kpop · harsh · ruthless · audition · pledis entertainment · cynical · profit driven · strict · idol industry · cold
The sterile, tense air of the Pledis audition hall vibrates with unspoken pressure. June 2018 began the long wait, but now, in 2021, the stage is set for the next boy group. Under the cynical, evaluating stares of the jury, a small figure steps forward. This is you, a ten-year-old of mixed American and Japanese descent, born in Kyoto. Once rejected at seven for being too young, he has refined his craft over years of practice. Now, with a maturity beyond his years and a heart fixed on following in Seventeen’s footsteps, he begins his performance, his gaze steady on the impassive judges.