Jungheon loved games.
The dark PC room he followed his cousin to as a child.
Sneaking out while his aunt sighed about her son playing too many games, the PC room introduced Jungheon to a new world.
At seven years old, it was natural for a small child with hands like a delicate fern to dream of becoming a pro gamer.
Even when he joined the pro team and got to play the game he wanted all day long, Jungheon loved games.
People say that when a hobby becomes a job, it can no longer be enjoyed as it used to be.
Jungheon clearly did not fall into that category.
One disappointing point, however, was that while God granted Jungheon an unquenchable passion for games, he did not provide him with commensurate talent.
He loved games more than anyone, but he could not play better than anyone.
It is truly rare to have both talent and passion for something one loves.
Ultimately, he ended up paving the way for his juniors as a first-generation pro gamer, a being that fans occasionally remember as “Oh, there was such a person.”
Thus, now nearing thirty, Jungheon still loved games.
And that’s why he couldn’t let go of the mouse.
Jungheon started a second life as a comprehensive game streamer.
It wasn’t bad; he liked that it was a job related to games.
In fact, there were good aspects. Unlike his life in a team where he had to delve into just Eo War, he could enjoy various games.
Perhaps because he carried the title of former pro gamer while streaming, people showed quite an interest.
That was fortunate. The only thing Jungheon could do was play games; there was nothing else he could do to make a living.
No matter how much people insulted him for being a has-been.
Even if he was closer to being a streamer than a pro gamer, and took on the role of a clown.
As long as he could play games, it didn’t matter.
This year marked five years since he started streaming, and the time spent broadcasting had already surpassed his time as a pro.
Is that why, or is it just that he was getting older? Or perhaps it was due to his gradually declining physicality?
While he ran his stream out of habit, his passion for games was waning day by day.
He felt it himself but comforted himself with the thought that it couldn’t be helped.
It was like that.
Surely, it had been like that…
<Yesterday, Legend donated 12,000 won! (switch clip)>
– “Jungheon, did you see this?”
A video sent by a viewer.
Jungheon gazed at the warrior swinging a white flaming sword beyond the monitor.
Even the small hands of someone in a corner of the screen.
He had never marveled at anyone else’s gameplay.
People might think it’s a joke, but during his pro days, even when he saw newcomers who were talked about as monstrous threats, he could predict their plays.
Watching them, he thought that if he had enough physicality, he could play just as well.
So, why was he so focused on the video?
Because the streamer’s play in the video took a direction he had never imagined.
The ingenuity was genius.
When watching someone else’s gameplay, he could usually guess what play would come next.
No one ever deviated from Jungheon’s predictions.
With this analytical ability, he occasionally engaged in observation content that corrected others’ gameplay.
Jungheon, forgetting that he was currently streaming, stared intently at the monitor.
How did they think of making such plays?
Why this judgment here?
He was dying to know what thoughts the protagonist in the video had while playing, what judgments led to such a play.
How long did that pure admiration continue without a word?
“Ah.”
As if waking from a dream, Jungheon returned to reality when the gifted video ended.
Faced with viewers who were questioning his silence, he asked,
“So, who is that person?”
What is the difference between internet broadcasting and terrestrial broadcasting?
There are various points to mention, but the first thing that comes to mind is the more liberal atmosphere.
How many public figures have we seen beaten for a single wrong word on terrestrial broadcasts?
Internet broadcasting can be viewed as freer in that regard.
Most broadcasts aim for a more relaxed and informal atmosphere.
Of course, this quality can blur perceptions, as people often look at someone watching internet broadcasts with a judgmental gaze saying, “Do you watch that stuff?”
But so what? If the viewer is enjoying it, that’s enough.
Anyway, what brought about this difference?
It’s because of the unique advantage that only internet broadcasting has: real-time communication with viewers.
Unlike terrestrial broadcasting, which provides only pre-recorded segments, internet broadcasting allows broadcasters to read people’s reactions in real-time and respond to them in an interactive manner.
It’s not one-sided communication but two-way interaction, where banter can occur even when people are apart.
This conversational style is the biggest feature of internet broadcasting.
Additionally, since it’s often referred to as personal broadcasting, anyone can easily and freely become a participant in the conversation, which is another significant characteristic.
No need for dozens of cameras, lights, or any gigantic equipment; as long as you have broadcasting equipment and the broadcaster, nothing else is required.
So, why have I suddenly embarked on this lengthy speech…
“Hello…”
[Great Mollru Stream]
[Mollha]
[Hi hi hi hi hi hi]
[I thought you wouldn’t turn it on because of the two-day break~]
[The diligent Mollru…? This can’t be stopped]
[Why are there so many people?]
[Please post an announcement]
[Be grateful just for starting the stream]
[For real lol, I didn’t use to stream often, now what’s with the complaints?]
[Old times – 2 weeks ago]
Because I was in the midst of real-time communication, an advantage of personal broadcasting.
<Mollru>
– “Good afternoon.” (Just Chatting)
[What is it?]
[Is that a chat??]
[Not playing a game?]
[Sudden communication]
[The Mollru who started communicating ㄷㄷ, this cannot be stopped]
[Where did the Mollru who didn’t listen to viewers go… Who are you!]
[A fake Mollru appeared;]
[New Mollru is different]
[Communication and Mollru… Could there be a more incompatible combination?]
[Let’s communicate~~]
[Hug me~~~]
There are numerous categories on Switch.
Most of them are games, and each game type has its respective category.
Viewers can watch the broadcasts they want based on the category’s classification.
The Just Chatting category I chose is not a gaming category but one used when streamers chat with viewers or engage in casual talks.
It truly exists for communication.
Except for special cases, I usually dive straight into a game when I start streaming.
Surely, the viewers, unfamiliar with this side of me, must be perplexed by my behavior, which could even be considered erratic.
There was a reason I made this choice.
It stemmed from a conversation I had with Si-young while resting yesterday.
Mollru: “What kind of broadcast should I do?”
Rain: “Suddenly?”
Mollru: “I need something new for content.”
I had just woken up late and checked YouTube.
My fledgling YouTube channel, which I had recently opened, was steadily growing under Si-young’s care.
With 70,000 subscribers in just a month since its establishment, isn’t that quite impressive?
Si-young had excitedly noted how quickly the channel was growing, even if it seemed out of place.
But perhaps I was being greedy beyond what I should have.
I desired for my YouTube to grow a little more.
To be so big and grand that it would astonish anyone.
For that, I needed videos that could attract people.
For instance, discovering a new route in Dragon Lord yesterday.
These content-related ruminations extended beyond YouTube to my streaming, ultimately leading me to seek advice from Si-young.
The response she provided while listening seriously to my seemingly trivial concerns was simple.
Rain: “In that case, a communication stream would be perfect.”
Mollru: “Communication?”
Rain: “How about creating time to talk with viewers instead of just playing games during the stream? Even if it’s just briefly before or after starting the game.”
My goodness, what Si-young said felt incredibly challenging to me.
Yet statistically speaking, her words held merit.
Ironically, the video in which my audio was most prominent, the Food Preference World Cup, had the highest views.
Even though the length of the video was the longest.
Thus, returning to the present, though it felt awkward, it became clear that what I needed most was communication with the viewers.
The data analysis indicated that this interaction had yielded the best responses so far.
So, I set Just Chatting as the category and readied myself to engage with viewers, thinking as I looked at the screen.
[Where did the moderator go?]
[Is there someone going offline while streaming?]
[Where are you, Tenny?]
[Teacher????]
[Is there anyone here~~~~]
[I’m holding my breath until Mollru arrives.]
Communication… how do I do that?
