14. Grading Evaluation (2)
At first, the judges were full of enthusiasm while evaluating, but they gradually became bored.
There were one or two gems or good raw materials before, but after seeing contestants who were just superficial and had poor skills, it was inevitable that they would lose interest.
When checking the next contestant, it was Gal Neoul, who had been added suddenly.
"Hello. I'm Gal Neoul."
When they raised their head, they first noticed his tall and well-built body. When they raised their gaze a little more, they saw his sculpted face.
"Oh.."
Everyone was wondering how attractive the contestant was that they had to cast him so suddenly.
Even before seeing his skills, they're convinced just by looking at his face.
Woo Yongdam, the main vocalist of the first-tier boy group Dunkis, who had just turned 10 this year and was wearing a Hawaiian T-shirt, thought as he fiddled with his pen.
'With visuals like that, even if his skills are a bit lacking, he'll still be in the top ranks through voting, right?'
I wish his skills were as good as his looks.
If the casting reason was just his looks, he think it would be disappointing. If that's the case, wouldn't there be other contestants who have better skills but get buried by Gal Neoul's visuals?
In this world, visuals are a skill, but...
People who voted for him because he was handsome and then when he debuted, they would judge him saying, "Are you a singer who can't even sing?" and criticize him like crazy. It's better to fail early than end up like that.
So please sing well.
"Then, sing the song you prepared right away."
"Yes."
Woo Yong-dam waited for the accompaniment to come out, and when Neoul started humming, his specialty, without any accompaniment, he was surprised and straightened his posture.
"Oh, what? It says it's a self-composed song?"
However, the evaluation sheet only had two letters written as the title,
It was usually a choice that you wouldn't make rashly if you weren't confident.
The other trainees have been practicing by selecting high-quality songs, so if you bring a song of a poor level and sing it, you will be compared and go down.
The melody that he was humming wasn't bad. No, honestly, it was nice to listen to.
'But... the structure is simple.'
On top of that, the contestant in front of him was an ordinary person with no experience as a trainee, so he couldn't help but be worried.
He listened half-heartedly, but Neoul's mouth opened.
[One day—]
'Huh...?'
A clear voice rang in his ears. A pure and beautiful voice spread far and wide.
Goosebumps ran down his spine from his toes to the top of his head.
'The game is over from the first line?'
An extraordinary person appeared. He could tell at a glance that he was a precious vocalist who would probably become a disruptive specie in the music industry.
His body naturally leaned forward. Woo Yong-dam closed his eyes and focused on Neoul's voice.
[Someone's affectionate voice was heard
And where I followed the sound,
Only an empty conch shell remained
And quietly swayed in the waves]
'It's beautiful.'
Woo Yong-dam held his breath and thought to himself. The beautiful vocals were added to the beautiful melody, and he fell into the illusion that he could hear the accompaniment even though it was unaccompanied.
Gal Neoul's vocals connected the section between true and falsetto very naturally, like flowing water.
[Somewhere—
I heard someone's anxious voice
And when I went to find the sound,
Only half-eaten seaweed remained
It was quietly swaying in the waves]
The high notes that went up smoothly went up comfortably without a single misalignment.
The soft and dreamy tone was warm as if it was embraced by clouds, but also cool as if riding the wind and hazy as if dreaming.
[One night—
I heard someone's happy voice
Where I followed the sound
There was nothing left
Quietly in the waves
Quietly in the waves]
The ending was soft, and the more he sang, the more mystical the unique tone stood out.
'It's like the instrument became a person.'
Before he knew it, he had stopped evaluating and was just listening absentmindedly.
It was that sound that made him realize the lyrics that kept repeating similarly. It had a structure like a nursery rhyme, but the lyrics overall felt somehow empty.
[I gave up my body and drifted away
Far away-]
It was neat, even the way he ended the song by dropping the last note along the slowed beat.
Woo Yong-dam closed his eyes for a moment and opened them to let out a deep aftertaste.
"Wow."
Applause erupted spontaneously. The reactions of the other judges on both sides were similar. They all excitedly picked up the microphone.
"No, contestant Gal Neoul. Why did you show up now?"
The judge, wearing a straw hat and a white one-piece dress, Hal A, the leader and producer of a seven-year-old girl idol group, was the first to speak.
"Huh?"
"Your mic-holding form is strangely awkward, but your vocals are extraordinary. I was embarrassed and disappointed that you brought an unfinished song without an accompaniment, but you wrote a good melody that covered up that disappointment in one breath."
"Thank you."
"The song composition itself is still lacking, but you show your talent. What kind of human being... No, where did you come from and why did you only show up now?"
Hal A, who is usually famous among fans for her outspokenness, was about to exclaim, "What kind of human being are you to sing so well?" but quickly changed her words.
Neoul picked up the mic to answer the question honestly, but Hal A raised her hand to stop him and continued talking. She didn't really want an answer when she asked the question.
"First of all, your tone is very attractive. If your tone is unique, you can usually go with a lot of genres and people might like or dislike it, but since your skills also support it, it's so comfortable and nice to listen to. Did you write the lyrics yourself?"
"I don't write, I just sing whatever comes to mind."
"What do you mean? You write it yourself, but you don't write down the lyrics and just sing it?"
"Yes."
"Haha, this guy is really boastful~"
Hal A didn't believe Neoul's words at all. It was definitely a simple repetition of lyrics like a nursery rhyme, but it's impossible to sing the same song from the beginning without writing it down and just memorizing it in your head.
Neoul didn't try to correct her and just stood still.
Hal A continued.
"The melody was beautiful, but somehow it felt empty and lonely. Wherever I heard the voice, there was no one and only waves remained. I want to ask what you were trying to express. What is it about?"
Neoul's answer was simple.
"It's an experience."
"Huh?"
"...?"
The judges exchanged glances, rolling their eyes as if they were moved by Neoul's blank expression.
'I guess you don't want to go into detail.'
Hal A finished her comment, looking embarrassed.
"I see...? Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the future."
The choreographer wearing a rash guard also agreed with Hal A's words. It was full of praise.
The choreographer asked, tapping her chin with a joyful expression.
"It says you have no experience as a trainee, where did you learn to sing?"
"The sea...."
"The sea?"
At that moment, Neoul, who was talking, stopped talking and continued.
"I learned a little bit from my aunt who lives by the sea... when I was young."
"Oh, really? Was your aunt a singer?"
"No. She makes medicine and prays."
"Medicine...? A researcher, but a Christian?"
Neoul hesitated, not knowing what to say, and reluctantly said, "Yes." And answered.
Woo Yong-dam, who had yielded the order of evaluation, listened to unnecessary talk with one ear and let it go out the other and picked up the microphone last.
"Gal Neoul participant."
Woo Yong-dam, who was choosing his words for a moment, thought back to the past when he had trained and studied for a long time to create his current vocal style.
When he was that age, how many times had he cried because things didn't go his way? Suddenly, his eyes felt wet.
A talent with crazy vocal skills and an outstanding ability to write melodies. As expected, true geniuses are given by the heavens.
"I thought it was fortunate that I was here today."
What a monster.
"I think I found a really precious treasure today. I listened carefully."
"Thank you."
While observing Neoul, Woo Yong Dam praised Neoul's courage that was not tense from beginning to end.
'I wonder if he is a stage person.....'
However, the evaluation is not over yet.
"But this is an idol survival show, right?"
"...."
"I think we need to see one dance to decide the rank."
"Yes."
Neoul nodded obediently.
'Do you dance well by any chance? If so, isn't that too much of a scam?'
Woo Yong Dam put down the mic while admiring the confident attitude of Neoul. But...
"
Keuhup! Cough! The choreographer who was drinking a beverage covered the mouth and coughed, staring at Neoul.
What, what have you prepared?
𝅘𝅥𝅮 𝅘𝅥 ♬ 𝅘𝅥𝅮♬ 𝅘𝅥𝅮 𝅘𝅥~
An overly cheerful and bright accompaniment popped out.
Neoul began to move his long, stretched-out arms and legs in a cute way. It was a choreography that he practiced all day yesterday and reviewed at night while reducing his sleep.
[Hey yo! Yo! Hello everyone!]
Where did all the dreaminess go, and his voice, which had become even cuter and more lively, struck the eardrums. After the greetings, he immediately introduced himself, and an exciting chorus burst out from the introduction.
[Look at me! I'm a baby octopus! (Octopus!)
In the shallow mud of the sea
A cute baby octopus! (Octopus!)
Little by little Little by little
Crawling~
I actually want to swim in the deep sea too!]
Neoul danced passionately and sang along. He even sang a girl idol unit song in one key.
[Stretch your legs! Stretch them out! (Stretch them out!)
Now let's go to the wider sea!
Actually, I'm a little scared
But when you actually go, it might be more fun than you think.
So now, don't be scared! (Don't be!)
Once again! Let's Go!]
The judges were very flustered by the unexpected song selection, but they decided to laugh because it was funny. With that handsome face, a contestant who wasted his talent by singing a cute and crazy song in the original key, and who danced the octopus dance diligently!
[Look at me! I'm a baby octopus! (Octopus!)]
The chorus started again, and the judges who had been lying on the table laughing out loud now started to sob. They couldn't come to their senses because of the unexpected charm.
Neoul didn't understand the context of why they were laughing, so he just danced diligently.
'Was the sea priestess right? Do I really look funny?' he seriously thought about it.
That serious and passionate appearance stimulated the viewers even more.
After Neoul's dance, the choreographer who had been shaking his shoulders intermittently to hold back laughter picked up the microphone.
"Keuheuheu..."
I should have said something harsh, saying that he tried hard, but honestly, he didn't do it well, but it was so funny that I couldn't say anything.
'What the hell is this kid? At the same time, I was confused because I wanted to see the octopus dance I just saw one more time while thinking, 'What the heck is he doing?'
It was ridiculous but also cute to see a big guy wriggling around and doing the octopus dance...
When I tried to talk, I burst out laughing so I couldn't judge.
Unlike when he sang a little while ago, this time he looked a little flustered and nervous, waiting for the evaluation seriously, so it was even more so.
If the song was a mess, he would have only been criticized, but since he was the main vocalist, he seemed even cuter....
'But I still have to say what I have to say.'
The choreographer barely managed to suppress the smile and brought the microphone to mouth.
"Does Neoul really want to be an idol?"
The question was sharp.
The choreographer thought that Neoul was an additional participant anyway, so he probably didn't take his participation very seriously, but speaking sharply is for the sake of the broadcast.
"It's cute, but
Neoul felt a little embarrassed by the aggressive tone of the person he was seeing for the first time. However, since he was someone who had been laughing out loud just a moment ago, he felt more playfulness than hostility, so he quickly recovered.
The choreographer asked.
"Why did you choose
Neoul thought about it for a moment.
Baek Gi-yeom recommended this song, but Neoul could have observed the other contestants practicing and chosen a different, more difficult song.
However, he didn't do that...
"Honestly, it was to show off my skills. It's true that I can't dance."
Neoul honestly admitted that he couldn't do what he couldn't do. That way, he could learn properly and develop in the future.
And.
"I can't dance... but I still wanted to do it well as much as I could. Without making any mistakes."
I thought it was important to admit that I couldn't do it, but do my best within the scope of what I could do.
So instead of challenging myself to a dance that was above my level and showing a poor performance, I chose something that I could do well with my current skills.
In conclusion, I did the octopus dance perfectly without a single wrong move.
"Ahem, that's possible. It's good that you're honest! It's admirable! You did well."
The choreographer readily agreed.
"Still, I hope you can show me how to boldly convey a more difficult dance next time."
"Yes. I will work hard."
Neoul's eyes lit up with determination to do so.
"That, that's right."
The judges nodded and added a word each, then turned off their microphones and discussed the rankings.
The gap between vocals and dance was so severe that it was difficult to decide which ranking to send him to.
"The seat that Gal Neoul will be sitting in is..."
Woo Yongdam took the microphone and announced the results.
"It's business class."
—