As Kang Rojun looked at 58 Sihu and gained confidence in his composition, the other eight participants excluding those two were likewise spending their own time. Some in the practice room, some in their rooms, some taking walks, and so on.
The participants in the practice room did so with the intention of not losing their feel even while resting.
-♬♪
They were passionately reviewing the group stages they had put on so far: "Produce," "Survival 100," and even "Daedamhan." Everyone's expressions were bright, but there was great anxiety in one corner of their hearts. Soon, six out of the ten would have to leave Geubaekpeu. That was why they also tried to enjoy this time that might be their last.
Overall, the atmosphere at the Geubaekpeu campus was calm.
Part of it was because it was a break after running passionately, but more than anything, the final vote was concluding tonight. Not only the participants, but the entire staff were rather subdued.
But the world was not quiet.
《"Geubaekpeu" Side, Final Evaluation Song "Daedamhan" Revealed Today at 2 PM!》
《"Rental Lover," Which Wrote Legend with 21% Viewership Ratings, First OST "Lovers" Opening Soon》
As announced yesterday, both Geubaekpeu and Rental Lover had thrown their songs to the public. The schedule and timing were almost identical.
《"Geubaekpeu" Sweeping Domestic and Japanese Music Charts and Legendary "Rental Lover" Music Released Simultaneously—Who Is the Winner?》
《Chart-Dominating "Geubaekpeu" VS Emerging Powerhouse "Rental Lover"—Great Clash!》
The media openly constructed a confrontational structure between Geubaekpeu and Rental Lover, but the officials on both sides actually thought it didn't matter much which side won. Their natures were different, but there was the connecting link called Kang Rojun.
Soon after, "Daedamhan" and "Lovers" were released on domestic music platforms. The public quickly listened to the songs regardless of which side, and the reactions were, as expected, record-breaking.
For the final evaluation song "Daedamhan," there were naturally many Geubaekpeu fans.
-The song is so trendy, no joke lolololol
-TBH among songs coming out in the idol scene these days, Geubaekpeu's is the GOAT
-It's great to hear such a good song.... but it's sad that this is Geubaekpeu's final song.....
-Came from next door, the song is good lolololol
-Sihu and Rojun's chemistry is perfect lol the song is good and the lyrics are insane, my ears are being blessed
-They really pulled off the song in a badass way lolololol
-This is gonna take first place again!!
-For sure, Rojun and Sihu have a sense for trends
For the OST "Lovers," ordinary people who weren't fans were mixed in as well.
-This was sung by Rojun??? I seriously didn't know lolololololol
-What can't this guy Rojun even do??
-Just so you know, Rojun wrote the lyrics and did vocals for this song!!
-I came after watching the drama.... thinking of Lover #4 and getting overly immersed....
-I came to listen because I liked the OST while watching the drama, so it was sung by the real body of Lover #4, huh
-No but... he doesn't have to be good at singing too???
-Rental Lover is fun but the OST is good tooㅠㅠㅠㅜㅠ
-Wow... usually when you listen to an OST in full it's a bit meh but this one is insanely good
-Should I say the song is cute?? It's been so long since this style, I like it so muchㅜㅠㅜㅠㅜ
The results came out around late Tuesday afternoon.
[1(new!)] Daedamhan / Produce the 100! (Theme Song)
[2(new!)] Lovers (Rental Lover OST Part 1) / Rojun
[3(↓2)] Survival 100 (Acoustic ver.) / Produce the 100! (Theme Song)
[4(↓2)] Survival 100 (Japanese ver.) / Produce the 100! (Theme Song)
[5(-)] Survival 100 / Produce the 100! (Theme Song)
[6(↓3)] Produce / Produce the 100! (Theme Song)
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Both songs ranked 1st and 2nd immediately upon release. Thanks to that, Geubaekpeu's other songs were pushed down to lower ranks, but the overall picture became even richer. Songs solely related to Kang Rojun occupied the top ranks of the music charts.
It wasn't a phenomenon limited to just one music platform.
《"Daedamhan" and "Lovers" Released Today Sweep Major Domestic Music Platforms Including "Melon"!》
It was the overall flow of the music market. Thanks to that, the aggro and hooking power grew severalfold, and the media and public spread the issue as far as their strength allowed.
And so Tuesday night fell.
《[Hot Issue] "Geubaekpeu" Final Vote Concludes》
Geubaekpeu's final vote had ended.
The next day, Wednesday morning.
The location was the Geubaekpeu campus. As always, Kang Rojun had finished his daily mission early, and after showering, he ran into the participants and headed to the cafeteria. The ten chatted softly or laughed no differently than usual, but Rojun sensed a subtle atmosphere.
'Oddly heavy.'
But no one brought up this sluggish atmosphere. Soon, a piece of news arrived for the participants who had finished their meal. All ten participants were to gather in the hall one hour after completing their personal preparations.
Kang Rojun realized immediately.
'It's here.'
The final vote had ended last night. And PD U Hanseok always announced the voting results on Wednesday, the day after the vote, along with filming.
In short, it meant the time of the death sentence had arrived.
Of course, the other participants felt the same as Kang Rojun. But there were no big reactions. They merely felt their hearts, which felt like they would burst, inside themselves.
'Whew—my mouth is going completely dry.'
'The announcement already... no, I shouldn't worry already. There's plenty of possibility I'll be chosen.'
'Just making it this far is doing well. Still...... I still want to win.'
'Ugh, damn it. I'm shaking so much I need to pee.'
The participants moved to the hall with the stage on time. However, before entering the hall, they stopped by the waiting room behind the stage. It was to take final interview shots one by one while waiting briefly. All ten sat down, but the waiting room felt quite empty. Soon, staff members began calling the participants one by one. It didn't take long. Roughly 15 minutes later, Kang Rojun was called.
"Rojun!!"
In the waiting room right next door, several cameras and about five or six staff members were waiting for Rojun. Among them was the upbeat writer Kim Sehui. She smiled broadly and waved the moment she saw Kang Rojun. Rojun, seated in the chair in front of the camera, thought for a moment.
'I can say I started Geubaekpeu because of her.'
He recalled when he first saw hamster-like writer Kim Sehui, and whether she had been thinking the same thing, she brought up their first meeting.
"You remember when we first met? At Seongsu."
"Yes. Of course. You running toward me was a bit scary back then."
"Huh?!! What are you talking about! When did I!!"
"I'm joking."
"What! Anyway, it feels like I just saw you yesterday, and it's already the finals. It's a shame."
Writer Kim Sehui's eyes grew slightly moist, and her first question was this.
"Rojun, how has Geubaekpeu been for you?"
Kang Rojun's answer was quick.
"I enjoyed it, and I learned a lot."
It took roughly 50 minutes for all the participants' interviews to finish, and Kang Rojun and the nine other kids moved toward the familiar stage. The participants who arrived at the stage all blinked. Rojun was the same.
"Wow—"
"Whoa—"
The familiar hall interior, which they had performed in even up through the final evaluation stage, had undergone many changes. Especially the upper part of the stage. First, the super-large screen attached to the back of the stage caught the eye. The largest screen was in the center, with ten medium monitors attached on both sides of it.
Moreover, the overall stage decoration was considerable.
Colorful star shapes were mixed with the Geubaekpeu logo, making it spectacularly gorgeous, and in the center of the stage, four square sections had been marked.
As befitting the final announcement stage, perhaps?
It was a stage where you could keenly feel how much effort the Geubaekpeu production team, including U Hanseok, had put in. There were more cameras filming the participants than usual. PD U Hanseok was standing there. His expression was calm.
"······"
Dozens of staff members, PD U Hanseok, and many cameras were all focused on the ten participants.
Soon, PD U Hanseok gave a look to the writers around him.
In a few seconds, the entire hall grew slightly darker, but the stage lights became bright enough to be blinding. Several cameras captured the participants' faces mixed with tension, and U Hanseok stepped forward with the right timing.
"Ten participants, please stand in front of the stage."
With this remark, the filming of Geubaekpeu's final evaluation announcement began. Kang Rojun and the participants moved with quite stiff faces, and when it seemed about right, PD U Hanseok raised a tablet.
"The final voting results are in my hands. Today, four final winners and six eliminated contestants of Geubaekpeu will be decided, but I believe without a doubt that all ten of you here are the best. Thank you for your passion up until now."
PD U Hanseok bowed to the participants at nearly 90 degrees. His eyes were steeped in fatigue, but his voice was full of sincerity. Here, 58 Sihu and some participants reddened their eyes, and U Hanseok, after a brief pause, continued speaking.
"It was a truly heated vote, enough to crash the page several times, and the results have come out."
At that moment.
-Sshh.
The screens and monitors behind the stage popped on. The central super-large screen was simply a white tone, but on the surrounding ten monitors, the faces of the participants including Rojun were displayed.
"From now on, I will call the four final winners, and when your name is called, please stand in your designated spot on the stage. And."
U Hanseok trailed off and looked steadily at the ten participants.
"The six who are eliminated—please leave Geubaekpeu just as you are."
PD U Hanseok lowered his gaze to the tablet, then raised it again.
"I will begin the announcement."
The final evaluation announcement. No, the scene of Geubaekpeu's final winner announcement was not noisy but calm. It was quiet enough that except for PD U Hanseok's voice, there was silence. Of course, many scenes would be added in editing, and effects or tense BGM would be inserted, but the site itself was tranquil.
But the tone for announcing qualifiers or winners must not be dull. PD U Hanseok knew this well.
"First final winner!!"
U Hanseok suddenly put power into his voice and boomed.
"Sihu!! Congratulations!!!"
58 Sihu's name echoed throughout the vast hall, and 58 Sihu involuntarily let out a "Wah!" scream. At the same time, firecrackers burst from the stage. Amid crackling noises, Kang Rojun and the other nine participants clapped in celebration. Naturally, dozens of staff members joined in.
-Clapclapclapclapclapclapclapclap!!
The camera angles shot 58 Sihu in full shot, bust shot, and close-up.
"Whew—really thank you. Really, really thank you!!"
58 Sihu wondered if this was a dream, yet bowed busily here and there without composure. Anyway, Geubaekpeu's first winner was confirmed to be 58 Sihu. PD U Hanseok, who had watched the situation for a few minutes, spoke with a smile.
"Congratulations. Sihu, please come up on stage."
58 Sihu, whose legs seemed to have lost strength or were trembling for whatever reason. No, Sihu climbed onto the stage with difficulty. Before anyone knew it, Sihu's name was displayed on the four square sections on the stage. His spot was the second of the four. Furthermore, Sihu's face moved from among the ten rear monitors to the central super-large screen.
He repeatedly sat and stood, perhaps because his leg strength kept giving out.
-Sshhk.
He somehow stood upright. It wasn't a strange reaction. The moments up until now were probably flashing by like a panorama. Sihu's eyes were full of bright stage lights. To Sihu, that felt as if it were congratulating his efforts until now.
'I did it, I made it. I, I really became a Geubaekpeu winner!!'
It was then.
"Second final winner! Do Gyeong!!! Congratulations!"
The next winner was announced. The protagonist was 26 Do Gyeong. Even Do Gyeong, who was usually characterized by dryness and expressionlessness.
"Kuaaah!!!"
Unable to hold back the catharsis of this moment, he roared. Do Gyeong, who had shouted with both hands raised high for several seconds, abruptly bowed his waist 90 degrees.
"Thank you!!!"
Likewise, applause poured down from participants and staff, and Do Gyeong's face was embedded on the super-large screen behind the stage after Sihu. Do Gyeong's spot on stage was the third after Sihu. Now two sections remained. The first and the last spot.
The eight participants remaining in front of the stage felt their mouths go dry.
Then PD U Hanseok shouted thunderously again.
"Third final winner!!! Gang Min!! Congratulations!!"
46 Gang Min, who was exotically handsome, was called as the third winner. He let out a long breath while covering his face with both hands. Perhaps his heart was on the verge of bursting, his fingertips visibly trembled. Bursting firecrackers, pouring applause, Gang Min's face added to the super-large screen behind the stage.
Before anyone knew it, three participants had taken their places on the screen.
"Thank you!! I'll work so hard I'll die!!!"
Gang Min's name appeared on the last of the four square sections on stage. In order: Sihu, Do Gyeong, Gang Min. And the remaining section was the first spot.
Now a total of seven participants remained in front of the stage.
The interesting thing was that, for some reason, six of the participants excluding one smiled as if resigned. Those six looked at one person with destructive visuals as if by agreement.
"Last final winner!!! Rojun!! Congratulations!!!"
It was Kang Rojun.