Chapter 18
It was because a trainee with an image she liked far more than expected had come up.
Se-rang had secretly thought he might be a trainee with an image similar to Taeha’s. After all, people usually hung around with their own kind.
Actually, when I saw the practice video, he gave that impression because of the styling. But now that he’s styled properly, he’s completely different.
However, the young man who came up onto the stage gave off a completely different feeling from Taeha.
If Seo Dowon had the image of a textbook center with a refreshing yet solid feeling, Jung Taeha had a sensitive, sharp, slightly dark image.
And this trainee now gave off a pure and delicate feeling.
This is a complete jackpot.
Is Yeon Se-rang’s run of good luck starting like this? Se-rang could not hide the corners of her mouth as they kept rising.
“Yes, Trainee Seol Yuhyun. Please introduce yourself.”
“Ah, yes…! My name is Seol Yuhyun, and Taeha and I have been friends for a long time. We practiced together for almost eight years…. Right now, we’re together at Blue Royal.” Yuhyun still seemed unable to come to his senses, his eyes spinning. However, the moment he met Taeha’s eyes, he choked up. “Actually, I was only able to come to… such a big company like Blue Royal because Taeha actively recommended me and said he wouldn’t come unless we came together…. That’s how it became possible.”
What an impressive friendship.
Se-rang now found it almost fascinating. Looking at their profiles, they were only nineteen at most.
It was both surprising and enviable that they could be that close.
“I see. Your friendship really shines. Trainee Seol Yuhyun must have been deeply moved. You must also feel very grateful.”
“…Actually, I know that my skills are far too lacking for debut…. So I’m worried I’ll only become a burden to Taeha and Producer Yeon Se-rang. I’m very grateful, but more than that, I feel even more sorry….”
He lacked confidence in his own skill. Se-rang had expected that, so she only listened without much reaction.
His skill was definitely lacking. When she watched his practice video, something had felt lacking too.
To begin with, if two people with visuals like that had been unable to debut together and had to move from agency to agency, it meant one side’s skill was endlessly lacking. Naturally, she had already accounted for that much.
“You don’t need to feel sorry, Trainee Seol Yuhyun. Trainee Yuhyun will also be given the chance to choose. If Trainee Seol Yuhyun refuses, this offer will become null. Only Trainee Jung Taeha will be able to move on to the next stage. What will you do?”
“…….”
At the MC’s words, Yuhyun looked back and forth between Taeha and Se-rang with a very tense face. And just as he seemed about to show an intention to refuse,
“Let’s go together.” Jung Taeha beat him to it.
“But… Producer Se-rang hasn’t even seen my skill yet. I don’t think it’s right to ask her to choose me just because of you, Taeha.”
“…….”
In truth, he was right.
Taeha seemed to feel that too, because he could not push any further and only lowered his head.
“Producer Yeon Se-rang. Thank you for giving me such an incredible opportunity. It’s an opportunity every trainee here wants. It was also something I was really, truly desperate for….” Yuhyun spoke slowly, but in a low voice with resonance, looking straight at Se-rang. “But because it is such a precious opportunity, I don’t think I should accept it carelessly. Like the other trainees, I want to show you my stage fairly, and if even after that… your thoughts have not changed, then I would like to accept your casting offer.”
Now, the cameras caught Se-rang instead of Yuhyun.
At the moment when everyone was waiting only for the words that would come from Se-rang’s lips,
“I don’t want to.” Se-rang decided to pull some broadcast-style aggro.
Just as everyone’s hearts seemed to drop with a thud, Se-rang grabbed the microphone again.
“I’ll say it again, but I’m not someone who says two different things with one mouth. I don’t need to see Trainee Seol Yuhyun’s stage. I’ve already decided to cast Trainee Seol Yuhyun.”
“…!”
“So I don’t want to show your stage for no reason and let the other producers discover my card.”
Actually, that was a lie.
Se-rang knew Yuhyun’s skill very well. Before the broadcast recording began, Se-rang had watched the performance videos of every trainee scheduled to appear here.
So that meant she already knew all of their skills.
And of course, Seol Yuhyun’s video had been genuinely bad. Bad enough that she could understand why he kept failing to debut and was pushed out.
A completely unpolished voice, completely unpolished dancing.
His visuals were naturally good, as anyone could see right now, but aside from that, he was around fifty points.
It was not that he had no talent. He was simply unpolished.
So there was no need to show that fifty-point stage here and leave a bad first impression on the public.
The picture was already good right now. A trainee with skill and visuals trying desperately to save another trainee with good visuals.
The friendship of two fresh young men.
It would be hard to extract a better narrative for broadcast than this.
Was there any need to ruin that narrative with skill that was not yet good enough? Se-rang did not think so….
I feel sorry to Seo Dowon, but one explosive lack of skill in a group is enough….
Any more than that would be impossible to handle.
Yes.
“But don’t worry. Soon, I’ll be able to show Trainee Seol Yuhyun’s charm to the public. Of course, at that time, it won’t be as an individual stage like now, but as a member of a team.”
This way, she could subtly amplify curiosity about Seol Yuhyun while hiding his still-lacking skill.
That was Se-rang’s strategy.
“So I’ll ask one more time, Trainee Seol Yuhyun.” Se-rang asked with a broadcast-ready smile. “Will you cast me?”
Of course, the answer that came back was naturally, “…Yes, Producer. The opportunity you’ve given me… I will accept it very preciously….”
Yes.
Because of Se-rang’s consecutive unconventional moves, not only the producers and trainees but even the PD felt dizzy.
“Executive Director Kim. Director Yeon keeps… going in directions that aren’t in the script.”
That was right. Executive Director Kim had carefully written a script in his own way.
The story was supposed to be that Se-rang, who struggled at first because she had no name value, would later be chosen by comet-like trainees who suddenly appeared, allowing her to narrowly survive.
That was why Executive Director Kim had tipped Se-rang off in advance. He had told her that he had discreetly hinted to certain trainees to choose her, so she should pretend to struggle at the beginning and then take those trainees with her.
Of course, even then, Se-rang had seemed to half-listen and half-ignore him.
To think that had been because she really had no intention of listening.
Executive Director Kim clutched at what little hair he had left.
When she chose Seo Dowon, who showed not a speck of talent, he had rationalized that he could cover for one person. But now three people had gone in a direction completely outside the script.
It was beyond what he could possibly cover.
“What should we do? Should we edit this out and tell her to go back to the script?”
“…No. Just… just let it go as it is.”
But Executive Director Kim remembered what Se-rang had told him.
‘Executive Director. Even if I don’t go in the direction you have in mind, don’t block my path.’
‘!’
‘In your eyes, I may look like I have no thoughts at all, but I do have a plan.’
He had felt uneasy even then, but to think she had meant it.
Executive Director Kim swallowed tears.
Still….
“But even if Director Yeon Se-rang’s team may not become a dream team….”
“The ratings look like they’ll be a huge hit.”
The PD nodded, as if understanding what Executive Director Kim wanted to say.
“Director Yeon knows broadcasts well. She pulls aggro well here and there, and she gives us good editing points too. She also leaves many comments that can give the trainees narratives.”
“It’s truly unexpected….”
“Pardon?”
“Ah. Nothing…. It’s just… Director Yeon Se-rang is impressive.”
“She’s definitely impressive. I think this show will succeed.” The PD smiled as if feeling anticipation for the first time in a long while.