The Artist Who Paints Dungeon

“Then shall we head to Gyeongbokgung Palace now?”

Gyeongbokgung Palace is it.

'I've taken my class there a few times for field trips. The kids hated it because they thought it was boring, but…'

As Gio recalled the bustling past, he asked.

“You mentioned there's a night market?”

“That's right, there's no better place to feel the atmosphere of Korea.”

“It sounds fun.”

“Do you want to try wearing a hanbok too?”

His not-so-distant memories came flooding back.

It was a place he wouldn't have visited unless it was for the school trip, but it was still fun to dress the kids up in hanbok and take pictures at Gyeongbokgung Palace.

'Especially the last class I was in charge of, they put on a live performance of palace fights.'

Gio was lost in his memories. The bloody battle between the queen and the eunuch was the best.

Thanks to being in charge of such lively and cute students, Gio had many fond memories of Gyeongbokgung Palace. Although he had never worn a hanbok before because he always had to lead the group, he didn't dislike the idea of wearing one.

“That sounds good.”

“Really?”

Yoo Sung-woon secretly let out a sigh of relief at Gio's response.

'I was worried that since his essence is a portrait, he might be uncomfortable changing outfits.'

Fortunately, Gio seemed to be the type who wasn't particularly opposed to trying out various experiences.

“Great, I know a good place.”

“Are you talking about a hanbok rental shop?”

“It's not a crowded place, so we can take our time.”

“I'm looking forward to it.”

“Then shall we take the overground train now? It should be arriving at the spot soon.”

“Is there a set time for arrival?”

“It's not a very frequent means of transportation….”

As Yoo Sung-woon led Gio toward the stop, he was lost in a strange thought.

'Since he introduced himself as Gio, I assumed he was imitating Korean culture, but the culture he's mimicking doesn't seem to be Korean?'

The table manners Gio had shown at the restaurant didn't quite match those of Korea.

Looking back, Gio's words suggested he knew a lot about Korea, yet his manners leaned more toward Western customs no matter where he observed, which was quite peculiar.

“…Hmm.”

But now, it didn't really matter.

“How was the restaurant?”

“It was delicious.”

“That's a response that makes the guide proud.”

When his level had been so high, it was hard to tell what expression Gio was making, but now he could tell that Gio was enjoying the situation in his own way.

'Thanks to that, the guide is going smoothly.'

Yoo Sung-woon continued his thoughts.

'Since he's behaving quite human, unless other hunters don't pick a fight, there shouldn't be any problems. Guild leader Bi Sa-beol said before, Gio is the type who avoids conflict whenever possible….'

Gio spoke up his admiration.

“The overground train passes right through the buildings.”

“Doesn't it make commuting to work easier? It's convenient when it drops you off directly inside the building.”

“That's true.”

“In two more stops, there's a stop that goes through a department store too.”

“Is there no issue with the noise?”

“They've done soundproofing. I'm not sure exactly what the magic department used, but….”

Judging from the way he enjoyed every single thing he was guided through, Gio seemed to like this world of humans.

'A man nearly 190 cm tall acting like this would have come off as childish, but….'

Strangely, the angle of his neck as he turned his head or the way his fingers lightly brushed the window didn't make him seem immature at all.

He was clearly enjoying himself, but instead of the pure amazement of a child, it felt more like the detached observation of a bystander.

'Is it because of the heavy atmosphere?'

Instead of laughing from an equal footing, it was more like he was observing from above with his hands behind his back….

“Are we getting off soon?”

“Oh, yes.”

Yoo Sung-woon led Gio off at the Gyeongbokgung Palace stop. Pointing below the stop, he said:

“This is Gyeongbokgung Palace.”

One of the advantages of the overground train was that it gave a clear view of the city.

Lanterns floated gently at a not-too-high altitude swaying softly as if they were alive, and below them lay Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Hanok Village.

Since the area was lit by fire rather than electricity to light the night, the entire scene was bathed in a warm glow.

People who stopped by after work or came for sightseeing bought food from the night market stalls lined up inside and outside of Gyeongbokgung Palace. The hanboks worn according to their different roles, fluttered in the winter breeze.

After waiting for Gio to take in the entire view, Yoo Sung-woon opened his mouth again.

“If you're in Seoul, you have to visit Gyeongbokgung Palace. It's a world-renowned tourist attraction.”

“What? Is it too crowded for your liking?”

“No, I just didn't expect the atmosphere to be this nice.”

“I'm glad you don't dislike it. Then we should enjoy it, too”

Yoo Sung-woon took the direct elevator down and led Gio to Hanok Village. People wandered around every narrow alley, some in hanbok, some not.

The hanboks for rent in winter were all lined with warm materials, that was probably why despite it being midwinter, the outfits didn't look too bulky.

“Come here, let's change clothes first.”

“Are we going to the Hanbok rental place?”

“That's right. To enjoy it properly, we need to get everything ready.”

Though it was easy to get lost for beginners in Gyeongbokgung Palace's Hanok Village, finding the rental shop wasn't difficult since Yoo Sung-woon had visited several times before. Such tourist attraction filled with so many 'stories' often gave Yoo Sung-woon work to do.

'…They seem a bit excited today. It doesn't look like they'll cause any trouble, but they're unusually lively….'

He saw 'stories' pretending to clear snow off the hanok's roof, or imitating scholars or noblewomen, all while dressed in hanbok.

Yoo Sung-woon glanced away after confirming the figures wearing wooden masks. They usually wouldn't attack first, but the ones in Gyeongbokgung Palace weren't the kind you'd want to lock eyes with for too long.

In a courtyard draped in silks, with gentle-coloured lanterns hanging from the eaves, Yoo Sung-woon led Gio who was silently admiring the surroundings inside the hanok.

“Boss.”

“Oh my, isn't it Mr. Sung-woon?”

A middle-aged woman, elegantly dressed in a hanbok adorned with floral patterns, greeted him.

“It's been a while. Guiding a guest again?”

“It's a company guest this time, so I need to be extra careful.”

“Then our hanboks are just the right thing.”

The woman smiled gracefully and looked over to Gio.

“Is this the guest?”

“We'll be going around the night market rather than playing, so please pick something comfortable.”

“Why, not enjoying the festivities? They've got a lot of fun stuff going on this time.”

“We've been walking around all day, and we're completely worn out.”

“Then should I dress you both as scholars? If the clothes are too thick or heavy, they'll be uncomfortable, so a light scholar's outfit should do.”

“That would be good.”

Yoo Sung-woon turned to Gio.

“What about your face? Do you want to keep it covered, or….”

“I'd prefer to keep it covered.”

Please ensure the anonymity of the portrait.

Gio, overwhelmed by the larger crowd than expected, felt intimidated. Always wanting to stay far from people's attention, Gio desired to cover his face to block out the gazes.

Although Yoo Sung-woon didn't fully grasp Gio's timid heart, he guessed that Gio wouldn't enjoy such a busy and noisy situation. So he quickly understood and asked the boss.

“Do you have a mask?”

“Should I give you a loose one?”

“That would be more comfortable. Yes, please.”

“Then let's pick the clothes first.”

The boss turned to Gio and asked.

“Could you take off your cloak? You can put it back on later if you want, but I need to see your build to choose the right hanbok.”

“Understood.”

Gio obediently took off his cloak and draped it over his arm. Then Gio looked at the boss proudly, having followed the instructions well.

“… Boss?”

Yoo Sung-woon called out to the boss who had become a stone statue.

“The guest is going to run away at this rate.”

“…Oh my, I've embarrassed myself.”

The boss finally reacted.

“I lost my breath for a moment because the guest is so handsome.”

“Don't say weird things to my guest.”

“The hangers are great, it'll be a pleasure to pick an outfit for such a handsome guest. Just wait a moment.”

Soon, the boss returned with two young women, each bringing a hanger with two types of hanbok hanging on them. One had a cool, blue-toned hanbok, while the other had a hanbok with achromatic colours.

“Both are silks woven from our household's silkworms. It's smooth and won't irritate your skin.”

“The blue one is mine, right? Isn't it a cold colour for winter wear?”

“I just brought the outfit that suits you best. Who else would wear such a colour in winter besides you, Mr. Sung-woon?”

“I'm not sure if I'm being used here….”

“It would be great if you could promote it while you're wearing it around. Anyway, hunters really make great clothes hangers.”

The boss turned back to Gio.

“Judging by your thin clothes in this cold weather, I assume you're a hunter, right? Our hanboks are made sturdy and light so that hunters can move around easily, don't worry.”

“I wasn't worried.”

To begin with, Gio wasn't a hunter.

'Would it be strange to correct that now?'

The boss smiled, waving her fan.

“Hunters don't like cumbersome clothes, so I was concerned. Since I don't recognize your face, you must either be unofficial or have recently obtained your license, right?”

“If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine too. Judging by how you're keeping your face covered, you must really hate having your personal information exposed but don't worry, I'll hide you very stylishly.”

Exposed personal information?

'Is getting their personal information exposed common for hunters?'

Is there such a scary world?

Deciding to ask Mr. Yoo Sung-woon about it later, Gio draped himself in the black hanbok recommended by the boss with elegant tied-up hair in a hairpin. It was a black dapho¹ and a grey dopo². The waist sash was clean white.

“If you're going to Gyeongbokgung Palace, you'll need a gat too. Yes, it suits you well. Even if you attach lots of norigae³ ornaments, it would look great. This one's made of coral, try attaching one.”

“Thank you.”

“This is a scarf. Oh my, white suits you so well. Maybe it's because your skin is so clear. Beautiful. This is a coin pouch to carry your traditional coins, make sure to tie it securely so it doesn't fall off.”

“And here's a veil.”

Gio was momentarily startled by the wide and flabby, pitch-black fabric. He knew what a veil was but had never worn one before.

“…How should I wear this?”

“I'll help you. Ms. Dan-woo, come help our handsome guest with the veil.”

“Yes, boss.”

A young woman with a pink daenggi⁴ in her hair approached and wrapped the black fabric around Gio's gat. Strangely, the view ahead wasn't obstructed at all, as if nothing was covering him.

“You said you'd mostly be roaming the night market, right? Then you'll probably eat often, so covering your mouth with a mask would be inconvenient. A long veil like this is perfect for those who don't want to reveal their identity.”

“Though with your overall vibe, people might recognize you anyway, but with all the fancy clothes and ornaments, who would pay close attention to your face?”

“That's true.”

“The scarf's so thick it covers most of your lower face, so you're pretty much fully covered. Now, enjoy our village comfortably, sir scholar.”

On one side, Yoo Sung-woon, now dressed in a blue-coloured hanbok, asked the boss.

“We're also thinking about buying some lanterns.”

“My, you're really going all out? What kind of lanterns are you looking for?”

“I don't have anything particular in mind. What's the most popular these days?”

“Well, young ladies tend to like moon lanterns.”

“Uh… What about guys? We're not exactly ladies.”

“Do you think it's common for just two men to hang out together like Mr. Sung-woon?”

After a moment of thought, the boss called over another person with daenggi in her hair.

“Ms. Hong-yeon, could you bring over the water tank?”

“Yes, boss.”

The woman called Hong-yeon soon brought over a large glass case. Inside, several lanterns made of hanji⁵ were submerged in light and moving as if they were alive. The boss scooped out two small fish among them.

The tiny flickering figures looked almost like real fish.

“How about goldfish? They're small and subtle, so they're not hard to carry around.”

“That sounds good.”

Gio was in a state of cultural shock.

'The lanterns are alive?'

When Yoo Sung-woon mentioned 'lanterns', Gio had thought of hand-held sky lanterns or hanging lanterns.

However, the goldfish lanterns that Yoo Sung-woon purchased floated gently through the air, and soon one of them settled beside Gio's face.

Even staring directly at the flicking tails of the lantern didn't hurt his eyes.

“Then, enjoy yourselves.”

The boss waved them off.

As they left the courtyard where silk was hung here and there, they stepped back into the bustling village street again. Yoo Sung-woon called out to Gio, who was looking around the village with interest.

“How's it? Not uncomfortable, right?”

“Very comfortable.”

“If you want to look around the village before we head into Gyeongbokgung Palace, that's fine.”

“The village?”

“The village market closes earlier than Gyeongbokgung Palace. If we wander the night market too long, the village lights will probably already be dark when we come out.”

“Then, may I look around the village for a bit?”

“Of course.”

Yoo Sung-woon led Gio, who seemed unfamiliar with the surroundings, into a fan shop.

As Gio stood blankly outside the shop, he blinked twice at a group of figures loitering nearby, all wearing crude wooden masks. Their movements weren't stiff, but they acted uniformly, like pre-programmed machines.

They didn't look like humans. As Gio tilted his head as he couldn't figure out who they were, Yoo Sung-woon spoke to the boss.

“Boss, can I see some fans?”

“Oh my, look at these handsome scholars. What kind would you like to see?”

“Something sturdy would be good….”

“Then this one is the best.”

Gio soon turned his attention away from the masked group hanging around, and curiously observed the village market.

'All the shopkeepers are wearing hanbok.'

Traditional hanbok, or modernized hanbok. Or some merchants wore modern clothes underneath, with only a durumagi⁶ draped over on the outside. They mainly interacted with tourists walking around in hanbok, playing along with them.

Soon, Yoo Sung-woon presented Gio with a black fan.

“Here, take it. A scholar's outfit isn't complete without a fan.”

“…Is a fan an essential item for a scholar?”

“It can be, or not. It's just a meaningless souvenir.”

“Souvenirs from tourist spots are special.”

The fan, made of black bamboo and fabric, looked quite high-class. Gio wondered if carrying a completely black fan would make him look too much like the Grim Reaper, but since he liked black, he accepted it obediently.

“Most shops in Gyeongbokgung Palace's Village sell souvenirs or food ingredients. They sell whole chunks of meat or agricultural and marine products they grew themselves. It's much fresher than the goods distributed from the countryside, so many people prefer shopping here.”

Gio nodded.

“The atmosphere is really nice.”

“Right?”

After wandering around the village for a while, they eventually entered the Gyeongbokgung Palace.

“Wait, we need to exchange money.”

“Money?”

“The boss gave you a coin pouch, right? That's a basic service provided for storing traditional coins. Inside Gyeongbokgung Palace you can only use traditional coins, so it's better to exchange enough beforehand.”

“What to do with the leftover traditional coins?”

“You can either keep them as souvenirs or exchange them back at the exchange counter.”

Yoo Sung-woon soon returned with the coin pouch bulging with traditional coins⁷.

“They say the traditional coins are made lighter on purpose, but they're still a bit heavy.”

“Don't people find this method inconvenient?”

“Well? If you look for them, there might be some, but most come here to enjoy the experience. The merchants in Gyeongbokgung Palace also prefer getting paid in traditional coins because they receive more than the listed price.”

“How can they get more?”

“The government support the merchants.”

Yoo Sung-woon smiled faintly.

“That way, people will use traditional coins more actively.”

“I see.”

“Here, take it. This is your identity card.”

A card too?

Traditional coins made sense since they'd be used as currency, but what's the use of an identity card? Gio looked at Yoo Sung-woon, who shrugged.

“Free pass.”

“Aha.”

That was really nice.

t/n: “Guiding a guest again“, the guiding here is 대접 (reception). I don't know how to make this sentence work with that word.

I personally thought it'll be easier to imagine with the images, but if I ruined the immersion with the images in the middle, please let me know and I'll move the images all down to the bottom.

¹: dapho (I believe the one implied here is short-sleeved so you can imagine without the red inner one):

²: dopo (it's said to be outerwear but I think in this case it was positioned inside the dapho):

³: norigae ornaments:

⁴: daenggi:

⁵: hanji paper for making the goldfish paper lanterns:

⁶: durumagi:

⁷: I wonder if I should just use brass coins instead of traditional coins for this tbh.

anyway regarding the hanbok parts, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong!

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