PAID

At the end of July, in LA.

Kang Woojin could be found on a sprawling set replicating a city. Dressed in a worn-out t-shirt and jeans, he was in the middle of a fight scene with several men in an alleyway.

“Hyah!”

“Ugh!”

With precise movements and strikes, the sturdy men fell one after another. The last man, faced with Woojin’s cold expression and evident skill, was overwhelmed.

“...Ugh!”

He turned and ran away as fast as he could. Woojin didn’t bother chasing him. Instead, he calmly rummaged through the fallen men’s pockets, pulled out a phone, and made a call. Cameras were positioned around him, capturing the scene from multiple angles.

For about 10 seconds, the set was silent.

Then—

“...Cut!”

The renowned director, Danny Landis, who was monitoring the scene with his round glasses perched on his nose, suddenly jumped to his feet and shouted.

“OK!!!”

As soon as he gave the cue, a roar of cheers erupted from the hundred or so crew members on set. Applause followed. Danny Landis, who had rushed over to Woojin, muttered his appreciation.

“You’ve worked so hard. Your efforts won’t be wasted; we’ll dive into post-production with everything we’ve got.”

“Thank you for your hard work, director.”

“There are still a few steps left, like post-dubbing, but as of today, the filming schedule for John Persona is officially over.”

Filming for John Persona, which began in February, was now complete. Although the initial plan was to wrap up in June, the schedule had been pushed back due to various events involving Kang Woojin. Nonetheless, Woojin’s third Hollywood film, John Persona, was now entering the editing phase.

Soon after, Woojin exchanged greetings with Danny Landis and many key staff members.

Though his face remained stoic, inside, he was quietly celebrating.

“Phew—finally! I can finally take a break. Even if it’ll be short.”

At that moment—

“Mr. Woojin.”

Someone called out to him from among the crowd of staff. When he turned around, he saw the towering figure of Joseph Felton smiling at him. Did he bulk up again? The tight black shirt he wore emphasized his imposing frame. Joseph, holding a stack of papers in one hand, approached Woojin and extended his other hand for a handshake.

“As always, today’s shoot was phenomenal. It’s been an honor to work with you throughout the filming of John Persona.”

Feeling a bit embarrassed by the praise, Woojin answered in his usual understated manner, though he kept a composed expression.

“Thank you.”

After briefly surveying the noisy surroundings, Joseph Felton spoke to Woojin.

“Could you spare a moment?”

“I can give you about 10 minutes.”

“That’s plenty.”

The two of them headed toward Woojin’s trailer.

The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!