At the top of the chart was this:
[(1) New Release!] Boy Friend / Kang Woojin (Boy Friend OST Part 1)
[(2) ↓1] Blue Petal / Jua
[(3) ↓1] Screw You / DKM
[(4) ↑1] Where Does the Autumn Rain Fall (Acoustic Ver.) / Yoon Haim
[(5) ↓1] Bam Bidibam! / Bambi
·
·
·
The OST sung by Kang Woojin had taken first place just one day after its release.
What was interesting was that this explosive momentum carried straight into Japan.
At 3 p.m. on the 22nd—
『Boy Friend, which had already reached No. 1 on Netflix Korea, is now officially available on Netflix Japan』
Boy Friend was finally released on Netflix Japan.
──────────
The following day, the 23rd.
Da Nang, Vietnam.
It was around 9 a.m. The air was hot and humid, and the forest floor felt sticky beneath their feet. More than a dozen people in Korean military uniforms were running through the jungle.
"Huff! Ugh!"
"Don't stop!! Keep running!!"
"Damn it!! Are those bastards out during the day too?!"
Toward the back of the group, one familiar face stood out.
"Keep your eyes forward! Don't stop moving!"
It was top star Ryu Jungmin.
Or rather, at the moment, he was better known as Lieutenant Choi Yutae from the drama Island of the Missing.
And then—
"Cut, alright?"
A low voice rang out from where roughly a hundred staff members were gathered. It was Director Kwon Gitaek, his warm voice carrying clearly through the set.
"Let's change the angle and do it again."
Ryu Jungmin and the other actors were already filming their fourth take of the sprinting scene. Even while Kang Woojin was in Korea, filming for Island of the Missing had not stopped.
Meanwhile, inside a large tent set a little away from the filming area, the atmosphere was very different.
"Ugh, it's so hot. I swear I'm going to die of dehydration while filming."
The actors who were waiting for their turn were taking a break. Several people in military uniforms were visible. Kim Iwon was sprawled out, Jeon Woochang was gulping down water, and Ha Yura was cooling her face with a small handheld fan. The air conditioner inside the large tent was blasting at full power, but it was still hot.
Then Kim Iwon suddenly brought up Kang Woojin.
"I'm so jealous of Woojin. Seriously, unbelievably jealous."
By now, it seemed Kang Woojin had grown fairly close to the cast. Ha Yura, whose tall frame suited the military uniform especially well, directed the breeze from her mini fan into the collar of her shirt and joined in.
"Even after going back to Korea, Mr. Woojin must still be insanely busy. Boy Friend is doing great, and now the OST is blowing up one after another too."
Jeon Woochang reacted right away.
"But why are you still being so formal with Woojin? Can't you just talk comfortably?"
Ha Yura hesitated for a beat.
"...Ah, well. Woojin somehow feels a little intimidating."
"Huh? Intimidating? Ah, but once you actually talk to him, you realize he's a pretty decent guy. He just comes off cold."
"That's true."
Kim Iwon, who had been grinning to herself, laughed.
"Anyway, Boy Friend was fun, right? I watched a little before bed yesterday, and it was so sweet I nearly died."
Jeon Woochang chuckled along with her.
"Haha. I watched it too. Woojin's acting was good, huh?"
Kim Iwon quickly shot back,
"Ah, right. Which means Private Jin Seoncheol really was just invisible after all."
Ha Yura crossed her long legs, her expression thoughtful.
"Every time I watch him act, I get chills. It's like his face changes with every role and he turns into a completely different person each time. That's every actor's dream, but it's unbelievably hard to pull off."
Still deep in thought, she asked another question.
"Do any of you know anything about Woojin's past?"
Kim Iwon shrugged.
"Who knows? Everyone knows he studied abroad, right? Ah, do you remember when we went to that restaurant after filming and Woojin started speaking English? I almost fell for him on the spot because his English was so good. Unni, you've been to Hollywood too. What did you think of his English?"
Ha Yura answered calmly.
"Do I even need to say it? Just from hearing him, he sounds no worse than any Hollywood actor. But has that study-abroad story actually been confirmed? He never really talked about it before."
Kim Iwon gave another loose shrug.
"Who knows. He doesn't really talk about himself. Whether it's about English-speaking countries or Japan, even the staff don't seem to know much."
At that exact moment—
The flap of the tent opened.
Director Kwon Gitaek, wearing a safari hat, stuck his head inside.
"Everyone, come out. Let's talk about the next scene."
"Yes! We'll get ready and come right out!"
Just as Kwon Gitaek stepped back outside, wiping sweat from his forehead so he could give instructions to the assistant director—
♬♪
A ringtone sounded from his pocket.
The moment he saw the caller, he looked slightly startled.
'...!'
It was not an ordinary name.
'Director Ahn Gabok? Why is he calling me out of nowhere?'
The caller was the legendary veteran director Ahn Gabok. Kwon Gitaek immediately moved beneath the shade of a nearby tree and raised the phone to his ear.
"Yes, Director. It's been a while."
His tone was polite as always, but especially respectful. On the other end, Ahn Gabok's seasoned voice carried an easy calm.
"Director Kwon, have you been well? Our schedules have kept us from meeting for quite a while."
"Have you been well, Director? I heard you visited the hospital last year."
"I'm getting by, haha. Thank you. But tell me, you're in Vietnam right now, aren't you?"
"Yes. We came for an overseas location shoot."
"You must be busy. Let's skip the formalities and get straight to the point."
"Of course."
Ahn Gabok's question came immediately.
"It's about one of the actors in your film. Kang Woojin."
The moment Kang Woojin's name came up, even the normally calm Director Kwon's eyes widened slightly.
"...Ah, yes. Director. Mr. Woojin is currently back in Korea for a short break."
"Mm, I know that. But what do you think of him?"
The question was somewhat vague, but Kwon Gitaek quickly grasped Ahn Gabok's intent.
'He's interested in him. No, more than that. Is he considering Woojin for his hundredth film?'
Kwon answered with complete honesty, saying exactly what he had always thought.
"If you're asking about his acting ability, then he's at the highest level among the actors I've seen. By next year, I believe he'll have an overwhelming presence not only in the industry, but with the general public as well."
There was a brief silence on the line.
"...His acting."
Kwon continued, his voice serious.
"He may be the only actor who makes me feel lacking as a director."
Ahn Gabok's voice sharpened slightly.
"Are you saying he questions your directing? Isn't Kang Woojin still young?"
"If you mean experience, then in my opinion, Woojin's greatest weapon is experience."
"Hmm?"
"He does everything perfectly. Any role, any situation. It feels as if he's lived in the world of every character he plays."
Ahn Gabok fell silent again after hearing that.
A few seconds later, he finally spoke.
"Is that so?"
It sounded like too much praise. Kwon Gitaek gave a faint laugh.
"Actually, I toned it down."
──────────
Meanwhile, in Seoul, Korea—
It was around 11 a.m. in Korea, corresponding to 9 a.m. in Vietnam.
The location was a franchised street food restaurant in Seoul. The place was fairly spacious, but oddly enough, there wasn't a single customer inside. Instead, dozens of filming staff were busy moving around.
PD Yoon Byeongseon could be seen giving directions to the crew.
"Set up the tables for the cast first!"
"Yes! We're on it!"
In other words, it was the production team of the hit variety show Our Table. Small cameras had already been installed all over the large snack bar, and plenty of VJs with handheld cameras were moving around as well.
At any rate, all the preparations seemed to be finished.
Looking over the set, the area where the bespectacled PD Yoon Byeongseon was standing was the staff section, and in front of it sat a long white table. The chairs already had the cast members' names on them.
[Mr. Ahn Jonghak] [Ha Gangsu] [Hong Hyeyeon] [Kang Woojin] [Hwarin] [Yeon Baekgwang]
A powerhouse lineup of six cast members.
The Our Table team would be filming for about two days. This was the One-Day Restaurant shoot that had already been mentioned. So today would consist of member introductions, brief greetings, mealtime, and practice sessions divided by part. Tomorrow, they would go straight into the actual One-Day Restaurant shoot.
In any case—
"PD-nim! Kang Woojin is here!!"
The arrival of the first cast member was announced over the radio. Kang Woojin had arrived first.
Soon, Woojin stepped into the bustling restaurant and gave a slight bow. His short hair was lightly styled, and his makeup was understated. He was dressed in a thin shirt and slacks.
"Hello."
PD Yoon Byeongseon enthusiastically greeted him, and the staff followed right behind.
"Woojin!! Your song is so good!!"
"Boy Friend was so fun!!"
"Congratulations on getting number one on both Netflix and Melon!!"
"Woojin, you're doing so well that people keep mentioning our show too. Seriously, congratulations!"
Faced with the flood of attention and congratulations, Woojin answered properly while maintaining a calm expression, but inwardly he felt a little awkward.
'Oh man... I appreciate it, but this is kind of embarrassing. If I smile right now, I'm done for. I need to control my face.'
A strange tension lingered around him. While receiving congratulations, he let the staff attach his mic, and at the same time he took a look around the spacious restaurant.
'So this is that place that's been blowing up on Instagram lately? I heard it's cheap and the portions are huge.'
But why were they filming at a street food restaurant of all places?
Looking mildly puzzled, Kang Woojin took his seat among the cast. He ended up sitting somewhere near the middle.
Around then, Hwarin arrived. Wearing a fitted T-shirt and loose jeans, she took the seat on Woojin's left. As soon as she sat down with her mic already on, a pleasant fragrance drifted toward him.
"You came early, Mr. Woojin."
"Yes. It just happened that way."
There was no need for much greeting between them. Naturally, they had already seen each other the day before because of Boy Friend.
After glancing at him, Hwarin lowered her voice and asked,
"Out of the options... which part did you choose?"
The role assignment? Ah, she meant what part he had chosen for Our Table. Woojin answered quietly.
"Kitchen."
"The kitchen? Mr. Woojin, are you good at cooking?"
"Not really. I'm just decent."
Hwarin responded calmly, but inwardly she regretted her own choice.
'Ah! I should've picked the kitchen too! I wanted to see Woojin cooking!'
Oblivious to that, Woojin asked her in return,
"What about you, Hwarin?"
"Ah, I'm doing floor arrangement and... what was it... simple drinks, I think. But Mr. Woojin, do you like cooking?"
"Not especially. I just know how to do it."
Their conversation was already being recorded as part of Our Table's audio. Watching the two of them with satisfaction, PD Yoon Byeongseon spoke to the writers.
"Get frontal and side shots of those two. There's a carryover effect from Boy Friend, and they really do look great together."
While everyone's attention was focused on getting two-shots of Kang Woojin and Hwarin, another cast member arrived at the restaurant.
It was top actress Hong Hyeyeon, her long hair flowing as she walked in wearing a lime-colored knit top.
"Hello."
"Oh! Hyeyeon! Welcome!"
She too was fitted with a mic as soon as she arrived. Meanwhile, Hong Hyeyeon noticed right away that the cameras were focused on the table where Kang Woojin and Hwarin were talking.
For a brief moment, she paused.
'Those two look that good together? Really?'
It was a slightly awkward thought, but she fixed her expression quickly and moved over. Pulling out the chair to Woojin's right, she sat down and greeted them.
"Hi."
"Unni! Your hair looks really pretty today!"
"Thank you. But, Mr. Woojin."
"Yes. Hello."
"We're in the same agency, right?"
"Aren't we?"
She let out a small laugh as she sat down, apparently amused by the ridiculousness of the situation.
"We're in the same agency, but I only hear news about you through articles. Please call me sometimes. It feels like I'm always the only one reaching out."
For Kang Woojin, the fact that Hong Hyeyeon had contacted him at all was proof that he really had made it. He congratulated himself inwardly, though he showed nothing on the outside.
"Yes. I just haven't had the chance to contact you yet."
"Alright... anyway, you know I'm joining the Island of the Missing shoot in Vietnam, right?"
"Yes, I heard."
Kang Woojin would be returning there for filming, and Hong Hyeyeon for a friendly appearance. It almost made it feel as though the two of them were going to Vietnam together.
"Vietnam is hot, right?"
"It's manageable."
It absolutely was not. It was closer to hell. But Woojin kept a calm face.
"Time passes very quickly there."
"Jungmin oppa told me not to come because it was too hot."
"I see."
"Hmm... anyway, which part did you choose here?"
"Kitchen."
"Ah, me too. Then we're on the same team. I heard they're pairing people up in twos."
"Really?"
Just like that, Kang Woojin and Hong Hyeyeon ended up on the same kitchen team.
At that moment, Hwarin glanced in their direction, and Woojin noticed a familiar face among the kitchen staff.
It was his close friend, Kim Daeyoung.
For some reason, Kim Daeyoung was grinning brightly at him.
So Woojin cursed him with his eyes.
'What are you looking at, you bastard?'
Kim Daeyoung answered in kind.
'Looking cool, idiot.'
And that was when it happened.
"...Really?"
"Wow..."
Some of the cast still had not arrived, but the dozens of staff members at the front suddenly began murmuring. Their surprise was obvious. Looking more closely, it seemed Choi Sunggeon had whispered something to PD Yoon Byeongseon, and the rumor had spread around the set in an instant.
Then—
"Wow! Those two have more good news again?! Everyone, let's give them a big round of applause!"
The staff suddenly burst into applause.
-Clap clap clap clap clap!!
Of course, all of this was happening while the cameras were rolling. Smiling broadly, PD Yoon Byeongseon announced the reason.
"Boy Friend, starring Woojin and Hwarin, was released on Netflix Japan yesterday! And it's already ranked number one there too!!"
"Wow! In Japan too?!"
"That's insane! It just keeps exploding!"
Really?
Woojin was genuinely surprised. He immediately looked toward Choi Sunggeon, who was standing next to PD Yoon Byeongseon, to confirm it. Choi Sunggeon flashed a grin and raised a thumbs-up.
And then—
Bzzz, bzzz.
A long vibration came from Choi Sunggeon's pocket. He stepped out of the noisy set and checked the caller.
It was an unknown number.
Thinking it probably wasn't a big deal, he answered anyway.
"Hello, this is Choi Sunggeon."
An elderly voice came through the receiver.
"Hello, CEO Choi. This is Ahn Gabok."
Choi Sunggeon blinked, unable to believe what he had just heard.
"...Excuse me? Who is this?"
The familiar voice came again.
"Director Ahn Gabok."
And then, clearly and without hesitation—
"I would like to meet actor Kang Woojin."
The moment Choi Sunggeon realized who was calling, his eyes shook with surprise.
"Our Woojin?"
Director Ahn Gabok was a giant of the Korean film industry.
──────────
At the same time—
October 23rd, 11:30 a.m.
Most weekly theater schedules at Korean cinemas had just been released. That included the three major multiplex chains. The listings covered today, Friday, through Thursday, October 29th.
Among them was this:
[CCV]
[Wednesday, October 28 / Screening Times]
[2D / Drug Dealer / Rated: 18+ / Theater 5]
[9:10~11:12], [12:30~14:32], [16:30~18:32], [20:10~22:42], [23:10~25:37]
—
[2D / Drug Dealer / Rated: 18+ / Theater 5]
[9:30~11:32], [12:50~14:52], [16:50~18:52], [19:30~21:32]
·
·
·
·
Drug Dealer had been included as well.