From the moment Kang Woojin arrived at the venue, his heart had been pounding nonstop.
He was under extreme tension.
'Is this really where I'm supposed to be?'
Thrown into such an unfamiliar environment so suddenly, he didn't even have the energy to adapt.
Woojin tried hard to look calm, but inside, it felt like a battlefield.
'Calm down. Don't panic. They're all just people too. I'm confident. I'm strong.'
He struggled to keep his true nature hidden and steady his mind.
Fortunately—
"Hong Hyeyeon, when did you confirm this project?"
The actors who recognized top actress Hong Hyeyeon and approached her paid absolutely no attention to Kang Woojin.
In fact, it would have been stranger if they had recognized him.
Thanks to that—
'I should hide behind Hong Hyeyeon.'
He had bought himself some time.
Using Hong Hyeyeon as a shield, Kang Woojin quietly focused on his breathing.
This venue was an extremely important place for maintaining his disguise.
Countless eyes were watching him.
'Because they're all masters of acting.'
The hall was packed with veterans of the field.
He had managed to keep his disguise intact so far, but if his true self were exposed here, everything would go back to square one.
That was why he had to stay even more guarded than usual.
'Ah, damn it. Watch your expression. Watch your expression.'
To be honest, right before the script reading, Kang Woojin felt like he was risking his life more on his "disguise" than on his "acting."
At least, that was how it felt to him.
"Hong Hyeyeon, are you going to the after-party after today's script reading?"
A tall, handsome actor approached Hong Hyeyeon near the entrance of the spacious hall.
The moment Woojin saw him, he recognized him immediately.
'Ah, Ryu Jungmin. He's really handsome.'
It was Ryu Jungmin, the male lead of Profiler Hanryang, whom Woojin had only seen in the news.
He had already seen many actors on the way in, but Ryu Jungmin definitely had a different aura.
Then Ryu Jungmin casually brought up the actor playing Assistant Manager Park.
"By the way, have you seen the actor playing Assistant Manager Park?"
Woojin almost raised his hand in surprise without realizing it, but barely held himself back.
'The actor is right here in front of you.'
That was the problem.
"Oh? This guy is way too handsome to be just a manager. He's really good-looking."
Ryu Jungmin suddenly took interest in Kang Woojin.
He openly mistook Woojin for Hong Hyeyeon's manager.
What was this?
Why was he misunderstanding things like this?
But Woojin's attention got caught on one word that had come out of Ryu Jungmin's mouth.
'This is ridiculous. I almost burst out laughing.'
Even if it was just empty flattery, being called handsome by the nation's boyfriend, Ryu Jungmin, was enough to make anyone want to dance.
But it didn't end there.
Ryu Jungmin even stepped closer to Woojin and said,
"Seriously, you should try acting sometime. Not doing it would be a waste of that face."
'Ah, but this guy really is handsome. He's even more handsome up close. Even his long hair suits him. If a guy this handsome existed, of course women would fall for him.'
Before he knew it, Kang Woojin was staring at Ryu Jungmin's face in admiration.
No.
He was completely captivated.
"..."
Then Ryu Jungmin casually said to Hong Hyeyeon,
"This guy's cool. He has an aura. Or is he just nervous? Is he new?"
It was all a misunderstanding.
Ah, he hadn't intended any of this.
Around then, two familiar faces appeared at the entrance to the hall.
It was PD Song Manwoo and writer Park Eunmi, and Ryu Jungmin excused himself after greeting Hong Hyeyeon.
Next—
"Woojin."
Hong Hyeyeon lightly tapped Kang Woojin on the shoulder and pointed toward the center of the tables arranged in a square.
"That seat is where star Assistant Manager Park is supposed to sit. Of course, you're probably not nervous, but don't get too tense."
Was she joking?
'I'm totally shaking.'
Woojin tried not to show it and let out a long breath.
Then he checked the middle seat she was pointing at.
Among the actors, he could see the name card for "Assistant Manager Park."
Swoosh.
Woojin soon began to move.
He had to blend into the crowd.
Somehow, the heart that had just barely calmed down began pounding again.
It felt as though it might explode.
'Wow, this is seriously no joke.'
Since it was his first time experiencing a situation like this, Woojin could feel his fingertips trembling slightly.
But there was no turning back now.
All he could do was begin.
Muttering a spell to himself, Kang Woojin took one step after another.
Fortunately, no one in the hall paid him any special attention.
But when he finally reached Assistant Manager Park's seat—
"PD, huh? What's this? The actor for Assistant Manager Park isn't here. Is he not coming?"
"He's right here."
PD Song Manwoo smiled and nodded while looking at Woojin.
That was the moment.
Swoosh.
The gaze of more than a hundred people in the hall focused on Kang Woojin.
'Ah, wait a second.'
Woojin froze.
Dozens of actors.
Whispering managers.
Journalists craning their necks to look.
And more.
Over a hundred people were desperately waiting for Kang Woojin's response.
Who are you?
Woojin felt both his body and mind turning white, like a blank page.
Even in that moment, with his rational mind disappearing, one clear order kept echoing in his head.
'I don't know, damn it.'
Concept.
Instinctive thinking.
There were no minor details, only one clear thing.
Habits were terrifying.
That was why Woojin could only cling to that one thing and look around at everyone staring at him with a cold face.
A few seconds passed.
As Woojin gradually came back to his senses—
'Ah, I should introduce myself.'
He spoke in a low voice.
"Hello. I'm Kang Woojin, and I'll be playing Assistant Manager Park."
Soon, the large hall full of awkwardness fell silent.
The atmosphere felt strange somehow.
In any case, Kang Woojin felt like he should sit down, so he pulled out the chair.
Thud.
In the wide reading room, the only sound that rang out was the noise of Woojin pulling out his chair.
"..."
"..."
And so, all attention centered on him.
Famous veteran actors stared with wide eyes.
Actresses who had made it big on variety programs.
Male actors whose recent films had been hits.
Actors whose faces were familiar even if their names weren't.
'Ah, stop staring. I'm shaking here.'
Woojin muttered inwardly as he glanced at one of the actors.
'Ah, I even bought a padded jacket because of a commercial that actor was in.'
Hong Hyeyeon, seated in the front row, had a faint smile on her lips as though she was trying not to laugh.
Male lead Ryu Jungmin was still staring at Woojin with wide eyes and a confused expression.
In any case, the more than one hundred people in the hall were shocked for another reason.
The role of Assistant Manager Park, which they had all been expecting, had gone to an actor whose name none of them had even heard before.
In truth, Kang Woojin looked like a perfectly ordinary person.
So it was only natural for the actors to stare at him in confusion.
The journalists and managers attending the script reading felt the same.
Around then—
"Alright."
PD Song Manwoo broke the silence in the hall.
"You were all curious about Kang Woojin, who's playing Assistant Manager Park, right? You've all met him now."
Only then did all the gazes fixed on Kang Woojin pull away.
Woojin let out a quiet sigh of relief without showing it, and PD Song Manwoo continued with the script reading.
"Before we begin properly, I'll give a detailed introduction. Everyone, please open Episode 1."
Flip, flip.
The startled actors quickly opened their scripts.
Even while doing so, they kept glancing at Woojin with embarrassed looks.
"Who is that guy? Do you know him?"
"No, I've never seen him before. Is he a total unknown?"
"Unknown… way too unknown. I know a little about the theater world, but he's completely unfamiliar."
Everyone shared the same opinion.
"Doesn't PD Song usually avoid casting unknowns or rookies?"
"Right, and isn't Assistant Manager Park a supporting role? He gave that part to an unknown actor? That makes no sense."
Of course, the actors seated around Kang Woojin also greeted him.
"Kang Woojin, nice to meet you. Do you have theater experience?"
"Hello. No, I don't have theater experience."
"You have a nice voice. Is this your first work?"
"Yes. It's my first project."
Kang Woojin maintained a serious attitude.
Since he didn't know much, he had to keep his answers as brief as possible.
But the surrounding actors interpreted that differently.
"Why are his responses so stiff? He isn't already suffering from star disease, is he?"
"He seems fine… maybe that's just his personality?"
"I had pretty high expectations for Assistant Manager Park, but his acting itself seems kind of bland."
"But if PD Song cast him, then at least he must have the basics."
"If the basics are solid, that's enough."
At that moment, PD Song Manwoo said,
"Let's start with introductions."
And with that, the script reading officially began.
A little later—
The introductions from the production staff and actors proceeded one by one.
There was a slight awkwardness during Kang Woojin's introduction, but overall, it wrapped up smoothly.
The reading began with narration from PD Song Manwoo.
"Scene 1. Forest, morning. Police officers are spread throughout the forest."
Profiler Hanryang was a story set in 2010.
The script was not yet fully complete, but the plan was to connect four episodes into a total of sixteen parts.
Among them, Assistant Manager Park was a key figure in the first episode and also the one who unraveled the first clues to the theme running through the entire drama.
The opening scene was the discovery of the body of a man in his fifties in the mountains.
That was where male lead Ryu Jungmin entered.
He played the profiler Yoo Jihyung.
He had a genius mind, but because of his naturally lazy disposition, he had earned the nickname Yoo Hanryang.
As Yoo Hanryang appeared, he recited his lines.
"Ah, I'm not in the best condition. I came right after breakfast."
The next actor to appear was Hong Hyeyeon.
She played the passionate detective Jung Yeonhee.
Jung Yeonhee was a tough detective who relentlessly pursued any case once she got hold of it.
The moment Jung Yeonhee saw Yoo Jihyung, she frowned.
"Why is Yoo Hanryang here? Was there no one else?"
"There aren't that many profilers in the whole country, are there? If it bothers you that much, Detective Jung, then do it yourself. I'll go get dessert."
"Ha, that's ridiculous."
The two began bickering as though they were well acquainted.
Behind them, the dead man's body came into view.
Other actors joined the scene.
As actors known for their skill exchanged lines they had carefully analyzed, the atmosphere of the script reading quickly turned serious.
"When do you estimate the time of death?"
"It looks like it happened last night."
"What's that red thing under the fingernails?"
"It's nail polish."
"Nail polish? What kind of hobby did this old man even have?"
Even though it was only a script reading, the actors kept performing passionately.
The intensity came through clearly.
But—
'Hm.'
Kang Woojin quietly shook his head as he watched the other actors perform.
'That actor there. He seems to be delivering the lines a bit carelessly.'
To Kang Woojin, this wasn't simply a reading room.
It was the living world of Profiler Hanryang Part 1.
He had already experienced the lives of every role he had acted.
The person who had just finished speaking.
The one delivering lines now.
And the one preparing for lines still to come.
In truth, among all the actors attending this script reading, he was the one most capable of acting with genuine realism.
'No, that part needs emphasis. That character is supposed to be desperate, right? Why is he delivering the line so flatly?'
Sure enough—
"Taesan, your line just now was too flat. Give it more force."
Just as Woojin had felt disappointed internally, PD Song Manwoo calmly pointed out the actor's shortcomings.
Woojin reacted inwardly.
'See? I was right. That actor's expression felt off from the start, didn't it?'
Meanwhile, writer Park Eunmi, still wearing her headband, scolded supporting actor Jang Taesan.
"Mr. Jang, did you really analyze the character properly? I don't understand why you seem so drained."
"I'm sorry. I was trying to approach it from a different angle. I'll analyze it again properly."
Everything was going just as Kang Woojin expected.
Of course, he didn't know much about the female lead roles, but Assistant Manager Park mostly worked opposite the male lead, so that part didn't matter much.
Though Woojin remained tense without showing it, he gradually began to enjoy the script reading.
As he compared the actors' performances with what he himself had experienced, there were even times when he wanted to jump in personally.
'You can't do that. I almost said something out loud.'
It felt like sneaking off to play in the dirt during free time on a playground.
Suddenly, Woojin understood the feeling.
'Ah, so this is ambition for a role?'
Meanwhile, in Profiler Hanryang, a twist that shook the flow of the story began to unfold.
It started with one line from profiler Yoo Jihyung.
"Look at this. The red nail polish, the partially undressed torso, the murder weapon, and even the calm posture of the body right before rigor mortis set in. Wasn't a similar method used in the past? Among the unsolved cases?"
It turned out that the method and style of this murder matched the unsolved serial murders involving five corpses from years earlier.
Because of that, the entire country was thrown into chaos.
Then came Jung Yeonhee's line.
"He disappeared in 2004, and now you're saying he came back after six years?"
"It's not certain yet, but doesn't it look like his work? It feels like a flashy comeback."
"Then why now, all of a sudden?"
As the episode passed the midpoint, the tension in the drama steadily increased.
Naturally, thanks to the actors' performances, the atmosphere in the script reading room also heated up.
That was the moment.
"It gets smaller and smaller until it disappears."
PD Song Manwoo turned the page of the script and pointed to the next character.
"It's a quiet park. Ah, Woojin."
Assistant Manager Park appeared in the latter half of Episode 1.
"Assistant Manager Park's first appearance is a scene where he speaks alone without a partner, so capture that feeling well while expressing it appropriately. It would be good if you play it in a tone that matches the flow of the drama."
"Yes, understood. I'll keep it appropriate."
But since Woojin lacked experience, he didn't understand what "appropriate" really meant.
What did "appropriate" even mean here?
Was he supposed to tone it down?
Or do it casually?
Woojin didn't know.
Still, he made his own guess.
'Whew, I'm nervous. Since I'll be sitting anyway, I'll minimize movement and just express what I'm thinking properly.'
For Woojin, acting in front of more than a hundred people—and in a room full of actors, at that—was a first.
His heart felt like it might burst, but he couldn't show it.
He had to act as calmly and comfortably as possible.
He had to think of the imposing Assistant Manager Park.
He focused completely on his own experiences of seeing, observing, and feeling as Assistant Manager Park.
He reduced his movement just a little.
"Appropriately."
By doing that, the focused and meticulous Kang Woojin transformed perfectly into Assistant Manager Park.
It wasn't a gradual immersion into the character.
The atmosphere around Kang Woojin changed in an instant.
For him, it wasn't a difficult process.
He had read it dozens of times.
Experienced it.
Understood it.
And fully digested it.
Suddenly, the landscape before Woojin's eyes changed.
The hundreds of people disappeared, and in front of him spread a peaceful park in broad daylight.
The heat of the reading room turned into warm sunlight brushing against his skin.
The temperature was gentle.
Assistant Manager Park's expression looked mild.
It wasn't that he was overflowing with vitality.
It was simply that Kang Woojin was Assistant Manager Park.
Or maybe it didn't matter which one it was.
In the end, there was no real difference.
Slash.
Assistant Manager Park raised his head.
A gentle but haggard smile spread across his face.
It was an odd expression.
His eyes were dark, yet faint madness flickered inside them.
That alone was enough to make people uncomfortable.
Then, while staring into empty space, Assistant Manager Park suddenly erased his expression.
The strange smile from before vanished completely.
His face became smooth, without a trace of wrinkles.
Why?
It was a baffling shift.
Then Assistant Manager Park smiled again.
This time it was slightly different, broad enough to show his teeth.
There was a small gap in that visible smile.
A meaning was hidden in that subtle difference.
Any veteran actor would have noticed it instantly.
The actors watching Assistant Manager Park had their mouths slightly open.
They had never seen an expression like that before.
Even Hong Hyeyeon, who had been observing him closely and didn't want to miss a single moment, was no exception.
'He's overflowing with composure, without caring about nerves at all. It feels even more… profound than before. How did he prepare Part 2? Ah, I'm really looking forward to it.'
Writer Park Eunmi, who had created the character Assistant Manager Park, was no exception either.
'Showing off like this in front of top actors... I'm even more certain now than before. He really must be crazy. Is he still improving?'
PD Song Manwoo, who was overseeing the entire production, was no exception either.
'It's like he doesn't care at all about hundreds of eyes on him. His pride is through the roof. No matter what… ah, the monitor. I want to see that on a monitor right now.'
Assistant Manager Park lowered his head, then raised it again.
He slowly swept his gaze over the actors.
To the right.
Then to the left.
Because of the emotions he had built up, the actors couldn't take their eyes off him.
Soon—
Slash.
Assistant Manager Park's sharp gaze stopped in one place.
The one wearing a stunned expression was none other than male lead Ryu Jungmin.
No, more precisely, the person right next to him.
At that moment, Assistant Manager Park tilted his head slightly and smiled with his stiff face.
He was smiling, but there was no emotion at all in his eyes.
Anticipation wrapped itself around thrill and amusement.
After studying the area around Ryu Jungmin for a few seconds, Assistant Manager Park slowly parted his lips.
"Ah, there you are. You little bastard."
In that instant, Assistant Manager Park's target was male lead Ryu Jungmin.
"...An antisocial personality disorder."
The person encountering Kang Woojin for the first time muttered it without even realizing it.
"So that's what you mean by 'appropriate' acting?"
TL Note:
Hanryang refers to an idle, carefree, or loafing type of person.