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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: Speaking Through the Stage
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A few days later. A video was uploaded to M-Ten's account on O-Tube.
▶ [M-Ten X Colors = ?]
▶ ['Make a New Color' teaser. 07.03 (fri) 9 PM]
Oh!
Ah, this is that Colors' new girl group survival show.
2:11 Who is she What's her name
Eng sub plz
It wasn't a long video.
After the silhouettes of twelve trainees appeared, an unfamiliar song's intro began to play.
Their heads were bowed, making it difficult to distinguish their faces.
And the moment Kim Ryeo-yu, the center, lifted her head,
The video ended.
★
[Coming soon]
[We'll be your new color]
[07.03 (fri) 9 PM]
The fact that Colors was launching a new girl group survival show was already known through news articles, so it wasn't particularly surprising.
The initial reaction was also rather lukewarm.
Analysis of trainees appearing on Colors' new girl group launch program
First, the center whose face was clearly shown: Kim Ryeo-yu (rumored to be Director Kim Mo-gyeong's niece)
On either side of the center: Seo Baek-yeong, Ryu Bo-ra
Next to Ryu Bo-ra: Kim Geum
The rest seem to be undisclosed trainees?
Oh, Ryu Bo-ra is appearing.
Did Ryu Bo-ra quit acting?
What's the center's name?
└ Kim Ryeo-yu
└ Isn't she that one? The public trainee?
└ Colors didn't reveal her, sasaengs did, lololol.
└ Doesn't really seem like center material, why is she the center?
└ It says she's Director Kim Mo-gyeong's niece, read the post.
└ ? Who's Kim Mo-gyeong?
└ Colors' Director.
As trainees from Colors, a major agency, several of them already had some level of recognition.
Albeit, with a slightly 'displeased' undertone.
Especially given the nature of idol survival programs, the center received the most scrutiny.
Specifically, Kim Ryeo-yu.
Seriously, can't anything in South Korea run without connections?
└ It's not even official yet, stop overreacting, lol.
└└ You're the one overreacting, Ryeo-fan, lol.
Ah, lol, Colors' only good point was how amazing their trainees were, even if their management was trash, but this time the kids aren't even that great. Thanks, Colors, for making me want to leave the fandom.
└ For real, lol. It was Colors' master plan to make us all leave the fandom.
└ The center herself is a no-go.
└ They should've just made Ryu Bo-ra or Kim Geum the center, at least they're known faces, lol.
└ Kim Geum as center? Lol. Just seizing the moment to mention Kim Geum, lol. Tsk tsk.
Seo Baek-yeong is appearing ㅠ I hope she debuts this time.
└ Wasn't she part of WhiteNoise's debut lineup?
└ What nonsense, lol. If you gathered all the trainees who claimed to be in WhiteNoise's debut lineup, you could probably form a whole new entertainment company.
└ Seo Baek-yeong was already a 4-year trainee back then, lol. Know what you're talking about.
For real, Colors just sucks out all the talent and never debuts the kids.
└ If she was good enough to debut, she would have, lol. They're a profit-seeking company, do you think they'd debut someone just because they're fond of them?
As trainees from Colors, a major agency, several of them already had some level of recognition.
Prime examples included Ryu Bo-ra, Seo Baek-yeong, Kim Ryeo-yu, and—
Huh? The rapper, I've seen her somewhere before.
└ Isn't she that one? From Unpretty Money.
└ Ah, lol, she got totally crushed in the main round, lol.
└ Yep, lololol.
└ Colors really needs to drop that "talented" title, lol. They should have fair competition.
└ ? Kim Geum withdrew due to health reasons back then, didn't she? Get your facts straight.
└ Yeah~ She probably bailed because she was afraid of getting crushed again~
Colors trainee discovered by the Genius-Prodigy-Talent Scouting Team.jpg
The kid who appeared as a rap prodigy is now on Colors' girl group survival show.
Please show lots of interest in Make a New Color.
Please show lots of interest in our Geum-Geum too.
It was Kim Geum.
Kim Geum, in particular, had appeared on a rap survival program, so she already had her own fanbase.
Ryu Bo-ra, who had been active as a child actress for a long time, was, of course, no exception.
When will the kids' profiles be released?
M-Ten, do some work!
Release some self-introduction videos ㅠ We can't even promote them without any content.
Had they responded to the fans' urging?
A short while later, a bit more content was released.
-Whoa, it's out!
▶ [We Speak Through Our Stages! |Kim Ryeo-yu||Dance| 1-Minute Self-Introduction Through Performance ♥]
▶ [We Speak Through Our Stages! |Ryu Bo-ra||Sing| 1-Minute Self-Introduction Through Performance ♥]
…
It was individual self-introduction videos.
***
Today was the day to film the self-introduction videos.
Instead of going to Colors as usual, the trainees headed to a studio rented by the broadcasting station.
"Alright, you'll each be filming your self-introduction videos."
Regardless of the trainees' anxieties, PD O Baek-gyeong appeared with a wide smile.
How annoying.
"You'll get exactly one minute. For that minute, I won't care what you do. Okay?"
I listened to the explanation in silence.
One minute seemed quite tight, but that one minute wasn't the problem.
"However, there's just one thing."
This was the problem.
"No talking. No unnecessary explanations or self-introductions."
PD O Baek-gyeong said with the most excited expression in the world.
"You all want to be idols, right? What's an idol all about? The stage, of course, the stage. So your first impression should be made purely through your performance."
Are you kidding me?
Then at least give us time to prepare in advance.
This was the problem with PD O Baek-gyeong. Sure, idols speak through their stages? The intention is good.
But are idols machines? Do stages just pop out when you press a button?
If he gave us even a minimal heads-up, we could prepare.
Despite PD O Baek-gyeong's irritating words, the trainees simply wore resigned expressions, no one uttered a protest.
Of course, it could also be because protesting would be useless anyway...
More likely, trainees aiming for the debut lineup would each have at least one killer performance ready.
Of course, I was no different.
Especially since I,
[ First Self-Introduction Videos Revealed! Idols Speak Through Their Stages? Netizens 'Praise' Fresh Self-Introduction Method]
Thanks to a phone notification sent by that Cotton Lump guy yesterday, I knew in advance.
If you think knowing a day earlier doesn't allow for much preparation, you'd be mistaken.
A one-day difference in stage preparation is incredibly significant.
In that regard, I could say I owe Cotton Lump this time.
Or perhaps not?
I'm working for Cotton Lump to begin with, so shouldn't this kind of information be a given?
...But why does Cotton Lump notify me via news alerts instead of just appearing in person to tell me?
"Alright, then, we'll draw lots for the order."
PD O Baek-gyeong rubbed his hands together like a fly and spoke.
"One by one, come forward, draw a lot, and then go."
At PD O Baek-gyeong's words, the trainees came out one by one to draw lots.
I waited until all the other trainees had drawn theirs.
The order didn't matter anyway.
"Oh, Yun Cheong trainee is... number 8."
PD O Baek-gyeong seemed to give a perfunctory reaction.
I returned to my seat without much of a reply.
PD O Baek-gyeong wrote the trainees' order on a whiteboard.
Then, after setting up all the cameras and sound equipment, he informed the trainees about the area within the camera's frame.
The space wasn't very large.
It was just about half the size of a practice room.
The trainees would be used to that, I suppose.
All the trainees casually sat down at the back of the studio.
They were indeed curious about the other trainees' performances.
Of course, some trainees were nervously memorizing lyrics or checking their choreography.
As far as I remember, not a single trainee who looked nervous ended up debuting.
"Please briefly explain to us what each of you will be doing. That way, we can adjust our filming accordingly."
After explaining, PD O Baek-gyeong sat down in a chair, in spectator mode.
It was the best VIP seat with a clear view of the stage.
I also sat in spectator mode, just watching the stage.
Why, you ask?
"Alright, trainee Kim Geum, number one. Please come out."
Because I also needed to start researching who to cast as members of my group.
***
"Alright, trainee Yun Cheong. You're eighth in line."
As my turn came, I felt all eyes on me.
I had thoroughly observed the previous performances.
For trainees confident in their vocals, pop song covers were the most common.
Dance-focused trainees mostly performed self-choreographed routines to pop songs.
Neither was easy. And everyone performed them well.
But I had to show something more than that.
Because even here, I was the trainee with the lowest recognition.
"Trainee Yun Cheong... it's an original song?"
And my goal was to debut 'at number one'.
"An original song is risky, are you sure about this?"
"Yes, I think it'll be fine."
Normally, performing an original song on an audition program was a complete gamble.
If it went well, it was a huge hit.
If it failed, it was a complete flop.
Either way, there was no middle ground.
But I was confident.
"Alright. Since you've even prepared the sound source yourself, then."
How was I confident, you ask?
"We'll begin."
Well, obviously.
Between us, a hilly purple
The sunset is coming to soothe us
After all, it was a song that had been number one for six weeks in my previous life.
***
Production Team: How was filming your self-introduction video?
[Yeon Ju-hong: I was so nervous. I feel like I couldn't showcase my skills...]
[Seo Baek-yeong: I practiced it thousands of times... but being in front of the camera makes it completely different.]
[Kim Geum: Ah, I messed up. That's what happened.]
[Kim Ryeo-yu: It was fun. Though I was nervous.]
Production Team: Whose performance did you like the most?
[Jo Hui-on: Ryeo-yu. The ace, as expected... She's my friend, but she's seriously something else, isn't she?]
[Lee Gyeong-a: Surprisingly, Ju-hong. There's something about her that catches your eye.]
[Kim Geum: Is there even a debate? That's what's more surprising. Obviously—]
[Ryu Bo-ra: Only one person comes to mind for me.]
[Su-in: Well, obviously—]
[Seo Baek-yeong: Cheong.]
Caption: Trainee Yun Cheong received all the votes.
[Yeon Ju-hong: I didn't even know it was an original song. I thought it was some kind of hidden gem, you know?]
[Kim Geum: No, if you had songwriting skills like that, you should have told me sooner. I would have followed you around to learn.]
[Kim Ryeo-yu: I thought, 'So she had a hidden ace up her sleeve after all.']
[Lee Gyeong-a: I thought it was too much.]
Production Team: Why?
[Lee Gyeong-a: Well, I was right after her, what was I supposed to do if she performed that well?]
Caption: Tears....
[Jo Hui-on: Honestly, when I heard it was an original song, I thought, 'Is she crazy?' Because it's a risky choice.]
[Shin Yu-hyeon: The song being good is one thing, but it was just so unique. It's not a trendy genre these days, it's more of a country feel that might even be considered a bit old-fashioned.]
[Ha-eun: But I felt like she knew her own voice so well. Utilizing her voice effectively? That's smart.]
Production Team: Why did you choose an original song for your first self-introduction stage, even though it could be risky?
[Yun Cheong: Songwriting and composing are my hobbies. I wanted to show as many different sides of myself as possible. Because I don't know when I'll get another chance to show an original song. I can keep showing my dancing or singing, but my composing ability might not always have an opportunity.]
Production Team: Do you think it resonated well?
[Yun Cheong: Haha. That's an awkward question.]
I pretended to hesitate before answering.
[Yun Cheong: Yes, I believe it resonated well.]
***
Ding!
Have you seen the Make a New Color self-intros?
Yo, f***ing watch it now.
Why? What happened?
└ They're just insane; the kids are crazy; are Colors out of their minds?
Ding!
Today's hottest rookie girl group with an explosive reaction.
Colors, truly a renowned idol powerhouse.
Ding!
Ding!
★
? What's up with Yun Cheong?
Wow, Yun Cheong is amazing.
A Colors trainee has emerged to continue their singer-songwriter lineage.
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