After the talent show performances finish for the day, MC Lee Jonghyuk takes the stage, where he turns the attention to the judging panel for the show.
“Now, we’ve seen a lot of interesting performances today, haven’t we?” he asks, and the crowd cheers. The judges nod. “But...who exactly is joining us today to decide our winners?” He raises a skeptical eyebrow. The members of the judging panel suddenly look a bit bashful.
They introduce themselves for the first time today: three instructors from NOVA Entertainment, one employee of the Samsung Group, and only one member in charge of Hongdae’s entertainment.
The crowd is silent, then breaks out into quiet murmurs. The stage’s spotlights search the crowd, then settle back on MC Lee Jonghyuk, and when they return to the judging panel...What’s this? The judges are joined by none other than NOVA Entertainment CEO Hyun Bin himself!
“Yes, everyone! Surprise! This talent show was sponsored by Hongdae’s very own NOVA Entertainment, and you certainly did put on quite a show. What a turn out! Now, it’s time for some results.”
After fixing his cue cards, MC Lee Jonghyuk scanned the crowd before bringing the microphone closer to his lips. “From the over a hundred talents showcased today, the judges have chosen their top 5 contestants who will be called onto the stage in a few. However, they can’t all win, can they?” He waits for the mysterious silence to settle before giving the audience one of his bright smiles. “Should we reveal our Top 5 HD Talents?”
The crowd screams in excitement, some cheering for their favorite contestants while a few women on the front row could be heard screaming for Hyun Bin instead. The MC cleared his throat to ask for silence before he could start reading from his newly received cue card.
“Impressing everyone with his incredible multitasking skills by reciting poetry while solving a Rubik’s cube, the first member of our Top 5 is Johnny Seo! By capturing the essence of autumn in quickly made nail art, please join us, Kim Jennie! Uniting taekwondo, beatboxing, singing, and dancing into a single performance, our next member of the top five is Kim Jongin! With a great mix of guitar, dancing, singing and a lot of charm, let us cheer for Shin Hoseok! Last, but certainly not least, our breakdancing boy, Yu Barom!”
MC Lee Jonghyuk waits for all the final contestants to join him onstage before continuing with the revelations. “From the five talented people we have here with us, there can only be 3 winners!” A single staff member walks onstage holding a reflective platter with an envelope and three trophies on top. On them are the letters ‘HD’, representing the Hongdae Talent Show, and they are approximately 15cm tall. “Each winner will receive a trophy to take home and, of course, the title of HD Talent-- and bragging rights. Now, without further ado!”
The man reaches for the envelope, slowly opening it to build the suspense. He gets to know the results before anyone, staring at the written names before giving the audience one last smirk. “The winners of the Hongdae Talent Show are Johnny Seo, Shin Hoseok, and Yu Barom!”
While the crowd breaks into cheer and applause, Hyun Bin starts handing out the trophies himself. He gives one to Johnny first, congratulating him on his talent. While giving Hoseok his trophy the look on his face could say a lot, but the true meaning would only be clear later. Once he reaches Barom, Hyun Bin leans a little bit closer, a professional close-lipped smile on his face. “As expected from a former trainee of Nova Entertainment.” He has no microphone on him, so it can’t be overheard. The man then moves on to the other two contestants to give them a firm handshake before returning to his original spot.
MC Lee Jonghyuk gives the last one of his bright smiles, ready to bring the event to an end. “And with this, we conclude the Hongdae Talent Show! Thank you, everyone, for coming, and until next time!”
The crowd slowly starts to scatter, but before the contestants could leave the backstage area, the three Nova judges go in search of a few who managed to catch their attention.
NOVA Entertainment would like to see the following for an audition:
KIM, JENNIE @rkjennie
KIM JONGIN @rkjongin
SHIN HOSEOK @hoseokrk
BAE SUJI @sujirk
BANG MINAH @rkxminah
CHAE HYUNGWON @rkhyungwon
KIM SEJEONG @rksejeong
KIM TAEHYUNG @rkxtae
MENG MEIQI @rkmeiqi
OH JINSEOK @jinseokrk
ONG SEONGWOO @rkseongwoo
PARK JIHOON @rkhoon
PARK JINYOUNG @rkjunixr
SONG MINHO @rkhugo
All the muses above received a business card with the information needed to schedule an audition at Nova Entertainment’s building. They are requested to display their singing and/or rapping skills, while dancing won’t be allowed. The performance must not exceed two minutes and should be scheduled between the 9th and 15th IC. Please write a 250+ words audition solo and have them up by the end of October 17th, EST. Please tag all solos with #rkhdaudition.
In addition, those listed below should check their inboxes shortly:
HONG JISOO ( @rkshua )
KIM, IRENE ( @rkrachel )
SEO YOUNGHO ( @rkjohnny )
SON JUYEON ( @rkjuyeon )
YU BAROM ( @romexrk )
#RKHDTALENT: HONGDAE TALENT SHOW [ SKILLS & ACHIEVEMENTS ]
Preamble: Leave it all out on the dance floor,
all you can do is be you [ 1, 2 ]
Buffering 00:00 / 01:37
This is where he was over two years ago: walking through Hongdae with a ghost of a rumor that scouts are around. The minute Dabin tells him there’s a talent show soon, Rome recoginizes the pattern. Didn’t they do it a few months ago for the Royal and KT contest? When he first moved to Seoul, he would’ve jumped at the chance, now he’s tepid water, still and dull. A weird taste left behind on the tongue and he swallows with a forced grin. “Yeah? You wanna go for it again?” Seik gives him an odd look and Rome would say it’s Dabin’s turn this time but he gave up on the dream, chose another one, and sticks beside Seik through it all. Rome was meant to join them but he’s slow, falling behind in his editing more than he wants to tell anyone in their group and he doesn’t know which way is up.
The guy who told viewers he was going to give them a genuine 20/20 experience is no longer as fluid or powerful as water. A powerful stream of confidence doesn’t fuel his movements. Instead, he’s dried up, a forgotten well in the outskirts of the country. For weeks, he strayed again from the new path he set himself on. Constantly looking for an escape, he’s caught in the current, taken over there instead of being here.
His head is in the clouds, he’s waiting, but his thoughts move too rapidly for him to form. He can’t even become all but a small droplet. If he was released now, he’d be swallowed up in the storm. His thoughts deteriorate at a speed too fast for his mind to keep up and he doesn’t know when he became the type of person who thinks too much. The last time his whole world was slowed down this badly was because of Jihyun but it felt right compared to this. He’s lost in his thoughts when Dabin is joking around, trying to hold himself up over a sidebar and he laughs when Seik smacks his chest to call his attention to it. Rome had to pretend he doesn’t notice it’s for his sake, so he stops leaving them when he’s standing right there.
He could pinpoint it to one moment if he wanted to. Knowing his ma, she’d demand it of him. Succinct words and clarity are key to his mother who’s used to using imagery to convey emotions. He learned from the best and it’s why he’d been back in the studio, going back to his origins in the city. When he couldn’t sleep, he was dancing again instead of editing and he feels as if he’s letting his team down, his friends down. Silence is more forgiving than admitting the truth: he misses it. Muscle tone reforms and his mind is calm when his energy is given to the music, to a beat his own heart chases and mimics. How long was it since he let music make his heart race?
The day he went on a walk, a day the rain poured and he realized he’s in a drought, an encounter with a trainee reminded him that he used to be this eager. He used to be this happy to fight for his dreams. The drive that kept him going on the MGAs was lost to a whirlwind of emotions he suffered as a trainee because he lost sight of it all. He went in blind. Leaving Nova, he thought he would see clearly after the storm but he let himself drown instead. Was Baek Jiyoung right? Did he get lost in a crowd? He lost himself for a while, that’s for sure. Rome’s pretending to lose his balance when he attempts the same trick as Dabin and they record him with laughter. It’s that night when Dabin tells him, “Hyung, I wanna see you dance again.” It’s his turn to confess and he’s shocked when neither Seik or Dabin look shocked.
“You’re bboy byu. That’s your title. You wouldn’t give it up like that.” Those words carry him to this stage, another chance to show off who he is and he thinks of Jihyun before he goes up, of how she’s chasing her dream right now. He worried so much about being left behind, he lost sight of how he used to run beside her. He wants that too again, he wants to see the proud face she made when he made it past another round of the MGAs. She was a coach for season 3 but she’s been his coach for a longer time than that. The advice he gives her, he gives to himself now. “When the time comes, you’ll shine.” He has faith Jihyun will make it onto the Majors this week. It’s his turn to show he still has more to offer too.
He looks proper and his father would be proud to see Rome in a button-up and a tie. This was what his dad hoped for when Rome was younger, a business professional, and he used to try to fit that image. His father’s approval was something he craved as a child but now he wants to make an image of his own. A dark button-up and tie that look awkward on his broad frame. “Hello, my name is Rome,” he wets his lips, feeling anxious about a name that isn’t as recognizable anymore. He fell into the background, blended in for too long, but he feels like the past still haunts him. His music starts, staggered to give him a few seconds of silence to begin his act the way he planned. “I used to be a hagwon teacher,” and he pretends to start reciting the alphabet when music cuts into his speech. His brows knit together and he walks to the edge of the stage, tapping the mic against his hand when he’s already turned it off. There’s no thump of his palm when he does and he’s handing it quickly to a staff member before he takes off in a burst.
[00:34 to 01:10]
With an explosion of energy, he goes into a set of moves that doesn’t match his apparel, tie loosened as he gestures to the audience and goes back to his very roots, back to his garage in Australia, toprock motions he could once do in his sleep. He makes sure they belong to him now as he cascades into a spin. He’s a living, breathing fountain show and he’s trying his best not to lose his rhythm when he pulls off the button-up, pulling on a loose long sleeve and he’s finally channeling his inner Channing Tatum from Step Up 2. It’s not Magic Mike like it used to be joked about before but it’s more him. His favorite hat tops it all off and he feels more like the guy he used to be, more like the dancer he used to be. He enjoys it.
[07:20 to 07:51]
The current doesn’t claim him anymore and he owns it, lets it course through his body with his guidance. There’s more precision, more technique, more speed than he used to have when he was in Nova and he thinks it’s his nerve that was lacking more than anything else. He’s taking it back once and for all, kicks and flips that used to send him spiraling back to the ground and staying there. Now, he rides the waves. The music ends and it feels too fast, a feeling of the stage that reminds him of when he lived for this and he’s trying his best not to breathe heavily into the mic when he takes it back, turning it on again. “This was bboy byu, telling ya to be you. Ain’t nobody gon’ do it better.”
performing strip that down ( 0:00 - 0:46 ) & ( 0:45 - 1:05 )
hongdae talent show stage • skills: guitar, singing, dancing
This was going to be difficult. Then again, what wasn't these days? One thing after the other was a struggle, but that hasn't stopped Hoseok from carrying on just yet. As a matter of fact, now more than ever he feels the need to redeem himself. It's not that he's done anything particularly bad, but he certainly hasn't been the same blond-haired dork that tells jokes and has more confidence than all of the television villains that you'd ever see combined. Rough times hit him hard and it left him rather broken, but he saw this as his opportunity to put himself back together. He knew that was much easier said than done, and it was more than obvious that he wasn't going to be fixed overnight, but this could at least be his first step in the right direction.
Lonely were his days and sad were his nights, but not today. He wasn't going to be lonely and he refused to feel sorry for himself any longer. Kihyun was finally back in his life again and helped push him to this point, so he wasn't going to let it go to waste. Of course, this was unlike the previous times in which he's found himself in front of crowds, considering other times he was looking for some sort of validation that he planned to get from the judges and those watching him, but not now. He didn't need any of these people telling him his worth, because he was attempting to get to a point where he knew it on his own. This was for fun, he kept reminding himself, he didn't care whether he won or not.
Glory was nice, sure, but so was knowing his own self-worth. Before he even started heading over here, he had to make absolute certain that if he "failed" here that it wouldn't destroy him again... he now feels as though it won't. He has enough confidence to know that no matter what happens, no matter whether he gets that title or not... he would be okay. This was going to be something good for him. This was his time to shine with a bright smile on his face and a fire burning in his heart. A good one, that is, because he didn't like the sound of his heart literally being on fire, that would hurt and, you know, kill him, but whatever. The point was, he was here to prove, not to everyone else, but to himself that he still has what it takes to continue following his dreams. One day, he'll get there... hopefully. But there's a good chance he would feel that hope was well placed if he can just remind himself of how much fun this is and how loved he can be, by the audience, yeah, but also by himself; he should love himself... and he would... soon.
When he was backstage and being interviewed, he felt a sense of excitement wash over him. He seemed to be as cheerful as he has in any other happy situation, a huge smile lighting his face and his eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Ah, I'm nervous." Soft laughter fell from his lips as he briefly rubbed his hands together, making eye contact with the MC as he listened to his question. "My name is Shin Hoseok. I'm from Busan, but Seoul is my home now." More quiet laughter. "I think everyone will be pleased with my performance because I put a lot of work into it. I think it will be surprising and entertaining to watch, so I can only hope that I'm right! It took me a while to put it together, so I am sure that all of my hard work will pay off. Maybe I could even win if the judges like what I've done as much as I do." His smile widened as he gave a nod of his head to punctuate his sentence, allowing it to remain at that.
Time passed and others went on, leaving his heartbeat quickening in pace. If he didn't know that it wasn't possible, he would think there was a good chance that it would end up beating right out of his chest. His hands trembled, but he was thankful that it seemed light enough to not put a hindrance on his guitar playing. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths, then it seemed like not much later, it was his turn to perform.
"Alright, Hoseok. You can do this," was very quietly whispered to himself as he went out there with his guitar, and a stool, taking a seat and giving a big smile to everyone. After introducing himself once more for the crowd, it was time for him to begin. He started strumming the guitar to the intro of the song, moving his head with the beat as he started singing along with his tune. He hoped that everyone would be impressed by his English, considering he's spent a long time trying to perfect his pronunciation. He really wanted to sing a song that no one would expect, because that way, it would give him a chance to show an even wider range of his skills. He knew that only displaying one thing wouldn't be enough, so he put a lot of effort into making this something that everyone would remember and enjoy. He wanted to stand out and to impress every set of eyes that watched him.
You know, I've been taking some time
And I've been keeping to myself
I had my eyes upon the prize
Ain't watching anybody else
But your love, it hit me hard, girl
Yeah, you're bad for my health
I love the cards that I've been dealt
Do you feel the same as well?
While the words flowed from his mouth, he would shift his eyes from watching himself play the guitar to the crowd of people, a confident smile on his face. He knew that it was getting close for him to transition his act, but he tried not to show it on his face. He didn't want anyone to see anything coming, so he continued to softly sing and bob his head along all the way until he got to the very last word.
You know, I used to be in 1D, now I'm out free
People want me for one thing, that's not me
I'm not changing the way that I used to be
I just wanna have fun and get rowdy
One Coke and Bacardi, sippin' lightly
When I walk inside the party, girls on me
F1 type Ferrari, 6 gear speed
Girl, I love it when your body grinds on me
Baby...
After that, he stopped playing mid-song and stood up from the stool, quickly sliding it across the stage and placing his guitar down. He went back to the middle of the stage and stood paused there for a moment, a big smile forming on his face as he tilted his head to the side, enjoying the silence and hoping that everyone was wondering what he was up to. In that moment, he unzipped the jacket he'd been wearing only for everyone to see that he had no shirt on underneath, a clear display of his abs visible as his expression shifted into a mischievous and playful one. The original song started playing from his speakers, picking up where his left off and he began dancing to it. It wasn't the most difficult choreo in the world, but it also wasn't all that simple, especially not when he had to go all the way to the ground.
But, it was all thanks to his several years of dance classes and then his brief job that he maintained a while after that he was able to do it so effortlessly. It was like second nature to him at this point, and he hoped that everyone would see that he was in his prime and that it would be appreciated. He had lots of experience with "sexy" dances, and while this wasn't anywhere close to what he's accustomed to, at an event like this, he thought it was as far as it should be taken. Personally, he likely would have felt more comfortable and exhilarated by removing his entire jacket, but he thought leaving it unzipped would be good enough... he hoped. He didn't want to cross any lines but he also didn't want to make anything too boring.
By the end of the fifteen seconds or so of dancing, however, he felt pleased. It made him happy to perform like this, even more so since he was able to play the guitar, sing, dance, and show off his body and how comfortable and empowered he feels in it. He hoped that he displayed the main thing that he wanted to well, which was his charisma. He thought for a while that he was lacking it and that his confidence had been drained so much that it would never return, but he had good faith that it wasn't the truth and that this performance helped to prove that. All he wanted was for him to know that it wasn't over, that he still enjoyed this, and that it was still what he wanted... it certainly was. And with all of his friends lives moving forward, he had a good feeling that his would soon, too.
Even if nothing came of this in particular, at least he was rather positive that he's gotten his spark back, and that spark should be able to take him a long way... hopefully, it will be able to take him all the way, up until the point that he finally achieves his wildest dreams.
* ☆ ·˚ — HONGDAE TALENT SHOW
performing SAILOR MOON THEME SONG !
( vocal )
( dance )
taehyung didn’t have plans to attend the talent show until the very last second. he didn’t have any sort of special talent to showcase. he couldn’t breathe fire, or perform magic tricks, but then it struck him. and it struck him hard.
this was the perfect event for him to show off his sailor scout skills. sure, he doesn’t have moon powers or anything but he has wanted to dress up for so incredibly long. he can sing the theme song as well, so that’s a plus.
so here he is, showing up to the talent show dress in a frilly blue skirt that had a bright red bow on the back, a white top with another big red bow on the front, and long white gloves. he even has a tiara, sitting heavily on his forehead but taehyung is more than used to it. and to finish it all off, bright red high heel boots, extending up to the knee. he’s used to those too. honestly, his talent should be being able to dance in heels. at the beginning, he didn’t know how anyone could even walk in these things but now he’s a pro, for sure.
when it’s his turn to perform, he slaps some decorations onto the mic he’s given to liven it up a little bit before heading up on the stage with a big grin. he’s… happy to be back on a stage like this. he hasn’t been on one since the trc audition, but this isn’t nearly the same thing. taehyung wants to have fun with this.
he doesn’t even really know what he’s performing as he dances around on the stage once the music starts, a wide grin on his face as he accompanies the dancing to his singing of his most favorite theme song in the entire world. his heels clack on the stage, but he just keeps on moving, skirt bouncing a little too high up his thighs for his liking with the wider movements but he’s still enjoying the chance to dress up like this.
미안해 솔직하지 못한 내가
지금 이 순간이 꿈이라면
살며시 너에게로 다가가
모든걸 고백할텐데
전화도 할 수 없는 밤이 오면
자꾸만 설레이는 내 마음
동화속 마법의 세계로
손짓하는 저 달빛
밤하늘 저멀리서 빛나고 있는
꿈결같은 우리의 사랑
수없이 많은 별들 중에서
당신을 만날 수 있는건
결코 우연이라 할 수 없어
기적의 세일러문
once he’s finished with his silly little performance, he ends it with a signature sailor moon pose, changing it only slightly to hold up a ‘v’ sign instead, a wide grin on his face as he huffs and puffs from the effort it took to dance in heels.
when he leaves the stage, he feels only a little embarrassed about what he just did.
#rkhdtalent — 2x speed girl group dancing by PARK JIHOON
september 30th, 2017: LIVE PERFORMANCE
+ signal by TWICE (0:04-0:14+0:17-0:28)
+ boombayah by BLACKPINK (1:02-1:27)
+ rough by GFRIEND (0:43-1:00)
+ dumb dumb by RED VELVET (0:29-0:59+1:01-1:03)
+ five by SHE’Z (6:39-6:52+8:32-8:34)
outfit: ( ✩ )
the first thing that came to mind when he thought of his talents was dancing. his entire life revolved around it and it was definitely something he wouldn’t be scared to showcase. in second place came soccer, though jihoon wasn’t sure if he could do something with that for the talent show. and that was it. it wasn’t like he could knit a sweater up on the stage or badly play the kazoo, so his talent options turned out to be way more limited than he had originally expected. he couldn’t just dance, though. too many people would do that.
jihoon knew he had to stand out somehow and just dancing along to a good choreography he found online wasn’t going to cut it. memories from his recent project gave him ideas. why not take the extra step and make it girl group dancing? his mind immediately shut off any thoughts about wearing dresses, and the boy couldn’t help but agree. he wouldn’t only use a single song but multiple. a medley! it’d not only show his dancing abilities but also confidence and maybe even future variety skills.
without a worry the boy gathered song ideas, organizing them in a way the music would flow nicely. it took him an entire afternoon choosing dances that he both knew and that he didn’t, trying to make it perfect. he smiled proudly at his finished work before picking up his phone. woojin was his best friend and part-time rival, so checking on his progress was a must.
〔 ✉ ⇒ 까마귀여운 〕
↪ wow i think i’m done choosing my hd talent!!
↪ what are you going to do??
↪ i picked nice girl group songs to dance to
↪ medley style
the reply wasn’t what he wanted. so woojin would be doing the same thing?
jihoon gently sat his phone beside him, staring at the list that had taken him hours to arrange, only to imagine other people doing just the same. of course - it was no fresh idea; people did dance medleys all the time.
his hands felt no shame in deleting his hard work. he’d have to think of something better and there would be no point in dwelling on the past. so the boy kept searching the internet for any better ideas, too stuck on girl group dancing to navigate away. with one click she’z showed up on his screen. they were in a variety show after their latest comeback and a challenge came upon them - perhaps one that he could use.
two times the speed. he finished his list faster than before - two times the speed. no one would be doing that! the fact the songs were all sped up also allowed him to add more music to the mix. in no time there it was: the perfect performance. he reached for his phone once again with a smirk to type a message he truly meant.
〔 ✉ ⇒ 까마귀여운 〕
↪ good luck to you then!!
↪ shall the best one win!!
+++
there’s an actual crowd and he busied himself with making sure his clothing was in place. it’d be his turn soon and he wanted to sure he was looking his best. after another contestant moved away his eyes kept focused on the MC while he talked to the camera as if he could see the people inside of it. professional. jihoon would rather pretend there was no one watching so it wouldn’t affect his head.
“so let’s hear from our next contestant!” the boy nervously took a step forward and then proceed with his approach after receiving a sign from lee jonghyuk himself. his eyes kept staring at the older male, not wanting to stare at the thousands of people who were probably looking right at him instead. “so why don’t you tell us your name?” jihoon quickly nodded before bowing to the camera with a smile. “hello! my name is park jihoon!”
after the introduction was quickly done he returned his eyes to jonghyuk, keeping the smile on his face. “what talent will you be showing us today?” the boy dropped his head to one side, releasing as much charm as he could towards the camera. “well, if i told you it’d ruin the surprise.”
+++
he walked onto the stage and people clapped for his entrance even if they had no idea who he was or what he was going to do. there was a marking on the floor to show where the center was and there was where he stood. it took him a second to observe the view from up there and take everything in. could that be the first stage of many?
with lungs filled with air he gave them a smile. “hello!” a bow, then a straight back. “my name is park jihoon and i am an eighteen-year-old high school student.” he tapped his handheld microphone twice before continuing. “today i’ll be doing a girl group relay dance, but…” he let the silence sit for a second, allowing whoever was paying attention to wonder. “with a twist! please enjoy it!”
after receiving a nod from one of the judges jihoon turned off his microphone and placed it a few steps ahead so it wouldn’t bother him. once he was back on the marking he took two steps back, knowing the choreography would force him to move forward. his starting position had him with his back to the public, hands in the shape of a heart against his back. people could already guess what he was about to perform - but not exactly how.
the song already started two times faster, his body bouncing up and down as he had practiced doing. once he turned around he tried focusing on the space between the judges, not wanting to look at anyone and maybe end up ruining what he had practiced hard for. jihoon had spent a lot of time checking when would be the best time to catch a breath, and one thing he had learned was that smiling really took a lot of energy.
whenever he could relax his cheeks he would, which normally happened in between songs, or when he had to look down and turn around. even so, he had prepared almost two full minutes of fast dancing, and jihoon was unsure if there was a human out there who could actually survive all of it without any problem. by the last song he was already hunting for air - but thanks to its calmer choreography it let him catch up with his breathing.
after the deed had been done he gave the public a bow and started jogging to the exit. a staff member frenetically pointed at the microphone he had forgotten on stage, forcing him to return to it before being allowed backstage. thankfully they had napkins at their disposal. he should have worn fewer layers of clothing.
"aah, right—my name is yoo kihyun, and i’m to be singing today.”
his heart was racing, hands clenched into fists as he tried not to let his nervousness show. this little interview was only a warm-up to his performance to come, and he had to admit that it did a good job of easing his nerves, even if only a little. “i’m from busan,” he answered to one of the questions asked by lee jonghyuk, enthusiasm clear in his tone at the opportunity to talk about his hometown. “i’m going to be singing an original song today, so i hope that i’ve brought something that will move the hearts of the crowd.” kihyun nodded, his lips forming a shy smile as he looked in the direction of the camera. “i’ll try to put on a performance worthy of your time and attention. thank you.”
it was his first time performing publicly since his failure at the kt & royal contest nearly a year ago. being rejected by his then dream company was heartbreaking, and he had found himself dejected for some time afterward. it had crushed him, in a way. even now, there was one thought that constantly plagued him: if he had succeeded that day, how different might his life be today? would he have needed to return home at all? kihyun lightly bit his lower lip, no longer wanting to dwell on the thought of ‘what if?’.
he made his way onto the stage, having to take a moment to set up his keyboard before he could officially begin. kihyun smiled a faint smile as he nodded in the direction of the audience, scanning the crowd in search of familiar faces. when his eyes finally found kyulkyung, the girl he had carefully searched for, his smile grew ever so slightly in intensity, and the boy felt considerably more at ease. seeing her reminded kihyun that he couldn’t mess this up, for more reasons than one.
his fingers danced along the keys, playing the melody he had spent countless nights trying to perfect. kihyun would be showing a very different side of him from the one he had shown during the kt & royal contest, when he had performed “shake it” in an attempt to show an exciting and fun side of himself (though, ultimately, it hadn’t been his strong suit). the song he had prepared this time, however, showed just what type of performer he truly was, and he hoped that having written it himself would make things feel more personal.
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네가 있는 곳까지 달려가기 위해서
내 맘속에는
너만 있는 것을 알고 있잖아
as he began to sing, kihyun immediately felt the difference between this performance and his last. he felt much more comfortable—much more in his element. while performing “shake it” had made for an exciting memory, it was hardly a performance that had focused on his strengths. thinking back, he wasn’t sure why he had felt inclined to pick a song that in no way whatsoever displayed the type of performer that he wished to be. he had gone against himself, and for that, he had paid the price.
I promise you baby
I promise you baby
I promise you baby
네가 있는 곳에 갈게
he had tried his best to create a song that showed off many sides of his vocals well, showing that he could do more than simply belt out high notes. high notes were impressive, to be sure, but that wasn’t the only talent he wished to show off. he had wanted to write a song that would show off his vocal and creative ability, as they were, without a doubt, his two strongest skills. in his mind, his main flaw in his kt & royal contest performance had been his attempt to show off dancing and charisma, as well: two skills that he lacked in.
I give you my love
I give you my all
시간이 멈춘 듯한 그리운 밤
I give you my life oh
Give you my all
그대가 있어 고마워
I cry 네가 보고 싶어서
I cry 그대가 있어 고마워
it was the most important part of the song, and kihyun made sure to give it everything that he had, high notes and all. this was his second chance, and he wanted to give a performance that he could be proud of. although it was only a talent show and not an audition to finally get into a company, he couldn’t help but feel like this was the beginning of something new. he was finally getting his feet back on the ground, slowly regaining his confidence following his last failure that continued to haunt him even now. god, he loved every moment of this.
perhaps this was the beginning of a new chapter in his life, as many of the circumstances around him were changing. he had finally shared a long-awaited reunion with hoseok, who was practically a brother to him. he’s still not sure what to think about the way that he feels for kyulkyung, though having her around was something that helped see him through the day. his feelings were complicated, something that he struggled to deal with, and it went without saying that they did worry him. momo had returned to seoul, too, and he’d be lying to say that he hadn’t missed having her around. while some days were harder than others, he felt that things may be looking up. everything about his life was so different now from when he had first moved to seoul almost a year ago, but, for the first time in a while, he didn’t feel the need to complain about it.
그대가 있어 고마워
as the performance drew to a close, he rose to bow in the audience’s direction. now more than ever, there was so much that he wanted to accomplish as a musician. he wanted to prove to his mother that her sacrifices hadn’t been for naught, in hopes that one day he could provide her with the life that she deserved. the fact that she had been willing to work multiple jobs just to keep him in singing lessons in hopes that he could one day pursue his dream was the one thought that kept kihyun going, reminding him that he could never give up, no matter what trials might lay before him.
is everyone at the talent show in hongdae? ㅋㅋ you should keep and eye out for my surprise! but also talented kihyunnie (@yookh96) and handsome jinyoungie (@juniorpark), and tall cutie hyungwonnie (@_hxneul_) they have special stages too! ㅋㅋ even special assistant chaeyoungie and beautiful suji (@imyourbae) are here to do something amazing! precious hyung jihunnie (@maskedkimichi) is here too but he won’t tell me what hes doing! T-T make sure you clap loud! the loudest! louder! ㅋㅋㅋㅋ they all worked hard !
💬 2103 ❤ 6226 • • •
(this was posted the 30th, at hongdae talent show)
Song: 1ll recognize 1ll by Dok2 Yongguk (0:00-0:24 + 1:40-3:11)
Credit: picture (x), gif (x)
This had to be the most ridiculous idea he had ever came up with. This was going to destroy the image he had built over the years. Not that he particularly cared about what people usually thought of him, but when you were doing underground rap, it was kind of an unsaid rule you had to be tough (or at least appear to be) if you wanted to make it. Yet here he was, standing on the side of the stage, hands holding a black glittery ring of plastic that was wide enough for him to step through. He had done the interview backstage beforehand and it had not been hard to see how shocked the MC had been when Yongguk had told him what he was going to do. Maybe this shock factor could end up being good. Who knows.
A staff member suddenly appears next to him and tells him that it is his turn to go. Yongguk takes a deep breath before confidently making his way to the center of the stage. He bows at the panel of judges as a first greeting and then straightens up. He’s already holding the cordless microphone that has been given to him backstage so he brings it up to his mouth to introduce himself after he is asked what his name is. “Bang Yongguk,” he replies and he sees some of the judges nodding as they write down his name. “And what are you going to do for us today?” one of them asks and this is it. There is no turning back.
With his hands that’s not holding the mic, he raises the glittery black hula hoop that had been resting against his right leg. “I am going to rap something I wrote while doing hula hoop.” A shocked silence follows his announcement. He knows that cogs are turning into the people’s minds as they try to process this information. This guy who is standing on stage with tattoos peaking from under the sleeves of his t-shirt and ripped jeans, who just said was going to rap, also said he was going to hula hoop? Eventually, there is some uncomfortable chuckling and some mocking wolf whistling, but he stands his ground.
”Alright well, good luck,” one of the judges says and he thanks them before moving to step through the hula hoop. He raises it until it is around his waist. He holds it there with both hands and glances to the side, nodding so the staff at the side of the stage can start the music. It is good that there is a short musical intro because it gives him enough time to get the hula hoop going. It goes smoothly around his waist, not too fast as he tries to keep it going to the beat.
Then he starts rapping, slowly walking around while still going the hula hoop going by moving his body just right.
Everyone wants to be #1
Even before they make songs
They wanna be rich
Even before they touch money
Those who think everything’s typical
Live the most typical life
When the beat of the song starts going faster, he gets the hula hoop going faster as well, still following the music and when the drop comes, when people would have normally been body rolling or something like that he instead changes the pace of the hula hoop and the way it swirls around him. When the song comes to an end, so does the hula hoop around his waist. He steps out of it and holds it at his side before bowing in thanks. There is a moment of silence and then he hears people applauding and it’s a good feeling.
