Chapter 96
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Debut Broadcast
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The audition content led by Ji-ming and Young-su delivered a fresh shock to AmericaTV, sparking tremendous interest and buzz over the course of a month.
At first, the virtual field felt somewhat unfamiliar, but as time passed, viewers became immersed in each contestant, naturally cheering on their favorites and developing their own "top pick" streamers.
With eliminations and survivals dividing the contestants each episode, individual backstories and narratives were highlighted, fueling even greater emotional investment and support from the audience.
Even those who had felt alienated or resistant to virtual content in the early stages began shifting their perceptions of the category itself as they discovered the contestants' charms.
In the midst of fierce competition and tension, the auditions finally wrapped up successfully, and the final project members were decided.
Led by Ji-ming, only four survivors emerged from the numerous contestants.
The team name for the Virtual Idol Project was set as "Dia."
The name "Dia" carried the meaning of shining with diamond-like brilliance and multifaceted personalities.
As soon as the project ended, a fandom began forming rapidly, and fans created a festive atmosphere, thrilled that the contestants they had supported were debuting.
The final selected members naturally signed contracts with J.S. Studio, the MCN Ji-ming belonged to.
On their first visit to the company, the members toured the facilities and were impressed by the state-of-the-art VR gear, music recording studios, motion capture systems, and other virtual streamer-friendly equipment.
"Whoa, the company's gear is insane."
"This is crazy... It's a real professional virtual company!"
After signing their contracts, Ji-ming naturally took on the role of leader.
Drawing on her prior experience as an idol trainee, she began solidifying the team's structure.
With her trainee background, Ji-ming effortlessly steadied the members' resolve as leader and assigned roles effectively.
"From now on, we're practicing for real and getting properly ready as a team. You'll all follow along, right?"
The other members placed their trust in Ji-ming's leadership and followed suit naturally.
And so, the virtual idol group Dia took its first bold step as AmericaTV's inaugural virtual idol act.
Seok-il and Young-su gathered with the Dia members for their first official meeting ahead of their full debut preparations.
The members, assembled in the company conference room for the first time, sat down with notebooks ready, unable to hide their excitement.
Senior streamer Young-su spoke first, his face serious as he emphasized the key points.
"Alright, you're idols now, so you have to be really careful on stream. Image is everything in this job—one slip, and you're done for. Especially no talk about the military, regions, politics, disparaging specific groups, other streamers, feminism—stuff like that is absolutely forbidden. One wrong word, and you're in the gutter. Got it?"
The members tensed up at Young-su's earnest warning, jotting down every detail meticulously.
Those with less streaming experience felt the weight of responsibility even more after this lesson.
"Yes! We'll keep it in mind!"
As the members replied in unison, Seok-il smiled and continued.
"Also, equipment support and original 3D avatars tailored to your images are nearly complete. Take a few days off-stream until then to prep properly here at the company, then we'll do the debut broadcast together from our mocap studio. Adjust your schedules accordingly."
"Whoa... We're doing it in the company mocap studio?"
Ji-ming asked with sparkling eyes, and Seok-il nodded confidently.
"Yeah. On debut day, experts from our partnered tech firm will be on-site. You'll be debuting in original 3D avatars unlike anything you've seen on AmericaTV so far, so get excited."
The members erupted in cheers at Seok-il's words. The dreamlike reality of top-tier facilities and the company's technical and financial backing felt surreal.
"This is insane! I'm already shaking!"
"With the company supporting us like this, all I can think is we have to do great."
The company had meticulously planned the post-audition roadmap from the start, preparing a flawless stage from the debut broadcast to imprint their tech prowess and capital on the industry.
As AmericaTV's first innovative stage attempt, viewer reactions were highly anticipated.
"Alright, then let's look at some avatar drafts that match your images."
Seok-il handed out pre-prepared materials, and the members flipped through them, picking the ones that best suited their vibes.
In this moment, they were lost in happy dilemmas, laughter filling the room nonstop.
"This one's too cute. Should I go with it?"
"Should I aim for a cooler image? Or cute?"
"This'll look so pretty when finished. I can't wait!"
Selecting avatars that highlighted their unique charms and personalities, the members brimmed with joyful anticipation.
They were now steadily preparing for their upcoming debut under the company's full support.
Jin-seong couldn't easily shake off the lingering afterglow even after the auditions ended.
He rarely watched TV, so experiencing the tension and immersion of an audition program for the first time made this competition especially memorable.
The virtual streamers' stunning vocals, talents, charms, and emotions on display in fierce battles each episode fully captured his heart.
Throughout, Jin-seong's eyes were drawn to the underdogs lagging in scores.
He'd always preferred watching underdogs rebel over strong favorites, so he cheered them on with balloon barrages each time.
But in the end, the "underdog uprising" he hoped for never happened.
Regretful but supportive to the end, Jin-seong watched the eliminated contestants.
Post-audition, he even tuned into the online drinking party the dropouts hosted.
With all tension released, they unleashed hidden wit and banter that had viewers in stitches—stuff unseen during the competition.
"Haha, they're hilarious. How'd they drop with talk game like that?"
Jin-seong laughed alone over beer while watching, clutching his sides until his stomach hurt.
That legendary drinking broadcast etched itself deeply into his memory.
It was why he ended up fonder of the dropouts than the finalists.
As the drinks loosened him up, Jin-seong got blackout drunk watching streams and wandered into the eliminated contestants' rooms.
He showered them with massive balloon bursts—ten thousand, twenty thousand at a time—sending encouragement and cheers.
Viewers found it amusing, playfully teasing in chat.
ㅡ lmao this guy's just dumping balloons everywhere
ㅡLegendary Virtual Guy appears lololol
ㅡPocket money uncle kekeke
Jin-seong chuckled at the playful nicknames, enjoying it all.
Before he knew it, he'd fully fallen into the new world of virtual streaming.
The month-long heated competition had concluded, but the echoes in Jin-seong's heart lingered.
Even after, he eagerly anticipated Ji-ming-led virtual idol Dia's full activities and growth, while keeping an eye on the dropouts' futures too.
The long-awaited Dia debut broadcast day finally arrived.
Ji-ming and the members had gone off-air for two weeks, building viewer anticipation to a fever pitch.
The company was fully prepped too.
The state-of-the-art full-tracking mocap studio boasted cutting-edge broadcast gear and original 3D avatars customized to each member's traits.
In the mocap studio, Ji-ming and the members donned skin-tight capture suits, completing final rehearsals with tense expressions.
The swarm of tech and production staff amplified the pressure.
Ji-ming scanned her nervous members and spoke brightly.
"We've worked so hard all this time. We're ready—let's show them what we've got today. Dia, fighting!"
Heartened by Ji-ming's cheer, the members steadied themselves, unwinding in their own ways.
Some did light stretches; others deep-breathed to calm down.
The moment arrived, and the broadcast began.
AmericaTV's screen filled with the members' stunning, alluring illustrations, heightening viewer hype.
Chat was already exploding.
"Whoa... Dia debut day is finally here!"
"Can't wait to see it...!"
Young-su, in CEO mode, promoted aggressively via his own stream, rallying fans for the debut.
Soon, the BGM faded, and Ji-ming's calm yet vibrant voice flowed.
"Everyone, you've waited so long, right? Dia's debut broadcast starts now!!"
As her voice ended, the screen went black, launching a special video.
It opened on dark space, a single sparkling diamond rising and gleaming.
Music swelled grandly as the diamond grew, radiating brilliance.
The light burst, brightening the screen to reveal Dia's logo sharply.
'Diamond — Dia'
As the name and logo dominated, melodic tunes accompanied the members' original 3D avatars appearing one by one.
The avatars, vividly capturing each member's personality and charm, moved with refined naturalness, captivating all.
America's first high-quality 3D avatar tech drew gasps from viewers.
At the video's close, the screen boldly displayed 'Diamond - Dia, Starting Now,' followed by the live mocap studio feed.