1988 Retro Game Tycoon - Chapter 75



Only Noblemtl

Episode 75 – Star Marketing

Office worker Kim Gyeong-rok (24 years old) would sit in front of the TV every Wednesday at 8 p.m. no matter what happened. He didn’t even make plans to go out for drinks on Wednesdays.

This is because the drama starring his favorite actress, Lee Mi-young, is being aired.

Today is also the day the drama is aired. But since he had to finish work late, he rushed home. Since he couldn’t eat dinner, he bought a whole chicken from the neighborhood chicken place and brought it home.

“Brother, come on! Come on!”

When I got home, my younger brother was waiting for me in front of the TV, having spread out a table. Kyung-rok unwrapped the foil that wrapped the whole chicken. Hot steam rose from the shiny whole chicken.

I bit into a thick chicken leg and felt the chewy texture of the meat. As my brother and I began to eat the whole chicken, adding a generous amount of salt, an advertisement came on.

“Huh? Did Yim Ji-young film a new commercial?”

Mr. Kim Kyung-rok stopped eating the whole chicken and focused his eyes on the screen.

A small train station. The whistle blew and young people stamped their feet inside the train.

At that moment, a woman wearing a baseball cap and a baseball jumper came running. It was Im Ye-young.

The moment she got on the train holding her friend’s hand, the wind blew, her hat flew away, and the train started moving.

Im Ji-young sat on the train with a gloomy expression. She blew her breath on the window and drew a heart, then quickly wiped it away with her sleeve.

“What? Did they break up? No, some crazy guy broke up with Im Ji-young. I hope they break up.”

“Lee Mi-young is really pretty···.”

The siblings were absentmindedly watching TV, holding a whole chicken in their hands.

Yim Ji-young played guitar and sang songs with her friends, and even cracked boiled eggs.

The train kept moving and before she knew it, her friends were asleep. But Im Ji-young looked uneasy as if something was bothering her, puffed out her cheeks, sighed, and looked out the window again.

Suddenly, her hand goes to her pocket and she takes something out of it as if she found something. It was a game pocket.

She smiled faintly, picked up the game pocket, and started playing. The baseball game screen appeared for a moment.

At that moment, the train came out of the tunnel and beautiful sunlight poured down on Im Ji-young.

Mr. Kim Gyeong-rok dropped the chicken leg he was holding without realizing it.

As the narration flowed, a close-up of Im Ji-young turning her head while holding the game pocket in her hand was shown.

– Wherever you go, Game Pocket: Golden Sun

Before I knew it, the commercial was over.

While Mr. Kim Kyung-rok looked at the screen with regret, his younger brother started eating the chicken again.

“You have all these game consoles? You carry them around. But isn’t that game kind of similar to the baseball game your brother plays?”

“Huh? What did you say?”

“Didn’t that screen look similar to the baseball game you were playing earlier?”

“Oh, right. You said earlier. I knew you were making a portable game console. Wow···, I never thought you’d use Im Ji-young as a model. Wow···!”

“Oh, the drama is starting.”

“Hey, but are you eating all that chicken by yourself?”

“Eat it too, oppa. You didn’t eat it yourself.”

Mr. Kim Kyung-rok came to his senses again and turned his attention to the drama while eating fried chicken.

But today, Im Ji-young’s screen time wasn’t that long. After watching the CF, I didn’t really get the taste of fried chicken.

My head was just filled with curiosity about the game pocket advertisement I had seen earlier.

He thought he should buy a game pocket right away. Tomorrow was payday, after all.

The next day, Kim Kyung-rok, who went to work as usual, heard people at work talking about the Game Pocket CF.

“Did you watch TV yesterday? There was a new commercial for Im Ji-young. Wow, she looked really pretty.”

“That’s right. Even the way you play games makes you look so pretty.”

“Is that it? The one we did at Dongdaemun Stadium last time?”

“Yeah, that’s right. The world has really become a better place. Now we all carry game consoles outside. And eventually, we’ll even carry phones.”

“Hey, that’s ridiculous. How do you carry around such a big phone? And if you put it in your bag and let it ring, it’ll probably make your liver tremble.”

Kim Kyung-rok was surprised to hear the conversation, but he pretended not to know. It was not common for people at work to talk about games.

Even when there was a Return of the Stars event, they only talked about the game itself, and didn’t talk about the game it was based on, .

‘As expected, Im Ji-young’s power is amazing.’

Kim Kyung-rok, who had been playing on his Jemix, decided to buy it because it was the game console advertised by Im Ji-young.

But since I got off work late, I was late to go to the electronics store. I had no choice but to wait until Saturday.

Mr. Kim Kyung-rok is walking home. There is a Myeongseong Electronics dealership on his way home from work. He passed by it without thinking, but he came back because he felt something strange.

There was a large bromide of Im Yeong holding a game pocket stuck on the dealership window!

“Huh? Are they selling it here too?”

Mr. Kim Kyung-rok quickly entered the Myeongseong Electronics store. When he went in, he saw a pile of game pockets near the entrance.

Even in the game pocket box, there was a picture of Im Yeong. He shed tears of emotion in his heart.

“Please give me one of these. And by the way, is there a picture of Im Ye-young…”

“Ah, this is Im Ji-young’s bromide. Just a moment.”

The store owner took out three bromides from under the counter.

“Choose from here. Number 1, 2, 3. There are three.”

“Yes? Three?”

Kim Kyung-rok looked at the bromide in surprise.

Number 1, wearing a baseball jacket and jeans and looking a little shy. This was the epitome of a bromide.

Number 2, looking back and holding a baseball bat over one shoulder. I like that pose the best.

And number 3 in a tennis skirt. She was the prettiest of the three.

The three bromides of Im Ji-young holding game pockets with different looks and charms were all of the highest quality I’ve ever seen.

“Can I choose just one of these?”

“That’s right. But if you buy two, I’ll give you all three. If you connect the game consoles with a cable, two people can play together.”

The store owner showed us how to play for two by connecting a cable.

“Then give me two!”

Mr. Kim Kyung-rok gladly bought two units because he was told that he could receive all three of Im Yeong-i’s bromides instead of the two-player version.

It cost a whopping 60,000 won in total, but fortunately, it was payday so I didn’t run out of money.

Although his paycheck may have gotten a little thinner, Kim Kyung-rok’s heart has become much richer.

I was thinking of selling the remaining game pockets by listing them in the game magazine’s marketplace corner. I would lose a few thousand won, but it wasn’t a big deal in front of the Yim Young bromide.

He headed home, carefully holding the carefully rolled up Im Ye-young bromide.

‘I’ll stick one on the door, one on the wall, and one on the ceiling of my bed. Oh, but what should I stick on the ceiling?’

On his way home, he kept wondering which bromide to stick where.

It seemed like the most difficult problem in the world.

***

Game Pocket has come into the world.

I waited for the results with anxious heart.

Maybe it was because it was their first hardware creation, or maybe it was because of their advertising strategy that emphasized impressions, but this time they seemed more worried than confident.

The game itself was great, but I had no idea what the public’s reaction would be.

The game shops in Seun Shopping Mall and Yongsan Electronics Shopping Mall were the fastest responders.

But now, Yongsan Electronics Shopping Mall’s response is a bit faster than Seun Shopping Mall’s, and its sales volume is also slightly ahead.

Now, I feel like the center of gravity of the electronics market is slowly moving from Seun to Yongsan Electronics Market.

Seeing that many people bought the Game Pocket on the first day of its release in both electronic stores, it seemed that our company had also formed quite a fandom.

It was still an era when most information came from computer magazines or game shops. People would often visit their regular game shops even when nothing special was going on.

Some game shops even sold out early because they reserved stock for regular customers.

I looked around the game shops and stopped by Modu Electronics.

“How is the response to Game Pocket?”

“Everyone is dying. Even though it’s portable, it still has the feel of . When I showed them the 2-person version, they were all surprised. After seeing that, many of them bought one for each of their friends.”

“As expected, it tastes best when served for two.”

“That’s right. That’s a really good idea. It’s good for us too. If you buy a game pack, you can borrow it, but if you want to play for two with the Game Pocket, you’ll have to buy two game consoles.”

Yang Geun-seok laughed heartily. For the distribution industry, there is nothing more exciting than selling a lot.

“You know what people say when they buy a Game Pocket? They say that now they can play two-player games with peace of mind, haha!”

If I had to pick a shortcoming of for Jemix, it would be that the opponent can see everything on the screen when selecting a strategy.

Since Game Pocket only looked at its own screen, it was impossible to know what kind of play the opponent was choosing.

was the first game to truly achieve 2-player play on the game pocket.

After visiting the electronics mall, I also visited several major electronics stores in Seoul.

The Yimiyoung bromide was a special privilege that could only be obtained at Myeongseong Electronics dealerships.

“There are quite a few cases where customers who came after seeing the advertisement hesitated for a while because of the price, but then bought it after seeing the bromide. There are also some who came to buy a TV and bought it just because they saw it, so it’s quite a good deal.”

Although not as much as specialized game shops, there was a gradual response from Myeongseong Electronics dealerships as well.

It wasn’t a huge hit, but the initial reaction wasn’t bad.

When I returned home tired, my youngest came into my room holding a copy of High Teen magazine.

“Oppa, this High Teen commercial and article came out really well. I already have it, but it makes me want to buy it again!”

“Really? What do your friends say? Do your friends like it too?”

“Yeah, even the kids who usually say I’m bored when I talk about games said, “Is this fun? Should I try it too?” I felt really good and proud for no reason! I think I chose a really good model. But does Im Ji-young really like games?”

“It’s not something he usually does. He was playing around with his Game Pocket while filming. He’s a high school senior and has a lot of work to do, so he doesn’t get to meet his friends often and doesn’t have time to play. I felt a little bad for him.”

“Really? I thought that if I was popular, I’d have a lot of friends and be happy all the time. I guess that’s not the case.”

“Well then. People are the same no matter where you go.”

“That’s amazing. Tell me more about Yimiyoung.”

The youngest unpacked the snacks in my room and asked about Im Ji-young for a long time.

I never thought I would feel the power of star marketing like this in my home.

***

The bell rang to end the first period at OO High School in Seoul.

As soon as the teacher left, Song Yeon-ju, a student in class 8-2, patted the back of her friend sitting in front of her.

“Jinju, shall we go to the store? I’m hungry because I didn’t eat breakfast.”

“You’re still hungry even after eating breakfast. Now is not the time to fill your stomach. For girls like us, we have to fill our souls before our stomachs.”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden? Did you eat something bad this morning?”

“Ta-da~!”

“Huh? Hi-Teen came out this month? When did it come out? Did you buy it yesterday? Im Ji-young is the model. She’s pretty.”

“I’ll even give you a bookend~. Look at this. Isn’t it pretty?”

“That would be great. How can Yim Yeong look so pretty even if she only wears a baseball jacket? Isn’t the world so unfair?”

“That’s just how the world is. That’s why it appears in commercials, dramas, and movies.”

“But what is that thing that Im Ji-young is holding? Is that the new compact?”

“No, I thought it was something like that, but what kind of game console is it?”

“Game console? Oh! I think I saw this on TV. That commercial where they ride the train. It was really pretty. It was on High Teen too. Is it fun?”

“I don’t know. It’s a baseball game, right? That’s why they came out wearing baseball jackets and sportswear. I didn’t know that clothes like this looked good before. But they look good.”

“Really? Where is it? Let’s go together.”

Compared to the 50 minutes of class time, the 10-minute break was too short.

Song Yeon-ju immediately went to the special feature on Im Ji-young to get to the point.

– Is it not okay for girls to like baseball and video games?

“Huh? Yim Ji-young also likes baseball like me. I didn’t know that.”

Song Yeon-ju liked the article title and discovered something in common with Lee Mi-young.

Song Yeon-ju, who used to go to the baseball field with her father when she was young, still often watches baseball games with her father on TV on weekends. However, soon after, she was kicked out to the study room by her mother’s nagging.

But when I heard that Im Ji-young likes baseball, I was suddenly happy.

“You’re playing baseball on that little game console? Is it really fun?”

“How fun would that be? It would just be talk.”

“But look here. You say you carry it with you every day on set? And when you have a boyfriend, you said you want to play Game Pocket together at Yeouido Park. Do you play games on dates these days?”

“Well… there are some boys who are crazy about games. My mom’s friend’s son used to go to the arcade so much that she bought him a game console and now he only plays at home.”

“Really? Then, would Younggyu oppa like this game pocket too?”

“Who? Kang Young-gyu? That third-year student council president? Do you still like that guy?”

“Be quiet!”

Song Yeon-ju quickly covered Jin-ju’s mouth while looking around. Fortunately, it seemed like no one heard her because the surroundings were noisy.

“Hey, I told you before. Give up. There are too many competitors. Among the people I know who like Younggyu oppa, there are probably more than five, excluding you.”

“They all like me after I become the student body president. Can you stop comparing me to those kids? My love is much deeper than that.”

“Oh my~, you’ve got a virtuous woman. You’ve got a virtuous woman. Why are you trying to go through such a difficult and thorny path?”

Jinju looked at Song Yeonju as if she felt pity for her. But Song Yeonju paid no attention.

“Younggyu oppa also likes games. Why, when a famous game called Stairs came out last year, he bought it and played it all night during vacation, and his mom scolded him. He’s a senior in high school now, so he probably can’t play games anymore. Poor oppa.”

“Ah~, I feel more sorry for you. No. Am I more pitiful because I don’t even like anyone?”

Song Yeon-ju spoke as if she had made up her mind, not caring about her friend’s compassionate gaze.

“I think I should give this to my brother as a gift.”

“What? Highteen?”

“No, this game console. Game Pocket. It’s going to be hard to see him for a while now that summer vacation is underway. Wouldn’t he like it if I gave him this as a gift and told him to play it to cool his head? My brother’s birthday is coming up soon. Maybe we could play it together.”

“What? Are you really going to confess to me with this? Arthur. Arthur. No matter how much you like someone, men don’t like it when a woman makes the first move.”

“Is she crazy? How can I confess? Embarrassingly. I’m just telling you how I feel. If you notice, then there’s nothing I can do about it….”

“It’s serious. It’s really serious. But do you know how much it costs? It must be quite expensive.”

“I’ve been saving up all the money I’ve received since middle school, without spending a single penny. How much does it cost? It’s 30,000 won. That’s enough. I can buy two of these.”

“Wow~, that poisonous thing! When I asked you to buy me tteokbokki, you ran away like that. But you spend 30,000 won on the guy you like so nonchalantly?”

“Jinju, you too, find someone you like. Then you’ll be able to understand my feelings and say, “Ah, that’s why Yeonju was like that.”

“Wow~, this feeling of betrayal. Ahh~, I’m unlucky.”

Jin-ju glared at the face of her friend she was in love with with an expression that said she couldn’t stand to look at it.

At that moment, I heard the door open and the teacher came in.

Jinju quickly looked ahead, and Song Yeonju quickly put Hi-Teen in the desk drawer and pretended not to know anything and prepared for the second period.

Second period English class started.

“What day is it today? The 2nd? Number 22! Read page 102.”

The ending scene showed Sam and Rachel enjoying a date at the park.

Song Yeon-ju unconsciously imagined herself playing Pocket Game with her older brother Yeong-gyu at the park.

In her imagination, Yeong-gyu held Yeon-ju’s hand and hugged her. His hand was warm and his embrace was cozy.

Song Yeon-ju’s heart was constantly pounding, and her face turned red on its own.

It seemed like the Game Pocket would make her dreams come true.