"I was just shouting whatever came to mind. Garam's playing was absolutely flawless."—yes, we know lol.
But yeah, this clarified Compton's character for me, as well as validated the empathy that I was able to sustain for him since the previous chapters now that we know that apart from being the first student, he also used to be a huge fan of Heejae. The cut dug deeper for him since it's possible that unlike the others, his primary motivation to study under Heejae went beyond just having the privilege of being taught by a powerhouse in classical music, but also as a way to fulfill his dreams of playing alongside the person he looks up to. While Heejae's relationship with the rest may have came as purely transactional—both parties merely using each other as means to achieve individual greatness—it was personal for Compton, and the fall from the initial high hit him the hardest. It's a different kind of disappointment to be ripped into by the very person who inspired your craft. It's a feeling that's just so utterly humiliating and soul shredding to have mistakenly assumed a character out of someone based solely on the ecstasy you felt watching from afar, not realizing the kind of person lingering under that controlled facade. No wonder he left to conduct.
Anyway, repeat it with me: Heejae is the villain.
Idc if its bc he's undiagnosed or smth, his stubborn ass is obv aware that there's something up with him, he just can't be bothered with it. Like, he has a home in NYC for f's sake, it's not like he's stuck in Korea where mental health is still highly stigmatized. Smh, I hope Mamdani can fix this guy.
"I was just shouting whatever came to mind. Garam's playing was absolutely flawless."—yes, we know lol.
But yeah, this clarified Compton's character for me, as well as validated the empathy that I was able to sustain for him since the previous chapters now that we know that apart from being the first student, he also used to be a huge fan of Heejae. The cut dug deeper for him since it's possible that unlike the others, his primary motivation to study under Heejae went beyond just having the privilege of being taught by a powerhouse in classical music, but also as a way to fulfill his dreams of playing alongside the person he looks up to. While Heejae's relationship with the rest may have came as purely transactional—both parties merely using each other as means to achieve individual greatness—it was personal for Compton, and the fall from the initial high hit him the hardest. It's a different kind of disappointment to be ripped into by the very person who inspired your craft. It's a feeling that's just so utterly humiliating and soul shredding to have mistakenly assumed a character out of someone based solely on the ecstasy you felt watching from afar, not realizing the kind of person lingering under that controlled facade. No wonder he left to conduct.
Anyway, repeat it with me: Heejae is the villain.
Idc if its bc he's undiagnosed or smth, his stubborn ass is obv aware that there's something up with him, he just can't be bothered with it. Like, he has a home in NYC for f's sake, it's not like he's stuck in Korea where mental health is still highly stigmatized. Smh, I hope Mamdani can fix this guy.