yang.ji02 i will smile even if it hurts! i’m sorry to everyone who believed in me, i will do better next time. please support #5011, #5017, #5028, #5030, #5033, #5039, #5041, they’re my picks~ i’m sad that so many of my friends were eliminated... but they did their best and i will always support them!
-.✦･｡ﾟMGA season 5: episode 3
post performance interview
mentioned: @rkyuna, @rksakura, @rkyeji, @junheerk, @rkchwev, @rksihyeon
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE RESULTS LAST WEEK?
Ryujin is tired of sitting still already and shifts in her seat, also partly due to the fact that she is not entirely happy with the results last week. Having made it through to the next phase there’s some people that she think have been sent home, who shouldn’t have been. “I was sad to see SHIN YUNA going home, maybe I’m biased since she is my friend but as her friend I know she has a lot to offer. I hope that she will get other chances to shine.” In her opinion there are other contestants who should have been let go but she decide against speaking her mind about that.
HOW WAS IT LIKE WORKING WITH SAKURA?
Moving onto the next question Ryujin suddenly beams again, her collaboration with Sakura for this week’s recording has been such an amazing time and she can’t wait to tell about it. “It was honestly the best thing that has happened to me in this show so far! I enjoyed my time with her the whole time and whether we were practicing, out shopping for our outfits or making our cute boxes I had a pleasant time.” She nods enthusiastically, smiling broadly. “I think we worked well together, as you probably understand already,” she chuckles, “there were absolutely no issues.”
HOW DO YOU THINK YOU DID?
Pouting slightly as she sometimes does whilst in thought, Ryujin think back not only on her own performance but everyone elses. “I think that Sakura and I did quite good, our dynamic felt very sincere and the way she complimented me, and I her, felt satisfying and smooth. I want to say it might be one of my more favourable stages so far, I had so much fun.”
WERE THERE ANY PERFORMANCES YOU LIKED?
If Ryujin could be honest she would say that she didn’t enjoy very many stages this week but in the end, that’s not something she opts to say out loud. All of the contestants that are still in this competition are definitely talented but the choices were underwhelming in her opinion, though it could be due to the fact that she is incredibly biased towards her own performance with Sakura and that to the point where nobody seemed to match up with them. Ryujin hope that the judges are as pleased with their stage as she is herself. “I’m pretty sure that it’s expected when I say I liked YEJI unnie’s performance with PARK JUNHEE, it was refreshing to see unnie sing on the stage today because I think that she has much potential in that area as well as dancing. I also think that Junhee did great, they were a good pair together. Hmm, and I enjoyed HANSOL CHWE and KIM SIHYEON also. Their stage was cute.”
once the performances are over, the ceos retire to discuss the results of the day and, subsequently, the eliminations. letting out a sigh, sungwoon slumps forward in his seat and fiddles with the loose zipper on his keyboard’s cover. the day’s exhaustion slams into him in the span of a few seconds. after four odd hours stuck in these uncomfortable chairs, he thinks he might be ready to go home. but the most important part of this whole ordeal is yet to come: to see who actually makes it onto the show as an official contestant and who will have their journey cut short. the worried frown on sungwoon’s face is more for woojin, kenta, and minhyun than himself. they did amazingly well and deserve to make it through. just this round, he thinks, wringing his hands together. just let them get through this round. let us all get through this round.
he hasn’t really considered what he would do if he gets eliminated here and now. laugh at himself, maybe. go through another crisis of ability? sungwoon made it past this point last year, and he’s much better now than he was back then. he wants some sort of acknowledgement of his skills and his growth, but he knows just as well that the universe doesn’t owe him anything. with everything empty enigma has already accomplished, maybe he’s reaching for the stars. however, sungwoon has never been okay with just being content. if he can push forward for more, he’ll take it. so he wants to survive today, and next week, and the week after that. sungwoon refuses to let himself consider the alternatives.
the staff call individuals out one by one while the ceos deliberate. he’s a little confused until someone lets it spill that they’re doing more interviews. frankly, it’s unexpected; sungwoon can only remember doing one interview last year, and it wasn’t until episode seven. this is a holdover from earlier seasons, apparently, so sungwoon is happy to just roll with it. interviews don’t phase him, and he certainly has a lot to say about the performances he’s watched so far. some of his friends are… not as forthcoming, and he is absolutely thinking about woojin here. god, he hopes woojin will be okay during the interview.
“ha sungwoon!” he’s deep in conversation when he hears his name and nearly jumps in surprise. after asking keta to watch over his keyboard, he follows the staff to get his hair and make-up retouched. in spite of his tiredness, he chats amicably, gently prodding them for any idea of what to expect during the interviews. one of the make up artists laughs at his attempts and says, “you’ll do just fine, sungwoon.” he takes her reassuring words to heart and heads into the room ready to get through this. all he has to do is remember to reign in a few of his more passionate opinions, but if there’s one thing sungwoon does feel confident in, it’s his ability to know what is appropriate and what isn’t.
“welcome back, sungwoon. this isn’t your first time on the mgas, but we’re still curious to hear how you felt when you received news of the callback.”
after greeting the interviewer and taking a seat, he ponders the first question. “honestly? i didn’t think very much of it when i first got the email. i was busy making kimchi, which is just about the most korean thing i could be doing.” the chuckle comes easily as sungwoon recalls the rest of the band bothering him to abandon his work and check his goddamn email. they’d been so excited to hear they were going through to the next stage of auditions… their reaction to the news sticks with him more than his own. “i think i was happier for my friends than i was for myself.” especially for kenta, minhyun, and woojin. “some of them are getting to experience all this for the first time and it’s fun to see them go through the whole spectrum of emotions, you know?”
he didn’t get to experience it with the whole band last year, so get the opportunity to now means the world to him. “their enthusiasm is infectious, though, and they ended up getting me excited too.” especially daniel, whose been the whole group’s champion from the start. “i guess aside from that, i was a little relieved as well; i felt like i should be able to do this much.” especially after his showing last year, to not even make it to callbacks would’ve been awkward. not that he’d ever expressed his doubts to his friends—or to himself. “i wasn’t ready for my journey to be cut short, though, so i’m grateful i got a chance to perform today.”
“were you surprised when the judges were revealed?”
“yeah,” he says immediately. even amidst everything else going on, the arrival of the five ceos caught sungwoon off guard. he understands the reason behind their presence here; it makes sense that they’d want to be involved in the selection process for the show itself. and to see how potential contestants react to their sudden appearance—whether they can keep their composure or fall apart in a bundle of nerves—is equally important, in his opinion. the live shows aren’t easy; not everyone can handle the kind of pressure that comes with it. “i might’ve blacked out for a few seconds in shock,” sungwoon laughs. “they are a lot more impressive than i remember. i mean, their collective aura is no joke. did you see so jisub? and katie lee… wow.” the ceos radiate power and prestige. it would bowl a lesser person over.
“i was looking forward to performing for them again,” he continues after a small pause. “but if i’d known they would be here today, i would’ve done something different.” it’s hard to imagine what else he might’ve performed off the top of his head, but sungwoon knows he probably would’ve taken a risk and showcased a skill they wouldn’t expect to see from him. “but hey, that just means i have to live to fight another day.” he scratches his neck. “regrets and i aren’t good friends. i don’t want to go home and think, i should’ve done this or what if i’d done that. hopefully i won’t have to. hopefully the universe will be kind enough to give me one more opportunity to perform for the judges.”
“so how do you think you did with the performance you prepared?”
“there’s always room for improvement.” no matter what he feels about his performance right now, sungwoon knows he’ll discover a million things he could’ve done better once he stops and really thinks things through. it’s not in his nature to be complacent; the nagging voice in the back of his head criticizes more easily than it compliments. “i’m never fully satisfied with anything i do, but i think that’s a good thing. it just means i’ll keep pushing myself and keep try harder next time.” rather than being a burden, he thinks the attitude is a healthy one to carry into a competition like this one.
“that being said…” the corners of sungwoon’s lips curve up, his previous serious expression fading. “this performance was representative of who i am. i worked on the piano rearrangement myself, and i really wanted to showcase a combination of my vocal and instrument skills. and i sang from the heart—which might not count for much, but that might be the most authentic performance i’ve given in my life, so how can i not be happy with it?” he’d left it all out there, bled himself dry, and he hopes at least a fraction of that came across to the ceos and to his audience. “my answer might be different tomorrow, but for now, i think i did alright.”
“what did you think of joohyun’s performance? she sang a song by your band, empty enigma.”
ah. surprise briefly flickers across sungwoon’s face before he can cover it up with a smile. it makes sense for the staff to ask him about her performance out of the other ninety-nine, but he can’t say he’s prepared to answer. “i still can’t believe it,” he chuckles, fingers idly picking at the stray threads sticking out of his pants. “my brain stopped functioning for a while. like, i actually thought i might’ve died and entered nirvana. for someone to perform our song on a stage like this one is… unreal.” his jaw dropped when he recognized the familiar music, the lyrics he’s come to associate with daniel pouring out of joohyun’s mouth.
sheer shock eventually gave way to gratitude and confusion—why empty enigma? they’re not exactly… mainstream. it has to be a big risk doing one of their songs. sungwoon wonders if she did for daniel’s sake. he’s not sure what to feel about that, but now isn’t the time to unpack it either. instead, he presses both hands to his warm, pink cheeks as he thinks about the viewers hearing empty enigma’s music. joohyun’s done more to promote them than any of the band members have. “i’m thankful joohyun liked our music enough to do our song, and i think she did it beautifully.” he turns to the camera and sinks into a small bow. “thank you, joohyun! i hope someday we’ll be able to perform this song together!”
“and what were your thoughts on your band members’ performances?”
his face splits into a wide grin. “i thought you’d never ask.” sungwoon can talk about his friends and their performances for hours, but he tries to keep it brief. “all of them did a great job. i know i sound biased, but i didn’t realize how good most of them are, so actually seeing them up on stage was a shock for me.” he dives into woojin’s performance first since it’d left the strongest impact. “woojin… i didn’t know he could dance like that. i mean, we live together, but he’s a private person—so seeing all that charisma and raw talent come out? i’m proud but also slightly offended he didn’t tell me he could do that.” similarly, he didn’t know the full extent of kenta’s dance skills, though they’d come as less of a surprise than woojin. “kenta was also amazing. doing a jun song isn’t easy, but he pulled it off with elegance and charm. he’s truly a talented performer.”
talking about minhyun is a lot easier when sungwoon doesn’t have to do so in front of him. “i knew minhyun could sing, but his dancing skills were a bit of a mystery to me.” pausing, sungwoon bursts out laughing as a thought hits him. “i guess that’s how you can tell we’re in a band, huh? none of us knew the others could dance.” he takes a brief moment to collect himself before continuing. “anyway, i really applaud him for showcasing both his singing and dancing today, and i love bruno. minhyun really did him justice.” god, he hopes this doesn’t air; sungwoon isn’t sure how he’d explain gushing about minhyun on camera to the man himself. “i believe minhyun has the confidence and talent to be an idol, so he’s definitely one of my top picks out of today.”
finally, he comes to daniel and his eyes light up. “daniel… he’s polarizing. i’ve heard a lot of people say he isn’t talented, but he did an original song today. that has to count for something.” he loved daniel’s performance, but he’d probably love anything daniel does. the faint pink from earlier is still in his cheeks, and he hopes it isn’t obvious just how much he cares. just in case, sungwoon cuts it short. “his singing and stage skills have improved immensely, so i hope people recognize that and support him a lot this year. he deserves it.”
“were there any performances you liked?”
there were a few sungwoon paid attention to aside from empty enigma and joohyun’s. “eunji—she did boa’s woman. i thought her voice and her presence were both commanding. i’m a fan. i enjoyed jeonghan’s song choice and vocal color as well; he’s a potential contestant i would definitely keep an eye out for.” he should probably diversify and mention more than just vocalists, but as one himself, sungwoon tends to focus on the competition more than the rest. “i heard someone sing day6’s shoot me—sihyeon, i think? i thought her song choice was very bold. i liked it.” day6’s music is some of his favorite to listen to, and he almost wishes he’d done of their songs as well. “hyojin’s acoustic cover was really good too. i wasn’t familiar with the song, but i like how he performed it.”
this is harder than sungwoon anticipated; a lot of the performances that came first have blurred together in his mind. “some of the mash ups were very clever. i can respect the skill that goes into making them.” there were a few others, but he can’t remember them off the top of his head. “oh!” sungwoon says suddenly, smacking his palm with his fist. “the guy who did the trot version of lc9? i kinda enjoyed that. though my grandfather loves trot so i might just have a soft spot for it.” the name of the performer slips his mind, but the song itself is stuck in his head.
“were there any performances you didn’t like?”
sungwoon wonders how many people have actually answered this question. nobody wants to be edited as the designated asshole, so he imagines the answers have been safe so far. sungwoon isn’t eager to shoot himself in the foot either, but truthfully, there were a few he didn’t care for. “i think there are some performers who could probably benefit from a few years of experience,” sungwoon says carefully, his expression controlled into one of bland interest. “but shows like this have ways of making you grow up fast, so i don’t know if it’s all that important.”
he wonders if he should just list the performances he didn’t like—the kid on skates, for one, because this is an idol competition. the one who’d done the baby shark remix didn’t seem all that serious either. “i also hope more contestants take the competition seriously moving forward.” sungwoon could rip into a few vocal performances if he really wanted to, but he eventually shakes his head and flashes the interviewer a smile. “i don’t think my opinion matters much, so i’ll leave it there.”
“is there anyone you are certain will move onto the next phase of the mgas?”
“mason,” he says bluntly. “but everyone can probably see that coming.” it’s wild to think a debuted idol is on this show, and such a high profile one. his sheer wealth of experience both terrifies and inflames sungwoon; he doesn’t want to just roll over and lose to someone like that. “he’s a former idol with a fanbase, with the skills and training, and with the prior experience to kill it in this competition. i believe he’ll make it to the finale.” is it unfair? maybe. if sungwoon’s worried about going up against him, he wonders how some of the green newbies feel. “i hear there are a few other debuted idols here too. junhee—he did jonas brothers? i heard he was an idol as well, so he’ll probably have an edge over the rest and make it through easily. you can’t deny that people who’ve experienced this lifestyle, whether as idols or trainees, have a distinct advantage in this competition.”
other than that… “i think moonbok might move onto the next phase; he was on the mgas last year. i hope joohyun goes through since she deserves it the most, probably.” for fairness’ sake, he should mention people he hasn’t spoken about yet. “i’m confident minkyung will, and likely chan as well. i remember being impressed by him.” and last season didn’t have many rappers, so sungwoon is positive at least a few will go through now. “if any of these predictions come true, maybe i can see the future?” he breaks off and laughs at the thought. him, a psychic? “i hope that’s true! it’d be cool.”
“some would say you also have an advantage over others as a member of a band.”
some? sungwoon would like to meet them. “maybe? but performing as part of a band and as an idol are two different things.” he’s not sure how to explain this to someone who hasn’t experienced the energies for themselves, but you can’t compare the two. “the way you play to the crowd—and play off them—differs when you’re in a band. it’s a lot more casual and fun and intimate in some cases.” personally, he thinks it’s freeing; there are less rules and restrictions, no illusion of perfection to maintain.
“as an idol, you need to be more poised and precise with everything you do. i mean, i can’t say for sure, but from what i experienced during the mgas last year, it was… nothing like i was used to. the expectations for idols are sky high.” sungwoon shrugs and claps his hands together. “i don’t think my band history gives me much of an edge over anyone.” his fellow competitors don’t have to agree, but at least sungwoon made an attempt to clear the air.
“is there anyone you are certain will be eliminated today?”
he grins slowly and shakes his head. “that’s not for me to judge, is it?” no way is sungwoon getting caught out on that question. but privately, he thinks skater boy is probably a goner.
“thank you for your time. you may now return to your seat.”
“thanks for all your hard work.” exchanging farewells with the interviewer, he heads back to his seat, eager to discuss with his friends as they wait for the eliminations to take place. maybe the interview could’ve gone a bit better, but sungwoon is glad he didn’t say something dumb. it’ll have to do for now.
Im Yoona had tried to forget how much she had completely screwed up her audition. There was nothing she could do now anyway. It was finished and done, and she had to move on. Yoona did and continued about her life as normal.
Until now.
Yoona was in class when she received the email from the mga staff. She was lost for words. She was shocked and confused. She was sure she had screwed up, but apparently not. She had obviously done enough to make it to the top 100 and she was happy.
Once she could move again, Yoona quietly packed up her belongings and left the classroom, trying not to disturb everyone. She had to go home and prepare. She was already behind in preparation as she never expected to make it this far. Looks like she had to work hard.
Yoona had messaged everyone she knew telling them that she made it through. She was certain that her cousin had made it in. Her stepsister, she was sure, had also made it in. She wondered if any of the girls she had met during the audition day had succeeded. Her roommate also auditioned and Yoona wondered if she made it as well. She would have to ask them later.
The actress still had some time until the callbacks and she would focus all her time and energy in practicing and preparing. She had to work out what she was going to do and how she was going to perform. Would she sing, or would she do something completely different? It seemed like Yoona would have to do some trial and errors before she could decide.
It had taken some time but Yoona had finally decided on what to perform and how to perform it. You can never go wrong with what you know, and what Im Yoona knows best is musical theatre and singing, and that is what Yoona was going to do.
The day finally arrived and Yoona was freaking the fuck out. She was already stressing, and the day had barely started. She had woken up early so she could choose the right outfit and do her makeup perfectly. She had to look her best as well as sound her best. It had taken some time, but Yoona was finally ready.
Arriving at the filming location, Yoona froze outside. The actress couldn’t believe it. This was happening. This was real.
Her cousin Moonbok had to practically force her inside the building as she couldn’t move. The realisation had hit her, and her nerves were locking her body in place. If it wasn’t for her cousin she would probably still be there at the end of the day. It took some deep breaths before Yoona could finally move her body and walk alongside her cousin. They waited in line, signed in, and then found their seats. the stage looked amazing and the seats were crowded. Yoona held her cousin’s hand in support. She usually suffered from nerves before a performance, but this was next level. This was her dream.
The introductions began and Yoona squeezed Moonbok’s hand harder, practically breaking it. She was both excited and nervous. When the CEOs were introduced, Yoona’s eyes widened in surprise and excitement. Now they were going to be judged by the big five? Is it too late to run away? She let out some deep breaths as she listened to the CEOs and the performances. It was all surreal and something she had never expected to experience. If only she could make it through.
She enjoyed being the audience and watching the other performers. They were so talented, and she felt uneasy. She looked around to see if she could spot anyone she knew. Her eyes fell on her stepsister and her roommate, as well as some faces she remembers from the auditions. She waved and grinned at the girl from the group she had met on audition day. She was happy that at least some made it through. There were new faces that she was intrigued by and she made a note to talk to them later.
When her name was finally called, Yoona stood and straightened out her outfit. She smiled at her cousin before she made her way to the stage. She was too busy focused on not being nervous that she misjudged the steps and somehow managed to trip up them. She quickly stood and ignored how red her face was. She let out an embarrassed chuckle and made her way to the centre of the stage. She wanted to cover her face out of embarrassment.
She bowed politely and smiled brightly. ❝ My name is Im Yoona. I’m 25. I come from Gyeongju. I’m a student and a musical theatre actress. It’s an honour to be here. ❞ Yoona took a deep breath as she began.
I am the very model of a modern Major-General,
I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical
From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical;
I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical,
I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical,
About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news,
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.
This song was fast and hard to sing. It had taken her some time to perfect, but she had finally done it. It was a fun and fast song and took a lot of breath control. She sang as best she could and moved about the stage happily.
I'm very good at integral and differential calculus;
I know the scientific names of beings animalculous:
In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I am the very model of a modern Major-General. In fact, when I know what is meant by "mamelon" and "ravelin",
When I can tell at sight a Mauser rifle from a javelin
The last two lines were slower and were key in building up to the high point. She had taken parts from the full song and changed them slightly. She smiled as she sang and allowed herself to fill the role. She took a big breath. The hardest part was to come.
In fact, when I know what is meant by "mamelon" and "ravelin",
When I can tell at sight a Mauser rifle from a javelin,
When such affairs as sorties and surprises I'm more wary at,
And when I know precisely what is meant by "commissariat",
When I have learnt what progress has been made in modern gunnery,
When I know more of tactics than a novice in a nunnery--
In short, when I've a smattering of elemental strategy,
You'll say a better Major-General has never rode a horse. For my military knowledge, though I'm plucky and adventury,
Has only been brought down to the beginning of the century;
But still, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I am the very model of a modern Major-General.
This was the fastest part of the song and the one that is easy to mess. She hoped that even though it wasn’t the most vocally challenging she could do, it was still enough to impress. The sheer speed of the song, she hoped, was enough. Her confidence and stage presence increased as she neared the end of the song. She ended on a high and grinned at everyone. She bowed once again and rushed back to her cousin, practically sliding into her chair. Now, she could focus on enjoying what was left of the performances.
190627 MGA SEASON 5 + EPISODE ONE
⟨ ━━ ❀ ° PART TWO: THE INTERVIEW ⟩
MENTIONED: @rkyq, @rkxminkyung, @rkxbin, @rkyuna, @rkheejin, @rkharuto, @yuzurk, @rkumji, @rkseunghun, @rkyuri, @rkkhg ~ let me know if this is okay or if something needs to be changed !
after everyone had finished their performances, kyulkyung expected to just sit around and wait while the CEOs discussed their fate on the show. much to her surprise, however, it was time for them to do interviews about the day’s events. the woman originally thought she wasn’t too good at interviews, but last week had proven her wrong. she thought she did pretty well, so to say she was excited about this was an understatement.
she was relieved to have someone touch her makeup that had no doubt become overly shiny by now. kyulkyung closed her eyes allowed the makeup artists to do whatever, thanking them afterwards and preparing herself before the camera turned on. “you good?” the woman who kyulkyung assumed would be giving the interview asked, returning her question with a nod and smile before they were beginning.
Q & A SO NOW THAT YOU’RE HERE, IS IT WHAT YOU EXPECTED?
“i have never been on a set like this, so i didn’t really know what to think.” kyulkyung didn’t think it was amazing or lack luster, and honestly didn’t pay too much attention to it. the woman paid more attention to the other contestants and the judges than the setup, in all honesty. “i was just so excited to be able to watch everyone else - i didn’t know if we would get to do that. there were a lot of talented people and then there were... others?” she laughed, waving her hands wildly in front of the camera. “i don’t mean that in a bad way!”
“there were just some people who were really inexperienced, it was just surprising is all!”
Q & A WHAT WAS IT LIKE FINDING OUT YOU GOT A CALLBACK?
“it was a huge relief.” thinking about how anxious she was made her almost nauseous. "waiting is always the worst part of auditions, i couldn’t wait to figure out - good or bad.” the whole week prior to the email, kyulkyung told herself that she had made it, there was no way she hadn’t but in the end, that all meant nothing until she opened that callback email.
Q & A HOW DO YOU THINK TODAY’S PERFORMANCE WENT?
“i did it without shoes!!” she groaned, not even bothering to filter her thoughts. “i don’t now why i did that, i guess i just got caught up. i was just trying to hurry!” the more she thought about it, the more she grew embarrassed about the whole thing. she put her pointe shoes on before going up on stage, and held her introduction up in the process. maybe it’s karma for being slow, but now she’s worried she screwed the whole thing up.
“oh my god, i bet my feet were dirty.” she really just needed to quit thinking about it.
Q & A WERE THERE ANY PERFORMANCES YOU LIKED?
“easy! hmm there were a lot actually. yuqi was not doubt amazing, but i’m a little biased.” it wasn’t hard for her to admit she enjoyed her competition; otherwise, it was boring. “oh there’s heejin and haruto, they were just so cute. i couldn’t imagine doing this at their ages. and yuri, i’m honestly a sucker for musicals.” she paused for a moment, trying to mention all of the ones that really caught her eye. “oh and there was some rapper... changbin i think it was? yea, he was really cool. i don’t know much about rap, but it sounded good! there was also seunghun and hyunggu who were really good. ”
Q & A AND WHO DIDN’T YOU LIKE?
“also pretty easy... um let’s see.” kyulkyung began thinking back, listing all the performance who were just a let down and then the one that were just not good. “that one yuna girl was... not my favorite. baby shark is so... bleh. the song choice just ruined it for me, really.” she was more hesitant with her next words, not really sure how she felt about the next performance she was about to mention. “there was also yena who i thought did pretty well, her charisma was amazing - like a little firecracker. but i’m not sure how i’m feeling about her sound while she was dancing.”
Q & A HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT KIM MINKYUNG’S PERFORMANCE?
“how did i know you were going to ask me that...” minkyung, the pretty girl who was sitting next to her today. the girl who seemed to not mind talking to her throughout the performances and they exchanged a few opinions. “she’s so pretty, but don’t you think she’s a little too cocky? it kinda ruins it for me.” kyulkyung didn’t want to admit that the other intimated her in a way. she had finally found the competition she was looking for, and she was right next to her the whole time.
Q & A DOES SHE THREATEN YOU?
kyulkyung’s cheeks lit up as she wildly shook her head, trying to dismiss the idea that the interviewer had seemed to catch onto. or maybe they were just trying to start some kind of drama, she didn’t know. “no! i mean she was average? i don’t know, don’t you think it’s too early to say?”
the woman pauses and smiles after a moment, teasing the interview. “i’ll let you know if we both pass the next round.”
Q & A AND FINALLY, WHO DO YOU THINK WILL BE ELIMINATED TODAY?
“ah, i don’t feel like i should say this.” she shook her head and laughed, not really wanting to put anyone down. of course she had her opinions, but when elimination came into play it was kind of tough to be honest. the interviewer shook her head and motioned for her to continue despite kyulkyung’s hesitance. “i mean, it’s a competition so someone’s going to go home... i think that umji girl might. she just doesn’t seem experienced and i think this will be really tough on her.”
It felt like it was almost impossible to flag the girl down. It had seemed as if she was in the rush when she left the store and she didn't notice that her wallet hit the ground. Honestly, she wouldn't have put in much effort it hadn't been for the face that the girl didn't have any contact information.
It might have only been two minutes but it didn't feel like it once the girl finally stopped. "You dropped this." Yubin held out the wallet while she tried to control her breathing. "And i'm very out of shape."
suji’s making her rounds around the room even though frankly, she’s already quite tired. she wants to call it a night, but at the same time, she doesn’t. it’s a terrible predicament to be in, she thinks to herself when she turns around and accidentally knocks into a fellow party-goer. she blames it on the drinks that she’s had that she’s losing her balance the way she is. “ah, yuna!” she exclaims, the familiar face a nice change from meeting someone new. “i didn’t expect to see you here!” she notes. “nice costume!” she exclaims, smiling warmly at the other.
there he goes again, back in a small room where someone will ask him questions about how his day went. he feels a lot better than the first time, knowing what to expect and how to respond comfortably. jeongin isn’t awkward at all when he sits down and faces them, all the previous pressure weighing down on him during his performance relieved as soon as it was over. nothing can really go wrong now, if they didn’t like him they’ll eliminate him and if the opposite happened, they’ll keep him. an interview won’t change any of that unless he starts being offensive.
How did you feel when you received the news of the callback?
he thinks back to the moment he totally freaked out upon hearing the results. part of him is naive and hopeful, but the other also lacks confidence and so he never quite knows if his gut feeling is right or not. he doesn’t trust himself to know for sure if his performance went well or not. “i felt really happy! a little surprised maybe, it’s rare that i win anything! i’m not saying i’ll be the winner of this season, of course!” he waves his hands in front of him frantically, showing off his braces as he laughs. “but it feels nice to be chosen right? it means they didn’t think i was terrible!”
How was it seeing the set for the first time, and the judges once they were reveal?
“the set is huge! i’ve never stood on anything like this. it’s way bigger than school festivals, with all the lights, the seats, and everyone watching... if i’m being honest, it was really intimidating especially the way the judges stare at you... are they supposed to look scary?” he tilts his head cutely. “i was really hoping there would be coaches like in one of the previous seasons... maybe they could have k.arma coach us! i would really love that.”
How do you think you did?
he nods his head with confidence this time. “a lot better than last time! i was just as nervous in the beginning, but having friends here looking out for me really calmed me down. i was alone the first time so it was harder. i mean, i can’t speak for the judges but i feel like i was more stable! and i really put more thought into my outfit!”
Were there any performances you liked?
“all of them?” jeongin declares, and it’s obviously not a lie. it’s not his place to judge others since he’s still lacking, and he’s very easily pleased and impressed. some are more skilled than others, but they all tried their best and that’s what matters. “is it biased if i say my cousin yeji did really well? i hope she moves on to the next round, i’d be happy even if only she does and not me! but the best scenario would be the both of us of course,” he says with a small laugh. “jisungie hyung, chris hyung and changbinnie hyung all rapped, they’re really impressive aren’t they? i could never do that, i don’t have swag.” he pronounces the word with a very strong accent. he could really study english more. “woojin hyung sang really good too, i love his voice, and the song suits him perfectly. and didn’t shin yuna’s song choice make you laugh? the dance and remix were cool though! i liked the girl who sang fly, the girl who danced to kara’s mamma mia - i love kara! - and also kokoro noona who performed a chi chi song! good for her, she has good taste!
Were there any performances you didn’t like?
“not really, no...” he pauses in case he can think of one, but none comes to mind so he just shrugs. “sorry!”
What did you think of kim seungmin’s performance?
he looks around nervously. what kind of magic is this? have they already figured him out? or maybe they just saw them talk before and after the performances, and figured they knew each other well. this seems like the more plausible option, not the conspiration jeongin envisions. “hyung is really talented, his voice gives me goosebumps... he’s a much better singer than me so i’m sure he will move on to the next round, i will root for him until the end~.”
and lastly, they ask him if there is anyone he thinks will definitely make it or not make it on the show, and he already answered part of it by saying seungmin, so he simply repeats that, and says he thinks everyone deserves to go on.
