Popular Psychopath [Novel] Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Just Hearing That Sounds Terrifying

Founded in 1981, the Korean Sculptors Association stands as the nation’s premier sculptural organization, boasting a membership of approximately 1,200 sculptors nationwide.

Starting with the inaugural chairman, Lee Jangwon, a titan of the domestic art world, and passing through the hands of Kim Hyungchae and Mo Sangho before reaching the current chairman, Jung Daeyoon, it is undeniable that the association has played a pivotal role in the advancement of Korean sculpture.

And this year, the Korean Sculptors Association celebrated its 40th anniversary.

Kim Junghwan, the Secretary General of the association, had been wracking his brain lately over a persistent dilemma.

The question plaguing him was simple: ‘How can we familiarize the public with sculpture?’

The popularization of art is a conundrum that countless artistic organizations have agonized over for decades.

Statistically speaking, the number of people who failed to visit an art museum or cultural facility even once a year was alarmingly high.

With the 40th anniversary approaching, Secretary General Kim Junghwan resolved to eradicate this chronic issue.

Does the truth lie close at hand? Kim Junghwan knew the answer was simpler than it seemed.

He needed to forge competitive content that offered a diverse array of attractions, allowing the public to approach art with ease.

Ultimately, if he could ignite the public’s interest, even those unfamiliar with art would flock to the event.

The demographic he desperately wanted to capture was the 20s and 30s.

If he could captivate that specific age group, their viral marketing through social media would trigger a massive ripple effect.

To achieve this, he had been fleshing out a concept for quite some time: the Taebaeksan International Snow Sculpture Art Expo.

Kim Junghwan already had a concrete proposal mapped out in his head.

The plan was to provide diverse entertainment—such as an ice slide alongside nearly a hundred dazzling snow sculptures—for visiting families and couples, naturally harmonizing art with recreation to deliver a deeply enjoyable experience.

“Kya! I came up with it, but it truly is a brilliant idea.”

Springing from his seat, Kim Junghwan began pacing the room.

“But there is just one thing missing! Buzz. It lacks buzz.”

Truthfully, events similar to Kim Junghwan’s concept had been attempted before.

Despite pouring substantial budgets and lengthy preparation periods into these festivals, it was an undeniable fact that most fell tragically short of expectations.

Kim Junghwan analyzed the root cause of these failures: a catastrophic lack of public hype.

However, this presented a complex challenge. If generating hype was the sole objective, he could invite a horde of famous singers to perform. Yet not only would this obliterate the budget, but the moment the performances ended, the audience would vanish like a receding tide, making it impossible to claim the event’s ultimate purpose had been fulfilled.

“This is a grueling challenge. Can we truly not secure both massive hype and the core purpose of the event at the same time!?”

“What is he muttering about over there?”

Having witnessed the Secretary General talk to himself countless times, Assistant Manager Hwang Jungsook paid him no mind and began scrolling through a backlog of entertainment articles.

Scanning for interesting headlines, Hwang Jungsook’s eyes widened.

“Wow, there is another article about Song Kyuha. Last time he beat down a gang of foreign thugs, and this time it’s music? He is a phenomenal sculptor too… is there anything this guy can’t do?”

Startled by her own realization, the thoughts she meant to keep internal spilled from her lips, catching Kim Junghwan’s attention.

“Wait! Assistant Manager Hwang, who did you just mention?”

“Gasp, I am sorry, Director. I meant to say that in my head…”

Hwang Jungsook panicked, flustered by her accidental outburst.

“No, that doesn’t matter. Who did you say did what?”

“Ah… you know that actor, Song Kyuha? The one we briefly discussed in the office because he played a sculptor in the drama ‘Pygmalion Effect’. Anyway, he recently took down a gang of thugs, and now he is making waves playing instruments on a music broadcast, so kids these days are calling him the ultimate all-around entertainer…”

“I found it!!”

Before Hwang Jungsook could finish her sentence, Kim Junghwan shouted in elation, his eyes gleaming with a manic light.

“Unprecedented buzz, and a figure perfectly aligned with the purpose of the competition. It was Song Kyuha all along. Excellent, the puzzle is finally complete. I need to draft the proposal and report to the Chairman! Thank you, Assistant Manager Hwang! You just solved a massive problem.”

Assistant Manager Hwang Jungsook, who had merely been indulging her habit of skimming entertainment news, stood bewildered by the Secretary General’s abrupt jubilation. Regardless, she felt relieved that her slip of the tongue had been glossed over so smoothly.

For the next two weeks, Kim Junghwan practically burned his soul to refine the proposal for the Taebaeksan International Snow Sculpture Competition, finishing the ultimate draft.

Moved by Kim Junghwan’s burning passion and relentless dedication, Chairman Jung Daeyoon readily approved the proposal.

“It is done! I have crossed the first hurdle, but one massive mountain remains.”

Even while drafting the proposal, Kim Junghwan agonized over how to cast Song Kyuha.

He started by scouring every broadcast Kyuha had appeared in, hunting for information on him.

“A man like this must be approached with raw sincerity, not money.”

Kim Junghwan resolved that if he could secure a meeting with Song Kyuha, he would persuade him face-to-face.

Determined to cast him, he dialed Stella Entertainment directly.

“Yes, is this Stella Entertainment? I am Kim Junghwan, the Secretary General of the Korean Sculptors Association. Could you connect me to the person in charge of Actor Song Kyuha’s casting?”

***

Stella Entertainment’s Small Conference Room.

Sitting rigidly, Kim Junghwan had yet to touch the coffee placed before him. He fidgeted with the prepared proposal file, anxiety radiating from his posture.

“If Song Kyuha is excluded from this event, it is like a red bean pastry without the red bean.”

How many case studies had he dissected, agonizing over the reasons why previous art events had failed so miserably?

As a result, Kim Junghwan was more desperate than ever to secure Song Kyuha—the singular entity he believed held the definitive answer.

*Click.*

The conference room door swung open, and Team Leader Han Junghee entered, followed by Kyuha.

“I apologize. Have you been waiting long? Our internal meeting ran a bit late.”

“Not at all, Team Leader. I simply arrived a bit early.”

Han Junghee and Kyuha took the seats across from Kim Junghwan, exchanging business cards.

“Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Han Junghee, the Team Leader of Stella Entertainment’s Team 4.”

“Yes, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Kim Junghwan, the Secretary General of the Korean Sculptors Association.”

“I don’t carry a separate business card, so… I am Actor Song Kyuha. Nice to meet you.”

“Oh my, for someone like you, Mr. Song, your face is your business card. It is an honor to meet you.”

“Shall we get straight to the point? You mentioned over the phone that you need to cast Mr. Song Kyuha for this event?”

Han Junghee had gleaned a rough idea of what Kim Junghwan wanted Kyuha for during their phone call.

Since Kyuha was currently on hiatus, and actors generally avoided participating in such events due to the rapid consumption of their public image, she had naturally declined. Yet Director Kim Junghwan’s desperate pleas for a face-to-face meeting had ultimately led to this very moment.

“Yes, that is correct. I brought the proposal with me, so would you care to review it before we discuss further?”

[Taebaeksan International Snow Sculpture Art Expo Proposal]

Han Junghee and Kyuha each took a copy of Kim Junghwan’s proposal and began reading it meticulously.

Roughly ten minutes passed in silence.

“Hmm… an International Snow Sculpture Art Expo… This is a far more mainstream event than I anticipated.”

“Yes, exactly! I agonized over this for a very long time. How can we familiarize the public with sculpture? The answer refused to reveal itself easily. To the masses, art remains something both close yet impossibly distant. It isn’t as if events like this haven’t existed before. But they never truly succeeded! Why do you think that is?”

Swept up in his own excitement, Kim Junghwan took a desperate gulp of coffee before continuing.

“I apologize. I got a little overly excited. Regardless, the conclusion I reached was a critical lack of buzz and authenticity.

When such events are held, they always invite idol singers or trot singers. Naturally, massive crowds flock to them.

But the moment the singers’ performances conclude, the crowd vanishes as emptily as sand slipping through your fingers. They only came to see the performance, entirely disregarding the purpose of the event itself. Even if you draw a massive crowd, that is nothing more than a half-baked success.”

Listening quietly, Han Junghee interjected.

“Then why must it be Mr. Song Kyuha? Is it because he portrayed a sculptor in his recent project?”

“I won’t deny that played the largest role. However, it isn’t just that. He has generated tremendous buzz through his recent good deeds, and his musical talents are remarkable. When I first conceptualized this event, I drafted the proposal with Mr. Song Kyuha solely in mind. If he is not present, this event is essentially doomed to fail.”

Kim Junghwan stared at the two individuals before him, his eyes burning with an almost terrifying desperation as he fought tooth and nail to persuade them.

Han Junghee’s expression soured. She cast a brief glance at Kyuha before addressing Kim Junghwan.

“I believe it is unreasonable to ask an actor to directly participate in an international sculpture competition, especially not just as a promotional ambassador.”

Sensing the atmosphere rapidly deteriorating, Kim Junghwan felt a crushing wave of despair.

“Please, could you reconsider it just one more time in a positive light?”

Han Junghee turned her gaze to Kyuha.

“What do you think, Kyuha?”

Having quietly observed the entire exchange, Kyuha finally opened his mouth.

“If it is alright, I would like to give it a try. This International Snow Sculpture Competition sounds like it will be fun.”

Kim Junghwan’s head snapped up, his eyes sparkling brilliantly as he locked onto Kyuha.

“A-Are you serious? Thank you.”

“But I have a condition.”

Prepared to accept any condition as long as it wasn’t preposterous, Kim Junghwan steeled his resolve.

“Yes, what is your condition?”

“My casting fee and a portion of the event’s proceeds must be donated to low-income children suffering from incurable diseases.”

Having tensed up in anticipation of a ruthless demand, the tension instantly drained from Kim Junghwan’s body. An expression of profound awe washed over his face.

“I will stake my position as Secretary General on it. It will be done exactly as you ask.”

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

“Excuse me? Everyone else will be competing in teams of three. Are you sure you will be alright?”

“Yes, I will be fine.”

From Kim Junghwan’s perspective, Kyuha’s mere participation in the sculpture competition was the only thing that mattered. He readily accepted the term.

“Let’s do it, then! I look forward to working with you.”

Thus, Kyuha’s participation in the Taebaeksan International Snow Sculpture Competition was finalized.

After Kim Junghwan departed, Han Junghee and Kyuha remained in the conference room to discuss the matter further.

“Are you truly okay with this? Turning this into a charity event will boost your image, but since it is an international competition, if you fail to produce a satisfactory result, negative public opinion will inevitably surface.”

Kyuha flashed a confident smirk at Team Leader Han Junghee.

“For some reason, I feel like I will do well. Trust me this time too.”

“Well, you are my actor, so of course I trust you. Haa. Since teaming up with you, my life has become a whirlwind of colorful events. It’s nice, I suppose.”

“Hahaha, I guarantee even more entertaining things will happen in the future.”

“Just hearing that sounds terrifying.”

For the first time in a long while, Kyuha felt his artistic soul igniting into a raging inferno.

Having shared the life of Donatello, a representative sculptor of the Renaissance, he had already tasted the intoxicating euphoria that sculpture and art could provide. Filming the ‘Pygmalion Effect’ had merely awakened his dormant artistic desires.

In this upcoming snow sculpture competition, Kyuha intended to reconstruct the very classicism and naturalistic sculptures that he had pioneered during the Renaissance, adapting them with a unique Korean flair.