After wrapping up the long-running schedules for The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice and Boy Friend: Remake, Kang Woojin returned to Korea from Japan at dawn on the 4th.
Even so, dozens of reporters and hundreds of fans crowded the airport.
Articles poured out the moment he appeared.
"Star Photo: Kang Woojin appears at the airport after finishing his Japan schedule."
"Kang Woojin lightly waves to the gathered reporters and huge crowd of fans."
The turnout was far larger than expected, so what had originally been planned as a short interview had to be scrapped. In the end, Kang Woojin's return after sweeping through Japan was reduced to nothing more than a brief wave before he hurriedly left the airport.
But the articles about his return to Korea kept flooding in.
In truth, the attention had already been intense since the day before, and the moment Woojin landed in Korea, the heat only grew stronger. On top of that, the media and public opinion once again exploded with talk about him and the projects tied to his name.
"Can Kang Woojin's return drive up ratings for Island of the Missing, which is nearing 13 million viewers?"
"Feature: Kang Woojin finishes filming The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice, now preparing to take on Leech and Beneficial Evil?"
It was a dazzling comeback, one fitting for the king of issues.
There was simply too much material to cover.
[Why are there so many Kang Woojin articles first thing in the morning? Oh, he's back lol.]
[Of course. He's been carrying the nation's pride on his back this whole time.]
[I live in Japan, and Kang Woojin is insanely popular with Japanese women right now… whenever you ask their ideal type, they all say Kang Woojin. Damn it.]
It was the same in Japan.
[Did Kang Woojin finish all the dubbing work?]
[Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's done. The female lead is Natsumi Umi… I'm so jealous…]
[Why are you even bringing up someone so minor lol? Just skim through The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice and you'll see tons of top Japanese actresses in it.]
[Check Kang Woojin's Instagram lol. He had a fan signing before leaving Korea and it was packed.]
Even while Woojin had been away from Korea, he had never left the spotlight. But just as expected, his return tied every issue together and amplified the attention several times over.
New videos related to Woojin, the actor who guaranteed buzz and clicks, exploded across radio, YouTube, and every other type of media. The rapidly shifting domestic situation was reported in detail even to BOX Movies, the production company behind The Naval Battle.
A team leader was giving a presentation while the directors and executives listened in silence.
"Special Feature: Kang Woojin returns for the second half of Island of the Missing promotions as the film eyes the all-time number one spot. His name is already dominating online communities."
The hopeful expressions that had been slowly building on the executives' faces darkened in an instant. Even so, the team leader continued the briefing without pause.
"As you can see, ever since Kang Woojin returned, both the media and public opinion have heated up dramatically, and mentions of Island of the Missing have increased far beyond before."
"...Hmm."
"As you know, Kang Woojin went to Japan before the release of Island of the Missing and hasn't participated in any official promotional schedules until now. But his return alone is creating this much noise…"
The team leader let out a faint sigh, then delivered the conclusion to everyone in the room. His voice carried a note of resignation.
"...I think it would be wise for us to prepare ourselves mentally."
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At the same time, over in Cheongdam-dong, things were no different.
Kang Woojin, freshly back in Korea, had just arrived at the salon. Choi Sunggeon had told him to take a break, but Woojin shook his head.
'Mm, I still feel full of energy.'
There was a slight edge of bluff in the answer, but it was also his honest thought. A day off would be nice, but he had judged that things would only become worse if the work piled up and hit him all at once. For reference, Choi Sunggeon had already split off from Woojin partway through.
No, more accurately, he had no choice but to stay away from Kang Woojin for at least a few days.
Choi Sunggeon could not afford to neglect the newly invigorated operations of BW Entertainment. Recently, a number of new matters involving BW Entertainment's overseas branches in Japan and Hollywood had been added to his workload as well.
In any case, the moment Woojin appeared, the salon erupted.
"Wow— Kang Woojin!"
"Huh? Is this your first time seeing him in person?"
"Yes! I only ever heard he came here, but this is my first time actually seeing him!"
"Isn't he way more handsome in real life?"
"Obviously. Like, a hundred times better."
Everyone from the designers to the staff stared blankly at Kang Woojin. He had always been a regular there, but as his popularity kept rising, each visit had become more and more exciting. Sitting in the salon chair for the first time in a while, Woojin looked at himself in the mirror.
With his black hair, simple short-sleeved shirt, and jeans, he wore his usual cynical expression, but inside he was deeply thrilled.
'Ah, Korea really is the best. It's so comfortable here.'
That was because he had returned to his home country. People often mistook him for someone who practically lived abroad because he flew so often, but at his core, he was still Korean.
Just then, Jang Suhwan's massive frame appeared behind him.
"Hyungnim."
He had recently been promoted from road manager to schedule manager. Choi Sunggeon still handled the bigger picture most of the time, but Jang Suhwan occasionally took charge as well. Holding a small diary that looked comically tiny against his large frame, he began briefing Woojin.
"But are you really okay? You could still take a day off, you know."
Woojin answered in a low, indifferent tone.
"It's nothing. I'm fine, so go ahead."
"Whew, you really are amazing. Then I'll get straight to it. Today's schedule is packed. First, there are two interviews, and after that…"
Jang Suhwan began listing out today's and tomorrow's schedules. It sounded endless. For a moment, Kang Woojin wondered if he had heard wrong. After the interviews, there were several different shoots, including a photo session for Woojin's social media, followed by filming and meetings for the Kang Woojin's Alter Ego channel thank-you video. Then, in the afternoon, there was a postponed promotional video shoot with the Island of the Missing team.
'Ah, damn it. I'm definitely not getting home until after eleven.'
Still, wasn't that better than going until dawn? Woojin decided to think positively.
'What's the point of putting it off when it all has to be done anyway? Don't overthink it. Just do it.'
Jang Suhwan flipped a page in the diary and went on to recite the next day's schedule.
"Tomorrow morning, there's the second ad meeting with Nongshim for the roasted seaweed buckwheat noodles campaign, and around noon, filming for Leech starts again."
The core of tomorrow's schedule was the resumption of filming for Leech.
'I heard the shoot is around seventy percent complete already, right?'
Soon, Jang Suhwan closed the diary and grinned.
"Hyung, I thought it'd be good to get something in you before the schedule starts. What do you want to eat?"
Kang Woojin replied with a heavy expression. His answer carried deep sincerity.
"Seafood ramyeon and tuna gimbap."
After that, Kang Woojin left the salon, ate his meal, and threw himself straight into his schedule. From media interviews for Island of the Missing promotions to various photo shoots, he moved through a dizzying series of appointments.
Time passed so quickly that he barely even noticed it.
And just like that, in the blink of an eye, Woojin was back home. It was already past midnight.
"Ah, damn it, how long has it been since I got home?"
Woojin skillfully used the Void Space, so on the outside he still looked like a man of steel, but fatigue was something he couldn't avoid completely. He hurried through a shower and threw himself straight onto the bed.
The next day, when the alarm on his phone rang, it was seven in the morning. To the half-asleep Woojin, though, it felt as if only seven minutes had passed.
"Ughhh—"
His usual cool indifference disappeared, revealing only someone groaning in pain. Kang Woojin naturally slipped into the empty space and collapsed to the floor.
"Seriously, the Void Space is the best. I love it so much."
Inside the Void Space, time itself had no meaning, so Woojin rested at ease without a single worry before finally returning to reality.
Right after that, Kang Woojin appeared.
"Director! Kang Woojin is here!!"
They had arrived at the Jeonju complex set. More precisely, it was the massive set for the film Leech. Hundreds of staff members welcomed Woojin, and Director Ahn Gabok, who now looked even older than before, greeted him with a wrinkled smile.
"Judging by the fact that you made it all the way here, you must've had a rough time. But I'm going to make things hard for you again."
"That's fine."
Kang Woojin had returned to the latter half of filming for Leech.
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Meanwhile, although Island of the Missing drew renewed attention thanks to Woojin's flashy return, the production team had no intention of slowing down. They continued strengthening the promotion without rest. Around the time Woojin returned to filming Leech, Ryu Jungmin, the other actors, and even Director Kwon Gitaek further heated up the promotional push.
In other words, they had begun appearing on all kinds of programs.
Ryu Jungmin was one example.
As one of the lead actors of Island of the Missing, he appeared on a variety show that introduced and explored different films.
"Ah, right, that scene really was incredible."
"Even though I've already seen the movie, it still gives me chills."
"Jungmin, what was the hardest part about filming Island of the Missing?"
"The hardest part? Hmm. Most of it was fun, but the overseas location shoot was pretty rough."
"Ah, you filmed in Vietnam this time, right?"
"In Da Nang. It was really hot and humid, and there were so many bugs."
"Ugh, just hearing that makes me shiver… I really hate bugs. Then what was the most memorable part? Was it Da Nang?"
"No. Honestly, the most memorable thing was Kang Woojin's acting. It felt completely different watching it in person compared to seeing it on screen."
While sharing his memories, he passionately promoted the film.
"Ah, right! Let's talk about Woojin now that he's back! His acting was absolutely insane. That split-personality performance was incredible."
"The moment that gave me chills while watching the film was Woojin's acting in Island of the Missing. He plays two different personalities, and as the movie goes on, that cold, ruthless side comes out more and more. That's when I realized just how great an actor he really is."
"What exactly do you mean by coldness?"
"It's one of the diagnostic traits associated with psychopathy. It's a cold, indifferent response, but without exaggerating anger or cruelty. He looks at people, but there's no interest in his eyes at all. It feels like he doesn't perceive them as people, or simply doesn't care."
"Ah, now that you explain it like that, I totally get it."
"I don't know if Woojin practiced separately for the role, but throughout the entire film, he genuinely looked like that kind of person."
The other leads, including Ha Yura and Kim Iwon, were no different. They appeared on YouTube and various programs, pouring their energy into the mid-stage promotion. Of course, Director Kwon Gitaek was just as busy. Thanks to that, word of mouth spread rapidly, and there were even viewers who went back to watch Island of the Missing multiple times.
As a result, even though many new competing films announced their release dates—
"Effect of Kang Woojin's return? Island of the Missing holds onto the number one ticket sales spot again this week."
Island of the Missing held firmly onto its place at the top of ticket sales.
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Early in the morning on the 6th, at BW Entertainment.
It was around eight o'clock. Official work hours had not started yet, but the main conference room of BW Entertainment was already busy. Team leaders and employees from different departments moved around preparing for a meeting. There were roughly a dozen people in total.
"Did we reserve designated seats for the actors?"
"Huh? No, no. Just seat them in a zigzag pattern."
"Got it!"
There were snacks and bottled water on the table, transparent files had been placed at each seat, and they were even testing the PowerPoint presentation. Not only Choi Sunggeon, but BW Entertainment's main actors were expected to attend today's meeting as well. Of course Kang Woojin would be there, along with Hong Hyeyeon, Ryu Jungmin, and others.
It was a simple meeting aimed at the second half of the year.
The purpose was to share and review information with one another.
At that moment, as the weather continued to grow warmer, Kang Woojin appeared in the conference room dressed comfortably. His cynical expression looked even more pronounced than usual today. The team leaders smiled the moment they saw him.
"Oh my, Woojin, you came early!"
"Come this way!"
"Haha, you do know most of today's agenda is about you, right?"
After exchanging brief greetings, Woojin took a seat right next to the head of the table. Then he cast a firm glance toward the front.
'Snacks… would it be okay if I just tried a little?'
Just as Woojin quietly reached out to take one, a woman's voice rang out in the meeting room.
"Hello—"
When he looked toward the entrance, Hong Hyeyeon was standing there waving to the team leaders. She was wearing a white cap pulled low over her long straight hair and a beige short-sleeved shirt. For some reason, she had a thick stack of papers tucked at her side. After greeting the team leaders, her gaze turned to Woojin, who was watching her with his usual indifference.
'He came early. Did he lose a little weight?'
Muttering to herself, Hong Hyeyeon walked over and pulled out the chair to Woojin's right. Then she spoke to him in a slightly blunt tone.
"So you're alive? You never contacted me, so I was wondering if you were on the verge of death."
Trying hard to ignore the pleasant scent around her, Woojin answered in a low, serious voice.
"I am still alive."
"I only found out from the news that you came back to Korea a few days ago. You do carry your phone around, right?"
"Yes, here."
"…No, I wasn't asking you to show it to me. Never mind. But you do look like you lost some weight."
"A little."
"You know if you collapse from a schedule this tight, everything comes to a stop, right? I know you don't tire easily, but still, make sure you eat properly."
While lecturing him, Hong Hyeyeon suddenly took off her white cap. Her long hair rustled down over her shoulders, and she glanced at the stack of papers she had brought before clearing her throat.
"Ahem. Um, could you maybe take a quick look at this script? I like it, but I was curious what you'd think. Before… it felt like you could tell something just from the title."
Hong Hyeyeon was one of the people who believed in the so-called Kang Totem. Woojin answered calmly.
"Is this for your next project?"
"Nothing's decided yet. I'm still reviewing the offers that came in. I think I want to do a film next rather than a drama. Something a little lighter. Ah, but if it's a hassle, I can deal with it myself."
"Give it to me."
Woojin snatched the script bundle from her with his usual cold demeanor, but inwardly he was smiling.
'If Hong Hyeyeon is asking, I can do that much easily enough.'
Soon, Woojin pretended to open the script and subtly raised his index finger. Then he pressed the black square attached to the script. In an instant, he slipped into the empty space.
At the same time, he dropped the mask he had been wearing.
"It's nice to come in here and rest for a bit."
Reading a script from beginning to end could be a little tedious, but all he had to do in the Void Space was check the grade, so it wasn't difficult at all. In any case, if anyone later brought up the Kang Totem or his shocking intuition, he could just brush it off as a misunderstanding.
"Let's see now—"
Woojin walked over to the row of white squares and checked the script that had just been added.
-[11/Scenario (Title: Transit Through France), Grade B+]
-[*This is a highly complete film scenario. Readability is 100%.]
It was hard to guess what kind of story it was from the title alone. A romantic comedy, maybe? Whatever it was, Woojin checked the grade first.
'B+? Ah, that's a little disappointing.'
Then again, maybe it was actually fine. Lately, Kang Woojin had come across so many S-rank or higher scripts that his judgment had started to dull. In the first place, works above S rank were extremely rare. A few weeks earlier, when he had a bit of spare time, Woojin had even tested the dozens of scripts and scenarios that had poured into the Void Space like a waterfall.
And the result?
'They were all C-grade or lower. There was only one that got a B.'
In other words, anything in the B to A range could already be considered a very good work. In today's entertainment industry, that placed it near the top. Frozen love, which had finished with a ten percent rating, had been a B+.
"Hmm, B+ is still good enough to take on. I guess I can say it's decent."
Muttering to himself as he stroked his chin, Woojin habitually touched the words for "work." The text on the screen changed at once.
-[You have selected Scenario (Title: Transit Through France).]
-[List of readable characters (experience).]
-[A: Kim Sungjin, B: Choi Jian, C: Dominique Debus…
Woojin stopped talking for a moment.
"Dominique Debus? Wait, that name… that's pretty unusual."
A faint smile spread across his face at the rare name, and without hesitation, he moved his index finger and selected Dominique Debus.
And then—
["..."]
For a brief moment, silence filled the empty space before the female robotic voice echoed out.
["A new language has been detected in addition to the default language. French will be acquired first."]
Woojin's smile deepened.
["Preparing to read French…"]
["…Preparation complete. Beginning French reading."]
Just before the darkness completely swallowed him, Woojin smiled and whispered,
"Nice."