Chapter 27
Shin A-young called with good news.
"Si-woo, the first legal review report just came in from Crosier Fine Art. Their investigation confirms the piece of porcelain is clean: it isn’t an illegal export under the UNESCO Convention, and it isn’t listed in Interpol’s stolen art database."
"Really?"
Si-woo asked back, stunned.
“Yes. I got the call just now, so I rang you immediately.”
Hearing Shin A-young’s report, it felt as though the fatigue that had piled up in the board meeting was washed away in an instant.
A smile came naturally to his face.
"Ha. That’s a relief."
“The legal ownership of the porcelain has been recognized. It can clear U.S. customs now, too. And every appraiser at Crosier Fine Art has judged it to be authentic.”
He already knew it was genuine from the status window.
What he had worried about was the legal side, whether it might become a problem as a plundered cultural asset.
But if there was no issue at all, then one heavy burden had finally lifted from his shoulders.
"When do you think it’ll arrive?"
Eagerness colored Si-woo’s voice.
“It should reach Eterna Gallery’s storage vault no later than sometime this month.”
There were still several weeks left before the month ended.
But he could wait.
A porcelain piece worth at least thirty billion won was going to be his.
What was a fortnight? Even if it came months late, he’d endure it.
"That’s a lot faster than I expected."
“Yes. The fact that it was clearly proven not to be stolen property made a big difference, and Crosier Fine Art seems to have put a lot of effort into it, too.”
"I’m glad it can come in without any trouble."
“If this were to go to auction...”
"It would be absolute chaos."
“Exactly. Especially Chinese tycoons—they’re practically obsessive about reclaiming cultural relics that were smuggled out of their country. To them, this isn’t just an artifact. It’s about taking back a stolen pride.”
"That’s true."
“Once the auction starts, there’s no telling how high the price might soar.”
"Right. I’m looking forward to it, too."
“Oh, and I almost forgot to mention this. A piece will go out tomorrow about the two works by Hyewon.”
At last, it was time for the public to see Shin Yun-bok’s works.
* * *
At the promised hour, the article began going up.
Two previously unseen authentic works by Hyewon, Shin Yun-bok (1758~?), the master of late Joseon genre painting, have emerged into the world after two centuries.
...
Kim Si-woo, the appraiser who drew attention for uncovering relics from independence activists and revealing that the owner of a forgotten sword was Kato Kiyomasa, has now achieved a feat that rewrites a page of Korean art history.
According to this paper’s reporting, the works discovered this time are two pieces that capture Shin Yun-bok’s peak style in full: Listening to the Zither, Love in Secret and Secret Meeting Under the Moon. (See photo.)
...
The detailed authentication carried out by Eterna Gallery, represented by Shin A-young, the Cultural Heritage Appraisal Committee, and experts in the field has determined both works to be authentic.
Jeong Hae-won, honorary professor at Hanguk University and appraisal consultant for Eterna, said, "The aged condition of the silk and the pigment analysis are perfect, of course, but so are Hyewon’s signature graceful lines and witty composition." He added, "In particular, Secret Meeting Under the Moon possesses a national-treasure-level value that is beyond any market estimate."
[Seoul = Joa Ilbo reporter Han Ji-yeon]
* * *
Once the article went out, the follow count began climbing rapidly thanks to the Byeolstagram handles attached beneath it.
The notification window kept growing without end.
Among them, a few people were asking for appraisals.
He clicked on one of them.
He let out a helpless laugh.
Anyone could see it was too neatly made to be called an antique.
As expected, it didn’t give off any light.
It looked like something that had just been bought from a discount store.
I should wait until the hype dies down and then sort through the requests that are actually worth spending time on.
Just then, a text came in on his second phone.
"Hello. This is Yang Dong-seok, Head of Asia-Pacific Content at Nutflix. I’m very interested in the relics Kim Si-woo found, and in the process behind them. I’d like to turn this story into a global documentary. If you have the time, please contact me anytime."
Yang Dong-seok, the Asia-Pacific content chief at Nutflix.
He searched for information about him.
A photo of a middle-aged man with a hard, imposing look and a rugged beard appeared in the search results.
Below it, his career history scrolled on and on.
It was clear that he had become a legendary figure, someone who had repeatedly turned Korean content into global hits over the past several years and risen to the position of Asia-Pacific chief.
Si-woo sent a reply.
"Hello. I’m Kim Si-woo. If there’s a chance, I’d like to talk. When would be a good time?"
Not long after he sent the message, a reply came back at once.
Proof that the other side was eager.
"I’m available right now, if necessary. I’d like to come to Eterna Gallery and speak with you together with Representative Shin. Would that be all right?"
* * *
Shin A-young was already outside, waiting for Si-woo.
She waved to him.
"Si-woo, over here. Director Yang Dong-seok is already here."
"I rushed over and came earlier than the appointed time, and he’s already arrived?"
"Yes. He seems to be a very proactive person."
The meeting room on the second floor.
As soon as Si-woo opened the door and went in, a large man who looked to be in his mid-fifties stood up and stretched out a hand with a welcoming smile.
"Hahaha. Kim Si-woo, it’s an honor to meet you. I’m Yang Dong-seok, head of Asia-Pacific content at Nutflix."
His booming voice filled the room.
"The honor is mine. Thank you for reaching out."
When they shook hands, Si-woo could feel a grip as solid as the man’s massive frame.
They took their seats.
Shin A-young poured the coffee herself and joined them.
Yang Dong-seok took out a tablet and turned the screen toward them.
"First, I wanted to show you this."
The screen was packed with carefully organized articles related to Si-woo.
Relics of independence activists, Kato Kiyomasa’s sword, Shin Yun-bok’s works.
"I looked up every article about Kim Si-woo. To be honest, at first I couldn’t believe it. The achievements you’ve piled up in such a short time are just too extraordinary."
"I got lucky."
Yang Dong-seok shook his head.
"This isn’t luck. Representative Shin told me that Kim Si-woo sees things differently from everyone else."
As she poured coffee, Shin A-young added her own voice.
"That’s true. You first came to sell an artifact, and then you uncovered the fact that it was Kato Kiyomasa’s sword. From the first meeting, you were anything but ordinary. Si-woo, you truly have a special talent."
Yang Dong-seok interlaced his fingers with both hands.
"I heard from Representative Shin that there’s another new story in the works, too."
Si-woo spoke carefully.
"Not long ago, by chance, I found a gilt-bronze seated Maitreya Buddha from the Baekje era of King Mu."
Yang Dong-seok’s eyes widened.
The serious look on his face collapsed in an instant.
"A Baekje gilt-bronze seated Maitreya Buddha?"
"Yes. It’s a gilt-bronze Buddha statue believed to have been made around the seventh century. I haven’t had it through a detailed appraisal yet, but I’m certain it’s authentic."
Shin A-young added more from the side.
"The number of Baekje Buddha statues left in Korea now can be counted on one hand. Most of them were taken out during the Japanese colonial period. It’s a painful thing."
"Hmm."
Yang Dong-seok stroked his beard as though intrigued.
"Well, well. This could become a bigger project than I expected. Where is the statue now?"
"It’s currently being stored in Eterna Gallery’s vault. We plan to reveal it later, one piece at a time."
"So you’re trying not to spread the spotlight too thin! May I ask where you found it?"
Si-woo had no intention of hiding it.
In any case, the piece was scheduled to be returned to the state.
If anything, making it known would help when it came time to receive fair compensation later.
He gave a brief summary.
"Good heavens... You found a relic hidden inside the wall of an old house? Is that even possible?"
"I got lucky."
Yang Dong-seok burst into a hearty laugh, dumbfounded by Si-woo’s answer.
"And..."
"Don’t tell me there’s more?"
An imperial porcelain piece from the Qianlong era of the Qing dynasty.
He planned to sell that one later.
If it aired on Nutflix, its value would undoubtedly rise even higher.
"An imperial porcelain piece from the Qing dynasty’s Qianlong era is arriving in Korea sometime this month."
"The Qing dynasty’s Qianlong era?"
"Yes. The legal review is complete, and it’s scheduled to be brought into Eterna Gallery’s vault."
"...Where in the world did you find that one?"
Yang Dong-seok’s mouth had gone dry.
The relics known so far had already stirred up all of Korea.
And the artifacts that followed were no less extraordinary.
"It was won at auction on eBay."
"E-Ebay auction?"
Yang Dong-seok stammered, flustered.
He had no idea how many times he’d been shocked since arriving here.
At this point, it was the scale of something that could be turned into an entire documentary series.
He was confident he could generate enormous buzz.
If he couldn’t make use of material like this, then he had no business serving as Nutflix’s Asia chief.
He seized Si-woo’s hand with both of his broad, bear-like palms.
"Please, entrust it to us. We’ll do our absolute best."
At that, Shin A-young’s expression changed completely.
"Then shall we start talking about the terms?"
Time passed, and Yang Dong-seok left the gallery with a drained face.
He looked like a boxer after twelve rounds in the ring.
"With this, we’ll aim for both the gallery’s promotion and a rise in the relic’s value."
By contrast, Shin A-young still looked fresh.
Watching her hold her own against Yang Dong-seok in negotiations without giving an inch filled him with admiration.
And the result was...
[200 million won per episode]
[Separate royalties to be paid after further discussion]
Effectively a top-actor-level appearance fee.
He didn’t know how many episodes the series would run, but it was hardly a small sum.
Considering the value of global promotion, they were practically the ones who should be paying them.
He looked at the person who had pulled off that negotiation.
Shin A-young, for all her polished appearance, was no ordinary woman.
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