The moment Director Woo Hyungoo saw the headline with his name on it, his eyes went bloodshot and nearly bulsted from their sockets.
"What—this article just came out?!"
He was so shaken he started stammering.
Not a trace of his usual arrogance remained.
Across from him, Director Kwon Gitaek stood with his arms crossed, calm from start to finish.
"It looks like it was only just published."
"What the hell are those reporters doing?!!"
Director Woo Hyungoo's voice was laced with both despair and rage.
His graying hair and sparse brows trembled as he hurriedly checked the article itself.
The headline was already disgusting enough.
But the contents were even worse.
Starting with sexual harassment, it listed multiple similar crimes.
And there wasn't just one victim.
It even included fairly specific accounts.
Every accusation pointed directly at Director Woo Hyungoo.
It was far too concrete to dismiss as mere rumor.
And on top of that—
"…A YouTuber's exposé?"
The source was clear.
According to the article, a YouTuber with nearly a million subscribers had exposed the shocking truth.
Right then—
Swoosh.
Director Kwon Gitaek calmly took his phone back from the bewildered Woo Hyungoo, stood up, and headed for the door.
Then he paused briefly.
"I told you earlier, didn't I?"
"You won't be able to sit in that seat for quite a while."
Glancing back at the dazed Woo Hyungoo, Director Kwon Gitaek muttered quietly,
"This isn't just a temporary punishment."
"This sin will probably follow you for the rest of your life."
"But you need to pay for your crimes."
"Watch yourself."
"And repent."
Director Kwon Gitaek left the room.
Whether he was there or gone no longer mattered.
Director Woo Hyungoo just stared blankly into space.
About ten seconds passed.
Then he suddenly pulled out his phone, opened YouTube, and searched for the channel mentioned in the article.
The funny part was—
"This is… insane."
He didn't even need to search.
The video was already sitting at the top of the real-time trending list.
Shocking!! Director Woo Hyungoo's filthy hidden true nature! Was sexual harassment like a drug to him?! All victims broke down in tears
Issue King TV
303,128 views / March 23, 2020
It had only been uploaded an hour ago.
And it had already passed 300,000 views.
It would easily break a million before the day was over.
Director Woo Hyungoo had fallen from master Director to outright villain.
The life and reputation he had built over decades were collapsing in an instant.
There was no way he could take that calmly.
"…Ah. Wait. Something's wrong."
Just as Director Woo Hyungoo raised a trembling hand toward the video—
♫♪!!
A loud ringtone exploded from his phone.
A call.
Naturally, it was from Box Movie, the production company currently contracted with him.
At that moment, Woo Hyungoo's thoughts stopped completely.
But the phone kept hounding him.
The moment the ringing stopped—
♫♪, ♬♪, ♬♪!
Text messages and chat notifications started pouring in nonstop.
Director Woo Hyungoo stared at the phone, then flung it away as if it were contaminated.
But the notification sounds still didn't stop.
♫♪, ♬♪, ♬♪, ♬♪!
Shivering as if from the cold, Director Woo Hyungoo muttered under his breath,
"…Damn it. I'm finished."
It sounded like a death sentence.
Meanwhile—
At around the same time, Kang Woojin was at a studio, waiting for filming to begin.
Of course, he wasn't alone.
All the lead actors of Profiler Hanryang had gathered there too.
The studio looked almost like a movie theater.
Several chairs had been arranged at the center of the stage.
The lead actors—including Ryu Jungmin in a trench coat and Hong Hyeyeon with her long hair elegantly tied back—were seated there.
And at the very end—
"…."
Kang Woojin, who played Assistant Manager Park, sat quietly in his chair.
His hair and makeup were flawlessly done.
He wore a sleek blue jacket.
Despite being surrounded by top stars, he didn't look out of place at all.
That was because today, he wasn't Assistant Manager Park.
He was actor Kang Woojin.
That striking transformation had already drawn the eyes of the stars seated in front.
Well, except for Hong Hyeyeon.
Ryu Jungmin, seated near the front, stood out just as much.
To match the male lead Yoo Jihyung, he had changed his long hair into a soft baby perm.
He didn't look bad before, but with proper styling, his visuals are on another level.
The lead actors, including Jang Taesan and Lee Dojeong, kept sneaking glances at Kang Woojin.
This was the first time they had met in an official setting since the shocking script reading.
Kang Woojin still gave off that same mysterious aura.
And he wasn't particularly close to any of the other actors.
The mood's tense again today.
Just how many faces does that guy have? Once he loses Assistant Manager Park's vibe and gets styled up, he looks like a completely different person.
Seriously, he looks nothing like he did when he was acting as Assistant Manager Park.
On top of that, the phrase self-taught and Kang Woojin's acting had been deeply etched into everyone's mind.
So after the script reading, all the actors had thrown themselves into practice with renewed passion.
That momentum had lasted until now.
As a result, the atmosphere wasn't exactly bright.
It was awkward.
For his part, Woojin wore a solemn expression, like a general on the eve of battle.
His unmoving face gave off the impression of absolute composure.
At least, that was how everyone else saw it.
Ah, I need to fart.
Should I have gone to the bathroom before coming?
Right now, Kang Woojin's stomach just felt a little uncomfortable.
He badly needed to let one out.
But he couldn't.
So he turned that strange tension into part of his persona and quietly clenched.
Anyway, the reason they had all gathered was simple.
They were filming actor interviews to be used once the drama officially aired.
The format was similar to a teaser shoot.
Among the dozens of staff watching the actors onstage, a few started whispering.
"Is Kang Woojin taking part in the interview too?"
"They said they're filming material for after the first broadcast."
"They're interviewing all four villains, including Woojin."
"Today, though, it's just Woojin."
"Ah, I see."
"But hasn't Woojin changed a lot? During the script reading he felt like Assistant Manager Park, but now he just looks like an actor."
"I thought he was more handsome than I expected earlier."
"Right?"
"I was really surprised when I saw him too."
Right then—
Swoosh.
Song Manwoo PD, beard and all, entered the studio after finishing a phone call outside.
He motioned for the passing staff to hurry up and walked toward the main stage.
Then he stopped.
"Hm."
Among the sea of staff, he spotted a familiar man and approached him.
"You must be proud."
"You've got two actors sitting there."
"And both of them are core figures in our drama."
CEO Choi Sunggeon smiled at Song Manwoo PD.
"Well, both of them have unusual personalities."
"I'm expecting a lot of trouble down the line."
"That special quality isn't just because of their personalities, is it?"
"Hahaha, true."
"I've got especially high expectations for Woojin."
"Same here."
"I'm curious how far he'll go."
"But was it really the final goal for Woojin to turn down Director Woo Hyungoo's project?"
"Yes. It's done."
"Honestly, I never imagined I'd spend my life turning Director Woo Hyungoo down."
"He's the kind of person who senses everything instinctively."
"But what can I do? Woojin's just too stubborn."
At the word instinctively, Song Manwoo PD chuckled.
The word totem came to mind.
"I'm looking forward to that part too."
"Hm? What do you mean?"
"Nothing."
"I'm just talking to myself."
Just then, the staff around them began buzzing louder and louder.
Song Manwoo PD frowned and called over the assistant director.
"What is it?"
"Why's it so noisy?"
The assistant director, who had been staring at his phone, hurried over.
He looked startled.
Then he showed the screen to Song Manwoo PD.
"I just saw this article, and it's unbelievable."
Tilting their heads, Song Manwoo PD and Choi Sunggeon looked at the phone.
The title was brutally provocative.
『[Exclusive] The ugly truth hidden behind Master Director Woo Hyungoo's reputation… The filthy hands of a Director exposed by a YouTuber with 900,000 subscribers』
Song Manwoo PD frowned, then snatched the phone and began reading the article carefully.
Choi Sunggeon, whose face had turned serious, read along beside him.
Soon, both men realized how bad the situation really was.
"This person is… Director Woo Hyungoo."
"This is really that Director Woo Hyungoo?"
The article made one thing clear.
The fall of master Director Woo Hyungoo had effectively been confirmed.
And it had all happened overnight.
"What the hell happened all of a sudden?"
"Exactly."
"It's so sudden, but… this doesn't look like baseless gossip."
"Are there more articles?"
Song Manwoo PD immediately checked.
It didn't take long to see that stories about Woo Hyungoo were spreading rapidly across the entire entertainment press.
The hyena-like reporters had smelled prey.
Nuclear bombs were raining down one after another on Woo Hyungoo's life.
And then—
"!!!"
Song Manwoo PD's eyes widened.
"Wait a second."
"If that's what happened…"
"…What?"
Choi Sunggeon, who had asked the question, reached the same realization.
"Oh."
Soon, both men turned their heads at the same time.
They looked toward the stage.
More precisely—
they looked at Kang Woojin.
"Totem."
"That instinct."
There he sat, perfectly composed, secretly holding in a fart.
It was exactly the kind of situation that invited misunderstanding.
In the end, the monster actor's instinct had once again turned out to be eerily accurate.
Song Manwoo PD and Choi Sunggeon were shaken to the core.
This is way beyond some silly totem superstition, isn't it?
Did he see the future?
What the hell is that guy?
Did he receive some kind of divine revelation?
He predicted this by instinct? Is that even possible?
Before long, the news reached the actors onstage as well.
It started with Jang Taesan, who had been sitting cross-legged while looking at his phone.
"Huh? What's this?"
"Wow, that's insane. Director Woo Hyungoo is finished?"
His muttering drew the attention of Ryu Jungmin, Hong Hyeyeon, and the others.
But until the very end, Kang Woojin didn't move an inch.
He maintained a solemn face, as though he were completely detached from worldly affairs.
Inside, however, he felt very differently.
What is it?
What happened?
Ah, I'm dying to know.
The other actors who checked the news covered their mouths or stared in disbelief.
"This is crazy… Is it real??"
"I always thought Woo Hyungoo would get hit with something like this someday."
"He's a pervert."
"Even so, he crossed the line."
"Isn't he basically a criminal now?"
"How can someone in modern society do something this absurd?"
"The article is incredibly detailed."
"There are a lot of victims."
"Wow, it's over for Director Woo Hyungoo and Box Movie."
"They already started building the set, and investors were involved too."
"Woo Hyungoo is done."
"If it ends like this, the price he pays is going to be enormous."
Everyone reacted in their own way.
But all the talk centered on Director Woo Hyungoo.
No one paid attention to Kang Woojin sitting at the end.
Except one person.
"…?"
Only Hong Hyeyeon turned to look at him.
He said it was intuition, right?
But how can it be this exact?
Did he know from the beginning? Otherwise there's no explanation…
Her already large eyes widened even more.
Sensing her gaze, Kang Woojin slowly turned to meet her eyes.
His expression didn't change.
Seeing that steady gaze, Hong Hyeyeon furrowed her brows.
It's strange how calm he is in a situation like this.
Who exactly are you?
Outwardly, Kang Woojin remained expressionless.
Inside, though, he was a little flustered.
...Did she notice?
I stayed really quiet, though.
He was worried she might have caught on that he had been secretly holding in a fart.
Later—
About an hour after Kang Woojin's interview shoot began, articles about Director Woo Hyungoo started appearing on multiple portal sites.
『[Breaking] YouTuber exposes the ugly truth of Master Director Woo Hyungoo… video views exploding』
『More than five victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and intimidation rock the film industry… Master Woo Hyungoo remains silent』
One by one, the man's ugly deeds were being exposed in detailed articles.
It was only a matter of time before the public spread them everywhere with sharp tongues and quick fingers.
Director Woo Hyungoo remained silent.
But his ruin already looked certain.
While the entire world boiled over with news about him—
by late afternoon, Kang Woojin's interview shoot had wrapped up.
Even while cleaning up, the dozens of staff members kept talking about Woo Hyungoo.
The actors who hadn't left yet were still gathered together.
At that moment, Hong Hyeyeon suddenly stood up.
Swoosh.
She walked right over to Kang Woojin, who had just risen from his chair.
A pleasant scent drifted around her.
His expression did not change in the slightest.
In a low voice, she whispered,
"You knew, didn't you?"
"What?"
"Director Woo Hyungoo."
"You knew, didn't you?"
Ah, that.
By now, Kang Woojin had already heard what happened to Woo Hyungoo.
Unlike everyone else, though, his reaction hadn't been especially dramatic.
His only thought had been:
So that's why he was F-grade.
He had already been given a hint about the future.
Of course, inwardly, he cursed the Director as complete trash.
But there was no way he could say that out loud.
Honestly, Kang Woojin had never expected an F-grade Director to cause this much chaos.
He had only assumed the audience numbers would collapse.
Even if it had happened for some other reason, he had expected it to explode into a much bigger problem later.
At the very least, I thought the film would still get released.
A few months later, people's memories might have faded enough to give him some room to dodge it.
But instead, the scandal had detonated far sooner than expected.
I'd be shocked too.
My intuition must look like future prediction right now.
Ah, does it really look like that?
Anyway, as Kang Woojin looked at Hong Hyeyeon, he maintained his cynical demeanor and thought it through.
But really, it wasn't that big a deal.
He could get through this too.
There was no evidence.
And without evidence, what could anyone prove?
At this point, it seemed obvious that the word intuition would keep following him around.
If so, he just had to make it sound convincing.
Even then, though, he felt a little uneasy.
Hong Hyeyeon, still standing close, asked again.
The pleasant scent around her seemed even stronger now.
"You said you turned down Director Woo Hyungoo because of intuition."
"But it fits too perfectly."
Control your expression first.
Calm down.
After a quick round of self-discipline, Woojin gave the answer he had prepared.
"It's just a coincidence."
"…A coincidence?"
"Yes."
"A coincidence."
Hong Hyeyeon only looked more serious.
"So you turned down Director Woo Hyungoo on intuition, and it just happened to line up this perfectly with everything blowing up?"
"That's what happened."
"No, that doesn't make sense…"
"But why are you so calm?"
"Should I be happy?"
Right then, Choi Sunggeon came hurrying up onto the stage.
His eyes were wide like a rabbit's.
He moved in close on Woojin's other side.
"Woojin, explain Director Woo Hyungoo to me."
"It's just a coincidence."
"Ah, right?"
"Of course it has to be coincidence."
"But the timing's way too perfect."
Choi Sunggeon stopped talking and stared at Kang Woojin's face.
There wasn't the slightest tremor in it.
It couldn't be a lie.
No—
it had to be coincidence.
It absolutely had to be.
Because if not—
I'd rather believe he was an alien.
It was getting hard to see him as human.
Still, his intuition really is unbelievable, isn't it?
And even Director Woo Hyungoo didn't see it coming?
It's like a monster's instincts…
But why is he so calm?
From behind the stage, there was one more person staring at Kang Woojin wedged between Hong Hyeyeon and Choi Sunggeon.
It's probably coincidence.
How could everything line up this perfectly?
The real problem is that his intuition predicted the situation so exactly.
It was Song Manwoo PD.
To him, Kang Woojin was already an anomaly.
A monster actor with an opaque past.
Totem… honestly, half of that was a joke.
But at this point, coincidence or not, it almost feels like divine intervention.
Muttering to himself, Song Manwoo PD took a step forward.
He was about to approach Kang Woojin.
But then—
Whip.
At that very instant, Kang Woojin and Song Manwoo PD's eyes met.
Only then did Woojin realize Song Manwoo PD was nearby.
Ah, no way.
Is that ajusshi going to join in too?
Please, just hold back.
Song Manwoo PD stopped in place.
From Kang Woojin's cold, expressionless face, he sensed something.
He's unbelievably calm.
As if something like this means absolutely nothing to him.
As if this kind of thing is routine for that eccentric bastard.
No one there knew it.
But inside that massive studio—
errors and misunderstandings were running wild.
And they always seemed to gather around Kang Woojin.