CHAPTER 001: This Changes Everything. Again
[This changes everything. Again]
An advertising copy used when the iPhone, the leading smartphone, launched a new model.
(Translator’s Note: Used by Apple for the iPhone 4 launch in 2010.)
People marveled at that single short sentence, which conveyed both an innovative corporate image and confidence in the product itself.
I was one of them. It even led me to think that I wanted to make ads like that, which was how I ended up walking the path of advertising.
“Oh, I know that ad! I switched to an iPhone because of it and ended up becoming an Apple fanboy. The emotional appeal was seriously insane.”
A junior designer who had pulled over a chair reacted enthusiastically.
“So why did you suddenly ask me what got me started in advertising?”
“I’m trying to find my original motivation again. Clients keep giving feedback that doesn’t make any sense, so it really kills your spirit. I mean, seriously—what does ‘make it simple but flashy’ even mean?”
“While you’re at it, make it classic but modern too.”
“Wow… You really sounded just like a client right now. The worst.”
At the junior’s icy glare, I let out an involuntary snort of laughter.
Seeing that, his eyes curved as he laughed along.
“But still, having you around, CD (Creative Director—the team lead at an ad agency), is such a relief. I feel like you could sell people just as well as products.”
“You’re saying you support bringing back slavery?”
“No… that’s not what I meant… You know how they say it’s the age of self-PR these days. Even talented entertainers have a hard time making it and have to promote themselves nonstop. Somehow, it feels like if it were you, CD, you could easily make even those entertainers blow up. That’s what I mean……”
The junior, who had been hurriedly explaining himself, tilted his head and added,
“But you don’t do SNS or anything, do you? I should look you up while I’m at it. Ryu Sunho……”
“I don’t like having my picture taken.”
Then he froze with an “oh crap” expression and clamped a hand over his mouth.
“It’s almost reporting time. I’m going to a meeting with the executives. Just fix the client’s requested changes and go home. I’ll wrap up the rest.”
I patted the shoulder of the junior, who was smacking his own head, and stood up.
“Where did I put the USB again?”
As I rummaged through my desk drawer, my hand caught on an old acting academy pamphlet.
A relic from fifteen years ago, from the days when I shone in front of the camera.
“…….”
Without realizing it, my right hand reached up to trace the scar on my face.
A third-degree burn scar that could not be erased no matter how many skin grafts I underwent.
Because of this scar, real-world cameras had turned their backs on me.
Swish—
I turned my head to face the mirror on my desk.
The reflection showed a successful young man in a perfect suit.
‘If.’
If I didn’t have the burn scar, could I have become a successful actor too?
“CD, the executive director is looking for you!”
“Yeah. I’m coming.”
That pulled me out of my thoughts.
I straightened my tie and headed for the conference room.
Like an actor heading onto the stage, I memorized my presentation script and put on a confident expression.
The audience was the clients and management.
And behind that stage, tens of millions of consumers were waiting.
I returned to the office after successfully finishing the presentation.
It was already 8 p.m.
“CD, should I order you dinner?”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll eat something later.”
“How did the report go?”
“They asked exactly the questions I prepared for, so it passed in one go.”
“Wow, as expected of a genius advertiser who sees straight through human psychology. That was awesome.”
I returned the junior’s double thumbs-up with a smile.
“But why are you still here? If you’re done, go home.”
“Come on, how could I leave when you’re still here, CD?”
“I’m leaving too. I just need to tidy up my desk a bit.”
The messy desk was piled with books on marketing and psychology.
The Immutable Laws of Marketing
Behavioral Psychology
The Psychology of Persuasion
And so on.
These books were my weapons.
They were manuals that taught me how to read and move people’s hearts.
I shoved the well-worn books, their pages frayed from overuse, back into the cabinet.
‘I don’t even need to look at the books anymore.’
The display case lined with advertising awards was now filled to the brim with thick volumes as well.
“I’ll head out first!”
After the junior said his goodbye and left, I was just about to turn off the computer and leave myself when—
Ding—
A new email arrived.
──────────
[Urgent] Notice of KPI Target Recalibration
──────────
“Ha.”
A sigh escaped me.
KPI (Key Performance Indicator).
Simply put, it was a salaried worker’s report card, quantifying how well they were doing at the company.
Ever since I became an advertiser, my life had turned into one spent wrestling with numbers like these.
‘A life where you grind down your own health to fatten someone else.’
A precise definition of an advertiser.
I picked up the stomach medicine on my desk and swallowed it.
The doctor had warned me about overwork, but there was no other choice if I wanted to survive in this industry.
The title of youngest Creative Director came with that much pressure and stress.
“Let’s just finish this quickly and go.”
The moment I clicked the email, a strange screen appeared before my eyes.
【Your Life Score】
【Current Occupation: Advertising Creative Director】
【Professional Achievement: 98/100】
【Financial Success: 81/100】
【Interpersonal Index: 42/100】
【Self-Actualization Index: 17/100】
【Happiness Index: 8/100】
“What is this?”
I tried moving the mouse, but there was no response.
That was because this wasn’t a screen displayed on the monitor.
The display was fixed directly in my field of vision.
Even when I turned my head, it followed my gaze.
【Would you like to set KPIs for your next life?】
《Yes》 《No》
“Next life? What kind of game is this?”
I thought it was a hallucination brought on by exhaustion, yet I found myself staring at 《Yes》 as if possessed.
The screen changed.
【Please set your next life’s goal】
【This setting will determine your next life】
【Enter a specific goal】
The numbers on the screen.
High professional achievement and financial success.
But an absurdly low happiness index and self-actualization score.
Looking at it now, it summarized my life perfectly.
The emptiness hidden behind flashy success.
The irony of being unable to fill my own heart even while creating success for others.
Suddenly, the acting academy pamphlet I had seen in the drawer came to mind.
A dream I once had.
The life I truly wanted before I was burned.
At that moment, my occupational habit kicked in.
‘When setting a goal, it needs to be achievable and realistic.’
A realistic goal…
This should be about right.
【Become the world’s greatest actor】
As soon as I finished typing it in my mind, the screen changed.
【Goal Set: Become the world’s greatest actor】
【Setting Confirmed】
【System Rebooting…】
【3… 2… 1…】
A crushing pressure suddenly squeezed my chest.
“Kuh—!”
My breathing grew ragged.
I slid off the chair and collapsed onto the floor.
Soon, my vision went completely dark.
Screeeeech—!
Bang!
I woke to a noise that tore at my ears.
“Where… is this?”
A bustling afternoon sidewalk.
And a black sedan that had crashed into a roadside tree right in front of me.
Smoke was billowing from the hood.
‘This is….’
A nightmare I had dreamed countless times was replaying itself.
Fifteen years ago—
the nightmare of the day that changed my life.
Then, a translucent window appeared before my eyes.
【System Activated】
【Goal: Become the world’s greatest actor】
【Sub-goal: Do not receive facial burns】
【Reward: ???】
【Failure: System deletion】
【Time Remaining: 00:30:00】
My heart pounded violently.
Another dream?
Or a hallucination right before death?
‘But.’
It was too vivid.
The murmuring voices, the smell of oil, even the thick black smoke rising from the hood.
‘Did I really return to the past?’
I touched my face.
There was no scar. Smooth skin.
Back then, I had rushed in without hesitation.
And what was the result?
Third-degree burns on my face and arms.
A shattered dream of becoming an actor.
I couldn’t even save the driver.
‘This time… let’s make a different choice.’
I stepped back.
If I just shut my eyes and turn away once, I could walk the path of acting again.
There were plenty of people who didn’t step forward.
I could blend in among them.
‘But….’
Would that mean denying the choice I made back then?
Admitting that I had lived fifteen years after ruining my own life through a bad decision?
No.
Ever since that day, I had replayed the situation hundreds, thousands of times in my dreams, and I had never once regretted that choice.
‘My choice was right. The method was just clumsy.’
Flames began to rise from the car.
I checked the time.
The vehicle would explode in about ten minutes.
I set a timer on my phone and sprinted forward.
The reason I failed back then.
I tried to rescue the driver alone.
Then why didn’t anyone else help?
‘The bystander effect.’
In emergencies, the more people there are around, the stronger the diffusion of responsibility becomes—
the thought that ‘someone else will help even if I don’t.’
‘In a situation like this.’
The way to eliminate that diffusion of responsibility is surprisingly simple.
“You there! The person in the blue shirt! Help me save him! Right now!”
I called out to someone directly and specifically.
“And you in the black hat! Move the other cars farther away!”
Thanks to my projecting voice, my words cut through the surrounding noise.
Everyone’s attention turned to me.
“You in the red jacket! Call 119! Now!”
People’s expressions changed.
“There’s no time!”
The man in the blue shirt hesitated, then nodded and ran over.
“What should I do?”
“I’ll open the door. You undo the seatbelt as fast as you can. Then we’ll pull the driver out together.”
We quickly divided roles and moved.
I picked up a broken curb stone, smashed the window, reached inside, and unlocked the door.
The heat of the vehicle grew more intense by the second.
But this time, I wasn’t alone.
“One, two, three!”
Together, we pulled the unconscious driver to safety.
Someone brought a fire extinguisher and temporarily suppressed the flames, and in that window, we moved the driver far enough away.
At that moment—
Beep-beep-beep-beep—!
My phone alarm went off.
Boom!
The vehicle exploded.
A wave of scorching heat brushed past my face.
“…….”
With trembling hands, I touched my right cheek.
Had blisters formed?
“……!”
They hadn’t.
There was lingering warmth, but no swelling.
“I did it…!”
From afar, the sound of sirens drew closer.
As the ambulance arrived and the medical staff moved the driver, police radio chatter crackled urgently.
A man in a black suit appeared from somewhere and quietly began to control the scene.
He approached the paramedics and showed them something, and their expressions instantly turned tense.
Only then did the tension finally drain from my body.
As I lay back, panting and wiping away sweat, a translucent window appeared again.
【Goal Achieved: You did not receive facial burns】
【Reward Granted: Stat Point +1】
【Overachievement: You successfully rescued the unconscious driver】
【Incentive Granted: 100,000,000 won】
“Khuhuhk, huff….”
The laughter that burst out of me suddenly turned into sobbing.
In truth, I had doubted it thousands of times.
That choosing to save a stranger had been the tragedy that ruined me.
But if I denied that choice, it felt like my very existence would collapse.
I was afraid that my desperate struggle to survive would look pathetic.
So I never regretted it.
‘But.’
Really… I wasn’t wrong.
That choice was the right one.
As everything finally fell back into place, the advertising copy that had once shaken my heart resurfaced with perfect clarity.
[This changes everything. Again.]