🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 8
“Four days before the theme song stage filming, your grades will be re-evaluated based on skill. That means trainees with lower grades now have a golden chance to move up, right?”
When it comes to recognition, higher grades are always more advantageous.
If viewers become familiar with your face early on, it gives you a huge advantage in later voting rounds.
“Then, Star Picking 5 trainees, I wish you all good luck.”
“Yes!”
“Waaah!”
At the good news of grade re-evaluation, the trainees’ morale flared up again.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
With Yoo Hae-in’s farewell, applause filled the studio.
The ending music played, and as the lights in front of my eyes slowly dimmed, the stage went dark.
All filming was over.
“Whew.”
I managed to clear the one-minute self-introduction mission safely using a popular cartoon theme song with B-grade vibes.
The real problem was that to increase my chances of debuting, I had to be in the upper ranks during this evaluation—no matter what.
When 100 trainees dance and sing the same song, skill differences will stand out clearly.
Looks like I’ll have to train like crazy again.
Ding.
The familiar alert sounded, and the translucent blue window appeared again.
[Sub-Quest (4): ‘Receive an A grade in the theme song mid-evaluation.’
Reward upon success.
Failure results in elimination.]
“…!”
So I absolutely have to get an A grade?
[Tehehe, fighting >_0]
I flipped the middle finger at the system window, which sent an infuriating emoticon.
***
Theme song practice began by dividing trainees according to their grades.
Having all 100 trainees practice at once would be inefficient and hard to film.
“B-grade trainees, we’ll start with vocal lessons.”
“Yes!”
Judge Park Chae-young and a composer conducted the vocal lesson.
As the main camera in the practice room started recording, the theme song “Cheer Me On” filled the room.
The 20 B-grade trainees followed along using the sheet music provided.
Their vocal abilities varied far more than expected.
I’d heard idols focus more on dance than vocals, but I didn’t expect this much difference.
Since synchronized group dance and stage performance are the core of idol groups, trainees are usually trained more heavily in dance during early stages—this was standard K-pop practice.
With Star Picking having been milked for multiple seasons, there were more new trainees than veterans, making the skill gap even wider.
Even by looking at the status windows, many B-grade trainees had higher dance stats than vocal stats.
Under Park Chae-young’s guidance, we sang “Cheer Me On” together several times.
After some group practice, the judges began giving individual feedback.
“Trainee Cha Si-woo, sing once.”
“Yes.”
I put the sheet music down and sang “Cheer Me On” to the backing track.
🎵 I’ll tempt you,
🎵 Every moment filled with you,
🎵 I’ll give you everything, so cheer me on when I shine.
The range is more manageable than I thought.
When I finished singing, Park Chae-young looked at me in surprise.
“You’ve already memorized all the lyrics?”
“Yes.”
“But you’re hearing ‘Cheer Me On’ for the first time today. When did you memorize it all?”
Actually, it’s not my first time hearing it.
“I memorized it when you gave us the sheet music.”
The song had been so popular that I’d heard it everywhere, and my good memory—both a strength and a weakness—helped too.
“Trainee Cha Si-woo, are you a genius?”
“No. I just have a good memory.”
“Humble answer too.”
“Thank you.”
“Everything was good, but the triple high note in the highlight was a bit weak. I’ll show you—follow me.”
Park Chae-young lifted the high note cleanly and powerfully.
🎵 Cheer me on when I shine—
“Wow.”
“She’s amazing!”
Admiring voices echoed throughout the practice room.
“For high notes, don’t strain your throat. Use diaphragmatic breathing for stable projection, okay?”
“Yes, understood.”
Let’s do it the way the expert taught me.
Following her guidance, I sang using diaphragmatic breathing.
🎵 Cheer me on when I shine—
“…!”
The pitch was much more stable.
The high note came out more smoothly than before—it actually felt good to sing.
So this is how you’re supposed to sing.
I met Park Chae-young’s stunned gaze.
“You’ve really never taken vocal lessons before?”
“No.”
“And you’re singing exactly the way I just taught you?”
You told me to sing like this.
“Yes.”
“Trainee Cha Si-woo, you’ve got talent. Practice a lot.”
“Thank you!”
I bowed ninety degrees, and Park Chae-young moved on with a satisfied smile.
It really is different.
This must be why you learn from professionals.
As I kept singing while focusing on breathing and vocal placement, even my own ears could tell I’d improved.
Wait… could it be…?
With a suspicious thought, I looked for that guy.
Hey. System.
[Yep.]
Show me my status window.
Ding.
[Status Window]
Cha Si-woo (20)
Appearance: A-
Vocal: C+ (UP)
Dance: D-
Charisma: B+
Stamina: B+
Ability: ???
Status: Paparazzi who regressed five years.
Remaining Stat Points: +2
My vocal stat had increased.
My vocal stat went up automatically? I can raise stats just by practicing?
[ㅇ]
Then this is doable. But what’s the standard for increasing them?
[Confidential.]
Why is everything confidential?
I flipped my middle finger at the increasingly lazy system responses.
For the next ten days, I’ll act like I’m dead and focus only on singing and dancing.
I stayed deeply focused on the sheet music.
Suddenly, I felt someone’s gaze and turned my head.
“Hello.”
“…?”
It was one of the trainees I’d sent to ruin back in my paparazzi days, smiling and staring at me.
Damn, you scared me.
Mindful of the cameras’ red lights, I lowered my head slightly.
“Yes. Hello.”
Ignoring a greeting could cause an attitude controversy.
After greeting briefly, I turned back to the sheet music.
Then he leaned his face right into it.
What is this guy doing?
A dry laugh escaped me.
“I’m Park Su-gyeok, a trainee formerly from Harmony Agency.”
“Ah, yes.”
“You memorize lyrics fast, and your vocal tone is really nice. Want to practice together?”
Me? With you? Why?
“No. I prefer practicing alone.”
Why would I get involved with someone like you and risk ruining myself?
Park Su-gyeok had debuted in another idol group and reached mid-tier popularity before falling hard due to clubbing and dating multiple women at once.
I remember waiting undercover in clubs to photograph him—my ears nearly burst from the music.
Just recalling it made my ears ache.
Guys like him were obviously bad news.
Stick close to him, and trouble follows.
“Oh? Haven’t you heard of me?”
Already acting like a celebrity as a trainee.
I slowly raised my second finger and dug into my ear.
I’d wanted to raise my third finger, but the cameras stopped me.
“Phew—”
Watching Park Su-gyeok’s oddly smiling eyes, I blew on the earwax stuck to my fingertip.
As it fell slowly, I put on my professional work smile.
“No, I haven’t.”
“I thought I had decent recognition for a trainee, but I guess not.”
Trainees from big agencies often had small fanbases even before debut.
“That’s just your opinion.”
Park Su-gyeok’s lips twitched slightly as he struggled to keep composure.
That should be enough for him to get the message.
“Honestly, practicing is just an excuse. I want to get close to you.”
“Oh? Why?”
“In survival shows, alliances matter. If we form a B-grade line and get screen time together, it’s good for both of us. Better for votes later too.”
I don’t want that.
Lowering his voice, Park Su-gyeok whispered near my ear.
“Honestly, the only people who’ll survive in B-grade are you and me. We don’t belong there. Let’s move up to A-grade together and form a proper line.”
“You seem to be bad at judging situations.”
“What?”
“Your evaluations seem generous.”
Park Su-gyeok’s smile now visibly trembled.
“You’re very blunt, Cha Si-woo. What if you cause a controversy later? This is a good offer for you.”
Good offer my ass—it’s a nuclear bomb.
“I’ll decide that myself. And you should worry about controversies on your end.”
“What did you say?”
I glanced at the active cameras and lowered my voice.
“You have a complicated relationship with women. You should take it easy.”
Park Su-gyeok’s face turned red instantly.
Wow. Faces really can change that fast.
Gritting his teeth and breathing roughly, Park Su-gyeok quickly left his seat.
Looks like his woman problems already started.
Since this was five years earlier, I’d just thrown it out casually—and he bit immediately.
Well, we probably won’t get involved again.
I ignored the intense stares I felt during practice and focused on the sheet music.
***
“Trainee Cha Si-woo! Are you a stick figure?”
“No.”
“Then are you a robot?!”
“No!”
The dance trainer’s shouts echoed through the practice room.
Unlike vocal lessons, dance lessons were pure suffering.
“You match the rhythm well, but why is your body so stiff?”
Because my dance stat is D-minus.
“I’ll practice again.”
“Sigh… Judge Park Chae-young called you a sponge, so I had expectations, but your dancing is really terrible.”
“I’ll apply your feedback and practice harder.”
“You answer well. But it’s strange—no matter what I say, you don’t lose confidence.”
“Is there a reason to lose confidence just because I’m bad? I can just learn.”
“…Stop being diligent and start being good.”
“Yes!”
The dance trainer sighed deeply and turned the music back on.
The choreography for “Cheer Me On” was quite intense.
Even B-grade trainees with decent dance skills were panting heavily.
In the mirror, my stiff movements during wave sections were painfully obvious.
[ㅋㅋㅋ]
The system laughs every time I dance.
[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
Hey, stop laughing.
[ㅋㅋ Seriously, this is a talent too.]
Still… I’m better than before, right?
Ignoring the system’s constant laughter, I immersed myself in dance practice.
My breath rose up the back of my neck, and sweat poured down my face without stopping.
My clothes are completely soaked.
Only after about three hours did dance practice finally end.
My ears hurt from all the nagging.
“That’s it for dance lessons today.”
“Good work.”
“Thank you.”
I bowed ninety degrees to the trainer.
After the trainer left, staff began packing up the cameras.
“Today’s official filming is over. You can spend the remaining time however you like—practice more or rest at the dorm.”
No one’s actually going to rest if they believe that, right?
“Yes.”
“Understood.”
After the production crew left, leaving minimal equipment behind, only 20 trainees remained in the sweaty practice room.
