I Was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor

Translator: Dreamscribe

In truth, every year, the ‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival’ had sent invitations to Kang Woojin. It was only natural, considering Woojin had won the inaugural ‘Acting Grand Prize’ when the festival first introduced the category, and later, his overwhelming fame had skyrocketed. In fact, his influence was so significant that the ‘Acting Grand Prize’ had even come to be referred to as the ‘Kang Woojin Award’.

However, Kang Woojin had consistently declined the festival’s invitations. It wasn’t for any major reason, he was just too busy.

This year was no exception.

When Woojin left for LA, an invitation had come his way, but uncertain about his Hollywood schedule, he had once again politely declined. And yet, suddenly, Kang Woojin made an unannounced appearance at the ‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival’. No one saw it coming. More accurately, no one even knew that Woojin was currently in Korea.

That included the domestic media, public opinion, and everyone else.

Naturally, this was because Kang Woojin had entered Korea secretly, with utmost confidentiality. There were several reasons for this, but the biggest issue was the chaos that reporters and fans swarming the airport would cause. Regardless, no one knew that Kang Woojin had returned to Korea.

A thunderous entrance.

Although he had previously declined, his return to Korea coincidentally aligned perfectly with the festival’s schedule. When Kang Woojin arrived at the back hall of the ‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival’-

“……”

His face was rather cynical, but deep inside, he was moved. A touch of excitement was just a bonus.

‘Whew- It’s been a while, Mise-en-scène! Feels like yesterday when I received my first acting award here, but that was already years ago.’

Unaware of this, Choi Sung-gun with his ponytail, standing behind Woojin, placed his hand on Woojin’s shoulder and said.

“Does it bring back memories? You received the ‘Acting Grand Prize’ here and also formed a connection with Director Kyotaro. Remember?”

“Yes, CEO-nim.”

How could he forget? Looking back, that was also the first day he showcased his Japanese language skills. On top of that, top actress Hong Hye-yeon had won the Best Actress Award, and Woojin’s win had stirred up the entire country.

“Haha, you’ve heard about it, right? The ‘Acting Grand Prize’ here is now called the ‘Kang Woojin Award.’”

The ‘Kang Woojin Award’. Woojin, of course, was aware of this. Rumor had it that all rookie actors were dying to win it. The more Kang Woojin made waves in the industry, the greater the prestige of the ‘Kang Woojin Award’ became.

“It’s the trickle-down effect. Your name’s influence is insane, so the ‘Kang Woojin Award’ keeps gaining more and more weight. Mise-en-scène is actually famous for discovering rookie directors, but ever since the ‘Kang Woojin Award’ was introduced, it’s become strongly associated with launching rookie actors.”

The rookie actor who won last year’s ‘Kang Woojin Award’ had been a hot topic, and, riding the momentum, was now doing much better than other rookies. Of course, that actor was likely working themselves to death to live up to the award’s reputation.

A virtuous cycle, one might say?

Soon after, Choi Sung-gun moved closer to Woojin and added.

“But this year’s rookie actor who’s receiving the ‘Kang Woojin Award’? They’ve hit the jackpot. It’s already a highly sought-after, media-frenzied award in the entertainment industry, but this time, the ‘Kang Woojin Award’ is being presented by none other than Kang Woojin himself. On top of that, it’s your first public appearance in Korea since returning from Hollywood. If I were that actor, I’d probably cry. Seriously.”

It was an accurate assessment. Given the circumstances, it wouldn’t be surprising if the attention drawn to the event was several times higher than usual. For the rookie actor, who had likely lived in obscurity until now, the surge of interest would be an unprecedented experience. Even Woojin couldn’t help but wonder.

‘Would they really cry over this? Still, having an award named after me is pretty amazing.’

Then.

-Swish.

Dressed in a suit, Woojin stepped onto the stage. Although it wasn’t a particularly large stage, the hundreds of people gathered in the audience made it feel substantial. The host, who suddenly found themselves face-to-face with Woojin, slightly parted their lips and let out an involuntary exclamation.

“Whoa- it’s really Kang Woojin.”

It wasn’t the kind of awe you’d feel when seeing a celebrity. It was more akin to the feeling of witnessing a mythical creature in the flesh. Such was the testament to Kang Woojin’s staggering global influence. But regardless of all that, Kang Woojin remained.

“……”

He casually met the host’s gaze, silently signaling for the microphone. It was only then that the host, whose spirit had just returned from wandering, hastily handed the mic to him with a flustered expression. With the microphone in hand, Kang Woojin turned his gaze forward. The audience seats were filled with countless big names, top actors, rookie directors, and aspiring actors.

‘Oh, Director Kwon Ki-taek. It’s been a while. Oh, and Director Shin Dong-chun too.’

Most of the prominent figures in the audience were people with whom Kang Woojin shared close ties. However, every single one of them had their eyes wide open in shock. It seemed none of them had anticipated Woojin’s appearance. The most dramatic reactions, though, came from the rookie directors and actors. Their responses were as varied as if they had just seen a ghost.

Some stared at Woojin with dumbfounded expressions, others shouted his name in confusion, and still others exclaimed with cries of “Wow-!” or “Oh my God-!”

One thing was certain.

“Hello, I’m Kang Woojin.”

He had just delivered a greeting that was remarkably low-key, but everyone was now looking up at him with reverence. In the front row of the audience, Director Kwon Ki-taek, who had been momentarily startled, let out a warm chuckle.

‘He must have slipped into Korea without a peep. And yet, for his first move back in Korea to be attending Mise-en-scène, does he have some fondness for nostalgia despite his outward indifference? Honestly, I can never figure him out.’

Director Shin Dong-chun waved warmly at Kang Woojin, clearly happy to see him.

And then.

“What the hell?! Kang Woojin???!”

A group of a dozen or so reporters positioned at the back of the hall lost their composure and began shouting.

“Why is Kang Woojin here??!! Wasn’t he in Hollywood?!”

“Who cares about that right now!! Move! If you don’t want to take pictures, don’t hog the spot!”

“Hey- watch it! Don’t push!!”

“Whoa- he leaves Hollywood, returns to Korea, and immediately presents the ‘Kang Woojin Award’ himself?! The actor winning it this year just hit the jackpot!”

Considering the unprecedented appearance of the world star Kang Woojin, their reaction was understandable.

-Pabababababak!

-Pabababababababak!

What had been a relatively calm atmosphere until moments ago was now filled with a blinding barrage of camera flashes that came so fast it could make one dizzy.

Amidst the commotion.

“…Since many of you must be waiting, I’ll go straight to the announcement.”

On stage, the ever-composed Kang Woojin leaned into the mic and announced the name of this year’s recipient of the ‘Kang Woojin Award’. Adding a touch of mischief, he played with his phrasing slightly.

“The ‘Kang Woojin Award’. No, the ‘Acting Grand Prize’. Congratulations, Actress Seo Ji-won.”

He deliberately mentioned ‘Kang Woojin Award’ in the announcement, and as soon as the name was called, a female actor sitting in the middle of the audience jumped up and screamed.

“Eeeek!! What?! Me?! For real?!”

Looking like she couldn’t believe it, she jumped up and down as if on the verge of fainting, then hurriedly ran up to the stage amidst the congratulations pouring in. She wasn’t particularly tall, but she had a strikingly charming face. What was amusing, though, was the sudden shift in her demeanor. Until moments ago, her energy was through the roof, but as soon as she approached Kang Woojin on stage, she froze.

“……Ah, uh. Wow- sunbae-nim. This is so surreal…no, I mean, thank you so much.”

Though Woojin appeared calm as he looked at her, he was subtly exerting effort internally.

‘She’s trembling so much. Should I help her calm down a bit?’

After a brief moment of thought, Woojin extended his hand for a handshake before handing over the trophy. In a simple and straightforward tone, he gave her a few words of encouragement.

“I’ll see you on set sometime.”

It was a very plain and nonchalant remark, but hidden within it was a message of support, encouraging her to work hard and rise to the occasion. However, Seo Ji-won, the rookie actress in question, responded with.

“……What?? You mean we’ll meet on s-set- Hic! Huuk!”

An immediate burst of uncontrollable tears on stage. She suddenly started sobbing loudly, and while Kang Woojin maintained his poker face outwardly.

“……”

Internally, he was utterly bewildered.

‘Why?! Why is she crying?! Did I say something wrong?!’

Afterwards.

The rookie actress, who had been pouring out tears moments ago, managed to calm herself, and the ‘Kang Woojin Award’ trophy was finally handed to her. However, judging by her expression, the trophy itself seemed far less significant to her than the presence of Kang Woojin right in front of her.

After numerous awards were handed out, this year’s ‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival’ came to an end.

That said, Kang Woojin didn’t leave immediately. He stayed behind to fulfill the scheduled photo time.

“Kang Woojin-ssi!! Kang Woojin-ssi!”

“Over here! Please look this way!!”

“Can we get a finger heart, please!!!”

From group shots to individual photos and more, Kang Woojin posed for photos at least 20 times. He also exchanged a few brief words with the rookie actress who had received the ‘Kang Woojin Award’ and had cautiously approached him.

“Uh, uh, I swear I’ll do my best, sunbae-nim! I’ll work so hard that I can act with you on set someday!”

“Yes, I’ll see you then.”

“Thank you so much!”

Woojin also had short conversations with prominent directors like Kwon Ki-taek, Shin Dong-chun, and Kim Do-hee, catching up on their recent activities. All the while, the flash of cameras never ceased, and hundreds of rookie directors and actors were busy snapping pictures of Woojin with their phones. Naturally, many also requested his autograph.

According to the original schedule, Woojin was supposed to leave immediately, but he ended up staying for about an hour.

Once Kang Woojin finally wrapped things up and got into his black van.

‘Whew- That was pretty exhausting.’

He exhaled a deep sigh inwardly. As the van began moving, Choi Sung-gun and the team chattered noisily. After all, it had been quite some time since Woojin had been in Korea, and his first public move upon returning had been novel enough to warrant excitement. The van carrying Kang Woojin headed toward his residence in the Samsung-dong area. Truthfully, Woojin had only arrived in Korea earlier that morning and was in need of some rest. Technically, he had been given about three days off.

His schedule was packed with commitments in Hollywood, Korea, and Japan, but Kang Woojin needed a break.

Choi Sung-gun had suggested taking a week off, but Woojin had cut it down to three days.

He arrived home in the late afternoon.

“Ha- shit, how long has it been since I’ve been home.”

Kang Woojin immediately dropped his concept. Rather than unpacking, he threw himself onto the bed first.

“Phew!!”

Even though he’d flown on a private jet and had been relatively comfortable, the accumulated fatigue overtook him, and Woojin quickly.

“……”

Fell into a deep sleep. But unlike Woojin, Korea was far from quiet.

『[StarPhoto] ‘World Star’ Kang Woojin makes a surprise appearance at the ‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival’/Photos』

『Wasn’t he supposed to be in Hollywood? Kang Woojin shows up at Mise-en-scène, personally presenting the ‘Kang Woojin Award’』

『Kang Woojin’s secret return to Korea throws the ‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival’ into chaos!』

The news of Kang Woojin’s return to Korea, which no one had known about, was plastered across headlines everywhere.

『Rookie actress Seo Ji-won, who received the ‘Kang Woojin Award’ directly from the star, says, “It was my lifelong dream” and bursts into tears/Photo』

Due to his massive achievements in Hollywood, articles were pouring out every second, every minute. Naturally, the ‘Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival’ and the ‘Kang Woojin Award’ were frequently mentioned in these reports. All Woojin had done was return to Korea, but the public and media were in an uproar. The news spread so quickly that it even reached Japan within no time.

『Japan highlights Kang Woojin’s return to Korea: “The prince has returned.”』

One hour, two hours, three hours passed. Even during the early hours of the morning, as Kang Woojin slept soundly, the explosive buzz continued.

– What?! Kang Woojin’s back??? Suddenly??

– Aww~~ So romantic Kang Woojinㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ As soon as he returned, he went to where he received his first award

– Honestly, Kang Woojin is officially a world star now, no doubt about it.

– This guy seriouslyㅋㅋㅋㅋ Never does anything quietlyㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

– So cool….lead roles in two major Hollywood film studio projects….

– Ahhhhhhh but can’t Kang Woojin give up on Beast? Really doesn’t suit him….

– Here comes another troll. Don’t feed the idiots.

– Kang Woojin is truly something else. This is what you call a star. His aura is unmatched.

– A Korean actor leading Hollywood blockbusters… Gives me chills.

.

.

.

Around dawn on the 13th when Kang Woojin instinctively opened his eyes wide.

“Whew- Why are there so many messages piled up?”

Kang Woojin was all over South Korea.

Meanwhile, in LA.

Unlike Korea, where it was the early hours of dawn, it was just past noon, around 1 p.m., in Los Angeles, where Kang Woojin had departed from. The entire U.S., including LA, was still buzzing with the commotion sparked a few days ago over ‘Beast and the Beauty’, while the rising attention surrounding ‘Beneficial Evil’ continued to draw interest.

Even foreign media were openly covering Woojin’s secretive return to Korea, indicating the extent of the global interest.

At that moment, in one of the meeting rooms of the massive ‘Columbia Studios’ in LA, a conversation was wrapping up between several foreigners and an elderly Korean man. The elderly Korean man was Director Ahn Ga-bok of the film ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’.

“Then I look forward to working with you, Chris.”

The Hollywood top actor with deep brown eyes and striking good looks, who had just shaken hands with Director Ahn Ga-bok, smiled warmly.

“Likewise. I’ll do my best to deliver a performance that strengthens both the work and the ‘cinematic universe,’ Director.”

It was Chris Hartnett.

After the meeting concluded, Chris and his team left the meeting room. As soon as he exited, the female producer of ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ let out a small sigh.

“Phew- so Chris Hartnett is confirmed too. Still, I didn’t expect Chris to want a role other than the lead.”

Several other foreigners nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, unlike the others, Director Ahn Ga-bok, whose wrinkled face reflected deep thoughts, quietly focused elsewhere.

-Swish.

Looking at a projected schedule on his tablet, he muttered softly in Korean.

“We need to schedule the script reading by May at the latest.”