The Road To Glory [EN]: Chapter 911

< Because It's Real >

How great would it be if creating something was as easy as HALO making an album?

But collaboration isn’t a quick process, especially with many people involved, and the larger the project, the more complex it becomes.

Unless you’re the director, even the composer in charge of a single number can’t afford to relax.

Unlike his usual work, this required a narrative, and lyrics drawn from that narrative had to be matched to the melody.

Also, no matter how good a song is, there’s a significant difference between popular music and musical theatre music, so the arrangement process was essential.

Fortunately, no one volunteered to arrange or produce his song.

Even the general director, who had a degree in composition, listened to the second number only once and commented, “Hmm… I shouldn’t mess with this.”

“Why? The song seems simple.”

“Does this sound simple to you?”

“Yes.”

“That’s why you’re still an assistant. Try to analyze the song properly.”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“The structure is too dense. I don’t know what kind of pervert made it, but… it’s like the notes are intertwined like a spider web. Have you ever touched a spider web?”

“Suddenly a spider web? Well, yes. I used to put ants in spider webs, and it stuck to my hand.”

“Did you remove the spider web without touching it?”

“How can you not touch it when you’ve already touched it? It collapsed the moment I touched it.”

“That’s my point. You can’t touch this carelessly unless you’re the original composer.”

Park Jung-ho, the music director, who had been listening to their conversation, subtly smiled.

“Director Park, who made this song? There probably aren’t many composers who can create this kind of structure.”

“You’ll be surprised when you find out.”

“Judging by the way you say that, I guess it’s someone I know?”

“Probably… it’ll be hard not to know?”

A composer’s song isn’t automatically accepted just because they wrote it.

As the composer already knows, there are many instances where completed songs can’t be incorporated into musical scenes. Even if it’s a good song, it can’t be included if it doesn’t fit the musical’s overall theme or style.

That’s why when composers submit songs, they undergo a blind test, evaluated fairly alongside submissions from other production teams.

“How is it?”

The general director glared at the music director as if asking an obvious question.

The music director had played over thirty songs, including submissions from composers and non-composers he had personally sought out. It’s common to receive songs from various sources, so the general director had no idea who the composer of the unnamed song was.

But even if he knew the name, it wouldn’t change the outcome.

Unless words like ‘unsuitable’ or ‘trash’ came out of his mouth, what was already decided was confirmed.

“The composition is good, but it doesn’t seem like they have much experience with musical composition.”

“That’s right.”

Without needing to elaborate, the general director began a twenty questions game with the music director.

“Looking at the structure, it seems like they’ve been composing for quite a while.”

“That could be.”

“It seems like they’ve been doing popular music for quite a while.”

“That could be.”

“Do you think that person can adapt it into musical theatre music?”

The important thing isn’t the composer’s identity.

It’s whether they can handle this densely structured song.

There are people who write excellent songs but can’t effectively rework them.

“The meeting is scheduled.”

“That means it’s possible. I don’t know who it is, but it seems like Director Park really trusts them.”

“That’s right.”

“Then keep going. By the way, how’s the last number coming along? There weren’t any good ones among the songs you played.”

“That might take some time, but I’m hoping to entrust it to the same person.”

“The same person? The composer of the second number?”

“Yes.”

“That… the atmosphere is a bit different. Can they create that kind of song too?”

“They might be even better at that kind of thing.”

“But why is it taking time?”

“That’s…”

The music director recalled his conversation with Noh Hae-il.

When he asked him to create a song filled with the sorrow of the protagonist Jung-woo and the young people who lived in the 60s and 70s, Noh Hae-il slowly tilted his head and asked.

‘Sorrow?’

‘Is it a bit difficult?’

‘Rather than difficult…’

He didn’t say it explicitly, but he just seemed to not understand what sorrow was. Well, he’s 17, so it’s understandable.

“He reacted like he didn’t really know what sorrow was.”

The general director tilted his head at the music director’s words.

“What, is he a foreigner?”

The music director laughed, saying that it wouldn’t be strange to think that way.

Anyway, for that reason, HALO had several meetings scheduled and got to observe the process of creating a ‘musical’ from the sidelines.

There were also many opportunities to meet with Shin Joo-hyuk, who hadn’t finished writing all the songs yet, and other composers.

“Ha, it’s difficult. If I make one, the other one seems better, and if I make that one, this one seems better.”

The number Shin Joo-hyuk was asked to write was for the first performance after the protagonist Jung-woo formed a rock band. A passionate stage shown in a dimly lit live club, a place that didn’t attract the attention of the authorities.

Shin Joo-hyuk put a lot of enthusiasm into it as it was his first musical composition request, and that caught his eye.

“But didn’t you already finish it all?”

“I have to arrange it. And I got another request.”

“Request? Are you telling me they asked you to write another song?”

When HALO nodded casually, Shin Joo-hyuk was impressed.

“At this point, doesn’t Director Park suspect something?”

He was more amazed by Director Park, who requested two songs from HALO, than HALO receiving two songs. No matter how open-minded he is, if he’s dealing with a rookie and a 17-year-old boy, prejudices are bound to arise, but he asked him for another number.

Shin Joo-hyuk suddenly thought.

‘It seems like it won’t be long before people see the true potential of this kid.’

What kind of upheaval will there be when the musical is released?

#

And today was that day.

-Let’s set a date to have dinner together.

That day when his mother made a promise at his father’s words.

“Oh my.”

His mother exclaimed softly.

Along with that, Jang Jin-soo, scratching his neatly styled hair, came into view.

It felt like a reunion after almost half a year.

“Jin-soo, hello. How have you been?”

“Hello, Mother.”

As if to emphasize that he was studying diligently, Jang Jin-soo had completely abandoned the look that made him resemble a bully to his middle school friends.

He wore his school uniform buttoned up tightly, and no permed hair or piercings were visible at all. Even the bag on his back looked studious.

Hae-il looked at him in surprise, like his mother, not realizing that a person could change this much.

“Would you like to spend some time with Hae-il, Jin-soo? Hae-il’s father hasn’t arrived yet. Are you very hungry?”

“Ah, no, it’s okay. It’s okay to eat slowly.”

“But how did you lose so much weight? Aren’t you studying too hard?”

Jang Jin-soo just smiled faintly as his mother looked at him with concern. In the meantime, Jang Jin-soo had matured and looked thinner, just as Noh Hae-il had grown up.

“Let’s eat something delicious today. And I’ll pack you some snacks. Take them with you.”

“It’s okay… Thank you.”

Then Jang Jin-soo took something out of his bag.

“The Basics of Mathematics”. And a workbook. Hae-il frowned at the words that were not at all familiar to him.

“Why are you studying that?”

Even though he understood the words, Jang Jin-soo explained kindly.

“Even though Hanejong [Korean National University of Arts] focuses mostly on practical skills, they still consider grades, so I have to study math. I don’t have a solid foundation, so it’s even more important.”

“Do you really have to go to college?”

“…Yes.”

Since he said it so firmly, there was nothing more to say.

There were many things he wanted to say, but he couldn’t say anything because Jin-soo was focused on the workbook.

“Aren’t you going to go in the future either?”

Then suddenly a voice was heard.

Hae-il nodded naturally.

Jang Jin-soo said ‘that’s like you’ and started concentrating again.

Hae-il also picked up a notebook.

The word “Sorrow (恨) [Han – a Korean concept of deep-seated sorrow, resentment, and regret]” was written largely in the middle of the notebook.

He stared blankly at the word and muttered.

“What is sorrow?”

“Huh?”

The guy who was burying his face in the math workbook suddenly raised his head.

“Are you preparing for the GED [General Educational Development test, an alternative to a high school diploma] too?”

“No? Why are you asking that suddenly?”

“Because you said ‘sorrow’. That’s a word that always comes up in Korean textbooks.”

“Is that so?”

Jang Jin-soo rubbed the back of his head as if it didn’t matter.

No matter how hard he studies or what he wears, his timidity never completely disappears.

“What does that Korean textbook say about sorrow?”

Hae-il asked what he was most curious about.

Then Jang Jin-soo’s head tilted.

“You probably already know.”

“Tell me anyway.”

“Didn’t you study hard until middle school?”

It was a question of whether what was in the middle school textbook was sufficient. But Hae-il had never even properly looked at the middle school textbook, so he asked for an answer. He didn’t think it would be of great help, but it wouldn’t hurt to listen.

“I might be wrong, but the textbook also says sorrow is like this. A lump.”

“A lump?”

“It could be sadness or regret that you desperately wanted but couldn’t achieve, or it could be a desire that still remains. And above all, the word ‘sorrow’ was created when Korea was having a hard time. During the Japanese colonial era or the military regime.”

“…”

“So it’s also the heart that yearned for independence and wanted to win freedom.”

“!”

Hae-il’s eyebrows twitched as he listened quietly.

It was a word that reminded him of one aspect of his life.

A yearning for music and a desire for freedom.

But when he added sadness, regret, and even history to it, it felt quite complicated.

“It’s difficult.”

“Right? I don’t know either. I just memorized it.”

The concept that the word wants to express is too broad, so it’s difficult.

A melody that expresses regret,

A melody that holds sadness.

How can you express a melody about longing and a melody about desire at once? Even if you can express it, the song length is likely to exceed 10 minutes like classical music.

Should I emphasize ‘sadness’ or ‘pain’ as much as it is a painful history?

Hae-il tapped his notebook and pondered, and Jang Jin-soo looked at it strangely.

‘There are things that even this kid finds difficult.’

And soon, ‘Ah, everything is difficult for me. Let’s study.’ He quickly came to a conclusion and buried his face in the math workbook again.

It was an hour later that Professor Noh Yoon-hyun returned home.

“Nice to meet you.”

Professor Noh Yoon-hyun, who glanced at the workbooks and guitar scattered in the living room, smiled faintly at Jang Jin-soo. Jang Jin-soo was quite nervous because his first impression of Professor Noh Yoon-hyun was when they were arguing over college entrance issues.

However, there was no such awkward conversation.

A natural conversation that could happen between father and son.

Besides, Professor Noh Yoon-hyun and Hae-il are not particularly talkative, so the conversation was mainly led by his mother or Jang Jin-soo.

“Isn’t it very difficult to study?”

“Uh, it’s difficult, but it’s understandable because I haven’t worked hard until now. And it’s fun to see my grades improve.”

“Oh my, that’s a relief. That’s the most important thing when studying. A sense of accomplishment. Are there any difficult subjects?”

“Uh… Math and English are difficult.”

Math is difficult because he’s been neglecting it for a long time, and English is difficult because it’s a foreign language. But well, aren’t these the two subjects that Koreans find most difficult?

Park Seung-ah, who once enthusiastically prepared for her son’s college entrance, nodded, understanding everything.

“Jin-soo, which university are you going to go to?”

At that time, at Professor Noh Yoon-hyun’s words, Jang Jin-soo stopped talking for a moment, swallowed hurriedly, and answered.

“I’m going to Hanejong.”

“Aren’t you thinking about Korea University?”

“Uh… Korea University is also a very good university, but.”

Jang Jin-soo chose his words carefully because he knew that Professor Noh Yoon-hyun was a professor at Korea University.

“The Korea University entrance exam and the Hanejong entrance exam require quite different preparations, so I’m going to focus on just one.”

“That’s a good choice.”

Professor Noh Yoon-hyun nodded with satisfaction and didn’t say anything more.

Jang Jin-soo, who was watching, had a pleasant conversation with Park Seung-ah, and Hae-il also answered occasionally, but mostly listened – in fact, he tuned it out.

It was when his son and Park Seung-ah went to the living room, turned on a broadcast, and had a friendly conversation that Professor Noh Yoon-hyun spoke to Jang Jin-soo again.

“Math and English are very difficult, right?”

“Yes, yes.”

“Then, how about coming to our house to study?”

“Yes?”

“With Hae-il. If Hae-il takes private lessons, I’ll let you join in.”

“…”

Jang Jin-soo’s eyes, which had widened at those words, slowly narrowed.

“Hae-il won’t take private lessons.”

“Perhaps-”

Professor Noh Yoon-hyun said ‘perhaps’, but in Jang Jin-soo’s view, Noh Hae-il was definitely not the type to say one thing and do another. He’s stubborn too.

“Above all.”

Jang Jin-soo admitted that he had been honestly tempted.

Private lessons in English or math would be much more helpful than studying alone.

However, he had no intention of persuading Noh Hae-il, who said he had no intention of going to college, for that reason.

“I don’t want to persuade Hae-il just so I can take private lessons.”

And.

Jang Jin-soo thought for a long time and then said.

“I was taught not to interfere in other people’s affairs, but still… I don’t think Hae-il needs college right now.”

Professor Noh Yoon-hyun didn’t answer.

But his expression and gestures seemed to be asking what he did need. It was the same as Noh Hae-il, so Jang Jin-soo could tell without hearing the words.

Jang Jin-soo recalled the guy who said he would leave home someday. And now, seeing that he has become closer to his mother than anyone else, he understood something.

“I think he just needs solid support and encouragement. Someone who believes in him no matter what he does and cheers him on no matter what he does.”

Noh Hae-il is like that, even if it’s someone else.

Like the musicians in the history books who wanted to be trusted and supported by someone, he is-.

“…Because he’s real.”

Jang Jin-soo said what he had always thought.

And suddenly, he felt a pang in his heart.

Saying ‘he’s real’ implies that he himself is not.

Yes, he might be jealous of his friend and feeling inferior.

No, he was jealous. He always tried to convince himself that he didn’t envy his friend and that he wanted him to succeed, but he couldn’t help but be envious.

His friend’s talent, the future his friend dreamed of.

And even his parents, who loved him more than anyone else and would do anything for him. Everything was so enviable that his eyes welled up.

At that moment, Professor Noh Yoon-hyun also realized.

That he had made a big mistake with the child in front of him because he was blinded by the idea of college. And he thought.

That Hae-il was building good relationships on his own. He was already meeting people and getting along with good people without needing his intervention. He didn’t have to worry. He felt both sorry and relieved.

The child apologized out of habit.

The old Noh Hae-il, who was timid and insecure, was superimposed on him. It wasn’t the child’s fault; it was the adult’s greed.

So now it was the greedy adult’s turn to apologize.

“No, I’m sorry.”

“!”

Professor Noh Yoon-hyun slowly handed a handkerchief to the child with red eyes. Jang Jin-soo looked at the handkerchief with a bewildered face. And he took the handkerchief with trembling hands.

Professor Noh Yoon-hyun didn’t know what to say because he was so sorry, but he recalled the workbook he had seen while entering the house.

“The problem you were solving earlier… was wrong. There’s a specific way to solve that.”

Jang Jin-soo looked up at Professor Noh Yoon-hyun.

He thought it was an absurd remark, but he seemed to understand that it was the professor’s way of making amends.

“The offer to come and study wasn’t a lie. Come and visit sometimes. If you’re okay with it… I can help you with your studies.”

Jang Jin-soo listened blankly and slowly nodded.

He realized that his friend’s father was a really good person, just like his friend’s mother. A smile spread across his face.

“Yes!”