Chapter 54

54

Common Knowledge Quiz?

If you become a variety show PD, the first thing you need to memorize is this. But how could I, Seo Ho-yoon, not know it?

...But I pretended to be unsure and spoke ambiguously, and the production team immediately tried to hook me with a deal.

[If you get ten questions right, we'll provide it not only to Joo Sung but to the entire cast!]

[Wow! Ho-yoon with the milk-white skin!]

[I love you, Ho-yoon!]

"A bit overwhelming..."

It was so overwhelming that I was now drinking water in the kitchen. Kang Eun-jae, who was sitting on the floor with her back against the living room sofa, glanced at me.

'What is it?'

'Nothing much.'

Just focus on the game.

[Oh, don't be unsure!]

"...Okay, I'll give it a try."

[Seo Ho-yoon is the best!]

[Let's start then! 100-second quiz! First, there are six metropolitan cities in South Korea. Name them all!]

Update the quiz content a bit...

[Ah, what? This is suddenly so hard to think about~.]

The cast hurled jeers at the production team, but my mouth was already spouting the answers.

"Daegu, Daejeon, Busan, Incheon, Gwangju, Ulsan."

[...?]

The production team, stunned by my rapid-fire answers, reflexively blurted out:

[...Correct!]

I poured water into the coffee pot and waited for the next question.

[Next question. What is the name of the climate change agreement related to greenhouse gases signed in December 1997?]

"Kyoto Protocol."

[...Correct! Ah, what is the capital of Albania?]

"Tirana."

I slowly brewed coffee in the kitchen, answering in 0.1 seconds. The coffee smelled good.

After that, I answered all the questions without hesitation, and the production team started murmuring.

[Oh...! Then, how about this!]

"Go ahead."

[What is the English term for the time slot with the highest ratings and thus the most expensive advertising rates?]

[Hey! This is overkill!]

[The production team is trying to starve us to death!]

"...Ha ha."

A laugh escaped me. The production team on the other side was visibly flustered.

[Why, why are you laughing?]

"No, um."

This wretched world sometimes helps me...

But I couldn't say that, so I just hummed the answer.

"Prime time."

[...In Korean?]

Even the cast was saying, "The production team is so cheap!" but I calmly answered.

"Golden time."

[Gr...]

The production team hesitated for a while before reluctantly saying:

[...Correct.]

[Seo Ho-yoon!!]

[All ten questions are correct, Ho-yoon!!]

[Thanks to Ho-yoon, we can eat!]

'Yeah, I know that feeling...'

I nodded contentedly. I remembered how, as a rookie, I memorized common knowledge quizzes to get footage when the "staff vs. cast" dynamic came up.

[Seo Ho-yoon, I'll definitely buy your album!]

[I hope your album is a hit!]

"Ha ha! Thank you. I'll send you the album."

[And you're so cool! So awesome!]

The cast was already in a party mood, praising me.

Maybe I should throw in a bait here.

"Then I'll hang up. Good work until late tonight."

[Wait! Wait!]

The production team hurriedly called me.

[Seo Ho-yoon, let's do one more speed quiz.]

A light bulb went off in my head.

When this airs, there will probably be a subtitle saying, "The production team is being stubborn." I pretended to hesitate, and the production team quickly added:

[If you get all ten questions right! The cast will sleep in a room with a warm boiler, not in a tent, today.]

[Wow...!]

[...Ho-yoon, please!]

"Ah, this is... "

I can answer more common knowledge quizzes. But the production team wouldn't be so easy.

[Not common knowledge, since Joo Sung used the phone chance, let's do a quiz related to Joo Sung.]

[What? Why me? That's a bit...]

[Is Joo Sung upset because he didn't get praised?]

[No, it's just that he really seems to not know.]

He failed the mission earlier, and they probably think I don't know much about Joo Sung.

'Misjudgment.'

[What do you think, Seo Ho-yoon? Are you unsure? Oh, and no looking up the answers in advance~! You have to answer immediately.]

"Fine. Let's do it."

I would have taken the bait anyway. As I answered, the production team and the cast were a bit surprised.

[Hey, isn't this a bit too much? How can you know what they'll ask?]

[Seo Ho-yoon, I don't believe it.]

Ignoring Joo Sung, I said:

"In return, if I get all ten right, call the next broadcast."

Sitting at the table with the cold coffee I couldn't drink, I said this as Kang Eun-jae laughed, asking if I was working at this hour.

Be quiet.

[Wow!!]

[Seo Ho-yoon is so determined~.]

[He must be very confident!]

Cheers erupted.

The production team seemed to deliberate for a moment, then whispered. Keywords like "footage," "fun," and "material" flew around before they decided and said to me:

[Okay, let's do it!]

'Go.'

I focused. And it began.

[Let's see how close you are to Joo Sung. First question! What is the first song and the composer that made Joo Sung's Black Call top the charts?]

"Ai Si Yu. Composed by Philharmonic. It topped the charts on February 5, XX, on Yoo Bank."

[...Huh?]

Joo Sung's flustered voice came through clearly.

[Correct! In the new song 'Strike' from Black Call, say one line from Joo Sung's part!]

"Tell me what you want, I'll make it all come true. Who do you think you're talking to?"

[...Correct!]

[Wow?]

I already knew all the information when I dug into Joo Sung's background.

After a few times, I could memorize it. The production team, on the other hand, was speechless.

[Gr... Joo Sung's debut date according to music shows?]

"December 9, XX."

[Oh... Was it?]

[Joo Sung, what if he's unsure?]

[...Correct!!]

[Wow, what a hit! Seo Ho-yoon must be a fan of Joo Sung!]

The next questions were easy. So easy.

I got all the Black Call song titles, the recent drama OST Joo Sung sang, and even the name of his cat right.

[Yeah! We're going to sleep inside!]

[Hey, we raised Joo Sung well!]

[Hey, Seo Ho-yoon... I'm really overwhelmed...]

"Next question, please."

[...Okay.]

As Joo Sung grumbled, laughter erupted from the other side.

Finally, the last question. The production team seemed to have given up.

[Is this the only question left? (Yes...)]

[Ah, really... This is just a freebie.]

[We lost...]

[The last one, this is like a service that puts the best part of the spoon right in your mouth.]

I was confident I could handle whatever came.

A little tune escaped me as I thought about the next broadcast on a major channel.

[The last question. What is Joo Sung's favorite food?!]

?

[Oh, I know this too~!]

[It's famous. Joo Sung loves this so much.]

...What?

Is this famous?

"..."

Cold sweat trickled down.

[Oh?]

I searched my mind, again and again.

Was there such information? I focused mainly on Joo Sung's music shows and activities. I could recite the lyrics of the Black Call's second album, which Joo Sung wrote, but...

How would I know what Joo Sung likes to eat?

As I couldn't answer easily like before, the production team quickly realized I didn't know.

[Ho-yoon, ten seconds left!]

Jajangmyeon. Spaghetti alle Vongole. Cat food. Tuna rice roll. No, that's Jung Da-jun's favorite.

I thought of everything, but it all became a jumble.

The production team, sensing my hesitation, started the countdown excitedly.

[Seo Ho-yoon, answer!]

...I can't answer if there's nothing to answer.

"...G."

[Yes!]

"G, do I really need to know this?"

[...!!]

A cold silence fell.

[Wrong!!!]

[...]

I got it wrong. After coming so far, just because I didn't know Joo Sung's favorite food... I stared at my phone in frustration.

[...Don't cry! Don't cry!]

[It's okay even if you're ignored by your junior!]

The cast, who had been silent, suddenly started comforting Joo Sung. Honestly, what does it matter what Joo Sung eats well? Listening to the noisy phone, one of the cast members explained kindly:

[Joo Sung is a kimchi fried rice fanatic~. He's famous for always eating kimchi fried rice whenever he appears on the show. Even non-fans would know.]

[Okay, okay. Ho-yoon doesn't want to know.]

[Ah... I see...]

Was that the case?

Now that I think about it, I might have seen it... but I ignored it. With nothing to say, I waited, and they switched to a 1:1 call to make us reconcile. Joo Sung was silent for a long time.

[...]

"Should I hang up if you have nothing to say?"

[Yeah, hang up and cut ties.]

"...Come on. What a hurtful thing to say."

=No, that's not it. Come back, it's not the refund period.

[Please edit out all the touching moments from before...]

I wasn't trying to get the last footage...

The quiz, which ended in a sea of laughter, ultimately ended in the production team's victory.

[The production team wins, so the cast will sleep in the tent today!]

[It's okay, even if we sleep outside! We're already warm from the laughter.]

[Seo Ho-yoon, you're so funny. Even if you failed the mission, you should come back next time, right?]

"Thank you for the call."

After a few more words of appreciation and encouragement, I ended the call and flopped onto the sofa.

The noise from before was gone, making the surroundings feel even quieter. Kang Eun-jae, who had been playing a game with headphones, turned her head to look at me.

"Working hard from the early morning? You said you were sleepy."

"I'm fine."

I gave up a bit of sleep, but there was something to gain. The system window that appeared in front of me proved it.

[Sudden Quest!

By appearing alone on a variety show and getting a good response.

Success: 3,000 points Failure: Cannot appear on variety shows for a year]

"Ha ha, as expected..."

Joo Sung is a resource to be used to the end.

As I smiled, Kang Eun-jae glanced at me, shook her head, and went into her room.

I found a way to earn points.