“Old man, have you been secretly eating wild ginseng lately?”
Chairman Wang said this while watching the golf ball fly in a graceful arc.
Time had passed, but somehow Chairman Wang and Chairman Yoo seemed to be getting even more vigorous. They had been playing a round of golf since early morning, but instead of getting tired, their competitive spirit seemed to burn even brighter with each hole.
“You’re one to talk. Your long drives easily cover 300 yards. Are you secretly taking lessons somewhere?”
“I barely have time to learn Go, let alone golf. Who would manage the company then?”
“Why are you learning Go? I noticed your skills have improved a lot recently.”
“I’m trying to beat my brilliant grandson-in-law just once!”
Chairman Yoo chuckled. To beat his grandson Hyun at Go, a professional-level player would be needed. Among amateurs, Hyun’s skills were top-notch. Just then, Chairman Wang’s swing sent the golf ball soaring through the air.
“That’s a drop!”
Chairman Yoo shouted as the ball was sucked into the water hazard. But then, to everyone’s surprise, Chairman Wang started taking off his golf shoes and even his socks. The caddies were stunned.
“What, are you trying to pull a Pak Se-ri because you don’t want to take a penalty?”
It was reminiscent of Pak Se-ri’s famous shot at the U.S. Women’s Open, where she took off her socks and waded into the water. The caddies looked bewildered, but Chairman Yoo’s face lit up as if he were watching an entertaining show.
Chairman Wang was equally determined. His competitive spirit was unmatched, even compared to the best golfers.
However…
Thud!
The golf club hit the turf instead of the ball. His swing was too stiff. The outcome was obvious.
Sizzle―!
Lunch after golf was always dak-galbi. As they watched the chicken ribs sizzle on the grill, Chairman Wang and Chairman Yoo clinked their glasses. To a stranger, they might look like neighborhood grandpas having soju after a hike, but in reality, they were top figures in the business world.
“So, when do you think Hyun and Yooha should get engaged?”
“Old man, you’ve never said a word when I tried to arrange their engagement before. Why the sudden change?”
“Now that our children are running Jeil Group and Dongju well, I feel at ease. Before, I couldn’t relax even when lying down. If I hadn’t met Kang, I would have regretted it forever.”
Kang was practically running Dongju Chemicals on behalf of Chairman Yoo. It was hard to believe that he once ran a humble neighborhood laundromat, given Dongju’s remarkable growth.
Chairman Yoo believed all this was thanks to his grandson. Meeting Hyun had even helped him reconcile with his estranged youngest daughter.
Without Hyun, Chairman Yoo’s stubbornness might have prevented him from ever seeing his daughter again before he died. Just then,
“In-law.”
Chairman Wang said, slamming down his soju glass.
“Do we really need an engagement ceremony?”
“Why the change of heart now?”
“That’s not what I mean. Yooha is almost an adult now.”
Chairman Wang knew that many in the business and political circles were eyeing Hyun as a potential son-in-law. As Hyun’s true value became more apparent, more people would approach him. They couldn’t just stand by.
Was there any point in having an engagement ceremony? Chairman Yoo nearly spat out his soju at Chairman Wang’s next words.
“In-law, how about we skip the engagement and go straight to the wedding?”
Hotaru, a 17-year-old boy from Nagoya, Japan, was the youngest of the 12 violinists selected for the Chappelle.
Because of his small stature and youthful Asian appearance, Hotaru looked even younger than his age.
“Hotaru, who do you think is the strongest candidate to win this Chappelle?”
Hotaru swallowed nervously at the producer’s question. It was his first time on a TV shoot, and he was extremely tense.
The producer smiled warmly, like a kind aunt, finding Hotaru’s nervousness endearing.
“Ah, I feel I’m not skilled enough to evaluate others yet…”
“Aren’t you being too modest?”
“No, really. I think it was pure luck that I made it to the final twelve. The other violinists here are incredibly talented.”
In reality, the strongest candidates were probably Russia’s Anna and the UK’s Sabrina. Hotaru knew this but chose not to say it out loud to be considerate of the other violinists.
Moreover, objectively speaking, his skills were the lowest among the twelve, making it awkward for him to judge others.
“Still, there must be someone who stands out to you. Just name one person.”
The producer secretly hoped Hotaru would mention a female violinist, as hinting at a fresh love line could boost ratings.
But Hotaru’s answer surprised the producer.
“Actually, there is one person.”
“Who?”
“Violinist Hyun, one of the judges.”
Hotaru had a simple reason for admiring Kang Hyun. During the finals, Hyun was the only judge who could pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of the contestants’ performances in detail.
Such advice was given to both those who passed and those who didn’t. Hotaru was amazed by Hyun’s insights.
It felt as if Hyun could see right through him.
-Hotaru, your performance reminded me of the second movement of the Sibelius Concerto. It was calm and lyrical, but with a melancholic undertone that I really liked. I enjoy such unconventional performances. There’s no need to strictly adhere to the composer’s interpretation. As a musician, you must assert your individuality, as long as the audience understands. In that regard, your bold performance impressed me.
Hotaru grew up in Nagoya, Japan, and was often called a violin prodigy. Coincidentally, he shared the same hometown as Hirose, the Queen of Violin, and was sometimes referred to as the “second Hirose.”
However, seeing Kang Hyun made him feel ashamed.
Not only had Hyun won the Queen Elisabeth Competition at a much younger age, but he had also conducted the British Royal Orchestra at the same age as Hotaru. His talent was beyond imagination.
“Hotaru, what do you think of Judge Kang Hyun?”
Hotaru paused at the producer’s question. He felt unqualified to evaluate Hyun.
The cameraman zoomed in on Hotaru’s blushing face.
This is just great.
Kang Hyun couldn’t get a proper night’s sleep. Despite the spacious room that resembled a suite, it was Bigtor’s thunderous snoring that echoed throughout the night like a ship’s horn. Hyun felt like pinching Bigtor’s hooked nose shut with a clothespin.
“Couldn’t sleep well?”
Bigtor taunted Hyun early in the morning, seemingly unaware of Hyun’s feelings. Hyun, too exhausted to respond, simply nodded and headed to the shower.
Damn it!
If only he had refused Yugo’s proposal. Dark circles were prominently visible under his eyes.
After a quick shower, Hyun barely ate breakfast and tried to stave off sleep with coffee.
“Hyun, today you’re giving lessons to the violinists, right?”
The producer appeared out of nowhere with a camera crew.
“Yes.”
“How many do you think will show up?”
“It’s hard to predict since they’re choosing based on the assigned piece, not the judge. I prefer a manageable number over too many.”
Hyun’s assigned piece was a Paganini piece, known for its difficult fast passages and intricate techniques. Naturally, fewer would opt for it.
Hyun headed to the practice room where the violinists were waiting. Two violinists were already there.
“Anna?”
And,
“Sabrina?”
It was surprising to see two violinists he already knew.
Hyun, conscious of the camera, refrained from acknowledging them. Sabrina, too, was more formal than usual, aware of Hyun’s role as a judge.
“Shall we begin?”
Hyun momentarily forgot his exhaustion and smiled.
Maria, the producer at Belgium’s national broadcaster RTBF, couldn’t stop smiling as she reviewed the footage.
She had been watching the footage for hours, forgetting she needed to edit.
The Queen Elisabeth Competition.
An international competition that had become a national event in Belgium.
In the past, the semi-finals were broadcasted live, but for the past decade, the finals had been made into documentaries.
Contrary to what one might think, the documentaries were far from boring.
This year’s Queen Elisabeth Competition had seen the highest number of applicants ever, with fierce competition.
The skill level of the young violinists had noticeably improved.
And having Hyun, the youngest winner in the competition’s history, as a judge was a big deal.
“He’s really amazing.”
Hyun was the only judge who gave detailed advice to both those who passed and those who didn’t.
Other judges offered additional comments, but none were as detailed as Hyun’s.
“He’s truly a genius.”
The more Maria watched the footage, the more she realized Hyun’s genius.
With just one performance, he could diagnose the issues as if he had done a CT scan.
It wasn’t just the contestants who were impressed. The other esteemed judges couldn’t hide their astonishment either.
“This is perfect.”
The final shot captured Hyun mentoring the young violinists at the Chappelle.
Among the blonde and white-haired beauties, Hyun looked like he was in a movie scene.
Moreover, the content of his mentoring was top-notch. He identified and corrected the issues of the already talented young violinists with uncanny precision.
If this magical scene aired, the classical music world would undoubtedly be buzzing again.
