Shin Hyoung-cheol’s “Let Us Praise”
Oh Han Ki. Novelist. Analrealist.
Jeong Jidon. Born in Daegu in 1983. Writer. Analrealist.
Translated by Seth Warnick
Prologue: ORLY AIRPORT – DAY
A welcome party on the airport runway.
The airplane door opens and a man in his late 30s descends the stairs.
Subtitles: Shin Hyoung-cheol*, President of Praise 2.0, a Praise Research Center
A middle-aged Frenchman named Francois Dorléac greets Shin Hyoung-cheol.
FRANCOIS
(in French)
Mr. Shin Hyoung-cheol, the greatest praise researcher in the world, welcome to Paris.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
Merci.
The crowd leaves the airport with Shin Hyoung-cheol.
A title in front of the runway.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL’S “LET US PRAISE”
Part 1: The Lakeside Stranger
Scene 1: BOIS DE BOULOGNE – DAY
Francois is riding a horse.
FRANCOIS
When a distinguished guest such as yourself comes to France, it is customary to take them horseback riding. Every so often, we also enjoy a little polo.
Shin Hyoung-cheol looks around at his surroundings.
The trees of the Bois de Boulogne sway in the gentle breeze.
FRANCOIS
You can pick any horse you like.
Of the several horses the stablehand is leading, a single white horse stands out.
Shin Hyoung-cheol steps forward.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
I’ll take this horse.
FRANCOIS
That horse is a horse among horses. But it is so unruly, I wonder if you can handle it.
Shin Hyoung-cheol places his hand on the white horse’s face.
The people nearby are taken aback.
However, the white horse surprisingly does not even flinch.
Shin Hyoung-cheol whispers something in the white horse’s ear.
The white horse whinnies and lowers its head.
Shin Hyoung-cheol deftly jumps up on the horse.
FRANCOIS
Ohlala—
People exclaim in delight and applaud.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
(As he strokes the horse)
From now on your name is Raymond.
Scene 2: A POLO FIELD IN THE FOREST – DAY
A fierce match is underway.
Shin Hyoung-cheol and Raymond tear up and down the whole field.
Just then, Francois hits a ball which flies far into the forest.
FRANCOIS
Ohlala—
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
I’ll get the ball. Giddyup, Raymond!
Shin Hyoung-cheol turns Raymond towards the direction that the ball disappeared.
Scene 3: LAKE SHORE – DAY
Shin Hyoung-cheol and Raymond enter the forest.
They push forward through a thick fog.
The forest and fog give way to reveal the beautiful scenery of a lake.
The ball floats in the middle of the lake.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
Shall we go in, Raymond?
Shin Hyoung-cheol approaches the lake.
Then a bubble rises from the middle of the lake.
In the blink of an eye, a hand sticks straight out of the water!
The hand grabs the ball.
Shin Hyoung-cheol and Raymond are startled.
A naked middle-aged man rises out of the lake, stretched toward the sky, his hand clutching the ball.
Subtitle: Michel Houellebecq (51) Mad scientist, nudist
MICHEL
Is this your ball?
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
It is.
Michel Houellebecq rises out of the lake until his body is completely exposed, standing atop a submarine.
The submarine makes tremendous noise and rises into the air.
The submarine transforms into an airship!
RAYMOND
Neigh—
MICHEL
Muahahahaha!!
An exploding net launches from the submarine/airship.
Shin Hyoung-cheol and Raymond try to dodge it, but they are caught and can’t budge.
Scene 3: WAREHOUSE – DAY
Inside a warehouse-like building.
Shin Hyoung-cheol wakes up, tied to a chair.
Raymond is also bound up in the corner.
MICHEL
The world’s greatest praise researcher, Shin Hyoung-cheol. If it wasn’t for you, the world would be mine.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
The world is not so easily had.
The naked Michel Houellebecq smiles.
MICHEL
I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Scene 4: FRANCOIS’ BUNKER – DAY
Francois looks serious.
He is on a satellite call with someone.
Scene 5: TRANSPORT PLANE – DAWN
A transport plane flies through the sky.
A masked man with a parachute prepares to jump.
As soon as the door opens the man jumps without hesitation.
Scene 6: SKY – DAWN
A man falls through the clouds at an alarming speed.
Behind him, a red line is drawn in the sky.
Scene 7: WAREHOUSE – MORNING
Shin Hyoung-cheol wakes to a strange sound.
The masked man floors the guards in a split second.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
Who are you?
The man approaches Shin Hyoung-cheol and takes off his mask.
He is middle-aged and wears a beard.
Subtitles: Joseph Anton (51) Mossad agent, a.k.a Salman Rushdie.
JOSEPH
I came to save you.
He unties Shin Hyoung-cheol.
SHIN HYONG-CHEOL
Wait, I need to take Raymond with me.
The two of them untie Raymond.
JOSEPH
We need to get out of here as soon as possible.
Scene 8: A DESERT IN THE MIDDLE EAST – DAY
Outside the warehouse is an endless desert.
The two of them race across the desert on Raymond.
Just then, a thunderous noise comes from behind.
Shin Hyoung-cheol looks back and sees an incredible number of tank units pursuing them.
Michel Houellebecq stands naked on top of the lead tank.
MICHEL
Muahahahaha!
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
Dammit. Move, Raymond!
However, the fatigued Raymond pants and falters.
Joseph Anton looks back and fires a gun.
But the enemy is unaffected.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
Is this the end?
At that moment, something rises over the horizon like a haze.
Shin Hyoung-cheol rubs his eyes, thinking it’s a mirage.
A gigantic sandstorm comes over the horizon, and a figure comes racing through the sandstorm.
It’s a man riding a Harley Davidson!!
And behind the man speeds a thundering motorcycle legion.
Subtitles: Kim Yeonsu (44) MI6 Agent, a.k.a. Wonderboy
The desert sprawls without end.
Camera changes to full shot, showing everything.
Shin Hyoung-cheol is stuck in the middle as the tank army and the motorcycle army collide.
END
Part 2: The Last Day of Humanity
Subtitles: (CG. DOS-like) 300 years later.
A future society in which praise has disappeared.
Darkness and fear, criticizing and hating others have increased;
only a very small number of human survivors
are studying praise again.
Scene 9: MANHATTAN – NIGHT
A ruined city.
Wretched children play with a ball.
Looking closer, it’s not a ball but a skull.
A tall young woman turns the skull over.
The children beg and pester her, but she doesn’t listen.
The woman puts the skull in her backpack.
Subtitles: Furiosa (28), Amazon of the Future
Furiosa enters an old building.
Scene 10: INSIDE THE BUILDING – NIGHT
Humanity’s last praise researcher, Adachi Masao, greets Furiosa.
ADACHI
300 years ago, compliment researcher Shin Hyoung-cheol died in a desert in the Middle East. After that day, humanity was destroyed. Your task is to save him.
Furiosa enters a time machine naked.
She carries the skull in her hand.
A light flashes and Furiosa disappears.
END
Part 3 Future
#11 A DESERT IN THE MIDDLE EAST – DAY
A bloody battle rages in the desert.
Shin Hyoung-cheol’s legion begins to be pushed back by the overwhelming strength of the tank army.
Just then, a light flashes in the sky and a naked Furiosa falls to the earth.
People are astonished.
Furiosa catches sight of Shin Hyoung-cheol.
FURIOSA
For the sake of humanity, you need to survive.
Furiosa throws Shin Hyoung-cheol over her shoulder and flees.
In slow motion, Shin Hyoung-cheol sees Joseph Anton and Kim Yeonsu die at Houellebecq’s hand.
Raymond follows Furiosa as she runs away.
MICHEL
Get them!!
The tanks roar loudly and follow after them.
Furiosa appears to make up her mind.
She gives the skull to Shin Hyoung-cheol.
FURIOSA
I’ll take care of this place.
Furiosa sets Shin Hyoung-cheol on Raymond.
She leaps by herself into the midst of tank legion.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
Furiosa!!
Scene 12: A DESERT IN THE MIDDLE EASY – DAY
Raymond and Shin Hyoung-cheol have been running across the desert for 40 days.
Raymond keels over.
Shin Hyoung-cheol kisses Raymond’s cheek and continues walking.
CUT TO:
A seemingly endless desert.
Shin Hyoung-cheol staggers and falls.
He tumbles down a sand dune.
A man wearing a turban can be dimly seen in the distance.
Shin Hyoung-cheol loses consciousness.
CUT TO:
The turban man embraces Shin Hyoung-cheol in his arms.
He takes out a water bottle.
He pours water into the skull and moves it to Shin Hyoung-cheol’s lips.
Shin Hyoung-cheol wakes up.
He narrowly opens his eyes.
The man lowers the turban covering his face.
He looks exactly like Shin Hyoung-cheol
TURBAN MAN
(In English)
Who are you?
Shin Hyoung-cheol uses his last strength to move his lips slightly.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
(In English)
Fu…Future…
Shin Hyoung-cheol lowers his head and closes his eyes.
The skull hits the ground and rolls on the sand.
Turban man buries Shin Hyoung-cheol in the desert sand.
He stands up and gazes at the endless desert.
Subtitles: God Muhammad, Head of “Praise 3.0,” praise research center.
* A literary critic widely appreciated by the Korean public. – Editor
Oh Han Ki. Born in 1985. Novelist. He has written Prosopopoeia, A Man Who Became a Flamingo, I Live Off the Grid.*
*Oh Han Ki’s A Man Who Became a Flamingo will be featured in Issue 5.
Jeong Jidon. Born in 1983. He is the winner of the 2013 Munhakgwa Sahoe [Literature and Society] New Writer’s Award, the 2015 Munhakdongne Young Writers’ Award, and the 2016 Moonji Literature Award. He also represented the Korean Pavillion in the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale as a writer. He has published numerous works, including Like I’m Fighting, A Little Coward’s New Cowardly Party, The Joy of Literature (co-published), and We Will Live In the Memory of Others.
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Shin Hyoung-cheol’s “Let Us Praise”
Oh Han Ki. Novelist. Analrealist.
Jeong Jidon. Born in Daegu in 1983. Writer. Analrealist.
Translated by Seth Warnick
Prologue: ORLY AIRPORT – DAY
A welcome party on the airport runway.
The airplane door opens and a man in his late 30s descends the stairs.
Subtitles: Shin Hyoung-cheol*, President of Praise 2.0, a Praise Research Center
A middle-aged Frenchman named Francois Dorléac greets Shin Hyoung-cheol.
FRANCOIS
(in French)
Mr. Shin Hyoung-cheol, the greatest praise researcher in the world, welcome to Paris.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
Merci.
The crowd leaves the airport with Shin Hyoung-cheol.
A title in front of the runway.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL’S “LET US PRAISE”
Part 1: The Lakeside Stranger
Scene 1: BOIS DE BOULOGNE – DAY
Francois is riding a horse.
FRANCOIS
When a distinguished guest such as yourself comes to France, it is customary to take them horseback riding. Every so often, we also enjoy a little polo.
Shin Hyoung-cheol looks around at his surroundings.
The trees of the Bois de Boulogne sway in the gentle breeze.
FRANCOIS
You can pick any horse you like.
Of the several horses the stablehand is leading, a single white horse stands out.
Shin Hyoung-cheol steps forward.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
I’ll take this horse.
FRANCOIS
That horse is a horse among horses. But it is so unruly, I wonder if you can handle it.
Shin Hyoung-cheol places his hand on the white horse’s face.
The people nearby are taken aback.
However, the white horse surprisingly does not even flinch.
Shin Hyoung-cheol whispers something in the white horse’s ear.
The white horse whinnies and lowers its head.
Shin Hyoung-cheol deftly jumps up on the horse.
FRANCOIS
Ohlala—
People exclaim in delight and applaud.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
(As he strokes the horse)
From now on your name is Raymond.
Scene 2: A POLO FIELD IN THE FOREST – DAY
A fierce match is underway.
Shin Hyoung-cheol and Raymond tear up and down the whole field.
Just then, Francois hits a ball which flies far into the forest.
FRANCOIS
Ohlala—
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
I’ll get the ball. Giddyup, Raymond!
Shin Hyoung-cheol turns Raymond towards the direction that the ball disappeared.
Scene 3: LAKE SHORE – DAY
Shin Hyoung-cheol and Raymond enter the forest.
They push forward through a thick fog.
The forest and fog give way to reveal the beautiful scenery of a lake.
The ball floats in the middle of the lake.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
Shall we go in, Raymond?
Shin Hyoung-cheol approaches the lake.
Then a bubble rises from the middle of the lake.
In the blink of an eye, a hand sticks straight out of the water!
The hand grabs the ball.
Shin Hyoung-cheol and Raymond are startled.
A naked middle-aged man rises out of the lake, stretched toward the sky, his hand clutching the ball.
Subtitle: Michel Houellebecq (51) Mad scientist, nudist
MICHEL
Is this your ball?
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
It is.
Michel Houellebecq rises out of the lake until his body is completely exposed, standing atop a submarine.
The submarine makes tremendous noise and rises into the air.
The submarine transforms into an airship!
RAYMOND
Neigh—
MICHEL
Muahahahaha!!
An exploding net launches from the submarine/airship.
Shin Hyoung-cheol and Raymond try to dodge it, but they are caught and can’t budge.
Scene 3: WAREHOUSE – DAY
Inside a warehouse-like building.
Shin Hyoung-cheol wakes up, tied to a chair.
Raymond is also bound up in the corner.
MICHEL
The world’s greatest praise researcher, Shin Hyoung-cheol. If it wasn’t for you, the world would be mine.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
The world is not so easily had.
The naked Michel Houellebecq smiles.
MICHEL
I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Scene 4: FRANCOIS’ BUNKER – DAY
Francois looks serious.
He is on a satellite call with someone.
Scene 5: TRANSPORT PLANE – DAWN
A transport plane flies through the sky.
A masked man with a parachute prepares to jump.
As soon as the door opens the man jumps without hesitation.
Scene 6: SKY – DAWN
A man falls through the clouds at an alarming speed.
Behind him, a red line is drawn in the sky.
Scene 7: WAREHOUSE – MORNING
Shin Hyoung-cheol wakes to a strange sound.
The masked man floors the guards in a split second.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
Who are you?
The man approaches Shin Hyoung-cheol and takes off his mask.
He is middle-aged and wears a beard.
Subtitles: Joseph Anton (51) Mossad agent, a.k.a Salman Rushdie.
JOSEPH
I came to save you.
He unties Shin Hyoung-cheol.
SHIN HYONG-CHEOL
Wait, I need to take Raymond with me.
The two of them untie Raymond.
JOSEPH
We need to get out of here as soon as possible.
Scene 8: A DESERT IN THE MIDDLE EAST – DAY
Outside the warehouse is an endless desert.
The two of them race across the desert on Raymond.
Just then, a thunderous noise comes from behind.
Shin Hyoung-cheol looks back and sees an incredible number of tank units pursuing them.
Michel Houellebecq stands naked on top of the lead tank.
MICHEL
Muahahahaha!
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
Dammit. Move, Raymond!
However, the fatigued Raymond pants and falters.
Joseph Anton looks back and fires a gun.
But the enemy is unaffected.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
Is this the end?
At that moment, something rises over the horizon like a haze.
Shin Hyoung-cheol rubs his eyes, thinking it’s a mirage.
A gigantic sandstorm comes over the horizon, and a figure comes racing through the sandstorm.
It’s a man riding a Harley Davidson!!
And behind the man speeds a thundering motorcycle legion.
Subtitles: Kim Yeonsu (44) MI6 Agent, a.k.a. Wonderboy
The desert sprawls without end.
Camera changes to full shot, showing everything.
Shin Hyoung-cheol is stuck in the middle as the tank army and the motorcycle army collide.
END
Part 2: The Last Day of Humanity
Subtitles: (CG. DOS-like) 300 years later.
A future society in which praise has disappeared.
Darkness and fear, criticizing and hating others have increased;
only a very small number of human survivors
are studying praise again.
Scene 9: MANHATTAN – NIGHT
A ruined city.
Wretched children play with a ball.
Looking closer, it’s not a ball but a skull.
A tall young woman turns the skull over.
The children beg and pester her, but she doesn’t listen.
The woman puts the skull in her backpack.
Subtitles: Furiosa (28), Amazon of the Future
Furiosa enters an old building.
Scene 10: INSIDE THE BUILDING – NIGHT
Humanity’s last praise researcher, Adachi Masao, greets Furiosa.
ADACHI
300 years ago, compliment researcher Shin Hyoung-cheol died in a desert in the Middle East. After that day, humanity was destroyed. Your task is to save him.
Furiosa enters a time machine naked.
She carries the skull in her hand.
A light flashes and Furiosa disappears.
END
Part 3 Future
#11 A DESERT IN THE MIDDLE EAST – DAY
A bloody battle rages in the desert.
Shin Hyoung-cheol’s legion begins to be pushed back by the overwhelming strength of the tank army.
Just then, a light flashes in the sky and a naked Furiosa falls to the earth.
People are astonished.
Furiosa catches sight of Shin Hyoung-cheol.
FURIOSA
For the sake of humanity, you need to survive.
Furiosa throws Shin Hyoung-cheol over her shoulder and flees.
In slow motion, Shin Hyoung-cheol sees Joseph Anton and Kim Yeonsu die at Houellebecq’s hand.
Raymond follows Furiosa as she runs away.
MICHEL
Get them!!
The tanks roar loudly and follow after them.
Furiosa appears to make up her mind.
She gives the skull to Shin Hyoung-cheol.
FURIOSA
I’ll take care of this place.
Furiosa sets Shin Hyoung-cheol on Raymond.
She leaps by herself into the midst of tank legion.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
Furiosa!!
Scene 12: A DESERT IN THE MIDDLE EASY – DAY
Raymond and Shin Hyoung-cheol have been running across the desert for 40 days.
Raymond keels over.
Shin Hyoung-cheol kisses Raymond’s cheek and continues walking.
CUT TO:
A seemingly endless desert.
Shin Hyoung-cheol staggers and falls.
He tumbles down a sand dune.
A man wearing a turban can be dimly seen in the distance.
Shin Hyoung-cheol loses consciousness.
CUT TO:
The turban man embraces Shin Hyoung-cheol in his arms.
He takes out a water bottle.
He pours water into the skull and moves it to Shin Hyoung-cheol’s lips.
Shin Hyoung-cheol wakes up.
He narrowly opens his eyes.
The man lowers the turban covering his face.
He looks exactly like Shin Hyoung-cheol
TURBAN MAN
(In English)
Who are you?
Shin Hyoung-cheol uses his last strength to move his lips slightly.
SHIN HYOUNG-CHEOL
(In English)
Fu…Future…
Shin Hyoung-cheol lowers his head and closes his eyes.
The skull hits the ground and rolls on the sand.
Turban man buries Shin Hyoung-cheol in the desert sand.
He stands up and gazes at the endless desert.
Subtitles: God Muhammad, Head of “Praise 3.0,” praise research center.
* A literary critic widely appreciated by the Korean public. – Editor
*Oh Han Ki’s A Man Who Became a Flamingo will be featured in Issue 5.
Jeong Jidon. Born in 1983. He is the winner of the 2013 Munhakgwa Sahoe [Literature and Society] New Writer’s Award, the 2015 Munhakdongne Young Writers’ Award, and the 2016 Moonji Literature Award. He also represented the Korean Pavillion in the 2018 Venice Architecture Biennale as a writer. He has published numerous works, including Like I’m Fighting, A Little Coward’s New Cowardly Party, The Joy of Literature (co-published), and We Will Live In the Memory of Others.
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