Chapter 66: And the Stage Chose Nine

“Show must go on!

Hello, I’m Son Chae-i, the MC of the massive survival show to become the nation’s idol, Please Take Care of My Idol Season 2!”

No sooner had Son Chae-i’s introduction finished through his in-ears than an enormous roar of cheers came from outside them.

Thinking that there were spectators filling both sides of this protruding stage they were waiting on and the seats above, pouring out such cheers, his heart began to pound wildly.

“Please Take Care of My Idol Season 2, which first aired on March 31st, has finally reached its final episode today, thanks to your passionate support and love.”

At the word ‘final’, the spectators surrounding them let out cries mixed with disappointment.

“And today!

Through the live broadcast, the new national idol, created by the viewers’ direct votes, will be born.”

Words similar to what Son Chae-i had said before starting the agency evaluation in the first broadcast continued.

“Then, let’s meet the twenty boys dreaming of becoming national idols right now!”

With the now-familiar line, darkness instantly fell over the venue, and then a pinpoint light shone down on the protruding stage where they were waiting.

At the same time, the chorus of ‘Me and Me’ began to play.

Anticipating their appearance, the spectators started screaming even louder.

As if responding to the sound, the lift slowly began to rise.

“Aaaah!”

As the lift slowly ascended to the stage, the spectators filling the first-floor standing section and the second-floor seats became clearly visible.

Looking at that overwhelming sight, his heart felt like it was about to burst.

Clunk-

Along with the feeling of the lift stopping, the white light falling on them went dark in an instant.

Then, as lights began to brighten one by one, the accompaniment for Please Take Care of My Idol Season 2’s signal song, ‘Me and Me’, started playing through his in-ears.

***

After quickly performing three songs—’Me and Me’, the debut evaluation song ‘Time Killer’, and the group song ‘Wanna be your star’—they changed back into their school uniforms and hurried to the stage.

As they went to the left protruding stage as rehearsed and stood on the white platform, the faces of the spectators came into view one by one.

As they were looking affectionately at the people surrounding them, the fans, the video playing on the screens installed throughout the venue ended, and Son Chae-i’s face appeared large on them.

“The live broadcast voting will close shortly.”

At the same time as Son Chae-i spoke, the number ’60’ appeared on the screen, as if counting down.

With the decreasing numbers in the background, Son Chae-i recited the final voting precautions.

From the moment the number on the screen became ’10’, she began counting down along with it.

“5, 4, 3, 2, 1!

Yes, the live broadcast voting is now closed.”

Everyone knew—the MC Son Chae-i, them as participants, the audience, the viewers.

They had to stall for time, even if forced, until the vote counting was complete.

Son Chae-i turned her body largely to the left and began stalling by conducting interviews with the trainers, which she had saved up.

“He’s the spiritual pillar of our trainer corps, Vocal Trainer Won Ju-ha!”

Won Ju-ha, suddenly called, flinched in surprise and raised her microphone.

“Yes!”

“Won Ju-ha trainer has been with us since Please Take Care of My Idol Season 1.

Personally, have you felt any differences between Season 1 and Season 2?”

Won Ju-ha let out an “Umm…” as if pondering her answer, drawing it out before speaking.

“In Season 1, since it was all our first time, there was a fun aspect of growing together.

In Season 2, I felt a lot of pride because I think I was able to play a clearer role as a trainer.”

Starting with Won Ju-ha, Son Chae-i improvised various questions and continued the interviews with each trainer.

When the interviews with the trainers were all finished, Son Chae-i’s gaze shifted to the side.

“They’re the national girl group created through Please Take Care of My Idol Season 1, right?

My Nine’s Baek Ri-yu and Heo Song-a!”

As Son Chae-i naturally began an interview with the two members who composed the 3rd mission evaluation song ‘Into the Moonlight’, he noticed staff members hiding in various places around the stage moving busily.

The final tally was probably complete.

Soon, the interview was naturally concluded, apparently a signal having been given to Son Chae-i as well.

“Yes, everyone!

You’ve waited a long time!

From now on, I will announce the 9 final members of the group ‘NUAVE’ that will debut through Please Take Care of My Idol Season 2!”

At the announcement that they would begin the final member announcement, the most important scene of today’s broadcast, or of Please Take Care of My Idol Season 2, the spectators, who had been showing signs of fatigue, started screaming as if revived.

“I will now announce the first member of ‘NUAVE’, the trainee who placed 8th in the final rankings.”

Saying that, Son Chae-i opened the envelope she had received from the production team and checked the result.

She lowered the envelope as if to create a pause.

“It’s a trainee who presented the stage of the debut evaluation song ‘ALL Time’ today.”

No sooner had Son Chae-i finished speaking than half the spectators began fervently chanting the name of the participant they supported.

“8th place is… Trainee Kwak Jun-sung!

Congratulations!”

As Kwak Jun-sung’s name was called, the participants standing near him celebrated loudly, and his fans also erupted in cheers, chanting his name repeatedly.

Jun-sung, with a dazed expression, went out to the main stage and received a microphone.

“Uh… I, ugh… Sorry, I didn’t think I’d make the final members.”

Stuttering as he continued, Kwak Jun-sung expressed his gratitude to his fans, family, agency, and friends, then got choked up and covered his eyes.

“Don’t cry!

Don’t cry!”

At the spectators’ shouts, Jun-sung barely managed to lift his head and continued his speech in a tearful voice.

“Thank you so much to all my fans!

I love you!”

***

“Next, I will announce the 5th place trainee, who will become the fifth member of ‘NUAVE’!

This trainee has received much love from the viewers, showing great talent in singing, dancing, and various other areas!”

Listening to the following description, he thought, So 5th place is out too. He thought that his 3rd place in the last ranking announcement was perhaps the luckiest event of his life, a one-time thing.

He thought there was maybe a 1% chance he’d be 4th, 49% chance he’d be 9th, and the remaining 50% chance he’d be outside the ranks.

It would have been nice to be around 8th place, I’d be comfortable and happy….

At the moment he glanced enviously at the seat where Kwak Jun-sung was sitting,

“The trainee who placed 5th is… Trainee Sim Jae-seo!”

Unbelievably, his name was called.

As the first successful candidate from the ‘Time Killer’ team, his teammates celebrated as if it were their own accomplishment, congratulating him.

Especially Kim Jae-ho, who had been with him on ‘Beautiful Hate’ right before, hugged him tightly, offered congratulations, and then gave him a long push on the back.

He glanced back at Kim Jae-ho for a moment, then slowly walked towards the main stage.

Walking towards the stage, the spectators chanting his name on either side felt like a dream.

“Jae-seo, congratulations.

I’ll keep cheering for you.”

With the words of support she had given him during the first filming, Son Chae-i handed him the microphone.

He bowed deeply to her and received it.

Then he turned and looked towards the front of the stage.

Once again, the spectators filling the venue came into view.

Only then did he realize that the fluttering feeling in his chest he had felt when starting the ‘Me and Me’ stage had been a feeling of being overwhelmed.

“Uh, thank you so much.

I’m so grateful that I don’t know what else to say besides thank you.

To the fans who allowed me, a mere ordinary university student, to stand on stage, who allowed me to truly love being on stage, I am sincerely grateful.

Thank you!”

It was a stupid speech, only saying thank you, but he couldn’t help it.

He couldn’t think of anything else to say besides thank you, and he didn’t want to embellish it with other words, so he ended with another thank you and bowed.

“Jae-seo, congratulations on your debut!”

Hearing that shout, filled with feelings directed solely at him, he thought that at least for today, he should be genuinely grateful to this crazy perverted psycho game, 「Please Take Care of My Idol」.

Forcing his heart, which felt like it might burst, to calm down, he slowly walked towards the right protruding stage.

***

[x00609 Please Take Care of My Idol Season 2 Episode 11 Live Discussion Thread]

[x00609 Please Take Care of My Idol Season 2 Final Live Broadcast Thread]

[Comments]

It feels like it just started yesterday, and it’s already the final episodeㅠㅠ

↳ Same next Friday is going to feel so empty lolㅠ

Why do I feel like crying alreadyㅠㅠ

If the kids get eliminated, where will I see themㅠㅠㅠㅠ

↳ *222* There are so few kids with decent agencies, it’s driving me crazyㅠㅠ

↳ *33* Can’t they gather all the trainees and do a special show or something..?

The live broadcast is starting!

Ah crazy, I’m even more nervousㅠㅠㅠㅠ

It feels like just the other day I saw 99 of them doing ‘Me and Me’ on Music Up&Down, and now I’m seeing 20 of them doing ‘Me and Me’ in the final episode. It’s kind of sad..

The kids all look so pretty today

↳ Same maybe it’s because there are so many fans, but everyone’s eyes are sparklingㅠㅠ

↳ (PD_Final_Live_Photo.jpg) The standing area is so close, I’m so jealousㅠㅠㅠㅠ

📢Live voting has started. You can send the trainee’s name or number to #XX11📢

(KakaoTalk_Capture.jpg) Ah f*ck, I asked my little brother to send a text, and he sent it to Yoon Ji-hyun,,

↳ Aigoㅠㅠㅠ Can’t he send it again?

↳↳ No, if you send it twice, it’s automatically counted as a duplicate voteㅠㅠ

↳ My older sister sent it for Ki Jae-young lol lol lol lol Honestly not funny at allㅠㅠ

…

📢The ‘Time Killer’ practice video VCR is starting📢

This team definitely has more dance members.

Is Seo-hu alone on an island?ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

I was curious why Seo-hu chose Time Killer, it was for the challenge, cool!

↳ As soon as he says that, he regrets it lol lol lol lol

Jae-seo must be really comfortable to be around, seeing Seo-hu clinging to him and complaining lol

But doesn’t Seo-hu’s reason for regretting it make sense? How can 7 out of 10 people learn the choreography?ㅠㅠ

↳ Actually, it was 8 people. Jae-seo learned the Beautiful Hate choreography, remember? lol And then he pretended he couldn’t do it, it’s hilarious lol

↳↳ Holy that’s right?? lol lol lol lol

Still, the K-Stars kids are helping him practice diligently.

Seo-hu must be annoying them, guys lol

Holy Joe&Soul is out!!

Huh, it’s straight to the recording studio?;

The dance footage was mostly just Seo-huㅠㅠ

Are those two Jo and Soul?

↳ lol lol lol lol lol lol No, there are two more besides them.

Everyone looks so natural recording, but Jae-seo is the only one who looks nervous, right? lol He’s so cute reallyㅠㅠ

Holy Jae-seo’s impromptu ad-lib, what is it, crazy, crazy..

Jae-seo’s vocals are so goodㅠㅠㅠㅠ

He’s so goodㄷㄷ

Sim Jae-seo, if it weren’t for Please Take Care of My Idol, he would have been a K-pop talent snatched up by Korea University, right..?

↳ Fr, of course he’s good at studying too, but he’s just too good at singingㅠㅠ

Oh the VCR is over!

📢’Time Killer’ stage starting📢

Wow the choreography is so intense?

What, isn’t this a dance position evaluation?;;

↳ Same, it even looks harder than the dance position choreographyㅠㅠ

The live singing probably won’t work lolㅠㅠ

I don’t know about anything else, but the dance is just so coolㄷㄷ

Lee Ha-jin is also really good lol lol lol lol

↳ Fr, he hasn’t had a single bad stage on Please Take Care of My Idol.

What, they’re doing live singing well??

Oh Kim Woo-hyun is good!!

It’s the rap part from the preview! My favorite part!

Holy it’s not Chan-seo, it’s Hyun-tae?

↳ Wow, but Hyun-tae is also really good lol lol lol lol

The choreography is really well done!!

The slow-down in the middle is so thrilling.

All hail Jinwoong

Jae-seo is so goodㅠㅠ

Is Jae-seo just playing the audio track by himself??

↳ He’s a live singing geniusㅠㅠ

↳ How is it possible for him to dance like his body is breaking apart and still sing like that?ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

Jae-seo gets first place in dance and live singing on the show.

Wow Lee Chan-seo is so good lol lol lol lol

This is it!!

So good.

Jun-jae’s part is so tantalizing.

↳ He has no partㅠㅠ

Park Seo-hu’s high notes are truly crazy.

But Seo-hu lol lol lol Is he even dancing or just fidgeting? lol lol lol lol

↳ No, our kid tried his best thoughㅠㅠ lol

Jae-seo, where are you breathing from?

Sim Jae-seo’s fighting spirit is crazy.

↳ Fr, he’s not a Korea University student for nothing.

Wow he even did that ad-lib live?

(Doitter_Capture.jpg) Someone called Jae-seo not a baby rabbit but a baby savage lol lol lol lol

…

Daebak; the group song was written by Won Ju-ha and Moon Gi-hoon;

The photos were taken by Ju-ha ssam and Gi-hoon ssam..

Holy shit I’m so touchedㅠㅠㅠ

Holy Ju-ha ssam is cryingㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

(screenshot.jpg) In the midst of the tears, why is Woo-rim sitting on Jae-seo’s lap..?

↳ Crazy lol lol lol lol lol lol lol

↳ Ah the combination of those two is so cuteㅠㅠ

↳ (screenshot.jpg) Woo-rim is even crying in Jae-seo’s arms in that state lol lol lol lol

Tears were streaming down, then I saw Woo-rim and Jae-seo above and stopped.. lol

Ju-ha ssam kept talking about the intro for Jae-seo, and eventually gave him the intro part lol

Holy Jae-seo is so pureㅠㅠ

Sexy Jae-seo, cool Jae-seo are all good, but fundamentally, pure Jae-seo is the root.

You can really feel the affection put into the part distribution.

Jun-jae also does ballads well.

Main dancer Jun-jae is great, of course, but I truly love vocalist Jun-jae.

How long has it been since we heard Hyun-tae sing?..

↳ Same he’s been rapping all the time, it’s been so longㅠㅠㅠㅠ

K-Stars have great visual chemistry, but their vocal chemistry is also amazingㄷㄷ

The buildup from Jae-seo to Woo-rim to Seo-hu is so good, they’re so goodㅠㅠ

Woo-rim and Seo-hu absolutely have to debut together.

Chan-seo’s ballad rap is crazyㅠㅠㅠㅠ

Lee Chan-seo is even good at this.

…

Oh they’re announcing the group name!

Nervous

Huh why is the meaning so cheesy?ㅠㅠ;

New + number 9 Nueve + welcome Ave

↳ What does that even mean?;

↳↳ It’s nonsense, basically.

Are they embarrassed too? Why are they glossing over it so quickly lol lol lol lol

They got criticized for being too simple with My Nine, so maybe they’re overcomplicating it this time.

↳ But looking at the meaning, it’s essentially just ‘New Nine’ anyway, ridiculous.

📢The debut group’s name is NUAVE!!📢

International fans will never be able to pronounce NUAVE lol

NUAVE itself is okay, but the English name and meaning are so bad,,

…

***

[Please Take Care of My Idol Season 2 Final Debut Members]

[9th Place Park Seo-hu
(PD_Fallen_ParkSeohu.gif)

8th Place Kwak Jun-sung
(Monsoon_Junsung.gif)

7th Place Chae Han-ul
(JulySnow_ChaeHanul.gif)

6th Place Lee Woo-rim
(LeeWoorim_Negativity.gif)

5th Place Sim Jae-seo
(MDP_BeautifulHate_SimJaeseo.gif)

4th Place Lee Chan-seo
(I_Say_Chanseo.gif)

3rd Place Yoon Ji-heon
(MyDolPlz_Villain_YoonJiheon.gif)

2nd Place Yeo Hyun-tae
(Villain_Hyuntae.gif)

(Center) 1st Place Seo Jun-jae
(SeoJunjae_Anomaly.gif)

+Group name is NUAVE
(NUAVE_Logo.jpg)]

[Comments]

NUAVE, congratulationsㅠㅠㅠㅠ

Jun-jae as center, congratulationsㅠㅠㅠㅠ

K-Stars, congratulations on your debut!!

Wow, those clips are all legendary stage clips.

↳ Right, it’s practically a summary of the show lol lol lol lol

Idol Yoon Ji-heon, I can see him again..ㅠㅠ

↳ Same when he said ‘I’m NUAVE’s Yoon Ji-heon’ in his live speech, I completely lost itㅠㅠㅠㅠ

Wow.. Han-ul and Seo-hu made it..?

Hyun-tae, it’s disappointing, but 2nd place is still great~~ Congratulationsㅠㅠ!!

Jae-seo and Woo-rim debuting together makes me so happy lol

↳ Fr I love the little critters!

Jae-seo, congratulationsㅠㅠㅠㅠ

Wow, what’s the acceptance rate for the July Snow team? 7 out of 9, insaneㄷㄷ

↳ There’s a reason they were called a legendary teamㅠㅠ

Chan-seo, congratulations on your debut!!

Holy where did Park Kang-hoon go? He got eliminated?

↳ Yeahㅠㅠ Juke fans are all raccoons washing cotton candy right now.ㅠㅠ

Seo-hu and Woo-rim as main vocals, congratulationsㅠㅠ

(MDP_JulySnow.gif) I love the July Snow team!!

I stopped watching the show halfway, but Seo, Sim, Yeo ended up debuting together. It’s a bit compelling.

↳ Become a fan (clap!) Become a fan (clap!)

Jun-sung, congratulations!!

↳ Beautiful Hate kids, JJZ kids, congratulations!!

…