An unexpected rush of emotion.
Standing in front of the reading room door, Hwarin felt her heart pounding uncontrollably and froze in place, caught completely off guard.
'Seeing him right in front of me feels far more overwhelming than I imagined…'
It was because of Kang Woojin's acting. When she joined the one-act drama Boy Friend, she had been thrilled. Not simply because she would be working with a fellow actor, but because she would appear in the same project as someone she admired as a fan.
At least, that had been true until today.
Inside this reading room, everything changed. The overwhelming force Woojin displayed while playing Han Inho right in front of her was simply too much.
'I expected it… but I didn't think I'd collapse in just a few seconds.'
Her fangirl devotion had started with Kang Woojin's acting. Having already seen his work, Hwarin had come fully prepared. But faced with that intense gaze, she crumbled without resistance. How could she not? No matter how devoted a fan she was, how could anyone resist eyes like that? On top of it all, Kang Woojin's acting felt vividly alive.
'For a moment, it felt like everything around me turned into a cherry blossom festival.'
At that moment, Hwarin was no longer a top singer or actress. She was simply a fragile girl who had become an avid fan. Since debuting, she had never experienced anything like this before, so she did not know how to handle it. Even the feeling of having a fan's heart was unfamiliar, and becoming a devoted fan had happened far too suddenly.
Thud.
She brushed her long hair back and gently patted her trembling chest.
'If just his eyes affect me this much… how am I supposed to handle the kissing scene?'
She questioned herself. And it was not a light scene either. It was intense. What she felt now was completely different from when Director Shin Dongchun first explained it. The difficulty had multiplied several times over.
For a moment, her strength drained away.
'Would it be okay if we toned it down a bit on the day of filming?'
But she quickly steadied herself.
'No. The more scared I am, the stronger I have to be.'
Since debuting as a girl group member, Hwarin had endured countless hardships. What she learned from those experiences was simple: the more fear she felt, the more directly she had to face it.
And besides—
'I'd rather die than become a burden to Woojin.'
Hwarin wanted to show Kang Woojin only her best side. She hated the thought of appearing weak in front of him. Right. I can do this. I'm an actress too. It will be hard, but I'll overcome it the same way.
She slowly began gathering the pieces of her shaken heart.
At that moment—
Slide.
The glass door of the reading room opened softly and lightly nudged her back. Startled, Hwarin turned and drew in a breath.
"Ah."
Kang Woojin appeared, expressionless as always. Hwarin quickly composed herself, and Woojin spoke in a low voice.
"Sorry. I didn't know you were here."
"No… it's fine. I was just standing here spacing out."
"I thought you had gone to the bathroom."
"Huh? Me? Ah! Yes, yes. Me. I just took a call."
Hwarin tried to act natural. Woojin, unaware of her effort, quietly studied her and thought—
'Is she okay? Her cheeks look a bit flushed.'
Her expression seemed slightly off, but he did not dwell on it. Just a passing thought. Woojin gave a small nod and stepped back.
"I need to use the bathroom too."
Suddenly, Hwarin grabbed the sleeve of his short-sleeved shirt.
"Woojin."
Woojin turned, puzzled. Hwarin was much closer now, looking up at him. The distance between them was about two fists, their height difference fitting naturally.
A brief silence settled.
At that moment, Kang Woojin's instincts rang loudly.
'Wow… she's seriously beautiful up close.'
It was the first time he had seen Hwarin this close. Her clear skin, her naturally balanced features, and the small beauty mark beneath her eye created a distinct charm. Without realizing it, he found himself quietly impressed.
Ah, something's wrong. Damn instincts, back off.
Woojin almost smiled but held himself steady. Then he asked in a firm voice.
"Excuse me, what are you doing right now?"
"I'm checking the height difference."
"The height difference?"
Only then did Hwarin step back. Her expression turned resolute, like someone preparing for battle.
"Yes. I'm checking it for the revised scene… I mean, for the scene where I attack—no, for when we shoot it."
"Then you can check more closely."
"Can I raise my arm a bit? I want to get a feel for the rehearsal."
Inside, Woojin was shouting 'Of course!', but outwardly he answered coolly.
"Do as you like."
"Ah, okay."
Hwarin hesitated, then slowly raised her arm toward his face. But her heart began pounding again, and she quickly pulled it back after lifting it only to around his ear level.
"Yes… I think this should be fine."
After a moment, she hurried back into the reading room without further explanation. It seemed she wanted to avoid any lingering awkwardness.
'She must've been flustered.'
Kang Woojin, who already knew her situation, found her reaction cute. He wondered when she would finally confess it to him.
'I never imagined I'd be treated like this. If my friends heard about this, they'd die of jealousy.'
Thinking of his close friends, he held back a laugh and headed toward the bathroom.
A few minutes later, the script reading resumed.
Fortunately, Hwarin did not need to leave again. Even so, throughout the reading, she deliberately avoided Kang Woojin's gaze—or rather, Han Inho's gaze.
She simply delivered her lines.
There were no major issues with her emotional expression or acting. Kang Woojin, meanwhile, handled Han Inho as if it were second nature.
The reading gradually turned into full immersion.
Ten minutes, fifteen, thirty. As time passed, the atmosphere continued to build, and the cast of Boy Friend became increasingly captivated by Woojin's performance. From early on, they could not hide their admiration, especially during emotional moments reminiscent of Han Inho's final scene.
'Wow, he handles emotions like it's nothing.'
'It's incredible how naturally he performs at that level.'
'I wonder how intense it'll feel during the actual shoot.'
His control over emotion was seamless.
From present to past, then back again. The script's emotions intertwined, yet Woojin's expression never wavered. It felt as if the entire scene itself was moving between timelines.
Maybe that was why.
"Everyone, great work."
As Director Shin Dongchun announced the end of the reading, loud applause filled the room.
Clap clap clap clap clap!
The reporters who had observed everything murmured in admiration.
"That was seriously impressive, right? I came without high expectations since it's a short project, but it didn't feel like one at all."
"See? I told you Kang Woojin wasn't just lucky. And with Hwarin too—man, it's such a shame it's only four episodes."
"The script is solid, and the acting… there's nothing more to say. Am I the only one really looking forward to this?"
Then—
"Thank you all for your hard work. The reading ran longer than expected. There were sudden script changes, but the actors adapted very well. We'll follow up individually."
Seated at the front, Director Shin Dongchun briefly explained the filming schedule.
"The full shoot will take about a month. Possibly longer. We're planning to begin around July 20."
There were about ten days left until filming for Boy Friend began.
──────────
News of the Boy Friend script reading began appearing online the following Saturday, the 11th. Reporters who attended quickly shared information, and the volume was significant. It was clear Netflix had invested heavily in the project.
『Kang Woojin x Hwarin, Boy Friend first script reading revealed / Photos』
『[Star Talk] "Monster rookie" Kang Woojin shows intense performance at Boy Friend script reading / Photos』
The articles gave a glimpse into the reading, but most focused on the lead actors. Given that such coverage was largely promotional, it was expected.
『Netflix short drama Boy Friend, Kang Woojin and Hwarin together… will they match well?』
As a result, both individually and together, Kang Woojin and Hwarin were heavily highlighted. Woojin did not show it outwardly, but inside, his emotions swelled.
'Wow… damn. I actually look like a lead actor, don't I? Wait—I am the lead actor.'
Back when he was an unknown villain actor, this kind of attention would have been unimaginable. This was the first time he had been covered so prominently, and in those articles, he carried the aura of a true lead. The styling helped as well.
『[Star Photo] Kang Woojin attends Boy Friend script reading with a serious expression, handsome even barefaced / Photos』
From Saturday to Sunday, Boy Friend remained a hot topic. Netflix's aggressive promotion played a role, but the rising popularity of both Woojin and Hwarin had a greater impact. While Hwarin's fandom was strong, the recent buzz around Woojin clearly drove the conversation.
Naturally, anticipation kept rising.
[Online reactions]
[ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ finally!!]
[oh wow, don't Kang Woojin and Hwarin look better together than expected? haha I'm kind of excited haha]
[Manager Park is seriously the best]
[honestly… I can't really picture Kang Woojin in a rom-com… feels like he'd fall in love then suddenly go cold haha]
[↑ I think he'd actually fit rom-com really well?? his acting pulls you in instantly]
[but it's a short drama lol it'll probably start like a rom-com and end right away]
[Kang Woojin… he's become a cold, handsome guy… damn, I want to see this already]
[you really think Hwarin and Kang Woojin are on the same level? ridiculous casting lol]
[I thought he'd keep doing villain roles, but he's taking on more variety now haha if this works, he'll go even further]
[these kinds of stories usually start with skinship and grow into real emotions]
[there's something really attractive about Kang Woojin… I heard he looks way better in person… a friend who went to a fan meeting said so]
[so when is it coming out? just release it already!]
The collaboration between Kang Woojin and Elani's Hwarin had already drawn attention from the moment it was announced, and once the script reading footage was released, anticipation rose even higher.
Industry interest naturally peaked as well.
Meanwhile—
『[Issue Check] Kang Woojin surpasses 1 million SNS followers!』
After surpassing one million followers, Kang Woojin's SNS and the various YouTube videos he appeared in began receiving a steady increase in Japanese comments.
[SNS is already hard to find, and he doesn't even have an official YouTube channel. That's disappointing.]
The comments appeared everywhere—from his hit videos to recent uploads, even the Sports Day video. Practically every video related to Kang Woojin had them.
[Kang Woojin! We're cheering for you from Japan! If you don't have a YouTube channel, please upload short clips on SNS!]
It felt like a sudden surge. Korean users were surprised by the increase.
[Why are there suddenly so many Japanese comments????]
[Is it because Profiler Hanryang is popular in Japan?]
[Wait, why is Hanryang popular there?]
[Profiler Hanryang is currently No.1 on Netflix Japan.]
The momentum-filled weekend ended, and a new week began.
Monday the 13th.
Thud.
Early in the morning, Kang Woojin left his house and stood in front of the elevator. With a hat on and his phone in hand, he looked ready to head straight to the salon. He was checking his SNS.
These days, checking SNS had become part of his routine.
"Wow, there are a lot of comments."
The post he opened was from yesterday's Boy Friend script reading—a two-shot photo of him and Hwarin taken by Choi Sunggeon.
Then—
"Hm?"
As he scrolled with a satisfied expression, Woojin suddenly frowned. The reason was simple.
[Who is this idiot sticking next to Hwarin? Get lost!]
He had come across malicious comments, likely from Hwarin's hardcore fans. It was his first time directly seeing this kind of negativity, but his reaction remained calm.
At times like this, having once lived as an ordinary person helped.
"What are these idiots even saying?"
It did not affect him at all.
Later that afternoon.
After finishing a packed schedule of interviews and meetings, Kang Woojin got into a minivan waiting in the parking lot with his team.
Vroom!
Choi Sunggeon was already seated in the passenger seat. He had stepped out earlier for company matters, so Woojin greeted him smoothly.
"CEO, you're here."
Choi Sunggeon waved with a tired smile.
"Yeah, I rushed over by taxi. Sorry about that. Nothing happened, right?"
"No. Everything was fine."
"Good. Suhwan, let's go. We're a bit late."
"Got it!"
The van began moving. Choi Sunggeon opened his planner and started listing the next schedule.
"As you know, we're heading straight to the Profiler Hanryang wrap party. Hyeyeon should be on her way too. You contacted her, right?"
"Yes."
The wrap party for Profiler Hanryang was far from a small gathering. The entire production team—including Song Manwoo PD and writer Park Eunmi—as well as actors like Ryu Jungmin and Hong Hyeyeon, and even reporters, were invited. Although it was called a wrap party, it functioned more like a promotional event.
Since Hanryang had been hugely successful, the schedule held even more weight.
Even so, Kang Woojin was looking forward to it. It had been a while since he last saw the Hanryang team, and he had grown somewhat attached to them. Among them, he had been the first to leave.
'I saw Jungmin not long ago. Right… since it's a wrap party, the other villain actors might show up too.'
A hint of curiosity appeared on his face. Choi Sunggeon added with a sly smile—
"By the way, Woojin, you saw writer Park at the Boy Friend reading, right?"
"Yes. She left early."
"Right. From what I see, she might be considering you for her next project. What do you think?"
"It's an honor, but I'm not sure."
"Song PD called earlier too. It sounded like he had something to say."
"Really?"
"Feels like he's about to throw you some bait. I'll handle it, but you should manage these big names carefully too. It's rare for a rookie agency to be connected to people like them."
Lowering his hand, Choi Sunggeon continued.
"And, Woojin."
"Yes, CEO."
He shifted topics.
"Things got delayed because we've been busy, but we're launching your YouTube channel this week. The timing is perfect."
"Oh."
"You can't ignore YouTube these days. It's a huge platform for building recognition. But we shouldn't make you seem too serious. It should feel like a hobby, while still having something uniquely yours."
It sounded like everything was already planned.
"How about using your voice as content? Even in foreign languages."