Chapter 56: Techniques of an Idol Who Never Fails

[Is IMX and Min Jihoo really not on good terms???]

[↳No way, it’s obviously scripted hahaha]

[Min Jihoo is on the air]

[Whining is so cute hahaha]

The waiting room scene ended, and for the first time, the six teams gathered in the studio.

Even if you think the relationship between IMX and Min Jihoo is fake, there was a relationship that the viewers of Kuk Sun Ah thought was real. It was the relationship between Woo Haejeong of IMX and Jeong Hae Won of First Light.

They were from the same agency and were said to be close, but during the Kuk Sun Ah era, scenes of Woo Haejeong calming Jeong Hae Won's temper often aired.

On air, they said they were close, but there was a strange awkwardness, and the production team was also interested in editing this part.

In fact, the production team often showed MII's expression when First Light appeared.

MII was just staring at First Light entering without greeting.

Since there was no reason to be close now, the other five teams, including MII, looked at First Light, who entered last, with wary eyes.

While the MC was talking, when Jeong Hae Won's eyes met Woo Haejeong's from the opposite side, Woo Haejeong smiled and waved. Jeong Hae Won didn't greet her, nor did he show any particular expression, just slightly tilting his head and looking at her. Then he turned his head back to the MC.

* * *

We had ten days until the first performance, and during that time, we also had to prepare for the next mission. Yang Ihyeong, Kim Seongmin, the producer of INO, and I worked continuously, moving back and forth between the studio.

I worked until the early morning of the performance day, going outside to record the pipe organ sound and editing it to blend naturally with the synth sound. It was fortunate that we weren't the only team working until the day before.

While I was pressing my heavy eyes with both hands, Park Sunjae asked,

“Did you stay up all night?”

“No, I did sleep quite a bit.”

When I answered, Park Sunjae glanced back, and Shin Jiwon replied,

“Sleep? What sleep?”

“This guy has a roommate but still pulls all-nighters.”

Park Sunjae grumbled but still tore open a vitamin and put it in my hand. I swallowed the vitamin to push away the fatigue. Park Sunjae asked,

“Was it the organ sound that kept you up?”

“Yeah. I wanted to create a realistic feeling, but I couldn't think of a way to do it other than with the pipe organ.”

At my words, Oliver of INO, who had become quite close over the past few days of arrangement work, said from a distance,

“Hae Won, no, it's not that you couldn't think of a way. It's that this was the answer. You're not humble; your self-esteem is wrong.”

“Really, it's wrong?”

“Yeah, it's wrong.”

I laughed, and Oliver was serious.

“Hae Won, in your music, you are the answer!”

Oh.

“That guy is so cool...”

While I covered my mouth, Park Sunjae, sitting next to me, also covered his mouth and said,

“Really cool...”

After joking around with some sincerity, the rehearsal time was approaching. I found Hwang Saebok, who was sleeping behind a clothes hanger.

“Saebok, sleeping again? Wake up.”

“I wasn't sleeping. I was thinking.”

“What, that's something my dad always says.”

While I was talking, I woke up Hwang Saebok. As Hwang Saebok slowly got up, Shin Jiwon said,

“Bro, give me a new nickname too.”

“I don’t anymore because you shiver and hate it when I call you ‘Bear.’”

“Is ‘Bear’ even a name? You should have given me a cute one. And Han Hyosik didn’t like it either.”

“Hyosik was just too embarrassed to admit it, but he secretly liked it.”

At my words, Han Hyosik, who was checking the choreography with the INO members, turned back and sighed as if he was enduring something. We three, who enjoyed teasing our younger brother, giggled at his expression.

After the rehearsal, all the members perked up while getting their makeup done. Our members, who were tired, had a fierce look in their eyes as the performance approached.

We were the last to perform.

As expected, the first two teams emphasized rock elements and the main vocalist's singing. It was the kind of performance I wanted to play it safe with. When unfamiliar music is played to an audience of all ages, the first thing they judge the quality by is the main vocalist's singing ability. I would have done the same.

In contrast, we focused on performance and a melody that doesn't easily stick in the mouth, a mashup of a song. Ha, I'm working with some unique people.

Anyway.

“...They’re good.”

I muttered without realizing it.

They were good. All four teams had talent. I was particularly focused on IMX, Min Jihoo's former agency, and Bad One, Hwang Saebok's agency.

IMX, being from a major agency, had a money smell from the members' faces, the designer outfits, and even the instruments used.

On the other hand, Bad One was from a small to medium-sized agency and was a group that had been called a "waste of old trainees" since their debut. A team that had climbed step by step without anyone's expectations or help.

I sat down while watching the performance.

“Really, they’re unbelievably good.”

They effortlessly performed unbelievably intense choreography without missing a beat in their acting. They didn't have a vocalist with both unique characteristics and skill like Park Sunjae or Hwang Saebok, nor elite dancers like Min Jihoo or Han Hyosik, nor overwhelming looks like Shin Jiwon and An Juwon.

Yet, they were so good it took my breath away. The skills of the nine members combined, making Bad One seem like a solo artist.

Just before our performance, Kang Hanwoo said,

“Sunrise and Answer... Come to think of it, it's Zuzu. Should we merge too?”

As soon as he said that, Min Jihoo said,

“A'ight!”

“Oh, that sounds good?”

Everyone seemed to be okay with it.

As a reward for naming the team, Min Jihoo was to lead the cheer. However, with so many people, it was impossible to gather all eighteen hands. We struggled to form a circle, and Kang Hanwoo organized it.

“Kids, gather hands inside, and the rest of the seniors, put one hand on each other’s shoulders.”

Following his words, our team's three juniors and INO's three juniors gathered their hands, and the rest of the seniors put twelve hands on each other’s shoulders. Wow, that team really has a good leader.

Min Jihoo said,

“When I say ‘A,’ say ‘E,’ and when I say ‘one, two, three,’ say ‘A'ight.’”

“Okay, I'll do it.”

“Sure, sure.”

After gathering hands, Min Jihoo shouted,

“A'ight, let's go!”

“E!”

“Let's go!”

“E!”

“One, two, three!”

“A'ight!”

After shouting the cheer, the eighteen members headed to the stage together.

* * *

[Is it weird to feel butterflies for Oliver when it's sunny...?]

[He says he's the answer in his music... That's normal...]

[But, what's with Saebok hahaha]

[Sun + Turtle hahaha]

[But, calling Hyosik 'Bear' was too much]

[↳I'm on Jiwon's side]

[The atmosphere of Answer calling First Light by their nickname is so enviable...]

[A'ight is such a cute name]

[I'm worried about the performance...]

[The Zuzu are holding hands and shaking together... Why are they so nervous...]

[I'm nervous too... I hope our kids do well on the public broadcast...]

And soon, the performance began.

Behind a giant screen, dancers stood on a long staircase in the middle of the stage. The screen showed a green field bathed in sunlight. Then, at some point, the green field withered, and subtitles appeared.

[It will drag you into deep depression]

It was the translated English lyrics of DEMON.

As the screen opened to both sides, eleven INO members wearing masks poured out from behind the door. At that moment, the pipe organ and synth sounds intertwined, and only then did INO fans realize the song was DEMON.

[Oh...? This is DEMON?]

[The arrangement is amazing]

[This... is a masterpiece?]

Then, the seven First Light members appeared during the 'turn on the light' part.

The overwhelming group dance, detailed choreography, and the portrayal of humans fleeing from a demon through ballet and acrobatics, using eighteen people, were breathtaking and even dangerous. The music drew the audience into the performance and stirred their emotions even more.

[It's like a movie score]

[↳I was wondering what the feeling was, and it's this]

[↳Brave and genius]

[↳I'll have to listen to the music separately later; the vocals are amazing too]

In the middle of the performance, an interview clip of INO member Lee Suhan