Chapter 108
Chapter 108
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 108
Chapter Title: Doctor
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The cosmetics company Baekhan Suryeo had produced this commercial on a shoestring budget. It was originally meant only for cable TV and online platforms, since those ad slots were cheaper.
But the plans changed. The executives anticipated a synergy effect between the CF footage and the spread of the health exercises.
President Baek Seon-cheol gave the order.
"I want to see results fast. Airing it on terrestrial TV from time to time would be even better."
It wasn't just the president who thought that way. The board of directors agreed.
Pressure poured into the company's PR department to expedite the broadcasts. The PR team, in turn, hounded the CF production company.
They didn't just crack the whip, though. In exchange for compressing the timeline, extra funding was provided.
The production company threw more staff at it and handed out bonuses, pulling the schedule forward.
They could've slashed the time by cutting corners, but Baekhan Suryeo wanted the timeline shortened without sacrificing quality.
After days of grueling forced marches, the production team wrapped everything up perfectly in just three days.
The PD, looking utterly drained, said to Baek Mi-so,
"This has gotta satisfy you, right? Can I finally go home and crash? Yeah?"
It had been just a week since Na Gang-in and the idols shot the footage, and the CF was already airing. The debut broadcast went out on terrestrial TV for the occasion.
This was originally a low-budget production. Even factoring in the extra funds midway through, terrestrial slots were still too pricey.
The first terrestrial airing was a 30-second cut. Afterward, budget constraints limited it to occasional 15-second spots.
Cable TV and the internet got frequent airings instead.
Na Gang-in's natural exercises took a full 10 minutes from start to finish. Nothing that long could air on terrestrial TV, so the complete version stayed online-only.
The eight idols from SAH Entertainment each received their model fees.
Baekhan Suryeo wired the payment to SAH first. After the agency's cut, the remainder—forty million won—was split among the idols.
They divided it equally among the eight.
The maknae, Choi Ji-hye, held up the cash card loaded with her five million won, waving it over her head as she shouted,
"I'm buying tonight!"
Ppf Girls leader So Ji-young asked,
"Everything?"
"Just chicken! Pizza and stuff—you sisters and brothers cover that!"
So Ji-young was only asking out of a leader's sense of responsibility.
"We're idols, though. Isn't chicken and pizza a bit heavy on the calories?"
Choi Ji-hye stood tall.
"Zero calories if you don't get caught!"
"Still, our conscience..."
"If you don't like it, sit it out, unnie! Chicken and pizza party for the rest of us!"
So Ji-young might've been Ppf Girls' leader, but she was only twenty-two. She couldn't resist the temptation.
"Screw it. Pizza's on me! Let's eat till we drop! We're not stars on TV every day—who knows when the next gig is!"
"Booze too!"
"Hell yeah! But Ji-hye, you stick to soda!"
"Why just me?!"
"'Cause you're still in high school!"
The song "Walking Again Today," composed by Kwak Chan-seok and sung by Na Gang-in, had originally hovered in the top ten on music charts.
Once it became the CF's background track, it gained even more exposure. It meshed perfectly with the natural exercises, too.
Just watching the routine gave off that feel-good vibe—like it was doing wonders for your health.
Such reactions started popping up online.
- It looked so good I tried following along, and damn, my body actually feels better.
- My neck always hurt from office work. Did those exercises a few days and it's way better.
- No way a 30-second routine does all that.
- There's a 10-minute full version online. Obviously did that.
- For real?
- Totally legit. My back used to ache, but it's fine now.
The buzz spread fast through online forums and social media. More people started following along to the ad videos online.
- It kinda gives yoga vibes when you watch, a bit of Pilates too, but the moves are pretty different.
- Speed's totally different, yeah.
- Right? Yoga's static, this is dynamic.
- Like aerobics mixed with yoga?
- But not jumping around, so easy to do at home.
- Just 10 minutes a day, perfect for squeezing in.
- I do it on the rooftop when I get sleepy at work—phone with the CF vid, 10 minutes, done.
- Lunch break for me.
The track in the background was "Walking Again Today" by Ddaengdang-i.
People doing the exercises for health got curious about the singer.
- Know the composer Kwak Chan-seok, but who's this Ddaengdang-i singer?
- Same, searched everywhere—no dice.
- Faceless artist? They all end up on TV eventually.
- Guess we'll find out someday.
Surgeon Kim Jung-seok ran into an old classmate from another hospital at a friend's wedding.
"Whoa, Jung-seok! Long time no see."
"Yeah, you too. Holding up okay?"
The two caught up over the wedding food, chatting about this and that.
Kim Jung-seok pulled up the Baekhan Suryeo CF.
"Seen this? Our department head's daughter sent it to me. Once you watch, you get why it works. That 10-minute routine's packed with sports medicine essentials."
"No kidding? Shoot me the link."
"Just search the CF online—it's right there."
"Who made it, anyway?"
"Gotta be a doctor, right?"
As fellow surgeons, shop talk turned to operations.
The classmate said,
"Oh yeah, the other day I saw this suturing that looked sewn by a machine."
Kim Jung-seok, mid-bite while watching the video, whipped his head around.
"What'd you say?"
"First time seeing stitches so perfectly even. Not just the spacing—knots were identical too."
Kim Jung-seok had been hunting the mystery person who'd sutured a car crash victim's wounds before the ambulance even arrived.
He set down his chopsticks, face grave.
"You sure? Like an actual sewing machine?"
"Come on, not literally."
"No, I mean—was the shape and spacing that perfect?"
"Yeah, dead even. But only a few stitches, so probably coincidence."
Kim Jung-seok wasn't convinced. Could be chance, like his friend said.
"Pics? Got photos?"
"Wanted to, but not in the OR, patient's staring right at you—how?"
Kim Jung-seok grabbed his glass and downed it. Harsh soju burned his mouth and slid down his throat.
He'd driven, so he'd only poured but not touched it. Tension killed any second thoughts now.
Did that doctor finally show up again?
To confirm, he asked,
"Okay, but... was it suturing thread, or thread from a sewing machine?"
His classmate laughed.
"Hahaha, dude, it was just a figure of speech! No one's sewing wounds with a machine."
"No, forget machine thread—even button thread?"
"Surgical suture, obviously."
Kim Jung-seok deflated. The crash victim he'd seen before had plain thread.
Surgical suture means it's probably not our guy...
But he couldn't give up.
Kim Jung-seok and Surgery Chief Lee Jeong-ho had been searching for ages.
They'd seen similar on a foreigner’s gunshot once, but no leads there.
This time, at least there was a straw to grasp. They needed more info to grab it.
"Who did the suturing?"
Just a name. I can track 'em down and ask straight up.
His classmate munched casually.
"No idea."
Kim Jung-seok blinked.
"Wait, you said it was amazing. Didn't ask the patient where?"
"Did. Wouldn't say. And it wasn't at a hospital."
"Huh?"
"Heard of the drone crash at the 'Sunny Days' 10-million-viewer party explosion?"
"Yeah, news covered it."
"Director Son Tae-min got hit in the arm. I took his case. But on-site, some doc had already sutured and stopped the bleeding."
The classmate grumbled.
"Then our chief swooped in, all 'VIP incoming.'"
"So Director Son Tae-min wouldn't give the doc's name?"
"Yeah. Must've been one of the party guests."
Kim Jung-seok's head spun.
Our hospital's crash vic was treated on-site too. Son Tae-min patched up outside, similar sutures? Not coincidence.
There was a difference.
Dunno why suture this time, but same guy!
Kim Jung-seok shot to his feet.
"Gotta bounce—urgent business."
Kim Jung-seok took a cab straight to Surgery Chief Lee Jeong-ho.
He relayed the classmate's story verbatim.
Lee Jeong-ho lit up.
"So we just ID the doc from that film party!"
"Exactly!"
"Who to ask? Where?"
"Call the film company?"
"Yes! Do it!"
Kim Jung-seok googled THO Entertainment and got the number.
Lee Jeong-ho said,
"I'll call."
He rang them up, hunting the doctor.
The PR staffer answered,
- So you're looking for the doctor who attended that party?
"Yes, exactly."
- Sorry, can't share attendee lists.
Lee Jeong-ho pressed urgently.
"Wait, I'm a doctor too. Colleague hunt—why not?"
- Privacy laws. Plus, reporters already tried impersonating for the list.
"Hold on. If I come to THO in person, prove I'm a doc?"
- Sorry, still no.
PR hung up first.
Lee Jeong-ho looked stunned.
"Won't tell reporters either? What secrecy...?"
The explosion was from a pap drone hitting a fireworks box.
Son Tae-min had swatted it with a wine glass.
No charges since he was the injured party, but Son Tae-min and THO wanted no headlines.
Thus, no lists even to press. Reporters had to legwork it.
Surgery Chief Lee Jeong-ho clutched his head.
"Now what? Know any journalists personally?"
"Too buried in patients for that..."
"Me neither. Wait, no—even reporters get denied. So how..."
Lee Jeong-ho's head snapped up.
"Hold up. Your cousin's an actress. Hospitalized here once."
"Distant cousin, actually. My aunt's daughter."
"Entertainment world anyway!"
"But Bora wasn't in that film."
"Still in the biz—bound to know someone from the party!"
"Oh! Right!"
Kim Jung-seok jumped up.
"I'll call Bora now!"
"Thanks, Jung-seok."
Lee Bora was at her parents' place. Kim Jung-seok's hospital wasn't far.
He called her out, skipped details, straight to the ask: find this person.
Lee Bora tilted her head.
"So... you're looking for a doctor from that party?"
"Yeah. Name's all I need. I'll handle the rest."
She puzzled, awkward.
"Hmm... who to ask?"
Of the attendees, Shin Eun-ha was easiest—but didn't wanna bother.
Gang-in oppa? Nah, might think I'm weird asking to find someone. Yu-chan oppa then?
Lee Bora dialed actor Kim Yu-chan. He picked up before two rings.
- Hey, Bora. Miss oppa already?
"As if."
- Knew it. So why call?
"The 'Sunny Days' 10-million party."
- That one exploded spectacularly, huh? Haha.
"Was there a doctor among the guests?"