There Are Too Many Money-Making Talents 098
The Masked Singer studio.
For a brief moment, the recording was delayed while they adjusted the sound.
PD Han Kyung-il stood with a grave expression, speaking earnestly with someone.
“……No, is this real? How can this even make sense?”
Flower Girl’s elimination.
It was an outcome no one had anticipated in the slightest.
From the planning stage onward, they had been counting on at least three rounds of advancement.
They figured that if luck stayed with her, she might even aim for the king of the show.
But right now.
“It’s…… not possible, right? Yet it somehow happened. That’s what’s truly insane.”
Writer Jung Sung-hee replayed In-ha’s stage in her mind without a word, the moment before.
Even now, it still didn’t make sense to her.
After a long silence, PD Han Kyung-il asked again.
“You said In-seong wasn’t very good, right?”
“Yes. I asked multiple times. Just that. The senior also saw it during rehearsal, didn’t they?”
“……I did. Hah, what could it be? It doesn’t seem like they were deliberately hiding their skill…….”
PD Han Kyung-il rubbed the back of his neck.
It still tingled.
From the very beginning, I wasn’t just any ordinary person’s skill.
Even during rehearsal, In-ha’s stage had been nothing special.
The emotionless twist in “The Last Song” had been exactly that.
But this stage was different.
It wasn’t just well done.
In an instant, the entire studio atmosphere had shifted.
That person, alone.
They had instantly turned Flower Girl Jisoo, whose vocals were decent for an idol, into a mere backdrop.
Even the legendary Shin Jae-ho had praised her.
The man who was the strictest about music of all had even opened his mouth to say he wanted to hear it again.
……She might make it to the third round, or even the king’s match.
What would happen then?
PD Han Kyung-il’s mind began running calculations at lightning speed.
“Senior.”
Writer Jung Sung-hee cautiously spoke up.
“It’s a bit early, but…… wouldn’t this generate a strong reaction if she does well?”
“It’s still too soon to say.”
.
The phrase “long-running variety show” also meant the novelty had completely faded.
Viewership ratings had dropped, and the buzz was nowhere near what it used to be.
The format that relied entirely on the contestants’ singing skill had reached its limit.
Worse still, it had been pushed aside among the constant stream of music variety shows every week.
“Even if she becomes the king, would it still be like that?”
“……Weak. We need something more solid.”
In the past, becoming the king alone would have been enough to make headlines.
But that time is gone.
The era when winning a couple of times could generate interest is over.
A one-hit wonder is missing.
Checkmate’s true identity was professional Go player and compound national team archer Kim In-ha.
He had been a hot topic lately.
However, due to the nature of , his identity could not be revealed until elimination.
And since he was an ordinary person, it was hard to guess his identity just from the singing.
They needed some other promotional method or a clear one-hit that would draw attention.
At that moment.
“Senior!”
The assistant director came running in a fluster.
PD Han Kyung-il immediately asked the conclusion.
“What song did they decide on for the third round?”
“T-that’s……”
The assistant director caught his breath and said.
“They’re singing .
“……What?”
PD Han Kyung-il’s ears seemed to ring.
“They said they’re doing it without any arrangement, just the original MR because of time constraints.”
“Are you serious? They’re going to sing that in front of senior Shin Jae-ho?”
“It’s true!”
PD Han Kyung-il swallowed deeply.
A hot feeling surged inside his chest.
Whether it was awe, anxiety, or that familiar ‘tug’ echoing again, he couldn’t tell.
“……It’s confirmed?”
“Yes. I checked multiple times.”
It was none other than the legend Shin Jae-ho.
Would he really sing a song he hadn’t properly prepared in front of him?
Writer Jung Sung-hee opened her mouth in disbelief.
“……Really, it seems like a crazy idea.”
“I know.”
The two exchanged glances as if they had made a silent agreement.
An odd tension.
Silence.
It was PD Han Kyung-il’s words that broke the quiet.
“What do you think?”
“It’s…… creepy.”
Writer Jung Sung-hee burst into laughter.
“You’re thinking the same, right?”
“Yes. The tug is there. The big one.”
PD Han Kyung-il laughed along.
“……If we really do well, we might be able to save the entire season.”
***
Waiting room.
For a moment, he took off the mask and quietly drank water.
It felt like it was cooling the residual heat inside his body that had been overheated.
At that moment.
Music began flowing from the waiting room monitor that showed the studio.
When he turned his head, Flower Girl was on the stage.
Her elimination song.
The OST from the famous historical drama “If”.
As Flower Girl’s voice layered over it, it spread like a delicate breath.
After the first verse ended, the following interlude began.
“Please take off your mask and reveal your identity!”
Host Kim Woo-jin’s shout.
Simultaneously, Flower Girl, who had been turned away, loosened the strings and removed her mask.
And the revealed face.
“It’s Love Cats’ Jisoo!”
A cute and popular-looking appearance. As expected, an idol.
But I couldn’t quite tell who it was.
There were so many idols, and I had no particular interest.
Jisoo calmly sang the second verse.
Shaky notes.
An uncomfortable expression somewhere.
The emotions hidden behind that voice could be roughly guessed.
“……That’s enough. I should focus on my own stage.”
I tore my gaze from the monitor and plugged in my earphones.
The piano intro flowed out.
It was originally prepared as the elimination song.
But now it was the song I would sing in the second round.
My first proper stage, chosen by me.
Emotional delivery is the key.
This song had been arranged to fit my ordinary vocals through vocal trainer Kang In-seong’s hands before I acquired my talent.
But now it was different.
I have to sing it with my own expression.
I layered emotions over the familiar melody.
Not just following the melody, but conveying meaning in the song.
It resembled the original, but it carried something clearly different.
This time was for preparing that.
At that moment.
Knock knock.
Along with the knock, the assistant director’s voice came.
“Checkmate-nim, please prepare for recording!”
I quietly pulled out my earphones.
I put the mask back on and tied the strings tightly.
I left the waiting room and headed to the studio.
When I arrived below the stage, the second-round opponent ‘Record Boy’ was standing there.
A bow.
With the mask between us, we exchanged meaningful glances.
Amid an unknown tension.
Following the host’s gesture, Record Boy stepped onto the stage.
Blackout.
Immediately, the piano intro flowed out.
On the stage where smog and lights crossed, Record Boy’s song began.
Revival’s “Hee Ya”.
Rock ballad.
Heavy vocal power based on proper breathing,
Explosive high notes.
An emotional line that wrapped the entire stage.
Every expression and gesture calculated.
Soon, the judges had fallen silent and focused.
……He really sounds like a musical singer.
It was definitely a well-sung song.
But strangely, there was an alien feeling.
After all, it felt like a staged emotion, like acting.
A short while later, the celebrity judges’ evaluations followed.
“Truly amazing stage presence. Especially the high notes sucked in powerfully.”
Comedienne Shin Jung-ah exclaimed.
“The immersion was really great. The shouting part in the middle was the highlight of the song.”
Even music PD Cha Tae-ho’s evaluation was not bad.
However.
“Ah, they sang well. Really well, but…… I got the impression that it was too musical. Record Boy-nim, are you a musical actor?”
Panelist Yoon Jin-seok dug in sharply.
Then, on the stage, Record Boy struck an exaggerated gesture and maintained a poker face.
And finally, the legendary Shin Jae-ho’s evaluation.
“I heard it well. It was an emotional stage, and it felt like watching a play.”
Professionalism and immersion.
It was a stage where two evaluations divided.
Record Boy, after greeting, came down from the stage.
Now it was my turn.
“Checkmate-nim, please come up!”
I calmed my breath and slowly climbed the stairs.
On the darkened stage.
The lights shone on me, and the piano intro flowed out.
A stage to tell the story rather than show off technique or high notes.
Lee Seung-hwa’s “It Will Be Okay”.
First verse.
It felt like everyone was holding their breath.
Deeper than any sound effect, my voice pierced.
Without any arrangement, I sang it straight from the original.
There was no choice, because when I prepared this song as the elimination song, my skill wasn’t there yet.
……The original was said to be a song for his wife.
But I had no wife.
The lover I had loved desperately, as if losing the world.
Still, I could sing this song.
When I was a bad son.
When I was a bad student.
When I was a bad security guard.
Every time, there was only one person who stayed by my side.
The person who quietly gave me love that words could barely express, trusting in silence.
Mom.
Emotions overflowed.
But I held them back.
I organized my breathing and sang calmly to the end.
I didn’t force emotions, nor did I force high notes.
Just as I said.
Just in my own way.
Using the power of lyrics and melody to convey my love toward mom.
I simply conveyed what I wanted to pass on, following the flow of the original.
So, the song that filled the stage and echoed slowly came to an end.
Fading piano.
Microphone slowly lowering.
Absolute silence with no sound of breathing.
I exhaled a trembling breath behind the mask.
At that moment.
“……!”
Thunderous applause.
It was enough to snap my mind out from behind the mask.
Most of the ordinary judges stood up.
Eyes full of surprise, admiration, and an indescribable reverence intertwined.
It was the same for the celebrity judges.
“……My words are stuck. I took the mic first, but I can’t string them together. Just…… the best stage.”
Music PD Cha Tae-ho quietly set down the mic.
Comedienne Shin Jung-ah wiped away tears and said.
“It’s sad…… but strangely, it felt comforting. I felt what that heart was.”
And finally, the quietest person picked up the mic.
The legendary Shin Jae-ho.
A never-light evaluation with weight followed.
“There was a person in this song.”
The air in the venue paused for a moment.
“Because there was no technique, it was good. Because I didn’t force the emotions, it was deeper.”
In his quietly continuing face, sincerity was evident.
“A stage that felt like the original…… It’s been a long time. I heard it well.”
I swallowed behind the mask.
Happy.
My heart was glad.
I hadn’t expected to receive this much recognition from the legendary Shin Jae-ho, of all people.
But.
One sentence remained.
A stage that felt like the original.
From that word, something stuck.
And at the same time, my mind suddenly cleared.
So…… that was it?
The A+ rank in Go was the Realm of Enlightenment.
The S-rank in Archery was the sum of broad talents encompassing various fields.
Then, wasn’t A-rank the line allowed by talent?
In Go terms, it would be strong enough to be called a strong player, but not reaching the top tier.
Singing was no different.
Right now, I could sing in a way that felt like the original, but it wasn’t enough to go beyond.
That’s why.
……I want more.
Not just singing.
Chess, the talent I acquired now, and the talents I would acquire in the future.
It wasn’t about producing results within the framework set by talent.
In my own way, with my own senses, with my own sentences.
I wanted to turn it into A+.
The place I had to go to become me.
Talent was always just the starting point, never the result.
Not anyone’s way, but my way.
I wanted to turn all my talents and my entire life into A+.