Become A Music Monster Overnight! [EN]: Chapter 178

-The King Returns-

-\’The King of Arrogance\’ Second Story. Will a new syndrome occur this time too?-

-The King’s move finally begins!-

-The problems of capitalism and democracy. A movie for criticizing modern society!-

-\’The King of Arrogance\’ is no longer a hero movie. Critics praise it unanimously!-

-A green light signaling the revival of the stagnant film industry at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic!-

The second installment of ‘The King of Arrogance’ was a global phenomenon upon its release.

In South Korea, where it premiered, it drew 1.61 million viewers on its opening day, shattering all previous records.

This gave the film industry, which had been struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a much-needed boost.

Typically, a film’s total viewership is estimated based on its first-day numbers, but ‘The King of Arrogance 2’ surpassed expectations so dramatically that predictions became difficult.

More than just a trending topic, it’s clear that it will exceed the success of the first movie, already garnering widespread acclaim from critics and audiences for its artistic merit.

Of course, there were potential challenges.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, movie ticket prices had risen by nearly 30%.

Additionally, the popularity of video streaming platforms like YC Film and N Corporation, which had become deeply ingrained in daily life during the pandemic, raised concerns about value for money.

And that’s not all. The economic climate was uncertain, making it unclear whether the film’s momentum would continue as strongly as the first film’s had.

However, ‘The King of Arrogance’ defied these concerns, and its popularity only increased.

This surge in popularity was greater than anticipated, partly because people were eager to see YC, who had been on hiatus, and partly because no other films in theaters could challenge ‘The King of Arrogance’s dominance [독주, dokju: literally “solo run,” meaning unchallenged success].

It seemed no ordinary film could compete with the success of ‘The King of Arrogance’.

“I’d rather rewatch ‘The King of Arrogance’ Part 1. Why should I pay these high ticket prices to see a mediocre movie?”

This sentiment was common among viewers.

In fact, as talk of ‘The King of Arrogance 2’ dominating the box office grew, theaters began re-screening the first film.

And this strategy proved very effective.

Viewers who enjoyed the second movie flocked to see the first, answering the question of why bother going to the theater and paying so much.

The immersive experience of the large screen and high-quality audio, impossible to replicate at home, was worth the cost.

Unsurprisingly, ‘The King of Arrogance 2’ was a massive hit overseas as well.

In fact, it was even more popular than in South Korea. In the United States, it became a cultural phenomenon from day one.

People of all ages were captivated by Jin’s unique charisma in ‘The King of Arrogance’.

Some even started a religion dedicated to Jin from ‘The King of Arrogance,’ which generated considerable buzz.

“It’s this popular even though it’s not rated for all ages…”

Although it’s a hero movie, it incorporated realistic violence, making it unsuitable for all ages.

Despite this, every showing of ‘The King of Arrogance 2’ was sold out.

The film also achieved enormous box office success in Chinese theaters, a market as significant as the United States.

Fortunately, the wave of nationalistic Chinese movies had subsided, which had a significant impact.

In addition, it became a box office sensation not only in Southeast Asia, including Japan and Taiwan, but also in Europe, frequently appearing in news reports.

As a result, Young-chan had a hectic schedule.

He had to travel the world with the actors from ‘The King of Arrogance’ to promote the film.

Given the substantial investment he had made in ‘The King of Arrogance 2,’ it was a necessity, regardless of any obstacles.

“……Hoo.”

In a luxurious room in a six-star hotel, a man sighed, looking bewildered.

The man, with his black hair and well-groomed appearance, seemed somewhat fragile due to the confusion on his face.

“……I can’t quite grasp the reality of this.”

Having left his hometown, where he had lived his entire life, to follow his childhood hero, he struggled to adjust to his new life.

There were likely several reasons for this.

Traveling the world with YC to promote the movie made it difficult to settle in, and YC’s teachings and expectations were so demanding that he couldn’t focus on anything else.

Compared to this whirlwind, his previous life felt dull and uneventful, except for his involvement in a rock band.

That’s right.

He, who had been with Young-chan in this grand hotel for two days, was none other than Leon, whom Young-chan had met in Germany.

Leon decided to abandon everything and leave his hometown less than a week after meeting Young-chan.

The reason was simple: a song Young-chan played.

-Jijijijing! Jijijing!-

The moment Leon heard the music, which heavily featured the guitar, his face registered shock.

The song was a melody that had suddenly come to him one day, known only to him.

To be precise, the inspiration he received at the time was beyond his ability to fully realize, so he had clumsily interpreted what he saw and created a song [풀어내어, pureonaeeo: literally “unraveling,” referring to interpreting a complex idea].

And Leon thought Young-chan’s interpretation was amazing.

He already knew the source of the inspiration.

Of course, to someone unfamiliar with the original inspiration, it sounded terrible.

After all, his attempt was like describing an elephant to a blind person, inevitably resulting in a distorted image.

However, Young-chan recognized the inspiration Leon had received from that flawed creation.

And in less than a day, he presented Leon with the refined essence of the inspiration, removing all the unnecessary elements.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t just that one song.

All of his songs, composed based on similar inspirations, were transformed into masterpieces under Young-chan’s guidance.

It wasn’t just one or two songs; a staggering fifteen songs were perfected by Young-chan in less than two days, leaving Leon overwhelmed.

At that moment, he felt like a believer encountering God.

“Want to come with me?”

“Yes? ……Yes!”

The moment Young-chan made the offer to Leon, who was stunned by this incredible transformation [경이로운 이적, gyeongiroun ijeok: miraculous event], Leon accepted without hesitation.

Young-chan chuckled, amused by Leon’s easy agreement [넘어온, neomeoon: literally ” 넘어온,” meaning easily persuaded or won over].

“Good choice. Contact me as soon as you’ve settled everything [정리, jeongri: organized or settled your affairs].”

“Yes? Yes.”

Leon, still somewhat dazed [어리버리한, euribeorihan: a Korean slang term for someone who is clueless or slow to react], realized the magnitude of what had just happened.

He didn’t know how to tell his family, let alone quit his job and band.

“How do I tell my mother?”

To be exact, he was worried about getting permission from his mother, who had raised him strictly after his father passed away when he was young.

Normally, his indecisive nature would have made it difficult to even bring up the subject.

But this time was different.

Because YC, his new faith, the God, needed his insignificant self, he felt a sense of urgency.

The fear that Young-chan might change his mind gave him courage.

His mother’s reaction to his courageous announcement was unexpected.