Chapter 328: Bangkok (4)
Translator: Santos
The arrivals hall at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport was packed with an overwhelming crowd in front of Kang Woojin, who kept a calm, stoic expression.
*Flash, flash, flash!*
Dozens of Thai journalists frantically snapped photos, while behind them, a crowd of onlookers waved their phones, eagerly shouting Woojin’s name. A line of small step ladders lined the fence, each one crowded with journalists who didn’t waste a single second, capturing Woojin from every angle.
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*Flash, flash!*
At a glance, it looked like well over several hundred people.
“Kyaaah!!!”
“Kang Woojin!! Woojin!!”
The mixture of screams and cheers surged through the arrivals hall as the excited crowd pushed forward, visibly swaying in waves. Airport security and staff struggled to hold them back.
With each moment, the noise only grew louder.
Woojin, unfazed by the sudden chaos, simply surveyed the mass of Thai journalists and fans with his usual composed look. Although he appeared calm on the outside, inwardly, Woojin was stunned.
*Wow—damn! That was intense! I almost screamed out loud!*
Though he was used to throngs of fans, he hadn’t expected such a scene in Bangkok. It had never crossed his mind that he would draw this much attention here. In fact, he was more frozen in surprise than actively keeping up his usual persona.
*What is going on here?! Is some other celebrity arriving?*
While he could understand a scene like this in Korea or Japan, witnessing it in Bangkok had his thoughts in a muddle. He briefly wondered if the crowd was for someone else, but a quick look showed that dozens of reporters were indeed focused on him. Not only them, but the hundreds of Thai fans too.
*Is that...my name? They’re shouting my name, right?*
Sure enough, the crowd was chanting his name. Some even waved signs with "Kang Woojin" written in Korean. By this point, it was clear they had all come for him. The actors following Woojin let out exclamations of surprise.
“Amazing.”
“All these reporters and people are here just for Kang Woojin??”
“This is crazy!”
“No wonder there were so many guards!”
The conversations were loud enough for Woojin to hear, but he barely registered them as he continued forward with the security team. Security guards from *The Good and the Evil* team quickly moved to his sides and front, creating a path through the crowd. At the end of the line, Choi Seong-geon approached Woojin, murmuring.
“This is insane. It’s at least twice as many people as what Line PD estimated.”
Line PD, the assistant director in charge of the overseas shoot, had apparently underestimated the turnout.
“Woojin, try to wave a bit as we walk through and let’s move out quickly.”
When did you mention this? Although Choi Seong-geon acted as if he had given Woojin a heads-up, Woojin couldn’t recall it. Maybe he had missed it amidst the chaos of his packed schedule. Either way, Woojin led his team forward, pushing through the crowd of hundreds.
The screams and cheers continued to rise in volume.
*This is insane!*
Struggling to keep his composure, Woojin shielded his eyes from the blinding flashes, ignoring the gifts the Thai fans were throwing as he managed to escape the arrivals hall. Yet even as they left, the crowd continued to follow him. Finally, he spotted a row of parked vehicles by the curb.
*Are we taking one of those?!*
Several vans and minibuses were waiting, and Woojin, his team, and some of the guards got into the black van at the front. As soon as the door closed, the van began moving, allowing Woojin to leave behind the frenzy at the airport.
*Vroom!*
The *Good and the Evil* team remained at the airport, but Choi Seong-geon and the local driver knew the hotel route well, and they smoothly navigated the Bangkok roads. Woojin kept his gaze on the window, his expression serious, but inwardly, he was puzzled.
*What on earth just happened?*
The brief yet intense experience had left him reeling, so much so that he barely registered the Bangkok scenery outside his window.
Eventually, Woojin turned to Choi Seong-geon, who seemed to have just finished a phone call.
“Director, I heard there were more people at the airport than expected.”
Wiping away sweat, Choi Seong-geon nodded, meeting Woojin’s gaze.
“Yeah, I just talked to PD Song. It seems Line PD couldn’t fully prepare for this. Don’t worry, though; everything’s under control.”
“Understood.”
“Sure, we expected some attention, but nothing like that. I mentioned before, right? Your shows *Profiler Han-ryang* and *My Male Friend* were hits in Thailand, so the reaction here is a mix of that and your social media and alternate persona’s popularity.”
At this, Woojin internally nodded in understanding. Although he hadn’t focused on it, Thailand had long been swept up in the Korean Wave. Many Korean shows were regularly in the top 10 on Thai Netflix, including *Profiler Han-ryang* and *My Male Friend*. Woojin’s social media presence also had amassed thousands of followers, making him a full-fledged influencer.
No wonder the airport scene had unfolded as it had.
It was all due to Woojin’s popularity.
Nearby, Ha Ye-jeong, now sporting a short red bob, remarked in her usual blunt tone.
“Was that really a big crowd? Honestly, I expected more. We even posted a notice about the trip on social media.”
Choi Seong-geon, undoing his ponytail, replied.
“There were a few hundred more people on the other side of the airport. They arrived late and were blocked by security.”
“Ah, okay, that makes sense.”
Smirking, Choi Seong-geon lightly tapped Woojin’s side.
“You don’t seem too moved, but seeing your Thai fans in person—how was it? You know there aren’t many actors who get this kind of reception, apart from idols. Feels good, right?”
“Yes.”
“Heh, always so calm.”
Woojin turned back to the window, his mind settling. Korea, Japan, and now Thailand. Witnessing his growing fanbase firsthand, Woojin felt a new sense of accomplishment.
*Man, this is unreal.*
It was becoming clear that his influence was spreading globally.
---
A few minutes later, the van carrying Woojin entered downtown Bangkok. They were about ten minutes away from the five-star hotel they had reserved. Out the window, a massive park came into view, the iconic Lumphini Park. Woojin’s team pressed their faces to the window, admiring the Bangkok scenery.
Although Woojin wasn’t as vocal, he too sneaked glances out the window.
*Whoa—Bangkok!*
The plan for Woojin and *Beneficial Evil* team was to settle in at the hotel, then join Director Song Man-woo for a tour of the pre-arranged shooting locations. Of course, Woojin would also participate.
The real work would start tomorrow.
Meanwhile, back in Japan, where the time difference with Thailand was minimal, the anticipation surrounding Woojin continued to grow.
At the Toega Film Studio near Tokyo.
More precisely, within Toega Studio’s main editing suite. They were in the final stages of editing the highly anticipated film, *The Strange Sacrifice*, which had stirred up the entire Japanese public after the promotional event Woojin had attended. Nearly a month had passed since the explosive press conference, but the buzz and speculation surrounding *The Strange Sacrifice* were only growing.
In fact, the anticipation had intensified.
It felt as though, once the movie premiered, the public would pounce on it, ready to tear into every detail.
The *Strange Sacrifice* team’s aggressive marketing campaign was the first reason for this fervor. The second was Japan’s enthusiastic response to the rumors spreading on their own. The hype had only sharpened, and at its center was Woojin.
“Whew—”
Inside the editing suite, surrounded by editors, a man with a head full of gray hair ran a hand over his face. It was none other than Director Kyotaro, watching several monitors, all of which displayed scenes of one actor, Kiyoshi Iyota, standing motionless in the center of a bustling subway staircase, staring directly into the camera.
After watching for a few moments, Director Kyotaro turned back to his team, who were all watching him in anticipation.
Each editor wore heavy dark circles under their eyes, displaying a mix of nerves and tension as they awaited his verdict, some even holding their breath.
Finally—
“...Okay.”
Director Kyotaro slowly nodded, speaking in a low, hoarse voice.
“*The Strange Sacrifice,* this is it.”
It marked the end of the extensive editing process for *The Strange Sacrifice*. Applause broke out behind Director Kyotaro.
*Clap clap clap clap clap!*
The studio executives and staff members cheered. The head of the studio even bowed to Kyotaro.
“Thank you for your hard work, Director.”
“Thank you. But the real battle begins now.”
“Well, that may be true...”
Kyotaro turned to the editors, expressing his gratitude before turning back to the studio head.
“When is the screening scheduled?”
“Two days from now.”
“And the premiere?”
“We’ve arranged for extra screenings, so it’s scheduled sooner than usual, to give us more time before the general release. We’ll start with a media screening.”
The media screening would involve journalists and film critics, and the head of the studio continued.
“The first public screening is next week.”
That would coincide with Woojin’s first shooting day for *Beneficial Evil* in Bangkok.
---
Later that same night, in Bangkok.
Around 9 PM at the five-star Kempinski Hotel. Although close to Woojin’s team’s hotel, it was not the same. The hotel’s impressive grandeur included a swimming pool and trees within the spacious grounds. Two luxury vans pulled up in front, and hotel staff rushed forward.
*Thunk!*
Several foreigners exited the vans, including a towering Black man, none other than Hollywood producer Joseph Felton, whose muscles were highlighted by his fitted black shirt. Behind him was casting director Megan Stone, her brown hair neatly bobbed.
Joseph had brought his team.
Roughly 20 people in total, including stunt crews, executives from Universal Movies, and other team members. They were all here to observe the filming of *Beneficial Evil*. As they entered the grand, marble-tiled hotel lobby, Joseph’s assistant Robert handled check-ins.
The rest of the team looked around, murmuring in approval.
“This place is nice.”
“It really is. Love the spacious lobby and all those sofas for waiting.”
“Shall we relax a bit while we wait?”
The group made their way to a large sofa area on one side of the lobby. The lobby was so expansive that it took them a while to reach the seating area. Joseph and Megan chatted as they approached, but just as they arrived—
“Hmm?”
One of the Universal Movies executives, a heavyset man, widened his eyes. A woman had just entered the hotel. With her blonde hair tied back and a cap pulled low over her face, she wore a white mask. Though her face was covered, the executive found her presence oddly familiar and muttered her name under his breath.
“...Ma, Miley? Miley Kara?”
The entire group froze. They all turned to look at the executive, including Joseph.
“Hmm? What are you talking about? Are you dreaming?”
Joseph laughed, clearly amused.
“There’s no way Miley would be here.”