“It’s truly beyond my expectations!”
A highly excited voice reached the ceiling.
“How did you think of modifying the last scene like that? If it weren’t for Hyun, Moses’ final performance would have been expressed as the sorrowful voice of an old violin rather than a melody yearning for freedom. I think coming to Korea was the right decision.”
Jean-Pierre’s face was flushed. And rightly so, because Kang Hyun’s words had significantly altered the storyboard for the finale of ‘La Vie en Rose.’
Simply changing from playing a real violin to performing on an invisible violin not only stimulated visual and auditory elements but also immensely increased the film’s values and subtleties beyond words.
Jean-Pierre wondered how that child came up with such a fantastic idea.
“Jean-Pierre, how do you feel about seeing Hyun in person?”
In fact, it was rare for a general director to personally seek out synchronized recording. Moreover, it wasn’t even close Europe but Asia.
However, the reason Jean-Pierre came to Korea was simple.
“Should I say it’s like meeting my ideal muse? The moment I watched the documentary, I decided I had to see this boy in person. I felt I would gain some inspiration from meeting him, and it truly came true.”
It was because he was a passionate fan of the violinist Hyun. If Kang Hyun had not been Asian but a Jewish boy, he might have considered casting him as the main character in this film.
“By the way, is it possible to conduct synchronized recording on-site?”
“Why suddenly? Didn’t you say it would be fine to do post-synchronized recording in Korea? Moreover, in France, child labor laws are quite stringent. As you know, Hyun is young.”
“It’s okay, I can handle that much. If Hyun permits, that is.”
Filming a movie is an ongoing series of hard work. Adjusting the breathing to match the schedule of the synchronized recorder would be extremely difficult.
However, Jean-Pierre was clasping his hands together as if he had found his muse.
Im Hyera felt both worried about whether Hyun would agree and felt proud.
She was very curious about the boy her daughter liked so much. Although he was young, he was very meticulous and picky, just like her.
Who would have known that she would be looking at such an outstanding boy? Indeed, he was just like her daughter.
The tip of my nose tingled, indicating that the change of seasons was approaching. Just looking at the falling leaves outside the window made me feel the full mood of autumn.
However, no matter how good the quality of the school uniform was, it still felt uncomfortable after only a few days.
Fortunately, unlike the previous uniform, it didn’t look like I was borrowing my dad’s clothes. The sleeves and pants fit perfectly, without any discomfort.
It was lucky I attended school in the afternoon. If I had to sit from the morning, I wouldn’t have been able to stand it.
“Kang Hyun took first place in the midterms in his class. Everyone, a round of applause!”
The homeroom teacher’s enthusiastic voice drew everyone’s attention.
Even though I didn’t perform well in subjects other than Korean, English, and Math, I still took first place in the class. The gaze from the girls was somewhat overwhelming.
Fortunately, I didn’t take first place in the entire school. On one hand, it felt like being a celebrity. If I had been an ordinary kid, I wouldn’t have been able to withstand this piercing attention.
Anyway.
‘It’s more wholesome than I thought.’
The school was known for gathering the children of famous entrepreneurs. Just thinking about the gatherings of the third-generation chaebols, where kids mimicked adults and formed factions, was enough. It was a scene where the saying “Parents are mirrors to their children” fit perfectly.
In contrast, school life wasn’t much different from any other middle school.
Of course, the difference was that there were no fights. Since everyone knew whose child belonged to which company, no one recklessly picked a fight or quarreled. Even though they were energetic adolescents.
‘Come to think of it, it’s lucky there’s a three-year age gap.’
Suddenly, I thought of Son Yooha. It was certain she would attend Jeil Middle and High School, and if we went to the same school, I might have to hear her shouting “Oppaaa—!” during every break.
But would things really change as they did in the past? I was curious about when the ice-cold girl would transform into the ice queen.
At that moment.
“Hey, Hyun.”
A short-haired girl approached me. I recognized her face since she always sat in the front row and stood up when class started. She was the class president.
She hesitated with her cheeks turning red as I looked at her. “Why? Do you have something to say?”
“Do you know about the fall festival our school is holding?”
“Fall festival?”
“Yes, Jeil Middle School holds a festival every autumn.”
Would they invite a celebrity? Considering the students’ family backgrounds and the school’s facilities, it wouldn’t be surprising if they invited the hottest singer.
“According to the festival rules, each class has to send one representative for the talent show. But no one in our class wants to do it… I don’t have any talents…”
“Talent show?”
“So, can you please play the violin at the festival, Hyun? Please!”
The class president, who spoke rapidly like a machine gun, closed her eyes tightly.
I was surprised by the unexpectedly modest festival, but I was even more startled by what she said next.
In my past life, I had never even been near a karaoke, let alone a festival.
No wonder I earned the nickname “study freak.” It was possible because I never put down a book day or night.
Me, performing at a school festival? No way, even a passing dog would laugh.
But the class president was waiting for my answer, swallowing nervously with her eyes still closed.
What is this?
Fortunately, it was the weekend. Otherwise, I’d be busy with school right now.
The grand mansion in Pyeongchang-dong, which I visited after a long time, still boasted tall walls.
As I opened the gate and entered, Chairman Wong was holding a large pair of garden shears, a sight more familiar now than the dignified portrait from my past life.
“Grandpa, hello!”
“Oh, Hyun, you’re here. Yooha has been waiting for you.”
Chairman Wong put down the garden shears and welcomed me. If it weren’t for his piercing eyes, he could have been mistaken for an ordinary old man. He looked even more robust than when I first saw him.
At that moment, I saw Son Yooha running towards me from behind Chairman Wong. Why did I unconsciously smile?
“Hyun, it’s been so long!”
Park Sunyoung looked at me as if she had found a long-lost family member. It was understandable since we hadn’t seen each other for a while after I returned from Brussels. We only exchanged brief greetings during the collaboration with the London Symphony at the Seoul Arts Center.
After the collaboration ended, I had been busy deciding on a middle school. Today was our last music tutoring session.
“They asked you to perform at the festival?”
Somehow, the school story came up. Son Yooha stopped her violin practice and perked up her ears, sticking close to me.
Receiving the attention of these two girls was more overwhelming than the attention from my classmates.
“Yes, the class president asked me to perform.”
“So why? What’s the problem?”
“Honestly, I feel pressured, as I’ve never performed at a festival before.”
“You’ve already played the violin in front of thousands of people. Is it because it’s a free performance?”
Park Sunyoung teasingly replied.
How does she see me? The reason I hesitated was simple. The school stage wasn’t the Seoul Arts Center. I also doubted if young students would appreciate static classical music.
“Don’t worry, Hyun. Who wouldn’t like your violin performance? If you held a concert, I would definitely buy a ticket. And if anyone finds it boring, bring them to me. This unnie will set them straight.”
Park Sunyoung said this while subtly moving closer to me.
“Hyun, by the way, I have a graduation performance coming up. Can you help me practice one last time?”
I nodded without hesitation.
Park Sunyoung was the first teacher who taught me the basics of the violin. In this world, there are no eternal teachers or students. Park Sunyoung was already preparing her posture.
I would have to check Son Yooha’s posture later, but it didn’t matter. This was the last tutoring session with her.
“Oh my, Hyun, you’re here. No wonder Yooha’s laughter hasn’t stopped.”
Just as I was about to leave after finishing the music tutoring, I bumped into Director Im Hyera. She looked at me with an expression that said, “I knew it,” making my hair stand on end.
I should have gotten used to the young face of Director Im Hyera by now, but it still felt strange.
“Hyun, can you spare a moment?”
Of course, how could I refuse her request?
We sat facing each other in the reception room, where there should have been a lingering scent of age. I felt like I was going back to the old days, seeing Director Im Hyera so often lately.
As I sipped my orange juice nonchalantly, an unexpected proposal reached my ears.
“Synchronized recording on-site?”
“Jean-Pierre wants you to conduct synchronized recording on-site.”
“Didn’t he say it was okay to do post-synchronized recording in Korea?”
“I guess he got a lot of inspiration the first time he met you. He probably thinks that inspiration will manifest on set as well. They plan to start with the scenes where the main character plays the violin, so the filming period won’t be too long. But of course, everything depends on your consent. If you don’t agree, it will proceed with post-synchronized recording. You understand what I mean, right?”
I was conflicted. It wasn’t a local place but France. On the other hand, I was excited about the possibility of seeing the actual set of ‘La Vie en Rose.’
The scene of the protagonist Moses playing the violin in the concentration camp vividly came to mind.
Even though it was footage from decades ago, that movie was still etched in my memory.
“And could you possibly play the theme song for the movie as well? Jean-Pierre was so regretful about having to leave because of the filming schedule. Even I felt sorry for him.”
“The theme song?”
“Yes, since you’re playing the insert song that the protagonist performs, he thought it would be great if you played the theme song that encompasses the entire movie. Who was the singer-songwriter again?”
Could it be? Was he talking about Michel Piccoli’s Rendezvous?
“Michel Piccoli, I think. He’s currently the hottest composer and singer in France. He asked if you could rearrange it for the violin and play it.”
I couldn’t believe it. If ‘La Vie en Rose’ was a classic among music films, then Michel Piccoli’s Rendezvous was a beloved theme song that was never left out in discussions of movie themes.
For a moment, I thought about the enormous royalties, but I quickly brushed it aside. That wasn’t important right now.
Could I really capture the essence of Rendezvous? Although it was undoubtedly a masterpiece I had listened to countless times, how would it sound when replaced with violin melodies instead of a human voice? It could be a disaster if not done right.
But at that moment,
“Hyun?”
