Ryu Jungmin couldn't take his eyes off Kang Woojin.
"..."
At first, it was because he had mistaken Woojin for a manager. But now that first impression had been completely buried beneath Woojin's overwhelming acting ability.
That acting… what the hell is he doing? Is he showing off? How can that possibly be called restrained acting?
The male lead of Profiler Hanryang was Ryu Jungmin.
But at this moment, the true star of the script reading was Kang Woojin.
Not just Ryu Jungmin.
Every actor was staring fixedly at Kang Woojin.
The meaning in their eyes had changed.
From:
Who are you?
To:
What the hell are you?
Naturally, the people from the entertainment industry scattered around the large hall were thinking the same thing.
Among them was Choi Sunggeon, CEO of BW Entertainment, Hong Hyeyeon's agency.
He was also the hidden investor behind the short film The Private Investigator.
He had arrived separately with Hong Hyeyeon and was seated on a folding chair near the entrance.
At that moment, Choi Sunggeon was speechless.
"…How did he lock onto the emotion that quickly? Why is the emotional transition so fast?"
Of course, it was all because of Kang Woojin.
He was the unknown actor suddenly cast by Song Manwoo PD and writer Park Eunmi.
The very actor Hong Hyeyeon had taken interest in.
To be honest, Kang Woojin's first impression on Choi Sunggeon had been simple.
He seems decent enough.
But now things were different.
The moment Choi Sunggeon saw Woojin perform as Assistant Manager Park, his mind went blank.
He couldn't even process what he was seeing.
He wasn't even sure he was qualified to evaluate the actor in front of him.
I've never seen acting like that before.
How much analysis and practice would it take to act like that?
Or rather—
Could practice alone even reach that level?
At this point, Kang Woojin no longer seemed like someone who could be judged by the usual standards used for actors.
He was simply Assistant Manager Park.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Then Assistant Manager Park's expression changed.
The deep eyes that had once been filled with pleasure now curved into a calculating smile.
For some reason, his face resembled that of a child.
Like a character from a twisted fairy tale.
Calculated innocence.
Then, as if holding something in his arms, he murmured softly.
"So cute. So fluffy. I want to burst you."
Assistant Manager Park slowly turned his head and looked around.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on him.
The fingers holding that invisible object trembled slightly.
It wasn't fear.
He was just too thrilled.
Watching this, CEO Choi Sunggeon unconsciously stood up.
…A sociopathic bastard who refuses to let go of pleasure even when it's right in front of him.
Interesting.
Assistant Manager Park was enjoying himself.
Delighting in destroying something right in front of everyone.
At that moment, no one in the hall doubted it.
The man standing before them really was Assistant Manager Park.
They couldn't doubt it.
This wasn't simply reading lines from the script.
Kang Woojin's acting was fluid and precise.
There wasn't even the slightest hint of awkwardness.
And that single murmured line?
Choi Sunggeon could only stare in awe.
A single line reveals an entire personality.
Enchanting.
That was the word.
Then suddenly, Choi Sunggeon realized something.
Wait.
He was told to keep it moderate.
The key direction Song Manwoo PD had given Woojin was:
Moderate.
That one word would determine the overall tone of the drama.
Which meant—
Everything Woojin had shown just now counted as moderate.
The realization stunned Choi Sunggeon.
Yet Kang Woojin, having just finished the first half of Assistant Manager Park's scene, wore an even colder expression.
No.
If anything, it looked absurdly innocent.
As if the performance he had just given had been too light.
What shocked him even more was this.
Assistant Manager Park's presence disappeared the moment the acting ended.
The expression was the same.
But the eyes were completely different.
Can someone switch emotions that quickly?
The speed at which Kang Woojin immersed himself in a role—and then slipped back out—was unbelievable.
Even for Choi Sunggeon, who had spent more than ten years in the acting world, it was something he had never seen before.
Maybe…
That really was moderate.
And he accepted it.
Yes.
He had said he didn't know what was happening.
But that monster had remained absurdly calm through everything.
If he hadn't been calm, that level of composure could never have appeared.
That was how Kang Woojin overwhelmed everyone in the hall.
Whether their expectations had been high or low, Woojin shattered them all with a single "moderate" performance.
The proof was simple.
More than a hundred people—including actors—were completely speechless.
"..."
"..."
At some point, everyone's gaze settled on Kang Woojin.
He sat there quietly with the same indifferent expression.
Ah…
So that's why he was sitting like that.
Meanwhile, Kang Woojin was thinking something entirely different.
Whew… that was rough.
Acting while sitting down is seriously not easy.
Under the gaze of nearly a hundred people, he felt like he was sitting on a bed of nails.
And why does it feel like they're glaring at me?
Was my acting that bad?
No way.
Anyway, my turn's over.
Why isn't this moving on?
Do I just wait?
For a moment, he felt like running away.
But Kang Woojin didn't show any of it.
He kept his face calm.
His tension was still maxed out, but he clung to that composed exterior and waited for time to pass.
For male lead Ryu Jungmin, the shock was even greater.
His face had turned pale.
How can he be that calm?
Was it really nothing to him?
A veteran actor with over thirty years of experience sat beside him.
The veteran lightly tapped Ryu Jungmin's shoulder.
Thud.
Then he whispered quietly.
"Don't lose your head."
"…Excuse me?"
The veteran tilted his chin slightly toward Kang Woojin sitting across from them.
"He captivated everyone with a single performance and controlled the flow however he wanted. He's not a rookie. He has experience. A lot of it."
At that moment, Kang Woojin's face was burned into the minds of every actor in the hall.
"Where the hell did a monster like that come from? Pull yourself together. If you don't, his acting will swallow you alive."
"..."
As an extraordinary—
and bizarre—
actor.
Then the script reading moved on.
The second part of Profiler Hanryang began.
Kang Woojin's view changed.
The reading room disappeared.
Woojin—
no, Assistant Manager Park—
was walking down the street licking an ice cream.
His clothes were casual, like someone who had just stepped out of his house.
The place he arrived at was the police station near his home.
Screech.
With the last bit of ice cream still in his mouth, Assistant Manager Park casually opened the station door.
The police officers inside were busy.
No one paid him any attention.
After a moment, Assistant Manager Park tilted his head and knocked on the open door.
Knock knock.
One officer noticed him.
"How can I help you?"
Assistant Manager Park replied calmly.
"I came to turn myself in."
At that moment, Song Manwoo PD changed the scene.
"Inside the interrogation room, Yoo Jihyung and Assistant Manager Park are sitting across from each other."
As soon as the words ended, Assistant Manager Park looked at Ryu Jungmin.
In other words—
Yoo Jihyung.
Assistant Manager Park's expression was strange.
Somewhere between a smile and indifference.
But faint madness flickered in his deep eyes.
Reflected in those eyes—
was Yoo Jihyung himself.
The conversation began with Assistant Manager Park.
"You look angry."
Before saying his lines, Ryu Jungmin stared at Assistant Manager Park sitting across from him and muttered quietly.
"He's not even looking at the script. Or does he not need to? If he can play Assistant Manager Park this well, he must have analyzed the script down to the last detail."
Still trapped in his misunderstanding, he answered in Yoo Jihyung's irritated tone.
"I'm not angry. I'm excited. The infamous serial killer is sitting right in front of me."
"Infamous, huh. Right. I was infamous once."
Assistant Manager Park rolled his eyes as if remembering the past.
Then he lowered his head and examined his handcuffed hands.
"They're sturdier than I expected. Kinda hurts."
Yoo Jihyung stroked his chin.
"You seem comfortable. Aren't you scared? This is an interrogation room. There are cops outside."
"I know. They're probably behind that mirror too."
"Good."
"But surprisingly, I'm not scared."
Yoo Jihyung suddenly asked,
"You're a psychopath, aren't you?"
Assistant Manager Park answered with a question of his own.
"Are you a profiler?"
"Mm. Somehow I got dragged into this annoying job."
"Then I suppose you'll do whatever it takes. I look forward to it."
Yoo Jihyung sighed irritably but carefully observed every small movement Assistant Manager Park made.
"Why did you confess? If you'd kept living like before, this case would've stayed unsolved forever. For someone like you, that would've been a medal."
Assistant Manager Park clasped his hands together.
He stared at Yoo Jihyung.
Then tilted his head.
"How many?"
"What?"
"The people I killed."
"…Four. If you really are the serial killer."
"You're probably right."
"Why did you turn yourself in?"
The question came again.
Assistant Manager Park grinned.
He was holding back laughter.
Because everything was unfolding exactly the way he wanted.
At this moment—
he was the protagonist.
"Because I'm angry."
"Angry at what?"
"Do you know why? Because I hate being misunderstood."
Yoo Jihyung opened the file he had brought.
"What misunderstanding? You killed four people in the past and now you've returned with another murder."
Assistant Manager Park narrowed his eyes.
He pointed at the file.
His voice carried a clear threat.
"That's why I turned myself in. Someone copied my masterpiece. It's a fake."
"…A copycat?"
"Yes. And a very sloppy one too. Didn't the police notice anything strange?"
"The method was the same as yours?"
Assistant Manager Park smirked and leaned forward slightly.
"Mr. Profiler. Do you know why adults tell children not to watch violent movies?"
"Because they imitate them."
"Exactly. And the person who died this time wasn't killed by me. There's a real criminal out there impersonating me."
"..."
"You don't believe me? Look into it and you'll see. I have a perfect alibi. Ah—what? You haven't checked yet?"
As if finished speaking, Assistant Manager Park leaned back in his chair.
"That's why I turned myself in. To prove that I didn't kill him."
Yoo Jihyung crossed his arms.
"There's another real criminal?"
A serial killer had surrendered—
while claiming innocence.
Several hours later.
The script reading ended.
It had started early in the morning and finished in the afternoon.
But the heat inside the large hall hadn't faded.
Then Song Manwoo PD spoke.
"Great work today! We've prepared a big after-party in two hours, so enjoy yourselves! Of course, if you'd rather rest, feel free to relax in your rooms!"
As soon as he finished speaking, several actors stood up hesitantly.
Many of them kept glancing toward Kang Woojin.
Even the actors leaving the hall kept sneaking looks at him.
Everyone kept stealing glances at Kang Woojin.
He still sat there with a blank expression.
Naturally, the remaining actors were no different.
Their perception of him had changed completely since the start.
And whispers filled the hall.
"Wasn't his acting creepy?"
"Yeah. He really was Assistant Manager Park. It felt like the writer built the character around him."
"It's been a long time since I felt that kind of shock. But… doesn't he seem hard to approach?"
"I agree. After seeing that performance, his expressionless face makes him intimidating."
"But where did they even find him? Theater?"
Because Woojin still carried a cold air, the actors decided not to approach him yet.
Especially after seeing that performance.
"Maybe he's still coming down from the role. The atmosphere around him feels heavy."
"That makes sense. After watching that acting, I honestly feel like he needs to be careful not to become antisocial."
"In Hollywood, actors sometimes get into trouble after going that deep."
"Dangerous."
They were completely wrong.
The expressionless Kang Woojin was thinking something else.
Maybe I'm this tense because I've been nervous the whole time.
I'm starving.
I need to eat a ton of meat at the after-party.
But I should hold back on alcohol.
If the mask slips, I'm dead.
I hope it's beef.
He was also carefully timing when to stand up.
Looks like everyone's leaving.
Should I get up too?
No… maybe wait a little.
There are still quite a few people here.
Woojin's serious expression created a heavy atmosphere.
But in reality—
he was just desperately craving beef.
The dozens of people remaining in the hall could only watch him like someone in an extremely sensitive state.
Industry insiders, reporters, actors including Hong Hyeyeon and Ryu Jungmin, and the Profiler Hanryang staff were still present.
Right then—
Tap tap.
Someone lightly tapped Kang Woojin's shoulder.
When he turned around, about six people were standing there.
Two of them held cameras mounted on gimbals.
The woman in front smiled awkwardly.
"Hello, Mr. Woojin. We're from the production staff."
Production staff?
Ah, right.
I saw this on YouTube.
So this is how they film it.
At that moment, even more attention in the hall shifted toward Woojin.
Actors and staff who had been about to leave stopped walking.
Woojin answered calmly.
"Yes, hello."
"You must be tired, but we'd like to ask you a few questions."
Tired from what?
They're interviewing me too?
Ah… now I'm nervous.
Woojin nodded.
"Understood."
The woman smiled brightly.
"I really enjoyed your acting! I heard the role of Assistant Manager Park is extremely difficult. But the way you portrayed him felt incredibly real. How much analysis and practice did it take? It must've taken a long time just to understand the hidden meaning of the lines."
At that moment, writer Park Eunmi removed her headband and tapped Song Manwoo PD's shoulder.
"PD-nim, shouldn't we stop this? Didn't Woojin say he wouldn't appear in the making-of video? Knowing his personality, he might just say something like 'It wasn't difficult.'"
But Song Manwoo stroked his beard calmly.
"That's the same question they ask the other actors. If we cut only that part, it'll look strange. Besides, that's part of his charm. Confidence backed by real skill."
"But reporters are here."
"It's fine. They can only report what happened during the script reading. And it's a good chance to establish Kang Woojin's image. Every industry insider here will be completely fascinated by him."
"But still…"
Song Manwoo PD reassured her.
"It's fine. There are plenty of people here. Even if Woojin doesn't care about other people's opinions, he'll still answer appropriately."
Meanwhile, Kang Woojin thought carefully.
Analysis? Practice? Hidden meaning?
Sounds like I need a professional answer.
The hall was full of top actors.
If I answer vaguely, I'll get exposed.
If I sound sloppy, people might start doubting the image I've built.
I should smooth this over properly.
With the same indifferent expression, Woojin gave a short answer.
"The script was excellent."
Writer Park Eunmi was slightly moved.
"Oh my… that smoothly?"
The production staff member laughed and asked another question.
"Ahaha, I see. Yes, the script really is incredible. Mr. Woojin, you suddenly appeared like a comet. Did you perhaps train in theater?"
At that moment, the actors—including Ryu Jungmin—and the industry insiders all focused their attention.
Kang Woojin's reply was extremely short.
"No. I'm self-taught."
Everyone still remaining in the hall blinked in surprise.