Chapter 103: Vertuber Audition, Part 1

As the winter chill deepened and the end of the year approached…

-Ah, the day has finally arrived.

Do Jin-ho’s familiar voice came through Hayoon’s computer speakers.

They had mostly been communicating by phone since Cosplay Holic’s release, so using a computer program felt like a throwback.

The reason for this call was…

-It’s time for the real deal.

…the first day of BGG Company’s second-generation Vtuber auditions, Christmas Day.

Do Jin-ho had declared that while Vtubers could secretly date, having a boyfriend at debut was deceitful. Vtubers had to be single.

Therefore, the auditions had to be held on December 25th, with no exceptions. Hayoon, after careful consideration, had agreed.

‘He’s right. Having a boyfriend at debut is a betrayal of the fans. This is a service industry, after all.’

Do Jin-ho’s logic was sound.

-So, we’ll hold interviews, narrow down the candidates, screen them for any… issues, and then pick two finalists in the final interviews, right?

Hong Seo-hyun joined the call, confirming the audition process.

“Yes. Personality is key. We can handle a boring Vtuber, but not a problematic one.”

-Okay.

They couldn’t afford to recruit someone with a questionable past in this age of social media. It could irrevocably damage BGG Company and Scarlet’s brand.

-Don’t worry. I’ve prepared some trick questions.

Do Jin-ho sounded confident. Hayoon trusted his judgment and messaged applicant number 1, inviting them to the call.

-Greetings! I’m applicant number 1!

The audition began.

“Hello, applicant number 1. You were the first to apply, so you’re number 1. Your quick response suggests you’re already familiar with Vtubers and our company. Could you elaborate?”

-Of course! I love ASMR videos, and I really enjoy Vtuber ASMR. I’ve even practiced it myself… it’s surprisingly fun to record and listen to my own voice…

So, she was an aspiring ASMR artist who stumbled upon their audition and decided to apply. It wasn’t surprising that she considered ASMR a relevant skill for a Vtuber audition.

Vtuber ASMR was a niche with steady demand, and BGG Company didn’t have anyone filling that role yet.

-Excellent motivation. Your interest in Vtubers suggests you understand what viewers want.

-Haha, thank you.

Do Jin-ho, quick to recognize this, offered praise. But his role today was to be the bad cop.

Unlike Hayoon and Hong Seo-hyun, whose images were tied to their online personas, he could be more direct.

-Let me ask you an important question. Do you use online communities?

“Manager D…?”

-CEO-nim, this is important. Understanding online communities helps build rapport with viewers. Scarlet uses Bluebird and the fan cafe for communication.

He bluntly asked, “Do you use online forums?” The question was a trap.

If she admitted to using any questionable forums, she’d be immediately disqualified.

-Uh, no, not really. Just Instagram, to DM my friends. Is that a problem?

Applicant number 1 clarified she only used Instagram, avoiding the trap.

-I see. Then, moving on…

But Do Jin-ho wouldn’t give up. He knew many hid behind online personas. He was determined to expose any hidden red flags.

-Are you currently a student? If not, what do you do?

He continued his interrogation.

They couldn’t interview all 173 applicants in a single day. The auditions were spread over four days, with roughly 40 applicants per day.

-Have you ever used online communities? For information gathering or sharing experiences?

-Yes, I have.

-Which ones?

-Um, well…

-You don’t have to answer if you’re uncomfortable. It’s personal information.

“Of course. Manager D is a bit… enthusiastic. You don’t have to answer.”

-Oh, thank you.

They swiftly eliminated any problematic applicants, Hayoon and Do Jin-ho exchanging messages like, “This one’s a bit… much,” and “No need to keep her, right?” They quickly moved on to the [Rejection Questions].

“Applicant number 136, what kind of content do you want to create?”

-Um… I’m not sure yet, but I’d like to be… approachable.

“Approachable streams are good. I try to be approachable too.”

The [Rejection Questions] were easy to answer but vague, allowing Hayoon to politely end the interview.

“Thank you for your time. We’ll be in touch.”

-Thank you!

This way, even rejected applicants left with a sense of false hope, reducing the chance of complaints. This strategy, implemented from the second day, also helped them quickly move through the applicants.

“Finally, done!”

After interviewing almost 40 applicants, Hong Seo-hyun cheered. As a current streamer, she was there mostly for appearances, with limited input, but…

…that made it even more frustrating to be silent. After four days of 24/7 interviews, her relief was understandable.

“So, we have fifteen candidates for the next round.”

-Time for another round of screening. We’ll collect their emails and personal information and compare them to my database.

“I’ll leave that to you, senior. You’re our second filter.”

-Of course. I’m getting paid for this.

Do Jin-ho, determined to earn his bonus, was still on the job.

“The next interviews will be next week. Let’s all spend New Year’s with our families. How about January 3rd?”

-Works for me. I have a New Year’s stream anyway… Can I talk about the auditions on stream?

“Send me a summary of what you want to talk about, and I’ll check it.”

-Okay!

The auditions weren’t over yet. Hayoon opened a document to prepare questions for the next round of interviews.

Being a CEO wasn’t easy. She was the CEO, vice president, head of department, executive director, director, manager, assistant manager, and entry-level employee all rolled into one.