Park Choong-In glanced around furtively. He wondered if anyone was coming up. He took a seat on the bench with a clear view of the stairwell and lowered the volume. Strangely, even though he hadn’t committed any crime, he felt jittery, as if someone was watching him.
[ Alright, you’ve been waiting for this, right? It’s the MilkBot robot vacuum cleaner sold on It’s Home Shopping. The price, including all the accessories, is 999,000 won… ]
The Youtuber droned on with things everyone already knew.
Park Choong-In anxiously stared at his cell phone, waiting for the product review to come up. In those short moments, real-time comments popped up quickly.
└ OMG, the silence mode is like, seriously quiet!
└ The design is so fire. Matte finish always looks so sleek.
└ OMG, it’s hella pricey, like 1 mil won, whoa.
└ Tbh, everything is worth the price. With those specs, it’s actually mad cheap.
The reactions were polar opposite to those for Home Run that it made him break out in cold sweat. The product was expensive for a small business. Plus, it was broadcasted at the most inconvenient times for insurance rescheduling or returns.
There had never been such a strange situation.
[ It’s quiet. There’s nothing else. Can you hear the sound now? Wow. You know our Navi is sensitive, right? It doesn’t wake up when the robot is running. Whoa... Their tech is no joke. Quieter than that new Liv Electronics product. As for the price, excluding accessories, it’s about 500,000 won cheaper. ]
Park Choong-In just stared blankly.
[ How many robots did I go through? 9? 10? Oh, what? Ah, someone’s got it right. 11. This is the 11th review, and if I had to pick just one, I wouldn’t hesitate to choose this MilkBot.]
└ LOL you gotta make the lies sound believable too, huh?
└ Smelling sth shady, did MilkBot or It’s slip SeobSeobi some cash under the table?
└ Anyone who’s tried it knows.
└ Everyone in the housewife community heard the gossip. It’s a known fact they’re slipping cash under the table lolll.
While Park Choong-In did not know much about YouTube, he knew how influential SeobSeobi was.
It’s unlikely for him to give such positive reactions. Maybe there will be a twist? Park Choong-In kept staring at his phone in anticipation.
[ First of all, the design is premium. You can tell at a glance. Wow, you guys, your robot is expensive! The performance goes without saying. There’s always a reason why something sells well. Listen up, this is a revolution for a small company. I guarantee you, the MilkBot will be a huge hit. Just watch. ]
Of course, there was no twist. And then, the long-awaited star rating time. He would surely give it a 10. He had praised it so much.
Park Choong-In looked down at his cell phone indifferently. Surprisingly, the rating was the same as HomeRun.
[SeobSeobi's MilkBot rating is... Drumroll, please! 9 points!]
└ Seriously? You labeled it a comparison video, and now it’s a tie?
└ Kinda sketchy.
└ Seriously, what’s the point if they both got 9 points? --_
[ Calm down, everyone. Ratings are subjective. Let me explain why I took 1 point off. The advertising was a little lacking. I feel like I need to have a word with MilkBot’s company about this. Or better yet, why not advertise such a great product more effectively! Those who returned the HomeRun today, just buy this with the credit you got. That’s how you make money in the end, right? ]
└ 9 points is pretty good. There hasn’t been a 10-point product on the show yet, right?
└ If it wasn’t for this live, I wouldn’t have known. Buying it right now.
└ Can I buy it after the show is over?
└ It’s still available on the It’s Home Shopping online mall. Interest-free for 10 months.
[ Alright, everyone, let's recap today’s live. While both got 9 points, the HomeRun factored in a 50,000 won gift certificate. That deal isn’t available anymore. Ah, if they didn’t give that? Hmm... I’d probably have given it a 4 or 5 max. Hah, it almost let me down there. But still, it’s better than nothing. Okay, next time with an even more scathing review… ]
Park Choong-In nervously put his cell phone in his pocket and came down from the rooftop. Let me down? Better than nothing? Let me see.
The General Team office was silent at Park’s arrival. No one dared to speak recklessly because of the expression that looked like he might explode if provoked. But still, he was the team leader. Park put on an unnaturally nonchalant expression as he addressed his team members. The awkward smirk made him look terrifying.
“Okay, okay. Don’t just sit there. Anyway, thanks to our CEO, we finished well, so we have to prepare well for the next show. How can all the products do well? There are times like this and times like that. Especially Tae-Hyeong. Tae-Hyeong, pay more attention to the next broadcast.”
“... Yes, I understand.”
“Tae-Min, you said you had a planning document drafted? Bring it over.”
Deputy Manager Seo Tae-Min confidently approached Park Choong-In, but the planning document he neatly handed over was rejected.
As if to vent his anger, Park Choong-In folded Seo Tae-Min’s proposal and shouted at him in an irritated tone, “Tae-Min, it’s just been a hot minute with that fake goods fiasco with the neighboring company… And you bring me a luxury item proposal? WAKE UP. Okay?”
Park Choong-In sat down and began flipping through a folder of proposals. He had to find it. No matter what.
‘Getting so cocky over just one robot vacuum cleaner. Let’s see how long he lasts.’
A week later, Oh Eun-Sun PD visited the CEO’s office with a cheerful expression.
——————————————
[ Robot Cleaner Sales Report ]
[ Period: 1 week after broadcast ]
Sale Price: 199,000 won
Total Sales: 19,025 units
Total returns: 9,839 units
Total Revenue: 1,828,014,000 won
Sale Price: 990,000 won
Total Sales: 4,787 units
Total Returns: 701 units
Total Revenue: 4,045,140,000 won
——————————————
“Mr. Min, MilkBot did amazingly well. Wow, 4 billion won. Can you believe it? All thanks to an excellent planner.” Oh PD playfully bowed her head.
Jae-Yoon smiled and replied, “I heard it was thanks to an excellent PD’s leadership?”
“Hmm.Who could that be? I don’t know? But it is impressive for a small company’s product to sell 4 billion won, isn’t it?”
Jae-Yoon did not hate Oh Eun-Sun PD’s playfulness. She had worked harder than anyone else. No, harder was still an understatement. When it became difficult to dispatch vehicles to the center due to the sudden influx of orders, she even drove a 5-ton truck to the MilkBot logistics warehouse.
In Jae-Yoon’s eyes, Oh PD was like Wonder Woman.
“Ms. Oh, you worked really hard.”
“What? You worked harder, Mr. CEO.”
“I just sat still and ordered food.”
“That’s the most important thing. Thanks to you, I really enjoyed finishing the project.”
A fun project was a project that sold well. That was a truth that never changed. Moreover, working with a good person meant that they could respond to any unexpected situation with courage.
“Ms. Oh?”
“Yes, Mr. Min?” Oh Eun-Sun PD replied in a slightly nervous tone to Jae-Yoon’s suddenly serious voice.
“Be honest with me.”
“I’m sorry? With what?”
A versatile individual. That was the conclusion Jae-Yoon came to after watching Oh Eun-Sun for three weeks while working on the project together. Sometimes, she would laugh like a child, but in an instant, she would show the cold and indifferent appearance of an owner.
What kind of side would she show today?
“Sunny1004.”
“Hmm?”
“That’s you, isn’t it? Lady Sunny.”
“Hmm…?” Oh PD smoothed her furrowed brow and grinned playfully.
She was the one who had sent the MilkBot to SeobSeobi’s studio. Although she did think that Jae-Yoon would have noticed, Oh PD was embarrassed when asked directly and simply ran her fingers through her hair.
“Why didn’t you give me a heads up?”
“Oh, come on. How could I have given you a heads-up? I was honestly terrified. I thought I’d get scolded by the CEO for staging something.”
“No, beyond that, how did you even come up with the idea to send it there right away?”
“When you see a chance, you have to seize it. These things require thorough preparation. Isn’t that why you scheduled the broadcast for a non-primetime slot?”
After SeobSeobi’s live, there had been exactly 2,000 additional orders. The return rate was less than 20%. This was a very unusual occurrence for a high-priced product from a small or medium-sized business.
It was just like Oh PD said on the day they first met; ‘With a great product, a great planner, and a great director, there is nothing to be afraid of.’
“Though we have our MilkBot, the achievements of HomeRun are genuinely remarkable. Wow. How did you make that decision? I don’t think I could have done it because I was too scared. That must have been a CEO-level decision. We talked about it a lot too. We thought that the return rate would be over 50%.”
“It’s a shame that we didn’t hit the 2 billion mark.”
“Oh, come on, Mr. Min. It’s not about the 2 billion. The fact that we hit 10,000 units is no small feat.”
Jae-Yoon looked straight at Oh Eun-Sun PD.
She was a 10-year veteran housewife, and had a woman’s innate sensitivity. She was a rare find. Jae-Yoon especially liked her decisiveness in sending MilkBot to the studio without hesitation.
“Oh, right, Mr. Min. You didn’t forget your promise, did you?”
“My promise? Oh, about the product. I thought you’d be burdened by it.”
“I never make empty promises. If I had made an empty promise, wouldn’t it have been embarrassing if I had suddenly backed out? Do you know how much my self-esteem has been boosted by this broadcast?”
“Ms. Oh, aren’t you just a walking corpse without your self-esteem?”
“There are a lot of bugs around me who eat away at my self-esteem. ‘Can you really do that? It’s too expensive. Quit while you can.’ But you know, I had faith.”
“Well, the MilkBot is a great product.”
“No. In you, Mr. Min.”
Their heartwarming conversation was interrupted by a commotion outside the CEO’s office.
Oh PD naturally made her closing remarks. “Looks like you have a meeting right now. I didn’t take up too much of your time, did I? I’ll be going then.”
“Wait a minute, Ms. Oh.” He called out to PD Oh, who was turning to leave.
“Yes?”
“The person who just came in, I think it would be good if you greeted him too.”
“Pardon? Me?”
“Yes, you. CEO Jeong Do-Jun of MilkBot is here. Join us. The PD in charge should also greet him.”
“Really? Mr. Jeong’s here?” Oh PD’s eyes sparkled.
Jae-Yoon asked with a pout, “Why are you so excited?”
“CEO Jeong Do-Jun of MilkBot, I heard he’s really cool.”
“Not another middle-aged creep, is he?”
“Oh, come on, Mr. Min. You see, to others, someone who is intelligent and confident can come across that way. But to me…” She glanced at Jae-Yoon with a playful look and continued, “Hmm. No, it’s okay. We don’t have a broadcast today, so I have time. Looks like he’s arrived. I’ll bring him in and ask the staff to prepare tea.”
“I don’t think tea is necessary.”
“What?”
The door to the CEO’s office opened, and CEO Jeong appeared, dressed much more stylishly than at the first meeting. His confidence was evident in his checkered suit. He put down the coffee in his hand and greeted them.
“Is this the PD in charge?”
“Good morning, sir! I’m Oh Eun-Sun.”
“Ah! I’ve heard a lot about you. I heard that you are very capable and that you went all the way to the logistics center to examine our product with such passion and enthusiasm. I don’t know how to express my gratitude.”
It was a talent to be able to give such excessive praise with such a calm expression and tone. Oh Eun-Sun PD did not seem to mind the flattery and laughed heartily.
“Hahaha. Mr. Jeong is just as cool as I’ve heard. Please have a seat. Uh, what is with all this?”
Before even sitting down, CEO Jeong approached Jae-Yoon and respectfully bowed his head. Then he held out his right hand and said, “Mr. Min, I was very surprised.”
“Everyone here was.”
“The day we first met, I couldn’t sleep because I was so frustrated.”
“My, frustrated, to that extent?” Jae-Yoon tried to hide his embarrassment.
He remembered the day he had visited the MilkBot research institute, how CEO Jeong had been so full of fighting spirit when he had compared MilkBot to a Chinese vacuum cleaner. On his way back, Jae-Yoon had secretly been afraid because there were plenty of businesses that changed their minds before signing the contract.
“To be honest, I think I had that kind of feeling too. What if it really doesn’t sell? I felt a chill down my spine when I saw that 20,000 Chinese products had been sold the day before. Should I run away? Should I just disappear? Should I suddenly say that there was a fire at the logistics center? Part of me thought, I hope only a few units sell... Can you understand feeling like you’re on trial? But at the same time, a strange sense of competitiveness welled up inside me.”