168: Chapter 00000 Untitled Draft

On stage, Jang Wonyoung, sitting on her "throne," stiffened almost imperceptibly when Kang Hye-won began her rap. She tried her best to maintain her noble profile, but seeing her Unnie swaying her head and "promoting" instant noodles in a babyish voice on a cloud cushion, she was crumbling inside. Especially when she heard words like "savior of the hungry" and "continue to shine," she almost broke character and laughed.

Fortunately, Kang Hye-won's rap was short and ended quickly.

The music changed again, the rhythm becoming clear and powerful, yet still maintaining a relatively elegant drum beat at a medium-slow pace.

Jang Wonyoung knew it was her turn.

She slowly rose from the "throne," her movements still elegant. Then, as the beat arrived, she performed a move that made the entire audience hold their breath—

She raised both hands and gently took off the crown inlaid with the "400,000 Water Bottle" from the top of her head.

Instead of discarding it carelessly, she held it in front of her chest with both hands, treating it like a real crown.

Then, she began her dance.

This wasn't an intense street dance, but a carefully choreographed "Slow Variable Speed Queen Chair Dance" that incorporated modern dance movements. Using the white sofa chair as a fulcrum and prop, she moved around it, sometimes leaning, sometimes caressing, and sometimes using the back of the chair as a support for graceful stretches and spins.

Her movements were fluid and controlled, sometimes quick and sharp (like sudden turns or freezes) and sometimes slow and extended (like arm waves or controlled leg extensions), creating a sharp rhythmic contrast. Her gaze remained cold, distant, and slightly mysterious, as if what she held in her hands wasn't an advertising prop, but a true sacred object of water.

Most cleverly, during several key freezes in the dance, she would intentionally or unintentionally hold the "water bottle crown" at a specific angle, letting the light hit the mini bottle and logo just right, reflecting a dazzling glow. Or, while performing a stretching movement, she would let the crown trace a path through the air with her arm, leaving a visual afterimage.

The entire dance perfectly combined "nobility," "elegance," and "control" with "product display." Although the core content was still an advertisement, Jang Wonyoung, with her outstanding appearance, temperament, and dance expressiveness, managed to turn this "embarrassing" performance into something with a high-end sense of fashion and art.

The audience below was mesmerized, with constant applause and gasps of admiration.

"Wonyoung's dancing is so beautiful!"

"This slow motion! It's incredible!"

"The crown looks like a work of art in her hands!"

"Even though I know it's an ad, it's just so pleasing to the eye!"

Choi Yena was also stunned and forgot to narrate until a nearby staff member reminded her. She quickly said, "Won-Wonyoung's dance... is so beautiful! It's like a real Star Saint performing water magic! That crown... no, that water bottle, seems to come alive in her hands! Everyone, do you think it's beautiful? Are you hungry... oh no, if you're mesmerized, remember to buy Grilled sausages!"

On the final beat of the dance, Jang Wonyoung gracefully leaned back and gently placed the crown back on her head (her movements were very steady), then turned to face Kang Hye-won, who had been sitting on the cloud cushion holding instant noodles and looking at her with eyes full of "admiration(?)," and reached out her hand.

At that moment, the music rhythm suddenly quickened, switching to a hiphop accompaniment with a bright melody and a stronger sense of rhythm!

Kang Hye-won's eyes lit up. She immediately set aside the instant noodles (which a staff member caught), jumped up from the cloud cushion, and grabbed Jang Wonyoung's outstretched hand.

The two smiled at each other (Wonyoung's smile finally switched from "noble" to the bright smile of a young girl), and then they began their duo hiphop dance!

This dance wasn't as full of confrontation and power as the first group, nor as absurd as the second group. It leaned more towards being synchronized and aesthetically pleasing, highlighting their superior body proportions and visuals.

They designed several simple symmetrical and interactive movements, such as side-by-side body waves, crossing positions, and a moment where Kang Hye-won lightly pushed Wonyoung's shoulder from behind, and Wonyoung lunged forward and looked back. This beautifully showcased their height difference and different temperaments—Wonyoung was slender and elegant, while Kang Hye-won was sweet and agile.

In the middle of the dance, they cleverly integrated the "product display."

After a brief pause in their synchronized dance, Wonyoung naturally raised her hand to adjust the crown on her head, giving it a close-up shot. Meanwhile, Kang Hye-won pulled out two bags of different flavored instant noodles of the same brand from somewhere (likely hidden behind the cloud cushion) to showcase the product line. She waved them like cheerleader pom-poms to the rhythm, a vibrant smile on her face.

Although the product placement was still obvious, when combined with the overall fluid dance and the duo's impeccable visuals and bright smiles, it didn't seem too intrusive. Instead, it had a visual effect of "beautiful girls make everything look good."

However, perhaps due to nervousness or because Kang Hye-won's control of hiphop rhythm wasn't as precise as Wonyoung's, Kang Hye-won was a tiny beat late on a synchronized kick, and the range of her movement was slightly different. Wonyoung keenly noticed this but kept her smile unchanged, quickly smoothing it over with a small body adjustment and eye contact, preventing the mistake from escalating.

This minor flaw didn't escape the eyes of some sharp-eyed audience members and judges, but for the vast majority of the audience immersed in the "visual attack" and cheerful atmosphere, it was completely negligible.

The dance ended with the two in a cool pose, back-to-back with shoulders touching, looking at different cameras.

The music stopped.

"Wow—!!!"

"Wonyoung! Hyewon! That was amazing!"

"So pretty! A feast for the eyes!"

"The dance was great! They look great too!"

Warm applause and cheers erupted from below. Although there wasn't as much laughter as the first two groups, the shouts of appreciation and love were just as high. The popularity decibel level stabilized at a very high point.

Choi Yena commentated excitedly, "It's over! The combination of Water Bottle and Aries! Wonyoung's noble dance and Hyewon Unnie's cute rap! And the final duo dance! It was so beautiful! Just like a painting! Although Hyewon Unnie seemed to make a small mistake? But it doesn't matter! Still very cute! Don't you all agree? After watching such a beautiful performance, isn't it time for something practical? Sausages! Hot Grilled sausages!"

On stage, Jang Wonyoung and Kang Hye-won breathed slightly hard, smiled at each other, and both breathed a sigh of relief. Wonyoung felt a thin layer of sweat on her back, not just from dancing, but also from the high mental tension. Kang Hye-won patted her chest and whispered, "Phew, no big mistakes." She was aware of the flaws in her rap and dance.

The two held hands and bowed to the audience in thanks.

The third group's performance, in the collision of "nobility" (Jang Wonyoung) and "cuteness" (Kang Hye-won), came to a close with an aesthetically pleasing visual presentation and a slightly flawed but sincere completion. It might not have had the extreme laughter or explosive effect of the first two groups, but it firmly captured another part of the audience's senses with its unique style and visual advantage.

The pressure in the waiting area was once again passed to the last two groups. Especially the upcoming Kim Chaewon and Jo Yuri (Vocal line), and Lee Chaeyeon and Honda Hitomi (Main dancer line)—how would they find their own "moment" that the audience would remember on a stage that was already so "competitive"?