Chapter 341: Meme
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 341: Meme
Star Studio.
This was the company founded by Oh Yun-ji and Kim Un. Currently, Kim Un was away from the office due to his wife Choi Eun-byeol’s pregnancy.
However, that didn’t mean Kim Un was completely hands-off when it came to management.
— So, what I’m saying is, wouldn’t it be better to focus on stabilization for now?
Kim Un was exchanging opinions with Oh Yun-ji via a video conference.
He looked a bit fuller in the face than before, suggesting he was eating well and enjoying his time back at his parents' house.
— There’s no need to expand further right now. We have to be careful about increasing the number of broadcasters anyway.
“If we do that, the fixed fanbase will eventually stagnate,” Oh Yun-ji replied, spinning a pen out of habit while resting her chin on her hand. “We need a constant infusion of new viewers to stay healthy in the long run. When one person finishes their stream, another starts, and when they’re done, someone else takes over. We need a structure that retains viewers like a continuous cycle.”
— Well, that’s true. But if we add more broadcasters now, won’t it be too much for us to handle?
Star Studio wasn’t a massive corporation. It was simply composed of talented, trustworthy broadcasters.
“If I didn’t have that much capability, I wouldn’t have started this in the first place. I’ve put together a separate list, so take a look and let me know if anyone catches your eye.”
— Got it.
“Okay, then.”
With a sigh, Oh Yun-ji sipped the coffee in her mug and pulled a notebook out of her bag.
The woman who had been the CEO of an MCN just a moment ago was now a freshman in her second semester in the Department of English Language and Literature.
Scribble, scribble.
Scribble, scribble.
Oh Yun-ji was naturally quite bright. She finished her assignments quickly without much difficulty.
‘Finished earlier than I thought.’
Feeling a bit bored, she sat at her desk and swung her feet—clad in slippers—back and forth.
There was no particular reason for it. She just liked how it made her feel like a carefree child.
‘Ah, Ji-hye must be streaming right now.’
She had mentioned she was going into the studio after her workout.
On the monitor where she had just been video conferencing with Kim Un, the pink-haired Popo now appeared.
‘Ji-hye really does have a concrete fanbase.’
Glancing at the viewer count and the scrolling chat, Oh Yun-ji lurked in Popo’s stream.
— Hello! Today’s mukbang is Malatang! I ordered the spiciest level! And I added a ton of toppings.
— I’m going to set some aside to share with the staff first.
— But I’m not going to tell the CEO. She doesn’t really like spicy food.
“Look at her.”
She probably has no idea I’m right here, does she?
[If it’s the CEO, is it Goddess Yun?]
“Hmm?”
What’s 'Goddess Yun'?
— PopoIsAPig, thank you for the 100 coin donation! Yes! That’s right! I’m giving it to Goddess Yun!
“Is she talking about me?”
Since her name was Oh Yun-ji, they must be calling her Goddess Yun. Besides, she was the only CEO present at the moment.
“I’ve been busy since starting school, but seeing stuff like this makes me realize how hard it is to keep up with internet memes.”
She didn’t know why they called her that, but since it wasn’t an insult, it didn’t bother her. It seemed to be helping the broadcasters' streams in its own way, too.
— Oh my, our CEO loves it so much. At this rate, maybe I should just tell her to start broadcasting herself.
The chat window was flooded with various messages demanding that she bring Goddess Yun on screen.
‘Kim Woo-jin did such a good job with the image-making last time.’
The tragic heroine who tried everything to raise her own value for the man she loved.
The struggles with cyber wreckers and her father on death row were now things of the past. Now, Oh Yun-ji was seen as a bold woman who had overcome everything.
That was likely why the chat was reacting this way.
— Ha, I can’t help it. Here comes my ultimate finishing move aegyo to keep you all here.
“Aegyo?”
Popo wasn’t usually the type to do that sort of thing.
The moment that thought crossed her mind—
— Popo-is-sowwy! I can’t sweeep at night without Hubby-wubby! I’m sowwy, Hubby!
Thud!
Oh Yun-ji bolted upright, kicked her chair back, and stormed out of the CEO’s office.
The staff were already standing there, ready to receive their share of the Malatang, but Oh Yun-ji ignored them and marched straight in.
“Oh, C-CEO! Wait! Popo is live right now!”
“I know!”
Shouting irritably, Oh Yun-ji flung the studio door open and glared at Popo.
Unaware that Oh Yun-ji had arrived, Popo was still fully immersed in her broadcast.
“Huh? You’re asking where this random aegyo came from? Hey, it’s something someone I know actually used.”
“Just one hit of this and his heart would melt, he wouldn’t know what to do with himse—”
Oh Yun-ji’s face, contorted with rage, appeared on the screen.
The chat window was instantly flooded with 'Goddess Yun,' but...
“Ah, haha.”
Popo gave an awkward, embarrassed laugh and greeted her.
“H-hello, CEO?”
“Get out.”
“W-wait a second, CEO! I didn’t do it on purpose!”
“Shut up! Where did you hear that?! No, just get out for now!”
“I don’t want to! Everyone! If I disappear from the screen, call the police immediately!”
“Then die on camera!”
* * *
Ring...
Ring...
Ring...
— Hello?
After the dial tone, Yoo Ah-rin finally picked up.
Oh Yun-ji bit her lip and asked irritably, “Where is Kim Woo-jin?”
— Huh? He’s probably at the dormitory.
“He’s not. I’m at the dorm right now.”
Oh Yun-ji had driven straight to Kim Woo-jin’s dormitory. Since it was the weekend and there were no classes, the campus was quiet.
— Well, then maybe he went out to play? You can just ask him yourself.
“He’s not picking up.”
— I mean, who would pick up a call from their ex-girlfriend?
“It’s not like that!”
— Then why wouldn’t he pick up?
“Sigh.”
She couldn’t even begin to explain. Oh Yun-ji covered her face and let out a long sigh.
“Something happened.”
— Well, okay. It’s not like him getting into trouble is anything new.
“Exactly, right.”
It would be great if he only got into trouble once in a while, but she was genuinely curious how he managed to cause a mess every single time.
— Oh, by the way, we’re practicing for our next performance at the Taekwondo dojang. Want to come watch? You said you wanted to see it once.
“Ah, right... but maybe next time. I have business with Kim Woo-jin today.”
— Really? I wanted to show you what we practiced.
“I’m sure you guys are doing great.”
— It’s a bit different from what we usually do. Oh, want to hear it?
Hear it?
— A-rin-ie-is-sowwy! I can’t sweeep at night without Hubby-wubby!
“...”
— I’m sowwy, Hubby! Please feel better!
“Hey.”
— A-rin-ie will do whatever Hubby wants today!
“Hey!”
— Pwahaha! No, this is freaking hilarious! I didn’t take Oh Yun-ji for the type, but isn’t this just adorable?
“Where. Is. Kim. Woo-jin.”
— No, I really don’t know where he is. I just heard this while we were eating pizza yesterday.
“Whew.”
— But don’t you know the Bamboo Forest is in an uproar right now? Popo’s followers are spamming the hell out of it.
“Spamming?”
A chill ran down her spine. Feeling a prickle on the back of her neck, she switched to speakerphone as if possessed and opened the Bamboo Forest.
Oh Yun-ji couldn’t bear to look any longer and closed the Bamboo Forest.
— Hey, you okay? Don’t hit him too hard, okay?
Yoo Ah-rin was still on the line. She was trying to take his side, but right now, Oh Yun-ji didn’t even want to hear a voice that defended Kim Woo-jin.
“I’m hanging up.”
She ended the call. Since she was already in Kim Woo-jin’s room, she figured he’d eventually come back at night if she just waited.
But staying still wasn’t in Oh Yun-ji’s nature.
“I will find you, no matter what.”
Gripping the straps of her bag tightly, Oh Yun-ji steeled her resolve.
“And I will definitely kill you.”
Oh Yun-ji moved to leave.
But before she could even turn the doorknob, it turned on its own.
She instinctively leaped back like a wild animal, reaching out toward whoever was entering the room.
“Whoa?!”
There stood Choi Jin-ah, looking somewhat disheveled.
“...Ms. Jin-ah?”
She wondered why Choi Jin-ah was suddenly here. Jin-ah was clutching a large delivery container with both hands.
“Oh? Uh, I ordered too much fried rice... so I came to see if we could eat together?”
“...Fried rice?”
“Is Woo-jin not here?”
“Sigh, I’m on my way to catch that brat right now. I guess you don’t know where he is either?”
“Then what about the others?”
“Choi I-seo isn’t picking up, Seo Ye-rin is working, and Yoo Ah-rin... I talked to her, but she says she doesn’t know.”
“...Are you in a bad mood?”
“Yes, quite bad.”
With a sigh, Oh Yun-ji glanced at Choi Jin-ah’s fried rice.
‘Now that I think about it, I haven’t eaten because I was rushing over here.’
Noticing her gaze, Choi Jin-ah smiled and suggested they eat together.
“Thank you, Ms. Jin-ah. Thanks to you, I’ll have the strength to kill that guy even harder.”
“...I won’t be considered an accomplice, right?”
Probably not.
Maybe.
“Ah, and since you’re eating my fried rice... could you do me one favor?”
“Yes? Well, if it’s not too difficult?”
“It won’t be hard for you. It’s harder for me, actually. I lost a bet, so there’s something I have to do for you, Yun-ji.”
“...Hmm?”
As Oh Yun-ji ate the fried rice, she looked at Choi Jin-ah with a sense of dread.
“J-Jin-ah-is-sowwy—!”
She vowed once again: she was definitely going to kill Kim Woo-jin.