Black Label [EN]: Chapter 256

Black Label Episode 7

After the broadcast of ‘Le Grand Journal,’ a French talk show featuring Jae Seung….

[Lee, in his first interview on ‘Le Grand Journal’ since his return, sparks controversy with a bold challenge to columnists.]

[Lee says, “What are you willing to bet, all of you who are so sure of my failure?” Columnists, meanwhile, remain largely passive.]

The whole world was buzzing with stories related to his remarks on the talk show.

*Swish-.*

Scrolling down and down, the internet news pages were filled almost entirely with that story.

“Good….”

Jae Seung, who had been meticulously reviewing all the related articles in his office, nodded a few times, seemingly satisfied.

Indeed, money is the best fuel.

He had promised to donate 11 billion won [approximately $8.3 million USD] if he failed to satisfy the audience at this Paris Fashion Week.

The columnists and critics who had predicted his failure were silent, as if they had all swallowed honey.

[It feels like the fashion world, which had been so quiet, is buzzing again since Lee’s return.]

└> [I agree. Every industry needs a star player.]

[Some people are criticizing it as trash talk, but I find it exciting.]

└> [I agree. Besides, the critics and columnists started the trash talk first, didn’t they?]

└> [As soon as Lee appeared on the talk show and bet ten million dollars, where did they all disappear to?]

└> [Maybe they predicted Lee’s failure without any basis, and now they’re overwhelmed now that things have escalated?]

└> [It must be a headache. To make a bet, you have to wager something of equal value, right?]

└> [Shouldn’t the ‘critics’ and ‘columnists’ also start fundraising to wager something equivalent?]

[Everyone’s intimidated because Lee is so confident.]

└> [If the other person is so sure of winning, I’d be nervous too.]

└> [Cowardly and talkative critics and columnists, say something!]

The public was pointing fingers at them.

It wasn’t just France.

The interview was broadcast all over the world.

“The stakes have grown so quickly.”

All attention and focus were concentrated on the bet between Jae Seung and the critics, which had not yet been finalized.

No.

To be precise, it could be said that the focus was on the success or failure of this Fashion Week and Wallflower.

“Lee.”

Just then, his secretary carefully asked.

“Isn’t this too extreme of a strategy?”

“In what way?”

“The immediate attention and focus are good, but….”

She seemed quite concerned about the possibility of not achieving great success at this Paris Fashion Week.

“If you disappoint the public, the cost of the bet aside, the brand’s image could be severely damaged….”

She wasn’t exactly wrong.

It became an issue.

Expectations must have risen as well.

What if….

What if I were to lose while everyone’s attention is focused on me?

What if Wallflower’s products, which everyone is waiting for, are terrible?

Everything would proceed as she feared.

Regardless of the outcome of the bet, the brand’s image would plummet.

Once a brand’s image plummets, it’s hard to recover.

“If you lose the bet, it’s not just the ten million dollars you promised to donate, but in the long run, you could suffer hundreds of times more damage….”

Jae Seung replied to that.

“But that’s only if I lose.”

“Yes….”

“For the record, I’ve never lost before.”

Then he added.

“At least, not until now.”

He was confident that this time would be the same.

* * *

‘Fashion Revolution’ magazine was a magazine company that recorded considerable sales in various countries around the world.

Meanwhile.

The members of the editorial department of such a Fashion Revolution were in a difficult situation due to the TV show that had aired a while ago.

“What should we do?”

Recently, it had been trendy among various magazines to write columns predicting Lee’s rise and fall.

What should I say?

Should I say that everyone has been easily attracting attention by using the value of the name ‘Lee’?

‘Yes, that’s definitely right….’

With the exception of a few places, including Vogue Magazine, which had maintained a close relationship with Lee, they all poured out negative reviews.

However, things went completely wrong.

Lee, who they thought would remain silent until Fashion Week like other proud fashion designers, took an aggressive stance.

“Public opinion has turned around.”

A strange phenomenon occurred in which the entire public fanatically supported Lee and threw stones at columnists and magazines.

“We need to take action….”

If they didn’t post an apology right away, they were being bombarded with fierce criticism that would directly lead to a drop in sales.

Especially.

The columnist for Fashion Revolution, who had been writing columns about Lee day and night, had to endure even greater criticism.

“It’s proof that they’re anxious.”

At that time, a middle-aged man sitting at a seat in the conference room continued to speak in a low voice.

Even just looking at his thick eyebrows and tightly closed mouth, he seemed quite stubborn and ill-tempered.

“If you were really confident in this season, wouldn’t there be no reason to appear on a talk show and attract attention like this?”

“Well….”

“I think it would be okay to respond at an appropriate level. We can’t afford to lose control like this.”

He was Jonathan Jay, who had poured out the most negative reviews about Lee among countless critics and columnists.

“I know this kind of mud fight so well that I’m sick of it.”

When he, who was originally known as a cynical critic, spoke with a confident tone, the editor-in-chief tilted his head and asked.

“What kind of response are you talking about, for example?”

Jay replied.

“Isn’t the fashion world quite sensitive to trends and trends?”

“Yes, well….”

“Hasn’t Lee been out of fashion for many years in such a fashion world?”

“That’s right.”

“The success or failure of this show will inevitably be disastrous.”

After finishing speaking, he added.

“Since it’s a battle where victory is certain anyway, I think it’s okay to set any conditions.”

At those words, the editorial department staff of the magazine who attended the meeting began to exchange glances with each other.

“If you’re all scared, I don’t mind taking on all the risks for this.”

“Then….”

“If Wallflower shows terrible results at this Fashion Week, he said he would donate ten million dollars.”

He added.

“Unfortunately, I don’t have the financial resources to donate that much ‘cash,’ so I think I need to mix in labor to balance things out.”

At those words, the editor-in-chief frowned without realizing it.

‘Betting?’

Although they are currently in opposition to Lee, isn’t the fashion world a place where there are no eternal enemies or allies?

That’s why he felt quite uncomfortable with the fact that he was using the expression betting to treat the good influence that Lee was exerting as a game.

“What do you mean by mixing labor?”

Soon, Jonathan answered, swaggering.

“First, if I lose, I will donate 100,000 dollars each to ten places, for a total of one million dollars.”

It meant donating about 1.1 billion won in Korean currency.

It was quite a burden for him as a fashion columnist.

No, to be precise, it was an amount close to his ‘entire fortune’.

“Also, for each donation site, I will make a pledge to do community service for 3 months each. A total of 30 months.”

It was truly a shocking proposal.

Not to mention ten million dollars.

It was like betting 2 years and 6 months of time.

“Are you really okay with that?”

Soon, he answered.

“Of course.”

Silence flowed for a moment.

“It’s a fight I’m going to win anyway.”

Everyone slowly nodded their heads at the words he said with a smile.

The magazine has nothing to lose.

Hadn’t he said himself that he would take on all the risks?

“Then, would you like to reveal your intentions through this column?”

When the editor-in-chief asked, he answered.

“Let’s put it on the cover of the magazine.”

The stakes were getting bigger and bigger.

He wasn’t nervous.

Jonathan Jay was sure.

‘It’s a fight I’m going to win anyway.’

What are the odds that someone who has been away from the industry for several years will present a series of innovative works?

‘Absolutely impossible.’

If Lee was a person from the future who had mastered future trends and trends, as well as being ahead in terms of sensibility, then maybe.

There is absolutely no designer who can overcome that much of a gap at once – that was his thought.

“Okay, let’s do it.”

* * *

The die has been cast.

[Jonathan Jay, a columnist famous for his negative reviews, says, “I will accept the bet proposed by Lee. Pledge to donate one million dollars and donate for 3 years [in community service].”]

When Jonathan Jay announced his intention to donate through his blog, several columnists began to join in….

[Future Fashion magazine also belatedly joined the bet, promising to donate ten million dollars to the underprivileged if they lose.]

Thanks to this, interest grew even more.

[Culture critic Peterson says, “This seems to be a positive phenomenon caused by Lee’s return.”]

Jae Seung, who had been quietly examining the pouring articles, slowly nodded his head.

“Good….”

The game was completed in just a few days.

“At this point….”

He was confident that it was a marketing effect that he would not be able to obtain even if he spent tens or hundreds of billions of won.

There is only one thing left to do.

All that was left was to present a show at this Paris Fashion Week that would leave everyone speechless.

“I have organized the diagrams well for the final lineup selected for this season.”

At the words of the design team leader, Jae Seung looked over the diagrams.

“Good.”

Then, he carefully organized the documents he had carefully reviewed and added.

“I think I’ve won.”

He couldn’t be sure until he saw the samples, but he was confident that great clothes would be created just from the diagrams.

If he could just put together the Fashion Week stage well, he would be sure to win this bet.

“Lee!”

At that time, a marketing department employee came running in, panting….

“It’s because of breaking news….”

At those words, Jae Seung asked.

“Breaking news?”

At those words, the marketing employee handed over his iPad.

“Huh.”

Jae Seung let out a hollow laugh after seeing the article on the screen.

[LVMH Group Chairman Ardo says, “I think it’s a bet where the scales are not balanced. I will lend money to the critics if they want.” Topic of conversation.]

Chairman Ardo had poured oil on the fire that was already burning fiercely.

At that time.

The cell phone in Jae Seung’s coat pocket suddenly rang, “Jee-!”….

“Hello?”

A familiar voice was heard.

– You scoundrel!

It was Chairman Ardo.

“Chairman, how have you been?”

Soon, his voice was heard over the receiver.

– I’ve been watching to see when you’d contact me.

“I’m sorry.”

– It’s okay, I waited because you seemed busy preparing for the season, but….

He added again.

– I think my mood will improve if you have dinner with me tonight.

Suddenly, a dinner appointment was made.