Chapter 33: Viral Charm

What?

I nearly toppled forward from my chair. His expression and words didn’t match.

Something felt off. It should feel good to be praised, but the atmosphere among the staff soured after that old man appeared.

“Bada-ssi, you look better in person!”

“Thank you.”

“I didn’t expect much from seeing you on dramas.”

“Really?”

Rude, old man. But what could I do? He wasn’t wrong.

Right after successfully completing Tae Jin-hwa sunbae-nim’s sub-quest:

[Sub-Quest ‘Learn acting from Tae Jin-hwa’ completed.]

[Reward Obtained: 3 Points]

No time to think.

[Im Bada]

Appearance: A ▲

Acting: A+ ▲

Immersion: B ▲

Vocalization: C ▲

Charisma: F ▲

Sociability: C ▲

I chose Appearance, Acting, and Vocalization.

[Im Bada]

Appearance: A+

Acting: S

Vocalization: C+

To the client, I must look different from my drama self. With Appearance at A+, it’s still blurry in the mirror, but…

“Thank you for the kind words.”

“No, no! I’m the grateful one!”

At least he liked my face.

“Here, here!”

The old client pulled a chocolate from his black briefcase and showed it to me.

“You know our chocolate ads only feature rising stars, right?”

“Yes, I know.”

“Why rising stars? Our chocolate’s super popular with young folks.”

“Yes, I know that too.”

“I was looking for a new ad model, and my staff said you’re trending.”

I’m trending? Good news, but…

‘It’ll bring trouble too.’

CEO Min Ja-young would freak, but ads and photoshoots steal acting time.

“So I looked you up, and your acting’s top-notch! Hahaha!”

“Thank you for the praise.”

“You’ll soar with our ad.”

Hmm, a sociability test?

“Guess so.”

He had a point. A buzzworthy ad could boost me.

But this client was drunk on the title of his chocolate ads producing rising stars, believing his concepts made them shine.

‘Classic self-absorption.’

“Oh, I forgot why I came! Guys!”

What now? He handed a PPT to the director.

“I want to change the ad concept.”

The director, thrown by the sudden proposal, glitched like a machine.

“…What? Suddenly? We’ve set everything up.”

“Don’t like it?”

“No, it’s not that. If you’d told us yesterday…”

“Don’t like it? I’ll get another director.”

The director, faced with the client’s power play, went silent, neither laughing nor crying.

“What’s the concept?” I asked.

“Something different. How about a match-selling girl?”

The buzzing atmosphere hushed.

“…That’s completely different from the original.”

“What’s different!”

“It’s totally different…”

The old man clicked his tongue, shaking the PPT.

“Bada-ssi sells chocolate like a match girl.”

“Too cold, she eats one. It’s so good, she decides not to sell it. 80s vibe background. No need to reset, right?”

“…..”

“Just needs Bada-ssi’s okay. Why overthink it?”

Changing a concept overnight is tough. Not for me, but… The client looked at me, asking my thoughts.

“I’ve got a question.”

“Anything.”

“What’s the girl like?”

“Oh, analyzing the character? That’s an actor thing.”

‘Obviously. How else do you do ads?’

“That’s for you to figure out. Why we hired an actor.”

The room went silent. Staff glanced at me, checking if I was hurt. But I’d heard too many old-school jabs to care.

My mind was on how to handle the “match-selling girl” concept.

“Don’t like it?”

“…..”

“If you don’t, we’ll pay the penalty and find another actor.”

I didn’t say no. His delusions were endless.

“I haven’t answered yet. I’m not refusing.”

“Oh? Good, good…”

My blank expression after smiling threw him off. He pulled a handkerchief, wiping sweat from his neck.

“Does it matter how I act?”

“Yeah! You talk too much. This is why we shouldn’t hire girls.”

Insult and dismissal.

“Yes, Grandpa.”

“What, what?”

“Sorry, you remind me of my grandpa.”

Tongue out. At least he won’t meddle with my girl. A win. The client grabbed coffee from the marketing team’s truck, slurping loudly.

I ignored his muttering about me being cheeky and asked the director what acting would work.

“Two things.”

“Two?”

“If she’s too cocky, viewers will frown. Instead, have her pitifully ask the camera to buy chocolate, then eat one and say, ‘Why wouldn’t you buy this?’ Simple.”

“How about an 80s Seoul dialect for the 80s vibe?”

“Can you do it?”

“With some videos, I can pick it up fast.”

The concept was forming, but it felt… dull. I’d think on it.

“Got it.”

Hair and makeup called me over. I thought, Gotta watch 80s Seoul dialect videos.

Manager Min Seo-eun showed me one on her phone.

“Bada-ssi, we’ll go natural with light makeup and bold red cheeks.”

Per the director, I transformed. A stylist brought red cheek stickers, like a match girl’s.

“You pull off anything. This dress would suit you too.”

I gasped at the dress. Hours ago, they found it?

“How’d you get this?”

The director clapped, amazed.

“Heard a drama used a match-girl-like maid outfit. Begged the costume team to borrow it.”

“Wow, impressive.”

Looking at the dress, I thought, If I nail this, it’s enough.

I entered the changing room, slipping it on.

‘…It suits me?’

Extensions gave me waist-long hair. The white-and-red dress, plus a black cloak.

“I’m coming out.”

Emerging, the director, staff, and client gasped. With the red cheek stickers, I was perfect—not a match girl, but…

“A chocolate-selling girl.”

Might as well…

‘Go comedic?’

A vague concept only brings bad results.

“Makeup teacher.”

“Yes?”

“Can we stick red paper on my cheeks?”

“Comedic?”

Good idea, she said, her hands moving fast. She painted white A4 paper red, cut it round, and stuck it on my cheeks.

“Looks good?”

“Looks good.”

We locked eyes, nodding.

“Director.”

“…Bada-ssi? What’s on your cheeks?”

“How’s it look?”

His bored eyes lit up. “This’ll make a great ad.”

“I trust you, Director.”

I sat, checking my reflection, relaxing my mouth muscles.

“Ah, eh, ee, oh, oo.”

As my face loosened, the director shouted, “Bada-ssi! Let’s start!”

Time to become the chocolate-selling girl.

★★★

Cold winter. A girl sold chocolates.

“Tasty chocolates, buy some!”

Who’d buy in this freezing winter? Shivering, she spotted a warm scene: a family eating chocolate, wrapped in blankets.

Envious, she pulled a chocolate from her bag, unwrapping it.

“Hoo.”

In the bone-chilling cold, could eating chocolate warm her?

Pop.

She bit it with her front teeth.

“What’s this taste?”

She’d never eaten her product—eating stock was trouble. But…

“So good…! Why don’t people buy this?”

One more bite. Another. She ate it all. Licking chocolate from her lips, she grinned widely.

“Of course, it’s Z Chocolate!”

No one’s getting this. It’s mine. Closing her bag, she glanced around, sneaking into a building, never selling chocolate again.

“Cut!”

At the call, I snapped out of the girl. The staff beamed, and the director’s smile grew, giving double thumbs-up.

“Director, was I okay?”

“Perfect for the concept. Amazing, Bada-ssi.”

I returned double thumbs-up to him and the staff.

“Really cute, Bada-ssi.”

“The cheek stickers are perfect.”

“So cute.”

Unexpected praise.

‘Cute?’

Never heard that in my past life… I scratched my cheek.

“Bada-ssi, two face shots. One, say ‘Rich, smooth Z Chocolate’ without eating. The other, just eat, no lines.”

“Got it.”

Simple shoot. After one more munching shot, the director addressed the client, sitting far off.

“What do you think?”

“Let’s see the footage.”

Rubbing his brow, the client watched and rewatched. Why drag it out? He seemed indecisive.

‘We don’t have much time.’

I want to go home.

“Hmm.”

“What’s it like?”

“Hrrrm!”

“Huh?”

Snapping his fingers, he decided. “This’ll do. Nothing else will get more buzz.”

True, ads rarely go viral.

‘It’s tough.’

★★★

A month later, the Z Milk Chocolate ad went viral.

[(HOT) Seen the milk chocolate ad?]

Gifs of Im Bada with cheek stickers flooded communities.