The first thought that crossed Kang Woojin’s mind when he heard Jung Jang-hwan’s ad-lib and felt his body stiffen was:
‘Ah, damn, it seems like I need to do something.’
The stage was set, and dozens of eyes were watching. It would be odd to abruptly stand up and leave, and doing nothing or ignoring it would look bad. In a way, Woojin’s poker face was intense, but he was in a crisis.
What to do? What should I do?
Kang Woojin’s heart began to race, and then suddenly it struck him.
‘…Oh. Right. My character doesn’t have any lines, does he?’
His previously clouded mind due to the rising tension started to clear. The character Woojin played, ‘Mysterious Man Next Door,’ had no lines. To be precise, the ‘Mysterious Man Next Door’ couldn’t speak.
Meaning, he didn’t necessarily have to ‘speak.’
Hmm? Isn’t this something I can try? However, the crisis wasn’t completely averted. After all, ‘acting’ isn’t just about lines.
And then there was sign language.
‘My hands, expressions, gestures – they need to be stronger than usual.’
Since there were no spoken lines, the other aspects had to be maximized. At this moment, he had to respond to the ad-lib not with the power of the void space, but as ‘Kang Woojin’ himself, who had learned sign language.
The interesting thing was…
‘Somehow – um, I can’t quite define it, but. Somehow, it feels like it’s going to work? Yeah, I feel like I can do something.’
As his thoughts cleared, Kang Woojin felt a strange confidence rising within him. He felt like he could handle the top actor Jung Jang-hwan’s ad-lib. Was it bravado? Numbness of senses? Recklessness? Hard to say.
Knowing nothing for certain, Woojin moved.
-Swish.
First, Kang Woojin met eyes with Jung Jang-hwan, who was sitting opposite him. Managing his expression. Next, he thought about what sign language to use. The answer came quicker than expected.
‘A reversal, some kind of a twist would be good, right?’
The ‘Mysterious Man Next Door’ ultimately triggered the first change in ‘Song Tae-hyung,’ played by Jang-hwan. So, in this situation, an ad-lib that would leave ‘Song Tae-hyung’ speechless was fitting for the current situation. Currently, Song Tae-hyung didn’t know the true nature of the ‘Mysterious Man Next Door’ and his feelings were not particularly good.
Soon, Kang Woojin slowly raised his hand.
He had more or less decided on his lines. Thanks to the grace of the void space, the sign language would be perfect. What remained were facial expressions and gestures. Then, Woojin threw an ad-lib at Song Tae-hyung. His final sign language gesture was placing a clenched fist near his nose.
‘I like you.’
His expression? Yes, a smile. The sign for ‘like’ needed a smile to clearly convey the emotion. Woojin slowly lifted the corners of his mouth. What should he think about? His first job? When the void space appeared? When he first met Hong Hye-yeon? The last day of shooting ‘Hanryang’? His beloved car? The first kiss scene?
Regardless of the memory, Kang Woojin managed to wear the happiest smile in the world.
Though rooted in acting, his smile was so flawless that it was impossible to find a fault. His current expression and portrayal were impeccable. That perfect.
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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...
