Chapter 9

What was the center position?

Was it important?

Let's tackle the first question: in the idol industry, whether it was a small or big group, the center was someone who was strategically placed to catch the most attention from the audience. It was not wrong to say they were there to attract the audience's eyes first, before the rest of the members according to personal preference.

How important was the center position to nearly a hundred trainees? The purpose of the show wasn’t to debut all 99 participants, but rather to stand out from the rest. Therefore, the context and role of a survival show's center differed from that of a typical idol group's center.

It had to be someone unanimously recognized by all four judges of the show, sometimes not necessarily from Class A. Additionally, being the center for the theme song was like a guarantee that you were already on your way to debut, a significant step forward.

Who wouldn't want this golden ticket?

[The first task isn't hard at all. What everyone needs to do is to learn the theme song, both singing and dancing, within one week. After that, there will be individual auditions in front of the four judges the following week.

Whoever scores the highest will become the center, and the other positions on stage will be assigned in descending order. Those who do not meet the criteria will join from below the stage. How much you appear in the MV will be seen when it is released.

Starting tomorrow, there will be vocal and dance instructors teaching from morning till noon for three days. After that, it will be self-practice time. Anyone needing equipment like headphones or music players should contact the team at welfare services. The show is prepared to accommodate everyone. If anyone has any questions, feel free to ask,] Park Insa stood waiting for questions, but no one dared to raise their hand.

[If there are no questions, I'll excuse myself first. Please proceed to your regular practice rooms.]

"Thank you, senior," the trainees stood up and bowed as the senior left the room. And soon, Lee Sangah ran after him, watched by the puzzled eyes of the other participants. Only the three who had shared the punishment understand.

"He must be going to apologize, right?" Wang Qi turned to ask Jacan.

"Probably, he's a good kid after all," at least he knew what to do when he'd made a mistake.

"He's been through a lot too; if I were him, I'd feel a bit bitter,” especially with something as sensitive as family issues.

"???" Eiji turned to An Junsa, his fellow Class A mate, with a questioning look, but An Junsa just shrugged with an equally puzzled expression. They both looked toward the door where the young man from Class C and the show host had disappeared.

After leaving the large meeting room, all the trainees rushed to the welfare room to request equipment for practicing the theme song's dance. Once they got what they needed, they returned to their respective class's practice rooms.

Step step step

Being in Class A had its perks—everyone had a strong foundation and skills, so everyone worked independently without asking others for help or explanations.

Jacan started by memorizing the lyrics. Once he had a rough grasp, he moved to a corner and started playing the video on his tablet, moving his body along with it. He repeated the routine over and over until he realized he had spent four hours just like that, just in time for the staff to announce that it was time for dinner.

Hard practice was essential, but never skip meals.

The atmosphere in the cafeteria was very different from lunchtime; it was like night and day. Earlier, people sat in groups chatting idly, but now it seemed like everyone was lost in their own world.

"Everyone looks so tense," Wang Qi commented with a wry smile.

"It's a rare opportunity," Yeo Unche approached and patted his roommate's shoulder a couple of times.

"I'll probably grind my teeth in my sleep tonight," the stress was nearly reaching a breaking point.

"Don't stress yourself into making mistakes. Try to relax," Jacan advised.

"That just makes me even more stressed," Wang Qi pulled at his collar to wipe off sweat, his dark eyes glancing over to see the Class E group staring at them intently.

What? What's going on?

Or were they targeting me!

"It looks like they want to talk to us," from this angle, it was clear they were picking a representative through rock-paper-scissors, and soon, they pushed forward a trainee who seemed to have lost.

"Ha, maybe this is a duel for a position!" Wang Qi's eyes widened in surprise.

"You're imagining things," Jacan flicked the forehead of the younger, leaving a small red mark.

"Let's eat quickly. Once that guy gets here, he'll tell us if there's any issue with us or not," but if Jacan guessed right, it was probably much simpler than that.

"Um... so," it took almost two minutes for the representative from the group to reach them, after hesitating and almost being kicked forward again by his classmates.

"What's the matter?" Jacan asked.

"If it's not too much trouble... Well."

"You want help with singing and dancing the theme song, right?" Jacan interjected, having guessed the other's request long before it was fully voiced. Upon hearing this, the trainee nodded eagerly, like a chick pecking at grains.

This task was an individual one, aimed at assessing readiness before full training by the panel of judges. Besides the scheduled dance instructors, the trainees had to find time to practice and understand the techniques on their own.

"Of course, I’ll come to the practice room after we eat," Jacan replied with a gentle smile, reassuring the anxious Class E trainee before he even asked. When the request was granted, the trainee barely contained his elation.

"Th-thank you so much! W-we'll be waiting in the Class E room," the trainee managed, his face brightening up. His classmates, noticing his good fortune, began celebrating from afar, sending hearts and cheers.

"Can you handle it?" Wang Qi asked, waiting for his fellow contestant to sit down again before speaking.

"Teaching others is like revising for myself," the blue-eyed young man explained softly, suggesting that he might be aiming for more screen time himself. Teaching Class E might earn him some commendation from the audience.

After observing the trainees in Class A scarf down their meal, Jacan hurried back to the practice room. He then made his way to the promised Class E room.

"Please take care of us." Jacan opened the door, only to be greeted by a wall of trainees who respectfully bowed as he entered.

"..." He blinked, feeling like a mafia boss in a movie greeted by his subordinates.

"Let's start by seeing you dance, I want to see where each of you might need help. Let’s do it in fives, one group at a time," he suggested as he dragged a chair to the center of the room and sat down with a tablet and a notepad listing all 45 members, ready to take notes.

The picture that the other classes saw when they walked past the Class E practice room was a picture of Jacan dancing for them once. Then he turned around and helped move the arms and legs of the trainees behind him like the show’s trainers had taught them before dinner.

Or should they ask Class A people to teach them too?

"Alright, that's enough for today. You can rest or continue practicing as you wish," Jacan announced, checking the digital clock which showed it was half-past nine. "We still have a week left. Don't overdo it, but don’t slack off either."

"Thank you so much, Brother Jacan," came the echoing gratitude as trainees bid him goodbye, the thanks reverberating down the hallway. Some trainees who were still practicing even stepped out to see the source of the commotion.

"Ah, um, see you tomorrow then," Jacan waved goodbye with a strained smile. Although he came with a hidden agenda, the positive response he received made him feel unexpectedly warm inside.

"See, I told you, you’re like a kindergarten teacher," Yeo Unche, who had just walked out of Class B's practice room, couldn't resist teasing his older brother after witnessing the scene.

"Mm, thinking about it, what you said seems quite accurate," Since the start of the show, he had been constantly reflective, partly because he was the oldest contestant. Maintaining a suitable demeanor was crucial.

Back when he debuted in a duo, Jacan was initially coddled due to being three years younger than Han Shinsu, who treated him like a little brother.

Now, having to act as the older brother himself, he couldn't help but feel a responsibility to provide the same level of care he had once received, such as helping the Class E kids practice. Even if he mentioned airtime as his motive, his commitment was genuine and not just for show.

"I secretly watched you teach them. Have you already memorized the dance moves and lyrics?” That was fast.

"I practiced along with everyone else," When teaching others, he wasn’t just watching; he participated actively.

"Are you going back to your room now? I'm all sticky, I really need a shower," Yeo Unche stretched, trying to relieve the stiffness around his waist.

"I'm thinking of practicing a bit more before bed. Plus, the bathrooms are probably full right now. You go ahead," Jacan said as he headed back into the Class A room after the other nodded and resumed practicing where he left off, until it was around two in the morning before he finally decided to stop and go take a shower.

Creak, creak.

The sounds of shoes squeaking against the floor of the practice room blended with the late hour as Jacan walked past the Class C practice room. Who else was still practicing at 2 am?

The young man paused in front of the glass door to look inside and saw Lee Sangah still practicing intensely. At one point, he was supposed to spin halfway and blow a kiss, but instead, he got his legs tangled and fell flat on his back.

"Are you okay?" Jacan hurried over to check on the younger one. "Did you hurt your ankle or knee?"

"No, no," Lee Sangah looked up, wide-eyed, automatically denying any injury when asked.

"That’s good you’re not hurt. It’s true we have limited time to practice, but don't overdo it to the point of injury. It's very late now, you should go back and get some sleep," his slender hand pulled the young man's shirt to lead him out of the room together.

"You just finished practicing too?" Lee Sangah looked up at the digital clock. "Wow! It’s already past two?" It was true, they had been practicing without keeping track of time.

"Um, I'm heading to rest now. I have a singing lesson with senior Sujin in the morning. If I don't sleep, my voice will definitely be ruined. How about you?" Jacan started a conversation as they walked back to their rooms.

"I have a singing lesson with senior Bomi," the young man replied, following the lead of the older one without hesitation. If it weren't for the reminder, he might still be practicing his dance moves until sunrise.

"The more reason to head back and sleep if you're studying with senior Bomi. If you show up with panda eyes, I guarantee she'll make you stand in front of the classroom until the class ends."

"That would be bad..." Lee Sangah replied meekly, quickening his steps to keep up with Jacan.

Their training facility was on the top floor, so it took a while for the two young men to reach their respective rooms. Fortunately for Lee Sangah, he stayed on the same floor as Jacan, so he didn’t have to walk back alone through the quiet, even though there were lights all along the way, it still looked desolate.

His room was almost at the end of the hallway, while the young man from Class C was closer to the stairwell. As they turned the corner, he nodded and bid farewell before entering his room. Jacan continued down the hallway to his own room.

'Thinking about the schedule... The first episode was about to air soon. I'm really curious about the audience's reaction...'

...

While the trainees were intensely focused on practicing the theme song for the upcoming show, under the immense pressure of internal competition, many forgot that the premiere of the first episode, which they'd been eagerly awaiting, was drawing near.

The senior producer looked over the variety show schedule they'd been preparing for over six months with pride. Negotiations for contracts with TV stations and platforms had all been successfully concluded.

The show would be scheduled during prime viewing times on television and would also be available online through a popular platform that required a premium subscription. However, the producers had decided to include a special 2-minute segment at the end of each episode as a bonus to ensure that viewers did not feel shortchanged.

Im Heewoo reviewed the first edited episode over and over for two hours to ensure there were no errors before sending the file to the team for broadcast as planned. The next step was to promote the show to encourage viewership.

Because the show would be aired on SKM Ent. TV, they'd decided to invest in a one-minute commercial to be placed during the evening news slot for general publicity.

Subsequently, the company's page shared this commercial repeatedly detailing the broadcast schedule both on television and online, and then encouraged artists under their label to promote it as well. Sharing directly on their own page, this was a straightforward and budget-friendly promotional approach, but it yielded immediate results.

“The show's page followers have increased by 100,000,” the public relations team joyfully reported on the current situation.

“Keep an eye on it; it airs in half an hour. Get ready to monitor viewer reactions, and we'll send in the sockpuppet accounts to boost, but let's not make it too obvious—netizens are quick to spot that these days,” Im Heewoo leaned back, the accumulated stress seemingly about to burst.

Although the pre-air feedback had been positive, who knew whether the results would meet expectations after the broadcast.

“Don't forget to open the voting channels on the website. The real competition for us behind the scenes is about to begin.”

Star Fight [SF] Official

The biggest survival show by SKM Ent. has kicked off. Watch the intense selection process today.

TV channel: xxx

Online: www.xxxx

Voting site: www.SFxxxx (not officially open for voting yet)

[Same commercial clip as broadcasted on TV]

As soon as the page announced the airing date, eager viewers did not hesitate to select their preferred viewing channels. Some even visited the website first to choose their favorite trainees before watching the first episode.

Survival Show Craze

If you haven't watched SKM Ent.'s SF show because you're tired of the plethora of survival shows out there, you should check it out, ladies. Let's save some trainee pictures to decide whether to keep watching.

Personally, I've already pinned my favorite. Haven't even seen the first episode yet, but just seeing his face makes my heart no longer my own (nor my money). Off to order a lightstick now. My favorite guy must debut!

#STARFIGHTEP01 #SF01 #Wang Qi

Comment: Too lazy to check the website; saw someone saved the pictures so just took a look. And was totally captivated! Wang Qi really caught my eye. That mischievous charm is too cute. Now I have to watch the first episode. The man bun doesn't make him look hot, dear, more like a daughter than anything.

Comment: Kang Manja is our schoolmate. He's very nice.

Comment: Can I freak out? Yes, I can! That Jacan, what is he even? If you didn't tell me he's human, I'd think he's an angel. What kind of person is so charmingly handsome, more than a prince?

Comment: I'm also pinning Jacan. I'm already set to watch the show on TV. If it's fun, I'll subscribe to a premium membership too, maybe there'll be special segments at the end.

Comment: Another survival show. Trust me, soon there will be at least two foreign members and three 'K' members, or all Ks.

Comment: Foreign artists are really shelling out; I don’t know why there is still discrimination, it's incomprehensible.

Comment: Jealous of them, you can tell.

Comment: I’m torn between Wang Qi and Eiji, they're totally my type.

Comment: I like An Junsa. That surname is rarely used in our country.

Comment: I heard it was tough to get here, they screened thousands of applicants.

Comment: Good man… I'm done for, have to go sign up for premium.

It was unavoidable that the show's buzz had been fairly stable and quietly progressing initially. The feedback wasn't as explosive as during the golden era of these kinds of variety shows.

Think about it, how many survival shows had there been in the last 5-6 years? Seeing that fans like them and they generate huge revenues, every network started doing them. Plus, the bands formed usually only last for two years, which didn’t really cater to fans who enjoyed watching the growth of the band.

Thus, the number of followers for survival shows had been decreasing every year. Nowadays, for Star Fight to get one million followers within the first month of announcing auditions was quite significant, although it was not as high as in the beginning.

Im Heewoo knew this well, hence the extensive planning, living in the editing room and monitoring room, making them his second home.

Fortunately, this batch of trainees was talented enough to gain several fans. The stress he'd been carrying had somewhat eased.

"PD, the show’s followers had increased by another half a million!!" The young team member constantly watching the screen rubbed her eyes in disbelief at the response just half an hour after the first episode aired.

"Excellent!" The middle-aged man punched the chair armrest, his bearded face suddenly looking happier. "What about the TV ratings?"

"It's currently at 0.9, and it looks like it might keep rising."

"Not great, not terrible, but it's as expected. Let's keep monitoring the results. After today, there's a day off. Anyone who wants to take a break and go home, feel free." The senior producer gave a day off broad-minded, the team exchanged excited voices for a moment before returning to focus on the upcoming tasks. The middle-aged man took a deep breath, grabbed his phone, and checked the social media trends for a moment.

[STAR FIGHT EP.01]

Comment: Oh my, the scent of Star Fight, which I haven't encountered in a long time. I love how little Wang Qi got startled by the spotlights. I want to hug and comfort him to calm his nerves.

Comment: The show doesn’t seem to focus on extravagant sets or effects like the previous one, but it still looks good. You can tell it's well-designed.

Comment: I agree with the comment above. Even though I don't know if you're the show’s sockpuppet or not, the lighting and color tones make the show much more appealing. It looks sophisticated without overdoing it.

Comment: What are they analyzing above? The contestants are handsome enough, aren't they?

Comment: Jacan is superb. He's a foreigner who doesn't seem out of place compared to Asians. He's mixed-blood, isn't he?

Comment: These trainees nowadays are so impressive. Their skills seem like they've been honed for ten years.

Comment: Oh, who are these bold trainees, saying all bad things about the foreign trainees? Why doesn't the show just show their faces directly instead of just their voices?

Comment: They didn't say anything wrong.

Comment: These companies profit a lot from international members, more than from K-country folks. It's almost like they take a larger cut. It's better not to say anything if you don't know.

Comment: The first two A Class are both foreigners, is this acceptable? Why are our people so incapable?

Comment: Just read comments for a moment and when I'm back to the TV again my little Jacan has already turned into Jacan oppa. Kyaaa! His arm muscles are so tempting!!

Comment: I'm Kim Jiseong's fan. I don't need another. But Jacan is impressive, even though he's a foreigner. Um... No, I'm not cheating on Jiseong.

Comment: The above comment, if you’re sleep-deprived, go to bed now. You seem confused with life.

Comment: So familiar with Jacan's voice. But I can't remember.

The social media buzz wouldn’t affect the trainees on the show until the second episode aired. Until then, they wouldn’t have access to their own communication tools.

"I want to see my own face in the first episode," Wang Qi muttered, rolling around in the practice room class, with Eiji linking arms after hearing the team's positive discussion about the improved trend following the first episode last night.

"Soon, the team will show us," Kim Jiseong looked at himself dancing in the mirror, his dark eyes searching for areas that needed adjustment.

"And when will that be..." The two little kids stretched their arms and legs, rolling around like logs.

"Whenever it is," An Junsa, younger than Eiji, looked at Eiji, who was rolling around with Wang Qi, with a resigned expression. "Are you really 19, bro?"

Jacan observed the chaos in Class A with gentle eyes. He was like a real kindergarten teacher. If he were the same age as when he debuted, he might join in the fun with the rolling.

But because he had been in the industry for many years, he had seen both the good and the bad. To only see the beautiful side of the industry, like innocent children, that... he couldn't do.

"Bro, who do you think the show will eliminate?" An Junsa saw the big brother of the show looking at the little kids playing and approached him for a chat.

"I don't know. Maybe they'll cut those the judges are least interested in," Jacan didn't specify which person or class was special. He sneakily evaluated the boy directly asking a risky question.

Did he seem targeted?

Jacan recalled An Junsa's performance during the evaluation round of class shifting. The other side had a similar image to him. But if they stood close together, the differences could be seen. Besides, they both chose to sing their own compositions.

Too much similarity often attracted more friction than friendship. And this was the self-competition of the people at the top of the pyramid.

If one thought that those in classes B-E, who had to try harder than anyone, had to climb many trees and scale thick walls to get into Class A, were pitiable, keep in mind that life had struggles and those in the elite class were not necessarily comfortable. Even if they were higher than anyone else, internal competition was still fierce. The rankings, high and low, would determine their future after they'd debuted.

Only those at the very top could grasp everything in their hands, including the resources SKM Ent. would provide after the debut!

There would always be people eager to show off their skills, it was normal.

But not Jacan.

For him... the war hadn’t even started yet. It's just warming up before the real start. Because the current Class A was entirely the result of the judges' selection. When the time came for the audience to vote, the position he thought was his might not be anymore.

Being approached by An Junsa this time didn't make him lose his head because he knew well enough. However, he still had to be careful not to dance to the other party's game. Otherwise, the image the audience saw would just be that of a headless teenager.

He had encountered some trainees in previous seasons who didn't have much ability, but the viewers loved them. Even though they faced resistance from other trainee fan clubs, they ultimately debuted with overwhelming votes.

Certainly, being closer to the finish line, like in Class A, helped draw the viewers' interest first. Whenever the program started distributing tasks, there would be many who would stand out.

Therefore... the war wasn’t over yet. No underestimating even the lowest-ranking soldiers.

...

For a week, Jacan spent his mornings learning singing and dancing. In the afternoons, he rehearsed with Class A for three hours and practiced alone for another three. The remaining time was spent checking the readiness of Class E, rotating like this until the day of evaluation.

This time, there was no lottery like on the first assessment day. Instead, they had the trainees from Class E perform first and ended with Class A as the last class.

All the trainees were called to gather again in the large meeting room. Seats were arranged at the back, with labels already placed indicating where trainees from which class should sit. In front of them were the seniors, also serving as mentors, sat facing everyone.

Now they no longer had to wear the same gray shirts. Everyone had received clearly differentiated shirts.

"Class E five persons, come and stand at the marked spots. We will evaluate everyone together at once," Kim Sujin waved her hand towards the small stage where the trainees had to stand.

The lowest-class trainees in their pink tracksuits looked at each other for a moment before someone brave stepped out to be the first one on stage. Then others followed until everyone was on stage.

It was unknown whether these boys saw Jacan as a pillar of strength. But no matter who it was, every time the evaluation started, they had to look at the young man.

"Go for it!" The young man always sent encouragement. The image that the viewers saw from this tape, later on, resembled that of parents sending their children to participate in a school competition.