episode_0009

My Idol Academy.

An idol survival audition program organized by Nnet.

A total of 100 idol trainees and 23 planning agencies participated in this program.

100 participants, 23 planning agencies.

While some participants appeared individually from a single planning agency, most of them joined with several fellow trainees to compete.

[Tyhai Entertainment]

As the highly anticipated first shooting began, the entertainment name appeared on the billboard, and four participants revealed themselves.

“Wow~”

“Is this the set?”

The Tyhai Entertainment trainees entered with somewhat artificial reactions, greeted by chairs arranged in a pyramid shape from 1st place to 100th place.

“Wow, the chairs have rankings on them.”

“How many times do we have to sit?”

When the Tyhai trainees asked towards the set, they soon received an answer.

“Predict where you will rank among the 100 and sit in your preferred spot.”

“Wow, let’s choose where to sit. What should we do?”

Perhaps subtitles would have appeared like this.

[The Start of a Brutal Survival!]

[Where will the Tyhai trainees rank?]

-Yoon Se-ah (Tyhai): From that moment, I felt it. Ah…, this is the real beginning of the competition.

“Unnies, where should we sit?”

“Yeah…, why are we the first ones?”

Although they said that, they felt fortunate to be the first ones.

Being the first meant they would receive a lot of screen time and secure a good spot to sit.

“Then let’s sit here, what do you think?”

“Wow~ Sounds good!”

So, they naturally sat in seats 18 to 21, where they could be well-captured by the camera.

It was a good spot in the top rankings, where they could showcase their skills.

The Tyhai trainees sat satisfactorily and began to perform the reactions requested by the PD before entering.

“But guys, who will sit in that seat?”

At the end of their gaze was the 1st place seat at the top of the pyramid.

Unlike the ordinary chairs, it was adorned with splendid decorations… truly the queen’s throne.

The Tyhai trainees greedily eyed the 1st place seat with different expressions but soon lowered their heads.

Though they were ambitious, anyone couldn’t just sit there.

Once seated, they would attract excessive attention, whether positive or negative.

If they could handle that pressure and show a good performance, they might climb higher, but if not…

-How did they sit in the 1st place seat without any skills?

-Too much confidence, not likable–, I hope I never see them again.

-They need to know their place haha

They would become targets of public criticism.

Sitting in the 1st place seat was nothing short of a poisoned chalice.

“I don’t know, but… well, someone with great skills will sit there.”

“I hope we meet other people soon!”

As the Tyhai trainees reacted, the words appeared on the billboard again.

[Rahiti Entertainment]

“Oh, it’s Rahiti.”

“It’s not our first time together, right? Ah…, hello!”

Rahiti Entertainment, similar in scale to Tyhai.

The three Rahiti Entertainment trainees who appeared together greeted the Tyhai trainees sitting in chairs and bowed their heads.

“Yes! Hello!”

“Nice to meet you~”

“Yes, nice to meet you. Let’s work well together~”

They weren’t previously acquainted or close.

However, since the cameras were still rolling, they needed to show their courteous manners to the audience.

Rahiti Entertainment finished their greetings and took seats below the Tyhai trainees.

Similarly, it was a position easily captured by the central camera.

After that, trainees from various planning agencies came out one after another to fill the seats.

“We… will sit in the 71st and 72nd seats!”

“Wow! Nice to meet you!”

Before they knew it, the central seats preferred by the trainees were all taken… It was a time when the trainees continued their soulless camaraderie to get even just one more shot on camera.

[SAV Entertainment]

“….!”

As a new entertainment name appeared on the billboard, the participants all flinched in unison.

And it was understandable….

“From SAV Entertainment… is coming…?”

SAV Entertainment was one of the top 3 planning agencies in South Korea, alongside JJ and YW, which every trainee here dreamed of joining but couldn’t cross that threshold.

With no prior information, the trainees could show a more realistic reaction to SAV’s appearance.

And so, everyone’s tension and interest gathered at the entrance where the SAV trainee would come out…

“Wow, there are already so many of you here. Hello~”

A confident smiley girl appeared with a bright face.

-Jung Yihyun (Hazel): As soon as I saw her, I thought, ‘Wow… SAV is indeed different…’

“Nice to meet you~”

“SAV, that’s amazing! Nice to meet you!”

“Hehe, please take care of me, everyone~”

On her outfit, along with the affiliation of SAV, the name Seo Yujin was written.

As Seo Yujin exchanged greetings with the participants and looked around for a seat that was still available…

“There aren’t many seats left, huh? Hmmm….”

Pouting.

Pretending to be worried, she soon sat down in the second seat.

“….!”

As the first high-ranking seat found its owner for the first time, there was a small commotion among the participants.

In fact, the second seat wasn’t as attractive a position.

The pressure was as strong as the first seat in the center, but unlike the first seat, which was located in the center, the second seat was disadvantageous for receiving camera attention as it was located in a corner.

However, she sat down with a satisfying smile, declaring that the position wasn’t what made the scene, but the person.

As soon as she sat in the second seat, the staff busily focused on her.

Jealousy, envy, and admiring glances were directed towards her.

‘Ah… this feels good.’

Seo Yujin enjoyed the mixed emotions in their gazes.

Being greedy by nature, she purposely chose the second seat for their attention and spotlight.

Naturally, she was confident in her skills.

‘I am from SAV~’

She wasn’t just any trainee from a small agency like the others.

Although she didn’t debut with SAV, the company’s aura filled her with confidence.

She believed she had better and outstanding skills than the other participants.

This was the same even as other participants entered the scene.

[Retail Entertainment]

[Yongjin Planning]

[Biggami Entertainment]

As the order of entrance went further back, participants with impressive backgrounds appeared.

Among them were participants who were not from the top 3 planning agencies but had quite a reputation, and…

“Wow, didn’t that unnie rank 7th on K-Star before?”

“That person is famous on TikTok! I saw them doing challenges with famous idols….”

There were participants who had already achieved high rankings in music audition programs and those who had gained fame on social media.

Despite seeing all of them, Seo Yujin was filled with confidence.

She thought she was much better than them.

‘I should have just sat in the first seat.’

The reason she didn’t sit in the first seat, despite liking attention, was one.

Company guidelines.

Having received the first shooting content in advance through the lobby, SAV Entertainment instructed Seo Yujin not to sit in the first seat.

Sitting in the first seat was too much of a double-edged sword.

‘If not me, then who else would sit in the first seat. The company was too careless.’

Even as she complained about the company, the seats filled up, and finally, even the last place, the 100th seat, found its owner.

Q: What is the reason for sitting in the 100th seat?

-Park Yujung (Levi): Because I feel inadequate myself. I will show you a more growing side of me!

Ranked 100th, the participant sitting on the seat had devised a growth narrative for themselves and was aiming to get additional screen time.

As most seats found their owners… only two seats remained.

They were the 1st seat and the 99th seat.

Participants left appropriate reactions to the camera and glanced at the 1st seat.

“Only two seats left now~, two seats.”

“Who will sit there, over there?”

Only two participants remained.

The production team was not foolish. They must have already decided on the owner of the 1st seat before the filming.

Participants anxiously waited to see who it would be.

And then, the name of a certain agency appeared.

[Twin Plan]

“Oh? Hahaha-!”

Upon seeing the name Twin Plan, participants burst into laughter.

It was understandable…

-Kim Iseo (La Hiti): We laughed a lot when we first saw the company name.

-Nishimura Yui (Taihai): Twin Plan? Haha, it’s still funny to think about.

Compared to other agencies, the name was quite tacky.

“Hehehe.”

“Ahahaha-!”

Participants laughed uproariously at the name Twin Plan.

“Twin Plan? Have you heard of it before?”

“No? Not at all. Haha, who would name it like that.”

Seeing the name Twin Plan, Seo Yujin also laughed.

“Hahaha, what a weird name.”

She forgot about the camera for a moment and chuckled, shaking her head.

With the participants’ laughter, a different curiosity arose and headed towards the entrance.

Thud.

As the trainees from Twin Plan appeared.

“….!!”

The laughter subsided as if struck by lightning, and shock filled the air.

“….”

“….”

Everyone here had lived with the words “everyone is beautiful” ingrained in their ears.

All participants now knew that they all objectively had beautiful faces.

But…

The girl who revealed herself in front of 98 other participants was different.

Beautiful? That word was inadequate to describe her.

A face as cold and delicate as ice, perfect proportions as if sculpted, and above all, an aura that captivated the audience….

Beautiful.

Yes, she… she was incredibly beautiful.

“Hello.”

“….”

The greater the expectations, the greater the shock.

Participants engulfed in shock forgot about the camera and dared not respond to her greeting.

Especially her haughty and cold demeanor made it difficult to speak. She truly overwhelmed them.

“…?”

Ha Yerin from Twin Plan.

She smiled at the unresponsive participants and found her seat.

“…Oh.”

Only the 1st seat and the 99th seat remained.

Two seats showing a stark contrast.

But everyone here knew.

The owner of the 1st seat, shining more brightly than anyone else, was none other than Ha Yerin.

Especially Seo Yujin, who was sitting in the 2nd seat, stared blankly at Ha Yerin without knowing what to think.

She had thought she was born to be an idol.

…No.

Although she was a proud person, at this moment, she unknowingly acknowledged that only that person deserved to sit in the 1st seat.

And so, like a queen, Ha Yerin climbed the pyramid and sat in the 1st seat…

“…Huh?”

However…

Thud, thud.

Contrary to everyone’s expectations, Ha Yerin did not climb the stairs towards the 1st seat.

Instead, she walked forward and…

Plop.

She sat down on the 99th seat.

“….!!”

This time, a different kind of shock enveloped the participants as Ha Yerin made an unexpected choice.

Everyone looked at her in astonishment as she sat on the 99th seat when she should have sat on the 1st seat.

At that moment, all participants instinctively knew.

‘This person… is a fox….’

Playing with people’s hearts and knowing how to get what she wants, the gumiho was a master at it.

Pretending to aim for the top seat with overwhelming beauty, she ended up sitting in the 99th seat that didn’t suit her at all. Whatever the case, this was bound to become a big topic.

On top of that, she would surely maintain an image of modesty.

It was clear that Ha Yerin had intentionally chosen to sit in the 99th seat with all these facts in mind.

Even in the midst of all this, Ha Yerin had no intention of taking off her mask of hypocrisy.

“Please take care of me in the future…?”

How disgusting it was to pretend to be flustered by excessive attention towards herself.

Especially…

‘That fox-like person…!’

Realizing belatedly, Seo Yujin sharpened her gaze towards Ha Yerin, who had stolen all the attention directed towards herself.

As the camera shifted towards Ha Yerin, as if declaring the end of Seo Yujin’s screen time, it made her look even more pitiful.

Sitting in the 99th seat, Ha Yerin received jealousy, envy, and admiration several times more than when Seo Yujin was there.

And although this was a near future that had not yet come to pass…

Ha Yerin’s first appearance was a moment that recorded the highest viewer ratings in Episode 1.