After Ji Hyo left the interview room—still mortified by his unexpected dolphin impression—the three producers sat in stunned silence for a beat. Then, as if on cue, they all turned to look at one another.
Kang Areum was the first to speak, resting her chin on her palm, "He wasn't on the original list, right? I checked like three times."
Seo Hana nodded and pulled out her phone, tapping quickly. "Since he got an official invitation. Let me call the management team to confirm. There might've been a change."
As the two women discussed among themselves, Min Jae-hyun leaned back in his seat, arms crossed and eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Ji Hyo's unexpected appearance—and undeniable presence—left a strong impression. He wasn't just another pretty face; he had that spark. Something… unpolished but intriguing.
Moments later, Hana ended the call and looked up at them. "Okay, so here's what happened. The management team added Ji Hyo last minute because they thought one of the confirmed trainees from Starlight Entertainment backed out."
"What?" Areum's brows lifted. "But the Starlight trainee was here. We interviewed him earlier. He's still in."
"Exactly," Hana sighed. "They didn't double-check and assumed he dropped out, so they filled the slot with Ji Hyo."
Areum groaned, "So now we have 101 contestants instead of 100?"
"That's right," Hana confirmed, looking mildly panicked. "Our format, budget, and team were prepared for 100 exactly. What do we do now?"
The room fell into brief silence again as they each processed the situation. Bringing on a last-minute trainee wasn't unheard of, but disrupting a carefully curated balance was another thing altogether.
Then suddenly, Jae-hyun sat up straighter. His eyes sparkled with the kind of excitement that only came when inspiration struck. "+1."
The two women looked at him, confused.
"Let's call him '+1.' Like a wildcard," he explained, leaning forward, his voice picking up energy. "It's simple. Instead of framing it like a mistake, we can use it to our advantage. One extra trainee—an unexpected twist. Think about it. Viewers love surprises. This gives us a narrative hook."
Areum's lips slowly curled into a grin. "That… might actually work."
"We just say there are 100 official contestants and a +1," Hana added, eyes lighting up. "We can even play it up during the premiere. Build some mystery around him."
"Exactly," Jae-hyun nodded. "He didn't apply, he didn't audition publicly—he was invited, showed up with a hidden charm, and now he's the unexpected +1. It practically writes itself."
The three of them exchanged looks.
It was settled.
Min Jae-hyun pulled out his pen and scribbled something at the top of the list on the tablet.
"101. Ji Hyo Hyun — Wildcard Entry '+1'"
"Let's see what this kid can really do," he muttered, smiling to himself.
And with that, the course of the show shifted ever so slightly. Unknown to Ji Hyo, he had just become a special piece in the game—a twist nobody saw coming, not even himself.
The first day of shooting was set in just three days.
An hour after leaving the studio, Ji Hyo had already received a message from Producer Min Jae-hyun himself—clear, concise, and loaded with pressure. The first filming would be for the Class Evaluation, the infamous opening of every "PICK ME" season where trainees are divided into classes A, B, C, or F based on their performances. It was the first moment the world would see them. And the first impression could make or break a contestant.
Ji Hyo lay on his bed, the tablet Jae-hyun provided in his hands, showing the instructions. His finger hovered over the screen as he reread the words for the third time.
"You'll perform in front of the judges and the cameras. No cuts, no rehearsals, no second chances. Show us who you are, '+1.' We're expecting something special."
Special? He scoffed under his breath, tossing the tablet beside him with a soft thud. The title of "+1" was already weird enough—he didn't even want to imagine how the other trainees would react to it once it was revealed.
He rolled onto his side, his fingers digging under the edge of his pillow. "What should I do…?"
His mind replayed clips of the past seasons, especially the most iconic opening performances—the ones that ended up going viral. Some trainees showed full choreography, some showcased vocal skills, others just did something memorable. He had to stand out, but not in a cringey way.
The thought of his "weird talent" from the interview made him want to disappear again.
Still no sign of Felix today. Which was rare.
Ji Hyo sat up and glanced at his phone, a moment of hesitation brushing over his face. No new messages. Usually, Felix would drop by just to annoy him or bring food, even if he had training. But not today.
That's fine, Ji Hyo thought, throwing himself back on the bed.
He wanted to keep this from Felix anyway.
It wasn't about secrecy—okay, maybe it was a little—but more than anything, it was about pressure. Felix believed in him too much. He didn't want someone cheering for him when he himself wasn't sure what he was doing yet. Besides, if he failed… it was better Felix wasn't there to see it.
Still, a strange part of him thought… wouldn't it be nice if Felix had joined too?
For a brief moment, he imagined the two of them standing on the same stage, side by side, fighting for the same dream. Felix was talented—no doubt about that. And with his charisma, visuals, and confidence, he'd be a fan favorite in no time. Ji Hyo shook the thought away.
"Focus," he whispered to himself.
He stood and went over to his desk, grabbing his notebook and scribbling down possible song choices. He needed something that matched his strengths—his R&B tone, his stage presence, and something that would catch the judges off guard in a good way.
A few titles circled in red. A few crossed out.
He still had three days.
Three days to prepare something unforgettable.
Three days to prove he deserved that "+1" slot.
The promotion of the show exploded like wildfire.
Within minutes of its official drop, the name "PICK ME +1" began trending across all platforms—from Naver and Daum to Twitter, TikTok, and even international forums. Netizens flooded the comment sections, dissecting every second of the teaser, every word, and especially the bizarre addition to the title:+1.
The promotional video was sleek—powerful music, fast cuts of flashing lights, silhouettes of trainees, past winners, and the giant golden logo spinning at the center of a dark void. It ended with a glitch effect, revealing the new name:
"PICK ME +1: The Third Season."
It was then chaos broke loose in the K-pop community.
"+1??? What does that mean?"
"Is this like a secret member thing?"
"Some kind of twist??"
"Omg are they bringing back a past winner??"
"I swear if it's an AZ trainee again I'm out."
"No bc what if this is like a producer's pick??"
"LMAOOO I bet it's some chaebol trying to debut."
"+1 sounds like a glitch. Like a bug in the system."
"Wait, imagine it's someone who wasn't supposed to be there 👀👀👀"
"The way they added +1 like it's a game character skin I'm crying."
The comments were endless. Theorists, fans, antis, even former contestants—everyone had something to say.
Ji Hyo had been scrolling through the comments from his phone, lying belly down on his sofa, one leg swinging lazily in the air. He was trying to relax, trying to rest his brain—but instead he'd been doom-scrolling for over an hour.
He sighed and buried his face in the pillow.
"This is getting out of hand…"
Still, he couldn't stop reading.
Some of the comments were ridiculous—one person even suggested the "+1" might be a virtual AI trainee sent to test the real ones.
Others, though… hit too close.
"Maybe someone paid their way in. That +1 reeks of privilege."
"I feel bad for the real trainees who fought their way here only to see a last-minute '+1' take the spotlight."
"Whoever the +1 is, they better be worth it."
Ji Hyo bit his lip.
He was the +1.
The system didn't even give him a warning before it happened—just a short message after the interview confirming that he had been added as an "Official Trainee No. 101 – Designated +1."
He remembered the look on the producers' faces when they found out. The confusion, the shock, the half-laughter. He hadn't even known what was happening himself until they confirmed that he was not originally on the list… and yet, there he was.
He sighed again and rolled onto his back, raising his phone above his head as he refreshed the comment section.
"Can't wait to see who the mysterious +1 is."
"I hope the +1 is actually talented and not just hype."
"This season's gonna be fire. Imagine if the +1 ends up winning the whole thing LOL."
He stared at that last comment.
Winning the whole thing…
It sounded absurd. Unreal. Yet something in him—a small, defiant spark—whispered that maybe it wasn't.
He didn't ask to be the +1. But now that he was, he wouldn't just fade into the background. If the world wanted to know who the mysterious +1 was… then he would show them.
Not as a glitch.
Not as a joke.
But as someone meant to stand out.
With that thought, Ji Hyo locked his phone and stood up, the glow of determination lighting in his eyes. He had two and a half days left. Enough time to polish, practice, and perfect.
They could speculate all they want.
Soon, the world would meet the +1 face-to-face.