Director Kwon Gitaek, his white hair standing out sharply, began walking onto the hall stage alongside the Island of the Missing cast—Kang Woojin, Ryu Jungmin, Ha Yura, Kim Iwon, Jeon Woochang—and two supporting actors.
There were eight of them in total.
Soon, the lights in the hall dimmed slightly, and grand music began to play.
-♬♪
As expected from a production presentation bearing Director Kwon Gitaek's name, the staging was slightly overdone. It was probably the distributor's idea. In any case, the hundred or so reporters immediately began firing their shutters with enthusiasm.
Flashes burst across the stage every second.
-Flash! Flash! Flash!
Because the lighting was so dim, the barrage of camera flashes was almost blinding. And there, as the actors entered in a single line, Kang Woojin, dressed in a beige trench coat, found himself standing at the very front without saying a word.
'Why is the entrance direction like this… and why are there so many reporters? Huh? And why am I first?'
Only then did he realize he had entered first. He had simply been waiting in front of the door, following a staff member's signal, and somehow ended up going in ahead of everyone else.
Because of that—
Woojin quietly lowered his voice to Ryu Jungmin, who was right behind him.
"Sunbae, I'm sorry. Please come this way."
Ryu Jungmin, wearing a brown blazer, let out a low laugh. His once-short hair had grown slightly longer.
"It doesn't matter where we sit. We can just sit anywhere."
With BW Entertainment transfer approaching, Ryu Jungmin gestured casually. Kang Woojin kept a composed expression, but inwardly, he was slightly flustered.
'What? Even so, wouldn't it be weird if I sat in the very front?'
But Director Kwon Gitaek and the other actors did not seem to care at all.
Then—
"That's right! The main cast of Island of the Missing has all gathered here!"
The female host began her introduction. The production presentation had officially started. In the end, Woojin had no choice but to sit in the first seat beside Director Kwon Gitaek. The host then continued the event.
"Everyone here may already know this, but let's begin with introductions from the Director."
The master director, Kwon Gitaek, wearing a somewhat thick jacket, raised the microphone in his hand to his mouth.
"Hello, I'm Kwon Gitaek, director of the film Island of the Missing."
"Yes! Hello, Director! Next—"
The female host's eyes met Woojin's. He naturally took hold of the microphone. Flashes exploded wildly in front of him. The scale of it all was far bigger than he had expected. And considering Kang Woojin's filmography, Island of the Missing was his first lead role.
In other words, this announcement marked the first time he was standing before the public as the lead actor of a project.
He was seated shoulder to shoulder with the top actors of the country.
More precisely, Kang Woojin was sitting in the very front.
The moment he thought about what that position meant, tension rushed over him. There was a faint sense of pressure too. But it was manageable. Woojin had already experienced several production presentations, and dealing with crowds of reporters was no longer unfamiliar.
'Hoo—calm down.'
He lowered his voice even more.
"Hello, I'm Kang Woojin, and I play Sergeant Jin Seoncheol in Island of the Missing."
The title of Woojin's first lead project spread through the wide hall. The shutter sounds immediately grew louder, and the reporters hammering away at their laptops doubled their speed. The atmosphere was unmistakably different. Woojin could feel it even in the air itself. The sharp gazes of over a hundred reporters pressed in on him.
Yes, this was it.
A film by the great Director Kwon Gitaek.
And he was the lead in that film.
It truly felt different.
'So this is… what the top actors who only take lead roles feel? My god. This is heavy.'
This seat carried tremendous responsibility. That was why, although Woojin was tense beyond words inside, outwardly he had to appear even calmer than usual.
Meanwhile, the handheld microphone was passed to Ryu Jungmin.
"Hello. I'm Ryu Jungmin, and I play Lieutenant Choi Yutae in Island of the Missing."
After that, Ha Yura, Kim Iwon, and Jeon Woochang introduced themselves one by one, and then the female host turned back to Kang Woojin with the next question.
"Woojin, you've been enjoying explosive popularity lately! What would you say is the special charm of Island of the Missing?"
'Heh, I already got the questionnaire. This much is easy.'
Woojin answered calmly.
"I think it's the twists. Island of the Missing is filled with unexpected turns everywhere, so there's never a moment for your eyes or ears to rest."
After finishing his answer, Woojin praised himself inwardly.
'Nice. That was smooth, no mistakes.'
The other actors responded just as fluently. Then another question was directed at Kang Woojin.
"Woojin, you show such different acting in every project that it's hard to believe it's the same actor. What kind of character will you be showing in Island of the Missing?"
Kang Woojin hesitated for a split second.
'What? Was there a question like that? I don't remember it.'
Whether it was because of the tension or not, his mind suddenly went blank. What had the question been again? What on earth was he supposed to say? In that brief instant, he scrambled to come up with an answer. It was a fierce internal battle, though no one around him noticed.
'Ah… well.'
He could not remember it.
As if accepting his fate, Woojin raised the microphone to his mouth.
'I don't know. I'll just answer appropriately. Anyway, the multiple personality part is still a secret, right?'
Fortunately, an answer came to him.
"I play a cowardly piece-of-trash kind of role."
"······What?"
"A cowardly piece-of-trash type."
"Ah… a cowardly piece of trash."
A low laugh escaped Director Kwon Gitaek almost immediately, and the other actors, including Ryu Jungmin, struggled to hold back their laughter. The reporters, now even more bewildered, frantically pressed their shutters at Woojin.
-Flash! Flash! Flash!
The hundred or so reporters reacted as though they had just bitten into irresistible bait. Tens of minutes later, the host's formal proceedings ended and the question-and-answer session with the press began. Nearly every reporter raised a hand, and the female host selected one of them.
"Yes, the reporter over there."
A male reporter with glasses was seated in the very front row.
"I have a question for Kang Woojin. Every work you've appeared in, from Profiler Hanryang to Boy Friend, has been a huge success. Your recent project Drug Dealer surpassed 8 million viewers and earned you the title of 'Midas Hand.' What are your expectations for Island of the Missing? It's been years since a film crossed 10 million viewers. Do you think it's possible?"
It was a fairly sensitive question.
That was why Director Kwon Gitaek and the other actors all glanced toward Woojin. He could have sidestepped the question with an appropriate answer.
But without the slightest change in expression, Woojin responded immediately.
"Yes."
There was a trace of arrogance in it.
And confidence.
"I think it will surpass 10 million."
"Oh! Really? Why do you think so?"
"Just a hunch."
"······A hunch?"
"Yes."
Of course, it was a bold answer, but it was not baseless confidence either.
Later.
The Island of the Missing production presentation, which had started at noon, did not wrap up until around four in the afternoon, about two hours later. But even while the event was still going on, related articles had already begun pouring out.
『[Photo] Top actors entering the set of highly anticipated film Island of the Missing / Photos』
The film industry media focused intensely on the news of Island of the Missing. The fact that it was the next work by the legendary Director Kwon Gitaek was already enough to ignite anticipation.
But little by little, the focus of the articles began to shift.
『[Star Talk] Kang Woojin answers question about his "cowardly trash" role』
Kang Woojin's overwhelming presence at the production presentation had been strong enough to shake the entire venue.
『Kang Woojin stuns reporters at Island of the Missing presentation by revealing he plays a "cowardly piece of trash"』
『"The man of a thousand faces" Kang Woojin… what kind of role is this "cowardly piece of trash"?』
To the hundred or so reporters attending the event, Kang Woojin had been a perfect target for coverage.
『Kang Woojin predicts Island of the Missing will surpass 10 million viewers』
『When asked why he believed 10 million viewers was possible, Kang Woojin answered, "Just a hunch" / Photo』
『Kang Woojin predicts 10 million with a "hunch"… netizens react, "That's arrogant"』
It stirred up endless controversy, but there was no doubting the impact of his words.
[This is insane, seriously. Predicting 10 million viewers from a hunch.]
[Lee Sangman: It's going to be a huge hit… the viewers will shoot up to 10 million…]
[This is kind of cringe.]
[But when Kang Woojin says it, it actually makes me curious. And none of his projects have flopped, right??]
[What even is a cowardly piece-of-trash role? The more I look at Kang Woojin, the crazier he seems.]
[;;;; The fact that he said it without any hesitation is honestly impressive.]
[What if… it doesn't even reach 1 million, let alone 10 million…?]
[It'll get attention at first because Director Kwon Gitaek and all those top stars are in it, but in times like these, is 10 million viewers really possible?]
[???: Didn't you say 10 million? Why are you stopping at 1 million?? / Kang Woojin: But it got there really fast, didn't it?]
As Island of the Missing gained traction, a flood of criticism was directed at Kang Woojin, but stories related to him only continued to pile up.
『[Exclusive] At the same table as Kang Woojin? Top actor Ryu Jungmin set to transfer to BW Entertainment!』
『Kang Woojin's "Kimjappan Makguksu" set for official release, Nongshim says "planned before summer"』
Japan was no less active than Korea.
News continued to pour out one after another regarding The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice and the anime Boy Friend: Remake, even when Kang Woojin was not personally appearing on screen.
Everything wound itself around Kang Woojin like tangled threads, wrapping faster and tighter, yet with strange precision. In the middle of it all, countless offers poured in for him. Not just scripts and screenplays, but entertainment programs, YouTube appearances, pictorial shoots, interviews, advertisements, and more.
『"Acting monster" Kang Woojin holds No. 1 brand reputation for months in a row… this too is a first, and everything is a first』
The numbers kept growing day after day. It had already been enormous last year, but now it had risen to an almost unimaginable level.
And yet, surprisingly, Woojin was turning many of those offers down.
It was not because of prejudice or hesitation. It was Kang Woojin's own decision. His schedule was already packed to the brim, and even if he squeezed things around and created openings, he could have taken on more work.
But Woojin shook his head.
He felt that right now was exactly enough.
'Greed will ruin you.'
Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
Then—
『[Film] The great master of Korean cinema, Director Ahn Gabok's film Leech, begins script reading today, the 6th!』
『At last, the lid opens… Shim Hanho, Kang Woojin, and Oh Heeryeong gather for the script reading of Leech』
The 6th had arrived.
Saturday morning, the 6th, at a luxury hotel in Seoul.
A suite inside a five-star hotel in Cheongdam-dong. Or more accurately, the finest suite in the place. That was why the view through the enormous windows, along with every piece of furniture in the room, was remarkable.
The space itself was vast.
Into one section of that room, where a square table and a gray sofa had been placed, stepped a large man.
He was a familiar Black man.
Joseph Felton, the famous Hollywood producer who had recently come to Korea for work. Dressed in suit trousers and a black sweater that clung closely to his body, his solid upper frame stood out even more.
Then—
He sat on the sofa with a coffee cup in one hand and crossed his legs. Because of Joseph's huge build, even the coffee cup looked smaller than it really was. In any case, Joseph brought the little cup to his lips and began scanning the transparent folders and tablet spread across the table.
At that moment—
Knock knock.
The sound of someone knocking echoed through the room. Joseph rose casually and opened the door. Bald Robert and several other foreigners were standing outside, right on time.
Joseph leaned back in a single-seat sofa, while his team members sat in a line across from him on the opposite sofa.
Only after everyone had gathered did the real meeting begin.
English flew in every direction.
The main topic of the meeting was a summary of the discussions they had held over the past few days with Korean branches of overseas distributors and Hollywood film companies. Joseph and his team continued the morning meeting for over forty minutes, and once it reached ten o'clock, bald Robert changed the subject.
"Joseph, what's the plan for today? Today's the script reading for Leech."
As if he had already been thinking about it, Joseph folded his arms and let out a small breath.
"Hmm… I heard Director Ahn Gabok said it would be fine if I attended the script reading, but what I want to see isn't the reading itself. I want to see Kang Woojin's actual acting."
"······And then?"
"A lot of people will be there. If we occupy that space, it may create unnecessary talk. So we'll skip the script reading today and visit for the official filming on the 8th instead."
"Understood. Then I'll move tomorrow's schedule to today."
"Sure. There's no need to overdo it. It's fine to rest a little too."
Right then—
-♬♪
Joseph's phone rang in his pocket. He casually pulled it out. But the moment he saw the caller ID on the screen, his eyes widened slightly.
"Hm?"
Seeing that, bald Robert tilted his head.
"What is it?"
Joseph kept staring at the number for a moment before replying in a low voice.
"It's Miley. Strange time for her to call."
The caller was the global superstar Miley Cara. It was not as though Joseph and Miley were strangers, but they were not close enough to call each other often either. Both held influence in Hollywood, so when they met, they exchanged greetings comfortably enough. Sometimes they sent each other DMs too.
Most of it had been work-related.
In any case, Joseph, wearing a puzzled expression, uncrossed and recrossed his legs before lifting the phone to his ear.
"Hi, Miley."
Miley Cara's distinctive cold voice rang out from the other end.
"Joseph, where are you right now?"
It was an abrupt question.
Joseph let out a small laugh and answered.
"Ah, I'm not in LA right now. I'm in Korea."
"I know."
"Hm?"
"That's why I asked where in Korea you are."
"···Why are you asking that?"
Joseph's smile disappeared, and his brows furrowed. Then Cara's short, clear answer came through the receiver.
"Because I'm in Korea right now too."