A New Career Singer Who Can Read The Future [EN]: Chapter 6

After a day of puzzling events, I felt somewhat disoriented.

Hue Entertainment was a company with a reputation so renowned that even my parents knew of its prestige. Yet, now that I had actually signed a contract, it still felt surreal.

Let’s sleep on it and think about it later.

* * *

Waking up refreshed, Do-hyun left the house neatly dressed.

His mother asked where he was going, but Do-hyun simply smiled. He planned to tell them only if he passed the preliminaries and made it to the broadcast stage.

‘I want to be your first singer.’ The preliminary round was D-7.

Do-hyun had already chosen a song. A song that could showcase his vocal strengths across a wide range. It was a song called ‘Señorita’ by the indie band Lavi Tavita.

In fact, he had sung Lavi Tavita’s song during the audition preliminaries for his third debut and made it to the finals. Thanks to that, he even received a direct thank you from Lavi Tavita.

As he blankly gazed out the train window, he soon arrived at his stop.

He walked, wearing a hat pulled low and a mask covering most of his face, just like the day before. But what was this?

“Na Do-hyun! I love you! Let’s go for your fourth debut!”

A woman shouted on the way to Hue Entertainment.

Do-hyun’s gaze was naturally drawn to her.

It was a familiar face. She was practically the only fan who consistently followed his schedule during his ‘unknown,’ so-called ‘nugu-dol’ [a Korean slang term for an unpopular or unknown idol] days.

The Hue Entertainment story hadn’t even been officially announced in the news, so it was amazing that she had heard about it and was waiting in front of Hue Entertainment.

Do-hyun approached the fan. She had shouted so loudly, but now that Do-hyun approached, she shyly took a step back.

“Hello, LaviTaDohyun-nim.”

This was the only place that took high-quality photos of Do-hyun, so he couldn’t help but memorize the homma’s [a Korean term for a dedicated fan who takes high-quality photos of idols] nickname.

“I don’t know how you found out, but since you’re here, let me buy you a warm coffee.”

“Huh.”

LaviTaDohyun waved her hands, refusing Do-hyun’s offer to buy her a drink.

However, Do-hyun was more persistent. He insisted on asking LaviTaDohyun what her favorite drink was and handed her a green tea latte.

“Oppa [a Korean term used by females to address older brothers or male friends], th-thank you!”

“Instead, you have to keep this a secret. Okay? Before it’s officially announced, it’s a secret that I’m with Hue Entertainment.”

Do-hyun conveyed his earnest request.

LaviTaDohyun’s eyes welled up with tears, and she whispered a small “Fighting” [a Korean expression of encouragement, similar to ‘Good luck!’] to Do-hyun.

“Do you happen to have paper and a pen?”

LaviTaDohyun took out a tablet and pen instead of paper and a pen.

Civilization has advanced to the point where you can sign like this. Well, if digital information is backed up properly, it can last longer.

Thinking so, Do-hyun signed the tablet. And, as an essential element, he also left a selfie on the fan’s phone.

After Do-hyun left, LaviTaDohyun collapsed into her seat, hoping that Do-hyun would succeed this time, and cried, not wanting to remain a minor among minors who only suffered for Do-hyun alone on social media.

* * *

“Again.”

Do-hyun entered the practice room.

He couldn’t help but be surprised by the starkly different scenery compared to his previous agencies.

His first debut was in the basement, smelling the mold, and his second debut didn’t smell the mold, but the practice room was on the 5th floor without an elevator, so it was painful to walk. His third debut was at least a slightly better environment because it was an idol project group produced by a broadcasting station, but it wasn’t as good as Hue Entertainment.

“Na Do-hyun-ssi [a Korean honorific], let’s start by re-selecting the song. The current song is good for highlighting Na Do-hyun-ssi’s vocal strengths. The fact that you can cover from low to high ranges, and that you can belt out as a vocalist. That’s a strength. It’s a power vocal that suits the Korean sentiment.”

“That’s why I chose Lavi Tavita’s ‘Señorita.’ I don’t think there’s a better choice than this song among the songs I’ve heard.”

Do-hyun also conveyed his thoughts without backing down to Team Leader Lee Jun-hyuk.

He had experience passing the audition with Lavi Tavita’s song, so he didn’t want to take a risk. He only wanted to try adventures in the missions given from the TV broadcast. As safely, positively, and attractively as possible.

That was Do-hyun’s goal.

“No. Na Do-hyun-ssi, I’m going to speak frankly from now on.”

“Yes! You can.”

He said it was okay, but Do-hyun was nervous.

“Do-hyun-ssi, you’re too caught up in your own vocals right now. It’s good that you can cover from low to high ranges. In addition, your voice is attractive as it scats and descends the scales. But. Do-hyun-ssi, you selected a Lavi Tavita song in your previous audition program, right?”

“Ah, that’s.”

Do-hyun quickly tried to add something, but Team Leader Lee Jun-hyuk signaled him not to speak and continued.

“How long are you going to stay in that state? Your first debut seemed to be doing well, but it was buried. Your second debut, buried. Your third debut. Do-hyun-ssi was the main vocal role, but it was buried. If you ask, ‘Do you know a singer named Na Do-hyun?’ who do you think would say they know? A few of Do-hyun-ssi’s fans? Overseas K-pop fans who watch all the videos of rookie groups?”

Do-hyun had no room to make excuses for Team Leader Lee Jun-hyuk’s long speech. Every word was correct.

“I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize to me. You have to feel sorry for yourself. Do-hyun-ssi, you’re such a powerful and desired vocalist, so why were you buried? Do-hyun-ssi, have you ever listened to the songs you sang again?”

“Of course. I always listen to other singers’ albums to become a vocalist that fits the trend, and I’m trying to create my own vocals.”

“Then why did people forget Do-hyun-ssi?”

Damn it.

It was a series of painful questions.

Team Leader Lee Jun-hyuk’s words were hitting the bone with facts.

He’s just throwing these questions because I’m complacent.

Do-hyun couldn’t control his expression and mentally engraved three patience characters.

“Do-hyun-ssi always sings the same songs, tries the same things, and knows his strengths best. That’s the problem. Do you understand? Are you upset now? You thought your strengths were your strengths, but you realized they could be your weaknesses.”

Do-hyun took a breath and answered.

“No. I’ll try harder.”

“You can’t just say you’ll try harder. There are plenty of kids in this industry who work hard. Do-hyun-ssi knows that well because he’s debuted several times. Isn’t that right?”

“Well, that’s true, but….”

“That’s enough. The reason Do-hyun-ssi was buried among those kids is because he knew his strengths and advantages too well, and he became a common voice because he was complacent in them.”

Do-hyun was surprised by Team Leader Lee Jun-hyuk’s detailed directing, but he also felt self-reproach. Why hadn’t he thought that he was staying in the same place?

“Team Leader-nim [another Korean honorific].”

“Call me PD-nim [short for Producer-nim]. I’m called Team Leader outside the company, but inside the company, I’m just PD.”

“Yes, PD-nim. Then I’m curious how you want me to bring out my voice.”

Do-hyun’s voice was quite serious.

His fourth debut had to be different.

He didn’t want to be forgotten anymore. He wanted to repay the fans who had been waiting for him since his debut, and he wanted to become a proud grandson to his late grandfather, who said he couldn’t be a singer.

“I’ve already explained Do-hyun-ssi’s strengths to the point of exhaustion. Before bringing Do-hyun-ssi to this company, I listened to all the sound sources containing Do-hyun-ssi’s voice. It’s definitely refreshing, but one thing is missing. I think the difference between remembering and not remembering the same vocals is one thing.”

Do-hyun wondered which part of his voice didn’t leave a memory for people, but it’s originally difficult to see yourself objectively.

“Honestly, I only know what I’m good at, but I don’t know what I’m not good at.”

“Do-hyun-ssi, have you ever sung with proper emotion? Except for your first debut song.”

“……!”

“You said you listened to all your sound sources. In songs that should be bright, your voice rises to be gloomy, and in songs that should be dark, your tone rises too cheerfully. Each song should have a tone and manner, but it doesn’t. I don’t know which composer you’ve met so far, but at least when you work with me, you’ll have to bring out the tone and manner of the song.”

It was a part that Do-hyun hadn’t even thought of. He prided himself on singing every song with emotion and a sincere heart.

But that wasn’t the case. His mind was confused.

When Do-hyun said nothing, PD Lee Jun-hyuk played the sound source that accounted for 70% of Do-hyun’s vocals.

A song that expressed the will to miss a departed lover and catch them somehow. It was his third debut song.

“Listen while recalling what I said. How Do-hyun-ssi’s vocals, which are the majority of this song, affect it.”

Do-hyun closed his eyes. He mobilized all his senses to his third debut song, ‘Empty House.’ Remembering when he sang on stage. Looking back on what his attitude was. He listened, pointing out each phrase.

The song’s playback time was exactly 3 minutes and 21 seconds. After that time passed, Do-hyun realized.

“PD-nim, I know what the problem is.”

“The lyrics are sad. The melody line is also a minor chord. Everyone is talking about parting in a gloomy voice, but Do-hyun-ssi is standing out as if he’s going to show off his vocal skills alone. The composer who directed this is also something.”

When he recalled the directing at the time, he could only think of the composer’s voice cheering for Do-hyun.

He emphasized the high notes and emphasized them again.

Do-hyun, who faithfully listened to the directing, didn’t feel anything strange. In his own way, he was focusing on the lyrics, but it was a judgment that he had to bring out the part properly, but PD Lee Jun-hyuk saw it differently.

“So I’m going to give Do-hyun-ssi a mission.”

“What kind of mission is it?”

“Do-hyun-ssi’s third debut song, ‘Empty House.’ That’s the song for the first preliminary round. Practice that and come. All the rap parts. Don’t leave anything out.”

“……!”

If he sang that in the first preliminary round, it was obvious that the program’s production team would make a sympathetic edit about Na Do-hyun’s history, who made his third debut on an audition program.

‘I don’t want to get sympathy votes.’

Even while thinking that, on the one hand, he felt that he could end his ‘unknown’ life by attracting attention in that way.

PD Lee Jun-hyuk must have had a plan, so he directed and even selected the song.

“Answer. I don’t like it when it takes a long time to think. Be clear about what you like and dislike.”

“I will do it.”

Do-hyun was firmly prepared.

Cooperating with PD Lee Jun-hyuk. He had a feeling that it wouldn’t be easy.