I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 89

Around the afternoon of Tuesday, the 16th.

The lobbies of various broadcasting stations across the country were buzzing. It wasn’t usually a quiet place, but today it was particularly chaotic. Drama and variety show producers, among others, were gathered in the lobby.

“I heard Yoon PD’s new variety show is huge?”

The topic of their conversation was PD Yoon Byung-sun’s new project variety show.

“Rumor has it, it’s going to be a series of three or more seasons.”

“Really? Where did you hear that?”

“There were whispers about it in the freelance [outsourcing] circles.”

“Wow, he’s really going all out, huh?”

And then.

“And Kang Woo-jin is confirmed as the first guest for a project of that scale?”

Kang Woo-jin, whose popularity was skyrocketing, was the main topic. It was understandable. Just around noon today, before the news of his lead role in ‘Island of the Lost’ had even cooled down.

『[Exclusive] ‘Variety Show Giant’ Star PD Yoon Byung-sun’s Large-Scale Project Variety Show Confirms ‘Kang Woo-jin’ Joining』

A huge piece of bait had been thrown into the entertainment industry.

It was like throwing new food onto a hot pan. No matter how you looked at it, the combination of Kang Woo-jin and PD Yoon Byung-sun was generating so much buzz that it felt like it was burning up.

“Wow, that guy Kang Woo-jin is really hitting it big time? After Director Kwon Ki-taek, it’s PD Yoon Byung-sun.”

“It’s insane, really, to be at this level just a few months after debut, let alone a year. They’re already calling Kang Woo-jin ‘one of a kind’ and ‘the first ever’.”

“CEO Choi Sung-gun was so quiet after Hong Hye-yeon, when did he dig up such a huge rookie? He must be grinning from ear to ear.”

Because PD Yoon Byung-sun’s influence in the broadcasting world was so significant, everyone in the industry was constantly talking about Kang Woo-jin.

“I heard Kang Woo-jin is going on Yoon Byung-sun’s show?”

“Yeah, I saw the article. No wonder they turned down all the casting requests we sent.”

“Did Yoon Byung-sun like him on ‘Sports Day’? Still, his rise is a bit abnormal. What kind of rookie is getting more attention than top stars?”

“I heard he’s a bit arrogant, so his ego must be through the roof. He’s the number one casting priority, number one.”

From terrestrial channels to cable, and even HTBS, PD Yoon Byung-sun’s home turf, the buzz spread faster than wildfire, as the industry is known for its quick rumors.

What about the media?

『’Park Dae-ri’ Kang Woo-jin Joins Yoon PD’s New Variety Show!』

『[Issue Pick] Dinosaur Rookie Kang Woo-jin Decides to Appear on Star PD Yoon Byung-sun’s New Variety Show』

They were several times more frenzied than offline.

Since the first official article broke, Kang Woo-jin’s name was the only thing circulating all day on the 16th. The timing was perfect. It was around the time when various issues and ‘Island of the Lost’ were starting to fade a little.

『[Star Photo] How Far Will Kang Woo-jin’s Momentum Go? From Lead Role in Director Kwon Ki-taek’s Film to PD Yoon Byung-sun’s Variety Show』

The 16th, which had been noisy all day, came to an end, and the 17th dawned, but the fire did not die down. Rather, it grew even bigger than the day before. PD Yoon Byung-sun’s side kept adding fuel to the fire.

『PD Yoon Byung-sun’s Team on Kang Woo-jin’s Joining: “He’s someone we’ve been wanting, we’ll make an interesting project”』

bw Entertainment was fanning the flames.

That wasn’t all. The distributor of ‘Island of the Lost,’ seeing the rising buzz, also threw in more fuel. The projects that Kang Woo-jin had participated in or would participate in were not silent either.

『’Island of the Lost’ Kang Woo-jin’s Cameo in ‘Drug Dealer,’ When Can We See It on Screen as Filming Nears Completion?』

It was a chain reaction. The branches of the tree kept extending endlessly. That’s why, if you searched for Kang Woo-jin on YouTube or portal sites, an enormous amount of information poured out. The keywords were endless.

And so, two days passed.

By Thursday, the fire had become uncontrollable, fueled by the spreading public opinion.

-OMG…Kang Woo-jin is on Yoon PD’s variety show???ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠI can’t wait to see it!!

-WowㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋBut seriouslyㅋㅋㅋKang Woo-jin is doing so well???

-I agreeㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋI’ve never seen a rookie like thisㅋㅋㅋHe’s like a bulldozerㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-But I don’t get it. He’s just a good actor, right? Why are they hyping him up so much? Does his company have a lot of money?

-↑Instead of leaving hate comments, wash your own underwear, you moron.

-I saw a comment somewhere saying Kang Woo-jin is doing a great job with his image-makingㅋㅋㅋㅋI saw it on a community forum

-???What image-making?

-I think they’re talking about ‘Sports Day’? If you look at the comments from his classmates, they say his personality is a bit different now than it used to beㅋㅋㅋ

-Ah!! Woo-jin oppa!! Show us your cold puppy charm quickly!! He’s not hot enough like this!!

-But it’s kind of amazing when you look at Kang Woo-jin’s filmography, he’s worked with all the big names???

-OMGㅋㅋㅋㅋAt this rate, he’ll be in Hollywood next yearㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

·

·

·

Around this time, the media.

『[Star Talk] Ultra-Rising ‘Kang Woo-jin,’ A Look at His Path Reveals a Jaw-Dropping List of Big Names』

Became deeply interested in Kang Woo-jin’s filmography. The reason was simple. The path he had walked was filled with big names. Starting with writer Park Eun-mi and PD Song Man-woo, then writer Lee Wol-sun, director Kwon Ki-taek, and PD Yoon Byung-sun.

It was a filmography that even seasoned top actors would find hard to create.

Most of all, Kang Woo-jin was a complete rookie. Nevertheless, his impact was comparable to that of the top stars. Therefore, the industry couldn’t help but be more excited.

“How is he working with all these big names?!”

“I know! It’s like he’s covered in honey.”

“He’s just a big name hunter, a hunter.”

What would happen if the secret project with director Kyotaro was revealed? It was obvious that Kang Woo-jin would be remembered as a legend, at least among rookies. Anyway, by this point, there were too many eyes watching Woo-jin.

Not only the media but also production companies, advertising agencies, YouTube channels, and more.

Places trying to ride the wave of Kang Woo-jin, who was being flooded with attention, began to overflow. Thanks to that, around Friday the 19th.

“Woo-jin, we’ve got more ad offers. Product model proposals too. These are all must-dos.”

“Yes, CEO. I’ll do them.”

Ad and model proposals, except for ‘Maxnald,’ were pouring in for Woo-jin. The same went for various variety show and YouTube-related casting offers.

It was truly like he had a booster attached.

Around this time, Kang Woo-jin.

“Wow, this is crazy.”

Was entering the subspace extremely frequently.

“What… With this schedule, am I really going to die? How do top stars handle this?”

He had somewhat adapted to acting, but he was not yet used to ‘becoming famous.’ People recognized him openly, photos were taken, autograph requests, countless cheers, hate comments, and he couldn’t even remember the faces of people he had met just a day ago.

Still, Kang Woo-jin knew that complaining was a luxury.

“Hoo-up, hoo… Patience is the answer. Am I really going to die? Get a grip. Remember the concept. Go again.”

He had no choice but to grit his teeth and endure.

After that.

While Kang Woo-jin’s fame was growing day by day, ‘My Guy Friend’ was accelerating its production. With the lead actors confirmed and director Shin Dong-chun joining, there was no reason to delay.

Therefore, Netflix Korea.

『[Exclusive] Director Shin Dong-chun, Winner of the ‘Mise-en-scène’ Award, Chosen to Direct ‘My Guy Friend’ Starring Kang Woo-jin and Hwa-rin』

Announced that Shin Dong-chun would direct ‘My Guy Friend’ while internally completing the production team setup. Although it was a one-act project, the scale was large, so a team of highly skilled individuals was formed. From this point on, Netflix Korea stepped back as an investor and facilitator.

The overall handling was by director Shin Dong-chun.

“Wouldn’t this be enough for the supporting roles?”

“Sounds good. Let’s send out offers only for the supporting roles and fill the rest with auditions.”

Casting the actors was not a big problem. Except for Kang Woo-jin and Hwa-rin, there were no particularly noticeable roles. In fact, once the actors were settled, half of the pre-production for a one-act drama was done. Compared to a mini-series, the process was about half, so the production preparation was usually short and intense.

However, ‘My Guy Friend’ was slightly outside the norm.

Production meetings, script meetings, location scouting, storyboard work, and so on. The time was short, but the quality required was similar to that of a mini-series. It was confirmed to launch on Netflix in Japan as well as in Korea. Therefore, director Shin Dong-chun was working night after night, just like he did with ‘The Fixer.’

Among them, director Shin Dong-chun put a lot of effort into the OST [Original Soundtrack] work.

“Play the previous one again.”

“Yes, the solo track.”

“Hmm… I’ll listen to Woo-jin’s guide again.”

“It sounds like a good fit?”

“Is that so? I feel like something’s missing.”

He listened to, analyzed, and dissected the collected songs with the music director. He had a special sense of sound, as seen in ‘The Fixer,’ and the OST was one of the key parts of ‘My Guy Friend,’ so it was natural. Whatever it was, they were gradually narrowing it down. The opening song, Kang Woo-jin’s main theme song, Hwa-rin’s theme song, the ending song, and a duet.

Once everything was confirmed, all that was left was the recording with Kang Woo-jin and Hwa-rin.

Around this time.

『Will Park Eun-mi’s Exceed 25%? Star Writer Lee Wol-sun’s New Work, A Glamorous Lineup of Actors』

Lee Wol-sun’s ‘Freezing Romance’ was also making good progress. It was slower than ‘My Guy Friend,’ but it was noticeably faster than a typical mini-series. The script for more than five episodes was out, and the casting of actors was almost complete.

The set production was in full swing.

In the meantime, writer Lee Wol-sun met with writer Park Eun-mi, who had recently completed her final script. They were already close, and since they had Kang Woo-jin in common, Lee Wol-sun requested the meeting during scriptwriting.

“It’s been a while, writer Park?”

“We’re the kind of people who should meet once in a while to maintain our relationship, right? By the way, what role is Woo-jin playing?”

“Well, a short but difficult role?”

“Really? Well, anyway, it seems like your project will do well too.”

“…What’s with the sudden encouragement?”

“It’s not encouragement. I just believe in totems.”

“Have you joined a religion lately?”

“Yeah. Anyway, here’s a piece of advice: make sure Woo-jin attends the script reading, even if it’s a small role.”

“Why?”

“You don’t have to, but you’ll regret it? You’ll see what changes happen if he attends.”

It was a place where a strange vibe flowed.

Meanwhile, the set of ‘Drug Dealer,’ where ‘Lee Sang-man’ had died, was full of energy. Director Kim Do-hee, the production team, and all the actors except Jin Jae-joon were intensely focused.

Why?

“Cut! OK!! Let’s move on to the next cut!”

“Jin Jae-joon, stand by!!”

“Alright! We’re almost done with the filming next week, so let’s put in a little more effort!”

Kang Woo-jin’s absence meant that the filming of ‘Drug Dealer’ was almost over. Of course, if something ends, something new starts.

The location was not in Korea but in Japan.

“Let’s finalize the formal contract after discussing Woo-jin’s appearance fee with bw Entertainment as soon as possible. It needs to be done this week.”

“Understood, director.”

Director Kyotaro, who had returned to Japan, immediately started full-scale production. Everything was progressing like gears meshing together.

“Let’s start working with the lead actors we lined up as soon as Woo-jin is settled.”

Time was melting away like snow.

A few days later, on Monday the 22nd.

The location was a high-end Korean traditional restaurant in Cheongdam-dong. It was a place with a traditional Korean house concept and a large yard. It looked expensive at first glance. In the private VIP room, there were executives from the ‘Island of the Lost’ film company and distributor, key staff such as assistant directors, and.

“Oh! Jung-min! You’re here??”

“Yes, hello.”

“Haha, ‘The Playboy’ filming is almost done, right?”

“About two days left.”

Baby-permed Ryu Jung-min had just entered. The tatami room was quite large. There were about five tables joined together. Ryu Jung-min sat in the middle. A long-haired male actor was already sitting in his seat.

“Hyung, it’s been a while. I’m enjoying ‘The Playboy.'”

“Oh, Lee-won. You’ve lost some weight?”

His name was Kim Lee-won. He was also among the top actors. He didn’t have a striking appearance like Ryu Jung-min, but he had steadily built his popularity with his solid acting skills. In terms of appearance, he looked somewhat masculine.

“Director Kwon told me to start exercising. I feel like I’m dying from eating only greens these days.”

“You have to do what you’re told.”

Another top actor was added from behind. This time it was the muscular Jeon Woo-chang.

“Hello!”

“Oh, Woo-chang is here?”

“Oh! Jung-min hyung. Wow, you filmed a drama that hit 20% and immediately joined Director Kwon! You’re amazing?”

“You’re always so loud when you arrive.”

The top actors were all catching up, chatting casually since it had been a while since they had seen each other. Around this time, a graceful-looking actress opened the door.

“Hellooo-”

It was Seo Chae-eun, who was always mentioned in the same breath as Hong Hye-yeon. Short-haired Seo Chae-eun greeted everyone briefly and then sat at the table where the actors were sitting, immediately teasing the muscular Jeon Woo-chang.

“Woo-chang, if you bulk up any more, your muscles will burst?”

“Haha, noona- oh, nice to see you too.”

“No, seriously. Ah! Kim Lee-won, why are you all bones?”

“Yeah, hello to you too.”

Seo Chae-eun was a bit sharp-tongued, unlike her graceful image. You could say she was assertive. Soon, her gaze reached Ryu Jung-min.

“Oppa, you’re doing well these days?”

“You too.”

“Well, I’m always the same.”

“No. I heard your hospital is doing well. Cut back on the Botox, you.”

“Ah! Do you want to die?”

Top actors with enormous influence in Korea had gathered in one place. It was natural. This was the first get-together and greeting for ‘Island of the Lost.’ Therefore, the lead actors had all gathered. Amid the noisy atmosphere, Seo Chae-eun, holding a water glass, looked around.

“Where’s the director?”

Ryu Jung-min was quick to answer.

“Not yet.”

Jeon Woo-chang scratched his muscular arm and chimed in.

“But isn’t that hot Kang Woo-jin coming today?”

Seo Chae-eun flicked her short hair and clapped her hands.

“Ah! Right! Isn’t that rookie coming yet? Wow, we’re all here? His ego is through the roof?”

“Noona, your ego is the highest.”

“Jeon Woo-chang, I’ll make your muscles burst? Still, it’s a bit much – for someone who debuted a few months ago to be the last to arrive.”

Ryu Jung-min, with his arms crossed, chuckled softly.

“He must be the busiest among us.”

“Ugh- I can already see it. He’s got a serious case of star disease. What if he causes trouble during filming? I really hate that kind of thing.”

“Mind your own business.”

“Ha! What? Are you defending him because you worked with him? What’s not right is not right, right?”

At this point, Kim Lee-won, who was tying up his long hair, spoke up.

“But Kang Woo-jin is really amazing. He was immediately cast as the lead by Director Kwon, and he’s even confirmed for PD Yoon’s new variety show, so it’s like he’s only got good things coming. All of our social circle is talking about Woo-jin these days.”

Seo Chae-eun’s face changed to one of utter confusion. She glanced at the production staff and lowered her voice.

“But I heard Kang Woo-jin is related to Director Kwon? Is that not true?”

Ryu Jung-min immediately refuted.

“Does that make sense? The director is not that kind of person in the first place.”

“No- it doesn’t make sense, that’s why I’m saying it. How can someone get a lead role just a few months after debut? Anyway, I don’t like him. Even now, he should have been the first to arrive.”

At that moment.

-Creak.

The wooden door opened, and a man with an indifferent face appeared. As a result, everyone in the room’s gaze was fixed on him. Ryu Jung-min was the quickest to react.

“Woo-jin, over here.”

The one who appeared was Kang Woo-jin. Wearing a white t-shirt, jeans, and a hat, Woo-jin greeted everyone while also.

-Swish.

Sitting on the opposite side of Ryu Jung-min. That is, next to Seo Chae-eun. Then, Woo-jin took off his hat and bowed his head to the top actors.

“Hello, nice to meet you all. I’m Kang Woo-jin.”

A very low voice. The atmosphere was very solemn. This was familiar to Ryu Jung-min but unfamiliar to the other actors. Therefore, the actors’ expressions changed to slightly surprised ones.

Among them, Seo Chae-eun, who was looking at Kang Woo-jin with displeasure, spoke first.

“You’re a bit late. Shouldn’t a rookie be the first to arrive? It’s a bit early to be getting a big head-”

Kang Woo-jin looked at her with a slightly cold gaze. For about a few seconds. Then, Woo-jin answered bluntly without hesitation.

“Do you perhaps not like me?”