(Cho Sun-hee's Studio)
The day of the photoshoot finally arrived.
The major group entered the building with a staff member guiding them towards a spacious room with an open layout.
The group settled along one side of the room, standing casually yet a little awkward, nerves quietly bubbling beneath the surface.
Llana scanned the space in silence, taking everything in.
The room was empty—no chairs, no tables...just an open, expansive space designed in a modern industrial style. A prominent brick wall lined the left side, paired with a large grid-style window that allowed natural light to pour in. The upper portion and right side of the room were painted white, softening the rugged textures and giving the space a clean, balanced look.
They hadn't been waiting long when familiar voices drifted in from behind. The minor group walked in, their energy immediately filling the room.
"Oh? You're already here?" Jeongyeon said, raising an eyebrow with a grin. "Trying to claim the place early?"
Jihyo turned slightly, unimpressed. "Or maybe we're just punctual."
"Hey! We are not late, okay?" Nayeon said defensively, her eyes widening slightly.
The groups continued their playful banter and teasing until the PD stepped in.
"Alright, alright," he said, clapping once.
"Enough talking for now. Everyone, form a line and behave. Photographer Cho Sun-hee will be here any moment."
Not more than five minutes later, a woman with dyed blonde hair, wearing large dark sunglasses and a black long-sleeve shirt beneath a beige coat, walked in.
It was Cho Sun-hee, one of Korea's top photographers, known for shooting album jackets for the biggest stars. She had worked with Park Jin-young, Miss A, 2PM, Wonder Girls, and more.
"Annyeong," Cho Sun-hee greeted everyone, bowing her head with a warm smile. Her presence radiated confidence.
"Annyeonghaseyo," Llana and the rest replied, bowing in return.
"There will be a long day ahead, so I won't make this lengthy. Is that okay with you guys?" Cho Sun-hee smiled.
"Yes," the group chorused.
Cho Sun-hee nodded. "So, let me go straight to the point. In just one photo, you need to show the concept—what you want to express and represent in the song. Since you're working in groups, you might think it's enough to just look nice, but if that doesn't convey the concept, you'll need to adjust for your team. Everyone has to cooperate and respect each other," the photographer explained.
Llana nodded along silently, taking mental notes and carefully understanding exactly what Cho Sun-hee meant. This photoshoot wasn't just about looking good on camera—it was about teamwork, moving together as one, blending seamlessly to show exactly what the group wanted to convey. Trying too hard on your own, or overthinking would only make you stick out like a sore thumb. Totally out of place.
After the instructions, everyone began preparing for the shoot. Once their makeovers were complete, Llana and the rest of the major group waited behind the door, ready to step inside at the signal.
Just as they entered, a wave of laughter greeted them. Everyone seemed to find their outfits, and even their faces... absolutely hilarious. The minor group didn't even bother pretending; they openly mocked the suits, exchanging smirks and whispers like a panel of judges at a fashion disaster contest.
"Wow, what a transformation," Cho Sun-hee said, smiling at them—but her eyes spoke louder than her praise.
She was definitely laughing at them… internally!
For the first time, Llana felt like burying herself six feet underground.
"Hey! We can't just stand here like this—don't feel defeated, don't feel defeated! Hahaha," Jeongyeon added, laughing teasingly at the major group.
"Who do you think looks better?" the photographer asked, humoring them.
"That doesn't suit them," Jiwon said, pointing first at Llana's group, then at their own. "We suit our concept more."
Llana raised an eyebrow, hardly taking the comments seriously. Sure, whatever you say, she thought. She wasn't about to stoop so low as to get mad over something so petty.
"What are you saying? It suits us~"
Chaeyoung protested, laughing—but clearly not enjoying the comment. The others nodded in agreement.
"Your concept is so unique… this is going to be fun," Cho Sun-hee said with a smile.
Llana smirked lightly, let's see if their concept really suits them.
*Clap.*
"Okay, now let's start the photoshoot. Majors, you'll be posing first. Minors, move aside and give them space."
"Now—START!"
Llana began posing, experimenting with every angle, smiling brightly at the camera. She looked cheerful, natural, effortless.
"Good, good, keep that up, Llana!" the photographer called, clearly pleased.
"Move more! Move more, everyone!" the photographer shouted, clicking away continuously, giving instructions on the fly.
Meanwhile, the minors couldn't resist teasing from the sidelines.
"Bats, bats," Minyoung snickered, eyeing them like a judge evaluating a performance.
"I thought they were black crows," Jiwon whispered, laughing with Nayeon, Jeongyeon, and Minyoung.
Mina, standing between Jeongyeon and Nayeon, didn't even lift the corners of her lips as she watched the majors closely. Her gaze, however, kept drifting toward Llana, eyes instinctively zeroing in on her figure. Her thoughts remained unreadable.
"Move more! Move more, everyone!" the photographer shouted, "Somi, your expression just now was perfect do it again."
"Okay, okay, Llana, Somi, you two are doing great!"
"Okay. Let's take a break. Everyone, come here and evaluate your photos," the photographer asked, and took them to the monitor, showing them their photos.
"Somi and Llana, you two did really well, see girls?" the photographer said, pointing at their pictures. "You have to keep moving and changing angles, okay?"
"Ne."
"Look at you, Sana—are you going to a Miss Korea pageant? Your poses are all the same. Was your dream to be an announcer?" she scolded.
"Anniyo," Sana shook her head, laughing. She knew it wasn't really a compliment, but honestly, the Miss Korea comment made her feel a little giddy.
Llana, watching her, rolled her eyes in amusement. She already knew what Sana was thinking without reading her mind. Bet she's feeling good about that comment. This photographer doesn't look bad.
"Jihyo, you look fat."
Oh… she's taking that back.
"Let me take a look." The photographer started inspecting, and Llana couldn't tell if it was Jihyo's body or the clothes.
Llana bit her lip, stopping herself from saying anything, seeing the hurt and embarrassment in Jihyo's eyes.
The photoshoot resumed, but Jihyo was clearly affected by Cho Sun-hee's earlier comment. She hesitated with every step, hiding behind the others, her confidence nearly shattered, which was reflected in her performance.
"We can't see you, Jihyo! You're blocked! What must you do to be seen?" The photographer's irritation was evident.
Jihyo moved forward hesitantly, only to retreat again.
With a sigh, the photographer took a few more shots before finally ending the Major's and calling the minor group to start..
Llana and her group watched the minors, who were giving poses similar to theirs earlier. They were off to a strong start. The photographer, Cho Sun-hee, looked clearly pleased.
Word war is brewing, Llana thought amusedly, her eyes scanning her group members.
"They saw us from the start, so they have an advantage," Natty said.
"Yeah," Somi agreed.
After the majors, the minor group became the next recipients of harsh scolding. Even the older Chae, Chaeyeon, was brought to tears.
Cho Sun-hee's comments were undeniably harsh, even bordering on cruel, but Llana understood the method behind them. They had to take it, absorb it, and improve upon it.
Compliments wouldn't push them to their limits. Reality would.
She noticed the fear and hesitation in some of the minors' movements, and a pang of sympathy stirred in her chest. It wasn't just about technique or angles. It was about confidence, about how they saw themselves under pressure.
This is what it takes to survive in this world, she reminded herself. They would either learn or break, but at least they had a chance to grow.
If you want to be in the entertainment industry, you need to have a stronger resolve and confidence. Because in this world, criticism is constant, pressure is relentless, and people will try to knock you down before you even get a chance to shine. If you can't stand your ground and believe in yourself, no one else will.
If you're already losing your confidence and crumbling at criticism just in a competition like this, then you won't survive the industry.