When I Opened My Eyes I Was a Superstar

“It’s so blinding― It’s shining―”

Along with a familiar melody, Do Wook’s soft voice flowed out.

“Oh Oh!”

“Ah!”

“Isn’t this that?”

The audience was buzzing over the unexpected song choice. The song that Do Wook started singing was a song by a female idol group that recently gained huge popularity.

The group that sang it was the first female idol group to be #1 on the charts for several months in a row with this song and had surprisingly high album sales.

On top of that, the choreography of repeating hand gestures in the chorus became popular. The whole nation was following along with the choreography. It was, in a word, ‘fierce’.

Do Wook edited ‘Oh my!’, a fast tempo dance song, into an emotional acoustic version.

Since it’s a song that everyone knows, there are many audiences who reflexively sing along when it gets to the chorus. In sync with the audience who was singing along, Do Wook continued the song.

Since the harmony progression stayed the same, the audience were able to easily sing along.

Even as they were singing along, the audience was thinking that it was interesting. They were surprised that ‘Oh my!’, which was known as a fun and lively song, could be edited into a lyrical version like this.

“It sounds sad, seriously.”

“Yeah. Ah, his voice is so good. Really.”

“How did he think of changing it like this?”

“I know…”

The audience continued to be in awe.

At that moment, bang! Do Wook, who banged on several piano keys at the same time, started playing another song.

This time, it was a dance song by a female solo artist. As soon as the piano started playing a cheerful rhythm, the audience naturally started clapping to the rhythm.

Clap, clap – Do Wook smiled as he looked at the audience matching his rhythm.

Starting with ‘Oh my!’, Do Wook sang about five songs, including songs by female idol groups and solo singers, in a short medley.

When the melody was completely over, applause poured out. There were even people who were whistling with their fingers.

The people were excited about the unexpected selection and arrangement of the song, feeling as if they had received an unexpected gift.

After hearing songs they knew reborn as songs with a completely different atmosphere, the audience felt a certain ‘joy’. They felt like they had learned different ways to enjoy the song. Also, the arranged song itself was particularly good.

Added to that, Do Wook’s sweet tone, neat singing skills, and warm atmosphere all matched together, making it a perfect performance.

Seeing Do Wook be in perfect harmony with them, the audience’s satisfaction reached its highest level.

“Wow~ You’re really amazing!”

Yoo Hee Won walked onto the stage holding a microphone.

The staff quickly moved the grand piano to the back and brought out two chairs to make an area for Do Wook and Yoo Hee Won to sit.

Yoo Hee Won’s eyes were shining. Just as much as he was a music program MC, Yoo Hee Won was also an incredibly high-profile musician.

He debuted as a singer, but his true talents showed in composition rather than in singing.

Even to Yoo Hee Won, who had such credentials, Do Wook’s arrangement skills were amazing. The arrangement fit him perfectly without completely losing the image of the original song. The songs he arranged were good enough to be released as a sound file right away.

“Haha, thank you.”

“Man…isn’t this seriously cheating? If someone with looks like that can compose and sing well too…then there’s no room for me anymore.”

At Yoo Hee Won’s words, Do Wook smiled humbly.

“It really feels blinding when you smile. I’m a guy, but even I might fall for you. Is there anyone among the KK members who’s fallen for you?”

The audience burst into laughter at Yoo Hee Won’s joke.

“Thank you very much for a good performance. Really, the name of this program may be Yoon Hee Won’s Holiday, but when I was listening to Please Don’t Go I felt…I felt like I was becoming holy. “

Do Wook blushed shily, unsure of how to react to Yoo Hee Won’s continuous praise. Yoo Hee Won was a musician Do Wook liked too. Among the songs Yoo Hee Won had composed, there were a few that Kim Woo Yeon had sung. Do Wook had listened to one of those songs about a hundred times.

“It’s truly an honor. I’m thankful just to be here, but I also was complimented by a sunbae I respect.”

“Ah, this guy. You’re modest. With your skills, I think you can go for an arrogant concept!”

Yoo Hee Won’s words made the audience burst into laughter again. Do Wook also laughed out loud.

Part of the fun of ‘Yoo Hee Won’s Holiday’ was watching and listening to good music, but another part was also Yoo Hee Won’s banter.

“I heard this medley arrangement and performance was specially prepared for our program…”

“Yes. When I was thinking about what kind of songs would be good to play for the audience… Rather than just singing my songs, I felt it might be better to sing songs that I can enjoy with the audience even more, since I sing my songs in plenty of other places anyways.”

“Thank you, really. I feel like I need to do something for you since you put so much thought into it. It’s pretty burdensome!”

Yoo Hee Won was being cheeky. Do Wook waved his hands, gesturing ‘no’.

He said it in a joking way, but Yoo Hee Won seemed to have been impressed by Do Wook, who genuinely put in thought and preparation and gave a good performance on the show.

Abruptly getting up from his seat, Yoo Hee Won said,

“Well, I really do feel burdened, but I’m also just as grateful.”

“Huh?”

“If it’s not an imposition, can I play your song ‘Darling’ on the piano as an arrangement piece? I want to give it to you as a gift.”

Do Wook opened his eyes wide in surprise. You could hear the audience say ”Ohhh”, their voices full of anticipation.

Clomp clomp, Yoo Hee Won started walking towards the grand piano. He sat down on the piano seat and started to stretch his hands.

It was an unscheduled performance. However, Yoo Hee Won often performed when he received musical inspiration, so the crew did not panic and adjusted the sound and camera position.

The audience started to clap.

Along with applause, Yoo Hee Won began to play ‘Darling’. Just as Do Wook arranged a female idol group’s dance song, ‘Darling’ was also being played by Yoo Hee Won his way.

At the part where the chorus was repeated, Yoo Hee Won and Do Wook made eye contact. Do Wook held up the microphone and began singing ‘Darling’ with a bossa nova* style.

(TL Note: Per Wikipedia, bossa nova is a relaxed style of samba developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).

Yoo Hee Won, who changed the song to a solo piece, was amazing too, but Do Wook, who started singing after reading the song’s suddenly-changed flow, was also incredible. Exclamations of surprise followed.

The recording venue was melting into sweetness.

After having a brief talk session, Do Wook performed the original version of his song ‘Darling’. It was the ending performance for the day.

With Do Wook coming down from the stage, the recording of ‘Yoon Hee Won’s Holiday’ was completed. The expressions of everyone in the audience were glowing as they were leaving. Everyone was saying endless praises of Do Wook as if they were under his spell.

It was because even the last dance performance left a deep impression.

Yoo Hee Won personally came to greet Do Wook who had come off the stage, and patted him on his shoulder.

“I was wondering how good you were since Kim Woo Yeon boasts all the time that you’re his pupil, but you’re even better than when I’ve seen you on broadcasts.”

“He does? Haha. Thank you. Truly. Your piano piece earlier was also very nice.”

“No, Seeing you, I really started to think that I need to try harder. I’m inspired.”

Yoo Hee Won added,

“If an opportunity comes up later on, please be a part of our album too.”

“Huh? Of course. Just give me a call anytime.”

“You can’t forget this promise!”

When Do Wook politely responded, “That goes without saying”, Yoo Hee Won gave a hearty laugh.

***

After the ‘Yoon Hee Won’s Holiday’ broadcast aired, the reaction was explosive as expected.

In particular, the medley performance that Do Wook did was edited on MyTube and quickly exceeded tens of thousands of views. If you looked up “Yoo Hee Won’s Holiday Legendary Performance”, Do Wook’s performance came up first.

On top of that, the songs Do Wook made covers of in his style, like ‘Oh my!’, also came up one after another. ‘Oh my!’ was experiencing the butterfly effect, such as getting on the charts once again.

Opinions from experts, saying that they were looking forward to Do Wook’s music world, also followed.

Do Wook also placed first at the program before the music broadcast. It was a successful first solo album activity.

“Good work, Do Wook.”

“Good work!”

After the last music broadcast finished, the staff greeted Do Wook as they passed by. The vibe was very good since the activities wrapped up successfully.

“Ok, let’s give a round of applause, then get going!”

Manager Oh Baek Ho’s booming voice rang out through the waiting room.

Both the coordinators and the dancer team cheered and gave sincere applause. Do Wook gave a deep bow and thanked those who helped him with his activities.

After finishing with the last music broadcast, Do Wook got in the car with Manager Oh Baek Ho and headed to the dormitory.

“So how are you liking solo activities? It’s hard, isn’t it?”

Manager Oh Baek Ho asked as he started driving. Do Wook, who was sitting in the back, nodded his head.

“Yes. It’s hard. Understandably, since I’m doing alone what normally would be divided among many people.”

“Yeah. Still, you did well.”

“And since the members aren’t here, it’s lonely…”

“It’s crowded and loud, but it’s still nice to have them around, huh?”

“Of course,”

Do Wook replied as he thought about the members. Even when taking a selfie to post on the fan café, it felt weird without the members, who used to be next to him coaching him, saying, “this angle is better, that angle is better.”

Do Wook was surprised at himself that he had become comfortable living as two people mixed together.

‘A lot of time has passed since our souls changed…it’s definitely changed. The future, and me.’

It was time to think about that. Manager Oh Baek Ho said after checking on Do Wook with the rearview mirror,

“Reporter Choi contacted us.”

“…Already?”

“Yeah. He’ll have to look into it more to get the details, but it seems like he has a general idea.”

“I see.”

“He said that after doing a little digging, it seems like Seo Kang Jun’s not the only one involved.”

“Ahhh…”

That’s what’s scary about evil. Evil is highly contagious. There was no evil that ended with just one. It’s something easily spread to two, three, even tens of thousands.

“It sounds like we’ll be able to expose it in a big way.”

“Yeah. I just…”

Manager Oh Baek Ho said with a slight frown.

“I think you shouldn’t get deeply involved. You’ve done everything you have to do for your friend by letting the story known. Leave it to Reporter Choi to take it from here.”

It wasn’t a friend’s issue, it was one of Do Wook himself.

However, he understood that Manager Oh Baek Ho was worried, so Do Wook nodded his head.

‘I’m building up my strength so that I don’t get retaliated on. There can’t be any consequences for anyone.’

With that thought, Do Wook took out the screenplay he had put in his backpack.

< Working Title: Blue Whale >

He finally had free time to look over the screenplay.

Do Wook quickly flipped to the first page of the screenplay.

As he read one page after another, Do Wook closed his eyes tightly. The content of Director Yoon Sung Ah’s < Working Title: Blue Whale > was a thing of nightmares.

—

Next chapter: Do Wook gets ready to join ‘Blue Whale’ but he’s not the only member preparing for future events