Return of the Genius Photographer

VOTUS Magazine

Since its official launch in South Korea in 2002, VOTUS Magazine has held the number one spot in magazine sales for five years straight.

Known for consistently producing stylish and trendy content, it’s the dream workplace for countless editors.

However, the magazine’s managing editor, Won Suncheol, was feeling utterly miserable at the moment.

“What? The photographer can’t make it?”

The shocking news hit like a bolt from the blue. The shoot was scheduled to start in three hours, but the photographer had gone incommunicado.

“Yes, completely unreachable,” stammered the junior editor, trembling with fear as they relayed the news.

“And you’re telling me this now?!”

Veins bulged on Suncheol’s forehead, threatening to burst from the stress.

He vented his frustration by shouting at the hapless junior editor, but yelling wouldn’t solve anything.

Barely managing to contain his boiling anger, he tried to soothe the frightened junior.

“Sigh… never mind. Just keep trying to reach him. Leave messages. And don’t come back to me unless you get through; I might not be able to hold back my anger.”

The missing photographer was a veteran with whom they had collaborated extensively.

This was the first time such a thing had happened, leaving the entire studio in shock.

If it had been someone less experienced or a first-time hire, they would have prepared backups. But relying almost entirely on a trusted photographer who suddenly went silent was beyond their contingency plans.

It was a major disaster.

Feeling overwhelmed, Suncheol’s thoughts turned dark.

“Should I hang myself? No, that would hurt too much… Drown myself? But suffocating…”

But Suncheol wasn’t the type to actually go through with it.

“Damn it! Is there nothing I can do?!”

Determined to save his skin, Suncheol had to find a solution.

“Junior! Where’s the junior editor? Have you reached the photographer yet?”

“No, no response.”

“Did I ask if you got a response? Just keep trying!”

“Hic… Hic!”

The junior editor was on the verge of tears, overwhelmed by Suncheol’s outburst.

Suncheol was so frazzled that he didn’t even realize how contradictory his words were.

“Calm down, senior.”

“Yong-ho.”

The one who spoke to the frantic Suncheol was Yong-ho, his direct subordinate.

“Let’s think of other options.”

Although Yong-ho had heard the whole situation, he remained calm. He tried to offer alternatives to his senior.

“Should we look for another photographer?”

“Another photographer? Do you think there’s a skilled photographer available at this time?”

It was early May. Most magazines have their deadlines in the first half of the month, making it nearly impossible to find a well-known photographer with free time.

“Still, if we search urgently, we might find one with a bit of availability.”

“A regular photographer won’t do! Do you want to ruin the magazine?”

“In a situation like this, we need all the help we can get.”

“Are you sane? This is the 5th-anniversary special issue!”

Yong-ho kept suggesting ideas to help, but none were feasible.

If it were a regular shoot, they wouldn’t be this stressed. They could call in another photographer and deal with mediocre results.

But this was a special edition for the magazine’s anniversary, a project that even the higher-ups were keenly watching. They couldn’t afford to handle it carelessly.

Having already recruited many people and set a tight schedule, it was impossible to postpone the event.

“Yong-ho, I want to successfully complete this project and get promoted.”

Suncheol’s anger turned to despair as he spoke weakly.

His title was Managing Editor, a position that, in smaller magazines, would be equivalent to an Editor-in-Chief.

However, at VOTUS, a company of a different caliber, there were three Managing Editors. This position was the final step before becoming the Editor-in-Chief.

Just days ago, when Suncheol was assigned the fashion segment for the anniversary special, he felt triumphant, confident that he was ahead of his fellow managing editors. However, if this issue—under the keen eye of the higher-ups—ended in disaster, any hope of promotion might vanish.

It felt like the bottom of hell.

“Yong-ho, isn’t there any talented photographer with some free time?”

“Senior, have you gone mad?”

“If I’ve gone mad from work, will they compensate me for it?”

Even Yong-ho, who had been maintaining his composure, was starting to get flustered. Normal conversation with Suncheol seemed impossible.

“God, Buddha, Allah, please help me! Please!”

Suncheol began praying to deities he usually didn’t believe in.

“Give me a skilled photographer who doesn’t work!”

“Are you looking for a photographer?”

The voice seemed like a miracle. Suncheol turned towards the source, seeing a beautiful woman looking at him.

“Who are you…?”

“Ah, Miss So-hyun. Hello. I see your interview is over,” greeted Yong-ho cheerfully, recognizing the woman whom Suncheol couldn’t place due to his stress.

“Yes, I came right away to prepare for the next shoot, but is there no photographer?”

So-hyun was evidently part of the upcoming shoot.

Well, given that the special issue included some of the most talked-about celebrities of the first half of this year, it wasn’t surprising.

So-hyun was also among those rising stars.

Recalling her name triggered memories for Suncheol.

‘A model with actress-level looks’ – that was the buzz around So-hyun in the industry lately.

Starting as a fitting model, she debuted through street casting and was slowly building her career as an entertainer.

Though she hadn’t achieved standout results yet, she was highly regarded in the industry.

Celebrity Ji-Soo, now a well-known actress, also made her debut at JYP after working as a fitting model. So it was natural to expect a similar path for So-hyun.

And that was probably thanks to her beautiful appearance that was so captivating it sucked you into the screen.

After all, So-hyun’s beauty stood out even to Suncheol’s seasoned eyes, who had seen countless celebrities.

“Ah… that’s… how did you know?”

“I could hear everything from outside.”

She must have overheard Suncheol’s yelling.

Instead of Yong-ho, who was hesitating to answer, Suncheol answered bluntly.

“Well, it just happened. We’ll handle it, so please wait a bit.”

Under normal circumstances, he’d be more courteous, but with his career hanging in the balance, he could barely hold back his frustration.

He chuckled bitterly at the thought of ‘handling it’ when it seemed impossible.

Time was ticking away.

Suncheol, now in the depths of despair, even considered the absurd notion of taking the photos himself.

But then, a revelation came.

“No, I know a photographer. Should I introduce him to you?”

So-hyun’s words stunned Suncheol.

“What?”

“A photographer. Isn’t that what you’re urgently looking for?”

“Uh… yes, but… why…”

Before So-hyun could respond, Yong-ho, standing beside them, exclaimed with joy.

“Really? That’s amazing! Senior, we’re saved! Miss So-hyun has worked as a model, so she might know a great photographer!”

Yong-ho’s elation was a wake-up call for Suncheol. In this dire situation, they had to grasp at any straw, no matter how tenuous.

“Really?”

Could it be true that even in the worst situations, there’s a ray of hope?

A model would certainly know skilled photographers from various shoots, right?

He didn’t understand why So-hyun was helping, but it gave him hope.

The anger that had been simmering for a while dissipated instantly, and he found himself smiling involuntarily.

It had been an emotional rollercoaster akin to a malady after becoming an editor, but he was still happy about it.

“Yes, I know a photographer I met during a photo shoot for a shopping mall. I guarantee their skill.”

Suncheol was now convinced that So-hyun had sprouted wings.

“Can they come right now?”

“I can’t promise that. I’ll contact them first.”

So-hyun’s calm response to the rushing Suncheol reminded him that the situation wasn’t resolved yet.

However, he felt a surge of hope, like a golden rope descending from the heavens.

“I’ve sent a text. The photographer is in class but will get back to me once it’s over.”

“I can wait.”

Suncheol grinned, showing his gums.

‘Is the photographer a professor?’

It made sense when you thought about it. After all, there were many professors among successful photographers.

Perhaps a class was why they didn’t have any schedules booked?

Imagining this professor, Suncheol kept smiling.

Things would be resolved soon.

* * * * *

“What is two squared times two squared?”

At that moment, Woojin was deep in thought.

Not because of the math problem on the blackboard, but because of the money he had.

‘With this money, should I buy a camera first?’

Currently, Woojin had 600,000 won, combining the 500,000 won from his recent shoot and a 100,000 won bonus.

Though it was short of his initial goal of 1 million won, it was close enough to start planning his purchase.

At this rate, he’d have enough to buy a camera after the next shoot.

‘Finally, I’m going to buy a camera!’

Without his own camera, he had only taken photos using the one provided by the shopping mall.

He was thirsty for more creative freedom.

Having a camera would be the first step to putting all his plans into action. Without it, he felt like it was still the prologue.

‘Once I get the camera, I should create a portfolio, start a blog, and prepare for contests. Oh, I should get a new computer too…’

He remembered the old, clunky computer at home. While not as critical as a camera, a good computer was almost essential for what he wanted to do next. But a decent computer would cost around 1 million won, just like the camera.

‘I hope the next shoot comes soon.’

In the end, he needed to work more. He couldn’t wait for the next shoot.

But when would he hear about the schedule?

Come to think of it, Minjung hadn’t mentioned anything about the next shoot. She’d been busy lately, so maybe she hadn’t planned anything yet.

Waiting too long could be a problem…

‘Should I ask her?’

Deciding to take the initiative, he pulled out his phone, hoping not to attract attention during class. Fortunately, the teacher was engrossed in writing on the board.

As he thought about texting Minjung, he saw a new message.

– Hello, this is So-hyun. We urgently need a photographer. Are you available now?

It was the message he’d been waiting for.

‘A shoot!’

He hadn’t expected So-hyun to contact him so soon after exchanging numbers at the last shoot.

He immediately replied, eager for more work.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

Young-ho, who had been watching Woojin stare at his phone, finally spoke up.

Woojin smiled at him and said, “Young-ho, I need to skip out for a bit.”