DAWN caught attention after casually sharing that he has thought about retiring from the entertainment industry within the next 5 years.
On episode 146 of TEO’s web variety show “Salon Drip”, released on June 30, DAWN appeared as a guest alongside NCT’s Johnny.
During the episode, the topic turned to their real names. Johnny shared, “My Korean name is Seo Young Ho,” and explained that the name uses characters meaning “shining” and “clear”. He then joked that his name gives off “a very cute and fresh image”.
DAWN also explained the meaning behind his stage name. His real name is Kim Hyo Jong, and he said, “The Hyo in Hyo Jong means dawn. In English, it is dawn. So I chose DAWN.”
Johnny jokingly pointed out that the pronunciation may be closer to “Dan” than “Dawn,” saying, “Honestly, it should be Dan, if we are being exact. It is a bit late now though.”
DAWN then shared that he initially wondered if choosing the name DAWN was a mistake because it was not easy to search online. He said, “If you search DAWN on portal sites, too many things come up. Many article titles include the word ‘dawn,’ so my name kept getting pushed down.”
However, he said his thoughts later changed. DAWN explained, “If I retire from the entertainment industry, I have a feeling that I want to be forgotten quickly.”
When Jang Do Yeon asked if he had a retirement plan, DAWN surprised her by saying, “I am thinking about trying it within 5 years.”
Jang Do Yeon reacted with concern, saying, “Why are you saying something so heavy? I will pretend I did not hear that. Why did you make that kind of plan? Retirement is a big thing.”
DAWN explained that his thoughts are not fixed and that he may find a new dream in the future. He said, “A different dream could come up within 5 years. I like dreaming of new dreams. When I think about that, I feel it would be better if my name disappears quickly.”
He also mentioned that his stage name has its advantages, adding, “I started YouTube, and DAWN fits surprisingly well with many things.”
Johnny lightened the mood by reacting to the serious turn in the conversation. He said, “This is so unusual. Am I the only one who thinks this is strange? It suddenly became so serious, but the topic itself is not that serious. Am I the only one who finds this funny?”
The moment drew attention because DAWN spoke openly about his future while keeping the conversation casual and humorous on “Salon Drip”.
