Chapter 77
Chapter 77: Afterlife Restaurant Announcement (4)
In less than five minutes after the “Afterlife Restaurant” press conference began, the viewer count, which had started at 20,000, had already surpassed 40,000.
Considering that YouTube isn’t primarily a live-streaming platform, it was an incredible number.
It was proof of just how much attention the press conference had been receiving over the past few days.
With so many viewers, the chat was flooding rapidly.
“Finally starting, I’ve been waiting.”
“How will they respond?”
“They’ll probably just brush it off.”
“That’d be boring though.”
Most of the attention was on how “Afterlife Restaurant” would respond to Kim Jaewon’s remarks.
“Wow, Cha Minhee got even prettier.”
“Goddess has descended!”
“She was pretty as a kid too.”
“She looks the same.”
“Glad she didn’t change badly.”
“Thank you for growing up so well!”
“I’m definitely watching this drama.”
There was also a lot of attention on Cha Minhee.
While her comeback had been announced, this was her first appearance at an official event.
Even so, neither Baek Seungchan nor the production team thought this situation was bad.
No matter what people were focusing on, they were watching—and that meant the promotional goal was already being achieved.
“Hello, I’m Lee Byungman.”
Lee Byungman helped host the press conference.
Though he usually didn’t participate in such events, he had personally offered to help after seeing Baek Seungchan during filming.
“Wow, the viewer count has already exceeded 50,000. Are you just going to keep being surprised, or promote the show? Everyone, please take your seats.”
As a veteran comedian with a Daesang under his belt, he led the event with wit.
“First, let’s begin with introductions.”
“Hello, I’m Park Taeho, the director of Afterlife Restaurant.”
Starting with Park Taeho, introductions continued one by one, and soon it was Cha Minhee’s turn.
The chat exploded.
“Noona! I’m dying!”
“I love you!”
“Goddess!”
“Cha Minhee! Cha Minhee!”
Compared to earlier introductions, the reaction was on a completely different level.
The camera flashes were also overwhelmingly more intense.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Cha Minhee, playing Oh Yeonhwa in Afterlife Restaurant.”
Her usual shy demeanor disappeared as she greeted everyone with a bright smile.
She truly was born to be an actress.
“Now that introductions are done! Let’s watch a preview of Afterlife Restaurant!”
After introductions, the screening began.
A large screen at the venue started playing a preview that introduced the drama overall.
Unlike typical live press conferences, which show previews after, this one included it from the beginning.
It was a sign of confidence.
“Wow…”
As scenes of the protagonists’ past and their historical acting appeared, reporters quietly expressed admiration.
“Are they really rookies?”
“They’re both so good.”
“They could do historical dramas.”
Baek Seungchan and Cha Minhee’s acting erased any concerns.
Viewers watching live felt the same.
“I didn’t expect much, but this is good…”
“She’s still amazing.”
“They’re both incredible.”
Then—
“Wow!”
A cooking scene of Baek Seungchan appeared.
“He did that himself without a double? Amazing…”
“He was doing that in the jungle too. I’ll watch that show as well.”
“I suddenly got hungry…”
The chat reacted instantly.
But after a while—
Silence.
Both the reporters and the chat quieted down.
They had become immersed in the drama.
Soon, the five-minute preview ended.
Though short, it left a strong impression.
“Ah…”
Sighs filled the room.
“Ending it here is cruel! Now we have no choice but to watch!”
Lee Byungman stepped in humorously to lift the mood.
“Ahhh! Why end it there!”
“I’m definitely watching!”
“This is actually really good.”
“I didn’t expect this, but it’s great.”
The perception of the drama had clearly changed.
“Before Q&A, we have a special event prepared.”
“An event?”
Both reporters and viewers became curious.
“It’s ready. Please switch the screen.”
The big screen showed Baek Seungchan.
“When did he leave?”
During the preview, he had quietly moved to a prepared kitchen.
“I’ll prepare a simple dish for today’s guests.”
The reporters lit up.
They had been curious about his cooking.
“I want that!”
“Lucky…”
The chat was also filled with envy.
“Due to time constraints, I’ll make something simple.”
He began cooking.
Seafood stir-fried noodles.
Simple, fast, visually impressive—and delicious.
“Wow…”
Everyone marveled at his knife skills.
Then—
Flare!
As flames rose during stir-frying, everyone gasped in amazement.
Soon, the dish was complete and brought to the venue.
“It smells amazing.”
“I’m already drooling…”
The aroma filled the air.
They tasted it.
“Wow! This is so good!”
“This is insane!”
Even better than expected.
“I wish there was more…”
They scraped their plates clean.
Meanwhile, viewers could only watch enviously.
“I want some too!”
“Why is this suddenly a mukbang…”
After the event, Q&A began.
Most questions were standard.
But many were directed at Cha Minhee.
“Was your comeback difficult?”
“No, everyone treated me kindly.”
Then came a provocative question.
“There are rumors your parents were involved in crime. Is that true?”
The chat erupted in anger.
But she smiled calmly.
“No, I just lost interest in acting back then.”
“Did you return because you ran out of money?”
The question remained harsh.
But she answered cleverly.
“Money? I’m Cha Minhee. Do you know how many commercials I filmed as a child?”
The mood lightened.
“Why did you return with this drama?”
“Yes, there’s a reason.”
“What is it?”
Everyone’s attention focused on her.
“Because of Baek Seungchan.”
Silence fell.
Her gaze and smile toward him caused misunderstanding.
“Wait… what?”
“Noona, no!”
The chat went wild.
“Are you two in a relationship?”
“Right now we’re friends. Back then, we were nothing.”
She clarified firmly.
“I happened to see his acting, and it made me want to act again.”
Everyone nodded.
Her sincerity was clear.
Then it was Baek Seungchan’s turn.
“Do you know your competing drama?”
The long-awaited question.
Viewers surged past 100,000.
“Of course. It’s Ghost Real Estate starring Kim Jaewon and Shin Migeong.”
He answered with a smile.
“I really enjoyed the teaser.”
He even praised them.
“Kim Jaewon said ‘fighting.’ Any message for him?”
“That question…”
“Yes, I do.”
Before anyone could stop him—
“Kim Jaewon sunbae, I’m confident. And I’ll make sure you remember the name ‘Afterlife Restaurant.’”