Far from the law, close to fists (법원권근, 法遠拳近).
Between the steep hills, shabby buildings stand close together like matchboxes.
Beneath the alleyways tangled with electric poles like spider webs, there are snack bars where you can fill your stomach with just a 5,000 won bill.
The attire of those dining is strikingly similar, as if they were photocopies of one another.
Baggy tracksuits and thick glasses; on one side of the table, thick law books are placed as if they were part of a ritual.
The fact that they can’t let go of their law books even while eating is a testament to their anxiety and desperation.
However, on the flip side, there are countless cases where people pawn their law books because they can’t pay for their meals. Sometimes, snack bars in this exam village double as pawnshops.
“Auntie, that was delicious!”
Thick-rimmed glasses, unkempt hair, and baggy tracksuits—this man looks no different from the wanderers of the exam village.
But unlike the exam wanderers, he doesn’t carry the law books like a talisman. Instead, he leaves the snack bar with only a small notebook and a pen in hand.
“Gwang-tae, you’re here again?”
“Why, am I not allowed to come? I bring you coffee all the time; isn’t that enough rent?”
“You get that coffee from the vending machine outside; what are you bragging about? I don’t get why someone who’s not even studying for exams hangs around the second-hand bookstore all the time.”
“I told you I’m here to study people, didn’t I?”
This is a second-hand bookstore in the exam village. Just like the snack bars and pubs here sometimes serve as pawnshops, the final destination for items that don’t reunite with their owners is this second-hand bookstore.
The shelves are lined with law books, stained with the marks of their previous owners, awaiting new exam wanderers.
“The beginning is always similar.”
Most newcomers to the exam village look the same. They enter with a confident air, as if they will soon pass their exams and return home in glory, but that remains the same even after several years.
They look at the wanderers who haunt the exam village like ghosts and vow not to end up like them. But they overlook one thing.
Success in the exam village is not about passing the exams.
Success in the exam village means being the first to escape this swamp-like place, regardless of whether you pass or not. Look, even now, wanderers who have become ghosts are raising their voices at each other.
“No, seriously, I grabbed it first!”
“What are you talking about? I got the criminal policy book first!”
“Are you blind? I clearly took it out and left it for a moment while looking for another book, and you just took it!”
“I paid first, so it’s mine. Who told you to take your time!”
The exam wanderers are fighting. This often happens when a rare new book appears in the second-hand bookstore. It’s not even an annual event; it happens at least once a week.
Those who pride themselves on studying law for a long time fight like three-year-olds over books.
“Indeed, the law is far, and fists are close.”
A light argument soon escalates into grabbing each other by the collar. It can’t be helped. For wanderers who have been studying for exams for a long time, a new book appearing in the second-hand bookstore feels like a treasure.
The man sitting in the corner of the second-hand bookstore records their conversation and actions in detail in his notebook.
To prove that he is indeed studying people. If it looks like a fight is about to break out, he closes his notebook and stands up.
“Wait a minute!”
The sudden shout makes the two exam wanderers exchange puzzled looks.
“If you keep fighting like this and the police come, you’ll both get charged. The one holding the book now could even face special assault charges under Article 261 of the Criminal Code. Do people studying law really want to fight with their fists? Wouldn’t it be better to see who leaves this place first?”
There’s a saying that even a village dog recites poetry after three years. It’s been almost a year since he came to the exam village to study people.
With the unexpected intervention of the referee, the two exam wanderers glare at each other but eventually let go of each other’s collars.
As the two exam wanderers leave, the man sits back down in the corner of the second-hand bookstore, as if nothing happened. The bookstore owner clicks his tongue and says.
“Anyone would think you’re the sheriff of the exam village.”
“Sheriff, my foot. I have a proper job, you know.”
“Let me see, what did you say your job was again? My memory’s a bit hazy. Was it unemployed?”
The man, Go Gwang-tae, holds up his notebook and shouts.
“I told you, I’m a writer!”
There are many types of geniuses. Some are naturally talented, while others work tirelessly, sacrificing sleep and comfort. But if you had to categorize Kim Dong-jin, he would undoubtedly be a lazy genius.
“Did you prepare all this, senior?”
When I found out that Kim Dong-jin was in my group for the mock trial, I was distressed.
That’s because he was a man with not even a speck of preparedness. His habit of cramming for exams on the day itself made me wonder how he even got into the law department at Korea University.
“Hey, I may not look like it, but I hate causing trouble for others. What’s my family’s motto? Don’t cause trouble for others. Do you think I put you in our group for no reason?”
“You didn’t get some sort of cheat sheet, did you?”
“Cheat sheet, my foot. There’s no cheat sheet for mock trials. Especially since the group mock trial replaces the final exam, if you copy what the seniors did, you’ll get an automatic fail (F).”
“Geez.”
I couldn’t help but be impressed by the mock trial scenario Kim Dong-jin had prepared. Although there were a few parts that needed revision, it was of such high quality that it was hard to believe it was prepared by an undergraduate student.
“I noticed you haven’t been coming to school lately and seemed to be struggling, so I wanted to help you out as a senior. If you don’t like it, I can switch you to another group right now.”
No way, switching groups now would be like falling off a running horse. Shaking my head, Kim Dong-jin grinned as if he knew I’d say that.
“You’ll meet the other group members during the next class, and you don’t have any more classes today, right?”
“That’s right, but.”
“Then let’s grab a meal together. I have someone to introduce to you. Don’t get excited, it’s not a girl.”
“Who said anything?”
“Sheesh. You don’t get jokes, do you? Back in my day, it was a dream to have a blind date with a nursing or dance student in the first year…”
No matter how you look at it, he’s a peculiar guy. While everyone else seems to draw a line when dealing with me, Kim Dong-jin doesn’t show any such signs. But who is he planning to introduce me to?
“It’s my uncle. He’s a writer, and he really wanted to meet you… Even though he’s family, I have to say he’s a peculiar person. Just think of it as doing a good deed by having a meal with him.”
If Kim Dong-jin says he’s peculiar, I can’t even imagine what he’s like. Before I could respond, Kim Dong-jin puts his arm around my shoulder. And then.
“Oh, come on!”
The smell of sweat hits my nose. The head of the student council, Shin Jae-hee, watches our backs with narrowed eyes as we walk away, as if she wants to join us.
With his unkempt hair and baggy tracksuit, one might mistake him for a homeless person at Seoul Station.
Despite saying he had lunch, he was devouring the spicy pork stir-fry as if he hadn’t eaten in three days and nights.
“Dong-jin, are you still playing rugby? Did you get into the Physical Education Department?”
“Uncle, I’ve told you several times it’s not the Physical Education Department, it’s the Law Department. And who asked to be introduced to an actor as soon as they heard there was one in my department? Will you stop eating and start talking?”
“Man, we do all this to make a living. Let’s fill our stomachs first and then talk. Isn’t that right, handsome guy?”
His teeth are covered in chili flakes as he smiles. It seems clear that Kim Dong-jin takes after his mother’s side.
“Uncle, why don’t you just listen to grandma and get a job? Do you really want to keep living like this?”
“Kim Dong-jin, is that how you talk to your uncle who watched you grow up from a snot-nosed kid? Just because you’ve grown up a bit, you nag every time we meet. And how am I a bum? Have you ever seen a bum this good-looking?”
“…”
I have no words. Like Kim Dong-jin, he seems indifferent to his appearance.
It was only after he completely finished the spicy pork stir-fry that his uncle put down his chopsticks. With a hearty burp.
“Burp. That was delicious. This place has the best spicy pork stir-fry.”
“Do you come here often?”
“Yeong-guk, my uncle is also an alumnus. He graduated from Korea University with a degree in geography, traveled all over the country, and now he’s in the exam village trying to become a writer. Geez, I don’t even want to talk about it. He’s like a modern-day Kim Sat-gat.”
Everything he says is surprising. It’s astonishing enough that he’s a writer, but to think he’s an alumnus of Korea University.
Then his uncle takes a sip of water and speaks.
“I heard from Dong-jin that you’re a pretty famous actor.”
‘He doesn’t know me?’
“I’ve been traveling all over the country, so I haven’t had a chance to watch TV. I don’t even have time to go to the movies.”
“Uncle, you just don’t have the money.”
“You brat, interrupting while an elder is talking. Ahem. Anyway, I’ve been writing a script, and no matter how good it is, no movie company or agency seems to want it. What’s the best in Korea? School ties and regional ties. When Dong-jin said there was an actor in his department, I jumped at the chance to meet you.”
It’s no wonder that movie companies or agencies wouldn’t accept his script. After all, he’s practically a novice who hasn’t even had his debut. In fact, calling him a writer is a stretch. But his uncle doesn’t seem to mind.
He then takes out a thick script from his shabby bag. In this day and age, who handwrites scripts? It’s clear that it’s been revised multiple times.
“It’s a script based on the theme of ‘Far from the law, close to fists (법원권근, 法遠拳近).’ I wanted to show it to your agency. Could you take a look?”
“Sure, that’s not a problem.”
“Then?”
“I can’t guarantee that it will be made into a film even if I take the script.”
“Of course, the first spoonful can’t fill your stomach. I just came to have lunch and show you the script, so don’t feel pressured.”
“Uncle, how can you so easily say you’re getting lunch from your nephew?”
“Ahem.”
His uncle rubs his nose. Then I see the name written on the shabby script.
‘Go Gwang-tae.’
The name seems familiar. Memories from my past life flash through my mind like a revolving lantern. And then, I finally remember someone.
“The crazy genius of Chungmuro…!”
“Huh? What about Chungmuro? What are you talking about?”
“Oh, nothing. Is your name Go Gwang-tae?”
Go Gwang-tae nods briefly and then calls out to the restaurant auntie to bring another plate of spicy pork stir-fry. Kim Dong-jin shakes his head in disbelief. Watching them, I can’t help but laugh.
I almost didn’t recognize him because of his unkempt hair and baggy tracksuit. He was the renowned director who caused a sensation in Chungmuro in my past life.
Go Gwang-tae.
Yes, this man was nicknamed.
“The madman of Chungmuro.”
