The Road to Glory Chapter 192 - The Last Concert

February.

As the new year dawned, South Korea faced a new sensation.

Instead of ‘Halo’ who always dominated the headlines, someone else took over the spotlight.

1. Hwang Ryongpil’s Retirement

2. Hwang Ryongpil Sin Joohyeok

3. Hwang Ryongpil Concert Guests

:

7. Hwang Ryongpil Lee Seongrim

The media and public focused on the retirement concert of the maestro who had led Korean popular music, and the events unfolding there.

He wasn’t just any ordinary singer – he was a maestro who had led an era, so it was naturally newsworthy. However, what made it such a hot topic was when Lee Seongrim, the first guest at Hwang Ryongpil’s retirement concert, presented a tribute song.

Lee Seongrim, who usually touched people’s emotions with passionate melodies and lyrics, showcased his new song ‘To my young’ with a rather plain melody.

It was a piece expressing gratitude to his senior and mentor who had the greatest influence on his music in his youth, along with nostalgia for those young days.

“This song is for my teacher.”

With those words, Lee Seongrim revealed the first tribute song and embraced Hwang Ryongpil, shedding tears along with the audience. At Hwang Ryongpil’s concert, the only one not crying was Hwang Ryongpil himself.

This incident, which had created a minor buzz, became permanently etched in people’s minds when Sin Joohyeok, the second guest, presented another tribute song.

True to his character, concisely.

Sin Joohyeok released a song titled ‘Legend’, meaning Hwang Ryongpil in a single word.

The thunderous electric guitar and rising emotions were exactly Sin Joohyeok’s rock style that everyone knew.

[My mom really liked Hwang Ryongpil, and now he’s retiring… feels so strange… retirement already and why did teacher suddenly get so old ㅠㅠㅠ]

[I used to listen to Hwang Ryongpil’s songs every day in college…]

Until Hwang Ryongpil announced his retirement from his nationwide tour through a handwritten letter, people had been feeling depressed or lamenting the passage of time. The tribute song event left a strong impression on them, being as sudden as it was.

[This is insane, both ‘To my young’ and ‘Legend’ wow… but the quality of these tribute songs is no joke]

[I know Hwang Ryongpil had his share of controversies, but he must have treated his juniors well to receive tribute songs for his retirement]

└ There’s a reason for that

└ Whatever else, he was known for buying meals for struggling juniors

[It’s touching yet somewhat sad to see the current generation’s top singers taking care of a legend from the past. It feels like we’re witnessing a generational shift. However, their tribute songs help ease the sadness, and I think I can now bid farewell to my beautiful youth. Thank you so much. It’s a night that calls for soju.]

Young people who weren’t familiar with Hwang Ryongpil began listening to his music through these tribute songs, causing an unexpected retro wave on Korean music platforms. Since the guests’ new songs performed at Hwang Ryongpil’s concert hadn’t been released yet, all attention seemed to focus more on Hwang Ryongpil’s albums.

However, people tend to care more about the present than the past, and expect the future more than the present.

With two guests presenting tribute songs, netizens didn’t think these tributes were simply personal gifts.

[Hwang Ryongpil Concert Guests]

That speculation was reflected in the real-time search rankings.

People worthy of being invited to Hwang Ryongpil’s retirement concert.

And people who had special enough connections with Hwang Ryongpil to give him tribute songs.

Since it had been decades since Hwang Ryongpil debuted in the entertainment industry, there were many celebrities known to be close to him.

And among them, the most notable were the singers considered to be part of Hwang Ryongpil’s faction.

[If Lee Seongrim and Sin Joohyeok appeared, seems like that whole faction showed up]

[Wonder if the tribute songs idea came from their side too?]

[Oh but if all of Hwang Ryongpil’s faction is coming…]

[Will Halo be a guest too?]

└ Is Halo even part of Hwang Ryongpil’s faction…?

└ Well, they’re close at least

└ A private who’s bigger than the faction leader?!

Until Roh Haeil’s debut two years ago, there was no doubt he was part of Hwang Ryongpil’s faction.

As the talented junior and super rookie beloved in the 2030 Rendezvous program, and seeing how he frequented Hwang Ryongpil’s home, he was clearly part of the faction.

Didn’t they all attend what was called the ‘Haeil Awards’ – Roh Haeil’s birthday party – despite their busy schedules?

Now, a year and several months later.

People began questioning whether Roh Haeil, that is, Halo, was really part of Hwang Ryongpil’s faction.

Saying it didn’t make sense for Halo, who should be playing in bigger markets like the U.S., to be tied to South Korea.

While the term ‘faction’ was just something people attached for fun without much meaning, there were always those who tried to assign significance to everything.

Anyway, as people began suggesting ‘Hwang Ryongpil might have invited Halo,’ attention turned to the tribute song Halo might have created.

[If Halo really appears, does that mean he made a tribute song for Hwang Ryongpil too?]

[Wow, a new song after a year?]

[Release Roh Haeil’s carol first, why aren’t you releasing it ㅠㅠ]

└ Must have tons of unreleased songs, need to raid that hard drive sometime

[Can he even manage it with an album coming in March? He might lose his name at this rate]

└ Forgot about Monthly Halo?

└ FYI: Halo has released two albums in a month while promoting as Roh Haeil

└ The more you think about it, he’s either crazy or other singers are just lazy

Meanwhile, at that time, the Hwang Ryongpil Tribute Song Project group chat was noisy for a different reason.

[Lee Seongrim: Honestly, I won]

[Sin Joohyeok: Senior, it’s a bit… to measure emotion in retreat mode…]

[Lee Seongrim: ?]

Whatever outsiders said about the faction, they didn’t care.

They only had one interest.

A bet on who moved their teacher more.

The two who had just performed were arguing about who won, when the third guest, Park Hyeongchan, jumped in.

[Park Hyeongchan: That’s only until today]

[Park Hyeongchan: I’ll make teacher cry today]

Park Hyeongchan, who was performing as part of a trio, made a statement that could be misunderstood by others.

It was enough to draw aggro from the two engaged in their war of nerves.

[Sin Joohyeok: It’s Hyeongchan’s turn today?]

[Lee Seongrim: Oh, you were here too?]

[Lee Seongrim: You think you can do what I couldn’t?]

Somehow tears had become the measure of impact.

Halo, who entered the group chat to turn off the constant notifications, clicked his tongue at these people not acting their age.

[Lee Seongrim: By the way, what did Haeil do to already be in the search rankings?]

[Sin Joohyeok: Isn’t it Haeil’s turn today, not Hyeongchan’s?]

[Sin Joohyeok: No one else cares]

[Park Hyeongchan: …]

[Park Hyeongchan: Just wait and see]

[Park Hyeongchan: Just wait, Roh Haeil, I won’t lose this time]

They say it’s a gathering of people with nothing to do, and it really seemed that way.

[Lee Seongrim: Hyeongchan’s junior rivalry is too scary]

[Park Hyeongchan: ?]

[Lee Seongrim: I heard you bought Haeil a hamburger? Not even treating him to beef]

[Park Hyeongchan: ????]

[Park Hyeongchan: No, that was]

[Park Hyeongchan: Haeil said he wanted fries first]

[Lee Seongrim: How pressured must you have felt… poor Haeil]

[Park Hyeongchan: Wait??? Haeil being pressured???]

[Park Hyeongchan: Besides, Haeil has more money than me?]

[Lee Seongrim: Now you’re even competing over wealth, Park Hyeongchan, you’ve changed a lot]

To Halo, it seemed like they were trying to break his concentration for today’s performance.

Well, Park Hyeongchan, known as part of SinNaParkLee, wouldn’t be shaken by this much, but Halo added something before leaving.

[Roh Haeil: Senior, I think I’ll postpone the album to April…]

[Park Hyeongchan: Hey]

[Park Hyeongchan: ???]

[Sin Joohyeok: LMAO]

[Lee Seongrim: Wow the world is scary *shivers* how can anyone comeback comfortably?]

[Sin Joohyeok: If fans knew about this LOL]

After putting down his phone, Halo leaned back deeply in his chair, thinking about how delicious those fries were.

Both the album recording and the interview with BB were progressing smoothly.

The life of ‘HALO from another world’ continued to reach somewhere between lines even after ‘Eddie’s’ death.

The young man spent unchanging time. He lived a dissipated and luxurious life as always. His parties grew more splendid day by day. And the controversies about him grew equally splendid.

The ‘young man’, who was originally impulsive and volatile, grew worse by the day, and his fits of hysteria soon became part of the young man’s controversial history.

Also, as the contract period completely ended, a dirty underground fight broke out with the boss.

The boss tried everything to keep a leash on the young man.

However, as the young man already had many controversies, he didn’t care about new ones being added.

His fandom was already solid as concrete, and there were many lunatics who said it would be fine even if he committed murder – or begged him to kill them. No matter how many people came to hate him, no matter how much his image was tarnished, the young man didn’t care at all.

Rather, in front of reporters saying he should reflect, he would answer, “Who truly hates me?” “They (Haters) just pretend to hate while liking me. When they stand before me, they’ll end up calling my name.” “Someone to replace me? Who.”

The world loved even the young man’s narcissistic aspects, and there was no one who wouldn’t listen to his music. They agreed with every word he said, sympathized with his dried face, and his gestures divided friend from foe.

Manic affection and following to the point where the media called it dangerous.

Both had many enemies, but their values were different.

Someone’s downfall might have been a predetermined ending.

“How could you abandon me? Halo, I raised you to this position. I was the first to recognize you when you were covered in dust, and I treated you most preciously. When your parents abandoned you, I became your father. Halo, I know you resent me. But it was all for you. It’s not too late, baby. Bring the 7th album. Let’s start over.”

The young man looked at him, now at his most pathetic in his old age, and said.

“You should have listened better back then.”

“!”

That one line was enough.

The young man buried his hatred, resentment, and regret deep in his heart.

He didn’t want to show it to the one before him.

The young man gave him the greatest punishment.

Social murder.

It wasn’t just simple defamation.

Everything the boss had built in this world would disappear like sand.

From now on, no one would properly remember the boss.

Even in death, he wouldn’t make a single line in the newspapers, and no one would visit his grave.

Also, the boss’s assets would fall into competitors’ hands, scatter, break, and finally nothing would remain.

The independent young man thus forgot the ill-fated relationship and continued his brilliant life.

Occasionally he would stare at the shotgun hanging above the fireplace and, unable to contain his anger, drive out visitors to his home, but his parties were always well-attended. Whatever was said behind his back, people coolly accepted his small illness to his face. In fact, the young man’s hysteria wasn’t anything new.

The young man’s house was always full of people, yet at the same time empty.

“So that’s what the 8th album ‘No one was there (No one was there)’ meant.”

That day’s interview ended there.

However, they didn’t part ways immediately.

Halo made dinner plans with BB for after Hwang Ryongpil’s concert.

That would probably be the last interview day.

There weren’t many stories left to tell anyway.

“How’s the new song coming along? I heard something wasn’t quite right?”

“I finished recording.”

“Is that so.”

BB tilted his head as if puzzled.

“That’s not like you. The you I know wouldn’t work on a song you weren’t satisfied with.”

It was an unexpected comment but not wrong.

BB was a good listener and simultaneously a good counselor.

He who deeply delved into and reflected on human psychology sometimes felt more like a psychologist than a director.

Through Halo’s interviews so far, BB had observed not just ‘HALO from another world’ but also Halo’s expressions and gestures as he told the story, and knew quite a lot that Halo hadn’t explicitly said.

BB didn’t elaborate further.

He just smiled and said goodbye.

Perhaps it was just a casual comment.

However, if it bothered him, it must be because something was nagging at him.

If nothing was bothering him, he would have let others’ words slide.

Halo tapped the table in the empty room.

Meanwhile, ‘Hwang Ryongpil tribute songs’ collections were circulating on NuTube.

The new songs presented by each guest in turn.

In a few days, Hwang Ryongpil’s final concert would be held.

His teacher’s last stage, where he was invited as a guest.

Halo pondered over his recorded album.

Time ticked by.

While there was nothing wrong with the sound itself, he couldn’t understand why something felt off.

Because of this, he still hadn’t passed the tracks to Veil.

An EP album consisting of 8 songs.

Though everything from the music to the composition was intricately crafted, why did it feel like something was missing?

The ‘love’ songs meant for others seemed to be going their separate ways despite sharing the same theme.

What exactly is needed here?

It’s frustrating.

Is this what they call being stuck during sound production? Is this a slump?

Halo, thinking thoughts that would give other composers high blood pressure, sighed and closed his eyes.

And when he opened them again.

He had already arrived at Hwang Ryongpil’s final concert.

“Thank you all for coming today as well.”

Hwang Ryongpil spoke plainly as always. If it hadn’t been labeled a retirement concert, one wouldn’t have thought it was a retirement at all.

However, Hwang Ryongpil clearly recognized that today was the last day.

“Today, my concert will come to an end.”

While the audience shook their heads saying don’t retire, Hwang Ryongpil’s speech continued.

“I’ve received many calls lately. Friends, old employees, classmates… Getting calls from people I barely see once a year made me feel strange. Receiving so many calls made me think maybe I didn’t live too badly, and actually made me feel I chose the right time to retire. Perhaps reconnecting with forgotten relationships will be my task going forward.”

“Life is always dark. When I was young, I thought I’d see the light when I got older, but it’s not like that at all. The unexpected remains constant. Things we never imagined still happen, and we meet connections we never expected.”

Halo, standing at the stage side, met Hwang Ryongpil’s eyes.

“Among them, there was one most surprising connection.

One that made me realize my foolishness in thinking I’d learned to read the world at my age. And one that made me laugh at my own youthful arrogance. For the first time, it made me wonder what if we’d met when I was younger, and made me blame my age wishing I’d been born a little later to enjoy more.”

“It made me regret my youth that I’d let flow endlessly. It was truly a shocking connection in every way. I wonder if there could be such a shocking connection in this world. Since then, I haven’t spent a single moment of life quietly. Every day was joyful and thankful.”

Hwang Ryongpil smiled softly at the audience.

“In public, they call this kind of thing, a friend. Well, that’s enough, let me introduce my friend who made my elderly years the most enjoyable.”

Then he extended his hand to the side.

“Would you come out?”

Halo.

Halo took one step forward.

Along with him came thunderous cheers.