Golden Print [EN]: Chapter 291

Woo-jin stared at the figure on the platform. A man stood there, sharp and polished like a dark mirror. His black suit was perfectly tailored, and his hair, slicked back with pomade, gleamed under the bright lights. He looked every inch the successful designer.

Woo-jin arrived at the site. He saw his competitor for today’s competition. It was this man.

Because there were only two companies in today’s final competition.

“Jacob Perez…”

Jacob Perez was there. He was the chief designer at ‘Black Tales’. People knew him as one of the best exhibition designers.

Seeing his serious face, Woo-jin became even more nervous.

He hadn’t expected to meet a mediocre opponent, given the scale of the project. But he sensed that he had met an even more formidable opponent than he had thought.

Woo-jin thought, “I remember him. He designed the Codrit Bridge in Las Vegas.”

Jacob Perez was certainly a famous exhibition designer even in 2013.

However, in Woo-jin’s past life, he was a man who would become even more famous in the future, so Woo-jin knew him well.

The Codrit Bridge was Jacob’s future work, planned for around 2025. It would become famous as a landmark in Las Vegas.

Of course, that was still in the future, and Jacob of today would certainly have less experience than Jacob of 2025.

But regardless, it was clear that he would not be an easy opponent.

Of course, that didn’t mean that Woo-jin was intimidated or anything.

“I wonder what kind of presentation he’ll show.”

Woo-jin’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Jacob. His eyes held curiosity, anticipation, and a desire to win.

“Greetings, everyone at LTK Financial Group. And everyone involved in the M-Tec project. I am Jacob Perez, chief designer of Black Tales.”

Jacob spoke in a firm, clear voice. An interpreter translated his words into Korean for everyone.

The executives at headquarters and those involved with ALuna were all fluent in English, of course, but this was still Korea.

“Before I begin, I would like to express my deep gratitude for selecting Black Tales’ design as the final entry for this important project.”

Jacob’s voice began to gain more strength.

“Black Tales worked very hard on this presentation. We want to meet your expectations.”

As Jacob moved the laser pointer, light entered the screen.

Bzzzt!

“A convention center to complete the last piece of the Magok MICE complex.”

On the screen, a beautiful bird’s-eye view appeared, stunning everyone.

“From now on, I will show you all the beauty and value that Black Tales wanted to capture in this design.”

Woo-jin glanced at Jacob, who continued to speak fluently, and then fixed his gaze on the design of Black Tales that appeared on the screen.

Woo-jin didn’t think of fancy words. Just one word came to mind: ‘Impressive.’

Woo-jin had pondered hundreds of designs for the same location and environment, so he could feel the effort that went into Jacob’s architecture.

‘Indeed…’

Woo-jin was genuinely impressed by Jacob’s design.

But more important than the beautiful exterior was the substance contained within that beautiful vessel.

Woo-jin began to wonder what philosophy and values this wonderful building would hold.

As if to respond to Woo-jin’s curiosity, Jacob began to talk about the values he had put into his architecture.

“Creativity allows for mistakes. But choosing the non-mistakes within that is the process of design.”

Scott Adams, cartoonist, engineer, and artist.

Starting with a quote from him, Jacob’s full-fledged presentation began.

Lucas, who was watching the first presentation, thought this.

‘Essence… a design and architecture that is more faithful to it.’

What Jacob showed in his presentation was an architecture that was more rationalistic than anything else.

Jacob’s architecture was rational. He designed based on experience, careful study, function, and purpose.

Jacob had more experience in the genre of exhibition design than anyone else.

Based on his experience, he designed the best convention center he wanted to plan an exhibition for.

‘I can’t even find any unnecessary elements.’

Jacob’s rational design values were derived from zoning and space configuration to exterior design.

The formative harmony with other buildings in the already designed MICE complex.

And the close relationship and functional interference between the MICE complex buildings.

The spatial structure began to be completed in the process of considering these things, and the design and formative beauty were completed by refining the spatial structures.

This was definitely Jacob’s unique architectural process.

“Creating something from nothing is also architecture, but making the material the most beautiful result based on already existing sources is also architecture.”

Many people were listening to Jacob’s presentation with great concentration, and active designers like Woo-jin were pondering the contents even more interestingly.

“And this Magok MICE complex project contains a wealth of materials that were already completed before my hands touched them.”

Architects always have to think hard within limits. It’s part of their job.

“The formative, functional, and relational aspects that these materials already possess.”

Jacob was referring to the other buildings in the MICE complex, whose designs had already been finalized, as ‘materials’ to be added to his design.

“I thought of this convention center project as a task of making a dish that was already half-finished into a more beautiful and perfect delicacy.”

Most designers have a sense of self.

And the stronger and more solid that sense of self is, the more firmly they can have a design that contains their own color.

“And we at Black Tales believe that we have created a design that is most faithful to that.”

But what is more difficult than having a solid sense of self is designing in a way that knows how to put that sense of self down again.

That’s what Lucas thought, and that’s why he was genuinely impressed with Jacob’s design.

Jacob’s design, as seen by Lucas, was more rational than anything else, yet harmonious enough, and a beauty that showed he was willing to put his own ideas aside for the good of the design.

‘Hmm. How should I put this… Should I call it a mature design?’

And while Lucas was thinking that.

“This concludes our design presentation from Black Tales. Thank you.”

Jacob’s presentation, which lasted almost an hour, came to an end, and thunderous applause poured out for him.

Clap- Clap clap clap!

So Lucas added his sincere applause to the applause.

Woo-jin was also sending sincere applause to Jacob.

Clap- Clap- Clap-

Jacob was an architectural designer like Woo-jin, ahead of being a competitor in this competition.

Woo-jin also gained something through his presentation, so he didn’t mind giving him sincere applause.

‘I learned a fresh and new way to structure the design process.’

And what’s interesting is that Woo-jin’s tension was relieved by watching Jacob’s excellent presentation.

The obsession that he had to win this final presentation unconditionally disappeared when he heard the excellent presentation.

‘Just the fact that I was able to experience this competition makes the time I spent preparing for this project worthwhile.’

If Jacob had given a disappointing presentation, Woo-jin would have been even more energized now.

If he were to lose the competition in that situation, it would be because of Woo-jin’s mistake, not because Jacob was excellent.

He couldn’t allow that situation to happen.

But Jacob’s presentation was even better than Woo-jin had imagined, so Woo-jin was genuinely relieved.

He was ready to accept whatever the outcome of this competition might be.

‘Of course, that doesn’t mean I can lose this competition…’

The more outstanding the opponent you can acknowledge, the less painful the defeat and the greater the sense of accomplishment when you win.

So Woo-jin’s desire was further ignited by listening to the excellent presentation, and his mind, which had organized the presentation’s contents, became clearer.

“Well, so far, we’ve heard the presentation from Black Tales’ designer ‘Jacob’. Immediately following this…”

As the emcee’s voice was heard, Woo-jin slowly rose from his seat.

The emcee, who made eye contact with Woo-jin, reached out and pointed at him, continuing in a strong voice.

“There will be a design presentation by CEO Seo Woo-jin of WJ Studio!”

The moment the emcee’s words ended, thunderous applause filled the venue.

This was much louder than when Jacob first came on stage, but it was only natural since most of the people filling this presentation hall were Korean.

‘A little embarrassing.’

Tap- Tap-

Woo-jin, who slowly walked onto the platform, grabbed the microphone and placed it in front of him.

“Greetings, LTK executives and employees, and judges.”

This time, contrary to Jacob’s presentation, Korean flowed from Woo-jin’s mouth, and the interpreter translated Woo-jin’s story into English.

“Thank you so much for inviting our WJ Studio to this wonderful project, and for allowing us this opportunity until the very end.”

Woo-jin’s gaze, which was looking around the audience, met Lucas’s, who was sitting in the judges’ seat.

Woo-jin didn’t know exactly who he was, but he was sure of one thing.

That he was very much looking forward to this presentation of his.

“Then, from now on… I will begin the design presentation prepared by me and the WJ Studio design team.”

Woo-jin began the presentation in his usual calm voice, and at that moment, the screen lit up again.

Bzzzt!

The design bird’s-eye view of the Magok Convention Center, which contained the past six months of Woo-jin and WJ Studio, and Min-sun, who was the best assistant in this project.

“Wow…!”

“Krooooh… !”

Exclamations leaked out here and there, but this was about the same level as when Jacob’s bird’s-eye view was revealed, and Woo-jin was never excited.

‘Good.’

Woo-jin, who swallowed a dry 침 once, slowly opened his mouth again to the audience.

The first words that came out of his mouth were these.

“Do you all know about the old name of Magok?”

And the moment Woo-jin’s first words resonated, the slightly noisy audience became quiet in an instant.