Chapter 15: Is it a Funeral?

Sudden Notice of Twitch’s Withdrawal from the Korean Market

However, there were no streamers who could throw stones or protest about it.

It was no surprise, as the reason for the withdrawal was fundamentally due to a business structure that had almost

become unprofitable, and the reasons for that unprofitability were the structural problems in this country.

• “Ah, I’m really going crazy, guys. What are we going to do?”

That said, there was no way to argue, and of course, the shock wasn’t absent. Even when I checked the broadcasts of

various big-name streamers or visited their chat rooms, it was a complete chaos.

“Uju, are you okay? Suddenly, Twitch is pulling out…”

“…Uh, I think I need to calm down and start my broadcast. I don’t even know what’s going on.”

My sister also came into the room after hearing the news, trying to comfort me somehow, but I was hardly able to get

my head straight.

I may not have achieved anything significant here, but there was a connection built over more than a year with the

platform, and bonds with the viewers, and now that was all about to crumble in an instant.

Of course, there were alternatives.

If Twitch was a foreign live streaming platform, there were other domestic live streaming platforms in Korea.

However, those platforms had different viewer demands and tastes, and there were significant differences in the

overall atmosphere and system compared to the Twitch I had been broadcasting on.

There was no guarantee that I could gather the same number of viewers there, nor that the viewers who originally

watched my broadcasts would follow me to another platform.

In the end, unless Twitch resumed its service, no matter what alternatives I proposed, the prospects didn’t seem bright.

“Haah…”

I sighed and checked the clock at the bottom of my computer screen.

It was 5:48 PM, almost time to start my broadcast.

It was bound to feel like a wake, but still, I had to turn on the stream to discuss various alternatives with my viewers.

It was a promise as a streamer.

I sent my sister out of the room and pressed the bang-on button with a bitter taste in my mouth.

‘Cosmo’ has started broadcasting.

I titled the stream, “My House is on Fire” to summarize my feelings in one line, and as I began the broadcast, viewers

started to trickle in, just like any other day.

【Next Door Neighbor】 – Hello…

【Octopus Sashimi】 – What the heck is going on…

【Was Sand You Know】 – Cosba ᅲᅲᅲᅲᅲᅲ

However, the slightly different aspect today was that the viewers, who usually greeted me with cheerful comments,

were pouring out crying emojis and expressing their sorrow.

Amid that, what’s with sending messages already? I’m not dead yet.

“Ah, everyone, hello. I took a day off from streaming and came back, but I can’t greet you cheerfully. I’m sorry.”

I understood their feelings, so instead of greeting them casually, I expressed my own confusion and opened the

conversation in a somewhat polite manner.

Almost immediately, a donation came in.

【‘Cosmo Will Definitely Protect’ donated 10,000 won.】

• I heard the news. Are you okay? It must have been a big shock.

Just reading that comment felt like receiving condolences.

Well, I suppose it is a kind of condolence since it’s basically a death sentence.

“Thank you for the 10,000 won donation. What can I do? They said they aren’t pulling out because they want to… We have to understand.”

【Elephant Hoho】 – ᄅᄋ Watching the live stream, I feel all the sadness.

【I Love Arisa】 – It seems they must have made quite a bit of money ᄏᄏᄏᄏᄏ

【Moscow】 – It’s been in the red for three years, so it’s impressive they held on this long ᄅᄋ

The viewers seemed to understand too. If anyone was angry, it wouldn’t be directed at the platform but rather at

someone who put us in this situation.

“Anyway, the service termination isn’t happening just yet, so I’ll keep streaming until then. So don’t worry about that.”

【‘Cosmo Will Definitely Protect’】 – Have you decided where to go?

“I just heard the news, so there’s no way I would have decided that yet. I’ll figure it out gradually.”

【Cromagnon Man】 – Honestly, there’s only one place to go…

【Soju Flavor Hand Cream】 – Are you going to Ugauga?

【Blue Mang Game】 – Well, the rest are all minor platforms… Sigh.

As the viewers said, aside from Safari TV, which is informally called Ugauga, there weren’t really any other viable

options. There were a few other live streaming platforms, but some focused mainly on adult content, and others were

ghost platforms with hardly any viewers.

So if I had to choose, I would probably have to go to Safari TV, but for now, I wanted to think a bit more.

I was considering going back to school as a way to cope, but I felt that might not be the right choice.

【‘Moscow’ donated 100,000 won.】

• Bro… take this and hang in there… I’ll follow you wherever you go.

“Oh, thank you for the condolence donation. Honestly, I was a bit shocked, but I’m not resigned, so don’t worry too much, everyone.”

I always appreciated and felt happy about receiving large donations, but today, more than the money, I was happier

about the words of support saying they would follow me anywhere.

Even if not all the viewers who came into the stream today, as long as even one viewer continued to find my

broadcasts, I believed I could sincerely return to broadcasting with joy.

Don’t underestimate the mental strength of a streamer who spent nearly six months with an average of five viewers.

Clap clap.

“Anyway, let’s stop the gloomy talk here and I’ll share some stories from my trip to AGP yesterday. Everyone, take a seat and let’s raise the tension!”

To uplift the mood of the chat, which was steeped in melancholy, I returned to my usual tone and clapped my hands

enthusiastically, trying to raise my voice even if it was forced.

【Flower That Has Fallen】 – Look at the host’s high tension ᄏᄏᄏᄏ

【Meat Curry】 – It’s a bit of a fuss even though we’re not dead yet ᄅᄋᄏᄏ

【Master Mert】 – The older brother is raising the tension! What’s everyone doing?

As soon as they began to fill the chat with joyful messages, I started to feel like I was dancing on the edge of a coffin,

and I tried to smile and share my stories.

Today’s broadcast ended slightly earlier than usual.

I usually finished around 2 PM, but today I had to end it a little before 1 PM.

Since my head was still a bit complicated, there was a limit to how much I could force myself to raise the tension.

I felt sorry for having called the end to the stream early on such a gloomy day without being able to make the viewers

more enjoyable, but the viewers seemed to understand my feelings, sending donations and urging me to take off.

Thanks to that, I decided to go to bed early and flopped down on my bed.

At that moment.

Creak.

“Uju, did you finish the broadcast?”

While I was blankly staring at the ceiling light, my sister peeked in through the slightly open door.

Since our soundproof booth at home isn’t very good, I figured she must have been unable to sleep due to the noise, so

I immediately apologized to her.

“Uh, I just finished. I’m sorry for being noisy and keeping you up.”

“It’s okay. I tend to stay up late anyway. But more importantly, this…”

She shook her head at my apology and handed me something she had taken out. It was none other than my phone.

“What? Why is my phone over there…”

“I came to get a drink earlier and left it behind.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I must have been out of it.”

My sister probably didn’t want to interrupt my broadcast, so she waited until it was over to tell me.

After thanking her and taking my phone, my sister, who had been looking at me intently, pointed at the phone and

spoke.

“By the way, you’ve been getting calls from that Seoha nuna you mentioned earlier.”

“…Seoha nuna?”

I tilted my head at the name that popped out of my sister’s mouth.

What could she want at this hour? Judging by the timing, it seemed like she had been watching my stream and called

as soon as I ended it.

“I’ll call her back, thanks.”

“Okay, sleep well.”

“You too.”

Waving goodbye to my sister as she left, I checked the missed calls that had come in.

Three times. Was it that urgent?

Beep beep.

The monotonous dial tone that sounded like something from a feature phone continued, and after a while, I heard a

familiar voice on the other end.

• Ah, Cosmo. I’m sorry for calling you at this late hour.

“No worries, I just finished my broadcast.”

I still wasn’t quite used to being called ‘Cosmo,’ but I didn’t want to ask her to call me by my name, so I continued the conversation.