Luke's trip to Seoul had two main goals.
The primary one: two days ago, Mr. Eisen called to say he'd mostly secured the approval of the investment review committee and convinced most of the shareholders. But one key player, Samsung Group, hadn't committed right away. Instead, they invited Luke to Seoul for a face-to-face discussion.
The secondary goal was more of a side mission: to solidify and expand his foothold in the Korean movie market.
Both Hero and Pirates of the Caribbean had drawn over 10 million viewers in South Korea. Pirates alone raked in more than $80 million at the Korean box office.
That's over half of Japan's box office take—a market too big to ignore.
If Luke could turn South Korea into a loyal fanbase for his films, it'd give him a stronger shot at clinching the top two spots on the global box office charts next year.
Those were his original plans for the Seoul trip. But on the plane, a new idea hit him.
Love it or hate it, no one could deny that Korean pop culture's influence would skyrocket over the next two decades.
At first, it was mostly confined to East Asia. But by the mid-2010s, groups like BTS and Blackpink were breaking into Western markets.
Even some of China's biggest stars were products of Korea's idol-making machine.
Controlling a Korean entertainment company could give him a serious edge in riding that wave.
Luke wasn't a fan of K-pop, but that didn't stop him from wanting to seize a golden opportunity.
Should he go with Lee Soo-man? Or Park Jin-young?
Yang Hyun-suk? Nah, that company's too shady.
Luke decided to play it by ear—whichever one felt right would get the chance to soar.
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Incheon International Airport, South Korea's largest 4F-grade international hub, had just opened in March 2001.
Seoul didn't have a major international airport, so the capital region's biggest ones were both in Incheon.
Most international flights landed here.
Inside the terminal, a couple fresh off an overseas vacation was walking out with their 12-year-old daughter.
But the girl's attention was caught by a crowd nearby.
At the arrivals gate, a swarm of reporters from major media outlets stood ready with cameras and mics, clearly waiting for someone big.
"Dad, what's going on?" Yoona asked curiously.
Her dad glanced over and said, "Looks like they're waiting to interview someone. Wow, reporters from KBS, SBS, and MBC are all here. Plus a ton from newspapers, magazines, and radio stations. Who could they be waiting for?"
"Is it Kangta from H.O.T.?"
Yoona had heard on the news that Kangta was returning today after a China-Korea fan meeting.
Her dad shook his head. "No way. H.O.T. was huge back in the day, but they broke up last year. Even at their peak, they wouldn't get this kind of media frenzy. This feels like a state visit or something. But that's weird—there's no government welcome team."
"Here's today's paper. Let's check," Yoona said.
Smart as ever, she grabbed a free newspaper for travelers. She didn't even need to flip through it—the headline screamed from the front page:
Hollywood Superstar and Global Icon Luke to Visit Our Country Today!
"It's Luke! He's in Korea?" Yoona squealed with excitement.
Who was the biggest star in South Korea these days?
If you only counted local talent, it'd probably be H.O.T., like Yoona mentioned.
They were the pioneers of Korean boy bands. At their peak, their cultural influence was unmatched—some even said it rivaled the president's.
Later groups like Super Junior, TVXQ, Big Bang, EXO, and BTS couldn't come close to H.O.T.'s domestic dominance.
It was like Eighteen Years in the Enemy Camp, a drama with a 99% viewership rate. Could anyone top that?
A product of a unique era, impossible to replicate.
But if you expanded the scope beyond local stars, Luke was hands-down the hottest name in South Korea right now.
Even H.O.T. at their peak wouldn't dare think they could go toe-to-toe with him, especially not after their lineup changes.
When Yoona dad realized the reporters were waiting for Luke, he got pumped too.
"No way! Let's go check it out!"
Yoona dad was a huge Luke fan. Hero was the movie that hooked him—he'd watched it eight times in theaters.
And he didn't just go alone; he dragged his wife and daughter along, turning the whole family into fans.
So when Pirates of the Caribbean came out, watching Luke's movies together became a family tradition.
Luke's dedicated performances, slick action scenes, and mesmerizing acting had won them over completely.
Yoona dad had even started a forum thread pushing for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Jurassic Park 3, and The Fast and the Furious—all Luke films—to be re-released in South Korea.
So, he led his wife and daughter toward the arrivals gate.
They tried to find a less crowded spot, but it was hopeless.
The normally spacious area was packed to the brim.
It wasn't just media—tons of local Korean fans had shown up too, having heard the news.
"Over here, sir! It's less crowded," a young fan called out, waving Yoona dad over.
The family finally found a spot to stand.
"Chasing stars with a kid in tow? That's dedication," the young fan said.
"We're all Luke fans. Getting to see him in person? A little crowding's nothing," Yoona dad replied.
"With this many people, just keep an eye on your kid," the fan said kindly.
"Thanks for the heads-up. Where're you from?"
"Seoul. I came from Seoul. You?"
"We live in Seoul too, but we just got back from overseas. That's a long trip just to catch a glimpse of him, huh?" Yoona dad said.
"Not a big deal. Most people here are from Seoul, and no one's complaining—they're all thrilled!" the young fan replied.
Incheon International Airport was nearly 30 miles from central Seoul.
Only die-hard fans would travel that far just for a peek at their idol.
But Luke's performances more than earned that kind of devotion.
As the minutes ticked by, the plane should've landed by now.
Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted:
"Heads up! Someone's coming out!"