By the time Kang Woojin boarded the flight to Japan, the Korean press was already racing to flood the media with articles based on his airport interview.
'[Entertainment+] Kang Woojin departs for Japan to film The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice, saying he is approaching it with the same mindset he had during the Blue Dragon Film Awards announcement.'
'Kang Woojin makes a calm declaration before leaving for Japan / Photo'
'Kang Woojin, who declared he would take over the Japanese acting scene, departs for filming The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice.'
The source of those articles was simple enough. Reporters stationed at the airport had started it, and countless outlets followed right behind them. Everything began with Kang Woojin's interview. It provided at least some basis, but before long, the number of malicious articles began to climb noticeably.
'[Staris] After winning Best New Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards, Kang Woojin leaves for Japan… "Is he planning to go solo in Japan?" netizens react.'
That had gone well past distortion and was practically fiction. To Woojin, it had only been a brief interview before departure, but across the entire media landscape, it caused a serious ripple effect.
Even so, the press was excitedly churning out article after article.
Or rather, they were talking nonsense.
Surprisingly, public opinion in Korea was not bad at all. If anything, it leaned overwhelmingly positive.
'LOL seriouslyㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Kang Woojin's vibe is insaneㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ'
'Damnㅋㅋㅋㅋ I freaking love Kang Woojinㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ'
'His presence is absolutely crazy!!!'
'But if he's the only Korean actor there… that might be roughㅋㅋㅋ Still, I'm rooting for him!!'
'I don't even like Kang Woojin that much personallyㅋㅋㅋㅋ but he really does overwhelm Japanese actors with his acting.'
'With that kind of charisma, of course directors are obsessed with him.'
It was basically a strange blend of patriotism and people cheering him on with the attitude of go over there and conquer them. It almost felt as if Kang Woojin had been selected to represent Korea itself.
Well, that was not entirely wrong.
Among the lead cast of The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice, Kang Woojin was the only Korean actor. To the public, it felt as though he was representing Korean actors as a whole. In any case, the attention from the Korean public and press quickly spread into Japan, where Kang Woojin would now be working.
The Japanese press focused more aggressively on provoking the issue.
'Kang Woojin, ahead of his visit to Japan, displays excessive confidence in departure interview.'
'Kang Woojin of The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice, setting out to conquer Japan through acting?'
Since public opinion about Kang Woojin in Japan had already become sharply divided, this was more than enough to act as fuel. Of course, not every Japanese outlet was awful. There were factual reports too.
But, as with the press in any country, sensationalism was what they chased.
Before long, the Japanese media had started injecting tension and alarm into the entertainment world there. Thanks to that, an interesting sense of competition began to form. Not just among actors, but among the public as well.
The flight took about two hours.
During that short stretch of time while Kang Woojin was on his way to Japan, both Korea and Japan were practically on fire. It felt as if a war had broken out on every side.
So what was Kang Woojin feeling in the middle of all this?
In truth, before takeoff, Choi Sunggeon had already told him what the situation looked like.
'It's a total mess, Woojin.'
Even though his words had been twisted beyond recognition, Woojin's response had been brief.
'It doesn't really matter to me.'
That really was how he felt. At this point, trying to explain that none of this had been his original intention would only sound ridiculous. It did not fit the concept he had built for himself, either.
If something happened, he would deal with it then.
Meanwhile, the man at the center of it all, Kang Woojin, was currently—
"······"
Fast asleep, quiet as a baby.
About two hours later, they arrived at Haneda Airport in Japan.
Kang Woojin landed around early lunchtime. The first people off the plane were Woojin, Choi Sunggeon, and the staff from bw Entertainment.
Having fully recharged with a comfortable nap, Woojin soon checked the weather in Japan.
'It's freezing.'
Korea and Japan might both be burning, but Kang Woojin himself was still cold.
He did not look even slightly shaken.
On the other hand, Choi Sunggeon, the twenty or so staff members, and the bodyguards around Woojin all wore tense expressions as they talked among themselves in serious voices.
That was how Kang Woojin stepped into the arrival hall at Haneda Airport.
The moment he saw the entrance doors ahead, he instinctively sensed something.
'Damn, my eyes are going to burn.'
He already knew there was a terrifying pack of reporters waiting beyond those doors. The reason was simple. Even before he appeared, camera flashes were already visible through the translucent glass. It was not the occasional burst either. They were going off every second.
So who exactly was Kang Woojin now?
'Heh, I'm used to this now.'
He was that monstrous actor whose carefully built concept had already spread all the way into Japan. He had been here several times already, and since his first visit had been so overwhelming, he was not especially nervous this time.
That did not mean he was completely relaxed.
But he was calm.
Then—
──────────
Surrounded on all sides by bodyguards, Kang Woojin arrived at the entrance to the arrival hall. The moment the doors opened, exactly what he expected unfolded before him.
Papapapapak!
Papapapapapak!!
Hundreds of Japanese reporters hammered their camera shutters nonstop.
"$Woojin!)@($)@$@(&@&(!!!!"
"Kang Woojin!#(%&%(#(%@(%)@(*%()@!!"
"#$&#(Kang Woojin!@()#@#"
They were all shouting at him in Japanese, but with everyone yelling at once, it was impossible to make out the words. He could barely catch his own name.
Still, the excitement surrounding this visit was even more intense than the last one.
Airport staff and security personnel were struggling to hold the reporters back behind the barriers. Meanwhile, Kang Woojin kept his expression blank and remained perfectly composed.
"Hello."
He greeted the hundreds of reporters in a clear voice and moved quickly through the arrival hall. Behind him, the reporters' shouts kept chasing after him.
"##&($@($@((Woojin!! Kang Woojin!!!"
He could not be sure, but since he understood Japanese well, Woojin could roughly catch the tone of some of their questions.
'I think I just heard someone cursing at me.'
In reality, there was a mix of blunt questions and polished ones. Staying close to him without missing a step, Choi Sunggeon whispered,
"Just ignore them. They're only worked up. Most of these reporters are from trashy outlets anyway."
At Choi Sunggeon's rough tone, Woojin answered quietly.
"You sound angrier than they are, sir."
"It's fine. I couldn't hear them clearly anyway."
He meant it. In truth, Woojin was not angry at all. Maybe that too was because of the goodwill granted to an ordinary citizen.
Whatever the reason, after a warlike uproar, Kang Woojin's group finally reached the airport exit.
What was interesting was—
'Huh? I think I've seen that woman somewhere before.'
There were people waiting outside for Kang Woojin and his team.
The woman who caught his eye was dressed in a neat suit, her long hair tied straight back. Her face felt strangely familiar. Just then, Choi Sunggeon approached her, held out a hand, and greeted her in slightly awkward Japanese.
"It's been a while."
"Welcome. We've been waiting for you."
As Kang Woojin drew closer, the woman dipped her head slightly.
"Woojin-san, you must be tired."
"Yes. Hello."
He greeted her for the moment, but who was she again?
While Woojin was trying to place her, Choi Sunggeon leaned in and whispered into his ear,
"Fortunately, Chairman Hideki's chief secretary came to meet us herself."
Ah, right.
Only then did Woojin remember.
She was the woman he had seen during the script reading for The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice. The suited woman was Tetsugawa Lily, Chairman Hideki's chief secretary. She had been perfectly upright then, and she looked exactly the same now.
Which meant this was no different from the major Japanese conglomerate Kashiwa Group personally coming out to meet Kang Woojin.
Lily then gestured behind her.
"Let's move before the situation gets any worse."
She pointed toward the curb, where two large vans and one luxury sedan were parked. There was more than enough room for Woojin's entire team. Among them, the sedan at the very front was for Kang Woojin and Choi Sunggeon.
Thunk.
Lily opened the car door for them. Choi Sunggeon awkwardly got in first, and Kang Woojin followed after him. It was treatment that felt a little burdensome, but Woojin stayed calm throughout.
That was how all the vehicles pulled away.
Then, from the back seat of the sedan, Choi Sunggeon leaned toward Woojin and whispered,
"I got the call, but honestly, I didn't expect them to go this far."
"······"
Internally, Kang Woojin was genuinely startled.
'Damn, the backing of a major conglomerate really is ridiculous.'
bw Entertainment was currently receiving support from Chairman Hideki of the Kashiwa Group. More precisely, it was secret investment. This welcome was part of that support.
Naturally, since the investment and support were being kept under wraps, it would only look from the outside as if they were simply treating Kang Woojin well because he had been chosen as an ad model.
Soon, Lily, who was sitting in the passenger seat, turned around and spoke.
"As I told the CEO, we'll make sure you're well taken care of during your stay in Japan."
That meant they would be supporting all of Kang Woojin's activities in Japan, especially everything related to The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice.
Naturally, the hotel where Woojin would be staying was Kashiwa Tokyo Hotel.
Several dozen minutes later, they arrived at the enormous hotel. After greeting them in the lobby, Lily said, "If you need anything, please contact me anytime," and then left. Watching her go, Choi Sunggeon muttered as though he were in a daze,
"I almost fell for her."
Woojin glanced at him.
Was it because of her, or because of the treatment he had just received?
The thought flickered through his mind, but with more than ten team members arriving in the lobby as well, they had to move on. In fact, people in the lobby had already been sneaking looks at Kang Woojin for the past several minutes.
Since Chairman Hideki had already arranged everything, the check-in process was simple.
So before long, Woojin was standing in the elevator. Choi Sunggeon stayed close beside him, looking at his phone and mumbling,
"Get some rest and come out around two. You've got two interviews today, and tomorrow there's a meeting with A10 Studio and the Kashiwa Group..."
While Choi Sunggeon was still talking, his phone vibrated for a long time.
Because of that, he stopped walking in the hallway after they stepped out of the elevator. Once he checked the caller, he hesitated for a moment.
It was Director Ahn Gabok.
Choi Sunggeon tilted his head slightly, glanced at Woojin, and then raised the phone to his ear.
"Yes, Director. How have you been?"
From the other side came Director Ahn Gabok's seasoned voice.
"You've arrived in Japan, right?"
"Yes? Ah, yes. We just got to the hotel. But what made you call?"
"How does Woojin's schedule look around eight tonight?"
Suddenly?
Choi Sunggeon did a quick calculation in his head.
"...He should be at the hotel around then."
"Good. Then how would Woojin feel about attending a Japanese film festival around that time?"
"What?"
"CEO Choi, you know the Tokyo International Short Film Festival, right? It started a few days ago and is still going on. I was invited as a judge and arrived in Japan yesterday."
The Tokyo International Short Film Festival held almost the same status in Japan as the Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival did in Korea. It was considered one of the top short film festivals in Japan. Of course, Japanese master directors and actors formed the core of it, but since it was an international festival, plenty of global figures were in attendance as well.
"Today is the final day. I'm flying back to Korea tonight too. There's a small party after the festival, and I thought it might be good if Woojin came. I also have something I'd like to discuss with him."
"Ah—"
"But as you know, many important people from the film and entertainment industries will be there. If Woojin comes, I'd like to make them feel even more urgency."
Was it an emergency?
No.
If anything, it sounded like something that could shake up the Japanese entertainment world. At least, that was how Choi Sunggeon saw it.
The problem was—
"I'm sorry, Director, but we didn't receive an invitation."
"Ah, I can handle that."
"...I'll ask Woojin first."
"I'll wait."
Choi Sunggeon lowered the phone and, in a low voice, relayed the gist of it to Kang Woojin.
Woojin, expressionless, slowly nodded.
A Japanese film festival party?
Like an after-party?
It sounded a little bothersome, but also interesting. He had heard that many famous Japanese actors would be attending.
'It's basically like Mise-en-scène.'
Woojin came to a quick conclusion and muttered in a low voice,
"I think it'd be good to take a look."
At the same time—
Bzzzz, bzzzzzz.
Kang Woojin's phone vibrated.
The caller was Director Kyotaro. While walking, Woojin naturally answered in Japanese.
"Hello, Director."
"I heard you arrived in Japan. I wanted to see you briefly before filming begins, but tonight is packed because of the festival."
"Are you talking about the Tokyo International Short Film Festival?"
"That's right."
The moment he heard the answer, Woojin spoke to Director Kyotaro over the phone.
"I think I'll be there too. I'll see you then."
Director Kyotaro sounded visibly startled.
"Really??!"
Several hours later, early evening in Korea.
It was seven o'clock. Inside a studio in Gangnam, posters and logos for the popular girl group Elani were plastered everywhere.
This was the studio where Elani filmed their live broadcasts.
It was mainly used for social media and YouTube livestreams, and at the moment, Hwarin and the rest of the Elani members were sitting on a pink sofa in the center of the studio, talking to fans through a live stream.
It was not a strictly controlled broadcast, though.
This one was purely for interacting with fans.
That was why the Elani members, seated on the sofa in hoodies and other comfortable clothes, were chatting freely with fans through the cameras and monitors.
Then—
"See you in a bit—"
Hwarin, sitting in the middle of the sofa with her long hair braided into two plaits, waved toward the camera. The other members did the same. They were about to take a short break. Soon, one of the staff members behind the camera called out to them.
"Fifteen minutes! We're going live again in fifteen! This time on YouTube!"
A fifteen-minute break was given. The members scattered to head to the restroom or fix their makeup.
Hwarin, however, stayed seated on the sofa with her legs crossed and immediately pulled out her phone. It had vibrated about an hour earlier. Among the many notifications, one from a YouTube channel had caught her eye.
'[A new video has been uploaded to Kang Woojin's Alter Ego / 1 hour ago]'
There was no way she could endure not watching the new upload from her favorite channel.
Ignoring all the other messages, Hwarin went straight to the YouTube channel Kang Woojin's Alter Ego.
'I'll watch this first, then check TV.'
In fact, she needed to check television too.
Anyway, full of anticipation, Hwarin opened the newly uploaded video on Kang Woojin's Alter Ego.
But then—
"Wow, that's insane."
The words escaped her without her realizing it.
The reason was simple.
The view count on the new video that had gone up around an hour ago was unbelievable.
[Duet + What Do You Want to Eat? + Cooking Avatar (Episode 1)] Guest / Miley Cara | Kang Woojin's Alter Ego
Views: 2.18 million
It was absurdly high.
No, it was exploding.
Meanwhile, at Hong Hyeyeon's house—
Since it was her day off, she was wearing white-and-black pajamas. Her long hair was tied back, and she was sitting alone on the sofa in the living room, sipping wine. Snacks like cheese were set out on the table in front of her. Just then, Hong Hyeyeon checked the time on her phone.
"Seven PM—"
She picked up the remote and turned on the large TV. HTBS came on immediately. As soon as the commercial ended, the title of a variety show appeared on the screen.
[Our Table: American Edition]
[Episode 0]
It was Our Table.