Chapter 257: Storm (7)

Kang Woojin’s current appearance was like this. Hair neatly combed down, white shirt buttoned up to the neck, well-ironed slacks, and shoes. Of course, all were luxury brands and also for filming.

However, the overall impression was that he had dressed appropriately. The makeup was also light.

Such Kang Woojin was standing on the lawn of a giant set, and he heard the murmurs of the staff around him. What’s that? Woojin lifted his head, curious.

Kang Woojin instantly realized why the staff had become restless.

‘What??’

His face remained firm, but he was quite surprised when he saw the foreigners standing at the edge of the set. No, he was slightly taken aback.

‘That giant!!’

It was Joseph Felton, whom he had briefly met in LA. A tall black man, towering as if he could pierce the sky, with a solid upper body. It was unmistakable. Joseph’s impression was so strong that he couldn’t forget it.

The problem was,

‘What?? Why is that guy here?’

A famous Hollywood producer suddenly appeared on the set of ‘Leech’.

Moreover,

‘Did he bring his team along too?’

He wasn’t alone. He had brought along several foreigners. At that moment, Woojin’s gaze shifted slightly to the right. A foreign woman, her face hidden under a hat and mask, came into view. Woojin immediately recognized her.

‘Crazy? Cara? That woman is Miley Cara, isn’t she??!’

Her face was unseen, but the long blonde hair and overall silhouette, especially standing next to Joseph, made it almost certain. Kang Woojin’s mind instantly became a jumble. It was only natural since Joseph, a Hollywood-leading producer, and Cara, a global superstar, had appeared out of nowhere on the ‘Leech’ set.

What’s this? Maybe old man grandpa, no, does Director Ahn Ga-bok know them? Or maybe Sim Han-ho nim?

Or it could be Oh Hee-ryung or other actors. However, Woojin didn’t get overly excited. It was due to his habit of maintaining the concept. Thanks to that, he kept a poker face. Around then, Joseph, who noticed Woojin’s gaze, raised his big hand. He gave a small greeting to Kang Woojin, with a smile as a bonus.

On the other hand, Cara didn’t particularly move. Maybe it was because of her disguise.

In any case, there were few people on the set who clearly knew the identity of these foreigners. Only Director Ahn Ga-bok or Kang Woojin knew. Hence, the murmuring of the dozens of staff members grew louder.

“Who are those foreigners?”

“I don’t know, but they seem- important.”

“Is it something arranged with the director?”

Sensing the atmosphere, Joseph whispered softly in English to Cara standing on his right.

“Cara, you feel the atmosphere, right? Make sure not to show your face. If possible, it’s better not to speak.”

Cara, pulling her hat down further, responded in a cold voice.

“I know, I’m not an idiot.”

“Just emphasizing.”

“Still, I’ll greet Woojin.”

“Well, it seems Kang Woojin has already figured out who we are. Look, he glanced at us for a few seconds and then turned his attention back to the script.”

“······But Woojin’s energy for his hobby and his main job is really different. He’s unique.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the assistant director. He had received instructions from Director Ahn Ga-bok and ran over. In his hand were staff ID lanyards. Soon, the staff IDs were hung around the necks of all the foreign team members except Joseph and Cara. Only then did the murmuring of the entire ‘Leech’ staff subside.

They probably perceived them as visitors.

Simultaneously,

“Standby in 3 minutes!!”

The assistant director who handed over the lanyards shouted into the walkie-talkie. Then the staff wrapped up their tasks quickly and withdrew from the filming zone.

On the large lawn, only actor Kang Woojin remained.

“······”

Since it was a solo cut, it was natural. All the cameras were pointed at him. The reflector and lights were the same. The boom mic was also hanging above Woojin. A large camera was mounted on a small crane, indicating plans to shoot from various angles.

In short, the grand first shot of ‘Leech’ was to begin with Kang Woojin.

Director Ahn Ga-bok, with his head full of short white hair, sat in a place where about four monitors were placed. Around him were some staff members including the scriptwriter. Actors like Sim Han-ho, Oh Hee-ryung, and Han So-jin, who had been waiting in the tent, also came out. It wasn’t to celebrate the long-awaited crank-in moment.

‘······Acting on set includs the set and movements. How did that kid prepare his acting?’

‘I already saw it during the audition, but I should still watch.’

‘Come to think of it, I didn’t properly see the acting of ‘Park Ha-seong’ during the audition. ‘Chairman Yoon Jung-bae’ was impressive enough, but······’

They wanted to see Kang Woojin’s ‘Park Ha-seong’.

Not related to the counterpart in the small theater and the audition, but to feel the real acting on this properly laid-out set.

At this moment.

“Let’s go.”

Director Ahn Ga-bok’s old voice spread through the loudspeaker. A hundred staff members closed their mouths. Joseph and Cara swallowed as they looked at Woojin in the filming zone.

And then.

“Hi- action.”

As soon as the signal was given,

-Swoosh.

The look in Kang Woojin’s eyes instantly changed as he looked at the camera.

At the same time, in Choi Na-na’s studio.

About five people were sitting around the desk in the middle of the living room. Choi Na-na, with a tense face, and PD Song Man-woo, reading a stack of papers seriously. Of course, it was the script. The script for the final episode of ‘Beneficial Evil’. Writer Choi Na-na had finished writing it, but there was still the final hurdle left. It was PD Song Man-woo’s confirmation. The production manager and assistant writer were also reading the script.

“······”

Writer Choi Na-na just stared at PD Song Man-woo. Her face looked like her mouth was getting dry. Regardless, PD Song Man-woo checked the script without delay.

-Flip.

Before she knew it, he was on the last page. After checking all the content, PD Song Man-woo put down the thick script. Then he stroked his goatee.

“Hmm.”

Writer Choi Na-na, who had pushed up her round glasses, eagerly asked.

“H-how is it??”

Serious PD Song Man-woo looked at her. The interesting part was that a smile gradually spread across his face.

“It’s good, no, it’s amazing, Writer Choi.”

Writer Choi Na-na’s eyes widened suddenly.

“R, really??! Is it really okay?!”

“Yeah. It’s fun. Honestly, I think minor revisions are needed, but that’s a process every script goes through. I think it’s goot and we can go as is without major changes. What do you all think?”

The surrounding people also gave thumbs up. In other words, it was a pass. Then Writer Choi Na-na covered her face with both hands. Her timid personality showed on the outside.

“Ha······Thank goodness. I almost had a heart attack from the tension.”

Goateed PD Song Man-woo laughed heartily.

“Then what’s the point of writing it? Now you’re a writer who’s going to go global.”

“···Honestly, it still doesn’t feel real.”

“You don’t have to force yourself to think about it. You’ll feel it naturally when it launches.”

With a deepened smile, PD Song Man-woo picked up a pen and started the next task.

“For now, I’ll mark any parts that are confusing or need revision, so try to adjust them as naturally as possible. And Production Manager, as soon as the writer finishes the revisions, pass the script to Netflix.”

“Yes, PD-nim.”

“Tell them the script work is done and that we’ll speed up the pre-production.”

At this point, Writer Choi Na-na, who had been calming herself with her face covered, suddenly lifted her head.

“Oh! PD-nim, how did it go? When I called, you said you were meeting an actor······Did it go well?”

“It was Hwalin.”

“H, Hwalin??”

“Yes. You two, maybe not often, keep in touch occasionally, right?”

“Yes, yes! Just to say hello.”

“For now, I offered casting proposals to Hwalin and Ha Gang-su. No definite answer yet. But there’s no need to rush. Rather, it would be a bigger problem if we forced it and something went wrong.”

“Really?”

In response, PD Song Man-woo leaned back deeply in his chair and let out a small sigh.

“The casting format for ‘Beneficial Evil’ is not typical. Different actors appear in each episode. Compared to a usual mini-series, a lot more actors are involved, but their roles are shorter. That’s the difference.”

“Indeed······”

“You must have heard while assisting Writer Park Eun-mi, right? Pre-production is different from live production; everything has to be perfect before filming starts, and editing is completed before the broadcast begins. So, the quality must be at least twice as high as a mini-series.”

PD Song Man-woo, who was twisting his neck as if he was tired, continued speaking.

“So, quite a few actors avoid pre-production projects. Moreover, our ‘Beneficial Evil’ has a great setup but is quite challenging. If it succeeds, it will soar high, but if it fails, it will be a disaster. The impact will be several times stronger than usual. Their image will take a hit. Actors can’t help but think about that.”

“······”

“Because of that, not all the actors on the casting board are eagerly jumping in. Some might avoid it. But it’s okay, honestly, having Kang Woojin in the center is more than enough.”

“The script itself is driven by the main character – but it might be a bit too much for Woojin to handle alone.”

“Not at all. Woojin will handle it effortlessly. However, we are looking to cast other top actors to distribute the burden.”

PD Song Man-woo asked the production manager.

“Have all the agencies in the country been contacted?”

“Yes, a while ago.”

“Is the audition preparation done?”

“No problems.”

“Okay – I’ll handle the theater groups.”

PD Song Man-woo nodded and then looked again at the worried Writer Choi Na-na.

“A few top actors besides Woojin will be enough. That’s for the domestic audience. Anyway, the main audience for ‘Beneficial Evil’ will be global, and to overseas viewers, top Korean actors will be just as unfamiliar. They’ll just think, ‘Oh, they are Korean actors’.”

At that moment, a meaningful smile spread across PD Song Man-woo’s bearded face.

“There will be a lot of unknown and rookie actors in ‘Beneficial Evil’. Quite a lot.”

Meanwhile, in Jeonju, at the single-family house set of ‘Leech’.

Kang Woojin stood alone on the wide lawn. The blood flowing through his body was no longer his own. It was ‘Park Ha-seong’s. However, the color of the blood was darker than usual. Naturally. Kang Woojin had mastered not only ‘Park Ha-seong’s life but also its subtleties.

He had gone through the existing roles in ‘Leech’.

Their thoughts, views, conflicts, and the world all highlighted ‘Park Ha-seong’s outline through Kang Woojin. Furthermore, although it was a set, the background of ‘Leech’ he read (experienced) in the void space added strength.

-Rustle.

The grass trampled under his feet screamed. At the same time, the smell of grass permeated Woojin’s nose. There shouldn’t have been any smell. The set grass was artificial. But Woojin’s sense of smell was ‘Park Ha-seong’s, so he sensed the smell of grass.

Ah- it’s comfortable.

It wasn’t the early-stage Park Ha-seong from the scenario. It was him from the mid-stage. Emotions were calm yet sticky. A peculiar thrill started from Woojin’s lower body and penetrated his brain.

This is not the small theater where he auditioned.

It’s the world of ‘Leech’. He didn’t need to personally interact with a counterpart. Kang Woojin just needed to enjoy the vastly emphasized ‘Park Ha-seong.’

There was nothing hindering him.

So Kang Woojin unlocked the door. He could show the real Park Ha-seong, not a restrained version. Now he could act freely. He could cross any lines without worry.

Soon, many things disappeared from the eyes of Kang Woojin and Park Ha-seong.

The visible cameras, the staff, Cara, and Joseph, even the actors who came to watch. Anything unrelated to ‘Leech’ dispersed like a dream, and soon only the large single-family house remained in Kang Woojin’s eyes.

It was quiet. And eerie.

‘This place is a dead end.’

Whether it was Kang Woojin or Park Ha-seong, it was the same. Especially for Park Ha-seong, this place was no different from a battlefield where his life was at stake. Chairman Yoon Jung-bae held his life in his hands. If their deal went awry, that sly snake-like man would easily take his life.

‘Well, it’s fine.’

But that deal was already quite a while ago. Woojin had melted into this vast place. The burden that felt like it belonged to another world had disappeared.

This feels like my home.

“······What is madam doing?”

Woojin, who had been lingering in the lawn, moved his feet. The camera followed behind him. Kang Woojin entered the living room of the single-family house. Here, too, it was quiet. The ticking of the clock echoed loudly.

-Swoosh.

Kang Woojin brushed his hand over the sofa in the living room. Just from the touch, he could tell the leather of this sofa cost at least several thousand. Woojin sat down on the sofa. Unfortunately, he sat in a single-seater.

“This is excessively soft.”

Muttering, Woojin looked straight ahead. His face appeared on the monitor. It wasn’t expressionless. However, it was hard to define it as any specific expression. His lips were slightly upturned, but it was a smile hiding an intention, his eyes were calm yet concealed desire, and his actions were composed but covered a foul purpose.

“This is my home.”

It’s mine. It’s okay to accept it that way. Woojin got up from the sofa and touched the items placed around the living room. A famous painting on the wall, unique small figurines, high-end furniture, and so on.

They could be cherished or destroyed.

This doesn’t seem like renting, does it?

‘Ripley Syndrome’. Believing in and acting according to one’s own fabricated reality. Whether it was Kang Woojin or Park Ha-seong, he expressed ‘Ripley Syndrome’ effortlessly, even though it was his first time in front of the camera and he was thrown into the scene suddenly.

At that moment.

-♬♪

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. A guest had arrived. Hence, Kang Woojin, who was acting as the owner. No, the owner, touched the intercom without hesitation.

“Who is it?”

The camera captured Park Ha-seong’s smile from the side. Such Park Ha-seong opened the door without hesitation. Soon, two middle-aged women entered the living room. They were related to the organization that ‘Yoo Hyun-ji’ was donating to. They looked around the huge house curiously and then asked Kang Woojin, who was standing in front of them.

“Oh my, are you the madam’s son?”

“Indeed. I heard she has two sons.”

In response, Kang Woojin. No, Park Ha-seong bowed politely.

“That’s correct.”

A lie? No. At this moment, he sincerely believed it. That this was his world. His face showed it.

Not a second of hesitation.

Soon, a dignified smile spread across Kang Woojin’s lips, and his posture naturally became upright.

Silence.

“······”

No one opened their mouths. The hundred or so staff members and everyone else just stared at Kang Woojin. About ten seconds later, a familiar old voice erupted throughout the living room.

“Cut-”

Soon, Director Ahn Ga-bok, who gave the signal, approached Woojin. By then, Kang Woojin had already shed ‘Park Ha-seong’, and Ahn Ga-bok’s wrinkled face, close to him, was mixed with interest and shock.

“It’s different, different from before.”

Director Ahn Ga-bok quietly asked Woojin.

“During the audition, you set a standard, right? What was the Park Ha-seong you showed then? Was it just······an appetizer?”

To this, Kang Woojin’s answer was short. It was in a low, cynical tone.

“I didn’t do it roughly at that time, I did it moderation.”

And Miley Cara and Joseph were frozen. Among them, Joseph narrowed his brows slightly and inadvertently cursed.

“······What the fuck!” (TL: This line is actually in English, i.e., in the Korean version, this line is in English.)

*****

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