I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 353

The ‘Jurassic Land’ series, a Hollywood movie franchise centered around dinosaurs, was a global phenomenon. Decades had passed since the first film, yet ‘Jurassic Land’ remained so iconic that everyone, including Kang Woo-jin, knew about it.

It was as if the movies had brought pure imagination to life.

Despite being an older film, the CGI was so advanced that it still looked impressive, and the story and direction were helmed by some of Hollywood’s biggest names.

‘Jurassic Land’ held a special place in Kang Woo-jin’s memories.

As a child, he’d watched it with wide-eyed wonder, and even as an adult, he often revisited the series when nostalgia struck. ‘Jurassic Land’ 1 and 2 were massive hits, both domestically and internationally.

But for some reason, the third installment never materialized for a long time.

Then, around 2016, Hollywood unexpectedly announced ‘Jurassic Land 3,’ which was released two years later. While the director, production team, and cast were all new, the core concept remained. Naturally, the technology had also improved. However, the box office performance was only average. Still, ‘Jurassic Land 3’ evoked a sense of nostalgia for many fans.

Kang Woo-jin had also seen ‘Jurassic Land 3’ in theaters.

For years after that, there was no news of ‘Jurassic Land 4’. It was likely due to the underwhelming worldwide box office performance of the third film. But now, the script for ‘Jurassic Land 4’, the legendary dinosaur series, was right in front of him.

‘Wow, this is insane. Is this really happening?!’

It was right there, in Kang Woo-jin’s hands. Moreover, it was the script for ‘Jurassic Land 4’ for the casting of actor Kang Woo-jin. He was instantly filled with a mix of excitement and disbelief.

‘Is this real life?!’

Reality felt surreal. ‘Jurassic Land’, a movie that had only existed in the past on TV, the big screen, or in his imagination, a movie that held a special place in his memories, was now reaching out to him? It was a bizarre situation. Then, Kang Woo-jin.

-Swish.

He rechecked the various scripts and scenarios that Choi Sung-gun had given him, including the ‘Jurassic Land 4’ script. Or rather, he checked the black squares attached to the scripts and scenarios. Fortunately, all the black squares were there.

At this point.

“So, that script caught your eye?”

Choi Sung-gun interjected from across the table.

“Honestly, I was surprised too when I saw the title ‘Jurassic Land’.”

‘I admit it, me too,’ Woo-jin thought, putting down the script. He then asked,

“When did you receive this?”

“‘Jurassic Land 4’ came in yesterday. The other scripts and scenarios arrived a few days after Cannes ended.”

Choi Sung-gun chuckled.

“Cannes is really something, I guess. You did drop a bomb with the ‘Best Actor’ award, but I didn’t expect a legendary series like ‘Jurassic Land’ to come calling so quickly. At first, I thought it was a scam? But after checking, it’s real. It’s definitely a sequel to the ‘Jurassic Land’ series.”

“······”

“But as soon as I got it, I did some digging on ‘Jurassic Land 4’? Nothing. Of course, there’s nothing in Korea, and there’s no news in Hollywood either. It means they’re keeping it top secret for now. There was even a clause similar to a non-disclosure agreement in the actual proposal.”

“What about the content?”

Choi Sung-gun pulled over a few transparent files he had prepared. He opened one and continued,

“Looking at the official script and the fact that they’re casting, it seems like it’s in the early stages of pre-production? They didn’t specify most of the details, including the director. The proposal they sent mainly said they really wanted to cast you and wanted a meeting. But they indicated that the proposed role is a supporting one.”

“Supporting role.”

“Yeah. However, they sent the official script, which they’re keeping quiet about, before the meeting, and the email is full of their desire to cast you. In other words, it’s almost 80% confirmed. They must have already vetted you before sending the casting proposal.”

After finishing his remarks, Choi Sung-gun handed the transparent file to Woo-jin. It contained information about ‘Jurassic Land 4’ and the film company’s proposal. The original English text and a translated version were included, and Kang Woo-jin casually read the original English version.

‘Hmm, they definitely seem eager in the proposal?’

Ultimately, ‘Jurassic Land 4’ strongly wanted a meeting with Kang Woo-jin. This was clearly a result of the Cannes Film Festival’s impact.

‘Still, I didn’t expect a movie of this caliber to come calling so quickly.’

However, the fact that it was a ‘supporting role’ bothered Kang Woo-jin a bit. In fact, other actors would probably jump at the chance and schedule a meeting right away. That’s because it’s a sequel to the legendary ‘Jurassic Land’ series. It would probably be the first time a Korean actor has been in the ‘Jurassic Land’ series, and if this became known to the world, it would cause quite a stir.

Generally speaking, a supporting role in the ‘Jurassic Land’ series is an incredible opportunity.

At this point, ‘Last Kill 3’ flashed through Woo-jin’s mind.

Sure, the ‘Jurassic Land’ series is amazing, but is it something to be so desperate for?

‘Sigh, that’s not it.’

You might call him crazy, but frankly, Kang Woo-jin felt that a supporting role was a bit of a letdown. Choi Sung-gun across from him seemed to feel the same way, as he scratched his messy hair and said,

“This is… I wonder if I’m crazy, or if I’ve lost touch with reality because I’m with you. I think it’s a bit of a waste for you to take a supporting role, even if it’s a sequel to ‘Jurassic Land’. Ah, even as I say it, I wonder if this is right. But that’s my honest feeling.”

Choi Sung-gun seemed to be experiencing a bit of cognitive dissonance [a state of having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes].

“On the other hand, from the perspective of the agency’s CEO, ‘Jurassic Land 4’ has an insane level of influence. If we turn it down, and if that gets out, we’ll be called idiots here and in Hollywood.”

“······”

“Of course, the choice is yours, but what do you think?”

Kang Woo-jin, who had been looking at the transparent file, replied nonchalantly,

“All projects are the same to me. If it’s meaningless, we should turn it down.”

It was around 9 a.m.

The black van that Kang Woo-jin was in was almost at the ‘Beneficial Evil’ mega-filming complex in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province.

-Vroom!

It was about 10 minutes until they arrived. Inside the van were about a dozen members of Woo-jin’s team, and Choi Sung-gun, who was usually in the passenger seat, was not with them today. He would join them soon, but for now, he had a lot of work to handle. The work had piled up so much during the ten days in Cannes.

Anyway, Kang Woo-jin.

“······”

He was silently sitting and checking a stack of papers. It was the five scripts and scenarios he had received from Choi Sung-gun in the morning. He had already heard explanations for all of them, but Woo-jin was first skimming through the basic parts of the scripts and scenarios. The titles and some of the content.

As a result.

‘They’re all interesting.’

All five were quite interesting. Not just from an actor’s perspective, but also from the perspective of the ordinary citizen Kang Woo-jin. Two French movies, two Hollywood movies, and one American drama. Woo-jin, who was full of ideas, sighed inwardly.

‘Hmm, honestly, it doesn’t matter what I do, but Hollywood has more influence than France, right?’

One of the Hollywood movie scripts was ‘Jurassic Land 4’, and the other was a somewhat calm family story. The American drama felt like a singer-songwriter’s success story? According to the proposals, the French side wanted to cast Kang Woo-jin as the lead, but the Hollywood movies and the American drama offered lead, supporting, or supporting roles.

Well, he had checked the content to some extent, so now it was time for the next step.

-Swish.

Kang Woo-jin subtly moved his index finger. To poke the black square.

Soon.

-Thud!

Kang Woo-jin’s vision, which had been inside the van, turned completely dark, into a subspace. As soon as he entered the subspace, Woo-jin dropped his intense persona and, while tilting his head from side to side, said,

“Ugh, I’m a bit tired. I should rest while I’m here.”

He walked towards the place where the white squares were floating. He was going to check the ratings of all five works. He couldn’t just leave it unchecked, could he? First, Woo-jin stopped in front of the white squares to see the information about the first work he had chosen. Among the various works, the one Woo-jin had chosen at the very end was visible.

-[11/Scenario (Title: Jurassic Land 4), Grade B]

-[*This is a very well-made scenario. 100% reading is possible.]

The first verification was naturally ‘Jurassic Land 4’. As soon as he saw it, Woo-jin smiled faintly.

“Grade B? Ha, it’s really ambiguous. But is this movie’s rating for both domestic and overseas?”

Either way, Grade B was average. Moreover, ‘Jurassic Land 4’ had proposed a supporting role. Woo-jin’s interest was slowly waning. If the grade of ‘Jurassic Land 4’ had been at least A, he would have been tempted, but with a B grade, he felt like, ‘Why bother?’

“It’ll definitely be a hot topic, but if the movie itself is just a moderate success, that’s not good. My filmography would suddenly take a nosedive.”

Although there was a hint of disappointment, Kang Woo-jin first cleared his current mood and selected the white square of ‘Jurassic Land 4’. Whether he did the movie or not, Woo-jin now had two clear goals.

One was.

“Anyway, a chance to see a dinosaur in person. I really can’t pass that up.”

To actually experience the existence of dinosaurs, and the other was.

“Let’s see, the character’s name was probably ‘Juan Gonzalez’?”

A new ability imprint that he had guessed. The character named ‘Juan Gonzalez’ in the work.

And in his lines.

[“Preparing to read ‘E: Juan Gonzalez’······”]

[“A new language other than the basic language is detected. Acquiring ‘Spanish’ first.”]

‘Spanish’ was included.

How much time had passed?

The view in front was all black. That was Kang Woo-jin’s experience. It was humid. And hot. A considerably high temperature touching his skin. There was a strange smell. A mix of fresh and musty scents. He could hear the sound of insects in his ears. It wasn’t a buzzing sound. It was a fluttering sound. Were they even insects?

There was also a thumping sound coming from the sky.

A bird? Or something else? Overall, Woo-jin’s five senses were heightened right now. Familiar yet unfamiliar. The ground was muddy. His heart was pounding.

Kang Woo-jin opened his eyes.

-Swish.

The black vision turned gray, and even that gradually faded. Colors began to fill his eyes. The most intense color was green.

Yes, he was in a forest.

Woo-jin, who had opened his eyes, slowly turned his head. A forest? Was this really a forest? His eyes said it was, but his brain was refusing to believe it. There were so many plants he had never seen before. And what about the trees rooted in the ground? They all boasted enormous heights, as if they would reach the sky. They all looked like they had lived for at least 1000 years.

Kang Woo-jin was standing in a place where such trees and unfamiliar plants were concentrated.

“······My god.”

Woo-jin’s exclamation was a mix of awe and admiration. It wasn’t Korean, English, or French, but Spanish. Kang Woo-jin was now in the world of ‘Juan Gonzalez’. Another world, a reality seen through his imprinted eyes. Kang Woo-jin’s, or ‘Juan Gonzalez’s’, heart was pounding non-stop.

It was so intense that his ears and head were ringing.

“Hoo- hoo- Is it, is it really there? That thing?”

As Woo-jin murmured, sweat trickled down his cheek. He was wearing a rather large safari hat, a short-sleeved shirt, and jeans. He held a black camera in one hand.

-Swish.

Filled with tension and anticipation, he took a step and leaned against a huge tree right in front of him. A tree that was more than five times the width of a person’s torso, and so tall that its top was not visible. There were countless such trees in his view. Clearly, this was not a forest that could be seen anywhere.

Woo-jin, holding the camera, took pictures of the vast forest and trees.

As time passed, sweat poured down like rain. His heart rate was also skyrocketing to the point where he was panting. Was there a lack of oxygen here? But he endured it. He was already filled with adrenaline from this incredible sight.

At that moment.

-Flap!

His right arm tingled and he got goosebumps. Woo-jin naturally turned his head to the right and then.

“Aaaah!”

He was startled. A bug with wings the size of his palm was stuck to his arm. Kang Woo-jin, who had screamed, wildly flailed his arm and fell on his butt. Thanks to the soft ground, the pain was minimal, but he could vividly feel the cold moisture seeping into his butt.

-Flap flap flap!

Only after seeing the monster mosquito fly up into the sky did Woo-jin feel relieved.

“Ha- phew, damn it.”

His hands and feet were trembling. He discovered that the camera he had been holding had fallen to the ground due to the shock. Woo-jin wiped the sweat that was running down his face and reached out to pick up the camera.

At this moment.

-Crack!

He heard a strong presence. Followed by the sound of plants hitting each other.

Then, the ground vibrated slightly.

Woo-jin, startled, slowly turned his face to the back. But before that, huge bodies brushed past his sides.

-Ooo-ooo-ooh.

Strange cries, hard skin, short four legs, two pointed and long horns. Creatures that looked like rhinos at first glance. But they couldn’t be rhinos. They were easily more than 10 times the size of a person. Not just one, but a group of them. A group of eight. Kang Woo-jin, still sitting on the ground, unknowingly opened his mouth wide.

“Ah-”

Every time the creatures that brushed past Woo-jin with a puff of breath took a step, a thumping sound was heard. With a dazed face, Woo-jin spoke again to the huge creatures on either side of him,

“Triceratops······”

Triceratops. That is, dinosaurs. Then he paused. When the leader of the triceratops stopped, all the members of the group stopped moving. Then the triceratops began to graze on the surrounding grass.

What a strange and wondrous sight this was?

Woo-jin’s eyes widened as if they would burst, and a manic smile spread across his lips. He slowly lifted his butt off the ground. Soon, Woo-jin, who was slightly larger than a triceratops’s leg, reached out his hand to the belly of a triceratops that was grazing right in front of him.

-Swoosh.

Rough and hard skin. But it was soft. The belly expanded every time the triceratops breathed. The creature that was grazing with a puffing sound turned its head towards Kang Woo-jin. The two horns pointed into the air, and the sound of the wind could be heard.

“······”

Fortunately, the triceratops didn’t pay attention to Kang Woo-jin and continued to graze.

“Ha…haha.”

Kang Woo-jin, who was laughing in disbelief, picked up the camera that had fallen to the ground with trembling hands. And just as he was about to take a picture of the huge triceratops right in front of him.

The ground shook.

He wondered if it was his imagination, but it wasn’t. The ground vibrated again. The shaking became more and more intense and closer. In addition.

-···Thump, thump, thump!

Even dull explosions.

At that moment.

-Woahhhhh!

The triceratops that had been grazing ran away in a flurry. The shock caused Kang Woo-jin to fall to the ground again. He fell forward, and mud smeared his face.

Right around then.

-Thump!! Crash!!

A deafening sound of the ground cracking was heard from behind. Kang Woo-jin’s body, which had fallen forward, naturally trembled. His hands were the same. Crack. A tree broke. There was something huge behind him, definitely.

-Greeeeeeeaaaaaah.

It sounded like a typhoon, but it wasn’t. It was the breathing of something behind him. Woo-jin’s lower body was wet. Some of it was from the moisture, but honestly, he had peed a little. He, who had been frozen while lying face down, slowly turned his head to the back.

“······Hup.”

A monster the size of a building was looking down at the fallen Kang Woo-jin. Its arms were extremely short, but its head was the size of the previous triceratops. The creature suddenly roared.

-Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!

Kang Woo-jin reflexively jumped up and ran.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!”

The creature was a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

End