Chapter 180
Chapter 180
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 180
Chapter Title: Churros & Black Debut
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"It's so pretty!"
Hyun Yeowon let out an awed "Wow~" as she spoke.
Anyone seeing the first offline store for the newly launching franchise, [Churros & Black], would think the same.
With its cute and stylish signboard, and the interior decked out in a flashy black-and-white concept, it stood out even to passersby.
And they'd even set up a photo zone perfect for pictures. No doubt about it—it looked like a hot spot that would draw crowds.
Just looking at it, you could already picture people grabbing an O'reo churros, snapping a certification shot with the signboard, and posting it online.
"Branding it like this really makes it look so unique and distinctive!"
Hyun Yeowon scribbled furiously in her notebook as she said it. God knows what she was jotting down.
I surveyed the unfinished interior from every angle.
For this store especially, it was crucial to make it pop at first glance. No detail could be overlooked.
"Oh, President! You've arrived."
The director overseeing the interior work for this complex shopping mall approached me. I just called him Manager for short.
"Haha. Hello, Manager. I know I'm popping in way too often."
I added an awkward comment out of embarrassment, but he waved it off.
"Not at all. We're putting a lot of effort into this place too. We're grateful you take time out of your busy schedule to check in every time."
He said that, but deep down he was probably cursing me as that picky guy. What could I do? I needed to see it with my own eyes to be satisfied.
"The lights go in those marked spots, right?"
"Yes. We've prepped them as you specified, but would you like to see?"
"Please."
The manager fetched the lights and hooked up the cord. They lit up bright.
A subtle neutral-toned light.
"Is this okay?"
The manager asked with a hint of concern.
"Regular restaurants usually go with a slightly warmer tone. That makes the food look tastier and creates a cozy, comfortable vibe."
That made sense. I knew it well.
"It's not overly cold, but it's still not the best for a restaurant. We got these because you wanted exactly this shade, but..."
"This is perfect."
I said it firmly.
"Got it. We'll proceed with these."
The manager bowed and stepped back. The site buzzed back to life as everyone scrambled to install the lights.
Hyun Yeowon, who'd been listening from behind, sidled up and whispered.
"Um, President. Is there a reason you're going with those lights?"
I glanced over. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, like a student eager for the teacher's explanation.
I suppressed a laugh and replied.
"Of course there's a reason."
Where to even start?
"First off, churros are a snack, not a meal, so a warm glow isn't essential. That lets us experiment with different lighting."
Warm and neutral tones each had pros and cons, but for this, neutral felt right.
"This place relies heavily on photo-based promotion. We need to stoke people's desire to snap pics and make the trip down from Seoul."
"Right."
"And neutral color temps make people look way prettier in photos."
"Ah!"
Hyun Yeowon's eyes went wide as realization dawned.
"Warm lighting creates coziness, sure, but coziness isn't always refined. It doesn't always flatter skin tones either."
Trendy spots tend to feel a bit uncomfortable.
Just like department stores rarely feel as comfy as home. Lights closer to white than yellow give that trendy vibe.
"Look at how densely those lights are placed."
"Yeah. Closer spacing than a typical restaurant."
"That's so faces don't get shadowed."
"Whoa, I see!"
Every single thing was calculated.
Warm lights make spaces feel smaller, while neutral ones give a spacious, clean impression—there were other reasons too, but I'd stop there.
Lighting sets the store's mood big time, so I had to see it myself.
That was why I'd carved out time from my packed schedule to come here in person.
"All done~!"
A worker climbed down the ladder, and the lighting installation was finally complete.
Hyun Yeowon let out another "Wow." I felt the same.
The finished [Churros & Black] store screamed SNS photo hot spot.
I smiled in satisfaction.
*Ding.*
My phone chimed, and I checked the screen.
[Shim Chaeyun: Lord~. Is it okay to proceed with the ad video like this?]
[Shim Chaeyun: (Private video link)]
Lord? Was Shim Chaeyun Christian? I shot back a reply with that thought.
[You: Lord?]
A reply came right away.
[Shim Chaeyun: Yes! You're the ad client, so you're my Lord!]
[Shim Chaeyun: Just leave it to me from now on. Loyalty! Loyalty!]
[Shim Chaeyun: (Emoticon)]
The cutesy cat emoticon was pretty adorable.
Lord, huh. It felt kinda embarrassing, so I scratched my cheek for no reason.
'I'm the one who should be grateful.'
Maybe because I'd built rapport with her before her broadcasting debut. These days, Shim Chaeyun—going by "Chaechae"—was skyrocketing as a mukbang YouTuber.
There had to be tons of advertisers dying to work with her.
Yet she'd gladly accepted my pitch for an offline store ad, even though it was far from the capital area and required an in-person visit.
'Song Kitchen was the first to feature the Oreo churros menu, and her stream had a huge impact. That's why we linked up for this ad too. Glad it all worked out.'
On top of that, she'd actively helped coordinate the shoot schedule.
She even rescheduled a collab with another creator.
'And even after the promised ad run, she keeps mentioning it. She features my franchise foods a lot in her regular mukbangs too.'
I practically owed her a temple visit.
She insisted it was just because she was a fan, loved my food so much it came up naturally, and that she was the lucky superfan.
From my side, I was just thankful.
I clicked the video link she'd sent.
It featured Shim Chaeyun hamming it up while devouring churros, with the direct store manager's shocked reaction as the hook.
"Pfft. That's hilarious."
Even setting aside that it was an ad, the video was entertaining.
[You: Video's great. Feels good to post as is. Oh, mark it as an ad please.]
[Shim Chaeyun: Yes, like always? Got it~!]
Come to think of it. I hesitated a moment, then asked casually.
[You: Do other places not mark ads much?]
It was phrased like checking the competition, but really it was 'Do you disclose non-Song ads too?'
'Most probably don't mandate it, and brands prefer it look organic...'
I'd hinted before but never said it outright, so I was a bit worried.
I wanted Shim Chaeyun to keep thriving long-term. With my brand.
*Ding!*
Another chime.
[Shim Chaeyun: Not many request it lol]
[Shim Chaeyun: But since I started with your ad, maybe?]
[Shim Chaeyun: Feels wrong without the label]
[Shim Chaeyun: If it's an ad, I always mark it as one!]
Phew. Good.
I wouldn't see her name in any scandals a few years down the line.
I stood in front of the store with a heavy heart.
Hoo.
After a short breath, I placed my hand on the door handle and slid it open. The owner was waiting inside, as if expecting me.
"How've you been, President?"
Park Mansu bowed his head. Maybe because I'd chewed him out last time, he seemed oddly subdued.
But that didn't mean I'd go easy.
I'd mulled over this commercial district plenty, but my conclusion stood. Pasta prices couldn't top 10,000 won here.
Maybe one premium steak pasta was fine. But high price points across the menu? That was a recipe for empty tables.
I took a seat at a table. Park Mansu naturally sat across.
"You've given it a lot of thought, right?"
"...Yes. A ton."
His eyes had dark circles—seemed genuine. I liked that resolve.
You had to wrestle with it like this to avoid regrets later.
Lower prices half-heartedly just to appease me, and he'd hike them back once his mind changed. Ignore my advice and stick to his guns? Losses would haunt him like regrets.
"I'll respect whichever you choose. It's your store, and I get where you're coming from."
Of course, he'd bear the consequences.
"What do you plan to do about pricing?"
My cold gaze fixed on him. Park Mansu flinched like he'd been pricked.
He groaned softly, then cautiously opened his mouth.
"I..."