UCK (Ultimate Hero Champions Korea).
Ultimate Hero had been one of the world’s most popular games for years, and now it was time for its Champions Korea Summer tournament.
The university gym was packed, buzzing with the heat and roar of the crowd.
The first match of the semifinals had just ended, and one team had secured its spot in the finals.
On stage, the winning players shook with excitement, their hands and even their lips trembling as they shared their joy.
Maybe it was the pressure, or maybe it was the thrill of victory.
After a short celebration, the interview began.
The first question went to today’s MVP, Carrier. He was widely recognized as the best player in the world, and was someone who picked up MVP titles like it was nothing.
“Carrier, you’ve always been known for your calm and calculated plays. But lately, you’ve suddenly switched to opening team fights in a more bold, aggressive style. You showed some incredible plays today that showcased that. Was there a reason you changed your playstyle?”
Carrier, of the SHI team.
Fans in the arena, and countless more watching the broadcast around the world, all waited for his reply.
Carrier smiled at the question, his voice still shaky with excitement as he answered.
“It’s because I’m a fan of Yoon-jung Hwang from Blue Sherbet. She never plays timidly. And, uh… I-I also watch her d-dance videos.”
His teammates burst out laughing and slapped him on the back.
“I-I’m a fan!”
Of course, no pro would change their playstyle just for that reason, but he didn’t need to explain everything in an interview.
Instead of giving a serious answer, Carrier mentioned Yoon-jung, a celebrity he truly admired.
The arena and the live chat blew up instantly.
Most of the reactions were like “lmao” and “hahaha.” Everyone just had fun with it.
However, the organizers thought differently.
“For the finals opening… should we invite Yoon-jung Hwang to perform?”
***
“Huh? They’re mentioning me?”
Yoon-jung was livestreaming the tournament when her name suddenly came up. She nearly jumped out of her chair
– Yoon-jung’s on another level!!!!!
– Carrier lmao so you’ve been one of us all along
– Of course! Yoon-jung doesn’t even give the time of day to guys who play shy.
– What a girl boss haha. She’s like a warlord leading an army lol
The viewers in her stream burst out laughing and spammed the chat.
Messages poured in so fast it made the stream lag.
That wasn’t all. People who had been watching on other channels or even on TV started flooding over to her stream.
Her already massive viewer count skyrocketed even higher, but Yoon-jung barely noticed.
“Carrier’s my fan…? No way. That’s so unreal.”
The best gamer in the world. A player with millions of fans across the globe. An esports icon.
Yoon-jung’s eyes widened like a startled rabbit before she suddenly shouted.
“I’m a huge fan too! Carrier! SHI team! You got this! Let’s go!”
– you’re so loud haha. Turn it down!
– She’s hyped now lol. But I mean, it’s Carrier. We get it.
– Unnie, you should see your expression. Your jaw’s about to hit the floor.
The finals were being broadcast live to the whole world.
Overseas viewers had no clue who Yoon-jung was and tilted their heads in confusion, but every Korean watching knew her name.
Even the fans in the arena laughed. After all, if you loved games enough to be here, you definitely knew the new superstar of the streaming world.
The interview with SHI went on, but the online communities only buzzed about Yoon-jung.
***
“Team Lead Na. For Hee-yeon’s movie, make sure we release that article at the same time as the production company. Also, we should plan when to announce that Yumi’s song will be included and set the release date to match.”
“Got it. Everything’s ready.”
It had been a while since everyone was gathered in the office.
Even then, there was still plenty of empty space.
When would the rest of the desks be filled?
It probably wouldn’t be long. The company was growing fast, and growth meant more careful management.
There was the A&R team, PR team, album marketing, HR, accounting, legal, video…
Crap. Just thinking about it felt like money draining away.
…Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to keep things lean for now.
“Manager Shin, can you check the response to Yumi’s variety show appearance? Also, it would be good to talk with the producers about plans to help inspire her, and about her learning sessions with CEO Hae-yeol Yoo or LOAN.”
“Okay.”
That was why working with this crew was easy.
They understood everything without explicit directions.
One look and they got it.
“Should we review the offers that came in?”
In the middle of briefings and discussions, Manager Jang’s phone rang. He stepped out to answer.
We weren’t like other companies. Even during meetings, outside calls had to be checked immediately.
Five minutes later, he came back grinning.
“What’s got you smiling like that?”
“Yoon-jung just got an offer for the world stage.”
“…What?”
What did that even mean?
***
“Yoon-jung, you got an offer for the world stage.”
“Huh? What does that mean?”
Her bright eyes filled with confusion.
“UCK.”
UCK was technically a domestic tournament, but since all the teams were world-class, people around the globe saw it like a world championship. It was basically the same thing.
“UCK?” She tilted her head, then suddenly her eyes went wide.
“No way… THAT UCK? The UCK where Carrier mentioned my name yesterday?!” She stammered.
I nodded.
“They want you for the finals opening stage. Four minutes. The organizers just want you to dance. They don’t need live singing.”
Maybe they didn’t trust her live vocals. Or maybe it was just that when people thought of Yoon-jung Hwang, they thought of dance.
“Whoa.”
She dropped her plastic yogurt spoon on the table and leapt to her feet.
“I can do it! Totally! No problem! And I can watch the finals in person after, right?” Her eyes sparkled as her whole face lit with excitement.
Was she happier about the performance, or was it about watching the finals live?
“Watching in person? I’m not sure, but I’ll ask. It should work.”
“Kyaaah! Oh my god!”
She spun around in excitement. Jin-ah frowned from where she was lying down on the sofa with her phone.
“Hey! Quiet down! Yelling in front of your boss is bad manners.”
I was almost surprised at how much Jin-ah cared about manners toward me.
Then again, she probably just blurted it out. Yoon-jung thought the same.
We both let it slide, letting it go in one ear and out the other.
“Jin-ah Choi! It’s UCK! U.C.K! Don’t you get it?! I’m so happy!”
She pounced onto the sofa, crushing Jin-ah.
“Ugh! Hey! Get off! You’re… heavy!”
She was thrilled beyond words.
It was with good reason. This performance was no small deal.
‘It would be a mistake to dismiss the opportunity just because the game industry isn’t related to the entertainment industry.’
Ignoring a worldwide audience in the millions would be a mistake for sure.
“Yoon-jung. There’s something you need know. Finals are in a week. Music and stage setup are up to you. About four minutes. The organizers only care that you show up, so you have lots of freedom. But don’t take it lightly.”
She froze as she was still hugging Jin-ah, and Jin-ah escaped, huffing.
“I almost got crushed to death!”
However, Yoon-jung’s mind was elsewhere.
“…Freedom?”
She sat up with a serious expression.
“President Kang, about the UCK performance. Well, it’s different for each tournament, but UCK has to be fun. The openings always are. Fans expect it.”
Was it like that? Now that I thought about it, she was right.
They didn’t want live vocals. They gave her freedom. They just wanted her presence.
Of course, Yoon-jung also had a reputation so there was no need to worry about it being damaged.
Yoon-jung seemed to be deep in thought, frowning.
“Hmm. This might be rude. But they seem easygoing, so maybe it’ll be fine… And the fans would love it.”
Her shoulders relaxed at the same time her expression eased up. She decided.
“President Kang, there’s a player named Kojun. His team lost in the semis yesterday. He used to be Carrier’s teammate and they’re really close. He’s super cheerful too.”
I had no idea what she was planning, but I nodded anyway.
“Right.”
“I want to perform with that person. Nothing hard. He just has to pretend to get hit when I use my skills. He’s great at reactions. It’ll be hilarious.”
Apparently, Yoon-jung had unlocked a status window without telling me. Skills and all.
***
“Hello, Kojun! I’m a huge fan!”
“Wow. This is insane. You look even better in person, no filter needed.”
On the internet, anything that grabbed attention became content.
So, we got permission from the organizers and Kojun’s team to stream stage prep.
– Lol his reaction is so real.
– She looks like a goddess on screen, so how good must she look in person?
– Still joking around even after losing semis haha.
– That’s why we love you, bro. But next time, win it.
“Oh no, everyone. I’m sad, it’s true. But how could I cry in front of a Blue Sherbet superstar, Yoon-jung Hwang, the sun of streaming? No way. This deserves laughter, right?”
Kojun laughed, and the viewers joined him.
Yoon-jung cracked up too.
“Wow! That laugh is amazing. It feels so different from when I hear it through headphones. It’s like therapy.”
Kojun led the vibe. He was a top-tier pro with legendary banter skills. Fans adored him.
– Bro, are you gonna dance with Yoon-jung too? Stop stalling and show us!
– Just let her dance, man. Know when to join and when to back out
– Love you, bro, but dancing with Yoon-jung is a no lol
– Looks fun XD hurry up and show us
Yoon-jung chuckled at the chat.
“I actually asked him myself. He’ll be on stage, but not dancing. You wouldn’t believe how many times he made me promise.”
“Seriously, no dancing. Anything else is fine, but not that.”
“Don’t worry. I said you wouldn’t.”
– Your grin is stuck, Kojun
– Ah… maybe I should’ve gone pro. Then I could be on stage with her XD
– Carrier’s probably crying right now lolol
Yoon-jung smiled.
“Kojun only has one job.”
Everyone leaned in.
“He’ll be a dummy.”
A dummy. Targets used in practice mode, scarecrows for testing skills. Kojun’s eyes went wide.
“Huh? A dummy?!”
“Yep. I’m planning to run practice mode on stage.” She grinned as she cracked her wrists and neck.
Kojun blinked.
“What do you mean? I’m not following.”
The chat reacted the same way.
A dummy on stage? What kind of performance was this?
Her next words cleared it up.
“I’m going to mix dancing with character skills. Or, wait. Maybe it’s the other way around? Skills with dancing. Skills are the main thing, dance is secondary. It seemed more fun like that.” She giggled.
Silence. Then, the chat exploded.
She was going to dance while mimicking in-game skill animations! For game fans, that was electrifying.
The chat spammed requests for characters and skills she should use.
Even Kojun joined in.
“Do mine! Pick Arin! Cast a charm on me!”
Esports tournaments were like festivals. Especially UCK. Fun mattered more than technical perfection. A performance that made everyone laugh was the best kind.
At least, that’s what I thought too… once.
“…”
“…Whoa.”
– Is anyone seeing this…
– Lol when did VR games come out?
– This game’s graphics are insane.
– What’s the point if you move cooler than the character, haha?
– Wait, didn’t she just say she wasn’t focusing on the dance…?
– What is this…
Yoon-jung blinked at the chat.
“What? I’m just testing which skills to use… I haven’t made the dance yet.”
“…Then this is?”
“Just freestyle to make it look good…?”
Ah. Freestyle.
That explained it.
I should’ve guessed.
—