Chapter 380: Choose (23)

Chapter 380: Choose (23)

Sequence's performance ended, leaving the room in an awkward silence.

"Well, thanks for showing us your performance."

Chronos members clapped enthusiastically to break the tension and usher the Sequence members to their seats. It seemed like this was going to be a long talk. The air was thick with anticipation and nervous energy as everyone waited to see who would speak first and what would be said.

Just as I was trying to figure out where to start, Joo-Han nudged me. Given my frequent role in leading performances, I often took the lead in providing feedback in situations like this. I relaxed my expression and looked at the tense Sequence members. They looked like deer caught in headlights, all wide-eyed and unsure.

I decided to start with the positives. "You guys have great live performance skills. Despite the intense choreography of ‘Joy,’ your stability and powerful voices really brought the atmosphere to life." It was clear they had put in countless hours of practice, and that effort deserved to be acknowledged.

"Thank you!" they responded in unison, and their faces lit up slightly.

"In the beginning, your choreography was well synchronized. It was evident how much you practiced. Even we couldn’t have reached this level in just a week."

"Thank you so much!!!" Their gratitude was palpable, and I could see the tension easing out of their shoulders.

"But," I continued, noticing their expressions tighten again. "I feel like each of you is good at or confident in very different areas. It’s like you are each shining in your own way, but not quite together."

"..."

"While it's great to have strengths, it’s a problem when it becomes too noticeable during a performance. As a group, you need to balance these differences so you appear as one cohesive unit rather than separate individuals." I scanned their faces for understanding. Some of them looked thoughtful while others seemed a bit disheartened.

Aeon was confident in vocals but weak when it came to dancing. Byeong-Kwan was only comfortable rapping. Hyo-Joon excelled at dancing but little else. Despite having been trainees for a long time, some members didn’t have much to boast about and lacked stage experience. Nevertheless, I felt they had a good sense of balance overall as a group.

"The vocal balance, for example. It might be nerves because we are here, but there were noticeable differences in voice volume and dancing power. You are all very skilled individually, but together, it looks off. If you monitor your performance on camera, you might be surprised by what you see." I tried to soften the critique with a smile.

"Ah..."

"As a group, you should prioritize balancing your performance so you all shine together, then work on highlighting your individual strengths within that balance. Imagine how powerful you could be as a unified front."

We weren't there to judge harshly but to help. We mixed our compliments with constructive feedback. Yoon-Chan guided them on eye contact, Goh Yoo-Joon on facial expressions and vocal balance, Jin-Sung on stage movement and choreography, and Joo-Han on part distribution.

The Sequence members listened intently while taking notes and absorbing everything we said. In fact, criticizing the ones who used to be trainees with us in the past was harsh, but fortunately, they were like sponges, soaking up every bit of advice we offered.

"Let’s split up and work on these areas individually," Joo-Han suggested and wrapped up the group talk. "Shall we?"

"Yes!" they responded with renewed energy.

Joo-Han paired each of us with Sequence members for one-on-one training. My first student was Han Jun. He approached me sheepishly by scratching his neck as if unsure how to start the conversation.

"Se... Senior..."

"Oh, come on. Don’t call me ‘senior.' Just call me whatever makes you feel comfortable." I waved off the formality. Even with the cameras rolling, I couldn't stand being called 'senior' by someone I was close to. It was too awkward.

The relationship between Han Jun and me would be well introduced in the broadcast anyway, and the Rings wouldn’t want to see Han Jun feeling uncomfortable interacting with me.

"We are the same age!" Hyo-Joon said, throwing an arm around Aeon’s shoulders and pulling him close.

Aeon nodded vigorously in agreement. "We’re friends."

"Ah, I see. So Hyo-Joon, you go first." I said, turning to him.

"Well, when I monitor myself, I feel like I stand out too much. Like my dancing is too flashy compared to the others."

"But you are the main dancer?"

"Yeah... but it seems like I dance too powerfully, more than necessary," Hyo-Joon admitted and looked a bit downcast. It was common among main dancers to excel when dancing solo, but their distinct style could sometimes disrupt group harmony. Unlike Jin-Sung, who could blend his style into the group choreography seamlessly, not many main dancers could manage that.

It didn’t seem like a very serious concern, judging by his expression. However, he probably felt a bit stressed because the group dance didn’t look as good as it could.

"How about you, Aeon? What’s your biggest challenge?"

"Um, for me..." Aeon began, his face turning red.

Hyo-Joon mumbled teasingly. "There he goes blushing again."

Aeon shoved Hyo-Joon away gently. "Stop saying such a thing in front of our senior." He looked back at me. "It’s dancing. I don’t know how to put it, but I feel like I am just barely keeping up. When I monitor myself, I can see the whole vibe drops as soon as I step to the front."

"Yeah, I noticed that too," I said, relieved that Aeon was aware of his weakness. Knowing the problem was half the battle because it meant he was already trying to improve. Therefore, he could learn quickly with the right guidance.

After hearing both of their concerns, I spoke up. "Okay, here’s what I think. Hyo-Joon, your dancing style isn’t really a problem. You are a skilled dancer, and your unique style shows because you are good. When I watched you perform, I didn’t feel like you stood out too much."

"Really? That's a relief... Should I be okay then?"

"Yeah, it’s probably because you try to find flaws when you monitor yourselves. Try to look at good things as well."

"Okay! Phew, I’m glad to hear this. Thank you so much!"

I smiled and gently avoided Hyo-Joon’s gaze, which was filled with boundless trust. Honestly, I wasn’t that great myself, so I had been feeling quite burdened by these two staring at me like this. Back when I was a trainer, I rarely received such looks.

In the distance, I could see Jin-Sung enthusiastically teaching Byeong-Kwan, and I couldn’t help but envy his confidence a little. Pushing aside my embarrassment, I looked back at Hyo-Joon.

"But I think you should work on your vocals more."

"Oh, okay..."

"You need to sing louder, pronounce clearly, and be confident. Even if you make a mistake, don’t worry about it. Your voice is good, but if you lack confidence, it sounds like you are not singing well."

"I will work on it. Thank you, Senior." Hyo-Joon's lack of vocal confidence was a major reason Sequence's voices didn’t blend well. It was crucial to fix this to avoid being seen as a weak group.

Next, I turned to Aeon. "Aeon... Could you show me your dancing a bit?"

With Aeon, I felt direct teaching would be more effective than talking.