Hee-yeon stood there, her eyes closed and her slightly parted mouth placed near the mic. Her voice started with a gentle hum in falsetto. They would layer several tracks and harmonize later, but even this alone sounded wonderful.
– Yes. I’m still running through a tunnel with no exit in sight. Don’t know where it ends. Not sure I can even get out of here. I want to turn back, but there’s no going back now. I don’t know how far I’ve come, but I’m already in too deep. Beyond here is a cliff. So, I keep moving forward.
It was definitely Hee-yeon’s voice, but her tone had become sharper and stronger. How could her voice have transformed this much?
Hae-yeol and LOAN were staring dumbfounded at the recording booth, their mouths slightly agape. I also watched as I felt the goosebumps rushing through me.
The drums struck with an intense, thunder-like quality. A distorted-sounding electric guitar burst to the forefront with a noise-like sound, and Hee-yeon’s vocals rose to match its power.
– But isn’t it strange? Even though there’s no light at the exit, you’re here by my side. Even if I can’t see the way out, I’m not afraid of this place at all. Because you’re here, believing I can escape. Because you’re here to push me on, I’m not afraid of this place at all.
The song’s title was ‘The Light.’
The lyrics were based on a concept that Hee-yeon had actively contributed to. She had been flowing with ideas.
The music grew fuller and richer as various virtual instruments joined in. Her calm yet hopeful voice rose confidently with each note. It felt as if the song itself had tightened its grip on our emotions and was sweeping us away.
– People tell me. It’ll be hard. So hard it’ll lead to sorrow. But they can’t see the light shining from you. Maybe, just maybe, I might like this place more than the world outside. Will you be by my side out there, too? If only I could be sure, I could keep on running. Tell me clearly. Or I can just stop and stand here.
I found myself brushing my face for no real reason. It felt surreal — sounds coming from the speakers, the sight of Hee-yeon singing with her eyes closed and swaying to the rhythm.
It felt as if we were in a fairytale. Even though this was an entirely new genre for her, Hee-yeon was flawlessly pulling off rock. No matter how old it got, rock never disappeared.
If it were just another trendy pop song, people might have said, “That’s so last year’s music.” But not with rock. I knew in that moment that Hee-yeon’s song ‘The Light’ would become one of those classic hits.
No matter how the trends changed in the music industry years and years from now, people would say ‘That’s such a classic!’ instead of ‘Isn’t that an old song?’
– Let me say it clearly. Because you’re here, I’m not afraid of this place at all. Maybe, just maybe, I might like this place more than the world outside.
Gradually, the music faded and Hee-yeon removed her headset. As much as I didn’t want to leave this blissful and surreal moment, the silence pulled us back to reality.
Hee-yeon opened her closed eyes and looked at us through the glass window.
“Haah…”
“…”
Hae-yeol and LOAN heaved deep sighs, looking drained. Their mouths were glued shut, their brows furrowed in silence.
I understood their reaction and could empathize with them. Judging by their intense reactions, they probably felt the song stronger than me with their deep musical knowledge.
Hee-yeon opened the door of the booth and quietly looked us over. Her gaze settled on my face.
“How was it?” She asked lightly.
After singing like that, it was unbelievable how nonchalant she was. How was it? I had heard her sing countless times before her talent fully matured. Every time she showed something new, it would leave me in awe.
This time was no different. The shock of it hit me like a tidal wave, and it even felt different this time.
“This is the best song I’ve ever heard.”
A smile blossomed from the corners of her mouth.
“This song is flawless.”
As I poured out praise, Hae-yeol’s voice interrupted from beside me.
“President Kang.”
“Yes.”
“Would it… be possible to make a few adjustments to the song?”
“What?”
He wanted to adjust this perfectly good song? I turned to LOAN, wondering if he was serious. Unbelievably, he nodded in agreement.
“We were hoping to perform it with live session musicians. Do you think that’s possible?”
“Ah, session musicians?”
The feel of music played live by professional musicians was worlds apart from computerized sounds. The higher the quality of the music, the more essential live sessions became since the quality can hinge on how those sessions are played.
That said, the cost for recording live sessions was no small amount. Thanks to Yumi, though, we were about to have an abundant amount of money. Jin-ah would be performing at more events, too. I gladly accepted their suggestion.
“Let’s aim for the best we can get.”
Hae-yeol and LOAN’s eyes sparkled. Even after all their hard work and with the finish line in sight, they were able to reignite their passion for the project.
“These guys are amazing.”
***
Audition programs had become an established trope by now. The days when people criticized the flood of audition shows was a thing of the past. These days, people just accepted them as the norm.
There were several imitation shows that copied a wildly popular idol audition program. This program was one of those.
〈 Tomorrow’s Idol 〉
It was a program filming its first season. The plan was for female trainees to audition through the show, go through ranking battles, and debut the top 5 trainees.
While the top 5 wouldn’t perform as a single group, the program was structured so that (like all other audition shows) they could claim royalties on the singers’ work for the next three years.
“I hope this show becomes a huge hit.”
“It’s not that easy for an audition program to do well. The trainees have to be exceptionally talented to generate attention and win over fans.”
The judges chatted in their seats as they were about to start their first shoot.
“Since it’s airing on a major network, wouldn’t the agencies send in some good trainees? I heard HS Entertainment is participating, too.”
“Seriously?! That’s definitely something to look forward to! Producer Park is doing a great job with this lineup! What about TKK?”
“Not sure, I haven’t heard about them.”
The show included professional judges as well as celebrity judges. In the panel of professional judges sat Shin Park (a choreographer from 777 Dance Studio), a famous producer, and a singer. In the celebrity judge section sat celebrities, including Jin-sil Kim.
“We’ll be starting now!”
With the assistant director’s cue, the clapperboard snapped, and filming began. The success or failure of the program depended entirely on the participants, so expectations were high for the first contestant.
After the opening sequence, it was time to start the auditions. The gazes of the judges and production team followed the first contestant as she walked onto the stage. Her appearance alone made it clear why she was a trainee, and her stride was full of confidence.
“Hello! I’m Hyun-hee Lee from HS Entertainment!”
Moreover, she was from HS Entertainment, a major agency. A pleased smile spread across everyone’s faces. If she was from HS, they could trust her skills.
“Then, can you show us what you have prepared?”
“Yes!”
Hyun-hee struck a pose on stage. A familiar intro began to play, and murmurs spread among the cast.
“Oh! This is Jinah Choi’s new song, ‘Our World,’ right?”
“Wow, she’s performing this? The song only just came out.”
“As expected of HS Entertainment. It looks worth seeing.”
As veterans of the industry, none of them missed the live performance of the song that became a hot topic.
– They say the world is changing, growing in one place and collapsing in another, with prices going up and down.
Sad, terrible, and dizzying news everywhere.
Even so, this place doesn’t change.
I sing and dance here, there’s always music flowing here.
Hyun-hee had deliberately chosen this song. Since they would obviously judge her on both singing and dancing, she chose a new song so she could showcase her solid fundamentals despite her short training period.
– Everyone, follow my lead. As long as you’re here, that’s how it’s going to be.
Everyone, follow my lead. As long as you’re here, you’ll do as I say.
This is our world.
We keep singing and dancing.
As if this is all that’s left, as if this is everything.
During practice at the company, both her vocal coach and dance instructor had nodded and smiled in approval. They said she did well, and with a performance like this, she would certainly leave a strong impression.
They said that.
“Hah… Hah… Hah… Hah…”
As her performance ended, Hyun-hee panted as if she would collapse at any moment. Her face had turned pale, and she was sweating heavily. It was a clear sign that she had given her all.
‘Good! Not a single mistake.’ She thought. Satisfied on the inside, Hyun-hee lifted her head.
The applause and even some cheers from the audience indicated that she could look forward to a positive evaluation. She put on her best performance, and with such a good response, she was hopeful for not only a passing grade but possibly high praise.
However, a few people’s expressions caught her eye.
‘What?’
As confusion clouded her mind, the evaluations from the non-expert celebrity judges began. A young male idol with only a few years in the industry gave his evaluation with admiration.
“Wow. Her basics are incredibly strong. Considering her short training period, it was very impressive. There’s nothing lacking in her singing or dancing, and I was able to watch with feelings of admiration. I could see how much sweat into her practice through her performance.”
Applause erupted, and the evaluations from the other celebrities were similar.
However, Jin-sil Kim’s evaluation took a slightly different turn. He raised his microphone and spoke with a frown.
“The episode hasn’t aired yet, but I recently saw Jin-ah Choi perform live on my show. If I hadn’t seen that performance, I would’ve said she did an incredible job, just like the others. But Jin-ah Choi is different. Even with her short training time, there’s something unique about her. Even though she’s a rookie, I haven’t seen performances like hers from even veteran singers. If she had performed with a different song, maybe I would have rated her differently. But by doing this song, the difference seems very clear. Hyun-hee was good, but I don’t think it deserves the highest praise.”
Hyun-hee was visibly shaken by this reaction.
***
The contestant politely thanked the judges, despite the unclear feedback. On the inside, though, she was feeling mixed emotions.
The expert judges then gave their opinions. Shin Park from 777 Dance Studio spoke up with a cold expression.
“I completely agree with Mr. Jin-sil’s assessment. At first glance, it might seem like the choreography and singing are just about right and maybe not too different from Jin-ah Choi. Considering the short practice time since the song’s release, people might think, ‘With a bit more practice, could she put on a similar performance as Jin-ah Choi?’”
Park shook his head firmly.
“But no. Absolutely not. There’s a vast, almost insurmountable difference here. Jin-ah Choi is truly exceptional. It’s mind-blowing how different she is. I agree with Mr. Jin-sil completely. While Hyun-hee’s fundamentals are solid and she has great skills, this performance only highlighted the gap between her and Jin-ah Choi. You did well and passed, but I wouldn’t call it extraordinary. Great effort.”
Hyun-hee tried hard to hold back tears, but her eyes were already glistening. The other judges gave similar comments, expressing appreciation for her talent and effort but highlighting that today’s standards for K-pop artists have raised the bar significantly. They wanted to see her personal growth and unique edge as the auditions progressed.
She was unanimously approved to advance, but her tears told everyone watching that it wasn’t from joy. Everyone felt sympathetic. Without such an incredible talent overshadowing her, she would have easily stood out as impressive.
However, the sympathy didn’t last long. As more trainees performed, the expert and celebrity judges frowned.
“Again? Another Jin-ah Choi song?”
“How many times does that make it? Why are they all choosing this song?”
“This song’s popular because it showcases both vocal and dance skills. And it’s new.”
“They probably thought they could pull it off reasonably well with the short practice time they’ve had. They were all thinking the same way. Typical.”
“All of them performing this song just makes the skill gap painfully clear.”
“So, Hyun-hee was actually really good. The ones after her are a mess.”
As this sentiment spread, someone asked, “Then how good is Jin-ah Choi, actually?”
“Maybe we should bring her in.”
Jin-sil Kim called Producer Park, who was standing among the production staff.
“Producer Park! Bring Jin-ah Choi on the show! She’s got a great sense of humor, too! You should book her while you still can. She mentioned she wouldn’t be doing many shows while she’s still promoting!”
At this point, no one was second-guessing her potential despite her rookie status. The show’s quality was making out to be not very good with one weak performance after another. However, they thought that maybe they could gain more views if they brought in Jin-ah Choi for a direct comparison.
Even though it was risky, they already had a 99% chance of failure already. They had nothing to lose.
“Is she really that entertaining?”
“Absolutely! She’s no joke. She needs to go into entertainment, for sure! If not, are we going to do the auditions over again? You should’ve had a hand in selection the songs instead of letting them go freestyle!”
Producer Park sighed and instructed the assistant director, “Call in the writers. Let’s take a risk and try to focus on ratings.”
“Don’t we need approval from the higher-ups?”
Producer Park chuckled. “All they care about is the ratings. If we can boost viewership, they wouldn’t care if we flipped the whole set inside out. Let’s shake things up a bit, shall we?”
—