小火星

Suncheon, the set for the shooting of ‘Drug Dealer.’

The vast set, reflecting the ambiance of the 1990s with buildings and houses of that era, was already in the midst of filming ‘Drug Dealer.’

“Cut! I couldn’t hear the line just now. Let’s focus and try it again!”

Directed by Kim Do-hee, who still has a charismatic aura, there were various cameras, lighting, audio equipment, and so on, surrounded by dozens of staff members who were attending to these devices.

The actors were divided into those who were observing and those who were performing.

The interesting thing was,

“Who are those people over there?”

“They’re from the distribution and production companies.”

“Oh-”

There seemed to be a noticeably larger number of people on set today. Their unexpected appearance had a simple reason.

“They must be here to see Kang Woojin today since the situation hasn’t been good.”

“Because they’re worried?”

“It could be that, but maybe they also want to see the overall balance?”

It was important for both the production and distribution companies to see Kang Woojin in person because of the recent issues surrounding him.

Around this time,

“Good! Cut!”

Director Kim Do-hee approved the last scene. Then she instructed the assistant director,

“Let’s take a 10-minute break.”

“Yes! We’ll continue after a 10-minute break!”

Upon the assistant director’s shout, the crew quickly moved to the filming zone. Meanwhile, people gathered around Director Kim Do-hee, who was seated in front of three monitors.

They were members of the production and distribution companies.

“Director, isn’t it about time for Kang Woojin to arrive?”

At the question, Director Kim Do-hee nodded.

“We were informed he’d arrive within 10 minutes.”

Soon, some expressed their concerns.

“I’ve been thinking a lot now that today has come. Will everything really be okay?”

“It was a bit of a gamble. Kang Woojin is trending, so he’ll draw the public’s attention, but the preparation time was short. Did he have enough time in just 3 weeks to fully analyze the role of ‘Lee Sang-man’?”

Kim Do-hee, brushing back her unruly hair, let out a small sigh.

“We have to trust Woojin. He was very confident during our meeting. Even if the results are disappointing, it won’t be Woojin’s fault. If the acting quality drops due to lack of time, we should take the blame. Moreover, we couldn’t find any actor who speaks Japanese as well as Woojin.”

“That’s true.”

Darkness clouded the faces of the production and distribution staff. To them, Kang Woojin was just a rising rookie.

“Oh, I heard you were thinking of making slight changes to the role of ‘Lee Sang-man’? Maybe it’s better to cancel that?”

“…If it becomes too challenging, I’ll consider omitting it.”

“Well, I know Kang Woo-jin is talented from seeing ‘Hanryang’, but a few weeks is really short for such a challenging role. Even if he’s very competent, he’s still a rookie. Pushing him too hard might break him.”

It seemed everyone was on the same page.

“Director, just focus on ensuring that the role of ‘Lee Sang-man’ is handled smoothly.”

They seemed to be suggesting that she not take any more risks and instead focus on resolving any issues. However, Director Kim Do-hee, who always enjoyed challenging herself artistically, wasn’t pleased with this.

‘Why are they fussing so much? I know what I’m doing. Why are they all butting in?’

As she grumbled internally, a distribution company executive shifted the topic.

“By the way, I heard from Hanryang’s side that Kang Woojin had some international experience?”

Director Kim Do-hee, who was flipping through the script, quickly responded,

“Ah, that must be from Japan.”

“Huh? No, I heard from a contact in Hanryang’s production that said he was in an English-speaking country?”

“…English-speaking?”

“Yes. I heard he speaks English at a native level. Some foreign staff even praised his English.”

Whispers spread among the surrounding crew members. The lighting director chimed in.

“Ah, I heard that too. I’m close with Hanryang’s lighting director. He’s from abroad and said something like Kang Woojin might have been in Hollywood?”

“Everyone seems curious about Kang Woojin, huh?”

“Right? Aren’t the production people doing the same? Everyone must be curious because they’re worried.”

“But Hollywood sounds a bit exaggerated.”

The actors also joined in.

“I heard he’s a rookie, but he doesn’t act like one. Perhaps his overseas experience gave him a different mindset?”

Both main and supporting actors joined in the conversation.

“I heard that Kang Woojin said he taught himself acting during the Hanryang script reading.”

“…That doesn’t make sense.”

“What? His character is so bizarre.”

“Maybe it’s just the arrogance of a rookie? Or bluffing? Something like that.”

At that moment,

“Director! Kang Woojin has arrived!”

Director Kim Do-hee’s walkie-talkie echoed loudly with the shout of the staff. It was a sign that Kang Woojin, the talk of the town, had arrived. Soon after, Director Kim Do-hee quickly stood up.

A few minutes later,

Kang Woojin arrived at the shooting zone. Woojin felt burdened by the glances of the passing staff.

‘What’s going on? Why are they staring at me like this?’

The more they looked, the sterner Woojin’s poker face became, and Director Kim Do-hee rushed over to him.

“Woojin!”

Kang Woojin calmly greeted her.

“Hello, Director.”

“Oh, you came early? Mmm- It feels different seeing you on set.”

“Is that so?”

Woojin sneakily glanced behind Director Kim Do-hee and was internally taken aback.

‘Wow, how many people are there? Is it like several troops gathered? Is there a war going on?’

The crowd seemed huge, easily over 60 people. The problem was, it didn’t seem to be just staff. At that moment, Choi Sung-gun, standing behind Woojin, recognized someone in the crowd.

“Oh my- Chief Lee? It’s been a while?”

“Hahaha, indeed, CEO Choi.”

Led by Director Kim Do-hee, Kang Woojin stood in front of the main actors. A formal introduction would come later, but first, he needed to familiarize himself with their faces.

“As you all know, this is actor Kang Woojin.”

“Hello.”

With a calm voice, the actors gave Woojin slightly awkward smiles and greetings. Director Kim Do-hee handed Woojin a few sheets of paper.

“Woojin, this is the script. There were some changes in the ‘Lee Sang-man’ cuts. It’s to emphasize the ‘Lee Sang-man’ character. It might be a bit sudden, but you can stick with the original script if you prefer.”

Such changes were common on movie sets.

Scripts might change due to the director’s decisions, altering dialogues, situations, or characters’ emotions. However, to others, Woojin was still new to this. He thought he was more than prepared, but three weeks wasn’t a long time for others.

So, Director Kim Do-hee was quite hesitant.

“Is it too much? Please, think about it without any pressure.”

It would be great if ‘Lee Sang-man’s’ character could be clearer, but pushing Kang Woojin, a newcomer, too hard might backfire.

Regardless, Woojin replied.

“Yes, let me take a look.”

He seemed unconcerned. Why?

‘There’s the void space. Then, there’s no problem.’

He spotted a black square on the script pages. While recalling his first reading experience, Woojin secretly pointed his index finger.

He paused for a moment.

It was a fleeting moment. For others, it was just a few seconds, but Woojin felt like he’d spent several minutes in that moment.

‘Let’s show off a little. It might even cut the workday short.’

Woojin, focusing on the script, whispered to Director Kim Do-hee.

“Just give me 5 minutes.”

“…What? 5 minutes? Really?”

“Yes, 5 minutes.”

“…?”

Director Kim Do-hee’s eyes were filled with question marks, and the surrounding actors whispered amongst themselves.

‘What’s with him? He seems a bit arrogant.’

It was an absurd response.

‘5 minutes? What’s he talking about? There’s a limit to showing off.’

‘Just by looking, he seems like a rookie trying to score some points. How can he master the dialogues and expressions in just 5 minutes? Director Kim is going to have a hard time.’

The thing was,

“Yes, I’m ready.”

It took Kang Woojin not 5, but just 3 minutes.

“I’m prepared.”

Soon after, it was past 7 in the evening.

The sun set, and darkness gradually enveloped the surroundings. The streetlights began to shine brightly. Four black sedans were parked in front of a building.

Cameras and lights were set up around the area, with dozens of staff surrounding the shooting zone.

At that moment,

“Water trucks!”

Director Kim Do-hee shouted into her walkie-talkie. As soon as she did, rain began to pour down on the set. Simultaneously, dozens of extras with black umbrellas entered the scene, all dressed in suits.

“Dim the lights!”

“OK!”

“More, more, more, stop! Let’s go!”

As Director Kim Do-hee shouted, a male staff member clapped the slate in front of the camera. Then, Director Kim Do-hee signaled with her walkie-talkie.

“Roll camera! Action!”

Soon, the driver’s door of the sedan at the end of the four parked cars opened abruptly. As expected, a man in a suit holding an umbrella got out, and he quickly moved to open the rear door of the car.

– Swoosh.

Kang Woojin, with a cigarette in his mouth, got out from the back seat. One of his hands was shoved into his pocket. Even though he was in a suit, he wasn’t wearing a tie, and the top button near his neck was undone. A glimpse of a dark tattoo could be seen on his exposed chest.

“Hoo-”

He exhaled a long puff of cigarette smoke. On closer observation, a scar could be seen on his left cheek – a knife wound. His skin looked rough, as if it would be scratchy to touch. However, his slicked-back hair was neat. His eyes seemed slightly droopy, but the pupils were fierce.

“……”

The atmosphere around him was malleable but contained a palpable violence. It was an aura that suggested one wrong word might cause him to slit your throat on the spot.

Yes, right now, he wasn’t just Kang Woojin; he embodied ‘Lee Sang-man’.

Soon after, Sang-man scratched his right forearm lightly and patted the shoulder of his subordinate who was holding the umbrella over him. His expression remained neutral. The subordinate, realizing it might be a gesture of approval, bowed his head.

“Thank you.”

Maybe the smoke got in his eye, but Sang-man squinted and yanked his subordinate by the hair.

“Come closer. I’m getting wet.”

“Oh, I’m sorry!”

“Or is that what you want?”

“No, no, Hyung!!”

Lee Sang-man’s voice was low and raspy, as if he had a lot of phlegm. But each word carried a warning. Lee Sang-man stared at his subordinate, who felt increasingly oppressed.

A fear of the unknown abyss.

Even the simple act of closing his eyes couldn’t be taken lightly. Lee Sang-man kept his gaze fixed on the subordinate, slowly taking the cigarette from his mouth. A long plume of smoke emerged, dispersing between the orange streetlights.

Once again, as he took a deep drag from his cigarette, Lee Sang-man looked quite displeased. The humidity, his mood, the itching on his forearm, even the sound of rain hitting the umbrella.

That was Lee Sang-man.

– Swoosh.

With the cigarette still in his mouth, Sang-man shifted his gaze to a distant spot behind his gathered subordinates. He was looking at the line of street lights. The closely spaced orange lights. Why was he looking at the street lights? Was it because they looked cool? No.

“They’re dancing.”

In Lee Sang-man’s eyes, the orange lights were gently swaying. Only in his eyes. A side effect of addiction. Thanks to this, Lee Sang-man smirked briefly. Damn, what was that? It briefly looked like a merry-go-round. The small trace of amusement on Lee Sang-man’s face slowly vanished.

“Hoo-”

Lee Sang-man, with his stoic expression, blew out the cigarette smoke, obscuring the view of the street lights. However, the smoke quickly rose up into the sky. Thus, the damned orange lights were visible to Lee Sang-man again.

He became more irritated. The itchiness on his arm intensified.

At that moment, a man’s desperate scream echoed.

“Hyung! Please spare me! I must have been out of my mind! Please, Hyung!”

By the building entrance, a man was kneeling. His face was severely battered. Lee Sang-man slowly looked down at him. The man kept shouting, but Lee Sang-man couldn’t hear him clearly.

– patpatpat!

– patpatpat!

The sound of the pouring rain drowned out the man’s cries.

“……”

So, Lee Sang-man just stared at him. Emotion was completely absent from his gaze. Yes, it was the kind of look one gives a mere bug. There was nothing. There was no need.

The answer was clear. Crush it.

-Whoosh.

Lee Sang-man, who was looking at the man, stretched his hand outside the umbrella. The pouring rain ruthlessly struck his hand. Cold and sharp, it resembled Lee Sang-man’s own aura.

At that moment, Lee Sang-man murmured softly.

“It’s going to burn.”

The subordinate with the umbrella asked, puzzled.

“Huh?”

“The sea. It’s going to burn.”

“Ah.”

Then, Lee Sang-man, with one step closer to the man whose face was drenched in blood, crouched to meet his eye level. Once again, he scratched his forearm and blew a long puff of cigarette smoke in the man’s face.

“Why are you so thin?”

“Hyung! I really messed up! Just once! Please forgive me just once!”

“I said you’re thin.”

“……”

With a chilly tone, Lee Sang-man took the cigarette from his mouth and brought it close to the man’s nose. Or more precisely, he placed the cigarette where the raindrops were sliding off the man’s nose. The cigarette sizzled instantly.

“Open your mouth.”

The soaked cigarette was held in front of the man by Lee Sang-man, who spoke in a peculiar tone. The man, however, had a puzzled expression.

“……Yes??”

“Open your mouth. Wider.”

“!!”

“Open it.”

Soon, the bloodied man’s mouth gaped open, and Lee Sang-man shoved the cigarette he was holding into the man’s throat. It was merciless, as if with enough force to reach the man’s innards.

“Cough! Cough!”

“Have that and puff up your face a bit.”

“Cough! Cough!”

“You look too skinny right now.”

With a raspy voice, Lee Sang-man slowly turned his head to his subordinate. Every movement he made, from start to finish, was composed.

“Dump him in the water.”

The subordinates understood his order instantly. They were to throw the man into the sea, making his body swell with water. Soon, the man was dragged away by a few of the subordinates. He screamed madly, but it didn’t reach Lee Sang-man’s ears.

Lee Sang-man stared straight ahead, where the obstacle had disappeared.

He saw the stairs leading up to a building. They were gloomy and dark, and for some reason, they seemed to Lee Sang-man like a pathway to liberation. He moved forward without hesitation.

Soon, a subtle smile appeared on his face.

“……”

His facial muscles twitched slightly. His mood heightened. His brain was urging him to do something impulsively. To run, because it’s right in front of him. Lee Sang-man’s smile wasn’t a smile.

It was a smile of death.

Death lingered on his lips.

It was a graceful and profound death. It was an expression of that magnitude, that depth. The death that spread across Lee Sang-man’s face grew more profound. And with that death on his face, Lee Sang-man entered the building. At that moment, he brushed past a camera stationed near the stairs.

The camera kept its focus straight ahead. After passing the camera, Lee Sang-man stopped abruptly.

A brief moment of silence.

It was the timing for a cut. But no sound was heard, only the pattering rain echoing throughout the building.

The reason was simple.

“…… Insane.”

Director Kim Do-hee, who had been intently watching the monitor, was in shock.

‘Oh Junwoo can’t even come close… Kim Ryu-jin and Park Dae-ri are nowhere in sight, only Lee Sang-man is visible. The method to make all the characters appear different is already-‘

Of course, everyone around her: the crew, production staff, distribution team, actors, and all – felt the same. They were all blankly staring at the rookie actor inside the shooting zone, at the monster. The looks in their eyes were similar.

What did I just see?

As if time had stopped, among the motionless crowd of dozens, one supporting actor, still focusing on Kang Woojin, hesitated and said,

“He just briefly saw the script… What’s happening? How, and why can he….?”

But no answer came.

“……”

“……”

Everyone’s minds had halted after witnessing the monster for the first time.

*****