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"Where do you see BE in the next five years?"
If you told a twenty-year-old Jeongguk that one of the biggest global fashion magazines wants to interview him, he would have laughed his ass off until tears pooled in his eyes. But a twenty-five-year-old Jeongguk? It's a different story.
Jeon Jeongguk is perfectly suited for the occasion, a black blazer and striped necktie. When he rests one of his legs over the other, his pants lift up to only twenty-three percent which is enough for his socks to be seen with no hint of his skin.
His hair isn't blocking his eyesight despite the table fan beside him and he mentally notes to give a bonus to his hairdresser for that. Everything is perfect so far and with a relaxed smile, he parts his lips to answer when he hears the familiar click of heels against the floor.
His smile instantly drops, his shoulders tensing as he turns his head towards the obnoxious footsteps. He leans forward, the sofa feeling too uncomfortable all of a sudden. He can feel his heart thumping in phase with the click of the heels.
Click. Thump. Click. Thump.
Then it stills. Jeongguk's slumps back on the sofa, turning towards the interviewer, "Sorry, let's continue,"
"Continue your success story, Jeon?"
What the fuck.
"Don't forget to give me credit too,"
With a lop-sided smile, hands in pockets, body slumping lazily on one leg and a contrasting amusement on her face, Yoon Minhee stands at the door of the room and Jeon Jeongguk checks all of the boxes from 'possible reasons why I find Yoon Minhee obnoxious'. Her almond eyes are giving him a pointed look and Jeongguk feels like poking them.
He sighs, gesturing to his secretary to deal with the interviewer. He is sure if he tries to continue while ignoring the curly-haired woman, the interviewer would end up resigning from his job.
"Don't you agree, Mr Lee?" She tilts her head to look at one of her company's factory managers and smiles bitterly. "After all, a good opponent brings out the best in you."
Manager Lee jumps, startled for being caught off-guard practising his golf gestures out of boredom.
"Glad we agree on something," Minhee says and looks back at Jeongguk. Jeongguk's secretary whispers something in his ear to which Jeongguk nods and takes the tab from his hand.
"Are you perhaps ignoring me, Mr Jeon?" Minhee presses on for a response, "So rude of you, Mr Jeon. You know you can't really ignore me forever, right?"
Jeongguk sighs, glancing around the room. He is a little relieved that he had asked the interviewer to arrange a different room so that the others don't find it an inconvenience, otherwise, he would have had the whole BU building witnessing their exchange. And it's not really a pleasant sight.
"That's very unfortunate, indeed. I must have killed a country in my last life to have met with such fate,"
The employees look like they would rather be somewhere else.
"Very fatistical, Mr Jeon. I do expect to hear stories of fate while we discuss company profits today. How we," Minhee steps forward, challenging Jeongguk to take a step back but he stays rooted, "Are fated to be the best,"
Jeongguk scoffs, tilting his head, "I didn't take you to be a debate-kind of person, Ms Yoon. In fact, I have never seen you around the BU before,"
Minhee shrugs, bringing a hand out of her pocket to cover her mouth as she yawns, "Well, wish you luck Jeon. See you later,"
The BU or the Beauty Union is a regulatory Bureau for Cosmetics, Skincare and related products. However, with the Hallyu wave, Korean skincare and cosmetics blew up the whole world, saturating the whole market with popular items like sheet masks, rice water products and whatnot. Hence, the BU decided to take up the responsibility to bring all the cosmetic companies in Korea together to increase the impact of these products worldwide.
It's a good initiative, indeed but it doesn't take the existing hierarchy of the companies into account, nor do they think about the ruthless survival game they go through and expects the struggling brands to keep up with the increasing demand.
Today, the regulation committee has organised a forum to discuss some arising general issues and Jeongguk looked forward to it. In the past years, he has attended such forums as a general public, a student, and an assistant. But today is the first time he will be sitting on that panel, exchanging his views with people who sit on the same chart of hierarchy. It means a lot to him.
Jeongguk tries, really tries, to simmer down his emotions because he never lets anyone piss him off beyond belief but then a very bland, disturbing, obnoxiously non-heroic entry of certain someone who even had the nerves to interrupt his first interview that could have changed people's take on BE is enough to get near to it. He harshly sucks in the air, watching Minhee's retreating figure.
What makes you so egotistical, when all you do is sit prettily all day?
...
"Our survey has concluded with the result of fifteen percent more waste from the factories than recorded. If we keep up this rate, the losses in damage will surpass the profits and the consequences won't only affect the individual companies but the beauty industry as a whole. If you guys look here, here's the estimated percentage division of sources that produce waste."
Mr Joo, the head of the regulatory committee slightly bows to the panel before sitting on the table with a placard labelled 'the moderator'. Everyone turns towards the screen to have a look at the data.
"There's 30% of it from consumer testing. The stats have increased recently. With the blow-up of K-beauty, there has been a continuous demand for having to test skincare which on a usual basis isn't provided," a candidate from the committee adds.
"Testing was launched as a bid to satisfy custom," Minhee says, adjusting the mic to her height, "For those, who wanted to make informed purchases earlier and were sceptical about cosmetics before they became popular. Now, every other person trusts cosmetic companies and there isn't the need to provide testers."
The hall breaks out into murmurs. Jeongguk clicks his tongue. Very bold Yoon Minhee, you are more reckless than I had thought.
He holds his mic down near his mouth and clears his throat to draw the attention of the panellists and press.
"Ms Yoon, are you implying that the 'right to choose' should be taken away from the consumers?"
"The right to choose? That still remains with them. I am suggesting other ways—"
Minhee's voice cracks. She clears her throat, awkwardly glancing at the panel before taking a sip from her water bottle. That bittersweet tone, a short and vague answer and a crack in her voice. Jeongguk smiles, he caught her off-guard.
"What about colour cosmetics, Ms Yoon?" Jeongguk licks his lips, "So many customers walk inside the shops without knowing what suits them. Trying products and finding a certain shade of base, lipstick, eye colour or anything, builds up their confidence and trust in using that product again as well,"
Minhee sees a few people on the panel nod from her peripheral vision.
"I second that," one of them says, "Testing is essential for making a customer understand a product better and how they can use it to its full potential. If we are looking for modifications in the existing regulations then testing isn't an area I would wish to strictly regulate,"
"There are alternatives like AI makeover apps that "
"But those don't allow us to feel the product." Jeongguk counters her point, "Real-time testing is the foundation of the whole consumer-brand relationship. When you touch something, you realise what it would feel like on your skin. Cosmetics is just more than 'how it looks', I am sure you are aware of that, Ms Yoon."
"But testers are the least hygienic way of 'feeling', Mr Jeon," Minhee says, licking her lips. "You do know the world is moving towards digitalisation, right? Then why should the beauty industry stay behind to keep up with the trend?"
Jeongguk scoffs. "Ms Yoon, your answer doesn't solve the issue. You know different products have alternatives to suit one's skin type. How do you think they would know what suits them better online?"
"Mr Jeon, you seem a little too reluctant of this change," Minhee props her elbow on the table, leaning forward as she rests her face on her palm, "Is it because the majority source of income to your brand comes from the streetside departmental stores, where you pay employees to kiss the customer's asses?"
The typing sound of the keyboard keys is almost deafening. Jeongguk can foresee tomorrow's headlines already. 'BE has the sass to kiss our ass'. Bullshit, ignorant headlines by a money-hungry press.
"I hope they do it well. After all, they learn from the best."
Jeongguk clenches his fists. He tries to keep the mask of neutrality but Minhee's words seep through the smallest cracks in his facade. It's pissing him off.
"Wings is an exclusive brand. We want to offer our customers ease of shopping and the best way to know our products. People have already started preferring to stay at home and order products online. They have various options to choose from at the same time on a tiny screen. Why don't we try to encourage that instead of urging people to get out of their comfort zone and walk to a store where there might not be so many options?" Minhee leans back on her chair, a victorious smile painting her lips.
"But that type of crowd is limited," Jeongguk turns towards the new speaker. His eyes sparkle with recognition and his eyes drop to the placard placed in front of him.
Mr Park, it says. With the logo of a company Jeongguk recognises as 'ON'.
"It is limited to people who know what they like and aren't interested in trying new things. Online portals don't create that interest in new stuff because they lack interactions. If they have been buying a single product for a long, it is because they trust you because changing to new brands isn't feasible. They don't know what new to choose. The trust doesn't build on those AI apps. You'll have to kiss people's asses more then,"
Jeongguk's lips part in shock. When Mr Park looks up and meets his eyes, the former nods in acknowledgement. When Minhee doesn't say anything, Jeongguk sees this as a perfect opportunity to render her completely speechless.
"Let's say I am new to this whole beauty and skincare. My first instinct will be to take the opinions of the experienced and try different products to choose what suits me the best. Which is what a person gets when we walk into a store. There are people who guide us properly, tell us what suits us better. We gain trust in a certain product when we touch it, see it with our own eyes instead of aesthetic photos on the website. After that, they may not trust a brand but they trust themselves in knowing what is the best for them."
Checkma—
"Do you really think people trust those store employees? " Minhee pokes the inside of her cheek. Don't count your chickens before they hatch, Jeon. Minhee looks at the chair and says, "If I were a customer, I know that those people are there to do business. I won't trust them because I would think that they are just trying to sell these products to me."
"Your point?"
"My point is, on online stores, there is no such external influence and we actually get the freedom to choose. Hence, the requirement of testers would reduce automatically if we encourage shopping online."
"Not everyone has the access to buy online. Not to mention how many employees would be rendered jobless after the blow-up. Are you going to be responsible for them?" Jeongguk shrugs, tone accusing.
Minhee's lips twitch, her facade cracking. Before she could counter his claim with something, Mr Joo clears his throat.
"Let's continue the debate before this deviates from the arising issue."
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and finally, it's here! sorry to keep you'll waiting, and i promise this is the last time i am posting this as 'final'. it's from the finally_final_really_final_draft.docx !!!