I was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor [EN]: Chapter 421

After all the filming for ‘Beneficial Evil’ Part 2 wrapped up, the official date for the ‘Primetime Emmy Awards’ spread throughout the set, coinciding with the moment when many of the staff were going wild.

“PD-nim!! The Television Academy (ATAS) has announced the Emmy Awards date!”

It started with an assistant director, and the news quickly spread to Song Man-woo PD and the hundred or so staff members, as well as Kang Woo-jin.

“August 1st!! It’s August 1st!!”

The staff, already ecstatic from the end of filming, went even more crazy.

“Whoa!! August 1st??! That means there are less than two months left?!”

“Wow— PD-nim! Are you finally going to step onto the ‘Emmys’ stage?!”

“Amazing! PD-nim! Who all is going?!”

“But does anyone know where the ‘Emmys’ are held??”

“Hey, hey, were you just jumping around without even knowing that?!”

“Camera director, do you know?!”

“Of course! I’m going too!”

The atmosphere after filming quickly turned into a buzz about the ‘Emmys.’ This was the same for Kang Woo-jin’s team. Everyone from the stylist to the team members were busy looking at their phones, and Choi Seong-geon was quickly making calls to the company’s PR team.

Meanwhile, Kang Woo-jin.

“······”

He was calm. His thoughts weren’t much different. He really didn’t have any particular thoughts. He knew the Emmys were a big deal, but the picture seemed similar to the Cannes Film Festival.

‘Well, I was a bit surprised to be nominated for Best Actor.’

Later, writer Choi Na-na and general director Kim So-hyang arrived on set, further intensifying the excitement.

‘Beneficial Evil’ was nominated in a whopping 10 categories.

Including Best Actor, Best Picture, and Best Director, etc. In other words, Song Man-woo PD, Choi Na-na, Kang Woo-jin, the music director, art director, and director of photography, among many others present, would be heading to the ‘Emmys.’ Of course, Netflix Korea would also be accompanying them. It would be a rather large-scale movement, and ‘Beneficial Evil’ was the first Asian production to be nominated in so many categories in the history of the ‘Emmys.’

It was quite understandable that they were all half-crazed.

After that.

-Whoosh!

The news spread throughout the country around the time Kang Woo-jin was getting into his van.

‘As expected, the reporters are fast.’

The ‘Emmys’ news was already dominating the main pages of various portal sites.

『[Issue Talk] ‘Primetime Emmy Awards’ Confirmed for August 1st!』

『‘Beneficial Evil’ Nominated in 10 Categories for ‘Emmys,’ Global Festival to be Held Grandly on August 1st』

The news of ‘Beneficial Evil’ setting the first Asian record was already a national issue in Korea.

『‘Emmys’ Confirmed for August 1st, What are the Chances of ‘Beneficial Evil’ and Kang Woo-jin Winning?』

Although there were still about two months left, the domestic media was furiously churning out articles as if the ‘Emmys’ were happening in two hours.

『[Issue IS] About Two Months Until the US Emmys, Should ‘Kang Woo-jin’ Go While Filming a Hollywood Project?』

『A Huge Success if They Win Even One of the 10 Categories! Global Attention on ‘Beneficial Evil’』

The public also quickly started typing on their keyboards.

-ㅠㅠㅠㅜㅜㅜㅜIt’s finally out!! I’m cheering for you!!

-Ha, seriously, lol, there’s still time left, but why am I nervous? lololol

-Where can I watch the Emmys? Is it live-streamed?

-These days, all award ceremonies are broadcast on YouTube, lol.

-10 nominations is truly… legendary….

-But Kang Woo-jin seems to be going to all the major film festivals, lol, from the Korean ones to Cannes and now the Emmys, lol.

-If ‘Beneficial Evil’ sweeps all the awards, it’ll be seriously amazing!!! lololol

-Holding my breath until August 1st.

-Isn’t Kang Woo-jin the first to go to Cannes, the Emmys, and the Academy Awards within 3 years??

-You’d think Kang Woo-jin has already gone to the Academy Awards, lololol. Is that some corner store??

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The heated atmosphere continued through the night and into the next morning, and around this time, Netflix Korea threw another issue into the mix, further amplifying the situation.

『[Official] Netflix Korea Says, “Filming for ‘Beneficial Evil’ Part 2 is Complete, Launching as Early as September”』

They announced the wrap-up of filming for ‘Beneficial Evil’ Part 2.

Early June in Korea was bustling.

The media, public opinion, various outlets, social media, YouTube, etc., were all vying for attention with similar topics. Information was overflowing, but it all sold well.

『‘Beneficial Evil Part 2’ Filming Complete, ‘Emmys’ in August, and Part 2 Open in September… Netizens Say, “A Huge Success if They Win an Award and Open!”』

Whatever it was, whether it was ‘Beneficial Evil’ or the ‘Emmys,’ the main focus was Woo-jin, and he was surprisingly quietly handling his remaining schedule without standing out much. There were only a few days left until June 11th, and his departure was a few days later on the 8th.

However, the official announcement was yet to come.

Then, two days later.

-[Hello, this is ‘Columbia Studios.’ We are delivering new information regarding ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain.’ The first filming for ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ is scheduled for June 11th. Currently, director Ahn Ga-bok and the staff are preparing with great passion······]

‘Columbia Studios’ announced the start of filming for ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ to the world. They used official social media and YouTube, and this was turned into articles by foreign reporters.

『CNM/ ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain,’ Which Will Mark the Beginning of ‘Columbia Studios’ Cinematic Universe, Officially Begins Filming on June 11th! Where is the First Filming Location?』

‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ was already a project that had garnered excessive attention from the past, and since it was the first project of the nuclear bomb that Kang Woo-jin had set off, the amount of articles being generated was enormous.

『NT/ Korean Actor Kang Woo-jin, Receiving High Interest from the Global Public, ‘Nedit’ is Buzzing Again with the Confirmation of the First Filming of ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’!』

Thanks to this, Hollywood was buzzing all day with talk about ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain,’ and it quickly spread to Korea, which was already heated up with ‘Emmys’ news.

It was around this time that Kang Woo-jin’s side announced their position.

-Wow… Kang Woo-jin is leaving on the 8th… It’s so cool to see him as the lead in a big Hollywood project.

The content was that Woo-jin, who had already finished filming ‘Beneficial Evil,’ would be leaving on the 8th, and after arriving in LA and spending a few days, he would start filming on the 11th.

In many ways, it was a huge topic.

Therefore, about two days before Kang Woo-jin’s departure, domestic news outlets were competing to report this news, and the media and YouTubers also joined the trend.

And so, those two days melted away like a flash.

Early in the morning of the 8th, Kang Woo-jin appeared at Incheon Airport. Since there had already been a major announcement, dozens of guards and staff were stationed in the airport lobby, and even more reporters, onlookers, and fans had gathered in a terrifying crowd.

“Kang Woo-jin! Mr. Kang Woo-jin!!!”

“Woo-jin-ssi!! Please say just one word!! Woo-jin-ssi!!”

“How are you feeling right now!! Are you nervous?!!!”

“Ah! Don’t push!! Mr. Kang Woo-jin! Please look this way!!”

“Do you think you have a chance of winning the ‘Emmy’ for Best Actor?!!”

“What did director Ahn Ga-bok say to you!!”

The shouts of reporters, the screams of fans, the yells of guards, etc. As soon as Kang Woo-jin appeared, the airport was transformed into chaos.

However, Kang Woo-jin’s poker face didn’t change.

“······”

Woo-jin, who was simply waving his hand at the gathered fans and reporters, only uttered one simple sentence.

“I plan to enjoy it.”

After that, Kang Woo-jin’s private jet took to the sky.

A few days later, on the 10th, in LA.

It was the vast interior set of ‘Columbia Studios.’ It was shaped like an amusement park, and there were buildings with different concepts everywhere.

Among them, a section that resembled a city.

It was a set city that was clearly modeled after New York, and numerous filming equipment and hundreds of foreign staff were running around along the roads.

“Camera! Camera test!!”

“Drones are going too!”

“How much time is left for audio setup?!”

“10 minutes!”

“Lower the small jib!”

Various teams were busy arranging or testing equipment in their respective positions. The overall picture was similar to Korea, but clearly different. First of all, the equipment that was visible was different. There were an enormous number of camera types, including those attached to cranes or cars, and there were many expensive pieces of equipment that were hard to see in Korea, besides audio and lighting.

And that wasn’t all.

The number of staff members also easily surpassed that of Korea. In an area slightly away from where hundreds of staff were gathered, there were trailers that looked like mini-buses lined up, which were also impressive. Most of the hundreds of foreign staff had scripts in their hands, and the cover of the script had this title printed on it.

-‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’

In other words, these hundreds of production staff were the team for ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain.’ Therefore, at the table where the key staff and core personnel were gathered, the old face of director Ahn Ga-bok, with headphones around his neck, could be seen.

He was busy looking at the shooting storyboard and giving instructions to the production staff.

So, is the first filming of ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ taking place today, the 10th? Strictly speaking, today wasn’t the first day of filming. Today was scheduled for the final preparations and tests for ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain,’ insert shots, and the first poster shoot.

Of course, there was a set procedure in Hollywood from just before filming to the first day of filming.

“Director! Drone setup is complete!”

Those things could be changed at any time at the director’s discretion. However, since this was Hollywood, the director’s authority was relatively small, and to make big changes to the schedule, they had to consult with the film company or producer. Fortunately, ‘Columbia Studios’ currently had a lot of trust in director Ahn Ga-bok, so they were mostly accommodating.

Then, about an hour later.

“Hi— Action.”

Director Ahn Ga-bok’s first signal was given across the vast set. Of course, there were no people. It was just to film pictures of buildings, roads, or stores. The entire team, which was busy filming the planned inserts, moved in perfect order. Since it was an insert cut, director Ahn Ga-bok’s cut signal was also quick.

“Cut, let’s go one more time.”

A female staff member hit the slate in front of several cameras, and after a brief shoot, director Ahn Ga-bok’s cut signal continued. While filming inserts, they were also coordinating the movements of hundreds of staff and testing all the equipment before the start of filming.

Then.

“Move!!”

With the shout of a foreign male staff member, hundreds of staff moved in a rush. It was not far from where they were, at a crosswalk with slightly worn-out pedestrian crossings. This was also the place that director Ahn Ga-bok had decided on for the first poster shoot for ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain.’ Soon, director Ahn Ga-bok, who was looking at the poster shooting storyboard.

“Call him.”

When he spoke in English to the surrounding staff, several foreign staff members nodded and ran. The place they arrived at was a few minutes away, where a row of gray-painted trailers were lined up. A female staff member knocked on the first trailer out of about five trailers.

-Knock knock.

Soon, a low-toned English voice was heard from inside.

“Yes, am I going out?”

The female staff member nodded and shouted in a rather loud voice.

“Yes! Please stand by!”

“Okay.”

The female staff member and a few others who heard the answer ran back to the set. Then, exactly 5 minutes later, the door of the trailer opened.

-Swoosh.

A black-haired man stepped out.

He was just casually looking at the set where hundreds of foreign staff were gathered.

“······”

He started walking without saying anything. As he moved, the foreign staff who were waiting followed him. Soon, hundreds of staff and director Ahn Ga-bok turned their heads. The actor they had been waiting for, the male lead of ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain,’ was walking over.

Finally.

-Swoosh.

He arrived in front of director Ahn Ga-bok.

No.

“Director.”

It was Kang Woo-jin.

“Um, yes. I’m just going to take a poster shot as a test.”

“Yes.”

Both of them were speaking in English. In fact, Kang Woo-jin and director Ahn Ga-bok had not been using Korean much since they met again. Then, Kang Woo-jin went into the midst of hundreds of staff, and director Ahn Ga-bok directed the angle towards the numerous cameras.

It was the center of the crosswalk.

How much time had passed? About 30 minutes later, Kang Woo-jin reappeared among the staff in a bizarre outfit. He wasn’t wearing any face makeup, but his suit was very flashy.

A red jacket and pants, a blue shirt, a yellow vest, and worn-out brown shoes.

At that sight, director Ahn Ga-bok involuntarily.

“······Is this goosebumps?”

He felt a chill. No, it was closer to a thrill. Kang Woo-jin, who didn’t know this, brushed past Ahn Ga-bok with a cynical expression and moved to the point where several cameras were focused.

And then.

-Swoosh.

With both hands in his pockets, he turned his body and looked directly at the numerous cameras, director Ahn Ga-bok, and hundreds of staff.

Soon, hundreds of foreign staff also.

‘Wow!’

‘Even without face makeup—’

‘It’s so convincing that it’s almost a mistake.’

They felt the same thrill as director Ahn Ga-bok.

“Is this good enough?”

‘Joker’ was speaking.