There's a saying: "A golden-scaled fish is no ordinary pond dweller—it transforms into a dragon when encountering wind and clouds."
In this case, the "golden scales" referred to Chu Zhi's looks, and the "wind and clouds" were the Korean beauty-obsessed fandom. Thanks to Myung Nam-jik's impeccable arrangements, the variety show spawned two viral memes in Korea's online sphere.
The first came from guest Hyebin, the visual member of a popular boy group.
One second, he said: "As the visual center of my group, Teacher Chu Zhi's looks are about on par with mine."
The next, he corrected himself: "No—I'm the visual center of my group, but Teacher Chu Zhi's looks are on par with mine."
The second meme was born from actress Sunmi's exchange with the host:
Host: "In a relationship, which is more important—money or looks that catch your eye?"
Sunmi: "I can earn my own money, so I don't prioritize wealth. I'd choose someone visually appealing. But no matter how attractive someone is, there's always a baseline standard in love. I might lower my standards slightly for exceptional looks..."
(No female celebrity would dare pick "money" on air—this was a one-answer question in disguise.)
Host (pointing at Chu Zhi's image): "What if the looks are this level?"
Sunmi (without hesitation): "I'd be his mistress without marriage."
Host (deadpan): "So Teacher Chu Zhi's visuals are… baseline-breaking visuals."
The new term #BaselineBreakingVisuals blew up. Of course, memes alone couldn't carry the show—MBC's solid ratings did. In today's digital age, few people sat through live broadcasts without heavy pre-hype, so sudden spikes in viewership were rare.
True viral hits usually started with online buzz. This episode shattered MBC's website records with 50 million views in under half a day—dethroning We Got Married, which had held the title six months prior with its superstar idol couple.
Myung Nam-jik was summoned to the president's office that same day for praise. Vice President Yoon was ecstatic—the site traffic alone justified the 1 billion KRW investment. With the current president nearing retirement, the three VPs were jostling for position, and Yoon was stacking achievements.
"PD Myung, I have full confidence in your abilities. Your new show will have my full support," Yoon declared.
"Thank you, President Yoon," Myung replied promptly.
Yoon then launched into a grand vision of promotions and future roles ("When I'm president, you'll head procurement!")—obvious carrot-dangling, but Myung still left the office buoyed by the promised backing for his new project.
Stepping out, Myung scanned the day's trending topics:
#BaselineBreakingVisuals
"Is there anyone in China handsomer than Chu Zhi?"
"Why can't our flower boys compete with China's?"
His emotions were… complicated. If expressed as a pie chart: 30% disdain; 20% resignation; 30% pride; 20% indescribable
Chu Zhi's fame in Korea had leveled up—and numbers never lied. His official Cafe paid memberships surged to 570,000, with over 8 million followers—double the second-ranked star. DAUM's CEO hadn't dared dream of such a debut.
The real kicker? This surge was Myung's own doing. He'd personally propelled his most hated figure to new heights. The frustration was physically painful.
Earlier, GZ Group had speculated that brands like Hyundai and HERA would regret signing Chu Zhi. And regret they did—for not locking him into longer contracts.
HERA, a mid-tier cosmetics brand under Amorepacific, had seen mediocre sales—until Chu Zhi. Now? The graphs only climbed.
Conventional wisdom said Koreans were patriotic buyers, but that came with an asterisk: Except when idols are involved.
Fans seemed to think: "Teacher Chu is a Chinese star who worked hard to endorse a Korean brand—we should support him!" Coupled with HERA's affordable pricing, Amorepacific was already preparing to renew—at a higher fee.
The Korean entertainment industry was paradoxical. The idol oversupply meant trainees had to master singing, dancing, and instruments. Yet looks remained the ultimate currency—pretty faces with zero talent still thrived.
Cases like Kim Tae-hee (real world) or Yang Yi-seul (this world) proved it. Both rose to fame purely on visuals and education, landing lead roles in hits like Stairway to Heaven.
Korean antis were the most vicious in the world—but their fans matched that intensity. Unlike the well-behaved Little Fruits in China, Chu Zhi's Korean "The Apostles" were feral, operating without restraint.
A "Apostles' Gathering" post on Chu Zhi's Cafe had become a rallying cry:
[BUGS doesn't have the Demon King's songs. They must think he's not popular enough. Aish—if we Apostles don't act, they'll keep believing he has no fans here. WE MUST UNITE!]
(BUGS, one of Korea's top music platforms, hadn't licensed Chu Zhi's tracks.)
The OP, "Myungho", was a superfan—a single man who'd bought 30+ HERA lipsticks to support his idol.
Comment 1: "How can we help Demon King Oppa? I want to listen to his album!"
Comment 2: "Apostles will always provide offerings for the Demon King's arrival."
Comment 3: "Myungho-ssi, just tell us what to do."
Comment 4: "Whatever it takes, I'm in. The Demon King is my eternal idol."
Comment 5: "Oppa's face is like a masterpiece oil painting—a work of art. But it feels fragile, like it could shatter any moment. My heart aches thinking of the pain he must've endured."
...
Within two hours, the post amassed 4,000+ comments pledging participation.
Seeing the overwhelming response, Myungho knew victory was possible. After discussions (since official fundraising wasn't feasible), they settled on a "Lightning Support" event:
Plan: Gather at Myeongdong's M Plaza at 8:06 AM next Thursday, shout "Demon King Chu Zhi, welcome to Seoul!" for 10 seconds, then disperse.
(Think flash mobs—Western-style coordinated public acts that vanish as suddenly as they appear.)
Why 8:06?
In Korean, "I love you" (사랑해/"saranghae") translates numerically as 486 (based on stroke counts: 4 for sa, 8 rang, 6 hae). The timing was a coded declaration of the Apostles' devotion.
Myungho had no idea how many would show, but with 3,000–4,000 guaranteed via Cafe, the stage was set.