The Road To Glory [EN]: Chapter 661

< The Feast of Geniuses >

“This is your studio?”

Halo spotted the familiar old man and the camera following behind him.

Leading the way was Hwang Ryong-pil, with a VJ [videographer] craning his neck with curiosity.

Because Hwang Ryong-pil walked slowly, the VJ leaned in, trying his best to quickly capture the inside of the studio.

“Oh.”

Hwang Ryong-pil exclaimed briefly.

He had heard it was a personal label and studio.

It was wider than he thought—not just an office, but an entire floor—and well-designed.

No exaggeration, really. It felt like a newly opened studio. After looking around the lounge, recording room, and mixing and mastering rooms, Hwang Ryong-pil was genuinely amazed.

It didn’t seem like a rookie label that had just started.

“Wow, this is really nice.”

The VJ, who didn’t know how good the equipment in the studio was, was impressed by the facilities themselves. He simply thought about how much the rent and management fees must be, capturing the state-of-the-art equipment with his camera.

“This is…”

Then, Hwang Ryong-pil found an LP record next to the turntable. It was familiar to him.

Without realizing it, Hwang Ryong-pil picked it up and turned to look at Halo, his face full of surprise.

After all, the LP was an old album of his that came out before Halo was even born.

“It’s one of my most cherished albums.”

Halo nodded, indicating it suited his taste.

Hwang Ryong-pil’s third album was the first Korean music he had heard when he came to Korea. Halo recalled the memory, which felt both recent and quite old.

He first heard Hwang Ryong-pil’s ‘Soar’ at that time and felt the beauty of the Korean language.

He thought it would be nice to make songs in this language.

And he was glad to know that there was someone doing the same kind of music as him in another country.

He had thought about meeting him someday.

He didn’t expect to meet him so soon.

And for the purpose of collaborating with HALO together.

“It must have been hard to find.”

“I received it as a gift. From the person who first played this album for me.”

“Oh. I don’t know who it is, but they must be a good person.”

Hwang Ryong-pil, who called them a good person just for gifting his album, laughed heartily.

“Are you going to start working now?”

After chatting for a while, the VJ, who had been meticulously filming his studio, approached and asked.

“Hey, take it easy. I haven’t even had a proper rest yet.”

“But… Yes…”

Unlike other teams, this team was being closely watched, so the VJ himself came instead of just giving them a reality camera.

However, the VJ couldn’t say anything to the legend of Korean music, grumbling inwardly and quietly sitting on the opposite sofa.

In fact, even though they weren’t doing a collaboration yet, the two people’s conversation was enjoyable. How should he put it? There should be a generation gap, but age and generation weren’t really noticeable.

It just felt like a conversation between two musicians.

The VJ, who initially thought it was a strange combination, changed his mind. The two people, who were playing the guitar and talking about everything except ‘work,’ seemed like close friends.

While the VJ was spacing out, Hwang Ryong-pil glanced at him. He had been talking for so long that he hadn’t realized how much time had passed, but it wasn’t polite to waste the time of the VJ, who was being paid to do his job.

“That friend seems to be having a hard time, so let’s slowly start talking about work.”

“Yes, do you have a genre in mind?”

“Well, I do have something. What about you?”

Hwang Ryong-pil seemed to have something he wanted to say but subtly watched his reaction.

Was it a rather difficult genre he wanted to do?

Halo actually didn’t mind any genre, thinking it would be fun.

“Please, go ahead first.”

Hwang Ryong-pil nodded without hesitation.

“Didn’t you say you were trying new things?”

“That’s right.”

“I’ve been thinking a lot about that since then. About whether I’m settling for the present, unlike you. I think it was different when I was younger, but I don’t know these days. Well, maybe it’s because I’ve tried so many genres so far.”

Rock, ballad, trot [Korean pop music], folk song, children’s song, etc.

If someone asked what kind of music Hwang Ryong-pil does, no one would be able to say a specific genre.

After much deliberation, someone would eventually answer like this:

‘Hwang Ryong-pil’s genre is Hwang Ryong-pil.’

“I thought I’d try something new this time too. There’s still a genre I haven’t tried.”

Halo nodded with a smile.

Challenge is always something he loves.

He also respected the old man’s challenge.

But what genre could Hwang Ryong-pil not have done?

He wondered if he was going to do a song in a foreign language when an unexpected word came out.

“What? A cheering song?”

This wasn’t Halo who shouted.

The VJ, who had been quietly listening to the two people’s conversation, shouted.

That’s because it was an unexpected genre.

Looking at him, Hwang Ryong-pil calmly continued.

“I’ve been in the business for a while now—”

That’s right.

Hwang Ryong-pil, who debuted in his teens, was definitely the oldest singer in the current music industry.

“I’ve never even made a common World Cup cheering song. I’ve sung them, though. Isn’t the final episode of our show a music festival, a stage?”

“That’s right.”

“I want to make a song that everyone can enjoy as much as I enjoy being on stage. Not necessarily a cheering song, but a song that everyone can sing together.”

In some ways, it was a difficult request.

A song that everyone can sing along to has a melody that isn’t difficult to sing and makes you want to sing it.

On top of that, if it’s a cheering song, it has to instill a sense of elation in people.

But Halo nodded, saying it was okay.

A song that can move other people’s emotions aligns with his musical philosophy that Noh Halo is trying to achieve.

Even though it was a genre he had never thought of, it was a good attempt.

‘I don’t think I’ve ever made a cheering song either.’

“On top of that, I’ve been thinking about something else. It’s not a big deal. I was wondering if we could add repetitive motions.”

Hwang Ryong-pil snapped his fingers as an example.

“This is just an example. It doesn’t have to be this. It would be hard to pull this off on stage, though.”

That’s true.

Recording would be fine, but their ultimate goal is the stage.

He didn’t know how big the music festival would be, but a recorded sound source and a live performance on stage are very different.

Unlike recording, where you can focus on small sounds, small sounds are buried on stage.

But adding repetitive motions seems like a good idea.

The music he had heard here flashed through his mind.

The first thing that came to mind was Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You.’ It was a form of music where everyone participated by stomping their feet and clapping their hands.

Even people who can’t sing can follow along.

And the musician and the audience create the stage together, which seemed attractive.

Halo suddenly thought.

‘Finger snapping isn’t necessarily bad either.’

He recalled the finger snapping that Hwang Ryong-pil had shown.

Snap.

The sound is small, but the sound itself is unique and good. Isn’t it a sound that can only be made with ‘finger snapping’?

Of course, if you snap your fingers many times, your fingers will catch fire.

Well. His way is to burn his whole body anyway.

‘Hmm.’

A melody seems to come to mind.

A clear face lost in thought.

Hwang Ryong-pil quietly looked at the boy.

He stopped the VJ from saying anything and put his finger on his lips.

‘Be quiet.’

The VJ nodded and quietly captured the boy on camera.

The boy, who had been silent during the conversation, began to wiggle his fingers.

Hwang Ryong-pil was looking at the boy with a benevolent face.

The VJ, who was ignorant of music, realized that something was happening.

Snap, snap.

Regardless, a certain beat passed through Halo’s head. Repetitive sounds. Other sounds are overlaid on the finger snapping.

Halo suddenly recalled the music that finger snapping and surrounding sounds had created someday.

The bookshelf in his head slid over, and the sheet music unfolded without having to open a notebook.

An unfinished song.

The first thing he hears is the clicking of a ballpoint pen.

The bass sound of an eraser rubbing against paper.

The stomping of children’s feet and restless movements.

Then, the sound of a bell cutting through the silence.

It was a bell that rang due to an error, but the children start an unauthorized break. Untying their ties, a true free time to run wild.

The unfinished song he regretted is shaking violently.

Snap. Snap. Snap. Snap. Like this.

Halo snapped his fingers with both hands.

A decent framework has been created.

“This is…”

If all the eyes in the classroom were on him at that time, this time two people were watching him.

“How about this?”

“What?”

Halo played that sound on the guitar.

It’s not a sound to be made with a guitar, but Hwang Ryong-pil would probably know what sound he’s trying to create.

He felt it from the first time he heard his album, but he is a master at handling sounds.

The sounds begin to form a melody.

Hwang Ryong-pil closed his eyes.

“You’re putting this in here.”

Snap, snap, snap, snap. Halo snapped his fingers.

Finger snapping will create the beat.

“It’ll be buried in the concert hall?”

“You don’t have to worry about that.”

If only they do it, it will be buried.

The sessions that he and Hwang Ryong-pil simultaneously thought of will bury the small and weak sound.

But, if they’re not the only ones snapping their fingers.

“Because we’re not the only ones doing it.”

“…You don’t mean!”

Hwang Ryong-pil opened his eyes wide at that word.

He couldn’t not know what it meant.

Wasn’t he the one who first made the suggestion?

The scene that will happen in the future passes through his head.

Hwang Ryong-pil felt a thrill. The two musicians suddenly start adding sounds to the unfinished melody like crazy.

The VJ watched the feast of geniuses,넋을 잃고 [넋을 잃고: lost his soul].

It felt like he was stealing a glimpse of some divine realm that he shouldn’t have seen.

‘Well, I feel like I shouldn’t be here…’

Hwang Ryong-pil, who threw out the idea of ​​a cheering song and finger snapping, and

The boy who suddenly pulled out a melody in less than 10 minutes.

The lyrics were not yet complete, so it was all humming, but to the VJ, it seemed like a complete song in itself.

The VJ, who was watching a creation process, seriously 고민했다 [고민했다: contemplated].

‘…Should I kneel down now?’

#

It is difficult to simply define an artist’s studio like this.

A studio equipped with recording rooms and instruments.

A hideout where day and night have been reversed

If a noise-free space like a reading room is a studio for someone,

For others, any space with alcohol is a studio.

That’s the reason.

The 5 teams were sitting side by side, ordering draft beer at a chicken restaurant. Of course, they didn’t bring the camera; it was an O.T.R. [off the record] state.

“How did we decide to decide the stage order later?”

A man who had a drink and got drunk said.

“I don’t know. PD Jang [production director Jang] hasn’t said anything yet. Why are you worrying about that already?”

“No, if it’s after Hwang Ryong-pil and that Noh Halo guy, it’s a bit… Hey, I still don’t understand. How did they make the teams so unbalanced?”

It was clear that he came out to do a collaboration, but as the alcohol rose, the man lamented the balance of the team.

It was as if there was no survival, and at this rate, he felt like he would be eaten by other teams. Whether it’s viewers’ interest or music.

“I’m not too worried.”

At that time, when a woman in the same pair mumbled while 까며 [까며: peeling] peanuts, the man raised his head.

“Why? Have you already forgotten the arrangement stage?”

“How can I forget that? Especially that last stage, that arrangement… I can never forget it.”

“So that’s what I mean by unbalanced. Hwang Ryong-pil is also a composer, so what are we going to do if we put people who specialize in composing together as a team?”

One is an old singer-songwriter, and the other is a rookie who showed talent with one arrangement.

The problem was that both of them were all-rounder artists with strengths in songwriting and composition. One side alone is 버거운데 [버거운데: overwhelming] enough.

“Don’t you think that might be worse?”

“What?”

The man tilted his head at the woman’s sudden words.

“Both of them specialize in composing. They might be 부딪히고 [부딪히고: clashing] right now. It would have been okay when they were singing their own songs. But, they put geniuses with strong personalities together as a team. Moreover, is there only a difference in music between the two? There’s probably a huge generation gap too? The age range is also like that. One side is a 꼰대 [꼰대:꼰대 is a Korean slang term for an older person who is condescending or acts superior to others] old man, and the other is a 질풍노도 [질풍노도: a turbulent] adolescent, so wouldn’t they 부딪히겠냐 [부딪히겠냐: clash]?”

“That… Is that so?”

He thought that could be the case.

“Even if they take all the attention…”

“That’s true too. It’ll be good now. In episodes 1 and 2, there will be a lot of interest in the first team combination anyway. We’re only talking about the first team. But that could backfire. I thought delicious food plus delicious food would be more delicious, but what if kimchi cake comes out?”

“Ugh…”

“What we should be wary of is Shin Joo-hyuk and Liv. A couple duet song with a similar age range. Our positions overlap, and both of them have huge fandoms. The unbalanced combination is actually that side.”

“That’s true. How did the two of them become a pair?”

“Well, isn’t it obvious? They must have 미리 입 맞췄겠지 [미리 입 맞췄겠지: colluded beforehand].”

Just like they did, Shin Joo-hyuk and Liv would have been tied together like that.

The woman was sure.

Then the woman mumbled, watching the TV 틀어놓은 [틀어놓은: turned on] in the chicken restaurant.

“By the way, today is the first episode.”

Just today.

Around the time each team was 잡고 [잡고: grasping] the concept and working on the song

The first episode of <2030 Song Festival- Rendezvous>, 이하 [이하: hereinafter], Rendezvous, was broadcast.

#

“Nice to meet you.”

As expected, the first opening of Rendezvous was decorated with the 양반탈 [양반탈: Yangban mask, a traditional Korean mask], Hwang Ryong-pil, who shook the internet. Starting with him, the stages of 12 artists were 본격적으로 [본격적으로: in earnest] introduced.

People who watched the first episode enjoyed the stage as a fan of someone, but there was something they were most waiting for.

The stage that covered HALO’s song, which is currently ranked number 1 in the world’s music charts.

Half were 조마조마하게 [조마조마하게: anxiously], and the other half 팔짱을 끼고 [팔짱을 끼고: with their arms crossed] watched, wondering how well they would do.

And of course, the stage that attracted the most 어그로 [어그로: aggro, slang for attention] didn’t come out right away.

It was easy to see that the stage order was the order of influence after watching only the third stage.

After Hwang Ryong-pil, Shin Joo-hyuk and Liv. As he went back, he went from established to mid-level, and some artists 망치는 [망치는: ruining] the stage by overdoing it, so he gradually gave up 기대 [기대: expectations].

It was 그나마 [그나마: at least] okay that a man who looked like an idol showed a performance-oriented stage without 지나치지 [지나치지: overdoing it]. That was exactly eleven songs until then. It was the eleventh stage.

In the end, what was left was the HALO cover of the least influential artist.

At this time, interviews with other artists were 조명 [조명: highlighted].

It was an interview that 그대로 [그대로: directly] reflected the viewers’ 마음 [마음: minds].

‘The last person must be 긴장되시겠다 [긴장되시겠다: nervous].’

‘I know. In fact, all the stages that could come out have come out.’

‘But when do you choose a pair?’

The screen 전환 [전환: switches] and a man wearing an 이매탈 [이매탈: Imae mask, a type of Korean mask] talks.

“Everyone will have fun.”

Viewers who already knew that he was covering HALO laughed, and viewers who didn’t know thought about how much fun it would be. Aren’t all the comments for broadcasting?

Immediately stage camera 전환 [전환: switch].

A familiar accompaniment flowed out.

[Is this a HALO cover? He said it would be fun, but is he covering HALO?]

└Didn’t you know? It was a big issue in the trailer.

└ㅇㅇ [ㅇㅇ: abbreviation for yes] But I’m a HALO fan… Ah, 씨 제발 [씨 제발: damn it, please]… Just don’t sing it.

“No, are you going to sing this?”

Like the viewers’ 마음 [마음: minds], some artists said the same thing. “Aren’t you crazy?” The comments that he thought were 가려졌다고 [가려졌다고: hidden] in the 탈속 [탈속: mask] were not edited and came out 그대로 [그대로: directly].

With the familiar organ sound, the name of the original song appeared in 자막 [자막: subtitles].

Please, lead me not into temptation │ HALO (4th album O God)

“Oh Lord.”

The 이매 탈 [이매 탈: Imae mask], who 건방지게 [건방지게: arrogantly] said that everyone would have fun, opened his mouth.

“Father told me to love everyone.”

At that moment, a collapsed church 펼쳐진다 [펼쳐진다: unfolds] in front of everyone’s eyes.

This is the space that HALO’s music 구현한 [구현한: realized].

He thought he was 따라부른 [따라부른: singing along] quite well, but someone 부정했다 [부정했다: denied] that it wasn’t the cover singer’s.

But another 누군가의 [누군가의: someone’s] voice came.

“Tell me your story.”

The 속삭이는 [속삭이는: whispering] voice was 선량했고 [선량했고: kind], 연약하면서도 [연약하면서도: fragile], 따뜻했다 [따뜻했다: warm]. Like a priest who always listens to his voice in one place.

“Father.”

The 이매 탈 [이매 탈: Imae mask] again, sang HALO

“If you fall into hell, take my hand.”

Again, he became a 선량한 [선량한: kind] person and 위로하기도 [위로하기도: comforted] him.

Clearly it was one person, but two people were visible.

There was one light, but bright and dark lights 공존하고 [공존하고: coexisting].

And when that 마침내 [마침내: finally] 겹쳐졌을 [겹쳐졌을: overlapped]

Someone thought.

Ah, maybe what we thought was a priest,

Wasn’t it a god who came down to hear a man’s story?

The stage lights 점점 [점점: gradually] 꺼져 [꺼져: dimmed] 들었다.

With that, episode 1 also ended.

There was no 예고 [예고: preview] for the identity reveal and pair decision that people really wanted to see. But no one 지적하지 [지적하지: pointed out] that there was no trailer.

The internet was already 불타오르고 [불타오르고: burning], and he couldn’t 신경 쓸 [신경 쓸: pay attention] to the 사소한 것 [사소한 것: trivial things] (?) in front of a huge 운석 [운석: meteorite].

[Wow]

[ㅅㅂ 침흘리면서 봄] [ㅅㅂ 침흘리면서 봄: Slang for “I watched it drooling.”]

[I believe in God because of this…It’s very warm]

[I didn’t know you liked opera 가곡 [가곡: Korean classical vocal music]?]

Starting with that comment, the server 오락가락하기 [오락가락하기: fluctuating] started.

[Please give me some information on who the hell isㅠㅠㅠ]

[Listening to the voice, isn’t it him? Noh Halo is a 신예 [신예: rising star] these days ㅇㅇ [ㅇㅇ: abbreviation for yes] No, but I knew he was good at singing, but I didn’t know he was that good;;;]

[A rookie? Is this a rookie’s skill? No matter how I look at it, it’s like another singer]

[I know the 음색 [음색: timbre] is 씹사기 [씹사기: slang for extremely good], but did he 편곡 [편곡: arrange] himself????]

└몰?루 [몰?루: abbreviation for “I don’t know.”]

└Didn’t the company do it for him?

└Aren’t all the people who came out there their own skills?

[Whoever it is, he’s a genius]

Halo’s arrangement is really perfect

Wow, how did you 편곡 [편곡: arrange] like this? Was he originally a 가곡 [가곡: Korean classical vocal music] person? Or a musical composer?

I thought only Halo could do Halo’s 곡 [곡: song] 편곡 [편곡: arrange]?

Because the color is so strong.

Wow.. But 태양이 [태양이: Taeyang, a famous Korean singer] would give a standing ovation if he heard this

└Isn’t this clip 뜨냐 [뜨냐: going viral]? I want to show it to my foreign friend

└It’s uploaded to the official account nowㅇㅇ [ㅇㅇ: abbreviation for yes]

└This is 인정 [인정: 인정, acknowledgement] even HALO fans

└Isn’t HALO really coming to Korea after listening to this??

└It would be nice if the two of them 콜라보 [콜라보: collaborate]

└HALO is 콜라보 [콜라보: collaborate] with a 듣보 [듣보: slang for someone unknown] that doesn’t even know the existence of?ㅋ [ㅋ: abbreviation for laughter]

Although it’s a 정체 추리 [정체 추리: identity guessing], the reaction to 편곡 [편곡: arrangement] was 뜨거웠다 [뜨거웠다: hot].

Then someone left a comment.

[But is it just me? Seriously, it’s similar to HALO, isn’t HALO himself singing it?]