Chapter 125: Red Carpet and Opening Ceremony

they were rehearsing, there were already many people gathered around the stage. Besides most of the staff, there were also a few groups of artists who were standing nearby, like Apk who had just fini...EXO stayed at the MAMA venue from morning to afternoon, waiting and rehearsing. Under the care of the organizers, they rehearsed three times today.

Apart from a minor mishap during the transition in the middle, everything went smoothly and perfectly. This mistake was also caused unintentionally by a member, and with a bit more attention next time, it can be completely avoided.

Rehearsal was almost done, and by the afternoon, everyone rushed off to get their hair and makeup done. There were only a limited number of stylists at the company, so twelve people queued up in batches. Ji Jingyuan was the last one to finish getting ready.

After he finished styling his hair, with Cody sister's praise, the eyes of the surrounding members couldn't help but turn to him. After being stunned for a few seconds, several people immediately turned their heads and curled their lips, pretending not to have seen it.

Ji Jingyuan's餘光 noticed that Wu Shixun's mouth twitched slightly, probably because he was annoyed again that Cody sister favored him.

After Pool's styling was finished, the EXO 12 members' looks were all revealed. Each member had their own unique style, but compared to usual, it wasn't too out of the ordinary or eye-catching.

The two center positions on stage tonight, Luhan's hairstyle seemed a bit too heavy. His thick bangs completely covered his forehead, and there was also a slight height difference. Overall, he wasn't as eye-catching as Ji Jingyuan.

We'll have to wait a while longer for the red carpet. Everyone is dressed in pure black suits right now, making them look formal and dignified.

After everything was settled, EXO followed their manager to the designated location for the organizers. Not long after the red carpet segment began, a luxurious extended Mercedes-Benz car arrived to pick them up.

The red carpet event isn't really suitable for many idols. Aside from some subjective factors, many idols are actually not very tall. On the red carpet, their physical flaws are easily exposed, and many can't project enough aura, which lowers the perception of both passersby and fans.

Besides, the idol's aura and physique aren't particularly outstanding either. Compared to award ceremonies red carpets in the film and television industry, the difference in class and level is immediately apparent.

Most of the members of EXO are not very tall, but there are also a few who are tall and handsome. On the red carpet, Kim Jong-in, Park Chan-yeol, and Wu Se-hun, several towering figures, took the lead, attracting everyone's attention. The height and appearance of the three are among the best in all male idols on the peninsula. At this time, they were very adaptable to the red carpet and looked extremely eye-catching.

Before and after EXO, there have been other male idol groups who walked the red carpet. Compared to them, EXO's members truly stand out as superior at this moment.

And because of Jin Tan's popularity, as soon as Ji Jingyuan got off the car, he heard many people shouting his name, "Jin Tan, Jin Tan." The temperature around him suddenly rose a lot.

After walking the red carpet, there was a photoshoot, followed by a few brief interviews. I don't know if it was arranged by the organizers on purpose, but the host asked Pool Jingyuan several questions about "The Heirs," and ...

"Yuanxi, recently there have been many media reports that you and Park Shin-hye are in a romantic relationship because of the drama. Hong Kong audiences are very concerned about this issue. What do you think about it"

To be honest, this kind of gossip-related question is rarely asked in such a formal setting. However, the moment the question was asked, the audience erupted in screams, and Ji Jingyuan could understand why the host dared to ask such an out-of-line question.

Since the hit drama "The Heirs," rumors of a romantic relationship between Park Seo Joon and Park Shin Hye have been circulating. Their supposed sibling-like love story keeps getting brought up every few days in Korea, even on the Peninsula.

Because their on-screen chemistry was so convincing, both in their mannerisms, eye contact, and actions, it made people truly believe they were a real couple.

... plus those several classic and sweet-to-the-point-of-cringe kiss scenes, and the two's interactions on set are frequent, with many private photos leaked as well. With these rumors circulating, it wouldn't be strange at all.

A Korean drama's male and female leads are usually officially a couple in the drama, so there are often rumors about them falling in love because of the show.

Hong Kong's local rumors seem to be very developed. With the success of "The Heirs", both viewers and fans are also very interested in this.

"Well, Xiuhui and I are very close friends. She took good care of me and taught me a lot during filming. I'm very grateful to her. However, we aren't in a relationship. My focus is still on EXO's career for now, and I don't have any plans to date in the near future. Thank you."

Chi Jingyuan smiled very appropriately into the microphone and answered without omission.

He was answering, but he found it very interesting in his heart.

"If you ask me about my relationship with Lee Bo-na, I estimate that when I answer, I can't be so righteous and stern anymore, I might need to consider it…"

This answer disappointed many viewers, but EXO fans were all overjoyed and cheering, looking like a stone had been lifted from their hearts.

No fan wants to see their idol in love.

After answering a few more questions, they entered the venue for this event, the AsiaWorld-Expo, to wait.

At 7:00 PM sharp, the 2013 MAMA Awards ceremony officially kicked off amidst the anticipation and cheers of countless fans.

The opening consisted of a series of VCR broadcasts, introducing the glorious history of MAMA in recent years and the achievements of Kpop. Then EXO's Kai appeared and performed a solo dance to the dynamic electronic music accompaniment.

This is because Kai, one of the originally planned center positions for the stage, was given to Ji Kyung-won. The company specifically communicated with the organizers to increase individual stages, and due to EXO's popularity, the organizers readily agreed.

I have to say, Kai's dancing is really impressive. He stands out the most in EXO. It's not that his moves are particularly complex, but he gives off a great feeling when he dances, a sense of freedom and ease. Plus, his facial expressions are well-managed, so it's no wonder ** has high hopes for him as their main push.

Kai's charm is mainly revealed on stage. Offstage, his looks and popularity are a bit lacking compared to the others, which is why even as the main promoted member, his popularity has never been very high.

This time the stage design was quite special, not the usual rectangular shape. Instead, there was a central stage shaped like a gear, with a lift in the middle. It wasn't close to the entrance and extended three corridors, connecting to the stage entrance, the artist area, and the audience seats respectively.

When Kai was performing, the camera focused on EXO in the audience. Since one of their members was on stage, all 11 members stood up to cheer for Kai and clapped continuously to show their support.

After filming EXO's performance, the camera slowly swept across the entire artist seats, telling the audience which idol artists were present today.

Today's MAMA still has quite a few idols, with popular ones like bigbang, EXO, 2NE1, two members of Girls' Generation, SISTAR, Lee Hyori, TroubleMaker, etc. Then there are groups like BkerBker, APK, CrayonPop, and fite.

Although last year's grand prize winners, SJ and PSY, are not attending this year, the lineup is still impressive. At least the top-ranking male and female groups on the Korean popularity charts are all here.

After Kai's solo dance ended to cheers, he exited the stage. The South Korean band, Purple Rain, ascended from a lift and the performance officially began.

(**) Let me know if you'd like to translate any more text!

First published on the Popular Novel Network for their projects.""And, rather than these viewers enjoying this behind-the-scenes footage, I think..." Park Jin-young smiled somewhat helplessly, shaking his head and continuing, "I think it's more...