NOVEL NEXT 76
“The first design option for the interior looks the best. It’s clean and sleek.”
“Then we’ll proceed with the first option. The first location should be completed within about two weeks.”
Excellent. Creating and operating new stores is no longer a significant challenge. The franchisees’ capabilities play a big role, and our employees have gained considerable experience from managing multiple franchises.
“There’s only one thing left.”
And that’s the concern.
“Yes. Promotion.”
“While we’ve publicized the unfamiliar ‘Junghwa-jeyuk-myeon’ menu through ‘Raid the Refrigerator’, that’s not enough.”
The cable TV show only had about a 3% viewership rate, and a single broadcast appearance isn’t enough to dramatically increase awareness.
Since we’ve chosen this dish as the main menu for ‘Shanghai Restaurant’, we need to make it more familiar to people.
“Since Snow Flower Bingsu received a good response on social media, how about offering benefits for posting photos of the dish?”
Roh Se-hee proposed first.
“That’s a good idea too. But it won’t have as dramatic an effect as Snow Flower Bingsu.”
Because, with apologies to Junghwa-jeyuk-myeon, its visual impact isn’t as strong as Snow Flower Bingsu.
Snow Flower Bingsu is pretty and unique, so it quickly catches the eye.
While Junghwa-jeyuk-myeon tastes excellent, visually it just looks like jeyuk-bokkeum with noodles added. Though that’s visually appealing too, it’s not overwhelming.
“The important thing is to somehow make an impression on the public…”
Since there are many ordinary Chinese restaurants, I wanted to promote our differentiating menu item more effectively.
“I’ll think about it some more. Team Leader Roh, please plan the event you mentioned and show it to me.”
“Yes, understood.”
That settles the preparations for launching ‘Shanghai Restaurant’. As Roh Se-hee left, I spun around in my chair.
‘Isn’t there a good method?’
I scrolled through my phone’s contact list. Isn’t there someone who could help in this situation?
After scrolling for a while…
‘Oh?’
That’s right. This person exists.
Why had I forgotten until now? I immediately pressed the call button.
“Hello?”
As soon as the other party answered, I grinned.
“How have you been lately?”
I found it.
A brilliant promotion method.
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A cold voice, as if looking down on the other person, rang out clearly from the dark screen.
“The world’s gotten so easy. Sell some soup rice and snacks, and they call you a chef.”
Even without seeing it, the situation was easy to imagine. A blatantly dismissive comment towards Song Woo-yeon, the youngest and least experienced, flowed out.
You could feel people tensing up and watching carefully. Although Song Woo-yeon was handling it calmly, it was impossible to guess her true feelings.
But sometimes, you need to take one step back to move two steps forward.
This antagonistic relationship that started this way finally concluded like this at the end of the broadcast:
“Likewise. I learned a lot. Chef Song.”
“This is it!”
Sim Chae-yoon shouted, clutching the TV. Phew. It never gets old, no matter how many times she watches it.
‘An Derek acting all high and mighty at first, then immediately acknowledging her skills after seeing them. The fact that this isn’t a movie but real life is what really drives me crazy!’
Sim Chae-yoon felt her heart swell and stamped her feet in place.
“What’s wrong with this kid lately? Watching the same broadcast over and over again.”
“Ah, Mom! Don’t turn it off~ There’s still a bit left!”
“We’re about to have lunch! Stop watching TV and at least set out the spoons and chopsticks!”
Sim Chae-yoon flinched at her mother’s stern command.
She scurried into the kitchen, chattering about the broadcast she had just been watching.
“That person from earlier is the owner of the place I often go to? When she was unfairly criticized for plagiarism before, I texted her using the contact info on the business card I got earlier, asking if she was okay. Then she replied thanking me for my concern. Turns out she also owns that nearby soup rice place and everything. Isn’t she amazing, looking so young?”
“In-seok. My ears are going to fall off! So what? Are you going to go out and start a food business? Why do you keep talking about that Song Woo-yeon or whatever her name is?”
“No, when did I say I was going to start a food business… You know I can’t cook.”
As Sim Chae-yoon protested weakly, her mother raised her voice once more.
“Can’t cook? You just don’t! My back is breaking from feeding you, I tell you. Do you know how much your food expenses are each month? It’s about the same as your tuition!”
“Ah, Mom!”
“What!”
When Sim Chae-yoon called out in irritation, her mother shot back without hesitation. Finally, Sim Chae-yoon replied with a sulky pout.
“That’s why I said I’m doing that thing. The broadcast.”
“People these days are crazy too. What’s so good about watching others eat?”
Despite her mother’s tsk-tsking, Sim Chae-yoon persisted.
“You don’t know, Mom, but I’m kind of famous. Search for me on YouTube! There are tons of comments praising how good it is to watch people eat well!”
“Oh my. Is eating a lot your only talent because you have no other talents?”
“Ah, Mom! Why do you talk like that! Fine. I won’t talk to you anymore.”
You don’t even know!
Sim Chae-yoon stormed into her room, huffing.
Bang!
After slamming her door loudly, she added sheepishly:
“It was the wind!”
Then she sat right down at her computer. Seeing the editing program she had left open to work on her videos, another wave of frustration washed over her.
‘Ugh. I’m going to apply for YouTube monetization this time and make quite a bit of money. Mom doesn’t even know that!’
A friend had encouraged her to try it, and once she started, she found it quite fun and worked hard at it.
While balancing school life, she continued filming and editing, and some of her videos caught the algorithm, making her channel famous in an instant.
It’s still dizzying to see videos getting hundreds of thousands of views.
‘Hmm. But other mukbang YouTubers do a lot of live broadcasts too. Should I do that? It seems like they get a lot of donations that way…’
Just as she was deep in thought about this…
Buzz-buzz.
Her phone vibrated.
‘What? Who could it be?’
She wasn’t expecting any calls today. Maybe someone from her club? She picked up her phone.
“!”
And for a moment, her fingers froze in surprise.
[CEO Song Woo-yeon]
The clear text on her phone confirmed it was a call from the person she had just been watching on TV.
‘W-what? Suddenly? Why?’
After a moment of bewilderment, Sim Chae-yoon hurriedly pressed the answer button as the phone continued to buzz.
“H-hello?”
-Hello. How have you been lately?
The voice sounded cheerful.
-Haven’t you been coming for bingsu lately? I’ve been waiting to give you some service next time you come, but I haven’t seen you at all.
The playful tone eased some of Sim Chae-yoon’s tension.
“I haven’t had much reason to go to that area since the semester ended… Hahaha. I’ll drop by soon. Oh, and I watched the broadcast too!”
-Ah, you watched ‘Raid the Refrigerator’~
“Yes, yes! That’s right! You were amazing!”
Sim Chae-yoon couldn’t hide her excitement and spoke rapidly. She talked about how great the combination with Chef An was, how entertaining the show was, and how she didn’t know Song Woo-yeon was so knowledgeable about Chinese cuisine.
-Hahaha. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Actually, I found it a bit embarrassing to watch. I feel like the PD hyped me up too much.
“Not at all! I think more people think like me. It was satisfying, like vicarious fulfillment.”
She felt like a teenage fan talking to her favorite celebrity. Sim Chae-yoon tried to hide her giddy feelings.
“The Junghwa-jeyuk-myeon looked so delicious too, I want to try making it myself! I’ve never cooked before, but it should be okay, right…?”
-Oh, of course. Anyone can do it. But of course, it won’t be as good as the original.
“Phew. I guess so.”
-I was joking, but if you take it seriously like that, what am I supposed to do? It makes me look like the bad guy.
“Huh? Really?”
As Sim Chae-yoon asked in surprise, Song Woo-yeon let out a short laugh and continued.
-So, I was thinking. Would you like to come try it in person?
“Pardon?”
-The Junghwa-jeyuk-myeon.
“R-really?!”
Sim Chae-yoon jumped up from her seat.
‘This is perfect for YouTube!’
She had become quite the YouTuber, as that was her first thought. All sorts of potential video titles popped into her head.
The chance to try the Junghwa-jeyuk-myeon from ‘Raid the Refrigerator’? It was an irresistible temptation for a mukbang YouTuber!
‘Ugh. But would it be rude to bring up YouTube filming?’
It was already generous to offer to cook for her. Wouldn’t it be impolite to ask about filming on top of that? As Sim Chae-yoon was pondering this…
-By the way. I saw that you’re doing YouTube these days.
“Gasp! You saw that?!”
-You already have 100,000 subscribers, right? And it’s rising rapidly with each video you upload.
Oh my goodness. To think someone would recognize her like this!
While her YouTube subscriber count had risen quite a bit, even though 100,000 seemed like a large number, it was still tiny compared to the total population.
She hadn’t felt it was real because no one recognized her on the street. And now, of all people, Song Woo-yeon recognized her.
A strange feeling of emotion washed over her.
-So I was thinking.
Song Woo-yeon made a sweet proposal in a subtle voice.
-How about doing a YouTube video with the Junghwa-jeyuk-myeon? I think it could be quite fun.
“That would be great!”
It was exactly what Sim Chae-yoon had been hoping for.
-Wow, really? Actually, I have a few content ideas in mind, would you like to hear them and see what you think?
“What kind of ideas?”
-Hmm~
Song Woo-yeon grinned and said:
-The concept is that I work hard to make the dishes, and Sim Chae-yoon-ssi competes by eating a lot. Whoever gets knocked down first loses.
Pow! It was like a spark went off in her head. The image of the broadcast vividly appeared in Sim Chae-yoon’s mind.
“Making vs. Eating. What do you think?”
‘This is going to work!’
It was a moment when the intuition of a future million-subscriber YouTuber kicked in.