Chapter 369: Power (6)

Translator: Dreamscribe

Choi Sung-gun, with his ponytail, blinked his widened eyes, rendered speechless for a brief moment. That lasted for about 5 seconds. Regaining his composure, he asked the overseas department team leader again.

“Where did you say?”

The team leader, with a serious expression, answered right away.

“‘World Disney Pictures.’”

“...Are you sure it’s ‘World Disney Pictures’?? Not Walt Dizney or World Dijuni or something?”

“No, it’s definitely ‘World Disney Pictures.’”

“They sent us a script?”

“Yes, sir.”

‘World Disney Pictures’? For a moment, countless films and animations flashed through Choi Sung-gun’s mind. His past. No, his memories were filled with ‘World Disney Pictures’. Most likely, it was the same for many people around the world. After all, it was ‘World Disney Pictures’, a studio that presented fairy tales and childhood dreams to people.

That was how influential ‘World Disney Pictures’ was in Hollywood.

Like ‘Columbia Studios’ of 'Pierrot', they are considered one of the Big Five film studios, yet they had the largest fanbase globally.

And what about their powerful characters?

Their best characters still sold well and remained incredibly popular, decades later, not just in Korea but also in Japan and across the globe. It was no exaggeration to say that everyone knew ‘World Disney Pictures’.

‘Disney sent Woojin a script??!’

This meant ‘World Disney Pictures’ had reached out to Kang Woojin with a offer. Naturally, Choi Sung-gun had every reason to be excited, or rather, ecstatic. This was a first. After Cannes, two of Hollywood’s top five mega film studios had sent offers to Woojin.

“Has anything... like this ever happened before?”

As Choi Sung-gun muttered in a dazed tone, the team leader replied in a similar tone.

“No... not that I can remember.”

“Me neither. Not even close to something like this.”

“‘World Disney Pictures’ showing interest in a Korean actor is unheard of.”

“Exactly. Woojin is the first in Korean history.”

The 'Columbia Studios' offer alone was enough to turn the domestic industry upside down, and now ‘World Disney Pictures’ was added to the mix. This wasn’t something that would merely shake things up, it would go far beyond that, whether or not Kang Woojin accepted both projects. The fact that two of Hollywood’s Big Five studios had sent him offers was groundbreaking in itself.

"Hehe, when working with Woojin, things that seemed farther than dreams are becoming reality.”

It was obvious that Woojin’s prestige and aura as an actor would skyrocket.

"I'm crazy excited for next year."

A smile gradually spread across Choi Sung-gun’s face as he imagined the global future unfolding for Woojin. Then, turning his gaze back to the team leader standing in front of him, he gave instructions as the CEO.

“Okay, for now, organize the details of the ‘World Disney Pictures’ and ‘Columbia Studios’ offers and send them to me. I’ll deliver them to Woojin myself.”

“Understood.”

“But make sure both are handled as top secret. We can’t let anything leak to the outside yet, and the studios probably want the same.”

"Yes, yes."

As he gave instructions, something suddenly occurred to Choi Sung-gun, prompting him to ask the team leader.

“Oh, by the way, what’s the title of the script that ‘World Disney Pictures’ sent?”

It seemed he wanted to confirm just the title. The team leader tapped on his tablet a few times and then showed Choi Sung-gun the information sent by ‘World Disney Pictures’. Choi Sung-gun, reading through the English letters and spotting the title,

“Huh... They’re turning this into live action?”

He muttered quietly to himself, his expression once again filled with shock and excitement.

"This animation is one of World Disney Pictures' representative works."

Meanwhile.

A black van sped along the highway. Of course, it was Kang Woojin’s van, and the destination was the massive set complex for 'Beneficial Evil', in other words, Gyeonggi Province’s Yeoncheon. Inside the van, Woojin’s team members were busy with their respective tasks, while Woojin himself sat with his legs crossed, staring down indifferently at his phone.

His poker face or his concept remained intact.

“......”

But.

‘Ohhhhhhh!’

Inside, he was jumping up and down.

‘The firepower is insane!!’

While pretending otherwise, Kang Woojin was monitoring various news updates. Currently, the media was having a party with numerous issues.

The box office hits 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger' and ‘Leech’, 'Beneficial Evil', and Miley Cara.

However, the hottest topic, both recent and unexpected, was the shocking twist involving 'Beneficial Evil' and Miley Cara. The domestic media and public opinion were in a frenzy, and Hollywood was equally abuzz with this issue. Now, even Japan had joined the conversation.

Naturally, this meant Miley Cara, 'Beneficial Evil', and Kang Woojin were being mentioned frequently.

Furthermore, after the announcement that 'Beneficial Evil' would launch in parts as quickly as possible, excitement among domestic, Japanese, and global audiences exploded. Comments flooded Kang Woojin’s and Miley Cara’s social media accounts, YouTube channels, articles, and countless communities.

The languages varied, but the sentiment was similar.

When can we see 'Beneficial Evil'?

Of course.

-It’ll be available on Netflix, right?

-Yeah, they said it would launch worldwide on Netflix!

Information that 'Beneficial Evil' could be watched anywhere in the world was also widespread. Anyway, as Kang Woojin browsed between foreign and Korean content on his phone, some articles caught his eye.

『[StarTalk] ‘Monster Actor’ Kang Woojin – Endless Buzz, Yet No News of a Hollywood Debut... Is He Not Marketable in Hollywood?』

Due to Woojin being such a hot topic, it seemed like they were throwing out nonsense and gossip just to have something to say.

The comments were similar.

-So Kang Woojin’s just a domestic actor? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-At a glance, it seems like he’s having a massive impact, but Hollywood’s way harder to break into than people think.

-Honestly, didn’t he win Best Actor at Cannes? Even if not the biggest studios, wouldn’t at least some mid-tier Hollywood studios show interest?

-Maybe he already tried Hollywood but failed, so he’s keeping quiet. ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Still, turning Korea and Japan upside down is impressive ㅋㅋㅋㅋ but Hollywood’s on a different level.

The hate comments poured in like waves. Of course, they had no real impact on Kang Woojin.

‘What the hell are they on about? This is peak bullshit.’

That was the extent of his reaction. Well, he didn’t entirely blame the reporters or trolls. From the past to the present, Kang Woojin had steadily built considerable international recognition, and recently, the buzz with Miley Cara had been explosive. Yet, there hadn’t been any visible Hollywood-related news.

Under normal circumstances, anyone else would be dying to spill the beans.

In truth, Kang Woojin had several massive Hollywood projects lined up. However, having spent time in the entertainment industry, Kang Woojin had learned the art of patience. Fireworks are best when they light up the night sky. In other words, you need to release the news at just the right moment.

Kang Woojin smirked to himself.

‘This will be fun, watching how people react.’

That same afternoon, in Busan.

The time had passed 5 p.m. At this hour, the massive building called the Busan Cinema Center was packed with people. Hundreds of reporters were present, and even more spectators had gathered.

The reason was simple.

The 'Busan International Film Festival' was about to begin at the Busan Cinema Center. It was a huge film festival, and although Kang Woojin had been invited, he couldn’t attend due to scheduling conflicts. Nevertheless, as the start of the festival drew nearer, the crowds continued to swell. The number of reporters doubled, and so did the number of onlookers.

As expected of an international film festival, there were quite a few foreign reporters.

Additionally, foreign directors and actors invited to the festival were also visible. But the most striking sight was the long red carpet stretching out from the building’s entrance, lined on both sides with metal fences. Slowly, stars began walking down the red carpet.

-Pababababak!!

The flash of cameras burst like fireworks.

“Kyaaaaaaa!!!”

The deafening screams or shrieks of the gathered crowd echoed through the air. They didn’t forget to take photos with their phones whenever stars appeared.

The atmosphere of the festival was gradually reaching its peak.

It was then that the reporters’ shouting grew even louder.

“Oh, over there! Look, look!”

“He’s here!! Here! Please look this way, Director Ahn!!”

“Director Ahn Ga-bok!! Director-nim!!”

An elderly man in a formal suit appeared on the red carpet. It was none other than Director Ahn Ga-bok. However, he wasn’t alone.

“Oh! He came with Director Kwon Ki-taek?”

"What a killer two-shot!"

Director Ahn Ga-bok appeared alongside the gentle-looking Director Kwon Ki-taek. The two giants of Korean cinema were walking together. Director Kwon Ki-taek had shone this year with 'Island of the Missing', while Director Ahn Ga-bok had done so with ‘Leech’. Particularly, Director Ahn Ga-bok's ongoing popularity was through the roof.

“Hello!! Director-nim! Please wave your hand!”

Director Ahn Ga-bok waved moderately at the reporters with his characteristic dignified veteran demeanor.

Regardless, the flashes continued endlessly. To the reporters, the two directors appeared as competitors fighting over box office rankings, but in reality, Ahn Ga-bok and Kwon Ki-taek were walking down the red carpet, warmly smiling and chatting with each other.

As the two directors strolled the red carpet,

-Swoosh.

They reached the photo zone set up at the entrance of the Busan Cinema Center. There, under the banners of the 'Busan International Film Festival' and various company logos, Ahn Ga-bok and Kwon Ki-taek stood. The photo zone was packed with broadcast teams and reporters, and the footage was being broadcast live nationwide.

At that moment,

“Hello, Director Ahn Ga-bok, Director Kwon Ki-taek!”

The female host, tasked with interviewing stars and others before their entrance, approached the two directors. Holding cue cards, she asked,

“I really enjoyed watching both 'Island of the Missing' and ‘Leech’! Both films left a tremendous impact. How do you feel about that?”

Director Ahn Ga-bok, with his wrinkled face, was the first to speak.

“I’m glad to have received so much attention. It’s all quite unexpected, so it’s a bit overwhelming, too.”

“What? Really? You looked so calm at Cannes!”

“Haha, did I?”

Next, it was Director Kwon Ki-taek’s turn.

“Well, compared to Director Ahn Ga-bok, I’m nothing.”

“You’re putting me on a pedestal now.”

“No, I mean it.”

The friendly interaction between the two directors was captured by hundreds of reporters and broadcast cameras. Then, the female host asked something else, this time targeting Director Ahn Ga-bok.

“‘Leech’ is still in theaters and achieving phenomenal success, so this might feel a bit premature, but have you thought about your next project? Fans are very curious!”

-Pababababak!

The pace of the reporters' shutter clicks quickened. Their faces lit up with excitement. This was a question the reporters had been waiting for as much as the fans. Even Director Kwon Ki-taek seemed curious, glancing toward Ahn Ga-bok. All eyes were focused on him. However, the seasoned Director Ahn Ga-bok remained unhurried.

“My next project- Actually, it's already in progress."

The female host’s eyes widened slightly.

“Huh? When you say it’s in progress... Are you referring to your next film?”

“That’s right.”

For a moment, the hundreds of reporters clicking their flashes began to murmur among themselves. The same went for the broadcast teams. Even Kwon Ki-taek’s face held a question mark. Given that ‘Leech’ had swept Cannes and was still in theaters domestically, it seemed unusually fast to even consider or plan the next project.

But it was already in progress?

Finding this curious, the female host asked again.

“When you say it’s in progress, does that mean production has already begun?”

Director Ahn Ga-bok slowly nodded his head.

“You could say that, yes.”

“...Huh?”

Then, the veteran director calmly addressed the reporters head-on.

“I’ve agreed to direct a film for Hollywood’s 'Columbia Studios'.”

For a moment, silence fell.

At the same time, in Yeoncheon.

The massive set complex where 'Beneficial Evil' was being filmed. At the set bustling with over a hundred crew members, PD Song Man-woo’s voice rang out.

“Cut!! OOOOK!!”

A single actor emerged from the shooting zone, where multiple cameras had been rolling. It was Kang Woojin, who had just been embodying 'Jang Yeon-woo', Judging by the blood makeup all over his face, it seemed there had been an action scene. PD Song Man-woo ran up to Woojin.

“Woojin! That last cut was killer! The action scenes seem to be getting more and more dynamic. Let’s take a 10-minute break and then go for the full shot angle.”

“Yes, PD-nim.”

Nodding his head, Kang Woojin moved again wearing his thickest concept face of the day. His destination was his chair. Upon arriving, stylists like Han Ye-jung immediately surrounded him, and the burly Jang Su-hwan handed Woojin a bottle of water.

And then,

“Woojin.”

Suddenly, a male voice called Kang Woojin. It was none other than ponytailed Choi Sung-gun, smiling faintly. Woojin muttered inwardly.

‘He wasn’t here earlier. Did he just get here?’

Woojin spoke quietly to Choi Sung-gun.

“You’re here, CEO-nim.”

“Yeah. It’s chaos, absolute chaos. I just got here. But,”

Choi Sung-gun suddenly leaned in and whispered into Kang Woojin’s ear.

“How many minutes is your break?”

“Around 10 minutes.”

“Alright. Come with me for a second. I can’t talk here.”

Choi Sung-gun led Kang Woojin away, keeping even the staff at a distance. His pace was slightly brisk. The place he guided Woojin to was outside the set warehouse, in the parking lot, specifically, to a van.

-Swoosh.

Choi Sung-gun got in first and gestured for Woojin to follow. Though he tilted his head slightly in confusion, Woojin maintained his calm expression and climbed into the van. The moment the door closed, Choi Sung-gun handed Woojin a thick stack of papers.

“First, take a look at this script.”

The thick stack, or rather, the script, had an English title printed on its cover, which immediately caught Woojin’s eye.

-‘Beast and the Beauty’

It was a title that was certainly familiar to Woojin as well.