I Was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor

Translator: Dreamscribe

Due to Kang Woojin’s short and concise line as the ‘Joker’.

“This is the villain. Watch or don’t.”

For a brief moment, the photo zone at the end of the ‘Emmy Awards’ red carpet fell silent. The male and female hosts, the hundreds of reporters, the broadcasting team, the live-streaming team, and many others all froze with their mouths slightly open.

“……”

“……”

It was an understandable reaction. Both Woojin’s entrance and the interview he delivered after stepping in were of a kind never seen before. Since it was the first time, no one knew how to react. However, internally, most were letting out similar bewildered thoughts.

‘W-watch or don’t?? What kind of insane statement is that??’

‘Is he seriously c-crazy??! What kind of actor promotes their next project like this?!’

‘That’s way too dismissive!!’

‘I-is it okay for this to go live on air just like that?!’

Regardless of the uproar, Kang Woojin remained calm as he stared into the live-streaming cameras. His expression didn’t change in the slightest. His commitment to the concept was stronger than ever. Internally, though, he was slightly panicking.

‘Damn. I really went for it. Is this okay? It should be, right? No, it’s not fine. But what can I do?? This is what ‘Joker’ is supposed to be like.’

Outwardly, he somehow maintained his poker face. If anything went south, so be it. Since the character he was presenting was the ‘Joker’, this was the inevitable choice. At that moment, the male host barely managed to pull himself together and asked again.

“…I-I see! Woojin, were you portraying the villain from your new film just now?”

“Yes. Does that explain it?”

“Perfectly! But don’t you think ‘watch or don’t’ was a bit too much of a joke? Hahaha.”

The male host’s eyes practically screamed, Please, just answer normally! But there was no way Kang Woojin, with his concept, would let that happen.

“I meant it. Watch or don’t, it’s up to you.”

And then.

-Pababababab!

-Pabababababak!

The hundreds of reporters, who had been spacing out, suddenly went wild, pressing their camera shutters like crazy. It was a rare spectacle. Some reporters even started smiling. After all, how could they not love Kang Woojin, who created headlines just by appearing?

‘Sure, he’s the one getting the backlash, but we just need to deliver this sensational moment.’

Meanwhile.

Hollywood figures watching the live broadcast had mixed reactions. At the ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ filming set, Director Ahn Ga-bok and producer Nora Foster were feeling a blend of concern and exhilaration.

“Oh no! Isn’t this going too far?!”

“Is it? Hmm- But this is just who Kang Woojin is. Honestly, I think this will generate insane attention.”

The actors felt similarly. Chris Hartnett was clearly enjoying it.

“By tomorrow, every media outlet will have Woojin on the front page. What kind of actor promotes their movie like this? He’s not just mimicking the Joker’s appearance, he’s actually treating the public like the Joker would. Only someone with guts like his could pull this off.”

Executives at ‘Columbia Studios’, the ‘Beast and the Beauty’ production team, and Joseph Felton from ‘John Persona’, among many others, were all busy watching Kang Woojin.

As Woojin was about to leave the photo zone.

“That’s it for now.”

Audiences across the world, including in Korea and Japan, who were watching the live broadcast, found just freaking out to be insufficient. Explosive, frenzied chat messages were flooding in.

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋThat was insaneㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Did Kang Woojin seriously just say ‘watch or don’t’? Did I hear that right?

-Has he really gone mad… to do an interview like that….

-Foreigners in the chat are losing their minds ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ You guys are seeing Woojin for the first time, but we’re used to it ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-That’s a bit too much for a performance, no? Just how confident is he in this movie?!

-But why are Koreans enjoying this so much? Is it fun to see an actor from your country acting crazy?

-↑Just give up ㅋㅋㅋㅋ It’s easier if you give up and just enjoy ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Kang Woojin’s presence is insane.

-So everything he’s shown from the red carpet onward is in character? But that last line… that just seemed like his own personality lol

-Isn’t Kang Woojin the first to show a teaser for his next work in real life?

-Whoa, whoa, don’t be surprised, this is just the beginning of Kang Woojin’s madness ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

.

.

.

Languages such as Korean, Japanese, English, and French filled the chat, messages pouring in like an artillery barrage, and the reactions were sharply divided.

Half were curses, half were enthusiastic support.

The negative responses, filled with curses, called him a lunatic, a crazy bastard, asking what kind of idiot he was, saying he was disrespecting the ‘Emmy Awards’, that he had crossed the line, that he was acting out of control, along with too vulgar profanities. On the other hand, the support was filled with praise and enthusiastic admiration, holding their ground against the negativity.

It was complete chaos, but one thing was certain: Kang Woojin’s influence on the world was nothing short of terrifying. In reality, the ‘Emmy Awards’ red carpet was packed with top Hollywood actors.

Yet.

-Kang Woojin is really something else!! Whether they love him or hate him, he’s making the whole world go wildㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

The only one the public was screaming about was Kang Woojin.

Behind the scenes.

As Kang Woojin exited the photo zone, he swept his long hair back.

-Swish.

Following the guidance of the event staff and security, he moved toward the main building. It was a venue equipped with both a massive hall where the ‘Emmy Awards’ ceremony would take place and various waiting rooms.

As Woojin passed through the entrance, he saw the lobby packed with foreigners. Industry personnel, directors, producers, actors, and celebrities were all mixed together.

They weren’t openly staring, but most of them were sneaking glances at the man who had just entered, Kang Woojin.

At that moment.

“Woojin, over here!”

Through the crowd of foreigners, a suited Choi Sung-gun and his team members called out to him. As soon as the team gathered around, they all gave Woojin a thumbs-up. Choi Sung-gun, smiling, did the same.

“The performance landed perfectly. You probably noticed, but everyone here is only talking about you.”

Anything less would’ve been disappointing, considering the effort he put into it. Kang Woojin muttered this to himself but simply nodded nonchalantly.

“That’s a relief.”

“I haven’t checked yet, but the articles have probably already exploded.”

Soon, Choi Sung-gun checked the time and urged him.

“Oh crap! The time! Woojin, let’s get you changed right away. Makeup, too!”

Since only his face wasn’t ‘Joker’, Kang Woojin followed his team into the designated waiting room.

About 30 minutes later.

-Click.

Kang Woojin stepped out of the waiting room.

“……”

There was no trace of the ‘Joker’ in him anymore. He was now dressed in a navy tuxedo, his black hair neatly slicked back, truly embodying elegance wrapped in luxury. The ‘Joker’ he had asked permission to portray ended here.

As Woojin glanced down at his own transformed appearance, he muttered to himself.

‘This really does feel like the ‘Joker’ in a way.’

Having a core identity while switching masks, it was just like that. In that moment, Director Ahn Ga-bok’s words came to mind.

‘People might mistake you for trying to reveal the core content of ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain.’’

Woojin hadn’t intended anything that deep, his only goal was to amplify interest. But whatever the case, it was a massive success. From now on, he wasn’t the ‘Joker’ anymore; he had to move as ’Jang Yeon-woo’ from ‘Beneficial Evil’.

Kang Woojin started walking toward the lobby again. Just then, someone called out to him in English.

“Woojin.”

Turning his head, he saw flowing blonde hair shimmering over a black dress, Miley Cara was smiling at him. Woojin nearly gasped. Of course, only internally.

‘Whoa- insane.’

Sure, Cara’s beauty was one thing, but her presence? Her aura? The overall elegance of her figure was enough to leave anyone speechless. As Woojin briefly lost his focus, Cara approached and casually linked her arm with his.

“Let’s go.”

In events like these, this kind of sight was nothing unusual, so it didn’t seem odd. But as Woojin snapped back to reality, he noticed something, the hand Cara had linked with his was trembling ever so slightly.

‘What’s this? Her face looks perfectly composed, but she’s nervous? Or… is it because of me?’

He was right.

As Cara stepped into the crowd, she was internally spiraling.

‘Ugh, I only linked arms with him as a friendly gesture, so why is my heart racing like this?’

Since Miley Cara appeared in ‘Beneficial Evil’ Part 1, it was only natural she was invited to the ‘Emmy Awards’. She had attended countless award shows for both acting and music. But today, at the ‘Emmys’, everything just felt different.

Woojin, who had been silent, suddenly asked in a low voice.

“Are you nervous?”

“……No? Why would I be nervous?”

“You have a familiar scent. Like that concept acting thing I mentioned last time.”

“Are you trying to say I’m just pretending to be fine?”

“I was like that earlier. When I was walking the red carpet.”

“You didn’t look like it at all.”

“That’s exactly what I meant by concept.”

At that moment.

“Oh!”

Their conversation was interrupted as foreigners joined in. It was a fairly well-known Hollywood director.

“It’s been a while, Miley. And, Kang Woojin? This is our first time meeting.”

“Yes, it’s been a while, director.”

“Hello.”

Even before reaching the ‘Emmy Awards’ hall, Kang Woojin and Miley Cara had to exchange countless greetings. Starting with this director, more and more people approached. It was only natural. Cara was Cara, but their true objective was all the same, Kang Woojin.

“Hahaha, Woojin. Your red carpet performance was incredible! Showing a teaser of your film in real life, what a concept. I was impressed.”

“Thank you.”

“I’d love to have a longer conversation later.”

While some people were welcoming, others were outright condescending.

“Right now, everyone finds your actions novel and intriguing, but if you plan to continue working in Hollywood, you should learn some humility.”

Of course, Kang Woojin remained unshaken.

“So, you’re saying it’s fine for now.”

“……That arrogance will come back to bite you someday.”

“I’ll handle that myself.”

Internally, Woojin’s only reaction was something along the lines of, What’s this asshole’s problem? But beside him, Miley Cara seemed quite concerned. There was even a touch of bluntness in her tone.

“He’s always like that. He’s been in Hollywood forever, so he’s a bit old-fashioned. Just ignore him.”

“I don’t really care. I don’t even know who he is.”

After dealing with an endless stream of foreigners, Kang Woojin finally.

-Swish.

Stepped into the massive hall where the ‘Emmy Awards’ ceremony would take place.

Immediately cursing inwardly, Woojin thought.

‘Wow- fuck, this scale is insane.’

His reaction was completely justified. The size wasn’t just grand, it was colossal. Imagine a space ten times the size of a large theater. The ceiling was high and dark, adorned with massive, pearl-like lights that resembled stars scattered across the night sky. The seating spanned across the first and second floors, numbering in the tens of thousands, while the stage at the front was lined with broadcast crews and massive monitors.

But what caught his eye the most.

‘That statue on the stage… is that the trophy??’

It was the main stage where the ‘Emmy Awards’ would be held. The stage alone was enormous. And at its center stood a proud, winged female statue holding a circular globe, the Emmy Award trophy. The size? Easily ten times bigger than a person. On either side of the statue were monitors twice its size, with the word “EMMYS” displayed against a yellow backdrop.

Though Kang Woojin had experienced award shows from Cannes to Korean award ceremonies.

‘……The quality here is on another level.’

Honestly, none of them even came close to matching this. He could now fully understand why the ‘Emmys’ were called the Academy Awards of television. Moreover, the venue was filled with some of the biggest names, not just from Hollywood but from around the world. As Woojin took in the entire scene, he felt a genuine sense of awe.

For a moment, he couldn’t believe he was actually standing here.

‘My legs are about to lock up. Get a grip, Kang Woojin.’

Just then, as Cara looked around, she spoke.

“Looks like the ‘Beneficial Evil’ section is over there.”

She extended her hand to point.

“Miley.”

A deep male voice called out from the side. Both Woojin and Cara turned their heads at the same time.

Approaching them was a man dressed in a black tuxedo, bald-headed with a well-groomed beard.

The moment Woojin saw him, he instinctively knew, this guy was an actor.

He’d definitely seen him somewhere before.

‘Ah- I’m 100% sure I’ve seen him somewhere.’

Of course, Woojin couldn’t recall his name. Instead, Cara murmured it for him.

“Matthew.”

Matthew Majors. A veteran Hollywood top actor with an impressive career, known for his flawless acting skills. Currently, he was starring as the lead in a popular American drama.

After shaking hands with Cara.

-Swoosh.

He extended his hand toward Kang Woojin, who remained expressionless.

“Kang Woojin, nice to meet you.”

“Hello.”

Woojin responded casually, but he felt it immediately.

‘This guy! Why is he squeezing my hand so hard??’

Matthew Majors was applying noticeable pressure during their handshake. For some reason, Woojin instinctively felt he couldn’t afford to lose.

“……”

Keeping a calm face, Woojin matched the grip strength. It wasn’t obvious, but a few seconds passed before they let go. As soon as they did, Matthew shoved one hand into his pocket and spoke.

“I saw you on the Tonight Show. That interview where you said we weren’t even on your radar. It was irritating, downright baffling.”

‘We?’ Woojin sensed something. Cara whispered to him.

“He’s one of the nominees for Best Actor in a Drama, just like you.”

In other words, the bald Matthew Majors was one of the five candidates in the same category as Kang Woojin. It seemed that Matthew had taken significant issue with Woojin’s interview, after all, he specifically used the word irritating.

Matthew then addressed Woojin again.

“Hollywood isn’t so small that a single Korean actor can shake things up. That’s why I want to hear it from you directly. That irritating interview, you were just going along with the show’s atmosphere, right?”

His tone carried a slight hint of intimidation. Woojin’s expression remained blank, and his response came quickly.

“If it irritated you, then I guess it was a success.”

At Woojin’s no-filter reply, bald-headed Matthew Majors narrowed his brows.

“Hah- success? So, that means the interview was deliberately provocative?”

“……”

Woojin stared at Matthew indifferently, his face devoid of emotion. His gaze was cold. While he kept a straight face, internally, he was slightly nervous.

‘No, it wasn’t intentional! That was a misunderstanding! I just said, “I don’t plan on looking around”, that’s all.’

But Hollywood had twisted it however they wanted before broadcasting it to the world. The narrative became: Kang Woojin doesn’t even acknowledge the other nominees. As a result, the media and public had been in an uproar for a while.

Woojin could understand why Matthew was upset. To someone like him, who had spent decades in Hollywood, Woojin must have looked like some rookie who just popped up out of nowhere and disrespected him.

‘Is this somewhat- like me messing with Sim Han-ho sunbae?’

But what could he do? The damage was done. This kind of misunderstanding was nothing new to Woojin. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever see Matthew again, but in moments like these, his choice was always the same.

‘My way or the highway.’

“I always act with sincerity.”

“……Is that so.”

“Yes.”

The two men locked eyes. Or rather, it felt more like a stare-down. Then, Matthew let out a short chuckle.

“There’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance. I acknowledge your talent, but- no matter how good you are, you should show respect for your fellow actors.”

“I do respect them. In my actual interview, I never said, ‘The other nominees don’t matter.’ I simply said I don’t pay attention to my surroundings.”

“Isn’t that basically the same thing?”

“No. To be precise, it just means I focus solely on my own work. Nothing else.”

“……”

Matthew, who had both hands shoved into his pockets, silently stared at Woojin for a few seconds. Then, exhaling softly, he spoke again.

“Kang Woojin, as a Korean actor, you’re paving the way in Hollywood, but you’re pushing boundaries too much.”

“Well, as I said, I’m just walking my own path.”

“Are you that confident about tonight’s ‘Emmy Awards’?”

“It’s not up to us to decide.”

It was an answer that implied the choice was made by the public, by the world. A solid response. Matthew stroked his beard before abruptly turning on his heel and striding toward his seat.

As he walked away, he muttered to himself.

“Let’s see how this plays out. Will the ‘Miracle of Cannes’ continue at the ‘Emmys’?”