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)

“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)

The girls’ first challenge is memorialized by a VTR that shows the faces of contestants that were and now are no more. Jieun, Yubin. The finale of Royal Survival is approaching fast and, with the numbers uneven yet again, the haunting question of ‘who would be the next to join them?’ lingers undoubtedly on more than one mind.

Thankfully, it’s an imagining that can be put off for a little while longer.

Once So Jisub outlines the destination of their “vacation,” the girls’ preparations for the healing episode begin in earnest after his on-screen departure. With the chill of autumn air still not having fully arrived in Seoul, it’s the perfect time to jump right in to Seorak Waterpia’s highlighted attractions: the hot springs, which draw many a crowd into their bubbling, inviting baths; the Rainbow Stream, whose marvelous fountain and pools allow visitors to enjoy themselves in a full swimming experience; the Fun Zone, for those who want a breather from the water to expend their energy on a volleyball game and the warm sands; and lastly, the Food Court which caters to hungry tourists needing a sugar spike to increase their adrenaline.

Beginning on November 2nd, the camera crew and producing team accompany the girls to the first day of filming. With no real plan except to let the girls be themselves, all separated groups are tailed by at least one camera operator, two stylists, and two producers to see what the girls get up to. Without scripts or planned subjects, the aim is to let real personalities shine -- or fade away, if someone doesn’t have the natural charisma to keep themselves edited into the final showing.

For the editing does pick and choose the most memorable moments, and leaves behind the boring hours in between on the cutting room floor. In the first thirty minutes, highlights are snatched of Lee Jihyun and Park Chaeyoung immersed in a thrilling water gun fight, as well as Jo Eunae’s dominance of the volleyball court. Yang Jiwon and Rose are the favorite on-screen duo, inspiring laughs from even the silent crew as they reenact Titanic’s famous scene. And lastly, Manoban Lalisa appears to adorably build her version of a sandcastle in the Fun Zone’s sandy play area. Lisa turns out to be the most popular one to follow, as the cameras continually soak up her riveting smiles when she’s with Eunae and when she’s with Rose, the beautiful girls catching many a glance from fellow tourists as they walk around together as pictures of happiness. The editing catches their good sides, ignoring the breaks in between of complaints of tiredness and feet aching as they spend hours in one place and then the other.

Active fun is interspersed with the healing part of this trip, emphasized by the lazy contentment expressed by Nam Dawon and Kim Seolhyun as they relax easily in the large pool of the Aqua Zone. Ahn Hyojin and Seoyoung accompany them and, despite the latter’s pretty begging of her dozing face to be edited out, is shown regardless-- a charming moment that couldn’t, and wouldn’t, go to waste. But, of interest, is the revelation of Seolhyun’s aversion to swimming. It’s only by Rose’s steady accompaniment that the girl attempts the feat, though flipping over in the water and scrambling to get rights to herself proves to be more entertaining than anything else. Not only is a flaw in Seolhyun welcomed (and charming in its own right), but so, too, is the positive feeling of trustworthiness that emanates from Rose’s guidance. The edited-in captions prove their bias, adding hearts and encouraging music to emphasize these two’s inspiring friendship as they navigate the water together.

For the majority of the episode it’s this peacefulness that colors it: a final collection of pure, idyllic happiness before the storm. The inevitable can’t be held off forever but, just for awhile, it can be ignored in favor of pretty smiles and childish games. It’s one last attempt to appeal these girls to the watching audience for, despite the show’s results that will come in only two more episodes, they each have the potential to succeed elsewhere should they find themselves there. The CEO knows this, knows that he cannot keep them all and that hearts will break on the heels of his final reckoning, but he hopes, whether they realize it or not, that this time of personal appeal is for their personal benefit as well as Royal’s. The sting of losing Yubin only reminds him of it: he cannot be the guiding figure to all these girls, but he can help them to find the future they dream of in some way or another.

( It’s the least he can do, considering it’s his hand that decides their immediate fate. )

When the present returns on-screen, it finds Royal’s CEO in his office, with a phone held up to his ear as he converses easily with the recognizable voice of a company senior, Noh Jihoon. “I’ll have the girls gather in the practice room to see you,” So Jisub tells him warmly, and all that’s heard in reply is the other entertainer’s affable agreement before the phone call ends.

The plan moves forward, the return to ‘hard work’ effective immediately as the word is given to the staff to have the girls assemble in their building’s practice studio in the following week. The scene is set with all awaiting the CEO’s arrival, and he enters alone into the studio to take a commanding position in front of the convened group. “Did you enjoy your time out?” he asks of them good-naturedly, genuinely interested to hear the responses and to see for himself the way the fresh air has brightened their countenances. “Good, good.”

“As I told you before, the challenges will continue for you starting this week. There is one more task I will ask of you before the finale,” he explains to the girls with a controlled expression, “and in the finale challenge, you will return to your roots to perform on the stage for me and the audience. From the two groups that perform on that final stage, only one will get to debut as the future members of Royal’s new group, Luxe.” Jisub pauses to let the revelation of the group name sink in before he continues. “But, before we get to that, there’s one last test for each one of you.”

He motions towards the door and Noh Jihoon enters, as handsome and as well-dressed as he is known for being on television. The singer nods his head towards the group of girls and addresses So Jisub with even more appreciation for being invited here. The attention returns to the CEO as he clears his throat and continues with his explanation. “For your next challenge, you will be individually acting out scenes with this sunbae 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.” His lips curve into an encouraging smile. “Jihoon here has agreed to be your acting partner and I will be overseeing your filmings personally.” He adds on, “It’s not always that you’ll get this opportunity to work with an esteemed sunbae, so I highly suggest you enjoy this experience to the fullest.”

“And yes,” Jisub throws in before the question can be asked, “I will be eliminating one last person before the finale challenge. Everyone do your best, and I will see you again soon.”

End of episode.

EPISODE 6, Writing Prompt:

As So Jisub explained at the end of the episode, this next challenge is aimed to test the individual contestants’ acting abilities for hypothetical scenes as usually seen in an idol group’s comeback (and debut) music videos. The selected scenes for this challenge are the same for every girl and are taken from a previously-released MV by Royal’s senior group, SG Wannabe. As these scenes are merely intended as a challenge for the show, they will not be officially released to the public and are meant for in-show feedback only.

The scenes you will be asked to act out with Noh Jihoon will come from SG Wannabe’s MV, “One Spring Day.” Just like in the MV, there will be a bedroom set prepared for the acting scenes and a script given so that you may understand the flow and actions required of the scenes. On the day of recording, a director will be present, as well as a camera operator, lighting crew, and a stylist, as well as So Jisub himself who will oversee everything’s smooth progression to simulate the real nature of film set. You will have time during the week to practice by yourselves and with each other (from November 15th to the 22nd), but rehearsals with Noh Jihoon will happen on one day, November 23rd, from 8AM to 11PM. Each girl will get an hour to rehearse as many times as they like with him, with a break occurring at 1PM and 5PM for rest. The actual filming with Noh Jihoon will happen on November 24th and 25th, with girls split up alphabetically and in half (six girls on the first day, and five on the second) to get things moving quickly. You will only have a half an hour each to film with Noh Jihoon on your day, so make it count!

The selected scenes for this challenge are:

0:44 - 1:15 (Upset, the girl packs her suitcase)

1:34 - 2:00 (All couple moments)

2:18 - 2:36 (The emotional break-up)

For this episode’s writing opportunities:

Required: write a 300+ word performance solo about at least one of the acting scenes on filming day. You do not have to write about all three unless you want to but, ic, all muses will have to act in all three.

Optional: write a 300+ word preparation solo about meeting Noh Jihoon, rehearsing with him, preparing for the filming, getting styled for it, etc.

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 ACTING or PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING achievement. Additionally, all girls will automatically receive +1 week VARIETY achievement for being present during Episode 6. Point forms will always be due the Wednesday after a deadline passes; this means for Episode 6, verification forms should be submitted after the Activity Check post on Wednesday, November 29th. 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 6 (for the Nov 29th form)

[ x ]  *one 300+ word performance solo

+5 ____ POINTS

+10 CHARISMA POINTS

+5 DEBUT POINTS

+1 WK ACTING or PRO. NETWORKING 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 November 26th, and please tag each solo with #royalsurvival6. If you have any questions, feel free to send them to the Royal Survival inbox!

The audience is reminded of the previous episode’s events when a familiar image of So Jisub inside the performance venue appears. “Your second challenge is going to show me exactly what you’re capable of,” he tells the gathered girls with a handsome smile upon his face. “Idols need to be able to perform well as a team. I will personally be sorting you and you will be asked to perform one of Royal Entertainment’s past hit songs in front of an invited audience. For many of you up there, this will be your comeback opportunity to be placed on the Major team.”

It’s the shining goal of all. For those who want to take a spot, as well as those who want to protect theirs. As soon as the girls are dismissed from the stage, the preparations for the next phase begin in full onslaught. The audience gets to see Yoo Jaekyung pulling out the groups one by one to teach them the choreography. Jo Eunae is seen barefoot by the studio’s mirrors, her feet visibly in rough condition as she attempts to sing along to an unheard melody. Her group member, Lee Jihyun, equally practices hard on the choreography. Anyone familiar with “Goodbye Baby” might recognize the iconic moves of the song but, to those who aren’t, all they see a female trainee forced to the point of exhaustion as she goes over the dance repeatedly.

“Honestly, I think I’d like to see myself or Jihyun finally make it into major,” Nam Dawon is heard speaking as she’s pictured inside the interview room. A smiling girl with a quiet aura, she continues on with an honest tone, “But thinking that way is kind of scary because I also feel like she’s my strongest competition to get there.” A clip is shown of Dawon being aided by Lee Jieun as they both practice their group choreography together. Missteps are frequent and so is the determination on Dawon’s face as she repeats the steps again. “Even when I was little, I knew that I wanted to become a singer. 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.”

As the girls rehearse separately, the preparations for the filming continue on elsewhere: So Jisub is seen meeting with his producers to speak about concepts, as well as with Yoo Jaekyung to discuss the choreography progress, and once, he is even seen silently watching a rehearsal through the practice studio’s window as the third group is taught the dance to “Be My Baby.” Admittedly, this is the group he’s the most concerned about, and Jisub watches Manoban Lalisa with a critical eye as she asks numerous questions out of Jaekyung: “Is this right?” “Do we tilt our head during this part?” “What count is this on?” Her attention to perfection doesn’t go unobserved; rather, it coaxes a warm smile out of Royal’s CEO. He watches the group dance for a few moments longer and then departs.

October 1st, 2017, the day of the filming.

Staffers clothed in their professional blacks move quickly backstage to add lights where needed around the stage. The stage manager barks out orders and So Jisub is seen conversing with a clipboard-holding producer beside one of the cameras. An anonymous audience has filled up most of the venue’s front rows of seats, their faces alternately excited and anxious to see who’s about to appear onstage for the first time. For many, most of these trainees are still unknown to the public, while others have already worked their way into viewers’ hearts. Handmade signs cheering for Kim Yubin and Lee Jihyun are seen held by several teenage girls and boys. Another one, for Jegal Seoyoung, is glittering and pink.

“For me, being a singer is the only thing I ever wanted to do!” Jegal Seoyoung admits inside the interview room, throwing up her arms in excitement as she speaks. “Honestly, people never noticed me that much in school, but… I was always happy when I was on stage. Eomma and Appa in Daegu, my cousin Jaebum here in Seoul… and all my other cousins, thank you. I hope you’re all watching. I love you!”

A quiet hush descends over the crowd as the lights go dark. The camera operators are ready with anticipation, their cameras’ red lights blinking as the first group comes out to take their places on center stage. The live audience will get two chances to see them but, for the viewers at home, they only get to see the best of what this selected group of girls can offer. Lee Jihyun, Lee Soohyun, Jo Eunae, and Kim Seolhyun all take their opening position on the floor and then the music begins. It’s “Goodbye Baby” by the Brave Girls in all its glory.

Throughout the performance, Jisub maintains a neutral expression as he watches. The viewers can see that he’s been joined by Yoo Jaekyung once again but both are careful to keep their faces free of bias as they watch the repeated performance back to back. When the first group has finished, the CEO takes a moment to converse with Jaekyung quietly before writing down some notes on a pad in front of him. He waves to the producer, who in turn tells the audience to remain quiet as the girls are called forward to the stage.

Jisub takes a microphone that is handed to him and faces the first group with a warm smile. “Hello, ladies. How did that feel?” The lines around his eyes crease with a pleased appearance as he continues. “Overall, this was incredibly impressive. When I picked you four to group up together, I did so while knowing all of you are good enough to work well together -- and to boost up those who might be further behind.” He glances at Lee Jihyun and the camera follows, making it clear about which girl he’s referring to. “That being said… Jo Eunae.” Jisub turns to face the rapper with a more solemn gaze. “You’ve been a favorite of mine so far, yet it’s clear that you still have a long way to go with improving your onstage performance. Your rap is good -- could be better, but still good -- as well as your dancing, yet it appears to me that you struggle very clearly when you’re asked to do both together.” Jisub pauses, his face betraying his reluctance as he continues. “Unfortunately, it’s too amateur-looking for what I require. Eunae, you’ll be going to the ‘Bottom Three’ tonight.”

“Lee Jihyun,” he addresses the girl next. “Congratulations, you will take her place in Majors along with both Seolhyun and Soohyun, who are both safe in Majors as well. All three of you displayed an excellent show of talent as well as being able to keep up with the vocals and the choreography at the level I want to see. It’s a good sign, and all three of you should feel very happy with this performance.”

Jisub sets the microphone aside as the girls are asked by the producers to leave and make way for the second group. Nam Dawon, Kim Yubin, Jegal Seoyoung, and Lee Jieun join the stage and the previously shocked audience erupts into cheers as fan favorites appear. The staff waits for Jisub’s hand signal before the music and the performance begins. As before, the CEO watches the repeat performances with a critical eye for the condition of all the singers, the main rapper, and the overall group synchronization as “Over U” is performed twice for his observation.

When it’s over, the male exhales slowly and sits back in his seat. The audience murmurs loudly but no one can hear the exchange occurring between Jaekyung and So Jisub as they debate over these current four. It’s not until the girls are in their judgment positions at the front of the stage that the CEO picks up the microphone to speak for the second time. “Admittedly… this went a lot better than I thought,” he confesses with a small chuckle. “I meant for these concepts to challenge you all and, for some, I see it did.” He eyes Nam Dawon in particular, in which the camera also follows. “Dawon, as I said before: your voice is probably the best in this competition. Not everyone in a group needs to shine as the most charismatic, but you should at least have a great talent in order to make up for it. Dawon, every time you open your mouth to sing, I don’t think anyone can possibly focus on anything else but where it’s coming from. Because of that quality, it’s your right to join Major group.” He lets that sink in, to the answering applause of the audience, before switching his attention to the other girls.

“Jegal Seoyoung, you are also safe for this challenge. Your singing and dancing was well done, and I compliment the energy I saw onstage.” He hesitates again, wanting to delay the inevitable until Jaekyung gives him a meaningful look to continue. “Kim Yubin, I told you last week that I admired your experience in performing in front of a camera. Dealing with a wardrobe malfunction counts and I doubt many others actually noticed what went wrong there,” he notes with wry amusement. “That being said, you need to improve on your ability to dance while you perform a vocal part in a song. Breath control can be improved and I suggest you do so if only to better yourself as a performer. Until then, you may stay in Majors for now.” He looks to Lee Jieun next, and the choreographer sitting behind him visibly tenses in her seat. “Jaekyung insists I keep you here, Jieun, but… in all honesty, I can’t see a place in my girl group for a trainee who can only dance and nothing else. You’re good at what you do, without a doubt, but you must have another skill you can show me, Jieun, as your singing is not the level where it needs to be. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to ask you to be in the ‘Bottom Three’ tonight. Please wait with Eunae until later.”  

Shouts of dismay follow his announcement but it’s soon swallowed up by louder cheers and applause when the third group of Jung Soojung, Park Chaeyoung, Ahn Hyojin, Yang Jiwon and Manoban Lalisa appears. The show keeps moving, staff buzzing around to prepare the stage and the signal given by the CEO when he’s gathered himself and is ready for the last group to take the stage. The music begins and there’s no hiding the concern on Jisub’s face now as he watches this final lineup do their best on perhaps the most energetic pick of the songs. H.A.M. is iconic for their feminine charm and energy and the girls he’d picked for this concept are quite the opposite: some are dull with their stage presence and others struggle with the quick-step choreography that takes them all around the stage.

By the time he picks up the microphone for the third time, So Jisub has already made peace with his decision. This time, Jaekyung doesn’t bother to interfere as the male leans forward to address all the girls with a polite smile. “I was perhaps the most unfair to you five,” he admits to them with a quiet laugh. “H.A.M. is a hard act to cover and I chose it already knowing most of you can’t dance well, or even sing at that level. Still, it was fun to try, right?” He turns his head to address Jung Soojung and Park Chaeyoung first. “Soojung and Rose, while you both still lack stage presence on a regrettable level, it’s undeniable to me, after watching this performance, that you both deserve to be in the Majors consideration. Not only can you both sing well, but I have also witnessed a noticeable improvement in your dancing for this stage. You are listening to my critiques and improving upon your weaknesses, which is something I appreciate greatly. Congratulations, you two may join the Major group.” Jisub switches focus to the last three and considers them all at length before finally continuing. “Jiwon, you are safe in Minor this week. While your singing was very good, you  lack the ability to do so while dancing at the same time. Multitasking is hard for anyone, I know, but idols cannot do without this skill, Jiwon. I’ll ask you to continue working on it.”

“Elly, your rap part was very good this week,” he tells Ahn Hyojin kindly. “Despite lacking the fundamental basics of dance, it’s hard to ignore how distinct your voice is when it comes to your solo verse. No doubt you are the best-sounding rapper here and I’m inclined to keep you on because of it. You are safe in Minors. That means, Lisa,” he tells Manoban Lalisa with a regretful glance in her direction, “I’ll be seeing you in the ‘Bottom Three’ along with Jieun and Eunae. All three of you, please gather at the front of the stage.”

A break is given in real time on the filming day for the staff to clear out the studio audience for this private elimination. During this time when the cameras aren’t recording, the girls are allowed to be on stage together while adjustments are made by the crew in preparation for the “elimination” segment. No one at home gets to see the way the lights are changed behind the scenes, nor do they get to see the private moments the girls have with one another before the “five minute warning” is called. The stage manager tells the girls that only the remaining three contestants can be on the stage while the rest will be allowed to wait backstage in order to hear the results. When everyone is ready to continue, the lights of the cameras flash back on to focus on the trio of Jieun, Lisa, and Eunae. These three are positioned at the very front of the stage where they can see So Jisub clearly as he speaks to them from his familiar table in the center.

“This… is a decision I’ve wavered back and forth on for quite awhile,” Jisub confesses in a sincere tone. “I like all of you for different reasons. Each one of you brings something to the table I can’t find anywhere else: Eunae, who raps as well as she dances and possesses a natural charisma that’s hard to find elsewhere; Jieun, whose dance skill eclipses many and who has so much potential as a performer; and you, Lisa, who is the epitome of star quality. I’ve seen all three of you rise and fall to these past two challenges and it doesn’t make my choice any easier.” The CEO inhales deeply and then exhales on a quiet sigh.

“The one going home tonight… is Lee Jieun.” He looks directly at her and keeps his tone comforting, while controlled. “Jieun, right now, you are too focused in dance and, while I appreciate the level of skill in that you possess, it has unfortunately limited you on what else you can provide for a group’s balance. I don’t need just dancers, I need dancers who can also sing or rap or contribute something to a performance other than a few seconds of a dance break. Jieun, you have done well to make it this far and I know you will continue to improve yourself as a trainee in the future.”

Jisub looks to Lisa and Eunae next. “Lisa, you are safe because you already have made great strides in improving your stage skills even in this short time. I appreciate that kind of determination to change and I will be observing whether you keep up with it or not. Eunae,” he calls to the other and nods shortly, “As I said before, you have great potential, but you are lacking with your overall performance technique. Both of you will go to Minors this week and will hopefully come up with a way to win yourself a place in Majors after this next, even tougher challenge.”

The staff urges the rest of the girls waiting backstage to come out once So Jisub has finished his declaration. The CEO waits for them to gather together as group at the center of the stage before he stands up to his full height and addresses them all with a serious intent. “The producers have told me that many of you have grown fond of each other in these past few weeks, with budding friendships and becoming closer as teammates. I’m glad to hear it, of course, as the girls who survive this show will be friends, teammates, and colleagues who will have to weather the storm of public scrutiny together as soon as they debut. However…” Jisub looks at each girl in the eye before continuing firmly, “... you must remember that you are also competition here. Working together for this last challenge was fun as well as necessary, but now you must prove to me why you, and not another singer, or another rapper, deserves to be in the final group lineup. For the next time, you will go head to head in a one-to-one battle to take each other’s spots in the Major and Minor groups.”

End of episode.

EPISODE 3, Writing Prompt:

As So Jisub explained at the end of the episode, the time has now come for the contestants to prove their individual worth in a one-to-one battle challenge. With the numbers now even among the girls, each contestant will be assigned a competitor she will have to face off against for the next episode. Each contestant will have the total span of 3 minutes to perform whatever she would like to for her challenge performance. Singers aren’t limited to singing, rappers aren’t limited to rapping; no matter your skill-set, you may choose a variety of skills to show off or even just your strongest for So Jisub to decide how you measure up against your opponent. Regardless of current placements, only one girl in each pairing gets to Major while the other will go to Minor.

The assigned competitors are as follows:

Kim Yubin vs. Ahn Hyojin

Kim Seolhyun vs. Manoban Lalisa

Park Chaeyoung vs. Yang Jiwon

Lee Soohyun vs. Lee Jihyun

Nam Dawon vs. Jung Soojung

Jegal Seoyoung vs. Jo Eunae

You will be allowed to prepare for your challenge as you see fit in the days leading up to the filming to October 15th. You will only get to perform once for the cameras on that day but there will be plenty of time before then for costume fittings and a dress rehearsal prior to the filming time on the 15th. You will perform in the above chronological order, with Yubin being the first to perform her challenge, and Eunae being the last to perform. Also, as a special reward for having worked through the Chuseok holiday for the last challenge, the girls will be allowed two free days, October 12th-13th, to have their loved ones visit them at the dormitory complex.

For this episode’s writing opportunities:

Required: write a 300+ word performance solo about your muse performing her battle challenge. Optional: write a 300+ word preparation solo about any event leading up to the battle challenge. This can include rehearsals, costume fittings, dress rehearsals, etc. Optional: write a 250+ word interview with your muse reacting to the events unveiled during this episode. As before, you do not have to answer all of these, and you are allowed to come up with your own questions for this interview. However, all questions for this episode’s interview should relate to these following topics:

How do you feel about the results of the last episode?

What do you think is your biggest strength? Your biggest weakness

What do you think of your competitor? What would you like to say to her before your challenge?

How do you plan to show your skills better than your competitor?

The reward for writing the required solo is +10 SKILL POINTS TO BE DISTRIBUTED AS YOU WISH, +10 CHARISMA POINTS, and +5 DEBUT points, as well earning +1 week of a RELEVANT ACHIEVEMENT. Additionally, all girls will automatically receive +1 week VARIETY achievement for being present during Episode 3. Point forms will always be due the Wednesday after a deadline passes; this means for Episode 3, verification forms should be submitted after the Activity Check post on Wednesday, October 18th. 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 3 (for the Oct 18th form)

[ x ]  *one 300+ word performance solo

+10 ____ POINTS

+10 CHARISMA POINTS

+ 5 DEBUT POINTS

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

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

+ NEW DEBUT POINTS TOTAL:

“I don’t really know what to say, my reaction time is slow… But I’m happy that I could come this far and I’m happy that my performance was enjoyed, it might not have been rapping but I’m extremely proud of it. I can’t wait to see the girls who make it on stage….so fighting and thank you for making me desperate again.”

So Jisub nods in acknowledgment to her words, sincerely wishing her the best as Yubin makes a graceful exit. With the show already more than halfway through, the CEO finds that the pressure to select the perfect girls for the final group is only getting more challenging. The previous challenges have done well to test their stage abilities to his discernment, however, there’s one more quality So Jisub prizes in the trainees in his company. 

A personal interview with the CEO reveals the truth of it. Seated comfortably behind his desk, So Jisub leans forward to regard the camera with a thoughtful expression. “Most talents can be learned with practice,” he admits in his trademark calm tone. “However, a harder thing is to find members who have an excellent morality and a superior character as well. This isn’t optional-- far more than singing or dancing, I desire these qualities in my performers above all else. A good heart is irreplaceable.” Jisub flashes the audience a small, mysterious smile. “Everything else can be taught.”

“How are you going to test them?” The viewers are then taken inside a conference room, where the CEO sits at a long table surrounded by two producers and his communications director, Seo Kyulhyun. Jisub’s quiet laugh is full of mischief as he taps one finger against his temple. “Instinct,” he explains simply. To the producers’ raised eyebrows, he only laughs again in reaction. “If anyone knows ahead of time that something is happening, they’ll plan their reactions in a way that’s insincere and looks good-- a habit which is not what I want to see.” He proceeds to explain the plan to the three, and even gets up once to walk to the door. With the right timing, Jisub opens the wooden panel to admit two more who will be privy to the prank: the Dispatch reporter who will pose questions to the girls and the costumer designer whose dress is intended to be rigged for reactions.

On the day of the prank, the designer, the camera operator, and the producer are shown meeting together ahead of time to slip microphones sneakily into their garments. While the girls wait outside the costume studio to come in individually, the costume designer carefully adjusts the mannequin inside the studio for maximum effectiveness. The audience is aware of the false situation from the start. They can see the carefully-masked expression of the producer as the first girl is called in. They can see the way the camera operator and the reporter exchange knowing glances when she sits down. And finally, they are witnesses to So Jisub entering into a separate room with a large monitor in place for him to watch the interviews through the ‘eyes’ of the costume studio’s hidden camera. He is joined by the costume designer and he is the one who signals each time the designer will leave to go cause trouble.

For his, and the audience’s amusement, they watch the prank unfold for the eleven girls who are left in the show.

After Yang Jiwon answers her final question, she’s seen agape once the mannequin falls apart. So Jisub watches with a critical eye, and a sympathetic smile, as the designer hones in toughly on the TRC trainee. For a girl who was all spirit in her song performance in the last challenge, Jisub is surprised to see the way Jiwon doesn’t argue back in the way he’d suspected she would. Is he disappointed? Not entirely, for the appropriate words, “I’ll pay for it, it was my fault, I should’ve been paying more attention,” are uttered by Jiwon in the end. The CEO wouldn’t usually let a trainee under his employ pay out of pocket for such a thing, as Jegal Seoyoung reveals with her honest reply of the company covering costs, but, being as this is a genuine prank, he is visibly pleased by Jiwon’s personal reply.

The same goes for Ahn Hyojin, whose insistence that she pay herself, is met with Jisub’s approving laugh, and Manoban Lalisa, whose apologetic face and similar words tugs at one’s heartstrings. “It’s almost too cruel, isn’t it?” Jisub jokes with the designer who rejoins him after the third girl has gone. The costume designer shrugs and answers him with a sly smile. “They’ll probably hate you when they find out.”

The other girls are then shown with their own varying reactions: Nam Dawon, who attempts to soften the blow by complementing the dress’s original beauty (which causes the CEO to laugh outright); Park Chaeyoung, whose shaky voice betrays her feelings as she tries to offer reparation; and Jung Soojung, the latter girl who offers to remake the dress herself when it breaks. To Jisub, the costumer designer confesses her surprise at this last response: “I almost believed she’d actually sew with me right then and there!”

“Do you think she’d actually do it?” he asks curiously. Kim Seolhyun also offers to help repair it, as does Lee Soohyun, whose tearful eyes and continual bowing causes the CEO to sigh softly in compassion for his young trainee. Finally, there’s Lee Jihyun, whose memorable blood-curdling scream and softer, more apologetic offer to help as well as pay, causes the CEO to lean back in his seat with a pensive look. “It’s amazing the difference between those who think of money first rather than offering their own labor,” he muses aloud.

The designer looks to him questioningly. “It’s not really a problem to me,” Jisub confesses to her thoughtfully. “It’s probably just as good to recognize one’s own limitations.” As the last one to go, he watches Jo Eunae’s repeated apologies before he crosses his arms over his chest. “Actually, that might be the wisest choice to make… most of the time.”

October 27, 2017.

The day after the ‘pranking’ incident, So Jisub visits the girls’ dormitory in person. Aware that emotions may be running high in fear of the designer’s reprisal, the CEO requests that she accompany him as well on this visit. He and the designer wait for the girls to gather in the foyer of the dormitory before he speaks to all of them as a group.

“Congratulations on your successful practice interviews,” he begins, smiling. Although the edited versions previously seen during the episode only reveal their interview’s final question before the prank, So Jisub explains to them that he has personally watched all interviews in their full entirety. He praises the girls for their honesty, and scolds good-naturedly for those who were a little too honest about their dating opinions. However, he conveys that he isn’t disappointed in the least. He then goes on to explain the premise behind the prank-- “the importance of having a good heart and selflessness”-- before  waving towards the designer to speak. On Jisub’s cue, she offers the girls her own apologetic smile and deep bow for her part as an accomplice for the test.

“You all behaved admirably,” she says, echoing So Jisub’s words. “We at Royal value those who take responsibility and offer to help even if they’re not at fault. It’s a sure sign of maturity that we can’t be more grateful for. And don’t worry, we won’t make you pay for the costume!” she adds on, laughing. The CEO is seen with his own sheepish look as he turns once more towards the girls gathered in front of him.

“I’ve seen the good in you and I know the viewers at home will be glad to see it, too.” The CEO casts a proud look over the remaining eleven girls. “There’s not going to be any elimination or group swapping based on this,” he reveals to them, and chuckles warmly at the relieved lack of tension that fills the room. “No need, I think, since really, it’s all my fault for tricking you so terribly.”

“Instead, I’m going to give you some time to relax.” So Jisub goes on to explain that, thanks to their hard work in the past few weeks, a time for respite has been well-earned by the eleven who have made it through this far in the competition. “I know it gets harder the longer a survival show goes on,” he commiserates with them aloud, “So, it’s equally important that you re-energize now in order to perform at your best again later on.”

The girls are then told that their next filming destination is to Seorak Waterpia, a water park located in Seoul where they will spend several days filming at the various locations offered at the tourist spot. From the offered hot springs, to the water rides, to eating foods at the park’s featured food court-- the girls are told to revitalize their spirits on camera in preparation for the next, much tougher challenge. For there will be one.

“Until next time, ladies.”

End of episode.

EPISODE 5, Writing Prompt:

As So Jisub explained at the end of the episode, this next episode is intended to shift gears a little bit in order to show off more of the girls’ individual personalities as they enjoy themselves at Seorak Waterpia. A water park famous for its various touristy attractions and entertainments even during the autumn months, the filming at Seorak Waterpia will take place over three days: November 2nd-3rd, and on November 6th.

During this time, the girls will group up and/or pair up (of their own choosing) to explore the attractions while cameras will follow them around through the entirety of the filming day. The girls are encouraged to have fun, however, this is a public outing and, as such, all are expected to behave appropriately as members of the show. Security will be present to prevent fans and other tourists from getting too close to the girls, though the cameras’ presence will undoubtedly attract attention from the public who are also visiting the theme park. Be on your best behavior!

The filming schedule is as follows:

November 2nd Filming location: Rainbow Stream and Spa Valley (10:30 AM to 5 PM)

November 3rd Filming Location: Shark Wave, Aqua Zone (10:30 AM to 5 PM)

November 6th Filming Location: Fun Zone (11 AM to 3 PM)

For this episode’s writing opportunities:

Required: write a 300+ word performance solo about enjoying at least one of the filming days with a group/paired partner. You can pick any of the filming days and any of the zones on that day to write about.

Optional: write a 300+ word reaction solo to hearing about the revealed prank.

Optional: write a 250+ word interview answering these specific questions:

“Do you believe you have what it takes to survive through to the end of this competition?”

“What kind of concept would you ideally like to debut with?”

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 CHARISMA-BASED achievement of your choice. Additionally, all girls will automatically receive +1 week VARIETY achievement for being present during Episode 5. Point forms will always be due the Wednesday after a deadline passes; this means for Episode 5, verification forms should be submitted after the Activity Check post on Wednesday, November 15th. 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 5 (for the Nov 15th form)

[ x ]  *one 300+ word performance solo

+5 ____ POINTS

+10 CHARISMA POINTS

+ 5 DEBUT POINTS

+1 WK CHARISMA-BASED ACHIEVEMENT (CURRENT LEVEL + NUMBER OF TIMES TAKEN)

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

+ NEW DEBUT POINTS TOTAL:

“I… learned a lot. This is my second survival show, but it feels like starting anew. And it is, actually. I learned a lot from my peers, who took their time to teach me whenever I needed. And Yoo Jaekyung-ssaem, who always believed in my skills even though I’m lacking. As well as the other mentors at Royal, who taught me to be confident in myself. It’s a shame that I have to leave so soon, but I don’t regret coming here at all. I’m thankful for the experience, and of course, to you, sajangnim.”

“It’s true that I am primarily a dancer, but I’m proud to be a dancer, and I would not have it any other way. Well, maybe other than a dancer with better vocals. There’s so much more to do, but I know I have more to showcase in the future, whenever that happens. And for now, I just want to tell the other girls… all the best. Regardless of whatever the outcome is, regardless of major or minor, you all are performers in your own way.”

“Royal, fighting!”

Even Royal’s CEO is visibly moved by the speech as he listens. A soft, fond smile appears as he nods in approval to Jieun’s gracious farewell words. He doesn’t regret choosing this girl to be in his company, for Jisub values a positive, optimistic character above all else, and for that reason, he intends to watch Jieun’s skills independently improve on the side. If she shows sincere growth during this time… well, who knows. Anything, really, is possible.

But, for now, his attention rightfully goes to the girls who are left standing on the stage. Eunae and Lisa have survived the elimination and now they must all face their current challenge: the solo 1v1 battles that will determine their fit for the future group’s positions. As important as this challenge is for them, it’s even more crucial for the CEO; in a show with so many great vocalists, dancers, and rappers, he must watch them comparatively and decide who will be best suited for the spot. There’s no denying he’s ripe with anticipation for the next filming and encourages all girls to do their best to impress.

October 15th, 2017.

When the day of the challenges arrive, So Jisub finds himself the most anxious of all. With having given the girls free rein to show him anything, there would be little doubt that ‘surprises’ would be the main course of the day. His producers had approved all contestants’ concepts ahead of time, but Jisub had explicitly directed them not to tell him what the performances were, if only so he could feel this same jittery anticipation that the audience at home would later feel when the episode aired. When it’s time, he goes to his familiar table and sits down. Notes and contestant profiles are stacked neatly upon the table’s surface and Jisub gives himself a silent reminder to thank the efficient staff that provides for all of this show’s needs.

“Are we ready?” the head producer asks the CEO, with an old-fashioned clipboard in his hand. Jisub steadily observes the cameras in their positions, the looks of the crew who are on standby, and then lastly to the producer to whom Jisub gives an approving nod. The camera that focuses (and stays) directly on the CEO turns on for the recording and Jisub speaks out towards the stage. “I’m very excited for this,” he admits aloud, quietly chuckling at the aerial silks he sees now hanging suspended from the light beams above the stage. “Kim Yubin, you’re first up.”

Yubin’s aerial dance to Lady Gaga’s “Applause” does leave Jisub and the surrounding crew breathless as they watch. It’s a risky routine, with drops that are gracefully avoided with elegant movements, and it’s also a routine that leaves the CEO perplexed by the unexpected decision Yubin has made. For someone so strong in rapping, he would have preferred to see her do it. However, there’s merit to performances that are meant to shock and awe the viewers: if the routine gets audiences buzzing, the better. When Yubin concludes her performance, Jisub thanks her aloud for the performance. The recording turns off then, for the crew behind the scenes to clear the stage and prepare for Elly’s stage next.

Filming days are normally incredibly tedious to him, with all the stops and starts of the crew adjusting lighting and props, but today So Jisub has to admit it’s a fascinating process. When Yubin’s things are cleared, Elly’s preparations of a loop station appear on the center stage. Jisub looks on with interest as Ahn Hyojin looks over the final details and then presents herself as being ready. He gives the producer a nod and the cameras are turned on once more to focus on the second rapper.

“Elly, you may begin.”

But, yet again, what he gets from the duo of rappers is not at all what he expects. It’s a bittersweet realization for, on one hand, Jisub is grateful for the girls’ desire to show him the aspects of themselves he wouldn’t have otherwise known of them. Yubin’s dance is mesmerizing, to say the least, and Elly’s creativity and instrumental talent is undoubtedly praiseworthy to discover. And yet, there’s inevitable disappointment, too, for the lack of rap skills in these routines that he’d been hoping for. For deciding who would be the rapper of his group, this was too necessary a criteria for him to be without. “Ladies,” he calls out to the two once both performances have finished. The cameras single out the two who are directed to stand together, side-by-side, in front of Elly’s loop station. “That was… terrific, actually.” A quiet chuckle leaves Jisub as he looks first to Yubin, and then to Elly. “If you were hoping to surprise me, and the audience, that was definitely the way to do it.”

However, he’s now stuck with a problem he hadn’t foreseen. Without admitting this aloud to anyone, Jisub only curls his fingers tighter around his microphone before speaking again. “It’s important that a rapper have other talents to bring to the table and both of you certainly have met that criteria. Yubin, your dance with the aerial silks was tremendous-- and nearly gave me a scare when you did your freefalls. And Elly, the creativity of your song was stunning, to say the least. I loved the addition of the instruments as well as you letting me hear how much you’ve improved with your singing over these last few weeks.” He pauses, visibly weighing his options between the two. “For that reason of improvement, the winner of this challenge… is Ahn Hyojin. Congratulations, Elly, you will move to Major group.” Jisub looks then to Yubin with a small, apologetic smile. “You did very well also, Yubin. I truly am impressed with your talent. Unfortunately, though, this result means you will move to the Minor group with the five other girls tonight for a possible elimination. Please wait until later.”

The next two performances, to Jisub’s gratification, are exactly what he’s hoping for from these competitors. First up, Seolhyun, whose dancing and singing to Nicole’s “Mama” gets most of the male crew nervous just by watching-- an admission that her charisma is up to par with Lisa’s, and the latter whose daring routine to perform two skills she’s weaker at: also dancing and singing, coaxes out an impressed glance from the CEO as he watches. In truth, his purpose for pitting these two together was to see this comparison for himself. One girl who already had all the natural talent and knew what to do with it, and the other who continually improved on her skills week after week. It’s an equally tough decision as before and Jisub’s hesitation is noticeably longer as he weighs the pros and cons of this match-up.

“Well… I’m glad you both got to see what you’re up against,” he says with an indulgent laugh when the camera focuses back on him. “In a group dynamic, you two would certainly be fighting for the position of face of the group-- as I’m pretty sure you both have the potential to grab the public’s attention with very little effort if left up to your own devices.” He’s proud of both of his Royal trainees and this pride is obvious in his expression as he looks back and forth between one and the other. “Lisa, I’m really glad to see a continual improvement in your skills... but I’m unsure that you’re going to be ready in time to debut with the level of skills I’m hoping for out of my group.” he critiques her seriously. “I’m rooting for you as your CEO, but you just saw what Seolhyun is already capable of. If you realistically can’t match the technique level of your competitor, then what you should have done was show me what makes you so uniquely Lisa that I can’t find that quality in anybody else.” He gives Lisa a reassuring smile but nods in Seolhyun’s direction. “The winner of this challenge will be Seolhyun. Lisa, you will join Yubin tonight for the possible elimination round. I’m sorry, but please wait backstage until then.”  

The stage clears and Jisub momentarily wonders if more silks will be hung for another dance routine. Just the memory of Yubin’s routine has him smiling to himself (in the end, he really did enjoy that one) and he waits until Park Chaeyoung takes her place on the stage. As before, the instructions are tossed back and forth between crew and producer until the latter informs Jisub that they’re ready to begin. To the viewing audience, these performances would be easily seen switching from one to the other with very little delay in between, but to those who experience it in the flesh, it’s a different experience entirely. How could the cameras adequately capture the nerves that Jisub can see and sense permeating from his contestants as they watch their stages being set-up before their performances? What are they thinking about? he wonders silently. When Rose is ready, the camera lights turn red and Jisub tells her out loud to begin.

The song Rose picks is certainly a surprising one, and the male’s eyes widen (an expression that, thankfully, is not shown in the television-edited version) as he listens. The first thing he thinks is that her singing tone is beautiful, and secondly, that the song choice doesn’t mean as much as the first point does. He finds himself listening effortlessly, a smile growing larger on his face until the end of her performance. It’s good and Jisub nods approvingly to her before switching his attention politely to her rival: Yang Jiwon. To pair these two together wasn’t just to test their friendship (which, admittedly, was a large reason thanks to the producers’ meddling) but also because of their similar skill-set. When choosing a lead vocalist to round out his debut group, these two possessed enough close abilities to be each other’s most threatening competitor-- if they realized that. By the way Jiwon and Rose briefly touch hands in front of his eyes, the CEO wonders if they’ll be more stubborn about their futures than is wise. “Go ahead, Jiwon,” he tells her when she’s ready.

Attitude, and a lot of it, is the first impression he receives. In a direct contrast to Rose’s subtly sweet performance, Jiwon is all defiance from the words sung out of her mouth to the tips of her toes. It startles out a laugh from Jisub, who watches Jiwon perform with increasing interest as she pushes deeper into her song. Directed towards him, perhaps? She’s mad about something, he guesses, and this is the kind of response from a contestant that only makes him happier. Here, channeled through her song choice, is the spirit of Jiwon he’d glimpsed through her audition video many weeks before. She’d been hidden behind the others thus far, a problem with too many in number around her, maybe, but now she was more prominent than ever when she is up alone on the stage by herself.

“The winner is Yang Jiwon,” he announces once both performances are concluded. Jisub looks to Rose and tells her kindly, “Rose, you reminded me when I was listening to you of the reason why I cast you into my company in the first place. Both you and Jiwon have beautiful voices… emotional and that really touch the heart. Unfortunately, it’s my burden that I can only pick one of you to continue forward. Rose, please join Lisa and Yubin for the elimination group tonight. I will see you again later.”

After a brief break for dinner for all of them, cast and crew, they all return to the venue to pick up where they left off: with the battle royale between the show’s four main vocalist contestants. It’s a competition the CEO is looking very much forward to, and he eagerly waits as Lee Soohyun comes to the stage with her prepared outfit. He has to bite back a laugh at the sight of her-- a sound of pleasant amusement, as Soohyun’s personality absolutely shines (as usual) with her chosen appearance. One of the few contestants who knows exactly what he means about showing off her unique qualities, Jisub settles back to listen to what she has to offer. When it’s over, he finally does allow himself to grin towards her before calling Jihyun up next.

“Jihyun, go ahead.”

A true study of contrasts is Jihyun versus Soohyun. Anyone can see the differences between them, the cuteness youthful quality that Soohyun brings to the table when Jihyun brings experience and sensuality. The two are tremendous when they’re solo but it’s Jisub’s thoughts on the future group that divides them. For he does have a concept in mind, and it’s this concept that brings concern chewing on his lower lip as he watches Jihyun’s performance to “Love Me Right.” While both of them could handle the responsibility of a main vocal, the fact was, only one of them could handle the concept he was envisioning for this immediate future. Jisub inwardly sighs, but keeps his chaotic thoughts to himself as he waits until the end of the song to speak.  “The winner of this challenge… is Jihyun. Both of you did well, amazingly well, but Jihyun’s technique is the best in this competition and she is, unfortunately, a hard one to beat by anyone. Soohyun, if I really could I’d pick you both. But, seeing as how I can only choose one of you to win this challenge, I will go with Jihyun. Don’t be too disappointed though, you make me genuinely happy to have you as one of the singers in my company. Please go join Yubin, Lisa, and Rose in the elimination group. We’ll talk later.”

Nam Dawon approaches the stage next and So Jisub considers her with a discerning eye as she steps up to the microphone. When she looks ready, the CEO gives her the verbal go-ahead and leans forward to listen. The jazzy beat of “1, 2, 3, 4’s” opening has him pleasantly surprised and Jisub listens through until the end, his head nodding unconsciously to the beat as Dawon sings. It’s not a song he’d envisioned from her (sue him, but he’d pegged her as the emotional slow ballad type) but Dawon is able to pull off vocally what very few of his trainees-- aside from Jihyun and Soohyun-- could do. His impressed expression says it all as he thanks her for the performance and waves for Jung Soojung to come up next.  

Here, with Soojung playing piano and singing along to “Reflection” is the ballad he’d been expecting out of these two competitors. Soojung’s voice is heavenly emotional and So Jisub suffers under the very difficult decision that settles upon his shoulders. It’s not only between Dawon and Soojung that he must decide, but also how which one will pair up with Jihyun and Soohyun in the end. Four he has and only two he will take with him until the very end. With each powerful performance from the four, the choice becomes that much harder to make. He’s reluctant when he picks up the microphone after Soojung’s performance but it’s a task that must be done and, worse, one done in front of the cameras and viewers. “Both of you are exquisite performers. You’re making it tough for this CEO to pick, you know, but a choice is what I have to make.” He considers them both carefully, the same as Soohyun/Jihyun before when he envisions the group’s future concept. Unlike before, both of these girls could suit it, which made the decision all the more challenging. In the end, he goes with his professional instinct. “The winner of this challenge will be Dawon. Soojung, take heart that your abilities have already improved since the first stage I saw you. You only get better with time and that’s very promising still. Please join the other girls from the Minor group.”

At last, they come to the final two performances. Although they are the last, this battle in particular is one Jisub has his eyes on. Both Seoyoung and Eunae are strong individually, and he senses he won’t be disappointed with either one of their performances as Seoyoung approaches the stage first. Her outfit has his eyebrows raising in astonishment (as it certainly is a lot of feathers going on there) and Jisub waits expectantly until the girl gives the signal to him, and the crew, that she’s ready to begin. As before, Jisub calls her name out loud for the camera’s benefit (“Seoyoung, you may begin!”) before all eyes go straight to her and stay there. Her routine to “Full Moon” is much more sensual than he’s expecting but it’s not a bad thing, rather,  it reminds him of Rose’s earlier subtlety with her “Honey” performance. The more Jisub sees from these girls, the more he gains the opinion that some girls complement each other’s personal styles better than others. Rose and Seoyoung, for instance, would do well together in a group.

While Eunae and Jiwon, in contrast, would do better together. When it’s Eunae’s turn, this is what surfaces in Jisub’s thoughts as he watches her. Jiwon’s combative spirit is not unlike Eunae’s tomboyish charm here and the CEO reflects over it as he considers the rest of the girls in Major group thus far. Individually, these girls are talented beyond his greatest expectations, but how to get them all to function together as one unit at the same time? He studies Eunae and an approving smile appears upon her lips to hear her rap verses that serve her much better here than they had in the previous challenge. Not Yubin, but Eunae was Elly’s greatest threat in this competition. Had Elly noticed it yet?

“Both incredible performances once again,” Jisub compliments both girls with a warm expression. “Eunae, you did much better this time around than last week and I’m very impressed. This was the version of you I was hoping to see, and I’m glad I did.” He glances to Seoyoung and offers her equally fond words: “I wasn’t expecting this kind of image from you, Seoyoung, but I have to admit… this was exactly what I was looking for from you. No longer hidden in the back with the others, but forcing yourself out to the front to be seen. Very good, both of you.” Jisub leans back in his seat and takes his time debating over his decision, considering the benefits and weaknesses of this duo. “Congratulations, Eunae, you are the winner this week. You are rising quickly as a potential main rapper and that’s what I like to see. Seoyoung, unfortunately, I must ask you to wait with the other girls for a moment. I’ll be seeing the six of you very soon.”

Everyone is dismissed after this and the CEO remains sitting at his table, only observing quietly as most of the people in the room disperse for their next break. The elimination segment will be filmed soon and So Jisub spends the interim time tapping his pen against the contestant profiles. The six who wait for his judgment are ones he has grown to care deeply for since they’d begin this show: Yubin, whose senior experience and talent could be matched by none, Lisa’s stage presence that leaves everyone (including himself) in awe whenever she performs, Rose’s sweet singing voice whose memory still haunts him even now, Soohyun and Soojung who are both powerful vocalists in their own right and deserve so much more, and Seoyoung whose potential was obvious in her standing in Major group all this time.

What to do?

He mentally wars with the decision until the thirty-minute break concludes. The crew trickles back in and the producer comes to his side to catch him up with the rest of the schedule. To him, Jisub presents his conflict and the two quietly converse over the choice until the minutes tick away. At last, they finally reach a decision, and only then does the producer call the six girls, as well as the camera crew, back to their positions. Jisub, with weariness glittering in his eyes despite a perfectly made-up face for the camera, brings the microphone up to his lips. “Even though I did not mention an elimination last week, we’ve come to the point in the show where not everyone can stay indefinitely here. This episode’s challenge was to see how you fared against each other for the positions I have envisioned for the debut group, and I was not disappointed. Each one of you has impressed me with her performance and I spoke long and hard with the producers over which one of you must leave us tonight.”

Royal’s CEO takes a deep breath to compose himself before he continues to speak in an apologetic tone, “Yubin, I’m sorry, but this will be your last day. You have done incredibly well in the show thus far and it pains me greatly to have to let you go so soon. I wish you the best of luck with your career in the future, as I know you have the potential to go incredibly far.” But, in the end, it was his group he had to think of. Although he’d selfishly wanted Yubin’s talent to stay with him (thus manifesting into an argument with the producer) the CEO had to concede eventually that Tiger JK would surely serve Yubin’s interests the best in the long run. Regret is a heavy feeling sinking like a stone in his abdomen but the boss is one for a reason.

“Congratulations to the rest of you,” he acknowledges to the other girls afterwards. “You are safe for this week, even if you are not currently safe in this competition. Luckily, there’s plenty of challenges ahead for you to change your current standing and I greatly look forward to it.” The producer behind the scenes motions for the Major group of girls to join the others on stage to hear the rest of Jisub’s announcement. The CEO waits until all have gathered before forcing one last smile to his face. “Your next challenge will take place off the stage in an arena that idols cannot falter in: public interviews for the press that always watches you. You will be taught how to behave in front of reporters, as well as how to act in a professional manner that reflects your personal and your group’s reputation. More details will follow later in the week and, until then, I encourage you all to get some much-needed rest. You’ve done well today and I am proud of each and every one of you. Until we meet again.”

End of episode.

EPISODE 4, Writing Prompt:

As So Jisub explained at the end of the episode, this next challenge will not be a stage performance, but rather a personal test of a contestant’s behavior in front of the most influential people of an idol’s career: the press. How you behave in front of the press can make or break your career, as even the most accidental slight in word or expression can result in an unflattering news story to darken a reputation. In the next two weeks, the girls will undergo a specialized workshop headed by Royal Entertainment’s communication director, Seo Kyulhyun, who will instruct them on the correct way to sit for a formal interview (which is unlike the casual interview the girls have so far experienced individually), how to answer questions politely, and how to avoid answering direct questions intended to fish out secrets the company does not want them to reveal.

The “press interview” workshop will last a week, from 8am to 2pm on October 17th to the 24th. Afterwards, on October 25th-26th the girls will each be filmed for their “test” inside one of Royal’s large costume studios. The room will be spacious, with beautiful costumes and the surrounding work stations providing an interesting background as the girls are asked to sit in front of a standing camera. They will be supervised by a producer (acting the role of their “manager”) and joined by a camera operator as well as a genuine reporter from Dispatch. The girls will be asked real questions from the reporter which they will be expected to answer to the best of their abilities.

However, there is a plot twist.

In the spirit of Halloween, an elaborate prank has been rigged for the real challenge of this episode: to test a contestant’s true ability to react under spontaneous pressure. This will be OOC knowledge only, as the contestants IC must react faithfully to this event. Once a contestant has finished answering the prompted questions, the reporter, the cameraman, and the producer will all depart the room together with an excuse that they must “discuss further” about the contestant’s finished interview. This is aimed to leave the contestant alone in the room, where a hidden camera has been set up previously to watch her every move. After a minute has passed with the contestant left by herself, a nearby mannequin will begin to drift sideways. The mannequin has been rigged to fall apart on command and it will do so, toppling over and, in turn, tearing a large seam into the designer dress it’s wearing. Your contestant’s real challenge is to react to this, as well as react to when the designer of the dress immediately comes into the room not a minute later to see this disaster. The Dispatch reporter, as well as the producer, will come into the room with the designer as well. The designer will accuse your girl of causing this mess and it is her challenge to find an effective way out of this in a way that preserves her reputation in the best, professional way. This prank will not be revealed to be one until the feedback in Episode 5, so do your best until then! Happy Halloween!

For this episode’s writing opportunities:

Required: write a 300+ word performance solo about your muse answering the interview questions AND reacting to the dress-ripping incident. You are allowed to make up your own interview questions.

Optional: write a 300+ word preparation solo about the “press interview” workshop with Seo Kyulhyun or preparing for the Interview day.

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 PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING or COMEDY achievement. Additionally, all girls will automatically receive +1 week VARIETY achievement for being present during Episode 4. Point forms will always be due the Wednesday after a deadline passes; this means for Episode 4, verification forms should be submitted after the Activity Check post on Wednesday, November 1st. 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 4 (for the Nov 1st form)

[ x ]  *one 300+ word performance solo

+5 ____ POINTS

+10 CHARISMA POINTS

+5 DEBUT POINTS

+1 WK PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING or COMEDY ACHIEVEMENT (CURRENT LEVEL + NUMBER OF TIMES TAKEN)

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

+ NEW DEBUT POINTS TOTAL:

A new date appears: September 2nd, 2017.

“I’m not looking for a star.” The shot changes and now the CEO looks completely comfortable in a familiar environment: his own office. Interviewed solo, Jisub looks straight into the camera and steeples his fingers together. He continues in an assured voice, “I want a constellation. The group we’re making here isn’t supposed to make one special girl stand out. I want them to be a strong unit that, together, can move every single one of the fans’ hearts.”

A VTR appears, showcasing the successful seniors of Royal’s past: first up, Brave Girls during their past stage performances, smiling in front of applauding audiences over the years as they sing and dance. Then H.A.M., as various clips from their debut stage as well as their popular tenth anniversary stage appear in succession.

“I want them to be incredible,” Jisub’s commentary continues in voiceover, “...charismatic. Strong idols who have that special something that’ll take the world over by storm.”

At the bottom of the screen, August 31st, 2017 appears once again. Viewers are taken back to the boardroom, where the discussion over possible contestants intensifies. Producers point fingers at one another and more than one staff member is seen rubbing their temples from a growing headache. The audition tape of Kim Seolhyun appears on screen, the smiling girl introducing herself, “Hello, my name is Kim Seolhyun, and I’m from Gyeonggi-do, Bucheon.” She is a familiar face at the company and is met with many of the production team’s visible approval. A few seconds of her dance to Janet Jackson’s “Burn it Up” is shown. It is followed by a clip from the audition tape of Jegal Seoyoung, highlighting the iconic moment she hits She’z’s signature “No No No” hip-swinging choreography and sings along.

“They’re following in the footsteps of the ones I’m proud of,” Jisub continues in voiceover, “I have high hopes for them.”

Nam Dawon appears next: the soulful lyrics of “Pattern” displaying her impressive vocals. It’s cut after with Ahn Hyojin, whose appearance on the boardroom’s monitor causes the CEO to grimace. “The girls in this group should have good personalities,” he emphasizes to those sitting around him. One of the producers, the name ‘Shin Sungki’ popping up at the bottom of the screen, nods. “Some of these girls come with heavy backgrounds,” Sungki agrees. A clip of Kim Yubin appears and her rhythmic rap to “Don’t Recall” tugs several impressed looks out of the production team.

“Anyone can change if their heart is in it,” Jisub observes thoughtfully as he watches Yubin’s tape and rubs his chin in thought. “I won’t turn anyone away who’s looking for a second chance.”

On the heels of the positive words, the atmosphere changes. Gone is the boardroom and the CEO’s office; now the preparations for the Survival’s special stage are shown in full-throttle. Clips of staff working hard for the production are shown in rapid succession: builders who hammer and design the show’s larger-than-life stage, assistants who pass out flyers on the streets to passerby and spread the word through official social media platforms. So Jisub, who meets with his design team and also the trainers of his company. He is seen nodding in answer to their professional advice and offers up more than his fair share of ideas in return. The timeline races, months of collected preparation footage all rushing to join together into a single date: September 4th, 2017.

Today.

The faces of contestants are briefly highlighted as they are shown the way onto the Royal Survival stage. Thirteen girls chosen in total, they are led by a black-clothed staffer who gestures for them to follow her onto a grand stage that’s the focus of a thousand-seat venue. For now, all these seats remain empty. The girls are told to wait at the center of the stage in a long line, their faces and figures illuminated by the bright lights shining overhead. The camera cuts to their curious faces one by one.

Then, So Jisub steps out. In the middle section of the audience seating, a large table has been set up for the CEO’s use and he claims the space effortlessly. When the camera focuses in on him, he addresses the girls in a loud, confident voice: “Welcome, ladies, to your first day at Royal Survival.” He continues, “The thirteen of you have been handpicked by myself and my team to join the greatest survival project South Korea will get to witness. Those of you who earn your spot in the show’s final line-up will get to debut under the name of Royal Entertainment and, after that, your lives are going to change completely.” Jisub gestures to the stage with a single, self-assured wave of his hand. “You will be challenged continuously to show me not only your best and weakest talents, but also your potential to succeed in this industry. By the end of the show, those who make it into the right group will debut together; those who do not, will not.”

The camera pans briefly to the varied expressions on the contestants’ faces as they react to his announcement. Jisub picks up a single sheet of paper that rests on the table’s surface. “Now, based upon the opinions of myself, my production team, as well as the trainers here at Royal who know some of you better than most, I am going to place you into the group that befits your personal ranking. The girls who are assigned to the Major group are on the fast-track to debut. Therefore, getting into the Major group and staying there should be everyone’s goal from this point forward.” Jisub smiles tightly as he adds, in warning: “Those of you who are sorted into the Minor group will find that you are lacking in one necessary capacity or another. You will be expected to work even harder to convince me you deserve a place on the Majors team instead of another girl here.”

Two large LCD screens suddenly light up behind the girls: on the stage-right side, the word MAJOR becomes visible in big letters, on the stage-left side, MINOR can be clearly seen. “When I call your name, you will come forward--” There is a visible marker placed by the staff at the very front of the stage: a taped beige ‘x’ that indicates where each girl should stand. “--and after my comments, you are to immediately go stand on the side of the stage you are assigned to.” Jisub meets their eyes one by one, his expression smoothing into a serious cast as he lifts up the sheet of paper.

“Kim Seolhyun,” he calls out first. “The production staff thought well of your audition, as did I. After talking with the trainers, they also had many excellent things to say about you, which made my decision today all the easier. You’re a beautiful girl with the talent to match and that makes you an incredible opponent for everyone else who is currently standing around you. The top one, in fact. That being said…” Jisub lifts his head to look directly at her. “Seolhyun, for being in the top spot, you have the most to lose should you become victim to making easy mistakes. Too much confidence can and will be your worst enemy here, so slacking off at any time should never be an option. Seolhyun, congratulations, you are the first to go to the Major group.”

“Jegal Seoyoung, you haven’t been training very long, have you? Only eight months?” Jisub turns his attention towards her next, meeting the contestant’s eyes. However, the question is rhetorical; he continues speaking without waiting for an answer from her. “Despite your inexperience as a trainee, your audition for the show was surprisingly good. Both the producers and I enjoyed it and this decision between us was an easy one to make. You were smart to choose showing off more than one talent to us unlike many of your peers here. Because of that choice, I have confidence that you will be able to round out many of these other girls’ more obvious weaknesses. Be careful not to disappoint my expectations in you, Seoyoung. You may go stand with the Major group.”

“Jung Soojung, when I saw your audition video, I remembered you vividly from the MGAs. Did you not like it over there with Baek Jiyoung, after all?” The CEO jokes about his long-time industry competitor and the lines around his handsome eyes crease with amusement. “Your singing voice is impressive, there’s no doubt about it. However, there are many other gifted vocalists who are standing on stage right now beside you. Just hitting high notes well is not going to cut it for anyone here, least of all you. You must impress me, and the viewing audience, with much more than that. You must show us the reasons that make you better, and more memorable, than the other singers who are here. Soojung, you will be the first to go to the Minor group.”

“Kim Yubin.” Jisub pauses. His gaze hones in on Yubin as he considers privately the heated discussions that almost didn’t allow her to make the cut onto the show. Public scandals were already attached to her name (nepotism and drugs of all things!) and, even more difficult than that, the very real public recognition she already had as being one of Tiger JK’s trainees. “You are one of the oldest trainees here, Yubin. Already 25 years old and you still haven’t debuted yet, which begs the curious question of why.” He goes silent, letting the tense moment linger before speaking again. “Finding a place for you here will be difficult... but not impossible. Personally, I admire your bravery for taking the risk to come here. It says to me that you can handle tougher challenges that are going to face you. Every leader of a girl group will need that kind of spirit to guide the others faithfully. For now, though, Yubin, you will go to Minor group until I decide what to do with you.”

“Jo Eunae, a face I recognize. What a nice surprise.” Jisub turns his head and sends Eunae a warm smile. “You may not have won our joint contest with KT but, here you are again, chasing after Royal. The type that’s stubbornly persistent, I see. Like Seoyoung, you were able to show the producers and myself that you are proficient at more than one primary skill, and are much more than a pretty face standing up there on stage today. And, like Seoyoung, you have not been training nearly as long as some of the others here have. Nine months, was it?” He clicks his tongue, his sly expression brightening. “Clearly, some of you younger girls have come armed with enough to make the older ones nervous. I also have a feeling you will be a popular choice with the audience, too. Eunae, you may go join the Majors.”

“Ahn Hyojin.” Like Yubin, the acceptance of this contestant had been hotly debated by his production team for days leading up to the results. The reports of her undesirable behavior as a trainee in their company did her no favors, in his opinion, as she was counted among those with the highest risk to the group’s reputation. “Truthfully, Elly, you almost didn’t make it to this stage today,” Jisub reveals with a stoic expression. “Not because you aren’t talented-- you are, make no mistake. But more so because you have a long way to go at personally convincing me, and many others, that you even deserve this opportunity at all. It’s your talent that got you here, however, as I’ve warned the others, sheer talent alone will not be enough for anyone to win a place in the Major group. Elly, please go stand with the others in Minor.”

“Lee Jihyun.” An already disappointed man adopts a colder tone of voice as he addresses the next girl. “You’ve been at Royal Entertainment for three years now and, in all honesty, I expected more from you during your audition than what you gave us. You can sing well, Jihyun, that’s clearly obvious. But, as I watched your audition video, both I and the team were left disappointed, and do you know why?” It’s another question that doesn’t need an answer and the CEO continues without a pause, conveying in a stern tone: “It’s because you showed us the same exact type of performance we’ve seen from you a dozen times before. It’s old news. Stale. Predictable. From you, I want something better, something fresh that shows me you haven’t already reached your peak. I can’t debut a girl who has only one thing to offer.” Jisub takes a deep breath before announcing, “Jihyun, please go to the Minor group.”

Jisub takes a moment to collect himself after the last critique and then bends a small smile to a younger trainee involved in his company. “Lee Soohyun, another vocalist up here on the stage. Unlike your seniors, there’s a certain ‘something’ about you as a person that’s almost impossible for any of us to ignore. Singing the theme to a cartoon…” He shakes his head, still smiling. “... it’s undeniable that you made everyone in our team laugh as soon as they saw it. And that, Soohyun, is exactly the type of ingenious spark I’m looking for in someone. Someone who’s not afraid to take a shot outside of her comfort zone and, even better, nails the concept completely when she does. Soohyun, you may go join the Majors and, hopefully, you can teach many of the others here this very important lesson about individuality.” Jisub directs his attention to the whole group as he adds, “Without personal charm, many of you will not go far here at all. I suggest that every one of you find out what it is that makes you you in this show, and do it quickly.”

“Lee Jieun, you, too, have been with this company for a long time.” Jisub addresses her next, a subtle approval written on his features as he continues, “You got lucky this time. Very lucky, as there were very few dancers who survived the cut to get here today. However, your greatest strength, I imagine, will also end up being your biggest limitation in the coming weeks. You can dance, but it is not often that girl groups in this industry will do the choreography you already excel in. You may even be too old for this group-- something my team and I discussed often before today. Some of them even believed that you’d be better branching out and doing something else besides this. Nevertheless…” The corner of Jisub’s lips quirk upwards. “...the potential in you is unmistakable and I’m not ready to let go of it yet. Jieun, you may join the others in Majors.”

“Manoban Lalisa. Lisa, from Thailand.” Sadly, for Royal’s CEO, for every one trainee that proved themselves worthy to be here during their auditions, there was another one who appeared to fall way below his personal expectations. “‘What should I do with you?’ is a question I’ve thought often these past few days. You’re a pretty girl, anyone can see that. You catch the eyes of an audience which, as I’ve said before, is a valuable trait to possess for any idol. But, Lisa, for all your months of training, you have not convinced me once that your skills are up to par with your face.” Disappointment colors his tone as Jisub nods in the direction of the stage. “If it wasn’t for the producers encouraging me to give you a chance, you would not have made it this far. In your case, perhaps, it’s a good thing that a blank slate can always be improved upon. Lisa, go stand with the Minors.”

“Nam Dawon,” he calls next. Jisub’s expression softens as he gives this next singer his undivided attention. “An incredible vocalist. Perhaps even the best one if I was to base it on quality alone. There are others, though, who have much better technique than you, Dawon, something you should do your best to work on in the coming weeks if you don’t wish to be easily outclassed by them. Also, there is an equally big problem about you, and that is that you are completely forgettable. Listening to your voice may move a fan’s heart, but you should know well that it’s just as important to be able to catch their interest in the first place. Otherwise, any of your potential fans will pass over you to listen to those who may not be as good, but prove to be far more worthy of their attention. However,” He offers her a reassuring smile. “I have high hopes for you, Dawon. Don’t let your time in Minors be a waste of the learning experience. Please go stand over there.”

“Yang Jiwon.” The relief of nearing the end of the selections is present in Jisub’s voice as he shifts his focus towards the next girl. “You were admittedly another surprise for us in the production team to see. I won’t go so far as to call you one of the better singers here because, in all seriousness, you really aren’t. Still, once I saw your audition video, I knew in an instant that there was something about you that I could work positively with.  You have potential, Jiwon, a lot more of it than you probably realize. If you can prove yourself from this point forward to be moldable, and are willing to learn from the instructors who will accompany all of you girls on this path, then the road ahead of you will be a good one.” The CEO nods in the direction of the Major side of the stage. “It’s your potential that I want to take advantage of, so do not disappoint me in the coming weeks. Your success here will depend on it. Jiwon, you may join the Major group.”

“Park Chaeyoung, last but certainly not least.” A complicated smile appears on Jisub’s face as he addresses her. “Rose, I can only wonder what you were thinking when you decided to dance as part of your audition. Your trainers already know, and I already know, that singing is your strong point. And yet, you decided not to do that for your audition and instead chose to show us something else entirely.” It’s not unlike her to show traits of rebellion, he knows full well, considering the reports he’s received from trainers remarking about her less-than-ideal behavior as a trainee. Skipping training for personal holidays, just to name one complaint. “Like I told Seoyoung before: this was the cleverest decision you, as a Royal trainee, could have made to make it to this cut. I didn’t want to be impressed by things I already knew about the girls in my company: I wanted to see what you could offer me that I could possibly build upon in the future. Congratulations, Rose, you are the last member to join the Majors.”

Once the assignments have concluded, Jisub places the sheet of paper back on the table. “Don’t feel too discouraged by your current groups, ladies. Nor should you feel too comfortable about the one you’re in,” he warns them all in a serious voice. “Every challenge you will be given from now on is an opportunity for your places to be switched. Aim to do your best to show me your fullest potential because, as it stands now, already half of you are at risk of being eliminated.”

The camera shifts to catch the reactions of the sorted girls on stage. The focus then changes as, behind So Jisub’s shoulder, a woman approaches confidently. A stern-looking woman in her forties, she is one of Royal Entertainment’s top choreographers, responsible for many of Brave Girls’ iconic dances known to the public sphere. Her name, Yoo Jaekyung, flashes on the bottom of the screen to identify her to the viewers watching. “Many of you might already know me,” she says slickly. “But, by the time I am done with all of you, most of you will wish you never did. Your first challenge is under my direction.” Jaekyung glances at Jisub, the latter who nods approvingly for her to continue. “For your first challenge, all of you will learn and film a dance VTR for the opening of this show. The world will learn your names and it will be your first, and most critical, chance to make a good impression on the audience. Work hard, obey my instruction, and I will turn every one of you into stars worthy of the Royal name.”

End of episode.

-

OOC Note:

Congratulations on surviving your first episode of Royal Survival! Now that your characters have been sorted into their teams for this initial round, the exciting challenges can begin!

Every episode of Royal Survival from this point forward will follow a similar format and will always provide contestants with three writing opportunities at the end to gain points and favor with the audience and Royal’s CEO, So Jisub. These include:

One 300+ word, required solo that explains your muse’s experience performing a challenge.

One 300+ word, optional solo about the preparation for a challenge, whatever this may entail.

One 250+ word, ‘extra-credit’ question-and-answer interview with your muse about their reactions to an episode’s events.

Only the performance solo is a requirement, however, writing the optional solos as well as the extra-credit interviews is going to greatly benefit your muse in the long run, as interviews in particular will go towards giving your muse additional screen-time during the next episode’s events. Keep in mind: the more an audience sees your muse’s face, the more likely they are to remember them!

EPISODE 1, Writing Prompt:

As Yoo Jaekyung explained at the end of the episode, all of the girls will learn, rehearse, and film the choreography for Royal Survival’s opening VTR, which will be shown at the start of every subsequent episode. They will learn the dance to “Team” (choreographed IC by Yoo Jaekyung) and will begin their instruction on September 5th, the next day. All dance instruction and rehearsals will take place between the dates of September 5th to September 11th (3PM -7PM) and television cameras will be present in the dance studio for all of these times. September 12th will be reserved for wardrobe fittings and on September 13th-14th (from 12PM to 4PM) the girls will film on location at the outside lawn behind Royal Survival’s special stage venue. This area will be inaccessible to the public and to anyone who is not a member of Royal Survival’s staff and crew.

Major and Minor girls will learn this dance together and the positions in the choreography can be decided freely amongst yourselves. However, Jaekyung has chosen for herself the girls who will get the center position in the VTR and this decision cannot be changed. The choreography for the VTR will be filmed in multiple takes, with each girl in an assigned position recording in that spot twice before switching out for the next center girl. In the final version of the video, edits will be made so that each girl assigned to a position will be seen in her allotted time. The center position assignments are as follows:

0:01 - 0:20 (girl with ponytail, red halter top, white shorts): Jo Eunae 0:21 - 0:27 (girl with pigtails, red shirt, white shorts): Yang Jiwon 0:28 - 0:31 (girl with red long-sleeved shirt, red shorts): Park Chaeyoung 0:32 - 0:49 (girl with ponytail, red halter top, white shorts): Kim Seolhyun 0:50 - 0:58 (girl with ponytail, red halter top, white shorts): Jegal Seoyoung 0:59 - 1:20 (girl with ponytail, red halter top, white shorts): Lee Jieun

The VTR is expected to air beginning with Episode 2 on September 18th. All girls will be highlighted in the video at least once with a close-up and their name listed, so that the public may begin recognizing them individually. Wardrobe will be taken from the reference video, with each contestant allowed to choose her own outfit style so long as it: 1) uses a red and white color palette, and 2) is easy to move around in. No heeled shoes will be allowed!

For this episode’s writing opportunities:

Required: write a 300+ word performance solo about your muse filming for the VTR. Optional: write a 300+ word preparation solo about any event leading up to the VTR filming. This can include learning the choreography, rehearsals, or wardrobe fittings, etc. Optional: write a 250+ word interview with your muse reacting to the events unveiled during this episode. For all interviews like this, your muse will be taken into a reserved room inside the dormitory building with a simple white background and a chair for her to sit down on. A camera operator will be present as well as a producer, who will be the one to ask questions of the contestant. You do not have to answer all of these, and you are allowed to come up with your own questions for this interview. However, all questions for this episode’s interview should relate to these following topics:

How did she react to being chosen for the show?

What was it like to see the dormitories for the first time? Are the living conditions favorable/unfavorable?

What does she think about the other girls involved in the show? Potential friends or rivals?

How did she react to seeing the Royal Survival stage for the first time?

What were her impressions to seeing So Jisub there?

How did she react to being assigned to the Major and/or Minor team? Did she think this was a reasonable choice?

How will she protect/improve her position in the show from now on?

The reward for writing the required solo is +10 DANCE, +10 CHARISMA, and +5 DEBUT points, as well as earning the special achievement of SYNCHRONIZED DANCING. Additionally, all girls will automatically receive +1 week VARIETY achievement for being present during Episode 1. Point forms will always be due the Wednesday after a deadline passes; this means for Episode 1, verification forms should be submitted after the Activity Check post on Wednesday, September 20th. These form dates have been added to the writing schedule, so be sure to refer to it periodically to make sure everything is being submitted on time!

ROYAL SURVIVAL EPISODE 1 (for the Sept. 20th form)

[ link to solo ]  *one 300+ word performance solo

+ 10 DANCE POINTS

+ 10 CHARISMA POINTS

+ 5 DEBUT POINTS

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

+ SYNCHRONIZED DANCING ACHIEVEMENT

NEW DEBUT POINTS TOTAL:

alternatively, if you do not write the required solo (not recommended), you may still claim the VARIETY achievement like this:

ROYAL SURVIVAL EPISODE 1 (for the Sept. 20th form)

[ link to episode post ]

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

In the next second, the VTR music hits hard. A strong beat accompanies the show’s title, Royal Survival, as it flashes on screen and the girls appear next, absolutely striking in their visual line-up of bright reds and whites. All eyes are drawn to the center to focus on Jo Eunae as “Team” explodes in full force. Her face appears in a close-up, followed by her name scrolling below to identify her to all those who watch. In the next group shot, all girls are seen moving in sync together, the energy of the choreography making the hard work look seamless; for those who make mistakes, it goes unseen by expert editing. A professional has cut away major flaws before they’re visible, covering one girl’s lack of stamina and another’s missed step with closely timed edits to make the resulting performance look perfect. Yang Jiwon is seen up close, then Park Chaeyoung. In group formation, Kim Seolhyun takes over the spotlight when it’s her turn to be in the center, her name appearing below her face before the rest follow in succession: Manoban Lalisa, Ahn Hyojin, Kim Yubin, and Jung Soojung. When Jegal Seoyoung appears, the focus goes straight to her as she pulls in viewers with her charm alone. In the seconds afterwards, the audience is introduced to all who are left: Nam Dawon, Lee Soohyun, and Lee Jihyun. The best dancer, Lee Jieun, is saved for last -- the final image of strength and talent Royal wants the world to see before the song is over.

It takes just one minute and twenty-four seconds to create a worldwide sensation.

Yoo Jaekyung appears next, a flashback to her first appearance behind So Jisub as she introduces herself and the previous challenge. “All of you will learn and film a dance VTR for the opening of this show,” she explains concisely to the gathered girls. The camera hones in on her serious expression and the cool delivery of Jaekyung’s parting, warning words to them: “Work hard, obey my instruction, and I will turn all of you into stars worthy of the Royal name.”

The audience isn’t to be disappointed. Immediately after Jaekyung’s announcement, the girls are seen dispersing from the stage to return to their dormitories. Glimpses are given of the girls’ luxurious living environment, including the state-of-the-art practice studios and the gym they’re all allowed to utilize at their leisure. However, these elegant surroundings aren’t enough to mask the serious mood that afflicts most of the girls; the question of what next? hangs heavily in the air -- pungent and all-consuming.

Park Chaeyoung, identified by her stage name “Rose” for the first time on the bottom of the screen, is the first one who’s asked outright, the camera settling on a shot that highlights her from the shoulders up as she sits in the interview room. Behind her, a dark-shadowed background has been superimposed to bring her face forward in a flattering contrast. “I’ve only been a trainee for eight months, and that isn’t a long time compared to a lot of other trainees,” she tells the camera directly. “It’s scary to think that I could debut at the end of the program. My Royal sunbaes-- Jihyun unnie, Jazz unnie, Seolhyun unnie and Soohyunnie… we aren’t very close but I look up to them immensely.” Rose’s breath is heard hitching in her throat. “I’m still in shock if I’m being honest.”

“Rose hasn’t been training too long, but we’ve met a few times,” Lee Soohyun explains further as she comes into focus next. The professional lighting has been set-up to shine at a perfect degree upon her face, emphasizing the charming round curves of the young girl’s cheeks. “I think musically we’d sound good together so I hope to sing with her soon!” The epitome of youthful exuberance, Soohyun raises her brow and hints cheekily, “Want to know a secret? Lee Jihyun is my rival, while also being my role model.” An image of Jihyun appears briefly: the older girl awaiting her judgment as Jisub stares piercingly back at her. Soohyun’s voice continues, “She’s the one in my eyes to beat. Jihyun unnie… I have a head start, keep up!” she challenges, and the camera returns to Soohyun to catch the way the girl shoots a finger gun towards her unseen opponent. “I’m just going to be myself, and work hard! It’s all I can do right?”

Time races forward, a flurry of behind the scenes as the girls are seen waiting in the practice studio for their choreographer to arrive. When Jaekyung finally does, the woman doesn’t waste a single second before sweeping her judgmental gaze over each one of them in turn. Clad in her trademark head-to-toe black ensemble, she asserts to the group in an icy tone, “Line up. We have a lot of work to do.” And so they do, as clips flash by of Jaekyung teaching the group the Team choreography over a span of several days. Some of the girls are seen making visible mistakes in their steps, Lee Jihyun especially, and many more of them are seen with flushed faces and pained expressions as they rehearse together and alone. One evening, Ahn Hyojin is seen in the studio by herself, staring at her reflection in the mirror as she goes through the choreography repeatedly to sharpen up its movements. Not a perfect performance by any means, it’s nevertheless a perceivable improvement from the first days of Jaekyung’s teaching.

“Honestly, I was hoping for Major,” Kim Yubin admits honestly as the camera switches over to her. The audience is reminded of her brutal setback as a previous scene of her walking over to the Minor side of the stage appears. “I didn’t want to let my heart get excited,” she continues once she’s seen again in the interview room. The same image contrast is given to Yubin’s visual, a shadowed background and lights serving to complement her appearance in the best way.  “A part of me knew I wouldn’t but I still hoped. So when I was put in Minor it brought me back to reality. I still have a ways to go.” She’s seen hovering near the wardrobe racks on the VTR’s fitting day, her hands combing through the clothing and shoes to select the right look for her.  “We don’t know how many girls will be in the group and we’re already trying to climb ranks... I know my talents on stage, so I hope to show them I’m a hard worker.”

A date appears on screen: September 15th, 2017.

So Jisub’s confident walk takes him through the large central aisle of the stage venue’s seating. He heads directly to the table situated in the middle where the audience can see Yoo Jaekyung has already taken an extra chair to wait for the CEO to arrive. Additionally visible on the table’s wooden surface are single profile sheets of the contestants, each paper accompanied by a picture of a girl on the upper-left corner and comments written in lines below. So Jisub takes his seat, and also takes a sip from a cup of water placed out for him, before addressing Jaekyung directly. “So, what did you think?”

She answers without skipping a beat. “Some are decent,” the choreographer acknowledges while pointing to the photo of Lee Jieun. “Others were more disappointing than I thought.” A wave of her hand towards Park Chaeyoung’s sheet has So Jisub’s eyebrows skyrocketing upwards. “I can teach a few but the rest have a long way to go,” Jaekyung taps one silver-painted fingernail against Manoban Lalisa’s sheet. “Some might be impossible.”

“I’ll keep it in mind,” So Jisub murmurs in assent. There’s thoughtfulness and a vivid shade of reluctance on his face as he tosses his next words to the nearby staff. “Bring them in, please.”

The stage manager nods and quickly moves behind the grand stage to where the girls have already been assembled, their makeup and styling finished an hour prior to the CEO’s arrival. The manager directs the contestants to come out on stage and line up at their respective sides: the ‘MAJOR’ team on the stage-right side and the ‘MINOR’ team on the stage-left side. Behind the girls’ backs, the names of the teams stand out brightly on their LCD screens. At the very back center of the stage, a third screen is revealed and the dance VTR can be seen on it, paused and ready to be played.

“Hello, ladies,” So Jisub greets them all politely. “When I call your name, please come forward for your evaluation,” he instructs. “Lee Jieun, first, if you please.”

For each girl, her individual screen time in VTR is what’s shown to all: several seconds of Jieun’s solo close-up is seen first, followed by her placement in the group formation. When Jieun’s clip finishes, Royal’s CEO clears his throat to redirect attention, and the camera’s focus, back to him. “Jieun, I told you last week that your dance talent is what landed you here. I’m glad, really, not to be disappointed by seeing it on camera. There’s no doubt that when you dance, all eyes go to you and stay there.” He nods in Jaekyung’s direction, the choreographer who offers up a small smile of agreement. “Jaekyung has agreed with me that, even though this first challenge was almost too easy for you, your place on the Major team is unquestionable for now. Well done, Jieun.”

“Yang Jiwon,” he calls next. Jisub plucks out Jiwon’s profile sheet from the papers in front of him and glances over it intently. “Jaekyung here gave you one of the center spots, I see.” He pauses, taking a moment to scan over the written comments before releasing a quiet sigh. “Honestly, you have much less training in dancing than I was hoping for, Jiwon, and it revealed itself in the group number especially. I tell all of you now that the group I intend to create out of Royal Survival will be expected to dance constantly and well to a lot of different styles. Jiwon,” he says, pausing to collect his thoughts before continuing, “I would like you to switch to the Minor group, please. In your time there, I’d like you to brush up on the dance basics until the next time I see you.”

“Ahn Hyojin.” When Elly’s name is called, Jaekyung leans over abruptly to whisper in Jisub’s ear. A quick, unheard exchange is followed by the CEO’s slow nod of acknowledgment. He bends a considering stare on Elly before finally addressing her. “Your dance training is lacking, too, Elly,” he observes regrettably. “Your current technique is lower than I’d like to see but, the energy you’re giving off on camera is surprisingly good. Jaekyung here assures me that you’re one of the ones who has been rehearsing the hardest on the choreography. It’s not good enough to move into Major just yet, however, it’s a step in the right direction. Keep practicing your dancing, Elly, and I will reconsider.”

“Jung Soojung, please come forward.” Jisub watches the video behind her with a discerning eye, choosing not to speak for several seconds until he’s collected his thoughts. “Unlike the others, I can tell you have basic grasp of technique when you dance, Soojung. It’s not bad, really, and Jaekyung here thinks she can work with you on it.” A quick glance to the female choreographer confirms this opinion. “Unfortunately, though, Soojung, your presence on camera is severely lacking,” he points out, not unkindly. “In the group formation, you practically disappear.” Jisub pauses here, the look on his face revealing a conflicted decision. “Stay in the Minor group a bit longer, Soojung, and try working on how to distinguish yourself a bit more.”

“Jo Eunae,” he calls next and beckons her forward with his hand. “Our first center. Your dancing is undoubtedly the level I was looking for. Any thoughts?” He directs the question to Jaekyung, the latter who shakes her head with a rare smile. “She’s one of the better dancers,” the woman admits openly, “I wouldn’t mind challenging her with a tougher choreography.” Jisub looks back at Eunae, a warm smile affixing itself into place. “If that’s so, then that’s all that needs to be said. You’ve protected your place in Major team, Eunae. Congratulations.”

“Park Chaeyoung.” The male sighs deeply, clear reluctance visible in his gaze. “Rose, I’m going to be honest with you. After viewing the VTR, it’s become clear to me that what I was hoping to see from you was not there. Your audition had given me hope that you’d be more well-rounded but, after seeing this performance, I’m not convinced now that you’re capable of handling the level of choreography you’re going to have to do in the future. That, combined with a total lack of presence in the group is incredibly worrisome.” He lifts a hand to rub at his chin, visibly warring with the decision he’s about to make. Jaekyung meets his eyes and Jisub nods, conceding the unspoken opinion. “Rose, please go to Minor group.”

“Manoban Lalisa,” he calls out, and Jisub waits until Lisa has taken her directed place on the stage before opening his mouth to speak again. “What a hard time I’m having with you, Lisa. Unlike Rose and Soojung, you have absolutely no problem standing out when the camera is on you. I doubt anyone could look away even if they wanted to.” The CEO casts her a sidelong glance, taking his time to consider his decision carefully before he makes it. “Sadly, though, ‘standing out’ isn’t always a good thing when your weaknesses are more visible than everything else.” There’s no hesitation in his voice as he gestures towards the Minor side of the stage. “You still have time to improve, Lisa, and I suggest you do so. Go stand with the Minors, please.”

“Nam Dawon, come up here, if you would.” Jisub peruses the papers on the table until he finds her sheet, studying the outlined profile with an intent gaze. “Well, the good news is: you’re not the worst.” Amusement bubbles up from Jisub’s direction and this jesting tactic is just as much to diffuse the stressful tension filling the room as it is to tease Dawon good-naturedly. “It’s not bad, either, considering dancing isn’t really your forte. As it is, you already have more visible technique in your movements than most of the other singers. As expected of Hyun Bin’s trainee.” He offers her a small smile and nods to the Minor side of the stage. “I advise you not to let those Nova roots go to waste just yet, Dawon. Please keep practicing your dancing until we meet again.”

“Lee Soohyun, next.” The VTR plays Soohyun’s segmented clip after she has arrived to the front and Jisub watches it critically, his expression remaining stoic up until the very last second. “It’s become clear to me that finding a singer who can also dance is going to be problematic for this CEO,” he jokes idly. “I shouldn’t, in all good conscience, keep you in the Major team when the dancing you show me in that VTR is such poor quality, Soohyun. It’s absolutely crucial that idols, even those who aren’t the main dancers, be able to keep up with choreography that’s taught to them. Luckily, you do have a saving grace. You alone, among all the singers here, don’t completely disappear from sight whenever the group line appears.” He places her profile sheet aside and nods towards her. “It’s enough to keep you in Majors for the time being. You may go over there.”

Jaekyung lays the next contestant’s paper in front of Jisub and he takes it unhesitatingly. “Jegal Seoyoung,” he reads off aloud. “Your center part was rather short in this one, wasn’t it? Jaekyung has told me that, despite you not being one of the better dancers here, there’s apparently enough natural ability in you for her to tap into.” He glances to the choreographer, who flashes Seoyoung an approving smile as she nods in agreement. “I can work with it,” Jaekyung agrees. “If she remains willing to learn.” Jisub nods and keeps eye contact with Seoyoung as he waves towards the Major side of the stage. “You heard her, Seoyoung. You’re safe for this week.”

Kim Seolhyun’s sheet comes up next and Jisub motions for her to come to the front of the stage. “You also did well this week, Seolhyun. I’m fully aware that this style of choreography isn’t the usual I see from you but, despite that, Jaekyung and I are both in agreement that the end result on camera was the quality level we’d hoped to see from you. You delivered it well. You and Jieun got off easy with this first challenge, so I’m especially looking forward to seeing how you both survive the next one.” A mischievous gleam shines in Jisub’s eyes as he waves his hand towards the stage. “Your spot is safe in the Majors, Seolhyun. Please go and join them.”

“Lee Jihyun.” A senior trainee whose skill levels are not unfamiliar to him, her lackluster dance performance on the LCD screen inspires no real surprise from Jisub as he watches her clip all the way through to its conclusion. “It goes without saying that there’s still a lot you need to work on, Jihyun,” he observes finally. He is careful to keep his tone neutral as he addresses her with a stiff expression. “Nobody is expecting that a main vocalist should also be a lead dancer in her group, but it’s my wish that she not be an eyesore in the middle of a group formation either. I’d like you to stick it out in Minor and keep practicing, Jihyun. You may have a chance at a comeback very soon.”

“Kim Yubin,” he calls out last. A consummate professional, Jisub would never let his weariness appear on his face, but there’s no denying he’s pleased to have arrived at the final contestant. Especially this one, whose appearance in front of him encourages a small smile to appear. “I told you last week that I wasn’t sure what to do with you, Yubin. This week, I’ve changed my mind. I can tell that you have a higher level of training in your dancing despite it not translating perfectly with this difficult style of choreography. Being one of the longer trainees is a benefit in your case as you clearly have more technique, as well as more experience, in performing on camera. That is something I have a use for, Yubin, so you may switch into the Major team this week. Congratulations.”

The end of the reassignments comes with a relieved sigh from the CEO as he rises from his seat to stand up to his full height. Beside him, still seated, Jaekyung leans back and folds her arms over her chest. The two seniors both analyze the newly-sorted groups on stage before So Jisub clears his throat loudly. “It’d be unfair, I think, to eliminate anyone today based solely on this first challenge. There’s still more that I’d like to see from all of you and I intend to.” The camera fixes on Jaekyung, who nods in agreement with the CEO’s words. “Your second challenge is going to show me exactly what each one of you is capable of… and also exactly where you’re lacking.” A handsome grin appears on Jisub’s face as he explains further, “Idols need to be able to perform well as a group, pooling together their strengths as one in order to pull off a successful performance in front of their audience. For the next challenge, you will be put into groups and be asked to perform a Royal senior group’s song in front of an invited audience. Your best efforts at singing, rapping, dancing, and the extent of your stage presence -- I will be watching for all of these specifically. For many of you up there, this will be your comeback opportunity to be considered for the Major team.”

He waits for this news to sink in first, pausing for dramatic effect before the final ax is dropped: “After your performance is over, I will be deciding who has shown herself to be the weakest member of your group overall. Of these girls that are placed into the ‘bottom three,’ one of you will be returning home. Do your best, ladies. I look forward to seeing what you’ll show me next time.”

End of episode.

EPISODE 2, Writing Prompt:

With the intention of testing every contestant’s performance skills on the stage, as well as seeing how they perform within a group dynamic, So Jisub has decided to split the girls up into smaller groups to cover one of Royal Entertainment’s senior group’s songs. The songs he has chosen embody two of the most frequent girl group concepts that are seen on stage: cute and ‘girl crush’. Well aware that at least one of these concepts is not in every contestant’s comfort zone, each group has been carefully selected by So Jisub so that members can prove their adaptability to concepts that’ll likely be asked of them in the future. Don’t be too surprised by an uncomfortable placement: it is on purpose!

The assigned groups and songs are as follows:

Group 1: “Goodbye Baby” (Brave Girls) Lee Jihyun, Lee Soohyun, Jo Eunae, Kim Seolhyun

Group 2: “Over U” (Brave Girls) Nam Dawon, Kim Yubin, Jegal Seoyoung, Lee Jieun

Group 3: “Be My Baby” (H.A.M.) Jung Soojung, Park Chaeyoung, Ahn Hyojin, Yang Jiwon, Manoban Lalisa

All groups are expected to perform all vocal, rap, and choreography parts that are found in the reference videos. You do not have to limit one person per part if you do not wish to, but every contestant should at least sing or rap during the performance. Royal Entertainment’s costume staff will provide the wardrobe, recycling the same costumes as the senior groups and tailoring the fit to the contestants who will wear them. This will include shoes: if your senior group wears heels in the video, the girls must also wear heels on stage. Choreography for the songs will be taught to your group individually by Yoo Jaekyung and no part of the choreography can be modified (this includes the removal of aegyo parts!) Jaekyung will teach all the groups their choreography starting on September 19th, with two hour blocks for each group. Group 1 will learn from 10AM-12PM, Group 2 will learn from 1PM-3PM, and Group 3 will learn from 4PM-6PM. After this date, the groups will be expected to arrange their own practice schedules and you may call on Yoo Jaekyung to supervise rehearsals, if needed. Dress rehearsal for the pre-recording will occur during the afternoon of October 1st, and the actual recording will be done in front of a small invited audience shortly after. Each group will get to record their song twice, with the best take being chosen as the one that airs on the following episode.

For this episode’s writing opportunities:

Required: write a 300+ word performance solo about your muse performing the cover song for the filming. Optional: write a 300+ word preparation solo about any event leading up to the cover song filming. This can include learning the choreography, rehearsals, costume fittings, dress rehearsals, etc. Optional: write a 250+ word interview with your muse reacting to the events unveiled during this episode. As before, you do not have to answer all of these, and you are allowed to come up with your own questions for this interview. However, all questions for this episode’s interview should relate to these following topics:

What did you think of seeing your performance on the final version of the VTR?

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

Who do you, personally, believe should be on the Major and Minor teams?

Tell us about your personal motivations/inspirations that led you here today.

Tell us a little about your family/friends/those who are supporting you on the show.

The reward for writing the required solo is +5 SKILL POINTS TO BE DISTRIBUTED AS YOU WISH, +5 DANCE POINTS, +10 CHARISMA POINTS, and +5 DEBUT points, as well earning +1 week of a RELEVANT ACHIEVEMENT. Additionally, all girls will automatically receive +1 week VARIETY achievement for being present during Episode 2. Point forms will always be due the Wednesday after a deadline passes; this means for Episode 2, verification forms should be submitted after the Activity Check post on Wednesday, October 4th. These form dates have been added to the writing schedule, so be sure to refer to it periodically to make sure everything is being submitted on time!

ROYAL SURVIVAL EPISODE 2 (for the Oct 4th form)

[ x ]  *one 300+ word performance solo

+5 ___ POINTS

+5 DANCE POINTS

+10 CHARISMA POINTS

+ 5 DEBUT POINTS

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

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

+ NEW DEBUT POINTS TOTAL: