Vol. 1 - Ch. 16 - Home Shopping is a Battlefield

The goal for the Home Run was nothing short of 200,000 units. Roughly calculated, that meant selling close to 350 units per minute. Of course, the sales graph did not always move in a straight line.Ten minutes after the broadcast started, they had already smashed through 4000 sales. Still it was slightly below expectations.

Considering the 1:1 notification push alerts sent to customers who installed the It’s Home Shopping app and the viral posts indiscriminately scattered on various community hot deal boards as well as homemakers’ communities, the initial rush was a bit weak.

‘Maybe we’ll see better sales in the second half?’

Jae-Yoon watched the monitor with the feeling of spectating a game broadcast.

The real-time order number began climbing sharply as if to pierce the ceiling.

Real-time orders: 5,523

Real-time orders: 6,177

Real-time orders: 7,963

At half an hour in, the exact sales quantity had surpassed 10,000 units.

It’s Food had promised 3 billion won worth of reruns. At this rate, it would achieve that goal easily.

‘If everyone else is buying, why not me too?’ As it turned out, that was a surprisingly effective strategy. Plus, they said if you did not buy it now, then the price would be 299,000 won later. Instead of spending 199,000 won then, it felt like you were losing 100,000 won. The host led the narrative that way.

[ Yes, orders are soaring. 10,000 and counting. Over 10,000 customers have chosen Home Run! For those of you still on the fence at home… No robot vacuum? Thinking it’s too pricey, or thinking maybe it’s time for an upgrade? No more hesitations. This deal is a broadcast exclusive! In thirty minutes, the price will jump to 299,000 won… ]

You got sucked in by the show host’s words.

Jae-Yoon watched home shopping several times a day. Not just It’s Home Shopping, but broadcast reruns on other popular channels too. Experienced show hosts had a way with words, as if a close friend were speaking right beside him. The broadcast proceeded comfortably and wittily.

‘This show is fun.’

[ Running out of cleaning time? Simple. Get two or three. Set one up in each room. This is rare chance to buy multiple units for the price of one, but only during this live broadcast… ]

They were pushing for not just one robot per household, but three. Price, after all, was a powerful lure for hesitant shoppers.

Being able to buy a staggering three units at the price of one was an absolutely tremendous merit. Not just for their house, but for their parents and younger sisters, too. They could show them off in various ways.

[ Ten minutes of airtime left. Order quantity 16,000 units. Toto2341 is asking, ‘When will delivery happen?’ Yes, the shipment from the center starts today, so Monday at the earliest! This Home Run will come right to your doorstep. Just endure for two days! Say farewell to heavy vacuuming and cleaning labor. ]

The Home Run robot continually moved around the studio, vacuuming without resting. At this point, aspects like performance or noise were completely irrelevant considerations to the consumer. Spellbound by the high-pitched narration and chaotic music, they would end up ordering via the app.

Exactly one hour later, the final score appeared, with the announcement ending the broadcast.

Final Orders: 18,920

The time was already past 11 p.m. It was good enough for the person in charge to pat themselves on the back, but it was not over yet.

After concentrating for an hour, Jae-Yoon felt hungry and opened a delivery app. For days like this, beer and chicken at home while viewing the Hangang night view was the way. Han River beer and chicken combo was also sublime. He thought about placing an order and heading out, thinking it would be ready by the time he got to the store.

As Jae-Yoon opened the delivery app, someone knocked on his office door.

“Come in.”

The man who entered was Section Chief Lee Hyun-Woong. Placing the large shopping bags he held in both hands on the table, he then said, “Luckily you are still here. You watched the broadcast, right?”

“Just about to leave. How’d you know I was here? What’s this?”

Jae-Yoon rummaged through the shopping bags Section Chief Lee brought—lunch boxes with a hotel logo printed on them. Three stacked boxes.

As it turned out, life even included days where you ended up eating hotel lunch boxes.

“What brings you here at this time? Won’t you get scolded by your wife?”

“She’s at her parents’.”

“Wow, spending the night your wife’s away with your boss over sushi. Isn’t that a waste?”

Jae-Yoon split his chopsticks, glaring at Section Chief.

Something was off about him today… It was how he was dressed. He always wore stiff suits, but today, he appeared in comfy pants and a jumper over them. Maybe that was why, instead of an awkward colleague privy to secrets, he felt like a friendly neighborhood older brother.

“What did you want to talk about that you’re buying expensive food? Doesn’t seem like ordinary conversation judging by the fancy meal.”

“Well, it’s not necessarily because of that.”

“Hey, don’t fool me. Just now, your eyes shook a bit, no?”

“As expected, you are at ease. I thought you’d be nervous.”

His clothes were casual, but his tone remained curt and stern.

“It would’ve sold well regardless. Have some too, Mr. Lee. Can’t waste expensive bentos.”

Despite Jae-Yoon’s efforts to gently ease the mood, Section Chief Lee just picked sushi up and down, barely wetting his lips.

Noticing his demeanor, Jae-Yoon casually said, “I know you have something to say, but why don’t we finish eating first? Staring at expensive bentos without eating… That’s not courtesy to the food.”

He deliberately laughed loudly after popping a flounder sushi in his mouth. Section Chief Lee also picked up some sushi and laughed along.

The lunch boxes were emptied in no time. Partly because they had been shopping, and the lunchbox was extremely delicious, but partly because they had deliberately hurried, worried about what Section Chief Lee Hyun-Woong wanted to talk about.

“You have a broadcast tomorrow, right?”

“Yes. A live broadcast at 3 p.m.”

“Are you confident? It’s a product you personally brought in. If you do a sloppy broadcast, the General Team will become even more arrogant.”

“If I thought I’d half-ass it, I wouldn’t have started in the first place.”

“You can go straight to Pyeongchang after it’s over.”

“Hmm?”

When he said Pyeongchang, it was difficult for Jae-Yoon to think of a specific place. Then, he remembered that Min Ho-Jun’s family home was in Pyeongchang. He had heard that there was a dinner once a month at Min Ho-Jun’s older brother, Min Kyung-Jun’s house. Surely, he wasn’t going to ask him to go there instead?

“What about Min Ho-Jun?”

“The dinner that was scheduled for the head of the car was delayed a bit. It seems that CEO Min Kyung-Jun has something urgent to say.”

“That’s a bit harsh. It just had to be on the day of the MilkBot broadcast.”

“It must be a coincidence.”

As Jae-Yoon started to clean up the lunch boxes, Section Chief Lee Hyun-Woong got up first and put the empty lunch boxes in the trash can. It seemed to be an ingrained habit.

Then, he grabbed two drinks that were standing upright in the refrigerator and opened the can lids, before continuing to speak. “Ho-Jun is in Italy right now.”

“You should tell him to come in on a plane tomorrow morning. It’s afternoon in Europe, right? Anyway…”

“I can’t reach him. He’s not answering on his Kakao either.”

“Nothing bad happened, did it?”

“He often turns off his phone, so I’m not worried about him.”

Section Chief Lee Hyun-Woong looked straight at Jae-Yoon.

“Hmm? Me? You don’t mean you’re worried about me, do you?”

Section Chief Lee Hyun-Woong smiled broadly and replied, “There’s nothing particularly difficult for you to do. You’ve always come without saying anything during meals, haven’t you?”

“So you’re saying that I should just go there, sit still like a scarecrow, and eat my meal?”

“It’s something like that. If they ask you about company matters, you can just say something like, ‘It’s okay’, or ‘It’s fine’."

Sitting still and just eating a meal would not be difficult. However, Jae-Yoon would not be able to avoid company matters. There must have been a lot of work done. There must be a lot of spies planted here and there, which meant there was no way that Min Kyung-Jun hadn’t heard about Jae-Yoon’s recent actions.

That was why Section Chief Lee Hyun-Woong’s face was full of anxiety.

“I believe that you will do well.”

This was not blind faith. It was no different from a firm expression of disbelief. It was understandable, though, why Lee Hyun-Woong harbored concerns. The situation was delicate. A misstep could jeopardize everything they had worked for.

“I’ll keep my lips sealed. Don’t worry. You know me. I’ve become quite accustomed to navigating tricky waters.”

Lee Hyun-Woong handed over a document containing information about family relationships and requests. Jae-Yoon collected the document and got up from his seat.

As they rode the elevator down, Lee Hyun-Woong asked Jae-Yoon, “Will you hand over It’s Food to Manager Park again?”

“Absolutely not.”

“I remember the promise was for 3 billion won. Today’s broadcast sales alone were 3.8 billion won.”

Section Chief Lee Hyun-Woong didn’t seem interested in sales. In Jae-Yoon’s eyes, he seemed to be more interested in the competition between Home Run and MilkBot than anyone else.

“Wow. Mr. Lee, you’re good at mental math.”

“Now that you’ve brought it up, let me ask you honestly. MilkBot; do you think it can catch up to Home Run’s sales?”

It was a question he had never received before. No, rather, it sounded more like a provocation.

“You know what it means to give up It’s Food. Mr. Park is not an easy person.”

“It probably won’t reach Home Run’s sales. That’s for sure.”

“... Excuse me?”

Section Chief Lee Hyun-Woong’s eyes narrowed as his anxiety became evident. It was an anxious look Jae-Yoon had never seen before.

“I’m talking about during the live broadcast, Mr. Lee. The sales figures are not based on the day’s broadcast. Just wait and see. That’s why I scheduled a meeting with the Customer Satisfaction Manager in advance.”

“A loophole no one has anticipated?”

“I don’t know if it will be my loophole or the General Team’s loophole, but I’m sure of one thing: the things that you’re worried about, Mr. Lee, will never happen.”

Ding~

The elevator arrived on the first basement floor.

“My car is here. Thanks for the lunch box today. See you tomorrow. Tie up your worries in a knot, stretch your legs out, and have a good night’s sleep.”

Section Chief Lee Hyun-Woong looked at Jae-Yoon through the gap in the elevator door. Without him realizing it, the corners of his mouth went up slightly.

Indeed. The CEO of It’s Home Shopping ought to be equipped with such confidence.

Home shopping was indeed a battlefield. A war of sales fought every second, minute, and hour. You could tell just by the name of the space that Jae-Yoon was looking at, the War Room.

It was a space set up to check the customers’ reactions during home shopping, and to communicate with the show hosts in real time. In short, it was a place to monitor live broadcasts.

In a few hours, Jae-Yoon would also enter the War Room and broadcast MilkBot.

“Mr. Min, you’re on standby in two hours.”

“Oh, Ms. Oh, you came early.”

“What? Take this first. We’ll start the meeting in ten minutes.”

Before the live broadcast, there was a final meeting. It was a place where all the staff gathered to check the features of the product and the points that needed to be emphasized.

“I’m really looking forward to the fact that the show host is Jeong Mi-Ran more than anything else. How did you get her?”

“What can I say? I clung to her like an ex who can’t move on for three days straight. I can brag about this, right?” Sᴇaʀᴄh the ɴøvᴇl_Firᴇ.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“Of course. You could brag about it a hundred times.”

Oh Eun-Sun PD looked at Jae-Yoon intently.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It still feels surreal to me… That the CEO is doing the MD work. It’s amazing, really. No other company would have something like this. Aren’t you nervous about entering the War Room?”

“I’m actually excited. It seems fun. I’ve been in on a few other broadcasts, so don’t worry.”

“Do I look worried?”

“You don’t seem too reassured.”

“You too, Mr. Min. You’re quite the typist, aren’t you?”

“I was a keyboard warrior in my past life.”

It was a live broadcast. Not a single mistake was allowed.

Jae-Yoon could not tell if this pounding in his chest was excitement or nervousness.

[ War Room ]

After finishing the final check meeting five minutes before the broadcast, Jae-Yoon was finally ready to draw open the War Room door.