“Young Master?”
“Y-Yes?”
Goodness! Startled, Joo Tae-hyun clutched his pounding heart and sprang up from his seat like a coiled spring.
“Young Master, are you here?”
The nanny peeked her head over the open door of the study.
“Yes. W-What’s wrong?”
“Oh my, were you sleeping? I startled you.”
“Ah, no. I was just looking at something…”
“Oh dear. You were looking into schools, I see. We got a lot of good fruit in today. Shall I bring some up?”
“No, thank you. I ate too much yesterday, so I won’t have a snack today.”
“Alright. Tell me right away if you get hungry.”
The nanny nodded with a pleased expression.
Most likely, a report will go to his parents that the youngest young master is reading books in the study again today, flipping through school-related brochures, and diligently contemplating… He felt a little guilty, but it wasn’t like he was doing anything particularly bad. Joo Tae-hyun decided to continue searching for Seo Baek-han.
He rarely had a reason to use his phone at home because there were so many things to do and see, but for the first time, this device was finally fulfilling its purpose.
“Ah… This was it. The one I saw yesterday.”
First, he clicked on the article that appeared first when he searched for Seo Baek-han’s name. The fact that it was posted on many websites with the same title meant that many people had read it, so Joo Tae-hyun was also curious.
[Special Article for the Month of Patriots and Veterans] What it Means to be a Descendant of a True Prestigious Family: A Conversation with Special Assemblyman Seo Hong-gyu
Before explaining Assemblyman Seo Hong-gyu and his family, it is necessary to first address the system of ‘Special Assemblyman’ that exists only in the Korean Empire.
Worldwide, criticism of abolishing royal families, a relic of pre-modern times, is growing with each generation. It would be easier to understand if you consider how most constitutional monarchies, represented by the British Commonwealth, are being evaluated these days.
However, the Korean Empire is slightly different. During the Japanese colonial period, the current imperial family took the lead in the independence movement more than anyone else, and unlike other countries, they have the absolute support of the people. The same goes for the intellectuals of the time who were classified as pro-imperial.
There was a strong public opinion that these people should be given some compensation. After liberation, in the process of determining the method of awarding merit to those who eradicated pro-Japanese collaborators and contributed to independence, the ‘Special Admission for Independence Merit’ was unanimously passed in the National Assembly.
Descendants of independence activists can apply for special admission to all public positions if they wish. Of course, they must take the same exam as general applicants, but unlike general open recruitment, a separate quota is opened, making it much more advantageous. (※This benefit applies only to direct descendants, and if there are multiple descendants, only one person per generation can receive the benefit.)
This also applies to the position of National Assembly member, and a separate seat is created in the National Assembly under the name of ‘Special Assemblyman.’ Of course, this is not something that can be done just by wanting it, and the election is determined through a vote of approval or disapproval in the relevant constituency during the election period.
Until now, if a special assemblyman candidate appeared in a constituency, it was an unspoken rule that other candidates would withdraw. These days, there is a growing trend of candidates being defeated due to their qualifications, arguing that giving a seat in the National Assembly is too much, even if it’s acceptable for civil servants or public corporation employees.
However, this is not the case at all in Pyongyang.
“Hmm…”
This was a story that Joo Tae-hyun knew well. It was a part of the social studies textbook and a story that often appeared in the news. But what does this have to do with Seo Baek-han that this article comes up first when you enter his name?
The Seo family has been a prominent family in Pyongyang since the Joseon Dynasty, and is one of the most prestigious families that has produced many prime ministers.
Old records say that you cannot pass through Pyongyang without stepping on the Seo family’s land.
There is also a saying that there is no one in Pyongyang who has not received a bag of rice from the Seo family,
And it is not uncommon to hear that when a child is born or a funeral is held in a family, the elders of the Seo family take the lead in helping.
This shows that the Seo family was not only powerful, but also loved and respected by the people, and we can guess the reason why.
This blind support from the citizens of Pyongyang continues into modern times, and this can be attributed to Seo Je-jun, the great-grandfather of Assemblyman Seo Hong-gyu.
As is widely known, Seo Je-jun was one of the main figures who led the independence movement along with the imperial family. He raised funds for the independence movement by selling all of his property, and he is famous for trying to continue education by building schools all over the country so that our language and writing would not be lost.
He also made every effort to protect cultural assets in the northern region, including Pyongyang, and unfortunately, in the process of hiding the portrait of Taejo (※National Heritage No. 1, Portrait of Taejo, National Independence Hall), his whereabouts were discovered by a pro-Japanese collaborator, and he was severely tortured.
And as a result of the aftereffects, he unfortunately passed away just before liberation.
“Even if my flesh is torn to pieces again, I will shout ‘Long live Korean independence.’ The Japanese have only destroyed my body, they cannot break my soul.”
Seo Je-jun’s calm words at the end still resonate with our generation.
This was also a story that Joo Tae-hyun knew well.
There are a few families that are always mentioned when it comes to the independence movement.
The imperial family, Seo Baek-han’s family, and Joo Tae-hyun’s family. There were many other grateful people, but that’s all that came to Joo Tae-hyun’s mind right now.
Anyway, I’m incredibly grateful and thankful to my ancestors for their efforts in the independence movement… But so what about Seo Baek-han? When does Seo Baek-han’s story come out?
Joo Tae-hyun tilted his head and scrolled down a bit more.
But even when he scrolled down, all that came out was…
Seo Kwang-ho, the grandfather of Assemblyman Seo Hong-gyu, and even his father, Assemblyman Seo Soon-woo.
Isn’t the Seo family, who have been dedicated to integrity in the Joseon Dynasty, independence movement afterwards, and national health and welfare after liberation, a truly prestigious family?
The pride of the Korean Empire and the pride of the citizens of Pyongyang.
This is the kind of person who deserves to wear the ‘Special Assemblyman’ badge on their chest.
“It’s still not there… Huh?”
Joo Tae-hyun, who was quickly scrolling down while reading the article diagonally, finally found a welcome name and stopped his finger.
Tok. The sound of his fingernail scratching the screen and the screen changes again.
Q. The eldest son, Seo Baek-han, is also very popular.
A. He received excessive attention for a few photos posted on the internet. I am just grateful that people are looking favorably on my inadequate son.
Q. Recently, a video of Seo Baek-han saying that he has no intention of taking over the position of Special Assemblyman was posted and became a big topic. Have you seen the video?
A. Of course. My aides showed it to me, saying it was number one right now. (Laughs) When I asked Baek-han, he said it was a small video taken with his classmates as a graduation 기념 at science high school, and he doesn’t know how it spread. However, apart from that, as a parent, I naturally respect Baek-han’s wishes. It’s embarrassing to brag about my son, but Baek-han has many things he wants to do and many talents. I hope he doesn’t get caught up in the path that his family has taken and lives doing what he wants to do.
Assemblyman Seo Hong-gyu’s interview was unremarkable. He was carrying the burden of living a righteous life that was not inferior to his outstanding ancestors, and he was continuing to move forward by pioneering his own path. It cannot be said that there was no criticism of Assemblyman Seo, but the direction of the policies and bills he has put forward so far has been generally recognized as being for the weak.
The mention of Seo Baek-han was… well. It was the kind of story that an ordinary father would tell. In other words, Joo Tae-hyun could not get any of the trivial and detailed information about Seo Baek-han that he wanted to know.
Other people probably want to know the same thing as me, so why did they share this article so much? And why does this article come up first when you search for Seo Baek-han?
It was something that would naturally fill the people of the Korean Empire with pride… Thinking so, Joo Tae-hyun scrolled down to the end and unknowingly brought the phone screen close to his nose.
“Huh?”
At the end of the article, there were two family photos of Assemblyman Seo Hong-gyu.
They weren’t formal profile pictures taken in a studio, but very personal photos of the Seo family that seemed to have been taken on a trip.