NIS Agent Reincarnated as a Genius Actor - Chapter 208

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 208. 「Saebyeol Family」 Reaction

The beginning of the YouTube video started with the awkward silence between Son Jin-wook and Jung Su-yeon, who had arrived first at the restaurant during their preliminary meeting, just as shown in the preview.

 

The small camera installed on the table alternately showed both their faces, and subtitles reading ‘Awkward awkward’ appeared between the two as silence flowed.

 

Naturally, the gazes of the actors and staff watching together in the main conference room focused on Son Jin-wook and Jung Su-yeon.

 

Then Son Jin-wook scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed expression.

 

“…Why is everyone staring like that? I couldn’t help it. That was the first time I talked to Su-yeon.”

 

Then everyone smiled and focused on the screen again.

 

PD Joo Hyeon-seok had no intention of reusing the scenes he’d used in the preview, as he quickly switched screens and condensed the preliminary meeting at the restaurant into about ten seconds.

 

And with flashy editing techniques, he briefly revealed what happened during the 1 night 2 days camping trip, building anticipation.

 

Watching that screen, CEO Jeong Hyeok nodded with a satisfied expression.

 

‘As expected, PD Joo Hyeon-seok is truly at the top of the industry. With editing skills like that and ultra-luxurious casting being released on YouTube, fans won’t be able to keep their composure. No, not just fans, but general viewers will increase too.’

 

CEO Jeong Hyeok whispered to Gong Min-jeong sitting next to him.

 

“Min-jeong. How many subscribers does our channel have right now?”

“We broke through 1.7 million this morning. When I last checked before the variety show was released, it was 1.73 million, but I can’t predict how much it will have grown after this broadcast ends.”

 

Watching Gong Min-jeong answer with a confident expression, Jeong Hyeok nodded approvingly.

 

‘Indeed, you have to do everything with passion for efficiency to improve.’

 

CEO Jeong Hyeok naturally knew that Gong Min-jeong had a connection from Yeon-woo’s first YouTube appearance on ‘Fan Detective Agency.’

 

That’s why he had entrusted her with planning their original content, and perhaps because she was a fan, her claim that ‘the novelty of the planning’ was the very existence of actor Ryu Yeon-woo was quite ingenious.

 

‘If I had been in charge of planning new content, I probably would have forced something somewhere to make it look even slightly different.’

 

Jeong Hyeok looked at Gong Min-jeong with a satisfied smile.

 

Thinking about it now, the attempt at an entertainment company’s YouTube original variety content already had raw novelty, and if they had tried something new with the planning too, they wouldn’t have been able to avoid struggling.

 

It was effective to use the most proven variety show format as Gong Min-jeong had argued during the planning stage, the so-called ‘familiar taste’ format.

 

While Jeong Hyeok analyzed the format, the variety show content had moved past the simple small talk of members gathering on departure day to games continuing in the car after departure.

 

CEO Jeong Hyeok checked real-time comment reactions while watching the variety show.

 

– Pupu (7 minutes ago): What the hellㅋㅋㅋㅋ Are you Sherlock Holmes? How do you know about cyanide antidotes

– Dr. Brown (6 minutes ago): Chemistry major passing by, first time hearing this

└ Going to Mars (6 minutes ago): Are you really a major? Sodium nitrite is in tons of processed meat

└ Dr. Brown (5 minutes ago): This is the first time I’m hearing that’s a cyanide antidote, have you tried eating cyanide?

 

– LIA KIM (6 minutes ago) : Quiz carry what the heckkkk

– Cheese Fry (6 minutes ago): Ryu Yeon-woo being an actor might be a great loss to academia

└ First Last Name (2 minutes ago): Which academia?

└ Cheese Fry (37 seconds ago): Any academia

 

– Tsumugi-chan (5 minutes ago): I was a great sage from another world, but when I reincarnated, I’m an actor here?

└ Hawawa (3 minutes ago): About the goddess granting luck 999 after saving the world

└ Suzuki Makoto (15 seconds ago): What’s that supposed to mean, otaku

 

Meanwhile, Yeon-woo, who was checking comment reactions like Jeong Hyeok, narrowed his eyes.

 

‘Previous life, actor, saving the world? It feels like comments that know something… Looking at the IDs, are they Japanese guys? Hmm, I should investigate this when I have time.’

 

Thus Yeon-woo harbored suspicions in an unexpected direction, and innocent otakus were on the verge of being investigated by professional agents who could even confront the National Intelligence Service.

 

Meanwhile, subscribers who watched the YouTube video started sharing links with friends around them.

 

– Kim Se-ha: Has anyone seen this [link]

– Lee Ji-woo: Nope, what is it?

– Lee Seong-hyun: Ah hahaha I already watched it, it’s better than TV variety shows these days

– Kim Se-ha: PD Joo Hyeon-seok made it! Since his name has value, he can probably cast actors like that, the cast is spectacular

– Lee Seong-hyeon: Isn’t it the opposite? Those actors are all from Saebyeol Entertainment, so because the casting is solid, Joo Hyeon-seok agreed to do it even though it’s a YouTube variety show?

 

As word of mouth spread and more viewers flocked in, YouTube’s algorithm also began promoting 「Saebyeol Family」.

 

As subscribers and real-time viewers gradually increased, viewers watching the live streaming on the channel burst into laughter when the quiz and simple mini-games ended and they arrived at the accommodation for a song guessing game.

 

The live broadcast’s chat window was completely filled with laughter.

 

– Jisoo: No way lololol I get that Uncle Jung Cheolmin doesn’t know, but how does Ryu Yeonwoo not know anything either?

– Octopus bread: You really know scientific terms and cyanide antidotes but don’t know Ratatouille’s “Together”? Seriously? lololol

– Grape Soda: Right, Together was number 1 for quite a while too

 

In the video being played, Yeon-woo and Jeong Cheol-min continued to struggle with the ongoing song questions.

 

Then the final question played, and finally Yeon-woo stood up with a triumphant expression and got the answer right.

 

– This is the title track. XYSZ’s 「Universe」.

– Team Han Byeol Beyond the Stream. Correct!

 

Dong-ha and the XYSZ members who were watching the broadcast at their accommodation cheered.

 

“As expected! That’s our Yeon-woo hyung.”

“What’s with that way of talking? But let’s comment with our official account.”

“Oh, should we? But don’t we need permission from the company?”

“Come on, do we need permission just to leave one comment? Look how long we’ve been around.”

 

At Jae-won’s words, Dong-ha nodded and started typing.

 

– Exiz ♪ (1 second ago): Amazing!! We’re truly honored that you recognized our song.

 

Then other subscribers who saw the comment started replying and hitting the like button.

 

– Why are you guys appearing here?

– It’s real

– Up up up

 

Starting with that, comments from other YouTube channels that had been just watching began to appear.

Exiz might have commented with pure gratitude, but YouTube is originally a battlefield for securing even a few more subscribers.

 

If there was a video gaining popularity in real-time, it was natural to try to get a piece of that action.

 

– Wrecker Man: Is this lineup for real..? Korean Arts Awards level

– Farm World: If you come visit our farm for your next shoot, we can provide unlimited duck meat!

– JNBC Ent: We’re still waiting for the production of Summer’s Dining Table Season 2. Infinite waiting mode.

 

Even official broadcasting channel accounts joined in commenting, and as individuals began sharing in various group chats, numerous topics started rolling together as one.

 

Gong Min-jeong checked the subscriber count when this week’s episode was almost finished.

 

And she couldn’t believe her eyes.

 

Even though the video hadn’t ended yet, Gong Min-jeong shouted loudly.

 

“Our channel subscribers just broke through 2 million in real-time!”

 

At those words, everyone in the room was surprised without exception.

 

“Huh? Wasn’t it just over 1.7 million when the variety show was released? Is this possible in such a short time?”

“But we haven’t even received our Silver Button and Gold Button yet, right?”

“Crazy. 2 million.”

 

Yeon-woo also knew about the buttons YouTube sends out.

 

‘Next would be the Diamond Button you get for 10 million subscribers.’

 

Looking around, everyone seemed energized by the clearly quantifiable results.

 

‘Well, the achievements of past hit works were actually made at LN, and Saebyeol only established the company without any notable results.’

 

Of course, all the staff knew that the affiliated actors had tremendous name value.

 

However, there were no representative works that achieved success under the name of Saebyeol Entertainment and Saebyeol Media yet, and while CF contracts were signed, there were no activities to showcase since actual filming hadn’t started.

 

Yeon-woo looked around and raised his voice.

 

“Since it’s come to this, let’s consistently operate new content on our YouTube channel and aim for the Diamond Button!”

 

The staff who heard Yeon-woo’s words shouted together.

 

“Diamond Button!”

“Let’s go!”

 

Actually, since Saebyeol was a talent agency, not a YouTube channel, it was slightly strange for everyone to chant ‘Diamond Button’ as a slogan.

 

However, since Saebyeol was both an agency and a company that creates media content, having a YouTube channel as a powerful weapon to directly service self-produced content would exert greater influence as time goes on.

 

‘The era of one-way communication centered on broadcasting stations will soon end.’

 

Ironically, LN’s most successful work wasn’t the drama that achieved exceptional ratings on a general programming channel, nor the domestic film with 10 million viewers.

 

‘Rather, the non-mainstream works that deviated from the mainstream were the most successful.’

 

This was true for the low-budget independent film “Sketch,” and for the Korean fantasy “White Blood” that signed an exclusive contract with Netflix.

 

While Yeon-woo was lost in thought, the variety show moved to bedtime.

 

And Producer Joo began secretly calling the members to the room one by one.

 

While Yeon-woo was conducting an aerial supply operation with Han Hae-woon using a drone to receive snow chains and a report, the production staff prepared the bedtime mission.

 

While he went outside to memorize the entire report and burn it, the other members were called to Producer Joo’s room inside the accommodation and received items one by one.

 

On screen, Producer Joo gave Han Byeol a car air freshener and said.

 

– Now, I’ll give each of you one ‘car-related item,’ and you must keep it intact until tomorrow without being caught by other members and submit it to have breakfast.

 

Han Byeol, who received the car air freshener, panicked and floundered.

 

– What do I do? Where should I hide this?!

– That’s something you need to figure out yourself, Han Byeol.

 

Han Byeol quickly came outside, looked around here and there, then soon entered the restroom.

 

She placed it next to the air freshener in the restroom, camouflaging it as if it were an item originally in the accommodation, then came out with awkward steps.

 

The other members had assumed that the snow chains Yeon-woo brought from somewhere would be the mission, but Yeon-woo, who came in after burning the report at the bonfire, was only then called to the Production Staff Room.

 

Watching that scene, the actors in the Main Conference Room shook their heads.

 

“I definitely thought those snow chains were certain.”

 

When Son Jin-wook spoke, Jeong Cheol-min nodded.

 

“The theme was car supplies, and he suddenly brought snow chains from somewhere, so I thought the same.”

 

However, what Yeon-woo received from Producer Joo on screen was a ‘Hi-Pass card.’

 

– Hmm? This is small and thin, so it should be easy to hide.

 

Producer Joo shook his head at Yeon-woo’s words.

 

– The size that other members received isn’t that big either. Since the card has “Hi-Pass use” written on it, if it gets discovered, you’ll be completely trapped with no way out.

– But if I put it in my wallet…

– Putting it in your wallet is prohibited.

– Oh no…

 

When Yeon-woo opened the door and came out, the members who had already received their missions were waiting in front of the door.

Seeing that scene, Yeon-woo nodded as he recalled the past.

 

‘Hmm, back then I received it last, so everyone was waiting, and I was worried about what to do since I’d be body searched immediately upon going outside.’

 

Son Jin-wook and Jeong Cheol-min immediately rushed over to body search Yeon-woo.

 

And at the scene that followed, the staff in the main conference room, the actors, and subscribers watching nationwide across the country couldn’t believe their eyes.

 

Since the actors were also watching the edited content, they didn’t know how Yeon-woo had hidden it even while filming.

 

“What is that…? He hid it like that?”

 

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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