The Gates Opened on the First Day of Debut Chapter 2

“Trainee Kim Chowol, you’re up next. Get ready.”

 

After checking my face, the staff member spoke as if tossing the words out and quickly disappeared. 

 

I stood alone behind the stage, holding the microphone the staff member had handed me.

 

The starting point of the regression I had experienced dozens of times.

 

It was the Stat Evaluation stage, the very first performance of EX-Class K-POP Idol. 

 

I was sick and tired of this sickeningly familiar stat evaluation stage, but this time was different.

 

I stared intently at the translucent window floating in front of my eyes.

 

[The Main Quest is unlocked.]

 

[Check Main Quest.]

 

“Main Quest…?”

 

As if responding to my words, a new window appeared.

 

[Main Quest: Successful Debut 

Success Reward: Gate appearance postponed (365 days) 

Failure Penalty: Gate appearance]

 

My eyes widened upon checking the Main Quest.

 

“Gate appearance postponed?”

 

Through my dozens of regressions, I had learned that the black hole the monsters poured out of was a gate.

 

The Main Quest’s success reward, ‘Gate appearance postponed,’ simply meant that I could prevent the monsters from appearing after the debut lineup was confirmed.

 

I read through the Main Quest meticulously, determined not to miss a single letter.

 

“Successful debut…”

 

What was the standard for ‘successful’?

 

I fell into thought.

 

‘First of all, I shouldn’t debut with a mediocre rank. At least 3rd… no, I have to debut in 1st place. The program’s buzz and vote counts will probably be important too…’

 

The more I thought about it, the more I felt a sense of déjà vu.

 

‘Wait a minute, can’t I just do exactly what I did in the previous regression?’

 

In the previous regression, I took 1st place for the first time. 

 

My vote count was the highest in the history of all idol survival audition programs, and the buzz I generated goes without saying.

 

My debut in the previous regression was an undeniably ‘successful debut’ that no one could refute.

 

‘If I just do what I did in the previous regression, I can end this sickening regression cycle.’

 

It seemed things would work out smoother than I thought.

 

Just as I was recalling how I performed on the stat evaluation stage in the previous regression.

 

—Ding!

 

Along with an unfamiliar, alien notification sound, a new window appeared before my eyes.

 

[Congratulations on unlocking the Main Quest.]

 

[As the Main Quest is unlocked, your stats will be reset.]

 

[You can check your stats through the stat window.]

 

“What?”

 

I shouted out loud instinctively at the strangely ominous-looking content. 

 

‘Reset? Stat window? What on earth does this mean…’

 

As I pictured the stat window in my head, a new window popped up before my eyes.

 

[Name: Kim Chowol 

Age: 20]

 

[Basic Stats 

Vocal: S 〉 D+ 

Dance: A+ 〉 D- 

Appearance: A 〉 B+ 

Charm: S- 〉 C+]

 

[Other Stats: Locked]

 

[Traits: Locked]

 

The four capabilities needed for an idol, such as vocal and dance, were being displayed as stats.

 

After scanning the stat window thoroughly, I was able to reach a difficult conclusion.

 

‘So right now…’

What should I do?

Does this mean all the skills I built up through dozens of regressions are completely gone?

 

“What kind of bullshit…”

 

I quickly covered my mouth to block the curse that slipped out.

 

“Trainee Kim Cho-wol, you’ll be going up now.”

 

What should I do? 

 

If I go up like this, let alone 1st place, even making my debut might be difficult.

 

I recalled what my stat evaluation stage was like in the first regression.

 

Missing the beat, my voice cracking, messing up the lyrics…

 

‘What on earth have you been doing for 5 years?’

 

The harsh criticism I heard from the judge after finishing the Stat Evaluation stage in the first turn remained vivid in my mind. 

 

It would have actually been fortunate if it ended with just the judge’s harsh remarks.

 

The problem was the broadcast.

 

My mistakes and the judge’s harsh criticism were provocatively edited and broadcasted, and people mocked me on social media and YouTube right up until the final live broadcast stage.

 

“Trainee Kim Cho-wol?”

 

“Yes.”

 

The evaluations of the preceding trainees were all finished.

 

It was difficult to stall for time any longer.

 

Walking behind the staff member who was rushing me, I thought to myself.

 

‘Isn’t there any way…?’

 

Dozens of plans flashed through my mind and vanished, but no matter how much I thought about it, I wasn’t confident I could get a good evaluation.

 

Just then, a status window appeared along with the unfamiliar notification sound.

 

[You have cleared a Hidden Quest.]

 

[Hidden Quest: Leave a strong impression on people. 

Reward: 1 Item Draw Ticket]

 

[You left a strong impression on approximately 2.5 million people! 

Reward: 1 Item Draw Ticket has been granted. 

You can check it in your item window.]

 

[Please understand that it took some time to calculate the results.]

 

I stared blankly at the status windows that popped up one after another.

 

‘Hidden Quest? I left a powerful impression on 2.5 million people?’ 

 

I soon realized what clearing the hidden quest meant.

 

‘Thank you for supporting someone as lacking as me. Please, I pray that even one more of you survives.’

 

“Ah…”

 

The final competition stage that had been broadcast live.

 

If I counted the people in the audience and the people across the country—no, across the world—watching me through the broadcast, it would roughly amount to 2.5 million.

 

It was something I had done half out of my mind at the time, but I didn’t know it would help me in this way.

 

[Item Draw Ticket 

Description: One item can be obtained at random.] 

 

‘Use Draw Ticket.’

 

I used the ticket, praying that an item that could be helpful would appear. 

 

A colorful spinning wheel appeared before my eyes.

 

Before I could react, the wheel began spinning on its own.

 

—Whirrr.

 

The rapidly spinning wheel gradually slowed down and stopped.

 

I looked at the space pointed to by the arrow at the top of the wheel.

 

[You have used the Item Draw Ticket.]

 

[Obtained Item: Stat Growth Ticket 

Rank: S 

Description: Increases one stat by 2 levels.]

 

I came to a halt.

 

I abruptly stopped walking while following the staff member.

 

“Trainee Kim Chowol? Is there a problem?”

 

“I’m sorry. Um…”

 

Drooping my eyebrows pitifully, I flashed an awkward smile.

 

The staff member tilted their head, waiting for me to speak.

 

“Would it be possible to change my song choice?”

 

A perfect plan had just been formed.

 

*    *    *

 

The filming set of EX-Class K-POP Idol’s first stage, the stat evaluation stage.

 

“Now, next trainee, please come out!” 

 

The MC introduced the 81st trainee, maintaining a high-pitched voice as if he wasn’t tired at all.

 

The judges, whose brief break had ended, adjusted their expressions and sat up straight. 

 

‘Ah, this is exhausting.’

 

Kim Junwoo, a representative 2nd-generation male idol in his 15th year since debuting, let out an internal groan and inconspicuously leaned back against his chair.

 

Even Kim Junwoo, who rarely complained unless it was an extreme schedule, found a shoot lasting over 6 hours to be exhausting.

 

‘I wish this would end quickly.’

 

Honestly, hadn’t they seen enough by now?

 

Kim Junwoo thought to himself as he casually flipped through the application documents placed in front of him.

 

There were a few trainees who stood out, but for the most part, their skill levels were about the same.

 

A-class trainees with good skills and outstanding visuals would debut at their agencies; they didn’t appear on public audition programs like this. 

 

If the contract period was three years or less, there were cases where they appeared to gain recognition before debut, but the contract period for trainees who would debut through EX-Class K-POP Idol was seven years—a duration that would be troublesome if they were sent on the show thoughtlessly and suddenly debuted. 

 

Consequently, EX-Class K-POP Idol ended up featuring many trainees who had been dropped from their debut lineups for various reasons, such as lacking skills, not fitting their group’s concept, or simply having bad luck.

 

“This next trainee is…”

 

Kim Junwoo read the 81st trainee’s application documents without much expectation.

 

It was a trainee from a small-to-medium agency scheduled to launch a new rookie boy group in the second half of this year.

 

‘5 years as a trainee… I guess he appeared because he got cut from the debut lineup.’

 

Well, it wasn’t surprising since most trainees who appeared on EX-Class K-POP Idol had similar stories. 

 

‘Selling his sad story will be tough. Visuals? Hmm… Not bad, but it’s a bit ambiguous to debut him based purely on his visuals. Still, if he can dance or sing, it’s not to the point where he should have been dropped from a debut lineup…’

 

Tap, tap…

 

Kim Junwoo fell into thought, tapping the application documents with his ballpoint pen.

 

‘Is he seriously lacking in skill?’ 

 

Having grasped the gist of the trainee, Kim Junwoo looked at the 81st trainee coming up onto the stage.

 

“Hello, I’m Kim Chowol.”

 

“Nice to meet you, Trainee Kim Chowol. I see from the application documents you submitted that you’ve been a trainee for 5 years?”

 

“That’s true. Since you were fifteen… you’re twenty now, right?” 

 

Another judge chimed in and asked following Kim Junwoo’s words.

 

“Yes, that’s right.”

 

“How did you end up coming on EX-Class K-POP Idol?”

 

“I was cut from my agency’s debut lineup.”

 

Kim Chowol spoke with a nonchalant smile about a topic that could have easily made the atmosphere heavy.

 

“I will do my best, considering this my last chance. I look forward to working with you!”

 

“Oh, he’s got spirit.”

 

“I’ll look forward to your performance. I hope you do well.”

 

The judges smiled back at Kim Chowol and said.

 

The heavy atmosphere from the shoot that had been going on for over 6 hours instantly brightened up.

 

‘He looks even better when he smiles. He looks much better in person than in his photo. He’ll get much more handsome once he gets some camera massage.’

 

Kim Junwoo objectively evaluated Kim Chowol’s face.

 

‘If his skills are decent, he could aim for the top 30. No, maybe even the top 10…’

 

Whether or not he could debut was a different matter. 

 

The average training period for an idol trainee is 2 to 5 years, and there are many cases where it’s even longer.

 

No matter how hard they practice, the trainees who cross the threshold of debut make up only 1% to 5% of all trainees.

 

The odds of succeeding after making a debut through fierce competition are even slimmer.

 

‘Only idols with a ‘kick’ that captures the public’s eyes can succeed.’

 

Kim Junwoo checked the song choice Kim Chowol had submitted in advance.

 

‘This is going to be difficult.’

 

The song Kim Chowol had chosen was the title track of a top-tier boy group that swept the charts whenever they made a comeback. It was a song with an extremely high difficulty level, featuring relentless choreography and lyrics that poured out without a moment to rest.

 

He was going to perform that song by himself?

 

‘He’s too ambitious.’ 

 

There were trainees like that sometimes.

 

Trainees who were so desperate and obsessed with having to show off their skills somehow, that they chose songs far above the difficulty level they could handle.

 

Kim Chowol was surely one of those trainees.

 

He could already picture what kind of performance would unfold.

 

Losing interest, Kim Junwoo leaned back against his chair again.

 

“Well then, please start the performance as soon as you’re ready.”

 

As Kim Chowol nodded to the staff member, the song’s intro flowed out.

 

“Huh?”

 

Instead of an intense drum sound that would shake the heavens and earth, a rhythmic bass line flowed out.

 

The song choice had changed.

 

To a song that no one had expected.