Chapter 120: Multi (8)

Translator: Dreamscribe

It was about two people, the story of ‘Corporal Jin Sun-cheol.’ Specifically, it was the acting displayed by Kang Woojin in front of over a hundred people gathered at the reading. In ‘Island of the Missing’, he was a character of interest, talked about a lot and receiving much attention.

Of course, the casting process had been extraordinarily unconventional.

Moreover, he was currently the hottest actor in the domestic entertainment industry. Naturally, the gaze of other actors and stakeholders couldn’t help but focus on Kang Woojin.

Thus, most of the staff had this thought while looking at Woojin.

‘It’s going to be burdensome.’

A sense of burden. The majority of the hundred people felt the same way, except for Director Kwon Ki-taek and Ryu Jung-min. However, it took no time for Woojin to flip this atmosphere.

Everyone’s posture and attitude were readjusted.

‘Is this even real? It’s absurd.’

‘He doesn’t seem hesitant or troubled at all. Did he never feel any pressure from the start?’

‘Surely… That’s why Director Kwon… He’s truly exceptional.’

‘He doesn’t succumb to this stifling atmosphere; rather, he ‘s even dominating it?’

No, Kang Woojin did feel an insane amount of pressure.

‘Wow, these gazes are really burdensome.’

But he suppressed it. He held it down firmly. It was like a desperate struggle, and for some reason, he felt defiant. If he could overcome this situation, he could become even stronger.

Regardless, the reading continued.

Only veterans were gathered here. It wasn’t a place to be shaken by momentary shock. Soon, starting with Ryu Jung-min, several actors continuously delivered their lines. The atmosphere gradually heated up. Despite the air conditioning running at full blast, the room felt hotter. Some actors were even wiping sweat.

Ryu Jung-min threw a line at Kang Woojin.

“Jin Sun-cheol, are you not in your right mind? If it’s tough, we can consider excluding you.”

Kang Woojin locked eyes with Ryu Jung-min. An awkward but best-effort smile spread around his eyes. It was like a screw had come loose.

“Ha, I can do it, sir!”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, sir!”

“You’ve got enough experience as a corporal, so put some strength into it, okay? Eh? Speak up if it’s tough.”

“Uh, uh- yes, yes, I understand.”

However, ‘Corporal Jin Sun-cheol’s’ tone was oddly aggressive. There was something uncomfortable about him. As if to prove this, Kang Woojin’s eyes turned fierce in an instant.

“Damn it, you bastard first lieutenant.”

‘Corporal Jin Sun-cheol’ was basically timid. Yet, within him, a ferocious side was inherent. However, this distinction was not clearly visible.

But the nature was noticeable.

This subtle nature caused discomfort in others. It was a buildup. Kang Woojin’s current acting wasn’t just about portraying two different characters but slowly depicting an indiscernible shadow.

Ha Yu-ra, who had gone through the elite path, furrowed her brows.

‘Displaying such a character who is hiding another persona so easily?’

Sometimes, when people meet, they encounter someone they’d prefer to avoid. Someone who makes them uncomfortable, even if they haven’t done anything particularly wrong or problematic. Right now, Kang Woojin was exactly that. Slightly below ‘ordinary.’ That ambiguous boundary subtly seeped through.

Ha Yu-ra, with narrowed eyes, spoke to Kang Woojin, or rather, to ‘Corporal Jin Sun-cheol.’

“Corporal Jin Sun-cheol. What are you doing, standing there blankly?”

Startled, ‘Corporal Jin Sun-cheol’ stammered.

“Th-that- I’m sorry.”

“…What about the task I assigned you this morning?”

“Ah-ah, right away, bi- I’ll do it right now.” (TL: ‘bi’ here is an unfinished word; full word is ‘bitch’)

“Hmph- Okay.”

The saluting ‘Corporal Jin Sun-cheol’ had different levels of intensity in his gaze. It varied depending on whom he was looking at. The actors interacting directly with Woojin could feel it.

‘Is he adjusting his gaze slightly for each person he looks at?’

He distinguished between those he could slightly disregard and those he couldn’t. It was shown through his gaze. At this moment, ‘Corporal Jin Sun-cheol,’ who was exchanging lines with Ha Yu-ra, chewed on his lips.

He was biting the flesh inside his mouth.

He spat it out and let out a voice that was utterly different from his usual tone.

“Fucking bitch.”

At this point, Director Kwon Ki-taek, seated at the head of the table, stroked his chin.

‘Did he separately prepare the voice’s emphasis, rhythm, tone, pronunciation, and projection of the voice?’

Kang Woojin was controlling even the voices of the two personas. Soon, he returned to his usual self as if possessed, once his turn was over. He casually flipped through the script.

At this, Director Kwon Ki-taek curled his lips slightly.

‘It wasn’t two people sitting there but three.’

He almost seemed like a person with multiple personalities.

The next day, August 4th.

Based on a bestseller by writer Akari and directed by the japanese master director Kyotaro, Japan was currently abuzz with the movie ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger.’ Then, yesterday, an unexpected article was thrown into the mix.

『The original work of writer Akari Takikawa, ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ directed by Kyotaro Tanoguchi, casts a Korean actor in a leading role. Who is this Korean actor?』

The article first appeared on Japan’s number one portal site. It was prominently placed on the main page of the entertainment section. And now, the number of responses has surged.

Given the topic’s popularity in Japan and its placement on the main page, the japanese public’s reactions are quickly piling up—in real-time.

– Is this article true? Is a Korean actor really appearing in it?

– I don’t think it makes sense; this news is probably just a rumor.

– Not even a supporting role but a main role?? If this is real, I wonder which actor was cast???

– Whoever comes to act, please don’t ruin ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’…

– If it’s a main role, could it be a top Korean actor? Who’s been cast? I’m curious!!

– Such an out-of-the-blue article, how long has it been since a Korean actor appeared in a Japanese movie?

– Will the Korean actor perform in practiced Japanese? Won’t it be awkward?

– This is likely a fake news piece.

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Comments are pouring in at the speed of light, with dozens of new responses appearing in just a few seconds. The engagement was even higher than yesterday, a testament to the intense interest. Perhaps that’s why? This article, with its tags and shares, quickly spread across social media.

[@__29yyy__]

[(Article link) Is this article real!!!? Should I look forward to it? They say a Korean actor is coming? As a fan of K-dramas, I totally welcome this!!]

The article spread diversely across various social media platforms, quickly climbing to the top of the search rankings on the most popular SNS. The movie ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ had already established a sharp controversy with just its production.

This news was like fanning the flames.

The Japanese public was divided. The reactions were distinctly either negative or positive. The recognition of ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ had skyrocketed. After all, it was a shocking turn of events.

But suddenly a Korean actor? And as the lead?

Well, it’s not like there were no Korean actors who appeared in the Japanese films before, but they weren’t common, and this was just too sudden and unexpected. Calling it a ‘fresh shock’ is a euphemism; it was essentially ‘Unfamiliarity.’

Unfamiliarity takes some time to digest.

The Japanese public’s reaction, both positive and negative, could determine whether they accepted this unfamiliarity or not. Essentially, it was about the Hallyu wave.

Fortunately, there seems to be a gradual increase in positive reactions.

– I’m actually in favor of it. Recently, all Japanese actors seem to act the same, don’t they? These days, I only watch Korean dramas!

As the issue rapidly spread across Japan’s SNS and online communities.

“Is this article spreading everywhere actually credible? Anyone can see it’s just fake news, right?”

“Maybe the film company have intentionally leaked this for publicity?”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Various Japanese media outlets were already abuzz.

“A Korean actor, suddenly?! Were there any rumors?!”

“None at all!”

Since yesterday, those who came across the article have been trying to understand the situation.

“Which media outlet published this article?!!”

“I’ll check!”

“Contact ‘Toega’ film company too! Find out if it’s true or not!”

From large to medium and small-scale, many Japanese media outlets, regardless of size, were moving quickly. That’s how influential Director Kyotaro and writer Akari were in Japan.

“A Korean actor, suddenly?? No matter how eccentric Director Kyotaro Tanoguchi is… this is too unfounded, right? Did writer Akari confirm this?”

So far, only the title, director, and confirmation of production for ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ had been released officially. There was absolutely no information on the actors or the content of the work. So, the atmosphere was more inclined to consider this news as mere rumors.

『Korean Actor Cast in ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’? Controversy Erupts』

For the time being, similar articles were quickly published, and an insane number of similar articles were being mass-produced.

『Korean Actor in ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’? Fans of the Bestseller Are Confused and Apprehensive』

Quick to catch the scent of sensation, media outlets in Japan moved swiftly – a trait not unique to Japan, but common globally. Anyway, this novel issue quickly transcended the internet and spread to the entertainment industry in Japan.

Starting from various TV broadcasting stations.

“Director Kyotaro Tanoguchi has chosen a Korean actor, hasn’t he?”

“Eh, really? I saw the article about the movie production a few days ago. ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ is a best-selling book, isn’t it? Suddenly bringing in a Korean actor seems out of the blue.”

“This must be fake news, right?”

Japanese actors, who were still filming at the moment.

“Look at this, Director Tanoguchi is stirring things up again.”

“Huh? Oh, this must just be a publicity stunt, right?”

“Do you think the production company spread this intentionally? It’s too detailed for that. If they spread this and then take it back later, they’d just be hated by the public.”

“But seriously, would they cast a Korean actor in ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’? And as a lead?”

“If it’s true.”

“…Things will get more chaotic, even more than now.”

Of course, many agencies and production companies in Japan were not quiet either. All of this happened within just two days of the news breaking. Even at this moment, the situation continued to heat up.

Going forward, there’s no doubt it will cause even more of an uproar.

On the other hand, Kyotaro Tanoguchi, one of the parties at the center of this stormy issue, with his head filled with gray hairs,

“Hmm.”

He was sitting alone in the meeting room of ‘Toega,’ the production company behind ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger.’ The atmosphere was very silent. He was just monitoring the current stormy situation through his phone. It felt like being in the eye of a storm, calm despite being in the center.

Suddenly, he put down his phone and muttered quietly in Japanese, recalling what the man with the ponytail has said.

“Did he say to maintain this for about a week?”

It sounded as if he had orchestrated everything.

Meanwhile, at the private Japanese TV station TBE.

A thin man sighed briefly as he left the director’s office. It was PD Shinjo of ‘Ame-talk Show!’. As soon as he exited the director’s office, female writers flocked to him.

“PD, what did the director say?”

“You don’t look happy—did he tell you to scrap the plans??”

PD Shinjo showed a faint smile to the worried writers.

“No, he said to give it a try. He seems more hooked on the ‘K-Drama Week’ plan than on Kang Woojin.”

“That’s a relief!”

As the writers showed a reaction of relief, PD Shinjo sat down at his cluttered table and began listing tasks to do.

“First, let’s confirm the news with Mr. Woojin. And Yuki, you’ll work on revising the plan with me, set the filming dates, and establish a format. Ideally, we need to finalize this today.”

“We’ll have to pull an all-nighter.”

“Haha, what’s one or two days? Also, we need to take care of the audience too. Accept applicants, but…”

“Do you mean to primarily select from Hanryang fans?”

As PD Shinjo got up with a transparent file,

“That’s right, preferably Kang Woojin’s fans.”

“Understood—oh, we won’t need a separate interpreter, right?”

“Considering Mr. Woojin’s proficiency in Japanese, there shouldn’t be much of an issue, but just in case, let’s hire one.”

As the writers took notes of the tasks, PD Shinjo moved towards the meeting room. In the meantime, the main writer clapped her hands and spoke again.

“PD! Did you see the article about Director Kyotaro Tanoguchi?? He cast a Korean actor in his new film!”

Being an issue that had already turned Japan upside down, PD Shinjo nodded in acknowledgment.

“I saw it this morning, and the Director briefly mentioned it. It’s probably going to be noisy for a while. Just having Kyotaro Tanoguchi as the director is a big deal, let alone the original work by writer Akari Takikawa.”

“I really enjoyed reading ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger,’ so I was looking forward to the movie, but casting a Korean actor does feel a bit out of the blue.”

“How are the public reactions?”

“Not sure, seems mixed. There’s criticism as well as anticipation. Anyway, it’s all over SNS and online communities, filled with those discussions.”

PD Shinjo shrugged nonchalantly as he opened the door to the meeting room.

“Well, both the director and the original author are big names, and the project is on a different scale, so, of course, it’s only natural. Anyway, they’ve certainly generated a lot of publicity with this controversy.”

“Totally unexpected! Who would have thought a Korean actor would be part of this? It has to be one of the top actors, right?”

“It’s not confirmed yet, right? There’s no official statement yet.”

“Well, yes… but it’s too absurd for a rumor, don’t you think? I believe it’s true. Oh! If that article is real, we definitely have to invite that Korean actor on our show no matter what!”

“If it’s a top star, it’ll be difficult.”

Soon, PD Shinjo pointed his index finger at the transparent file he had spread open.

“Let’s focus on sorting out Woojin’s matter first. We don’t have time to worry about other things.”

Two days later, on Thursday, August 6th.

In the midst of shooting the latter half of ‘Male Friend,’ the filming set was at a university. The ‘Male Friend’ shooting team had set up in the hallways and lecture rooms.

“Action!”

They were currently taking casual daily life shots of Hwalin and the supporting actors, and Kang Woojin was scheduled to be involved in the next scene, getting his makeup retouched on the side. Then, a female staff member dabbing at Woojin’s face with a pad asked.

“Woojin, did you see the article? What was it saying? That you have a split personality. Isn’t it absurd? As soon as you become famous, all sorts of nonsense starts circulating.”

The staff member who was assisting her chimed in.

“Ah, I saw that too. There was another article saying that all your past was just an act?”

“It’s always the same with the media in this industry. Same routine, always. The comments are just outrageous.”

“It’s all because Woojin is doing so well. People just mindlessly throw hate comments for fun, regardless of facts.”

“Ugh, it’s tiresome. Woojin, please don’t pay any attention to those things. It will blow over soon. Anyway, it doesn’t seem like you’re shaken by it. You’re quite tough.”

With an indifferent face, Kang Woojin nodded modestly.

“Ah, yes. I don’t really care.”

And he truly didn’t. He couldn’t completely ignore them, but since Choi Sung-gun said he would handle it, it should be fine. When Woojin, finished with his makeup, turned around.

“Woojin.”

There was Choi Sung-gun with his ponytail. He sent a hand gesture, beckoning with a smile. Puzzled, Woojin approached, and Choi Sung-gun whispered.

“The ‘Ame-talk Show!’ contacted us, you’re confirmed for a solo appearance. The end of August seems most likely. Since it’s a recording, adjustments are possible.”

And the news didn’t stop there.

“Also, the editing for your cover songs is complete.”

Already? Though slightly surprised, Woojin responded nonchalantly.

“That was quick.”

“”Well, the compositions were good, and you’re a good singer to begin with. Let’s check it out after today’s schedule. All that’s left is uploading it—oh, but what do you want your channel name to be?”

YouTube channel name. He hadn’t thought about it at all. After staring solemnly at Choi Sung-gun for a moment, Woojin’s lips slowly parted.

“‘Kang Woojin’s Alter Ego’?”

*****