Chapter 7

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The strategy of slowly introducing the new menu to regular customers was beginning to pay off.

The shop wasn’t packed yet, but weekends and lunch hours had become noticeably busier.

Even Kang Chan’s parents, who had initially worried about the changes, now looked satisfied as they watched more customers coming through the door.

Time passed quickly, and soon the date he had promised Gaeul arrived.

“You’re here? We’re almost closing soon.”

“Wow, there are more customers than usual. Can I wait inside?”

“Yeah, sit over there.”

When Gaeul walked in, her eyes landed on the new menu board.

“Huh? What’s rose tteokbokki?”

“It’s a new item. There’s still some left. Want to try it?”

“Really? Are you sure?”

“Yeah. Hold on.”

Kang Chan served her a plate of rose tteokbokki and placed it carefully in front of her.

Gaeul’s eyes widened at the unfamiliar color and texture.

“Oh, it looks different from regular tteokbokki.”

Seeing her bright eyes sparkle with curiosity made Kang Chan smile.

She picked up a piece with her chopsticks and took a bite. Then her eyes grew even wider as she looked at him.

“Wow… this is…”

“What? Not good?”

“No, it’s amazing. I’ve never tasted anything like this before. How did you make this?”

Gaeul stared at the dish for a moment, then took another bite, fascinated.

“Who came up with this? Was it you?”

“I did. I thought the menu could use a few new flavors.”

“Wow, Kang Chan. That’s impressive.”

Her casual praise made him puff up with quiet pride.

“It’s nothing special.”

“But it’s a shame, really.”

“What is?”

“If it tastes this good, you could have a lot more customers. But since the shop is hidden in this alley, it might be hard for people to find it.”

Her words made him pause and nod.

The flavor was something he could confidently stand by. Word of mouth was already spreading, so an increase in customers was only a matter of time.

Still, there was one undeniable weakness in the business.

The location.

His parents’ snack bar was tucked away in a quiet area with little foot traffic.

Overcoming that would require more than good food.

He needed a strategy.

Just then, Gaeul gasped softly.

“What’s wrong?”

“I forgot to take a photo before eating. Such a waste.”

Kang Chan chuckled as he looked at her genuinely disappointed face.

She had always loved capturing little moments, whether it was food, scenery, or daily life.

He used to think she was a bit obsessive about it, but later, when he looked through the photos she’d taken, his mind changed.

Each photo held memories they had shared, moments that could bring back emotions and conversations just by looking at them.

Only then did he realize how meaningful it was to preserve small moments like that.

And in hindsight, she had been ahead of her time.

Later, social media would explode with people posting food photos, turning everyday meals into trends.

Thinking about that reminded him of famous marketing examples from the past.

The incredible ripple effect created by the intangible space called social media.

Starting around 2016, some food trends had shown just how powerful it could be.

Rainbow cakes, brown sugar bubble tea, cheese-burst pizzas.

People didn’t just eat food anymore.

They wanted something “worth sharing.”

When food became visually impressive, it stopped being just a meal and turned into a piece of content.

Then another word popped into his head.

“Mukbang.”

Mukbang content, videos of people eating, had a strange charm that drew viewers in.

People enjoyed watching others eat, feeling satisfied just by seeing the food.

By 2016, mukbangs had become explosively popular.

Some creators drew millions of views and even made it onto TV shows, turning into full-fledged celebrities.

Restaurants began paying creators to feature their food.

Once a restaurant appeared in a viral video, it instantly became a hot spot.

Kang Chan already knew which creators would soon rise to fame.

Some would succeed spectacularly, while others would fall just as quickly into controversy.

‘Maybe I could use that to our advantage.’

He thought about it for a moment, then decided to focus on closing for the day.

When his parents finished getting ready to go home, they looked at him and Gaeul with teasing smiles.

“Have fun, son.”

“Oh, stop it. Let’s go already.”

Laughing, they waved goodbye and left the shop.

As soon as they were gone, Gaeul blushed and looked flustered.

She had no idea that her shy reaction only made him want to tease her more.

He stepped closer with a playful grin.

“Now it’s just the two of us.”

“What are you saying?”

“Why? Are you embarrassed?”

“No, I’m not.”

Gaeul quickly busied herself with tidying up the table, pretending to ignore him.

Kang Chan held back a laugh and decided to go along.

“Alright then. Come on, let’s make honey butter chips. Follow me.”

He pulled out the ingredients he had prepared earlier. Potatoes, butter, syrup, salt, and sugar.

Gaeul eyed the simple lineup and tilted her head.

“You can really make honey butter chips with just that? It looks too simple.”

“It’s enough. No need to overthink it.”

Still looking doubtful, she watched his hands move skillfully. Then she hesitated and asked,

“Can I record this? I want to try making it at home later. It’s easier to remember if I have a video.”

“Sure. I’ll explain it step by step. Just make sure to film only my hands. My face must look terrible after working all day.”

“Of course.”

Excited, she quickly opened her phone camera and started recording.

The recipe was simple.

Thinly sliced potatoes coated in sauce.

He trimmed the ends and began slicing with a mandoline, his motions steady and clean.

Slice, slice—

Soon, a bowl of translucent potato slices floated in water.

Gaeul looked puzzled.

“Why put them in water? Can’t you just fry them right away?”

“It’s to remove the starch.”

“Oh, I see.”

She zoomed in with her camera, curious.

“How long do you soak them?”

“About ten minutes. In the meantime, let’s make the sauce.”

He placed a small pan over low heat and dropped in a spoonful of butter.

“For the honey and butter, use a one-to-one ratio. If you add a spoon of butter, add the same amount of honey. If you don’t have honey, syrup works too.”

“One to one. Got it.”

“Add one spoon of sugar. Too much makes the taste heavy. This ratio keeps it balanced.”

As the ingredients melted together, the sauce turned glossy and golden. He stirred it slowly, watching it mix.

“Gaeul, do you know why honey and butter are both important in this recipe?”

“Because they make it sweet?”

“Partly. But that’s not all.”

“What else?”

“When honey’s moisture meets butter’s fat, it creates a coating effect. That makes the chips crispier by sealing the surface and preventing moisture loss during baking.”

“Really? I didn’t know that.”

“Interesting, right?”

“Yeah, it’s fascinating.”

“And that’s it. The sauce is done. Easy enough, right?”

“Super easy. I’m definitely trying this at home.”

Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and Kang Chan couldn’t help smiling.

He took out the soaked potatoes and patted them dry with paper towels.

“This next step is important. The potatoes need to be completely dry.”

Once he was done, he placed them in a bowl, added oil and salt, and mixed them gently.

Then he poured the honey-butter sauce over them and tossed everything evenly.

“Now bake them at 180 degrees for about fifteen to twenty minutes.”

“What if you don’t have an oven?”

“Then fry them in a pan. Everyone has one of those.”

“How?”

“Add a bit of oil, heat it on medium-low, then fry the slices one by one. If the potato floats right away, the temperature’s perfect.”

“That’s great. So even without an oven, I can make them. Perfect for beginners like me.”

As they talked, a cheerful sizzling sound filled the kitchen.

When Kang Chan opened the oven, a wave of buttery aroma spread through the room.

He sprinkled a little salt and parsley on top to finish the dish.

“Alright, done.”

He carefully placed the golden chips on a plate and set it in front of her.

“Wow, they look exactly like real honey butter chips.”

Gaeul picked one up and took a bite. The crispy crunch echoed softly.

“Wow, it’s delicious. So this is what honey butter chips taste like?”

“It should taste pretty close. You can make the same at home if you follow what I showed you.”

She looked amazed.

“I’ve only ever eaten salty chips. This mix of sweetness and saltiness is incredible. No wonder everyone loves it.”

“I’m glad you like it.”

She laughed and kept eating.

“If I had someone to teach me like this all the time, I’d probably get good at cooking too. You’re amazing.”

He felt a quiet warmth as he watched her eyes shine with genuine excitement.

Just then, a phone rang on the counter.

Kang Chan checked the caller ID, then set it down again.

“Aren’t you going to answer?”

“It’s nothing important.”

“But it keeps ringing.”

Gaeul stopped eating and glanced at the phone.

Her expression changed as soon as she saw the name on the screen.