STAR BRIGHT casting is a company famous for gathering the brightest performers and placing them in the biggest entertainment companies of South Korea. With an influence in all of the Big 5 agencies, STAR BRIGHT always makes sure to put the best talents in the right place!
After a long time, STAR BRIGHT is getting ready to hold another LIVE TAPING EVENT to find the hidden talents of Seoul. From today until the end of Sunday, December 3rd, a special room has been rented in the Park Hyatt Hotel in the Gangnam district where the auditions will take place. There, the STAR BRIGHT employees will film an interview with professional equipment to provide everyone with an equal chance to shine.
Participants should arrive during office hours wearing a plain shirt (in any color but white, since the shooting will happen with a white background), little to no makeup, and hair pulled off the face (bangs are permitted, as long as they don’t cover the eyes). They will receive a form from the staff upon arrival which should be filled out and given back once their name is called. The interview will happen in a room similar to this, and will start after a camera and sound test is made. Contestants will be required to introduce themselves before the staff member asks questions like these:
Why do you want to be an idol?
Which skill are you the best at? What do you think you still need to improve on?
Who are your biggest influences?
What is the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome so far?
What’s your family like?
If you weren’t trying to be an idol, what would you be doing right now?
You may come up with questions you think the interviewer would ask, as long as they are about your character’s personal or professional life. STAR BRIGHT will observe how well your character can handle being on camera, so make sure to keep that in mind. After they’re done with the interview (5-10 minutes), participants can leave the building and wait for a callback.
Your character will fill out this form upon arrival. Post it on the dash with the #starbright17form tag, along with a separate solo about your character’s interview, tagged with #starbright17audition to participate in the event. Once everything is done, make sure to submit the links to the rkevent blog. All posts should be up by midnight EST at the end of Sunday, December 3rd.
While you write your solos, please keep in mind that this is an open audition for all five companies. Each of the Big 5 will be looking for something different that may or may not match what they’re known for. Even if your character mentions which company they prefer in their interview, they may very well be called by one of the other four companies.
☆ STARBRIGHT AUDITION –– 17′
–––––––––––––––– “what’s your dream?”
“joo haknyeon.”
they call up his name and haknyeon doesn’t really have much time to think about being nervous anymore. he’s spent long enough fiddling with his fingers, waiting for his name to be called out. at the very least he’s glad that he doesn’t have to break out into song ( he thinks ).
he walks into the room and is greeted by a camera and an interviewer of sorts. after being gestured to take a seat, the boy does so and nervously he looks back from the camera to the interviewer.
“introduce yourself and we’ll begin the interview,” she says and the voice of something else other than his thumping heart, has him calming down a little.
“not year one, not year two, not year three, but i’m joo haknyeon! nice to meet you, my name is joo haknyeon,” he smiles –– makes a pun out of the nyeon (년 ) in his name.
alright, she begins, let’s start with the basics, shall we? why did you decide to become an idol?
“because of my sister,” he answers in a heart beat. “i’ve always admired my sister. she’s an actress –– you might have heard of her. her name is joo hyerim!” he beams, always proud to talk of his sister, his family. “i want to follow in her footsteps as well, and do something related to performing. i’ve always loved music and i think that is the right path for me.”
speaking of your sister, does she support this dream of yours? what about your family?
this time it takes him a little longer to reply. because he knows that hyerim hasn’t always been ecstatic about his desire to one day enter the same industry as hers. his older sister had always been too overprotective, too worried that the industry would be tough. “she... has her yes and nos,” he says. “every older sister is protective of their younger brother. hyerim noona loves me very much and i think it’s because of that, that she’s worried i might not be able to handle how tough this industry can get,” a pause. “but i’m a tough kid! i can take it!” at this he breaks out into a small laugh, “my parents are very supportive! they allowed me to move from jeju-do to seoul just so i can have a shot at this dream. i’m very luck to have such amazing people in my life.”
it says here that you can beatbox, bboy and that your specialty is rap. care to expand on that?
“i’ve always liked dancing and rapping!” he smiles, “it’s something that i’ve been doing since i was in jeju. whenever i saw idols on stage performing, i’d just... end up trying to copy their moves. my mum says it was hard to get me to stop,” laughing, haknyeon continues, “i’d also end up trying to mimic the rappers because i always thought they looked cool when they rapped. somehow one thing turned to another. back in middle school, along with a few friends, we discovered this thing called... bboy. and that’s when i started getting a little better at dancing. hip hop”
“at about fifteen years old... just before i entered sopa, i moved to seoul to live with my aunt and uncle. there i met a few great hyungs who got me hooked to beatboxing! i was out shopping for groceries and somehow the hyungs and i became really good friends! they taught me a lot of their skills, i think i’m pretty good at it now thanks to them!”
the interview doesn’t say anything for a moment, instead she looks from the piece of paper and then back to haknyeon.
you speak a lot about your sister. but haknyeon, what is your dream?
my dream? haknyeon blinks. it was to be an idol, of course. if not that, then why else would he be here? “it’s to be an idol. to be able to perform,” he replies. “my sister helped me realize this. i love dancing, and i love music. this is my dream.”
she nods.
lastly, if you weren’t an idol, then what do you think you would be doing right now?
“helping my parents in the farm at jeju!” he smiles, “all while still dreaming of making music!”
this time, the nervousness is like an echo; soft ripples over calm waters. his heart is thudding softly, but the usually nauseating nervousness and anxiety is missing.
somewhere in the back of his mind hyungwon thinks the rather calm state he was in should worry him more, but he has no time to ride himself into a panic with moon bin chatting his ear off. it was, unexpectedly, a process of actually getting the other to agree to come with him and try out as well, but hyungwon seemed to have become better at persuasion lately. (he doesn’t want to admit it might have been because he saw the effect he could have on people after the performance he did in the middle of a busy street last month, but it totally was.)
the waiting period is spend mostly with working over the form, double checking that he didn’t miss out on anything and entertaining bin. something in his stomach flips when his name is finally called and hyungwon takes a deep breath before following the smiling young woman leading him to the next room. he gives her a small smile as he hands over his form and enters the brightly lit room. the few people who greet him are friendly and he’s directed to take a seat in front of the a white background and introduce himself. it’s slightly nerve inducing to have so many eyes on him, watching so closely, but the events he had been at before, not to mention every single classical performance he had delivered involved more people. it’s almost a necessity to remind himself that this would be a walk in the park, in comparison, to make sure he remains calm.
he takes a seat and feels the heat of the lights hit his skin. there’s people from the staff fussing about, trying to adjust the microphone and check the camera and hyungwon feels a nervousness that hadn’t been there before settle in the pit of his stomach. it’s tiny still and he tries to nip it in the bud before it has the chance to grow.
a few minutes later everyone settles in their assigned places and he’s informed that the camera is rolling a second after the slate falls. his expression is open and calm, a small smile on his lips as he gives a small bow towards the camera. “hi, my name is chae hyungwon and i’m twenty years old. i’m about to finish university, but for now i’m still a student of the seoul national university of arts.” he speaks softly, his tone polite and as warm as he can manage, despite his freezing fingers. fidgeting has always been a bad habit, but he’s learnt to keep them clasped together to avoid falling back into it. “i studied classical music and competition,” he laughs briefly, almost sheepish, “a bit different from being an idol, i know.”
and why do you want to be an idol?
the question was almost expected at point and hyungwon hums for a second and sits up a bit straighter, “is it cheesy to say that it’s just something i would love to do?” the corners of his lips tug upwards for a second before he continues, “i’ve been raised surrounded by music - classical music, mostly. it’s because of my father’s profession, but i still consider myself very lucky that i got to enjoy such a lavish education. i still love classical music, but there is a very different energy between being a classical musician and being an idol. i love to sing, i love to compose songs and i’d love nothing more than to bring something fresh to the music industry.” he twitches his head to the side once, allowing a smile wide enough to expose his two rows of perfect teeth and full cheeks to show, “i’d love to compose songs that have a lot of different elements to them, exploring new things, and then performing them too, of course. it’s a dream of mine, you could say.”
which skills are you best at? what do you think you still need to improve on?
“i’m definitely best at singing. singing and my creativity and ability to put that to use in lyric writing and composing are my strongest skills.” he nods his head once, affirming his words, “i have a lot of experience with it, too, which makes me very confident in those. and what i need to improve on...” he pauses for a moment and shifts in his seat before speaking up again, “dancing, i think. i’m not a terrible dancer. i remember new choreographies quite fast, but i need to practice them consequently to not forget. and i’ve only been dancing for four years and only contemporary, so i’m not really used to dancing other styles of music. i’m confident that i can learn quickly, though!”
who are your biggest influences?
that was a hard one and hyungwon really had to stop and think for a moment. his first impulse would have been to straight up say it’s his father, but while that was true, it wasn’t all there was to it. “my father has always been a big influence on me. he made it possible for me to be lucky enough to go into a field i actually love and enjoy, but his influence on me lay mostly in the field of classical music. this is a hard question to answer, honestly; i think there are a lot of people who have influenced me. my mother, as well, for sure. just because she’s always supported everything i did. my friends as well, past loves,” a soft chuckle leaves his lips, “a broken heart is one of the best inspirations for new songs, right?”
you’ve had your heart broken before?
hyungwon laughs out loud this time, bringing up his fingers to press over his upper lip in a display of shyness. “yes...” he answers softly, “more than once. but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and i reckon those experiences did.”
what is the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome so far?
“it was definitely myself.” hyungwon answered without skipping a beat. he had been working on that and on himself for months and while it had been hard and accompanied with a lot of troubles, but he was getting better. things were getting better. “i had to learn to be more confident in myself and not to doubt everything i do. also to be comfortable in my own skin. i started modelling as a part time job and i think it definitely helped me become more comfortable to a certain degree. at least having a camera constantly pointed at my face is something i’m used to, by now. there’s also other things and me having to put myself more out there and step out of my shell that helped me grow as a person. i’m still going to work hard on myself, of course.”
what’s your family like?
“they’re lovely! my father wasn’t all that happy about me wanting to be an idol but by now he’s come to accept it. my parents are very open and supportive people, in general. my mother is especially altruistic, he’s organised a few charity events in the past and i helped her out a few times as well. my father always made sure that i would have nothing to worry about and could pursue my passion and do things i love, experience many wonderful things.” he gives the camera a shy smile before adding, “i love them a lot.”
if you weren’t trying to be an idol, what would you be doing right now?
he tilts his head to the side for a moment, his tongue flickering out to wet his lips. “i’d probably fully follow my father’s footsteps. compose songs and get a permanent spot in an orchestra. maybe even teach violin and piano. now that i’m about to wrap up with university i’m going to switch to composing and producing and putting out songs full time. until i get signed, that’s what i was planning to do.”
the staff members give him a smile and thank him for the interview and hyungwon returns the favour, thanking them for their time and the chance, bows a few times as he stands from the seat and turns to leave. his body feels oddly light as he leaves the room and when he finally plops back into his seat next to bin it’s with a bright smile.
This was a good idea, right? He was making the right move, wasn't he? He had to believe that he was. Honestly, after all that he's been through in the last two months, he felt like this might just be his saving grace. Then again, he felt a bit of doubt. Considering he was one of the winners in the talent show and he didn't do anything with it, he feared that it would slim his chances of succeeding with such a small amount of time passing. What if they felt like he didn't deserve another win so close to his last? But he tried to ignore that. He didn't want it to control him into passing up a good opportunity to finally get the break that he feels that he deserves. After living in Seoul for over a year and trying so hard to achieve his dreams, something good had to be in store for him, right? Yeah... yeah, he knew that it was.
A few months ago, when he participated in the talent show, he was under the impression that he was fully healed. Or, at least... he was getting close.
However, not even that was correct. He was in a lot worse shape than even he knew, and it took winning and facing all of that for him to figure it out. His confidence hadn't recovered as much as he thought, then he fell into a deep sadness upon succeeding. Considering he felt like he didn't deserve his place as one of the winners, he tried to pinpoint what it was that scored him his spot. By now, he knows that all of it was absolutely ridiculous. It wasn't because he unbuttoned his shirt or anything like that got him the trophy... it was just his ability to put on a performance while displaying so much charisma. Maybe he was a fool for ever being blinded to that, though it wasn't precisely his fault. After visiting with his mother and becoming as close to Kihyun as he was a year ago, things were looking up.
He has learned from so many mistakes and dug himself out of the hole that he found himself buried in. Despite the fact that this was nowhere close to his first attempt, part of him still felt as though this was his first chance to succeed. Before, he hadn't faced all of his trials and he didn't overcome any issues. All things happen for a reason, right? There's got to be a reason he still hasn't made any progress after so much time has gone on. Part of him wonders if this will be when he sees the big picture or if it will be later on in his life... either way, he wasn't going to give up. Last time, he kept preaching about how he wasn't going to let that event tear him down again, then it did it anyway. That's because he'd been fooling himself.
This time, he was certain that no matter what happened, he was prepared for it and it wouldn't break his spirit. He had a place in entertainment, and he knew in his heart that he was supposed to be an idol. This was his passion and it was his key to bringing victory and pride to his family. Now, this was his shot and he didn't think that he was going to squander it. If he didn't succeed now, he would later, for sure. If he doesn't get chosen, it's not because he's bad... it will be because he isn't what they're looking for just yet... but he has faith in himself. Now it was time for him to see where that faith would get him.
After filling out the form, he waited. Once it was finally his turn, he walked into the small room and sat down, smiling at each of the unfamiliar faces. He took several moments trying to get used to the person that would be interviewing him so that all of his responses would come naturally. He wasn't shy in general, and he never has been, but if he felt like he was talking to a friend, surely none of his answers will seem excessively awkward. He was going to be as honest as possible since talking was always one of the things that he could do to win people over. Maybe he wasn't the smartest person in the world, but he noticed that people are usually amused and endeared by some of the things he says. Hopefully, that would do a lot for him in this particular situation.
Running his hands over his plain blue shirt, he ensured that there weren't any wrinkles before waiting for the entire thing to begin. Once the camera and sound tests were over, he knew that it was time for him to introduce himself. After doing so, he deeply inhaled and allowed a large smile to settle on his face as the questions began.
“Why do you want to be an idol?”
"Why wouldn't I want to be an idol?" His smile widened as he took a few seconds to attempt wording the rest of his response in his head before simply blurting it out. "Honestly, becoming an idol is my dream for a lot of reasons. I have always loved music, even if this wasn't the path that my family wanted me to take for a long time. It's not easy and it isn't something that I can be promised, but I think it's worth taking so many shots for. I really enjoy dancing and singing has become a passion of mine. You know that saying 'you never work a day in your life if you're doing something you love'? I want to do something that I love, and being an idol would allow me to do everything I could ever want. I would be able to perform," as he went on, he was counting on his fingers with each statement, "I would be able to make people happy and put smiles on faces, I could do modeling for photo shoots, and I could meet new people. Traveling would also be fun... seeing different places and giving joy to people much further out than just Seoul. I don't know how it could get any better than that."
“Which skill are you the best at?”
"The only one of my skills that could match that of my charming personality is my singing." After stating it, soft laughter fell from his lips as he prepared to continue. "Singing is what started it for me. 'It' meaning my journey down the road of falling head-over-heels in love with music. After I discovered how much I loved to sing along to my favorite songs, I started learning to play the guitar, too. I liked to make my own music, though it wasn't very good." He laughed at his own joke, then carried on. "Then, in my teenage years, I already knew I wanted to be an idol, so I started learning to dance, too. Even after all of that, I'm still the best at singing. I enjoy hearing my own voice, which might sound sort of bad, but what can I say? At least I know my own worth." Because I haven't always.
“What do you think you still need to improve on?”
"My dancing could use some improvement. I mean, I know that I'm kind of talented at it, but there's always room to get even better. I'd love for my dancing and singing to improve. I want to be the best Shin Hoseok that I can be, so I plan to work really hard to better myself in a lot of ways. I think I'm good at getting along with others, so that's not something that I really need to work on. Maybe I could try to be a little more creative. I'm creative in some ways, but I can honestly admit that I haven't had the same skill at writing lyrics and stuff as my best friend. It might take a miracle for me to reach that point, though." His smile widened more until laughter escaped him, then he quickly nodded before continuing to speak. "I have gotten a lot better at it, but I think I could improve on believing in myself, too. I sell myself short a lot, but I need to be nicer to myself, you know? I need to be my own friend."
“Who are your biggest influences?”
"My biggest famous influences are groups like TVXQ and Vixx. I really love their music and their style. TVXQ was my first ever favorite group and my favorite song is still Mirotic. I also really love LC9 and Day6. Especially Day6, since they play instruments and I love playing the guitar. Though honestly, I love dancing, too, so maybe I wouldn't say 'especially'. Jay Park, Sam Smith, and Dean are individual artists that I really look up to a lot. I love their music and how fearless they can be." He paused and drew in a deep breath, his smile turning softer and a hint of fondness sparkling in his eyes as he continued on. "But, when it comes to my all-time biggest influence, it's actually my best friend, Kihyun. When I was young, before I met him, I didn't think I'd ever truly chase my dream. I'm not sure that my dream even fully developed until he was around. He was such a talented singer with such a beautiful voice, and I really admired him. I wanted to be like him, and to one day be able to do the things, vocally, that he can do. Now, I'm not too sure I can ever achieve that," he laughed briefly, then finished, "but I can maybe get close."
“What is the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome so far?”
"I've had to face a lot of obstacles, but I'm not sure what the biggest would be. First of all, as I said before, my family didn't always want me to chase my dream of being an idol. They wanted me to try to become a model instead. I like modeling, but it's still not what I'm the most passionate about." He paused, growing silent for a moment but trying to keep a sunny disposition, despite the sadness he felt creeping in. "My biggest obstacle would either be before I moved to Seoul... when my parents got a divorce and me, my brother, and my sister were all still with my mom. Our father moved to a different country, then my mom got pretty sad and it wasn't easy supporting all of us. I had to help out, and it almost made me decide to leave my dreams in the past since I thought I should continue doing all that I can. But then, my mom encouraged me to move here and my brother and sister moved to be with my father. I miss them a lot. Or, it was back when I tried out for the Samsung commercial and didn't make the cut. It really disheartened me, then my best friend moved away shortly after that, so... it took a toll on me and I didn't know why I was still trying. I'm glad I did since I still have the chance to get what I want in life." He punctuated his sentence with a nod and a smile.
“What’s your family like?”
"They're great. My mom is really supportive these days and she's given me so much. I hope that one day I can give her the world since I know that she deserves it. She tries so hard help me and to keep me happy. She's a really wonderful woman, I love her so much. My brother and sister are my heart and soul, really. I miss them every day, so I hope that once I become successful, they can come back to Seoul so that we can all be together again. I'm a lot older than both of them, there's a big age gap, so sometimes I felt kind of like a dad to them, too, but being their big brother is an honor. I don't get to talk to my dad a lot anymore, but... I still love him as well. From what I know of his new wife, she's really nice."
“If you weren’t trying to be an idol, what would you be doing right now?”
"Maybe I would listen to my parents and try to be a model. If not that, then maybe I would try to work for DC Comics or something. I really love superheroes, so that would also be a great dream, I think. The only problem is that I'm not a great artist, but I could always just write for them or something similar. I think if I wasn't trying to be an idol, the first thing I would do is try to do more schooling, first of all. I never was the best in school, because I struggle with learning as fast as a lot of the other kids, but I would still give it a shot." His grin increased a bit as he finally finished, then everything was all wrapped up as his time was finally over. He bowed and thanked a few people as he made his way out, and now he only had one thing to do...
living with lisa and rose for the past year has made it perfectly clear to her that the rigorous schedule and the never ending strive for improvement in areas she couldn’t care about are aspects of being an idol that she does not want to meddle with. although despite these facts, here she is -- dressed in the plainest clothes that took her thirty minutes to conjure from her wardrobe, hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail despite the cold weather biting her skin, and sitting somewhere inside the park hyatt hotel waiting for her name to be called.
it’s not as though she would bullshit her way through this audition. kim jisoo is a woman of honesty and she would let them know right then and there that she’s not here to be an idol. that she never dreamed of becoming an idol. it’s more or less just one step closer to signing with a company that can lead her back to acting on television. of landing dramas that will help her achieve her ultimate goal.
as they say; when an opportunity presents itself, why not take it? she’s got nothing to lose.
as her name is called, she enters the room. the feeling is much like how it was when she went in for the samsung photoshoot. modelling and being an idol are two few things that are both inherently different from what she wants to be but she’s here anyway. she likes to believe that there’s only a fine line that separates all three aspects of the entertainment world and she’s here to walk it. in heels.
“good afternoon, everyone. i’m kim jisoo and i’m twenty-one years old. born in seoul, south korea but raised in chicago, illinois.” interviews are a no-brainer to her and there’s a charming smile on her face that wouldn’t have existed otherwise. “i am currently a third year acting major at korea national university of arts, an avid church choir singer, and an overall actress. i also won the samsung c and t modelling competition a few months back.” was her overall introduction.
now for the questions.
why do you want to be an idol?
“in all honesty, i don’t want to be an idol.” she starts with a dignified tone and posture. this is an important part of her interview, the one that will lay out the rest of the questions for her. “i personally believe that i am not cut out for the dancing practices and everything that is supposed to come with being an idol. i’m focused on my acting and exploring all creative outlets that will let me get better at what i do is the most important abstract thing in my life right now. i know that ultimately, you’re all looking for idols here and i’m playing the game of chance that i’ll be spared a second glance after this interview. this is the closest thing that will get me to achieving my goal of getting back on television acting but i’m willing to play all the cards that i have. at the end of the day, i believe that not every company offers something that is limited to honing idols. i’m positive that there’s a spot out there somewhere for me”
which skill are you best at? what do you think you still need to improve on?
“i’m best with my acting skills. i’m fairly sure no one remembers anymore but i was once a child actress in the country until our family left for the united states when i was seven years old. after that, i’ve participated in countless school productions starting when i was in middle school up until now in university. despite this, i still want to improve. i love acting, therefore there’s this constant need to develop and to grow in this area even if i already have a whole life of experience under my back. other than this, i believe that i need to improve with my singing. i enjoy singing especially since i love doing musicals but i need to have a stronger voice for it. i’m sure that this is where training with an idol company would come in.”
who are your biggest influences?
there’s a smile on her features as she answers this. the talk on influences is obviously something that she enjoys. “my biggest influences are of course various actresses spanning different generations. i’m a massive audrey hepburn fan -- i love her elegance and her advocacies and i wished that i was able to see more of her. my acting is high influenced by veterans like meryl streep because her versatility is something that i greatly admire and something that i strive to possess. i’m also inspired by the fact that she’s been nominated for the most number of oscars more than any other actor and to achieve that is one of my greatest dreams in life. it is certainly a dream that keeps me well on my toes and propels me to do better everyday. in terms of musical acting, i’m influenced by icons such as julie andrews, audra mcdonald, and lea salonga. their contribution to this community is unparalleled, especially for people of color like audra and lea. it makes me believe that as a person of color myself, i can achieve great heights in the broadway community like them. they are the people who made me believe that i can do it too if i make my talent work along with great effort.”
“in terms of korean influences on the other hand, i’m influenced by fin.k.l and yoon mi rae. i think that their music is the sort that will live on forever and if it happens that i’ll go down this path, i’d love to be as iconic as they are. they are definitely one of a kind.”
what’s your family like?
“my family is small and intimate. i’m an only child and despite their busy work schedules, my parents and i have formed a very close relationship. my father is a no-nonsense man. he’s a criminal lawyer and this has given him the ability to see through things easily. he’s serious most of the time but when it comes to me and my mother, he’s compliant and attentive. my mother on the other hand is very extroverted. she loves talking, gossiping, and getting to know people in terms of what they do and how they are in life. i love her dearly but we tend to bicker with each other a lot. i’d call it conflict of interest. she likes to remind me everyday that i’ll never get a husband because of my career mindedness which is just well and fine by me, if you ask.” she laughs a little.
if you weren’t trying to be an actress, what would you be doing right now?
“i would be where i currently am -- in university. i give a lot of importance with my education and i enjoy learning and going to school. if i was not trying to break into the entertainment world, i’d pursue another degree after my acting one. i’d most likely go into philosophy because that’s a world i would love to discover. perhaps i’d also go into law school after it. to simply put, i would not limit myself when it comes to my education if i wasn’t trying to be an actress at the same time.”
with a final nod of their head, the person behind the camera asking her questions gestured for the device to be turned off. facing her, they smiled. “that is all the questions we have prepared, thank you for your time.” then came the details of what to expect after it. jisoo valiantly nods her head through all of it, taking in all the information that she has to. once she steps out of the room, she immediately walks towards jennie -- who she’s so incredibly proud of for coming out here today. being with her made the process of it all a lot more easier and she can’t help but think fondly on all the life-changing memories they’ve embarked on together. they both know what they’re coming out here for and she’s looking forward to what is about to come. although with their determination and grit, she likes to believe that a good one is about to come off of this.
an interview didn’t sound too bad, right? it was without a doubt the least flashy of his attempts at getting signed to an entertainment company, though, at this point, he almost feels that he’d prefer it that way. after his failure at the hongdae talent show (which he had spent countless nights beating himself up about), kihyun almost felt frightened by the idea of performing in public again, though he did his best not to dwell on that thought.
why do you want to be an idol?
"aah, that’s a long story...” he began, a broad smile forming on his features as he answered to the camera. “but... the answer is kind of simple, actually. i want to be an idol because it’s what i was born to do. that’s why i can never give up.” he nodded in response to his answer, somewhat pleased with his words. “one of the greatest joys i felt in life happened when i was a little boy, when i started playing around on my mother’s piano,” he reminisced fondly. “as you’d imagine, i was far from being any good at it at the time, but... i fell in love with the sound that piano made. messing around with the different keys became my favorite thing to do, and my mom helped me so that i could actually learn to play. that’s when i fell in love with music, and... i can’t imagine dedicating my life to anything else at this point. not even in another universe.”
which skill are you the best at? what do you think you still need to improve on?
"i’m best at singing, definitely! my voice is another thing i’ve worked hard to improve ever since i was a young boy,” he answered in a fond tone, nodding his head once more. “there’s no feeling in the world like singing, there really isn’t. i still think i can grow as a vocalist, but... yes, it’s definitely my strongest skill.” he paused, thinking for a moment before delving into the second part of the question. “what do i need to improve on, hmm... well, i think my dancing could use a bit of work. i took a few lessons some time ago, but i think i’ve gotten rusty since then. it’s something i really hope to improve on should i be signed to a company.”
who are your biggest influences?
"musically, i’d have to say... vixx and lc9? i love both groups a lot, and their music is some of my favorites to listen to. but there’s also... ed sheeran, i love his music a lot, too. i’d like to write songs like his one day. but there’s also day6, cnblue... i consider myself to be a big fan of bands like that. i look up to them a lot.” he nodded, once again confident in his answer. “as for influences in general, my mom definitely tops that list. she’s the reason i can comfortably pursue music today, and without her i don’t know where i’d be right now. she’s a warrior, and i’ve never seen anyone stronger than her. another of my biggest influences is my best friend, shin hoseok! i think he decided to try this, too? well, we’ve been through a lot together, and i couldn’t have asked for a better best friend in life. he makes me aspire to be a better person, and i find myself wishing to be more like him. we dream to debut together, which is why we both moved her from busan over a year ago.”
what is the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome so far?
"aah, that’d have to be... moving away from home and taking care of my little sister, hyunmi. she’s only a high school student, and it was very difficult to support us both. i had to work, hard, just as my mother had worked hard for me when i was younger. it was a stressful time, but... we both overcame it, which is why i’m able to be here today, continuing to pursue my dream. even if i walked away from the kt & royal contest over a year ago without a contract, i refuse to give up—that’s just not who i am.”
what’s your family like?
"my family is... well, they’re the most amazing family i could have asked for,” he admitted, soft laughter sounding from within him as a light blush settled onto his cheeks. “i love my mom more than anything, and, at the end of the day, she’s the one that keeps me going. i don’t know if she realizes it or not, but... all of this is for her. she’s the reason that i can never give up, no matter what. if it’s for her, i’ll endure anything.”
if you weren’t trying to be an idol, what would you be doing right now?
"hmm... laying in a coffin, maybe?” he joked, more laughter escaping him as he tried to think of a more serious way to answer the question. “that’s the only way you wouldn’t find me pursuing music, at least! even then, my ghost may show up every now and then to try to land an audition with one of the big companies,” he continued, more light chuckles slipping past his lips. “but... if i had to choose, i think i’d put more of my focus into photography or cooking. i think i’d be comfortable living a life centered around one of those, though only if i was certain that i had no future in music.”
december 3rd, 2017 • recording in the live taping event
This was probably the most nervous that Mingyu had been in a while. Part of him kept trying to figure out whether or not this was a good idea, but each time he glanced over at his best friend standing next to him, his worries seemed to briefly fade away. Filling out the form was extremely easy, but he had a good feeling that the actual interview wouldn't be as much of a walk in the park. It was his dream to be a rapper and to make music, he knew that much, but what if it was too soon? This was his first real occasion in which he's doing what he can to actively achieve his goal, so this was a nerve-wracking experience.
All that he hoped is that he wasn't as awkward on camera as he assumed he'd be. Listening to people always came so easily to him, though talking about himself wasn't quite on the same level. He was aware that he would stumble over his words sometimes and take long pauses, as well as excessively make use of the unflattering 'um' and 'uh's.
He practiced a bit, but he wouldn't know whether or not it worked until he was seated and being pelted with question after question. One thing that he considered attempting was pretending that each question was being asked to him by Won or his mother, that way he would trick himself into a sense of security, comfort, and peace.
Even if he did somehow manage to ease his nerves enough to scarcely mess up his speech, he hoped that he didn't move around too much. He was fidgety at times, so hopefully, that wouldn't shine through. He wanted to make a good impression and he really hoped he'd do well... not only for himself but for Won, too. He looked over at the younger boy again, smiling gently in his direction, though he wasn't entirely sure if he caught it or not. After finishing the form, he sat down and waited for his turn, doing his best to train his leg to not constantly bounce up and down as he took deep breaths.
Once his name was called, he bit down on his lower lip as he stood from his seat and made his way over. When he was in the room and seated again, he smiled and looked around, taking in his surroundings. There were a few tests done and he introduced himself well enough, he believed, before the first question finally was upon him.
“Why do you want to be an idol?”
Fair enough question, he thought to himself before slowly grinning. He was quiet for only a moment as he tried to come up with the perfect response, as talking to everyone wasn't exactly something that effortlessly came to him. "I want to be an idol because I want to achieve great things. Not only that, but... rapping is one of my favorite hobbies. I love music, especially making it, because it gives me the perfect opportunity to express myself. It's one of my many creative outlets, and I have so many ideas and visions in my mind that I just want to get out into the world. Writing lyrics and then performing them is exhilarating for me, and I would really love it if I could make a career out of that. I think that being in an idol group would be good for me, because I'm already great at teamwork since I play a lot of sports and I'm used to us all relying on one another and working hard to succeed together. I just think that... if I want to be really happy in life, I will only achieve that by being exactly who I am and doing the things that I love."
“Which skill are you the best at?”
His heartbeat was rapid and he did his best to appear calm and collected. He tried to keep a big grin on his face and he lightly chuckled before answering this question, taking a bit of time to steady his breathing. "Well, rapping. I have been interested in that for around ten years and I've practiced a lot ever since. I taught myself how to do most of it, then over time, I just really developed a knack for it. Since it came so naturally to me, I really believe that I'm meant to be a rapper. I'm passionate about it and I love doing it so much, so I know in my heart that this is the path that I want to take and what I want to continue doing for a very long time." He gave a nod after saying it, his smile growing once more as he kept his hands on his lap and refrained from rubbing the back of his neck, despite having the urge to.
“What do you think you still need to improve on?”
"Dancing." It fell from his lips immediately, then he laughed after before explaining himself. "I'm not a good dancer, but I really want to be. I think that I have the potential to improve a lot, I've just never had any classes. I have been wanting to learn for a while now, but for some reason, I never took the initiative to do anything about it. I've always admired dancers and people who can pull off really impressive choreographies, so I hope that one day soon, I'll be able to be one of them."
“Who are your biggest influences?”
This was an easy question, so his shoulders relaxed and he appeared even more comfortable as he started getting into answering this one. "For musical artists and other rappers, I really love Mad Clown, Zico, Zelo, Ravi, Giriboy, and Kim Seyong. I really look up to them and try to help my own rapping get better by paying attention to theirs. They're all extremely talented and I aspire to be as great as they are one day. I think that I have what it takes, I just have to keep going on so that I can have as much time invested in it as they do." He paused, briefly chewing on the inside of his cheek before he caught himself and stopped, then carried on. "My mother was a big influence on me, too. She used to sing to me when I was young, and she could also play the piano really well. She's the reason that I developed such a love for music in general, then I later discovered rap on my own and learned that it was really my taste. My best friend is also someone who really inspires and influences me. He's another great vocalist, and it's also thanks to him that I strive to better myself every single day."
“What is the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome so far?”
"My biggest obstacle was getting to this point. It took me a while to accept that it was okay for me to chase my dreams. For the longest time, I kept trying to tell myself that this was unrealistic and that I needed to shoot for smaller goals. I thought that if I stuck to doing sports, that maybe I could eventually get somewhere with that, but I know that's not truly what I want to do. Music and other forms of art are what I enjoy the most, so I don't think that I should hold myself back anymore. I was originally nervous about coming here and giving this a shot, but I really think that... I probably made the right call." He smiled happily, his eyes crinkling and cheeks being pushed up and defined before they moved on to the next question.
“What’s your family like?”
"The best family in the entire world. My mother raised me alone for most of my life and she is one of my two best friends in the entire universe. She's the kindest and strongest woman that I know, and I don't know where I'd be without her. She loves me unconditionally and has supported me through everything. I feel very lucky to have her as my mother. My almost stepfather is really great, too. I met him when he was my coach for basketball, and he was always someone that I admired and looked up to. Obviously, I'm very excited that he's going to be my dad because I don't believe that there's a greater one that exists. I've learned a lot from him. My grandparents are very kind and loving, too, as well as my aunt and uncle who are very close to my mother. My best friend is practically family, too, and I'm also thankful that he's in my life. He's always been here for me when I've needed him, and I'll always be there for him. My family is... all I could have ever asked for in a family."
“If you weren’t trying to be an idol, what would you be doing right now?”
Shifting a bit in his seat, he drew in a deep breath before letting it out in a quiet laugh, then he softly hummed before answering. "Right now? The same thing. I'd still be in high school and trying to finish up my last year so that I can graduate. When it comes to plans for my future, I'd either be trying to do something with sports like I previously mentioned, or I'd be taking an artistic route. I love drawing and painting, so it would be ideal for me to figure out a career in that. I'm not so sure that I have what it takes to become a famous artist," he chuckled mid-sentence, then happily continued, "but maybe I could illustrate children's books or something equally as nice."
Once he was finished answering and everything was wrapped up, he exited the room and was relieved to reunite with Won and his mother. He knew he was going to be on edge until he found out what the results were, but he knew that either way, with these two in his life, it would be okay. He just hoped that maybe both of them would finally be able to start working on achieving their dream of debuting together... time would tell.
Star bright audition interview - candidate: Bang Yongguk
December 3rd
(credit for the gifs: x )
He feels out of place.
As he looks around him, all he can see are hopeful teenagers and young adults, younger than him anyway, sitting either alone or with friends, playing with their phones or holding hands and chatting away the anxiety. He doesn’t know why he decided to come here, although he feels that it must be because of the same part of him that made him participate in the Hongdae Talent Show. He wants to realize his dreams too, he’s just not sure whether this is the right path for him or not.
He sighs as he finishes filling up his form and keeps the clipboard on his lap. He runs his hand through his hair, a nervous habit and he meets the eyes of some guy who has been staring at the tattoo peeking from under his rolled-up sleeves and his opened collar. He stares back at the guy who ends up looking away, a blush creeping on his cheeks. That’s another thing...he knows there aren’t many idols with tattoos, and here he is with four, not even trying to conceal them. He doesn’t know if this is going to work against him. Probably, but he doesn’t want to hide who he is.
Bang Yongguk?
He looks up when he hears his name being called and swiftly stands up, there are murmurs when he walks up to the woman who has been ushering every hopeful in for their interviews. He hands her his form and she thanks him before wishing him good luck. “Thanks,” he tells her before pulling the door open and stepping inside the small room.
The set-up is very simple, a chair in front of a screen and cameras. Someone motions for him to sit down so he does just that, making himself comfortable. Somehow, he isn’t intimidated by the cameras. Despite not having a YouTube channel to post vlogs or anything of the sort, Yongguk has always been comfortable talking in front of a classroom when he was younger. He doesn’t feel like this is much different.
He sees the staff getting into position and finally, someone tells him to briefly introduce himself before they will start with the questions. He nods and straightens up, looking at the interviewer who is sitting next to the camera. That way, it looks like he is looking at the camera, but he’s focusing on a person which feels more comfortable to him.
“My name is Bang Yongguk. I am 24 years old and would love to get signed under TRC,” he says, his voice coming out deep which causes quite a couple of eyebrows to raise in surprise. He doesn’t know why most people seem to be surprise by it. What kind of voice do they expect him to have when they see him for the first time? He never dared ask.
The interviewer smiles at him and crosses their legs.
“Why do you want to be an idol?”
Aaaah, he thinks, of course they would ask such a question. He takes a deep breath and leans his elbows over the arms of the chair, joining his fingers over his lap in a casual position. “I don’t,” he replies without any hesitation. He can tell that they weren’t expecting such an answer and he knows that he needs to develop so he does. “Ideally, I want to be signed as a rapper and I know it is possible to be signed to a label without being part of an idol group. Also, it is a known fact that rappers in idol groups are called ‘fake’. I don’t agree with this as some groups have amazing rappers, but they are still judged by those who aren’t in idol groups.”
The interviewer nods and scribbles some notes down on the paper held by their clipboard.
“You mentioned wanting to be signed as a rapper, would you consider rap to be your best skill?”
“Absolutely,” he replies immediately. “I wasn’t always good. When I started, I had no idea what I was doing. I was fascinated by the emotions that were being shared through lyrics, the passion behind the battles. I learned by watching other underground rappers do their thing, and eventually started writing my own lyrics and composing my own music.”
“Did you learn on your own?”
He bites his bottom lip and briefly looks down at his hands. “Yeah. I’m used to doing things on my own so when it came to composition, I just played around with things until I got something that sounded great to me. I’ve been told by some of my friends that I have a good ear and maybe I do, I don’t really know since I never really studied music, other than those piano lessons when I was in elementary school.” He shrugs and offers the interviewer a small smile.
“What do you think you still need to improve on?”
He lets out a light bark of laughter at this and promptly apologizes, covering his mouth with his hand. “Dancing and singing. I do like to sing sometimes, but it’s something I do when I’m alone at home and most of the time, it’s just light humming while I’m working on new music. I don’t think my voice is quite right for singing, but who knows. Maybe with some vocal training, something good could come out of it. As for dancing, I’ve always admired those who can b-boy, but I never took the time to learn, you know? I would work hard to learn and then improve if I was casted by a company who wanted me to debut as an idol though.”
“Who are your biggest influences?”
Now that is a hard question and he reaches up to squeeze his chin between his fingers as he thinks about it. He knows he needs to be quick as there is a limited time for the interview. He hesitates. He knows they want to hear about who inspires him, but it’s not people who influence him, not really. He lowers his hand and runs them over his thighs.
“I am not really influenced by anyone,” he begins cautiously, wondering if they are going to think he’s being too cocky by saying that. “When it comes to what influences me as a person, I’d like to say that it is my background that made me into the person I am today. The things I had to dealt with in the past and how I overcame the obstacles that were on my path. When it comes to influences regarding my music, I get inspired by the injustices of the world, by society, news, anything really. I think that my style of rapping may have been influenced by all these underground rappers that I have been listening to and learning from, but I can’t name someone specific.”
“Most people tend to answer the previous question with a member of their family. That wasn’t your case. What’s your family like?”
His jaw clenches upon hearing the question. Why did they want to know about his family? What did it have to do with him wanting to be signed to a company? His previously friendly and open posture and expression suddenly change, and he crosses his arms over his chest, crosses his legs and his eyes get slightly darker. He wants to snap at them that this is none of their business, but he also knows that if he ever becomes a celebrity, people will dig for his past, so he might as well be honest even though it doesn’t make him happy at all. He digs his nails into the skin of his arms as he finally opens his mouth to speak.
“I’ve never met my father. My mother had me when she was sixteen years old and her parents refused to help her, so I never met my grandparents either. My mother raised me on her own. It’s always been just me and her.” He doesn’t mention all the men his mother met over the years who he sometimes only saw once while others stayed around for months. “I don’t live with my mother anymore. She…” he pauses and takes another deep breath, reaching up to ruffle his hair out of frustration. “Raising me alone, it was hard and eventually she started to resent me. Let’s just say that we’re not really seeing each other often anymore, but I still make sure to check up on her occasionally.”
He doesn’t like the look of pity he thinks he can see in the interviewer’s eyes, but thankfully another question is thrown at him before he can dwell on it too much.
“What is the biggest obstacle you’ve had to overcome so far?”
“My anger.” He slowly relaxes again now that he doesn’t have to talk about his family anymore. “It festered inside of me back when I was in high school and I didn’t know how to deal with it back then, so I made a lot of stupid decisions. Got involved with a bad crowd, did drugs, etc. I hated the situation at home, I didn’t feel like I belonged at school, so I found outlets to deal with these feelings I had.” He lightly scratches his arm. “Then I discovered underground rapping and it helped me so much. I cleaned up my act, decided I needed to get my life back on tracks so I found small jobs and saved all the money I could to get my own apartment and be fully independent.”
“This is our last question: if you weren’t trying to be an idol, what would you be doing right now?”
“I’d still be working as a janitor, which is my current job, and I would probably try to start my own YouTube channel. I’d continue to write lyrics and compose my own music, maybe post some of my composition online and see if this gets me a small following. I could also try to write some songs for a friend of mine who’s also a rapper. If he gets famous before me, maybe he can credit me in his album and if people like what they hear they might give me a call,” he shrugs as he lets out a chuckle. “I’d still be doing something related to music, that’s for sure.”
“And that’s a wrap!” the staff calls out and Yongguk exhales, shoulders sagging before he pushes himself out of his chair and offers a genuine gummy smile to all the staff present, a big contrast to how serious he looked during his interview. He takes the time to thank all of them and bows respectfully before making his way out of the room.
