03

    Step Three

    :: Beginning the Filming Part II ::

    Two weeks later

    STAR FIGHT EP.01 Filming Location

    "Jacan Miller, reporting," announced the young man with light-colored hair and striking blue eyes, catching the attention of the staff as soon as he walked in. Jacan was dressed in a white crew neck shirt layered with a brown knit cardigan, paired with faded skinny jeans and ankle boots. His overall look exuded a soft yet strong presence.

    "Your documents are all in order. Please leave your belongings in the room inside. Our staff will label them and deliver them to your accommodation after the first shoot. Here is your name sticker and class designation, which will be assigned after the evaluation. Please place it on your chest or another easily visible spot for the judges," instructed a staff member.

    "During this time, please make any necessary calls to your family or relatives. The show will collect all contestants' phones and return them only during designated times or in case of emergencies. This is to ensure everyone can fully concentrate on the filming," the staff member added, ensuring that no details of the filming would be leaked to the outside world.

    "Thank you," Jacan replied, taking the documents but not immediately sticking the label on. He chose to follow the staff member to store his belongings first. He sent a quick message to his sister, Shinsu, to inform her that he had arrived at the studio. Then he turned off his phone and placed it in the designated locker. Only after that did he peel the sticker and affix it prominently on his shirt.

    ‘JACAN M.’

    The young man couldn't help but smile a little. Finally, he could use his real name.

    The waiting room he was led to was a spacious, square room about two meters wide. In front of him, a television displayed the rules and guidelines that had been sent in an email, reiterating them one more time. Above the television, a camera was recording, likely capturing scenes to be edited into the first episode.

    What should I do...

    "In the box to your left, you will find stickers indicating the class level that you believe matches your abilities."

    Jacan pretended to read the instructions out loud as if to verify his understanding. He then selected a sticker indicating class A-E. Naturally, if he wanted to stand out, he had to choose class A.

    But simply choosing it wouldn't be enough.

    “Please let me really get this class,” Jacan murmured, holding the Class A sticker. He then clasped his hands together above his head in a traditional prayer gesture, speaking a prayer in country T language. If the show decided to use this scene, they would have to find out the meaning and add subtitles for sure.

    The young man lowered the Class A sticker to eye level, rubbing it with his thumb for a moment. He fumbled to peel it off and stick it in the class designation slot next to his name tag when he heard a prompt from the staff outside. Now it read: JACAN M. / Class A.

    When he left the room, the staff led him to the large studio designated for filming the first episode. The area was sectioned off with opaque plastic partitions, but he could still make out that there were at least 20 other contestants in the room.

    In a typical show, the contestants would be brought together and later made to act as if they were meeting for the first time during filming. He didn't expect this show to go as far as to keep the contestants from seeing each other even backstage.

    "An attendant will lead you into the studio for filming shortly. Please be prepared," a staff member announced. Then, they started calling out the numbers in order of arrival. He was in the middle of the pack, leaning towards the end, so by the time it was his turn, the front and middle row seats would likely be taken.

    Cut to the first episode of Star Fight being filmed.

    Wang Qi was excited about participating in a major show, believing fervently that he had narrowly passed the audition. As an independent artist and a foreigner not holding citizenship of country K, by the moment he received an email confirming his advancement, he was almost ready to pack up and return to his home country.

    "Madly invested," the young man with a youthful face, who clearly had not reached legal adulthood, walked out of the door that the staff had left him at.

    The use of the word 'left' is appropriate because he was merely looking left and right, filled with curiosity. The staff, initially leading, had to switch to pulling and dragging him along until they got here. After explaining what needed to be done, they walked back to find the next participant, but none of those explanations were heard by the excited young man, not even a single sentence.

    At this moment, Wang Qi could only gaze at the studio set for filming, his eyes sparkling with a mixture of excitement and confusion about what he should do next.

    In front of the young man was a raised floor resembling a stage, and above his head hung a large TV screen displaying the word "UNKNOWN" across it, likely indicating that those entering at this time were unaffiliated trainees.

    Beyond the stage, there was a table for the judges, and behind it, a four-tiered triangular auditorium with chairs numbered from 1 to 99. The first five numbers were positioned in the center and had a more prominent aura than the others.

    Especially the top chair with the number one boldly displayed, it was almost like a luxurious custom-made sofa from abroad, representing a significant investment.

    "Right, I need to choose a chair I want to sit in, yes, choose a chair," he mumbled to himself for nearly a minute until the once excited Wang Qi finally remembered the next steps he needed to take.

    "Where should I sit?" the young man scanned the seats from the last number to the first, looking back and forth twice before finally deciding on number 29.

    "This one then. Lucky Number, the best personal choice," Not too high, not too low, though far from the debut number, he was undeterred and ready to climb from this seat!

    And the moment his bottom touched the chair...

    Boom, boom, boom!

    "Ai ya! I’m dead, I’m dead, I’m dead!!!"

    A thunderous drum sound erupted accompanied by ceaselessly flickering spotlights. The startling effects made the young man's heart drop, his hands instinctively rising to protect his head from anything that might fall. His handsome, playful face showed genuine panic, not feigned at all.

    Undoubtedly, Wang Qi's exclamation and shocked expression would become a meme he'd detest for a long time.

    Swish

    Suddenly, the screen changed from "UNKNOWN" to display the name of a mid-sized company, and a handsome young man walked out from the same door.

    He seemed well-prepared, nodding slightly in greeting upon seeing someone already seated, his eyes quickly scanning for cameras placed around. He then introduced himself and his agency before beginning to look for a suitable chair, choosing one not far down the line.

    "Wow, sitting at number 5 already," which was designated for those ready to debut.

    From the large studio room, where initially only two trainees were seated, others gradually began to enter, filling it up slowly. This process repeated until it was the turn of a young man with a quarter heritage who stood out from everyone else in the studio.

    Jacan, with his sea-colored eyes, surveyed his peers, whom he would be sharing his fate with for the next three months. Each had a distinct personality that differed from the others. His slim legs beneath jeans confidently stepped onto the stage, and his face always adorned with a friendly smile made him stand out from other trainees who seemed nervous when facing the crowd.

    "Hello, I'm Jacan, an independent trainee."

    "Hello," other trainees were all exchanging their greetings, and some of them began to evaluate their competitors based on their looks. Since the filming began, everyone in this studio had been confident in their appearance. When good-looking people gathered, the best-looking among them stood out, and in their eyes, Jacan was one of them.

    The whispering of other contestants from above made the young man slightly anxious, as it had been a long time since he was the focus of such a large group's attention.

    Exciting, indeed…

    The young man scanned the empty chair numbers, stopping at number 25, which was still available. However, he hesitated because it was flanked by two handsome men of distinct styles, fearing that their strong presence might overshadow him.

    But when he considered other options, he found them unsatisfactory.

    ‘I'll just sit there.’

    "Is that spot a gathering of good-looking people or what?" one young man, sitting along the edge at the bottom row, turned to a new friend immediately after seeing the blue-eyed young man join the two very attractive men, so intimidating that no one dared to approach. And once he sat down, he seemed just as striking as they were.

    "It's like they're already debuted idols," another added, before they turned to face each other, pouted, and mockingly wiped away fake tears from each other’s eyes.

    "Just having those guys there makes it feel like the chance of us debuting decreases every minute."

    "Don’t say that, we can make it."

    "Can we make it, or do we get to make it?"

    "We get to make it, haha!"

    Of course, the installed cameras captured these humorous and candid moments. These images would be included in the first tape, eliciting laughter and sympathetic chuckles from the audience.

    It took nearly twenty minutes for all 99 contestants to take their seats. As soon as the last person sat down, music played again, startling the tender-hearted young men who comforted each other with pats on the back.

    "..." Jacan, who was used to the variety show effects and sat undisturbed, watched the two handsome guys beside him nearly jump out of their chairs.

    Was it genuine fright or just an act?

    Suddenly!

    The screen, which had been calm after introducing the last trainee, displayed a talented female singer known as the queen of golden voice, then quickly shifted to show four other individuals, stirring excitement within the studio.

    "Waaaaah! Kim Sujin!"

    "Nuna really came to judge, Aaaaahhh!"

    "Wow, Kim Bomi is here too, the Kim ladies are truly awesome."

    "But half our country uses the surname Kim,” Weren’t they all considered one big family or what?

    "Sheesh, wasn’t Jung Wangseong supposed to have declined the invitation to join? How is he on the screen then?"

    "Yikes! Lee Danbi, the rap industry's big name is also here!"

    “#$%^&* (%@$U** (..."

    The young man of mixed heritage alternated between watching the screen and observing the excitement of the other young contestants buzzing about the list of judges who were also trainers.

    Ah... They all looked so familiar.

    I missed this.