I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 64

The name Kang Woo-jin echoed loudly, seemingly shaking the world, from the tables in front of the convenience store. It came from a group of four women, one of whom was standing awkwardly. She appeared to be in her mid-20s, her eyes wide as she pointed at the man in a hat who was about to enter the store.

Who else could it be?

‘……Huh?’

It was indeed Kang Woo-jin, who had just taken out his wallet. He was genuinely surprised, his eyes slightly widened. It was the first time in his life that his name had been called out so loudly.

Anyway.

-Swish.

A brief moment of eye contact passed between the woman and Kang Woo-jin. Before he knew it, the woman who had called out his name and her friends were all staring at him. It was contagious.

“What, what is it??”

“Oh my gosh. What happened?”

“Who is that guy? I can’t see him because of his hat.”

The surrounding tables also became interested in Kang Woo-jin. The total number of people seemed to be over 15. Women together, men together, mixed groups, older folks, and so on.

All eyes were suddenly on Woo-jin.

At this moment, Woo-jin slowly lowered the hand holding his wallet.

‘Who is it? Do I know them? It’s a face I’ve never seen before.’

He wondered if the woman who recognized him was a forgotten acquaintance. But no matter how much he looked, she was a complete stranger. Then why was she acting like she knew him so openly? It was a bit embarrassing. It felt awkward to just ignore her and go on.

Kang Woo-jin had forgotten that he was an actor.

It was because he had never met fans in real life before.

‘Why are they acting like they know me? I don’t know, let’s greet them first.’

He ended up greeting the woman who recognized him.

“Hello, but who are you?”

Since she was a stranger, he added a bit of a casual tone to his greeting. He seemed very relaxed, at least to others. The woman, who had been frozen by his low-toned greeting, slowly lowered her finger.

“……I’m freaking out. What do I do?”

She covered her mouth with both hands. Her eyes were filled with emotion.

“Oh, no. Are you really Kang Woo-jin? Uh? But why are you here? No, that’s not it. Wow, I’m a huge fan. Ah! I just watched the drama here, and right after it ended, Kang Woo-jin is right in front of me… Is this real?”

From her perspective, she had watched the fourth episode of ‘Profiler Han-ryang’ at the table in front of the convenience store, and then, about ten minutes later, Kang Woo-jin appeared before her eyes. It was enough to make anyone speechless.

And that’s when Kang Woo-jin realized.

‘Ah.’

This woman recognized him as an actor. He was an actor, wasn’t he? No, wait a minute. Really? Really? She was acting like she knew him, even with such emotion? Kang Woo-jin was bursting with excitement.

‘This is so cool.’

It was a funny situation. Both the fan and the actor felt like they were in a dream. Soon, Woo-jin asked the dazed woman in a slightly cynical tone.

“Are you okay?”

The woman was jumping up and down. It seemed like she was feeling a thrill.

“Aaaah, I’m okay. I’m really okay, but I don’t know! What do I do-!”

Her excitement peaked, and she hid behind her friends. From there, the woman and her friends slowly approached Kang Woo-jin.

“Wow- he looks amazing in person.”

“A-are you really Kang Woo-jin?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Wow. W-why are you here?”

Why? To buy ramen. But that seemed a bit pathetic. Kang Woo-jin decided to act cool.

“To buy chicken breast.”

“Chicken breast?! At this hour?”

“I ran out, so I needed it urgently.”

“You must work out really hard!”

It was a fuss. The dozen or so people around them were similar. They had figured it out by reading the room. That man must be someone famous. Thanks to that, everyone took out their phones and approached Kang Woo-jin. Woo-jin felt his heart rate increase as he saw the growing crowd.

‘Wow- crap. What should I do? Should I just run? No, that’s not right, is it?’

In the midst of it, the woman who had first recognized Woo-jin shouted to the crowd.

“Ah! Taking pictures is rude!”

Some people sheepishly put their phones down. However, the women who were already close to Kang Woo-jin asked him cautiously.

“Could you… maybe give us an autograph?”

An autograph? Kang Woo-jin was silent for a moment but then nodded.

“Ah- yes. But I don’t have a pen.”

“Just a moment!”

“Hey, hurry!”

“Okay, okay!”

Two women quickly ran into the convenience store and bought pens and paper. Soon, an impromptu autograph session unfolded in front of the convenience store.

“Jo Eun-joo! My name!”

“I’m Nam Hee-jung!”

“C-can we take a picture together?!”

Kang Woo-jin, in a state of shock, quickly fulfilled the requests. His ego was hazy. He was just doing his job with a blank expression. On the other hand, the crowd was growing.

“I-it’s really Kang Woo-jin?”

“I watched Han-ryang yesterday!”

“Hyung [older brother/term of endearment]! The drama is so good!!”

“Wow! Isn’t that Kang Woo-jin??”

“Where, where?”

The existing people, the passersby who were drawn by the commotion, and the people who stopped on their way to the convenience store. The crowd had grown from a dozen to at least 20 people. It was a scene that showed the rising popularity of Woo-jin.

Around this time, Kang Woo-jin.

-Swish.

Before he knew it, he was hugging people, men and women alike, one by one. It was like a free hug event.

‘What is this? Why am I hugging these people?’

Woo-jin didn’t really know why either. It just happened that way.

“Wow! Me too! Please hug me too!!”

“Kang Woo-jin looks insane in person, he’s completely different from Park Dae-ri?”

“His character is unique. His expression is so cold, but he’s so kind!”

“An actor is an actor, his aura is amazing.”

Praise and compliments poured in. Well, Kang Woo-jin’s makeup for his schedule also played a part. Anyway.

“What’s going on over there? It looks like a celebrity came!”

The crowd continued to grow.

“Oppa [term of endearment for an older brother or male friend]! Here’s your chicken breast! I bought all kinds!”

“I bought a chicken breast salad!”

Kang Woo-jin received his first gifts from fans.

“…Thank you.”

His late-night snack had been transformed into chicken breast.

The next day.

From the morning, stories of actor Kang Woo-jin’s sighting were popping up everywhere. No, to be precise, it was from early morning.

-Guys, I went to the convenience store to buy lunch yesterday and saw Kang Woo-jinㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ He’s so handsome in person!

The reactions that started mainly on social media and community cafes.

-Live) Drama Han-ryang’s Kang Woo-jin surrounded by fans in front of a convenience store.jpg

-I’m sharing a story about buying ramen for Kang Woo-jin in front of a convenience store!!

Due to the reporters who caught the scent, it was also spread through articles.

『’Park Dae-ri’ Hot Rookie Actor Kang Woo-jin, Surrounded by Fans After Going to a Convenience Store/Photo』

In particular, the results of the fourth episode of ‘Profiler Han-ryang,’ which aired last night, were explosive, so the reporters rushed in even more.

At this time.

“Hey! Kang Woo-jin! You!”

Kang Woo-jin, who was in a van, was being scolded by Choi Sung-gun, who had let down his ponytail.

“If you’re going to the convenience store, you should have sent Soo-hwan! It’s a good thing people were polite, but what if there had been an accident!”

It was true. Kang Woo-jin calmly admitted it and apologized.

“I’m sorry.”

“Ha- Even if you don’t care about the attention around you! Now, you’re not some unknown actor, okay? You’re an actor carrying a drama with over 20% viewership! You can’t just walk around now, you’re a proper celebrity!”

“I’ll keep that in mind, I’m sorry.”

Of course, Woo-jin was also making a mental note. Yesterday, he hadn’t thought about it, but from now on, he had to be careful about his actions.

‘No, did I ever think that this kind of situation would unfold in my life?’

At this time, Han Ye-jung, who had changed back to her short green hair, was monitoring the community where Kang Woo-jin’s sightings were overflowing, and she coldly suggested to Choi Sung-gun.

“CEO. Scolding him is one thing. But it seems like Woo-jin oppa received gifts yesterday? I think we should post a review on social media.”

“Oh, yeah. Post it, post it!”

“Woo-jin oppa, did you take pictures of the gifts you received yesterday?”

“Ah- yeah. Chicken breast.”

“Chicken breast? Why were you buying that at that hour?”

“I just needed it.”

“Ah- you said you were going to start working out, right? Wow, but you went to buy it right away? You’re so passionate.”

Misunderstandings were piling up in real-time. Whatever the case, a thank-you letter to the fans was posted on Kang Woo-jin’s social media.

-@Wooji_n

Posts 13

Followers 94,000

Following 3

Kang Woo-jin’s social media was approaching 100,000 followers, starting from yesterday.

At this moment.

“Oh! The viewership ratings are out!”

Choi Sung-gun, who was looking at his phone, screamed. The viewership ratings for the fourth episode of ‘Profiler Han-ryang’ had been officially announced.

『[Official] ‘Profiler Han-ryang’ Breaks Records with 25.2% Viewership for Episode 4, Peak Moment at 25.8% with ‘Park Dae-ri’ Murder Scene』

In the end, Han-ryang had exceeded 25% viewership. In just four episodes. They were breaking legendary records in real-time. Behind the scenes, the entertainment media was going crazy.

『’Profiler Han-ryang’ Exceeds 25% in Just 4 Episodes, Can it Reach 30%?』

『Tremendous Viewership, ‘Profiler Han-ryang’ Becoming a Legend Not Just This Year but in the Entire Broadcasting Industry』

They were frantically generating achievements for ‘Profiler Han-ryang.’ The firepower was more than double that of last week. Numerous reporters were firing off articles like a waterfall to secure even a small number of clicks.

The public was even more frenzied than the media.

“Hey, hey, did you watch Han-ryang yesterday? Damn, Park Dae-ri’s acting was insane.”

“I did. More importantly, order bulgogi over rice, I had spicy pork yesterday, so I’m not as into it.”

“What are you talking about, you idiot?”

“It’s a meme, don’t you know?”

It was not only on people’s lips but also in the comments on articles that you could gauge the boiling temperature.

-Bring him back! Writer-nim [term of endearment for writer]ㅠㅠㅠ Can’t you bring Park Dae-ri back to life???

-Don’t kill him, it’s not as exciting without Park Dae-ri?

-….I’ll just pretend it was all a dream and bring Park Dae-ri back to life, I won’t say anything…..

-???: My erectile dysfunction is because of Park Dae-ri, it’s not as exciting without him?

-Honestly, Park Eun-mi’s character of Park Dae-ri is the best ever.

-After Park Dae-ri died, I felt my morning tent getting smaller! It wasn’t as exciting.

-Kang Woo-jin is responsible for more than half of Han-ryang’s viewership, he carried the tension from the build-up all by himself.

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋI knew the comments about it not being as exciting would be everywhereㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Clearly… Park Dae-ri is a jerk, but he acted so well that it’s a shame he’s gone!

-Director: He’s a bastard, but please act like he’s endearing (Huh? It works??)

·

·

·

YouTube was filled with Han-ryang videos from dawn. From general videos to shorts. Everyone was jumping on the bandwagon for their own purposes.

『[Issue Check] YouTube is Currently Suffering from ‘Profiler Han-ryang’ Fever/Photo』

And because of Park Dae-ri’s impact in episodes 3 and 4, Kang Woo-jin’s name was seen quite a lot. It was like a ‘Park Dae-ri Syndrome.’

Meme. The public was already using ‘Park Dae-ri’ as a meme.

『[Photo] ‘Park Dae-ri’ Craze, His Lines Start to Spread Like Catchphrases』

Around Sunday afternoon of the same day.

『Rising Beyond a Typhoon, ‘Park Dae-ri’ Kang Woo-jin, What’s His Next Project After Han-ryang?』

The media and the public were shifting their attention to Kang Woo-jin’s next project, who had rapidly risen to become a rising star.

Meanwhile.

-Bzzzt, bzzzt.

As expected, Kang Woo-jin received numerous calls. Congratulations from his parents, and the same from his friends. The number of forgotten acquaintances sending random messages was also increasing. The actors in the newly created ‘Profiler Han-ryang’ group chat were also talking about Kang Woo-jin.

-Ryu Jung-min: Seriously, who’s going to ask the writer to bring Park Dae-ri back to life?

-Jang Tae-san: The reaction is insane, lol

-Ryu Jung-min: There’s more talk about Woo-jin than about me

-Hong Hye-yeon: Are you jealous?

-Lee Do-jung: Seems like he’s jealous

-Kang Woo-jin: Thank you.

-Jang Tae-san: Suddenly??

That’s how Woo-jin spent Sunday, a day that felt both real and unreal, and this frenzied atmosphere continued smoothly until Monday.

But the good news didn’t stop. The first piece of news came from Choi Sung-gun at BW Entertainment.

“Woo-jin. Let’s start preparing to move. I’m more anxious about leaving you in that studio apartment, you know.”

“Moving? But isn’t it too early?”

“I’ll get you a studio apartment near the company on a lease, so pack your bags as soon as possible.”

Near the company, around Samsung Station? A house in Seoul? Kang Woo-jin was shocked. It was something he could never have dreamed of. However, from the company’s perspective, the current Woo-jin was an actor who was worth it.

There was no reason to refuse when they were offering it, right? Kang Woo-jin accepted with a solemn tone, hiding his joy.

“I understand, CEO.”

At this moment, the head of the company’s PR team rushed into the CEO’s office.

“CEO! Woo-jin’s fan club is up!”

It was true.

-[Official/Welcome to Kang Woo-jin’s Official Fan Cafe ‘Strong Heart’!]

-Number of Members: 1,209

-Representative Manager: Blood Sister.

Kang Woo-jin’s official fan club had been created.

Tuesday morning, the 26th, in an editing room.

One of the many editing rooms lined up in a row. This was the editing room for the YouTube channel ‘Sports Day.’ The space was small. Here, Yoon Byung-sun PD [Production Director], wearing glasses, was giving instructions to his junior PD while looking at the front monitor.

“Okay, okay, there. Save the cut where Woo-jin first appears. Add a caption emphasizing that his aura is extraordinary from the start.”

“Ah- then he might look a bit too calm?”

“He needs to look a bit lukewarm at the beginning so that Woo-jin’s charm can explode in the second half. He seems so dry, but he unexpectedly messes up the games and reacts a bit clumsily, that’s the twist.”

“Haha. You’re right, Woo-jin gets more and more explosive as it goes on. He’s so serious and determined, but that intensity is the comedic point.”

They were editing the ‘Profiler Han-ryang’ episode that they had recorded a few days ago, and since Han-ryang’s fourth episode had exceeded 25% viewership, they had to speed things up.

“First, make a trailer by tomorrow. Since the current trend is that Woo-jin is exploding, focus the footage on Woo-jin.”

“Yes, senior.”

“How many episodes will be made?”

“There’s a lot of footage, so I think at least three episodes will come out?”

“Can we release one episode this week?”

“……If we stay up all night, maybe.”

“Let’s make it happen no matter what. We need to release it now to ride the wave and explode the views.”

After encouraging his junior PD, Yoon Byung-sun PD left the editing room and picked up his phone. He was too busy to focus only on this. He was calling the writers at the general programming channel HTBS.

“Yeah, I’m heading over to the broadcasting station now, so let’s finalize the foreign language members. Have you narrowed them down?”

“Ah- yes, yes. About three people.”

“Okay, set up a meeting right away. And add one more person.”

“Huh? Who?”

“Kang Woo-jin.”

“Huh? Kang Woo-jin?”

“Yeah.”

Soon, Yoon Byung-sun PD smiled faintly.

“He’s so good, you’d believe he was an American or a Japanese.”

Meanwhile, in front of Kang Woo-jin’s house.

Kang Woo-jin, with a poker face, left his messy studio apartment, which was in the midst of moving preparations, and got into the van waiting in front of his house.

“Hello.”

The members in the van were the same. But for some reason, everyone, including Choi Sung-gun, was smiling at Kang Woo-jin. Even the cold Han Ye-jung. Woo-jin tilted his head in confusion.

At the same time.

“Woo-jin.”

Choi Sung-gun in the passenger seat slammed his diary shut and gave a thumbs up.

“You got your first commercial, a hamburger commercial.”

End