Remember the Lanterns

TBT

At six, I dash over to Kyobo bookstore, where I am meeting strangely, another Tae Bum. This time it's Park Tae Bum. On Friday it had been Kim Tae Bum.
Park Tae Bum likes music. That's what he said he wanted to talk about in the text message. I was excited because I thought that he could maybe introduce me to some hard to find artists in Korea. I liked K-pop and it was everywhere, but I never could figure out where and how other music existed in Korea. The K-pop industry was essentially run and organised by these entertainment companies, who had like these schools to train young girls and boys into being pop stars. They learned dancing, public speaking, singing, other languages and probably a whole host of other things that were involved in being a celebrity. I was hoping that Tae Bum Two could tell me about other kinds of music in Korea and where I should look if I wanted to hear something other than K-pop.
So I'm waiting at Kyobo book store and am surprised when two boys come to meet me.
Hello. My name is Tae Bum. I get an extremely weak handshake. Tae Bum is wearing a Linkin Park t-shirt.
My friend. He gestures.
My name is Jun. Another weak handshake. Jun is wearing oddly fitting jeans that are too short with running shoes, so you can see his old socks underneath. And a purple, white and black striped turtleneck which also, is somehow ill-fitting..
Do you like music? Jun asks.
Yes I do!
Linkin Park? He says, pointing to Tae Bum Two's t-shirt. A little bit.
Crazytown?
I'm sorry I don't know them.

Butterfly. You're my butterfly sugar. He kind of sings.
He tries again, Evanescence you know? Yes.
Interesting. Here we have a Korean who is shunning the K-pop industry for being too commercial, but choosing extremely commercial music from elsewhere. And is also dressing the part. Kind of. He's got his Linking Park t-shirt. And baggy jeans that are frayed at the bottom, but in perfect condition elsewhere. He's got a silver chain around his neck and a leather bracelet. And a flHannahl shirt over the t-shirt, which a lot of people do, and I dislike. Plain shirts look great under patterned shirts, but for some reason the flHannahl with a graphic tee is distracting to me.
His English, good. Mine, no good, TBT tells me.
Ah I see. So why did you want to meet then? I guess he's trying? I'm wondering what to do now actually. I can't leave, but I wasn't sure this was going to work.
TBT speaks to Jun.
Where we go now?
I don't know. What do you want to do? Jun speaks to TBT.
Music shop?
Ok! Do you know where one is?
TBT to Jun.
Ok let's go.
TBT asks me, in Korean, if I know the CD shop in Kyobo bookstore, Hot tracks it's called. My limited Korean does allow me to understand and respond to this question. But Jun is here with a job to do after all.
Hot tracks? You know? Go before? No I haven't.
Jun translates back to TBT who is so surprised I wonder what I've said wrong.
Jun to me: You know otaku?

It's a Japanese word right? How can I get out of here? You know what mean?
Not really, like someone who is obsessed with computer games. I think I heard about a Japanese guy who married one of the characters in the game.
Yes Gaming! We are gaming! E-sports! You know? What? Jun continues:
We want to be e-sports players.
This is hilarious apparently. Jun and TBT are laughing. TBT and Jun. I feel like maybe I could spend time with them each on their own, but together it's just not working for some reason.
I don't really know what you mean.
Starcraft? You know?
I've know of World of Warcraft but I'm not sure about Starcraft.
Jun translates. And again TBT is so surprised that he stops in his tracks and eyes me suspiciously, like I'm going to rob him or something.
Starcraft is a computer game right? I venture.
Yes. Many professional players. Very popular. We want to do! We want to otaku!
They are so funny that they are nearly in tears again.
But my mother and father angry.
Why are they angry?
Nowadays, because no job, many computer games. Otaku is like kom pyu taw ma-nee-ah.
Computer mania? You mean like computer maniac? Someone who loves computers?
Yes yes yes! They both nod excitedly. But your parents aren't happy about this?
TBT: Yeseu. Pae-rent-teu not happy. Berry berry berry sad. Eberydai, keu rai ying.
Everyday? You are joking, right? Why are they so sad? Job is no.