NOTICE: Many of the novels have been removed because they might cause violations, which we were not aware of earlier.
Episode 31
“Then shall we go to Gyeongbokgung Palace now?”
“… … .”
It’s Gyeongbokgung Palace.
‘I’ve taken my class on experiential learning trips a few times. The kids hated it because it was boring, though…’
Geo asked, recalling the bustling times.
“You said there was a night market?”
“That’s right, there’s no better place to feel the Korean atmosphere.”
“It sounds fun.”
“Do you want to go and try on a hanbok?”
“Hanbok… .”
Memories from not so long ago came flooding back.
I’ve never really been there unless the school sent me there, but it was still fun to dress the kids in hanbok and take pictures at Gyeongbokgung Palace.
‘Especially, the last class I was in charge of showed the palace struggle in real time.’
Geo was lost in memories. The bloody battle between the Queen Mother and the eunuch was the best.
Thanks to being in charge of cute and noisy students, Geo has many good memories of Gyeongbokgung Palace. Although he has never tried wearing a hanbok because he had to lead them, he did not dislike the experience of wearing it.
“great.”
“okay?”
Yoo Seong-un sighed in relief at the sight of Geo.
‘I thought that since it was essentially a portrait, it might be unpleasant to change the outfit.’
Fortunately, Geo seemed to have no great aversion to trying new experiences.
“Okay, I know a good house.”
“Are you talking about renting a hanbok?”
“There aren’t many people there, so it’ll be okay to go slowly.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“Then let’s get on the subway. We’ll be arriving at the stop soon.”
“Is there a set time for arrival?”
“It’s not a very frequent means of transportation… .”
Yoo Seong-un, who was leading Geo to the bus stop, was lost in a strange sentiment.
‘I thought he was imitating Korean culture when he introduced himself as Geo, but wasn’t it Korea that he was imitating?’
The table manners that Geo showed at the restaurant were too vague to be considered Korean.
No matter how I looked at it, it was closer to Western style, but it was a unique thing when I thought back to Geo’s remarks, who seemed to know a lot about Korea.
“…hmm.”
But now it didn’t matter.
“How was the restaurant?”
“It was delicious.”
“It’s a reaction that makes the guide feel proud.”
When the level was so high, it was hard to tell what kind of expression Geo was making on his face, but now he could tell that he was enjoying the situation in his own way.
‘Thanks to you, the guidance went smoothly.’
Yoo Seong-un continued his thoughts.
‘He’s acting quite human, so as long as the other hunters don’t pick a fight with him, there shouldn’t be any problems. According to the Bisabal Guild Leader, Geo is the type to avoid friction as much as possible…’
Geo expressed his feelings.
“The subway is going through the building.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to get to work that way? It would be easier if you could just drop me off inside the building.”
“That’s true.”
“If you go two more stops, you will reach a stop that goes through the department store.”
“Are there any noise problems?”
“Well, it’s been soundproofed. The Ministry of Magic knows exactly what it is, but…”
Seeing him enjoying everything he was guided through, it seemed like Geo liked the world of these humans.
‘If a man who is close to 190cm were to do something like that, he would probably look immature.’
Things like the line of the neck when the head is turned or the fingers gently touching the window, strangely enough, did not seem difficult.
Although he was quite happy, he felt more like a pitiful bystander than a child’s genuine admiration.
‘Is it because the atmosphere is so heavy?’
Instead of smiling from an equal footing, he put his hands behind his back and looked down somewhere… .
“Are you getting off soon?”
“Oh, right.”
Yoo Seong-un got off at Gyeongbokgung Station with Geo. He pointed down the station and said.
“This is Gyeongbokgung Palace.”
One of the advantages of the subway was that it offered a clear view of the city.
The lanterns floating at a not-too-high altitude swayed as if they were alive, and beneath them were Gyeongbokgung Palace and a Hanok village.
Perhaps because it uses fire, not electricity, to illuminate the night, the entire place was filled with a gentle light.
People who stopped by after work or came for sightseeing bought food at the night markets lined up inside and outside Gyeongbokgung Palace. Hanbok costumes worn according to their desired role fluttered in the winter wind.
Yoo Seong-un opened his mouth after waiting until Geo had taken in the entire view.
“If you come to Seoul, you must visit Gyeongbokgung Palace. It’s a world-class tourist attraction.”
“… … .”
“Why? Is it crowded because there are too many people?”
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“No, I just didn’t think the atmosphere would be this good.”
“I’m glad you don’t seem to hate it. Then let’s enjoy it too.”
Yoo Seong-un took the direct elevator down and led Geo to the Hanok Village. In every narrow alley, people wearing and not wearing Hanbok were loitering around.
All of the winter hanbok that rental shops rent are insulated. That’s probably why people’s clothing isn’t that thick even in the middle of winter.
“Come here, let’s change clothes first.”
“Are you going to a place that rents hanbok?”
“Yes, to enjoy it properly, you need to prepare this and that.”
Gyeongbokgung Village is a place where hanoks are tangled here and there, and beginners are likely to get lost, but since I had been there several times before, it was easy to find. This tourist attraction with many ‘stories’ was full of things for Yoo Seong-un to do.
‘… Are you a bit excited today? It doesn’t seem like you’ll cause an accident, but you’re a bit more energetic than usual… .’
I noticed ‘stories’ of people pretending to clear snow from the roof of a Hanok or imitating scholars or court ladies while wearing Hanbok.
“… … .”
Yoo Seong-un, who had confirmed that it was wearing a wooden mask, turned his gaze. Although they usually didn’t attack first, the ones at Gyeongbokgung Palace were ones that wouldn’t benefit from long-term eye contact.
A yard full of silks and softly colored lanterns hanging from the eaves. Yoo Seong-un dragged Geo, who was silently admiring the surroundings, inside the Hanok.
“president.”
“Oh my, it’s Seong-un.”
A middle-aged woman dressed in a flower-dyed hanbok greeted him.
“It’s been a while. Are you treating me as a guest again?”
“I have to be more careful since they are company guests.”
“Then our hanbok is perfect.”
The woman looked back at Geo with an elegant smile.
“Are you a guest?”
“I’ll be going around the night market more than playing, so please choose comfortable clothes.”
“Why, you don’t enjoy playing. You’re having a lot of fun this time.”
“I feel really exhausted after walking around all day.”
“Then I should dress you up like a scholar, right? If the clothes are too thick or heavy, it will be uncomfortable, so let’s wear light scholar’s clothes.”
“That would be nice.”
Yoo Seong-un said to Geo.
“What do you want to do about your face? Do you want to keep it covered, or…?”
“I wish it was covered.”
Please ensure the anonymity of the portrait.
Geo was more nervous than expected because of the large crowd. Always wanting to stay away from people’s attention, Geo wanted to cover his face to block people’s gaze.
Although he didn’t know why he was so timid, Yoo Seong-un guessed that Geo wouldn’t like noisy and crowded situations. He understood and asked the president.
“Do you have a mask?”
“Can you give me enough?”
“Would that be easier? Yes, please.”
“Then let’s start by choosing clothes.”
The president looked at Geo and asked.
“Can you take off your cloak? It’s okay to keep wearing it later, but I need to look at your body type when choosing a hanbok.”
“All right.”
Geo took off his cloak obediently and put it on his arm. After listening attentively, Geo looked at the boss with satisfaction.
“… … .”
“… … .”
“…president.”
Yoo Seong-un called the president who had become a stone statue.
“The customer will run away if this continues.”
“… Oh my, I made a fool of myself.”
Only then did the boss react.
“The customer was so handsome that it took my breath away for a moment.”
“Don’t say weird things to my guests.”
“The hanger is nice, so it’s nice to pick out such a handsome customer. Just wait a moment.”
Soon, the owner came out with two young women pushing two types of hangers with hanbok on them. One side had hanbok in a cool blue hue, while the other side had mostly neutral colors.
“Both are silks spun by our own silkworms. They are shiny and do not irritate the skin.”
“Blue is mine, right? Isn’t it a rough, cold color to wear in the winter?”
“I just brought the clothes that best suit you. Who else but Seong-un would wear colors like these in the winter?”
“I don’t know if I’m being taken advantage of or not….”
“While you’re out and about wearing it, if you could promote it a bit, that would be great. Anyway, hunters love hangers, right?”
The president looked back at Geo.
“You must be a hunter, seeing as you’re wearing thin clothes in this winter. Don’t worry, our hanbok is made to be strong and light enough for hunters to move around in without any problems.”
“I wasn’t worried.”
To begin with, Geo wasn’t even a hunter.
‘Is it strange to say no now?’
The boss laughed, swinging his fan.
“Hunters don’t like bulky clothes, so I guess you’re worried about them. Judging from the unfamiliar face, you must be an unofficial person or have only recently obtained your license.”
“… … .”
“If you don’t want to talk, you don’t have to. Judging from the fact that you’re going to keep your face covered, it seems like you really hate having your personal information exposed, so I’ll hide it very stylishly.”
Your identity has been revealed?
‘Is it common for hunters to have their personal information stolen?’
Is there such a scary world out there?
Deciding to ask Mr. Yoo Seong-un later, Geo wore the black hanbok recommended by the boss, with his hair tied up with a stylish hairpin. He wore a black turban and a gray do-po. The waist belt was a clean white.
“If you’re going to Gyeongbokgung Palace, you should wear a hat. Yes, it goes well with you. It would look great even if you put on a bunch of norigae. This one is made of coral. Let’s put one on.”
“thank you.”
“This is a scarf. Oh my, the white color goes so well with it. It’s pretty because your skin is so clean. This is a pouch to put coins in. Make sure you tie it well so it doesn’t fall out.”
“… … .”
“Okay, and you.”
Geo was a little taken aback by the puffy, black fabric. He knew what a shawl was, but he had never used one before.
“…How do I wear this?”
“I need to help you. Mr. Danwoo, please cover our handsome guest with a veil.”
“Yes, sir.”
A young woman wearing a pink ribbon approached and wrapped a black cloth around Geo’s hat. Strangely, he was able to see clearly in front of him, as if nothing was obscuring him.
“You said you’ll be going around mostly to night markets. So you’ll be eating out often, but it’ll be uncomfortable to cover your mouth with a mask. For people who don’t want to reveal their identities, a long scarf like this is perfect.”
“… … .”
“The guests might not be able to tell who they are because of the atmosphere, but the clothes are so flashy and there are so many things hanging on them, so who would look at their faces in such detail?”
“okay.”
“The scarf is so thick that it almost covers the lower part of your body, so this covers everything you need to cover. Enjoy your time in our village in peace, sir.”
On one side, Yoo Seong-un, dressed in a blue hanbok, asked the president.
“We’re thinking of buying some too.”
“Oh my, this is really good. Which back do you like?”
“I haven’t really thought about anything. What’s selling the best these days?”
“Well, young ladies do like the moon and such.”
“Uh… what about men? We’re not ladies.”
“Do you know that it’s common for two guys to come out to play like you, Seong-un?”
The president, who had been thinking for a moment, soon called over a man with a ponytail.
“Mr. Hongyeon, can you bring me a water tank?”
“Yes, sir.”
The woman called Hongyeon soon pushed a large glass box. Inside, several lanterns made of Korean paper were moving as if alive, bathed in light. The owner scooped up two small fish from among them.
It was flapping around so gently that it looked like a real fish.
“How about a goldfish? They’re small and gentle, so they wouldn’t be difficult to carry around.”
“That’s fine.”
Geo experienced culture shock.
‘Is the back alive?’
When Yoo Seong-un said ‘light’, I thought of a sky lantern that you can hold in your hand or a hanging lantern.
However, the goldfish that Yoo Seong-un had purchased flew through the air, and soon one of them landed next to Geo’s face.
“… … .”
The back of the tail wagging did not hurt my eyes even when I looked at it directly.
“Then play carefully.”
The president waved his hand and saw them off.
As we left the yard where silk was hung here and there, we were able to stand on the bustling village road again. Yoo Seong-un called out to Geo, who was looking around the village with interest.
“How is it? Isn’t it uncomfortable?”
“It’s very comfortable.”
“If you want to look around the village before entering Gyeongbokgung Palace, then let’s do that.”
“The village?”
“The village market closes earlier than Gyeongbokgung Palace. When you come out of the night market, the village lights will probably be turned off.”
“Then can I take a walk around the village?”
“of course.”
Yoo Seong-un took Geo, who seemed unfamiliar with this environment, to a fan shop.
“… … ?”
Geo blinked twice at the sight of a group of figures wearing crude wooden masks, standing blankly next to the store. Their actions were not stiff, but uniform, like machines receiving commands.
It didn’t look like a person. As Geo tilted his head, unable to tell who it was, Yoo Seong-un spoke to the store owner.
“Boss, show me this fan.”
“Oh my, what wonderful gentlemen have come. What shall I show them?”
“I wish he was a solid guy….”
“Then this is the best.”
Geo turned his gaze away from the crowd of masks milling about, then looked around the village market with curiosity.
‘All the merchants are wearing hanbok.’
Traditional hanbok, or modified hanbok. Or, there were merchants who wore modern hanbok on the inside but only wore a durumagi on the outside. They mainly dealt with tourists walking around in hanbok and played along to the rhythm.
Yoo Seong-un soon gave Geo a black fan as a gift.
“Here, take this. Since it’s a scholar’s outfit, you should have at least a fan.”
“… Is it essential for a scholar to have a fan?”
“Maybe so, maybe not. It’s just a meaningless souvenir.”
“Souvenirs from tourist attractions are special.”
The fan made of black bamboo and cloth was quite luxurious. I was worried that if even the fan was black, it would look too much like the grim reaper, but Geo, who liked black anyway, accepted it without a second thought.
“Most of Gyeongbokgung Village sells souvenirs. Or food. They sell meat in chunks or agricultural and marine products grown on site. They are much fresher than products distributed from the provinces, so many people visit these stores on purpose.”
Geo nodded.
“The atmosphere is really good.”
“yes?”
After wandering around the town for a while, the two soon entered Gyeongbokgung Palace.
“Wait a minute, I have to go and change some money.”
“money?”
“The boss gave you a coin wallet. It’s a basic service that they give you to keep coins in. Since you can only use coins inside Gyeongbokgung Palace, it’s better to keep enough change.”
“What if there is leftover?”
“You can take it as a souvenir, or you can return it at the exchange.”
The meteor cloud soon came with a thick layer of armor.
“They say it’s a coin that was intentionally made lighter, but it’s still a bit heavy.”
“Don’t people find this method cumbersome?”
“Well? If you look for it, there are probably people like that, but that’s the kind of atmosphere they come to enjoy. The Gyeongbokgung Palace merchants also like it when they receive money in coins, because they can get more than the listed price.”
“How can I get more?”
“The government should support merchants.”
Yoo Seong-un smiled faintly.
“Then I will use the coins more actively.”
“okay.”
“Here, take this. This is your identity card.”
“… … ?”
Do you have a pad?
I can understand that coins are used as currency, but what purpose would an identity card serve? When Geo saw the meteor cloud, he shrugged.
“Free pass.”
“aha.”
It was very good.