[THE DAWN ALBUM ‘Aeronautics’
PROMOTION TIMETABLE
#THE DAWN #TD #Aeronautics]
A poster showing a white airplane leaving a long tail of vapor as it soared through the «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» deep blue sky was posted on all of The Dawn’s official SNS accounts, along with the full comeback promotion schedule. Simultaneously, as if waiting for that exact moment, the album trailer, concept photos, and track sampler were aggressively uploaded.
Even before the highlight melody had been revealed, what drew the most attention was, unexpectedly, the critic’s review from the music appreciation event.
[Title: Critic Han Jiyu’s Review of The Dawn’s New Song Listening Event
“Perhaps the more beloved an artist becomes, the more they tend to wander when it comes to music and their own direction. Maybe that’s why. The title track ‘Flight,’ which compares the dark unknown future to an endless night sky and the traces of wandering within it to a cosmic distress signal, feels like a darker twist on the buoyant ‘Ocean Train’ from three years ago.
Yet strangely, it does not feel sad. On the contrary, the lyrics carry hope and sketch out the future. Come to think of it, they’ve always shouted it so often it became almost tiresome. That our eternal, most cliché truth is still love.”
└;;;Why did our ice-cold critic Han Jiyu write such a romantic review;;
└That part ‘They’ve always shouted until it became boring’—isn’t that referring to Kang Ichae’s featuring in ‘Garage’??!
└└He used to always be so sarcastic.. Ah, now I’m actually looking forward to it, I think I’ve got the same taste as this critic.]
[Just listening to the song alone made me feel like standing alone in a theater as the ending credits rolled. The song’s metaphor-filled storytelling aside, I think the dreamlike beat with its fast tempo and subtly chilling melody played a huge role in creating that peculiar atmosphere. Of course, Jeong Ahan’s voice, blending perfectly with the song, also did its part.]
[I always thought The Dawn had tight teamwork, but this time it’s on a whole new level. If even one of them were missing, it truly wouldn’t work. This album showed that they rely on one another and keep moving forward together. A highly promising idol group.]
[Through their knife-sharp, beautiful choreography performance, you could see how sincerely The Dawn prepared for this. Especially Kim Sunghyun and Sung Jiwon, who already consistently showed high skill, firmly supported the group, and Jung Dajun has grown even more charming. I’m already looking forward to their active promotions.]
[No wonder they’re hitting international charts.]
The reviews from the music appreciation event for The Dawn’s new song were, for the most part, overwhelmingly positive.
[LMAOOOOOO That last critic’s review is killing me LOOOOLLLL]
[What the hell... why is everyone giving it rave reviews...]
[I swear, I wanna be a damn critic too, so I can hear songs early at those events]
[For real, The Dawning is actually having a comeback, I’m so excited TT_TT]
Normally, such music appreciation events would have faded without a trace, but this one received massive attention—simply because the skyrocketing buzz around Kang Ichae overlapped with it.
[Title: Kang Ichae’s album reviews are out
The_Dawn_Aeronautics_Review_Collection_.jpg
Judge for yourselves
└LOOOL All those reviews are paid anyway, total ass-kissing
└I liked Kang Ichae’s ‘Garage,’ so I’m actually looking forward to this one
└└WH’s comment section part-timers making good money, huh?
└└You still gotta admit ‘Garage’ was quality, the problem is it was a one-hit wonder
└Lmao imagine hyping yourself as a Billboard songwriter and then screwing up the title track
└└LOOOOOL That’d be a funeral
└Just give us Song Camp already]
Since The Dawn’s appearance on Song Camp had already been confirmed, the news of their new album release became an even bigger topic.
[Now people are saying the agency bribed critics for the music event
No, you bastards, this shitty agency tried to bury actual gems!! (feat. who knew Daepaseong were saints)
└LOOOOOL Now that’s just funny LOLOLOLThey clearly don’t know The Dawn before this lololol
Anyway, let me go smack those annoying idiots first
└└LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Do Noeul fans live in Sparta?
└└Shit, if someone brought a power level meter in here it’d explode LMAOOOOO]
[But why isn’t Song Camp teasing anything new?
└Yeah, for all the talk, it’s been weirdly quiet..]
[Then that means The Dawn’s comeback is before Song Camp airs, right?
└Looks like it from the promo schedule
└Wow, they’re gonna be so busy.. isn’t Hoyun also filming Vile Trial?
└└Yeah, the movie’s almost wrapped up I think??]
While the noise and excitement grew louder by the day, Song Camp’s official SNS account—silent until now aside from announcing its concept and lineup—suddenly dropped a new event poster.
[※Song Camp Returns!※
Who are the composers behind these blind samples?
Before meeting Song Camp Season 3, listen to the samples below and choose the one that impressed you the most—then guess the composer!
How to participate:
Step 1. Listen to TRACK A through TRACK F and guess the composer!
Step 2. Leave a comment or quote with your favorite sample and your guess!
Winners will receive VIP tickets to Song Camp’s 2nd round performance. (Further details via DM)]
Along with the detailed description, they released a batch of 30-second clips labeled alphabetically from “TRACK A” to “TRACK F.”
True to the “blind” theme, all vocals had been removed—only the main melody played, replaced with piano or guitar.
[Ooh this looks fun]
[What the hell these track qualities tho WOW]
[Blind evaluation? No way I can guess these right]
Already in the public eye, Song Camp successfully fueled even more curiosity, provoking people’s competitive and playful instincts.
For fun, for curiosity, for attention—people piled in.
[Song Camp staff really sharpened their knives lololol If the lineup weren’t already famous, no one would give a damn, but look at everyone jumping in now lolol]
└They’ve got a killer lineup so they can actually pull off this kind of marketing..
[All those K.Voka worshippers are about to get it wrong T_T]
[Title: Song Camp event looks fun..
I liked Track D and F~^^]
[Title: Which one’s Kang Ichae’s song?
I’ve loved his stuff since ‘For the Nation’s Glory,’ hoping he’s got a great one this time too~.]
On YouTube, comparison videos started flooding in every few minutes—people digging up the contestants’ previous songs to match the new tracks.
[Joo Youngbi’s track is just obviously trot, he didn’t even try to hide it]
[Kang Woorin basically self-recycled his old stuff...]
[Here’s a full breakdown why TRACK C is definitely LUMA’s
My heart’s pounding♡
└LOOOL ewww gross
└└LUMA, run..
└I think it’s Kang Woorin though??]
As the event went viral, opinions exploded everywhere, and soon, most of the sample composers had been “decided” by public consensus—
except for three: TRACK A, E, and F.
All three were pop rock tracks. Among them, TRACK A had the highest completion, TRACK E was soft and easy to listen to—
—but the one that stole the spotlight was TRACK F. Bright, refreshing, and perfectly aligned with current trends, it stood out immediately.
[Title: Track F is freaking amazing haha
That beat is GOAT
└Pretty sure F is Baek Jijun, I’m standing by that
└└Baek Jijun can’t make this kinda song, stop forcing it
└└LOOOL you dumbass.. wanna bet your neck?]
[Title: I’ll bet my XX on this
F is K.Voka
└Bye.. I won’t see you far away
└Yeah nah it’s either K.Voka or Baek Jijun
└└Baek Jijun only does ballads you idiot
└└Ugh tlqkf he actually writes a wide range of genres dumbass]
[Title: But isn’t TRACK F Kang Ichae?
Just asking
└Thanks for confirming you’ve got shit ears
└“Just asking” my ass lolol go worship him somewhere else
└└Bruh if I were a fan would I be posting this here?
└└LMAO meltdown legend
└└Shaking with rage lol
└Even if Kang Ichae dies, it’s not him LMAOOOOOOOO]
As arguments grew more heated, Noeul fans stayed silent—even though they already knew which track was his.
From experience, they knew the best move was to stay quiet whenever the general public got involved.
***
“Put that on the right side, please!”
A riverside park in Jeollanam-do, where the first round of performances would take place.
PD Jung Junhwan, sprinting around the small set’s backstage, let out a rough sigh.
‘I’m gonna die, seriously.’
He’d spent the past week juggling preparations for the first round and filming each contestant’s behind-the-scenes work, barely keeping his head straight.
After much deliberation, PD Jung decided the first mission would be to showcase each participant’s individual strengths, choosing three categories—Drama OST, Trot, and Ballad. He’d worried over the scoring method too, but ultimately settled on 40% from pre-evaluated professional judges and 60% from the general audience’s blind vote. Meaning audience reaction would heavily sway the rankings.
‘The hints turned out more important than I thought.’
At the preliminary meeting, the top three contestants chosen by internal votes were given the venue for this round as a hint.
Unbeknownst to the participants, though, the “audience” would not be pre-registered evaluation panelists but entirely made up of local residents. They’d only promoted it as a “small local concert,” so the audience’s demographic would differ drastically.
He knew it might spark some backlash once it aired, but PD Jung’s heart was already pounding in excitement at the controversy to come.
Producing a new season, he was meticulously paving the road—because to reach a dazzling finale, he needed to constantly keep the public’s attention hooked.
He pulled off his hood, which he’d used to hide his unwashed hair, wiped his sweat-soaked forehead with the back of his hand, and headed to the smoking area—where the main writer, already there, greeted him with a sigh that doubled as a complaint.
“Ha, PD-nim, what about K.Voka? Are we just putting his performance up as-is? It’s got some trot flavor, but it’s full-on hip-hop!”
“Well... as long as it’s entertaining on air, leave it be.”
The main writer blew out smoke in frustration and went on.
“Ugh... but Baek Jijun’s performance came out incredible. So, I was thinking—should we add a few extra shots of the audience reacting in awe?”
“Hmm, not a bad idea. Let’s go with something like, ‘What if Baek Jijun suddenly sings live in front of the audience?!’ as a surprise concept.”
“Make it look natural, natural!!!”
This is why I hate working with QBS lunatics, the outsourced main writer muttered half-jokingly while taking another drag from her cigarette—then suddenly brightened.
“Oh, right! Did you see the chaos online over Track F?”
“Of course. Majority think it’s K.Voka.”
“I was shocked. How the hell did they—...”
Her words cut off when the distant hum of an engine grew near.
Moments later, a van stopped in the clearing, and a group of tall men stepped out.
“...Oh, damn......”
The last to step out was Seo Hoyun. Even with his cap pulled low, his pale, drawn face was unmistakable. He dragged his feet, visibly exhausted, both hands marked with dark red stains that looked disturbingly like blood.
“Seo Hoyun said Vile Trial was wrapping today—did he bury someone before coming?”
“Looks like he brought cement on his hands.”
The main writer, having noticed as well, stared at Seo Hoyun trudging toward the makeshift tent serving as a waiting room and whispered to PD Jung.
“Don’t actors usually take a while to shake off their roles? What do we do... isn’t Seo Hoyun doing a solo stage today? Is it okay to film him when he looks that haunted...”
“Oh, you worry too much.”
Even after his reassurance, she frowned, dissatisfied by how calm he was. PD Jung, however, looked utterly unconcerned, lighting his cigarette leisurely.
‘What did Kim Heeyoung say again...’
It was shortly after he’d confirmed The Dawn’s casting. He’d run into PD Kim Heeyoung by coincidence—realizing she, too, had once directed a survival show with The Dawn. As they talked about past experiences, she’d burst out laughing before offering a mix of advice and warning.
“Don’t think about eating them alive. You’ll be the one eaten.”
He’d thought she was exaggerating just to tease him—but now, he wasn’t so sure.
Seo Hoyun was an inscrutable man for his age.
And yet, he was also someone who knew exactly how his actions would be perceived by others, and how to present himself to make people fall for him.
He wasn’t just sharp—he was brilliant, and his execution even more so.
‘Well, if he stirs up buzz for me, that’s just a free bonus.’
Soon after, Seo Hoyun emerged again, now changed into a crisp white T-shirt, dark jeans, and a bright blue jacket. The weary, haunted man from moments ago was nowhere to be found.
Scratching the back of his head, PD Jung glanced at him and muttered,
“I’m more worried about how to edit the first episode.”
“Huh?”
“With all these fish jumping into my net voluntarily, I’ve got to figure out how to smack them hard enough that people call it genius editing...”
Taking a deep drag from his cigarette, PD Jung added quietly,
“...That controversial TRACK F—it’s The Dawn’s, right?”
He looked up at the clear blue sky and murmured,
And just like that, the curtain was rising on Song Camp’s first round of performances.
