Many (7)

People sometimes do that. They utter words that are not genuine to hide their true feelings. That was exactly what Hwalin was doing right now.

She had claimed she didn't care much for Kang Woojin.

In reality, she was a huge fan of his. Whenever there was a new article about him, she'd read it thoroughly, and she often stalked Kang Woojin's SNS whenever she had some free time. So, even though she felt a pang of guilt for saying she didn't like Woojin, she didn't rectify her words.

"I'm not into him at all. He's totally not my type. Sis, stop making weird assumptions."

She didn't try to correct herself. Sometimes, the closer you are to someone, the more you tend to hide your true feelings. Hong Hye-yeon, for some reason, seemed slightly relieved by Hwalin's words. Of course, Hwalin didn't notice.

"Do you really not like Woojin? Why? You haven't even met him."

"Yeah, well, his gaze seems cold. Kind of scary."

"That's just his role as Park Dae-ri, right?"

At that moment, Hwalin naturally thought of a comment to dig for more information about Woojin.

"Oh? Is he not like that normally?"

"Of course not… He's not exactly cold… maybe a bit aloof? But he's completely different from Park Dae-ri."

"Really? He seems like he'd have a scary personality."

"He's not scary at all… I wouldn't say he's warm and fluffy, but he's more of a tsundere type. Kind and firm in his beliefs."

Hwalin nodded as if it didn't matter, but she stored this new information about Kang Woojin in her mind.

"Tsundere? I don't know. It doesn't really concern me. But since he's in the same agency as you, you must meet him often."

"Do I see him often? Maybe. I'm busy, and as for Woojin, you've seen the news articles, right?"

"Why would I? Why would I read articles about that guy, um, that actor?"

Though Hwalin looked at his articles several times a day, she forced a smile and took a big sip of wine, shifting her gaze to the large TV in front. The fifth episode of 'Profiler Hanryang' was being broadcast.

Hong Hye-yeon crossed her arms and continued.

"He already has over 130,000 followers on Instagram and even has a fan club now. At this rate, he'll catch up to me in no time."

"…Fan club?"

"Yeah. It was established right after his debut. There are already thousands of members."

"Really? Wow, that's impressive."

Hwalin put down her wine glass, trying to seem uninterested, and discreetly took out her phone to check.

'He has a fan club now? Damn, I didn't know. I've been so busy lately.'

She pretended to look at something else and searched for Kang Woojin's fan club. The results came up quickly.

-[Official/Kang Woojin's Official Fan Cafe 'Kang's Heart' welcomes you!]

-Members: 3,111.

-Chief Manager: BloodSister.

There were already over 3,000 members. Hwalin sighed.

'Ha- I planned to join right away when it was established.'

Although she felt regret, it was already too late. She bookmarked the page and put her phone down.

"Still, you're Hong Hye-yeon. How could you be overtaken by a rookie?"

"Why not? If you see him yourself, you'll understand."

"Why would I see him? I have no intention of meeting him. So, what role did he get after Park Dae-ri?"

"I only saw it in the news. He got a role in a drama by writer Lee Wol-seon. It's a minor role, but it's a big deal. It seems everyone's impatiently waiting to see him."

"I see- I wish him luck."

As Hwalin responded nonchalantly, Hong Hye-yeon, who was watching the fifth episode of 'Profiler Hanryang' on TV, mused.

"I wonder if the ratings will be okay."

"Why?"

She sighed lightly.

"The show lost Park Dae-ri."

The next day, early in the morning, at writer Park Eun-mi's studio.

Despite it being a Saturday, PD Song Man-woo, with a goatee, opened the door to Park Eun-mi's studio. His face was very haggard, very thin due to exhaustion. The reason was simple.

"Oh- I'm dying."

He was caught in a relentless cycle of shooting, editing, and then more shooting and editing. In between, he also had to handle promotional schedules and various interviews. The silver lining was that the shooting was almost finished.

"Writer Park, are you there?"

As PD Song Man-woo slumped onto the sofa and called for writer Park Eun-mi, she appeared, her hair tied up.

"What's that smell? PD, get up from there! Go take a shower!"

"Is that what you're saying to PD, who's been editing all night?"

"Why did you pull an all-nighter? I thought we still had some buffer time."

"It's not the time to consider that. The viewership rating was 25%, but we should defend it by editing like crazy. After episode 4, even Park Dae-ri is gone."

Sighing, writer Park Eun-mi sat next to PD Song Man-woo.

"I'll hand in the script for the final episode by tomorrow."

"Yeah. I submitted my resignation yesterday."

"What? Really? Did you… actually? Seriously?"

"Seriously. Well, the shooting is almost over, and only the editing remains, so it's time for me to leave."

"Wow. The drama department must be in chaos."

"They were. The department heads were all over me. It was so annoying."

"Of course. You're the PD who achieved a 20% rating from the first episode. How splendid is your filmography? But are you really certain about this?"

At that question, PD Song Man-woo leaned his head back against the sofa.

"Yes. To be honest, I'm getting numerous recruitment offers and there's a lot of investment talk. Fortunately, this project went well, so after wrapping up, I'm thinking of establishing my own production company. I plan to direct until I die."

"You always say that."

After a moment, Song Man-woo recalled actor Kang Woojin's face.

"When I establish my production company and start a new project, I wonder how much Woojin's fee will be– if it's too expensive, it might be hard to afford."

"Well, he'll probably be expensive. You set the bar high from the start, didn't you? By the way, I was so surprised to hear that Woojin is joining a project with Wol-seon sis. She's clearly trying to get on my nerves."

"She may have started out of jealousy towards you, but she knows how to recognize talent. Once she saw Woojin's potential, she must have wanted him too."

Then.

"Oh! Right."

Writer Park Eun-mi clapped her hands excitedly and began to speak.

"You know Choi Na-na, one of our assistant writers?"

"Yeah, the timid one."

"She has a meeting with Woojin tomorrow."

"…Why?"

"Woojin asked for a meeting after reading Na-na's short series drama script."

"What? When did that happen?"

"Yes. That's definitely the influence of the totem, right?"

"It has a similar plot to 'Exorcism'? What kind of crazy thing is about to happen in that short story?"

At that moment.

-Brrr, brrrr.

PD Song Man-woo's phone on the table vibrated. It was a call, and Park Eun-mi eagerly asked.

"Is that the call for episode 5's ratings?"

"Yeah. I told them to call as soon as they get it."

PD Song Man-woo picked up the call.

"Yeah, tell me, what's the rating? Uh-huh."

What was amusing was how his eyes widened in shock.

"…What? How much? Okay, hang up for now."

As soon as he hung up, Park Eun-mi rushed him.

"Why? What happened? What's the rating?"

PD Song Man-woo let out a small sigh.

"I had a feeling this would happen."

"How much was it?"

"…21.7%."

"Agh!"

The rating dropped by 4% from 25%. It was a clear drop.

"I expected a drop, but not this much just because Woojin left."

It was undoubtedly due to Park Dae-ri's absence.

At that moment, in the parking lot of bw Entertainment.

Kang Woojin got into a parked van. His hair was slightly disheveled, probably before going to the salon. Soon after, Han Ye-jung, who followed Woojin, spoke in her usual cold tone.

"Bro, after today's meeting and the photoshoot, let's take some photos for SNS. You saw that you surpassed 130,000 followers, right?"

"Ah- Yes, I saw."

"We also crossed 3,000 members in the fan club. I think it's time to hold a fan meeting."

'What meeting?' Kang Woojin remained silent. However, Han Ye-jung didn't stop.

"If a fan meeting is difficult right now, we can at least hold a fan signing event. We should take action since the fan club has grown so fast. Do you know who the chief manager of the fan club is? Has the PR team not contacted them yet?"

"No, I haven't heard yet."

"I'll check. The manager's ID is… 'BloodSister'? What a strange ID."

It was indeed strange. What kind of nickname is 'BloodSister'? As Woojin smirked to himself,

-Thud!

The passenger door opened abruptly, and Choi Sung-gun exclaimed.

"Woojin! The 5th episode of 'Hanryang' got a 21.7% rating!"

"The rating…"

"Yeah! It dropped drastically."

But Choi Sung-gun's expression was odd. He soon revealed why.

"Ugh – but this is tricky. If the ratings drop, it's always bad. Same goes for Hye-yeon. But Woojin, it's not bad for you, right?"

What is he talking about? As Kang Woojin remained silent, Choi Sung-gun spoke again.

"In other words, it's said that because of you, the ratings for Hanryang dropped by 4%."

It was true. The media was frantically covering what Choi Sung-gun had said.

『[Issue Check]The endlessly rising 'Profiler Hanryang' plummeted to 21% in viewer ratings.』

It was expected since the ratings dropped by 4% in just a day.

Still, a 21% viewer rating was an impressive figure. But the ratings dropped after Park Dae-ri's departure.

『Did 'Hanryang's' ratings evaporate by 4% as soon as 'Park Dae-ri' died?』

The media and public opinion fervently focused on Kang Woojin. Whether it was timing or the narrative, Kang Woojin was at the center of it all.

『[Star Pick]Ratings for 'Profiler Hanryang' dropped by 4% right after 'Park Dae-ri' Kang Woojin's exit, viewers say 'Bring Park Dae-ri back to life'』

『Ratings dip by 4%, while Hanryang looks sad, Kang Woojin smiles?』

What can be done about it?

From here on, there wasn't much for Kang Woojin to do. The promotional events were done. Only the next villain, the actor who received the baton, and PD Song Man-woo and others had to work hard.

The ratings might increase again, eventually.

Regardless, both Kang Woojin and 'Profiler Hanryang' became the talk of the town again. Hanryang's ratings might have dropped, but Kang Woojin's name kept being mentioned, and his popularity skyrocketed.

Moreover.

『Hot rookie 'Kang Woojin' brought to the forefront by 'Exorcism', now available on various OTT platforms.』

Thanks to Kang Woojin's soaring popularity, 'Exorcism' was uploaded on various OTT platforms. It even ranked #1 on some platforms.

And later that afternoon.

-!Teaser! I wish you'd watch this more, it'd be less annoying…?｜Sports Day X Profiler Hanryang

The 'Sports Day' team uploaded a teaser in favor of the Hanryang team. A video uploaded at the perfect timing amidst various issues. Thanks to this, the view count skyrocketed. Naturally, there were numerous viewer comments.

-Lololol 0:41 Kang Woojin's one-word answer 'Yes' lolololol

-ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ Finally, Kang Woojin's usual look!!

-I wish they'd bring Park Dae-ri back… Hanryang is a bit annoying without him?

-Hong Hye-yeon is just… Damn pretty

-Release the main episode quickly!! Hurry up!!!

-So finally I can watch a variety show with Kang Woojin in it…??? I'm so happy…

-From the teaser, it seems Kang Woojin might be a bit rude.

-Lololol Ryu Jung-min appears with that perm hairstyle again lololol

-Everyone's curious~~~ about what character Actor Kang Woojin will play~~~Can't wait to see~~~

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One thing that was clearly evident was the number of times Kang Woojin's name was mentioned. Because he had a significant presence in the trailer. In the end, this preview video reached 300,000 views.

-Wow, is Kang Woojin a very serious person? I'm so curiousㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

It had only been an hour since the upload.

That same afternoon, at Netflix Korea.

In the parking lot of the Netflix Korea building near Jonggak station, a woman stepped out of a van. She had long legs and wore a white mask.

It was Hwalin.

She was surrounded by a chubby manager and her team. As Hwalin checked her phone and walked towards the elevator, the manager spoke up.

"Hwalin, wait. Are you serious? You're not, right? It's just a meeting, right?"

The chubby manager looked very anxious. But Hwalin replied nonchalantly.

"I told you to stop, didn't I? I haven't decided if I'll do it or not, I'm just going to have a meeting. You're so annoying."

"Hey, you're the one who suddenly said you'd meet with the drama production! Even if it's Netflix, this is a bit… Ahh, look at this, the CEO called again."

"Ignore it. I'll call back later and say I was in a meeting."

By this time, Hwalin and the team had boarded the elevator. But the manager's concerns didn't stop.

"You're not even taking on a big project right now. You don't really need to go to this short drama, and the writer of the drama is a rookie? If this goes wrong, it's going to be a real mess, right?"

Hwalin, slowly removing her mask, smirked.

"So what if I mess up a little? Our recent album did well, didn't it? So isn't it okay if I mess up a few times?"

"You're serious, huh?"

"Hey, shut it! I haven't even seen the other actors yet. I need to see the writer's style. I'll also see how much effort Netflix puts into this. I didn't come here for fun."

"What about the kissing scene?"

"I'll ask to remove it if possible. Besides, if I'm not doing it, what does it matter whether it's a kiss scene or a bed scene?"

"Hey! Watch your mouth! This is Netflix!"

Hwalin, shrugging her shoulders, didn't seem fazed at all.

Meanwhile.

-Ding!

The elevator stopped at the Netflix Korea floor and the doors opened. A male employee was waiting near the entrance with multiple 'Netflix' logos.

As soon as he saw Hwalin, he greeted her with a bright smile.

"Welcome!"

"Hello."

"The director is already in the meeting room! This way!"

"Okay."

Soon, only Hwalin and the chubby manager followed him, while the rest of her staff moved to the waiting room. Hwalin whispered to the chubby manager.

"There's a high chance I won't do it, so don't say anything weird during the meeting. Don't ask anything picky. I'll handle everything."

"Fine, got it."

The meeting room that the Netflix employee led them to was filled with movie posters on the walls.

-Knock knock.

The employee opened the glass door of the meeting room, signaling Hwalin to enter first. Hwalin entered nonchalantly.

"Hello."

Inside, several people were already seated. The director of Netflix, who seemed to be in charge, stood up in surprise. She was a slightly plump woman.

"Ms. Hwalin? Why are you in this meeting room?"

The director chastised the employee.

"You should've guided her to the next meeting room."

It seemed the employee made a mistake. But what caught Hwalin's attention was…

"···?"

A man in the room. When Hwalin was scanning the people in the room, one man caught her eye. A man who was coldly and indifferently looking straight at Hwalin. Her body tensed and she exclaimed inwardly.

'Huh???!! Is, is that Kang Woojin?! Why? Why is he here??'

Because that man was Kang Woojin, the one she was a huge fan of.

Then, the familiar deep voice of Kang Woojin resonated in Hwalin's ear.

"Hello."

Hwalin felt like her ears were melting.

*****