I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 271

The grade of ‘Stranger’ was SS. But now it had risen to SSS. This was surely a change brought about by the work of altering the ending. Soon, Kang Woo-jin chuckled and muttered.

“Look at this, look at this. Changing the ending was the right answer. Ugh, I can’t even brag about this anywhere.”

He wanted to spread the news all over town, but he held back. At the same time, he felt a thrill.

“This feels subtly amazing.”

There were two reasons. The first was that it was a result achieved by the pure essence of Kang Woo-jin, not thanks to the subspace. The second was that he was relieved that there was a reversal of fortune from what might have been a drop to A or even B grade.

Even if he pretended not to care, he was secretly worried.

As a result, Kang Woo-jin gained about three things. He protected the collapsing Kiyoshi, obtained an SSS grade, and even boosted his self-esteem as an actor. He didn’t realize it, but it was a great harvest.

Especially, the growth in his attitude as an actor.

Anyway, ‘Stranger’ is SSS grade as of today. But what does this mean? Woo-jin, who was smiling, tilted his head slightly.

‘Isn’t ‘Stranger’ being released in both Korea and Japan?’

Is the SSS grade a combination of the scores from both countries? Or are they separate? It’s confusing. Then Kang Woo-jin stopped thinking. Well, how can he understand the subspace no matter how much he worries about it?

“It’ll figure itself out.”

Woo-jin, who quickly erased his thoughts, suddenly clapped his hands! Because something he had been eagerly waiting for came to mind.

“Ah! The results of ‘Island of the Missing’!”

Today was Sunday the 23rd. That is, yesterday, Saturday the 22nd, was the first weekend for ‘Island of the Missing’. And the results must have been released by now.

Then.

“Exit!”

Woo-jin’s vision, who shouted strongly, quickly changed to his hotel room. Kang Woo-jin, without caring about his disheveled hair, quickly grabbed the phone placed near the pillow.

“A lot has come in.”

There were already quite a few missed calls, messages, and texts. He could guess the content without looking. But what Kang Woo-jin accessed was something else.

The official domestic box office site.

-[KOPIC Movie Ticket Integrated Network] [Korean Film Council’s official box office tracking system]

The results quickly appeared in Woo-jin’s eyes.

[Audience Count for May 22, 2021]

[Daily Domestic Box Office]

1. Island of the Missing / Release Date: May 19 / Audience: 971,558 / Number of Screens: 1159 / Cumulative Audience: 3,254,234

The Saturday performance of ‘Island of the Missing’. The daily audience count was enormous. Kang Woo-jin, whose eyes widened, gaped.

“Are you serious, is this insane??!!”

Even though it was the weekend, the daily audience was almost 1 million.

“1 million in a day?!!”

‘Island of the Missing’ was rewriting the history of the Korean film industry.

After that.

Kang Woo-jin, who had finished showering while doing a shoulder dance, put on his concept like a ghost. Then, he checked the exploding contacts on his phone.

They were all congratulatory messages. Or shock.

Of course, congratulatory messages were also pouring into Kang Woo-jin’s official SNS and ‘Kang Woo-jin’s Sub-Character’ channel. But it was only the 5th day since the release. There was still a long way to go. Thanks to that, Woo-jin tried hard to lower his slightly raised mouth corners. But it still didn’t go down well.

Is this the taste?

The thought that he might achieve what he had only seen on TV, the glorious title of ‘Ten Million Actor’ [An actor whose movie has sold over 10 million tickets], made Woo-jin’s mood rise rapidly.

Around this time, Choi Sung-gun came to pick up Kang Woo-jin.

Choi Sung-gun, who showed a big smile to Woo-jin who had somehow made a poker face.

“Hehehe, you saw it too, right? Almost 1 million just yesterday.”

“Yes, CEO. I saw it.”

“You rascal! Getting 1 million daily viewers is one of the top in the history of the Korean film industry! You can be thrilled! Like this? How about I dance for you instead??”

Choi Sung-gun suddenly started a Talchum dance [Korean traditional mask dance] in the hotel hallway. No, was it a random dance? Kang Woo-jin desperately held back from laughing and joining the random dance.

“CEO, people are watching.”

“It’s because you’re so calm! I’m doing it for you.”

Gradually, teams gathered around Woo-jin. The large Jang Su-hwan, Han Ye-jeong with her shorter bob, and about a dozen other people. As soon as they met, they all marveled at the rapid pace of ‘Island of the Missing’.

“3 million viewers in 4 days? Seriously insane! Your form is crazy, really!!”

“Korea is turned upside down right now. Our company also informed us, but if you just go into communities or YouTube, it’s all about ‘Island of the Missing’.”

“Re, really, are we going to surpass the total audience of ‘Naval Battle’ [A popular Korean historical war film]??! How much was that? 16 million?”

“Exactly 16.7 million? But the current progress is already winning, right??”

“It’s a long-distance marathon, so we need to watch a bit more, but it’s already a huge hit!”

Choi Sung-gun, with his ponytail, who had been quietly listening to their excitement, chuckled and chimed in.

“3 million is just a taste. Today, Sunday, the pre-sales for ‘Island of the Missing’ are all sold out. Something bigger is coming, 100%.”

“Wow!! I’m so excited!”

Behind him, there was a noisy commotion, but Kang Woo-jin tried his best to suppress the urge to do a shoulder dance. He had already jumped around in the hotel this morning. Actually, it was a bit of a crisis. His mouth corners had been twitching since earlier. Hold it in, mind control is the only way to survive.

But Han Ye-jeong noticed it like a ghost.

“Oppa, you’re having a spasm near your mouth. You must be tired. CEO, we need to find magnesium before filming.”

She even mistook it for a magnesium deficiency. But Kang Woo-jin dealt with it calmly.

“No, it’s not that bad.”

“Really?”

“It’s just a slight tremor.”

Somehow, without any problems, Kang Woo-jin arrived at the set of ‘Stranger’. First, he greeted Director Kyotaro. The hundred or so staff members of ‘Stranger’ were already in a frenzy. It was like they were overflowing with spirit today?

“Props!! When are the props coming!!”

“We’re preparing them!”

“Lighting director! We need to put a few more reflectors over here!”

“Roger!”

“Kang Woo-jin has arrived!”

“Let’s start with the costumes!!”

Loud Japanese was thrown around everywhere in the vast set. The pace was gradually quickening. Japanese actors were also arriving one after another. Even so, the hundred or so staff members and Japanese actors did not forget to whisper.

The main topic of conversation was.

“Did you see the changed ending?”

“Ehh? It’s changing? Suddenly?”

“The director suddenly announced it this morning.”

“How is it changing?”

“That’s- I’m embarrassed, I’ve never seen an ending like that before.”

It was the suddenly changed ending of ‘Stranger’. It’s not uncommon for the scenario to be revised, but it’s very rare for it to be overturned like this near the end of filming. It wasn’t just a minor direction change, but the ending was changed. Recently, most Japanese dramas and movies are adaptations of manga or novels.

It’s very rare for the ending of an adaptation to be revised.

Moreover, the original author was that Akari writer. Therefore, the staff and actors’ strong reactions were not at all strange. Especially, the actors of ‘Stranger’ were quite embarrassed. Noticeably so.

“Ah, even so, Kiyoshi living well and being happy… is this really okay?”

“If the director decided, the actors just have to go with it. But- it’s a bit. No, it’s very worrying. There will be a lot of noise when it’s released.”

“Noise? That’s a good thing! At this level, the original fans will come running! Of course, I know that the changed ending is more suitable for Kiyoshi… but I’m a bit scared. It’s a completely new ending in Japan.”

“Our work might be unique in the past and future. Enjoy it.”

“Are you crazy! But is Kang Woo-jin okay? Why does he look so calm? When it’s released, the direct hit will be on Woo-jin and the director.”

“That guy always has that kind of feeling. Still, it’s amazing that he doesn’t waver at all.”

But Kang Woo-jin, who was preparing for filming, was calm. No, he even looked cold. He was the only one among the hundred or so people gathered on the set. There was no tension, fear, anguish, or impatience.

“……”

Kang Woo-jin in the filming zone was just like yesterday. Or a month ago. Or even a few months ago.

Soon, the filming of ‘Stranger’, which was set up, resumed.

“Hi- Cue!!”

With Director Kyotaro’s signal, Kang Woo-jin started the first acting of the day. It was a solo scene that continued from the already filmed cuts. Short lines and a subtle gaze were important.

And he had to put even more extreme ’emptiness’ on his face.

It was a quite difficult scene, but Kang Woo-jin did it without any problems. As a result, the OK was quickly given, and the filming ran quickly by changing the composition several times. Kang Woo-jin’s filming was always like this.

“As always, Woo-jin doesn’t have any NGs today.”

“Sometimes it’s scary, I wonder if a person can be so perfect.”

“His attitude and posture as an actor are already global level.”

As the ‘Stranger’ staff whispered in Japanese, Kang Woo-jin rarely had NGs. If there were any, it was due to the staff’s mistakes or the other actor’s problems.

Then, the next person was.

“Mana Kosaku!! Standby!!”

It was Mana Kosaku, who played the role of the carefree detective ‘Yoshizawa Mochio’. A slightly shabby jacket, stubble on his chin, a cigarette in his mouth. Mana Kosaku, transformed into detective ‘Yoshizawa Mochio’, entered the set. It was a set made to look like a police station interior.

-Swish.

And the scene he was filming today was a cut that would incite a lot of tension. To be exact, all the scenes filmed today were like that.

“Hi- Action!”

Following Director Kyotaro’s signal, detective Mochio, or Kosaku, sitting in front of the computer, crossed his arms. Then he let out a long sigh.

“Hmm- Iyota Kiyoshi.”

A long drag on the cigarette. The cigarette smoke that went into his lungs and then came out of his mouth again.

The camera, after filming detective Mochio’s face, shared his gaze and showed the monitor. A profile was displayed. It was Iyota Kiyoshi’s. Detective Yoshizawa Mochio noticed the presence of a ‘stranger’.

Of course, it wasn’t easy.

The fact that he noticed Kiyoshi’s existence was also from the past. Whose? Of the people who were suddenly dying in a series.

People who were dying in a series as if they had planned it.

Konakayama Kinzo, Misaki Shutoku, Horinochi Amie. And even the most recent woman, ‘Iiya Saki’, who was found in a car that had fallen into the sea. They were definitely connected. Not in the present, but in the past.

The common point was school.

Except for Misaki Shutoku, they all graduated from the same high school. Here, detective Mochio felt uneasy. People who graduated from the same school are dying one after another? Could there be something hidden behind it?

Mochio focused more on their past.

Then what came out was.

“A female student took her own life.”

A suicide case of a student. Of course, it happened at that high school. Her name was Misaki Toka. Huh? Misaki? That’s right. Misaki Shutoku was the father of that female student.

What is this?

The more he dug, the more absurd facts came to the surface. The deceased who graduated from the high school where the past suicide case occurred. The father of the suicidal female student. That father recently killed Konakayama Kinzo and then threw himself into the sea. The connection in everything was Misaki Toka.

Detective Mochio went to find the teachers and students of the school at the time of Toka’s incident.

Of course, most of them were passive or annoyed.

There was no significant gain.

But fortunately, he was able to hear some faint stories of the past from a few people.

“Misaki Toka was severely bullied.”

The perpetrators who bullied her. There was no need to find them. He couldn’t find them either. Because they were already dead. The series of deaths. Those perpetrators were the ones who were dying now.

Detective Mochio first recalled the word ‘revenge’.

‘But isn’t it strange?’

Toka was already dead. Her father, Misaki Shutoku, was also dead. Then who is instigating these serial incidents now? Is it possible that Misaki Toka has come back to life?

It was around that time.

“Actually, the first one to be bullied was Iyota- I’m confused about the name, but I think it’s right, Iyota Kiyoshi. He was the first one.”

“Who?”

“Iyota Kiyoshi. I remember he was a little close to Toka.”

That was the first time the ‘stranger’ was shown to detective Mochio.

On the night of the 24th, after the weekend.

In a place a little away from the city center of Tokyo Station. Among them, it was the rooftop of a relatively tall building. Although it was a dark night, a filming team was moving quite busily. They were laying rails, setting up lights, placing monitors, and raising reflectors.

It was the ‘Stranger’ team, with only a few days left until the wrap-up.

“Be careful! Be careful!”

“If the space doesn’t come out, there’s no need to overdo it! Let’s move as safely as possible!”

Due to the ambiguous space, not all the staff came up. About 30 people. Only the key staff and main staff of each team were present. Director Kyotaro, wearing a hat, was checking the various monitors and filming storyboards in front of him.

The actors displayed on the monitor were two.

One was Kang Woo-jin, who was having his makeup touched up under the lights. The other was a Japanese actor who played the role of ‘Tsuzuki Itsuma’, a chaebol [A wealthy business conglomerate owner]. In the scenario, Tsuzuki Itsuma was from a middle-sized company owner’s family with a strong backing, and he killed Horinochi Amie because of the recorder he received from Kiyoshi.

This cut was the final destination of the two characters.

To be exact, it was the final destination of Iyota Kiyoshi.

In a remote place of the scene, Choi Sung-gun, with his ponytail, was showing his cell phone to some Japanese actors and staff with a smile. It felt like he was showing off.

Because he was actually showing off.

What was on Choi Sung-gun’s phone was an article.

『[Movieis] Island of the Missing, 1 million viewers in just one day on Sunday… Currently, a total of 5 million viewers accumulated!』

Of course, it was a Korean article, and Choi Sung-gun explained it to the Japanese staff who were watching it. It was awkward Japanese, but there was no problem in understanding it.

“Yesterday, the audience was 1 million on Sunday. Including today, it seems like it will exceed 5 million.”

“Hasn’t it been released for a short time?”

“It’s the 6th day today.”

The eyes of the actor’s manager and staff widened.

“Eeeeeh??!! 5 million on the 6th day??!”

“Masaka!! Is it real??”

At this time.

“Standby!!”

The sound of starting filming spread. About 3 minutes later.

“Action!”

Kang Woo-jin. No, Kiyoshi was silently looking down at ‘Tsuzuki Itsuma’ lying on the floor. Itsuma was already dead. This corpse was the last of the ‘homework’.

In other words, the ‘bizarre sacrifice’ was over.

“I’m done.”

Now it was back to the starting point.

End