Ilyang Foods.
The company that launched Korea's first ramen, Ilyang Ramen, and was responsible for making ramen a mainstream food in Korea.
And now, Ilyang Foods had released its ambitious new product:
"Introducing Spicy Fire Noodles! The ultimate item to conquer not just Korea but the entire globe!"
"We know, we know already. Is there anyone in this room who doesn’t know that? Did someone walk into this marketing meeting clueless?"
"Haha, I just thought I’d lighten the mood. The atmosphere was a bit too stiff."
"This is, what, the fifth time you’ve tried that joke? It’s time to show us something real."
The domestic market’s response to Spicy Fire Noodles was already a solid success.
A strong, dedicated fanbase had formed, and the company was rapidly developing various flavor variations to match demand.
But Ilyang wasn’t content to stop there.
Just as they had pioneered ramen in Korea,
they now harbored the ambition to introduce Spicy Fire Noodles to the world.
Thus, the executives had gathered once again for yet another meeting.
At just his mid-30s, Jo Gun-woo, the marketing team leader who’d been sprinting up the corporate ladder, was at the helm.
Despite numerous repeated meetings under his direction, a decisive conclusion had yet to be reached.
The executives were beginning to feel the urge to act, no matter what the outcome.
And this—this was the moment Jo Gun-woo had been waiting for.
‘Now we can finally talk.’
All the prior meetings had been bait.
To get through to these lethargic, conservative executives,
he needed to wear them down with a few rounds of pointless discussions.
Now, after all his effort,
Jo Gun-woo habitually smoothed back his slicked-back hair and spoke.
"Yes, I understand the concerns. That’s why... I propose placing a PPL advertisement in foreign dramas."
"PPL? You mean product placement?"
"Yes. Since this is an unfamiliar product for overseas consumers, there will naturally be some resistance. That’s why PPL is the answer."
"Do you already have programs in mind?"
"Yes. If you’ll look at the screen, first is Japan’s The Noble Gourmet, and second is the American show Diner in Dive."
"Ohhh...."
Both were programs with significant overseas recognition.
Given their focus on introducing a variety of foods,
Spicy Fire Noodles could be seamlessly and naturally incorporated into their shows.
"If this succeeds, we’ll recoup all the marketing costs from our past failures."
"The last person who said that left the marketing team, didn’t they? Haha."
"Hahahaha!"
Why was someone in their mid-30s holding the position of marketing team leader at a major corporation?
It wasn’t just because of his competence. It was because the position itself was precarious.
‘Product development is the foundation; marketing is the decor.’
You can’t replace the foundation, but decor? That can always be torn down and replaced.
To Ilyang, marketing was exactly that kind of position.
Swoosh!
With a bright smile, Jo Gun-woo neatly adjusted his slicked-back hair once more.
"That’s not all. I also suggest we bring on a brand model for the advertisements."
"A brand model? Who?"
"Spicy Fire Noodles are a favorite among the younger generation, so—"
"So?"
"I believe Kim Donghu is the perfect choice!"
"Kim Donghu!"
The executives’ eyes widened at the mention of Kim Donghu.
The average age of Ilyang Foods’ executives was in their early 50s.
It would have been perfectly normal for them not to know who Kim Donghu was.
And yet—
"My daughter! My daughter! The same daughter who once said she’d marry her daddy is now obsessed with Kim Donghu!"
"That kid’s got the looks! He rings Golden Bells! Plays piano! Does all that... huh? Hmm... Is Kim Donghu really a good fit, though?"
"He’s a great actor, isn’t he? Haha. My daughter’s a fan, too. If I got her his autograph, she’d think I was the best dad ever."
"My husband’s been sulking over him, too. Honestly, isn’t Donghu just perfect son-in-law material?"
To any parent with a daughter, Kim Donghu was a name impossible to ignore.
The best of the best of the best,
the Nation’s Prince,
the next Nation’s Ideal Husband.
He had countless titles, but the most definitive nickname of all was—
“Daughter Thief.”
Naturally, the mention of his name woke up even the most bored and sleepy executives.
"So, in conclusion, we’ll place Spicy Fire Noodles as product placements overseas and use Kim Donghu as the brand model."
Jo Gun-woo neatly summarized the current plan in a single sentence.
"...Do you think things will go so smoothly?"
The executives leaned back, propping their chins on one hand as they stared at the screen.
"You think the world just works that easily?"
"I’ll do my very best to convince them!"
"Hah! Convince them?!"
"Think of it as our first and last chance."
With those words, the meeting came to an end.
The executives shuffled out of the room.
Left alone, Marketing Team Leader Jo Gun-woo tightened his expression and smoothed back his slicked-back hair once more.
‘Starting today, I’ll be doing 108 prostrations every day.’
This happened one month before The Noble Gourmet: Special Guest – Kim Donghu aired.
*****
Sssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
Why do people think of pancakes when it rains?
The answer was already scientifically proven.
‘Something about the sound of rain and the sound of jeon sizzling being similar, right?’
The melody of nature and food coming together in perfect harmony—
That destined combination was rain and jeon.
‘The scene is absolutely stunning.’
Maybe that’s why—
Choi Seokho, knowing just how smoothly the filming was going, still found himself cursing the sky.
‘If it just started raining at this exact moment, it would be game over.’
In The Noble Gourmet, Kurata Toro’s character couldn’t drink alcohol.
But even without that, just having rain fall in this moment would be more than enough.
‘But the fact that they can actually make everything on that menu is still hard to believe.’
The menu displayed here was fully executable,
and every drink listed was also available.
The Son’s Menu truly consisted of dishes Kim Donghu could prepare himself—
restaurant-quality dishes, no less.
‘Donghu, seriously, aren’t you a little too perfect?’
Once again, Choi Seokho marveled at Kim Donghu’s versatility.
Cooking skills like this far surpassed just being “good.”
And it was clear why.
Ssssssssssshhhhh!
‘If he were just good, there’s no way he could pull off a flashy one-handed flip like that.’
It felt like watching a famous chef on TV.
And now—
"Kimchi pancakes are ready!"
"Oh, thank you."
"And sorry to the guests, but... I haven’t eaten yet either. Would it be alright if I joined you for a meal?"
Kim Donghu’s mealtime began.
"Ah... no, I don’t mind at all."
Kurata Toro delivered his scripted line.
"And if you’d like to order more, please feel free! Don’t hold back!"
"Of course! Minjun! One steamed egg, please! Oh, and another kimchi pancake!"
"Got it! Order received!"
The filming flowed smoothly once again.
And at that moment—
Tudududududuk.
Like a miracle, rain began to fall.
‘W-wait, sun shower?!’
Aitake Ura’s eyes widened in disbelief.
It was unexpected rain.
Normally, rain was the worst for filming—
Equipment needed covers, and the lighting changed, ruining the visuals.
But now—
‘Rain while eating kimchi pancakes?’
This was different.
The scene was perfect.
And somehow, the rain fell at just the right intensity—
Just enough to evoke the mood without disrupting the shoot.
‘Right, it is August. Rain was bound to come!’
Aitake Ura forced the corner of his twitching mouth back into a neutral line.
Not yet.
The shoot wasn’t over yet.
‘This is the highlight.’
Thud!
With Aitake Ura watching expectantly, Kim Donghu—
Or rather, Kim Minjun—lifted an entire rice cooker.
‘W-wait, is he seriously going to eat all that?’
Matsusage Yukata—no, Kurata Toro—was genuinely shocked.
‘I knew he was a big eater, but...’
Could someone really eat that much?
But before he could dwell on it, an even more astonishing scene unfolded.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
A pot of stir-fried pork,
three pieces of tonkatsu,
five kimchi pancakes,
And on top of that, seven rolls of kimbap.
It was a meal fit for a sumo wrestler, suddenly prepared in a blink.
‘This place... really isn’t normal!’
And so began Kim Minjun’s eating show.
Objectively speaking, he wasn’t eating particularly fast.
But—
‘It goes down so smoothly.’
He wasn’t eating ravenously or greedily, yet he managed to consume so much.
There wasn’t even a hint of gluttony about it.
It was just... natural.
‘Seeing him eat so well makes me feel like I could eat more, too.’
Maybe that’s why—
The kimchi pancake, which Toro initially thought was too much, disappeared easily.
‘This might just be a day of indulgence.’
The food just kept going down.
What was happening?
Munch, munch, munch.
As Kim Minjun continued eating,
Kurata Toro neared the end of his meal.
The camera captured the two of them eating in harmony for a while until—
"Thank you for the meal."
Kurata Toro’s meal concluded first.
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"Could I get the check, please?"
"Yes, sir!"
The payment was wrapped up neatly.
And as he stepped out of the diner—
Tudududuk.
The rain slowed and gradually stopped, timing itself perfectly.
‘This place... really felt like a second home I never expected.’
With Kurata Toro’s satisfied nod as the finishing touch—
"Cut!"
Aitake Ura gave the OK sign.
He had no intention of reshooting, nor could he.
‘The rain won’t come again.’
It was as if the heavens had aligned to bless this timing.
‘I can’t wait to edit this and broadcast it.’
Even at the fastest pace, it wouldn’t air until next month.
‘The moment this hits TV, it’s going to be a massive hit.’
And yet, Aitake Ura couldn’t stop himself from anticipating the results.
*****
Holidays always seem to fly by in the blink of an eye.
Maybe that’s why—
"Time flies, huh."
I shrugged as I glanced at the calendar.
It felt like we had just filmed The Noble Gourmet yesterday.
But before I knew it—
"Is it airing today?"
It was already the day of the broadcast.