icarus

hyesun wasn’t normally one to get nervous in front of a camera - she was kang hyesun, after all, full of bubbly confidence and self-assuredness. but she was uncomfortable here, being forced to answer questions after a disappointing performance and a sharp fall from a B to C ranking. the lights were hot, and she was perched at the top of a tall metal stool. even at her height of five foot seven, the stool was so tall that just her toes could touch the floor. it made her feel like she was a child again with her feet dangling like that, so she rested them on the bar connecting the stool’s legs, attempting to ground herself and hide her embarrassment.

q: do you feel satisfied with today’s performance?

“no,” hyesun said through a dry laugh, thinking back to how breathy she sounded live and how her pitch slid all over the place. “i’m happy with how i danced, but i’ve never struggled with dance. clearly my vocal stamina needs work, and i’m grateful for this reevaluation as an opportunity for me to see the extent to which i need to improve. now i will be focusing on improving my vocals with determination.”

q: how did rehearsals for your reevaluation go?

she shifted in her seat but tried to keep her facial expression carefully still. “to be honest, i think i could have rehearsed better. or more purposefully, if that makes sense. coming from a smaller company, i’m not used to having to share the practice room with so many girls at once.”

q: what do you think was the main cause for you losing progress?

she knew the answer right away - she’d gotten too comfortable in her ranking, too confident. she always relied on her dancing skills and that hadn’t worked this time around. but hyesun hummed, acting like she was lulling over the question in her head. “i think i let myself get distracted. with so many other girls around, it’s so easy to stop and chat. i love getting along with everyone, but i suppose i shouldn’t just be focused on making friends and having fun.”

q: how do you feel about your position having watched the other contestants perform?

hopefully the way her jaw tightened was too small to be picked up on camera, but hyesun certainly felt herself tense up at the question. she was never the competitive type, always pleased to succeed with others and feeling secure in her own skills and talents, but this show was putting all of that into question. she tried to draw from the media training her company forced on her before auditioning for select to come up with a measured answer. “there are so many talented girls competing here - it certainly won’t be easy for me to debut, but i’m not afraid of hard work. i will make up for what i lack and impress everyone in the next mission.”

q: what will your strategy be going forward?

hyesun was not one to get nervous or to doubt herself. at least, not on the outside. she had always achieved every goal she’d set her mind to, with barely any obstacle to trip her up on her path to the top - how could she possibly feel anything but complete certainty that she’d fulfill this dream too? and yet there was a nagging thought in the back of her mind, one that dared to challenge hyesun’s unshakeable confidence. she always knew that her strength was in her performance - her dancing ability, her onstage charisma, the way she could change from a bright eyesmile in one moment to sharp daggers shooting from her gaze in the next. and hyesun had always been around other trainees who were skilled in the areas she lacked, girls who could belt at the top of their lungs or rap faster than hyesun could process their words. but here, she could hear the other competitors practicing for their auditions through the walls. it dawned on her that girls from countless other companies also surpassed her in vocals in rap; that while her presence could hold down the stage, she wasn’t a musician the way they were. even though hyesun felt in her bones that she could dance circles around any of them, she was also starting to sense in the pit of her stomach that there was value in having more variety in your skill; that if her dancing alone wasn’t enough to distinguish herself from the pack, then she was in deep trouble.

it was with this attitude that hyesun dove headfirst into the first task of the show: the pr video. she knew she was charming and that she’d do well at the audition, but this was her true first impression, the one that would set the tone with the voting audience. her knee was bouncing as she sat awaiting her turn, but when the production assistant called her name, hyesun suddenly felt completely in control. she took a deep breath, shrugged on the lab coat and stethoscope she had brought as props, turned her internal dial up to eleven, strode into the centre of room, and bowed to the staff seated opposite the wall with a big select! logo.

“we’re running behind, so everyone only gets one take,” a man seated next to the cameraman said, peering over the large lens as if to clock her reaction to this news.

hyesun nodded. “thank you, i understand.”

the man returned her nod and gestured to the cameraman, and hyesun was faced with a blinking red light. she put on a bright smile and bowed, her high ponytail slipping off her back as she did so. “hello, select viewers! my name is kang hyesun, and i have been training at angelfish entertainment for two years. i will work hard to be a performer who dazzles you, so please support me!” she held up the end of the stethoscope that was hanging around her neck, holding it by her cheek while smiling to the camera. “why don’t i check your condition first?” she approached the camera, furrowing her brow in a show of concern. “hm, it looks like lately you haven’t been entertained, so your eyes are tired. not to worry, i’ll treat you, so please sit tight!”

hyesun stepped back and tossed the lab coat to the side - that being the prearranged cue for the audio director to put on “change your mind” by britney spears. like a well-oiled machine, her gaze turned coy and flirtatious - hyesun was in a different space when she danced, and she wanted it to be clear to the audience that this was what she was best at. she hit every sharp angle on the beat, nailed every tiny detailed move that the dance teacher at angelfish drilled into her. she could sense that she was doing well, doing amazing, that she was making it clear what she had to offer and why she was worth the viewers’ time. she was confident. it wouldn’t be long before the rest of the world realized what hyesun knew - that her debut was within reach.

born january 10, 2001, her parents are both rich & famous artists (dad is a sculptor, mom is a theatre director) & she has an older twin brother

things were always very easy for her growing up - did well in school without trying, had a bright personality and made friends easily

quickly fell in love with dancing and decided to pursue it for her future, took classes in ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, and contemporary

meanwhile she went to a fancy private school where she met and became best friends with none other than yuseong’s ceo’s daughter!!!! and then over the years she developed a crush on her!!!

eventually she auditioned for and was accepted into a prestigious dance academy and continued to hone her craft

a year or so later hyesun was scouted by angelfish entertainment at one of her performances at the academy

once she signed her contract she was on an emotional high and decided on a whim to confess to her best friend.....and was rejected. :(

their friendship never recovered from her confession and eventually they ended up having a massive fight and severing ties altogether

now hyesun’s competing in a show that her former crush & ex-bff’s dad is co-producing and whose company will be co-managing the winning group of girls......ruh roh

she’s a girl with a big heart and big dreams who wants to turn everyone into her friend!!

but she’s always been Good At Everything and as a result doesn’t take criticism well, even though the only things she’s really skilled at as an idol is dance and performance and general charisma