Chapter 39
The day after the third competition ended, the six songs from the third competition were released as digital singles.
As soon as the concept evaluation songs were released, they immediately entered the upper ranks of the charts on all music sites.
3. - Saving Private Kang A-jin
4.
8. - Han Huibaram
A whopping three songs landed in the top 10 of the charts.
Two songs took 3rd and 4th place on the charts, threatening the 1st place spot on the digital charts as soon as they were released.
Additionally, the trainee fan-cam videos for the third competition's concept evaluation stages were released.
As soon as the trainees' fan-cams were released, the rapidly rising video rankings on video streaming sites were entirely lined up with fan-cams from the third competition of National Idol.
['National Idol Season 2' Seon U-rin, Yujin Kim fan-cams released. Overwhelming views within a day of release.]
[Did the returning beast-idol concept hit the mark? Seon U-rin's fan-cam video reaches 1 million views within a day of release. 1st place in trainee fan-cam video views.]
[Who will take the 1st place trainee spot? Did Seon U-rin win in terms of digital chart rankings and fan-cam views?]
The winner of this competition was, without a doubt, Seon U-rin.
It wasn't simply because he performed well on stage; the combination with Kang A-jin's narrative played a huge role.
-I can't help but acknowledge Seon U-rin this time. He took care of the struggling Kang A-jin while completely tearing up the stage himself.
-Kang A-jin did well in a difficult situation, but would he have been able to do that much without Seon U-rin?
-There's a reason the trainees always push Seon U-rin as the leader and trust him. The guy himself is a born leader.
And this stage became a catalyst for Seon U-rin's leader image to grow even stronger.
The choice to yield his center position for a teammate who had been involved in controversy.
While still showing the result of ultimately leading the team to 1st place. Fans began to prematurely appoint Seon U-rin as the leader of the debut group.
-Please vote for the prepared leader, Seon U-rin!
└Our puppy follows your favorite so well...! I'll offer my second vote.
└Thinking about after debut, the leader is definitely important. At Seon U-rin's level, he's on good terms with the top-ranking trainees, and seems like a perfect fit for the leader!
-If we're picking one leader, there's no one better than Seon U-rin. He's good at group living, good at sports, has a good personality, and a good body...
As favorable public opinion toward Seon U-rin spread like this, ahead of the second ranking announcement ceremony, discussions began to catch fire over who would take the 1st place spot between Seon U-rin and Yujin Kim.
-We won't know until we see the final, but up until this ranking announcement, Yujin Kim is obviously 1st. No matter how suddenly Seon U-rin surged up, there's a difference in their public recognition.
└Didn't they have a pretty big vote gap during the 1st ranking announcement too?
└The difference was almost 300,000 votes. It's not even a contest.
└Wow, I thought the vote difference wouldn't be that big since Seon U-rin was 2nd, but the difference was 300,000 votes?
-The person above said Yujin Kim is obviously 1st this time too, but right now, Seon U-rin is winning in both digital chart performance and fan-cam views?
└On top of that, the main vocal pick is split between Yujin Kim and Woo Jung-woo, but for the leader pick, there's only Seon U-rin.
└I also feel like Seon U-rin is going to overtake him this time. The current momentum seems better for Seon U-rin than Yujin Kim?
The fans of Seon U-rin and Yujin Kim themselves were keeping as quiet as possible to prevent any fan wars, but.
Rather, the fans of other trainees were watching from the sidelines like spectators across the river, continuing their heated debates over who would get 1st place.
Thus, ahead of the second ranking announcement ceremony, the final stage before the final round.
Amidst fervent interest over who would take the 1st place spot between the two. the long-awaited 9th episode of National Idol was broadcast.
***
Seon U-rin's fan Kim So-young was waiting for the commercials to end with a nervous heart.
While taking comfort in seeing people who felt the same way as her by entering the group chatroom during the endless stream of commercials.
"It's starting, it's starting. It's finally starting."
With an excited heart, Kim So-young sent a direct message to the nickname 'Mini', whom she had occasionally talked to privately since they attended the 2nd competition audience together.
-It's finally starting...! Rin will get 1st place, right? Right, right?
-Well... I think Yujin Kim will get it.
-Who exactly are you rooting for? Weren't you a fan of Rin? Did you already switch sides? You're such a migratory bird, Mini...!!!
-As long as he debuts, it's fine. It doesn't matter who gets 1st place.
-Heol... That's too much...!
Kim So-young deployed asymmetric firepower at Mini's cool attitude.
-Look at how cool Rin looks here!
Along with the message, she tossed in a photo of Seon U-rin's final highlight scene during the 3rd competition, and then.
-'Mini' has left the chat.
"Keukeukeu, why can't she endure it whenever she sees that scene?"
She was a weird kid in many ways. Like when they went to the studio audience, and how she was a fan of Seon U-rin but strangely spoke as if she was embarrassed of him.
Of course, because that kind of appearance was cute, she kept teasing her.
As always, 'Mini', who had left the direct chat with her, was happily chatting in the open chatroom.
Although, if 'that photo' was uploaded in the group chat again, she would probably leave immediately.
At that moment, the screen changed, and a scene from the ranking announcement ceremony began to broadcast.
[The 1st place of the 2nd ranking announcement ceremony is...]
[Wow,,,!]
[Daebak!!]
[Beee- is 1st place? Really?]
'It's not my first day being tricked.'
To Kim So-young, who was already used to MusicNet's editing style, that level of scene was nothing more or less than low-level bait.
Of course, that was only true for people like Kim So-young.
The National Idol related message boards were already devastated by the preview scene.
-Wow... Is the 1st place spot really changing today?
-Slay-rin is going to tear up 1st place too! Wait for it, Yujin Kim!
-I'm going crazy. I have to wait over an hour for that scene to come up.
-Aaagh! I'm so curious I'm going insane...!!!
Watching the young lambs being properly played by the broadcaster's tricks, Kim So-young turned her eyes back to the monitor screen.
[Body-Making Project]
As expected, before the 1st ranking announcement ceremony began, the entertainment segment of the trainees was broadcast first.
On the screen, the trainees gathered in the auditorium could be seen, and the auditorium was set up with equipment that rivaled any decent gym, wondering where they had brought it from.
At that moment, a man appeared.
[Hello, trainees!!]
[Waaaah~]
The person who appeared with incredible vigor was none other than the fitness YouTuber Tajoal.
[The reason I came here today is, you all want to become body champs, right?]
[Yeees!]
[Alright! Let's go! I came all the way here to guide you all down the path of becoming body champs.]
But suddenly, Tajoal started looking around.
[From what I know, there's a junior of mine here...]
[Certain victory!]
[Certain victory!]
At Tajoal's words, Seon U-rin stood up from his seat and offered a salute.
[Ah~ It's nice to meet you. Seon U-rin trainee! I really wanted to see you!]
Tajoal, famous as a UDT-born YouTuber, exchanged a warm greeting with Seon U-rin.
[Woah~ You have a great body.]
[Thank you.]
After measuring his combat power by feeling Seon U-rin's body for a while, Tajoal soon finished his greeting and came back in front of the trainees.
[Now then, let's start with some simple stretching.]
Like that, the stretching session with Tajoal began.
[Aaaaaaagh!]
[Moooooom!]
With the endless screams of the trainees bursting out, the stretching came to an end.
And.
[Now, just stretching is no fun. Do you guys happen to know about the Big 3 measurement?]
[Yes!]
[Today, we'll try measuring the Big 3 within a range that isn't too strenuous.]
Along with Tajoal's words, the assistants appeared and exchanged greetings with the trainees.
[Alright then, let's start with squats. It's important for beginners not to overdo it at first.]
Kang A-jin was the first to come out in front of Tajoal.
[Hmm... let's start with 20kg for now.]
[You're... only lifting the bar? That seems too light...]
[Now, let's try it first. Get into position and squat!]
[Ugh!!]
Kang A-jin sat down and stood back up, looking proudly at Tajoal, but...
[Kang A-jin trainee, that's it for today. Let's try more next time.]
[Yees...?]
And so, the first squat of Kang A-jin's life ended.
While the other trainees were getting help from the assistants and trying their first challenges.
Seon U-rin came out in front of Tajoal.
[Seon U-rin trainee, what's your Big 3?]
[It should be around 300. Actually, since I started the audition, I haven't measured it properly...]
[300? I think you could lift more... Actually, just looking at your physique, Seon U-rin trainee, yours is even better than mine? How is your condition today?]
[It's very good.]
[Alright! Then let's break a new record today!]
And a little while later.
[Wow... Daebak!]
[How many kilos is that?]
Along with the sound of the trainees marveling.
[One, two. Breathe in! Tighten your core...! Good! Squat! Let's go, let's go!]
[Hup!]
[Wow! 180kg success! Truly crazy, right? Alright! Let's ride this momentum and go straight into the bench press measurement!]
Like that, all of Seon U-rin's Big 3 measurements ended.
[Seon U-rin trainee's Big 3 result is... exactly! 500!]
[Seriously unbelievable...!]
[You said it's been a while! Did you secretly go to the gym all this time? Are you really a monster?]
Having finished the Big 3 measurement, Seon U-rin looked at the marveling trainees with a calm face, as if it were a natural result.
Looking at such a Seon U-rin, Tajoal spoke.
[Honestly... you could have done more, right?]
[Ah, no. Hahaha!]
"Is that amazing? It seems like it's something amazing, but...?"
To see the reaction, Kim So-young, who didn't know much about exercise, went to a website, and...
-????? That's amazing, right?
└I'm not really sure either, but just looking at the weight, it seems incredible??
-Guys lol Right now it's a mess on the male-dominated sites lololol A popular post has already gone up calling him a Big 3 500 idol.
└lolololol For real? Everyone's going crazy over it?
Kim So-young clicked on a link someone had uploaded.
Just as written in the comments, she could see men who had no interest in idol auditions talking about it even more excitedly.
-Wow... Daebak! Crazy!
-Does a Big 3 500 idol even make sense???
-Is that amazing?? Seon U-rin doesn't look like he's struggling much though...?
└Actually, for someone with Seon U-rin's physique, it's not that amazing lol
└Ah, really? Then why are people making such a fuss?
└The commenter above is a gym ignoramus ddd You're saying a Big 3 500 isn't amazing? When did you get beat up by Seon U-rin?
└lmao for real You must've gotten beat up by a delinquent who looked like Seon U-rin during your school days.
-But is that Seon U-rin guy famous over there? First time hearing about him?
└Yeah, he ranked 2nd last time. He'll probably debut unless something happens? FYI he's a former UDT lololol
└Crazy lol A UDT-born idol is fucking amazing ddd If he goes on something like an idol sports day later, he's going to crush everyone lol
"What? The reaction isn't bad?"
Even though they were users of a male-dominated site with no interest in idols, talk of a Big 3 500 or UDT seemed to perfectly align with their interests.
Thus, the [Body-Making Project], which even sparked a heated response on the male-dominated site, ended.
[Now We Can Talk.]
"No, when are they going to do the ranking announcement ceremony!!"
As Kim So-young cried out, Seon U-rin appeared on the screen, and she focused back on the broadcast.
[The most handsome trainee?]
The broadcast proceeded in the format of a popularity vote among the trainees.
Wi Cheon-woo was chosen as 1st place for the most handsome trainee.
[Huh? A trainee I want to protect? I'm 1st place? Ugh... Is this a good thing?]
The sight of Kang A-jin trembling as he lifted the 20kg barbell flashed by.
[Anyway, 1st place... Thank you!]
The next order was the main vocal ranking.
The scenes of trainees talking about Yujin Kim and Woo Jung-woo alternated on screen.
"I'm a bit curious about this? Who did Rin pick?"
The trainee chosen as the 1st place main vocal pick by the trainees was.
None other than Yujin Kim.
[Thank you for choosing me as 1st place. But I heard briefly from outside... that Seon U-rin hyung picked Woo Jung-woo trainee.]
A video of Yujin Kim listening to Seon U-rin's interview content outside the booth briefly flashed by.
[Huh? No, wasn't this a secret vote? You heard it from outside? Wow! No... well, I'm sorry to Yujin, but the team comes first!]
[2nd place? I'm satisfied! Because Rin hyung chose me.]
And so, there were two main vocalists competing with Seon U-rin between them.
[A trainee you can vouch for?]
[Hmm... this is the hardest one.]
[It's XXX for me!]
The next topic was the most trustworthy trainee, one they could even vouch for.
"This is at least the closest to a popularity vote, right?"
Given the nature of the question, everyone chose the trainees they were closest to. Or trusted the most.
[I'm 1st place? Uh... why?]
Seon U-rin, answering with a bewildered expression, took 1st place.
"Wow, Rin is 1st, daebak!"
Unlike the previous votes for looks or main vocal, this vote could be somewhat connected to the trainees' character.
If many trainees trusted him, didn't that mean his personality was that good?
Everyone was in the atmosphere of being careful with "character acting," but no fan hated it when their idol had good character.
[Who did I pick? I didn't pick anyone. I was told you should never vouch for anyone. I hope the other trainees keep this in mind too.]
And so, with Seon U-rin's interview, [Now We Can Talk] ended.
"Finally... finally...!"
[We will now begin the 2nd ranking announcement ceremony.]
The set for the ranking announcement ceremony appeared on screen.
Just as the ranking announcement ceremony was about to begin with the words of Lia, who was standing holding the microphone, the screen suddenly changed and a familiar catchphrase was heard.
[Neutrogena Deep Clean Acne Foaming Wash & Cleansing Foam!]
"Kuaaaaaaagh!"
And so, MusicNet gifted the viewers their first loss once again today.