Rookie Talent Agent Knows It All

Chapter 331: Table of Mukbang (3)

Everyone's eyes were on the three evaluators.

While the basic shooting script had been set in advance, the evaluation and judgment of the taste were entrusted entirely to Baek Jong-Suk, Lee Soon-Ja, and Yeo Won-Hee.

The PD urged them to share their evaluation and signaled with a gesture.

However, instead of giving an evaluation, Baek Jong-Suk took another big spoonful of rice and bit into the aged white kimchi stew once more.

The other two evaluators followed suit and took bites along with the rice, showing surprised expressions again.

Then Baek Jong-Suk looked at Haru and asked, "Mr. Haru, where did you learn to make this dish?"

Haru replied flusteredly, "Oh, I learned it from my mom. She got the recipe from a friend's house."

While the typical red kimchi stew was less than a hundred years old, aged white kimchi and bossam have existed for much longer.

Sae-Ri's family had long made aged white kimchi stew by wrapping aged white kimchi around bossam and Haru's mother learned the recipe and passed it on to Haru.

Baek Jong-Suk nodded. "That explains this flavor. I was surprised that the aged white kimchi prepared traditionally was wrapped around the bossam. The depth of flavor was astonishing like a dish made by a daughter-in-law of a traditional Korean family. Thank you for the meal."

Yeo Won-Hee beside him also nodded in agreement. "I was surprised too. I never imagined Mr. Haru could make a dish with such deep flavors at only 16 years old."

Lee Soon-Ja concurred. "The way you captured the precise time needed for the meat to become tender and melt in the mouth was remarkable. It must have been difficult to make it in such a short time, but it's clear you have the skill to make it to the semifinals. Thank you for the meal."

Following Baek Jong-Suk, the other two judges also offered praise.

Next, Baek Jong-Suk pointed to the charcoal-grilled bulgogi. "But this bulgogi marinade used for the charcoal-grilled bulgogi—did you develop this soy sauce marinade yourself?"

Haru hesitated before responding. "No, I just followed the method my mom used."

Baek Jong-Suk tilted his head in curiosity. "Then why does this charcoal-grilled bulgogi remind me of shashlik, a dish eaten in Russia? That's why I..."

At that moment, tears began to stream down Haru's big eyes.

"Mr. Haru?"

As Baek Jong-Suk looked at Haru in surprise, he wiped her tears and said, "Oh, I'm sorry."

Though I had asked Lee Soo-Chan to find Haru's mother a while ago, there had been no news about Natalia's whereabouts.

There had been no contact from his mother despite Haru's face being shown on TV.

Perhaps that was why Haru couldn't hold back his tears when his mother's home country, Russia, was mentioned.

Startled, Lee Soon-Ja offered Haru a red handkerchief. "You're ruining such a pretty face. Why are you suddenly crying, Mr. Haru?"

Yeo Won-Hee also comforted Haru with a sympathetic expression.

Although Jo Han-Ill and the staff were momentarily taken aback, they professionally focused the cameras on Haru.

Haru wiped his tears and repeatedly bowed his head to everyone around him. "I'm sorry. I suddenly thought of my mom who's from Russia. To be honest... I don't know where my mom is right now."

"Oh dear, I didn't know there was such a story. I'm sorry for bringing it up…"

Baek Jong-Suk wore an expression filled with regret as he nodded in understanding. "So that's why I tasted the shashlik I used to eat in Russia. But the interesting part is, that it feels like a complete Korean dish again when you eat it with rice. That's why I asked."

Lee Soon-Ja and Yeo Won-Hee echoed his sentiment. "Yes, it's fascinating how each bite brings out a different flavor depending on the sauce. Did you add something to the seasoning?"

Haru nodded. "Yes, I mixed in some of the spices my mom used. It's great as it is, but mixing in spices made the flavors even more diverse."

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Haru was explaining how his dish made with a fusion of two cultures resulted in the creation of his charcoal-grilled bulgogi.

Having had his questions all answered, Baek Jong-Suk expressed his gratitude and well wishes. "Thank you for the wonderful meal, and I hope you will be reunited with your mother soon."

Jo Han-Ill's face brightened further upon the revelation of Haru's story about his mother. After all, broadcasting professionals naturally favored stimulating stories over plain ones.

'They'll probably use this in the teaser,' I thought.

Seeing the main writer already typing away, it was clear that they would focus on this in the upcoming interview.

I immediately told Lee Yung-Jin to prepare. "Yung-Jin, get ready for the interview."

"Yes, Mr. Jung."

At that moment, the writer glanced at her phone and whispered something to Jo Han-Ill with a surprised expression.

Jo Han-Ill nodded with a delighted expression and gave directions through his wireless intercom.

MC Kim Jin-Tae nodded as he received Jo Han-Ill's message and took the microphone right after Baek Jong-Suk finished his evaluation.

"Alright. That concludes the evaluations of all the dishes. Now, Mr. Haru. I heard you grew up in the same neighborhood as Miss Kim Sae-Ri from Cherry Blossom. Is that correct?"

Haru had no reason to hide his connection to Sae-Ri, but the sudden question caught him off guard and left her momentarily speechless.

As Haru hesitated with a troubled look, Baek Jong-Suk gently interjected. "It's okay. What's wrong with having a childhood friend? Can't a boy and a girl be friends?"

Encouraged by Baek Jong-Suk's friendly dialect, Haru eased up a bit. "The truth is... Sae-Ri and I are hometown friends. My mom and Sae-Ri's mom were close too. The aged white kimchi stew you had earlier is something we used to eat at Sae-Ri's house."

Baek Jong-Suk nodded with a kind expression. "They say that a friend who shares food is a true friend. You have a good friend."

"Thank you."

Since I had anticipated this situation when bringing Haru to the company, I told Lee Yung-Jin to prepare for this as well.

The moment the evaluations ended, Jo Han-Ill stood up. "Alright, let's take a short break. We'll have a ten-minute rest while the judges finalize their decision. Scriptwriters and writers, go and try the dishes quickly."

The writers were required to taste the food for the sake of the script editing later as knowing the flavor profiles would help them decide on subtitles and background music.

As the staff indulged in the food delightedly, Haru walked over with a worried expression and slightly teary eyes.

To ease Haru's burden, I spoke first and told him not to worry. "You did great. And don't worry about the situation with Sae-Ri. We're already prepared to release a press statement."

"But still..." Haru muttered.

"What's wrong with mentioning your mom and childhood friends? Haru, you're doing everything just fine. Just keep doing what you're doing," I assured him.

Only then did Haru's worried expression lift.

I continued to encourage him. "And today's competition was truly impressive. I think you have a shot at winning."

Haru blushed and shook his head. "No, it's nothing. Jin-Taek hyung was really good too, so we'll have to wait and see."

Seeing Haru in a much brighter mood, Lee Yung-Jin playfully joined in. "Jin-Taek, who? You are the best, Haru!"

"Hyung, lower your voice a little..." Haru quickly urged Lee Yung-Jin.

"What's wrong with my voice?"

Worried that other talent agents might hear, Haru asked Lee Yung-Jin to lower his voice. However, Lee Yung-Jin didn't care and continued to cheer Haru on despite the glares from the other talent agents.

Upon seeing Haru's spirit slightly lifted, I brought up the upcoming interview. "They'll likely ask about your mom in the personal interview later. If you don't want to answer, you don't have to."

Haru looked at me intently. "Really?"

"Yes. I'll find a way to block it if you're uncomfortable about it. But it might be good to share a little if possible. If you say nothing, the broadcast team might edit things however they want."

After a moment of thought, Haru nodded. "Alright. Then I'll talk a little."

"Alright. I'll make sure they don't ask anything too harsh, so don't worry."

In my heart, I wanted to run a big campaign on the show to help find Haru's mother. However, I couldn't act rashly without knowing her situation or whether she wanted to meet Haru.

That's when Choi Sang-Yung, the youngest AD on the scene, hesitantly approached us. "Um...Mr. Jo wants to see you."

Lee Yung-Jin got up instead of me since I was talking with Haru. "I'll go."

"Ah, not you, Mr. Lee. Mr. Jo specifically asked for Mr. Jung…."

Seeing Choi Sang-Yung's uneasy expression, it seemed likely that Jo Han-Ill wanted to discuss the plan to eliminate Haru from the competition today.

I told Lee Yung-Jin to stay behind and take care of Haru before heading toward Jo Han-Ill.

"Oh, Team Lead Jung. You haven't been on site much lately, but here you are." Jo Han-Ill greeted me and feigned indifference while pretending not to know about his attempt to eliminate Haru.

I was always amazed by the broadcasting station people's shamelessness every time I dealt with them.

"I'm here because it's the semifinals. So, why did you call me over?" I asked.

"For the personal interview later, we're planning to have Haru talk about his mother and Sae-Ri. Is that alright? I promise to make it look good on screen."

When Jo Han-Ill claimed it would be a big help for viewership ratings, I firmly drew the line. Apart from being annoyed by his earlier attempt to eliminate Haru, I also had something else I wanted to secure.

"Do you really want to leave a scar on a kid's heart like that, Mr. Jo?"

Jo Han-Ill coughed awkwardly when I deliberately sounded curt. "Ahem, I didn't mean it like that exactly..."

"And regarding the issue with Sae-Ri—are you not aware that anything involving boys can be fatal for a female idol?"

Jo Han-Ill waved his hands in panic with a perplexed expression. "N-no, that's not what I meant. Why are you so on edge today?"

"I apologize. I heard Haru was going to be cut from the competition today, so I'm not in a good mood."

Though the matter had been resolved, I deliberately acted petty.

"Ahem, bringing up something that's already over doesn't help anyone..." Jo Han-Ill cleared his throat repeatedly and continued. "I know better than anyone that Haru has been the biggest contributor to our viewership ratings. But what can I do with pressure from above? Can't you cut me some slack this time, Team Lead Jung?"

Seeing the anxious expression on Jo Han-Ill's face, I was certain that Haru wouldn't be cut.

Now, it was time to state my demands. "Then what kind of portrayal will you give Haru in this episode?"

Only then did Jo Han-Ill finally realize my intent and replied, "I'll make this episode a Haru special. Deal?"

"But the topic of his parents is sensitive..."

"Don't worry. I'll handle it gently so it won't hurt him in any way. You can trust me."

I reluctantly agreed. "But if Haru finds it too difficult to share his story, I will stop the interview."

"W-wait, what do you mean you'll stop the interview?" Jo Han-Ill asked with a worried look.

"Or should we just quit altogether?" I replied nonchalantly.

After staring at me in silence for a moment, Jo Han-Ill finally surrendered. "Alright, fine. I made a mistake earlier, so we'll do it your way this time, Team Lead Jung."

The tense negotiation with Jo Han-Ill had ended in a complete victory for me.

***

After ten minutes, it was time to reveal the results of the evaluations.

Baek Jong-Suk first announced who would be eliminated. "First to be eliminated is Mr. Park Joon-Seo who made the braised pork ribs. It was excellent, but I'm left wondering how it would have tasted without the tomatoes. I think this is the end of the road for you, Mr. Joon-Seo."

Park Joon-Seo of TNT Entertainment bowed with a lighthearted expression.

Having made it to the semifinals of the cooking audition while planning his comeback after being discharged from the military, he seemed content after getting some media attention.

Next, Jung Jin-Soo of Ace Entertainment faced elimination.

Baek Jong-Suk offered him some words of encouragement while maintaining Jo Han-Ill and the broadcasting station's dignity.

"When this show started, Mr. Jung Jin-Soo was the least skilled among all participants. To be frank, I didn't expect Mr. Jin-Soo to make it this far. I think he might be the one who improved the most in this season of Table of Mukbang in many ways."

Jung Jin-Soo accepted his elimination with a smile. "Thank you so much."

Now, only Lee Jin-Taek and Haru were left.

"These two will be moving on to the finals."

Both Haru and Lee Jin-Taek bowed their heads upon Baek Jong-Suk's praise.

The two, who had met again after Master of Mukbang, extended their hands toward each other.

"Haru, your aged white kimchi stew was really delicious!"

"I'm really glad to be competing against a talented person like you, hyung."

"Same here. You know, I've been trending in related searches lately thanks to you."

Lee Jin-Taek had become quite humble unlike when we first met. The sharp edges of his personality had softened and his relaxed demeanor had won over the viewers.

After greeting Lee Jin-Taek, an excited Haru came over to us. "Hyung! I made it to the finals!"

"Congratulations."

Haru greeted the talent agents with a huge smile.

"Alright, Haru. Enough with the greetings. You have your personal interview in five minutes, so let's fix your makeup first. Go get ready."

At the recording site, personal interviews required additional time.

Haru nodded. "Yes, hyung."

At that moment, Baek Jong-Suk, who had been chatting with the judges, quickly approached us.

"Mr. Baek," I greeted him.

"Oh, yes. I have something to discuss about the dish Haru made earlier," Baek Jong-Suk replied.

"Pardon? What do you mean by that...?"

Baek Jong-Suk grinned and made an unexpected proposal. "Actually, I'd like to develop a product using Haru's recipe."

"You mean Haru's charcoal-grilled bulgogi?"

Baek Jong-Suk was the top franchise expert in Korea.

And here he was, suggesting the development of a commercial product based on Haru's dish.