“······What? Essence?”
The film company CEO tilted his head in confusion. Well, digesting Director Ahn Ga-bok’s words on the spot was difficult for anyone. It seemed that Director Ahn Ga-bok himself was not unaware of this.
“No.”
He slowly shook his head, which was full of short white hair.
“It was just a monologue.”
“Ah- Is that so? Um, if you’ve met Kang Woojin, did you also mention you would be coming on the filming of ‘Island of the Missing’?”
“I did. I mentioned it casually; probably Director Kwon will inform the actors about it today.”
The film company CEO took out his cellphone and continued.
“Understood. I’ll also prepare accordingly. Ah, did you happen to ask Kang Woojin about the sign language part?”
“Yes. I heard he can do a bit of American Sign Language, not just Korean and Japanese Sign Language.”
The film company CEO’s eyes slightly widened.
“Wow- Really? What an extraordinary guy. It’s one thing to be fluent in English, but to know Japanese and various sign languages······”
“It’s excessive what he has. However, usually when someone is too greedy, they spread themselves too thin, but that guy doesn’t seem to have any problems at all.”
“How could he have learned so much at such a young age? Some people spend their entire lives just learning English. And his acting is at that level too.”
“Self-taught.”
“What?”
“I heard it from Director Kwon. He said self-taught.”
The film company CEO furrowed his brow as if to say, what are you talking about.
“Do you actually believe such an unbelievable thing? Self-taught?”
Director Ahn Ga-bok smiled with the calmness unique to a veteran, yet his tone carried significant weight.
“What will you do if you don’t believe it? He actually exists. Besides, believing it or not is utterly meaningless. What’s most important now is to see his acting firsthand.”
There was a lot implied in his words. Director Ahn Ga-bok had his own plans. He came in person, wanted to see a group shot of the top actors, not watching in hiding but openly, among other things.
A quite groundbreaking change had occurred.
In such a scenario, what kind of acting would this monstrous rookie show? Not on a screen or TV, but in an actual scene, what kind of energy does he exude? How is the chemistry between the actors? Besides his strange and freaky acting ability, what else does he have?
‘Capacity.’
Director Ahn Ga-bok, known as the history of Korean cinema, was eager to check Kang Woojin’s capacity. This also refers to an actor’s overall capacity, including acting, to see if they are suitable as a long-term collaborator, considering their acting abilities..
‘The size and type of capacity.’
There was nothing like it. At least, that was the case in Director Ahn Ga-bok’s longstanding conviction. Anyway, the film company CEO said.
“Well, I understand. After checking the ‘Island of the Missing’ site, should I arrange the return schedule immediately?”
“Yes, do that. And reserve tickets for ‘Drug Dealer’ the next day. Let’s go watch it together.”
“Understood. The caddie, including the key staff, will also accompany us.”
After having a suitable conversation with Director Ahn Ga-bok, he left the room. Soon, left alone, Director Ahn Ga-bok crossed his arms and exhaled softly.
“The essence.”
He was recalling Kang Woojin, whom he had met earlier at the restaurant. Director Ahn Ga-bok had checked all the works Kang Woojin appeared in and all the videos. Along with their meeting today. After synthesizing everything, Director Ahn Ga-bok had one conclusion.
“There’s a different scent, something hidden behind his current appearance.”
There seemed to be a slight disconnect with Kang Woojin.
Of course, nothing was certain yet. It was just Director Ahn Ga-bok’s speculation. But since he also scores actors beyond their acting, he couldn’t help but pay attention.
‘Something unfamiliar flickers in those upright eyes, as if hiding something precious in his pocket, whether it’s light or heavy.’
The veteran’s intuition was sharp.
Afterward.
Kang Woojin, upon finding out that ‘Drug Dealer’ reached number one at the box office just one day after its release, thought,
‘Wow- Fuck! To see this scene firsthand! And in a movie I starred in! No, calm down, Kang Woojin. Let’s just deal with the things in front of us for now.’
Suppressing the immediate surge of excitement, he decided to focus on acting in ‘Island of the Missing’. However, conversely, other actors like Ryu Jung-min made quite a fuss. No, to be precise, the entire staff of ‘Island of the Missing’ did.
“Did you hear? Director Ahn Ga-bok is coming to the site soon??”
“Really? No way, are you joking? Why would that legend suddenly come here?”
“It’s true. I heard it from the director of photography, Director Ahn Ga-bok was visiting Vietnam and said he would stop by.”
The news of Director Ahn Ga-bok’s visit spread like wildfire. The source was Director Kwon Ki-taek, and the actors were the ones who fueled it. All of them were great actors who had reached the top, but the presence of Director Ahn Ga-bok was immensely heavy for them.
Therefore, top actors like Ryu Jung-min and Ha Yu-ra’s tension or mindset changed individually.
Director Kwon Ki-taek, who was keenly observing them, thought,
‘It’s clear what everyone is thinking.’
However, there was one person. In the field, there was only one person who was no different from usual.
It was Kang Woojin.
The reason was simple. Of course, Kang Woojin also found Director Ahn Ga-bok uncomfortable and somewhat scary.
‘Forget it, just think of him as any grandfather you see anywhere.’
Woojin’s mind control due to his concept was almost divine. Thanks to that, Director Ahn Ga-bok, a legend of the Korean cinema, was demoted to ‘just a grandfather’.
Meanwhile, ‘Drug Dealer’, which had its first performance announced, was causing quite a stir in Korea.
『’Drug Dealer’ starring Jin Jae-jun, Park Pan-seo, Kang Woojin, etc. dominates box office as number 1 upon release!』
It was very rare for a restricted (adults-only) movie to achieve number 1 at the box office just one day after its release. The atmosphere was heating up. Riding on the bubbling enthusiasm, many who were hesitant started flocking to the cinemas from the second day of ‘Drug Dealer’s release, the 29th.
“Wow- The buzz around ‘Drug Dealer’ is unusual, isn’t it? Director~nim, shouldn’t we go see it too?”
“······Tsk. Guess we should.”
“Ah, by the way, do you and Director Kim Do-hee have a close relationship?”
“Close relationship my ass. We are just enemies.”
‘Drug Dealer’ was of high interest to the entire domestic film industry. It was not only because it was a rare adults-only movie, but also because of the performances of actors like Jin Jae-jun and Park Pan-seo. However, the major draw was the rookie Kang Woojin.
『Jin Jae-jun praises Kang Woojin’s performance in ‘Drug Dealer’: ‘There was a real ‘Lee Sang-man’ on set’ (HelloFM)』
Thus, numerous directors and various entertainment industry professionals watched ‘Drug Dealer’.
『Star writer Park Eun-mi spotted at the cinema: ‘Came to watch Drug Dealer’/ Photo』
『[Photo] ‘Hanryang’s big names, PD Song Man-woo and writer Park Eun-mi enter the cinema side by side / Photo』
Directors, PDs, writers, film companies, production companies, and many others attended. Director Shin Dong-chun and his team were no exception. Since ‘Male Friend’ was already released during Kang Woojin’s movie’s box office run, watching it was a must, and Director Shin Dong-chun was also greedy for input.
‘The direction is good, of course, but especially the control of pace stands out.’
And Lee Sang-man, played by Kang Woojin.
As the drama progressed, Lee Sang-man changed. He gradually lost his charisma, and his voice tone changed to frivolous. However, it was so natural that the audience was slow to catch on. But the Lee Sang-man on the screen was sending a clear signal.
Director Shin Dong-chun was the first to notice it.
‘His eyes are cloudy, the frequency of scratching his body has increased, and there’s a loss of strength in his walk. He’s dying.’
It was clear. Lee Sang-man was temporarily filling his vitality with drugs, yet his life was fading away.
[“Those Japanese bastards can be tricky, you know?”]
[“I know. But if you vouch for me, it’ll be fine. That’s why I’m here.”]
[“Let’s try it then. Show me what you’ve got then.”]
At the same time, his violence also became bizarre.
[“Hehe, diamonds.”]
Strangely enough, this bizarre force fascinated hundreds of audience members.
“Lee Sang-man seems a bit changed, doesn’t he?”
“Right? But he seems scarier now than in the beginning.”
“Still, since Lee Sang-man is a druggie, he’ll probably join hands with Jeong Seong-hoon.”
Here comes the twist.
[“Your eyes don’t look like a drug dealer’s.”]
The screen was filled with a close-up of Lee Sang-man holding a sashimi knife. His hand was trembling slightly. The audience felt as if the sashimi knife was pointed right in front of their own eyes.
[“You have the eyes of a snitch. You’re a snitch, aren’t you?”]
Thanks to that.
“!!!”
The pupils of the audience members dilated violently. Dozens covered their mouths. Lee Sang-man’s gaze, his breathing, ensnared everyone. It was a disgusting yet irresistible feeling. Director Shin Dong-chun judged the current Lee Sang-man on behalf of everyone.
‘Such smooth changes are hard to express. You have to maintain the original self while showing its transformation, ensuring the audience does not feel alienated but is gently soothed.’
That was the point of the unbreakable attraction. In other words, a technique that wholly relies on the actor’s performance.
‘It’s possible because it’s Woojin~ssi, and even though I haven’t seen it, he must have pulled it off quite effortlessly.’
As ‘Drug Dealer’ continued to be screened, the popularity of the character ‘Lee Sang-man’ could only increase. As evidence, the name Kang Woojin was invariably mentioned by the audience leaving the cinema.
Around this time, new movements began to emerge.
From acting academies to theater groups or university acting departments.
“Everyone, please watch ‘Drug Dealer’ before the next class. Your assignment is to closely observe the performances of the actors who appeared and write your thoughts on how you would have approached the role. I’ve already seen it, and it will be helpful.”
“Professor! All the actors who appeared??”
“It’s up to you which actor to focus on. But you’ll probably notice Kang Woojin’s performance.”
“Ah- Kang Woojin.”
“Well, he’s the closest to your goals, isn’t he?”
For aspiring actors, Kang Woojin had become a goal. In a way, Kang Woojin was paving a sensational shortcut in the domestic acting scene.
“Everyone knows there’s a lot of talk about Kang Woojin these days. ‘Turning the domestic entertainment industry upside down right from the debut.’ See, it’s possible? There’s living proof in Kang Woojin.”
Role model. If you want to be an actor, you need to have an impact like Kang Woojin. That was the thought of most aspiring actors.
And so, they flocked to the cinemas.
Then, as the 29th turned into the 30th, the second day performance of ‘Drug Dealer’ was announced.
[October 29, 2020, Audience Count Inquiry]
[Daily Domestic Box Office]
1. Drug Dealer/ Release Date: October 28/ Audience: 339,166/ Screens: 1002 / Cumulative Audience: 590,115
2. Monster Priest/ Release Date: October 28/ Audience: 110,452/ Screens: 998 / Cumulative Audience: 198,995
3. Crazy Sunshine/ Release Date: October 1/ Audience: 30,113/ Screens: 1011 / Cumulative Audience: 3,344,063
4. The Suspect’s Nature/ Release Date: September 23/ Audience: 8,808/ Screens: 881 / Cumulative Audience: 2,010,261
.
.
.
Still dominating. Even more, the audience count had significantly increased from the day before. The aggro pulled by Kang Woojin and word of mouth played a role.
But as if unstoppable.
『‘Drug Dealer’ surpasses 590,000 in just two days… Becoming the greatest hit among adult-only films?』
The ‘Drug Dealer’ side frenziedly spread follow-up articles. Of course, the movement of the media voluntarily spreading the news was also significant.
Not only that.
-Ah… I sh*t my pants watching this movie… Time flew by+guaranteed fun! [Drug Dealer Review] | R Movie
Including Youtube, various video platforms were flooded with ‘Drug Dealer’. Intended promotion and the greed for views coalesced, forming a certain current.
But naturally, as the momentum rises, various nonsense starts to emerge.
So, gradually.
『With the storm ‘Drug Dealer’ caused upon its release, audiences coming out of the movie ask ‘Did Kang Woojin actually do drugs?’』
『[Issue Pick] ‘Drug Dealer’s early success spuriously spreads ‘Kang Woojin’s drug rumor’』
『Netizens in movie communities on Kang Woojin’s insane acting: ‘Please test him for drug use’』
In colloquial terms, such bullshit also swelled in size. The sources were varied.
A multitude of netizens.
-I found this movie fucking disgusting ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Articles about Kang Woojin’s drug rumors are out, is it true??
-↑That’s just gossip, moron
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋbut you never know ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋit’d be hilarious if they tested and he actually tested positive for drugs ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Just leave it, it will deflate on its own, why is everyone overreacting???
-Adult-only movies usually spike at the beginning and then gradually decline
-I saw ‘Drug Dealer’ and Kang Woojin definitely has experience ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-So many idiots here about to get sued ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
·
·
·
·
Media that stakes its life on clicks, film companies that produced ‘Drug Dealer’s competitors, etc.
“No!! How can our ‘Monster Priest’ be losing to an adult-only movie?!”
“Uh, we’re also quite perplexed. Honestly, we expected to be overshadowed on the first day due to Kang Woojin among other issues, but we didn’t anticipate it would continue to perform this strongly on the second day…”
“It’s not perplexity we need, but solutions! At this rate, we won’t even make enough to cover the cost of cigarettes!”
“Yes, yes. We’ve already talked to the distribution side and increased the planned promotion more than twice. The same goes for the actors’ schedules.”
“We have to do whatever it takes, anything!”
“But, ‘Drug Dealer’ will soon lose its momentum. Adult-only movies have their limits, so let’s just wait until this weekend.”
Amidst this, another day passed, and it was a bright Friday, the 30th.
Movies usually premiere on Wednesday or Thursday. And there was a saying in the movie industry, “Wednesday, Thursday are just appetizers. The real game starts from Friday of that week.”
『[Movie Talk] ‘Drug Dealer’s solo dominance, competitors must close the gap today, on Friday』
The reason was obvious compared to Wednesday and Thursday.
『Targeting the golden time on Friday, a heated promotional war among movies other than ‘Drug Dealer’』
『[Issue Pick] From teenagers to families… Instead of the adult-only ‘Drug Dealer’, let’s go watch ‘Monster Priest’』
Friday’s firepower was immense.
The next day, Saturday, the 31st, in Da Nang, Vietnam.
It was morning. The last day of October had dawned. Once today passed, November would arrive. While Korea was beginning to feel the cool breeze, Vietnam was still hot.
Thanks to that.
-Zzing.
The air conditioner was quietly operating in the room where Kang Woojin was sleeping in the bed.
Around that time.
-♬♪
The phone placed beside Woojin’s head rang. It was an alarm. With the vibration and sound together, the previously sleeping Kang Woojin suddenly opened his eyes wide.
“······Ugh. Still so tired. Ugh!”
Groaning as he stretched out, Kang Woojin looked like a complete shut-in with his hair all pressed down. He really wanted to turn off the alarm and laze around in bed some more, but that wasn’t an option.
‘Standby at 11, right?’
Today, the shooting for ‘Island of the Missing’ was scheduled unusually early. Not just Kang Woojin, but all the main actors appearing in ‘Island of the Missing’ were to gather at the same time.
In other words, a group shot.
It wouldn’t make sense for Kang Woojin, the newcomer, to be late when everyone was gathering for the first time in a while. Yawning widely, Kang Woojin picked up his phone and climbed out of bed.
At that moment.
-Vrrrr.
The phone in his hand vibrated briefly. It was a message. Looking at the screen, the sender was Seo Hyun-mi. In other words, Kang Woojin’s mother.
-Mom: Woojin, I saw the article. Congratulations! Your dad is really happy too. Are you doing well? Make sure to eat.
Woojin tilted his head after checking the content.
“Congratulations all of a sudden?”
Well, there had been many occasions to be congratulated recently, but was there also one today? Woojin was about to reply to his mom when he realized there were many unread messages.
“Wow.”
There were dozens of them. Various people had sent their congratulations. Then.
-Vrrrr.
Another message arrived. This time it was from Director Kim Do-hee. Interestingly, her message consisted only of a link to an article. Below it was a preview of the article. Kang Woojin’s eyes widened as he saw the title.
“Crazy, 1 million??!”
Naturally.
『[Movie Media] Breaks through 1 million in just 3 days! ‘Drug Dealer’s stellar performances lead to an explosion in audience numbers, making history for adult-only movies in Korean cinema?』
It was the first time he had witnessed an audience count of 1 million.
*****
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