Falling for the Omega Idol-Chapter 97: FIRST MISSION EVALUATION (I)

FOR the first mission, contestants were tasked with filming themselves performing to the theme song, showcasing both their singing and dancing skills. The video entries would be carefully reviewed by the mentors, who would then rank each contestant based on their performance. Contestants ranked from 61st to 100th would be eliminated from the competition.

It sounded straightforward, right? However, with 100 contestants involved, maintaining efficiency and order was essential. To achieve this, a few ground rules needed to be established.

The 100 contestants would be divided into 10 batches, similar to the groupings from the previous day, with each group assigned to a designated practice room. Each practice room was equipped with a tablet on a stand. When it was time to perform, contestants would start the recording themselves by pressing the record button and stop it once they had finished. Each contestant was given only one attempt, so any mistakes made could not be corrected, and they had to complete their performance in a single take.

Filming would start strictly at seven in the morning, and by eight, all tablets would be collected for the mentors to begin their assessments. At one in the afternoon, everyone would gather in the ballroom for the ranking announcement.

And so began the day for all 100 contestants of Boys Odyssey.

***

The four mentors gathered in a private room, now transformed into a makeshift meeting space. Seated around a table, they faced a large monitor where they would review videos of each contestant.

"Should we start by watching them in alphabetical order by their last names?" Yoon Jihoon asked. "Or should we base it on their performance in the vocal and dance practice sessions—starting with the ones we think did the best and working our way down?"

"Let’s go with the second option," Dyna said. "At least that way, we’ll have a basis for comparison as we review each contestant."

K-Beat and Choi Minhyuk had no objections. So, they proceeded in that direction.

During yesterday’s practice sessions, each mentor scored each contestant. The program team had already calculated the averages and organized the results on a sheet now handed to the four mentors. The contestant with the highest average was ranked number one, while the lowest was ranked number 100.

Yoon Jihoon looked at the name at the top of the list—Jung Taeyang. He remembered him easily; the other had performed especially well in the vocal practice, though Jihoon hadn’t expected him to be ranked first. He must have performed strongly in the dance practice as well to earn this rank.

"Then, let’s start with Jung Taeyang-ssi."

Right on cue, the monitor in front began playing Jung Taeyang’s self-filmed performance video.

After hitting the record button, the strikingly handsome Alpha jogged back a few meters until his full figure filled the frame. His expression was calm, almost indifferent. But as the music began, his entire demeanor shifted; he flashed a playful grin at the camera. He sang and danced flawlessly, staying perfectly in tune and on beat. He finished with that same playful grin, holding everyone’s attention until the very end.

"Well, that was almost flawless," Dyna commented.

K-Beat stayed silent, though his nodding showed he agreed with Dyna. Choi Minhyuk was the same, just once again quietly relieved that Jung Taeyang hadn’t turned out to be just another talentless nepo baby.

Yoon Jihoon smiled slightly. "Looks like he’s setting the bar pretty high for the others."

After that, they noted down their scores on the sheets they were holding.

"The next one is Baek Eunwoo-ssi," K-Beat said, reading the name of the second rank.

The monitor then showed a tall, handsome young man with jet-black hair framing his face. His dark eyes had a warm, gentle look, exuding a quiet kindness that made him instantly likable. His expression was calm and sincere, adding to his natural, understated charm.

As the music started, he moved with a natural rhythm, his steps matching the beat effortlessly. His dance was neither too intense nor too relaxed, blending strength and grace in equal measure. His voice carried smoothly over the melody, staying steady and controlled, never overpowering the music. Every gesture, every glance toward the camera was thoughtfully placed, showing confidence without seeming forced. He maintained a steady pace, finishing with the same calm focus he started with, leaving an impression of quiet skill and balance.

"According to his profile, he’s the oldest contestant at 21 and has the longest trainee period—10 years," Choi Minhyuk said, glancing over Baek Eunwoo’s information. "You can really see the result of those years of training in that performance."

"Watching that, I honestly don’t understand why his former company never debuted him," Dyna commented.

K-Beat shrugged. "Maybe they didn’t know what they had. He’s got the whole package."

Yoon Jihoon nodded in agreement. "Sometimes companies overlook talent that doesn’t stand out immediately. But he’s solid—consistent, skilled, and charismatic in a quiet way."

Once again, they noted down their scores on the sheets.

The mentors continued their evaluations, moving through the performances from the third to the ninth contestant. Each contestant clearly had skill, but small mistakes appeared here and there. One performer hit every beat but occasionally rushed a few dance steps, causing his timing to waver slightly. Another maintained a steady vocal tone but slipped off-key on some high notes, just enough for the mentors to notice. One contestant seemed overly focused on his choreography, causing his voice to lose a bit of power as he moved through complex steps. Yet another showed good rhythm and expression but stumbled briefly in the middle.

With each performance, the mentors were meticulous in their scoring, aware that even the smallest differences could impact the final ranking.

Then, it was the turn of the currently 10th ranked contestant.

"Robin Leroux-ssi," Yoon Jihoon said, reading the name. "He’s currently the highest-ranking among the foreign contestants."

Then, on the monitor, a handsome young man with vibrant pink hair appeared. His bright pink hair stood out, complementing his features. He stood ready, showing his confidence as he prepared to start.