Heavy Fastball
Finalists: Seo Siyeon, Joo Jinwoo, Blooming – three teams total.
Stage order: Reverse of semis, so Blooming → Joo Jinwoo → Seo Siyeon.
First time ever in Singer Star or any audition show that a contestant under 10 made finals.
Live at Gocheok in two weeks – about 16,000 seats, so anyone who wants to go better hurry up and snag tickets?
Already the Singer Star season with the most Melon daily chart entries ever.
Naturally, most #1s too – definitely an all-time great season all around.
In Korea, Gocheok Dome holds a special kind of significance.
Even if it only seats around 20,000 max, the acoustics suck, and the seat angles are a nightmare, it's still the biggest dome in the country – a venue most singers or idols wouldn't even dream of filling.
'Honestly, from a fan's perspective, KSPO Dome is way better. You can fit a ton more with the 360 setup, and the sound is top-notch.'
But the production team deliberately chose Gocheok Dome for the finals, even though baseball season makes it hard to book.
It had that symbolic weight to it.
And given this season's hype, they figured they'd fill a single show there easy – no need for two days.
"Haa... Gocheok, huh. Totally different scale from Jangchung."
Even with my iron nerves, performing in front of nearly 20,000 people was a bit daunting.
Blooming and Joo Jinwoo probably felt the same.
The pressure from a live crowd there would be on another level from Jangchung – mistakes could happen all too easily.
Avoiding slip-ups as much as possible would be the key to nailing the finals stage.
"Hm hm hummm..."
I mulled all that over while humming and brewing my coffee diligently.
Oh, Americano was too bitter to stomach lately, so I'd switched to lattes.
Lattes were delicious – guess a kid's palate just doesn't vibe with black coffee.
Online, some Singer Star viewers griped about a kid like me drinking coffee, but honestly, from my angle, it made zero sense to go without the two cups a day I'd slammed in my past life.
'Sure, they say it's bad for you young... but who has the energy to sweat the small stuff?'
Still, for health's sake, I'd make a point to eat more veggies going forward.
My height was already on the short side for my age, so healthy habits seemed smart.
I wasn't obsessed with growing tall, but breaking 155cm would be nice.
Seo Siyeon's growth trajectory didn't look promising, though – might not even hit 150 if things kept up, which had me a little panicked.
'Maybe hit up a clinic after Singer Star.'
They did growth shots these days – might need to get stuck with one.
"Ah! Siyeon, you're having coffee? Make me one too!"
"...Make it yourself."
"...I don't know how!"
I finished mine, then ground a capsule and whipped up an Americano for Yoo Seolha.
"Add your own ice."
"Hehe, thanks! Sometimes you seem more grown-up than me, Siyeon!"
Obviously. I had over 30 years from my past life under my belt.
Adding this life's time, I'd qualify as a full-on forty-something.
Seolha, not even 20 yet, hadn't even hit half my total mileage.
"Yeah, I'm like that. The nursery kids are pretty mature overall too."
"...S-sorry."
"Just relax. Have I ever played up the orphan sob story?"
"Kinda feels like you have..."
Did I?
I reflected on my past actions.
Come to think of it, the photo girl in my songs and pray for were all tied to the nursery and absent parents, right?
I'd used my orphan status just to make impactful stages, no real bitterness behind it...
'But outsiders might see it as me venting my hardships.'
Hell, lately communities were full of people saying they'd started donating to orphanages after seeing me.
Kind of proud – like I'd spread some real good vibes.
"Fair enough. But I'm not really sad about being an orphan or anything..."
"Sniff...! You don't have to pretend you're okay!"
'Gonna lose my mind.'
Seemed like clearing up this misunderstanding with everyone would take time.
"Siyeon, got a sec?"
Mid-latte sip and height worries, main PD Kang Junhyeong approached cautiously.
He wanted to shoot interview footage to fill next week's broadcast ahead of finals.
"What kind of shoot?"
"Nothing big. Your finale song's Hello, My Four Seasons, right? Just a straightforward interview on your life story, nursery memories, that sort of thing."
Straightforward? Yeah, right – coming from a PD, that screamed tearjerker cash-grab.
I set down my latte and stared him down.
"PD-nim. You after teary shots with the nursery backdrop or something?"
"Eh? W-well..."
His pupils quaked like an earthquake. Nailed it.
"Everyone knows I'm an orphan now. Don't wanna drag that out all the way to finals..."
"But Siyeon, the public eats up that backstory. Show how you overcame hardship to get here – it'll skyrocket your popularity."
He pushed hard, but I wasn't budging.
Time to ditch the pitiful orphan image and cement myself as a sharp young musician instead – hard pass.
"Hello, My Four Seasons isn't about my past misery. It's me sorting through it all and vowing to move forward. I think I can sell that message straight to the audience."
My firm stance left the PD clicking his tongue.
He knew I was mature, but not this stubborn.
If I were some mid-tier contestant, he could've pulled rank – but I was the network-power-level star carrying this show.
No PD could boss me around.
So he backed off and conceded.
"...Fine. We'll do it your way. How do you wanna shoot?"
"Just interview in the practice room. I'll be honest about why I wrote this song and named it what I did."
A few hours later, camera and lights were set in a corner of the communal practice room. I sat in my comfy usual hoodie, hot cocoa in hand.
"Alright, Siyeon. Just talk naturally. First question: Any special reason you titled your finale song 'Hello, My Four Seasons'?"
Slate clapped – interview rolling. I dredged up past-life memories: the flashy producer days, that hollow end. Then my new life as Seo Siyeon.
"I think everyone goes through their own four seasons. Moments as warm and happy as spring, but also cold, lonely ones like winter."
I kept it calm, but sincere.
"For me, my past felt like an endless winter. No idea who my parents are, learning the world from inside a nursery fence. But even in that winter, spring flowers bloomed now and then, and there were passionate summer highs too."
I heard the PD and staff breathing beyond the lens – not pity, but stunned awe.
"This song's my farewell to all those seasons. The sad memories, the joyful ones – they're all precious pieces of me. Now I wanna carry them in my heart and step into my own new season. That's the promise I want to share with everyone."
Watching the interview, Kang Junhyeong PD's eyes gleamed with chills.
He'd glimpsed a depth of life in a 9-year-old's gaze beyond imagining.
"...Cut. Perfect."
The PD let out a deep sigh, thumbs-up.
He instinctively knew this quiet, weighty confession would hit harder than any forced sob story.