Chapter 8

Haneul Entertainment Audition

From the conversation, it was clear that he was a trainee of POT Entertainment, no doubt about it.

Moreover, his boastful attitude as a self-proclaimed skilled performer was no different from that of a thug.

Since he had entered POT, one of the top three agencies, he might have some potential.

However, after hearing his ominous remarks about having a relative with considerable power in the company, I thought he was ultimately a parachutist.

I have witnessed firsthand how rebellious and tough-acting teenage boys can be.

They do all sorts of bizarre and reckless things, and their conversations are riddled with profanity.

But there was a clear difference between those who were truly delinquents and those who just pretended to be tough. An intuitive difference that could be sensed instinctively.

From what I saw, the POT trainee I met at the convenience store was closer to the former.

The personality of an idol.

One of the essential elements for the success of an idol group that my brother emphasized.

In this era of developed SNS, past incidents are easily exposed.

It's impossible to predict when reports of school bullying, underage drinking, or smoking might surface. For this reason, it has become harder to hide one's true character compared to the past.

Moreover, can personality easily change?

Personally, I don't think so. As long as they are exposed on screen, they are bound to make mistakes at some point.

If they commit crimes like drunk driving or drug use, it's over.

They will inevitably fall into ruin, and their team will also suffer.

A bad personality also negatively affects team chemistry.

How stressful it must be to live in a group for years with someone who has a dirty character. It would feel like being trapped in a hellish prison. You can't just quit and leave.

I wanted to succeed as an idol, but I didn't want to go through such misfortune.

There was no way I could find 'real' colleagues in this company. POT Entertainment is known for prioritizing talent and appearance above all else.

In the end, I decided not to sign with POT Entertainment.

"I was wrong. The company is important, but the people within it are also important."

It was a painful realization for me, who lacked social experience.

* * *

Like the law of conservation of weirdos, people with broken personalities can be found anywhere.

Moreover, if there's no filter like at POT Entertainment, the probability of having a personality trash among the debut members is very high.

I didn't want to make the same mistake as last time. So, I decided to prioritize agencies that value the personality of artists.

I started by checking the agencies where auditions were already scheduled.

The first company I would audition for was Haneul Entertainment, which had launched one girl group and one boy group.

It was a company founded by a former manager, known for respecting the opinions of artists.

According to my brother, their media response was clumsy, but their finances were solid, and they carefully selected trainees. However, they were relatively weak in composing and producing.

I decided to investigate Haneul Entertainment's principles. I didn't want to sign a trainee contract and then have to cancel it later due to problems and wander around looking for another place.

"The problem is not knowing where to start."

I couldn't just show up out of the blue, and I had no friends who were trainees. Actually, I had no friends at all.

Unable to find an answer, I decided to use the internet. Trainees must have their own community, right?

While searching, I didn't find a trainee community, but I did find comments on related posts.

Comments left by fans of Haneul Entertainment actors and idols who closely monitor their agency.

- Haneul only respects their artists, right? Fans, understand our needs! Goods are too expensive.

└ Still, Haneul doesn't overwork them 😭

└ My kid's agency, ugh...

- Where is the PR team? Look at the articles. Is it Haneul or Ennul? 😠

└ Haneul is known for its poor media response, so they select kids who won't cause trouble...

└ Not creating issues in the first place? What a novel approach.

└ Is that even possible? Idols' personalities are all the same.

└ It's almost certain, after a big setback with SEED.

- Haneul's CEO has always been very particular about personality. I know because my actor is with Haneul.

└ Then why SEED?

└ Still, they haven't been in the news... 😅

└ Only in the news 😂😭

This kind of atmosphere. Even if they didn't completely filter out, it seemed that personality was considered important from trainees to debut groups. The CEO's emphasis on personality seemed genuine.

I needed to feel the actual atmosphere to make a proper decision.

I continued to gather information.

The story I heard from my brother was useful, but it was limited to the perspective of an idol. I realized I was ignorant about the overall trends in the entertainment industry.

I spent a week studying the structure and trends of the idol industry.

The day of the Haneul Entertainment audition was approaching.

Unlike the POT Entertainment audition, which I took alone, the atmosphere of a public audition was unfamiliar.

I had passed the video screening and qualified for the on-site audition.

However, since it was just a preliminary screening, I wasn't particularly excited when I received the notification.

The important part was the on-site audition.

Most of the applicants seemed to know each other, chatting quietly to ease their tension while waiting their turn.

They might have been trainees at other agencies. They finished their auditions one by one and disappeared.

Applicants leaving the audition room looked relieved or disappointed.

The Haneul Entertainment audition lasted three days, and I was almost the last on the first day.

"Number 39, please come in."

Finally, it was my turn.

This was my second audition, so I was less nervous than the first time.

I hoped to pass, but I wasn't going to give up if I failed.

I just wanted to do my best without any regrets.

Four judges were seated in a row.

They glanced at me while flipping through their papers, then looked up to scrutinize me.

"Hello, I'm Number 39, Ham Euiwon. I'm eighteen, and my specialty is singing."

"Ham Euiwon, you've never been a trainee before? If we missed this look, the casting team would have no excuse."

The middle-aged man in the center frowned. His name tag read 'CEO Son Junggi'.

"No, I've only been to one audition before, and I've seen it once."

"Where?"

"I'm not sure if I should say... It was POT Entertainment."

"POT? They dropped this face? Even if you acted poorly, it's hard to believe. You look like you were born at POT."

"I passed, but I didn't sign because it didn't align with my vision of the company."

The judges murmured at the news that I had left POT for Haneul.

"Hmm, let's start with your singing."

"I will sing 'Tears'."

The judges' eyebrows raised at the song title. It was a difficult song that required extreme vocal and expressive skills, often avoided in auditions.

But with my brother's voice, it would be perfectly executed.

A female judge, trying to hide her skepticism about my song choice, said,

"You can play the MR if you have it prepared."

"I will sing a cappella."

The judges seemed to wonder if I was serious, but I started singing without hesitation.

Once I began, the judges couldn't take their eyes off me, listening intently.

This continued until the end of the song.

"...I felt like my breath was taken away!"

"I was worried about how you would handle this song, especially a cappella, but it was a pleasant surprise."

"I see why you chose a cappella. It was a smart strategy. Despite your lack of experience, your skills are like someone who has been in the industry for ten years. Your voice is also very appealing."

My brother and I deeply considered how to showcase our music to get a proper evaluation.

We concluded that an a cappella performance would be best. We wanted to show that a pure voice alone could dominate the stage.

"It's been a while since I was moved by a vocal performance. Well done. Next, let's see your dance. Are you ready?"

"I will perform the dance from 'Moonstone'."

This time, I played the MR and danced to the beat, hoping to show the value of the PT I had received.

"Hmm. Your dance is a bit awkward, probably because you haven't had formal training. You lack control, but you have potential. Your rhythm is good, you're flexible, and your movements are graceful. Your expressions were also good."

Did I do facial acting...?

Maybe it was a natural expression from recalling the times I danced with my brother.

"Is there anything else you can show us?"

"I can play the violin, piano, cello, guitar, flute, drum, and gayageum."

"...All of them? What level can you play at?"

"The violin and piano are the most comfortable, and I can play the others without mistakes after a few practices."

"Really...?"

The judges' expressions changed.

"Violin major, I can understand, but flute? Drum? Gayageum? How did you learn those?"

"I just liked the sound and learned for about half a year."

I didn't invest much time in actual practice while attending school and learning other instruments.

"Are you telling the truth?"

"I can show you if you have the instruments. I only brought the violin..."

"Ha... Okay. I get it. I'm speechless. A gem has walked in. I almost want to skip the personality test this time."

"You have to do it. That's why I came to this audition, CEO."

The judges looked at me as if I were a strange creature.

"Personality test? Because of that?"

"I want a fair test."

I didn't want any special treatment, nor did I want to give it to other applicants.

The reason I liked Haneul Entertainment was because they were strict about 'personality'.

"If you become our trainee and debut, we will conduct our own investigation. If any of your statements are false, there will be consequences. This audition is also recorded, so it can be used as evidence."

Oh, more thorough than I thought.

"Then I'll ask a few questions. Please answer honestly. First, have you ever been involved in any crimes?"

"No."

"Is your school life problem-free? Any issues with school bullying or being bullied?"

"I think my school life is normal. I've never been involved in school bullying, and I don't have friends, so I don't know if I've been bullied."

"..."

The new talent development team leader's face showed confusion. The CEO chuckled in exasperation.

"Have you ever bullied anyone?"

"No."

"Drinking or smoking?"

"Never."

There were many more questions.

If this is the level of scrutiny for a trainee, the selection for a debut group must be like a congressional hearing.

For some reason, I liked Haneul Entertainment. I wouldn't end up in a group with people who had terrible personalities.

After finishing the audition, the new talent development team leader stopped me.

"Normally, we announce the results after a week of deliberation, but we don't want to lose Ham Euiwon. So, we decided to inform you of your passing now. Please keep it confidential from other applicants."

"Understood. Thank you!"

I had overcome a hurdle.

Even if I hadn't passed, I would have eventually, but now I could become a trainee at a good company without wasting time.

It was a step closer to becoming an idol.

Smiling, the manager relaxed and talked about the contract.

"Euiwon, will you sign a trainee contract with us? You won't kick us out like you did with POT, right?"

"I need to discuss it with my parents, but I think I will sign."

He was worried about that. Honestly, I can't give a definite answer. There's still a chance I might not sign.

"Team leader, can I ask one favor? I want to tour the place."

"It's possible. There are applicants now, so it might be a bit difficult, but can you wait for 30 minutes? It should be fine then."

I waited for 30 minutes at the first-floor cafe. The new talent development team leader came to find me.

The purpose of this tour was to feel the atmosphere of the existing trainees at Haneul Entertainment.

Following the team leader, I toured the facilities and arrived at the dance studio.

"This is where the male trainees practice dance. You'll spend a lot of time here once you start your training. There are a few more studios, and you can use them according to your schedule."

Looking through the window, I saw four trainees dancing. The trainer wasn't there, so it must have been a self-practice session.

After the song ended, they sat down, corrected each other's mistakes, laughed, and played around. It was a surprisingly good atmosphere.

Considering the limited spots and the competition, the atmosphere was quite positive.

I didn't see other trainees, but this was a good start.

Haneul Entertainment passed my test.

"By the way, did you know that one of our trainees goes to the same school as you?"

"Really?"

"It seems you don't know each other. She's a year older and majors in modern dance."

It would be good to get to know her. As a school senior, it would be convenient to ask her about various things.

"What's her name?"

"Her name is Nam Chorok."