Chapter 5

The producer of Lemon Entertainment said, "I think I've found the last member." The moment he heard those words, our Yoon Seok-hwan was said to have felt goosebumps all over his body. This was because the person that Manager Jo Gwan-hwan had his eye on was none other than the person whose contact he had. "I was really surprised. Isn't it amazing?" "Yeah, it is." "Why do you seem a bit hesitant?" To Yoon Seok-hwan, who wondered why his expression wasn't bright, he explained, "I don't know, but since I know Manager Jo Gwan-hwan, it might be different. But to a third party like me, it seems a bit strange." "What do you mean?" "Honestly, I can understand if he's as good as a fortune teller, but to suddenly pick someone from a TV appearance seems a bit odd, doesn't it?" "There are cases like that. You know the casting stories of famous actors? Casting directors even go as far as to find them in high school from a brief appearance in a news interview." "…Is that so?" By the time the conversation ended, the meat was already gone. As the restaurant lady brought out the doenjang stew and rice, I fell into my own thoughts for a moment. While opening the lid of the rice, the other party spoke. "That's the background. So, what are you going to do?" "Huh?" "About the audition. Are you going to come or not?" My hesitant reaction seemed to catch him off guard, and Seok-hwan reassured me. "Just come and watch casually. I know you've been resting for two years, so I'm not expecting some grand performance." "No, that's not why I'm hesitating." The reason for my hesitation was something else. Because of the concussion, the ability might only last for a day. I needed to be cautious, as it could suddenly end with a 'ding, trial version has expired.' So, I smiled and answered, "I'll come and watch." "Really? I'll tell the company that." "But there's one condition." "Condition?" As the other party was about to send a text message, I said, "I need some time." "Is something wrong?" "I need to observe something for a few days. I'll come as soon as it's sorted out." Curiosity flickered in Seok-hwan's eyes, but he seemed to decide not to ask any more questions. * * * After the college entrance exam, I observed the situation for two weeks. Fortunately, nothing unusual happened. The ability that appeared that day had settled in like a familiar guest, showing no signs of disappearing. With a certain level of confidence, I set the audition date. Still, the time for practice was insufficient. Many things had happened over the two weeks. -70-year-old man saved by college entrance exam candidate receives police commendation -KG Group donates 30 million won to 'Gahyeondong Hero' -HyperStudy offers free one-year course to hero candidate As I looked at the articles on my smartphone screen, I whistled. The media is really powerful. After one appearance on the news, the offers of support kept coming from everywhere. The largest college entrance exam company in the country offered a free online course, and KG Group sent a donation of 30 million won. 30 million won. Seeing the amount that would be a decent annual salary for an average employee, my mouth dropped open. The strange ability and the donation. In a way, not taking the exam might have been more beneficial. I recalled the satisfying feeling when I transferred the 30 million won to my grandmother. She said she didn't need it but eventually accepted it. Anyway, our Mrs. Kim Deok-soon, she's not honest, is she? Ding dong. I switched to the messenger notification on my smartphone screen. KingGodKimDeokSoon [Exam, did well] KingGodKimDeokSoon [Be humble. If you get cocky, you'll be useless] KingGodKimDeokSoon [Emoticon] I chuckled at the 'fighting' emoticon with a headband and a clenched fist. After sending a sweet reply, I put my smartphone away. This was a side street in Shinshadong, where the Lemon Entertainment building was located. I followed the map on my phone and used a building window as a mirror to check my clothes. Blue jeans, gray coat, and a scarf. It was the interview outfit recommended online. I smoothed my hair, which I had sprayed, and smiled. First impressions are fine. The only thing left is the real thing. As I followed the street, the Lemon Entertainment building appeared. A plain five-story building. A black sign with a lemon and the words "Lemon Entertainment" in yellow. Before entering, I called Seok-hwan. "Mr. Seon Woo-ju?" A pleasant baritone voice came from the other end. A man with a takeout coffee in his hand, tall and wearing a coat that would fit a model. "Yes, that's me, but who are you…?" "Nice to meet you. I'm Jo Gwan-hwan. I heard about you from Manager Yoon." "Ah, yes. Hello." Basic manners. I bowed politely. "I'm Seon Woo-ju. Please take care of me." "Please take care of me. Rather, I should be the one to say that." Jo Gwan-hwan smiled softly. I had imagined him as a genius composer, working in a small room, full of artistic sensitivity, but he was completely different. He looked more like a successful company employee. He didn't fit the image of a fortune teller at all. He was handsome, but his features reminded me of a Tibetan fox. He said, "You must have been a bit surprised. To suddenly be asked to come for an audition." "Yes, a bit." "Actually, this is a rare occurrence for me too. It's not often that I see someone and think, 'That's the one.'" "It's an honor." I smiled and added, "I need to have the skills to live up to that expectation." "There's no need to feel pressured. This is a place to see potential, not skills." Jo Gwan-hwan, who had been smiling softly, seemed to recall something. "Oh, I almost forgot the gift." "A gift?" "I thought we might meet, so I prepared one for you too." He handed me a cup of coffee. "Please take care of me." "I will." "I'll go in first, so come in slowly. We'll come down to the basement practice room." Jo, showing off his long legs, walked confidently. I took the coffee and smiled awkwardly. Coffee was one of the drinks I couldn't drink, along with alcohol. The caffeine makes my heart race wildly. But when I opened the lid of the paper cup, I was surprised by the contents. …Huh? The rising steam was the scent of cocoa. Hot cocoa. It was a drink I often had. I thought it was a coincidence, but the nickname 'fortune teller' that Seok-hwan mentioned made me feel strange. It felt like being charmed by a fox. Well, it's probably just a coincidence. I sipped the cocoa and looked for the practice room in the basement. There was only one open door, so it was easy to find. While waiting for the staff to come down from the practice room, I looked around and marveled. They say a dog in a Confucian school can recite poetry after three years. After a cursory look, I had a rough estimate. Practice room. It's important to check what facilities are in the practice room. As the saying goes, 'seeing one reveals ten.' The practice room reveals the company's investment. Everything here was the latest equipment. This level of environment must be in the top 1%. The support for trainees seemed quite substantial, making me feel that coming for the audition was a good decision. If the company people are also good, it would be perfect. Just as I was hoping, the company staff started to come in. One of them walked straight toward me. "Nice to meet you." He was a middle-aged man with a bald head and glasses, the most pleasant-looking person I had seen. His accent had a faint Busan dialect. "I'm Park Gwan-ho, the CEO of Lemon Entertainment. You must have had a hard time coming all the way from Gunsan." "Yes, please take care of me." "Sure. Let's have a good time today." Park CEO smiled warmly and gestured for me to sit. Once seated, he introduced the judges one by one. Jo Gwan-hwan, Manager Yoon Seok-hwan, the head of the new talent development team, the vocal trainer, and the dance trainer. I felt a bit nervous under their evaluating gazes but soon relaxed with a deep breath. "Shall we start?" The first stage was the camera test. A procedure to check if the so-called 'camera magnetism' is present. No matter how handsome or beautiful, the appearance on TV and in real life can be different. The camera test is to confirm this. As I made various expressions and poses, an old memory came to mind. When I was in elementary school. I took a camera test for the third round of the TJ audition. What was the result then? It was probably like this… "Wow, that's excellent." Park CEO marveled. "You look good in real life, and you look good on camera too. After all, you were in the notoriously tough TJ auditions, so it's no surprise." The judges nodded in agreement. As expected, the camera test was a no-brainer pass. Their satisfied expressions proved it. Especially the head of the new talent development team, who seemed to be drooling over me like a first-class beef. It was probably due to my visual appeal and unique qualities. "One of your unique qualities is that you completed your mandatory military service as a sergeant?" "Yes, I enlisted right after turning 18 and was discharged shortly before the college entrance exam." "So, there won't be any issues with your military service?" The fact that there would be no interruption due to the military pleased all the judges. I smiled and responded appropriately. Given that Jo Gwan-hwan, who is trusted to the point of being called a 'fortune teller' by the company, had cast me, the atmosphere felt like I was already a shoo-in. But it was too early to relax. The atmosphere was always good up to this point. It was the same with other companies. People who showed interest in my face or singing in the early stages often changed their expressions when I danced. The trauma of those experiences made my mouth dry. This time, it will be different. I clenched my fist, thinking. * * * A short break. The camera was set up again, and the judges looked at the candidate with anticipation. Seon Woo-ju. 21 years old this year. Unique qualities: 6 years as a TJ Entertainment trainee and completed mandatory military service as a sergeant. And… he's handsome. These were the words Park Gwan-ho CEO actually wrote on a memo. A face that would make anyone turn their head on the street, and a face that would make a store clerk offer to buy food or an umbrella with their own card on a rainy day. A timeless beauty that could thrive in any era. A face that, despite not being able to dance, made sense why he lasted 6 years at TJ, yet also made it hard to understand why he insisted on being an idol. "Shall we hear the song you prepared?" "Yes." "What song will you sing?" "I will sing 'Red Moon' by Jang So-won." The judges nodded. The same thought crossed their minds. 'Good song choice.' A seasoned choice for a 6-year trainee. Choosing a song with a high-pitched chorus or a lot of high notes doesn't necessarily increase the chances of passing an audition. Entertainment industry professionals see current singers every day. Unless you perform a magic trick, it's unlikely that they, who see the best singers in Korea every day, would be shocked or impressed by an audition. 'Red Moon has a wide range.' 'Red Moon' is a solo song by Jang So-won, a member of the now-disbanded girl group Sugarfish. It doesn't have a strong chorus but has a diverse and varied range. It's a good song to check overall vocal skills, making it an ideal choice for an audition. The only drawback was that it was originally a female key… Just as I thought this, the prelude arranged in a male key played from the speaker connected to Seon Woo-ju's smartphone. It was clearly prepared for the audition. 'He has a good sense.' Seon Woo-ju calmly opened his lips. I hope you disappear soon Don't ask why my heart is already wounded Six feet under As he heard the first line, Park CEO instinctively caught it. 'He has talent.' Objectively, he's good. Despite not practicing for two years, he's better than most trainees. Did he manage a karaoke bar in the military? 'If we train him intensively for about three months, his original skills will come out.' His breathing and pronunciation are perfect. His singing technique is solid. The only drawback is the lack of vocal techniques, but for an idol with a 30-second solo part, it's not important. 'His eye contact and expressions are stable. He has something that draws people's attention. No wonder a major agency didn't let him go, even though he can't dance.' Feeling proud of discovering a gem that others had discarded, he also felt a bit uneasy. He was said to be a main vocalist candidate at TNT. The main vocalist position is one of the hardest to find in the idol industry. To be cut from the debut group despite having actor-level looks and excellent singing skills, how bad must his dancing be? Suddenly, the warning Manager Yoon gave before the audition came to mind. -It's better for your mental health not to expect much from the dance. Now that the song was over, it was time to show freestyle dance. Park Gwan-ho looked at Yoon Seok-hwan. He seemed to anticipate the disaster, closing his eyes tightly. 'How bad can it be…' It makes the viewer anxious. Park CEO drank a gulp of water and waited for the dance performance. Soon, Manager Jo played the song he had chosen through the speaker. Electronic music without lyrics. '…Huh?' When Seon Woo-ju started dancing, Park CEO couldn't help but look bewildered.