Raccoon Strikes Again! The Future Is Here!
Things didn't stop with the impact of my YouTube videos.
[Farmshine stock rises 57% thanks to Neoguri X ramyeon]
[This is an unprecedented situation. While price surges driven by a single individual have happened before, those individuals were usually at a level beyond comparison with ordinary people — like Warren Buffett himself.]
[Do you mean this is different?]
[Exactly! The reason the stock rose this time was a YouTuber. No one could have predicted this. Who would have guessed that a YouTuber reviewing a 6-million-view movie would turn it into a 10-million-view blockbuster, and that simply because the YouTuber's nickname is Raccoon, Farmshine's stock would climb by about 57%? Ultimately, what I want to say is this: The era of YouTubers might be coming! And at the forefront of that era will stand the YouTuber called Raccoon — I dare say so with complete confidence.]
On TV, a professor at the top university in Korea, Hwa-ryeong University, appeared to explain the situation. The public's reaction was lively.
-So, I can just invest in Farmshine now?
-└ Yeah, every time a review video comes out the stock goes up lol. I put in all my dad's retirement money right away.
-└ Is that okay?
-└ It's fine! We'll just get the money back in the end. Farmshine has nowhere to go but up from here.
-└ Yeah, that's true lol.
People poured their fortunes into Farmshine.
And watching all this, Iena let out a hollow laugh.
'I can't believe it anymore...'
A 6-million-view movie. Reviewed it two weeks into release. Yet in just two weeks it drew over 5 million people into theaters. How was anyone supposed to predict that...?
This was a natural disaster.
[10,234,434]
Tom Cruise's YouTube video had just broken 10 million views.
'Heh. Whatever.'
From now on I can review whatever I want.
'Well. Honestly, it feels really good when I recommend a movie I liked and others enjoy it too.'
From now on, if I find a movie genuinely fun, I'll upload the review without hesitation.
Since I already have the title of Delphi's Prophetess.
-What if the guy I like confesses to me now?
-I have only 70 days until the exam. Will I be able to study?
-My child's about to be born and I'm thinking of naming him Raccoon.
-└[Raccoon] That sounds a little off.
-└Kyaaaa! Delphi's Prophetess has descended!
-└Please tell me! Will he accept the confession?
The comments section was already completely taken over.
Everyone was asking me for the future.
I simply closed the comments.
'This is getting dizzy.'
I'd probably lose my mind if I kept reading.
For now, I shouldn't check comments.
#1
The last day of filming for Daegu-haeng had arrived.
I was waiting on set with Ha-jun.
"Yena, look! There's this YouTuber named Neoguri. All the movies he reviews end up as 10-million-view blockbusters!"
On Ha-jun's phone, my own voice played.
[Behind the scenes, Tom Cruise literally clung to the plane.]
Has this kid become famous enough that everyone knows the behind-the-scenes now?
"I hope he reviews our movie too... Honestly, everyone's been talking in the industry lately. If Neoguri doesn't review it, it can never become a 10-million-view movie."
"No, it's not that bad..."
"It is that bad! I've reviewed four movies already, and all four reached 10 million views! Ming-yeon was the first to hit 20 million!"
"That's right..."
"Why are you reacting like that? You don't think...?"
Wait, does he suspect I'm Neoguri? No way.
"You're jealous!"
"?"
"Yeah, that makes sense. Neoguri's a student, we're filming a movie, and he's predicting 10-million-view movies. It's only natural to feel jealous."
"No. He's in high school, we're older than him, so why jealous?"
"If you think that way, you're already the loser. No matter the age gap, you should aim to win. Once you start thinking you can't win, you won't."
"We don't have anything to do with the YouTuber Neoguri anyway..."?
"Why not!"
"There is?"
"Of course! If Neoguri reviews our movie, we win. If he doesn't, we lose."
"It works like that?"
"Listen, Yena. How many 10-million-view movies have come out since last year?"
"Four."
"And who reviewed all of them?"
"Neoguri."
"That's enough to be sure. This person has the sharp eye and knowledge to predict 10-million-view movies!"
"......?"
"You agree, right?!"
"Uh, yeah."
"What I'm saying is this: no matter when the next 10-million-view movie comes out, Neoguri will review it. So wouldn't it be good for us to be on that list? Just reviewing it will bring many people to see our movie."
"That's true..."
"But who is Neoguri? A high-school YouTuber with 3 million subscribers, Delphi's Prophetess who predicts 10-million-view movies, and the fact that he has a beautiful appearance — that's all anyone knows. Too bad."
"?How do you know he's handsome?"
Ha-jun looked at me like I was stupid and answered.
"You're dumb? Delphi's Prophetess has to be handsome. The voice is already beautiful, so it has to be."
"?"
Of course my appearance objectively ranks among the top one or two on earth... but does he really think Neoguri looks like that? Everyone else probably doesn't know either.
"There is no way he's not handsome."
"You're sure?"
"Yeah."
Hah. I had nothing to say. This guy is so confident.
I checked for myself by going into the YouTuber section and opening the comments.
-But is Neoguri pretty?
-└Yeah, of course. He's Delphi's Prophetess lol. He can't be anything but handsome. His voice is already so good too.
-I hope he posts his face someday...
-└Honestly, I doubt he'll ever do it.
-└Why?
-└How does anyone deal with being unknown but having money lol.
-└Yeah, right lol lol lol.
After reading the last comment, I nodded without realizing it.
Honestly, that was an admission.
'I don't need to post my face right now.'
Well, once Daegu-haeng becomes a 10-million-view movie my face will be known to the world anyway. But it won't be more than the usual attention given to young child actors.
But if a child actor reveals he's Neoguri? I have no idea how far the ripple effects would spread.
'Genius title already attached. Next he'll dig up my entire past.'
If he keeps digging, he'll learn I'm a piano prodigy. And Korea's undisputed number one.
Of course, among my peers. My body hasn't fully grown yet.
Well, that alone would make reporters go insane.
'Too much attention feels burdensome.'
So I'm just tasting a little of the fame as a child actor.
Even if it was in a 10-million-view movie, the spotlight usually went to adult actors rather than young child actors.
"Actors, please prepare for the start!"
Just like that, the last day of filming for Daegu-haeng came to an end.
I loosened my neck one last time and prepared.
A short while later, the final filming of Daegu-haeng began.
#2
The scene to be filmed on the last day was the protagonist jumping off the train after becoming infected.
'It's a tough part.'
The train-jumping scene was no problem. We'd handle it with CG anyway.
The real issue was the protagonist after he turned into a zombie.
'I need to cry beautifully!'
The scene where the protagonist's daughter, Ha-neul, sees her dad become a zombie and cries her heart out was the final scene that completed the entire movie Daegu-haeng.
Crying acting was that important. As the last scene, even a little awkwardness would lower the overall quality of the film.
'Box office is important, but critics' reviews matter too.'
Director Hong Jun-seok wanted to catch two rabbits with Daegu-haeng — both box office success and critical acclaim.
And to do that, the ending absolutely could not be half-baked.
'Even if the beginning is bad, as long as the end is good we can cover it. But if the end is bad, there's no way to cover it!'
People always remembered the ending, so the final scene was extremely important.
'I will definitely do my absolute best.'
Hong Jun-seok declared. He would keep filming until he was satisfied with the quality.
The problem was that Iena had no choice but to cry beautifully.
In my past life, simply remembering the moment my dad died and my mom died brought sincere tears flowing nonstop.
That was the perfect way to show how much Ha-neul's character grieved her father's death.
"......Cut. Everyone, great work!"
The last filming wrapped in an instant, and everyone cheered.
"Wow! I thought it would take forever!"
"No way, a nine-year-old kid cried that well?"
"Yeah. Well, the important thing is that the last scene acting was perfect."
"That's true. A new star was born."
"If only Neoguri would just review our movie, it would be perfect..."
"Yeah... I hope Neoguri reviews it."
At the word Neoguri again, I spat out the water I was drinking.
"Are you okay?"
"Uh.... yeah."
'No, not again Neoguri?'
At any rate, it seemed I wouldn't be able to avoid hearing the word Neoguri for a while.