Luke sat on the stage, gazing out at the sea of people filling the convention hall, marveling at how his popularity had truly reached a new level.
He'd known his movies had done well at the Korean box office, but it was an abstract fact—nothing tangible.
Today, the fans who'd gone out of their way to see him brought his popularity to life with their genuine enthusiasm.
This trip to Korea was different from his Japan visit.
Luke was fluent in Japanese at a master level, allowing him to communicate effortlessly and understand the culture without any gaps.
But he didn't speak Korean, so he relied on English to connect with local fans.
Fortunately, even without system-granted language skills, he faced minimal cultural barriers when talking to Koreans—practically none at all.
In the Confucian cultural sphere, no country was closer to China than the two on the Korean Peninsula.
Not even Vietnam could compare, let alone Japan.
After Japan's full-on Westernization, it blended Eastern and Western cultures into its own unique system.
Korea, on the other hand, remained strikingly aligned with China.
Watching Korean slice-of-life dramas like Reply 1988 or Look Again, you'd be shocked at how seamlessly you could relate. Their way of thinking felt identical to ours.
The same mother-in-law/daughter-in-law struggles, sibling-in-law tensions—Korea had them all.
Korean high school seniors, like ones, burned the midnight oil for college entrance exams.
Korean parents, too, would pour their life savings into helping their kids buy a home in a pricey city.
You wouldn't see that in Japan or the West.
There, life is your own to handle—parents' job is just to raise you.
Korean kids grumble about their parents meddling in their lives, asking why they can't choose their own paths.
Parents fire back, "Don't you know your life is our life too?"
"Pick the wrong path, and who pays the price with you?"
Luke could only say rights and responsibilities always go hand in hand.
You can't expect the unwavering support of style parenting while craving the hands-off freedom of Western parents.
So, even without system help, Luke never worried about cultural walls with Koreans.
As the fans filed into the hall and took their places, a Samsung Group staff member, doubling as the host, stepped up.
"Thank you all for your incredible support for Luke, coming all the way to the airport to greet him," the host began.
"To return your enthusiasm, Luke has arranged this last-minute fan meet-and-greet.
He's got a tight schedule today, so we'll keep it short, but there'll be more chances to connect with him in the coming days.
If you brought gifts, please place them in the box to the right, and we'll pass them along later.
It's hot out there this summer, so Luke thoughtfully prepared refreshing drinks for everyone. Our staff will hand them out.
Next, we'll move to the autograph session. We've got signature books for those who need them.
Please stay orderly and come up one by one."
The fans were thrilled.
They'd expected maybe a distant glimpse of Luke, with no real hope for autographs.
Now, not only could they meet him up close and get a signature, but he'd even thought to provide drinks for everyone waiting in the summer heat!
Where do you find an idol with this kind of star power, talent, and genuine kindness?
This was someone to stan for life!
Though buzzing with excitement, the fans kept their behavior in check.
They maintained order, not wanting to leave a bad impression. Even the loud chatter Koreans were known for was hushed.
From the stage, Luke watched as fans grabbed their drinks and lined up for autographs.
First up was a man in his sixties.
He shook Luke's hand with a warm smile, speaking Korean Luke couldn't understand, but the kindness in his eyes needed no translation.
Next came office workers, students, stay-at-home moms—a mix far beyond the usual teenage idol fanbase.
It showed just how broad Luke's appeal was, a true national favorite.
Then, a little girl stepped forward.
"Brother Luke, I'm your fan. So happy to meet you," she said in halting English.
Luke looked up and couldn't help but chuckle.
Isn't this Yoona?
At just twelve, she was already adorable, with a pure charm and doe-like eyes—a future beauty in the making.
As the future face of Girls' Generation, arguably Korea's top girl group, Yoona was practically the face of K-pop itself.
She's my fan too?
Luke didn't say much, just smiled, responded kindly, and signed her book.
The meet-and-greet continued smoothly, with fans reluctantly leaving after their autographs at the staff's request.
As Luke worked through the crowd, the hall slowly emptied.
But there were so many fans today. Even with his superhuman stamina (20 points!), his hand started aching from all the signing.
Thankfully, it was almost over.
When the last fan stepped up, Luke recognized him. "You're Kangta, right?"
"You know me?" Kangta was visibly shocked that his idol knew him.
"Heard your songs. A few are pretty good," Luke said, nodding as he signed and handed back the book.
"Say hi to President Lee for me. I'll visit him in the next few days," Luke added.
The President Lee he mentioned was Lee Soo-man, the head of SM Entertainment, Kangta's agency.
"You're meeting Teacher Soo-man?" Kangta asked.
"Yeah, got some business to discuss. See you at the company."
With that, Luke signaled the conversation was over.
Kangta, seeing Luke's fatigue, nodded and left, wrapping up the fan meet.
A middle-aged man approached. "Mr. Luke, need a break?"
"No, let's go. We've kept Director Lee waiting long enough."
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