Trainee Ch.38

Chapter 38: Forum

[Sky Video Homepage – Climbing to Stardom – Yuki Miura Fan Group]

[Topic] Li Tao: How big of an impact will the first public performance have on Yuzu?

OP: Just finished watching the first public performance livestream. What do you all think—how much do you think Yuzu’s rank will rise? Is there any hope of him making it into the debut lineup? Can any veteran fans of survival shows break it down?

Also, let’s celebrate the end of Yuzu’s suffering arc! I was so stressed!

1F: Congrats to Yuzu for escaping the sea of suffering! [throws confetti]

2F: If you ask me—he’s going straight to first place!!!

3F: Calm down, upstairs.

4F: Just finished working overtime so I haven’t watched the livestream yet. There was a previous post discussing this—Yuzu going viral from the ending scene of the theme song should be enough to get him into the upper ranks. If he’s lucky, maybe even the debut lineup. Depends on how many casual fans are willing to vote specifically for him.

5F: Haven’t seen it either +1. What happened during the performance? Was it a disaster or a success?

6F: A disaster… but not a total one.

7F: One-sentence summary: Center was forgettable, lead vocalist carried, Yuzu’s visuals are flawless, background extra #1 missed the beat, background extra #2 forgot the lyrics, Yuzu did damage control + supported with harmonies.

8F: Key takeaway: Visuals flawless

9F: My baby standing there looked like he wasn’t even from the same dimension as the others.

10F: Looking at Yuzu: “Did they turn on a beauty filter for the livestream?”

Looking at his teammates: “…Oh, guess not.”

11F: Lead vocalist fixed the sound system, Yuzu wiped the camera lens /doge

12F: Yuzu’s look in this performance was so fresh and clean, I almost wished he were put into Team B.

13F: Yeah, he looks great, but I really want to see him styled in a dark concept (points fingers)

14F: +1, feels like Yuzu’s face suits the cool, aloof style better.

15F: Doesn’t matter—whatever they do with that face, I love it.

16F: Gotta say, Zhao Yifeng is honestly a good guy. He could’ve outshined Yuzu by singing directly, and no one would’ve blamed him. But instead, he chose to play a supporting role and let Yuzu have the spotlight. Because he barely had any camera time, a lot of people in the livestream chat didn’t even notice he was harmonizing in the background.

17F: Babies, please try not to argue with Yifeng fans in the public threads~

18F: Yuzu and Brother Chu mentioned it backstage.

19F: Mr. Zhao is a nice person, but this is Yuzu’s fan thread. If you want to hype up other contestants, kindly go to the main group. 🙂

20F: Who was the background extra #2 who forgot the lyrics?

21F: Zeng Kai.

22F: So satisfying. I’ve been annoyed by that lunatic for a while.

23F: Dragging down the team and ruining the stage—yet he still wants to be center? Please.

24F: Zeng Kai’s pitch speech was wild too. He told the audience to vote for Yuki. I was speechless. Good thing our smart baby handled it gracefully.

25F: LMAO. How many votes does Zeng Kai even have? What good would it do Yuki?

26F: While watching the livestream, I already felt like Zeng Kai was just talking nonsense. The audience was going to vote for Yuzu anyway—he didn’t need to say anything.

27F: Don’t even bring him up. Bad vibes. Yuzu’s already beautifully ascended. They’re not even on the same level.

28F: Didn’t watch the livestream and don’t know what happened, but I’m dropping a firepot just in case.

29F: Thanks, hopping over it now.

30F: Helping Yuzu hop over it too.

31F: If you think about it differently, being teamed with Zeng Kai wasn’t entirely bad. Yuzu turned trash into treasure and got a lot more spotlight. And when his rank rises, no one can say it’s just because of his looks.

32F: Yuzu: “Want some of this good fortune I got?”

33F: Honestly, I think it’s great—he’s a fully automatic angst-generator for his fans.

34F: I only watch the official episodes so I have no idea what everyone’s talking about… The show’s only aired up to the theme song evaluation… (looks up at the sky)

35F: It’s a totally chaotic, dramatic, and entertaining group. Great if you just watch it for laughs. I tune in to the livestreams daily hoping they start drama. But if you actually care about them… better prepare some blood pressure meds.

36F: I also started off watching for fun, but near the end I couldn’t take it anymore.

37F: If you “couldn’t take it anymore,” that means you got successfully angst-baited as a fan

38F: I usually don’t watch the daily livestreams, only tuned in for the performance one. The practice clips left me speechless. Can I ask the livestream watchers—was the drama in this group really not exaggerated? Like, did they intentionally only edit in the worst parts?

39F: I also feel like this was a “sacrificed to the gods” evil edit group.

40F: Nope~ A lot of stuff from the daily streams didn’t even make it into the edit. I’m guessing they ran out of airtime kkkkkk

41F: Does this group even need an evil edit?

42F: The production team really hit the jackpot. Drama fell from the sky: Group A tearing each other apart, Group B stirring up controversy. I just wonder if the few sane ones in Group A can win over some sympathetic casual fans.

43F: Even though it’s the typical angst-for-fans + underdog storyline you get in survival shows, having four out of eight members be total weirdos is rare even in this genre.

44F: Why do I feel like it’s five? Zeng, Luo, Shu, Huang, Zhou…

45F: Huang Yueru was okay, I think. Just had a bit of a weak mindset and was kind of a follower.

46F: I’ve got nothing against Huang Yueru. He didn’t stir up any trouble and actually contributed some positive moments for Yuzu. He had mental breakdowns during practice and Yuzu pulled him back on track several times, which really highlighted how kind and perceptive our Yuzu is—he was barely holding it together himself and still had to babysit his unstable teammates. So tragic.

47F: Zhou Rui seems pretty normal though?

48F: Being able to precisely pick out four weirdos is already a kind of weird. So in that sense, Zhou Rui’s weird too—for dragging Yuzu down with them.

49F: Zhou Rui got screwed over by Zeng Kai. He’s too mild-tempered and easy to manipulate. All I can say is, lil bro better toughen up.

50F: Choosing Zeng Kai might’ve been due to his good nature, but picking Luo Feiran showed he has no opinion of his own.

51F: Wasn’t he just picking people he already knew?

52F: Zhou Rui already knew what he was getting into when he chose Yuzu. No point blaming anyone.

53F: Yuzu: “I never should’ve eaten that bowl of instant noodles…”

54F: Yes. I don’t think Zhou Rui should be judged too harshly. If people were picking based on skill, forget Zeng Kai—he wouldn’t have picked Yuzu either.

55F: And wouldn’t that be even better? Yuzu could’ve joined another group!

56F: Don’t be too naive. Yuzu’s particular mix of qualities actually puts him at a disadvantage in the group selection stage.

57F: How is Yuzu not desirable?? Are you a hater trying to sneak in?

58F: High visuals + weak performance + ranked 55th in episode one—how exactly is that appealing?

59F: The early groups prioritized strong performers or those with high popularity—and if not that, then at least people who were good-looking and decently skilled.

Even if Yuzu had been picked early, his shine would’ve been overshadowed. Casual viewers wouldn’t have latched onto him, he’d have failed to convert them into loyal fans, and later on his popularity would’ve plummeted. Best case, he’d be treated as a background prop. Worst case, completely invisible and discarded.

As for the later groups—mostly misfits and bottom-tier contestants. They definitely wouldn’t choose someone who’s as weak as they are but better looking. They already had low popularity and little attention—if Yuzu joined them, he would’ve totally flopped. Who even watches those teams?

Let’s say Yuzu ended up in one of the last few groups, full of C-class and F-class contestants. He might’ve been the only C-class guy in the group. There’d be no Zhao Yifeng to boost visibility, and no buzz from Peppermint. You think his casual fan base could carry that group to exposure?

60F: At least Peppermint A had a few skilled and decent people.

61F: Dormant Fireflies was one of the last two groups. Their practice clips were sloppily edited with zero storyline. The stage design was super barebones. And they didn’t even have a “great saint” like Zeng Kai, sacrificing himself to spotlight my baby. Even the fans who voted for him in episode one are gone—there’s no fanbase left to argue with us lmao.

62F: So true! I got so mad at Zeng Kai I wanted to fight someone—and couldn’t find a single fan of his online! The public forum was full of people trashing him! I ended up shadowboxing the air!! I’m furious!!

63F: A girl I know actually picked Zeng Kai before the show aired. After watching the first performance livestream, she dropped him on the spot and started hating him instead.

64F: Picking Zeng Kai before the show even started… legendary.

65F: I respect people with “ugly crush” fetishes—as long as their fave doesn’t go completely off the rails.

66F: Honestly not surprised. Even after all that, Zeng Kai still got two votes during the performance.

67F: Pretty sure someone hit the wrong button.

68F: The OP of that other thread was so mad at Zeng Kai her hand shook and she accidentally voted for him. She said it’ll be a stain on her record for life HAHAHAHA

69F: When she’s 80, lying in a hospital bed, someone just needs to whisper in her ear:

“You voted for Zeng Kai during the first public performance…”

She’ll probably sit up from sheer rage on the spot.

70F: Not necessarily—Song Yanxi would’ve picked Yuzu. Doesn’t he only go for good-looking ones?

But Zhou picked fifth and already took Yuzu, Song was seventh. QAQ

71F: Ever heard of the butterfly effect? If Yuzu wasn’t picked early, maybe Group 7 wouldn’t have gotten Song Yanxi. Who knows—Zhou Rui might’ve drawn the lot and ended up with Yuzu instead.

72F: Fully agree with the past few comments!!

Those other teams could’ve easily been edited into complete irrelevance in the main show. But Yuzu already got noticed by casual viewers. What matters now is locking in fans through his stage performances!

“Stand-still debut” is just a running joke to praise him. Does anyone actually believe it? Yuzu takes this so seriously—do Yuzu fans really have the heart to let him keep getting mocked as a useless pretty face?

We want a growth-arc idol, not a wasted beauty storyline!

73F: +1. It’s fine to joke around, but if people keep trashing Yuzu during the performance stages too, they’re just fake fans in disguise. Go get buried with Sky Video, thanks.

74F: Guys, marketing is all about emphasizing strengths and downplaying weaknesses! You just need to tweak the wording a little and the meaning changes instantly.

75F: “Useless beauty” → Growth-arc heartthrob

F-class to C-class → Steady improvement

Stage mistakes → Stepped up to rescue the team

Fan-pandering → Genuine sincerity

Used a fake name to apply → Thought it was a scam (this joke must go viral)

It’s like rewriting a resume—get it now?

76F: As a first-time survival show fan, I’m stunned. There are this many little mind games going on? I thought it was all just fighting for screen time or vocal parts…

78F: Those are just the obvious, low-level tactics. Only not-so-bright contestants pull those—like Zeng Kai, for example.

79F: There’s a reason the lower-tier trainees stay at the bottom. Unless the production team steps in to give them a few pity shots, they’re doomed.

80F: I really don’t get people like that. They’re weak but refuse to practice properly, just throw tantrums and drag everyone down—and yet they act like they’re hot stuff. I saw someone like this on a survival show last year too. It made me want to yell at the screen.

81F: My guess: His rank was too low + the song choice was a nightmare, so he figured he’d just give up. No point suffering for nothing, right?

82F: Emotionally immature man-baby. Thinks the world revolves around him.

83F: This kind of chaotic mix is normal for the first performance. There were weirdos in other groups too. But Peppermint A didn’t have anyone to keep the vibe up or to calm people down. The only one who tried to communicate was Zhao Yifeng—but he’s got a pretty intense personality…

So what we ended up seeing was the weirdos in their purest form. 🙂

84F: So the positive example is Su Junzhe, right? Hahaha

85F: What’s up with Su Junzhe?

86F: He’s a classic white-cut black.

87F: ?? Is that really his persona? I never picked up on that.

88F: Go check out a few analysis posts in Su Junzhe’s fan thread, you’ll get it. There are breakdowns in the main group too. Basically, he’s like a younger brother with a bit of cunning—but still likable.

(Anti-recommendation disclaimer: may be a fake sweetie pretending to act cute)

89F: I get all the logic, but just thinking about how hard Yuzu worked only to have the stage ruined by others makes my heart ache…

90F: Harsh as it sounds, maybe it was actually for the best. A successful performance with a basic underdog arc (not even a real comeback story) wouldn’t have been as impactful as the current “saving the stage” narrative—at least for Yuzu.

91F: “Ruined was better” +1. Group A was never going to win anyway. If the performance had gone smoothly, it would’ve been forgettable—and all the spotlight would’ve gone to Zhao Yifeng.

92F: They say it’s a group battle and the team comes first, but let’s be real—it’s all about whether individuals can shine~

93F: Exactly! Even if they’d won, it would’ve only been a few tens of thousands of votes. Our million-strong Yuzu army can beat that in seconds!

94F: If that’s the case, it would’ve been even better if Yuzu had fought for center. He barely got any parts… QAQ

95F: No no no—fighting for center is fine in other songs, but for Peppermint, taking center is dangerous territory.

96F: Why though? Isn’t the whole point of survival shows to fight for opportunities?

97F: Careful—you’ll get attacked by the Shu group fans.

98F: Zhou Rui as center spreads the heat around.

But if Yuzu were center, and the whole performance turned into a mess, and he still tied in votes with the center of the other (original artist) group—maybe even got more center votes…

My god, the image is too much—I can’t even imagine it.

99F: That would definitely hurt his popularity with casual viewers. Better not.

100F: If you want Yuzu to stand in the center, then vote. In the third performance round, it’s fan voting that decides the center for the original song. Just vote him up then.

101F: Yuzu’s high vote count can already be credited to his save-the-stage moment + the center failing to deliver + vote-splitting in the other group. Quietly getting a huge win is great, but grabbing center on top of that would be too much.

102F: If the stage flops, it’s the fault of the center and the leader. At least this way Yuzu doesn’t have to take the blame for these idiot teammates and clean up their mess.

103F: OHHH I thought it was just to avoid Zeng Kai having a meltdown and making things even messier hahahaha

104F: Even though Yuzu-baby only got two lines, he still had a decent amount of screen time—and every second was impactful. It turned out much better than I expected.

105F: Yuzu’s kind of a buzz-worthy contestant now. He got assigned to such a dramatic, attention-grabbing group—the show wouldn’t dare suppress his exposure when he’s trending like this.

106F: What do you mean “two lines”? It was clearly five lines /doge

107F: Yuzu: “You had a lot of lines. Now they’re mine.”

108F: Now that’s what I call truly going after what you want (leans back)

109F: (OP) Okay I’ve read through the whole thread and I’m dizzy—so the general consensus is that the first performance round ended up helping Yuzu more than hurting him?

110F: Reply to 109L: Yep, he made it through the trial by fire.

111F: Suddenly getting that feeling of “everything was perfectly arranged.”

All those seemingly negative factors lined up just right for Yuki to shine.

112F: Right?? Just like the ending of the theme song. Out of so many people, only Yuzu had streamers stuck to his face, but even if it had been someone else, they wouldn’t have turned it into such a breakout moment like he did.

113F: The God of Survival Shows always favors good kids www

114F: It’s not about favor or luck—it’s because Yuzu has strong instincts and quick thinking on the spot. That’s why he always handles things so well.

115F: Don’t push that kind of “divine favor” narrative.

116F: Exactly! My Yuzu is just that good—he knows how to turn crises into opportunities!

117F: Is no one going to praise anything from Yuki’s first performance stage besides his save-the-day moment? His progress is super obvious! You’d never guess he only started dancing half a month ago!

118F: Hehehe… swing Yuzu… lil Yuzu is so cute Mama could just eat him up…

119F: You can check out the practice room version—the opening’s a bit more stable than on stage. That swing clearly gave our baby some trouble.

120F: But watching Yuzu sitting on the swing and trying so hard to dance that part well was so adorable!

121F: Waiting for an official full-body cam…

123F: (OP) So no one’s making predictions? Do you think Yuzu might sneak into the debut lineup after the first ranking?

124F: I blindly believe Yuzu will be just fine.

125F: You should be believing in Yuzu fans! Yuzu’s done his part—it’s our turn now!

126F: Just pulled a tarot card—Strength, upright. He’s solid.

127F: What does that card mean? Anyone?

128F: Overcoming obstacles, hard work, breaking through limits—that kind of thing, I think? Anyway, it’s a good one.

129F: Whatever, I believe it now!

130F: Wow, are we diving into metaphysics already?

131F: Has the live ranking update been announced?

132F: Not yet, just said first ranking will be revealed in the Thursday livestream.

133F: We’ll have to wait for the weekend’s full episode. The performance round is split into two parts, both airing back-to-back—probably Sunday’s episode will have the results?

134F: I’M LOSING IT!! (screaming) (twisting) (crawling around in the shadows)

135F: Oh no guys—disaster alert—Zeng Kai just apologized to Yuzu-baby.

136F: ????

137F: What’s he up to now? /laugh-cry

138F: This group really stays dramatic till the very last second…

139F: In one sentence: the ugly face of a mediocre man with a superiority complex.

140F: Ugh, skip to the first ranking already and get Zeng Kai eliminated—I get annoyed just seeing him.

141F: Protect our Yuzu!

142F: It’s fine now—our smart baby’s in control. Yuzu is self-protected.

143F: Can Teacher Yuzu start a class on how to speak properly? I’m begging.

144F: Late to the party—what did Yuzu say?

145F: Got it recorded—will post it in a sec for fellow Yuzu fans who missed it.

146F: Quick PSA—official recruitment for the second performance audience has started. Yuzu fans, don’t forget to sign up! Even if you can’t go, apply to increase the odds—if you win, you can transfer the spot to someone from the fandom.

147F: Second performance needs better organization than this one! This round was so chaotic I was scared the live votes would be too low—thankfully Yuzu pulled through!

148F: If you haven’t gotten your lightboards yet, now’s the time—support club’s group buy is cheaper than custom orders.

149F: Have we decided on our support color?

150F: Support color is primrose green, and the fan name is Yuzu Candies!

<< _ >>

**TN

Jumping over a firepot – there’s a tradition of jumping over a bonfire or firepot during Chinese New Year celebrations, especially around the Lantern Festival. This practice, often attracting large crowds, is believed to bring good fortune and ward off bad luck.

White-cut black – someone who appears innocent and sweet on the outside but is actually calculating or sly underneath.