Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Opportunity (3)
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The moment he heard Oh Shin-hoon's name, Nemid suddenly raised her voice.
“By Oh Shin-hoon, you mean that national MC who's the hottest in Korea right now?!”
“That's right, but how do you know that?”
Kang Han-do couldn't help asking at Nemid's sudden spike in energy.
At the same time, he wondered why she was acting so out of the blue.
“Of course I know! He's one of the people who has a huge impact on happiness levels!”
“You've been tracking that too?”
“Yes! Lately, I've been catching every variety show out there. While monitoring, I've been researching how I can help you the most, Han-do-nim. As a proper supporter!”
“......”
It was a moment that revealed Nemid's hidden efforts.
But what could he say? It was good news, yet it didn't inspire much trust or faith.
Still, she was putting in effort for Kang Han-do's sake. He couldn't help but praise her.
“Alright, thanks. We'll talk about that later.”
Right now, the important thing was checking why Oh Shin-hoon had texted him.
Oh Shin-hoon wouldn't text Kang Han-do without reason.
As one of the busiest people in Korea, he wouldn't waste time on something trivial.
As expected, the message had something special in it.
-Han-do ya, it's Shin-hoon.
Got time tomorrow? Wanna grab lunch?
I said I'd treat you as thanks for helping with Speed Man last time. Figured I'd pay up before you forget.
Waiting for your reply.
“As expected of Senior Oh Shin-hoon. He doesn't forget even the smallest promises.”
That must be why they called him 'Oh God' online.
He was endlessly kind not just to juniors, but to staff and even random people he met on the street.
True to his reputation as the pinnacle of consideration, he'd taken the initiative to follow up on his word, which made him seem truly impressive to Kang Han-do.
And admirable too.
His reply was already decided.
-I’m free tomorrow.
Let me know the time and place, and I’ll make it work.
Oh Shin-hoon, the national MC.
Kang Han-do was already looking forward to their meal.
* * *
Oh Shin-hoon was a superstar whose popularity dwarfed Kang Han-do's by leaps and bounds.
That meant he had to be extra cautious about private meetups.
“This should be it.”
Oh Shin-hoon, wearing sunglasses, made his way inside.
It was a small eatery he visited around dinnertime, with hardly any trace of other customers.
As he entered, two men stood up from their seats, as if they'd been waiting.
“You're here, Sunbae-nim.”
It was Kang Han-do and Oh Min-tae.
Oh Shin-hoon lightly returned their greetings and sat across from them.
“Sorry for the sudden call. I should've checked your schedules first.”
“No worries. We're pretty free anyway.”
Oh Shin-hoon gave an awkward smile at Kang Han-do's honest words.
Originally, only Kang Han-do had been invited, but the promise to treat included Oh Min-tae too.
So, he decided to invite Oh Min-tae along while they were at it.
What he had to say next wouldn't be a big issue even if Oh Min-tae heard it.
“Let's order something first.”
“Yes. Auntie! Could you take our order?”
Oh Min-tae shot his hand up.
After ordering, Oh Shin-hoon took a sip of water to wet his throat.
He spoke first.
“Han-do ya.”
“Yes, Sunbae-nim.”
“Ever thought about being an assistant MC?”
“......Pardon?”
It wasn't about a gagman appearance. It was assistant MC.
As the MC offer sank in, Kang Han-do's expression shifted subtly.
* * *
Kang Han-do had received an unexpected proposal.
Of course, he'd figured that as he kept working and gaining media exposure, decent gigs would come his way.
But he hadn't imagined Oh Shin-hoon himself offering him one.
An assistant MC, no less.
For Kang Han-do, who was focused on building his skills as a comedian, it was a bit of a different path.
Not just Kang Han-do—another shocked by Oh Shin-hoon's bombshell was Oh Min-tae, who cautiously asked,
“What program is it...?”
“Star House. You know it?”
“Of course! Who wouldn't? But that show's...”
Oh Shin-hoon knew exactly what Oh Min-tae meant.
Star House was a variety show carried by the combo of Oh Shin-hoon and Oh Jae-ho.
With a capable assistant MC like Oh Jae-ho holding it down, who would've thought he'd pitch Kang Han-do for the role?
“This hasn't hit the news yet, so please keep it under wraps—no leaks.”
Oh Shin-hoon warned them in advance, signaling something important.
Kang Han-do and Oh Min-tae nodded faintly, signaling they understood.
Then, Oh Shin-hoon slowly explained the situation.
Oh Jae-ho had to take a break for overwork, stepping away from all his shows temporarily.
Star House was included.
“Senior Oh Jae-ho...”
As Oh Min-tae murmured softly, Kang Han-do recalled the past.
‘Right, that happened. I'd forgotten.’
Oh Jae-ho's temporary hiatus—it had occurred even before Kang Han-do's regression.
Busy with his own broadcasting lately, he'd overlooked it until now.
But he never dreamed it would turn into an opportunity for him.
“I talked it over with Chan-seol-i. Star House relies heavily on its hosts, so it's tough for me to carry it solo. That's why I recommended you directly as assistant MC.”
“I see.”
“What do you think? Up for it?”
Oh Shin-hoon didn't like beating around the bush.
Especially in a time-sensitive situation, dragging it out wouldn't yield good results.
So he asked Kang Han-do straight up.
Would he take the assistant MC role? Or pass?
At that moment, Kang Han-do fired back with a question.
“If it wouldn't be rude, could I ask what you saw in me to recommend me as assistant MC?”
That was what intrigued Kang Han-do most.
Until now, he'd walked the straight path as a comedian.
Sure, he had ambitions to MC like Oh Shin-hoon someday.
But it felt premature for him.
In his decade-plus as an unknown comedian, he'd never once been tagged as a 'host.' And now, an assistant MC gig drops in his lap.
Oh Shin-hoon must have spotted something Kang Han-do himself hadn't noticed. That's why he'd chosen him over other strong candidates.
Kang Han-do wanted to know what it was.
Oh Shin-hoon spoke slowly.
“What to say... I saw potential, I suppose.”
“Potential?”
“Yeah. Potential.”
Oh Shin-hoon nodded again.
“MCing requires good speaking skills, broad perspective, and your own unique style. I knew you had the speaking chops from your 'Anchor' character on 4 PM News Table. Broad perspective might be lacking for me still, but time will fix that—experience covers it. The hardest part, though? Building your own style.”
“So you saw the potential for that style in me?”
“You're a comedian, but you can also hold a neutral stance that encompasses everyone. You're not the type to stand out yourself—you're suited to boosting those around you, the guests. That's the character. An MC shouldn't promote themselves. They need to support the guests, lift them up, while having the charisma to lead the whole show.”
“......”
“You're a rookie, sure. But I see that potential. That's why I want to invest in your future.”
Oh Shin-hoon was investing in Kang Han-do by giving him this 'chance.'
Having unexpectedly earned his high expectations—and hearing this—how could Kang Han-do refuse?
Besides, he had no time to waste. He needed to raise his happiness score as fast as possible.
With humanity's survival on the line, excuses like 'not the right time' were pointless. Seize every opportunity.
Comedians threw their whole bodies into making people laugh—that fierce challenger spirit.
This was the moment for it.
“Yes, I'll do it!”
Strength filled Kang Han-do's voice.
Oh Shin-hoon smiled back, cheering him on.
“You can do it.”
Meanwhile, someone had been sidelined from the conversation.
“Uh, Sunbae-nim?”
Oh Min-tae, thoroughly ignored as the third wheel, finally piped up.
“What about me?”
“You?”
“Yeah. I've been waiting for scraps, but seems like nothing for me. Heh heh.”
“Come to think of it...”
Oh Min-tae was fishing for a gig, hoping for something good. But Oh Shin-hoon couldn't promise him anything solid right then.
“I'll ask Chan-seol-i later if we can get you on as a panelist.”
“Please do! I won't have any way to make a living until HSL Season 3 starts!”
“Haha, got it, kid.”
Without a manager to hustle for him, he had to do his own pitching.
Win or lose, he figured he'd try asking.
Who knows? Oh Min-tae's boldness might pay off with a real job later.