Chapter 90
The Pianist's Village, Beethoven's cabin.
Franz, with his arms crossed and looking out the window, nodded to Frederick, who was standing next to him.
"Lately, the professor has been going out much more often. Before, he almost never went out."
Frederick said with a smile,
"Because it's warmer. I suppose the master thinks the same."
The transformation of Beethoven. The giant who suffered from chronic diarrhea and hearing loss even after he died, changed after meeting the boy. When he resumed the composition and teaching he had abandoned, his frozen heart thawed and a warm spring breeze began to blow through his town. Franz smiled with satisfaction at the good changes in his respected master, filled with praise for himself for having accepted Soo-hyun. But suddenly, his face hardened.
"But there's one thing that worries me."
Frederick turned his head as he watched Beethoven from the window, touching the new buds that were growing.
"Hmm?"
"That's the music the professor gave to Soo-hyun."
"Mmm." Frederick was also worried about that part. "This will definitely be a problem."
"You're smarter than me, so tell me. Do you foresee any problems?"
Frederick pulled up a wooden chair and sat down.
"First of all, it's the master's music. Beethoven's compositional method is unique. It's possible to imitate it, but it's impossible to create music equal to the master's. Don't you remember? Haven't we also composed music imitating the master?"
Franz frowned.
"Yes. I played it in secret, but the master caught me and scolded me. He even told me to throw that trash in the bin."
"Haha, that's right. Maybe someone will notice?"
Franz shook his head.
"That doesn't make sense. Soo-hyun told me that it's actually been over 190 years since the master passed away. Someone might listen to that music and think of the master, but no one would think it was music created by himself."
Frederick nodded in agreement.
"That's right. But the problem isn't that the world will leave a composer capable of creating music of that level alone."
Franz also thought about it and became serious.
"I'm worried about that too."
"The work ends someday, and the lies will surely be exposed. Especially when Soo-hyun composes different music, the difference will be immediately apparent."
"That's right. Even if it's not revealed that it's not Soo-hyun's song, as soon as he creates his own music, he'll probably receive as much criticism as he did at the beginning."
Franz and Frederick's faces hardened at the same time. Just imagining Soo-hyun, who they thought of as a child, crying made both of their eyes warm.
"This can't go on," Franz said, pounding his fist on the windowsill. "We have to do something."
"That's right," Frederick nodded.
Then the door opened and Beethoven entered, habitually touching his hearing aid.
"What are you two hooligans worried about? Teach him!"
Both friends laughed awkwardly at the same time.
'I'm glad he regained his hearing, but I guess the hearing aid is too good. Even the casual chat I had was heard from outside.'
Beethoven said, sitting on the bed.
"He's still young. There's still time to teach him."
The two friends stared at each other. There was negativity in their eyes.
'The professor's disciplinary methods are too harsh. I don't know if Soo-hyun's mind will hold up. He had a hard time learning from the master.'
Beethoven, who was staring at the two friends exchanging silent glances, suddenly shouted.
"Do you think I don't know what you guys are thinking just because you don't say it out loud?"
As the two friends flinched and stung at the same time, Beethoven clicked his tongue, brought a bottle of wine, and said,
"Don't worry. I'll take care of it."
Franz, who was watching Beethoven sipping his wine, asked cautiously.
"May I ask what you plan to do, sir?"
Beethoven said, swirling the bright red wine in his glass and mixing it with the air.
"I should send it to that guy."
The two friends, who were looking at each other with a questioning look in their eyes, as if trying to guess who that guy was, opened their eyes at the same time.
"Are you planning to send it?"
Beethoven drank a sip of wine and smiled faintly.
The American broadcasting station HUO.
Two PDs who had been working all night and editing intensely were taking a break with a cup of coffee and tidying their messy hair.
"Have you heard the story? There's a scene after the final battle where he becomes emperor. There's a scene where the emperor walks among the ministers who bow to him and submit during the coronation, and he recalls the many comrades who died in the past war. The general director ordered the music director Ramin to change the soundtrack."
"Well, I've heard about it. The general director and the writers are busy looking for insert songs."
One of the PDs nodded towards a conference room in the distance with the door tightly closed.
"Are they doing it in there?"
"Well, since it's an insert song, I guess I'll go for classical music with low royalties."
"I like classical music. It's a magnificent landscape, so how about something like Tchaikovsky's grand music?"
"Well, it's a fantasy that doesn't exist in the world, so I don't think they'll use famous music."
"Well, is that so too?"
"If it were a famous song, it would have been decided by now. It's already been two days and we still haven't decided. It seems that all the songs registered in the association are under review."
"Well, how much time do we have left?"
"About a week. I have to finish it and hand it in by then. That's why I don't have time to do the soundtrack again."
The director needed to decide quickly. He should at least make the music roughly. He's a perfectionist, so it's hard to hold him back. That kind of perfectionism is the reason why we were able to continue this drama for so long, from the fifth season to now, even after changing directors four times. You should be grateful that you made our drama like that. Fifth director. The directors who changed during that time did well. However, the current executive producer Alan Naughty has been directing from seasons 5 to 9.
A conference room with a closed door seen by police officers drinking coffee. Eight writers and director Allen sat in front of their laptops, wearing headphones, concentrating on the music. While other writers were just considering the music, director Allen was selecting music to sync with the flashback scenes where the music would be inserted. The director had reviewed three hundred songs just in the course of two days, but he still hadn't found the perfect song.
The director, holding his forehead, shook his head as the music began to play again.
'The Emperor's struggle was difficult from the beginning. He lost many comrades and made many sacrifices, and he was on the verge of giving up several times. The Emperor, who held on to a faint hope that came at the end of despair, finally sat on the Iron Throne. I need music with a story. Of course, most classical music has a story, but it's rare for music to start from despair and end in joy. In the end, should each movement be written separately?'
There was a way. It was as simple as editing different movements from different songs. There was a disadvantage of having to pay royalties for three songs instead of just one, but HUO had that kind of ability.
Alan, who was about to take a break after reviewing only three or four of the songs assigned to him, muttered as he looked at the information of the next song.
"What does this say? Soo…hyun?"
'I don't know which country he's from, but it's definitely not an American name or European music. Since you set the search category to classical, it should be that kind of music. It's true that Asians are shining in the classical music world these days. Let's see, the title is… SHN Piano Sonata No. 1 in C-sharp minor, Op. 1? What's with the numbering?'
Just by looking at the numbering, I'm not confident. It's clear that this is the first work of a rookie musician. After putting on the music with an unexpected sigh, director Allen used to put the video of the last flashback scene on at the same time. He was about to bring the coffee cup he had next to him to his lips when he flinched and stopped. He arched his eyebrows as he put the music on along with the video.
Seoul, South Korea.
Chairman Park Ki-jun, who was working in the chairman's office, looked at the time. 9 p.m. He skipped dinner and worked late into the night. He was washing his face and relieving his tired eyes, and he sighed when he saw his secretary enter the door, holding a folder by his side.
"Is there anything else to resolve?"
The executive secretary said, handing over the documents.
"This is the final document, the Natural Gas Division has requested an expedited review."
The natural gas business was a very important matter. They wanted to review it tomorrow if possible, but their caution and the request to the chairman to review it quickly meant they had to act fast. The moment Park Ki-jun put his magnifying glass back on and was about to open the documents, his phone rang.
"Hmm?"
Looking at the number, it was an international call. If it was an international call from someone you weren't talking to and they called you directly, you had to answer it. Those who knew his phone number were international entrepreneurs.
"Hello? This is Park."
First of all, I received it in English. Fortunately, it seemed that the other person also spoke English.
[Park? Isn't this Soo-hyun's phone?]
'Soo-hyun? Why are you looking for him?'
[Are you Soo-hyun's manager?]
"No, I'm his guardian."
[Guardian? Is he old enough to need a guardian?]
"Wouldn't it be polite to first reveal who you are?"
[Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Alan Naughty from HUO.]
'HUO? Where have I heard that? Ah! I think it was the name of a broadcasting station.'
"Huo? Do you mean the American broadcasting station?"
[Yes, that's right.]
"Why are you looking for Soo-hyun at the broadcasting station?"
[SHN Piano Sonata No. 1 in C-sharp minor, Op. 1. Is this Soo-hyun's music?]
Chairman Park Ki-jun's eyebrows twitched.
"That's right."
It had only been about three days since the music was registered with the association. For Chairman Park Ki-jun, the call from the broadcasting station did not make him think that it was a request to use Soo-hyun's music. Then Alan's voice was heard over the phone.
[I'd like to sign a contract to use this music as an insert song in a drama.]
Chairman Park Ki-jun's pen fell when he was about to sign the documents for the natural gas business. The executive secretary who was watching quickly picked up the pen and handed it back, but Chairman Park Ki-jun just held the phone to his ear with a blank expression.
[Hello? Can you hear me?]
Chairman Park Ki-jun quickly came to his senses.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Are you saying you'll use Soo-hyun's music as an insert song for a drama?"
[Yes, that's right. Looking at the phone number, it says it's from South Korea. Is Soo-hyun a South Korean musician?]
"Yes, that's right."
[It's too far, we don't have much time. I'd like to handle it as a digital contract if possible. Is it possible?]
"I'll ask him. Although I'm his guardian, I can't do as I please."
[Okay, if you send me your email to this number, I'll send you the HUO contract. How long will it take to review?]
"A day will be enough."
[I'll be waiting.]
"Hey, there!"
[Yes, go ahead.]
"You have to tell me what kind of drama it is…"
The other person, who had been silent for a moment, spoke.
[This information is confidential, so I will first send you the confidentiality agreement (NDA) and then answer you. Please send me your email right away.]
"Oh, I understand."
'What kind of drama is this that you won't even tell us the name of the drama until we sign a confidentiality agreement?'
As soon as I hung up the phone, I sent a text message to your personal email. I received a reply in less than a minute. When the executive secretary printed out the contract and brought it to him, the chairman, who confirmed that it was a typical NDA contract, signed it immediately and filed it in response. Chairman Park Ki-jun, who was trying to review the documents sent by the natural gas business department, did not see the report. As soon as the notification that an email had arrived popped up, Chairman Park Ki-jun's eyes widened as he hurriedly opened the email.
"Wow! It's season 9 of The Emperor's Game…?"