Fan Service
Woo Dan-wol's younger sister, Woo Ri-na, had been rejected again today. Or maybe it was yesterday. He wasn't entirely sure. What did he mean by that? Even Woo Dan-wol wasn't completely clear on the details, but one thing was certain—she got turned down every single day. It wasn't an exaggeration. She asked him every day without fail. She begged, even dropped to her knees, but Woo Dan-wol was a man of principle. Especially when it came to anything related to acting.
What kind of actor would spoil his own work? Even with family, there were lines that simply couldn't be crossed. He drew that boundary clearly and hoped Ri-na would calm down. Instead, her obsession only grew worse with each passing day. It was an absurd situation.
At the same time, it was proof that the drama was doing incredibly well. Usually, when a family member appeared in a media project, it was nearly impossible to stay immersed. After all, how could you lose yourself in a story when your own sibling was on screen playing a role? It wasn't easy.
In that regard, Forest of Flowers was a well-crafted drama. Beyond its entertainment value, Woo Dan-wol's acting was on such an exceptional level that Ri-na found herself completely absorbed. That's why she was over-invested like this.
"I'm going to lose my mind!!"
"Then go ahead and lose it."
"Aaaagh!!"
His sister was spiraling like a madwoman. At this point, Woo Dan-wol couldn't keep playing the role of the nice older brother. Ri-na was rolling around on the floor as if possessed by a demon. She genuinely felt like she was about to snap.
It was because her friends—and the entire school, really—had split into two rival factions. Thanks to Ri-na's tight-lipped friends and their strong sense of loyalty, the fact that Kang Min-hyeok was her brother hadn't leaked. Of course, there was a bit of selfish possessiveness mixed in. The truth was known only to three people at school, and it felt incredibly special.
Going back to the point—Ri-na was losing it. Or had she already lost it?
It was strange enough that a 19+ drama was blowing up among middle schoolers, but as a viewer, Ri-na was truly obsessed. She got so caught up in how brilliantly it was acted that she sometimes forgot the lead was her own brother.
The more she rooted for the relationship between Kang Min-hyeok and Jin Da-yeon, the more those words he'd said kept nagging at her.
That's right. She was firmly on Team Kang Min-hyeok Government Faction. Looking at it from episode eight onward, Kang Min-hyeok's behavior possessed a charm that could rival any male lead in a romance drama. If anything, the thriller genre only made his allure bloom even more brilliantly.
Forest of Flowers was currently divided between two main theories: Kang Min-hyeok is the mastermind, or he isn't.
Having held the undisputed number one spot on Netflix for three straight weeks, its impact across South Korea was enormous.
Not everyone knew about it, but it was an accepted fact that anyone sensitive to trends and pop culture was completely caught up. To the point where, after asking about MBTI on a blind date, the next questions were usually "Have you seen Forest of Flowers?" and "What do you think of Kang Min-hyeok?"
Comments like these popped up constantly. It seemed ridiculous that a single drama could decide someone's fate, but that was exactly how massive the buzz had become.
"I'm going out for a bit."
"...Yeah. See you later."
Normally Ri-na would have sent him off without a second thought, but today she wore a strangely uneasy expression. Part of it was because his popularity was skyrocketing by the day.
Despite that, Woo Dan-wol himself seemed completely unfazed. He headed to the convenience store, and just as his sister had worried, nothing out of the ordinary happened. There were several reasons for that, but if he had to pick one, it was the makeup.
Woo Dan-wol's natural face could definitely be called handsome, but there was something faintly innocent about it that made people think "cute" first. On the other hand, Kang Min-hyeok's makeup gave off a cold, arrogant, and mysteriously sophisticated mastermind vibe. The difference was night and day. Today, too, he reached the convenience store without any trouble and picked up his usual triangular kimbap.
Just as he was about to pay, Woo Dan-wol heard someone whispering about him. He turned his head in that direction. Their eyes met. Inside the spacious convenience store, an ordinary person who had been sneaking glances finally spoke up.
"Um... excuse me... are you... Kang Min-hyeok?"
"Ah, yes. That's right."
Woo Dan-wol was dressed like a typical unemployed guy—hoodie and shorts, fitting for the autumn weather. He wasn't walking around with crust in his eyes or looking particularly sloppy. Still, as a celebrity, he felt a little embarrassed that he hadn't dressed up at all.
This was the first time in this life that a passerby had recognized him. It felt meaningful and strangely fascinating.
"C-can I get an autograph! Ah, I don't have a pen. Or paper..."
"Ahaha..."
The ordinary person was even more flustered than he was. She was an average-looking woman in a neat suit that suggested she'd just gotten off work. She even had an employee ID hanging around her neck—probably an actual office worker. Running into a celebrity at the neighborhood convenience store had clearly short-circuited her brain. She was babbling incoherently.
It was Woo Dan-wol who calmed her down. Maybe it was the experience that came with being a celebrity. He continued the fan service with perfect composure.
"I don't have a pen either... Would a photo be okay instead?"
"Y-yes, please!"
The woman hurriedly pulled out her smartphone. She carefully turned on the camera, but when Woo Dan-wol saw what she was doing, he couldn't hold back his laughter.
"Pfft, are you trying to take a selfie?"
"N-no..."
It didn't feel like something an office worker would do. She seemed like a middle-school girl who'd suddenly regressed back to puberty. And that made sense. The moment she recognized him as the actor Woo Dan-wol, it was as if an entirely new world had opened up. His charm hit her differently now.
The gap between not knowing him and seeing him up close after realizing who he was—that difference in perceived attractiveness wasn't small. That's what had caused this reaction.
"Come here. I'll take it for you."
"Ah..."
Whether it was because he'd taken her phone or because she'd seen his smile, the office worker stood frozen, staring at him blankly. Dan-wol, who couldn't waste too much time, stepped closer to her. He leaned in as casually as if she were an old friend.
The woman flinched like she'd been struck. Even though there hadn't been any real skinship, she looked incredibly tense.
"Look this way and smile."
"Y-yes..."
It was an awkward smile. Her face was flushed red, and the expression looked almost broken, but if she was happy, that was all that mattered. Since he didn't own the convenience store, Woo Dan-wol quickly finished paying and stepped outside.
Left alone, the office worker was still riding the high. This had all happened because of her sharp eye. In professional terms, she'd "hit the jackpot." Anyway, as she looked at the photo she'd just taken, a blissful smile spread across her face.
"Hehe... hehihih... hihik... kuhihik..."
...It was a rather shady smile. But she was happy. Her own face wasn't the prettiest, but who cared? The main villain—no, the main lead—of the drama she'd been enjoying the most had just pressed up against her like a lover and taken a photo with her. It was the ultimate fan service.
Still smiling, she returned to the counter. The convenience store owner asked her,
"Is he a celebrity?"
"Yes. Haven't you seen Forest of Flowers?"
The owner was a middle-aged woman in her forties. If she wasn't into dramas, it wouldn't be surprising. The woman nodded as if she understood.
"Forest of Flowers... F-f-f-forest of Flowers?!"
"Haha... So you do know it."
Her husband had been watching it, and she'd secretly started following along because it was so good. The owner was a bit late to the fan-girling party. She'd seen him around as a regular customer several times—who would have guessed he was an actor?
"I should've asked for a photo..."
Regret was pointless now. The office worker headed home wearing the satisfied smile of a victor. As soon as she opened her phone, it was time to brag. After all, there was nothing quite as satisfying as showing off online. She'd enjoyed the drama, but she hadn't been a hardcore fan. That changed today. Day one of her passionate fandom had officially begun.
She nodded in agreement as she read the comments. If she hadn't had such a sharp eye, she definitely wouldn't have recognized him. She immediately started typing a reply.
She closed her phone and stared at the new wallpaper—Woo Dan-wol's photo. In the end, she grabbed a can of beer and some snacks and sat down in front of the TV. She was about to start a rewatch of the drama. Her expression was dead serious.
Meanwhile, Woo Dan-wol received a call from his manager.
"An interview?"
"Yeah. They said it'll be uploaded to YouTube as a special feature."
"Sounds good."
There was still some awkward downtime before his next drama project. This was perfect timing. Woo Dan-wol nodded and began preparing for the upcoming interview.