I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 58

Yoon Byung-sun PD, a big shot in the entertainment industry, was not only good at planning but also had an exceptional ability to see people, or perhaps it could be called star quality. There were things that Yoon Byung-sun PD could catch with amazing precision, even things that others would ignore.

Thanks to that, there were many stars who had gone through his hands.

With over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry and his unique sense, Yoon Byung-sun PD, despite having only one body, managed several teams. He was simultaneously active on the YouTube channel ‘Sports Day,’ which had over 3 million subscribers, and the general programming channel HTBS.

From small to large, there were over a hundred entertainment shows that had gone through Yoon Byung-sun PD.

Currently, he was running three entertainment lines on the ‘Sports Day’ channel alone, and he was a crazy person who was also planning a new entertainment show at the general programming channel.

And that man.

‘Are you going to include actor Kang Woo-jin too?’

‘Yeah, I feel like that guy has potential to explode.’

He suddenly took an interest in Kang Woo-jin.

‘Aside from his mask and that crazy acting ability, I feel like there’s a lot more to see?’

The writers were slightly puzzled by this.

‘What exactly are you seeing?’

‘That’s right. Currently, besides his visuals and acting ability, there’s nothing else to see, right?’

Investigating the celebrities appearing on an entertainment show was a basic requirement, but there wasn’t much information about Kang Woo-jin. Usually, if there wasn’t much information, people were a bit hesitant because there wasn’t enough verification.

But Yoon Byung-sun PD was the type to prioritize his gut feeling.

‘Look at his eyes, his eyes. I’m curious what that subtle look in his eyes when he’s acting is like in his everyday life? I’m also curious about his expressions and tone of voice.’

‘Is that so?’

‘Of course, he wouldn’t be a psychopath in his everyday life, but if anything contrasting to that image comes out, it would be a good picture. For example, if he’s full of energy and excitement when he’s not acting.’

‘Then he’d be kind of cute.’

Then, Yoon Byung-sun PD, who had almost made up his mind, smiled slyly.

‘Either way, if we push him hard, any charm will flow out.’

It was the devilish smile unique to an entertainment PD.

Around lunchtime on the same day, Kang Woo-jin’s studio apartment.

While the whole nation was in an uproar over ‘Profiler Han-ryang,’ Kang Woo-jin was surprisingly in his studio apartment.

He was wearing a slightly worn-out T-shirt and sweatpants, the kind he would wear at home. He was leaning on his elbow, intently looking at his laptop. At first glance, he looked exactly like he did a few months ago when he was unemployed.

‘Hmm-‘

It was because Choi Sung-gun had told him that he would pick him up in the early afternoon today. However, it wasn’t like Kang Woo-jin wasn’t getting any offers. After the first episode of ‘Profiler Han-ryang,’ BW Entertainment was flooded with inquiries about Kang Woo-jin.

The response was like heaven and earth compared to ‘Detective Agency.’

Even so, the reason why Kang Woo-jin wasn’t moving immediately was simple. It was Choi Sung-gun’s judgment.

‘There are tons of offers for casting and interviews from the media and broadcasting, but the first appearance is important. Instead of looking ambiguous, it’s better to make a strong impact. For now, take a breather and choose a project.’

In other words, he was saying that he would cut off all the mediocre entertainment shows and interviews. He was planning to drag it out until he could get attention with a drama, and then absorb all the buzz that the media and public would create. It was a good decision.

It had only been a day since the bomb had exploded [referring to the popularity of the show].

Therefore, Kang Woo-jin had been contacting his family and close friends since this morning. Kang Woo-jin’s parents’ reaction was enthusiastic. They were full of praise, compliments, and excessive praise. On the other hand, his younger sister, Kang Hyun-ah.

‘Oppa!! When were you cast in the drama??! How many episodes are you in??! Have you finished filming??! No, more than that, how? Why? Why are you so good at acting??’

She was still in disbelief. His close friends were a bit better off. They were still going crazy in the group chat right now. In addition, Woo-jin ignored all the contacts from other casual acquaintances.

‘Well, that’s that. This is addictive, addictive.’

Kang Woo-jin was currently very tired. He had only slept for 3 hours. He had stayed up all night reading articles and comments. Receiving attention from an unspecified number of people was incredibly fun.

Even.

-@Wooji_n

Posts 7

Followers 47,000

Following 0

His SNS was already attracting nearly 50,000 fans. It was a strange and rare experience.

Kang Woo-jin felt a mix of elation and worry.

But for now, it was good.

‘I don’t know, man, let’s just enjoy it for now.’

He muttered, closed his laptop, and turned his gaze to the right. There were piles of scripts and scenarios. They were from his agency. Just by looking at them, there were more than a dozen. Since he had some time, he had to check them all.

Because he had to choose what to do.

However, it was a fairly easy process for Kang Woo-jin. Other actors would have to sit and read those things all day long, but Woo-jin just had to.

-Poke!

He just had to poke the black square next to the script or scenario with his finger. Entering and exiting the subspace repeatedly. Reading the works could be done after checking the grade. And so, Kang Woo-jin.

‘Ugh, Grade E? Pass.’

He quickly checked the piled-up works.

‘Grade D? Hmm- pass on this one too for now.’

It was a scene that other actors would be envious of. Who cares? Kang Woo-jin casually went back and forth between the subspace and reality. There was a reasonable standard.

‘Cut anything below Grade C.’

With that, almost all the works were filtered out. Whether it was a movie or a drama, or a thriller, action, rom-com, or melodrama. No matter the genre, there was almost nothing left. Woo-jin realized anew.

‘Grade A and S were super, super amazing.’

That ‘Detective Agency’ and ‘Profiler Han-ryang’ were incredible works. After this process, only one work remained.

-[4/Scenario (Title: Drug Dealer), Grade B+]

‘B+ huh- wasn’t this supposed to be a cameo? Or something like that?’

The work was a movie, and the title was ‘Drug Dealer.’ According to Choi Sung-gun’s explanation, the director had seen Woo-jin at the ‘Mise-en-scène Film Festival’ [a short film festival]. The role was a cameo. It was similar to a special appearance, but usually, cameos had a strong impact in the story.

‘Even if it’s B+ now, the grade could go up, right?’

Then, Kang Woo-jin unfolded the ‘Drug Dealer’ scenario. From the first page, the smell of a crime thriller wafted out. Well, it was natural since the title was ‘Drug Dealer,’ right? Before he knew it, Woo-jin began to read the scenario with some focus.

About a dozen pages in.

‘Oh- this is fun.’

It was good. Not only did it flow smoothly, but the unique stimulation and exhilarating taste of a crime thriller were well infused. Of course, Kang Woo-jin’s only impression was that it was ‘fun’ as a reader.

At that moment.

-Bzzzz, bzzzz.

The phone placed nearby vibrated loudly. It was a call, and the caller was Choi Sung-gun. Was he coming soon? Woo-jin cleared his throat, thinking that he should never let his guard down.

‘Yes, CEO.’

Behind Woo-jin’s solemnity, Choi Sung-gun’s slightly excited voice was heard from the phone.

‘Yeah, yeah, Woo-jin. I’ll pick you up around 3. Let’s stop by the salon first.’

‘3 o’clock. Understood.’

‘But have you been looking at the scripts? There’s quite a lot, right? Take a quick look through them slowly.’

‘I’ve finished checking them roughly.’

‘Already? You’ve already read all those works?’

‘No, I didn’t read them all, I just looked at them appropriately. They’re all not great, and only one is good. ‘Drug Dealer.’’

‘Ah, ah, ah- that cameo?’

‘Yes.’

‘Hmm, okay. If it’s your gut feeling, I’ll trust it.’

Choi Sung-gun laughed on the other end of the phone. Woo-jin thought that the misunderstanding had piled up and solidified, but he decided to just ignore it.

‘Is that so?’

‘Yeah, you rascal. Anyway, the ‘Drug Dealer’ director Kim seems to be in a hurry, so if you’re okay with it, I’ll set up a meeting as soon as possible?’

‘Yes, please do.’

Soon, Choi Sung-gun quickly changed the subject.

‘And Song PD contacted me, you know Yoon Byung-sun PD, right? You can’t not know him. He’s a huge figure in the entertainment industry.’

Of course, Kang Woo-jin knew him too. Yoon Byung-sun PD was more like a celebrity than a director. He was a very familiar PD to the general public. Woo-jin had also enjoyed watching some of his entertainment shows. But why was he suddenly asking about him?

‘Yes. I know Yoon Byung-sun PD.’

‘‘Profiler Han-ryang’ is going to start a promotional schedule this week, focusing on the main actors? Of course, Hye-yeon too. In the meantime, there’s a schedule for the YouTube channel ‘Sports Day’ on Thursday. It’s run by Yoon Byung-sun PD.’

‘I’ve seen it.’

‘It’s a mix of entertainment and talk show, do you want to do it? You won’t be alone, there will be other actors too. The recording is short too. The format is simple, talking and playing games.’

Entertainment? Kang Woo-jin, who was surprised inside, paused for a moment. Suddenly entertainment? Was it okay?

‘What if my concept gets into trouble while doing entertainment?’

He was worried that there might be a problem with his concept.

But then again, it didn’t seem like a bad idea. If he was going to be an actor, he would have to do entertainment shows at some point, right? Then, it might be good to establish it early on. Moreover, it was an opportunity to appear on Yoon Byung-sun PD’s entertainment show. A place he had only seen on YouTube and TV every day.

Something he had occasionally imagined was happening in reality, and Kang Woo-jin.

‘I don’t know, man. I’ll just do well.’

In other words, he chose to go straight ahead without hesitation.

‘I think it’ll be okay, I’ll do it.’

A few hours later in the afternoon, at the KBC broadcasting station.

In a medium-sized meeting room in the KBC drama department, four or five people were sitting. On the window side of the U-shaped table were three men, and across from them was a middle-aged woman. The three men were CP-level executives from the drama department. They were all fawning over the woman across from them.

‘Haha, writer. It’s been a long time!’

‘You seem to have gotten even younger? If you went somewhere, they’d think you were in your 30s.’

On the other hand, the middle-aged woman with excessive accessories retorted with a pout.

‘Stop with the lip service. Where do you see me as being in my 30s? Anyone can see I’m in my 50s.’

‘Oh, writer. It’s not lip service, it’s genuine, genuine!’

The CP-level executives’ flattery was excessive. The reason was simple. The middle-aged woman was none other than writer Lee Wol-sun. She was also one of the star writers, similar to writer Park Eun-mi. So, the executives had no choice but to throw out excessive lip service.

Anyway.

‘Writer! Thank you for joining us this time. Haha, let’s make a proper drama and surpass writer Park Eun-mi!’

When one of the CPs exuded energy, Lee Wol-sun crossed her arms as if to say, ‘Will that happen?’

‘Park did a good job, I’ll give her that. But can she even surpass 20% for the first episode? It’s hard. Ugh, she should do it moderately.’

‘Why not! It’s definitely possible! I saw the first episode script, and it’s really fun because it has a thriller element mixed in with the rom-com!’

‘Then that’s a relief.’

‘Okay, then let’s talk about pre-production. There won’t be any problems with the staff since it’s our writer Lee, and uh- do you have any actors in mind before writing the script? It’ll be easier if we contact them before starting pre-production.’

At the question, Lee Wol-sun, who had uncrossed her arms, picked up the tablet that the drama department had prepared on the table. She accessed YouTube and immediately searched for a video.

-[Special] A True Scene Stealer! A Collection of Park Dae-ri’s Crazy Scenes!!!｜Profiler Han-ryang

It was a collection of Park Dae-ri’s scenes. Soon, Lee Wol-sun pointed at the actor in the video with her index finger.

‘Him.’

The CPs immediately agreed.

‘Ah, ah, ah, Kang Woo-jin? It’s been noisy yesterday and today.’

‘Right? I heard he’s going to take both the Chungmuro blue chip [a promising actor in the film industry] and the rising rookie titles.’

‘The public’s reaction is good too, right?’

At the end of their words, Lee Wol-sun interjected.

‘For now, I need him. Well, I’m not the only writer who wants him right now, but I’m greedy. I heard from a staff member who knows Han-ryang that Kang Woo-jin is usually very polite and cynical. He doesn’t show any signs of being tired during filming. The most appealing thing is that he’s a graduate from abroad.’

‘···A graduate from abroad? What’s that?’

‘I don’t know, I just heard he’s from overseas. Anyway, that’s why he’s different from typical actors? The vibe he gives off. I also like his acting tone. He’s not bland because he’s a rookie. Overall, I’m very greedy, is casting him possible?’

At the question, the CPs laughed loudly as if to say not to worry.

‘Of course! If writer Lee Wol-sun picked him, how could it be difficult?’

‘Where would a rising rookie be picky, hahaha! If it’s for the writer, he’ll definitely say yes!’

Lee Wol-sun also smiled weakly.

‘Make sure to tell Kang Woo-jin that I’m greedy for him.’

Meanwhile, at Park Eun-mi’s studio.

Park Eun-mi, wearing a hairband, was sitting at her desk, furiously typing on her laptop. She didn’t have time to celebrate the crazy result of surpassing 20% for the first episode.

‘······Hmm, no. This is a bit bland.’

She was currently writing the final episode of ‘Profiler Han-ryang.’ But she couldn’t concentrate. Whenever she had a chance, she would go on the internet or YouTube to see the viewers’ reactions. Even though she was an ultra-star writer, she was still human.

At that moment.

‘······Hahae!’

‘It’s good······!’

Slightly noisy shouts were heard from outside the room. The only people there were the assistant writers. So, Park Eun-mi sighed softly and opened the door. When she looked at the living room, she saw about six assistant writers actually making a fuss.

Looking at them, Park Eun-mi sighed again.

‘Ha- guys, my head is ringing. What are you all jumping around for?’

The assistant writer, who was being congratulated by several people, was thin and wore glasses, raised her hand timidly.

‘······Writer. I-I got it.’

‘Huh? Nana-ya. You’re going to be a writer, but you’re cutting off the beginning and end of your sentences?’

‘I-I’m sorry. I won the Netflix contest.’

In an instant, Park Eun-mi’s eyes widened.

‘Oh my! Really? That contest you all submitted to?’

‘Yes, yes. The one-act contest.’

Park Eun-mi, who immediately took off her hairband and threw it away, grabbed the hand of the assistant writer with glasses.

‘That’s great! That’s really, really great, Nana-ya. But did only Nana get in? What about the others? You all submitted together.’

‘······’

‘······’

‘Ugh. You guys are supposed to be on Park Eun-mi’s team. But at least Nana is saving my face.’

‘Thank you······I still can’t believe it.’

‘Get a grip! But what did you get? The grand prize?’

‘No. Not the grand prize, but the excellence award.’

‘It doesn’t matter, right? Grand prize or excellence award. I heard that Netflix is going to make all the winning works into videos, right?’

‘Yes. I heard it’s a one-act project.’

Park Eun-mi hugged the assistant writer again.

‘For a debut work, the scale is quite big. Do a good job.’

‘Thank you······writer.’

To the assistant writer whose eyes were getting teary, Park Eun-mi suddenly asked a question.

‘If it’s Netflix, they’ll probably match the actors to what you want. Do you have any actors in mind?’

The assistant writer, who was hesitating, muttered quietly.

‘Actor Kang···Woo-jin. I fell for his acting.’

‘······’

Park Eun-mi was silent for quite a while before scratching her head. A slight sigh was a bonus.

‘Ha- Woo-jin? Hmm. He’s too strong. Of course, Woo-jin is a rookie, but···he’s a bit different from a typical rookie. No, he’s very, very different. If you count his acting experience, including self-study, he’s on par with a veteran actor. The hurdle is a bit high?’

‘Is he that good?? Will it be difficult for him to be the male lead?’

‘I think I was a bit desperate when I was trying to get Woo-jin to join.’

‘You were??’

‘Yeah. I don’t think it’ll be easy? Woo-jin is probably getting tons of scripts and scenarios right now. There’s no reason for him to do a one-act.’

‘That’s···probably right?’

Park Eun-mi, who was patting the shoulder of the assistant writer who had become timid in an instant.

‘I wish I could ask Woo-jin myself, but that’s not right, is it? Still, let’s talk to Netflix and send the script. It doesn’t cost anything, right? You never know, Woo-jin seems like a very unique person.’

Her expression hardened in an instant.

‘But don’t have high expectations.’