MBS Broadcasting Station

We pass through the lobby and get visitor badges issued.

When we say we’re here on business with the King of Masked Singer team, the desk employee looks at us with a slightly surprised expression.

It feels uncomfortable… Maybe they thought I was a trainee celebrity JYC Entertainment is trying to debut, since I came with Producer Bae Il-man.

“Let’s go.”

The visitor badge was an all-purpose key.

Passing through the entrance and going inside, I’m greeted by a complex structure and numerous rooms that would confuse first-time visitors.

Producer Bae Il-man seemed familiar with the broadcast station’s structure, moving to the destination without getting confused.

I followed behind him, looking around like a country bumpkin sightseeing in Seoul.

“Hello.”

“Hello!”

When I accidentally ran into someone, I unconsciously greeted them loudly.

After repeating that behavior a few times, Producer Bae Il-man chuckled and comforted me saying I didn’t need to be so nervous.

“You usually look much more mature than your age, but seeing this side, you’re still a kid after all.”

“……”

Well, it’s natural for someone in their 40s to see someone in their 20s as young.

Not giving it much meaning, I walked on, and we finally arrived at today’s destination with “King of Masked Singer Team” written on the door.

Producer Bae Il-man lightly knocked, and soon a voice saying “Come in” was heard from inside.

Opening the door and entering, the inside was quite chaotic.

A person walking around busily while on the phone, a man slumped over a desk repeating incomprehensible mutters, and a woman rummaging through piles of what looked like broadcast scripts…

As an outsider, I couldn’t know the exact situation, but it felt quite confusing.

Meanwhile, Producer Bae Il-man talked with the closest person and introduced me with a smiling face.

“Hahaha, this is the one. There’s no need to doubt her talent or skills, so push her hard.”

“No, but we need at least 500,000 subscribers… Ooh!”

The woman grumbling while looking at documents stiffened, swallowing empty air the moment her eyes met mine.

It seems she was surprised seeing me in person.

“What’s wrong, Writer Kim?”

“No, PD-nim… This is huge.”

A man with a tired expression appeared from behind a partition.

The surprised woman runs over and whispers to the man called PD.

At that moment, the gazes in the office focus on me.

They sparkle strangely as if discovering delicious prey.

“This is definitely…”

“It will help the ratings…”

“For sure!”

“……”

They’re really in perfect sync with each other.

Then, seeming to realize it was rude to do this among themselves seeing my blank expression, they come to introduce themselves.

“Nice to meet you. I’m PD Hwang Un-sung. I’m in charge of the King of Masked Singer program.”

“Hello, I’m main writer Lee Bo-ram.”

“I’m assistant director Min Hyun-bae.”

“Ah! I’m BJ and YouTuber Lee Hani who will be appearing this time. Please take care of me.”

Bow-!

After briefly exchanging greetings, we proceeded with work.

Producer Bae Il-man steps back and volunteers as a spectator.

I had to move to the next office with an assistant writer assigned by the main writer to check various matters.

Starting from basic singing ability to songs I’m thinking of for each round, and special talents I can show… They say to tell them if I have any concept in mind and they’ll try to reflect it as much as possible.

They even take participants’ opinions… The atmosphere was quite free, more than I thought.

“The song I want to sing for round 1 is IU’s ‘Nagging’.”

“Wow! You chose well. I think your partner will probably like it too.”

From what I hear, the group composition isn’t finished yet.

They say it will be done by today, but anyway I hope I don’t face a king-level singer from round 1.

When I talked about candidate songs for rounds 2 and 3, they had quite surprised expressions.

It seemed there were songs included that are difficult to sing without considerable singing ability.

“Then for special talents, you can show voice impersonation, dancing, and kicking or breaking demonstrations? Um… This is too much.”

It far exceeds the range of content that can be allocated to one person.

Moreover, can you really show all those things?

Wondering that, the assistant writer requested a demonstration.

When I simply showed a few cartoon character voice impersonations, they clap like seals and like it.

“Amazing, amazing! Hani-nim is really bursting with charm. I’ll definitely tell the main writer unnie all about this. We have to secure Hani-nim’s screen time for sure.”

Glancing back, Producer Bae Il-man sitting on the sofa in the back also had a very surprised expression.

The only aspects of me he knew were my outward appearance and singing that day.

In today’s era, it’s not easy to succeed greatly with just singing ability.

It’s an era where all-around entertainers thrive.

In that sense, the special talents I showed now will further increase my value in Producer Bae Il-man’s mind.

‘Oh? Isn’t that troublesome?’

He’s already at obsession king level, but if he becomes even more obsessed with me here?

I thought maybe, and sure enough.

Producer Bae Il-man’s eyes looking this way were burning fiercely.

I deliberately ignored it and decided to focus on the conversation with the assistant writer.

“Now it’s time to choose a mask, but… 3 have already been chosen?”

The assistant writer glances at me slightly.

It seems they’re wondering if they should give additional explanation about the reason.

But I’m not some naive person who’s never experienced society, so I nodded to show I understood.

Out of 8 masks total, the 3 already chosen were surely taken by senior celebrities with recognition and years since debut.

Even if it’s a mask, it’s human nature to reach for cool and pretty ones, isn’t it?

Anyway, I decided to let go of useless attachment to departed masks and focus on the remaining ones.

“The first and second are these. Since it’ll be December when the filming is broadcast, the weather will be much colder…”

The assistant writer explained while holding out papers with drawings.

They were igloo and Eskimo masks.

People who choose these masks will be partners with each other.

“Considering the first song, masks with this concept are a bit…”

“Ah! You’re right. Then let’s pass on these for now.”

An igloo or Eskimo mask doesn’t seem right while singing a sweet song like IU’s “Nagging”.

Feeling the same, they put those away and hold out papers with the next drawings.

The next masks were Elsa and Anna.

It was obvious they would be extremely popular.

Sure enough, the Elsa mask was already one of the 3 masks with an owner decided.

‘This is a bit tricky.’

The Anna mask and matching outfit would highlight my charms even more.

But I’m concerned that the owner of the Elsa mask, who will be my partner, is one of the three people who chose masks in advance.

If they could choose a mask in advance, it means they’re someone with a name in the entertainment industry, but what if they’re a singer with amazing skills?

“Can we put this on hold for now?”

“Yes, yes, I’ll keep showing you.”

Next was a concept reminiscent of the Winter Olympics.

A mask and outfit embodying Korea’s pride in figure skating, and on the opposite side was ski jumping which was famous for a while after being made into a movie.

The song was moving and the movie’s story was good, so I remember enjoying watching it too.

Anyway, this time the Kim Yuna mask also had an owner decided.

It’s the mask of figure skating queen Kim Yuna herself, just how big of a figure…

I pass for the same reason as before and check the last 2 masks.

“This is good.”

“Someone has already chosen this one. Then I’ve shown you everything, what do you want to do?”

The last to appear were a mysterious magician and the beautiful assistant who could be called their partner.

This time the beautiful assistant side was pre-selected.

But I wasn’t interested in that side from the beginning.

The side I was looking at was the magician.

Mysterious magician.

It really feels like it matches perfectly with the concept I had in mind.

The igloo and Eskimo were out from the start, and while the Anna mask was tempting, fierce competition was expected since someone had pre-selected the “hottest” Elsa mask.

The ski jumping mask also seemed to suit men better than women.

On the other hand, the mysterious magician mask had a nice androgynous feel and fit well with the concept I had in mind, so it was perfect.

However, if it goes this way, there’s an inevitable part that needs to be coordinated, which is the round 1 song I recommended.

“This way it becomes a female vs female group. The beautiful assistant mask can’t be worn by a man. A woman already pre-selected it too… But this way the nagging part becomes quite ambiguous.”

IU’s “Nagging” is a song featuring Im Seul-ong of 2AM.

A song with charming lyrics of a loving man and woman bickering.

So to bring out the song’s charm, a man and woman structure is needed, but this way…

“I’ll do it.”

“What?”

The assistant writer tilts their head, not understanding the intent of my answer yet.

I said firmly once more to them.

“I said I’ll do the man’s role in that song.”

“…!”

The assistant writer had a very surprised expression.

Can a woman take on and do well with the man’s part?

This is an action that accepts disadvantage from the start.

Nevertheless, I liked this mask.

Moreover, while it would be difficult with other male vocals, it was fully possible with Im Seul-ong of 2AM.

His clear, clean, and soft voice was much easier to imitate than the typical thick tone of men.

“Then I’ll ask your partner’s intentions and contact you.”

“Okay, thank you for your hard work.”

My partner will probably accept easily.

Since I said I’d take on the disadvantageous male part myself.

I said goodbye to the main writer and PD and left the broadcasting station following Producer Bae Il-man.

“How was it? Do you think it will go as you thought?”

Producer Bae Il-man showed respect for my choices without interfering at all in the process.

I should repay that respect.

So I said in a confident voice:

“When you see, you’ll probably be surprised.”

“What? Ahahaha!”

A refreshing laugh.

Producer Bae Il-man fiddled with his glasses once and said:

“Alright, I look forward to it.”

Two days until the next schedule.

It was going to be quite busy.