The S-Rank Paparazzi Reincarnates as an Idol - Chapter 3

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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 3
“Wow~”
Without realizing I’d let out an exclamation, I found myself genuinely captivated by Participant 2031’s appearance.
‘He’s objectively handsome.’
Standing over 180 centimeters tall with broad shoulders, his small face sat perfectly proportioned with distinctly defined features.
Above his sharp, refined jawline rose a high bridge of nose that anchored his entire face.
Beneath long, delicate eyelashes lay deep, dark eyes that commanded an intense presence.
Though dressed simply in a black t-shirt and jeans, he exuded the clean, captivating aura of an urban man.
‘With someone like him, I’m guaranteed to draw attention!’
☆☆☆
After arriving at the Audition Venue and hastily submitting my self-introduction form, a Staff Member distributed number tags.
‘2031.’
I affixed the number crudely inked onto A4 paper to my body.
Entering the Waiting Room, I waited my turn among the young-faced participants sitting with nervous expressions.
“Sigh.”
‘What am I doing at my age?’
Among the fluffy, youthful entertainment trainees, adults were rare.
Ding.
[Sub Quest (1): Pass the first round of the Star picking5 Audition Program.]
‘Got it. Fine.’
[✓]
A translucent blue window appeared briefly before vanishing.
Considerable time had passed since I’d attached my number tag.
A Staff Member entered the Waiting Room where only a few trainees remained.
“Participants 2030 through 2040, please wait by the door.”
“Yes.”
‘The Star picking5 Audition Room is nothing but endless waiting.’
Standing by the door, the trainee numbered 2030 who’d gone in first emerged with a dejected expression.
‘That person must have failed.’
“Participant 2031, please come in.”
Following the Staff Member’s instruction, I opened the door.
Black cameras suspended throughout the ceiling watched me like predators.
Seeing the lenses glowing with red light, an odd sensation stirred in my chest.
‘I’ve always been the one filming.’
Being on the other side felt strange.
Among the cameras positioned throughout the space sat Judges in a row, their eyes hollow and expressionless.
‘Just as I expected—they’re filming the audition scenes for broadcast.’
“Wow.”
“Wow~”
At the sudden exclamations, I found myself involuntarily pausing.
Damn, that startled me!
I forced myself to calm my racing heart as I noticed the judges’ eyes suddenly light up with interest.
‘First impressions matter above all else—I need to smile.’
I gently curved my lips upward, deploying the smile I’d perfected through countless social interactions.
It was my signature professional smile—the one that had earned me a reputation as the interview pass-through specialist.
“Good morning. I’m Participant 2031, Cha Si-woo.”
As I bowed at a perfect ninety degrees, a warm greeting came in return.
“Nice to meet you, Cha Si-woo. Your greeting is so bright and cheerful.”
‘A ninety-degree bow has never failed me yet.’
“Your smile is quite striking. Would you like to introduce yourself first?”
“I’m twenty years old and I’m an independent trainee without an agency affiliation.”
“What are your strengths?”
“My specialty is…”
‘What am I good at? Is there really nothing else?’
“Photography.”
“Photography? That’s quite an admirable quality for an idol! What kind of photos do you excel at taking?”
‘Large Conglomerate chairman candid shots. Celebrity scandal photos. Idol gossip material pays well too.’
“I’m most confident with portrait photography.”
When selling front-page photos to news agencies, controversy and rarity mattered, but the visual impact of the shot itself was equally crucial.
Since photos that could captivate people’s attention commanded higher rates, I always paid meticulous attention to composition, angles, backgrounds, and image quality.
Thanks to this dedication, I’d earned the strange nickname of “golden-handed lunatic paparazzi,” but considering the rates I commanded, I was satisfied.
“Oh, if you pass the audition, would you take some photos of us?”
“Of course! I’d be happy to.”
“So what song have you prepared?”
The judge’s face was radiant with anticipation.
“The song I’ve prepared is the national anthem.”
“I’m sorry?”
The judge’s expression turned bewildered, and they forced their lips upward.
“The national anthem?”
“Yes. I chose it out of love and affection for our country.”
“Ha. Ha. Ha. Love of country is the best.”
After much deliberation, I’d settled on the national anthem for my song choice.
I needed to know a song to perform it, but since I’d never been interested in music, there was literally no song whose lyrics I’d completely memorized besides the national anthem.
‘Damn, if I’d had more time, I could’ve at least searched for popular idol chart songs and practiced them.’
In this situation where I had to audition immediately, the national anthem was the only song I could perform without reading the lyrics.
‘Plus, with so many trainees auditioning in the first round, I need something novel to avoid getting edited out and actually make it on broadcast.’
“You’re quite the patriotic trainee.”
“Let’s hear you sing.”
The judge, whose expression control had faltered, smiled somewhat awkwardly.
‘Besides, if they criticized the national anthem here, they’d be committing treason.’
“Yes. I’ll begin singing now.”
The familiar national anthem accompaniment flowed through the speakers.
I looked toward the camera, raised my right hand, and placed it solemnly over my heart.
‘This audition will determine my fate, so I need to give it everything I have.’
The waters of the East Sea and Baekdu Mountain
“…!”
I sang the national anthem—a song I’d been singing since kindergarten and continued into adulthood—with more passion than ever before in my life.
The notes of the anthem rose more smoothly than I’d anticipated.
May they be preserved forever.
Giving it my all through the chorus, the accompaniment finally ended.
As I lowered my right hand from its solemn position, applause erupted from the judges’ seats.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
“Wow, this is the first time I’ve heard a trainee sing the national anthem so beautifully.”
“Cha Si-woo, your love for your country is truly exceptional. And your vocal tone is absolutely wonderful.”
‘It worked!’
I bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle toward the judges.
“Thank you.”
The satisfied judge picked up the microphone.
“We’ve seen your singing, so let’s see your dancing next.”
‘My first dance.’
“Yes. I’ll begin dancing now.”
The judge pressed a button, and an upbeat song blasted through the speakers.
I bobbed my head in time with the cheerful, energetic music.
‘Good. Let me feel the rhythm.’
I moved my body as desperately as I could in sync with the musical beat.
“Heh…”
“Ahahaha.”
‘…?’
Seeing the judges laughing while covering their mouths, I danced even harder to the rhythm.
To be precise, it was more of a desperate writhing for survival.
‘No matter how ignorant I am about dancing, I have to give it my all.’
Cutting corners in front of the camera was something no idol could afford to do.
After all, people rarely criticize harshly those who are trying their best, no matter how unskilled they might be.
After about a minute, the song blaring through the speakers cut off.
Thanks to my passionate thrashing, my entire body was burning with heat.
‘I gave it everything.’
Beads of sweat rolled down my forehead, and I wiped them away with the back of my hand.
Before my eyes, I could see the judges laughing breathlessly.
‘Yes. Keep laughing.’
“Ahahaha.”
“Hehe, ah-ha-ha, I’m sorry, hehe.”
‘It seems the dancing didn’t land.’
The Judge, still unable to suppress their laughter, cleared their throat with effort.
“Ahem, Cha Si-woo.”
“Yes?”
“How long have you been dancing?”
‘Since the kindergarten talent show, this is my first time today.’
“To be honest, I haven’t danced properly in quite some time.”
If I mentioned that I’d danced for the first time while auditioning to debut as an idol, people would definitely have something to say about it.
‘I need to be careful with my words whenever the camera is rolling.’
The internet is a scorching place that transforms into a battleground the moment someone finds the slightest fault.
Since most of the photographs I took occupied the front page of articles, I’d seen plenty of hateful comments directed at the people I’d captured.
‘Of course, there were plenty of insults aimed at me too.’
“Yes, I suppose that’s the case.”
Another Judge, wiping away tears, gave a thumbs up.
“In all my life, I’ve never seen anyone make me laugh so hard with dancing.”
“Your dancing was terrible, but it’s fascinating how you kept the rhythm.”
“Have you received any formal training?”
“No, I haven’t.”
After murmuring among themselves for a while, the Judges finally made eye contact with me again.
“Cha Si-woo.”
“Yes.”
“The result of the Star picking5 first-round audition is….”
Gulp.
“You’ve passed.”
‘I did it!’
“Really?!”
“Yes. Although your dancing was terrible, the judges noted that your ability to maintain the rhythm shows potential for growth.”
“Your vocal tone was excellent. Above all, your face and charisma are remarkable. We’re looking forward to seeing you in the Survival Audition Program.”
“Thank you so much!”
The moment I bowed at a ninety-degree angle, a familiar notification sound rang out.
Ding.
[Congratulations. You have successfully completed Sub-Quest (1): ‘Pass the first-round audition of the Star picking5 Audition Program.’]
The System window appeared as if it had been waiting.
‘Hey! What if it suddenly appears like that!’
Contrary to my worry, the Judges in front of me showed no reaction whatsoever to the suddenly appearing System window.
[It is not visible to others.]
‘Ah, I see.’
[Would you like to check your rewards?]
‘Wait.’
Let me step outside and check on this first.
As I opened the Audition Room door and stepped out, a Staff Member informed me of the acceptance procedures.
“The official filming will take place in two weeks at the TX Entertainment Broadcasting Station. We’ll film the opening sequence there, then move to the Studio to begin the full Star picking5 program shoot.”
“Yes.”
“Since you’ll be provided with meals and lodging, please bring only the personal items you absolutely need. We have most daily necessities available.”
“Understood.”
The Staff Member handed me a sheet of paper containing the guidance information.
“Cha Si-woo, I’ll see you on the filming day.”
“Thank you. See you in two weeks!”
I took the paper and quickly moved to a secluded area.
‘Only two weeks remain.’
I had to strengthen my abilities within those two weeks and survive the brutal Survival Audition Program.
Finally reaching a Park where no one was around, I called out to the System window.
“Hey!”
[Yes?]
“Show me the rewards.”
A blue opaque window displayed a shimmering reward box.
[Will you accept the reward?]
“Yes.”
Brilliant light enveloped my surroundings.
‘This is surprisingly blinding.’
Soon my vision adjusted to the dazzling brightness.
[Congratulations. Your quest completion reward unlocks the Stats Window.]
‘A stats window?’
Ding.
With the familiar notification sound, the blue opaque window stretched vertically in size.
[Stats Window]
Cha Si-woo (20)
Appearance: A-
Singing: C-
Dancing: E
Charisma: B+
Stamina: B+
Ability: ???
Status: Paparazzi regressed five years into the past.
‘With numbers displayed like this, it feels like some kind of game.’
“So this is my current state?”
[That is correct.]
“Why is my ability marked with question marks?”
[That is information that cannot yet be disclosed.]
‘So singing and dancing are low, but this strange stat is high?’
“Setting aside appearance, why are stamina and charisma so high?”
[Stamina: Most ordinary people cannot function on only 3-4 hours of sleep per day. During your work, you’ve pushed your body to its limits, granting you stamina that surpasses the average person.]
“True, I’ve never gotten much sleep while working. But what about charisma?”
[Charisma is a tutorial item you desired, Cha Si-woo. I randomly determined it to be the most essential stat for an idol and raised it to B+.]
“If you’re going to raise it anyway, make it A+.”
[!!!How shameless!!!]

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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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