Chapter 126: Fireworks (6)
10 minutes.
After the official statement from Director Kyotaro's side was released, similar or nearly identical articles began to flood Japan.
『The Korean actor, officially announced by Director Kyotaro Tanoguchi, is ‘Kang Woojin', a real newcomer.』
The issue was already a hot topic. The controversy had grown due to Kyotaro's interview and had attracted the attention of many.
『'Toega' Film Company confirms Korean actor ‘Kang Woojin' for casting.』
Thus, the Japanese media replicated the official statement faster than light.
Finally, a clear answer had emerged.
『Kang Woojin is the first newcomer to lead a foreign film in both Korea and Japan!』
With their curiosity neatly resolved, the Japanese public reacted with a mix of enthusiasm and grumbling.
-Of course, it was Kang Woojin! I like it! He's a good actor.
-I thought it was already somewhat confirmed in Korea, but why did they hide it then??
-Maybe they kept it a secret because the issue became too big?
-Still, having a Korean actor in ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger' which I like, is a bit…
-Kang Woojin! I really like him! Check out his YouTube, you'll all become his fans!
-I think it's better to have a Korean actor. Anyway, Japanese actors' performances have been deteriorating.
-I like it too. If you have a complaint, start by watching ‘Hanryang' on Netflix.
-It's impressive… How did a newcomer secure a leading role?
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Regardless, all the facts were now revealed. This situation was unprecedented for Japan, and the public was abuzz with this novel spectacle.
Of course, not everyone in Japan viewed it positively. There was a lot of skepticism too.
『'Korea's Newcomer Actor' Revealed, But Film Industry Insiders Are Skeptical.』
『Who is ‘Kang Woojin'? Netizens' Concerns Grow.』
However, one thing was consistent: the focus of Japan's media and public opinion was now on ‘Kang Woojin' and ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger.'
His name and recognition skyrocketed.
There was already a buildup, so a boost was inevitable. ‘Hanryang' on Netflix Japan also received frequent mentions.
『Director Kyotaro Tanoguchi's ‘Kang Woojin' Turns Out to Be a Supporting Actor in a Popular Korean Netflix Drama.』
Japanese reporters often covered Kang Woojin-related SNS, YouTube channels, filmographies, and past works. It was basic strategy yet essential, as the public clicked on news containing as much information as possible.
At this point, at the Japanese private broadcasting station TBE.
“PD~nim!!”
Writers from ‘Ame-talk Show!' rushed to PD Shinjo.
“It's Woojin! It's really Woojin!”
“What are you talking about?”
“I mean the ‘Korean newcomer actor' that Director Kyotaro Tanoguchi mentioned! It's Woojin!”
“What are you saying… Are you sure? There were only speculations, no facts.”
“Just now! Director Tanoguchi officially announced it! The lead role is confirmed to be Woojin!”
At that moment, PD Shinjo's eyes widened in shock.
“Contact bw Entertainment immediately! And bring all the plans we've made!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Hurry up! We need to coordinate with bw Entertainment and get the news out as soon as possible! And we have to overhaul more than half of our plans!”
The ‘Ame-talk Show!' team became extremely busy, almost frantic.
And then.
『Korea's hot newcomer ‘Kang Woojin', soon to launch on Netflix Japan with the rom-com ‘Male Friend'』
As if waiting for the right moment, the Japanese Netflix side released news about the soon-to-be-launched ‘Male Friend.'
Additionally,
『'Kang Woojin' and ‘Hwalin' scheduled to visit Japan soon for ‘Male Friend' promotions』
News about Kang Woojin and Hwalin's upcoming schedule in Japan was also leaked.
-Wow! Kang Woojin and Hwalin are coming to Japan!!
-Really?? Male Friend? Is it a rom-com? I have to check it out!
-Which airport! What time! I want to see them in person!
This news spread rapidly as well.
Then back to Korea.
In Korea, where the news had exploded even before it reached Japan, the country was still in turmoil even as afternoon turned into night. Various portal sites continuously updated their news, and these articles spread rapidly through the clicks of numerous fingers.
It was noisy. The most intense uproar of the year.
By this point, it was impossible for Kang Woojin's acquaintances not to be aware of the situation. His sister, Kang Hyun-ah, was shocked, and Woojin's close friends were in a frenzy about the exclusive news.
Furthermore, everyone Kang Woojin had ever interacted with was equally stunned.
Directors, PDs, actors, staff – counting just the number of people, hundreds were showing a range of reactions.
“PD~nim! Have you seen the news?! Our Kang Totem has been confirmed for the lead role in Akari Takikawa's live-action movie!”
“I saw it too! That project will do really well!”
“But why can Woojin sing so well? Didn't you know this? If I had known, I would have asked him for an OST in Hanryang!”
“How would I have known!”
Starting with PD Song Man-woo and writer Park Eun-mi, everyone was too excited to express their feelings in words.
Ultimately, it was the beginning of chaos.
Yes, just the beginning. This was just the start. Hwalin, who had been with Kang Woojin until a moment ago and was now sitting in her van, had earphones on.
The reason was simple.
-??
She was listening to Kang Woojin's cover song. In other words, she had checked out the ‘Kang Woojin's Alter Ego' channel on YouTube. She smiled at the greeting video and was deeply moved by the cover song, her expression changing dramatically.
Just one minute into the song, she covered her mouth with her hand in shock.
‘No! Woojin! You said you only knew a little Japanese??! This is? This is far from just ‘a little'!'
Woojin's Japanese in the cover song was beyond just good – it was on another level. If you closed your eyes and listened, you might think he was a Japanese singer. At least, that's how it seemed to Hwalin. And her judgment was not wrong.
She too was proficient in Japanese.
Her girl group ‘Elani' was already a top-tier sensation in Japan, and she had handled many Japanese schedules. So Hwalin was good at Japanese too.
‘I learned it, but my pronunciation still has a bit of awkwardness, but Woojin's Japanese sounds just like a native's.'
Suddenly, she became intensely curious about Kang Woojin's past. But that was fleeting.
-??
Hwalin immersed herself to the sound of Kang Woojin's voice. Her mind became hazy, and her heart raced wildly.
‘This face, this voice, this tone… amazing. I'm melting, truly melting. It doesn’t even sound like our song anymore. I love it – I could listen to it ten, no, a hundred times a day.'
Goosebumps rose on the excited Hwalin's arms. This was beyond fandom; it was adoration.
“How can someone have endless layers of charm? Ah- I really chose the right person to fangirl over.”
Soon after, Hwalin tapped the ‘Like' button on the video and shared Woojin's video in the group chat with her ‘Elani' members.
-Hwalin: Listen to this! Listen to it 100 times!
Then, she logged into her own SNS.
“It's too good for me to enjoy alone! It's Woojin's channel, so it'll be a hit anyway, but still, more people should hear this song.”
She shared the ‘Kang Woojin's Alter Ego' channel.
The next day, the 21st, morning.
Around 10 AM. Kang Woojin was standing in front of an elevator in a tall building. Despite the warmer weather and lighter clothes, he was unfazed by his name buzzing across Korea and Japan.
“······”
Kang Woojin had the usual poker face. Well, this was more genuine than a concept.
‘Ugh- so tired. Did I sleep only about 2 hours? Almost stayed up all night watching the reactions.'
Yesterday, Kang Woojin had been glued to his phone until dawn. It was amazing. Wherever he went on the internet, his name was everywhere.
Next to him, Choi Sung-gun, who had been on the phone since earlier, looked busy.
“Yes, yes, PD Kim~nim. Haha, thank you. About the casting, right? Ah- but Woojin's schedule is really tight for the first half of the year. How about the second half?”
Not just today, but since yesterday, Choi Sung-gun's phone had been bombarded with calls and messages every second since Kang Woojin’s bold appearance at the ‘Male Friend' press conference.
Naturally, things were even more hectic at bw Entertainment.
However, Kang Woojin couldn’t afford to pay attention to Choi Sung-gun. Today was the day for the script reading of ‘Freezing Love' by the star writer Lee Wol-seon. This tall building housed the production company of ‘Freezing Love', and in about an hour, the script reading was set to officially begin.
Woojin, looking indifferently at the elevator floor indicator, let out a small sigh.
A deep breath.
‘Today, I know absolutely no one, huh… I'm a bit nervous… I'm starting to feel queasy.'
Should he take some motion sickness medicine? Just as Woojin was contemplating this, Choi Sung-gun, who had just finished his call, spoke.
“The calls are coming in like chat messages, one after another. Look, here's another. Given this situation, I won't be able to enter the reading room. But you'll be fine on your own, right? You’re not the type to get nervous.”
No, actually, I feel like taking some motion sickness medicine. But Woojin, concealing his true feelings, nodded solemnly.
“Yes, that's sufficient.”
Choi Sung-gun, smirking slightly, patted Kang Woojin’s shoulder.
“Well, you're often the first in many things, but there aren’t many actors who attend script readings as often as you do. And that too, as a newcomer.”
“I'm attending because of the writer.”
“Oh? Ah- right, right. Honestly, you don’t really need to attend this reading. Your part is small. But it’s good to make an impression on Lee Wol-seon.”
“Yes, I think so too.”
“You never know when connections in this industry might come in handy.”
Choi Sung-gun then speculated about the current situation at the reading room.
“But, in the reading room, both actors and staff will be all talking about you.”
“It doesn’t matter to me.”
“Right, when have you ever cared about that?”
At that moment.
-Ding!
The elevator reached its destination and the doors opened.
Meanwhile, inside the ‘Freezing Love' reading room.
The room, set with a U-shaped table, was almost ready. A few supporting actors had already arrived, along with dozens of staff members and several reporters.
Interestingly,
“Is it confirmed that Kang Woojin is coming?”
“Yeah, I asked the assistant director several times. If you don’t believe it, Reporter Kim, go and ask again yourself.”
“We're lucky. There was a lot of talk about whether Kang Woojin would come to the reading or not, and then, just after his big news, we get to see him the next day.”
Everyone was talking about Kang Woojin.
“Did you see the search sites? Seriously, the entertainment news is filled with articles about Kang Woojin.”
“It makes sense. Besides the national pride angle, it’s unprecedented in the history of cinema.”
“But it’s really curious, how did he snatch the lead role in that field? Does he have a strong backing?”
“Some articles say he's from a wealthy family. Good at acting, vocals, and even Japanese. Sounds like he received intense early education.”
Reporters, staff, and actors were all abuzz with speculation.
“Wow, Kang Woojin. I’m jealous. When will I ever get a chance to go abroad?”
“First, you need to get rid of your supporting actor image in the domestic market.”
“You're in the same boat.”
“Anyway, the internet and SNS are all about Kang Woojin. It’ll probably last a while. I wonder if he'll start ignoring other actors?”
“I heard he's actually quite nice.”
At that moment,
-Swish.
The glass door slowly opened, and a man with a cold expression entered. It was Kang Woojin. Immediately, everyone's gaze in the reading room shifted to Woojin at the entrance. After briefly scanning the room, Woojin bowed his head slightly and greeted in a low voice.
“Hello, I'm Kang Woojin.”
Suddenly, the reading room fell silent. At that moment, a reporter, somewhat dazed looking at Woojin, had his phone in view. It displayed the ‘Kang Woojin's Alter Ego' channel on YouTube, probably because he was watching it in anticipation of meeting Kang Woojin soon.
What was interesting was:
[Channel Name: Kang Woojin's Alter Ego]
[Subscribers: 509,000]
[Videos: 2]
The subscriber count had ‘exploded' dramatically.
Meanwhile, outside the reading room in the corridor, Choi Sung-gun, who was still glued to his phone, was pacing the corridor, busy with the onslaught of calls. He was currently talking to Kim So-hyang from Netflix Korea.
“The promotional event in Japan is on the 26th?”
The promotional event in Japan was the event disguised as a press conference that she had mentioned before, planned in collaboration with Netflix Japan. As Choi Sung-gun inquired further, Kim So-hyang, the executive director, responded from the other end of the phone.
“Yes, next month would be okay, but for such events, it's better to act quickly. We've aligned opinions with Netflix Japan. We need to strike while the iron is hot. Of course, if Woojin's schedule doesn’t allow it, we might have to adjust.”
“No, next month would be even harder. Woojin's schedule next month is twice as busy as now. Hmm, the 26th.”
That was just a few days away. After quickly calculating in his head, Choi Sung-gun spoke up.
“I do have a few schedules fixed for the 26th, but what about you, Hwalin?”
“It’s just a one-day schedule, so she’s okay with it. If it’s difficult, you can arrive in Japan separately and join her there.”
“No, it’s better if they go together. Okay, I’ll try to adjust it.”
“Oh! Thank you, then shall I proceed with preparations for the 26th?”
“Yes, Director Kim.”
After finishing the call, Choi Sung-gun opened his diary, which was already packed with no space left. He sighed softly, turned to a new page, and wrote something down.
‘Arrive in Japan on the 26th. Carry out promotional schedule for ‘Male Friend'. Then- schedule a meeting with Director Kyotaro on the 27th and then ‘Ame-talk show!'.’
Closing the diary, he muttered to himself.
“And on the 30th, the official recording for ‘Ame-talk Show!'.”
In short, Kang Woojin’s upcoming schedule in Japan would span four days, not just one. The 30th was set for the shooting of ‘Ame-talk Show!', and it was more convenient than going back and forth.
Having figured out a plan, Choi Sung-gun then made a call. This time to the production manager of ‘Island of the Missing'.
“Yes, Manager. Sorry for the late call. I was sorting out the schedule. Yes. For now, I will let you know the exact details after meeting with Director Kyotaro in Japan. Yes. But there shouldn’t be any major issues with the overseas location schedule. We’ll make sure not to disrupt the shooting schedule too much.”
After a lengthy explanation, Choi Sung-gun concluded.
“Yes, we'll meet after I return from Japan. Yes. Ah- I will call Director Kwon directly about that part. Yes-”
-Click.
Feeling like he had extinguished the urgent fires, Choi Sung-gun let out a long sigh.
“Phew, this is even busier than when it was with Hye-yeon. Well, she never had overlapping schedules like this. It's hectic but fun.”
Just then.
-Brriing, brriing.
The phone rang again. Choi Sung-gun, checking the caller ID, tilted his head slightly.
“Director Kim Do-hee?”
The caller was Kim Do-hee, the director of ‘Drug Dealer.' Thinking ‘She must be calling to congratulate Woojin,' Choi Sung-gun answered the phone.
“Yes, Director Kim. Haha, have you had lunch yet?”
“No, I’m about to. But more importantly, CEO Choi.”
However, what Kim Do-hee said over the phone was not a congratulation.
“We’re planning a blind preview for ‘Drug Dealer' next week.”
“A blind preview?”
A blind preview was a schedule towards the end of a film’s post-production. It's where directors, production teams, and actors gather for a preview. Essentially, it's an assessment of the finished product.
This meant…
“Yes. A blind preview. I’d appreciate it if you and Woojin could attend together, it's important.”
The release of ‘Drug Dealer' was imminent.
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