“you say that like its something you can question.” she spoke with the utmost confidence, the mere notion that she would dress tingyan in anything less than stellar offensive but only playfully so. she loved street style right down to her very soul but she also loved to mix things up a bit and get experimental by incorporating some girly elements into it. she was beyond short and heels were always a must so it only came naturally that she had to give her outfits some feminine flair to complement her stilettos. when it came to that, her and tingyan were very different. soyeon could do flowing kimonos but it’d be over ripped denim with graphic cropped tops. lace was a never. and frilly fringes? she was gagging just thinking about it. but that was the deal. they’d both walk a mile in each others shoes and that was that. she’d be a changed woman if she started dressing like tingyan.
she was browsing through a gold mine of distressed black denim shorts, half-looking for tingyan half-looking for herself, the graphic top she had in her hand clearly japanese inspired with the artistic black and white brush strokes interlaced with a rosy pink when tingyan spoke up. looking, soyeon was given pause. the skirt was fine. she liked them short because they showed off her legs and it was pretty sexy when she wore them with her heels. the top. a precisely arched brow raised in strong question. even as she heard the disclaimer, she still stood frozen in her spot looking at tingyan with severe skepticism. “am i going to be the doily for someone’s drink?” she asked, clearly in opposition but she stepped forward to bring the material between her fingertips with features that were written in doubt. “see, i found you something cute!” she directed, holding up the long sleeved graphic top purposefully designed as oversized and the shorts that sported several tears and intertwined chains on the hips.
she had expected opposition on soyeon’s end, of course - how else would she have felt? but tingyan refused to go through such a drastic change if her friend didn’t have to sacrifice as well. so she can’t help the ghost of a smile as she watches the other’s reaction. not the one she was looking for, but definitely not surprising. with a laugh, she twirls the ensemble around, as if waving it in the air would make it any more appealing. “no, you aren’t. i think you’re underestimating me! do you know how good this would look on the streets of gangnam? i’m a trendsetter there, you know.” the words are a definite exaggeration, but the look on tingyan’s face proves she doesn’t think she’s too far off. “light colors are a really nice contrast to dark ones, so i think this top’s gonna look gorgeous with your hair.” patting her shoulder, she smiled with a sort of determination only clothes could bring her. “do you trust me?”
the clothes chosen by soyeon hadn’t caught her attention until she announces it, but soon her eyes trail up to meet the outfit. “i...” it’s all she can say for a moment, eyes slightly widened as she looks over the look again and again. it wasn’t bad, it was actually pretty cute. but in that moment, tingyan couldn’t fathom wearing something that looked so - not her. she was laces and frills, while soyeon was clearly rips and chains. “hey, isn’t this a bit too much?” she protested, staring at soyeon pitifully. “i know i said i wanted to show skin, but not like this. it’s in all the wrong places.” it seems she’s going to have a fit, but regardless, accepts the clothes with a sort of compromising huff. “i - fine,” the girl finally digressed, nodding in agreement. better to just try it then argue. “i’ll keep my word and try it on, as long as you do too! but we all know who’s going to want to take my style after this,” she added, a playful smile on her face. a part of her was excited to try something different, and despite initial opposition, it didn’t seem all too bad when she thought it over. “alright, try everything on and meet up in a few?”
the hard part was over with, thank god. all that was left were the interviews, and to tingyan, that was the most fun part. while she intended on showing her personality, she was fairly certain the interview would have some sort of impact on her success throughout the show, so she was careful with her words. so after a few minutes rather impatiently waiting on the interviewer, she's asked if she's ready to begin. smiling at the woman, she nodded, encouraging her to begin asking the series of questions. "sure! let's get to it."
"alright, welcome to the interview! could you introduce yourself, please?"
tingyan was immensely grateful for a much friendlier interviewer than she'd been provided with last time, smiling in agreement as she began. "of course. my name is chong tingyan and i'm a university student and model from shanghai, china! i'm not a princess - but i'm this season's queen!" putting her hands in the form of a crown over her head, she can't help but laugh. the statement is a little silly and boastful at best, but it's her way of getting her name stuck in the judges' head.
"how did you feel when you received the news of the callback?"
"ah..." she doesn't want to mention the fact that she laughed, although being true it didn't sound good from an outside perspective. "i was in shock! there were...so many people at the first auditions? ah, it was crazy..." her eyes become faraway, returning to the hectic day she'd first came in to show her talents. it seemed like it was just a few hours ago - and now here she was, at the second round. even though there were still many contestants, more had been cut already, and it hadn't even passed the first interview. tingyan couldn't help but wonder what that meant for her, and how many of the people she'd grown to like would be leaving soon. if she would be leaving soon. but there was no time for such negativity. so she concludes with a "i'm so ecstatic to be here! i can't wait to show even more of myself to you all."
"how was it seeing the set for the first time?"
"it was so beautiful! really, i got excited before anything had even started," she confesses, covering her mouth as she lets out a laugh. did they expect anyone to say anything but good things? "really, i used to watch the show all the time when i lived in shanghai. i always was fangirling over the contestants - i was quite a big fan of season 2!" she figures bringing it back to her childhood sounds a little humbling, not so focused on her confidence now and more on the teen she once was. "when i walked on set, i felt like i was really a teenager again, living out my dream! i was so nervous, i could barely speak!"
"what did you think when the judges were revealed?"
i expected it? she almost says, the mga fanatic aware of the judge's appearance. however, her casual bluntness she's used to displaying won't work this time, so she decides to focus on the excitement she got from it. "i thought i was nervous before they walked in?" exhaling, she looks to the sky, hands pressed to her cheeks. "oh my gosh, it got so much more intense! i know everyone else felt it too. that's when it got really quiet, like we were all fighting for our lives." in a way they were, but instead of their lives, each was battling for the most screentime and a chance to win a contract. "i noticed hyun bin-ssi looked really handsome," she notes, immediately regretting the statement as her cheeks turn red and she covered her face. didn't everyone, though? the statement was a result of both her flirty tendencies and hope to get nova's attention, but it wasn't exactly supposed to say it out loud. falling over into a fit of giggles, the girl waves her hands, as if to ask the other to forget she said anything. "unnie...could we cut that part out, please?"
"how do you think you did?"
truthfully? she doesn't know. the audience seemed fairly please, but, as always the judges had kept their poker face up for the majority of the time there. it was hard to read them, especially when she was so reluctant to look them in their eyes, but one thing was for certain . "i had a lot of fun," she says truthfully, thinking back on the fun song shift. "i think i did very well! i tried my best to show my confidence, enthusiasm, and skill!" she lists each, counting them off with her hand. "it was different, and my goal was to gain their attention by switching things up. it worked well to me!" her subconscious tells her to die down the boasting, so she flips the script by lessening her praise on herself. "but of course, there were a lot of great competitors. i'm looking forward to seeing what the judges thought and how they can help me in the future!" she's sure to put the thought of her remaining in the competition at the front of her mind, knowing better than to seem pessimistic on camera. if she wanted something, she had to speak it into existence.
"did anyone stand out to you?"
"mm, of course! there was moonbok ( @moonbokrk ) ," she says, the name sticking with her. many others did as well, as she'd tried her very best to retain them in case an interview such as this was initiated. she wanted to be a queen, but not careless, after all. she's sure other mentioned him as well, if not for anything for his desirable hair. "i remember seeing him at the first auditions! i mean, of course his hair is beautiful - i want it so bad!" she laughed, twirling her own curled strands. "but aside from that, i didn't expect him to rap! it was really nice." she sits silent for a moment, thinking over other performers that she felt were nice. "to be so young, hohyeon ( @rkhyeon ) seemed very confident in himself and his skills. i think he'll have no trouble getting used to the competitive atmosphere."
"were there any performances you liked?"
"oh, a lot!" really, she hadn't been paying attention the first half due to crazy nerves, but she won't let that slip out. of course, being a very opinionated person, sharing her thoughts is in her veins, and it shows in the way she sits up with excitement. after all, they're asking a girl who used to have a mga opinions blog - what did they expect? "well....yoorim's ( @rkaisha ) performance was really good! or was her name aisha...? i think she goes by both. anyways, she was such a bada-" she stops herself before the curse can properly exit her mouth, her claim of a graceful queen ringing at the back of her mind. "she was very cool, i genuinely enjoyed watching her perfomance." tapping her fake nails on each other, she tries her best t think of the others she watched. a certain face popped in her head, the younger so eager to support everyone during performances she can't help but support him. "there was also youngjae ( @ericxrk )! he had a lot of enthusiasm, and i have to say, i was really surprised his performance was that good." it's not intentionally a diss, but for such a childish personality it was hard for her to take him seriously as a performer. he'd obviously proved her wrong.
"were there any performances you didn’t like?"
"ah....that's a little rude to answer, right?" scratching her ear, she feigns remorse, but on the inside she's living for this. there'd been a few performances which had been a little underwhelming and she was never afraid to say so....unless it may affect her results. so she spoke carefully, saying her opinion but gentler than she may have otherwise. "i think yewon ( @rkumji ) could have performed a little more confidently. of course, everyone makes mistakes but...what matters is recovering from them. i don't think she did that as well as she could have." to be fair, tingyan's skills weren't top tier, but the way the interviewer looks expectantly proves they were looking for more than a few words to spice up this seasons drama. alright, alright. whatever gets more screentime. "i'd also say vernon ( @rkchwev )?" she says hesitantly. "he was good, don't get me wrong, but the performance was lacking something...maybe fun?" it sounds bad, but it was really the only way she could put it. "i like fun, excitement, all that. it seemed to lack those, which sometimes can be more important than talent."
"what did you think of kyulkyung's performance?"
"jieqiong ( @rkkyul )?" she asks, the second name being the one she remembered in her mind. "it was...good?" she asks, confusion etching her features as she wonders why they'd center the attention on her. she wonders if it's because of their shared hometown, both hailing from shanghai. "she was good! that performance was totally something i'd do," she says, wondering if they were trying to start some sort of rivalry. if anything, foreign muses needed to stick together, so she decided against slandering her. "when she took of the pointe shoes? ah, i was really shocked! i'd be excited to see what she has prepared in the future."
"is there anyone you are certain will move onto the next phase of the mgas?"
"for sure! there's chan ( @rkchris ) - even if i saw some who were better skill wise, he's very creative and shows a lot of promise! i'd imagine they'd want to keep him around. and maybe....haruto ( @rkharuto )?" more than anything, he crosses her mind because he'd looked a little pitiful to her, like a lost puppy as he wandered around the auditions. he was still so little, but more than anything tingyan hoped he'd win the judges favor. “and yuzu ( @yuzurk )? who could forget about her! she has enough confidence to last a lifetime, she may even be able to compete with me! idol material for sure.” when the interviewer coughs to say tingyan’s said more than enough, she blushes and nods in understanding. “alright, that’s all for me! don’t forget about your mga queen - miss chong tingyan!”
*.☽ .* ┊chong tingyan meets mga 5 callbacks, 062719 !
↪ dancing to i’m so hot (0:03 - 1:11) & so hot remix (0:12 - 0:55)
what did chong tingyan do when she found out she'd made it past preliminaries? did she cry, gasp, or scream like other contestants might have done? well....no. in fact, she laughed. not out of amusement, or humor, but in actual disbelief that something which had started out as a dare had landed her a spot on the show she used to fantasize of even being in the audience for. it was reality - a crazy one at that, but hers. unbelievably hers.
things had been hectic in the week she'd took to prepare both mentally and physically - from hectic dance practices with yuqi, to stressing over her outfit, to preparing the best performance she could muster. it was no secret the girl was a perfectionist, so no matter how short her appearance on the show was she would do anything to stand out for just a little more camera time.
things hadn't really begun to settle in until tingyan got where she is now - walking in with the rest of the hopefuls, really sitting where the first episode would be held. as the cameramen were getting their positions, her eyes wandered to the front, landing on the set of chairs she just knew had to be for the ceos. gulping, even the seemingly unphased tingyan couldn't help the wave of nerves approaching her. her competition had never wandered far from other dance schools or her own classmates - never had she been in the running with so many people this talented. for the majority of the waiting she stays to herself aside from the polite hellos and small talk, her nerves and final preparations getting in the way of allowing her to be as talkative as she usually is.
and though it feels like only a few minutes have passed amidst the nerves, she's eventually called up to the stage where she's expected to perform. it all seemed so surreal, and it's almost as if someone else's taken control and walked her up themselves. you've got this, tingyan. i don't know anyone else made for tv than you. her older brother's words ring in her head, from the phone conversation they'd had earlier. for a while, looking at others talking to their parents or friends for encouragement, tingyan swears she's all alone. but when she thinks of all those who have supported her - from yuqi helping her out with her performance, to soyeon making sure she looked pretty, and all the other friendly people she'd come across during her time there. it gives her the confidence that, if not anything else, she's here, and that's farther than she'd ever really expected to make it. she'd give it all she got to the judges - and it'd be enough for her.
once she approaches the stage, she imagines herself starring in her own movie, not really there. instead she tries to channel an amplified tingyan - a little more confident, a little nicer, a little less nervous. when the girl looks over to the judges who asked for her name, she notices the faint exhaustion imprinted on their features from the many contestants who'd already gone before her. she recalls the past interview she's partaken in as well as the encounter during her arrival at auditions and decides she'll try her best to leave an imprint on the judges. "graceful, young, and pretty! this season's ambitious queen, i'm your chong tingyan, hello everyone!" she'd created her own greeting a few days in advance, sounding similar to the ones idols had for entire groups. extra, but very tingyan. her introduction exudes confidence, which isn't entirely false, but she worries it may come off as cocky. also not entirely false, but that wouldn't be a good look for a new contestant to have. so just in case, she slips in a quick "i look forward to hearing your feedback! i hope you enjoy my performance," before continuing.
as the lights dim, tingyan gets the chance to clear her thoughts, imagining she was performing at a noraebang with friends. this could be her stage, if she claimed it. so when the lights are shining back on her and the music she'd heard too many times this week begins to play, she knows she's got this.
she'd got it all figured out - this portion would be dedicated to her charms. the choreography isn't hard in the slightest, obvious in the way the judges look on nonchalantly, but tingyan hopes to spice things up with her personality. so even though she's not singing this time around, her lips mouth the lyrics as her body moves to the beat. a little flirty, but more cute than anything. attempting to win over the heart and soul of her most beloved company, she delivers a finger heart to hyun bin in substitution of the point she usually does. the girl was certainly risking a lot here, but it was her best shot at showing she wasn't scared of trying new things. if anything, it was much different than her previous dance audition - far less involved with technicalities and dramatics and much more with stage presence and charisma.
so when the chorus hits, tingyan ushers the crowd to show enthusiasm, cheering "let's go!" as she points to the crowd, beckoning them to join in on the chorus. "i'm so hot!" she chants, beaming as her hands began pointing, doing the infamous choreography. few other songs could have matched tingyan so well, full of confidence and laced with a little cuteness on the side. the choreography isn't straining, and tingyan uses the opportunity to utilize the whole stage, waving in the direction of the crowd, and then the judges. when she reaches back to the center, she grins, mouthing one last "i'm so ho-"
silence. the music turns off for a few seconds, and tingyan notes the confusion through squinted eyes as she slumps her head over. it's only obvious once the winding up sound effect of the next song is heard this is intentional, as the girl's body moves with the beat. thank god for yuqi helping her gain control over her body, or else she may have never learned how to do it properly.
the song shift is...certainly different, straying from cuteness and moving towards a more fierce type of alluring. soft and cute moments are handed over for sharper, more seductive ones. though it's a completely different drama, the moves call for all the years of ballet in which she'd learned how to have more precise movements when she danced. her eyes lock on each of the judges for a brief second a piece, unable to help the small smirk on her lips as she moves. torso bouncing forward, she feigned exhaustion with her hand over her forehead as the words hot hot were heard from the speakers. going from i'm so hot to so hot seemed to be a good choice - both with familiar lyrics but definitely different vibes. this portion was mostly to show her dance skills, that even though she had much to improve on regarding hip hop she could also do other things outside of just contemporary.
as she reaches the lyrics, she mouths these by heart as well, evidence that both songs had been ringing in her head for days on end. this choreography calls for her to point to someone, but this time, it's directed at katie lee. hey - it never hurt to try and pinpont your favorites, right? her body moves in each of the choreographed moves for the breakdown, a little less clean than it could have been but satisfying for tingyan considering her lack of experience in hip hop. she lingers on the last few beats, bringing her body into a squat then popping up to finish the song. the dance finishes with a turn to the back of the stage, looking over her shoulder to wink at the panel one last time.
as soon as the song's over, she's a little flustered, but manages to smile and deliver a thankful bow to everyone. "thank you for watching!" she says gratefully, one last time before following the route she'd gotten on to get back offstage.
she'd done it. she'd really done it. euphoria washes over her as she exits, finding her friends who'd been watching in the audience to give a thumbs up.
i came, i saw, and even if no one else thinks i did....i conquered, she thinks, sitting in her seat once more as yet another contestant prepared to perform. she'd gave it her all, and finally got to feel the rush of dancing once more. that was enough for her.
(header wip so you get this one which perfectly describes tingyan instead!)
"hello, hello, hello, my little stars! it's a wonderful day in seoul, and today i'm ready to dance!" this type of enthusiasm is rarely seen in tingyan, but she'd been granted the day off which meant overwhelming happiness on her end. instead of spending the day holed up in her apartment, she'd thought - what better way to celebrate than to make a video doing what she'd loved to do most? so, putting her boy group choreography knowledge to use, tingyan decided on making a fun dance video to pass the time. the type? a medley, but instead of expected girl groups she'd be doing it convex style!
"it's tingyan here!" she greets, clearly in some sort of side street in the city. a few people were walking by and giving odd looks at the camera set up, but it was quiet enough that she'd be able to shoot without others blocking the view. "today i'll be performing a medley for you all. but i thought - why do a girl group? i'm sure you're used to watching those, and there's a boy group i've enjoyed dancing to for a while now! so today we'll be doing a..." edited in, the words convex medley and a celebratory sound effect come to life.
"...convex medley! but enough of me talking, let's get to dancing everyone! let's bring it back to 2018 - one, two, three!" she doesn't know if it's the pressure to appear charismatic or her good mood, but the challenge has her feeling bouncier than usual - good for views, she hopes.
the video cuts to tingyan in her readying position, before the familiar bridge convex's fans would know as mansae begins to play. on the side of the screen the title is shown, as it would for the remaining songs so any curious viewers would know the names. though she's added her feminine twist to it, tingyan hopes she can convey the choreography with the same bright energy the original had. she's even switched out her laced dresses for a more comfortable outfit, denim shorts and loose t-shirt proving to be far more adaptable to dances such as these. her white converse skid across the concrete as she reaches the chorus, jumping in the air to deliver her viewers with her best rendition of the dance. while her lips mouth the words, her body jumps up and down with the beat. secret convex fan? possibly.
but just as the song is about to continue, it switches to another one of their first songs, jam jam playing in the background as a wide smile spreads across her face. seeing that it was the dance unit's song, she had even more fun than most of their other song's choreographies. it was a little awkward placing herself into such a powerful dance, seeing she was more of a slow dancer, but it was certainly fun. though her skill can't compare to convex, she's learning, and more importantly having fun. pointing to the camera, she adds in a bit of her charisma, winking before putting in the body roll the song was known for.
and then - poof! just like that, she switches to their next album with the song rock. dance-wise, it's certainly slower, but gives the girl a break from the strenuous physical efforts she's put up so far. this one is focused on giving the viewers attention, making sure to maintain eye contact with the camera as she grins. soon after, the music turns off, and she prepares for the next song.
"o-m-g!" she sings, triggering the convex song omg to play. it's a little harder than what she's used to, breaking out into a grimace as she tries her best to keep up with the fast-paced movements. this song calls for something else - a little more powerful, a little more aggressive, a little more fierce. so despite what may be lacking dancing, she uses expressions to give her display a little flavor.
and then? the grand finale. she pretends the medley is over, holding omg's ending pose a little long until the beloved very nice intro begins. it's clear this is tingyan's favorite to perform, clapping her hands in anticipation as she starts the powerful dance. she mimics convex's energy, yelling over the recorded track enthusiastically. and when the song reaches the chorus, a loud "아주 nice!" is echoed by the girl who's begun the fun dance. by now she's got a few onlookers - some smiling and some deadpanning - but tingyan paid them no mind. aftr all, as a model she'd often been put in uncomfortable scenarios where she'd have to pose in public. if anything, tingyan had grown to love the attention, whether it was actively seeked or not. while she's most often noted for her graceful sort of beauty, this song brings out the wild side of her, the girl chanting "기분! 기분! 기분!" with a shimmy alongside the beat. finally, after a wave of excitement the song ends, and all that can be heard are the dancer's rapid breaths. in real time, it takes her nearly 5 minutes to recover from her wave of energy, but edited only a few seconds pass before she's alright again.
"okay!" she says finally, a giggle escaping her lips as she thinks back to her excitement moments prior. "that's the video! i had so much fun today and i can't wait to learn more of their dances! convex oppas, please make more songs for me to dance to in the future!" she requests, pointing to the camera as if they were actually watching. "don't forget to comment, like, and subscribe! anyways, i'll be off now, but-" her hands ready to do the twinkling motion for her outro frequent viewers have gotten used to at this point. "tingle tingle little stars, goodnight!" with a wave and a smile, she bids the viewers goodbye, and then the video fades to black.
woo hoo ! tingyan’s finally got her own youtube channel (though she technically started two weeks ago) and it’s called tingyaniverse ! the space theme is really coincidental and has no relevance to the blog, except for outro which is “ tingle tingle little stars, goodnight ! ” so far her channel has revolved around beauty, lifestyle, and dance covers. the videos are rather short usually, ranging in the 5-15 minute range, and since it’s a new channel she has been posting rather frequently ! more than anything she does it for a hobby right now though, so she isn’t too stressed about uploads or view counts.
tingyan's come to accept that, with the majority of her family, their conflicts are unresolvable. with her parents practically kicking her out after her dream didn't match theirs, her eldest brother was already living a life of his own by the time she was born, and she can hardly remember the last time she's talked to distant relatives. she's almost alone - almost. there's one member of her family who never has made her feel different in the slightest - her brother, chong yating.
when she was born, her brother was only 6, and couldn't wait to have a sister in the house. out of her two brothers, he was always the more nurturing of the two - begging to change her diapers and spoonfeed her. in home videos, you'll find guanting, her oldest brother, sleep or out with friends. but yating? he was always beside her, cracking jokes, anything he could to make her laugh.
it was evident from the time tingyan began to grow into puberty that their parents were far more concerned with who their children would grow to be rather than their actual children. it was always marriage, marriage, marriage - and yating, for one, wasn't having it. despite his less than intimidating stature, standing at merely 3 inches above his little sister, he vowed to let her live a life of her own before being subjected to their fantasy. so while her parents were always sending her to ballet, tutoring, and etiquette classes to model their perfect daughter, yating was different. as soon as he could drive and saved up enough for a car, he was the one to take her to school dances, birthday parties, and anywhere relatively fun. whenever they'd yell or scream at her for laziness the older would be in her corner, guarding her from any danger that may have come to her.
tingyan saw how much he cared for her, and it showed. he was always the one person she could trust with her secrets, the person who hid her in his room when she got drunk at a party so that she could sober up. the only person in the house she could really talk to, who taught her how to use pepper spray and self-defense if someone ever tried to touch her. unlike their parents, yating taught tingyan things that mattered.
but most importantly? he set her free. as her time in china came closer to an end, the older brother could easily see how much of a toll their parents were putting on tingyan. instead of greeting him enthusiastically as she'd usually do, the girl would drag herself into the house and barely mutter hello.
she needed an escape. so he gave it to her.
two things were clear: tingyan didn't want to be married off - which she'd told him herself, and tingyan was trying to leave - which he'd discovered when he found her savings box in her room. but realistically, she had no place to start - if she just wanted to get a flight out of china it'd be way out of budget for a college student. the male, now a police officer, had some money saved up to buy himself an apartment however. but what did he do with the money? handed it to her - cash straight in her hand - with the simple request to "be free".
tingyan, stubborn as ever, refused - but yating wouldn't let this go. when she came back the next day, on her bed laid the receipt for a month's stay at a hotel in gangnam, and a debit card for food, transportation, and a little fun. to say tingyan was shocked was an understatement.
"i can't take this," she'd claimed, when she entered the room to find the items.
"god, you're just as stubborn as your mother. don't you see i'm doing this because i want to? you need this, 妹妹. go live your life, i want you to do something big. i hate seeing you holed up like this, having to do what mom says."
"but - what about mom? and dad? what'll they say?" despite her being independent, the fear of her parent's rage was one thing that hindered her. who knew what they'd do once word that tingyan, their "saving grace" ran away had got out.
but her brother's smile, kind as it always had been, had a strange way of assuring her that just maybe everything would go okay. he vowed to handle things after she'd left, and he did. though her parent's anger would never really go away, it helped knowing yating was taming the fire back home when she got settled into korea.
even now, though the country's proved to be much more refreshing for her she can't help but feel a tinge of sadness every time she thinks of her brother who'd worked so hard to make sure she had a life worth living. though she can't see him in person as much as she'd like, their frequent calls are a way to feel close to the small piece of her left at home.
though she's growing up to create a destiny of her own, she'll never forget who got her there. and that's why, no matter how hard things get in seoul, she'll stay. because as much as she has to put up with things here, tingyan knows how much more she'd have to face in shanghai and how hard her beloved brother worked to get her out of it.
when: june 13th, 2019
where: mall in gangnam, seoul
with: @rksoye
“i really hope i can trust your judgement today, soyeon....” cautious eyes wander over the racks of clothes, and then down at her own. if she could describe this store’s style in three words? simple. rips, baggy, and different. she’d never been into street style, and the one thing she couldn’t shake from her mother’s teaching had been her love of fancy clothes. laces, frills, flowing - all of it was a must when it came to tingyan’s style. while the female admired her friend’s skills when it came to beauty, they couldn’t have a more different sense of fashion. but that would all change today - she’d be soyeon, and soyeon would be her. tingyan had been hesitant to accept soyeon’s proposal of a makeover for the mgas, and only accepted when her request to give soyeon a makeover as well was accepted. so here they were, in the middle of the mall, switching styles for a day and deciding on what’d work and what wouldn’t.
“alright...i’ve got it! do you like - this?” the hopeful girl emerges from the hoard of racks she’s gotten lost in, finding soyeon and lifting her discoveries up. in one hand was a white lacy top, flowing down to the torso and adorned with frilly sleeves. in the other, lay a light denim skirt, stopping above the mid-thigh. “i know, i know. it’s not what you’re used to, but...it’s different, right? what do you think?” proud of her combination, she spins it around on the hanger, admiring from afar. soon, though, her attention turns to soyeon, peeking curiously at what was in her hands. “so? have you found anything mga-worthy?”
“ah, you’re here already?” tingyan asks as she enters the dance studio, bag which had been slung over her shoulders being placed onto the ground. she’d underestimated the time it’d take to wake herself up, and, as a result, had gotten to the studio late. though she’d never admit it, the girl knew she should have been more punctual than she had been. after all, it was only a matter of days before the two would begin callbacks together. tingyan still couldn’t believe it herself, a dare turned into a real shot to get her name out there. but if she wanted to do well she had to practice, which was why she had enlisted the help of the younger. it seemed silly, to her, asking a seventeen-year-old for help, but yuqi had proved to be more helpful than she’d expected. while tingyan was well-versed in terms of technique, yuqi was best in flexibility and controlling her body - something she had gotten worse at as her rigorous workouts had slowed down. together, though, they’d work to balance each other’s weakness.
“sorry, i was late. traffic,” she casually lied, walking over to where the other was standing. “you ready for this? callbacks are in just a few days.” despite the confidence she seemed to be exuding, grin on her face, tingyan should have been asking herself the same question. she didn’t fit in with most other contestants - she’d never attended a fancy school, her understanding of the language still wasn’t great, and her skill couldn’t compete with many of them. they’d have to work hard today to make true progress, and pray for a miracle. “let’s start by warming up.” the female announced then sat on the ground, beginning to stretch. “how you feeling?’
i’ve posted this on twitter already but for those of you who didn’t see, i’ll post it here! tingyan’s looking for more people to involve in her mga interview, so if you’d like your muse to be included like this to let me know! tingyan can be blunt & a little messy, but feel free to tell me if you’d like to opt your muse out of that side! it shouldn’t be that bad because, of course, she’s trying to play nice for the cameras so she won’t say anything too out of pocket!! also, her solo isn’t up yet but it will be soon, feel free to include her in any mga interviews, good or bad! i’m just happy to get her out there. <3
edit: mga mentions are capped! thank you so much for offering your muses up but i can’t take any more than those who have already liked this & shown interest previously since i only have so much time for her interview! but do let me know if you want to have a mga thread c:
when: may 4th, 2019
where: club in seoul!
with: @rkseung
here she was, yet again. rarely were tingyan’s nights actually dull, instead being spent out and about having fun or the occasional cramming when she felt up to it. tonight called for the former, however, fatigue of a long day settling in as her mind wandered to the nightlife around seoul. after contemplating, she decided on hitting up the club, both due to the happy hour drink special and nice atmosphere. but it was a bit...dull to say the least, the lights seeming to fade and music getting muffled as tingyan downed her third drink of the night. one hour in, two drinks finished, and yet tingyan still hadn’t found anyone worth her while.
until....she spots her. on the dancefloor, dark hair framing her face, her beauty makes tingyan smile with satisfaction. she’d found her. someone who had captured her attention - a girl who ratiated so much confidence that for once, tingyan felt she had competition. the night wouldn’t be young forever, though, so the female wastes no time approaching the other until she’s standing beside her, a tap on the shoulder announcing her presence. “excuse me?” tingyan asks, speaking over the roaring crowd. “sorry to interrupt, but... you look way too lonely over here. can i join? i promise i’m fun to have around,” playfulness is laced between her words as she speaks, unable to refrain the smirk as her eyes shamelessly wander over the mysterious woman. she’s different from the others there - tingyan knows - and it’s evident in the way that her eyes focus on her; only her.
*.☽ .* ┊chong tingyan meets mga 5 auditions, 061419 !
↪ singing to sam kim’s make up ( 0:03 - 1:03 ), outfit
there's a lot happening when the contestants are granted their 20-minute break - bathroom rushes, food runs, quick naps on the carpet. what was tingyan doing? slipping into a brand new outfit, and fixing the makeup that had been switched during the interview to her liking. she felt odd singing in a sports bra and joggers, so in her bag she came equipped with. she's cutting it close, but soon enough she's finished the look and leaves the bathroom. though she wasn't as confident in her singing, one thing was sure - she was confident in her looks.
by now, tingyan's gotten used to the process, so being the last performance of the day she feels more comfortable in front of the panel. when asked to improvise on a skill, she isn't able to hide the utterly lost feeling she gets at the request. singing was at the top of her list - there was no way she'd rap in a situation so dire. but she nods enthusiastically, as if to say i've got this, but the bubbling feelings in her chest says something else.
the heels of her boots, to her knee, clink across the hardwood as the girl bows to the panel. “hello, hi, how are you?” she asks to each of them individually. “you must be tired, right? you’re working hard.” the compliments are given as she hands over the instrumental for her music, the staff preparing it as she readies herself in the center of the room. yes, she may be sucking up - but tingyan was never too proud to add in a little charm. and it was true - she’d grown tired just being with all these people, let alone watching all them perform. from there, follows a short period of awkward silence, her arms together in front of her until she gets the ok to begin.
"alright, then. i am chong tingyan, and i will be performing for you sam kim's make up, featuring crush." she doesn't know how many times she's said her name today, and they may be tired of it, but to her it doesn't matter. she wants to get her name out there, and that's exactly what she's doing. the song choice comes to her as soon as she says it out loud, and even she surprises herself with the choice. it wasn't exactly within her range, but didn't ask too many high notes from her where she felt she'd completely fail. if anything, she loved the song.
"all right, let's go!" she says enthusiastically, clasping her hands together to motivate herself. pointing to the staff in charge of music, she gives a warm smile and nods, encouraging them to start the song. once the intro can be heard she closes her eyes, focusing herself. you can do this, tingyan.
아무런 의미 없는 다툼
차갑게 날 대하지 마
모든 게 내 잘못이었어
이런 네 모습 낯설어 난
괜한 내 자존심 때문에
baby babe hate to see you cry
just talk to me
talk to me
talk to me
the intro's calm, just what she needs to start off without too much stress. she can't exactly put herself in the lyrics, but instead envisions a romance she'd like to have. the original's sung by a male, she knows, but she figures she's the one who would be apologizing anyways, no matter which gender she eventually gets into a relationship with. as the chorus hits, she really gets into the vibe of the song, bobbing her head once the familiar beat hits.
can we make up in the morning
지금 얘기해
right now
또 울면서 잠들 거 뻔해
내가 널 잘 알잖아
can we make up in the morning
baby babe hate to see you cry
baby babe talk to me
talk to me
talk to me
she's thinking she's doing good, but when she hits the second can we make up in the morning tingyan hears herself strain to hit the high note. internally, she strains, but on the outside she shakes it off. it's evident her singing isn't up to par with her dancing, but when her lids open they wink at the judges, finishing the song with her eyes on them to try and win over their hearts if she doesn't win over their ears. the portions she's chose to sing comes to an end, and with a nod, she stands to her feet. things could have been better for sure, but the girl hopes she's done her best to show her potential. and for the last time that day, she says-
"once again, i'm chong tingyan! thank you so much for your time."
when she's prompted for her special skill, tingyan nearly jumps out of her skin. dancing was her best skill, but what she had in store proved to be the most fun. when putting something like shadow puppetry down as a talent of hers, she'd expected to be asked to demonstrate. so with a nod, she asks to grab an item from her bag and returns with a bed sheet and tape. sheepishly, she looks to the expectant interviewer and gives one more request.
"could you turn the lights off, please?"
hesitant but agreeing, the woman stood to turn the light off while tingyan prepared. she had expected to display her talent, and the last thing she wants is to look unprepared. always be a step ahead, she'd told herself. taping the two of the corners of the white sheet to the ceiling, all that could be seen was the silhouette of her frame from behind it.
"okay, ready?" she asks, and once she gets a nod in confirmation she leans to the ground to turn her flashlight on, causing her shadow to be prominent. peeking from the cover, the female gives one last smile to the unamused judge. "hi, i'm chong tingyan, and you're about to see the story of the emperor's new clothes using shadow puppetry." doing this gave her a wave of nostalgia, using both a skill she'd learned at school and a familiar story from her childhood. it definitely wasn't the same as playing an instrument, but tingyan figures the woman had heard enough piano playing that her own skill wouldn't seem too special in comparison. she'd have to be different.
moving her body from the sheet, she brings her hands into view, her hands crossed in what seems to be the shape of a bird. in between her fingers was a small cloth that waves as she mimics flying. "once upon a time there was a crane, known to be the wealthiest and most prominent emperor in the entire kingdom." the original story involved humans, but tingyan decided to make the story more interesting by involving animals which represented the character's traits. her sentence is spoken in korean, though she prepares to begin switching languages. behind the curtain tingyan bit her lip, nervous for the perception of her skill. maybe it seems childish, or boring? all she could do was hope it was enough.
on impulse, she decides to break out her comfort zone and do something a little different from when she'd practiced. "i am the richest man alive! i'm respected by my kingdom because i am smart and the most wise man of all." the line is spoken in cantonese as she'd prepared, but instead of the standard dialect she goes for an exaggerated impression of a boastful king, whiny like a crane. it felt strange switching to cantonese, the majority of her life in china reliant on mandarin, and cantonese only really being spoken to distant relatives and to her language tutor. she knew enough that she could tell the story properly, but just in case it wasn't spoken by the other she follows up with a korean translation, continuing to do so for the rest of the story whenever chinse was spoken. the interviewer may have been impressed with her chinese, but it was her native tongue - second nature to her, requiring little effort. it was the korean she spoke the majority of her time there that took the most effort out of her, head pounding with the amount of concentration it took to speak in korean without faltering. she had to, though - anything to preserve the magic of a good story.
"he was known for having the finest clothes all around." making sure to wiggle her arm so the cloth flew in the air, she mimicks the bird waving his wings in the air. even she can't help the little giggle coming out her lips as she transitions to the next portion of the story.
"but one day, two manti came to the kingdom in search of the king, advertising some of the finest clothes around." her words hint at obvious sarcasm, as she takes off the cloth offscreen and returns with two hands - each crinkle into the shape of manti. "hello, king..." the girl says, characterizing them as evil with her menacing words in korean. "we come from far, just to present you with our clothes! only the most excellent and wise can see our clothes. grasshoppers all around talk of how pretty our clothes are. come take a look!"
"there they traveled to the weaving store, where the manti showed him all their clothes." as she narrates, tingyan backs up from the sheet to provide the illusion of a crane flying further away. she gets closer once more to show them arriving. "the problem?" she asks, peeking her head out to feign shock at the interviewer. turning her attention back to the presentation, she moves her hands around quickly to illustrate the crane looking around.
"he couldn't see anything! but remember, only the most excellent and wise can see the clothes. emperor crane didn't want to get embarrassed, because everyone else seemed to know what was going on."
"so pretty!" she says softly in mandarin, curving her fingers into a rabbit's silhouette. the language is clearly easiest for her in the way it naturally comes from her lips, her native tongue. swiftly, she moves to a pig, overlapping her hand but leaving slits for the eyes, honking before saying "so nice!" in mandarin. the female hopes the blush on her cheeks isn't evident, because truthfully this whole story was a hit to her ego. it was something 10 year old tingyan would do. nothing like the woman she was now, but she had to push those feelings aside. embarrassed or not, this was her shot to show her enthusiasm.
"uh...right...so beautiful!" the girl claims in cantonese, the whiny voice of a crane coming full force as she switches her hands to it's form once again. "here, have my coins, and you must give me the finest clothes all around!"
"of course, my emperor, the manti said," she says in korean.
in an attempt to speed the story up, she decides against displaying the actions and narrated them instead, this time in korean. "so they took the money and pretended to work, while the crane got excited for his clothes all night. the next day, they presented him with the clothes - to be worn at his very important parade."
""oh...so...wonderful!" the crane exclaimed," speaking in cantonese and doing her best to act as if she's lying, she has the finger puppet wander around as if he’s observing. "the crane then put on his... clothes, ready to face the entire kingdom."" she's sure to emphasize the word, and this time when she takes off the cloth she purposely doesn't put it back on the finger crane.
"so he walked in the parade, and no sooner than he can be seen a croak is heard."
inhaling, the female tries to put her pride to the side best she can and lets out an obnoxious screech. "my god, where are his clothes?" she said, impersonating the most dramatic rooster she could conjure up. "one by one, the crowd began to notice." now came the hardest part, tingyan trying her best to shift from animal to animal - a dog, a squirrel, a crab, squealing "where are his clothes?" in numerous voices. god, please make me less embarrassed than i am now, she thought. finally, following the chaos she returned to the crow, her voice in the familiar whine as she acted out misery. "oh, what should i do? now the people will know i was a fool and followed what others said!"
halting, she approaches the front of the sheet, so her face was in full display. "and that's when the crane learned to be a leader, not a follower." she'd chosen the story because of the importance she felt the lesson held, and when she was done, bowed in appreciation of the interviewer's patience and grins. looking her in the eye, tingyan got a rush of satisfaction as she viewed the seemingly unbreakable interviewer’s hint of a smile. "thank you for your time."
interviews? this sounded fun. the preparation wasn't, though, tingyan having to get her makeup touched up though she repeatedly insisted it was fine as it was. regardless, they added a little to the full face she had and like that, the interview was ready to begin.
she felt prepared, both because of the mock questions they'd given her and the confidence she had. tingyan was no stranger to talking to others, and figured if anything it could be her way to let her charms shine through. the female was advised to keep things short, and though she knew it'd be hard she vowed to try her very best to shorten what she could.
"hi, how are you?" the female asks as she takes a seat, looking past the camera to view the interviewer in the eye. after a short answer, she's told to give her answers to the camera and with a nod, the girl obliges. readying herself, she prepares the smile which she's practiced for weeks and flashes it at the camera. once she gets the okay the flurry of questions begins, each causing a brief moment of thinking before tingyan decides to answer.
introduce yourself, please.
"of course!" she agrees, her modeling side taking over as she sits up and adjusts her hair, followed by a bow to the camera. "hello. my name is chong tingyan, and i'm a student and part-time model living in gangnam-gu. i'm 20 internationally, 21 in korean age, and i'm originally from shanghai, china. i’m not this seasons princess - i’m your queen!” she claims rather confidently, giving a bright smile before moving to the next question.
who are your musical influences?
"like...who inspires me?" she asks, though she only gets a nod in response. "i like a lot of smaller artists, mainly r&b. the way people create their own types of style is really interesting to me, so those are the one's i like the most. iu, dean, heize, sza, all of them sound so unique. i want to be the type of person that you can recognize as soon as the song starts." she nods in confirmation, about to end the response before she speaks again. “have you heard and july, unnie - wait, can we say song titles on television? can that be aired?” she asks all at once, but before she can receive a proper response she continues. “anyways, as soon as you hear that voice you know who it is. i hope to be like that too! all i’d have to say is 약이라도 타놓-” tingyan begins to sing the song, but stops herself mid-verse. “that quick, people would say oh, that’s tingyan! the mga queen!” the female finds herself giggling as the title she’s made for herself resurfaces, and opens her mouth to speak once she recovers. “that’s the type of impact i hope to have!”
why do you want to become an idol?
"a lot of reasons," she says, though the truth is she's saying it to give her time to think. because really? she doesn't know. her future isn't as certain as she'd like it to be, so many possible paths for her to take. she could say her friend encouraged her to join, but who'd like that answer? all the thoughts roll into her head until she decides on one response. "it's something i've liked for a long time, but my family always wanted something...different, for me.” she strives to keep it vague, not wanting to create a sob story for herself. that was not how she’d get ahead - tingyan always wanted to work on her own accord. “i fought a lot to show i want to perform, and that's why i moved to korea in the first place. to show i'm independent, and i can fight for what i want. i feel i have charisma and drive, and i'm willing to work on the things i'm not good in now to become satisfactory. that’s why i know i can do this if i try hard."
which company would you like to get into?
"nova," she says quickly, beaming at the answer. nova had the groups that first captured her attention of kpop, remembering dancing to jewelry's songs around the house when she was younger. "i love to dance, more than anything, and i feel like nova could really build on the base i've created for myself. like...have you seen miss kim sori?" she asks, and it's almost like she's a child again with the way her eyes light up in enthusiasm. "i love her, and she's one of my biggest dancing inspirations. outside of nova, though, i really like kt. miss katie lee has so many talented artists under her, and i feel like with them she really takes her time developing their skill. i really like her ferocity, it’s something i take pride in myself.” grinning, she imitates a tiger, mimicking a claw towards the camera. “i could only imagine how far anyone in the industry could take me though, i'm willing to take whatever they have to say so that i can improve."
anything would be lovely, she thinks. anyone who gives me a shot.
you didn’t think such an outspoken woman wouldn’t have a twitter, did you? she opened the twitter three months ago, and has racked up over 5,000 tweets from sporadic thoughts during the day. it’s her most personal social media outlet, she doesn’t incorporate modeling or anything. she always has her phone in hand, so the day doesn’t go by without her sharing a tweet or two about what’s going on in her life. follow her @tingyan_esque!!
*.☽ .* ┊chong tingyan meets mga 5 auditions, 061419 !
↪ dancing to camila cabello’s i have questions ( 0:10 - 0:56 ), outfit
"chong tingyan?"
amidst all the other dancers, she turns at her name, shock evident in her features. of course, she knew that her turn was coming eventually, but with all these dancers she hadn't realized just how fast time would go by. but there's no time to think it over because a few seconds into tingyan blankly starting the woman who had called her name gives an uncomfortable cough, prompting her to move.
"oh! right," she says, bowing in apology before following her to the stage. the time she's gotten to prepare has allowed for tingyan to ready herself, and now she's in competition mode. dance was her thing. if anything could send her far in this competition, it's dance.
"hello, judges. my name is chong tingyan, i'm twenty years old, and today i'll be dancing i have questions for you all. i hope you enjoy." a smile is given, odd considering this time it's polite opposed to the flirtatious ones she usually gives. after her introduction is done, she backs up, arms to her sides as she gets into the headspace to perform. this was going to be...difficult. though her outfit made her look as if she was going to perform hip hop, once the soft music begins to play it's clear that she's in contemporary. for once, playing it safe seemed like the best option, especially since she was significantly better in it than other genres. slow songs were her specialty, allowing her training to truly shine through. of course, tingyan still wanted to look cute, and soyeon's style has imprinted itself on her outfit. it was obvious in the street style it exuded, different from her own. while it felt strange, once the music starts any feeling of doubt washes away and she's tingyan, the dancer.
as soon as the music reaches her cue, she's transformed to a different time - the lyrics motivating her every move. while the lyrics may remind them of a love song, it reminds her of her childhood. the words, i'm way too young to be this hurt, i gave you all of me, all of it reminds her of the time she spent used as a pawn for their plan. so as much as she hates to she uses it, channels all her painful emotions in the song. it causes her jumps to be a little higher, kicks to be a little sharper, and the genuine pain she hopes will transfer to the panel.
then the song fades, and tingyan turns one last time to face the judges. for a minute she stands there, in a sort of a daze, but once the song cuts off for good she shakes off any feelings that may have resided within her. the competition was far from over, and there was no time to stop now.
"once again, i'm chong tinyan. thank you," she says, bowing to each of them before heading for the exit. she may sound stupid repeating her name, but if she wanted to be remembered she had to make sure she made herself known. and with that, she's led out the room.
right now she feels drained - emotionally, and physically. but she did what she came to do, and hopefully showed the judges every piece of her.
tingyan feels satisfied with herself, and right now? that was all that mattered.
