Chapter 23

Reading (4)

Ryu Jeong-min couldn't take his eyes off Kang Woo-jin.

“......”

At first, it was due to a misunderstanding, thinking Woo-jin was a manager, but now it was because of his overwhelming acting skills, which had a greater impact than his initial appearance.

‘This acting... How can it be just “adequate,” this pretense?’

Ryu Jeong-min was the lead in "Profiler Hanryang," but at this moment, the protagonist of the reading session was Kang Woo-jin. Everyone, including Ryu Jeong-min and the other actors, was staring at Woo-jin with the same look.

‘Who are you?’ had turned into ‘What the hell are you?’

Of course, the various stakeholders in the large hall felt the same way. Among them was Choi Sung-geun, the representative with a ponytail, who was the CEO of bw Entertainment, the agency of top actress Hong Hye-yeon. He had recently become a hidden investor in the short film "Detective Agency." Choi Sung-geun had come separately from Hong Hye-yeon and was sitting on a folding chair near the entrance.

And now, Choi Sung-geun was speechless.

“...How long does it take to get into character? How can his emotional switch be so fast?”

It was undoubtedly because of Kang Woo-jin. Hong Hye-yeon was interested, and Song Man-woo PD or Park Eun-mi writer had suddenly cast this unknown actor. Honestly, Choi Sung-geun's first impression of Woo-jin was just that he was okay.

But now, it was different.

The moment he saw Woo-jin's portrayal of Park Da-ri, Choi Sung-geun's mind went blank. He was confused about what he was seeing and whether he could judge the man performing it.

‘I've never seen such acting before.’

How much analysis and practice must it take to achieve such a level of performance? Or is it even possible through practice alone? At this moment, Kang Woo-jin was beyond the standards of an actor.

Yes, just Park Da-ri. Just Park Da-ri.

At this point, Park Da-ri's eyes and expression changed. The deep eyes that had been filled with malice and pleasure now held a calculated smile. For some reason, his face seemed to reflect that of a child. A twisted fairy tale. A calculated innocence. Then he lifted something. The next line was spoken softly.

“Cute. So fluffy. I want to burst it.”

Park Da-ri slowly turned his head as if looking for something. The focus was clearly on his face. However, the tips of his hands, which were holding something, were trembling slightly. It wasn't from fear.

It was from excitement.

At this moment, Choi Sung-geun, who was watching Park Da-ri, couldn't help but stand up.

‘...A sociopath facing pleasure.’

Fun. Park Da-ri was facing fun. By destroying something. At this moment, no one in the large hall doubted that this man was Park Da-ri.

It couldn't be otherwise.

It wasn't just mimicking what was written in the script. The acting Kang Woo-jin was showing was so smooth, clean, and seamless. How about the softly spoken lines? Choi Sung-geun was constantly amazed.

‘A single line of dialogue can captivate a person.’

The expression "hypnotized" would be appropriate. At this moment, Choi Sung-geun suddenly remembered something.

‘Wait, he said “adequate.”’

Song Man-woo PD's instruction to Woo-jin was to be "adequate," to set the tone of the drama. This means that all of Kang Woo-jin's performances were "adequate."

This left Choi Sung-geun, with his ponytail, in a state of shock.

But the expression on Kang Woo-jin's face after finishing the first part of Park Da-ri's performance was very firm. Or rather, composed. It was as if the performance had been very light.

Moreover.

‘The moment the acting ended, the smell of Park Da-ri disappeared like a ghost. The same expression, but the eyes are completely different. How can the emotional cycle be so fast??’

Kang Woo-jin's process of entering and exiting his role was so fast that it seemed almost inhuman. Even for Choi Sung-geun, who had been in the acting industry for over a decade, it was a first.

‘Adequate... It might be.’

And he acknowledged it. Yes, whatever it was, this guy. This monster was being "adequate." This level of composure couldn't come from anything but being "adequate."

In this way, Kang Woo-jin overwhelmed everyone in the large hall.

No matter how high or low the expectations, Kang Woo-jin surpassed them with just one "adequate" performance. This was proven by the over a hundred people, including the actors, who were speechless.

“......”

“......”

Everyone was now looking at Kang Woo-jin, who was sitting quietly, with the same expression.

Ah, I understand why he's sitting there.

On the other hand, Kang Woo-jin.

‘Phew, that was intense. Acting while sitting isn't easy.’

The hundred pairs of eyes staring at him made him feel like he was sitting on a bed of thorns.

‘Moreover, everyone is staring at me so intensely. Was my acting that bad? It can't be. Anyway, my turn is over, so why isn't it moving on? Should I just wait?’

He also had a slight urge to run away. Still, Kang Woo-jin maintained a poker face. Despite the maximum tension, he tried to act composed. He silently chanted, "Time, go faster."

This was even more shocking to the lead actor, Ryu Jeong-min. His face was pale.

‘How can he be so composed? That level of acting... Is it really nothing to him??’

Next to him, a veteran actor with over 30 years of acting experience tapped Ryu Jeong-min's shoulder.

- Tap.

Then he whispered to Ryu Jeong-min.

“Don't lose your focus.”

“...Yes?”

The veteran actor nodded towards the firm-faced Kang Woo-jin across from them.

“He captivated everyone with just one performance, playing with the flow as he pleased. This guy isn't a rookie. He has a past.”

At this moment, Kang Woo-jin was firmly etched in the minds of all the actors in the hall.

“Where did such an absurd person come from? You should also focus, or you'll be overshadowed.”

“......”

As an absurd monster actor.

Behind.

The second part of "Profiler Hanryang" began. Kang Woo-jin's field of vision was not the reading session. Woo-jin, or rather, Park Da-ri, was walking down the street, licking an ice cream. His attire was casual, as if he had just come from home.

Park Da-ri arrived at the police station in front of his house.

- Creak.

With the remaining ice cream in his mouth, Park Da-ri opened the police station door without hesitation. The police officers all looked busy, and no one paid attention to Park Da-ri entering. Soon, Park Da-ri tilted his head and knocked on the open door.

- Knock, knock, knock.

At this moment, one of the police officers finally noticed Park Da-ri.

“How did you get here?”

Park Da-ri's answer was simple, with a composed face.

“I came to turn myself in.”

At this point, Song Man-woo PD changed the scene.

“Inside the interrogation room, Lee Ji-hyung and Park Da-ri are facing each other.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Park Da-ri looked at the lead actor, Ryu Jeong-min, who was playing Lee Ji-hyung. Park Da-ri's expression was peculiar, a mix of a smile and indifference. However, his deep eyes, tinged with a faint madness, were focused on Lee Ji-hyung.

Park Da-ri started the conversation.

“You're angry.”

Before entering his role, Ryu Jeong-min muttered to himself, looking at Park Da-ri across from him.

‘He doesn't even look at the script. Or does he not need to? Well, with such a level of portrayal, he must have analyzed the script intensely.’

With a hint of misunderstanding, he delivered his lines as Lee Ji-hyung, with a tone that matched his nickname, "Hanryang."

“I'm not angry. I'm just excited, seeing such a great serial killer in front of me.”

“Great. Yes, I was great. Once.”

Park Da-ri rolled his eyes, recalling the past, then lowered his head and examined his handcuffed hands.

“This is sturdier than I thought. It's a bit painful.”

Lee Ji-hyung nodded.

“You look comfortable. Aren't you scared? This is an interrogation room. Outside, there are police officers.”

“I know. There are probably police officers behind that mirror too.”

“Right.”

“But I'm not really scared.”

Lee Ji-hyung suddenly asked Park Da-ri.

“Are you a psychopath?”

Park Da-ri, with a crude smile, answered with a question.

“Profiler? Is that what you are?”

“Well, something like that. I got involved in a troublesome case.”

“Then you should do something. I'm looking forward to it.”

Lee Ji-hyung sighed, annoyed, but carefully observed every small movement of Park Da-ri.

“Why did you turn yourself in? If you had continued living, it would have remained an unsolved case for life. That would have been a badge of honor for you, wouldn't it?”

Park Da-ri, with his hands together, looked at Lee Ji-hyung for a moment, then tilted his head slightly.

“How many?”

“What?”

“The people I killed.”

“...Four. If you are indeed the serial killer.”

“Probably.”

“Why did you turn yourself in?”

The repeated question. Park Da-ri looked at Lee Ji-hyung and curled his lips, trying to suppress a smile. The situation was going as he had planned. He was the protagonist now.

“Out of anger?”

“What kind?”

“Isn't there something you can't stand being misunderstood about?”

Lee Ji-hyung opened the file he had brought.

“What misunderstanding? You made a grand return with the past four murders and this recent one.”

Park Da-ri, with narrowed eyes, pointed at the file with his index finger. His tone was meaningful.

“I turned myself in because of this. Someone is copying my great work. It's a fake.”

“...Copying?”

“Yes, and very poorly. Didn't the police have any doubts?”

“The methods are the same as yours?”

Park Da-ri, with a smirk, leaned forward slightly.

“Profiler. Do you know why kids are told not to watch violent movies?”

“Because they might imitate them.”

“Right, and um, I didn't kill that man this time. There's another person who copied me.”

“......”

“Don't believe me? If you investigate, you'll find out. My alibi is solid. Oh, you haven't checked yet?”

As if he had said everything he needed to say, Park Da-ri leaned back in his chair.

“The reason I turned myself in is to prove that I didn't do it.”

Lee Ji-hyung, with his arms crossed, asked in return.

“There's another culprit?”

The serial killer claimed his innocence while turning himself in.

A few hours later.

The script reading ended. It started early in the morning and was finally wrapped up in the afternoon. However, the temperature in the large hall remained high. At this moment, Song Man-woo PD poured cold water on the situation.

“Everyone, thank you for your hard work! We have a big after-party in two hours, so enjoy it! Of course, if you want to rest, you can stay in your room and relax!”

As soon as he finished speaking, a few of the dozens of actors slowly stood up. They glanced at Kang Woo-jin. The actors slowly leaving the hall also glanced at him. Of course, the remaining actors did the same.

Their perception had changed 180 degrees from the beginning.

Of course, there was also continuous whispering.

“His acting gave me goosebumps, didn't it?”

“Yeah, he was a perfect Park Da-ri. I wonder if the writer used him as inspiration.”

“It was a refreshing shock. But... he seems like someone it's hard to get close to, right?”

“Agreed. After seeing his Park Da-ri performance, his blank expression seems a bit intimidating.”

“But where did this guy come from? A theater group?”

However, since Kang Woo-jin was still somewhat cynical, the actors didn't approach him. It was even more so after seeing his intense Park Da-ri performance.

“Is he recovering his emotions? The atmosphere is a bit heavy.”

“It's understandable. After seeing his acting, I feel like I need to be careful not to become a sociopath.”

“He might cause an accident. It happens in Hollywood.”

“It's a bit scary.”

The judgment was wrong. The blank-faced Kang Woo-jin was currently thinking about something else.

‘Is it because I've been tense all the time? I'm really hungry. I'm going to eat a lot of meat at the after-party. I should probably hold off on drinking, though. I don't want to mess up the concept. I hope it's beef.’

He was also timing it, trying to be inconspicuous. Specifically, he was observing the situation.

‘Everyone seems to be leaving. Should I stand up too? Or should I wait a bit longer? There are still quite a few people around.’

Due to the serious demeanor he had adopted, everyone felt a heavy presence from him, but in reality, he was craving beef. The dozens of people in the hall, including various entertainment industry figures, journalists, Hong Hye-yeon and Ryu Jeong-min, and the production team of "Profiler Hanryang," were all watching him.

At this moment.

-Tap, tap.

Someone tapped Kang Woo-jin's shoulder. He turned around to see a group of about six people, led by a woman, two of whom were holding cameras on tripods. The woman smiled awkwardly.

“Hello, Mr. Woo-jin. We are the making team.”

Making team? Ah, I've seen this on YouTube. So this is how it's done. At this point, the number of people watching Kang Woo-jin in the hall increased. The actors who were leaving also paused. Then Kang Woo-jin's low response spread.

“Yes, hello.”

“It must be tiring, but I'm sorry, I have a few questions.”

What's tiring? Questions for me? Ah, I'm a bit nervous. Kang Woo-jin nodded.

“I understand.”

As soon as he gave his permission, the woman's expression brightened.

“I really enjoyed your acting! I heard the role of Park Da-ri is very challenging, but you portrayed it so realistically, I was amazed. How much did you analyze and practice? Did it take a long time to understand the subtext (hidden meanings in the script)?”

At this point, Park Eun-mi, the writer, who was sitting at the head of the table, took off her headband and tapped Song Man-woo PD's shoulder.

“PD, shouldn't we stop this? Mr. Woo-jin is supposed to skip the making process. If it's the Mr. Woo-jin we know, he'll answer without any filter, like ‘It wasn't that difficult.’”

But Song Man-woo PD, stroking his beard, was calm.

“It's a standard question for other actors too. It looks bad if we cut it. And that's part of his charm. A different kind of star quality. Justified self-esteem.”

“But there are journalists?”

“It's fine. The journalists are only allowed to write about the reading. This is also an opportunity to firmly establish the character of the actor Kang Woo-jin to the remaining people. All the entertainment companies present will be drooling over him.”

“...Still.”

Song Man-woo PD calmed down the slightly worried Park Eun-mi, who was concerned like a mother.

“Haha, it's fine. There are quite a few people here, and even if Mr. Woo-jin doesn't care about others' gazes, he'll answer appropriately.”

Kang Woo-jin was deep in thought.

‘Hmm—analysis? Practice? What is subtext? I need to answer this with more professional terms.’

It was a hall filled with top actors. A casual answer might stand out.

‘I might look amateurish, which could raise doubts about the concept. Here, I should divert the conversation to social life.’

The composed Woo-jin gave a short answer to the making team woman.

“I just thought the script was good.”

At this, Park Eun-mi, who was watching the interview, was slightly moved.

“Oh. Just like that?”

The making team woman laughed and asked another question.

“Ahaha, I see. Yes, the script is great. Um, Mr. Woo-jin, you appeared like a shooting star. Were you in a theater group? Did you build your acting skills there?”

At this moment, the actors, including Ryu Jeong-min, and the entertainment industry figures perked up their ears, and Kang Woo-jin's answer was very concise.

“No, I learned on my own.”

Instantly, everyone in the hall blinked their eyes.

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