Night had settled over the filming site of Leech, and Director Ahn Ga-bok's seasoned voice carried clearly through the speakers.
"Cut, got it?"
At the same moment, applause burst out from every direction, the sound of hundreds of staff members clapping overlapping as it filled the entire set. The tension that had been hanging in the air dissolved almost instantly, replaced by relief that spread through the crowd like a wave.
"Whew! Finally!!"
"Ah! It's over!!"
"Everyone, great work!"
"Nice job! Seriously, great job!!"
"You worked really hard!!"
More than a hundred voices rose together, their cheers echoing across the set as people finally allowed themselves to breathe. The actors were no different, with Shim Han-ho and Oh Heeryeong smiling as they joined in, while Kang Woojin and Jin Jaejun lowered their heads slightly, their exhaustion finally showing now that it was over.
Nearby, reporters hurried to capture the moment, their cameras clicking without pause, while the making-film crew moved just as busily, weaving through the crowd. Some staff ran around without direction, others laughed loudly or moved as if they might start dancing, their faces filled with excitement, relief, and a lingering thrill.
It was a reaction that made perfect sense, because the filming of Leech had just come to an end.
Director Ahn Ga-bok remained seated in front of the monitor, staring blankly at the scattered staff as though the noise hadn't fully reached him yet, before leaning back deeply into his chair and letting out a long breath.
"We've crossed one major hurdle."
The words left him slowly, almost like a release he had been holding in.
Right then, Kang Woojin approached through the crowd and stopped in front of him, offering a brief greeting without much change in his expression.
"Director."
"You've worked hard. I have to leave early, so I came to say goodbye."
He still had another schedule related to Kang Woojin's Alter Ego, and there was no time to linger. Director Ahn Ga-bok nodded slightly and extended his wrinkled hand, his grip firm despite the fatigue that showed in his posture.
"It's not completely over yet, but… yes. You did well too, Woojin. And."
He raised his other hand, giving a clear thumbs-up as his gaze steadied.
"That last scene was truly fantastic."
"Thank you."
"It's a shame. There's the wrap party, and you could've taken some time to rest."
Their exchange was brief but sincere, and after patting Woojin lightly on the shoulder, the director let him go. Kang Woojin moved through the set, offering his farewells to the staff and actors one by one before leaving with his team, the noise of celebration fading behind him as he stepped away from the set.
Shim Han-ho remained where he was, quietly watching Woojin's back as it disappeared from view, his thoughts lingering on what he had just witnessed.
'He wasn't just analyzing the script… it felt like he was shaping the scene itself. Can he already think on that level?'
A faint unease settled in as the thought deepened.
'That's… getting a little frightening.'
A woman's voice broke through his thoughts, light yet clear, and he turned slightly to find Oh Heeryeong standing beside him with an elegant smile.
"What are you looking at? You seem deep in thought, sunbae."
"Hm? Ah, it's nothing."
She followed his gaze and quickly spotted Kang Woojin among the departing figures, her arms crossing as her expression shifted into something more thoughtful.
"That last scene really gave me chills. What did you think?"
Shim Han-ho answered after a short pause, his voice steady but quieter than before.
"…It was truly excellent. Something someone like me wouldn't even think of."
Oh Heeryeong let out a soft laugh, shaking her head lightly as she replied.
"Oh, come on. You have your own strengths and charm, sunbae. It's just a different style."
"It wouldn't be strange to say it's a different level."
"What? That doesn't sound like you."
"What I mean is… Korea is too small a place for someone like him."
Her expression shifted as if something clicked into place, and she looked once more toward the direction Woojin had gone, her gaze lingering slightly longer this time.
"Anyway, that last scene was really… how should I put it… it felt like Park Ha-seong from the story came into reality."
A small laugh escaped her, soft and almost amused.
"When a character steps into reality, it has to feel like it exists on an entirely different level."
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Several dozen minutes later, inside Kang Woojin's van, the vehicle sped along the highway with a low, steady roar, the movement constant as the city lights blurred past outside the windows.
It had been about thirty minutes since they left the set, but the inside of the van was still filled with energy, his team talking over one another as they continued celebrating the end of filming.
Kang Woojin sat among them, just as excited as the rest, though he didn't show it outwardly. He wanted to join in at any moment, but instead he kept his usual composed expression and focused on his phone, his posture unchanged even as the conversation around him grew louder.
The screen he was looking at told a completely different story.
'Wow… this place is a complete mess too.'
Articles were pouring out one after another, filling the feed so quickly it was almost difficult to keep up. From what he could tell, most of them were about him, each headline echoing the same topic in slightly different ways.
The casting announcement released that morning had spread rapidly, and now reporters who had picked up the news were publishing near-identical articles, adding speculation as they went.
The focus was obvious.
Too many unknown and rookie actors.
The roles had not yet been revealed, but compared to typical productions, the size of the cast was noticeably large, and that alone had sparked countless assumptions.
Was it aimed at the global market, or had the budget been stretched thin by production costs, or perhaps it was some kind of experimental approach that hadn't been explained yet?
After skimming through several articles, Woojin let out a quiet mutter, his eyes still on the screen.
"They're really saying whatever they want. Cutting costs by casting unknown actors for a global project… that's ridiculous."
It was absurd, but it didn't bother him.
He had already grown used to that kind of reaction.
It wasn't as if there were no well-known actors involved, as there were still A-list names like Hwarin and Ha Kangsu appearing across different episodes, but it was also true that the overall casting result didn't match what the media had expected.
With a PD like Song Man-woo, known for his countless hits and for leaving a legendary mark with Profiler Hanryang, people had naturally assumed that top stars would dominate the cast, especially for a project targeting a global audience.
Instead, what they saw felt unfamiliar.
And that unfamiliarity turned into noise.
Woojin continued scrolling, calmly observing the public reactions without any visible change in his expression.
[There are way more rookie actors than expected lol. I heard it's because of budget issues—is that true?]
[Doesn't matter who's cast. If Kang Woojin is the lead, I'm watching!!!]
[Maybe PD Song really focused on acting skills instead of popularity lol]
[Yeah lol. Even top Korean actors are mostly only popular domestically anyway lol]
[Still, the lineup is pretty solid though]
[…I'm starting to get excited… it feels like something big is coming…]
[Kang Woojin lol. He's really become a box office guarantee now lol]
[Trust and watch actor Kang Woojin!!]
[I have no idea what the story will be like. What role will he play this time?]
The reaction wasn't as negative as expected, and if anything, there was a steady sense of anticipation mixed into the responses. After looking through a significant amount of content related to Beneficial Evil, Woojin's finger paused briefly before moving again.
Tap.
This time, he changed the search.
Island of the Missing.
The results appeared immediately, and the numbers displayed on the screen were already familiar, yet they still carried weight every time he saw them.
Nearly nineteen million viewers.
Although the momentum had slowed compared to the early days, the result itself had already crossed into something unprecedented, and at this point, whether the number increased slightly or remained where it was no longer mattered.
The outcome had already been decided.
'…It really did it.'
The thought passed quietly through his mind, carrying a weight that lingered longer than expected, because Island of the Missing had changed the flow of Korean cinema, and at the center of it all—
Was him.
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The next day, the 25th, in Jinju, just past noon, a porridge restaurant near the bus terminal was packed with customers, the space recently expanded by taking over the neighboring shop yet still unable to contain the crowd that had gathered.
People lined up outside, some staring in disbelief as they looked at the long line stretching ahead of them.
"Wow, is this really the place? There are so many people."
"This is crazy. There's a line for a porridge shop?"
"It's because of Kang Woojin, right?"
"Of course. But I heard they also do a lot of good things here."
The restaurant had already become more than just a place to eat, turning into something closer to a destination, with people visiting not only from nearby areas but from farther away as well, some taking photos and leaving while others waited patiently in line to get inside.
Inside, every table was filled, and even though the shop had doubled in size, there was barely any room left to move. The menu had expanded to include lunchboxes alongside porridge, and four part-time workers in uniform moved quickly between tables, while Seo Hyunmi and Kang Woochul managed the kitchen and counter.
"Hyunmi, the bill!"
"Just a moment! Honey, can you clear that table?"
"Of course!"
Despite having staff, they remained incredibly busy, refusing to slow down even after their son's success, insisting they were still strong enough to handle everything.
Then, just as the noise of the shop continued without pause, a commotion rose from the entrance, drawing attention toward the glass door as it slid open and a man wearing a cap and mask stepped inside.
A staff member quickly approached him.
"Ah, sorry, you'll need to line up outside—"
The man glanced around briefly before speaking in a low voice.
"It's okay. I'm not here to eat."
The response caused a moment of confusion.
"…What do you mean?"
At that exact moment, Seo Hyunmi, who had been heading toward the kitchen, froze in place and pointed at the man.
"Ah!!!"
"Oh my?!"
Following her gaze, Kang Woochul turned his head as well, and soon everyone inside the restaurant began to look toward the entrance, their attention drawn to the unfamiliar figure standing there.
Without hesitation, the man reached up and removed his mask before giving a small bow toward Seo Hyunmi and Kang Woochul.
"I'm back."
For a brief moment, silence fell over the room.
Then, as recognition spread, every pair of eyes widened at once.
──────────
About an hour later, inside the mayor's office at Jinju City Hall, the atmosphere was calm and orderly, with documents neatly spread across the desk beneath the Korean flag as the slightly balding mayor reviewed paperwork in silence.
A knock broke through the quiet.
The door opened, and a staff member entered in a hurry, moving quickly toward the desk before speaking without hesitation.
"Mayor! Kang Woojin has arrived in Jinju!"
The mayor's head snapped up, his eyes widening as if they might pop out.
"W-What did you say?!"