A New Career Singer Who Can Read The Future [EN]: Chapter 188

The concert preparations concluded without a hitch.

The anniversary of the ‘Who’s the First’ Season 1 trailer was met with widespread fan celebrations, coinciding with the final rehearsal at the 88 Gymnasium.

“Dohyun, I think we need to start discussing things soon…”

“Discuss what?”

The head of the management team looked at me intently.

“The contract renewal. We typically initiate renewal talks about two years in advance. We should begin discussions now and aim to finalize it next year, or announce the renewal with a press release.”

“…Ah. That’s what you meant.”

I couldn’t help but feel surprised by how quickly time had passed.

Where did the time go?

I’d been so engrossed in work that I hadn’t even noticed.

“Could I have some time to consider it?”

“Come on, Dohyun. We’re prepared to offer even better terms. Why not make a decision without overthinking it?”

I knew I needed to tread carefully at times like these. It was undeniable that things had gone exceptionally well since I joined Hue Entertainment, but the contract renewal was a significant decision.

To be clear, Hue Entertainment currently provides excellent conditions. They prioritize my input regarding my schedule, and the settlement ratio was adjusted favorably. I have no complaints.

I also genuinely like all the staff, including my manager, which makes everything easier. Conflicts with staff are common in this industry, but I haven’t experienced any of that. They’re all good people.

“Still, I’d like to think it over, Chief.”

“Haha… Let’s work together! I don’t usually say things like this, Dohyun, but you’re someone we definitely don’t want to lose from our company.”

“Thank you for saying that. I’ll give it some thought and let you know soon.”

* * *

And so, the first day of the Seoul encore concert arrived.

Dohyun woke up early to prepare.

He hadn’t been sleeping well for days.

Even when he tried to sleep, the pressure of the concert loomed over him.

“Haa… I have to do well. I really have to do well. I have to surpass every stadium performance I’ve done before.”

Dohyun looked in the mirror and mentally steeled himself. He wanted to deliver an exceptional performance, especially since the concert was running for six days.

Knowing how long the Korean fans had waited only intensified the pressure to excel.

“Ahhhhh! Ahhhhh! Aeiou! Ayaeoyouyu!”

He diligently warmed up his voice from early in the morning.

Ding-dong.

The doorbell rang, and his manager arrived to pick him up.

“You didn’t need to come this early… The concert doesn’t start until 8 PM.”

Dohyun smiled awkwardly.

“I thought it would be beneficial to familiarize myself with the stage more… That was my reasoning. I did get somewhat familiar with it during rehearsals at the 88 Gymnasium, but still…”

“Ah…! That’s what you meant. I thought you wanted to arrive early to rest a bit.”

“Adapting to the venue’s atmosphere and getting some extra rest would be nice too.”

“Ah! I see. It’s been a while since you performed in Korea, so you need time to adjust. I didn’t consider that.”

Dohyun chuckled at his manager’s words.

“Did you know that 300 reporters applied for today’s press conference?”

“Just reporters? Or does that include photographers and videographers?”

Dohyun asked, and the manager clarified that the figure included all press personnel.

“Wow… Does that include international press?”

“Yes. Especially after winning eight Grammy Awards, the foreign press is eager to cover the Korean concert. The PR team has been working tirelessly.”

I was surprised again. Three hundred reporters! That’s a significant number of people to fill an entire section!

“I hope the reporters react positively. We’re performing different encore songs each day of the Korean encore concert. They’re newly arranged songs… The reporters will only see today’s performance, so I hope they enjoy it.”

Dohyun had prepared six unique songs for the six-day concert, all encore and closing songs. He invested considerable effort in their creation, selecting songs that would maintain a consistent tone and leave a lasting impression.

“It’ll be a great reaction. I’ve heard them in advance, and they’re fantastic.”

“Haha… Thank you. Thank you for saying that.”

“Always being humble is a virtue. Anyway, it’s amazing. I don’t think I could be as focused on work as you are. Where do you find so much musical inspiration?”

Dohyun reflected on his methods for finding inspiration.

Watching movies, reading books, writing, and various other activities.

“I can’t rely solely on my own experiences, so I watch all kinds of movies, subscribe to drama OTTs [Over-The-Top media services, like streaming platforms], read books, write… I do a lot of things, which helps me find inspiration. I also make sure to read newspaper articles. I’m considering making the next album concept ‘Space’.”

“Oh… Space?”

“There’s an expression called ‘Pale Blue Dot’. Carl Sagan coined it, and it’s also the title of one of his books. I decided to use that as a motif.”

“Oh! I know that expression. I like it. It’s amazing to think our Earth looks like such a small dot when viewed from space.”

“Exactly. There’s something about space that feels so vast and almost untouchable. I thought it would be interesting to apply that to life.”

“I think the album will be pretty good. Just hearing the concept makes me feel good. I’m looking forward to it, Dohyun.”

“Thank you. The press conference is at 5 PM today, right?”

“Yes, 5 PM. Sound check is at 6 PM. It’s a bit chilly, but you’ll be able to manage, right? The good news is that the rain forecast for today has changed to cloudy.”

Among the fans, Na Dohyun was known as a singer who avoids rain. Whether it was an event or anything else, if Dohyun was scheduled to perform on a rainy day, the rain would always hold off. Dohyun was more concerned about the fans waiting in the rain than performing in it himself. He had repeatedly purchased raincoats at his own expense through the staff and provided them to the waiting fans.

“Just in case, you’ve prepared raincoats for 45,000 people, right?”

He prepared blankets and raincoats every day in case the fans were cold upon entry. This was entirely Dohyun’s idea. The company suggested getting sponsorship from the brand Dohyun was modeling for, but Dohyun preferred giving the fans different colors each day to create good memories. The promotion involved different blankets and raincoats each day.

“Yes. Everything is prepared, and the staff will hand them out when they check tickets upon entry.”

“I’m glad it was produced safely. With a concert for 45,000 people a day for six days, we had to prepare 270,000 copies, so I was worried it wouldn’t be produced in time.”

“The company worked hard. Actually, I heard they ran the machines all night to meet the quantity, and they subcontracted to several places.”

“Ah…! I see. I was worried that many people were suffering because of me. I’m going to repay everyone with a truly amazing stage this time, as much as everyone has worked hard.”

Dohyun reaffirmed his determination.

* * *

“Wow… the merchandise line is incredibly long today… There’s a purchase limit per person, so I hope I can get what I want.”

Choi Eunjeong, a dedicated Dohyun fan, took the first train early in the morning to stand in line for the merchandise.

Merchandise purchases were limited to one item per person for each item, and pre-purchases were available online.

Choi Eunjeong, having missed the online pre-purchase period, had no choice but to stand in line.

“Isn’t the merchandise line shorter than I expected? The estimated attendance today is 45,000… This line seems manageable.”

“Really? If I hadn’t had a team meeting during the online pre-purchase time… I would have succeeded in ticketing and come leisurely to pick up the goods.”

“Don’t worry. There will be plenty of merchandise. Hue Entertainment even conducted a pre-quantity survey for concert ticket holders.”

“That’s true… But I hope they have at least one of the items I want… It might sell out.”

“Hey, don’t think like that. Hue Entertainment is generally reliable, right? It’s frustrating when they make mistakes, but I don’t think any other company in this industry handles things as neatly as they do.”

That was true. Each agency had its strengths and weaknesses, and Hue Entertainment was known for its efficiency. They generally performed well, but they were also criticized for occasional mistakes. Nevertheless, they were considered one of the best agencies in the industry for handling logistics.

“…I wish they would be more careful when writing notices. I don’t know who manages their social media… When I see them making mistakes, I wonder what they’re doing.”

“That’s how this industry is. Some companies excel, and others don’t. Even those that seem to be doing well make mistakes in unexpected areas. Our Dohyun’s agency is top-tier… We just have to remember that.”

Choi Eunjeong nodded in agreement. They sometimes made decisions she didn’t like, but compared to other agencies, their overall performance was efficient and satisfactory.

“Oh? Security is here. Are they starting to organize the lines again?”

“It seems they’re trying to manage the crowd efficiently since there are so many people. I appreciate that. It looks like they’re separating the pre-receipt line from the purchase line.”

“This is! The merchandise purchase line! This is! The merchandise pre-receipt line! Please form two lines according to the signs!”

The security guards shouted loudly through megaphones.

Choi Eunjeong and her fellow fan re-lined up as instructed.

Doo-geun, doo-geun [onomatopoeia for a heart beating fast].

Dohyun’s Korean encore concert merchandise was considered ‘legendary’ this time, which is why everyone was eager to buy as much as possible.

Choi Eunjeong was no exception.

“Ah… I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Has Dohyun already left for work?”

“…Huh? Already?”

Choi Eunjeong looked dumbfounded at the news that Dohyun, whom she expected to arrive around noon, had already left. She had planned to see Dohyun’s commute after purchasing the merchandise, but she had missed it.

“…Ah, that’s too bad. I was going to see him on his way to work.”

“Be sure to see him on his way home!”

“Yeah, yeah, let’s do that!”

Choi Eunjeong and her fellow fan were determined.