Monster Rookie of the Variety Scene (9)
While I was busy filming for Oji 1 Night, the Actor Gallery was heating up with live reactions to the broadcast.
The sight of the Actor Gallery’s golden child Kim Doyun rolling around in the dirt was more than enough stimulation to fry the brains of the gallery’s old-timers.
And so, for several hours straight, the Actor Gallery remained completely occupied by talk of Kim Doyun’s first variety show, Oji 1 Night.
And right after I left, there was one other person worrying about me just as desperately as the gallery.
Han So-yeon was literally stomping her feet in place.
“Isn’t there anything I can do for him?”
Even though she only had one actor under her, Han So-yeon was both the president of Samryong Food Ingredients and the legitimate CEO of Samryong Entertainment.
‘Doyun said he didn’t need anything, but…’
She wanted to do something for Doyun, her proud, lovable, and Samryong’s star actor.
With that thought in mind, Han So-yeon had been deep in contemplation since morning.
And after a long, clumsy internet search, the information she finally dug up was…
“A coffee truck…?”
She narrowed her eyes.
“What on earth is this?”
The shallow scraps of knowledge floating through the mind of Han So-yeon, who had long since given up on her idol dreams.
‘Come to think of it, I think I’ve heard of this kind of culture before…?’
She kept scrolling through the online articles.
“A means for fans to support their idols… a tribute…”
Han So-yeon nodded firmly.
“This is it!”
It was literally a way for fans to show support!
“Strictly speaking, I’m Doyun’s fan too!”
The photos online were filled with sleek, sparkling, stylish coffee trucks.
‘It would be nice if I could get help from someone well-versed in the entertainment industry.’
There was no way anyone like that existed around Han So-yeon. Or so she thought—until one person flashed across her mind.
“Ah!”
The genius director Baek Hyeon-jin, who had filmed the Samryong Juicy Tofu CF with such refined skill.
‘I even got his phone number.’
With his abilities—or rather, with the skills he himself claimed to possess—she was sure he could help.
Baek Hyeon-jin arrived in a flash.
“Y-you need help for the actor-nim?! What exactly is it! I’ll roll up both sleeves and assist with everything!”
Han So-yeon placed her hands on her hips and spoke in a proud tone.
“Baek Hyeon-jin, exclusive outsourced director for Samryong. This is your first official outsourced job. Decorate a coffee truck.”
“Pardon?”
After listening to the explanation of the Oji 1 Night situation, Baek Hyeon-jin nodded as if he understood.
“But coffee trucks are usually sent by fans…”
Han So-yeon tilted her head in confusion.
“Aren’t we fans too?”
“I was clearly one step behind!”
Baek Hyeon-jin nodded vigorously, as if enlightened.
“I have dozens, no, hundreds of usable photos of the actor-nim, so decorating the coffee truck is no problem if you leave it to me. I can even do it for free.”
“This time I have absolutely no intention of doing that. I’ll pay you properly.”
Baek Hyeon-jin continued as if it truly didn’t matter.
“However, even if we contact a coffee truck company right now, I’m not sure we can get it ready in time.”
At Baek Hyeon-jin’s worried tone, Han So-yeon clenched her fists tightly.
She thought hard about what to send our Doyun. A plain coffee truck wouldn’t be enough to keep our Doyun from feeling discouraged. She had to send the best, the absolute highest quality.
Han So-yeon’s eyes sparkled.
The thing Samryong was most confident in, the most delicious, and the perfect thing to soothe the exhausted minds and bodies of the staff after a grueling shoot.
Didn’t she have it right here?
“That would be Samryong Tofu!”
Baek Hyeon-jin found himself strangely convinced by Han So-yeon’s confident declaration.
“Y-yeah, I suppose that makes sense.”
Han So-yeon called out to the foreign employee standing beside her—the one who had been appointed as her secretary through the recent Samryong Tofu advertisement.
“Good! Then load two trucks full of Samryong Tofu right away. Prepare equipment so it can be heated on the spot, and cover the branding so there’s no misunderstanding.”
“T-two trucks? The restaurant orders are already so high that we don’t even have enough stock to display in the marts…”
Han So-yeon spoke without the slightest concern.
“Doesn’t matter.”
The foreign secretary nodded and asked,
“Miss President. How should we handle the expense report?”
“Process it as my personal expense.”
“All of that volume?!”
“Yes.”
That way, it would truly carry the meaning of something sent by a fan, wouldn’t it?
For Samryong’s pride, her own dream, and Doyun—the one and only star actor of Samryong Entertainment—she could spend money like water.
Han So-yeon smiled with a confident posture.
‘After all, this big sis is already swimming in it!’
The tofu had its branding covered, but its somehow familiar, rugged shape was unmistakable. And then there were the photos of me, styled like an unnecessarily sensual photoshoot.
I pressed a hand to my forehead and shook my head.
“Haha…”
I didn’t even have to look to know. This was clearly a collaboration between big sis and Baek Hyeon-jin.
“I told you, these are supposed to be sent by fans.”
Even as I grumbled, I couldn’t help the warmth that spread through a corner of my heart.
The staff members each received a steaming bowl of tofu and a cup of makgeolli from the coffee truck—no, the tofu truck—and glanced my way.
“Doyun, thanks for the meal!”
“Your fan club’s firepower is no joke. This is the first time I’ve seen three trucks make it all the way out to a place like this.”
“Thank you, Doyun!”
I bowed to the staff.
“Please enjoy it. It was prepared with care by the fans I love so much.”
“Haha. The more I see you, Doyun, the more I like you.”
One of the staff members who had taken a bowl of tofu said so and was about to take a big spoonful—when it happened.
‘Here we go.’
This was the real show. It wasn’t just simple tofu to fill the stomach. Samryong Tofu existed on another level entirely. Savor it. Be amazed!
Just as I was feeling a strange sense of anticipation thinking about the staff tasting Samryong’s flavor—
“…!”
The moment the tofu entered their mouths, the staff members’ eyes flew wide open.
“Huh? There’s something like meat juice inside…”
“What is this? Why does this tofu taste so good?”
“It’s warm! I feel alive again.”
Every single one of them wore an ecstatic expression like they had been saved.
‘I feel strangely proud.’
This was the pinnacle of Samryong. The Samryong Juicy Tofu proudly endorsed by its promotional model, Kim Doyun!
“What the—why is it so delicious?”
“It really is!”
The staff, who had been chilled and starving in the cold mountain air despite it being summer, began shoveling the tofu into their mouths without pause.
By the time everyone had nearly finished their tofu, a natural question arose.
“PD-nim. Then this makgeolli…”
At the staff member’s question, Kang Min-ju PD smiled as if she had no choice.
“Just one cup each. You’ve all worked hard.”
The moment Kang Min-ju PD gave permission, the staff downed the makgeolli. You could tell without a word. Their faces showed the alcohol spreading through their bodies.
“Krrgh… Doyun’s fans really know what they’re doing!”
“I almost want to join Doyun’s fan club myself.”
“I really thought I was gonna die.”
“I thought we weren’t getting any dinner at all.”
Even the staff member who had helped me carry luggage earlier approached me with tears of genuine emotion in his eyes.
“This is the best! Seriously, out of all the coffee trucks I’ve seen in my years as a writer, this is the real deal, Doyun. I’m officially a Doyun fan from now on.”
So this person was a writer.
I felt strangely proud. It felt like being loved by writers, starting with Writer Yun Song-i.
I smiled at the sight of her carefully holding a plate of tofu in one hand and a cup of makgeolli in the other.
“Thank you for thinking so highly of me.”
Seeing the staff’s positive reactions, I couldn’t help but square my shoulders. As expected of the CEO of SL Entertainment, who leads trends.
I had been the fool for not recognizing it sooner!
‘From now on, the trend on every filming set will be tofu trucks.’
Just as I was thinking that with confidence, Runna Bell suddenly appeared behind me and whispered.
“Tofu minati…! Free tofu son…!!”
“What?”
When I turned at Runna Bell’s incomprehensible words, she was staring at me intently.
“The dark tofu minati. Is this how you meticulously seep into the deepest parts of people’s hearts and take root?! I knew it from the moment you sent Elizabeth away in one go.”
“What are you talking about?”
You ate Elizabeth (fresh, age 1 at passing) deliciously too, didn’t you?
Runna Bell trembled as she shouted.
“Strong denial is affirmation… The tofu cartel. It’s too terrifying!”
How should I respond to this nonsense? After thinking for a moment, a good idea came to me.
I narrowed my eyes and spoke in a low voice.
“Oh dear. It seems you’ve developed quite the strange misunderstanding.”
“S-suddenly the atmosphere changed!”
Runna Bell answered with a triumphant expression, hands on her hips as if refusing to back down.
“Hmph. Did you think you could fool this Runna Bell? Even if the world doesn’t know, this Runna Bell knows everything! She rides the night words and the day words alike.”
“I see…”
I approached Runna Bell with a wicked smile.
“W-what is it!”
Then I suddenly opened my narrowed eyes wide and whispered directly into her ear.
“Ahaha. Oh no, you’ve learned far too much.”
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
The main writer approached Kang Min-ju PD.
“From now on I’m a fan of actor Kim Doyun. Just so you know, PD-nim…!”
“Yeah, yeah. Do whatever you want.”
I should probably refrain from drinking on broadcast, but we had almost skipped dinner. One cup should be fine.
Kang Min-ju PD looked at Kim Doyun with a pleased expression.
Director Lee Tae-ryun had warned her to be careful because the kid kept gaining fans on set.
‘Director Lee was right.’
Kang Min-ju PD turned to the camera director and said,
“Camera director. Should we film the coffee truck—no, the tofu truck and the staff eating?”
“Huh? Is that okay, PD Kang? It’s not even PPL.”
“They seem to have covered the branding. It should be fine. Besides…”
This scene of the staff hungrily scooping up tofu with bright smiles on their faces. If this wasn’t the spirit of real wild variety that Kang Min-ju PD had emphasized so much, what was?
“It would be such a waste not to use this footage.”
“That’s true.”
The camera director smiled in agreement and turned his lens toward the tofu truck.
Beyond the camera was not some artificial stage meant to elevate popular celebrities, but the noisy, lively taste of real people living. The real variety program Oji 1 Night that Kang Min-ju PD loved was being captured on film.
After the tofu truck that had filled the staff’s stomachs departed, the real nighttime filming began.
My heart was pounding. Why?!
Kang Jae-dong shouted in his booming voice.
“PD-nim! That thatched-roof house looks like it’s about to collapse completely. Shouldn’t we all just sleep safely indoors tonight?”
Kang Min-ju PD shook her head firmly.
“What are you saying? If it’s about to collapse, then we should sleep outdoors.”
“That’s not what I meant!”
Kang Min-ju PD looked back and forth between the thin blankets laid outside and the derelict-level thatched house before shouting.
“Alright. That’s why we’ve prepared this for all of you.”
‘It’s finally here!’
The flower of Oji 1 Night—the sleeping arrangement rock-paper-scissors game!
Back when I used to watch it on TV from my tiny goshiwon room, I would sometimes idly think how nice it would be to try sleeping outdoors in a wide-open place like that.
“Everyone, do you know what Buan is famous for?”
“Isn’t it the seafood we ate earlier?!”
Kang Min-ju PD shook her head at Kang Jae-dong’s answer.
“That’s part of it, of course. But the mudflats of Buan have long been used as the beautiful clay for making pottery.”
At that moment, subtitles appeared at the bottom of my vision.
[Sleeping Arrangement Deciding Game!]
Kang Min-ju PD continued calmly.
“So we’ve prepared this. You will all get to experience making pottery with Buan’s high-quality mud firsthand!”
[Sculpt the given word using mud!]
I cheered inwardly.
Persona - Sang-cheol. Trait 2 - The Carving of a Self-Taught Student.
Watch this. I’ll show you the carving skills of self-taught student Sang-cheol.