Chapter 34: Master (6)

Translator: Dreamscribe

“You’re going to see Jung-min’s…performance?”

When PD Song Man-woo asked, Director Kwon Ki-taek replied with a laugh over the phone.

“That’s right. I could simply ask you, PD Song, but I have a personality that needs to see it myself to be satisfied.”

“Do you mean the acting quality when you say ‘performance’?”

“Well, that’s the correct answer. But I’m not just going to look at his acting, I’ll also take a look at the dialogue and atmosphere. It’s been quite a while since I worked with that friend, Ryu Jung-min.”

It wasn’t unusual for a director to visit a set to assess an actor’s current skills. Even a master like Director Kwon Ki-taek did it occasionally. However, PD Song Man-woo found it a bit strange that he was coming to see top actor Ryu Jung-min.

‘Ryu Jung Min is so skilled, there’s no need to check.’

His acting skills had already been proven through numerous works and experiences. Sometimes, actors feel upset about this. So, usually, a casting director secretly checks on top actors. Nevertheless, Director Kwon Ki-taek was making the trip himself.

At this point, PD Song Man-woo vaguely sensed the director’s personality.

‘He’s meticulous, stubborn, and values an actor’s skills more than their name.’

At that moment.

‘Ah.’

The nonchalant face of Kang Woojin flashed across PD Song Man-woo’s mind. He then smiled faintly.

‘If that’s the case, he can’t ignore that odd monster.’

Back to the large salon in Cheongdam-dong, on the 3rd floor

Kang Woojin, reflected in the mirror, looked like a different person. He was upgraded to that extent. Soon, Woojin exclaimed.

Of course, in his mind.

‘Wow- this is insane. Can a person change this much?? This salon is amazing?’

Then, the blond designer began explaining as she touched Woojin’s hair.

“Mr. Woojin, your hair is abundant and your head shape is pretty, so any style will be fine. Today, we went with something neat for your profile photo shoot.”

However, Kang Woojin, whose only salon-specific phrase had been ‘Please trim them’, had her explanation go in one ear and out the other.

In such cases, cynicism is best.

“Yes, that’s good.”

“I pressed down with a down perm because the sides were a bit ambiguous, and the front and top of the hair were like this, you just needed to roughly touch it, you see? If it’s a bit bland, do it like this here. Do you understand?”

“I understand.”

He didn’t. He didn’t understand at all. Either way, the designer focused on Woojin’s voice.

“Oh my, the tone of a rookie’s voice is quite cynical- have you always been like this?”

No, it’s just an act. Kang Woojin once again checked his completed look in the mirror. With neatly cut short hair and slightly lifted bangs revealing his forehead.

‘I thought only magazine models had this kind of hair.’

Upon closer inspection, Kang Woojin smirked inwardly, finding himself not so bad, and the designer untied the cloth around Woojin.

“Woojin, your original facial features are good, so even a slight change in style makes a big difference in your image. Now, I’ll do a little makeup touch-up.”

For a moment, fatigue washed over Woojin, but there were many watchful eyes around, so he had to maintain a professional demeanor.

“Please proceed.”

Suddenly clapping her hands, the designer who had been preparing some makeup said,

“Ah, and CEO Choi also asked you to try this on.”

She handed something to Kang Woojin. It was a suit cover with a luxury brand logo.

“It’s a suit, right? For the profile photo shoot. Oh, there are shoes too.”

Looking at the suit cover and shoe box placed beside his chair, Woojin looked around. CEO Choi was nowhere to be seen. Then, the designer, approaching again, smiled.

“CEO Choi will be on the 1st-floor lobby. Let me see the color of the suit. I have to match it to your skin tone.”

The blonde designer was a true professional. She efficiently progressed with the work, Woojin merely had to sit there. Either way, she briefly looked at the suit inside the cover and nodded.

“Hmm – navy. The suit is nice. Okay, shall we start?”

About 40 minutes later, on the first floor lobby of the salon.

As expected of a large salon in Cheongdam-dong, the 1st-floor lobby was spacious. There were many working staff members. In one corner of the lobby, there was a white sofa for guests to wait, and bob-haired Choi Sung-gun was sitting there.

– Flip.

Choi Sung-gun was sitting crossed-legged, reading a magazine. The interesting thing here was,

“Ah, why is it taking so long?”

For some reason, Hong Hye Yeon was also there, sitting on the sofa opposite Choi Sung-gun. She seemed to have a schedule soon, as she was in full makeup, and her long hair was slightly waved. Her beauty was outstanding. With Hong Hye-yeon’s grumbling highlighting her beauty, Choi Sung-gun, who was focusing on the magazine, replied casually.

“Are you an amateur? This is the basic stuff, why are you whining? Earlier when PD Song called, it seemed like you were going to leave, why are you hesitating? If you’re busy, just go.”

“Wow, look at this. Are you treating me like leftover rice because you’ve got a second actor? Should I transfer to another agency?”

“Do it, go ahead. How many years have you been threatening with that? Ugh- I told Woojin to try on a suit, so it will take a little longer.”

Hong Hye-yeon, who was pouting, pursed her lips slightly.

“But why are you not tailoring the suit? Are you already trying to save money?”

“Ah- so annoying. No, I just brought one hurriedly because we’re taking profile pictures today.”

“Well, whatever.”

Hong Hye-yeon, who was resting her arms on the table, suddenly changed the topic.

“So did that weirdo, really refused director Woo Hyun-goo?”

“Yeah. Honestly, I still don’t understand. Refusing Director Woo Hyun-goo just because of some kind of feeling or intuition… It’s absurd, absurd. You and Woojin are both weirdos. Woojin is several times more intense.”

“What are you talking about. Anyway, I agree. Director Woo Hyun-goo is a pervert.”

Hong Hye-yeon muttered, propping her chin.

‘Looking at him choosing ‘Exorcism’ as a short film after joining a large drama, He must have a clear sense of his own work. Actually, ‘Exorcism’ was good.’

She, who had been watching Kang Woojin from the beginning, kind of understood. Just a little bit.

‘Although it’s impossible to get everything right, having a clear opinion is a good thing. Well, refusing Director Woo Hyun-goo based on a hunch is insane, but still.’

It was at that moment.

– Ding!

The elevator at the end of the lobby opened its doors on the first floor. Inside, a man stood, wearing a perfectly fitted navy suit.

-Clop Clop.

He walked slowly through the lobby, his shoes making a clear sound. Some of the female staff in the shop glanced at him as he passed. Either way, the man looked around the first-floor lobby.

“Ah.”

He noticed Choi Sung-gun on the sofa and immediately moved towards him. Then, the man standing behind the sofa where Hong Hye-yeon was sitting called Choi Sung-gun in a low voice.

“CEO.”

Then, Choi Sung-gun, who had been looking at his magazine, quickly looked up. He saw the man straight away.

“Oh- who is this? Wow, stunning, right? Didn’t I tell you? Woojin, you’re decent-looking. With the suit and makeup, your face really comes alive.”

The man in the suit was Kang Woojin. Woojin was expressionless, but inside he was chuckling.

‘I like the compliment. The designer up there also said I’m handsome. Hmm- I don’t feel bad.’

Meanwhile, Choi Sung-gun, who was getting up from the sofa, gave a thumbs up.

“He’s exactly like a lead actor, exactly.”

Hong Hye-yeon, who had been propping her chin, turned her head, and Kang Woojin behind her looked down. Soon, their eyes met. Woojin reacted faster.

Inside, he was surprised.

‘Wow? Is that Hong Hye-yeon?? Wow- she’s stunning as always.’

On the outside, he was stern.

“You’re here.”

However,

“······”

Hong Hye-yeon didn’t speak. She just stared at Kang Woojin. A slightly stunned expression. At that moment, the female staff who had first escorted Woojin crowded around him.

“Oh my? Amazing!”

“The hair really suits you, it’s like an overall upgrade!”

“You really are an actor, handsome but with a heavy taste. Is it because of the atmosphere?”

While it may have been a flattery or lip service, it was mostly praise. Kang Woojin felt awkward. No, he was very embarrassed. But he had to pretend to be cool.

“It’s because the designer is talented.”

Hong Hye-yeon, who was still turned around, continued to stare at Kang Woojin. She still said nothing. Seeing her like this, Choi Sung-gun tapped her shoulder.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

Hong Hye-yeon, suddenly coming to her senses, let out a small cough and grabbed a nearby magazine.

“Hmm! Well, you’re better than usual.”

From behind, Woojin’s low voice could be heard.

“Thank you.”

However, Hong Hye-yeon just randomly flipped through the magazine and didn’t respond. But inside, she was quite agitated.

‘What’s wrong, am I not okay? I spaced out without realizing.”

Later.

Time flew by. At least, that’s how Kang Woojin felt. Somehow, they had finished taking the profile pictures. At first, Woojin was a bit stiff, but once he relaxed, he managed to pose well.

So, his profile was uploaded to the bw Entertainment website.

Naturally, the public profile was also completed. Currently, there were only two films in his filmography. Nevertheless, Kang Woojin was somewhat moved.

‘My profile is really out.’

It was different from the resumes he had written for job applications. It wasn’t rigid at all, and only Kang Woojin’s coolness was displayed.

‘I was always disappointed when I saw my resume.’

That alone satisfied Kang Woojin.

Meanwhile, the internet was abuzz with various news. Among the abundant promotions, there were two topics that stood out the most.

One was ‘Profiler Hanryang’.

『[Issue Check] The most anticipated work of the first half of the year, ‘Profiler Hanryang’, confirms its first shooting on the 25th!』

Since the first shooting was confirmed, the amount of promotion increased. It was not just the promotion of the drama, but also sharing the daily lives of the top actors on SNS (Social Media).

News of Director Woo Hyun-goo’s next work was also hot.

『The insider from the film company that partnered with ‘Master Director Woo Hyun-goo’ says, ‘There will be many top actors in this work.’』

Quite a few top actors were mentioned, and the film press excitedly fired off articles. In any case, the upcoming weekend quickly faded into another Monday due to the frenzy.. The date was the 23rd. In other words, there were two days left until the first shooting of ‘Profiler Hanryang’ on the 25th.

Meanwhile, at that moment.

Three old men gathered at a high-end Chinese restaurant.

It was lunchtime, and the three old men gathered in a VIP room, enjoying dishes like jajangmyeon, sweet and sour pork, and kkanpunggi. One of them had a familiar face. It was the master director Woo Hyun-goo, with white hairs mixed in his eyebrows. He picked up a piece of kkanpunggi placed in the middle of the round table.

-Swoosh.

He spoke to the two old men sitting across from him.

“I’m going to start working on my project soon, so it will be difficult to meet for a while.”

The one who responded quickly was an old man with glasses perched on the tip of his nose. He was also a director. His name was Director Lee Gil-ju. He was not a master-level director, but he had a solid filmography.

“Haha, yeah, yeah. I saw the articles about your new project. You’re getting a lot of attention. Take it easy, my friend. You’ve already started setting up the set, right?”

The next to speak was the old man with a bit of weight and a protruding belly. Director Kwon Ki-taek. He was definitely a master director, and he was also the one who had recently called PD Song man-woo.

“I’m also preparing, so maybe next year.”

Director Kwon Ki-taek’s voice was soft. Anyway, the three seemed to meet often and appeared close. Just then, director Woo Hyun-goo, narrowing his brows, continued talking.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Recently, you know, I had a ridiculous experience. Some unknown guy refused my audition.”

Director Lee Gil-ju, who was stirring his jajangmyeon, chuckled.

“Haha, that rascal is bold. He refused master director Woo Hyun-goo’s audition?”

“A completely rude guy. How can a nobody be so disrespectful to a proposal? At least he should come to me and talk about it respectfully.”

“That’s right. Hearing that makes sense. The times have changed, but we still need to respect some things. So, what’s the name of this nobody?”

“Kang Woojin. It seems like he’s preparing for a drama these days, but if he ever comes to your set, just kick him out. Such a person with a lack of basic manners, even if his acting is okay, should not succeed.”

Master Director Woo Hyun-goo’s cold statement led to a soft question from Director Kwon Ki-taek.

“Is there no particular reason? Honestly, I think it’s fine if the actor can act.”

Director Woo Hyun-goo exploded right away.

“Hey! You! We have to step on guys like that from the beginning! They’ll ruin the set!”

“So? Are you meeting fellow directors to badmouth this Kang Woojin guy? That’s petty.”

“···Hey, Kwon Ki-taek. What’s with your tone?”

As the atmosphere started to become hostile, Director Lee Gil-ju intervened.

“Come on, let’s eat and stop arguing. I’ll be right back, I need to use the restroom.”

Soon, Director Lee Gil-ju, who had picked up his cell phone, left the VIP room. Silence quickly filled the room. Directors Woo Hyun-goo and Kwon Ki-taek simply ate without speaking.

About 5 minutes passed like this.

Director Lee Gil-joo, who had gone to the restroom, returned. The strange thing was that his expression was a bit odd. Slightly urgent, perhaps? He suddenly grabbed his coat draped over the chair.

“Uh, well, something urgent came up. I have to leave early.”

Director Woo Hyun-goo tilted his head.

“So soon? What’s so urgent?”

“Ah- well, see you later.”

After saying a brief goodbye, Director Lee Gil-joo whispered something to Director Kwon Ki-taek. Director Woo Hyun-goo, looking displeased at their behavior, frowned.

“What’s with the whispering?”

As if it was nothing, Director Lee Gil-joo quickly left the room. Director Woo Hyun-gooscrunched his face and said to Director Kwon Ki-taek.

“Heh- What did that friend of ours whisper to you? Huh?”

At that moment.

“Woo Hyun-goo.”

Director Kwon Ki-taek, who was looking at his phone, spoke in a calm voice.

“You don’t seem to be in a position to worry about an unknown like Kang Woojin.”

Director Woo Hyun-goo asked in disbelief as he looked at Director Kwon Ki-taek across the table.

“What?”

“I’m saying now’s not the time to criticize others. It seems like your life is about to fall apart.”

Director Kwon Ki-taek, who had been looking at his phone, handed it over to Director Woo Hyun-goo. His gaze quickly dropped to the screen. There was an article displayed.

『[Exclusive] ‘Master’ Director Woo Hyun-goo’s ugly true face hidden behind his fame… the filthy hands of the director exposed by a 900k subscriber YouTuber.』

Director Woo Hyun-goo’s face instantly crumpled.

“What, what is this!!”

*****