The Divine Move in Advertising
The ad filming location.
Thick makeup on my face, a suit worth millions of won on my body.
And I was sitting in front of the Go board as always.
After some thought, I quietly reached out my hand.
With a serious gaze, as if placing a divine move.
Not towards the Go board, but straight at the front camera.
‘……Is this right?’
A sense of identity confusion came over me.
What I was holding in my hand was not a Go stone.
Jayusidae.
An iconic mini chocolate bar produced since the 90s.
I was placing it on the Go board instead of a stone.
“Cut! Good work everyone.”
The filming ended with the director’s OK sign.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
Staff waiting outside the camera view approached and greeted me.
I smiled awkwardly.
‘……What exactly did I do?’
Even if it was an ad, placing chocolate bars on a Go board was a bit much, wasn’t it?
Way too out of the ordinary.
But the shock didn’t end there.
-The sweetness of a one-house difference.
Five days ago, when I heard that my recorded voice would be dubbed into the ad, I thought my whole body was shrinking.
Honestly, this CF was one I couldn’t watch with a clear mind.
“Mr. In-ha, your acting was great. The spirit when playing Go…… wow, it was different from other people, right?”
“It’s my main job.”
I smiled awkwardly and greeted them.
With that, the filming ended.
I went to the makeup room, removed the makeup, and changed into comfortable clothes.
“You look great in it.”
When I handed the suit to the costume staff to hang on the hanger, relief showed on her face.
“It’s a good thing there was an extra size. What kind of exercise did you do to look so good in just a few days?”
“Just…… I’m doing a bit of PT.”
I smiled awkwardly.
The clothes I wore during the fitting a week ago were tight.
Clearly the wrong size for anyone to see.
Fortunately, thanks to the extra clothes I brought, there was no issue with the filming.
“Amazing. My boyfriend doesn’t improve even if I make him do PT like that. Anyway, thank you for your hard work.”
Just as I was about to leave the costume room,
the confectionery company representative who had led the contract and meeting approached.
“Thank you for your hard work today.”
“No thanks. It’s thanks to the director and staff taking care of me.”
I smiled while loosening the handshake.
“It’s not that, but the headquarters has been talking about Mr. In-ha as a sponsor.”
“……A sponsor?”
“Yes. Would it be okay to schedule a meeting by adjusting times next week?”
I nodded my head.
A money-making story.
There was no reason to refuse.
“Understood.”
“Then, I’ll prepare to meet you under good conditions.”
I greeted the representative and left the filming location.
The tension suddenly eased.
My body felt heavy, as if I had finished a final match.
Standing under lights in front of the camera was as grueling as playing Go in a tournament.
“I’m lost in thought.”
After the Ciel Bank Cup victory, a series of ads followed.
A 30 million won YouTube game ad.
An 80 million won chocolate bar main ad.
Just the ad revenue from the past few weeks exceeded 2 billion won.
“I rejected the highest paying coin ad.”
I wasn’t particularly sorry.
As the Inhive team leader advised, CF is life for the image.
If you get blinded by short-term profits and the image breaks, the long-term path is blocked.
“A sponsor…… already two offers?”
Sponsor.
Exclusive sponsorship contract.
Annual sponsorship fees, support, and performance-based incentives.
Logo attached to clothing and equipment.
Brand exposure in interviews and broadcasts.
Mention of sponsor in promotional videos and SNS.
It was different from being a simple ad model.
It was literally becoming the face of the brand.
It was an opportunity not common in the Go world.
“Let’s wait a bit more.”
Until I find a company that truly understands my value and can coexist with each other.
When I arrived at the parking lot, I opened the car door and started the engine.
At that moment, a text message arrived on my smartphone.
Sender: Korea Baduk Association.
[The first tournament in Korea. After 10 years of suspension, the National Tournament is revived. The next round of preliminaries will proceed as scheduled next week, including a special invited article. Kim In-ha is affiliated with the 10th group. The match time is……]
A total of 214 domestic professional Go players.
And 4 specially invited players from China and Japan.
The preliminaries will be played with 30 minutes and 6 komi per game rule.
Winning prize: 100 million won, runner-up: 50 million won.
Simply by prize money, it’s less than world tournaments.
But the National Tournament was a tournament with more symbolic significance than just prize money.
National Hand.
Korea’s first Go tournament.
The icon of Go representing the nation.
So far, only 12 people have been called this glorious title.
The title of National Hand, along with Grandmaster and Master, holds the highest authority.
It’s a historical symbol beyond simple victory.
Cultural value.
This title is being revived after 10 years.
“……If I win, will I be called National Hand Kim In-ha?”
Greed arose in me.
More than anyone, more than anything.
Even Oh Soo 9-dan in the past was called ‘Oh Soo National Hand’ rather than teacher or player.
It was the essence of skill, dignity, and tradition.
I wanted it more than any domestic tournament.
“It’s tempting.”
I smiled and stepped on the accelerator.
There was still time until the National Tournament.
Now was the time to do what I had already prepared.
Driving, the place I was heading was the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province.
An outdoor archery range with a 50m compound target installed.
Since it’s such an unpopular sport, places with standard regulations were rare.
When I arrived at the archery range, I slung my bag over my shoulder.
Upon entering the indoor area, several gazes were directed at me.
Whispers.
I immediately headed to the counter.
“It’s a compound, is the 50m line empty?”
“Ah, the 18th lane is empty, but…… you have to share it with the club members.”
“It’s okay.”
In archery, it’s common to have two people per target.
After payment, I picked up the bow and equipment and headed towards the lane.
The target at the very end, the innermost position.
18th lane.
As I approached there, the gazes of the club members who were shooting arrows and checking equipment followed me.
As I quietly started to unpack the equipment, someone approached cautiously.
A T-shirt with the club logo.
A bit taller than me, with firm arms.
Though he had a bit of a belly, his overall build was sturdy.
“……Are you Mr. Kim In-ha, the professional Go player?”
I looked up and smiled.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Wow, nice to meet you. I thought so…… but I like Go even though I don’t play it well.”
“Thank you.”
Recently, more people were recognizing me.
It was nice, but a bit burdensome too.
Other club members also nodded and greeted me. I responded with a nod.
“Are you shooting compound?”
“Yes.”
At my answer, the expressions of the people brightened.
Interest and consideration towards newbies.
Since archery itself is such a maniac hobby, beyond recurve.
They were the kind of people who were eager to teach something.
I took out my bow and equipment and assembled it.
Release, scope, stabilizer, V-bar.
One by one, I set them up with familiar hand movements.
“The equipment is good too…… you seem very familiar. How long has it been since you shot arrows?”
“No. Not long.”
“What? Then did you learn it alone?”
“Um, yes.”
It was a bit hard to explain, but if I had to say, it was true.
Club members who were next to me started chatting casually.
“Is this your first time at 50m?”
“Yes. I’ve shot 18m a few times, but 50 is the first time.”
Even that was only a few shots with a rental recurve bow at the indoor range.
“Ah, you come to the indoor range.”
“Then it might be hard to get the feel at first. There’s distance, and the pin position varies depending on the wind.”
A serious gaze offering advice.
In that gaze was a hint of ‘eager to teach an old hand’.
It was grateful, but a bit troublesome.
But since it was a fan, it was hard to cut off.
“It’s the first time, but…… it’s not either.”
“What?”
I held the release once and adjusted the torque slightly.
Body, equipment, environment.
In that I didn’t feel unfamiliar with all of it, this was clearly my own sense.
At that moment, one of the club members, noticing, spoke up.
“Hey, our president, the guy who placed 18th in last year’s compound national team selection trial is your senior.”
“Hey. Why are you saying that?”
“If you don’t know, tell me. Anyway, newbies are precious…….”
“Ahem.”
The club president cleared his throat.
A face that didn’t dislike the members’ introductions.
I looked at him with fresh eyes.
Upon thinking about it.
‘……Even non-selected ones have national team members.’
Ordinary people who shoot 36 arrows and score over 350 points.
The club president might be such a rare case.
He cautiously spoke.
“If it’s your first time, can I help? After all, we’ll be using the same target.”
“Yes, it’s okay.”
I finally fixed the scope position and took a deep breath.
Recently, my body had changed.
Tip of the fingers sensation.
Center movement.
Flow of breath.
It matched subtly, no, clearly.
“Your posture is good. Stable. You learned it alone, right?”
The club president continued.
“At first, hitting the target might not be easy. If you go straight with the setup at close range, it might shoot up. And outdoors, there’s wind too…….”
I nodded my head and loaded the first arrow.
The flag on the target was slightly swaying.
I included that wind effect in the calculation.
Fixed release.
Settled breath.
Thud!
The arrow flew and hit the upper part of the target.
“7 points.”
A member looking at the scope muttered.
Load again.
Second arrow.
Adjusted the aim slightly, pushed more smoothly from the fingertips.
“8 points.”
The expression changed slightly.
Third.
Stable release at the end of a long breath.
Thud!
“9 points.”
A small sigh escaped.
The club president, checking the scope, also had a surprised expression.
“W-wow, you shoot really well? For the first time, hitting three arrows on the target?”
“Today’s feeling is good. I’ll set up for a bit.”
I moved the pin one slot to the right.
Adjustment considering the wind blowing from the left.
Adjusted the release torque slightly.
“Ah, over there…….”
He tried to say something casually but closed his mouth.
My sudden surprised expression at how familiar I was adjusting.
‘Now it fits.’
Reaction speed of arm, shoulder, back muscles.
Wind direction, gravity drop.
All felt as one.
As I set up, a member from the opposite lane raised his bow.
First shot.
Thud!
Then my turn.
Thud!
Arrows flew alternately.
“……10 points.”
The president said softly while looking at the scope.
Second shot.
Thud.
Third shot.
“Another 10 points.”
He muttered while taking his eyes off the scope.
“……Really, all 10 points?”
“Hyung, really? You said today’s feeling is good…… the arrows are listening?”
“Not you.”
“What?”
I checked the score sheet with the scope installed on the tripod and slowly raised my head.
All gazes towards the target were directed at me.
Expressions of disbelief.
Mouths open in silence.
I smiled quietly and turned my head.
“Earlier, you said you would help, right?”
“What?”
The president looked up in surprise.
His eyes seemed startled.
I held the release once more and spoke calmly.
“Could you be my opponent?”
“……Opponent?”
A short silence.
Amid surprise and tension,
I smiled and added.
“It’s the same with Go. I concentrate better with an opponent.”