26. It’s scary just to hear it

The Korea Sculptor Association was established in 1981 and is the largest sculpting organization in Korea, with about 1,200 members nationwide.

It cannot be denied that the Korea Sculptor Association has played a pivotal role in the development of the Korean sculpture world, starting with the first president Lee Jang-won, the master of Korean art, through Kim Hyung-chae, Mo Sang-ho, and current chairman Jeong Dae-yoon.

And this year, the Korea Sculptor Association celebrated its 40th anniversary.

Kim Jeong-hwan, the secretary general of the Korean Sculptor Association, has been struggling with troubles lately.

The problem that troubled him was, ‘How can people become friendly with sculptures?’

The popularization of art has also been an issue that many art organizations have been thinking about for a long time.

This was because, statistically speaking, the number of people who never visited an art museum or art facility during the year was not small.

Secretary General Kim Jeong-hwan wanted to solve these chronic problems in celebration of the 40th anniversary.

Did you say the truth is close by? Even Kim Jung-hwan knew that the answer was simpler than he thought.

The idea was to create competitive content that would allow people to approach art more easily by creating a variety of attractions.

In the end, it was because if he drew public interest, even people who were not familiar with art would gather around him.

In particular, the age group he wants to catch is the young age group in their 20s and 30s.

It was because if it could captivate the audience of that age group, it could have a great ripple effect through viral marketing through their social media.

To this end, there was something that had been conceived from before, and the Taebaeksan International Snow Sculpture Art Fair was that.

There was also a specific plan in Kim Jung-hwan’s head.

About 100 splendid snow sculptures and amusement facilities such as ice slides provide a variety of entertainment to visitors in families or couples, providing fun that is naturally harmonized with art.

“Kya! I thought about it, but it’s staggering.”

Kim Jung-hwan jumped up from his seat and wandered around.

“But only one! lack of issue. Issue.”

In fact, events similar to what Jeonghwan Kim envisioned were not unheard of.

Although the festival was held with a considerable budget and preparation period, it was also true that most of them failed to meet expectations.

The cause of the failure analyzed by Kim Jeong-hwan was the lack of topicality.

However, it is difficult to see that this event has achieved its ultimate goal, as the budget is exceeded and the audience is left behind after the performance is over, as if the tide was flowing.

“It is difficult. Can’t we have both topicality and the purpose of the event!?”

“What are you talking about to yourself like that?”

Deputy Hwang Jeong-suk, who had already seen that the secretary-general often talked to himself in the office, paid no attention and started looking for overdue entertainment articles.

Hwang Jeong-suk’s eyes, which had been selecting only interesting articles, suddenly widened.

“Hey, there’s another article about Song Gyu-ha. Last time you beat foreign thugs, this time even music? He’s good at sculpting, so there’s really nothing he can’t do.”

Is it because I was surprised? Kim Jeong-hwan’s ears pricked up at Hwang Jeong-suk’s words, which had come out of his mouth without even realizing that he was thinking inwardly.

“for a moment! Who is Deputy Hwang?”

“I’m so sorry, chief. Stop thinking to yourself.”

Hwang Jung-sook was taken aback by the inner words that came out of her mouth without realizing it.

“No, it doesn’t matter. Who said what?”

“No.. you know that actor Song Gyu-ha. In the past, I talked briefly in the office that there is an actor who sculpts in a drama called ‘Pagmalion Reverse Effect’. Anyway, there is a story that he recently caught gangsters and played well on music shows, so he is called an all-rounder among young kids these days-”

“found!!”

Even before Hwang Jeong-suk finished speaking, Kim Jeong-hwan was very excited and his eyes twinkled.

“Issuseong, and a person who fits the purpose of the competition. I just sang Alright, now the puzzle is complete. First of all, I have to write a plan and report it to the director! Thank you, Deputy Hwang! You solved a big problem.”

Deputy Hwang Jeong-suk was just skimming through entertainment articles as a hobby.

After that, for about two weeks, I really burned my soul to refine the plan for the Taebaeksan International Snow Sculpture Contest, and finally the final plan was completed.

Perhaps it was because of Kim Jeong-hwan’s passion and sincerity, Chairman Jeong Dae-yoon readily approved the plan.

“done! We have passed the hardship, and now there is one big mountain left.”

While drafting the plan, Kim Jeong-hwan pondered over how to recruit Song Kyu-ha.

First of all, I looked for all the broadcasts he appeared on, and gathered information about him.

“A person like this should be approached with sincerity rather than money.”

If Kim Jeong-hwan had a meeting with Song Gyu-hwa, he was thinking of persuading him face-to-face.

And he called Stellar Entertainment directly to recruit Song Kyu-ha.

“Yes, this is Stellar Entertainment, right? My name is Kim Jung-hwan, the secretary general of the Korean Sculptor Association. Can you connect me to the person in charge regarding the recruitment of actor Song Kyu-ha?”

***

Stellar Entertainment Breakout Room

Kim Jung-hwan did not even touch the coffee in front of him, and sat with a nervous expression, fiddling with the plan file he had prepared with all his heart.

“If Song Gyu-ha misses this event, it’s taiyaki without red beans.”

In the meantime, how many analyzes have you made about why these art-related events have failed?

As a result, it was Kim Jung-hwan who desperately needed the existence of Song Kyu-ha, who could be called the answer when he thought of it.

clap

Soon, the door to the meeting room opened and Han Jeong-hee and Kyu-ha entered.

“sorry. You’ve been waiting for a long time, right? The internal meeting has gotten a little longer.”

“No, chief. I came a little early. What?”

Han Jeong-hee and Kyu-ha were seated across from Kim Jeong-hwa and exchanged business cards.

“I would like to formally greet you. I am Han Jeong-hee, the team leader of Stellar Entertainment’s 4th team.”

“nice to meet you. This is Kim Jung-hwan, the secretary general of the Korea Sculptor Association.”

“I don’t have a business card… I’m actor Song Gyu-ha. Nice to meet you.”

“Oops, if you’re Song Gyu-ha, your face is your calling card. I am very happy too.”

“Then let’s get to the point, shall we? Are you sure you want to invite Song Gyu-ha to this event?”

Han Jeong-hee roughly heard about where Kim Jeong-hwan was trying to recruit Kyu-ha over the phone.

However, since Kyuha is currently on a break, and actors usually lose their image, they tend not to participate in the event.

Because of this, I naturally declined, but Director Kim Jung-hwan said so earnestly that he wanted to meet and talk in person, so I even had a meeting like this in person.

“Yes, that’s right. I brought the proposal, so would you like to read it first and then talk about it?”

[Proposal for Taebaeksan International Snow Sculpture Art Fair]

Han Jeong-hee and Kyu-ha each held in their hands the plan brought by Kim Jeong-hwan and began to read them carefully.

About 10 minutes passed.

“Hmm.. It’s the International Snow Sculpture Art Fair… It’s a more popular event than I thought, right?”

“Yes, that’s it. I’ve been thinking about it for a really long time. How can people become friendly with sculpture? But the answer didn’t come easily. It is because art was still close and far to people. It’s not like there weren’t any events like this. But it wasn’t that exciting! Why?”

Kim Jung-hwan, perhaps a little excited, took a sip of the coffee in front of him and continued talking.

“sorry. I’m a little excited. Anyway, the conclusion I came to was a lack of topicality and authenticity.

When we hold an event like this, many idol singers and trot singers come. Of course, not many people come.

However, when the singers’ performances are over, they disappear like sand in the palm of your hand. It’s because I just came to see the performance regardless of the purpose of the event. Even if a lot of people flock to that kind of thing, it’s only half the box office success.”

Han Jeong-hee, who had been listening quietly, asked.

“Then why is it Song Gyu-ha? Is it because you came out as a sculptor in your previous work?”

“Of course, I won’t deny that that part was the biggest. But not only that, but you’ve done a lot of good things in the meantime, so you’re well known and have a lot of musical talent. When I planned this event, I originally drafted the plan with Song Gyu-ha in mind, so without Mr. Gyu-ha, in fact, this event is no different from already ruined.”

Kim Jung-hwan looked at the two people in front of him with the utmost sincerity and tried his best to persuade them.

Han Jeong-hee looked at Kyu-ha for a while, showing disapproval, then talked to Kim Jeong-hwan.

“Anyway, I think it would be a bit unreasonable for an actor to directly participate in an international sculpture contest without even being an ambassador for such an event.”

Hearing those words, Kim Jung-hwan noticed that the atmosphere was gradually getting worse and felt despair.

“Can’t you just think positively one more time?”

Han Jeong-hee looked at Kyu-ha and said.

“What do you think, Kyuha?”

Gyuha, who had been listening to the competition between the two, opened his mouth.

“If it’s okay, I want to try it. I think this International Snow Sculpture Contest will be fun.”

In an instant, Kim Jung-hwan’s head flashed up and he looked at Kyu-ha with bright eyes.

“I···. Is that true? thank you.”

“Instead, there are conditions.”

Kim Jung-hwan was determined to accept any condition as long as it wasn’t too unreasonable, so he asked.

“Yes, on what terms.”

“It is a condition that I donate a portion of my recruitment expenses and event proceeds to children with incurable diseases in low-income families.”

Kim Jung-hwan, who was very nervous not knowing what conditions he would ask for, relaxed and said with a rather moved expression.

“I will bet on the post of secretary general and I will definitely do so.”

“ah! And I will participate in the competition alone.”

“Yeah? Everyone will be participating in a team of three, is that okay?”

“Yes, it is fine.”

From Kim Jung-hwan’s point of view, Kyu-ha’s participation in the sculpture contest itself was important, so he readily accepted it.

“You do! I wish you well.”

Thus, Kyu-ha’s participation in the Taebaek Mountain International Snow Sculpture Contest was decided.

After Kim Jeong-hwan went back, Han Jeong-hee and Kyu-ha remained in the conference room and continued to talk.

“Are you really okay? Well, if it is a donation event, it will help the image, but since it is an international competition, there will definitely be negative public opinion if there are no results.”

Kyu-ha smiled and said to team leader Han Jeong-hee.

“I think I can do well somehow. Trust me this time too.”

“Well, I learned it, but of course I believe it. Ehyo. It’s nice that a lot of different things have happened since I worked with Kyuha.”

“hahahahaha, there will be more fun things in the future, right?”

“It scares me just to hear that.”

Kyu-ha felt his artistic spirit burn for the first time in a long time.

Sharing the life of Donatello, the representative sculptor of the Renaissance, they tasted the joy of sculpture and art, and while filming ‘Pygmalion’, the dormant desire for art was revived.

In this snow sculpture contest, Kyu-ha intended to recreate the classicism and naturalism-style sculptures he started in the Renaissance era in Korean style.