Damn Idol - Chapter 11

Album 2. C.U.N

 

The first filming of Coming Up Next was at a convention center in Incheon. 

 

Because of the filming location, it seemed more like attending a business conference than an audition program.

 

“…”

 

Wait, cancel that. 

 

Looking around, the participants’ heads are too brightly colored.  

 

And what kind of clothes are they wearing?

 

While having those thoughts and looking around, I could see nine awkwardly seated participants.  

 

Ten participants, including me, were sitting in the convention center’s main hall, waiting for Choi Dae-Ho. 

 

Since we had not even done self-introductions, let alone reveal stage names, it was all sneaky glances and sizing up.

 

Honestly, the setup of this gig’s got me scratching my head.

 

Team A, who had been prepping to debut for a long time at Lion Entertainment. Take Scene.  

 

And then there’s us, the makeshift, nameless Team B.

 

The two teams will compete, and the winning team will debut?

 

Logically, Team A’s spot is pretty much a done deal, and Team B should justbasically be the bonus track, no?  

 

Even if Lee Hyun-Seok from LB Studio did not tell me personally, I could have easily sniffed out the intention behind the program.

 

Of course, legitimacy is not that important in the broadcasting industry.  

 

What is important are the viewer ratings. If the ratings are high, legitimacy comes naturally.  

 

So, is this show going to  make waves?

 

Beats me.

 

I don’t even remember a program called <Coming Up Next> existing.  

 

I didn’t have my fingers in the program’s development, so I can’t swear it didn’t exist, either.

 

Here’s the 411 after too many after many regressions. Even if I do not intervene, things involving personal emotions can change unpredictably.   

 

Take this, for instance.

 

American comedian Byrne Adel gets locked up for playing bumper cars while tipsy this year.

 

But sometimes, he just carries on with his activities without any issues.  

 

Whether he did not drink, drank moderately, or drove drunk. He did not get caught by the police.  

 

No clue, but somehow, he sometimes skips the slammer.

 

This is the conclusion I came to:

 

The heart wants what it wants, and that can flip the script without my say-so.

 

What if the launch of Coming Up Next sways at the whim of Choi Dae-Ho’s emotions?

 

Then, it might not have existed in the previous life.  

 

However, there is one thing I know for sure: Take Scene debuts.  

 

It didn’t ring any bells at first, but when I watched Lion Entertainment’s YouTube, I understood.  

 

They have gained considerable popularity. And the main vocal sings very well.  

 

He later sheds his idol label and becomes a recognized solo vocalist.  

 

Scoping out today’s lineup of 9 participants, I wondered.

 

“Are there any hidden gems among them?”  

 

While closely examining the profiles of the nine participants.  

 

There are some faces I feel like I have seen before, but I cannot recall exactly.  

 

Seeing their stages might jog my memory.

 

Just then, a staff member came in and distributed large name tags to attach to our clothes.  

 

I slapped mine with ‘Han Si-On’ written largely on it and tried to read the other participants’ names…

 

“Hello, everyone.”  

 

CEO Choi came in and started rattling off useless remarks.  

 

Saying [We are the spearhead of K-pop, Lion Entertainment’s doors are always open to talented individuals and other comments suitable for saying on camera.]  

 

I was enduring the boredom when a remark worth listening to finally came:  

 

“We want to kick off with a pre-mission before the main competition. For self-introductions and to grasp each other’s skills.”

 

Pre-mission?   

 

“Showcase your skills and individuality in one verse. Your pre-mission ranking lets you pick your spot for the main showdown.”

 

One verse.  

 

Not a bad play to get the program rolling.

 

Depending on the song or genre, one verse typically lasts 60 seconds.   

 

Sixty seconds is not long enough for strangers to bore the socks off anyone.

 

Also, they can gauge the participants’ tastes through song selection.  

 

“The pre-mission will be held three hours later. And the order of you guys going on stage will be randomized. Now, I will take Qs.”  

 

The participant, wearing a reversed snap-back, grabbed the first opportunity to ask a question.  

 

“Can we use original verses?”

 

CEO Choi briefly glanced at the questioner’s name tag then spoke up.

 

“Kim Hae-Un, are you a rapper?”

 

“Yep.”

 

“Rappers’ original songs got a spice. It does not matter if it is an original song or an existing song. Any other questions? Nam Il, you’re up.”

 

“Will dance be included in the evaluation?”

 

“We will evaluate the full stage. If you use dance to increase the completeness of your performance, it will be a plus. But don’t gas out. It will be a minus.”  

 

“Just one verse, right?”

 

“No. I mean, at least one verse. Whether it is verse 2 or 3, it doesn’t matter.”

 

“Then for verse 2, can I have the MR play from the chorus?”

 

“Yes, that’s fine. Since the pre-mission is not the actual competition, we will accommodate the participants’ conveniences when conducting it.”

 

Various questions were flying left and right.  

 

I also had some questions, but the participants who asked ahead of me had already asked what I was wondering about.  

 

So I just remained silent when CEO Choi suddenly zeroed in on me and said.  

 

“Han Si-On, don’t you have any questions?”

 

When addressing the other participants, CEO Choi checked their name tags before calling their names.  

 

But he did not look at my name tag.  

 

That meant he memorized my name. Whether that was good or bad, it meant I had left an impression in some way.  

 

In terms of skill alone, it should be a good impression, but considering the reaction of the talent development team leader…

 

Could he have memorized my name at the last minute after agonizing over whether to pass me or not?

 

Having such speculations, I shrugged it off.

 

“None.”

 

“Really? Nothing?”

 

What’s his angle?

 

Does he have a particular question he wants to ask me?

 

Honestly, I didn’t have any questions.  

 

But saying I have no questions there ain’t a cute response for broadcasting.

 

I may not know much about the idol world, but I’m very knowledgeable regarding what draws attention to shows.  

 

“Actually, I do have one.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Why ‘Lion’?”

 

“Come again?”

 

“Why not ‘Tiger’ with Dae-ho in your name?”

 

The atmosphere instantly cooled, but wasn’t that something everyone was wondering about?  

 

It’s a question that comes up whenever you search about Lion Entertainment.

 

*   *   *

 

Since we had gathered early in the morning, boxed lunches were provided to the participants.  

 

Judging by the brand I saw for the first time, it was probably PPL.  

 

The fact that PPL had already been attached means this show would definitely hit screens.

 

Those aware of the industry from their trainee days tried their best to enjoy the boxed lunches while racking their brains.  

 

‘One verse.’

 

Singing just one verse made for an easy evaluation.  

 

If you ain’t got the low range, you’re up for verse 2, kicking off in the high notes.

 

You don’t  the high range? No problem. Verse 1 has that cool low-range intro for you.

 

The problem was: 

 

‘Everyone will have the same choice, right?’ 

 

Aside from the rappers or dance-focused participants, I felt like everyone’s song selections wouldbe fairly middling.  

 

So, I wanted to sing a rather unique song, but I didn’t have any ideas.  

 

Having to beat out half of the ten people was an immense pressure.  

 

Logically, do I have to secure at least one person on my side?

 

Looking to the side was Kim Seong-Woo, who had been preparing to debut but failed to make it into the debut team and applied to <Coming Up Next> on impulse.   

 

Me – the participant wearing the Han Si-On name tag caught his eye as he was having his lunchbox.  

 

He probably thought: Oh, the weirdo who asked a strange question to Mr. Choi.  

 

“The boxed lunches are super delicious! Right?” 

 

“They are fine.”  

 

“Did you perhaps train as a trainee? You look familiar.”  

 

A lie.

 

It was the first time I saw this face.

 

“First rodeo, actually. How about you?”

 

“I trained for a few years… How old are you?”

 

“20.”  

 

“Ah, I’m 19. Feel free to speak casually.”  

 

“Shall I?”

 

“Bro, have you decided what song to sing?”

 

I nodded without much hesitation.  

 

“It would be awkward if we chose the same song… Can I ask what you’ve chosen?”

 

“<Under the Streetlight>.”

 

“Oh? I thought we were allowed to sing the chorus?”

 

“I’m gonna sing the first verse, not the chorus.”

 

“Oh… It is a good song.”  

 

Bullshit.  

 

It is a foolish song choice.  

 

<Under the Streetlight> is a rock ballad with a boring verse that leads into a dramatic high note during the chorus.  

 

A song that makes everyone stare at their phone until the chorus hits when sung at NRB.   

 

Yet it remains loved for a long time because the chorus is so good.  

 

And you say you will sing verse 1 of that song?

 

Maybe the second verse would be somewhat better.

 

The first verse has a low range, a boring melody, and a repetitive progression.

 

Actually, thinking about it, the second verse is also bad. It just seems less bad because the first is so dreadful.

 

‘This guy will be a goner.’

 

Half of the ten will get eliminated. Meaning, half of them were people I would never see again.  

 

While choosing <Under the Streetlight> didn’t directly cause a pre-mission elimination, if you lack confidence in your vocals to that extent, it solidifies an overall elimination.  

 

“He’s handsome, but not enough to just pass him for that.”

 

If they needed a visual member, Lee Ye-On, who looked like an actor at the far end, would get it.

 

“Thank you. Please enjoy your meal.”  

 

Kim Seong-Woo naturally ended the conversation and turned his gaze away.  

 

*   *   *

 

After finishing their meals, the <Coming Up Next> participants were given individual practice rooms.  

 

These were practising rooms commonly seen in music schools, 3 square meters wide, equipped with soundproof booths and speakers that could be connected to a phone.

 

Of course, these did not originally exist in the convention center and were hastily set up by the broadcasting station.  

 

While ten participants crammed into practice rooms for song selections and practice, the judging panel members started trickling in one by one.  

 

While it will be aired on Channel M Show, <Coming Up Next> is ultimately Lion Entertainment’s internal audition.  

 

Naturally, the judges were selected by Lion Entertainment.

 

Lion Entertainment’s CEO Choi Dae-Ho.  

 

Blue – a 1st generation idol from Lion and currently a successful solo singer and broadcaster.   

 

Vocal trainer Yoo Sun-Hwa, the best vocal trainer in South Korea with strong ties to Lion.

 

Songwriter Lee Chang-Jun, Choi Dae-Ho’s junior at university who has composed countless hits.

 

While all connected to CEO Choi, it was a lineup that would satisfy even Channel M Show.  

 

Excluding CEO Choi, who has the final decision authority, having just Blue, Yoo Sun-Hwa, and Lee Chang-Jun on board means assembling a panel of celebrity-level judges fit for public broadcast appearances.

 

“Ah, to think I’m doing a 3-day-1-night shoot at this age.”

 

“Are you staying up all night? The participants are!”  

 

“He’s right, Mr. Choi! The judges can leave and sleep. No matter what special situation occurs!”

 

“You’ve grown a lot. Wasn’t it just yesterday you were clinging in the practice room begging to debut?”  

 

“Do you remember my debut year was 2000? A whole 17 years ago.”  

 

Vocal trainer Yoo Sun-Hwa cut into the conversation between Blue and CEO Choi.  

 

“Didn’t I train your group back then?”

 

“That is why I still feel heartache when I see you, Ms. Sun-Hwa.”  

 

“What about me?”  

 

“You too, Mr. Lee. Sometimes, when I think about recording my debut album… Again, again!”  

 

Since everyone had a history together, the atmosphere was also good.  

 

Without a script, it was friendly chatter while sitting down. But the PD judged it could be used on broadcast as well.

 

“By the way, are there any decent kids among them?”

 

“Hard to say. They are all good, which is why they passed. But we will have to see them on stage.”  

 

Time flew by swiftly like that, and the participants started appearing on stage.  

 

While there was no host for Coming Up Next, Blue was set to handle light hosting duties.  

 

Being both the youngest and a singer senior from Lion Entertainment also suited the position.  

 

“Does everyone know me by any chance? Young people these days should know me right?”

 

“We do!”  

 

“Good to hear. We’re about to start the pre-mission. It’s important but also not so much. I hope you all can just give your best with a light heart.”

 

At the nice senior’s words, the participants nodded their heads.  

 

Soon, ten names spun around the monitor slot and showed one name.  

 

“Choi Jae-Sung. Are you ready?”  

 

“Yes…! I am ready.”  

 

“Take the stage, then.”

 

That was how the pre-mission began.  

 

Si-On went on stage fourth.