Model Selection
Morning sunlight spilled across the breakfast table, where toast, scrambled eggs, and glasses of orange juice sat neatly arranged.
Eun-su placed her tablet on the table and showed Tae-seok her latest YouTube videos.
The first video had surpassed ten thousand views in a single day.
The second had climbed even faster.
Now, on the third day, her subscriber count had already broken ten thousand.
Eun-jung set the frying pan down and walked over to the table. Her gaze lingered on the tablet screen.
“The response is better than I expected.”
“Yeah… I’m a little surprised myself.”
Eun-su answered briefly.
Tae-seok lifted his coffee cup, watching the video on the screen with interest.
“Honestly… seeing your face on screen like this, you look like a full-blown celebrity.”
“What are you talking about…”
Eun-su shrank back slightly, embarrassed by his words.
“No, really. The more I watch, the more I understand why the views are exploding.”
Tae-seok set his cup down.
“It feels strange having such a beautiful woman right next to me when I’m watching her on screen. Almost like I’m dating a celebrity.”
“You… aren’t actually dating me.”
“It’s just a feeling.”
His hand squeezed her breast more firmly.
“Nn… why are you suddenly… grabbing so hard.”
“I just said it. It feels like I’m touching a celebrity.”
“Crazy… stop teasing me~”
Her words were rough, but her face flushed red and her breathing quickened. She didn’t look displeased.
Tae-seok’s fingers traced slow circles around her nipple.
“It wasn’t a joke. I meant it.”
“Hnn… I don’t know… but it feels good. I’m glad I started the YouTube channel. Getting to hear things like this from you…”
Eun-su savored the pleasure of his touch for a moment before suddenly remembering something.
“By the way… remember that content idea you mentioned before? I’ve been thinking about it.”
Tae-seok’s eyebrow rose slightly.
“You mean filming the process of turning an ordinary woman into someone beautiful?”
It was a fairly clichéd concept, but if the transformation was dramatic enough, the effect would be undeniable.
“Yeah. But… finding the right model is the real problem. It won’t be easy.”
Eun-su added.
Tae-seok took a sip of coffee before replying.
“True. Who we choose as the model matters most.”
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Ding-dong.
“Huh? Who could that be this early?”
Eun-jung stood up and opened the front door.
Park Ji-young stood outside.
[Target Information]
Name: Park Ji-young
Age: 21
Occupation: Student
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Emotion Level 9 / 100
Dominance 2 / 100
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[Special Notes]
• Severe complex about her appearance
Her hair was tied back neatly. She wore a plain, wrinkle-free dark T-shirt and comfortable jogger pants. Her face was ordinary, the lack of makeup making her look even more plain. Her figure was on the chubby side.
“Hello… sorry to bother you, but our toilet is clogged. Could I… borrow a plunger or something?”
“Ah… just a moment.”
Eun-jung turned and headed toward the utility room.
Tae-seok’s gaze fixed on Ji-young. Slowly, his eyes traveled from her face down to her feet.
“What do you think of that girl?”
Eun-su looked up at Ji-young, who was still standing at the door, waiting for Eun-jung to return. Her fingers unconsciously rubbed the side of her pants—a nervous habit.
The unfamiliar environment, unfamiliar people, and the eyes watching her made her shoulders hunch slightly inward.
“Huh? As a model for my content?”
“Yeah… she seems perfect.”
Eun-su thought for a moment. Ji-young was an ideal candidate physically, but the biggest obstacle was whether she would agree to a concept that required showing her face.
“Do you think she’ll accept?”
“We’ll make her accept.”
“How?”
Tae-seok shrugged lightly.
“That’s for you to figure out. A discounted membership or something… there are plenty of ways.”
Eun-su nodded.
“And… that girl seems to have a pretty serious complex about her looks. If we play on that properly… she might be easier to convince than we think.”
“Huh? How do you know that? Have you two already gotten that close?”
“No… it’s just a feeling.”
Eun-jung returned with the tool and handed it to Ji-young, briefly explaining how to use it. Ji-young nodded and accepted it. Just as she turned to leave after thanking them, Eun-su spoke up.
“Ji-young, do you have a moment?”
“Yes?”
Ji-young turned back, tilting her head in confusion. Still holding the plunger, she blinked. Her shoulders hunched slightly, perhaps because a stranger had suddenly addressed her.
Eun-su approached her.
“Could we talk for a bit? I run a YouTube channel, and I was wondering if you might be interested.”
Eun-su gently pulled Ji-young’s arm, giving her no room to refuse.
“Uh… wait a second. Right now I…”
“It’ll only take a moment.”
Eun-su’s voice was kind and gentle. She naturally guided Ji-young toward the living room sofa with just the right amount of pressure—neither too pushy nor too forceful. It was the kind of touch that came naturally to someone who had worked in service for a long time.
Before she knew it, Ji-young was sitting on the sofa, the plunger still clutched in her hands. Eun-su smiled at the sight.
“Why don’t you put that down while we talk.”
Ji-young blushed and set the tool on the floor.
Tae-seok watched quietly from the side, sipping his coffee.
“I run a YouTube channel… I was wondering if you might be interested.”
Eun-su spoke first.
Ji-young’s eyes widened slightly.
“Me? Why me?”
“Because you’re exactly the person we’ve been looking for.”
“What… kind of concept is it?”
Eun-su glanced at Tae-seok while choosing her words. He gave a small nod without saying anything.
“It’s about documenting an ordinary person’s transformation. Through exercise and proper care. You’d be the main character.”
Ji-young’s face flushed red.
“Then… I’d have to show my face and everything, right? That’s a bit…”
Eun-su looked straight into her troubled eyes.
“I’ll be honest. I can see your potential. You’re a little chubby now, but with the right care, you could change dramatically.”
Ji-young fell silent. Her eyes shifted slightly left and right—a sign of hesitation.
“If it feels like too much, just say so. But…”
Eun-su paused, then played her next card.
“We’ll give you a one-year membership to our club. Free of charge. Including personal training. That’s normally worth millions of won.”
Ji-young’s eyes grew wide. She looked overwhelmed by the number.
“You’re at an age where you should care about your appearance, right? Filming your transformation could help you later if you want to pursue something in that direction.”
Ji-young lowered her head, wrapping her hands around her coffee cup. A long silence stretched between them.
“Since I’ll be appearing in the content too, I’ll pay extra attention to your progress. I can guarantee real results. You’ll become truly beautiful.”
After wrestling with the decision for a long time, Ji-young finally spoke quietly, swayed by the promise of beauty.
“…I’ll try.”
***
On the first day of filming, Ji-young arrived at the club wearing comfortable training clothes. Eun-su positioned her in front of the mirror and turned on the camera.
“Don’t be nervous. Just act natural.”
Ji-young nodded, though her shoulders remained slightly hunched.
“Alright, let’s start with a self-introduction.”
Ji-young looked at the camera lens. Her lips parted, then closed again.
“Hello… I’m Park Ji-young.”
Her voice was small and trembling.
“How old are you?”
“Twenty… one.”
“What are your hobbies?”
“Watching movies… alone…”
“Do you exercise?”
“…Not really.”
The camera angle lowered slightly, framing her entire body—soft arms, a gently rounded waist, thighs that were more plush than toned.
“Now let’s measure your height and weight.”
Ji-young stepped onto the scale.
Eun-su read out the numbers.
“166 cm, 69.8 kg.”
Ji-young’s face stiffened slightly.
“We’ll measure here every week. We’ll also work on an exercise routine together. Ready?”
Ji-young nodded. There was anxiety in her eyes, but also a small spark of determination.
Within a day of uploading, the video had surpassed fifty thousand views. The title was [Rebirth? An Ordinary Girl’s Challenge Ep.1].
Eun-su scrolled through the comments on her tablet while Tae-seok watched from beside her, coffee in hand.
The top comments were mostly praise for Eun-su.
But as she scrolled further down, the tone shifted dramatically.
Eun-su’s finger stopped scrolling. Tae-seok leaned over to look at the screen.
“The reactions are… pretty harsh.”
“It’s within expectations. If anything, this is actually going well.”
Tae-seok’s tone was calm.
More comments continued to appear—ones they couldn’t show Ji-young.
Eun-su set the tablet down and sighed, scratching the back of her head.
“Let’s not tell Ji-young about these.”
“Yeah. Not yet.”
Tae-seok took another sip of coffee, his eyes still fixed on the comment section.
“But comments like these are what make reactions explode.”
Tae-seok spoke again, as casually as before.
“The crazies are what create the buzz.”
A KakaoTalk message arrived from Jung-hoon. It was short.
There was no further explanation. It was obvious. He wanted Tae-seok to arrange another encounter with Eun-jung. Bringing Mi-jin along carried that implication.
Tae-seok stared at the message for a moment, lost in thought.