Black Label [EN]: Chapter 1

Black Label – Episode 0 (1/299)

1. Rewind

Inside a spacious clothing workshop.

A middle-aged man fondled the luxury clothes placed on the workbench, asking,

“These are all samples, right?”

“Yes, they are.”

“As expected, Jaeseung’s skills are top-notch.”

The clothes he was touching were all ‘imitations.’

In simpler terms, they were knockoffs. All were imitation clothes made directly by Jaeseung.

While the middle-aged man, ‘CEO Song,’ was examining the products, Jaeseung casually pressed the switch on the coffee pot.

“CEO, would you like a cup of coffee?”

“Yeah, give me one.”

It’s unclear who is the crocodile and who is the crocodile bird [a metaphor for a mutually beneficial, albeit potentially exploitative, relationship]. Anyway, the two were in a symbiotic relationship.

Whether it was the F/W (Fall/Winter) season or the S/S (Spring/Summer) season, Jaeseung’s job was to copy the new products of luxury brands that were newly released at the shows.

And CEO Song’s job was to supply the products that Jaeseung copied to small stores all over the country.

“Here you go.”

Jaeseung handed over the steaming paper cup, and instead of a thank you, CEO Song winked once and continued to examine the samples.

“The products are flawless. Make them exactly like this, for now.”

“Yes. I’ll do my best to have them ready by the end of the month.”

“Jaeseung.”

“Yes?”

CEO Song placed the money bag he was holding on the workbench and began to speak quietly.

“Don’t you ever think about mass production again, like before? You’ve done it once anyway. Like then, I’ll get some people and secure a factory line for you. Products of this quality, there’s nothing like it in Dongdaemun [a major fashion district in Seoul]. No, nowhere in the whole country.”

“…….”

“The store owners who get goods from me all say the same thing. Jaeseung’s products sell as soon as they’re DP (Displayed). Everyone’s clamoring to get more.”

When Jaeseung didn’t answer, CEO Song shook his head once and asked again.

“We were doing well back then, weren’t we?”

Jaeseung pretended to be a sommelier, swirling the paper cup containing instant coffee, hesitated to answer, and then smiled faintly and asked back.

“Well? Was it good?”

Then he immediately gulped down the instant coffee in the cup.

The ‘back then’ that CEO Song was talking about.

He wondered if that ‘back then’ was really good. If making a lot of money was the standard of goodness, it would have been a good time.

A moment of silence followed.

CEO Song, as if accustomed to Jaeseung’s refusal, shook his head a few times and picked up his money bag that he had tossed on the workbench.

“Jaeseung. If you ever change your mind, tell me right away. I’m still going strong. You know?”

“Yes.”

“And if Jaeseung starts doing it in earnest again, there are plenty of ‘jeonju’ [investors/backers] who will roll up their sleeves and help. You know that too, right?”

“Yes.”

CEO Song, who had already reached the front door of the workshop, added a few more words.

“Jaeseung. Letting such a great talent go to waste is a crime. Some people are desperate because they don’t have that talent… It’s really a shame, you know?”

“CEO.”

“Yeah?”

“The crime is making imitations. Stealing designs that others have worked hard on… copying them exactly, and selling them. That’s why I’m a convict now. Isn’t that right?”

To Jaeseung’s rather unsettling question, CEO Song smiled faintly and replied.

“Hey, a crime. That’s too harsh. Let’s just call it a ‘necessary evil’ between us.”

“Okay, then.”

“First of all, I have a lot of work to catch up on right now… I’ll come back again in the evening.”

“Okay, see you then. I’ll be working for now.”

With those words, CEO Song left Jaeseung’s workshop. As soon as the rusty iron door closed with a chilling sound, Jaeseung let out a heavy breath.

“Haa-.”

Then he immediately turned on the electric heater that was standing in one corner of the workshop. The workshop had many flaws. That’s why he was renting it at a cheap price.

For example, it was an old building, so asbestos dust was floating around, and when it rained, water leaked and the floor was wet.

Among them, the biggest drawback was that the heating system wasn’t properly equipped.

“It’s hard to make a living. Really.”

Jaeseung took out a cigarette, lit it, and tore open another packet of instant coffee.

As the electric heater started to emit hot air, he held both hands in front of it and rubbed them briskly.

When did it start?

Life was twisted, really twisted. It seems that it was from the time he started making imitation clothes.

At first, he was just going to save tuition and quit. But as things usually go, it didn’t work out.

Before he knew it, he had over ten years of experience. He spent a third of his life making knockoffs.

Jaeseung, who was sipping the instant coffee in the paper cup little by little, took out a notebook from the drawer under the workbench.

On the cover of the well-worn notebook, the words ‘Wall Flower’ were written.

Wall Flower.

It was the name of a brand that should have been launched a long time ago, and could never be launched.

* * *

Knock knock knock-!

Jaeseung, who had fallen asleep without realizing it, woke up to the sound of someone knocking on the door.

The workshop is not a place with many visitors. Especially not in the dead of night like now.

‘…Who is it?’

Just as Jaeseung was cautiously moving towards the door of the workshop. From beyond the door, CEO Song’s voice was heard.

“Jaeseung! It’s me! You’re not sleeping, are you-?”

Only then did he remember CEO Song’s words that he would come again in the evening. Jaeseung’s gaze turned to the clock on the wall.

He didn’t know exactly what time he had promised to come in the evening, but it was well past midnight now.

As soon as Jaeseung opened the door, he retorted sarcastically.

“You said you’d come in the evening? Do you know what time it is now?”

CEO Song, whose nose was red from the cold weather, shook a black plastic bag and replied nonchalantly.

“What can I do if the meeting ended late? I’m doing it all to sell Jaeseung’s clothes. You can’t even give me a warm word for my hard work….”

CEO Song acted as if the workshop was his own home. He muttered something and sat down on the loft inside the workshop.

Then he started taking out the contents of the plastic bag he had brought.

Several bottles of soju [Korean distilled rice liquor] with water droplets all over the surface, snacks, peanuts, dried squid, etc….

CEO Song, who was busily moving his hands, frowned and said to Jaeseung.

“What are you doing? Give me a hand.”

Jaeseung sat down opposite him and started unwrapping the snacks with CEO Song.

Before long, CEO Song kept pointing around the place where he was sitting and started talking anxiously.

“Jaeseung. Can’t you please turn on the electric pad and live a little? It’s freezing cold.”

“Are you going to pay the electricity bill?”

“How much is it? I’ll pay it, so please turn it on.”

“Anyway, our CEO Song, his words….”

This loft was Jaeseung’s residence. He once lived in a 70-pyeong [approximately 2,480 square feet] house, living a life of luxury.

Of course, it’s just a story of the past now. In the end, he stayed in a ‘goshiwon’ [a type of small, inexpensive housing] and went back and forth to the workshop.

Recently, he couldn’t even afford the monthly rent for the ‘goshiwon’, so he had terminated the contract.

CEO Song took out a bottle of soju from the black plastic bag and handed it to Jaeseung.

“Let’s warm up before we freeze to death.”

“Yes.”

The two lightly clinked the mouths of the soju bottles and started drinking them straight from the bottle.

He could feel the hot liquid going down his esophagus.

Before long, the two frowned at the same time, as if they had made a promise.

It was thanks to the foul smell that suddenly rose from inside.

Was it thanks to the somewhat extreme method? Before long, the two’s cheeks turned as red as autumn persimmons. They got drunk quickly.

CEO Song rubbed his eyes with his index finger and started talking in an infinitely gentle tone.

The drinking party was quite ripe, so he decided that it was time to slowly bring up the main point.

“Jaeseung.”

“Yes?”

“How long are you going to live like this?”

“What again?”

“Let’s talk frankly.”

“Okay. What, tell me.”

“Why don’t you want to do it? Because of a little guilt?”

“That’s one of the reasons.”

Jaeseung, who answered briefly, picked up a piece of dried squid and started chewing it.

“Jaeseung. It’s a bit much to say this, but… anyway, launching Jaeseung’s brand is as good as gone now, right? Isn’t it?”

“That’s right.”

The good old days that CEO Song keeps talking about whenever he gets the chance. The end of that era was quite miserable.

Both of them ended up in jail together, and they both got the stigma of being ex-convicts.

Thanks to that, Jaeseung had to give up his dream that he had been preparing for a long time. ‘Brand Launching’.

No matter how beautiful and good the clothes he made, the fact that he had a criminal record due to the production and distribution of imitation clothes would surely hold Jaeseung back.

That incident at the time was the decisive reason why he was destined to make imitations for the rest of his life.

CEO Song, who had been silently looking at the loft floor, raised his head and continued to speak again.

“Jaeseung. I also regret that incident. But what can I do? I can’t just waste time regretting it. Honestly, I think it’s better to make a lot of money since it’s come to this. I keep saying it. Jaeseung, you could go to Hong Kong right now and work with the locals. You know it yourself, right? Jaeseung’s skills, my sales skills, and our ‘jeonju’ capital. If those three are all in place… then it’s really the Trinity, literally! Jaeseung, you’ve done it once, so you know?”

“Yes, I know.”

“But why don’t you want to do it? Think back. How was it when you first sat in the driver’s seat of a foreign car? How was it when you first moved into a 70-pyeong house?”

Jaeseung, who hadn’t answered anything, smiled mockingly and replied.

“You clearly said let’s talk frankly, right? CEO Song. What’s the point of talking about the past? What’s left in our hands as a result? All the money we made was confiscated, right? Is there anything left besides the stigma of being an ex-convict?”

“You frustrating person! Experience is left, experience! Let’s really do it right this time! As soon as the profits come in, transfer them to a borrowed account! Let’s make only ‘mirror-grade’ products [high-quality replicas] and really start a big game! How long are you going to live so miserably?”

It was a sharp, sharp voice. Judging from the voice, it was clear that CEO Song was quite excited.

Jaeseung’s heart was pounding as well. He put strength into his clenched fist and asked back in a slightly trembling voice.

“CEO Song. You asked how it was when I bought a foreign car and a 70-pyeong house, right? How do you think it was?”

“What?”

“It was really dog-like [miserable/awful]. It was a car bought by stealing, a house prepared by stealing, how could I sleep soundly?”

At least for Jaeseung, it was a conversation topic that made it extremely difficult to remain rational. Something that was neither thirst nor annoyance seemed to block his throat.

Jaeseung immediately poured another bottle of soju and started drinking it in one gulp.

With a cool sound, his Adam’s apple rippled a few times, and the soju in the bottle was quickly emptied.

Instead of picking up a snack, Jaeseung took a deep breath and continued to speak again.

“Okay. CEO, you may be right. Anyway, since it’s come to this, it might be better to make a big profit by making a proper knockoff. Maybe I can earn much more than really successful designers? My life is in this shape, in this state… what’s important about pride, and what’s important about guilt? Right?”

CEO Song started looking at Jaeseung without saying anything. A moment of silence followed. Jaeseung, who smiled bitterly, asked a question with a very twisted tongue.

“But do you know why I keep refusing to collaborate?”

“I know. I’m curious about that too.”

“There’s not much time left to do this anymore.”

“What on earth are you talking about? Jaeseung. Don’t beat around the bush with vague words, just coolly….”

Just as CEO Song was about to continue speaking.

“I can’t see well.”

“What?”

CEO Song’s expression was distorted by Jaeseung’s sudden words. CEO Song, who was sitting blankly for a moment, asked again, wondering if he had misheard.

“Wait a minute. You can’t, what? What did you say?”

“I can’t see. I’m going to go blind soon.”

Even if you make a living making imitations, a designer is a designer.

And for a designer, blindness is like a ‘death sentence’.

However, Jaeseung’s voice was too indifferent to be the voice of a death row inmate saying that he would be executed soon.

“I’m asking you, please leave me alone now. I’m just going to live like this, just so-so, and on the day my eyes die, I’m going to die too. So please just leave me alone.”

After finishing speaking, Jaeseung brought the mouth of the soju bottle to his lips again.

Lee Jaeseung, once dreamed of becoming a designer, the best knockoff craftsman in Dongdaemun.

It seemed that all that was left in his two eyes was darkness now.