"No. I'm probably doing it because I want to. Let me correct myself. Why do you want to be an idol?"
There was no need to think about it.
"Because I like being an idol."
It was pretentious, but it was true.
I liked myself as an idol.
I liked the way I looked every moment I was improving, every moment I was working hard.
And because someday, I would be able to show that self to the public.
Of course, that much pressure would build up, and it would be easy to get hurt.
I still didn't know if I was strong or fragile in that regard.
But even now, at this very moment, I was curious about how I looked on camera.
"I just... want to be an idol."
"I see. Asking an idol trainee that was a mistake on my part."
"But being good at piano and being an idol are completely different things. You know that, right?"
"Yes, I do."
I knew my skills were still lacking, too.
That's why I like it even more.
Because tomorrow's me will be cooler.
"Understood. Do your best."
We went down under the stage and put on the Tier 1 badges the production crew handed us.
Seoyun unnie, wearing her Tier 1 badge, giggled and needlessly scolded me.
"Ah, Dohui stole our screen time."
"Ahh. Right. Sucking up the camera... that's star quality."
"Sigh... hey kids, are we all on camera?"
A production staff member saw us like that and said with a smile,
"All three of you got Tier 1. How do you feel right now?"
"I could die happy right now."
"If you die now, is it a blissful death?"
Naeun unnie grabbed mine and Seoyun unnie's cheeks and said,
"We'll try to survive until the end with these troublemakers! Please remember Topist trainees I Dohui, Gim Seoyun, and Gim Naeun!"
After finishing the interview, we returned to our seats and sat down.
Trainee Nam Seoyeon next to me looked at me with wide eyes.
"Wow... Dohui-nim..."
"Ah, it's nothing~"
Even the stars will be overshadowed by me anyway... keuk
What remained now was the main stage that everyone acknowledged.
The tier evaluations of the three mega agencies.
The Haru Entertainment logo appeared on the electronic display attached to the stage ceiling.
"Wow, Haru Entertainment."
"I'm really looking forward to the Big 3 agencies."
The judges' expressions were filled with anticipation.
""Hello! We are Haru Entertainment's one-two punch!""
"Jeon Harang!" "Gim Seyeon!"
""Thank you~""
Jeon Harang, who was currently sitting in the number one seat.
Moreover, from Haru Entertainment.
All eyes were inevitably focused on them.
"The first of the Big 3, Haru Entertainment. We'll watch your performance. Please begin."
Haru Entertainment's stage began.
A hip EDM beat mixed with dancehall and electronic house.
As expected of Haru Entertainment trainees, it was a song selection in the style Haru Entertainment liked.
- today still Friday! -
"Wow..."
Both of them were good.
Their singing and dancing were both Tier 1 level.
In particular, Jeon Harang, sitting in the number one seat, seemed to have a source of confidence that wasn't just Haru Entertainment.
I turned my head and whispered into Seoyun unnie's ear.
-Tell them I'm a better dancer.-
"Yeah, you're the best."
"Okay, thanks."
After the performance ended, as expected, both Jeon Harang and Gim Seyeon received Tier 1.
"Uwah..."
I was happy for nothing about getting Tier 1.
Clearly, this season had been raised overall compared to the previous season...
Next came Zy Entertainment's Yun Seowon and Gong Chaerin.
I heard Yun Seowon was a public trainee, right?
"Trainee Yun Seowon, you appeared in Diaz's 'Clean Love' music video, right?"
Yun Seowon smiled chastely and answered.
"Yes, that's right!"
"You also filmed an acne ointment commercial. As expected of Zy, you have a lot going on."
Yun Seowon was smiling brightly just like I had been.
Th-that... goddess-like girl...
Go Gong Chaerin, Zy's pride!!!
"Please begin."
The stage began with the judge's words.
As expected of Zy trainees, it was clean and organized.
But I couldn't tell if they were particularly good at anything.
It might have been because the two of them didn't have good chemistry, but unexpectedly, public trainee Yun Seowon seemed busy trying to keep up with Gong Chaerin.
As expected, my pick, Gong Chaerin.
The best!!!
"Trainee Yun Seowon is..." "...Tier 3."
"And Trainee Gong Chaerin is..." "...Tier 1."
I thought they'd give at least Tier 2 for the sake of the mega agency's face, but the judges were cold.
After Gong Chaerin and Yun Seowon went down, finally, the last one.
Eun Sera of JS came up on stage.
Eun Sera, whom the majority said was a candidate for first place.
It was 6 a.m. Even though all trainees were on the verge of collapsing, most were staying awake to watch the final tier evaluation.
I stared intently at Eun Sera's face.
Even I Dohui, a facial genius, admit she's pretty.
A visual worth daring to compare with me.
Of course, to say it again, I'm prettier.
I turned my head and looked at Seoyun unnie.
"Don't do it."
"What? How do you know what I'm going to do?"
"You're going to whisper something weird again."
It's not weird, though.
While I was joking around with unnie, the accompaniment flowed from the stage.
'Ah, this.'
The dreamy R&B song 'Bull Fighter' by Ruina, called the Queen of Pop.
For some reason, it was a song that suited Eun Sera, who gave off a self-absorbed feeling like me, perfectly.
- we are megalomaniacs -
A dreamy intro that seemed intentionally nasally.
- we both have a hard time admiting our faults -
As soon as the intro ended, a sound that immediately became clean.
It was a vocal tone adjustment that made you feel she could sing well.
- everything becomes smoke -
Of course, the dance was simple to match the dreamy atmosphere.
After Eun Sera's stage ended,
I wanted to check Eun Sera's dance skills, but unfortunately, without asking her to dance additionally, the judges immediately announced her grade.
As expected, the grade Eun Sera received was.
"Trainee Eun Sera is...... Tier 1."
In the end, 4 out of 5 trainees from the Big 3 were Tier 1.
Of course, they must have sent their most skilled trainees from the Big 3, but everyone was good enough to be confident.
This time too, I brought my face close to Seoyun unnie.
"I told you not to."
I made a sorrowful expression and said.
"No... I was going to tell you that unnie is the best..."
"Ah... really? I misunderstood because you joke around so much. So stop joking around."
"Yeah..."
"Anyway, sorry."
"It's okay..."
It's a lie.
After Eun Sera's final evaluation ended, the PD shouted.
"Cut! We'll take a 10-minute break and then film the final scene!"
Ah.
The title track filming was still left.
I'm going to die.
After the 10-minute break ended, the judges came up on stage and grabbed the mic.
"All tier evaluations have ended."
"Now remains the reveal of Jeodol Season 3's title track."
"Before that, we will tell you the current number of trainees per tier."
"Tier 5, 17 people."
"Tier 4, 23 people."
"Tier 3, 29 people."
"Tier 2, 17 people."
"Tier 1, 13 people."
"As you all know, the title track stage you will be presenting to the Chuseo is not fair to everyone."
"Tier 1 will be at the very front of the stage."
"Tier 5 will perform at the very back of the stage."
"But Tier 1 trainees, it's too early to celebrate."
"For Tier 5 trainees, there is still a chance left."
"A tier re-evaluation that will take place after three days of practice."
"We reveal the title song you must practice before the re-evaluation!"
On the display in the front, the title track's title appeared.
Then the text faded to black, and the screen changed to a dance practice room where dancers were standing.
-Your gaze looking at me sends shivers down my spine (shiver-shiver)-
-The touch of your hand brushing past me tingles (tingle-tingle)-
To the bouncy rhythm and cute lyrics, the dancers began doing a dance that anyone could see was cute.
Hmm...
Mixed in here and there were difficult choreography sections to distinguish the participants' skill levels, and finally the chorus.
- cr cr cr cr crush on you
- ru ru ru ru rush to you
- cr cr cr cr crush on you
- ru ru ru ru rush to you
Based on electronic house EDM that represented addictiveness, a bouncy rhythm.
Repeating lyrics containing the participants' desire to be chosen by the Chuseo, while also expressing the program's title, Jeodol, using 'crush' and 'rush'.
A song combining these two elements was a hook song symbolizing girl groups, no matter who looked at it.
Of course, since it was a survival title track, it was natural for it to become a hook song that focused more on addictiveness than quality to captivate the public's ears.
However...
Why was the choreography all so fresh and cute?
Isn't there anything we can dance to with a bit more power...?
***
All trainees who finished filming until the very end came to the dormitory near the set.
The time they arrived at the dormitory was 9 a.m.
From arriving at the filming set yesterday at 11 a.m. until 9 a.m. today.
It had been a hellish 22 hours without sleep.
My assigned room was Room 1-1.
Unfortunately, I was separated from Naeun unnie and Seoyun unnie.
I opened the door and entered my assigned room.
Ah.
Bunk beds.
At first, I thought the top bunk was a sweet deal, but usually later it got annoying going up and down, so I preferred the bottom.
However, a camera was attached to the top bunk.
I surreptitiously put my luggage on the top bunk.
I had a total of 3 roommates.
They were all Tier 1 members, and on their name tags were written Gwon Hana, Gim Seyeon, and Eun Sera.
For some reason, Eun Sera had been staring holes into me since earlier.
What is it.
Was it because of the top bunk camera?
No...?
I think she's been like that since I came in.
Even after everyone had unpacked, they were all silent, perhaps because they were shy.
I guess I'll have to start the conversation.
"Shall we start with introducing ourselves?"
Gim Seyeon reacted strongly, perhaps because the silence was awkward.
"Ah, yes! I'll go first. I'm Gim Seyeon from Haru Entertainment, and I'm 17."
"I'm Gwon Hana from Pudding Entertainment, and I'm 21."
I naturally looked at Eun Sera, and Eun Sera was staring intently at me.
Why are you looking at me like that...
"I'm I Dohui from Topist, and I'm 15. Please take care of me."
"I'm... Eun Sera from JS Entertainment, 18."
"So you're all older than me?"
Gim Seyeon overreacted to my words and said.
"Ah, that's right!"
Gwon Hana spoke with a voice thick with emotion.
"I'm... the oldest..."
"No! You look very young!"
"Thank you..."
An awkward silence flowed again.
Ah...
"...Shall we wash up and sleep?"