The article that had just been published left Chairman Yoshimura looking satisfied.
『[Breaking News] A subsidiary of the Kashiwa Group selects Korean actor Kang Woojin as its advertising model: "A curious development"』
He nodded slowly in approval, then checked the contents of the article. It contained exactly the information Hideki Yoshimura wanted to see. Not too much, not too little. Just the right amount.
Chairman Yoshimura turned again to his secretary, Lily Tetsukawa, who was seated in the passenger seat.
"How is the process going with BW Entertainment after our decision to move forward together?"
Her long hair was neatly tied back, and she answered at once.
"We released the article first, and they're expected to acknowledge it officially around midday today."
"And our side?"
"We'll be sending out a follow-up article in about an hour."
What Yoshimura meant by our side was a formal confirmation that the Kashiwa Group had chosen Korean actor Kang Woojin as the model for several of its affiliates.
It was obvious that the news would soon draw heated attention from the Japanese press.
In fact, other media outlets were already beginning to move in the same direction.
『Kang Woojin, the Korean actor who won 8 awards back home, suddenly signs a model contract with a Kashiwa Group affiliate?』
This was the first time the Kashiwa Group had used a Korean actor as a model, and even within the Japanese entertainment industry, it was rare for a Korean celebrity to step in as an advertising face.
That was especially true in the case of someone like Kang Woojin.
By now, he had already become the center of attention in Japan more than once during the year-end season.
The Hwarin assault incident. His solo filming with Miley Cara. And now a completely unprecedented record in Korean entertainment, winning 8 awards in a single season.
His name value in Japan had already risen to the level of famous K-pop idols. So the sudden news that he had been selected as a model for the Kashiwa Group naturally drew enormous interest from the Japanese media.
On top of that, although there had been no official announcement, it was more or less taken for granted that the Kashiwa Group was backing The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice, which only fueled the curiosity further.
In any case, Chairman Yoshimura crossed his legs and lowered his eyes to his smartphone.
"The BW Entertainment board meeting went well?"
"Yes, Chairman. After the board meeting, they began actively pushing ahead with expansion."
"And Kang Woojin?"
"Since becoming the center of attention at the year-end awards ceremonies, he has been focused on filming."
"Hm, so he's still busy. When is he coming to Japan?"
"Director Tanoguchi Kyotaro of The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice still needs to finalize the shooting schedule, but there's a high chance he'll visit within January. The preliminary filming for The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice has already been completed, so all that remains is to lock in the schedule."
"Is it because they've been overwhelmed by year-end and New Year's holidays?"
"Yes. The actors' schedules are also an issue."
At that, Chairman Yoshimura spoke again in his coarse voice.
"Check once more with the production team of The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice."
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At that very moment, in Kyoto, Japan.
It was a coastal area of Kyoto, often mentioned as a tourist destination. The place was an old fishing village called Ine Funaya, sometimes known as the village on the water.
In reality, Ine Funaya had been built along the edge of the land, but from a distance it looked as though it were floating on the sea, creating a scenery so picturesque it resembled a painting.
The village itself was not large, yet every house seemed to blend perfectly with the sea and the surrounding mountains. The whole place looked like a framed landscape.
For the most part, the village was quiet.
At first glance, it had a certain charm, but from another angle, there was also something eerily still about it.
A little over ten people could be seen moving around the village. Naturally, they were all Japanese.
Some were out on boats taking pictures of the village from a distance. Others walked through the narrow alleys, surveying the area. There were even groups chatting while photographing the houses one by one.
At first glance, they looked like tourists.
They were not.
"There's definitely something eerie about this place."
"The director really has an eye for this. It looks good even now, but it'll feel much more vivid in the late afternoon or at night."
"Especially the condition of those alleys. They fit the piece perfectly. That spot we saw earlier really looked like the kind of place where a murder might have happened."
"Seriously... the director's instinct for locations is incredible. This place wasn't even mentioned in the original work, was it?"
"Right. I heard he added it himself while adapting The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice."
They were, in fact, the staff of Director Tanoguchi Kyotaro's film The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice. Key members of each department had gathered there, and the famous director himself was standing at the entrance to a hillside path overlooking the village.
With his short hair streaked with gray, the man was none other than Director Tanoguchi Kyotaro.
"Hm."
Arms folded, he stood there with the assistant directors, surveying the fishing village of Ine Funaya below.
The reason Director Kyotaro and the core staff of The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice had come all the way out here was simple.
They were scouting the final location just before filming began.
This village would be the site of the film's first shoot.
Starting a production outdoors was not especially rare, but most films still began on a set. Moving large numbers of staff and actors around was a burden, which was why filmmakers usually avoided choosing an exterior location for the opening shoot.
But Director Kyotaro had chosen to begin The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice here in Ine Funaya.
The reason was that the shooting schedule had to be adjusted to match the schedule of the villagers.
What could they do? It put them at a slight disadvantage, but they had no choice except to work harder. This fishing village was a location the film absolutely needed, and one Kyotaro in particular had been determined to use.
Ine Funaya did not appear in the original work, but in a sense, it had become a special casting choice made by the director himself.
Before long, Kyotaro's gaze settled on the tallest brown building standing above the center of the village, seemingly hovering over the water.
'Misaki Toka's family home.'
That was right.
This fishing village would become the setting for The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice, and the hometown of Misaki Toka, the person whose death triggered the stranger Iyota Kiyoshi's grim sacrifice.
Kyotaro then looked past that tall brown house and out toward the distant sea.
More specifically, toward a fishing boat floating on the water.
'The place where the naked victim will be found.'
That meant one of Iyota Kiyoshi's tasks, the role Kang Woojin would play, was to discover the corpse on that boat.
There was no doubt that it would become a bizarre scene.
A naked victim from Tokyo suddenly turning up on a fishing boat in Ine Funaya, a coastal village on the outskirts of Kyoto.
Even if he was wearing only a pair of briefs.
Of course, all of this was still unfolding only inside Director Kyotaro's mind. A satisfied smile spread across his face. The atmosphere was eerie, steadily taking shape as something grotesque and unsettling.
"I can't wait for filming to start."
He was itching to begin. Preparations for The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice were already complete. In truth, all that remained was to set the first shooting date and roll the cameras.
But film production was always like this. Things did not move entirely according to the director's wishes.
The year-end holidays and New Year's overlap had already complicated matters, and more importantly, the final agreement with Ine Funaya, the chosen opening location, still needed to be wrapped up.
That was the reason for today's visit.
Just then—
"Director!"
A man's voice called up to Kyotaro from below. When he looked down, he saw the production manager and a few production staff members climbing the slope after returning from negotiations with the village.
Breathing hard, the production manager approached him at the foot of the hill and gave him a thumbs-up.
"Thankfully, we managed to persuade them."
Still standing there with his arms folded, Director Kyotaro asked immediately,
"What are the conditions?"
"At first they said shooting for more than one day would be difficult, but after negotiations, they agreed to extend it to three days. However, we'll probably have to pay a little more than what would normally be expected for three shooting days."
In the end, it came down to money.
Thinking of Hideki Yoshimura, the main investor, Director Kyotaro answered without hesitation.
"Money isn't the issue. Besides, we'll be blocking off the area around the village while filming, so that much is expected."
"Yes. The village also has lodging facilities. There's a place nearby we can use for accommodations."
"Hm. Even so, three days will make things fairly intense."
"It doesn't seem like we can push for anything longer. The village chief is apparently a fan of Akari's work, and that's the only reason we were able to get this far. It also helped that The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice already has strong recognition."
"Good work."
Kyotaro patted the production manager's narrow shoulder, then turned his eyes back toward the village.
"Since the time we've been given is limited, we need to prepare even more thoroughly. The production department should recheck the budget and the movement routes through the village. The directing team needs to coordinate closely with the camera crew and carefully review both props and the actors' schedules."
"Yes, Director."
"Understood."
"Then when do those three days begin?"
The production manager pulled a thin bundle of documents from his back pocket. It contained a projected shooting schedule.
"The village says next week won't work. How about around January 21st?"
"January 21st?"
Kyotaro calculated quickly. It was not bad. This week was already packed with other matters anyway.
A decision came quickly.
"Then let's confirm the village for the 21st."
He gave an instruction to the production manager.
"Tell the actors to gather on the 20th, the day before. We'll rehearse then."
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The next morning, January 8th. Korea.
Cheers from Kang Woojin and the staff echoed through the set of Island of the Missing. Unlike usual, the place felt full of energy today.
"Cut, good. Let's go back to the upper-body shot now."
"Upper-body shot, standby!!"
Woojin's makeup looked a little different than usual, but the helmet and bloodstained military uniform were the same as always.
"But doesn't that beard suit Woojin surprisingly well?"
"I agree, totally. It looks ridiculously good on him."
"Still, when it comes to those cold, handsome-guy roles, Woojin is the best."
His face now carried a beard.
Kang Woojin, meanwhile, felt deeply awkward about it.
'This really isn't good. Don't I look like a homeless man?'
It was not a thick beard, but it gave off a prickly impression. Director Kwon Gitaek had asked him to grow it out, and the makeup made it look even rougher.
Why?
Because according to the script, Corporal Jin Seoncheol flees into the mountains and disappears after Lieutenant Choi Yutae witnesses him pushing a soldier off a school rooftop.
And now, after time has passed, the scene calls for him to suddenly reappear.
"Hi—action."
Woojin's scene partner was Ha Yura.
She was being attacked by someone from the village in Island of the Missing whose identity had finally been exposed, and unexpectedly, the long-hidden Corporal Jin Seoncheol appears and saves her.
"Cut. Ms. Yura, try reacting a little more violently when Woojin enters the frame."
"Yes, Director."
Even a single cut took a considerable amount of time. Not just because of the gentle Director Kwon Gitaek, but because more than a hundred staff members, along with the visiting actors and their teams, were all watching closely.
"..."
"..."
Everyone's expressions were intensely focused. The atmosphere on set was equally sharp.
That was how sensitive things were.
"Action."
How many hours passed like that?
After endless directions and camera angle adjustments—
"...Cut, good. That's it for this one."
After no fewer than twelve retakes, Director Kwon Gitaek finally showed a satisfied expression.
And Kang Woojin, now somewhat used to the beard, let out a small sigh of relief.
'Whew, it's over.'
He calmly extended a hand to Ha Yura, who was seated on the ground. Her hair was disheveled to suit the scene, and though she was not usually someone who smiled often, this time she did.
"Thank you. And Woojin, you really did great."
"Everyone worked hard."
Right then, Director Kwon Gitaek, bundled in a thick padded jacket, approached the two actors. Smiling, he patted Woojin on the shoulder and spoke in a gentle tone.
"You worked really hard during this whole stretch. I think my greed just keeps growing. Maybe it's more accurate to say my standards have gotten even higher."
"Thank you, Director."
"Are you going to rest now?"
Woojin shook his head with his usual blank expression.
"No. I have to wrap up some domestic schedules first, and then I'm going to Japan."
"For The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice?"
"Yes."
Ha Yura shook her head as though she had had enough.
"Woojin, aren't you overworking yourself at this rate? Your schedule is way too packed. Once a project ends, you should rest a little."
"It's not that difficult."
Director Kwon Gitaek laughed lightly and cut in again.
"Please give Director Kyotaro my regards, and make sure you take care of your health. I suppose I'll be seeing you again at the wrap party."
Suddenly the staff came flooding in.
"Woojin, you worked so hard!!"
"Ah, the actors are finishing their shoots one by one! This is so sad!"
"Great job, Woojin!!"
"You're coming to our wrap party, right?"
"Hope all your other shoots go well too!!!"
A great many staff members cheered and thanked him. Kang Woojin kept a blank face, but bowed his head with a sincere tone.
"Thank you for all your hard work."
And with that, Kang Woojin's filming for the drama Island of the Missing came to an end.
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Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, America—
It was late morning in Korea, but afternoon in LA. Near closing time, perhaps.
Whether it was Korea or Los Angeles, the look of rush hour was much the same. Roads packed with cars. People heading for the subway. Streets crowded in every direction.
In the middle of all that, one famous broadcast studio in Hollywood, LA, was in the middle of a recording.
The scene looked familiar.
The main studio set for filming was visible, and outside the studio zone, countless cameras and pieces of equipment were packed tightly together. The foreign staff moving among them all wore deeply focused expressions.
They were absorbed in filming a talk show.
The Jamie Show, one of the top three talk shows in America.
Its host, Jamie, was also well known in Korea.
The set was simple: Jamie sat behind a gothic-style desk, while the guest sat on a plush sofa in front of it.
And today, a blonde Hollywood top actress was seated on that sofa.
Soon the somewhat plump Jamie called her by name in English.
"Haha, Miley, should we switch topics for a moment? You said you went to Korea recently, didn't you?"
The guest, dressed in a tight-knit top and jeans, was Miley Cara.
Even though she was in the middle of filming, she was not putting on her usual haughty air.
"Yes. Just like on this talk show, I went there to promote a movie."
"How was Korea?"
"It was fantastic."
"Was it your first time?"
As she answered, Miley Cara casually shifted the direction of her crossed legs.
"Yes. It was my first time there, and a lot of things left an impression on me."
"Ah, I've actually been planning to visit Korea since last year. What impressed you most? The food, right?"
"Hmm, no. What impressed me most was an actor."
"Ah, a Korean actor! There are a lot of famous Korean actors in Hollywood too. I really love Korean dramas. So which Korean actor are we talking about?"
Miley Cara changed the direction of her crossed legs again, then answered with a slight smile.
"Kang Woojin. He's like an alien."
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At that same moment, Kang Woojin was walking through the outdoor parking lot of the Island of the Missing set with his team.
Then suddenly—
'Ah.'
Woojin stopped for a moment with a serious expression and casually scratched his ear.
'It's itchy. What's this? Is somebody talking about me?'