This was the moment just before the screening of the film Island of the Missing. A preview screening, or blind screening, is a process where the visuals, direction, sound, and other elements are checked in advance. In the film industry, however, it has also become a place where the director, actors, and key staff gather together and celebrate.
Usually, something like this happens when the film is in the latter half of production, when the editing is about 80% complete.
Of course, there are cases where a screening is held only after everything is 100% finished, but Director Kwon Gitaek set the screening date a little earlier in consideration of the actors' schedules. It looked far better for all the actors to gather together than for a few of them to miss it because of timing.
"I've been in the film industry for a long time, but this still isn't as comfortable as I thought it would be."
Director Kwon Gitaek was seated in the very front row among the dozens of chairs arranged facing the screen. His face carried that familiar warm smile of his. Even though he had been pulling all-nighters during the editing period and getting by on whatever meals he could manage, his complexion looked surprisingly good. Maybe it was the experience that had earned him the title of "master." In any case, Director Kwon Gitaek looked around at the actors chatting noisily nearby.
-Swish.
…
The people who had made Island of the Missing.
And Kang Woojin.
A preview screening was part of the usual process in filmmaking, but for some reason, Director Kwon Gitaek, who was attending today's screening, felt strangely emotional. Was it because of how hard he had worked? Was it because it had been a new kind of challenge, something he had never tried before? Or was it because so many things had happened from the beginning of production until now?
Suddenly, the image of Director Woo Hyungoo, who had fallen and disappeared, surfaced in Kwon Gitaek's mind.
Then—
"Everyone—"
Director Kwon Gitaek drew the attention of the actors and key staff who had been deep in discussion.
"As you all know, this is still large in scale. The current preview version is only about 80% complete, so some parts may still be missing. I'd appreciate it if you could keep that in mind while watching."
The current version of Island of the Missing still had about half of its music missing because the scoring was still in progress. The title subtitles had been inserted, but the opening and ending sequences were absent, and the sound work was in a similar state. Even with those missing elements, however, there was no issue watching it as a screening version.
Director Kwon Gitaek planned to finish the editing and complete a 100% polished version of Island of the Missing within about two weeks.
Probably by early May.
"As you know, distribution is already moving."
There was no way Director Kwon Gitaek would delay the release date. So the production company and distributor had already begun all the preparations leading up to the film's release. That included publicity, planning the marketing schedule, securing theaters, and a variety of other work.
Posters for Island of the Missing were already attached to the sides of buses in Seoul.
In other words, all that was really left was the release itself.
As he listened to Director Kwon Gitaek's short briefing, Kang Woojin took off the cap he had pulled low, leaving his hair slightly flattened, and fell into thought.
'This is really about to come out?'
On the outside, he wore a cynical expression, but inside, his heart was pounding. How could it not? It was his first film since Drug Dealer, and above all, Island of the Missing was Kang Woojin's first leading role. On top of that, the director was one of the greatest in the country.
If he were not nervous, then he would have to be someone whose emotions had dried up completely.
Then Kang Woojin thought of the rating for Island of the Missing.
-[3/Scenario (Title: Island of the Missing), SS Rank]
As always, it remained SS rank.
'Hmm. What kind of result would an SS-rank film bring? Hard to guess.'
Drug Dealer had been rated as an A-rank film and went on to surpass 8 million viewers at the box office. In particular, it had set a new record for Korean R-rated films with its phenomenal success. If that was the case, then this one had to go beyond 10 million, didn't it? Woojin looked baffled.
'Ten million? That's insane. Ten million viewers???'
It did not feel real. There were not many films in Korean history that had surpassed 10 million viewers, and even the highest-grossing film had drawn around 16.7 million. Considering that, passing 10 million was truly an extraordinary feat. Since 2021, there had not been a single film that had reached 10 million for two straight years.
Kang Woojin shifted slightly in his seat.
It was because he felt nervous and restless. More anticipation than anxiety, really.
'Ah, damn it, I just want to see the result already.'
It was then—
"Sorry, I'm a little late."
Another top actress entered the already crowded studio. It was Hong Hyeyeon, her long hair flowing behind her. Since she had made a special appearance in Island of the Missing, she had been invited. Normally, she could have skipped it, but because she was in the middle of a break, she had decided to attend.
After greeting Director Kwon Gitaek and the other actors, Hong Hyeyeon soon greeted Kang Woojin as well.
"It's finally coming out? It feels like just yesterday we went to Da Nang together."
"Yeah. Have you been well?"
"Are you actually asking because you're curious, or are you just being polite?"
"About half and half."
"What kind of answer is that?"
Once all the folding chairs prepared in advance were taken, Choi Seonggeon, who had been sitting to Woojin's right, offered his seat to Hong Hyeyeon. Hong Hyeyeon waved her hand and said she was fine. Choi Seonggeon gestured again, telling her to sit. In the middle of that, Kang Woojin spotted a large man standing behind Hong Hyeyeon.
It was the solidly built Kim Daeyoung.
He was grinning. Woojin, still buried in his concept, answered only with his eyes.
'Why are you smiling?'
Kim Daeyoung answered with his eyes too.
'Every time I see you, I still can't believe it.'
That was how things roughly settled. Around fifty people had gathered, but there were only about thirty chairs, so some had to remain standing in the back.
"Let's begin."
At Director Kwon Gitaek's gentle instruction, the studio darkened.
Then, suddenly, an island appeared on the screen.
The film itself began without an opening.
──────────
About two weeks later, in Tokyo, Japan.
It was late morning at the end of April. The set of Director Kyotaro's film The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice was busy with the filming crew, the props team, the art team, the lighting team, and more. Over a hundred staff members were moving frantically to prepare for the next scene. Kang Woojin was not on set, but the Japanese actors were also busy getting their makeup touched up.
Meanwhile, Director Kyotaro, his hair streaked with gray—
-Flip.
He was sitting alone at the table with several monitors, going over the shooting storyboard. Spread open on the empty space of the table in front of him was the script for The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice. Judging from the fact that it was laid open, it seemed he was alternating between the two.
…
Director Kyotaro was focused. That was because both the shooting storyboard and the script work were nearing their final stages. Yet for some reason—
"Hmm—"
He wore the look of someone lost in deep thought. It was unclear whether his thoughts were about the direction or the actors' performances.
That was when—
"Director."
A woman's voice speaking Japanese came from behind the seated Director Kyotaro. When he turned his head, he saw a middle-aged woman smiling. The moment he recognized her, he stood up at once.
"Writer?"
Standing there was Takikawa Akari, the original author of The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice and a world-famous writer. Wearing a beige cardigan in the mild weather, with a small luxury bag hanging from her shoulder, she—
-Swish.
Smiled and approached Director Kyotaro, extending her hand.
"I just felt like stopping by today. Is that alright?"
Director Kyotaro, taking her hand, laughed.
"Of course. You're welcome anytime."
"As expected, the set is busy. How are things going?"
"A film set is always the same. It's always busy."
"Ah, but…"
As she set her bag on a nearby chair, Takikawa Akari looked around the set and tilted her head.
"I don't see Kang Woojin. Isn't he filming today?"
Looking toward the actors getting their makeup done, Director Kyotaro shook his head slightly.
"Woojin is in Korea right now. He's taking care of his schedule there."
"Really? I stay shut inside writing all the time, so I had no idea. Is his filming finished already?"
"No. He still has scenes left. He's expected to rejoin at the beginning of May. Right now, we're shooting the other actors' parts."
"Ah, so that's what it was."
"It's something we have to adapt to. It was agreed upon from the moment we first signed with Mr. Woojin."
Takikawa Akari, looking around the set with a curious expression, asked:
"I heard a piano scene was added for Iyota Kiyoshi. Honestly, I really want to see it. When does filming wrap up?"
Director Kyotaro smiled faintly and answered firmly.
"If we center the work around Woojin's return, I think we can finish within May. Though we may have to allow for June as well."
"Time really passed quickly. There's not even a month left now."
"Yes."
After hearing the answer, Takikawa Akari looked over the script on the monitor table, then pointed at the shooting storyboard in Director Kyotaro's hand with her index finger.
"Do you have something on your mind? Your expression looked rather serious when I came in."
"Ah—"
Director Kyotaro let out a small breath and showed her the storyboard.
"The timing is good. I was thinking I might need to contact you. It's about the first meeting scene between Kiyoshi and Detective Mochio."
"Yes."
"I adapted it from the original and wrote the dialogue, but now that I'm looking at it again, it feels like something is lacking."
"May I take a look?"
After scanning the lines for a moment, Takikawa Akari sighed.
"Hmm. The dialogue in a novel and in a film are fundamentally different… I think it's alright."
"Really?"
Director Kyotaro scratched at his graying hair and asked again.
"I've been thinking about shooting it two ways. One would use the existing storyboard, and the other would reflect the actors' interpretation."
"Hmm? The actors' interpretation?"
"Deleting the dialogue from the scene and letting the actors perform it as they want."
It was not unusual for scenes to be adjusted during filming according to the actors' opinions. In fact, some domestic and Hollywood directors would even entrust the direction of a scene to actors who were fully immersed in the emotions.
"Then it would be Kang Woojin and Kosaku Mana."
"Ah—"
"We would keep the direction, the situation, the emotions, and the conflict between the characters, and only provide the basic lines."
It was an attempt to look at the scene from a perspective different from the director's.
"Then the actors will freely add to the story."
──────────
At that exact moment, in Korea—
A large multiplex theater in Gangnam. In one of its biggest auditoriums, an important event was taking place. The hundreds of seats were filled with reporters from magazines and many other media outlets, and film critics could also be seen in the front rows.
On the giant screen in front of them, the following words were displayed.
Island of the Missing Press Screening
First release on May 20
A press screening is one of the several screenings held before a film's release, and it is the most important one.
It gives professionals an early sense of the nature of the film and also serves as the first stage of advertising and publicity. The fact that a press screening was being held meant that, after going through all its stages, the film could now be considered 100% complete.
And right now—
-Flash! Flash! Flash!
The lead actors of Island of the Missing were busily posing for photos in front of the screen. Of course, Kang Woojin was there too. Director Kwon Gitaek, Kang Woojin, Ryu Jungmin, and the other actors were striking all kinds of poses in response to the invited reporters' requests.
"Please strike a fighting pose!"
"And please make a heart with your hands!"
Knowing that their current 모습 would later appear in articles, the actors obediently complied with the reporters' many pose requests. Meanwhile, Kang Woojin, dressed in a black denim jacket, was preoccupied with something else.
'Seriously, why are reporters these days so obsessed with finger hearts? Everywhere I go, they ask for finger hearts. It's honestly embarrassing.'
Even while complaining inwardly, he still produced a dignified finger-heart pose. But the reporters still were not satisfied and shouted again.
"Woojin! Please give us two thumbs up!"
They even asked for the double thumbs-up. Of course, Woojin maintained his usual expression and calmly raised both thumbs.
Several dozen minutes later—
Once the basic event ended, the actors also took their seats in the front row. Soon after, the hundreds of reporters lowered their cameras.
The spacious screening room darkened in an instant.
Some critics took out their glasses and put them on.
Then—
-A whooshing sound.
The sound of wind echoed through the theater. The screen, which had been showing a full view of an island, suddenly changed.
-["Hah! Hah!!"]
The rough breathing of a running man could be heard. On the screen, only two feet were shown sprinting at full speed. He was wearing military fatigues and combat boots. With every step, the boots sank deep into the mud.
-["Argh! Hah! Hoo!"]
The camera angle shook as it followed the man's movement.
-["Damn it—damn it!"]
The man's run came to a stop with the sound of splashing water. Only his legs were still visible on the screen. His slightly trembling legs slowly turned. The camera angle rose slowly from his legs to his waist, then to his chest, and finally to his face.
It was Corporal Kim, holding a rifle.
He shouted.
-["Sergeant Kim! Corporal Park!"]
Then he suddenly opened fire.
-Bang bang bang! Bang bang bang!
Right at that moment—
-["Ugh, Sergeant Kim."]
-["Damn it! Die! Die!!"]
At the end, a chilling voice was heard.
-Thud!
Something came flying from somewhere and slammed into Corporal Kim's head. Fragments of his shattered skull and blood sprayed across the screen like fireworks. Soon, in the middle of the blood-red screen, thick, rough gray lettering appeared.
Island of the Missing
About five seconds later—
The title disappeared, and the screen turned black. Then a bright background appeared.
It was a morgue.
A corpse lay inside, covered with a white sheet. One soldier stood looking down at it.
-["..."]
Kang Woojin.
No—Sergeant Jin Seoncheol.
His expression was somehow ambiguous. The camera closed in on Sergeant Jin Seoncheol's face. His face filled the screen. His eyes were unreadable. Was it indifference? Or sorrow? His breathing was shallow and unsteady.
The moment he appeared, some of the critics stroked their chins.
'As expected, there is no trace at all of what he showed in his previous works.'
'Kang Woojin. The moment he appears, your concentration shoots up. His charisma is impressive.'
'At the production presentation, he boldly insisted it would pass 10 million. Just how much effort did he put into this performance?'
An hour later—
Every critic's expression had changed by 180 degrees. Their initial stern faces were nowhere to be seen.
…
…
They were staring at the screen with their eyes wide open.
They looked completely absorbed, like ordinary audience members.
Of course, the hundreds of reporters were the same.
In fact, as they watched Island of the Missing, they were unconsciously trembling.
There was not even room for other thoughts.
'Wow… damn it. What is this quality? This is insane.'
The immersion was overwhelming.
──────────
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles—
The location was the giant film company Universal Movies. One of the offices at the headquarters had walls covered with poster versions of the Universal Movies globe logo, and there, a familiar foreign woman could be seen.
It was Megan Stone.
With her brown bobbed hair and a suit, she was not alone, but the famed casting director sat on a sofa, looking through a thin stack of documents.
-Flip.
It was a project proposal.
The contents included a synopsis.
Then suddenly, she frowned.
'…A Jekyll-and-Hyde motif—combined with dissociative identity disorder?'
At that moment—
'Kang Woojin.'
For some reason, Kang Woojin came to her mind.