I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 249

At the end of the dark alleyway, Kang Woo-jin, or Kiyoshi, stared silently at the recorder in his hand.

“······”

His expression was blank. His breathing was steady. On the other hand, the pretty-faced Eishi, who was looking at Woo-jin, kept glancing nervously behind him. After several seconds of this, director Kyotaro’s signal broke the silence of the alleyway.

“…Cut!!”

It was okay. But this scene wasn’t going to be wrapped up just like that. They adjusted the lighting once, and then adjusted the camera angle and the angle of the characters once more. Meanwhile, Kang Woo-jin, with his indifferent face, was physically fine but felt a bit embarrassed.

‘Something… the number of onlookers keeps increasing, doesn’t it?’

Because the number of eyes watching was gradually increasing. In any case, there were a total of four reshoots.

In the meantime, many actors joined the dozens of staff and the filming crew facing the alleyway. Mana Kosaku, who played detective Mochio, Uramatsu Mihuyu, who played the disheveled Amie, as well as minor and supporting actors. And even several extras to fill the background.

They were actors who chose to watch rather than wait, even though it wasn’t their scene.

Especially the extras were very determined.

“Kang Woo-jin also does anime voice acting, I heard.”

“Ah—I saw it too. But just listening to his pronunciation and diction, there doesn’t seem to be any problem at all?”

“Right. By the way, I was really curious, and my wish came true. To see Kang Woo-jin act right in front of me.”

“······It’s really beyond my expectations. Honestly, I thought there might be some hype since he’s been so popular.”

“Whether he was hyped or not, Kang Woo-jin is the first Korean actor to become this popular in Japan, right?”

Some of them dreamed of acting, but there were also quite a few who were just there for a short part-time job. Either way, Kang Woo-jin, who was at the center of the filming zone, was a strange, absurd existence.

“These days, all the actors in our theater group are only talking about Kang Woo-jin.”

“Ah—really? Well, our side has also seen an increase in people practicing Kang Woo-jin’s acting. Just changing some lines from the ‘playboy’ or ‘male friend’ scenes.”

To both unknown actors and ordinary people, Woo-jin was just a star. Especially since he came from Korea and was shaking up Japan, a foreign country. If you looked back at the history of the Korean and Japanese entertainment industries, Kang Woo-jin was the only one like him.

After a few minutes.

After the set was tidied up, the ‘Strange Geisha’ team began filming the next scene.

“Action!”

Of course, Kang Woo-jin was currently Iyota Kiyoshi himself, and the pretty-faced minor actor in front of him was also focused on Horyo Eishi.

-Swish.

Woo-jin, or Kiyoshi, with a dry face, fiddled with the recorder in his hand. Then, he slowly raised it, put the recorder to his ear, and played what was saved. A woman’s voice could be heard. But the volume wasn’t loud. It was the voice of Horinochi Amie, who was mentally confused and drunk.

You couldn’t hear it clearly.

It wasn’t clearly recorded on the audio equipment either. It was an intentional direction. Of course, the recorder contained something like Amie’s confession. Everything she had done in the past, and everything her group had done.

“······”

Kang Woo-jin, expressionless, listened to Amie’s voice for a moment. The camera focused on the composed Woo-jin in a bust shot. Then, as if satisfied, he lowered his hand and nodded quietly.

“You did well.”

Eishi, who had been trembling with anxiety, raised his voice slightly.

“Y-you’re definitely going to give me the money, right?”

Woo-jin replied in an emotionless tone.

“Quiet.”

“Ah! Ah—”

Eishi glanced behind him again. At the same time, Kang Woo-jin put the recorder in the bag he was carrying, and from that bag, he took out a wad of cash tied with a rubber band.

“I’ll give you 10% first.”

The camera captured Eishi’s flustered face.

“Hey, that’s different from what we agreed on.”

“I’ll give you the money every month.”

“······Every month?”

“If you’re uncomfortable, I’ll give you back the recorder. We can pretend the deal never happened.”

“G-give it to me!”

Eishi snatched the wad of cash from Woo-jin’s hand, and Kang Woo-jin said calmly.

“Now, you can disappear for about half a year.”

Kang Woo-jin, or Kiyoshi, had discovered Horyo Eishi, Amie’s hidden lover, quite a while ago. It was when he was quietly tailing Amie. The funny thing was that Eishi’s behavior was terrible, unlike his pretty face. He pretended to be upright in front of Amie, but behind her back, he frequented gambling and game centers and had a considerable debt with this Kabukicho Yakuza [Japanese organized crime syndicate].

He also dabbled in drugs.

Kabukicho was a street of pleasure as much as it was glamorous. A thug like Eishi was common in this street. It was nothing for Kang Woo-jin to grab his weakness and shake him.

First, he would put a leash on him with money.

‘But I shouldn’t satisfy his thirst.’

Eishi had already crossed the line. If this continued, he would be abandoned by either Amie or the Yakuza. Especially if he was handed over to the Yakuza, he could die without a trace. In other words, Kiyoshi was now a trading partner and hope for Eishi.

That hope handed Eishi a key and a note.

“I’ve found a house in a fishing village in Chiba. The paper has a map.”

Eishi received the key and the note with trembling hands. Then, he looked again at Woo-jin’s expressionless face. Kang Woo-jin lightly pointed behind him with his index finger.

“What are you doing? I told you to disappear.”

“Y-your contact…”

“I’ll do it.”

“······”

Soon, Eishi, who had stuffed the money and key into his pocket, ran out of the alley. Kang Woo-jin watched Eishi’s back indifferently. The camera slowly filled his face, and Woo-jin murmured softly.

“He’ll be fine for a few months.”

But that man would go berserk someday. It didn’t matter. There was a way for that too. After all, Eishi was destined to be handed over to the Yakuza. He got what he wanted and bought time, and that was enough.

Step by step.

Woo-jin, with dead eyes, calmly walked out of the alley. Then, he recalled the recorder in his bag. Of course, he had no intention of handing it over to the police.

This recorder was just an excuse to manipulate another ‘homework’ other than Amie.

Kang Woo-jin, or Kiyoshi, who was standing still and organizing his plans in his head, moved his gaze. In the scenario, he was supposed to be looking at the glamorous Kabukicho street, but now Woo-jin was staring at the camera right in front of him.

“······”

The eyes of the ‘stranger’ captured on the monitor were dead, and several more would die in the future. But Kang Woo-jin nonchalantly moved on to the next step.

“Should I get some ramen?”

It was hunger.

After that.

Kang Woo-jin, who had returned to filming the Japanese ‘Strange Geisha,’ focused solely on filming without any other schedules. There had been a break of about a week, and the ‘Strange Geisha’ team itself had gained momentum.

“Cut cut! Let’s go again!”

“Yes! Director!”

The ‘Strange Geisha’ team, which had taken root in Kabukicho, had to continue outdoor filming in a similar location on the 13th, the day after.

Meanwhile, the news of ‘My Male Friend: Remake,’ which had been a commotion yesterday, had already expanded as much as it could. It was known not only to the Japanese public but also to everyone in every industry.

『Following ‘Strange Geisha,’ ‘My Male Friend: Remake’ too? 「Kang Woo-jin」 fans are excited, while the voice acting industry is worried, as he expands his territory to anime voice acting』

With the new phenomenon combined with the issue king Kang Woo-jin, there was no stopping it. Indeed, it was the moment when the nuclear bomb that A10 Studio had initially expected hit its target.

Of course, as time passed, the interest in ‘My Male Friend: Remake’ continued to grow endlessly.

On the 14th, the day after, and on the 15th, the day after that.

It continued to dominate social media and deeply embedded itself in the hearts of the anime’s massive fanbase. As expected of an anime powerhouse, the fans’ passion was extraordinary.

Meanwhile, in Korea, where Monday dawned, along with the talk of ‘Our Table’ from the previous day.

『It’s up again! ‘Our Table’ renews its viewership ratings again with 20.7%』

The recently confirmed 떡밥(tteokbap) [Korean slang for a piece of information or a hint released to generate buzz] had been released.

『[Official] Kang Woo-jin’s original dish ‘Gimjaban Buckwheat Noodles’ from ‘Our Table’ will be released as cup noodles in collaboration with Nongshin』

It was a series of good news along with maintaining a 20% viewership rating. The food company ‘Nongshin,’ which had confirmed the contract, released the issue as quickly as possible. Thanks to this, not only the viewers of ‘Our Table’ but also many netizens poured excessive attention.

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋWow, is Gimjaban Buckwheat Noodles really coming out as a product??ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Kang Woo-jin….it seems like his influence is insane in every fieldㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Damn, I was drooling every time I watched Our Table, I’m buying Gimjaban Buckwheat Noodles as soon as it comes out

-Chef Kang is on fire

-Didn’t we have something like this before?? But this time, with Kang Woo-jin’s, it feels like there will be an open runㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Nongshin is doing a good job

-ㅠㅜㅠㅜㅠㅜHuhuhuhung, please let us eat the real thing, not just cup noodles… Woo-jin oppa….

-What’s amazing about Kang Woo-jin is that even while doing side projects like YouTube, cooking, and variety shows, he doesn’t neglect his acting work, he’s really something

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Around lunchtime, when the commotion was intensifying, Yoon Byung-sun PD’s side released another official announcement.

『Yoon Byung-sun PD’s side, “The second filming of ‘Our Table’ is scheduled to start at the end of February”』

It was related to the second filming of ‘Our Table.’ Of course, the articles gained quite a bit of traction. But for some reason, another issue was rapidly gaining momentum in various domestic communities.

-Kang Woo-jin’s recent activities in Japan….Anime voice acting confirmed.jpg

The issue of ‘My Male Friend: Remake,’ which was shaking up the entire Japan, began to spread. Kang Woo-jin was an actor who always created a twist, not following a set path, and this voice acting issue was also unusual, so many communities instantly caught fire.

-Kang Woo-jin is doing anime voice acting in Japan???

-Is it true that Kang Woo-jin’s anime voice acting has been confirmed?

-(Lekka) Kang Woo-jin’s voice acting confirmed, posting from the anime production company’s feed

-Wow… the production company is A10 Studio, isn’t it? Isn’t this the place that produces anime with amazing quality??

-Current situation of A10 Studio’s SNSㅋㅋㅋㅋJapanese people are crazy

-A10 is one of the top 1 or 2 anime production companies in Japan

-Looking up the anime that Kang Woo-jin is doing voice acting for, it seems like the original is the Netflix My Male Friend

-The anime title is My Male Friend: Remake

-Is it just Kang Woo-jin doing it?? What about Hwa-rin?

There were quite a few fans of Japanese anime in Korea as well. With Kang Woo-jin added to that, it spread at a speed that made people’s tongues wag. In less than an hour, it went beyond communities and was posted on YouTube and various portal sites.

-But it really seems like Kang Woo-jin has a twin, is this all possible with one person’s schedule???

It was quite common for actors or comedians to do dubbing in Korea. But this case of Kang Woo-jin’s ‘My Male Friend: Remake’ was the first. With the story of Asami Saya and piano performances mixed in, the snowball rolled fiercely.

Kang Woo-jin was truly someone who endlessly presented new things.

Perhaps that was why? Surprisingly, directors, PDs, actors, and various officials in the Korean entertainment industry who knew Woo-jin were not as surprised as expected.

“I heard Kang Woo-jin is playing the male lead in a Japanese anime as a voice actor?”

“Huh—really? But it’s a ridiculous piece of news, so why am I not surprised? Is it because it’s Kang Woo-jin?”

It was because he had established himself as an icon of a monster. It would be absurd for other actors, but it was understandable because it was Kang Woo-jin.

Another day passed.

“Hi—Action!”

While Korea was being bombarded with news, Kang Woo-jin nonchalantly continued filming ‘Strange Geisha.’ Currently, they were filming on a set, not outdoors.

The main actress was Uramatsu Mihuyu, who played ‘Horinochi Amie.’

The story after her lover, Horyo Eishi, disappeared.

After Eishi, her only support, suddenly disappeared, Mihuyu’s mind was collapsing endlessly.

“Eishi… where is Eishi?”

Her brain was breaking down. Her hallucinations and auditory hallucinations were also getting worse. Mihuyu was expressing such Amie with great emotion.

“Toka! Disappear!! Get out!! Why do you keep appearing!! Don’t look at me!!”

It was all a situation that Iyota Kiyoshi had intended. But Kiyoshi didn’t leave her alone. He continued to make her mind more confused. He had her graduation photo delivered to Amie’s house, and he sent her photos of Ginjo’s death or text messages with no numbers.

One week, two weeks, three weeks.

Amie, who was becoming more and more exhausted, eventually turned to drugs. It was what her lover, Eishi, had left behind. She had endured it, but in the end, she avoided reality and threw herself into a non-existent, ugly escape route.

It was around that time.

-♬♪

Amie’s other cell phone rang. The caller was a man.

“Hey, Amie. Are you okay? Why haven’t you been opening the shop lately?”

It was one of Kang Woo-jin, or Kiyoshi’s, ‘homework.’

At this point, the filming location changed.

Inside a luxury sedan, a man in a suit and a haggard Amie sat side by side in the passenger seat. The camera was reflected outside the front window.

The man in the suit was the one who called Amie.

He wore glasses and had a smart face at first glance. He also seemed capable. His name was Tsuzuki Itsuma. He was known as the brain of the group in high school and was from a family that owned a mid-sized company, so he had a strong backing.

Itsuma managed the members from school.

He was currently on the path to becoming the successor of a mid-sized company, so it would be a headache if any unnecessary problems arose. But recently, Ginjo’s death had occurred. In addition, Amie, who had gone crazy, was also contacting him frequently. It was a separate phone, but too many messages could still lead to being tracked.

That’s why Itsuma had to meet Amie first.

The problem was.

“Save me, Itsuma… Toka is alive. He comes to find me every day. I can’t take it anymore… I’m going to go to the police and tell them everything. If I confess, Toka will forgive me.”

“Amie. Calm down, Toka is dead.”

“No! He’s alive! Yesterday too, and today! I saw him!! A detective came a few days ago, I’m going to tell them everything and get protection. Itsuma, you should run away too. Toka will find you soon.”

Amie was already half, no, completely insane. It was impossible to have a conversation with her.

“Ha—okay, let’s go to school just in case.”

Itsuma seemed to have made up his mind and started the car.

Whether he did or not, Amie kept muttering about ‘Misaki Toka.’ Itsuma gave up on persuading her. But he couldn’t just leave her alone.

As Itsuma stepped on the accelerator, he put one hand in his pocket and touched something.

A recorder.

It was something that someone he didn’t know had sent him a few days ago.

End