A Surgeon Who Uses Martial Arts [EN]: Chapter 234

Chapter 44: Sponsorship (4)

Turning down a collaboration with Nice Dancing TV would be a missed opportunity.

Jun-hoo was convinced of it.

Firstly, Nice Dancing TV was offering Jae-eun sponsorship money if she won the dance battle.

And what was Jun-hoo’s current state?

Full-on money-grubbing mode.

Since they were practically giving away sponsorship money, there was no reason to refuse.

Secondly, this was also for Jun-hoo’s NewTube channel.

Making a good impression on the channel’s 1.5 million subscribers would be a huge boost.

But that wasn’t all.

It was also a chance to silence the critics who claimed Jun-hoo’s dance challenge videos were faked.

[Ding-dong~ 4th floor.]

The elevator doors opened, and his train of thought derailed.

Jun-hoo stepped into the building.

“Oh? You’re Seo Jun-hoo?”

The employee at the front desk recognized him.

“You know me?”

“Of course. You’d have to be living under a rock not to. And who’s this beside you…?”

“She’s my girlfriend.”

“Ah… you have a girlfriend. You’re here for the collaboration shoot, right? This way.”

The employee led him to a dance practice room.

The 4th floor was dedicated to dance practice.

The 3rd floor seemed to house the offices.

About 30 people were dancing in the studio.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

The beat of the music blasting from the speakers was fast, exciting, and intense.

The dancers’ movements were equally intense, matching the rhythm.

Jun-hoo immediately recognized them as seasoned professionals who had been working together for a long time.

It reminded him of something… In the Murim [martial arts world] there was a technique called Hapjin.

To put it simply, it was like ganging up on someone.

The most famous example of this in Murim was undoubtedly the Shaolin’s 108 Arhat Formation.

-Amitabha [a Buddhist expression of reverence]. The 108 Arhat Formation has never been broken. It can be said to be the last bastion of the righteous Murim.

That was what the Shaolin abbot had told Jun-hoo during their audience.

No, wouldn’t it be stranger to lose when 108 people are attacking you?

Jun-hoo had refrained from asking that at the time.

“Wait, wait! Stop! We have a guest.”

A woman who spotted Jun-hoo clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention.

The music stopped, and the dancers froze.

The crew’s eyes all turned to Jun-hoo and Ah-young.

“It’s a little intimidating to have so many people staring at us, isn’t it?”

“Don’t worry. I can protect you no matter what, unless the sky actually falls.”

“Wow~ that’s kind of cool.”

“If you’re going to be Ah-young’s boyfriend, you have to have that kind of confidence.”

“Hello. I’m Kang Min-ji, the co-CEO of Nice Dancing TV, who proposed the collaboration.”

“I’m co-CEO Sung Tae-young.”

Min-ji and Tae-young approached and greeted them.

Jun-hoo and Ah-young introduced themselves in return.

“I thought you were going to reject us again today, since you kept turning down our offers.”

“I couldn’t refuse when you’re offering patient sponsorship money.”

“Shall we discuss the sponsorship details now?”

Min-ji began to explain.

If Jun-hoo won the dance battle against Tae-young!

5 million won would be donated to the patient.

The amount received through super chats [online donations] and donations during today’s broadcast would also be added to the sponsorship money.

However, if he lost!

He would only receive the latter amount.

“Okay. That’s satisfactory enough. But what’s that place over there?”

Jun-hoo pointed to a small room on one side of the practice space.

He was curious because crew members were constantly going in and out.

“It’s a costume and prop room.”

“I see. The studio is spacious and clean. It must be fun to practice here.”

“That’s why it costs so much to maintain. It’s a money-eating hippo.”

Min-ji complained with a wry smile.

“But teacher, what brings you here with such confidence?”

Tae-young, who had been silent until now, asked sarcastically.

His gaze towards Jun-hoo was also unfriendly.

“Is this a place you can’t come to without confidence?”

“Your dance videos… are you aware of the rumors that someone else is dancing and your face is just superimposed?”

“Are you suggesting that my true colors might be revealed on today’s broadcast?”

“Yes. Exactly. Today’s broadcast is live. You won’t be able to edit anything.”

“That’s exactly what I wanted.”

Jun-hoo replied simply.

Tae-young seemed to be one of those who doubted Jun-hoo’s abilities.

But Jun-hoo didn’t find Tae-young particularly annoying. It would be strange if a surgeon danced as well as a professional dancer, after all.

“Hey. Is that any way to treat a guest?”

“I didn’t say anything wrong, did I?”

“I’m okay. Let’s proceed with the broadcast.”

Jun-hoo intervened, and the argument ended surprisingly quickly.

Soon, the broadcast camera and lighting were being set up.

The crew members stared at Jun-hoo with curious eyes from behind the camera.

Ah-young cheered Jun-hoo on and moved closer to the crew.

“Is the preparation for Twitch and NewTube streaming finished?”

“Yes. Shall we start now?”

“Just a moment. Teacher, are you ready?”

“I’ve been ready since I walked into the studio.”

“It’s good to see you so confident. Then let’s start. Seon-ah, turn on the broadcast.”

“Yes. Starting now.”

Snap!

The broadcast staff snapped their fingers.

“Hello. It’s been a while since I’ve done a live broadcast. I’ve missed you all.”

Min-ji started the broadcast smoothly.

She explained the reason and background for inviting Jun-hoo, and outlined the plan for the day.

“Teacher Jun-hoo, please introduce yourself and give a brief statement of determination.”

“I’m Seo Jun-hoo, a dancing surgeon. I’m honored to be invited to such a great event. I will definitely win today’s dance battle.”

“……”

“All the super chats and donations you make today will be used for the patient’s rehabilitation and living expenses, so please give generously.”

Jun-hoo fully embraced his money-grubbing persona.

He never forgot the purpose of being here for a single moment.

Jae-eun, your teacher is working so hard for you. So let’s have a successful surgery and a healthy recovery.

“Then Tae-young, say something too.”

“I’ll make you realize that a doctor should be in the hospital. Be prepared.”

Tae-young’s provocative comment heated up the chat room.

Cheers erupted from the crew members.

“Then, let’s start the dance battle between Teacher Seo Jun-hoo and Tae-young!”

* * *

The first dance battle event was dance memorization.

The title song from the boy group Surrender’s 2nd mini album, which was released hot off the press tonight.

Run Away.

The challenge was to watch the dance and perform as much of it as you could memorize.

-Isn’t this tough even for professional crews? Can a surgeon do it?

-They’re not going to give the sponsorship money. LOL.

-The balance is too unfair ㅜㅜ

As the chat room’s sentiment wavered, Min-ji stepped in to clarify.

“The dance battle isn’t an absolute evaluation, but a relative one. The winner is decided by your votes.”

“……”

“Teacher Jun-hoo has a good chance of winning.”

“……”

“Seon-ah, the tablet, please.”

“Yes.”

The broadcast staff entered the frame and handed a tablet PC to both Jun-hoo and Tae-young.

‘This is a piece of cake.’

Jun-hoo checked the video on the tablet and thought to himself.

Jun-hoo came from the Murim.

He had the ability to see dance movements not as isolated steps, but as a fluid, interconnected sequence.

The Seo family’s signature swordsmanship, Cheongpung Swordsmanship.

It consisted of 36 moves in total, taking 10 minutes to perform.

So, grasping and memorizing a 4-minute dance was a breeze.

“I’ll go first. Teacher, please watch the video a little longer.”

“Go ahead.”

Twist. Twist.

Tae-young tilted his head from side to side and stepped forward.

Tae-young didn’t like Jun-hoo.

Jun-hoo was handsome, well-educated, and even encroaching on his area of expertise: dance.

He was someone he couldn’t possibly like.

Today is the end of his showing off. I’m going to completely humiliate him.

Tae-young, resolved, gestured to the broadcast staff.

The staff, understanding the signal, played the music.

Tada dadan~

A solemn piano melody began.

The chorus and hook started immediately.

[I run away from you to the other side of the earth. Your brilliance blinds me. A throbbing heart stops my breath. Love is like this, you never know.]

Tae-young executed the memorized choreography with powerful movements.

His footwork was as nimble as a swallow.

The transitions between steps were as smooth as flowing water.

He effortlessly displayed the skill and confidence that came from 10 years in the dance world.

Of course, there were some tricky parts.

He couldn’t quite recall the bridge section just before the first verse’s chorus.

But he overcame the challenge with his accumulated experience.

He managed to escape the crisis by improvising the blurry choreography with the song’s lyrics.

“That’s all from me.”

Tae-young, having performed the first verse flawlessly, stood between Jun-hoo and Min-ji.

He was breathing heavily.

His clothes were damp with sweat, but it didn’t matter.

-Tae-young teacher, take me! Sniffle.

-Wow! You memorized almost all of the first verse in 10 minutes. You’re a monster!

-Eou Tae (meaning the winner is Tae-young anyway)!!!!

The enthusiastic reaction in the chat room said it all.

Even if Jun-hoo died and came back to life, he couldn’t beat Tae-young.

All that awaited Jun-hoo was humiliation.

“Would you like to give up now?”

Tae-young provoked Jun-hoo.

“You’re getting ahead of yourself. You’ll see who’s going to give up.”

Jun-hoo stepped forward confidently.

“Does he think he’s Michael Jackson or something? Why is he so confident?”

“He must have something up his sleeve.”

“Don’t tell me you told him the competition subjects in advance to even the playing field?”

Tae-young glared at Min-ji with narrowed eyes.

“Don’t be ridiculous. You know I hate rigging.”

“What? Then I definitely won.”

Tae-young was certain of his easy victory.

Jun-hoo would probably just roughly follow the choreography and then throw in some random, comedic dance moves.

Since he couldn’t compete with skill.

He’d try to appeal with comedy and get votes.

“Music, please.”

At Jun-hoo’s request, the music started.

“……”

“……”

And as Jun-hoo’s choreography began, a heavy silence fell over the practice room.

Min-ji, Tae-young, and the crew members couldn’t believe their eyes.

Jun-hoo was executing the choreography with a straight face.

A sharp dance line.

Arms and legs extending gracefully with every movement.

He played with the beat as if it were second nature.

No one dared to say it, but everyone knew.

That Jun-hoo’s choreography far surpassed Tae-young’s.

Damn it! No way!

At this point, is being a surgeon just a hobby?

How could he master the choreography so perfectly in just 10 minutes?

Tae-young was too shocked to speak while watching Jun-hoo.

Besides, Jun-hoo’s chorus choreography was a hit.

A difficult move that involved falling forward to the floor and then getting back up again.

Jun-hoo executed it flawlessly.

Tae-young didn’t know it, but it was thanks to Jun-hoo applying the logic of the evasion technique called Noeryeotagon [a technique to use minimal force to evade attacks] from Murim.

Jun-hoo even perfectly executed the 2nd verse choreography that Tae-young had struggled with.

“I’m a little embarrassed to say it, but I don’t think there was a single mistake, in my opinion.”

Jun-hoo, having flawlessly performed the choreography from A to Z, returned to Min-ji and Tae-young’s side.

“……”

“……”

Even then, the shock that Jun-hoo had left behind captivated the practice room.

Even the chat room was filled with question marks.

“Min-ji, aren’t you going to proceed?”

“Ah. Yes. How did you memorize the entire choreography when I didn’t even tell you in advance?”

Min-ji, still shocked, asked with wide eyes.

“I usually have a good memory.”

“At this point, isn’t it beyond just ‘good’ and into ‘genius’ territory?”

“Well, not quite a genius…”

Jun-hoo glanced at the NewTube and Twitch chat rooms while talking.

30 minutes had passed since the broadcast started.

The combined amount from super chats and donations was less than 100,000 won [approximately $75 USD].

It was a very unsatisfactory situation for Jun-hoo, who was currently in money-grubbing mode.

“Can I show you my personal skills during the voting break?”

“Of course! As much as you want!”

Jun-hoo, having received Min-ji’s permission, immediately launched into his zero-gravity dance.

Zero gravity dance.

This was a dance move popularized by the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, where he tilted his body at a 45-degree angle.

In reality, special shoes and equipment were needed to perform this.

Jun-hoo had martial arts.

He used Cheongeunchoo [a lightness skill] to balance his center of gravity on his soles.

He also fixed his soles to the ground by channeling internal energy to his feet, using the absorption (吸) principle.

Since the preparation was complete.

Jun-hoo bent his upper body at a 45-degree angle.

Normally, he would have fallen forward, but Jun-hoo maintained the 45-degree angle perfectly.

The practice room erupted once again.

The chat room went wild.

“Your super chats and donations will all be used for Jae-eun. Please donate generously.”

[Neo donated 20,000 won. Surgeon. Money-grubber. Idol dance cover. Zero gravity dance. It’s a terrible mix. Lol.]

[Vita donated 50,000 won.]

…….

A constant stream of paid donations.

Jun-hoo smiled secretly.

Okay, it’s going according to plan.