On June 30, the YouTube channel Salon Drip uploaded a new episode titled “From One to Ten, It’s All Advice for DAWN | EP.146 DAWN & Johnny.” During the conversation, DAWN opened up about everything from his stage name to his thoughts about eventually leaving the entertainment industry.

While discussing his stage name, DAWN shared an unexpected struggle. He admitted, “At first, I thought choosing ‘DAWN’ as my stage name was a mistake.” He explained that when people searched for his name on Korean portal sites, countless articles containing the word “dawn” would appear, making it difficult for fans to find news specifically about him.

He continued, “Back then, I kept thinking, ‘How can I make people recognize me?’ But later, I realized I actually liked that my name disappeared from search results so quickly.”

The reason, he revealed, was connected to his thoughts about retirement. “To be honest, when I retire from the entertainment industry, I want people to forget about me as quickly as possible,” DAWN confessed. “I’ve even made a plan. I’m thinking about retiring within the next five years.”

His unexpected announcement visibly caught host Jang Do Yeon off guard. She responded, “Do you mean within five years starting from 2026? Why are you bringing up something so serious? I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.” She then asked why he had already made such a major decision, pointing out that retirement is a significant life choice.

DAWN explained that he simply wants the freedom to pursue a different path in life. “I might discover another dream within the next five years,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed chasing new dreams. Thinking that way, I actually like the idea of my name disappearing from public attention more quickly.”

He also pointed out an unexpected advantage of using the name DAWN. “Now that I’ve started YouTube, I’ve realized the name works well with almost anything,” he joked. Jang Do Yeon agreed, saying, “It really is a great name.”

Fellow guest Johnny had a completely different reaction. Listening to the conversation, he said, “This is so unusual. Am I the only one who thinks so? You suddenly got very serious about your name, but what you’re actually saying isn’t that serious at all,” drawing laughter from everyone on set.

Sources: Daum