Translator: Dreamscribe
Kang Rojun, standing on stage, finished the first verse with a voice thick with emotion, almost as if wailing. The instrumental interlude of "Farewell" began to play on stage. The camera captured the faces of the surprised judges.
Underneath, the voices of the judges played.
-["What the? What is this?? Wow- what a real twist!"]
Of course, this was dubbed in later during editing.
-["Sure, the vocals are killer, but how is that supposed to be the emotion of someone in their early twenties?"]
Once the brief admiration from the judges ended, the screen again showed Kang Rojun raising the mic. It was time to begin the second verse. Rojun's vocals were even more intense in the second verse than in the first.
This was something clearly felt just by watching the live open chat.
-Wow... my ears are melting...
-Did they bring in an actual singer;;;
-Saying he sings well doesn't even cut it... the emotion is unreal, seriously
-If someone's face is this crazy, they should at least suck a little at singing, but no, he's dominating the world alone
Kang Rojun's "Farewell" was quickly racing toward its conclusion. Crossing the bridge into the second chorus. Watching this were Rojun and the others from Room 105.
"Even watching it again, Number 1's performance of 'Farewell' is mind-blowing."
"Agreed. Honestly, I kind of cursed a little while watching it from the waiting room. It felt too much."
"Same here..."
"Let's be real. Number 1's visuals are already top-tier, and then the vocals are insane too, so I was super jealous."
Now their mouths were loosening up. Not that it particularly affected Kang Rojun. He had more or less expected it.
'Even if I don't remember it well, the looks everyone gave me in the waiting room were definitely strange.'
Whatever it was, Number 19 shook his head while monitoring the live chat trends.
"It's blown up, now."
"By tomorrow, it'll be several times crazier than when Number 1 first appeared."
Kang Rojun stared intently at himself on the screen.
'...So I was making that kind of face-'
An emotion that was both embarrassed and amazed.
'I don't really remember scrunching up my face like that or those gestures I made during the high notes.'
There was no "AI Automation" involved in the Rojun on stage. Everything had come out naturally. Seeing it like this, he was struck anew by how he really did look like a true singer.
'It's almost over.'
Eventually, Rojun's voice on the screen lowered in tone as he recited the final lyrics of Farewell. Soon, Kang Rojun lowered the mic. A moment of silence. It had been quiet during the actual shoot too, and PD Woo Han-suk seemed to have used that cut as is.
As soon as Rojun's performance ended, the real-time chat blew up several times more.
-Hahㅋㅋㅋㅋ I was about to stop fangirling....but you're my new favorite starting today...
-I'm a guy and I get why women fantasizeㅋㅋWith that ridiculous face and this level of vocal quality, he's bound to drive people mad
-What the hell, he's insanely good at both singing and looking good
-Is this dude even real? What kind of guy has it all??"
-Wow... I was genuinely captivated...
-I'll make a prediction: if Number 1 debuts, he's gonna be a disruptive force that eats the whole idol industry alive
Everyone unconsciously got lost in "Farewell" and only came back to reality once the song ended.
Then the camera cut to dazed judges and dozens of participants in a crisscross sequence, and the host, Jang Dae-han, barely regaining his senses, picked up the mic.
-["I think my soul just left my body for a moment there? 'Produce That 100!' is starting off incredibly! So, let's hear what our judges thought."]
He asked the judges for their evaluation. The fastest to respond was hit song producer Song Min-geun.
-["Number 1, that song, Farewell, is there a specific reason you picked it?"]
Kang Rojun on stage responded calmly and quickly.
-["Yes. It was a song my late parents loved."]
At this, the real-time chat exploded again, and a close-up of Kang Rojun's composed expression appeared on screen. It seemed inserted because it added to the story.
Then came a string of judge comments full of high praise.
-["Wow- I couldn't move a muscle from the very first verse. That deep, weighty, yet fragile emotion left a strong impression. "]
Pass, pass, and pass.
-["Yes! Congratulations! Number 1, you've pass this round!!"]
Even though they already knew the results, the members of Room 105 clapped while looking at Rojun, and Kang Rojun, feeling somewhat embarrassed, cleared his throat and expressed his gratitude.
The same went for the Kang Rojun on screen.
He bowed to the judges and walked toward the back of the stage. The next contestant was waiting. During filming, it was Number 2, but it was changed during editing. Viewers looked at the next contestant with pity.
-That guy's so pitiful....
-If it were me, I'd have flipped off Number 1. Can't believe he's holding it in
-Just his face says he's totally screwed
Kang Rojun, guided by the staff, moved to the waiting room for those who passed. Opening the door to the successful contestants' room, Rojun sat right in the middle of the waiting room where the sofa was. Very boldly. During filming, it was at the request of the staff, but it seemed that part was edited out.
-What is thisㅋㅋㅋㅋNumber 1, this bastard sits dead center like he's the main characterㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-With that face, he really is the main characterㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-I feel like his personality's lowkey got a screw loose
The angle that had been showing Kang Rojun changed to the next contestant standing on stage.
-["'Number 9', please take off your mask."]
Number 9 took off the mask. Not a bad-looking face. This was also an edit that swapped Numbers 2 and 9. Soon, a short comment from judge Gong Joo-mi.
-["Now even this handsome guy looks ugly. What do I do? This is troublesome."]
The viewers strongly agreed with this.
-Number 9 suddenly became a squidㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Let's be real, he's good-looking in real life tooㅋㅋㅋbut coming after Number 1... poor guy
-In simple terms, Number 9 is human realm, and Number 1 is god-tier, beyond comparison
Unfortunately, Number 9 did not pass.
Moving on.
The "Produce That 100!" broadcast was a parade of failures. Before Kang Rojun appeared, Number 10 was the only one who had passed. So, the broadcast showed red-haired, weasel-faced Number 10 and Rojun.
-["Wow- Number 1! I watched your Farewell performance on the monitor earlier, and I kept thinking, 'This is insane!'"]
Over-the-top excitement from Number 10, and silence from Kang Rojun.
-Number 10 is a bit muchㅋㅋㅋㅋI'm not into this chatterbox type
-But to be fair, Number 10 did danceㅋㅋㅋseems like a really bright personality
-Wonder how the chemistry with Number 1 will be
"Produce That 100!" showed a cut that seemed to understand the viewers' thoughts.
Number 10 stuck close to Kang Rojun and asked,
-["What did you think of my performance??"]
Rojun gave a vague answer.
-["I enjoyed it too. Your singing."]
-["I danced though??"]
-["Your dancing."]
-["What?? What kind of dancing did I do, then."]
-["Intense dancing?"]
-["..."]
The waiting room, which had only the two of them, soon fell quiet, but the real-time open chat was anything but.
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋNumber 1 is insaneㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋHe clearly didn't watch Number 10's performanceㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-I'm not really a fan, kinda rude
-Number 1's giving off strong villain vibes
-Seems like he doesn't even see Number 10 as a rivalㅋㅋㅋㅋNumber 1's character is nutsㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋI love itㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Well duhㅋㅋㅋㅋWhy would a god care about a humanㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Meanwhile, PD Jung Soo-ryeong was watching "Produce That 100!" at home. Since it was Saturday night, she had chicken and beer with her, and as she looked at Kang Rojun on TV, she muttered,
"He wasn't like that in real life though. Well, creating a character through direction is easy. Did the production team decide to make him the villain?"
She recalled Rojun's vocal performance from earlier.
"Still- I didn't expect him to sing that well. He's seriously an OP character. Beyond god-tier visuals, great writing skills, and now vocals too... If he's good at dancing or anything else on top of that, he's just born to be a celebrity, isn't he?"
She had seen countless actors while directing dramas. Of course, among them were quite a few idol-turned-actors with both talent and charm. But none of them surpassed this Kang Rojun.
Soon, PD Jung Soo-ryeong downed her canned beer in one shot and muttered,
"What would happen if I hadn't cast him in 'Rental Lover'."
The script for "Rental Lover" that allowed her to meet Kang Rojun, PD Jung Soo-ryeong shuddered at the thought that if she hadn't chosen that script, she wouldn't have been connected with Rojun.
Afterward, "Produce That 100!" continued showcasing contestants' performances, and unlike the beginning, the number of those who passed had increased considerably. The waiting room, which had only held Kang Rojun and Number 10, now had over a dozen successful contestants. In the meantime, red-haired Number 10, who had distanced himself from Rojun, had become friendly with the other successful participants.
-["Number 1, yeah, he's definitely got a explosive presence, but after talking to him, his personality kinda sucks."]
-["For real- I greeted him earlier too, and his expression was kinda scary."]
-["I mean, just look at him. He's got that face and he can sing pretty well. But if his personality is bad, he won't last long."]
Kang Rojun, having confirmed the gossip behind his back, showed no big emotional change.
'I thought I heard something faintly, but turns out they really were saying stuff like that behind my back?'
Instead, the other trainees from Room 105 were the ones who got more annoyed.
"Wow, so Number 10 was talking crap like that behind his back!"
"That's a bit harsh, no?"
"I was in Group 2, so I had no idea, seriously."
"...Me too."
And just like that, Episode 2 of "Produce That 100!" reached its second half. In actual filming, Groups 1 and 2 had been shot separately, but in the broadcast, it was edited to look as if they were together. At this point, PD Woo Han-suk was briefing the 50 contestants from Groups 1 and 2 who didn't pass.
-["You'll be taking part in a Revival Round in 30 minutes. You're free to show whatever you like."]
A subtitle explained that 20 contestants would be added through the Revival Round, and including the already successful ones, 70 would survive the first round. As the scene shifted, PD Woo Han-suk was now shown speaking in the successful contestants' room.
-["Before we explain the next steps, those who passed will now choose a training program to receive before the second evaluation."]
It was a briefing about training.
-I just watched this on a whim and it's ridiculously funㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Of course, training is a must
-Seems like the training will help solidify each contestant's character even more
Soon, contestant faces began appearing on screen, starting with Kang Rojun, as PD Woo Han-suk continued.
-["Vocal, dance, rap. You can pick something you feel weak in, or double down on something you're good at."]
With that, PD Woo Han-suk stepped out, having lightly teased some info about the second evaluation. From this point on, it was solo shots of the successful contestants, each choosing their training.
-["We'll start with Number 48, the last one to pass."]
-["I'll go with vocal training."]
Subtitles like "Number 48: Vocal Training" appeared, and contestants began stating their choices one after another. The camera eventually landed on Kang Rojun, wearing his Number 1 badge.
-What's he gonna pick?? His vocals are god-tier, so he'll probably pick something else, right?
-My vote's on dance
-I think he'll choose rapㅋㅋㅋPeople who sing well usually suck at rapping
Kang Rojun was silent, wearing a calm expression.
-["..."]
Viewers ramped up their speculation even more. But Rojun's choice was a twist.
-["I won't be taking any training."]
PD Woo Han-suk's face lost its smile. And of course, the viewers exploded with disbelief.
-????What's he saying??
-Whoa ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋhe really is a total weirdo"
-Huh??? That's over the line???
-So fucking arrogant
-Kind ofㅋㅋㅋㅋcocky afㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
Soon, faces of the successful contestants, each showing confusion and disbelief, appeared along with their interview voiceovers.
-["Number 1? I just thought he was showing off, relying on his looks."]
-["What else? A hundred percent he's doing this to get a spotlight moment on TV."]
The angle cut back to a calm-faced Kang Rojun as he opened his mouth again.
-["If training is a compulsory system, then I'm sorry, but I'll have to drop out here."]
Shocked contestants and PD Woo Han-suk. And viewers felt the same.
-LMAO he's actually crazyㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋa total psycho!!
-Confirmed villainㅋㅋㅋㅋwho the hell refuses training in a survival audition show???
-I swear I've never seen this beforeㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋhe's dumb as hell but hot as hell so I'm laughing
-This is just clearly a move to get a broadcast highlight
-What a refreshing dumbassㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋvillain confirmed
-The production team seriously needs to shut him down and get him in line
But the "Produce That 100!" team accepted Kang Rojun's madness.
-["Alright then. Contestant Number 1 will proceed without training."]
Viewers flipped out even harder.
Regardless, Episode 2 of "Produce That 100!" continued airing, and even the Revival Round was broadcast. Including the 20 who came back to life and the already passed 50, there were now 70 contestants. Their photos quickly flashed across the screen. The final part of Episode 2 showed the 70 survivors entering training camp together.
-["Each of you will come forward and draw a ball. After checking your task, hold it up for everyone to see. That will be your assignment for the second evaluation."]
It ended just before the moment before drawing the second evaluation assignments.
The next day, Sunday morning, the 26th.
At the "Produce That 100!" campus in Paju. While dozens of contestants were still deep in sleep, Kang Rojun suddenly opened his eyes on the single bed in Room 105. Having a habit of doing missions early in the morning, he had naturally woken up early.
-Swoosh.
For some reason today, the first thing he reached for was his phone. What Rojun accessed was a search portal. Before he even searched anything, his eyes widened slightly at a headline featured on the main page.
"'Produce That 100!' Episode 2 Official Viewership Rating: 15.3%, Stirring Up a Real Storm!"
Episode 2 of "Produce That 100!" had surpassed a 15% viewership rating.
'Whoa- it went over 15%? At this rate, are we really gonna hit 20% too??'
Feeling excited, Rojun naturally began to type "Produce That 100 Number 1" into the search bar. He wanted to check the public reactions to himself from the previous day's broadcast.
Just then.
-Vrrrm.
The phone in his hand gave a short vibration. A familiar notification popped up on the screen. It was from the "AI Simulation" app. What was unusual was that the notifications came flooding in.
-[You've cleared the title mission: "Monopolize the Public's Attention"! 30 Coins have been awarded as a gift.]
-[The title "Recognition Monster" has met its conditions and will now be applied!]
-[As the title "Recognition Monster" is now active, an extra 1 Coin will be added to mission rewards.]
-[(Each title can be enhanced up to +5, and each title's bonus Coins can also go up to 5)]
As soon as he saw the notifications, Kang Rojun unconsciously muttered to himself.
"30 Coins? That's sweet, but 'Recognition Monster'? All of a sudden??"
A new title had been unlocked unexpectedly.
*****
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