(Someone visits the office.)
(The door opens.)
Hello.
I'm a new national producer representative, Lee Seung Gi.
(National Producer Representative Lee Seung Gi)
Good ones are usually made of mother-of-pearl.
(Oh, this is what he wants.)
Does mother-of-pearl cost a lot?
(It's still a crystal nameplate.)
There are usually people next to me when it's so big.
I'm all alone. Is this a one man company?
(The office where he's working hard)
How do you feel to be Produce 48 national producer representative?
A representative?
It's pressuring. It's popular both internationally and domestically.
(Produce 48, Miyawaki Sakura, Matsui Jurina, Ahn Yoo Jin)
(It became the number 1 topic after the first episode aired.)
("Produce 48 Became the Number 1 Topic After the First Episode")
("Rise of Expectancy on Produce 48 Korea-Japan Global Girl Group")
In case of BoA, the weight and responsibility...
as a representative must've been too much.
She cheered me up so much.
(Say "I can do it" three times.)
I'm curious to find out how they joined the show...
and the kind of mindsets.
- Shall we? - Let's watch.
(He watches the preview of episodes 1 and 2.)
Oh, she's good.
(Playing grade evaluation on the Korean trainees)
(Reactions of a representative watching the grade evaluation)
(Smile, serious, focusing, slapping the table, and clap)
I'll announce the individual grade. Kim Shi Hyun...
- B. - B.
First, the one who got an A...
- Lee Chae Yeon. - is Trainee Lee Chae Yeon.
- Kwon Eun Bi. - Trainee Kwon Eun Bi.
I think she could have made a début...
Why haven't you debuted yet?
Yes. She says the same thing.
I should've become a trainer.
You don't need me.
They can all be representatives.
(The first grade evaluation of the Japanese trainees)
AKB48. I can't wait to see them.
(Playing grade evaluation on the Japanese trainees)
There's a difference.
I think this show...
will be a hit.
- Suddenly? - Yes.
The Korean trainees know the basics...
and are skillful,
but it's probably hard to find...
what kind of charm they can show...
when they début as a celebrity.
But the Japanese trainees...
seem to be used to express...
that they're having fun on the stage.
They're unique.
If they mingle,
we'll have a girl group that we have never seen before.
12 people we're going to pick here...
I can't wait to see them.
(The top trainees of AKB48 enter.)
Matsui Jurina. Your grade is...
(Concentrating)
Stop.
What?
Come on.
What are you doing?
What would you give her?
Honestly...
(Honestly...)
I'd give...
(Your grade is...)
(Does Seung Gi judgement match the training team?)
(What's the grade of AKB48 top trainees?)
(It will be revealed soon.)
(The grade evaluation per agency continues.)
Next trainees, please come in.
They're really young.
- Children? - They're babies.
They look young.
Adorable.
Goodness.
1, 2.
What?
Oh, my.
- Hello. - Hello.
- They're adorable. - They're like my daughters.
(They're like my daughters.)
(Lee Yoo Jung, Yoon Eun Bin, Kim Da Yeon, Kim Yoo Bin, Hong Ye Ji)
You wrote the adorable youngest for the position you want.
(Shining)
That's right.
I believe Yoo Jung and I are...
probably the youngest of Produce 48.
(Am I right?)
(Don’t make fun of me because I’m young)
- Hello. - Hello.
Adorable.
They remind me of Orange Caramel.
(Japanese version of Orange Caramel)
I'm Chiba Erii of AKB48.
- I'm Sato Minami. - I'm Asai Nanami.
- Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.
- They're adorable. - They're like fruits.
Pineapple, blueberry and strawberry.
(Blueberry, strawberry, pineapple)
They're girly. I think they're cuter than me.
(Blinking)
(A magic spell to become adorable)
(Blink your big eyes twice.)
(I'll take care of cuteness in Produce 48.)
Are you the youngest in the team?
I'm in the youngest line.
More than Erii...
Erii is... Because of Erii... Erii's...
Erii wants cheese dakgalbi.
I'm Erii.
(I'm Erii.)
I can name 47 Japanese cities in 13 seconds at the fastest.
Start.
(Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata,)
(Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba,)
(Tokyo, Kanagawa, Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui,)
(Yamanashi, Nagano, Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi, Mie,)
(Shiga, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, Nara, Wakayama, Tottori,)
(Shimane, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Tokushima, Kagawa,)
(Ehime, Kochi, Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto,)
(Oita, Miyazaki, Kagoshima, and Okinawa.)
(She succeeds in 13.77 seconds.)
(I'm relieved.)
Although I'm in the youngest line, I'd like to move to the top.
I'll put in my effort like Erii.
I'll try my best. Thank you.
(What performance did AKB48's youngest line prepare?)
It's "Blow a Kiss And Make Him Fall".
(What a funny title.)
("Blow a Kiss And Make Him Fall" by AKB48)
They're so adorable.
Are they on beat?
The girl in the middle has a beautiful smile.
The two front teeth remind me of a rabbit.
(Jumping Sato Minami, the rabbit)
Extra points for her front teeth.
(Minami earns 2 extra points for her front teeth.)
I think you have the charm...
of being innocent.
You have the power to give people energy.
But...
I'll announce the individual grade for AKB48.
(What's the grade for AKB48 youngest line?)
F...
(Sato Minami: D, Chiba Erii, Asai Nanami: F)
(What performance did CNC trainees prepare?)
You may doubt we wouldn't be good because we look young.
I want to prove that I'm as good as other people although I'm young.
Look at her face.
Check out her eyes.
They fear nothing at that age.
They look quite serious.
("Team" by CNC)
They're powerful.
What?
Thank you.
I'm shocked.
What did I do when I was their age?
It's only been a year since they became trainees.
They all work hard for a year. Isn't it amazing that...
they can do that in a year?
I guess that's normal in Korea.
That's amazing.
- Where are they from? - CNC?
They raised monsters.
They're such small children,
but their power and dance skill...
They were incredible.
I'll announce the individual grade for CNC.
I may be young...
I want to be approved because I'm trying my best.
B...
(Ye Ji, Eun Bin, Yoo Bin, Da Yeon: B Lee Yoo Jung: C)
This is scary. Such young people are so good.
Next trainees, please come in.
(Another young trainee enters.)
Hello. Hello.
(Staggering)
She's cute.
Can you move to your right?
Just a little bit to your right.
Hello. I'm a second year trainee at MNH,
a 15-year-old Lee Ha Eun.
Are you going to be okay with your hair?
(Go down, my hair.)
Did you put any makeup on?
I don't put makeup on.
I put on lipstick because my mom told me to.
Swag.
(Innocent swag out of nowhere)
What do you think swag is?
Hot.
MNH.
Chung Ha's agency.
Chung Ha showed something really cool in Season One.
(MNH senior Chung Ha showed impressive dance.)
Yes.
Let's watch.
(How's MNH Trainee Lee Ha Eun's performance?)
I want to be cool like Chung Ha...
and charismatic on the stage.
I want to be like Chung Ha.
("Burn Break Crash" by MNH)
She learned from Chung Ha.
She reminds me of Chung Ha.
Thank you.
She's amazing.
She's really good.
Just like the artist at your agency, Chung Ha,
you're a good dancer.
But...
did she sing? I couldn't hear her singing at all.
At first, I thought your performance was stable all around,
but we could rarely hear you as you started doing big dance moves.
Right.
(MNH's Lee Ha Eun could rarely sing.)
We barely heard your voice until the end.
I sang a little but couldn't sing all of a sudden.
(It's hard to evaluate her vocal abilities.)
Then can we hear a snippet of your singing?
- She's a good singer. - I know.
She has a pretty voice.
Thank you.
Oh, I'm surprised.
She has such a nice voice.
She's good. Oh, my.
We have to take her to our agency.
All right. I'll announce the individual grade...
for MNH Entertainment's trainee.
- Lee Ha Eun. - Yes.
I believe that I should be able to...
get an A if I work hard.
We're giving you an A.
Thank you.
- Good job. You did well. - Thank you.
I'm glad we asked her to sing.
I think she has the potential to become an incredible artist.
I'll work harder.
Why are all those young girls so good?
I was good when I was that little too.
I loved her singing.
She has such a pure voice.
If her voice stays like that,
she'll become like Soyou.
I was thinking to myself, "I probably won't be getting an A."
I still can't believe that this actually happened.
I want everyone to think of me...
when they hear the name, MNH Entertainment.
I really hope that some Japanese trainees can get As.
(The Korean trainees received various grades from A to F,)
(whereas most of the Japanese trainees got lower grades.)
Noe's grade is considered high among what all of us got.
- Really? - She got a C.
Grade C is considered high.
- What about Ikumi? - She got a D.
- Seriously? - Yes.
- Grade C is considered high? - Yes.
None of us got an A or a B.
We're in trouble.
Only we, the Japanese trainees, got Fs.
All of us have been actively performing in Japan...
as a proud member of the team,
so I was sad to see my friends and teammates...
getting low grades and harsh critiques.
Next trainee, please come in.
The next trainee is quite famous in Japan.
- Is she a famous person? - Really?
She debuted before I did.
My goodness.
- It's Jurina. - She's so cool.
She looks so confident.
Even the way she walks looks so confident.
She's different.
She's oozing with confidence.
(Even the veteran, Matsui Jurina, is participating in Produce 48.)
She has a great stage presence. I hope she's good.
Hello. I'm a member of SKE48,
Matsui Jurina.
I'm nervous, but I'll do my best.
I hope you enjoy my performance.
She's very popular.
(When the trainees were entering)
Finally, it's Jurina.
Gosh, SKE48.
My gosh, Jurina is...
a lot more senior than I am.
- Finally. - There she is. She's coming out.
I actually had a meal with Jurina yesterday.
We ate pork belly together.
That's amazing.
- She grilled the meat for me. - I'm jealous.
To me, she's a huge celebrity.
Her popularity?
She's about 100 times more popular than Erii is.
(In the 10th AKB48 General Election, which took place on June 16, 2018,)
(Matsui Jurina triumphed...)
(with 194,453 votes.)
(The general election has taken place annually since 2009.)
(Every year, their fans pick the most popular member through voting.)
I was so surprised to find out that Jurina was participating in this.
She's one of the best-known members of AKB48.
Even though she made her début about 10 years ago,
she decided to come to Korea and start all over again...
at the same level as me,
who debuted only 2 to 3 years ago.
I must say, I'm truly impressed by her courage.
(Jurina has been a popular singer for over 10 years.)
Even though I debuted 10 years ago, I still want to challenge myself.
I hope I can inspire the junior members of AKB48 as well.
I don't want to lose to anybody.
That's how I feel.
My goal is...
Just like the general election, I want to come in first.
To me, Produce 48...
is a new beginning.
I have high hopes.
Will she get an A?
I think she'll do very well.
- I'm looking forward to this. - I think she'll be good.
(Will the veteran singer, Jurina, make the Japanese trainees proud?)
("Dear J" by Itano Tomomi)
My gosh, her eyes.
- Thank you. - She looked so confident...
when she performed alone.
Everything about her, including her facial expressions, was charismatic.
- She has such a pretty smile. - She does.
My, she's incredible.
This is such a rare opportunity.
She's so cool.
First off,
shall I call it confidence?
I really liked...
that energy about you.
She's certainly the most solid one out of all the Japanese trainees...
we've seen in all aspects.
She's also confident.
But the thing is...
I think we have to be very careful because...
- Japan and Korea are so different. - Right.
What we look for is very different.
As we all know, she's incredibly popular in Japan.
However, she's not really right...
for what we're looking for.
She's a better dancer than most Japanese trainees.
(Which grade will Jurina get?)
We'll announce Jurina's grade.
Trainee Matsui Jurina's grade is...
We're giving her...
a B.
Thank you.
I'm so happy that she got a B.
- Thank you. - Thank you so much.
Thank you.
(SKE48's Matsui Jurina received a B.)
- Even the way she walks stands out. - She's so confident. I envy that.
- She's impressive. - We should walk like that too.
- She's so cool. - I was...
very proud of Jurina.
Her incredible stage presence definitely made her stand out.
She didn't look nervous at all. In fact, she seemed very confident.
I thought I should learn from her confidence.
I wanted people to see the charms of us Japanese trainees...
through my performance,
so I wanted to do a really good job.
Okay.
- Hello. - They'll beat everyone.
You're currently a member of Fromis 9, right?
What motivated you to participate in this?
- She's that girl. - She must be good.
I don't think that's good enough.
Are you bad at memorizing dance moves?
Just memorize them.
Why are you crying?
We'll take a 10-minute break.
Gosh, I'm so tired.
(They finally get to take a quick break during the evaluation.)
The trainees must be tired too.
(The trainees are taking a break too.)
One boy did the dance for "Pick Me" when we were all exhausted.
Was he from Yue Hua?
(Yue Hua's Ahn Hyung Sub did the dance for "Pick Me" during a break.)
(I'm the Energizer Bunny of Season Two.)
(Oh, this song is...)
(Waking up)
I know this dance.
(Grooving to the beat)
This is from "Produce 101".
(This song is from Season Two.)
Are we expecting someone to dance?
Yu Ri, let's go.
Go?
Do you want to go?
Da Min, shall we?
- Do you want to go? - Go ahead.
(No, I'm shy.)
(What's happening backstage?)
- Shall we go? - Shall we?
(Running)
Let's just dance here.
- What? - What's going on?
My gosh!
(The stage is crowded.)
What's happening now?
(Rushing)
- What's this? - What's going on?
(I'm the star of the night)
(This will sure win National Producer's heart.)
They know every move to a tee.
(Ta-da)
(Even girls would have crushes on them.)
(I'll be the last person)
That was great!
What's this now?
(One of AKB48's most famous songs, "Heavy Rotation" fills the studio.)
What is this song?
How do they all know the song?
(From those on stage...)
(to the ones at their seats, everyone is having a great time.)
What's going on now? Gosh, this is so chaotic!
(Dear National Producer, I want you.)
(Please tell us that you need us.)
(And please love us.)
(The Korean and Japanese trainees became one through this song.)
That was amazing.
- Power up, everyone! - Thank you.
- Thank you. - Thank you for the performance.
That woke me up.
- Isn't it a great song? - They're so good.
It really perked me up.
Gosh, I wish the Japanese girls came down to the stage. Too bad.
Shall we meet the next trainee?
- Leopard print. - Yes, it's so memorable.
- That leopard print. - The leopard print is here.
(Who's here from NMB48?)
Hey, excuse me.
Do you want to see it or not?
I want to see it!
I'm a 20-year-old from Osaka.
I'm Shiroma Miru, also known as Mirurun.
(NMB48 is AKB48's sub-unit for the Osaka region.)
(Shiroma Miru is NMB48's one of the most popular members.)
Miru, do you have a secret weapon? What's your best feature?
My eyes.
(Miru sure knows how to smile with her eyes.)
- You're so cute. - I'm hungry.
What's the most important quality idol singers should have?
I think that idol singers should...
make eye contact with their fans and give off positive energy.
(And she smiles with her eyes.)
(Winking)
(Only look at me.)
She can be a little crazy.
Her blood type is B, so she can be a bit crazy.
Those of us in NMB48 always want to make people laugh,
and I think we're more talented than any other teams are.
- 2, 3. - 2, 3.
(They wish each other good luck in their own style.)
That made me confident!
We want to cheer everyone up and make them laugh.
All of us went on stage with that mindset.
My, their outfits are incredible.
It's so retro.
I love their styling theme.
The coat with hearts all over is so cute.
Good luck.
("Funny People" by NMB48)
Most girl groups never stand like that.
I like this. It's very catchy.
This song is great. I love it.
I love this song so much.
- My gosh! - This is so exciting.
- Their energy was awesome. - Totally.
How adorable!
They're so cute.
I think they did the best job out of all the Japanese trainees so far.
- They're very energetic. - Yes, I agree.
We'll announce NMB48's individual grades.
I'll start with Grade A.
I was really hoping that at least one of them would get an A.
No one got an A.
Grade B.
Shiroma Miru.
(Shiroma Miru got a B.)
That's it.
(The rest of the team got a C, D, and F.)
Your energy was great,
and your choreography made us want to understand the lyrics.
But the thing is,
what lies ahead of us...
will be much more difficult than what you girls just showed us.
Please don't let us down.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
From the trainers to the Korean trainees,
everyone danced with us and smiled the whole time,
so I think we achieved our goal of spreading our happy energy...
and making everyone smile.
Next trainees, please come in.
Who are they?
- "Idol School". - What?
They were in "Idol School".
(A 2017 reality girl group survival show on Mnet, "Idol School")
(These Stone Music trainees participated in "Idol School".)
All of them are so pretty.
My, they're really pretty.
Lee Sian looks so much like her.
She looks just like her.
Each of you must have a look-alike.
Whom do people say that you resemble?
(Hesitant)
Jung Chae Yeon.
People say I look like her.
(Sian looks like Jung Chae Yeon, the member of I.O.I and DIA.)
People say that I look like Kwai Lun Mei.
I've heard that I look like Choi Yoo Jung.
People say that I look like a dog.
I look like a dog. Yes, a dog.
(Barking)
The smiley dog.
(Jang Gyu Ri's look-alike)
I look like the smiley dog.
A dog.
(Even at the final check...)
(and pre-show meeting,)
(she charmed us with that smile.)
Is there anything else you can show us? A voice impression, for example.
No, nothing.
(The only thing I can do is smile like the dog.)
Oh, this girl has already made her professional début.
She worked for about nine months.
- Trainee Jang Gyu Ri. - Yes.
You're currently a member of Fromis 9, right?
Yes, I am. I already made my début.
- She already made her début? - Seriously?
What motivated you to participate in this? You made your début...
after being in the survival show.
Jang Gyu Ri, you've been selected as a member. Congratulations.
(Gyu Ri already made her début as a member of Fromis 9.)
(Why is she participating in another survival show just after 3 months?)
("Fromis 9's Jang Gyu Ri Participates in 'Produce 48'")
(Why is she participating in another audition show?)
If I were a viewer, I'd wonder the same thing.
I'd think, "Why is she going on another survival show?"
Unlike other trainees,
I was lucky enough...
to make my début right away without spending much time as a trainee.
(Others are probably jealous that I wasn't a trainee for a long time,)
(but it's actually what makes me anxious.)
Maybe that was why. Since making my début,
I've been feeling that I am lacking in so many aspects.
When do you feel it the most?
When I learn the dance moves.
I stall everyone because I'm slow.
I felt like I was such a nuisance, and it really stressed me out.
That's why I practiced twice harder than other members did.
Only then, I could catch up with them.
I decided to participate in Produce 48 because I thought...
that I'd be able to learn a lot and grow through the experience.
Shall we watch their performance?
(What would Stone Music trainees' performance be like?)
("Chewing Gum" by NCT Dream)
- Oh, my. - They're good.
How cute.
She said she didn't really train, but she's still incredible.
Totally.
I think this team is most solid out of everyone we've seen so far.
Even though you girls didn't really train,
you're very good.
You're all so energetic as well.
- Trainee Jo Yu Ri. - Yes.
We'd like to hear your singing.
She looks good on the screen too.
- Isn't she a good singer? - Yes, she's pretty good.
- She has a charming voice. - That was incredible.
- She knows how to belt out a song. - Yes, that's why I...
(Yu Ri came in 15th place, so she wasn't able to...)
(make her début as a member of Fromis 9.)
I've been working very hard. I wanted to show everyone...
how much I've improved and how much potential I have,
so I worked very hard to prepare for this moment.
I really want to make my professional début this time.
We'll now announce the individual grades for Stone Music trainees.
The one who got an A...
is Trainee Jo Yu Ri.
- Thank you. - Amazing.
And...
that's it.
The one who got an B...
Trainee Jang Gyu Ri.
Thank you.
(Yu Ri: A)
(Gyu Ri: B, Sian and Eun Young: C)
Thank you.
I'm going to get an A next time.
I'll make sure I get an A at the next evaluation.
I'm happy that I got a B, but I do want an A next time.
Hello, everyone.
Hello, I'm Imada Mina.
I'm Goto Moe.
I'm Mogi Shinobu.
- Study. - Study Korean.
Okay.
I wrote the entire lyrics of "TT" like this to study them.
I can't do this or that
"They say that I should live up to my looks."
This part is so fast. It's hard to sing.
(5 days before the grade evaluation)
(4 days before the grade evaluation)
(3 days before the grade evaluation)
- Wish us luck! - We can do this.
(1 day before the grade evaluation)
(They're nervous and excited at the same time.)
I'm nervous.
I'm nervous. I'm so nervous now.
I got this. I can do this.
It'll be okay. It'll be fine.
You can do it.
- I can do it. - We can do this.
- We can do... - Is it delicious?
- We can do this. - We can do this.
What you said means...
- It's delicious. - I'm hungry.
Great!
(I got this.)
Next trainees, please come in.
I'm AKB48...
Oh, I'm sorry.
- Hello! - Hello!
I'm AKB48's Takahashi Juri.
- I'm Kojima Mako. - I'm Muto Tomu.
- Please go easy on us! - Please go easy on us!
They have such cute voices.
They were like, "Hello!"
You can speak Korean well.
- Just a little. - Just a little.
(This one waves her hand.)
- Please go easy on us! - Please go easy on us!
(She just started learning Korean.)
I went over your profiles and read that all three of you are popular.
- No. - No, no.
Even now, you girls seem very relaxed.
- Not at all. - We're hiding how nervous we are.
Those girls are incredible.
- Juri, you've done musicals? - Yes.
Musicals?
(Takahashi Juri was a leading actress in "New Snow Princess".)
I perform in musicals...
or concerts.
I sing and dance.
I do photo shoots for magazines and appear on TV shows as well.
Does it ever get stressful?
No, not at all.
It's... It's fun.
(At the final trainee checkup)
Hello, I'm Takahashi Juri from AKB48.
Could we please see your dance first?
(She did the dance from Red Velvet's song, "Red Flavor".)
Could we hear another song?
Oh, I can sing a song by IU or Blackpink.
Are you a big fan of Korean idol singers?
Red Velvet, Blackpink,
Seventeen, BTS, and IU.
Those are my favourites.
(This is Juri's version of IU's song, "Through the Night".)
I like that song.
(Shy)
What motivated you to participate in Produce 48?
Ever since I discovered Korean idol singers,
I've always thought...
that top Korean idol singers...
are the greatest artists in the world,
and that in and of itself was the reason I decided to participate.
Becoming the best idol singer in the world...
has become my goal.
- It must be "Playing with Fire". - Right.
The choreography is hard.
- Please begin. - Okay.
She answered in Korean.
I thought she was Korean for a second.
("Playing with Fire" by Blackpink)
They're very good.
I can see that they're strong.
That was amazing.
That was very cool.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
I think one of them will get an A.
Their singing was pretty stable even though they danced.
- Yes, they're the best so far. - The best out of the three teams.
Gosh, I honestly don't know what to say about the Japanese trainees.
We'll now announce the individual grades for AKB48.
Takahashi Juri.
Becoming the best idol singer in the world...
has become my goal.
We're giving you a B.
Thank you.
(They each got a B, C, and D.)
Thank goodness Juri got a B.
I know. It's incredible.
It made me so happy.
We'll do better.
Next trainee, please come in.
(Intense eyes)
Hello, I'm Kim Cho Yeon from A Team Entertainment.
Your eyes look so intense.
(Intense eyes)
How many things did you prepare for today?
I prepared five songs to sing...
and another five songs for dance, as well as a few funny stunts.
(Trainee Kim Cho Yeon calmly shows us everything she prepared.)
(What will she show us after her singing and dance moves?)
(A gorilla who's happy to meet National Producers)
Thank you.
Are there many things that you want to show us?
Yes, I'm brimming with passion.
(She's burning with passion.)
I want to write something at the center.
(Her passion explodes.)
(Stamping her feet repeatedly)
I want to write at the center, but I'll write my message here.
I wrote, "Not B or C Team. Go, A Team."
Okay.
Grade A all the way, of course. I want to get Grade A.
I think I can get an A.
I'm aiming for an A. I kept thinking, "I'll get an A."
(Grade A is mine.)
(She's incredibly driven.)
(She seemed so driven earlier,)
(but she's nervous now.)
What should I do? I'm scared.
I really hope you get an A.
Where's the trainee from Block Berry?
What if I look so lame next to her? That's what I'm most worried about.
All right. Please be on standby.
Go Yoo Jin from Block Berry...
and Kim Cho Yeon from A Team.
- Let's go. - You knew this, didn't you?
- Let's go. - You knew we'd be competing, right?
Do you know why that is? It's because we chose the same song.
(Who will pull off Hyun A's "Lip and Hip" better?)
Hello. I'm Trainee Go Yoo Jin from Block Berry Creative.
Oh, she's the girl that caught our eye earlier.
- Yes, she is. - We said she's good.
(A dance performance took place during the short break earlier.)
That girl is good too.
She's at the back, but she catches your eye.
I know she's good, so I'm excited.
- She did a good job earlier. - Yes.
She seems like an amazing dancer.
Yes, she has that swagger.
Swag.
I have...
strong facial features,
so I think I look more like Hyun A.
Hyun A is the one artist who made me think...
that I want to become like her.
(What will Yoo Jin's performance be like?)
("Lip and Hip" by Hyun A)
Thank you.
My, I'd give her an A if she could sing well too.
I don't get nervous easily,
but the competition itself really put me on edge.
("Lip and Hip" by Hyun A)
- Oh, my. - Nice.
Thank you.
Do you have...
strong abdominal muscles?
I can see them when I skip a meal.
Your voice didn't shake at all throughout your performance,
and you can't sing like that without a strong core and lower body.
Your singing was so stable, and we could hear your voice very clearly.
Thank you.
I think the first impression is most important.
I think Trainee Kim Cho Yeon...
caught our eye right off the bat...
and left the strongest first impression so far.
Block Berry Creative.
A Team Entertainment.
- We'll announce your grade. - We'll announce your grade.
Trainee Go Yoo Jin.
You got a C.
Her singing is very unstable.
(Her vocal abilities were disappointing.)
Trainee Kim Cho Yeon.
You got an A.
Thank you.
- Good job. - Thank you so much.
Mom, I got an A.
I'll work harder...
and do my best to win the center position.
Next trainee, please come in.
She's been the center of the group many times.
I'm a fan of hers.
It's Sakura.
Sakura. It's Sakura.
It's Sakura.
My goodness.
She's so pretty.
Sakura.
- Sakura. - Sakura?
- Sakura. - As you know, she's very famous.
I looked up her photos before coming here,
and she looked so pretty in all of them.
I think she's prettier in real life.
You never know until you meet someone in person.
It was like seeing a celebrity.
A real celebrity.
I could understand why everyone talks about Sakura.
I'm excited. She must be good.
Hello, I'm Miyawaki Sakura.
Please go easy on me.
(She's highly likely to win this year's general election.)
("Who Will Win the 1st Place? Matsui Jurina or Miyawaki Sakura?)
The third place...
goes to Miyawaki Sakura!
(She maintained a high ranking for 2 years in a row.)
Thank you very much for all of your support.
I really wanted to win the election this year,
but I guess I wasn't good enough.
You're a high-ranking member.
Wouldn't this be too risky?
I did get a high ranking,
but I'm not sure if it was based on my abilities...
or it happened because it was in Japan.
I've been a member of HKT48 for the past seven years,
but in all honesty, I don't think that I am...
that talented as an artist.
I always doubt myself and feel anxious.
I was so sad about just letting time pass...
without improving my abilities...
as an artist.
I hope Produce 48 gives me an opportunity...
to turn my life around. I'll work hard.
(The center of HKT48, Miyawaki Sakura)
(They get along with each other so well.)
It's amazing.
(The members of HKT48 joined us determined and driven.)
(However, they kept making mistakes during their evaluation.)
How did you girls get picked?
Your moves weren't in sync at all.
If you girls keep this up, you won't be able to...
perform on stage.
(HKT48 got a low grade.)
It was a big shock to me.
Korean artists...
are well-respected even in Japan,
but I felt like Japanese idol singers...
are nothing outside Japan.
It was like a reality check for me,
and it made me angry.
Hence, all I'm thinking now...
is wanting to show people that the Japanese trainees...
can also do a good job.
Sakura is the ace of the team, even within AKB48.
I have high hopes. She must be good.
Good luck.
Please be good.
She was one of the candidates for "most influential member of AKB48".
I'm looking forward to this.
I hope she does well.
And I want her to show everyone...
the power of AKB48 Group.
("Black Angel" by HKT48)
Thank you.
Her performance wasn't as good as I'd hoped.
I thought she did okay.
She has a star quality.
I would give her a B.
I don't think we should evaluate her performance by thinking...
that she's good considering that she's a Japanese trainee.
Well, that's...
I gave her a B.
This is hard.
We gave her the same grade.
(What is Miyawaki Sakura's grade?)
I will announce your individual grade now.
HKT48 Team K's...
Miyawaki Sakura.
Do you think, maybe...
What grade do you think you will receive?
F, or D if I'm lucky.
I'm going to start from F,
and start with learning the fundamentals properly.
Miyawaki Sakura.
You got an A.
To be honest...
I don't know if she deserved an A.
That's what I thought at the moment.
(We gave her the same grade.)
Let's believe in her just this once, and give her an A.
You got an A.
That's amazing.
You got an A.
(Results of HKT48's evaluation Miwayaki Sakura: A)
This is amazing. I'm so glad.
She got an A.
What a relief.
- Ms. Miwayaki Sakura. - Yes?
I think I see why you're considered to be...
among the most influential members.
How do you feel right now?
I thought that I'd definitely be getting an F.
So I was so shocked.
I saw the performance of the other Japanese trainees,
and all of the trainees that got an F really did their best.
And that made me feel really upset.
I think it'd be great if I could show everyone that...
the Japanese trainees work hard too,
even by a little.
I'll work hard.
I feel like I'm going to cry too.
Don't cry.
When I first heard the trainer say,
"I think I know why you're considered to be..."
"among the most influential members",
I was so glad that I'd worked so hard up until now.
I felt so apologetic.
I really felt so sorry...
and resolved to give this my all too,
so that Sakura won't have to work hard by herself.
I saw a fire in her.
She had such tenacity and spirit.
She seems like someone who has so much pride...
and seemed to be full of ambition.
I predict that...
other Japanese trainees will get better very quickly.
That could happen, yes.
I don't want to be beaten when it comes to trying my best...
and not giving up.
So I'll practice harder than anyone else.
I don't know if the others...
are just doing this for fun.
I'm disappointed in you.
Try doing it by yourself.
I'll make sure to to my best.
I'll make sure I stay in Class A.
How could someone go from A to F?
We will now be concluding the rank evaluations.
I will now reveal the complete results of the evaluations.
Class A, 15 people.
Class B, 25 people.
Class C, 22 people.
Class D, 15 people.
Class F, 19 people.
From this point onwards, all of the trainees will be trained...
in group classes according to the rank they received.
(Classes will be differentiated by rank)
We will now announce the first assignment...
you will be presenting to National Producers.
It's the performance of Produce 48's title track.
The 96 trainees will be performing this in front of the National Producers,
and this will serve as the trainees' way of...
introducing themselves to the National Producers for the first time.
The title of the title track is "Pick Me".
"Pick Me"?
- "Neko-ya"? - "Neko-ya"?
In Japanese, "neko" means "cat".
So we wondered, "a cat? Why a cat?"
(The choreography for "Pick Me" is revealed for the first time.)
(The trainees try the moves they see in the choreography.)
It was quite catchy.
It keeps going like, "pick me, pick me, pick me."
I think it'll be a song that will be impossible to get out of your head.
(The second verse of "Pick Me" starts in Japanese)
- Goodness! - It's in Japanese!
- Japanese! - Japanese!
I was really surprised that there were Japanese lyrics.
I thought I'd heard wrong when I heard the Japanese,
and I thought, "do we really have to memorize this, too?"
It's in Japanese. Oh no. This is bad.
Since all of you are aiming to become a part...
of a global girl group...
you must memorize both Korean and Japanese lyrics from now on.
Oh no, this is really bad.
The fact that I have to memorize lyrics in Korean...
Will I be able to memorize and dance to Japanese lyrics?
I think it'll be a bit difficult since we have to memorize...
lyrics in both languages.
And, just as in previous seasons,
you will be performing on "M Countdown".
I'm so happy. This feels like a dream.
As you are all aware,
it is impossible for all of the trainees who are here now...
to all be presented in the same way on stage.
As such, your position on stage will be assigned based on your rank.
Firstly,
trainees who were ranked A will be the mains for the title track...
and will be at the very front of the stage,
with the most amount of parts,
thus being in the center of the spotlight.
- And Grade B will be behind A... - Gosh, I can't believe it.
- It's completely different. - and Grade C will be behind B.
The people in the back will probably not be seen at all.
And Grade D will be at the very back according to the order of rank.
(Ranks from A to D: Their position on stage will depend on their rank.)
Goodness.
I feel like this is too cruel.
Members of Grade F cannot stand on stage...
at their current level.
I was completely shocked.
I was upset because I really wanted to be on stage.
We do not consider Grade F to be ready...
to stand on stage yet...
and will be backups.
This is the worst.
I really hate this. What do I do?
I'm stunned.
I feel really upset.
But there's no need for you to despair...
because you're in Grade F.
And those who received Grade A can't rest easy either...
because in three days,
we will be re-ranking everyone.
(Groups A to F will be given a new opportunity and re-ranked.)
- In 3 days? - In 3 days?
The "center" role is the most important role...
for the performance of "Pick Me".
And only those who received Grade A...
will be in the running to be the center role in this performance.
It happened to Yoo Jung in I.O.I...
and Lee Dae Hwi in Wanna One.
So if one becomes the center, they're almost guaranteed to début.
I think it's only right to aim for the center role.
I thought that it'd be amazing to be in the center.
And there is one more benefit that the center will be receiving...
that is exclusive to this season.
They will get shot by the camera exclusively at certain parts,
making them the center of attention.
(Being the center of attention while performing "Pick Me")
These benefits make it impossible not to want to be the center.
It's totally... Goodness.
I really can't fail.
I'm going to work harder and harder,
so that I can make it to Grade A.
I have to maintain my position in Grade A.
Please save me.
- Let's do this! - Let's do this!
(Good luck to the 96 trainees...)
(aiming to début as a part of a global girl group.)
(Produce 48 Training Center)
(The 96 trainees move into a dorm after the evaluations.)
Hello.
(Welcome to the dorms!)
There's a camera.
Oh, my goodness.
Hello!
(You're mine starting today.)
It's yellow.
I'm Vitamin Sian.
It's yellow! Yellow!
- We have orange ones. - How cute!
It's too green.
Green doesn't look good on me because I'm so tan.
What colour do you think Grade A has?
I think they're probably purple.
No way.
(Unbelievable)
- Goodness! - It's so pretty.
(Sparkling)
It's sparkly!
It's perfect. I'm so happy.
The pink colour was so cute, and it was sparkling.
I'm so glad I'm in Grade A.
- It's so shiny. - Yes, it's sparkling.
It's so cute.
- Pink. - Pink.
The girls in Grade A were bragging, saying things like,
"We have something sparkly on the back."
So I was a bit envious.
That's not fair, why didn't you do that for us too?
- Goodness. - I can't believe this.
I don't want to wear it.
(Crying)
It's printed so big too.
It's on the back though, so I won't be able to see it, right?
(I can't see it.)
You can see it if you do this.
(She fails to pretend to have not seen it.)
- This one is white. - There's nothing on it.
(Unexpected finding)
I'm just going to wear the white shirt every day.
These are the trainee guidelines.
Trainee guidelines. "You must abide by your class schedule."
"Make sure to keep your classrooms and dorms clean."
"Unnecessary physical contact is forbidden."
(What?)
(Touching)
(What was that?)
What are you doing?
(Get it together!)
If you do that, we won't be able to practice.
Do you... speak Japanese?
(Trainee Choi Yeon Soo doesn't speak Japanese.)
(Curious and frustrated)
Ask them if they have a specific bed they want.
Do you want to sleep on the top bunk?
Which...
(The only Korean trainee in this room)
You can just speak in Korean.
Yes. How old are you?
I'm 18 years old.
(Unexpectedly in charge of interpreting)
You speak Korean.
I studied it.
(I studied Korean.)
- My friend's name is "Mini". - How cute.
This is like my mom.
(The dolls that the trainees brought make their appearances.)
My mom bought me this,
so that I can hug it while I'm sleeping.
(Sleep tight, my baby.)
Isn't it cute?
Does she have a name?
"Lemon-chan".
This is Lemon-chan.
Gosh, you're so cute.
(CJ E and M Ilsan Production Center)
You will be practicing the title track starting today.
Since it's the first time...
that the Japanese trainees are being trained in the Korean way,
this may be quite difficult.
But please trust us, your trainers, and listen to us.
- All right. - All right.
I think that I'll be able to learn things I couldn't learn in Japan.
I want to learn everything that the trainers teach us...
and become cool like them too.
We will now be starting the dance class.
First, you'll do this with your shoulder line...
At this part, put your chin against your shoulder.
(Like this?)
(The trainees follow the moves slowly.)
After that, you'll kick your right foot up twice like this.
Kick it up like this, and make it look fun.
3, 4, 3, 4. You'll turn as you do that.
Then back to center.
After that, do this. After that...
After that...
Wait.
I wanted to say, "Wait."
This was a lot faster paced...
than when we learned AKB48 choreography.
It's so difficult to memorize it this quickly.
I think that the Korean trainees memorized the moves so quickly...
to the point where I was about to say,
"They already memorized the song and dance moves?"
Just so you all know, this part of the song...
is the easiest part.
(What?)
I was so shocked.
I hoped that I could do well by our evaluations tomorrow.
(The first day of customized classes for Groups A to F)
("Pick Me" Class Schedule)
(Class C)
I thought that Class A would be exceptionally good,
but I feel like Class C may have been better than them.
(Class C got a good grade during the joint group dance class.)
I thought that Trainer Choi Young Joon would come in.
I was hoping that Trainer Choi Young Joon would come in.
I feel like Class C may have been better than them.
(Who will be the dance trainer in charge of Class C?)
- Hello. - Hello.
You guys are all yellow.
(Throwing a glance)
Goodness.
I was scared. I was really scared.
I got so nervous. As soon as she walked in, her energy...
(Back in Season One of "Produce 101")
(Dance Trainer Bae Yoon Jung, Tiger Trainer, Star-Maker)
I think I flinched a bit and froze up.
1, 2, 3, 4.
Hey, do it over. One more time, Seo Yeon.
Again.
Don't spread your hand open.
I said, don't spread your hand open! Yes, like that.
Even though there were a lot of people,
it was as if her eyes were telling me that I made a mistake.
She notices immediately if you make a mistake, so it was scary.
Gosh, you...
(Trainees in Class C have a hard time memorizing the moves.)
No, no! Wait.
You have to put more of an honest attempt into dancing.
Get it together, okay?
- Yes, ma'am. - Yes, ma'am.
(The dance lessons continue on with unlimited amount of repeating.)
Eun Chae and Hitomi. I want just you two to dance.
(Trainee Sohn Eun Chae showed off some powerful dance moves.)
(AKB48's Honda Hitomi did a K-pop cover for her evaluations.)
Based on your dancing alone, I could give you an A.
All right. Let's have a Korean trainee and a Japanese trainee do it.
(First dance test for "Pick Me")
I'm here as the representative for the Korean trainees, right?
So I didn't want to get anything wrong.
I wanted to show everyone that there are those among us...
who are good at dancing.
(They both show off the moves that they've practiced so far.)
Both of you are doing much...
better than I expected, so I was so shocked.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
I thought that maybe Trainee Sohn Eun Chae...
and Hitomi would end up with a better rank.
If you two could sing just as well, you could definitely both get an A.
Practice hard.
Thank you.
I almost cried.
I was so happy.
I have to set my goals high. My goal is to be in Class A.
(Class B)
- Hello. - Hello.
- We're Class B... - We're Class B...
- who aspire to be in Class A. - who aspire to be in Class A.
- Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.
Yes, nice to meet you.
We'll be starting now.
(Class B's dance class has officially begun.)
Okay, don't kick too hard. Use the tip of your foot each time.
(Trainer Choi Young Joon gives subtle pointers for the moves.)
Do it in a more bashful way.
Come on, guys.
I told you. This isn't how you do it.
(Bewildered)
I told you. This isn't how you do it.
You have to do it like this, in a more shy way.
Not with all this bouncing.
Relax.
I stared at him shamelessly...
because he's so good at dancing.
(Prim and proper)
The way he moves is so beautiful.
It's even prettier than me.
All right, we'll only have the first row do it.
We'll only have the first row do it.
(Shiroma Miru got a B after her energetic performance.)
But the work that we'll have to do from here on out...
will be a lot more difficult than what you just did.
I'll be looking forward to it.
(Will Shiroma Miru be able to follow the class?)
Play the music, please.
(Miru keeps making mistakes since she has yet to memorize the moves.)
We only have three days.
If you're not prepared by then,
I don't think I'll be able to put you on stage.
(She sheds tears after the dance class is over.)
NMB48's dance moves are simple,
so they're easy to learn.
But there's a lot of details in the choreography for "Pick Me",
so it's quite difficult to do.
(Shiroma Miru's Practice Diary)
(I had my first singing and dancing lessons as a part of Class B.)
(I kept making my trainer worry...)
(because I was unable to follow the class.)
(Is there no hope for me?)
I'm worried that I won't be...
able to stay in Class B.
(Class A)
- Hello. - Hello.
Hello.
I'm so happy that I have a chance to learn directly...
from such amazing trainers.
I'm looking forward to taking classes the most.
Raise your hand if you want to try singing first.
Raise your hand if you're confident.
Nobody?
(Nobody in Class A is raising their hand.)
I'll try singing it.
- Ms. Na Go Eun. - Yes.
My best talent is singing after all.
So I figured that I had to show that off.
(Trainee Na Go Eun was acknowledged...)
(for her singing talent during evaluations.)
She's the most promising trainee among the ones we've seen so far.
- Again. - Yes, ma'am.
You're not on pitch.
All right.
Again. You keep singing flat.
(Trainee Na Go Eun keeps singing off-pitch.)
- All right. - All right.
Well...
Right now, you're...
just like...
reading a Korean textbook.
It doesn't feel like you're singing but just reading.
It's neither good nor bad.
I have high hopes for you because I fought for you...
to be in Class A.
Something about it doesn't make me feel excited.
I see.
I thought you'd do well, but I'm quite disappointed.
(The vocal inspections continue.)
Okay. First of all,
you know that you made a lot of pronunciation errors, right?
- Yes. - You do know?
You knew?
Yes.
If you knew, you shouldn't have sung the song like this.
I practice with a pen in my mouth to work on my pronunciation.
Are you going to sing with a pen in your mouth?
There's no point in practicing with a pen in your mouth.
Also, there seems to be no heart in your singing.
You'll have to practice quite a lot.
I still have a lot more work to do.
- Sakura? - Yes?
Go ahead.
(Miwayaki Sakura starts by singing the Korean lyrics.)
Wait, wait.
Wait, wait. Sorry.
You can sing in Japanese if that's easier for you.
In Japanese?
I'm more used to singing in Japanese, but...
You're saying that it's easier for you to sing this in Korean?
- Yes. - I see. Okay.
- Okay. - I was so shocked.
I thought that the Japanese lyrics would definitely be easier for her.
I thought, "It's amazing how she practiced the Korean lyrics..."
"in that short amount of time."
"She's so cool."
I'm more used to singing in Japanese,
but I sang the song in Korean since I want to learn...
from a Korean trainer.
Okay, go ahead.
Okay, okay.
Trainee Miyu?
Can you sing the chorus?
Good, good.
Good.
I was really upset that I couldn't sing the high-pitched part well.
When you sing, you have to punctuate, then trickle down.
So don't sing by trying to reach up for the notes.
You have to imagine that you're punctuating the high-pitched parts,
and then coming down when singing.
The chorus.
See? You can do it.
You can do it, but you just didn't.
I never thought I'd be able to sing at that pitch,
so I got scared. But I was able to sing the high pitch...
all thanks to the trainer, which made me happy.
I'm so proud.
(Class D)
(Who is the trainer that will be helping the members of Class D?)
- Hello. - Hello.
Hello.
Trainer May J Lee walked in.
She's so good at dancing.
There are tons of videos of her dancing on YouTube,
so she's quite famous among trainees.
(The members of class D slowly learn one move at a time.)
(Peeking)
(She moves back and forth so she can see the trainer.)
(A vacant spot!)
When we received our group evaluations,
I thought, "I'm hopeless."
And I also thought that I must try hard.
(They proceed with the detailed dance checks.)
Min Ju.
You're being way too self-conscious.
(She keeps looking at others uneasily while dancing.)
Have more confidence.
(Right after her performance,)
(Trainee Kim Min Ju was told that she doesn't seem confident enough.)
To be honest, I had no idea what level my skills were at before this.
But compared to some of the other girls,
I think I fall short a lot when it comes to...
singing and dancing.
I was trying to do well,
but I'm not doing as well as I thought I would.
(The next day during the independent practice time)
I think that people who try their hardest...
get to see the fruit of their labour one day.
(I fall short in many ways right now,)
(but I believe that I'll do better if I practice hard. Let's do this!)
(Class B start practicing on their own after their dance class.)
In Class B...
We have Americans, Chinese people,
Japanese people, and Koreans.
This is the Japanese version.
Together... together.
We have a huge language barrier.
Hey everyone, we're going to try watching the dance routine now.
Whoever wants to watch it should come here.
It's hard when we need everyone to move together.
(The Korean trainees start moving toward the performance video first.)
(The Japanese trainees make their way over a bit later.)
There were so many Korean trainees gathered over there...
that we didn't really get a good look at the video.
And we can't really communicate with each other,
so we couldn't tell them that we wanted to watch the video too.
So we were forced to be quite passive.
The Japanese trainees started thinking,
"Are you only going to watch it yourselves and not let us watch?"
It made us feel quite uneasy.
(Trainee Kim Hyun Ah approaches Matsui Jurina.)
(They watch the video together, and Hyun Ah teaches her the moves.)
This part!
The girls who were really good at dancing...
memorized the dance moves first...
and then taught them to everyone in our class.
And that made me feel really relieved.
The fact that I was really uneasy and had such a misunderstanding...
made me feel so apologetic.
The Japanese trainees usually don't teach each other.
Everyone typically learns their own parts by themselves.
But the Korean trainees...
teach everyone and work more as a group, which made me really happy.
- We'll dance together. - Yes.
Can I dance with you guys?
Do you want to dance with me?
- Thank you! - Yes!
It's quite interesting.
Trainees from all these different countries are practicing together.
And we use body language to communicate among ourselves.
It feels like we're communicating despite not using words.
It feels like we're communicating telepathically.
(The trainees in Class A practice the moves before their dance class.)
- Hello. - Hello.
- Go to the center, Ka Eun. - All right.
Well, it's been five years since you debuted, so...
(Shyly asking them to cheer)
(Trainee Lee Ka Eun shows off the moves she practiced flawlessly.)
The details to your moves are so good.
They're really neat. Good job.
- All right. Next, Ye Na. - All right.
(Winking)
Well,
your finger went in your mouth when you did this, right?
Yes.
I told you not to get it in your mouth.
I'm sorry.
(Everyone practices standing in the center.)
(All of the trainees in Class A have mastered the moves.)
There are a lot of people who dance well in Class A.
All right, Celeb Five to the center, please.
Please give us the music.
(Trainee Yoo Min Young keeps making mistakes unlike the other trainees.)
Well,
you looked...
really uncomfortable while dancing to this song.
(All-groups' dance class)
Why did we give HOW's Yoo Min Young an A?
- She's an A. - Well...
- She did that Celeb Five song. - I see. Okay, okay.
(Celeb Five's performance was a hit during the evaluations)
(Trainee Yoo Min Young was praised for her impressive performance.)
I think that it was a really good idea to do Celeb Five back then.
- But you have no charisma now. - I see.
- You'll end up in lower classes. - I understand.
This is terrible. What do I do now?
I really want to stay in Class A.
First and foremost, I'm curious to see...
what your vocalization techniques are.
(The members of Class D sing 1 by 1.)
(Trainee Nakano Ikumi of AKB48)
(Trainee Imada Mina of HKT48)
Okay.
The Japanese girls tend to sing in their nasal voices.
(Humming)
This is an exercise you do...
to know where your voice comes from.
(Let's do this together.)
If you do this, your voice is forced outwards.
This exercise is one that the Japanese trainees need to do most.
(Trainee Sato Minami of AKB48)
(Flinching)
Sato Minami sings in that typical Japanese singing style too.
You know when you do ab exercises,
a lot of energy is used from here, right?
Try saying something.
(Forces out sounds)
Do you get it?
(Worn out)
(A fatigued sigh)
- I get it. - Do you?
I have to make my voice go like this.
- Can you do it? Really? - Yes.
(She tries singing the song again in the way she was taught.)
(Before the vocal training, her voice wavered.)
(After the vocal training, she belts the line.)
(Trainee Sato Minami fixes her nasality and breathing.)
(Proud)
Since there are so many members in AKB48,
it's hard for all of us to get individualized training.
I thought it was amazing that he listened to every person sing...
and was able to give us individualized critiques.
(Class F)
It looks like the Korean character for "k" in the mirror.
Yes, you're right.
That's amazing.
(Let's all become human "k"s)
(Only the best of the best laughs in times of trouble.)
(At that moment, someone enters the practice room.)
- Hello. - Hello.
I thought that she'd be really scary.
I was a bit scared of Trainer Bae Yoon Jung.
Goodness, this class consists almost entirely of Japanese girls.
This is bad.
The only way you'll survive is by working hard.
(She checks Class F's moves...)
(before starting a class on synchronizing their moves.)
(What will Trainer Bae Yoon Jung think of their moves?)
This is actually a lot better than Class C.
(Class F brightens up after just one compliment.)
Okay, great. Let's do it one more time.
Let's go. Okay, once more.
(I'm watching you guys.)
This is great.
I thought you guys would be a mess since you guys are Class F.
But you're doing a lot better than I'd expected, so keep working hard.
You're doing so well, and you follow my instructions so well.
(She was a tiger trainer who was quite harsh during Season One.)
One more time. Good.
(Trainer Bae Yoon Jung... is actually smiling.)
(Trainer Yoon Jung has changed. She's so sweet.)
Yes. You're doing good.
(There's one trainee who seems to be lost.)
(Do I put my hands like this?)
(Is this correct?)
I hope you guys pick it up fast.
- Okay. - Yes.
Let's dance right away.
Get to your position!
(The dance lesson continues.)
(Chiba Erii couldn't memorize the dance moves.)
(Her fingers are so lost.)
(She doesn't know what to do with her arms and legs.)
Okay?
The rhythm goes like this.
Is dancing hard for you?
I practiced a lot,
but I couldn't memorize the moves, so I felt bad.
(Each team is checking on the dance after learning the moves.)
(Chiba Erii stopped dancing suddenly.)
Hold on. Just a second.
What are you doing suddenly?
Erii.
Erii, try dancing alone.
5, 6, 7, 8.
Oh, my goodness.
Your dancing skill is horrible.
She's just like So Hye.
Erii.
Please concentrate and work hard.
I feel like you're someone who doesn't really want to do this.
(She burst into tears.)
Erii.
Do you want to be in Class F until the end of this program?
You flew all the way to Korea, and you're trying so hard.
You should perform on stage at least.
You can't be on stage if you're in Grade F.
It's like we're the backup dancers.
We're the backup dancers.
I'm sorry.
I felt bad.
I can't even be in Class F. I'm so much worse than that.
I lost all my confidence to go up to the higher grades.
Let's all go up to the higher classes.
I really want you all to perform on stage.
Isn't your pride hurt?
Let's pull the A graders down.
Let's all go up. Okay?
- Yes. - Okay.
Let's do this.
Let's go!
- Let's go! - Let's go!
(Class F)
I know that Class F...
is the lowest class.
We aren't as good as the other classes.
When one trainee's going through a hard time,
everyone would go and ask her if she's okay.
To briefly describe, our class has a strong teamwork.
Everyone feels the same way about being on stage.
- Let's go, Class F. - Let's go.
I felt like we all became close...
after just a few days.
Okay.
The Korean trainees in Class F...
talked to me when I was crying.
I would have been demotivated if I were there alone.
I could work hard because the friends were there with me.
I practiced really hard.
I know that nobody wants to go home from here.
Oh, gosh. It's tiring.
(The hard training session is making them give up.)
(But there's one reason they're not giving up despite the difficulties.)
Why are you practicing so hard?
It's because we're in Class F.
I know we're in the lowest class. It means we have to work the hardest.
It is a bit tiring,
but I want to go up to the higher class.
I would never give up on this.
There's no point in coming here if I don't work hard.
All I wanted to do was to work hard together with all the trainees.
I feel like there will be a change.
I expected so much from this trainee.
I don't know why I'm even watching this until the end.
- We can turn the music off. - Why is she in Class C?
She's like the hidden treasure.
- She should be in higher classes. - Let's go.
- Is she singing in Korean? - All Japanese trainees did that.
The Korean trainees should really prepare well.
(It's the last night before the grade evaluation.)
I'm scared of the grade evaluation.
I wish there was more time.
(They continue to practice in their dorms.)
(They're practicing until the last minute before going to sleep.)
The two girls who are using the down bunk aren't here.
Don't Korean trainees sleep?
They practice like this every day before they make their début.
The other trainees don't even sleep and keep practicing.
I'm scared that I won't make it to Class A...
if I don't work hard.
(Class A)
Are you tired?
It's not that I'm tired.
The trainees who just joined for a year dance better than I do.
I've been an idol singer for seven years.
I worked so hard, but my body wouldn't move right.
So I realised that I'm still not skilled at all.
The voice gets natural at the high pitch here, right?
Everyone's singing with their original voices, and they're good.
Even when I memorize the lyrics,
I have to sing and dance at the same time.
I feel like I haven't accomplished anything in the last seven years.
I was angry...
at myself.
(The trainees support each other when they're tired.)
How do you say "I'm sick" in Japanese?
(Have you taken medicine?)
(How about sleeping for a while?)
I know that we couldn't speak each other's languages.
But it would be good to support the friends in the same class.
We're from different countries, but we feel the same about this.
(I learned a lot from the Japanese friends. I'm getting used to them.)
(Their practice continues until the late night.)
(I'm not sure if I can go up to the higher class.)
(But I want to do whatever I can.)
(I practiced really hard for the grade evaluation by video.)
(I want to prove to my parents that I can be in Class A.)
The only chance to stand at the center is to be in Class A.
I'm really desperate.
I want to make a début standing at the center.
I won't give up.
The result will be good as I practiced really hard for this.
(The trainees work hard for the same goal.)
(Can their grade evaluation go well?)
I can't fail.
(It's the day of grade evaluation with the song, "Pick Me".)
(A grade re-evaluation through a video clip)
(Shiroma Miru from Class B)
It was my first time shooting...
a video of myself dancing, so I was scared.
I forget everything when I stand in front of a camera.
(Hong Ye Ji from Class B)
I didn't want to look like I didn't practice hard.
(Ahn Yoo Jin from Class B)
I rehearsed yesterday with a camera.
(She rehearsed and recorded it with a camera the day before.)
(Class B)
I can't remember anything.
I was so shocked when I rehearsed.
I couldn't help but forget the moves as I was so nervous.
That stayed in my head. So I practiced even harder.
(Ahn Yoo Jin from Class B)
Her face was bright all the way.
The song suited her well.
(The grade evaluation for Class C begins.)
Sohn Eun Chae was...
(She's expected to go up to the higher class.)
I think Eun Chae will do well.
She memorized the dance moves from the lesson.
Then she helped to teach the other trainees.
I think she'll finish it perfectly.
(Sohn Eun Chae from Class C)
(It's the high pitch part from "Pick Me".)
If you can sing well, you can surely go to Class A. Practice hard.
Okay. Thank you.
She practiced a lot every day.
But I felt bad because she made many mistakes.
(The grade evaluation for Class D begins.)
(Motomura Aoi from Class D)
The Japanese trainees were really good.
(Imada Mina from Class D)
(Nakano Ikumi from Class D)
What I'm jealous of them...
is how they can make their faces so bright when they dance.
I liked that kind of energy.
(The grade evaluation for Class F begins.)
(Chiba Erii from Class F)
(During the practice in Class F)
(Chiba Erii struggled to memorize the dance moves.)
I really worked hard.
But I ruined it because my brain was blank.
(Matsuoka Natsumi from Class F)
(Mogi Shinobu from Class F)
(Shinozaki Ayana from Class F)
Do you think your grade can go up?
I don't think so.
(The Class F trainees burst into tears.)
I wondered why we did so bad when we practiced.
I wouldn't have felt bad if I didn't practice hard...
from the beginning. But I practiced so hard...
until I realised it's so unfair that I'm not good.
I'm Murakawa Vivian from HKT48.
I'll start with the video evaluation.
Thank you.
I realised that I'm not...
so talented.
I think I should work even harder to catch up with the others.
(The tension in Class A is quite high.)
There's no higher class than Class A.
I can go only lower.
So I was pressured to keep my grade.
I really wanted to stay in Class A.
Everyone reduced the other free time...
and only practiced.
(Can they keep the center group position?)
(The grade evaluation for Class A begins.)
(Lee Ka Eun from Class A)
(Na Go Eun from Class A)
(Lee Ha Eun from Class A)
She's good indeed.
She did well as expected as a trainee in Class A.
I'll sing in Japanese.
You record your video once in Korean...
and once in Japanese. You'll record two videos each.
(Kim Da Hye from Class A)
("Pick Me", Japanese version)
(Kim Cho Yeon from Class A)
(Hwang So Yeon from Class A)
(Choi Ye Na from Class A)
(The trainees from Class A keep making mistakes.)
(Kwon Eun Bi from Class A)
I thought to myself, "What is this?"
"What's happening?"
(Miyawaki Sakura from Class A)
("Pick Me", Japanese version)
("Pick Me", Korean version)
She did well in both Korean and Japanese.
She finished her song well in Korean.
I thought it was amazing.
I have to keep my place.
I was scared that my place might be taken away.
I want to be in the center group.
Please tell me it's not...
Is it a phone call time?
What?
(She's so happy that she's gone mad.)
(You can call only one person you can think of now.)
Please pick up the phone, Mom.
Hey, Ka Eun.
- Hello? - Mom.
Hello?
They said we can call someone whom we can think of right now.
So that's why you called?
So I called you, Mom.
My goodness.
You must've missed me so much. Stop crying.
Are you okay?
Are you okay, Sakura?
Why are you crying? Has something happened?
Are you okay?
Was there anything that bothered you?
I'm not quite...
meeting my expectations.
Da Min, you can do it.
Don't worry.
Just do whatever you want to do.
Hitomi, you can do it.
I feel better after I hear your voice.
But I scolded you before you left.
Oh, right. You scolded me before I left.
I realised that I felt thankful towards my mom all along.
I realised that I'm not alone.
I have my family.
Are you the oldest there?
I think so. I'm the oldest here.
Tell me if there's anything you want to eat in advance.
There's nothing I want to eat. They have everything here.
I had instant noodles too.
You must be crazy.
I know that...
you're good enough to be there,
but I think you can't make your début.
I know...
that you can't make it that far.
Mom. How can you say that?
You told me Soyou is so skinny.
You said she looks bigger on TV.
Do you want to look like a pig on TV?
Mom.
You're on the speaker phone.
Oh, okay. I didn't know.
You said that someone from Gugudan...
used to be fat before. Now she lost weight, and she looks good.
(Mom, please calm down.)
I'm sorry. I'm not used to this kind of thing, that's why.
This won't be aired, right?
I don't know about that.
Is anyone next to you?
No.
(The video grade evaluation is all done.)
(Every trainer is here for the re-evaluation.)
(Whose grade will be adjusted?)
Finally, it's the day of re-evaluation.
I feel like there will be a lot of changes.
I think those in Class A might end up in Class C or D.
Well, that's a given.
(Some A graders didn't really perform well.)
(Do it again.)
(You're reading a book, not singing.)
You looked really uncomfortable while dancing to this song.
(It looks uncomfortable.)
Many Korean trainees go through video evaluation each time.
The Japanese trainees are not used to that.
I feel like the Japanese trainees would do well because...
they have many experiences of standing in front of cameras.
- They were on stages before. - Yes, they have the experience.
When we do the video evaluation, how they stare at the cameras...
and how they look get much better.
- Let's check it out right away. - Yes.
Hello. I've been a trainee in Pledis for 6 years and 10 months.
My name is Lee Ka Eun.
- I can't wait to watch it. - Me too.
(Pledis Entertainment Lee Ka Eun's grade re-evaluation)
She dances stably.
She practiced a lot.
The song doesn't suit her tone.
But she can sing well stably.
It wasn't bad.
I'm Miyawaki Sakura from HKT48.
It's Sakura.
(HKT48 Miyawaki Sakura's grade re-evaluation)
That's great.
You're mine
- She can dance. - Yes. She can sing and dance.
She knows how to look at the cameras.
She looks at the cameras well.
I can tell that she practiced a lot.
The next one is... Oh, my gosh.
I'm Lee Chae Yeon.
- She's good. - She was sick.
- Really? - So she couldn't have lessons.
Then she must've learned the dance herself.
(WM Lee Chae Yeon's grade re-evaluation)
She's good.
She knows when to breathe while dancing.
She knows it all.
This song suits her well.
I want more trainees like her.
- Please do it well. - She's from FNC Entertainment.
(Park Hae Yoon sang powerfully in the grade evaluation.)
(She made a mistake because she was nervous.)
What?
She couldn't even memorize the lyrics. All her moves are wrong.
Why isn't she singing?
I don't know why I'm even watching this until the end.
I have no comment.
I'm sorry.
Her strength is high pitches.
She can't sing it like that. Can she?
I even marked her name. But she isn't good.
She's so pretty.
She's so pretty. I hope she does well.
She made her début before.
(Stone Music Entertainment Jang Gyu Ri's grade re-evaluation)
Oh, gosh.
She didn't practice hard.
(A Team Entertainment Kim Cho Yeon's grade re-evaluation)
Oh, my goodness.
- Focus. - Hold it.
- Oh, no. - Oh, gosh.
My goodness. She's in trouble.
(Million Market Cho Sa Ran's grade re-evaluation)
(Fave Entertainment Shin Su Hyun's grade re-evaluation)
(RBW Park Ji Eun's grade re-evaluation)
Ji Eun, what are you doing?
Bring yourself together.
I think we can turn this off.
This is worse than I thought.
They didn't practice hard.
All aces are disappointing.
I'm Goto Moe. I look forward to your kind evaluation.
Oh! She's on my A-list.
- She lost her voice. - Oh, right.
(Goto Moe only danced because she lost her voice.)
Why didn't you sing?
Actually, I have a pollen allergy.
So my voice is completely gone.
I'm so curious about her voice.
(Vocal lesson in Class F)
(What's Goto Moe's voice like?)
(The trainers were so curious about her voice.)
You don't use your nasal voice much.
She's really eager to learn.
(AKB48 Goto Moe's grade re-evaluation)
Wait a minute.
She started off wrong.
What a pity.
Oh, goodness.
She keeps smiling.
She's really unique.
It's so cool that she doesn't stop mid-way.
(AKB48 Mogi Shinobu's grade re-evaluation)
Maybe it's because they have an experience on stage.
They don't stop dancing at all. They don't give up.
(NMB48 Murase Sae's grade re-evaluation)
She's so horrible.
But I want to teach her.
She's a hard worker.
(Nakano Ikumi's grade re-evaluation)
- I like her. - I thought...
the Japanese trainees would be scolded a lot today.
But I have no comment on them because it's just...
that they're not experienced.
It's a scary thing. The Korean trainees should really prepare well.
These girls have to sing in both Korean and Japanese.
Yes. They have to memorize in both.
(They were told beforehand to sing "Pick Me" in both languages.)
(The trainees were given two chances to sing the song in both languages.)
This is the Japanese version.
("Pick Me" in Japanese by the Korean trainees)
(MNH Entertainment Lee Ha Eun's grade re-evaluation)
She's small, but she's good.
(Banana Culture Kim Na Young's grade re-evaluation)
Why was she in Class C?
What's this? She's like a hidden treasure.
(Fent Entertainment Kim Do Ah's grade re-evaluation)
Her head is full of singing the song in Japanese.
(Woollim Entertainment Kwon Eun Bi's grade re-evaluation)
She's not singing at all.
It's like she's in a dance competition.
She should sing at least one word in Japanese.
It starts with this line. Even I know this.
(AKB48 Honda Hitomi's grade re-evaluation)
(Impressed)
It's not bad.
- Is she singing in Korean? - Yes.
She practiced a lot.
I feel happy.
I like her.
She's so pretty.
She practiced so hard to sing in Korean.
(The Japanese trainees memorized the lyrics in Korean too.)
All Japanese trainees sang in Korean.
I'm curious about this.
We gave the same time to everyone. Some can do it and some can't.
It's the differences of their wills.
What difference? Homeless difference?
(What?)
(I see.)
I think the Korean trainees should learn from them.
(AKB48 Iwatate Saho's grade re-evaluation)
My goodness.
(Wiggling)
What is she doing?
(She's dancing without energy.)
- Oh, no. - Hold on.
It looks like a difficult technique.
Oh, my goodness.
- My goodness. - Did you see that?
But I can tell that she practiced so hard.
- I can't hate her. - I know.
(I'm the dancing queen here.)
My goodness.
She's so confident.
Her facial expression was good.
My heart wants to give her an A.
I hope to see someone who deserves an A.
(CNC Entertainment Yoon Eun Bin's grade re-evaluation)
(Wellmade Yedang Kang Da Min's grade re-evaluation)
- Let's give her an A. - She's flexible.
Her dance moves are big. She's powerful.
She's in top five.
She has a pretty face also.
She never missed the beat.
(HKT48 Yabuki Nako's grade re-evaluation)
- She's on my A-list. - She gave me a good impression.
You're very good.
(Yabuki Nako showed that she can dance well.)
(She's one of the first ones to move up to the higher class.)
I think Yabuki Nako is the best.
Her dance moves are neat even when she doesn't try so hard.
- It's good. - Isn't she good?
She dances easily.
I think she'll go to Class A.
- She has to be in Class A. - Let's move her.
We found a pearl from Class F.
She has the potential.
(Trainee Yabuki Nako)
(What will the 96 trainees receive from the grade re-evaluation?)
We've decided on the final grades.
Get your Final Grade Report Card.
Those who got an F...
How can you go to Class F from Class A?
Please move to Class F.
(The rankings of the 96 trainees will be revealed soon.)
(The grade re-evaluation will continue.)
How can this happen?
(It's time to announce the result of the 96 trainees' re-evaluation.)
(Class A)
- Hello. - Hello.
Hello.
I watched the videos that you all submitted.
We've decided on your final grade...
based on the skills that you've shown us...
in the video evaluation.
The number of people whose grade has changed...
is nine in total.
12 people in total.
17 people in total.
18 people in total.
How many people do you think...
received an A?
Trainee Lee Ka Eun from Pledis Entertainment.
(Final Grade Report Card)
(Lee Ka Eun, Pledis Entertainment)
(Final Grade: A)
Trainee Miyawaki Sakura's final grade is...
(Miyawaki Sakura Final Grade: A)
If there are a lot of trainees that walk through that door,
your chances...
of being demoted to a lower grade will become that much greater.
I was so anxious.
I could hear my heart thumping in my ears.
I'm expecting around five people.
- When I call your name, - Please come up here...
- And take your... - Final report card.
Ahn Yoo Jin of Starship Entertainment.
I'll be relieved if I can just stay in Class B.
Shiroma Miru of NMB48.
I had no confidence, and I didn't even do that well.
Jang Gyu Ri of Stone Music.
Sohn Eun Chae of Million Market.
Honda Hitomi of AKB48.
I need to set a high goal. My goal is to be in Class A.
Trainee Kim Min Ju of Urban Works.
I feel like I'll be placed in Class D or F.
Goto Moe of AKB48.
I didn't think that I'd be able to move upwards.
Chiba Erii of AKB48.
Trainee Lee Chae Yeon of WM.
(Final Grade Report Card)
Yoo Min Young of HOW.
Please let it be an A.
You will now be going to your final ranks' rooms.
(They go to their final ranks' rooms after receiving their report cards.)
Those of you who received an F,
please go to Class F's room.
Those of you who received an F,
please go to Class F's room.
(Did anyone from Class A get an F as their final grade?)
There have been some people who moved up from F to A,
but there has never been anyone who went from A to F.
So I don't think anyone will have gotten an F.
How could someone go from Class A to Class F?
Please go now.
Oh, no.
They'll go down in history.
Oh, no.
(A trainee goes from A to F for the first time...)
(in "Produce" series history!)
I flinched.
This person was in Class A,
the class we all aspired to be in.
(Who is the student that dropped from A to F?)
(The rankings of the 96 trainees will be revealed soon.)
Dear National Producer. We will now be announcing...
the rankings of the 96 trainees in real-time!
(Current Rankings)
(From 85th to 96th)
(From 73rd to 84th)
(From 61st to 72nd)
(From 49th to 60th)
(From 37th to 48th)
(From 25th to 36th)
(From 13th to 24th)
(From 1st to 12th)
(Center Selection Match)
I thought that it'd probably end up being Sakura.
I thought that it'd be good for Ka Eun to be the center.
Don't cry.
This assignment, which will determine...
whether you will survive or be eliminated,
is a group battle evaluation.
3, 2, 1!
It's show time!
I'll be eliminated for sure.