Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All-Chapter 806: The FIrst Eliminated Contestants (1)

"We're going to rearrange the solo battle order so viewers can directly compare the skills of Kudo Minatsu and Minamoto Aoi. And instead of five bonus points for the winner, we'll make it ten. That way, the entire world will clearly see who's more talented."

This week on Project I.O.A., in addition to team performances, there would be solo battles. The top-tier members would face off against each other, while those in the middle and lower tiers would battle within their own ranks.

Originally, Minamoto Aoi was slated to go third and Kudo Minatsu fifth, both set to battle against Korean contestants. But PD Ji Yung-Sik was proposing to switch the order and have them face off directly. On top of that, he planned to raise the bonus points from five to ten to make the difference clearer.

CP Kang Dae-Woong, caught off guard by the bold suggestion, asked nervously, "PD Ji, that wasn't the original order, was it?"

"It doesn't matter. We haven't informed anyone yet, have we?"

"True, but... can you handle the fallout if this blows up?"

"Avoiding controversy only makes it worse. It's better to lay everything out and let the viewers judge for themselves. And if we ride the wave of buzz, the viewership ratings will spike."

It was a declaration to open a head-to-head showdown under the watchful eye of every viewer, leaving no room for the Japanese side to raise objections.

Having gone through every stage of an audition show as a viewer, participant, and producer, Ji Yung-Sik had crafted what seemed like a near-perfect plan. He added that if the most talked-about contestants went head-to-head,viewership ratings would naturally rise.

"And before the broadcast, we'll use the app to promote the Minamoto Aoi versus Kudo Minatsu matchup to hype it up even more. In fact, we should spotlight other rivalries too—like Sung Na-Ra versus Go Eun-Seo, and Yang Bing Bing versus Liu Lan. One-on-one showdowns like that are perfect for stirring interest."

A grin tugged at Kang Dae-Woong's lips. "Now that's the kind of variety PD I wanted to see from you. I'm on board."

"Thank you!"

Just then, Variety Department Head Park Han-Jong furrowed his brow and cut in. "Yeah, that's all well and good. But what are you going to say when Kudo Akira shows up on set? How are you going to handle that bigmouth?"

Kudo Akira was a well-known producer with several platinum albums under his belt, though he didn't hold much sway in Korea. The real problem was his reputation for being a 'bigmouth' who loved to run off at the mouth in front of the press. Once he arrived, it was all but certain he would start blurting out things he had said in interviews with Japanese papers.

Kang Dae-Woong offered a solution. "What if we usher the reporters out of the set?"

"Come on. They're already packed inside since the doors opened at five. You're going to push them out now? What happens if they get pissed off and write hit pieces? Are you going to deal with the fallout, CP Kang?"

The press had only been clustered around the entrance earlier, but now they had muscled their way right into the studio.

At that moment, I raised my hand. "I'll take care of Kudo Akira."

"Chief Jung? You will?"

"Yes."

Park Han-Jong gave me a look full of skepticism. "Are you sure you can handle him?"

"Have I ever broken a promise?"

That shut Park Han-Jong up.

Kang Dae-Woong quickly jumped in to smooth things over. "Chief Jung said he's got it under control, so let's trust him. Sir, you should go and accompany Mr. President now."

Clearly irritated by how smoothly I was handling things, Park Han-Jong stormed to his feet. "Fine. I'm leaving. Just make sure no one screws up, got it?"

"Yessir~ Yessir~"

Kang Dae-Woong all but shoved Park Han-Jong and his prickly attitude out of the monitoring room.

Clack.

The door closed behind him.

Kang Dae-Woong looked at me with a smirk. "Don't worry too much about that guy acting prickly. Director Han Tae-San's entire line is getting wiped out and he's hanging by a thread himself."

Just like before my regression, it seemed Park Han-Jong wouldn't be around at SBC much longer.

At that moment, Ji Yung-Sik stood up with an excited look and started giving instructions. "Alright, let's get moving. Contact the CG team and have them make a versus visual with Minamoto Aoi and Kudo Minatsu. Make that one-on-one rivalry pop."

"Yes, sir."

"Also, produce video previews for Sung Na-Ra versus Go Eun-Seo, Song Mi-Hee versus Han So-Won, and Yang Bing Bing versus Wang Li-Na. Since this is a three-part special, time the segments well and send push notifications through the app."

Once the schedule was sorted, Ji Yung-Sik turned to us.

"Now, talent agents from Hoop Entertainment, please help guide the parents to the performance hall."

Tension had started to build, as this episode would mark the first round of eliminations on Project I.O.A.

***

The current time was 4:20 p.m.

At the entrance to the performance hall, a red carpet stretched out. Talent agents from Hoop Entertainment, Shanghai New Media Inc., and Japan's AMOSE were all standing by, waiting. Soon, they would be guiding the parents of the contestants to their seats.

Reporters lined both sides of the entrance, holding cameras ready.

At that moment, Chief Lee Dong-Min came up beside me and whispered, "That guy Kudo Akira—once he starts talking, it'll be chaos. Are you sure you can handle him?"

"I just have to make sure he doesn't get the chance."

"Huh? How?"

Before Lee Dong-Min could finish puzzling over it, we heard the low rumble.

Vroom~

Buses pulled in, lined up one after another at the entrance. These were the limousines carrying the contestants' parents, brought directly from the airport. Today, individual arrivals weren't allowed, so those with power and money had simply chosen not to come. They didn't want to be seen riding with the rest. That was why lawmaker Go Joon-Taek and his wife Han So-Ye didn't show up for their daughter Go Eun-Seo.

However, there was always someone who bucked the norm. Kudo Akira, despite being a celebrity, had no problem showing up on the group bus.

Screeech.

The buses pulled to a stop at the hall entrance. Security guards rushed forward, linking arms to form a human corridor from the buses to the door.

Blocked by the security guards in an instant, the reporters started grumbling.

"What the hell is this?"

"Why are they being so dramatic?"

"Come on, this isn't a presidential escort. Move aside!"

Despite the reporters' complaints, the security guards ignored the protests and did their job.

Then, the door of bus number one opened.

Hiss.

Stepping off first was none other than Kudo Akira, Kudo Minatsu's father. In his mid-forties, he wore sunglasses, a hat, a flashy red jacket, jeans, and boots. He was clearly dressed to impress. As soon as he stepped down, he glanced around without a care for those behind him as if this were his own award ceremony, soaking in the imagined spotlight.

Reporters immediately shouted his name. "Mr. Akira! The interview you gave in Japan this morning is trending here too! Care to comment?"

"You said the Project I.O.A selection system is unfair, right? Can you back that up?"

Cameras snapped from over the guards' shoulders as reporters bombarded him with questions. Kudo Akira basked in the flashes for a moment, then spread his arms in a theatrical pose. Clearly, he was about to launch into a grand speech.

Right then, I glanced over at Wang Long and Sasuke. Immediately, their personal security teams who had been waiting on stand-by sprang into action and surrounded Kudo Akira.

"Sir, we need to move quickly. We'll schedule an interview later."

The guards hooked their arms through his and simply lifted him up.

"Moving out!"

And just like that, they carried Kudo Akira straight through the entrance to the performance hall.

"Chotto matte!!" Kudo Akira shouted, but he didn't even get the chance to protest properly before being whisked away into the performance hall.

"What was that?"

"Chief Jung's pulling strings again, isn't he?"

"This is unbelievable, Chief Jung! You should at least guarantee fair access for press coverage!"

The reporters hurled complaints my way, but I simply bowed my head politely and turned away. After all, they didn't care about Project I.O.A's success but only about generating gossip-worthy headlines.

Just then, Lee Dong-Min sidled up beside me, chuckling. "Hahaha. Seeing those reporters flustered really made my day."

"Don't worry. I'll keep a close watch on Kudo Akira until he leaves."

"I know you will. But what if he sneaks off during the break and tries to give an interview?"

"The press and the parents' seating are on opposite ends. And the corridor between them is already sealed off."

"Hahaha! Well done!"

In the end, the results would soon show who the real talent was. All I needed to do was keep Kudo Akira quiet until then. If he caused trouble during filming, we wouldn't hesitate to eject him even if he was a parent. Now that he was inside the venue, the only way he would get to watch his daughter perform was by behaving himself.

Having successfully stopped Kudo Akira, Lee Dong-Min and I made our way into the studio.

It was the third week of Project I.O.A. The brutal round had begun where half the contestants would be eliminated.

***

The current time was 9:40 p.m. With the live broadcast delayed ten minutes, the monitoring room was suddenly a hive of activity.

Ji Yung-Sik began his final checks. "Right after the group stage, we're airing the pre-recorded one-on-one battle between Aoi and Minatsu. Make sure everything's locked in and ready."

Since pre-recording had started at 6 p.m., the footage had only wrapped up twenty minutes earlier.

Among all the duels, the most heated had been between Minamoto Aoi and Kudo Minatsu. Though the scores were neck and neck, their performances had vastly different flavors. Minamoto Aoi earned 41 points, and Kudo Minatsu 43. With just a two-point gap, the final decision would now come down to viewer votes.

At that moment, Ji Yung-Sik spoke into the intercom, calling out to AD Lee Tae-Eun backstage. "Tae-Eun. Are the contestants ready? Is everyone in position?"

Fzzzt.

-Yes, Mr. Ji. Everyone's good to go.

"Alright. Send them up right away."

-Yes, sir!

The massive main screen in the monitoring room showed the stage inside the performance hall. Onscreen, all 132 contestants were now stepping onto the stage. Dressed in the official I.O.A outfits of white, blue, and red, their pleated skirts fluttered as they quickly found their marks.

This was elimination day, and the contestants' nerves were palpable. Even Ji Yung-Sik looked parched, constantly licking his lips as he stared at the monitor.

"Cameras 7 through 10—make sure you get clear shots of the parents' faces. Especially during the live announcements, there should be no mismatches on screen when judges call out contestant names. Got it?"

"Yes, sir!"

As the camera director responded, monitors 7 through 10 began displaying the audience, specifically the parents. Each wore a badge displaying their child's name and number, making them easy to identify.

Kudo Akira sat nervously under a sign reading "Kudo Minatsu's Father." Beside him sat Minamoto Aoi's father and mother, calm and composed.

A moment later, the time arrived.

Ji Yung-Sik stared at the monitor and called it out. "Ten, nine... one! Cue!"

The third week broadcast of Project I.O.A had officially begun.

-Good evening. I'm MC Kim Jung-Joo, host of Project I.O.A. With a new surprise each week, we've kept our viewers on their toes. And today marks a critical moment, the first elimination. Let's kick off this week's audition with the 'IDOLS' group performance, perfected over two weeks of intensive training!

On the massive stage, all 132 contestants launched into what could be their final group choreography of 'IDOLS.'

***

"Viewership ratings are at 7.5%!"

The broadcast, which had started at 7%, had already climbed to 7.5% in just ten minutes. The highest minute-by-minute rating last week during the second episode had been 7.9% during the ending stage. With tonight's numbers already approaching that, excitement buzzed through the monitoring room.

"At this rate, we're hitting at least 9% tonight."

"No way. On a night like this, we need to break 10%."

Everyone was clearly thrilled, but Ji Yung-Sik focused on the upcoming solo battle and stayed cool.

"This is just the beginning. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. Get the Aoi and Minatsu footage ready for broadcast."

"Yes, sir!"

"We'll roll the pre-recorded segment in 30 seconds."

Tick, tick.

In the high-pressure moment where every second counted, Ji Yung-Sik issued his commands without a hitch.

Soon after, Kim Jung-Joo pointed to one side of the stage.

-Now, let's begin the one-on-one battle between Minamoto Aoi and Kudo Minatsu. Please come up to the stage.

"Now!"

Click.

The screen instantly switched to the pre-recorded battle footage. Minamoto Aoi appeared on stage in a snow-white dress, while Kudo Minatsu wore a fiery red gown.

The judges onscreen smiled warmly at the two contestants.

-Let's hear the songs you've prepared. Miss Aoi, what will you be performing?

In response to Lee Dong-Min's question, Minamoto Aoi answered cautiously.

-I'll be performing a ballad arrangement of Cherry Blossom sunbae-nims' song, 'My First Love Story.'

Then Kudo Minatsu spoke.

-I'll be performing 'Soulfire' by Kang Ha-Na sunbae-nim and Kim Jong-Hoon sunbae-nim, combined with traditional Japanese dance.

Minamoto Aoi had chosen a performance in line with a classic idol style, while Kudo Minatsu opted for one that embodied the essence of cultural heritage.

-I see. Then let's start with Aoi's performance.

At Lee Dong-Min's cue, Kudo Minatsu stepped aside. A close-up of Kim Jung-Joo followed.

-Viewers, please watch both performances and cast your votes within one minute afterward.

As Kim Jung-Joo exited, Minamoto Aoi adjusted the mic with both hands. Then, a pinpoint spotlight lit up above her head. On the back screen, cherry blossoms began to drift gently across the display.

Moments later, the intro of 'My First Love Story,' filled with the flutter of first love began to play.

At that moment, Minamoto Aoi took a deep breath and gripped the mic. The moment she began her first verse, the live chat on [PROJECT: I.O.A] instantly exploded.

'Not bad, Aoi!'