By late morning, production had transformed one of the rehearsal halls into a photography studio.
A seamless white backdrop stretched across one wall. Lighting stands crowded the floor, reflectors leaned against equipment cases, and a clothing rack held sixteen black-and-white outfits, each tagged with a finalist's name.
"We look like we're debuting already," Jisoo whispered.
"That's the point of promotional photographs," Doyun replied.
"You could let me enjoy things occasionally."
"I tried once. It was exhausting."
Our schedule called for individual portraits, a full-group photograph, and a handful of smaller promotional combinations. The styling was polished but restrained, with a different accent color for each contestant.
Mine was pale blue.
The stylist handed me a fitted jacket and directed me behind a changing screen. When I emerged, she adjusted the cuffs and stepped back to assess the result.
"Very good. Soft colors suit you."
