The woman's mouth fell open at the crowd that appeared to easily exceed several hundred people, but thinking about it, it wasn't strange at all. Wasn’t she herself here this early in the morning? Those hundreds of others were probably thinking the sa thing. Everyone trying to arrive as early as possible to get a better seat.
Even now, the line of taxis didn’t stop.
-Screech!
Taxis kept arriving, and the passengers who got out looked visibly startled by the already gathered crowd. Along with that, the taxi drivers stuck out their tongues in disbelief.
“Whoa, so many people. Looks like sothing’s happening here.”
Of course, there were also people who ca running after getting off buses, or arrived by bicycle, or used their own cars. The number of people was increasing in real ti. Those who arrived thought they were first, only to find out.
‘Ack! Wh-what is this!!’
They quickly blended into the crowd in a panic.
Though there were so n here and there, the number of won was overwhelmingly higher. Today’s fourth round of shooting for 'Produce That 100!' was scheduled to start around noon. That ant these hundreds of people had arrived roughly six hours early. There were even people who hadn’t received audience tickets.
“If we hang around here, maybe we’ll get in sohow??”
“That could happen. Let’s wait a bit longer.”
“No way. They’ll 100% check everyone at the entrance.”
The location was only revealed to those who had won the audience draw, but it secretly spread among the online communities. As a result, in front of the large campus entrance, there was a mix of people with audience tickets and those without. The distinction was clear. Those with tickets lined up, while those without were randomly clustered around them.
“What’s going on? Are we supposed to line up?? Or just wait around?”
“Ah, if you’ve got the audience ticket, I think you should get in line first.”
“Wait, are there people here who didn’t win the audience ticket?”
“Looks like a lot of them.”
It was absolutely packed.
People’s appearances were all different. Groups of high school girls in uniforms, people carrying huge cara like cannons, those with bulky backpacks, and plenty already taking photos or videos. So had brought homade slogans or posters. No. 1 was overwhelmingly the most visible among them.
And that’s not all.
“I just arrived in front of the ‘Produce That 100!’ campus, and there are soooo many people?? It’s not even 7 a.m. yet?? Wow- this is insane, seriously.”
Even YouTubers with action cams in their hands were there.
Even in that very mont, the crowd kept growing, and just as order was beginning to dissolve.
-Slide.
The campus gate opened and around a hundred people dashed out. All of them wore black short-sleeve shirts. They were the staff mbers of 'Produce That 100!' Most of them were support staff, and one male staff mber near the entrance picked up a gaphone as he looked at the massive crowd.
“Entry will begin at 8 a.m.!! Before entering, we’ll check the audience ticket sent to your phones! If you don’t have it, you can’t get in!!”
Groans were heard from all around. Regardless, the staff continued shouting.
“We’ll collect your phones before you enter the hall!! Small caras and recorders, other than your phone, are also prohibited and cannot be brought inside! And before entering, you must fill out a confidentiality agreent!!”
Although the precautions had already been sent by phone, the staff repeated the sa announcents on site. Soon, confidentiality agreents were handed out only to those who had audience tickets. At this point, dozens of people without tickets gave up and left, but many still lingered, holding onto hope.
About an hour later.
“Entry is now beginning!!”
The audience finally began entering the 'Produce That 100!' campus. However, the line was already extrely long, and with every person being checked individually, it was obvious it would take a lot of ti.
“Please show your audience ticket and ID.”
“Okay.”
“What’s in your bag?”
“Just... this and that.”
Normally, when an audience is admitted, devices like cell phones, caras, and voice recorders are prohibited due to the risk of spoilers. However, despite multiple warnings and emphatic reminders, there are always those who sneak them in.
“Please allow to check sothing for a mont.”
The inspection is intense.
Soon, a remarkable scene unfolds.
“W-wait, why is that in there??”
“Voice recorders are not allowed.”
Several people are caught with hidden voice recorders and have them confiscated by the staff, so brazenly try to bring caras and end up in argunts, while others throw tantrums, saying they didn’t win the audience ticket. But the staff, seemingly experienced with this, carried out their duties calmly.
About two hours passed while the audience steadily entered through the Gate 1 main entrance.
“Phew- it’s been a while, this place.”
At the Gate 2 rear entrance, a different set of figures began to appear. A tall man, vaguely familiar, had just passed through the rear gate. It was No. 88, who had been eliminated from 'Produce That 100!', and following behind him.
“No. 88 ssi!”
Highly energetic No. 19 approached, waving. A reunion of those eliminated from Room 105.
“Wow, it’s been a while, huh?”
“Yeah, how have you been?”
Besides the two of them, eliminated contestants from 'Produce That 100!' started showing up at the rear gate one by one. They too had been invited to the audience. For reference, PD Woo Han-suk had passed on the ssage to those who would be attending as guests to arrive earlier than the general audience. These included the eliminated contestants from 'Produce That 100!', as well as figures from the entertainnt industry.
Once the general audience started taking their seats in the hall, chaos was expected to follow.
Another 30 minutes later.
“Phew- so this is the ‘Produce That 100!’ campus?”
Entertainnt industry figures who had t with PD Woo Han-suk and ca today to observe the contestants’ performance began to appear one by one.
After several more minutes, a few black vans stopped at the rear entrance parking lot.
The first to stand out was PD Jung Soo-ryeong, her ssy hair tied back. Key staff gathered around her, along with Choi Rina, who wore a mask over her long straight hair. Of course, other actors were also present. The key staff looked at the huge campus with excitent.
“Wow- so our writer nim is sowhere in here??”
"This is amazing, really."
“What do I do? I’m so nervous.”
“Co on, it hasn’t even started yet.”
“No! This is my first ti attending sothing like this!”
PD Jung Soo-ryeong chuckled and spoke to top actress Choi Rina, who stood next to her.
“Star Choi. You didn’t have to co, you know? If you’re not interested in idols, you might get bored.”
Wearing a mask, Choi Rina let out a small cough and shrugged.
“Well, everyone else was going, so I didn’t want to be the only one missing out. I’m just curious, about writer-nim’s performance. That’s all.”
She was pretending to be cool. In truth, Choi Rina’s heart was about to burst.
‘Ugh, I was fine in the car! What’s going on! Calm down, heart, please!’
Her heartbeat was so loud she worried PD Jung Soo-ryeong might hear it. Fortunately, the PD didn’t seem to notice and simply replied.
“Is that so? Well, it’s true that watching writer-nim’s performance is valuable. It’s going to get harder to see from now on.”
Soon, PD Jung Soo-ryeong gave a signal to everyone.
“Let’s start moving.”
The 'Rental Lover' team entered the campus.
Afterward.
The audience mbers who had entered the campus had to move in an orderly fashion under the guidance of the staff. They gathered in a wide area in front of the building with the stage. Event tents were already neatly set up here, and the 'Produce That 100!' team was distributing slogans and fans they had made for the audience.
“Please co forward in order!!”
“Hey! Don’t push!”
“Ahh! Soone stepped on my foot!!”
“There! No. 1! I want the No. 1 one!!!”
Anticipating the popularity, the most of the ones made featured Kang Rojun, but they ran out quickly.
“What?? No more for No. 1?? No way.”
The crowd was absolutely overwhelming. It felt just like a shop set up at a large festival. While the outside atmosphere was heating up, inside the hall with the stage, PD Woo Han-suk was in a frenzy.
“Let’s check the lighting one last ti!”
“Yes, yes!”
The scene of final checks being conducted thoroughly to the very end. On the massive monitors surrounding the grand stage, all of them were displaying:
-[Notice for Viewers]
Instructions for the audience were being shown. Around this ti, dozens of n began entering the hall. They were eliminated contestants from 'Produce That 100!' invited by PD Woo Han-suk. Not all 76 had co, but at least 50 seed to be present.
“Hello, PD nim!”
“Long ti no see!”
“Greetings!!”
PD Woo Han-suk, standing on the stage, welcod them with a bright smile.
“Hahaha, welco. Has everyone been well?”
After a brief exchange, the eliminated contestants took their seats in the special section on the right side of the stage, not in the front but toward the back. In the anti, they busily looked around the entire hall. It was a place they had experienced too, but it was completely different from before.
“Wow- it’s changed this much.”
“Look how much bigger the stage is.”
“The main stage is one thing, but that runway-style protruding stage wasn’t there before, right?”
“Must be newly built. The standing area is way bigger than I thought, and there are a lot more seats too.”
They wondered what it would feel like to stand on that stage.
A mix of deep regret and envy filled the eliminated contestants. But what else could they do? All they could do now was cheer for the surviving contestants.
Gradually, the empty seats in the hall began to fill.
In the hundreds of seats behind the eliminated contestants, entertainnt industry professionals started taking their seats one by one. Within minutes, the number grew to dozens. A group arrived that included a foreigner, drawing curious glances from others.
“Who’s that?”
“Not sure. Hmm- feels like I’ve seen him before.”
“Anyway, where are the contestants?”
The 24 contestants, including Kang Rojun, who would be performing in the 4-round evaluation, were in the waiting room. Of course, they were watching the situation inside the hall through a monitor.
That's when it happened.
“Huh??”
Entertainnt professionals widened their eyes as they saw a group greeting PD Woo Han-suk near the stage.
“Isn’t that PD Jung Soo-ryeong?”
“PD Jung Soo-ryeong? Oh! It is her!”
“What- why’s she here... Ah! ‘Rental Lover’!”
“Did she co to see No. 1?? Because he’s the writer of ‘Rental Lover’?”
“Wait, that woman in the back wearing a mask looks like Choi Rina??!”
“Choi Rina??”
The guest section began to buzz. The eliminated contestants, influenced by the commotion among the industry guests, also started peeking around curiously. Soon, as the 'Rental Lover' team approached, the entertainnt professionals all stood up at once.
“PD Jung Soo-ryeong nim, hello!”
“Ah? Manager Kim? You’re here too?”
“Hahaha, yes, I ended up coming. It’s been a while, Choi Rina ssi.”
“Yes, hello.”
Between Choi Rina, the other actors, PD Jung Soo-ryeong, and the entertainnt professionals, countless greetings flew back and forth. The eliminated contestants were completely srized by the rare spectacle.
‘Whoa, it’s really Choi Rina.’
‘Wow- I’m seeing Choi Rina in person.’
‘The aura of actors is insane.’
With the arrival of the 'Rental Lover' team, the hundreds of guest seats that had been specially arranged were now completely filled. Thirty minutes later, the general audience began entering the hall. First, the standing area near the main stage and the runway-like protruding stage connected to it were filled.
“Wow! Amazing!!”
“This is crazy- it’s so close!!!”
Next, the seats surrounding the stage were sward by the audience. The crowd inside the hall, initially just in the hundreds, quickly surged into the thousands. In everyone’s hands were slogans or fans featuring the faces of the contestants. The rising chatter reverberated throughout the hall, and several dozen audience mbers recognized the actors from the 'Rental Lover' team. Most of them were in the standing area.
“Ah!! There are actors over there??”
“Where where?? Oh my god, it’s true.”
“That woman in the mask looks like Choi Rina.”
“Looks like the ‘Rental Lover’ team ca!! Ugh- seriously, not having a phone is the worst!!”
“Since the writer is No. 1, I guess things like this can happen too. Fascinating-”
It took about an hour for the entire audience to be seated, and only around 1 p.m., past noon, did the hall interior begin to settle down.
Seen from the ceiling, the place looked packed wall-to-wall with people.
At that mont, a staff mber stepped onto the stage to rally the energy and raise the level of focus. Along with that, they once again reinforced the important viewing guidelines. The final note was that filming would begin shortly. The faces of the thousands in the audience brimd with explosive anticipation.
Then, among the production crew stationed around the stage, PD Woo Han-suk gave a signal.
-Swish.
The entire hall went dark. A few seconds later, lights shone onto the stage. At so point, Jang Dae-han, the idol-turned-broadcaster who was serving as both MC and host, had taken the stage holding a cue card.
“‘Produce That 100!’ Now beginning the fourth round of evaluations!”
An outpouring of cheers and applause. The atmosphere was electric, and Jang Dae-han called out once again.
"First, let introduce our judges!"
The five judges who had been with the show since the first round entered. Familiar faces like Song Min-geun and Lee Han-na, along with Yoon Seung-won, Gong Joo-mi, and Lee Da-mi. The judges' seats were located at the front of the guest section, and once they were seated, Jang Dae-han flipped to the next cue card.
“Here are the 24 contestants of ‘Produce That 100!’ who will be evaluated today!!”
Even before he finished speaking, 24 contestants burst out from behind the stage. Forming two neat rows to avoid overlapping, they filled the entire stage. Of course, leading the line was No. 1- no, Kang Rojun.
At that mont, a scream so loud it could burst eardrums erupted through the hall.
“Kyaaaaaaaaa!!!”
“Kyaaak!!!”
Hundreds packed into the standing area near the stage were practically convulsing with excitent. Onstage, Rojun stood basking in admiration, and PD Jung Soo-ryeong watched him fondly.
'Oh, look at that face, that face. It's shining, shining.'
Choi Rina stood frozen, her mouth slightly agape, dazed.
“......”
The entertainnt industry professionals stared intently at the 24 contestants, and the sa went for the group that included the foreigner. The eliminated contestants clapped with a mix of admiration and envy. After a brief introduction, Rojun and the others exited toward the back of the stage.
Next, Jang Dae-han announced the team that would perform first.
“The first team in the fourth round of evaluations: Group 1 Team A, featuring No. 58 and No. 71!!”
As screams and shrieks echoed through the hall, the faces of No. 58 and No. 71 appeared on more than ten giant monitors around the stage and ceiling.
“Group 1 Team A will be performing an original rap! The title is ‘Witch’!!”
As soon as the rap title was announced, the monitor screens displaying No. 58 and No. 71 changed. Information about the original rap 'Witch' appeared.
-Title: Witch (Original Rap)
-Composed by: No. 58 / Lyrics by: No. 1
Thousands of eyes in the hall fixed on the monitors. For so reason, the murmuring grew louder, and the eyes of the dozens of entertainnt professionals in the guest section widened. The sa reaction ca from the 'Rental Lover' team. Among them, Choi Rina murmured unconsciously, almost entranced.
“Lyrics... by No. 1?"
*****
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