Reset Life with Infinite Talents - Chapter 148
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Infinite Talent Reset Life Episode 148
40. In Korea
Myeongdong night streets.
“!!(Here! Here!)”
“かわいい(Pretty!).”
A man in his 50s clicks his tongue as he enters Myeongdong Street, bustling with people as usual today.
“Is this a foreign country or Korea?”
Myeongdong, which was the street of Korean youth in the 80s and 90s.
It was a place overflowing with stylish people, densely packed with all kinds of brand stores, nightclubs, department stores, theaters, and right next to it was Chungmuro, the mecca of Korean cinema. But now Chinese and Japanese tourists are more visible.
“Should I smile at how much Korea has developed for tourists to visit this much, or should I cry that I can’t feel the nostalgia of old memories…?”
The man in his 50s smiles bitterly.
“Over there!”
“Let’s hurry!”
Murmur murmur!
People rushing somewhere in a crowd.
“Did Metallica come or something…?”
‘I have some time before the meeting.’
The man who came here for business nearby quietly follows the people.
“Park Saeng-min?”
‘Entertainment Relay?’
In the center of the gathered crowd, checking his watch, is Park Saeng-min, the broadcaster from Entertainment Relay that the man still enjoys watching.
It seems like a celebrity is coming.
The man looked around just to see their face, and Park Saeng-min looked at the Producer.
“Really, really, it’s okay, right?”
It’s a Hollywood star, no less.
“If I make a big mistake and other Hollywood stars don’t come to Korea, I’ll…”
“It’s fine, hyung. They actually wanted it first. They said they wanted to experience Korea.”
“You’re dead too!”
“…That’s why we kept the route as short as possible.”
“Damn, this is driving me crazy. Why not meet at the studio…!”
How nice it would be for both sides to meet at the studio like other Hollywood stars or Billboard stars.
“Please step back! We’re asking you!”
The Producer speaks to Park Saeng-min, who sighs while watching the staff desperately pushing back the onlookers.
“Hyung. You know the ratings keep dropping, right?”
The ratings are dropping so much that canceling Entertainment Relay is being discussed.
If he makes a mistake today, it might not just be discussed but confirmed.
“I know, I know!”
“Really, please… They’re almost here, hyung!”
“Please, we’re begging you! Please! Could you move aside there!”
Staff members urgently clearing the way.
At the same time, a van stops at the end.
Kyaaaak!
Cheers erupting even though the guest hasn’t gotten out yet.
Soon the door opens and Johann and Mark get out.
Waaaaaaah!
“Hello! Entertainment- Relay! Reporter Park Saeng-min here! Welcome to Korea!”
“Oh, annyeonghaseyo. I’m Mark Wahlberg.”
“Oh! You speak Korean well!”
“Haha. I practiced a bit, was my pronunciation okay?”
“I thought you were Korean!”
“Hahaha!”
Park Saeng-min, who laughed together, looks at Johann.
“Hello! Mr. Johann Jefferson! Welcome to Korea.”
“Thank you for the warm welcome. It’s an honor to meet one of Korea’s top reporters. I’m Johann Jefferson.”
“What?”
Not only Park Saeng-min but all the onlookers freeze.
‘Why does he speak Korean so well?’
Korean more natural than a Korean person’s – cognitive dissonance occurred.
“Mmm-.”
The salty cheese and chewy clam meat wrapped in spicy sauce delights the mouth.
“This is pretty good?”
“Why don’t they sell this stuff in LA?”
The octopus leg brought from the side is quite a delicacy too.
Octopus juices bursting through the fire-grilled flavor.
Chewing it makes you feel like you wouldn’t know how the day passes.
‘He must be craving beer.’
That’s the expression Mark makes when he wants to drink beer.
‘Good.’
The air is a bit humid, but eating unfamiliar yet delicious food on a foreign street makes the tightly wound strings in his head feel loose.
-When this night passes! We!
-Sorry sorry sorry sorry!
-Shanti shanti kare kare ya!
-Give It To Me!
‘These are Korean songs…?’
The sounds of songs he’s only now hearing.
“This is good?”
“What is?”
“These songs.”
Songs filling the street as if announcing that this place is Korea.
Easy to listen to while naturally making your shoulders move.
‘Their vocal abilities are amazing too.’
Appeal that can be felt even without understanding Korean.
High octave vocal power.
‘This level…’
It’s a skill level where most American singers couldn’t even present their business cards. Moreover, there’s a certain emotion that runs through all the songs being heard.
‘Sad, desperate, and heart-wrenching emotions.’
That intense appeal grabs your ears and won’t let go.
A sharp awl will eventually pierce through the pocket.
For some reason, he feels like Korean songs will be heard frequently in America in the future.
“This won’t do.”
“Huh, where are you going?”
“Wait a moment!”
Johann pushes the last piece of octopus into his mouth and enters a nearby cosmetics shop. Mark and Park Saeng-min quickly follow.
“Excuse me.”
Johann asks in Korean.
“Yes, yes! Wh-what can I do for you?”
The employee turns pale.
Johann points to the speaker above his head.
“Could you tell me who the singer is that’s performing this song right now?”
-The deep empty space you left that won’t heal-!
“Bi-Big Mama…?”
“Big Mama… So that’s their name.”
“Why, why do you ask, Mr. Jefferson?”
Johann, who is an actor but also famous as a composer, listens to a Korean singer’s song and shows curiosity about the artist.
A thrill runs through Park Saeng-min’s body.
“Could it be?”
“Yes. I’d like to work with them.”
Thud!
Park Saeng-min’s jaw dropped, and the people who had followed them in screamed and hurriedly contacted their friends and acquaintances with this news.
* * *
After briefly turning the Myeongdong streets upside down, they moved to a cafe they had reserved in advance.
They then had time to introduce the movie.
Park Saeng-min, having finished his conversation with Mark, looks at Johann.
“Wow, you’re really… handsome.”
Especially those eyes that seemed to have topaz embedded in them – he felt like he could get sucked into them.
“You must be very popular at school, aren’t you?”
“Hmm. It is troublesome that my locker keeps getting broken.”
“Hahahaha!”
‘Americans are definitely Americans.’
Such free expression.
“You spoke Korean very well earlier – did you practice separately?”
‘It would be better to say something nice here, right?’
‘The One Who Became a Star’ agrees.
Johann looks at the people crowded in front of the cafe’s glass windows.
“When I came down from the forest to the city and was having trouble adapting, one Korean friend approached me, and thanks to that friend, I learned it.”
‘Jackpot!’
Johann brings up something that was too sensitive to even mention keywords about, speaking of it first himself.
‘And he learned Korean because of a Korean friend!’
It’s a story that any Korean would have to fall for.
Park Saeng-min secretly clenches his fist.
“The forest?”
“I don’t know if you’re aware…”
Johann calmly tells his adapted past.
“So I learned Korean to become closer with that friend, and now we’re inseparable friends.”
“Wow…”
Johann’s past is touching even when you know the story.
“So your liking Korean food is also…?”
“I discovered Korean food thanks to that friend’s mother, and it really suited my taste. I became so hooked on Korean food that I cook it myself now. Ah. Korea, thank you for sending me such a good friend.”
I guarantee it. This story will definitely work.
Park Saeng-min’s breathing becomes rough without him realizing it.
“It must be a difficult story to share, but thank you for telling us first.”
“Not at all.”
“Well then, next question! What food would you most like to eat in Korea, Mr. Jefferson?”
“Hmm. I’m torn about what to eat first, but there is something I most want to see in Korea.”
“Oh, what is it?”
“Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Joseon Dynasty Annals, and Hunminjeongeum.”
“…Excuse me?”
Cognitive dissonance strikes again.
* * *
“Wow!”
“Kyaaah!”
Park Saeng-min clicks his tongue as he watches Johann and Mark disappear through the crowd again.
“Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Joseon Dynasty Annals…”
Gyeongbokgung Palace, which more Koreans haven’t visited than have.
Even the Joseon Dynasty Annals and Hunminjeongeum, despite being UNESCO World Heritage documents, few people have seen even copies, let alone the originals.
And a foreigner, a 16-year-old boy at that, says he wants to see them.
Saying that to understand a country, you must first know its history.
“Has there ever been another Hollywood star besides Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt who loved Korea this much?”
“There hasn’t been.”
No, even Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt have never mentioned the Joseon Dynasty Annals. They probably don’t even know that there was a country called Joseon before the Republic of Korea.
“When today’s interview airs next week…”
“The ranking of Koreans’ favorite stars will change.”
What Korean could dislike a foreign star who loves Korea this much?
‘If this was intentional…’
“No way. That can’t be it.”
A mere 16-year-old couldn’t have such deep schemes.
“What?”
“Nothing. Let’s go.”
“Mr. Park Saeng-min! Please give me your autograph!”
“Oh my! Yes. Of course I should!”
Park Saeng-min smiles and approaches the people.
Meanwhile, Mark, who escaped Myeongdong and got in the car, looks at Johann.
“Were you serious about what you said earlier?”
“They say Joseon was a country obsessed with records.”
Joseon recorded everything from what the king said to his actions.
They were so obsessed that when the king fell off his horse and told them not to record it, they even recorded that statement.
And Hunminjeongeum is the only writing system in the world where the time and reason for its creation are recorded.
“Isn’t that interesting?”
No.
‘Jeongjong, Yi Bang-gwa’ and ‘Master Chef’ want to see it.
About Joseon after their deaths, about the writing system their nephew created.
“Wow… If that’s the case, I want to see it too?”
When Mark looks at the Warner Korea representative, he makes a troubled expression.
“Um. Please wait a moment. I’ll look into it.”
Johann and Mark’s eyes light up, and the representative gets out after having the car stop.
The car following behind also stops and one person gets out and approaches.
It’s an employee sent by Kim Seo-hyun.
“What’s the matter?”
“Well…”
The Warner Korea representative explains the situation.
“Ugh. The visiting hours there must be over by now….”
I don’t even know where the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty and Hunminjeongeum are currently stored.
“Is it impossible even with SJ Group’s influence?”
“…Just a moment. Yes, Chief Secretary. This is Manager Park. Mr. Johann Jefferson says he would like to see Gyeongbokgung Palace, the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, and Hunminjeongeum. What should we do? Yes, there are no more schedules for today. Yes, yes! I understand! I’ll hang up! They say it’s possible.”
“He must be quite an important guest.”
“Indeed….”
What kind of relationship does Johann have with Kim Seo-hyun that they would go this far for him?
‘Do I need to know?’
For an office worker like himself, he just does what he’s told to do.
“Then I’ll ask for your assistance.”
“Understood.”
As Manager Park turns around, the official gets into the car and smiles brightly.
“It seems possible.”
“Oh!”
Mark smiled brightly, while Johann narrowed his eyes inwardly.
‘Did he just say SJ?’
A word he read through lip reading, one of the abilities honed by ‘The One Who Became a Star’.
Johann fell into thought.
* * *
Vrooom! Beep! Beep beep!
In front of Gwanghwamun, where many cars come and go despite the late evening hour.
“That is Gwanghwamun, the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace!”
‘Huh? Gwanghwamun?’
The massive Gwanghwamun visible in the distance through the front window.
Johann tilts his head.
‘It’s very different from Yi Bang-gwa’s memories….’
Both the name and appearance.
During the time of ‘Master Chef’ Park Paeng-nyeon, it didn’t even exist.
Johann slowly closes and opens his eyes, then nods.
‘Different. Completely.’
What could have happened?
Johann looks around.
‘I can’t even find traces of the Six Ministries.’
‘Jeongjong, Yi Bang-gwa’ speaks sadly.
Yet he rejoices.
That Joseon, the country his father founded, and its descendants have prospered like this.
“Could we walk from here?”
“Hmm. Understood.”
Since it’s evening, people walking the streets probably won’t pay much attention.
As they get out of the car, Mark sends a puzzled look.
“According to my research, the Six Ministries were gathered near this street—basically like the administrative departments, State Department, and Pentagon all clustered together.”
“Oh?! Here?”
The street feels different now.
With the massive castle gate visible in the distance, it feels somewhat mystical.
“Officials and government workers gathered on this street every morning before sunrise. And they went home long after sunset.”
When there were meetings or business to attend to, they would cross through that south gate.
“Wow. Koreans’ diligent genes must have existed since then.”
Mark, looking around with curious eyes, points to a massive statue.
“Then what’s that?”
“That’s….”
“Those are King Sejong the Great and Admiral Yi Sun-sin.”
At the official’s interjection, Johann looks puzzled.
“King Sejong?”
“The 4th king of Joseon who created Hunminjeongeum!”
‘Ah, they call Yi Do by the name Sejong.’
Since posthumous names and temple names are given after a person’s death, he was momentarily confused.
“And Admiral Yi Sun-sin is the great general who defeated the Japanese during the Japanese invasions of Korea!”
“Oh, Japan….”
Mark’s expression slightly furrows.
“Japan seems to have invaded neighboring countries in the past too.”
“It’s one of the countries that greatly troubled Joseon.”
That Gwanghwamun was also destroyed during the Japanese invasions and restored by Heungseon Daewongun during King Gojong’s reign.
“It’s been less than 150 years.”
“Ah!”
That’s why it was different from his memories.
“Hmm. Was it restored exactly as it was in the old days?”
“I understand that’s not the case. Many historical records were lost at that time.”
So they restored it somewhat similarly, but more grandly, from what he learned.
“…Thank you for your hard work.”
Those are the only words that come to mind.
“Haha. Thank you.”
As the official steps back, Mark looks at Johann.
“How should I put it… Korea seems like a country with much pain.”
“Indeed.”
Most of the Koreans Johann had accessed lived through turbulent times.
Whether foreign invasions, natural disasters, exploitation, or civil wars.
‘How did they endure?’
Despite being sandwiched between the massive country of China and Japan, a war criminal nation from World War II, Korea has continued to preserve its own culture and language.
“I can only say it’s truly amazing.”
“Right. If people from that time saw this scene, they would surely shed tears.”
Cars filling the roads despite the late hour.
“Especially because of people walking with such comfortable expressions.”
Even though it’s already 9:30, and even though it’s a street that doesn’t seem to have much entertainment besides bars and clothing stores, there are many people.
A scene unimaginable in LA and New York.
“Look at that. If you walked around dressed like that at this time in America….”
“You’d get mugged right away.”
Perhaps because of the humid and hot weather, they’re wearing thin and short clothes, but everyone looks stylish.
‘The fashion is sophisticated too. Huh?’
Johann’s eyes look at the women passing by.
“That’s….”
“Ah, that’s hanbok, Korea’s traditional clothing. Since there’s Insa-dong, a traditional art street, and Bukchon Village with traditional Korean houses nearby, people walk around wearing hanbok like that.”
Not only young Koreans but tourists as well.
“This area around Gyeongbokgung Palace is one of Korea’s representative tourist destinations along with Myeong-dong.”
“Wow… It’s really beautiful.”
For Mark, it’s a mysterious and beautiful design he’s never seen before, yet one that instantly captivates the eye.
Being in front of buildings of a style he’s never seen makes it feel even more so.
“Is that Korea’s orientalism? …Johann? What’s wrong?”
At Mark’s call, Johann snaps back to attention.
“No. Could we try wearing those as well?”
Johann urgently speaks up.
Fragments from the ‘Designers’ he had absorbed and read on the way to Korea are suddenly tickling his mind.
The official nods as if it’s only natural.
“Would you like to change now?”
“Oh, is that okay?”
“Haha, let’s go!”
‘If I get them changed and have them tour Gyeongbokgung Palace, then feed them Korean traditional cuisine at Bukchon Hanok Village, that should be perfect!’
Then today’s schedule would be complete.
Johann and Mark, who were already VIPs but became even more important guests due to SJ’s request.
The official smiled brightly and headed toward the pre-reserved hanbok rental shop.
‘Hmm. Mmm.’
Even after absorption reading ‘Designer’, his mind still only feels ticklish.
Johann furrows his brow.
‘Is it just reacting because it’s a new form of design?’
That could be it.
Since aesthetic sense often draws inspiration from new things, it might be the tickling sensation of their madness searching for something new.
“Johann, how is it?”
Johann, who had been disappointed, turns his head and gives a thumbs up.
“You look like a white person imitating an Asian.”
“…Is that an insult or a compliment?”
“I’ll take a photo for you. Cheese.”
Click!
Johann and Mark took photos of each other.
Johann checks the photo Mark took of him, then furrows his brow and scolds Mark.
“…Learn some photography skills, Mark.”
“Shut up. Not everyone’s a monster like you.”
“Haha. Let’s go.”
And so they headed back to Gyeongbokgung Palace.
They head to the parking lot next to Gwanghwamun Gate rather than the gate itself.
“Please come this way!”
“Uh… can’t we enter through over there?”
“I’m sorry. Since we’re opening specially just for you two, using Gwanghwamun Gate is…”
“What?!”
Mark’s face turns pale.
Johann is also shocked.
“My goodness! If that’s the case, you don’t need to do this for us!”
“Yes, exactly! Who are we to deserve this!”
‘The place that had closed for the day was Gyeongbokgung Palace!’
He thought it was a museum where the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty and Hunminjeongeum would be displayed.
Though the gates were closed, Gwanghwamun Gate would have been closed at this time even back then.
Johann stamped his feet in embarrassment.
“Haha. We already made the rental arrangements… Please just promote Korea a lot instead.”
“Ugh. Understood. We’ll definitely do that.”
“I’ll also promote your kindness and Korea a lot to my friends and acquaintances.”
“Thank you. Please go this way.”
And so they headed to Hyeopsaengmun Gate connected to the parking lot.
Thud thud! Thud thud thud! Creak!
“Welcome to Gyeongbokgung Palace.”
“…Wow.”
Behind the Gyeongbokgung Manager, the brightly lit interior came into view. Johann and Mark were mesmerized by Heungnyemun Gate wrapped in light shooting up from the ground.
The high gate with red walls and blue roof tiles.
“Five Gates…”
Flinch!
‘That’s different too.’
Johann, startled, looks at the frozen manager and points to Gwanghwamun Gate.
“That Gwanghwamun Gate. Long ago, a very long time ago, wasn’t it called South Gate?”
“H-how do you even know that?!”
Names that even most Koreans don’t know.
The guide’s eyes widened.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
