The Road To Glory [EN]: Chapter 1921

< The Last Concert - Episode 192 >

February.

As the new year dawned, South Korea experienced a new cultural phenomenon.

Instead of ‘Halo,’ which consistently topped the charts, another story dominated the headlines.

1st Place: Hwang Ryong-pil’s Retirement
2nd Place: Hwang Ryong-pil, Shin Ju-hyuk
3rd Place: Hwang Ryong-pil’s Concert Guest
:
7th Place: Hwang Ryong-pil, Lee Seong-rim

The media and the public were captivated by the retirement concert of the maestro who had shaped Korean popular music, and the events surrounding it.

It was already a significant event, not just an ordinary singer’s farewell, but the retirement of a maestro who defined an era. However, it became a true sensation when Lee Seong-rim, the first guest at Hwang Ryong-pil’s retirement concert, presented a heartfelt tribute song.

Lee Seong-rim, known for touching people’s hearts with sincere melodies and lyrics, unveiled a new song, ‘To My Younger Self,’ with a deceptively simple melody.

It was a song filled with gratitude for his senior and mentor, who had profoundly influenced his musical journey, and a wistful longing for his younger days.

“This song is for my teacher.”

With those words, Lee Seong-rim, presenting his first-ever tribute song, embraced Hwang Ryong-pil and shared tears with the audience. The only person who didn’t shed tears at Hwang Ryong-pil’s concert was Hwang Ryong-pil himself.

This event, initially a smaller topic, was further amplified in the public’s consciousness when the second guest, Shin Ju-hyuk, also announced a tribute song.

As concise as his personality.

Shin Ju-hyuk released a song titled ‘Legend,’ a single word encapsulating Hwang Ryong-pil’s impact.

The powerful electric guitar and soaring emotions were unmistakably Shin Ju-hyuk’s signature rock style, as everyone knew.

[My mom really liked Hwang Ryong-pil, but he’s retiring… It feels so strange… He’s already retiring, and why does he suddenly look so old ㅠㅠㅠ]

[I used to listen to Hwang Ryong-pil’s songs every day when I was in college…]

When Hwang Ryong-pil announced his retirement with a handwritten letter after a national tour, the tribute song event deeply resonated with people feeling nostalgic or contemplating the passage of time.

[Crazy, both ‘To My Younger Self’ and ‘Legend,’ wow… The quality of these tribute songs is insane!]

[I know Hwang Ryong-pil has had his share of controversies, but he must have treated his juniors well to receive such heartfelt tribute songs upon his retirement.]

└ It’s not for nothing that he has a squad [referring to a group of close junior artists].

└ Even if you don’t know anything else, he was known to buy meals for struggling juniors.

[The sight of the best singers of the current era honoring the legends of the past is touching, but also makes me feel a bit sad, like witnessing a generational shift. However, I can ease my sadness with their tribute songs and bid farewell to my beautiful youth. Thank you so much. It’s a night that makes me want to drink soju [Korean distilled spirit].]

Young people unfamiliar with Hwang Ryong-pil began exploring his music through the tribute songs, sparking a sudden retro wave across Korean music platforms. The new songs by the guests, exclusively performed at Hwang Ryong-pil’s concert, hadn’t been officially released, so all attention seemed to be focused on Hwang Ryong-pil’s existing discography.

However, the present often holds more weight than the past, and the future is even more eagerly anticipated than the present.

After the two guests announced their tribute songs, netizens began to speculate that these weren’t merely personal gifts.

[Hwang Ryong-pil Concert Guest]

This speculation was reflected in real-time search trends.

Who deserves to be invited to Hwang Ryong-pil’s retirement concert?

And who has a special enough relationship to offer a tribute song to Hwang Ryong-pil?

Since Hwang Ryong-pil had been in the entertainment industry for decades, numerous celebrities were known to be close to him.

And the most prominent among them were the singers considered to be Hwang Ryong-pil’s squad.

[If Lee Seong-rim and Shin Ju-hyuk are performing, it seems like that squad is fully represented.]

[Wasn’t the tribute song offer initiated from that side?]

[But if Hwang Ryong-pil’s entire squad comes out…]

[Will Halo also appear as a guest?]

└ Is Halo really part of Hwang Ryong-pil’s squad?

└ They’re friendly, though.

└ Is there a private [referring to Halo] who’s bigger than the squad leader [Hwang Ryong-pil]?!

Until No Hae-il debuted as Halo two years ago, there was no question that he was a member of Hwang Ryong-pil’s squad.

He was embraced as a talented youngest member and a super rookie during the 2030 Rendezvous program, and his frequent visits to Hwang Ryong-pil’s house solidified his inclusion in the squad.

Everyone even attended No Hae-il’s birthday party, playfully dubbed the ‘Haeil Awards,’ despite their demanding schedules.

Now, a year and a few months later.

People began to question whether No Hae-il, a.k.a. Halo, truly belonged to Hwang Ryong-pil’s squad anymore.

Some argued that it didn’t make sense for Halo, who should be performing in major international markets like the United States, to remain primarily active in Korea.

The squad was initially a lighthearted concept, but some individuals attributed deeper meaning to it.

Regardless, as the idea of ‘Hwang Ryong-pil inviting Halo’ gained traction, attention shifted to the potential tribute song that Halo might have created.

[If Halo really performs, did Halo also make a Hwang Ryong-pil tribute song?]

[Wow, is it a new song after a year?]

[Release No Hae-il’s Christmas carol first, why don’t you release it ㅠㅠ]

└ He probably has a lot of unreleased songs; when are you going to 털 하드 [literally, ‘털다 (teolda)’ means to shake/dust off, but in this context, it’s slang for ‘dig through’] (dig through his hard drive)?

[Before that, you said the album will be released in March; do you even have time? If you mess this up, your reputation will be ruined.]

└ Did you forget Monthly Halo?

└ FYI: Halo has released two albums a month while working as No Hae-il.

└ The more I think about it, the crazier he is, or are the other singers all lazy?

Meanwhile, the Hwang Ryong-pil tribute song project group chat was buzzing for a different reason.

[Lee Seong-rim: Honestly, I won.]

[Shin Ju-hyuk: Senior, honestly, it’s a bit much to judge emotions in training camp mode…]

[Lee Seong-rim: ?]

They were oblivious to the external speculation about the squad.

Their sole concern was one thing.

A bet on who had moved their teacher the most.

The two who had already performed were arguing over who had emerged victorious, and Park Hyung-chan, the third guest who was watching, chimed in.

[Park Hyung-chan: That’s only until today.]

[Park Hyung-chan: I’m going to make the teacher cry today.]

Park Hyung-chan, who was scheduled to perform as the third guest, made a statement that could easily be misinterpreted.

It was enough to provoke the two who were already arguing.

[Shin Ju-hyuk: Is it Hyung-chan’s turn today?]

[Lee Seong-rim: You were there too?]

[Lee Seong-rim: Do you think you can do what I couldn’t do?]

Somehow, tears had become the measure of emotional impact.

Halo, who entered the group chat to silence the incessant notifications, clicked his tongue at the childish behavior of his seniors.

[Lee Seong-rim: By the way, what did Hae-il do to be trending already?]

[Shin Ju-hyuk: Isn’t it Hae-il’s turn today instead of Hyung-chan’s?]

[Shin Ju-hyuk: No one cares.]

[Park Hyung-chan:···]

[Park Hyung-chan: Just you wait.]

[Park Hyung-chan: Just you wait, No Hae-il, I won’t lose this time.]

It was a gathering of individuals with seemingly endless free time, reinforcing the impression that they truly had nothing else to do.

[Lee Seong-rim: Hyung-chan’s junior treatment is too intimidating.]

[Park Hyung-chan: ?]

[Lee Seong-rim: I heard you bought Hae-il a hamburger; you couldn’t even spring for beef?]

[Park Hyung-chan: ????]

[Park Hyung-chan: No, that’s—]

[Park Hyung-chan: Hae-il said he wanted to eat french fries first.]

[Lee Seong-rim: How much was he looking at you… Poor Hae-il.]

[Park Hyung-chan: Wait??? Hae-il is looking at me???]

[Park Hyung-chan: And Hae-il has more wealth than me?]

[Lee Seong-rim: Now you’re even checking his wealth; Park Hyung-chan has changed a lot.]

From Halo’s perspective, it seemed like they were deliberately trying to distract him from his performance.

Well, Shinna Park [likely a typo and should be Shin Ju-hyuk], Park Hyung-chan, wouldn’t be easily rattled by this, but Halo, about to leave, added a final comment.

[No Hae-il: Seniors, I’ll postpone the album to April…]

[Park Hyung-chan: Hey!]

[Park Hyung-chan:???]

[Shin Ju-hyuk: ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[Lee Seong-rim: Wow, the world is scary ㄷㄷ Where can I make a comeback in peace?]

[Shin Ju-hyuk: If the fans know thisㅋㅋ]

After that, Halo put down his phone and leaned back in his chair, recalling how delicious the french fries he’d eaten that day were.

The album recording and the interview with BB were progressing smoothly.

Even after ‘Eddie’s’ death, the life of ‘HALO from another world,’ which continued relentlessly, had reached a pivotal point.

The young man lived an unchanging life. He lived a dissolute and extravagant life as always. His parties became more and more splendid day by day. And the controversy over him also became splendid.

The ‘young man,’ who was originally impulsive and volatile, became more and more severe, and his hysteria, like a seizure, soon remained as the young man’s controversial history.

Also, as the contract period completely ended, a dirty behind-the-scenes fight broke out with the president.

The president used all sorts of tricks to grab the young man’s leash.

However, as the young man had already had many controversies, he didn’t care even if new ones were added.

His fandom was already as solid as concrete, and there were many madmen who said that he could commit murder – or shouted to kill them. No matter how many people hated him, no matter how much his image was damaged, the young man didn’t care at all.

Rather, in front of reporters who said he should reflect, he said, “Who really hates me?” “They (Haters) are just pretending to hate while liking me. When they stand in front of me, they will call my name.” “Someone to replace me? Who.”

The world loved even the young man’s narcissistic side, and there was no one who didn’t listen to the young man’s music. They agreed with the young man’s words, sympathized with the young man’s dry face, and distinguished between friends and enemies with the young man’s gestures.

Crazy love and following that the media said was dangerous.

The two had many enemies, but their values were different.

Someone’s downfall may have been a predetermined ending.

“How could you abandon me? Halo, I brought you this far. I was the first to recognize you, who was covered in dust, and I treated you the most precious. When your parents abandoned you, I became your father. Halo, I know you resent me well. But it was all for you. It’s not too late, baby. Bring the 7th album. And let’s start again.”

The young man looked at him, who was the most shabby in his old age, and said.

“I should have listened to you.”

“!”

That one word was enough.

The young man buried hatred, resentment, and regret deep in his heart.

I didn’t want to show it to the person in front of me.

The young man gave him the best punishment.

Social murder.

It wasn’t just simple defamation.

Everything the president made in the world will disappear like sand.

No one will remember the president properly in the future.

Even if he dies, he won’t be on a line of newspaper, and there will be no visit to the grave.

Also, the president’s property will go into the hands of competitors, scattered and broken, and nothing will be left in the end.

The independent young man forgot his bad relationship and continued his splendid life.

Occasionally, he would look at the shotgun hanging on the fireplace and couldn’t stand his anger, so he would kick out the people who visited his house, but many people always came to his party. Even though many words went back and forth behind his back, they coolly accepted the young man’s small illness in front of him. In fact, the young man’s hysteria was nothing new.

There were always many people in the young man’s house, but at the same time, there was no one.

“The 8th album ‘No One Was There’ had that meaning.”

The interview that day ended there.

However, they didn’t break up right away.

Halo made an appointment with BB to have dinner after the Hwang Ryong-pil concert.

Maybe that will be the last interview day.

There weren’t many stories left to tell.

“How is the new song work going? You said something you don’t like.”

“I finished recording.”

“Is that so.”

BB tilted his head as if he was wondering.

“It’s a little unlike you. If I know you, I don’t think you’ll work on a song you don’t like.”

It was an unexpected sound, but it wasn’t wrong.

BB was a good listener and a good counselor at the same time.

He delves deeply into people’s psychology and reflects on it, so he sometimes feels like a psychologist rather than a director.

Through Halo’s interviews, BB has observed not only ‘HALO from another world’ but also Halo’s expressions and gestures when telling the story, and he knew quite a lot about what Halo didn’t tell him.

BB didn’t say more.

He just smiled and said goodbye.

Maybe it was just a trivial word.

However, the reason why he accepted it uncomfortably is that he has something to worry about.

If there was nothing to worry about, he would have ignored other people’s words.

Halo tapped the table in an empty room.

In the meantime, a collection of ‘Hwang Ryong-pil Tribute Songs’ was circulating on YouTube.

The new songs of the guests who announced one after another.

Now, in a few days, Hwang Ryong-pil’s last concert will be held.

The teacher’s last stage where he was invited as a guest.

Halo was lost in thought, putting down his recorded album.

Tick-tock, time goes by.

There’s nothing wrong with the sound source itself, but I don’t know why something is bothering me so much.

That’s why he hasn’t handed over the sound source to Veil yet.

An EP album consisting of 8 songs.

It was meticulously made from music to composition, but why does it feel like something is missing?

The ‘love’ songs for other people seemed to be playing separately, despite the same theme.

What do I need here?

I feel stuffy.

Is this what it means to be blocked when working on a sound source? Is this a slump?

Halo, who thought that other composers would get high blood pressure, sighed and closed his eyes.

And when I opened my eyes again.

He had already arrived at Hwang Ryong-pil’s last concert.

“Thank you for coming today, everyone.”

Hwang Ryong-pil said as always. If it wasn’t labeled as a retirement concert, he said it so plainly that he wouldn’t think it was a retirement.

However, Hwang Ryong-pil was clearly aware that today was the last day.

“My concert will end today.”

The audience turned their heads, saying don’t retire, but Hwang Ryong-pil’s comments continued.

“I’ve been contacted by many people in the meantime. Friends, former employees, alumni… I feel strange when I get contacted by people I see once a year. I’ve received so many calls, so I thought I didn’t live a bad life, and I thought I did a good job retiring now. I think the task ahead is to reconnect with the relationships I had forgotten.”

“Life is always dark. When I was young, I thought I would see the light when I got older, but that’s not the case at all. Unexpected things are always the same. Unexpected things always happen, and I meet unexpected relationships.”

Halo, who was standing on the side of the stage, made eye contact with Hwang Ryong-pil.

“There is a most surprising relationship.

It made me realize the foolishness of thinking that I was old enough to read the world. Also, it made me laugh at my arrogance in my youth. It made me regret for the first time what it would have been like if I had met him when I was younger, and it made me blame my age for how nice it would be if I could have been born a little later and enjoyed it.”

“It made me regret my young days that I had spent endlessly. Whatever it was, it was a very shocking relationship. I don’t think there is such a shocking relationship in this world. Since then, I haven’t been able to live a quiet life for a moment. Every day was fun and grateful.”

Hwang Ryong-pil smiled softly at the audience.

“In the world, they call this a friend. Then, I’ll introduce my friend who made my old age the most enjoyable.”

Then he reached out to the side.

“Will you come out?”

Halo.

Halo took a step forward.

With him, a thunderous shout was heard.