Chapter 5
That’s what the producer of Lemon Entertainment said.
“I think I found the last member.”
The moment he heard that, Yoon Seok-hwan felt goosebumps all over his body.
Because the person that Director Jo Gyu-hwan had his eyes on was someone he had the contact number of.
***
“I was really surprised. Isn’t it amazing?”
“Yeah, it’s amazing.”
“Why do you sound a bit lukewarm?”
He wondered why I didn’t look happy and explained.
“You might feel that way because you know Director Jo Gyu-hwan, but as a third party, it sounds a bit weird to me.”
“What’s weird?”
“Honestly, isn’t it? I was fine with the story that he predicted well like a fortune teller, but suddenly he sees a face on TV and decides to pick him. Isn’t that strange?”
“That’s not unheard of. You know the casting stories of famous actors, right? The casting directors are the ones who go to high schools to find someone who appeared briefly on a news interview.”
“…Is that so?”
While we were talking, the meat was cooked.
While the restaurant lady brought us soybean paste stew and rice, I was lost in my own thoughts for a moment.
As I opened the lid of the rice, the other person opened his mouth.
“Let’s stop the background explanation here. So what are you going to do?”
“Huh?”
“The audition, I mean. Are you going to come and watch, or not?”
Seeing my hesitation, Seok-hwan hyung reassured me.
“You can just come and watch comfortably. I know you haven’t practiced for two years, so I’m not expecting any great skills.”
“Ah, that’s not why I hesitated.”
The reason I hesitated was something else.
What if the ability that I got from the concussion was only valid for today?
It could suddenly say ‘Ta-da, the trial version has ended.’ in a few days, so I had to be careful.
That’s why I answered with a smile.
“I’ll come and watch.”
“Really? I’ll tell the company that.”
“But there’s one condition.”
“Condition?”
I told him as he was about to send a text message.
“I need some time.”
“Is there something going on?”
“I have something to check for a few days. I’ll come when it’s settled.”
Seok-hwan hyung’s eyes showed curiosity, but he seemed to decide not to ask any more questions.
***
After the college entrance exam, I watched the situation for two weeks.
Fortunately, nothing happened.
The ability that I got that day stuck to me like a familiar guest, and it didn’t seem to disappear easily.
That’s why I set the audition date when I was somewhat confident.
But I still didn’t have enough time to practice.
A lot of things happened in two weeks.
-Elderly man saved by righteous student, receives police commendation
-KG Group, donates 30 million won to ‘Galhyeon-dong righteous’
-Hyperstudy, offers free online courses for a year to righteous student
I licked my tongue as I looked at the articles that popped up on my smartphone screen.
The broadcast was amazing.
I only appeared on the news once, but the donations kept coming from everywhere.
The largest domestic entrance exam company offered me a free online course voucher, and KG Group sent me 30 million won.
30 million won.
My mouth opened wide as I saw the annual salary of an average office worker in my bank account.
A strange ability and a donation.
It was more profitable not to take the exam.
I remembered the feeling of satisfaction when I transferred all the 30 million won to my grandmother.
She said she didn’t need it, but she accepted it reluctantly.
Our Kim Deok-soon lady, she’s not honest.
Ding dong.
I switched the smartphone screen to the messenger notification.
Kinggodkimdeoksoon [Do well on the test,]
Kinggodkimdeoksoon [Be humble. Don’t be cocky]
Kinggodkimdeoksoon [Emoticon]
I chuckled and smiled at the ‘fighting’ emoticon with a band around its head and a clenched fist.
I sent a reply full of aegyo and put my smartphone away.
This was the alley of Sinsa-dong, where Lemon Entertainment’s headquarters was located.
I followed the map on my phone and stopped at a building with a glass window in the middle.
I used it as a mirror to check my outfit.
Jeans, a gray coat, and a scarf.
It was the interview attire that I had found online.
I smiled as I touched my hair lightly, which I had sprayed to keep in place.
My first impression was fine.
The only thing left was the real deal.
As I walked along the street, I soon saw the building of Lemon Entertainment.
A plain-looking five-story building.
On the black signboard with a lemon drawn on it, it said Lemon Entertainment in yellow letters.
I was about to call Seok-hwan hyung before I entered.
“Seon Woojoo-ssi?”
I heard a pleasant low voice.
A man with a takeout coffee in his hand.
He was tall and wore a coat that fit him like a model.
“Yes, that’s me, but who are you…?”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Jo Gyu-hwan. You heard about me from Yoon manager, right?”
“Oh, yes. Hello.”
Manners were basic.
I bowed my head and greeted him politely.
“I’m Seon Woojoo. I look forward to working with you.”
“I should be the one saying that. I’m the one who needs your help.”
Jo Gyu-hwan director smiled softly.
I had imagined him as a sentimental artist who worked in a room, because of his image as a genius composer.
But he was completely different.
He looked more like a successful businessman.
He didn’t match the image of a fortune-teller at all.
He was handsome, but his features reminded me of a Tibetan fox.
He said.
“Did you feel a bit surprised? I asked you to come for an audition all of a sudden.”
“Yes, a bit.”
“Actually, this is rare for me too. It’s not often that I see someone and think, this is the one.”
“That’s an honor.”
I added with a smile.
“I hope I have the skills to live up to your expectations.”
“You don’t need to feel any pressure. This is not a place to test your skills, but your potential.”
Jo Gyu-hwan director, who had been smiling gently, said as if he remembered something.
“Oh, I almost forgot the gift.”
“Gift?”
“I had a feeling I would run into you, so I prepared something for you too.”
He handed me the coffee in the paper cup.
“I hope you like it.”
“Me too.”
“Then I’ll go in first, and you can come in slowly. We’ll be waiting for you in the practice room on the basement floor.”
He walked away with his long legs, as if to show them off.
I took the coffee and smiled awkwardly.
Coffee was one of the drinks I couldn’t drink, along with alcohol.
If I had too much caffeine, my heart would beat like crazy.
But when I opened the lid of the paper cup, I was surprised by what was inside.
…Huh?
The smoke that rose up smelled like cocoa.
Hot cocoa.
It was the drink I often drank.
It must have been a coincidence, I thought, but I felt strange when I remembered the nickname of fortune-teller that Seok-hwan hyung had told me.
It felt like I was bewitched by a gumiho.
Well. It must have been just a coincidence.
I gulped down the cocoa and looked for the practice room in the basement.
There was only one door open, so it was easy to find.
While I waited for the staff to come down in the practice room, I looked around and exclaimed.
They say that a dog can recite poetry after three years in a school, and I got an estimate by looking around.
Practice room.
It was important to see what equipment was available here.
As the saying goes, one can tell ten by looking at one, the practice room revealed the company’s wealth.
Everything here was the latest equipment.
This level of environment must be in the top one percent.
***
I felt like I made the right decision to come to the audition, seeing the impressive number of applicants for the trainee position.
It would be perfect if the company people were nice too.
Just as I was having such hopes, the company staff started to enter one by one.
One of them walked straight towards me.
“Nice to meet you.”
He was a bald middle-aged man with glasses, and he had the best impression among the people I had seen.
I could sense a faint Busan accent in his speech.
“I’m Park Kyu-ho, the CEO of Lemon Entertainment. You must have had a hard time coming all the way here. You came from Gunsan, right?”
“Yes. Thank you for having me.”
“Sure. Let’s have a good time today.”
CEO Park smiled warmly and offered me a seat.
As soon as I sat down, he introduced the people who were sitting on the judging panel.
Director Jo Gyu-hwan.
Manager Yoon Seok-hwan.
Rookie Development Team Leader.
Vocal Trainer.
Dance Trainer.
I felt a bit nervous under their evaluative gazes, but I soon relaxed my expression with a deep breath.
“Shall we begin?”
The first hurdle was the camera test.
It was a procedure to check whether I had the so-called camera appeal.
No matter how handsome or beautiful someone was, their appearance on TV and in reality could be different.
The camera test was to verify that.
As I made various expressions and poses, I suddenly remembered the past.
Was it when I was in elementary school?
I had taken the camera test in the third round of the TJ audition. How did it go?
I think it was like now…
“Wow, you’re amazing.”
CEO Park said as if he was impressed.
“You look good in reality, but you also look good on camera. It’s only natural, since you were in TJ, which is famous for its tough auditions.”
The judges nodded in agreement with his words.
As I expected, the camera test was a no-brainer.
The judges’ satisfied expressions proved that.
Especially the Rookie Development Team Leader seemed to have a great appetite for me, as if I was a prime beef.
It seemed to be because of the unique circumstances that only I had.
“It says here that you completed your military service as a sergeant?”
“Yes, I enlisted as soon as I became an adult. I was discharged shortly before the college entrance exam.”
“Then you don’t have any problem with your military duty?”
The judges were all pleased with the fact that I wouldn’t have to interrupt my activities because of the army.
I smiled and responded appropriately.
It felt like I was practically hired, thanks to the casting of Director Jo, who was trusted by the company as a fortune teller.
But I couldn’t relax yet.
It was always like this until here.
It was the same in other companies.
The people who were interested in my face or singing in the beginning would change their expressions when I danced.
As the trauma came to my mind, my mouth went dry.
It will work out this time.
I clenched my fist with that thought.
***
A short break.
The camera was set up again, and the judges looked at the applicant with anticipation.
Seon Woojoo.
21 years old this year.
Special circumstances: TJ Entertainment trainee for 6 years and discharged from the army as a sergeant.
And… handsome.
That was the word that CEO Park actually wrote on his memo.
He looked like someone who would make anyone turn around on the street, and who would get food or an umbrella bought for him by the staff on a rainy day.
He had a timeless beauty, rather than a trendy one.
He also had a slightly young-looking face.
He couldn’t dance, but he had lasted for 6 years in TJ, which made sense, but it also made no sense why he insisted on being an idol.
“Shall we listen to the song you prepared?”
“Yes.”
“What song are you going to sing?”
“I will sing Red Moon by Jang Sowon.”
The judges nodded their heads.
They all had the same thought in their minds.
‘Good choice.’
It was a seasoned selection for a six-year trainee.
In an audition, choosing a song with a loud chorus or a high note does not increase the chance of passing.
The entertainment insiders see professional singers every day.
Unless someone performs a miracle in an audition, they won’t be shocked or impressed by an auditionee.
They see the best singers in Korea every day.
‘Red Moon has a diverse vocal range.’
Red Moon was a solo song by Jang Sowon, a former member of the disbanded girl group Sugarfish.
It was not a song with a powerful chorus, but it had a rich and varied vocal range.
It was a perfect song for an audition, to check the overall vocal level.
The only flaw was that it was a female key…
As he thought that, the prelude arranged for a male key flowed out of the speaker connected to Seon Woojoo’s smartphone.
He had prepared it specially for the audition.
‘He has a good sense.’
Seon Woojoo calmly parted his lips.
Please just go away
Don’t ask me why
My wounded heart is already
Six feet under
As he heard the first verse, Park, the CEO, instinctively caught on.
‘He has talent.’
He was objectively good.
He had taken a break from training for two years, but he was better than most trainees.
Did he work as a karaoke manager in the army?
‘If I train him hard for three months, he’ll regain his original skills.’
His breathing and vocalization were perfect.
His vocal technique was solid enough to have a flawless foundation.
The only drawback was that he had no skills, but that was not important for an idol who had less than 30 seconds of individual parts.
‘His eye contact and expression are stable too. He has something that attracts people’s attention. Well, that’s why the big agencies didn’t let him go even though he couldn’t dance.’
He felt proud that he had found a gem that others had discarded, but also anxious.
He was also the main vocal candidate in TNT.
The main vocal position was really hard to find in the idol industry.
How bad was his dancing that he failed to debut even with an actor-level appearance and excellent singing skills?
He suddenly remembered the warning that Yoon, the manager, had given him before the audition.
-Don’t expect anything from his dance. It’s better for your mental health.
Now it was time to show his freestyle dance after the song.
Park Kyuho, the CEO, looked at Yun Seok-hwan.
He saw him closing his eyes tightly, as if he was anticipating a disaster.
‘How bad is he…’
He felt nervous for him.
Park, the CEO, gulped down some water and waited for the dance performance.
Soon, Jo, the director, played the song he had chosen on the speaker.
An electronic music without lyrics.
‘…Huh?’
When Seon Woojoo started dancing, Park, the CEO, could only make a bewildered expression.