Chapter 8

If I can't debut, I'll get a disease that will kill me 008

Strictly speaking, Park Munda's dance was not exactly breathtaking. It was the kind that wouldn't stand out in a group performance.

However, in other words, it had enough visual appeal to fit into a group dance.

‘Even if this were a debut song…’

It seemed he wouldn't be overshadowed by the others. It was an unbelievable improvement!

The choreographer was slightly excited by the unexpected situation but soon became calm.

‘Talent can't just appear out of nowhere in two days.’

So, if he had put some thought into it, he must have tried to match the very beginning for the initial impact.

‘He'll probably revert to just moving around in a bit…’

“……”

But he didn't. Park Munda maintained the initial level and moved into the chorus.

In fact, the pacing in the chorus was even better.

Unlike most lower-class participants, he didn't flail his limbs. He didn't roughly mash around the joints but clearly defined his movements.

- The one shining on this stage today… is me!

Moreover, he sang every part without missing or omitting anything.

Though lacking in technique, it was a clean, resonant sound without a single off-key or flat note.

The judge, Mudi, sitting next to the choreographer, tapped his pen cheerfully.

It seemed to be an unconscious action, indicating how much he enjoyed it.

Even to the ears of someone who wasn't particularly knowledgeable about vocals, Park Munda was the best among the participants so far.

- Watch this moment… I'm the one shining the most!

Indeed, it was an excellent level.

The clear voice hit the ears perfectly.

‘How much effort must a layman have put in to follow the dance and sing steadily at the same time?’

The choreographer thought affectionately without realizing it.

He clearly distinguished between those who were good, promising, and full of potential, and those who were not.

And now, the choreographer's inner assessment of Park Munda, who had initially seemed to lack talent and was rated low, had been reassessed.

‘Since his strength is singing, he must have focused on singing steadily during the choreography, which is why he seemed to have rushed through learning the dance.’

However, the inconsistency still didn't disappear.

‘…It's hard to become a good dancer in just two days without any particular reason.’

Meanwhile, Park Munda managed to finish the second verse without losing his tempo or strength.

The judges' seats were quiet.

Despite the confusion, he suddenly felt a positive emotion rising in his mind.

It was a sense of pride.

“Phew, thank you.”

Immediately after the song ended, Park Munda, looking flushed and out of breath, seemed to have drained all his energy.

Instead of the brazenness he showed during the first evaluation when he boldly chose a song and showed no change in expression, his face was now full of passion.

A face that made one feel he had truly put in a lot of effort.

This contrast had the effect of making the observer feel a sudden surge of emotion.

The choreographer's side, Mudi, looked like he was about to shower Park Munda with praise.

The choreographer guessed that the other judges, though to a lesser degree, felt the same.

But no one could match his ability to highlight this impact on the show, as he had been the one pushing the participants in the two-week dance class.

So, the choreographer deliberately ignored the implicit hint from the production team to let Young-rin give the first evaluation.

He took the microphone first and spoke.

“Munda.”

“Phew… Yes.”

“You did well.”

“……”

It was a simple but definite compliment. Park Munda smiled instead of replying.

A mischievous and clear smile, unlike the indifferent participant he had been for the past two weeks.

* * *

Indeed, a good turnaround always wins.

This formula couldn't fail in an idol audition show.

Despite feeling as if my heart would leap out of my chest, I felt a sense of relief.

The judges were giving good reactions.

“Goodness, you're so impressive.”

“Munda, there's nothing to criticize about you today~”

“You did really well.”

It felt like I had taken another step away from sudden death.

‘Indeed, using all 3 points I accumulated during the filming on dance was the right choice.’

So, my current dance level is C.

Honestly, the sense of leveling up was more significant than when I focused on singing.

It felt like my body had suddenly mastered something that my mind knew but my body couldn't follow.

The sensation of being able to use muscles I couldn't use before was vivid throughout my body.

It was a feeling of pleasure.

At this level, I might not reach the upper class, but I should be similar to the middle-class participants.

Especially since I didn't sleep for the first week and only memorized the choreography, I could perform it almost flawlessly.

If limited to this song, I might be better than most middle-class dancers.

‘I achieved this without any intermediate steps.’

If the editing doesn't go wrong, this should help me pass the first elimination.

I seem to be steadily moving towards survival.

And the expected question came.

“But Munda, what did you do for the past two days?”

The choreographer's question made Mudi, the judge, ask 'Why?' with his mouth, which I could see.

The choreographer explained as if answering that.

“Your dance suddenly improved? In just two days that we didn't see.”

“That's….”

I took a deep breath and deliberately shook my head a little, looking a bit clumsy. It probably looked like I was embarrassed.

“I asked a good friend.”

“A good friend?”

“Seo Ah-hyun.”

To put it simply, it was a smokescreen.

I couldn't say I leveled up through the status window, so I tried to gloss over it emotionally.

Fortunately, my roommate, Seo Ah-hyun, was in the upper dance class.

Receiving direct, practical advice from a peer and improving significantly is not an uncommon story, so I decided to try it.

- Do you have time?

- You, you mean…?

- Yeah. Sorry, but if you can, can you show me this move…?

- U, yeah! Sure!

- ...Hmm, okay.

Moreover, Seo Ah-hyun, when I casually asked, was so enthusiastic that she taught me too much. I felt bad if I hadn't improved.

She spent almost two hours teaching me each move with great enthusiasm, which made me a bit uncomfortable.

I just wanted to meet the minimum requirements….

Anyway, helping a layman participant would not be a loss for Seo Ah-hyun. It wasn't bad.

To strengthen the situation a bit more, I added some unnecessary words.

“…Ah-hyun is really kind.”

“Hey, are you saying I'm not kind?”

The choreographer immediately pounced on this.

But his face was smiling, and he seemed to be joking.

It felt like it went over well. A warm atmosphere spread among the judges.

“Do you remember what I said during the first evaluation?”

Young-rin from 'Saint You' asked softly. It seemed more like a way to start the conversation rather than a real question.

“You said I had no dance proficiency and would struggle with future missions.”

Young-rin smiled faintly.

“I think I was wrong. I believe you can overcome the challenges, Park Munda.”

“Thank you.”

“You did really well today. Next time, it would be nice to see more fluidity in your movements.”

“I'll work on that.”

Though I couldn't suddenly have more fluidity, it was definitely the right answer for an audition show. It's quite interesting.

Anyway, it was successful. I predicted the judges' positive comments and the likely gold grade.

* * *

Like other idol audition shows, the theme song in 'Idol Corporation' was the first content to be revealed to the public.

And the amount of the theme song performance was naturally focused on those who did well. This 'well' was determined by the current grading.

You might have guessed from the badge distribution, but the grades were divided into Gold, Silver, and Bronze.

“However, participants who do not meet even the Bronze criteria… will be eliminated!”

This line is said every season, but it has never been implemented, so you don't need to worry.

And there was one more grade above these three.

“The newly refreshed 'Idol Corporation,' who will be the Platinum grade participants representing this re-listing season!”

It was the Platinum grade.

On the internet, this grade was meme-ified with all sorts of metaphors, from multi-level marketing to a game asking about parents' well-being.

The production team's naming sense wasn't as bad as to call it 'diamond,' so I was a bit relieved.

Regardless of my inner thoughts, the other participants were all tense, waiting for the MC's announcement.

In front of each participant was a fancy metal box containing a badge symbolizing their grade.

I already had a good idea of my grade, so I wasn't particularly concerned.

Silver started from 26th place, and from the status window alone, I was now in the top 25. However, I didn't have the stats to be in the top 10 Platinum grade.

So, it must be Gold.

“Participants, please open your grade boxes!”

I tried not to look indifferent and opened the box.

And I froze.

Inside the box was a platinum badge with a holographic finish, gleaming.

The Platinum grade badge.

“……”

Seeing me freeze, Seo Ah-hyun, who was lifting her gold badge, tilted her head and was surprised.

“W, wow, wow!”

“What? …Wow, amazing!! Wow, it's amazing!!”

Similarly, (former) 20th place Lee Se-jin, holding a gold badge, shouted after seeing inside my box.

And, he hit my back and shouted.

“You really hit the jackpot! Platinum!!”

I don't know when we became so close.

We only exchanged greetings, and even that was initiated by him, which I reluctantly reciprocated.

After taking a deep breath, I picked up the badge from the box.

The other participants seemed to think I was moved, but my mind was actually complicated.

‘Why Platinum?’

I knew that in each season, a few participants were given the Platinum grade based on their growth rather than absolute skill.

But I didn't think I was that good.

Then I realized.

‘…The order of the grade evaluations!’

This caused fewer people to suddenly rise from the lower ranks, making me stand out relatively.

My dance, thanks to the regression preview and all-night practice, was clearly better than the other participants with similar status windows.

“……Hmm.”

I rolled the badge in my hand. I was sure I had made an impression, but something felt off.

‘If this goes wrong, it could be a big problem.’

I didn't know what kind of editing might be applied if I made even a small mistake in the next evaluation. In the first season, a participant faced a similar situation and was harshly criticized.

Actually, I didn't even need to wait for the next evaluation. Receiving the Platinum grade now, if the editing goes slightly wrong, I would face severe criticism.

If Choi Won-gil, who is glaring at me, gives an interview saying, “Honestly, I couldn't fully accept it,” I would be a perfect target.

But showing displeasure here would be crazy.

‘I have no choice.’

I slowly attached the badge to my body. Turning my head, I saw other participants with Platinum badges.

As expected, the top two from the first evaluation were both Platinum. Most of those who were sitting on the sofa also received Platinum again.

A few Gold participants had fallen, and the top 10 participants had filled the gaps.

I was the only one in the 20th place.

Damn.

‘I'll be the target of concentrated fire.’

…No, let's think positively. It's actually a good thing.

‘I'll get more screen time.’

Until my stage close-up, it was a battle for screen time.

I won't be eliminated in the early stages, so I'm steadily moving towards my goal of debuting within a year.

‘I just need to avoid becoming a hated character.’

I resolved firmly. I need to reduce the chances of giving them something to criticize.

I'll level up like crazy and put all my effort into dance and singing.

“Please come to the stage, participants who received the Platinum grade!”

…And for now, I'll avoid standing near participants with an A in dance stats during the theme song performance.

Because comparison is the enemy.