Episode 96: Celebration Party
[Who is Atomix, the collaborator with Kang Lim?]
A band has emerged in the music charts, which were previously dominated by idol music.
With its dreamy yet explosive electronic sound, Atomix has fully showcased its charm.
Atomix released their first mini-album ‘Question’ on the 23rd at 6 PM.
Currently, the title track
The high quality of all the included tracks has resulted in a phenomenon where people are lining up to listen.
In a single day, they have risen to become a trusted band.
The reason why the rookie band Atomix gained attention was due to the album cover design.
On the 24th, during the program ‘Night Café Terrace’ hosted by singer and actor Park Iso, it was revealed that the new album design for Atomix was done by artist Kang Lim, and the news spread rapidly among netizens.
Kang Lim’s cover work dramatically expressed the fiery love songs of youth and was praised for making one feel the climax structure of the song.
Best Comments
Ahaha, they say this was painted with fire. It’s seriously amazing.
└ It was scorched with fire, and the presence of both rough and soft parts is fascinating.
└ At first, I thought it was an ink wash painting.
└ Yeah, even if it’s drawn with fire, it seems to show his experience.
└ It’s surprising how he carved the singer’s features into the wood.
└ It really feels like roaring on stage. It’s cool.
- It’s known because of Kang Lim, but the song is genuinely good.
└ Right, it feels like I’m listening to proper music after a long time. The cover makes it feel more artistic lol.
└ They were originally famous in the indie scene. Seong Woojin’s songs were the best.
└ The fact that it stays on the charts without a fandom means everyone likes it.
└ Kang Lim is awesome for promoting it so that Park Iso would pick it from among so many albums.
- Didn’t Seong Woojin busk in front of Kang Lim’s sculpture in Hongdae?
└ They must have some connection.
└ Haha, lucky them. Those who are meant to succeed will succeed.
- There’s also a back cover of the album! Seong Woojin posted it on Instagram. Go check it out.
└ Wow, he made a dandelion from the leftover carved wood.
└ It symbolizes that although the traces of parting are painful like being carved out, they are precious memories.
└ The meaning is good, and it’s so beautiful. I wonder how he expressed the texture.
“I’ve read it all. There are so many comments.”
Kang Lim spoke on the phone while reading the article.
From the other side of the receiver, various voices could be heard.
[Oh my god! Is this real?]
[Aaaaah! When are you coming? We hit the roof!]
[Hyung, we suddenly became famous.]
[We even got cast for a variety show!]
The members shouted their excited words and screamed.
Some were so emotional that it was hard to understand what they were saying, but their joy was infectious.
From afar, Huh Jinseong could be heard telling them not to be too loud.
However, this time, they seemed unlikely to listen to their leader.
[It’s all thanks to you, hyung!]
[Thank you so much!]
[Kang Lim, as soon as you come back to Korea, I’m buying your painting!]
“Congratulations to all of you.”
Kang Lim felt a strange tingle in his nose.
Even though it wasn’t a band he raised, why did he feel so happy? Was it his inevitable fan spirit?
Worried that his voice might crack, Kang Lim cleared his throat and said,
“Ahem. I knew this would happen. I told you it would go well.”
[We didn’t expect it to be this big! Is this the power of a celebrity?]
[How is France? What have you been up to?]
[Did you conquer Europe?]
The barrage of questions made Kang Lim burst into laughter.
“Haha. I just unpacked, isn’t this too urgent?”
[Kang Lim, you’ll do even better.]
[We’ll be cheering for you!]
“But is it okay to talk this long? International calls are expensive.”
[Oh, come on, does that matter right now?]
“It’s about 1,500 won per minute, I think?”
[What?]
[Hey, hang up. We can’t do this.]
[Hyung, let’s text. We’ll keep in touch often.]
[Send us photos of Europe!]
After the call ended, Seoyeon, standing next to him, burst into laughter.
“Why is it worth buying a painting but not worth the phone bill? Their math is incomprehensible.”
“Really.”
Kang Lim shook his head with a smile as if he couldn’t believe it.
In front of him, the twin brothers were beaming.
“No way, is it Atomix? Amazing!”
“Yes, that’s right. They are so excited they’re jumping up and down.”
“Ah, the first debut is always emotional. Must be so satisfying.”
“Haha. It sure is.”
Seoyeon also checked her phone and said,
“But really, when did you draw this? It’s amazing.”
“That’s what I used to do on the computer. I ended up completing it by hand.”
“That’s why it’s even better. It stands out among the digital illustrations.”
“I think so too.”
While sharing the news with everyone, Ryu Junhee came in carrying a load of groceries in both hands.
Seeing the cheese piled high on the table, he was taken aback.
“What the… Did a bunch of mice raid a cheese factory?”
The twin brothers laughed as they unpacked.
“We’re no slouches either!”
“Then let’s see if we can cook well. Ratatouille~.”
The kitchen was decorated with sparkling lights and tree ornaments, and the sound of a crackling fire made it perfectly cozy.
People introduced themselves in the warm atmosphere.
They talked about how they started drawing, in which countries they had worked, and their most memorable exhibitions, sharing their experiences.
With warm food filling their stomachs and wine flowing, stories came out easily.
Happy and sad tales alike… Sharing them all together felt like going back to an old time.
Everyone had a relaxed yet happy expression.
‘It’s nice to have a small, intimate gathering. The food is luxurious, but…’
It was the first time Kang Lim had ever seen so much food laid out to eat.
Outside, the square was filled with crowds enjoying the Christmas spirit, but this was just as splendid.
‘This is called blanquette. It’s a home-cooked meal, but it’s unique and delicious.’
Kang Lim took a spoonful of the rich cream stew.
The soft sauce added a savory taste to his tongue.
The texture of the chewy seafood and cube-shaped lamb was excellent.
‘Coq au vin. This is good too.’
The chicken dish enhanced with wine was also delicious.
It felt like eating braised short ribs in Korea.
Of course, it had a more refreshing yet deep flavor.
Next to him, Erlin was gobbling up dessert. It was impressive how much food fit into her small body.
Kang Lim laughed and said,
“Eat slowly, or you’ll get a stomachache.”
“Oppa, I’m eating so much delicious food because you’re here! It’s the best!”
Her muffled pronunciation from chewing food made everyone laugh.
Not only Erlin, but even Isabel became more relaxed with the warm atmosphere.
She felt a certain kinship listening to Kang Lim’s life story.
To be precise, it was more about his mother.
“Sorry about this morning. I must have startled you by shouting.”
Kang Lim laughed brightly at Isabel’s words.
Maybe it was the alcohol, but his smile seemed even more pleasant.
“No, it’s fine. By the way, this cake is really delicious.”
“That’s a dessert we only have in France during Christmas. It’s my favorite.”
“Wow. I picked the right one. I bought it because it looked special.”
“It’s made in my hometown, Brittany.”
“Oh… But why does it look like this?”
The Bûche de Noël was shaped like a log.
Its mocha and chocolate cream was spread to look like tree bark.
The texture was fluffy and light, but the taste was rich and full due to the buttercream.
The occasional hint of cocoa was also exquisite.
“The Celts used to burn logs to ward off bad luck, and this was inspired by that to make a log-shaped roll cake.”
“Oh, I see. Then what about this?”
Kang Lim pointed to a pie Erlin was eating.
On the golden-brown pie was a star shape.
With layers like a pastry, it was sweet with finely chopped dried fruits.
“That’s a mince pie, a European dessert often eaten for good luck, with a star drawn on it.”
“Ah, it’s tasty. It kind of reminds me of a cheese plate I made.”
Kang Lim placed a fig on a cracker and topped it with cheese.
Camembert, Reblochon, Brie… Various cheeses were beautifully sliced.
“That combination is excellent! It goes well with red wine.”
The twin brothers sitting across from him gave him a thumbs up.
They were sipping wine and eating canapés.
“Oh, really? That’s a relief.”
He had just randomly put the cheese together, but it seemed to taste good.
Ryu Junhee and Seoyeon nodded in approval, looking satisfied.
“But isn’t there one more person?”
In response to Kang Lim’s question, Seoyeon answered.
“Oh, he’s doing installation work somewhere. He’s in the U.S. right now, so he couldn’t come. I’ll introduce you later.”
“Oh… I see. So, he’s in a residency in New York?”
“Yeah, that’s right. It’s really busy there too.”
Kang Lim wrapped meat, salad, and cheese in a thin pancake and took a big bite.
As he chewed the food thoroughly… he became curious.
He had heard general stories about what kind of work they were doing, but he really wanted to see the artists’ actual work.
When they had a group exhibition in Insadong, he was surprised by how different the real works were from the photos.
‘Well, we’ll see everything when the exhibition opens anyway…’
At that moment, as if reading Kang Lim’s mind, the twin brothers spoke.
This time, it was the one on the right, Jaiden Kim.
“Kang Lim, what’s your solo exhibition about? We’re doing an open studio anyway, so can we check it out? We’re colleagues in the same boat.”
“Haha, of course. I’m curious about your work too, so show me.”
The twin brothers laughed simultaneously.
This time, it was the one on the left, Jason Kim.
People said it was impossible to tell the two apart, but Kang Lim had learned to distinguish them by their subtle differences.
The facial muscles they used when talking and their small habits were stored in his memory, helping him tell Jaiden and Jason apart.
“If you’re curious about our work, we have to show you! But we’re performance artists, so there’s nothing in our studio.”
“Oh… but don’t you record videos of your performances?”
“No, you have to see it in person! We do work that tells you not to believe everything you see with your eyes, and that doesn’t come across well on camera.”
“Huh?”
“You must enter the space we create. That’s why we don’t do video recordings. It’s like an impromptu song in music. Only the people there at that moment can see it.”
“Hmm…”
Is that really necessary? While it would make it more exclusive…
Seeing Kang Lim’s pondering expression, people burst into laughter.
It was obvious to everyone that the twin brothers were joking.
“Haha, just kidding. We have videos and models too.”
“Oh, come on.”
“It takes so much time to plan a single performance; why would we just throw it away? The model for our next solo exhibition is already finished. Would you like to see it?”
“Yes, sounds great!”
The twin brothers looked at everyone and said,
“Will you all come along?”
Ryu Junhee and Seoyeon shook their heads while sipping onion soup.
Having already seen the work, they didn’t seem curious.
Isabel hesitated for a moment but then nodded and said,
“Well, I am curious about Kang Lim’s work.”
Seeing the twin brothers’ disappointed faces, Kang Lim said,
“Oh, my studio isn’t organized yet. It’ll take some time to lay out all the paintings. Can I show you tomorrow?”
“Sure. We’ve already drunk too much today and are tired.”
“Right. And my critic is coming tomorrow afternoon. It would be better to show it then.”
“…A critic is coming here?”
Everyone had the same expression at Isabel’s question.
There was a one-on-one critic system, but they usually just came briefly for reviews during exhibitions.
Having someone come from the planning stage to inspect was unexpected. Already, it felt like a strict evaluation was ahead.
“Yes. Professor Shin Hansoo… He’s a professor at our school, so you probably know him.”
As soon as Shin Hansoo’s name came up,
Everyone, except for Seoyeon who already knew, froze in shock.
They looked like they wanted to deny the current situation.
‘Why are they like this? It’s not them being judged. Are they worried about getting caught in the crossfire?’
Kang Lim tilted his head.
It seemed Shin Hansoo was quite famous even here.
