The entry of the streamer into terrestrial broadcasting was seen as a kind of gateway to becoming a true star.
But here, we have a streamer whose size has grown beyond that gateway.
[NoName steps in as a guest commentator for the Seoul Regional Academy Competition.]
– What’s going on here?
– Huh? April Fool’s was ages ago…
– I had to double-check my eyes, LOL.
– How on earth did they manage to book her?
– QBS has grown a lot; they’re even broadcasting together with NoName.
– Seems like she’s appearing on the channel run with Twish, wow!
The reactions were explosively predictable.
From conspiracy theories about QBS holding NoName’s weaknesses to the overwhelming curiosity about whether NoName was finally debuting in showbiz.
But starting right off as a commentator for the Academy Competition?
Expectations brought worries along with them.
In terms of pure game time, the competition itself would last nearly four hours.
Given that she would have to be at the commentary booth from morning to evening, there were quite a few concerned about her stamina.
Then, two days before the competition, a video was uploaded on the official QTwish V-tube channel showing NoName preparing for commentary.
[Cute Feed Ch.03 “As long as it’s cute, that’s all that matters!” Na-me compilation.zip]
[Hmumu…]
NoName made a serious face, pouting her lips like a duck, and
[Player Kim Creah, just relax and flow like water, just like now.]
Practiced proper enunciation clearly while reading the script alongside caster Yoon Geon.
[Oh, can I sign here too?]
There was even a brief moment where she had a photo op with staff who heard the rumors and came over from other studios.
But what really stuck in people’s minds was NoName’s formal attire that briefly appeared at the end of the video.
[See you at 9 AM on Sunday! Bye!]
NoName was still at an age where suspenders would suit her more.
The abrupt sense of incongruity coming from her height only accentuated her cuteness, not maturity.
– Wait, when is Sunday coming!!!
– I hate God. Why’d he create Saturday in between.
– Just knock me out for one day, please.
– The staff are all smiling so wide, LOL. Isn’t this the best welfare?
– The kid is just so small and cute, haha.
– How can a kid be that pretty?
– I really want to spoil her.
– ???: Dad, can you buy me a power plant!
I hope NoName would show her true self and not feel nervous since she talks so well normally.
– I never thought I’d see a little kid commentating during the duel, LOL.
Worries had long since been set aside.
If I could just watch that sight live, anything else didn’t matter to most of the people.
On Saturday, the match between Geonggi Rohert Academy and Incheon Heritage Academy concluded with Rohert’s victory.
However, half of the community’s opinions were still focused on the game happening tomorrow.
[Has anyone watched NoName’s broadcasts before?]
[Insider info: NoName’s personal stream surprisingly has a spicy flavor.]
[The critic style tends to tick off the average non-viewing folks, LOL.]
[We must ensure NoName doesn’t go wild, strap her down tight!]
[Rather than a critic, it’s more of a truth-bomb style, but sometimes it hurts so bad.]
[???: She lacks courage. Might need to tie her up and throw her into a polar bear pen.]
QBS and Twish took the extremely risky step of having a 9-year-old as a commentator.
They achieved success in drawing attention, but questions remained about whether they could finish the broadcast safely.
The next day dawned.
*
“Hello viewers! Welcome to the 2052 Seoul Regional Academy Competition for friendship and exchange. I’m caster Yoon Geon. Today, we’ll witness a face-off between Sephiron Academy and Altair Academy, and Altair Academy against Sephiron Academy! We have commentator Choi Woo-joo, and today’s special guest, NoName! Welcome!”
“Yes, hello!”
“Choi Woo-joo, please come on in too!”
“Hello there.”
“Well, today we have a superstar gracing us with their presence, and many fans have been eagerly waiting for this day. NoName commentator, what is your mindset going into today’s event?”
In the Sephirot Arena located on the Sephiron Foundation’s grounds.
We sat in the highest commentary booth, starting the broadcast in front of cameras the size of cannons.
I woke up extremely early to get my hair and makeup done.
I worried for a moment that my voice might crack, but fortunately, my throat was just fine.
“Watching magic duels has been a joy in my life, and I also enjoyed chatting with our NoName stream viewers, so I’ll do my best with a sense of responsibility today.”
“Oh, you speak so well and are adorable! Ah, I shouldn’t show personal feelings during this commentary, but I believe our viewers understand. Actually, NoName has experience as a commentator from personal broadcasts, right?”
“During the National Exchange Tournament this summer, I watched the quarterfinals on the NoName V-tube channel, and it gathered a lot of views, didn’t it?”
Yoon Geon the caster and Choi Woo-joo the commentator referred to Cecilia versus Emika’s match.
I figured I should have a ready shield in case anyone doubted my commentary skills.
“Well, since the match itself was quite a spectacle, I just have pleasant memories of watching it.”
“Your keen eyesight noticed the potential comeback while there were only 5 minutes left with a score of 31% to 11%! Your prediction turned every commentator worldwide into inexperienced noobs in a blink. Choi Woo-joo, it seems you might feel a bit nervous today?”
“Hahaha, just this morning, my wife told me not to embarrass myself on the way to work. So I’ll do my best.”
In the warm atmosphere, the commentary began.
With delays still pending, there was some time before the 2nd-grade elementary competition would start.
Yoon Geon, being a professional who lives by words, skillfully led the conversation.
“Our NoName commentator has led her team to victory against 5 middle schoolers during last year’s Academy Competition. Achieving that at just 8 years old! Isn’t that legendary?”
“If there were no video evidence, I think nobody would believe it. I watched it live and couldn’t help but shout out loud, ‘Wow, NoName is incredible!’”
“Come on, Heehee, calling her ‘NoName’ is a bit too much personal fan talk, isn’t it, Choi Woo-joo? You were supposed to provide commentary, but it sounds more like a fan meeting…!”
“Ahaha, I’ll be careful!”
The audio had a gap as Yoon Geon leaned forward to receive the hologram chat window from the PD.
“Many viewers are praising NoName’s stunning beauty. ‘So cute. Like a fairy. The cutest of all!’ They’re saying they would rather watch QTwish than KBS because of Na-me. Do you have any advice for your juniors based on your experiences from last year, NoName?”
“I’m not at a position to give advice just yet, but I hope they won’t be nervous and can showcase their skills as practiced.”
“Thank you for your humble words. Actually, we were slightly expecting this. There’s been some talk of NoName being a critic, right?”
“Me?”
Her slightly lowered tone snapped back as her true voice emerged.
No matter how I racked my brain, I couldn’t recall saying anything too extreme.
I immediately clarified.
“Well, what I value more than skill is the attitude one has when entering a match.”
“Oh, attitude? Can you explain what you mean in detail?”
“People are not machines. There will naturally be ups and downs. It’s unreasonable to judge someone’s ability based on a single day’s performance. However, some people might just go through the motions and not make any attempt when the match isn’t going well, while others might take risks and explore alternatives. I tend to value the latter more because when someone is drowning in the sea, they have to thrash around to get rescue workers to see and save them.”
“Ahh, right. If you sink quietly, you won’t be seen.”
“So if I point out something today, I hope you view it as helping those who might sink silently back to the surface. Of course, I’ll consider the ages of the participants, and I won’t just hurl insults.”
From what seemed to be my viewers, it looked like they were playfully slandering me.
Even though it wouldn’t matter much once the game started since I wouldn’t be able to see the chat anyway.
“Waahhh!”
A huge cheer erupted in the stadium as the 10 adorable 2nd graders entered in two lines.
The caster called out each participant’s name while giving a brief introduction,
Meanwhile, our commentary team turned off the microphones and took some time to organize our materials.
When I was in the same grade, I hadn’t noticed, but seeing those younger grades now made the kids seem so innocent.
“They’re all such babies, just babies.”
“Cuh-huh!”
“…?”
“Cough, no, I didn’t mean it. Cough, sorry. Cough.”
As I mumbled to myself, Choi Woo-joo the commentator choked on his water.
He seemed quite troubled, as if he was struggling to breathe.
As I looked over the 2nd graders’ profiles, a thought struck me.
‘Aren’t they all taller than me?’
The smallest friend was 125 cm tall, and the tallest was 140 cm…
No, let’s not get hung up on heights. It feels like I’m stressing over it unnecessarily.
*
The duels of the 2nd graders are perceived as being closer to entertainment than sports by the public.
After the match, it’s obvious for the losing side to cry heartbrokenly, but sometimes the nervous kids trip over their own feet and fall down with a thud.
Yet, there’s actually a demand for this among people who dislike violent brawls, so the viewership isn’t small either.
Thus, the commentary team maintained a dad-like smile throughout as they watched the students’ charming antics.
Until NoName, with an expressionless face, added the most serious commentary in a chick-like voice.
“It was a moment showcasing Bae Ji-seong’s remarkable decision-making skills. This is known as the back mount position, right? In a situation like just now, letting one’s back could result in sacrificing the petite barrier for a choke. Just to share a nugget of knowledge, barriers are very vulnerable to choking. But now, with Bae Ji-seong adjusting the friction coefficient in a makeshift manner to escape, that cunning should absolutely be highly praised. The casting speed was also unprecedentedly fast, comparable to the moment I hear my mom coming home while playing a game and hurriedly hit the power button! Almost to that extent, indeed.”
“Cuh-huh-huh!”
“Hahaha, Choi Woo-joo, you have to do your commentary, come on!”
“Uh… Sorry… It’s just too funny, I can’t… I can’t comment…!”
