Chapter 8

* * *

Even those who knew the hidden intentions of the program's planners felt the same way.

"Well, you're going to appear on TV anyway. If you get eliminated, it's up to you whether you stay with the agency or leave. It's my choice."

While not everything in life goes according to the natural order, it's not entirely wrong either.

In this atmosphere, the number of applicants for ComingUp Next steadily increased.

Some were confident in their skills, while others were confident in their stories.

However, the selection criteria of Lion Entertainment were clear.

The B team of ComingUp Next was ultimately there to support the A team (TakeScene).

At the same time, they had to consider the ratings and the possibility of becoming Lion Entertainment trainees in the future.

Therefore, there were a few things more important than skill.

First, a good-looking guy.

For idols, a good face is both talent and narrative.

Of course, those who rely too much on their looks and lack skills are often criticized... but the B team needed such a "flower screen."

Good-looking enough to win immediate support from the audience, but as missions progress, they would be less competitive in their main job compared to TakeScene.

Through them, TakeScene could gain an overcoming narrative.

Even if their appearance might differ, they would seem to be filled with determination in their main job.

Moreover, if Lion Entertainment trained such a "flower screen" for a few years before debuting them, they could easily acquire a growth narrative.

- "When he was on ComingUp Next, he seemed to rely only on his looks, but when he debuted, his skills had improved."

- "It shows how hard he practiced, and it's satisfying."

- "When he performed on his debut stage, it seemed like he was about to cry, thinking of the past."

The moment such comments start, the game is over.

Second, a guy with a lot of personality.

It doesn't matter if individual members of the B team are better than TakeScene.

In fact, it's even better.

But the teamwork of TakeScene must be overwhelming.

To achieve this, the B team needed members who were hard to get along with and had strong personalities.

They would stand out during individual missions but weaken during team missions.

The more such members there were, the more TakeScene would stand out.

Finally, those with compelling stories.

Any story would do.

Better yet, a story that could make the audience cry.

These people would drive the ratings and the buzz.

However, they also bring fatigue.

They might become an issue once, but if they appear twice or three times, the audience would subconsciously feel tired.

Add a bit of editing magic, and the B team members could be portrayed as overly sensitive or stubborn.

This would give the TakeScene members, who grew up smoothly, an appealing contrast.

In other words, the stories of the B team were cards to be used and discarded for the initial hype.

Choi Soo-yeon, the head of the New Artist Development Team at Lion Entertainment, who was in charge of selecting the participants for ComingUp Next, was well aware of this.

And...

'Han Si-on. The name sounds good.'

Han Si-on seemed to meet all three criteria based on his profile.

While she didn't entirely trust the profile photo, he was good-looking.

Moreover, the person who recommended Han Si-on was Lee Hyun-seok, the CEO of LB Studio.

He was known for his good reputation in the industry and for promoting promising indie musicians without being driven by money.

Han Si-on was the talent that Lee Hyun-seok highly praised, even spitting out saliva in his enthusiasm.

Thanks to Lee Hyun-seok, Han Si-on bypassed the first online application and the second interview, going straight to the third and final interview.

'He's good at playing and composing, right?'

If he was as good as Lee Hyun-seok praised, he wouldn't lack personality or assertiveness.

He might have the feel of a typical hipster or indie enthusiast.

Finally...

'His family situation is a bit intense.'

His parents had recently been in a car accident and were in a vegetative state.

It was hard to believe (some trainees fabricated their family stories), so she checked with the hospital, and it was true.

The final diagnosis of a vegetative state hadn't been made yet, but the close attending physician was just delaying it, and it was almost certain.

It felt right.

An indie musician who was originally uninterested in idols had a change of heart after his parents' accident.

He wanted to earn a lot of money to treat his parents or become famous to reach the heavens with his songs.

That's why he hastily applied for ComingUp Next.

'If he's not tone-deaf, he could pass.'

If he could position himself as a composer, even if his singing was a bit lacking, it would be fine.

Composers usually have a good sense of rhythm, so a little rap training would do the trick.

Although he wrote "vocal" as his position on the application.

"Team leader, shall we bring him in?"

"Yes, let's start."

Thus, the third and final interview with three members of Lion Entertainment's New Artist Development Team began.

There were a total of eight people to interview today.

It wasn't necessary to select anyone, but if they did, only one could be chosen.

"Hello! I'm Jo Tae-soo!"

The first interviewee started, and by the time the fourth person had passed,

"Han Si-on."

The fifth interviewee, Han Si-on, whom they had been keeping an eye on, entered.

* * *

I've seen too many auditions.

Now, when I consider entering a new field, I look at the future potential.

If I become a rapper, can I sell 200 million copies?

If I win American Talent, can I steadily build a singing career?

What's the peak in this field?

These are the kinds of thoughts I have.

But in the early days of my regression, when I was still a newbie, I didn't think that far.

I just wanted to do what was the most talked-about at the moment.

In my first life, I was a moderately popular solo singer, but in my second life, I participated in [Stage Number Zero].

It was a terrible program name, but I knew from my first life's memory that Stage Number Zero, or SNZ for short, recorded the highest ratings in the history of public audition programs at 17%.

I came in second place there.

To be honest, my skills at the time weren't good enough to place second.

But I received nationwide support because of my tragic family story of my parents being in a vegetative state.

And my second life's career crumbled.

The depressed and desperate image I formed in the program became a shackle.

No matter what I did, I couldn't escape the SNZ image.

I tried to change my image by releasing a soft spring song, but the top comment on the official music video's YouTube page was...

- "It seems like our parents will eventually leave us. This spring, go see the cherry blossoms with your parents."

Damn, it still makes me angry when I think about it.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I have a lot of audition experience.

So I could immediately tell what the judges wanted from me.

They wanted my story.

At the same time, they didn't expect much from my singing skills.

Story?

I can sell it.

In the past, I disliked mentioning my parents' story, but now I don't care.

When I do well, the story overshadows my music, but when I do really well, the music stands on its own.

The only problem is that they don't expect much from my singing skills.

"Let's see your skills. Would you like to start with a song?"

"Start with a song? Isn't it just singing?"

"I heard from your recommender that you're quite good at playing and composing."

"I didn't prepare any performances or original songs. Sorry."

"......Okay. If that's what you prefer."

It seemed the interviewer, Choi Soo-yeon, was a bit disappointed.

Her tone was dragging.

But what could I do?

If I do well, that's all that matters.

"What would you like to sing first?"

I had two songs to sing today.

One was chosen from the three songs designated by Lion Entertainment.

The other was a free choice.

"I'll start with the designated song. 'Flower Language,' please."

To be honest, it's not a song I particularly like.

Early 2000s Korean ballads have a somewhat repetitive chord progression and sound variation.

From my perspective, having lived until the 2030s, it's a bit boring.

It's not a timeless masterpiece either.

But I chose this song because it's suitable for my current skill level.

I definitely need vocal training, and I'm currently in the process.

If my singing skills were 100 when I was the main vocalist of GOTM, they're probably around 50 now.

So, a song that I could sing cleanly was better than a difficult one.

I have the talent, so I won't be outshone by the first-lifers.

"I'll start."

As the host played the song, a long intro typical of the 2000s flowed.

A moment later, the song began.

There was nothing particularly special about it.

I immersed myself in the song, put emotion into it, and sang with clear pronunciation.

There were no pitch errors or rhythm issues.

Given that my tone isn't bad, I could be praised for singing well.

This is true not just for amateurs but for professionals as well.

The basics are the hardest, after all.

But...

When I finished, Team Leader Choi Soo-yeon's expression was annoying.

She had a slightly furrowed brow, an ambiguous look.

"......You sang well."

Why?

My singing couldn't be ambiguous.

This is a fact proven over a long time.

Of course, people's tastes vary, so it might just sound okay.

But that "okay" should easily surpass the other applicants, right?

Is it because I've been in the U.S. too long and my K-pop feel is off?

"You submitted a free-choice MR, but it's a song I've never heard before. 'Tony Bright'? Whose song is it?"

"It's a song by Melisma, released in the 1940s."

"Is it R&B?"

"The original is Delta Blues, but I arranged it in a Chicago Blues style."

"Oh, I see... Let's listen."

As the MR played, funky drums and electronic guitar poured out.

I guarantee that no one who hears this song will sit still like a stone.

They'll nod their heads or at least tap their fingers.

Sure enough, the interviewers' expressions changed.

It seemed to be quite different from what they expected "Blues" to be.

Delta Blues often uses strong rhythms, powerful vocals, and slide guitar.

I arranged it in a Chicago Blues style using electronic guitar.

While I called it Chicago Blues, the sound itself is not much different from modern electronic pop.

I nodded my head to the rhythm and grabbed the microphone.

The gypsy woman told my mother

Before I was born-!

I entered with an offbeat, sliding the electronic guitar sound and dropping the pitch by a half-step.

But while doing so, my breathing remained relaxed, and I finally returned to the onbeat with the drums.

I got a boy child’s comin’

He’s gonna be a son of a gun

This time, I raised the pitch by a half-step.

The pitch that started onbeat ended offbeat.

The scale that rises and falls like a roller coaster provides auditory pleasure, and the melody shot from the edge of the drums creates a thrilling feeling.

I'm doing well, and I like it.

It won't be unfamiliar.

Modern people love R&B, which ultimately originated from the blues.

After all, R&B stands for Rhythm and Blues.

He gonna make pretty women’s

Jump and shout!

I pulled the pitch up instantly, reaching a high note, and then raised the volume with a low vibrato.

In these 12 bars, I showed what kind of song I could sing.

This should be enough to dispel any ambiguity...

But Team Leader Choi Soo-yeon's face wasn't just filled with amazement.

Along with the amazement, there was a sense of difficulty.

Why that expression?

Could it be that this direction is wrong?

But with my skills, I should be able to easily ignore the direction, right?

Maybe I need to show them more.

I gripped the microphone tighter and became even more immersed in the song.

* * *

"......"

"......"

"......"

The three members of the New Artist Development Team, who were in charge of today's interview, were silent.

Ever since Han Si-on left the room with a disappointed look, as if something was bothering him.

The same question was swirling in their minds.

'What about him...'

'If we select him...'

'Can he debut with TakeScene...?'

Oh.