The Calm Before the Storm
For months, Kang Seonwoo endured the grueling schedules, the whispered rumors, and the cold, calculated manipulations of Park Hyunsoo. Each day chipped away at his spirit, yet his resolve only hardened.
He learned to mask the pain, to turn wounds into armor.
But beneath the surface, a fragile hope remained — that talent and hard work would one day redeem him.
The Promise That Wasn't
Hyunsoo had made a promise — a debut, a chance to shine, a new beginning.
Seonwoo clung to it like a lifeline.
But promises in this industry were as fragile as glass, and just as easily shattered.
The Setup
In a dimly lit office, Hyunsoo and Sangmin conspired.
Seonwoo was to be the fall guy for a scandal, a staged scandal that would end his career before it began.
It was the ultimate test — a trap disguised as opportunity.
The Fall
The scandal broke like a wave.
Photos doctored, texts fabricated, accusations whispered in the hallways and blasted across social media.
Seonwoo was isolated, attacked from every side.
Even those he had considered friends turned their backs, afraid to be tainted by association.
The Breaking Point
One cold night, alone in his apartment, Seonwoo stared at the ceiling, the weight of betrayal crushing him.
His phone buzzed — a message from Hyunsoo: "It's over. You're done."
The words cut deeper than any insult.
The boy who had dreamed of stardom was gone.
The Transformation Begins
From the ashes of broken dreams, a new identity was forged.
Seonwoo shed the naive boy and donned a mask — cold, calculating, ruthless.
He became K.
A New Path
With his debut crushed and his spirit shattered, K vanished from the public eye.
Behind closed doors, he began to build a new empire — one where he controlled the game, not the other way around.
He would never be a pawn again.
The First Steps in Shadow
K's first moves were subtle but powerful.
He gathered information, made silent deals, and began weaving a web of influence.
Every betrayal he suffered became a lesson, every scar a tool.
A Silent Vow
In the dark, K whispered a vow to himself:
"I will rise. I will own the shadows. And those who broke me will fall."