小火星

Chapter 125: Fireworks (5)

Flashbulbs crazily burst towards Kang Woojin. The press conference for ‘Male Friend\' transformed into what seemed like a personal press conference for Kang Woojin.

Journalists relentlessly snapped photos without pause.

On stage, Kang Woojin managed to maintain a poker face, though inside he wondered if this was reality or a dream. The flashing lights showed no sign of stopping.

“Woah, I\'m going to go blind at this rate!”

Yet, he couldn\'t show weakness. Woojin maximized his persona. Hold on. Stay dignified. Thanks to this, his cynical expression was captured vividly by over fifty reporters.

Then, the questions came like bullets.

“Mr. Woojin! Have you met Director Kyotaro in person?!”

“When did the discussions start?!”

“What role will you play in ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger\'?!”

“Have you met writer Akari?!”

“It\'s unprecedented, right? How much was the negotiation for the appearance fee?!”

“Mr. Woojin, over here, this way!”

“Have you met with the Japanese actors you\'re cast with?!”

“There are many projects lined up for you! Can you handle all of them?!”

“As a rookie actor, how did you land a leading role in a masterpiece by a Japanese master?! Tell us about the process!”

The questions bombarded Kang Woojin like bullets, almost as fast as the flash of cameras. His eyes dazzled and ears rang. Woojin struggled to keep his composure.

“I don\'t know, please spare me. Whoa, this is crazy. At least give me time to answer!”

Despite his internal turmoil, the journalists\' fervor only intensified. It was understandable, given Kang Woojin himself had confirmed the major news shaking both Korea and Japan. Any journalist who remained silent at this moment would be a fool.

At this point,

– Swoosh.

Woojin\'s eyes, previously donning a lifeless expression, shifted. He looked past the crowd of journalists to the very end of the hall. There a man with a ponytail, Choi Sung-gun, was standing with his arms crossed and a slight smile.

Their eyes met.

‘Is this enough?\'

Choi Sung-gun nodded slightly.

‘Yes, well done.\'

It was all a planned scenario. A premeditated nuclear bomb. The stage, the female reporter\'s questions, Woojin\'s straightforward acknowledgment, and the current madness. All orchestrated by Woojin and Choi Sung-gun before the press conference.

Well, the ‘straightforwardness\' was Woojin\'s own decision.

‘Woojin, maybe, no, 100% sure, one of the reporters will ask about Director Kyotaro. What will you do?\'

‘I have no intention of avoiding it. Can\'t we talk about it now?\'

‘Sure, we\'ve finished discussing with Director Kyotaro.\'

‘If there\'s no problem, I\'ll go straight ahead.\'

‘Haha, that\'s like you. Okay, I\'ll handle the aftermath. Go on.\'

That\'s how the scene was created. Choi Sung-gun then smiled more broadly, watching the reporters in a frenzy.

“The picture turned out well.”

Behind him, a woman\'s voice chimed in,

“Phew, how do we calm this down?”

Turning around, Choi Sung-gun saw the plump Kim So-hyang approaching. Her calm demeanor suggested she, the Netflix executive director, also somewhat understood the situation. Confirmed by Choi Sung-gun\'s nonchalant response.

“Don\'t calm it down, let\'s just leave. Thanks for accommodating my request, Executive Director.”

“Oh, please. We should be the ones thanking you. Promotional power at press conferences is usually predictable, but look at this now. Where else can you get this kind of publicity effect?”

“‘Male Friend\' will be mentioned a lot too, both in Korea and Japan.”

“Of course. The bomb went off at the ‘Male Friend\' press conference. When I heard about revealing the scoop here, I thought it was perfect.”

“Haha, you flatter me.”

Choi Sung-gun then subtly shifted the topic.

“Now you\'ll need to have a proper conversation with Netflix Japan. The game has changed.”

“I know. You mean the upcoming promotional event in Japan? I\'ll communicate and expand its scale.”

“We need to spread the word in the Japanese media as well. Director Kyotaro\'s side is probably moving too.”

“I\'ll relay to the Japanese executive director to push firmly on ‘Male Friend\' related promotions.”

Executive Director Kim So-hyang replied with a grin.

“With all the buzz we\'ve created, Woojin will be the hot topic in both Korea and Japan for a while.”

This was exactly what Choi Sung-gun had hoped for. It was all part of his plan, and the outcome was top-notch.

“Yes, fortunately.”

Meanwhile, despite the relentless flash and questions, Kang Woojin silently faced forward.

“……”

‘Keep quiet from here on out, right?\'

Naturally, it was Choi Sung-gun\'s request. To make the reporters even more anxious. At this point, Hwalin, sitting to Woojin\'s right, was wide-eyed.

“Wha? What?!”

She was staring at Woojin\'s side. She, too, was shocked.

‘Wow! Wow, wow, wow! Really?? Is Woojin actually making a debut in Japan?! And in a leading role in a film by Director Kyotaro?!\'

Hwalin had read the news articles too. The buzz was too big to ignore, but she hadn\'t dared to ask Woojin directly, just held it in. And now, she realized it was all true. Instantly, her heart swelled with excitement.

‘This is insane! Isn\'t Woojin the first one to do something like this? Yes! He\'s the first! Ah, why am I so happy?\'

Her fangirl heart for Woojin bounced with joy. After all, her devotion was already immense, so seeing her favorite star succeed brought her pure elation.

Then,

– Swoosh.

Perhaps because of the flash or noticing Hwalin\'s gaze, Woojin, who had been facing forward, turned to her. She flinched immediately. Meanwhile, Woojin quietly observed her for a moment before speaking calmly.

“I\'m sorry.”

“Uh? For what?”

“For surprising you.”

“Oh.”

“I couldn\'t tell you because it was confidential.”

Hwalin shook her head furiously, though only internally.

“No, it\'s okay. It\'s really great news for you, Woojin.”

“Yes. It just happened.”

“You\'ll be acting in Japanese for Director Kyotaro\'s film, right?” (TL: Acting in Japanese as in Japanese Language)

“Yes. I\'ll do my best.”

My ultimate favorite\'s Japanese acting? Even better. Absolutely thrilling. Hwalin internally cheered while calmly asking.

“You\'ll need to practice Japanese, then. I can help, I know some.”

“Didn\'t I tell you? I can speak a little.”

“Really?”

Hwalin\'s desire surged. She was dying to know, to see it soon.

‘…Woojin\'s voice in Japanese, and acting. Ah- I\'m already charmed.\'

Meanwhile, Director Shin Dong-chun, with his square jaw, was also looking at Woojin in surprise. However, he wasn\'t as shocked as the reporters. He had been somewhat certain when he first learned the news about Director Kyotaro.

‘Indeed, it had to be Woojin.\'

He had been somewhat certain. Then, he silently mused to himself as he watched Woojin.

‘From masters like Director Kwon Ki-taek to a Japanese master – how big is he going to get?\'

He speculated without realizing.

‘At this rate, he might even make it to Hollywood by next year.\'

30 minutes later, around late lunchtime, in Buyeo, South Chungcheong Province.

At the large set complex of ‘Island of the Missing,\' ongoing construction for minor additions and repairs was in progress. Set maintenance was a never-ending process. With the recent script reading for ‘Island of the Missing\' completed and the pre-production phase wrapping up, the final touches on the set were swiftly underway.

In front of one of the buildings in the set area,

“Uh-hum-”

Director Kwon Ki-taek, a portly figure with a genial face, and his staff team of about a dozen people were visible. Led by Director Kwon, they were inspecting the buildings that would be central to the shoot. Soon, while looking at the nearly completed shooting storyboard, Director Kwon spoke.

“This building looks too new, doesn\'t it? Is it just me?”

“Should I ask the set team to roughen up the exterior walls a bit?”

“No, it\'s not just the walls. It\'s an issue of overall balance. Remove the door, break the windows. Make it look drastic.”

“Yes, Director. I will convey that.”

It was at this moment.

“Di-Director!!”

From the back, an assistant director with heavy dark circles under his eyes rushed over urgently. Naturally, Director Kwon Ki-taek and the staff turned their heads, and the panting assistant director showed Kwon his phone.

“Please have a look at this!”

On his phone screen, there was a news article.

『[Breaking News] At the ‘Male Friend\' press conference, Kang Woojin declares, ‘I am that Korean rookie actor\'/ Photo』

It was an article obviously centered on Kang Woojin. It was a fact, not a mere speculation. As a result, the eyes of the dozen staff members widened.

“Is this really true?!”

“Are you sure it\'s not just another rumor?”

“No! The media is going crazy right now! Articles are pouring out.”

“Goodness, never thought I\'d see such a case in my lifetime.”

Most of the reactions were of utter surprise. On the other hand, the calm Director Kwon Ki-taek just softly smiled, as if he had anticipated all this.

“As I thought.”

The assistant director quickly asked.

“Uh, did you know about this, Director?”

“How could I have known? No, I didn\'t.”

“But you don\'t seem surprised at all.”

“I just remembered the expression on Director Kyotaro\'s face when I saw him at the Mise-en-scène Film Festival. That expression was – yes, similar to when I first saw Woojin.”

“Ah.”

“I suppose he felt the same as me. How could he resist after seeing such talent right in front of him.”

“Still, I\'ve been in the film industry for a while, and I\'ve never seen anything like this. A rookie, less than a year in…”

As the assistant director trailed off, Director Kwon slightly tilted his head.

“Hm? But Woojin is the lead in my movie, isn\'t he?”

“Yes… Of course. Yes, but what I mean is…”

“I get it, I know what you mean.”

At that moment.

“But still, Woojin is impressive. Director Kyotaro may be slightly less renowned than you, Director Kwon, internationally, but he\'s definitely a top name in Japan.”

The production manager, who was checking additional articles on his phone, joined in with a serious expression.

“Plus, the screenplay is by the internationally recognized novelist Akari Takikawa, whose best-selling book is the basis for the film. For a rookie actor like Kang Woojin to land a lead role in such a film is a monumental achievement in the film industry, both in Korea and Japan.”

“Yes, it\'s enough to send the media into a frenzy.”

“Yes.”

The production manager slowly nodded.

“Moreover, even if it\'s a coincidence, the buildup to this moment is staggering. The way it drew attention from both the Korean and Japanese media and public opinion seems almost too perfect to be mere coincidence.”

Director Kwon, stroking his chin, suddenly remembered the man with the ponytail. Choi Sung-gun. More precisely, he thought of his capabilities.

“Perhaps. But is it really a coincidence? I think it was intentional.”

“Ha?”

“No, never mind.”

“Anyway, now that it\'s come to this, we should have a proper discussion with Woojin\'s side, right? I\'ve heard he\'s already got a packed schedule, and now with Director Kyotaro\'s project as well, our shooting schedule might clash with theirs.”

It was a valid point. Depending on how fast Director Kyotaro\'s side moved, the filming dates might overlap. Both projects were significant, so if there was a clash, a suitable compromise would need to be found. But this wasn\'t a major issue; such cases were common among top actors, especially those who worked on multiple projects.

Whatever the case, Director Kwon asked the production manager.

“CEO Choi wouldn\'t have started this without a plan. We\'ve set our crank-in date for around the 15th of next month, right?” (TL: Crank-in means shooting start and Crank-up meaning shooting end)

“Yes, Director. September 15th. It might change depending on the pre-production progress, but it should be around that date.”

Approximately three weeks. Then, Director Kwon, seemingly lost in thought as he looked over the set, softly mused.

“The overseas shoot in Vietnam is crucial. Let’s focus our discussions around that.”

Meanwhile.

Kang Woojin\'s straightforward confirmation was simultaneously erupting across the world.

『[Official] The ‘Korean Rookie Actor\' Teased by Director Kyotaro Officially Confirmed by Kang Woojin Himself!』

『[Star Pick] Kang Woojin Calmly Acknowledges His Role / Photo』

Immediately following the ‘Male Friend\' press conference, the journalists present quickly spread their firsthand experiences and observations.

『\'Unprecedented\', Kang Woojin Joins a Japanese Masterpiece as a Newcomer… What’s the Reaction in Japan?』

With the addition of photos of Kang Woojin at the scene, the articles’ impact doubled. Consequently, numerous media outlets that weren\'t at the press conference also joined the fray.

『\'As Expected\' vs ‘Really?!\' Diverse Public Reactions to Kang Woojin\'s Admission』

『Master Director Kyotaro and World Renowned Writer Akari’s Film Lands Kang Woojin as Lead… Creating His Own Legend』

Woojin’s own confirmation of the buzzing rumors made the news even more sensational.

Articles flooded in every minute, every second.

The deluge of news articles, filled with various keywords, was like a torrential downpour, soaking the entire internet. It effectively blasted away the accumulated doubts and curiosity.

The public and media quickly converged.

Everywhere on the internet was abuzz with Kang Woojin\'s name with comments like ‘Really?\' ‘I knew it!\' ‘Insane,\' ‘Unbelievable,\' ‘Epic,\' ‘Gives me chills,\' etc. The comments and reactions were too numerous to list.

It was beyond comparison to mere fireworks.

This wasn\'t just a firework; it was like thousands of rockets exploding across the nation. The buzz quickly spread offline as well, starting with the broadcast industry.

“Wow! PD Jang!! Look at this! Kang Woojin openly admitted it?!”

“What? Really? He said it himself?!”

“Who would blatantly lie about this without going crazy!”

“Man… This is going to turn everything upside down!!!”

In the vast entertainment industry.

“I had a feeling… I saw his YouTube channel videos.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Didn’t I tell you yesterday? Kang Woojin speaks Japanese really well.”

“Oh! And he sings well too, right?”

“Yeah, it\'s confirmed. He admitted he\'s the one in Director Kyotaro’s project.”

“What?!!”

“That guy is really something. I respect him even though I’m his senior. Ever since he entered the scene, he’s been unbeatable, right?”

Of course, the news reached the general public swiftly.

“Wow! Kang Woojin confirmed it!”

“I just saw the article too!”

“Everyone was guessing it wasn’t him, but it turns out it’s true! So, is Kang Woojin making his debut in Japan right after his debut here?”

“It seems so. But really, Kang Woojin is amazing. How many actors in our country have a filmography like his?”

“None, I’d say. How many lead roles does a rookie have like him?”

“He sings incredibly well too. Did you see his YouTube cover of Elani\'s song in Japanese?”

“His voice is mesmerizing. But why is Kang Woojin good at everything? I heard he\'s from a chaebol family, is that true?”

“Huh? I heard he has an identical twin. That there are actually two of them.”

In cafes, restaurants, subways, offices, and more, the name Kang Woojin grew increasingly prominent.

Meanwhile, in Japan at the same time.

After finishing a call somewhere, Director Kyotaro Tanoguchi, his hair streaked with gray, slowly lowered his phone inside a van. He then spoke in Japanese to the man sitting in the passenger seat.

“It\'s time to release our official press release regarding Woojin.”

Shortly after, Director Kyotaro’s team released their official statement, acknowledging Kang Woojin’s ‘straightforward\' admission.

『Exclusive: The Korean Rookie Actor in Director Kyotaro Tanoguchi’s Film is ‘Kang Woojin’』

*****

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