Save a Failed Idol’s Life

Translator: MarcTempest

Editor: NicoleTempest

Chapter 229 Cheon Ise’s Salad

As I opened and separated the packages at my seat, I summarized the survey results. They were not far from what I expected.

The most popular item was the ranch salad, which had the highest calories among the choices.

‘Even though it’s still lower than the ones sold in the market.’

The key was to use the best mayonnaise possible to reduce the fat and sourness. That was also the reason why the fans who tried to replicate it at home complained that it didn’t taste the same.

It required some know-how to maintain the flavor while making the dressing as thin as possible to lower the calories.

‘Now the only thing left is…’

To find a company that could produce it hygienically and distribute it, and to obtain the sales license.

Did Cheon Soo Group ever enter the food delivery business? I decided to look up their records before contacting Vice Chairman Ahn. There was a trace of them selling hotel food and beverages for home enjoyment in the past.

‘It might be easier than I thought.’

Unfortunately, it was in Osan, Gyeonggi Province.

-Hmm… Mom thinks you might be biting off more than you can chew with the food and beverage business.

Vice Chairman Ahn, whom I expected to help me, expressed his objection. The reason was simple. He thought it was too much for a twenty-five-year-old to handle idol activities, entertainment business, and BtoC food business.

‘Sigh…’

I understood his lack of trust. Until six months ago, I was a nobody who only threw tantrums. Then I suddenly jumped into producing by myself.

From the perspective of others who didn’t know or anticipate my situation, it must have looked like Cheon Ise got cocky after a stroke of luck and caught the business bug.

‘Sigh… I only have a few successful businesses and chains.’

I had a lot of inconveniences as a fledgling CEO who had just stepped into the world of business, after being a legend in the food industry who built everything from scratch.

‘I have no choice but to persuade him.’

I ended up cutting down on my sleep and making a presentation that could convince Vice Chairman Ahn.

And I also found a way to avoid losses.

‘Of course, it’s not just avoiding losses, but also shrinking profits.’

It was crowdfunding.

‘Sigh…’

I didn’t like the idea of crowdfunding as a launch method. It would be understandable if a small company had no production cost and made test products as an investment.

But from the beginning, if the product was clearly intended for ‘sales’ and they said, ‘If you buy it, we can make it, otherwise we won’t’ and sold it at a higher price than the prototype, I didn’t think it was a fair attitude as a merchant.

On the surface, it might sound plausible to say that it was the price of experiencing a new product that hadn’t been released yet.

‘But in the end, they’re using consumers as testers who pay money.’

It might be a good method for the company, as they could reduce the investment cost. But as a consumer who was passionate about eating, I didn’t like it.

‘But this is the only way to persuade him.’

As I looked up the history of Cheon Soo Group’s food and beverage sales business, I realized why Vice Chairman Ahn was so conservative.

Like any other luxury hotel, Cheon Soo Hotel also operated expensive buffets and fine dining that were famous among gourmets.

‘I really want to go to Sky Aqua.’

And all the other businesses they tried to expand their field had failed.

They also sold something like meal kits in collaboration with famous distribution channels, saying, ‘Enjoy the hotel food at home!’

‘Did they really think this would sell at this price with this composition? Seriously?’

The contents were nothing but a small lump of pasta with a special sauce (which was hard to distinguish as a consumer), and a little bit of meat for 20,000 won. It was no wonder that the reviews were bad.

When I searched, I found some records of famous bloggers criticizing it a few years ago.

[It was a very unpleasant experience that made the Cheon Soo Hotel brand look cheap. I can’t believe they treated the customers who paid 20,000 won like they weren’t customers.]

Um… this is… we used the same ingredients as the hotel! That wouldn’t have solved anything.

The pasta sold at the lounge of Cheon Soo Hotel was usually 30,000 to 40,000 won, so the meal kit was a bit cheaper.

The problem was that it was only a bit cheaper.

I didn’t know if they didn’t estimate the amount of sauce that would be lost due to the packaging characteristics, or if the consumers didn’t keep the proper cooking time and the noodles got swollen.

‘There are a lot of complaints about saving the sauce for something else.’

They had a poorly prepared business that resulted in a small loss and a big image damage.

So I needed some backup to make sure the same mistake wouldn’t happen again.

I prepared everything from the expected crowdfunding plan and quantity, to the method of procuring ingredients and the business plan by sales volume, and went to see Vice Chairman Ahn.

‘I didn’t expect him to want it so much…’

Vice Chairman Ahn looked quite surprised, but he gladly agreed to my solid plan that wouldn’t lose money.

As I proceeded with the salad business as if I had gone back to the days of CEO Lim, the shooting of the web drama that Kyunghwa starred in was nearing the end.

“Is this the last shoot?”

Yi-jun asked in wonder as he watched Kyunghwa getting ready to leave.

It was understandable. The shooting had started only a week ago.

“Some shoots are done in a day.”

This web drama had a bit more volume than usual, so they filmed it over a week.

Kyunghwa carried the snacks that the staff had prepared for them to share in both hands and headed to the parking lot where his manager was waiting.

“I hope it goes well. You worked really hard, hyung.”

“It will be fine.”

I hadn’t been to the set since the day I packed a lot of lunch boxes.

According to what Kyunghwa told me, Henny had started bringing simple salads for lunch since then.

Of course, they didn’t taste very good, or so he said.

But maybe he felt less bitter. He didn’t act as hostile as he did on the first day we met, which was a relief.

‘The truth is, I can’t provide a fundamental solution to this problem.’

The first problem was the pressure that idols faced to have thin and unhealthy bodies.

The second problem was the industry that used such appearances to impose fantasies on the public and say, ‘You have to look like that too.’

‘Tsk.’

I wished that Nanner Kit or whatever it was would go bankrupt.

An industry that makes money by ruining people’s health deserves to fail.

I clenched my teeth and bit my lips.

‘Anyway, all that’s left is… recording and choreography.’

The salad business was going well. The lyrics were all done. We were going to finish recording and send the music to the choreographer by next week. Then it would be time for the main dancer Cheon Yi-se to shine.

We didn’t just leave the choreography to the choreographer, but this time we decided to participate in the design with Yi-jun and Yu-geon.

We couldn’t do as well as the experts, but it was important for the members to be involved in every process. At least the point choreography.

‘Phew… I have to stay focused and not make any mistakes.’

I made a firm resolution and sorted out the choreography references while Kyunghwa came back from the shoot.

“You’re back…? Huh?”

Yi-jun, who was busy coordinating the recording schedule with the Swif members on his laptop in the living room, peeked his head up and looked at the entrance with a shock.

“What’s wrong, what happened?”

I was startled and looked at the entrance too. Kyunghwa was standing there, trembling and frozen.

“What did you do in the shoot that made you look like that?”

I was surprised and took the snack box that Kyunghwa had brought back and quickly took off his padding. His cheeks and uniform were frozen red.

“Did you come without changing your clothes?”

Kyunghwa, who was completely exhausted, nodded faintly and collapsed on the sofa.

“Go wash up. You’ll be less tired if you wash up and sleep.”

Seon-woo, who was startled, came out of his room and shook Kyunghwa, but he didn’t move.

“Is he dead?”

Seong-won, who came out to the living room with Aeongi, wondering what the fuss was about, asked.

“Do you think he’s dead?”

I gave Seong-won a look of disbelief and covered Kyunghwa, who had fallen asleep, with a blanket.

Pposili, who seemed to want to warm him up, climbed up the dog stairs in front of the sofa and snuggled into Kyunghwa’s arms, curling up his body and sighing.

“What is it?”

Yi-jun laughed incredulously and rubbed Pposili’s head vigorously, then lightly scratched his snout and smiled.

“Good job. Wash up and sleep when you wake up.”

While everyone was busy spending their time, behind-the-scenes photos of the drama ‘Thrilling Secret Romance’ were posted on the promotional account.

I wondered what kind of shoot he had done that made him come back like an ice cube.

In the background of a winter street with artificial snow falling, Kyunghwa was standing with his cheeks frozen.

“Wow, really…”

Yi-jun, who was checking the behind-the-scenes photos next to me, opened his mouth and then closed it when he saw Kyunghwa.

“…Do you want to say what you’re thinking at the same time?”

I suggested and Yi-jun nodded.

“One, two, three.”

“He looks like a sub-male,”

“He looks like a sub-male lead.”

“Pfft.”

Yi-jun burst into laughter when he confirmed that we were thinking the same thing.

“I feel a bit sorry for Kyunghwa hyung, but that seems true.”

Compared to the sharp-looking Jun-ki in the other behind-the-scenes photos, it was clear which one was the sub.

“But I’m glad the shoot went well for all his hard work.”

In the commemorative photo posted by the staff, Kyunghwa looked exhausted but happy.

Not everyone can have the same talent.

‘But everyone has something they can do better than others, even if it’s just a little.’

It was better to find what I was good at than to give up in front of a genius.

I hoped that Kyunghwa would gain some confidence. It would be nice if he could get a role in a movie or a TV drama next, not just a web drama.

He had taken the first step, and the rest was up to him.

‘It’s time to go back to my idol job.’

At least the main producer, Yejun, had firmly distributed the parts from the beginning, so there was no competition.

But I dreaded the thought of bringing eight more people to the studio and making a fuss.

‘I’ll have to call the staff for the behind-the-scenes shooting.’

It would be good to have some activities for the members who had no free time and had to wait.

‘Let’s prepare in advance.’

I did some research and prepared some simple activities for the behind-the-scenes, and the time flew by.

‘Maybe I should get some sleep too…’

As soon as I got up, I felt a sudden headache that seemed to split my head.

“…!?”

When I grabbed my head, my body was already tilting towards the floor.