The S-Rank Paparazzi Reincarnates as an Idol - Chapter 10

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 10
“A-rank trainees, please come up to the stage now.”
Fifteen A-rank trainees climbed onto the stage all at once.
Following the Staff Member’s guidance, the A-rank trainees stood at even intervals along one wall where a large screen was positioned.
“Oh my. You can certainly tell these are A-rank trainees—there’s a distinctly different aura about them.”
As Yu Hae-in watched the trainees, a satisfied smile crossed his face.
“Then let’s begin the theme song mid-evaluation stage. First, we’ll have Kim Sun-yu come out.”
Kim Sun-yu walked out effortlessly from among the A-rank trainees.
Stopping at the center of the stage where cameras were intensively positioned, Kim Sun-yu bowed toward the Judge’s Seat.
“Hello. I’m Kim Sun-yu, a 23-year-old trainee from Starlight Entertainment.”
The judges smiled in response to Kim Sun-yu’s gentle expression.
“Our top student has arrived?”
“Wow, choreographer—are you showing favoritism to Kim Sun-yu right now?”
“Honestly, he is the top student.”
“We have high expectations for Kim Sun-yu since he’s so talented.”
Despite the judges’ gleaming eyes, Kim Sun-yu maintained a confident smile.
“Thank you.”
Being a veteran, he certainly exuded an air of composure.
“Then let’s see Kim Sun-yu’s theme song performance.”
“Yes!”
Boom, boom-boom.
The backing track for the theme song “Cheer Me On” flowed through the speakers and resonated across the Filming Location.
Kim Sun-yu’s feet advanced without hesitation toward the camera.
I’ll seduce you,
Every moment is filled with you
My eyes blazed with intensity, unwavering even for an instant.
Even after this night passes, I’ll only look at you
I’ll give you everything I have, so choose me
Though countless eyes watched the stage, I danced with the ease of a seasoned professional, unbothered.
Deeper with each moment, together with you,
I wish this moment would last forever
Finally, the highlight section with its difficult choreography approached.
Like a dream, feel your breath
As Kim Sun-yu executed flawless movements and smiled toward the Judge’s Seat, gasps erupted from various corners of the venue.
Kim Sun-yu’s performance was, in a word, the very textbook definition of the theme song “Cheer Me On.”
It was a polished and flawless stage with nothing lacking.
Indeed, experience truly does make a difference, no matter where you go.
Clap, clap, clap.
As the backing track ended, the Filming Location erupted with applause that bordered on reverence.
I too watched the camera’s red light come on and clapped as enthusiastically as I could, wearing my most professional smile.
‘An attitude controversy would be troublesome.’
Due to the System’s influence, I couldn’t know for certain about Star picking5’s debut members, but I could be confident about this.
‘Unless something major goes wrong, Kim Sun-yu will definitely debut.’
“That was incredible.”
“You’re really talented.”
“Wow! I got chills.”
The exclamations scattered throughout the studio only subsided when the Judge picked up the microphone.
“Kim Sun-yu.”
“Yes.”
“I’m completely smitten.”
“Me too. You’re genuinely excellent.”
As the judges continued their endless praise, Park Chae-young picked up the microphone.
“I’m a bit disappointed, to be honest. How do I put this… your singing feels too textbook. Technically you did well, but there’s no emotion. I wish you’d expressed yourself more.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Despite the vocal judge’s sharp critique, Kim Sun-yu maintained an easy smile.
‘This guy has great mental fortitude too.’
“Based on the evaluation, Kim Sun-yu receives a grade of A.”
“Thank you!”
As Kim Sun-yu returned toward the wall with the screen, Yu Hae-in lifted his cue card.
“We saw excellent skills from Kim Sun-yu. Next, please welcome Kang Chan.”
“Yes!”
A heavy yet concise response echoed through the Filming Location.
A trainee with an impressive physique—solid muscles visible between his tall frame and bronzed skin—walked out confidently.
His large build meant that even in the standard school uniform, his shoulders and overall fit stood out distinctly.
A trainee radiating masculine charm with sharp eyes and bold features stopped before the camera at the center of the Stage.
“Hello. I’m Kang Chan, a 20-year-old trainee from Beat and Wave, and I’m honored to be here.”
His baritone voice carried the distinctive dialect of the Gyeongsang region.
“Oh! Kang Chan, your voice and accent are quite charming.”
“I’ve been wanting to ask since last time—where are you from?”
“I’m from Busan.”
“Oho~ a Busan boy!”
The Dance Trainer urgently picked up the microphone.
“Are you that famous dancer from Gwangan-ri…? You’re that person, right?”
Kang Chan, whose expression had been blank, carefully nodded.
“Yes, that’s me.”
“…Two million YouTube subscribers!”
With the appearance of the Gwangan-ri dancer whose videos had impressive view counts, the Filming Location stirred once more.
‘Wait. Two million subscribers means he has an enormous fanbase too?’
“Wow~ in the videos you always wear a hat, so I wasn’t sure, but seeing your build now I get it.”
“Why did you dance with a hat on when you have such a handsome face?”
Kang Chan’s ears flushed slightly as he brushed the back of his head.
“When people stare directly at my face, I feel embarrassed. I wanted to focus solely on dancing.”
“That’s impressive. Kang Chan, you’re aiming for the rap position between singing and rapping, correct?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“I’m looking forward to it. Let’s start the theme song stage.”
The moment the familiar instrumental began, Kang Chan’s serious expression transformed completely.
His piercing gaze and powerful movements were more than enough to captivate everyone’s attention at once.
‘Even with the same choreography, the feeling can be so different.’
To be honest, it was shocking.
As if he were born to dance, his smooth lines created an uncanny sensation—like witnessing a work of art.
‘Hey, System.’
[Yes?]
‘Show me Kang Chan’s stat window.’
Ding.
[Stat Window]
Kang Chan (20)
Appearance: B+
Singing (Rap): C-
Dancing: A+
Charisma: C
Stamina: B+
Ability: ???
Traits: YouTube sensation with 2 million subscribers, Gwangan-ri dancer
I thought his dancing was exceptional, but I’d never seen an A+ in dancing before.
From the rhythm to every meticulous detail of the lines, everything had a distinctive tautness.
‘So this is the level of dancing required to become an idol.’
His living, breathing movements possessed a mysterious allure that drew people into a trance.
Recalling my own clumsy dancing up until now, I found myself shaking my head involuntarily.
‘I still have a long way to go.’
His rap, delivered with rhythm and precision to the beat, was attractive thanks to his well-defined mid-to-low register.
‘His rap isn’t as good as Seo Ha-yul’s, but his voice is excellent. Most importantly, his dancing is so strong that he can cover everything.’
Finally, as Kang Chan’s stage ended, applause erupted throughout the filming location once more.
“Wow! His dancing is absolutely insane!!!”
“Honestly, his dancing isn’t even at trainee level.”
“The feeling when he dances is truly exceptional. His expressiveness is remarkable!”
Amid the judges’ lavish praise, Kang Chan brushed the back of his head, looking bashful.
Park Chae-young, the vocal judge, picked up her microphone.
“Your dancing is better than most active idols. But you know you still need practice with your rap, right?”
“Yes! I’ll work much harder.”
Satisfied with his confident response, the judges began coordinating their evaluations.
At last, Park Chae-young picked up the microphone again.
“Kang Chan.”
“Yes!”
“The evaluation results are…”
Park Chae-young paused for a moment before breaking into a radiant smile.
“Grade A. There’s no one here who dances as well as Kang Chan.”
“Thank you!”
Kang Chan offered a subtle smile and bowed respectfully toward the Judge’s Seat.
After Kang Chan returned to the wall with the screen, the evaluations continued with the remaining Grade A trainees being called one by one.
“Did you actually practice? Jin Young-hoon, you’ve received a Grade C.”
“Your singing was a bit lacking. Lee Jin-su, you’ve received a Grade B.”
While some trainees maintained their Grade A status, many others saw their grades drop.
‘The grade fluctuations are more dramatic than I expected.’
“Finally, Rua, please come forward.”
“Yes.”
At last, the final Grade A trainee was called.
A trainee with lustrous blonde hair cascading to his shoulders walked to the center of the stage with the grace of a model.
‘So there’s a foreigner participating.’
Beneath long, elegant lashes, his blue eyes shimmered like the sea.
The striking foreigner’s distinctive high nose bridge and refined features caused a stir throughout the Filming Location.
“Wow. For a moment, I thought a prince from a fairy tale was walking out.”
“It’s not just me, right? Every time Rua comes out, I see a white horse.”
“The trainees from Star picking5 this season are exceptionally beautiful.”
At the judges’ blatant compliments about his appearance, Rua flashed a brilliant smile, revealing pristine white teeth.
“Thank you.”
Compliments about his looks felt familiar.
‘With that appearance, he must hear it all the time.’
“But where are you from, Rua? I’ve been curious. England? Sweden? Denmark?”
“My nationality is South Korea. Seoul.”
“…?”
“What?”
Everyone questioned how someone with such distinctly foreign genetics could claim Seoul as his birthplace.
“Born in Seoul?”
Rua’s lips curved upward in an almost cheerful smile.
“Yes. My mother is Korean, and my father is Danish.”
“Ah~”
“No wonder his Korean is so fluent.”
“He must have inherited his father’s genes strongly.”
The judge nodded in understanding and picked up the microphone with a satisfied smile.
“Then let’s begin Rua’s theme song grade evaluation stage.”
The theme song had flowed through the speakers so many times—hundreds, thousands of times—that it had become familiar.
Rua’s golden hair began to flutter naturally as he moved to the rhythm of the accompaniment.
From the first verse, a refreshing yet gentle voice poured forth.
The clear voice paired with his fluid dance lines evoked the image of a prince from a fairy tale.
His polished vocal technique and natural facial expressions made Rua shine all the more brilliantly.
In an instant, the minute-long performance ended and the accompaniment stopped.
Rua exhaled with slightly ragged breathing.
Enchanted exclamations rippled through the trainees.
“Wow! You’re just a natural-born entertainer, aren’t you?”
“For a trainee, your facial expressions are incredible. That’s impressive.”
‘Hey, System!’
[You’re calling me quite frequently today, Cha Si-woo.]
‘It happens sometimes. Just show me Rua’s stat window.’
[Understood.]
Ding.
[Stat Window]
Rua (23)
Appearance: B+
Singing: B
Dancing: B-
Charisma: B
Stamina: C-
Ability: ???
Traits: Half-Korean with prince-like visuals
‘A-grade really is different. His average stats are too high to be just a trainee.’
Praise poured from the Judge’s Seat.
“Star picking5 this year definitely has higher quality than last year!”
“I knew he was good during practice, but he exceeded expectations.”
“Trainee Rua receives an A-grade.”
“Thank you.”
With Rua as the final performer, the evaluations of all A-grade trainees were complete.
‘The A-grade trainees are certainly impressive overall.’
I could already see several promising seedlings with the makings of debut material.
‘I need to be on my guard.’
“A-grade trainees, thank you for your hard work.”
The A-grade trainees descended from the stage with expressions of mixed emotions.
Following the Staff Member’s instructions, the trainees took their seats according to their new grades.
A brief break was given while the staff repaired the malfunctioning filming equipment.
After about twenty minutes, the Staff Member climbed onto the stage and shouted.
“We’re resuming filming. All trainees, please take your seats.”
Once the Staff Member confirmed that all the trainees had gathered, he spread his palm and began the countdown.
“3, 2…1”
Then, speaking low and distinctly, he cued them in.
“Action!”
Yu Hae-in, standing on the Stage, naturally lifted the microphone.
“All the A-grade trainees’ performances have concluded. Compared to last season, it’s certainly interesting to see so many trainees with superior skills. Next, all B-grade trainees, please come up to the Stage.”
Finally, it was time to show what I could do.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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