When Kang Woojin first arrived at the C-Blue Studio building, the one who greeted him was—
"Hello, Mr. Kang Woojin."
It was the same man he had seen earlier in the meeting room.
The production manager of Profiler Hanryang.
He had a rather sharp look to him.
What felt strange, though, was the atmosphere he gave off toward Woojin.
"This way, please."
At first glance, he seemed normal enough.
But something about him felt slightly off.
'Something's weird. Does he dislike me?'
The production manager gave off an odd mix of politeness and discomfort.
The moment he stepped into the elevator with Woojin, he started muttering in a strange tone.
"Phew, first of all, Mr. Kang Woojin. You could say this whole situation is almost unprecedented. I've got some production experience myself, but this is a first for me too. The audition process, and today's appearance fee negotiation as well."
A negotiation?
'So today, they're really negotiating my appearance fee?'
He did not understand right away, but Kang Woojin kept his mouth shut.
Then the production manager continued.
"To be honest, I'm somewhat against it. But both the PD and the writer are firmly determined to move forward with this, and they both think very highly of you. I feel like I should stop it, but those two are incredibly passionate when it comes to creating a project..."
Trailing off, the production manager met Woojin's eyes.
There was seriousness in his gaze.
"I don't know exactly what amount you're hoping for, but the figure we mention today is already far above average. Even if you end up feeling disappointed, I'd appreciate it if you could take the current market situation and every aspect of the production process into account."
At that moment, Kang Woojin sensed there was a slight misunderstanding at work.
But the production manager kept going.
"I know you're exceptional in many ways. That has definitely been reflected here. I heard you taught yourself acting. We also took into consideration the long road you walked alone on such a difficult path. Of course, the PD and the writer both understand that well too."
"I see."
"But if you're going to put yourself out there, then you also have to care about how others see you. It's not good if bad rumors start following you right from the beginning."
'He's kinder than I expected. Is he worried about me?'
Whether that was really the case or not, the production manager let out a light sigh and wrapped up his point.
"I'm telling you this in case it helps you think things through before you meet the PD."
"Understood."
Kang Woojin kept a calm expression.
In truth, he had already lowered his expectations because of what Kim Daeyoung had told him at the barbecue place the day before.
"Honestly, even if they offer you three million won per episode, you should be grateful. Just getting cast means your life's already completely changed."
Still, he had figured they would give him at least more than that.
But after seeing the production manager's reaction, he changed his mind.
'Still... should I keep at least a little hope alive?'
It really was an unusual situation.
And Kang Woojin could feel just how unusual it was the moment he sat down with PD Song Manwoo.
"Your appearance fee will be 2.5 million won per episode. What do you think?"
Two and a half million won?
That was almost nine hundred times three thousand.
Kang Woojin's blank face twitched slightly.
'Wait a second. I don't know if that's before taxes or after, but isn't 2.5 million won more than my monthly salary?'
Back when he worked at the design company, he used to make around 2.3 million won a month.
It was such a tiny reaction that an ordinary person would never have noticed it.
But PD Song Manwoo, who had spent years directing and missed none of the finer details, caught even that slight tremor.
'Does he think the role he's been given is lacking? Hmm... well, the role of Assistant Manager Park definitely isn't an easy one.'
Meanwhile, Woojin recalled what the production manager had said earlier.
Something about this being a first.
In any case, the situation was definitely unusual.
Which meant that 2.5 million won per episode was an extremely exceptional amount.
At that very moment—
"Mr. Woojin, rookie appearance fees usually fall somewhere between 200,000 and 400,000 won per episode."
Sitting across from the expressionless Woojin, PD Song Manwoo clasped his hands together and began to explain.
"There can be some slight variation depending on the size of the role, but generally speaking, that's about the limit. However, in your case, you're exceptional, so I thought treating you like an ordinary rookie would be a bit much."
It was excellent judgment.
But that was not all.
"Just in case you're not aware, the 2.5 million won per episode we're offering does not include reruns, YouTube revenue, or any other secondary royalties."
"Hmm."
Listening to the explanation, Kang Woojin quietly let out a breath.
Inside, he was delighted.
Of course, that reaction was calculated too.
At the same time, PD Song Manwoo was already doing calculations of his own.
"We still haven't finalized exactly how many episodes Assistant Manager Park will appear in, but at the moment it looks like up to four. Even with just four appearances, that puts the appearance fee at around 10 million won. And if you appear later in flashbacks or dream scenes, those would be paid appearances as well. So it would exceed 10 million won."
Kang Woojin responded as calmly as possible.
"I had a rough idea."
In an instant, the total was already in the range of tens of millions of won.
And rerun and YouTube fees were separate on top of that.
'Wow, damn. Even for someone as unusual as me, that's a lot of money. Then how much does a top actress like Hong Hyeyeon make? No, what about even the lower-ranked actors?'
The answer came immediately from PD Song Manwoo.
"Mr. Woojin, if things go well for you, you'll soon be earning tens of millions of won per episode."
Kang Woojin froze for a moment.
Tens of millions per episode?
That was the kind of number he had only ever seen in articles or on the news.
And that kind of thing was going to happen to him?
Then PD Song Manwoo asked again.
"So. 2.5 million won per episode. What do you think?"
"..."
But Kang Woojin did not answer right away.
Something about the flow of the situation felt strange.
2.5 million won per episode was not a small amount.
If anything, it was more than enough.
At that moment, curiosity suddenly rose within him.
No—
he needed certainty.
About his own current value.
Since he lacked information about the entertainment industry, he preferred knowing clearly over guessing vaguely. He thought that if he knew for certain, it would give him confidence in his acting career going forward.
So Kang Woojin asked in a cool voice,
"Is my appearance fee around 2.5 million won per episode?"
To PD Song Manwoo, seated across from him—
'...Judging from the slight shift in his expression earlier and the way he's reacting now, he seems a little disappointed.'
A heavy, somewhat negative atmosphere filled the room.
That was only possible because of the exceptional acting Kang Woojin had shown so far.
A brief silence passed.
At that moment, Writer Park Eunmi's cold voice echoed in PD Song Manwoo's head.
'Let me tell you just one thing. Don't be stingy with money.'
Soon, PD Song Manwoo slowly nodded.
Right.
A few extra won was not what mattered.
The important thing was casting actor Kang Woojin.
Assistant Manager Park was a crucial character who would drive the early part of the drama in a powerful way, and the value of what Woojin would bring to it would far exceed the appearance fee by dozens of times.
He was not just some average actor.
He was a rare, genuine actor.
And he had already proven that himself.
At the same time, PD Song Manwoo briefly glanced at the production manager seated beside him.
"Alright, Woojin."
He suddenly addressed Kang Woojin directly.
"3.5 million won per episode. This is my personal judgment, and even looking back on my directing career, this is an unprecedented amount."
The appearance fee had just been raised on the spot.
The resigned look on the production manager's face was a bonus.
Then PD Song Manwoo spoke firmly.
"But we'll add a confidentiality clause to the contract regarding both your appearance fee and the casting process. What do you think?"
Kang Woojin, who had been sitting still, met PD Song Manwoo's eyes and answered flatly.
"I think that's reasonable."
Later—
Kang Woojin received a detailed explanation of the contract conditions from PD Song Manwoo and the production manager.
He also got a briefing on the overall production schedule for the drama Profiler Hanryang.
Most of the explanation came from the production manager.
"Woojin, as you've heard, we're already in progress. And the pace is pretty fast. Since this is a project with PD Song and Writer Park, and the whole staff is all-in on it, that's only natural..."
The explanation was long, but the summary was simple.
The staff lineup had already been completed, and set construction was underway.
Starting tomorrow, full-scale actor casting would begin.
The key point was that the pace of progress was extremely fast.
That was only possible because the PD and writer were both so famous.
There were no obstacles in investment, production, promotion, or anything else.
Kang Woojin found himself buried under an avalanche of unfamiliar information.
There was so much of it that it was hard even to process, but he committed all the key terms to memory.
His memory was not bad.
For meticulous design work, good memory was essential.
Even so, Kang Woojin remained calm.
"Understood."
Or sometimes he would simply say,
"I understand."
He just had to match the situation.
Eventually, the meeting neared its end, and PD Song Manwoo wrapped things up.
"Woojin. Once the official bound script comes out, I'll give it to you. I'll contact you separately once work on Episode 3 starts. Usually these things go through an agency, but you don't have one yet, right?"
"Not yet."
"That's fine. You don't need an agency right away. Before filming starts, you can review the storyboard and prepare things like costumes in advance. You just need to pay a little more attention. There's no need to rush into finding an agency."
"..."
"Anyway, once Profiler Hanryang airs, agencies will come flocking to you. Maybe even before that."
"Then what should I prepare?"
"Hmm, for now, just keep practicing your acting. I'll give you the draft script today."
After that, the production manager added another note.
"At the current speed, the script reading will probably begin at the end of this month or in early March."
So—
"Then, Mr. Kang Woojin, we look forward to the performance you'll show us as Assistant Manager Park."
"I'll do my best."
Kang Woojin finalized the contract.
"Haha, Woojin, I'd really appreciate it if you work hard. Writer Park will be thrilled when she hears this."
In other words, at that moment, he had officially joined that impressive lineup as an actor.
A few dozen minutes later.
Kang Woojin calmly stepped out of the C-Blue Studio building.
The moment he felt the cold wind, he pulled up the zipper of his padded jacket.
Ziiip.
Then he stopped.
Kang Woojin lowered his gaze to the contract in his hand.
Unconsciously, he glanced back over his shoulder and muttered,
"Damn. I really signed a contract."
Unlike yesterday, the title attached to Kang Woojin's name today was now actor.
Actor Kang Woojin.
Could life really be overturned in a single instant like this?
Then—
Swoosh.
Watching people walking along the sidewalk, Kang Woojin muttered,
"So from now on... those people are going to see me on TV?"
He felt a strange emotion, though he could not tell exactly what it was.
But there was definitely a restless sort of tension inside him.
Maybe this was what people called excitement.
Whatever the case, Kang Woojin's life had changed by 180 degrees.
From that moment on, he was an actor.
Because of that, even his shoulders felt lighter as he walked.
Then suddenly—
'An agency? So I'm going to get an agency soon, right? Then does that mean I'll get a manager too? Wow, my own manager? That's seriously cool.'
His thoughts drifted toward agencies.
Of course, he had already heard about them from PD Song Manwoo, but what Kim Daeyoung had told him the day before felt much more realistic.
"Entertainment agencies? Whether they're big or small, each has pros and cons. Large agencies might have strong financial backing, but they also interfere more. Smaller agencies may lack money, but they can focus on you more and give you more freedom. But why are you asking about agencies in the first place?"
Woojin felt slightly worried.
But it was closer to the kind of worry that came with happiness.
When would the day come when he would have to choose an agency?
At the thought, Woojin smiled faintly.
Bzzzzzzzz.
A long vibration came from the phone in the pocket of his padded jacket.
It was a call.
And the caller was—
Mom.
It was Kang Woojin's mother.
At that moment, Woojin was hit by a cold dose of reality.
"Ah, right. I need to tell my parents."
Kang Woojin's parents lived in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province.
Even if he ignored the younger sister he was related to by blood, he still absolutely had to tell his parents about this.
So—
Whoosh.
Woojin let out a small sigh and raised the phone to his ear.
"Yeah, Mom."
Right away, he heard his mother's slightly rough voice.
"Where are you?"
"I stepped out for a bit. Why?"
"So, did you get a new job?"
"Ah, um. Well, I guess you could say that."
"What?"
His mother asked again in surprise.
At that, Kang Woojin did not beat around the bush and answered directly.
"Mom, I think I'm going to become an actor."
"..."
After a brief silence, his mother fired back sharply.
"Do you want to go to the hospital?"
Two days later, Sunday the 16th.
The weekend had arrived.
What was interesting was that starting yesterday, Saturday, and continuing through today, rumors about Kang Woojin had begun to spread.
Of course, not rumors that mentioned his name directly.
"You know Writer Park's drama, right? Profiler Hanryang. Has someone already been cast for the role of Assistant Manager Park?"
He had become the center of attention as a hidden gem of an actor.
Maybe that was only natural.
Profiler Hanryang had already become a hot topic among numerous domestic production companies and agencies, and news about the audition for Assistant Manager Park had already spread all over the place.
So it was inevitable that rumors would spread about some unknown actor suddenly taking the role.
"Do you know Profiler Hanryang? They're saying the second male lead after Hong Hyeyeon has already been finalized. Is that true?"
"Really? That's the first I'm hearing of it."
The source of the rumor was C-Blue Studio, the production company.
At first only a few people knew, but as always, rumors slowly spread outward.
"What's the name of the actor playing Assistant Manager Park?"
"Well, I'm not sure. They're keeping it secret, so maybe it's some famous actor we'd never expect."
And by Sunday afternoon, that news had reached around a hundred staff members waiting on the Profiler Hanryang production.
The filming team, lighting team, costume team, set team, and every other department had all heard that after Hong Hyeyeon, the actor for Assistant Manager Park had also been finalized.
There was nothing strange about all the staff hearing that an actor had been cast.
"Lighting Director! Did you hear the news?? They say the actor for Assistant Manager Park has been decided!"
"I know, I know, quiet—up until a few weeks ago, they were saying they were going to revise the character... But who's the actor? Who did picky Writer Park cast?"
"I don't know either. Even you don't know, Director? I called because I figured you might."
What was strange was that no one had confirmed the actor's name.
From that point on, rumors about the actor who had secretly landed the role of Assistant Manager Park spread rapidly, and naturally, some false information got mixed in too.
"I heard it's Kim Huyeon."
"Kim Huyeon? He's filming a movie right now, isn't he? And does Kim Huyeon even have the acting chops to pull off Assistant Manager Park? I feel like he'd fall a little short."
"Well, I heard it from the lighting team."
Some pieces of information seemed to have clearer sources.
"I also heard that actor worked overseas."
"Huh?? Overseas?"
"Yeah. That rumor seems to have come from the production company."
As this continued, curiosity about the mysterious actor only grew stronger.
Of course, most of it was baseless gossip, but everyone on the production staff treated one assumption as fact.
"Still, if PD Song and Writer Park were impressed, then that actor's skills must be solid. Coming in right after Hong Hyeyeon? Doesn't that basically mean future top-star material? Even if not top-tier, at least A-list."
They assumed the actor had to be pretty famous.
After that, the rumor spread from the staff to the press, entertainment agencies, all sorts of production companies, and broadcasters.
The entertainment industry, in particular, picked up this groundless rumor quickly.
And because the production itself was already such a hot topic, it ended up fueling even more buzz for the drama.
Out of everyone, it was the agencies that reacted the most sensitively.
"Ah! Damn it, someone already got the Assistant Manager Park role?? I've been waiting ever since they said the character was being reworked!"
They had all been desperate for a chance to get involved in Profiler Hanryang, one of the most anticipated projects of the first half of the year.
So naturally, it was frustrating to learn that someone had taken that spot without even going through an audition.
"I thought only Hong Hyeyeon had been confirmed! Then who is it?"
"Well, nothing's been officially announced yet."
In any case, Kang Woojin was gradually becoming known in the industry even without his name being revealed.
Of course, Kang Woojin himself, who was at home preparing to enter the void space, had no idea any of this was happening.
"Should I try another role from Episode 1 of Profiler Hanryang_? Ah, before that, let's eat chicken first. To celebrate."_
He looked extremely relaxed.