I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 4

Around 11 PM, at a writer’s studio.

The space, easily over 40 pyeong [approximately 1,422 square feet], looked like a regular apartment at first glance. But it was a writer’s studio. As if to prove it, assistant writers were diligently typing away on their laptops at the desk in the center of the living room.

It was common to see assistant writers living and working in the studio. And in the largest room, surrounded by bookshelves filled with books.

-Tap, tap-tap-tap.

Hectic typing sounds echoed. A middle-aged woman with a gray headband was visible.

“Tsk.”

She clicked her tongue, seemingly frustrated with her writing. She was the owner of this large writer’s studio. Her name was Park Eun-mi, a writer in her 40s, with long permed hair tied up.

And then, Park Eun-mi.

“Haa-”

She covered her face with both hands as if she had a headache.

-♬♪

Her phone next to her laptop emitted a cheerful ringtone. But Park Eun-mi.

“······”

Only glanced at it, not answering the call. For about a month, she had been receiving a flood of calls.

The reason was simple.

『[Issue Check] Star Writer Park Eun-mi Returns… Broadcasting Industry Already Buzzing』

She was one of the few star writers in the country. She had written a total of 14 dramas so far, and 8 of them, including her most recent work, were hits. So, did the other 6 fail? No, they didn’t. They were above average.

In other words, Park Eun-mi was an ultra-level star writer with no flops.

And then, she.

『Hit-Maker Park Eun-mi to Collaborate with SBC for New Project/Photo』

This time, she joined hands with SBC’s drama department. The director was Song Man-woo PD, considered a giant among current PDs [Production Directors]. The two had already worked together on 5 projects, and even before pre-production began, a top actress was confirmed.

That was Hong Hye-yeon.

Three huge, enormous names were the base. Therefore, rumors spread like wildfire even before production started.

Thanks to that.

-♬♪

Park Eun-mi’s phone rang every minute. Most of them were calls from numerous entertainment companies, from large to medium-sized. It was obvious they wanted to get their actors cast somehow. Well, it was natural.

Getting involved in this project would be a jackpot, so to speak.

Park Eun-mi was well aware of this.

“It’s chaos, utter chaos.”

For a writer of her caliber, controlling the casting was a piece of cake. However, the blueprint for the cast of this new project was already somewhat drawn. Hong Hye-yeon was confirmed. So, the calls from entertainment companies were just annoying to Park Eun-mi.

Perhaps because of that.

“Ugh—so noisy.”

Park Eun-mi reached out to turn off the loudly ringing phone. Then she paused.

“Huh?”

She tilted her head, having checked the caller ID, and put the phone to her ear.

“Oh, Song PD-nim. What’s with the call at this hour? I thought you were doing the preliminary judging for ‘Super Actor,’ is the filming over?”

It was Song Man-woo PD with the beard, not the entertainment companies. Then, Song Man-woo PD on the other end of the phone replied rather urgently.

“Yeah, yeah, it’s over. But more importantly, Park Writer, I’m heading to the studio right now, okay?”

“Now?”

“I’m almost there. I’ll arrive in 20 minutes.”

Since they were already on the same boat, there was no problem with him coming to the studio, but Park Eun-mi frowned slightly because of the late hour.

“I was just about to wash up. If it’s not urgent, let’s meet tomorrow morning?”

“No, no. It’s urgent, Park Writer needs to see this right away. Oh, and Hong Star is here too.”

“See what? Wait, Hye-yeon is coming too??”

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s talk about the details when I get there.”

Song Man-woo PD and Hong Hye-yeon, who was confirmed as the female lead, were coming after 11 PM. It didn’t seem like a small matter.

“Sigh—I thought we were going to judge together. Okay, I understand.”

“Okay!”

-Click.

Soon, Park Eun-mi, having roughly tossed her phone, took off her headband and left the room. She was probably going to send the assistant writers home.

“Guys, Song PD-nim is coming, so everyone go home today. Take a break for a couple of days.”

As soon as the leader finished speaking, the assistant writers happily gathered their things, and Park Eun-mi chuckled.

“You’re happy. I’ll give you my card, so buy something delicious before you go home. Don’t worry about the price.”

“Ah! Thank you!!”

The assistant writers were excited as they received the card. Among them, a woman with glasses handed Park Eun-mi a thin stack of papers.

“Writer-nim, here are the sociopath materials you asked for.”

Park Eun-mi, having received the stack of papers, let out a small sigh.

“Okay, good work. But I might not use this.”

“Why? Ah—is it a problem with the actor?”

“That’s right. There are plenty of actors, but the problem is they can’t pull it off. Those who are decent at acting avoid it.”

Park Eun-mi clicked her tongue and placed the materials roughly on the table in front of the TV.

“I might change the character setting itself.”

Several tens of minutes later.

The writer’s studio, where the assistant writers had already left. Instead, two new figures were visible on the living room sofa. Top actress Hong Hye-yeon, who was glued to Song Man-woo PD, and Park Eun-mi.

“Oh my—Writer-nim, the scent in your studio is so nice! Did you change your diffuser?”

Regardless, Park Eun-mi seemed slightly annoyed.

“Hong Star, can you sit down? You’re making me dizzy.”

She gave Hong Hye-yeon a light scolding. But Hong Hye-yeon, familiar with Park Eun-mi, didn’t mind.

“You always say that, don’t you? You pretend to be annoyed but secretly want me to notice you changed the diffuser.”

“No, I don’t? Anyway, just sit down, the tea is ready.”

Park Eun-mi placed the tea she had prepared on the table. While doing so.

-Swish.

She glanced at Song Man-woo PD, who had been looking down at his phone since earlier, and opened her mouth.

“But PD-nim, is the director okay with you continuing to direct? I thought they said you might not be able to direct this one?”

“Hmph.”

Song Man-woo PD immediately snorted.

“They can’t do anything if I say I’ll do it.”

“Hey—but a group is different, isn’t it? Honestly, with your career, reputation, and age, shouldn’t you have been sitting at a desk by now?”

“Desk, my foot. I’d rather retire than not direct.”

Only then did Song Man-woo PD raise his gaze from his phone. To Park Eun-mi across the table.

“But this project might really be my last. I’m getting old, and I need to step aside for the younger ones.”

Song Man-woo PD, scratching his beard, looked like he was in his 50s, but he was actually in his mid-40s. Considering his achievements and age, he should have been a broadcasting station CP [Chief Producer] or higher-level executive by now. However, he had the mindset that he would rather die than not direct.

He let out a long sigh.

“I’m only staying alive because there’s no one who can pull in ratings like me yet.”

Hong Hye-yeon and Park Eun-mi each added a word.

“I wish PD-nim would keep directing!”

“I have a similar thought. Well, I think it would be okay if PD-nim just joined as a CP.”

But Song Man-woo PD shook his head with a bitter smile.

“It’s okay. They keep giving me the side-eye anyway, and I’ll have to leave the company when this project is finished. I’m also looking into starting my own production company and continuing to direct.”

“Oh ho—since it’s PD-nim, you’ll get investments right away.”

At that moment.

“That’s why.”

Song Man-woo PD’s eyes gained strength.

“Let’s make this one a real hit, no matter what.”

Hong Hye-yeon, her long hair fluttering, smiled with her eyes.

“Agreed, totally agreed.”

Park Eun-mi, letting out a small sigh, shrugged her shoulders and chimed in.

“When were you not in that mindset? So? What’s the purpose of you two barging in at this hour?”

At the question, Song Man-woo PD suddenly stood up from the sofa. Then, he connected the phone he had been fiddling with to the large TV in front. Park Eun-mi immediately frowned.

“What are you doing? Are we going to watch a movie?”

Song Man-woo PD, operating the large TV, answered calmly while holding the remote.

“Just watch it first, then we’ll talk.”

“Watch what?”

“A hidden master I found today. No, an actor.”

“······What are you even talking about.”

Park Eun-mi openly complained, but Song Man-woo PD played a video on his phone. Then, a man began to appear on the large TV.

It was Kang Woo-jin, the first participant in the ‘Super Actor’ preliminary round this morning.

As soon as she saw him, Park Eun-mi tilted her head.

“Who’s that? Ah—is this the recording of ‘Super Actor’?”

But Song Man-woo PD, standing with the remote, answered the question with a question. Pointing at the TV with his index finger.

“What do you think of this guy?”

Kang Woo-jin was sitting on a chair. His head was slightly tilted, and he had a phone to his ear. His pupils were also slightly dilated. Park Eun-mi immediately gave her assessment, as if she had no interest.

“He’s tall enough. And his visuals are okay. There’s a slightly rough feel to him. But is he drunk? He looks drunk? His pupils are dilated. His eyes are a bit…”

Hong Hye-yeon, who was sitting with her legs crossed, was quick to answer.

“He’s got that vibe, right? A bit spacey.”

“He seems a bit out of it. A rookie? An aspirant? Anyway, he has a unique vibe for an unknown.”

“No. It’s ambiguous to categorize him as a rookie or an aspirant.”

“What? Ha—PD-nim, why are you making me watch someone like that? I’m really tired. I’m already having a headache because I couldn’t write today.”

It was at this moment.

-Click.

Kang Woo-jin in the TV slowly moved and stood in front of the judges. Then, he began to show something.

Somewhere between a seizure and a fit.

Rough breaths and desperate eyes, bizarre hand and foot gestures, a trembling body mixed with pathos and desperation, detailed expressions emanating from his facial muscles.

Like that, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 3 minutes.

Kang Woo-jin in the TV had become a different person from the beginning, and Park Eun-mi, who had been sitting on the sofa.

“······”

Was already right in front of the large TV. Her complaints from a moment ago had completely disappeared. Her expression now was firm and upright.

‘Is this… is this acting?’

Was there such a twist in the world? Park Eun-mi kept questioning even as she watched.

‘Has he really been stabbed with a knife? How else could he express this?’

At this moment.

-Swish.

Song Man-woo PD suddenly stopped the playing video. Then, he asked Park Eun-mi, who had her eyes wide open.

“The beginning, when he looked like he was on drugs, and now, when he looks so desperate. Which one do you think is his real personality?”

“I don’t know. But why is his acting like this? I’ve never seen anything like this, it’s not realistic, it’s real.”

“Right. What if he showed that after looking at a script for just one minute?”

“What kind of crazy talk is that, is that even possible??”

“I don’t know, but he must have put in a tremendous amount of effort.”

“What did you say??”

“No, watch his interview too.”

Soon, a short interview of Kang Woo-jin, who had stopped acting, played on the TV. He was saying things like ‘I taught myself,’ and this time he looked quite arrogant. Or maybe he just had high self-esteem. Song Man-woo PD asked again here.

“Does this one seem real?”

“······I’m confused.”

“Right?”

Then, Song Man-woo PD with the beard took a step closer to Park Eun-mi, who was staring intently at the TV.

“His acting is crazy, and his sense of the season is clear. Cool, then hot, then cold. Like a psycho. Doesn’t one character come to mind when you look at him?”

Only then did Park Eun-mi’s mind snap back. She turned her body around and focused her gaze on the table.

What she saw on the table was.

“Ah.”

The sociopath materials that the assistant writer had given her.

The next morning, the 13th. Kang Woo-jin’s one-room apartment.

The time was around 8 AM. Kang Woo-jin, who had been asleep, suddenly opened his eyes. His hair was a mess, and scripts and scenarios were scattered around his bedside. He must have fallen asleep while reading a script.

Anyway.

“Ugh-”

Woo-jin stretched and then drank some bottled water. While doing so, he checked his phone. He paused here.

“Ah, it’s here.”

A message had arrived from an unknown person. It was the ‘Super Actor’ PD sending Woo-jin’s acting cut. Kang Woo-jin, having downloaded the video to his phone.

-Swish.

Sat cross-legged. He had to check the video. But he couldn’t easily play the video.

“It’s a bit… awkward.”

The shame he had suppressed was back on. It was like an ‘I want to bury myself’ feeling. Even hearing his own voice recorded was awkward. But watching his own acting, which was obviously a pathetic mess full of embarrassment and shame?

It wasn’t easy.

Still.

“Hoo—calm down, it’s just a video.”

Kang Woo-jin had to watch it. This video was proof of his first entry into the subspace.

Soon.

-Tap.

Kang Woo-jin touched the video he had saved. He appeared on his phone. Woo-jin felt disgusted right away, but he endured it.

That lasted for about 5 seconds.

“Huh?”

Woo-jin tilted his head. The shame that had been exploding had also faded. The reason was simple.

“This… isn’t it okay?”

His acting in the phone wasn’t bad. Of course, there was still some awkwardness.

However.

“I’m good? Why am I good?”

It wasn’t the level of acting that would make him feel ashamed or want to bury himself. Just then. When his phone self reached the part where he was screaming after being stabbed by something.

“…Wow, that’s awesome?”

Kang Woo-jin couldn’t help but be impressed. Is this really me? Of course, he knew nothing about acting, so he didn’t have any particular standards, but as a viewer, he was quite impressive in the video.

Kang Woo-jin was soon immersed in the video. At this moment, he suddenly realized.

“Wasn’t I pathetic?”

It wasn’t at a level where he needed to be ashamed or want to bury himself.

‘Yeah, now that I think about it, I was kind of in a trance back then, right?’

He was out of it, and his brain wasn’t working well. Moreover, Woo-jin didn’t know the clear standards of ‘acting well.’ Even if everyone praised his acting as divine, if he concluded that he was trash, that was the end of it. Yesterday’s Kang Woo-jin was exactly like that.

That’s why acting is something that others evaluate.

But Kang Woo-jin ran away as soon as he finished acting because of the exploding shame. No, he fled. Woo-jin, who had calmed down a bit, recalled yesterday.

‘My acting was amazing. What if I use that as a standard?’

The dark history he had forcibly erased all looked new. The questions the three judges had asked were all out of shock, not just out of courtesy. The ‘Super Actor’ PD was the same.

“Wait a minute. Then my first pass wasn’t for laughs—but because of my real acting.”

Everyone he had met yesterday was captivated by Kang Woo-jin’s acting. That was the conclusion. At this moment.

“Ah, damn it.”

Kang Woo-jin covered his face with one hand. He remembered the terrible concept he had shown all day yesterday. Pretending to be solemn, pretending to be strong, showing off, etc.

“I’m going crazy.”

At the time, it was a smokescreen to hide his shame, but now it seemed like it had encouraged arrogance.

“They must have seen me as an amazing, crazy talent.”

A top predator of acting ability or a monstrous genius actor. If such a guy’s self-esteem was also sky-high, it was enough to cause misunderstandings. Kang Woo-jin’s sigh was mostly true. But the snowball of misunderstanding had already started rolling. At a pretty fast speed.

Of course, Kang Woo-jin himself didn’t know it.

Then.

“Whatever.”

Kang Woo-jin, having muttered appropriately, quickly came to a conclusion.

“They’re people I’ll never see again, so I don’t need to worry about them.”

Because what he needed to focus on now was something else.

“Anyway, I can enter the subspace or whatever and have a role in a work.”

Kang Woo-jin could show the ‘frightened man’ from yesterday right now. It was a sensation as if it was stored in his brain. Soon, Woo-jin crossed his arms and silently looked at the script next to him.

More precisely, at the black square that had appeared next to the script.

“······”

What he muttered softly was this.

“It’s a ridiculous thing to say, but should I try acting instead of working in Australia?”

It was at this moment.

-Vroom, vroom, vroom.

The phone in his hand emitted a long vibration. It was a call, and an unknown number was displayed on the screen. Thanks to that, Kang Woo-jin casually put the phone to his ear.

“Yes, hello.”

A man’s voice was heard from the other end of the phone.

“Kang Woo-jin-ssi. This is Song Man-woo PD, do you remember me? I was sitting in the middle of the judges’ seats.”

“Ah, the one with the beard.”

The other party was Song Man-woo PD.

“Hahaha, that’s right. It’s not about anything else, but is it possible to meet? As soon as possible, if possible.”

Me? Why? Kang Woo-jin frowned for a moment and then cleared his throat slightly. Then, he replied in a very low tone.

“I think it’s proper to tell me the reason first.”

Because he had to maintain his concept.

────────────────────────────────────

────────────────────────────────────