GIJS

Chapter 19

Idol's Charm is Their Skill

Thud-.

As Gunja removed his group uniform jacket, a pure white oversized shirt was revealed underneath.

"Wow."

A low murmur of awe erupted, but it wasn't an extreme display of exposure.

Some participants had boldly exposed their abs, so Gunja's change in attire was relatively modest.

However, what Gunja presented wasn't merely a change in outfit but a transformation in mood.

First, the line of the choreography changed.

His previously precise movements became fluid like willow branches. It wasn't a clumsy imitation of dance steps; each movement was remarkably graceful and beautiful.

The transformed dance lines and the piano melody of the bridge began to blend perfectly. The flowing oversized shirt's sleeves looked like a traditional Korean dance costume.

As everyone was momentarily mesmerized by the sight.

Leaving the mundane world behind

Now, see the you within you—.

Gunja finally began to sing the bridge's lyrics.

Everyone's jaws naturally dropped in astonishment.

His singing, which had never shown an Eastern-style atmosphere in any class before, had suddenly changed.

With the shift in vocal style, the level of his performance changed drastically.

The image of Gunja, who was stumbling at the basics, had completely vanished. He had far surpassed the level expected of a trainee. Was this evaluation or a performance? Goosebumps appeared on the arms of several trainees, including Ha Hyeon-jae.

"...What is this?"

"...Isn't this insane?"

The lingering, resonant voice filled the studio. Despite the melancholic emotion, the timbre was still unmistakably Gunja's.

This peculiar imbalance matched the lyrical bridge quite well.

'Yu Gunja, this crazy guy is for real!'

Jang Min-hyuk, who had been watching Gunja's performance, couldn't contain his excitement. He thought Gunja would finish with a clean and simple performance but didn't expect such a twist in the bridge.

In fact, an Oriental-style mood shift is a cliché. However, executing it perfectly is no easy feat.

It's a choice that could easily ruin a performance for both trainees and even seasoned idols.

One must meticulously lay the groundwork and add persuasiveness to the music before changing the style. No matter how excellent the singer, if the transition happens suddenly, it turns into nothing more than a song trick.

But Gunja achieved it.

Although it couldn't be deemed perfect, at least it landed smoothly without standing out. It was the result of skillfully laying the groundwork and changing the breath from the second chorus.

"...Hehe, hehe..."

Trainer Young Eun-chae looked at Gunja with a proud smile. This level of detail was likely Young Eun-chae's work. However, even with advice, executing it on stage was ultimately Gunja's achievement.

This was beyond astonishment; it was incomprehensible. How could someone who hasn't even lived as a trainee create such a performance?

Even as Jang Min-hyuk marveled, Gunja's performance continued.