I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 258

The location was Jeonju. It was where the massive set of ‘Leech’ was located. Even now, there were over a hundred staff members gathered, but for some reason, they were all enjoying cup noodles before lunch.

It wasn’t one cup of noodles per person.

They gathered in groups of four or five, sharing a single cup of noodles. Standing, sitting, by teams, and so on. The locations were also varied. Some teams were sitting in a circle on the lawn, while others were gathered on makeshift chairs.

The common thing was that slurping sounds could be heard everywhere.

“Ummm! What is this! It’s delicious??”

“Right? It’s so good! Wow—are they selling this now??! I have to buy it right away!”

“I don’t think you can buy it? I saw an article saying there were open runs and long lines? But, Woo-jin! This is incredibly delicious!”

“It’s really like—a taste that exceeds expectations. It’s more stimulating than I thought, which is even better.”

Almost all the staff members showered it with praise. Of course, the same went for actors other than the big stars like Shim Han-ho, Oh Hee-ryung, Jin Jae-joon, and Han So-jin.

“Hmm—good. I could eat this every day.”

“Senior, is that all? I think it’s so delicious? I think it’s even better because Woo-jin made it.”

“Hahaha. I kept wondering what it would taste like while watching ‘Our Table’! Thank you, Woo-jin. But, I guess it’ll be hard to taste the real thing, not the cup noodles?”

“Oh my, So-jin. Are you going to chug the broth?”

“Ah, no… I didn’t mean to. Ha—I’m screwed. I have to stick to my diet.”

“Eat, eat, it’s not that much. Director! How is it??”

Director Ahn Ga-bok, with his white hair, was looking down at the cup noodles in his hand with slightly widened eyes.

“…Can cup noodles really have such a deep flavor?”

His eyes were like waves crashing. He looked quite surprised. As expected, the lid of the cup noodles that the entire ‘Leech’ team was enjoying had the following title:

-‘Kim-Jaban Buckwheat Noodles’ Cup Noodles

Kang Woo-jin’s original recipe was emblazoned as the title. The cover design was simple. The actual image of ‘Kim-Jaban Buckwheat Noodles’ was inserted as is. Among them, what stood out was.

“Did Woo-jin come up with this pose himself??”

“Wow—Woo-jin is even doing poses like this.”

“Woo-jin! Can you show us your real double thumbs up??”

“Looking at it like this, it’s kind of hard to imagine.”

It was Kang Woo-jin’s double thumbs up that decorated the lid. To be precise, it was a solemn double thumbs up.

“Hahaha! But usually, don’t people do this while smiling??? It’s funnier because it’s such a serious double thumbs up??”

“That’s the key point! The expressionless double thumbs up!”

“I’m confused whether I should eat it or not??!”

“You weren’t angry when you filmed this, were you?”

“But doesn’t it catch your eye? Or is it just me?”

The ‘Leech’ set was buzzing. Everyone’s attention was already focused on Kang Woo-jin. He was as indifferent as ever. He just gave brief answers to the staff’s questions.

“I just took it without thinking much.”

However, the real Kang Woo-jin was experiencing extreme agony.

‘Ugh—shit! Should I run? Should I just run first?? This is so embarrassing, seriously?!’

Stop it. Don’t bring my solemn double thumbs up to the surface anymore. My embarrassment is skyrocketing, to put it crudely. He was putting on a brave face with extreme shamelessness, but his own double thumbs up, prominently displayed on the cup noodles, kept flashing before his eyes. The funny thing was that Nongshim praised that solemn double thumbs up as the best, saying it perfectly captured Kang Woo-jin’s image.

Still, it was a mistake. He should have asked them to remove it.

‘Ha, crazy. That stupid double thumbs up is going to be all over the country???!’

Sales had already begun. Kang Woo-jin, who was more committed to his concept than ever, seriously considered running away overseas for a short while.

That was just for a moment.

“Okay—”

Director Ahn Ga-bok, having put aside his taste-induced emotions, returned to reality.

“Let’s get our heads back in the game.”

The break time was over. It was an order to start filming. It was always like this, but especially today, they couldn’t afford to relax.

“Because there’s also the Baeksang Awards tomorrow.”

Meanwhile.

The ‘Kim-Jaban Buckwheat Noodles,’ which had officially started sales, caused quite a stir not only among the public but also among Kang Woo-jin’s acquaintances.

For example, Hwa-rin.

Sitting in her living room, with her hair up in a headband, she was feeling anxious even while looking at a thick script. The script was, of course,

-‘The Beneficial Evil’ / Episode 2

It was ‘The Beneficial Evil’ that she had recently received from PD [Production Director] Song Man-woo.

-Flap.

Hwa-rin pretended to focus on the script, but her real focus was elsewhere. Even while looking at the script, she kept glancing at the cup noodles placed on the table. It was ‘Kim-Jaban Buckwheat Noodles.’ It wasn’t something she received from Kang Woo-jin, but something Hwa-rin had personally lined up to buy at a convenience store near her house.

Steam was rising from the lid, indicating that hot water had been poured in. Hwa-rin picked up her phone and checked the time.

“One minute left, one minute.”

Exactly one minute later, she picked up her chopsticks and pounced on the cup noodles.

“Slowly—carefully.”

The first thing Hwa-rin did after taking a long sniff was to carefully peel off the lid of the cup noodles.

‘It shouldn’t get damaged.’

The reason was simple. How could she, as a fan, not collect the solemn double thumbs up of her ultimate bias? It was to collect Kang Woo-jin’s double thumbs up inserted on the lid.

-Swoosh.

Hwa-rin, who had slowly peeled off the lid, smiled faintly as she looked at the inserted double thumbs up of Woo-jin.

“So precious.”

She carefully placed the lid aside and savored the cup noodles. In fact, she had tasted Woo-jin’s real ‘Kim-Jaban Buckwheat Noodles’ on ‘Our Table.’ So, she was able to give a more accurate taste evaluation.

“Oh—wow. It’s actually quite similar? It’s delicious.”

Soon, she began to slurp it down coolly. She was on a diet, but she chose to starve tomorrow for the sake of her fan heart.

“I should buy a few boxes when this calms down a bit.”

Tomorrow was the Baeksang Awards ceremony, so her calorie consumption would be extreme, but her late-blooming fan spirit was even more terrifying. Hwa-rin’s fighting spirit was stronger than ever.

Kang Woo-jin’s close friends weren’t quiet either.

Lee Kyung-sung was the first to arrive at a large supermarket near the company during lunchtime.

“Woah—mi, crazy!”

Lee Kyung-sung, whose belly had grown even more, gaped as soon as he arrived at the supermarket. At the sign hanging in the ramen section and.

-‘Kim-Jaban Buckwheat Noodles’ Sales Point

There was a long line of at least 30 people. More people were still joining. Lee Kyung-sung chuckled and immediately took a picture of the current situation and posted it in the group chat. How could he not share this bizarre scene? Then, Lee Kyung-sung joined the crowd lining up. At this point, the group chat became noisy.

-Lee Kyung-sung: D-Mart real-time situation

-Lee Kyung-sung: (photo)

-Na Hyung-gu: Lololololol wtf?? Is this real?!! Crazy lololol

-Kim Dae-young: It’s the same at the convenience store here

-Lee Kyung-sung: 10 people lined up behind me in a few minutes lolololol, are we not going to be able to buy it??

-Na Hyung-gu: I was going to buy it on my way home from work lolololol, what a weak thought?

-Na Hyung-gu: The shortage is insane as soon as it’s released… Woo-jin! Kang Woo-jin! It’s yours, so don’t you have any left?! Give us some charity!

-Kim Dae-young: (photo) I succeeded. Kang Woo-jin’s double thumbs up is very impressive

-Kang Woo-jin: Don’t buy it, don’t take pictures of the double thumbs up! I said don’t

-Kim Dae-young: No way, I’m going to collect them and pass them down for generations. This is what my friend looks like.

Of course, his younger sister Kang Hyun-ah, who was the president of Woo-jin’s fan club, and her group, as well as the actors who were close to Kang Woo-jin. No, the entire country was in an uproar over ‘Kim-Jaban Buckwheat Noodles.’

It was a predictable trend.

The phenomenon was created by ‘Our Table,’ which was maintaining a 20% viewership rating, and Kang Woo-jin’s issue-making power. On top of that, the marketing promotions spread by Nongshim’s SNS and numerous YouTubers added to the momentum.

『[Issue Pick] Kang Woo-jin’s Cup Noodles, ‘Kim-Jaban Buckwheat Noodles,’ Shortage Phenomenon Upon Release?』

The media followed suit.

『People Lining Up at Convenience Stores to Buy ‘Kim-Jaban Buckwheat Noodles,’ Kang Woo-jin Creates Open Runs for Cup Noodles』

The public fueled the fire.

-The situation at the convenience store in front of my house is crazy lololololololol

-Kang Woo-jin’s Kim-mak [Kim-Jaban Buckwheat Noodles] open run released today ㅗㅜㅑ

-Hey wtf, I came to buy Kang Woo-jin’s cup noodles, is this waiting line real???!!!

-Kim-mak open run lolololol

-Ah shit, Kang Woo-jin’s cup noodles sold out right in front of my eyes….

-Kim-mak open run lolololol so funny

-Ah shit, are they controlling the initial supply again??

It was a huge hit.

The next day, March 18th, Thursday.

It was the day of the ‘Baeksang Arts Awards’ ceremony. It was a late morning. Around 11 o’clock. Kang Woo-jin could be found in a van on the road in Seoul.

He was currently on his way to the salon.

“……”

Woo-jin was looking down at his phone with a stern face. Until just before, he had been checking numerous congratulatory messages, and now he was checking the situation of the ‘Kim-Jaban Buckwheat Noodles’ cup noodles.

‘This is crazy… is this real??’

Kang Woo-jin was genuinely surprised, perhaps because the situation was more serious than he had thought. No, who would have imagined such a situation?

‘Open run—that’s something I only saw on the news.’

However, Woo-jin had to focus on other schedules today.

Because he would have to handle matters related to the ‘Baeksang Arts Awards’ all day today.

Later.

After Kang Woo-jin arrived at the salon in Cheongdam-dong and finished his hair and makeup, and other preparations.

“Okay, Woo-jin. Let’s go.”

Kang Woo-jin, who had finished all the preparations, got into the van.

“Yes, CEO.”

On the same day, late in the afternoon. COEX in Samseong-dong.

The ‘Baeksang Arts Awards’ ceremony, which would be held grandly, was scheduled to take place at COEX. The exact location was Hall D. In the outdoor plaza of COEX, the ‘Baeksang Arts Awards’ logo and logos of various sponsoring companies were lined up like walls on both sides, and in the center, a long red carpet was laid out.

Hundreds of reporters gathered on both sides of the red carpet.

-Flash! Flash!

-Flash! Flash!!

The endless sound of shutters. The procession of stars had already begun. Around the reporters, there were staff from various media outlets, broadcasting stations, and awards ceremony officials, and they were surrounded by fans and onlookers.

It was a spectacle to behold.

A massive crowd of hundreds filled the red carpet from start to finish.

“Ji-hyun!! Hello, Ji-hyun!!”

“Kyaaaak!! Unnie [Older sister]!! Please wave your hand!!!”

“Over here!! Look over here!”

“Hand heart! Please do a hand heart!!”

The heat was sky-high. In terms of scale, it was even larger than the Blue Dragon Awards. It was understandable. While the Blue Dragon Awards were a festival for filmmakers, the Baeksang Awards were an awards ceremony that encompassed both film and TV. All actors, broadcasters, comedians, and entertainers related to film, drama, variety shows, and theater gathered.

Naturally, the size was several times larger.

As time went on, the Baeksang red carpet event became hotter and more intense. The national MC [Master of Ceremonies] who had shaken up the variety show scene last year appeared, and actors who had made a name for themselves in the theater scene also appeared. A rising star comedian from variety shows also shyly greeted the crowd as he walked the red carpet.

Everyone looked like they had put a lot of effort into their outfits, wearing tuxedos, suits, or dresses.

Amidst all this, the hundreds of reporters, while taking pictures of the celebrities who were arriving one after another, were waiting for the actor who had created a huge issue yesterday and today.

“Ah—shit, when is he coming? Has he already gone in?”

“No. I’ve been here since before the red carpet started, and I haven’t seen a single hair of Kang Woo-jin.”

“Are you sure, Reporter Park?”

“Yeah. He’ll come soon.”

It was Kang Woo-jin.

Many top stars who had already walked the red carpet were also worth drooling over, but the face that the hundreds of reporters were currently hoping for was none other than Kang Woo-jin. A monster actor who had never failed to be popular from the moment he appeared in the entertainment industry.

Even at this moment, his topicality was exploding.

At that moment.

“Ah!! Kang Woo-jin!!!”

The reporters and reporters at the beginning of the red carpet became overly agitated. The reason was simple. Kang Woo-jin, wearing a navy-toned tuxedo and with a calm face unlike the excited atmosphere, had appeared.

The speed at which the flashes went off increased several times.

-Flash! Flash! Flash!!

Shouts, screams, and even shrieks began to spread throughout the red carpet.

“Kang Woo-jin!! Please say hello!! Hello!!!”

“Look over here and wave! Woo-jin!!”

“I heard the cup noodles are a huge hit!! How do you feel!!”

“Wow!! It’s Kang Woo-jin, it’s Kang Woo-jin!!”

“Kyaaaak! Oppa [Older brother]!! Please look over here!!!”

“Woo-jin!! What award do you think you’ll receive today!!??”

The decibel level was enough to make one’s eardrums ring. It even felt a little scary. Regardless, a huge number of people were intertwined and rushed towards Kang Woo-jin. The expressions of the burly guards who were struggling in between were clearly visible.

On the other hand, Kang Woo-jin.

“……”

He maintained a poker face while responding appropriately. He endured the blinding flashes, waved his hand, made eye contact with the screaming fans, and briefly responded to the screams. He was calm. But that was only on the outside, and inside he was excited.

‘My ears are going to burst! Isn’t this several times more crowded than the Blue Dragon Awards??! Wow—shit, this is crazy. I can’t see in front of me because of the flashes!’

It was the first awards ceremony he had experienced in a while since the Blue Dragon Awards.

His heart wasn’t pounding as much as it did during his first experience, but Kang Woo-jin was still filled with tension. The concentrated attention amplified his nervousness. Woo-jin, who was deeply committed to his concept, had to keep his wits about him. If he tripped and fell, he would look like a fool.

But that became a reality.

-Thud.

In an instant, Woo-jin, who had stumbled, lurched forward.