One week after the debut group fell through.
In the end, all five members of the Topist debut group, including myself, had come to take the first-round auditions for *Jeodol Season 3* contestants.
The inside of the audition venue was packed with trainees.
About 1,500.
That was the number of trainees participating in this audition.
The largest scale in survival program history.
Everyone seemed to know.
That there was plenty to eat at a renowned feast.
The first-round audition, which had been planned to run for five days, was changed to seven because the number of participants reached 1,500, far exceeding the expected 1,000.
The first-round audition consisted of vocals or rap, and dance.
But having good fundamentals didn't mean you would be selected.
Of the more than 1,500 participants, a whopping 1,200 were eliminated in the first-round audition.
Rather, being extremely bad was also a way to get picked.
Rather, the production team could select someone for their growth narrative, and above all, a card they could use as a scapegoat was absolutely necessary for the program.
Of course, I had no intention of becoming a scapegoat.
Nor did I need to.
“Number 73, please come in!”
***
Cheon Ji-hye, a ninth-year PD who had been appointed as the associate director for *Jeodol Season 3*.
She had been waiting for her debut work, but right before it, by order of the station chief, she had no choice but to join the *Jeodol Season 3* production team.
She had felt antagonistic at first, but because *Jeodol Season 3* was a program Mwave had made a major commitment to, she thought it could help her career and decided to participate actively.
As a core production member and first-round audition judge, she tried hard to find each trainee’s individuality—what their tone and dance lines were like, what material they could be used for—striving to find marketable elements in every trainee.
And that too, on the last day, the seventh.
She had auditioned approximately 1,300 trainees during that time.
Trainees who had looked like rough gems now seemed like crude stones; even beautiful tones sounded like noise; even pretty dance lines didn’t catch her eye.
“I’ll do a personal talent!”
Before her was a trainee struggling to get into *Jeodol*, but she had long since lost interest.
The main writer seated beside her spoke.
“What kind of personal talent?”
“I’m good at imitating a camel’s face!”
The participant mimicked a camel eating, but.
*Again?*
It was a talent other participants had already shown to the point of exhaustion.
“Yes, we saw it.”
At the main writer’s dismissal, the trainee left the room.
*Sigh… there are still 150 left.*
PD Cheon Ji-hye sighed as she looked at the thick stack of documents.
PD Cheon Ji-hye looked at the document with the next participant’s information.
*Ah, this kid, I Do-hui.*
She was someone she had heard about from the casting staff during advance trainee casting.
*The protagonist of the Ion Sweat commercial. She was probably listed after the Big 4 agency trainees on the casting board, right?*
However, she was a trainee whose casting had fallen through after Topist Entertainment had invited her to join last year, only for her to refuse citing her debut.
*Well, her situation has changed a lot since then.*
The main writer spoke from beside her.
“Please introduce yourself.”
It seemed I Do-hui had entered in the meantime.
Associate PD Cheon Ji-hye raised her head from the documents and looked at the participant.
I Do-hui’s appearance upon first seeing her was—
*She’s incredibly pretty. And tall.*
Not that there wasn’t anyone as pretty as I Do-hui among the 1,500.
What mattered was star quality and buzz.
Of course, her face alone was enough to create buzz, but if possible, she hoped she had talent too…
“Hello. I’m trainee I Do-hui, 3 years and 6 months in.”
Having heard the participant’s introduction, PD Cheon Ji-hye lowered her head again and read the career and special notes written on the document.
*Saenggakna music video female lead… Ion Sweat commercial…*
And she doubted her eyes.
*Nine overall grand prizes at the Korean Student Music Association Piano Competition… Huh? Ten overall grand prizes at various major piano competitions…*
The other production staff participating as judges also seemed to be learning this for the first time.
*How on earth did this not spread? Was she deliberately hiding it?*
Main writer Baek Ju-hyeon spoke into the microphone with a bewildered tone.
“Trainee I Do-hui, what is written in the career section… is this real?”
“Excuse me? Which part do you mean?”
“This… the piano competition.”
“Ah~ yes, it’s all real.”
“You won the grand prize a total of 19 times?”
*Is this for real?*
Cheon Ji-hye couldn’t believe it.
Cheon Ji-hye picked up her phone and searched for I Do-hui.
What appeared on the browser was only content about I Do-hui’s participation in the Ion Sweat commercial.
Cheon Ji-hye went to the News tab.
Upon entering the News tab and scrolling down, articles that had been buried beneath the Ion Sweat commercial articles appeared.
[Genius Girl Wins Overall Grand Prize at Korean Student Music Association Competition Nine Years in a Row]
[Piano Prodigy Girl Wins Overall Grand Prize Again This Time]
*Nine years…?*
When she opened the articles, only the name I Do-hui was written, with no photos.
Really… really… it seemed to be true.
Then now, she couldn’t understand.
“Trainee I Do-hui, why on earth do you want to become an idol?”
Feeling something boil up from within, Cheon Ji-hye unknowingly spoke in a tone that sounded like an interrogation.
As a broadcasting station PD, she knew that the profession of an idol was as arduous and difficult to succeed in as it was attractive.
It was precisely because it was so attractive that highly educated idols from Ivy League schools or prestigious domestic universities were born from time to time.
But this was on a completely different level from mere academic credentials.
Cheon Ji-hye too had attended a piano academy when young and had participated in competitions.
Of course, it had been a minor competition, let alone a major one, but that was precisely why she knew how amazing these awards were.
And yet you’re giving up that piano talent to become an idol?
With that face and piano talent, if you became a pianist instead of an idol, you’d be treated like an idol anyway.
PD Cheon Ji-hye asked again.
“Why on earth do you want to become an idol?”
“Hmm…”
I Do-hui thought for a moment, then smiled slyly and spoke.
“Because a piano stage is static, while an idol’s stage is dynamic. Also, to be honest, I like receiving attention.”
It was a trivial reason.
Cheon Ji-hye let out a hollow laugh.
Cheon Ji-hye decided to just welcome her.
No matter what else I Do-hui couldn’t do, she would raise the ratings on buzzworthiness alone.
As production staff, she had no reason to refuse.
Still, if possible, she hoped I Do-hui was decent at other things too.
Main writer Baek Ju-hyeon spoke.
“Then please begin your prepared song.”
“Yes.”
The accompaniment began.
Entering the intro, I Do-hui began to sing.
- If just one sentence could make you happy -
*Huh? She’s better than I thought?*
- I’ll keep talking without rest to always make you smile -
- Would doing that make me seem crazy -
Though Cheon Ji-hye had no professional knowledge of vocals, she felt that fundamentally, the rhythm and notes matched up perfectly.
Was it because she was a child with piano talent?
- Take me to the hospital right now -
Furthermore, though her tone was too ordinary to be called good, and had a rough, masculine quality that kept it from being called clear.
If forced to divide it into can’t sing or can sing, her fundamentals were solid, placing her closer to the latter.
- Take me home so I can love you -
“Thank you.”
Cheon Ji-hye felt it even before seeing the dance.
Even though it was only the first-round audition, she could tell.
This girl would definitely make it to the final debut lineup.
Of course, that didn’t mean she would take first place.
The Big 4 agencies, especially JS, had sent out amazing trainees too.
Main writer Baek Ju-hyeon smiled contentedly and said.
“That was great. Have you prepared a dance?”
“Yes, I chose it because it’s the title track from *Jeodol Season 1*.”
“Understood. Please start right away~”
As the intro began, I Do-hui’s expression changed in an instant.
It was a simple change of expression, but fundamentally, idols who danced well all used their expressions well.
*I have a feeling the dance will be good too?*
As the song entered its intro, the full choreography began.
Title tracks, by nature of survival songs meant to distinguish participants’ skills, consisted of difficult choreographies except for the highlight chorus, which was made easy for the public to follow.
But I Do-hui danced comfortably without any problem.
It was a sight of precisely matching the choreography’s tempo to the beat—so-called beat killing.
Of course, having practiced countless times for the audition, it was natural for an idol trainee, but there were many participants who couldn’t even do that much.
It definitely showed that she had been a trainee for 3 years and 6 months.
The highlight chorus.
Choreography that pointed with her fingertips.
It was a use of fingertips that showed confidence.
Regardless of what main writer Baek Ju-hyeon might think, Cheon Ji-hye thought:
*She dances well.*
.
.
After I Do-hui’s audition ended and she left the audition hall.
The production staff, excluding the main PD who had been absent due to being busy, conversed.
“She’s definitely a pass.”
“Topist hid her thoroughly. There was a reason.”
“Right? They had her shoot music videos and commercials right before the debut group was confirmed.”
“Is the next kid also from Topist?”
“Yes, the next four are all from Topist.”
“I wonder if they’ll pull in ratings too.”
***
Hoo.
I was so freaking nervous.
“Did it go well?”
Ua unnie, whose turn was two after mine, asked me.
“Yeah, I think it went okay? Wow, but I was so nervous. There were cameras everywhere in front. Boom mics too. I guess they’re filming from the first-round audition. Maybe to use for broadcast later.”
“Huh, really? Is my makeup okay right now?”
“Yeah, pretty, pretty.”
“Ah, tell me seriously. I’m nervous right now.”
“Re~ally pretty. Got it? Go do your best out there.”
“Alright… Tch… Hoo…”
Ua unnie repeatedly breathed in and out.