“Director, you thought of the role ‘Kiyoshi’ for him too?”
Author Akari asked with a hint of surprise, and Director Kyotaro, with a hint of mischief in his eyes, smiled faintly.
“Yes, Author .”
So, he had initially considered that Korean actor for the lead role? Author Akari inquired further.
“Did you have actor Kang Woojin in mind for the role of Kiyoshi from the beginning? The moment you saw him?”
Director Kyotaro gently shook his head.
“No, not from the very beginning. When I saw Woojin, the script was still being revised. After watching ‘Exorcism’ and meeting him, I just wanted to work with him, regardless of the role.”
“Then from when? When did you start seeing him as the lead?”
“… I’m not entirely sure. Probably after coming to Korea again and watching the drama Woojin starred in. Have you, by any chance, seen ‘Profiler Hanryang’ at the hotel?”
Although Akari could have watched it, her busy schedule didn’t allow her the time.
“No, not yet.”
“I had more flexibility in my schedule, so I watched it as soon as I arrived in Korea. I watched it immediately out of curiosity. Please watch it when you have some time. It’s excellently made. And I must admit- I felt envious.”
“You’re referring to the difference in drama quality between Korea and Japan.”
“Yes. Korea is far ahead of Japan in many respects – acting, direction, techniques, and so on.”
Director Kyotaro, looking slightly bitter, continued.
“It’s probably due to the system. Truly, it’s a production deserving of a viewership rating exceeding 20%. And Woojin set the pace for the early episodes of that big project from the beginning.”
“…”
“He appeared as a serial killer with traits of both a psychopath and a sociopath. Woojin’s restrained emotional portrayal was exquisite. It’s not just about expressing emotions. Just by looking at his face, you can feel the character’s emotions. His actions, gaze, breathing, voice tone – nothing is superfluous.”
Director Kyotaro, reflecting on his decades-long career, continued in a low voice.
“As I think about it, it’s truly unprecedented. I’ve never seen anything like it. Woojin has his unique acting style, and it resonates with the viewers.”
“Today, I noticed it seemed to even ignite his fellow actors on set.”
“That’s right. You saw his addictive acting and the look in his eyes, chasing something blindly… Any actor would get fired up seeing that up close.”
Meeting Akari’s gaze, Director Kyotaro turned serious.
“I thought of it during ‘Hanryang’, and was certain today at the film set. He would be perfect for the role of ‘Kiyoshi’.”
“Considering his sociopathic tendencies. I was drawn to his live performance today. Acting that chases after only one thing. What kind of life has he lived to effortlessly express such a dreadful emotion…”
“I don’t know. But he probably didn’t have an easy life. He must have faced countless hardships and endured a long and dark period of obscurity.”
Adjusting her glasses, Akari inwardly agreed. Even if she didn’t know the specifics, it seemed clear that Woojin had led a challenging life. Otherwise, the intense portrayal of a tormented man that Kang Woojin demonstrated today would be near impossible.
YOU ARE READING
The Mistaken Genius Actor 🧑🏻🎤
FantasyDescription I, Kang Woojin, was quitting my design work and became a jobless person. The next day, my friend took me to auditions and I was forced to perform. I was given a script, void space appeared in my mind and forced me to relive the character...
