Return of the Genius Photographer

As the award ceremony ended, people began to flow out like a wave.

Some left with bright faces.

Others looked dissatisfied with the results…

Watching many people turn their backs and leave, the judges also exchanged farewells.

“It ended sooner than I expected.”

“Everyone did a great job.”

“Phew… The competition ended safely. I thought something might go wrong earlier.”

Photographer Kim Se-hyun sighed in relief.

The slight commotion that arose with the announcement of the grand prize.

Kim Se-hyun was also greatly taken aback by that scene.

“Indeed. I’ve participated in many competitions, but this is a first for me.”

Professor Park Sang-ah adjusted her glasses, expressing her surprise as she continued.

“Still, the winner handled it well, so it passed smoothly.”

“Yes. He answered very calmly. It’s hard to handle such a situation unless you’ve experienced it firsthand.”

Public opinion tends to be easily swayed by the atmosphere.

Fortunately, this situation passed without much issue.

Had Woojin’s response been clumsy or failed to convince the audience, it could have escalated further.

Woojin’s handling of the unpredictable public opinion left a strong impression on the judges.

“His photo and his composed demeanor suggest he’s no ordinary participant.”

Since it was their first time seeing the grand prize winner’s face, their conversation naturally turned to Woojin.

“Yes. Where has someone like him been all this time? Looking at his profile, he hasn’t had much activity before this contest.”

“Ah… Is that true?”

Kim Se-hyun replied in disbelief to Professor Park Sang-ah, who was slowly verifying the participants’ documents.

“Could a true genius have emerged…?”

Kim Se-hyun recalled Woojin’s photo, expressing his admiration.

“It seems you were really impressed.”

Professor Park Sang-ah smiled at Se-hyun, who was staring blankly into space, before continuing.

“Then why don’t you go and talk to him? He should be at the exhibition hall by now.”

“Can I do that?”

“The judging is over, so why not?”

“Won’t others misunderstand?”

Momentarily tempted, Se-hyun shook his head, worried about the earlier accusations of manipulation and fraud.

But Professor Park Sang-ah dismissed his concern lightly.

“Photographer Jung Woong and Professor Kang-sik have already headed to the exhibition hall. They’re probably going to see Nam Woojin as well. They were talking about him for quite a while earlier.”

She informed him where the two absent judges had gone.

Meanwhile, Woojin was in the exhibition hall with his parents, admiring the photos.

The hall, opened simultaneously with the ceremony, was bustling with people.

The walls on either side of the pathway were filled with photos.

Regardless of the individual quality of the photos, seeing them all together created a rather impressive sight.

“There are so many photos here.”

“It’s so crowded that I might get lost.”

It was the first time Woojin’s parents had been to an exhibition, and they looked around in awe.

“Even though we saw you receive the award, it’s hard to believe you won when we see so many photos.”

“So, Woojin, where is your photo? We want to see the photo you took…”

“Yes. It was so chaotic earlier that we didn’t get a good look at your photo.”

After looking around for a while, trying to find Woojin’s photo, his parents eventually gave up and asked him.

Given that it was their first time at an exhibition, it must have seemed quite overwhelming.

“My photo is probably in the innermost section.”

Smiling at his parents’ perplexed expressions, Woojin confidently led them to where his photo was displayed.

And there, an unexpected figure awaited.

Woojin’s photo, befitting its award, was displayed in the center of the exhibition, the most prominent spot for everyone to see.

As soon as Woojin and his parents arrived, someone approached them.

“Are you Nam Woojin?”

A deep, resonant voice.

The owner of the voice was photographer Jung Woong.

“Ah… you were the one who spoke at the end, right?”

When Jung Woong greeted them, Woojin’s mother, recalling the earlier situation, asked hesitantly.

“Yes, I am Jung Woong, one of the judges.”

Jung Woong nodded in response.

“Hello, I’m Kang-sik, another judge. We came to speak with Nam Woojin.”

Following Jung Woong’s introduction, Kang-sik introduced himself as well.

It seemed they both came specifically to see Woojin.

“Hello, I’m Nam Woojin.”

Woojin greeted them, meeting their gazes.

After the greetings, a brief silence ensued.

Feeling a bit awkward, Woojin’s parents shifted uncomfortably, and Kang-sik broke the silence.

“Are you Nam Woojin’s parents? You have a truly remarkable son.”

“Yes?”

“I’ve judged many competitions, but Nam Woojin’s photo was the first to leave me in awe.”

Speaking in a way that anyone could understand, befitting his status as a professor, Kang-sik continued.

“And it was even more surprising that the photographer was a student. So, about that…”

But before he could finish, Jung Woong interrupted and got straight to the point.

“Let me be direct. I would like to take Nam Woojin as my apprentice.”

“What?”

Naturally, Woojin’s parents were astonished by Jung Woong’s words.

They looked at Jung Woong, bewildered, but Jung Woong’s eyes were fixed solely on Woojin.

A serene gaze that was unreadable.

Woojin’s eyes were so profound that they didn’t seem to belong to a high school student.

Jung Woong felt as if he was being evaluated by Woojin’s deep, captivating eyes.

For the first time, Jung Woong felt a strong desire.

‘I want to teach him.’

He had a longing to have someone who could already take such excellent photos by his side and a curiosity about how far they could grow under his guidance.

“I’m curious about what Nam Woojin thinks.”

He couldn’t just listen to Kang-sik’s explanation any longer.

He wanted to hear Woojin’s answer as soon as possible.

Even the formalities of greeting Woojin’s parents seemed frustratingly slow.

Detailed explanations could wait until after hearing Woojin’s response.

“If you learn under me, Nam Woojin, you will undoubtedly succeed quickly.”

Jung Woong added decisively.

In truth, Jung Woong was almost certain that Woojin would never refuse his offer.

Anyone interested in photography would know who he was and understand the value of his proposal.

Therefore, this exchange was merely a formality.

That’s what Jung Woong thought.

But Woojin’s answer was far from what Jung Woong expected.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t accept your offer.”

And it was very far indeed.

* * * * *

With all the awardees and judges having left, the now-empty exhibition hall held only Sang-hoon, who was lost in thoughts about Woojin’s photograph.

‘Even if I went back to the competition, could I have taken a photo like that…?’

Sighing softly, Sang-hoon shook his head in resignation.

‘There’s no way I could take a photo like that now.’

Sang-hoon was someone brimming with confidence when it came to photography.

His academic background and awards from studying abroad since childhood were impressive.

His life could be described as a smooth path to success.

Because of this, he believed that his photographs could be compared to those of professional photographers.

But now, the only thing he felt was a deep sense of defeat.

Before coming here, Sang-hoon intended to question why his photo fell short of winning the grand prize.

Even though he hadn’t prepared meticulously for this competition, he had still selected a photo from his collection taken after returning to Korea, one he thought the judges would favor.

He had been filled with questions, needing to ask the judges why he hadn’t won.

However, the moment Woojin’s photo was revealed alongside the announcement of the grand prize, Sang-hoon immediately realized how arrogant his thoughts had been.

Woojin’s photograph was so sophisticated that it made Sang-hoon’s own photo look insignificant.

It was a photo so perfect it could have been taken by a renowned documentary photographer.

‘Technically, there was nothing lacking…’

The composition, lighting, the ability to convey the subject, and the storytelling within the photo—everything about Woojin’s photo was flawless.

“Dammit…”

Sang-hoon muttered softly in the empty seminar room.

He was angry.

Angry at the fact that his photo had been inadequate.

Angry at himself for being moved the moment he saw Woojin’s photo.

And most of all, angry at the realization that even if he could turn back time, he still wouldn’t be able to take such a photo.

Thus, like others who had initially doubted Woojin when his photo was first unveiled, Sang-hoon could not bring himself to criticize Woojin.

No matter how much he tried to deny the excellence of Woojin’s photo, it would only make himself look foolish.

Just as the judge had said, one must reflect on oneself…

“Next time, for sure…”

In the deserted auditorium, Sang-hoon vowed to himself.

He would never go through such an experience again.

To reclaim his pride, if such an opportunity arose once more, he would take an even better photo.

“Nam Woojin…”

Sang-hoon repeated Woojin’s name, as if to etch it into his memory.

The name of the person who had given him his first taste of defeat…