Desk-Smashing Fury and the MCN Handshake
Contract pitch meeting—KWAANG! I... I just couldn't hold back anymore and slammed my fist down on the desk.
"....."
Gaaahhh!!! My hand...!!! Isn't it broken?! This level of pain was something I hadn't felt since I was twenty, drunk off my ass and sparring with a streetlamp...!
I clutched my hand, rolling around on the floor in a total frenzy. Luckily, the pain gradually subsided, only for a wave of self-loathing to crash over me right after.
Ugh, from now on, I absolutely can't punch anything or get dragged into fights... It's just gonna end up costing me.
Gripping my throbbing hand, I dragged myself back to the computer. The screen still had that mocking email from Rakgurakgu Korea staring me down.
Once my anger had cooled a bit, curiosity started bubbling up. Just how confident were they in this product to send an ad email after seeing that negative footage?
I couldn't resist and ended up searching for the item on the Rakgurakgu Korea homepage.
'Rakgurakgu Outdoor Exhibition...' They really that sure of themselves? Holding an actual exhibition... And it's still going on? It's not far, either—maybe I should check it out.
Yeah, I haven't even properly used Rakgurakgu before, and even if I did, it was just in the company break room. I can't just reject it without trying it first. Turning it down based on images alone would be rude.
As those thoughts swirled, the exhaustion from camping hit me all at once. Heavy eyelids, stiff shoulders, and my still-burning hand.
'Tomorrow... I'll think about it tomorrow. MCN first.'
I shut down the computer and flopped into bed.
"Oh, right. Editing... Haah, not today. Just sleep..."
I closed my eyes and plunged into deep sleep just like that.
The next morning, thankfully, my wrist was fine. Even after that much pain. I figured at least a hairline fracture, but apparently my durability wasn't that bad—just my stamina and muscles that sucked.
About two hours until the meeting time. If I washed up and got ready now, I'd make it just right. Shower's quick, but drying my hair takes forever... Better move.
I stripped off my clothes haphazardly, grabbed a change of outfit, and headed to the bathroom.
Suddenly, catching sight of myself in the mirror—still couldn't get used to it, no matter how I looked. Not even a full month yet, and it felt like I'd lived through a lifetime of spectacles already. If I'm like this now, how am I gonna handle the future?
I wet my hair, squeezed out some shampoo a few times, and washed up. Come to think of it, this was men's all-in-one shampoo-conditioner. Time to switch it out soon? Might as well take care of this pretty girl body properly now.
I seemed to remember women slathering on a bunch of stuff during showers... Foam cleanser too, probably. Sigh, might as well handle it all while I'm out today. Hate going out with this body anyway.
After showering, I carefully blow-dried my hair and got dressed. Once it gets longer, gotta hit the salon for a trim... Argh, damn! The more I think, the more endless it gets!
Priority one: the contract. Contract!
I left the house and arrived at the meeting cafe, looking around, when a kindly middle-aged man approached.
"Hello, are you Ms. Han Areum?"
"Ah, yes. That's me. Manager Kim Manho?"
"Haha, yes. Nice to meet you."
After the pleasantries, we moved to the table where Kim Manho had already settled in. He'd arrived early and was working—papers and an open laptop.
"First off, thank you for meeting me, Areum."
"No, no. If anything, I'm grateful you approached a no-name YouTuber like me."
"Heh heh, well, I reviewed the raw footage Nana sent yesterday. Like I said on the phone, it exceeded expectations—no, it was the best. Your chemistry was great, but the handling of unexpected situations was pro-level, on par with big corp YouTubers. And above all, the character you bring has massive potential."
"My character? What do you mean..."
"Exactly, your character. Unlike other camping YouTubers... Ahem, you know, the ones with the exposure and all—you just show the pure, natural side of camping. That's your biggest differentiator."
"Ah, well... I was never into that kind of concept anyway..."
"That's what's impressive. From my research, it looks like you deleted all your old channel videos. Any reason why?"
...Reason? I just bombed so hard I scrapped everything for a fresh start.
"Just... they felt too static. Thought I'd add some explanations and try again."
"Kya—! That's exactly what hooked us! That razor-sharp decisiveness! Willing to try new things after failure! And that challenge paid off big time...!"
Huh? What was this guy saying? It was do-or-die, pure failure. Razor-sharp decisiveness? Challenge spirit? They were spinning it like that?
A barrage of baseless praise had my lips twitching upward. Whoops. Gotta manage my expression.
"Ahem. Well, I didn't expect it to succeed either."
"Still, it's impressive. We looked into it—camping YouTube usually takes 1-2 years of consistent uploads to grow. But you? One video, over 10,000 subs."
"Whoa... You're making me blush."
"Haha, just stating facts. So... how about contracting with our MCN?"
"Not jumping straight to contract, but I came to hear the pitch first. Mind starting there?"
"Of course. You'll like it, I'm sure."
He turned his laptop screen toward me and handed over some documents.
"Areum, have you gotten offers from other MCNs?"
"No, not yet." I emphasized 'not yet' on purpose. Lets him know I'd shop around if this didn't pan out.
"I see. Stay independent, and you'll get plenty. But we have differences they can't match."
"Differences?"
He paused, flashed a confident smile, and continued. "Most MCNs are founded by famous streamers or broadcasters. Great experience and networks, sure. But unstable foundations, and support boils down to hooking up ads for a cut or handling copyrights."
I nodded quietly. That was the public perception.
"But we're different."
"How so?"
"One: We support in teams. Contract with us, and you'll get a dedicated team just for you."
"Just for signing?"
"Yes. A planner to brainstorm content direction, a PD for shooting and editing, a manager like me for schedules and business. You focus purely on creating. We handle the rest."
Team support? That's for big shots like Im Nana... Just for signing? This wasn't some cult recruitment.
As skepticism flickered in my eyes, he pressed on firmly. "Two: Solid foundation. Not a pure MCN startup—we have a parent company. One you probably know."
He pulled up a new screen on the laptop. What? That logo looks familiar... Hmm... Wait... Is that...?!
"Heard of it? Our parent is Next Contents. Started with cable TV, now web variety, dramas—publicly listed."
Who hasn't? They produce most trending shows.
"If we see your potential beyond YouTube, we support TV appearances, album releases, even movies. Our MCN contract isn't the end—it's a partnership to launch you as an artist."
...I was honestly shocked. A real conglomerate— not a YouTube one—scouting like this? YouTube's big, but not this big.
......
...Wait, but I don't wanna be a celebrity?
"What do you think? Lastly, revenue. Most MCNs take 7:3 or 6:4 on ads, some skim channel earnings. We offer industry-best terms."
"Uh... well..."
"Not satisfied?"
"No, I like it, but the contract..."
"Anything uncomfortable? We customized beyond standard templates for your convenience."
"No, not that!"
I finally raised my voice, and he halted his rapid-fire pitch.
That wasn't the issue...!
"S-sorry. Didn't mean to yell."
"No problem. What was it?"
"Not uncomfortable. It's the 'artist' thing."
"...?"
"I don't wanna be a celebrity. Started this for fun camping videos to earn pocket change."
"Ah, got it."
Ah, got it? Hey? You accept that so easily after I yelled?
"If you don't want it, no pressure. Nana's contract is the same."
"Nana too?"
"Yes. She was just a beauty YouTuber college kid. Forcing celebrity on her? Some might like it, but it's not all glamour—stress, privacy issues."
"Yeah, that's why I..."
"So we stripped it out. Pure YouTuber focus. We have goals, so celebs or idols for promo appear sometimes, unavoidably."
"Ah... ha?"
"Haha, that was the worry?"
"Yeah... Plus my camping philosophy..."
"Philosophy! Yes! That's another hook."
He was off again, rapid-fire. Was he always this chatty? Didn't seem money-driven. Eyes sparkling with genuine fandom... A perfect match of hobby and job? Scout's thrill?
"...And that's how it is!"
"I... see."
"So, Areum, join our MCN?"
"I get it. Great terms, solid company, artist-friendly."
"That means...?"
"I have conditions too."
"Name them. We'll accommodate."
Could a profit-driven corp really bend that far?
"First, like Nana, no celebrity stuff. Hate forced work, and only into camping."
"Easy fix."
"Celeb appearances... I get your side. Can't block entirely. But conditions?"
"..."
"Can I reject pure promo ones? Okay with occasional passionate campers, or beginners wanting to try."
"Hmm... Can't confirm that immediately."
"And though I camped with Nana, I'm a solo camper at heart."
"Noted."
"I want to camp solo—no team trailing. Just me traveling."
"Like Nana's first camp?"
"Yes."
Tap, tap, tap... Kim Manho drummed the table, deep in thought.
Too much? Sounded arrogant? Even if he wants me, these terms...
"Looks good. Nana's precedent, and with your experience, I trust you."
"???"
"???"
"W-wait, that easy? You can decide on the spot?"
"Hahaha, I have some pull."
"Even so..."
"I pitched this artist-scouting MCN to HQ and started it. Was division head there... Here, I'm basically president."
Ding? President with a manager title? Why chase YouTubers?
How to address him now? Manager? Division head? President?
"Only Nana so far, and desk work bores me. Field's fun. Hahaha."
Nana wasn't superhuman for nothing. With this courtship(?), hard to refuse...
"Conditions good?"
"All but appearances—those would align us with standard MCN splits. Okay?"
"Fine. Can't cut your revenue source entirely."
"Thank you. We'll revise the proposal including everything."
Manager—no, President—Kim Manho stood with a satisfied smile. Meeting over. I stood awkwardly.
"See you at formal signing."
We shook hands, packed up, and left the cafe.
The chilly midday sun hit me, contrasting the meeting's weight. Realizing how huge this was for my life.
From 300-sub noob to negotiating with him, terms, handshake...
I stood frozen outside the cafe.
"Whoa..."
Still unreal... Pro YouTuber with MCN? Pros don't waste time.
That thought sparked the name that wrecked my hand last night.
'Rakgurakgu...'
I pulled out my smartphone and reopened the exhibition page I'd searched in anger.
Address and remaining dates on screen.
'Gotta see it first before rejecting.'
Yes! Pro etiquette. I hopped in the car, inputted the address.
Not far. Let's go. Scout the heretics' lair myself—see if they can sway the righteous with my own eyes.