After the fan signing event, the trainees enjoyed a short break and the next on the agenda was, of course, the ranking ceremony. My head was still spinning from the incident with Lee Danbi, but there was no time to catch my breath.
“Finally, the last one!”
“I’m nervous. I hope I don’t get eliminated…….”
Since it was the final ranking announcement before the live broadcast, a mix of anticipation that making it through this hurdle would mean advancing to the debut member announcement broadcast, and anxiety that they couldn’t afford to be eliminated after coming this far, rippled among the trainees. As I was standing still in the middle of this sea of emotions without any sense of crisis, I heard the staff’s instructions.
“Trainees, please gather by your respective entertainment companies and stand together! You’ll go out in order and strike a pose. Everyone will be shown on the broadcast without exception, so please get ready properly.”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
As I stood waiting at the back of the studio, I could really feel how much the number of trainees had decreased. It was strange to see the pyramid of chairs, which were once packed so tightly there was barely room to stand, were now spaced far apart.
“SU Entertainment ended up surviving 100%. Our agency sent 5 people, and only 1 survived.”
“As expected, a big agency is a big agency?”
“The director of my agency was scolding me a lot, and questioned why they all survived but we were eliminated except for me.”
As I stood side by side with Do Yuda in front of the foam board with our agency’s name written on it, I could hear the murmuring of surrounding trainees who kept sneaking glances at us.
However, Do Yuda didn’t seem to be bothered by the murmurs and spoke to me in a very serious tone.
“Hyung, please sit down.”
“What?”
Up until that point, everything was fine. The only problem was that Do Yuda’s voice was coming from the floor. Doubting my eyes, I looked down at Do Yuda, and the creature stared back at me without the slightest hint of agitation.
“We need to stand out the most.”
“No.”
I desperately shook my head, feeling a sense of my blood running cold. It felt eerily similar to the feeling I had when Do Yuda proposed we play Dibidibidips during the first filming of the program.
“You can do it. You have to do it.”
“Why do you always have to make things more difficult than they need to be?”
“If there’s a chance, we have to seize it. That’s our way.”
“No, what are you talking about? Can’t we just go out normally?”
The difference between then and now was that Do Yuda no longer feared me as much, and I had become a little weaker toward him.
“Sit down.”
“No.”
“Sit doooown!”
And Do Yuda was just … an idiot.
.
.
.
When I came to my senses, I was entering the studio, riding on Do Yuda’s back as he crawled on the floor.
What exactly is the significance of this humiliation? What is going on in Do Yuda’s head? What are the onlookers thinking as they watch this spectacle?
“…….”
Bam-bam! Ba-bam! Ba-bam!
The program’s official theme song was still playing until the trainees from other companies made their entrance. However, when it was our turn, the senseless production staff magically switched to a parade march.
Amidst all that, Do Yuda shook his body to the beat with a serious expression, while I had no choice but to sit on top of him with unfocused eyes, feeling as lifeless as a paper doll caught in the wind.
‘This is the first time in my life I’ve made a look like a frozen pollock’s eyes.’
1
“Pfft, you can’t talk about K-POP without mentioning this agency! The center of the Big 4 agencies! These are the proud trainees of SU Entertainment!”
Yang Hajun, who burst into laughter, barely managed to compose himself and made the introduction, but no one was paying attention to it. Everyone was laughing while pointing fingers at us.
If Lee Yooin saw this on the air, I would have nothing to say.
‘I don’t know, I just don’t.’
“Haah, haah! Huh. Hek.”
I could hear him gasping for breath from below, obviously running out of stamina.
Do Yuda was really … really an idiot.
“Hello, we are from SU Entertainment. This is Han Seungbeom.”
Standing in front of the camera, I gritted my teeth and greeted calmly as if nothing had happened. Then, I handed the microphone to Do Yuda, who was below.
“Hek, huff, Do Yuda. That’s me.”
“Thank you.”
“Thank, you, so much.”
After the most embarrassing entrance of all time, we immediately proceeded with the ranking ceremony.
***
“I’m truly grateful to all the fans who voted for me.”
“Yes, Trainee Kim Saemyeong. Thank you for your thoughts. Now, you may go up to the ranking seats.”
The ranking ceremony was held by announcing the survived trainees starting from the lowest ranking, excluding those at risk of elimination. Before long, the filming had progressed smoothly, and they had just finished announcing the seventh place trainee, with the announcement of the sixth place trainee coming up soon.
With a quick glance at the script, Yang Hajun seamlessly moved on to the next line.
“The next trainee to be announced in sixth place is someone who, despite having only been in Korea for a short time, possesses an impressive vocabulary worthy of awards. This trainee is a real showstopper with their confident and charismatic stage presence.”
“Isn’t it you? The foreigner who speaks Korean unusually well. Though you barely know any bad words.”
I knew it was still too early to call Lee Hwayoung, and that it was a description that suited Nagi Zen perfectly, but I purposely poked Lee Hwayoung in the side and said teasingly. Lee Hwayoung, with a completely unaffected expression, scoffed and replied.
“Who said that? That I have only been in Korea for a short time. If the speculation is this baseless, I don’t feel like bothering to respond.”
“Ah, I see.”
I forced my gaze away from Lee Hwayoung’s scornful face, and lifted the corners of my mouth.
He’s such an unadorable guy.
‘The article had a photo of him entering the country right before filming the program. Does that mean he’s been to Korea before this time?’
Just as that question crossed my mind, Yang Hajun immediately called out the trainee’s name, bringing my attention back.
“The sixth place trainee is none other than! Nagi Zen! Trainee Zen, please come up and share your thoughts.”
At Yang Hajun’s call, Zen jumped up from his seat and quickly walked toward the stage. As he passed by, he extended his palm toward me, and after giving him a light high-five, Zen puffed out his lips in apparent satisfaction.
‘Silly.’
Then, he casually walked up to the stage, grabbed the microphone, and shouted.
“Viewers who voted, fans! Thank you! Victory!”
Zen raised his hand and said exactly the same thing as at the second ranking announcement ceremony, smiling brightly. It seemed he had intentionally recreated the moment, knowing that the broadcast had gone viral and become popular.
‘He was so stiff back then, but now he’s quite relaxed.’
Seeing how comfortable Zen had become with the broadcast, it was clear that he had grown not only in terms of skill but also in various other aspects while participating in this program.
“Yes, I understand. Trainee Zen, please move to the ranking seat.”
Yang Hajun, who had been watching Zen with a pleased expression just like me, continued with the next order.
“Next, I will announce the trainee in fifth place. This trainee showed a brief slump in the third mission, but made a spectacular comeback in the fourth mission. His dancing skills have been improving by leaps and bounds, and his physique is truly eye-catching.”
Anyone could tell right away that it was Woo Kangwon.
He messed up the third mission performance and had a good physique. There was no one else but Woo Kangwon.
“The trainee in fifth place is Woo Kangwon! Congratulations on your rise in ranking!”
As expected, Woo Kangwon’s name was called, and he immediately stood up from his seat. After patting my head, he walked onto the stage. Then, he calmly expressed his thoughts.
“I believe I caused many of the fans who have supported me through various situations a lot of worry. I’m truly grateful for your continued support until the end. I will do my best to ensure that I don’t
disappoint
you in the future.”
It felt like there were words directed at me mixed in.
When I saw him smile while looking directly at me in a specific part, it seemed that my feeling was not wrong after all.
‘So, I’m sorry about that.’
As I subtly avoided his gaze, Woo Kangwon let out a small laugh as if it couldn’t be helped, then headed up to the ranking seat.
Next was the announcement of fourth place.
“Let’s meet the trainee who took the fourth place. Despite already having outstanding singing skills from the beginning, this trainee showed incredible growth in the fourth mission! The name of the main character who surprised the trainers and the on-site audience is!”
‘It’s Baek Kiryang.’
“Trainee Baek Kiryang!”
Baek Kiryang, who had no idea that he was talking about him, was stunned and nervously shook as he stood up. Then, after wandering around for a while, not knowing which way to go, he chose the passageway I was in and headed toward the stage.
When our eyes met for a moment, his gaze was filled with uncertainty, so I gave him a reassuring pat on the back. Baek Kiryang, who straightened his back as if my hand was still there, stood on stage, tightly gripping the microphone, and spoke.
“I’ve shown you all a lot of embarrassing sides of myself up until now, and I’m so grateful to the fans who have been cheering me on, telling me that I can make it to the end. I will continue to work hard to become an idol that you can be proud of. And … Seungbeom-ah, thank you! I couldn’t have done this without you. And to my big brother … thank you for supporting me.”
After a moment of hesitation in front of Yang Hajun, he bowed deeply and handed back the microphone before hurrying to the ranking seat.
“Next is the announcement of the trainee in third. The main vocalist of our program in name and reality! And… haha, he is Trainee Han Seungbeom’s main vocalist!”
I was dizzy from the playful remark that was thrown out. I should just fill this damn broadcast with something else. This kind of thing happened because they put all our personal conversations on air.
“Yes, that’s me exactly.”
Do Yuda, who was sitting next to me, put on a serious expression, as if he understood how I felt. Then, with a gentlemanly gesture, he stood up and waved his hand around to greet everyone.
“Wow!”
“Han Seungbeom’s main vocalist! Yoohoo!”
Then, all the trainees in the studio mischievously cheered and clapped.
‘Just kill me.’
My ears were hot and my heart was pounding so hard I could feel it without even putting my hand on my chest. Seeing my face turn red, Do Yuda, who had been quietly giggling beside me, waved his hands and jumped onto the stage.
“Hello, I’m Seungbeom-hyung’s main vocalist, Do Yuda. I really love and thank all the fans who voted and cheered for me! I love you, Mom and Dad! I will make sure to debut and repay you with great performances! Thank you to Seungbeom-hyung and everyone at SU Entertainment!”
“Yes, you are doing very well! Now, the only thing left is the announcement of first and second place, as well as the announcement of the eliminated trainee. First, the first place candidates, Trainee Han Seungbeom and Trainee Nicholas, please come up to the podium.”
Following Yang Hajun’s instructions, Lee Hwayoung and I stood on the small podium at the front of the stage. Once Yang Hajun confirmed that we were all in place, he immediately continued with the proceedings.
“Trainee Han Seungbeom initially drew attention with his handsome appearance, but eventually gained a strong fandom with his outstanding skills and charm that captivated people! And Trainee Lee Hwayoung also gained attention for his unique family background, but just like Trainee Han Seungbeom, he silenced various rumors in a short time with his remarkable skills and individuality. Both of them are trainees who are more than worthy to take first place.”
“Thank you.”
“The number of votes for the trainee in first place is a total of 910,867 votes.”
Excluding the live broadcast votes, it was the highest number of votes ever in all seasons. Hearing that number made me realize just how much popularity this program and its trainees have gained among the public.
“Indeed, the one who earned this incredible number of votes is!”
The trainees held their breath as Yang Hajun paused to build up the tension.
Even though the outcome is somewhat predictable, moments like these when the rankings are announced are always pretty nerve-wracking.
After dragging out enough time for the broadcast, the production team signaled Yang Hajun with an okay sign.
Then, with a
bang
, the lights fell over my head and I heard Yang Hajun’s cheerful voice.
“It’s Trainee Han Seungbeom! He has successfully defended his first place position again! Please share a few words with us.”
I bowed deeply toward the applauding trainees, or more precisely, toward the camera in front of them. Then, holding the microphone I was given, I calmly began to speak.
“I’ve always been so grateful for the overwhelming amount of love I’ve received since the beginning of the program, and I’m truly happy and honored to have your support even as we approach the live broadcast. I will continue to work hard so that I can be someone who is worthy of the love and support from the fans. Thank you.”
“Next, although he unfortunately came in second place, Trainee Nicholas, who received an overwhelming amount of votes almost on par with Trainee Han Seungbeom, please share your thoughts.”
“I don’t think the ranking is that important, so I’m not disappointed. On the contrary, I’m very happy that I was able to show a great performance. To the fans who send me their love, Love you all. Thank you.”
It was still a brief remark, but seeing him blow a kiss toward the camera and bow his head, it seemed that he really did like his fans after all.
“Congratulations. So, team up with me again.”
“In what context?”
I let out a small laugh as I looked at Lee Hwayoung, then, following Yang Hajun’s guidance, moved to the very top of the pyramid.
Then, I quietly looked down at the screen displaying the rankings and let out a frustrated sigh.
There was just one thing that didn’t go the way I wanted it to.
‘Well … it wasn’t an unexpected result, but it’s still disappointing.’
[Trainees Outside the Debut Zone]
8th place: KIM MYUNGJAE
9th place: PARK KANGHO
10th place: KIM YEOYOUNG
Among the members I wanted to have in the final rankings ceremony, the one who didn’t make it to the debut zone was,
[11th place: LEE DANBI]
It was only Lee Danbi.
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Translator’s Corner:
Frozen pollock’s eyes
(동태눈): I translated this literally because it sounds interesting. A term referring to eyes with dull, lifeless pupils. It is sometimes used as a form of dead eyes (although dead eyes is 죽은 눈.). It’s actually more used a characteristic, but in this context, it’s saying MC’s eyes is so blank because he’s never been this dumbfounded.
Pollock here referes to the
Alaskan pollock
or
walleye pollock
, one of the most popular fish in the Korean cuisine. It’s a type of cod. Its normal name is called 명태 (Myeongtae) When it’s freshly caught, it’s called 생태 (Saengtae). Then, when you freeze this freshly caught fish, the name is 동태 (Dongtae). That’s why it translated to “Frozen pollock”. (Then if it’s frozen then unfrozen repeteadly during the winter, it’s called 황태 (Hwangtae). I found it really fascinating lol. Well, you can imagine how a frozen fish eyes looked like. ↩︎
I’m really sad today. It’s perfect to start this arc. I’m going to wait until the rain stopped so I can go buy a new pack of tissues for this.