After Kang Rojun and No. 26’s stage ended, the audience members who had been going wild only managed to calm down after several minutes. In that gap, the host, Jang Daehan, came up onto the stage.
“Wow—now that was an incredible stage, wasn’t it? I was so busy clapping myself that I lost track of time.”
While Jang Daehan tossed out a suitable comment and conducted a brief interview with Rojun and No. 26, the people in the standing area closest to the stage were—
“No, seriously, wasn’t that stage insane??!”
“Totally, totally. I think this team did way better than Group 1 Team A.”
“Why is No. 1 so damn good at rapping too?? Why?”
“Right. We didn’t see him practice it even once on the broadcast, did we? But then he goes and does rap well too.”
“If he debuts, No. 1 is confirmed as the main vocal, main dancer, and rapper—basically an all-rounder right away.”
They were busy showering Group 2 Team A with praise.
“Earlier, on that extended stage up front, I made eye contact with No. 1, and I almost collapsed. He smiled at me, looking right at me.”
“Ah—seriously, not having phones is too much. That was something I absolutely had to record. Even if it airs on broadcast, fancams just feel different.”
“Anyway, No. 26 did well too, but No. 1 completely tore this stage apart. His aura was exploding, seriously.”
Here and there, however, quite a few people defended No. 58’s Group 1 Team A.
“No. 1’s presence was crazy, sure, but the stage itself was better from Group 1 Team A. Group 2 Team A was more performance-focused.”
“If you look only at rap skill, No. 58 was the best. And he was cute.”
“Mm-hmm, full of unexpected charm.”
Kang Rojun’s impact had simply been that overwhelming; if judged purely by the stage, the audience was sharply divided. On the other hand, the minds of the entertainment agency people were full of No. 1. No, of Kang Rojun.
‘No. 26 is good too. His form is definitely solid. But, huh—does that No. 1 kid have anything he can’t do? Honestly, I thought his rap would be a bit bland, but starting with his control of dynamics, he’s barely any different from kids who’ve been rapping for years??’
They had just watched the stage, and he had already been the number one person of interest from the start.
‘The way he played the audience in the palm of his hand—and there was nothing awkward about his performance either. He raps well too. On top of that, he showed off his ability by writing lyrics. What kind of monster is that??’
‘I want him. No. 26 and No. 58 are both good, but No. 1 is really—I want him like crazy.’
Even to entertainment industry people who had been around the block countless times, veterans with long experience in show business, Kang Rojun felt profoundly unfamiliar. Handsome kids were everywhere, but not many were one of a kind; there were plenty of talented kids in various ways, but none of them had everything.
Rojun, however, was a brand in and of himself.
‘……Have I ever seen one? A kid on that level? No. There’s no way. That No. 1 guy is an idol, sure, but more than that, he was born to become a star.’
The entertainment agency people were all convinced. It would likely be true for the other contestants as well, but No. 1’s value in particular would increase exponentially before long.
Around then, Jang Daehan, having finished interviewing Rojun and No. 26, said,
“All right! Then! Let’s hear the judges’ comments on Group 1 and Group 2 Team A! Group 1 Team A, please come up to the stage.”
He called Group 1 Team A, who had gone backstage. Soon, No. 58 and No. 71, wearing hoodies, came up onto the stage. The two stood on the left from the front of the stage, while Kang Rojun and No. 26 took their places on the right. The cameras were filming in full shots and bust shots. Several angles were on the judges’ seats near the stage.
The first to pick up the microphone was Yun Seungwon, a veteran singer of thirty years.
“Uh—this is really hard.”
Looking at the four contestants on stage, Yun Seungwon let out a long sigh.
“Both teams were amazing. You were just good. But the atmospheres were completely different, so…… this is a difficult choice. Can’t we pick both teams?”
Jang Daehan shook his head.
“I understand that it’s hard to evaluate, but please decide on only one team.”
“Hmm. First of all, for Group 1 Team A, I liked the nuance of the rap. It was a rap where I could truly feel anger, and Group 2 Team A had performance and everything else that made it feel like we were at a club? Both teams have nothing to criticize, but Group 1 Team A did have one point that was a little lacking. It felt a bit static, perhaps. So I will raise my hand for Group 2 Team A.”
Kang Rojun’s Group 2 Team A earned one vote. The judging comments moved on. Lee Dami, a former girl group member who now ran a mid-sized entertainment agency, also agonized before making a difficult decision.
“I choose Group 1 Team A. The rap atmosphere was more unique.”
This time, Group 1 Team A, which included No. 58, received one vote. That made it one to one. The judges’ evaluation did not determine survival or elimination on its own, but along with the viewer votes, it accounted for quite a large portion of the score, so it could not be ignored. Soon, it was choreographer Lee Hanna’s turn.
“I also choose Group 1 Team A.”
Her choice, as she continued her explanation, was also No. 58 and No. 71. Right now, the judges were not looking at the contestants individually, but making their decisions based on the stage as a whole. Next, Gong Jumi, who had been clutching her forehead, lifted her microphone.
“I want to pick both teams…… but I choose Group 2 Team A.”
The reason for her choice was that she had enjoyed it a little more.
Thanks to that, the score became two to two.
The final judge was Song Mingeun, a composer known as a hit-song maker. The plump man brought the microphone to his mouth.
“Uh—in my heart, both teams pass. You showed high-quality stages in completely different veins, and the direction was top-notch as well. I felt like I was watching a professional stage. All four of you did well, but No. 58 stood out with his unexpected charm, and No. 1—why are you even good at rap?”
The other judges nodded as if agreeing vehemently, and Song Mingeun let out a faint laugh before continuing.
“No. 1 has always shown skills beyond expectations, but as expected, he’s done it again this time. Therefore, I gave points based on the part that shocked me, and my choice is Group 2 Team A.”
As a result—
“Yes!! With 3 votes for Group 2 Team A and 2 votes for Group 1 Team A! The winner of the first team match of the fourth evaluation is Group 2 Team A!!”
Just as Jang Daehan had shouted, Kang Rojun and No. 26, who had shown the rap “Small Fry,” took the victory. Immediately, thunderous screams and applause erupted from the thousands of audience members.
Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!!!
The same was true for the judges, the production staff, the entertainment agency people in the guest seats, the Rental Lover team, the Netflix Japan team, and all the eliminated contestants. Rojun and No. 26 smiled and bowed repeatedly, while No. 58 and No. 71 congratulated them beside them.
At this point, Kang Rojun did not know it, but—
Bzzzz.
Bzzzz.
A short vibration rang from the phone he had left behind. As if the AI Simulation app were also rejoicing, it sent him a gift.
[You have completed the hidden mission “Another Victory!” 15 coins have been issued as a gift.]
Meanwhile, Kang Rojun, standing on the stage amid the tangled situation, felt one thing.
The first team battle he had ever done was quite thrilling.
The first and second evaluations had been solo performances, and though the third evaluation had been in a group, the evaluation itself had still been individual. This was the first time he had been openly evaluated as a team.
‘Doing it as a team makes the evaluation more varied than doing it alone, and it’s way more tense.’
Because of that, he became even greedier.
‘Teams are fun too. This must be the taste of being an idol.’
Afterward.
Once the first team battle of the fourth evaluation ended, the stage quickly began preparing for the second team. But the thousands of audience members were still soaked in the heat from just moments ago, and Kang Rojun, No. 26, No. 58, and No. 71 returned to the waiting room.
The remaining contestants, who had watched the stages so far on the monitor, gave them sincere applause.
“Both teams were really good!”
“Ah—didn’t you set the bar way too high right from the start?? Anyway, it was amazing!”
“Watching the stage, I got kind of choked up.”
“What’s with you all of a sudden?”
“No! Was I the only one??”
“Actually, I felt that way a little too.”
At this point, there were only twenty-four people left. They were all competitors, but they were also colleagues. The contestants, who had spent quite a bit of time together, had no choice but to be moved by the two teams’ stages. They had watched each other practice to the point of death, after all. No matter what kind of stage any team showed, it would be the same.
The fact that they had done their best deserved admiration.
In any case, once the setup was done, the fourth evaluation moved on to the next team.
“The second team of the fourth evaluation is! Group 1 Team C!!”
The next contestants left the waiting room. Rojun stared at the monitor with a fairly relieved heart. Around then, the staff called Kang Rojun, No. 26, No. 58, and No. 71. It was to film interview cuts.
“You four, we’ll get some footage in the waiting room next door for a moment!”
The fourth evaluation continued to produce screams and shrieks nonstop, and after the second team, it moved on to the third team’s turn.
Half of the total six teams had completed their stages.
Around this time, the Geubaekpeu team briefly cut the recording and announced a break. While there was a break of about thirty minutes along with preparations for the next stage, the attending Rental Lover team stood in front of the Geubaekpeu cameras. Of course, only the actors. They held a brief interview that felt like drama promotion. Writer Kim Sehui asked the questions.
“This is the Rental Lover team! First, Choi Rina! Thank you for coming to watch the fourth evaluation!”
“Of course I had to come and cheer. It’s work related to the writer of Rental Lover, after all.”
“He is the writer, and also No. 1, right? Choi Rina, how did you see No. 1’s stage?”
“Honestly, it was fascinating. The fact that the writer was on stage itself.”
As befitting a top actress, Choi Rina tightly hid her true feelings and gave professional answers that would not cause any particular problems. Inwardly, she was jumping up and down.
‘How did I see it??! Writer-nim was the best! Seriously, seriously!!’
Only after the interviews with the other actors ended did the Rental Lover team return to their seats, and when the break ended, the audience members also returned to their places. The fourth evaluation proceeded just like that.
It was a dizzying feast of rap.
Contestant teams went up onto the stage and showed off all kinds of direction and beats, and when two teams’ stages ended, the judges delivered evaluations filled with deep consideration.
After about three or four hours had passed like that.
“Yes! Now, it’s the final stage!!”
Jang Daehan announced that the stage was almost over. The final teams were Group 1 and Group 2 Team F, which included No. 37 from Room 105 and the yellow-haired No. 15. Only after both teams finished their rap did he say,
“Yes!! That’s it!”
The recording of the fourth evaluation, which had run for roughly seven hours with thousands of audience members gathered, ended. Soon, Jang Daehan and the judges rose and greeted the audience, and all twenty-four contestants, including Kang Rojun, went back up onto the stage and bowed.
Some among the thousands of audience members left the hall, but most remained in their seats and cheered for the contestants.
“Kyaa!! You worked so hard!!”
“We watched so well!!”
But as if this were not the end, PD Woo Hanseok, who had received the microphone from Jang Daehan, came up onto the stage.
“The official recording ends here. But since this was Geubaekpeu’s first live audience event, we prepared one more stage as thanks to the audience members who came and to the guests we invited.”
The hall immediately buzzed.
A stage? What stage?
Because they had heard nothing about it, the eyes of the thousands of audience members, the entertainment agency people, the Rental Lover team, the Netflix Japan team, and the hundred or so guests widened.
On the other hand, PD Woo Hanseok—
Swoosh.
Turned his body around and showed a deep smile to the twenty-four contestants gathered behind him.
“Everyone ready?”
All the contestants, including Rojun, nodded confidently. Judge Lee Hanna, who had moved to the front of the stage before anyone realized it, clapped both hands.
“Just do it the way you did in rehearsal. Even if you make a mistake, don’t panic and immediately follow the formation!”
As soon as her instructions ended, PD Woo Hanseok sent a glance toward the gathered production crew. Soon, the entire brightly lit hall dimmed a little. In that gap, PD Woo Hanseok exited the stage. Lee Hanna also sat back down at the judges’ table.
In the darkened situation, the audience members stared intently at the twenty-four people on stage with pounding hearts.
At the same time—
♪♬
A familiar song rang out powerfully.
It was “Produce,” the theme song and the third evaluation song, and the lighting focused on the twenty-four people filling the stage.
At the unexpected gift—
“Hul! Hul!!!”
“Kyaaaaaak!!”
“Aaaaaaah!!”
Tremendous screams ran rampant throughout the hall.
Several hours later, late at night.
Geubaekpeu had repeatedly warned those who had obtained audience tickets, collected phones and cameras, and even distributed nondisclosure agreements. Audience members generally kept the secret without spoilers.
But there had been thousands gathered.
All kinds of people had been there, and a small number chose to go astray. Of course, this was a sight commonly seen when there was an audience event related to idols.
There were no photos or videos, but memories remained.
Thus, near midnight, a post went up on a community.
[Review of attending Geubaekpeu’s 4th evaluation (long post)]
At the end of the long review, comments began to pour in frantically.
-ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ I’m so jealous
-Turning in the recorder was a stroke of genius, otherwise you might’ve been dragged out lololol but what do you mean No. 1 wrote lyrics??
-Huh? No. 1 writes lyrics? Isn’t he a writer?
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The fire started from there.