Two actors had now been confirmed for Leech: rookie Kang Woojin and veteran actor Shim Hanho, who had been in the industry for thirty years.
The difference in their presence was stark. At a glance, they seemed like a mismatched pair. But that very contrast only heightened the appeal, building anticipation instead. The gap in their acting alone was enough to spark curiosity.
As a result, interest surged.
Whether it was the media, public opinion, or the countless anonymous voices within the entertainment industry, this casting was likely unprecedented in Korean entertainment history.
At least, that was how Shim Hanho saw it.
'An actor like Kang Woojin doesn't come around often.'
For decades—through all the years he had been active—Shim Hanho had never encountered someone like Kang Woojin.
He had not even seen his acting in person yet. And still, for someone to display that level of presence and influence within just a single year… it was unheard of.
And it wasn't stopping at Korea.
It was already expanding into Japan.
Shim Hanho, on the other hand, had built his acting skills and filmography step by step. It had taken him nearly five years just to become known to the public.
Kang Woojin was the complete opposite.
That was why Shim Hanho found him so compelling.
There was even a faint trace of jealousy.
The fact that Kang Woojin and Shim Hanho would face each other in Leech had been announced earlier that day by Director Ahn Gabo at the Night of Stars party.
Soon after, Shim Hanho spoke in a low voice to Director Ahn Gabo, who wore a faint smile.
"If you announce it here, it's going to cause a scene."
Director Ahn nodded as if he already understood and turned his gaze out the window. Dozens of reporters holding cameras were gathered near the entrance of the luxury hotel. Inside the banquet hall, there would be actors, directors, and industry figures everywhere.
"Yes, it'll be quite a commotion."
"You don't like noisy situations, do you?"
"The older I get, the more I prefer peace and quiet. But if I'm going to throw in firewood, it might as well catch properly."
"If you're going to start a fire, you mean."
"You throw in the firewood when the flames are already roaring. Haha."
Shim Hanho crossed his arms and studied the short-haired, gray-haired director for a moment.
"Senior, you seem a bit excited."
"Hm. It's been a long time since something felt this fun. Isn't it nice? You and I had our moments too. Not quite like that kid, though."
"..."
'To be honest, this is just an old man meddling. Still… I'm curious. How far will that kid go?'
Muttering to himself, Director Ahn shifted his gaze toward Shim Hanho and deepened the smile lining his face.
"Someone as seasoned as you, someone who survived the back alleys of this industry… you might end up getting pushed aside."
"Your jokes are still sharp."
"Half a joke, half the truth. You still haven't seen Kang Woojin act in person, have you?"
"…Hm. It's been a while since I've felt this irritated."
"Good. That's a very useful mindset for an actor."
Shim Hanho gave a small shrug and changed the subject.
"So when during the party are you planning to announce it?"
"Hm, if we do it at the start, it'll be chaos right away… How about after everyone's finished with the program? At the after-party. We just pick a noticeable reporter and let them run with it."
"Understood."
"Then stay by my side."
Director Ahn turned his gaze back outside and spoke calmly.
"It'll make for more vivid pictures."
──────────
Meanwhile, at Netflix Korea in Seoul—
It was lunchtime, and the office was bustling.
What stood out most was the noise.
"Kang Woojin is insane!!"
"Seriously! I watched it again."
"I saw the video this morning and got so shocked I spilled my coffee."
"That twist was crazy, right?"
"Who would've thought Kang Woojin would be involved in something like that?"
"Still, isn't he way more agile than he looks? He seems so laid-back normally."
"Do you think he learned some kind of self-defense?"
"Even if he did, could someone actually use it that calmly in a real situation?"
Every conversation revolved around Kang Woojin.
"I still see him as Han Inho… I was practically drooling watching him."
"Ayoung, aren't you way too into him?"
"He's amazing! After watching Boy Friend, I even joined the Kang's Heart fan club."
"You're completely gone. But honestly, even as a guy, I have to admit it. That video was insane. How did he even do that? I couldn't pull that off."
"Who else could? He's like a real-life hero."
"Anyway, the media's going crazy right now. At least this brought Boy Friend back into the spotlight again."
They had already worked with Kang Woojin through Boy Friend, and even during their commute that morning, they had seen him everywhere.
Of course—
"Ah?"
Executive Director Kim Sohyang's eyes widened like a startled rabbit's.
There was a reason for that.
"Even after watching it again… I still can't believe it."
Seated at her desk, she replayed the black box footage from Kang Woojin's car over and over on her laptop.
After rewinding it five times, her mouth hung open without her noticing. It was only natural. She had been watching him since Boy Friend, but she had never imagined he possessed that level of martial skill.
She slowly lowered her hand from her mouth and spoke her thoughts out loud.
"Kang Woojin is too incredible for this to be just coincidence. He really feels like someone chosen by the heavens."
Thinking back, even during Boy Friend, there had been several unexpected moments. Hwarin's sudden involvement. Kang Woojin's shocking vocal ability. His expansion into Japan.
But maybe all of that had only been the tip of the iceberg.
To Kim Sohyang, Kang Woojin felt like a box left sitting somewhere, its contents completely unknown.
"Martial arts… I never saw that coming. He's like an onion. The more you peel, the more there is."
At that moment—
Knock, knock.
A knock sounded just before the office door opened. A female team manager entered, holding a tablet under her arm.
Kim Sohyang spoke first.
"Ah, Kang Woojin's video? I've already seen it."
The team manager handed her the tablet.
"Yes, I saw it too. But this is a bit different. It's still related to Woojin."
"Hm? What is it?"
"A well-known animation studio in Japan sent a request. They want to remake Boy Friend."
"…What? Really? Which company?"
Kim Sohyang quickly checked the tablet and read through the email, murmuring,
"This studio… isn't this one of Japan's top three?"
──────────
At that moment—
Around noon, people across the country were explosively searching Kang Woojin's name on portal sites.
The surge had started at dawn, but it peaked again during lunch hour.
Naturally, the morning news had played a major role.
Inside subways and buses, almost everyone was staring at their phones. And on most of those screens—
Kang Woojin.
The atmosphere had aligned perfectly.
With sasaeng fans and stalking already becoming serious social issues, the Hwarin incident had exploded into a major national topic. Then, when the stalker's interview was released, public anger intensified even further.
It felt suffocating.
Then came the reversal.
Kang Woojin.
The moment he appeared, effortlessly subduing the attacker, it felt like a burst of cold soda after endless frustration.
And the fact that it was Kang Woojin made it even more explosive.
More than anything—
His influence right now was overwhelming.
So—
[Breaking News] The One Who Saved Hwarin from the 'Awl-Wielding Attacker' Was Kang Woojin
It was like a volcano erupting.
[Hot Issue] Kang Woojin's Black Box Footage Uploaded to Major Community… The Contents Are…]
Wasn't He Just a Guard?! Monster Rookie Kang Woojin Protects and Saves Hwarin
Dashcam Footage Clearly Captures 'Hero' Kang Woojin / Video
From early morning, the media poured out articles nonstop. The lava had already spread across the entire entertainment industry.
Netizens React to Video of Kang Woojin Subduing Stalker: "How Did He Even Do That?"
Real-Life Boy Friend Kang Woojin Saves Hwarin… Black Box Footage Spreads Rapidly
With Kang Woojin's involvement, the situation flipped completely.
Articles updated every second.
Refresh the page—
New ones appeared instantly.
Every portal site featured Kang Woojin.
Will Kang Woojin Shake the Industry This Year with a Hero Narrative?
Kang Woojin Left for the U.S. with Our Table, Yet His Presence Isn't Missed… Why Is Hwarin Silent?
He Didn't Just Do a Good Deed—He Created a Hero Story and Hid It… Why?
Speculation piled on speculation.
Some even questioned the footage itself.
Meanwhile—
The public reaction was even more intense.
"Did you see that community post? They're saying Kang Woojin saved Hwarin."
His name spread everywhere.
Schools.
Universities.
Offices.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah! I saw it too! It was insane!"
"Where can I watch it? YouTube?"
"Wait, I'll find it."
"This is crazy… I thought it was edited at first."
"Is that really Kang Woojin? That's insane."
"At this point, I'd believe it if someone said he works for the National Intelligence Service."
At restaurants during lunch—
"See? I told you Woojin saved Hwarin."
"This is the actual dashcam footage?"
"Yeah, it was on the morning news too!"
"…He moves like Bruce Lee."
"That's not normal. He looks trained."
"He must've been special forces."
Wild speculation filled every conversation.
The excitement had reached its peak.
The original video—
It was already breaking records.
[Online reactions]
[User: What CAN'T Kang Woojin do???]
[User: That movement was insane]
[User: Next time bring a longer awl LOL]
[User: This has to be edited]
[User: Why are idiots always this loud?]
[User: That's not a fan's eyes. That's a stalker's eyes.]
[User: This is so satisfying LOL]
[User: Hwarin definitely fell for him]
[User: Why do I keep replaying this??]
[User: He's way too calm LOL]
[User: I'm tired of hearing about Kang Woojin]
[User: Those movements are too clean. He's trained.]
[User: He can act, sing, and now fight… what CAN'T he do?]
[User: I'm a martial artist and that was legit.]
[User: Oppa!! Save me too!!!]
And that wasn't the end.
The footage spread across every platform.
Naturally—
There was no way his acquaintances wouldn't see it.
Woojin's group chat had already exploded.
[Online reactions]
[Kyungseong: Hey!! Woojin!! Answer me!!]
[Hyunggu: Did you see it??? Our whole office is talking about you]
[Hyunggu: Did you ever even work out??]
[Kyungseong: You played basketball LOL]
[Hyunggu: Then why are you doing martial arts??]
[Daeyoung: Woojin's in the U.S.]
[Hyunggu: You weren't there when it happened??]
[Daeyoung: I saw the video and almost threw up]
[Kyungseong: What unit were you in?? Marines??]
[Daeyoung: Regular infantry]
[Hyunggu: Then how are you that good??]
[Kyungseong: Self-taught like Oldboy??]
[Daeyoung: Are you insane??]
All of this—
Had happened in just thirteen hours.
[Feature] Kang Woojin, the 'Acting Monster' and Now an 'Issue Magnet'—Why Do Incidents Keep Following Him?]
This—
Was only the beginning.