#rkqri

[rovalent]

LUXE(럭스) "LUV GAME" MINI-ALBUM   Teaser Video ♦  6. CHERI (체리)

royalTV Published on July 19, 2018 0:00 - 0:20

Upon the press of the ▶︎ button, an upbeat instrumental clip of “Luv Me” begins to play. Jihyun, revealed with her stage name Cheri, stirs beneath a giant, fluffy blanket inside her bedroom. An exaggerated sigh is heard before the blanket is pushed aside to reveal the beautiful, masked girl underneath. Despite the yawning and stretching used for comedic effect, Cheri’s visual is shown to be undeniably top-tier as the mask is lifted and her full face is revealed. Her grumpy expression only adds to the cute aura she exudes as she reluctantly gets up to get ready for the morning. Feet are inserted into adorable purple teddy bear slippers and Cheri gives herself a good jive to get the blood flowing. But sleep sings a more alluring song and viewers are left chuckling as the girl succumbs to its melody. She hops right back into bed, tugging the blanket over her head as the music and video fade to a close.

This video is uploaded to Royal Entertainment’s official YouTube page at noon on July 19th. From this point forward, all promotional advertisements and official LUXE listings will feature the mononym Cheri (stylized as such) as Jihyun’s stage name. Everyone, including unofficial netizens, are highly encouraged to get involved in the hype of Luxe’s release!

[rkmason]

@rkqri​: 

   ( sms ⇢ wolverome ) ☇  hey, i know you’re preparing for your stage rn but i wanted to let you know you’ll do great out there  ☇  i’m here rooting you on with this ridiculous disguise ☇  i’m also really proud of you, y’know that? ☇  make sure to show them your best asset !!! ☇  and this time i don’t mean your shoulders 💕 ☇  also dabin and seik say hi and good luck too !!!!               ⇢  [ img _ attachment: boomerang of seik and                        dabin handing her the mcdonalds brown bag ]   , sent! ☇  thanks for the mcdonalds, i love them ☇  and i love you, you’re going to do amazing on stage

— MESSAGES READ AT 8:55PM ; HOURS LATER  

[ text: Candy ] I read these before the show but didn’t get to reply then.  [ text: Candy ] You’re in front of me but I can’t do a damn thing with all these people here  [ text: Candy ] I was gonna call you my best asset but the truth is you’re my moon and my stars.  [ text: Candy ] I have a lot I wanna tell you… But I’m afraid I won’t get to so I’ma pull a page out of your book 

He has to sneak away from everything going on in the restaurant the group chose to celebrate at and hiding out in the alleyway outside doesn’t feel safe enough. Keys jingle in his pocket and he thanks his past self for agreeing to be designated driver for Seik and Dabin later. 

[ AUDIO_FILE_UPLOADING ] 

{` — the clip starts with a light chuckle as he stares at the texts she sent again } Ya’no… reading I love you isn’t the same as hearing it and it got me to thinking… I have a recording of you saying you like me but not of you saying you love me. I know, I know {` — he laughs, shaking his head and leaning his elbow against the car door } That’s weird because it’s me, because I should’a tricked you into recording that at least once since the first time but… I think I like that I’ve only heard it in person. Hearing those words from someone like you, from you… That’s not easy. I would fucking know, right? 

But I want you to have those words. I want you to hear it from me. I love you. Years have passed since that night in the beach and… you’re still lighting that fire inside me. You kept it alive during a time I thought I would burn out on my own. That’s why calling you my moon and stars isn’t enough. You’re a whole damn universe, Lee Jihyun, and don’t you ever forget it. 

I didn’t know if I could tell you this in person when it’s been a while since we’ve been alone together… I think I might explode if I see you alone right now so I’ll give you bits and pieces of me ‘til then. {` there’s another soft baritone chuckle when he pauses to ask } Are you cringing yet Candy? 

[ text: Candy ] Listen to it when you’re alone alright? It’s my thank you for being here, for always being here for me. I love you too 

[rkxayah]

LUXE 💎 FIFTH EVALUATION interview refresher course june 11th-15th, 2018

as usual, the toughest part for eunae is to remain both seated and relatively calm the whole time. even though it’s a mock interview (and the hundredth they’ve had since the beginning of the course on monday), the staff is still scrutinizing their every move and facial expression. they’re quick to point out if they yawn, blink too much, look absent or bored, etc. it becomes irritating after a while but they know it’s for their own good. the media can be ruthless and the general public even more. any picture or word can be taken out of context, twisted and posted online for people to judge.

how many times has she seen articles online that made it seem as if a celebrity had said the most disgusting stuff, only to look into it a little more and realize it was a big misunderstanding? she would hate for the same thing to happen to her. eunae can be impulsive and bold which falsely leads people to believe she doesn’t care what people think of her. while it’s not exactly a lie, she does want others to like her.

“eunae, for the fifth time, will you stop following the flashes? it makes you look like you’re not paying attention.”

she blinks, as if coming out of a daze, which makes the staff member scoff. “well, i guess you really weren’t paying attention. focus, please? the press will eat you up if you’re not careful.” his gaze then sweeps the whole group. “and the same goes to all of you. let’s start over one last time, we’re almost there.”

eunae nods and they all stand up, getting off the small stage. because yes, they also practice their entrance, from the way they walk to how they greet the fake journalists. no comments are made this time around since they want the girls to go through the whole thing without interruption. it’s important that they experience it all so they’re prepared for the real press conference. there won’t be anyone telling them what do do or say then.

she listens as she first questions are asked, doing her best to smile and nod at appropriate moments, sometimes looking at the member talking and sometimes just looking at the staff members. her turn doesn’t come right away but she mentally prepares for it, past comments coming to mind: look directly at the person who asked the question, don’t cut off a member talking, when uncomfortable it’s alright to take a pause instead of just spewing nonsense (which she’s proven to be very good at).

“Do you regret getting involved in the survival show?”

she dives in first, bringing her microphone to her mouth. “not at all! of course it was very intense and very hard but because of it we learned  lot about the industry and about ourselves! i think the saddest thing is probably that we don’t get to debut with all the friends we’ve made during the show.” she thinks of lisa, and soohyun, and hyuna. “but i know i’ll cherish those memories forever!”

“How is it living with five other girls in a small space? Have you had fights?”

she has a small laugh. she shoots a glance over to the other girls, lips pursed before the finally answers. “we’ve been really busy with our debut preparations so we spend more time at the royal building than we do at our dorm. that’s not a lot of time to get into fights!” she laughs again. “but we’re six very different people, with different personalities so of course we argue sometimes.” she looks at jihyun. “jihyun unnie is a very good leader though, and we go to her with our issues instead of keeping it it, you know? sometimes it’s better to just fight, then we don’t hold grudges.”

“Are you currently dating anyone?”

they decided it’d be less risky to have a single person among them answer this, just in case their body language tells otherwise when they say they’re not dating (which they obviously have to). eunae thinks it’s dumb of the media to constantly ask idols that question considering there’s no way any of them will respond positively unless they want to kill their career before it ever started. “there’s definitely no time for that!” and is she lying? even the three of them that are in relationships could almost be considered single now. “debuting is more important than dating right now, i think it goes for all of us?” who would she even date anyway? everyone gets tired of her after a while she’ll probably never get passed the “some” stage.

“Do the girls who came from other companies feel welcomed by the royal girls? How did the transition go?”

dawon, jiwon and eunae exchange looks and silently decide on who’s going to answer. she isn’t sure how jiwon feels about it, but then again she isn’t sure how jiwon feels about most things since the group was formed. dawon and her, however, have talked a whole lot and they both agree on what she’s about to say. “i can’t speak  for all of royal, because i think it wasn’t easy for some of them to accept us debuting over girls they’ve trained with for months or years.” again, there’s no lie. they got nasty looks from a lot of people at royal. “but it’s different for luxe members. and even the other girls who did the survival show. we weren’t girls from our companies, we were just girls with the same goal and the same... hardships. and it made us connect in ways i don’t think we connected with other trainees.”

[rksona]

★ — luxe: april eval, 2018 !

i feel good: music video filming !

half excitement, half fear. that’s the only way she can think of to describe her current feelings towards luxe’s steadily approaching debut, something that she hasn’t fully come to terms with yet. it feels all too surreal; in fact, she’d argue that it was impossible to believe if she wasn’t experiencing it for herself. each day feels like a dream, and she’s unable to shake the uneasy feeling that she could wake up at any moment—it’s only a matter of time.

april 13th, 2018.

it’s the first day of filming, and although she doesn’t know it yet, it’s likely to be the most challenging. the atmosphere is drastically different from the filming for her individual teaser, which she mostly attributes to the presence of the other luxe members. they’re filming together, as a team, and it’s enough to fill her with a sense of companionship. for a moment, she smiles at jihyun, proud to have someone like her as a leader.

the filming goes on for hours, and it’s only natural to assume that the girls are growing tired with each passing hour. she's praying that it won’t show in her performance, relying on her stamina to get her through the day—she owes her team that much. they run through the choreography again and again, desperate to create an end product that’s nothing less than perfect. a fair share of mistakes are made amongst the girls, but dawon believes that it’s only natural; this is their first time filming for a music video, after all.

april 14, 2018.

on the second day of filming, she’s able to feel herself physically relaxing as the fear begins to dwindle, excitement steadily building within her as her confidence thrives. it makes it that much easier to present acceptable facial expressions; expressions that show off her confident and carefree emotions, showing that she was genuinely having a good time. it’s a welcome change from the nervousness that has plagued several of her last evaluations—she hopes that this change of attitude will last, though she isn’t going to place too much faith in it.

april 15, 2018.

the final day of filming is bittersweet. a sense of jealousy eats at her the entire time, knowing that she’s the only girl not to have a story scene to herself. she tries not to let it weigh her down, mentioning it to no one as she meets the cameras with an expected smile. it’s best to keep it to myself, she thinks. they’d just think i was ungrateful. she tries not to feel too down about it, remembering that she’s probably the member that needs to work on her charisma the most—if anything, she wants to use this as motivation, as it reminds her that she still has room to improve. maybe this could be another push in the right direction.

her feelings are mended partially as she films her scenes with the other members, the club scene serving as a much-needed boost to her spirits. not only is she more than pleased with her outfit (which does well to show off the abs she’s worked hard to maintain), but she’s also in love with her hairstyle—she makes a mental note to show her appreciation to the stylists later on. as she and the other girls are dancing around, they all seem to be having a good time—she just hopes that none of them are faking it. on several occasions, it’s already been made clear that some of them get through things like this better than others.

when the filming finally draws to a close, dawon lets out a sigh of relief, heart racing as she thinks of how close they’re becoming to actually debuting. filming for the music video was a major step in that direction, and she can only imagine what the next month has in store for the six of them.

half excitement, half fear.

[rkroyalsurvival-blog]

Episode start.  A familiar trio appears on the center of the stage, greeting the in-venue audience and the audience at home with matching saccharine smiles. “It’s been a long journey to get here today,” Byun Baekhyun says, addressing the audience as the camera follows his face and words. “Both for us, the viewers, and for the girls who have worked diligently from the start to make it to this final point.”

“It’s bittersweet knowing we’ll have to say goodbye to many tonight,” Seo Kangjoon continues, picking up the cue with his own charismatic words. “All the girls here have become our favorites, right?” The audience cheers in agreement to the words, clapping and calling out their favorite contestants’ names in support. Han Yejin’s smile widens at the loud sound and she playfully covers one of her ears to tease about the audience’s excited volume.

“Before the end, there’s still a lot more to see!” she announces warmly. “So Jisub sajangnim, do you have anything to say before we begin?” The camera cuts over to the image of the Royal CEO sitting comfortably at his usual spot in the middle of the venue, only this time surrounded by a sea of fans holding colorful banners in support of their future idols. Jisub looks handsome for this finale episode, dressed to the nines in a sleek gray suit and tie and grinning widely at Han Yejin’s query.

“I want to say… I’m looking forward to this,” he jokes pleasantly. He lifts the microphone up and the metal head touches gently against his lips as he speaks. “Let’s begin.”

For the audience at home, a brief review of last episode’s events reminds them what’s at stake for tonight. Two groups have been formed by So Jisub based on the finalists remaining in the competition: Team A, consisting of YANG JIWON, JO EUNAE, LEE JIHYUN, MANOBAN LALISA, and LEE SOOHYUN; and Team B, consisting of PARK CHAEYOUNG, JEGAL SEOYOUNG, KIM SEOLHYUN, AHN HYOJIN, and NAM DAWON, and these groups are to perform one last time, their efforts and stage presence determining their future fate in Luxe-- or outside of it. As they’ve only been given a week to prepare for this performance, the pressure has mounted higher than ever and the resulting emotional responses have intensified, as seen in several clips of the girls as they are given a chance to capture a camera and confess their innermost thoughts.

“it’s been a really precious experience.” JEGAL SEOYOUNG says as she steeples her fingers. “In the beginning I thought… I probably won’t make it to the end, but I should still do it. I couldn’t give up the chance. but now it really feels like i could win.” Seoyoung reaches down and takes a sip of tea, which has now cooled to her satisfaction. “If you told me I would be a finalist on a Royal Survival show in one year, I would have fainted. Seriously.”

“The girls aren’t here right now, but I brought them with me!” JO EUNAE lifts up a picture they all took together at the very beginning of the show, when there were still thirteen of them. "We lost three girls along the way. Three talented friends. I guess you could say it’s to be expected when you enter a survival show; you never know when your turn will come and how you’ll react if it does. But when you’re in it, it’s different. We’re so involved that we don’t really imagine this could ever end. You know? The experience I gained during the show is priceless, really. I was confident in my abilities. Not arrogant, but confident. Maybe a little too much?” she laughs earnestly. “But I’ve learned that i indeed have a lot to work on still. i think even years from now, I won’t be able to be completely satisfied with myself. Maybe I’m too competitive, but I think it’s always possible to do better.”

“If I had an opportunity to do this again, to be on another survival show, I think I would do it,” KIM SEOLHYUN confesses, “I thought I knew what I would be getting myself into when I signed myself up for this, but some of the challenges, the interview and the dress…” Her eyes closed and her shoulders bounced in a silent laugh. Hands went up to cover her face with a whine as if wanting to forget the memory. “It’s nearing the end now, right? No matter what happens, every one of us did their best. At this point…  I’m also proud of /us/ for making it this far. Really, with all the memories we shared, I would be glad to be in the same group with any of them. But we’ll learn about that soon, won’t we? I’m nervous just thinking about it.”

“When I auditioned – I thought that I’d be a shoo-in.” LEE JIHYUN reveals honestly. “I’ve been at Royal for so long, I had to get in? But getting put into minor really made me work for my place. I had become so complacent that I had forgotten the feeling of trying and took my seniority for granted. If anything, from this experience – I learned that it’s never too late to keep trying, to prove your worth. Or, show that my dancing has improved a little bit – I know, I’m still not the best but I’m not exactly a sight for sore eyes anymore, right? Riiiiiiiiiiii –ght.” Jihyun laughs, hand coming up to cover her lips, muting the laughter trying to keep it at bay. “I just hope, in the end, that’s what I’m remembered for. started from the bottom, now i’m here.”

“Hi, hi! It’s me, Lee Soohyun, royal entertainment’s sunflower and precious chibi moon.” LEE SOOHYUN giggles then a soft smile appears on her lips, and she then turns the camera to show that she is actually at a cosplay cafe. “i’m here with my boyfriend you know.. i’m sorry sajangnim.. i didn’t want you to find out like this. he’s very good to me i hope you support us!” she jokes, but later becomes more sweetly sincere: “i pray that we make you happy with our performances, please look after us fondly. we all have worked really hard to be here, chasing any dream takes a lot of courage.” Soohyun smiles placing her free hand on her chest, “it’s scary.. even if we don’t show it.. we’re all a little scared. we’re bearing our hearts to you. so with that being said i always remember this: don’t forget, if usagi can! so can you! i love you guys bye bye! god bless!”

“hello hello hello!” MANOBAN LALISA says greetings in the three languages she knows — first korean, then english, then thai. “this whole show has been a wild ride, and so much happened in the span of a few months.” lisa takes a sip of her drink before continuing. “there are a lot of things that happened that didn’t get shown. we had a lot of hardships. sometimes i would be practicing all day and i wouldn’t realize the time, and since the practice rooms have no windows, i would barely even think about it… to be honest, it was difficult in the beginning because i knew that i was lacking, especially compared to the other trainees.” she pauses, taking a breath. “i think that’s what really motivated me. because i thought that i definitely couldn’t show that on television, and that i had to improve no matter what. and i’ve learned so much from sajangnim and my trainers and the other trainees, so i’m really really grateful.”

“it’s been, what, three months now? wow, it feels so…unbelievable. i still can’t decide if the time passed by slowly or quickly, but… i don’t think i’m ready for it to be over yet.” NAM DAWON smiled a warm and reminiscent smile. “it’s been such an important chapter in my life… it feels almost like i’m graduating high school again,” she admitted, light amounts of laughter spilling from within her. “coming into this, i didn’t think that i’d end up caring about all of these people so much, but…” she looked down for a moment, and, when her gaze lifted, it became clear that she had tears forming in her eyes. “coming from another company… i know that this is my last chance to be with them. i’m not ready to leave them yet, so i have to show that to so jisub by working hard, right? i want this more than anything… i realize that now. i’ll adapt, and, maybe you’ll see me on luxe’s debut stage! royal, fighting!”

“i remember when the show was announced, i didn’t sign up nor take part in the special training, i didn’t want to be apart of the show.” PARK CHAEYOUNG explains. “so, when i signed up, it was more-or-less on a whim.” rose glances downwards at her hands, fingers almost bare of rings, other jewelery which usually occupies every vacant limb. “i can say now, that i’m really glad i signed up, and god, who knew i’d be here still. i want to win.” she shifts in her place, leaning back in the chair, folding her arms across her chest, looking downwards. “it means so much to me that i’ve been given the opportunity to debut alongside them, we’ve worked so hard. let's go all the way together. no matter what, everything happens for a reason. this is park chaeyoung signing off, i may be rose of luxe or just rose of royal but,” she pauses. “either way, i’ll be happy. take care now, bye bye!”

“I’m trying really hard. Harder than I ever thought I’d be capable of. Not because…Not because I’m afraid of losing. I know I have to do well for the others.” YANG JIWON is too tired to stave off the way her eyes start to well with tears. “People think I don’t work hard because of the company I represent, or that I think I can just be better without…lifting a finger or anything. All of these girls are so talented. I never thought I’d make it this far. And they’ve all been so good to me. I hate the thought of them not debuting together, especially my teammates...” She sniffs, for at least the third time since she started recording. “I have to be better,” she concedes, looking into the camera, “It could be the last time anyone sees anything from me ever, and that’s kind of a big deal…”

From expressions of positivity to a consistent sense of fear of being eliminated, it’s visible to all that the girls are enduring far more mentally and emotionally than what is shown on the camera. It’s the cost of a survival competition and no one envies their position; they’re offering it all to the watching audience and only one man decides whether it’s good enough or not.

Once more returned to the stage, Seo Kangjoon introduces the first group to perform as Team B. PARK CHAEYOUNG, JEGAL SEOYOUNG, KIM SEOLHYUN, AHN HYOJIN, and NAM DAWON all take center stage and the lights and music begin for their rendition of the original song, “Want You to Say.” Jisub’s eyes are sharp as he assesses the performers individually: Rose, whose lovely vocals and stage presence have improved gradually over the duration of the competition; Seoyoung, whose full-rounded talent adds stability to the group’s overall dynamic; Seolhyun, whose usual high dance quality is marred by an injury he’d heard about from the choreographer, yet who still endures well for the camera; Elly, who impresses him with her suitability to this fresh concept, as well as her softer rapping style that’s a refreshing change to hear; and lastly, Dawon, whose singing style is as flawless as ever and has him closing his eyes in joy to hear it.

It’s tremendous. So Jisub is impressed and the feeling is revealed on his face as he slowly nods in approval once the performance ends. “Well done, girls,” Jisub tells them simply, smiling wide. There will be no critique for these final performances but he hopes his appreciation for their shown hard work is heard loud and clear as he claps strongly for them, along with the audience who shouts their praises to the five girls.

Byun Baekhyun comes to the microphone when the noise finally dies down and introduces the next group as Team A. YANG JIWON, JO EUNAE, LEE JIHYUN, MANOBAN LALISA, and LEE SOOHYUN all take their positions on stage and the lights and music go up for their performance to “Why Did You Come to My House?” An utter change of pace from the previous fun-hearted performance, the audience and So Jisub all watch equally fascinated as the up-beat stage takes place next. As before, the CEO quietly watches all girls in turn: Jiwon, whose potential he’s always believed in despite her being thrust into roles where she couldn’t show it off like the others; Eunae, a talented rapper who one simply couldn’t take their eyes off of whenever she appeared; Jihyun, with a singing talent to shake the soul out of viewers as she hits the challenging high notes; Lisa, the epitome of someone who’d worked hard throughout the competition to improve to his standards; and Soohyun, whose vocals fill the CEO with shameless pride that he’s found her such a long time ago.

Jisub feels the pressure mounting even before the song is over. In front of him now are five girls whose talent could shake a nation, and yet so, too, were five previously who could do the same. However, despite the heavy decision that he feels weighing down his shoulders, the CEO already knows the final conclusion he’s come to. These performances alone were never the deciding factor but everything up to this point. Their past performances, hearing the honest opinions from the coaches over these three months, watching the confessional interviews behind the scenes that weren’t always shown on air and, finally, his own biased opinion over who would suit Luxe -- all these factored into the decision he’d announce once the final ensemble performance graced the stage. “Absolutely fantastic,” he praises Team A, keeping to a simplistic approach as he conveys his happiness over their performance with enthusiastic applause.

The surprise for the audience follows next, as Han Yejin takes over the microphone to announce “Wild” as a special presentation for the loyal viewers watching the show all this time. “May I introduce… your finalists of Royal Survival!” she declares, once the girls have had enough time to quickly change into their ‘Wild’ costumes and the stage is reset for the final performance. The lights go on and the audience is mesmerized by the full sight of all ten young women challenging the third, most difficult concept of all: sensuality to bewitch the mind.

Jisub looks on with pride as he sees them all together on stage for the final time. His chest tightens with an unexpected rise of emotion as he thinks of all the progress they’ve made since joining the show. Those without confidence in their first challenge now shine like stars underneath the bright lights and he exhales out a long breath, smiling fondly as they dance together as a unit and entertain the audience with their unique charms.

Of these girls, his Luxe would be born.

When the performance ends, the audience roars with thunderous cheers and applause. The girls are given time to soak in the live reaction, standing on stage to hear what’s justly deserved as the camera crew and stage crew hurriedly switch over to the results stage. The audience at home is given a commercial break while they do so, and Jisub takes the time off camera to stretch out his legs and take a much-needed sip of water.

This was it. The final reckoning.

There’s no way for him to prepare himself for the inevitable heartbreak he’d cause on that stage tonight. Jisub knew this was the end for several of them, some who might leave his company out of grief and giving up on their dreams ( though, of course, he’d hoped they wouldn’t. ) But, for the others, those who would start on this road with him to make Luxe the shining new stars of the idol industry, he would have to steel himself to face the consequences.

When the show returns, Jisub stands and faces the girls, still dressed in their Wild costumes, with a bittersweet expression. “Thank you, girls, for everything,” he tells them sincerely. “These last three months have been eye-opening and I’ve seen talent that takes my breath away still even today.”

“Without further ado, I will now sort you into groups for the very last time.”

The audience gasps in surprise at this announcement but Jisub has anticipated this reaction and ignores it, choosing instead to stare steadily at the line up of finalists up on stage before opening his mouth to announce their names one by one.

“Ahn Hyojin… you will stay in Team B.”

“Jo Eunae… you will stay in Team A.”

“Kim Seolhyun… you will move to Team A.”

“Lee Jihyun… you will stay in Team A.”

“Lee Soohyun… you will move to Team B.”

“Manoban Lalisa… you will move to Team B.”

“Nam Dawon… you will move to Team A.”

“Park Chaeyoung… you will stay in Team B.”

“Yang Jiwon… you will stay in Team A.”

Jisub pauses, considering the new groups as they stand now: Team A, consisting of JO EUNAE, KIM SEOLHYUN, LEE JIHYUN, NAM DAWON, and YANG JIWON; and Team B, consisting of AHN HYOJIN, LEE SOOHYUN, MANOBAN LALISA, and PARK CHAEYOUNG. The CEO’s gaze settles on Jegal Seoyoung, considering her for a long moment of contemplation before finally speaking.

“Seoyoung, you will join Team A as the sixth, and final member, of the new Royal girl group Luxe.” His smile is radiant as he stares at the chosen girls. “Congratulations to all of you. You have been truly outstanding all of this time.”

To the members of Team B, Jisub’s tone takes on a softer tone. “Ladies, you, too, have been absolutely outstanding since the start of this competition. But, for several of you… Lisa and Rose, especially, I believe there’s still time for you two to grow. You are young trainees still and time is what you need in order to train to reach your fullest potential. Keep working hard, training hard, and debut will certainly be in your futures.” To Soohyun and Elly, he also nods his head apologetically. “For you two, as well, it was a close call -- and probably the hardest decision I have had yet to make. However, Luxe is not the group that is meant for you. I know what you two are capable of, probably better than you know yourself, and I assure you, as your CEO, that I will always steer you in the right direction. I am proud of you, of all four of you, and I can only see your futures expanding wider from this moment on.”

Jisub then turns his attention to the winners of Royal Survival -- the six girls who will soon be presented to the world as his Royal LUXE. “Eunae, Seolhyun, Jihyun, Dawon, Jiwon, and Seoyoung… each of you has proven yourselves to be exactly what I’d hoped for when this competition began. Full of talent, full of potential, beautiful as well as hardworking-- let us travel this road together from now on. Congratulations,” he says again, warmly. “You have won the final round of Royal Survival.”

[ OOC Note: ]

Congratulations to the winners of Royal Survival, and a heartfelt thank you to the contestants who have worked hard to make this event a truly special experience!

For the finalists who have won a position in Luxe, a follow-up post concerning the group concept will appear on Royal Entertainment’s company blog in the next few days (my personal time permitting) with further instructions about what will occur in the next stage for you. For Eunae, Dawon, and Jiwon, a meeting between Royal Ent. lawyers and their original company lawyers will take place privately in which Royal will follow legal procedures to officially buy out their contracts. You will be given a two year contract with Royal starting on Wednesday, December 6, 2017 while those already in Royal will keep the same contracts they have now.

For the finalists who did not win, you may return to your original trainee status that you held prior to the beginning of the competition. Everyone will be expected to move out of the Seocho dorms before the weekend (December 9th) and can return to their normal living spaces and training schedules by the 6th.

Any questions may be sent either to the Royal Ent. inbox or to Mod Sera or to Mod Kyle, as appropriate. Once again, thank you all so much (as well as our opinionated netizens!) for making this event truly a memorable one. Let’s meet again soon! ^v^

For the Royal MCs, BYUN BAEKHYUN and SEO KANGJOON, you may use this episode as the proof post of your participation in this event. Please provide this verification form along with your usual workshop forms for the December 6th activity check. You may submit both Episode 7 and 8 forms together if you wish.

ROYAL SURVIVAL EPISODE 8 (for the Dec 6th form)

[ x ]  * link to this post

+10 CHARISMA POINTS

+ 2 DEBUT POINTS

+1 WK RADIO/TV HOSTING (CURRENT LEVEL + NUMBER OF TIMES TAKEN)

+ NEW DEBUT POINTS TOTAL:

[rkwendy]

Santa Serenade | Solo

Son Seungwan - Nova Ent December 2017 Evaluation  Line Distribution: Nova Girls Stages | Santa’s Coming For Us | Do You Want to Build a Snowman

Wendy’s not going to lie. She has been dependent on ginger tea and lots of vitamin C to keep her voice intact with all the singing she’ll be doing tonight. She’s flattered that the coaches trust her and her skills enough to include her in special stages besides the performances with her unnies at Nova. She likes to think that maybe she has grown and improved in the year and a half she’s been with the company. She isn’t certain how much growing she has done and still has to do, but she wants to keep doing well to earn the coaches faith in her to do more.   

It’s always fun performing with Kaeun unni, Hyuna unni, and Min sunbaenim. This also marks the first performance with Suji unni. Wendy may have been more of a “loop The Nutcracker Suite in lieu of Christmas carols” type of girl, but she had developed a soft spot for the first song she’s performing for the night. Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” is relatable, in a way that she hopes that a person she’d have a crush on would still be around next year. She can’t get anyone to stay, case and point: Toshi and Minhyun oppa. (To be fair, Minhyun oppa did shoot her down on Day 1, but he was always there as an older brother slash handsome friend to her). 

There’s also the unspoken pressure that she has to do well to represent Nova in the joint collaboration with the girls from other companies. It’s an honor to share the stage with three MGA season three coaches from different companies. Rumor had it that the girls she was performing with were the among the best trainee vocalists in their respective companies. She had heard three of them sing back at the MGAs, and she had even shared a stage with Taeyeon sunbaenim. However, it still doesn’t stop her from being impressed whenever she hears them sing in practice, and every day she wonders what she did in her past life to be worthy of standing and singing on the same stage with some respected senior trainees. 

There seems to be an unspoken agreement among the females of Nova that they would all rather die than do aegyo. However, when push came to shove and their backs were against the wall, there was a surprising reveal of aegyo skills. Min sunbaenim was a revelation of sorts to Wendy, that she found herself taking notes on how to pull it off as naturally as Min sunbaenim did. If she respected Min sunbaenim before, then Wendy’s respect grew even more. It takes talent to pull off aegyo and be cute without being cringe-worthy. Wendy hopes and prays that her cutesy acting and smiling onstage didn’t come across as laughable. It took her hours to practice e expressions in front of the mirror between study breaks. 

Finally, there was the final stage. It’s been long since she got to share a stage with Yeri, one of her long-time best friends. She also recognizes the two boys: one of them is the one with Soojung a lot while the other was one of those attractive faces she accepted a Royal flyer from. During practice, they realized that they who got solo lines were the youngest trainees of their respective companies. Wendy almost wants to laugh at the irony of it all, yet it also makes sense.  The program ends with a Disney song... and that they youngest kids lead it. As much Wendy has professed to banning anyone within her vicinity from singing this song when the movie first came out, it has grown on her. Oh... if her other friends could see her now. (She bets Seulgi and Joy are giggling somewhere as they remember her screams of agony when she got sick of the song). They’d probably be laughing at her for singing the song she once loathed. 

As she and Dongmin sing the last line, Wendy lets out a sigh of relief. It’s over... They did well enough to entertain the people at the plaza. Maybe... just maybe... she’s on the right track in this whole idol thing after all. 

[rkleedongminie]

kids like magic, right?

family christmas party monday 25th december december evaluation

the christmas party with the kids had been a cause of worry for dongmin. he didn’t think he would know how to properly interact with any of the kids or their families. he never had any younger siblings, and even with his cousins he was the youngest, and in royal he’s the youngest. so he hasn’t had to interact with people younger than him that often. especially not since leaving middle school. he confessed to his sunbae at royal that he didn’t know what to do with kids.

thats when jihyun had mentioned something genius. of course she would bring this up. jihyun noona was the biggest supporter of his magic and he practices it often enough so he can show her new tricks. why he hadn’t thought about this in the first place was a surprise to him. but since she brought it up, he had been working on some that would really entertain the kids.

“okay! pay close attention.” he said, holding back a smile when he made eye contact with the couple of kids who were sitting in front of him. he had managed to gain the attention of a few kids, the softer ones who had been bouncing to themselves but holding back from joining the fun. dongmin had related to them the moment he saw them .

“see this box? theres nothing inside!” said box was one he brought with him after getting permission. he, of course, showed off the magic trick to the instructors that he asked. so overly proud of how well his magic tricks are getting along. 

the kids attention on him made him a little wary, but he has shown these tricks to jihyun a hundred times over. and she always tells him he’s doing good. so if it does it just like that, then he knows he can show the kids a good show. “now, the box is empty. i showed you that... huh?” he pretended to act surprised, as if the box had made a noise.

turning the box upside down, he tapped the bottom of it, and jumped a little dramatically when he got a tap back. the kids all laughed at the look on his face when the box shifted under his hand. 

“now... what could that be?” he wondered, lifting the box back up to look inside. dongmin gasped in surprise, gaining a lot of “what what!” from the kids, and he slowly turned the box to show them.

sitting in side was his stuffed lion, minnie. 

the kids all gasped with him, and then began clapping. “minnie! how did you get in three, you silly lion.” he played along, removing the stuffed animal and laughing along with the kids. 

magic tricks, success. 

[kibumrk]

miscommunicated.

@rkqri

honestly, it’s surprising that they didn’t run into each other sooner. but considering that they’re now both preparing for debut, their schedules are undoubtedly both busier than before. and with the fact that there’s hardly any overlap between sphere and royal’s schedules, it really isn’t that odd that it’s been so long since kibum has seen jihyun.

the sight of her in the corridor drops what feels like an ice cold stone into the pit of his stomach. he didn’t know how to tell her that he was leaving royal -- he didn’t want to tell her through a text, as a goodbye after three years felt too important to mention over text. but of course he didn’t get a chance to see her in person before royal survival ended, so he ended up unsure whether to call or just send a text and be done with it. before he could make a decision, the show had ended, and he knew that jihyun must have returned to find him and yien gone. 

( yien told her though. he didn’t just leave without a word. the guilt creates a stab of icy pain in kibum’s stomach, and he knows that he has to face this now. )

“jihyun,” he says, catching her attention. he’d been walking behind her, and she hadn’t seen him -- he could have ducked away and avoided this conversation. he’ll admit to himself that he was tempted to, but he knows that jihyun deserves better than that. 

as soon as she faces him, though, all the words leave him, and he feels like he did three years ago -- unsure how to put his feelings into words, clueless about how to get the emotional lump out of his chest and into the air between them. 

“i...i’m sorry. for leaving. i w-wanted to tell you, but i just....didn’t know how,” he says, and it’s not enough, he knows it isn’t, but his throat has closed up and he knows he can’t speak again until she does. 

[rkkangjoon]

//mock interview nov’17 eval  |  skj solo

He sat face to face to the mentor who told him to pretend that they didn’t know each other. Task was to reply to the questions, trying to be as concrete as possible without damaging his own image. Kang Joon had no idea how to remain himself without saying things he might not mean. Sounded hard. The other male began rustling with his stack of papers before lifting his voice, as if he was a reporter to get to know about him.

Please introduce yourself before we are starting with the questions.

Kang Joon lifted himself up from his seat and bowed, smiling brightly. “Hello, I am Royal’s White Lotus Seo Kang Joon. Pleased to meet you.”

Q1.“Your real name isn’t Seo Kang Joon, it is Lee Seunghwan instead. So what’s the reason behind your stage name Seo Kang Joon?”

He hummed, most people didn’t even knew Seo Kang Joon wasn’t his real name. He often introduced himself as Lee Seunghwan but rather liked it to be called Kang Joon. Most people called him Kang Joon anyways, there were just few like his grandmother or his cousin or his ex who called him by his birthname. “Well, there is a sunbaenim who is called Lee Seunghwan…. I felt like I couldn’t dare to become an idol while holding into this name without the pressure to surpass him. At the same time I was afraid to dirty his good name if I were to fail. That’s the only reason. I am not ungrateful towards my late parents, and I will never forget the name they gave me. ”

Q2. “Please name 3 things that describe you the best.”

He leaned back, before replying. “Spectrum, cheesy & cheeky.” The male’s lips formed into a wide grin. “I may look innocent, but there is much more to learn about me, so I guess spectrum is a good word to choose. There are a variety of sides to learn about me. I am a hopeless romantic and sometimes even I found myself pretty cheesy.” The mere grin turned into laughter. “And people often tell me I’m bold because I tend to do things differently from what you would expect.”

Q3. "What do you think about Royal Survival? Who is your favorite and why?"

This was one of the questions he had expected, since the show was drawing Royal Ent. into the focus of citizens right now. The male straigthened his limbs and his back, a hand tabbing on the table between the two of them. "Well, actually there are quite a few people I am cheering on. But if you ask me to choose one favorite it would be definitely be Elly. She is one of my closest friends, so I know about her skills and talents. I think people should just focus her because of that, nothing else.”

Q4. " How was it for you to co-host the Survival show? Is hosting one of the things you want to do as idol?

Nodding in agreement, Kang Joon replied: "I was pretty nervous but at the end of the day I was glad I received the chance to host the show. The Royal show represents our female trainees, so Baekhyun and me could remind Korea about Royal's male trainees as well. It was a good experience and a great opportunity! I would definitely host again, if I received another chance. But acting and modeling are something I want to do as Idol as well." He was thankful for the chance, and he needed to make sure to thank Jisub sunbaenim later.

Q5. “If you have to choose: Who is the most handsome and who the most beautiful among Royal trainees?”

Seemed like a question to provoke him, he thought. “How do you choose the fairest flower in a Royal Garden?” He returned the question with a cheeky smile. “I think our visual line is pretty strong among other companies, and I actually don’t think there is someone who is better looking than the other. But if you want me to choose, I think Baekhyun is easy on the eyes... When I was next to him on stage, I couldn’t take my eyes of his side profile. He has cheekbones one could be envious of... and still has this pure charm that pulls one closer to him and his adorable smile.” Kang Joon nodded. On the other hand he was facing a dilemma, when he was about to choose a pretty female. If he were to follow his guts he would have definitely called out for Rose, but there was no way he could actually do that considering the two of them could easily get under fire again. And choosing Dahye he also had somewhat of a special bond to, and whose beauty he personally adored almost as much as his exgirlfriend’s, would possibly cause a stir as well. Either way, it was troubling for him and the choosen female. “And for the females... I vote for Elly once again!” He shortly said, it was obvious the two of them were close friends, so there was no way one could misunderstand their relationship. “Her mature looks make her stand out, it’s something one has to be born with.”

Q6. “Talking of Baekhyun... During your participation at the MGAs there was a scandal regarding same sex love. Please tell us your thoughts on controversial topics such as homosexuality.”

The question stabbed him right into the chest, as he knew how Korea was a very traditional nation and this kind of topic was a bit of a taboo. Maybe it would be better to stay low, swallowing down his opinion. But that would mean to deny his true self, even though Kang Joon wanted to show the world who he really was. “I’m not against it. I rather support it. And I hope there will be a day, when South Korea can support and accept same sex love as well.” He was bisexual after all, so how could he ever hate on those who loved the same gender? He himself had experienced it before.  “I don’t believe anyone has the right to intervene the love of two humans. Whoever you love, it’s still love.”

Q7. “Does that mean you would date a man?”

He blinked, perplexed after hearing the mentor’s question. He couldn’t really believe what he just heard, the other man was much more pushy than he expected him to be. “Life is busy enough, even without dating.” Kang Joon replied, mistrustful gazing at the other’s eyes. The male wouldn’t give him a chance to be alarmed about Kang Joon’s relationship status, unlike at the beginning of his trainingship. He had learned from his mistakes. “And please refrain from sounding disgusted by that thought, it’s nothing bad.” A dangerous glint flickered in his amber coloured eyes.

Q8. “Fine... Then please tell me what kind of concept do you hope to debut with?”

Brushing through his light brown hair, he averted his amber coloured gaze for a short moment in order to collect his words. Kang Joon wouldn’t show his anger about the rudeness from the older man. This wasn’t the time. “It would be awesome to debut in a co-ed group, if you ask me.” He laughed a fake smile. He had no idea what he was actually talking about since he had never really thought about a group concept before. “Having to balance between female and male aspects we wouldn’t do too strong or too cute concepts I believe… I rather feel like we could pursue a deeper concept, which tells stories to the listeners instead of only capturing them with alluring looks or ear-catching melodies.” Kang Joon was suprised about himself for sounding self-confident and prepared, but he supposed his improvising skills weren’t as bad as he thought.

Q9. “And if you could choose trainees from all companies, who would you want to create a co-ed group with?”

“Oh that’s a easy question. I would love to be with my friends because I know we could enjoy ourselves while having the strongest teamwork. They are like my family, so I believe we would be the coolest gang out there!” Excited he blurred out, without trying to make him sound calmer and more elaborate. “KT has Aron and Gary, those would be my male buddies. Aron could be the talented allround pretty boy, while Gary would be the calm big brother with mad dog rapping skills. And if Elly wouldn’t win the Survival show, even though I am most certain she will, she would be the strong and cool female counterpart to him, independent and in charge of the sexy charm. Since there are three males we would need two more girls and there won’t be better choices than Sphere’s Minhee and Nova’s Wendy. The two of them have bubbly personalities, as Minhee is super attentive and caring and Wendy is gentle and kind and sweet to everyone. Also their charming harmony would serve the vocal parts of our group well. And I for my part would be the dumb visual who could take care of acting and variety.” His eyes glinted in excitement, when he imagined things. The mentor blinked before nodding in agreement. “Oh! And other choices for a group would be Rose, Dahye, Soohyun, Jihyun and Yooa… wait…” The male cover his eyes with one hand, while cackling. “This isn’t a co-ed group anymore… I suppose I could try be part of a girlgroup as well.” He joked which made the mentor laughing out as well before telling Kang Joon to move on to the next question.

Q10. “What kind of advice would you give new trainees coming in to your company?”

The male scratched his chin, before looking right into his mentors eyes again. “They should think about a flower name beforehand.” Kang Joon laughed about his own answer, as he remembered how he had struggled to find a good flower name for quite some time. “And please enjoy the stay here.”

[rkyooa]

new years greetings.

shiah was pretty happy to see the familiar faces of the royal girls around the halls of the training building again, the halls had felt pretty empty without them. one girl in particular had shiah pretty ecstatic to see again, jihyun. she was so, so, so excited that the other girl had made it into luxe and was going to be debuting. she had idolized her for so long and to see her become successful was amazing! it gave her hope for her own path as a trainee and eventual idol. 

she had prepared a little something, nothing big, just some cookies. she had been getting pretty good at baking them since she had to eat them all the time now, but she also had to hide them from the staff since they didn’t take kindly to ‘junk food’. these were just some light little butter cookies with dark chocolate designs on them. nothing too fancy or especially fattening. if the company knew she was giving jihyun cookies right before she was about to debut she feared her contract would be ripped to shreds right in front of her face, but she could be sneaky.

she had wrapped the cookies up in a make-up pouch to make it look like she was giving jihyun some make-up as a gift. make-up would’ve been nice (and she may or may not have slipped a couple copies of her favourite products in there too) but she knew the cookies would mean more since she had made them herself. it was more personal and she wanted it to mean something. “unnie!” she called down the hall upon seeing the other, immediately brightening up and trotting on over to her. “unnie! happy new year! i made you something~” and she held the pouch out to her with a beaming smile, hoping she’d like it.

@rkqri

[rkrosememories]

♡ #rkroyalsurvival, episode 5! — waterpark filming !  ( three day compilation ) outfit.

never in her life had she been to a waterpark of this size, especially not within korea. so, when it’s announced for the fifth episode that filming revolves around a day out, rose is ecstatic. it’s cumbersome to constantly be evaluated and judged, even though that’s the premise of the program after all. choosing what to wear is a problem all on it’s own, and rose has to keep in mind that korea is still somewhat conservative, and she’d hate to be targeted for being promiscuous and showing skin where not necessary. rose ends up settling on something rather safe, yet flattering, a zip-up rashie in a deep blue with navy detailing and fitted shorts. she’d make the most of her outfit, and besides; she looked cute and she was excited to see the sun even if the temperatures were a little lower than she would like. her mom had messaged her early this morning prior to her leaving for filming, saying how hot it was back home in australia, and rose was lowkey jealous, pining for the hot summer australian sun. how nice it would be to pair two and two together. she sighs, unable to have the best of both worlds.

rose spends most of the first tag tagging along with the rest of the girls at rainbow stream and spa valley, testing the different attractions, seeing which one was her favourite. she doesn’t go out of her way to approach the cameras, but nonetheless, she comes across as though she’s having a whole lot of fun and she is. cameras would hopefully catch sight of a very happy, laid back girl in her element, outside amongst her friends having the time of her life. it’s nice to take a step back from the stress of serious evaluations and prompts; although rose can’t help but dwell on the next episode and what’ll be happening for her; unless jiseob is planning a surprise elimination at the waterpark. if so, that’d be a total downer. she enjoys swimming around in the deeper waters, answering eunae’s call willingly. day one is refreshing and fun, and rose is hoping that she’ll have enough energy to enjoy the following few days. if anything, she’s going to sleep well tonight.

the second day is a little more fun-filled and full on. she spends a good portion of the day attached to seolhyun’s hip, accompanying her in the shallow ends of the pool as the older female is unwilling to travel into the depths, which rose thinks is fair enough. seolhyun grabs at rose whenever the two of them go a little beyond feet touching ground territory, leaving seolhyun to go into a panic. rose smiles and holds her hand, helping her back into comfort zone, moving back to the shallow depths once more. however, the moment where seolhyun was flipped out of her inflatable lounge chair was a scare for the both of them and rose being rose immediately reacted to the situation, helping the other, asking if she was okay, peeling bits of a wet hair back from her face with a gentle smile. later on, rose is found by jihyun’s side, sneaking a peak at the food carts, ice-cream’s in hand; all whilst in the midst of a water fight. water pistol in rose’s hand, she finds herself being dragged off in the opposite direction by jihyun, hand in hand. rose cries out a little while licking at the banana and vanilla ice-cream that drips down the edge of the cone. she didn’t want to be that kid to drop the pricey ice-cream cone at the waterpark.

she hadn’t anticipated how she’d feel for the filming to come to an end. even with cameras following their every move, it had been a total refresher for rose; in her eyes the filming had totally been worthwhile and she would love to do it all again with the girls if given opportunity ( although, she knows that it’ll never be like this ever again. some will triumph and others will falter, that’s the bitter truth of royal survival ). the funzone is filled with sand, almost like a large stretch of beach or a giant sandpit; rose felt like a little kid again, especially when all of the girls went head to head in a sandcastle battle. teaming up with seolhyun, rose is asking seolhyun if she knows anything about making sandcastles as though there is a science behind making the sand structures. it’s all trial and error, either too much water or too much sand. rose sighs in defeat each and every time but ends up trying again, determined to make some form of structure before the filming day is over. and they manage, rose adds small, makeshift flag poles made out of icey-pole sticks and leaves before shouting out of victory with seolhyun, the two holding hands before going in for a hug to celebrate their success. volleyball is also a focus of this day of filming, although rose admits she’s feeling a little bit lightheaded, sits on the sidelines with a bottle of water, watching the girls play volleyball. while the day ended on a little bit of a downer for rose, nonetheless, it was fun. she couldn’t put a finger on what her favourite day was, but on the ride back to the dormitories, she falls asleep without hesitation or trouble, cheeks dusted with pink. rose has had a decent amount of sun, perhaps a little too much.

oh well.

[boram-knet-blog]

★

here are my general opinions of current girls. ( meaning jazz and yubin aren’t on this list. i will talk about them separately )

seoyoung

i think she’s really cute, i think she could be a staple member? she can sing well enough, dance well enough, and she’s cute. unfortunately she’s not my favorite girl here, i won’t be mad if she ends up in the final lineup. i do think she has a chance. seoyoung is a fan fave no? i bet she’s really popular with guys. i’ll go look to find seoyoung supporters! i bet i’ll find some! i like girls with a lot of aegyo, so seeing her smile warms my heart so much. a precious noona really!

jihyun 

i am an avid supporter of lee jihyun and lee soohyun! team vocalee! i remember seeing that on social media, so i’m coining it here. jihyun has come far, her audition left much to be desired BUT BUT!!! noona seriously came through these past few episodes!! finally, we’ve been waiting and she’s delivered! her vocal color is super pretty, and she just seems so.. mature? no not mature, she’s cool but i bet she’s a bit dorky in person. i really want to meet her someday.. i wonder if she’ll follow me back on twitter. in regards to her talent, it’s obvious she has it. she better end up in the final lineup, jisub hyung will shoot himself in the foot if he doesn’t put her there. her visuals.. remind me of.. like early 2010s kpop? big pretty eyes, small face! chic right? 

rose

she has a nice voice, she’s pretty too. it’s just.. sometimes i forget about her, when she’s next to other girls. when i see the camera just pan to her, i go, “ah there is rosie noona, ah she looks good this episode.” but when she’s around other girls i forget her. i want to see her play guitar more, i do think jiwon and her match well. fansites will probably pop up for their ship. stylistically and ideally, i’d like to see her as a solo or maybe in a duet situation? i don’t think being in a group is for rose. i think she’d be the type to do rebellious things to get attention, or do something to damage the group. better off alone or in a small group. 

seolhyun

she’s... not my type at all actually. that being said i do think she’s gorgeous, but i wouldn’t go out with her. her dancing is nice to watch, but she comes off.. a bit i don’t know... fake? not fake i guess. maybe the sort of girl that’s like really full of herself. she’s just pretending to be humble. her singing in my opinion really needs work, she’s definitely sub vocal level. compared to the other vocalists... she’s okay. i personally believe she’ll end up on the final lineup, which isn’t a bad thing. i feel that jisub hyung will put her in the group, even if she doesn’t fit the concept. he is going to make seolhyun happen somehow. ( this can backfire jisub hyung so be careful ) 

lisa 

i don’t what it is.. about her, but i really do like lisa. actually i feel bad for lisa, because she’s trying her best but keeps being thrown into the minor team. ever since the first episode i feel she’s been an underdog, it’s insane how gorgeous she is. you can be pretty and be an underdog. sometimes looks can’t get you everything, but i do feel happy that lisa is realizing she has to have something even if it’s mediocre. lisa-ah, continue to find your niche! i do think she should try being a variety personality or fashion model. if we’re talking skills, lisa i think she should take dancing more seriously! her body is really thin and pretty, so the movements will look 10 out of 10! 

dawon

this girl can sing, and she continues to improve with being more memorable. her singing is on par with jihyun, in my opinion, and i do think dawon can knock it out of the park and make the cut. from nova right? why has nova tucked her away this long? jisub hyung aka mister steal yo trainee, has come through. he’s not going to let her go now that he’s really seeing her come out of he shell! she’s on the major team where i think she’s going to stay for a while. as for her visuals, she actually has a very sweet girl next door look. in the way you could meet someone like her on the street, approachable! 

soojung

i think.. she’s really pretty.. that’s kind of it. her voice is nice, but i’ve heard many voices like hers. seen plenty of faces like hers even, i do think she’s improved on making a presence, i just.. eh. i’m bored by her. a piece of decorated vanilla cake. you’ve seen and tasted it a million times. bland and safe. add some sprinkles to your life soojung! or even colored frosting! 

soohyun

i’m enchanted by her, lee soohyun is going to be my girlfriend. she can sing, and she’s so bright.. every time she talks it’s like a song! someone like soohyun is my type ~ i love that she’s always herself no matter what, she knows how to make everything her own. also she seems so sweet, like.. a strawberry shortcake. layers of loveliness, and no matter how many times you eat it you love it! sure she isn’t a dancer, but for me it doesn’t matter. when she sings i can forgive her bad dancing. ( sorry soohyunie.. forgive me... ) her voice sounds like.. spring? when she sings i know it’s her. i love how she is a low key otaku.. Otakuhyun!! i do want to see her in the final lineup along with jihyun, i think together they could make magic. i’m a supporter of the vocalees! i do think she should us show a mature image someday, maybe with a sensual song? goodbye baby was a 180 of her usual image and i really enjoyed it. ( TT I’m not a pervert okay. ) most guys probably will think she’s short and chubby, not pretty at all. but she makes my heart beat! 

jiwon

personally her voice isn’t my favorite, i prefer dawon, jihyun and soohyun’s voices. i do think she could be in an idol group, unlike rose. but i think she matches well with rose maybe they can be a duet. she’s been a trainee for a looong time, longer than most girls on the show.. you think she’d be able to do a variety of things. maybe we just haven’t seen or heard everything she can do yet! i am curious to see more of jiwon, she’s seriously gorgeous! she’s from america too right? i wish they’d show her talking to the other girls in english, i bet she sounds really chic... maybe i should learn english too TT 

eunae

okay honestly, kt should’ve kept this girl with them. katie lee is going to regret losing her to jisub hyung. she has what it takes to make the final line up, she looks like an idol. in the sense that this was really meant for her to do? like she’d be blend easily into a girl group and stand out all on her own you know? i think she’s going to go really far. tall, pretty, talented? i’m sure guys are lining up to get her photocard, autographs, girls will too! i think she’s the true girl crush of this show, i think she already has supporters. i wonder if she has fansites around? eunae is a gem, and i can’t wait to see her grow! she’s a rapper, hopefully she gets a little.. better at singing.. because i don’t know what happened during goodbye baby.. she sounded.. pretty.. bad. i still like her though! 

elly 

okay this noona.. is sexy crazy cool? i like elly actually, i do think she has a lot to offer an idol group, but i think she’d be great as like a creative director? or help write the songs and produce. if she was in the final lineup, i feel we wouldn’t get to see her full potential till mid to late in the group’s career. which would be a shame that she’d have to wait so long you know? visually... looking at elly, i snooped around her social media. she’s become prettier and prettier imo! ( once she finds a nice make up style, she’ll be set. ) also her voice, is just so unique like it’d be hard to emulate it. what university did she go to? a music school? elly noona please continue do well, 

[rkmason]

                     #RKHDTALENT: HONGDAE TALENT SHOW [ SKILLS & ACHIEVEMENTS ]

Preamble: Leave it all out on the dance floor,                                          all you can do is be you  [ 1, 2 ]

Buffering 00:00 / 01:37

This is where he was over two years ago: walking through Hongdae with a ghost of a rumor that scouts are around. The minute Dabin tells him there’s a talent show soon, Rome recoginizes the pattern. Didn’t they do it a few months ago for the Royal and KT contest? When he first moved to Seoul, he would’ve jumped at the chance, now he’s tepid water, still and dull. A weird taste left behind on the tongue and he swallows with a forced grin. “Yeah? You wanna go for it again?” Seik gives him an odd look and Rome would say it’s Dabin’s turn this time but he gave up on the dream, chose another one, and sticks beside Seik through it all. Rome was meant to join them but he’s slow, falling behind in his editing more than he wants to tell anyone in their group and he doesn’t know which way is up.

The guy who told viewers he was going to give them a genuine 20/20 experience is no longer as fluid or powerful as water. A powerful stream of confidence doesn’t fuel his movements. Instead, he’s dried up, a forgotten well in the outskirts of the country. For weeks, he strayed again from the new path he set himself on. Constantly looking for an escape, he’s caught in the current, taken over there instead of being here.

His head is in the clouds, he’s waiting, but his thoughts move too rapidly for him to form. He can’t even become all but a small droplet. If he was released now, he’d be swallowed up in the storm. His thoughts deteriorate at a speed too fast for his mind to keep up and he doesn’t know when he became the type of person who thinks too much. The last time his whole world was slowed down this badly was because of Jihyun but it felt right compared to this. He’s lost in his thoughts when Dabin is joking around, trying to hold himself up over a sidebar and he laughs when Seik smacks his chest to call his attention to it. Rome had to pretend he doesn’t notice it’s for his sake, so he stops leaving them when he’s standing right there.

He could pinpoint it to one moment if he wanted to. Knowing his ma, she’d demand it of him. Succinct words and clarity are key to his mother who’s used to using imagery to convey emotions. He learned from the best and it’s why he’d been back in the studio, going back to his origins in the city. When he couldn’t sleep, he was dancing again instead of editing and he feels as if he’s letting his team down, his friends down. Silence is more forgiving than admitting the truth: he misses it. Muscle tone reforms and his mind is calm when his energy is given to the music, to a beat his own heart chases and mimics. How long was it since he let music make his heart race?

The day he went on a walk, a day the rain poured and he realized he’s in a drought, an encounter with a trainee reminded him that he used to be this eager. He used to be this happy to fight for his dreams. The drive that kept him going on the MGAs was lost to a whirlwind of emotions he suffered as a trainee because he lost sight of it all. He went in blind. Leaving Nova, he thought he would see clearly after the storm but he let himself drown instead. Was Baek Jiyoung right? Did he get lost in a crowd? He lost himself for a while, that’s for sure. Rome’s pretending to lose his balance when he attempts the same trick as Dabin and they record him with laughter. It’s that night when Dabin tells him, “Hyung, I wanna see you dance again.” It’s his turn to confess and he’s shocked when neither Seik or Dabin look shocked.

“You’re bboy byu. That’s your title. You wouldn’t give it up like that.” Those words carry him to this stage, another chance to show off who he is and he thinks of Jihyun before he goes up, of how she’s chasing her dream right now. He worried so much about being left behind, he lost sight of how he used to run beside her. He wants that too again, he wants to see the proud face she made when he made it past another round of the MGAs. She was a coach for season 3 but she’s been his coach for a longer time than that. The advice he gives her, he gives to himself now. “When the time comes, you’ll shine.” He has faith Jihyun will make it onto the Majors this week. It’s his turn to show he still has more to offer too.

He looks proper and his father would be proud to see Rome in a button-up and a tie. This was what his dad hoped for when Rome was younger, a business professional, and he used to try to fit that image. His father’s approval was something he craved as a child but now he wants to make an image of his own. A dark button-up and tie that look awkward on his broad frame. “Hello, my name is Rome,” he wets his lips, feeling anxious about a name that isn’t as recognizable anymore. He fell into the background, blended in for too long, but he feels like the past still haunts him. His music starts, staggered to give him a few seconds of silence to begin his act the way he planned. “I used to be a hagwon teacher,” and he pretends to start reciting the alphabet when music cuts into his speech. His brows knit together and he walks to the edge of the stage, tapping the mic against his hand when he’s already turned it off. There’s no thump of his palm when he does and he’s handing it quickly to a staff member before he takes off in a burst.

[00:34 to 01:10]

With an explosion of energy, he goes into a set of moves that doesn’t match his apparel, tie loosened as he gestures to the audience and goes back to his very roots, back to his garage in Australia, toprock motions he could once do in his sleep. He makes sure they belong to him now as he cascades into a spin. He’s a living, breathing fountain show and he’s trying his best not to lose his rhythm when he pulls off the button-up, pulling on a loose long sleeve and he’s finally channeling his inner Channing Tatum from Step Up 2. It’s not Magic Mike like it used to be joked about before but it’s more him. His favorite hat tops it all off and he feels more like the guy he used to be, more like the dancer he used to be. He enjoys it.

[07:20 to 07:51]

The current doesn’t claim him anymore and he owns it, lets it course through his body with his guidance. There’s more precision, more technique, more speed than he used to have when he was in Nova and he thinks it’s his nerve that was lacking more than anything else. He’s taking it back once and for all, kicks and flips that used to send him spiraling back to the ground and staying there. Now, he rides the waves. The music ends and it feels too fast, a feeling of the stage that reminds him of when he lived for this and he’s trying his best not to breathe heavily into the mic when he takes it back, turning it on again. “This was bboy byu, telling ya to be you. Ain’t nobody gon’ do it better.”

[rkxayah]

LUXE 💎 FOURTH EVALUATION filming of the debut music video april 13th-15th, 2018

day one

eunae can barely contain her excitement on the first day. they’re supposed to film all the group choreography scenes and she’s really starting to realize the amount of work that goes into the whole debut process. the music video itself seems so complex now that she witnesses all the action firsthand. the stylists, the camera crew, the director, the managers, the sound crew, the lighting staff... all of these people come together in order to create a product, bring all the pieces together until it looks satisfying.

she was the type of people who just figured that music videos and movies are filmed chronologically, scene by scene, but after a few hours of filming she quickly realizes that it’s far from reality. they switch from the end to the beginning, cut here, restart there, and knows they’ll keep whatever parts of each take that look the best. she can’t count how many times they do the entire choreography, while aware that only a fraction of it will end up on screen.

they’re all nervous the first few times they do it, and it shows. someone messes up here and there which forces everyone to start over. the staff tells them to do better, but not to worry. these things are normal, all rookies and even experienced idols can’t expect to get it perfectly. sometimes it’s not even in their control and it’s just a strand of hair that goes awry, or a piece of clothing that doesn’t look quite fitted, or sweat messing up their makeup.

but eunae thrives. she loves it, she breathes it, takes all of it in with a childlike amazement. it’s both exactly what she expected and not at the same time, but she copes well with the unknown.

day two

the second day is probably the easiest for her. they film all of the individual close shots, or beauty shots as they call them here. it’s basically standing in front of the camera while the song plays a few times, and look pretty. when they’re not lipsyncing their parts, they just smile, dance around, make various expressions. she thinks that the best she is at it and the more chances she has of her face being included even when it’s not her turn to sing. not that it’s a competition or anything, except that... it is. when she’s not hogged by the stylists and makeup artists, eunae observes the other girls perform, takes notes, or just gets lost in thought and chats with the staff around her. anything is better than just staying put and waiting for her turn, which is dead last because of her age. their decision to go from oldest to youngest was wise, in the end, because as long as she hasn’t passed, she can’t afford to lose focus.

the hairstyle they chose for her is her favorite of the bunch, because it suits her perfectly. had she been allowed to choose between all of them, she would’ve gone with that one without any hesitation. all of them look at their best, with a style that represents the image the company is likely to push them with. eunae’s hair is kind of edgy, and not the most feminine, which goes in pair with her more athletic, cooler side. it’s not to say they will never stray from this concept, but for now it’s probably what they want to go for with her and she definitely won’t complain. she’s the rapper after all.

day three

the final day is exhausting, but it’s the most exciting. it’s nothing like they’ve done before. they’re not dancing, or standing still, but they’re all somewhere doing their own thing. they each have a specific location and concept for the music video: jihyun is  on a treadmill, seoyoung with preschool kids (thank god it’s not her), jiwon in a parking lot and seolhyun and her are laundromat employees. it’s an opportunity to explore a funnier side, for which her comedy workshops might come in handy. from messing up clothes at the laundromat, or pretending to drive the rich dude’s car, eunae channels the class clown she was once labelled as.

the best part remains the six of them gathering in front of the club and breaking in (though it’s not technically locked, it doesn’t make it any more legal), because who never dreamed of doing just that? it’s been such a long time since she went clubbing, so even if it’s empty with just them inside, the feeling’s great. for a while, she even forgets they’re filming and dances without a single care.

[rksona]

★ — royal survival, episode 2 ;

an interview with nam dawon !

she’s sitting in the same room as before, drumming her fingers upon her lap as she mentally prepares herself for the interview ahead. despite all of her effort, she couldn’t help but feel as though her first interview hadn’t been all that she had hoped it would be. it wasn’t that she had said anything wrong, or that she had been anything less than truthful; but, thinking back, she’s unable to ignore the lingering worry that she may have been boring. without showcasing an interesting personality, her chances of being remembered by anyone were slim. she hopes to do better this time around, though, in truth, she still possessed no idea whatsoever on how to become someone that’s memorable.

what did you think of seeing your performance on the final version of the vtr?

"before seeing it, i was nervous,” she admitted, a few light chuckles sounding from within her. “i didn’t think that i’d like the end result. with there being so many girls, i felt really worried that i’d be overshadowed.” it may have been somewhat selfish for her to say so, but it was nothing short of the truth. “but... once it was put together, it really surprised me. everyone looked so pretty, so professional—i think it’d be impossible to not be impressed by something like that, right? everyone did a very good job—” especially the editors, “—and i think it captured us as a group really well.”

what would you change, if anything, about your performance?

the question leaves her torn, uncertain on how to proceed. dawon feels as though she’s walking on thin ice, all too aware that a single misstep could bring her crashing down. public opinion was crucial, especially for someone in such a poor position as her: if she fails to play her cards right, dawon could easily become the first to go home. she’s forced to choose between carrying on with honestly or confidence, though, as the latter could easily be mistaken for arrogance, it’s far less of a dilemma than she would have originally guessed.

“i regret not standing out more.” her lips formed a faint yet regretful frown. as she speaks, there’s a certain sadness in her voice: one that does well to reflect her predominant fear. “aah, coming from a company that’s known for their dancers...” her voice trailed off, gaze shifting downward as she tried not to let her insecurities get the best of her. tears were just beginning to form in her eyes, though she refused to let them fall. control your emotions, she thought to herself. “i felt sorry that i wasn’t able to meet everyone’s expectations.” her gaze shifted upward once again, somewhat of a weak smile forming on her lips. “so i really wish i had of done a better job of standing out.”

who do you, personally, believe should be on the major and minor teams?

right, it only made sense that they’d ask something like this eventually. she almost wants to dodge the question, though she’s well-aware that she doesn’t have much leeway given her current position in minor (leaving her potentially on the chopping block). "i want to be in major,” dawon replied softly, eyes slightly widening as she nodded her head. “still, i think that we’re all where we are for a reason. when you take people like eunae, jazz, and seolhyun: there’s no question as to why any of them are in major. they just belong there. but, with jiwon and rose now in minor, major is left with a shortage in strong vocalists, right? so... honestly, i think i’d like to see myself or jihyun finally make it into major. but thinking that way is kind of scary because i also feel like she’s my strongest competition to get there,” she admits, laughing lightheartedly. “and she’s so talented.”

tell us about your personal motivations and inspirations that led you here today.

“even when i was little, i knew that i wanted to become a singer,” she explained, her lips forming a warm and reminiscent smile. “my father thought that i’d grow up to become an actress, but my grandfather knew better. he used to tell me that i liked to sing before i had even learned how to talk.” a warmhearted chuckle escaped her, as the thought of her grandfather never failed to raise her spirits. “singing is all that i’ve ever known. it’s what i’m best at... which led me to realize my dream of becoming an idol. my family and i have gone through so much just for me to reach this point, so... i have to debut, no matter what.”

tell us a little about your family and friends who are supporting you on the show.

"ooh! well there’s my cousin, junyeong... he’s my number one supporter. he’s been there every step of the way—even if i haven’t always deserved to have him there beside me.” there was no doubt in dawon’s mind that she should start by mentioning junyeong, as it went without saying that she wouldn’t have ever made it this far had it not been for all of his continued love and support. she loved her cousin, perhaps more than anyone else in the world, and, at the end of the day, this was for him. “he’s my strength! there’s no way that i’d be able to do any of this without him.” she’s almost tempted to mention jiae, but she soon decides against it.

“and... my mom... she’s sacrificed so much to help me, in so many ways. i’d be lost without her, really.” she paused, hesitant to proceed. dawon knows that she should mention her father, but she hasn’t a clue of what to say. she’s not even sure that she has his support, no matter how much she wanted it, so what could she be expected to say? “and... there’s my father, too,” she added, weakly nodding as another soft frown played at her lips. a brief silence hangs in the air as she gathered her thoughts. “i know this wasn’t the life he expected for me, but... he does so much for all of us.” almost out of nowhere, dawon’s tears finally fall, leaving her to sniffle as she wiped them from her cheek. “i love him so much, and i hope that i’ll become a daughter that he can finally feel proud of.”

[rkroyalsurvival-blog]

Time until the finale winds down ever quicker, minute after minute disappearing into thin air, until the tension of the production staff becomes a very physical thing felt by all. Worst of all, is the cloud of oppressive stress emanating from the Royal CEO, the man all growls and caffeine-loaded as he enters into the Seocho theatre venue like a thunderstorm. Something is off, worrisome-- yet not even the head producer dares to question it as So Jisub drags out his chair from under the table and sinks down onto it.

“Is Yejin here yet?” Jisub snaps out coolly, and the producer jumps in place, paling.

“Getting her makeup on now--”

“Baekhyun? Kangjoon?”

“Also getting ready.” A usually composed man, the producer’s hand is visibly trembling as he lays down the script for the day’s filming in front of Jisub, the latter who looks at it without another word. Taking this as a signal to continue, the producer rattles off the schedule for the day: assessing the performances one by one with the introductions done by the MCs, the elimination and finally the sorting of the two final groups--

“That’s fine.” Jisub cuts the man off with a sharp movement of his hand. He sips at the cooling coffee he holds in his hand and nods towards the figure of Han Yejin, who approaches the table with a polite smile. Thanking the producer for his time, the CEO switches his attention to his talent, who greets him with the familiar warmth of long-time colleagues. “You ready for today?” he questions pointedly.

Yejin smiles brightly, her brown eyes sparkling with the charm she’s known for by all. “You bet.”

Episode start.

“For your next challenge, you will be individually acting out scenes to test your chemistry and performance on camera. As idols, releasing MVs for every comeback is a must and more than one of you will be asked to act in scenes that lend credibility to the song’s story.”

Scenes from the last episode serve to refresh a viewer’s mind of the penultimate challenge; after this there is just one performance left that decides the fate of the final ten girls. The expressions of the contestants as they learn the news is a mixture of dismay and also of relief-- relief that it’s almost over, and dismay that this will be the true ending. Some will have to return back to the companies they’ve taken flight from, and others still will have to linger in the hallways of Royal, their envious eyes tracking the progress of those who have defeated them to take the coveted positions of Luxe’s girl group.

It’s enough pressure to cope with that even So Jisub feels grateful he doesn’t have to endure it himself. Imagine, an elimination show for CEOs. He smiles in amusement, chuckling quietly at the thought even as the camera’s attention focuses elsewhere: specifically, on the well-dressed trio standing to the far left of the stage’s floor. Lights shine down upon them, flattering the handsome faces of Seo Kangjoon and Byun Baekhyun as they stand to either side of the beautiful Royal senior, Han Yejin.

“Welcome to Royal Survival!” she greets the camera with professional flair, all smiles and glancing at both of her co-hosts with acted warmth. “I’m your host, Han Yejin, and I’m joined by--” The boys introduce themselves one by one and So Jisub’s smiles fondly as he looks proudly at these three. Jewels, all of them; one already polished and the other two with so much potential. 

“Without further ado,” Kangjoon begins, “We will introduce the first two contestants!” He and Han Yejin do so, announcing that Ahn Hyojin and Jegal Seoyoung are the first to come to the stage to receive their individual feedback. A second, central camera hones in on the two girls and the director speaks through the earpiece in Jisub’s ear to signal him to begin.

“First of all, I must congratulate you two -- and all of you -- for your professional behavior on the set,” Jisub starts off. “Based on my supervision and also after speaking with Noh Jihoon personally, who had nothing to say but kind things regarding your work ethic, I’m proud of what I’ve seen out of all of you so far. It’s exactly the kind of behavior I expect of future professionals in this industry. Now, with that being said...” The CEO gestures towards the large screen set up behind the girls, where a clip from Elly’s filming appears, ready to be played. “... Let’s see how you did.”

The chosen scene for Elly is the breakup one, in which the audience sees Noh Jihoon partnered up with her, his expression full of confused dismay as the couple begins to yell and fight. The music of “One Spring Day” complements the edited clip but all eyes are on Elly as she bursts into tears after an explosive confrontation and falls to the floor, huddled and sobbing.  The emotions come through clearly and everyone is quiet as Jisub resumes control of attention. “Elly, truthfully… anyone on set could see that particular scene affected you greatly,” he says gently. “I don’t know what personal experience leads to a breakdown like that but, to be called truly acting, it’s better if you are able to separate yourself from the character instead of roleplaying as yourself, as Elly, up there on screen. Still…” He smiles warmly. “I am pleased with this performance. You did well to convey the heartbreak and we all felt it, I’m sure.”

Jegal Seoyoung is up next and Jisub watches critically as the scene unfolds of her gentle moments along with Jihoon as couple. Hugging him, fluttering her eyelashes eyes at him-- all are expressions designed to make the heart flutter, so long as they aren’t perceived as artificial. “Pretty,” Jisub concedes to her. He taps the end of his pen thoughtfully against the surface of the table. “However, Seoyoung, the problem with being too expressive is… funnily, being too expressive. When you were looking at Jihoon and it went to a close-up, your expression went unfocused on him-- which makes one wonder if you were thinking of someone else at the time. Substitution acting is fine but, even with that style, being present in that scene with your fellow actor is beyond important. Chemistry will certainly fade if you’re not connecting with your partner behind the camera. Keep that in mind.”

Jisub dismisses both and leaves it up to Yejin and Baekhyun to introduce the next pair as Jo Eunae and Jung Soojung. The two girls come on stage and the same pattern unfolds as before: watching the scenes before critique is given to each individually. For Eunae’s breakup scene with Jihoon, the CEO’s expression isn’t entirely pleased as the scene concludes on the large screen. He takes a moment to collect his thoughts before saying simply, “Don’t take it too hard, Eunae, since acting is not an easy talent for everyone. For most people, honestly. You did your best and that’s all anyone can ask for.”

For Soojung, the CEO’s mood doesn’t improve in the least. He watches the Soojung on screen’s passive face as she packs her clothes in the suitcase and finds his heart not moving at all to it in reaction. It’s discouraging and he sighs deeply in response. “Soojung…” Jisub calls out, not unkindly, “Like Eunae, this doesn’t seem to be natural ability for you. Truthfully, I wasn’t expecting prodigy-level acting out of any of you but to lack such presence even on camera… is worrisome.” He leaves it at that, leaning back in his seat and dismissing both girls back to their lines before signaling to the MCs to move on.

“A tough run so far, but will there be a winner among the flowers?” Baekhyun asks brightly as he introduces the next pair as Kim Seolhyun and Lee Jihyun. The favoritism of the Royal crew is perceivable as Kangjoon joins in with his own scripted lines, “I think we’re about to see some strong contenders here, Baekhyun! Let’s watch and see.”

If anything, Jisub’s stern expression stays that way as Seolhyun’s scenes are brought up on screen. For his own company trainees, the judgment is a lot tougher, as their acting abilities reflect on Royal’s training capabilities. Elly and Seoyoung had done fine enough, but these two, Seolhyun and Jihyun, had even more to prove to the audience. Seolhyun is up first and Jisub watches impassively as she endures the pain of the breakup scene. Her charisma is as strong as ever but, for the first time, the CEO finds himself disappointed. “It’d be better if you’d actually cried there,” he points out wryly, at the end of the scene. “Overall, not bad, but nobody's gonna believe you lost the love of your life there if you don’t put any real emotions behind it. Look at Elly back there. She lost someone or something and even if it wasn’t Jihoon, we could all see that.”

Jihyun is up next and Jisub finds himself immersed in the breakup scene she portrays on the screen. Her eyes fill up with tears and the CEO feels his own chest getting tight as he watches her mouth the words ‘Please don’t go.’ “Ah, Jihyun, you’re a tough one,” he muses quietly, afterwards. “It’s easy to forget I’m watching an idol on screen when I watch you up there -- the real definition of acting. You did well and I’m content with this. Excellent.”

Yejin uplifts the mood with a smile and a solo introduction of the next two, her favoritism also clear for Royal’s loyal family. Soohyun is shown to her strengths with the cheerful couple scene and Jisub finds himself smiling naturally as he perceives her youthful excitement. She is a pro at acting like herself and it’s a refreshing change from the heavy emotional drama of all the scenes before. “Scenes like this suit you, Soohyun,” he compliments her honestly. “I didn’t think the same of the breakup scene when I was watching you perform on set but… if we were to take this scene alone, I’d say you did a very fine job. I’m pleased.”

Next up is Manoban Lisa and the CEO watches, with growing pleasure, to see her interpretation of the couple scene with Noh Jihoon. There’s visible happiness in her eyes, and a realness of chemistry with Jihoon that had been noticeably lacking in the previous couple scenes. His nod of approval is genuine as the clip concludes. “Well done, Lisa. The best so far. You have some experience in acting already, I take it?” Facts he already knows, of course, but for the benefit of the watching audience, he capitalizes on her strengths. “You’re making my choice very difficult these days… the true wildcard of the bunch.” He smiles at her and that signals to Kangjoon to pick up his cue to continue.

“Now, everyone, we’re almost there!” Kangjoon says enthusiastically. Yejin joins him with an enthusiastic cheer and Baekhyun, too, as all three of them pick one last name to say aloud. Yejin chooses to announce Nam Dawon, Kangjoon chooses Park Chaeyoung, and finally Baekhyun calls for Yang Jiwon to join the others on the stage.

Dawon’s clip is shown first and all watch her on the large screen as she does her best to muster up an emotional performance for the breakup scene. But, like Seoyoung, even as the intent for sincerity is given, it does not translate into a perfect execution. Dawon being one of Jisub’s favorites, he is nevertheless disappointed, albeit not surprised to see this. “As I said before, I didn’t expect any of you to be prodigies at acting right off the bat. Especially when you’re paired up with someone who is a true professional.” Jisub offers up Dawon a compassionate smile. “This isn’t your strength, Dawon, but there’s always things to improve on. It was a good try.”

Rose and Jiwon are the final scenes to be shown to him and Jisub watches both breakup scenes with a typical discerning gaze for critique. What he sees in these scenes, however, takes him aback more than he expects. Rather than acting ability, it’s sincerity that’s portrayed in these scenes and steals his breath away. What could the girls have been thinking about when they huddle down like that and cry so desperately hard? He isn’t one to take a vested interest in his trainees’ personal lives but this has the CEO momentarily concerned, enough for him to make a mental note to have his staff check in on them after the show. If he’s noticed the details in their performances, it’s more than possible the audience will have caught onto it as well. Something he does not want to see talked about on netizen main pages.

 “I can say this has been quite the rollercoaster,” he says aloud, at last. The approving smile on his face says it all as he looks at Jiwon and Rose in turn. “Both of you did extremely well with this. A bit unpolished, the two of you, but we all were expecting that. Still, I’m impressed with you -- and the rest of you -- who didn’t hold back personally with this challenge. Had I suggested this early on, I can only wonder how many of you would have been too shy to show me some real displays of emotion. In the end, many of you gave yourselves to this challenge admirably and it shows. Job well done.”

“Now, I have made my decision.” He had been thinking of eliminations long and hard during the feedback sessions, the thought formulating in his mind and honed down only by the girls’ performances that he’d been witness to before and after this one’s performance. “I’ve said it plenty before and I’ll say it again: You all have done so well to make it this far and I’m proud of each and every one of you. However, now that we are so close to the finale, I must become even more exacting about what I’m looking for in the members of Luxe. This elimination tonight was not solely based on this challenge alone but about things overall--- the group dynamic, your participation in challenges, your relationships with the other girls… all of this mattered.” When the girls are gathered and all lined up on stage, So Jisub locks eyes with Jung Soojung. “Soojung, you will be the one to leave tonight. Thank you for being such a strong competitor all this time. I look forward to seeing how you grow under Baek Jiyoung’s wings again.”

The MCs take over once again, smoothing over the eruption of feelings on stage that result over the elimination result as Yejin speaks up calmly. “There’s just one episode left, right, sajangnim?” she asks brightly and So Jisub nods in acknowledgement. She continues, “What can we expect from it?”

“The girls who are left standing on stage with you will have one more chance to prove themselves to me,” he announces for everyone to hear. The camera focuses directly on his expressionless face as Jisub goes on to explain: “I will now split you into two groups but the catch is -- no one here is in Major or Minor any longer. In my opinion, all of you have ascended to the Major category and all of you have an equal chance to debut in the Luxe I envision. I have divided you now based on who I believe you match up with best and these will be the groups I will consider in the finale as the final Luxe. Of course, a plot twist can always be expected,” he adds on with an amused smile. “Someone truly outstanding may make it into the group no matter which team they’re on now.”

“Your groups are as follows,” Jisub continues. “Group A will be Yang Jiwon, Jo Eunae, Lee Jihyun, Manoban Lalisa, and Lee Soohyun, while Group B will be Park Chaeyoung, Jegal Seoyoung, Kim Seolhyun, Ahn Hyojin, and Nam Dawon.”

End of episode.

EPISODE 7 and 8, Writing Prompt:

Congratulations on reaching the finale episode! It’s been a long, emotional ride and we’ve almost reached the conclusion, thank goodness! You will only have one writing prompt as a result of Episode 7, as Episode 8 will be a reflection of these performances, a recap of everything that’s happened over the show so far and, finally, the best of all -- the results for who will get to debut in Royal’s new girl group, Luxe!

So Jisub has separated the girls into two groups and each group is now expected to perform one group song individually, as well as all ten contestants participating in a full-group ensemble performance to surprise the audience in the last episode. The requirements are as follows:

Group A: Yang Jiwon, Jo Eunae, Lee Jihyun, Manoban Lalisa, Lee Soohyun will be performing to Minx’s “Why Did You Come to My House?”

Group B: Park Chaeyoung, Jegal Seoyoung, Kim Seolhyun, Ahn Hyojin, Nam Dawon. will be performing to Playback’s “Want You to Say”

* As a full ten-member group, you will perform to Nine Muse’s Wild.

In the individual group performances, you may decide as a group on your wardrobe and part distribution with the sole exception of the main rappers. Elly and Eunae must take on the full rap verses provided in the songs. Choreography for all three songs will be provided to you by Yoo Jaekyung and you will be allowed to organize with her the schedule for group rehearsals during the week. Remember, you will only have ONE week to do this. For the full ensemble “Wild” performance, the girls will be asked to wear the original costumes seen in the reference video. Part distribution for the ensemble will be at your discretion but, it should go without saying, play to your strengths!

For this episode’s writing opportunities:

Required: write a 300+ word performance solo about your individual group performance only.

Optional: write a 300+ word preparation solo about preparing for the group performances, whether individual or the ensemble performance. Costume fittings, rehearsals, etc.

Optional: write a 300+ interview solo about your muse reflecting on the entirety of the show so far. You will schedule a time with a producer to oversee this, in which they will provide your muse with a hand-held camera and one hour of film time to talk about whatever you’d like to for the finale. You may choose any location that you wish for this interview - feel free to be creative!

The reward for writing the required solo is +5 SKILL POINTS TO BE DISTRIBUTED AS YOU WISH, +10 CHARISMA POINTS, and +5 DEBUT points, as well earning +1 week of a related PERFORMANCE achievement. Additionally, all girls will automatically receive +1 week VARIETY achievement for being present during Episode 7. Point forms will always be due the Wednesday after a deadline passes; this means for Episode 7, verification forms should be submitted after the Activity Check post on Wednesday, December 6th. These form dates have been added to the writing schedule, so refer to it periodically to make sure everything is being submitted on time!

ROYAL SURVIVAL EPISODE 7 (for the Dec 6th form)

[ x ]  *one 300+ word performance solo

+5 ____ POINTS

+10 CHARISMA POINTS

+ 5 DEBUT POINTS

+1 WK PERFORMANCE ACHIEVEMENT (CURRENT LEVEL + NUMBER OF TIMES TAKEN)

+1 WK VARIETY ACHIEVEMENT (CURRENT LEVEL + NUMBER OF TIMES TAKEN)

+ NEW DEBUT POINTS TOTAL:

The deadline for all solos is midnight EST at the end of December 3rd, and please tag each solo with #royalsurvival7. If you have any questions, feel free to send them to the Royal Survival inbox!

For the Royal MCs, Byun Baekhyun and Seo Kangjoon, you may use this episode as the proof post of your participation in this event. Please provide this verification form along with your usual workshop forms for the December 6th activity check.

ROYAL SURVIVAL EPISODE 7 (for the Dec 6th form)

[ x ]  * link to this post

+10 CHARISMA POINTS

+ 2 DEBUT POINTS

+1 WK RADIO/TV HOSTING (CURRENT LEVEL + NUMBER OF TIMES TAKEN)

+ NEW DEBUT POINTS TOTAL: