Chapter 156

**Joo Seo-yeon Challenge**

In truth, it all started with something quite insignificant.

“Alright, this is Park Ho-seung, the fitness YouTuber. One of our members sent me a video and requested my expertise.”

The man looked presentable. He was Park Ho-seung, a fitness YouTuber with a million subscribers.

He looked good, had a handsome face, and a well-built body, which naturally attracted female subscribers. And since he was fit regardless of gender, male subscribers also gravitated toward him.

Anyway, he was among the most well-known fitness YouTubers.

Then came the video he received from one of his subscribers.

It was none other than a clip of a certain actor lifting a chair from the recently aired *Golden Duckling*.

“Ah, I see. This is about Seoyeon Joo lifting a chair as seen in the recently aired *Golden Duckling*.”

As soon as Park Ho-seung watched it, his eyes widened in astonishment.

“How on earth did she manage to lift it like that?”

Even as he thought this, he noticed that she held the lower backrest like a barbell and smoothly lifted it, indicating she had some exercise experience.

Actually, when it comes to lifting, gender aside, such feats often make it hard to tell the sex of the person performing them.

“Wow, wow,” Park Ho-seung exclaimed while watching the entire video. However, he shook his head afterward.

“No, no, doing this could injure your back. There’s a person on the chair, after all. Even if the weight is the same, lifting a person and lifting a barbell or dumbbell are entirely different matters.”

“So, you’re saying you can’t do it?”

As Park Ho-seung was making this comment, his manager interjected.

“High school girls do it all the time.”

“That’s not an ordinary high school girl.”

“So you can’t do it, huh? Your muscles must be quivering.”

The manager’s teasing remarks earned a smirk from Park Ho-seung.

“Challenge accepted!!”

And so it began.

Of course, lifting a grown man seemed too difficult, so they invited a female member to sit on the chair instead. Moreover, the posture was carefully fixed in place.

The chair, for reference, was the same model as the one Seoyeon had lifted — the *Aids* chair.

“Ah, this chair has excellent weight distribution. Look, the lower part is easy to grip…”

He added such an explanation as well.

“HUUUH!!”

Even if he couldn’t lift it as effortlessly as Seoyeon, Park Ho-seung genuinely did manage to lift it!

The views on this video skyrocketed to three million in just three days.

It was gaining a million views daily.

And so, this now-famous video…

“The back can get injured. Exercise doesn’t mean you need to lift heavy weights; it’s more about correct posture and…”

– Park Ho-seung’s abs are insane!

– If the face doesn’t match Park Ho-seung’s, one should at least lift heavier weights.

– Don’t call yourself a fitness YouTuber ever again, tsk tsk.

“…”

It was especially frustrating because Park Ho-seung was not only good-looking but also well-built.

As people often say, when someone is handsome, they tend to think that person lacks expertise and succeeded purely due to their looks.

Park Ho-seung was exactly the kind of YouTuber whose image was defined by such perceptions.

As a result, when “Park Ho-seung did it,” it struck a different chord among fitness YouTubers who were genuinely serious about exercise.

“Huh? Why would he do that?”

“If he did it, and I can’t…?”

This perception spread among the fitness YouTuber community, and thus the *Joo Seo-yeon Challenge* began.

“Alright everyone, please take your seats on the chair!”

“Got it~!”

Surprisingly, once they started, it wasn’t as bad for broadcasting. With the female guest seated on the chair, she could naturally market herself as lightweight.

And for the fitness YouTuber, successfully completing the challenge ensured some substantial views.

Thanks to this *Joo Seo-yeon Challenge*, it became a rite of passage for rookie fitness YouTubers!

“It’s been said, Manager.”

“How absurd.”

The advertising planning department of Aids was in quite a stir due to the phenomenon. After all, no matter who sat atop it, everyone was using the Aids chair for the lift.

Thanks to this, the chair Seoyeon lifted inadvertently became a gym chair, though it was really just an office chair.

“Our chairs have great weight distribution and are very durable, so the evaluations are rising as well!”

“That’s definitely a good thing.”

“Our sales have already gone up by twenty percent this month.”

“Twenty percent?!”

Kwak Hyun-woo thought he might pass out. Twenty percent may sound like a trivial number, but in reality, it was a dream figure Kwak Hyun-woo had never seen rise so easily.

Though he had heard of cases where changing the advertisement model caused such an increase…

“We haven’t even aired any ads yet?”

They had merely signed an agreement with Seoyeon Joo.

If the results were already this significant…

“Kim Assistant, please tell the other employees to treat Seoyeon Joo with respect.”

“Ah, I already told them to do that.”

Kwak Hyun-woo smiled at Kim Assistant’s response. It was that kind of smile that said how well Kim Assistant was doing his job.

“If we go ahead with this ad campaign and *Sky Garden* is successful…”

They might even reclaim domestic market dominance for chairs! Kwak Hyun-woo could feel that this wasn’t some far-fetched dream.

Joo Seoyeon, to Aids, was a goddess of advertising.

In fact, from what Kwak Hyun-woo had recently gathered, Éclat Étoile treated Seoyeon almost like a goddess. Now he understood why.

And…

“Isn’t it about brand image improvement?”

“…”

She was currently in a café, being teased by Park Jung-woo.

***

A small café.

Seoyeon had set a meeting with Jung-woo today. Of course, it wasn’t related to her current variety show or advertising work.

In a way, it was about scheduling in advance.

Seoyeon saw it as an opportunity for her own kind of networking.

“Next year’s schedule?”

Park Jung-woo looked at Seoyeon, asking. Frankly, actresses shouldn’t randomly invite actors over, but these days no one cared enough to enforce such ideas. Maybe they thought just wearing sunglasses and a mask was enough.

‘After all, as long as she’s not in a school uniform, she’ll probably be unrecognizable.’

Seoyeon’s default attire was a school uniform. Naturally, when she wasn’t in one, she felt quite different.

The vibe of being a high school girl was definitely enhanced when she donned her school outfit. In casual clothes, she came across more like an actress.

At a glance, she even looked like an adult woman.

“Why are you asking this?”

This was the first time Seoyeon had ever asked about his schedule. So far, they had worked together on shows, starting with *The Moon That Hid the Sun* during their childhoods, and later *No-Man’s Survival* and *Dream Future*.

Surprisingly, they often appeared on the same shows.

However, in all these cases, neither Seoyeon’s nor Jung-woo’s opinions mattered much in the casting process.

*The Moon That Hid the Sun* started with her as a child actor. *No-Man’s Survival* happened accidentally for Jung-woo.

Sure, *Dream Future* was more intentional, but even so…

“Anyway, do you have any schedules for next year?”

“Not yet.”

Right, not yet. Jung-woo didn’t cram his schedule like Seoyeon did.

“Then…”

Seoyeon hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“How about collaborating with Director Jo Bang-woo?”

“Director Jo Bang-woo?”

That was a surprising name.

Jo Bang-woo was once known as a master of box-office hits. But after a string of failures, he wasn’t entrusted with new projects anymore. It was rumored that these days, people often referred to him as “Jo Min-tae’s father.”

Despite having a successful director as a son, as a director himself, Jo Bang-woo was considered washed up.

“Frankly, I’m not quite sure. But he’s confirmed plans to direct a movie next year.”

Jung-woo thought about why Seoyeon might be asking about this. It wasn’t as if she was planning to just put him in the project without a reason.

“You’re not seriously planning to act in Jo Bang-woo’s next movie?”

“I’m planning to audition. I’m not sure if I’ll be cast, though.”

“Huh?”

Should he try to dissuade her?

Jung-woo really thought about it. Frankly, he wouldn’t recommend anyone to star in a Jo Bang-woo movie.

A washed-up director.

Unfortunately, Jung-woo agreed to some extent with that label. The sharp and fresh sense Jo Bang-woo once showcased had faded, worn out, and become obsolete. It wasn’t even retro cool anymore.

‘Maybe it’s because of her childhood acting ties?’

Seoyeon was never the type to hold on to such past connections, but perhaps Director Jo Bang-woo was somewhat special to her.

After all, it was Director Jo Bang-woo who helped Seoyeon and Jung-woo get their roles in *The Moon That Hid the Sun*.

‘No, it’s not just me.’

Jung-woo also met Cho Seo-hee thanks to Jo Bang-woo’s help.

He realized anew how particularly significant Director Jo Bang-woo was to both of them.

‘If Seo-yeon participates, she’ll definitely get the role.’

Jung-woo had read the entire script of *Sky Garden*, the drama where Seo-yeon played the lead. Min Se-hee, who wrote the script, had shown it to him before submitting it to the network, while she was nervous.

There’s no doubt it will succeed. If Seo-yeon is the lead, it’s a hundred percent guaranteed.

Jung-woo felt confident enough to bet his acting career on it.

He was that certain of *Sky Garden’s* success.

‘Besides, there’s *Mine*.’

The audition period might coincide with the release of *Mine*, either early or mid-next year.

What would Seo-yeon’s star power be at that point? One thing’s for sure: the actors trying out for Jo Bang-woo’s movie will be limited to those without much industry influence. It’s doubtful how many would want to participate in a director’s project who’s prospects are so unclear.

Even if the script is good, the competition won’t be very fierce.

And with Joo Seoyeon participating?

It’s essentially a natural disaster.

No, at the point where Seoyeon joins, upper management might simply declare the auditions unnecessary.

“…I’ll think about it.”

But Jung-woo couldn’t outright refuse. This was a rare request from Seo-yeon, and besides…

Something about this movie gave him an odd vibe.

“But, didn’t you say you’re working on your image improvement for this next variety show? Looks like you’re not serious about that?”

“…”

Relieved by Jung-woo’s positive reply, Seoyeon was struck by his next comment like she’d been slapped.

Image improvement!

The intellectual image she tried to showcase on *Golden Duckling* had been undone entirely by the Joo Seo-yeon Challenge!

“Didn’t you say you’re improving your image? At least…you’re no longer a gorilla.”

“Really? You surprise me.”

But Seoyeon couldn’t continue what she wanted to say next because she had turned into a ‘headbutting dinosaur’.

***

The influence of *Golden Duckling* was significant to say the least. Even though Seoyeon thought it failed in improving her image, it had unmistakably made her more familiar to her peers.

At school:

“Seo-yeon, I watched *Golden Duckling* yesterday. Your dad was hilarious.”

“Is that really your mom? Wow, when I watched it with my mom, she got so sentimental.”

“Yeah, my mom also said she aged a lot because of me.”

“Our younger sister was so cute.”

Mostly these kinds of comments.

Dad was funny.

Mom was so pretty.

“…What about me?”

Strangely, Seoyeon was the one who felt out of place.

Wasn’t she supposed to be the main star of the show?

Why were they talking so much about her mom and dad?

Seo-yeon felt a bit hurt.

“Still, the headbutting dinosaur is kind of cute, right?”

“Though it does look a bit dumb.”

“Uh-huh.”

At home, conversations about broadcasts had increased, though the cameras were off for now.

Sua couldn’t deny her daughter’s point. “Honestly, our daughter just isn’t that smart,” was what went unsaid, as she hugged her instead.

Seoyeon realized that hugs from her mom were for when she had nothing else to say.

Still, it answered why everyone kept talking about mom’s story.

This was…indeed remarkable.

“…Dad’s here.”

Just then, Joo Young-bin opened the door with a thud and entered. As soon as he opened the door, he checked around with a long stick-like object, as if looking for hidden cameras.

“There’s no camera today.”

“How can I trust that?”

Young-bin exclaimed, voice tinged with frustration.

Tricked while filming, tricked at the swimming pool…

The supposed Joo Seo-yeon Vlog? Or whatever it was called. It turned out to be a national broadcast, fooling everyone!

“Recently, whenever people see me, they bite their lower lips.”

“…What?”

“It was during a job interview. You know, as an interviewer, everyone bit their lower lips, pinched their thigh.”

With regret in his tone, Young-bin explained.

When he heard about the airing of the *Golden Duckling* Joo Seo-yeon episode, he was shocked. The feelings he had while it aired were indescribable.

How would I manage work tomorrow?

The following day at work, everyone met him with odd looks.

“Woah, you’re quite the fraud.”

“How could your wife and daughter do such things?”

Some who admired his family situation were better.

Young-bin’s shoulders unconsciously straightened due to their compliments.

But then…

“At home, you’re such a…pfffffffft!”

“Ah, Team Leader Joo! I was about to…cough…!”

Colleagues and managers were in fits of laughter.

Whenever Young-bin asked a work-related question, it was like they had found the funniest thing ever.

Recently, Young-bin had almost become the “laughter preacher” in the office.

And most unfortunately…

Next week, the whole nation would see an image of his wife in a swimsuit.

Oh, these people…

‘At least, I’m better than dad.’

Seo-yeon thought.

Even if she had become the “headbutting dinosaur,” wasn’t it better than dad, who had become a nationwide laughter trigger?

And it didn’t stop there.

Due to the *Golden Duckling* wave, Seo-yeon’s agency was flooded with calls.

Mostly from advertisers.

It made sense given how the stock of *Aids* had surged.

“Seo-yeon, there’s an ad proposal!”

Manager Park Eun-ha smiled broadly. But for some reason, her gaze was off.

Almost as if she were carefully observing Seoyeon’s reaction.

Why would she do that?

Then Seoyeon realized.

“It’s for mom.”

“…Isn’t that me?”

Something felt off. It was like she was being left out again.

And…

Two days later again.

“*Sky Garden*’s preview is airing this time.”

PD Lee Min-hwa of *Sky Garden* announced this at the filming set as the broadcast date neared.

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