Episode 9: Creativity Leader
Before looking at Kang Lim’s painting, Gerald first examined Shin Taemin’s artwork.
One by one, meticulously in order. He was someone who cared about the students.
That’s why Gerald’s motto was, “Even the smallest talent, if nurtured well, can make a difference.”
But Koo Haeyoung was different.
Koo Haeyoung always examined the seeds first, believing that no matter how much you nurture a small sprout, it could never become a big tree.
He even thought that it was more helpful to the children, even if it seemed cruel.
So, it was not uncommon to see the two professors clashing.
Because it was better to proceed with the exam ticket order to mark the entrance exam scores, the assistant went to Gerald’s side.
“Oh… this is well-drawn.”
It was Gerald’s first compliment.
On Shin Taemin’s painting, there was a model globe with an ancient map in the background.
The unique thing was that the model globe was drawn only with lines, without shading.
Only the map had shading.
As a result, the map in the background stood out more than the globe in the center.
“A painting that deliberately diverts focus from the composition! How paradoxical.”
Moreover, the unique lines built up repeatedly with thin strokes made the old map feel even more textured.
It looked as if it would smell like paper and crumble if touched.
The depiction showcased an incredibly skilled student, clearly someone who had trained for a long time.
“But these are not what’s important.”
Gerald admired as he read the answer sheet given by the assistant.
“Yes, yes… the globe is round, but when unfolded, it becomes similar to a square. Then you’d doubt if it’s really a sphere…”
Listening to Gerald, the assistant realized the hidden intention in the painting.
Upon examining the map closely, there were dotted lines.
In other words, folding the square map would form a globe!
Indeed, this guy had deliberately chosen such a subject.
“Haeyoung! Look at this student’s painting! This guy deliberately drew a globe, making the many students who drew planets look foolish. Isn’t it funny that what they believe to be spheres might not be spheres at all? Hahaha!”
As Koo Haeyoung showed no reaction, Gerald raised his voice even more.
“Haeyoung! He criticized the tendency to be obsessed only with what appears in everyone’s mind and in visible shapes. Read the answer sheet. He paradoxically wrote about the wrong perception! It’s an ‘artistic’ perspective!”
Despite the loud noise ringing in his ears, Koo Haeyoung didn’t respond, so Gerald approached him.
“What’s wrong?”
Koo Haeyoung was standing there like a stone statue.
In his pitch-black eyes, there was a pressure that was hard to face.
Whenever he had such pupils, something significant always happened.
At the moment of releasing his typical concentration, Koo Haeyoung would create his best works.
As the condensed emotions surged, Gerald felt a small shiver down his spine.
“This guy… is the real deal.”
Koo Haeyoung’s lips slowly curled up.
As if he had finally found the true light among the numerous old and worn-out paintings.
“The guy who just made fun of everyone. He just made that guy look foolish too.”
“…What, what is it?”
What could he have seen? Gerald’s heart was filled with sudden excitement.
He approached and looked at Kang Lim’s painting that Koo Haeyoung was holding.
“How funny it is that he made a work criticizing others without knowing such a guy was right behind him?”
In the painting, all the recognizable figures were present.
Politics, society, culture, art, science… People who left significant marks in various fields of world history, whether for better or worse.
In fact, they couldn’t be confined to a single field.
These ‘viewpoints’ were intricately intertwined.
‘Newton, Shakespeare, Isadora Duncan, Einstein, Darwin, Napoleon, Hitler, Lincoln, Nobel, Churchill…’
There were so many people that listing them all was impossible.
If the paper wasn’t this size, the artist would have drawn even more people.
Since the depicted people were not drawn like cartoons, it was evident.
“Incredibly realistic… It looks alive!”
Moreover, as art is seen according to one’s knowledge, the shock the two professors received was immense.
Just as someone who could recognize all 54 philosophers in Raphael’s “School of Athens” would enjoy the piece more, the same applied to this painting.
Looking at Kang Lim’s painting, Gerald was reminded of the masterpiece in the Vatican Palace.
‘Raphael’s “School of Athens”… Aristotle points to the earth holding the book “Ethics,” and Plato points to the sky holding “Timaeus.” They were drawn that way to express their philosophies, and this student also…’
What about Kang Lim’s painting?
It subtly revealed the achievements of each person and the repercussions they caused.
‘The personality and values of each person are shown through the actions and expressions of the figures, and even the historical attire is accurately depicted.’
How vast must his knowledge be for a mere twenty-year-old to draw such a painting?
Moreover, the exam room strictly prohibited any electronic devices.
That means he drew this without looking at any photo references…
Is that something a human can do?
This was beyond just good or bad drawing.
As the hairs on Gerald’s arm stood up, Koo Haeyoung chuckled and spoke.
“But the really important thing isn’t that.”
“What? What now!”
“Why do you think these people are gathered as an audience? The real protagonist of this painting is the person on stage.”
Only then did Gerald notice a faceless person.
He was aiming a gun at the people.
Just before pulling the trigger.
The veins on his solid wrist bulged.
“This guy drew a bullet. The answer sheet had just one line. ‘The history of the world could have been changed by a single bullet.’”
Bang!
Upon hearing those words, the unknown gentleman’s shot pierced Gerald’s heart.
A few months later.
The colorful leaves had all fallen, leaving only the biting wind shaking the branches.
The biting cold. Was winter always this cold? Kang Lim zipped up his padded jacket.
The snow from before hadn’t even melted on the road.
On top of it, sleet scattered and melted before even hitting the ground.
To some, it might have seemed like a very sad landscape.
Because today was the day when the results of the major art college admissions were announced.
“Wow, the genius who drew a sphere without drawing a sphere is here?”
As soon as he opened the academy door and stepped in, Lee Hyunseong bowed his head in respect.
It seemed he had been shocked ever since Kang Lim told him what he had drawn.
“Cut it out.”
Kang Lim wiped his shoes again on the already worn-out mat and stepped inside.
The white marble floor was marked with dirty water.
Like the wet asphalt, the atmosphere in the academy was chilly.
Seeing a place once filled with children’s energy now only left with tense vigilance made him feel somewhat sad.
‘Ugh, I hate this kind of atmosphere. Why did I have to come and check it together?’
Honestly, Kang Lim wasn’t worried about not getting into any universities.
He might have been rejected by the Korean National University of Arts, but the evaluation criteria of other universities were too obvious.
There was no way he would be rejected for drawing well.
“Oh, Kang Lim, you’re here?”
When he entered the computer room often used by the design students, the director greeted him warmly.
After bowing in greeting, Kang Lim avoided the director’s expectant eyes.
The director only had faith in Kang Lim.
The students seemed to have gone through quite a storm.
Only a few remained, refreshing the acceptance check sites in front of the computer screens.
Judging by their shocked faces…
‘Looks like they didn’t pass.’
Kang Lim shook his head.
Those inputting their exam numbers and waiting were the ones whose results hadn’t come out yet.
At exactly 6 o’clock.
“Uwaaaaah!”
Lee Hyunseong screamed after pressing Enter.
Following that, some students collapsed, and the others celebrated quietly because of them.
“Uwaaaaa!”
Lee Hyunseong screamed twice and then fell silent.
The universities announced were H University and K University. He had been rejected by both.
Kang Lim looked at Lee Hyunseong in wonder.
‘How could he only apply to the top schools?’
Usually, when applying to universities, people also apply to some lower-tier schools, but it was hard to tell whether it was arrogance or sincerity.
Kang Lim also turned on the monitor and opened the H University website.
He took out his exam ticket from his pocket, and the director covered his face with his hands, praying.
Even those who didn’t originally have a religion sometimes wanted to depend on something in such moments.
The moment that could make the academy legendary!
If he got into all the top art schools, it could somehow cover up this year’s failed admissions!
Whether he knew this or not, Kang Lim calmly opened the H University website.
‘Here… H4400180.’
After entering the exam number and pressing Enter, the word [Accepted] appeared in blue next to his name.
After nodding once, he immediately opened the S University website.
He mechanically entered the exam number and pressed Enter again, and once again, [Accepted] appeared in blue.
“Hey. Did you pass? You passed, right?”
With a complicated expression, Lee Hyunseong approached and looked at the computer monitor.
“Ah, damn! Why aren’t you even surprised? It’s annoying.”
“Sorry.”
Only then did Kang Lim show a slightly surprised expression.
“Ugh, so annoying. Some of us are doomed to repeat another year.”
Lee Hyunseong packed the materials he had used for two years at the academy into his bag.
Seeing that, Kang Lim chuckled.
“What? Are you just going to leave? Aren’t you going to check the Korean National University of Arts?”
“Are you teasing me? Do you want to die? Read the room.”
“You might have passed.”
“Why would they accept me? Unless the professor has lost his mind.”
Despite saying that, Lee Hyunseong was the type to check on his phone on his way home and scream over the phone.
Recalling how his eardrums almost burst from the sudden call, it was better to hear it in person.
He would come back right away and slide on the academy floor anyway.
“Just press it. You’ll check it on your phone on your way home anyway.”
How did he know?
With a sly expression, Lee Hyunseong fished out his phone from his pocket.
“Well, I guess it’s better to check now.”
He navigated to the Korean National University of Arts website and moved the cursor to the acceptance check window.
He entered his exam number above the blinking cursor. Deep breath? He didn’t even bother. He would be rejected anyway.
“…?”
“You passed. Congratulations.”
Lee Hyunseong’s face froze as he looked at the screen.
The director was even more surprised by those words.
“What? Passed? How did you…?”
In an instant.
Lee Hyunseong, who jumped up and screamed so loudly that the academy echoed, ran out to the hallway.
He would probably run to the first-year classroom at the very end.
Among the loud thumping sounds, he could hear words like “Damn it! It’s a fluke-!! A total fluke-!!!”
‘The first-years would be puzzled now, but they’ll understand when they become seniors…’
Kang Lim took a deep breath and entered his exam number.
This time, he felt a bit nervous.
Because it was where Koo Haeyoung, whom he admired so much, was.
Gulp.
Just as he swallowed and pressed Enter.
[Congratulations on your acceptance.]
The words appeared with an emoji of fireworks.
And…
Below that, there were more words in red letters.
[“Overall Top Student with a Full Scholarship”]
“Uwaaaaaa!!!”
“Haha…”
The director, who had been watching from behind, screamed as loudly as Lee Hyunseong.
A faint smile also appeared on Kang Lim’s face.
Not just the top in the plastic arts department but the overall top student. That means a four-year scholarship…
He opened his phone to contact his parents.
His hands were slightly trembling, unable to believe it.
He felt a strong sense of having taken a step closer to his dream.
