"Shootdol?"
As Woo Hwang-seon frowned, his mother Kim Hee-seon asked.
"What is that?"
It was perfectly normal for a couple to not know.
The youth development program called 'Run, Shootdol' was being aired for the first time this year, so it wasn't widely known to everyone.
"Over here!"
Hoyoung grabbed the couple's hands and led them into the room, then pointed at the monitor with his finger.
An Internet article was open on the monitor screen.
The couple simultaneously scratched their heads when they saw the article title written in bold letters.
"What is a shooter? Do you know him?"
"No, this is the first time I've heard of this? Was there a program like this?"
Woo Hwang-seon slowly scrolled down the mouse wheel and read the article.
"Let's see. The 'Jump Shoot-dol' audition to be held on September 3rd is a new corner of Happy Sunday currently airing on MBS, a youth development program for children between the ages of 8 and 10. The director of FC Shoot-dol, which will be established the following month, will be Kim Jung-guk of Turbo, an active singer······."
Woo Hwang-seon lowered his head with a very serious expression on his face.
Hoyoung opened his bright eyes.
"Dad, I want to do this."
Hoyoung held the couple's hands tightly while making a cute face in his own way.
Then the couple laughed.
"Why is our Hoyoung so energetic today?"
"Hahaha! If my son wants to do something, of course we have to let him do it!"
Woo Hwang-seon accepted with a hearty smile.
What parent would be able to refuse a child who wants this much, even if it means putting him or her in their eyes?
Moreover, since it didn't cost any money to audition, there was absolutely no reason not to accept.
Time passed and it was already Saturday, September 3rd.
The location is Paju NFC, a training facility of the Korea Football Association. It is usually used by the national soccer team at all levels, but today, it was scheduled to be used for the Run Shootdol audition.
While the audition was being prepared, the production team gathered together to do a final review of the documents.
"So you're saying we'll narrow it down to at least eight and at most ten of them?"
"That's what I said."
Producer Choi Hyeong-jae, who was holding the megaphone, waved 300 pages of documents.
The competition rate is about 30 to 1.
With as many as 300 applicants flocking in, the document screening had actually already been completed last night.
"There's nothing much to look at, let's just focus on the ones we summarized yesterday."
Before the auditions even began, about thirty children were selected.
The classification criterion was definitely appearance.
This is because producer Choi Hyeong-jae's plan was to further highlight the show's nature as an entertainment show, even though it was disguised as a youth development program.
The cast members who will be the stars of the drama need to be attractive and cute to help the show succeed.
"Then do you select people without looking at their skills at all?"
There was a young man at one end of the table who raised a question.
"Ah, Mr. Jeongguk."
Kim Jung-guk.
He was a singer who was cast as the director of Shootdol, and his characteristic feature was his narrow eyes that disappeared whenever he smiled.
PD Choi Hyeong-jae answered.
"Well. I decided to make the concept a challenge for the last place contestants. If it's not good enough to be a hot topic, I won't include it at all. Oh, and today, Jungkook said he'd take the kids' test, right?"
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"yes."
"We're going to make a promotional video for it, so please be careful with the kids. But don't be too gentle. Just enough to spark interest. Do you know what I mean?"
"Of course. I will work hard."
When Kim Jung-guk revealed his ambition, PD Choi Hyeong-jae stood up from his seat.
"Okay, let's see. Is there a friend worth saving?"
The audition took place in a mini soccer set surrounded by tents.
Within a few minutes, the participants entered one by one in order.
"Please introduce yourself to our friend."
"Hello. I am Tae-hu Kim from class 3, grade 2 at Dongseong Elementary School!"
It's already been three hours since the audition started.
Producer Choi Hyeong-jae, as expected from a veteran, had already outlined the cast.
'One shy kid. Two mischievous kids. One dignified kid. One girl. Two cute kids. One handsome kid. That's pretty much it for the cast······.'
PD Choi Hyeong-jae, who had organized his thoughts, said:
"Was the kid okay just now?"
"Yes. Looking at it, I think it'll be a hot topic because it has a bit of a mischievous image. And there's no overlap with other kids' images either."
"Okay. Let's just put it on the final list and move on. Okay, next."
Swish.
"hello!"
A confident voice echoed throughout the audition room along with the sound of documents being turned.
Confidence that commands attention.
However, the moment PD Choi's gaze turned to the child, a lukewarm reaction came out.
"Is your name Woo Ho-young?"
"yes."
"hmm."
He was neither handsome nor tall.
Besides, by the time she was in the third grade, she was already past the cute age, and she didn't have any notable achievements.
There was nothing that seemed like a box office hit.
'As expected.'
But since the audition had to be held in a formal manner, PD Choi asked.
"Do you like soccer?"
"Yes! As much as the sky and the earth!!"
"Haha! Then if you have prepared anything like a long-term bragging right now, would you like to show it to me?"
"yes."
Hoyoung went to the corner and picked up a soccer ball lying on the floor.
"Hey, you're good at soccer, so show off your long-term skills?"
"This is my specialty."
"hmm?"
"Hehehe!"
That's how Hoyoung's long-term bragging started.
Talk.
Hoyoung placed the ball on top of his foot and started lifting it.
It was a basic lift using both feet, but it was not an easy technique to do at a young age.
Moreover, it doesn't end there.
Thump! Thump!
"Ooh."
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"Wow! Good job!"
I started bouncing the ball using various parts of my body, from head to toe.
People were so absorbed in the performance that it was almost like a miracle, without any thought for evaluation.
"Hey. Did you practice a bit?"
"Haha… this is really…."
Exclamations poured in like mushrooms.
What Hoyoung prepared was not an ordinary individual skill, but a skill he had honed over the past month.
Could this be a collaboration of 24-year-old soccer experience and soccer prodigy talent?
Hoyoung showed everything he had prepared without leaving anything out.
"Wow. PD Choi. Isn't that kid a soccer prodigy?"
"Hmm. That seems to be the case, but······. Let's just wait and see for now."
PD Choi said to Hoyoung.
"Well then, my friend, we're going to take a simple test now. Are you confident?"
"Is it a test?"
As Hoyoung tilted his head, Kim Jeong-guk, the tester in charge, stepped forward holding a ball.
"I'm going to play a game with my brother from now on. I'll block, so Hoyoung will score a goal. What do you think? Do you understand what I mean?"
"yes."
The testing method was similar to freestyle football played on the streets.
A game where you win by putting the ball into a small goal placed in the corner.
Not being able to score a goal did not mean you were disqualified.
Because it was just a test to produce scenes to be used in a promotional video for the program rather than to evaluate skills.
That's why Kim Jung-guk also planned to take it easy.
however.
Knock, knock.
"Huh?"
Kim Jung-guk made a dejected expression.
Hoyoung easily got past Kim Jeong-guk with a surprise dribble.
"Hey... You're not only good at lifting, are you?"
Kim Jung-guk said as he passed the ball to Ho-young.
"Should we try again?"
I wasn't going to let it go this time.
It's not that I have a competitive spirit against elementary school students, it's just that I was really curious.
Whether he is truly gifted or not.
But at that moment, Hoyoung opened up a shooting angle in an instant with a short dribble and immediately shot!
That's a pretty solid mid-range shot, too.
Crash!
Kim Jeong-guk was truly amazed when the ball hit the goal net.
"Hey! You're good!"
It was an intelligent play to shoot from a distance because he was no match for his physical strength.
This was proven by the fact that even Kim Jung-guk, who is known to be quite good at catching the ball among celebrities, was impressed.
This boy named Woohoyoung is a kid who plays soccer a bit.
'nice!'
After finishing his turn, Hoyoung left the audition room in a good mood.
Judging from the production team's reaction, it seemed like this would be enough to pass.
'The hard practice is paying off!'
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The first button was buttoned properly.
And if you can get on the air properly in the future, it wouldn't be impossible for you to become famous overnight.
'Pro teams will be desperate to recruit each other. Then I'll be like Lee Kang-min... Hehe.'
The best output from Shootdol is definitely Lee Kang-min.
He was a soccer prodigy who rose to stardom overnight, capturing the attention of soccer fans across the nation with his overwhelming skills.
Thanks to that, he was able to follow the elite course by joining the prestigious Spanish club Valencia CF.
'Valencia? I'm going to Barça! Or Real?! Anyway, just wait a minute!'
It was the moment when Hoyoung took a step forward with an excited heart.
"Hoyoung!"
It was the young man who followed Hoyoung out of the audition room.
"Brother Kim Jung-guk!"
"Oh? Do you know who your brother is?"
"Yes. I saw it on Music Bank."
"Hahaha! I see. But you're really good at soccer!"
Kim Jung-guk shook his head and threw his fist at Ho-young.
And in return, when Hoyoung bumped fists into Kim Jung-guk, he laughed heartily.
"Hahaha! You brat."
"By the way, are you appearing here too, hyung?"
"Yeah. My brother was put in charge of the film."
"Aha. Huh? Mom!"
"hmm?"
While Kim Jung-guk knelt down to be eye level with Ho-young, Woo Hwang-seon and Kim Hee-sun were walking towards him from the other side.
"Hello. I am Hoyoung's father."
"Ah, so this is Hoyoung's father and mother! Hello."
When Kim Jeong-guk bowed in greeting, Woo Hwang-seon tilted his head in response.
"I feel like I've seen you somewhere before······."
The same goes for Kim Hee-sun.
As my head was spinning, as if an idea was coming to me, Hoyoung opened his lips.
"Dad. It's Kim Jung-guk hyung. Black cat Nero."
"Ah! Oh my. I didn't know you were famous. Hehe. Hello."
"Oh, no, Dad. I saw Hoyoung inside and he's really good at soccer."
"Haha! Thank you. He's my son, but I still find it a bit surprising."
"I mean, isn't it possible to go abroad right now?"
"Hahaha!"
Even though it was their first time meeting, the two got along well.
"Anyway, I hope it turns out well."
"Thank you. Take care."
"Okay. Then, be careful on your way back. Hoyoung, fighting!"
"Good luck to you too, hyung!"
Just as he was about to turn around, Hoyoung's eyes began to pick up on letters he had never seen before.
[Kim Jung-guk]
Talent possessed
-Healthman's solid muscles (C)
-The thin voice of a ballad singer (C)
(You can pursue one talent if you meet the conditions.)
(Condition 1: Exercise together for more than 60 minutes)
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'I don't know.'
Hoyoung shouted urgently.
"Brother Kim Jung-guk!"
"huh?"
"Hey, can you recommend some protein supplements······!"