A New Career Singer Who Can Read The Future [EN]: Chapter 76

The pre-recording session was scheduled to last no more than 30 minutes.

Do Hyun’s fans had been waiting for hours, eager to show their support during that brief window.

As Do Hyun appeared, a few fans couldn’t contain themselves and broke the rule against personal comments, calling out his name.

“Please refrain from making personal comments,” the fan manager warned.

In response, the fans waved their light sticks, sending waves of colorful support to Do Hyun.

Having finished checking the microphone and in-ear monitors, Do Hyun confidently stepped onto the stage.

“Everyone, did you have a good meal?”

Instead of verbal answers, a sea of light sticks twinkled in acknowledgment.

“Since you all waited for so long, I’ve prepared a meal for you—with my performance! Please cheer me on with all your might!”

Soon, the rehearsal began. Do Hyun sang only the first verse, repeating it about three times.

Some fans covered their mouths in awe, while others stared at Do Hyun with their mouths wide open, completely captivated. Still others were too busy waving their light sticks to maintain their composure. Everyone reacted in their own way.

“Ah, um, Do Hyun’s fans. Please cheer even louder!” the floor director (FD) said, raising his voice to be heard.

Do Hyun’s fans, determined to shout the memorized chants louder than any other fandom, answered in unison, “Yes!”

Soon after, the actual recording began.

However, during the first recording, Do Hyun was so nervous that he missed the beat in the intro.

“Everyone, I’m sorry. Director, I’m so sorry!”

“Don’t be sorry. Let’s go for the second take. The fans must be happy to see Do Hyun for so long,” the director responded with a smile.

The fans were indeed happy that they could see Do Hyun’s face a little longer, even if it was due to a mistake.

The pre-recording ended after the third take.

Thanks to the director, who generously allowed him time to say goodbye, Do Hyun conveyed his gratitude to the fans.

“Thank you for coming today. I’m scheduled to promote for three weeks, so please take care of me during that time! Thank you all!”

After saying goodbye, Do Hyun stepped down. The fans looked towards the exit where Do Hyun had disappeared, their eyes filled with a hint of regret.

* * *

That’s how the first day’s schedule concluded. Originally, he was supposed to wait until the music show was over to greet the production team, but because the fan signing event was scheduled so tightly, Do Hyun conveyed his thanks separately to the production director (PD) in charge and moved on.

The total number of people who would meet Do Hyun at the fan signing event was capped at 100. With Do Hyun’s album having exceeded 500,000 copies sold, these 100 attendees were selected through a lottery. Some fans had spent millions of won [Korean currency, roughly thousands of US dollars] to increase their chances of attending this exclusive event.

When Do Hyun appeared at the fan signing event, the fans erupted in screams.

“Hello, everyone? This is Do Hyun! I’m so happy to meet you all like this today. I, Do Hyun, am so happy to be able to see you up close!”

Click, click, click.

The sound of cameras snapping pictures of Do Hyun echoed from every corner.

Do Hyun smiled contentedly and struck various poses, looking towards the source of the camera sounds.

Do Ha, his manager, whispered that they needed to start quickly, and the fan manager began lining up attendees numbered 1 through 10. Each person was allotted about one minute. It didn’t even take two hours to get through all 100 people.

The fan signing event passed by in an instant, which was a shame, but even that fleeting moment was a source of happiness for Do Hyun.

“Hello, what’s your name?”

“I’m Areum! Kim Areum!”

“That’s a pretty name. Is there anything you want to ask me?”

“Oppa [term used by younger females to address older males, often with a romantic connotation], you have something on your face.”

“Handsomeness?”

“Hey, how can you say the answer yourself!”

Do Hyun held the hand of the first fan and signed with the other hand. He hadn’t exchanged many words, but Do Ha said from behind, “Let’s move on.” Areum, who was number 1, showed her disappointment and reluctantly stepped down from the stage.

In that order, Do Hyun signed autographs, held hands, and gave hand kisses, doing everything he could to show his appreciation. He wanted to give the fans who came to this event for him a happy and memorable time.

Before he knew it, time had flown by, and only the last fan remained.

Unlike the other fans, the last fan didn’t approach with a smiling face. She looked like she was on the verge of tears.

“What’s your name?”

“Min, Min-hye.”

The fan named Min-hye said her name and began to shed tears. Not only Do Hyun but also the fan manager and Do Ha were taken aback by her emotional reaction.

“Why are you crying on this happy day?”

“Oppa, I’ve liked you for 10 years, but this is the first time I’ve come to a fan signing event and seen you properly. There were many times I wanted to come and see you, but I wanted to focus on studying and getting a great job first. I finally got a good job, and seeing you now just makes me cry.”

“Our Min-hye, is that why you’re crying? I feel like crying too. Because I can finally see Min-hye.”

“Oppa, I really love you.”

“Don’t cry. It hurts my heart when you cry. Only cry when you’re happy because of me. Okay? Promise.”

Min-hye and Do Hyun made a pinky promise. The fan manager, unable to send down the crying fan, gave her a little more time, though it was only about 30 seconds more.

After sending down the 100th fan, Do Hyun grabbed the microphone.

“I have a song prepared for you all.”

Do Hyun sang ‘Only One’ without accompaniment. The fans were busy capturing the scene with their cell phone cameras or camcorders.

“And these are things that the fans gave me, like these goggles and this bubble gun. I guess I wear the goggles and shoot bubbles, right?”

“Yes!”

“Oppa, please put on the goggles quickly! You look so cool!”

Do Hyun put on the goggles and looked at the fans from different angles. He made eye contact with each camera and each person. Do Hyun, who had resolved to treat the fans who supported him and made time for him well during this promotion, was trying his best to provide exceptional fan service.

“Okay, I’ve put on the goggles. Now, do I just shoot this bubble gun?”

Do Hyun touched the bubble gun and then shot it towards the ceiling. The fans screamed that he looked cool. The fans who were recording the event covered their mouths, holding back their excited sounds, and continued to film Do Hyun.

“Thank you so much for coming today. Each and every one of you is a precious fan to me. You’ve all worked hard today, my honeys [term of endearment]. Go home safely. I heard there are a few raindrops falling outside, so please be careful on your way home. Okay?”

Do Hyun said those words and then went down from the stage.

* * *

[Do Hyun is a truly born entertainer]

I’m a Honey [fandom name] who ran from the public broadcast to the fan signing event today

I don’t know why Do Hyun was unknown for 10 years

His fan service is seriously amazing (it was already amazing even before his fourth debut)

His basic foundation is being sweet and caring ㅠㅠ [Korean emoticon representing crying or strong emotion]

I seriously want to marry Do Hyun, he’s such a sweet guy ㅠㅠ

Our Do Hyun ㅠㅠ How can you shake Honey’s heart like this?

└I know, right ㅠㅠ Do Hyun is guilty, guilty

└I’m a Honey who went to the fan signing event today, and Do Hyun wiped away my tears when I was about to cry with his noble hands ㅠㅠ

└Seriously, every day of stanning Do Hyun is happy. Hearing Only One live makes me even crazier, right?

└If it’s for Do Hyun, I’m willing to spend all my fortune to go to fan signing events

└Do Hyun’s fans, please post a lot of fan signing event reviews ㅠㅠ

* * *

As time passed, it became the last week of promotions.

In the meantime, Do Hyun set a new record for the initial sales (sales during the first week after the album’s release) of a male solo artist. He sold a whopping 710,000 copies!

It was an extraordinary record. Do Hyun recalled the past when he barely sold a few hundred copies and couldn’t help but marvel that the precious record of 710,000 copies was his.

Most successful groups barely exceeded 700,000 copies, but for a solo artist to set this kind of record was truly rewriting history.

Do Hyun wanted to give something special to the fans who had supported him until the last week of promotions. After much thought, Do Hyun decided to give the fans necklaces with his initials on them as a gift.

It was just a matter of attaching the initials to the necklaces, so there was plenty of time to prepare gifts for the fans attending the four major public broadcasting stations.

Do Hyun also personally participated in the work of attaching the initials to the necklaces. He was tired from promoting for three weeks, but it was a labor of love to repay the fans who had made this promotion such a memorable success.

Of course, this act of Do Hyun’s would later be revealed as part of self-produced content.

Hue Entertainment, seeing Do Hyun’s impressive initial sales, created a dedicated self-produced content team. His appearances in the waiting room, his interactions at the fan signing event, his playful antics before going on stage—all of it was now content for his fans.

Do Hyun, who had spent several nights with the staff making the necklaces, eventually collapsed on the floor of the practice room from exhaustion.

“Hyung [term used by younger males to address older males], are you okay? Are you sure you can perform on stage tomorrow like this?”

Tomorrow was Thursday, and there was a cable broadcast stage performance scheduled. The pre-recording time was very early, so he needed to start adjusting his condition immediately.

“No, I can do it. It’s the last week, so I have to give it my all.”

“Ah! Hyung, and starting tomorrow, when you give gifts to the fans, I added another idea! I think you’ll like it too!”

“What is it?”

“We’ll give them roses along with the necklaces. Doesn’t it feel like a proposal? It’s your first full-length album with two fan songs dedicated to the fans, plus a necklace and a rose. Romantic singer Do Hyun! Keuh! Is my idea good?”

At Do Ha’s words, Do Hyun chuckled.

“Thank you. I didn’t even think that far.”

“No, it’s okay. The fact that you personally strung each initial pendant to make the necklaces is enough for the fans to love it, but I just added the idea of flowers to make it even more special.”

“Once we finish this week’s promotions, we’ll start preparing for the concert.”

“Ah, Hyung. You also have to prepare for the repackage album. And prepare for the concert. Isn’t your body going to be strained even if you had ten of them? You should take some energy boosters.”

“Hey, what energy boosters? It’s not that bad. But I’ve been exercising steadily and taking my vitamins, so my physical condition is okay. Aren’t you the one who’s been suffering while being my manager, Do Ha?”

Do Hyun was worried about Do Ha, but Do Ha shook his head.

“No. I feel more energized while being Hyung’s manager. I get more strength thanks to Hyung! As a fan, it’s a very grateful thing to be able to be the manager of someone like Hyung!”

“Thank you for saying only good things. I’m just going to close my eyes for a bit. Wake me up later.”

Do Hyun said that and closed his eyes.

He fell asleep for a moment, but at some point, Do Ha urgently woke Do Hyun up.

“Hyung, Hyung! Wake up!”

Do Hyun barely opened his eyes, which felt heavy and unwilling to open, and asked Do Ha.

“Huh?”

“Hyung, that Daily Top Star media outlet that asked malicious questions at the album showcase… They released a strange article. I think you should check this.”

“What is it?”

Do Ha held out his cell phone.

“[Exclusive] ‘Superstar’ Do Hyun, half of the 710,000 copies are suspected of sajaegi (bulk buying)!”