05

    Step Five

    :: Filming the Second Tape Part II ::

    After nearly an hour, some groups had finished cooking and began presenting their dishes to Park Insa, who then assumed the role of host, checking everything was in order and posing questions on behalf of the future audience, much like a cooking show host rather than a survival show seeking idol group members.

    [What is this dish, Mr. Kato Eiji?] ensuring the microphone picked up every word.

    “You may just call me Eiji.”

    [Okay, Eiji, what are you making?]

    “I come from a sushi restaurant back home, so I know how to fillet fish. Everyone voted for sashimi for breakfast, so that’s what you see here,” the young man gestured towards neatly sliced pieces of tuna and yellowtail fish, the red and white flesh artfully arranged. A small mound of wasabi sat in the center for flavor enhancement.

    [Eating raw fish for breakfast, huh?] Although it looked appetizing, the host in his forties internally bid farewell to the dish, despite initially intending to sample a bite or two.

    “Not a problem at all, senior Park. None of us really know how to cook anything substantial, so having rice and pickles besides this is quite satisfying,” one of the trainees confessed cheerfully, supported enthusiastically by the others in the group.

    […] Park Insa looked sympathetically at the trainee from country J, who returned a deadpan stare.

    [Let’s move on to the next group,] the nearly middle-aged host decided, moving on to a table where the atmosphere was even more intense than the last.

    “Hello, senior,” Im Kureum greeted with a smile so strained it was hard to keep up appearances.

    [Uh, what is this...]

    “It's the past life of a fish that swam in the sea. It was caught by fishermen this morning and has since passed away. Now, it has been respectfully cremated.”

    […Sounds quite brutal.]

    “Yes, its life was truly tragic. It was born without ever seeing its parents, swam alone in the ocean, and just when it was about to get married, it was caught by humans. None of us dared to eat it, so we simply held a simple funeral service for it,” the young man feigned wiping away a tear while the trainees behind him struggled not to laugh.

    “In its memory, we’ve decided to have a vegetarian meal,” he gestured towards the cooked rice provided by the show and some ready-made pickled vegetables on the plate.

    “...”

    All the trainees and the production team fell silent in unison after hearing the exceptional excuse that surpassed all other teams. The person who had been speaking up to that moment licked his lips lightly before bowing his head, avoiding further eye contact.

    Pffft

    “Hahaha”

    Soon after, laughter spread widely among the group. The team tried to hold back their laughter to avoid disrupting the filming, but they couldn't help it.

    "...," the main producer clenched his fists so tightly his shoulders shook. He had to maintain a stern facade and couldn't laugh like the rest of the crew.

    This mischievous kid! As slippery as an eel indeed!! Good for him, if this scene aired, his son’s popularity was sure to skyrocket.

    Jacan was also taken aback by the reason that the trainee team used to excuse their burnt fried fish. It was quite clever, and he was sure to gain a number of fans from this incident.

    Im Kureum... Im?

    The young man rolled his eyes, recalling the brief personnel data he had gathered about the production team, and then realized that this young man was the only son of Im Heewoo, the main producer of the show.

    He hadn't expected him to allow his son to participate in a show he was overseeing. Anyone else might fear accusations of favoritism and would have chosen a different path for their child's idol debut.

    It seemed this episode would be discussed in various ways... Quite interesting indeed.

    [Let's move on to the last group,] Park Insa continued checking each group, each presenting their food in humorous and unusual ways to cover up their culinary skills, until he reached the final team. He felt a relief for the members of this group who finally got to eat a normal breakfast as it should be.

    [Let's move to the last group,] Park Insa checked nearly all groups, each presenting their food in humorous and unconventional ways to disguise their culinary skills, until he reached the final team. He felt relieved for the members of this group who finally got to eat a normal breakfast as it should be.

    [The food looks quite good,] the young man complimented.

    "We all helped each other and did our best," Jacan saw the youngsters in his group hesitating to speak because he had done most of the cooking himself... Such good kids, even though he had assigned tasks to everyone, no matter how minor.

    [May I try a taste?] The appearance and smell were promising, but what about the taste?

    "Please, go ahead," Wang Qi quickly grabbed a bowl and spoon and offered it to the senior host immediately.

    Park Insa took the bowl, using a ladle to scoop just enough of the soup for a taste, though he really wanted enough to satisfy his hunger. He noticed the crew around looking eagerly at the food this group had prepared.

    [I'm about to eat now, wow, this is exciting.] If the taste contradicts the appearance, how would he manage his expression?

    Gulp.

    Gulp, gulp, gulp.

    "Ugh..." Both the trainees and the team swallowed hard as they watched Park Insa eat more and more without engaging in conversation as he had done before.

    "Would you like some egg kimbap?" Jacan, well aware of his duties, saw that half the fish was gone and served up some egg kimbap filled with sesame leaves and spam, alongside pickled vegetables.

    Gulp, gulp, slurp (sipping the soup).

    [Ah... this is delicious, a perfect breakfast,] the man in his early forties slurped up the last drop of soup, his eyes wistfully on the big pot of soup. If it weren't for the fact that these kids hadn't had a bite yet, he would shamelessly ask for another bowl.

    [How did you make it so delicious, and it doesn't taste like any soup I've had before?]

    "I used traditional ingredients from country T and adapted them to the soup of country K, which is why it tastes so well-rounded," Jacan lamented the lack of time to simmer pork bones, which might have made the dish even better.

    [No wonder...] It was the taste of country T.

    He reminisced about the concert tours there. Whenever he went to country T, he would always go on a food tour.

    [Do you go to country T often?]

    "I used to fly there to watch my favorite band's concerts. After going there frequently over a decade, I've absorbed quite a bit of the culture," Now that the Twin K brothers had moved behind the scenes, he continued to follow them closely. Part of the reason he formed a duo with his sister Han Shinsu was because Twin K inspired them.

    [You've been a fan for ten years? Can you whisper the name of the band?]

    "Twin K, sir. They're a twin duo, and I've been a Twinkle since I was five years old."

    [!!!] Twin K!!

    [I like that band too. I've been a Twinkle since those two started the band!] Park Insa's eyes lit up in a rare display of genuine joy at finding a fellow fan.

    A trainee and a host locked eyes as if they had found a long-lost friend, but before they could delve into a conversation about their favorite idols, the cough of Im Heewoo echoed through the speakers, startling the duo of different ages.

    [[Let's get back to work now.]]

    “Yes, sir.”

    [Sure.]

    The two men of different ages bowed their heads in acknowledgment but secretly signaled to each other that they should chat more if they ever found the time. Both seemed eager to talk until they ran out of breath.

    The chaotic breakfast ended in less than half an hour, and a new form of entertainment arrived with a voting segment to assign colors to each class for easy recognition and remembrance.

    "Isn't it usually determined by the show?" Jacan raised his hand to ask after breakfast, as the crew kept them sitting together at the same spot.

    [Initially, we planned to use the usual patterns, but the PD wanted something different, oh! He wanted to know what you all think, to ensure that wearing distinctly colored shirts doesn't feel too uncomfortable.]

    The host's explanation didn't really help the trainees understand what the senior producer meant; they just nodded along as if they understood.

    [Alright, the crew will hand out papers now. Everyone, write down your color preferences for your class. We'll vote on what color each class will get. But please, specify clear colors only, like green; don't specify shades like juniper green, okay?]

    "Ha ha, sure!" A young trainee laughed out loud as he received his paper. From the first day of filming to now, they felt their initial tension dissolve at some point.

    "What a way to break the ice," Jacan noted, seeing Wang Qi's puzzled expression, even the paper in his hand unwritten.

    "That's true," Yeo Unche agreed, bumping his fist into his palm.

    “We're all strangers brought together; there must be some friction or discomfort. So, doing silly activities can help relieve stress and also helps us get to know our fellow participants better."

    "What color should we write then?" The young trainee turned to look at Jacan, who was also in Class A.

    "It has to be a vibrant color that stands out from afar," Jacan replied. With only a few in their class, they needed to stand out, or they risked being overshadowed by the other classes.

    In a variety show, airtime and being visually striking were everything!