I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 343

It was morning in Korea, but in Cannes, France, where the Cannes Film Festival was in full swing, it was the early hours of the 4th, just past midnight. The time was around 1 AM. The world-class festival, which had been bustling all day, had quieted down for a moment, and Kang Woo-jin could be found in his hotel room.

“Hmm-”

He was lying on the bed in comfortable clothes. His face and hair looked natural, as if he hadn’t washed up recently. Of course, the carefully maintained image he usually projected was nowhere to be seen.

Judging by his relaxed state, it seemed he wasn’t planning to sleep yet.

-Swish.

Woo-jin was looking at his phone while lying down. Until just before, he had been checking the local French media, and now he had switched to the news in Korea. The first search term was the Cannes Film Festival. It was already an incredibly popular keyword, with articles popping up every minute. Among them, the article that was most frequently seen caught Kang Woo-jin’s eye.

『[Cannes Film Festival] Closing and Awards Ceremony can be seen live from Cannes on October 10th at 7 PM, and in Korea at 3 AM… YouTube live broadcast confirmed!』

It was about the closing and awards ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival. It matched the official schedule.

“Oh- it seems this is being broadcast live, I should tell Mom and Dad.”

The festival was scheduled to run until the 9th, and the final decision of the 10 official Cannes jury members would be made that night. And the finale would explode at 7 PM on the 10th. There was also a red carpet event at the closing and awards ceremony, and a party-style after-party was confirmed after the closing.

Soon, Kang Woo-jin scratched his chin.

“They call it an after-party, but isn’t it just a time for the award winners to be praised?”

It was true. Of course, countless people were invited to the Cannes Film Festival’s party and after-party, but the real main event was nothing more than a celebration party for the people who won awards at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Interviews with numerous reporters, photo ops, conversations with big shots, and so on.

Just imagining it made Kang Woo-jin feel suffocated.

“Ugh- damn, it’s gonna be crazy, I should just slip away. But if ‘Leech’ wins an award, do I have to stick around?”

There were about seven award categories in the ‘Competition’ section. If ‘Leech’ won even one of them, it would be a huge deal. At least, that’s what Kang Woo-jin thought. However, Woo-jin wasn’t even thinking about winning an award himself. It’s not that he had no expectations at all, but this was not a domestic stage, but a world stage. Globally renowned actors were attending.

More than anything.

‘Didn’t they say we were at a bit of a disadvantage?’

Perhaps he couldn’t overlook the fact that there might be some prejudice or subtle discrimination. The information was relayed by Choi Sung-gun. He said that it had decreased a lot compared to the past, but Choi Sung-gun’s judgment was that he couldn’t guarantee it was completely gone. For reference, the 10 official jury members of the Cannes Film Festival decide the nominees for the Best Actor and Best Actress awards in the ‘Competition’ section. There are a total of 20 works, so there are 20 nominees. They narrow it down from there.

After that, the final winner is decided.

Of course, they don’t bother to list all the nominees at the awards ceremony, and usually, one of the 10 jury members announces the winner directly. When you think about it, Kang Woo-jin was in a friendly competition with Shim Han-ho of ‘Leech.’ In ‘Leech,’ one of Kang Woo-jin and Shim Han-ho would be chosen.

A showdown between Korea’s top actor Shim Han-ho and 2-year rookie Kang Woo-jin.

On top of that, he had to compete with 19 other amazing actors from all over the world. The choice was up to the jury, and that’s why Kang Woo-jin decided to clear his mind even more.

“Tsk, whatever. Let’s just sleep.”

It was already 2 AM, so Woo-jin closed his eyes for now. He was tired, so falling asleep was easy.

And 8 hours later.

“······Man, I slept like a log.”

Kang Woo-jin opened his eyes again around 10 AM. Since coming to Cannes, Woo-jin had been able to sleep in a bit. Compared to his hellish schedule before, it was quite relaxed. Soon, Woo-jin got out of bed, stretched, and looked out the window.

“The weather is awesome~”

Today, Cannes was sunny again, and the streets were overflowing with people. About an hour later, Choi Sung-gun, with his ponytail, and the staff entered Kang Woo-jin’s room. Except for the work they had to do, it was similar to a vacation for them, so Choi Sung-gun had gained a little weight.

“Woo-jin, let’s pick out your closing tuxedo first.”

Including Han Ye-jung, the stylists lined up the tuxedos that Woo-jin would wear at the closing and awards ceremony. Different colors and distinct details. Woo-jin, with his usual composed demeanor, scanned the tuxedos carefully. Hmm, I’m getting a bit tired of black now.

Kang Woo-jin’s decision was.

“This one.”

It was a white-toned tuxedo. Han Ye-jung, with her blue bob, seemed satisfied and gave a thumbs up.

“Great, I was going to recommend this one for you too, Oppa [an honorific term used by younger females to address older males]. The closing and awards ceremony is the finale, so you need to stand out.”

“I think so too.”

“Okay. Then we’ll go with this one.”

The stylist team left with the chosen tuxedos. Then, Choi Sung-gun, who had been sitting with his legs crossed, stood up.

“The official schedule for ‘Leech’ is done except for a few minor interviews until the closing and awards ceremony- what are you going to do today?”

“I was thinking of looking at the script for ‘The Righteous Evil’ in the morning.”

It was a lie. But it was impossible for Choi Sung-gun to see through Kang Woo-jin’s bluff.

“Ah, I was going to tell you anyway. It’s confirmed that ‘The Righteous Evil’ will be divided into two parts. I got a call from Kim So-hyang earlier. Part 1 is from episodes 1 to 6, and the goal is to focus on that and speed up the launch as quickly as possible. Part 2 is after that.”

“Is that so?”

“Aren’t you excited?”

“I am excited.”

Choi Sung-gun chuckled and patted Woo-jin’s shoulder.

“The advertising effect of this Cannes will be quite significant, both domestically and globally. We’re already getting a lot of interest. Do you know how many articles the media here shot about you entering with Kara at the opening ceremony?”

He was very excited. Woo-jin was the same, but he lowered his voice even more.

“I saw it.”

“It’s amazing that ‘Leech’ was invited to the ‘Competition’ section of Cannes, but if you win even one award, the impact will increase several times. The foreign press will cover it a lot, and then you’ll naturally be in the spotlight.”

“It will extend to ‘The Righteous Evil’ as well.”

“Hehe, that’s right.”

Choi Sung-gun smirked and said.

“If ‘Leech’ wins the Palme d’Or [the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival], the highest award at Cannes, it would be the first time for Korea, so it would be a huge hit-”

He gave a thumbs up to the calm Kang Woo-jin.

“And if you win the Best Actor award there, it would be a real nuclear bomb, but it’s still just a wish.”

At the same time.

Rumors about Kang Woo-jin were spreading rapidly among the people invited to the Cannes Film Festival. Especially the French reporters and Cannes officials were the most active.

“I heard you saw ‘Leech’ yesterday? How was it?”

“It was amazing. Ah, I’m talking about the actor named Kang Woo-jin, one of the leads in ‘Leech.’”

“There’s a lot of talk about that actor, why Kang Woo-jin?”

“It seems he lived here. When he greeted us before the screening, he spoke French incredibly well.”

“French? Not just practice?”

“No. It was at a native level, anyone would think he wasn’t a Korean actor if they heard him with their eyes closed.”

To be accurate, it should be said that it was a rapid spread of misunderstandings and misinterpretations rather than rumors. Was it the power of the 3,000 audience members who participated in the second screening of ‘Leech’?

“Ah- I keep thinking about ‘Leech.’”

“Does that mean it was that shocking?”

“The work was amazing, but the actors’ performances were impressive. Especially Kang Woo-jin.”

“I heard a rumor that the actor spoke French, is it true?”

“Yes. That actor must have studied abroad in France, or maybe he lived here.”

The French that Kang Woo-jin had suddenly recited was the starting point. It was a gift from the subspace, so the level was also native-like. So it was natural for the misunderstanding to spread throughout the Cannes Film Festival. But it wasn’t just these erroneous stories that were spreading.

There were also truths, not misunderstandings.

Kang Woo-jin was constantly being mentioned by directors from various countries who had seen ‘Leech.’

“Is it certain that the actor named Kang Woo-jin, who I saw yesterday, is at Cannes for the first time this year? Isn’t it strange that an actor with that much acting ability is coming to Cannes for the first time?”

“It’s certain that it’s his first time this year, the Korean media is also saying so.”

“······It’s the first time I’ve seen such a chilling performance.”

“He was definitely extraordinary.”

“Get me information on Kang Woo-jin.”

While directors from various countries, including France, were buzzing, it was the Hollywood directors who were particularly in an uproar.

“Check the situation in Korea regarding Kang Woo-jin.”

“Understood.”

“To think that the Korean actor who worked on an album with Miley Cara is that Kang Woo-jin. Does he have any connections with Hollywood regarding his work?”

“Not at the moment.”

“…Yesterday, Director Danny shook hands with him. He must have been impressed.”

“I’ll check as soon as possible.”

Kang Woo-jin’s acting in ‘Leech,’ the raw tension that made it seem like they had brought in a real person, not just method acting, had deeply impacted many directors.

“Find a way to see Kang Woo-jin’s past work. I need to see for myself what kind of acting he’s done.”

Of course, besides his incredible acting, the unique aura that Kang Woo-jin exuded also impressed the directors at Cannes.

“His acting is one thing, but there’s something special about his energy. A power that captivates the audience. He has the presence of a star.”

But these were just reactions limited to ‘Leech.’ If many directors were to see Woo-jin’s past or future works, they would be even more amazed. That’s how it seemed based on the current buzz.

However, when looking at the entire Cannes Film Festival, there were more people who hadn’t seen ‘Leech.’

Even combining the two screenings of ‘Leech,’ it was only a total of 6,000 people. On the other hand, there were tens of thousands of people officially invited to the Cannes Film Festival, and hundreds of thousands if you include tourists. That’s why there were more people who were puzzled by the rumors about Kang Woo-jin that were spreading for some reason.

“‘Leech’ is the only Korean film in the ‘Competition’ section, right? It’s causing quite a stir.”

“Well, it’s not just the film, but there are also many rumors about an actor named Kang Woo-jin.”

“Kang Woo-jin? Who’s that?”

“The one who entered with Miley Cara at the opening ceremony.”

“Ah, that actor? What happened?”

“Well, I heard he’s quite something.”

Whatever it was, Woo-jin’s recognition was skyrocketing.

After that.

The heat of the Cannes Film Festival, which had passed its midpoint, grew hotter and more intense as it approached the end. As it did, the film industries in Hollywood and various countries, including Cannes in France, were constantly releasing news related to the Cannes Film Festival.

The same was true for Korea.

In Korea, where many issues were already making headlines.

『Miley Cara, who walked the Cannes Film Festival red carpet with ‘Kang Woo-jin,’ new album teaser surpasses 70 million views』

『[Issue Talk] Miley Cara’s new album, set to launch on the 12th, what will ‘Kang Woo-jin’ look like in the music video?』

As expected, news related to the Cannes Film Festival was exploding. The fact that ‘Leech’ had advanced to Cannes was already big news, but the buzz surrounding Kang Woo-jin and the Cannes scene was quickly conveyed to Korea, further amplifying the excitement.

In fact, the Korean media had been in an uproar since the opening ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival.

『The 10 jury members of this year’s Cannes International Film Festival on the red carpet, the fate of ‘Leech’ in their hands / Photo』

『[Cannes Film Festival] A huge poster of ‘Leech’ hanging on a large building wall, ‘Kang Woo-jin’s’ face featured in Cannes! / Photo』

『“We worked on an album together.” Kang Woo-jin and Miley Cara walking side by side on the opening ceremony red carpet / Photo』

Although the Cannes Film Festival had already started its fifth day, the Korean media’s excitement was only rising. The same was true for various media such as broadcasts.

『Kang Woo-jin posing for reporters before the official screening of ‘Leech’ in the ‘Competition’ section / Photo』

『[Film Festival] ‘Miley Cara’ busily moving to see ‘Leech’』

『Director Danny Landis and other Hollywood big-shot directors entering to see ‘Leech’ one after another / Photo』

At this point, not only the domestic entertainment industry but also the entire Republic of Korea was watching the Cannes Film Festival. News was reported daily, and YouTube, social media, and various online communities were constantly buzzing about Cannes.

-ㅠㅜㅠㅜㅠㅠㅠWoo-jin oppa [term of endearment for an older brother or male friend] on the red carpet….so cool….

-LOLOLOLOL it feels like watching the World Cup LOLOLOL

-It’s so amazing that those world-renowned directors are going to see a Korean movie;;

-It’s just a supporting role anyway

-↑You idiot, the fact that it’s the only Korean film to advance to the Cannes competition section is already amazing….

-But LOLOLOL Kang Woo-jin and Miley Cara look so close??? Are they dating?????

-I want to see Leech too….Is it not released in Korea??

-Since it’s come to this, I hope it wins an awardㅎㅎ

-I’m cheering for you!!!

-Damn, the closing ceremony of Cannes is at 3 AM, I’m gonna stay up…

-Kang Woo-jin is so damn cool;;;;;

-PleaseㅠㅠㅠㅠWin the Palme d’Or!! [the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival]

-The Palme d’Or is too much LOLOLOLOLOL Don’t get too nationalistic LOLOLOL

Indeed, the Republic of Korea was currently in a frenzy due to the Cannes Film Festival.

Then, on the morning of the 5th, in Korea.

In a large distribution company’s conference room in Seoul. There were at least 20 people sitting at a U-shaped table. A beam projector was shining on the front. What was interesting was that it was projecting the ‘Leech’ poster and Cannes Film Festival-related content.

It was natural.

This was the official distributor of ‘Leech.’ Of course, some of the executives, including the heads of the film company and this distribution company, were in Cannes. However, not everyone could go, and especially the distribution company had a lot of work to do in Korea, not Cannes.

Right now, they were handling one of the very important tasks among many.

Soon, an executive wearing glasses, sitting at the head of the U-shaped table, turned over the document he was looking at and said.

“Regardless of how ‘Leech’ performs at Cannes, its buzz is already high, so it’s best to release it as soon as possible.”

Other executives chimed in one by one.

“That’s right, Director Ahn also said so. It’s something we’ve been preparing since the early stages of ‘Leech’ production.”

“We should release it domestically as early as 2 weeks, or at the latest 3 weeks, after the Cannes Film Festival ends on the 11th.”

“I thought we had already started securing theaters, how is that going?”

A team leader-level employee quickly answered.

“Yes, we have been working on securing theaters since before ‘Leech’ wrapped up filming.”

“Okay. Then there’s no problem releasing ‘Leech’ within 3 weeks after Cannes ends. The promotion and marketing have practically already started with the Cannes Film Festival. It’s already generating a lot of buzz.”

“In addition, we plan to put out as many advertisements as possible related to the domestic release of ‘Leech’ during the 3 weeks before the release.”

The executive with glasses chimed in again, turning over another document.

“3 weeks—if it’s a maximum of 3 weeks after Cannes ends, then October 27th would be a suitable release date.”

At that moment, another executive, who had thought of something, murmured.

“Wait, around that time, the Japanese release is also happening.”

“What is?”

“Kang Woo-jin’s ‘Strange Geisha.’ It’s not confirmed, but if it’s said to be released at the end of October, the timing is almost perfect.”

‘Leech’ and ‘Strange Geisha.’

“Ah—so does that mean the two movies will be released around the same time?”

A simultaneous launch.

End