There’s a saying, “neighbor cousin.”
Although it’s not commonly used these days, it refers to neighbors who are even closer than family.
And.
The smaller the neighborhood, the stronger that bond is.
“What the heck! Who is it? Who’s bullying our kids?”
“So, who are you? Who just barges in to see the kids like this? Should I call the police?”
“How dare they mess with Suyeon and Seojin's family? Seriously!”
“Judging by your appearance, you seem like a shady character. You better leave while I’m still being polite.”
‘Uh…’
I guessed that the last comment must have been pretty intense.
For reference, the man with the large build was the butcher from the meat shop in our apartment complex.
It seemed like he rushed out after hearing Suyeon’s high-pitched voice, still wearing a blood-stained apron and holding a knife.
He wasn’t pointing the knife at anyone, but it was enough to make the atmosphere tense.
The guardian of Saebom Apartment.
His reputation was well-earned.
At that moment, Suyeon tugged on my arm and proudly said,
“Oppa, I did well, didn’t I? They say in a crisis, the first thing you need to do is make good use of your allies.”
“Where did you learn that?”
“From The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. I read it at Grandpa’s place. By the way, it’s something Zhuge Liang said.”
“….”
I stared at Suyeon, who seemed much smarter now, and then glanced over at Villain #1.
Villain #1 was at a loss, blocked by Zhang Fei (the butcher) at Changban Bridge*. (T/N: Referencing Romance of the Three Kingdoms.)
However, as if he remembered his role, he began to protest.
- "General! This is unjust! I merely came to bring something helpful to that child!"
- "You rascal! How dare you wag that deceitful tongue! Do you think I’ll believe you? Leave now while I'm still speaking kindly!"
- "H-here! Here’s my badge! I'm just a low-ranking official working for the government. I work in the public service, passing along news! Please believe me!"
- "A badge? Public service? Ha! I’ve heard that all these things can be forged in the marketplace these days! Are you trying to deceive me?"
- "If you're suspicious, send a pigeon to the authorities! If you mention my name and position, they will confirm it’s true!"
- "Hmph, I like your boldness. Fine. I’ll check myself, so stay put. But if even a single part of your story turns out to be a lie, I’ll twist the truth right out of you!"
Of course, the butcher didn’t say all of this exactly.
It just means that this kind of exchange, with similar nuances, passed between the adults.
A little while later.
The butcher whispered to me.
"Seojin, I called KBC, and it turns out he is really from the broadcasting station. He's out on a field assignment, so it seems legit."
"Really?"
"Yeah, but for now, send him away and discuss it with your parents first. You have his business card, right?"
Villain #1, Assistant Director Yeo Jin-soo, was sweating, perhaps because of the heat, and asked for my opinion.
“But wasn’t Seojin preparing for the arts school entrance exams?”
The butcher tried to interrupt and send him on his way, but I was curious why he brought it up, so I responded.
“Yes, that’s right.”
"Then, this kind of opportunity to appear on a broadcast will definitely be a huge help. Whether you become a pianist or... as you just said, whether you end up playing the guitar someday. In the arts world, recognition is the most important thing, isn't it? Without that, nothing works."
I flinched for a moment.
"I came here just to make that proposal. It's for a guest appearance on KBC's flagship talk show Heart-to-Heart. It's not for a long time, just a special 15-minute segment, so there's no pressure. Originally, I wanted to meet Seojin's parents first, but, well, it turned out like this."
"......"
"Please think it over carefully. It's really a great opportunity. I'll be waiting for your response."
Yeo Jin-soo, the assistant director, backed away slowly, showing both hands just as he had when he first arrived. Then he trudged out of the apartment entrance.
The adults who had been watching this turned to me and each made a comment.
"Oh wow, Seojin must be getting famous. Even people from the TV station are coming to visit."
"Right? At this rate, we might see a celebrity born in our apartment complex."
"That wouldn't be so bad! Should I get an autograph in advance? Seojin, would you sign something for me?"
"......"
But their words didn't really reach my ears.
I kept replaying what assistant director Yeo Jin-soo had just said.
"Oppa?"
Suyeon called out to me.
But I put off answering her and made a request to the supermarket owner.
"Excuse me... Could you watch Suyeon for a little while? I'll be back soon."
"Huh?"
"Please, I’m asking. Suyeon, don’t go anywhere. Just watch TV at the store for a bit. I'll be right back, okay?"
Suyeon blinked once and soon nodded.
I began running blindly along the path where I presumed Assistant Director Yeo Jin-soo had gone.
I was out of breath in no time.
My small body quickly grew exhausted.
The teenager who had grown up on a deserted island was once again just a child.
Perhaps, if I were the child I used to be, I would have just ignored Yeo Jin-soo's words.
But now, I was different from my old self.
"In the arts, reputation is the most important thing, isn't it?"
A comment laced with a sense of displeasure.
Words that seemed to disregard not just me and Uncle Miller, but many others as well.
I couldn’t stand it.
* * *
“Ugh, there we go.”
Sitting in the car, Yeo Jin-soo turned on the air conditioner. His body, on the verge of melting in the heat, cooled down slightly.
Then, he recalled the situation from a moment ago.
Unlike people these days, the villagers all pitched in to help Seojin.
Like a family.
"Seojin's family must all be good people."
While pondering something, Yeo Jin-soo rummaged through his pockets. Then, he opened the dashboard.
"Ah, here it is."
A cigarette.
The last one left in the pack.
Under normal circumstances, he would have just bought a pack of cigarettes from the convenience store in the apartment complex a little while ago, but it didn’t feel like the right atmosphere.
‘They were truly something else.’
Yeo Jin-soo pulled a lighter out of the car's cigarette lighter socket and lit his cigarette. Whoosh. The car quickly filled with smoke.
After taking a couple of drags from his cigarette—
Knock. Knock. Knock.
He heard a knocking sound from the passenger side, and then the door suddenly opened.
It was Han Seojin
"Cough. I need to talk to you for a moment."
"Oh, sorry. Sorry. Just a second."
Seeing Han Seojin get into the passenger seat, Yeo Jin-soo quickly stubbed out his cigarette and opened all the windows.
As a result, the hot air rushed into the car in an instant.
Sweat began to trickle down his face again.
Feeling a little stifled, Yeo Jin-soo immediately asked Han Seojin a question.
"Did you already make a decision in the meantime? That was quick."
"No, it’s not that..."
After a brief pause, Han Seojin continued.
"A little while ago, the assistant director said, 'In the arts, recognition is everything.' You also said, 'If you don’t have that, you’re nothing.'"
"Oh, that."
"I don’t agree with that. It’s... such a demeaning thing to say about people."
"......"
'What is he talking about?'
But that thought only lingered for a moment.
Yeo Jin-soo had no choice but to listen attentively to Han Seojin, who began to speak clearly and deliberately.
Han Seojin poured out his emotions honestly, as if venting his frustration.
"Of course, I’m not saying that recognition isn’t important at all. Most artists need to present their work to the public, so without even a minimum level of recognition, ‘art’ itself wouldn’t be able to exist.
But isn’t skill more important than recognition or popularity?
Not just artists, but everyone puts in effort.
And as a reward for that effort, they want to create results and show them.
That can’t rank below popularity.
If, by skipping over all of that, a ‘person’ is chosen just because of their current popularity or recognition, that’s just too sad.
What happens if the popularity of someone with no substance fades away?
Do they become a disposable product, used once and then discarded?
Are you saying we should just let it go?
That we should treat it as if they gained recognition that might help them later?
Is that right?
The same applies in other cases.
Even on the Billboard charts, which could be considered the pinnacle of popular art, the person who shines the most is the artist who lands at number one.
Because they’re popular and recognized, it might seem like they’re the one shining.
But really… Do you think they can reach that position based on popularity or recognition alone?
Then what about the countless composers, lyricists, and sound engineers behind them?
Don’t you feel like something is out of order?
Even without recognition, it’s because of those talented people that the person in the spotlight can shine.
"Even the number one singer who has reached the top is no different.
There are people who make it to the final round of the Chopin Competition. Even if they don’t win, they still shine.
There are athletes who compete in the Olympics. Even if they don’t win, they still shine.
There are supporting actors in films. Even if they aren’t the lead, they still sparkle, right?
The statement the assistant director just made—‘recognition is the most important thing’—denies all of that.
They may not be popular.
But they shine because they have incredible skill.
For an artist, recognition is not the ‘most’ important thing.
There is no such thing as an artist who believes recognition is the most important thing in the world.
If such a person exists…
They aren’t an artist.
Or, they’re just an empty person chasing after fame and nothing else.
Or maybe they’re a phantom, like mist that disappears with the slightest breeze.
And I…
I absolutely don’t want to be that kind of person."
“......”
As Yeo Jin-soo remained silent, Han Seojin drove his point home.
“And if KBC, a major broadcasting network, came to find me the day after I returned to Korea, all the way to a house you hadn’t even informed me about, then it’s not KBC giving me an opportunity, as the assistant director said…”
Han Seojin struck at the heart of the matter.
“Isn’t it rather that you came looking for me to seize an opportunity from me?”
“......”
"Then I will absolutely refuse all the more. Especially if this inconsiderate place is a broadcasting station in our country, I won't ever look at such a place again until the day I die."
"......"
"Never."
"......"
Han Seojin bowed his head slightly and said, "Goodbye. Please drive safely," as he got out of the car.
From inside the car, Yeo Jin-soo stared blankly at Han Seojin as he walked away. His already small figure became a dot in the distance and soon disappeared completely.
Yeo Jin-soo hurriedly searched for a cigarette. Then he remembered that the one he'd just smoked was his last.
With no other choice, he picked up a stub from the ashtray and lit it.
"Whoo."
There was nothing wrong with what Han Seojin had said.
However, from the perspective of the broadcasting station, it was impossible to accept everything he said.
Because here, at this station, popularity was truly everything.
'An artist. And a shining person…'
The person who had just spoken to him and left was a 12-year-old, a 6th-grade elementary school student this year.
In short, just a kid.
‘What was I doing at that age?’
He was probably playing games like marbles or tag.
Or maybe climbing the jungle gym.
Was it marbles?
"Whoo."
Yeo Jin-soo, quite by accident, felt as though he had truly found someone who shined.
A pure gemstone untouched by the dirtiness of adults.
Something beautiful that had just begun to shine.
‘I think… among the people in the broadcasting industry, I was probably the first to discover it.’
And this fact.
It was a much bigger achievement than failing to cast one child.
* * *
And that night.
“You crazy bastard! We haven’t even started yet! How is it that the broadcasting authority already sent us a warning?!”
“Really?”
“Yeah, you idiot! What the hell did you do to get a call from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs too? Write an explanation letter right now!”
“Uh… how many pages?”
“Until I get sick of it!!!”
* * *
A peaceful morning.
I left the house alone in the morning.
Around 5:30 p.m. yesterday, I had a phone call with Secretary Kim Sun-hee. I politely asked her to issue a warning to the broadcasting station, and though she seemed annoyed, she agreed.
Things should have quieted down for now.
With that in mind, I fearlessly stepped outside.
Actually, there was something I noticed while walking around: not many people recognized me.
Although I had appeared on the news a lot, it seemed they had used a reference photo from when I was in fourth grade.
And then.
There were plenty of stories that caught the general public's attention, more so than anything involving me.
"Hey, did you see that? That singer and that model! They came out of a hotel together! Caught red-handed!"
"Wow, that’s huge! But did you hear? That celebrity got caught using drugs again! This is the 20th time!"
"That’s crazy!"
"I’m telling you, totally insane!"
Thanks to that, I could ride the subway in peace.
Of course, there were still a few people who recognized me from the AC 2505 news. I have no idea how they recognize me—it’s quite amazing. I just greeted them awkwardly.
By the time I had passed a few more stations on the subway, a cheerful announcement told me my stop was approaching.
- Next stop, Hongik University. The doors will open on the right. This stop is...
