One hour and a half has passed since Mari and I started preparing our performance for the first challenge. Knowing how high the level of the overall competition is, there's no room for mistakes, especially on my part. Turning a lighthearted trot song into a powerful rock anthem is an extremely hard task that requires a lot of energy, passion and hard work.

As if it isn't challenging enough, I have to deal with Mari's constant nitpicking. She won't leave me alone for a moment. I understand her—the performance has to be perfect in order for us to score big—but I wish she wouldn't be so uptight. To add insult to injury, she doesn't even accept my advice to her, as if she were already Miss Perfection.

I have to perform better than her to get her off the pedestal she built for herself. Realistically speaking, it's almost impossible. I'm a hopeless dreamer, though. So, all I have to do is work harder, and harder, and harder. The more I push through, the better. My confidence builds up every time I try. My mistakes become easier to spot and fix. I think I'm ready.

***

As the round begins, I focus on every detail from the other performances. Saesong and Saeha are the first to present their task, a bubblegum version of the goth pop classic "Sick of Love." Since I'm a die hard fun of the song, listening to it in a totally different concept weirds me out a bit.

Nonetheless, it's entertaining and gets me to dance a little bit. Mari, however, being a total spoil sport, shoots a deadly glare at me, making me stop on my tracks. She makes me nervous with this attitude. I hope she changes her ways as soon as possible, otherwise I'll have to pray I never get paired with her again.

Next up, it's Hyanggi and Daha. Their task consists of a circus style rendition of "Black Swan's Tears." To be honest, I've never thought they could pull it since a remake of the original would be considered outrageous in any other context. I'm surprised they've just pulled it perfectly. They're definitely two to watch out.

Hyewon and Boyeon are the third pair to perform. They have to take the emotional ballad "With you, I'll always smile" and turn it into something worthy of a catwalk. They start off their performance strutting to the center of the stage and doing runway poses. As they sing, they give a classy, posh first generation vibe. The highlight, however, is the dance break with perfectly synchronized voguing moves.

I may hate Boyeon for the way she treated me yesterday; objectively speaking, however, she's one of the most talented contestants on the show and has the potential to be a frontrunner. If I want to match her level, I have to be perfect. It's hard, I know, but I have no other choice if I want to succeed.

Seungsik announces a commercial break; Mari takes advantage of it to push me into more rehearsal. I don't object. I try to give my all, knowing I have to raise the bar to get the best score. However, she keeps nitpicking at everything, all while rejecting my feedback. How are we supposed to make it work when there's barely any harmony between us?

Times fly as we keep practicing; when the last commercial from the batch is over, our turn is announced. "Break a leg!" I say in an attempt to pump us up, but Mari rolls her eyes and ignores me. I thought she's cool yesterday after she seemed to give me signs of opening up to me. I was dead wrong.

"Begone, witch!" is a song I hold dear. It has been one of my first picks for my busking performances. It has been so well liked in my close circle that everyone in my family can sing it to a fairly decent extent. Turning this gritty punk rock piece into a tropical house hit, perfectly fit for a night on the dance floor, has required a massive dose of exercise, as well as acquiring a whole new perspective.

The moment I hit the first notes, silence falls on the stage. Even the occasional unpleasant snickers from staff members are turned off. 'Oh, little witch, begone, begone, begone! 당신이 떠날 날을 기다리며. Begone, witch, begone, begone! Get out of my face, yeah—you're such a disgrace. Be-gone, witch!' As I sing these lines, the original track resounds in my mind.

Nonetheless, I enjoy performing this remix. I like how it sounds. I find pleasure in the nocturnal vibe it gives, the arches that accompany the main beat, the catchy chorus. Only one thing sticks out like a sore thumb: Mari's negative energy. Her singing technique is brilliant and her moves are sharp and precise. What she lacks here is soul. She hasn't got in the spirit of the song or the task in itself.

Still, I'm confident this won't be too much of a handicap for us. Now, only Daneung and Seoyoung are left. They both glare at me, but I smile at them. I'm sure they'll close this challenge on a high note.

My expectations are met as they re-interpret "VILLAIN LIVES" as a dreamy folk pop song. Daneung's sorrowful vocals, combined with Seoyoung's guitar solo, make their performance a harmony of vivid emotions and diverse feelings. The rest of us all applaude in approval.

Seungsik takes the center of the stage again. "And, that's the last performance! The audience will vote for their favorite song—based on that, along with feedback from our trusted panelists, you'll receive a score between 10 and 50 points. You'll find the results on the next episode, though. Stay tuned!"

When filming for today is over, I expect Mari to come to me, trying to accuse me over any potential mistake of mine. To my surprise, this doesn't happen. She directly heads out of the studio. Before I can even reach other contestants to congratulate, one of the panelists, singer and producer Jo Dohee, approaches me.

He studies my expression, which has been reduced to a blank stare. He has to reassure me. "Don't worry, I don't bite!" he says in a playful tone which, at first, takes me aback. "By the way, Saesom, right?"

I nod. "Yes. Why are you talking to me, though? I could've done much better."

"Well... You seem to be very critical of yourself. Okay, I'll go straight to the point. I've paid close attention to all the performances from this first challenge. All of them captured me in one way or another. Yet, yours..."

"Oh, my performance with Mari! I think-"

He shakes his pointing finger. "Oh, no, no. I'm not here to discuss your performance as a pair. I'm here to talk about you only, Saesom. That chorus! You took it and turned that glorified cover into a brand new song."

I blush. This is the most flattering compliment I've ever received on a vocal performance of mine. "Thank you so much! I was actually-"

"Listen, I have an offer. How about you record this new version in studio? Just you, without Mari." The offer is interesting. I'd like to accept; however, I don't know if the original singer is okay with it. Then, I remember Jo Dohee himself is the one who recorded the original version, and facepalm at my stupidity.

"I'd love to! It'd be an honor."

"Great! Then, let's go. We have a few hours before the recording studio closes."