Return of the Genius Photographer

The chirping of birds signaled the start of a new morning.

Having gone home early the previous day, Woojin arrived at Jung Woong’s studio feeling refreshed. The studio, with Jung Woong’s name boldly displayed on the building’s exterior, always struck him as an impressive sight.

“Welcome… You’re quite diligent this early in the morning.”

As he entered, the receptionist, now familiar with him, greeted him with a smile. Woojin responded with a light bow.

“Good morning.”

“You still have the badge I gave you yesterday, right?”

Woojin pulled the badge from his bag and waved it, causing the receptionist to smile in approval.

“Great. You can go straight up. Just remember not to enter any of the other workspaces.”

“Have a good day.”

“You too.”

With the pleasantries exchanged, Woojin headed upstairs to his small studio space. It was just as he had left it the previous day, neat and organized. Feeling at ease, he sat down in his chair, turned on his computer, and began browsing through the books he had purchased yesterday.

Photography is the result of endless self-reflection. — Jung Woong

Another quote by the photographer caught his eye.

Selecting a single photo from thousands of shots is both a blessing and a curse for a photographer. — Jung Woong

Each photograph was a distillation of essence.

Without the pain of creation, great photography cannot be born. — Jung Woong

The books were filled with Jung Woong’s life philosophy. The images were stunning enough to leave anyone in awe, but to Woojin, they reflected the meticulous and strict nature of the photographer. Even the smallest imperfection in the photographs seemed deliberate, as if each flaw was part of a carefully controlled outcome. To Woojin, it appeared as though Jung Woong’s photos were a reflection of his ceaseless internal struggles.

‘Should I be aiming for something like this too?’

After studying Jung Woong’s photographs for a while, Woojin’s mind was filled with doubt.

The photos Woojin needed to take had a specific purpose — they were meant for an exhibition. While Jung Woong’s photographs were undeniably remarkable, Woojin knew that his own photos needed to adhere to the theme and atmosphere of the exhibition, without disrupting its harmony.

‘Maybe I should start by learning more about the exhibition.’

Feeling somewhat overwhelmed, Woojin searched online for information about the exhibition. Fortunately, the details were easy to find.

— Jung Woong Retrospective —

Date: July XX
Location: Seoul Arts Center

Beyond the basic details, the exhibition poster provided little other information.

Well, with a name like Jung Woong, did they even need any more explanation? The name alone would draw crowds.

“Retrospective,” Woojin murmured, the word resonating with him.

A retrospective was a look back at one’s life.

What kind of life was Jung Woong reflecting on?

And what did he hope to achieve through this introspection?

‘The Jung Woong I knew used to take bright and positive photos…’ Woojin pondered, his thoughts drifting back to another time—his previous life.

It had been around 12 years from now, after his life had somewhat settled in America, when he encountered photographer Jung Woong.

He couldn’t recall the exact details, but it had been during his return to Korea after a long absence.

Even then, Jung Woong’s reputation was renowned worldwide.

Woojin recalled that during his short stint in Korea, Jung Woong had reached out to him, impressed by his work, leading to a brief conversation.

The Jung Woong Woojin remembered had radiated a positive aura, and his photos had been notably bright… However, the photos he was taking now were filled with dark and melancholic undertones.

What could have happened in Jung Woong’s life to cause such a shift?

Woojin felt that the theme of the retrospective held the key to the mystery.

‘There’s just not enough information.’

Woojin concluded after going over the details again. His mind swirled with uncertainty, as he thought he had an idea of what to shoot, but still lacked the clarity he needed.

‘I’d like to see Jung Woong at work… and hear what those around him have to say.’

To refine his ideas, Woojin knew he needed more information. He might not be able to uncover the details of Jung Woong’s past, but at the very least, he could gather whatever he could from the present. Perhaps observing Jung Woong’s shooting process or talking to the people close to him would shed more light.

“Alright, let’s narrow down the photos I’ve already seen, and start organizing the books.”

Just as he was about to close the book and tidy up,

Bang!

the door to his workspace suddenly swung open with a loud bang.

“Hey! Are you the one who’s Jung Woong’s disciple?”

A voice he’d never heard before echoed through the room.

*****

Minsoo’s head throbbed like it was about to split open, the lingering effects of last night’s drinking still heavy on him.

Still feeling slightly intoxicated, he forced himself out of bed. As much as he wanted to just lie back down and sleep, it was already 9 AM, and he needed to head to the studio soon.

“Ugh… What did I even talk about last night?”

Even though he knew he had to go to work, he couldn’t remember why he had drunk so much the night before. The last thing he recalled was being carried home by Jinsoo, and beyond that, his memory was foggy from the hangover.

‘Did the others get home okay?’ he wondered. But knowing them, seasoned drinkers as they were, he figured there was no need to worry.

To jog his memory, Minsoo tried retracing the events of the previous night as he made his way to the studio.

“Hello, Minsoo. You’re a bit late today?”

As he walked into the building, Jiseon, the receptionist, greeted him with a friendly face.

“Oh… yeah, hello, Jiseon.”

“You look like you had quite a bit to drink last night.”

“Yeah… I’m really feeling it today.”

While they were exchanging pleasantries,

“Oh, by the way, that student of Jung Woong you asked about yesterday? He’s here again today.”

“What?”

“I told you yesterday, but you didn’t believe me. He’s here now.”

At Jiseon’s words, Minsoo’s memory finally clicked into place.

‘Ah, right, I wanted to see that guy’s face.’

The unexpected arrival of Jung Woong’s disciple had been the reason he’d overindulged in alcohol the previous night.

“Really? Where is he?”

“He’s probably in his studio. Why do you ask?”

“I just thought I’d go introduce myself.”

“Oh, right. He should be on the second floor.”

Jiseon answered casually as Minsoo smiled and downplayed his interest. Without hesitation, she directed him to Woojin’s workspace. Wasting no time, Minsoo headed straight for the studio, throwing the door open with a bang.

“Hey! Are you Jung Woong’s disciple?”

The person inside was a rather refined-looking guy, and though Minsoo’s sudden appearance might have startled anyone else, the young man simply stared back at him without flinching.

Despite hearing that the disciple was just a high schooler, the way he carried himself didn’t seem out of place for a much older person. His sharp gaze felt as if it was piercing right through Minsoo—an unnervingly familiar feeling, almost as if he were facing Jung Woong himself.

‘Wait, what am I doing getting nervous in front of a high schooler?’

Feeling his pride wounded by the fact that he’d been rattled by the kid’s stare, Minsoo was about to provoke him further when the boy spoke up.

“Yes, I’m Nam Woojin. May I ask who you are?”

Contrary to Minsoo’s expectations, the student introduced himself politely, catching Minsoo off guard. He had expected his abrupt entrance and rude tone to irritate the student, but instead, the boy remained composed and respectful.

The maturity in Woojin’s response threw Minsoo off balance.

“Uh… I’m Park Minsoo…”

Minsoo had been ready to pick a fight if the student responded angrily, but Woojin’s calm demeanor left him without any justification to escalate the situation.

Flustered, Minsoo even added a respectful ending to his sentence without thinking.

(T/N: ‘요’ (yo) is added at the end of a sentence to convey politeness, similar to ‘desu’ in Japanese. There’s no direct equivalent in English.)

One simple reply had completely disarmed him.

“Hello. What brings you here today?” Woojin asked with a smile, his relaxed manner making Minsoo feel as though he was being toyed with. Despite his growing irritation, Minsoo quickly scrambled to come up with an excuse to save face.

“Uh… Jung Woong is looking for you.”

His plan was to send Woojin to Jung Woong’s studio, where he knew the photographer was currently shooting.

“Really? I was planning to visit him anyway. Perfect timing.”

“Yeah… I’ll show you the way.”

Hearing Minsoo’s answer, Woojin stood up with a bright, unsuspecting smile.

‘This should be enough for an initiation,’ Minsu laughed inwardly.

In this studio, there were a few unspoken rules, mostly out of respect for others.

But there was one true taboo: no one was allowed to enter Jung Woong’s studio while he was in the middle of a shoot.

The usually calm and collected photographer became incredibly intense during his sessions.

From setting up before the shoot to its completion, he absolutely hated anyone coming in or out of the set, except those already inside.

If someone were to enter the workspace by mistake…

‘Tsk…’

Minsoo clicked his tongue softly, remembering that time.

He had once accidentally walked in during a shoot and had been scolded so harshly that he had secretly cried on the stairwell afterward.

Minsoo had survived the harsh environment of the studio through perseverance, and if Woojin thought he could waltz in and work comfortably from the start, Minsoo was determined to give him a taste of the hardship he’d endured.

“Just go in there.”

Confident that Woojin would soon be in trouble, Minsoo switched back to informal speech as he gestured Woojin towards the studio where Jung Woong was working.

Without any hesitation, Woojin thanked him and headed straight for the door. Minsoo stood outside, pressing his ear to the wall, eagerly waiting for the inevitable sound of Jung Woong’s angry voice.

He should come running out in about five seconds…

Minsoo began counting in his head.

‘One, two, three…’

But something felt off. By now, he should have heard yelling.

‘Four, five, six…’

Ignoring his growing suspicion, Minsoo continued counting, but there was still no sound of Woojin fleeing in terror.

‘What the hell?’

Confused, Minsoo cautiously approached the door and peeked inside. What he saw left him utterly stunned.

There was Woojin, standing inside the studio, and instead of a furious outburst, Jung Woong was smiling, laughing even, as he spoke with the young student.