Return of the Genius Photographer

The long-awaited day arrived in the blink of an eye.

It was the end of July, the day of Jung Woong’s exhibition. The sky was beautifully clear now that the monsoon season had passed. Like the sunny weather, my heart was fluttering with excitement, as if I were a child about to go on a picnic.

It was, after all, the first time in this lifetime that my photographs would be featured in an exhibition. Even though it was technically Jung Woong’s exhibition, it felt as thrilling as if it were my own. Savoring the feeling, I wandered around the area near the Art Center, where the exhibition was being held.

Despite it being only the first day, the entrance of the Art Center was already bustling with people. I watched from a distance as the crowd, many holding pamphlets for Jung Woong’s photography exhibition, made their way inside.

Standing at the edge of the crowd, I raised my camera and clicked the shutter towards the gallery.

Click!

The sound of the shutter was light and crisp, much like my current mood. I snapped another picture, falling into a rhythm as I captured the scene.

Click!

Click!

The Art Center’s grand architecture filled the frame of my camera. The buildings, which clearly showed signs of careful design, were impressive subjects that I couldn’t resist photographing. Checking the pictures, a small smile spread across my face.

As a photographer, there was no specific time to take pictures. When you see something remarkable, you capture it right away.

Just as I was fully immersed in taking photos around the Art Center, I heard someone speaking in broken Korean.

“An-yeong-ha-seyo. Help! I need help!”

I turned my head toward the voice and saw a man with long arms waving at me. He had striking blond hair and vivid blue eyes that were noticeable even from a distance.

“The Art Center is too big! I want to go to Jung Woong’s exhibition. Cameraman, help!”

The foreigner, gesturing with both hands and feet, was clearly trying to explain his situation. He looked desperate and flustered. From what I could gather from his broken Korean, he had come for Jung Woong’s exhibition but had gotten lost in the vast Art Center. Spotting me with my camera, he must have assumed that I would know where to go.

He had asked me out of desperation, but as luck would have it, he had approached the right person. I calmed him down and answered, “Hey, calm down. I will help you.”

The foreigner’s eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting me to respond in English.

“You can speak English?”

He stared at me for a moment, then broke into a broad smile.

Could I speak English? Of course.

I was someone who had moved to America with nothing but the clothes on my back and had lived there for over ten years. Learning English was essential for survival, let alone for studying photography. After years of interacting with people, I had become fluent, almost at a native level.

Though I hadn’t used English much lately, hearing it again after such a long time was actually refreshing.

Relieved to finally find someone he could communicate with, the foreigner let out a sigh of relief as I pointed him toward Jung Woong’s exhibition.

[Do you see that building over there that looks like several small boxes put together? Just follow the crowd going inside, and you’ll find the exhibition.]

[Thank you so much! I was trying to ask people for directions, but they all avoided me. I almost couldn’t find my way!]

[It’s nothing. No worries. Be careful and enjoy.]

[Okay! See you later, kind cameraman!]

With that, the foreigner waved his long arms energetically, just as he had when he first approached me, and walked away with exaggerated enthusiasm. Despite the short exchange, he left a strong impression, the kind of person I wouldn’t easily forget.

After watching him leave for a moment, I returned to my task. Once I was satisfied with the photos I had taken, I finally made my way into the exhibition hall.

Meanwhile, inside the gallery, Jung Woong quietly observed the visitors.

“All the photos are amazing.”

“Look at that one.”

“What do you think this picture is about?”

The space was filled with just the right amount of noise, and people were enjoying the exhibition in their own way. Watching others find joy in his photos was something that never grew old for Jung Woong. It was hard to believe that just a few months ago, he had been so blocked creatively that he had considered quitting both the exhibition and photography altogether.

Now, his heart was brimming with happiness and satisfaction. Many had come to his exhibition seeking new experiences and inspiration, but perhaps the person being most inspired here today was Jung Woong himself.

He walked slowly through the exhibition, taking in the sight of his photos. Looking at them brought back the emotions he had captured during the shoot—the endless struggles, and the beauty that had emerged from that struggle. He lingered on each photo, making sure to imprint them in his mind, as if to never forget.

Slowly, very slowly.

As he continued to enjoy his own exhibition, he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

“Wow! This is amazing.”

“I can’t believe a photo can be made like this…”

“I’ve never seen anything like it.”

In the spacious exhibition hall, there was one particular photograph that had drawn a large crowd. Naturally, Jung Woong’s eyes were drawn to it, and he smiled contentedly.

‘I knew putting it in the center was the right choice.’

The visitors were moving around, inspecting the photo from different angles, clearly captivated by it. The photo they were so intrigued by was Woojin’s work.

“Hyung, our names are really up here!”

“I’ll never forget this day for the rest of my life.”

Off to the side, Minsoo and Youngsoo, having spotted their names next to the artwork, were overwhelmed with emotion.

Though the names of Minsoo and Youngsoo were written in small letters beneath Woojin’s name, they seemed more than satisfied with the recognition. Seeing these two, who normally looked like rugged bandits, getting all excited like that was a first, but somehow, it was endearing.

Standing a bit away from the crowd, Jung Woong admired Woojin’s photograph. It was an image made up of countless smaller photos, forming a portrait of Jung Woong’s face. He was amazed at how Woojin had come up with the idea to create such a piece in such a short time. The more he looked at it, the more impressed he was.

Though he had never told anyone, Jung Woong had begun to think that Woojin might be some sort of good luck charm. Ever since Woojin became his apprentice, the creative block that had once stifled him had vanished, and he had regained his inspiration. Woojin had also been the one to show him new possibilities for his photo assistants, not to mention producing such an impressive piece for this exhibition.

As Jung Woong pondered all of this, a voice called out to him.

“Woong! I’ve missed you! You haven’t forgotten me, right?”

“Richard? What are you doing here?”

Jung Woong tilted his head in surprise. The man speaking to him was someone he knew, but he hadn’t expected to see him here at all.

“Surprise!” Richard beamed at him with an innocent smile.

Richard Wilson.

Known to his close friends simply as Richard, he was currently a rising star in the American commercial photography scene. He was also renowned for his photography lectures, giving talks at numerous universities. In short, he was an extremely busy man.

Even though he and Jung Woong were on friendly terms, Jung Woong knew that coming all the way here wasn’t an easy task for Richard.

“You must’ve had a tough time traveling all the way here.”

“It’s nothing. I really wanted to see your exhibition, Woong.”

As Jung Woong expressed his gratitude for the visit, Richard waved it off, then pointed at one of the works on display.

“Woong, what is that? That’s not your photo.”

He was pointing at Woojin’s work.

“Your photos are always a bit sad, but this one? It feels happy.”

Jung Woong chuckled. Despite Richard’s awkward phrasing, he had captured the essence of the photograph. After all, Jung Woong had felt the same way when he first saw it.

Richard, his large blue eyes filled with curiosity, looked at Jung Woong expectantly, waiting for an explanation.

“You’re right. That’s not my photo. It was made by my apprentice.”

“Apprentice? When did you get an apprentice? I didn’t know about that. Introduce me!”

Richard’s eyes widened in excitement, eager to hear more about this unexpected news. Just as Jung Woong was thinking about how to explain, he spotted Woojin walking toward the center of the gallery.

“There he is. That’s my apprentice, Nam Woojin,” Jung Woong said with a smile.

“Cameraman?”

Richard looked both shocked and amused as he approached Woojin.

***

“Cameraman!”

At first, I thought I had misheard. But when I turned my head, I saw the same foreigner waving his long arms at me, the one who had asked for directions before I entered the gallery.

He came over, grinning from ear to ear, and suddenly grabbed my shoulder in a friendly manner.

“I heard everything! Cameraman! Woong’s apprentice!”

Woong? Did he mean Jung Woong?

As I tried to figure out what he was talking about, I saw none other than Jung Woong approaching us from behind the man.

“Do you two know each other?” asked Jung Woong.

“Yes, I gave him directions earlier,” I answered.

“Cameraman—no, Woojin is a good person. He speaks English well,” said the foreigner, almost at the same time I replied.

Hearing this, Jung Woong burst into laughter.

“Haha, what a coincidence. Richard, as I mentioned earlier, this is my apprentice, Nam Woojin. Woojin, this is my friend, Richard Wilson.”

“Call me Richard, Woojin!” Richard chimed in enthusiastically.

“Nice to meet you,” I said.

Richard Wilson? I hadn’t recognized him by face alone, but hearing his name triggered something familiar. Was he someone I had a connection with in a past life?

While I was still sorting out my thoughts, Richard suddenly started showering me with compliments.

“Woojin! Did you really make that photo? It’s amazing. I want to buy it.”

“Thank you, but I didn’t make it alone. I had help from some others.”

“I like your photos the most, Woojin.”

Richard continued to gush over the photo, gesturing with his long arms in the middle of the exhibition. Naturally, this drew the attention of everyone around us.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the attention, I wondered how I should handle the situation.

Just then, Jung Woong stepped in.

“Let’s continue our introductions outside. We can talk more over a meal later.”

Realizing he was causing a scene, Richard nodded in understanding.

“Oh, okay! One last thing.”

He extended his hand toward me for a handshake. As I grasped his hand, Richard gave me a wide grin and asked,

“Woojin! Have you ever thought about studying abroad in the U.S.?”