The morning of the 27th, the day after the Grand Bell Awards.
The world was now completely soaked in year-end fever. In particular, every portal site and countless media outlets were pouring out awards-related stories with full force.
And every front page was filled with nothing but Kang Woojin.
『[Grand Bell] "Declaration of war" Kang Woojin remains completely unfazed, says, "I'll settle the controversy next year"』
He had already caused a major stir at the Blue Dragon Film Awards, and now he had carried that momentum straight into the Grand Bell Awards.
But starting today, the media's focus shifted away from Kang Woojin's fiery remarks and onto something else.
The trophies he was sweeping up.
『[Star Photo] Kang Woojin delivers acceptance speech for his fourth award / Photo』
『Monster rookie Kang Woojin, already a four-time winner, proves his overwhelming presence once again』
Just attending awards ceremonies in one's debut year was already rare. The fact that Kang Woojin had taken home a total of four awards, including Best New Actor and the Popular Star Award, was something truly unprecedented.
A record no one had seen before.
『Kang Woojin claims four crowns, sweeping Best New Actor and Popular Star awards across both the Blue Dragon Film Awards and the Grand Bell Awards』
Because of that, public opinion, which had once been critical, began to shift. It was becoming clear that Kang Woojin was not all talk.
The image of him flooding SNS and online communities began to turn upside down. And the more violently that shift intensified, the more the media fueled it.
『Netizens say, "Kang Woojin's era has finally arrived," as public opinion shifts in a single day after his four-award sweep』
That wave spread beyond Korea and into Japan as well.
『Kang Woojin of The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice reveals his thoughts after winning four trophies across Korea's Blue Dragon and Grand Bell Awards』
Kang Woojin already had fans and fan clubs in Japan too. And they were already fairly large in scale.
Kang Woojin, congratulations!!! I'll always support you!!
I wanted to go to Korea just to see him...
I watched Kang Woojin's acceptance speech on YouTube and was honestly shocked! I don't think something like that could ever happen in Japan!
It feels like Kang Woojin's real personality is kind of unusual.
So when is he coming back to Japan?
Winning four awards in your debut year! I'm so happy!!!
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Kang Woojin kept pushing forward under the title of first ever, and his recognition rose at terrifying speed. He was already a huge figure, but there was still endless room for his name value to grow.
What mattered here was that it was only around halfway through the year-end season.
『Kang Woojin, now holding a historic four-trophy record, is still moving toward the grand acting awards』
At that very moment, Kang Woojin was getting ready to head out. He did not even have time to enjoy the noisy, landslide-like chaos surrounding him.
Still, there was at least a little room for satisfaction.
"Heh."
Wearing a cap, Woojin stared at the five trophies lined up on the living room table and smiled in complete satisfaction.
"Five already? This seriously feels like the peak of my life."
One from Mise-en-scène, two from Blue Dragon, two from Grand Bell. Five in total.
They were all shaped differently, but they meant the same thing. They were proof that Kang Woojin had been recognized at awards ceremonies.
At that, Woojin grinned brightly in a way that was completely unlike his usual self, without even a trace of pressure.
No, actually, that was wrong.
Feeling a little too good, Woojin smacked his lips a few times and tried hard to get serious again. At this rate, he felt like he might burst out laughing without meaning to.
Then, after taking a deep breath, Kang Woojin headed out.
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He left the house.
Even then, he kept mentally controlling himself.
Act calm. Think coldly.
Right after that—
Buzz.
A short vibration came from the smartphone inside his long padded coat. Was the CEO already waiting in the parking lot?
No.
It was a message from the assistant director of Island of the Missing, and it contained today's filming schedule along with the full January shooting schedule.
"Ah, right."
As he stepped into the elevator, Woojin muttered to himself.
"January was the end of it, wasn't it?"
Filming for Woojin's drama Island of the Missing had entered its final stretch.
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Around noon the next day, at Netflix Korea.
Monday morning, the 28th, arrived after the weekend. Netflix Korea was just as crowded as usual with employees who had only just come in to work.
Maybe because it was year-end, the whole place was in a frenzy.
And inside that bustling office, two women were sitting across from each other on the sofa in the CEO's office.
On one side sat Executive Director Kim Sohyang.
"Let's have some tea first."
Across from her, writer Choi Nana, wearing round glasses, replied:
"Ah! Yes, thank you!"
The two sipped tea first as they faced each other. It had been quite a while since they had seen each other after Boy Friend, but there was no awkwardness between them at all.
Then Kim Sohyang, who was slightly plump, set down her teacup and asked Nana:
"I heard a rumor that you've started writing your next project. Is it true?"
"Oh? Ah! Yes, yes."
The slim writer Choi Nana answered shyly.
"I'm working hard on it."
"That's incredible. Boy Friend is still popular in both Korea and Japan, and you've already begun your follow-up? This time it's a feature film, right? Who are you working with?"
"······That's something I can't reveal yet."
"Ah, my apologies. I got curious without thinking. I'm really looking forward to what kind of work you'll write this time. Thanks to Boy Friend, I doubt you'll have to worry much about casting actors either."
Nana gave a shy smile as she recalled Kang Woojin, the one who had secretly stood at the center of the entire sensation.
"Yes, thankfully."
Kim Sohyang smiled as well and handed Nana a tablet.
"Back to the main point, writer. Would you take a look?"
"Oh? Ah! Yes."
As Nana turned on the tablet, Kim Sohyang asked:
"Writer, have you ever heard of A10 Studio in Japan?"
"Yes, I know them. I watch anime a lot too. Japan is one of the top three major powers in animation production."
"Right. As you can see on the tablet, we received a proposal from A10 Studio."
"A proposal?"
Kim Sohyang leaned forward and pointed at the tablet with her index finger.
"A10 Studio wants to remake Boy Friend as an animated series."
Choi Nana's eyes instantly widened.
"Really?? Boy Friend??"
"Yes. Actually, the first contact came quite a while ago. Since then, our side has been verifying everything. A10 Studio seems very serious about it. We've already received preliminary adaptation plans and a projected storyline. It's all there, so take a look. Of course, we'll send it by email too."
The explanation continued, but Nana still looked stunned.
It was her first time experiencing something like this.
"······"
"You're surprised, right? But Boy Friend was a huge success in Japan and got a very good response there, so this is a natural progression. You know how influential the Japanese animation market is."
"Ah, yes, I do."
"Hm, as you can see in the plan, A10 Studio intends to preserve the atmosphere of the original Boy Friend as much as possible while expanding it from 4 episodes to 12. Since each animated episode will run about 20 minutes, there shouldn't be any problem."
"And next are the characters."
"They'll naturally try to stay as faithful to the original as possible. At first, they plan to use Hwarin and Woojin as the base models. During production, A10 Studio will finalize the character design sheets with you."
Nana tore her gaze away from Kim Sohyang and looked back down at the tablet. It felt like a dream, but she had to stay focused.
Soon Kim Sohyang continued:
"Boy Friend was an enormous hit in Japan. That means it already has strong name recognition in the Japanese drama market. If the anime turns out well too, that recognition could multiply several times over. The only difference is the market size."
"······"
"Of course, I see it positively. But the most important thing is your decision, and if you don't want it, you can reject it comfortably at any time."
"If this anime is completed, will it air on Japanese TV?"
"That's right. It's planned for regular broadcast scheduling, but it'll also be released on Netflix."
As if she had finally grasped it, Choi Nana focused on the tablet again. Her fingers scrolled a few times across the screen, then suddenly stopped.
"Oh? If they're using Japanese voice actors, why is there a photo of Mr. Woojin here?"
At that, Kim Sohyang gave a light laugh.
"It seems A10 Studio has its eye on Woojin as the voice actor for the male lead in the anime. Though I don't know if they'll be able to handle his appearance fee."
"Really???! "
"Yes. I think it's a good choice. Woojin is very popular in Japan, and he'll probably start filming The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice soon. If the timing lines up, then that project and this anime could move forward at the same time."
"Wow, that's incredible."
"If both The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice and this anime become hits, then Woojin will have conquered all three major content genres in Japan."
"Drama, film, and animation."
"Well, that's only speculation for now. Nothing has been confirmed yet."
Nana suddenly set the tablet down and spoke in a voice filled with certainty.
"Please move forward with it. I want to see Boy Friend as an anime."
"Understood. I'll inform A10 Studio immediately. We'll contact you separately regarding the contract matters and the finer details."
"Yes, yes!"
At that moment—
"Ah, there is one thing A10 Studio requested. They asked that this be kept secret for the time being. Please don't tell anyone else."
Executive Director Kim Sohyang seemed to recall something else.
"That includes Mr. Kang Woojin too."
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A few days later, Wednesday the 30th.
It was just past 9 p.m. The location was SBC Prism Tower, a massive building of over fifteen floors in Sangam. And inside one of the giant Prism Tower studios, a party was in full swing.
A famous boy group was performing on a dazzling stage.
♬♪
The eye-catching choreography, intense music, and flashy lighting only drove the excitement higher. Among the members in full stage outfits, one familiar face stood out.
Yeon Baekgwang.
The same member who had been filming Our Table at Home with Kang Woojin.
Of course, the studio was not filled with only the boy group. The hall in front of the stage was packed with actors, PDs, and production staff, well over 200 people in all.
Why had they all gathered here?
The answer could be found anywhere in the studio.
SBC Drama Awards
One of the major public broadcast networks, SBC, was holding its drama awards ceremony, and the entire event was being broadcast live on the SBC channel.
What stood out was the setup.
Unlike film award ceremonies such as Blue Dragon or Grand Bell, where the seats were packed tightly like a movie theater, the drama awards had a much more relaxed atmosphere. Round tables like the ones at a banquet hall were placed throughout the venue, and sharply dressed actors sat around them.
Each round table bore the title of a work that had shone during the year.
After finishing the dance performance on stage, Yeon Baekgwang pointed somewhere inside the hall with a flourish. The table receiving his greeting had the title of this year's legendary hit written on it.
Profiler Hanryang
One man absently waved back at him.
It was Kang Woojin.
A large camera suddenly swept forward and captured Woojin, his hair neatly slicked back and dressed in a gray-toned tuxedo. There were several familiar faces seated at the table with him too. Song Manwoo PD with his sharp jawline, the slightly plump writer Park Eunmi, top actor Ryu Jungmin, Hong Hyeyeon, and others.
Profiler Hanryang had achieved 25 percent ratings.
It had been a legendary work not only for SBC, but for the drama industry as a whole, so the large camera returned to the Hanryang team again and again. In any case, Yeon Baekgwang and his group's congratulatory performance came to an end like that.
Soon famous comedians and female MCs appeared and began filling the room with lively banter.
From time to time, they tossed questions toward the actors sitting in the audience.
"Wow, Profiler Hanryang. It was really huge. I watched it a lot when it was airing too."
"Right. It's honestly amazing to have those actors sitting right in front of us. Should we try interviewing them?"
"Ah, Mr. Ryu Jungmin. That baby perm looked amazing on you, but where did genius profiler Yoo Jihyung go?"
Ryu Jungmin answered with a laugh.
"He went home. He really hates working."
The awards ceremony felt like a mix of an actual ceremony and a variety show. Naturally, the barrage of questions soon shifted toward the expressionless Kang Woojin.
"The man of the year's biggest buzz, Kang Woojin!"
"We'd love to have you perform a few lines as Manager Park, but that might be a little too dangerous."
"Woojin, it's been a while since you returned as Manager Park. How does it feel?"
Kang Woojin took the microphone, adding just a trace of playfulness to his cool voice.
"Should I do one of Manager Park's lines?"
The hosts panicked and hurriedly stopped him.
"No! No no no no! You know this is live, right?"
"That would be a total disaster, the whole thing would collapse!"
Woojin slowly nodded and lowered the microphone. He looked far more relaxed than before, probably because he had built up so much experience. And that change could be felt not only on the surface, but inside him too.
Once the atmosphere softened a little like that, the Drama Awards moved into the official prize presentations.
And unlike the film awards, this was how it began.
"All right, shall we begin! Our first category is the Scene Stealer Award! This prize goes to the actor who played the most unforgettable character of the year, and there will be two winners!"
The announcement came from a senior executive in SBC's drama division, a man with a round belly.
The first winner announced was—
"SBC Drama Awards, Scene Stealer Award. Manager Park from Profiler Hanryang, Kang Woojin!"
What more needed to be said?
Kang Woojin, the man who had even spawned catchphrases, stood at the very top among the award recipients.
It was not the Grand Prize.
And it was not Best Actor either.
This year's SBC Grand Prize went to Ryu Jungmin, while Best Actress went to Hong Hyeyeon. Of course, it was not Best Supporting Actor or Excellence in Acting either.
"Best New Actor in the male category! Kang Woojin from Profiler Hanryang!! Congratulations!!"
And yet Kang Woojin still ended up on top.
At that day's SBC Drama Awards, only one person stood above all the rest.
Kang Woojin.
"Special Acting Award! Wow, this is your first one, right?? Congratulations!! Kang Woojin, our Manager Park!!"
Because he took home three awards.
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The next night, December 31st.
Right after SBC's broadcast ended, the drama awards at KBC and MBS also came to a close. The time was 10:30 p.m. There were about an hour and a half left before the year ended.
Soon it would be January 1st, 2021.
At that moment, Kang Woojin sat inside a van speeding down the road, staring out the window with an indifferent face. Inside, of course, he wanted to dance with joy, but he held it in with everything he had.
In his hand was another new trophy.
On the front of it were the words:
KBC Drama Awards
Best New Actor
Kang Woojin
At the very end of the year, the media rushed to pour out one article after another. And those articles confirmed Kang Woojin's monumental record.
『[Film Awards] From his speeches to the number of trophies, every part of it became a legendary record... monster actor Kang Woojin finally reaches 8 crowns!』
『[Star Talk] Kang Woojin sets a record unlike anything in Korean entertainment history』
『Kang Woojin's miraculous year ends with 8 trophies... there has never been, and will never be, another actor like him』
Meanwhile—
Veteran director Ahn Gabok, having wrapped up the year with a year-end staff dinner, arrived back at his grand house, brushing a hand over his short white hair.
♬♪
A long vibration rang from his phone. It was a call.
The number was not saved, but Director Ahn Gabok smiled with deep wrinkles, as if he had already guessed what the conversation would be, and raised the phone to his ear.
Interestingly, he answered in English.
"Yes, I've been expecting your call."
It was quite fluent, probably the result of his long career.
In any case, English came through from the other end as well.
"Hello, Director Ahn. This is producer Joseph Felton. Do you remember me?"
The caller was Joseph Felton, one of Hollywood's major producers.
"Of course I remember. How could I forget a producer as famous as you? But what brings you to call me?"
"First, I'd like to ask that you keep our conversation confidential."
Soon, Joseph on the other end asked Director Ahn something directly.
"Director Ahn, may I come visit your set?"