Chapter 351: Concert (15)

Kang Joo-Han penned the lyrics and composed the tunes, Goh Yoo-Joon brought the vocals to life, Lee Jin-Sung masterminded the dance routines, and Park Yoon-Chan added his unique blend of acting and ethereal vocals. Each member had their niche, but if you had to single out the one with the best stage presence, Suh Hyun-Woo would steal the spotlight every time.

YMM knew precisely how to play to Suh Hyun-Woo's strengths. "Sirens" was a track and dance routine tailored to showcase his talents.

"What’s up with YMM? They’ve really been stepping up their game lately."

Kim Go-Ri’s eyes were glued to the screen as she absorbed the "Sirens" special live video, and she was unaware of the wide grin spreading across her face.

? If you want to escape into the darkness,

I will wake the moon and light up the brightness for you

Play a bit more

Don't get tired and let's dance

The first verse injected a burst of life and vibrancy, which was a departure from the usual somber tones. The second verse pushed the envelope and stretched into the realms of what Rings had come to expect from Suh Hyun-Woo. Whoever had brainstormed this genius idea remained a mystery, but if it was the same person who had planned everything from Park Yoon-Chan's clip to this one, then a pay raise was definitely in order.

Why did Kim Go-Ri love it so much?

As soon as the set draped in moody purple lights, no further glimpses of Goh Yoo-Joon were shown. Suh Hyun-Woo was dressed in black and was seated on a bed, his gaze piercing through the screen.

The camera slowly zoomed out from a tight close-up of his face to reveal the vast set around him. Dotted with dozens of dancers in matching black outfits and masks, the background looked almost surreal, yet Suh Hyun-Woo was the highlight amidst the unified dancers as he drew eyes with his distinctive allure.

As the second verse kicked off, he seamlessly merged with the throng of dancers. His performance was a testament to impeccable timing and coordination. The complex and high-energy dance moves required jumping onto dancers’ backs and leaping through the air. The choreography even seemed almost superhuman in their execution.

‘This is even more intense than the Chronos group’s choreographies.’

Despite the complexity, the live vocals were impeccably smooth. This wasn’t just a seasoned performer at work, this was an artist who had finally shed the last traces of his rookie shell and displayed a confidence that belied his years.

Lee Jin-Sung's special live performance had similar vibes. To be honest, his performance seemed a tad engineered, likely touched up digitally to improve the live vocals. But the fact that it was still overwhelmingly live, with the choreography not just supporting but enhancing the vocals, made it a compelling spectacle. It was a performance that had to be seen to be believed.

During Chronos group activities, choreographies were intricate but limited by the necessity to synchronize with Kang Joo-Han and Park Yoon-Chan. But in a solo setting, Suh Hyun-Woo was free to unleash his full potential without having to match anyone else's rhythm.

YMM aimed to reveal a side of Suh Hyun-Woo through "Sirens" that had previously been hidden by showing off his skills and presence in a new light.

Kim Go-Ri felt her heart swell with pride. This live video was like uncovering a treasure trove of untapped potential that the Chronos members had yet to show.

How much practice had Suh Hyun-Woo put into "Sirens?" Where did he find the time in the middle of concert preparations?

"Wow, I'm honestly blown away."

Even in the hustle, the high quality of the music and choreography made it all the more thrilling.

"YMM is so infuriating! They never did anything like this for our guys before."

Kim Hyang-Soo suddenly appeared beside Kim Go-Ri, glaring at the screen as Suh Hyun-Woo danced and venting her frustration.

"Why has YMM only started pulling out all these concepts now?" she asked.

"Looks like they’ve finally come to their senses," Kim Go-Ri responded, almost whispering in awe.

"Did you hear that Chronos' former manager is now the head of the label they’ve moved to? I read it in an article."

"Which manager? The guy famous for his photo gallery? His name is Lee Su-Hwan, right?"

"Yeah, maybe that’s the reason? Or maybe not."

In truth, much of the change could be attributed to Supervisor Kim finally letting go of his stubborn views on idols and recognizing the business value in investing in them. Well, Lee Su-Hwan’s influence had surely played a part.

Kim Hyang-Soo’s face softened as she settled next to Kim Go-Ri. Her attention was now fully on Suh Hyun-Woo's performance.

"He's already got two solo songs, huh? He really nails them," Kim Hyang-Soo remarked with a mix of surprise and admiration. Although she wasn't particularly drawn to Chronos herself, she couldn’t help but notice Suh Hyun-Woo every time she ended up watching a performance because of Kim Go-Ri.

It was the same during "Moon Sea" and the year-end stage she watched due to Allure. After all, it was pretty obvious which idols had the potential to be a star and which didn’t. Even if they were not your personal favorites, there were some idols whose charisma was so compelling that they just captured your attention.

From an outsider's perspective like Kim Hyang-Soo's, it seemed like Suh Hyun-Woo had the most charisma and star appeal in Chronos.

? As our time together grows longer,

We will come to resemble each other more

I will scatter golden petals above your head

Welcome you, Welcome my, my...

In the video, he stood out starkly on the violet stage even clad in the same black outfit as the dancers. He managed to dance in a way that ensured all eyes were on him by subtly altering his moves even when following the same choreography as the rest.

As Kim Hyang-Soo ripped open a bag of snacks, she mused aloud, "What would these kids have done if they weren't idols? I can't see them doing anything else."

"Ah! Could you keep it down a bit?"

"Uh, okay."

Kim Go-Ri was blunt, but Kim Hyang-Soo complied.

As the song approached its finale, it transitioned into a dance break that wove together a powerful EDM beat with the sophisticated plucking of a harp. It created a captivating melody and rhythm.

The stage had once been crowded with dancers, but now only four masked figures were left. They moved in sync with Suh Hyun-Woo. The video highlighted intricate lower body movements and waves by showcasing their precise body lines right until it zoomed in again on Suh Hyun-Woo’s face. He walked over to a bed, looked back with a relieved smile as if he'd let go of a heavy burden, then walked off the set with heavy steps. This marked the end of the performance.

"Wow." That was impressive.

Indeed, the best way to showcase a member wasn't through some external broadcaster, but through the agency's own crafted visuals. And with Suh Hyun-Woo, it wasn’t just about his singing, dancing, or outfit. The entire concept, from the cinematography to the lighting and camera movements, was spot-on. It felt like everything Kim Go-Ri could have hoped for in Suh Hyun-Woo's performance had been delivered in full.

As Kim Go-Ri was reflecting on the performance, the screen went black.

Whirr—!

"What? It's not over yet?"

She thought the video had ended, but something else suddenly appeared. It wasn’t the camcorder-like screen or the mystical, violet-lit space from before. Instead, what appeared was the ceiling of a dimly lit room.

The perspective of the video shifted to a first-person view. It blinked as if waking up, and looked around a plain ordinary room as if all the previous events had been just a dream. The narrator then looked down at his hands, large and sinewy, seemingly those of a man.

"Where did that hand model go?"

"Must be one of the staff's hands. They are quite well-maintained and pretty."

‘They feel familiar.’

While Kim Go-Ri pondered lightly, the person in the video gasped for air and then covered his face (the screen) with his hands. This brought the real video to a close.

"Ha!" Imagine seeing this live at a concert? Just the thought was exhilarating.

Kim Go-Ri continued to stare blankly at the black screen and instinctively hit the refresh button. After watching the video a couple more times, especially replaying the parts she loved, she refreshed again and scrolled down to check the views and comments.

As expected of the group’s most popular member, the video had amassed the most views and comments among all the Chronos solo specials uploaded so far despite only being online for a short time. Between the predominantly English comments, there were still a few in Korean.

- YMM finally did it! Absolutely amazing. I'm so proud of them. Now I can die with no worries.

- ???????? Sirens exceeded expectations. I watched it spellbound three times before I came to my senses and commented. He is GORGEOUS!!!

- You are the miracle of mid-tier agencies, Hyun-Woo ??

- Do the members' solo songs have their own universe?? It seems like they all have a story. Am I the only one who thinks so?

- From now on, only Suh Hyun-Woo should do the ethereal sexy concept

- 2:38 Seriously, the expression, the tone of voice, everything is insane... Hyun-Woo’s nasal sound? This thin falsetto? First time hearing it, he absolutely rocked it.

- Why is there no talk of Yoo-Joon, I cracked up whenever he appeared in the video LMAO Aren’t the hands in the end Yoo-Joon’s?

- I can’t stop humming Sirens omg

Just like Kim Go-Ri was very satisfied after watching "Sirens," most of the Rings found the video thoroughly enjoyable too. Shortly thereafter, Suh Hyun-Woo's "Sirens" climbed to the second spot on

UTube

's trending videos list and stood out as one of the top solo performances among the members.

***

In a large rehearsal studio, which had been temporarily set up to mimic the concert stage, a brief pause allowed for discussion due to some misaligned dancer cues. During this break, Tae-Seong approached and showed me his phone screen.

"What's this?"

A sudden, unfamiliar screen was thrust before me.

"Oh!"

It was only then I realized it was "Sirens," and my face was unexpectedly on the

UTube

thumbnail.

"Hyun-Woo, I just heard ‘Sirens’ reached number two on

UTube

's trending videos!"

"Ah."

"Oh! ‘Sirens’ is really a hit!"

"I knew it would do well."

"Congratulations~ Remember, my special appearance also contributed to those views, buddy."

It dawned on me then that today was the day "Sirens" live video was uploaded. I'd been so focused on the concert prep that I'd forgotten the exact upload date.

"Thank you, everyone. Really, it's all thanks to you."

I expressed my gratitude to all the staff and members present in the rehearsal room and settled back into my position. After a quick round of congratulations, we immediately got back into formation.

"Let's run through ‘Flamma’ one more time, then move on to ‘Phantom Spirit.’"

"Okay!"

"Got it."

The instrumental for "Flamma" echoed through the rehearsal room. Currently, we had neither the time nor the mental capacity to revel in joy or celebration. Despite the smooth progress, the need for multiple dance and stage adjustments throughout the day meant our minds were overwhelmed. The emotional and physical strain was something I had never fully appreciated while I was a trainer.

With the frantic schedule of running and practicing, the day of our first concert was quickly approaching.