Please Do Your Debauchery After You Die - Chapter 37

Episode 37: One Page

I know about the Ugaidol Audition.

And I’ve seen it too.

Huh? You’re saying I lied when I said I was at LebitTV following Lucy during the Ugaidol Audition?

Ah, I’m Seomin… No, now I’m Seo Min-ah, but anyway, I’m a person who lives by the motto of diligence and honesty.

It’s not a lie; I did see it, but it was an edited video compiling the performances of the successful candidates rather than a live broadcast.

When Lucy transferred, the ‘Pangea TV Virtual Song Ideal Type World Cup’ was pretty much a universally recognized content, and I was forced to consume it as well.

Most of the videos in that World Cup were from the Ugaidol Audition stage, so I learned a lot about the virtuals who transferred before Lucy.

“In the end, what became the most talked-about was not the final stage of the fourth round but the first round stage.”

Moreover, the protagonist of that stage was not even among the final successful candidates.

It was quite an unusual occurrence.

Typically, when we watch auditions on TV programs, the final successful candidates should be the protagonists, and the narrative should progress smoothly.

Perhaps because of that, there was considerable noise after the final successful candidates were selected.

There were already concerns that the successful candidates were predetermined even before the final stage took place.

Since no one could peek into Sayoh’s mind, it ultimately ended as a conspiracy theory, but there were many who secretly trusted this claim.

“Well, that’s a story that isn’t related to me. The important thing is the criteria for judging.”

The characteristics of the final successful candidates that I know.

And the statements and evaluation trends of the judges that were shown every time a song was judged.

If you analyze that well, you can gain a compass that won’t let you lose your way, even in a deep mountain.

“Most of the final successful candidates have tones and singing styles that suit K-Pop. Especially Kyu-lings and Jiho. Berry isn’t bad either.”

It could be said that there was a divide in judgment regarding the proposition of the Virtual Idol Audition.

Streamers who supported the ‘virtual’ aspect based on subculture didn’t survive and were eliminated one after another.

Only candidates with singing styles or tones closer to ‘idol’ or with such potential ultimately survived.

Considering that Jerry from Novel Enter, who was a judge and in charge of vocal training for the members selected as finalists, mainly focused on girl group education at the company, it further supported that speculation.

Moreover, Jerry’s evaluations of singing were often about those aspects.

– “I really enjoyed it. But if I were to point out one thing, changing the singing style to be more idol-like could make it an even better vocal performance.”

– “The tone is great, so I have high expectations. Let’s work on making it have that idol-like singing style through lessons.”

I read the intent of the organizer.

In fact, this isn’t solely my achievement.

It’s a database that has accumulated bit by bit on Pan Burger Gallery even before Ugaidol.

I searched for Ugaidol out of boredom one day before my regression and just went “Dtal-kak.”

Thanks to that, I managed to gather a ton of information, which I compiled to prepare for today’s stage.

“In the end, what’s most important is the storage. A song only resonates in the moment it’s heard, but a story remains in your head continuously.”

The streamer who can be called the protagonist of the first Ugaidol stage was such a case.

Unfortunately, as someone who has only been broadcasting for about a month, it was a method I could not follow at all.

So I decided to choose an alternative.

“If there’s no story, it’s ultimately a battle of vocals. But there are many elements that influence that.”

It’s not just about singing well.

Choosing songs that consider the listener’s taste, and the mastery of the song, how well it fits one’s own tone.

This is why auditions or competitions are difficult.

There are too many complex and considerations to take into account.

So I confidently approached a vocal trainer with the information I obtained before my regression.

“Why worry endlessly? Just spend a lot of money and leave it to the experts.”

Provide the vocal trainer with information about the judges’ preferences and evaluation criteria.

The song selection derived from that information.

Then I picked songs that suit my tone and sought the intersection.

I polished the selected song for two months with consistent effort.

The best song selection, and a song I’ve built skill on over two months.

Even if someone sang better than me, they probably had about a week or so to prepare for the audition; can it really be compared?

Moreover, I was working on a song that was polished by a ‘pro’ in a one-on-one session!

I boldly stepped onto the stage.

I had enough confidence about the two songs I had prepared for at least two months.

So I had also thought about how to perform it ahead of time.

“Hello. I’m Seoa, a Virtual Streamer on day 35 of my debut. Now, let me sing right away.”

“Excuse me?”

“Uh, um… Alright. If you want, let’s listen to the song first.”

I boldly skip the self-PR and move on to the song.

This feels like taking away the initiative from the judges, but it’s also a decision to reconsider the image of the virtual streamer ‘Seoa’ that I’ve built up since debut.

The way to touch or surprise people the most is through ‘plot twists’…

Playing with playful words and actions that I’ve always shown to the viewers.

As a Virtual Streamer Seoa, I was known for dancing well and singing at most one song from the subculture genre.

But here I was, appearing more serious than anyone before 25,000 viewers.

If the viewers who knew me saw this, they would tilt their heads in confusion thinking, “Huh? Is this really Seoa?”

I also adjusted my avatar outfit to immerse myself in the lyrics a bit more.

A pristine white blouse and neat jeans.

Some might say it’s over-investment or that it’s unnecessarily flashy, but I did everything I could and gave it my best.

All of this was to change a future that would end in tragedy.

The song begins with the familiar intro that I’ve been tired of hearing for two months.

[The day I first saw you in a photo

January 30, 1999]

– Smart Doctor Life OST PART. 11 “I Knew I Would Fall in Love.”

It was a song that gained explosive popularity with its 2020 remake.

Sad yet beautifully shining lyrics.

Suddenly, the repetitively tiring lessons flashed through my mind.

– “To truly capture the flavor, the pronunciation of ‘my’ is important here. But Seoa keeps cutting it short. Huh? Is it because of a lack of breath?”

Days spent repeating hundreds of times, pointing out each syllable and correcting the pronunciation to match the song.

Some parts had to be short and others had to be pronounced long, sometimes express feelings and expressiveness with vague explanations.

Because of such efforts, I wouldn’t be shaken by any kind of clumsy tension.

[To the happiest person in the world

I love you so much who made me so]

Every line of the song’s lyrics felt like it was conveying my feelings to someone I truly loved.

That’s why I became even more absorbed in it.

The spotlight shining on the stage.

Camera angles connecting with countless viewers.

Even the gazes of the judges looking down from above.

And before I knew it, the song was rushing toward the highlight.

[I knew I would fall in love

On the day we first met]

The lyrics could be interpreted in so many ways.

I thought of ‘Lucy’ to amplify the emotions of this part.

That day three years ago.

When I first heard Lucy’s song on YouTube, that was when everything began.

Memories sparkling from afar, too distant to recall.

Now, it could never be the same as then, making it all the more precious.

[Back then, I will hold you

Just like you]

As the conclusion approached, I realized I was holding the microphone too tightly without even realizing it and looked up for a moment.

At that moment, I discovered the chat room exploding in excitement.

– “Oh, what’s that song.. I got choked up.”

– “The lyrics sounded so vivid, not a single part muddled.”

– “Daeseoa, shout!”

– “I really think it was the cleanest song I heard today, I consider it the top.”

– “It feels so straightforwardly sung without grand techniques, yet the emotional delivery is just so overwhelming!”

– “I’ve only seen you play around all the time, but seeing you sing so seriously is really a plot twist.”

– “So much better than those kids who just scream high notes. It’s been so long since I listened comfortably with my eyes closed.”

– “Sayoh hyung, buy Seoah quickly! We found our vocalist!”

I tore my gaze away from the chat room and turned to the judges.

The first to speak was Jerry.

“Honestly, I was really surprised. I honestly didn’t expect a song of this quality to come out at all. And was it because of your outfit? Somehow it matched the lyrics in an odd way, making it even more immersive. Moreover, the feeling of cherishing every note of the song was just wonderful. I’ve talked too much; of course, I pass.”

It was the longest feedback Jerry had given so far.

Next in line was Great Moon.

“I also agree a lot with Jerry’s judgment. Your outfit matches the mood of the song. Did you choose this all intentionally?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, that’s great. With that answer, I’ve made my decision. I pass.”

With two passes, my acceptance was already secured.

But if it ended here, it would be disappointing.

There was still the All Pass left.

“……”

Our eyes met.

Was it just my feeling?

It’s just a polygon lump of an avatar, but I felt a hot gaze as if meeting eyes in reality.

“Can you answer one thing?”

“Yes. Anytime.”

“Is there really no past or anything? It’s day 35 of broadcasting… just like you said at the start.”

I felt a slight pang of guilt.

What Sayoh is talking about is probably regarding my past as a broadcaster, but the truth is I am, after all, the Returned Person with 29 years of past behind me.

To keep my conscience clear, a candid confession… is nonsense.

I smiled brightly and answered.

“If I lied, then I’ll just be a guy.”

“…… I will believe you. And congratulations. All Pass.”

That long-awaited moment.

Ahem! And I didn’t lie.

Because I am indeed a guy.

Putting aside the nagging conscience, I smiled brightly.

A glorious page to decorate the Ugaidol Audition.

It was shining brightly under the pouring spotlight.