From Thug to Idol: Transmigrating to a Survival Show

Jayden Chou's breath got caught in the back of his throat as the song continued.

In fact, everyone seemed to hold their breaths as they watched the delicate performance. The boys, although muscular, appeared as fragile as a feather.

The audience could tell that the boys put a lot of effort into their performance. Moreover, it felt like they didn't attend the festival just to show off their songs. Instead, they also put emphasis on Chinese culture-something that the previous foreign artists had failed to do.

- Could it be that we now have the very first decent performance by a foreign artist at the Jade Music Festival?

- Decent? Bro, this is better than most who had performed.

- They're performing in the middle of the show, but I'm so captivated.

- They took away my sleepiness! Now, tears are brimming in my eyes.

The voice in the recording continued to sing sorrowfully, making them more curious as to who was singing.

"I sing, not with a voice that the world can understand,

My cries rise like prayers into the silent night,

But they return to me unanswered."

June's voice soared, filling the venue with clarity.

The boys continued to dance, mirroring the loneliness that the whale must have felt. They moved as one entity, trying to reach the impossible yet never giving up.

"I am alone in this vastness, unseen, unheard.

A soul adrift in an ocean that feels indifferent.

My tears mingle with the salt of the sea.

A sorrow that stretches unseen.

I reach out with my song, hoping for a connection,

But find only the cold embrace of silence.

In this space, where no one answers, I start to understand,

Some songs are meant to be sung alone, to be whispers in the wind."

With each line, Jayden's curiosity peaked. Who did this stunning voice belong to?

He nudged Angel's shoulder.

"Who is this?" he asked.

Angel shook her head. "I have no idea," she said. "Why? Are you not fond of his delivery?" Jayden shook his head. "No," he said. "It's the opposite. I want to be able to sing with this voice."

Meanwhile, Robbie, who already knew that the voice was June's, couldn't close his mouth. A fly went in, but he didn't have the energy to react. Instead, he just let the fly wander around his mouth like it was a precious cave.

The members of ELEV8 were also shocked. They thought that another K-Pop group would blindly disrespect the essence of the festival, but EVE was giving everyone a run for their money.

Aaron, the center of the team and undoubtedly a fan of EVE, felt pride swell in his heart. "I knew it," he muttered.

Since he had watched all of their performances, he knew that they were bound to show something good on the stage.

They've never been caught slacking.

As the performance reached its peak, EVE's dedication to honoring both the 52 Hertz whale and Chinese culture became clear. With the movement of their bodies paired with June's touching voice, they painted a picture that touched the hearts of everyone in the audience. "Hope fades in the quiet surrender.

A slow acceptance that perhaps this is all there is.

The world is vast, but my world is small.

I'm just there, that's all.

Maybe I am not meant to be heard,

Maybe my song is a private language,

A melody meant only for the depths,

An echo that returns only to me."

The final note hung in the air, reverberating through the silence that followed.

EVE stood, breathless but composed.

They were back in a familiar formation-one that they had started with.

At that moment, the audience realized that it wasn't foreign artists that they disliked but the sheer audacity to perform something for mere promotion rather than engaging oneself in the harmonious culture of the country.

- I...don't know what to say.

- I do. That was freaking fantastic!

- I knew that Jayden Chou's song was sad, but I didn't think that it would be THIS sad.

- I want to watch it all over again!

- It's a good thing that they will post this live recording again. We can watch it over and over again!

Meanwhile, the situation inside the tent was also silent.

Jayden Chou placed his hand under his chin. He liked his song '52' very much, but oftentimes, he found himself straying away from it because it entails great emotionality. However, these young boys, not even fluent in the language, showed the true loneliness that The wanted to embody in the song.

Amidst the silence, Jayden Chou stood, his hands coming together for a slow clap.

His eyes were focused on the screen, where the members of EVE were focused one by one.

Then, the others also followed-even those in the crowd.

They clapped and cheered as loud as they could, the volume similar to that of Jayden Chou's

cheers.

The members of EVE wanted to glance at each other in happiness.

They had done it.

However, they held back since they didn't want to ruin the sentiment of the performance.

Moreover, they still had another song prepared in their short set.

The lights dimmed once more, leaving behind a lingering sense of awe.

With that, the boys quickly went behind the curtains.

They moved quickly, their hands expertly working to remove the traditional Yishang they had worn the first performance. The weight of the flowing fabric was replaced with lighter, more comfortable clothing for their next number.

Moreover, they didn't want to wear traditional clothing during their next stage for fear of

tainting the attire's pure image.

Then, just in time, the stage brightened up with a gold hue, replacing the cool blue.

An unfamiliar beat was heard in the venue.

The crowd's chatter picked up as they tried to recognize the song.

It was a song that most of the audience was unfamiliar with; however, it was a beat that they

couldn't help but jive to.

Even before the lyrics started, the audience was already swaying and clapping along.

- What is this beat?

- It sounds so catchy!

- I think I've heard this somewhere.

- It's their hit song 'Luster.' It's still Korea's number one song on Durian, even after weeks of release.

- Really? Then it ought to be good.

- I was hoping they wouldn't stray too much from their past performance, but I guess I'll forgive them

since the dance number was truly something else.

- I hope they sing now. I don't like idol groups who are only good at dancing.

- Oh, honey. They can sing, alright.

June took centerstage, ready to sing the opening of the song.

And with his utterance, the people were given the biggest shock of the night.

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