Hyun Bin is the next to speak. “Park Jimin, you really are a bright girl and you have a beautiful voice. We just don’t feel that you’re quite ready yet. Please continue to work hard and you’ll be there soon.”
Her eyes closed for a nanosecond -blinked. Had she heard him right? Minutes before, she was off stage chatting with her friends, Chanyeol and Kasper. They had all been so chill and the results were pushed way back in their minds. It only hit her when she realized how many contestants have passed.
Fourteen.
Again, she blinked. Three sentences. All those weeks of hard work summed up into three sentences. Right at that moment, she wanted to speak up. Ask for an explanation. What does he mean by not quite ready yet? Did she lack charisma? Was her singing a bit too much? Was she too young?
He could have at least said more. Critique her, put her on fire, anything. The words couldn’t come out of her mouth, choked. She nodded somberly, lowering her face as to cover how red it has become.
She waited.
A part of her wanted to believe it was a joke. Her friends told her that last year, there was a twist too. Her knuckles turned white, but still -nothing. Swallowing her pride and stubbornness, she squeaked out a small thank you before piping down once again.
Once she got off the stage, her feet took her away from the crowd. She could feel her face warming up, the hot substance starting to roll down already, causing her to run even faster. She made a turn for the toilet and locked the door behind her. She cried and let her tears roll down. Her grandma had always told her that it’s okay to cry.
Her fingers shook as she pressed the numbers on her phone. Mom. She needed her mom. Her breath was ragged and uneven. Disguising it was impossible, not now at the very least. Pain seared in the left side of her chest when her mom picked up.
"Mommy… I-I’m sorry." She lowered her phone an stared at it for a while. It ended with a simple click. She probably made it sound too much of a death note unintentionally. How silly.
17 WISHES AND A SPRINKLE OF SURPRISE
jamiepark ❘ 4 videos
Published on Aug 31, 2014
( / a soft melody flows out of jimin’s mouth as she sings her own rendition of a thousand miles. hands clasped together, she sways on her seat. she looked at the camera briefly and smiled. )
"Good evening everyone! As you all know, I participated in the second season of MGA. Today would be my last day as a contestant and tomorrow the results will come out. First, I hope you will all still cheer for me no matter what happens."
( / the first candle dimmed as she blew on its tip. )
"Second, I’d love to hear what you all think about me and my performances so far, so don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below. And also, I have read some of your lovely tweets and ig comments. It would be such a pleasure to keep on receiving them."
( / second and third candles too, was turned off. )
"Next, it would mean so much if I could read more of your letters. They’re always fun to read so mail more! Speaking of which, please keep on voting for me until the competition draws to an end! Sixth, don’t forget to see the announcement tomorrow!"
( / fourth to sixth candles get softly blown to death. )
"Moving on, I’d like to start with the real wishes and hopes now. Once I turn 17, I want to be more mature, responsible and dependable. Through my actions, I hope to make my family happy and proud. Excelling in school, would also be a priority considering it is my last year after all. What would also touch my heart, is if my singing manages to touch people’s hearts as I grow older."
( / the fire on the seventh through tenth candles ceased to exist as she swiftly blew them off. )
"For 11 through 17, I wish for a happy, eventful year with a lot of good surprises! Good night and sweet dreams, earthlings!"
( /screen fades to black and the writing to all the lovely people out there appears. )
MGA SPECIAL EPISODE : PARK JIMIN, #2024 UNREVEALED
The morning light poured from between her window blinds. Reaching for her alarm, she stretched her arm out and randomly hit on the bedside table. Groaning, she got up and shoved her blanket aside.
She blinked.
"Hi." Her voice came out as more of an embarrassed whisper than a straightforward sentence. "That was a bit embarrassing, wasn't it?" Her face warmed up and color rushed to her cheeks. Hair up in a bun, she sheepishly smiled at the camera and held on to the sleeves of her sweatshirt. "I don't usually sleep in but I guess I got really tired from studying last night." The crew had just told her about the so called special episode. Technically speaking, she would have to show them how she lives her life from day to day.
"That reminds me, you are still attending school right?"
She gave the PD and affirmative nod. "Yes, exam week has just passed." It reminded her of how hard she studied only a month before. The MGAs was in no ways a concern to her at that time. "But I have this test coming up so I have to study. School's actually pretty fun." A grin formed on her lips, giving her face an extra boost of radiance and youth. Putting her hand against her chin, she took a few seconds to think of what to show to the crew.
An idea popped in her head. "Come on, I'll show you my room." She walked moderately, not too fast and not too slow- just enough to make sure the audience feels welcome. Hands lifted up to represent a grand entrance she turned the doorknob and smiled. "Ta-daa! Welcome to my room!" She's seen a lot of room tour videos on YouTube and surely she could make one too, right?
The camera first shot the right-hand corner of her room. A huge board covered that side of the wall. She placed the palm of her hands on it with a proud expression engraved on her face. "This is one of my favorite things ever. Do you know what it is?" She looked at the crew to see if any of them had reacted.
No one did. They simply shook their heads and continued with the filming.
The girl shrugged. A playful smirk made its way on her face. She leaned in closer to the camera and whispered. "It's called an adventure board." She took some time to admire her work- you probably can call it pride. "What I do is basically stick on pictures, travel logs, and mementos of my travels here." Her eyes settled on her junior high graduation picture, the edges of her lips curling into a smile. "But I don't always put travel-related items here. Memories that I treasure too, will be stuck on here."
Turning towards the camera, she clapped her hands and grinned. The next stop would definitely be the kitchen. She cheered and hopped around when they got there, almost forgetting that every single thing she did is being recorded. She muttered a small oh when she spotted the camera. Opening the fridge, she took out a carton of milk. "I'll be having breakfast, if you don't mind." It was true, she hadn't had breakfast since morning and since the crew would be staying for a while longer she might as well eat before she goes to school.
"Do you want some?" She scooped a spoon of cereal and brought it closer to the camera. Just as it gets closer and closer, she retracted her hand and shoved the thing in her mouth. A restrained laugh faintly escaped her lips as she tried hard not to choke on her breakfast. After finishing her breakfast, she took her bowl to the sink and washed it clean. "See people, you have to wash your dishes."
After downing a glass of water, she went back to her room and stood in front of the door. "I'm gonna go wash up bait and change into my school uniform, please wait for a bit!" Closing the door behind her, she dressed up and got ready for school.
SCHOOL
"Welcome to SOPA!" Jimin waved her arms in front of her as she walked backwards. "This is my dearest second home. Yes, apparently my second home is my school." Clicking her tongue she spun on her heels and faced the road in front of her. "It's really nice in here and I don't regret studying here. Everyone's really fun and nice, plus, the teachers are really funny too!"
"What do you think of the facility?"
She tilted her head for a while before answering. "I think it's okay. I mean, the place is really clean and so are all the facilities they provide us with." Her feet kicked a stray rock as she walked. Once she reached the actual front door, she took a second to wave at the camera and smile. "I guess I'll see you again at lunch. Bye!" With a final wave, she went inside and let the door close on its own.
LUNCH
A fit of giggles could be heard even from 50 meters away. The school canteen was buzzing with life, be it students or staffs alike. "We're given pretty good food in here." The girl licked her lips as she looked at the day's menu. "I'll have a chicken katsu with tonkatsu sauce. Oh, and make sure you give me plenty of rice." Her chirpy voice sounded even happier than usual.
"Do you like chicken katsu?"
Jimin nodded. "I love any kind of food to be honest. As long as they're good, I'm in." This came off as a bit different. Girls would usually watch what they eat and refrain from snacking too much. "But I exercise and eat mostly organic food at home. So it reduces the amount of fat I gain. Kind of." She laughed and smiled at the camera. Taking the tray in front of her she proceeded to sit next to her friends.
"This is Mina and this is Jihye. They're sort of my best friends." The other girls playfully punched her in the arm and laughed. "Jimin is really sweet sometimes." Mina said. "But she can also be a real pain in the ass, especially when she starts pulling pranks." Jihye too spoke to the camera. The three girls talked amongst themselves for the rest of the break, occasionally eating their lunch.
"So you guys are going to vote for me no matter what, right?" The two girls nodded and gave her a thumbs up. "We have your back kid." Smiling, the young girl gave them both a big hug before looking at the camera. Pushing away her bangs, she put her soon aside. "Alright, I'll get going then." she said as she waved at the camera.
AFTER SCHOOL
The crew arrived in front of a cafe. Holding on to her hat, the girl gestured at the cafe. "The owner of this cafe is my friend's parents. We're almost like siblings except for the part where we don't actually come from the same womb." Making her way inside, she showed the crew around. From coffee machines to the best seats, she gave them the full tour.
Leaning against the counter, she called for one of the workers. "Ahjumma, have you seen Tae?" The older woman only replied with the shake of her head. Nodding, she bowed and thanked the woman before making her way out of the cafe. "Well, since my friend's not there, I couldn't introduce him to you." Hopping, she pretended to pull the camera closer. After almost falling on her butt, she laughed and walked normally.
HOME
Plopping down on the seat next to her mom's she leaned in on her mother's shoulder. "Everyone, this is my mom. Isn't she pretty~?" Her mom shyly looked away and shielded her face with a local newsletter. "Jimin, I look really bad right now." Feeling a bit playful, Jimin nudged her mom and smirked. "But mom you always look like that."
The next thing she knew, a pillow had just landed on her lap after making contact with her face.
Making her way towards the balcony, she spotted her dad and pulled him closer to the camera. "Dad, say hi!" Confused, the man half waved, half stared at the camera. Scratching his head, he turned to face his daughter. "Why is the crew still here?" Shrugging, the girl could only reply that she doesn't know. Her dad nodded- he looked as if he had just learned something interesting. "Well have fun." he said before walking away. Stepping closer, Jimin smiled.
"My parents are weird like that. But that's exactly why I love them."
JIMIN'S ROOM
Legs crossed she hugged her giant rabbit plush. Her room's color scheme was pastel, giving her room a more feminine touch. "That's all for today. Now I need my sleep and-" she rubbed the nape of her neck, "I think you need one too." She grinned widely and waved at the camera. "I hope you guys will keep on supporting me. I know I'm a bit weird and peculiar but a little diversity won't change a thing, right? Anyways, have a good week ahead!" With only a few seconds to go, she waved at the camera and threw a playful wink.
MGA 2 SECOND ROUND // CONTESTANT #2024 PARK JIMIN
BEYONCE - IRREPLACEABLE ( 0:15-1:25 )
jimin's hands trembled slightly as she walked over to the waiting room. after the camp, her cousin had fortunately been casted - something that surprised both her and her cousin. sure, she was happy for him. but then again, something stirred inside of her when she heard of the news. call it competitiveness - she doesn't want to get left behind. some of her friends had also been casted long before she was even interested. biting her lip, she sat down on the nearest chair and waited for her number to be called.
"honey we'll be waiting for you back at home with a delicious meal"
she nodded slowly at her mom's voice despite the fact that she wouldn't be able to see her through the telephone. "i'll call you when i'm done, please pray for me." the last time she was this nervous was during her first theater debut. though it was only a year end musical held by the school, she was as nervous as hell. her part of the witch didn't really help either, considering she would have to do a bit of tweaking to her voice.
"my name is park jimin," her voice came out clearer than she had initially expected, "i'll be singing beyonce's irreplaceable today." the palms of her hand was starting to sweat. though she looks pretty calm in the outside, the butterflies in her stomach still won't go away. putting all the negative thoughts aside, she brought the mic closer to her lips.
the music caught her by surprise for a second, causing her voice to go a pitch lower than intended. she could see the judges looking at her, surprised. her grip on the mic loosened as she tried to keep her composure. if she were to stop singing or waver, it would definitely be the end of her time at the mgas.
she raised her hands and waved it to the left. "everything you own in the box to the left." her voice came out better - without hesitation and sounding smoother. with this, she pulled of a few other gestures, seeing as how it made her a bit calmer. sure, her moves were awkward and very minimal. at the very least, it was nothing like major dance moves she often sees on tv at saturday nights. despite all that, a smile slowly crept up her face halfway through the song.
who knows why she chose the song. the day before, she had asked a few of her friends to recommend a song for her to sing - something that suits her type of vocals. almost everyone had told her to do a korean ballad song that she often hears in the radio. but it wasn't until her dad told her to sing one of his favorite english songs ever, irreplaceable. her initial reaction was laughing out loud at the thought. beyonce is the queen. how can she sing like the queen? in the end though, she decided to go along with her dad's suggestion ( and ignoring her mom's pleases of singing touch my body ).
"don't you ever for a second get to thinking, you're irreplaceable." she finished strong and clean. her face was shining with radiance as she bowed. somehow the nervous break had gone away, replaced by a happy glad feeling. her head bobbed up and down as the judges judged her performance. of course, there were some thing that she has to improve on but still - she felt happy.
"thank you very much!" she said before bowing and exiting the room. a grin formed on her face as she grabbed her phone and started to dial her mom - "eomma, make sure you have patbingsu for me to eat later!"
Before she knew it, her turn was up. Glancing at the other rookies, she smiled and waved towards the few that she has gotten to know during the camp. Regaining confidence, she strode up the stage with ease. Positioning herself in the small seat behind the drums, she cleared her throat and smiled. “Hey everyone, today I’ll be performing Hate It by Pearl Sisters. I hope you’ll all enjoy it.” Counting the beat before playing, she took a deep breath and started playing.
이제 다시는 싫어
우는 것도 싫어졌네
이제 다시는 싫어
웃는 것도 싫어졌네
변해버린 그대여
왜 그런지 알수없네
낸들 그대를 어찌하리
내가 싫으면 떠나가야지
The intro went well. Her beat was steady and she didn't hit too softly nor too hard on the drum. It was a bit hard at first to sing while playing the drums, but she managed it by the second verse. A content smile appeared on her face when the first part ended.
이제 다시는 싫어
우는 것도 싫어졌네
이제 다시는 싫어
웃는 것도 싫어졌네
나무 위에 놀던 새야
저 멀리 사라져갔네
날아가는 새 어찌하리
내가 싫으면 떠나가야지
Pearl Sisters is one of Korea's golden oldies -good songs from the old times. Her dad used to play the song all the time, making it stuck in her head. At first, she had objected at the song, saying that it's really lame and ancient. But as time passed, she's grown to like it and it honestky is one of her personal favorites.
이제 다시는 싫어
우는 것도 싫어졌네
이제 다시는 싫어
웃는 것도 싫어졌네
And with that she went silent. From there on, only her drum solo would be showcased. Simply put, the vocals are over. She counted the beat again before preceding with the solo. Her hands suddenly started moving, hitting at the drums rhythmically as her eyes followed her arms. By the time the solo was over, she had a wide grin on her face. Hitting the drums repeatedly as an outro, she smiled and stood up, bowing. The performance was definitely successful and better yet, she's learned how to play the drums.
A laugh escaped her lips as her hair bobbed begin her. Signing up for the camp has proven to be worth it so far, and more so with the comedy workshop. Growing up, she’s seen lots of talk shows and variety shows, as well as cartoons and sitcoms. With that, her sense of humor has naturally been enriched. Plus, her dad loves stand up comedies and often cracks jokes at the most random times. Eagerly looking forward to the next example, she fixed the hem of her shirt and smiled. This is probably her favorite workshop so far next to the vocal lesson. Her eyes were fixed on the trainer’s every movement and actions.
There happens to be much more to comedy than she thought she knew. Focusing, her eyebrows were knitted together. She nodded with every type of comedy introduced and constantly oohed and aahed. Comedy to her was an escape and form of liberal entertainment. Once, when she was younger, her dream was to be a comedian. She loves making people laugh and happy, you could call it a life goal. That’s probably why she joined the theater club from middle school until the past year. It might not always be funny, but musicals can always make a person or two happy. Parting her hair, she smiled and rested her hands on her lap.
Flipping her hair, she once again averted her gaze towards the front of the room. Her hair has been a bother ever since she woke up this morning, god knows why. But it was long forgotten when she got in the room and started learning about being funny. As much as she’s read or heard tips from people on how to be funny, they often backfire and make yourself look stupid. Not that she’s ever tried them, funny is in her blood. The thing about the class is that they’re not trying to be funny, they just are. She heard from a famous comedian once that if you try to hard, you’ll end up failing. The simpler the better, the stupider the better.
It took her less than half an hour to grasp all the points that has been thrown at her during class. One of her favorites include comedic timing. Her face beamed when the trainers started explaining, knowing that a joke might be perceived as not funny if they get the timing wrong. No one would laugh at a death joke on a funeral. When the class finally ended, Jimin’s heart was filled with joy. This time, she’ll have a base to work on for her skits.
First period has ended and she has just gotten back from lunch. They were taught the basics earlier, and now they would have to play a simple song after getting divided into groups. The instrument lesson had been quite fun and entertaining so far, but she just can’t wait to get her hands on a partition and start practicing. If there was anything that she couldn’t stand, it is to know something but not being able to show it off towards other people. Call her conceited and weird, that’s just the way she is.
“Okay, get going everyone!” Standing up, Jimin walked towards her assigned group and waved. Once they were all assembled, a sheet of paper was given for them to look through and practice. Tying her hair back so it wouldn’t get in her eye and block her view, she started to read the notes. It was a simple song, not too much variations and the tempo was just right. Nodding, she looked at her bandmates and smiled. “Alright, let’s do this!” Within minutes, they were already starting to practice. It was a good thing that the people she was teamed up with was not a complete newbie. They’ve also played a couple of instruments before, meaning they can adapt to their respective instruments more easily.
Time finally ran out and it was their turn to perform the piece. Giving her new friends a thumbs up, she tilted her head and giggled. Though it was kind of nerve-wrecking to perform a piece that has been practiced for only a few hours, she was also very excited. Admitting that the drum wasn’t as complicated as she thought won’t be a lie. As long as she stays focused and gives it her all, the performance would definitely be a success. Of all the times she’s done spontaneous performances, this has got to be one of her favorites. Why? Because this time she gets to play a new instrument.
