The Hidden Inscription
"Did you save a country in your past life or something? How on earth did you find this?"
Si-woo shrugged and answered evenly.
"I just got lucky. I received a photo through Byeolstagram DM and went to look into it."
"You found it from a photo sent by DM? Even so, you must get more than a few DMs, Si-woo..."
Jeong Hae-won was at a loss for words.
He had taken the trouble to track down a shattered signboard just from a single photograph among all those DMs?
He looked again at the cracked plaque.
At first glance, it looked like nothing more than an old wooden board.
If he had been the one to receive the photo, he would have ignored it and moved on.
Jeong Hae-won’s thoughts continued to drift, until Shin A-young’s voice brought him back.
"So, Jeong Hae-won, what do you think?"
Jeong Hae-won pointed at the monitor with the title National Treasure No. 292, the Sangwonsa Jungchang Gweonseonmun.
The most representative and unambiguous artifact for confirming King Sejo’s own handwriting.
"Look at this brushwork."
"King Sejo’s calligraphy differs from the elegant Songseol style that was fashionable at the time. It is far rougher and more unconventional. Look at the vertical stroke in the character for 'line.' The brush comes down without hesitation, with a forceful press, and when the stroke ends, it cuts off with the sharp finality of a blade."
Jeong Hae-won raised his voice as he looked at the Daegwangmyeongjeon signboard.
"This matches King Sejo’s handwriting perfectly. And that’s not all."
Unable to contain his excitement, he went on.
"Right now, the front surface of the plaque shows no visible writing. But look at the infrared image. The letters are clear. That means over five hundred years, the carbon particles in the ink have soaked deep into the wood fibers and become practically fossilized, like a tattoo. If this were a modern fake, once the writing on the surface was erased, the interior would have to be clean."
He then used a magnifier to examine the cracked seams of the plaque.
His voice hardened with certainty as he delivered the final blow.
"And most decisively, look at these fissures. In every tiny crack where the wood has split, fine riverbed mud has lodged so firmly it’s like cement. This is unmistakable proof created by time itself."
Shin A-young admired the inscription on the plaque.
"What do you think about the letters reading 'everything is transient'?"
"If this truly is something left behind by King Sejo..."
With a heavy silence, Jeong Hae-won spoke.
"A record of remorse secretly carved on the reverse side by a ruler who seized the throne through bloodshed... This is a discovery that would force history books to be rewritten. Even among national-treasure-level artifacts, it ranks near the very top."
Shin A-young smiled and looked at Si-woo.
"We should start with conservation treatment. I’ll have the staff brought in and move it to the preservation room."
It was the sort of thing no ordinary gallery could even imagine, but Eterna Gallery had state-of-the-art preservation facilities comparable to those of the National Museum of Korea.
"Si-woo."
"Yes, Representative."
"What do you think about filming this process?"
"Filming it?"
"Yes. From the conservation process all the way to the moment the letters appear in infrared. It’ll be necessary later, once the contract with Nutflix is finalized."
Shin A-young spoke with confidence, and Si-woo added his own suggestion.
"If we’re filming anyway, wouldn’t it be better to contact General Manager Yang Dong-seok and have it shot with professional equipment?"
"Hmm. That would definitely be better. Since all that remains are the contracts for additional incentives, I think we should lock this in with this case."
Jeong Hae-won agreed as well.
"Indeed. If it’s a historic artifact like this, showing the process will certainly have tremendous impact. And if it’s Nutflix, there’s no need to even say more."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Yang Dong-seok, the general manager, had been rolling around in bed since morning, luxuriating in a late sleep, when the ringing phone made him open his eyes into slits.
Who the hell is calling this early in the morning?
In the darkness behind the curtains, he couldn’t even tell the time.
He ignored the call.
He closed his eyes, trying to drift back to sleep.
Still, let’s see who it is.
With half-open eyes, he checked the phone screen.
[Appraiser Kim Si-woo]
Seeing those three syllables, he was startled awake.
He stared at his smartphone and let out a relieved breath.
If he hadn’t answered, he might have been in real trouble.
He pushed himself up halfway in bed and tried to sound as clear as possible.
"Hahaha, Appraiser Kim Si-woo! Good morning!"
But his attempt at hearty laughter failed.
A rough, sleepy voice slipped out instead.
- General Manager Yang Dong-seok, were you asleep by any chance? If so, I can call again later.
Yang Dong-seok hurriedly cleared his throat.
"Ahem. No, not at all! Hahaha. My voice’s just a little hoarse, that’s all. I came back after working out this morning. Haha."
He scrambled for an excuse.
- Working out? You really are diligent.
"I’d actually been meaning to contact you today, Appraiser Kim Si-woo. Thank you for calling first."
Yang Dong-seok rubbed his face and walked into the living room.
When he checked the time, it was already past morning and edging toward noon.
"I had something to discuss with you about the incentives. We’ve finished negotiations with headquarters."
- Oh, that’s great news. But actually, I called about something urgent.
"...Something urgent?"
Yang Dong-seok blinked in confusion.
- Do you have time right now? I think the explanation will take a while.
"Of course! Go ahead."
Yang Dong-seok was fully awake now.
Si-woo began explaining the situation in a calm voice.
How he had found the Daegwangmyeongjeon signboard at Wongaksa.
The possibility that it might be a handwritten inscription by King Sejo himself.
And then the most important part.
- Four characters, all things are transient, are hidden on the back.
At the possibility that those words might be something King Sejo had hidden on the reverse side of the Daegwangmyeongjeon signboard at Wongaksa, Yang Dong-seok’s voice trembled.
"I-is that true? This is..."
He stammered, unable to finish the sentence.
Already, scenes for the documentary were racing through his mind.
The Daegwangmyeongjeon signboard sinking into the dark waters of the Han River.
The plaque, buried in mud and asleep for five hundred years without anyone knowing.
The screen slowly brightening, overlaid with the riverside scenery of the Han from the late 1950s.
Seoul, still scarred even though several years had passed since the war ended.
The dried riverbed exposed after the water receded.
A man discovering the signboard amid the Han River’s mud.
Across the old wooden plaque in his hands, the faded writing of Daegwangmyeon was barely visible.
But exposed to the air, it oxidized and the letters rapidly vanished.
Time passed.
The scenery along the Han changed at speed.
Old houses disappeared, and concrete buildings rose one by one in their place.
Skyscrapers went up along the riverbank.
A forest of glass and steel rising to pierce the sky.
Seventy years slipped by in an instant.
With a single photograph as a lead, the appraiser set out in search of the relic.
An old wooden plaque left neglected for years in a remote house.
Writing slowly emerging beneath an infrared camera.
The moment the four characters all things are transient filled the screen.
The truth revealed after five hundred years.
The guilt and remorse hidden deep within King Sejo.
Four characters written in the king’s later years, after he had killed his nephew to seize the throne.
Holy shit! This is no time for that!
In Yang Dong-seok’s eyes, the Emmy for documentaries hovered right before him.
He rushed to the closet as if he were running.
"Are you at Eterna Gallery right now?"
While dressing as fast as he could, he spoke to Si-woo.
Urgency seeped into his voice.
- Yes. We’re in the middle of preparing because the plaque needs emergency conservation treatment.
"Conservation treatment?"
- It spent a long time submerged, then was suddenly exposed to air and dried out rapidly. If we don’t treat it immediately, it could break apart.
At Si-woo’s explanation, Yang Dong-seok’s eyes widened even more.
"Th-then I need to go right now! We have to film the whole process!"
- I contacted you because I thought it would be good to preserve every moment from this point on as a record.
Yang Dong-seok had already started pulling on his clothes.
He could not hide his excitement.
"I’ll head to Eterna Gallery right away."
- General Manager Yang Dong-seok, aren’t you busy? It might be enough to send only the filming team.
"No, no, no!"
Yang Dong-seok denied it again and again.
"I have to be there for a scene this important! This isn’t just a shoot. We’re recording a historic moment."
He was already tying his tie.
"I’ve assembled the best filming director and production team in Korea. Director Choi Min-ho, who won the documentary directing award at the Asian Television Awards, a lighting team with BBC documentary experience, and even a relic-filming specialist from the National Museum of Korea."
- You really don’t need to go that far...
"Yes, I do. Absolutely I do! Appraiser Kim Si-woo, this isn’t just an episode. It’s going to be the highlight that defines the entire season. It’ll be a scene that goes down in Nutflix documentary history!"
Then Yang Dong-seok added hurriedly,
"I’ll be there in one hour... no, in fifty minutes!"
After hanging up, he called someone else immediately.
"Director Choi Min-ho? It’s Yang Dong-seok. Pack your gear and head to Eterna Gallery right now... What? You were asleep? There’s no time for that! Korean history is being rewritten as we speak!"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Three black vans slid into Eterna Gallery’s underground parking garage.
Yang Dong-seok jumped out of the first van in a hurry.
Behind him, staff carrying equipment poured out in a rush.
"Hurry, hurry! We don't have time!"
Yang Dong-seok’s voice echoed through the underground garage.
As Nutflix’s Asia-Pacific executive, he had plenty on his plate, but right now, focusing on this was the priority.
This wasn’t just a shoot.
It was a moment of recording history.
An opportunity to leave a major mark on the industry.
He could not afford to miss a chance to seize money and fame and everything else besides.
Yang Dong-seok led the way toward the elevator.
From the second van, more staff got out.
The dream team he had gathered in this business: the main cinematographer, the lighting director, the sound engineer, and more.
"Get them to the elevator and send them down to the preservation room!"
At Director Choi Min-ho’s order, the staff sprang into motion.
Large cases were loaded onto carts.
8K cinema cameras, macro lenses, specialized lighting equipment, tripods, rail systems...
The elevator packed full of gear and staff.
Yang Dong-seok was breathing heavily.
The door to the basement level opened.
At the end of the hall, the preservation room could be seen, sealed behind a heavy steel door.
Yang Dong-seok dashed forward as if he were running.
A researcher in a white coat standing at the entrance greeted them.
"We’ll begin with the sterilization procedure."
Si-woo and Shin A-young came out from inside.
"General Manager Yang Dong-seok!"
"Hahaha, Appraiser Kim Si-woo!"
Yang Dong-seok greeted them warmly, then panted and asked,
"Is the plaque in good condition?"
"We’ve stabilized it in the chamber for now. We haven’t started the full treatment yet."
"Thank goodness..."
Yang Dong-seok let out a breath of relief.
Director Choi Min-ho stepped forward.
"Good to meet you. I’m Choi Min-ho, the director in charge of this documentary. You all look busy, so I’ll skip the longer introductions. We’ll keep the number of people inside to a minimum and film without getting in the way as much as possible."
"We’d appreciate that."
The preservation room manager replied with a smile.
An experienced documentary director had come.
There was no need to explain every little thing and keep warning them.
Under Director Choi Min-ho’s direction, the staff moved in perfect coordination.
They wiped the dust from the expensive 8K cinema cameras and lighting equipment.
They passed through the large UV sterilizer installed at the entrance.
The thoroughness was such that not even a single mold spore from outside would be tolerated.
Those entering the interior put on blue overshoes over their shoes and even hair caps on their heads.
Fwooshhh—
Only after passing through the air shower booth, where strong winds blasted out, did the inner door to the preservation room finally open.
"Hah..."
A low gasp escaped Director Choi Min-ho before he realized it.
The inside of the preservation room resembled a semiconductor factory or an operating theater.
At the center stood a chamber shaped like a massive glass cylinder.
Along the walls were cutting-edge machines that could have belonged in a major university hospital, from X-ray equipment to CT scanners.
"This is supposed to be a private gallery... the gear quality is on the level of the National Museum."
Choi Min-ho marveled briefly, then immediately returned to the eyes of a professional.
"Let’s set up right away. Director Park, one full shot from the front of the chamber, and one close-up with the macro lens to capture the texture. Keep the lighting flat at a forty-five-degree angle."
"Understood. I’ll turn on the test lights."
Under Director Choi Min-ho’s orders,
a pinpoint light fell onto the plaque.
At that moment,
Yang Dong-seok shivered.
This is...
The instant the light struck the wooden plaque.
The cracked surface.
The seams packed with mud.
The wood grain, bearing the complete trace of five hundred years, was exposed starkly across the monitor.
This works. It absolutely works.
If, in that moment, the letters of remorse left behind by King Sejo appeared as well...
The viewers would hold their breath.
Yang Dong-seok swallowed dryly and looked at Choi Min-ho.
Director Choi Min-ho also could not take his eyes off the monitor as he raised a hand.
"Everyone, standby."
Every breath in the preservation room stilled.
"Ready."
Choi Min-ho’s lips parted.
"Action."
The red recording light on the camera came on.
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