I Was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor

Translator: Dreamscribe

The ‘SPT Studio’, spanning 50,000 pyeong in size.

It was late in the morning. This massive studio complex, where most of the filming for ‘Beast and the Beauty’ would take place, was about 80% complete. Some sets were already finished, while others were in their final stages.

Among these sets, the first one to be completed stood out.

It was the banquet hall set.

From the grand chandeliers hanging from the ceiling to the intricate patterns on the floor and pillars, the banquet hall was dazzling. Even the white and gold-painted piano added to its magnificence. This place would later become a significant setting where ‘Beast’ and beauty, ‘Bella’ would grow closer. However, for now, it was filled with about a hundred production staff members from ‘Beast and the Beauty’. In the center stood a large table adorned with various refreshments.

It truly looked like a banquet was about to take place.

But in reality, the reason for the hectic preparations was not a banquet, it was the upcoming grand script reading. The staff, busily moving their hands and feet, made it clear that the script reading was imminent.

And then.

“Hello everyone-“

The first guest entered the banquet hall, which was crowded with test cameras and production staff. It was one of Beast and the Beauty’s supporting Hollywood actors. He was playing the role of Beauty, Bella’s father, a village man who serves as an early connection between ‘Beast’ and beauty, ‘Bella’. As soon as the middle-aged actor stepped into the banquet hall, his eyes widened slightly.

“Oh.”

He was impressed by the grand scale and the quality of the set. Before even taking his seat, he began exploring the banquet hall.

The level of detail was remarkable.

‘Of course, but the quality is incredible. I feel like I’ve stepped into the world of ‘Beast and the Beauty’.’

It was so immersive that ‘Beast’ might appear at any moment. As he wandered through the hall, examining every detail, more actors started arriving. Most were supporting actors, and as they entered.

“Hello- Wow! This banquet hall is amazing!”

“Haha, it’s several times more extravagant than I imagined!”

“They really went all out with this.”

Rather than preparing for the script reading, they were too busy marveling at the banquet hall set. It was a natural reaction, and completely understandable. ‘Beast and the Beauty’ was a globally anticipated live-action adaptation, and for the actors, who had studied the script, the set perfectly mirrored the nostalgic scenes they had imagined. If anything, the quality surpassed their expectations.

And so.

“Wow- Is this Beast’s piano?”

“Look at this! The patterns are incredibly detailed!”

As if planned, the actors roamed around the banquet hall, admiring the set before finally taking their seats. The empty spaces at the large ㅁ-shaped table, marked with character names, gradually filled up. Even as they belatedly opened their scripts, they continued chatting with excitement. The overall atmosphere of the script reading was cheerful and lively. Compared to ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’, which had a more serious tone, this gathering felt much more upbeat.

Of course, the name that frequently came up among the Hollywood actors who had arrived was Kang Woojin.

“Has anyone here seen Kang Woojin, who’s playing ‘Beast’?”

“Oh, I have! He was on ‘Tonight Show’.”

“No, I mean in person, has anyone actually met him?”

“I saw him briefly at a fashion party the other day. Just for a moment, though.”

“Oh, really? How was he?”

“Well, I only caught a glimpse, so I can’t say for sure, but, how should I put it? He had a very cynical vibe. I thought about greeting him since we’re working on the same project, but I hesitated. He seemed a bit difficult to approach.”

“Hmm- yeah, even on TV, he gives off a slightly cold impression.”

No matter what, the hottest actor in Hollywood at the moment was Kang Woojin, and within ‘Beast and the Beauty’, it was no different. As the discussion about Kang Woojin continued, Miley Cara’s name also entered the conversation.

“I heard ‘Beast’ saved beauty, ‘Bella’ even before filming started.”

“Oh, that incident! The one where Kang Woojin saved Miley from an attack! I read the articles, seriously, that was terrifying. If Woojin hadn’t been there on set for the music video shoot, things could have gone very badly.”

“I saw some articles saying Kang Woojin had similar heroics back in Korea.”

“The more I hear about him, the more fascinating he gets.”

The discussion about the two lead actors deepened, and the topic gradually expanded. From the Miley Cara attack incident that was currently heating up Hollywood, to the projects Kang Woojin was filming or preparing for, to his no backing down interviews, various subjects circulated. Meanwhile, around the ㅁ-shaped table where the actors were seated, over a hundred staff members took their places, along with authorized reporters and several ‘World Disney Pictures’ officials.

The headcount easily exceeded 200 people.

At that moment.

“Hello everyone.”

A top Hollywood actress appeared, greeting the room. Her hair was brown at the roots but gradually turned blonde as it reached her shoulders. Some mistook her for Miley Cara at first. But she wasn’t. She was Maria Armas.

Maria, who wasn’t particularly on good terms with Miley Cara, exchanged brief greetings with the gathered actors before immediately taking her seat.

‘Hmm-’

Perhaps she didn’t have any close actor friends, or she simply chose not to join the boisterous conversation as she surveyed her surroundings. Neither Kang Woojin nor Miley Cara had arrived yet. Just as Maria, having lost interest, lowered her gaze to the script.

-Swoosh.

Another top actress with blonde hair entered, brushing her hair aside. Unlike Maria, she greeted everyone quite warmly. It was Miley Cara, who would play the role of beauty, ‘Bella’.

The moment Cara appeared, the already noisy script reading venue became even more electrified.

“Miley! It’s been a while!”

“I heard you went through a terrible ordeal. Are you okay?”

“Everyone was just talking about that! It’s good to see you, Miley!”

Miley Cara responded with smiles to the actors, staff, and others expressing their concern.

“Thank you all for worrying about me. But that incident happened quite a while ago, and I’m really fine. I’m alive and well.”

“Hahaha, well, of course! You wouldn’t be here otherwise!”

With Cara’s arrival, the atmosphere reached a fever pitch. Watching the scene silently was Maria.

“…Hmph.”

She didn’t particularly like this heated excitement. No, to be precise, as always, she didn’t like Cara.

‘Why is she so damn pretty? I really can’t stand her.’

So, Maria didn’t even glance at Cara, instead flipping through her script. But Cara, seated two spots away, spoke to her first, almost in a whisper.

“Maria, since we’re working on the same film, shouldn’t we at least say hello? The reporters are watching.”

Maria sighed briefly, glancing at the journalists seated nearby, who were still busy taking photos of the actors.

“Sigh- Fine, welcome, Miley. I heard you were in danger? It’s a relief that nothing happened.”

Her delivery was devoid of rhythm, making Cara chuckle softly.

“Put a little sincerity into it. But thanks. And for the things you told me the other day, too.”

“What?”

“Never mind.”

Cara was expressing her gratitude for the information Maria had given her about Kang Woojin. However, Maria furrowed her brows, looking completely clueless.

And then.

-Swoosh.

A man with black hair entered the banquet hall set. The only Korean actor in the room greeted in a low tone.

“Hello.”

Instantly, he became the sole focus of hundreds of foreign eyes.

It was Kang Woojin.

Even in this explosion of attention, Woojin remained calm, his expression unreadable behind his poker face.

‘Whoa- look at all these people. There are way too many.’

Inwardly, he felt a bit nervous. Woojin sat in the seat labeled ‘Beast’ among the role designations on the table. Immediately, greetings and questions poured in from the actors, including Miley Cara who sat opposite him.

“Woojin, how are you feeling?”

Though the banquet hall was filled with numerous Hollywood actors, none of them registered in Kang Woojin’s mind.

Right now, the only person occupying his thoughts was Miley Cara.

Soon, as their eyes met, Woojin’s first thought was.

“…Not bad.”

“That’s good to hear.”

She seemed completely unaffected. She was composed. Relaxed, even.

‘What’s this, was I the only one worried? Well, she’s probably met plenty of men before.’

It was as if that aggressive confession she had made the other day had been nothing more than a dream.

But in reality, Kang Woojin was mistaken.

‘Ahh! Why is it so hard to maintain eye contact?!’

The blonde Cara was currently struggling on her own.

Meanwhile, in the same city of LA.

It was ‘Universal Movies’, one of the ‘Big Five’ film companies. Inside a massive studio of the film giant, several familiar figures were gathered. Among them were the towering Black man, Joseph Felton, and Megan Stone, sitting with her legs crossed. In total, there were over twenty people, all part of the production team for ‘John Persona’.

Naturally.

“Hmm-“

The renowned Hollywood director, Danny Landis, was also present.

The ‘John Persona’ team had recently kicked off its pre-production phase, and Director Danny Landis, whose hair was half-bald, was currently in the middle of the first production meeting. Discussions were ongoing, accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation, covering various topics such as the script, actor casting, additional key staff members, and the overall filming schedule.

Setting up the initial framework well was crucial to ensure everything ran smoothly. Of course, no matter how well-structured the blueprint was, film production could always encounter unforeseen disruptions.

That made the early build-up even more critical.

As discussions on the future shooting schedule continued, the focus gradually shifted to actor casting. Megan Stone, who was positioned directly across from Director Landis, took the lead, and on the medium-sized screen, various Hollywood actors appeared.

“This is the first-round actor list.”

Looking at the preliminary casting board, Director Danny Landis stroked his chin. The first person on the screen immediately caught his attention, a Korean actor. Specifically, the male lead of ‘John Persona’, Kang Woojin.

‘In ‘John Persona’, the male lead’s worldbuilding holds significant weight.’

Thus, every actor cast afterward had to match well with Kang Woojin’s presence. While this was important for any movie, it was even more critical for ‘John Persona’, where the protagonist’s role carried exceptional significance.

His gaze scanned over the Hollywood actors displayed next. From the female lead to various villains, all were prominent figures with formidable reputations.

At that moment.

-Swoosh.

As the briefing continued, the towering Joseph moved closer to Director Landis.

“Director.”

His voice was low, as if he had something confidential to share.

“There are still many hurdles to overcome, but ‘Universal Movies’ seems to be considering sequels for ‘John Persona’.”

“……A series?”

“Yes. They’ve requested three installments from me, and the screenwriter of ‘John Persona’ has also been informed.”

“They’re planning long-term.”

“They see potential in the script.”

“And?”

“I wanted to give you an early heads-up. We’re just at the beginning of the first film, but I hope you’ll keep it in mind during production.”

“Are you on board?”

Joseph smiled faintly.

“I’m a freelancer. I’ve already invested a lot of time in ‘John Persona’.”

“I see.”

Director Landis nodded slowly before asking another question.

“They’re expecting ‘John Persona’ to extend to a third film, then shouldn’t we secure Kang Woojin first? Directors can be replaced without much issue, but switching the male lead would be a disaster.”

“Exactly. This time, we plan to move quickly so we’re not too late.”

At that moment.

-Knock knock.

A knock echoed through the studio in the middle of the meeting, followed by the entrance of a new figure. It was a foreigner Joseph had newly cast as a key staff member. Since ‘John Persona’ was heavily action-oriented, the person who had just entered was naturally someone from the action department.

And he was quite familiar. Joseph introduced him.

“This is Ethan Smith, who has joined our team. Ethan, welcome.”

“Pleasure to be here.”

The man with the prominent nose had previously collaborated with Kang Woojin in ‘Beneficial Evil’, where he had made the film’s CQC sequences several times more dynamic.

“Looking forward to working with you.”

He was stunt coordinator Ethan Smith.

About an hour later, at the ‘Beast and the Beauty’ script reading venue.

The banquet hall set was now packed to the brim. Not only were the actors present, but also the key production staff of ‘Beast and the Beauty’. The script reading had already begun.

Naturally, the introductions were handled by the director, Bill Rotner, who was seated at the head of the ㅁ-shaped table, black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose.

“‘Beast’, played by Kang Woojin.”

Starting with Kang Woojin, the names of Miley Cara and Maria Armas were called, followed by those of the main, supporting, and minor cast members. Finally, Director Bill Rotner introduced himself, then opened the ‘Beast and the Beauty’ script. All the actors and staff members followed suit, mirroring his actions. The reporters were busy taking photos. For reference, the ensemble songs that would be inserted throughout the film would be rehearsed separately later.

About ten minutes passed.

“Bella! Bella!! Where on earth has this child gone again?”

The early part of the ‘Beast and the Beauty’ script reading focused more on beauty, ‘Bella’ than ‘Beast’. It wasn’t until several lines from other actors had been delivered that she crossed over into Beast’s castle.

Soon, Miley Cara and Kang Woojin’s first lines resonated throughout the reading room.

There were no major issues.

However.

“Hmm?”

Director Bill Rotner, who had been quietly observing the actors’ lines and performances without much directing from the start.

‘Miley, there’s something off.’

Noticed something peculiar about Miley Cara as she exchanged lines with Kang Woojin. Because of this.

“Hold on a moment.”

For the first time in thirty minutes, the director interrupted the reading. With all the actors watching, he turned to Cara, who was seated nearby, and gave her direction.

“Miley, why are you already looking at ‘Beast’ with such affectionate gaze?”