In K-POP fandom, impressions of The Dawn varied, but they could be boiled down to two main points:
A group that mostly just plays among themselves.
Handsome, but weird guys.
Outwardly, Seo Hoyun was known to be close with Joo Woosung and Min Jiheon, and Kang Ichae was said to be tight with Blue Tiger. But in reality, about 348 out of 365 days, they just circled within The Dawn.
This was especially evident in the Level S2 dance challenge clips spread across Tick-Tock and YouTube Shorts.
[Holy crap, Jung Dajun is really good.]
Even though he always looked bright when dancing with other idol groups—like the human version of “lively”—as soon as the dance ended, Jung Dajun would suddenly get awkward, bowing at a perfect right angle. Fans repeatedly caught it.
[The strangest thing about Jung Dajun...
Inside the group, he’s still like a 21-month-old baby.
Outside the group, he suddenly turns into a cold city man.
└True, feels like he’s getting more shy outside, like he’s turning into his hyungs.
└└For real?
└└Yeah, during a music show once, another idol was vlogging and caught a peek of the waiting room.
When idols his age tried talking to Dajun to network, he looked kinda annoyed.
└└LOOOOLLLLLLLL so damn funny.
└└For real, this kid knows everything now, got street-smart. Feels like he only picked up the bad habits from his hyungs though...
Please take good care of our baby puppy...]
Even the people-loving Dajun eventually circled only within the group. And the others weren’t much different.
[Maknae stepped up all serious to give a meeting report, but as soon as he saw Ichae’s face he burst out laughing.
Totally broke down, just laughing like crazy.
Even Ichae, who was poker-faced twirling his pen, started cracking up hard at Dajun...
What the hell’s wrong with those two...]
[What did you two share behind our backs...]
[These days they laugh just by making eye contact...]
[But they’re pros. During Level S2 when they hold hands facing each other, not a single twitch, stone-faced serious.
└└Did you see the fancam? When their bodies turn away from the camera, they’re trying not to laugh.
└└LOOLL They play so cute.]
And maybe because of that, even the smallest cracks could be exaggerated into big “conflict rumors.”
But on broadcasts during promotions, The Dawn’s image was still as close as ever.
[Honestly, it’s weird that conflict rumors even came up with them.]
[For real, I ignore all that clickbait.]
Even the occasional UseVerse chats Kang Ichae or Jung Dajun posted, or stray texts caught by cameras, showed how comfortable they were with each other.
[Rap Machine: Guys~ meet in the practice room at 5!!]
[Conscience-less: OK]
[Water Dumpling: Jiwon... that’s 17:00, right?]
[Me: Hyung, why would you even ask that.]
[Maknaengie:LOOOLLL exactly haha obviously it’s in the evening]
[Rap Machine: Huh? 05:00.]
[Me: ...oh.]
[Maknaengie: ...oh.]
[Conscience-less: OK]
Or like this—
[Conscience-less: Jung Dajun, get your ass here now.]
[Maknaengie: Hyung T_T it’s not like that T_T]
[Maknaengie: sorry sorry sorry hyung just calm down a bit]
[Maknaengie: I’ll come later]
[Maknaengie has left the chat.]
[Conscience-less: Kang Ichae]
[Me: Ichae Ichae]
[Water Dumpling: What’s wrong with him]
[Rap Machine: Dajun didn’t listen to Hoyun and ran out..]
[Rap Machine: So Ichae said he’d go drag him back.]
[Water Dumpling: What is Kang Ichae, Seo Hoyun’s PoXmon?]
[Water Dumpling: Listens real well.]
Just from that, you could see how close they were.
[LOOOOOOLLLLLL Ichae Ichae lmao]
[Look at how he saved their contacts—
Sung Jiwon = Rap Machine
Kim Sunghyun = Water Dumpling
Jung Dajun = Maknaengie
Seo Hoyun = Conscience-less LOOOLLL]
[Kim Sunghyun’s jokes are gold
└He’s seriously my little comedian, so funny]
[But how the hell did Jiwon actually translate all that LOOLLLLLLLL]
[So what happened with the “conflict rumor” about Ichae and Hoyun??
└They didn’t really explain. Doesn’t matter anyway.]
[They’re close. Jiwon said Hoyun gave Ichae an album, and Ichae went to the workshop to pick it up.
└For real?? A model hyung right there.]
In truth, nothing between Seo Hoyun and Kang Ichae had really changed. If anything, Ichae clung even more, acting friendly.
While fans speculated endlessly about the meaning behind it, their new self-produced content dropped.
【THE DAWN – Unlock My Code】
With static, the color bars flashed, then the screen lit up in violet neon, showing The Dawn immersed in games inside an arcade.
【The Dawnies♡ casually enjoying games at the arcade】
They wore casual outfits: windbreakers, sweatshirts, hoodies, with sweatpants or jeans.
[Hoyun’s in white, must have an official schedule today]
[LOOOLLL judging his schedule by shirt color...]
Kim Sunghyun, having taken off his jacket and tied it around his waist from the heat, stared at a claw machine.
“Staff said I should win the bunny....”
Looking dead serious with his lips sticking out, he tried different positions, when Seo Hoyun strolled over.
“Think you can do it?”
[He’s heckling nonstop at his side hahaha]
With arms crossed, blocking his view, Hoyun peeked in. Sunghyun muttered that he couldn’t see, but Hoyun only sighed and shook his head like it was hopeless.
“Baby, just donate the money instead.”
“...Shut up.”
[LOOOLLLLLL Sunghyun’s amazing, he can focus with that face staring right at him]
[If it were me, screw the plushie, I’d just stare at Hoyun. Guy’s dangerous.]
Hoyun’s looks didn’t faze Sunghyun, but his interference was relentless. Even when he almost hooked the prize, he’d lose it.
Next to them, Ichae ignored the maknae whining that he wanted a PomPomOlin, and just kept winning elephants, arms full. Then he asked, puzzled,
“You still didn’t get one?”
“Stay quiet.”
“Hey, Sunghyun. Maybe you just don’t have talent...”
“Jiwon, not you too...”
Even Sung Jiwon, just back from belting Level S2 at coin karaoke, gave a sheepish smile.
After the 12th crumpled bill went in and failed, Jiwon quietly turned to Hoyun.
“Hoyun, wanna try? You’d probably be good.”
“I can’t.”
Hoyun just shifted his eyes toward him and shrugged.
“Besides, why waste money on this?”
Everyone had crowded around to watch Sunghyun waste cash, so Dajun, squatting nearby, lifted his chin and asked innocently,
“Hyung, but fans can do this too, right?”
“Noeul does it for domestic economic growth.”
[LMAOOOOOOOOOOO]
[He brushed that off so fast LOLOLOLOL]
Hoyun ignored the members’ stares, looked straight into his assigned camera, and gave a sly smile.
Seeing that, Kang Ichae smirked and nudged Sunghyun aside, quickly snagging the plush. Sunghyun hugged the bunny with a sulky face and sat in the arcade’s central chairs, the others taking seats too.
Looking over his bunny, Sunghyun spotted a zipper on its back. Pulling it open, he found slips of paper. The largest one explained today’s content.
“Each member of The Dawn has a secret. Complete missions to uncover your secret code and seize 1st place.”
“My secret, but I don’t even know it? Am I playing dumb?”
“Wait, shh. Whoever gets 10 points in the mini-games first can get a code from the staff. The first to collect theirs becomes 1st place....”
Taking the next slip, Jiwon read slowly,
“...Everyone except 1st place gets punished.”
“Wow, that’s strict.”
“Boo, exactly! Reward 1st place, not punish the rest!”
The maknaes protested first.
“Of course there’s a reward. 1st place gets a ‘Freedom Right’—for two weeks, anything you do will be tolerated.”
“Even skipping chores?”
“Yup, anything! Basically, you rule for two weeks.”
At that, Dajun muttered, “So the rest are basically slaves....”
Amid the noise, Hoyun just watched silently, half covering his mouth. Sunghyun, unsettled, kept sneaking glances.
“Why keep looking?”
“I’m not.”
“When you side-eye me that obviously, I can’t pretend not to notice.”
“...”
[LMAOOOOOOOOOOO]
[So damn annoying]
[Look at Sunghyun’s fist shaking LOOOLLL]
[Hoyun, you’re not scared seeing those veins?]
“Okay, punishment list time.”
Skimming down, Jiwon read aloud.
“First, our maknae. No dramas for two weeks.”
“Kyahhh!”
“Ichae, no games, including IRIX, for two weeks.”
“Kyaaaa!”
“Not bad.”
“You can live without that.”
[Goosebumps—Jiwon’s cold as hell
‘Your practice will improve.’]
[Whenever he does this I get butterflies...]
The ones named screamed, but the others looked indifferent—better them than me.
“Jiwon, you—talk in gangster slang for two weeks. ...Huh?”
“Whaaat?!”
[LOOOLLL Look at Ichae immediately imitating thug intonation LOOOLLL]
[Dead funny LOOLLL]
“Haha, that’s hard...”
“How’s that hard?! Yours is easy compared to ours!!”
“Well, it is hard. Anyway, Hoyun—two weeks banned from teasing or mocking others.”
As competitiveness flared in their eyes, Jiwon revealed the last.
“...Sunghyun. For two weeks, tell every member ‘I love you’ once a day, and give each a goodnight kiss on the crown of their head every night.”
At once, Ichae and Dajun shrieked and jumped up.
“Make Sunghyun-hyung win!!”
“I’ll give up dramas! Just let him win! Hurry!”
Their dramatic reactions made Sunghyun scowl and growl back.
“Hey! What the hell’s wrong with you two?! I don’t wanna do it either! I don’t!!”
“Keep that up and I’m leaving the dorm!”
“This is unfair!”
“Quiet down, you guys, quiet!”
[LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO]
[God, look how disgusted they all look LOOOLLL]
The place turned into a zoo. In the end, it was Jiwon who calmed them, his firm tone freezing even Ichae.
[But why’s Hoyun so quiet? Creepy.]
[Exactly.]
Jiwon glanced at him.
“Anyway, the point is—if you get 1st, you can even dodge someone else’s punishment.”
Their eyes met.
Jiwon’s voice trailed, and Hoyun’s lips curved up.
“Interesting.”
The sinister tone made the others turn on him ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ too. Everyone—except Jiwon—looked like their thoughts were written plainly on their faces:
Why not eliminate that damn lead vocalist, shut his scary mouth, and crown Sunghyun to keep peace?
At that moment—
“Don’t. Don’t you dare.”
Quick to sense trouble after suffering the most, Sunghyun shot Hoyun a glare and tried to stop him.
“Hey.”
Hoyun ignored him, leaned closer with legs crossed leisurely, and murmured,
“Make sure you’ve got good lip balm.”
His eyes curved deep.
