Kang Seulgi of DSP took the first step into the empty room. 101 sparkly chairs that look a billion times more daunting in real life than on television. Seulgi knew that there may have not been anyone else in the room but there were 20 odd cameras monitoring her every mood; she kept her face full of expressions, but not in a way that would seem over the top, she couldn’t have the national producers thinking she was fake. Looking upon the 101 seats, she decides to sit at seat 43, so as not to seem to ambitious, and her fingers drum at her knees as she waits for the next entertainment company arrival.

Park Sooyoung was a generally happy-go-lucky girl. But when HUNUS told her she basically had to go on Produce 101 she wasn’t sure how to feel. She was excited because ELRIS just debuted, this is her only opportunity to get out of the dungeon, but it’s also her last opportunity. She’s been a trainee for 4 years now, she feels ready. Maybe she’ll get lucky and somebody from a company like LOEN will sign her after this. She steps out into the large room to see one girl with feline-like features sat in the middle. Sooyoung knows how this should work. After watching the first 2 seasons she knows she needs to let her outgoing side out, without being overbearing, and interact with other trainees in a comic manner, kind of like the MMO trainees in season 2. So after introducing herself, she sits in seat 44 and introduces herself personally. Although the cameras play an important role, she knows she needs to make friends, or the next 3 months will be brutal and lonely.

The next entertainment company to flash on the screen is Pledis Entertainment; the company that gave the nation the leader and one of the visuals of IOI, and subsequently super rookies Pristin, and also gave us Nu’est and Seventeen. Sooyoung let out an audible gasp when their logo appeared on the screen.

“Wow, Pledis still have trainees left??” Sooyoung exclaims mouth still agape.

Two short girls step out of the side walk way, one blonde young girl, another with black hair with purple dip-dyed ends.

“Wah – they’re so pretty, unnie tell me I’m pretty!!”

“Sooyoung-ie you’re as pretty as the sun” comes Seulgi’s smooth response. Sooyoung blushes hard and rests her head on Seulgi’s shoulder.

Joohyun and Yeri knew the expectations being held over them. Season 1 saw 2/7 Pledis trainees make the final cut, with all of them gaining immense popularity, while Season 2 saw the literal rebirth of Nu’est, they had big boots to fill. “Just remember to keep doing what you’re best at and watch your steps, the show is brutal and will rip you to shreds if you give them the material to do it” was Nayoung’s advice. It didn’t help with the nerves.

They arrived early compared to previous seasons, with only two other trainees there having a giggle to themselves, they went to the center of the room and introduced themselves, then they sat in seats 56 and 57.

The room slowly began to fill up, with the biggest shocks being some members of Stellar and Sonamoo entering the room, a last ditch attempt at success seeing how it helped so many groups previously. Joohyun and Yeri had made friends with an individual trainee called Yuri, who either seemed to be 100% sure she’d get into the top 11 or she was just really good at concealing her nerves.

Son Seungwan KNEW she could sing, it was the one thing she was certain of in life. Yes, she may have had academic excellence but she wasn’t passionate about it, singing was the only thing in life that ma