Star Angler is a popular variety show among older men who enjoy fishing or those who appreciate healing entertainment. The two lead actors were known for their excellent banter and, having been in the entertainment industry for a long time, they handled any guest with ease.
However, that didn’t mean they were open to every guest.
"Ju Seoyeon? Who’s that?"
"Didn’t you watch The Chaser?"
"Nope. I haven’t been to a movie theater in over 10 years, so what’s The Chaser?"
For those who didn’t watch movies or dramas, Ju Seoyeon was an unfamiliar name. After all, who would recognize a rising star when they only watched variety shows on TV?
"Plus, that guy who’s with her looks so scrawny."
"He’s someone’s grandson."
"Oh, you mean Hoseung?"
Anyway, Liam, or Hoseung, as he’s known to his family, was making his first variety show appearance, and his family gathered together to watch. On the internet, discussions about Ju Seoyeon’s guest appearance on Star Angler began to surface.
While some of Ju Seoyeon’s growing fanbase and those who had seen her on Survivor Island welcomed her appearance, others who didn’t even know who she was were displeased. Typically, Star Angler was a serious fishing show, and female guests had never made much of an impact.
But those doubts were shattered within just 10 minutes of the broadcast. As soon as they set out on the boat and Ju Seoyeon began fishing, the show took a turn.
When she eagerly hooked the bait and cast her line:
The sound of the bait shooting out as it pierced the water was intense, almost like a gunshot.
"Wow, Seoyeon’s got good form."
"Right? I practiced."
Seoyeon replied confidently.
Although it was a bit odd, Seoyeon was far more likable than expected. Her demeanor resembled that of a refined young lady, and some thought she might disrupt the flow of the show. But...
But watching her shake the rod non-stop with enthusiasm was exhausting just to watch.
If it weren’t for the exhausted Liam on the other side, people might have thought the scene was on repeat. Seoyeon’s energetic rod-shaking conveyed her excitement through the screen.
"Seoyeon, should I give you my hat?"
"No, I’m fine. The sun can’t do anything to me."
Lee Sangsoo looked flustered at her cheerful response, completely unexpected.
As silly comments circulated for about 10 minutes, Seoyeon suddenly felt a tug on her line. When actor Lee Sangsoo told her to slowly reel it in, Seoyeon cautiously began to turn the reel.
Creak, creak.
"It sounds like it’s about to break."
"It won’t break. That fishing rod is expensive and sturdy. It’s not going to break, don’t worry."
Reassured by Lee Sangsoo’s words, Seoyeon continued reeling in with more determination. At this point, no one knew what was on the other end. After all, it didn’t seem like a big catch since Seoyeon appeared so calm.
Then, Seoyeon began pulling on the taut fishing rod. The rod bent alarmingly, but Seoyeon didn’t seem to be struggling at all.
Just when everyone was predicting a red seabream about 30 or 40 centimeters long, the camera suddenly started shaking.
"Everyone, help Seoyeon!!"
PD Jung Seunghyun, who had been keeping an eye on the sea, shouted out. The camera turned toward the water, and the noise level rose. It was clearly an urgent situation.
When the camera first pointed at the water, the viewers couldn’t quite grasp what was happening. The fish was still beneath the surface, and its appearance was unclear.
"Seoyeon! Loosen the line... No, if it gets dangerous, don’t force the rod!"
Usually known for his teasing remarks and pranks on guests, PD Jung Seunghyun stood up in a panic, shouting. He gestured for others to help, but...
"It’s fine! I’m stronger!"
Seoyeon’s fearless shout made everyone pause.
As the heavily bent fishing rod moved, the fish began to be dragged closer. It was a sight that seemed impossible. When the fish’s face emerged, the community reactions started to heat up. Understandably so.
A sailfish. Normally a deep-sea fish. They only rise to the surface during their spawning season between May and July, which is usually when they’re caught.
Naturally, catching one requires an incredible amount of luck. It’s so rare that even expert-led broadcasts rarely capture footage of one, and here it was, caught on a cable variety show.
As Seoyeon vigorously reeled in the line, the fishing rod creaked and looked as if it might break. While she was pulling the sailfish up with all her might, the others rushed to bring over large nets and other tools to help, but the sailfish was so big that it wasn’t as easy as it sounded.
The broadcast captured the sailfish’s resistance, and then...
"Yap!!"
With Seoyeon’s cheerful voice, the sailfish suddenly flew through the air.
"Huh?"
Everyone was startled as the enormous fish landed with a thud on the deck. People were taken aback by the sudden appearance of the huge fish, and they scrambled around, waving the nets futilely.
As everyone was trying to manage the thrashing sailfish, Seoyeon, holding the half-broken fishing rod, glanced around briefly.
Seoyeon subtly tossed the expensive fishing rod out of sight, perhaps because she was worried about it, and then approached the flailing sailfish. Amid the confusion, Seoyeon’s hand moved swiftly, and she struck the sailfish on the head with her fist. The camera barely captured the scene.
Thud.
The sailfish’s eyes rolled back, and it went limp.
"Oh! It must be exhausted!"
"No matter how big it is, it’s helpless out of the water."
Of course, the people handling the sailfish didn’t seem to notice what had really happened.
Even the viewers who caught a glimpse of the scene didn’t believe that the sailfish had fainted from Seoyeon’s punch. They just assumed it was exhausted or there was another reason.
"Wow! A sailfish!!"
"Catching a sailfish has been a lifelong dream of mine, but to catch one like this..."
"This is incredible. The match is already decided. Wow, really."
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Since the first catch was a sailfish, the competition became meaningless. Lee Sangsoo and Song Gwangmin, both fishing enthusiasts, couldn’t hide their excitement.
"Can I hold it?"
Everyone nodded in agreement at Seoyeon’s request.
"Of course! Here, let us help you..."
Lee Sangsoo smiled at Seoyeon. A female actress holding a sailfish. She looked as beautiful as ever.
Seoyeon wanted to hold it on her own, but she hesitated, feeling it would be a bit impolite. After all, they had all caught it together, so it wouldn’t be right to hog the spotlight.
So they took a group photo. Everyone smiled brightly as they took the picture, and with a loud thud, Seoyeon dropped the sailfish she had been holding. Liam swallowed nervously.
"Didn’t they say that thing weighs over 100kg?"
Even though the others were helping her, Seoyeon seemed to handle it too easily. Liam began to have his doubts. And he remembered.
"I’m pretty sure... I saw her punch the sailfish in the head..."
The others were too busy to notice, but Liam, standing awkwardly at a distance, had seen it clearly. The moment Seoyeon punched the sailfish, it went limp.
"..."
The sailfish was 170 centimeters long. Considering its weight, it was a fish larger than Liam himself. He made a mental note: better not mess with her.
After catching the sailfish, as everyone was about to share their fishing stories, Seoyeon spoke up.
"Are we going to make spicy fish stew with the catch now?"
"What?"
"I’ve seen people make spicy fish stew with their catch."
Seoyeon asked with a rare, excited expression.
For anyone who knew about fishing, her suggestion was enough to send them into a fit. But Lee Sangsoo and Song Gwangmin exchanged glances. What could they do when the person who caught the fish was so eager?
And besides, seeing a female actress who had caught a sailfish made them want to agree to anything she said.
"Well... it’s a big one, so maybe we can use a little bit."
"But where do we start cutting? I’ve never even seen a video on how to prepare a sailfish."
Everyone moved busily. Although some were tearfully trying to stop them, with two veteran actors agreeing with Seoyeon, there was no other choice.
And so, Star Angler, which unexpectedly struck gold with this episode, was memorialized in Wiki under "Ju Seoyeon’s First Controversy: The Sailfish Stew Incident."