.”

“That’s true. Anyway, if you ever find out who Dohyun’s close reporter friend is, please let me know! I’m curious to know too.”

“Yes, I will.”

The PR team leader excused herself to greet other reporters.

Reporter Yoon, who had overheard the conversation, turned to Reporter Yoo.

“Senior, does Dohyun have a close reporter friend? Is it you, perhaps?”

“…No. There’s no way I’m close to Dohyun. You know I believe in maintaining a professional distance between a singer and a fan. The closer you are to a celebrity in this line of work, the harder it is to stay objective.”

Reporter Yoon Min-hye nodded in agreement. The more intimate the relationship, the greater the risk of disillusionment, which is something fans generally want to avoid. They might learn things they’d rather not know.

“That’s true. Information overload leads to disillusionment. I thought you might be close since you’re always on top of the news. My thinking was short-sighted.”

“I guess you could think that way. But I strictly maintain boundaries. There might be some advantages to being close to Dohyun… but I don’t particularly want to. I prefer having a few celebrities I’m friendly with, as I do now.”

Yoo Hana did have a few celebrities she considered friends. These were connections she had made through interviews and other professional interactions, and she maintained a friendly relationship with them while respecting appropriate boundaries. She contacted them and spent time with them as one human being to another.

The reason Dohyun couldn’t fit into that category was Yoo Hana’s principle that ‘there should be some distance between a singer and a fan.’ Reporter Yoo didn’t want to reveal the unnecessary fact that Dohyun had given her his contact information, so she pretended to edit an article while staring intently at her laptop screen.

“Everyone, I’ve been told that Dohyun is ready. We will now begin Dohyun’s Wembley Stadium performance press conference!”

As the PR team leader spoke into the microphone, Dohyun entered shortly after. The photojournalists immediately began snapping pictures of Dohyun in his impeccably tailored suit. After a 10-minute photo session, the official press conference commenced.

“Reporters, thank you for attending. I look forward to working with you.”

Dohyun greeted the press in both Korean and English.

Following the greetings, the PR team leader began addressing the questions collected from the press corps in advance. In large-scale press conferences like this, questions are typically gathered beforehand.

This is because taking questions individually on the spot would be too time-consuming and inefficient. Any delays would be a loss.

Dohyun answered each question thoughtfully and sincerely, going beyond rote memorization to convey genuine feeling.

In this manner, the hour passed quickly, and Dohyun concluded the press conference with a final greeting.

“Reporters, we have a gift for you! Please take one each!”

The PR team members moved efficiently, offering Dohyun’s newly released cheering stick [light stick] to each reporter. This particular cheering stick could be connected via Bluetooth for centralized control.

Previously, Dohyun’s cheering stick color had been uniformly purple, but this version was different. The color could be changed remotely from the control box, and the speed of the light could be adjusted, which was a significant upgrade.

“Wow, this is the cheering stick that incorporates the new technology!”

“That’s right! We look forward to your support, Reporter.”

The interpreter assisted the PR team in distributing the cheering sticks, also conveying the request for support to the foreign reporters.

Reporters Yoon and Yoo already owned the cheering sticks, having pre-purchased them yesterday, but they accepted the gifts without revealing that they already had them.

Leaving the press conference hall and heading towards the audience seating area, the two reporters looked around. Several other reporters were also moving about.

“Senior, this is amazing. Since Huent gave these out, I can turn on the cheering stick and watch the performance, right?”

“Right? If they gave it to us, and we’re going to use it… if anyone finds that strange, *that* reporter is the strange one. They gave them to us so we could enjoy the performance… so let’s enjoy it.”

“It’s a shame they didn’t reveal the setlist. Usually, they reveal the setlist at concerts.”

Dohyun’s performance was being kept strictly under wraps. However, the two fans knew that Dohyun would be performing a song with choreography this time.

“Even if I can’t see everything, I just need to see Dohyun’s dance stage after so long.”

“Me too. Dohyun should come back with a dance song next time… please… just him wearing a suit and dancing roughly with that physique would make me faint.”

“Given Dohyun’s personality, he wouldn’t do it roughly, which makes me even more excited and nervous.”

“Dohyun, ha… he’s a human being you can’t escape from the more you stan [support] him. How did someone like Dohyun come to exist?”

“I know. People who have been stanning Dohyun since 10 years ago should really be blessed. I don’t know how they endured when there was no stanning content. Now we’re living in an era of a flood of content… we really have to acknowledge the insight of the fans back then.”

With that, the two had their press credentials verified and proceeded to the VIP seats. The VIP seats were equipped with tables where they could place their laptops and write articles, demonstrating Huent’s attention to detail.

“Oh, you two got the cheering sticks too?” Reporter Kim Myung-ho greeted them, taking a seat nearby.

“Yeah, Myung-ho. Of course, we got them. Didn’t you get one?”

“Ah… I felt awkward carrying it, so I put it in my bag. But looking at the atmosphere today, I think I should hold it… I’m even going to take a certification shot [proof picture]. Do you know how to turn this on?”

“There’s an instruction manual inside, right?”

Following Yoo Hana’s suggestion, Kim Myung-ho retrieved the cheering stick box, connected via Bluetooth, and checked the status.

“Technology has really advanced these days. A cheering stick with colors controlled by Bluetooth… isn’t that amazing?”

“It really is amazing. If you think about the first-generation idol fans fighting over who had their color with balloons… now, with the advancement of science and technology, there’s no single unique color. It’s just a light that beautifully illuminates the venue. It’s amazing. It’s amazing that we’re living in this world.”

Reporter Yoo’s words resonated with Reporter Kim Myung-ho and Reporter Yoon Min-hye, who both nodded in agreement.

The three waited in anticipation.

Before they knew it, the venue lights dimmed, and a VCR began playing on the screens.

The official start of the performance.