Chapter 257
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 257
Late January.
With the awards season coming to a close, The Dawn had added new legendary performances of Falling and Christmas Again to their repertoire.
[This is actually insane.]
[Their stages from six months ago were already no joke, but these rearranged performances are jaw-dropping.]
[I’m losing it... Is there even any room left for them to improve?]
[Kang Yi-chae’s facial expressions were crazy. And did the choreography details change? ㄷㄷ Freaking legendary.]
[They were hitting their marks with their eyes closed lol. They must practice like demons.]
└ ???? Seriously?
└└ Yeah, there was a live stream where Jeong Da-jun joked he could do it with his eyes closed. Then Seong Ji-won, the practice machine, got fired up and suggested they actually try it with blindfolds lol.
https://www.neotube.com/watch?v=tHe_dAW!n_s1Ngi_BAngG!
This is it.
└└ Omfg thank you!!]
Clicking the Nutube link led to a low-quality live stream showing the members of The Dawn with their eyes covered by black sleep masks and cloths.
“Can you see?”
“Hmm… nope. Can’t see a thing. Music, please.”
“Okay.”
As the staff started the track—
“Let’s go!”
They proceeded to perform Second Chance and Christmas Again right then and there.
The timing of their transitions as they turned around and the choreography where they pulled each other’s arms were perfectly synchronized, without a single inch of error.
[Are those transparent blindfolds?]
[What the hell, how are they seeing??;;]
The comments were filled with genuine awe at their skill, and the Noeuls couldn't help but rub their noses bashfully at the praise.
[The blindfolds... the black cloth... I feel like this is just a test of my self-restraint.]
└ Lmao I was thinking the same thing.]
While The Dawn’s fans were busy rewatching the end of the video—where Seo Ho-yun slides up his blindfold, leans into the camera, and smirks—on an infinite loop, a post containing The Dawn’s flight information began circulating on community boards.
[Title: Is The Dawn going to the US?? Is there a tour announcement?
I saw people on SNS selling The Dawn’s flight info...
Does anyone know what’s up?
(THE DAWN
Seoul > LA ✈️
DM please)
└ ??
└ No, they aren’t.
└ Lol why would they go to the US right now? There’s no world tour announcement, and they’re uploading self-produced content like crazy.
└ Lmao you actually believe that? They’re probably preparing for their full album.
└└ Oh, really? Sorry if this was annoying ㅠ I was just curious...
└└ Yeah, there are still sightings of them around the company lol. Yi-chae is currently dying over composing... You should probably delete this post.]
Naturally, most people dismissed it as nonsense.
[Ugh, what a load of crap lol.]
[Sigh, are there still people who buy that stuff? Just report it.]
[The boys are basically living in the practice room these days...
Even when they go live, they’re in the practice room.
The background of every photo they post on Pop-Pop is the practice room.
When they eat, they’re in the practice room.
If you ask where they are, they’re in the practice room.
I swear they’re like ghosts haunting the place.]
└ For real, it’s like my video call background lmao. I thought it was Photoshop at this point. I’ve never seen idols stay in the practice room as much as them.
└└ Seeing them practice like trainees even after debuting makes me so proud lol.]
└ In Kang Yi-chae’s case, you can just swap 'practice room' for 'studio.' He literally has no friends.
└└ Lmao ㅠㅠ So cute, I love you Kang Yi-chae...
└└ It’s hilarious how Noeuls are starting to wish Yi-chae would make some friends... It’s like déjà vu, watching Ju Woo-seong when he had no friends except Chae Jeong-woo...]
Just as everyone was about to brush it off as a passing rumor, an article released by Daepasung for promotional purposes went live.
《IRIX Reaches Agreement with Daepasung Entertainment’s ‘The Dawn’ for K-POP Collaboration》
《—…
In one week, a song and music video produced through the collaboration between IRIX and The Dawn will be released.
Simultaneously, the group is scheduled to perform the opening stage for the RIX Cup Finals in the United States.
…With this, The Dawn has become the first K-POP stars to collaborate with IRIX.
…—.》
[IRIX? IRIX?? Are they talking about the same IRIX I play every day while cursing at it?????]
[No way. Wait a minute.]
Even after scanning the article multiple times, the news was hard to believe. It wasn't just the article from Daepasung’s PR team; official announcements soon appeared on the IRIX website and international news outlets.
《IRIX confirms the collaboration with K-pop star ‘The Dawn’》
[What did you say?????]
[Wait, this is so sudden???????]
The Noeuls were stunned, as if they’d been hit in the back of the head.
[I was watching their lives and self-produced content thinking I’d go all out once the full album dropped, but IRIX??????]
[Hey, I don’t think this is a joke.]
[Lmao wow... seriously?? Is this for real?? There wasn’t a single hint about this. How the hell did they land this? lol]
The Dawn’s fandom erupted into a festival-like frenzy.
[AHHHHHH! KANG YI-CHAE MADE IT!!!!!!!!!!]
[Lmao the man who kept shouting that he wasn't serious about IRIX... Kang Yi-chae is a man of his word.]
[Hey, at this point, didn't Kang Yi-chae actually cry? I mean, there’s no way he would, and I’ve never seen him cry, but I’m just stating my hopes and dreams right now.]
[Lol have a safe trip, Yi-chae! Lmao.]
Knowing more than anyone how much Kang Yi-chae loved IRIX, everyone flocked to Pop-Pop to send him messages. Soon enough, Kang Yi-chae appeared, uploading selfies—one with a V-sign under his chin, another with a finger-heart on his cheek.
[Yi-chae: Thank you IRIX, thank you, thank you.]
[I have never once been grateful to IRIX, that game that gives me mental illness, but today I am bowing in their direction.]
The Noeuls hungrily devoured the updates.
[Yi-chae: Hehehehehehe Noeuls~ ♥]
[Yi-chae: Did you see?? Hehe. The articles are out. My mouth was itching because I had to be careful not to spoil anything.]
[Yi-chae: Ho-yun hyung really helped out a lot.]
[Yi-chae: Yi-chae-ppoonyi will be back in just a bit.]
[Yi-chae: You have to cheer for me ♥]
Watching the messages Kang Yi-chae sent, the fans smiled warmly.
[I thought you said you weren't serious about IRIX...
Didn't you say you'd bet your account on it...
└ Lmao did he say he’d delete his account??
└└ Yeah, but he can’t do it. He’s acting exactly like those people who’ve been claiming they’re leaving K-pop for five years. It’s ridiculous.]
[Kang Yi-chae being excited is so cute. He’s always been like this, but he’s overflowing with aegyo right now.]
[Kang Yi-chae was so excited he was spoiling everything people asked, so Kim Seong-hyeon apparently got horrified and stopped him lol. He said he has to go now because he’s sorry. After spoiling so much lmao.]
[Things Kang Yi-chae mentioned:
The members had a direct meeting with the producers.
There will be behind-the-scenes content from the US.
A music video is coming.
They’re performing live at the finals.
They’ll be back in Korea before Seo Ho-yun’s birthday.
└ This fox probably just pretended to slip up and told us everything lol.]
[Title: Update on the male idol who loved IRIX so much he gave a presentation directly to the producers.
K-pop collab with IRIX.
Performing at the RIX Cup.
Lmao... Kang Yi-chae... he really is a man of his word...]
While the Noeuls were buzzing with excitement over The Dawn, negative opinions began to crawl out of the woodwork.
[Lmao you guys actually believe that?]
[Lol as if the members actually went and gave a presentation. Stuff like that is all contracted and settled beforehand.]
[Are The Dawn fans young? Have you never had a job? You’re really huffing that copium lol.]
The fans didn't even pay them any mind, treating it as just another step on the path to becoming a first-tier group.
But then, a video appeared on Nutube and began to skyrocket in views thanks to the algorithm.
[The Dawn: Lip-syncing First-tier Idols]
The Dawn had been featured on a "Cyber Wrecker" channel—the kind that drags celebrities down by nitpicking the most ridiculous things.
[0:44 Lmao this is definitely AR.]
[1:31 Why are they even pretending to be good at singing live?? I’m genuinely asking..]
[2:35 Wow, just silence here~ lol. Are they even singers?]
The video dragged up the live performance controversies that had been simmering since last year, claiming that their voices were barely audible in MR-removed videos and raising suspicions of lip-syncing. The creator had even pinned comments with similar opinions at the top.
[Wow, now that they’re rising, the forced hate is appearing.]
[Did you not see the encore stage for that same performance? Lol. They’ve had a reputation for being amazing at raw live vocals since debut, so where is this coming from all of a sudden?]
[Bringing up a music show comeback stage—where it’s famous for everyone lip-syncing or having heavy audio correction—just looks like you’re trying to start a witch hunt.]
[Someone bring me the compilation of our puppy’s lyric mistakes.
└ Lmao that’s the ultimate proof of live singing.
└└ Our Da-jun is very creative with his lyrics.]
The Noeuls felt their blood pressure rising.
Even just looking at how the youngest, Jeong Da-jun, would forget his lyrics on music show stages and creatively improvise on the spot was proof enough that they sang live.
However, it was becoming too much to just laugh off, as similar videos began pouring out in droves.
[Seeing fans of The Dawn lately saying they 'ate the CD' after listening to AR/MR-removed videos... I feel bad for them. What are you going to do when they actually have to sing live raw?]
[I guess people think adding breathing sounds makes it live... lol ㅠ Seriously, eyes closed, ears plugged. Why do people who proudly say they’ve been fans for a long time not realize that?]
[They’re going to get absolutely destroyed in the US lol.]
While reporting the videos and collecting PDFs of the more excessive comments, The Dawn’s fans thought to themselves:
[There must be a lot of new fans lately.
They’re getting picked on way more than usual.]
[Yeah, must be a lot.
I think they really blew up after those variety shows. And since the Christmas album sold so well, people are coming for them like crazy.]
[My inner fighter is waking up.
└ Wait, let me go win a keyboard battle real quick.
└└ Same.]
Whenever an inflammatory post caught the eyes of the fans who were simmering with internal rage, it immediately turned into a dazzling display of keyboard warfare.
[Title: Honestly, isn't it too obvious that the idol live vocals currently in controversy are fake..?
Fans say they like it regardless...
But I don't know. There are so many other idols with insane talent, so I feel weird about people calling them 'talented' and liking them.
I think they just got the 'talented' frame because they came from a small agency, and that’s why their album sold well lol.
└ You jealous?
└└ ?? ㅠㅠ I don't know what you mean.
└└ (This comment has been reported)
└└ (This comment has been reported)
└└ (This comment has been reported)
└└ (This comment has been reported)
└└ OP, run away quickly...
└└ Lmao seriously... The Noeuls are so fierce I almost feel bad for the attention seeker.
└└ That was insane. That person just fought like they’ve been in keyboard battles for fifty years.
└└ Holy shit, this is so entertaining.]
After working their fingers with flair, the Noeuls left without a trace of lingering attachment.
They weren't worried about their idols.
[Lol time is the best medicine.]
They believed that once the group stood on a US stage—where raw live vocals were expected and singing into a handheld mic was the standard—the truth would be revealed.
[Go show them what’s up.]
And so far, The Dawn had never once disappointed them.
*
“It’s America!!”
Unlike the January weather in Korea, a slightly cool breeze brushed against our cheeks. The streets were lined with palm trees, and low buildings blended naturally with skyscrapers. This was LA.
To adjust to the jet lag, we were resting today, and starting tomorrow, we would jump straight into rehearsals and behind-the-scenes filming.
Excited by the new surroundings, Jeong Da-jun was busy chattering away while hanging onto Kang Yi-chae, his beanie pulled low.
“Hyung, hyung! Take a picture of me over there!!”
“Okay!!”
I doubted any of the members would have their mental state shaken by that level of controversy now, but it seemed the management team had decided not to mention the lip-syncing issue.
Since everyone checked Nutube and fan reactions, it was unlikely they were completely unaware. Well, except for our maknae, of course.
“Ji-won hyung! Let’s take a picture together! How about, like, a failed heart vibe?”
“Shall we?”
Having dragged Seong Ji-won into it, Jeong Da-jun was dead serious about taking photos to upload to Starstagram. Kang Yi-chae worked hard to capture the moment as Seong Ji-won made a large heart with his arms and Jeong Da-jun made a small finger-heart.
They looked happy.
Well, the maknae doesn't need to see stuff like that anyway.
Meanwhile, I approached our team’s "water dumpling," who had just finished talking to the manager.
“Kim Seong-hyeon.”
“Yeah.”
He had been tasked with the flashy opening for this IRIX collab song. His looks and the aura he projected fit the "game-brought-to-life" concept perfectly.
I grabbed Kim Seong-hyeon’s shoulders, turned him around to inspect him, and asked, “How are you feeling? You okay with the live?”
“Huh? What do you mean 'okay'?”
Kim Seong-hyeon furrowed his brows slightly and spoke calmly.
“……Are you talking about the lip-sync controversy?”
He seemed perfectly fine.
When I cocked an eyebrow, Kim Seong-hyeon looked at me as if he couldn't believe it, then—
“Hey, Seo Ho-yun.”
He burst out laughing.
“Are you checking my mental state because of that right now?”
“…….”
“Maybe in the past, but with you standing right next to me, do you think I’d care about anything else?”
I knew what he meant, but basically, he was saying he was fine because I was there, right?
“Wow….”
I really trained him well.
I looked at Kim Seong-hyeon and, knowing he’d hate it, threw out a line.
“I’m blushing.”
“Ha………….”
Swallowing a curse, Kim Seong-hyeon looked up at the sky and muttered, “What on earth did I do in my past life to deserve this…?”
Having been in a good mood lately, I put my arm around Kim Seong-hyeon’s shoulder and beamed.
Well, whatever. If Kim Seong-hyeon says he’s fine.
Lip-sync controversy?
I wasn't worried.
“Let’s kill it on stage.”
This was the birthday present I’d been waiting for since October.