#rkttc

[trcent]

// ( ♔ ) CHALLENGE RESULTS

➨ WHO IS TRC ENTERTAINMENT’S NEXT TRIPLE THREAT?

The judges of TRC’s Triple Threat Challenge took their time to deliberate between all of the contestants, and with so many impressive and interesting performances, their decision wasn’t an easy one. Finally, the participants were alerted by the staff that the panel came to a decision, and such was announced to any audience members still lingering around the competition’s stage waiting.

Tiger JK took to a microphone himself to announce he results. “The winner, receiving a contract to begin training under TRC Entertainment, and the title of TRC’s Triple Threat is...IM JAEBUM!”

The staff members urged Jaebum back out onto the stage, where Tiger JK awaited to personally shake his hand and give him his TRC contract.

However, that wasn’t all. Tiger JK handed the microphone over to one of the instructors on the panel, who thanked the audience for enjoying the performances of the day and coming out to support the company. He also requested that all contestants wait backstage for Tiger JK to thank them personally for coming.

As promised, Tiger JK made his way backstage and addressed the performers as a group with a few words: “You all put on quite the show for us today. It was fun, right? I enjoyed it. I hope you did as well. Thanks for coming and sharing your time with us. If performing felt good, make sure to take advantage of the opportunity to perform everywhere you go.”

He lingered for a moment, then pulled out a sheet of paper he began reading names from. Who were the names on the list? People that didn’t win the title of triple threat, but that TRC would like to see again for a private audition:

IM DAYOUNG ( @rkdayoung )

JUNG SOOYEON ( @rksica )

LEECHAIYAPORNKUL CHITTAPHON  ( @tenrk )

LEE SEOKMIN ( @rkdokyeom )

NAKAMOTO YUTA ( @yutark )

PARK CHANYEOL ( @rkpcy )

Tiger JK saw himself out, leaving a TRC staff member to explain the requirements of the auditions. This time, those offered an audition are asked to prepare a performance displaying one skill they consider their strongest. Their performance must, once again, not exceed two minutes, and they’re asked to schedule their audition anytime between the 22nd and 7th IC.

Please have your 250+ word audition solos up by the end of Wednesday, June 7th EST. Please tag your solos with #rkttc2. Congratulations, and good luck!

[tenrkarchive]

TRC ENTERTAINMENT’S TRIPLE THREAT CHALLENGE

                                                            ... performing a remixed version of SHE’S A BABY by ZICO                                                                                                 and BODY by MINO

» (1:11-1:38 / 2:14-2:40) vocal » (0:010 - 0:55) dance 

May 21st - Yongsan District Open Stage

he hears about the trc competition from a classmate on the day it’s announced, and there’s not a shred of doubt in his mind as to whether he’ll be competing or not - even if purely for the experience and chance to get himself noticed, even if he’s not signed, he’s determined to make the most of the chance. that very day he sets about picking music, asking for his teachers’ advice in what songs fit him best out of the few he’s got scribbled down on a scrap piece of paper he had to hand. 

within days he’s got his two chosen songs with the times picked out and mixed into one track (thanks to a friend who knows a lot more about mixing music than he does). from that point on he refuses all help - he wants to do this on his own; show his skill, and his skill alone. this is a chance to show what he can put together on his own at this point in time. 

waiting in line to sign up gets to a point of nerve wracking that ten thinks he may have never even been acquainted with before. if he doesn’t get to sign up he’s going to regret not arriving at 6am to get in line for pretty much the rest of his life probably. it isn’t that he particularly wants to get signed to trc, in fact he’s somewhat terrified of the tiger. 

maybe a few years ago trc would have been his dream company, due to the reputation of the company producing great rappers, but then, recently he’s wondered if he really does wants to be a rapper, or whether he wants to sing instead. he can’t deny he enjoys both, but he’s got less faith in his singing voice. this will be the first time he’s sung in front of anyone while not drunk, or overheard in the shower. but he’s glad he’s about to face his fears and let people hear him sing for real, even if the thought makes his hands grow clammy. 

finally he gets his name down and just has to wait for it to be called - it’s as if he’s fine tuned his hearing to respond only to his name being called as he blocks out everything else, going over his performance in his head over and over, making sure every point is perfect and his muscles have the moves memorised, the lyrics hammered into his subconscious so he doesn’t have to worry about forgetting his lines. 

the sound of his name being called out loud and clear over the hum of conversation, both excited and nervous, pulls him out of his thoughts and tugs his feet into motion. he’s at the edge of the stage within seconds, an anxious type of exhilaration thrumming through his veins. for the most part this is about experience, and exposure, getting his name, face, and recognition for his hard work out there. of course it’d be a dream come true to be offered a contract with trc, but even just the experience itself would be something truly notable to have under his belt. 

whatever happens this won’t be the end of his road towards the future he craves. 

so he walks up onto the stage and finds the perfect centre naturally. his eyes lock on the judges, falling on tiger jk as he bows ninety degrees to them and introduces himself with a small smile. then, he steps back and the music starts, the remixed track he’d had put together blasting out over the sound system. 

잘 들어 손 안 쓰고 간지럼 태울게 좋아해란 말은 그만 관둘래 얼마 못 가서 넌 날 엄��나게 사랑하게 될 거야 이렇게 행복할 땐 뒤도는 거 아니야 ah ah How ya feel 기분 어때 고개 까딱까딱해줘

he starts off with the bit he’s most scared about - the singing. it’s his way of challenging himself, dropping himself into the deep end to get the worst out of the way so he can shine even brighter once he’s got his foothold. he’d spent most of his time practising the singing part, to make sure his voice didn’t have a single waver or tremble from the nerves he knew he’d inevitably feel. dancing was his forte, and he’d been rapping for years already, but the only singing practise he’d really had was from vocal music in high school when he learnt purely how to control and strengthen his voice and how to pronounce words clearly. he’s put most of it into his rapping until recently, when he decided he wanted to put more of his time into singing as well. he felt it would be beneficial for him to level his skills across the board, since he knew he didn’t have a bad singing voice, and he knew well how to control it. 

the track melts over the bit he’d cut out of the music and into the rap, where he feels like a weight suddenly falls off his chest and the smile that had lingered on his lips as he sang widens, before falling into a smug little grin, his weight shifting as he lets his body move gently to the beat as the rap begins, slowly working his way up for the dance coming later. 

내 검지를 움켜진 작은 손엔 복숭아 향이 나 얼마나 멋져져야 그 눈동자에 나만 담길까 남김없이 다 퍼다 줄래 개털 돼도 뭐랬어 중간 없대도 Not enough 심장에 무리 갈 만큼 해야지 가끔 힘들면 그 시간 나한테 맡겨 깨끗이 해결 짓고 올게 그땐 말없이 안겨 혼란만 부추겼던 등장인물이었지만 지나보면 못 잊을 줄거리야 네 얘기야

he saunters across the stage slightly as he raps, wagging a finger at one of the judges with a cheeky half smile on ‘i’ll solve all your problems’, earning a laugh from a few audience members who he mentally thanks - it boosts his confidence for sure, leaning his head back slightly and peering at the audience out of the corner of his eyes as he finishes the rap. 

then comes the smooth transition into the song he’d picked to dance to, a hand smoothing through his hair as his body simply melts into the dance moves. 

그리워 너의 몸 간지러운 숨소리 생각나 어렴풋이 I can’t feel you

그리워 너의 몸 찰랑이던 머리 생각나 어렴풋이 So where are you

there’s deeper feeling in these lyrics, a more mature, lustful feeling that ten can’t completely empathise with yet - so he does as best as he can because it’s sexual, and he can’t just play the lyrics off as romantic longing. a person pops into his head and he fights the instinct to push him from his mind, instead using those feelings to fuel the passion he puts into his performance. 

Oh god 널 보고싶어 목적은 다를지도 알콜의 힘을 빌려 실수로 전화할지도 모르겠어 판단력이 흐려 흐려 흐려 무의식중에 허공에 너를 그려그려그려 미쳤나봐

the lyrics speak so true to him - drowning things in alcohol and making reckless decisions (like turning up at his window in the early hours of the morning) and drawing him in the sketchbook he carries with him most places he goes. he really must be crazy to let himself think about him so much but a guy can dream, can’t he?

his body ebbs and flows to the lyrics and the beat, eyes linking with the tiger’s as he nears the end of his performance, putting everything he has into it, treating it like it’s the last time he’ll ever get to perform. with him in mind he finds that certain desire that the song requires and he knows he’ll have to deal with the guilt later but for now, to make his performance as real as possible, he bring his own experience to the table. 

the track fades out as he reaches the end of the dance, completely out of breath, but pleased with how it had gone. there’s a grin on his lips as he gives a last bow to the judges then makes his way off stage. his eyes scan the audience until they fall on jieqiong and he’s practically throwing himself at her, a hopeful smile on his lips as he asks “so? how did i do?”

[rkxsunggyu-blog]

TRC’S Triple Threat Challenge | Pray & Loser (Sunny Hill & BigStar Mashup)⚙️  Time: 1:36

The first words out of his mouth weren’t ones he meant to say aloud: “WOW, it’s really Tiger JK!” He’s so shocked to see one of his heroes that he stands there, dumbfounded and clutching the microphone with sweaty palms. This is happening. This is really, really happening. If he wasn’t held upright by the metal braces encapsulating his legs, his knees would be knocking together. 

“Hello, I’m twenty-three year old Kim Gyusung-- I MEAN, Kim Sunggyu!” he stutters. The sour sting of bile surges from his stomach to the back of his throat. It takes everything in him not to projectile vomit at the judges table. His nervous laughter is accompanied by the usual snorting, amplified to nightmarish proportions by the microphone. “I’m p-performing a song that has a special meaning to me,” he says. Deep breath. Deep breath. Deep breaths. 

“I’m the Triple Threat that’ll keep on multiplying!”

Why did he say that? Why did he say something so cheesy and cringe-worthy? He can’t go anywhere without coming off like a goof, can he? Embarrassing himself wasn’t part of his audition plan, which was meticulously outlined in a journal at home. Sunggyu’s strategy for the performance is to stay within his ability. As he takes a deep breath, he reminds himself to keep his performance clean. He can’t let the competition make him desperate. From the moment he’s stepped on stage, he’s been restraining the desire to kick his performance up a notch. It’s tempting to add vocal runs or extra flair in his dance. But, he refrains and sticks to his plan. It’s better to be excellent with the basics than be mediocre – or worse, make a total fool of himself – by trying to reach the level of the other contestants. Even if he doesn’t realize it, his charisma may carry most of his audition.

Sunggyu does a complete bow before the judges, clicks the microphone back onto the stand, and takes a deep breath. He’s going to tackle dancing first. The crowd must be wondering, he supposes, how someone like him planned on dancing. For the first few nights after reading about the competition, he’d wondered too. The official rules never outlined what kind of dance they wanted to see. As long as it classifies as a dance, he can check off that box for the competition requirements. It’s unrealistic for him, both physically and training-wise, to burst into contemporary dance. The competition seemed impossible. He’d mused that if sleight of hand counted as a dance form, then maybe his zero chance of winning could be bumped up to one percent. He’s always been good with his hands -- quick with working wooden puzzles, excellent sleight-of-hand for his magic tricks, and fast to wrap holiday presents at his mother’s shop.

His hands. His hands were the solution. He doesn’t need his legs to dance.

It’s just his style to have a clever answer for everything. 

The music begins, but there’s not a single instrument to be heard. Instead, it’s a careful selection of sound effects he’d spliced together on a friend’s computer. Screeching tires. Scrunched metal. Heavy breathing. Cellphone dial tone. Sirens. All the while, he’s been creating a story using his upper body alone. It’s a form of street dance called tutting, the art of creating illusions through finger and wrist movement. Masters can make it look hypnotic -- like their bones are liquid, like their muscles are silk, and like each movement is a puzzle piece sliding into place. Sunggyu is only moderate in skill, but his background in sleight of hand finally seems useful. His fingers loop and twirl, wrists rotate and snap, and shoulders roll when necessary. He concentrates and is thankful he didn’t choreograph anything beyond his current capabilities. He needs to finish the combinations seamlessly if he doesn’t want to look like a fool. 

Here comes his favorite part. Sunggyu closes his eyes and keeps them shut, but it’s part of the routine rather than nerves. In the backing track, the sirens fade so voices can be heard instead. He’d recorded one of his friends saying “clear” and melded it with another royalty free sound effect: the zap of a defibrillator. Eyes still closed, his hands are clasped over his chest as he introduces another street style. He’s bopping, isolating the chest to move it back and forth while flexing. Every time he hears a zap, he double-bops and stops. There are only three zaps to save time and on the third, the hands locked over his chest unfurl like flower petals. They twirl in a final, spinning illusion and grab the microphone. He hopes that he made it clear his hands were supposed to represent his heart...or should he not have done that? It’s not like he’s supposed to be writing an essay thesis on stage.  

The background transition to the instrumentals are choppy, no better than the average high school student assigned an editing project. But, the ideas and authenticity were still there. A great performer can entertain. A great artist can make people feel -- make them cry until each blink stings, make them belly laugh until they gasp for air, unbottle the emotions they keep inside of them. He might not be able to hit a whistle note, but he could try telling a story with his voice. 

“Someone told me...”

The first few notes wobble. He’s nervous, no matter how meticulously he’s prepared. From the baggy clothes to help mask stiff body movements to the chunky glasses that obscure most of his face, he’s put thought into every detail. Then why is he sinking? 

...To pray, to dream...”

The next few notes wobbles, too. The stakes are high and he’s choking. He’s choking in front of Tiger JK – oh, and it’s so obvious. The performance anxiety happened the morning of the modeling competition as well, but he doesn’t have a bottle of soju to loosen him up this time. All he has is himself. He closes his eyes and thinks about his performances at the spring festival. He thinks of his candid performance of To The Happy World. He thinks of how free he felt – the whirling, soaring, cage-breaking feelings as his worries slipped away. Sunggyu feels the tension in his shoulders melt away. 

Now, his notes are crystal clear. They’re strong and it’s free, just like that day at the festival. He came in with nothing, so nothing is lost if he leaves empty-handed. 

That it will come true no matter what it is Tell me everything, please look and tell me Please tell me to stop.

He knows that feeling. He knows that earth-shattering moment when you realize your parents and teachers lied to you. Nobody is special in this world; your report cards and mother’s report cards don’t mean shit in society. There’s no safety, no guarantees, and no happily ever afters when you’re an adult. Maybe you’re not good as everyone thought you were. Maybe you’re disappointing them. Your teachers promised that you could be astronauts and CEOs, but you end off paying debt by doing laundry for rich kids. Maybe your parents promised to protect you from the monster in your closet, but what about the bank? The big, cold building that seizes your home and let’s you sleep on the streets. You can’t just wish on a star for a home, even if all your childhood movies promised it would come true. 

You know this, yet you keep dreaming. You keep dreaming and dreaming. You wish you could give up. Oh, you would give anything to stamp hope out like a light. Hope is cruel, mocking you as you dig your own grave of fantasy and make-believe.

I only hear rough, heartless sighs I never get to hear a sigh of relief I’m praying and calling for someone to rescue me.

If everything is going to plan, he should be around forty-nine seconds into the audition. Instead of jumping into the chorus, he’s inserted a rap segment that went well with the instrumental. The original song didn’t have a rap portion, so he’d selected one that helped convey his story best. The weight of people’s eyes -- expecting entertainment and ready to thrash him online if they didn’t get it -- fall heavy on him. His hands are sweaty and he grips the microphone a little harder, not wanting it to slip.

Honestly, I’ve never fit in with the world I was always alone It’s been a long time since I’ve forgotten about love I can’t listen to hopeful love songs anymore You and me both We’re just sad clowns, tamed and scripted I’ve come too far I’m coming home I wanna go back to when I was young.

He hopes he delivered the lines the way he wanted to; abandoned and bitter.  Rapping to one of Tiger JK’s own artists was pretty ballsy. He feels like he’s moving into autopilot to keep from breaking apart on stage. Would that piss off the CEO? It’s a quick, twenty second rap to make sure he qualifies all the requirements. But, it was carefully selected to emphasize what he wanted people to feel from his performance. He’s careful that way -- an authentic individual, even if at times he’s written off as a fool or outright crashes and burns.

The rap should clock in at twenty seconds and without wasting time, he dives back into the song. He’s delivering the chorus, then a few closing lines taken from the end of the song that should wrap up the performance well. 

Stand by me in necessary Little by little you get more sick Lalala lalala lalala lalala Don’t cry for me and I’m sorry

He’d only tampered with the lyrics once. In his eyes, it was a good reason: he never wants people to feel sorry or pity him. He just wants to be himself, not a sob story or pity party.

Little by little everything you lost starts to cave in. Someone said that life is like this That things become so dull, no matter what it is Tell me everything, please look at me and tell me Please tell me to wake up.

That was the end.

All that charisma melts into a puddle of awkward as he stares at the judges table, wide-eyed like the weight of what he’s just done finally hit him. What was he doing up here? No, that wasn’t the right question. The question he asks himself is why does he think he belongs up here? What does he do? Should he thank them? He has to do SOMETHING, he’s just standing there holding the microphone. 

Sunggyu isn’t sure if he mumbled a thank you. All he knows is he jammed the microphone back into a stand, backed up like he committed a crime, and ran off stage.

[rkpcy]

███▒░  ► BERMUDA TRIANGLE - ZICO FT CRUSH, DEAN ( 0:00 - 1:31 performed live; backing from 1:31 - 1:52; click here for dancing reference )

give it up for: park chanyeol ! location: trc triple threat challenge @ yongsan date: may 21, 2017

chanyeol isn’t an idiot.

well, at least, not all the time.

he knows he isn’t exactly the greatest dancer, and his singing is average at best, but he’s never been one to let challenges keep him from pursuing his dreams, and this latest opportunity isn’t any different, uncooperative limbs and untrained vocals be damned.

chanyeol does actually consider himself somewhat of a triple threat, but his singing and dancing have no part in it. despite his often self-absorbed jokes and quips, there’s a lot that chanyeol isn’t confident in, but his rapping, writing, and composing are things he’s spent his whole life doing, and if there’s anything he’s learned from his mother and grandmother and stepfather, it’s that anything is possible with hard work.

and he, too, is perhaps a prime example of that. the statistics for someone like him, raised in poverty, in a drug-infested neighborhood, going to a public school notorious for its low test scores and worn down teachers, was that he’d fall into the status quo, a forgotten statistic, another sad story with a predictable ending. and, for a while, he was just that, a statistic, partaking in activities that nearly landed him in jail. but after such a rude awakening, he’d clawed his way out of the hole he’d dug for himself and has moved on, all the while keeping the lessons learned ingrained in his memory.

and now he stands on stage, still working hard in the hopes that one day, it’ll all pay off.

“i’m park chanyeol.”

the lights feel brighter than the rays of the sun reflecting off the sands of venice beach, and the crowd looks like the calm waves of low tide. it’s nowhere nearly as calming, though, because despite all the time chanyeol has stood on stage, the thrill and nervousness never really dies down. he thinks the moment it does is the moment he needs to retire, and that’s when he’s well and dead.

the seconds tick off as soon as he’s settled dead center on stage, and it feels as if he’s standing up on the highest peak where the air is thinner and he can barely breathe, but it doesn’t matter, because the hot blood that rushes through his veins is enough to make him feel alive. 

one, two three, four, five. it’s showtime.

손목에 Rolex 이젠 boring 길거릴 도배해 우리 노랜 놀이라 보기엔 이건 범죄 don't let 'em in let 'em in, get out my zone we we we never know, we we we never talk we we we criminal don't let 'em in let 'em in get out my zone

he starts off with one of his weaker talents, one not as bad as his dancing, but definitely still in need of work. chanyeol knows this. he knows that he’s untrained, and that he lacks control and that the notes he’s trying to hit are nearly out of his range, but no one else should ever know. no one else should be able to tell that he lacks confidence, and that’s why he sings with the utmost confidence, staring out into the middle of the audience as if they were all just once giant beast, dead center, gazes locked. he’s taking this head on.

once he’s done singing, he launches straight into his rap, the skill in which he has the most confidence (a fact that, hopefully, no one would be able to tell). his voice is a solid wall of fearlessness, with bricks of charisma, mortar of flow. he raps as if he’d written the lyrics himself, taking certain liberties with cadence and rhythm, turning the verse into his own.

who 3 fancy’s in here 삽 대신 마이크 쥐고한 곳만 팠던 idiots what we do? 툭 냈다 하면 boom 불과 몇 년 후 자연스레 장악한 media 뭉치면 닥치고 있어도 콘텐츠 huh 뭔 일이 난 거야 97년도엔 huh 역시나 과시는 부담 없는 소재 huh 얘들아 빡치면 인터넷 접속해 ahh

at first, he’d contemplated auditioning with a self-composed track, knowing he’d be at his highest performing his own piece, but it’s a calculated risk performing someone else’s song in that he isn’t showcasing himself at 100%, but rather at a deliberately stunted level. after all, as the saying goes, you should never lay all your cards on the table. and if he were to bare it all now, then where would be the surprises for later?

his voice  is a rich, deep baritone with a gravely timbre, gaining asperity as the seconds tick by. but time has no effect on him. with every moment that passes, he takes it and breathes life into it, makes sure that he’s the focus of it, a force of nature so undeniable that he becomes a tidal wave of stage presence, the embodiment of the lyrics, confident and bold and absolutely fearless.

yeah, it’s my time.

anybody, anybody 오브제 역할이 왜 넘봐 메인 자리 세대를 뒤바꿔 대세가 되어 네 장래희망이 된 세 얼간이 not cocky 하루 동선은 무대 위 또는 작업실 life of 오천만 분의 일 하쿠나마타타 날개 쳐 파드닥 get money, get famous yeah, it's our times

there’s a marked change in his tone, the aggressive inflection of his voice completely dissolving into a more laid back style while still retaining the confident and brazen demeanor. he moves about the stage as if he owns it, as if he’s a millionaire walking around his own home, a hotel owner strolling through the lobby of his own building, making eye contact with anyone who even glances in his way, making it so that he cannot be ignored.

the rap-singing (drake-style, as he so affectionately calls him) had been somewhat of a challenge for him at first. he’d concentrate on one aspect over the other, either making sure he’s in tune or making sure the flow isn’t lost, but after spending hours practicing, he’s come to realize that neither of those are essentially more important than the other, and perfection in both is, unfortunately for him, a pipe dream. so as he performs now, he focuses on what he knows best, on improvising, on using confidence and charisma to pull him through it, getting into the pocket of the backing track, riding the waves of the rhythm. he’s right where he needs to be, in his domain.

누울 자릴 제대로 보고 누워야지 ya’ll fake bitches tryna act like me 앉아서 멍만 때려도 내 소파 위에 (쏟아지는) mula mula we gon pour up murder murder 숨을 죽여 상쾌해 네 머리 위에 공기 nobody can't come over here

bermuda

he utters his final word for the performance, and drops the mic, literally. he actually flinches because the feedback that results is so loud, but he integrates it into the dance that follows. (the term dance here is used very, very lightly.) his voice still echoes through the air through the backing track, allowing him to focus more on the way his body seems to disobey his every command, and he’d maybe be embarrassed about it if he had any shame at all.

which he doesn’t.

so he continues to dance. he may not know how to roll his body, and he may not know how to make sharp, crisp movements, and he may not know how to create beautiful lines or how to glide smoothly across the floor, but he knows how to get into the pocket, how to utilize each and every beat, every sound of the bass, every cadence of the rhythm. so he moves with them, attempts to pop or lock or krump or something, and while he probably looks like one of those wacky, flailing, inflatable tube men car dealerships use to advertise their sales, no one can tell him he didn’t enjoy doing it. no one can tell him he held back.

and, he thinks, that’s the best he can ask for. at least, when it comes to dancing.

soon enough, his two minutes is up, and he stands out of breath in the middle of the stage. he’s pretty sure he’s pulled some muscles because despite all the sports he’s played, he’s almost certain his body has never moved in those ways before. he hobbles off stage once the spotlight is off, but he still stands tall, shoulders squared, proud. he’d laid himself bare on that stage, displaying talents in singing, rapping, and dancing confidence.

he’s a god damn triple threat, and no one call tell him any different.

[rktaeyong]

                             * * * trc triple threat audition 05.21.17 …                              … 24/7 (heaven) by geeks (ft. ailee) 0:00-1:30 ( singing/rap )                              & back that azz up by juveniles 0:25-0:50 ( dance )

inspiration.

taeyong draws a huge amount of inspiration from just perusing through life casually -- he lives his life in a quickened saunter, a waltz almost, with the little things sometimes being the most vivid details, where he draws the most inspiration.

once he heard about the trc triple threat audition, taeyong immediately starts paying even more attention to his surroundings, curiously wondering where his muse for a public performance-slash-audition will come from. his fingers curl against the seams of his jeans, gripping tightly at the denim as he tries to forget how hundreds of eyes will be on him -- tiger jk included.

so he thinks.

and somehow, looking at how the clouds swirl and dissipate in the wind, sunlight escaping through small cracks in the sky, he comes up with the idea to perform heaven with a little twist -- and, of course, to put a little of his hometown flair of san francisco in with the dance portion, he decides to mash it up with a classic bay area party song.

the censored version, of course -- he imagines a crowd of small korean children bopping their heads to the deep bass.

actually, that would be pretty funny.

he digresses -- 

lapses of judgment goes straight through the roof in those specific thoughts, and he won’t entertain himself this time with doing whatever he wanted with reckless abandon. this is an opportunity of a lifetime, to be publicly recognized as a triple threat in front of the industry’s biggest names, in front of a crowd of nameless faces -- god, it’s taeyong’s biggest dream. not to be famous, but to finally be recognized as a force to be reckoned with -- to be recognized as someone who matters, who’s not just a pretty face.

and this time, he’s determined to make his dreams a reality -- he won’t let this slip away through his fingers.

taeyong feels like he’s been mentally preparing himself for this moment, those two minutes on stage, for what seems like a lifetime. his heart’s beating out of his chest, his palms sweaty, eyes glossy -- it’s time.

“hello there --” a bow punctuates the short sentence, “my name is lee taeyong, and i’ll be performing a mashup of 24/7 heaven by geeks and back that azz up by the juveniles -- please enjoy my performance~” he drags out the last syllable that leaves his mouth -- playful, but not overly adorable. trc, in his opinion, isn’t about adorable -- they’re about the fierceness and passion that lights up in the eyes of their idols, the strong, sharp dance moves, the tight vocals and rap.

taeyong’s about to show them all of that in a matter of two minutes.

니가 있는 곳에 나도 함께 할게 니가 가는 곳에 나도 함께 갈게 ( where you are, i will be there too where you go, i will go there too )

koreans love to use cute little phrases to describe the most mundane things -- in this case, taeyong uses his ability of showing honey vocals to appeal to his audience, to make them just get a little taste of what’s to come. he hopes it’s super effective as he transitions into the rap with a few uhs and an extra TY -- just to let them not forget who he is.

24/7, 365 난 너만 생각나 넌 당연하듯 내게로 다가와 날 비추는 태양 나만 바라봐 그렇게 하루, 이틀, 일 년이 지나가도 꽉 안아줄게 내 팔에 쥐가 나도 너와 함께라면 it’s gonna be alright 난 더욱 깊어져 as time goes by ( 24/7, 365 i only remember you you come to me as you are just look at the sun that shines on me so one day, two days, one year i'll hold you tight with you, it’s gonna be alright i'm getting deeper as time goes by )

he wants the audience to feel his lyrics rather than just hear them -- his gestures, from pointing at his heart to the sky, lightly smacking a fist to his chest, all accompanied by a fearless-looking expression complete with confident eyes and lips in an almost eternal smirk. he’s selling his point, he just wants everyone to buy it with just as much intensity.

so 네가 필요할 때에 i’ll be there 너도 언제나 내게 기대 뜻밖에 상황이 우릴 갈라놓아도, i will never cry never ever cry 우린 beyonce와 jay-z eminem과 hailie 넌 어��� 수 없는 the one and only baby no time for moanin' 알려줄게 네가 나에게 뭔지 you are ma ( so when you need it i'll be there you always look forward to me even if things unexpectedly separate us, i will never cry we have beyonce and jay-z eminem and hailie the one and only baby you can not help no time for moanin ' i'll let you know what you are ma )

his adrenaline is rushing as his voice readies itself for the chorus, a smooth transition between rap and singing -- all the while he’s making the stage his own, showing off a bit of dance moves as a small taste of the dance portion that’s about to hit everybody right in the face. he clutches at the fabric covering his heart as he belts out --

heaven heaven heaven heaven heaven heaven heaven heaven heaven heaven if we’re together we will never cry never never cry heaven heaven heaven heaven heaven heaven heaven heaven heaven heaven forever, together – never gonna be alone

the pumping bass of the dance track fades in through the ending of the previous song, and taeyong has this smirk on his face that just says that he’s out for the kill, that no one is safe from this shy boy’s raw and utter charisma -- he thinks he’s practically dripping of the stuff, and it shows in his steps. precise, cut sharp, proper and full arm and leg extensions -- all with accompanying facial expressions, the oohs and aahs that his lips make as he’s breezing through the choreography. in short, he makes sure not to waste any second -- hell, even any millisecond of this performance. taeyong also makes sure he throws in some winks to the audience and the judges, even daring to wink at mister tiger jk himself.

this is a new thing for taeyong -- being confident in his abilities. he’s usually way too in his own head, in his own mind to realize his fullest potential. little monsters and voices stampede their way all over his brain, in every cranial crevice -- but today, instead of the incessant and constant shouting of you can’t do it and you’re just a pretty face is replaced with self praise, which is a surprising yet welcomed departure from his usual place of self-deprecation.

and just like that, it’s over -- he’s done. he ends with a pose that’s simple yet powerful -- legs shoulder-width apart, hands in fists against his side, and his fringe covering his confident eyes just slightly. never in his entire life has taeyong felt so... so powerful. so amazing.

“thank you so much! please keep me in your considerations!” and once taeyong’s done with his ending statement, complete with the obligated and respectful 90 degree bow, he scurries off-stage, too delirious and too shaky to even recognize if the audience is cheering him on -- what’s important to him right now, at this moment, is that he is actually cheering himself on, something that he hasn’t been able to do in a long while -- he’s able to actually say that he serves as his own inspiration.

and it’s refreshing, to say the least.

[rkhyungwon]

                                             { ;; TRC’s triple threat audition }

                              LOCATION: yongsan, open stage                               DATE: 170521

                              PERFORMANCE:                                  • rap | sober by big bang ( 1.30-1.52 )                                 • singing | re-bye by akmu ( 0.53-1.32 )                                 • dance | shape of you by ed sheeran ( 0.40-1.30 )                               OUTFIT: x & x 

the bold letters of the announcement stare back at him mercilessly and the heavy feeling of dread sinks deep into hyungwon's stomach. his first thought was he wasn't ready; but the chance to audition for his dream company didn't come often and panic started to settle within him for how little he had actually prepared. they're looking for a triple threat and the slow realisation that he stands little to no chance is a bitter and heavy pill to swallow. he can’t say that he had been hoping for a different prompt, knowing what vibe trc liked their artists to present, but a part of him had been praying — the few amazing vocals and self composing artists had made him think he’d fit right in. any mentions about rapping, however, and he started to doubt. rapping had never been his thing. doing more than listening to hip hop hadn’t either. and while he could go ahead and tell himself there is little difference between writing lyrics for a rap and writing lyrics for a song, or poetry, the truth was, he had never even considered rapping and had never even attempted to do it. now he had two weeks to figure out what to dance and sing and worst of all; how to rap. needless to say, his first reaction was to call jaeho and whine about it. stress got to hyungwon easily; or rather, situations that seemed impossible to solve and figure out and that, to him, was one of them. the whole first day he spent panicking and moping, with his mind already set on defeat and resignation. it was a childish and immature reaction and it takes hyungwon’s mother telling him as much for him to finally get out of bed and sit down to brainstorm. it takes two more days before he’s finally set on which songs to perform to and hyungwon already feels like he’s standing neck deep in water with the surface rising higher. he was raised to perform immaculately, but with the lack of time and his lack of experience regarding rapping it felt like he wouldn’t match his own expectations. the dance was learnt easily enough — hyungwon had always been one to pick up on new steps easily — and while the song required a lot of practice for him to carry out the notes cleanly and shift from his usual range to a tenor, he had singing lessons since he was a child and the experience gave him confidence. his pride doesn’t allow him to ask anyone for help, but hyungwon practices the rap in front of a camera, films it even and uploads it on his channel, just to see some feedback. two weeks pass in the blink of an eye and the day of the audition he finds himself a nervous, shaking wreck. he changed his clothes four times — seeing jaeho and his outfit, he really wonders if all the effort is even slightly worth it — and still didn’t feel like everything was fitting together perfectly. it’s the fear and anxiety of rejection and failure that hyungwon had rarely ever to deal with in his life, he knows; all his life he had been a musical prodigy in his field, but those people didn’t know that. to them, he was just another face on the stage, another kid chasing the same dream as hundreds of other people. his fingers are icy and tightly squeezing jaeho’s; at least his hyung wasn’t questioning the gesture or the tremor he was undoubtedly feeling. his stomach seemed to have turned into knots and hyungwon feels sick just standing there, waiting for his turn. the anxiousness is settled deep into his body, his nerves, but as soon as his name is called he stops worrying on his lips and the nonchalant expression returns on his face. he gives jaeho a glance, earns himself a smile in return and makes his way up the stage. his legs had been shaking before but as hyungwon looks over the judges and the people who he was initially competing against, he can feel his poker face kicking in. when he had been younger, it had bothered him that people always assumed he was an arrogant snob when he was actually nervous, but as he came older the lack of expression had become handy and the arrogant snob had transformed into a cold city boy. ❝ hello, ❞ his deep voice almost seemed impossibly quiet compared to the loud heartbeat resonating in his ears, but a smile ended up tugging onto his full lips, ❝ my name is chae hyungwon and i’m twenty years old. i hope you’ll enjoy the performance i prepared. ❞ the rap was the first part. get the hardest bit out of the way and everything else would be a walk through the park. the down side to that was if he messed up the first part, it could only go downhill. hyungwon took a deep breath; the music started, his knuckles turning paler with the force his grip around the mic provided.                세상이 내겐 차갑고 (the world is cold to me)                남 시선은 따갑지 (people’s eyes are prickling on me)                어른 같지만 어린아이 (i seem like an adult)                작은 키만 훌쩍 자랐지 (but i’m really a child that’s really tall)                어릴 적 낭만은 사라진 환상 (my young dreams are just faded fantasies)                내 기분은 광활한 광야 (my mood is like a vast wilderness)                사람들은 날 이해 못 해 (people don’t understand me)                나도 몰래 맛 가볼래 (so I just wanna lose it without even knowing) the rap was relatively fast paced and hyungwon was almost amazed at himself by how smoothly it was going. his deep voice easily adjusted and fit the original tone of the rapper and while he was aware that it could be risky to cover something artists from the very company he was auditioning in produced, he hoped that by doing well, he could show just how well he fit in. he tried to match the original vibe of the artist’s performance; appear cool but careless and, most importantly, carefree.                취해라 취해 천국으로 가 (get drunk, get drunk, go to heaven)                깨고 나면 지옥, 얼마 못 가 (after i wake, i’m in hell, i don’t last long)                난 지금 시금치 없는 뽀빠이 (i’m like popeye without spinach)                이런 나를 유혹하는 웃음 폭탄 (the laughter bomb tempts me) the sickness in his stomach had subsided and although his heart was still threatening to jump out of his throat, hyungwon finished the rap with a grin towards tiger jk. the music changes drastically the very next second and hyungwon is given a brief moment to inhale before his previously deep voice changes into a soft, tenor pitch. the hand gestures he had been making before are replaced with him standing mostly still, one hand on the mic stand while the other is still holding the mic to his lips. breathing was important; he wasn’t allowed make a single mistake and while he possessed the skill and had practiced plenty, the pitch in which he sang in wasn’t an easy one to pull off.                oh 눈물로 보낼 필요 없어                자욱한 안개만 남을 뿐                눈물로 흘려보낸 시간이 녹아                남은 건 어디에 the bridge ends on a rather high note and immediately shifts into the chorus and while he still remains mostly still, hyungwon allows his body to sway slightly with the music, his expression and voice carrying most of the feeling his body would have to express with dancing.                re-e-e bye                미련 없이 손을 흔들어 re-bye                re-e-e bye                그땐 그때 이땐 이때 re-bye                뒤돌아서면 그걸로 THE END re-bye the very last line he ends with a small wave of his hand, not unlike the original artist did and he doesn’t have the time to regret the fact that he had never learnt how to wink to come off more charming and flirty, before he he has to place the microphone back onto the stand and take a few steps back. the music changes for a third time and hyungwon feels relief. not only because the performance had gone smoothly and he had arrived at the easiest part, but also because the dancing could and would hopefully help him release some of the tension in his body.                say, boy, let's not talk too much                grab on my waist and put that body on me                come on now, follow my lead                come, come on now, follow my lead a soothing voice and the sound of a guitar fill his ears, his body easily and smoothly moving along to the music. the dance is slow in the beginning, movements quickly growing larger as hyungwon starts relaxing even more and moving his lips along to the lyrics.                i’m in love with the shape of you                we push and pull like a magnet do                although my heart is falling too                i’m in love with your body he lifts the hem of his shirt — not even to flash any significant muscles he could have been hiding on his twig of a body, but merely to get some sort of reaction from the onlookers. ( he swears to see jaeho cheering someone in the background, but tries not to focus too much on the excessive waving. at least he had one fan in the audience. )                and last night you were in my room                and now my bedsheets smell like you                every day discovering something brand new                i’m in love with your body                oh—i—oh—i—oh—i—oh—i                i’m in love with your body                oh—i—oh—i—oh—i—oh—i                i’m in love with your body                oh—i—oh—i—oh—i—oh—i                i’m in love with your body                every day discovering something brand new                i’m in love with the shape of you his movements are quick but graceful and fluid. the sole reason he had started contemporary lessons was to make his awkward noodle body seem slightly less awkward, but it was the apparent ease of the movements that made him stay. ( and thankfully so. it wasn’t hip hop, but at least he could show of that he could dance. ) he finishes his routine with a smile and a finger pointed at the audience. the music comes to a halt and hyungwon gives a quick and polite bow towards the judges before exiting the stage. the adrenaline had gotten to him before, made it easier to smile and enjoy himself, but as soon as he was off the stage and the effects started wearing off, the quiver of his limbs returned. his knees were knocking together once more as he pressed through the other people and to where he remembered jaeho’s head poking over many others. a childish whine follows his initial sigh and despite the people still standing around them and the act not fitting the usually cool and collected image he liked to uphold in public, hyungwon leaned his forehead against jaeho’s shoulder, fingers searching for his hand again. ❝ i can’t feel my limbs. ❞ he admitted softly, only loud enough for jaeho to hear. now the worst part of the whole audition would start; the wait.

[rktxshi-blog]

☠ ` TRCTripleThreatChallenge 

Performing self-composed: Song 1:25 - 2:50 | Choreo 1:00 - 1:25 Dated: 05/21/17 | Public Audition Trigger Warning: Death + Recovery + Betrayal

TRC is known to be the toughest agency to get into. So going with a song that is smooth with a slow rhythm is quite risky. His pride as a choreographer is on the line. His velvet vocals barely showcased to the public. Toshi needed to prove that he can not only rap but equally dance and sing as well; he is a triple threat. 

A quick glimpse at the judges was all he needed. With his photographic memory, he could clearly identify familiar and most importantly significant faces. The CEO of the very company he was trying out for, accompanied by its renown coaches and some Samsung representatives too. A few of the latter also attended the KT and Royal auditions several months back. Toshi could only hope they remembered his performance back then too. 

“My name is Adachi Yuto, Toshi for short.” He greeted them confidently, his stoic expression breaking into a gentle, warm smile. After the incident last December, the ex-con found himself diving into music head first. Unlike other times when he devoted his time to science, for a while he wanted to forget he was smart since his intelligence and memory has gotten his loved ones hurt. Killed even. Alas he’s attempt proves to be futile, for having an eidetic memory and high IQ aren’t something one can simply brush off. 

Yet there were massive improvements in his chosen music and arts. Instead of attending physical therapy, Toshi danced rigorously, creating one choreography after another. Improving each move by adding influences from martial arts and occasional acrobatics too. His singing progressed significantly as well. Along with his rapping, most of the songs he’s been focused on are self-composed. So with the help of mentors from Warner’s Studio, his vocal skills have been sharpened up. Much like everyone performing that day, he could only hope it was enough to prove he’s worth investing in Korea’s top entertainment industry. 

He took a deep breath. Then the music started. 

Love has either got you over heels or overdosed It's got you off your feet or on your toes It's got you out your seat or in your place It's got you diggin' it or your grave Love has got you mad about or just about mad Got you in a crush or it's got you in a crash What used to make your heart sing a hit, sing a smash Will make you wanna hit, wanna smash Everything that you had into pieces But love becomes clear when in pieces What you couldn't see and hear during peace is Why a heart becomes ears in two pieces Yeah

The verse started off with a rap, after all, if he was going to begin somewhere, it’ll be the place where he last left off. He wanted to remind them that rapping is a skill he’s mastered. Be it’s with a fast, hard-thumping beat. Or a gentle rhythmic flow like his current tune. He knew that there was various type of rapping skills and methods. Toshi wanted to show them that he was versatile. That even during an audition, he wasn’t afraid to take on such a risk. 

Gravity makes wonders But it doesn't seem to weigh Float like clouds on water We're waves across an open plain 'Cause you and me live like birds on a power line Hands slipping and our fingers fried God bless those Northern lights And our own devices, babe Entropy multiplies Clocks ticking and I'm mortified' Cause in the back of my mind In the back of my hemisphere

There was a smooth transition from his rapping to his singing. Perfectly timed, his voice harmonised with song effortlessly like a bird grazing through a breezy sky. Although his voice was deep, there was something natural in the way it hits the high notes. One would assume he was a singer more than anything else. His voice was calming and breathlessly refreshing, almost hypnotic. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that he used to sing his twin to sleep when they were younger and afraid. Knowing the other was near had always been a comfort for them both, sometimes even until now. 

Baby, I want you to cave me in So, baby, I won't have to admit it Baby, I want you to cave me in So maybe I won't ask to forget it

Early that day without needing to ask him, they attached the mic to him, rather than giving him a hand-held one. It allowed him to have a bit of advantage, just like those who were lucky enough to have a similar mic during their performance, when it came to the dance portion. Especially when there were bits in his choreography that still had him singing. His sharp movements do not hinder his singing. His voice still crystal clear while he dances to the beat. 

In the end, Toshi stood breathless for the first time since his performance started. Pleased with his whole performance, he giddily smiled at the judges and the audience. He felt a strange sense of inner peace and thankfulness closing in on him as he bowed farewell to everyone. The last time he auditioned with such a crowd, a few weeks later he was in a hospital. With a friend dead, another in a coma and lastly a traitor amongst his family revealed. Toshi didn’t think he’d ever recover from that. 

This stage. This performance. These last couple of months. Proved him wrong. He hated being wrong. Except for this time. 

[yutark]

★  TRC TRIPLE THREAT AUDITIONS place: stage, yongsan district performance:  1:30-3:25 (dance, center; light coloured shirt)

                               ( noona … )                                     ★ originally by, owol                                                               - - - - -

Carefully the beanie was pulled down further, attempting to hide the bandage that was stuck across his eyebrow and his jacket sleeves were pulled down to length to hide the bruising that was still apparent in his skin. Two weeks since the accident, and there was still pain. More after he forcefully cut at the plaster, cracking it open against his sisters annoyance and the sound of his brother-in-laws voice on the phone telling him to wait. Three days of practice, of bandages and swelling when he got frustrated at the lack of ability to move. Pain medication had been swallowed down prior, hoping to take the edge off the pain as he stretched out his body. There were still twinges of pain, still reminders, and Yuta was doing his best to smother them out. No one was going to stop him auditioning, not to his dream company and not when he knew he had the best chance.

His tongue darted out over his bottom lip when he heard his name, lifting his head to see them looking for him and he cleared his lungs of the tension; that concern that he was going to mess up because of his injuries. A bruise to his confidence that he covered up like everything else, moving forward and smiling as he climbed up onto the stage in front of everyone.

“Hey, I’m Nakamoto Yuta. TRC’s future Triple Threat,” he greeted with smile, confident and proclaiming; like he already knew it was his. That’s who he was, what he did. Bowing forward, he shifted his weight as he pulled up every ounce of his skill at acting; he wasn’t injured, he was going to do this perfectly, he was going to blow them away and get signed. “I’m going to be performing ‘Noona, by Owol’. Please take care of me.” 

One step back into position, loosening up his shoulders, lowering his head and closing his eyes for that second to focus himself; ignore the ache in his arm and the twinge in his neck and shoulders. Lifting his hand, and beginning to move with the steps he had practice; starting off slowly. The most difficult thing was to sing without his voice being affected and without sounding like something was wrong, especially as he danced. He was thankful that the beginning moves weren’t strenuous on his arm, but he could tell his arm did not move half as smooth as he wanted it. At least the focus was on his foot work, able to step and roll, without needing as much concentration. 

To be honest Noona, when you went to the bathroom I saw your texts 14 missed calls An overflow of all kinds of models, singers and actors

Noona, please stop flirting with me I know you have a lot of guys Again, leaning in with your pretty face Why do you act like I’m the only one?

Noona, please stop flirting with me I know you have a lot of guys Again, leaning in with your pretty face Oh. Why do you act like I’m the only one? Tempting, tempting why?

There was a moment to breathe before the rap, the steps breaking more in the beginning and Yuta felt more confident to move for the start. Confident movements forward towards the front of the stage, the TRC staff watching, owning as much of his place as he could. But even he knew his mind was elsewhere as he performed--he was off--struggling to ignore the jars of pain. The sleeve of his jumper slipping, at the sharp pauses and his breath a little heavy as he had to dance and rap in the same moment. Steps smoothed back into place, finding the right beat to slip into; or at least he hoped he had, with the light-headedness that he had to shake off. The only thing he could do was grasp onto the lyrics, onto the movements he knew that he knew, and keep getting through the song; he’d deal with the pain after, he’d deal with everything after.

Noona, please stop flirting I get that you have a lot of guys But if you approacj me in this way, things could get problematic Baby stop, enough Looking at it now, I think I’m starting to feel a little bit tipsy Oh stop, before we start something we’ll regret tomorrow I know it too You just wanna drive beside me in my range rover Grabbing my hand and coming to my side You want to get closer But I’ve run into noonas of this style before It’s like the same shit but different girl I’m just sick of it all now

That was his resolution as he clear his lungs of the sting; he wanted them to notice him, he wanted to get signed more than anything. He wanted to show them that they would be missing out if they didn’t hand him a contract. A rise in his confidence, a boost in his ego, a flush of extra charisma to get him through. And for a while, he couldn’t feel that pain. The Japanese boy filling the stage as much as his one body could, making eye contact at the practice moments and wearing the emotion like it was his own; like his mother had taught him when he acted. Pretend it’s him, pretend he’s someone else, pretend every word is his own. Throw himself into the stinging cold of the water and hold his breath there until it was over; drown in it.

How dare you act innocent to me? How can you not blink even once? Please, don’t act clueless Those hyungs and I know each other..

Noona, I think you’re pretty unbelievable Stealing men’s heart I guess it’s nothing to you This is too unfair, you know

Noona, please stop flirting with me I know you have a lot of guys Again, leaning in with your pretty face Why do you act like I’m the only one?

Everything was centered on the judges as he finished up the last verses of the song, for a moment, feeling like himself; untouchable. That was why he liked performing, why he liked hiphop, why he wanted to be in TRC. They were untouchable, no one competed or was equal; everyone who heard the name would know he was the best. 

‘I am Nakamoto Yuta, TRC’s future Triple Threat’ -- that was his to take and he would take it.

Breathless, sweat shined on his skin, and as soon as the song ended, his hand went to his arm. That first throb of hot pain, one eye nearly squinted shut and he lowered his head to hide the cringe; remove it from his face. He didn’t want them to know he was in pain or that he was injured--’if they know, they might be less harsh and realise you’re not at your best,’ his sister had said--but he didn’t want that asterisks. 

Once again, he dipped forward, bowing and wearing a smile--tired and worn; satisfied. 

“Thank you--” puffed out, stepping back and turning around; only daring to bring his arm up to his chest and let the expression crinkle with pain once he was out of sight. His fingers tight around his arm, and his hasty direction towards the bathroom in hopes of finding something to ease the pain. 

[trcent]

// ( ♔ ) AUDITION RESULTS

➨ WHO WILL BE THE LATEST ADDITION TO TRC ENTERTAINMENT?

After a successful contest and additional round of auditions for a select group, TRC Entertainment has decided who else will be invited to join the company. The following have been offered contracts:

IM DAYOUNG ( @rkdayoung )

JUNG SOOYEON ( @rksica )

LEECHAIYAPORNKUL CHITTAPHON  ( @tenrk )

LEE SEOKMIN ( @rkdokyeom )

PARK CHANYEOL ( @rkpcy )

But that’s not all; one hopeful has been offered a contract under special conditions:

NAKAMOTO YUTA ( @yutark )

Nakamoto Yuta will not be allowed to officially begin training until June 22nd, after his injury has had more time to heal without the risk of reinjury. He will be able to sign his contract, but won’t be able to collect debut points or any other points earned through trainee activities until after this date passes.

Yes, that is everyone. TRC was pleased to see that despite competing to be TRC’s next triple threat, everyone could shine in one particular area as well!

Please review the contract on the company page and submit a signed copy to the company before the end of Friday, June 16th, EST to begin your training. If you choose to reject the contract, send a notice to the company as well. You can read up on how to get started as a trainee here; any questions can be directed to Head Mod Carly or any of the Mods, and the senior trainees at the company can also help you get settled. Congratulations and good luck!

[exrkpyoeun-blog]

🎵 PERFORMANCE: EYES ON ME 🎵

(original composition) location: yongsan district event: trc triple threat challenge

whims, thoughts, and fancies. that was all it had been up until now. from idle clicking through bigstar videos, to meeting actual trainee bobby kim, and then the announcement that made her raise her eyebrows. triple threat? no, that’s not eunji, not in the traditional sense. she’s a rapper and a dancer, but not a singer. but strangely enough, that makes her more interested. 

at first she wants to perform one of the raps she’s already composed. she has a lot of good material that hasn’t seen the stage, that would probably elicit at least a smirk from tiger jk. she could fit a little singing part in there. maybe she’s no vocalist, but she doesn’t sound like a dying cat. jiamin got by in global icon, so eunji could come up with something around that level.

thinking about the challenge, though, soon sets off a stroke of inspiration. she’s writing lyrics, mumbling them under her breath in the shower. eunji feels powerful. like a lion watching its prey at the watering hole, calm, amused, yet blood surging with hunger. she wants to win, and she feels like she can if she plays this right. if she were offered a contract, she might even consider taking it. even bobby’s complaints about trc only make it sound like new turf waiting to be conquered.

the recommendation is to show up early and make sure she gets a space, which annoys eunji, but she does it anyway. she stands silent amidst the mass of chattering hopefuls, lip curled as the line slowly advances. too much work went into this to back out. the lines she wrote, the moves she choreographed, the sickest beat that she could produce with her (still rather limited) experience. hours spent rubbing at her temples, deep in her creative space. thoughts interrupted only by the occasional shuffling feet of her roommate. suji was good to not disturb her. she knew what was up.

the outfit she chose is her usual style. a black tank top and short shorts that cling to every curve, with a hint of cleavage to match. accessorized with black high-top sneakers and a large army-green shirt, which she had to tie around her waist in the hot weather. trc idols tend to look flashy, but auditions are all about showing skills. sex appeal being the most important one that eunji has to offer. would a major company even want to sign a former member of a group like flashbang? with the weight of all those r-rated fancams floating around the dark corners of youtube? eunji doesn’t know, but she might as well be up-front about it.

“pyo eunji,” she says as she takes center stage. “this is my own composition.” her eyes survey the crowd briefly, and they flick darkly over the panel of judges. a smile barely flickers across her lips. it’s time for her meal. what happens afterward doesn’t really matter. the beat that she made bursts forth from the speakers.

Yo I came here to rock the party You belong to me now No time to waste with no-talent fakes Copycat bitches sit down

she grins, her face stretching so wide it almost hurts. but she doesn’t feel anything. it’s like her body is moving on its own. there’s a speaker at the front of the stage, and eunji props her foot against it. her body rolls and waves in time with the beat. this is effortless. the contestants who went already are watching in disbelief, and their boyfriends are watching in lust. that’s what she likes to think.

Ten thousand hands reaching out to touch Oh! [laugh] dangerous If you’re moving forward Better wear gloves I might be venomous

eunji squats down as she raps. she glares into the eyes of a young man in the first row. that sickening grin is still splitting her face. she wanted to look calm and seductive for this performance, but it seems the fun is getting to her. she’s spitting out the words, showing off her fast-paced flow like a machine gun. the beat thumps in her spine. then it comes to the singing part, a chorus of sorts. since it’s a short performance, though, there’s no repeat.

Eyes on me, eyes on me only This is your only chance Don’t do something you’ll regret Keep your eyes right here, eyes on me

for all the force in her voice when she’s rapping, her singing voice is softer. pushing it would only make it break. so eunji wrote this section with a breathy, deeper tone that melts into the beat. she sings it now, eyes laser-focused on the judge panel. they remain perfectly still as her body moves. her legs, her spine, her shoulders twist like a snake being charmed. the judges won’t be fooled into thinking she’s their next top vocalist, but she can at least get by. more importantly, she can move her body.

a dance break comes next. this is the best part. the beat doubles up on itself. ever since the disbandment of her prior dance group, eunji’s been hard at work in the studio. trying to push herself beyond her limits. she drops to her knees, and her long hair flies left and right as her fists pound the air. it’s a controlled destruction. it looks wild, fierce, yet she hits the beat tightly. and she leaps to her feet, lips pressed to the mic as she delivers the final verse over her shoulder. 

My flow running over every no-name bitch Billion won CF, don’t you want a piece 82-59-86 That’s your triple threat, right here Peace

eunji throws up a peace sign as she turns to face the panel one last time. her chest heaves just a bit. but it feels good to get the blood pumping like this. too bad she has to hang around. now she’s really hungry.

[xrkdoyoung]

♔ trc ent’s triple threat challenge initiated ! maroon 5′s sugar ; as done by starship trainees on pd101 s2 length of audition ; 1min 11 secs

life was unpredictable. for seokmin, the statement held so much truth because just within the past year, he experienced too many things that someone shouldn’t have to. too many disappointments, but of course, a lot of lessons learned and even some good outcomes came his way. hard work does pay off especially after he had won a modeling contest thinking he had no chance in hell to ever win. but seokmin did and he’s quite happy. which is why he wanted to try his hand at the trc audition. 

maybe in a way, he wanted to test his luck once more. he got lucky once and maybe it was just a fluke, but seokmin’s finally learned to just be content with himself. it was a long and hard road after all, but he’s accepted that sometimes things just don’t work out and he should just keep trying. besides, his favorite thing in the whole wide world was performing, so trc was just going to have to deal with lee seokmin once more. he just hoped that tiger jk wouldn’t recognize him after that last time. he’s changed his hair color and style since then, so he had his fingers crossed. 

his turn finally came and he stood right at the center of the stage. he glanced quickly at the judges and flashed a calm smile their way. he was given the signal to start and he bowed first before speaking into the headset mic. “hello there! i’m the nineteen year old, lee seokmin. thank you for having me.” 

right after, the music started up and seokmin got into place. singing was practically a part of him, so he didn’t have to worry too much about that. it was just having to dance and sing at the same time that tripped him up a little bit. the dance wasn’t difficult whatsoever. prior to the audition, seokmin had asked a couple of his old dance major friends to help him come up with a choreography that was simple enough, but looked good when coupled when his singing and particularly this song. 

I'm hurting, baby, I'm broken down I need your loving, loving I need it now

when seokmin sang the lyric ‘loving’, the choreography he did was to make a heart shape and especially during that part, he made sure to wink towards the judges. 

When I'm without you I'm something weak You got me begging, begging I'm on my knees

during these next few lines, seokmin also tried to play it up by visibly pouting a little bit. what he lacked in some areas, he’d make up for it by utilizing his expressions to enhance his singing and dancing if he had to. it’s what a lot of singers and dancers did nowadays to get by. 

the rap part added to the song wasn’t by any means the best rap ever, but it matched well with the song if seokmin did say so himself. rapping and singing were very similar in more ways than one. if seokmin could sing on beat, then he could easily spit words out to a beat as well. although, he still got tongue tied just a little bit and his enunciation wasn’t the best at some parts, but seokmin made it through without any major mishaps so he’d definitely call it a win. 

finally he went back to just singing and dancing and he could relax just a tad as he neared the end of his audition. he tossed a lip swipe into his choreography just because he could.

Your sugar Yes, please Won't you come and put it down on me?

he threw in an adlib here and continued on strong. at least, strong, in his mind. if anything, he could just be subpar right now and he wouldn’t even know until after the auditions were over. but it didn’t matter. it didn’t. because seokmin was enjoying himself and that’s all he needed right now. to enjoy himself and forget life’s worries even just for a moment while performing. 

I'm right here, 'cause I need Little love, a little sympathy

at the end of the song, seokmin pulled off some finger guns and grinned. now, as he stood out of breath, seokmin gathered himself together and when the song finally stopped, he bent forward in a bow. “thank you~!”

[rkyura-blog]

                        ( & .  —   MAMA SAID I GOTTA TAKE A GAMBLE ON MYSELF,  )                          TOLD HER I’LL TAKE CHARGE AND MAKE IT A SURE THING

jitters, nerves, butterflies. all the novels and fairytales tell you of how love will make you feel this way. a false way of preparing you for that special kind of magic. so what prepares you for this, for an audition to be a triple threat when you’re wondering if you’re a threat at all?

a couple of her friends could attest to her being a threat in general— jongdae, seungjae, most of the guys, maybe even hyeri except their threats come in the form of forcing affection upon the other. the best kind of threat if you ask her. her self-confidence is dwindling at the thought of it and while she entertained the idea of becoming an idol, she just couldn’t commit. commitment is her biggest problem. a hobby is fleeting, a career change often coming soon, and it’s only proven true by the change in her major. business to interior design. but there’s a part of her that’s begging for the opportunity, the chance, because it is just like that missy elliot song,

                     ♫ , it’s another day, another chance  —  i wake up, i wanna dance  

but that’s not the only thing. it can’t be, right? the incessent need comes from somewhere and she knows she can’t be acting on a whim. she knows her impulses, knows her spontaneity when it arises. this isn’t that. instead —

there’s a part of her that just knows she can do this. if she didn’t, then why did she ask jongdae for singing lessons? if she didn’t, why did she bother asking rome to teach her how to rap? if all she wanted was to dance, why bother learning anything else at all? it’s these little plans that make her realize she is making a commitment. but to what she doesn’t know yet. hearing of the auditions should make everything just click! , fall perfectly in place but it doesn’t and she wonders why.

she’d wanted her cousin but she supposes he comes a close second, which she tells him first and foremost when she plops down on the couch in his place.

“do you ever sleep here?”

he doesn’t answer and he doesn’t have to. yura already knew within an hour of being at her cousin’s place after she moved to seoul that someone else also lived there. it was unmistakable but hearing about how his clothes just keep magically appearing all over the place was the cherry on top. how they make it work is the real magic to her because they’re both trainees ( or were ), both people that she wouldn’t have imagined seeing in a relationship. the first time she saw rome around his friends and not her cousin, she thought he was a completely different person. but it wasn’t a lie, it wasn’t a fluke, nor his behavior a facade or his words a fallacy. it was all genuine. two people who hadn’t lost themselves in each other but found something worth holding onto. for a fleeting moment, she wonders if that is what she wants and not necessarily the same dream.

“i can’t believe i’m saying this but didn’t you come here to talk about you.”

“i thought a pretty boy like you loves hearing about himself.”

“you’re interrogating me, not talking about me.”

“so it’s okay as long as i talk about you? wow, conceited.” “i should say that to you.”

she chuckles, “you’re right.”

as easy as that, the first seed has been unknowingly planted.

there wasn’t much convincing done that day because being told “do what you think is right” is great advice but not what she wanted — this, she tells him for the fifth time when he’s helping her choose a song for the audition. a moment of silence and she knows he’s uncomfortable under her stare. it was intentional, she didn’t master that particular look for nothing.

“it should be you, you know.”

but he doesn’t flinch, doesn’t wince, doesn’t lose focus the way she continues to do every other minute. let’s face it, all it takes is three second for her to figure out she’s not feeling a song. that much she says too.

“i can’t help you if you’re not feeling anything.”

“you’re lucky you’re dating my cousin or i’d think you were hitting on me saying it like that.”

a scoff and a roll of his eyes is what she receives and it’s not without a scoff of her own. maybe she’s not confident in performing for this audition just yet but she knows one thing, she’s got a reason to be conceited. even if she’s not feeling anything, she’s feelin herself. yonce taught her better than to think otherwise, and there’s the second seed.

the day comes and the butterflies come back, flown away only to come back with more troops. a mental and emotional war within her body. the music could play and she’d still move in beat, still find her rhythm, and knock it down with a stomp of her foot. it’d belong to her but would the lyrics? dohee texts her and yura’s on the verge, a mess about waiting to be released, comparable to the kraken when it comes to enforcing her own wrath, but it’s a video. one that yura can recognize from the thumbnail it’s frozen on alone. it’s her. it’s no longer just about her, not when dohee reminds her that if one touch (...) could take control of her whole body. that reminder is all she needs, that all she has to do is let the music touch her the way it did when she performed then. when it wasn’t about being perfect but being herself and now, just when she needs it to most, is when things do click! into place. this is it, the final seed. this is the last one to be planted into her heart, the music quenches a thirsty soul, and she’s blossoming right then and there.

“my name is kim ahyoung. i also go by leilani. you can give me a new stage name if you sign me.” 

forget being a triple threat, she wants to be a threat to this song, to this stage, to everyone else that auditioned and who’s left waiting. to those watching, trainees, even artists, she wants to give them cause to be concerned. that’s a true threat. if there’s a stage they haven’t stood on soon, she wants them to question why and think they have to go running back to keep up. it’s extreme but she’s feeling herself.

♫ , feelin' myself, i'm feelin' myself, i'm feelin' my feelin' myself, i'm feelin' myself, i'm feelin' my, feelin' my feelin' myself, i'm feelin' myself, i'm feelin' my feelin' myself, i'm feelin' myself, i'm feelin' my

changed the game with that digital drop know where you was when that digital popped i   s t o p p e d   t h e   w o r l d — male or female, it make no difference i stop the world, world     S  T  O  P

movements are sharp, smooth, powerful. this song screams female power and yura wouldn’t dare disappoint queen b, not when she knows this song is one she loves. because not being able to own her confidence, not being able to let it show, that’s a threat to one’s self-confidence, a threat to one’s identity. yura is taking that right back, now she’s a threat to convention, to all the gender bias and double standards that say a woman can’t do whatever the hell she wants.

she can stop the whole damn world if she wants and she sure as hell stops the beat, it changes, her own making. she manipulated it, made it hers, and now it’s a new song, one she plans to own just as much because people are right, she’s conceited, but she’s got a reason for it and everyone will know. singing and rapping isn’t her biggest strength, not compared to dancing but this choreography, how she made it, how she wants it to be seen. that is, and it’s strength she wants them to see most. tell her she’s not a triple threat, she’ll still be standing tall. seeds of doubt are gone and all she has now are the ones of confidence, of strength, of will-power that make her infallible. 

                                              ♫ , see this ain't nuttin' that you use to                                                      out of the ordinary and usual                                      you got to have the mind of state like i'm so great                                                    can't nobody do it like you do

[rkjaeho-blog]

What? TRC Entertainment’s Triple Threat Audition      Where? Open stage, Yongsan           When? May 21st 2017

Song(s): 산다는 건 — 홍진영 (00:20-1:31)  니가 없을 때 FT. Zion.T — INFINITE H (00:22—00:54)

Of course Jaeho knew about the audition. He was that person, the person who had updates sent directly to his phone whenever the companies were holding auditions or just whenever they were doing something big that he might be interested in. Yes, he was a Nova fanboy—he was head over heels in idol love with Rain—but that didn’t stop him from auditioning at other companies. Anything to get a foot in through door, you know? Plus the chances of him meeting his inspiration would skyrocket if he ever got signed, even if he never managed to debut. So when he got a text from his oldest sister asking him if he was going to tryout—bless her for even knowing—the answer was clear as day: hell yeah!

After looking at the guidelines (singing, dancing, and rapping) his brain immediately started churning out a myriad of ideas. Jaeho knew his dancing was good and that his singing was passable enough to not send people running for the hills but his rapping was... something else. Sure, he could sort of rap along to the slower raps in the popular songs on the Top 100 charts but the moment it was a rap where syllables just flew from their lips like a ratatatat machine gun—one of his favourite songs actually—Jaeho’s tongue would refuse to cooperate. He didn’t want to disgrace himself completely so he knew his choice of rap was crucial. Also he needed to practice a whole damn lot.

Days passed in the blink of an eye and suddenly there he was, looking at the stage in Yongsan, his friend and roommate beside him in an equally as nervous state. They’d come together even though Wonnie refused to acknowledge him the whole journey there. Jaeho didn’t really know why: personally he thought his modern hanbok looked really good on him. Sure, he’d gotten a few (a lot) of curious stares along the way but it wasn’t like he was wearing anything super weird like a latex bodysuit. How he’d ended up wearing a hanbok in the first place had to do with his choice of song for the singing portion of the audition. Plus he had this notion that standing out from the crowd would make a memorable impression.

Whether that impression would be favourable or not remained to be seen.

With one last squeeze of his hand as they called his name, Jaeho gave Wonnie a bright smile before walking towards the stage where he was about to be evaluated. Two minutes that could change his entire life and it hinged completely on himself. No pressure or anything.

Jaeho could hear the crowd murmur to themselves as he got on stage, microphone in hand, and felt their eyes on him wondering what the hell he was doing showing up to an audition for the top company looking like he’d just escaped from shooting a historical drama. He knew people would think that this was just a gag audition, something to break the ice and something for people to chuckle at, but to Jaeho—despite how he looked—this was serious. He wanted this, he really did, even if Nova was the company of his dreams.

Fingers flexed and fluttered as he brought the mic up to his mouth. “Hello, I am the twenty one year old Song Jaeho! Nice to meet you!” he said cheerfully, his smile broad and light. He nodded at the sound technician as he avoided Tiger JK’s burning stare—honestly it felt like laser beams being bored into his body—to let them know that he was ready to sing.

Cheer up, life is all like that There are many hurtful and difficult days Living is such a good thing Great job today

From the very first note Jaeho sensed that the audience was taken aback by his choice of song genre, especially for someone of his age. Trot was definitely not something people would sing for an audition, especially if they wanted to become an idol, since it was seen as something outdated—for the older generation. But this song was one of his favourites of all time. The lyrics resonated with him and what better song to use than one that could be delivered sincerely and from the heart?

How have you been Did you have another drink today Even if you feel like nothing is working And want to sigh, don’t be so sad

We don’t know which cloud has rain Good day will come to me someday

As he sang he was careful not to overdo the bending of his notes—something he did when he sang at noraebangs. Since dancing was required he’d put together some rather easy choreography (it wasn’t easy to krump to trot) that was mostly fancy footwork and hand movements that made his hanbok flow very nicely as he twirled on the spot. Jaeho kept his face smiling and serene as he sang, his gaze sweeping over the audience, wanting to convey the hope he felt from the lyrics.

Cheer up, life is all like that There are many hurtful and difficult days Living is such a good thing Great job today

Fade out. Fade in.

He’d left four seconds for the songs to transition from one to the other and in that space he had tugged at his sash letting the top part of his hanbok fall open to a few ‘ooh’s from the audience before discarding it on the floor. Jaeho was wearing a black dress shirt underneath that fit with the rap he’d chosen from one of the sub-units he’d fallen for. For this part he’d prepared a different style of dance, something smooth yet powerful, with movements that spoke of restrained strength. 

When I walk you home and stroll alone in the night I smile again at your message saying “Go home well” Because I miss you so much Every time I call you on the phone The caller tone feels really long When you’re not at the place that I lay back on because I’m tired When I can’t see you on a very sunny day When I open my wallet And see your smile inside I think of you so much

His footwork was smooth as was his expression, a little smirk playing along his lips as his brown eyes sparkled with subtle flirtatiousness. This was a rap he had practiced for days on end until he could get through it without stumbling or missing a beat. He could probably recite it in his sleep if he really tried. He let his body follow the rhythm and groove of the song until the very last bar had been spoken and note had ended.

It was done.

With a 90 degree bow towards the panel Jaeho once more stated who he was before picking up his discarded top and hurrying off stage with a relieved smile on his face. Though his legs felt like jelly he’d never felt more alive. This was the thrill he lived for.

[bellyxache]

✧ * º • ☾ ❛ TRC TRIPLE THREAT AUDITIONS.

     ↳ song: don’t recall by k.a.r.d                ↳ rapping: 1:38 -- 1:58 // singing: 1:58 -- 2:19 // dancing: 2:19 -- 3:00                          ↳ outfit: x

her phone had flooded with texts and kakaotalk messages the very second triple crown entertainment released news of their upcoming triple threat audition. and every message was answered with the same thing:

❛ i’m not good at singing. ❜ 

but siyeon isn’t entirely correct when she says that; she’s not a horrible singer who can’t sing on key or with the right air flow, but she’s not an amazing singer is what she meant to say. but, despite the slight issue the rapper had with her vocal ability, various friends convinced her to try out anyway. an audition like this is a rare occurrence with trc, and she should be taking full advantage of it.

❛ hello, i’m park siyeon, eighteen years old and student at seoul of performing arts school. please enjoy the performance. ❜ 

her father reminded her to make sure to smile --- that even though she doesn’t mean for it to, her resting face can come off quite... bitchy. despite her tone of voice being a little on the monotone side, at least she sounded polite. with her headset mic in place, the music began and siyeon took off.

❛ 피부로 맞닿은 고독의 촉감 싸늘한 그 체감 그간의 무책임을 탓함에 잇따른 죄책감 마치 데칼 uh 코마니 되받지 내 죗값 희석시켜왔던 지난 잘못들의 대가 엉켜버린 실타래 매듭짓기엔 허탈해 빛바랜 추억 속에 살아가는 건 비참해 I hope that (I hope that) 네게 닿길 바래 내 독백 쇼맨십 아닌 내 고백 ❜ 

mixed in with some small movements ( she had watched the choreography video so many times she could dance in her sleep ), her rap went without a hitch. she’s a rapper, after all, and the skill flowed in her like it was part of her genes. and, fortunately enough, the song is one of a more sad and serious theme, so there was no need for overly exaggerated smiles or aegyo ( which siyeon is really bad at ). the one part of her entire performance that she was worried about was her singing bit, which the girl had spent countless hours trying to perfect. and since she had chosen one song to perform, all the bits came on at quite a fast pace.

❛ 날 그렇게 쳐다보지 마 더는 내게서 멀어지지 마 You need to let it go go Leave me alone lone 절대 돌리고 싶지 않아 날 그렇게 쳐다보지 마 더는 내게서 멀어지지 마 I gave you all my love love All of my love love 절대 보내고 싶지 않아 ❜ 

she made sure to have chosen a song that was less vocal-y and more rap-based, which ‘don’t recall’ had. the pre-chorus of the song isn’t too straining, and by now she’s getting much more comfortable onstage. her eyes are locked on the judges, a confident smirk on her lips tying the theme of the song and her performance altogether. her small movements to the beat of the song still continue, to make her feel less awkward than simply standing on a large stage and without moving. 

she had already showcased her best skill, and dance is her second best. now it’s time to drive the performance home.

좋았던 순간도 기억이 안 나 원망만 남아 날 괴롭혀 수없이 내일이 없을 것만 같아 설렜던 순간도 No No No No No 더 이상 아무런 의미 없어 그만해 I don’t recall 더 이상 아무런 의미 없어 그만해 I don’t recall

instead of practicing with her dance class friends as usual, siyeon’s practice time was replaced with preparing for this audition ( with permission from her instructor, of course !! ). if you were to check her phone storage right now, you would find many undeleted videos that she had taken during practice to calculate her movement and pinpoint where exactly she needed improvement. she didn’t believe she would end up taking this audition so seriously, but after spending some time on it, it became a natural habit. triple crown is her dream entertainment company to be signed under, and she wants her dreams of becoming a rapper to come true.

since she went light on movement during the prior parts of the performance, siyeon made sure to go all out for this last one. the choreography calls for a partner, but the rapper made best of what she could as a solo performer. remember to be sharp here, throw a smirk there, run your hand through your hair here, give the judges a nod there. you got this, park siyeon.

and before you knew it, the song had come to end and siyeon was left onstage out of breath and in her ending pose. she’s no goddess of talent --- there’s definitely room for improvement, but the potential is there. she can only hope the judges, including tiger jk, caught sight of that.

[rksungho]

           ▶︎ DATED 21052017 ; TRC ENTERTAINMENT’S TRIPLE CROWN CHALLENGE                                                      challenger: JIN SUNGHO                                                                           ‣‣ TRACK oo1. color ring - winner ( 1:44-2:55 )                                                                  ‣‣ TRACK oo2. humble - kendrick lamar ( 0:00-0:52 )

as always when he finds himself in such a situation, he wonders what the hell am i even doing?

it’s all eerily familiar to the thing kt and royal pulled a while back, just with a couple more rules and a little more of an added challenge, considering not everyone really could be a triple threat. sungho didn’t dare have confidence; it’s been nearly half a decade since he was in training, since he regularly exercised his voice and body in an attempt to hone everything to perfection. sure, there were times recently where he penned lyrics and sometimes he’d attend dance classes for fun, but regular hard work? it’s been ages.

and yet he always finds himself back at these auditions, despite his proclaimed pessimism and supposed lack of faith in his ability to go anywhere in this industry ( “with my history? they’d be stupid to want me,” he says over and over to himself until it becomes a constant murmur in the back of his skull ). it’s been another extended hiatus from music and performing since his last audition too, an experience he considered humiliating when he actually thought he stood a chance at that kt and royal thing. he’s nervous, and not in the pleasant motivational way but rather the twitchy and vulnerable feeling of wondering if he’s unprepared or just going to make a fool of himself again.

his phone is off, but the weight of it is suddenly heavy in his pocket. he thinks about texting someone before it’s his turn, just wanting a word of encouragement or something. maybe rose, maybe inho. but sungho leaves the device as it is; it’s just another distraction.

he thinks he’s lucky enough to even make it into the competition anyways, with how crazy the line an waiting was.

“jin sungho.”

his name is called, signaling his turn, and he swallows nervously before he takes the stage, putting on an air of bravado he really wasn’t feeling. better to look confident in yourself than to stand up there like a quivering fool. he gives his name and age, respectfully as he had been taught years ago, and that’s as much of an introduction as anyone here really cares about.

a breath, the music starts, and sungho begins with the rap part of his vocal performance right away. when choosing his selections he had been careful, minding his own skills and abilities and holding down his own ambition to not make a fool of himself. rap was what he practiced the most, both recently and back when he was a trainee in high school, so he opens with what he’s most confident in. it’s a slower song, maybe a little sad, but he had been apprehensive about trying to balance singing and dancing together for this audition. he wants to show his best, of course, so if he has to split things up then he will.

the singing part is a little more challenging for him, not having the emotional range in his voice that the original possessed, but the notes suit his voice and he manages through the remainder of the song well enough. maybe he doesn’t take many vocal risks, but he doesn’t fall flat or go sharp, he stays on beat, and he doesn’t choke or make some other incredibly obvious mistake.

the song ends. now onto dance. sungho rolls his shoulders out, willing himself to relax a little bit. the song is one he likes, a selection from his own playlist, in fact, that he had been delighted to find choreography for. not his own creation, he hadn’t attempted such a thing in ages, but not beyond his own skill level either. thank god for keeping up with dance here and there as a hobby; he feels himself unwind some of the tension coiled in his entire body and lets himself have a little fun up on stage. he grins at one point, feeling the slightest bit of genuine confidence and a sudden reminder of why he even bothers to still try in the first place.

he fucking loves this feeling of accomplishment.

his time is up and he thanks the audience and judges respectfully before being hurried off the stage for the next performer. now comes the waiting game, and any bit of assuredness that sungho has drains away as the minutes tick by.

[rkleedongminie]

➨ TRC ENTERTAINMENT’S TRIPLE THREAT CHALLENGE       ➨ Shinhwa - Sniper && dance             ➨ 170521 Event Solo

He didn’t want to be here.

It’s not that he wouldn’t want to be a part of Triple Crown, despite aiming for Nova entertainment, his parents would be content with him in any of the companies. Triple Crown is one of the top of the top too, and he’d finally on a fast track of reaching his ( his parents ) dreams. It’s literally what he’s been spending his whole life working for, with all the lessons his parents have put him in since he could walk. He should be siked. He should run into that audition with his the energy he has when spotting a dog a block away.

But he didn’t want to be here.

Dongmin didn’t feel he was ready for any of this. not that he ever will feel he is ready because he’s much to harsh on himself. The very idea of going to an audition right now made his stomach flip. His nerves were on fire just thinking about it, causing to be even more gittery than he normally is. Sure, he’s practiced days in and days out, going over the song and dance as many times as he can since the announcement, but he still felt sick.

His mother has been in a tizzy since the announcement, having been the one to barge into his room to show him the information. Since then, she’s been even harsher on him for going to practice, going so far as picking out the song he would perform and making sure he was all ready to go. She’s been a bit crazy about this, not that it surprised him. the day of the audition was an exhausting one. He was woken up early, his mom wanting him to get ready and to warm up before going there. She had taken the day off so she could go with him, as well as monitor everything he does, eats, or drinks today. Making sure his face didn’t look puffy, and that he was all cleaned up. She had him run through his performance once before they left the house. Nitpicking everything she could find, wanting him to be perfect.

Before they even got to the audition, he felt like he’d already been through at least four. It’s been a while since his mother has been so on top of him for this. not since the talent show in his middle school. It was both refreshing ( since its been a while since they’ve spent a day together ) and exhausting ( both mentally and physically ). For those who haven’t been around her for long periods of time, she is a very critical person. She can pull you apart and find every little thing you might be insecure about, or that you didn’t even realize was wrong with you.

It could be why Dongmin is such a perfectionist.

When his name got called, he felt like he just swallowed his own tongue. His nerves had him so locked into place that it took his mom pushing him forward for him to finally head to the showcase. His mind blanking on what he was supposed to do. This is nothing like auditioning for a school talent show. this was so much bigger. He’s not supposed to be here, he’s not ready for this.

“H..” he paused, taking a breath to try and center himself and calm his nerves. “Hello, I’m Lee Dongmin, 16 years old, and I’m ready to be TRC’s Triple Threat.”

His performance starts with singing. He’s doing a cover of a group he really loves, and a song he probably hums to at least once a day. This will be his first time actually attempting to do the rap parts of the song though. Normally he’ll jokingly try and rap along, but he’s never been the best at it. Which is why he still says he shouldn’t be here.

니 심장을 향해 아무도 몰래 단 한 번의 기횔 눈 앞에 내 시야 가운데 더욱 날카롭게 단 한 번도 실수는 안 돼

He had decided to start near the middle of the song, beginning with the second chorus instead of at the beginning. As he sings, he moves through the dance he learned via private dance instruction. His mom had found a choreographer to help him put together a routine for this performance. He had just managed to get all the steps down two days ago, so really he’s more nervous about the dance than he is the rapping part. At least he can slow the rap down slightly if he needs too.  

시간 멈춘 듯 숨이 멈춘 듯 이 밤 길게 떨려오는 깊은 어둠도 날 선 침묵도 이젠 너를 향한 눈을 떠

The second half of the chorus is set on a higher key, and he’s so glad his voice didn’t break as he hits those higher notes. It’s probably a little obvious at this point that he isn’t the most use to dancing and singing at the same time. He tried to keep from sounding winded, but the more he danced the more obvious it became.

저 빛보다 빨리 Yup We Get It Poppin 저 빛보다 빨리 너와 나의 사이 절대 피하지 못하지 이미 시작된 운명의 Bullet 단 한 발의 총성이 들려와

He stumbled slightly at the beginning of the rap, missing one of his steps to the dance due to the fact he was over thinking the lines. Trying to make it look like it was supposed to happen, he slowed down the dance to a pause. Deciding to not dance through the rap and focused on keeping his voice even. Conveying the right emotions that he wants to put out.

After the rap was a brief instrumental break, where he shifted to a mix of a modern and contemporary dance style. This was where he really had to show his dancing skills ( or lack of ). He so badly wanted to do good, to impress not only the judges but also his mother. Knowing she was watching this, picking apart every thing, and seeing ever little mistake he has done so far.

조금씩 가까워져 아련히 손에 닿을 듯이 가까이 너를 놓친다면 끝이 없는 어둠이 다시 찾아와 너와 나 사이 (너와 나 사이) 단 한 발의 총성 들려와 (Oh woah) 한 순간이라도 늘 그래왔듯이 (한 순간이라도) 단 한 번에 네게 달려가 (네게 달려가) 숨이 막힐 듯 빛이 내리듯 이 밤 (Oooh 두르두…) 다시 숨을 죽여 감은 눈을 떠 나를 바라봐 이젠 나를 향한 눈을 떠

The next chorus came, and he focused on singing, throwing in some adlib to try and sound like he knows what he’s doing. He felt a bit more confident when it comes to the singing, knowing this is something he is slightly good at and probably sounds good at it. He felt pushed all his effort into this part, really trying to show off the best he can. Making sure all the dance moves are spot on, sharp, and following the right beat.

너란 표적 넌 절대 쉽지 않아 내가 찍은 표적에서 눈 떼지 않아 절대로 빗겨나지 않아 시간이 멈춘 듯이 어두워 마치 새벽 두시 난 숨을 고르고 네 심장을 저격해

The last part was another rap, but he forgot the middle lines to it. Instead of freezing up, he just skipped right over those to the last few lines. Singing the last line of the song with as much feeling as he could, while mentally berating himself over his stupid mistake.

While he doesn’t think he is anywhere near good enough to be in TRC, never the less be the triple threat, he tried his best. Hopefully his mom would see that too.

“Thank you for your time!”