Chapter 150: Golden Duckling (2)
Chapter 150: Golden Duckling (2)
Young-bin was in a great mood today.
His mood was so good that the anger from having to live at the office for the past few days melted away instantly.
"Team Leader, you’ve worked hard preparing for the launch. The Director said you should head home early today and get some rest."
Since the order had come from above, he didn't hesitate to leave.
Of course, they had promised to pay him for the full day's work, so he had nothing to worry about.
I never thought I’d be getting off at this hour.
Working at a game company, Young-bin was busy in many ways.
All-nighters were frequent, and his arrival time at home was irregular.
He had been especially busy lately preparing for the launch of a new game.
This break was sweeter than anything.
It was even more so because he had been pushing himself to the limit, knowing that if things went well this time, he might have a shot at becoming a Director.
I’ll catch up on all the games I’ve missed today.
He wasn't worried about the company's game launch.
To begin with, it was a mass-produced title. While he acknowledged the current Director’s business savvy, he wasn't so sure about the game itself.
High school was the best.
Back then, he had made games with Sua.
They even won awards at competitions.
He had managed to get his job because of that, but the games he was making now were a far cry from the dreams he had back then.
Once I become a Director, can I change things?
Or should I just go independent?
As he pondered these thoughts while looking around the house...
Huh? Where did the frame go?
The stab-proof vest that his daughter had ripped in half was nowhere to be seen.
His daughter had been vehemently against it, but Young-bin had hung it up anyway, thinking it was a legendary item.
He knew his daughter was strong, but he hadn't realized she was that strong.
Where did she hide it?
With that thought, he began rummaging around.
After poking around for a bit...
"Hmm."
It was quiet.
The layout of the house felt strangely different, too.
Did they do some deep cleaning today?
Young-bin didn't pay it much mind.
Out of the entire family, Young-bin was the only one who didn't know about the appearance on Golden Duckling.
He had been so busy with outside work lately that there hadn't been a moment to tell him. Even during the camera installation period, he had been staying at the office, so he was completely in the dark.
Is she in her room?
He thought he heard a faint whispering sound.
He strode over, knocked three times on Seo-yeon’s door, and then swung it wide open.
"Hey, my little Head-butting Dinosaur, what are you and Mom up to?"
However...
"Huh?"
Young-bin was momentarily taken aback.
Sua was dressed up to a suspicious degree.
She was wearing makeup, which was rare.
Her hair was neatly styled, too.
And her outfit—it was quite something.
"W-why are you barging in like that?"
His daughter, caught off guard, stammered.
It was a rare sight to see his usually stoic daughter looking so flustered.
What’s going on?
Something was definitely up.
Young-bin’s intuition picked up on something.
But just as he was about to speak...
"L-let’s go outside first."
He was dragged out of the room by Sua.
After all, Young-bin was a man who was utterly powerless against Sua.
*
It was unexpected for her father to return home so suddenly.
I thought he said he’d be working late today, so I thought it would be fine. I can’t believe he’s back.
And I can’t even tell him right now.
Since the cameras were rolling, there was no good timing to explain.
Even if she did tell him, that scene would likely be edited out, but Young-bin’s reaction would surely change.
Besides, if she were to tell him now...
It might get boring if I tell him.
Young-bin was the type to be strangely conscious of such things.
If he knew they were filming, he would undoubtedly start managing his image.
So, she decided to leave it be.
"I just don't get it," Young-bin said, sticking close to Seo-yeon’s side.
"My daughter, didn't you literally deflect a bullet?"
"..."
"Oh, were you trying to see if you could deflect them in the game, too?"
Seo-yeon’s hand, gripping the mouse, trembled slightly.
It was true that she had just walked straight into the line of fire, but that hadn't been her intention.
She just thought she could tank at least one hit.
She just hadn't expected it to be a headshot.
I shouldn't have played a game.
To be honest, she hadn't planned on gaming.
E-sports was supposed to be her ace in the hole; she had originally planned to do something else.
But Young-bin’s early return had thrown her off.
Still, I showed myself studying diligently earlier.
Maybe that would balance things out?
Just as she thought that...
[Headshot!]
A cheerful voice rang out, and Seo-yeon’s character flopped backward.
"Do you just not understand the concept of cover?"
"..."
Kill a lot, die a lot.
That was Seo-yeon’s playstyle.
But with Young-bin beside her, it felt like she was dying even more than usual.
Naturally, the frequency of Young-bin’s teasing increased.
Wait, why isn't she reacting like usual today?
Normally, Seo-yeon would have come back with some nonsensical rebuttal, but she was quiet.
Hmm.
That was a bit strange, but Young-bin continued to tease her mercilessly.
Naturally, she died even more every time he did.
"Ugh, seriously."
In her frustration, Seo-yeon finally couldn't take it anymore and poked Young-bin in the side with her finger.
Not hard, of course.
Just enough to make him tumble over.
But then—thud.
A strange sensation met her fingertip.
"...?"
When Seo-yeon looked at Young-bin with a puzzled expression, he had a triumphant look on his face.
"Heh, this thing works great."
As Seo-yeon watched him with questioning eyes, Young-bin zipped down his hoodie.
Underneath, he was wearing the torn stab-proof vest like a makeshift waistcoat.
"My daughter, I see you hid this away."
"..."
"Were you ashamed of your prey?"
"..."
"And from now on, stick to knife fights. Your stabs are quite fierce."
At those words...
Seo-yeon lifted the chair Young-bin was sitting on.
With Young-bin still in it.
I think I finally understand why Lee Yu-ju wanted to do a chair shot.
Though, this was a slightly different kind of chair shot.
*
Golden Duckling was one of the popular variety shows airing on MDC.
Its average viewership rating was over 9 percent.
On good days, it easily maintained a 10 percent share, placing it firmly in the category of a mega-hit variety show.
Naturally, requests from stars wanting to participate flooded in.
And the production team used to be able to pick and choose... until about six months ago.
"I heard Actress Ju Seo-yeon is making her first appearance today."
"Will it be okay? Actors are usually hit or miss."
In the midst of trying to refresh the atmosphere, PD Jeon Ha-young had somehow managed to land one of the hottest actresses of the moment.
She had played a bold hand by casting Ju Seo-yeon.
However...
"Hmm, I'm not so sure."
"But every variety show she’s been on has been a hit, hasn't it? I found all of her appearances really entertaining."
"Oh, I'm not doubting Actress Ju Seo-yeon herself. It's just her profession..."
Actors are boring.
That was the common consensus among the Golden Duckling staff.
After all, acting was a profession that relied on image—being humble, down-to-earth.
The "it turns out they actually love games" or "it turns out they're just a normal child of ordinary parents" tropes were common, but in the end, the clichés were always the same.
Since they lived off their image, they had to manage it to some extent even in an observational variety show.
In fact, one actor who showed a bit too much of a "messy" lifestyle saw a huge spike in ratings, but...
The quality of the projects they were offered plummeted.
Since most of the films they had starred in emphasized the actor's mystique, once that was shattered, their commercial value dropped along with it.
Fans who loved their mysterious aura left in droves.
Thanks to that, there were even rumors that the actor was currently in a slump.
Anyway.
"PD Jeon, you don't look worried at all."
"Me? I'm absolutely thrilled!"
PD Jeon Ha-young was all smiles.
Even when other staff members asked why, she wouldn't give a straight answer.
It definitely started after her meeting with Actress Ju Seo-yeon.
The meeting had included Seo-yeon’s mother, who would also be appearing as a guest.
No one knew what had happened there to make her so confident.
Star Fisherman was definitely fun.
Really? I thought Hyper Action Star was...
Thanks to that, the staff's doubts began to fade.
Even though she was an actress, they started to wonder, Maybe?
This was because the PD's role was particularly crucial in observational variety shows.
The very plot of an observational show was a genre that utilized a PD's capabilities to the extreme.
The reason was the editing.
Editing was what determined whether an observational show was fun or boring.
Observational shows used an exceptionally large number of cameras, and creating character traits and highlighting specific points was entirely dependent on the PD's skill.
The fact that Golden Duckling was the only one to survive among the flood of observational shows was for that very reason.
Consequently, the level of trust in PD Jeon Ha-young was quite high.
"I'm starting to look forward to it."
"I was worried it was becoming a show just for image-making lately, but I guess this time will be different?"
"I just hope it doesn't end with just being a hot topic."
The people at the broadcasting station naturally began to look forward to the filming day.
"Now, we have a new guest with us today."
"Wow, I heard! I heard! A new Golden Duckling is joining us today, right?"
The filming of Golden Duckling.
The MC and the regular panels welcomed the news with great fanfare.
Generally, the subjects who appeared on the show were referred to as "Golden Ducklings."
Young stars.
The protagonists of daily life that the audience would now see through the screen.
"That's right! So, who is it?"
Everyone leaned in at the words of the main MC, Gong Hyung-man.
"It's Actress Ju Seo-yeon!"
As he spoke, footage from The Chaser played on the screen.
Only then did the panels let out gasps of admiration.
There was only one child actress from The Chaser who came to mind.
And when clips from Dream Future followed, it was a hundred percent certainty.
"It's Actress Ju Seo-yeon!!"
Clap, clap, clap. Amidst the sound of applause, Gong Hyung-man scanned the room.
Everyone looked shocked, covering their mouths and showing various reactions of surprise, but he could see the worry in their eyes.
It was likely because the actor who appeared right before her had caused a record-breaking drop in viewership ratings.
They needed to make up for it this time, but another actor?
Wouldn't a more novel profession be better?
But what kind of special profession could someone that age have?
Wouldn't an idol be better at least?
Such were their thoughts.
"Next, I’d like to introduce our guest. It is none other than our 'Golden Duckling's' mother. Everyone, prepare to be surprised."
"What?"
"Is she someone famous?"
"No, that's not it. Come on, Actress Ju Seo-yeon isn't a second-generation star, is she?"
Gong Hyung-man spoke in a strangely sly tone.
This left the other panels puzzled.
What's with this guy again?
It's probably just his usual exaggeration.
While they might know about the new "Golden Duckling" in advance, only the main MC, Gong Hyung-man, met the parents beforehand.
The rest were seeing them for the first time on set.
So, they were curious, but really, wasn't she just the parent of a star?
Unless they were second-generation celebrities, most parents were quite ordinary.
They just hoped she had a good sense of humor.
If she was Ju Seo-yeon’s mother, she’d be in her mid-forties.
In many cases, parents that age could be quite stiff.
They just hoped she wouldn't cause any controversy.
Just as everyone was harboring these thoughts...
Clatter!!
The mother of the new Golden Duckling entered.
Everyone prepared their reactions and raised their hands to clap as they turned to see her.
"Huh?"
Most of them froze in that exact position.
"Actress Ju Seo-yeon’s mother, Ju Sua!"
Mother? Really?
Her long hair was tied up, and her slightly downturned eyes could be seen fluttering.
Her awkward smile and fair skin showed not a single wrinkle.
While she wasn't exceptionally tall, her proportions were incredible.
She had a slender waist, wide hips, long legs, and just the right amount of fullness in her thighs, creating a silhouette that emphasized her curves.
And the thing that stood out the most...
What is that?
The female panels momentarily doubted their eyes.
Wait, wait.
The male panels had to quickly avert their gaze.
If they stared too openly, her physique was one that could easily lead to a dangerous misunderstanding.