Episode 65: While You Were Sleeping
Materials Science Professor’s Research Lab.
The printmaking assistant professor was examining a half-burned print under the sunlight.
It had a mysterious color and texture, like an old map.
In the cut-out frame, only emptiness remained, depicting the lonely back of a person.
The piece was found in the sculpture art department’s incinerator.
There were already traces of hundreds of sheets burned there.
At that moment, the assistant professor squatted down and examined the burnt and torn papers.
It was a copperplate print that stood out for its control of line intensity, rich tones, and experimental use of materials.
‘If it weren’t for me, no one would have known it was a copperplate print… But is this a story illustration? There’s writing below.’
The assistant professor shook his head as he looked at the unique handwriting that seemed like it was engraved on a cornerstone.
It was an absurd piece.
‘It would’ve been easier to just draw it, but it seems they used copperplate to give it an analog feel… Crazy. In etching, the plate prints in reverse, so you have to draw everything, including the text, flipped left to right. This is insane. The text looks like it was printed by a computer.’
What kind of work did they end up with after burning all these?
Just thinking about it gave him chills.
The assistant professor shuddered as he imagined what had happened in the incinerator.
After catching his breath, he spoke to Professor Yoon Hyun, who was beside him.
“Professor, did you read the leaflet that Kang Lim left?”
“……”
Yoon Hyun was just now reading the exhibition leaflet left by Kang Lim.
There were only two photos in the exhibition leaflet.
Even though they were small photos, Kang Lim’s paintings instantly captivated people.
The first thought that came to Yoon Hyun’s mind when he saw the paintings was:
What on earth happened to this woman?
That was the first question that came to mind.
He was someone who, when looking at the human body, started by evaluating whether it was anatomically accurate.
But there was no time to apply such standards.
The incredible appeal and immersion.
How would it be seeing it in person…?
“I’ve finished reading it now. The exhibition title, ‘24 Solar Terms of Emotions,’ truly conveys all the person’s emotions through the paintings alone.”
The assistant professor fiddled with the smooth, matte leaflet and said,
“Professor, I had no idea Kang Lim had such a past…”
“Yes, I didn’t expect it either.”
“I thought he might have been a genius from birth, but I didn’t know it was to this extent. He started working at the age of six.”
“Yes, there’s no point in saying more. I was really surprised. Look at the notes written by the artist, he’s a deeply thoughtful person…”
The assistant professor handed a half-burnt print piece to Yoon Hyun and said,
“Professor, it’s just a piece, but it’s a work that makes you curious about the entire image. This… must be drawn by Kang Lim, right?”
A drooped arm, fingers pointing downward.
The shadow of a woman swaying at sunset.
Yoon Hyun nodded as he observed the delicate and sensory expression.
“If it’s not Kang Lim, no one else in our school can draw like this. There’s a difference between someone who distorts without understanding anatomy and someone who does so with full understanding.”
“Right? It seems like a recent work… Shall we go see it?”
“Sure.”
The two left the research lab and took the elevator.
When they pressed the button for the 1st-year classroom on the 3rd floor, the floors slowly descended.
As soon as the door opened, they quickly entered the classroom.
They had never visited the 1st-year classroom to see the works out of curiosity…
Kang Lim was always a student who excited the professors.
With name tags prominently displayed on each partition, finding Kang Lim’s seat was not difficult.
The corner seat by the window, the most secluded spot.
There, the students from the sculpture art department had already gathered in a crowd.
And…
There, they discovered one heart and 15 stories.
After finishing his conversation with Koo Haeyoung, Kang Lim returned to the classroom.
When he checked the time on his phone, an hour had already passed.
Had they talked for that long… It was a strange feeling.
He felt light-headed from fatigue, but honestly, he still felt strange.
‘The possibility of exhibiting my work at the Venice Biennale… Is this a dream… I hope it goes well.’
The professor had spoken as if it were a certainty if he recommended it.
However, Kang Lim had to keep himself from getting too excited, fearing he might be greatly disappointed if it didn’t happen.
‘I should just put the work I presented back in the locker and go home to sleep… Don’t get too excited. It’s important to meet people step by step, starting with the Baekyeon Gallery solo exhibition. If I do that, I might be able to participate in a big exhibition overseas later. Let’s do everything diligently, one by one.’
As he returned to his seat, a few classmates were waiting for him.
But something was missing.
The heart sculpture and paintings he had made were nowhere to be seen.
“What the… Where did they go…”
Kang Lim felt around his desk with a look of losing a child.
His legs almost gave out.
Fortunately, Lee Hyunseong smiled and said,
“Hey… Don’t worry. Of course, we kept them safe. Taemin wrapped them in bubble wrap and locked them in the locker.”
Seo Yeon was looking at Shin Taemin curiously.
Just like when Lee Sehee had damaged Kang Lim’s work, he had helped.
This guy, after all, was not as bad as he seemed.
In some ways, he seemed like Kang Lim’s guardian angel…
“Ha… Thank goodness. You scared me.”
Kang Lim sighed and plopped down on his chair.
“Man, when you were talking with Professor Koo Haeyoung, the printmaking and anatomy professors came by. It was a real mess.”
“Oh, really? Why?”
“I don’t know, how did they know you made this…”
Lee Hyunseong shook his head, and the classmates chimed in.
“Yeah, it was insane! The anatomy professor was glued to the heart, opening it up and talking about the details like the thinner muscles at the top and some valve between the atria and ventricles. I can’t even remember what he said.”
“Yeah, he said it looked like you reflected every muscle cell.”
“The printmaking professor also asked how you made the print, so we explained everything.”
“Anyway, both of them were fiddling with it so much that we put it away to avoid getting it dirty.”
Kang Lim burst into laughter at his excited friends’ reactions.
There were students here making a fuss more than he was.
“Why are you guys making such a fuss? It’s just my work.”
At Kang Lim’s words, the students chattered.
“Hey, just your work? We’re sitting here trying to interpret it, can’t you see?”
“Yeah, we stayed behind to share answers to the questions you left, and listening to everyone, it seems like there are reasons for their answers.”
“Right, as we talked, it felt like the black and white-clad people fighting in the story were us, arguing over it.”
“Yeah, maybe finding love requires time to openly talk about problems.”
“Anyway, regardless of the story, your sculpture and paintings are just insane!”
“Hey, why ignore the story? It’s a masterpiece including everything.”
“Anyway! I’ve never been this thrilled.”
Kang Lim found his chattering classmates adorable.
The sculpture art students were a small group, so it felt like a family.
Kang Lim smiled at his friends.
He should treat them to something delicious when they visit his solo exhibition.
That evening.
Im Yoojin quietly walked to Kang Lim’s room, making sure not to make a sound, and carefully opened his door.
Peeking inside, she saw someone sprawled out and passed out.
At first, his snoring had filled the room noisily, but now he was sleeping soundly.
‘As soon as he came home, he ate like he was starving for days… I wonder if he’s eating well…’
He had been doing night work at school and hadn’t been seen much these past few days, and now he came back in that state.
Im Yoojin hadn’t realized art could be so exhausting… If she had known, she wouldn’t have let him do it…
Seeing her son collapsed asleep made her chuckle.
He was so deeply asleep that he wouldn’t notice if she carried him away.
‘He’s living like someone given a second chance at life, even if it’s something he loves, it’s still tough… He’s amazing, even though he’s my son…’
Bzzz-
At that moment, the phone lying next to Kang Lim vibrated.
It was the sound of the battery dying and the phone turning off.
Im Yoojin quietly closed the door without making a sound.
If left alone, he might sleep through the entire day.
At the same time, the Baekyeon Gallery curator was staring at her laptop all day.
The article announcing Heyum’s new sponsored artist was getting an insane number of views.
The Jeil Group was always a topic among the public.
Plus, with Ryu Junhee’s fame added, the article was getting more views than economic or entertainment news.
Normally, cultural and arts articles never got this many views, but it was amazing.
Everyone was paying attention to the emergence of a new young artist.
The curator grinned widely and said,
“Director! An article about Kang Lim just made it to the main portal site! Amazing!”
“As expected!”
“Should I ask the reporter to upload the press release about Kang Lim’s solo exhibition now? All it takes is pressing enter!”
“No, not yet. Wait until the views go up a bit more, and Kang Lim ranks around 6th in search terms. Then link it as a related article on the main page.”
“Just a bit more then. Got it!”
Ha Baekyeon clicked on the article with the highest views.
[A new artist sharing the same roof with Jeil Group’s Ryu Junhee: Kang Lim!]
To strengthen the creative capacity of domestic visual artists, Jeil Group has been sponsoring artists.
Every year since 1980, they’ve selected young and promising artists, and now, it’s known as the gateway to fame in the art world, the Heyum Residency.
This year, the eligibility requirement was lowered from 24 to 19 years old, making the competition fiercer.
Surprisingly, the selected artist is 19 years old, capturing the attention of industry experts and art enthusiasts.
The young artist who appeared like a comet, Kang Lim (19), will receive a workspace in Seoul and Paris, France, for the next two years.
Additionally, he will participate in various regional projects and artist exchange programs to enhance the quality of his work.
Heyum’s director, Ryu Miyeon (45), said the newly selected artist Kang Lim (19) is already a complete artist despite his young age.
Kang Lim (19) already owns over 2,000 pieces of work, and he will unveil his works at Heyum Art Museum in early December.
Best Comments
Wow, 2,000 pieces at 19? ㄷㄷㄷ Isn’t Ryu Junhee 35 now? I thought Ryu Junhee was young, but he’s getting beaten.
Those 2,000 pieces could just be modern art with a single dot. That’s why I don’t trust these advertorial articles. ㅋㅋ. Ryu Junhee, to be fair, can draw well.
ㅇㅇ. Also, 19 is the age written in the article, so it’s probably in international age. He might actually be 20 or 21.
The jealous ones are already here. ㅋㅋㅋ. Are you a Ryu Junhee fan? You’re taking this opportunity to bash.
ㅇㅈㅋㅋ. Put your hand on your heart and think about what you achieved at 20. Being 20 might be an adult, but it’s still just a kid.
ㅇㅈ. If it’s true, just the number of works alone makes him a genius.
Kang Lim? Isn’t that the name of the sculpture in Hongdae?
That’s the artist’s name. How many times do I have to tell you?
Wow, if that’s true, he must be good at painting too.
Right, I’m curious. Waiting until December is too hard; they should at least attach a picture.
Usually, it’s etiquette not to upload photos of works that haven’t been officially exhibited. This isn’t even a promotional article for an exhibition.
But can a sculptor and a painter be the same person? It seems like a namesake with the same name who made the sculpture in Hongdae.
Picasso and Da Vinci did various things too. The name is too unique to be a namesake.
As the best comment’s likes surpassed 20,000 and people’s curiosity about Kang Lim grew with more and more replies,
Baekyeon Gallery released a related article.
[Kang Lim’s First Solo Exhibition, Series Painted Since Age Six - 24 Solar Terms of Emotions]
