Godsent Top Star [EN]: Chapter 301

God-Given Top Star 301. First Competition (2)

301. First Competition (2)

2022.08.28.

Intentionally creating aggro [aggravation].

Spreading rumors by hiring part-time workers on the internet because they are not confident in the audience’s reaction.

Etc.

As people’s interest in Limit Breakthrough increased.

Negative views also increased.

However, the moment the first episode aired.

The negative stories about Limit Breakthrough disappeared without a trace.

“Oh…… Oh, oh, oh……! It’s starting, it’s starting!”

The splendid Limit Breakthrough logo splits and the stage appears.

The stage itself boasted tremendous splendor no less than the logo.

‘They said they put a lot of effort into capturing the overseas fandom.’

You could tell at a glance that they put a lot of effort into it. The MCs slowly walked down the glittering stage.

[Challenge your limits.]

[Who will be able to stand in the place of glory, overcoming the limits!]

[Break through the limits! Test your limits!]

[Limit Breakthrough!]

The people who uttered slightly, no, a lot of cheesy comments began to explain the program.

How the competition is conducted.

What benefits are given to the first place in each competition.

And what benefits the final winner will receive.

They carefully explained how the final winner would be chosen and pointed to one place.

[Who will be the people who will sit in the glorious *jari* [seat/position]?]

The screen began to change with the voices of the MCs.

The screen that followed naturally showed the *moseup* [appearance/image] of each group participating in the competition in turn.

As much as the ambition to attract overseas fans, all sorts of colorful effects and smooth CG technology were excellent.

The editing was also *yesul* [art/skill].

As promised, there was no malicious editing.

Instead, each group was given a story.

The sincere *moseup* [appearance/image] and stories were organized in a well-organized manner, making it very immersive.

‘You can’t help but fall for it if you do this.’

People like stories.

The reason why *gyeongyeon* [competition/contest] programs are popular is because of that.

‘From the first episode, they’re almost forcing viewers to choose, aren’t they?’

They put in effort towards their dreams.

The frustration and joy derived from the process touch people’s emotions.

The most human emotion.

A universal emotion that anyone can feel.

That emotion provides an opportunity to empathize with the subject.

That way, viewers fall for the *daesang* [subject/target] participating in the *gyeongyeon* [competition/contest].

The PD’s [Producer-Director’s] scheme was readable.

Nevertheless, how immersive the flow was structured,

“Wow…… It’s awkward. We’re on TV.”

“Ugh! Were we that clumsy?”

“Ugh……. My hands and feet…….”

Even the UTT members, who should be preparing for the second *gyeongyeon* [competition/contest], were *neok* [넋 – soul/spirit] lost and gathered in front of the TV and couldn’t leave.

They couldn’t leave the TV for a long time.

It was clearly their *moseup* [appearance/image], but they couldn’t take their eyes off it as if they were seeing something new.

“Were we…… that pathetic?”

“Ugh……. Ugh……!”

The UTT in the first episode was a very *jjannae* [pitiful/miserable] team.

There was no maliciously edited part, but strangely, they seemed like very lacking and pitiful friends.

UTT denied reality, but the truth always comes out.

It’s more realistic that that’s not manipulation.

That grubbiness and pitifulness are nothing more than raw something that cannot be created by manipulation.

‘That realistic *gungsangmat-eum* [miserable/pathetic state] that you can’t even believe that you’re trying to make a pitiful image on purpose……’

Let’s think logically.

Isn’t an idol supposed to feel like a sparkling star on stage?

But imagine that the star actually sews their own clothes because they can’t afford to buy a proper outfit.

‘The *hwansang* [fantasy/illusion] will be shattered…….’

It has been a long time since K-POP gradually spread globally, and many fans overseas as well as in Korea have fallen for Korean idols.

In addition, a dazzling image is also essential for idols.

Isn’t an idol an existence that roams the glamorous stage and receives love from many people?

Even Yeonwoo, who didn’t know anything about *yeon* [연 – connection/relationship], knew about the idol support culture.

A sparkling existence that lives a glamorous life, receiving all kinds of gifts worth hundreds to tens of millions of won from fans.

That was the idol Yeonwoo thought of…….

‘These guys…….’

No matter how you look at it, it’s far from glamorous.

Like actors, idols were also jobs where image was important.

But this *gungsangmat-eum* [miserable/pathetic state]이라니…….

Shakes head.

This image will never be helpful.

While Yeonwoo was shaking his head.

The screen that showed the *moseup* [appearance/image] of each group was switched to the stage.

“Wow…… That’s awesome.”

The *gamtan* [exclamation/admiration] of UTT, who is immersed in the broadcast, reached its peak at the same time as the *bongyeokjeogin* [full-scale/serious] stage began.

“Oh my god. Look at the stage quality. I couldn’t see anything because it was all white in front of me at the time, but I’m so *hwangsong* [overwhelmed/grateful].”

“Wow……. Aren’t we kind of good……?”

“The camera directors really worked hard. Look at how the screen transitions perfectly and naturally, *ttakttak* [exactly/precisely] pointing out each part.”

Looking at it, this was almost the first time UTT had a formal stage.

Even the stages they had so far were just *haengsa* [event/festival] stages somewhere…….

Or it was just a brief appearance and disappearance in the middle of a music broadcast.

“We had a very tight rehearsal, but it would be a total of 10 minutes…….”

To do one stage.

For about 10 minutes on stage.

“We waited 15 hours.”

There were times when they waited for a long time, more than fifteen hours in total.

“Still, that was when we got the most push.”

Compared to waiting for 15 hours, *Hangye Dopa* [Limit Breaker, referring to their song] was like heaven, they said.

Come to think of it, I remember them being excited, saying the waiting room was amazing.

“We could all lie down here together……!”

“What kind of waiting room is this, as big as a palace? We could even practice our choreography here, right?”

Listening to them, you’d think it was a tremendously large space.

‘……It’s not even half the size of the practice room, how are they going to practice the choreography?’

The reality was far from palatial.

It wasn’t spacious enough for everyone to lie down and sleep comfortably.

‘They definitely saw the other waiting rooms, right?’

They even went around greeting people together and saw it clearly with their own eyes.

Well.

The production team probably tried to be as fair as possible, but there was bound to be a subtle class difference.

Such aspects were revealed in very minor details.

One example of that was the quality of the waiting room.

‘Are these guys just nice, or are their brains just innocent…….’

Perhaps because they had been burned so many times, the members were quick to raise their guard even at trivial things.

‘They surprisingly apologized willingly back then too.’

Even though they could have stood on their pride, they admitted their mistakes and apologized.

It’s not a big deal.

Admitting one’s mistakes is, in a way, nothing more than natural.

‘But the problem is that there are people who don’t do that obvious thing.’

In that respect, UTT was, when you think about it, closer to being good.

Wouldn’t anyone become hardened when things are tough?

After making up their minds once, the fact that they feel happy even about such trivial things is really…… simple and……. really…….

“Look at the in-ear monitors. Wow, there are six microphones!”

“It can’t even be compared to what we used to use, wow…….”

They were even happy with the most basic equipment provided by the broadcasting station.

Apparently, before, there were five of them, but they were only given three microphones, which almost caused a big problem.

So after that, they prepared their own equipment at their own expense, not with the company’s support.

The youngest member, Raon, cheerfully said that even the equipment they bought themselves, like the in-ear monitors, were cheap and unreliable, so they often malfunctioned during performances, which was troublesome.

“The ones the broadcasting station prepared look expensive at first glance, so they probably won’t malfunction, right?”

‘No matter how I look at it, they don’t look expensive, just ordinary…….’

I should buy microphones as soon as we get back.

Yeonwoo thought.

Anyway, the tearful story that you can’t listen to without crying wasn’t the end of it.

They somehow managed to do well in the few stages they struggled to get in the beginning.

But after that, most of the places that called them disappeared.

No broadcasting station would want to bother inviting an idol group with problems.

If they were popular, they would take the risk, but UTT wasn’t a popular group.

So, this was practically the first time they had a proper stage under the name of UTT.

Maybe that’s why.

They practiced like crazy, but perhaps it was because they lacked real experience.

“Ah. I looked at the wrong one again!”

At first, the members were thrilled by the fact that they were on TV properly.

But as the initial excitement subsided to some extent, they began to notice things one by one.

“Ah. I messed up again.”

It was their mistakes.

“Why do I keep making such basic mistakes? I thought I had memorized everything during the rehearsal……. Ah……. I should have looked at camera number 4 there……!”

“The reason is obvious. We haven’t performed on stage much…….”

It was clearly a glorious stage where they won first place.

But the atmosphere of the members watching the broadcast was gloomy.

*Hangye Dopa* [Limit Breaker] mobilized a considerable number of cameras on the stage.

It was to capture great videos from as many different angles as possible.

There were five main cameras alone.

In addition, there were several sub-cameras, including moving cameras.

“I definitely thought I was looking hard, but ahhh…….”

It’s actually quite difficult not to miss multiple cameras even for a moment.

Even if you do a camera rehearsal, there are many things to keep in mind on stage.

You have to match the choreography. You have to do live vocals. You have to pay attention to your part. You have to think about your movements…….

On top of that, you have to find the red lights of the cameras that change dozens of times in more than 3 minutes.

“Ugh. We really showed that we were failing idols too much……. Oh, what are you guys doing?”

“Sending a message to the PD-nim [Producer], thanking him.”

“I’m sending one to our writer-nim [Writer]…….”

“They must have covered up as much as possible since we were definitely a mess, so we should at least send them a gift certificate.”

The changes are unpredictable even while watching that short stage.

They get excited, then embarrassed, then feel like they’re dying of shame, and then they diligently take care of thank-you greetings.

‘How little care did they receive from the company that they’re doing things like that themselves?’

That thought crossed my mind.

‘They would have been much more successful if they had received even the minimum amount of care.’

I don’t know why, but I felt a bit proud.

I was looking at the members with such mixed feelings when.

“I won’t miss it.”

Unlike the other members who were making a fuss, the second oldest, Doyul, who had been constantly fixing his gaze on the screen, said.

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

The members reacted to Doyul’s words.

“What won’t you miss?”

“The camera.”

“Uh oh……?”

The rest who were making a fuss quietly took their seats.

Now, there was only a little over a minute left of the stage.

It was a short but very long time for UTT.

It felt like they had been going around in circles for years to get on that stage once.

And finally, when their stage ended.

“Wow…….”

“Crazy.”

“Wow.”

The members’ gazes, as if they were looking at an incredibly great being, were directed at Yeonwoo.

Minschan, who was the most prim among the five, couldn’t hide his surprised feelings.