Chapter 35
Team Eden’s members were Kim Philip, Makoto, Ha Jiho, Oh Sunwoo, and Jung Siyoon.
In my previous life, Trainee Oh Sunwoo was the one who became the most successful by far. I wonder if it’ll be the same this time.
Oh Sunwoo debuted through this program and became what people called a “huge hit.”
Of course, not long after, an exposé broke out that he was two-timing three sasaeng fans at once, and he completely fell into the abyss.
That was why Se-rang had no intention of recruiting Oh Sunwoo no matter how well he performed.
She planned to hand him over to another team somehow.
“Hello, we are—”
After the conventional team introduction and song introduction passed, the stage began.
It’s strange, our eyes definitely met
This is where you should stop and look back at me
But I’m the only one who stopped
What went wrong?
Once the stage ended, only one thought came to mind.
As expected, this was what happened when the original producer’s experience showed.
Since Eden’s song had been made by Eden himself to suit these members, naturally, it fit this team perfectly.
That meant the trainees’ charms had no choice but to be maximized.
The details made it clear that even each pronunciation had been created with each member in mind.
For this team, somehow, the producer’s ability stands out more clearly than the trainees’ abilities.
You’re way too good, Eden.
Se-rang felt troubled, but she still grinned.
Either way, it’s definitely fun to watch.
If the previous stage felt like the members had been shoved into the song, this one was more enjoyable because each trainee felt alive.
“You worked hard.” As soon as the stage ended, Se-rang opened with those words.
“Thank you!”
Bright faces, along with panting breaths. Faces that knew far better than anyone else just how charming they had been.
Yes, a stage with this kind of certainty couldn’t possibly be boring.
“It was definitely… an enjoyable stage. I could feel that all of you were completely immersed. There’s no stage better to watch than one where the people performing it are enjoying themselves. I could feel that this was produced by someone who knows that well, and I could also feel that the trainees themselves knew their own strengths very well when they approached the stage.”
But.
“However, there were also a few disappointing points. First, Trainee Makoto.”
“Yes…!”
“You stumbled over the lyrics a few times. Even though your pronunciation itself came out well. Getting the lyrics wrong is a real minus.”
Makoto lowered his head deeply as though acknowledging it.
“And Trainee Oh Sunwoo. Your pitch has some unstable moments. Trainee Oh Sunwoo, you’re the main vocalist, but it seems like you haven’t fully digested that role yet. Looking cool and looking cute onstage isn’t everything. If you get too caught up in your expressions and body angles and lose the song, it has the opposite effect instead. You need to sing well before you act charming. Otherwise, it would look better to hand the main vocalist parts to another trainee. When someone carries a position they can’t handle, it makes the viewer anxious.”
Oh Sunwoo’s face flushed bright red.
But Se-rang remained calm. Things that needed to be pointed out had to be pointed out.
“You all tend to just sing recklessly while relying too much on post-production correction…. You may be able to fool the general public, who won’t pay that much attention to you, but you need to know that your fans will all know your real ability.”
After that, feedback from the other two producers continued.
It wasn’t very different from Se-rang’s feedback. The only difference was that they gave detailed feedback to the other trainees too.
In particular, Trainee Ha Jiho received the most feedback.
“Trainee Ha Jiho really stood out properly. It was an unexpected discovery, truly. I was reminded again what it means for someone’s eyes to shine.”
“He was stable too. Since he can definitely sing well, it puts the listener at ease. But why does he have comparatively so few parts?”
“Ah, that’s….”
Ha Jiho looked slightly flustered and glanced at Eden. It meant he was asking whether he could answer.
“I’ll answer that instead. Trainee Ha Jiho originally wasn’t that good.”
“Oh.”
“He suddenly grew like that, so I’m surprised too.”
“Then give him more parts, Producer Eden. It feels like such a waste to me.” Se-rang added a word too.
“I’ll think about it. Well, that’s something I’ll consider later…. Shall we move on, Producer Yeon Se-rang?”
“Haha.”
This slippery bastard.
Se-rang ground her teeth together and smiled. “Yes, yes. Of course. There’s only one team left now.”
Our team, that is.
Se-rang looked back at the three trainees with a meaningful smile.
Do well.
It was no secret that the three trainees broke out in a mad cold sweat at Se-rang’s smile.
Se-rang deliberately dressed them only in loose white T-shirts and black jeans.
With no patterns and no decorations at all.
Instead, she left them only one instruction: work out like crazy and build their bodies.
Because Se-rang knew.
A single human body could look far more powerful than hundreds of decorations.
Most of all, she didn’t want to hide the three people’s individuality with clothes.
Se-rang had chosen them by looking only at them as people. Their skills mattered, but what mattered just as much was the charm they possessed as human beings.
That was why she threw away every other element and wanted the public to look only at the “people” that they were.
On an actual stage, they needed to look flashy, so she couldn’t choose this kind of strategy.
But this interim evaluation had no lights or glamorous set. It meant they would compete in a narrow practice room under honest lighting, relying only on the charm and skill of the people themselves.
Their skills were bound to be a little lacking anyway.
So Se-rang planned to compete with something else.
In front of you, I become
So vulnerable
But I know I know you take delight in this
The stage Se-rang had gritted her teeth over ended like that.
Se-rang calmly looked at the three trainees.
With an unreadable face.
Although they were her team, Se-rang deliberately intended to give feedback last.
Because she felt it would be unfair to give feedback first when she already knew how hard they had worked.
Instead, Se-rang quietly passed the microphone to Eden.
With the thought that, as a fellow producer, he would understand.
Eden stared at Se-rang, then took the microphone and opened his mouth.
“You should all truly be grateful to Producer Yeon Se-rang.”
Cough.
At Eden’s first words, Se-rang let out a dry cough.
“To be honest, I really had no expectations for this team. Not because your skills were lacking. I just didn’t expect three trainees who hadn’t even debuted yet to be able to dominate a stage. That isn’t easy even for debuted idols. There’s a reason entertainment companies debut groups with many members.”
Producer Eden sighed as though he was fed up.
“But this stage was one that only stood out because there were few people, and you clearly understood that and pulled it off well. Even though you’re not especially good at singing, and you don’t dance like you’re possessed by a ghost either.”
With a face that said he didn’t want to praise them any further, Eden continued his feedback.
“Trainee Seo Dowon.”
“Yes!”
“First of all, Trainee Seo Dowon, you’re handsome. You know that, right?”
“Uh, uh…”
When Dowon floundered and couldn’t answer, laughter burst out among the trainees.
This guy is so weak to praise….
I need to trap him inside a wall of compliments one day.
“Being handsome is a huge benefit, so enjoy it. Honestly, on this stage, Trainee Seo Dowon’s face stood out the most. Your face suddenly started persuading me.”
“Th-thank you….”
“And your vocal volume itself is good. That’s very good news. If your voice has weight, there are times when it eventually sees the light.”
Is that a compliment or an insult?
Se-rang awkwardly pulled up the corners of her mouth, unable to laugh.
But Seo Dowon was smiling hehe, like a huge golden retriever. It seemed he had taken it as a compliment.
Don’t smile, Seo Dowon. Don’t smile!
He’s not saying he’s sure you’ll see the light. He said you might see it!
Feeling strangely annoyed, Se-rang only lowered her head.
“But for now… there are still some unstable aspects. You know that too, right?”
“Yes! I know! I’ll definitely fix them!”
“Uh… if you know, that’s fine….”
Why am I so embarrassed when he’s our kid?
Don’t say you know it so brightly….
“And Trainee Seol Yuhyun….”
Here it came.