Chapter 110: Incidents and Accidents (1)
Chapter 110: Incidents and Accidents (1)
The episode of Star Fisherman featuring the extraordinary catch of a Giant Sea Bass became a sensation.
The fact that they had used part of such an expensive fish to make a simple spicy fish stew caused an even bigger stir.
==
Post: Isn't that Giant Sea Bass totally staged?
Wasn't there another fishing show a while back?
The one where a diver secretly hooked the fish underwater.
Isn't this the same thing?
==
Comments like that popped up occasionally.
However, such claims were easily debunked.
The fact that the catch was a very much alive Giant Sea Bass made it impossible to fake.
To be honest, any viewer who saw the broadcast couldn't even fathom staging a fish of that size. Visually, it looked like a species capable of swallowing a human in one gulp.
While those discussions were happening in general communities, a much more serious debate was unfolding in Ju Seo-yeon’s fan community.
[Ju Seo-yeon with a Fishing Rod vs. Cha Seo-ah]
For an actress’s fan community, "VS" threads made up the majority of the posts, but not every post was like that.
Seo-yeon’s fan community had been steadily growing.
First, viewers who enjoyed The Moon that Hides the Sun through Looking at the Past and Memories joined.
Then, those who saw Close Your Eyes came looking for the actress.
Her fanbase began to grow in earnest through The Chaser and Dream Future.
And finally, after her appearance on Star Fisherman appealed to a wider age demographic, the number of registered users had reached five thousand.
Seo-yeon’s influence didn't stop at her fan community; it also had a massive impact in unexpected places.
“Sir, our fishing rod sales have doubled recently!”
“...What?”
Yuseong Enterprise, a domestic fishing rod manufacturer, was enjoying an untimely boom. In a market dominated by Japanese brands, such a surge in sales was highly unusual.
“Why?”
“An actress caught a Giant Sea Bass on a recent episode of Star Fisherman...”
“An actress caught a Giant Sea Bass? Isn't that staged?”
“Some people say that, but the way she caught it was just so... explosive.”
The manager showed the CEO a video that was already circulating as a Short. It wasn't just a catch; the Giant Sea Bass practically flew out of the water.
“Is this CG?”
“...Some people are saying that too. Ahem. Anyway, the rod she used was ours.”
Yuseong Enterprise had been consistently sponsoring Star Fisherman. The rod featured was a fairly expensive model, designed not to break under normal circumstances.
“Look at how it held up until the very end while she was reeling in that Giant Sea Bass. If you search for Giant Sea Bass videos on YouTube... look here, at the 7-minute mark, this other rod just snaps in half.”
“Hmm. But ours broke at the end too...”
“Yes, but honestly, even an American or Japanese rod would have snapped way earlier. That seems to be why it’s becoming such a hot topic.”
They had sponsored the show simply because it was one of the few fishing variety programs, never imagining it would pay off like this.
“...Do we have an advertising model?”
“Of course we do.”
“What do you think about this actress, Ju Seo-yeon?”
The manager pondered for a moment. Ju Seo-yeon was an actress who had been making headlines for various reasons lately. If they were going to sign her, now seemed like the only time.
“...Should I try reaching out?”
At the manager’s suggestion, Kang Dae-sik, the CEO of Yuseong Enterprise, nodded. But at the same time, he felt a pang of regret.
‘If I’d known, I should have contacted her a little sooner.’
Until just recently, Ju Seo-yeon’s casting fee would have been close to that of a rookie. But now? It had likely doubled. Whether it was a temporary hype or not, she was undoubtedly the most talked-about actress at the moment.
While Seo-yeon was becoming a "hot potato" in the CF world...
“They’ve gone up again.”
There was one brand that had caught Seo-yeon at her lowest point.
“I’m truly amazed by your insight, Director.”
“Wow, a legend in the luxury brand world! This didn't happen by chance.”
“They say heroes appear in times of chaos...”
éclat Étoile.
The company that had signed Ju Seo-yeon as their model when her value was at its lowest, only to watch it skyrocket day by day.
“Ahem, I knew it all along. It started back when I saw her in The Moon that Hides the Sun ten years ago.”
Director Baek Min-chan was enjoying every day, as his colleagues showered him with praise every time he stepped into the office. The sales figures, which had hit rock bottom, were rebounding sharply. He even thought they might break their peak sales records if this trend continued.
“Ah, but there is one thing that’s a bit... ambiguous.”
As always, there was someone to dampen the mood. It was Jung Tae-soo, the Team Leader of the Business Strategy Department.
“Ahem, ambiguous?”
“Director, aren't we a luxury cosmetic brand?”
“We are.”
“Our products are certainly selling well lately, but the one moving the most is...”
“Is?”
“The sunscreen.”
“...”
Sunscreen. Well, that was still a beauty product.
“It seems that every time Ju Seo-yeon appears on a variety show, she’s running around with such energy that she’s caught everyone’s attention.”
Desert Island Survival and Star Fisherman.
Both were variety shows that actresses typically avoided. Why? First, they were the kind of shows where one could easily be labeled a "nuisance" and ruin their image. Second, they required being under the scorching sun for long periods.
Your skin gets tanned and rough.
Actresses avoided these shows because of the grueling filming conditions. Yet, despite appearing on both, Seo-yeon’s skin remained radiant. There wasn't a single blemish, let alone a tan.
Consequently, rumors spread like wildfire across the internet: "I heard éclat Étoile’s sunscreen is amazing."
“At this rate, we’re going to become known as a sunscreen brand.”
“...Ahem.”
Of course, selling well wasn't a bad thing. The atmosphere in the company was great, and everyone was busy praising Director Baek Min-chan.
‘But we are a luxury cosmetic brand.’
While high sales were good, they needed to maintain their image.
“Of course, there are many positives. There are cases where customers start with the sunscreen and then move on to our other products.”
“So, you’re saying we should film another commercial to show that our other products are just as good as the sunscreen?”
“We happen to have a new premium line ready for launch, don't we?”
The official launch was a month away.
“Yes. Why don't we invest a bit more this time and do it properly?”
“Hmm...”
Internally, there had been talk of using a different model for the new premium line—someone with a more sophisticated image. This was because of her age. Since Seo-yeon was young, her primary target audience was teenagers and those in their early twenties. Their current ads reflected that.
The new premium line was aimed at a wider, older demographic. That was why they had considered hiring an adult actress, but...
“Fine, I’ll speak with the CEO.”
“Thank you!”
Jung Tae-soo bowed as he replied. Honestly, he hadn't trusted Seo-yeon at first. Her recognition was vague at the time, and he wondered how much influence a young actress could really have. He only thought she was okay because her face was so exceptionally beautiful.
‘But the Director was right.’
Though he could be a bit flighty, Director Baek Min-chan’s eye was accurate. The sales figures proved it.
Furthermore, with The Chaser and Dream Future both being hits, Seo-yeon’s popularity was rising rapidly. Her bright image on variety shows was also a plus.
‘We can establish a sophisticated image through our cosmetics.’
Managing an actor’s image was also something an advertising agency had to consider. If it was Seo-yeon, she could surely pull it off. Team Leader Jung Tae-soo was now certain of it.
*
While the advertising world was buzzing, the cast of Star Fisherman gathered for a wrap-up dinner to celebrate their recent success.
Usually, these were held immediately after filming, but things had been too chaotic back then because of the Giant Sea Bass.
“Thanks to you, Seo-yeon, I even got to try Giant Sea Bass spicy fish stew.”
“...I didn't know it was that expensive.”
Seo-yeon replied in a small voice. She was telling the truth. She never imagined it was a fish with only a few dozen caught per year.
It was only after filming, during her daily ego-search, that she realized it after checking her own entry on the wiki.
Under the "Incidents/Controversies" section for Ju Seo-yeon, the "Giant Sea Bass Spicy Fish Stew Controversy" was proudly listed.
‘To think my very first controversy would be...!’
Still, wasn't a Giant Sea Bass a bit much? How should she put it? Wouldn't this make her look a bit... stupid?
Seo-yeon tended to care quite a bit about her image. In fact, even the clerk at the convenience store she visited yesterday had asked, "Why did you make stew out of a Giant Sea Bass?"
She hadn't realized it was such a big deal.
“Since it was such a big fish, making stew out of it is perfectly fine.”
“Right, right.”
Seo-yeon made a subtle face at the conversation between Lee Sang-soo and Producer Jung Seung-hyun.
Meanwhile, Liam from Thundust, who had appeared with them, looked a bit depressed. It was understandable, as he had been completely overshadowed by Seo-yeon’s massive performance. Many people didn't even realize he had been on the show.
Liam, who was slowly picking at the grilled meat, turned his head when he felt someone watching him. He locked eyes with Seo-yeon, who was staring at him intently.
“Wh-Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, nothing. Just...”
Seo-yeon narrowed her eyes as she looked at Liam.
‘Now that I look at him, I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere.’
During filming, he had been so dressed up that she hadn't noticed, but now that his makeup was more natural, a memory flickered.
‘And it wasn't for something good...’
It was likely an incident or an accident. Something that hadn't even become a major issue, just a brief mention in an online article. The incident that became the catalyst for Thundust’s disbandment.
“...By the way.”
Just then, Lee Sang-soo spoke to Seo-yeon.
“I saw your movie this weekend, Seo-yeon.”
“Pardon?”
“The Chaser. To be honest, I’m not very good at watching thrillers.”
Lee Sang-soo reflexively reached for a soju glass before hesitating. He remembered they hadn't ordered any alcohol for the dinner today because Seo-yeon was a minor.
“Honestly, having seen the movie, I can hardly believe you’re the same person.”
Lee Sang-soo gave a small smirk. Cha Seo-ah in The Chaser was a character who seemed to have gathered all the darkness in the world. But the Seo-yeon he saw on variety shows was like a ray of sunshine.
The subsequent Dream Future wasn't really his style... but even so, there was something about her that commanded attention.
Actor.
To Lee Sang-soo, who no longer had the confidence to act, it was a word that shone too brightly. Seo-yeon was a performer who suited that word better than anyone.
“If I ever get the chance, I’d love to act with you someday... Ah, that’s just me rambling. Don't mind me.”
At his words, Seo-yeon suddenly thought of the actor Lee Sang-soo. An actor who had experienced a great failure in Hollywood. More accurately, he was someone who had lost his way as an actor because his pride had been thoroughly crushed.
‘If I remember correctly, Lee Sang-soo retires completely in five years.’
After Star Fisherman, he would no longer be seen on broadcast.
But...
“Senior.”
Seo-yeon spoke as she watched him fiddle with his empty glass.
Personally, she didn't really want to see him retire.