Prince From Another Dimension Becomes An Idol [EN]: Chapter 18

#18.

The members, having confirmed the face of the new vocal trainer, cautiously approached and stood before him.

Compared to the previous vocal trainer, who was in his early 30s, this man appeared to be quite a bit older.

Even being generous, he looked to be in his early 40s.

Since singing styles tended to change quickly, agencies had recently favored hiring younger trainers.

So, the members seemed a bit surprised by the new trainer’s unexpectedly older age.

“Hello.”

“Greetings.”

“Hello-”

As he greeted the members who were awkwardly introducing themselves, the vocal trainer smiled slightly.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kang Chang-sik.”

It was a gentle smile.

‘Just the same, after all.’

Do-jae stared blankly at Kang Chang-sik.

He was considered one of the best singer-songwriters in the Great Han Empire.

He was also the original singer of the song , which Do-jae sang for the first time after coming to the Republic of Korea.

Perhaps because he was staring too intently, Kang Chang-sik glanced at Do-jae with a slightly questioning look before continuing his introduction.

“As you’ve heard, I’ll be your vocal teacher starting today.”

His kind tone gradually eased the members’ frozen expressions.

They figured that although he looked older, he wasn’t the ‘strict teacher’ type.

“You might feel sad about the teacher you were learning from leaving, and you might also be worried. I also feel a bit of pressure taking on all of you with less than a year left until your debut.”

Kang Chang-sik frankly revealed his inner thoughts in a simple and unpretentious manner.

“There may be differences in the way I teach compared to the previous teacher. But the goal of helping you bring out the best voice each of you can produce will be the same. So, I hope you’ll follow along well.”

“…….”

“Understood?”

“Yes. Understood.”

Gi-jun answered from the front.

“Yes!”

Following him, Do-jae replied with an energetic voice.

Do-jae’s dark eyes sparkled.

An object of admiration.

He was right in front of him.

In the position of a teacher, no less.

How much comfort had he received from his songs?

Of course, he knew it was a different person.

However, his words had similarities to Kang Chang-sik of the Great Han Empire.

‘The best voice each of you can produce…….’

The Kang Chang-sik of the Great Han Empire had also said something similar in an interview.

Do-jae had a habit of obsessively delving into the details whenever he liked a singer or considered someone a role model.

It was the only way for Do-jae, who couldn’t attend academies or share his dreams with others, to nurture his dream alone.

Because of this, some of the interview content of Kang Chang-sik was still vivid in his mind.

[The voice is the instrument of that person. Each instrument makes a different sound.

You can’t say that one instrument is superior. A piano is a piano, and a violin is a violin, each with its own charm. I just try to make a good piano sound, a beautiful violin sound.

I, as myself, will strive to produce the best, the unique sound of Kang Chang-sik.]

It was such an interview.

‘How fascinating.’

Just as the Great Han Empire and the Republic of Korea followed different paths, the people of parallel worlds lived different lives.

There were even people who didn’t exist, like Do-jae’s brothers.

Do-jae felt that there was no significant connection to people with the same face because ‘Lee Do-jae’ and ‘Kang Do-jae’ lived such different lives.

But it seemed that wasn’t the case.

‘Well…. Both Kang Do-jae and I were singers in our dreams anyway…….’

The habit of working hard was terribly similar.

Internal Affairs Officer Kim and Team Leader Kim Seok-cheol’s rigid yet refined personalities felt like the same person.

‘The job could be the same in a broad sense. In the end, it’s about helping someone.’

And now, there was Kang Chang-sik.

Although he wasn’t a singer in the Republic of Korea, he was still working in the field of singing as a vocal trainer.

‘I’m actually curious why he didn’t become a singer.’

The same people in the two worlds had at least one thing in common.

Do-jae felt a sense of destiny in the space called Kingdom Entertainment.

‘What is the commonality between this place and the palace where I lived…….’

Suddenly, a premonition flashed through Do-jae.

“Then, first of all, it would be good to check your skills. I received the data, but the voice you make in person is different.”

With those words, vocal trainer Kang Chang-sik lined up the members.

And had them warm up their voices.

After warming up their voices, each making different sounds, Kang Chang-sik began the full-fledged lesson.

“Now, let’s have each of you follow along.”

Except for Heung-min and Gi-jun, all the members were in the vocal part.

Even if they were in the rap part, they couldn’t overlook basic singing skills, so everyone straightened their posture and listened to Kang Chang-sik’s voice.

“Ah- Ah, Ah- Ah, Ah-”

Kang Chang-sik sang the five notes of the most basic octave.

Even just hearing the five notes, you could feel his deep inner strength.

Before coming to the vocal practice, Team Leader Jeong Hee-yeong briefly conveyed his resume [background and experience].

A famous trainer who had been working as a vocal trainer at Seonyul Entertainment for a long time and had nurtured Seonyul’s famous vocalists.

Jeong Hee-yeong had gone to great lengths to bring him in this time, as he was about to quit his trainer job and live in the countryside.

She also pushed them, saying that if it weren’t for their past relationship, it would have been difficult, and told them to learn properly and become vocalists who could slap the cheeks of Seonyul singers [surpass the skills of Seonyul singers].

At Kang Chang-sik’s gesture, Heung-min, who was standing on the far left, uttered a sound.

“Aah, Ah, Ah, Ah.”

“…….”

The other members stood there as if they were used to it, but Louis and Do-jae couldn’t help but look at Heung-min.

It was a solemn gaze.

‘Being a rapper is his true calling.’

That’s just how it was to anyone who heard it.

You couldn’t say he was completely off-key, but a subtle tremor interfered with even proper appreciation.

However, Kang Chang-sik didn’t show any expression and looked at the next member, Gi-jun.

Gi-jun was also a rapper, but he was much better than Heung-min.

However, he wasn’t at the level of a singer and was just average.

Woo-cheol was even better than him, and then it was Louis.

Louis’s beautiful tone accurately pinpointed the notes.

And then it was Gyu-seong.

“Ah- Ah, Ah- Ah, Ah-”

Again, Louis and Do-jae couldn’t help but be surprised.

A very unique and attractive voice flowed from Gyu-seong’s mouth.

Kang Chang-sik, who was checking the members’ basic skills without showing much expression, seemed to flinch for a moment.

The members had heard that Gyu-seong was good at singing while spending a few days together.

They said that the quiet kid looked completely different when he sang.

Heung-min even shook his head.

There was also talk that Gyu-seong could have gone to a bigger agency if his personality had been a little more active.

‘So that’s why they said that.’

He had such an attractive tone that they wanted to hear him sing a proper song as soon as possible.

The pitch was also accurate.

Do-jae’s heart fluttered lightly.

Of course, there were quite a few singers with excellent tones like Gyu-seong in both the Great Han Empire and the Republic of Korea.

There were even more if you considered foreign countries.

However, their relationship with Do-jae was always that of a singer and a fan, a singer and an audience.

They weren’t members of a team who would sing with Do-jae by his side.

That stimulated Do-jae.

He wanted to refine his lacking parts and produce a powerful voice like Gyu-seong.

It was when Do-jae was yearning.

Soon, it was Do-jae’s turn.

Do-jae straightened his posture and focused on making each note, one by one.

“Ah- Ah, Ah- Ah, Ah-”

It was a soft yet strong resonance, enough to leave a lasting impression.

But at the same time, it was accurate and concise without any unnecessary elements.

Gyu-seong looked at Do-jae, who was standing right next to him, with astonished eyes.

‘Perfect.’

Even though it was only five notes, it was perfect.

It was the same level of perfection as Kang Chang-sik’s singing.

“Wow.”

Woo-cheol exclaimed in surprise.

Kang Chang-sik, who had paused his gaze for a moment like he did with Gyu-seong, said.

“Good. Very good.”

And then it was a slightly higher note.

As the scale increased, Gi-jun and Heung-min reached a level they could no longer follow.

Then, Woo-cheol and Louis dropped out in turn.

Do-jae and Gyu-seong were able to follow up to the highest note that Kang Chang-sik could produce.

The two were stable enough that the members gave them a slightly bored look.

In the lower registers, Do-jae could produce one lower note than Gyu-seong.

Kang Chang-sik, who had tested all the members’ ranges, pitches, and vocalizations, commented.

“Heung-min, straighten your shoulders a little more and keep your posture straight. That way, there won’t be any tremors in your voice.”

He asked Gi-jun to put more strength in his stomach, Woo-cheol to have confidence, and Louis to make a softer sound by utilizing the strengths of his beautiful tone.

And he said to Gyu-seong and Do-jae.

“I heard that you two are good, but you’re beyond my expectations.”

“…….”

“Thank you.”

Do-jae immediately expressed his gratitude.

“Take a ten-minute break and we’ll start the full lesson.”

“Yes, sir!”

With a loud voice, Kang Chang-sik briefly left the practice room.

Gyu-seong had been silently looking at Do-jae since earlier.

‘He even has a good personality…….’

After the misunderstanding was resolved, Gyu-seong felt overflowing gratitude and saw Do-jae as almost a saint like Mother Teresa or Gandhi.

It wouldn’t be common for a victim to be resilient even after being misunderstood as the perpetrator.

Of course, if Do-jae knew Gyu-seong’s thoughts, he would answer that he was closer to Confucius or Mencius than that….

Anyway.

‘But he’s even good at singing. No, he’s even handsome.’

But Do-jae was even good at singing.

He felt heartbroken that he seemed so lacking compared to Do-jae.

‘I’m too lacking…….’

He felt like he was too ugly compared to Do-jae, who he had suspected of things without discretion.

‘We’re a team…. I don’t want to be a burden.’

Gyu-seong clenched his fist tightly.

Just as Gyu-seong was stimulated by Do-jae, Do-jae also stimulated Gyu-seong.

For a moment, Gyu-seong and Do-jae’s eyes met.

‘I want to do better.’

The two thought at the same time while looking at each other.

***

—You’ll be doing well there- We can’t meet anymore but-

Gyu-seong’s unique voice filled the practice room.

A smile appeared on Kang Chang-sik’s face as he played the piano.

—Remember. That I loved you.

As Do-jae’s voice, which naturally took over the high notes, rang in their ears, the members who were watching shook their heads.

“Wow. The practice room is going to burst.”

Woo-cheol lightly clicked his tongue at Do-jae’s more solid vocalization.

The practice room, which was surrounded by soundproof walls, was about half the size of what the members usually used.

Instead, the singing could be heard well, and there was an electronic piano, so it was used as a practice room dedicated to singing.

Every time they came here, the members were in a constant state of admiration.

“How…. Can he improve again?”

“Holy shit! You’re both crazy!”

Heung-min and Louis exclaimed in turn.

They already had a lot of practice time, but both of them didn’t neglect their personal practice.

If one seemed to improve, the other would immediately follow.

Because of this, it was still difficult to determine who was superior in singing ability, and it seemed like they could debut right away.

“You’ve both improved once again.”

Kang Chang-sik, who took his hand off the piano, said in a satisfied tone.

Today was the day that marked half a year since the first lesson with Kang Chang-sik.

And today was also the day that the debut song of the team, made up of Do-jae and the five members, was released.
***