Loving A Triple Threat

Big Wang still commanded the stage, Blackpink had just finished, leaving everyone satisfied with a brilliant performance.

The haters were indoctrinated into the same message, Jennie was a lazy performer in recent times. But the evidence was on the contrary, even after a gruelling world tour all four members' put on an energetic display. Unlike others, there was no lip-syncing, it was a real live performance. Haters gonna hate.

Next, the Treasure Box hopefuls sang from backstage, with a light display tracking vocals. When a note was out of place, the software that was usually used for auto-tuning, had the ability to detect pitch extremely accurately. When one of the boys behind the screen sang out of tune red blotches appeared on the screen and his score went down. Each started with a thousand and lost points for imperfections.

The singers performed in a group, and, or solo. Only the best singers attempted solo, which was only six between the trainees and the feeders. The display was for entertainment purposes only the real judge was the YG management who were dispersed backstage and throughout the VIP section. There were several strong performances, even from the feeders.

The trills competition was the fan's favourite. Trills weren't common in Kpop, so it was fun to hear the boys put through hard tests of their vocal ability.

The dance competition was up next. It was certainly going to be a highlight of the night. The cameras were on. The YG PR machine was in full force. They declined to partake in the hot girl competition, but as soon as Blackpink came on it became a YG fest.

They were hoping that the Treasure Box hopefuls would increase interest in their new boy band.

There was a real tension in the air because the feeders were performing above expectation. The trainees were feeling the heat from their so-called spoiled contemporaries. Seats in Treasure Box were limited and beyond that, in the new boy band were even scarcer still. It was likely eight places at most and as little as four. Depending on the talent available and the management strategy.

"Are you ready!" Big Wang screamed.

And the crowd answered with as much energy as they had at the beginning of the concert.

"Oh boy, do we have a treat for you," Big Wang announced. "You probably knew who was singing behind the curtain, but will you be able to tell who is who in the dance off?"

Big Wang laughed. And instructions appeared on the screen behind him. He pulled out his phone and hammed it up again.

"Everyone, get out your phone," Big Wang said jovially. "Open your app, it will update. Servers be strong!"

Everyone laughed, calling to the servers to handle the load was silly, but Big Wang's comedic timing was superb. Even guests who didn't get the joke laughed.

The big screen showed the updated event app.

Live voting for the dance off had been added with numbers one to fifty. No faces. No names. It was a blind vote.

Hyuk turned to Seok, "How is that going to work?" He asked his friend.

Seok looked thoughtful, "Disguises?"

"We just got a text to our group chat,' Misha announced. "It's from Officer Ruek. Gi is ok, he said enjoy the show."

Seok let out a sigh a relief he was really concerned about Gi.

Misha rubbed his head, her new favourite habit, his hair was now a complete mess, but since she caused it, she found it adorable. "You are such a caring person Seok."

Hyuk was amazed at how Seok's pussiness was working for him. And since he had Suzie, he was happy for his friend. If he didn't, it would have been another matter.

"Ok, are your apps ready? Login! Screen …. Present." Big Wang was repeating words the producers fed him through his earpiece; he had no idea how the app worked.

On the screen a number for connected users appeared centrally, the numbers changed dramatically rolling like a slot machine.

Seok laughed.

"What's funny?" Misha asked.

"They know exactly how many are connected, the rolling numbers are just for dramatic effect," he replied succinctly.

Misha laughed, "You're so smart." Her praise made Seok swoon. His ability to handle kind words from an extremely pretty girl was low.

Thirty or more hopefuls ran onto the stage. It was a large stage, but even so, it was crowded.

They all wore the white overalls, masks and had numbers on their front and back. The masks were also differed, painted in black, white and red. They looked scary to a degree.

The only clues, to their real identity, would be height and dancing style.

"ARE YOU READY!"

The spectators weren't sure if Big Wang was referring to them or the contestants, but they cheered deliriously anyway.

"You can only vote for one contestant, but you can change it at any time. And the first round is the most brutal! We will be kicking contestants off the stage at any moment. They will be the one with the lowest vote count, the wooden spoon."

Seok scanned the dancers, he could see numbers zero to thirty-three. He looked at his app. There was no zero on the app.

"There's no zero!" He yelled but no one paid any attention, he was one of a hundred idiots yelling nonsensical words at any given moment.

The music started.

"Let the dance war begin!" Big Wang yelled.

Numbers appeared on the 100-inch screen in one big massive table. There would be no cheating. The numbers were there for all to see.

At first, there were no votes, the music played had a heavy beat, but it wasn't a Kpop song. It was Paint it Back, Ramin Djawadi, 2016. Which was the Westworld version, a very popular English TV show in Korea. It had killer robots after all.

As the bass pounded the dancers interpreted the beat. One thing could be said that the Treasure Box hopefuls singing might not be world class, but their dancing was energetic and flamboyant. And technically very good.

Some dancers struggled without choreography to guide them. For some reason, the competition went immediately to freeform the style. Where the artistic and interpretive dancer shone.

Suzi and Misha were watching intently, these were their male counterparts after all. And boys were always being credited as better dancers than girls. The truth was the male choreography allowed for more energetic styles. Styles with flamboyant moves. The female choreography, however, was aimed at being seductive.

There weren't better dancers, not in the girl's mind, they had better choreography to show off their skills.

"I would like to go up against them one day," Suzie said in her aggressive manner. Hyuk noticed she had two main modes, aggressive and horny. One of which he loved.

Misha nodded the were extremely focused and critiquing each dancer looking for the one with the best technique.

"Look at zero," Misha said.

"Holy," Suzie said. "He's good. We should vote for zero," Suzie ordered the boys who had no idea.

"We can't," Seok said, "That's what I was yelling. There is no zero on the app."

"Everyone yell," Suzie took charge.

They all began screaming that the app had no zero. And soon more took up the call.

The dancers worked hard, and the producers had not yet noticed the call.

Treasure Box Hopeful Boys looked briefly at the screen, and if they saw their numbers were low, they desperately flung themselves in somersaults if they needed to.

"Number 7," Big Wang yelled as the number crashed on the screen falling down and off like it had been shot. "You have been spooned!" It was a nasty way to end someone's dreams. The only caveat was this was just a competition and not the end. But to be first to be culled. If the public found out who it was, it would be a lifetime meme that would never disappear.

"Number 22! You have been spooned!"

The hopeful immediate put his face into his hands and fell to his knees distraught. His back was convulsing.

"Poor kid," Seok the kid said.

"Don't feel sorry for him," Suzie said savagely. "This is a tough business. It's better to end early than to live a life at the bottom. And if you can't take it. Don't bother to try."

Hyuk nodded and added the word savage to his list of Suzie modes. It was distinctly different from aggressive.

Before twenty-two could remove his mask accidentally, due to his crying, producers came onto the stage and escorted him off. They were doing him a favour because although he wasn't voted off first, it was still not a good thing to have on his record. Especially since the competition meant nothing, if the managers liked him, he would be in, but being identified as an unpopular would change their minds.

Kpop was all about the narrative of the mob, the fans. Some were extremely vocal and coincidently being a fan they were fanatical. The term used was for the full spectrum of fans was netizens, which covered the entire mob, from fanatics to casual fans.

Netizens had their own community and hierarchy, it wasn't simple; it was extremely complex. There were many influencers who had a strong voice in the community, their opinions and dirt digging mattered just as much as the mob itself.

All of this was reason enough for potential idols to be very strategic.

Two more were ejected, or spooned, before the end of the song.

In the lull a chant began, it wasn't started by the small group of friends, it originated from another section entirely. The sound wafted across the crowd, and it was picked up by more and more spectators.

"We want zero, We want zero."