Chapter 4
Translator 8uhl
Chapter 4
Chapter Title The Nameless Operation
The writer watched with interest as the trainees filed in one after another, sipping her coffee while listening to Choi Sias guidance.
The first filter is starting.
Idol Training Simulation was a program backed by truly massive capital.
It was a bluechip investment from major corporations, including her own EM Group headquarters, and sponsors who had poured in funds with skyhigh expectations.
After watching a rival networks idol survival show explode nationwide and feeling the burn, the KJ Group chairman had lit a fire under the project. All to create more buzz than any idols debuting from that other show.
Under that banner, the production team had wrung out every possible device to sift for the most reliable talents more rigorously than ever before.
One of those planted in this level test was the Nameless strategy.
Trainees know better than anyone how devastating it is to not be able to use your own name in the very early stages of a survival show like this.
Considering that rankings were announced based on national votes, it was crucial to quickly etch your name into viewers minds from the broadcasts outset.
Building early buzz and some recognition laid the foundation for a fanbase that could propel you higher.
But the moment you were assigned to Underground, where you had no name and were called only by numbers...
Theyll naturally realize that no name means no screen time. And theyll start feeling anxious about falling so far behind the trainees in the Mainstream group.
In short, it was a way to shake the participants mentality right from the first hurdle.
A method to pick out who could calmly showcase their true abilities amid this lightning strike of a situationand prove their potential.
In truth, most of the toptier trainees had already been identified back in the interview stage.
As the saying goes, even rotten mackerel is still mackerel. Trainees from major agencies would have an outstanding baseline.
Having experienced highpressure tests like monthly evaluations, they were likely to perform at full potential.
But if things unfolded too predictably, it would get boring.
If even one kid breaks through these harsh conditions and suddenly stands out...
That would create pure drama.
The writer, desperate to spark overimmersion and maximum viewer attention, was waiting for that twist protagonist.
Idol Training Simulation, time for the longawaited level evaluation. VIG Entertainment trainees, please come forward.
The three trainees who stepped to the center of the set for the first slot wore extremely stiff expressions.
Dont be too nervous.
Take a deep breath and stay calm. You can even take a sip of water before starting.
Good luck.
Given the massive psychological burden, it was only natural, so the judges offered words laced with consideration.
But the performance that followed was downright dismal.
Oof, pitch errors overlapping with clashing formationstheyre bumping into each other left and right.
Even she, lacking deep expertise, could spot the glaring mistakes in the details.
Sure enough, the judgeswho had been smiling faintly before the music startedquickly cooled off.
Even for the first slot, you shouldve shown everything you had. In that context, you made way too many basic mistakes that trainees shouldnt commit.
Pitch errors are one thing we can overlook... but youre all from the same agency. You mustve synced up plenty while prepping this song. How can you lack basic communication, panic, and mess up your positioning?
Time to assign ratings.
The writer, who had monitored other networks survival shows, could tell the judges werent unleashing 100 brutal critiques yet.
Too early for harsh takedowns on the opening act, probably.
Still, the judges grabbed their mics and delivered cold, straightforward evaluations.
All VIG Entertainment trainees receive Tier 3 and are assigned to Underground. Come forward to receive your numbers.
VIG Entertainment was midtier at worst, not smalltime.
When its traineesones whod produced groups occasionally cracking streaming chartsgot slapped straight into Underground, the room buzzed in shock.
What do we do? Im shaking even harder than before.
If we mess up even a little, we wont even get called by name...
Isnt this too much right from the start?
Their voices carried all the way to the writer seated below the judges table.
For now, it had succeeded in stirring the trainees unease as planned.
Now we need some solid performers to break this moodespecially from the big agencies. If they flop too, we cant even use comparison edits, and were screwed.
The anxiety sprouting in her mind amplified with each successive performance.
As namebrand agency trainees and premarked top prospects disappointed one after another, the ratio tipping toward Underground over Mainstream grew.
She wasnt the only one clutching her head and biting her nails.
The rest of the production crew was frantically whispering amid the string of underwhelming stages.
Just then, when a mood reversal was desperately needed.
Next trainee, come forward.
The writer spotted a figure slowly approaching from below the stage and straightened in her seat.
Sensing the arrival of a fresh twist protagonist.
Even the seniors look dissatisfied.
Baek Chaehyun, a 15year veteran idol, glanced at Choi Sia beside her.
Having crossed paths often in competition shows or programs featuring skilled singers, they shared some familiarity.
Shed also clocked Sias habitual expressions enough to sense she was seriously annoyed right now.
And for good reason.
The trainees so far had fallen woefully short of expectations.
Even agency kids Baek Chaehyun had heard plenty about in industry circles had slipped up in weird ways.
Was the pressure of a shaky startputting them at such a massive disadvantagehitting that hard?
Not just Choi Sia, but the other seniors beside her were rolling their shoulders and necks, exuding fatigue.
Baek Chaehyun rifled through the participant info sheets, hunting for someone who might show something different.
Then she spotted a profile that felt off.
Am I seeing things?
Baek Chaehyun rubbed her eyes.
Fatigue from scanning countless profiles mightve built up.
But no way she was misreading the photo.
Steeling herself, she checked again.
...Its real. He looks way too similar.
Exactly as shed first thought.
The inner shock was so intense that she barely registered the ongoing level test stages.
Just obsessively rechecking that one trainees photo a hundred times.
Around the point where she wanted to slap her cheeks and snap out of it.
Next participant, come forward.
A solo trainees turn arrived.
With agency kids dominating, solo trainees were rare, making it intriguing.
Whoa, a foreigner?
Did he dye his hair blond?
Hes tall. Cool vibe.
As the solo trainee moved to center stage, surprised exclamations erupted from both sides.
Baek Chaehyun froze for a second, fumbling her mic like a buffering video.
It was that trainee.
The one shed been compulsively checking, possessed.
At a glance, he seemed like a blonddyed style, but up close, it was clearly his natural foreign look.
Towering height, skin not just pale but like flawless white jade.
His rare appearance was one thing, but something more was churning her heart into chaos.
Hes identical! He looks just like Ashley!
Baek Chaehyun preferred holing up at home after work schedules.
Her hobbies matched reading webtoons or gaming.
One of her alltime favorites, Princes Obsessed with Me, shed binged at least ten times.
Especially the neighboring kingdoms crown prince Ashley Shtahartshe held the unshakable top spot as her fave character.
Smart, charismatic, and described as insanely handsome.
Baek Chaehyun stared at the trainee center stage, forgetting to breathe.
Ashley Shtaharts flowing blond hair.
Black obsidian eyes, cold yet resolute.
Shoulders broad as the Pacific, superior physique.
Flawless skin without a single blemish.
It was like her fave character had jumped out of the webtoon into reality in full 3Dno, 6D!
Hes gorgeous. Too gorgeous. No way a real person radiates that noble aura, right? Makes no sense?
Baek Chaehyun wanted to slam her head on the desk.
Judges had to maintain objectivity as rule one.
But before judge, she was humanand couldnt easily shake the thrill of her fave come alive.
Only after deep breaths did she regain some reason.
Yet her producer brain stayed fixated on his visuals.
In Korea, toptier idol status demanded visuals superior to the rest.
Predecessors who matured Kpop had them idols active in her era did too.
Shed seen plenty called handsome up close.
But never had she felt the urge to kneel before anyone like today.
The studio fell silent, mesmerized by the nobleaura trainee.
Choi Sia swiftly grabbed the mic and took over.
Hello. Solo trainee, Karis? Right?
Yes.
Your names really unique... Mind if I ask where youre from?
From Estonia, a Northern European country.
EEstonia?
A nation most without geography buffs might never have heard of.
Baek Chaehyun wasnt big on globes either, unsure of its exact spot, but definitely far from Korea.
Beside her, dance expert judge Bae Kangwoo whispered.
When did Kpop swallow Northern Europe?
RRight?
But forget that. A foreigner from some distant land speaking Korean that fluently? Its cognitive dissonance city.
Only then did it hit her belatedly.
The beautiful blond trainee was using perfect Korean pronunciation, no issues at all.
Just as she wondered how the twists could stack this high, Karis bowed slightly and began his intro.
His right leg subtly pulled back in a peculiar bow, but Baek Chaehyun felt no disconnect.
If anything, familiar.
WWait, like the noble bows from webtoons!
At this point, her brain clearly wasnt thinking straight.
Everything Karis von Walden did overlapped with Ashley.
Pleased to meet you. Im Karis von Walden, a trainee from Estonia. I turned twenty this year.
Estonias so far from Koreahowd you decide on becoming an idol?
Ive always enjoyed diverse cultures. I listen to songs from other countries a lot, and Kpop I heard as a kid hooked me. Thats when I wanted to be an idol.
Remember the first song you heard? Just curious
It was a Purity senior group song.
As the interview progressed, Baek Chaehyun felt pulled into some other dimension.
She got why cognitive dissonance had come up.
A trainee from an unfamiliar European nation namedropping her familiar senior group Purity? Total mismatch.
Even Choi Sia, handling the talk, cracked a bemused smile.
I feel like Im asking too many questions, but I have to know Did you selfstudy Korean? Your word choice and pronunciation are nativelevel. Shocked me.
Ive studied Korean solo since ten years ago. They say the easiest way to learn conversation is mimicking books or videosspeaking and listening. So I watched lots of dramas, read tons of comics and books. Love fantasy and romance especially.
Fantasy and romance.
At those words, Baek Chaehyun nearly shrieked.
A guy identical to her romance fantasy webtoon protag mentioning the genre himself.
His speech even had a subtle noble flairmaybe from those comics and books.
Baek Chaehyuns cognitive dissonance leveled up.
She was losing it.
Pathetic, me wondering earlier if twists could go further.
Probably the first European trainee in idol survival history.
Foreigner with nearperfect Korean.
Stiff yet oddly funny speech.
Enough for solid interview footagethe PD signaled as muchso Choi Sia wiped the smile from her face.
Then, shall we see your prepared performance?