Kang Woo-jin and BW Entertainment’s contract is for one year? The editor-in-chief with his chin protruding, his frown deepening, spoke again to the serious-looking female reporter right in front of him. His tone was slightly higher.
“So what the hell is that? A one-year contract? Who would put that on? Hey, don’t you know who Choi Sung-geon is? He’s a player, a player. Do you think he would have signed a one-year contract with a diamond like Kang Woo-jin just because he was a punk? No, there’s no such thing as a one-year contract in the first place.”
It wasn’t all wrong, but the female reporter wasn’t discouraged.
“I got the information.”
“······”
The editor, who had been scratching his chin, closed his mouth. Then he slowly observed the female reporter’s momentum. After a few seconds, he opened his mouth again.
“How certain is that information?”
“Well. About 80%?”
“80?”
“yes.”
Confidence is evident. At this point, it was difficult for even the editor to just ignore it.
“Huh······This is amazing news. What kind of crazy entertainment company signs a rookie to a one-year contract these days?”
“That’s what I’m saying! It’s even more ridiculous that it’s Kang Woo-jin. He’s got a few issues right now. He’s also got a lot of box office hits.”
Is it true? No matter how much I thought about it, the editor had a hard time understanding it.
‘Well, okay. Let’s give it a year. But didn’t you become a hit as soon as you debuted? If you weren’t an idiot, shouldn’t you have extended your contract right away?’
Even Kang Woo-jin was shaking up the entertainment industry in Japan, not just Korea. In less than a year. And Choi Sung-geon just left him alone? Did he lose his touch?
“······Hmm. I don’t know for sure, but there must have been some kind of situation between them. Or maybe a deal.”
“If BW Entertainment lets Kang Woo-jin go right now, they’ll be treated like shit in the industry.”
“I guess so.”
“Well, we don’t really care about that. Anyway, Editor, how does this smell? Is it strong?”
The female reporter smiles slightly. The editor-in-chief also begins to smile slowly.
“What are you talking about? Kang Woo-jin is already monopolizing the market, and if this blows up, the entertainment industry will be turned upside down. Everyone will rush in with money. The public’s interest will also skyrocket. First of all, the story is interesting.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve been able to pull the hook properly, and the end of the year is just around the corner.”
“So. Are you going to shoot right away?”
“What good is wasting time? You’ll just end up getting stabbed.”
The editor, who would normally have agreed, was a bit more cautious this time for some reason.
“Hmm- no, that information you got. Check it again. Then get confirmation from me again.”
A female reporter furrowing her brow.
“···Editor. Are you putting this away now??”
“uh.”
“No! Why are you wasting time on this?? It’s pointless?”
“You said that, but if someone counterattacks with unfounded claims, are you going to take full responsibility?”
“What is there to counterattack?”
The editor sighed softly.
“Open your ears and listen carefully. Touching Kang Woojin right now requires a certain determination. This isn’t a situation where you can just hit him and be done with it.”
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“yes??”
“List all the big names around Kang Woo-jin.”
“ah.”
“Drama version, movie version, variety show version, star writers, even the Japanese side. Did you know that the main investor of ‘Strange Life’ is the Japanese conglomerate ‘Kashihi Group’?”
“······”
“For a typical rookie, they are the kind of big guys that you can’t even dream of, but whatever it is, there are a lot of those guys around Kang Woo-jin right now. That means you have to be prepared to mess with all of those big guys.”
“But that’s not the case.”
“What good will come from making a fuss?”
The female reporter figured out the editor’s feelings. Then the editor got up from his seat. His protruding belly was impressive.
“If what you said is 100% true, then there’s no problem. But if it turns out to be a rumor or something, then it’s a disaster. But it’s a topic that’s too good to throw away.”
He stood right in front of the female reporter and spoke quietly.
“So check again, and then it’s not too late to flip the Enters.”
Around lunchtime on the same day, at the ‘Maxnald’ commercial filming location.
Kang Woo-jin was still fighting with the hamburger. The filming that started in the morning was still going on. Judging from the filming continuity, it seemed like it would be finished around the afternoon.
“Woojin! Can you give me the feeling of lightning striking my eyes while eating a hamburger??”
“Lightning. Yes, I will try.”
“Okay! I’ll go back and get the feel of it!”
Among Woojin’s dozen or so team members, Choi Sung-geon stands out with a very serious expression. He is staring at Kang Woojin with his arms crossed. Choi Sung-geon, who was tying his ponytail tightly again, muttered quietly to himself.
“A stepping stone? That director An Ga-bok?”
Choi Sung-geon, who was deep in thought, was currently thinking about Director Ahn Ga-bok. He kept thinking about the conversation he had with Director Ahn Ga-bok a few hours ago in the morning. It was definitely not a light topic.
Next is Choi Sung-geon.
“hmm-”
I recalled an important part from my phone conversation with Director Ahn Ga-bok. It started with Director Ahn Ga-bok’s old voice on the other end of the phone.
“I think CEO Choi has already noticed. I need actor Kang Woo-jin for my 100th film. As you may know from the rumors, I plan to challenge for the Cannes Film Festival with this film.”
Although Choi Sung-geon had already completed his investigation, he did not act openly. He just pretended to be slightly surprised.
“Ah- Is that so? We were originally planning to meet after the overseas location filming was over, so I’ll tell Woojin and try to make time. But Director, can I ask you something?”
“hmm?”
“I wonder why you became interested in Woojin.”
“sign language.”
“Are you speaking sign language?”
“Yes. It started with sign language. It was a skill needed for directing movies, and rather than teaching it, I wanted actors to have it if possible. Around that time, Kang Woo-jin caught my eye.”
“···I understand.”
“But now, I’m more interested in his acting and his humanity.”
Humanity itself? When Choi Sung-geon tilted his head, Director Ahn Ga-bok continued speaking.
“But when I brought up the topic of Khan to Woojin in Da Nang, he said he wasn’t particularly interested. His eyes were sincere. Khan really doesn’t have any big thoughts.”
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“······”
“By any chance, did CEO Choi know about it?”
It was Choi Sung-geon who had overheard rather than knowing. However, for now, he had to pretend not to know.
“No, he’s a very unpredictable friend.”
“Well. Then you probably didn’t know that what Woojin wanted was the Oscars and not Cannes.”
What? An Oscar?
“Huh? No······What is that?”
The giant spirit on the other side of the cell phone preaches the old host’s astute delusions without much thought.
“The Oscars. That is, the Academy Awards. Woojin-kun, I’m aiming for that. I felt it strongly from the words he spoke and the meaning in his eyes.”
Sung-geon Choi was embarrassed. The Academy Awards? The Academy Awards? Of course, it is a huge world that I will encounter someday, but already? Even a top actor would have to challenge for more than 10 years. Even so, there were many who failed. However, Kang Woo-jin has only been trying for a year. It didn’t make sense.
Here, Choi Sung-geon recalled Kang Woo-jin’s personality and the footsteps he had walked. In addition, his abilities.
Then I couldn’t help but agree.
‘······No. Native-level English from the beginning. And many languages. Just as ‘Namgyesaeng’ kept his place during a crisis, his desire to advance overseas, including to Japan. Big names surrounding him.’
If you look closely, directors like Kwon Ki-taek and Kyotaro are both well-known overseas.
Ultimately.
‘There is a special clause that says not to touch the work you choose.’
When I put everything together, I got the answer. In reality, Kang Woo-jin was walking silently toward the final boss without being noticed. That final boss was the ‘Academy Award’. Yes, that’s it. Choi Sung-geon’s confidence gradually became clearer.
‘Have you been moving according to a clear plan from the beginning until now? To get to the Academy Award as quickly as possible??’
I was thoroughly infected by the delusion preached by the old host. The main character, Kang Woo-jin, was only chewing on a hamburger, but only Choi Sung-geon and Director Ahn Ga-bok were serious. Among the two, Director Ahn Ga-bok spoke again on the other end of the phone.
“The distribution that Woojin-gun has is not coming from arrogance. It comes from attitude. He is running with sincerity. However, I think CEO Choi knows this too. There are many conditions required to win an Academy Award.”
“······That’s the stepping stone you were talking about.”
“That’s right. Of course, what Woojin has is enough to shake up Hollywood. But the process of showing it is difficult. They don’t know Woojin at all yet. There are many actors in the world who devote their whole lives to getting that ticket.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“But Woojin’s interest will probably go beyond attending the Academy Awards. He’ll want to get something flashy. And that’s what it takes.”
“I know. You need to have a convincing filmography and achievements that people can nod their heads to on your resume.”
“That’s the basis. That’s how the Academy Awards system came to be.”
Director Ahn Ga-bok, who had been smiling faintly, put some strength into his old voice.
“There is nothing better than Cannes as a stepping stone. It gives credibility to everyone involved in the Academy Awards.”
Up to here. Choi Sung-geon, who was recalling the phone call with Director Ahn Ga-bok, returned to reality. His gaze was on Kang Woo-jin in the filming area. Soon, Choi Sung-geon, whose quick-witted delusion had melted away, muttered to himself.
‘Currently, actor Kang Woo-jin’s only weakness and lack is his career. His filmography is still a wasteland. The Academy Awards system is complicated. It’s full of numerous interests and connections that are difficult to overcome.’
What Choi Sung-geon just said was the most basic of the basics. If you dig deeper into the Academy Awards, there are quite a lot of complicated verifications and systems. Is it too far? One of those countless things is the actor’s footsteps or name value.
A resume is a power that cannot be ignored anywhere.
It was the same with the Academy Awards, and it is difficult for the current Kang Woo-jin. It is not something that can be achieved through effort or passion. It is simply realistically impossible.
but.
‘If a rookie who debuted only one year ago turns Cannes upside down.’
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There is a slim chance that it will happen. It will make people curious. So far, there has been no history of a one-year-old rookie chewing up the Cannes Film Festival. That is the key to countering.
And then.
“haha.”
Choi Sung-geon, who had been deep in thought, laughed in vain.
“This is crazy, I’m also thinking of the Cannes Film Festival as a stepping stone.”
In the first place, it was unheard of for a newcomer to advance to Cannes. It was the same in the past and in the future. Of course, that was until Kang Woo-jin appeared. In any case, the Cannes Film Festival became a side issue.
At this time.
-Ouch.
Woojin returned to his seat with an indifferent expression, perhaps because it was break time.
‘What? You seem really excited??’
And then he asked.
“Sir, are you doing well?”
At the casual question, Choi Sung-geon’s smile deepened.
“It’s similar. I imagined something good.”
I made a promise to myself that I would watch the impossible from right next to me.
‘Let’s just write history. But before that, let’s settle the contract first.’
I never dreamed that it was a fundamentally astute illusion.
The next day, the 10th. Artist Lee Wol-seon’s studio.
In a quiet room, writer Lee Wol-seon is staring at her laptop. She looks unusually natural, and after looking at the laptop screen for a few minutes, she lets out a small sigh.
“it’s okay.”
Writer Lee Wol-seon immediately picked up his phone and called the director PD of ‘Frozen Love’. He was probably in the middle of filming, but the director PD picked up quickly.
“Yes, yes, author.”
Author Lee Wol-seon simply declared:
“I just finished the manuscript for the last episode.”
It was said that the manuscript for ‘Frozen Love’, which is about to premiere, was completed. At this, the voice of the producer on the other end of the phone became louder.
“Hey! Thank you for your hard work, author! T-It doesn’t seem like it’ll work out today! Tomorrow! I’ll go tomorrow morning!”
“Yes. But there are two versions of the last episode manuscript.”
“Huh? Two versions?”
“Yes. The ‘strange man next door’ that the PD mentioned last time keeps bothering me.”
“Hmm? You wrapped it up well, didn’t you? You even inserted flashback cuts and mentions of moving.”
“But I feel a bit sorry about the character. The quality has also improved thanks to Woojin’s help.”
“···That’s true. What are the two versions?”
“In the last episode, there is one scene where the main characters ‘Song Tae-hyung’ and ‘the strange man next door’ meet again, and one scene where they don’t.”
“iced coffee.”
Author Lee Wol-seon, who was slowly crossing his legs, continued his explanation.
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“As you can see from the script, ‘The Strange Man Next Door’ meets Song Tae-hyung by chance. ‘The Strange Man Next Door’ avoids eye contact. However, Song Tae-hyung, who has completely changed, greets him with sign language, and the surprised ‘The Strange Man Next Door’ also smiles and responds with sign language.”
“Oh! The contrast between the first and last episodes will definitely be heartwarming??”
“But I can’t use it if Woojin doesn’t do it.”
“······Yes. Even without that, when I see Woojin-ssi appearing on the media, he seems very busy.”
“The filming will be over in half a day, so would you like to ask Woojin for a favor?”
“Okay, author.”
What was unusual was that the response to the contact from the producer was very quick. Of course, the other party was Choi Sung-geon.
-[Yes, PD-nim. Woojin wants to do it too, and if you let me know a week in advance, I can make time.]
And around the same time, the ‘Frozen Love’ side released the official trailer to the world. On various video platforms other than YouTube.
-‘Frozen Love’｜Official 1st Trailer｜KBC
There were 15-second and 30-second teasers and the official first trailer. It was a natural progression since the first episode was only about 2 weeks away. Of course, both videos contained short but intense images of the ‘strange man next door’. The same goes for the sign language. Kang Woo-jin’s presence was strangely strong.
Naturally, the public’s reaction was immediate.
-Kang Woo-jin, in the drug dealer scene, his gaze and breathing ate up all the acting… so sweet… he was really sexy and scary like a crazy psychopath… but his sign language acting is something new??
-How much does Kang Woojin come out of this??
-Kang Woojin’s mask is so colorful! It’s sweet, then it’s shiver, then it’s a fluffy feeling
-AhㅠㅠㅠㅠSomething, something seems boring… ..
-This is a work of art, lol. Can you really beat author Eunmi Park? lol.
-Kang WoojinㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋHe was a romantic, then a drug addict, and now a sign language userㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋHe just seems like a completely different personㅋㅋㅋ
-Jeong Jang-hwan is in a drama again lol. Doesn’t he make movies??
-Wow, Kang Woo-jin appears for a short while and I’m exhausted… From his facial expressions to his muscles and every single gesture, he’s really amazing… . It’s so much fun just watching the trailer… .
Kang Woo-jin’s acting spectrum was endlessly expanding.
Meanwhile, at the same time. Cheongdam-dong shop.
Kang Woojin’s van is visible in the parking lot of a large shop. Soon, Woojin, who came out of the shop with full makeup, got into the van. Only Choi Sunggeon in the passenger seat was visible in the car. Han Yejeong and Jang Suhwan were in the bathroom, and the rest of the team was in the office.
Woojin’s schedule today was two interviews in the morning, and he had to return to filming ‘Island of the Missing’ from lunch until night.
Whatever it is.
-Ugh.
Choi Sung-geon, sitting in the passenger seat, suddenly handed a transparent file to Kang Woo-jin.
“That’s year-end related material. It’s about award ceremonies that I’ve been asked to attend so far. By the way, it’s always beneficial to attend year-end award ceremonies, no matter what type they are, you know?”
The cold Kang Woo-jin silently opened the file and nodded.
“Yes, I know.”
Choi Sung-geon, who was watching Woo-jin intently as he lowered his gaze to the transparent file, suddenly changed the subject.
“And the Academy Award is out of the question right now.”
Kang Woo-jin slowly raised his head and met Choi Sung-geon’s eyes, then remained silent for a moment.
“······”
There was no wavering in his poker face. However, it seemed like there was a strange sense of unease. No, should I say a question mark? A few dozen seconds passed like that. Kang Woo-jin answered in a calm voice.
“Of course, this year will be difficult.”
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As soon as he heard the answer, Choi Sung-geon laughed in vain.
“Ha- I had hoped so, and it was as expected. The Academy Awards… It’s so grand, it’s so far away, so far away. It breaks common sense.”
The fact that he hums as if he’s tired of it is a bonus.
“Were you aiming for an Academy Award from the beginning? How disappointing. If you had just told me about that crazy plan, I would have prepared myself mentally. I’m going to get a heart attack.”
Kang Woo-jin’s indifferent face was firmer than ever.
‘······?’
