God Idol Project: Hope [GIPH]

Chapter 8: Hanul Entertainment Audition

From the conversation I overheard, there was no doubt that those boys were trainees under POT Entertainment. They claimed to be talented, but their behavior was nothing short of thuggish. Being part of POT, one of the top three agencies, they might have some potential. However, when I heard them mention that they had a relative with significant influence in the company, it was clear they were "parachutes," benefiting from connections.

I had seen how rebellious and boastful teenage boys could be, always trying to act tough. But there was a distinct difference between genuinely delinquent types and those who were all talk. It was an instinctual, intuitive difference.

The POT trainees I encountered at the convenience store leaned more toward the former.

Idol's character.

One of the crucial elements hyung had emphasized as essential for the success of an idol group. In this age of advanced social media, one's past could be exposed at any moment. School violence, underage drinking, and smoking scandals could surface without warning. It was much harder to hide one's true character than in the past.

And can someone's character really change that easily?

Personally, I didn't think so. Being constantly exposed to the public eye, mistakes were inevitable. If someone got caught committing a crime, like drunk driving or drug abuse, it would be over for them. Not only would that person's career be ruined, but their entire group would suffer as well.

Moreover, having a bad character would negatively affect team chemistry. Imagine living in a group for years with someone who had a horrible personality—it would be like being trapped in a hellish prison. You couldn't just leave whenever you wanted.

I wanted to succeed as an idol, but I didn't want to endure such misery. In a company like POT, I doubted I could find any true companions. POT was known for prioritizing talent and looks above all else.

In the end, I decided not to sign with POT Entertainment.

"I was thinking wrong. The people within the company are just as important as the company itself."

For someone like me, with little experience in the real world, this was a painful but valuable lesson.

Like the Law of Conservation of Crazy, there are people with rotten characters everywhere. And if the company had no filtering system like POT, there was a high probability that at least one person with a terrible personality would end up debuting with me.

I didn't want to make the same mistake again. So, I decided to prioritize agencies that valued the character of their artists.

I started by checking the audition schedules for various agencies.

The first audition I was scheduled for was at Hanul Entertainment, which had previously launched one girl group and one boy group. The company was established by a former manager who had taken the actors he managed and started his own agency. Hanul Entertainment was known for respecting the wishes of its artists.

Hyun-oh hyung had mentioned that their PR wasn't great, but the company was financially stable. They were selective with their trainees, though they were relatively weak in in-house composition and production.

I wanted to get a better understanding of Hanul Entertainment's philosophy. I didn't want to sign a trainee contract only to discover problems later and end up having to leave.

"The issue is, I don't even know where to start."

I couldn't just show up at their office unannounced, and I didn't know any trainees. In fact, I didn't have any friends at all.

Frustrated, I turned to the internet. There had to be some sort of trainee community, right?

While I couldn't find a dedicated trainee community, I did come across comments on related posts. These were left by fans who were closely following Hanul Entertainment's actors or idols.

​•​Is respecting Hanul's artists all that matters? How about paying attention to fan needs? The merchandise is trash.
​•​At least Hanul doesn't overwork its artists, right?
​•​Yeah, unlike my baby's agency... sigh...
​•​Where's the PR team? Look at the mess they've made. Is it Hanul or Ha-neul (meaning clumsy)?
​•​Hanul is known for having bad PR, so they focus on recruiting artists with good personalities to avoid scandals.
​•​So, their logic is to avoid problems in the first place? Interesting mindset.
​•​You think that's possible? All celebrities are the same.
​•​It's practically confirmed that they got burned badly by SEED.
​•​Hanul's CEO has always emphasized character. I know because my actor is with Hanul.
​•​Then why did SEED act like that?
​•​Well, at least it didn't make the front pages...
​•​It didn't make the front pages? ㅋㅋㅋ right...

From these comments, it seemed that while Hanul wasn't perfect at filtering out bad apples, they did prioritize character from trainee selection to debut. The CEO seemed to genuinely care about the personalities of his artists.

I couldn't draw a firm conclusion just from online comments, so I kept gathering information.

While the things Hyun-oh hyung told me were helpful, they were limited to the idol perspective. I realized I lacked a broader understanding of the entertainment industry as a whole.

I spent the next week studying the structure and flow of the idol industry, and soon, the day of the Hanul Entertainment audition arrived.

Having only experienced private auditions like at POT Entertainment, the atmosphere of this open audition felt unfamiliar. I had passed the video screening, which qualified me for an in-person audition.

I had heard that the video screening process was more about weeding out the unqualified, so I wasn't particularly excited when I got the notification. What mattered was the in-person audition.

Most of the other applicants seemed to know each other, chatting quietly to calm their nerves while waiting for their turns. Some of them had probably been trainees at other agencies. One by one, they completed their auditions and left.

Some exited the audition room looking relieved, while others seemed disappointed.

The Hanul Entertainment audition was spread over three days, and I was scheduled for almost the last slot on the first day.

"Number 39, please come in."

Finally, it was my turn.

Having been through one audition already, I felt less nervous this time.

Of course, it would be great to pass, but even if I didn't, I wasn't planning to give up. All I wanted was to give my best effort without any regrets.

Four judges sat in a row, flipping through my paperwork. They glanced at me briefly before fully lifting their heads to look me over.

"Hello, I'm applicant number 39, Ham Iwon. I'm 18 years old, and my specialty is singing."

"Applicant Ham Iwon, are you sure you've never been a trainee before? If casting directors missed a face like this, they should all be disciplined."

The middle-aged man sitting in the center frowned. His nameplate read "CEO Son Joong-ki."

"No, I haven't. I've been cast once and attended an audition, but that's it."

"Where?"

"I'm not sure if I should mention it, but... it was POT Entertainment."

"POT? And they rejected this face? Even if you were terrible at acting, it wouldn't make sense. You look like you were born to be a POT idol."

"I passed the audition, but I felt their vision didn't align with mine, so I chose not to sign."

When I said that I had turned down POT Entertainment and come to Hanul, the judges began murmuring among themselves.

"Hmm. Well, let's start with your singing then."

"I'll be singing 'Tears.'"

At the mention of the song, the judges' brows furrowed slightly. It was an extremely difficult song that required exceptional vocal skills and emotional depth, making it a risky choice for an audition.

But with hyung's voice, I was confident I could handle it perfectly.

One of the female judges, trying to hide her exhaustion with the song choice, spoke to me.

"If you've prepared a backing track, feel free to play it."

"I'll be singing a cappella."

The judges looked like they wanted to ask if I was serious, but I ignored that and began singing.

As soon as I started, the judges were captivated, unable to tear their eyes away. They remained silent and still throughout the entire song, hanging on to every note.

"...It felt like I couldn't breathe!"

"I was dreading hearing this song, especially without any accompaniment, but I was pleasantly surprised."

"I was wondering why you chose to sing without a track, but now I understand. That was a smart choice. Based on your background, you're a beginner, but your skills are as polished as someone who's been in the industry for ten years. Your voice is incredibly charming."

I had thought deeply about how to best present hyung and my music in a way that would be properly evaluated. The conclusion I reached was to sing without accompaniment. I wanted to show that my voice alone could dominate the stage.

"It's been a while since I was moved by just a vocal performance. Well done. Now, are you ready for the dance portion?"

"I've prepared a dance to 'Dance Now' by Moonstone."

I turned on the music and began dancing to the beat. I put all the effort I had into it, hoping the personal training would pay off.

"Hmm. You haven't had formal training, have you? Your dance is a bit rough around the edges, and your control is lacking, but you're aware of that, right? Still, the potential is there. Your sense of rhythm is great, your movements are flexible, and your expressions were spot on."

Did I really make expressions while dancing?

I must have instinctively recalled the memories of dancing with hyung, and my face naturally responded.

"Do you have any other special skills you'd like to show us?"

"I can play the violin, piano, cello, guitar, flute, drums, and geomungo."

"...All of them? At what level can you play?"

"Violin and piano are the most comfortable for me, but I can play the others without mistakes after a bit of practice."

"...What?"

The judges looked puzzled.

"I can understand violin and piano since you're majoring in them, but flute? Drums? And how did you learn geomungo?"

"I liked how they sounded, so I studied them for about six months."

I hadn't invested much time in them since I was balancing school and practicing other instruments.

"You're not lying, are you?"

"If you have the instruments, I can show you. I only brought my violin today, though..."

"Ha... No need. I believe you. This is unbelievable. We've just discovered a gem. This makes me want to skip the character test for once."

"We can't skip that, CEO. That's why he's here for this audition."

They looked at me like I was some strange creature.

"A character test? You're here for that?"

"I'd like to be evaluated fairly."

I didn't want to receive any special treatment, nor did I want any of the other applicants to get special treatment either.

The reason I was drawn to Hanul Entertainment was because they rigorously tested for character.

"When our trainees get closer to debuting, we conduct thorough investigations. If there's any dishonesty, it will lead to consequences. This audition is being recorded, so the footage could be used as evidence."

Wow. They're more meticulous than I thought.

"I'm going to ask you a few questions now. Please answer honestly. First, have you ever been involved in any criminal activities?"

"No."

"How was your school life? Were you involved in any bullying?"

"My school life was normal, I think. There was no bullying, of course. As for being bullied... I don't have any friends, so does that mean I was bullied?"

"...?"

The talent development manager looked confused, while the CEO chuckled.

"...So, you haven't bullied anyone, right?"

"No."

"Have you ever consumed alcohol or smoked?"

"Neither."

There were quite a few more questions after that.

If they were this thorough even before I became a trainee, I couldn't imagine how intense the screening would be for those about to debut.

I was starting to like Hanul Entertainment. There was no chance I'd end up in a group with someone who had a terrible personality.

After completing all the auditions, I was about to leave when the talent development manager stopped me.

"Normally, we hold meetings and announce the results a week later, but we don't want to risk losing you, Ham Iwon. So, we've decided to inform you now that you've passed. Please keep this confidential from the other applicants."

"Understood. Thank you very much!"

I had cleared one hurdle.

Though I would have kept trying until I succeeded somewhere, I was relieved to have found a good agency and become a trainee without wasting too much time.

This was another step closer to becoming a god idol.

As I smiled brightly, the manager's expression softened, and he began explaining the contract process.

"Mr. Iwon, you'll sign a trainee contract with us, right? You won't reject us like you did with POT, will you?"

"Ah, I'll have to discuss it with my parents, but I think I'll sign."

Had they been worried about that? To be honest, I couldn't guarantee anything yet. There was still a chance I might not sign.

"Manager, may I ask for a favor? I'd like to tour the agency, if possible."

"That's within my discretion. It might be difficult right now since the other applicants are still around, but if you can wait 30 minutes, I can show you around."

After waiting for 30 minutes at the first-floor café, the talent development manager came to fetch me.

The purpose of the tour was to get a feel for the atmosphere among the current trainees at Hanul Entertainment.

Following the manager's lead, we toured several places before arriving at the practice room.

"This is where the male trainees practice their dancing. Once you start your trainee life, you'll be spending a lot of time here. There are other practice rooms, and you'll use them according to the schedule."

I peeked into the practice room through the window. It seemed to be free practice time, as there were no instructors present.

Four trainees were dancing together. After the song ended, they collapsed onto the floor, laughing and correcting each other's mistakes. They even teased each other playfully.

I had expected the atmosphere to be more tense, given the limited spots for debut, but it seemed lighthearted.

Though I hadn't seen all the trainees, if this was the atmosphere when they weren't prepared, then it was a good sign.

Hanul Entertainment had passed my test.

"Oh, by the way, did you know one of our trainees goes to the same school as you?"

"Really?"

"You haven't met?"

It seems I hadn't. It turned out that this trainee majored in contemporary dance and was a year older than me.

It would be nice to get to know him. As a senior at school, it would be easier to ask him questions about the company.

"What's his name?"

"His name is Nam Chorok."