I went up to the podium.
The representatives from Emplix handed me a bouquet and a trophy.
The music played as the host continued with the introduction.
“The script for the winning piece,
Applause erupted.
Camera flashes went off in various directions.
“Winner, please share your acceptance speech.”
I stood in front of the microphone on the podium.
The prominent figures from the drama industry looked at me with curiosity.
The expressions of the journalists behind them were also notable.
‘What provocative counterattack will Lee Sang make on the Korean literary scene this time?’
It felt as if I could hear their thoughts.
As the applause subsided, I opened my mouth.
“First, I would like to thank PD Kang In-chun, scriptwriter Song Ye-na, and team leader Lee Sol of the planning team for selecting my humble work. Writing this drama has taught me a lot. In particular, it has given me the opportunity to deeply reflect on the significance of a pure literary novelist writing a work of popular literature.”
The room fell silent.
“I know there are many who say I abandoned my novel to choose drama. You might think I moved for money.”
The journalists typing on their laptops began to speed up.
“I understand. Those who believe that only poetry and novels are literature might feel disappointed. But I can say with certainty that those thoughts are wrong. Just because I wrote a drama doesn’t mean I won’t write novels. I intend to explore everything I can do with ‘words’ moving forward.”
Everything that can be done with ‘words.’
To be honest, I didn’t know where the limits of that lay.
Poetry, novels, dramas, movies, lyrics, advertisements, web novels… where does it all end?
One thing is certain: I wanted to try them all.
As far as my abilities allowed.
“Whether it’s a novel or a drama, the essence remains the same. Just as poetry and novels cannot exist without readers, pure literature and broadcast literature exist for those who watch and read. The reason is simple. All writing is for ‘humans.’ What writing can exist that has nothing to do with ‘humans’ and ‘human emotions’?”
Many people nodded.
I hoped they would understand my words without prejudice.
“I hope that after this award, Korean literature will break down the walls between pure literature and popular literature. So that we can unify the map of literature into one. I wish for courageous travelers to freely pioneer that horizon and expand the map. This concludes my acceptance speech. Thank you.”
I stepped down from the podium.
Applause erupted from the audience that had been enveloped in silence.
Clap… clap clap… clap clap clap… clap clap clap clap!!!
The applause soon enveloped the awards venue like thunder.
“Awesome!”
“Lee Sang, fighting!”
Cheers erupted from somewhere.
At least these people seemed to welcome me with open minds compared to the literary circle.
After-party of the Emplix awards ceremony.
The large hall rented for this after-party was filled with people from the broadcasting industry.
The topic of the after-party was undoubtedly the attendance of writer Lee Sang.
He was renowned as a ‘genius,’ but he was a mysterious figure who rarely appeared in official settings or interviews.
As soon as the rumor spread that he would attend the after-party, many people came specifically to see him.
Sure enough, there were people flocking around Lee Sang.
They clinked their glasses and showered him with all sorts of questions.
“How did you come up with such an acceptance speech? A map… that’s so cool. How many days did you prepare? Be honest.”
“I noticed that the published script feels quite different from your novels. Can you freely change your writing style with every work you create?”
“Will you consider offering premium memberships on your website in the future?”
“Are you interested in producing merchandise? If you’re interested, let me know. I’ll make sure you don’t lose out.”
Lee Sang just maintained a smile.
Questions poured in without giving him a chance to respond.
Meanwhile, Geumhong and Jihoon were sitting at the adjacent table.
Given the situation, they were quietly toasting among themselves.
“…I think Hyung is regretting coming to this after-party right now?”
“Really? He’s smiling.”
“No. Look closely. That’s a social smile. He’s probably regretting it internally, wishing he just went home. Hehe… But Hyung should learn to enjoy it a bit. He looks so uncomfortable with people flocking to him like that.”
From Jihoon’s perspective, Lee Sang could enjoy his popularity a bit more.
While he spoke so well in official settings, it was amusing to see him freeze up in front of his personal ‘fans.’
‘Well, at least that makes him a bit more human.’
“By the way, I have to give him flowers…”
Geumhong stared down at the bouquet he had set beside him.
Since the awards ceremony, he hadn’t even properly made eye contact with him, let alone offered the flowers.
‘…Seeing him here makes him look like a person from another world.’
It wasn’t that he felt hurt, but there was a certain distance that felt palpable.
Geumhong gazed at Lee Sang intently.
Upon closer inspection, his smile really did resemble a marble statue.
The way he looked flustered was somewhat cute.
Jihoon said, “Isn’t it amazing that he writes those little essays every two days despite being this busy?”
“Right? He said he goes to sleep by ten… where does he find the time?”
“He’s already sent over fifty essays. It would be great if he published them as a book.”
“Hasn’t anyone reached out to him? Refusing offers for commissions doesn’t mean he’s refusing to publish, right?”
“None. They’re probably just waiting to see who makes a move… Anyway, Hyung is a true writer. When he concentrates, you can’t even see his fingers move. I’m envious.”
“You could do well too. Ah, I’ll just step out for a moment to use the restroom.”
Geumhong stood up and went to the restroom.
After doing his business and washing his hands, he looked in the mirror, and his face was quite flushed.
‘I haven’t had that much to drink… I need to make sure I look presentable when I give him the flowers later. Get it together.’
Geumhong slapped his cheeks with his now cool hands.
And then he was on his way back to the hall.
“Excuse me.”
A well-groomed man called out to him.
He was a rookie actor who had recently begun appearing in supporting roles on TV dramas.
“I really like your style… could I get your number?”
“Ah…”
“Don’t feel pressured. Let’s just have a light coffee together. I’m not some weird guy,” he said, reddening his face in an unexpected manner.
Geum-hong had gone through this countless times.
She knew well how to decline politely without leaving any aftertaste.
With as much courtesy as possible, she lowered her head.
“I’m sorry. I’m currently not in a position to meet anyone. I trust you’ll understand.”
A smile that was just polite enough not to be rude.
Clear communication of her intentions.
An appropriate sense of distance and firm boundaries.
Each of Geum-hong’s words carried these qualities.
Most men would back down immediately.
However, this guy was rather persistent.
“B-but, just in case you change your mind, could I at least get your number?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Oh, but…! Excuse me!”
Geum-hong lowered her head, seemingly without anything left to say, and walked past him.
‘He doesn’t get it when I say no… he’s persistent.’
Geum-hong made her way back to the table.
“Teacher Geum-hong!”
Lee Sang, who had been seated in front of Ji-hoon, called out to her, having arrived at some point.
With a bright smile.
‘Yeah. A truly “great” man should be like that. Polite, smart…’
In reality, Geum-hong didn’t have a dazzling dating history despite her looks.
She had been approached by all sorts of guys since she was young, and their sweet talk always confused her.
She had also been hurt by dating too much.
Maybe that’s why, at some point, she started feeling uncomfortable around men.
She didn’t even know what a “good man” or a “great man” was anymore.
But after meeting Lee Sang, she felt like she had a vague understanding.
Geum-hong sat next to Lee Sang.
“Thanks for the flowers.”
Lee Sang smiled while holding up the bouquet.
“I spent a lot of money, so take good care of it.”
“Of course. I’ll dry it and keep it for a long time.”
“But is it really okay for you to stay with us? It seems like there are many people here who want to meet Hyekyung-sensei…”
Even now, there were plenty of people around glancing at Lee Sang.
It was important for newcomers to build connections at events like this…
“Why would I go anywhere with people who came all the way here to support me? So, let’s toast.”
At that answer, Geum-hong secretly smiled.
‘See? He really is a great person.’
However, that feeling couldn’t be explained only as a rational attraction.
It felt more like an admiration.
A desire to live as passionately and wonderfully as he did.
A hope that one day she could rush out into a bigger world like him.
Lee Sang was someone who gave Geum-hong that kind of strength just by being there.
“Shall we toast?” Geum-hong said, raising her glass.
“Wow, Teacher Geum-hong! You seem to be in a good mood today. Hyung, you should raise your glass too.”
“Yeah. Thank you all for coming. Then, to Team Lee Sang, cheers!”
“Cheers!”
“Cheers!”
It was an incredibly joyful night.
The new release from Domark Publishing, Haruki’s Book of Gods.
Sales figures have skyrocketed since its release over a week ago.
‘Haruki Murakami.’
That name was indeed a guarantee of success in the Japanese publishing market.
Now, the only task left was to strategically launch Book of Gods in the overseas market.
Meanwhile, at a luxurious villa in Okinawa…
Haruki Murakami was currently enjoying his vacation there.
He lay on a sunbed by the pool, fiddling with his phone.
On the phone screen was a simple Excel sheet.
It displayed a list of exportable countries sent by his management along with the sales figures for his previous work.
Pre-contracts and translations were already completed.
While it was possible to print books worldwide simultaneously, doing so would lessen the impact of the promotional efforts.
‘Order’ is an essential element in marketing.
The first country Haruki chose.
Just the slogan alone could exponentially increase the sales figures.
‘If I think strictly in terms of numbers, the U.S. would be the best choice. But such a sense of superiority in promotion has worked better in Europe. As for Asia, there’s no need to push aggressively…’
After briefly contemplating these happy dilemmas, Haruki closed the Excel sheet.
“This is really troublesome~ I should talk to my manager about it.”
Hiroki logged into his Twitter account to clear his head.
With 3 million followers and zero following, he preferred to refrain from online socializing and instead gathered information through direct searches.
As a habit, he typed in the name ‘Lee Sang.’
He had seen an article last night stating that Lee Sang had won the Grand Prize at a Korean drama competition.
Honestly, it was somewhat surprising.
Why would he make a move into dramas when he should be solidifying his position as a novelist?
Wouldn’t branching out into television make his identity a bit ambiguous?
Scrolling down the screen, he noticed someone had already translated Lee Sang’s acceptance speech.
Lee Sang was quite popular among the Zainichi Koreans, and all his articles were being translated into Japanese.
Hiroki slowly read the acceptance speech.
“…a map…of literature…boundaries…”
He couldn’t help but smile broadly.
His heart raced, just like when he heard a beautiful song.
“Really, this writer is so amazing.”
Hiroki put his phone down and looked up at the clear sky, thinking,
‘A single genius can advance a country’s culture.’
The Korean literary scene was about to change.
It would break away from outdated commissions and the publishing market, paving the way for freer sales and actively utilizing the internet culture that Koreans excelled at.
‘With the emergence of “Lee Sang.”’
‘A genius has appeared in East Asia… I must not let my guard down. After all, I’m no genius.’
Being an “excellent writer” is different from being a “genius.”
While Hiroki himself was an “excellent writer” who had honed his literary skills throughout his life, Lee Sang was a “genius” from birth.
A pang of jealousy rose within him.
Yet he quickly brushed it aside.
That feeling was one only someone who had reached the top through skill and effort could possess.
Moreover, as a fellow “East Asian writer,” he felt a sense of kinship.
He glanced around Twitter again.
‘Anyway, I want to meet Lee Sang. Is there any way to do that?’