Kang Woojin's appearance that day was simple enough. His hair was neatly combed, the white shirt buttoned all the way to the neck, his trousers sharply pressed, and polished shoes completing the look. Of course, everything he wore was luxury brand clothing, prepared for filming.
Even so, the overall impression was simply that he was dressed appropriately. His makeup was not excessive either.
Woojin stood on the lawn of the massive set, listening to the restless murmuring of the staff around him. At the sound of it, he lifted his head in curiosity.
He immediately understood why the staff were so unsettled.
'What??'
His expression stayed firm, but the moment he saw the foreigners standing at the edge of the set, he was genuinely startled. No, startled was not quite right. He was more caught off guard.
'That giant!!'
It was Joseph Felton, the man he had briefly met in LA. The tall Black man with a towering frame and a solid upper body. There was no mistaking him. Joseph had left too strong an impression for Woojin to forget.
The problem was—
'What? Why is he here?'
A famous Hollywood producer had suddenly shown up at the filming set of Leech.
And on top of that—
'Did he bring his whole team with him?'
He was not alone. There were several foreigners with him. Then Woojin's gaze shifted slightly to the right. A foreign woman with her face hidden under a hat and mask came into view. He recognized her instantly.
'No way. Kara? Isn't that Miley Kara??'
He could not see her face, but the long blonde hair, the silhouette, and especially the fact that she was standing beside Joseph made it seem almost certain. Kang Woojin's thoughts instantly tangled into a knot. It was only natural. Hollywood's top producer and a global superstar had suddenly appeared at the set of Leech.
'What is this? Does Grandfather—I mean, Director Ahn Gabok—know them? Or maybe Shim Hanho?'
It could have been for Oh Heeryeong or another actor too. But Woojin did not outwardly react much. That was thanks to his habit of maintaining his concept. Because of that, he was able to keep his face blank.
At that moment, Joseph noticed Woojin's gaze and lifted his large hand. He gave him a light greeting, even adding a smile.
Kara, on the other hand, did not make any particular move. It was probably because of the disguise.
In any case, there were very few people on set who knew exactly who those foreigners were. Maybe Director Ahn Gabok and Kang Woojin, and that was about it. So the whispers among the dozens of staff only grew louder.
"Who are those foreigners?"
"No idea, but they seem important."
"Did the director arrange this in advance?"
Sensing the mood, Joseph quietly whispered in English to Kara at his side.
"Kara, you feel the atmosphere, right? Don't show your face no matter what. And if possible, don't speak either."
Kara pulled her hat lower and answered in a cool voice.
"I know. I'm not stupid."
"I'm just emphasizing it."
"Still, I'm going to say hello to Woojin."
"Hmm. I think Mr. Kang Woojin already figured out who we are. Look, he glanced at us for a moment and then went right back to focusing on the script."
"······Still, Woojin really does pour a completely different kind of energy into his hobbies and his main work. He's genuinely unique."
Their conversation was cut off by the arrival of an assistant director. Sent by Director Ahn Gabok, he hurried over with staff ID lanyards in hand. Soon, everyone on the foreign team except Joseph and Kara had staff IDs hanging around their necks. Only then did the murmuring among the Leech staff begin to die down.
They probably assumed they were just visitors.
At the same time—
"Stand by in three minutes!!"
After handing over the lanyards, the assistant director shouted into his radio. The staff hurried to wrap up what they were doing and cleared out of the filming zone.
Only actor Kang Woojin remained alone on the wide lawn.
"······"
Since it was a solo shot, that was only natural. Every camera was pointed at him. So were the reflectors and lights. Even the boom mic was positioned above his head. Judging by the large camera mounted on a small crane, they were planning to shoot from multiple angles.
In simple terms, the grand opening scene of Leech would begin with Kang Woojin.
Director Ahn Gabok, his short white hair filling out his head, sat in front of a cluster of about four monitors. Around him stood the writer and other staff members. Actors like Shim Hanho, Oh Heeryeong, and Han Sojin, who had been waiting in the tent, had also come out. It was not because they wanted to celebrate the long-awaited start of filming.
'······Acting on a set includes the environment and the movement too. How did that kid prepare for this?'
'I already saw it at the audition, but I still need to see it again.'
'Come to think of it, I didn't really get to properly see his Park Hasung at the audition. Chairman Yoon Jeongbae was impressive too, but…'
They wanted to see Park Hasung as played by Kang Woojin.
Not in a small theater. Not in an audition.
They wanted to witness the real performance unfolding in a fully built set.
Right at this moment.
"Let's go."
Director Ahn Gabok's familiar voice rang out through the speakers. The hundred or so staff members all fell silent. Joseph and Kara swallowed hard as they stared at Woojin standing on set.
Then—
"Hi, action."
The instant the signal was given—
Woojin turned toward the camera, and the look in his eyes changed in an instant.
At the same time, at Choi Nana's studio—
Around five people were seated around a desk in the middle of the living room. Choi Nana wore a tense expression, while PD Song Manwoo was seriously reading through a thick bundle of papers.
It was, of course, the script.
The final episode script for the drama Beneficial Evil.
Writer Choi Nana had already finished writing it, but one final gate remained. PD Song Manwoo's approval. The production manager and another writer were reading the script too.
"······"
Choi Nana stared blankly at PD Song Manwoo. Her face looked as if her mouth had gone completely dry. Even so, Song Manwoo continued reviewing the script without pause.
Before she even realized it, he had turned to the final page. After checking everything, Song Manwoo set the thick stack of pages down and stroked his beard.
"Hmm."
Adjusting her round glasses, Choi Nana asked in a desperate voice,
"H-how is it?"
Song Manwoo, still serious, looked at her. The interesting thing was that a smile slowly began to spread across his face.
"It's excellent. No, really—it's amazing, Writer Choi."
Choi Nana's eyes widened immediately.
"R-really?! It's really okay?!"
"Yes. It's fun. To be honest, it does need a few revisions, but that's part of the process every script goes through. I think it's good, and I think we could move forward with it largely as it is. What do the rest of you think?"
The people around them raised their thumbs as well. It meant it had passed.
At that, Choi Nana covered her face with both hands. Her shy personality showed itself exactly as it was.
"Ha… that's a relief. I was so nervous I thought I was going to have a heart attack."
PD Song Manwoo, his goatee framing a broad grin, laughed heartily.
"Then what would be the point of writing? You're about to become a world-class writer."
"Honestly, it still doesn't feel real."
"You don't need to force yourself to feel it. Once things begin, it'll come naturally."
Song Manwoo smiled even more brightly, picked up his pen, and moved on to the next task.
"For now, I'll mark the parts that are vague or need revision, so please fix them as naturally as possible. And Manager, as soon as the writer finishes the revisions, send the script to Netflix."
"Yes, PD-nim."
"Let them know the script work is done and that we'll be moving up pre-production."
At that moment, Choi Nana, who had been trying to calm herself with her face still partly covered, suddenly lifted her head.
"Oh! PD-nim, what happened with that? When I called, you said you were meeting an actor… did it go well?"
"It was Hwarin."
"Hw-Hwarin??"
"Yes. You two stay in touch once in a while, don't you?"
"Y-yes! Just to say hello, mostly."
"At the moment, casting offers have gone out to Hwarin and Ha Gangsu. Nothing is confirmed yet, but there's no need to rush. If we push too hard and create problems, that'll only cause bigger problems."
"Really?"
At that, Song Manwoo leaned back deeply in his chair and let out a small sigh.
"The casting method for Beneficial Evil isn't typical. Different actors appear in each episode. Compared to an ordinary miniseries, the number of actors involved is much larger, but each individual role has less screen time. That's the difference."
"Of course······"
"You must have heard this while assisting Writer Park Eunmi, but pre-production is completely different from live production. Everything has to be perfect before filming starts, and even the editing has to be finished before the broadcast. That means the quality has to be at least twice as high as a normal miniseries."
Song Manwoo tilted his tired neck slightly and continued.
"That's why a lot of actors avoid pre-produced projects. And on top of that, our Beneficial Evil has a great setup, but the production difficulty is very high. If it succeeds, it'll be a massive success. But if it fails, it'll be a disaster. The backlash will be much bigger than usual, and it'll deal a heavy blow to the actors' images too. They can't help but take that into consideration."
"······"
"So not every actor on the casting list is eager to join. Some may hesitate to appear at all. But it's fine. Honestly, just having Kang Woojin at the center is already enough."
"The script itself revolves around the protagonist, but it might be a bit much for Woojin to carry alone."
"Not at all. Woojin will do very well. Still, I plan to cast other top-tier actors to distribute the roles."
Song Manwoo turned to the production manager.
"Have you contacted every organization across the country?"
"Yes. That was done quite a while ago."
"And the audition preparations?"
"No problems."
"Good. I'll handle the theater troupes."
He nodded, then looked once more at Choi Nana, whose face still held traces of worry.
"As long as we have Woojin and a few more famous actors, that'll be enough. That part is for domestic viewers. In any case, the main audience for Beneficial Evil will be global viewers, and Korean celebrities will feel unfamiliar to overseas audiences anyway. They'll just think, 'Ah, they're Korean actors.'"
At that moment, a meaningful smile spread across Song Manwoo's bearded face.
"Beneficial Evil is going to feature a lot of unknown actors and rookies. Quite a lot."
Meanwhile, in Jeonju, filming was underway at the detached house set for the drama Leech.
Kang Woojin stood alone on the wide lawn. The blood flowing through his body no longer felt like his own. It belonged to Park Hasung. But its color was much darker than usual.
That was only natural.
Because Woojin understood not only Park Hasung's life, but even the most subtle parts of it in perfect detail.
He had already taken in every role surrounding Park Hasung in Leech.
Their thoughts, perspectives, conflicts, and worlds all sharpened the outline of Park Hasung through Kang Woojin. On top of that, even if this was only a set, the background of Leech that he had read and experienced in the void gave the work even more weight.
The grass beneath his feet let out crushed little cries.
At the same time, the smell of grass filled Woojin's nose. It should not have smelled like anything. It was artificial turf.
But Woojin's sense of smell was now Park Hasung's, and so he could smell the grass.
'Ah, this is comfortable.'
This was not the early Park Hasung from the script.
It was the middle-phase Park Hasung.
His emotions were calm, yet sticky. A strange shiver starting from Woojin's lower body crept all the way into his brain.
This was not the small theater where he had auditioned.
In the world of Leech, he did not need to directly exchange lines with another actor for this moment. Kang Woojin simply had to enjoy the version of Park Hasung emphasized within the work itself.
There was nothing here to interfere with him.
He opened the door.
Now he could show the real Park Hasung, no longer the suppressed version. He could move freely. No matter what line he crossed, there was no need to worry.
Soon, many things disappeared from the eyes of both Kang Woojin and Park Hasung.
The cameras. The staff. Kara and Joseph. Even the actors who had come to watch.
Everything unrelated to Leech vanished like a dream, and before long, the only thing left in his sight was the large detached house.
It was quiet.
And eerie.
'This is a dead end.'
Whether it was Kang Woojin or Park Hasung, the situation was the same.
For Park Hasung especially, this place was no different from a battlefield where his life was on the line. Chairman Yoon Jeongbae held his life in his hands. If the deal went wrong, that cunning snake of a man could take his life at any moment.
'It's okay.'
But that contract had already been made long ago.
Woojin had completely melted into this vast space. The weight that had once felt like baggage from another world was gone.
'This feels like my own home.'
"What is Madam doing right now?"
Woojin, who had been pacing across the lawn, finally began to walk. The camera followed behind him.
He entered the living room of the detached house.
It was quiet here too. Only the ticking of the clock sounded unusually loud.
He brushed his hand over the sofa in the living room.
Just from the touch alone, he could tell the leather on this sofa was worth at least several thousand. Woojin sat down. Unfortunately, it was a single-seater.
"This is too soft."
He muttered the words and stared straight ahead.
His face appeared on the monitor.
It was not expressionless, but it was also difficult to define it as any one particular expression. The corners of his lips were slightly raised, but it was a smile concealing intent. His eyes were calm, but desire was hidden inside them. His movements were composed, but they concealed a sinister purpose.
"This is my house."
This is mine.
It was fine to accept it that way.
Woojin rose from the sofa and began touching the various objects placed around the living room. The famous painting on the wall. The unusual ornaments. The expensive furniture.
These were things that could be treasured.
Or destroyed.
'This doesn't look rented, does it?'
Ripley syndrome.
Believing in the reality one has created and acting accordingly.
Whether it was Kang Woojin or Park Hasung, even though this was his first time standing in front of the camera in this way and even though he had been thrown into filming suddenly, he expressed Ripley syndrome naturally.
At that exact moment—
A bell rang out without warning.
A guest had arrived.
So Kang Woojin—no, the true owner of the house—pressed the intercom without a trace of hesitation.
"Who is it?"
The camera captured the smile on Park Hasung's profile.
Without hesitation, he opened the door.
Soon, two middle-aged women stepped into the living room. They were people from an organization that Yoo Hyunji donated to. Their curious eyes swept across the wide house before they spoke to Kang Woojin, who was standing before them.
"Oh my, are you Madam's son by any chance?"
"That must be it. I heard she has two sons."
At that, Kang Woojin answered, "No."
Then Park Hasung bowed politely.
"That's right."
Was it a lie?
No.
At this moment, he truly believed it.
That this was his world.
It showed plainly on his face.
There was not even the slightest hesitation.
Soon, a refined smile spread across Kang Woojin's lips, and his posture naturally straightened.
Silence.
"······"
No one opened their mouth. The hundred or so staff members and everyone else could do nothing but stare at Kang Woojin.
About ten seconds later, an old familiar voice rang through the living room.
"Cut—"
Director Ahn Gabok, the one who had given the signal, soon approached Woojin. By then, Kang Woojin had already cast off the mask of Park Hasung, and on the lined face of Director Ahn, standing beside him, interest and surprise were mixed together.
"It's different from before."
Director Ahn asked him quietly.
"You set a standard at the audition, didn't you? What exactly was the Park Hasung you showed back then? Was that just… a sample?"
Kang Woojin answered briefly, in a low and cynical tone.
"At the time, I didn't go all out. I just did it moderately."
Miley Kara and Joseph looked frozen.
Among them, Joseph slightly furrowed his brows and let a curse slip out without realizing it.
"······What the hell is this?!"