I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 208

The morning of the 27th, the day after the Grand Bell Film Awards. The world was deeply immersed in the year-end atmosphere. In particular, various portal sites and numerous media outlets were focusing all their efforts on producing news about the film festival. And everywhere, the front page was about Kang Woo-jin. 『[Grand Bell Awards] ‘Declaration of War’ Kang Woo-jin Not at All Intimidated, “I Will Silence the Controversy Next Year”』 He had already been roasted at the Blue Dragon Awards, and yesterday at the Grand Bell, he added more fuel to the fire. However, starting today, the media began to focus on something other than Kang Woo-jin’s spirited remarks. It was the trophies Woo-jin was collecting. 『[Star Photo] Kang Woo-jin Going to Receive His 4th Award / Photo』 『Already a 4-Crown Winner… Monster Rookie Kang Woo-jin’s Acceptance Speech is Powerful Again』 It’s rare for someone to attend a film festival in their debut year, and Kang Woo-jin even managed to win a total of 4 awards, including the Best New Actor Award and the Popularity Award, along with a crazy amount of buzz. All of them were firsts. An unprecedented record. 『Kang Woo-jin Sweeps the Best New Actor Award at the Blue Dragon and Grand Bell Awards, Receiving a Total of 4 Trophies Including the Popularity Award』 Thanks to this, the tide of public opinion, which had been quite critical, began to shift. It was clearly being proven that Kang Woo-jin was not just an actor who was all talk. The excessive image of Woo-jin that had been overflowing on social media and online communities was being overturned. Upside down. The more it did, the more the media kept adding fuel to the fire. 『Netizens Say “Kang Woo-jin Deserves to Declare,” Public Opinion Changes in Just One Day After Kang Woo-jin’s 4-Crown Win』 This tidal wave spread beyond Korea to Japan. 『「Kang Woo-jin of Low-Life」 4-Crown Winner at Korea’s Blue Dragon and Grand Bell Awards, and Shocking Acceptance Speech』 Kang Woo-jin has fans and fan clubs in Japan as well. They were already quite large.
-Congratulations, Kang Woo-jin!!! I’m always cheering for you!!
-I wanted to go to Korea and see you…
-I saw Kang Woo-jin’s acceptance speech through YouTube and was really surprised! It’s something that could never happen in Japan!
-wwww Kang Woo-jin’s actual character seems a bit unusual
-So when is he coming to Japan again????
-4 awards in his debut year! So touching!!
· · · ·
Due to Kang Woo-jin’s sensational ‘firsts,’ his presence is rapidly growing. He’s already the size of a giant, but there’s no end to the realm of recognition. It can continue to grow. The noteworthy point here is that it’s only about halfway through the year-end. 『Already 4 Trophies, Kang Woo-jin is Making History, and the ‘Drama Awards’ Still Remain』 Such Kang Woo-jin was currently getting ready for work. He didn’t have time to enjoy the landslide-like chaotic situation. But a brief moment was possible. “Heh.” Woo-jin, wearing a hat, smiled contentedly as he looked at the five trophies placed on the living room table. “Already five? This is the peak of my life right now.” One from Mise-en-scène [a Korean short film festival], two from the Blue Dragon, and two from the Grand Bell, making a total of five. They all had different shapes, but the meaning was the same. The film festivals that gave the trophies recognized Kang Woo-jin. Therefore, Woo-jin smiled genuinely, without any pretense, showing his true self. Ah, no, no. Woo-jin, who was in a very upbeat mood, slapped his own mouth. It was to become serious again. If he went out like this, he felt like he might unconsciously grin. Then, after taking a deep breath, Kang Woo-jin.
-Swish.
He left the house. Even then, he continued to control his mind. Be calm. Be cool. At that moment.
-Vroom.
Kang Woo-jin’s phone in his long padded coat vibrated briefly. Was it the CEO waiting in the parking lot? He thought, but it wasn’t. The sender was the assistant director of ‘Island of the Missing,’ where he had a shoot today. The message included the entire filming schedule for January, which was a few days away from the New Year. “Ah, that’s right.” Woo-jin, who had gotten into the elevator, muttered to himself. “Was January the end?” Woo-jin’s filming for ‘Island of the Missing’ was also nearing its end. Around lunchtime the next day, at Netflix Korea. The weekend passed, and Monday morning, the 28th, dawned. Therefore, Netflix Korea was also bustling with employees who had just come to work. It was even more hectic because it was the end of the year. In the office, two women were sitting facing each other on the sofa in the general director’s office. One was Kim So-hyang, the general director. “First, let’s have some tea.” The one answering from the opposite side was writer Choi Na-na, wearing round glasses. “Ah! Yes, thank you!” The two sitting across from each other first sipped their tea. It had been a while since they had met after ‘My Guy Friend,’ but there wasn’t an awkward atmosphere. At this time, the plump Kim So-hyang put down her teacup and asked writer Choi Na-na. “I heard a rumor that you’ve started writing your next work. Is that true?” “Huh? Ah, yes, yes.” The slender Choi Na-na murmured timidly. “I’m working hard on it.” “That’s amazing, ‘My Guy Friend’ is still popular in Korea and Japan, and you’re already starting your next work? This time it’s a feature-length, right? Who are you working with?” “…That’s something I can’t tell you yet.” “Ah, I’m sorry. I was just curious. I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of work you’ll write this time. Because of ‘My Guy Friend,’ you’ll have no problem getting actors.” Choi Na-na, thinking of Kang Woo-jin, who was quietly generating insane buzz, smiled shyly. “Yes. Thankfully.” Kim So-hyang, who was also smiling, pushed the tablet on the table in front of her towards Choi Na-na and said. “Let’s get to the point. Writer, would you like to take a look at this first?” “Yes? Ah, yes.” Choi Na-na turned on the tablet, and general director Kim So-hyang asked. “Writer, have you ever heard of A10 Studio in Japan?” “Yes. I know, I watch Japanese animation often. It’s a huge place, one of the top 3 animation studios in Japan.” “That’s right. As you can see on the tablet, we’ve received a proposal from A10 Studio.” “A proposal?” Kim So-hyang, leaning forward, tapped the tablet with her index finger. “A10 Studio wants to remake ‘My Guy Friend’ into an animation.” Choi Na-na’s eyes widened instantly. “R, really?? ‘My Guy Friend’???” “Yes. Actually, the first contact was made a while ago. In the meantime, we’ve gone through verification and confirmation on our side. As a result, A10 Studio seems quite eager, and we’ve already received a first draft and a predicted storyline for the adaptation. It’s there, so please take a look. Of course, I’ll also send it to your email.” An explanation was given, but Choi Na-na was flustered, her eyes still wide. It was a situation she had never experienced before. “……” “Are you surprised? But ‘My Guy Friend’ was well-made, and it did so well in Japan, so it’s a natural step. You know how powerful animation is in Japan, right?” “Ah…yes, I know.” “Well, as you can see in the proposal, A10 Studio seems to want to maintain the original feel of ‘My Guy Friend’ as much as possible, even if they remake it. They’ll extend the 4 episodes of ‘My Guy Friend’ to 12 episodes, but since animation is about 20 minutes long, it shouldn’t be a big problem.” “Th, then the characters.” “Of course, they’ll try to match the original as much as possible, right? The base will be Hwa-rin and Woo-jin. A10 Studio will also have you check the character sheets along the way.” Choi Na-na, who was looking at Kim So-hyang, lowered her widened eyes. She looked at the tablet. It felt like a dream, but she had to pull herself together. Soon, general director Kim So-hyang continued. “’My Guy Friend’ was a huge hit in Japan. That means the recognition of ‘My Guy Friend’ is high in the Japanese drama market. If the animation of ‘My Guy Friend’ also does well, its recognition will jump several times higher than it is now. The scale of the market itself is different.” “……” “Of course, I’m looking at it positively. But your decision is the top priority, and if you don’t want to, you can feel free to refuse.” “If this animation is completed, will it be broadcast in Japan??” “That’s right. It’ll get a regular slot, but it’ll also be released on Netflix.” Choi Na-na, as if understanding, focused on the tablet again. Then, her hand, which had been flipping through the screen several times, stopped. “Huh? Why is there a picture of Woo-jin when they’re using Japanese voice actors?” Kim So-hyang chuckled and replied. “A10 Studio seems to have picked Woo-jin as the voice actor for the male lead in the animation. I don’t know if they can afford him, since he’s so expensive.” “R, really??!” “Yes. It’s a good choice. Woo-jin is popular in Japan, and he’ll probably start filming ‘Low-Life’ soon. If the timing is right, it might be done at the same time as ‘Low-Life’?” “Wow, that’s amazing.” “If ‘Low-Life’ and that animation do well, Woo-jin will have conquered all three major content areas in Japan.” “Drama, film, and animation.” “Well, of course, it’s just speculation, and nothing is confirmed yet.” At this point, Choi Na-na suddenly put down the tablet and said firmly. “Please proceed. I want to see the ‘My Guy Friend’ animation.” “Okay. I’ll pass it on to A10 Studio right away. I’ll contact you separately about the contractual parts and other things.” “Yes, yes!” At this time. “Ah, A10 Studio asked for this. This matter is confidential for now. Only you should know about it.” General director Kim So-hyang continued, as if something had come to mind. “Also regarding Kang Woo-jin.” A few days later, on Wednesday the 30th. It was night. It was a little past 9 o’clock. The location was the SBC Prism Tower in Sangam. It was the SBC headquarters building, over 15 stories high. In the huge studio of the Prism Tower, a party was in full swing. A famous boy group was performing on the glittering stage.
-♬♪ Eye-popping choreography, powerful beat music, and colorful lights to boost the excitement.
There was a familiar face in the boy group team wearing stage costumes. It was Yeon Baek-gwang. A member who was filming ‘Our Table’ with Kang Woo-jin. Of course, it wasn’t just boy groups in this large studio. In the hall in front of the stage, watching them, were numerous actors, PDs [Production Directors], and production staff. There were easily over 200 people. Why were they all gathered like this? The reason could be seen anywhere in this studio.
-‘SBC Drama Awards’
The SBC Drama Awards, an awards ceremony of one of the major terrestrial broadcasting stations, was being held. Of course, it was being broadcast live on the SBC channel. What was unique was the layout. While the Blue Dragon and Grand Bell Awards had seats packed tightly like a movie theater, the Drama Awards had a more casual atmosphere. Round tables reminiscent of a banquet hall were placed throughout the hall, and actors dressed up in style sat around each table. On the round tables, the titles of the works that had shined that year were placed. At this time, Yeon Baek-gwang on the stage finished his choreography, and then looked somewhere in the hall and waved his hand. The round table that received the greeting had the title of the work that had become a legend this year.
-‘Profiler Han-ryang’
A man who casually raised his hand and accepted Yeon Baek-gwang’s greeting caught the eye. “……” It was Kang Woo-jin. At that moment, a large camera swept past him, filming Woo-jin. Besides Kang Woo-jin, who had his hair neatly combed back and was wearing a mostly gray tuxedo, there were many familiar faces at this table. There was the bearded Song Man-woo PD, the slightly plump Park Eun-mi writer, top actor Ryu Jung-min, Hong Hye-yeon, and so on. The ‘Profiler Han-ryang’ team, which had made history with a 25% viewership rating. It was a legendary work not only for SBC but for the entire drama scene, so the large camera frequently visited the Han-ryang team. Anyway, Yeon Baek-gwang and his team’s congratulatory performance ended. Soon, famous comedians and female broadcasters began to engage in banter. They occasionally asked questions to the actors in the hall. “Wow, ‘Profiler Han-ryang.’ It was amazing, I watched it a lot when the drama was airing.” “That’s right. It’s amazing to see those actors sitting in front of me, should we do an interview?” “Ah…Ryu Jung-min. The baby perm really suited you, where did the genius profiler Yoo Ji-hyung go?” Ryu Jung-min answered with a smile. “He went home, he’s too lazy to work.” It was a mix of an awards ceremony and a variety show. Of course, questions were also asked to Kang Woo-jin, who had a poker face. “Kang Woo-jin, the protagonist of this year’s big sensation!” “I want to do some ad-libs with Park Dae-ri’s lines, but it’s a bit too much for broadcast.” “Woo-jin, how do you feel about returning as Park Dae-ri after a long time?” Kang Woo-jin, who received the microphone, lowered his voice. He mixed a bit of concept and playfulness. “Should I do Park Dae-ri’s lines?” The hosts panicked and stopped him. “No! No, no, no! You know this is live, right?” “If you do that, it’s a disaster, a disaster!” Woo-jin, who slowly nodded, lowered the microphone. He seemed to have gained some experience and had become more relaxed. Not just on the outside, but also on the inside. After a few tens of minutes of loosening the atmosphere, the Drama Awards moved on to the official awards ceremony. This was different from the film festivals. “Now! The first award category is the ‘Scene Stealer Award’! This award is given to the actor who played the most impressive character this year, and it will be given to two people in total.” The award announcement was made by a pot-bellied executive from the SBC drama department. The actor who opened the door was. “SBC Drama Awards, Scene Stealer Award. Park Dae-ri from ‘Profiler Han-ryang.’ Kang Woo-jin!” What more could be said? Kang Woo-jin had even spawned a catchphrase. Among the many actors who received awards and trophies, Kang Woo-jin eventually took first place. It wasn’t the Grand Prize, nor was it the Top Excellence Award. This year’s Grand Prize at SBC went to Ryu Jung-min, and the Top Excellence Award in the female category went to Hong Hye-yeon. Of course, it wasn’t the Supporting Actor Award or the Excellence Award either. “Best New Actor Award in the male category! Kang Woo-jin from Profiler Han-ryang!! Congratulations!!” Yet, Kang Woo-jin was number one. Only Kang Woo-jin at today’s SBC Drama Awards. “Special Acting Award! Wow, isn’t this the first time?? Congratulations!! Kang Woo-jin for the role of ‘Park Dae-ri’!!” Because he won 3 awards. The night of the 31st followed. Just now, the Drama Awards of KBC and MBS, following SBC, had all ended. The time was already 10:30 PM. About 1 hour and 30 minutes left until the end of the year. Soon, January 1, 2021, would begin. Around this time, Kang Woo-jin, in a van driving on the road, was looking out the window with an indifferent face. Of course, he was dancing in his heart, but he was forcibly holding it back. In his hand, he held a new trophy. The letters engraved on the front of the trophy read:
-‘KBC Drama Awards’
-‘Best New Actor Award’
-‘Kang Woo-jin’
As if to burn the last hour of the year, the media was furiously churning out articles. In those articles, Kang Woo-jin’s great record could be confirmed. 『[Film Festival] From Acceptance Speeches to the Number of Trophies, Everything is a Record, a Legend… ‘Monster Actor’ Kang Woo-jin Finally Achieves 8-Crown Win!』 『[Star Talk] Record-Breaking Machine ‘Kang Woo-jin’ Draws an Unprecedented Line in the History of the Korean Entertainment Industry』 『8 Trophies This Year, Kang Woo-jin Creates a Miraculous Epic… An Actor Who Will Never Exist Again in the Past or Future』 Meanwhile. When the veteran director, Ahn Ga-bok, who had finished the year 2020 with a company dinner, arrived at his huge house, brushing his short white hair.
-♬♪ His phone vibrated long. It was a call. It was an unsaved number, but director Ahn Ga-bok smiled with wrinkles and put the phone to his ear. As if he already knew what the call was about. Then, director Ahn Ga-bok spoke into the phone. What was interesting was that the language he spoke was English. “Yes, I’ve been waiting.” It was quite fluent. Was it because of his age? Anyway, the same English was heard from the other side of the phone. “Hello, director Ahn. This is producer Joseph Felton. Do you remember me?” The other party was Hollywood’s big-shot producer, Joseph Felton. “Of course, I remember you. There’s no way I’d forget a famous producer like you. So, what’s the reason for your call?” “First, please keep our conversation a secret.” Soon, Joseph on the other end of the phone asked director Ahn Ga-bok. “Director Ahn, would it be possible for me to see your filming set?”