Kapitel 7: Grade Evaluation (1)
The set prepared for the survival show looks amazing. Across the stage was a pyramid structure that has 105 seats arranged on it. Except for the 7 seats that looked comfortable because it has cushions, the rest of the seats are plain and transparent.
Trainees started to entered the set from the backstage. Some are in groups, while some are alone. They are already wearing the clothes that they will use in their grade evaluation. When the trainees saw the set, they were amazed.
The trainees did not know who from which company will join nor did they saw other trainees before the official start of filming. As it was their first time seeing each other, the set was filled with formal greetings.
The chairs have numbers pasted on them. From 1 to 105. The trainees who first entered chose to seat in the middle (50s). Although they wanted to seat on the upper seats, they didn't want to seem arrogant. Because obviously, the numbers on the seats indicate ranks.
One after another, trainees filled up the seats. While they enter the set, the name of the agency or company they belong to is flashed on the huge TV located on top of the stage. Songs from their company/agency is also being played.
The trainees took that opportunity to memorize the faces of trainees who came from famous and big companies. Because they know how the industry works. Trainees from big companies will most likely receive more attention and more screen time and they intend to stick close to them in hopes that they will also receive screen time. It was an impure thought but they are really desperate to debut.
Difference between trainees were clearly shown. Trainees from small agencies generally chose the lower numbered seats. And trainees from big companies walked up the stairs confidently and claimed the upper seats. In actuality, some of them are just pretending to be confident because they did not want to lose face for their company.
They were all privileged and lucky to be sent there and have a chance to debut but they know that they are carrying the wills of their fellow trainees who were unfortunately not get picked. Because K-NET gave a limit. They told every entertainment company and agency that they can only accept a maximum of 9 trainees from each company.
After a while, the words "Independent Trainees" flashed in the TV.
The trainees that are already seated stood up and clapped as a greeting to the independent trainees that entered one after another. They admired the courage of the independent trainees. Because they know how hard it is to pursue their dream of becoming a kpop idol without being under the care of companies.
Besides, they found out through their companies that K-NET held an audition to give chance for aspiring idols that are not under any entertainment companies due to personal circumstances. And the number of applicants were shocking. More than 1,000 people auditioned and unfortunately, only 30 were selected for the survival show. The producers only selected those worthy of the chance based on their audition performance. That's why trainees are anticipating their grade evaluation performance because they assume that they have amazing skills that brought them here.
[DAWN did not participate in the selection as they received invitation. K-NET invited them due to their popularity and public demand. When K-NET announced their new show and gave a brief explanation of what their survival show is about, they received a lot of mails asking if DAWN will participate.. So the producers invited DAWN also in order to draw public interest and raise their view count.]
When a familiar song is played, the whole set was on an uproar. The song was Sorry, Sorry by DAWN which is now a new dance craze across the globe. A lot of people are covering the dance and you can literally hear it anywhere on the street. On the bus, convenience stores, malls, literally everywhere.
Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry
Naega naega naega meonjeo
Nege nege nege bbajyeo
Bbajyeo bbajyeo beoryeo baby
Shawty, shawty, shawty, shawty
Nuni busyeo busyeo busyeo
Sumi makhyeo makhyeo makhyeo
Naega michyeo michyeo baby~
"DAWN?! Is it really DAWN? Or the producers are just making fun of us." The set was filled with murmurs. Of course DAWN is especially famous to them because DAWN is just like them (haven't debuted yet) but DAWN already made their step into the industry through making music and uploading them on WeTube.
DAWN even influenced some of the trainees. They also tried posting their dance videos on WeTube but unfortunately, gaining views was harder than they thought. They were slapped with reality that there is a huge gap between them and DAWN.
Loud cheers and claps filled the set when they saw DAWN entering through the backstage.
Wooin was speechless at the scene in front of him. Unlike him, Gangseok was expecting it as he clearly knows how amazing Wooin's produced songs are. It's just that his friend is oblivious of it. Of course it also did not shock Jiwoo and Jisuk as they know that their hyung is a genius.
"Annyeong haseyo". The four greeted everyone with a bow.
"Wow isn't this just basically telling us to go home? How can we compare to those monsters?"
"I feel like I should call them senior even though I am older than them."
"I know that they look good but I didn't thought it would be this deadly in person. I think I might fall in love."
"Bro you're so gay."
"Shut up. You're even worse. When will you stop staring at the Wooin guy?"
"Dude I'm envious of their face. Just look at that. They're flawless."
"I look like wearing trash compared to their outfits. They are good at fashion and they can carry their clothes. Plus they are tall and handsome. Why the heck is world so unfair T_T."
"I should probably stick with them for more screen time and public exposure." One trainee said.
"Dude just no. You will literally look like garbage beside them." His friend rejected the idea.
"Are you even my friend?"
"Their youngest is only 15 and he's their main dancer. He basically choreographed all their songs. In comparison, you're too old. What have you done when you were just 15?" A trainee teased his 20-year-old friend who just glared at him in response.
"How can a 17-year-old trainee produce legendary songs? Isn't he just basically a genius at this point?" A trainee said, looking at Wooin. They have watched their behind the scene recording videos and they really respect Wooin for coming up with great songs.
The trainees felt like they already won since they are able to see DAWN personally. That was how they admired the group.
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"Welcome to Produce 105, dear trainees. A hundred and five trainees have gathered here to compete and seize their spot in the debut group. Through different challenges and evaluation, trainees will be eliminated based on their performance until only 7 people remain. So we hope that you all do your best and show your full potential in order to have no regrets and what ifs." The mc—Lee Seung-gi, a famous singer and actor spoke.
"Now let us all give a round of applause to the mentors that will give you challenges and help you grow as idols." An upbeat song played in the background and five people entered. The trainees cheered and clapped when they realized who the five were.
"Hello everyone! I am Lee Hong-gi and I will be your vocal trainer." He is one of the best singers in Korea. He was formerly a member of an idol group.
"Nice to meet you all. My name's Soyou and I will also be your vocal trainer." A former member of the girl group, Sister. She is a successful female singer, recognized for her high vocal range and light voice.
"I am Bae Yoon-jeong, your dance trainer." She is a dance coach and choreographer of many successful idols. Wooin kinda feel afraid of her as he has watched how she would scold trainees in his past life. But of course, he is the only one concerned because the other trainees did not know of her personality yet.
"Good morning people! I am Choi Young-joon, and I will also be your dance trainer." He is a famous dancer and choreographer in kpop community. He has a cheerful personality but knows when to get serious.
"Hi, I am Cheetah. I will be in charge of rap." Wooin felt like Cheetah and Gangseok are somewhat similar. They both don't speak much and there's a natural groove in their voice.
All of the trainees were excited to learn from such successful and well-established artists. The five of them all rose to the top of entertainment industry through their skills so the trainees would love to learn a thing or two from them.
"THE GRADE EVALUATION NOW OFFICIALLY BEGINS. Our first trainees, please come up the stage." The mc announced then walked down the stage.
The trainees were given numbers earlier. Indicating the arrangement of their performance.
"1,2,3. Hello, We are Triple-S from JYB entertainment." Three trainees from the big company said in unison. They are the first group to perform.
"Hello everyone, my name is Jay. 19 years old. I am the leader and the main vocalist."
"Hello, my name is Jungwon. I am 20 years old. Position is dance."
"Hi everyone, I am Dohyun. 18 years old and the main rapper of the group.
"Jay? It says here in your application that you've been a trainee for over six years now?" The mc started a conversation when he noticed that the three are shaking in nervousness.
"Ahh yes... I was supposed to debut 3 years ago but I got involved in a car accident before we can even announce our debut officially. I was in a coma for a year and the group that I was supposed to debut with, already debuted without me. After waking up, I had a hard time recovering as I needed to undergo rehabilitation for my leg. Seeing that the group I was supposed to debut in become famous and on the other hand, I am still a struggling trainee, was painful. I blamed the world for being unfair. But thankfully, I am now okay and I am more determined than ever to debut successfully." Jay became emotional as he recall his difficult time.
"It's amazing how much passion you have for music. And I hope that you will be able to debut. To the other trainees here as well. I hope that your struggles in the past or today will make you stronger as an idol and will make you better as a person." The mc said to which the trainees applauded to.
"Now, shall we see your performance?"
They started their performance. The three covered a famous song from their agency.
After the performance, the mentors shared their thoughts.
"Thank you for the performance. Jungwon and Dohyun.. You need to practice your dance more. There are times when you lose balance and there are also times where you move faster than the music. I suggest that you spend some of your free time just listening to different songs and try to listen carefully to the beats of the song." Choi Young-joon (dance trainer) commented.
"Jungwon and Dohyun, you did good but I think you can improve more. Just keep practicing. And Jay, you aced the song. You were able to reach the high notes and you were able to support your friends with harmonizing. It was able to hide their subtle mistakes. You did great as their leader." Lee Hong-gi praised.
"Dohyun, I really liked your rap. Your voice was clear so we were able to understand the rap's lyrics. Your clear voice is your weapon and I hope that you polish that. And I wish that next time, you write your own rap and not just rap the part given to you." Cheetah suggested.
"I will now announce the results. Jay you got an A. Dohyun and Jungwon, you will be in class C." Lee Seung-gi (mc) announced.
Wooin now understood how they are being evaluated. Dance trainers will focus on the dance, vocal trainers on vocals, and Cheetah on rap. They will give scores and then they will total it to determine which class they belong to.
Wooin took note of Jay. His unique voice caught Wooin's attention. Because although his vocal skills is inferior to Jisuk's, he has a unique tone and even whey the three sang in unison, one can identify Jay's voice.
If your voice stands out when singing, it is an advantage because the fans will most likely remember you through your voice. Through that, even if they don't see you singing and they are only listening to the digital album, they will know when the part is sang by you.
After that, trainees performed one by one but none of them was given an A. So far, the only one who got into A class was Jay.
They were given a 15 minute break. Staff handed them a chocolate cupcake and a bottle of water.
"I think I might like living here." Jiwoo exaggerated when he took a bite of the cupcake. He received a smack on the back of his head from his Wooin-hyung. Jiwoo said it so loud that Wooin is the one who felt ashamed. The other trainees probably has heard it.
"Don't make it sound like we were being starved back at home." Jiwoo pouted at his hyung.
'Looks like I'm gonna be in trouble.' Wooin thought. They cannot eat here anytime unlike when they are at their house. Back in their house, they have a separate refrigerator for Jiwoo's sweets that their chefs personally baked. But now that they don't have free access, Wooin is worried that Jiwoo will throw a tantrum when he ran out of sweets to intake. After all, he is still a 15 years old child with a sweet tooth.
Well, Jiwoo spends his energy faster than anyone not just because of dancing but also because of his carefree nature. So he needed sweets to replenish his energy.
"Okay, let us continue. Next trainees, please come up the stage." The grade evaluation continued and after a few trainees performing, an independent trainee went up.
"Hello everyone! My name is Lee Hajin. I am 18 years old. My position is dance." The boy bowed.
"So Hajin... it says here that you were a former trainee at CUBE entertainment but you quit."
"Ah yes... At that time, our father passed away because of stroke. I am the oldest son and I have two yonger sisters so I decided to get a part time job to help our mother. We needed money so I decided to help and I can no longer keep up with training. But I made sure to practice dancing during my free time. A friend told me about the audition and I tried in hopes that when I debut successfully, I can help with my mother's financial burden and I can give my sisters good education by enrolling them in a nicer academic institution." Lee Hajin answered.
"Okay, let's see what you've got."
Lee Hajin started his performance and the trainees were amazed by how good his dancing was. They didn't recognize the dance so they assumed that Lee Hajin choreographed it.
"Hyung! He's good." Jiwoo said to his hyung.
"Yeah." Wooin nodded. "He has great balance and his choreography was great. He was able to move with every beat of the song and it looked cool."
Contrary to his expectations, Lee Hajin was put in B.
'He should've been sent in class A. Maybe it was because he only danced? But the trainers could have let him sing a song even if just a little.' Wooin thought.
Wooin now has set his eyes on 2 trainees. Jay and Lee Hajin. Wooin thought that it would be great to have them in their group. Jay would raise their vocal strength through harmonizing and Hajin could help Jiwoo in making dance choreography.
Few more trainees performed on stage and the number of trainees in A rose up. But there are a lot who was put in B— those who performed quite good but trainers thought that they could have done better if only they didn't made small mistakes because of nervousness.
The trainers said that they should also get used to performing in front of a huge crowd and learn how to not let their nervousness affect their performance on stage.
Trainer Bae Yoon-jeong was specially keen and did not let even a little mistake pass. She pointed it out. Her strictness made the trainees who haven't performed yet become more nervous— afraid of being criticized.
A lot of trainees also messed up their performances and was given a F grade. They were usually the ones who have only been training for 3 months at most. Wooin even wondered why their company sent newbies but dismissed the thought as they probably want the trainees to gain experience or they haven't realized how valuable this show is. After all, this is still the first season of the survival show. This will change in the second season, where companies will send their aces.
"Let's go." Wooin stood up and motioned his members to walk quietly. They went to the backstage.
"Next trainees, please move up the stage." When they heard the cue, the four went on stage.
Shock was clearly written on the trainers' faces.
"1,2,3. Hello! We are DAWN!" The four greeted in unison and bowed. The other trainees clapped.
"WOW. We have celebrities here." Lee Seung-gi (mc) said.
"We were really shocked seeing you come up the stage. How come we didn't see you earlier?" Soyou (vocal trainer) wondered as she looked at the pyramid of chairs. "Oh you were seated at the corner. No wonder." She nodded.
"Wow. Just look at their application." Choi Young-joon (dance trainer) said as he took out DAWN's application paper.
"Huh? You guys are so young! 15, 16, and 17 years old and you were able to produce hit songs?" Lee Hong-gi (vocal trainer) said, shock was laced in his voice. "Just wow. We found our golden maknaes!"
"Do you even need to introduce yourselves? I'm pretty sure everyone here knows the four of you already." Soyou (vocal trainer) jokingly said which earned cheers from the trainees.
"No, no. They have to introduce themselves for formality." The mc said while laughing. "Okay you may start with the introductions."
"Nice to meet you everyone! My name is Kang Jiwoo, and I am the main visual of the group." The other trainees laughed and teased him, saying that he's definitely not the main visual.
"What? I am attractive though." Jiwoo acted offended and betrayed.
"Hello, I am Yoo Jisuk. I am the main vocalist of DAWN. Please take care of me." Jisuk bowed.
"Yah! I'm still not done introducing myself." Jiwoo jokingly smacked the back of Jisuk's head. "By the way brothers, I love sweets so please give me one when you see me." Jiwoo shamelessly requested to the other trainees.
"Will you shut up already?" Wooin said through the mic that made everyone laugh. "Hello everyone. My name is Kang Wooin. The leader and the actual main visual of the group. And I don't have a brother."
"C'mon Wooin-hyung! I know you love me the most!" Jiwoo reacted when Wooin denied them being brothers.
"Please, just ignore them." Gangseok heaved a sigh. "I am Choi Gangseok, the main rapper of DAWN." The trainees and mentors laughed when they saw Gangseok's expression. He looked so done with his members.
"I'm not sure if we should thank you for the introductions cause it was too chaotic." The mc laughed. "Now then! the stage is all yours. Show us what you've got."
"Thank you!" The four said in unison then went to their positions.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein