Chapter 11
Time passed quickly.
The judges, who had gathered together for the final rating evaluation of
"The atmosphere is really dark."
"Yeah. It feels like I'm at a movie theater."
"What are the curtains for?"
"I don't know. There hasn't been any news."
"Sia wouldn't know?"
There were quite a few calls for Choi Sia, who served as both a judge and MC.
But there was no way it could reach her ears since she wasn't there.
As a program that received a huge amount of investment, the filming set for
The final ratings were to take place in a tiered auditorium that was almost as large as a large movie theater.
The judges thought they would simply evaluate the trainees' grades by watching their
The notice delivered by Choi Sia, who slowly came to the center stage, contained very different content.
"Hello, national managers, this is the last preliminary stage of
Applause came from behind the blackout curtain drawn behind the judges' table.
As everyone else shared a look of bewilderment, Choi Sia continued speaking with a smile.
"Behind the judges' table are the trainees who will be taking the ranking evaluation today. That means everyone is watching the trainees' performances together."
"I bet they're really nervous."
"I thought I would only watch videos."
"Me too."
"The production team has set up the system in a brutal way."
The production team that brought about the plot twist was met with praise that was almost like criticism.
"Here, the direction pursued by
As Choi Sia raised her hand, more curtains fell down from the ceiling.
A dark barrier that meticulously blocks even the judges' view.
And just in time, a giant screen rose from the floor.
"Yes. The trainees who are on stage cannot see you. The only thing that unfolds before them is darkness. You will have to watch to see who can better overcome the psychological pressure of performing alone in this vast space. You will be able to see who can show off their 100% skills."
"Wow, this is harder than I thought."
"It wasn't just about putting pressure on."
"Judges, please watch the live video broadcast on the screen and give your evaluations. Now, we will begin the final ratings."
The order of standing on stage was also one of the devices created by the production team.
Usually, the order is determined by rank. Lower rank first, or higher rank first.
However, in order to add tension to the pressure, the production team decided to randomize the order.
"Here's the next trainee. Trainee number 21 from Underground, please come up on stage."
The method in which the person whose name is written on the ball drawn by Choi Sia goes up on stage.
In short, you never know when your name will be called, no matter how high or low your rank is.
It means that you have to keep preparing to go on stage.
When you go up on stage, not even knowing your turn, you get the feeling of standing alone in this vast space.
This really is a harsh environment for trainees.
The judges, who were well aware of this fact, decided to look at the trainees who appeared in the beginning with a slightly more lenient gaze.
It was clear that he was trembling with tension.
"I, I will be with you until the end!"
"oh my...."
"He lost his voice like that; his mental state will deteriorate even more."
"That's too bad."
But even thinking about it that way, the early turns were a miserable mess on stage.
The judges were feeling not only frustrated but also had a headache because mistakes were made in the same part over and over again.
"I told you it would be difficult, but... ."
"Senior, was that the case in your class too?"
"Is that the devil's zone for all trainees? It's so hard to maintain the pitch."
"That's true."
The mistakes that came out of the vocals were to be expected.
There were a few difficult times when it was difficult to sing live while dancing.
However, the dance judges, who had emphasized the importance of the basics and thoroughly asked the contestants to memorize the choreography, felt like they were going into an abyss.
"No, ha... ... . I've repeated that several times, why did he get it wrong?"
Baek Kang-woo and Ha Sang-pil were left tearing their hair out as they watched even mainstream trainees make ridiculous mistakes.
Thanks to this, the first hour of the final ratings was filled with a heavy atmosphere.
However, trainees who were proud of being Tier 1 here and there breathed oxygen into the show by showing a stage without any major mistakes.
"It's been fine so far."
"That's right. So it's going to be the same rank as in the level test?"
"There is no noticeable increase in rank, unlike what I expected."
As they continued to listen to the same song, fatigue naturally built up.
There were few contestants who offered a fresh twist, and none whose skills improved dramatically.
At that time, Choi Sia pulled out a ball with the name of a trainee written on it and announced it.
"The next trainee is here. Trainee Karis von Walden, please come up on stage."
As soon as they heard that name, the judges instinctively sat up straight.
In particular, Ha Sang-pil, a dance expert judge who had given harsh criticism during the last practice session, had a glint in his eyes.
A well-built new figure walked up from the bottom of the stage.
Watching him take a ready stance, Bae Kang-woo twirled his ballpoint pen.
'Let's see how much more practice he's had since then.'
He remembered the time when he had given a short one-on-one session to Karis, who was in the practice room late at night.
To be honest, it was just a few practical tips rather than the overall mechanics of dancing.
He is very curious to see what changes have occurred in just a few days.
"Let's begin."
The intro that they had heard more than 30 times today flowed out of the speakers.
Karis von Walden crouched down and then slowly rose to his feet, stretching his arms out to the sides.
And the moment he raises his head, which he had been bowing down, and he looks straight ahead.
"...."
Baek Kang-woo, who was looking at the LED screen, stopped the pen he was turning for a moment.
He had a very good memory.
Since creating countless choreographies and teaching them to idols is a daily routine, he naturally developed the habit of memorizing each individual's unique characteristics.
He witnessed a look in Karis' eyes that was significantly different from the expression he showed during the level test.
A point he had been emphasizing so far.
Dancing is not just following choreography but also showing the audience your own charm.
Whether it comes from confidence or the ability to interpret lyrics, it's important that the other person finds it appealing and not dry.
「In the dark darkness
I can hear my breathing
Scary, scary
I can't see anything」
The one-leg pivot movement that many trainees make mistakes with.
This is a posture that can easily collapse if the foot used as an axis does not have strength.
But Karis overcame this crisis smoothly.
Even though it wasn't just a simple movement, you could feel power in the dance line.
'It's a subtle difference, but... it feels much more alive than when he did the level test.'
Baek Kang-woo focused on Karis' face while taking in the overall lines.
What weapon can only Karis von Walden unleash?
He was the one who had provided some guidance on the direction that Karis had suggested during the last one-on-one session.
A charming point that others cannot imitate.
It's about utilizing your natural visuals.
Along with dance lines, dynamics, and mechanisms, facial expressions are what most effectively bring out the performance.
Because the parts that others perceive as charismatic are entirely revealed in the performer's expression.
Karis listened carefully to Bae Kang-woo's advice and worked hard to sharpen his sword.
「But I want to enjoy this moment
An obvious outcome is no fun
I'll tell you here now
I am the one who shines the brightest」
The long-awaited chorus is imminent.
The introduction has been great so far, but the question is how much charm is radiated in the chorus, also known as the killing part.
Baek Kang-woo leaned forward a little more and stared at the screen.
「Yes it's the show time
It's the time I've been dreaming of
Shine your light on me
I will definitely go with you
From a higher place
Yes, I'm the Winner!」
The tempo continued smoothly without slowing down.
Karis' dance, which had not been well understood in terms of speed or intensity control, has developed noticeably.
'Okay, now it's the last important moment.'
A finishing move where you flick your wrists along the beat, then look straight ahead and spread your arms up and down.
It was Bae Kang-woo who made room in the choreography to appeal to the numerous people who watch
Trainees who were not familiar with the choreography didn't even have the energy to take care of this part.
Some trainees who made it to the top tiers used this brief 2-second moment wisely and delivered excellent performances.
"Shine your light on me!"
And Karis von Walden never missed this point.
He tilted his head slightly to the side, striking a pose that was both classic and effective.
Just once, his left eyelid closed, and he gave a refreshing wink.
"Yeah, that's how you should use it!"
Baek Kang-woo spoke loudly without realizing it.
Point choreography was created in anticipation of a single camera shot.
There were some trainees who were conscious of this and showed off excessive facial expressions.
Karis used his talents only to the extent necessary.
"... It wasn't like that until a few days ago."
"Really? But he is dancing so well right now?"
Seo In-hwan opened his eyes wide at Ha Sang-pil's muttering.
"To be honest, his skills aren't all that great."
"Kangwoo, isn't that a technique?"
"In terms of the technique itself, there are still some details that need to be improved. However, the expressiveness has improved significantly compared to before. It's not like he was just copying and pasting the choreography we showed them, but he had figured out how to make the movements look a little more stylish and what kind of facial expressions to make it more interesting."
Baek Kang-woo observed Karis' last dance break while giving a brief explanation.
There was one more thing he realized:
The current stage environment naturally creates the pressure of not seeing anyone in front of you.
Just like the level test, there were quite a few trainees who couldn't handle this burden and collapsed, but Karis still showed no signs of wavering.
'It would be really fun to see a confident kid like that properly equip himself with the skills.'
Karis von Walden, who took an ending pose while breathing heavily, nodded and finished the final rating evaluation.
Applause erupted from the judges' table.
"He is dancing with feelings."
"Once you have a good face, whatever you do looks cool."
"The singing was also stable."
"There was no sound deviation from the original... The technique is still lacking, but I think it's better than the others. What about Chae-Hyun?"
Baek Chae-hyun, who is in charge of vocals, also nodded to Seo In-hwan's question.
"I think it will get much better if he keeps working on it. It's been a while since I've felt my passion burning, senior."
"Yeah, yeah. You teach him well. The tone is really soft and pleasant to listen to."
Meanwhile, Ha Sang-pil was still blinking and staring at the screen.
"I'm sure it didn't feel that way when I first saw it."
"He practiced hard until late at night."
"Kangwoo, did you see that?"
"I was on my way home after the session when I saw the lights in the practice room were on, so I went to check it out, and it was really Karis."
When Bae Kang-woo casually mentioned Karis's eyewitness account, the judges, including Ha Sang-pil, quietly exclaimed in surprise.
"He looks like a noble prince, but he also has the temperament of a practice bug. Isn't this a series of image reversals?"
"... He had definitely brought out the joy of dancing in a short period of time. I guess you can't say he has no talent at all."
"Hey, even Sangpil, who is sometimes said to be more poisonous than rain, is praising him. What's going on?"
"I will admit what I must admit, senior."
After the stage is over, trainees move to the tier announcement room and check their final tier on the screen.
After some discussion, the judges unanimously decided on the rating of Karis von Walden.
[Congratulations! Trainee Karis von Walden is now Tier 1.]
After seeing the results in the presentation room, Baek Kang-woo looked happily at Karis, who clenched both hands.
It was a moment when the specialness that had bloomed in his heart without his knowledge grew even bigger.
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