* * *
“What…?”
Dojae tilted his head to the side.
He couldn’t grasp what kind of offer would be made solely to him.
‘Considering he mentioned the commercial, it shouldn’t be a bad offer…’
It was unclear why there was a hint of hesitation.
“Well, it’s a drama casting offer.”
Team Leader Jung Heeyoung said straightforwardly.
Dojae’s eyes widened.
“A drama?”
“Yes. It’s not a major role, but it’s the role of the female lead’s younger brother… Actually, for a rookie actor, it’s quite a significant and good role. It seems to have a decent amount of screen time too.”
“I see.”
“Your appearance and performance in the commercial were great, so it seems like you caught their interest. They reached out to us first.”
Dojae listened quietly and added appropriate responses.
He wasn’t exactly sure how to react.
‘A drama role… I never even considered this.’
From the start, Dojae’s dream was solely to become a singer.
Dojae, who wanted to be a “singing singer,” became an idol because Kang Dojae in the Republic of Korea was an idol trainee.
Thanks to this, Lee Dojae learned to dance, something he had never done before.
Of course, he enjoyed dancing.
It felt awkward at first, but perhaps due to the muscle memory of Kang Dojae, he quickly got the hang of it and could now dance as well as the original Kang Dojae.
Singing and dancing on stage turned out to be quite enjoyable.
He even liked the profession of being an idol.
From performing synchronized choreography as a group to having a team-based approach to music and performances.
Through these performances, he gained enthusiastic fans…
He enjoyed challenging new things, encouraged by the fans’ support.
‘filming commercials was part of that too.’
Showing a new side to the fans and imagining their reactions made it all worthwhile.
‘Still… all of that was done as a singer and as part of MOST.’
Acting under his own name was a completely different story.
It was like becoming a “rookie actor,” as Team Leader Jung Heeyoung had casually mentioned.
“Oh, the drama is called ‘Hello, Autumn’ and it’s by the writer who wrote ‘Chef, Chef’. It’s set to air late this year or early next year.”
“I think I’ve heard of it.”
“If you had asked Louis, he would’ve known right away! ‘Chef, Chef’ did quite well, so this new work is also expected to be popular.”
Dojae nodded quietly.
“Since you weren’t preparing to be an actor, it might seem sudden… but things don’t always happen when you’re ready. Sometimes you just have to take the opportunities as they come.”
“Yes, if I had considered acting… it does seem like a good opportunity.”
While it’s hard for actors to become singers, singers often try their hand at acting.
Cynthia, whom he recently met as a contender for the top spot, was such a person.
An excellent actor who didn’t forget her role as a singer, one of the few textbook examples.
Dojae tried to think flexibly.
He had only dreamed of singing, but now he was dancing on stage as well.
Who knew what new things he might do next?
Thriving in various fields beyond just being a singer was a characteristic of idols.
From radio DJing to hosting, modeling, and acting…
The scope of activities was indeed broad.
“And you’ve taken a few acting lessons, right?”
The company also anticipated that the members would eventually branch out into various fields.
They hoped for it, in fact.
So, they provided the members with a variety of lessons.
Acting was naturally included.
“Thanks to that, it helped with acting in music videos and commercials.”
“It’s not just thanks to the lessons, it’s your innate talent! Kijoon and Heungmin took the same lessons, didn’t they?”
Team Leader Jung Heeyoung playfully teased Kijoon and Heungmin.
“That’s true.”
Dojae agreed easily.
Even with Kijoon and Heungmin there, he wouldn’t have been able to refute it.
Especially since Heungmin was gaining minor fame as a “bad actor with a good face.”
“Anyway, what do you think? Do you want to try it? You’ll have to audition, but it’s mostly a formality. If you agree, it’s pretty much a done deal… I don’t think you’ll have any trouble with the role if you prepare.”
After a moment of contemplation, Dojae spoke.
“What do you think, Team Leader? Do you think I should do it?”
Team Leader Jung Heeyoung carefully chose her words.
“Well… the company’s stance is that your personal decision is most important.”
“Yes.”
“Both options have their pros and cons, so it’s hard to say definitively.”
“I value your opinion as well.”
He was expressing respect for her expertise.
Team Leader Jung Heeyoung smiled slightly and replied.
“From a personal standpoint, it’s a really good opportunity. Even if you hadn’t thought about acting… trying it once is different from not trying at all. Dramas are great for gaining face and name recognition.”
“Yes…”
“But. It could affect the team’s schedule. Although it might not be a big issue with good coordination.”
Even if they filmed during a break, it could somehow impact the preparation for the next album.
Having released two albums already, Dojae could somewhat estimate that.
“And this might not be an issue for you, but… since we can’t predict everything, I’ll mention it… it could change the team’s dynamics.”
“Changing the dynamics…?”
“Since you’re still in the early stages of group activities, your team image isn’t fully established. If one member stands out as an actor, it could shake up the overall atmosphere within the team and among the fans.”
Commonly referred to as “actor syndrome.”
However, since it was hard to imagine Dojae succumbing to actor syndrome, Team Leader Jung Heeyoung repeatedly said, “I don’t think this is something to worry about.”
Then she added.
“Honestly, there’s no right answer. If you take the drama role, it will definitely help raise not just your profile, but the team’s as well.”
“Yes…”
“That’s why I want to leave the choice up to you. There’s no right answer here, so it’s best for you to do what you want.”
If it were anywhere else, the company would have decided the direction it wanted.
They might not have even passed the offer to Dojae or might have ordered him to do the drama.
But Kingdom wasn’t like that.
The company had a clear belief that it was there to support its artists, and it wanted to respect the artists’ opinions above all.
They thought this was the way the artists and the company could work together for a long time without any friction.
Besides, the company’s decisions weren’t always right, so they were willing to bear the opportunity costs that came with the artists’ choices.
“Did I make things more confusing for you… Wasn’t my input helpful for your decision?” Team Leader Jung Heeyoung asked.
Dojae shook his head.
“No, thank you for helping me organize my thoughts.”
“Well, you probably need some time to decide, right?”
“Yes. By when should I give my answer?”
“The sooner, the better. But you have a week or two, so take your time and let us know.”
“Thank you, Team Leader.”
“No, I’m the one who’s thankful. Always.”
Team Leader Jung Heeyoung sincerely said.
She had personally selected each member of MOST.
After a long wait, she had brought in Dojae and Louis, and the wait was proving to be worth it.
Like all the members, but especially Dojae, was indispensable to MOST, both inside and outside the group.
‘A kid like him being so thoughtful, how fortunate we are.’
Team Leader Jung Heeyoung sent Dojae off with a heart full of gratitude as if she were saying a prayer to the heavens.
“Let us know your decision through Manager Kim.”
“Yes. I’ll take my leave now.”
“Ah… yes. Take care.”
Sometimes, Dojae felt like he was from Cheonghak-dong (Wealthy Neighborhood) rather than Seoul.
*
The drama casting offer came to Dojae just as MOST was wrapping up their activities for “Yours.”
After a little over a month of activities, MOST immediately started preparing for their follow-up song.
They had been number one on music shows for four consecutive weeks, and even after ending their activities, their song remained in the top 50 on the charts.
To top it off, they landed a commercial deal at the end of their activities, so they couldn’t ask for more.
‘I hope fans will like the follow-up song too.’
Dojae, working on a song at his computer on a day off, suddenly thought.
These days, follow-up song activities were more like fan service rather than aiming for great results.
He hoped the fans would love the follow-up song.
Of course, preparing for the follow-up song immediately after ending the title track’s activities made the members quite tired…
“Yaaawn.”
Dojae turned around to see Kyuseong stretching and yawning in his blanket.
Checking his phone, Kyuseong was surprised by the time.
“Is it this late already?”
“You skipped lunch and slept. You must be starving.”
It was three in the afternoon.
Yesterday, they had listened to the new follow-up song together and divided the parts.
They were given a day off before starting the follow-up song preparations in earnest.
Normally, they would have been eager to go out and play, but most members chose to sleep off the fatigue accumulated during their activities.
“Yeah… I’m hungry. Did everyone else eat?”
“Yes. We had lunch together earlier, and Louis and Heungmin went back to sleep. Kijoon and Woochul seemed to have gone out.”
Hearing Dojae’s explanation, Kyuseong decided to eat something quickly by himself and came down from the top bunk, putting away his blanket.
Glancing at Dojae’s monitor, Kyuseong exclaimed in admiration.
“You’re working hard on your songs these days.”
“I find trying different things quite interesting.”
While working on the arrangement for “Yours,” Dojae had developed an interest in composing as much as singing.
Moreover, he learned a lot and gained confidence from working with Kijoon and Director Lee Jungyeop.
Even short, 1-2 minute songs gave him the opportunity to experiment with different styles of composing.
‘Working freely has helped me realize that unexpected genres might suit me…’
Naturally, he gained new insights.
Creating and exploring various genres became increasingly enjoyable.
“I should practice my guitar more too.”
Muttering awkwardly, Kyuseong left the room to eat his late lunch.
Dojae transferred the ideas he had jotted down on his phone to his computer.
As he did, various thoughts ran through his mind.
‘Anyway… I should make a decision soon.’
With the follow-up song preparations starting in earnest, he wanted to decide on the drama offer beforehand.
Moving his mouse idly, Dojae saw his reflection on the monitor.
He definitely looked more handsome than when he first came to the Republic of Korea.
‘Not that my face was bad to begin with.’
It wasn’t vanity, just an objective observation.
The 3rd Prince could have been a good actor too…
Even during his prince days, he heard such comments several times.
Of course, it was the palace people muttering among themselves.
‘Yes, that’s the right choice.’
Just as Dojae made up his mind, Woochul’s loud voice echoed from outside the room.
“Hyungs! Dojae hyung! Come out! Big news!”
* * *
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