I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 145

The official Netflix Korea release of ‘Boyfriend Material’ was at 10 AM on the 19th. Despite it being morning, the start of ‘Boyfriend Material,’ which many people were watching, began in a park where cherry blossoms were fluttering. The park was quite crowded, creating the perfect atmosphere for enjoying the flower viewing.

Along with that scene, a lively OST [Original Sound Track] played.

-♬♪

The music, initially the only sound, gradually mixed with the ambient noise of the crowd. Then, the screen showed Kang Woo-jin and Hwa-rin walking side by side through the throng of people. Suddenly, Hwa-rin’s narration began.

[“Yeah, that’s right. This is where it all started.”]

As her words ended, the camera angle, which had been showing their backs, suddenly shifted to reveal a front shot of the two. Woo-jin and Hwa-rin’s expressions were contrasting. Hwa-rin, wearing a denim jacket, was beaming, while Kang Woo-jin looked utterly annoyed.

At that moment.

-Tap!

Hwa-rin suddenly ran off. Her long hair fluttered as she moved. Kang Woo-jin, in a white shirt and jeans, let out a long sigh. Then, Hwa-rin, who had been skipping around alone, returned to Woo-jin with both hands full of cherry blossom petals.

[“Hey! Han In-ho!”]

The camera showed the two from the side. Hwa-rin held out the cherry blossom petals she had gathered to Kang Woo-jin. In that instant, the camera zoomed in on the pile of cherry blossom petals, and Kang Woo-jin and Hwa-rin’s playful banter began.

[“Look at this!”]

[“So what?”]

[“Ah! Smell them, smell them!”]

[“I don’t smell anything.”]

The two bickered casually. Then, eventually, Kang Woo-jin put his nose to the pile of cherry blossom petals. At this moment.

-Thud.

The OST that had been playing and the screen abruptly stopped, as if the world had frozen. Then, Hwa-rin’s narration started again.

[“That’s it, that’s it! Ha—I should have just shoved the cherry blossom petals up Han In-ho’s nostrils and run away!”]

As soon as she finished speaking, the screen started moving again. Kang Woo-jin and Hwa-rin, who had gotten closer with the pile of cherry blossom petals between them, exchanged a subtle gaze. Their faces were shown alternately, and their intense gazes were clearly visible.

The gazes of the two, who were only a fist’s distance apart, softened.

-♬♪

The OST changed to a softer melody. The two, so close that their breaths could be felt, were captured in a single frame. The scene was enhanced with sunlight filtering through, and the playback speed slowed down. At this point, Kang Woo-jin, who was looking at Hwa-rin with a subtle expression, made the first move.

He leaned in through the cherry blossom petals and kissed Hwa-rin, who was right in front of him.

The screen showed the back of Kang Woo-jin’s head and Hwa-rin’s wide-eyed expression. When Woo-jin slowly pulled away, Hwa-rin, who was looking at Woo-jin, suddenly hiccuped.

[“Hic!”]

The world stopped again, and Hwa-rin’s narration began.

[“Stupid! Why did I hiccup?”]

But Hwa-rin’s hiccup didn’t stop.

[“Hiccup!”]

A moment of eye contact. Then, Hwa-rin, who was still hiccuping, bit her lower lip and cursed at Kang Woo-jin, who was right in front of her.

[“······Crazy bastard.”]

And then.

[“Damn it!!”]

As if she couldn’t stand it, Hwa-rin flung her arms wide and rushed at Kang Woo-jin. The camera angle gradually widened. The two were shown in a full shot, and the cherry blossom petals in Hwa-rin’s hand fluttered.

She pounced. That was the right word for it.

Hwa-rin clung to Kang Woo-jin, and Kang Woo-jin lightly accepted her embrace. Their lips met in a deep kiss, as if they were devouring each other. It was somehow sensual yet wild, as if they were both untamed. At this moment, the crowd glancing at the two in a daze was briefly shown, and then the camera focused on the two kissing again.

Then.

[“Ugh! No! Stop for a second!”]

Following Hwa-rin’s narration, the screen stopped again.

[“I······how did I end up like this??”]

A sudden rewind effect was shown. Woo-jin and Hwa-rin moved backward quickly, and so did the people. It was as if the world was being turned back, even the earth spinning around.

Soon.

-Whoosh.

The OST changed, and the overall color tone changed as well. Fluttering curtains, a blackboard and a teacher’s desk, and students running around appeared in turn.

[“······”]

A boy in a school uniform was shown lying on his desk. It was obviously Kang Woo-jin. At this moment, a girl’s voice called out to him.

[“Hey! Han In-ho!!”]

It was Hwa-rin, also in a school uniform. Kang Woo-jin raised his head groggily. But as soon as he saw Hwa-rin, he slumped back down, and Hwa-rin ran up and smacked him on the head. Kang Woo-jin jumped up.

[“Ah! Lee Bo-min! Are you crazy?!”]

Soon, the faces of Kang Woo-jin, frowning, and Hwa-rin, smiling brightly, were shown alternately, and then the title appeared.

-‘Boyfriend Material’

Having been completely immersed in watching the first episode of ‘Boyfriend Material’ up to this point, Kang Hyun-ah and her friends, who were munching on snacks, all said in unison. Their reaction was filled with genuine enthusiasm.

“Crazy······so damn good.”

Back then.

About an hour after ‘Boyfriend Material’ was officially released on Netflix Korea, the group chat of Kang Woo-jin’s close friends was buzzing.

-Hyung-gu: Crazy? Hey, hey, is it true that ‘Boyfriend Material’ starts with a kiss??!!

-Hyung-gu: Damn, I’m so jealous

-Kyung-sung: What? A kiss? From the start? Wait a minute, I’m at work but I’m going to the bathroom to watch it

-Hyung-gu: Did Kang Woo-jin save the country like 40 times in his past life!!!! Aaaah, I’m so jealous

-Dae-young: My friend, you saw it? But I witnessed it firsthand

-Hyung-gu: ??? Seriously?

-Dae-young: I saw it right in front of my eyes

-Kyung-sung: Damn, it’s so intense from the start??! Hey!! Kang Woo-jin! Was it good?! Was it good!!

-Hyung-gu: Death penalty! Why? I don’t know, just death penalty!

-Kyung-sung: With Hwa-rin… with that Hwa-rin…

-Dae-young: ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋYou guys are patheticㅋㅋㅋBut how is it? Is it fun? I’m still at work so I can’t watch it

-Hyung-gu: Yeah, yeah, ㅋㅋㅋㅋIt’s funㅋㅋㅋI don’t usually watch this kind of stuff but it’s entertaining?

-Kyung-sung: Yeah, I agree, I’ll have to watch it properly when I get home

-Woo-jin: Heh

-Hyung-gu: Hey! This guy is laughing??!!

Even though it was a Monday morning on a weekday, Kang Woo-jin’s close friends were going wild. It wasn’t just them. It was a time when everyone was supposed to be working, but even so, the real-time viewer chat room for ‘Boyfriend Material’ was in an uproar.

-It’s so funㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Ah!! Why do Kang Woo-jin and Hwa-rin look so good in school uniforms????

-Kisskisskisskisskisskisskiss!!

-Which episode do they kiss in?

-↑It’s right at the beginning

-This is what I wanted….Kang Woo-jin….the perfect boyfriend material….

-Hwa-rin is so pretty in the interview scene just now….

-What is thisㅋㅋㅋㅋAs expected, it’s boringㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-The drama’s color tone is insane……it’s so pretty

-Wow, Kang Woo-jin’s image transformation is amazing!! I don’t even think about Manager Park anymore!!

-The entrance ceremonyㅋㅋㅋㅋThe principal giving the speech looks exactly like my high school principalㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-It’ll be a flash in the panㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-When will the OST that the two of them sang be released????

-Why does Kang Woo-jin look so good in a school uniform, why is he so handsome, why is his smile so cute

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋWith that kind of kiss, they should just go straight to a motel

-Is that all you can think about???

-Oh my…the kiss is so intense…..I love it

-Kang Woo-jin is acting well, he’ll probably gain a lot of female fans with this!

The posts were being updated every second, and it felt like everyone was watching ‘Boyfriend Material’ in real-time. An unusual buzz was in the air. Not to be outdone, the online communities also started to show movement. A dedicated ‘Boyfriend Material’ gallery was created on a famous online forum, and there were already hundreds of posts.

However, this was just the beginning.

『[Issue Check] ‘Boyfriend Material’ Opens with a Bang, Community Buzzing Within 1 Hour』

It was obvious that it would be several times more chaotic when people got off work after noon.

『‘Boyfriend Material’ Official Viewer Chat Room on Fire Even in the Morning/Photo』

Like a volcano erupting.

On the same day, around lunchtime. In Japan.

The news that ‘Boyfriend Material’ had been released in Korea had spread to Japan as well. However, Japan was still more interested in ‘Naked Geisha’ and the Kashii Group. New bits of information kept coming out, but the facts were still unclear.

『[Kashii Group] First Step into Untouched Cultural Industry with 「‘Naked Geisha’」?』

Even though quite some time had passed since the information was released, many Japanese entertainment programs were still frequently covering this issue.

Whatever the case, the recognition of both sides was at its peak.

There were also many mentions of Kang Woo-jin. Of course, the impact of his appearance on ‘Ametalk Show!’ still permeated the Japanese YouTube market.

In the midst of all this.

-Vroom!

In a high-end sedan speeding down the road, an old man asked a question related to Kang Woo-jin. It was Chairman Hideki, with his white-haired eyebrows.

“What’s the situation with ‘Naked Geisha’?”

At the rough tone of the question, the woman with a neat appearance in the passenger seat, Secretary-General Riri, turned her body.

“Everything is going as Chairman predicted. While curiosity is amplified, the explosive interest in us and ‘Naked Geisha’ is being maintained.”

“Good. What is Director Tanoguchi Kyotaro doing?”

“As much as it was halted due to the issue, he is currently speeding up the production. I heard that they recently completed casting the actors.”

“What about Kang Woo-jin?”

“It has been confirmed that he has started filming his next movie. He is currently in Vietnam for overseas location filming.”

Chairman Hideki slowly nodded his head. He was satisfied. It was going according to his desired plan. More than anything.

‘That guy, Shingo, has also become unbelievably cheerful, unlike before.’

His grandson’s condition was also improving day by day. It was as if his dreams and hopes were growing. Then, Chairman Hideki, who had been crossing his arms, turned his wrinkled face towards the window.

‘Indeed—it would be better to dabble in the cultural industry, not just a one-off thing.’

Then, he called out to Riri in the passenger seat.

“I think I should meet Kang Woo-jin soon.”

“Shall I contact him and arrange a meeting?”

“No, it’s a bit too early to meet so openly. It could put pressure on Kang Woo-jin. It would be better to make it look like a coincidence, wouldn’t it?”

Riri thought for a moment and then met the chairman’s eyes.

“Then, how about during the script reading for ‘Naked Geisha’?”

“Script reading?”

“Yes, it’s something that is done during the movie production preparation. It’s a time when the director, actors, and staff all gather to rehearse their acting beforehand.”

“Ah, yes—I’ve heard of it.”

“Kang Woo-jin will also be at the script reading for ‘Naked Geisha,’ so you could meet him then.”

Seeming to think it was a good idea, Chairman Hideki stroked his chin.

“Hmm, when will it be? And where will it be held?”

“Now that the actor casting is complete, it will be soon. I will check the schedule. And the location is usually inside the film company.”

Chairman Hideki, who was slowly stroking his chin, didn’t open his mouth right away. He seemed to be thinking about something. It was roughly a few tens of seconds. Then.

“Then, about the location of that script reading.”

He instructed Riri in a low, rough tone.

“Let’s have my hotel provide it. Renting out one hall should be enough, don’t you think?”

At this time, back in Korea.

Inside Kang Woo-jin’s van, which was currently moving. Woo-jin was in full makeup, as if he had just come from the salon. He was now looking down at his phone.

No, to be exact.

‘Ugh! Kiss scene! Crazy! Seeing the finished product is so embarrassing??’

He was watching ‘Boyfriend Material,’ which had been released this morning. At the same time, he felt strange. Was it because he was watching himself on his phone? Or was it because his work was on the famous Netflix? Whatever it was, he felt a strange sensation.

At this moment.

“Oppa.”

Han Ye-jung, with her blue bob, who was sitting next to him, spoke to Woo-jin.

“‘Boyfriend Material’ is genuinely fun, isn’t it?”

Her straightforward tone was filled with sincerity, and as a result, all the other stylists agreed.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s really fun, not just because it’s Woo-jin oppa’s work.”

“That first intense kiss scene definitely played a big part.”

“Oppa and Hwa-rin have great chemistry, you guys look good together! I bet there’ll be a scandal soon?”

They were all watching ‘Boyfriend Material’ just like Woo-jin. Woo-jin, who had been watching them silently, nodded his head inwardly.

‘So, at least it looks good to women?’

Han Ye-jung called out to Choi Sung-gun, who had a ponytail and was in the front passenger seat.

“Did you watch it too, CEO? What do you think?”

Choi Sung-gun, who slowly turned his body, was smiling. His smile was excessively deep. The funny thing was that what he said was not related to ‘Boyfriend Material.’

“‘Boyfriend Material’ is ‘Boyfriend Material,’ but Woo-jin, there’s another piece of good news?”

Eh? What is it? That’s a suspicious smile, isn’t it? Regardless, Choi Sung-gun pointed at the phone in Woo-jin’s hand with his index finger.

“See it with your own eyes, I just sent it. Turn on ‘Kang Woo-jin’s Sub-Character.’”

He was talking about the YouTube channel ‘Kang Woo-jin’s Sub-Character.’ Soon, Woo-jin turned off Netflix with a calm face and turned on YouTube. The main screen of the ‘Kang Woo-jin’s Sub-Character’ channel was quickly visible. Then, Kang Woo-jin was shocked inside.

[Channel Name: Kang Woo-jin’s Sub-Character]

[5.02 Million Subscribers]

[13 Videos]

It had surpassed 5 million subscribers. Even the size of the YouTube channel was becoming a monster. It was a number that the entire Kang Woo-jin team could applaud, and Woo-jin, while maintaining a poker face, inwardly agreed in a frivolous manner.

‘Wow!! I’m a 5 million YouTuber?!! Awesome! Yeah, awesome!’

Then, something came to Kang Woo-jin’s mind.

‘Ah, that’s right.’

He suddenly called out to Choi Sung-gun, who was sitting in the passenger seat.

“CEO. Since we’re talking about the channel, about the YouTube channel content.”

“Huh? Ah—yeah, yeah.”

“Can I add one more?”

“Sure? What is it? Did you come up with an idea related to vocals?”

Kang Woo-jin’s answer was unexpected.

“No, it’s related to cooking.”

A moment of silence. Then, Choi Sung-gun blinked his eyes twice and asked again.

“······Co, cooking??”