Why Hesitate to Set Sail When the Southeast Wind Blows?

Common wisdom in acting academies: there are two things you're told not to do right off the bat.

One is getting swallowed whole by your emotions.

Fools hooked on method acting think they're nailing it and puff out their chests, but 99% of them suck.

The other is pulling that crap in gradients.

They think they're building emotional intensity gradually, but again, 99% look like total idiots.

Put another way, even pulling off either without looking bad requires one-in-ten-thousand talent.

And to do it decently? You need to cherry-pick from that one-in-ten-thousand.

And to do it brilliantly—

"I'll admit it, Actor Kang. My eyes were knotholes."

"......"

Han Ye-seul let out a long sigh as she watched Jo Yun-a flash an awkward smile and take a drink from her manager.

It wasn't something you could explain away as the seasoned twist of part three.

Hold it back, hold it back again,

clinging to the last thread of reason even as it slowly unravels—that palpable realism.

Affection curdling naturally into obsession.

As a producer, Han Ye-seul had this actress right in front of her and hadn't noticed until the shoot wrapped.

How else could you describe that but "knotholes"?

"......"

"......"

The room was still dazed.

Han Ye-seul gazed at Kang Min with awe bordering on reverence.

The Human Quartet he'd kicked off with Hitler.

An actor of overwhelming potential no one else had spotted.

Above all, that calm expression radiating unshakable confidence.

What does this guy even see?

And so, amid all the reverent stares, the biggest knothole of them all muttered blankly at the ceiling.

'Maybe I should just retire.'

Truth be told,

Kang Min even having the option to retire was pure delusion.

#

Four days later, Sunday was special for Kang Min in every sense—figuratively and literally.

Above all, it was the day both his major projects wrapped and the specials aired simultaneously.

Right after midnight, articles on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the King and Sovereign finale poured in.

Twelve hours later, another wave dominated entertainment news.

MBS's president, VP, and directors wailed every time Kang Min did anything, but with results like this, they couldn't not lay out the Sunday night slot as the Kang Min Special.

They swallowed their tears and did it.

The problem was—

Either way, it was pure hell for Kang Min.

"Thank you! It's great to see you again!"

"Y-You're... the mom from back then?"

"That's right!"

First up in the King and Sovereign special: the mother of the kid who'd nearly had an accident in episode four.

She grabbed Kang Min's hand—ignoring his stunned attempt to hide it—and thanked him profusely again.

As viewers buzzed in confusion, the woman on screen shook Kang Min's hand over and over.

"Let me say it again: thank you so much. I wanted to repay you somehow, but you refused—"

"No need. Allowing that scene to air was decision enough."

"Oh, come on, what did I do? My kid was hounding me about when it'd air. He strutted around school bragging that Hui-yul saved him, the little punk."

Soon, the kid from the viral GIF filled the screen with a beaming grin.

His sparkling eyes finally snapped viewers back to reality.

The boards lit up, but that wasn't the end. Another figure appeared.

A hulking bull of a man, but with clear, shining eyes.

The pure zealot in those eyes huffed for a moment, staring at Kang Min.

Then bear-hugged him.

"We meet at last! Great to see you!"

"?"

Naturally, viewers felt the same bewilderment as Kang Min.

Nothing special.

Yi Hoon had suggested he appear, so he'd shown up for another drama's special with zero agenda.

And unleashed his fanboy fervor (??) on Kang Min.

"Truth is, that first sword fight? I knew it! First real tachiwara since Oldboy! I'm witnessing a legend!"

"Uh, sure."

"But no! Then came the legend! That angle in the burning village! That facial acting!"

"Yes..."

"And it didn't stop there! The flashback scene was straight-up legendary—"

No room to ask what separated legend from "legend."

Choi Bong-man raved excitedly, and Yu Ho-hyeon PD eagerly close-upped him to capture those legendary reactions.

Baek Chae-i held her own too.

"So you're saying Hui-yul started as a total extra?"

"Yes. No real screen time."

"Whoa...!"

"But at our first meeting, Actor Kang said, 'The king's foe is the crown prince, sure—but at root, it's the common folk. Someone has to represent them.'"

"And that's how Hui-yul as we know him was born!"

"Exactly. He basically crafted the current story single-handedly."

It was already intriguing.

Choi Bong-man's massive reactions (for real), plus nods from Yi Hoon and Park Seong-ho, pulled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠viewers in unwittingly.

"I did that interview before, but let me say it again. I was agonizing over the speech when..."

"Embarrassing, but honestly? At first I thought some parachute hack dropped in, so I got pissy. Told him to act, and holy shit—"

None of it was Kang Min's intent, but that's life.

From leads to supports to PDs, anyone who spoke mentioned Kang Min, and viewers cheered.

Kang Min, mired in despair over losing Unbelievable, could only watch his fame balloon uselessly.

Unfortunately, it didn't end there.

At the giant "Human Quartet Special," Choi Bong-man grinned again.

"We meet again!"

"...Han Ye-seul PD?"

"No, I mean... you're somebody, right? It went viral, so no reason to say no..."

"Hm."

"......"

"And didn't Director Choi praise PD Han's direction as highly talented the other day—"

"Unrelated."

"......"

"For real."

As Han Ye-seul averted her eyes, the routine repeated.

This time targeting Jo Yun-a and Han Ye-seul mostly.

Choi Bong-man bounced like he was hosting.

"So everything—the quartet idea, pulling people in—was Actor Kang's brainchild! Even pushed PD Han when she wanted safe!"

"Right. All I did was slap the 'quartet' label on it."

"Ha ha, I'm learning a ton here."

Kang Min had opened new paths for the perfectionist PD Han Ye-seul.

"So that stair scene really was her best role so far."

"Y-Yes..."

"Huh. Never thought of interviewing?"

"I did... even Director Choi Bong-man's works..."

"Pardon?"

"D-Don't you remember? Two years ago in Runaway Train, gas station clerk B—you said 'act,' then 'sigh, next'..."

"Ahem!"

Spotting an actress who'd have retired unknown? Also Kang Min.

Viewers—and even Choi Bong-man—gaped as more insane stories poured from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠those interviewed.

From King and Sovereign to the Unbelievable quartet, nothing untouched by Kang Min?

Viewers were floored; a director like Choi Bong-man couldn't hold back.

Master stuntman, actor, and eye for talent?

Anyone not snatching him up was the fool!

"I was gonna go easy on you today, but no dice!"

Huffing, he pulled a stack of synopses from somewhere and piled them before Kang Min.

"Here, my concepts! Usually I'd pick the best and cast, but reverse this time!"

"Pardon?"

"Pick what grabs you! Let's plan from scratch and craft a banger!"

"......"

10-million director Choi Bong-man.

A lead offer alone would stun; this was quasi-co-production.

Viewers freaked, torching the boards; colleagues gawked.

Worse: public stage.

Kang Min blinked, then asked.

"Um..."

"Speak!"

"Any synopses where the role dies?"

"Nope! One with Vegas baccarat, though!"

"......"

Kang Min despaired, taking the stack.

Next day's special revelations plus Choi Bong-man's co-prod plea? Article flood, obviously.

#

Choi Bong-man broke the dam.

Call it producer pride.

'Kang Min's tempting, but...'

'Even if I pitch and get shot down, face...

'If only he had an agency, I could probe quietly.'

Like variety PDs before, big directors feared Kang Min's rejections spreading. No ego, no director. Tempting, but too risky.

But,

With Choi Bong-man bending this far, no loss for them.

And so.

"Damn it! Goddamn...!"

All pure nightmare for Kang Min.

Offers lacked dying roles. Even forcing a last-minute death? King and Sovereign redux at best. Only Unbelievable-style die-every-shoot worked flawlessly.

Nothing but ever-shifting reenactments offered that.

Even those, banking on his name, rejected him...

"Ahem, Emergency Escape 119 PD? This is actor Kang Min from before..."

"Pardon?"

"...No, that's not what I—"

"Sorry!"

"......"

Emergency Escape 119

This Is Real

1000 Tales

Unraveling Crimes, etc.

PDs across networks panicked alike, shunting calls upward.

They'd seen Unbelievable's end devour its own.

Rumors swirled of Wi Min-jun PD wailing daily over reprogramming post-ratings. No wonder the freakouts.

"Ugh...!!"

Kang Min fought desperately, but walls everywhere.

Piling up: scripts for surefire masterpieces. No one granting his wish.

Surging fame.

Yet nothing viable...

Finally, like a bum kicking cans, Kang Min slumped at a street stall, downing booze listlessly.

Life never went as planned, but bitter all the same...

No way out? Not one single—?!

Just wanting roles dying every shoot—such greed?!

As Kang Min cursed the world and chugged,

a savior appeared.

"Maybe I should just get a job."

"Hey, Yoo Ji-min! You've got talent, man?!"

"None. Zero."

Back table,

a young man sniffled.

His friend consoled him.

"A few scenarios stuck, right? Polish 'em more..."

"All thanks to sis and little sis...! Ji-a's a powerhouse writer, Ji-yu's a top actress! Go in hopeful, they say 'can't connect via sisters'..."

The youth could barely sit up.

Drunk on emotion more than booze.

Kang Min, knowing the vibe, pitied him mid-gloom. He'd endured similar versus already-famous Seo Bom as a trainee.

The world: nothing but impossibles...

He'd cheer the poor guy inwardly. Had to conquer solo eventually.

So—

Until Yoo Ji-min's friend sighed and spoke.

"But honestly, tweak the setup? Protagonist dying nearly every scene's too much—"

"Hello. Mind if I join?"

"Uh, sure?"

As the friend yelped "K-Kang Min?! Hidden cam?!" scanning around, Kang Min eyed the blinking youth with burning intensity.

And one week later,

Choi Bong-man, Baek Chae-i, and next-project watchers got bizarre news.

"?"

"...?"

"......???"

"What?"

As all doubted eyes and ears,

Somehow the biggest loser was sole winner Han Ye-seul.

"Let's go together, Han PD!"

"Of course!"

"This is the writer!"

"......Pardon?"