Damn Idol Chapter 130
From the start, Chris Edwards hadn’t even asked the people in the pub about Han Siwon.
He just overheard.
In only four days, the name Zion had become the most famous musician in this town.
‘Han Siwon?’
In terms of skill, it wasn’t surprising.
Han Siwon had more than enough talent to shake musicians’ hearts and leave them speechless.
Even he himself had flown all the way to Korea after falling for Han Siwon’s music.
But his attitude was puzzling.
From what Chris Edwards saw, Siwon had no desire to show off his talent.
That was truly odd.
Of course, one could ask if every genius needs to show off, but—
All geniuses are desperate to show their music to the world, to boast about it.
Especially when they’re young.
In this sense, Chris Edwards believed there were no hidden geniuses in the world.
If someone was hiding, they weren’t a genius—just moderately talented.
But Han Siwon had no desire to show off or flaunt his music to people.
He only put out as much as necessary and took in just as much reaction as needed.
The fact that he could calculate that was amazing, but the very attitude of calculating it was even stranger.
Why wouldn’t Han Siwon pour out 100%?
From Jankos Greenwood to Donald McGus—all the masters recognized him as a genius.
So it was hard to believe that Han Siwon had flipped this small beach town upside down.
The Han Siwon he knew wouldn’t do that.
At that moment, Donald McGus, who was downing beer beside him, spoke.
“Seems a little different from what you described.”
“I’m confused too.”
“Maybe this is his true self. I hear it’s hard to express individuality in Korea because of its rigid hierarchy and competitive atmosphere.”
“Hmm.”
That may be true, but it didn’t quite fit Siwon’s vibe.
If it did, he wouldn’t have clashed with someone like Korea’s own K-pop Vanderbilt (Choi Daeho).
Still, Chris Edwards simply nodded.
He would know for sure once he met Han Siwon.
“Then let’s head toward the noisiest spot.”
“I’ll lead. I know this town a bit.”
“Really? You’ve been here before?”
“When I was DJing in New York, I visited a few times.”
So Chris Edwards led Donald McGus and started roaming the musicians’ streets near the beach.
Han Siwon was unlikely to be in an underground club.
He wasn’t yet 21 in American age, so he couldn’t enter drinking establishments.
He might be at an open mic theater, but those were limited and could be checked last.
So, they headed to the beach.
Sure enough, the two quickly spotted Han Siwon.
Or more precisely, they spotted someone playing guitar surrounded by a crowd.
“There he is.”
“Hmm…”
The reply wasn’t certain.
At first, it seemed like Siwon.
But the playing through the cheap amp sounded quite different from the Han Siwon they knew.
Yet Donald McGus seemed sure and started pushing through the crowd.
“Hey, excuse me.”
“Sorry. We need to get through.”
“…Donald?”
The beach musicians recognized the blues legend immediately.
Thanks to that, it wasn’t hard for the two to reach the center.
The closer they got, the more Donald McGus’s expression changed.
The music heard through the cheap amp had been amazing, but hearing it directly was even more stunning.
But by then, Chris Edwards had made his conclusion.
‘It’s not Siwon.’
The playing was too free.
No restrictions in form, technique, or style.
He was arranging Elmore James’ The Sky Is Crying in a way that was unbelievably beautiful.
Gary B.B. Coleman’s version was more famous, but this surpassed it.
The richness of melody, jazziness, and blues feel were at a crazy level.
Though jazz and blues are called sibling genres, can anyone cross the line this freely?
At this level, within the blues genre, this musician seemed above Han Siwon.
“Oh my god!”
At that point, Donald McGus couldn’t hold back anymore.
He abandoned decorum and shoved through the crowd.
Chris Edwards hurried too.
Even if it wasn’t Han Siwon, any musician capable of this deserved to be met.
Soon, people recognized Donald McGus and cheered as two guitars began to play.
Donald couldn’t resist joining in.
By then, Chris Edwards had reached the center too.
And his eyes widened.
“…!”
Because the one playing was Siwon.
‘How?’
But he also looked like a completely different person.
Perhaps it was the melody flowing from the guitar, or his relaxed outfit unseen in Korea.
As the two played wildly, the audience’s expressions turned blissful.
Blues is like the father of modern music genres.
Rock, metal, soul, punk, disco, hip-hop…
Every popular music genre contains blues in its history and essence.
Some even say jazz was born from blues.
The general view is that they influenced each other, becoming sibling genres—but both heavily shaped music.
So Donald McGus, as a blues master, could be called the most beautiful expression of popular music’s essence.
And yet, this nineteen-year-old stood on equal footing.
No…
‘Am I crazy to think Siwon is better?’
He seemed superior.
Not overwhelmingly so, but clearly the key points in the performance were flowing from Siwon’s fingertips.
Unable to resist, Donald McGus began singing.
The sky is crying
Can you see the tears roll down the street
Someone brought over a cheap microphone stand in front of him.
The mic screeched with an annoying peak, but…
Before Donald McGus’s molasses-dripping vocals, it didn’t matter.
Then, Han Siwon, smiling, took the next line.
The sky is crying,
Can you see the tears roll down the street
An old man and a young boy sang wildly while playing.
Chris Edwards, understanding this level of music perfectly, noticed their playful back-and-forth.
When Donald sang first, Siwon twisted the arrangement.
Then Donald would adjust his singing to fit.
When Siwon sang, Donald changed his playing.
And Siwon would use his vocals to create a new chord progression.
Just like Lee Ion was practicing.
Free and beautiful.
In that moment, Chris Edwards recalled what he had told Siwon when they parted ways.
“You don’t need to be anxious with your talent. Don’t be afraid or calculate.”
“Just go for it. The public may seem indifferent, but they’re not.”
“There are many who’ll recognize the essence in your music.”
He didn’t know why.
But now he knew the cause.
Han Siwon was, just like he said, simply going for it.
Immersed in music, without calculation.
The first time witnessing Han Siwon’s 100%…
‘Insane.’
A beauty impossible not to love.
Chris Edwards, Donald McGus, and Han Siwon held a small party in the hotel room.
It was considerate for Han Siwon, who couldn’t drink at bars.
“Haha! Unbelievable. To get outplayed by a boy much younger than my own son.”
“Outplayed? You led.”
“You think I don’t know you adjusted to my lead? You’re like a divine mistake.”
“Could be a devil’s mistake.”
“Given how blues started, that fits better.”
Donald McGus couldn’t hide his curiosity about Han Siwon, and Han Siwon enjoyed the conversation lightly.
They talked about music and many other things.
He was especially curious about Siwon’s current situation.
Though more amused than concerned.
“You live like a movie character. Fighting greedy capitalists with your music?”
“Giving them a hero-style beating.”
“Hahaha. Good. I might be able to help you.”
“In what way? I don’t plan to work in America.”
“Do you know what power old folks like me have?”
“Connections? Money?”
“No, just looking impressive. When old people speak, it sounds grand.”
Donald McGus seemed to have a plan but wasn’t revealing it yet.
Once, Han Siwon and Chris Edwards had this conversation:
“Why were you confused about Donald McGus?”
“I couldn’t picture his younger days.”
“Right. His music hardly changed between then and now. He’s amazing. A god of blues.”
Not just his music, but even his attitude was youthful.
Talking with Han Siwon, he looked like a teenager who’d met a friend at a concert.
After letting Donald have the conversation for a while, Chris Edwards spoke.
“What changed you?”
“Do I look different?”
“Yeah. You looked so free… like you were pouring everything out.”
Han Siwon smiled faintly.
“Turns out, the decision to go all the way is more powerful than I thought.”
“What do you mean?”
“I once thought: let’s go as far as possible with my team.”
“And?”
“But then I realized, ‘going all the way’ means there’s no end stopping me.”
“If you keep rising, sure.”
“Exactly. So my music changed.”
Chris Edwards didn’t fully understand but grasped the shift in attitude.
He would no longer calculate how much to show.
His heart pounded.
What kind of music would Han Siwon create now?
“How long will you stay here?”
“Three days. No, since it’s past midnight, two days.”
Donald McGus cut in.
“Then how about a two-day jam session with me?”
“Sorry, I have work to do. I gained confidence today. That I’ve become a better musician.”
“What will you do?”
“Make an album.”
“In two days?”
“Yes. I need to rearrange the music you all sent me.”
“We haven’t even signed contracts yet.”
“Whatever the conditions, I’ll fully accept them.”
The next day, locked up in a hastily rented studio in New York, Han Siwon didn’t come out for nearly 40 hours.
He emerged only after emptying 4 pizza boxes and 6 bottles of cola.
In his hand was a USB containing 11 tracks.
Adding Resume and the Color Show’s Colorful Struggle…
13 tracks.
These would be released as a cohesive collection to the world.
Not an EP.
Sedalbaekil’s first full-length album.
The next day.
Han Siwon returned to Korea.
One day before the Color Show video’s release.
Little Pink Starfish 
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