Episode 33: Practical and Beautiful
A student in a navy blue school uniform with a red tie was singing with his eyes closed.
His deep voice and rich vocal power stood out, making it sound like an echo in a deep cave.
There were already over thirty people who had stopped to listen to his soulful voice.
‘As expected… It’s Sung Woojin.’
Even while sitting on the ground and singing, he could hit such high notes.
Kang Lim knew who this student was.
Sung Woojin would busk alone in Hongdae and eventually meet a band in need of a vocalist, leading to the formation of a group.
This group, which became legendary in the indie scene, would later become huge stars.
They would be the first Korean band to make it onto the Billboard charts.
‘His setup is really minimal. It’s like he spent all his money just to sing. Even though he’s young, he’s impressive.’
To busk, you need various equipment, but to simply sing, you only need three things.
An amp, a speaker, and a microphone.
Sung Woojin was using a lightweight, user-friendly all-in-one amp speaker.
It was the cheapest model available.
Holding just one microphone connected to it, he was singing beautifully.
‘I really want to do well on this public art project. I’ve always wanted to create works that communicate with the public.’
Seeing Kang Lim lost in thought, Hong Yoonki asked,
“Why are you staring at the busking? You said you got a good idea.”
Kang Lim smiled and replied,
“Our installation work needs to fit the theme of the summer festival, right? When I think of Hongdae, I think of busking. Especially on the Walking Street, there are performances day and night on weekends. How about we create something to support these performances? This place is often called a performance zone, so if we do it well, it could become a landmark.”
Hearing Kang Lim’s words, Lee Hyerim nodded vigorously.
“Oh, I like the concept! But why do you need sculptures for busking?”
“Rather than sculptures, installation works. To help people comfortably enjoy the performances.”
“Like what?”
At Lee Hyerim’s question, Hong Yoonki also perked up his ears.
“There are many people who want to enjoy the music but end up leaving because their legs hurt. How about making tiered seating so multiple people can sit?”
Kang Lim took out a sketchbook and mechanical pencil and started drawing quickly.
The shops lined up and the scattered trees came to life in a rough sketch.
After sketching the surrounding scenery, he quickly drew simple and straightforward tiered steps.
Lee Hyerim and Hong Yoonki were surprised to see the perfect perspective drawing Kang Lim had created.
“Wow… Kang Lim, you’re really talented. No wonder the professor recommended you.”
“Right. It looks like you drew it using SketchUp.”
SketchUp is a 3D program good for creating building models.
But Kang Lim could create precise perspective drawings by hand with just a few strokes.
“The unique thing about this street is that the ground isn’t level, and there are some steps.”
Pointing to the uneven ground where people were gathered, Kang Lim said. It was a small, empty cliff.
“That’s because it’s a hill from the entrance of Hongdae to the main gate. Why?”
At Hong Yoonki’s question, Kang Lim looked at Lee Hyerim’s shoes and replied.
She was wearing very high platform shoes, probably because she was self-conscious about her height.
“Aren’t your feet hurting, Hyerim noona? If the ground is slightly sloped, your feet get more tired. People coming out would keep moving and find it hard to watch the performance for long.”
Lee Hyerim sighed, regretting wearing such shoes.
“Right. Walking around is tiring for me too.”
“If we install steps on the sloped cliff, we could have two or three rows of seats. It would be much cheaper than making chairs and could seat more people. How about it? With steps in place, the busking area in front would look like a stage.”
Pointing to the steps in the drawing, Hong Yoonki commented,
“But… Isn’t the design too simple and plain? It’s well-drawn, but shouldn’t it be more artistic since it’s a sculptural work?”
“Right. But simple steps are the most practical and good for walking. We might need a separate sculptural piece.”
“Add something else to it?”
“Yes. Look at that person over there.”
As applause began, Kang Lim gestured towards Sung Woojin, who had finished his song.
Turning his head, Hong Yoonki saw Sung Woojin greeting the audience, saying it was too hot to continue today.
As the audience expressed disappointment, Sung Woojin joked that he would bring a hat next time, making everyone laugh and gradually disperse.
Left alone, Sung Woojin wiped his sweaty forehead and drank water.
“Let’s install a cool structure that can provide shade. It should look like an art piece.”
“Like a parasol?”
“Yes, something similar but much cooler.”
Thinking deeply, Kang Lim asked the two,
“We need to measure the sunken ground with a tape measure and make seats to fit. What programs do you use? Probably more than me.”
Lee Hyerim confidently replied first.
“I can use SketchUp, 3D MAX, and CAD. I’ll design the seats. Just simple steps, right? That’s easy.”
“Great. Just make the ends slightly curved so the focus is on the performance area.”
“Okay. I’ll implement the ground slope accurately and design it accordingly.”
“Wow… That’s really tough. Impressive.”
As expected, Lee Hyerim was skilled in using the programs.
“What program do you use, hyung?” Kang Lim asked, looking at Hong Yoonki.
“Well, I can paint… Should I paint the steps? Even if the shade structure is cool, the steps are plain.”
“…”
His incompetence seemed familiar.
‘Where have I seen this combination before… How did he get into the agency? Was his study abroad an escape? Goldsmiths is famous for its fine arts department, not design. The tuition is high, but you can get in with a steady portfolio.’
He had been an assistant to artist Kim Sanghee, so he might have been introduced.
Many sculptural art assistants just paint.
‘No wonder they wanted to cut him.’
Kang Lim kept his thoughts to himself.
“Painting could look nice, but it’s tough. Even painting a crosswalk requires skill. Hyung, you know, when painting a mural, if you don’t apply the paint evenly, it looks messy. And after a few days, the paint fades with use. Outdoor steps aren’t the best for painting.”
“Simple designs are best… In that case, using good wood to preserve the texture is better. How about walnut? It’s hard, durable, and weather-resistant. Even if someone kicks it, it’ll be sturdy.”
“It would be great if we could use walnut, but it’s too expensive. Our budget is tight…”
“It’s costly but has a beautiful pattern. How about cutting costs elsewhere?”
“It would still be expensive. Outdoor furniture requires a lot of finishing. Exposure to sunlight and humidity means we need to apply oil stain to prevent rotting.”
“Oh, right. So, additional finishing costs. What should we use…”
“Composite wood might be best. It doesn’t rot, is strong, and doesn’t need external treatment.”
“Have you done outdoor installations? You seem knowledgeable.”
“I’ve read some books.”
“Okay. So what should I do?”
Hong Yoonki, like Lee Hyunseong, lacked skills but was eager to participate.
‘What task would be good for him…’ Thinking deeply again, Lee Hyerim spoke up.
“But can we make both the steps and a shade structure? Even with composite wood, our budget is too low. As you know, 6 million won isn’t much. The wood alone is costly, and CNC machining could easily exceed 4 million. I’ve done similar installations.”
“You must know the estimates well, noona.”
“If we make a shade structure like a parasol with fabric, it’s cheaper, but it might lack aesthetics.”
“Right. The shade structure needs to be impressive. It’s the theme piece to highlight the performance. What material should we use…”
Bzzz-
Kang Lim’s phone buzzed.
[Yoon Hyun: Medical Anatomy Together, Anatomy for Artists. Both books are finished! I included your name as an illustrator. Come pick them up. I’ll be in the lab next week.]
Surprised by the good news, Kang Lim quickly replied.
[Kang Lim: Wow, thank you. I’ll visit soon.]
[Yoon Hyun: Remember the art professor who included your illustration in the textbook?]
[Kang Lim: Yes, of course.]
[Yoon Hyun: That sample is ready too. Take it with you.]
[Kang Lim: Oh, thank you.]
[Yoon Hyun: You’re getting featured everywhere! Haha.]
Indeed, his work was featured in many places.
From the Tomorrow’s Art magazine to Art Magazine K, high school textbooks, medical anatomy books, and anatomy for artists books…
‘Oh? These are all great portfolio pieces…’
As he organized his past work, a great idea suddenly came to him.
“Noona! I think we can get CNC machining done cheaply. Don’t worry about material costs.”
Lee Hyerim’s eyes widened.
“What do you mean? Do you know someone?”
“Yes. There’s a way to do it cheaply.”
“What about the shade structure? What will you make it from?”
“I’ll think about that more.”
“Okay. Take your time. It’s hard for ideas to come suddenly.”
How to express the feeling of a summer festival?
Fresh, bustling, lively… and cool.
As he thought of various keywords, Kang Lim pictured the structure in his mind.
‘A transparent acrylic structure might look cool, but it needs to provide shade. That could be an issue…’
Then.
A cool breeze blew from the entrance of the Walking Street.
As the sudden dust stung his eyes, Kang Lim closed them tightly.
Stepping back,
Crunch.
He stepped on an abandoned plastic cup.
…!
Suddenly, a brilliant idea flashed in Kang Lim’s mind.
He shouted to Hong Yoonki with an expression like Archimedes shouting “Eureka.”
“Hyung! I have an important task for you!”
Hong Yoonki, who was weary from the heat, brightened up a bit, eager to work.
“What, what is it?”
Clenching his fist, Kang Lim shouted loudly.
“Trash! You’re in charge of the trash, hyung!”
