Volume 8 / Chapter 253
TL: LightNovelCafe
Editor: Isleidir
The short but powerful evaluation of Jun Hyuk in Italy’s influential daily newspaper, ‘La Repubblica,’ said everything.
The view of Jun Hyuk changed after the opera. Now, no one glares at the work that Jun Hyuk releases. Instead, they are full of antic.i.p.ation for what Jun Hyuk will start from now on and what other surprising image he will show them.
It felt like a festival was being held twice every week in Milan. Once it became known that Jun Hyuk and Argento would only perform in these 10 shows, all famous people trying to see it used all possible methods and contacts to acquire tickets.
One Italian soccer player even posted on Twitter that he is willing to pay $100,000 for a ticket.
In the midst of all this, Yoon Kw.a.n.g Hun was the only person with the honor of watching all 10 performances. However, someone appeared who he had no choice but to give up his last 2 tickets to.
Amelia had announced that she would be resting for 1 year as soon as her sponsor contracts expired. She quickly came over to Milan and took away Yoon Kw.a.n.g Hun’s tickets.
“Daddy. You already saw it 8 times. You can give 2 to me.”
When the Milan performances were over, President Stern took the cast and producers to Rome. The 2nd round of performances began after 2 weeks and they needed to go around the Europe area for 6 months.
Jun Hyuk wanted to hurry up and have a sweet and relaxing time with Amelia, but he could not leave Milan. He still has work to do.
“There’s one more thing I need to do before I leave Milan.”
“What is it?”
“An advertis.e.m.e.nt shoot.”
“Advertis.e.m.e.nt?”
“Didn’t I tell you before? Was it around the time of the concert Seoul? I said there was a big deal as an exclusive model.”
“Oh, I remember. It was some car advertis.e.m.e.nt, right?”
“Yeah. Aston Martin, a British sports car.”
Yoon Kw.a.n.g Hun and Amelia’s eyes grew wide at the name Aston Martin. It seems the conditions were pretty good from Tara’s bright expression.
“It’s actually a British brand, but a private equity in Italy took over it. They considered for a bit over the modeling fee, but the opera was the decisive factor. Fund investors saw the opera and signed the contract.”
When they were first negotiating the contract, even Tara thought that President Stern was demanding too much. But thinking of the money that Jun Hyuk makes now, it made her think that it was too little.
“Anyway, it’s a 2 year exclusive contract. 4 photoshoots. 2 advertis.e.m.e.nt filmings. Of course the modeling fee will come in 4 installments.
“How much is the modeling fee?”
Yoon Kw.a.n.g Hun asked cautiously and Tara laughed heartily.
“It’s similar to Tom Cruise’s fee to film a movie. What do you think? Isn’t it incredible?”
“What? Tom Cruise’s guarantee?”
Even Amelia who had been listening casually, could not hide her surprise and bolted up from her seat. She heard that Tom Cruise makes about $40 million per film. But with an advertis.e.m.e.nt? She thought of the money she makes in a year spent in planes and cars to handle a tight tour schedule. It was difficult to even calculate how many times the difference was.
“Yeah. It’s really a big shot.”
Tara thought of the words ‘big shot’ and shook her head.
“Oh, that’s not it. It’s not a big shot considering Jun’s royalties right now.”
“Why me? For that money, Tom Cruise would come running too.”
“Their target is the young and rich in Asia. I’m sure they want to bring in the rich who are fawning over Porsches and Lamborghinis.”
“That means we truly can’t get over this ethnic wall. Does that mean that I, as an Asian, am not appealing globally?”
“What are you talking about? Don’t take it the wrong way.”
Tara quickly waved her hand.
“Aston Martin is Bond’s car.”
“Bond’s car? Oh, 007?”
“Yeah. The 007 Bond edition is plenty of advertis.e.m.e.nt in the global market. This is a special case. With such a tremendous fee, they can choose any Hollywood star or sports star, but they chose you.”
Tara recalled the negotiation table where they created the tremendous guarantee.
“Oh right, they signed willingly because of what Isaac said at the end of negotiations.”
“What did he say?”
“4 photoshoots and 2 advertis.e.m.e.nt filmings is over at least a week in total turnaround time… but 1 week is enough time for Jun to create 7 alb.u.ms. There’s no reason for him to shoot the advertis.e.m.e.nt when thinking of his alb.u.m sales and royalties.”
Everyone laughed, but Tara continued to look serious.
“It’s true. There’s no reason to shoot the advertis.e.m.e.nt. We considered it a lot before we decided on it too because of his image.”
“Image?”
“Yeah. Jun’s image has been made too much into that of a hermit. So we’re trying to make him more of an active young genius.”
Yoon Kw.a.n.g Hun had been listening quietly when he could not hold back his curiosity.
“But what’s the model?”
“Oh yes. It’s the Aston Martin Vanquish Volante. Of course he’ll receive a model vehicle as a bonus.”
“So it’s a convertible since it’s the Volante.”
The convertible sports car that James Bond drives. Yoon Kw.a.n.g Hun blinked.
Jun Hyuk smiled at this. This is the person who taught him what a Ducati bike is. Since he is someone who thinks more of design than performance, he will already know the car lineup.
“Sir. Throw that junk car away now and ride a Bond car.”
Even with an account with tens of millions of dollars, he is someone who does not even take a single dollar out to use. But he is sure to accept a car that he wants – especially one that is free. And Jun Hyuk was not wrong.
Yoon Kw.a.n.g Hun was already smiling from ear to ear.
Yoon Kw.a.n.g Hun laughed at Jun Hyuk’s Korean. Tara and Amelia watched their faces in curiosity, so Jun Hyuk told them.
“Tara. It’ll be work, but make it so we can receive that bonus car in Korea.”
The 2 people finally realized why Yoon Kw.a.n.g Hun was smiling, and burst out in laughter.
“Okay. That’s not hard. It’s okay.”
Tara checked their schedule and looked happy.
“You’re going to Napoli tomorrow to film, and the studio shoot will be in New York. You can go directly to New York from Napoli… Do you want to take about a week’s break? It’s not that busy.”
Amelia was happiest with what Tara said. There isn’t anywhere in Europe that she has not been because of her concerts, but it had all been work. There would be nothing better than to be able to spend a relaxing time with Jun Hyuk.
“That sounds good. Oh right. Is Sicily far from Napoli?”
“It’s not that far. Sicily is in southernmost Italy… so about an hour and a half by plane?”
“Then let’s go to Sicily. It’s the mafia’s hometown. I made a mafia opera, so shouldn’t I try visiting it?”
“No. There’s something more famous in Sicily than the mafia.”
Yoon Kw.a.n.g Hun had been laughing when he spoke up quietly.
“For Sicily… it’s the food.”
It is not an exaggeration to say that Sicilian cuisine is representative of Italian food. In the west, Sicily is even called “G.o.d’s kitchen”.
Sicily is influenced by Greek, African, and Arabic ingredients due to its geographical factors and complex history, and has come to establish its own style. This was introduced to Italy and becomes the root of Italian cuisine.
It is particularly famous as the origin of pasta, from the saffron of the Arab world to the tomato from the New World, many foods symbolic of Italy were first implemented in Sicily.
Tara listened to Yoon Kw.a.n.g Hun’s explanation and looked at him in fascination.
“Mr. Yoon. I’ve felt this from before, but you’re like an encyclopedia.”
Jun Hyuk laughed at Tara’s admiration of Yoon Kw.a.n.g Hun.
“What he does all day at the cafe is listen to music and watch doc.u.mentaries. National Geographic and Discovery are the channels that taught him that vast knowledge. He he.”
Yoon Kw.a.n.g Hun’s look of satisfaction quickly flushed.
***
Napoli, a long coastal road following the Mediterranean with stunning scenery and a lot of cultural heritage, is called one of the world’s 3 greatest harbors along with Australia’s Sydney, Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro.
Jun Hyuk filmed on that coastal road and harbor, going back and forth from the island of Capri from sunrise to sunset, unable to even count how many cuts they had done.
The 4 people spent their time leisurely once their work was done, looking around Napoli and Sicily. They enjoyed a relaxing time eating, drinking, and talking like in the movie ‘Eat Pray Love’.
Yoon Kw.a.n.g Hun went back to Korea with the excitement of receiving an Aston Martin. Jun Hyuk and Amelia, who went back to New York, forgot about music and enjoyed their long-needed break.
Amelia in particular spent more than half her days in bed as though determined to reward herself for the busy way she had spent the last few years.
When the two people were about to spend the year at home, President Stern and a few employees came to Jun Hyuk’s apartment.