"Raebin isn't eating~"
"I have already eaten, thank you!"
Kim Raebin answered energetically as he came out after washing his face.
After coming to Seoul unexpectedly, he stayed at Ryu Gunwoo's officetel for a few days, but soon after an agreement with his parents, he ended up staying at his uncle's house in Seoul.
However, after practicing all day, he followed Cha Eugene to Ryu Gunwoo's officetel and had a meal while talking about strategies. So, in fact, the level of indebtedness seemed similar.
'Why are they so nice to me?'
Kim Raebin still had doubts about that, but his body faithfully carried out his life.
Yes. Although his life changed tremendously, it was able to feel natural quickly. As if he had lived like this before…
Kim Raebin thought carefully and came to a conclusion.
'When I think about it, it's not much different from school!'
A structured daily life, as if taking a class, had a similar effect!
Speaking of school, as soon as Kim Raebin signed with LeTi, he was scheduled to be transferred to Seoul's arts high school, where attendance days would be partially supplemented by arts and physical education activities…
'The agency is a great place.'
Now that he thought about it, there was an interesting coincidence.
Coincidentally, the agency they both belonged to was the same company with which he signed his first song contract.
-… You signed a song contract with LeTi?
-… ? Yes!
When Kim Raebin was taken there that day, he didn't know how much LeTi's rookie manager liked him.
And why did Kim Raebin come to Seoul so easily, following the two people he met for the first time, and start living the life of an aspiring idol?
On the way home from the strawberry house, he was persuaded by what he heard.
These were the words spoken calmly by the hyung named Ryu Gunwoo (for some reason, the other guy called him by the name 'Moondae').
-I've listened to some of the songs you've composed so far, and there are a lot of them that go well with choreo.
-What is choreo?
-Dance. And recently, the majority of teams that perform the latest music with choreography are idol groups.
The hyung continued as if he knew what Kim Raebin was going to ask.
-So, I think experiencing the performances directly will help you compose songs in the future.
-… !
Kim Raebin had never done it before… Those were persuasive words!
After that, Ryu Gunwoo continued to speak fluidly.
About the method he would like to recommend.
In-house survival show.
-Survival shows are the essence of the idol stage that can be experienced in the shortest amount of time. It's easy to get eliminated and just feel the experience.
Kim Raebin was impressed.
-… ! Okay. So, if I naturally dropped out after such a dense experience, would that still help me with composing?
-Things like that happen, too.
No. It was Kim Raebin's mistake. Park Moondae assumed that Kim Raebin wouldn't get eliminated at all, so he didn't think much about it.
Even then, he was planning to add Kim Raebin at least through manipulation if he had a chance of being eliminated.
Kim Raebin was planning to debut like this without even knowing why, but he completely believed that he would be eliminated.
'But I never thought I would win by decision alone on the first stage…'
After all, it was a survival show. No matter how much he thought about it, the two who showed an excellent performance were in danger of being eliminated.
Nevertheless, the fact that both of them were bold made them even more trustworthy!
He nodded again.
-It's okay, don't worry about it and just practice.
-Kim Raebin, you're doing great!
So, Kim Raebin was waiting for the live broadcast of Episode 1 of
This was because he wanted to see his hyung who helped him, perform in person.
"Hmm."
The broadcast started promptly at 10:50 p.m. without delay.
[Yes I am~]
A series of silhouettes, turning their heads, posing, and raising their arms, passed in time with the beat of the subject.
[Who can be a star?]
The final scene of the opening was a stage with fourteen people standing back to back. It was a typical survival show opening.
And beyond the grandiose boasts of the agency shown in the trailer, the focus was on the empty stage.
A dark, expensive-looking set, lighting, and music created tension.
[President Kim Taein: Let's get started.]
Above it, the stage unfolded with the trainees climbing the stairs of the stage one by one.
It was different from 'Idol Inc.'. Because it started with trainees who had already been identified by the company and characters had already been assigned to all 14 people.
In particular, focusing on a few people who really wanted to appeal to the public…
[Ace Leader]
For example, this explanation was given to Shin Jaehyun.
[He is a hyung I really respect.]
[No. 1 in almost every monthly review.]
[Someone who can do everything?]
The editing, which intersected testimonies, daily life, and practice stages, gave a clear highlight.
Keywords such as 'skilled, trustworthy, calm, capable'.
Of course, there were keywords that were formed based on appearance alone.
-Wow, this guy is really handsome.
Kim Raebin, who was watching on TV, didn't know, but the Internet was crowded with people chatting while watching.
Mainly existing idol fans came to see the new male rookies from 'the' LeTi.
-Shin Jaehyun came out.
-ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠI was just waiting for him to debut. My bank account belongs to Jaehyun.
-Looking at the reaction, a truck has already been hit. I knew this would happen.
-He's this handsome, but he also gives off the LeTi vibe? This must be a sign
Shin Jaehyun, who was already well-known, boasted an overwhelming response that was almost as if he had already been selected.
And on the stage with the lights on, Shin Jaehyun's performance was elegant and flawless, a perfect professional performance.
[The pain must be stinging]
The order was edited to contrast with the previous stage, which was unnaturally burdensome due to too much force, but it was a very appropriate stage the second time.
As Shin Jaehyun intended.
-I decided to vote for Shin Jaehyun;;;;
-Is he the leader? Okok, he has to become the leader.
-I can already hear the sound of a number of Homma accounts being created.
In survival shows, it was important to get one more hit in the latter half of the game.
So, despite hiding his capabilities, Shin Jaehyun, as always, achieved exactly the image he wanted.
'Indeed… !'
And Kim Raebin, who was purely watching, was nodding.
'His skills are as good as his personality.'
-Welcome.
He took notes, remembering Shin Jaehyun, who had a friendly attitude and even shook his hand. This was because he was writing down his impressions of each stage in his own way.
But those thoughts were soon interrupted
"Ah!"
Finally, the person he had been waiting for got on the airwaves.
What appeared on the screen was Ryu Gunwoo, neatly dressed, with his hair styled calmly.
And the Internet was once again in an uproar.
-Glasses man 1!! Oh, he's not wearing glasses here
-Ah, the cold prize is so preciousㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠThank you LeTi!!
-I've already paired him up with Shin Jaehyun, so the Bermuda line is firmly captured.
Because he was one of the trainees who became a hot topic because he was handsome.
At that time, Ryu Gunwoo's nickname appeared in the subtitles on the screen.
[Singing Genius]
It was so intuitive that it was cringey.
And it was also a nickname that no viewer expected.
-???? Singing skills?
-Genius?
This was because his nickname had nothing to do with his appearance.
-What is that? Is he the main vocalist?
-No, they're doing it to push for other visual members. I don't expect too much. But I'm looking forward to it.
└ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
- Doesn't that mean he's a facial genius?
-Oh, I think the subtitles are too overdone ㅋㅋㅋ
And the stage started quietly.
Ryu Gunwoo put his mouth to a clunkily large standing microphone and sang a surprisingly rich and atmospheric song.
He began to sing.
It was jazz.
It had the power to make viewers look at TV again even if they looked away, maintaining the emotional atmosphere while properly utilizing the high and low notes and technical parts.
-Ah
-?
-Oh gosh
-He's good at it
A reaction that barely produced an exclamation swept through the window.
And Kim Raebin, who was watching TV, clenched his fist.
He had an amazing ability, but somehow… There was something like a strange sense of satisfaction.
It was like the puzzle fit perfectly?
'I always thought he would be the main vocalist… Is it because of that?'
It was strange.
However, the evaluation stage lasted only about 2 minutes.
And the song ended quickly.
At the end, which allowed viewers to enjoy the lingering emotions from various angles, the president's outpouring of praise continued on the screen.
Ryu Gunwoo was just standing there neatly listening to the evaluation, but the Internet had started to properly evaluate the evaluation.
-For sure, main vocalist
-He's singing, he's singing perfectly.
- Glasses man… doesn't he dance well too?
└Is this real? Is it possible to be able to do everything?
-I was interested after seeing his face, but now that I've seen his first stage as well… Am I becoming a fan?
Moreover, as the interview with the president continued, new information emerged, and viewers were pleasantly surprised.
-He's only been a trainee for 3 months
-????
-No, is he the main character of a movie?? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
And the topic of current status was not left out.
[President Kim Taein: Which university were you a student of?]
[Ryu Gunwoo: Yonhee University]
[Ryu Gunwoo: That is where I went.]
'He's even good at studying!'
Kim Raebin nodded. He was somehow knowledgeable and spoke his words with confidence and flow!
Of course, not everyone passed it off as calmly as Kim Raebin.
(TN: In case you forgot, "Yonhee University" is a reference to Yonsei University, which is one of the most prestigious universities in Korea and is a part of the SKY (top 3) schools.)
-????
-Yonhee University? Is this the Yonhee University I know? — He'll have the role of main vocalist, he has that handsome face and is good at studying, and he was only a trainee for 3 months…
- Even comic books these days don't have plots like this. LeTi, is this real?
It was to the point where there was even talk about how this was possible.
-No, with that face, shouldn't he already be famous at Yonhee? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Wow, he has it all. It seems like it would be harder to hate him ㅋㅋ I'm already excited.
-Just looking at it, I can tell that his vocals were heavily edited to make it pop. It's a good idea, everyone.
└It looks like somebody is feeling inferior…
-I love it! So crazy, this is my first time seeing an idol like thisㅠㅠㅠㅠ Let's debut quickly, Gunwoo!!!
In the meantime, Ryu Gunwoo's sincere sentiments even managed to appeal to a point that seemed somewhat innocent.
The amount of mentions had soared to the point of explosion, but at the same time, the intensity of subtle antipathy had also intensified.
This was because appearing to have no weaknesses or trials in life evoked both admiration and resistance.
However, thanks to that, Ryu Gunwoo's buzz began to burn more brightly, as if he had met a catalyst.
[The identity of the handsome man with glasses who appeared as a FluffySweet year-end dancer.jpg]
[LeTi Survival trainees who seem to be a big hit]
And this fire even reached the area around Ryu Gunwoo.
• * *
I picked up my smartphone.
24 missed calls.
When I entered the messenger app, a series of chat windows appeared with new alarms popping up.
It also came In real-time.
[Speaker Lee Yujin: Why are you debuting?]
[Speaker Lee Yujin: Is being an idol something you really wanted to do? No…]
There was a lot of communication like this.
'… I didn't think of this.'
But it was an understandable development.
In the end, Ryu Gunwoo here suddenly appeared on TV as an idol trainee while he was in college, so it was natural for people who knew him to contact him out of curiosity.
'I must have left quietly.'
Looking at the list, most of the people I worked with seemed to be the same, so I didn't feel a sense of crisis due to rumors. Still, I needed to monitor the school community.
Ryu Chungwoo must have heard my phone ringing in the kitchen, and he opened his mouth.
"Some people asked me today too if I was your cousin."
Really?
"What did you say?"
"I said, 'I thought you guys knew that we're twins, not cousins?'"
"…"
Was he serious?
Ryu Chungwoo looked at my face and bursted into laughter.
"I'm just kidding, of course, I said you are a cool and good relative."
Then he sat down next to me and handed me a beer can with thin ice.
"… … !"
"What's the matter? Oh, hyung, you don't drink?"
"No."
I gladly grabbed the beer and opened the lid. And I drank it all in one go.
Tu-tu-tu-tuk!
It had been a long time since I had that refreshing, cheap taste.
This… Since it wasn't reality, I could think of it as having some fun.
"Is filming fun?
"Fairly."
I lowered the can and responded. In fact, this guy was notified of my participation only after my profile picture appeared on the Internet.
He checked first and then asked.
-Hyung, you didn't tell me you were appearing in something like this.
-… Uh, that's right.
I was able to roughly smooth out the situation after making an excuse to Ryu Chungwoo, saying, 'It wasn't confirmed and I didn't know what would happen.'
After it actually aired, his attitude changed a bit.
"I see. Surely… Just looking at this, it looks like you're having fun."
This guy watched the idol program quite favorably. Even now, he was naturally focusing on the TV screen,
Episode 2 was being aired to rave reviews.
[New participants appearing… ?]
Episode 2 ended infuriatingly with the appearance of the supplementary class.
The existing participants with stiff expressions passed by…
'It's okay.'
It was quite thrilling because of the unpredictable setting, I thought this survival show would do pretty well.
'Of course, we can't just end it at a good level.'
I chuckled, anticipating what kind of reaction would come in episodes 3 and 4.
I had to draw it out as much as possible until the second half.
Because it would go in a direction that people who were watching the early episodes could not easily predict.
• * *
[New competitors, 'Supplementary Group' appears!]
"What are you looking at?"
"Ah, the new LeTi show."
An idol group traveling by car.
The member who was sitting in the back and watching the program seriously was briefly interrupted.
He was watching 〈Wise〉. The member sitting next to him lightly jeered after seeing the LeTi logo on the screen.
"Ah, rookies are being formed?"
"Ew."
One or two other people reacted in the same way, but most of them were busy minding their own business.
Friendship, games, dating.
"…"
MS Entertainment's boy group, GY-ROP, had settled into the music industry smoothly, which was expected from a famous agency. It had already been 3 years.
As they won the main prize at most awards ceremonies and the settlement money from the tour began to increase, everyone showed their true colors.
'Oh~'
This bastard didn't even know the schedule.
The member who was looking at the screen held back a sigh, smiled, and turned his head.
"Hey, hyung, we're going to appear as mentors here, so I'm watching it as well~ I'll keep an eye on it!"
"Oh, well. Okay."
He could tell by his tone that the other member didn't know.
'Just keep your mouth shut.'
Lee Sejin naturally ignored the thought of twisting the corners of his mouth and resumed watching with a light smile.
'… He's good.'
In the screen that returned to episode 1, a participant was seen singing elegant jazz.
Perhaps because there was nothing awkward about the stage, it was particularly memorable.
"…"
Lee Sejin lifted his chin and looked at the screen.
Even though he made his long-awaited debut and everything was going more smoothly than he expected….
Somehow, he couldn't shake off this strange feeling of discomfort, as if was doing something that he wasn't supposed to be doing.
'What's wrong with me?'
It was still a cold winter.