[In the beginning, Tae-ha was an idol.]
This was a play on words that circulated among the Initial when Tae-ha topped the music charts with *Dawn 5:17*. It was a subtle way of expressing that his musical skills were fundamental to his character. At the same time, it was evidence that the majority of the Initial looked forward to Tae-ha’s activities as a singer.
Of course, not everyone was unanimous in wishing for Tae-ha’s re-debut as a singer. Some worried that Tae-ha, who was already twice as busy as most people while balancing his work as an actor and a writer, would find it too difficult if he added singer activities to his plate. The fact that almost all the fans who called themselves Initial had joined the fandom after seeing Tae-ha as an actor was another major reason some did not support his singing career.
However, these people were in the minority, and more than half of the Initial supported Tae-ha’s musical activities. Even those who became fans through his acting had stayed loyal because they were charmed by his versatility. Ultimately, the hearts of most Initial wanted to see that versatility expand into the world of music.
Perhaps that was why the idea of Tae-ha debuting as a singer eventually became a given, and people began sharing opinions on how he should make his debut. Among those opinions, the most common was:
[Title: Wouldn’t a solo debut be the easiest and most comfortable?]
– The reason people are against his debut in the first place is the worry that he’ll become too busy.
– So, wouldn’t it be okay if he debuted as a solo singer and just did one short round of music shows?
– If even that’s too much, he could just release the digital single without even doing music shows.
They were advocating for a solo debut. Certainly, a solo debut would make it less likely for Tae-ha to be chased by a tight schedule.
Unfortunately, Tae-ha had no intention of debuting as a solo artist. His thought was that if he were going to debut solo, he’d rather not be a singer at all. Manager Seven was also frustrated by this attitude.
Some Initial caught on to the fact that Tae-ha didn’t have much of a desire for a solo debut. Perhaps because of that, posts like this began to appear:
[Title: Does he really need to have a separate debut?]
– I think it would be fine if Tae-ha just sang the OST himself whenever he does a project.
– It naturally increases the immersion of the Initial, provides more material for fan meetings… isn’t this a win-win?
– Besides, this is basically the same as a solo debut.
This opinion also received clear support. It was the most realistic way for Tae-ha to engage in singing activities. Tae-ha himself intended to head in this direction if he were to pursue music. He thought it would be a good idea to not only sing the OSTs for the works he appeared in but also for the projects of other actors he was close with.
As such, the opinions of the Initial regarding Tae-ha’s singing debut were largely divided into two categories: a solo debut or active work as an OST specialist.
However, where there are opinions supported by the majority, there are also opinions supported by the minority. One day, a post appeared in the official fan cafe, the Initial Village.
[Title: Since he’s doing it anyway, how about Tae-ha reuniting with the Freesia members?]
– It looks like Tae-ha still keeps in touch with the old members often.
– He even posted a MyStar update recently celebrating Freesia’s eighth anniversary.
– So, since he’s doing it anyway, how about they gather and promote together again?
– Looking at Tae-ha’s skills, the other members’ skills probably aren’t bad either.
Unfortunately, this suggestion did not get much of a response. It seemed nonsensical for Tae-ha to be an idol again. His age was a factor, but his individual schedule was far too packed for group activities. Furthermore, it was difficult to know if the other Freesia members even wanted to reunite. Just looking at how difficult it was for famous first or second-generation idol groups to get back together made that clear. Because of this, the suggestion was bound to disappear under various opposing opinions.
But the person who suggested the Freesia reunion did not give up.
[Title: Then how about the Freesia members forming something like a working-man’s band?]
– If they do this, they can gather and do music together without being chased by a schedule.
– I think they could have more freedom regarding things like age, too.
– Ah… honestly, I don’t know either. I don’t know why these unrealistic thoughts keep popping into my head.
– I think I’m possessed.
The reaction this time was even more dismal. Unlike before, where a few people had at least left comments, no one responded to this suggestion at all. At the time, no one knew. No one knew that on the day of Tae-ha’s fan meeting, this post would finally become a prophetic one.
***
The screen hanging in the back split left and right, and the Pre-Queen members finally revealed themselves.
“Kyaaaa!”
The Initial couldn’t help but scream. They had never imagined the Freesia members would reunite in such a way. Of course, not everyone recognized the Freesia members at once. Some people screamed along with the crowd while asking the person next to them who those people performing with Tae-ha were.
Some people still didn’t understand the situation even after being told they were the Freesia members. The name Freesia didn’t immediately connect to the idol group Tae-ha had debuted in.
But once they understood the explanation, cheers erupted from the Initial once more.
“Kyaaaa!”
The story of the members of a failed idol group not forgetting their friendship and reuniting after their disbandment was something that made hearts race just by its existence. And for the protagonist of that story to be Tae-ha… from the perspective of the Initial, a massive surge of affection and strong anticipation for Pre-Queen was bound to arise.
Fortunately, Pre-Queen’s performance was at a level that matched such affection and expectation. The opening song they prepared for the Pre-Queen stage was “TOMBOY” by Hyukoh, one of their band practice tracks.
— I’m always awkward with the love my mother gives
— Is that why it’s always so hard?
— Even within the greed I feared losing
— There is a small beauty
This song, which dealt with the honest feelings of youth living in a busy and desolate era, was interpreted differently through Pre-Queen. Pre-Queen was no longer at the age that represents youth. It turned into a song that spoke of longing for the youth where they felt unhappiness even in the midst of happiness, and declaring that it wasn’t too late for them yet.
— I’m happy now, so I’m anxious
— Because the sea before a storm is always calm
— We can’t let the fire burn out too quickly
— I’m rooting for love
For this interpretation, the vocals of Tae-ha and Kim Gun-yul were especially important. The song was quite difficult, so much so that even the original singer lowered the key by half for live performances. The vocal range was demanding, but they also had to convey a unique emotion while handling that range.
However, Tae-ha and Kim Gun-yul pulled it all off in the original key. Their solid high notes, which warmed the heart just by listening, completely enveloped the stage.
— Young us, our growth rings aren’t yet visible
— Blinded by the brilliant light, we’re fading out
— Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah…
Watching Pre-Queen’s performance, the Initial couldn’t help but feel an intense thrill. It was a stage they had never imagined experiencing at an actor’s fan meeting. Furthermore, the instrumental skills of the other members supporting the vocals were extraordinary. The fact that the Initial felt more goosebumps than during Tae-ha’s solo performance was proof of that.
The harmony between the vocals and the session musicians didn’t seem to fall behind even compared to established professional bands. For the Initial, watching Pre-Queen was nothing but pure joy.
Continuing that momentum, Pre-Queen performed “Twenty-Five, Twenty-One” by Jaurim as their next song. Even though it was a practice song, Pre-Queen’s unique color could be felt. The nostalgia for youth was even more powerful in this one.
After the two songs ended, Tae-ha picked up the microphone.
“I think some of you might not understand what’s happening, so I’ll explain. Do any of you happen to know that I debuted as a singer under the name Freesia?”
“Yes!”
“Yes. Those Freesia members have reunited. Under the name of a working-man’s band called Pre-Queen.”
“Kyaaaa!”
“Including me, all the members are busy living our own lives, so we’ve reunited as a working-man’s band, but we plan to do musical activities occasionally, like today. And I wanted to tell the Initial first.”
“Wooooo!”
Tae-ha then introduced the members to the Initial one by one. It was a band-style introduction where each member would play a short riff on their instrument as Tae-ha called their name. A moment later, after finishing the introductions, Tae-ha gave his final remarks for the fan meeting.
“For the final song of the fan meeting, we’re going to play Pre-Queen’s debut song, ‘Where Dreams Don’t Die,’ which hasn’t been released anywhere else. Thank you so much for coming, and I’ll see you next time. I love you, Initial.”
As Tae-ha finished his remarks, drummer Choi Jin-woo gave the signal, and the performance of “Where Dreams Don’t Die” began. As the intro flowed, Tae-ha and Kim Gun-yul split the parts and sang.
— Like red bricks ripening on a rooftop
— Our dreams rise slowly,
— But endlessly increasing in temperature
— They didn’t cool down even when others said it was too late
— And I remembered
— That I am still rooting for myself
— It’s okay, if I start, then it’s a beginning
— You become me, I become you, and we become us
— When our sounds collide, it heats up once more
— It’s okay, if I start, then it’s a beginning
— You become me, I become you, and we become us
— Since we’re back together, let’s forget the painful word ‘giving up’
The Initial knew better than anyone that the strength of Tae-ha and Kim Gun-yul’s vocals wasn’t just in their ability to hit high notes. Rather, their strengths were their unique tones and the breathy delivery that invited immersion. Tae-ha’s vocals, backed by his Immersion Ability, were particularly striking, and “Where Dreams Don’t Die” was a song that highlighted these strengths.
Because of this, the Initial couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of emotion while watching Pre-Queen. Through a short piece of music lasting only 3 minutes and 35 seconds, the lives each member of Pre-Queen had walked were gently conveyed.
Thus, Pre-Queen’s debut stage successfully marked the grand finale of the first fan meeting. After the fan meeting ended, news of Pre-Queen’s reunion quickly spread across various social media platforms and communities.