Chapter 88
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: Grand Chef Korea - Hayul Might Get Eliminated, You Know.
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1.
‘Did I really get caught?’
I started reading the post in a daze. It might just be my sister trying to troll me for fun.
I'm not joking—this is a serious suspicion post. If you refute it, I'll concede you're right lol.
I'm a longtime fan of Kang Yerin's streams. Her VTube videos are fun, so I've rewatched them a bunch, but honestly, it never crossed my mind that Carrier from Grand Chef Korea was her.
But watching episode 2, I started getting suspicious. The voice sounded similar, but the tone was low and sentences short, so it was hard to compare.
Then at the end of episode 2, that long speech over the black screen—I realized it immediately. ‘Oh, this is definitely Carrier.’
Below is a video comparing Carrier's and Kang Yerin's voices. Give it a listen.
“Hmm.”
I played the video too. The Grand Chef Korea team must have been working hard, because the clip I mentioned was already up on the channel.
‘They do sound pretty similar.’
Of course they would. I never altered my voice for streams anyway. And I hadn't on Grand Chef Korea either.
‘Let me keep reading for now.’
Definitely similar, right? The speech pattern's a bit different, but that's because it was an interview—gotta account for her being more formal.
If you're only suspicious based on similar voices? Nah. This is an edited clip from the OTT version—listen closely.
“Hmm.”
This video was from after I passed, when I was pranking my sister.
“…Hayul?”
There was a moment where my sister called my real name, and they must have missed editing it out. Listening carefully, I could faintly hear it.
‘I thought they'd edited everything.’
Maybe PD Jeong In-seon left it in on purpose? For buzz? The thought crossed my mind.
‘It’s so faint it’s easy to miss.’
The other contestants' cheers drowned it out even more. But someone still caught it.
Knock knock-
“Yerin? It's PD Jeong In-seon. Are you free to talk for a sec?”
Speak of the devil. I'd just been thinking about her, and here she was at my door. I got up from the bed and walked over.
“Hello.”
I opened the door, and PD Jeong In-seon's face appeared. Her eyes were bloodshot, and dark circles stood out under them.
“Are you okay? You look exhausted.”
The words slipped out seeing how worn out she looked.
“…For now. Mind if I come in to talk? People might overhear out here.”
“Come in.”
I stepped aside by the entrance. She bowed her head slightly and entered. I closed the door, turned, and headed to the chair opposite her.
“Oh, want some coffee?”
I asked before sitting. Her face screamed for caffeine.
“I already had five on the way here… but please, just one. Make it ice-cold to wake me up.”
“Sure.”
I put water in the coffee pot with practiced motions and tore open a coffee mix packet into a cup. When it boiled, I poured a few drops and stirred slowly.
“So, what brings you here?”
I played dumb for now. I didn't know her angle yet.
“Someone on the community figured out who you are, Hayul.”
PD Jeong In-seon cut straight to it. No time for games when she was this busy and tired.
“You mean my identity as Carrier, the VTuber debut, right?”
“Exactly.”
A bitter aroma wafted. I grabbed a handful of ice from the freezer and dumped it in the cup. It melted from the heat, filling it with water.
I cast a chill spell to make it fully cold. Carrying the two iced coffees to the table.
“…Thank you.”
She bowed her head and carefully lifted the cup. PD Jeong In-seon took a sip, squeezed her eyes shut, and winced. Then she rubbed her forehead.
“It's so cold it feels like my brain's freezing. How did you make this?”
Soon, her tired face lit up as she asked with sparkling eyes.
“It's a secret.”
I smiled and put a finger to my lips. Regretfully, she got back to business.
“Did you see the community post causing all the stir?”
“My sister sent it to me, so I read it. You showed up midway, so I didn't finish.”
“Then you know how they pieced together that you're Carrier.”
“Yes.”
PD Jeong In-seon shot up from her seat and bowed deeply.
“I'm truly sorry! I should have edited more carefully… I got so swamped after it aired that I missed it. I'm so sorry!”
She bent so low her forehead nearly hit the table.
The situation was so serious I almost laughed, but it was intriguing enough to just watch.
“I know how sensitive ‘red pilling’ a VTuber is. If you want to sue over this… I'll accept it humbly. But…!”
“But?”
PD Jeong In-seon cautiously looked up at me. Desperation filled her eyes.
“Could you wait until the broadcast is fully over?”
“Why?”
“This is entirely my fault. But writer Seo Na-hyun and the other contestants are innocent. Please, just hold off until the show ends. I beg you!”
She bowed her head again.
‘She's a good person after all.’
Even in this mess, she had bandwidth to worry about others. Impressive, really. …But someone like that botched my edit?
‘Kinda annoying.’
Best to end it here. Dragging it out wouldn't help.
“I'm not suing. My red pill was fair game from the start anyway.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. I went in knowing I might get caught. If I wanted to hide, I'd have pitched my voice or something. Right?”
“That… makes sense.”
PD Jeong In-seon nodded vigorously and sat back down.
“But is this even lawsuit material?”
I was genuinely curious.
“You could if you tried. You see all kinds of stuff at a broadcaster. I was careful, but I never thought I'd miss that…”
She sighed deeply and rubbed her dry face. Must be really torn up.
“You say it's okay, but let me apologize again. Using you like that on air and causing this mess… I'm too embarrassed to show my face.”
“It's really fine. Don't sweat it. If anything, you should lean into this even more.”
“…Lean into this? How? Everyone's already treating it like Hayul being Carrier is fact.”
She tilted her head.
“Aren't ratings your ultimate goal, PD?”
“Yeah. More ads, PPL deals, and the higher-ups are happy.”
“Then how about you and I team up on something, PD Jeong In-seon?”
“…Why do I feel uneasy? What?”
“Simple for you. Provide a capsule.”
“……A capsule?”
She looked puzzled for a moment, then her eyes widened.
“No way… you plan to stream from here?”
I smiled instead of answering.
“Turn on a stream and say what? Confirm you're on Grand Chef Korea?”
“Saving that for later fun. So, what's it gonna be? Accept my proposal?”
PD Jeong In-seon leaned back, biting her lip and drumming the table before speaking.
“…How about we talk after this mission? If you get eliminated, Hayul, it could get awkward for both of us.”
“You think I'll get cut already?”
She shut her mouth at my question. She knew it was unlikely too.
“Still, I need to discuss with writer Seo Na-hyun. I don't run this show alone.”
“Got it. Let me know your decision by the end of the next mission.”
“Yes. I'll head out then. Got work. Thanks for the coffee.”
She bowed and left my room. The air trailing her told me her mind was a whirlwind.
I finished reading the community post. The latter half wasn't a big deal—mostly forced speculation.
In the end, PD Jeong In-seon's slip-up was the smoking gun.
Even without it, it'd have come out eventually. Too many clues to sleuth.
‘Hope time flies.’
What would viewers do if I streamed while Grand Chef Korea aired?
‘Am I a total troll for this?’
But come on, who wouldn't be curious? Everyone would get it.
‘Can't wait for that day.’
*
“Kang Yerin is an elimination candidate.”