BLDGF 10

Chapter 10

Production Staff: What did you think of the other trainees’ song choices?

Bora: Everyone chose well.

Juhong: Seriously, everyone except me is so smart. How did they all come up with their songs so fast? Did everyone make a plan without me?

Geum: …They weren’t easy choices.

Production Staff: Who do you think made the best choice?

Ryeoyu: Baekyoung unni? It felt like she knows her own charm perfectly. She’s annoyingly good at that.

Heeon: Everyone did well, but… if I had to choose…

Gyeonga: Cheong.

Suin: Trainee Yoon Cheong.

Baekyoung: Cheong.

Juhong: No, I was seriously shocked. Is that unni’s IQ like 200 or something? How does she even think of stuff like that?

Production Staff: Why do you think trainee Yoon Cheong made the best choice?

Yuhyeon: Naturally, I only thought of seniors who are currently active.

Production Staff: What kind of senior is Purple Apple? Why didn’t you think of them?

Heeon: Well, technically, Purple Apple sunbaenim isn’t from our agency. That’s why we didn’t think of them.

Baekyoung: Who would’ve thought of covering the company president…

That was true.

The Purple Apple Cheong had chosen wasn’t actually under Colors Entertainment.

More accurately, only Hong Yeonseo, the CEO of Colors, belonged to Purple Apple.

Like many entertainment company CEOs, President Hong had originally debuted as an idol.

The production team debated whether this should count or not.

In the end, they accepted it.

How did it get approved?

“Isn’t it fun? It’ll probably become a hot topic too.”

It passed because of that one sentence from PD Oh.

Bora: Besides, I don’t think you can even say we “thought of” them. They’re legendary seniors. You’d need a lot of confidence to pick them. I liked seeing that confidence.

Juhong: That song is from twenty-five years ago! That’s insane.

Ryeoyu: Is it really that impressive? Honestly, I’m sure everyone thought of them. We just chose not to pick them.

Production Staff: So you did think of them, trainee Ryeoyu?

Ryeoyu: I did. But I like White Noise sunbaenim more.

Juseon: If we’d had more time, everyone would’ve thought of them. We just couldn’t because time was too short.

Production Staff: …That’s what she says.

Geum: Another trainee said that? That if she’d had more time, she would’ve thought of it too?

Geum: (bursts into laughter)

Geum: What is this, Columbus’s egg?

Geum: Well… then she should’ve thought of it earlier. Credit where it’s due. I liked Cheong unni’s choice.

Juhong: Seriously, I didn’t expect it, but that unni is a dark horse! Just like with her self-composed song last time!

Production Staff: Why did you choose Purple Apple’s ?

Cheong: Well, I…

Caption: Trainee Yoon Cheong’s shocking answer…?

Cheong: First of all, I really respect Purple Apple sunbaenim.

Cheong: (shy smile)

Cheong: And… I don’t know. The moment I heard the word “mentor,” they were the first ones that came to mind.

Production Staff: Why?

Cheong: If I’m going to have a mentor anyway… wouldn’t it be best if it were the greatest senior of all…? Especially if it’s the company president…

Caption: Burning ambition…!

Cheong: Ah, I’m kidding. I just really respect our president. But come on, there’s no way she’d actually come to mentor us, right? She’s so busy. I’m not expecting much.

Caption: Trainee Yoon Cheong wounds the production team’s pride.

Cheong: Just getting to cover her song is already an honor. I’m not expecting the president herself to become my mentor!

Of course I was expecting it.

What kind of person was Hong Yeonseo, also known as President Hong?

First of all, she was an attention seeker.

She loved being the center of attention. It wasn’t because she’d come from the entertainment industry…

That was just the kind of person she was.

She acted cool and dignified, but to me she was simply someone who craved attention.

She probably hadn’t been on TV much lately and was itching to appear again.

But at the same time, she couldn’t just show up for no reason.

So I was giving her the perfect bait.

A reason to appear.

There was a reason I had gone so far as to interpret the rules in my own favor just to target Hong Yeonseo.

“Cheong. That idea you had earlier was really good.”

Kim Ryeoyu.

She was the reason.

I glanced toward the camera.

The red recording light was on.

So she was talking to me because the cameras were rolling.

“Ah, thanks. You picked a great song too.”

One of the judges, Director Kim, had a relative.

Kim Ryeoyu had openly revealed from the very beginning that she was Director Kim’s family member.

She wanted to completely prevent any controversy before it could happen.

After all, the debut lineup would be decided by votes, and she insisted she had enough confidence in herself as Kim Ryeoyu, not merely as Director Kim’s relative.

Ironically, that attitude only made her more popular.

People said her confidence was charming.

…She certainly was an unusual character.

“We couldn’t work together this time because it was an individual mission, but let’s do well together next time.”

Kim Ryeoyu held out her hand.

“Sure.”

I shook it.

When the cameras were on, what couldn’t I do?

“Going to practice now?”

“Yeah. I’m going to sing through it by myself in the vocal room.”

“Let’s go together. I’ll practice in the room next to yours.”

“…Okay. Let’s.”

If the cameras hadn’t been rolling, I would’ve turned her down immediately.

Couldn’t be helped.

…But why was she only acting friendly toward me?

I headed to the vocal rooms alongside Kim Ryeoyu.

If I wanted to keep Director Kim in check, then President Hong really needed to appear.

One thing I’d learned from surviving in the entertainment industry:

If you’re going to pick a side, pick the right one.

And if you’re going to stand with someone—

Stand with the strongest person.

The one who’ll be the last to fall.

D-3.

Three days before the mission evaluation—

The long-awaited midterm evaluation day.

And also the day we would meet our mentors for the first time.

In Menucul, mentors played an extremely important role.

Since they were senior artists directly affiliated with the company, the agency actively encouraged them to mentor trainees.

Sometimes they simply gave vocal and dance advice.

Other times, they even helped shape the entire performance concept.

That made mentors incredibly important.

Naturally, everyone was nervous.

“Alright, everyone.”

Once all the trainees had gathered, PD Oh got straight to the point.

“First of all, only the three judges will watch your performances in person. The mentors will receive video recordings instead.”

That made sense.

There was no way all twelve mentors could come.

I nodded.

“Any questions?”

The moment PD Oh finished speaking, someone’s hand shot into the air.

Ah, that’s…

“Yes, trainee Yeon Juhong?”

“When will we find out who our mentor is?”

Yeon Juhong.

Among the trainees, opinions about her were sharply divided.

Some people said,

“Hmm… isn’t she kind of average? It’s not like she’s the most skilled, and it’s not like her visuals are overwhelmingly better than everyone else’s.”

Others would say,

“She might have a hard time debuting with that kind of position.”

But then they’d always end up concluding—

“Still… once she debuts, she’ll probably become the most popular one.”

And I agreed.

Because…

“Ah, you’ll find out after everyone’s midterm evaluation is over. You’ll meet your mentor after receiving your evaluation results and performance video.”

Yeon Juhong really had debuted.

And she had become unbelievably popular.

More popular than anyone else here.

“Whoa, seriously?”

Of course, she hadn’t debuted with Steel Blue.

“Then let’s begin drawing lots for the midterm evaluation order. Trainee Kim Ryeoyu! Come up and draw one.”

Starting with Kim Ryeoyu, the trainees stepped forward one after another to draw lots.

When my turn came, somewhere around the middle, I reached in as well.

Let’s see…

My number was…

12.

Last.

Nice.

If you wanted to leave a strong impression, going last wasn’t bad at all.

…Though, I suppose it also depended on how the footage was edited.

The other trainees also seemed fairly satisfied with their positions.

Everyone except the unlucky trainee who drew number one—

Yeon Juhong.

“I’m doomed…”

Juhong was clutching her head in despair.

Why was she so devastated?

Did she lack confidence in her own skills?

Well, early in her career, her live performances had definitely been a little unstable.

She was the type who grew over time.

And she improved so dramatically that everyone noticed, which was exactly why she became so popular.

People loved hardworking geniuses.

And while Yeon Juhong might not have been a genius—

She was at least someone with extraordinary dedication.

She practiced harder than anyone else.

And her skills improved more noticeably than anyone else’s.

“Uwaaaaaah…”

She didn’t look like that kind of person.

…She didn’t sound like it either.

To think this was that relentless Yeon Juhong.

I’d crossed paths with her several times after debut.

Whether on variety shows or on stage, she always performed with incredible intensity.

I had always admired that.

…But before debut, she had this clumsy side to her.

“The judges will now enter!”

At the staff member’s announcement, a long table was immediately set up in front of the practice room.

Four chairs were arranged behind it as well.

Not long afterward, the judges entered.

It was the first time we’d seen them since filming began.

Every one of them had an intimidating presence—

But the one who stood out the most was undoubtedly him.

Director and producer of Colors Entertainment,

Kim Mogyeong.

Kim Ryeoyu’s relative.

And, in reality, the most powerful figure in Colors Entertainment at the moment.

“It’s been a while, everyone.”

And one day—

The man I would have to eliminate.