Chapter 213: New Year (4)

Translator: Dreamscribe

Kang Woojin, wearing a long padded coat, scratched his ear. It suddenly felt itchy, making him wonder if someone was talking about him, but he figured someone probably was.

‘I did make quite the scene at the Blue Dragon Film Awards.’

Had there just been one or two issues that had erupted? It seemed obvious that at this moment, countless people were probably discussing Kang Woojin, whether it was praise or curses.

At that moment.

-Swish.

Choi Sung-gun, who had been walking alongside Woojin and continuously talking on the phone, zipped up his short padded coat and asked Kang Woojin.

“What’s wrong? Did something get in your ear? Want me to take a look?”

Woojin, taken aback by the undue concern, responded cynically with his expression stern. His breath visible in the cold air.

“No, it’s just a bit itchy.”

“Yeah? Lower your head, I’ll blow on it for you.”

Why are you doing this? Woojin declined, shaking his head.

“I’m fine.”

Then, Han Ye-jung, whose short hair had were of reddish hue today, briskly interjected from the right.

“Maybe a bug got in? Want me to check for you?”

“It’s fine.”

At that time.

“Hyung-nim!!”

“Woojin oppa is here!”

Staff members in front of the van parked in the outdoor parking lot greeted Kang Woojin. Jang Su-hwan and the stylists were waving their hands. As Woojin approached, they all started congratulating him.

“‘Island of the Missing’ filming is done! Great work!”

“Congratulations! For real! Ah- but are we celebrating?”

“Of course! We’ve finished a major project!”

“Oppa, you must feel relieved, right?”

“Ah- But, there’s still a lot left to do.”

Oddly, it seemed the staff were happier than Kang Woojin, the actual actor. It made sense. Most of the filming for ‘Island of the Missing’ had taken place in Buyeo, and commuting between Seoul and Buyeo had been grueling.

Woojin could just hop in and out of the Void space, but for the staff, it must have been hell.

‘Think of it as an escape, they must be jumping for joy.’

Of course, Kang Woojin also did a little shoulder dance internally.

‘Hehe, whatever it is, one thing’s done! Feels like I’ve cleared an assignment.’

However, he couldn’t exactly start hugging the staff and throwing a party. Woojin maintained his poker face while appropriately receiving their greetings.

“You guys worked hard too.”

He looked back at the ‘Island of the Missing’ large set complex behind them. He was the only one leaving, the filming was still ongoing.

“……”

Woojin realized that he had somewhat adjusted. A few months ago, the end of a filming would leave him a bit sentimental, but now he was more focused on what’s next.

‘Humans really are creatures of their surroundings, huh?’

Though still relatively new to acting with just over a year of experience, he was definitely blending well into the entertainment industry. Of course, no one truly knew the true self of Kang Woojin yet.

Anyway.

-Bang!

Kang Woojin, Choi Sung-gun, and the staff quickly got into the van, with Jang Su-hwan stepping on the accelerator. As the van started, Choi Sung-gun, who had opened his diary, looked at Kang Woojin through the rearview mirror.

“Woojin.”

Woojin, who had been silently gazing out the window, met his gaze.

“Yes, CEO~nim.”

“‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ crank-in date has been set.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. The first day of shooting is the 21st, and the actors are to assemble on the 20th.”

Kang Woojin wasn’t particularly surprised as he had somewhat anticipated this.

“20th. That leaves us just over ten days.”

“Right. From then on, it’s back and forth between Japan and Korea. Pretty much like ‘Island of the Missing,’ but the location has changed from Buyeo to Japan.”

Damn, it’s going to be tough as hell. Choi Sung-gun’s explanation made it clear. The filming for ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ would be done back-to-back. And Kang Woojin’s existing schedule in Korea would be crammed into one or two days. Either way, there was no time to rest.

The staff’s faces soon darkened.

Regardless, Choi Sung-gun’s briefing continued.

“However, we need to go in a day earlier, not the 19th but the 18th. We have a meeting related to the Kashiwa Group and some interviews and photo shoots with the Japanese press.”

The schedule in Japan is expanding. Kang Woojin knew about the advertisement deal with the Kashiwa Group, but when were the interviews and photo shoots in Japan arranged? Kang Woojin wondered to himself when Choi Sung-gun spoke up again.

“It might seem a bit tight, but we’ve already filtered out most of the offers from Japan. What’s left is the selected few.”

He closed his diary and leaned back.

“Woojin, do you know how many variety show offers you are getting from Japan right now?”

No, not at all. Choi Sung-gun handled the important matters and dealt with the minor ones himself, so Woojin had no way of knowing.

“Quite a few?”

“Haha, quite a few? No, if you only count from a month ago, it’s already over ten. To give you an idea, you know that Hwalin-ssi’s group Elani is almost a top-tier idol in Japan? Right now, you’re getting more attention than them there.”

This meant that currently, there was no problem considering Kang Woojin the hottest topic in Japan.

“But Woojin, you’re not going to do Japanese variety shows, are you? Are you interested? Want me to book them for you?”

Kang Woojin solemnly shook his head at the repeated question. ‘Our Dining Table’ is enough. Honestly, variety shows drain more energy than acting.

“No, please turn them all down.”

Kang Woojin was colder than ever before.

Meanwhile,

The Korean internet was buzzing with articles from Japan.

『[StarIS] ‘He’s on fire’ – Has Kang Woojin also conquered the Japanese advertising world? Contract confirmed with Japanese conglomerate Kashiwa Group』

『Selected as a model for the giant Japanese ‘Kashiwa Group,’ how much is Kang Woojin’s signing fee?』

This matter had already been acknowledged by the Kashiwa Group and bw Entertainment in Japan. In other words, it was a fact that Kang Woojin was handling advertisements for the Japanese conglomerate Kashiwa Group.

『’Another first’ Kang Woojin extends to being an ad model for a major Japanese company… ‘Kashiwa Group’ first Korean model in history』

Naturally, this was not a common occurrence, so the media and public opinion were excited.

-CrazyㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋKang Woojin really making it bigㅋㅋㅋㅋEven an advertising model for a Japanese large corporation???

-Kang Woojin again??? Ah, I really don’t like him… I don’t want to see news about him…got a bad vibe since the Blue Dragon

-Wow….first time seeing someone other than idols getting advertisements in Japan….

-But it’s understandableㅋㅋㅋㅋKang Woojin’s ‘Male Friend’ blew up in Japanㅋㅋ It’s still within top 10 on Netflix Japan

-This guy is crazyㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋReally somethingㅋㅋwon 8 major awards in Korea and now conquering Japanㅋㅋㅋ Kang Woojin’s form is insaneㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-↑Nah, he’s already conquered it, ‘Hanryang’ and ‘Male Friend’ were already hits and ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ is also on standby

-These comments are over the topㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋIt’s all just flukes, rightㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ?

-He got fan club in Japan with flukes?? Everywhere you go, there are idiots?

·

·

·

·

However, by the end of the year, the sentiment against Kang Woojin had noticeably increased. His presence was clearly growing.

The situation was similar in Japan.

While his fan base in Japan was solidly growing, the bigger his recognition, the more skepticism he faced, whether on SNS or in comments. Japanese corporations were also keeping an eye on Kang Woojin. Or more precisely, they were targeting the Korean Wave.

『In an interview with a vice president of a medium-sized Japanese company, mention of Kang Woojin ‘We should focus more on our domestic actors than Korean ones’』

This was not exclusively about Kang Woojin. The famous always have to bear the weight of the crown. As a result, the number of hate comments on channels like ‘Kang Woojin’s Alter Ego’ and Woojin’s SNS had increased. For an ordinary celebrity, this might be a bit stressful at the least, and at worst, it could cause a panic attack.

In fact, it’s not uncommon for celebrities to take medication or visit a psychiatrist when it gets to this level. So what about Kang Woojin?

“Woojin oppa, don’t read the SNS comments today. There are some harsh ones.”

“Okay.”

“You’re alright, right?”

“About what.”

“No… just, the hate comments have increased.”

“I don’t really care.”

So what? Why should I care? That was exactly his mindset.

Even within Korea’s acting scene, the perception of Kang Woojin wasn’t favorable either.

Many actors were already envious of Kang Woojin’s audacious moves, but his bold declarations at various award ceremonies towards the year’s end had thrown more fuel on the fire, especially at the Blue Dragon Awards. That’s why Kang Woojin was frequently mentioned among actors, whether on set or at private gatherings.

“Kang Woojin? That kid shows no restraint, his expression is impassive, seems quite rude too.”

“Honestly, what he has shown so far is impressive but- is he the type to crash and burn with just one scandal?”

“Now that I think about it, it’s ridiculous. There are so many teachers and seniors there, but how can he so naturally say he’ll receive the Best Actor award?”

“It’s because he’s young. Otherwise, why would he pull such a stunt at the Blue Dragon, filled with so many big names?”

Of course, they didn’t know the speed at which Woojin was growing.

“He’s just fit for Asia, just for Asia. His move to Japan was honestly just good timing with ‘Hanryang.'”

What kind of performance Kang Woojin would show this year remained to be seen.

10 days later. Early morning in an officetel in Seoul.

The morning sun was rising outside, but inside Room 203 of the spacious officetel, the atmosphere was dim. Blackout curtains on each window blocked the sunlight. Moreover, the interior of Room 203 was somewhat different from a typical living space.

It was almost devoid of furniture.

All that was visible was a refrigerator, a small dining table, and a mattress on the living room floor. Practically a barren plain. Amidst this, a man sleeping on the mattress groggily woke up. Perhaps in his 30s? The man, with a buzz cut and small eyes, immediately searched for his glasses and put them on as soon as he got up.

“Ah-”

He stretched his back and got up smoothly. He was of average height. Next, the man yawned widely and took a bottle of water from the refrigerator to gulp down.

Then he checked the time.

“7:40 AM-”

Wearing winter pajamas, he scratched his belly as he moved to a nearby room. As soon as he opened the closed door, a different scene unfolded. A long desk with two computers and a laptop on it.

The room had a professional feel to it.

With clearly visible computer towers, an expensive-looking multifunction printer, a professional keyboard and mouse, and large monitors—the concentrated tech in this room was clearly high-end.

-Swish.

The man turned on the sleeping computer. Then he left the room and opened the door to another room. This one was extraordinary too. The desk and chair were standard, but the setup in front of the desk was peculiar. A high-end camera was mounted on a tripod, surrounded by lights.

It was clearly a filming room, wasn’t it?

From there, the man picked a wolf-shaped mask from among several on the wall.

“Today is the wolf.”

The reason was simple. He was a YouTuber.

[Channel Name: FactGuys]

[Subscribers: 1.88 million]

YouTuber FactGuys, with 1.88 million subscribers, covered random topics—anything that could capture the public’s interest, whether news, events, or exposés. Hence, the views on his videos always ranged between 500,000 to over a million.

However, he uploaded videos infrequently.

About once a week? He did the filming and editing all by himself. It was to maintain his anonymity, and he either found topics himself or received tips. Interestingly, YouTuber FactGuys’ videos weren’t just about Korea; many were about other countries.

He had recently covered a scandal in Hollywood.

Regardless, the man was preparing to shoot again as he yawned and moved back to the room with the computers. Soon, he sat down in front of the turned-on computer and logged into his email, curious if there were any new tips.

“……”

He rested his chin on his hand and clicked the mouse several times. Overnight, numerous tips had accumulated—more than half of which were junk.

Then.

“Huh?”

The man furrowed his brows. A particular tip email caught his eye. He read the title of the email.

“Kang Woojin secretly took a screen test for the Hollywood movie ‘Last Kill 3’?”

He checked the sender of the email.

“Who sent this?”

It was anonymous.

At this moment, at Kang Woojin’s house.

Kang Woojin left his home to go to work and appeared in the underground parking garage. Wearing a hat as usual, he spotted the van that came to pick him up. But then.

‘Huh?’

Kang Woojin sensed something had changed. The van had been replaced with a foreign model that was wider both upwards and sideways. It was black. Woojin, slightly impressed, walked towards the van trying not to show his astonishment too openly. Choi Sung-gun, dressed in a long padded coat, got out of the passenger side.

“You’re here?”

He had a majestic expression. On the other hand, Kang Woojin, whose persona was already heavy with concept, simply greeted him.

“Hello, CEO-nim.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Choi Sung-gun nodded his head towards the large van in the back, hinting for a comment. Woojin muttered lowly.

“It’s big.”

“Is that all you have to say?”

“Did you change it?”

“Your team has grown, and so has your presence. Well, the previous van was fine, but appearances are critical in this industry.”

After finishing his explanation, Choi Sung-gun abruptly changed the subject.

“There’s something you need to decide before we leave.”

“What is it?”

“Yesterday, a Japanese animation studio reached out for you.”

Animation? What’s this all of a sudden? Kang Woojin was internally startled but responded calmly.

“Are you talking about animation?”

“Yes. The studio is ‘A10 Studio,’ one of the top three massive studios in Japan. They want you to voice act for the anime they’re producing.”

Voice acting. Woojin was first intrigued. Being an actor, he encountered various opportunities. He had seen a few Japanese animes.

‘Ah- Might be fun?’

Then he paused.

‘Wait? Don’t animations have scripts or scenarios?’

Woojin’s curiosity was piqued.

‘Could it be······ that animations also trigger the Void space?’

If they do.

‘What would reading (experience) be like.’

A new genre beyond movies or dramas. His curiosity grew stronger. Woojin kept his voice calm and said.

“I have to see the script before deciding.”

Smiling, Choi Sung-gun pulled something out from the passenger seat. It was a stack of papers of moderate thickness.

“I knew you’d say that, so I brought it. ‘A10 Studio’ also sent a draft of the first episode’s script. It’s a rough draft, before revisions. Something like a sketch?”

“······”

Kang Woojin silently took the stack of papers. Only the production company ‘A10 Studio’ was written on the cover, not the title of the anime.

And then.

‘It’s appearing.’

Next to the stack of papers, there were swirls of black and gray. In other words, a portal to the Void space was attached. Even as Choi Sung-gun was speaking, Woojin instinctively placed his hand on the black square.

Instantly.

-Swish.

Kang Woojin’s world swiftly changed from the parking garage to a completely dark Void space. Having arrived in the Void space, Woojin quickly moved his feet. He arrived in front of a newly added white rectangle and checked what was added.

-[10/Script (Title: Unknown), Grade D]

-[*This is an anime script of average completion. 50% reading is possible.]

Woojin read the text briefly and nonchalantly selected the white rectangle. The phrases immediately changed.

-[You have selected 10/Script (Title: Unknown).]

-[Listing characters available for reading (experience).]

-[A: 1, B: 2, C: 3······]

The character names were numbers. Perhaps because it’s a draft? Woojin muttered softly and randomly chose one.

[“‘A: 1’ preparing for reading······”]

[“······Preparation complete. The script or scenario is of average completion. Implementation level is 50%. Starting the reading.”]

Soon, a large gray swirled over Kang Woojin.

Up to this point, it was familiar.

However, the world that unfolded before Kang Woojin’s eyes was not typical. The usual reading (experience) was far different.

-Vroom vroom!

The booming noises of cars, high buildings embedded in the downtown, people walking or brushing past on the sidewalk, the blue sky, moving clouds.

These were things Kang Woojin knew, but they felt unfamiliar.

“······”

Because the entire visible world was animated.