Chapter 802: Fishing is Life (7)

2 a.m.

The production staff of <Honey, I’m Going Fishing> gathered in PD Lee Junho’s room finished their meeting and stood up.

“Great work, everyone.”

“Yaaawn, see you in three hours.”

“Ugh. I’m dead.”

After seeing off the exhausted directing team and writers as they left the room, PD Lee Junho turned back to his laptop.

<Fishing Plan – Day 3>

It was the planning document for the fishing they would be doing tomorrow—no, today.

They had prepared it extensively before coming to Thailand, but now that they were here, there were countless things to revise.

And since the ocean itself was full of unpredictable variables, there was even more to prepare.

A nonstop barrage of work.

But—

“Ha ha.”

There was a bright smile on the PD’s lips.

Even though he only had two or three hours left to sleep, he felt happy.

‘This is a hit. This is definitely going to be a hit.’

He hadn’t even gone into the editing room to carefully review the footage, but he could feel it.

It was a broadcast guaranteed to explode.

Even though there were still two weeks until it aired, he was already itching to show it to viewers.

NewBlack’s private jet revealed for the first time.

The massive welcoming crowd at the airport on the first day and the location scouting.

Wooju catching a seagull and Junhyun catching a rock.

Junhyun catching a shark and Wooju screaming after catching halves two days in a row.

And countless other scenes.

“Nooooo!”

Recalling someone’s scream, PD Lee Junho chuckled.

‘It’s really a jackpot.’

Anyone in the variety world knew the rumor floating around.

-NewBlack gives endlessly.

They were national idols known for dominating every variety show they appeared on, to the point people joked they scattered content like dog food.

He had quietly expected something.

And as expected—

NewBlack had once again delivered an enormous amount of footage.

The staff even joked, “Maybe we can take it easy on filming the last day.”

They already had enough footage for four full weeks.

“Oh man, editing this is going to be work.”

He hit play on a file on his laptop.

Scenes of Wooju screaming and other funny moments rolled by.

“Uhehehehe!”

“Guaaah!”

“Ha ha ha.”

Grinning as he reviewed the footage without noticing the time passing, PD Lee Junho glanced at the clock.

3 a.m.

An hour had already gone by.

‘Sleep’s not happening.’

He stepped out of his resort room in search of a caffeinated drink.

He planned to grab something from the vending machine in the lobby.

“It’s quiet.”

His muttering echoed in the stillness of the early-morning lobby.

Dark.

Only the faint glow of vending machines and exit lights was visible.

‘Still, it’s just us here.’

They had reserved the entire accommodation specifically for NewBlack, who were sensitive about stalkers and obsessive fans.

But even knowing that only staff were here, the dark lobby felt oddly scary.

Step. Step.

As he approached the area with the sofas—

“Hm......?”

A faint black shape moved in the darkness.

Creak.

Crrrk.

Something moved strangely.

“.......”

PD Lee Junho froze.

Step.

As if cold water had been dumped over him, his pupils widened.

‘What is that? What’s there?’

At that moment—

Perhaps sensing his presence, the thing in the darkness began to flicker.

Then—

Sssssh!

A shadow-like figure slid backward and melted into the darkness.

“Hngh.......”

Was he hallucinating from lack of sleep?

His heart began pounding.

As images of Thai horror films flashed through his mind and he started to step back—

A hard presence pressed against his back.

“Phew.”

Someone’s breath brushed against his ear.

The ghost that had suddenly claimed his back whispered cheerfully,

“Hello, PD.”

“......Urk.”

His legs gave out, and PD Lee Junho dropped to his knees.

“A-are you okay, PD?”

“Yes, yes.......”

I grabbed the PD’s limp hand and helped him up like a marionette with its strings cut.

As phrases like ‘Storytime: I made a PD kneel.txt’ flashed through my mind, I brushed the dust off his pant legs.

Flash!

“Whoa!”

I looked up at the sudden bright light. The PD had turned on his phone flashlight.

“Sorry. I wanted to make sure it was really you, Wooju.”

“It’s really me, PD.”

Still weak in the knees, he shuffled over and collapsed onto the sofa.

“I... I thought my heart was going to fall out.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, but suddenly someone behind me.......”

“I was scared too.”

In an empty lobby, someone had been walking along humming cheerfully.

You know how in movies the killer whistles in a dark hallway while chasing the protagonist?

“You were walking straight toward me, so I got scared too.”

“Th-that’s... understandable.”

“But PD, why are you up at this hour...?”

“I was going to grab a caffeinated drink.”

“Oh.”

I stood up.

“I’ll buy you one.”

“It’s okay. I don’t think I need one anymore.”

“I’m sorry.......”

The PD waved his hand with a laugh.

“It’s fine. But why are you awake at this hour, Wooju? You need proper rest to fish well tomorrow.”

At his worried gaze, I smiled.

“I can’t sleep.”

“Really? Even professional athletes collapse after one day of fishing on our show.......”

“I’m physically tired, but mentally I can’t fall asleep.”

Honestly, I was exhausted.

Even Junhyun with his iron stamina was snoring heavily right now, so of course I was tired too.

Looking at the PD, I smiled and said,

“I’ve always been like this. If I fail to achieve my goal, I can’t sleep out of frustration.”

“By goal, you mean catching fish?”

“Yes.”

From a variety perspective, I had more than enough footage.

But not catching a single proper fish stirred my pride. I lay down to sleep, but sleep wouldn’t come.

“That’s surprising. You always seem relaxed.”

“Do I?”

I had never thought of myself as relaxed.

But I knew why people might think that.

It probably looked like confidence born from preparation.

When preparing for stage or variety, I’m confident because I’ve prepared thoroughly.

After explaining that, I added,

“But fishing doesn’t care about practice at all.”

“Ha ha.”

“No, I really thought I’d be good at this... catching halves two times in a row.”

When I sighed, saying I must not have fishing luck, the PD smiled.

“But variety-wise, you got all the best parts, right? Wooju, you really pulled a lot of funny scenes.”

“Yes, that’s true.......”

But right now, I just wanted to catch something.

I came here thinking, ‘At least I’ll catch a whale shark~,’ and yet here I am.

The PD glanced at my laptop on the lobby table and smiled.

“So you’re practicing for tomorrow?”

“Yes. I thought at least that would ease my mind. I was watching videos about trolling fishing.”

Tomorrow—the last day—we would be doing trolling fishing.

A method for catching large, fast fish like marlin. There were plenty of reference videos online.

“Ah, so that’s why you were practicing your stance.”

“Yes.”

“Any parts confusing? Trolling sometimes needs explanation.”

“Actually.......”

I had a few questions, and when I asked, his answers came back precise and detailed.

He must have done an enormous amount of research.

His eyes sparkled—he clearly loved fishing.

I jotted down notes and thanked him.

“Thank you so much, PD.”

“I was planning to stay up anyway. I’ve got a lot to think about regarding today’s shoot.”

“Aren’t you tired?”

“No. I’m fine.”

He stretched and said,

“Back when I was at a cable network before joining IBC, I was tired every day. But since I took on a fishing program, that feeling’s gone. Maybe because fishing’s my hobby. Ha ha.”

“I guess that’s what happens when you do something you love.”

“That’s right. I guess people really should do what they love.”

I nodded.

When I study foreign languages or practice other things, I get tired—but when I make music or listen to it, my fatigue disappears.

As I looked again at the memo that read ‘Tomorrow’s Goal: Marlin!’

“Wooju.”

“Yes?”

The PD smiled at me.

“Ratings have gone up a lot thanks to you... but even before that, our program was already on an upward trend. It was even called unusual among fishing shows.”

I knew that.

Though it was a niche genre, word of mouth had steadily increased its ratings.

Fishing used to mean something like a seniors-only Go broadcast, enjoyable only to enthusiasts.

But <Honey, I’m Going Fishing> was structured so even people who didn’t know fishing could enjoy it.

Stroking his rough stubble, PD Lee Junho smiled.

“Actually, we weren’t the first to bring fishing into variety. PBS had one. TBC did a Lunar New Year pilot too. Both ended early.”

“Fishing is hard to make work in variety.”

“Exactly.”

He smiled.

“Like you said, sports-based variety shows are very hard to sustain. Obstacle racing, fishing, soccer, baseball... they seem entertaining on the surface, right?”

“Yes.”

“But if you look at the data, very few of those shows last long.”

At first, I wondered where this was going.

But his expression suggested he wanted to tell me something.

“Do you know why those programs struggle to last?”

“Hmm.......”

I thought for a long time but couldn’t come up with an answer.

Instinctively, I had felt our show would succeed—but I’d never analyzed it.

After about ten minutes, I raised both hands.

“I have no idea.”

“I took a long time to figure it out too. It’s natural you’d find it difficult. Ha ha.”

Laughing, he answered,

“The answer is obsession with goal achievement.”

“Goal achievement?”

“Yes. Sports-based variety inevitably has goals, right? Win today’s match. Catch a certain fish today.”

I asked,

“But isn’t having a goal natural?”

“It is. That’s correct. The problem comes when obsession with that goal takes over.”

He smiled.

“When you focus too much on achieving the goal, the process becomes meaningless. No matter how hard you practice, if you lose the match, everything feels meaningless. For example, if our fishing show were like that....”

“If we fail to catch a fish, the whole day becomes meaningless.”

“Exactly. If our show were typical, the only focus would be whether you catch a marlin tomorrow. But would that be fun?”

I felt like I understood what he meant.

“That’s why when we produce this show, we focus on this: even failure must be entertaining. If you don’t catch fish, that in itself must be fun.”

“.......”

“That’s why I love fishing. Teacher Baek Sanggyeo and Manho hyung say they have to catch fish, but they know too. The real charm of fishing lies in the process.”

Waiting for fish.

Chatting with other anglers.

The delicious meal after fishing ends.

Those things become memories.

He smiled.

“So what I’m saying is, just because you didn’t catch fish properly for two days, those hours weren’t meaningless.”

“Thank you, PD.”

It didn’t hit me deeply or anything, but I understood what he was trying to say.

Obsession with goal achievement.

It felt like I’d found a small answer to the pressure I’d been feeling lately.

Didn’t expect to hear that on a fishing variety show.

As I closed my memo and laptop—

“Mm.”

Looking at the PD excitedly talking about fishing, something came to mind.

“PD.”

“Yes?”

“If someday you feel like trying something new.......”

I handed him our CEO’s business card.

“We have a broadcasting division too. If that day ever comes, and you’re interested....”

He looked at me in surprise.

“Contact us sometime.”

The next morning.

The cast arrived early for the opening shoot, laughing.

“Oh! The weather’s great!”

“My goodness, Phuket mornings are this beautiful!”

“Oh! Sole mio~!”

The atmosphere was bright and cheerful.

As Kang Manho walked out of the resort fully prepared, Baek Sanggyeo burst into laughter.

“Well, well! Isn’t this our pro Kang Manho who caught the trophy grouper!”

“And here’s Pro Baek who set the 130-centimeter record!”

“Wahahahaha!”

“Hahahahaha!”

Oh Hyunsook and Baek Sanggyeo high-fived.

“Our fellow GT Pro Oh!”

“Oh please, Pro Baek, don’t make a fuss~”

Chu Giseok chimed in,

“I, Chu Giseok, who caught the barracuda, am here too.”

“That’s right! Giseok landed one too!”

“Wahahahaha!”

They called each other “Pro So-and-So,” smiling widely.

‘We broke records!’

They were happy after yesterday’s legendary catches.

Baek Sanggyeo laughed.

“We’ve got nothing left to wish for. PD, as of yesterday, we’ve done it all. Hahaha!”

“I think I’d be fine even if I don’t catch anything today.”

“Right. The fish need a break too~”

As everyone laughed—

The final guest walked out of the resort.

Next to Junhyun, dressed just like yesterday—

“Wooju!”

“Good morning!”

“What are you wearing?”

Sun Wooju came trotting over in a colorful Hawaiian shirt and straw hat.

Flower-shaped sunglasses too.

Completely different from yesterday’s professional angler look.

“Look at Junhyun. Walking at a distance like our parents.”

Everyone laughed at Kang Manho’s comment about Junhyun trailing behind.

Wooju slipped between them energetically.

“Good morning!”

“You seem lively today?”

“Yes!”

“We were worried. You looked down yesterday.”

NewBlack’s leader nodded.

“I was a bit discouraged... but I had a deep conversation with PD last night.”

“A deep conversation?”

“Yes. I couldn’t sleep and was practicing fishing.......”

Now that I look, his eyes are slightly bloodshot.

“I happened to have a conversation with PD.”

“Ooooh, and?”

“I gained great enlightenment. ‘Fishing isn’t meaningful because of success, but because of the process.’”

“Oh ho.”

With sparkling eyes, he continued,

“So today, I’m going to truly enjoy fishing itself, without obsessing over success.”

“That explains the outfit...?”

“Yes. Since we’re going marlin fishing today, this is the The Old Man and the Sea edition!”

“Wooju, I think you rented the wrong video.”

Undeterred, Wooju declared,

“Even if I don’t catch anything today, I’ll enjoy the process!”

“Oh ho. So our PD said that, did he.”

The elderly trot singer brushed back his white hair.

“Wooju.”

“Yes, teacher.”

“Enjoy the process of fishing.”

“Yes.”

He gave a mischievous smile.

“That’s what people who can’t fish say! Wahahaha!”

“.......”

And with that, the adults began teasing.

“Process? That means nothing in front of a trophy fish!”

“Catching is everything!”

“If you’re not going to catch fish, why not take a cruise instead?”

“Wooju hyung can’t fish~!”

“They say Wooju’s the only one who didn’t catch anything~!”

At the childish teasing of grown adults, Wooju closed his eyes tightly.

Tremble tremble.

The potato secretary opened a bottle of water and handed it politely.

“Look at him drooling.”

“He’s laughing. He thinks it’s funny too.”

“He’s coughing because he’s laughing.”

Wooju drank the water with trembling hands and opened his eyes again.

Blazing.

Smiling with his mouth but burning with his eyes, he made the staff and cast burst into laughter.

“Potato.”

“Today I’m sweet potato.”

“My gear.”

“Yes.”

In an instant, equipment was strapped over his Hawaiian shirt.

Transformed into a professional angler, Wooju pressed down his straw hat and faced the camera.

“Today’s marlin fishing. On Junhyun’s honor, I will prove myself.”

“Woooo!”

The staff cheered.

“...Hm?”

Among the cheers, Junhyun tilted his head.