Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: The Snowflake Bingsu Machine
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"Do you have any idea how much work I put into making this? Man."
Moon Yoo-han grumbled as he briskly pulled off the cloth draped over the machine.
Flutter.
The cloth billowed away, finally revealing the snowflake bingsu machine. The fine details were a little different, but it was unmistakably just like the one I knew.
"What do you think? Just like you asked for—no pulverizing ice chunks. This is a completely new method."
Moon Yoo-han removed the lid to show me the inside.
"See that metal plate? You pour milk over the cooled plate, and it freezes in an instant. Then scrape it off with this, and boom—super thin ice."
Exactly as I'd hoped.
"I'd love to see it in action."
"Of course. Seeing is believing, right?"
Moon Yoo-han said he'd prepared everything in advance, closed the lid, and pressed the button on the machine.
Whirr—
With a low hum, finely shaved ice began pouring into the bowl he'd readied.
"Just like you wanted? Fluffy as can be. Check this out."
Moon Yoo-han scooped some milk ice that had puffed out from the machine onto his hand.
It melted away visibly, soft and smooth.
"Whoa. Look at that perfect thickness."
"Yeah. Exactly what I had in mind."
My approval made Moon Yoo-han's eyes sparkle. Maybe because I'd been picky with all the back-and-forth confirmations.
But new menu items demand extra caution, especially first-timers.
"Still, I made it exactly as you wanted. But what are you planning to do with it?"
"Make bingsu, obviously."
"Who doesn't know that? What I'm asking is, who’s gonna buy bingsu made like this?"
Moon Yoo-han looked utterly baffled.
"Bingsu’s supposed to be crunchy ice you chew! Sweet red beans! Colorful rice cakes! That’s the taste, right? But with this? You’d wonder if you’re eating bingsu or just milk."
Yeah. I figured he'd say that.
"Want to give it a try?"
"Huh?"
I held up the bag I'd brought.
"I can whip up a quick one right now. Taste it and give me your honest opinion."
"No need for that... Ahem. I’m just worried because you’re such a young owner."
I get it. Back before my regression, I saw it all the time.
'This industry's tough on unique ideas alone.'
Young entrepreneurs' fresh ideas have value, but turning them into sales takes way more.
It broke my heart watching promising newbies fail with menus that just needed a little polish.
"I'll get it ready quick."
I pulled out a clean bowl and started layering the ingredients.
'Snowflake bingsu comes in all flavors, but the signature one? Gotta be this.'
I spread a base of snowflake ice, piled on injeolmi powder and condensed milk in the middle. Then more snowflake ice, ice cream, thinly sliced nuts, and so on.
'And the finishing touch...'
I mixed roasted bean powder with whole injeolmi rice cakes and mounded it generously on top.
A swirl of condensed milk around the edge, and done.
"There you go."
"Ooh. Let me try... Huh?"
Moon Yoo-han paused with his spoon halfway up. It looked nothing like the bingsu he was used to.
"This is... bingsu, right?"
"Yeah. Scoop some of the bean powder and milk ice from the top together."
"No red beans? In bingsu?"
There it was.
I'd brought red beans too—for fans of them.
'But the visual punch? No-bean version wins.'
I’d composed it to taste great even without them. Bean haters would love it; lovers could still enjoy.
"Give it a shot."
"Why bother with bingsu when you could just eat injeolmi..."
"Try it."
I insisted again, and Moon Yoo-han stopped grumbling to stare at the bingsu.
He looked puzzled, but it was appetizing enough. He dove in with his spoon.
The condensed milk–drenched bean powder hit his tongue with the milky snowflake ice...
"Gah!"
His eyes went wide.
"It’s... delicious!"
Then he shoveled it in like mad. Choked on some powder mid-gulp and coughed.
He grabbed the milk I offered, chugged it, let out a satisfied "Ahh," and shouted.
"Wow, this is seriously good!"
"Right?"
I grinned smugly, and he nodded vigorously. Blunt as ever, strong likes and dislikes.
That's why I'd picked him as my first taster.
'It tasted great to me, but I’m used to this style. Needed an outsider's view.'
Moon Yoo-han was perfect for that. Plus...
"Nutty and just sweet enough—feels like proper bingsu. The milk ice makes it so smooth. And best of all, it melts in your mouth like snowflakes, so big scoops go down easy!"
Spot-on, detailed flavor notes.
'No wonder I sought him out for new menu tests before my regression.'
Back when the company was small. Later, we had a dedicated dev team.
'When was our last contact?'
He'd prototype, we'd mass-produce at the factory. But later, he had less time for his quirky kitchen gadgets.
At some point, his eyes turned cold, like an office drone's.
Avoiding that gaze felt awkward. I was swamped anyway—nothing odd.
'...Feels like I killed that spark. It bugged me.'
Seeing it again? Lucky break.
"Owner!"
"Yeah?"
I turned at his call.
"So where can I get this? I gotta go buy some~."
"Oh, this?"
Haha. He'd flip if he knew.
"Not selling officially yet. Gotta wait a bit."
"Huh? What’s that mean? Either you sell it or you don’t."
"It's like... It looks so novel and weird, right? If we just open up and say 'buy this,' folks might hesitate."
Same advice I'd given young founders.
To sell bold ideas, make customers instantly get it—what it is, how it'll taste.
Snowflake bingsu.
The name hints, but buying? Second thoughts.
I had my tried-and-true trick.
"Test kitchen tastings first."
Who turns down free?
"Then they'll ask where to buy it, just like you."
I grinned, and he let out a wry "Heh."
"Man, Owner... Seen a lot of bosses in this biz, but you’re the first to talk like that."
"Haha. Really?"
"Yeah. Most only see what's right in front of them."
Tell me about it.
Countless tripped over pebbles chasing quick wins, missing the big picture.
I was the sole survivor amid the fallout.
Even I crumbled before Hyunmu.
'Maybe I got shortsighted too, chasing immediate gains.'
Didn't notice then. Looking back, growth pulled us from our roots.
"Test kitchen? Others’d crunch numbers on daily losses, ingredient costs first."
"I already did the math."
"Not that they mind the waste—it’s profit-loss."
Fair.
"I guarantee: Folks who skimp on a single napkin don’t scale big. Better to have a detail guy below and swing big yourself—those are the winners."
Moon Yoo-han's eyes gleamed as he continued.
"Looks like we’ll be seeing a lot of each other."
"Same thought here. What a coincidence."
I shook his outstretched hand.
"Oh, one condition: This is custom-made for me, right? Hold off on similar machines a bit."
"No sweat. Not my idea anyway."
"Not saying never sell. You helped build it. Just until my menu leaves test phase."
"Got it~."
He wanted a good relationship too—smooth sailing.
'Took over that café tomorrow. Serve small promo portions when it’s packed. Perfect.'
Post-meal tickets for bingsu at the gukbap joint? Fine too.
Plenty options—adjust on the fly.
All preps done.
'So far, we were just a value-for-money spot. That’s it.'
But now? Different.
Time to lead food trends. Me, Song Woo-yeon.