Seeing the full dance video makes it even more insane. You’re telling me he’s doing live vocals for an entire song while dancing that?
MV behind-the-scenes ㅜㅜ His breath is coming out like a countryside furnace but they made our baby dance while soaking wet like that ㅜㅜ
Easy listening my ass, it’s just straight up hardcore hip-hop, this is the spirit of a 20-year-old
In the middle of all this, look at Henzel sunbae carefully drying his padding by the heater, so cute
K-dum you damn bastards, why didn’t you film the process of Hanje giving Won the padding and only filmed him returning it ㅡㅡ
But bringing two songs… just how much more eye-rolling fierce will the other song’s concept be
Won-ah, do you know how amazing of a person you are? I really hope you know. I’m proud that I’ve liked you since Debut Chart. Please continue to shine forever.
“……”
Go Won was about to look at the comment section again, refreshing several times, when the manager beside him excitedly tapped his arm.
“Ahhhhh! I’m so nervous I could go crazy!”
“You were like that during the Unlimited pre-release too. What are you going to do, always being so nervous?”
Despite the cold words, the A&R team member also couldn’t put down their phone.
It wasn’t just them. Most of those gathered in Director Kwon Taeyoung’s office were all tensely nervous, whether they showed it or not—the only difference was whether they expressed it outwardly.
Today was the day they were releasing Go Won’s debut album containing the second title track <DRIFT> after much tribulation.
A week ago, the 5th Division had launched a surprise release of the song <Unlimited> earlier than the scheduled debut date.
Through that, they created the image of Go Won as an obsessive racer, an artist possessed by madness.
After a bit more time passed and mentions related to Choi Songhyeon also quieted down.
<DRIFT>, which had nearly become an ill-fated song, finished preparing to come out into the world.
‘Actually, pre-releases are a strategy that involves some bleeding.’
Because curiosity might be satisfied before the album release, which could actually lower music chart performance.
However, the personnel who’d been in the 5th Division for a long time overflowed with confidence in songs that Baek Hanje participated in. That kind of handicap could be crushed.
“Look at Team Leader Shin. He said he wouldn’t, said he wouldn’t, but still followed us to the MV filming site. He’s really amazing at pulling concepts.”
“Was this when Won pulled three all-nighters? You worked hard.”
“Not at all….”
There were no barbs in what anyone said. They were just pulling out the best words and compliments they could to lower the tension.
But to the extremely tense Go Won, that consideration felt like soft thorns scratching his arms.
Perhaps knowing this, from around 5:50, ten minutes before the music release, no one spoke to Go Won.
As it became 5:57, 5:58, 5:59, the tension intensified.
“Gasp, it’s up. It’s up!”
And at exactly 6 o’clock.
Someone came running with their phone. Two of Go Won’s digital singles were showing on the streaming app.
Unlimited(∞) (Title) Go Won
DRIFT (Title) Go Won
“Ah….”
Two title tracks positioned side by side with his name.
When he clicked, the album introduction followed.
[Album Introduction]
‘Go One Way’
The starting signal received at the end of a long wait.
Go Won stood at the starting line of an endlessly advancing path.
The first step taken toward the milestone he set for himself, ‘GO ONE’
Vowing not to stop for even a moment, Go Won shed his immature, wandering appearance. He presented music into which he poured all his capabilities to prove his matured self.
Go Won’s first Digital Single contains a total of 2 songs: the double title tracks ‘Unlimited(∞)’ and ‘DRIFT’.
[Track list]
Track 1. Unlimited(∞)
Lyrics by HANZEL
Composed by HANZEL
Arranged by ……
‘Unlimited(∞)’ is dark trap hip-hop harmonized with intense bass sounds, expressing Go Won’s inner self endlessly and silently moving forward, that passion. Fast-paced, tension-filled tempo combined with low-pitched rap delivers addiction like a deep swamp.
Created based on the inspiration that came to yACE’s HANZEL when he first met Go Won, who has built up a legend with hit songs.
Track 2. DRIFT
Lyrics by ……
……
Having realized his desire for the destination, Go Won no longer hesitates. The track <DRIFT> is a groovy dance song containing the boy’s obsession.
A smooth, straight road exists, but beyond that, an unknown fog where anything might emerge. Drawn by an irresistible force, Go Won willingly deviates from the smooth path and throws himself into the unknown.
Thanks to establishing the image with the pre-release song, when <DRIFT> was revealed, the public’s interpretation was led in the same direction.
Thus, in <DRIFT> as well, only the appearance of an obsessive artist and racer stood out.
Easy to say, but in a short time they completely overturned the existing album plan, and most of the 5th Division was ground down.
Perhaps thanks to everyone’s desperation, the song confirmation, broadcast review, and music video draft also came out bit by bit quickly.
“Won-ah, congratulations!”
Thus, the crisis of indefinitely postponed debut was overcome with the minimum loss of round-the-clock work and labor by the entire 5th Division, Go Won, and Baek Hanje.
“Baek Hanje was a genius.”
“Hanje is truly K-pop’s phantom.”
“……”
Hearing his name, Go Won looked at the reactions to the album again.
If there were negative reactions, they were only things like ‘Milking the winner image like crazy when he was just pulled from Debut Chart.’
Isn’t K-dum freeloading too much off the Debut Chart image when they didn’t even help? lolol It’s not even a program that ended well lolol…
Actually, that kind of thing didn’t matter anymore.
‘I debuted.’
Finally, he had safely debuted.
The more it felt real, the more the throbbing inside his throat grew. The inside of his face became hot.
He had thought it impossible. There are people for whom the effort to stand on stage—no, the very act of dreaming of such a process—is a luxury.
In his heart there had always been suppression about his own place.
Even when he won <Debut Chart> but the debut fell through, he thought, ‘I knew it.’ It was the same when he received K-dum’s casting and was preparing for debut when problems arose. It felt like he was falling from an even higher place as the price for struggling to have something undeserved.
In that situation, Go Won met for the first time in his life someone who refreshingly smashed whatever was pushing him down.
Thanks to that, Go Won neither fell nor retreated to avoid falling.
Baek Hanje. Henzel.
It was thanks to his support.
A man so handsome you could tell he was a celebrity at a glance, but with sharp eyes and an atmosphere fierce enough to feel scary.
His height was similar to his own, but shrunk by that unique atmosphere, Go Won felt like he was much smaller than him.
He thought it might have been better if he’d known more about yACE, about him properly before meeting. Because until he inadvertently participated in <Debut Chart>, he’d been too ignorant about the entertainment industry.
‘…I want to say thank you to that person.’
The cold voice that told him not to carelessly say “thank you” or “I’m sorry” came to mind. He hadn’t even gotten contact information in the first place.
Would he still be on the 7th floor of this building?
“Um, is Baek Hanje sunbae-nim perhaps….”
“Hm? Hanje?”
“…Well.”
Slam.
“Ah, even a genius can’t be a gentleman.”
“Were you talking behind my back?”
He who opened the door with a slam without even knocking immediately got angry. Then with that brazen attitude intact, he crossed the director’s office.
“Did you talk behind my back?”
“No….”
He was truly consistent. From coming in and immediately sitting down, plopping into the center seat of the sofa without caring about his surroundings.
“Hey, Go Won. How does it feel to debut?”
“It doesn’t feel real yet.”
“Ahhh….”
Hearing the answer, Baek Hanje thought.
‘What is it, is it because of that?’
Q1-1. Close Call!
Progress: 99.9%
Time Limit: 00 hours 00 minutes 00 seconds
He’d waited at ease until the 14th when the entire album would be released.
After shaving off his lifespan to make Go Won’s debut happen, a certain sunbae who had been resting comfortably in his workshop that felt like home suddenly bolted up from his seat.
February 14th, 6 o’clock.
The album was released without problems. Go Won protected his songs and didn’t disappoint his fans.
‘But why, why isn’t the quest clear window popping up?’
- Without changing the February 14th date announced to the public.
- Launching with Go Won’s complete album without having the <DRIFT> song taken away.
In other words, although there was chaos inside, from the outside it was an utterly flawless debut.
This should be enough, I protected everything that needed protecting.
…Yet the quest window stopping at 99% seemed to be Go Won’s problem.
“Hey, uh. What do you think you’d need to do for the debut to feel real?”
“What?”
“What do you think you’d need to do to feel like you’ve become a singer?”
“I think… when the album is released.”
“Then it’s now.”
“Ah, yes.”
What on earth is the problem? Could this Quest Window bastard be having an error because it’s been too long?
I leaned against the backrest and threw out words carelessly.
“Yeah, congratulations on your debut. Hoobae-nim.”
“…Thank you….”
Q1-1. Close Call!
Progress: 100%
Q1-1. Close Call!
Clear
Success reward is being calculated.
‘Huh?’
At that moment the quest was completed.
‘What the. This is a totally finicky thing.’
Does it mean you have to do a congratulations interaction for it to clear?
‘Eh, never mind.’
If the quest had failed, this kid would’ve just been ■■ed anyway. Why be picky with a kid who nearly died and survived?
It must’ve just had a few minutes of loading.
Meanwhile the Quest Window turned clean. It was the preparation process for displaying the next quest. Even seeing it for the first time in over ten years, it was a familiar sight.
Honestly speaking, I’d given him a debut so I hoped it would be over, and I wanted to release him to grow on his own. Once is enough for volunteer work, right?
You have acquired the reward ‘Cool Sunbae’s Aspects’! Additionally, ‘Hoobae’s Respect’ is being calculated.
With the special effect of <The Sunbae Who Paves a Flower Path>, HBN’s Status Window is opening.
HBN. It meant hoobae-nim.
But, Status Window?
