Chapter 85
“Group Sound, please come in!”
When their turn came, a staff member called out Group Sound's name. Iseo sprang to her feet, extremely tense, then glanced around. Hyuna and Seoha looked at her as if to say it was their turn next, both of them nervous. Only Suyeon was staring blankly ahead, looking slightly sleepy.
“You're Group Sound, right?”
They entered the judging room they had been watching from earlier. In front of the judges, a projector screen displayed footage of the band, and chairs had been set out for them to sit in. Several speakers were set up on either side, and instruments were piled in one corner.
Once the members of Group Sound sat in the prepared chairs, the judge in the center opened with that question. Suyeon answered in her usual relaxed manner. “Yes, that's right.”
“Could you tell us where the band's name came from? It sounds somewhat familiar.”
That was what Iseo wanted to know too. Why was their band called Group Sound? It wasn't a name that felt familiar to her at all.
“I don't know if you know this…” Suyeon began, tilting her head slightly. “In the seventies and eighties, bands were sometimes called ‘group sounds.’ That's where we took it from.”
“I see. Since you play retro-style music, I suppose you gave the band a retro-style name as well.”
The judge said that and started playing footage on the projector screen. It showed the performances they had done for the preliminary round at Gangnam Station. Many of the songs were from their EP, but there were also plenty that Suyeon had made them practice on the spur of the moment, saying things like, “Let's try playing this.” The most representative example was ‘Private Girl.’
“I'll get straight to the evaluation. There are many aspects that don't harmonize well.”
Iseo could almost hear a [Dun dun!] sound effect. Wasn't that how television editing usually worked? They started by creating an impactful image.
“The other parts can't keep up with the guitar. Of course, that doesn't mean the other parts are lacking in skill. But the guitar has already shot off into the distance on its own. I can see that you're consciously holding it back, but a sharp point will stick out even when you put it in a pocket. So I wonder if that might be causing some problems.”
“It's also a little disappointing that you performed mostly cover songs. What if you'd performed your own songs instead? And this is related to what I mentioned earlier, but I think the other parts are somewhat lacking in their interpretation of the covers.”
Then the evaluations came pouring out. Iseo felt herself shrinking a little. They were certainly lacking compared to Suyeon, but hearing it said so directly still hurt.
“That's enough about the weaknesses. Shall we talk about your strengths?”
“We're supposed to point out your weaknesses, but they're hard to find, heh heh heh… We had to force some of them a little. Right?”
Sounds like “That's right~” drifted between the judges. Weaknesses they'd had to force? At the hopeful turn in the conversation, Iseo lifted her head.
“Let's start with your original songs. You have a good sense for composition and lyrics. The melody is good, but what's even better is your ability to create an atmosphere. Arrangement, I suppose. It can be a little excessive, but it's more than sufficient… And the lyrics feel like they fit the songs perfectly. I like the way you bend the rhymes, and I'm satisfied with the mood too.”
“Your playing is solid as well. If I were producing a band, I think I would do it something like this. I get the impression that every member has solid fundamentals. Young students tend to focus a little too much on flashy things, after all.”
The praise continued without end. They praised their composition and arrangement skills, and said they liked how the band focused on fundamentals rather than technical flashiness. At the end of the steady stream of compliments came something that had seemed inevitable.
“We can't leave without hearing this. Miss Ha Suyeon! I've really wanted to hear you while judging. Could you show us just one song?”
“Oh, what song should I play?”
“Anything is fine, anything. Play whatever comes to mind.”
After pondering, Suyeon walked over to the guitar resting on one side of the stage. She reached for a Les Paul, but hesitated and picked up the bizarre guitar beside it instead. It was a red Gibson with two necks.
“Uh… can you use that?”
“Yes.”
She staggered slightly under its weight, then gripped the monstrous-looking guitar and strummed it with her pick a few times. Hardly any sound came out. While Suyeon tilted her head, a staff member came over and whispered something to her.
“They say it's not tuned. They brought it in as a prop… That's too bad.”
Laughter erupted. “I should have heard ‘Stairway to Heaven’!” lamented the long-haired judge. Suyeon smiled faintly, picked up the Les Paul, and began to play. The powerful, weighty guitar sound unique to a Les Paul burst from the speakers.
“Money for Nothing!”
There was none of the intricate, flashy playing commonly seen in auditions. What Suyeon showed them was a relaxed tap of her foot and the playing that followed it. Yet the judges, the band members, and even the production staff all reacted as if entranced, lightly clapping or tapping their feet.
* * *
“Was it fun?”
“Of course. I told you, the 4DX technology is insane. Did you feel it shaking when the tank started firing shells earlier? It went bang, crash, and everything.”
It was their day off. They had come to see some anime called ‘Girls und Panzer’ or something at Hyuna's insistence. The two who seemed familiar with it were enthusiastically discussing it, while Seoha was looking something up on the internet.
‘Technology has really come a long way…’
Myeongjeon hadn't really understood the story of the anime they'd just watched, but he thought the technology itself was incredible. The seats moved along with the tank, and vibrations came through them. It felt like riding some kind of synchronized attraction.
“I really want to visit Oarai at least once.”
“Should we? Should we?”
“Why Oarai? Is it connected to this anime?”
“This is set in Oarai.”
The conversation continued without Myeongjeon. They talked about whether they should go to Oarai this summer and how nice it would be to go using the band's earnings. But could a minor travel alone? Myeongjeon suddenly found himself wondering about that.
“Suyeon, are you going too?”
“I don't know.”
Myeongjeon took out his phone and checked his schedule. His session schedule was fairly packed, but there were still gaps here and there during the summer vacation season. After answering about his schedule, Myeongjeon browsed the online communities while he had the internet open.
[This Invasion lineup's visuals ㄷㄷ]
[The girls are pretty overall]
[This lineup is absolutely insane, have you seen it?]
[Pictures of the girls lol, this is fucking hilarious]
[They're cute, but can anyone tell me their names?]
Overall, the mood was one of considerable anticipation. It was a little disappointing that the anticipation wasn't about the music, but Myeongjeon decided to let it go. If they drew attention, surely one or two people would end up listening to their music.
[The preliminary teaser video is out!!]
“Huh?”
Amid all that, Myeongjeon clicked on the post as if hypnotized. The video showed the bands performing, the judges berating them, what appeared to be derisive laughter despite apparently not being intended that way, and a glimpse of an argument. Then the [Invasion from Seoul] logo slammed onto the screen.
“Did things like that happen?”
“I don't know. Maybe it was another band?”
Myeongjeon shrugged. He had never seen any of those scenes. But was television ever any different? He decided to let it go.
* * *
The place they visited to film the next footage was a proper production studio, with a fairly grand stage set up inside.
“All right, we'll do it one more time~”
Maybe there was something about the angle of their walk, because one out of every four or five bands was called in for an additional take. It seemed strange that they couldn't simply film them walking. And since all sixty bands from the preliminaries had been gathered, perhaps they intended to announce the eliminations today.
“That's cruel.”
“Huh?”
Iseo reacted to Myeongjeon's mutter. Judging by the way she stared at him with her eyes wide, she didn't seem to understand why he thought it was cruel.
“They said only thirty bands would advance to the main competition. But all sixty bands have been brought in. Even if they perform, considering how long today's shoot is supposed to take, there's no way they can all do it. So half the people here must have come just to film themselves being eliminated.”
“I guess so.”
They said the world of show business was cold, but did it really have to be this cold? Myeongjeon thought that for a moment, then shook his head and erased the thought. In any case, those people had made their choice.
Meanwhile, filming seemed to be drawing to a close. The sight of sixty bands seated in a vertical circle, like the Colosseum, was spectacular in itself. Myeongjeon wondered if they had built this entire set just for that one image.
“It looks cool. This is the kind of composition you'd see in an anime.”
As Hyuna gave her impressions, a broadcast staff member walked out. The day's filming schedule was announced: they would shoot the elimination and selection scenes, explain the format of the next round, then film each band performing for about ten minutes in front of the other thirty bands before wrapping up. The shoot was expected to take around sixteen hours.
“Does anyone have any questions?”
Myeongjeon shot his hand up at those words. As everyone's attention focused on him, a staff member gestured for him to speak.
“The four of us are minors. Can we leave work at ten p.m.?”
Laughter burst out at the completely unexpected question. The staff member answered awkwardly, “We should probably ask, but I think so.”
* * *
“Therefore, [Moscow Social Club] is eliminated. I'm sorry.”
Along with the MC's words, the electronic display in front of the band went dark once again. The band called [Moscow Social Club] lowered their heads. The names continued to be called. One team at a time, their names were announced and footage of their judging was played on the screen.
Hyuna felt as though she had figured out the pattern. Bands that received praise first were almost always eliminated. Bands that were criticized first almost always advanced. Was it to create tension for the viewers?
The band called next was the same. Praise came first. They were called [Eliante], if she remembered correctly. They had looked pleased to hear the compliments, but then came the criticism and the MC's elimination announcement.
“And with that, the selection of all thirty teams is complete. The thirty selected teams will continue their journey. But at this very moment! For the thirty teams who will be leaving to make a new beginning! Please give them a round of applause!”
It was applause meant to console the losers. But the applause of the relaxed winners and the applause of the losers comforting themselves differed in both sound and manner. Hyuna clapped leisurely as well and glanced to the side. Iseo was clapping vigorously, her eyes slightly reddened, while Seoha and Suyeon looked as though they weren't thinking much of anything.
“And now! Before the main competition! Truly begins… let's hear from a commercial!”
“What the heck~” came a voice from somewhere among the bands. The other thirty bands followed the instructions and filed off the stage. Several of the bands that hadn't been eliminated tried to leave, but staff stopped them and sent them back to their places. Had the commercial announcement been only for filming?
“And now, let me explain things to all of you. Please look at this screen!”
On the screen was a somewhat complicated-looking PowerPoint presentation. There was no way leaning forward would help them see it any better, but Hyuna reflexively thrust her head forward.
What had been drawn were the marks or names of thirty bands. Above them were the names of six mentor teams. Each mentor would be responsible for four teams…
“From this point on, it's competition all over again! Your performances, and more performances! Use the songs that best show your colors! Earn your mentor's pick!”
The MC paused for a beat, then shouted out the next line even louder.
“However! The Round One performances must be done with songs that have never been released before! Completely new songs!!”