Yoon Byungseon PD, one of the industry's biggest names, possessed not only outstanding planning ability, but also an exceptional talent for reading people and spotting star quality.
He had a gift for noticing the things others overlooked or dismissed.
Because of that, countless stars had passed through his hands.
With over ten years of experience in the entertainment industry and a uniquely sharp instinct, Yoon Byungseon PD had led multiple teams on his own.
At the same time, he ran the YouTube channel Sports Day, which had over three million subscribers, as well as the cable TV station HTBS.
Over the years, he had produced more than a hundred variety shows, from small-scale programs to massive productions.
At present, he was running three variety series on the Sports Day channel while also planning a new variety show for the cable station.
"You want to cast actor Kang Woojin?"
"That's right. I feel like that guy's potential is about to explode."
He had suddenly become interested in Kang Woojin.
"Do you think there's more to see in him besides his face and acting?"
The writers looked slightly baffled.
"...What exactly are you seeing in him?"
"Right. Other than his visuals and acting, is there anything else worth watching?"
Researching entertainers who might appear on a variety show was basic procedure.
But there was not much information on Kang Woojin.
Usually, when information was scarce, that meant there was nothing verified, and people tended to hesitate.
But Yoon Byungseon PD was the type who trusted his instincts.
"Look at his eyes. Those eyes. Don't you wonder what the subtle look in his eyes is like when he acts, or what his expression and voice are like in everyday life?"
"Do you?"
"Of course he's not a psychopath in real life, but if he has an atmosphere that contrasts with the role, it'll make for great footage. For example, what if he's actually energetic and lively when he's not acting?"
"That would be pretty cute."
Having almost made up his mind, Yoon Byungseon PD grinned.
"No matter what, if we keep digging, his charm will come out."
It was the kind of devilish smile commonly seen on a variety show PD.
Around lunchtime that same day, at Kang Woojin's studio apartment.
While the whole country was buzzing over Profiler Hanryang, Kang Woojin was, unexpectedly, at home.
Wearing a slightly worn T-shirt and jogging pants that looked like house clothes, he rested his chin on one hand and stared intently at his laptop screen.
At a glance, he looked exactly like the unemployed man he had been a few months ago.
"Hmm."
Choi Sunggeon had told him he would pick him up early in the afternoon, but Kang Woojin was in no rush.
Ever since the first broadcast of Profiler Hanryang, inquiries about Kang Woojin had been flooding into BW Entertainment.
The reaction was incomparably hotter than it had been for The Private Investigator.
But the reason Kang Woojin was still sitting here was simple.
It had been Choi Sunggeon's call.
"Appearance requests and interviews are pouring in from broadcasters and media outlets, but first impressions matter. It's much better to leave one strong impression than show up vaguely all over the place. For now, catch your breath and choose your projects carefully."
Basically, that meant cutting out all the smaller variety shows and interviews.
The plan was to maximize the drama's momentum first, then leave the rest to the media and public opinion.
It was a good call.
It had only been one day since the bomb went off.
So this morning, Kang Woojin had been contacting his family and close friends.
His parents had been ecstatic and did not hold back their praise.
Meanwhile, his younger sister Kang Hyuna still sounded like she couldn't believe it.
Oppa!! When did you get cast in the drama?? How many episodes are you in?? Are you done filming already??! And more importantly, how? Why? Why are you so good at acting??
His close friends were slightly better.
Even now, the group chat was still active.
On top of that, Woojin ignored all the messages from random people whose identities he didn't even know.
"Well, that's how it goes. This stuff is addictive. Seriously addictive."
Kang Woojin was extremely tired right now.
He had slept only about three hours because he had stayed up all night reading reactions and comments.
Being the center of that much attention was a very interesting feeling.
Especially—
@wooji_n
7 posts
47k followers
Following 0
His social media already had nearly fifty thousand followers crowding in.
It was a fascinating and unfamiliar experience.
Kang Woojin felt both joy and worry tangled together.
But for now, it was fine.
"Well, I should just enjoy this moment."
He closed the laptop and turned his gaze to the right.
Scripts and screenplays were piled up like a mountain.
They had been sent over by the agency.
Even at a glance, there were more than ten of them.
Since he finally had some time, he needed to go through them.
He had to decide what he was going to do next.
But for Kang Woojin, that process was actually simple.
Other actors had to spend days reading scripts.
Woojin only had to read them.
Poke!
All Kang Woojin had to do was tap the black square attached beside each script or screenplay.
If he went in and out of the void space repeatedly, he could check the grade first and then read the work.
That was how it worked for Kang Woojin.
"Ugh, E-grade? Cut."
He quickly went through the stack of projects.
"D-grade? Hmm, cut this too."
It was a scene that would have made other actors stomp their feet in envy if they had seen it.
But who cared?
Kang Woojin casually moved back and forth between reality and the void space.
He had his own standard.
"Cut everything below C."
As a result, almost everything was filtered out.
Film or drama, thriller or action, rom-com or melodrama—almost nothing survived.
Once again, Woojin realized something.
"A-grade and S-grade are really, really rare."
The Private Investigator and Profiler Hanryang had truly been exceptional.
After going through that process, only a single project remained.
-[4/Scenario (Title: Drug Dealer), B+ Grade]
"B+? Wasn't that the cameo role? Is that the one I'm supposed to do?"
It was a film titled Drug Dealer.
According to Choi Sunggeon's explanation, the Director had seen Woojin at the Mise-en-scène Film Festival.
The role was a cameo, but in film, a cameo often carried weight similar to a special appearance, and those roles usually left a strong impression.
"It's B+ right now, but it could go up, right?"
Kang Woojin opened the screenplay for Drug Dealer.
From the very first page, it gave off a strong crime thriller atmosphere.
Well, with a title like Drug Dealer, that was only natural.
Before he knew it, Woojin had started reading the screenplay with full concentration.
After about ten pages—
"Oh, this is interesting."
It was good.
Not only did the story flow well, but it also had that stimulating, sharp freshness unique to crime thrillers.
Of course, Kang Woojin's impression as a reader was simply that it was interesting.
Right then—
Bzzzz, bzzzzzz.
The phone lying nearby vibrated for a long time.
It was a call.
The caller was Choi Sunggeon.
Is he already on his way?
Woojin cleared his throat at the thought.
He couldn't let his guard down.
"Yes, CEO."
Behind Woojin's solemn expression, Choi Sunggeon's voice came through the phone, sounding slightly raised.
"Woojin, I'll pick you up around three. Let's go to the salon first."
"Three o'clock. Understood."
"But did you look over the scripts? Doesn't it feel a little excessive? Hurry, but check them carefully."
"I'm almost done checking them."
"Already? You already read all those projects?"
"No, I didn't read them all. I skimmed them, and they were all bad. The only one that seemed decent was Drug Dealer."
"Ah, the cameo appearance?"
"Yes."
"Hmm, alright. If it's your instinct, I'll trust it."
"Haha."
Choi Sunggeon laughed on the other end of the line.
Woojin thought he was only deepening the misunderstanding again, but decided to pretend he hadn't noticed.
"Is that so?"
"Ah, but by the way. The Director of Drug Dealer seems pretty busy, so if you're okay with it, I'd like to arrange the meeting as soon as possible."
"Yes, please do that."
Then Choi Sunggeon quickly changed the subject.
"And I got a call from Song PD too. You know Yoon Byungseon PD, right? Of course you do. He's famous in the variety world."
Of course Kang Woojin knew him.
Yoon Byungseon PD was closer to being a celebrity than just a PD.
He was a very familiar face to the public.
Woojin himself had enjoyed his variety shows.
But why was Choi Sunggeon suddenly bringing him up?
"Yes, I know Yoon Byungseon PD."
"The lead actors of Profiler Hanryang are going to start full-scale promotions this week. Hyeyeon is participating too, of course. And there's also a YouTube channel run by Yoon Byungseon PD called Sports Day. It airs every Thursday."
"I've seen it."
"It's a mix of variety and talk show. Would you be willing to do it? You wouldn't be going alone—the other actors would be there too. The recording time is short, and the format is simple. You just talk and play games."
A variety show?
Kang Woojin was startled inwardly and hesitated for a moment.
A variety show, all of a sudden?
Would that really be okay?
Wouldn't variety be risky? What if it messes with my concept?
He wasn't sure whether it would cause trouble for the image he was trying to maintain.
But after thinking it over again, it didn't seem that bad.
As an actor, he would have to go on variety shows someday anyway.
Wouldn't it be better to get used to it from the start?
Besides, it was a chance to appear on Yoon Byungseon PD's show—a place he had only ever watched on YouTube and TV.
Sometimes the things he had only imagined actually happened in real life, and Kang Woojin thought:
Well, who knows. If I do it right, it should be fine.
Without hesitation, he chose to move forward.
"I think it'll be fine. I'll do it."
A few hours later, at KBC Broadcasting Station.
Several people were seated in a medium-sized meeting room in the KBC drama department.
On one side of the U-shaped table sat three men.
Across from them sat a middle-aged woman.
The three men were CP-level executives from the drama department, and they were flattering the woman seated opposite them.
"Hahaha, Writer! It's really been a long time."
"You look much younger, you know? Like you're in your thirties."
In contrast, the tall, heavyset middle-aged woman replied coldly.
"Stop flattering me. Which part of me looks like I'm in my thirties? Anyone can see I'm in my fifties."
"Ah, Writer, this isn't flattery—it's sincerity. Genuine sincerity!"
The executives were laying it on thick.
The reason was simple.
That middle-aged woman was Writer Lee Wolsun.
Like Park Eunmi, she was also a star writer.
So naturally, the CP-level executives had no choice but to flatter her shamelessly.
Even so—
"Thank you for working with us again this time, Writer. We'll make a proper drama and surpass Writer Park Eunmi!"
When one of the staff boldly declared that, Lee Wolsun folded her arms, as if to say, Can we really do that?
"It's true that Writer Park matched the viewers' tastes perfectly. But can we really break twenty percent for the first episode? That won't be easy. Ah, let's not get carried away."
"Why not? It's absolutely possible! I read the script for the first episode, and even though it's a rom-com, it has a little thriller mixed in too, so it was really fun!"
"I'm glad to hear that."
"Good. Then shall we talk about pre-production first? We're at the stage of putting the staff together, and since the writer is already decided, that part isn't a problem. Ah, and by any chance, do you already have an actor in mind before the script is finished? I think it'd be easier if we reached out before pre-production goes into full swing."
To answer the question, Writer Lee Wolsun, who had been sitting with her arms folded, picked up the tablet prepared by the drama department.
Then she opened YouTube and searched for a video.
-[Special] A True Scene-Stealer! Assistant Manager Park's Impactful Scene Collection! Profiler Hanryang
It was a compilation video of Assistant Manager Park's scenes.
Soon, Writer Lee Wolsun pointed at one actor in the video.
"This one."
The CP side immediately agreed.
"Ah, Kang Woojin? He's causing quite a stir these days."
"Right? I heard he's being called Chungmuro's promising newcomer and rising rookie."
"The public response is good too, right?"
Writer Lee Wolsun cut in.
"I need this person. Of course, there aren't many writers like me, but he's extremely interesting. I heard from staff who know the situation on the Hanryang side well that Kang Woojin is very polite and calm. They also said he never once looked tired during filming. Most of all, what I like best is that he studied abroad."
"...Studied abroad? What do you mean by that?"
"I don't know exactly. I only heard that he came from overseas. Maybe that's why he gives off a different atmosphere from ordinary actors. I like his acting tone, and even though he's a rookie, he doesn't seem nervous at all. Overall, he's very interesting. Do you think it'd be possible to cast him?"
At her question, the executives smiled as if to reassure her.
"Of course! If Writer Lee Wolsun picked him, what is there to worry about?"
"He's a rookie—what choice does he have but to accept? Hahaha! If Writer-nim wants him, then of course we have to bring him in!"
Writer Lee Wolsun smiled weakly too.
"Make sure you tell Kang Woojin that I really, really want him."
Meanwhile, at Writer Park Eunmi's workspace.
Park Eunmi, wearing a headband, was typing furiously on her laptop.
She didn't even have time to celebrate the incredible result of Profiler Hanryang surpassing twenty percent ratings in its first episode.
"...Mm, no. It feels a little flat."
She was currently writing the final episode of Profiler Hanryang, but she couldn't focus.
Every chance she got, she checked the internet or YouTube to see viewers' reactions.
No matter how much of a star writer she was, she was still human.
Then—
"...Yah-ho!"
"I won!"
Somewhat loud cheering came from outside the room.
There were only assistant writers out there.
So Park Eunmi let out a small sigh, got up, and opened the door.
In the living room, about six assistant writers were making a commotion.
Seeing them, Park Eunmi sighed again.
"Ha... guys, my head is buzzing. Why are you all running around like this?"
A skinny assistant writer with glasses cautiously raised her hand.
"...Writer, I... I did it."
"Huh? Nana, you're a writer too, so why are you talking in choppy little fragments like that?"
"Sorry, sorry. I got selected in the Netflix contest."
Park Eunmi's eyes widened instantly.
"Oh my god! Really? The contest you all entered?"
"Yes, yes. The short drama competition."
Park Eunmi immediately yanked off her headband and grabbed the glasses-wearing assistant writer's hand.
"You did so well! Really, really well, Nana. But was it only you? What about the others? You all applied together, didn't you?"
"..."
"..."
"Hmm. You all belong to Park Eunmi's team, you know. Still, Nana managed to save my pride."
"Thank you... thank you. But it still doesn't feel real."
"Snap out of it! So what did you get? Did you win the grand prize?"
"No. Not first place—I got the Excellence Award."
"What does it matter what kind of prize it is? Grand prize or Excellence Award, it's all the same. I heard Netflix is turning all the winning entries from that contest into drama series, right?"
"Yes. I heard it's going to be a short drama series project."
Park Eunmi hugged the assistant writer once more.
"For a debut work, that's huge. Do your absolute best."
"Writer, thank you."
Seeing tears gather in the assistant writer's eyes, Park Eunmi suddenly asked,
"If it's Netflix, you'll probably get to choose the actors yourself. Do you already have someone in mind?"
The assistant writer hesitated for a moment, then muttered:
"Kang... Woojin. I completely fell for his acting."
"..."
Park Eunmi fell silent for a moment, then scratched her head and let out a soft sigh.
"Ha... Woojin? Hmm. That's too ambitious. Of course Woojin is technically a rookie, but he's very different from a typical rookie. No—very, very different. If you include the fact that he's self-taught, he's already built up quite a bit of acting experience. He's closer to a veteran actor. That's a pretty high wall, you know?"
"Is it really that much? Would it be difficult to cast him as the male lead?"
"It looked like they had quite a hard time getting Woojin too."
"You mean they did?"
"Yes. By now, Mr. Woojin is probably receiving a lot of scripts and screenplays, so there's really no reason for him to do a one-act drama."
"That... that could be true, I guess?"
Park Eunmi patted the suddenly dejected assistant writer on the shoulder.
"I'd like to ask Woojin directly, but that wouldn't be right. Still, I'll contact Netflix and have them send the script over. It doesn't cost anything, right? You never know—Woojin is a pretty unusual person."
Her expression hardened in an instant.
"But don't get your hopes up too much."