The Bulldog, no, CEO Seo Gu-seob kept muttering to himself, 200 million, 300 million. His first encounter with Kang Woojin wasn’t exactly pleasant. With Kang Woojin’s appearance, he felt as though he had lost everything related to the ‘Mise-en-scène Film Festival’.
Of course, that was only how CEO Seo Gu-seob saw it.
Anyway, after that, Kang Woojin’s career skyrocketed to an extent that the word ‘insane’ seemed fitting, and all CEO Seo Gu-seob of GGO Entertainment could do was watch.
‘Honestly, it was always irritating since he appeared so frequently.’
Even after the ‘Mise-en-scène Film Festival’, issues related to Kang Woojin kept exploding one after another. Starting with Hanryang and recently even with Japan and ‘Drug Dealer’. CEO Seo Gu-seob was astounded, and as the head of the conglomerate GGO Entertainment, it was the first time he had seen an actor like Kang Woojin.
He was a businessman.
A person of such caliber leading a giant entertainment company in this jungle-like industry. So, naturally, he became greedy for Kang Woojin rather than wanting to attack him. But there was no opening.
The interesting part was,
‘A one-year contract? This changes the game.’
An unexpected opportunity had opened up. Bulldog Seo Gu-seob’s mind was filled with thoughts of swallowing Kang Woojin whole.
‘The signing bonus alone is 300 million. Plus separate additional bonuses. With this, we can catch his interest.’
The signing bonus for top actors hovered around 500 million to 1 billion. A 300 million signing bonus plus various bonuses was a corresponding offer. It was something newcomers couldn’t even dream of securing.
Then, CEO Seo Gu-seob met the gaze of the executives in front of him.
“Do you all understand?”
“Yes??”
“About Kang Woojin. Looking at him from his debut to now, there’s nothing he’s touched that hasn’t succeeded.”
“Ah- now that you mention it.”
“He’s strangely lucky.”
CEO Seo Gu-seob, with a deepening smile, gave an order.
“Now that it’s blown up like this, from major to shitty entertainments, they’ll all rush towards Kang Woojin. This guy is different from ordinary actors, every path he takes has an explosive impact. So, make sure to grasp the trends of these entertainments.”
“Understood, CEO~nim!”
Greed and desire permeated the air.
“We must bring Kang Woojin over this time.”
At this moment, inside a white van speeding down the road.
Hwalin, who was on her way to the salon, was almost barefaced without makeup. Regardless, she was constantly looking down at her phone.
What she was looking at was Kang Woojin’s fan club ‘Kang’s Heart’.
-[Official/Kang Woojin’s official fan cafe ‘Kang’s Heart’ welcomes you!]
-Chief Manager: BloodSister.
Currently, ‘Kang’s Heart’ fan cafe was flooded with more posts than usual. The reason was simple.
‘Wow, what’s with the posts every second… Well, I was shocked too when I saw the article about Woojin’s one-year contract.’
Naturally, it was because of the recent articles about Kang Woojin. Normally, the expiration of a newcomer’s contract wouldn’t be big news, but when the subject is Kang Woojin, it was more than understandable, and Hwalin felt the same.
‘But is it true? Ah, I’m so curious! But I can’t just ask directly.’
Even Hwalin’s agency, JML Entertainment, upon hearing the news, began moving to recruit Kang Woojin. Whatever the case, among the entertainment companies, the issue of ‘Kang Woojin’s contract expiration’ was rapidly emerging.
This left Hwalin feeling somewhat uneasy.
‘If, just if Woojin really comes to our company, it would be really really great… but then I think about Hye-yeon~unnie, and then it’s not. Ah, I don’t know.’
If Kang Woojin became part of the same agency, it would boost her fangirling, but Hwalin was troubled at the thought of her close unnie, Hong Hye-yeon.
Then,
-♬♪
The phone in her hand rang. What was peculiar was the caller ID displayed on the screen.
“Huh?”
The caller was surprisingly CEO Choi Sung-gun. Wondering what it was about, Hwalin steadied her voice before bringing the phone to her ear.
“Yes- Hello, CEO~nim.”
Her voice captured the attention of the manager and other staff members in the van, and through Hwalin’s phone, Choi Sung-gun’s calm voice was heard.
“Hello, Hwalin. Is it the right time to call, you aren’t busy right?”
“Oh, it’s okay. Please, go ahead.”
“It’s nothing much. I wanted to ask if you would be interested in participating in something related to Woojin’s ‘Kang Woojin’s Alter Ego’ channel.”
Hwalin’s eyes sparkled immediately. It was because of the mention of her favorite’s Youtube channel.
“…Participation? Like a duet cover song or something?”
“No. This is still confidential, but we’re planning to add new content to the ‘Kang Woojin’s Alter Ego’ channel.”
“Something other than singing? What is it?”
“As you know from doing ‘Our Dining Table’ with Woojin, we’re thinking of doing cooking content. Woojin recommended you as the first guest.”
In that moment, Hwalin felt her heart swell.
‘Cr, crazy.’
During the filming of the ‘Our Dining Table’ one-day restaurant, Hwalin had already tasted Kang Woojin’s cooking. And she fell for it even more. To be able to see that one-on-one? Hwalin, wanting to jump around in excitement, contained her thrill as much as possible.
“Really? But, can you give me a hint about what kind of content it will be?”
“Of course.”
Choi Sung-gun began to explain through the phone. The details weren’t specific, but the key points were included. A one-on-one talk with Woojin, along with him cooking the dish you want. Then, the picture of eating the completed dish together.
‘Th-this is, like, basically a date!’
For Hwalin, whose fandom was at the level of religion, it was a blessing. Therefore, her response, with slightly dilated pupils, was quick.
“I’ll do it.”
The chubby manager seated in the passenger seat mouthed to her.
‘What? What did she agree to?’
Ignoring him, Hwalin continued to speak to Choi Sung-gun through the phone.
“I’m nearing a break period, so it’s definitely possible.”
“Hahaha, thank you. Then, can we adjust the schedule to fit Woojin’s?”
“I’ll have to discuss it with the company, but it should be possible.”
“Then I’ll contact you regarding the schedule. For now, I just wanted to ask for your willingness.”
“I’m grateful, to be invited to a 5 million subscriber Youtube channel.”
“Then, see you at the shooting-”
“Yes, CEO~nim.”
Hwalin calmly ended the call and slowly put down her phone. Immediately, the manager urgently asked.
“Hey, what schedule did you just set up??”
Without answering him, Hwalin internally exploded with excitement.
‘Kyaa!! How!! This is totally awesome?! Woojin will cook just for me?!! What should I eat??!!’
Meanwhile.
The news of Kang Woojin’s contract expiration that broke two days ago was spreading rapidly across the entertainment news.
『’Kang Woojin’ a one-year contract? The sudden news has the domestic entertainment industry buzzing』
『[Star Issue] The entertainment industry quickly spreads ‘Kang Woojin’s one-year contract theory’, even the contract content is a first?』
Initially, the media, while skeptical, soon started firing off articles with almost certainty.
『Monster rookie ‘Kang Woojin’ leaving bw Entertainment? bw Entertainment remains silent』
The situation quickly became messy. Kang Woojin’s impact was tremendous, and above all, the keyword ‘one-year contract’ was novel. A monster rookie who shook Korea and Japan with just a one-year contract? That kind of vibe.
Speculations, tabloids, and rumors inflated the numbers on their own.
『[Issue Check] Kang Woojin’s contract expiration, next year’s FA market focuses on his whereabouts』
Another ‘first’ title was added to Kang Woojin. A one-year contract was unheard of in the entertainment industry. Although this wasn’t an intended issue, it was a sellable issue since the person involved was Kang Woojin, who was far from unknown.
This issue gradually emerged in various places on the internet.
On Youtube, numerous issue YouTubers were making a big deal out of various tabloids, and the community and SNS public opinion was also busy making unfounded claims.
-???Huh????
-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋOne-year contractㅋㅋㅋㅋThis is definitely a rumorㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Aren’t rookies supposed to have at least a 5-year contract???
-bw Entertainment isn’t stupid, even though it’s small, they have Hong Hye-yeonㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ?
-Again, this guy??
-But if this is trueㅋㅋㅋㅋseriously all the domestic entertainments would rush inㅋㅋㅋㅋ
-Kang Woojin, this guy never has a quiet day
-This might have been intentionally leaked by Kang Woojin’s side
-Kang Woojinㅋㅋㅋㅋfor an entertainment company, he’s a hot commodity indeedㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
More frenzied than the media and public opinion were, of course, the numerous domestic entertainment companies.
“Is there a way to confirm the conditions Choi Sung-gun offered when he first signed Kang Woojin?”
“It’s difficult.”
“Hmm- then we have no choice but to speculate and make an offer. Is the estimation of Kang Woojin’s market value ready?”
“Yes, CEO. Considering this year alone, it’s reasonable to see him as top-tier. His debut in Japan and everything he’s achieved so far are beyond imagination.”
“The people around him are all big shots too. We’re talking at least hundreds of millions in signing bonus or he won’t even look in our direction.”
“Probably.”
“But have we still not got Kang Woojin’s contact information?”
From large to medium or even small, the movements of all the thriving entertainment companies were noticeable.
“Is it that hard to predict the estimated worth of Kang Woojin’s appearances in works?!”
“Well, it’s because Kang Woojin skyrocketed before we could accumulate enough data.”
“Still, there should be some rumors going around in the market! Like, ‘Island of the Missing’! Dig into that! Even if it’s a stretch, we need to throw in a ballpark figure!”
“I’ll check it right away!!”
In meetings, Kang Woojin’s topic was inevitably brought up.
“Why is it taking so long to find Kang Woojin’s contact info!”
“Kang Woojin himself has very little information available!”
“Then dig into the works he’s been involved in! Whether it’s the staff or the actors, start poking around anyone connected to Kang Woojin!”
“Yes, CEO!”
“Move quickly! Other entertainment companies might have already contacted Kang Woojin by now!”
This atmosphere was similar across the entire entertainment industry. Not just the film companies or production companies, but also people in various broadcast circles were talking about Kang Woojin.
“Entertainment companies are going crazy trying to snag Kang Woojin lately, huh?”
“I’d do the same. I saw an article saying it’s unprecedented year due to how many awards Kang Woojin will win by the end of the year.”
“Really, this year Kang Woojin has dominated. But why did the capable Choi Sung-gun sign only a one-year contract?”
“Who knows. Anyway, with this atmosphere, the major entertainment companies will rush in with money, and by next year, Kang Woojin will likely have changed agencies, right?”
There was no bigger scoop than this. Of course, not just Kang Woojin’s parents and his close friends, but also staff who have worked or will work with Woojin, and universally acknowledged big shots were interested in this news.
Especially the actors who knew Kang Woojin were even more curious. For example, the actors from ‘Island of the Missing’.
“Jung-min~hyung, have you heard anything from Woojin? You’re somewhat close to him, right?”
“Whether we’re close or not, Woojin isn’t the type to spill details.”
“But a one-year contract is really novel, isn’t it? Our company is also holding meetings to try to snag him. They’re even planning to come to the set. Only because of Director Kwon are they holding back.”
While this was happening, a bit of misunderstanding began to snowball.
“But with the media making such a fuss, shouldn’t Woojin take some action? It seems like he’s not concerned at all?”
“What’s the point in making noise here? It’s like a reevaluation period for his worth. At this timing, keeping your mouth shut is the answer.”
Top actors, too, made predictions like pros.
“Ah, that makes sense. When you’re called, that’s when your value skyrockets.”
“When the stage is set, that’s when you boost your value, you know that, Woo-chang.”
The excitement was too much. Articles were even released by Japan’s side, closely watching Kang Woojin.
『’Male Friend’s’ Kang Woojin 1-year contract news buzzes in Korea』
However, Kang Woojin did not react in any way.
On the morning of the 14th, in Buyeo.
The large set complex of ‘Island of the Missing’. After the overseas location shooting ended, domestic filming for ‘Island of the Missing’ had already fully commenced. Thus, the complex’s exterior parking lot was filled with numerous minibuses and vans, among which Kang Woojin’s van was also seen.
What was peculiar,
“Hmm-”
Was that Kang Woojin was the only one inside the van, dressed in a military uniform. The reason was simple. He was to be involved from the first scene of today’s shoot, and currently, he was waiting while the shooting setup was underway.
Staff like Choi Sung-gun would be on the set.
Regardless, Kang Woojin was buried in his chair, touching his phone. Lately, he had taken to searching his name whenever he was bored. It was amusing to see a flood of results pour out on the search site when typing in Kang Woojin.
What Woojin saw was an article on the continually trending topic.
『Kang Woojin’s 1-year contract expiration? Entertainment companies are heated up, but Kang Woojin remains calm, a strategy to increase his price?』
Reading through the content, Kang Woojin internally scoffed.
‘Nonsense, increase my price my ass. I don’t have any such thoughts.’
It was true. Kang Woojin was not deeply pondering as the media or public speculation suggested. It was a scenario where the surroundings were in a frenzy, but the person involved was calm. For Kang Woojin, ‘re-signing’ was also a first experience.
However, only Kang Woojin himself knew this.
Choi Sung-gun had only said, “Think about it, we’ll talk separately soon.” But Kang Woojin didn’t have much to think about. He had already made up his mind.
‘Whatever, tsk. It’ll quiet down on its own.’
Moreover, there was too much to do. Not only was there a full day’s shoot for ‘Island of the Missing’ today, but in exactly two days, on the 16th, he had to go to Japan again.
Why?
Because on the 16th, the official script reading for ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ was scheduled. Therefore, after the filming of ‘Island of the Missing’ until just before, he would go to Japan for the script reading, and due to various schedules, he was expected to stay there for about 3 days.
‘But do they usually do script readings at top-notch hotels? The hotel’s scale is insane according to my search. Well, anyway, am I finally going to see Japanese actors?’
At this point, Kang Woojin’s heart began to flutter weakly. Yet, he also felt at ease. It was intriguing to meet Japan’s top actors for the first time, but that unfamiliarity made Kang Woojin feel comfortable.
Still, acting with Japanese actors was equally nerve-wracking.
What would they be like? Surely different from Korean actors, right? How will they view me? Are they good actors? How famous are they? etc. Kang Woojin had heard whispers about which actors were cast, but his knowledge of the entertainment industry was not deep enough to know top actors from other countries.
Forget it, damn. I’ll know when I get there.
Soon, Kang Woojin changed his line of thought and put down his phone. There was still no sign of someone coming to fetch him. Thanks to that, Woojin picked up a stack of papers placed next to him. It was the ‘Leech’ script that Director Ahn Ga-bok, or rather, the old grandpa, had passed to him a few days ago.
-Flap.
Kang Woojin began to read the script. Not just now, but whenever he had the time, he had read through about 30% of the ‘Leech’ script.
At that moment.
-Vrrr.
Woojin’s phone vibrated briefly, and he, with his gaze still on the script, checked the phone’s screen. It was a text message. From an unsaved number. Woojin tilted his head and checked the content.
-Hello, Mr. Kang Woojin. I am Kim Nam-tae, CEO of BHM Entertainment. I’m contacting you suddenly to ask if you could spare some time to meet amidst your busy schedule…
It was a text from the CEO of some entertainment company. Kang Woojin blinked.
“What’s this.”
The text had a vibe of asking for a meeting.
“How did they get my number.”
But.
-Vrrr.
That text wasn’t the end.
-Mr. Kang Woojin! Hello! This is from JML Entertainment! May we speak over the phone?
Similar yet different texts from entertainments arrived again, causing Woojin’s brows to furrow. The interesting part was.
-Beep beep.
-Beep beep.
It wasn’t just texts; messages were also coming in through chat. Just now, at least five messages arrived in quick succession. Kang Woojin, recalling a similar experience,
“Ah, right. During Hanryang’s reading.”
He was reminiscing about the numerous business cards he had received from various entertainments when the vibration sounded again.
-Beep beep, beep beep beep.
This time it was a call. Of course, from an unsaved number. Woojin, though puzzled, answered just in case.
“Yes, hello?”
On the other end of the phone was a confident male voice.
“Ah, Kang Woojin. Pleased to meet you? I’m Seo Gu-seob from GGO Entertainment. Is it possible to talk for a moment?”
However, Kang Woojin’s voice was low and filled with chilliness, his expression grave.
“No.”
He didn’t seem to remember Seo Gu-seob or anything about him.
**********
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