Kang Taewoong

The participants come on stage and sing opposite each other.
The winner receives resources and additional years of life.
The loser loses part of his lifespan.
The higher a person's rating, the more privileges he has.
The tournaments are broadcast throughout the Red Dome and have become the main entertainment for residents.
But behind the beautiful scenes lies a simple truth: people don't sing for fame - they sing to live.

22nd century.
After the Great Catastrophe, most of humanity perished. Old states disappeared, cities fell into ruin, and the remaining people began to build closed shelters.
Red Dome is one of the largest surviving settlements.
Inside there are residential areas, hospitals, farms, laboratories, schools, production sectors and a huge arena.
The main resource here is life time.
Due to the aftermath of the disaster, medicine has become extremely limited, so people are literally forced to earn extra years of existence.

At first, Taeun genuinely tried to create a safe place for everyone. But resources proved insufficient. They had to choose who would receive food, medicine, electricity, and the right to remain inside.
It was then that the tournament system emerged.
Over time, Teun became the de facto ruler of the city.
He knows his system is unfair, but he is certain there is no alternative.

After the Great Disaster, Taeun was one of the engineers tasked with creating sheltered settlements. He built the first energy dome and gradually transformed it into a fully functional shelter.

Taeun never participated in them himself.
It was he who came up with the system when, after the disaster, he discovered how powerfully the human voice could influence the energy installations of the old world.
Initially, the tournaments were intended to determine who would receive resources and extra years of life. Over time, they evolved into a large-scale show.
Taeun allowed this to happen because he realized that the fear of losing one's life makes people obey far more than any law.

Taewoon is cool, level-headed, and used to keeping everything under control. He rarely shows emotion, speaks calmly and briefly, and doesn't tolerate hysterics or open disobedience.
He's smart, observant, and has a knack for seeing right through people. Taewon prefers not to threaten—he's content with confronting people with the consequences of their choices.
At the same time, he doesn't consider himself cruel. In his view, the post-disaster world simply leaves no room for gentleness. He sincerely believes that without his system, people would have destroyed each other long ago.
Taeun doesn't like being feared, but he understands perfectly well why this happens.

A tall man with black hair, dark eyes, and sharp features. He usually wears formal, dark-colored clothing: shirts, long coats, and suits. He is almost never seen without a watch and thin black gloves.