Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Singer Dawn shocked everyone with his thoughts on leaving the industry.

On the 30th, Dawn made a guest appearance on the TEO Youtube show 'Salon Drip' alongside NCT127's Johnny and casually dropped a major hint about his five-year plan. When host Jang Doyeon asked if he had already planned his retirement, he straight up answered:

"I'm thinking about trying it within the next five years."

Hearing that, everyone on set was completely stunned. Jang Doyeon told him, "I'll pretend I didn't hear that. Why would you make a plan like that?" which just made Dawn laugh and ask, "Why? Is that not allowed?"

When Jang Doyeon pointed out that retirement is an incredibly major life decision, Dawn explained that he doesn't look at it that way, saying:

"I don't see it as something that heavy. Within the next five years, I might discover another new dream. I love dreaming up new things."

This whole conversation actually started when he was breaking down his stage name. He explained that he chose 'Dawn' because the Chinese character 'Hyo' (曉) in his real name, Kim Hyojong, literally means dawn.

"At first, I thought I had chosen the wrong name. Whenever I searched 'Dawn' on portal sites, so many unrelated results came up. I regretted it."

However, his persepective completely flipped because of his retirement plans. He added with a smile:

"But now, I actually like it. It means I'll disappear from searches more quickly."

He also openly admitted that when he does finally retire, he wants people to forget him quickly, noting, "Thinking that way made me feel that it would be nice for my name to disappear quickly."

Looking back, Dawn originally debuted in 2016 as a member of Pentagon, where he was active as both a rapper and a producer. He even participated in creating their massive hit song, 'Shine.' Later on, he formed the iconic project unit Triple H alongside Hui and Hyuna. After transitioning into a solo artist, he went on to release songs including 'MONEY,' 'DAWNDIDIDAWN,' and 'Dear My Light.'

Dawn reveals he may retire from the entertainment industry within five years

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2AM's Jokwon just had the most honest, unfiltered conversation about money with TVXQ's Max Changmin, 2PM's Jun.K, and GOT7's Jay B in the latest video posted on 'Saego_F5' Youtube channel on the 30th.

It all started off when Changmin asked the three former JYP artists about their very first paychecks. The contrast between how they started out vs. how the system works now is actually insane. 

Jokwon dropped the biggest shocker, revealing that his first-ever paycheck after debuting was 240,000 KRW (which is only about $154 today). He explained how brutal the old contract system was:

"I trained for about eight years. Back then, trainees had to repay the company for every single cent invested in them out of their earnings." 

He continued, "Around 2008, right after I debuted, the Korea Fair Trade Commission changed the rules so companies had to absorb those trainee investment costs. However, until Jun.K and I debuted, those costs were still our responsibility."

Because of that debt, Jokwon didn't receive his paychecks until exactly three years after his debut. During those three years, he was literally everywhere. He had become hugely popular through his iconic 'Kkap Kwon' character and 'We Got Married.' He said:

"I remember my first settlement statement perfecly because it was the first time it didn't have a minus sign. It was 240,000 KRW. Even though it was tiny, I was incredibly grateful."

He added, "The very next day, I ran straight to a mobile phone store to pay my phone bill with money I had earned myself for the first time."

Jun.K had a slightly different experience. He trained for about four years, which was the longest among the 2PM members. He said, "Thankfully, 2PM received a ton of attention right from our debut song, '10 Out of 10," but added:

"But we barely received any paychecks for about two years. I think I got my first paycheck around 'I'll Be Back' or 'Without You' promotions. It was about 5 million KRW (which is around $3,220 now)." 

Meanwhile, Jay B had a much smoother financial start because he debuted after the Fair Trade Commission rules had already changed. He recalled:

"After getting my first paycheck, I talked it over with my parents and decided to save it all in one account instead of spending it. I still manage my money the exact same way today."

 

Hearing all these stories, Changmin couldn't help but realize how different things were over at SM Entertainment. He said:

"Thinking about it now, our first paycheck was actually quite large."

He admitted that because he didn't really have anything specific he wanted to buy at the time, he simply gave all of that money straight to his parents.

Honestly, hearing them look back on those early idol days makes you realize just how much the industry has evolved. I mean, imagine being one of the biggest stars on TV and only taking home enough to cover your phone bill.

Jokwon reveals he didn't receive a paycheck until three years after debut: "It was 240,000 KRW (~$154)"

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Actor and singer Seo In-guk just exposed his own past relationship trauma to the entire media. 

On the morning of July 1, he attended the press conference for Season 2 of the Netflix's reality show 'Better Late Than Single' that was held at Hotel Naru Seoul MGallery. He was joined by producers Kim Noeun and Won Seungjae, alongside fellow panelists Kang Hanna, Lee Eunji and Car the Garden.

When asked what makes this brand-new season unique, Seo In-guk derailed the conversation and admitted:

"I once tried confessing with a song and failed. It was one of the biggest incidents in my life."

 

Apparently, he is so traumatized by his own failed attempt that he's actively out there saving others from the same fate. He told this hilarious story about a cast member who was planning to confess by singing and playing piano. Seo In-guk said he stepped in immediately:

"I told him to leave the song out of it. You shouldn't mix singing into a confession. The chances of success are lower. That's advice based on my own experience."

Seo In-guk also admitted that he was stressed out when he saw the show's setup, saying, "When I saw that the casts had access to karaoke, I thought they'd use it as a way to confess their feelings, and that the other person would probably run away."

But the casts actually surprised him. He explained that it didn't actually turn into a cringe fest at all. Instead of using the karaoke machine to confess, they mostly used it to express their emotions or vent their frustation. Seo In-guk said, "Rather than being a tool for confession, it actually became this wholesome thing that helped people grow closer. I found that really interesting."

If you need a refresher on the show, 'Better Late Than Single' is a total makeover dating reality show. It follows a bunch of people with zero dating experience but somehow have sky-high expectations as they navigate their very first romantic relationships. The new season will premiere on July 7.

Seo In-guk opens up about the biggest mistake in his dating life