A hot bomb fell on the peaceful Japanese archipelago. Not ‘that bomb’ made by Oppenheimer, but a bomb called Moon In, of unknown origin.
The surprise box office hit of the animated movie ‘Guitar’ and the combination infused with the spirit of Baekhak Publishing and Kyosensha, shouting
…Actually, even setting all this aside, when viewing modern entertainment from a common-sense perspective, it’s hard for a to not be popular.
Although the Koreans, who quickly heat up and cool down just as fast, had grown tired of chewing, tearing apart, tasting, and enjoying Moon In-seop over time,
To the Japanese, Moon In-seop was a piping hot new dish.
Although there was the minor issue of being Korean-made, once the great chef Yohei Iwamoto gave his ‘quality guarantee’, the Japanese eagerly savored the delicacy with peace of mind.
That quality guarantee, of course, was Eisaku Siedehara’s public announcement of his intention to adopt.
-Here, here, he’s a verified pro-Japanese. Feel free to indulge in fandom.
The promotion was already sufficient. In fact, the anime movie ‘Guitar’ alone had reached the maximum level of publicity.
So the only thing left was to make people open their wallets, and the collaboration between Baekhak and Kyosensha was focused on this.
And both publishing houses were companies well-versed in extracting money from readers.
When reporters asked Baekhak Publishing, they received the following answers:
– Who are Moon In-seop’s parents?
– We cannot disclose this for privacy protection.
– Is it true that Moon In-seop’s mother is Japanese?
– It is a personal privacy matter.
When reporters asked Kyosensha, they received the following answers:
– Is the rumor that Moon In-seop is Japanese true?
– Our goal is to introduce good books to readers regardless of the author’s nationality, so we kindly ask for your continued Visit NovelHub for more amazing novels and chapters.
– So, Moon In-seop’s nationality is…?
– Does it matter if it’s Japan or Korea, as long as the book is good?
In the midst of all this, the icing on the cake was the rumour of Author Eisaku Siedehara adopting me…
Lim Yang-wook said that no Japanese person’s heart could fail to be moved by this storyline.
As evidence, the books were sold out in bookstores as soon as they were put on shelves.
Indeed, popularity seems to translate into money.
But as a result, I had to stay practically confined in a hotel in the heart of Tokyo, because the changing situation also altered my activity strategy.
“You are now the mysterious genius boy beyond conspiracy theories and rumors.”
“At least this time, it’s not about being cool, fun, and sexy.”
“I’m glad it’s not cool, fun, cute or whatever it was this time.”
“It was cool, chic, and cutely cute, you know?”
Lim Yang-wook was a salesman who knew how to flexibly change sales strategies according to the situation.
And he aimed to turn “Moon In-seop” into a luxury brand to sell.
“I’ve canceled all the broadcasts for now. You can’t speak Japanese, and even if you go out with an interpreter, you wouldn’t be able to maintain the perfect genius boy concept that people expect.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
“And we no longer have to beg on broadcasts for people to buy the book!”
Lim Yang-wook was currently managing the cooperation between the Baekhak Publishing headquarters and Kyosensha, directing additional staff dispatched from Korea.
Even in a situation where it was clear he was extremely busy, he would come and go from my hotel room to brief me on the progress.
His tone was somewhat frivolous, but if you listened to the content, it was like a report to a workplace superior.
I was confident in writing books but clueless about selling them, so even when I told him there was no need to explain everything, Lim Yang-wook stuck to his principles.
“But you still need to know! Come on!”
“What’s the point of me knowing? It’s not like I have the ability to meddle even if I knew…”
“That’s how you learn. Do you think farmers never visit the agricultural companies? Producers must clearly understand the distribution process to avoid being swindled.”
Thus, my daily routine became extremely simple.
Eat at the hotel, listen to Lim Yang-wook talk about business.
Then read books, write books, listen to talks about selling books, and then fall asleep.
In truth, it wasn’t much different from when I lived alone in my studio. The bed was just a bit softer, and the food tasted better.
Honestly, I didn’t really feel like a celebrity writer who came to Japan to work, and it didn’t even feel like sightseeing. I never had a reason to go outside due to the reporters, and the hotel staff could speak Korean.
As I was gradually adapting to this peculiar life in Japan,
“Ah, In-seop. We definitely need to attend this event.”
I received an invitation to the mansion of my prospective adoptive parent.
The residence of Japan’s great writer, Eisaku Siedehara, was located not far from the heart of Tokyo’s urban area.
However, the distinctive feature was its highly traditional architectural style, to the extent that it was hard to distinguish it from the numerous temples and shrines scattered throughout the city.
“Ah, In-seop. Over here.”
“Welcome. It’s a pleasure to meet you. And you too, Editor.”
Lim Yang-wook greeted Author Eisaku Siedehara in fluent Japanese. Judging by the length of the conversation, it was a very formal greeting.
Eisaku Siedehara, impressed by Lim Yang-wook’s Japanese skills, engaged in a prolonged conversation, giving me the chance to look around the house.
‘It feels like a hanok…’
Having no particular interest in traditional architecture, I couldn’t distinguish between a hanok and a traditional Japanese house.
However, I could sense the ‘Japanese style’ of this house, thanks to the distinct Japanese atmosphere emanating from the garden.
A decorative object, like something out of a anime, was placed between the mini waterfalls in the garden.
It was a bamboo decoration that tipped like a seesaw, letting the water flow into a stream and making a clunking sound as it hit the ground.
“That’s a shishi-odoshi. It’s also called a sozu. Interesting, isn’t it?”
“Ah, yes. It’s impressive.”
Eisaku Siedehara guided us through the garden with a gentle smile.
“Whenever I see that shishi-odoshi, I think to myself, ‘What exactly is style?’”
“Actually, the shishi-odoshi is just a tool to scare away deer and birds, like a scarecrow. But people look at it and find the most Japanese aesthetic in it. It’s probably because Western movies most typically use the shishi-odoshi to represent Japan.”
“So where does the style of the shishi-odoshi come from? The inherent beauty of the object? Or the very tip of the finger pointing at it, saying it’s stylish?”
Following behind Author Siedehara, we came upon a middle-aged man sitting on the wooden floor.
He had a sharp, sensitive look.
The moment he saw us, he swallowed nervously and stood up.
Author Siedehara smiled and introduced him to us.