episode_0048

“Weird.”

“What?”

A woman sitting in a cafe said, pulling out her earphones from her ears.

“Every time I hear this, I get dizzy. I get hazy like I’m drunk.”

“What are you looking at?”

“Seorimping Song Music Binde, listen to it. It’s super hot these days.”

“What is Seorimping?”

The woman opens a streaming channel and explains this and that.

The friend who was listening to the explanation made a strange expression and asked again.

“So this is a channel run by students of the preparatory school, and here they create characters, animations, webtoons, rhythms, and… and at the end, they even made this music video?”

“Yeah.”

“Speak sense!”

My friend exploded.

“Drawing characters and webtoons is one thing. But what kind of high school student makes animations and shoots music videos like this? This is 100% viral. It’s being pushed by some planning company or studio behind the scenes.”

“Oh, is that so?”

The woman nodded, thinking that it was a plausible assumption.

No matter how prestigious the art school is, this level of ability is clearly crossing the line.

“But what’s strange?”

“Ah, this music video… Listen to it first.”

Hand over your earphones to your friend.

My friend, who had earphones in his ears, started watching a music video.

After a while —

My friend takes the earphones out of his ears with a blank expression.

“Ugh, is that what you’re talking about? My heart is pounding and my head is spinning.”

“That’s right. It’s like taking cold medicine when you have a fever and feeling dizzy, or drinking a delicious cocktail and feeling pleasantly drunk… Anyway, I feel strange every time I listen to it. It’s like I took some kind of drug.”

“I feel even stranger after hearing you say that. Anyway, the song is really good. And the music video… This is definitely the work of a professional. How could a high school student film something like this?”

“I guess the agency made this to promote the kids that appear here.”

“There’s no need to mention Eugene, I guess that guy is the main character.”

“Eugene?”

“Didn’t you know? The kid who sings is Oh Yu-jin. She’s not around much these days, but she used to be a popular child actress.”

“Wow, the actor sings this well?”

“That’s right. I just found out about it too.”

The two continued to exclaim in admiration as they watched the videos uploaded to the channel one by one.

*****

Seriously, this is a drug. Never listen to it while studying.

└ Even when driving

└ Is it something like ASMR?

└ What is that? You nerd

└ If you come across something you don’t know, search it up.

└ Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, this is abbreviated

└ I can’t speak English

└ Sss autonomous sensory pleasure response!

└ What kind of ASMR is this song?

└ If you search for binaural, something similar will come up

Comments such as “It’s like a drug,” “You get drunk when you listen to it,” “It kills your heart,” “It starts with a headache and ends with a headache,” are frequently posted in the music video comments.

The kids are amazed, but it’s nothing new to me.

This is a kind of ‘addictive’ effect brought about by foresight.

You don’t know when or where it will start, but once you get caught, it’s a no-win situation.

“They want me to make an album?”

“What kind of album would you release with just this one song?”

“I can write a few more songs. I think it would be good to continue with themes like Hajin and Yujin’s meeting, excitement, some, confession, love, conflict, sadness, and breakup… .”

Since some time ago, Beomjun has stopped calling himself a prince or princess.

“No, we’ve never even dated, so why is the breakup coming up?”

“But, I think the two of you would get along well if you did that.”

In the end, you’re saying that you should break up after dating.

“I agree with releasing this song. Beomjun, you’ve released digital singles many times. Upload two songs, a Seorimping nursery rhyme version and a ballad version.”

There is a recording studio that Beomjun often uses.

Post-production work (tuning, timing editing, etc.) and mixing/mastering are possible there.

“I’m an expert on breakup stories, so I’ll give you an amazing one.”

When I asked what he meant when he spoke with a meaningful expression, he didn’t answer.

I was going to ask again because it seemed like he was plotting something.

“Beomjun. Wait a minute… .”

Eugene takes Beomjun to a corner and says something.

I was so focused on that that I missed the opportunity to urge Minji.

‘Why are you talking like that?’

*

“What is the theme of the ballad version I sang?”

“Te, theme?”

“Yeah, you said that earlier. The meeting, excitement, flirting, confession, love, conflict, sadness, breakup, all of these things can be made into songs.”

“That’s… our first meeting. I tried to express my excitement, so I think it’ll be okay if we continue… .”

“Keep making it.”

“Uh…continue? Minji just now….”

“Give it to me after making a breakup. Don’t release the sound source. I’ll listen to it alone.”

“What are you going to do with just you?”

“Anyway! You’ll make it, right?”

“Ugh, yeah.”

*****

“These kids’ talents came out of nowhere. I taught them to act and make movies, and now they make things like this.”

Even though he said that, a smile appeared on Principal Seo Chang-beom’s face.

“Thanks to you, there is no one in Korea who doesn’t know the name of our school. Since we raised the reputation of our school, we should at least give them an award. Hehe.”

Na Kyung-man, the vice principal, said while watching an animated video.

“Well made. The story is just right for kids. This isn’t something you learn, it’s a real talent.”

“Student Pyo Min-ji already consulted with Mr. Park about video production. She said she wants to go to the Youth Film Festival this year.”

“Really? It’s them again? That team… .”

“Team Seorimping. Students Byun Ha-jin and Oh Yu-jin will appear, and Kim Beom-jun from the Practical Music Department will be in charge of the music. It looks like a few students from the Video Production Department will be applying, aside from Pyo Min-ji.”

The interaction stopped playing the animation.

“That’s good. The students themselves are trying something. After that, they are told to try out for the October Arts Festival. We also have a film festival.”

*

“The entertainment department and the video production department are making something like this?”

The chairman, who was watching the Seorim Ping animation, said with a displeased expression.

Sitting next to him is a teacher from the entertainment department who is part of the chairman’s line.

“Yes, Chairman. They uploaded animations, webtoons, rhythm videos, and even music videos. The characters were created directly and the students did the music.”

“You probably don’t have enough time to learn acting and make videos, so why do you do something stupid? Isn’t this something that only kindergarteners watch?”

“I thought so too, but this trend is not ordinary.”

“Trendy?”

The teacher pointed to the number of views and began to explain how many people had viewed it.

The video doesn’t end there, but the character is being consumed in huge quantities as school supplies, fancy goods, toys, etc.

In particular, the Seorim Ping Song (ballad version) sparkled and even rose to the top of the music charts.

The trend of nicknaming people with ‘○○ Ping’ has spread, and all kinds of pings are circulating on the Internet.

“They’re such useless guys. What’s the point of giving them nicknames like that? Do you find that funny?”

“Aside from being funny, that nickname is also going around in school. I think the principal should know about this.”

“What is it?”

“Well, that’s… Some students call the chairman ‘Biriping’ and the administrative director ‘Sachiping’.”

“What is it?”

*

“Didn’t you say that the kid who composed the song “Seorimping” is from the same school? He said the song is really good, so please tell him.”

I’m on a video call with Sora.

These days, when I talk on the phone, all we talk about is Seorim Ping.

I’m especially into the music video and the ballad version of the song.

“I was watching the music video and I remembered the song you sang for me on my birthday and I cried a little. I miss those days.”

“Next time, let’s talk with Eugene. I can call you directly.”

“I don’t like listening to it on the screen. Please call me directly when you get in.”

“Okay, Soraping.”

Sora also got a mascot like us.

Eugene pestered Dongshik to pick a pretty character because he was jealous over the phone.

In America, it’s called ‘beautifying’, but Sora just asked me to give it a name.

“My dad will be going to Korea for a short while in the fall. He said he has some business with people from the film industry.”

Sora’s mother passed away last year.

The doctor said he lasted five years longer than expected.

Eugene and I went to the United States with our family to attend the funeral.

Sora, wearing a black dress and sobbing, stands out.

“Isn’t it a good sign that the director is talking to a Korean company? He might come back.”

“I wish I could do that too. But I don’t think it’ll work out this year because we have filming in the fall.”

Sora is currently starring in a popular teen drama as an Asian international student.

Thanks to that, I gained a lot of fans in the United States.

“Eugene has been so good at keeping watch so far, so I will definitely be there when I go back.”

John Yeping is so well guarded that it’s ridiculous.

I hope Soraping will be by my side next year.

*****

“The Seorimping Floating Project is officially coming to an end. Everyone, applause!”

Clap clap clap clap~

I clapped my hands in surprise, but Eugene immediately tackled me.

“Was this a project?”

“Of course. I guess I naturally led it to the point where I didn’t even know it was a project? Hahaha.”

Minji was the only one excited, and everyone else looked like they were wondering what happened.

This isn’t the first or second time this has happened, you know.

“Now I have to worry about the film festival. There’s less than a month left until vacation.”

“So why have you been doing this for over 2 months?”

“What are you talking about? Thanks to you, our channel has over 6 million subscribers. If we just gather a little more firepower, we can send the CEO to the goal!”

“How much more do I need to collect?”

“Ten million.”

“““You’re crazy!”””

After a long time, the hearts of three people became one.