Episode 29. Special Advice (6)
As soon as Kang Dae-oh took a sip of the Americano, he looked as if he had figured out everything about the problems with the store called Dongne Chingu.
Until just before filming began, his attitude, which had been ‘I don’t know’ along with Do Sang-ho, suddenly changed to one of certainty. Naturally, curiosity arose regarding this.
Kang Yeyoung’s eyes widened as she asked her dad.
“What did you find out?”
“You’ll know once you drink it. But this… wait a minute. There’s only one Americano left that I was drinking.”
Actually, he wanted others to taste it too.
Kang Yeyoung was fine. Because they were father and daughter.
However, it was awkward to hand the drink he had put his mouth on to Do Sang-ho and Ji So-yeon.
Just then, the Dongne Chingu CEO quickly moved and shouted.
“I’ll prepare a few more cups and bring them over!”
At the fact that Kang Dae-oh had figured out the reason, the CEO also showed extreme excitement.
His quick response was good to see, but.
“Don’t make them too quickly. Slowly, just make them exactly like the one you gave me now.”
“Yes, understood!”
Because at that moment, taste was more important than speed.
While watching the busy Dongne Chingu CEO.
Kang Yeyoung pointed at the iced glass containing her dad’s Americano and asked.
“Can I taste it first?”
However, Kang Dae-oh shook his head and said.
“No. It’s coffee.”
“Heeing……”
She had tried to seize the opportunity to drink some coffee after a long time.
Even amidst the chaos, Kang Dae-oh clearly distinguished between public and private matters.
Watching his youngest daughter click her tongue as if disappointed, Kang Dae-oh gave a bitter smile.
Not long after.
“Ah, two Americanos are ready!”
The Americanos for Do Sang-ho and Ji So-yeon were quickly prepared.
Do Sang-ho, as if he had been eagerly waiting for this moment, took it and immediately swallowed it down his throat.
Gulp, gulp, gulp!
The cold coffee drink spread throughout his body.
While smacking his lips and savoring the coffee aroma remaining in his mouth.
Ji So-yeon, who drank the coffee at a similar time to Do Sang-ho, tilted her head slightly and said.
“It tastes a bit bland. Is this the problem, by any chance?”
Then Do Sang-ho shook his head and said.
“It’s not because of the bland taste.”
“Then what on earth……”
Before giving an answer, Do Sang-ho shouted loudly to the Dongne Chingu CEO and asked.
“CEO-nim! By any chance, do you use Arabica beans?”
“Yes, that’s right! You know well. As expected……!”
Ordinary people don’t usually know what kind of beans are used.
However, experts like Do Sang-ho and Kang Dae-oh could figure out which beans were used, and even from which country they were imported, just by taking a sip.
This time, it was Kang Dae-oh’s turn.
“You did a dark roast, right?”
“How did you know that……”
“Because there’s almost no acidity. So I immediately realized that you must be doing a dark roast.”
As technical terms were thrown around, Kang Yeyoung and Ji So-yeon couldn’t keep up with the conversation the three people were having.
For the women who looked perplexed, Do Sang-ho first suggested to Kang Dae-oh.
“How about we briefly summarize first?”
“Yes, that sounds good.”
“I think Director Kang will explain it well, could I ask you to do it?”
Do Sang-ho could have easily done it himself, but he deliberately handed the opportunity to speak to Kang Dae-oh, who was new to broadcasting.
The main reason was to help him get used to broadcasting quickly.
Kang Dae-oh, seemingly aware of Do Sang-ho’s intention, briefly replied “understood” and then fixed his gaze on the camera.
When talking about important things, it’s good to handle your gaze as if you’re making eye contact with the viewers beyond the camera.
Because his daughters, who were familiar with broadcasting, had given Kang Dae-oh such advice, he was able to act in this way.
“Arabica beans account for 60 percent of the world’s coffee production and are high-quality beans. Those from Ethiopia, Brazil, and Colombia are famous. They are characterized by acidity, fruit, and floral notes. However, your roasting method, dark roasting, almost eliminates the acidity and emphasizes a smoky aroma, which actually ends up killing the characteristics of Arabica beans.”
“Aha……”
Only then could Kang Yeyoung and Ji So-yeon nod their heads up and down.
“Of course, it’s a matter of personal preference, but for both Director Do Sang-ho and myself, we keep wishing that it had been done with a light roasting method that enhances acidity rather than dark roasting.”
Do Sang-ho expressed deep agreement with Kang Dae-oh’s words.
“I think the same. How about changing the roasting method? Because Americano, although it’s the cheapest, is also the most sought-after drink. I’m sure you know that too, CEO-nim.”
The Dongne Chingu CEO nodded his head with a bewildered expression.
Because customers usually order Americano almost all the time.
As such, it’s often said that the taste of Americano represents the taste of that cafe.
Because of this, Kang Dae-oh paid the most attention to Americano beans when preparing to open his cafe.
“As Director Do said, if you just slightly change the taste of the Americano… from my perspective, the problem of declining customers can be solved quickly. All the other menu items were fine.”
This was the solution Kang Dae-oh wanted to provide.
That was one thing, but.
Director Do Sang-ho had an additional question for the Dongne Chingu CEO.
“But CEO-nim, why did you choose dark roasting?”
“Well……”
The Dongne Chingu CEO scratched his head and said.
“It’s because of personal preference.”
“Preference?”
“Yes. Actually, I don’t really like acidic beans. So I chose a roasting method that could eliminate the acidity.”
Kang Dae-oh and Do Sang-ho were speechless at the same time.
Because the conversation they had about hazelnut Americano during the production presentation suddenly crossed their minds.
The philosophy that ‘if I find it delicious, customers will also enjoy the food’ doesn’t always work as the correct answer.
Because sometimes, there are cases like the Dongne Chingu CEO.
Kang Dae-oh’s expression was tinged with seriousness.
“CEO-nim. Then it seems you should change the beans from Arabica to Robusta.”
“That’s also a bit……”
Kang Dae-oh couldn’t readily understand the Dongne Chingu CEO’s attitude.
Could changing the beans be that big of a risk?
Of course, if customers were constantly flocking to the store, or if many customers were looking for Americano on the menu, changing the beans overnight would be a significant risk.
However, that wasn’t the case for the cafe called Dongne Chingu.
It was a situation where there were no customers, so a new strategy to attract them needed to be established.
At the CEO’s ambiguous attitude, Kang Dae-oh and Do Sang-ho’s eyes narrowed.
It wasn’t a nuance implying a refusal of the solution.
The Dongne Chingu CEO also seemed to think that doing as the two men suggested was right, but.
It felt as if something invisible kept blocking his decision.
Kang Dae-oh directly asked the Dongne Chingu CEO.
“Is there some internal reason that’s difficult to say in front of the camera?”
If so, Kang Dae-oh was even willing to temporarily halt the filming.
However, the CEO shook his head, indicating that it wasn’t the case.
“Actually… the company that distributes coffee beans to our store is my middle school friend. We’ve known each other for a long time, and if I bring up changing the beans now, I’d have to cut ties with that friend and find another bean supplier. That would be awkward for both of us… and it’s difficult for me to bring it up first.”
They never imagined that the element of friendship would be involved here.
For a moment, the set was enveloped in silence.
Because an unexpected reason had come out of the Dongne Chingu CEO’s mouth.
Do Sang-ho clicked his tongue briefly.
“You have to distinguish between public and private matters. Isn’t it better to boldly cut ties with such things? No matter how close a friend they are.”
Do Sang-ho was cold.
He couldn’t help but be.
Because this was an issue concerning the Dongne Chingu CEO’s livelihood.
However, despite Do Sang-ho’s cold advice, the Dongne Chingu CEO’s mind did not easily budge.
The way to move a door that is frozen solid and won’t budge is not with sharp and cold advice.
Instead, it only serves to make the door freeze even more, preventing it from moving.
What is needed at such times is precisely.
Advice filled with warm comfort.
“CEO-nim.”
Kang Dae-oh subtly moved his chair to the side, getting closer to where his youngest daughter was.
Then, Kang Dae-oh gestured to the Dongne Chingu CEO to come and sit over here.
At his unscripted action, not only Kang Yeyoung but also the cast and crew began to send curious glances.
Because they were curious about how Kang Dae-oh would give his advice.
After seating the Dongne Chingu CEO, Kang Dae-oh began to tell his own story.
“When I first started my cafe and business wasn’t doing well, I also had a friend who would deliberately frequent my store. He was a grateful friend who would intentionally walk to my cafe, even leaving closer cafes behind, just to boost my sales.”
“Having a friend like that is very reassuring.”
The CEO deeply empathized with Kang Dae-oh’s words.
Kang Dae-oh nodded briefly, replied “that’s right,” and continued speaking.
“That friend told me this: the relationship of friendship, if you compare it to a track and field event, isn’t a 100-meter individual race, but rather like a three-legged race.”
“A three-legged race?”
“Yes. If one person stops walking, you also stand there and wait until that person gets up and walks again. So he said, ‘Isn’t friendship like a three-legged race?’”
“…………”
The Dongne Chingu CEO pressed his lips together and fell into deep thought.
It was evidence that Kang Dae-oh’s words were slowly, little by little, beginning to melt his heart.
“You can be honest with your friend. Tell them that due to such and such circumstances, you need to change the coffee beans. Then your friend will understand.”
“What if… they say they don’t understand?”
“Then it would mean that your friend didn’t consider you a friend, but merely an ‘acquaintance’ worth taking advantage of.”
“Ah……”
The Dongne Chingu CEO swallowed dryly.
Nevertheless, Kang Dae-oh still strongly asserted.
“If you truly consider that person a precious friend, please speak honestly to them. That person would probably even prefer that. If I were in your friend’s position, I would feel even more sorry for having hindered the business of a friend I cherish. This feeling of apology will only grow bigger the longer you don’t speak up, CEO-nim. Then it won’t have a good impact on your friendship either.”
His words made sense.
Business and friendship.
Kang Dae-oh clearly laid out how to resolve the two issues on his behalf.
After deep consideration, the Dongne Chingu CEO finally made a decision.
“Yes. Understood. I will contact them right away today.”
All the cast and crew inwardly cheered.
