Chapter 14: Chief Kim Jang-bung, what kind of mascot are you going to make?

Manager Kim clapped Jangbung on the shoulder.

“Manager Kim, you did a good job this time. If we’re lacking writers, your suggestion to host an event to attract existing works was quite effective this time.”

Jangbung nodded.

“Thank you, Manager Kim. Assistant Manager Park.”

Manager Choi raised an eyebrow.

“Perhaps it’s because of the event that Manager Kim Jangbung proposed, but the number of paying customers, which had been declining, has slightly increased again. However, I wonder if this isn’t spending too much of the budget.”

Jangbung responded calmly.

“Manager Choi, as I told you last time, this is a strategy to maximize efficiency with a minimum budget. We said we’d spend up to 100 million won, but only we know how much we’ll actually spend.”

Manager Choi nodded.

“That’s true. The event is effective, so I won’t say much.”

Jangbung continued.

“Yes. And in addition to this event, please make sure to approve the event that provides benefits for over a thousand works.”

Manager Kim waved a hand.

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll take care of it. But Manager Kim, what’s with this mascot thing?”

Jangbung explained.

“Our company’s image with existing customers is not good, so I thought about it.”

Manager Kim frowned.

“What does an image have to do with a mascot?”

Jangbung leaned forward.

“Our company also created a representative mascot character, cutely apologized, and appealed with ‘I hate you, but I’ll do it again’ to attract returning customers.”

Manager Park scoffed.

“Did we do something wrong? Do we really need to go that far when they were the ones who got hurt?”

Manager Choi nodded.

“That’s right, Manager Kim Jangbung. If you act like that once, you’ll get arrogant and start telling people what to do.”

Jangbung pressed on.

“Of course, that’s not the only thing. If we introduce emoticons after starting with the mascot, we can generate additional profits.”

Manager Kim tilted his head.

“Additional profits?”

Jangbung nodded.

“Yes, Manager. Other competitors are already doing this. I think it would be a two-pronged policy to create a cute and pretty mascot and use it to apologize and generate additional emoticon profits.”

Manager Choi sighed.

“Hmm~, but if we were to create something like this, we’d have to consult with the art team and there’s so much to do.”

Jangbung pulled out a sketch.

“So I asked the art team assistant manager to create one. Here’s our company mascot candidate, Joa-jjang.”

Manager Park blinked.

“Joa-jjang?”

Manager Kim frowned.

“Is it a female character?”

Manager Park gasped.

“Mr. Jangbung, did you make something like this?”

Jangbung explained.

“Yes, as is typical of our company, we like romance novels, BL, and male-oriented genres, so it’s Joa-jjang. I created her as a cute girl with a slightly silly appearance.”

Manager Choi sighed.

“Haa~, Manager Kim Jangbung.”

Jangbung turned.

“Yes, Manager Choi.”

“Do you think a ‘girl’ who enjoys adult content makes sense? That’s problematic.”

Manager Park nodded.

“That’s right, Mr. Jangbung. Besides, our company doesn’t only have male customers, we also have female customers, so if we create a girl character like this, it’ll be suspected of sexual objectification.”

Jangbung tried to adjust.

“Then if we raise the age and add a male character…”

Manager Choi cut him off.

“Why do you want to create male and female characters? Why not just create genderless characters?”

Manager Park clapped.

“Manager Choi is right~! Just create cute genderless characters. Do you really have to separate them, Mr. Jangbung?”

Jangbung’s voice softened.

“Then how will that appeal to the male customers who left…”

Manager Choi’s tone sharpened.

“Manager Kim Jangbung, while the customers who left are important, we need to know how to cherish the female users who are still paying for our platform.”

Jangbung hesitated.

“Me, you mean…”

Manager Kim nodded.

“Yes, Manager Kim.”

Manager Park added.

“I don’t know about anything else, but this is good, but I wish they had made it into a more familiar and affectionate image. Like that basic smart emoticon. I really like that image. This character is a bit like that.”

Jangbung nodded.

“Okay… Then I’ll organize it and ask the art team.”

Manager Kim clapped.

“Okay. Now that I hear it, the mascot emoticon idea itself seems good. It’s just that the direction seems a bit of an issue. Let’s all discuss it and adjust it.”

Jangbung agreed.

“Okay, I’ll do that.”

Manager Kim held up a tablet.

“The art team handed over the mascots. Take a look, everyone.”

Manager Choi nodded.

“Yes, manager.”

Manager Park squealed.

“Oh my~, they’re so cute and well-made.”

Manager Choi smiled.

“It’s genderless, so there’s no need to worry about the book being caught, and it’s well-made. What about Jangbung-ssi? … Mr. Jangbung-ssi?”

Jangbung stared at the design.

“I need to make some revisions to that…”

Manager Kim frowned.

“The art team manager and the manager worked together to make this. You know how tense the art team atmosphere was because of this, having to work overtime for a few days?”

Manager Park laughed.

“Haha, that’s why the art team asked to borrow Manager Kim Jangbung for a day~”

Jangbung muttered.

“I think it’s okay if you don’t do it.”

Manager Kim continued.

“Yeah. But the problem is, they say it would cost extra money to introduce an emoticon payment system on the website.”

Manager Choi asked.

“So, are you going to introduce it later?”

Manager Kim shook his head.

“No. We just decided at an executive meeting to use it to promote the company and decorate our profiles. We’ll just proceed like that. Understood?”

Jangbung nodded.

“Yes, I understand.”

Manager Park pointed at her phone.

“Jangbung-ssi, the competing company released a mascot character today. Have you seen it?”

Jangbung blinked.

“No?”

Manager Park smirked.

“It looks a lot like the design you first proposed~”

Manager Choi leaned over.

“Let me see. Oh my~ They’re aiming only for male customers? Releasing a character like this?”

Manager Park nodded.

“Right? Manager Choi~ They released such a thoughtless character without any effort.”

Jangbung muttered.

“I’ll check the internet for a bit.”

He scrolled through online posts:

[Hey, that company released a new mascot. It’s cute.] [2]
└ Looks kinda ugly. Not interested.
└ Design for old-timers.

[Yo, the new platform dropped a new mascot!!!] [73]
└ So cute. Makes me want to forgive them even if they mess up.
└ Gotta draw some fan art.
└ This is what a platform should be!!

[Look at that company copying lol]
└ Can’t even come up with original ideas, just copying.
└ And they can’t even copy properly lol.