Head-On Confrontation (2)
“So, you’re saying you want to film the ad with soldiers?”
“Hehe~ What do you think, is that possible?”
“Well now~ What could possibly stop it? Though in exchange, you’ll have to give something to the Ministry of National Defense.”
While the iron was hot, I cautiously brought up the marketing plan for this round of Hansung Cheongmyeon with Grandpa.
As you can see, ramen is an instant food. Someday, people might raise health concerns about it. Japanese health experts had warned multiple times that eating it too often could lead to nutritional deficiencies. Anything in excess isn’t good, but if we developed a ramen minimizing oil with proper Korean ingredients, it could satisfy both taste and health. In other words, it could establish itself as a healthy instant food.
“The Hansung Cheongmyeon that my granddaughter developed—it uses soybean paste and dried tofu, right?”
“Yes, Grandpa.”
“Then the production cost will be higher than regular ramen. What’s your plan for that?”
“I thought if we dry the tofu sheets and let people add water as needed, it could maintain its flavor even after a long time.”
“Dry the tofu sheets?”
“Yes~”
I explained in detail to Grandpa.
“Fresh tofu sheets spoil or degrade easily at room temperature. But drying them makes them less affected by humidity and temperature, so they can be stored long-term.”
In truth, this method was inspired by Japan from my past life. Having traveled to Japan—the birthplace of ramen—dozens of times, I’d seen dried tofu used in dishes like inarizushi, miso soup, or as toppings for udon and soba. I’d always thought I’d use that someday. I never dreamed it would be now.
“That’s a good idea. Fresh tofu is too finicky for storage and distribution, and it’s hard to keep quality consistent…”
Grandpa smiled in satisfaction, stroking my head gently.
Hehe~ This head pat always felt amazing, no matter when.
“Right. Anyway, using soldiers for Hansung Cheongmyeon is to emphasize the healthy image and build trust with consumers, isn’t it?”
“Yes! Soldiers are symbols of health and reliability!”
“Hahaha~ I didn’t know our Seoyeon liked soldiers so much.”
It couldn’t be helped. Back then, military service lasted nearly three years. Someone once said they wouldn’t go back to the army even for 100 million won. Military life was a grueling time where Korean men sacrificed their youth, testing their physical and mental limits to the extreme.
“By the way, have you thought about the wish Grandpa mentioned?”
Ah! On Lunar New Year, Grandpa had given me a blank check of sorts, promising to grant one wish unconditionally. I hadn’t decided yet, but I’d made up my mind to use it for the family.
“I’ve thought about it roughly.”
“Have you? Can Grandpa ask what it is?”
“Sure~ I’m saving it to use for Dad and Mom.”
“I see…”
Suddenly, Grandpa’s mouth twitched. What was that? That jealous expression. Like seeing your crush secretly give her heart to another boy while ignoring you. As if sensing I’d caught on, Grandpa cleared his throat repeatedly, his face flushing red.
Heehee~ Seeing him like this, Grandpa seemed surprisingly cute.
“Ahem, then I’ll instruct the group executives to proceed with Hansung Cheongmyeon that way. You work hard on it with Seongu, alright?”
“Yes!”
Wooow! Honestly, it was a pretty bold request. In an era where national security was paramount, using soldiers in ads wasn’t something you could casually suggest. It risked being seen as belittling the nation, and one wrong move could turn into a dangerous gamble with arrows of criticism aimed at Hansung.
But on the flip side, no publicity could match this impact. Nongwon would probably use ads for their Ansimtangmyeon. I closed my eyes and recalled the ad from my past life.
It sold a staggering 1.5 billion units over decades—the living legend of the ramen world, the great national ramen that dominated an era.
Can I win?
This was on a whole different level from past battles. Not just any ramen, but competing against a top-3 domestic powerhouse and coming out on top.
Still…
I smirked inwardly. That’s what made the victory sweeter and more thrilling. A golden opportunity to test my limits as a ramen researcher and developer from my past life. Knowing Ansimtangmyeon’s history might make it seem reckless.
As a ramen researcher, I want to prove it myself…
If I didn’t know ramen history, maybe. But as a researcher, I knew exactly how it succeeded, where it branched out. What choices captured the public’s taste, and where it subtly went astray. This time… I wanted to create the moment that cracked its legendary name.
＊
Time flew, and June approached. With Hansung Cheongmyeon’s launch imminent, preparations wrapped up at a breathless pace. Prototype production kicked off at the factory, and final flavor balancing continued in the research building next to headquarters.
Slurp!
“Baby miss, what do you think?”
I shot up my thumb decisively.
“Perfect!”
“R-Really?”
“Yes. The hot water softens the dried tofu and noodles, blending naturally with the soybean paste broth base. The tofu’s subtle umami seeps out gradually, adding real depth.”
Only then did Dr. Lee exhale deeply. No wonder—he’d been rejected by me dozens of times forcibly. No ordinary taste could beat Nongwon’s Ansimtangmyeon. To win, it needed a differentiation that made your head snap up on the first bite. Only then could it break familiarity and let Hansung Cheongmyeon soar past Ansimtangmyeon.
Soon, Team 1 gathered. Dark circles under everyone’s eyes. One man’s hair sported huge bedhead, flakes falling unnoticed. They looked like they hadn’t been home in months.
“Phew, with this, Hansung Cheongmyeon’s final sensory evaluation and verification are complete. Great job, everyone!”
“Wooooh!”
“Finally done! I can go home now…”
“Done? This is just the start.”
“True, now it’s just the market’s harsh judgment left.”
I’d brought gifts for Team 1 today, with Dad’s full approval.
“Here you go~”
“Gasp! Baby miss, what’s this?”
“Hehe~ A little personal gift from me.”
“Ooooh!”
Subtle sheen on the wrapping paper, red ribbon crossing the box top. Poised to unravel at a touch, awaiting its owner.
“Can we open it?”
“Yes!”
Song Yeongmi, representing Team 1, carefully opened the box. Inside…
“Woooow!”
A pretty watch sat neatly packaged.
“B-Baby miss!”
Dr. Lee stared at me, flustered and speechless.
“This… isn’t it too much?”
His face mixed joy and burden, eyes flicking to the watch he held but couldn’t set down or accept outright. Wondering if such a big gift was okay.
“Heehee! If you don’t take it, I’ll pout.”
“Eep! A gift from baby miss—who’d dare refuse?!”
Team 1 quickly clasped the watches on their wrists. They’d feel the hefty weight. Because…
“Those are all pure gold.”
“!”
“Paper money turns to scraps, but gold holds value. Its price will keep rising. So don’t sell—stash it somewhere safe.”
“G-Gold? Is it really gold?”
Song Yeongmi, especially interested at “gold,” nibbled the watch lightly.
“I-It’s real?”
Her eyes widened round, and soon others lifted theirs, testing with teeth. Faces drained by fatigue lit up like magic.
Haeguri and Chilgyejang sold beyond expectations, so gold watches were no big deal. My people—I’d take care of them. Who could complain?
“Baby miss, thank you so much!”
“For baby miss, I’d give my life!”
Y-Yeah, capitalism’s slaves indeed…
＊
Nongwon’s Ansimtangmyeon hit the market.
As expected, Nongwon aggressively used ads to recover their lagging market share swiftly.
Domestic ramen rankings flipped overnight.
1st: Ansimtangmyeon (Nongwon)
2nd: Hansung Jjapaghetti & Sichuan Hansung Jjapaghetti (Hansung)
3rd: Haeguri (Hansung)
4th: Chilgyejang Bowl Ramen (Hansung)
5th: Sanmi Ramen (Sanmi)
…
Bonus: Discontinued – Tado-myeon (Nongwon)
Heh~ Even a top domestic contender like Ansimtangmyeon overtaking Hansung Jjapaghetti in one go was unexpected.
“Baby miss, it’s ready.”
“Is it? Then it’s our turn to counterattack.”
Nongwon was probably in full festival mode right now. Reclaiming the top spot, their morale must be sky-high.
But I had a secret weapon to surpass them.
“Dr., time to move our 600,000 ad models.”
“Yes. I’ve already told President Hansungu. Let’s surprise people with this ramen.”
A week later, images of soldiers eating Hansung Cheongmyeon dominated TVs and newspapers nationwide.