Chapter 43

(1)

After Park Dali's line, everyone on the set fell silent. The cameras filming Park Dali and the middle-aged woman also stopped moving.

Of course, Park Dali and the middle-aged woman were no exception.

"......"

The woman's screams and Park Dali's voice of pleasure suddenly vanished, leaving the scene quiet.

This state lasted for about 10 seconds.

The one to break the thick silence, as expected, was PD Song Man-woo.

"Cut!! Okay!!"

The scene was over.

"I'll use this take for this shot!"

Normally, he would have filmed the same scene multiple times, but PD Song Man-woo didn't seem to have that intention. This take was enough. Besides, intense or extreme scenes are usually not filmed multiple times.

Anyway, as soon as the OK sign was given, Kang Woo-jin, who had instantly shed the smell of Park Dali,

-whoosh.

untied the rope from the middle-aged extra actress's neck. His movements were incredibly swift. Then, Woo-jin supported her shoulder and asked in a low voice.

"I'm sorry, are you okay?"

The female extra actress, still catching her breath from her intense performance, replied.

"......Yes? Ah, yes. I'm fine."

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I don't think so."

"Let me check."

The previous cruelty was completely gone. This made the female extra actress, who had been genuinely shaken by Woo-jin's acting, a bit surprised.

'This kid is really good. Look how quickly he can shake off the role.'

Moreover, there was genuine concern in Kang Woo-jin's eyes now, which was a stark contrast to the madman Park Dali.

"Be careful getting up."

Of course, all of Kang Woo-jin's actions were sincere.

'Really okay?'

Any actor would have done something similar after such a scene. Besides, the female extra actress was about the same age as Kang Woo-jin's mother, which made him even more worried.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Your neck is a bit red."

"It's really fine. Your hands were redder, and you were using a lot of force."

Indeed, that was the case. During the scene where Woo-jin was choking her with the rope, he had used extreme strength. The rope around the extra actress's neck was actually a bit loose, but he had tightened it by applying force with his hands.

Kang Woo-jin was gradually becoming more adept at using the ability of the pocket dimension.

Thus, while the vividness of the role he had memorized through repeated readings (experiences) increased, he could also maintain his rationality as Kang Woo-jin during the performance.

At this moment, the staff and PD Song Man-woo rushed over.

"Why? Are you hurt??"

"Are you okay?!"

In fact, the female extra actress was not seriously injured. The performance was very realistic, and she had been emotionally stirred by Kang Woo-jin's acting, but she had not been hurt. However, Kang Woo-jin's sincere concern amplified the worry of those around him, thanks to his earnestness.

But Woo-jin continued to watch her with a serious face.

"PD, please check her neck and arms."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because it seemed a bit intense during the pulling take."

Kang Woo-jin continued to support the female extra actress and handed her over to the staff. His poker face remained, but his eyes were sincere.

Soon.

"I'll go to the restroom for a bit."

Woo-jin, who had been observing the extra actress's condition, slowly moved. It wasn't to avoid the scene, but rather because he felt relieved and relaxed after confirming her condition.

'Ugh. I need to pee.'

He really had to go. Physiological needs are fair to everyone. Some female staff members, watching his back, whispered.

"He's probably going to calm down. After all, that scene was really intense."

Meanwhile, actors like Ryu Jeong-min and Hong Hye-yeon only watched Kang Woo-jin with their eyes and did not follow him.

'I should talk to him after he calms down.'

'It's a good thing he didn't throw up. After seeing that scene, it's a talent to calmly recover like that.'

It was natural to give Kang Woo-jin time to recover his emotions. However, Woo-jin's steps to the restroom gradually quickened.

'Go, go. Ugh.'

But he couldn't show it too much, as it might make him look frivolous.

Just as Kang Woo-jin was getting farther away,

"I'll stick with my brother!"

Among the staff gathered, the large Jang Su-hwan from Kang Woo-jin's team moved, and Choi Sung-geun, the representative, stopped him.

"Stop. If you go now, it will only be a hindrance. Is he really going to the restroom right now?"

"Really?"

The cold answer came from Han Ye-jeong.

"He's probably going to calm down. Most method actors are like that."

At this moment, someone tapped the shoulder of Choi Sung-geun, who had his arms crossed and a ponytail. Turning around, he saw a familiar face. Choi Sung-geun was slightly surprised.

"Are you Kim Sil-ja, the manager of Eulrim Film?"

"Yes, I remember you. It's been a while."

"Of course, I should remember. Ha-ha. I heard you're preparing your next project with Director Kwon Gi-taek."

"Wow, you still have good information, even though we haven't done any proper promotion yet."

"But why are you here......"

Suddenly, the quick-witted Choi Sung-geun's expression turned serious, and he whispered.

"Did you come to see an actor? Ah, I see. That gentle-looking man with the mask is Director Kwon, isn't he?"

"You're still as quick-witted. Let's go together, Mr. Choi."

"......Did Director Kwon see Woo-jin?"

Kim Sil-ja smiled as if he had the right answer. Soon, Choi Sung-geun, who was quickly calculating in his head, followed him. They arrived at an open parking lot. Among the cars, a gentle-looking man with a mask was visible in front of a gray van.

Who else could it be?

'Director Kwon Gi-taek.'

Choi Sung-geun's internal monologue was correct. Director Kwon Gi-taek, who had spotted Choi Sung-geun, took off his mask.

"Mr. Choi, how have you been?"

He spoke softly with a smile. They had met before.

"Yes, Director. It's been a while. The last time was when we met with Hye-yeon, right?"

"That's right. But today isn't about Hye-yeon."

"It's about our Woo-jin."

"Exactly."

Then, Director Kwon Gi-taek recalled Kang Woo-jin's performance as Park Dali. His sincerity came through.

"It was amazing."

"Thank you."

"I heard he speaks English at a native level. This Kang Woo-jin kid was overseas, right? Do you know where he learned acting?"

The surprised Choi Sung-geun with the ponytail asked.

"How do you know that?"

"Ah, I heard a rough outline from PD Song."

"......Wait. So this isn't the first time you've seen Woo-jin?"

"No. I've been watching him for a few weeks. I saw his performance in the interrogation room set as well."

Choi Sung-geun, hearing the answer, inwardly gasped. It was a gasp of admiration for Kang Woo-jin.

'What is this kid, a magnet for masters? From Oh Hyun-gu to Kwon Gi-taek, why do all these masters attach themselves to him?'

Director Kwon Gi-taek, with a small smile, continued in a low voice.

"To be honest, I was planning to talk to Woo-jin properly today, but after that amazing performance, the situation became a bit strange."

"Really?"

"It feels a bit awkward to talk to someone with such intense emotions. I've seen this many times as a director."

"Ah."

"I'll leave for now."

"Really? You came all the way here and just leave?"

"It's fine. I'm satisfied with that performance. But."

Director Kwon Gi-taek, opening the van door, asked.

"Let's set up a proper meeting outside the set. When would be good?"

Choi Sung-geun, quickly recalling his schedule, quickly answered.

"In two days, in the morning, how about that?"

Two days later, on April 13, Monday.

It was morning. In the entertainment industry, the news was still a battlefield.

"SBC, MBS, TVM's upcoming three-way war is already causing a stir in various communities."

The media had been fueling the hype for the new battle for days, and the heated atmosphere quickly spread to public opinion.

"[Star Talk] The drama war is heating up, and the top actors' social media activity has suddenly increased."

The more this was mentioned, the more the SBC, MBS, and TVM networks fueled the burning promotion. Whether it was clickbait or tabloids, anything at this moment would reduce their visibility if they backed off.

At this moment, PD Song Man-woo was in the SBC Drama Department director's office.

Due to editing all night after yesterday's shoot, his appearance was terrible. His beard had grown a lot. Of course, his recent routine was almost the same.

Shooting, editing, shooting, editing. Repeated.

Still, as a veteran, he had made significant progress. Writer Park Eun-mi was also speeding up, finishing the 12th episode script.

Anyway.

"PD Song."

The drama department director, who was generally fat, sitting on the upper seat of the five-person sofa, spoke to PD Song Man-woo, who was sitting on the adjacent sofa.

"Did you see how the reporters are going crazy? Talking about a war and all that."

"Of course, I saw it."

They looked close. It was natural, as they had a long-standing senior-junior relationship. When the director was a PD, PD Song Man-woo had been an assistant director. It had been almost 20 years.

Regardless, the director waved the 'Profiler Hanryang' 5th episode script in his hand.

"You know, right? Gently persuade Writer Park to add some sweetness from the 5th episode. The script is great, but this is too dry, isn't it?"

"Ha, Director. No, brother. What kind of love is there in 'Profiler Hanryang'? Where should I put it?"

"That's for Writer Park to decide. I'm not saying to force it in, but to subtly add it like a seasoning. Are you going to lose all the viewers who like sweet content? I hear MBS is doing a romance, and TVM is also rumored to have a similar vibe."

PD Song Man-woo snorted.

"Mixing that in will just ruin everything. Love in a genre show is nonsense. If you really want to, you should direct it yourself."

"Me? I've been at the desk for years. You know that, right? How much have we invested in 'Profiler Hanryang'? Writer Park, Ryu Jeong-min, Hong Hye-yeon, and so on. If this fails, both of us will be in trouble. Hey, I even compromised by putting in an unknown actor, Kang Woo-jin or Kang Woo-jun."

"Because of him, the ratings will skyrocket, right? Besides, it's not an in-house production but an external one. How much of our money has gone into it?"

"It's not just about money, but also about reputation. The CEO is also watching. Do you know how much I was attacked in this morning's meeting?"

Soon, PD Song Man-woo, checking his wristwatch, sighed and muttered.

"Then, Director, you should say it directly."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Say it directly to Writer Park. It's time."

"Wait, that's......"

At that moment,

-Click!

Writer Park Eun-mi, who had put extra effort into her makeup, appeared in the director's office. PD Song Man-woo had sent her a text during their conversation. In other words, she already knew the director's intentions. Seeing Writer Park Eun-mi, the director suddenly laughed.

"Writer Park, how are you?"

However, Writer Park Eun-mi, with her long perm, had a very firm expression.

"Flip it?"

"What? Flip what?"

"The drama. Flip it? You've experienced it before. I went to France and went into hiding for about a year."

"No, Writer Park, calm down."

"Go into hiding? Can't you do it?"

"Park, Writer Park."

"Flip it?"

"......"

"Book a flight?"

The director, looking at Writer Park Eun-mi for a moment, bowed his head.

"I'm sorry, Writer Park. Please write for us."

Thus, two hours later, news of Writer Park Eun-mi's interview with a media outlet was released.

"'Profiler Hanryang' Writer Park Eun-mi: 'There will be no sweetness in this new work.'"

The public, instead of being disappointed, was even more enthusiastic.

Meanwhile, at Eulrim Film in Sangam-dong.

Kang Woo-jin and Choi Sung-geun were visible in the corridor of the large film company. Woo-jin's expressionless attire was somewhat formal, as he wore a blazer. Both had serious expressions, and the rest of the team was waiting in the underground parking lot.

Then,

-Whoosh.

Kang Woo-jin arrived at the glass door of a conference room. At the same time, Choi Sung-geun with the ponytail met his gaze.

"Woo-jin......this time......"

However, Choi Sung-geun trailed off. The complete sentence was, "This time, please think long and hard." It was because he had criticized Director Oh Hyun-gu too quickly. But he held back his words. The right to choose a project was also a matter in the contract.

"Hmm, but really, Director Kwon Gi-taek is even stronger than Director Oh Hyun-gu. How should I put it, in terms of popularity or reputation."

"Yes, I know."

It wasn't just pretending to be tough. Kang Woo-jin had also searched for Director Kwon Gi-taek after hearing about this meeting. Of course, he had heard the name before, but he wanted to know more.

'He is impressive. He's won many awards at major international film festivals.'

However, maintaining his cynicism, Kang Woo-jin wasn't as nervous as expected, even before meeting the master director. He had never met Director Oh Hyun-gu, but this time it was a direct meeting. Still, Woo-jin was surprisingly calm.

'Is it because it feels unreal?'

Or maybe it was because he had only been acting for two months. There's a saying, isn't there? The less you know, the braver you become. As a result, the awe of Director Kwon Gi-taek was somewhat diminished. Instead, Choi Sung-geun with the ponytail was more nervous.

"Why am I the only one nervous? Well, you, Woo-jin, don't usually get nervous easily. I'm not as bad as you, but I'm also a bit like that. Director Kwon Gi-taek has a certain presence......"

Choi Sung-geun, taking a deep breath, opened the glass door.

-Creak.

Inside, Director Kwon Gi-taek was already sitting at the middle of a U-shaped desk. A few film company employees were also present. Soon, Kang Woo-jin and Choi Sung-geun bowed deeply.

"Hello!"

"Hello, Director."

Director Kwon Gi-taek immediately approached them.

"Nice to see you, Mr. Choi. And."

His gaze fell on the expressionless Kang Woo-jin.

"Finally, I get to see you up close, Woo-jin."

"I heard you often come to the set."

"Ha-ha. Yes. Your voice sounds even better up close. If we recorded it, it would be amazing."

Immediate praise? Embarrassing. Kang Woo-jin, trying to hide his embarrassment, replied in a low voice.

"......Thank you."

Smiling, Director Kwon Gi-taek suddenly handed a stack of papers to Woo-jin.

"Take it, it's the script for my next project. Some actors have already received it."

In other words, it was the script.

"First, sit down and skim through it, then we'll talk."

Of course. Woo-jin, who inwardly agreed, raised his index finger expressionlessly. Of course, he couldn't show it.

-Click!

He poked the black square next to the script. Immediately, Woo-jin entered the pocket dimension. In the endlessly dark space, the tension he had felt instantly dissipated.

He then,

"Let's see......"

moved to the white square that had just been added. Of course, one had been added.

-[1/Script (Title: Profiler Hanryang 1st Episode), S-grade]

-[2/Script (Title: Missing Island), D-grade]

The title of the script given by Director Kwon Gi-taek was 'Missing Island.' The problem was,

"......D-grade?"

The grade was low, and additionally, Kang Woo-jin tilted his head. The reason was simple.

-[2/Script (Title: Missing Island), D-grade]

-[*It is a script for a movie with average completion. 60% reading is possible.]

Not only was the grade low, but the completion was also low.

"Why......is the completion low?"

It was naturally