God Idol Project: Hope [GIPH]

Chapter 24: Choosing Stage Names

After the manager left, the atmosphere in the practice room became restless. Even the usually calm Seohon hyung couldn't hide his excitement.

"A stage name would be better than my real name, right? Park Ha sounds better than Park Hajun, don't you think?"

"It's easier to call you Park Ha than Park Hajun. You're probably more used to Park Ha too."

"Hmm, for Jion hyung, a rap name might be better? It's more recognizable, and it gives off a rapper vibe."

"Z-on, Jeton? What do you think?"

Park Ha and Jion were deep in thought, trying to figure out what their stage names should be. Although we should have been practicing, the mood was a bit scattered. I wasn't sure if anyone would be able to focus on dancing with their minds elsewhere.

"Play some music. We'll instinctively react once the music starts."

Oran, who had been watching the situation, spoke to Chorok hyung. Oran believed in doing what needed to be done on time. Things like stage names, group names, and concepts wouldn't be decided right away.

"Alright, let's start practicing!"

˚˖✧✧✧˚.

By the time the manager returned to the practice room, we were completely exhausted. Luckily, since the group of members practicing together was familiar, we adjusted quickly.

The manager, seemingly impressed by our efforts, patted our shoulders as if to encourage us. He said he'd come around dinnertime on purpose, hoping to bond with us.

Looking at his appearance and stern demeanor, you might think he was more suited to being a police officer or a soldier. He'd actually been in the military for a long time and was capable of performing security duties.

Despite his appearance, he seemed to be a thoughtful and meticulous person. He asked if we had any allergies, what foods we liked, and even inquired about our body types, noting down all the details.

It was clear why he had been chosen as our manager. His experience aside, he had the personality to look after and manage people well.

After dinner, the manager drove us to our dorm in a Carnival van. It wasn't a new vehicle—it had previously been used by other celebrities—but it was thoroughly cleaned.

For us, who hadn't even debuted yet, this felt like luxurious transportation.

"This is the last schedule for today. It's your first night at the dorm, so you'll probably be busy settling in. Get things organized and get some rest. Nam Chorok, Ham Iwon, and Kim Jion, who still have school, need to get up early tomorrow."

The manager gave us a quick farewell and disappeared swiftly. He dropped us off in front of the dorm and gave us the passcode, indicating that we were on our own for life inside the dorm.

Dorm life didn't involve much beyond sleeping and showering, after all.

"Let's go in!"

Our dorm was on the third floor of a villa in a quiet residential area.

Inside, there was basic furniture, and the living room was cluttered with bags and boxes that hadn't been sorted yet.

It seemed like the rooms hadn't been assigned yet, which is why things were left this way.

Those of us who were visiting the dorm for the first time wandered around, exploring the space. There were two large rooms with bunk beds, and the other two rooms were smaller but had single beds.

"Alright, everyone's had a look around? Come over here so we can decide on the rooms."

Leader Chorok hyung took the lead in deciding the rooms.

"We can switch rooms every few months if needed, but since moving your stuff around is a hassle, let's try to stick to the first arrangement. If it doesn't work out, let me know and we can adjust."

Why was I so nervous about picking a room? If I got along with my roommate, sharing a room wouldn't be bad, and if I got a single room, I'd have my own freedom. I had no experience yet, so I couldn't decide which option was better.

"Everyone, open your papers. Rooms 1 and 2 are singles, and rooms 3 and 4 are doubles."

When I opened my paper, I saw the number 3 written on it. Who would I be sharing with?

"Who got number 3? Looks like you'll be rooming with me."

The other person who drew number 3 was Seohon hyung. It seemed like a decent result. Seohon hyung was thoughtful, kind, and not picky.

We smiled at each other after confirming our papers. It seemed like he didn't mind having me as his roommate either.

"Phew, this already feels like a headache."

"Why a headache? I think sharing a room with Oran is great, roommate!"

Oran ended up sharing a room with Jion. Considering Jion's free-spirited nature and Oran's structured habits, their living arrangement seemed bound to face some challenges.

And while Oran might not know it yet, Jion was quite the maximalist. I could already picture what their room would look like. It wouldn't be surprising if Oran requested a room change soon.

Chorok hyung and Park Ha were in single rooms and didn't seem to have any complaints. In fact, Park Ha was whining about how sharing a room would've been more fun.

"Everyone, go ahead and organize your things in your rooms. Afterward, let's gather to brainstorm concepts, group names, and stage names."

"Yay! I'm going to be the first to finish organizing!"

While everyone started sorting out their rooms, I received a call from my parents and went outside the dorm. They had come to drop off some of my packed belongings.

For now, I only took the essentials, planning to bring the rest of my clothes and items gradually.

"Iwon, will you be okay?"

"Don't worry about me. It feels unfamiliar, but I'll get used to it somehow."

"Alright. I trust you. I'll make sure to find you a workroom quickly."

In the morning, I had asked my parents if they could help find me a space to use as a studio.

I also needed to let go of the practice room I used for violin, and I wanted to compose music where my instruments were. I was itching to create music again. Maybe it was because I still had the habit of expressing myself through music.

"It'd be great if the studio was close to the dorm, so I can go whenever I want."

"Don't worry, we'll take care of it. Your dad just wants you to stay healthy. Your dream is important, but you're more important to us."

Since collapsing after the debut evaluation stage, my parents had been particularly concerned about my health. It was a consequence of overexerting myself, so I had to reassure them repeatedly.

˚˖✧✧✧˚.

How do idols choose their stage names?

If a name feels outdated, common, or lacking impact, they opt for a stage name. Of course, many still use their real names, usually dropping the family name and using the given name as their stage name. Sometimes the company comes up with the name, or the artist chooses it themselves.

When we attended the meeting with the staff, we were all on edge, unfamiliar with the atmosphere.

All eyes were on us as we sat in a row. Is this what it feels like to be the center of attention? Thoughts of wanting to leave a good impression were mixed with a desire to assert our opinions freely.

The first topic of the meeting was deciding on stage names.

"Nam Chorok... 'Chorok' by itself would be better. The family name sounds a bit strong, and the name 'Chorok' is unique on its own."
"I agree. Chorok is good."
Chorok hyung's stage name was decided relatively easily. His name was unique, and there weren't any other celebrities with the same name, so it was easy to remember.

"For trainee Hong Oran, hmm. 'Oran' is better, right?"

"Hongran, Oran. 'Ran' could work too, couldn't it?"

"Ran might make people mistake him for a girl at first, don't you think? Oran could also be a bit confusing, but..."

"Should we come up with a new name? These days, even if idols debut with a stage name, fans end up calling them by their real name anyway."

"Let's go with Oran for now and leave room for adjustments. What do you think, Oran? Oh, oops!"

The trainee development team leader accidentally raised his voice.

"Oran? Isn't that a product name? It's a name, but..."

"Well, it's his real name, so what can we do?"

The other staff members seemed to realize this only now, and there was a buzz of confusion. It was an unusual case, so they were understandably taken aback.

Was it really okay for a name to unintentionally become product placement?

Thoughts about whether this was ethically acceptable crossed my mind.

The CEO eventually calmed the room and asked,
"Ultimately, the most important opinion is yours. How do you feel, Hong Oran?"

"I'm satisfied. I think my name could become a kind of branding. The product's recognition could work to my advantage, and it might even bring in advertising opportunities."

"Hmm. Is that so? Alright, I'll look into it and take care of it."

The CEO reassured us that he would handle any potential issues, making me feel confident that everything would be taken care of.

"Seohon. Your name is cool, but it might be hard for people to pronounce since it's only one syllable."

"It's Seohon. Seo-hon. Yeah, I guess the latter sounds better."

"Hon, Seohon. Yeah, Seohon is better. It's a unique name, so there's no need to change it. Do you like it?"

"Yes. I'd like to use my real name. I used it during my child actor days too."

His name, both the family name and given name, was uncommon. It was the kind of name that would fit in a novel or drama. It would be memorable for fans too.
"But be mindful of pronunciation. Since Hon is an unusual name, people might hear it as 'Hun.' Seo-hun doesn't stand out as much."

"I'll be careful with introductions."

It was fun analyzing names from different perspectives. We got to hear a variety of opinions, and some unexpected insights came up.

"I like Park Ha! I'll use Park Ha as my stage name!"

"Right, Park Ha sounds better than Park Hajun."

"But Park Ha... you know the issue with the pronunciation, right?"

"Baka? It sounds like the Japanese word for fool?"

"Exactly. Are you still sure you want to use Park Ha? I'd suggest coming up with something completely different."

Park Ha hesitated. It might be getting ahead of things, but if we ended up promoting in Japan, he could be called a fool.

Park Ha had said that Park Ha felt more natural than Park Hajun, almost like it was his real name. But now that a new option was on the table, Park Ha didn't give a quick answer.

"Well... I still want to go with Park Ha! If we go to Japan, I'll use Hajun."

"Think about it a bit more before deciding. There's still time."

"...Okay."

They gave Park Ha more time to think it over, but I had a feeling he'd stick with Park Ha in the end.

"Trainee Kim Jion, how about you? Both Jion and Jeton are good."

"I'm fine with either."

"Shouldn't we capitalize on the recognition you gained from Show Me the Gold? I vote for Jeton."

"No matter what, the hip-hop scene won't like it...."

There was a tendency for rappers to look down on idol group rappers. In the past, many idols became rappers because they weren't good at singing, and they often learned to rap during their idol training, leading to criticisms of their skills. Plus, since idols performed lyrics written by someone else, they weren't always considered true rappers.

Over time, idol rappers had significantly improved, and many now wrote their own lyrics, but most people still drew a clear line between idol rappers and "real" rappers.

But now Jeton, who had done well on Show Me the Gold, was becoming an idol rapper? How would the hip-hop scene react? It was hard to predict, but the chances of a positive reception didn't seem high.

On the flip side, fans might appreciate that his skills had been proven.

"I think the pros outweigh the cons. Jeton is a good choice."

"Let's go with Jeton, then."

Jion seemed unfazed. They won't like it? So what? That seemed to be his attitude. Being the self-centered person he was, even if he heard negative things, he would just keep going his own way.

"Lastly, trainee Ham Iwon. Do you have any preferences?"

"No."

I'd vaguely thought I'd just use my real name. The people in the room started murmuring variations of my name. Ham Iwon, Iwon, Won, Hamwon... different pronunciations of my name followed one after another.

"Your surname is unique, so it might be better to keep the full name. Iwon isn't bad, but it doesn't stick in the mind as much."

"Right? Ham Iwon. Let's keep it as is."

The trainee development team leader said I could change it later if I came up with a better idea, but for now, we decided to stick with Ham Iwon.

"Before we move on to the next topic, I think we need to touch on the group's concept."

A concept?