Busking
A busker is a performer who roams the streets, communicating with passersby through music using their own instruments, mic, or portable amp for a free performance. In a cultural hub, active busking is entirely natural.
♬♬♬♬♬
A small but subtly resonant song drifted through the air.
“……”
Woojin, as if entranced, followed the melody toward the crowd gathering in the street.
And then,
“Huh?”
A puzzled expression crossed his face. The scene before him wasn't the typical image of busking that came to mind.
Two actors, a man and a woman, stood in the street singing. The unusual part? Aside from the MR track playing from a phone, they had no equipment whatsoever. Not even a microphone—they were busking purely with their natural voices.
That must have been why the sound had seemed like a whisper.
Oh ho, what a fresh take on busking.
I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
A duet by the man and woman. Even a musical newbie would recognize it instantly: he was a tenor, she a soprano.
The song raced toward its climax, its high notes flowing effortlessly and comfortably. Their stable vocal technique was impressive, and the lyrics hit deep.
While absorbing the song, Woojin searched the lyrics on his phone. It was from Les Misérables.
…But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather!
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream I dreamed…
The tragic Fantine, forced to abandon her true love and dreams against the wall of reality. The song's turbulent composition, capturing her heartache perfectly, poured through the two actors' voices.
“……”
“……”
The two actors stood still, eyes closed, their breathing creating a hush in the silence.
Woojin naturally pressed his hands together at his lips, holding his breath as he fixed his gaze on the sorrowful clowns with a mournful expression.
Soon,
- Suuup.
The two Fantines turned toward each other, steadying their breaths.
The dream… the dream…
That I dreamed.
The final lyrics flowed out like narration, utterly relaxed and drained of power.
Kuh—.
The single line emphasizing "dream" packed a punch. It was a thrilling three minutes.
“Woh!”
“Incredible!”
- Clap clap clap clap clap!
In just three short minutes, the middle of the street transformed into a West End theater stage—a bit of magic.
The singers showed no signs of fatigue after finishing "I Dreamed a Dream." Without a break, they launched into the next song.
Signature numbers from famous works like Cats and The Phantom of the Opera followed, with light choreography matching the flow to keep the energy high.
Wow, I really want to sing well too…
It was a thought that had lingered in his mind since arriving in the West End.
There was no art freer than busking when it came to music, and with just a voice, you could connect joyfully with passing audiences.
After singing for a good while, the duo turned off the MR from the phone. But curiously, they didn't pack up right away.
Not over yet? Intermission, maybe?
True to West End form, even street performances followed a structured format like paid shows. To Woojin, it was a fascinating cultural quirk the more he watched.
“Thank you, to be continued!”
The actors called out their farewell, and the entranced crowd finally dispersed.
The street fell quiet again in an instant.
Woojin slipped a ten-pound note into the upturned hat in front of them.
“Great performance. Thanks for the wonderful songs.”
The black coffee he'd been holding when the song first drew him from the café was still the same amount.
That said how immersed he'd been.
So, paying the artists their due and offering greetings felt only right.
That was why he'd pushed through the passing crowd to speak to them directly.
Because he wanted to.
“……?!”
Just then, before Woojin could finish and turn away, the duo's eyes widened. They even tilted their heads.
What? Why the reaction?
“By any chance…”
The man started to say something, but the woman lightly touched his arm. He held back.
“Yes?”
Woojin prompted.
“Oh, no! Thank you for enjoying our humble performance.”
“Ahaha… Thank you. We're always performing here, so come back anytime!”
They responded with awkward smiles.
Weird, Woojin thought, but shrugged it off with a smile and turned to leave.
Ah, wait.
He turned back, remembering one thing he wanted to ask the wide-eyed pair.
“If it's not too rude…”
“Yes, yes.”
“…May I have your names?”
“Us?”
“Yes. Your performance was so memorable. As a spectator, I'd love to know more about the artists.”
At Woojin's question,
“I'm Peter, and this is…”
“Anne!”
The pair answered, their faces lighting up.
“Peter, Anne… Got it. Keep up the great shows!”
“Yes, thank you!”
Woojin nodded and turned away.
- Slurp.
The now-cooled Americano somehow tasted and smelled even better than when it was hot.
* * *
Phantom of the Opera.
After much deliberation, he'd settled on this for his first show today.
Fortunately, he'd arrived in the West End during the lineup of the world's four great musicals—The Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Les Misérables, and Cats—spaced two weeks apart. A truly insane lineup.
The timing is alive!
“The Phantom of the Opera, premium grade ticket, Row R, one seat confirmed. Thank you.”
The ticket from Lily was basically a cheat item that allowed same-day booking without issue.
Pushing aside thoughts of buying a souvenir for the Notre Dame de Paris finale, he entered the Royal Lyceum Theatre.
Wow.
He always thought it, but the theaters themselves were works of art. Like having dozens of arts centers.
- Scribble.
Woojin crossed out "Royal Lyceum" in his notebook. He'd listed all 50-plus West End theaters, checking them off one by one for the fun of it.
Moments later,
- Dum, dum dum dum dum!
Doo doon, dum dum dum dum!
The curtain rose, and the grand main theme played. The instantly familiar music from the first note heightened the audience's focus.
At the same time, the actors gradually appeared.
Yesterday's heroine had been Esmeralda, but today's star was Christine. The Phantom's over-two-hour emotional assault directed at her.
The music held an indescribable power. And the actors, armed with that potent sound, stole the audience's souls.
When the blackout ended after intermission,
“Oh my!”
“Ah, that startled me!”
“Whoa!”
The Phantom suddenly rising from the center aisle. Or the sudden fog in the latter scene where Christine removes his mask. Directorial touches seared into memory.
With such diverse, high-quality works pounding at hearts in the mecca of musicals, it was no wonder days of eating, sleeping, walking, and catching timed shows felt endlessly fresh.
After reveling in the feast of acting and music, he exited the theater.
- Rrrrr.
His phone rang the moment he stepped out. It was Jun-an hyung.
“Woojin-ah!”
It had been a while since he'd heard his hyung's voice. So welcoming.
“Yeah, hyung. Doing well?”
“Of course! But seriously, how great is that place that you haven't sent a single update? I've called so many times, and you pick up now?!”
Jun-an hyung unleashed a machine-gun barrage. Probably with lips pursed just a bit.
Pfft—.
Woojin barely stifled a laugh.
“Sorry, hyung. I saw the missed calls and texts, but kept forgetting to call back after shows.”
…Truth be told, since arriving in England, his phone had been in airplane mode almost constantly. He hadn't noticed calls or texts, and barely checked it anyway.
All day walking West End streets, enjoying shows, then back at the lodging buried in program books and librettos from his wanderings.
So Jun-an hyung might not believe it, but…
“What?! For real?”
“Yeah! Korea's in an uproar. Everyone's calling the agency asking if you're doing your next project in the West End, a musical or what. Total chaos.”
Woojin learned it for the first time. Lily's SNS video from "Night in Notre Dame" had gone up, and he'd been trending daily on portal entertainment news.
Oh, and Team Leader Kim Tae-gon had called dozens of times over it—news to him now.
“Aigoo… Must've been tough for everyone because of me.”
“Haha, not really! They're all thrilled, actually.”
“Huh?”
“Ah, hard to explain vaguely. You gotta come see for yourself, Woojin.”
“Anyway, Team Leader said to pass this first if I reached you.”
“What is it?”
“Do whatever you want! Just don't get into bad trouble. And… come back, come back.”
That last bit was,
“This is a earnest plea, but if it's at all possible…”
“Get Lily Header's autograph!”
Puhaha. Amid it all, only the last part switched from casual "come back" to polite "please bring it."
Details on point?
“Got it. I'll tell Team Leader… No, I'll call him right now.”
“Okay~ Talk to hyung later. Return date still TBD?”
“Yeah, hyung. Not sure yet, planning to stay longer. Will let you know when it's set.”
“Got it, take care~”
After hanging up with Jun-an hyung, Woojin called Kim Tae-gon immediately.
Ring…
“Hello?! Hey, Woojin!”
Kim Tae-gon picked up breathless.
“Finally! Got through?”
“Team Leader, what'd Woojin say?!”
Voices from the management team echoed over the line.
“I'm alive. Sorry for the late contact!”
Woojin walked slowly down the street, chatting with his agency family. It was past 9 p.m. in Korea already, but the team was pulling an all-nighter, it seemed.
Hardworking folks. Made him feel guilty enjoying himself like this.
So he detailed everything he'd experienced in the West End. Exactly what the team wanted to hear.
Time flew by in conversation, and as he wandered aimlessly, Woojin realized…
“Oh, still here?”
He'd ended up back at the busking spot. Peter and Anne were still performing there.
Their eyes met, and smiles spread across their faces.
“Team Leader, I'll get Lily's autograph for you.”
“Whoa, really?! Uwatt!”
“Hahaha! Team Leader's hooked.”
“Anyway, call you later!”
Woojin hurriedly hung up and dove back into the song.
A bit later, the duo wrapped their second performance and began packing up.
“Back already. Didn't expect you so soon!”
“Saw a show? What was it?”
“The Phantom of the Opera. At the Lyceum.”
With the crowd's energy still lingering, conversation flowed.
Soon,
“This is you, right?”
Peter handed over his phone screen. It was the video from three days ago: Woojin between left Michael and right John, singing "Lune."
Lily's SNS influence in the West End was no joke—even spotting a passing Asian tourist.
“Haha, yeah… that's me.”
Woojin admitted sheepishly, not denying the fact.
“Knew it! Spotted you earlier but Anne stopped me from asking.”
“Double-checked the video, and yep, it's you. Wild meeting you in person!”
Peter and Anne's eyes sparkled with interest in Woojin.
So he said, smiling,
“If you're free, want to grab lunch together?”
Peter and Anne nodded.
In the West End, by chance, another connection was born.