Chapter 217
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 217
“Well, look at you.”
It had been a while since I’d seen Im Hyeon-su, and her face looked a bit haggard.
“What brings such a lowly person to such a prestigious place?”
“Hey, it’s more like a prestigious person has graced this lowly place with his presence.”
Perhaps the California high had worn off, as Im Hyeon-su radiated an aura of extreme irritability, her face etched with exhaustion.
It seemed the recent plagiarism allegations against Kang Yi-chae had both infuriated her and struck a painful chord.
“That psycho, seriously. Just come in.”
As soon as I entered the studio, she opened the window out of habit, but the scent that hit my nose was different from usual.
“What’s that smell?”
“Sharp as a ghost. I switched to e-cigarettes. For the sake of my precious lungs.”
“If you really cared about them, shouldn't you just quit?”
“You just love poking where it hurts, don't you?”
Grumbling, Im Hyeon-su propped her feet up on the table and began gnawing on her fingernails. A row of liquor bottles stood next to her feet.
“Seo Ho-yun, cut the small talk and get to the point.”
She took her hand away from her mouth and ran it roughly through her hair.
“So, how’s Kang Yi-chae holding up?”
“He seems a bit… out of his mind.”
“…Huh? Yi-chae?”
Even though she was the one who asked, Im Hyeon-su’s eyes widened as if she hadn't expected that answer at all.
“That’s… a bit unexpected.”
“You’re the one who asked. Why the surprise?”
“I mean… Hey, you know it too. That kid’s mental strength is like reinforced alloy.”
He did have nerves of steel, rarely shaken by anything.
I sat down at the computer on one side of the studio.
Something is definitely weird, though.
His lack of agitation bothered me. There was a strange vibe about the whole thing.
I logged into the Copyright Association website and searched for Kang Yi-chae’s name, but the only thing registered was the fan song released in September.
As I tapped my fingers on the desk, retracing my steps to see what I might have missed, Im Hyeon-su bit her lip.
“Have you heard that shameless bastard’s song?”
“I have. It’s identical to our fan song.”
I answered nonchalantly while scrolling through SNS to gauge the situation.
[Fuck, we’re the ones who got plagiarized, yet we’re the ones getting trashed. I can’t even laugh.]
[Where did all those psychos who were bashing him go? They just branded the kid a plagiarist and vanished. My faith in humanity is shattered.]
[I’m staying neutral. I don’t know anymore.
└ How can you be neutral when there’s evidence?
└└ There’s no proof he plagiarized. It could just be a similar song.]
[We need to clean up the search suggestions. Looking at the search bar right now makes my blood boil, ugh….]
[But is it really plagiarism? It’s similar, but is there definitive proof? It’s not even a released song.
└ It’s too identical for it not to be.]
As expected, word about the unreleased song had already spread among the Noeuls, and they were fiercely defending Kang Yi-chae’s innocence.
However, between the lack of copyright registration and the tarnished image of Kang Yi-chae’s "genius," it was clear that the fans' cries would be drowned out.
Was I being oversensitive? …It’s only natural for Kang Yi-chae’s mental state to be shaken.
With so many people pointing fingers at him for something he didn't do, how frustrated must he be?
Scanning the internet reactions again made it even clearer.
There were two main problems.
They had missed the window for a proper rebuttal, and public opinion had already solidified against Kang Yi-chae.
In times like this, there was only one solution.
I just have to re-edit the narrative.
So that this incident is interpreted differently.
“It’s a hundred percent setup. That composer who’s picking a fight? He’s a habitual offender. He’s even snipped a bar or two from my songs before.”
“Really? Did you sue?”
“Ha, don’t you know? Plagiarism lawsuits are a nightmare. Even if you take it to court, it just drags on forever.”
I might look like this now, but I was a former PD of a long-term trainee survival program. There was no way I didn't know about copyright or plagiarism.
Lawsuits and the like were things I was already well aware of.
I only asked to make Im Hyeon-su reflect on it.
“Hmm.”
I looked up information on the rival composer, filing it away in my mind while letting Im Hyeon-su’s words drift through one ear.
“I!! I tried to stay calm and handle it like a mature adult. Sure, a person might commit plagiarism once in their life….”
“…….”
“……Is that sense or nonsense?! If a person commits a crime, they should pay the price! I’m regretting my own past like hell!”
Watching Im Hyeon-su grit her teeth, claiming that even the word "plagiarism" made her skin crawl because of her own dark history, I calculated my next move.
She’s walking right into it.
It was time to reel her in.
“Producer, but… usually when something like this happens, do you talk to the other composer directly?”
“Depends on the case.”
“I see. Our company is trying to coordinate, but communication isn't going well.”
When I muttered that with a slight frown, Im Hyeon-su scowled.
“This brat is up to his tricks again. Just come out and ask me to do it.”
“Ahaha?”
“Just wait. This senior composer will show you what a mature resolution looks like.”
Clicking her tongue, Im Hyeon-su pulled out her phone.
“Don’t worry. I won’t bring up Kang Yi-chae.”
“Ooh.”
I gave her a blatant double thumbs-up.
Im Hyeon-su was quick on the uptake, which was nice.
“Ahem, hello. This is Cheong-beom.”
Not long after placing the call, she gave a boisterous greeting and switched to speakerphone.
[…Ah, yes. Hello, Senior.]
“I called because I wanted to have a little chat about your song.”
[Pardon?]
The person on the other end responded with a very uncomfortable tone.
Straight to the point.
I watched with folded arms to see what Cheong-beom’s "mature resolution" looked like.
“That song, ‘Survive Menthol.’ Looking at it, it seems quite similar to my song—”
[—I have nothing to say to you, Senior.]
“Excuse me?”
But what came back was a brazen reversal.
The person on the other end laughed as if they were incredulous.
[Wow, unbelievable. I never thought Im Hyeon-su would be the one to say that to me.]
“……What?”
[I guess you’ve forgotten your own sins now that you’ve made a lot of money? Or are you just trying to stir up more drama?]
Im Hyeon-su’s face froze instantly.
As I thought, it still haunts her.
A stigma, once branded, follows you for life.
When an opponent brought up her own plagiarism, Im Hyeon-su couldn't argue back, no matter how furious she was.
She might want to believe she paid her dues by listing the original creator as a co-writer and handing over all the royalties, but in reality, that wasn't the end of it.
If the issue of plagiarism was raised again, Im Hyeon-su would be the one suffering the headache.
[Besides, that song is so old, why bring it up now….]
“Hey, what the hell are you babbling about?”
[Are you doing this because of Kang Yi-chae? I heard you two are close. Is that why you called me?]
Struck where it hurt, Im Hyeon-su could only gape, unable to find words.
[I heard he didn't even register the copyright. If you think about it, isn't he the one who plagiarized me?]
“……!”
The person on the other end let out a snicker. It was a blatant mockery.
[I’m hanging up.]
The call ended just like that, and Im Hyeon-su clutched the back of her neck.
“Th-th-this piece of shit, what did he just say?”
“I know, right?”
“Hey! Tell that bastard to come out right now. Tell him to meet me in front of this building for a showdown.”
Ding!
[……Is this the mature resolution?]
My thoughts exactly.
As Im Hyeon-su chugged half of a two-liter water bottle in a fit of rage, I racked my brain for a way to pull her in.
I dug through the rival composer’s songs again and even checked his Starstagram.
“A story just went up.”
“What does it say?”
It was a fresh story, posted just moments ago.
“Shall I read it? ‘The progression and melody might sound similar, but the chord progression is completely different. To think I have to receive a pressuring call from a senior. (Laughing emoji).’”
“Aaaagh!”
“‘And for it to be that senior, of all people. The irony is unreal.’ …Wow.”
How kind of him to set the stage for me.
Even though I read it aloud, she couldn't believe it and grabbed the monitor to read it herself, character by character. Her face turned a mottled shade of red and purple.
I found a pack of regular cigarettes next to the monitor and held one out.
“Producer, I think you’re going to need this.”
“I do.”
So much for e-cigarettes.
Im Hyeon-su snatched the cigarette, put it in her mouth, and fumbled through her pockets. I kindly held up a lighter and gave her a light, then began playing the rival composer’s songs one by one.
Beside me, Im Hyeon-su grumbled for a long time, saying things like, “This is why I shouldn't have plagiarized in the first place, dammit,” and “No, but that bastard…!”
Something that’s an obvious copy, yet blatant enough not to get caught. Something that would be perfect for stirring up a controversy.
Then, one song caught my eye.
And something to hook Im Hyeon-su.
It was an album created by borrowing classical melodies whose copyrights had long since expired.
Chopin, Brahms, Debussy, and so on.
“…Producer.”
“What?!”
And this time, I asked even though I already knew the answer.
The outline of the bait was taking shape.
Bait to hook the ‘composers.’
“This person made a song by sampling a classical piece. Is it possible to make songs like this?”
“…If the copyright has expired and you have the neighboring rights, it’s possible, right?”
“Then, if I make a song using the exact same classical piece as this composer, is that plagiarism?”
Im Hyeon-su looked extremely displeased.
She flicked her ash into the ashtray and spoke.
“……It depends on how you do it, but if the songs are different, it’s very ambiguous to call it plagiarism. It would feel shitty for the person who did it first, though.”
“I see.”
I figured as much.
“……Hey.”
In an instant, Im Hyeon-su seemed to realize the intent behind my questions.
“Are you… are you planning to make a song with the same classical piece and pick a fight? On purpose? Without it being actual plagiarism?”
“There’s no need to stoop to his low level, but… I think we need to play a bit dirty this time to flip the script.”
Ding!
[Wait, what are you doing?]
I ignored the system window that popped up.
Im Hyeon-su wore an expression of utter disbelief.
“Don’t do it. No. You might stir up drama, but are you crazy? Are you going to make Kang Yi-chae do something that even looks like plagiarism now?”
“Then who in our team would compose it? I guess I’ll have to tell Kang Yi-chae.”
“What kind of bullshit is that? Do you think he’d actually listen to you?”
“He’d listen if I’m the one asking.”
“What?”
When I said that, Im Hyeon-su jumped to her feet.
“Seo Ho-yun, have you lost your mind?”
It had been a while since I’d seen Im Hyeon-su this angry. I marveled inwardly at her soft spot for Kang Yi-chae.
“Don’t you know that’s a terrible move? Not him. Why would he do something like that? It’s not like he’s me!”
Im Hyeon-su, reminded of her dark past once again, snatched the pack of cigarettes from the desk and pulled out a new one.
I watched her chew on the unlit cigarette and asked nonchalantly.
“Producer, then what else are you going to do?”
The fish was circling the bait.
“Is there any other way to stir up a controversy besides this?”
“…There is! I’d rather be the one to take the hit for being shameless and sue him for plagiarizing his song…!”
She bit.
Im Hyeon-su stopped mid-sentence, her mouth hanging open. The cigarette tumbled to the floor.
“……Wait.”
She realized.
“You… you told me first on purpose.”
Of course.
“I did what?”
“Hey, don’t bluff.”
I never had any intention of mentioning the word "plagiarism" to Kang Yi-chae in the first place.
But I had to appear to Im Hyeon-su as the kind of guy who would actually do it.
“You… you want me to be the one to start a plagiarism controversy with that composer? Then my… my own scandal will come up again.”
As expected of Im Hyeon-su. She was quick-witted.
Exactly. Why else would I come to her at this timing, in this situation?
To ask her to plead with the public that Kang Yi-chae isn't that kind of person?
That would only tie them both to the image of plagiarism and leave them at the mercy of public opinion.
“What if I don’t? If I don’t, are you really going to ask Kang Yi-chae?”
I didn't bother answering that.
Instead, I asked a different question in a gentle tone.
“Producer, are you really that nice of a person?”
At that, Im Hyeon-su fell silent for a long time.
It seemed like the desire to keep her shameful past hidden was clashing with the desire to protect her student from being covered in filth.
And soon, a sincere curse word, the likes of which I hadn't heard in a while, escaped her lips.
“…Wow, Seo Ho-yun, you son of a bitch.”
I couldn't help but smirk.
“Is that news?”