In his hotel room in Da Nang, Vietnam, Kang Woojin checked on the current status of Drug Dealer.
"This is seriously insane…"
He was completely stunned. He had only just woken up, his hair still a mess, but his eyes were wide open and full of life, the excitement rushing through his whole body.
"A million? It really hit a million viewers?"
Crossing two hundred and fifty thousand had already been shocking enough, and to Kang Woojin, every one of these numbers still felt unfamiliar and unreal. He had managed not to get too swept away because he knew the scale of the void space. But seeing one million with his own eyes was different.
"Wow… damn. This is actually incredible."
His first commercial film.
That film becoming a box-office hit.
Things he had only ever seen in news articles or on television had become reality, and he was now one of the people standing right in the middle of it. To Kang Woojin, who still felt like nothing more than an ordinary citizen inside, it was enough to send chills all the way through him.
Maybe that was why.
He slowly lowered his phone, and then a grin suddenly spread across his face.
"This feeling… is this why I became an actor?"
Right now, Woojin was tasting the thrill and overwhelming sense of achievement that top stars must have felt. No matter how hard or exhausting the work was, at moments like this, it felt as if every struggle simply vanished.
Still grinning like a madman, he blankly recalled the rank for Drug Dealer floating in the void.
-[4/Scenario (Title: Drug Dealer), Grade A]
Grade A.
Drug Dealer had received an A in the void space, but since it had already climbed to first place in commercial film searches, there was no way to make a precise prediction from that alone.
"Three million… no, maybe five million?"
Kang Woojin guessed that the audience might go as high as five million.
Maybe even more.
In other words, after passing one million, three million people—possibly even five million—might end up watching his performance.
At that point, one thought came to him.
'Ah… is Drug Dealer lower than A because it's rated R?'
If Drug Dealer had not been an R-rated film, maybe it would have become an even more terrifying monster of a work. Not that it wasn't already showing absurd momentum.
That was when something else suddenly occurred to him.
"Hold on. If an A grade can go over five million—"
If an R-rated movie like Drug Dealer could receive an A grade and still break five million viewers, then what kind of numbers would the higher-ranked works pull?
Woojin immediately thought of the films he had appeared in.
-[3/Scenario (Title: Island of the Missing), Grade S+]
-[7/Scenario (Title: The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice), Grade S+]
Those were works that had received the highest possible grade in the void space, S+.
His eyes widened slightly, and he muttered without meaning to.
"How many people would an S+ draw?"
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Not long after, Kang Woojin suppressed his heightened emotions and left his room on time for the Island of the Missing shoot.
He met Choi Sunggeon in the hotel lobby, where Choi Sunggeon, Han Yejung, Jang Suhwan, and the rest of the team were already waiting.
Naturally, everyone had already seen the news about Drug Dealer.
"Wow, our star has arrived."
They showered the expressionless Woojin with congratulations.
"Hyung! Congrats on hitting a million viewers!!"
"Congratulations, oppa."
"Drug Dealer is going to be a massive hit!"
They all looked so excited that it seemed like they wanted to dance. Kang Woojin, of course, wanted to match their rhythm and start dancing with them too, but he held himself back. Instead, he gave off a chilly calm.
"It's all thanks to everyone's hard work."
Soon, Kang Woojin and the team got into the van waiting in front of the hotel.
As the van headed toward the Island of the Missing set, the stylists, who were busy applying sunscreen, immediately started talking.
"Oppa! Isn't this insane? One million in just three days!"
"Exactly! If it were me, I'd be glued to my phone refreshing it nonstop!"
Han Yejung, flipping through the coordination book, cut in coolly.
"I already know what oppa's going to say. 'I'm happy.'"
Woojin agreed in a low voice.
"Correct."
The van grew noisier, and Choi Sunggeon, who had been checking something on his phone from the passenger seat, turned his head. His face was lit with a broad smile.
"Woojin. No, Kang-star. Once we finish the overseas shoot and head back, you're going to have to film a few more commercials."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Everything's exploding right now, from inquiries to casting offers. Once we're back, there'll be a mountain of work waiting—year-end prep, YouTube content production, all of it. Still, I'm thinking we'll rest for a day or two."
Inside, Woojin nodded fiercely in approval, but outwardly he stayed composed.
"I can move straight into the schedule without any issue."
"You're a monster, so maybe that's normal for you. But the rest of us are already half dead, so let's get some rest."
"Yes, CEO-nim."
Choi Sunggeon continued, still grinning.
"I got a call from Director Kim Dohee this morning. If Drug Dealer keeps this momentum, it should pass break-even easily. Honestly, I think there's a strong chance it becomes a huge success. The director also said he'd make sure your settlement is handled properly. Sort of like a bonus. You'll probably get around double your original appearance fee."
"Ah."
"Even if Director Kim Dohee hadn't brought it up, I was going to negotiate for it anyway."
Back when Kang Woojin signed on for Drug Dealer, his contract had not been handled like an ordinary cameo deal. The production had been in a difficult spot, and Woojin's soaring popularity at the time had been reflected in the terms, even if the role itself was closer to supporting level.
In other words, Kim Dohee was talking about giving him a bonus of over one hundred percent on top of his original fee.
At minimum, it would amount to several hundred million won.
Woojin's heart instantly turned into a flower field. He fought desperately to keep a smile from spreading across his face.
Not noticing that struggle at all, Choi Sunggeon suddenly changed the subject. His expression became oddly serious.
"By the way, Woojin. You know Director Ahn Ga-bok, right? No matter how I look at it, it really seems like he came all the way to Vietnam to see you."
Did he?
Kang Woojin had already suspected as much. Everything fit together too neatly.
"He contacted the CEO saying he wanted to meet me, and then he came to Vietnam."
But Woojin's feelings on the matter were faint at best. No matter how respected Ahn Ga-bok was among top actors and throughout the film industry, to Kang Woojin he just felt like an old man from next door—and an uncomfortable one at that.
'Old man? No, that grandfather's eyes were weird.'
Even the questions he had asked at the restaurant had felt loaded with meaning.
He was definitely dangerous.
Soon, Woojin gave a calm nod.
"That seems likely."
"Mm. You've already spoken with Director Ahn, so you probably know, but there's been talk among the actors that he might come to the set today."
"Yes, CEO-nim."
"And because of that, I've been asking around here and there about what he's been up to lately."
Choi Sunggeon lowered his voice.
"Nothing's certain, but it sounds like Ahn Ga-bok is aiming for Cannes with his hundredth film."
Cannes Film Festival.
The most prestigious of the world's three major international film festivals. A stage where giants from Hollywood and film industries across the globe gathered.
"You know this already, right? Director Ahn won Best Director at Cannes back in the early 2000s, and several of his works have been nominated since then. Actors in his films have won awards too. He's a genuine legend."
No, not at all.
This was the first time Kang Woojin had heard any of this, but he calmly nodded as if it were old information.
"Go on."
There was no public information yet about the script or content of Ahn Ga-bok's hundredth film, but if Cannes was his target, then he was almost certainly aiming for the festival's highest honor: the Palme d'Or.
Woojin spoke after a brief silence.
"Sign language."
"What?"
"Director Ahn asked me about sign language."
"Sign language?"
"Yes. It came out of nowhere, so I remember it."
"Sign language… sign language…"
Choi Sunggeon stroked his chin as he thought.
"Director Ahn isn't the type to ask meaningless questions."
Then something seemed to flash through his mind.
"The Korean and Japanese media have both been reporting on your sign language lately. Maybe he wasn't only drawn in by your acting—maybe your sign language caught his attention too. If that's the case, then I'd say there's a high chance sign language plays an important role in the work he's preparing."
Woojin stayed silent.
Choi Sunggeon continued, his tone becoming more certain as he spoke.
"An actor who can use sign language is something really special. There's practically no one like that in Korea. And Director Ahn is the type to stake his life on every element that goes into a project. If my guess is right, it makes perfect sense that he'd take an interest in you."
'Mm… I'm not really interested.'
On the contrary, Kang Woojin felt no particular attraction to Ahn Ga-bok's project. For some reason, his instincts kept telling him the same thing.
Ahn Ga-bok was dangerous.
'I don't care about Cannes. It'd be better to keep my distance from that grandfather for a while. It's uncomfortable when it feels like he can see straight through me.'
Other actors might have called him insane for thinking like that, but to Kang Woojin, that instinct mattered several times more than Cannes ever could.
Running away?
Yes.
That was probably what it was.
Woojin had begun to feel a slight aversion toward Ahn Ga-bok, and Choi Sunggeon, who had been studying his mood, suddenly cleared his throat.
"Ahem. Uh… Woojin, I'm just asking out of curiosity, but do you have any ambitions when it comes to Cannes?"
Woojin looked at Choi Sunggeon quietly and answered in a low voice. It was a rather unusual reply.
"I don't know."
"There's something you don't know?"
"Yes."
"..."
Choi Sunggeon muttered under his breath.
'Ah, damn it. If by some one-in-a-thousand, one-in-ten-thousand chance Woojin actually turns down Director Ahn… we're in serious trouble.'
His thoughts were thick with despair.
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At the same time, another van, carrying a group similar in size to Kang Woojin's, was also making its way toward the Island of the Missing set.
Inside sat a familiar old man.
Director Ahn Ga-bok was still wearing shorts, though today he had traded his slippers for sneakers.
"Hmm."
With his arms folded, he stared out at the blazing heat beyond the window. When he took off his safari hat, his short, sparsely white hair showed through. Around him sat a flushed-faced film company CEO and five staff members.
The atmosphere in the van was calm.
While everyone else stayed busy with phones or transparent file folders, the production company CEO finally broke the silence.
"Director."
Still looking out the window, Ahn Ga-bok answered in a calm tone.
"Mm."
"After seeing Kang Woojin's acting today, are you planning to speak to him directly about our project?"
"Maybe."
"At the very least, I think we should test his sign language. The feel and balance of it could be different in person."
The CEO's words were not unreasonable, but Ahn Ga-bok clearly saw things differently.
"You."
The calm tone in Director Ahn's voice carried the effortless authority of a veteran.
"I understand what you're trying to say, but you've always been too hasty. Do you know how many times I've told you to fix that impatient nature of yours?"
"Ah… my apologies. I got ahead of myself because I was thinking too much about meeting Kang Woojin."
"Director Kwon has already shown us more than enough consideration, and now you want us to go all the way to the filming site and make him show us sign language for the sake of my project? Does that place look like an audition room to you?"
"...I spoke carelessly."
"A simple question or two is fine. But digging deeper than that will only turn into a nuisance."
"Yes, Director."
As the production company CEO bowed deeply, Ahn Ga-bok thought to himself,
'For today, it'll be enough to gauge Kang Woojin's acting among the top actors and give him a subtle hint.'
After a light cough, the CEO shifted the conversation.
"It seems Kang Woojin's side has already figured out something to some extent. We gave notice beforehand and even met him in person in Vietnam. And Choi Sunggeon is with him too."
"There aren't many people in this field quite like him."
"The details of our film are top secret, but he may have guessed that we're aiming for Cannes. CEO Choi has connections everywhere."
"That's fine. A few rumors spreading won't hurt."
At that point, perhaps trying to lighten the mood, the production company CEO laughed loudly.
"Still, if Kang Woojin hears that Director Ahn Ga-bok wants to cast him in his film, imagine how shocked he'll be. He'd probably grab at the chance immediately, hahahaha."
He gestured to the people around him as if telling them to join in. The production company staff immediately followed suit.
"Of course! Even top stars like Ryu Jungmin, Ha Yura, and Hong Hyeyeon from Island of the Missing would fight to get their hands on just one of Director Ahn's scripts. A rookie actor is a given."
"Hahaha, when you think about it, Kang Woojin's luck really has exploded this year. It hasn't even been a full year since his debut, and he's already caught the eye of Director Kwon Gitaek, Director Kyotaro, and now, above all, Director Ahn Ga-bok."
"No matter how well Kang Woojin is doing right now, being cast in Director Ahn's hundredth film is not something anyone could take lightly."
Satisfied with the support around him, the production company CEO finished with a final line.
"Especially if it's a Cannes entry, I'm worried Kang Woojin might bow flat to the ground in gratitude. Hahaha."
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A few minutes later, at the Island of the Missing set.
Deep in the dense forests of Da Nang, Vietnam, birds chirped without pause and insects swarmed through the thick air. Towering trees and nameless plants grew wild in every direction, and the ground underfoot was damp and muddy.
Kang Woojin had just arrived on set.
It was currently ten in the morning, and among the actors, Woojin was the first to arrive. Naturally, the hundreds of staff members were already busy preparing for the eleven o'clock shoot. In the middle of it all, the ever-kind Director Kwon Gitaek could be seen darting around.
"That railing is crooked!! Be careful!"
"Sorry!"
"Director! Director!! Please check the ground over here!!"
"Alright, I'm coming."
"Ah, it's ridiculously hot! The drone test flight is underway!"
"Good!"
"One hour until standby ends! Let's move!"
The whole place looked like a battlefield, so Woojin decided he would greet everyone later. He had already let a few staff at the entrance know he had arrived, and that was enough for now.
Soon, Kang Woojin and his team dispersed.
Choi Sunggeon disappeared into the crowd of staff, the stylists like Han Yejung headed toward the art team, and only Jang Suhwan remained beside Woojin for a little longer.
Even he soon ran off.
"Hyung! Your costume's ready, so I'll call the makeup team!"
"Thank you."
With his large build, Jang Suhwan quickly vanished somewhere.
'Ah, it's insanely hot.'
Wiping away sweat as he groaned inwardly, Woojin headed toward one of the large tents where the actors were waiting.
'This is at least bearable.'
Fortunately, the air conditioner inside the tent was running, so it was relatively cool. A little later, now changed into his military uniform, Woojin sat down in a chair inside.
Even though it was just an ordinary uniform at the moment, once makeup was done it would no doubt be transformed into rags covered in fake blood and mud.
Still, Kang Woojin placed the thick Island of the Missing script on the table.
'Resting before things start is essential, right?'
That was when it happened.
The curtain of the tent was suddenly pulled open, and the face of a familiar old man poked through.
"Oh? You're here alone?"
It was Director Ahn Ga-bok, wearing his safari hat and shorts.
For a split second, Woojin was startled by the abrupt appearance and inwardly groaned.
'W-What the hell! This old man just barges in without any warning, like last time at the restaurant? No signals, no nothing?!'
On the outside, however, he stayed composed, rose politely to his feet, and greeted him.
"Hello, Director."
"Yes, good to see you again."
With a wrinkled smile, Ahn Ga-bok stepped inside, and several men followed behind him. Around four of them. The production company CEO and staff.
Naturally, they all greeted Kang Woojin politely.
In the middle of it, Woojin thought to himself,
'Ah, damn it. I don't know. He feels dangerous. I should get out of here.'
Trying to avoid Ahn Ga-bok, he gave a solemn excuse.
"Please make yourselves comfortable. I'll go speak with Director Kwon for a moment. Makeup should begin soon."
But—
"You."
At the calm voice of Director Ahn Ga-bok, Woojin's steps stopped.
A seasoned smile rested at the corners of the old director's mouth.
"Do you happen to have any interest in the Cannes Film Festival?"
The timing of the question made it obvious that he had been waiting for the moment.
For some reason, Woojin's face only became more expressionless. His reply was dry and short.
"No. I'm not particularly interested."
At that exact moment, Director Ahn Ga-bok's eyebrow twitched.