Chapter 82

82

* * * *

A week had passed since the start of the second live streaming.

It was enough time for Kang Seok to edit and release numerous videos of his live carving sessions.

At the young age of nineteen.

Coming from a family closer to the poor than the rich.

A record of good school life and a clean conduct report, with a subtle history of being ostracized.

And a talent that was so lacking that he was advised to give up on art school, which had now grown to the point of being compared to Michelangelo of Korea.

It was perfect.

People were captivated by Kang Seok's story.

Seeing how he dedicated himself to live streaming for a month, barely managing to eat properly, people nodded in agreement.

The intensity.

People sensed a fierce determination in the videos of Kang Seok.

Unlike when he first swung the axe, he now placed the chisel on the marble and gently tapped it with the hammer, making it look as soft as touching tofu, but his eyes were filled with a fierce determination.

It was the look of someone who would burn everything if the work didn't go as planned.

People would hold their breath and watch the live stream whenever he focused with such an intense gaze.

Even though his breath couldn't be heard from there, they did it anyway.

It felt like they had to.

In the edited videos, people's comments continued to pour in.

It was now mid-November.

Despite the chilly end of autumn, seeing Kang Seok sweating as he worked, viewers felt a mix of emotions.

Despair.

Awe.

Envy.

Competitiveness.

He, Kang Seok, was an artist who could change people just by being watched. People felt it.

He wasn't just someone who could be described as simply great; he was someone who had transcended something that couldn't be put into words. With just two streams, Kang Seok had convinced them.

The number of people who wanted to watch his progress gradually increased. It wasn't a typical growth.

But no one had any doubts.

Watching Kang Seok, who was covered in white powder from his hands to his wrists and neck, as if he had been sprinkled with flour, it was natural to understand why more people were watching.

There was a drama there, without a script or dialogue.

People were amazed and moved by the process of the marble, once hard and heavy, taking shape with each gentle tap of the hammer.

Another week passed.

Late November, somewhere in between.

At the point where the clear sky was turning white, marking the beginning of winter.

The statue on the right was now fully formed.

The flesh under the veil, which seemed to be soaked in water, the texture of the veil, the moisture flowing over it, and the exposed collarbone and wrist.

All of it was expressed with the appropriate texture, making the marble itself a marvel to behold.

The left foot was inside the skirt, kicking up, as if capturing the moment a ballerina jumps, and the right foot was extended diagonally, pointing downwards.

It was a posture that seemed to be leaping into the sky.

Two children were hugging her arms.

The two children, with innocent faces, were looking at the woman. Judging by the small hands reaching towards the woman's uncarved upper body or arms, they seemed to be her children.

However, the woman was not looking at the children or the ground. She was just looking up at the sky.

Even at this point, most people didn't realize what he was carving.

Kang Seok continued to carve in silence, just like the first broadcast, without speaking a word for two weeks.

Despite the approaching winter, his back, drenched in sweat, seemed to be declaring that he would only speak through his work.

In the cold weather, Kang Seok exerted himself so much that he seemed to be radiating heat, repeatedly engaging in a grueling battle with the statue.

The weapons he used in the battle with the statue kept changing.

One day it was a grinder.

For half a day, it was a hammer and chisel.

Sometimes it was even an arrowhead attached to a wire.

Swinging various tools, Kang Seok continued to carve the woman's upper body. Another week passed.

In the quiet chat room, a single chat message captured the feelings of many who were watching Kang Seok's carving.

There was no sacred peace like a holy lamp or the sun.

There was no thrilling and loving sensation like falling in love for the first time.

There was just a sense of mystery.

It was a feeling of a mist that seemed to be there but couldn't be grasped.

The highlight was the clothing.

The material, like the fabric in Giuseppe Sanmartino's "The Veiled Christ" and Gian Lorenzo Bernini's "The Ecstasy of St. Teresa." A beautiful woman, veiled, was holding two children and flying into the sky.

The texture of the transparent fabric, layered like multiple veils, was so lifelike that it seemed as if a transparent silk dress had been placed on the marble.

The drapery, as if blown by the wind, was so soft that it seemed like the lace would flutter if touched.

The visual softness of the hard and heavy stone was almost unbelievable.

Especially in foreign countries, not in Asia, there was a huge reaction.

It wasn't just because of the silky and transparent feel of the clothing. It was something they also had in their own clothing.

Foreigners came to the live chat room and talked about the silk that seemed to be made from the edges of clouds, like a rainbow, falling behind the woman and children.

Everyone was entranced by the soft, spring-like breeze and the sensuous, flowing silk wings.

The chat window was flooded with the word "Fairy." And the fairy, holding two children and flying into the sky with wings, was the only one in Korean history.

The Fairy and the Woodcutter.

If that was the case, then the uncarved statue...?

People's speculations flooded the community and social networks.

Those typing in the chat room eagerly waited for Kang Seok to carve the next statue. Even those watching the edited videos were drawn to the streaming room, showing a high level of interest.

Kang Seok turned off the live stream.

Huh?

Eh?

What?

On the other side of the screen.

People sitting in front of their computers, phones, and laptops, staring at the screen, blinked in disbelief at the sudden reality.

Soon, a post appeared on the community.

Teacher Kang! This is not right!

People who felt something important was cut off rushed to the community.

The hottest place was Kang Seok's fan cafe.

Foreign community sites, fan cafes, and various social networks were flooded with news of Kang Seok's break from the broadcast day.

Most of the posts were cries of anguish, wondering what could be more important than maintaining the live stream while preparing for the college entrance exam.

.

.

.

"Teacher, do you know?"

"What?"

"No, I mean, why did Seok turn off the live stream? Even when he was eating or sleeping, he kept it on. Sometimes he left it on for half a day or a whole day. There must be a reason why he suddenly turned it off, right?"

"......"

Ko Doo-han looked at Park Ji-hoon, who was chattering away.

Park Ji-hoon, the overly friendly nephew of the human monster Park Ji-yeop and one of the "Three Musketeers" in the studio, was talking as if he and Seok were lifelong friends.

"When did you become so close to Seok?"

"Who doesn't get along with me?"

Park Ji-hoon, looking surprised, asked back.

Ko Doo-han, brushing paint on a pine tree while running his hand through his hair, looked like he didn't want to care.

"So, do you know why Seok took a break?"

"Shut up."

Ko Doo-han snapped.

Feeling particularly sensitive due to his thinning hair, he was very irritable.

Ko Doo-han, with his sharp, slit eyes, glared at Park Ji-hoon, who shrank his shoulders. This was a sign that Ko Doo-han was in a very bad mood or that the situation didn't please him.

If you bothered him, you'd likely get a harsh response.

Park Ji-hoon, apologizing and curling his tail, stepped back.

As he tried to sit down quietly, a sweet scent wafted over. What is it? Park Ji-hoon's head instinctively lifted, and at the same time, he saw the pale pink, dried rose lips.

Ah.

It was Seol Yeo-jin.

"You! Why are you here!"

Ko Doo-han, spotting Seol Yeo-jin, threw down his brush and stood up. Who let this witch in? Ko Doo-han scanned the area with a laser-like gaze.

"Teacher, you make it sound like I shouldn't be here. The exhibition period for Ko Doo-han is approaching, so I came. I even brought a gift."

Seol Yeo-jin, from the Peony Gallery, lifted a shopping bag.

Ko Doo-han, who couldn't live without honey, had his sharp eyes widen in surprise. Seol Yeo-jin smiled sweetly.

Seol Yeo-jin, with her half-closed eyes, emitted a flirtatious smile as she passed by Park Ji-hoon and whispered.

"Mr. Seok has an important meeting with the Bloom Gallery today."

"......!"

A meeting with Bloom?

What else is he planning to do?

Park Ji-hoon, eager for more information, stared at Seol Yeo-jin with wide eyes.

But Seol Yeo-jin's head was already turned.

Her lollipop, dangling from her fingers, swung a couple of times, and then the shouting between Seol Yeo-jin and Ko Doo-han began.

Park Ji-hoon, realizing he couldn't join in, slowly relaxed his legs. Plop. Sitting in a chair, Park Ji-hoon turned his head.

'What's going on here?'

He was extremely curious.

* * * *

While Park Ji-hoon and others were going crazy with curiosity,

Kang Seok was calmly waiting in the director's office of the Bloom Gallery for Director Jin Doo-wook.

"Te, te, teacher. No, since we're outside, you're 'teacher.' Is it okay for me to be here?"

Next to him, Jo Dong-beom was looking around, clearly flustered.

Jo Dong-beom, the owner of a glass studio, had connections with a few small and large galleries, but the Bloom Gallery, a dream gallery in the Korean art world, funded by the San Kang Group, was out of his league.

To Jo Dong-beom, the director's office of the Bloom Gallery felt like the most expensive VIP room in a luxury department store. As someone who rarely visited even neighborhood department stores, he felt awkward, suffocated, and extremely uncomfortable.

Kang Seok looked at Jo Dong-beom, wondering why he was so flustered.

"It's about the transfer of the 'Over' series. Our CEO naturally has to be here."

"Our CEO?! Did you just say 'our CEO'?"

"......Director Jo."

"No! You definitely said 'our'!"

'Our'?

Jo Dong-beom, looking as if he had never been so tense, gazed at Kang Seok with a moved expression. Kang Seok, who always looked a bit older, seemed particularly pure when he showed such an expression.

Kang Seok took a step back, and the director, wiping sweat frantically, entered. He had just returned from the San Kang Cultural Foundation, where he had a meeting for the Bloom Gallery's annual event, upon hearing that Kang Seok had arrived.

"I'm sorry for making you wait like this."

"No, I came unexpectedly today. I'm grateful for your consideration."

"Th, that's a relief to hear... I hope you can speak well of Mr. Yang Seon-gu..."

"Hm?"

Director Jin Doo-wook looked at Kang Seok with a tense expression. It seemed Mr. Yang Seon-gu had firmly instructed him to speak well of Kang Seok.

Kang Seok nodded lightly.

It meant 'don't worry.'

Of course, with Jo Dong-beom glaring at Jin Doo-wook, the director couldn't help but sweat profusely.

Jin Doo-wook, wiping the sweat from the heat he felt despite the winter, sat down on the sofa with difficulty. He clasped his sweaty palms and looked straight ahead.

"So, how is the 'Over' series...?"

The 'Over' series.

Kang Seok nodded at Director Jin Doo-wook, who was about to speak.

"Yes, it's almost complete."

"Right."

"Oh!"

Jin Doo-wook nodded in surprise.

He had watched Kang Seok's live streams, seeing him carve the statue continuously. It seemed he had found time to prepare the 'Over' series.

This is amazing.

No matter how many times he saw it, Kang Seok was a surprising artist.

'No matter what, if it comes to this, there shouldn't be any issues with timing.'

Jin Doo-wook nodded, looking at the calendar. He turned the page to December, where a few dates were circled in red.

"So, you're really going to do it."

"Yes. I plan to present the 'Over' series and 'Over' at the Art Basel Miami Beach under the name of the Bloom Gallery."

Kang Seok said firmly.

Art Basel Miami Beach.

Among the countless art fairs held around the world, the three major art fairs are FIAC in France, Art Basel in Switzerland, and the Chicago Art Fair.

'Art Basel in Miami Beach,' the name given to the Swiss Art Basel's expansion into the American continent, would be Kang Seok's debut stage.

Art Basel Miami Beach is held every December.

With less than a month left until his world debut, Jin Doo-wook, though relieved that the timing could be met, asked with concern.

"But is there a reason to do it so urgently?"

You could prepare and go out a bit later.

Is there a reason to rush it for December?

Kang Seok smiled and answered.

"It's not a big deal..."

"It's not a big deal?"

"I want to see if my work is more beautiful than the sunset in Miami Beach."

Jin Doo-wook, unsure of what to say, slowly opened his mouth.

Kang Seok's eyes, daring to challenge the beauty of nature, seemed to sparkle with stars.

The chestnut-brown eyes of the boy, on the verge of adulthood, were recalling the time when he muttered, "I just want to keep carving."

December.

It was a day in mid-December, exactly one year since he regained his past life, and he could feel it in his entire body.

83. Benedetto Varchi, a philosopher from Florence