Chapter 54
Chapter 54
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Nuclear Chicken Feet Launch
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Joyruk stared at me with a dazed look before asking in return.
"By 'spicy flavor' you mean intentionally spicy, got it. Whew, but still... hiss... isn't this a bit too spicy?"
I could see him wincing midway through his words, his tongue clearly burning. An intense spiciness that made his eyes water.
That was the core of these "Nuclear Chicken Feet."
The kind of fiery heat that made you think, [Is it supposed to be *this* spicy?]—a bold flavor that seemed utterly unconcerned with mass appeal. And that was exactly what made the dish so appealing.
Not far in the future, a spicy ramen called "Nuclear Fire Noodles" would lead the trend with this very heat.
What made Nuclear Fire Noodles famous?
Its shockingly intense spiciness—that was the hook.
[Later versions toned it down with milder variants, but the original was a total sensation.]
It shattered prejudices like "Who'd eat something that spicy?", "The public will ignore it," or "Only a niche group of spice fanatics will buy it."
[The product's explosive popularity is already set in stone. I can't change that. But what I need to focus on is...]
What came after Nuclear Fire Noodles swept the food industry.
The "Spicy Food Boom"!
Everyone started craving heat. Competing brands rushed out their own spicy offerings.
Any spot rumored to be insanely hot drew crowds of YouTubers calling it a "challenge."
That's what I planned to leverage.
"Brings tears and snot right out, huh? You think, 'Who'd eat something this spicy?'"
"Exactly right."
Joyruk replied, his eyes red and teary.
"Chicken feet are meant to be spicy, sure, but this is over the top."
*Cough cough.* He even let out a small cough.
"Is it... really that spicy? I watched you cook it from the side..."
Han Mi-ae asked cautiously. When I asked to borrow the kitchen here, she'd stuck around to learn, watching the entire recipe.
"She told me just to try a bite, but Woo-yeon said it was too spicy and not to eat it."
"Don't eat it, Owner Han. It's really spicy."
For reference, even I hadn't tried it much since quantifying the recipe. I pulled out some pre-prepared milk and handed it to Joyruk, who grabbed it and chugged it down desperately.
"Whew. I'm surviving now."
Red sauce stained the corners of his mouth, his lips swollen and inflamed from the brutal heat.
"This is... too much. It's practically sadistic."
Joyruk voiced his concerns without holding back.
"Spicy has its addictive side and a solid fanbase, sure. But it'll feel alien to the general public."
"Don't worry. I'm not planning to shove this on everyone blindly."
Nuclear Fire Noodles hadn't even hit yet. That'd be overkill.
"We'll put up warning labels, slap on five skull icons. Stuff like 'Warning! It's seriously spicy! SUPER spicy!' to scare 'em off. And confirm orders twice."
"You think anyone will order it even then?"
Joyruk shot me a worried look. Yeah, that's the normal reaction.
Too spicy—not gonna sell.
But human psychology is sneaky.
"Joyruk, if a stranger shoved some mystery item at you saying 'Try it,' would you want it?"
"I wouldn't touch it."
"Naturally. But what if they seemed to be hiding something, and when you ask, they double down: 'It's nothing, don't worry about it. Seriously, ignore it. This is absolutely nothing'?"
Joyruk paused at my words, then murmured softly.
"...I'd be dying to know."
"Right?"
That's the key.
"But this is different, isn't it? Plenty of people hate spicy food. Something this extreme could cause stomach pain. What if we get complaints about heartburn?"
"Sure, some customers might."
"Do we really need to risk that?"
Joyruk looked utterly baffled. From his view, Nuclear Chicken Feet was a menu full of downsides.
Clear niche appeal, but tiny target audience. High complaint risk from the heat.
Adding one dish complicates the kitchen, risks flavor crossover, extra serving care.
Losses outweigh gains.
[For now, anyway.]
But the future? We're on the cusp of the mukbang golden age.
For at least the next decade, mukbang-led food content would flood the scene.
Not just YouTubers like Shim Chae-yoon—broadcast TV would catch the demand and churn out food shows.
Like raiding fridges or whatever.
The food biz wouldn't lag: "challenge foods" would explode in popularity.
Devouring massive noodle portions in time limits, finishing ultra-spicy pork cutlets, that sort.
In that massive wave, opportunity goes to those who move first, right?
"We'll serve small portions, price it three times higher than regular."
Joyruk's eyes widened in shock at my words.
"But free if you finish in 20 minutes."
"Ah...!"
"Stirs up that competitive spirit."
Joyruk finally got my intent. Yeah. [Happiness Snacks] was thriving as a local chicken feet joint, but that wasn't enough.
"Seasonal limited-time menu—won't run it forever. Just to etch the name in people's minds."
"Whoa. Run the event, gauge response, drop it after, then use the buzz to expand franchises. That's the plan, huh."
"Spot on."
Joyruk mulled it over, lips pursed like he was weighing odds. He seemed convinced of the potential.
"For an event menu, it works. Poor response? Just axe it."
"Plus, it's the same chicken feet base, just different sauce. Ingredients barely change."
"Won't sell? Turn stock into regular chicken feet. No issue."
Perfect sync.
He instantly grasped why I picked chicken feet. Watching and learning wasn't for nothing.
"Sounds good then. That insane heat becomes the challenge itself."
"Right? Successful challengers get their name on the wall or a souvenir."
"I'll run it by No Se-hee."
Her expertise would flesh it out. My job's just the idea.
"This'll be fun. Gotta learn the recipe quick and master it myself!"
Han Mi-ae clapped in excitement.
Yeah. Things seemed to roll smoothly.
Until a week later, post-launch, when the bad news hit.
"Low participation?"
"Yes."
Joyruk continued with his report.
"We put up a sidewalk sign, posters inside... but the price scares 'em off. No challengers yet."
"Not a single one?"
"Nope. Zero."
Unbelievable.
Pre-regression, a similar gimmick went viral on YouTube around this time. Our menu and setup were solid by comparison.
How could turnout be this dead?
I stared at the report, lost in thought.
Why the flop?
Too spicy? But we'd balanced Nuclear Chicken Feet for "deliciously spicy," tweaking endlessly.
Not just scorching or oversized—proper portion harmony.
[Maybe Nuclear Fire Noodles hasn't fully ignited the spicy trend yet?]
It was buzzing quietly via word-of-mouth, but lacked that TV breakout moment. Lukewarm response for now.
One viral hit and it'd skyrocket—but reality: most folks go "What's that?"
['Happiness Snacks' targets locals, mismatched for viral bait?]
Challenge foods are anti-neighborhood—pure provocation for shares.
Still, for a gimmick menu, expected at least a couple takers...
Way off base.
"It's only day three, but poor response might force an early end."
I shot up from my seat at Joyruk's words.
"Let's go."
"Huh? To Happiness Snacks?"
"Yeah."
"And do what?"
Joyruk sounded baffled.
"Owner shows up, nothing changes. Just didn't catch public fancy—we saw that coming. Better pivot to—"
I crammed files from my desk into my bag haphazardly.
"We can save it!"
I rushed on.
"Save this event!"
The idea had just sparked in my head.