The Road To Glory [EN]: Chapter 2111

[Bonus] Episode 13. Into the World on Foot

Korea is divided into before and after Halo’s debut. At least, that’s what PD [Production Director] Na Hye-ju thought about Korean broadcasting stations.

Before Halo’s debut, the broadcasting stations were divided in their opinion of Noh Hae-il, or rather, Noh Hae-il’s attitude.

As everyone knows, Noh Hae-il wasn’t exactly friendly with broadcasting stations. Broadcasting stations wanted to be close to the overnight star, but Noh Hae-il wasn’t active in broadcasting.

He wouldn’t come when asked and wouldn’t answer calls. The initial reaction of the broadcasting stations to the attitude of an overnight star who hadn’t even been in the industry for a year was acceptance.

Having learned the quirks of countless celebrities, the broadcasting stations accepted him as one of those types. Not all star celebrities appear on broadcasts frequently. He wasn’t causing trouble or creating controversies that would land him in the social pages, so they just kept sending offers without seeing him negatively.

On the other hand, there were more conservative and negative reactions. Some saw his refusal to respond to offers, even though he was only a year in and had gained some popularity, as ‘putting on airs.’

They felt the artist had so much confidence in himself that he was lacking humility.

Still, there was nothing they could do right now, and they were more inclined to wait and see what would happen after his popularity waned.

And these two positions of the broadcasting stations completely changed with his debut performance at Coachella (Halo’s coming out).

There were already many music programs, but there were even more now, and they started trying detailed genres such as bands and rock, which they hadn’t explored much before.

The Rendezvous template that created the star Noh Hae-il had long been sold overseas, and many music-related programs such as auditions, radio, and talk shows were created and disappeared.

Well, I don’t know what will happen if Halo commits a huge crime later, but right now, there were more than a few people who would roll out the red carpet if he just showed up.

Grammy Award winner, Taeyang [Noh Hae-il’s stage name], a true artist, a musical genius. He had more than a few titles.

Everyone was curious about him, and that was confirmed by the Noh Hae-il YouTube content that was recently uploaded.

He didn’t add any special formats in terms of content, and he didn’t put in any gags or emotional appeals, but it was simply fun.

The buzz about his ‘slump confession’ is also crazy.

After streaming, Na Hye-ju, who watched the first episode uploaded to YouTube, honestly thought she would look forward to the second episode too. She felt like she couldn’t wait to watch it.

Anyway, the reason why PD Na Hye-ju was so enthusiastic about Noh Hae-il was not to scout him—ah, of course, she wanted to bring him on board, but she thought it was impossible—but to explain about the program she planned.

She said that the broadcasting landscape had changed because of Halo.

Like many PDs who planned music programs under the influence of Noh Hae-il, Na Hye-ju was also influenced by Noh Hae-il. She became more confident because of Noh Hae-il’s YouTube content.

The program she planned was to find the ‘musical genius’ of Korea. Yes, she wanted to find a genius somewhere in Korea again, just like when such programs were briefly created during the genius craze that swept Korea in the old days.

In fact, it’s good enough to be a prodigy, even if they don’t go all the way to genius. The purpose of the planned work was to connect prodigies who are not properly receiving musical education due to environmental factors or various reasons with mentors.

The purpose was good.

Music and genius, which are trending these days.

And the picture that could be shown by connecting mentors was endless.

PD Jang, a respected star PD, also said it was okay and could help find a mentor. She dreamed of a rainbow-colored future for her debut work.

But what she had to worry about was not the mentor, but the ‘musical prodigy’ who will become the mentee. She is contacting and visiting musical prodigies through SNS and various places.

It was very difficult to find someone who fits her program’s purpose.

There were cases where she had expectations because they had won some awards, but they were very ordinary, and most of them were children between prodigies and created prodigies.

Also, even if she met a real prodigy, they didn’t seem to need a mentor as much as PD Na Hye-ju thought.

‘More than I thought….’

“I guess wealth is also essential for prodigies these days.”

Writer Do Min-hee said exactly what she was thinking.

That’s right. Prodigies these days didn’t live as lacking lives as they did on TV in the 2000s. They were born in wealthy families in the so-called Gangnam area [affluent district in Seoul] and received good education, or they became popular YouTubers and had already been contacted.

Na Hye-ju PD, who went all the way to Jeju Island and heard that they were students of a famous pianist residing in Jeju Island, returned with a resigned face.

“The world is a good place to live these days. It’s different from my time.”

You can call me a *kkondae* [꼰대, a Korean slang term for an older person who is condescending or preachy], but I have nothing to say.

Because it was sincere.

And Na Hye-ju PD, who came out of the sea of prodigies, finally came to a place called Baekundo.

She wanted to have expectations, but it was difficult to have expectations, given her experience so far. Moreover, unlike other tips, the eyewitness accounts of seeing a prodigy in Baekundo lacked confidence that they were a prodigy.

It was just that they were unique.

“What was that kid’s name?”

“It was a pretty name.”

Was it Winter?

As writer Do Min-hee was trying to recall, PD Na Hye-ju got up.

“Okay, let’s get up then.”

“Already?”

“We didn’t come here to sleep.”

“It wouldn’t be polite to visit from dawn.”

“Don’t you know that the countryside starts early in the morning? And let’s go out to look around the village.”

I guess she couldn’t sleep properly because she was so upset after failing to search for so many prodigies. Writer Do Min-hee lowered her head for a moment and then got up.

The dawn air was chilly.

Even in the southern region, you couldn’t ignore the sea breeze in early March.

Nevertheless, the sun rising from the horizon was illuminating the entire island.

PD Na Hye-ju stretched.

The dawn air with the smell of salt made her feel like she was waking up her stiff body.

It was then.

[Friday, March 3rd, we will start the morning broadcast to announce the day of Baekundo.]

PD Na Hye-ju was startled by the sudden voice. Writer Do Min-hee looked around and found a village loudspeaker attached to a street lamp.

“Wow, I guess they even have broadcasts because it’s the countryside.”

It’s been so long since I’ve seen something like this that I was surprised.

Actually, if it were a city, I would have been annoyed by the radio sound that I didn’t turn on, but is it just because I’m curious?

Or—.

[Today, as the end of the week approaches. I hope you have a comfortable and relaxing day—.]

“I don’t know who it is, but the voice—.”

The voice coming from the loudspeaker with poor sound quality was really sweet.

It was the perfect voice to start the morning. I thought he would do well even if he did the radio. Or a song—.

Unless he’s really bad at singing, it would be nice to listen to because of his voice.

What if the loudspeaker sound quality was a little better?

PD Na Hye-ju forgot why she came here for a moment and wanted to see the owner of the voice.

“Let’s go quickly.”

But this is not the time to do this.

They decided to move diligently.

Baekun Elementary School Broadcasting Club.

Halo was reading a paper with broadcast comments written on it. There wasn’t much written on it, and it was even old.

I heard that they haven’t been broadcasting for a while.

Not because of some problem, but just because there was no one to take on the role. Too noisy, too mumbling, or unable to read to the point where it was doubtful whether they were illiterate.

At this time when the lifeline of village broadcasting was cut off, Halo didn’t have to broadcast, but Halo didn’t have much livelihood skills than he thought.

A scene that makes people cringe was captured by the VJ’s [Video Journalist] camera.

When I think about it, whether it was in the past or now, he diligently cleans his house or cooks and eats.

His house was now full of practice songs called garbage, people who regularly cleaned visited, and cooking was out of the question.

Whether in the past or present, he had never cooked with his own hands. He ate with someone or ate food made by someone.

Then, when there was nothing to eat, he just drank the remaining alcohol. He starved and sometimes ate leftover french fry crumbs from parties because he wasn’t picky about food then or now.

Now, there is always plenty of fresh food in the house, and he never eats alone.

[It may be a question you’ve heard a lot, but what season do you like? Summer when the sandy beach is the prettiest? Spring when colorful flowers and fluffy morning mist fall?]

[I like winter the most.]

Halo smiled faintly as he looked at the script.

[There’s nothing more delicious than sweet potatoes eaten sitting around with my pretty younger sibling and loving parents in a thick blanket. Also, my mother, who always said ‘come back’, calls me again and wraps a warm scarf around me. She whispers not to catch a cold. Also—.]

It wasn’t anything special, but the listed stories were cute.

[But recently, I saw this passage in a book I read. “Many human beings say that they enjoy the winter, but what they really enjoy is feeling proof against it.” It is a famous saying by the famous British novelist Richard Adams.]

People who went out to the port at dawn scratched their itchy ears without realizing it.

It was a completely different feeling from the village broadcasts I heard last year.

I heard that famous people from Seoul came. I had only heard it in passing, and I didn’t think they were much different from humans like us, but it was different. I thought it wasn’t famous for nothing.

Mr. Kim!

Mr. Hwang shouts to come quickly, but he doesn’t want to work.

I feel lazy without realizing it in the languid voice.

However, I have to go. To make a living.

Mr. Kim slowly walked forward.

It’s time for the annoying pop song that they play every Friday, but the fact that the broadcast doesn’t continue seems to be pushing me to work.

It was then.

Ah—.

After a brief squealing noise, the voice came back.

No, the song.

[When I was young, I’d listen to the radio]

[Waiting for my favorite songs]

Someone sang without accompaniment.

[When they played, I’d sing along]

He was singing easily without giving much strength, but Mr. Kim knew that this song was subtly high.

[It made me smile]

The days of my youth came to mind.

The memory of listening to music with my lover while sharing a blanket. When I think about it now, how could I be so happy in that cramped single room?

[Every sha la la]

It’s a song I’ve heard so much, but how can I feel so good?

Mr. Hwang approached Mr. Kim, who was standing still until the song was over.

“Mr. Kim, the day will break if you keep doing this.”

Mr. Hwang blamed him, even though he was standing still until he heard the song.

It’s all that guy’s fault for not being able to appreciate it.

Mr. Kim grumbled and approached Mr. Hwang.

Mr. Hwang, who doesn’t know his feelings, hummed the song from earlier. He doesn’t seem to know that even a good song becomes noise when he sings it.

“Hey, be quiet.”

All the lingering feelings will fly away.

Halo put down the sheet music.

The script said to play music, but Halo, who couldn’t find where the music was, was fortunate enough to find the sheet music.

Looking at the file full of sheet music that was damaged and had holes, it seemed like he had lost the CD too.

The morning broadcast ended like this.

Halo got up from his seat, thinking that the radio was quite fun.

At that time, noise was heard from outside.

The sound of someone running in a hurry.

It wasn’t before the school started, so there couldn’t be any students, and the teachers weren’t at work at this time.

The only person who could be there was the grandfather who manages the school, but he guided him to the school earlier and said he would go in and sleep.

So—.

Halo tilted his head, knowing that no one was coming. The members must be very busy right now.

Regardless, the sound got closer.

Soon, there is a sound of thumping and breathing in front of the door.

The door that seemed like it would open at any moment is closed.

Halo stood still for a moment and then approached first.

Thump—.

Light came in through the open door, and Halo—.

“?”

Discovered an elementary school student with shaggy hair.

The little boy who didn’t hang out with the children and hid alone in the alley to watch them.

“No one can come in here, how did you get here?!”