The Malicious Member is Back! - Chapter 15
Although it was called ‘mentor evaluation,’ in reality, it was about identifying prospective trainees and those with no potential through the psychology of lining up in advance.
‘The MC can’t directly say that.’
“To support the trainees, please send your cheers, Star Shooters!”
After finishing the explanation, Choi Gaon spread his arms wide and shouted.
“Now, let’s welcome the mentors who will be with us from the boys’ first stage to the last stage! Mentors, please come in!”
From Min Si Young, Na Ji Hyuk, Moon Yun Ha to Jin Dasol.
As they safely took their seats as mentors, Choi Gaon smiled brightly and spoke to them.
“Mentors, soon you will meet the boys waiting nervously behind the stage. Before that, could you please introduce yourselves and share your determination for today’s evaluation with the viewers?”
Singer Min Si Young and rapper Na Ji Hyuk, seasoned in the broadcast industry, spoke briefly and professionally.
Skill, eagerness, and possibilities.
And, fairness, fairness, and more fairness.
The issue was the two controversial judges.
“I’ll let the others take care of the fairness, so I’ll just look at the members who fit my aesthetic, because they’re the ones I’ll keep watching.”
What Moon Yun Ha, a confident-looking woman with long hair hanging down her back, said as soon as she took the microphone was, quite literally, unconventional.
It hadn’t even been officially announced that Moon Yun Ha would be managing the group’s debut on Survivor, but Moon Yun Ha showed no hesitation.
She was the kind of person who seemed to say what she was thinking as soon as it came out of her mouth.
Jin Dasol, on the other hand, was dressed head to toe in black.
“I’ll watch, I’ll think.”
…That’s it?
“Cut! Okay, I’m going to cut you off for a second, Ms. Yun Ha, Mr. Dasol, may I have a moment?”
The main PD tried to get a few more cuts from them, but they were both so stubborn that they just kept saying variations of what they had already said time and time again.
My way is like this, and being reserved is like this.
Everyone in the studio, excluding those two, could feel it.
The upcoming shoots wouldn’t be easy.
And that wasn’t much different for the trainees waiting backstage.
* * *
It’s survival because you don’t know what’s going to happen.
I might have gotten in last time, but this time I might not.
In the previous Targeting Star, I finished in the final six and joined Arrows with such hard work it was like doing pull-ups. So, it couldn’t help but be tense.
As I chewed my lip while watching the other trainees perform, Kim Joo An, who was standing in the distance, shifted his feet and came to my side.
Confirming there were no cameras, Kim Joo An spoke so only I could hear.
“Hey, Kim Chunyong.”
“Don’t say useless things and go loosen up your throat somewhere.”
Even with my warm advice, Kim Joo An didn’t back down.
“How about you just give up here?”
What bullsh*t was this?
As I stared at Kim Joo An as if I were looking at the subway map on Line 1, Kim Joo An whispered with a sly smile on his face.
“I clearly told you, Kim Chunyong. The rest is all your choice.”
I became more serious and spoke softly.
“…Hey, Kim Joo An.”
“What?Are you trying to sound all smug and know-it-all again? It really doesn’t work anymore, because….”
“No, you’re being called.”
“What!?”
It was real.
“Trainee Kim Joo An? Please come up to the stage!”
“Oh, goodness….”
Kim Joo An hastily ascended the stage at the MC’s call, pronouncing his name.
“Forget giving me advice. You’re a guy who doesn’t even know the right order to go out.”
Feeling somewhat deficient like an incomplete installation, I spaced out for a moment, blinking my eyes to regain focus.
Ignoring the nonsensical chatter from Kim JooAn.
Due to our shared agency affiliation, it was now my turn.
“Kim Joo an, trying to achieve my dream. I’ll do my best!”
After the mentors’ encouragement and banter, Kim Joo An’s performance soon followed.
A bit of a bad habit but decent dance, vocals omitting high notes, yet with an acceptable range. Although he wasn’t exceptionally talented, it was challenging to find noticeable flaws.
Still, he was that good, so even if he skipped practice and prepared roughly, he eventually debuted and got on track.
I think his personality is the problem, not his talent.
“…….”
However, the mentors’ thoughts were different.
They were kings wielding absolute power on this stage.
After Kim Joo An’s performance, Min Si Young, the senior, took the microphone first.
“Trainee Kim Joo An.”
“Yes, yes?”
“Just because you can’t hit the high notes, are you never going to sing songs in that vocal range?”
“…Uhhh.”
Kim Joo An hiccuped at Min’s sharp point.
She clicked her tongue lightly, as if to say that she didn’t like it either.
“Did you watch the performances of the trainees earlier? Even if something is lacking, they all came prepared with something special to show their strengths. But with Trainee Kim Joo An, I don’t see that. It feels like someone said, ‘Just do this,’ and you did it. That’s not how it should be.”
Kim Joo An received a more cutting evaluation than expected.
And even if one were to say it was too harsh, each statement was painfully accurate, making the sentences more agonizing.
It was the sobering evaluation of a female solo artist who had brought a small planning agency to the stock market.
Taking the microphone from her, Na Ji Hyuk smiled awkwardly and comforted Kim Joo An.
“I wasn’t bad. Both the dance and song were above average, so… I hope you don’t get too discouraged. There’s room for improvement, especially the way your expression changes during the performance. That’s a significant strength.”
It’s the carrot after the whip, so to speak.
“T-Thank you…”
However, Min Si Young’s whip was so harsh and sharp that Kim Joo An’s mental state showed no signs of recovering anytime soon.
I clicked my tongue.
Seven years ago, I remembered the words the mentors said after the whip.
“…..”
“Honestly, you know you’re not the most handsome person, don’t you? I don’t like that nose, I don’t like that nose, I don’t know why I watched this show, it’s all just not my cup of tea, I feel a little… off.”
Although it was edited for broadcast due to its intensity, the evaluations from Jin Dasol and Moon Yun Ha were even more ruthless.
Well, no. Jin Dasol didn’t say anything and just made an ‘X’ with his hands, but whatever.
“More, I’ll, I’ll work harder, ugh, I’m sorry….”
Eventually, with tears falling, Kim Joo An finished his performance and headed towards the spot where the trainees were seated.
Unfortunately, with no one else around and the other trainees avoiding eye contact, there was no one to comfort Kim Joo An.
It was strange to see him crying because he had been verbally abused by the mentors, even though he was the same annoying guy who had been arguing with me.
Did I feel a sense of sympathy for the person I’d been cursing at?
Or maybe I’m just feeling sorry for him because he looks even younger than he did then.
Anyway, my idle thoughts couldn’t last long.
“Now, let’s meet Kim Choo, trainee Kim Chunyong!”
Now it was my turn.
I stepped into the center of the stage where the spotlight was pouring, took a deep breath, and moved my feet confidently.
I have to smile.
Because this is the first impression that everyone sees.
As brightly as possible. Look good.
…And, to look more desperate than anyone else.
“Hello, Spring Chun! Yong Yong! I’m Kim Chunyong!”
