boyutpedia Chapter 199: Summer (2)
Chapter 199: Summer (2)
Kang Rojun paused for a moment as he stared at the long line of numbers displayed on his phone. It was as if the numbers were hypnotizing him.“......”
The first thing Rojun did after barely snapping out of the trance was.
‘...H-How much is this?’
He slowly counted the digits. From the beginning, Kang Rojun had several millions of won in his bank account. But now, a far greater amount was lying dormant there.
‘280 million won??’
It was approaching 300 million won. Kang Rojun checked multiple times to make sure he had counted correctly. But would the digits change just because he kept staring? Gradually, Rojun’s eyes widened.
‘...When did this much money come in??’
When he signed the contract for 'Like a Kaleidoscope', that was the first time Rojun had seen money in the millions. But now, he was seeing tens of millions. Kang Rojun seemed confused whether he was dreaming or awake, but having close to 300 million won in his account wasn’t strange at all.
From 'Produce That 100!' up to now, how many times had he hit No. 1 on the charts in Korea and Japan?
And even now, he was still holding his position.
That included multiple songs’ lyric fees, composition and lyrics copyright royalties, streaming profits, writer and actor earnings, and now the first payment from 'Vanguard'. Rojun had his hands in so many things that listing them all would be exhausting. Most notably, 'Vanguard' had been dropping nuclear bombs of success from debut with a sold-out show-con, album sales, digital sales, and more.
So the first payment must have been a huge sum as well.
Since he didn’t have any time as a trainee, there wasn’t much to deduct.
Of course, Kang Rojun was still active. He had already made over tens of millions, but more money was still on the way. This was the result of properly managing both his main job as an idol and his various side jobs without neglecting any of them, succeeding in every single one without failure.
As reality started to fade a bit, Kang Rojun unknowingly smiled.
‘If I just keep working like this without realizing it, even 10 billion won... it’s definitely doable, isn’t it??’
10 billion? 10 billion won? Even though he was the one who thought of it, it was such an absurdly hefty amount. But realizing that 10 billion wasn’t just a dream made Rojun’s heart start to race.
‘Now that I think about it, I even have two cars.’
One of them was a Lamborghini worth about 400 million won. Excitement surged through him. Si-hoo, Kang-min, and Do-kyung didn’t have as many side jobs as Rojun, so theirs would be smaller, but even they must have received jaw-dropping amounts in their first payments.
Kang Rojun, who had briefly fallen into his own world,
-Swoosh.
Slowly made eye contact with Manager Kim Ki-baek standing in front of him. Kim Ki-baek had a faint, weak smile on his face.
“Surprising, right?”
“...Yes. I was really shocked.”
“I guess you haven’t checked your account recently?”
“I usually don’t look at it much, but these days I’ve been so busy I haven’t thought to check.”
“That makes sense.”
Manager Kim Ki-baek pressed a nearby keyboard for no reason.
“Honestly- I can’t even begin to guess how much profit has built up for you so far. 'Vanguard' was a major hit, and your side jobs were all doing great too.”
He turned to Rojun again and continued speaking.
“Earning money is one thing, but how you use it is just as important. Hmm- Have you ever thought about how you want to spend it?”
“......”
After a brief silence, Kang Rojun began to recite silently what he’d been thinking for a long time.
‘First, I want to move my dad and mom to a much better place.’
Almost at the same time, Manager Kim Ki-baek made a suggestion.
“First, you’ll need to buy a house. Somewhere with a good view of the Han River.”
“A house??”
“Yes. A home is essential. It feels completely different from a dorm. If needed, the company can help you look.”
“Oh, then please do.”
“Okay.”
A house? For a moment, Rojun remembered the shabby one-room apartment he had lived in during tough times. But now, he could buy a house with a great view of the Han River.
“Ah, but houses with a Han River view must be crazy expensive, right??”
“They’re expensive. But for now, you can go for a reasonably priced one, and the company will cover anything that falls short. The CEO will make sure it’s taken care of.”
Nodding, Kang Rojun asked about something else he wanted.
“Buying a house is important, but... I’d like to donate some money, is that okay?”
"Hmm- donations."
Kim Ki-baek opened the diary he was holding in one hand and nodded.
“Donating from your first payment, that’s not a bad idea. Was it something you’ve been thinking about for a while?”
“Yes. I always thought I should do it when I could afford to.”
“The company can definitely look into the donation matter. But have you decided where you want to donate?”
“Yes.”
Kang Rojun recalled the time when he was like a monstrous version of himself. A life where he holed up alone in a tiny room, watching TV in isolation. A time when anyone who saw him would insult him with their eyes or their mouths. And then, he.
“To people like me... no.”
He softly answered Manager Kim Ki-baek, who was waiting for a response.
“I want to donate to children with disabilities.”
As if understanding, Manager Kim Ki-baek scribbled something in the diary and then asked a question.
“Got it. Hmm- how much are you thinking of donating?”
Kang Rojun responded right away.
“Well, about 100 million won?”
“...100 million?”
Kim Ki-baek's smile grew faint and relaxed.
“Straightforward as ever, Rojun-nim.”
After that.
Kang Rojun, along with Si-hoo, Kang-min, and Do-kyung, the full lineup of 'Vanguard', were all thrilled with their first payment. Si-hoo immediately called his parents, Kang-min stared at his phone screen as if he couldn’t believe it.
"I'm buying it right now."
Do-kyung paid all at once for the clothes he had been eyeing for a while. The amount exceeded several hundred thousand won, but there was nothing that could stop Do-kyung now.
'Vanguard' gathered in the practice room in a frenzy.
-♬♪
They began group practice.
So intensely that even the choreography team was impressed.
“What is this, guys? You’re bursting with energy today??”
“Hahaha, it’s our first payment day.”
"Ah ha, then that's understandable."
Rojun, Si-hoo, Kang-min, and Do-kyung were full of energy. It was like they were powered by money. Group practice continued until early afternoon, and Kang Rojun completed his daily mission, which he hadn’t done due to his early morning schedule.
-[User: Kang Rojun / Height: 187 / Desired Occupation: Global Idol / Coins Owned: 1,862]
-[Passives: Overwhelm / Limit Break / Vitality Booster]
.
.
.
He enhanced even his stats.
-[Appearance (150/150)│Singing Ability (115/150)│Rap (110.4/150)│Dance (109.8/150)│Eloquence (65.1/150)│Acting (80.9/150)│Lyrics Writing (150/150)│Composition (91/150)│Arrangement (0/150)]
Before he knew it, his singing, rap, and dance stats had all exceeded 100 points. From 100 points onward, it took more coins to enhance, but Kang Rojun could feel the enhancements in real time with every point he raised. For the songs he had already learned, whether vocals or choreography, no one could keep up with Kang Rojun anymore.
“You know, Rojun’s dance get prettier every time we see him, don’t they?”
“Exactly. How should I put it, his skills already broke the ceiling, but with Rojun, it feels like his peak has no end.”
From late afternoon, Kang Rojun worked with Si-hoo on composing the main theme song for 'Tale of the Strange Moon'. Then from night onward, he had time for himself.
From past midnight to early dawn.
-Tatadat!
Kang Rojun focused on writing Episode 3 of 'Tale of the Strange Moon'.
Morning came again, and Kang Rojun, along with the rest of 'Vanguard', received the official cue sheet for their already sold-out concert in Japan.
And then Rojun.
“Hello, Director-nim!”
“Welcome, Rojun-ssi. We’re going to start filming with the ‘Hook’ scene again today, so be aware.”
“Yes!”
He began the second shoot for 'Blood Hunt'.
Meanwhile, at Netflix Korea.
PD Jung Soo-ryeong, now officially confirmed as the director for 'Tale of the Strange Moon', had practically taken up residence at Netflix Korea lately. She had just finished reviewing the scripts for Episodes 1 and 2 of 'Tale of the Strange Moon', which she recently received, and Executive Director Lim Hyun-jin finalized the production company for the series right after Jung Soo-ryeong.
Then, around the afternoon of the 26th.
“Then let’s begin the first production meeting for 'Tale of the Strange Moon'.”
Executive Director Lim Hyun-jin, Netflix Korea, PD Jung Soo-ryeong, and the production company all gathered for the very first production meeting of 'Tale of the Strange Moon'. They started with organizing the camera, lighting, art, sound, and other filming teams.
Here, PD Jung Soo-ryeong made a request, as she already had key staff she had worked closely with before.
“If possible, I’d like to assemble the staff team I’ve been working with. They were with me during the historical drama in my filmography, and I believe they’ll do great with 'Tale of the Strange Moon' too.”
Neither Executive Director Lim Hyun-jin nor the production company had any objections and accepted it without much fuss. It was far better to continue working with key staff members they had been with all along, rather than assembling a new team from scratch. Next up was the VFX team, responsible for all CG and various visual effects, which PD Jung Soo-ryeong had particularly emphasized.
This time, Executive Director Lim Hyun-jin spoke first.
“We’ve already sent out requests to both domestic and overseas VFX teams, and replies should come soon. As PD Jung said, we’ll finalize the best team, so no need to worry.”
After that, the topic moved to Kang Rojun specifically, Writer Rojun.
“We were informed he began writing Episode 3 right after finishing Episode 2, and at this pace, it looks like he’ll be able to produce all six episodes of Season 1 very soon.”
“I can vouch for Writer Rojun’s writing speed. He’s faster than any writer I’ve ever seen, and the quality is top-tier.”
“PD Jung Soo-ryeong, you know him best, how do you want to handle the script meetings?”
“I already spoke with Writer Rojun. If the schedule allows, we’ll meet in person, otherwise we’ll do it by phone. But honestly, I don’t think there’ll be much to revise. Just from reading the scripts for Episodes 1 and 2, they’re perfect, aren’t they?”
The discussion about sets, costumes, and props took a bit longer. Since 'Tale of the Strange Moon' had a historical drama tone, there was naturally more to consider than with a modern-day series. In the end, they concluded that while historical accuracy would be maintained, fictional elements would be added, befitting the fantasy nature of 'Tale of the Strange Moon'.
Lastly, it was time for the most important topic.
“Next is actor casting... First, let’s take a look at the casting board.”
The PPT projected by the beam projector displayed countless actors, from top stars to many others. The first thing to be decided was the lead roles. 'Tale of the Strange Moon' required many actors in lead, supporting, and minor roles, but the two male leads who would anchor the story from start to finish were key.
The story begins with these two characters, and other characters are entangled around them.
The interesting part is that one of those two characters is actually the main villain of 'Tale of the Strange Moon'. Of course, viewers won’t have a clue at first. The plot initially distracts with other villains, and then at a certain moment, it drops the bombshell reveal that one of the male leads is the true main villain.
As soon as the topic of casting the two male leads came up, PD Jung Soo-ryeong spoke up right away.
With a voice full of certainty.
“One of the two male leads has to be Rojun. No exceptions.”
Executive Director Lim Hyun-jin and the production company agreed immediately, as if it didn’t even need to be said.
“Of course. As both writer and actor, Rojun is the signature of 'Tale of the Strange Moon'. Assuming the show is a success, his presence will have tremendous synergy.”
“That goes for the collaboration with 'Vanguard' too.”
PD Jung Soo-ryeong nodded and continued.
“In his acting ability, Rojun lacks nothing. If anything, he has too much. And his appearance, well, everyone already knows.”
The smile on her face deepened. Almost disturbingly so.
‘Hehe, I can’t wait to dress that face in a traditional hat or some kind of historical costume... Ah-hem. Get a grip. This is a solemn production meeting.’
As the discussion gradually settled on confirming Kang Rojun as one of the male leads, PD Jung Soo-ryeong added her own thought to the group.
“This is just my opinion, but I think if Rojun plays the main villain, the impact would be explosive.”
A few days later, on the 29th.
On the 'Blood Hunt' filming site. Among more than a hundred staff members, countless filming equipment, and several actors, Kang Rojun stood out clearly as he performed his role as ‘Hook’. Director Yoo Ji-heon, with his face buried in the monitor, clicked his tongue with regret.
‘Is this really Rojun-ssi’s final shoot already? I won’t get to see that incredible acting anymore.’
Director Yoo Ji-heon, a veteran in the industry, remained focused while assessing each cut but also thought ahead to the future.
‘I’ll have to cast Rojun first for my next project.’
During this 'Blood Hunt' shoot, he had fully witnessed Rojun’s acting form and his unbroken energy. On top of that, his relationships with staff and fellow actors were great.
‘That insane visual must help a lot too.’
Director Yoo Ji-heon had experienced firsthand how the atmosphere brightened whenever Kang Rojun arrived on set.
In any case, today marked the end of Kang Rojun’s scenes for 'Blood Hunt'. Meanwhile, GN Entertainment’s promotional articles were making waves online.
《'Vanguard' sells out all 35,000 seats of Japan concert, rehearsals expected to begin in Japan soon》
Another article capturing public attention appeared.
《“Not just a pretty face but a beautiful heart too, ‘Rojun’ boldly donates 200 million won to children with disabilities / Photo》