Second Try Idol

Chapter 406: Red Rouge (25)

It seemed like everyone had already decided which member they wanted to consult with even before we arrived. They all had that determined look in their eyes.

"Wow," Joo-Han said, slightly taken aback by the eager looks in the trainees’ eyes. He smiled and nodded, clapping his hands together. "Alright, let’s hear from each group about which mentor they’d like to work with. There are five of us and six groups, so one mentor will have to take on two groups."

"Okay."

Our original plan was to let the groups that had a specific mentor in mind choose first, and then we would evenly distribute the remaining groups among us. But seeing how keen they were, I worried that one mentor might end up with too many trainees.

Just as I was getting concerned, Joo-Han took control of the situation and calmly directed the trainees. "Let’s start with the team that came in first place in the last competition. Tell us who you want as your mentor. Remember, only two groups can choose the same mentor."

The trainees began to murmur among themselves. They were clearly anxious about not getting their preferred mentor. But Joo-Han’s approach was smart. By having them choose in order, he ensured that the groups would have to be strategic and considerate, preventing any one mentor from being overwhelmed. This also ensured no one would be left out from Chronos.

"Who’s the first-place team?" Joo-Han asked.

Sequence stood up shyly and grinned sheepishly. "Hehe."

"Oh!" We all brightened up at the sight of them.

"Sequence came first?"

"Whoa, that’s impressive!"

When Sequence first joined Pick We Up Two, we were unsure how they’d fare. However, they were clearly excelling. Hearing their success made me proud.

"YMM really seems to have a knack for these competition shows." Goh Yoo-Joon commented jovially. Indeed, our company had a talent for picking outstanding artists, and Sequence was proof of that.

"So, Sequence. Who would you like to work with?" Joo-Han asked.

Without hesitation, Sequence clasped their hands together and pointed to Joo-Han. "We’d like to work with Senior Joo-Han."

Since the days of Pick We Up until now, Joo-Han had been involved in the overall production and direction of Chronos’ songs, achieving remarkable results. His skills were definitely outstanding, and this made him the perfect person to give essential advice to Sequence, whose concept was limited to cuteness.

"Me? Alright. I will work with Sequence." Joo-Han nodded with a smile. He then turned to the next team. "Second place, your turn."

The second-place team, Up Down, quickly stood up and pointed to me. "We want Senior Hyun-Woo!"

Yes, I knew it. I had seen them staring at me intensely earlier, almost burning holes through my face with their gazes. "Alright, I’d be happy to." I smiled. Up Down rushed over and sat behind me, clearly excited.

From that moment, the atmosphere among the trainees shifted. They were openly watching each other while trying to gauge who would choose whom next.

"Next, third place." Joo-Han called out.

"We’d like Senior Hyun-Woo too..." Another group said quickly.

"Already a duplicate? Wow, Suh Hyun-Woo is popular." Goh Yoo-Joon teased, slinging an arm around my shoulder. Joo-Han sent the third-place team to sit behind me as well as if he had expected this.

"Alright, so Hyun-Woo and I are done. Fourth place, who would you like?" He asked.

The fourth-place group got up slowly and clearly looked torn. They were distressed as they struggled to make a decision.

"This is such a great opportunity... Ugh, it’s so hard to choose!" One of them lamented.

"Don’t worry too much. You will also have a chance to talk to other mentors briefly after the individual sessions," Joo-Han reassured them.

"Then..." They hesitated a moment longer before finally choosing Goh Yoo-Joon. As soon as they approached Goh Yoo-Joon, they started flattering him by saying, "Oh, Senior! We really respect you. We are such big fans, really!" It seemed like the entire group had a vibe similar to Goh Yoo-Joon.

The remaining groups chose Jin-Sung and Yoon-Chan respectively, and the individual counseling sessions began. We each took our assigned trainees to separate rooms for one-on-one discussions.

I led my groups, the second and third place teams, into a small practice room. They were performing very well in Pick Me Up Two.

Their skills were outstanding, and they radiated confidence clearly aimed for higher ranks. Facing their extremely passionate gazes, I couldn't help but feel a bit shy.

"So, uh, it feels a bit awkward seeing me up close, right?" I started.

"No, Senior!" they responded in unison, their eyes sparkling with determination.

"Alright, since we’re working together for the time being, let’s have an open conversation. Does anyone have any questions for me?" I asked.

Every hand shot up immediately.

"Haha," I giggled, pretending to be shocked as I placed a hand over my chest. "Okay, let’s start with you, Song-Ha."

"Ah, yes, Senior." Song-Ha was a member of the second-place team. He stammered, and his ears started turning red with nervousness. "You are known as a stage master, Senior."

"Me? A stage master?" I chuckled.

"Yes, a lot of people call you that. Can you give us some tips on gestures and expressions for performing on stage?"

Stage expressions? Besides practice, what else could there be? Expressions on stage come from practice and familiarity, but there was still advice I could give.

"You are already doing a great job on stage," I began. The trainees in front of me were already performing at a high level, so they probably had a good grasp of expressing themselves. "Just remember not to get too caught up in yourself. Don't overdo it. Make sure your expressions and gestures balance with those of your members."

Thinking you are great at expressions or mimicking a well-known performer’s gestures without understanding them can come off as cringeworthy. Overconfidence could make everything, from expressions to gestures and even dance moves, look exaggerated. The key was to immerse yourself in the song while keeping in sync with your group’s energy, making sure not to break the audience’s immersion.

The trainees listened intently while jotting down notes. It was a bit embarrassing, but I pretended not to notice.

"Senior, I have a question." Another trainee raised his hand. His name tag read Kise.

"Yes?"

"I often get feedback that I lack presence on stage."

"Oh, I see."

"But when I watch your fancams or those of Chronos, all of you look like main characters because of your strong presence. I want to learn how to do that too."

His unique name made me think it was a stage name, but it turned out he was Japanese. He glanced at his notes written in Japanese when he asked his question slowly and carefully.

"This also ties into what I said about expressions earlier," I began. Honestly, the most important thing for stage presence was if the performer had the quality to be a star. Even if someone isn’t the best singer or dancer, they can still captivate the audience.

Talent or charisma was something you were born with and was vastly different depending on how well you objectively understood your own strengths. Sometimes, you could tell just by looking at someone’s face if they had these traits.

Unfortunately, Kise didn’t seem to have that natural charisma. His lack of confidence was evident in his expression, and his face showed little emotion. On top of that, his dancing and singing weren’t particularly outstanding, so I hadn’t really noticed Kise on stage before.

‘Honestly, this isn’t something I’m the best at teaching.'

Yoon-Chan and Jin-Sung would know more about this. Unsure of what to say to Kise, who hadn’t yet grasped the concept, I decided to offer him just one piece of advice.

"Watch your fellow members, competing groups, and your seniors' performances closely. Pay particular attention to their expressions. Notice how they match their expressions to the mood of the song and what makes them stand out."

Ultimately, the answer lay in practice and research. I felt a bit awkward after saying that, so I smiled slightly at another trainee who caught my eye. I hoped for a question more related to dance or singing, something I could easily teach. But these trainees were already so skilled that their questions were more specific and detailed.

Just then, a commotion erupted among the trainees in the back.

"Hey! Are you crying?"

I looked over in surprise to see the trainee I had made eye contact with earlier sobbing. It wasn’t just a tear, he was full-on crying.

Bewildered, I stood up, and the trainee—whose name tag wasn’t visible—covered his face with his hands and tried to shake off his teammates' hands as they tried to comfort him.

"Wait, why...?" I was flustered. I handed him a tissue from the production team. "Wait... have we met before?" I asked, realizing the crying trainee’s face looked familiar. Where had I seen him before?

Another trainee solved the mystery for me. "He is a huge fan of yours, Senior. He has been to every fan signing event since ‘Joy!’"

"He also went to your recent concert!"

"Actually, we all went to that concert together!"

Oh, that was why he looked familiar. I had seen him at fan signing events. I hadn’t expected to meet him here, but now I remembered him perfectly.

His fan name was 'I will be Hyun-Woo’s Peach Drink,' which was quite a memorable nickname. He was good-looking too, which made him stand out.

I never imagined we’d cross paths like this, especially since I didn’t know he was a trainee.