I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 72

The comments were still going wild, with ‘Kang Woo-jin’ being the most frequent name. Park’s assistant and the ‘Not so hot?’ meme were also mixed in.

Was he really becoming popular?

Of course, the main actors like Ryu Jung-min and Hong Hye-yeon were also mentioned often, but after almost every other comment, it was Kang Woo-jin again. Woo-jin thought,

‘Wow, this is crazy.’

He tried to maintain a cool expression, but his heart was racing. His chest pounded at the sight of hundreds of people shouting his name. Was the reaction really this good? Why? Kang Woo-jin pondered for a moment.

‘Was there something big that happened during the Sports Day filming?’

There were a few times when PD [Producer Director] Yoon Byung-sun and the ‘Sports Day’ staff burst out laughing, but for the most part, Kang Woo-jin had filmed while desperately maintaining his concept. Whether it was a talk or a game.

‘I didn’t think I had that much screen time??’

He hadn’t expected much. It was his first variety show, even if it was heavily promotional, and he had maintained a nonchalant face throughout the filming. Variety shows are all about laughter, right? Kang Woo-jin didn’t understand, but Choi Sung-gun seemed to know exactly.

“Woo-jin, your aloofness really hit the funny bone. You know how it is? You’re serious, but it’s funny to others. Your initial coldness also turned into a charm of reversal.”

That’s right. Kang Woo-jin’s concept was seen as a bit of a goofball to the public. Cold and sharp, but somehow clumsy?

“You can see it in the comments, right? Pure madness, heartless puppy charm, a Park’s assistant who isn’t fully socialized, a killer who’s awkward in relationships. People like your indifference.”

It was strange. It wasn’t intentional. And pure? Woo-jin laughed a little absurdly inside. Pure? Me? He was the Kang Woo-jin who was captivated by the kiss scene. A man with a dark heart. Meanwhile, Woo-jin found another comment.

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋKang Woo-jin is like a cocky golden retrieverㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Golden retriever? Woo-jin couldn’t understand people’s tastes at all. Anyway, if they liked it, then it was okay, right? It felt like he had stumbled upon something, but Kang Woo-jin thought it was fine.

Then, he checked the thumbnail of the ‘Sports Day’ video.

It was a picture with the faces of actors like Ryu Jung-min and Hong Hye-yeon. The problem was that Kang Woo-jin’s face was the biggest. Of course, expressionless. Underneath Woo-jin’s face was a caption.

-???What is his identity???

All the other actors had their names under their faces, but why only him?

‘Why is my face the only one that’s so big?’

Woo-jin, who was grumbling a little inside, asked Choi Sung-gun, who was smiling, nonchalantly.

“Why is my face the biggest?”

“It’s probably because you have a big head.”

“You’re saying my head is big?”

“A little?”

Kang Woo-jin’s expression became even stiffer. Noticing this, Choi Sung-gun, with his ponytail, laughed heartily.

“I’m just kidding, you idiot. If your head is big, then I’m an alien? Woo-jin, you’re the main focus in the first episode, so you’re the biggest. Wanna watch it?”

Choi Sung-gun moved his index finger. The first episode of the ‘Sports Day’ Han-ryang special had a total running time of 22 minutes. It was long for a YouTube video. The video started by showing the building where the recording would take place, then switched to the inside. There was a long table and a studio with a ‘Profiler Han-ryang’ poster.

There were no people yet.

Just an empty table was shown, and the audio was filled with conversations between the staff, including PD Yoon Byung-sun.

[“Since we have a lot of big stars coming today, let’s try to get enough footage for three episodes.”]

[“PD-nim, you seem very excited about getting the footage?”]

[“I’m curious about Kang Woo-jin, is it just me?”]

[“I think everyone feels the same?”]

At this moment, the video angle zoomed in on Park’s assistant on the Han-ryang poster. At the same time, a staff member in the video shouted.

[“Kang Woo-jin has arrived!”]

The screen quickly changed, showing Kang Woo-jin entering the studio. PD Yoon Byung-sun approached him. The angle captured Kang Woo-jin in a bust shot. The two greeted each other lightly. Then, PD Yoon Byung-sun asked Woo-jin his first question.

[“Park’s assistant, was the acting very difficult?”]

Woo-jin’s nonchalant answer.

[“Yes.”]

Murmuring. The staff were noticeably flustered, and the camera shook slightly. Underneath, a caption appeared.

-It’s not that his tension is low… it’s just that he doesn’t have any? He doesn’t have it, no, he doesn’t have it.

Kang Woo-jin’s first character in the video was openly cynical. But as time went on, his clumsiness shone through.

[“Nice to meet you, I’m Kang Woo-jin, who plays ‘Profiler Han-ryang’ from ‘Park’s assistant’.”]

He made mistakes, and even when he realized he made a mistake, he gritted his teeth and pretended not to. The editing itself flowed in that direction. Soon, Kang Woo-jin, who was watching the video, was slightly impressed inside.

‘Ah, so this is how you create a character in a variety show.’

The video, with on-site filming and editing, had a different vibe. It felt much stronger? Anyway, Kang Woo-jin’s goofiness exploded in the games. All the actors seemed to be enjoying themselves, but Kang Woo-jin’s expression was that of a battle. No, it was closer to a bloodbath.

[“Haha, Woo-jin, are you going on a military deployment or something?”]

[“I’m just doing my best.”]

Finally, the last part of the video. It was the climax of the ‘Character Game’ that was in progress. If only Kang Woo-jin succeeded, it would be over.

[“Okay, Woo-jin, this is the last one? It’s easy, we’re going with a really easy one!”]

[“Hmm.”]

[“Wrong!!”]

After Kang Woo-jin failed, the staff burst out laughing. PD Yoon Byung-sun’s comment followed.

[“Wow, this was literally a freebie? What do we do?? This is awkward?”]

[“I’m sorry, who were you again?”]

At this moment, Hong Hye-yeon in the video suddenly hit Kang Woo-jin’s arm. Hard.

[“Ah!! It’s me!! Are you crazy!”]

Here, the video suddenly went to a black screen. White letters were imprinted in the center.

-To Be Continued.

-Will Kang Woo-jin survive?

The first episode ended with Kang Woo-jin in a crisis.

‘Ah, man. That was close. This is fun?’

He was embarrassed that his face was shown, but it was indeed the work of Yoon Byung-sun, a big shot in the variety show world. Woo-jin almost burst out laughing. If the person involved was like this, the public’s reaction was bound to be explosive. At this moment, Choi Sung-gun turned off YouTube. Then, he accessed a search site and muttered. His smile was unusual.

“Is it because it’s your first appearance as your real self? The media is going crazy right now.”

Meanwhile.

As Choi Sung-gun said, the impact of the first episode of the ‘Sports Day’ Han-ryang special was significant. Yoon Byung-sun’s variety shows were already impactful, but with the addition of the super popular drama Han-ryang, reporters were eager to cover it.

『’Sports Day’ Han-ryang special surpasses 200,000 views as soon as it’s released, plus Kang Woo-jin’s first variety show appearance!』

The entertainment news was already overflowing with ‘Sports Day’ related articles. Of course, it wasn’t just articles. ‘Sports Day’ proudly took the top spot in YouTube’s real-time videos, and new information about Kang Woo-jin poured out on various portal sites.

The key was the online community.

The public, who had seen Kang Woo-jin’s real self through ‘Sports Day,’ were posting everywhere. Starting with various online communities.

-The Sports Day video is out, go watch itㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋIt’s so funnyㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Sports Day Han-ryang special ‘Character Quiz’.gif

Fresh posts were increasing on social media and online cafes. It was like pouring gasoline on the already burning Kang Woo-jin issue. Meanwhile, in the comments of the ‘Sports Day’ video, there were a few unusual comments, though not many.

-HuhㅋㅋㅋㅋKang Woo-jin wasn’t like this originallyㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Some people pretended to know Kang Woo-jin or tilted their heads in confusion. They were buried under the other comments, but they were consistently posted.

-I was surprised that Woo-jin was acting, but it seems like his personality has changed a lotㅎㅎ I always support you (former colleague)

It wasn’t enough to be bothered by it right now. Whatever the situation, Choi Sung-gun, who had checked the situation on his phone and just came down to the first floor of the shop, was smiling contentedly. He then called the company’s PR team.

“Hey, you saw that ‘Sports Day’ blew up, right? Let’s move quickly too. Release the articles we’ve prepared right away.”

It was to add a boost. He had already experienced all sorts of things in the entertainment industry, so he knew better than anyone how to boost recognition.

‘Popularity and recognition are like a flame. Whoever it is, there’s a lifespan. The key is how big of a fire you can create in a moment.’

When the fire is lit, you fan it as much as possible. The recognition he was building now would all become Kang Woo-jin’s assets.

It was then.

-♬♪

The ringtone was ringing. It was Choi Sung-gun’s phone. Well, his phone had been ringing non-stop lately. There were calls related to Hong Hye-yeon, but there were also many calls about Kang Woo-jin.

Therefore, Choi Sung-gun.

“Let’s see, who is it this time?”

He casually checked the caller. But.

“Oh?”

Choi Sung-gun’s eyes widened quite a bit. The reason was simple.

“It’s PD Yoon?”

The other party was Yoon Byung-sun, a big shot in the variety show world. For some reason, Choi Sung-gun’s smile deepened. He had a rough idea of what it was about.

“Yes, PD-nim. Hahaha, hello!”

“CEO Choi, is it okay to talk?”

“Of course?”

“First of all, you’ve checked the first episode of ‘Sports Day’ Han-ryang special, right?”

“Of course, I’ve checked it. Haha, it blew up properly. Thank you for capturing our Woo-jin’s character so well.”

“It’s nothing, Woo-jin did a great job.”

“At this rate, the first episode will easily reach 4 million views, right? No, 5 million?”

“Hmm, we’re expecting a bit higher? The footage came out well, so we’ll be able to air three episodes.”

Choi Sung-gun and PD Yoon Byung-sun on the phone continued their conversation, imagining a bright future. Then, PD Yoon Byung-sun changed the subject first.

“More than that, I know Woo-jin is very busy, but I’d like to meet with you and him properly.”

Choi Sung-gun was grinning from ear to ear.

“Ah, you mean Woo-jin?”

“Yes. But this is not about ‘Sports Day,’ but as a PD from HTBS Entertainment Bureau.”

“…Perhaps, it’s about a new variety show you’re planning.”

“That’s right. I was wondering if Woo-jin would be a good fit for the variety show I’m planning this time. I’d like to discuss the details in person. What do you think?”

He immediately stated his purpose. But Choi Sung-gun didn’t immediately accept. Especially in the variety show world, if you seem easy, you’ll be quickly taken advantage of. Also, Kang Woo-jin was actually busy.

Soon, Choi Sung-gun sat on the sofa in the nearby waiting room and crossed his legs.

“Yes, yes, just a moment. I’ll check Woo-jin’s schedule.”

At the same time, PD Yoon Byung-sun on the phone asked back.

“While you’re checking, does Woo-jin have any schedules booked for the second half of the year?”

On the same day, around lunchtime. Netflix Korea.

In a medium-sized meeting room with various posters on the walls, the heads of each team, including General Director Kim So-hyang, were gathered for a meeting.

The topic was the recent short drama project they had launched.

Among them, the most talked about was ‘Male Best Friend.’ You have to open the lid properly to show the full potential. Then, General Director Kim So-hyang, who was looking down at the tablet in front of her, raised her head.

“Kang Woo-jin’s reaction is crazy, isn’t it?”

At her enthusiastic words, the male team leader of the physical team on the right nodded.

“There was a lot of interest in Woo-jin because of Han-ryang, and it seems like his usual self in this ‘Sports Day’ really hit the mark.”

“I also watched the video briefly, and he’s cute. When we had a meeting, I just thought he was a bit calm, but it’s a charm of reversal.”

“The power of editing and the unique atmosphere of the variety show filming must have played a part. Anyway, it’s a green light for us.”

General Director Kim So-hyang nodded, raising the corners of her mouth.

“The short project is still in the planning stage, but it’s already being mentioned a lot, right?”

This time, it was the female team leader of the creative team on the left who answered.

“Yes. Woo-jin and Hwa-rin’s back-to-back hits were quite an issue, and with Woo-jin’s explosion, the flow is good. Even though we didn’t do any media play, the ‘Male Best Friend’ articles are increasing on their own.”

“That’s good. Let’s keep leaking things. Anything. For now, just put Woo-jin and Hwa-rin’s names on it. If we leak it appropriately, the media will take care of the rest.”

“Understood.”

Kim So-hyang rubbed her hands together, as if she was excited.

“Well, in this case, we really need to set the stage properly-”

The physical team leader asked.

“Have you contacted John Craig?”

John Craig, whom the team leader mentioned, was the general director of Netflix Japan, and Kim So-hyang answered as if it was obvious.

“Yes, I did. He’s looking positively at our short project, and he seems to be positive about the launch in Japan as well.”

“It’s not confirmed yet?”

“We have to keep in touch. They have their own circumstances. But John will probably bite, because Netflix Japan can’t ignore the Korean wave these days.”

“Especially since Netflix has too many anime these days.”

“It can’t be helped, it’s a country where anime is super strong. That’s why there are quite a few anime in the rankings. But the other half is Korean content, right? From John’s perspective, he can’t abandon ‘Elani,’ a top-tier girl group in Japan.”

That is, Hwa-rin’s story.

“I heard that when ‘Elani’ had a concert in Japan, they filled a huge stadium?”

“The tickets were sold out in five or ten minutes. They also frequently top the Oricon charts [Japanese music charts].”

“If we launch ‘Male Best Friend’ with Hwa-rin’s popularity, which suits the Japanese taste, we’ll get a reaction right away. Well, leave the Japanese launch to me. I’ll take care of persuading John. Let’s proceed with the planning as if the Japanese launch is confirmed.”

General Director Kim So-hyang, who had muttered, slid the tablet screen to the side. The other team leaders did the same.

“First of all, the production team line seems fine. Go ahead with the casting. How about the OST [Original Sound Track]?”

“We’ve started collecting songs. It would be good if Hwa-rin could take on one or two songs. Of course, Hwa-rin’s side has to agree.”

“Then the picture will be so beautiful.”

General Director Kim So-hyang, who agreed, suddenly thought of Kang Woo-jin.

“Since ‘Male Best Friend’ is a rom-com, it would be richer if there was a duet song. If we release a duet song following the emotional line of the drama, the possibility of topping the charts in Korea and Japan is high, right?”

“There are many precedents. But Hwa-rin is no problem at all, but if Woo-jin’s singing skills are too different, it becomes ambiguous.”

“Hmm, Woo-jin himself said he’s pretty good. Let’s first gather songs that are perfect for ‘Male Best Friend’.”

The next item on the agenda. It was General Director Kim So-hyang who opened her mouth.

“Directing. We need to put in a lot of effort, so I’d like to go with a PD who has some name recognition.”

“Yes, we’re looking into freelance PDs, but they tend to be reluctant because it’s a short drama.”

“Tsk. Just pass on those directors.”

At this moment, the creative team leader came up with an idea.

“General Director, how about this person?”

“Huh? Who?”

The team leader handed the tablet to Kim So-hyang.

“He has a connection with Kang Woo-jin. He’s the director who won the grand prize at this year’s ‘Mise-en-scène Film Festival,’ ‘The Detective Agency.’ He’s the hottest in the film industry right now. He was quite famous as a drama PD in the past.”

Kim So-hyang clapped her hands together, looking at the picture on the tablet screen.

“Ah! Director Shin Dong-chun??”