As the end of the year drew near, everything everywhere grew busier.
The entertainment industry, in particular, became visibly chaotic. That included broadcasting, film, variety shows, and even current affairs programs. There were many events held only at year's end, and broadcasters poured out the names of special programs, projects, and pilot shows.
Programs that aired only during the holidays or at the end of the year also fell into that category.
In truth, the entertainment world had started preparing for year-end from October, and by November, things had begun moving in earnest. Among all of it, the most important events that closed out the year were, without question, the various award ceremonies. Because of that, the schedules of actors and entertainers attending them inevitably became brutally packed.
Meanwhile, the Blue Dragon Film Awards, one of Korea's most famous film festivals, had also begun, and Kang Woojin's name, despite being only a rookie who debuted this year, was mentioned through the words of the organizing committee chairman.
"Without a doubt, Kang Woojin is going to sweep everything this year."
Was this also a first? Rookie actors were usually quiet in their debut year. Of course, there were cases where someone suddenly became famous and attended a film festival, but there were hardly any rookie actors that festival officials tried to handpick and invite like this.
"Not just us. Everyone's probably going to try to invite Mr. Kang Woojin somehow, so let's shower him with sweet praise in advance."
It was proof of just how enormous Kang Woojin's influence had become this year, and the Blue Dragon committee staff backed it up as well.
"Right. I heard even MBS is trying to invite Kang Woojin despite not having any program directly connected to him."
"Oh, I heard that too. His popularity is so high, maybe they just want to show off a little?"
"Kang Woojin has gone beyond being just a rookie star. Isn't this kind of impact in a debut year completely unprecedented?"
"Just look at Drug Dealer. I checked the box office a minute ago, and it already passed 2.5 million viewers. It feels like anything Actor Kang Woojin touches breaks records."
The staff excitedly brought up Kang Woojin's name, and the chairman seated at the head of the table nodded as if he fully agreed.
"Almost. No, definitely. This year really was Kang Woojin's year."
"As the chairman said, we're still selecting the nominees, but I think we should lock in Mr. Kang Woojin's invitation as quickly as possible."
"That's right. Judging by the situation, everyone's probably going to try reaching out to him, and his schedule already looks packed into next year."
That was the truth. Kang Woojin's schedule was currently filled through the first half of next year, and on top of that, he also had several year-end award ceremonies to attend. So the Blue Dragon Film Awards committee was already worried.
"Get everything organized and sent to Kang Woojin's side as soon as possible, but don't make it feel cheap."
The reason they were trying so hard to secure the actor who stood at the center of the biggest issue and hottest buzz of the year was simple. Public interest and ratings. If they had that, advertising sales became easier and revenue kept rising steadily. Tradition and prestige were just additional benefits.
Interestingly enough,
『[Entertainment] As the end of the year approaches, both broadcasting and the film industry are busy preparing for award ceremonies』
Conversations and situations similar to Blue Dragon's were happening all across the entertainment industry. It was only natural, since this was exactly the right time for everyone to start moving in earnest.
For example,
"Has everyone seen Drug Dealer? In my opinion, Kang Woojin feels like the most popular actor of the year."
The Grand Bell Awards, held around the same time as Blue Dragon, were no different. Their history was older than Blue Dragon's, but because they felt their recognition was somewhat lacking, the Grand Bell side was even more desperate.
"We have to bring in Kang Woojin somehow, got it?"
That was why, among Korea's three major film awards, both Blue Dragon and Grand Bell showed enormous interest in Kang Woojin. The Baeksang Arts Awards had a similar atmosphere as well, but since they would be held next year, things were still relatively quiet for now.
If the film industry was moving this actively, could the broadcasting world possibly stay quiet?
Impossible. The television industry was exactly the same, lively enough to resemble a market in full swing.
At KBC, the broadcast of Frozen love was right around the corner.
"Did you get Kang Woojin booked?!"
"You're really going to call him?"
"Then what? You still haven't even dropped them a hint?!"
"He only made a special appearance in two episodes of Frozen love, so that's why people talk about him that way, but it's not actually the full story."
"We can deal with that later! Just call them! Even if it doesn't work, keep trying!"
SBC had also struck gold with Profiler Hanryang.
『SBC drama Profiler Hanryang hit 25% ratings. How many awards will it take at the SBC Drama Awards?』
『Profiler Hanryang is making history this year. Netizens say, "Manager Park taking home the SBC Grand Prize is a certainty."』
MBS also showed signs of trying to book him, but compared to the other two broadcasters, their chances were much slimmer. Even so, all three major terrestrial broadcasters were putting in tremendous effort as year-end approached, and the one thing they desperately wanted was the same.
The monster rookie actor.
Kang Woojin.
Simply put, if Kang Woojin attended every award ceremony that invited him this year, he would be appearing at no fewer than four ceremonies.
『[Feature] Kang Woojin, making history from the moment of debut. How many awards will he sweep at year-end... will he break the record for most wins?』
This too was a first for a rookie.
Meanwhile.
While the entire entertainment industry busied itself for the year's end, Kang Woojin, standing at the center of that frenzy, was watching Drug Dealer in a movie theater. It was his second viewing, but Woojin still felt that seeing it on the big screen definitely gave it a completely different feeling.
'This is nice. Movies really should be watched in a theater.'
And the moment he appeared in the middle of the film, embarrassment crept over him. Even so, watching the audience react inside the same theater was pretty entertaining.
Especially.
"Kyah!"
"Ugh!!"
A lot of viewers jolted in surprise at the sudden thunder and lightning during Lee Sangman's first drug scene.
'Damn, I almost screamed too!'
Kang Woojin felt a strange kind of amusement. It was a bizarre sight. While the audience watched Drug Dealer and ate popcorn, Woojin sat there eating popcorn while watching the audience react to the movie in real time. The people in the theater couldn't possibly imagine that Lee Sangman from the screen was sitting in the same space as them.
"That's seriously amazing. Kang Woojin's acting gave me chills."
"Right. Ah, I'm definitely going to remember that line tonight."
Before Drug Dealer even finished, Kang Woojin left the theater, returned home, took a selfie, and sent it to both social media and his agency. Having completed the mission he'd struggled to get through, Kang Woojin lay down on his bed, closed his eyes, and muttered quietly.
"It's all over. Time to sleep."
And he immediately fell asleep.
A few hours later.
Late that night, Choi Sunggeon sat in the bw Entertainment office.
"······"
He sat there wearing a serious expression. Most of the employees had gone home, and the teams that had participated in the overseas location shoot for Island of the Missing had been given two days off, but Choi Sunggeon was still working.
Then he shifted his gaze.
His eyes moved to the calendar sitting on one side of his desk, its pages covered in tiny writing.
'It's November.'
As if retracing the reality of year-end drawing close, Choi Sunggeon's gaze drifted toward the huge piles of paperwork stacked on the six-person table in front of him. They were scripts and screenplays meant for Kang Woojin's projects. Not only that, but transparent file folders were lined up in front of him as well.
Every single one of them concerned invitations or meeting requests for Kang Woojin.
Hong Hyeyeon had experienced similar things too, but compared to Kang Woojin's recent case, it was only a tiny fraction. Hong Hyeyeon's popularity was enormous compared to other actors, but Kang Woojin's popularity was explosive on an entirely different level.
Soon, Choi Sunggeon opened a nearby cabinet.
Click.
He pulled out a thin folder from inside. It was a contract. Whose contract was it?
"...Maybe because Woojin's been such a storm, time really flew by."
It was Kang Woojin's contract. Tightening his tied-back hair once more, Choi Sunggeon gave a slightly bitter smile and opened the contract. What he checked was the expiration date.
"March 15th next year."
Considering the month had only just begun, Kang Woojin's contract period had, in effect, only four months left. His contract term had been one year. More than half of it had already blown past. Choi Sunggeon muttered that with all the nonstop activity, he hadn't even noticed how quickly time was passing.
'This situation suddenly feels ridiculous.'
He looked back on the days that had passed. Even though he had lived through them himself, it now felt almost dreamlike.
'In only eight months... what the hell even happened? This goes against common sense.'
For an ordinary rookie actor, it would have taken five years, maybe ten, and still been difficult. But Kang Woojin had achieved all of this in less than a year. If he kept growing like this without any major setbacks, then Kang Woojin would undoubtedly rise to the very top.
"An actor who'll leave behind a path no one can follow, whether in Korea or overseas."
It was obvious that he would write a history no one in the past or future could imitate. The longing kept growing, greed deepened, and desire clouded his eyes. That was Choi Sunggeon's desire. He wanted to stand like a shadow behind Kang Woojin's glory, anytime and anywhere.
But.
"...If this fact gets out, the entire domestic scene will be turned upside down all over again."
The same might be true in Japan as well. The moment news spread that Woojin's one-year contract was nearing its end, every major entertainment agency would clearly throw itself into a fierce recruitment war.
So what then? Did he have the confidence to beat them all?
Honestly, when Choi Sunggeon first signed Kang Woojin, his self-confidence had been soaring. He believed he could use his connections and abilities to help Woojin.
But that confidence had been reckless.
"Who could've known he'd turn into this kind of monster."
Even back then he hadn't just been unusual, but compared to Kang Woojin now, that was barely one percent of what he had become. It was hard to even imagine how much more he might grow from here.
On top of that, it was difficult to gauge Kang Woojin's current state of mind.
From his satisfaction with bw Entertainment to his plans after the contract period ended, Kang Woojin was the type who clearly separated public and private matters and seemed to see through everything. It felt likely that he had already made up his mind.
"Hmm."
Of course, Kang Woojin's market value had skyrocketed. Once this contract ended, countless agencies would send him offers, which meant his worth would rise even higher. Choi Sunggeon's worries only deepened.
Then.
"For now, let's focus on expanding the company and Director Ahn Gabok's matter."
Choi Sunggeon firmed up his resolve. At this very moment, he held the most advantageous position out of anyone. He opened the documents he had been organizing on his laptop. They were full of preparations for the company's expansion.
Meetings with investors, related PPT materials, schedules, and more.
At the same time, he pulled out the report he could send to Ahn Gabok. He still couldn't be sure of Kang Woojin's heart, but if the time came, he needed to be ready to speak smoothly.
'And I definitely need to contact Director Ahn Gabok again.'
At a glance, it was obvious he had no rest ahead of him, only an all-nighter. Even so, Choi Sunggeon's expression hardened.
"That monster bastard."
He had to stake his life on securing this extraordinary rookie actor.
"Whether bw Entertainment can keep Woojin or not will become the biggest turning point for this company. But Woojin may have already made his decision."
Wrong.
Kang Woojin had simply buried himself in bed.
"······Kuh-"
He was sleeping deeply, without a single worry in the world.
Two days later, the morning of November 6th.
Kang Woojin stepped out of a van that had just parked in the garage of a luxury officetel in Seoul.
Thud!
Wearing a white short-sleeved shirt layered with a knit vest and jeans, his hair naturally loosened and his makeup perfectly done, he looked exactly like someone fully prepared for a shoot. Naturally, he had completed every last bit of preparation to fit the concept.
'Wow, this place looks way nicer than my house.'
While Woojin quietly admired it to himself, Choi Sunggeon and Woojin's team members began gathering around. What stood out was—
Screech!
A large white van came to a stop. The person who stepped out leisurely with her long hair fluttering was top actress Hong Hyeyeon. She too wore flawless makeup and a high-end sponsored shirt.
Why had the two actors gathered at this luxury officetel?
It was because of a call from PD Yoon Byeongseon of Our Table at Home. More precisely, it was about a pre-scheduled team pre-shoot. Woojin and Hong Hyeyeon from the kitchen team had been delayed a little because of the overseas shoot for the drama Island of the Missing, and the other teams had already finished filming.
Even so.
"Shall we go?"
Hong Hyeyeon brushed her hair behind her ear and boarded the elevator with Kang Woojin. Because it was crowded with people, the two ended up standing very close together. A pleasant scent brushed past Kang Woojin's nose. His heart thumped lightly, and he forced himself to stay calm.
Ding!
Kang Woojin and Hong Hyeyeon rang the bell to the officetel unit they had been guided to. As expected, a small camera was installed at the entrance.
Then.
"Oh! Welcome!"
The front door quickly opened, and PD Yoon Byeongseon, wearing glasses, along with the writers and staff, greeted the two of them. The inside of the luxury officetel was much bigger than Woojin's home, but it looked different from an ordinary house. If he had to describe it, it felt more businesslike.
The reason was simple.
This officetel was the official office of the variety show Our Table at Home. It wasn't that unusual. Recently, it had become common in the broadcasting world to use officetels as offices. In any case, except for Choi Sunggeon and his team, only the cast members Kang Woojin and Hong Hyeyeon moved into the living room of the officetel.
They sank comfortably into the soft sofa.
Soon, Kang Woojin quietly looked around the interior.
'Ah, so it's like this? Pretty interesting.'
A bulletin board covered with countless documents and letters, a meeting table, all sorts of variety show props, and papers scattered here and there. The space was different, but the atmosphere was no different from the variety department at a broadcasting station. Judging by the many small cameras installed from the ceiling to the table in front of them, filming seemed to have already started.
Around then, PD Yoon Byeongseon, who had been standing with the writers, smiled and gave Woojin a thumbs-up.
"Boy Friend is still hugely popular, and I heard Drug Dealer is doing insanely well too."
The writers also kept showering him with praise.
"That's right! I saw Drug Dealer! It was seriously fun, and when Lee Sangman came out, I had no idea it was Woojin!"
"Me too, me too. Seriously, congratulations! It's definitely going to pass three million viewers! It's rated R, but it's doing amazingly well!"
"Congratulations! After Boy Friend, you've hit another home run!"
Woojin, feeling deeply embarrassed, tried his best to cool things down.
"Thank you, but I only appeared briefly."
"Oh, I saw an article saying the Drug Dealer director publicly revealed that he cast you practically as a supporting actor, didn't he?"
Hong Hyeyeon joined in.
"Cases where a cameo is disguised as a supporting role happen pretty often. You could call it a kind of production-side trick."
At that point, PD Yoon Byeongseon rubbed his hands together and changed the subject.
"Now then, before we start the real briefing and official procedures, Woojin, have you thought about the recipe development we talked about last time?"
Ah, that.
Kang Woojin suddenly turned his calm gaze toward the kitchen and spoke in a low voice.
"May I use the kitchen?"