小火星

-[Billboard Hot 100]

The Hot 100 chart. For reference, there are two main charts on Billboard. The Hot 100 and the Billboard 200. The Hot 100 is similar to domestic chart rankings, as it ranks individual title tracks. On the other hand, the Billboard 200 evaluates the ranking of an album as a whole, including its various included tracks.

Both are highly influential, but the Hot 100 holds greater weight.

That said, the Billboard 200 is also a chart that can\'t be ignored either. As of now, Miley Cara\'s new album holds the top spot on this chart as well. In other words, Miley Cara was dominating both the Hot 100 and Billboard 200, and of course, Kang Woojin\'s name was naturally included in the credits.

The Billboard charts, coveted by global pop stars and fans alike.

For a Korean actor to have their name on such No. 1 rankings was obviously unprecedented, and it was unlikely such an event would happen again anytime soon. Miley Cara was fully aware of this. Smiling, she crossed her legs and showed her phone to her main manager, Jonathan.

"Right after he won Best Actor at Cannes, there\'s no way people won\'t know about Kang Woojin now. It\'s nice that my album is doing well, but his promising future is interesting too."

Jonathan scratched his chin at her rare smile, considering her usually composed demeanor.

“Miley, you know you’ve been smiling every time Kang Woojin’s name comes up lately?”

At that moment, Miley wiped the smile off her face, coughed lightly, and shrugged her shoulders.

"What are you talking about, I smile often even when it\'s not related to him."

“...Hmm. I’ve never seen it, though.”

“Nevermind.”

Cutting him off, she swiftly changed the subject and looked back at her phone.

“Still, having only five songs in the Top 10 is a bit disappointing.”

Although Miley Cara\'s song held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, five of the top 10 songs were also hers. The momentum of the globally acclaimed superstar Miley Cara was undeniable. What was even more impressive was that the music video featuring Woojin had already surpassed 300 million views.

“Well, it’s fine. There’s still plenty of time.”

This was only the beginning. Regardless, Miley needed to focus on her new album schedule for the foreseeable future. Soon, Jonathan pulled out a tablet and asked as if something had come to mind.

“About the rumors that \'Beneficial Evil\' plans to start leaking news of your casting, they seem a bit premature to me. Shouldn’t we wait until you’ve handled more of your album’s schedule first?”

Miley brushed her blonde hair behind her ear and said.

"It doesn\'t really matter whether it\'s early or delayed. According to Kang Woojin, it doesn\'t seem like they\'ll make an official announcement right away anyway."

“Hmm- true. Still, I’ve never seen a rollout handled in that way before.”

She responded nonchalantly.

“Isn’t it interesting? Watching how things play out can be fun too.”

Meanwhile, in Korea, at the office of the editor-in-chief of the major media outlet \'PowerPatch\'.

The editor-in-chief was staring at his phone, which displayed photos from the overseas location shoot of \'Beneficial Evil\' in Bangkok. The pictures showed dozens of staff, filming equipment, and Kang Woojin. However, the name that spilled out of the sharp-eyed reporter with square glasses was, surprisingly, Miley Cara.

Because of the faintly blurred profile of a blonde woman in the photos.

“Could it be... Miley Cara?”

At the reporter\'s widened eyes, the editor-in-chief lowered his voice, seemingly sharing the same thought.

“Right? It’s a bit ambiguous, but it looks like her to me. The fact that you thought the same thing at first glance confirms it.”

“Anyone could mistake her for Miley Cara based on this, no doubt.”

Moreover, the sharp-eyed reporter with glasses furrowed his brow and rubbed his forehead as if struggling to understand.

“No- but… it doesn’t make sense, does it? Miley Cara? That Miley Cara being involved in \'Beneficial Evil\'? That’s just impossible.”

“Logically speaking, you’re right.”

“Isn’t it more likely that this blonde woman is just a local staff member or maybe an extra they hired?”

“That could be the case.”

“More than anything, the idea of Miley Cara starring in a Korean project, she’d have a ton of Hollywood offers lined up. There’s no reason for Miley Cara to do a Korean project. What would she gain from it?”

The editor-in-chief chuckled softly.

“Still, she does look like Miley Cara.”

“......”

“And she’s close with Kang Woojin. Sure, Miley Cara is an international superstar, but right now, Kang Woojin’s global influence isn’t to be underestimated either.”

The reporter, catching on to what the editor-in-chief was implying, responded as if entranced.

“So, regardless of whether it’s true or not, you want to create a connection?”

“The story is good, the narrative works. And it’s not like we’re smearing Kang Woojin. Plus, this photo is already stirring up quite a buzz over in Bangkok. You never know whether something is solid until you try to break it.”

The gears in the reporter’s head began turning rapidly.

“...It’s not a bad idea. Raising questions and floating the idea doesn’t really give anyone a reason to complain. Honestly, if it benefits \'Beneficial Evil\', there’s no downside. It’ll generate buzz.”

“Buzz? Kid, this is Miley Cara. If it turns out she shot a Korean project, the impact won’t just be domestic - Hollywood might explode with interest too."

“If we include the past, the only connection Miley Cara had with Korea was appearing on Kang Woojin’s YouTube channel during her previous visit. Then suddenly, Kang Woojin participates in her album. And at the Cannes Film Festival’s opening, they even walked together. They’re obviously close. If we craft the narrative well and toss it out, public opinion and other media outlets will bite immediately.”

Before they knew it, both the editor-in-chief and the reporter were grinning widely. Among them, the editor-in-chief said,

“If she’s not Miley Cara, we’ll just wrap it up as a minor incident.”

Then he lowered his voice even further.

“But if it turns out to be true, we’ll be the ones to land a massive exclusive scoop.”

Still, the sharp-eyed reporter wasn’t convinced.

"Nah- Miley Cara, no way. Let’s just think of this as a minor incident.”

Later.

After completing the Japan schedule for \'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger\' in a chaotic style, Kang Woojin returned to Korea. This time, he and his team disembarked from a private jet, an experience quite different from their usual. The dozen or so members, including Jang Su-hwan and Han Ye-jung, were ecstatic.

“This is insane! Seriously insane!!”

“Wow- I never thought I’d ride a private jet in my life…”

“I completely agree!! I’ve only ever seen them in articles a few times! Incredible! Absolutely incredible!!”

“Oppa!! Woojin oppa! Isn’t this amazing?!”

Compared to his team members, who were practically jumping up and down, Kang Woojin walked forward calmly with a stern expression.

“Not really.”

“That’s it??! Come on, oppa! It’s a private jet! A! Private! Jet!!”

Of course, his concept act was just an attempt to maintain his image. In truth, Kang Woojin was probably the most excited person there. Ever since boarding the private jet, he’d been dying to contain his excitement.

‘Fuck, I want to take pictures too! I want to tell Dad, Mom, and the guys! But seriously, wow- damn, a private jet for me??! Is this a dream???\'

In his heart, Woojin wanted to touch every corner of the private jet and take hundreds of proof shots. But he desperately held himself back, suppressing even the twitching of his lips. Luckily, his team members were snapping photos like crazy, so he figured he could just ask them to share later.

No matter how you looked at it, it was a historic day.

‘Does this mean I’ll be using that private jet for all my future overseas trips?’

It was the day Kang Woojin officially owned a private jet. Once again, he couldn’t help but be amazed by the scale of Chairman Hideki’s generosity. Giving away an entire plane as a gift, truly the hallmark of a corporate giant. News of Woojin’s private jet spread rapidly, starting from the moment he was on his way to the \'Beneficial Evil\' set.

Han Ye-jung, who had a cold demeanor, noticed the news and immediately informed Kang Woojin.

“Oppa, the articles are already out. About the private jet.”

Articles were already flooding in.

『[Star Photo] Kang Woojin returns on \'Private Jet\', yet with a composed expression / Photo』

『A private jet already? Aiming full force at overseas activities post-Cannes… Kang Woojin acquires a private jet』

These were likely born from the hands of the countless reporters who welcomed Woojin at the airport.

『‘In Second Year Since Debut’, Kang Woojin not just a Best Actor winner at Cannes but now riding a private jet / Photo』

Kang Woojin couldn’t help but feel a little proud.

‘Now Dad, Mom, and even my friends will hear about this.’

Han Ye-jung would be responsible for introducing the private jet. After all, she planned to upload photos of the private jet she took to Woojin\'s SNS. About an hour later, when Woojin arrived at the massive set of \'Beneficial Evil,\' staff members rushed over.

“Wow!! Woojin-ssi! You got a private jet?!”

“Is it true you went to Japan on a private jet?!”

They, too, seemed utterly fascinated. Even PD Song Man-woo joined the excitement of the staff. Though he was a big shot in the drama industry, actors with private jets were rare.

“Was this arranged by CEO Choi? A private jet? This must’ve been a one-time thing, right?”

“No. I’ll use the private jet from now on.”

"Huh-"

The news spread like wildfire to over a hundred staff members on the set. Meanwhile, PD Song Man-woo quickly regained his composure. He approached Kang Woojin, who was preparing for the shoot, and whispered.

“About ‘her’ matter you mentioned, I’ve let it out, so we should start seeing bites soon.”

After that, Kang Woojin focused on filming \'Beneficial Evil.\'

The filming continued late into the night, and the next standby was set for early morning. While the schedule did include some outdoor filming, most of the current filming for \'Beneficial Evil\'was being done on set, following PD Song Man-woo’s decision to tackle those scenes first.

Around this time,

『[Issue Talk] Miley Cara’s new song, featuring Kang Woojin, dominates the Billboard charts!』

News spread domestically that Miley Cara’s new album was smashing the Billboard charts.

『Not just Cannes, Kang Woojin’s name now on the Billboard charts as well, global recognition rising endlessly』

Although the issue had already gained traction with the music video reaching hundreds of millions of views, the concrete results sparked reactions from the media and public that were several times stronger.

- Miley Cara’s new song is amazingㅎㅎㅎㅎ

- I’m not even a fan of Kang Woojinㅋㅋㅋㅋbut I was shocked after hearing the songㅋㅋㅋㅋit’s so good.

- I mean, Cara’s always been legendary, but seriously…what CAN\'T Kang Woojin do??

- Wow… Kang Woojin… his voice tone is unreal… please release a solo song, oppa….

- Was that piano in the middle actually played by Kang Woojin??

- This song is going crazy overseasㅋㅋㅋKang Woojin might seriously become a legend.

- The MV just surpassed 300 million views on YouTubeㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷㄷ

- Streaming it on repeat!!!

- At this rate, Kang Woojin might actually drop an album and dominate the Billboard charts himselfㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Watching all of this unfold, Kang Woojin remained fairly calm.

‘It’s fascinating, but it’s not as impressive as a dinosaur.’

This was partly because Miley Cara had already sent him a DM. Moreover, Woojin wasn’t too familiar with Billboard charts to begin with, so the impact on him was somewhat muted. Regardless, the domestic media and public continued to spiral into a frenzy over the added buzz.

A few days later.

-♬♪

Kang Woojin’s phone alarm went off. It was around 5 a.m. The location: Woojin’s home in Samseong-dong. In the darkened house, he groggily opened his eyes in bed.

“......Ugh-”

He groaned. The previous day’s \'Beneficial Evil\' shoot had ended around midnight, and he didn’t get home until 1 a.m. He’d fallen asleep by 2 a.m., leaving him with barely three hours of rest. Becoming a zombie was no surprise. Of course, his schedule for the day was packed as usual. By 7 a.m., he had to be at the shop, followed by two interviews with foreign media, a photo shoot, more \'Beneficial Evil\' filming in the afternoon, and finally, a meeting for his YouTube channel, Kang Woojin’s Alter Ego, at night.

“At this rate, I might actually die.”

Curled up in bed, he muttered to himself before reluctantly sitting up. He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, chugged half of it, and immediately picked up the script sitting on the coffee table in the living room. It was the script for \'Beneficial Evil\'. He planned to enter the void space.

“Let’s just take it easy for now and survive round one.”

It was a choice made for survival. After spending quite a long time idling in the void space, Kang Woojin returned to reality. His complexion had somewhat recovered. After quickly washing up, he pressed a cap over his head and left the house.

-Swoosh.

While waiting for the elevator, he took out his phone. The number of unread messages was overwhelming. He couldn’t check them all, so he prioritized the urgent ones. Among the pile of messages, he spotted one from Choi Sung-gun and moved his thumb to open it.

The content was brief.

-(Link)

-Article\'s out.

Tilting his head slightly in curiosity, Kang Woojin tapped on the link Choi Sung-gun had sent. At the same time, the elevator doors opened, and his phone screen loaded the linked page. It was an article that had been published just minutes ago. The moment he saw the title, Kang Woojin muttered softly.

“Oh-”

It was only natural. While he hadn’t been anxiously waiting for it, it was an article he’d been anticipating for quite some time.

『[Exclusive] Expanding globally \'Kang Woojin\', spotted with \'Miley Cara\' at the \'Beneficial Evil\' Bangkok overseas location... Is Miley Cara appearing in \'Beneficial Evil\'?』

-\'PowerPatch\'

The article featured a familiar photo. A blonde woman with an ambiguous appearance and Kang Woojin. Though it had only been a few minutes since the article was uploaded, it already had over 100 comments.

‘The snowball starts rolling.’

Recalling the media frenzy that would soon follow, Kang Woojin smirked internally, feeling proud. At that moment, the elevator doors opened again, and Woojin put on his best poker face. Waiting in the underground parking lot was a black van. As Woojin approached, the side door of the van slid open, and the burly Jang Su-hwan stepped out. Recently, he had been promoted one level up from road manager.

“Hyung-nim!! You’re here!”

As usual, Jang Su-hwan greeted him with high energy, to which Kang Woojin responded in a low voice.

“Yeah. Breakfast?”

“You’ll have to eat at the shop, Hyung-nim!”

As Woojin got closer, Jang Su-hwan suddenly gave him a thumbs-up.

“It’s finally happening, isn’t it?!”

Understanding the meaning behind those words, Kang Woojin gave a nod.

“That’s right.”

"Started monitoring the Japanese side!!"

Jang Su-hwan waved his business phone in the air. Today was Tuesday, October 26th.

“How’s it looking?”

“Articles are already out, and it’s going crazy! \'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger\' has already taken the No. 1 spot in advance ticket sales!”

It was the release day for \'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger\'.