Chapter 17 of Season 1: The Genius Archer

7. Turning Point (1)

The total amount of donations received in one day.

"......Oh, five hundred?"

Sanghyun inadvertently blurted out aloud.

The total amount of donations displayed on Dojaemok's pad was a staggering 5,360,000 won.

This was the amount of money he would barely receive in a month, even with all the incentives and bonuses from his job, and it was the amount of donations received in just one day.

Moreover, this was after deducting the commission for Trivi.

"Wow, do you usually make this much?"

Dotorimuk shook his head with a disheartened laugh.

"No, this is the first time for me too."

This was an unprecedented amount of income even for Dotorimuk.

A day with 500,000 won in donations would be considered a grand slam.

But today, it was a whopping 5,000,000 won.

The only preparation he had done was inviting Sanghyun and conducting an interview, and creating a simple teaser video.

'Is this a completely profitable business?'

Of course, they would have to split it, so it would be around 2,500,000 won each, but even so, it was an enormous amount.

"If we split it exactly in half... it would be about 2,700,000 won each."

Sanghyun and Juhyeok looked at each other for a moment, then stood there in a daze.

'Is this real?'

'...It seems so.'

Both of them needed a little time to process the situation.

"Thank you."

After a moment, they both bowed simultaneously.

"Thank you. My usual donation income is around 500,000 won on a good day, and I don't even get 200,000 won on most days."

Juhyeok adjusted his glasses and his eyes sparkled.

He had always thought that donations were the main source of income for game streaming.

"Then... what other routes do you use to generate income?"

"Of course, it's advertising. The basic advertising fee from Trivi is proportional to the number of viewers, and it's like a basic salary now. In addition to that..."

Nayeon chimed in to provide more details.

"I bring in ads from other external companies. Usually game ads. However, you need to be careful when choosing them as they can significantly impact your image."

"Ah..."

Juhyeok didn't take out his notebook and pen, but he was completely focused, engraving the information in his brain.

Dotorimuk and Nayeon were in a good mood. Such opportunities don't come often. He continued with his questions.

"Then, do you also bring in non-game ads?"

"Yes, in fact, it's often safer. You can receive sponsorships for clothes, cameras, streaming equipment, computers, and even capsules."

"Ah..."

Juhyeok started taking mental notes again.

His understanding of the social foundation was already excellent, so he could quickly grasp it.

'It's similar to the entertainment industry.'

It was similar to how actors and singers make money. The revenue from movies and music itself isn't huge, but if you become famous through them, the story changes.

From then on, everything they wear, their earrings, the cars they drive, and even the drinks they consume, all become sources of income.

The streaming industry is no different for those at the top. Especially for comprehensive game streamers with a low proportion of donations.

"It's similar to the entertainment industry."

"It is. Isn't it funny? The live cam broadcasts that look like real entertainment shows get 90% of their income from donations, so they don't need to act like entertainers, but we do. With this face!"

Nayeon pointed directly at Dojaemok's face.

"Ha. What's this face! It's so funny! This is the best asset in this industry!"

"It is funny. I can't help but laugh."

They spent a moment describing each other's faces with all sorts of colorful words, then refocused and spoke to Sanghyun and Juhyeok.

The main point was how Sanghyun and Juhyeok would generate income.

Nayeon shared her own solution.

"Hmm... Sanghyun, you could go half-entertainer..."

Nayeon mumbled without looking at Sanghyun's face.

"Yeah. Seeing how this guy looks so embarrassed and his face is all red, Sanghyun could definitely go the entertainer route."

Dotorimuk added with a chuckle.

"But I want to be a game streamer..."

Sanghyun was surprisingly firm.

He was just starting to enjoy the fun of playing games and streaming.

Being an entertainer didn't suit him.

"Ah, being a game streamer is a given, but each of you should have your own strategy."

Dotorimuk corrected Nayeon's statement as if trying to persuade him.

"In my case, the main sources of income are game ads and the number of live stream viewers. I'm a typical gamer. But for Sanghyun, it might be good to increase the proportion of external activities, like Hornramen."

Nayeon also chimed in.

"Usually, streamers of that type have Alltube as their main source of income, and live streaming is more for fan service and communication."

"Ah..."

Sanghyun nodded, finally understanding the ecosystem. He knew who Hornramen was, which helped him understand quickly.

Hornramen is a cartoonist and streamer who also appears on public broadcasts, indicating a high proportion of entertainment activities.

However, if you ask if he's not a game streamer, that's also ambiguous. After all, games are the main content in his live streams.

'Now that I hear it, it doesn't sound bad.'

It didn't seem like a bad idea.

Indeed, the advice from seniors is always helpful.

"So, there are major scenes focused on Alltube videos and minor scenes focused on Trivi live streaming. And Sanghyun could potentially fit into the major scene."

"Got it. Thank you."

"If you're going to focus on Alltube, you need to find a good editor. Like me."

Snap.

Nayeon pointed at herself with her thumb and struck a pose... then immediately turned red and walked away.

"......?"

"He's a bit strange. But his editing skills are good, and he can also manage. He's the best partner. Juhyeok, have you ever done editing...?"

Juhyeok, for the first time, had a blank look on his face.

"Ah... No, I haven't. Not once."

Sanghyun also knew.

Sitting in front of a computer and fiddling with video frames just didn't fit Juhyeok's style.

"Hmm. Then you'll need to find someone else. Since your income isn't large yet, take your time."

"Thank you for the advice."

"You're welcome."

* * *

After listening to about an hour of advice,

Sanghyun and Juhyeok left the studio. Nayeon and Jaemok also came out to see them off.

It was a chilly day, but they shook hands and said their goodbyes.

"Thank you!"

"Yes, have a fun broadcast next time!"

They parted in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Dotorimuk had a hunch.

'By then, he'll be above me.'

Nayeon's playful comment didn't sound like a joke. Perhaps that's why he reacted so sensitively.

'What can I do? His talent is off the charts.'

At this level of difference, jealousy didn't even arise. He should consider it a stroke of luck to have recognized Sanghyun early and built a connection.

Vroom...

As Sanghyun and Juhyeok's car disappeared from view,

Dojaemok accessed a community site on his phone.

"...Crazy. What is this?"

He couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.

'It's like he has divine help.'

The post he saw was a separate piece of good fortune from Sanghyun's talent.

Or perhaps, this too was a result of his talent.

After all, it was a creation of his innate charm.

'Well... a good face is also a talent.'

Indeed. It's hard to find a field more in the realm of talent than a good face.

Dojaemok smiled with a sweet and bitter expression.

* * *

A storm was brewing on the community Kingchiman.

[If you didn't watch Dotorimuk's stream today, you've lost half your life kek]

[Almond is really a god.]

[The perfect shot was real!]

[The boss really died in one hit. Even the champion goblin!]

[The headshot was legit.]

[I don't know about the rest, but the headshot with the angle raised was insane.]

[I made a headshot GIF from today.]

Previously, most posts were about the game, with occasional mentions of Almond or other streamers.

Now, the board was almost entirely covered with posts about Almond.

-Who is Almond?

-Please, talk among yourselves.

Of course, there were still users who didn't know Almond. But their reactions were completely different.

-You don't know Almond? Xshin!

-Does this guy live in a cave?

-Why blame others for being a loser? kek

-Feeling inferior, huh? kek

The atmosphere was now one of criticizing those who didn't know Almond.

Moreover, the so-called 'headshot' GIF of Sanghyun spread beyond Kingchiman to other famous communities.

It became one of the top 10 best posts on the largest game community in the country.

-Is Almond the savior of Kingdom?!

-How long has it been since a Kingdom-related post made the top 10? kek

-How long has it been since I pretended to know about it? kek

-I've never heard of it.

-Starting the game in just 5 days and reviving it with such talent...

Some of the comments were clearly exaggerated, but the foundation was true.

Posts about Kingdom had never made it into the top 10 of the entire community.

-Is that possible in that game?

-Crazy...

-Check out this mad movie, pretending to be a teaser uploaded by Dotorimuk. It's insane. kek

While few people played the game, many understood how impressive Sang