"Ametalk Show!?"
The PD's surprise had a simple reason. Kang Woojin's Japanese was flawless. Not just the PD, but the entire Ametalk Show! team on site felt the same way.
The PD asked again, this time more directly.
"Your Japanese is… extremely good, isn't it?"
Woojin nodded with a calm, serious expression.
"I know enough to get by."
Enough to get by? It had only been a short exchange, but his pronunciation already sounded native. The thin PD looked slightly taken aback as he studied Woojin with a puzzled gaze.
'He feels completely different from his character in Hanryang.'
Tall, with a strong presence that suited an actor, and a deep voice to match. Was this his real self? The PD found his curiosity growing. It was normal for actors to differ from their roles, but the man in front of him carried a particularly striking duality.
'And he speaks Japanese too. That's a strong advantage.'
Being able to use the local language mattered, especially for a talk show. From the viewers' perspective, the presence or absence of an interpreter made a huge difference.
Just then, a man with a tied-back ponytail stepped in behind Woojin, greeting them in somewhat awkward Japanese.
"Hello—"
It was Choi Sunggeon. He offered a gentle smile as he greeted everyone.
"I'm Choi Sunggeon, CEO of BW Entertainment."
The Ametalk Show! PD responded immediately.
"I'm Shinjo Shiki, the main PD of the talk show."
After introductions were completed, including the writer and interpreter, and a few business cards were exchanged, everyone—including Kang Woojin—took their seats at the table. Judging by how Choi Sunggeon ordered drinks from the staff, it seemed the meeting would naturally lead into a meal.
──────────
Choi Sunggeon smiled first at PD Shinjo across from him.
"To be honest, I was surprised. I heard Hanryang was gaining popularity in Japan, but I didn't expect a Japanese talk show to reach out to Woojin."
The interpreter relayed his words. PD Shinjo, who had been observing Woojin, replied in Japanese with a polite smile.
"Profiler Hanryang is currently very popular in Japan. It's gone beyond simply gaining attention. Naturally, there's strong interest in the actors as well."
"Would you say Woojin's recognition is high?"
"Yes. Before contacting you, we looked into it. On social media, Kang Woojin-san is mentioned almost as frequently as the lead actors."
Choi Sunggeon already knew that, but he chose to react as if hearing it for the first time. It helped maintain a better atmosphere.
Around then, Shinjo PD's gaze shifted from Choi Sunggeon to Kang Woojin.
An expressionless face.
'Is he in a bad mood, or is he always like this?'
Meanwhile, Woojin seemed mildly intrigued as he observed the Ametalk Show! team.
'Japanese variety teams feel more serious than I expected. Completely different from Yoon Byungseon PD's crew.'
The contrast was clear.
'They feel closer to a documentary team. Still, in a setting like this, my image probably works well.'
His calm indifference only deepened. Shinjo PD, unaware of that, continued forming his own evaluation.
"He's quiet, which isn't unusual in Japan, but he's still a rookie who debuted with Hanryang. Yet he feels experienced. What do you think?"
The Kang Woojin sitting before him carried a heavier presence than expected. His filmography, which Shinjo PD had already reviewed, was anything but ordinary. Starting with Director Kwon Gitaek, a well-known name in Japan, the projects Woojin was involved in all featured major figures.
He had not even been active for a full year.
That alone was enough to spark curiosity. In both Korea and Japan, there had never been a rookie with such a striking trajectory.
And more than that—
'Every project he's been in has succeeded.'
Kang Woojin had yet to experience failure. The more Shinjo PD looked into him, the more unusual he seemed. And on top of that, he spoke Japanese fluently. While it was known that Korean agencies trained rookies in foreign languages, Woojin's level did not feel like the result of standard training.
Then—
"PD."
Woojin, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. In Japanese.
"Thank you for coming all the way to Korea. Could you tell us about your plans?"
The more he spoke, the more impressed Shinjo PD became. Woojin's presence felt entirely Korean, yet his Japanese was effortlessly natural. That contrast created a strange, compelling charm.
Shinjo PD answered.
"We're planning to focus on the four villains from Hanryang."
Even as he explained, his conclusion had already settled.
'It has to be him. Woojin should be the center. He'll carry the show.'
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The morning of August 1st, at a media company.
The newsroom was relatively quiet, likely because it was still early. Among the reporters, one man with a slightly protruding chin stared at his laptop, clicking rapidly.
Click, click.
His bloodshot eyes suggested a lack of sleep. He was the reporter who had stumbled upon posts about Kang Woojin's past in an online community. Since the day before, he had been gathering information nonstop.
"Tch, there are too many comments on YouTube. This is a pain."
His investigation had expanded from online communities to YouTube, and then to social media. That included Kang Woojin's own account.
@Wooji_n
Posts: 71
Followers: 1.538 million
Following: 9
He combed through countless posts mentioning or tagging Woojin. It was tedious, endless work, but his drive as a reporter kept him going.
It was not a guaranteed scoop, but the material he found was strong enough to elevate his record.
Handled well, it could create a significant stir. After all, this was about Kang Woojin—a rookie who had quickly risen, set multiple records, and shaken the industry.
The initial discovery had been accidental.
"Heh, this is good. It'll draw attention."
As he dug deeper, he found multiple posts with similar claims, along with matching comments. So far, more than five pieces of content pointed to the same theme: changes in Kang Woojin's personality, with mentions of shared backgrounds—same company, university, or high school.
As he gathered material, he began crafting headlines.
Multiple personalities? A life of acting?
Whatever angle he chose, it had to be provocative.
Otherwise, the effort would mean nothing.
At that moment, he found another comment beneath a video related to Assistant Manager Park. He had already drafted the opening line in his head.
"Should I include 'multiple personalities' in the title?"
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Meanwhile, the Boy Friend film crew had moved on from high school scenes to university filming. The midsummer heat pressed down harder with each passing day.
"Action!"
They were filming at a university known for its beautiful campus. Like the high school before it, the campus was mostly empty due to break.
"Wow, why is Kang Woojin's face so small?"
"And his proportions are insane. No wonder he's popular. I loved Hanryang. Who would think Assistant Manager Park was a psychopath? He just looks like a handsome actor."
"Hwarin looks amazing too. How are her proportions like that?"
"She's seriously pretty. She'd probably look good even right after waking up."
University staff gathered nearby as filming took place on the lawn in front of the main building. Surrounded by cameras and reflectors, Woojin performed an intense scene.
"Cut! Good! Nice work, Woojin! Back to positions!"
"Yes, Director."
It was his solo scene. A short distance away, Hwarin sat reading her script, legs crossed, wearing a cropped top that revealed her waist.
At that moment, Choi Sunggeon approached quietly. His expression carried a subtle hint of intent.
"Hwarin."
She looked up, slightly startled, then stood and greeted him.
"Ah, hello."
"Am I interrupting?"
"No, it's fine."
She set her script aside. While she knew who Choi Sunggeon was, they had never spoken before.
"CEO-nim, is there something you need?"
"Nothing urgent. I just wanted to talk for a moment."
"Of course."
"Woojin is planning to cover one of Elani's hit songs."
Surprise flickered across her face.
"A cover? Woojin is singing our song?"
"Exactly. The song is Ballerina."
A hit track from three years ago, widely popular in both Korea and Japan.
"Woojin is launching a YouTube channel. Ballerina will be the first release."
Understanding dawned immediately.
'Wait. A YouTube channel? Then I'll get to hear him sing more often?'
Excitement surged, but she suppressed it with a light cough.
"I did think his voice was too good not to use, after hearing the OST recording."
"Exactly. Since you and Woojin have a connection, we chose an Elani song. And this is still confidential."
"Understood. I'll keep it to myself."
"Thank you. I thought it was right to let you know first."
"It'll be rearranged?"
"Yes. It's almost done."
That was all he revealed. Even so, anticipation filled her.
'What kind of arrangement will it be? The key will probably be lowered. I want to hear it already.'
She steadied herself.
"There are already many covers of Ballerina."
Choi Sunggeon smiled.
"Please listen when it's uploaded."
"I will."
"And if you like it, a single post would mean a lot."
Her influence was enormous—18 million followers, and over 10 million subscribers on Elani's channel.
One line would be enough.
"If I like it, I'll post."
Choi Sunggeon only smiled.
'There's no way she won't like it.'
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Two days later, early morning.
At a recording studio near Samseong Station.
Inside the spacious room, lined with instruments, a man in a cap sat working alone. Music played briefly.
♬♪
Then stopped. Then repeated.
The door opened.
Thud.
Kang Woojin stepped in, looking slightly tired. He glanced around.
'Bigger than I expected. And it smells good… something woody.'
He greeted the man.
"Hello."
The man stood as if he had been waiting.
"Hello. I enjoyed Hanryang."
"Thank you."
Soon, others entered behind Woojin—Choi Sunggeon, Jang Suhwan, Han Yejung, and the YouTube team.
The quiet studio filled with noise.
"I came as soon as I heard the song was finished."
The composition was complete.
Woojin stared at the recording booth.
'I'm really doing this.'
The official recording would soon be released.
'There are a lot of people watching… this is a bit embarrassing.'
It was the beginning of his first cover song.