150 - Upki Girl

< It's Maxim. As expected, it's Maxim. > ――――――― ―‘Replay Girl’ Schedule Change Announcement Hello, this is PD Seo Jong-chan. First, I want to extend my apologies to all company staff and participants who were preparing for the second mission, 'Singing a Different Song.' After an internal meeting, the production team concluded that focusing too much on musical missions early on, which is crucial for setting the foundation for viewership and buzz, wouldn’t differentiate us from other already stale audition programs, potentially failing to capture viewer interest. Therefore, to enhance buzz and ratings, we have decided to change the mission and schedule as follows, so please take note. For the staff, please confirm the participating members for each event and reply to the assigned writers. ―Five-sport Event + E-sports 1. 20m Swimming (any stroke): 1 person 2. 60m Running: 1 person 3. Ssireum (Korean wrestling): 1 person 4. Bowling: 2 people 5. Tug of War: 5 people 6. FPS Game ‘Little Ground’: 3 people ―Gold Medal: 6 points, Silver Medal: 4 points, Bronze Medal: 2 points ―Fan Club Cheer Award: 1st place 5 points *To ensure the participants’ smooth preparation, the recording date has been postponed by two days. *According to inter-company agreements, teams with fewer than four members will form alliances to make up a team of six. (Lip Balm X May Queens / Power of Girls X DNA) ――――――― Even at a glance, I can spot events where our team excels. Swimming: Eunbit, Ssireum: Our Hong, ‘Little Ground’: Seowon. In the case of Riya, she’s been privately tutored by trainers who were former professional athletes in various leisure sports, so she should be good at bowling too. "Is there a humming employee among the PDs? It feels like they're serving us the victory on a platter." "Hehe." "Besides, what’s with ‘Little Ground’? Didn’t Seowon quit playing it because it got childish?" "Yes, but it's 3 vs. 3, and there's no one else who knows how to play besides me. I don’t want to play it with trolls..." “You have a week to teach them, and Eunbit can go for the swimming competition.” “Oh, I’m just okay with regular swimming. If it’s diving, then maybe…” “Still, you've got the basics from swimming in the sea. Practicing a few times in an indoor pool should suffice. Hong, you should take on the Ssireum. Is that alright with you?” Even after losing weight, Hong is still Hong. With a good basic build and strength, and excellent skills in toppling people, a bit of guidance from an expert should quickly get him into form. “Uh... There’s something embarrassing I haven't mentioned until now...” Hong hesitated, then laughed awkwardly. “I was actually in the Ssireum club until middle school. Also, I was dragged by senior girls in the judo club to train with them for a few months.” No wonder his techniques when sparring with Seowon, like grappling and strangling the collar, were extraordinary. So, he trained in judo too. It didn’t stop there. Thanks to his exceptional physique and growth from a young age, he was constantly scouted by sports clubs, trying out almost every strength-related sport. He even tried weightlifting and shot put. At this rate, the Ssireum gold is almost certain. Unless Kang Ho-dong shows up in disguise, we have it in the bag. Next is bowling. “Riya, you can bowl, right?” “I’m not very good, but I usually bowl over an AVG of 200.” Jangwoo is the only one who knows what that level of skill entails because he sometimes bowls with friends, and his reaction suggests it's quite impressive. As Jangwoo mentioned his bowling experience, Riya asked, “What’s your AVG, Jangwoo?” “I’m not very good. Around 120 to 130...” “That’s not just bad, it’s a disgrace. Don’t ever tell anyone you bowl. My face is burning with shame.” “Hehe, sorry about that.” As everyone started picking a sport they felt confident in, Yeom cautiously presented a counterpoint. “But other teams must feel confident too, since these are the events they chose. Couldn’t there be former athletes among them?” That seemed plausible. According to writer Jeong So-jin’s testimony, it’s likely that Kim Seok-won and some allied managers spearheaded the mission change to a sports theme. If true, like Yeom suggested, they probably filled the list with events they excelled in, and there could be former athletes like Hong among them. The PR team staff searched online profiles of each team based on available reports since athlete backgrounds usually serve as press materials. Not surprisingly, search results showed members with past athletic backgrounds, and many teams had participated in the idol sports event during last year’s Chuseok. “In Love One, Jomi and Yeonho are 1998-born bowling club members and placed 2nd in last year’s idol sports event. Ladybug’s Jina won a freestyle swimming competition in elementary school…” Based on the PR team’s Mi-jung’s input, Seowon and Yona added their tidbits. “Yujin won an award in a triathlon in elementary school, I think…” “Eye Contact prepared extensively for the idol sports event since their debut. Naturally athletic, they could participate in almost every event, but they withdrew due to a schedule conflict with a Chinese tour.” “Oh, really…” Realizing it wouldn’t be as easy as anticipated, just then, Yona turned to me with a sly smile as if seeking praise and continued. “But I was the best among them. My dad’s a professor at the physical education department, so losing would be embarrassing, you know.” Ah, right. Yona’s dad is an athletics professor. Until now, I didn’t know which university her father was affiliated with because Yona never mentioned it. However, during the last vacation, her father told me personally. From the Korea National Sport University. “Should I call my dad to see if he can help with our practice?” I can hear it. The sound of narrowing our golden medal angles! I can see it. The twisted expressions of those guys plotting to counter Upkey Girls. We immediately drafted our participant list and sent it to Writer Jeong So-jin via email. 1. 20m Swimming: Eunbit 2. 60m Sprint: Yona 3. Ssireum: Yeonhong 4. Bowling: Jinya, Yona 5. Tug of War: All Upkey Girls 6. Little Ground: Seowon, Yeonhong, Eunbit "Oppa, I want to wear a bikini! High-leg! High-leg!" "A bikini in this cold? You’re going full haenyeo* style, suited up as a shell diver. Let’s aim for being the top search!" "Ah, anything but that!" Though it was just a joke, hmm? A haenyeo suit might actually work. ―――― A call from Jeong Ah-yoon of Maxim: Jeong Ah-yoon [Hello, Manager^^] Jeong Ah-yoon [I’m contacting you about the shoot concept. Can we talk?] *** The location for Hong and Seowon’s Maxim cover shoot was a club in the basement of a hotel along the Gangnam Boulevard, a place we frequented almost daily. Since it was only a five-minute drive from our Hum Hum Office, I picked up the kids alone without Jangwoo. “Huh, Athens is here?” I mumbled as I parked, and Hong asked if I had been there before. “No, but I’ve heard about it a lot. It’s supposedly really hot, with lots of celebrities visiting... Oh, it’s probably the club where Charming Carpet’s Miho got caught by fans during her birthday party.” Having never been to a club, Hong and Seowon curiously gazed at the hotel’s outer wall visible through the car window. Ironically, today’s shoot concept was ‘First Club at Twenty.’ As we descended to the basement, Hong and Seowon, being the same age, busily whispered and looked around like girls on their first outing in the world. “Hello, Upkey Girls are here.” The staff, busy with preparations for the shoot, paused and looked at Seowon and Hong. The stage and tables laid bare under the bright lights felt awkward. Since the makeup, hair styling, and outfits were all handled by the team here, Hong and Seowon arrived with basic makeup and comfortable street fashion. But just the title of ‘Maxim Idols’ was enough to earn the staff’s affection. The photographer, his face initially filled with dissatisfaction as he adjusted the camera, greeted them eagerly, exclaiming ‘Oh my!’ three times, setting the tone for the half-dozen male staff members who enthusiastically gathered around as if it were a weekend night at the club. Lowering their equipment, they reached out for handshakes, each wanting to greet the girls. It was amusing how delighted they seemed despite surely having photographed dozens of girl groups before. Once again reminded that girl groups are always a joy. “Where’s Jeong Ah-yoon?” “She went to the bathroom... Oh, here she comes.” “Ah-yoon, Upkey Girls have arrived!” “Oh my, you’re here!” Jeong Ah-yoon, the editor with the charming voice from our call, approached quickly, shaking off the water from her hands. This time, even I couldn't help but exclaim, “Wow, wow.” “Hello, I’m Kim Yoon-ho, manager of Upkey Girls.” “Wow, you look completely different from what I imagined! I thought you’d have a rugged image, but you’re so neat. Compliment, compliment!” “Jeong Editor, you’re letting your personal feelings show too much,” teased the senior editor who introduced himself as such, causing Jeong to playfully retort at all the male staff. “That’s what you guys always do!” Her charming rebuke, delivered in a cute voice, curiously drew attention. You can tell the value of pretty women in just a glimpse of 0.1 seconds. Jeong Ah-yoon looked exactly like her KakaoTalk profile photo. A tight-fitting turtleneck dress showcasing her healthy figure and sheer black stockings. She probably started the day in high heels, but her choice of cheap slippers on-site seemed inadvertently sexy. Even Maxim staff are pretty. Normally, I only trust about 30% of women’s KakaoTalk profile photos due to a few bad experiences on blind dates, but Jeong Ah-yoon’s real-life appearance embodied at least 80% of her KakaoTalk photo. I handed over bags full of sandwiches and drinks to the staff and formally introduced myself. “Our Upkey Girls members were quite excited. They joked there might be a call after the Maxim incident.” “Oh, the military Maxim incident. That was hilarious.” “And indeed, inquiries flooded in afterward.” "Yes, one of our members, Eunbit, was really eager to be a cover model." At the mention of Eunbit’s name, the staff’s eyes were drawn to a bearded man in flashy horn-rimmed glasses. The senior editor introduced him. “He’s our team’s resident Eunbit fan.” “Oh, really? That must be disappointing for him.” At my remark, he shook his head and replied, “Oh, no. Our magazine doesn't really suit Eunbit.” Though unfortunate for Eunbit, everyone seemed relieved that Seowon was present. After exchanging greetings with the staff, we moved to a designated waiting room for makeup and dress fitting. The shoot was set to begin at 2 PM, and we arrived at 1:30 PM. The club floor looked as if it had just finished business, littered with napkins and cigarette butts. Listening to Jeong Ah-yoon chatting with Seowon and Hong ahead of us, I gathered that the club had closed less than two hours ago. She boasted about partying there from 5 AM to 11 AM, then napping in her car before work. Being in charge of casting, she was naturally sociable and chatted effortlessly with the girls, quickly easing into comfortable conversations. --- *Haenyeo: Traditional female divers from Jeju Island, South Korea, known for free-diving to gather seafood. As the kids were getting their makeup done and the shoot was underway, I returned to the hall table and chatted with her about various topics. It was easy to see why she was an editor for a men's magazine; our conversation flowed naturally, even without delving into personal matters. After a lengthy discussion about today's shoot, I decided to ask a personal question. "If you don't mind me asking, what's your age?" "Pfft, why so formal? I just turned twenty-six. Haha." "Hmm." "Why? Do I look older?" "No, you look exactly your age. About twenty-five, twenty-six." "And you, sir?" "How old do you think I am?" "Maybe twenty-eight or nine?" Ah, this is always the most thrilling moment. "I'm thirty-six." "Oh, really? Wow. I'm not just saying this, but you really don't look it. Wow..." It felt refreshing to talk with someone who's not a kid I helped raise. It was nice. Even from simple conversations, I felt my spirit being recharged. This is precisely what makes life enjoyable—having such small pleasures makes work worthwhile. It's not that I'm swayed by an alluring figure, a short skirt, black stockings, or unbalanced yet curiously sexy cheap slippers. Jeong Ah-yoon, as a person, was just charming. Feeling content, I took a sip of canned coffee, ready to continue the conversation. Suddenly— “Ooh!” A deep cheer, the kind you'd hear on a military tour, erupted from the stage area. Hong and Seowon had finished their dress fitting and emerged. Three photographers immediately rushed over with their cameras. Jeong Ah-yoon, too, looked at the two in disbelief, muttering, "Wow, they're so beautiful..." I turned to check on troublemakers 2 and 4, whom I'd helped raise. At that moment, as I witnessed their appearance, the Jeong Ah-yoon who seemed like the world's most beautiful woman mere moments ago, suddenly felt quite ordinary. Seowon, wearing a sheer white dress with a visible black bra underneath and high heels, clicked her way towards me. "Does the outfit look okay? Isn't it too short?" "No. It's fine. It’s Maxim, after all. As expected of Maxim...” < It's Maxim. As expected, it's Maxim. > End