Chapter 67: VTuber MCN

“Wow, it moves like this?”

Osorin’s broadcasting room. We entered the soundproof booth and looked at her equipment.

Jina was fascinated by the virtual-related equipment and programs, so she displayed Osorin’s character on the screen and sat in front of it, making facial expressions.

“The recognition isn’t as good as I thought. I’ll have to make big facial expressions.”

“Right. So these days, my gestures and facial expressions are too exaggerated even in normal times. My mom hits me on the back a lot because it’s embarrassing when we’re outside.”

I thought her behavior had become more active than before, but did she develop an occupational disease?

I just thought her insider power had been further strengthened.

“Then there’s not much difference from a regular cam broadcast. Except for running the program all the time?”

“That’s right. But the program doesn’t take up much resources, but when I do it with one computer, it sometimes stutters. So I set it up with two computers.”

“Two computers….”

Jina’s eyes were shining, and it seemed that it was not just a simple interest.

After that, she kept asking Osorin and me about virtual things and nodded.

“Are you going to switch to VTuber too, Jina? You seem interested.”

“Yeah, are you going to try it too, unnie?”

“Hmm, I don’t know.”

Jina stroked her chin as if pondering and opened her mouth.

“I don’t think there will be much change even if I do virtual, and I don’t think the viewers will welcome it.”

“Well, your viewers might be a little reluctant about this.”

“Yeah, so I’m going to hold off for now. But it doesn’t have to be me, right?”

“Huh?”

“Do you remember when I first met you?”

“Yeah, I participated in your audition. I was eliminated for violating the rules.”

The first video on Osorin’s YouTube channel now.

The chemistry between the two shown in Jina’s audition and Osorin’s potential.

That moment was the reason why Osorin is here now.

“I made that plan to discover who have talent but can’t get popular. I actually succeeded in making the people who appeared in the competition catch the eyes of the viewers.”

“Although she was eliminated, Sorin became the biggest output of the audition.”

“As long as I could bring them onto the stage, that plan was a success.”

“But what about it?”

Jina pointed to the virtual following her on the screen.

“How about trying it with this virtual this time?”

“Virtual?”

“Yeah, this time, it’s not just about putting them on stage, but also managing them after putting them on stage. For example, like raising an idol in an entertainment agency.”

“Making an MCN?”

“Well, something like that?”

Multi Channel Network.

MCN for short.

It refers to a company that supports people who are active in internet broadcasting.

It applies not only to live broadcasts but also to people who are only active on YouTube, so most people with a little scale are affiliated with an MCN.

When the scale grows, tax issues and legal issues become important, and it is a little burdensome and difficult for an individual to handle.

If you enter an MCN, you can take measures and help with those parts, so there are few broadcasters with a large scale who are not in an MCN.

And among those few people, there are Jina and Osorin.

“I’m sure there are many people who want to do virtual broadcasting after watching your broadcast.

Compared to Durahan broadcasting, there are many advantages, but there are not many disadvantages. But the biggest disadvantage of starting virtual is the initial cost. How about supporting that?”

“It would be good for the applicants…. It’s quite expensive to make this virtual avatar, would it be okay to give them the initial capital right away? I think you’ll just lose money.”

It hasn’t been long since people started making money through YouTube and internet broadcasting.

Therefore, a new management company, MCN, is also not a very stable company form.

In fact, all MCN companies have never seen a positive operating profit since their establishment, and the competition to recruit creators has intensified, and the contract ratio is gradually decreasing.

In the past, the income distribution was 7 for the creator and 3 for the MCN, but now it is 9:1, and even 10:0.

A business that doesn’t make much money.

That’s a strong perception right now.

Jina, who was well aware of the current situation of Korean MCNs, had the same worries about that part and scratched her head, saying, ‘Is it really impossible?’

But that’s the standard for MCNs so far.

VTuber companies could do completely different businesses.

“You don’t have to think too hard.”

“Huh?”

“The company isn’t doing charity work, so there’s no need to just give away expensive virtuals.”

Virtual broadcasters have different characteristics from general broadcasters.

“Then how do you do it?”

“It’s virtual. It’s strictly a character. If it is created and used commercially by the company, it becomes a character IP.”

“…That’s right. But isn’t that the same for other MCNs? They all make their own goods.”

“That’s the broadcaster’s own IP. It’s important who holds that IP.”

“What do you mean…, …Ah!”

Jina’s eyes widened as if she had realized something.

The broadcaster’s appearance is the IP.

General MCNs conduct business and contracts using the broadcaster’s IP.

But virtual is different.

A completely different concept from the actual broadcaster.

Their own RP.

If one virtual is created and an RP is made, it becomes a character IP belonging to the company.

And the broadcaster receives the IP from the company and broadcasts.

“Then, in the end, the company can make a contract in the form of lending a character, so it can bring in more revenue distribution.”

“That’s right.”

If a VTuber quits broadcasting, it is expressed as graduation, not retirement, because of this.

The character’s IP remains in the company, so it can be used at any time.

Of course, later, as there are many individual VTubers, it may change to a way of recruiting them like a general MCN.

But in the transition period from general broadcasting to virtual broadcasting, this method is very advantageous.

“If you have a virtual character IP, it’s easy to make goods, so it would be quite good.”

“That’s right. It’s based on a 2D character from the beginning, so the production itself is convenient.”

But there was a slight concern.

It’s good to create a company that uses virtual.

Because it can spread the perception of virtual to people more.

But timing is important in this flow.

“…But I personally think the timing is not good yet.”

“Of course, I don’t plan to make it right away…. You said the timing is not good?”

“Yes, the perception of VTubers has not spread to people yet. Thanks to Sorin, it has improved, but most people still have a negative view of Japanese culture.”

From time to time, super-hit works such as <Attack on Titan> spread to the general public, so it has improved, but the view of animation is not good yet.

The culture of Japanese subculture began to enter Korea in earnest after the period when all mankind was confined.

“It’s true that some people are a little uncomfortable with the Japanese style…. I thought it was getting more familiar thanks to Sorin.”

“Well…, how should I say this. This is a slightly political issue….”

The internet broadcasting industry changed significantly not only in the 2020 corona crisis.

In 2019, there was a movement to exclude Japanese things nationally.

‘There were people who would have a seizure just by seeing Japanese….’

In such a situation, I don’t think there will be a good reaction if they see a virtual character with a deep involvement in Japanese animation style.

“That’s inevitable…. But it doesn’t really matter, does it?”

“It doesn’t matter?”

“We didn’t particularly copy Japan. The character looks like a Japanese animation character, but it’s not like Korea can’t make such a character.

Virtual was also done a little early in Japan, but with this difference, it’s almost the same time, right?”

“Oh?”

“It’s not like we copied Japan or used Japanese things, so is there anything to be caught in anti-Japanese sentiment?”

“I… guess so?”

Does this work that way?

It’s true that I brought VTubers forward considerably, so the label that I followed Japan disappeared.

Moreover, all the people who participated in the virtual work are Korean.

In particular, Hayeon, the illustrator, is a world-famous person.

She draws various styles of paintings, so she has shown this style of painting several times.

There is no part that can be said to be Japanese.

“Besides, it might be a little arrogant, but my name is quite big in the internet broadcasting industry. If I just push it, I think I can calm down some of the commotion.”

“That’s true?”

It’s not something that a mediocre broadcaster is trying.

It’s Jina, who already has a solid position in the internet broadcasting world and is known to everyone.

If such a person promotes that she is operating in earnest, the influence will be enormous.

Then….

“I think it’s okay to proceed?”

There seems to be no problem.

As things like metaverse become popular and interest in virtual reality increases, the concept of ‘sub-character’ is established on public broadcasting.

Then, is there any need to give that start to someone else?

Hearing my answer, Jina smiled and nodded.

“Yeah, I think so too. So I’m going to ask for some help from the child editor.”

“Me?”

“The wish ticket I received last time? I’ll use it.”

“I don’t know much about company management either…?”

“I’ll get people for that.”

“Then what are you going to make me do?”

“It’s simple, I’m already doing it.”

Jina thought for a moment and pointed to Osorin.

“Editing, content creation, broadcaster mental management, promotion, directional advice?”

“…What if I don’t want to?”

“Then will you be the monumental first VTuber of my company?”

“I’ll do my best.”

I couldn’t say no because I was already doing everything on Osorin’s channel.

Damn it.