Translator: Dreamscribe
PD Woo Han-suk, looking down at the rap 'Witch' composed by No. 58, was visibly surprised. It was already shocking that No. 1 wrote the lyrics for 'Witch', but at No. 58 response, Woo Han-suk's eyes grew twice as wide.
"...The person who wrote the lyrics is No. 1. And it only took two days, is that right?"
"Yes."
No. 58 nodded with certainty, recalling Kang Rojun as he added more explanation.
"No. 1-nim, don't you think he might not be a real human? Like he's the only evolved species or something."
"Huh?"
"Even just looking at his face, which looks like it's artificially made, it's perfect. But his vocals are also insane. His tone is unparalleled. That alone would make anyone go 'he's insane', but then he dances with such unique lines and even does dance that makes your eyes pop out." (TL Note: 'Dances with such unique lines' here is referring to lyrics writing.)
"..."
"Just at that point, he's already beyond human. But then, his Japanese is at a native speaker's level. I thought he had at least some humanity left since he said he'd never done composing and the like before. But it was a fake-out. He said it was his first time composing or writing lyrics, but after watching him whip up the lyrics for 'Witch' in just two days, I became sure again. No. 1-nim isn't human like the rest of us-"
It was the first time PD Woo Han-suk had seen No. 58 communicate so confidently or speak at such length all at once.
'His eyes are sparkling. No sign of jealousy or envy. Is that admiration?'
Actually, No. 58 had received quite a high score during the audition process for joining 'Produce That 100!' Because image-wise, he had an unexpected charm as a beautiful rapper and was also decent at vocals. But compared to Kang Rojun, he was like a baby. Moreover, PD Woo Han-suk knew more than No. 58 did.
'...If he finds out that No. 1 is also doing writing and acting at the same time, this kid might faint.'
Well, PD Woo Han-suk didn't yet know No. 1's acting skills. In any case, Kang Rojun was currently the most composed yet the busiest participant in 'Produce That 100!' He flawlessly handled all of the show's schedules with top-tier skills while also being a writer and actor, and now, he even wrote lyrics for No. 58's song.
No matter how hard he tried to understand, PD Woo Han-suk's brain couldn't compute it all.
'Is this even possible? He's doing all the rehearsals, keeping up with the 'Rental Lover' schedule, and on top of that, wrote lyrics too? Is he really not human?'
If he had already been writing lyrics, it would be believable to finish them within a week. But for someone doing it for the first time to produce lyrics of this quality in two days? It was absurd.
"No. 58, can I listen to this 'Witch' once?"
"Ah- there's a new recording with the lyrics now, just a moment."
No. 58 hesitated and then played something on his phone. It was the rap 'Witch', a collaboration of No. 58's rap and Kang Rojun's lyrics.
-♬♪
It's good! That was PD Woo Han-suk's honest assessment.
'This is good enough to sell if given to a popular idol right now.'
But if the lyricist and composer were No. 1 and No. 58, what kind of reaction would the public have? Trying to stay calm, PD Woo Han-suk thought it through.
'Even if No. 1 has writing skills, songwriting is a different domain, but this must be the result of some synergy between his ability to write and musical potential.'
Otherwise, the result wouldn't make sense.
Currently, No. 1 is not on campus due to the script reading schedule for 'Rental Lover'. As soon as the script reading ends, he is scheduled to join Team 1's rehearsal. PD Woo Han-suk changed the topic.
"For now, let's keep the fact that No. 1 wrote the lyrics a secret from the other participants. By the way, I think you said composing was a hobby of yours, No. 58?"
Returning to his usual self as the conversation shifted to him, No. 58 responded.
"...Huh? Ah- yes."
"How serious is that hobby?"
"I just make songs whenever something comes to mind."
"This 'Witch' is a rap, right? Do you only make rap songs?"
"No... anything, really."
"Oh- so including rap, you make dance tracks, ballads, whatever?"
"Yes."
Intrigued, PD Woo Han-suk made a request to No. 58.
"Can I see the songs you've composed so far?"
"All of them?"
"Is there a lot? Doesn't matter. All of them, if possible."
After looking at PD Woo Han-suk's face for a moment, No. 58 moved. He pulled out thick notebooks from a rather large backpack. There appeared to be around ten of them.
"Here. I only brought the recent ones. The rest are at home."
"...That's a lot. You have at least 30 of these notebooks?"
"There are a little more than that."
PD Woo Han-suk, who had thought, "This one's no ordinary case either," scanned through the composition notebooks. The pages were densely packed with sheet music, though they lacked lyrics. All the notes were scrawled in, but it didn't feel haphazard.
'Composition skills... If an idol has composition skills, it makes them stand out immediately. Rap, vocals, and even composition. Viewers' reactions aren't bad even now, but if No. 1 weren't here, this guy would probably be gaining a lot of popularity too.'
As he continued examining the notebooks, PD Woo Han-suk stroked his chin.
"Have you ever shown these composition notebooks to anyone?"
"Other than No. 1-nim and you, PD-nim, no one."
"No one??"
"No."
"Aren't you curious about what level you're at? I mean, have you ever thought about taking this beyond a hobby?"
"..."
After thinking for a few seconds, No. 58 responded in a low tone.
"I've wanted to be evaluated. Because only then can I step beyond a hobby and grow with confidence."
"Okay. Then can I borrow all of these composition notebooks for a bit? Let's show them to Song Min-geun."
Song Min-geun, the judge on 'Produce That 100!' and a composer and broadcaster known for making massive hit songs. At the mention of Song Min-geun, No. 58 opened his mouth wide, while PD Woo Han-suk pulled out his phone.
"If Song Min-geun's schedule allows, let's go today. We can have the lyrics reviewed too while we're at it."
He made sure to bring the notebook that included 'Witch' as well.
Meanwhile, inside PD Jung Soo-ryeong's car.
Turning the steering wheel, PD Jung Soo-ryeong spoke to Kang Rojun, who was looking out the window.
"These days, it's kind of fun browsing the internet, isn't it? Everywhere you go, people are talking about 'Produce That 100!' Especially about No. 1."
She wasn't wrong. Lately, it had become routine for Kang Rojun to surf the web for up to an hour before bed.
"Yes, it's fun."
"Here's a bit of a heads-up. Right now, PDs and writers from our network's variety department are targeting the participants from 'Produce That 100!' Once the show ends, there's probably going to be a flood of casting offers??"
Kang Rojun imagined himself appearing on a variety show he used to watch on TV, and then PD Jung Soo-ryeong asked another question.
"So- have you been practicing for 'Lover No. 4'? I already know you're good, but acting is something that gets deeper the more you dig into it."
"Yes, I've been practicing whenever I had time."
"Good, that's great. Your Japanese is strong, so that's fine, but how's the English dialogue? Do you think it's improved since last time?"
Recalling the English he studied yesterday, Kang Rojun thought to himself,
'It's not just improved; I've practically become indistinguishable from an American.'
He nodded calmly.
"Yes, better than last time."
"..."
PD Jung Soo-ryeong looked at Rojun with a curious expression, then turned her gaze back to the road ahead.
'That reaction is kind of ambiguous. Sigh- maybe we should just remove the English dialogue??'
Around that time.
At the rented meeting room near SBC where the preliminary meeting was held last week, the entire 'Rental Lover' staff had gathered. There were more people than there had been at the previous meeting.
That was because the official script reading was scheduled to take place in a few dozen minutes.
The setup was similar to the preliminary meeting: the ㄷ-shaped table, the role lists on the table, and the folding chairs surrounding it. The only difference was the increased number of chairs and that the 'Rental Lover' script was now placed on the table.
About fifteen minutes later, people started arriving.
The key staff arrived first, followed by a few actors trickling in. Maybe because they had watched episode 6 of 'Produce That 100!' a few days ago, the energy in the room was high.
"You saw episode 6 of 'Produce That 100!', right??"
"Of course I did. It was even more fun since we knew the secret about Writer-nim."
"Agreed. Just thinking that No. 1 is our writer and also 'Lover No. 4' makes me smile."
"But isn't Writer-nim so busy? I wonder if he can handle the third round of judging properly?"
"I'm a bit worried too. Isn't the first evaluation next week? We'll know after that."
Naturally, all the key staff could talk about was No. 1, writer Kang Chul-soo, and Lover No. 4.
Meanwhile, the atmosphere among the actors gradually filling the room was:
"Everyone's already chattering about No. 1- no, about Writer-nim again today."
"Well, it was a bombshell of a revelation. No. 1 is so hot right now."
"Just from this, you can tell that once 'Rental Lover' airs, Writer-nim's going to get all the attention-"
"If 'Produce That 100!' didn't have so much power, maybe not... but it broke past 23% in ratings and it's practically a trend, so of course."
"Still amazing when you think about it. That No. 1 is our writer and also the actor playing 'Lover No. 4'."
It was a little different from last time, especially among the male actors playing Lovers No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3.
"The scale is obvious. PD Jung probably thought, 'What? No. 1 is the writer?' after the meeting. Considering the impact, they must have created the role of 'Lover No. 4' from scratch and cast him as an actor."
"With that face, if I were directing, not casting him would've been stranger. I mean, he might be lacking in acting, but given the buzz, it's worth it."
"It's a suddenly created role, so if he acts well too, that wouldn't make any sense."
"Haha, idols crossing over into acting is a natural flow, but they usually lack acting skills."
These were conversations tinged with faint jealousy and envy.
"Writer-nim's 'Lover No. 4' just seems obviously short-lived. Judging by the acting flow, there are barely any lines and it feels like a visual cameo role."
Of course, a few among the key staff were having similar conversations.
"But how do you think Writer-nim's acting will be?"
"With that much hook, expecting good acting too is greedy. Writer-nim's role is enough just as a booster."
Only PD Jung Soo-ryeong and Choi Rina had actually seen Kang Rojun act, hence these assumptions.
At that moment, top actress Choi Rina entered, brushing her long hair back. As greetings poured in from all directions, she
-Swish.
Sat straight down at her seat.
'I can't make the same mistake as last time. Absolutely not!'
She had resolved not to lose her composure around Rojun again like during the preliminary meeting. As the lead actress, Choi Rina practiced self-control and immediately opened her script.
Meanwhile, Kang Rojun and PD Jung Soo-ryeong were in the elevator, Rojun's face partially hidden.
PD Jung Soo-ryeong said to Rojun,
"Even though you're the writer, you're also acting, so just sit in the 'Lover No. 4' seat like last time."
"Yes."
Rojun responded and quietly regulated his breathing.
'I'm okay. Not even nervous like last time.'
Soon, Kang Rojun and PD Jung Soo-ryeong opened the door to the crowded meeting room. 'Rental Lover' staff, key staff, and actors greeted them. The welcome was more overwhelming than before, but Rojun calmly returned the greetings without a hitch.
PD Jung Soo-ryeong moved directly to the head of the table.
"Everyone's here, right? Then let's begin the script reading for 'Rental Lover'."
The overheated mood instantly settled. Cameras placed throughout the meeting room began rolling, for behind-the-scenes footage, previews, or promotional material.
First, PD Jung Soo-ryeong introduced herself.
"I'm Jung Soo-ryeong, the director of 'Rental Lover'."
After a round of applause, she continued the introductions.
"Writer Kang Chul-soo, who wrote our 'Rental Lover' and will be playing 'Lover No. 4'." (TL Note: To someone who asked if there is any wordplay with the name 'Kang Chul-soo': 'Chul-soo' is a very generic name and is mostly used as a placeholder name with different surnames like Kim, Kang, Hwang, etc. It is used in elementary school textbooks, similar to how 'John' is used in English. That is why it sounds made up.)
The reason she withheld Rojun's real name from the beginning was due to an agreement with PD Woo Han-suk. Kang Rojun stood calmly and gave a bow. Another round of applause erupted.
Next was Choi Rina's turn.
"Playing the lead role of Lee Da-eun in 'Rental Lover', actress Choi Rina."
Choi Rina, with her small face, stood and bowed.
Then came introductions of the male actors playing Lovers No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3, along with the rest of the cast and key staff. After a quick briefing on the first shoot, PD Jung Soo-ryeong opened her script.
"Alright, let's go."
It was the signal to begin the actual reading, and everyone in the meeting room, including Kang Rojun and Choi Rina, flipped open their 'Rental Lover' scripts. PD Jung Soo-ryeong began again.
"Scene 1. Inside a dark room. Night."
As she recited the scene info, lead actress Choi Rina delivered her lines in a low tone. The early part of 'Rental Lover' focused heavily on Choi Rina's scenes, meant to reveal the situation and personality of the lead character Lee Da-eun. About fifteen minutes in, Lee Da-eun meets Lover No. 1.
The acting between Choi Rina and the male actor playing Lover No. 1 began.
About ten minutes passed with the interplay between the two, followed by the appearance of Lover No. 2. Then came Lover No. 3. Before long, roughly 60% of the script had been covered.
"Lee Da-eun, seeing the face of Lover No. 4, is shocked as if her eyes might pop out."
Lover No. 4 had appeared. Choi Rina acted out a stunned reaction as she looked across at Kang Rojun. Next up was Rojun's turn to show his first facial expression acting. Though it was his character's first time seeing the female lead, he had to convey a face and gaze full of deep affection, topped with a smile that would melt anyone's heart.
It seemed simple, but it was actually difficult because he had to bring the scene to life using only facial expressions without any dialogue.
By this point, not only PD Jung Soo-ryeong and Choi Rina but all the actors and key staff in the room had their eyes locked on Kang Rojun.
-Swish.
Rojun, glancing down at the script, slowly raised his head. He had already transformed into Lover No. 4. Kang Rojun looked straight at Choi Rina across from him. Choi Rina had mentally braced herself.
'Keep your head straight, Choi Rina. One wrong move and you'll melt again??'
Kang Rojun began with a subtle look of fondness on his face, which gradually spread into affection. His mesmerizing gaze and the visual impact of Lover No. 4 were overwhelming. Anyone who saw that look and expression would fall into a fantasy.
And that's exactly what Choi Rina showed in her reaction.
Then, as Kang Rojun slightly tilted his head, the corners of his lips curved into a soft smile.
At that moment, the actors, all wide-eyed with question marks filling their eyes, fell into confusion.
'Why... is he good at acting?? What is this???'
PD Jung Soo-ryeong stared intently at Rojun's mouth with a serious expression. It was now time for Lover No. 4's English dialogue. Kang Rojun, smiling at Choi Rina, slowly opened his mouth. English came out.
"Nice to meet you. Are you okay? You look quite startled. On such a beautiful day, I think our first meeting will be unforgettable. Your name is Lee Da-eun, right?"
Unbelievably fluent English, at a native speaker's level.
PD Jung Soo-ryeong, her mouth slightly open, grew more bewildered.
'Huh? What did I just hear... Is this even the same person from last time??'
Meanwhile, at the same time.
On the Japanese side of YouTube, a video that was uploaded instantly racked up hundreds of thousands of views and became a hot topic.
-[Official Trailer] Finally, 'Produce That 100!' lands in Japan! August 31st!!｜Netflix Japan
Netflix Japan had launched the first trailer for the soon-to-be-released 'Produce That 100!'
Right after the title, the trailer opened with its signature star, No. 1, delivering a greeting in Japanese and.
-Your face is truly beautiful!!!
-Really, no matter what scene I watch, you're so cool and cute.....
-He's is so cute it makes me cry
-I've been waiting for this....!!!!!!
-I've been waiting!!!!
-What is this video that's just pure healing....
(TL Note: The above reactions were in Japanese, so I have used Google Translate to translate them into English.)
.
.
.
The reaction from Japanese fans had gone beyond excitement, it was explosive.