Van Gogh Reborn!

Lee Junho, Director of the Seoul Museum of Art had a big smile on his face.

It’s because he was expecting the arrival of two painters who represented the Republic of Korea to Seoul Museum of art.

“Sir, they have arrived.”

Director Lee Junho hurriedly got up and opened the door.

“Oh, Welcome. It's an honour to meet you like this. I am the director of this Museum Lee Junho. Professor Jang Mirae, how have you been?”

Ko Sooyeol shook hands with Lee Junho.

Although he was uncomfortable with the excessive hospitality, he was a person introduced by Jang Mirae, the one who gave his grandson a chance to exhibit his first work.

Jang Mirae also smiled and greeted Director Lee Junho.

" I am fine. How are you doing, Director Lee.?"

"Hahaha! I'm the same as always. Oh, sit down. How about a drink……”

“Just water.”

Director Lee Junho gave his secretary a glance.

Then the three of them took their seats and sat down.

“Your grandson's work has already been the main attraction of the exhibition.”

"Really?"

"Yes. The response was good and the number of people looking for it increased more than usual.”

Ko Sooyeol nodded his head.

The atmosphere subsided for a moment.

Director Lee Junho, who was anxious, carefully opened the conversation.

“By the way, what brings you here?…”

“We came here to talk regarding Hun’s painting.”

Director Lee Junho tilted his head at Jang Mirae's answer.

“What is there to talk about with me.?”

"Yes. As you can see, it is a very good piece of art. Offers will come from all over the place.”

"It will."

“So we would like you to adjust the profit ratio.”

Director Lee Junho, who was expecting an offer for an exhibition by Ko sooyeol, was greatly disappointed.

However, he opened his mouth by managing his expression due to his long experience in the field.

“Well, as you know, it is a contract that has already been signed, so it is difficult to adjust the ratio. It may also cause problems in equity with other painters.”

Director Lee Junho looked at Ko Sooyeol, who was silently listening to his words.

He also had predicted the price at which Ko Hun’s Sunflowers' would be sold.

‘It should be around 10 million won.'

Director Lee Junho thought that Ko Sooyeol signed the contract hoping to sell his grandson Ko Hun’s painting for 10 million won.

50 percent is 5 million won.

It's not a small amount of money, but he didn't want to have a bad relationship with Ko Sooyeol to get just that much profit.

“But it doesn’t mean that there is no room for adjustment, there are cases of adjustment depending on the situation. In the case of popular painters, there were such adjustments.”

Jang Mirae smiled brightly at Director Lee Junho's words.

“I know. So, I thought, how about maintaining the existing ratio up to 10 million won, and setting it as a fixed amount when it sells more than that?"

“10 million won?”

"Yes."

Although it is rare for a new artist's work to sell for 10 million won, it was not an impossible figure.

Director Lee Junho, who had been working on paintings for a long time, thought Ko Hun's paintings is worth more than 10 million won.

Indeed, the name of Ko Sooyeol's grandson was not lacking in the slightest.

He is the grandson of a famous painter Ko sooyeol, who represents Korea and is a world-renowned painter.

Director Lee Junho, who entered the calculation mode with a smile, carefully suggested. 

“There are no inquiries about sunflowers yet, but I think the artwork will sell well. On the contrary, I am thinking that the amount you’re hoping for is too small.”

Jang Mirae raised her eyebrows at Director Lee Junho's words.

Ko Hun’s [Sunflowers]  was great and their intention was to bring the ratio condition to a slightly more favourable side.

‘He is like a serpent.’

Jang Mi-rae was about to step out, but Ko Sooyeol, who was watching the situation, opened his mouth.

“I’m relieved that you saw through it .”

"haha. Please…I do this for a living. So… how about paying 10 million won if the painting fetches any amount greater than 20 million won? I do not wish for more than that.”

This meant that if [Sunflower] was sold at 20 million won, 10 million won would be charged as a commission, and even if the selling price of the painting was higher than 20million won, they would not be charged more than 10 million won.

Jang Mirae was concerned about Ko Hun’s  [Sunflower], but decided that it would not be possible to sell it for a higher price because this was not an auction house.

They can show their intention not to sell it throughout the exhibition and sell it later.

Even then, rumours would start to circulate that the painting was not sold because of the commissions in the narrow Korean art market, so nothing good will happen to ko Hun.

‘What if?'

The case that Jang Mirae was worried about, is that Ko Sooyeol accepted that it will sell more that 20 million won.

“How about doing it in 100 million?”

Jang Mirae turned her head in surprise.

Director Lee Junho was also surprised.

“Up to 100 million won, you divide 50% by the same as the existing contract, and if it exceeds 100 million won, you take 10%.”

Director Lee Junho could not understand Ko Sooyeol's suggestion.

Although [Sunflower] is a masterpiece, it was the first exhibition, a drawing of a 10-year-old who had not yet received any verification.

It will be a topic of discussion because he is the grandson of Ko Sooyeol, but he wondered if anyone would buy his first work for 100 million won.

Moreover, it is an exhibition, not an auction house.

In the case of auction houses, there were cases where paintings by new artists sold for more than 100 million won, but an exhibition was different.

In an exhibition environment where there was no price competition, the 100 million won suggested by Ko Sooyeol was an impossible figure.

‘Are you blinded by the love for your grandson? Or… did someone already promised to buy the painting.’

Director Lee Jun-ho swallowed his saliva.

‘They had already prepared someone to buy the painting at a higher price.'

Director Lee Junho thought that, if he went along with their act , he might be able to have a good relationship with Ko Sooyeol.

‘If someone has already decided to buy the painting, we get 10%, which will anyway be 10 million won’

‘Expected earnings will not decrease.’

He had nothing to lose in the conditions they had put forward.

Director Lee Junho smiled and started to speak.

“I also want to meet the expectations of the dean as much as possible. If so… are you sure you want to adjust the profit ratio like that?"

Jang Mirae wanted to stop Ko Sooyeol, but restrained when she thought her teacher wouldn’t do anything without thinking.

A new contract was signed, with Director Lee Junho representing the Seoul Museum of Art and Ko Sooyeol acting as Ko Hun’s agent.

Then, the door to the director’s office was opened hurriedly.

“Director!”

Director Lee Junho was puzzled by the surprised employee's call.

"What's happened?"

“I think you should come down and see yourself.”

Director Lee Junho clicked his tongue and blamed the staff.

“Can’t you see we’re having a meeting? Apologize and leave.”

“Ah, sorry. But there are people who want to buy a painting…”

"Who's painting?"

“The painting by Ko Hun.”

Director Lee Junho nodded inwardly at the words of the staff.

‘There were people who wanted to buy the painting as I expected, so that’s why he confidently called for an amount of 100 million won.’

‘It's unfortunate, but if I could continue the relationship with Ko Sooyeol, it wasn't a bad deal.’

Director Lee Junho turned his head toward Ko sooyeol with a smile

“Congratulations, dean. Someone has already come to buy your grandson’s painting.”

Ko Sooyeol's expression did not change.

As if it was a normal thing, he just sat there calmly.

"Take care of the deal according to the contract ratio here. I'll finish the meeting and come down.

"that……."

As the staff hesitated even though he had instructed him to do things that he would do  normally, Director Lee Junho, who was about to talk about the next exhibition with Ko Sooyeol, asked in frustration.

"What?"

“The amount is a bit large. I think you should come down and see.”

“How much is it?”

He asked, but Lee Junho was expecting it to some extent.

He thought it wouldn't have hit 100 million won exactly, but an amount that is a little higher than that.

“It’s 2.8 billion won.”

"What?"

Director Lee Junho suddenly made a loud noise.

He couldn't help but be surprised at the amount of money that would never appear once in a few years, even in the exhibition of famous artists.

Director Lee Junho turned his head.

Ko Sooyeol, who had been speaking calmly until now, was surprised with his eyes wide open.

‘what. Wasn't that what you expected?'

He couldn't think that it was acting.

There was no need for a high-ranking person to pretend not to know in this place.

"Who was it?"

Jang Mirae asked the museum staff.

She wondered who the hell offered such a large sum of money to buy a painting of a child who was only ten years old.

“It’s Henry Marceau.”

The faces of Lee Junho, Ko Sooyeol, and Jang Mirae were coloured with astonishment.

______________

“Two million euros?”

Kim Jiwoo's voice resounded in the  Exhibition Hall 3 of the Seoul Museum of Art.

His voice had drawn the attention of the surroundings.

“Isn’t  that  Henry Marceau?”

"Oh my gosh. What's wrong with that rich man?"

“Did I just hear 2 million euros? Is he buying that  painting?”

“Crazy. How much is it in Korean won?"

Everyone seems to recognise the man named Henry Marceau.

Judging by his arrogant attitude and appearance, I assumed that he is a wealthy man, but it seems that he is also well-known.

Henry Marceau looked down at me, not paying any attention to the changes around him.

"kid. I have no idea how you priced the painting with that amount.”

“You will be buying the paintings that most people in the world want. Don’t you think  2 million euros is a bit cheap.”

In fact, the price of a painting is not formed only by the painter or how beautiful the picture was.

There are many factors that determine the price, such as how good materials are used, but most of them depend on how famous and popular the artist who painted them is. 

And, the painter has to present himself up as much as he presents his paintings.

“What is in that painting for all the people in the world to want to have it.? Talk about the present value, not things like someone surpassing Picasso.”

“People all over the world will want it, because it is the first work of a painter that Henry Marceau took notice of.”

“Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!”

Henry Marceau laughed coldly enough to sound like a savage.

He smiled like that for a while and then swept his hair to the side.

When he smiled like that, he looked just like the boss of a loan company.

“Yeah. As you said, if I buy this painting for 2 million euros, you will become famous at once. The value of the painting will also shoot up.”

That's right.

If people recognises him here, even though he isn’t a Korean, then he must be a great person in his own country or abroad.

And if I sell the painting to him, my art and Sunflowers will naturally become known.

"Oser… Are you trying to use me? This Henry Marceau?”

"Yes."

The smile disappeared from his lips.

“Don’t get me wrong, you cheeky kid. If I don't buy it, your picture is of no use. Why should I buy your painting like that?”

“You can’t live without it.”

" …What?"

“You like my painting.” 

I've met a lot of this type of person.

This person, who has excellent knowledge about painting and has an abundance of wealth, is faithful to his desires.

There is no reason for restraint, and the ability to fulfil desires.

They take pleasure in satisfying their own desires.

Just like the British aristocrats did, and he will also be no different.

He, who had never looked at other works, stood silently in front of my painting for several minutes.

He is a man who must have what he wants.

Henry Marceau put his hand in his pocket.

Raising his chin, he approached the opposite wall and sat down on his chair.

“Arsene.”

“Yes, El Patrón.”

“Tell them I have come to buy a painting.”