Until that morning, the day at Flower Entertainment's management team had flowed by peacefully without a hitch. But from the afternoon onward, it suddenly took a sharp turn.
Team Leader Kim Tae-gon couldn’t help doubting his own eyes. Deputy Manager Lee Min-seong was stunned, of course, and every single employee at Flower Entertainment was just as shocked.
Articles plastering the name of their actor—who wasn’t even in the country—had come flooding out of nowhere. Even the Flower Entertainment staff had only just learned about it themselves, so naturally, the company hadn’t issued any official statement. Yet headlines and content claiming to be the agency’s position were popping up everywhere online, turning it into a massive hot topic.
“Hey, Min-seong! Did Woojin get into some kind of trouble or what? What’s this about musicals all of a sudden, and next projects?!”
“I’m hearing this for the first time too… I looked into it quick, and it seems like this is the culprit? Take a look.”
Lee Min-seong hurriedly played the video and handed over his phone. It was the video and photos that Lily had posted on her ‘Insta World’ SNS account, just as the article titles described.
Kim Tae-gon’s eyes kept widening in succession. He was a huge musical fanatic. Even in his busy daily life, he made time to catch shows—that was his one hobby and joy. And he religiously watched overseas performance videos on YouTube, so he was pretty knowledgeable about musicals. Spotting the world-class musical actors in the video was a piece of cake for him.
So when he confirmed that the protagonist singing and reveling in the festive night alongside them was none other than Woojin, Kim Tae-gon’s jaw dropped.
“Holy crap, that’s him in there!”
No matter how many times he rubbed his eyes and looked again, the result was the same. The foreigner in the video was unmistakably Woojin.
Unable to contain his excitement, Kim Tae-gon shot up from his seat. Bursting into a hearty laugh, he continued.
Lee Min-seong glanced at his watch and trailed off.
“Yeah, call him right now. If he picks up, patch it straight to me.”
The day after Woojin had left for the UK, a sighting had popped up on the fan cafe:
F
Fan Sighting
[Posted the day after departure]
— Actor Baek Woojin took off his shoes right before boarding the plane.
— He was alone, first class.
— Looked like he was heading off on a solo trip after wrapping his project.
— Even the flight attendant and the actor burst out laughing. Such an adorable slip-up!
It had quickly spread to a few communities, sparking a huge fan reaction. Just being spotted heading out on a trip had made waves, but this time, it was on a whole other level—nothing from before could compare.
“Told him to rest up, and he goes and builds an insane network. Haha!”
Kim Tae-gon let out a big, hearty laugh laced with joy and bewilderment.
“Team Leader, Woojin’s not picking up right now. I’ll try again later.”
“Okay.”
Kim Tae-gon nodded at Lee Min-seong’s words and spoke up.
“Anyway, Min-seong.”
“Yes?”
“I’m at the point where I’ve totally lost my read on him.”
What was that supposed to mean? Lee Min-seong looked back with a mix of wariness and curiosity.
“On what? Woojin?”
“Yeah, the kid’s just… impossible to gauge.”
Kim Tae-gon continued in a low voice.
“Back during Wanted, I saw stuff firsthand on set. I knew Woojin was the type who had to make it big. That’s why I begged him to sign with us, right?”
“Y...Yeah?”
“You and I, we’ve got over 20 years in this industry. How many kids have we seen come through?”
“If you count all the flash-in-the-pan types too, at least 500 must’ve passed through my hands.”
“Exactly! We’ve seen so many that now we can size ’em up at a glance. This one’ll go this far, that one’ll fizzle out quick, and so on.”
It was a fact. Kim Tae-gon had started as a lowly road manager under CEO Lee Eun-cheol and climbed the ranks step by step—his eye and instincts were razor-sharp and spot-on. Even Lee Min-seong, who bickered with him constantly, followed his work directives without question. Kim Tae-gon had both the career and the chops.
Yet lately, that sharp instinct of his seemed to be dulling when it came to Woojin. A type like him… it was the first time he’d ever encountered one. Like coming face-to-face with something brand new.
“The guy’s got insane talent, and the effort he puts in— just hearing about it makes me wanna hurl.”
Kim Tae-gon added.
“Plus, when he needs something, he goes out and gets it himself. Think about it—who secured the fire academy cooperation for Burnt and Hidden Marks?”
“Woojin.”
“The Red Petal casting?”
“Woojin again.”
“The unheard-of deal he pulled from Writer Kim Soo-rim?”
“...That was Woojin too.”
“Look back—every single credit in Woojin’s filmography, from one to ten, he built himself. We barely lifted a finger.”
Thinking it over, yeah, that was true.
“And the results from those self-made opportunities? Always top-tier. No one could argue otherwise.”
Lee Min-seong nodded in agreement.
“That’s what I’m saying. First actor like this I’ve ever seen—I’ve got no clue how far he’ll go.”
Kim Tae-gon smiled and pointed at his monitor. More to show? Lee Min-seong’s puzzled gaze shifted to the screen.
And then,
“...!”
His eyes widened just like Kim Tae-gon’s had. On the monitor was the website of the UK’s biggest public broadcaster, BBC News. Right there on the main page was the photo Lily had posted on her SNS, with Woojin grinning next to William, crystal clear.
If West End was making waves in the UK—not just Korea—the British media would’ve broken it even faster.
It wasn’t an official casting in an overseas project or a K-pop idol concert abroad. Just a Korean actor on a solo trip—and short of committing an actual crime, Korean actors didn’t end up on the BBC main page.
For Kim Tae-gon with nearly 20 years in management, and Lee Min-seong closing in on that mark, it was a first.
“Looks like Woojin’s bringing back something big again.”
“Nah, come on. You know how tough it is for East Asians breaking into Western scenes.”
Lee Min-seong was skeptical. And rightly so. For an East Asian actor to land on a Western stage—especially the Anglo-American works everyone dreamed of—was like reaching for the stars. Countless attempts, endless failures. Times were improving, but outdated racial stereotypes still lingered strongest in cultural spaces. Even setting that aside, Western productions simply had few roles needing East Asian actors.
Sure, photos with stars like Lily Header were generating heat, but it was too early to jump to conclusions. They hadn’t even heard from Woojin yet, let alone the full story.
Lee Min-seong had a point. But,
“Nah, I’ve got a feeling.”
“Huh? A feeling?”
“Yeah, this Kim Tae-gon instinct you acknowledge too. Feels like Woojin’s about to make real waves this time.”
“Team Leader, you just said you had zero read on him. Pretty sure you admitted your instincts were busted…”
—Squeeze!
“Ow, ow! Ah!”
Kim Tae-gon pinched Lee Min-seong’s cheek hard. Lee Min-seong grimaced. When Kim Tae-gon finally let go, he slunk back to his seat with a pout.
A moment later,
“...”
Kim Tae-gon, scrolling through the flood of Woojin-West End articles, spoke up.
“Management team, meeting room now. With PR too.”
“Yes, sir.”
He called an internal meeting.
* * *
At that moment.
London, capital of England.
Woojin had stepped out of his lodgings early that morning. After that unforgettable night with the connections he’d stumbled into, he’d holed up in his room for two straight days. Only on the third did he venture out again.
The reason?
Woojin
Lily, these are the works I mentioned on the way to the after-party you invited me to. Added subtitles so you can watch smoothly.
Whoa?! You added the subtitles yourself?!
Woojin
Yep. A small thank-you for your kindness. Hope you enjoy.
Wow, thank you so much! I’ve been dying to see your acting. Gonna hug William tight and watch the second I get home.
Woojin
Oh, and feel free to give any feedback—I’m all ears. Here’s my email.
As promised, he’d put the list of his works saved on his laptop onto a USB for Lily. Two dramas and two films (he’d regretfully skipped the unreleased Hidden Marks, aimed at festivals). Overlaying subtitles himself had been exhausting, but the reward and fun made it worthwhile.
Lily’s eyes sparkled with gratitude and anticipation as she took the USB. Woojin had found William for her; Lily had given him the best seats in the theater and a spot among global luminaries.
In return, Woojin had gifted her his subtitled works generously. Lily, in turn,
This is a West End-exclusive premium ticket. Show it to the theater 2-3 days before any show, and you can catch whatever performance on your desired date. Or enjoy all shows freely within the period on the back—no pressure.
Woojin had felt grateful yet guilty at Lily’s gifts, always double what he gave. He’d tried to refuse the premium ticket, but
Enjoy, your musical land!
Lily had insisted, urging him to immerse himself in musical magic at its birthplace. Woojin accepted with thanks. Through this give-and-take of gifts, their budding friendship blossomed fully.
They exchanged emails, promising to stay in touch. Woojin’s first British friend; Lily’s first Korean one.
Clutching the ticket from his new bestie, Woojin headed to the West End again today.
Looks like this trip’s itinerary is diverging big-time from the plan. Might end up living at the West End till I head back to Korea....Team Leader Park Mi-young, sorry. I’ll hit your recommendations next time…He’d reunite with Lily at the final Notre Dame de Paris show, so what to catch today?
— ♬♬♬♬♬
That’s when it started. As Woojin browsed a performance lineup booklet at a nearby open cafe lounge, a beautiful melody drifted into his ears.
Hm?
He turned toward the sound. A crowd had gathered in the middle of the street.
Street performance?
Woojin closed the booklet and naturally waded into the crowd. The music led him on.
