The Golden Disk Awards carried on as scheduled.
Cue cards flipped.
Lights shifted.
Performances rolled in one after another.
On paper?
Everything was going exactly as it should.
But the audience?
Yeah… no.
They were still stuck.
Mentally rewinding.
Reliving.
Comparing.
Because LEAVEN didn't just open the show—
They set the bar so high, it might as well have been in another damn atmosphere.
And unfortunately?
Every act that came after had to suffer the consequences.
It wasn't even intentional.
People tried to focus.
They really did.
They clapped, they cheered, they nodded along—but in the back of their minds?
A running commentary refused to shut up.
Were they always this out of sync?
Wait… are they actually singing live?
Why does this feel… flat?
LEAVEN would've—
And there it was.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Every detail picked apart.
Every move scrutinized.
Every note questioned.
Not because the performers were bad—
But because someone had just come in and redefined the standard thirty minutes ago.
And now?
Everyone else was being measured against it.
Brutal.
Unfair.
Inevitable.
Of course, the stans?
Silent.
Oh, they had thoughts.
Plenty of them.
But saying it out loud?
Absolutely the hell not.
That's social suicide.
Career-ending.
Public execution in the group chat type shit.
One wrong tweet and suddenly you're a traitor to the fandom, exiled, blocked, dragged, and metaphorically burned at the stake.
So they smiled.
Clapped.
Pretended everything was fine.
Like good little soldiers.
Meanwhile—
Something else didn't go unnoticed.
The artist section.
Those fancy couches placed front and center, where idols usually sat—watching, reacting, giving fan-service moments for the cameras.
Seat fillers had come and gone.
Groups rotated in and out.
But one name?
Nowhere to be seen.
LEAVEN.
Gone.
No reactions.
No cutaways.
No awkward camera pans catching them vibing politely.
Nothing.
And that?
That made people curious.
Because after a performance like that—
You don't just disappear.
You get paraded.
Interviewed.
Milk that shit for ratings until the cameras beg for mercy.
But LEAVEN?
Vanished.
Like a magic trick no one could explain.
And the audience noticed.
Oh, they definitely noticed.
And the internet?
Please.
You already know they weren't about to let that slide.
Not for a second.
****
@SpiderMonkey: Where is LEAVEN?
↳ @Gojo: MIA since the moment they walked off that stage.
@Malory: LEAVEN is lowkey unprofessional and highkey getting special treatment. Like, the audacity — a group that hasn't even officially debuted yet, already walking around like they own the place? It's genuinely irritating. Every other newer group has been showing respect to their seniors, heads down, humble, doing the work. And then there's LEAVEN, acting all high and mighty off the back of one performance. One. Sit down. You haven't earned the right to act like you're that girl yet. At least pretend to be newbies before you start moving like legends.
↳ @Malory: And here come the LEAVEN shills, right on schedule. 🙄
↳ @Rumi: How about you eat shit AND check yourself into a mental asylum on the way there! 😊
↳ @Totoro: stfu. deadass.
↳ @hells_swarm: Did it ever occur to you — and I'm being so serious right now — that they're not out there because someone almost ded?* Like. Be so fr.
↳ @Malory: And who put themselves in that situation to begin with? You don't get to plan on checking out in front of millions of people and then act like a victim about it. Don't subject the rest of us to your poor decisions.
↳ @hells_swarm: You are genuinely insufferable. Do you ever use that brain for anything remotely productive? Actually, never mind — I can already smell the mold growing in that empty skull of yours where a brain should be. 💀
↳ @LegalEagleKween: Why exactly would LEAVEN need to conform to K-pop traditions when they were never K-pop to begin with? LEAVEN is a global pop group. Those traditions? Don't apply. Deal with it.
↳ @Malory: Not a K-pop group? They came from a survival show. They trained under a K-pop module. Go ahead, tell me you're not stupid without telling me you're not stupid.
↳ @LegalEagleKween: Since you want to get technical — fine, let's get technical. One, survival shows didn't originate in Korea. Two, they never trained under any K-pop method. They used Bread Music's own training module, which by the way is significantly more humane than anything the K-pop industry has ever cooked up. Three, they haven't debuted yet, but it's pretty obvious when they do, it'll be as a western pop act, not a K-pop group. And four — it's you're. Not your. That's elementary school grammar, sweetheart. What a waste of tuition. 😮💨
↳ @Malory: I'm not reading all that from a LEAVEN shill, but go girl. Give us nothing. 👏
↳ @MileyCircus: They actually gave everything and then some. You, on the other hand? Log off. Touch grass. Live your life in reality for once.
And just like that—
Lines were drawn.
Sides were chosen.
Narratives were built in real time.
Some defended.
Some attacked.
Some just sat back with popcorn, watching the mess unfold like it was primetime entertainment.
Because the truth was?
No one actually knew what happened backstage.
But that didn't matter.
Not on the internet.
It never does.
****
And in the midst of all that chaos, a single light cut through.
@RokuRoku: Guys, HURRY. Go to @OfficialBreadMusic RIGHT NOW — they just posted a statement!!
And just like that, millions of netizens descended upon Bread Music's official page like a horde of starving zombies — ravenous for answers, drama, and whatever internet chaos came next.
@OfficialBreadMusic: To our beloved and loyal "Patrons"...
Below it, a photo. An official statement. And it was signed by none other than Foca himself.
To our beloved and loyal Patrons,
First and foremost, we would like to express our deepest gratitude for the overwhelming love and support you have shown towards LEAVEN. Though LEAVEN has not yet officially debuted, each and every one of you have already become loyal Patrons of Bread Music Bakery's soft opening — and for that, we are truly thankful. We assure you that as our journey forward continues, LEAVEN will continue to rise.
With that said, we would like to address LEAVEN's absence from the Golden Disk Awards following their performance.
In the spirit of full transparency — Bread Music and LEAVEN did not receive the invitation to perform and open the show until exactly five days before the official date. After a lengthy discussion with our team and with LEAVEN themselves, the members chose to see this last-minute invitation not as an inconvenience, but as an opportunity. And so, despite the significant challenges that came with it, Bread Music accepted — in good faith.
We accepted under a few conditions, all of which the organizers and the head of the Golden Disk Awards agreed to.
Chief among those conditions: given the nature of the short notice, we requested the right to leave immediately following LEAVEN's performance. This decision was made out of respect — for the artists who were nominated, for the evening that truly belonged to them. We did not wish to take up more attention than what we were given, nor more than we felt we deserved. The spotlight of that night rightfully belongs to those who poured their blood, sweat, and tears into their craft to be recognized at such a celebrated event. We wanted to honor that. And truthfully, we know that the current LEAVEN still has a long and beautiful journey ahead before we can say, with full confidence, that we have truly earned that level of attention.
That is our stance.
We would also like to extend our sincerest thanks to everyone who has sent their love, prayers, and kind words towards Javi. He is physically healthy, and for that we are relieved and grateful. However, he remains mentally shaken from the events that transpired. Bread Music will spare absolutely no expense in ensuring that our artists are taken care of — in every sense of the word.
We are also currently in contact with our legal team to ensure that those whose negligence contributed to the events during the performance are held fully accountable.
We will keep everyone informed as this matter develops.
For now — thank you. Truly. Your support is the very reason Bread Music and LEAVEN stand where we do today. We appreciate every last one of you.
Sincerely,Focaccia — Owner and CEO, Bread Music
The post was supposed to calm things down.
It did not calm things down.
If anything, it made people talk more — except this time, the conversation had shifted entirely. Suddenly everyone was praising Bread Music's decorum. Marveling at how genuinely humble both the company and LEAVEN came across. Demanding that other entertainment companies take notes, take several seats, and maybe take a long hard look in the mirror while they were at it.
"Five days notice?? That's insane."
"They still performed like THAT with barely any prep??"
"The respect?? Leaving so they don't overshadow nominees???"
"Meanwhile other companies would've milked that for clout…"
"Bread Music actually treats their artists like humans?? Oh that's new."
"Take notes. Seriously."
Of course—
Not everyone read it.
Because literacy on the internet is… optional, apparently.
Some skimmed.
Some misunderstood.
Some didn't read a single damn word and still had the audacity to speak.
Throwing criticism around like used candy wrappers—loud, pointless, and making a mess nobody asked for.
But it didn't matter.
Not really.
Because the damage?
—or rather—
The impact had already been made.
And whether people liked it or not—
LEAVEN just shifted the industry a little.
Maybe more than a little.