Golden Print [EN]: Chapter 190

The editors of Artica magazine were on a quest to find an extraordinary individual.

It was the autumn of 2011, specifically November, and they sought out the most talked-about rookie designer in the Korean architecture scene.

They met him at WJ Studio, located in a trendy area of Seoul near Seoul Forest. He was impeccably dressed with a neat hairstyle, a crisp white shirt, and stylish slacks.

He was in his early twenties, a student at a top design university in Korea, and the CEO of WJ Studio.

The man chosen as Designer of the Month in Artica’s November issue was none other than the architectural designer Seo Woojin.

“How do you feel about the completion of the building you designed and planned?”

“It might sound cliché, but I am overwhelmed and deeply moved. It feels like I’ve taken my first step as a building architect.”

“You said it’s your first step as a building architect, but aren’t you the CEO of WJ Studio? I believe you designed Cafe Fresco, which was featured on ‘Why Did You Come to My House’. Why do you call this your debut as a building architect?”

“Of course, interior design is part of architecture, and I have already done many projects as a space designer. But this is the first complete building where I was involved in designing and planning all aspects from start to finish,” he said with a laugh.

“I watched the video from the SPDC competition announcement on the Design Foundation website. You mentioned designing for happiness, not just comfort. Has Dodam Nursing Home, which you saw completed today, become the building you envisioned?”

“I can’t say it’s the best, but I can say it was my best effort. I always considered the user’s happiness as the top priority when working on this project.”

“Just one more question to finish.”

“Yes, anything.”

“So far, in your early twenties, as an undergraduate student, no designer has achieved as much success as you. What’s your secret to success?”

“Haha, remarkably successful… I think you’re giving me too much credit. I was just lucky enough to find my path a little earlier than others.”

“I think you’re being too modest. Remember that many young designers who want to be successful in Korea will be watching this interview. If you say you succeeded simply because you were lucky, wouldn’t they be very disappointed?”

“Hmm… If I had to share a secret, it’s a constant longing and passion for my dream. I think the reason I was able to succeed was that I never lost sight of the dream I first had, no matter what.”

Jaden, who was reading a magazine in the airport lounge, exclaimed in his usual way.

“Bloody Hell!”

“What’s wrong, Jaden?” Seokhyun asked.

“Something’s very wrong here, Seokhyun.”

“What is it?”

“Woojin as the Designer of the Month! This is wrong!”

Soyeon, who was sipping a drink nearby, approached Jaden, reacting to his outburst.

“What are you complaining about now, Jaden?”

“Look at this, Soyeon. See who Artica selected as the Designer of the Month!”

Jaden, his face clouded with disappointment, slammed the magazine onto the chair in front of Soyeon.

Soyeon glanced at the magazine Jaden had opened. There, across the entire page, was a picture of Woojin, neatly dressed.

Soyeon couldn’t help but chuckle.

‘Whose classmate is this… He’s really handsome. To be selected as the Designer of the Month by Artica in his early twenties….’

Artica was a well-known design magazine in Korea.

It wasn’t just for industry experts; it was widely read by the general public.

This magazine covered various designs, including architecture, and was available in the school’s faculty office every month.

Soyeon often read it during breaks from her assignments.

If Professor Yoon Chi-hyung saw that Woojin had been selected as the Designer of the Month by Artica, he would definitely try to preserve the Artica November 2012 issue in the faculty office forever.

“Woojin wasn’t wearing a windbreaker when he did the Artica interview?”

“Soyeon! That’s not the point! Someone else should have been the Designer of the Month!”

“Who should it have been?”

“Of course…”

“You’re not going to say Jaden, are you?”

“…”

“Unless the selection criteria for the Designer of the Month specifically favors a 21-year-old male with British citizenship, attending K University, and living in Hannam-dong…”

“Bloody Hell!”

“That’s not going to happen, Jaden. So get ready for your departure.”

Seokhyun and Soyeon shook their heads, watching Jaden gaze wistfully at the magazine.

The reason they were all at the airport that day was to catch a flight to England.

It was the day they had all been eagerly waiting for: the day they would depart to attend the European Architectural Design Conference.

“By the way, where did Woojin go?” Soyeon asked.

Seokhyun answered instead of Jaden, “He went to pick up Bruno.”

“Really? I wonder if he’ll be okay without an interpreter…? That guy’s allergic to English, you know.”

Seokhyun chuckled and said, “He’s gotten a lot better these days, though.”

“Oh…?”

“Ever since he started working with Bruno, he seems to be studying conversational English whenever he has time.”

Jaden interjected, “He’s just looking up a few words he doesn’t know.”

Seokhyun chuckled.

“Anyway, I saw him the other day, and he was doing pretty well with everyday conversations. So don’t worry.”

“Well, if you say so.”

“Bruno is amazing. To be able to understand Woojin’s pronunciation, I mean.”

“Jaden, hurry up and bring your carrier.”

“Soyeon only scolds Jaden.”

“Leaving you behind?”

“Sniff, Jaden is sad.”

The group departing for England that day totaled six people.

Woojin and Jaden, Seokhyun and Soyeon, Bruno, and Professor Jo Woon-chan had all booked plane tickets for the same day.

Of course, not everyone was invited to the conference.

Jaden and Seokhyun were just tagging along, while Soyeon was able to attend thanks to a spare invitation from Bruno’s company.

But for some reason, Jaden wasn’t complaining at all.

“Woojin will probably be envious of Seokhyun and me.”

“Why?”

“We’re going to watch a live game at Wembley Stadium on the very day the conference is held.”

“I’m envious.”

“You really are envious, aren’t you, Woojin?”

“You said you’d be envious of me.”

“That’s right.”

“So you must be envious.”

“Damn it. Korean is too difficult, Seokhyun, help me!”

Amidst the hustle and bustle caused by Jaden, all the departing members gathered and went through the departure procedures.

It was a short trip of about a week.

Everyone was excited, except for Bruno and Professor Jo Woon-chan, who had traveled to Europe countless times.

Woojin, Seokhyun, and Soyeon were visiting England for the first time, and Jaden was also quite excited, perhaps because he was looking forward to visiting his family’s home in England after a long time.

Woojin boarded the plane and sat next to Professor Jo Woon-chan, gazing out the window with sparkling eyes, wide with excitement and a hint of nervousness, like a child on their first big adventure.

The view from the square airplane window was still just the runway of Incheon Airport, but to Woojin, the whole situation felt special.

“Our Woojin is even invited to the EAC conference,” Professor Jo said.

“I know, Professor. It’s a place I’ve always wanted to go, but… I never dreamed it would be this year.”

“Bruno must think very highly of you.”

“I’m really grateful.”

“I heard you’re giving a presentation for a short time?”

“Yes, Professor.”

“How are you going to do it? In English?”

“I’ve prepared in English for now.”

“Really?”

“Even if I’m not fluent, I can memorize and talk about the short content I’ve prepared in advance.”

“You could do it in Korean.”

“Really?”

“It’s an international conference. There are many English presentations, but the Europeans have a lot of pride, so even if they know English, they always present in their native language…”

“I’ve heard there’s quite a bit of racism in Europe. They wouldn’t take it as arrogant, would they?”

“What are they going to do if you can’t speak English? Haha. Well, if it were the old-fashioned EAC from about ten years ago, you might have heard that, but the recent atmosphere isn’t like that, so don’t worry.”

“That’s a relief.”

While Jo Woon-chan and Woojin were talking, all the passengers were seated.

“Ladies and gentlemen, our plane will be taking off soon. Please double-check that your seatbelts are fastened…”

Soon, the wheels of the passenger plane began to roll.

Vroooom-!

As the plane began to take off with a loud noise, Woojin closed his eyes slightly.

‘The European Architectural Design Conference… I wonder if I’ll be able to do well?’

As he leaned back in his seat with his eyes closed, a slight worry about the conference, along with the many things that had happened in the past month or two, flashed through his mind like a panorama.

He thought about the construction site of WJ Studio’s new building, where construction had begun and the foundation work was already well underway, the Living Fair collaboration project that had suddenly started, and the completion ceremony of Dodam Nursing Home.

And even the magazine interview that had taken place just the day before yesterday.

‘Most of these things were started by my own hands… But how is it getting more hectic as time goes on?’

Woojin shook his head with his eyes closed, as if he couldn’t believe that all these things had happened in a matter of months.

From the first half of 2010, when WJ Studio was first established, to now, as autumn was ending and winter was approaching in 2011, everything was going well as he had expected, and he was achieving even more than he had hoped for.

But lately, Woojin had been feeling an unknown sense of anxiety from time to time.

Things that were hidden in the blur of his frantic race forward, like details in a landscape rushing past a speeding train, were now slowly coming into focus.

Of course, it wasn’t that he lacked confidence in the future, but Woojin had now developed a little bit of fear.

‘Well, there may be days when the business doesn’t go well in the future, and I may encounter unexpected difficulties… But there’s no need to worry about those things in advance, right?’

But Woojin couldn’t help but chuckle at that thought.

The very fact that he was having these worries was proof that he had more to lose.

Things that he had never considered when he first jumped into the industry empty-handed had now become quite a heavy burden on Woojin’s shoulders.

‘I can’t believe the day has come when I’m having these kinds of worries…’

He took a deep breath, the worries still there, but now mixed with excitement for what was to come. He knew he would face challenges, but he was ready to face them, one step at a time.

In the end, Woojin cleared his head and slowly fell asleep, watching the sunset beyond the clouds.

The conclusion Woojin came to after much deliberation was ultimately one thing: whenever, whatever the situation, if he didn’t lose his initial resolve, that was enough. If he didn’t lose that one dream of becoming the best architectural designer, that was all that mattered.