Chapter 37: The Viewboat Incident

The moment I checked the rankings, the chat window was instantly flooded with comments.

Just to be sure, I entered several broadcasts to check, and it was unmistakable that there was definite use of

viewbots, leaving me almost speechless.

“Wow…

Should I make excuses, saying that it’s still a new platform, and management might be a bit lax?

But even thinking that, it’s hard not to feel disappointed. No, rather, since it’s a new platform, they should manage

things more thoroughly at the beginning so that streamers can continue their broadcasts with trust.

Moreover, it wasn’t just one or two streamers who seemed to be using viewbots.

Only a few were in the top rankings, but scrolling down a bit more revealed that even broadcasts with about a

thousand or a few hundred viewers were often suspected of using viewbots.

【Kokkiahho】 – Seriously, the management is just awful.

【Baekhwa Yo-ran 2】 – I’ve never seen a platform that can’t catch viewbots used so blatantly in this day and age.

LOL

【Next Door Hani】 – At least Twip was really strict about catching viewbots.

As my speaking decreased, the viewers began to escalate their criticisms.

【Moscow】 – Exit usually doesn’t curse, but today they were cursing openly. LOL

【One Hit and Back to Beating】 – All the streamers who checked the rankings look totally lost.

【Hau Nyan】 – The broadcaster must be really frustrated.

“What’s there for me to be annoyed about? The ones who are directly harmed by this are the top streamers.”

Some viewers expressed their anger while mentioning me, but honestly, I wasn’t that displeased.

In the first place, the ones who suffer the most from these viewbots are the top streamers who get the most exposure.

I’m just a streamer with about 300 to 400 viewers at best, and even if my ranking drops a bit due to those viewbot

users, I’m not going to suffer much.

If 1st place becomes 5th and 5th becomes 10th, that might be a blow, but when 100th becomes 150th, it doesn’t make

much difference.

Moreover, the streamers at the top have all built up their viewer counts to the thousands through long efforts and

consistent broadcasting.

From their perspective, seeing someone take an equal position to them with just a mere program must feel like a

betrayal of their hard work.

Especially if such things happen on a new platform that hasn’t built much credibility, it would be even more

disheartening.

“Sigh…”

The disappointment is great, but there’s nothing I can do.

Raising my voice here would only ruin the atmosphere of the broadcast, and moreover, the platform is unlikely to

heed the opinions of a low-tier streamer like me.

All I can do is hope that it gets resolved quickly and that the platform develops in a better direction, continuing the broadcast as usual.

“First of all, everyone calm down. I understand your frustration, but things will get better gradually. Since this is a

new platform, let’s try to see it with an open mind.”

I tried to calm the overheated chat while speaking with a bitter heart.

In a way, the fact that I’m saying this might be an indication that I’m out of touch with the subject. A low-tier

streamer who hasn’t been directly affected is speaking as if representing those who have truly been harmed.

But that’s all I can say right now.

It’s incredibly frustrating that this is the reality, so I absentmindedly licked my lips and closed the cheese ranking

window.

【Adios Dao】 – The broadcaster pretending to be fine is really sad…

【Passing App Dung】 – Some people work hard for over a year to barely reach 300 viewers, while some guys are just… LOL

[tws2425] – Seriously, who are you comparing with? LOL

“I told you. I don’t feel particularly bad about it. I just feel a bit sorry for the streamers I enjoy watching, who are

likely to suffer a lot from this. I’m just going to keep broadcasting as usual.”

Of course, to be honest, it’s unavoidable that I feel angry.

As mentioned in the chat just now, some people have steadily communicated with their viewers for over a year

without any special schedule or breaks and have barely made it to this point, while others seem to occupy a place

above them with just a single click. It’s only natural to feel deprived.

But on the other hand, I also think this.

After all, those people lack confidence in their broadcasts and don’t even have the will to work hard like everyone

else; they’re just relying on something trivial.

In the end, they’ll fall off eventually, so it’s unnecessary for me to let my emotions get affected by those people.

“Anyway, let’s put this topic aside and do a Mahjong broadcast as scheduled. You guys said you wanted to see this.”

【Megiyam Song Frog】 – LOL

【Allfreed】 – I can’t skip the Mahjong broadcast because of those viewbot bastards. LOL

【Soju Flavor Hand Cream】 – Kokkiahho~!

【Just Woke Up After Eating】 – Ah, LOL, giving advice, huh? LOL

Fortunately, the viewers seemed to understand my feelings and quickly returned to their original state, focusing back

on the broadcast.

With a slightly uncomfortable and regretful feeling behind me, I launched the Mahjong game I recently started

learning and resumed the broadcast.

As usual, I was determined to do my best from where I stood.

Even though Mr. Wooju’s broadcast hadn’t finished, I couldn’t contain the rising anger in my chest and stormed off

to the balcony, taking off my headset.

My face was probably as red as a beet. But that wasn’t due to the fluttering feelings I had when I met Mr. Wooju.

What was enveloping me now was merely overwhelming shame and guilt.

“Sigh…”

Mr. Wooju’s voice, filled with regret, still echoed in my head.

When I remembered his voice, saying that it didn’t matter to him and that it was others who were more unfortunate,

my fists instinctively clenched.

In the first place, it was I who lured that person to come to Cheese.

Moreover, this Cheese platform is essentially a place that I operate.

In a place like that, the streamer I love and care about isn’t blooming as they should, and instead of being able to

speak up, I’m just putting on a façade, hoping that things will improve. This situation is unbearably humiliating for

me.

“Manage it thoroughly? You should at least talk some sense…”

I muttered to myself, not knowing who I was addressing, as I cooled off with the refreshing breeze coming from over

the railing.

There was a point I repeatedly emphasized from the board meeting to the start of Cheese’s service.

You have to make a good start.

We are not competitive enough to have launched in this market; we are merely opportunistic merchants taking

advantage of a burning market. Therefore, we must not give a bad first impression to the streamers who have

positively believed in us and come here.

But the current situation is almost beyond words; it’s a sight to behold.

Instead of successfully bringing top-tier streamers fully into our fold, we’re too focused on external marketing while

ignoring our internal affairs.

Is it because we’re a new platform that we can’t help it? Are we supposed to just hope for development?

Such excuses are nothing more than meaningless justifications from the consumer’s perspective. At best, they’re

words that can be thrown out when a minor issue arises, something that could be called a slip-up.

It’s certainly not a statement that is allowed in the current platform.

Duru duru duru… duru duru duru…

I clenched my fists tightly and made a phone call.

• Yes, Director.

Soon, I heard the familiar voice of Secretary Kim on the other end.

Under normal circumstances, I would have apologized for calling at this late hour, but right now, I was so worked up

that I couldn’t even think of others’ situations.

“Secretary Kim, please contact Chairman Han Jong-ryul tomorrow and request a board meeting.”

• A board meeting, you say? Why the sudden change…?

Secretary Kim must have sensed something amiss when I dropped the honorific title I usually used. He would have

felt a chill run down his spine when I suddenly requested a board meeting.

If it were a normal day, he would have simply taken care of business without asking for reasons, but now he was

asking for details because he couldn’t easily guess why I was so furious.

“I don’t like the way things have turned out, especially after they confidently proclaimed they could handle it all since

the platform’s launch. I said I would step back from management, but now I feel like I’ll have to cancel that

statement.”

• It seems there’s a problem regarding Cheese.

“I’ll let you know the details tomorrow. If Chairman Han Jong-ryul refuses, tell him that all the Aiber stocks I

currently hold will go straight to Director Baek Jin-seung.”

Director Baek Jin-seung is currently the third-largest shareholder in Aiber and a counterforce to Chairman Han

Jong-ryul. He’s also the guy who had once suggested that I might transfer some of my shares back when I was the

largest shareholder of Aiber.

I wasn’t particularly interested in management, so I had handed over about 30% of my shares to Chairman Han

Jong-ryul at that time and essentially stepped back. However, if I didn’t like the current situation, I would have no

choice but to transfer all my remaining shares and change the largest shareholder.

• Understood. I’ll instruct them to convene as soon as possible.

“Alright, see you tomorrow.”

Click.

After delivering just the necessary information, I coldly hung up the phone and bit my lip as I gazed at the neon signs

and lights beyond the railing.

I honestly felt that it would have been better if I had remained the largest shareholder, completely indifferent to

internal management, and I steeled my resolve genuinely.