Chapter 153: Artillery Fire (8)

Translator: Dreamscribe

24th, night.

A Korean restaurant in Gangwon Province that had hosted the one-day restaurant event for ‘Our Dining Table.’ It was past 11 PM. All the customers had left, and the overall shooting had ended about 30 minutes earlier. Perhaps that’s why many staff members of ‘Our Dining Table’ were busy with the cleanup.

“We need to change the tables back to how it was originally!!”

“Here’s the original photo!”

“Kitchen!! Can someone check what props of ours are in the kitchen?!”

“Did we collect all the small cameras??!”

“Only the annex is left!”

The shooting was quite long, so although the staff’s faces were tired, they seemed satisfied with their day’s work. Among them, PD Yoon Byung-seon, wearing glasses, was seen in the main hall.

And in front of him at the table.

“Thank you all for your hard work.”

“Ah- I’m dead.”

“Good job!”

“Really, everyone did such a great job!”

The cast members of ‘Our Dining Table’ were huddled together. Of course, this included the stoic-faced Kang Woojin. They were all wearing aprons with the ‘Our Dining Table’ logo, each holding a can of beer, seemingly ready to refresh themselves after the day.

It seemed they had all become quite close, as the conversation flowed freely.

Meanwhile, Kang Woojin thought to himself.

‘Crazy, how many dishes did I even make today? I can’t even remember. I might vomit at the smell of ramyeon now.’

His expression was stoic, but he was suffering internally. The intensity was such that it reminded him of his bar part-time job when he was around 20. If it weren’t for his concept, he would have collapsed on the table long ago.

‘This isn’t variety, it’s just a slice of life experience!’

At that moment, PD Yoon Byung-seon, who had been chatting with An Jong-hak, addressed everyone.

“Well, there were frequent mistakes and our coordination was off at times, but that’s natural for a first time. Overall, it was nice. With a bit more polish, this could definitely work overseas as well?”

Upon hearing words that were akin to torture by hope, An Jong-hak answered as he took a sip of beer.

“The dishes that went out had no issues, but honestly, weren’t there a lot of problems with the hall and other things? If the food hadn’t come out on time, we would have been screwed.”

The exhausted Ha Gang-su and the rest of the members readily agreed.

“Right… If the orders had been messed up from the start, we couldn’t have done it properly today.”

“There were many mistakes with the orders! I’m sorry!”

The energetic and youthful Yeon Baek-kwang, with his head bowed, gave Kang Woojin a thumbs up.

“But the customers loved the food today! You’re amazing, Woojin hyung!”

An Jong-hak crossed his legs and asked Woojin as if agreeing.

“I’ve heard a lot too. What happened? You said you were just decent at cooking, but it was almost chef-level. Chef Lee Yang-woo also praised you, right? But Hye-yeon, you were just chopping garlic when I saw you?”

“Ah! What can I do if we needed a lot of garlic? And I chopped a lot of other things too! I even flipped the kimchi pancake.”

As the two bantered, PD Yoon Byung-seon placed several papers on the table.

“These are the customer reviews from today, and the common theme is that the food was delicious.”

Indeed, that was the case. The papers were filled with comments stating that the food was delicious. There were also frequent mentions of seeing a new side of Kang Woojin. Then, Hwalin, passing the papers to Woojin, murmured softly.

“But it was really delicious.”

Internally, she wanted to jump up and down with thumbs up.

‘It wasn’t just delicious; it was super, super, super delicious!’

She held back because there were many eyes on her. Having tasted the cooking of her idol, Kang Woojin, was enough for her. Anyway, PD Yoon Byung-seon began to wrap up.

“This concludes the domestic shooting with all members together, and next, we’ll see each other overseas! There might be short shootings by teams before we leave, and we’ll coordinate the schedule and inform you accordingly.”

After a brief after-party, the cast members left the Korean restaurant one by one, and Kang Woojin also moved to the van after saying goodbye to the staff.

That’s when.

“Woojin ssi!”

From behind, PD Yoon Byung-seon called out to Kang Woojin. The words he quickly approached to say were somewhat unusual.

“Could you think about developing a dish before we shoot in America?”

“A developed dish, you mean?”

“Yes. No, don’t feel pressured, you can just lightly consider it. But seeing Woojin ssi’s cooking skills, it seems possible. Any Korean dish is fine, so if it’s okay with you, please give it some thought. After tasting and a discussion, if it’s good, we’ll try selling it in America.”

He was talking about creating a unique Korean recipe by Kang Woojin. Well, it didn’t seem forced, so Woojin simply nodded.

“Understood.”

“Okay! You worked hard today!”

As PD Yoon Byung-seon walked away, Woojin nonchalantly boarded the van. Only after Han Ye-jung and the stylists were all aboard did the van depart.

At the same time.

-Swish.

Choi Sung-gun, sitting in the passenger seat, turned to talk to Woojin.

“Woojin, you know Director Ahn Ga-bok, right?”

Director Ahn Ga-bok? Who’s that? It sounded vaguely familiar, but it was a strange name. However, since it was about a director, Woojin pretended to know.

“Yes, CEO~nim.”

He naturally continued to search on his phone as if he didn’t know. Only after seeing the face that appeared in the search results did Woojin remember who Director Ahn Ga-bok was. Still, it wasn’t clear.

‘Ah- this director, wasn’t he called a living legend in the film industry or something? I think I saw it on Youtube.’

Any Korean actor would revere Director Ahn Ga-bok, but to Kang Woojin, he just felt like any old man whose job happened to be a director. Thus.

“Director Ahn Ga-bok wants to see you. There was a call.”

Woojin didn’t feel much excitement despite pretending to be moderately surprised at Choi Sung-gun’s words.

‘That grandfather. No, the director wants to see me? Why? Ah- maybe he wants to offer me a role?’

It was somewhat ambivalent? Just like any other director. As a result, Woojin’s response didn’t carry much enthusiasm.

“For me?”

“Yes. But as expected… your reaction is bland. I guessed as much but aren’t you surprised? I nearly popped my eyes out when I received his call.”

“I’m surprised.”

“Bullshit. Anyway, I’m digging up information on Director Ahn Ga-bok’s project, so just be aware.”

“Yes, CEO~nim.”

“If you get involved with Director Ahn Ga-bok, it’s going to shake up the film industry again.”

Really? Is that so. However, Kang Woojin’s mind was already filled with other thoughts.

‘Ah- I’m going back to Vietnam tomorrow. I can barely breathe already!’

It was a hell that included the scorching heat.

Afterward.

The first shooting of ‘Our Dining Table’ wrapped up on the 24th, and as the 25th dawned, Kang Woojin was already on a plane. He was returning to the overseas location of ‘Island of the Missing’ after finishing about a week’s schedule in Korea.

The destination was Da Nang, Vietnam.

And he was not alone.

『[Star Photo] Spotted at the airport, Hong Hye-yeon and Kang Woojin! Departing together for ‘Island of the Missing’ overseas location/ Photo』

Hong Hye-yeon, who was scheduled for a cameo appearance, was also with him.

At this moment, the OST released by Kang Woojin a few days ago was still holding the number 1 spot on the music platform.

-[1(-)]Male Friend/Kang Woojin (‘Male Friend’ OST Part. 1)

Currently, it was number 1 not only on ‘Melon’ but also on various platforms. It was a testament to the popularity of ‘Male Friend’.

『’Male Friend’ OST is also a hit… Kang Woojin’s ‘Male Friend’ sweeps the music charts, reaching number 1 on Melon』

‘Male Friend’ was achieving unprecedented success as a short drama. It was almost like being unmatched, as people commonly say.

『Proving vocal skills on the 5 million ‘Kang Woojin’s Alter Ego’ channel, Kang Woojin sweeps various music platforms』

『[Chart] Kang Woojin’s ‘Male Friend’ hits number 1 on the charts… Jooa in 2nd place, DKM in 3rd… pushing aside all the music heavyweights』

『OST sung by Kang Woojin hits number 1 on the music charts… The Kang Woojin syndrome continues』

Could that be why?

Kang Woojin’s first OST for ‘Male Friend,’ namely ‘Male Friend,’ was heard everywhere. On the radio inside the car.

“Let’s listen to one song before moving on to the second part. Oh- What’s the craze these days? It’s ‘Male Friend’ sung by Kang Woojin. I’ll be back after this.”

-♬♪

Through earphones people wore, from cellphones, and so on. The popularity of this OST added fuel to the fire of ‘Male Friend.’ Following Kang Woojin, an OST sung by Hwalin was fully released around the afternoon of the 25th.

-[(new!)]Female Friend/Hwalin (‘Male Friend’ OST Part. 2)

Given the current popularity of ‘Male Friend,’ it was clear that Hwalin’s OST would also quickly climb the ranks. Moreover, a duet song was still pending. Of course, ‘Male Friend’ continued to be the undisputed number 1 on Netflix in both Korea and Japan.

『’Male Friend’ holds onto 1st place for nearly a week, Kang Woojin and Hwalin’s brand value and popularity skyrocket』

Especially, the popularity in Japan skyrocketed. While in Korea, the interest was dispersed due to various issues surrounding Woojin, in Japan, it concentrated on ‘Male Friend.’

『Twitter is buzzing with talks about ‘Male Friend’』

The power of Hallyu, Kang Woojin, and Hwalin was truly effective. The Japanese audience was ecstatic about ‘Male Friend.’

-Kang Woojin!!! Hwalin!!! Love you!!!

-This is the first drama that makes me so emotionally involved… Now all that’s left is the final episode… It’s torture…

-Why can’t Japan produce such dramas?? The drama is so fun, I’m angry because Japanese dramas pale in comparison with just 4 episodes!

-Are friends like Kang Woojin common in Korea? I really want to go to Korea.

-The drama has such beautiful colors. And it reminds me of my school days. A beautiful and enjoyable drama.

-Warning: A ‘Male Friend’ like Kang Woojin does not exist in reality

-The two actors are adorable and act so well

-I want… to have such a beautiful love story…. It was so so fun….

-I’m stuck in a swamp! I’ve rewatched it twice but now I’m watching ‘Male Friend’ again!

·

·

·

This continued even after the weekend, on the 26th. However, in Korea, it wasn’t just ‘Male Friend’ making headlines. Many stories were exploding.

『’Freezing Love’ premiere date confirmed, will be releasing on Friday, November 27th』

『’Freezing Love,’ set to premiere on November 27th, production team says ‘Kang Woojin’s sign language acting will be shown’』

『From murderer to lover and even sign language acting… Kang Woojin’s endless image transformation as an ‘acting monster’』

Talks about ‘Freezing Love.’

-Sign language?? He’s going to do sign language?? Didn’t they say Kang Woojin and Lee Wol-seon’s drama was exceptional???

-It’s insane… It’s going to be a very short appearance but sign language acting… Actors usually avoid acting with disabilities… Honestly, I’m impressed

‘Our Dining Table.’

『[Issue Check] PD Yoon Byung-seon’s major variety ‘Our Dining Table’… completes its first domestic shooting, who among the star-studded cast will cook?』

And the upcoming premiere of ‘Drug Dealer.’

『[Movie Talk] ‘Drug Dealer’ wraps up its premiere… Nationwide cinema bookings open』

『Until the very end! Jin Jae-jun fervently promoting to fans who attended the preview/Photo』

Artillery fire. Yes, the current situation was aptly described by the word artillery fire. Various snowballs, grown large, were exploding in timing with each other.

『’Drug Dealer’ given ’18+’ certification… What character will Kang Woojin, appearing in a cameo, play?』

The fragments from the grand artillery barrage were mixing or fusing again into bigger snowballs, expanding their territory distinctly in the minds of the public. The process was quick and efficient.

Even as time melted away, new artillery was targeting the public.

『[Feature] With Jin Jae-jun and monster rookie Kang Woojin joining, how many viewers can ‘Drug Dealer’, rated for adults, attract?』

As if giving no chance to adapt.

28th, early morning.

It was around 8 AM. The location was a multiplex cinema in Seoul. A woman who just got off the elevator caught the eye. She was wearing a black mask, a hat pressed down, and round glasses.

It felt intentional, the way she hid her face.

Turning her gaze to the cinema lobby, she thought:

‘Uh- there are quite a lot of people.’

Despite it being a weekday morning, the place was unexpectedly crowded. Not to the point of being packed, but enough to make one pause. There were all sorts of people: couples, groups of men, groups of women, etc. They glanced at the woman in the hat and mask but didn’t pay much attention.

Then.

-♬♪

A trailer started playing on the advertisement board above with a boom! The title appeared.

-‘Drug Dealer’

Between the fast-paced clips of the trailer, a brief moment showed an actor with a tattoo on his neck, causing the woman in the hat to flinch.

‘That was him, right? Woojin ssi. Wow, his image is so different, I almost didn’t recognize him.’

Soon, the woman, who had been staring blankly at the ‘Drug Dealer’ trailer, snapped back to reality and started taking pictures of ‘Drug Dealer’s’ small posters and standees with her phone.

-Swish.

She printed out a ticket from the self-service kiosk. The movie ticket she had was for ‘Drug Dealer,’ with about 30 minutes left until the start time.

‘Caramel popcorn- Ah, I shouldn’t eat it.’

After some hesitation, the woman timidly bought a small popcorn at the concession stand and moved lightly towards the screening room. There were more audience members inside than she expected. For a morning show, 10 people were a lot, but it looked like there were over 30. Regardless, the woman in the hat discreetly glanced around and took her designated seat.

Just in time.

-♬♪

Advertisements began to play on the big screen in front. However, as the lights in the auditorium were still on, the woman kept her mask on and looked down at her phone. This lasted for about 5 minutes.

Eventually.

‘Done!’

As the woman looked up, the lights in the auditorium dimmed altogether. She slightly pulled down her mask, not fully, but enough to reveal part of her face.

A freckle under her eye.

The woman was Hwalin, gaining popularity through ‘Male Friend.’ Although she was bare-faced, she still radiated a celebrity aura, and as she put a piece of caramel popcorn into her mouth, Hwalin watched the big screen and internally exclaimed.

‘Let’s go, let’s go!’

The reason she came to the cinema this morning was very simple: to watch her most, most, most favorite actor’s first commercial movie. It also had significance: watching his first commercial movie on its opening day, at the first showing of the day. Soon, Hwalin’s heart raced as she chewed on her popcorn. Her eyes, fixed on the screen, sparkled.

Then.

-‘Drug Dealer’

The title of ‘Drug Dealer’ boldly appeared on the big screen in the dim cinema. About an hour later, Hwalin, having finished her popcorn, saw ‘Lee Sang-man’ appear amidst heavy rain. A cigarette in his mouth, a scar from a knife wound on his left cheek, rough skin, eyes filled with quiet violence, and tattoos barely visible under his suit.

Lee Sang-man, revealed on the big screen, spoke in a rough, low voice.

[“Come closer. I’m getting wet.”]

The audience murmured increased.

“Wow- Is that Kang Woojin?”

“Damn, he looks just like a gangster, doesn’t he?”

Meanwhile, Hwalin, with her mouth slightly open and eyes widened, whispered to herself as she watched her favorite actor on the screen.

“Wow- The impact… Crazy. So cool.”

At this moment, the internet was flooded with articles about ‘Drug Dealer.’

『[Movie Talk] ‘Drug Dealer’ opens today, ranks No. 1 in reservations despite being rated for adults.』