y lined up at the entrance to the stage, waiting for the PD's signal to enter. Kim Ye-rong, who was standing behind Park Ji-won, took the initiative to start a conversation.It was rather out of place...."So these are the trainees from JYP's survival show JYP's new girl group will be chosen from among them"
After walking out of the small open-air theater, Kim Jun-myeon turned his head and glanced back at the stage direction, looking quite interested and asked a question.
"Hmm."
Chi Jingyuan walked ahead without looking back, gently nodding his head in response and adding casually, "This is just one group, there's another group of 7 people."
After finishing, he paused for two seconds, smacked his lips, turned to look at several members, and frowned, asking: “No, you guys really haven’t seen at all”
"I'm so busy every day that I don't even have time to see my girlfriend, let alone watch some JYP audition show. Besides, the show isn't even popular; there's no discussion about it online, so I wouldn't be interested in watching it."
"If you hadn't participated in the recording, we probably wouldn't have known about this show... JYP really isn't doing well right now."
Several members looked as if they were in the right, responding eloquently that even Ji Jingyuan opened his mouth but couldn't refute anything. Thinking about the current predicament of this program, he sighed and didn't ask any further questions, walking ahead to lead the way.
Although he isn't the organizer of this show and he's not from JYP, since he became a judge, he has a sense of participation. Besides, with Tzuyu being in it, he still hopes that Sixteen can have some popularity, at least not as flop as it is now, even people within the industry don't pay much attention to it.
"Which female trainee do you think looked the best just now" Kim Jun-myeon suddenly brought up a topic they usually enjoyed discussing, which immediately piqued everyone's interest. They started chatting excitedly, one after another.
"Although there's another group I haven't seen yet, just from the few people I saw just now, I think they're average. I can't see their skills, but their looks don't feel as outstanding as I imagined... Last time when Jingyuan finished talking about it, I thought JYP would be releasing a very impressive new girl group this time. After meeting them today, I feel a little disappointed."
"That's right, when it comes to visuals, our ** group definitely wins. Those people just now felt a lot different compared to Irene and Seolhyun, of course it could also be because they didn't have their styling done... But JYP isn't really known for their looks, the previous two generations of girl groups weren't that impressive in that aspect either, and the boy groups are even less so."
Wu Shi-hsuan and Bian Bo-xian sang in harmony, expressing a clear sense of pride in their company.
“Speaking of looks, I thought the girl with buck teeth just now was pretty good-looking. She was really memorable.” Do Kyung-Soo recalled the people he had just met, only feeling that Lin Na-yeon stood out the most. After expressing his opinion, he looked up and asked, "What's her name"
"I don't know." The gossipy women were quite helpless. The source of the question, Chi Jingyuan, casually brushed it off with a vague answer.
“I think the trainee in the blue striped short sleeve looks good, her aura is really outstanding.” Kim Jun Myeon expressed a different opinion and then looked at Ji Kyungwon with a hint of meaning: “And I’ve noticed, this girl definitely knows you, Jingyuan. She’s been looking at you since she arrived, those eyes really…”
“I actually think Dingyan, the younger sister of Shengyan, is quite distinctive.”
"I also think the trainee in the blue clothes is quite handsome. His overall vibe is very comfortable, and even if he were at our company, he'd be a standout."
"Jingyuan, what's her name / That girl with short hair"
Once again, a group of gossiping women started chattering away. They immediately shifted the conversation to Ji Jingyuan.
"Go watch 'Sixteen' yourself, after one episode you'll know the names, and you can also see the other seven people. Vote for whichever one you like." Asked this, Ji Jingyuan just waved his hand without even bothering to respond.
He wasn't very interested in introducing everyone by name.
"Forget it, I was just casually asking. With a show this lackluster, the popularity and hype of the girl group they choose probably won't be very high."
"Let's go, hurry back to get ready. The school celebration will start this afternoon..."
However, these members were clearly just chatting casually, their interest coming and going quickly. Seeing that Chi Jingyuan was too lazy to participate, they naturally shifted the topic.
Walking ahead, Ji Jingyuan glanced at his watch and quickened his pace slightly. However, he couldn't help but ponder to himself about Jin Junmian's question just now, forming an answer in his mind.
She who wears the blue striped short-sleeved shirt is definitely the prettiest.
……
Pool Jingyuan and they returned to their positions on the main stage and began work. In the afternoon, thousands of students orderly flowed into the venue and sat down. When the anniversary performance officially began, the spacious venue was packed with people. The entire open-air theater was filled with students, and even the middle aisle was submerged in the crowd.
Because Yeonsei University's support color is blue, and everyone also wore their support clothes, more than half of the students were wearing clothes with a blue base. At a glance, it was a sea of blue and white, surging and boisterous, flowing around them, wrapping up the entire stage, looking very oppressive. EXO members who secretly peeked at the backstage for a few glances were quite shocked.
Although the exact number of students attending is unknown, there were definitely at least tens of thousands of people at Chi Jingyuan's event. It likely exceeded that number, comparable to the concerts held yesterday and the day before.
Entering a working state, exo, like other performers who arrived, began changing clothes and reapplying makeup backstage, waiting for their stage to start.
...while on the other side, members of the ‘minor’ group like Lim Nayoung, Yu Jeongyeon, and Nako Yuta were watching as audience in that small open-air theater. They watched the other group’s members rehearsing, putting on makeup and styling their hair enthusiastically preparing for the evening’s performance.
To be honest, many people in this group are quite envious. It's really not a good feeling to be the audience for your competitors. Everyone feels a little uncomfortable inside, but because there are cameras recording all the time, they can only keep smiling and clapping non-stop, pretending to cheer for the other side.
By the time everyone finished rehearsing, it was already four or five o'clock. They had entered their break and could move freely for a while. After a while when the audience started entering, they would begin filming.
A few girls huddled by the stage. After seeing another group's member walk back into the backstage, they looked at each other and the scene fell silent for a moment.
"Sigh."
The oldest, Lim Na-yeon, sighed with a hint of regret. She had always been part of the 6mix debut group and JYP's most promising trainee. Before "Sixteen" began, she truly believed that the others weren't even on her level; she was the strongest, the most outstanding one, and a debut was guaranteed.
Unexpectedly, after the show began, she faced numerous setbacks. She stumbled through several evaluations, and Park Jin-young's comments weren't particularly favorable. In the third episode, she almost got eliminated by a biased judge and was sent to the 'minor' group, leaving her in a state of shock as she let out a long sigh of relief.
She had only just barely made it through, but now she's been placed in the minor group. She can only watch helplessly as the other group happily prepares for their stage performance while her own group is relegated to being the audience.
Naomi sat beside him, her head bowed. She secretly glanced at the people around her while playing with her fingers.
Just as things were becoming quiet here, another sound like a distant rumble came from afar. Even though it was far away, only a faint echo reached here, yet it was still clear as thunder.
This sound had been heard many times by them in the afternoon. At first, they were a little surprised, but then they realized it was the cheers and applause of the audience coming from the main stage. After a while, a section would come over, and after hearing it so much, they gradually got used to it.
But the cheers this time seemed a little louder than before, I wonder which guest is going on stage to perform next.
"Why don't we go check out the performance on the main stage"
Listening to the amazing echoes around her, one could only imagine how lively things were over there. Lin Na-yeon's eyes suddenly lit up as she suggested something.
"Great, great! I want to see it!" Sun Caiying was the first to agree, half-opening her mouth and raising her right hand like a student.
"It's not too far, is it..." Yu Dingyan hesitated a little and said with concern, "The performances over there have already been going on for quite some time. I'm not sure if we can still get in now, and I don't know if there are any admission requirements, like checking student IDs..."
"Come on, let's go. Didn't Chi Jingyuan say it wasn't too far away before And we have access cards, so there shouldn't be a problem. Even if we can't get in, we can just take a peek from outside."
The more she thought about it, the more interested she became. Im Nayoung stood up and grinned as she ran over to Yoo Jung-yeon and a few others, pulling them up. After persuading several of her sisters with both her body language and words, she turned to Minami sitting next to her and asked, "Mina-ah, are you going"
Mingjing Nan, who had already heard the commotion, pinched her fingers and raised her head with a beautiful smile:
Okay.
……
After questioning a student, several girls arrived at the main stage area after a short while. Before even entering, they saw a large crowd surrounding it. The sounds of people and the reverberations of the sound system mixed together, creating a hot and boisterous atmosphere that was far more exciting than what they had heard earlier.
"Wow, it's so lively here." Lin Na-yeon saw students everywhere and couldn't help but exclaim.
"Of course, this is the main stage, and today many popular artists are performing. I estimate that half the school population is here."
Although Yu Dingyan was also very interested and kept looking around, he still maintained a surface of calmness. He squeezed forward with the others while tiptoeing to try and get a glimpse inside, curiously asking, "I wonder who is performing now..."
"Ahhhh..."
Before her words could even fade, a wave of cheers erupted from the front, like a tsunami roaring through the mountains. The surging sound seemed poised to shatter their eardrums, leaving them with a powerful, reverberating hum in their ears.
"Da da da da..."
Then came some extremely lively electronic drum beats. Hearing this familiar intro, you didn't even need to listen to Yu Dingyan and the others after that; you could already sing along. But because everyone was pushing forward, there was no time to appreciate it, so I just pricked up my ears and listened to the clear and languid vocals following closely behind:
You are my sniper, my sniper.
It goes without saying, it feels like every inch of me is...
The very first sentence had the entire crowd bursting into a chorus. The surging sound waves seemed to pierce the sky, and the echoing whispers around made the whole ground tremble as if alive. The temperature around us seemed to be rising gradually, getting hotter the closer it got to my body.
"...."
Because the sound of the choir was too loud, at this time, unless a few people spoke to each other right beside their ears, even if they faced each other and shouted, they could hardly hear what the other person was saying.
Hearing this prelude, Lin Na Yeon, who was just brimming with enthusiasm and vivacity moments ago, immediately wilted. However, even so, because the atmosphere was too electrifying, she couldn't help but tap her head lightly to the familiar rhythm and hum along with the lyrics, just like the people around her.
Several girls also linked arms and held hands, listening to the music. After walking for a while under Yu Dingyan's lead, they finally passed through the gate and entered the venue.
The environment, which had just been slightly crowded, suddenly became open and airy. But after truly entering, I realized that the fiery atmosphere outside was just the tip of the iceberg, and the shock it brought was merely scratching the surface.
The moment you step in, a wave of warmth envelops you, an invisible current pressing down from all sides. It builds and intensifies, causing every pore to release heat. Driven by both emotion and atmosphere, your entire body begins to sway involuntarily.
Minami Nanai looked around, her eyes taking in only the vast expanse of blue ocean. Almost all the audience members at the open-air theater stood up, their hands waving excitedly as they sang along with the performers on stage. The immense volume of voices intertwined and resonated, momentarily causing a sense of confusion in her mind. However, it also brought forth an indescribable feeling of awe that surged from deep within her heart.
The audience's cheers and the sound system were locked in a battle of volume, neither yielding an inch. The slightly muffled sounds around my ears could only faintly make out the excited roars and the omnipresent tune of "Aiming Sniper."
It's truly overwhelming, even though I just arrived. Right now, it's not just my mind and body, but even my breath is filled with an exhilarating heat.
Her gaze was directed towards the stage. Because she was standing too far at the edge, she could no longer see the faces clearly, but the big screen was still fairly clear.
You are my aim, the moment I see you, I can't help but want to possess your heart.
"... I often think about it before going to sleep."
On the big screen, Ji Jingyuan in a blue stage costume is standing at the front of the stage. He is smiling brightly while holding a microphone in his left hand and singing his part, extending his right hand forward and shaking it up and down to perform the song's iconic choreography.
And the audience all followed him, waving their right hands up and down. Looking out over the crowd, the swaying bodies formed a beautiful and magnificent wave.
This wave spreads to every corner, rising and falling, passionate and soaring.
This scene of tens of thousands of people dancing together brought an extremely strong impact and soul-stirring infectious power. The few girls who had just walked in seemed to be manipulated, and they couldn't help but dance along.
"Oh, oh…"
"Your gentle smile!"
"Oh, oh…"
"And still looking at me!"
At the back, on stage, Chi Jingyuan and even EXO didn't even have to sing themselves. They just uttered the previous sound effects, and the students below would chorus the next part in unison. The cooperation was excellent, one after another. Since they appeared until now, the atmosphere has been scorching hot and never subsided.
It was as if everyone in the audience knew this song by heart, without exception. Even the lyrics were ingrained in their memory, and anyone randomly picked from the crowd could flawlessly replace the preening dancers on stage.
Every time they sang in unison, Nanami and the others could feel the ground beneath their feet trembling ever so slightly.
A few middle-aged teachers in the front row, who looked a bit like school administrators, were also taken aback by the overwhelming atmosphere. They couldn't help but turn their heads back, and behind their gold-rimmed glasses, several pairs of slender eyes were filled with astonishment.
"It's perfect."
Chi Jingyuan smiled and sang his own lyrics, joining the chorus of the entire audience. He stepped out onto the stage, one foot slightly bent on a box at the edge, while reaching up to wipe the sweat from his forehead. Looking at the enthusiastic students in front of him, he felt both excitement and emotion in his heart.
He was already sweating and flushed after just singing a few songs.
The atmosphere was truly amazing, every student was incredibly excited and full of energy. From the afternoon performances onwards, the excitement was palpable, but it wasn't until EXO took the stage that the whole place went absolutely crazy.
All the audience members singing along in a chorus of thousands is something not just any idol can achieve. Even he found it hard to stay composed facing this heart-melting scene.
This atmosphere and support are truly no worse than their concerts, and perhaps even better.
It's no wonder it's a celebration of the school anniversary, the atmosphere is amazing.
And several girls were now shocked by the fervor of the scene, looking in disbelief at the vast space and students everywhere. Finally, their gazes settled on the large screen on the stage in the distance.
Only by being there can you feel the astonishing popularity of EXO, and the strong charm that blooms under the impetus of this popular song.
At the same time, you can also feel to some extent the exhilaration and addictive sense of accomplishment that comes from being surrounded by adoring fans on stage and becoming the center of attention.
Having been infected by the surrounding atmosphere, several girls with fervent minds stood in the distance and watched the rest of EXO's stages. From "Target Shooting" to "Call Me Baby", and finally ending with "Growl".
Until exo's performance ended, the later artists who went on stage also watched one or two performances and stayed there for about twenty minutes before looking at the time. Then they reluctantly left.
"Wow, the scene just now was amazing, especially xo's stage, the atmosphere was so great…"
On the way back, several people were still somewhat shaken. The sounds and scenes of Hongdae Square seemed to be right in their ears and eyes. Sun Caiying looked extremely excited, bouncing as she walked, seemingly wanting to vent some of her enthusiasm. She quickened her pace, ran ahead, stepped onto the sidewalk, and like a child, grinned while imitating Chi Jingyuan's gesture from "Aiming Sniper," waving his hand. She was laughing very lively.
She mimicked a few times, causing a burst of laughter. She walked back with a giggle and then smacked her lips dreamily: "With such a good atmosphere, I wonder what it's like to perform on stage."
"It must be great..."
"It has to be said that EXO's popularity is really high. The atmosphere of the subsequent performances was obviously not as hot as the one before them, and I felt like all their songs sounded the same, especially "Orient Gun" and "Growl". The scene where everyone sang along together was… jinja…"
"Of course, we're not talking about "Shout". And lately, "Target Sniper" has been incredibly popular. Almost everyone at our school sings it now, and it's still in the top few on music charts."
"This word is now a hot topic, with many people using it to express their feelings or as a catchphrase."
Hearing this, Lim Na-yeon, who had been unusually quiet up until now, suddenly came alive. She grabbed Yu Ding-yeon's hand and looked at her with a deeply intense and greasy expression, saying, "You're my target sniper..."
"Hahaha…"
If privately, Yu Dingyan might go along with her acting out a fit, but in public, especially when there were so many people around, he would feel a little embarrassed. He just chuckled twice and patted Lin Naien's hand away, wrinkling his nose as if disgusted by the touch.
After watching the performance for a while, although a few people felt some sentimentality, their mood seemed to have improved considerably. Even Nan Minami, who had always been quiet, couldn't help but join in with a few words.
Back in the small theater, we started filming again almost immediately and kept going until nightfall. When it was Park Jin-young's and the 'Major Crew's' turn to perform, a few of us played the role of audience members, laughing and giving enthusiastic reactions.
After the show ended, I hung out backstage for a bit. Today's mission is finally complete.
After briefly explaining a few things, Park Jin-young left the resting room first to go chat with some acquaintances and friends ahead. He is also a graduate of Yonsei University, and many familiar friends came today. The emcee was his junior, so it was necessary to greet them.
Given his status, he should actually be performing on the main stage. However, the school side definitely wouldn't allow him to film . In order to promote the newly prepared girl group he put so much effort into, he took this commercial performance instead.
Once Park Ji-eun left, the practice room was left with just some staff and the two groups of female trainees who had reunited. Not long after, they heard Son Chae-young's distinctive voice speaking to Somi:
"Guess who we saw today."
First published on the Traditional Chinese Novel Networkhi Jingyuan sensed the resentment and dissatisfaction in Zhou Tzuyu's heart. However, driven by curiosity and reluctance to end the conversation, he hesitated for a while before asking anyway. His wor...