“As soon as I arrived at the airport, a group of men in black suits rushed toward me, and I thought, ‘Am I involved in some kind of trade dispute or smuggling case…?’
– ‘We’ve been waiting for a genius like you for so long…’
– ‘?’
The men in black began reciting lines that gave off that kind of vibe. Then they handed me a giant bouquet and started escorting me through expedited immigration procedures.
When we reached a suddenly arranged photo zone, a massive crowd gathered at Incheon International Airport started covering me like reporters.
– Click! Click! Click!
The sheer number of microphone heads pushed in front of me looked like spider eyes.
– ‘It’s Go Hana!’
– ‘A genius art prodigy!’
– ‘Could you tell us how you’re feeling right now?’
– ‘Do you have any overseas plans lined up?’
– ‘Uh, what…? What’s all this…?’
Before I could even process what was going on, I was swiftly guided into an escort vehicle. It took about 30 minutes for me to hear the whole explanation in the car, look at the cheering crowd outside, and get hit with a double dose of overwhelming patriotism.
“…”
You know how they say when you’re too shocked, you just go numb?
That was exactly my state of mind.
“…”
The men in black eventually escorted me to the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.
– ‘The welcome ceremony will take place at the Sejong Center.’
When I climbed all the stairs and reached the main entrance, one of them whispered to me.
– ‘Originally, the President himself was scheduled to attend today’s event, but due to security concerns and official commitments, he couldn’t make it. However, he sends his regards: “Welcome back, Miss Go Hana.” Representatives from corporations, institutions, and educational foundations have gathered here to celebrate your return.’
“……”
Ah… So they were from the Blue House.
And those high-ranking people…
They’re all waiting inside, huh.
I see…
“…”
Finally, we arrived at the Sejong Center.
I was now in a dressing room inside the building, being glammed up by a coordinator. The moment I entered, she scanned me from head to toe and got straight to work.
Her hands moved so skillfully, it was as if she had rehearsed this moment in advance.
– Swish, swish, swish.
Since I had been dragged here straight off the plane, I was still wearing casual clothes. Luckily (?) most of my casual outfits had long since been modified to fit Mari’s vintage and elegant tastes.
Apparently, she deemed my attire ‘formal enough,’ so we skipped a wardrobe change. Instead, she focused on light hair styling and makeup.
The person in the mirror gradually transformed into someone ready for a formal event.
As I stared at my reflection, my brain, which had been frozen in shock, slowly started functioning again.
“Why on earth…?”
“Pardon me?”
At my muttering, the coordinator flinched and turned around, startled. Holding a cotton pad in one hand, she spoke.
“Did the makeup get in your eyes? I’m so sorry… Could you let me know which eye feels irritated?”
“Oh, no… It’s not that. It’s just—I’m not used to being in a place like this right after returning to Korea. Honestly, I still don’t even know what’s going on. I can’t understand why such important people would be waiting for me…”
Although the man in the black suit had explained the situation to me,
to be honest, it didn’t feel real at all.
The coordinator, however, looked at me with an expression that seemed to say she found me endearing.
“My goodness, your school friends mentioned in the interview that you’re humble, and it’s true! When I heard you were a genius artist who made waves internationally and brought pride to the country, I thought you’d be a bit more eccentric.”
Her casual mention of people close to me, as if it were nothing, and the inexplicable sense of familiarity she exuded made me feel out of place.
‘What even were those documentaries and specials about me? Did Uncle see them? Probably not, since I didn’t really get many updates while I was in Japan. I honestly have no clue what’s going on.’
Hurriedly, I waved my hands to deny it.
“Bringing pride to the country?! And making waves in the world, seriously. All I did was hold an exhibition in Japan that got some decent attention. It’s not something worth such a big welcome…”
“If only the other entertainers I’ve worked with had even half of your humility, my job would be so much easier,” the coordinator said, her expression melting into one of pure fondness. She reached out as if to pat my head, only to quickly remember her professional boundaries. She gave me a smile as she said, “Don’t feel too pressured,” and returned to her work.
“…”
After that, she tried to chat with me a few more times, but no matter what I said, she would just beam at me with that same expression, saying, “So this is what a genius looks like?!” It was impossible to have a proper conversation.
Eventually, I sighed quietly and decided to let things pass uneventfully. Once I calmed down, my thoughts became clearer and more rational.
‘Right, this was a time when people still used overseas success as an excuse to throw huge celebrations.’
It was a period when Korea wasn’t yet confident about its appeal abroad. There was still a vague sense of wonder and admiration toward anyone who achieved something overseas. This sudden wave of attention was likely exaggerated many times over because of that. In truth, art didn’t typically get this level of attention in Korea.
Once I got a grasp of the situation, I understood the source of all this interest.
‘…They probably just need reassurance that the next prodigy is on the way, following after Mari.’
It had been years since young prodigy Mari had withdrawn from all media offers due to her social anxiety. Naturally, people would want a new talent to fill the void.
‘In my previous life, after Mari’s accident, her name wasn’t even mentioned anymore. But now, even with Mari alive but inactive, they’re trying to replace her with me.’
“…”
Knowing I was being positioned as someone’s replacement didn’t particularly make me feel sad or bitter. Isn’t that just the way life works for everyone?
All I wanted was for this exaggerated interest to die down quickly.
‘They’ll probably use me as a stand-in for Mari once or twice, then lose interest soon enough.’
*
– “Miss Go Hana is entering! Distinguished guests in the audience, please welcome her with a round of applause!”
At once, a sea of people rose from their seats, clapping enthusiastically. Even in the dimly lit hall, I could feel their honey-dripping gazes directed at me. Honestly, it felt like they thought I was their granddaughter or something.
‘What is this, a granddaughter’s talent show?’
As I moved forward in a daze, I caught sight of a middle-aged man clapping fervently.
“…?”
A wave of familiarity washed over me. I’d never met him before,
but his face was unmistakably one I had seen somewhere.
And a few seconds later, his identity clicked.
“…!”
It was the president of a domestic car company whose face often appeared in financial newspapers—the very same brand of car my uncle drove.
“…Ah.”
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
As I continued walking, I glanced at the people around me. They didn’t have name tags, so I couldn’t identify everyone, but many faces looked familiar.
High-ranking officials from the Ministry of Education (thanks to my early graduation, I’d often browsed their website), politicians, corporate executives, renowned university professors…
“….”
In short, these were the “big shots” of Korea.
And these very people were looking at me with warm, doting smiles, as if they were grandparents watching their granddaughter perform at her school play.
Uh, wait… What?
Something felt off. The scale of this event seemed bizarrely large.
Then, my gaze landed on the most famous news anchor in Korea, standing at the front of the hall. He was the very voice that had been resonating through the venue.
‘I knew that voice sounded familiar…’
With a polished smile, he spoke.
“Welcome. We’re delighted to have you back in Korea, Miss Go Hana. On behalf of the Korean people, I’d like to express our gratitude for showcasing the power of Korean culture to the world.”
With those words, another thunderous round of applause erupted.
– Clap clap clap clap clap clap~!
Suddenly, at the far back of the venue, a massive Taegeukgi (the Korean national flag) unfurled. As if on cue, it swayed gently, despite the lack of wind.
– Flutter~!
The flash of cameras lit up the hall, and the flag glimmered softly under the lights. The sight alone seemed engineered to stir a surge of patriotism.
The crowd erupted into cheers.
Meanwhile, my head spun in the midst of all this grandeur.
“…”
‘This… This is the power of peak nationalism…?
I… I don’t know this kind of stuff, okay?’
Hana-chan doesn’t know about this.
*
To be fair, Korea in 2006 wasn’t exactly a nobody in the global cultural scene. Over the past few years, industries like film, music, and gaming had already been making solid achievements.
But the people weren’t satisfied.
There was still a sense of lacking that one decisive moment. People wanted more. Isn’t it human nature to at least want to try being the “class president” of something, even just once in life?
“It’s not enough to win awards and hold performances. We want foreigners to go crazy for Korean culture! We want them to watch what our geniuses create and grow big dreams!”
What people truly craved wasn’t just being recognized with a polite “Oh, you’re pretty good.” They longed for the full, intoxicating taste of leading global culture—the ultimate “national pride high.”
If Korea had been some far-off, powerless country that couldn’t even look the major powers in the eye, it might’ve been easier to let go. But being this close to becoming a cultural powerhouse? That tantalizing, almost-within-reach dream—it drove people mad.
Like wanderers searching for an oasis in a desert,
their dry tongues wagged, their voices desperate.
And then…
Like sweet rain falling on that parched tongue, came the news:
– A Korean genius had captivated Japan and stunned America. And not in some mainstream field, but in the relatively niche world of fine art, where Korea had always been considered a minor player globally.
“…!”
A Korean girl who had suddenly risen to fame in Japan, a country that, in the collective psyche, was practically an adversary. Her achievements sounded almost too extraordinary to believe. For those who still remembered the Japan of the 1980s, a golden fortress of cultural and economic might, this news was nothing short of earth-shattering.
– What? The Japanese? They went crazy over a Korean artist’s work? It became the talk of all their media? And now even the Americans are scouting her as the next generation’s genius?
“…”
Overwhelmed with patriotic fervor, people shouted:
“This—this is our future! We’re going to be an art powerhouse!”
“We must use this momentum to elevate Korean art to the center of global culture!”
“We can’t let this talent slip through our fingers—!!”
“Call the principal of Hanul Comprehensive Art School right now—!!”
“Summon the broadcasting stations! Produce a special documentary immediately—!!”
It was still an era when Korea as a nation operated under the banner of patriotism, so the response was swift and relentless.
*
“You grew up so well despite difficult circumstances. Back in my day, when I was in elementary school, there were many kids in similar situations, but it’s not easy to behave as admirably as you do.”
“Look at how sharp she is, with the way she speaks and thinks. She’s just perfect! Ha, ha. She’d make the ideal daughter-in-law!”
“Have you ever thought about marrying into our family? My youngest grandson is the same age as you maybe you two could meet…”
“Oh, you old fool! Are you out of your mind? You want to pair this jewel of a young lady with that toad of a boy?”
The elderly guests began bickering, casually referencing scenes from my documentary as they went. Meanwhile, I stood awkwardly in the middle of it all, holding a piece of paper that read, “Special Scholarship Award: 100 Million Won.”
“…”
For the record, I hadn’t disclosed a single detail about my personal life to any of them. The unnatural, one-sided sense of familiarity they displayed was becoming almost uncomfortable.
‘…I have no idea how much they’ve dug up about me.’
Letting out the faintest sigh in my heart, I forced a bright smile and hoped the moment would pass soon. The elders, however, continued their slightly embarrassing argument.
“…”
From the outside, it might have looked like harmless banter among seniors, but the subtle movements of the aides and secretaries hovering nearby made it impossible to dismiss so lightly. Every one of them wore name tags bearing the logos of prominent corporations.
‘As soon as the event ended, all the truly busy people left after snapping a photo or two. Now, the only ones left are the rich retirees with too much time on their hands… Well, at least I got a scholarship out of it. I suppose I should tolerate their nonsense to some degree.’
I responded to the frightening (yet oddly endearing) elders’ compliments with a polite bow.
“…I’m overwhelmed by your praise. Thank you for thinking so highly of me, but I still have a long way to go. For now, I’d like to focus on my studies and art.”
The intimidating elders chuckled heartily and clapped like delighted children.
“Haha, such humility! It’s refreshing to see. Young folks these days could learn a thing or two from you. Use the scholarship to treat yourself to some good food, alright? You’re so pretty but far too skinny.”
“That’s why I want to make her my daughter-in-law!”
“Stop with that toad nonsense already. Quit talking nonsense and step aside.”
Their chatter continued as they left the hall, fading into the distance. I sighed with relief.
‘Managed to get through that one.’
But just as I caught my breath, a new group approached—this time, younger and far more organized. They were executives and assistants, exuding efficiency and intent.
“Ms. Go Hana, welcome back to the country. We would love to explore opportunities to collaborate with a talented individual like you at our company.”
“What’s your schedule like moving forward? Would it be possible for us to host a small welcoming dinner in your honor?”
They handed me business cards marked with “Talent Development Division” and moved in with clear precision. The sheer force of their presence made me feel faint.
‘This is on another level compared to the elders’ doting antics.’
For a writer with a strong business mindset, this would be a golden opportunity.
But to me, it was nothing short of a poisoned chalice.
‘I already have the safe haven of Hanul Art School. There’s no reason to get tangled up with a conglomerate and play the role of a national trophy. I don’t want to end up like those who lose their way because of a misunderstanding.’
This time, I had to respond more firmly.
“Thank you so much for your warm welcome. I’m truly honored, but I’m currently focusing on school and my personal art projects, so I won’t be able to accommodate additional engagements. However, I hope we can stay in touch for future opportunities.”
A response that was polite but clearly drew boundaries.
Their smiles grew even wider.
“…Understood. We appreciate your busy schedule and hope we can collaborate in the future.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
Thankfully, they backed off graciously. But the barrage continued as more groups arrived with similar pitches.
– “If you join our institution…”
– “With our company’s sponsorship…”
I carefully turned them down one by one, but the fatigue was starting to catch up with me.
‘I feel like a defenseless kid surrounded by people sizing me up. Where are Uncle Palgon and his crew? This is ridiculous, getting thrown into this right after landing at the airport.’
Some of them wouldn’t even take “no” for an answer. They were relentless.
‘I just want to get to the dorm…’
As I was thinking that, a familiar voice called out from behind me.
“Apologies, but from now on, Ms. Go Hana’s schedule is tied up with HU Group. We kindly ask for your understanding.”
At that, the surrounding crowd hesitated, clicking their tongues in disappointment as they began to disperse.
“!”
I turned around in surprise.
Standing there, smiling warmly, was none other than Chief Kang.
“Chief Kang?”
“Haha, I’m glad you still call me that. But my title has changed.”
“?”
Chief Kang Jihwan extended his hand toward me.
“I’m now Kang Jihwan, CEO of HU Securities. I came because it looked like you were in a tough spot.”