Seeing the full dance video makes it even crazier. He’s going to sing the entire song live while dancing that?
The music video behind-the-scenesㅠㅠ His breath is coming out like smoke from a countryside furnace, and they’re making our baby get soaked and dance like thatㅠㅠ
Easy listening or whatever, this is just insanely intense hip-hop. This is the spirit of a twenty-year-old.
Meanwhile, look at Senior Hanzel drying his padded coat preciously by the heater. So cute.
K-Dom, you useless bastards, why didn’t you film the process of Hanje giving Gowon his padded coat and only film him giving it backㅡㅡ
But if he’s bringing two songs... Just how much of an insane, grit-your-teeth concept is the other one?
Gowon, do you know how incredible you are? I really hope you do. I’m proud that I’ve liked you since Debut Chart. Please keep shining forever.
“......”
Gowon refreshed the page again and again, trying to look at the comments section once more, when the manager beside him smacked his arm restlessly.
“Aaaaaaah! I’m so nervous I think I’m going insane!”
“You were like this during the Unlimited prerelease too. What are you going to do if you shake like that every time?”
Despite the cold words, the A&R team member also couldn’t put down their phone.
And it wasn’t only them. Most of the people gathered in Kwon Taeyoung’s division head office were tightly wound with tension, the only difference being whether they showed it or not.
Today was the day Gowon’s debut album, including the second title track, <DRIFT>, would finally be released after all kinds of twists and turns.
A week earlier, Division Five had surprise-released a song called <Unlimited> before the planned debut date.
Through that, they had built an image for Gowon as an obsessive racer, an artist seized by madness.
And after a little more time passed, when mentions related to Choi Songhyeon had also quieted down.
<DRIFT>, the song that had almost become tragically unfortunate, was ready to come out into the world.
In truth, a prerelease is a strategy that involves some bleeding.
Because curiosity might be satisfied before the album release, causing the song’s digital-chart results to fall instead.
However, the people who had been in Division Five for a long time were overflowing with confidence in a song Baek Hanje had participated in. They believed they could crush a handicap that small.
“Look at Team Leader Shin. He kept saying he wouldn’t get involved, wouldn’t get involved, and still followed him all the way to the music video shoot. He really is unbelievable at pulling concepts.”
“Gowon, wasn’t that when you’d stayed up three nights in a row? You worked hard.”
“No, I didn’t...”
There were no barbs in what everyone said. They were only bringing out as many kind words and compliments as possible to lower the tension.
But to Gowon, who was extremely nervous, that consideration felt like soft thorns scraping at his arms.
Perhaps because everyone knew that, from around 5:50, ten minutes before the song release, no one spoke to Gowon.
As it became 5:57, 5:58, then 5:59, the tension only grew heavier.
“Gasp, it’s up. It’s up!”
And at exactly 6 p.m.
One person came running over with their phone. Gowon’s two digital single tracks were up on the streaming app.
Unlimited(∞) (Title) Gowon
DRIFT (Title) Gowon
“Ah...”
Two title tracks placed side by side with his name.
When he clicked, the album introduction followed.
[Album Introduction]
‘Go One Way’
A starting signal received after a long wait.
Gowon stands at the starting line of the road he must endlessly move down.
The first step taken toward the signpost he set for himself, ‘GO ONE’
Vowing not to stop for even a single moment, Gowon throws off the image of himself wandering immaturely. To prove the self he has matured into, he presents music into which he has poured all his ability.
Gowon’s first Digital Single contains two tracks in total, the double title tracks ‘Unlimited(∞)’ and ‘DRIFT.’
[Track list]
Track 1. Unlimited(∞)
Lyrics by HANZEL
Composed by HANZEL
Arranged by ......
‘Unlimited(∞)’ is a dark trap hip-hop track combined with an intense bass sound, expressing Gowon’s inner self as he silently moves forward without limits, and the passion within him. Its fast, tense tempo is joined by low-register rap, delivering an addictive pull as deep as a mire.
It was created by HANZEL of Young Ace, who built a legend with hit songs, based on the inspiration that came to him when he first met Gowon.
Track 2. DRIFT
Lyrics by ......
......
Having realized his desire for his destination, Gowon no longer hesitates. The B-side <DRIFT> is a groovy dance track that contains the obsession held by a boy.
There exists a smooth road stretching straight ahead, but beyond it lies an unknown fog where no one knows what may appear. Pulled by an irresistible force, Gowon willingly leaves the easy road and throws himself into the unknown.
Thanks to the image established through the prerelease track, when <DRIFT> was released, the public’s interpretation was guided in the same direction.
And so, even in <DRIFT>, only the image of an obsessive artist and racer stood out.
It was easy to say, but in that short time, they had completely overturned the existing album plan, and most of Division Five had been ground down.
Maybe thanks to everyone’s desperation, the song approvals, broadcasting station reviews, and music video drafts all came out slightly faster than expected.
“Gowon, congratulations!”
And so, the crisis of an indefinite debut postponement was overcome with the minimal losses of round-the-clock work and labor from all of Division Five, Gowon, and Baek Hanje.
“Baek Hanje was a genius.”
“Hanje really is the ghost of K-pop.”
“......”
Listening to his name, Gowon looked again at the reactions attached to the album.
As for negative reactions, there were only things like, “After stealing him from Debut Chart, they’re milking the winner image like crazy.”
K-Dom didn’t even help him with anything, aren’t they freeloading off the Debut Chart image too much? lol It’s not like the show ended well either lol...
In truth, none of that mattered anymore.
I debuted.
Finally, he had debuted safely.
The more real it felt, the more the ache deep inside his throat grew. The inside of his face grew hot.
He had thought it would be impossible. There were people for whom the effort to stand onstage—no, even dreaming of that process itself—was a luxury.
In his heart, there had always been oppression over knowing his own place.
Even when he won <Debut Chart> and his debut fell apart, he had thought, That’s what happens to me. It was the same when he was cast by K-Dom and a problem arose while he was preparing to debut. It felt as if he had been struggling to grasp something too much for him and was paying the price by falling from an even higher place.
In that situation, for the first time in his life, Gowon had met someone who smashed apart the thing pushing him back with refreshing force.
Thanks to that, Gowon neither fell nor retreated to avoid falling.
Baek Hanje. Hanzel.
It was because he had held him up.
A man so handsome that anyone could tell at a glance he was a celebrity, but whose eyes and atmosphere were fierce enough that there was something intimidating about him.
He was around the same height as Gowon, but because Gowon shrank back under his distinctive presence, he felt as if he were much smaller than him.
He thought it might have been nice if he had known more properly about Young Ace, and about him, before meeting him. Until he had somehow ended up participating in <Debut Chart>, he had been far too ignorant about the entertainment industry.
...I want to tell him thank you.
He remembered that cold voice telling him not to say thank you or sorry carelessly. To begin with, he hadn’t even received his contact information.
Would he still be on the seventh floor of this building?
“Um, about Senior Baek Hanje...”
“Hm? Hanje?”
“...Well.”
Bang.
“Ah, speak of a genius and he appears.”
“Were you talking behind my back?”
The man who flung the door open and came in without knocking immediately snapped. Then, with that same shameless attitude, he strode across the division head office.
“Was it you?”
“No...”
He really was consistent. Right down to coming in and immediately flopping down in the middle seat of the sofa without caring about his surroundings.
“Hey, Gowon. How does it feel to have debuted?”
“It doesn’t feel real yet.”
“Aah...”
After hearing the answer, Baek Hanje thought.
What is this? Is that why?
Q1-1. Crisis on the Brink!
Progress: 99.9%
Time Limit: 00h 00m 00s
Until the 14th, when the whole album was released, I had waited with ease.
After shaving down my lifespan to make Gowon’s debut happen, I, a certain senior who had been resting comfortably in the studio that felt like home, sprang up from my seat.
February 14, 6 p.m.
The album had been released without issue. Gowon had protected his song and hadn’t disappointed his fans.
But why isn’t the quest cleared window popping up?
Without changing the publicly announced date of February 14.Launching it as a complete Gowon album without having <DRIFT> stolen.In other words, inside, it had been a complete disaster, but from the outside, it looked like a flawless debut.
At this point, I had protected everything I was supposed to protect.
...And yet, the fact that the quest window had stopped at 99% seemed to be Gowon’s problem.
“Hey, so. What do you think needs to happen for your debut to feel real?”
“Pardon?”
“What do you have to do for it to feel like you’ve become a singer?”
“I thought... it would be when the album was released.”
“Then that’s now.”
“Ah, yes.”
What the hell was the problem? Could this bastard quest window have glitched because it had been so long?
I leaned against the backrest and tossed out the words indifferently.
“Fine. Congratulations on your debut, junior.”
“...Thank you...”
Q1-1. Crisis on the Brink!
Progress: 100%
Q1-1. Crisis on the Brink!
Cleared
Success rewards will be calculated.
Huh?
At that moment, the quest was completed.
What the hell. This thing is seriously picky.
Did it have to have a congratulations, ta-da, interpersonal interaction to clear?
Ugh, no.
If the quest had failed, this kid would have been destined to become ■■. What was the point of being prickly to someone who had practically survived a brush with death?
It was probably just 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 a decade, it was a familiar sight.
Honestly, since I had gotten him debuted, I hoped this would be the end. I wanted to release him into the wild and tell him to grow on his own now. Once was enough for volunteer work.
You have obtained the reward “Qualities of a Cool Senior”! Additionally, “Junior’s Respect” will be calculated.
By the special effect of <A Senior Paving the Road to Glory>, HBN’s status window is unlocked.
HBN. It meant junior.
But, status window?
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