Chapter 60
I’m translating the chapter into the required HTML format and preserving the in-universe blocks as styled divs. The source has several quoted article/comment sections, so I’m shaping those into separate paragraphs and comment blocks rather than flat prose.CHAPTER_TITLE: The Hidden Confession in Daegwangmyeongjeon
The Culture Department at Joa Ilbo.
The office at three in the afternoon was noisy with keyboard clicks and the murmur of phone calls.
Han Ji-yeon sat at her desk, staring at her monitor as she polished a draft.
- "I Won't Forget"... Kim Hak-jun Public Interest Foundation Allocates Budget to Support Overseas Veterans.
She rewrote the title over and over.
It felt like it lacked impact.
It also felt too stiff.
Then, from behind her, came a voice she knew well.
"Aigoo, our Han reporter."
She turned and saw Assistant Manager Park Jong-su standing there.
A sly smile curved his mouth, but his eyes were hungry for something.
"Ahem. Got a minute to talk?"
"Yes, Assistant Manager."
Han Ji-yeon lifted her hands from the keyboard and swiveled her chair around.
Assistant Manager Park glanced around, then lowered his voice.
"About appraiser Kim Si-woo."
Of course.
This was exactly the conversation she had expected.
"It’s been days since the Daegwangmyeongjeon plaque story broke. And he still hasn’t done a single exclusive interview. Everyone’s been trying to land one, and they’ve all been turned down?"
Assistant Manager Park scratched his head.
"What if you made a move, Han reporter?"
"Of course, if that’s what you want, Assistant Manager, I can send him a message. But I haven’t really been in touch with him lately, either."
"No. You haven’t been in touch?"
Assistant Manager Park’s eyes widened.
"Hey, Han reporter. You have to manage your connections. That man is number one in the realtime search rankings right now. Number one. Daegwangmyeongjeon plaque is second, and Kim Si-woo is first."
His voice rose.
"Until now, every exclusive interview with appraiser Kim Si-woo has gone to Han reporter, hasn't it? I don’t want to pressure you like this, but the people above me are pushing hard. Try to understand where I’m coming from."
"I thought reaching out first might put too much pressure on him."
Ordinary reporters would have been spoken to in a more commanding tone by Assistant Manager Park.
He wouldn’t have asked them like this.
But Han Ji-yeon was different.
Since her connection to Kim Si-woo had begun, her standing had changed completely.
She was now the undisputed ace of Joa Ilbo, with a large subscriber base to match.
She received tips, exposed the darker corners of society, and wrote articles that required her to be out in the field herself; people praised those stories to no end.
Using the recognition she had built through Kim Si-woo as a springboard, she expanded her range.
Stories about the truly marginalized people in blind spots.
Stories about traditional craftsmen whose work was disappearing.
Not articles designed to bait clicks with cheap stimulation.
Articles with real social value.
At first, the response had been lukewarm.
There had even been people who looked at her and said, "Why is a culture reporter writing this?"
There was some overlap with the social affairs desk and the investigative team, after all.
But Han Ji-yeon kept at it.
She traveled the length and breadth of the country to report.
She captured the voices of the field with vivid precision.
Perhaps because that sincerity landed, her articles gradually began to draw attention.
They were shared on social media, featured on portal homepages, and cited on television.
- A reporter who shines a warm light on the world
- The conscience of the Culture Department
- I only read Han Ji-yeon’s articles
Those were the reactions that filled the comment sections.
The number of readers subscribing to Han Ji-yeon’s work at Joa Ilbo rose sharply.
Thanks to that, her position within the company had become unshakable.
"Right. Go ahead and contact him. Everyone’s waiting for an exclusive interview with appraiser Kim Si-woo. We need to think about our readers too."
Not the readers. His own performance numbers, probably.
Han Ji-yeon thought as much to herself.
"Then I’ll reach out."
"As expected, there’s no one like you, Han reporter. Haha."
Assistant Manager Park smiled.
He couldn’t afford to speak carelessly, either.
What if Han Ji-yeon quit and the link to Kim Si-woo was cut off?
That would be a loss for all of Joa Ilbo.
"Oh, right, Assistant Manager."
Han Ji-yeon changed the subject.
"This time I’m thinking of tying it to the Kim Hak-jun Public Interest Foundation and running a big piece from the Culture Department."
"The Kim Hak-jun Public Interest Foundation?"
Assistant Manager Park blinked.
They were talking about Kim Si-woo, and suddenly she was bringing up a public interest foundation?
"A standalone piece on the oral history project for Korean War veterans, a database building project for Korean cultural assets scattered overseas, and digital preservation of testimonies from forced labor and comfort women victims under Japanese colonial rule would probably get a pretty strong response. What do you think?"
"Ah. I see."
Assistant Manager Park’s mind raced.
In other words, if she wanted the Kim Si-woo interview, she was asking him to feature that as the main article.
But it wasn’t a bad proposal.
The Kim Hak-jun Public Interest Foundation was where Kim Si-woo served as a nonstanding director.
And articles written by Han Ji-yeon always guaranteed a certain level of traffic.
"Good. Just land the appraiser Kim Si-woo interview. I’ll make sure everything else gets taken care of."
"Yes, of course."
Han Ji-yeon replied with a smile.
Truthfully, she wasn’t uninterested in Kim Si-woo’s news, either.
When had they last spoken?
Right after the Hong Kong auction.
In the meantime, Kim Si-woo had stayed in Hong Kong and then gone on to London.
After he returned, the Daegwangmyeongjeon plaque story had broken, and he’d shot to the top of the realtime search rankings.
If she had been any other reporter, she would already have tried contacting him more than ten times.
But Han Ji-yeon wasn’t impatient.
She understood Kim Si-woo to some extent.
He was the kind of person who built a wall if you pressed him too hard.
So waiting was the better choice.
Besides, Han Ji-yeon had confidence.
She was certain that if Kim Si-woo ever had business with the press, he would eventually contact her.
It had always been that way.
He’ll get in touch if he needs to.
Han Ji-yeon muttered to herself and put her hand back on the keyboard.
Then.
Her phone on the desk vibrated.
The name on the screen was:
[Kim Si-woo]
A faint smile lifted the corners of Han Ji-yeon’s mouth.
Just as she thought.
It had been worth waiting.
She answered in a bright voice.
"Yes, this is Han Ji-yeon."
- Reporter Han, this is Kim Si-woo. I’m sorry. It’s been a while since I last contacted you.
"Not at all. It has been a while. Have you been well?"
- Thanks to you. I know you’re busy, but if you have time, could we meet briefly? If an interview is possible...
Han Ji-yeon stood up and grabbed her bag.
"I happen to have time open right now. Where should I go?"
- Would it be all right if we did it in my office at Eterna Gallery?
"Of course! I’ll see you in an hour!"
After hanging up, Han Ji-yeon looked toward the assistant manager.
"Assistant Manager."
Park Jong-su turned his head.
"Hm? What is it?"
"Kim Si-woo called me. I think I need to head out now."
At once, the office fell silent.
The keyboard clatter from the other reporters stopped.
Even the people on their calls lowered their voices.
Every gaze in the room turned to Han Ji-yeon at once.
Assistant Manager Park’s eyes went wide.
"What? What did you just say?"
"Kim Si-woo. It sounds like we’re doing the interview."
"As expected, you’re our ace at Joa Ilbo!"
A broad grin spread across the assistant manager’s face.
He looked around the office and raised his voice.
"That’s right, Han reporter! What did I tell you? I said you’d pull it off, didn’t I!?"
The assistant manager spread both arms wide.
"There’s no one but Han Ji-yeon who can interview appraiser Kim Si-woo!"
Why was embarrassment her burden?
Han Ji-yeon hurried out of the office.
Exclusive Interview
"Sejo’s Hidden Confession Awakened After 500 Years"... Appraiser Kim Si-woo Reveals How the Daegwangmyeongjeon Plaque Was Found
◇ It Began With One DM
- How did you come to find the Daegwangmyeongjeon plaque?
"The first clue was a story and a single photograph sent to me through Byeolstagram."
- Byeolstagram?
"Yes. The granddaughter sent over an item her grandfather had kept."
As he recalled that time, Appraiser Kim Si-woo went on.
"It looked like an old piece of wood, but I could see the frame of a plaque that had been artificially made. I thought it was worth meeting the owner in person, so I did."
◇ The 500-Year Secret Sleeping Beneath the Han River
- How did you feel when you met the owner and heard his story?
"The old man said his father worked at a ferry landing on the Han River right after liberation. One day the river ran so low that the riverbed was visible, and when something on the bottom caught his eye, he uncovered it and found the plaque. He said there had been writing on it at the time, but that it oxidized in the air and disappeared within days."
◇ Sejo’s Repentance Carved on the Back of the Plaque
- How did you discover the writing on the plaque?
"Actually, at first I only checked the front. When I saw the four characters Daegwangmyeongjeon, I got chills. It was the plaque of a cultural asset that had been lost for hundreds of years. But finding the writing on the back happened by chance. I was checking with an infrared scanner to see if there was anything else, and when I saw it, I was honestly stunned."
- Please explain the Chehaengmumuang believed to have been written by Sejo on the back.
"Chehaengmumuang is a Buddhist teaching that all things and phenomena in the universe are in constant change, and that nothing lasts forever. What is born dies, what is made breaks, and every meeting leads to parting. The front of Daegwangmyeongjeon flaunts royal authority with splendid gold leaf, but the Chehaengmumuang hidden on the back of the plaque contains a confession that power and life are ultimately transient. It shows that even a king who wielded absolute power bowed before the truth that nothing is eternal."
- What does this discovery mean historically?
"Until now, Sejo has been known only as a ruthless ruler. The Gyeyu Jeongnan, the deposition of King Danjong, the execution of the Six Loyal Subjects. His accomplishments were always tied to a bloody history."
Appraiser Kim Si-woo said this while looking out the window.
"But this plaque shows another side. In the end, those words of Chehaengmumuang show that he, too, was only a human being. Perhaps the reason he founded Wongaksa, translated Buddhist scriptures, and built Daegwangmyeongjeon is contained within Chehaengmumuang itself."
- That’s an incredible discovery.
Appraiser Kim Si-woo shook his head.
"I was only the link that connected everything. The granddaughter who sent the story through Byeolstagram, the old man who treasured her father’s keepsake. It was all those threads of fate coming together that allowed this story to enter the world."
(omitted)
◇ What Comes Next
- What will happen to the Daegwangmyeongjeon plaque from Wongaksa?
"It is highly likely to be designated a National Treasure, and since Eterna Gallery purchased it legally, it will be exhibited soon."
- Finally, would you like to say a few words to the readers?
Appraiser Kim Si-woo fell into brief thought before speaking.
"Artifacts are not just objects. They contain people’s stories. Joy, sorrow, regret, longing. I’m only someone who finds those stories and carries them out into the world."
"Maybe there are forgotten stories sleeping in your own homes, too. It doesn’t have to be something valuable. Sometimes you should take out an old object and look at it again. Someone’s heart may be resting inside it."
(Seoul = Joa Ilbo reporter Han Ji-yeon [email protected])
The Nutflix Korea branch.
A high-rise building in Sangam-dong’s Digital Media City.
The key staff of the documentary production team had gathered in the conference room on the fifteenth floor.
General Manager Yang Dong-seok looked at the large screen and spoke.
"I’ve made my decision."
Everyone’s eyes turned to him.
"We’ll show Anna’s story to the world first."
Director Choi Min-ho nodded.
"I strongly agree."
This Kim Si-woo documentary series contained the stories of countless artifacts.
Katagiyomasa’s sword.
Artifacts from the independence movement under Japanese colonial rule.
Shin Yun-bok’s Cheonggeumsangryeondo and Wolha Milhoe-do.
The seated Buddha statue in gilt-bronze from Baekje.
Qianlong’s Nine-Dragon-Motif large bottle.
Sejo’s repentance engraved on the Daegwangmyeongjeon plaque.
Each one was a story that could astonish the world.
But General Manager Yang Dong-seok’s choice was clear.
"The other artifacts are incredible, too. Historical value, monetary value. Not one of them is lacking."
He looked at the video on the screen.
A garden in London.
In the light of sunset, Anna’s grandmother was shown asleep with the bird box in her arms.
"But none of them has a story that will move people’s hearts like this one."
The conference room fell silent.
General Manager Yang Dong-seok spoke in a firm voice.
"Put the other edits on hold. We’re releasing Anna’s story in the second half of the year."
"The second half of the year? The schedule’s tight..."
"Make it work. However you have to."
General Manager Yang Dong-seok tapped the table with his fingers.
"Tell marketing, too. Push this as hard as possible. This isn’t just a documentary."
His expression grew grave.
"The tragedy of World War II. A story that traces the history of a Jewish family torn apart by war through a single artifact. This can’t be measured by the value of the object alone. This is a story the entire world will feel. It’ll move every viewer."
"I think so too."
Director Choi Min-ho agreed.
"I’ll tell headquarters to handle the subtitles. Let’s go with a global simultaneous release."
After the meeting ended, the editing room sprang into motion.
Footage shot in London played on every monitor.
The sound of keyboards and mouse clicks never let up.
At one corner, an editor who had been working with headphones on quietly took them off.
His eyes were red.
The colleague beside him asked, "You okay?"
"...Yeah."
The editor sniffled.
"I was editing the part where Anna’s grandmother receives the bird box and... before I knew it, I just."
He pointed at the screen.
Anna’s grandmother’s thin hand reaching out, trembling, toward the bird box.
And then appraiser Kim Si-woo winding the spring for her.
The sound of the bird’s song rang out.
"I cried watching this. Even though it was my third time seeing it..."
The colleague looked at the screen and nodded.
"Same thing happened to me yesterday."
Similar scenes could be seen throughout the editing room.
Some people were quietly wiping away tears.
Some had paused work for a moment to steady their breathing.
Once this story entered the world,
they were certain many people would feel the same emotion they did.
And with that conviction, they poured their whole hearts into every cut until the video was complete.
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