Hair dyeing is the ultimate weapon for idols, especially when standing out among a sea of black hair. Yao Shuo's slightly sickly pale complexion paired with a rich red color made him the most eye-catching presence in the crowd.
The few seconds he appeared on camera were immediately screenshotted and recorded, turned into GIFs, and posted on Weibo, allowing others to know about this news in real-time.
Marketing accounts and photo editing bloggers watching the show were typing furiously, posting screenshots as soon as they got them, afraid of missing out on the trending topic.
Thanks to this speed, GIFs of Yao Shuo's red hair quickly spread across various platforms.
Yao Shuo rarely smiled, spoke little, and always wore a cold expression, giving off a dark lord vibe. This feeling became even more pronounced after his red hair makeover.
He stood at the front of the line with a cold face, hands behind his back, chin slightly raised, staring straight ahead.
Just these two seconds of GIF footage sent shockwaves through the fandom.
"Is that Yao Shuo?"
"Wow, I haven't even watched the show yet, has Yao Shuo changed so much?"
"When he returned to China in June, I said he looked very different, like he had chin fillers done."
"He's like a completely different person compared to before. This new style is so handsome, as expected of Korea."
"Husband, step on me."
"How come I never noticed Yao Shuo was this good-looking before?"
The people at the scene probably didn't expect that Yao Shuo's red hair would cause such a big reaction. The show continued, and after the opening greetings, the trainees returned backstage to standby. The big screen was playing VCRs of their preparation period.
This time, in addition to the three groups preparing original songs, there were also five solo stages. These five solo stages were determined by the final rankings of last year's "21 Heartbeats of Youth", with the top five ranked individuals getting the opportunity to showcase themselves in solo stages.
The opening act was Gao Xiayu, who had ranked first in the previous show.
The others who didn't have performances yet sat in rows backstage, watching Gao Xiayu on the screen and letting out exclamations of admiration.
"Wow—"
"No wonder Xiayu-ge was so anxious he couldn't sleep at night. If I were opening the show, I wouldn't be able to sleep either."
"Wow... as expected of Xiayu-ge."
Besides the solo stages, there were also duo stages. Each group had two opportunities for duo stages, which were internally allocated within the groups. The duo stages were interspersed with the solo performances. After Gao Xiayu's performance, it was C group's Chi Qiao and Yao Shuo's duo stage.
This was when Gao Xiayu's song choice ability was really put to the test. A song that was too upbeat wouldn't work because it would overshadow the next performer, who happened to be from the same group—they couldn't sabotage each other. A song that was too calm also wouldn't work, as it would become even more boring due to the added weight of being the "opening song".
In the end, Gao Xiayu chose a song with a rather elaborate arrangement, dreamy melody, and catchy chorus. This was enough to showcase his growth over the past six months.
The reaction from the live audience proved that his choice was correct. After a series of "wow" sounds, it was time for Yao Shuo and Chi Qiao's stage.
While the VCR was playing on stage, Yao Shuo stood backstage, taking deep breaths quietly. Chi Qiao saw this and patted his shoulder, saying, "What are you nervous about? I'm the one who should be nervous."
All of their groupings were suggested by Gao Xiayu and agreed upon by everyone. C group's duo stages were assigned to Yao Shuo, Chi Qiao, Chen Wu, and Ye Xing.
Yao Shuo's task was to lead Chi Qiao and help the public change their stereotypical impression of his poor vocal skills. Chen Wu's task was to lead Ye Xing and showcase Ye Xing's improved rap skills over the past six months.
As Yao Shuo and Chi Qiao went on stage, Ye Xing was alone in an empty safety passage backstage, holding lyric sheets and going over them again and again.
In the waiting room, Pei Luming saw that the VCR had ended and exclaimed excitedly, "It's Yao Shuo-ge and Chi Qiao-ge's stage now!"
Putting these two together, anyone would imagine a singing and dancing routine. But they didn't follow the usual path. This time, they prepared a rock-style stage. Yao Shuo and Chi Qiao each held an electric guitar, with other musician teachers in the background.
The heavy sound of electric guitars and drums rang out simultaneously. The camera focused on Yao Shuo's hands, showing him seriously plucking the guitar strings. His red hair, not deliberately styled with hairspray, moved with his every movement.
The way his hair strands fluttered resembled the heart monitor of the fans below—
"Those hands, I'm going crazy—"
"Ahhhhh, damn, Yao Shuo fans, you've been secretly eating this well?"
"Wow, he's really playing?"
The song they prepared was "New Song" by the Italian rock band Måneskin. Chi Qiao sang first, deliberately lowering his voice and changing his pronunciation, making him sound completely different from before.
As soon as Chi Qiao started singing, those who had been focusing on Yao Shuo turned their heads with wide eyes to look at Chi Qiao.
"C group, what's going on? You've already shocked me three times!"
"So cool! So handsome! I love it!"
"Help, looks like I can't escape C group!"
Gao Xiayu was already strong in skills and had left a deep impression in previous shows. On the other hand, Yao Shuo and Chi Qiao hadn't had much presence in previous shows, nor in this debut competition. The show focused more on the popular members of each group, only showing their parts, so Yao Shuo and Chi Qiao, who had the most work content, didn't get much screen time.
But for this very reason, their unexpected pairing ended up surprising everyone.
What a clever way to exceed expectations!
After experiencing multiple music festivals, they had long shed their initial inhibitions. Their movements on stage following the music became more natural.
This stage didn't feel like a competition stage, but rather like their own concert, relaxed and enjoyable.
They stood on the sub-stage, which was small and narrow. With all the instruments set up, it could barely fit this many people. Chi Qiao and Yao Shuo could reach the fans below with just a step.
The fans at the edge of the stage finally understood why they were so close to the stage.
One by one, they watched the staff's expressions, testing the waters. Seeing no obstruction, they stood up and squeezed to the front of the stage, reaching out their hands.
"Ahhhhhh I touched them!"
"So fragrant, so fragrant, so fragrant!"
"So close, wow! Yao Shuo, how are you so pale!"
"Husband— Husband— Ahhhhhh!"
On such a small stage, the two of them played so hard that the stage almost shook apart. They didn't care about managing their expressions anymore, fully enjoying the feeling of adrenaline rushing through their bodies.
There were wind machines around, blowing their hair and occasionally lifting the edges of their clothes. Every time this happened, the surrounding fans would scream.
The atmosphere that Gao Xiayu had kept under control was completely overturned by them.
During the bridge section, Yao Shuo let go of his guitar, brushed his bangs aside, and snapped his fingers while looking around. He deliberately bent down to make eye contact with the fans around the stage, a smile on his face, his fox-like eyes curved, looking quite alluring.
Chi Qiao did the same. He took off half of his jacket, revealing the sleeveless shirt underneath, perfectly showcasing the contours of his muscles. Due to the heat, sweat trickled down from his sideburns along his neck. He also snapped his fingers, gesturing to the distant stands, encouraging them to move as well.
The two harmonized, looking at each other. The atmosphere was ignited, and the burning chorus returned, once again stirring up the enthusiasm of the fans on site—
This was only the second song, but the audience below was shouting louder and louder, some to the point where their voices were about to go hoarse.
At the judges' table, Jiang Juyou watched the stage with a satisfied smile.
She inwardly sighed, feeling that all those music festivals hadn't been for nothing.
As the last note ended, the screams reached their peak.
Random Entertainment always brings surprises. In the boring Chinese entertainment industry, this place was like the only utopia, always bringing new ideas and surprises.
Everyone thought the performance they were about to see wouldn't be much different from before, given the stereotypes that existed. What kind of stage could idols possibly put on?
But Random Entertainment used this performance to prove to everyone that they were truly serious about cultivating trainees and making music.
Gao Xiayu's stage didn't spark much discussion, but Yao Shuo and Chi Qiao's stage exploded across the internet.
The four-minute stage performance was electrifying, making everyone wish they could dance along right there. The progress bar was repeatedly dragged back as people watched the four-minute video over and over, unable to put it down.
"It's hard to believe these are idols, given how effortless they look."
"No, they're still trainees, not even debuted yet."
"For the first time, I understand what it means to 'tear up the stage'... that guy in white was incredible."
"They must have endured inhuman torture in Korea."
"Red fox and white fox, I'm shipping this couple!"
"Chi Qiao is really surprising, I thought he'd be the rap specialist."
"With that skill, Chi Qiao could compete for main vocalist."
"The red-haired one is just too dazzling, I couldn't take my eyes off him after several viewings!"
The highly praised stage performance also received high marks from Jiang Juyou. She smiled as she commented, "It's really unexpected. I knew your skills had improved, since I've been following your progress these past six months, but the audience didn't know, so they were very curious about how you'd showcase your growth."
"The song choice was very clever, and the stage design was good too. It's a performance worthy of applause, and I look forward to your future performances."
Contrary to her usual style, Jiang Juyou gave very high praise. Not only were the two trainees pleasantly surprised, but even the audience members turned to look at Jiang Juyou with wide eyes, hardly believing these words came from her mouth.
"Did someone kidnap Jiang Juyou's family?"
"I can hardly believe Jiang Juyou said that."
"Is she starting to take the path of encouraging education?"
The two on stage lost their earlier assertive demeanor, looking at each other in disbelief after hearing Jiang Juyou's praise before bowing in thanks.
Backstage, Pei Luming was even more excited, jumping around like a monkey. While watching the performance, he imitated his two older brothers playing guitar in the waiting room, yelling and shouting. When Gao Xiayu returned, he hugged him and spun around. Upon hearing Jiang Juyou's evaluation, he was in disbelief, covering his mouth and backing away, so dramatic that Gao Xiayu wanted to hold him down to make him behave.
This duo's performance put considerable pressure on the following B group, which was also a duo stage. Fortunately, it was a rap stage that could maintain the energy, but their group members still worried for them.
During the six months in Korea, everyone received specialized, customized training with high intensity and many assignments.
Everyone knew that hip-hop culture thrived in Korea, with talented rappers emerging one generation after another. After Random Entertainment took the trainees to Korea, they selected a few trainees to specifically study rap.
Among them was Ye Xing.
Ye Xing and Chen Wu from Group C both underwent training. Initially, it was thought that Chen Wu would perform better, but in reality, Ye Xing's rap fundamentals came to him as naturally as if heaven was spoon-feeding him, mastering it more easily than others.
This talent was actually evident when he first joined the company. Ye Xing had an excellent sense of rhythm, and even better than his rhythm was his articulation. He never stumbled over his words, could recite tongue twisters in one breath, and spoke clearly and quickly.
It was because of this that he was chosen to study rap.
The fact that Ye Xing was learning rap was kept secret by Random Entertainment, considered an ace up their sleeve, and Ye Xing didn't disappoint.
His skills were not a problem, neither was writing lyrics. The only issue was that he had some mental barriers.
Among all the trainees, Ye Xing carried the heaviest burden. He always had a sense of responsibility as a good student, struggling to fit into idol culture. When dancing on stage, he would often have moments of being struck by reality, suddenly becoming aware of his identity as a top high school student and feeling greatly burdened by the thought that his classmates might see his current behavior.
Every time Jiang Juyou criticized them for having an ugly stage presence, not being relaxed, not being free, half of it was directed at Ye Xing.
Ye Xing himself was aware of this.
When he first went to Korea to study, he still couldn't shed his mental barriers. The turning point came during the Coachella trip.
The pink sunset, the deafening music, the colorful world, the laughter surrounding him... he still remembered everything, considering it the most beautiful memory of his life.
After playing for two days at various stages at Coachella, singing and shouting, while releasing the pressure in his heart, he also completely shed his so-called burden.
Even his personality changed significantly.
The "good student" aura around Ye Xing weakened, replaced by a more carefree attitude. He learned to joke with others, and his sitting and standing postures became more relaxed.
He gained more "personality."
Ye Xing, returning from the emergency exit, casually brushed his bangs aside, put away his lyric sheet, and headed to the makeup room to prepare for their stage.
-
Every time Random Entertainment made a big move, they would dominate the trending topics. Today was no exception. Despite being just the first public performance of the show, from top to bottom, all the trending topics were related to the program. Marketing accounts seemed to have coordinated, all posting content related to the show.
It was hard for internet users to avoid it. No matter where they went, they could see clips from the show. Many who were half-pushed into watching ended up seeing quite a bit, and some who watched a few clips became interested and switched to live streaming platforms to watch.
The first half of the performance consisted of solo or duo stages, with group performances saved for the end.
The last stage before the small group performances was Ye Xing and Chen Wu's stage.
In the first half of the show, apart from the very beginning, Ye Xing hadn't appeared. The production team intentionally kept Ye Xing's stage look a secret.
Ye Xing, about to go on stage, twirled the microphone in his hand, showing no signs of nervousness.
Chen Wu smiled at his serious face, "Relax, relax."
Ye Xing shrugged his shoulders, "I'm not nervous." He then raised an eyebrow.
Seeing his attitude, Chen Wu gave him a thumbs up.
At this moment, the director reminded them through their in-ear monitors that they were about to start.
As soon as he finished speaking, music began to play on site--
Young Money's "Senile" is a classic hip-hop song, especially with its catchy chorus.
As the intro notes began to play, cheers erupted from the audience, but these cheers sounded strange.
"Oh oh oh oh oh-- oh?"
"Isn't this supposed to be Ye Xing and them?"
"Where are they?"
"Oh no, a live broadcast accident!"
The intro had already started, but no one could be seen on stage. Just as everyone was questioning, a male voice rang out--
In a lowered voice, the lyrics flowed out clearly as if riding on a rhythmic conveyor belt.
At this moment, the screen slowly opened, revealing Ye Xing, Chen Wu, and their crew.
They were all dressed in old school style, with backup dancers even carrying boomboxes.
Chen Wu had his hair wrapped in a bandana, wearing an extremely oversized t-shirt and jeans that dragged on the ground. Ye Xing wore sunglasses, layered several hoodies, and held a diamond-encrusted scepter in his hand.
When they appeared, everyone realized that the smooth English rap they had just heard was Ye Xing's part, and he was still going--
"Can you see now? Are you senile?"
"Can you see now? You could see now!"
"Can you see now? Can you see now?"
Except for the hook, all other parts were their own lyrics and flow. Ye Xing even worried that too many people had heard the original version and wouldn't adapt to their version, so he intentionally kept the beginning part not too different from the original, maintaining a similar flow feeling to the original version.
His approach was undoubtedly correct, so correct that people hadn't even realized it was Ye Xing's voice.
The background music used minimal instrumentation, simply relying on lyrics and flow to win, using a cypher format with each person having a long section. The screen flashed animations of their self-written lyrics.
It was all English rap, with the screen thoughtfully providing Chinese translations.
While rapping and singing, the two also had to dance. The hook portion had simple movements with a provocative feel, which, combined with Ye Xing's sunglasses-wearing face, made it even more captivating.
When other performers took the stage with unexpected acts, the audience could still muster a few excited comments. But seeing Ye Xing's roguishly handsome appearance while rapping was no less shocking than watching an ant lift an elephant.
For a moment, everyone was speechless—
Even the bullet comments went silent for a while. It took some time for people to realize that it was indeed Ye Xing, and he was actually rapping, and doing it well.
"????"
"Is that really Ye Xing?"
"Holy crap—what on earth happened to you guys in Korea? I can't recognize any of you anymore!"
"My brain's a bit fuzzy, I never imagined Ye Xing and rapper would go together."
"Why do I feel like everything about Ye Xing has changed???"
"Help, Ye Xing learned how to be cool!"
"Ye Xing's face combined with the rapper identity seems like a deadly combo."
"The stage presence is completely different from before!"
Other groups' VCRs would reveal a bit about their stage preparations, but Ye Xing's group only showed the grouping process and then the two of them going out to play. No one could tell what they were preparing.
But since Ye Xing was involved, everyone assumed it would be singing. No one expected this scene when they came out.
While everyone was dumbfounded, they also got goosebumps.
They were incredibly curious about what had happened to these people in Korea, how they all came back so transformed.
Ye Xing's rapping caused as much of a stir online as Yao Shuo and Chi Qiao's performance. Although his rap skills hadn't reached underground rap levels, the fact that he could do it without seeming out of place was already impressive.
The comments section of the video was full of people expressing their surprise.
Carried by Ye Xing, Chen Wu's performance also caught everyone's attention. His performance was more relaxed, and there was even a segment of rapid-fire lyrics in the middle, like a machine gun rattling off words.
The way both of them delivered their lines had clearly changed. To match the crisp feel of the song, their rap was concise and to the point, interspersed with Ye Xing's slightly lazy rap. The emotional ups and downs of the song, with their coordination, really got everyone's bodies moving.
People couldn't help but bob their heads.
At this point, Ye Xing's fans watching the screen were swooning. Before, it was like raising a son, thinking Ye Xing was obedient and sensible. But now, Ye Xing just had to raise one corner of his mouth in a smile, and people wanted to call him "hubby."
A 1.8-meter-tall rapper who can spin the mic—what a handsome hubby!
"I knew it, under the mom-fan facade there would definitely be girlfriend fans. Fine, I'm not pretending anymore, from now on I'm Ye Xing's wife!"
"My mouth has been open since he started and still hasn't closed... Ye Xing, you really outdid yourself, nearly scared me to death."
"He's not spinning the mic, he's spinning the wheel of my destiny!"
"Look at that smug expression, ahhhhh! And he's nodding with his eyes narrowed!"
"His little expression says: 'Yes, yes, I know you're all going to love me to death!'"
"Forced to become a girlfriend fan, really, ha!"
"My mind is already thinking dirty thoughts... I swear, I never had these before."
"Random Entertainment, I won't curse you today, my husband saved your life!"
Under Gao Xiayu's arrangement, Yao Shuo, Chi Qiao, Ye Xing, and Chen Wu took turns topping the trending searches.
Ye Xing even trended on Twitter in several Southeast Asian countries.
#YaoShuoRedHair
#ChiQiaoPlayingGuitar
#YeXing
#YeXingRapping
#YeXingHasChanged
#ChenWuRapidFireLyrics
Ye Xing's fans, no, Ye Xing-ers: What a big surprise, so big!
