Chapter 379: Overwhelm (8)

Translator: Dreamscribe

Due to the shout of the female reporter.

“Kang Woojin-ssi! Is it true that you’ve been shortlisted as a candidate for a ‘Columbia Studios’ project??!! As the main lead?!”

All the eyes in the large screening room immediately fixed on Kang Woojin. Director Kyotaro, Japanese actors like Mana Kosaku from 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger', hundreds of reporters, critics, and industry insiders sitting in the audience, even the staff from the distribution company hosting today’s 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger' screening in Gangnam, all turned their gaze toward him.

At first, the reporters looked puzzled, as if thinking, “What nonsense is that woman talking about?” But then-

“Huh!!”

"Ah!"

Their expressions gradually turned to shock. They had checked the messages arriving on their ignored phones. This development quickly spread from a few to dozens. It was a sudden scoop. And the subject of the scoop was right in front of them.

Reporters, without exception, began furiously pressing their shutter buttons.

-Pababababak!

-Pabababababak!

In an instant, the entire screening room was filled with bursts of flashing lights, like lightning. Around this time, Kang Woojin’s low voice resonated.

"It's true, but this isn't the place to discuss it."

He was answering the female reporter’s question. Though his tone was quite indifferent, the word true was included. Upon hearing this, not only Director Kyotaro but also-

'‘Columbia Studios’?? I see, they must have contacted him right after Cannes. It’s not some mid-sized or smaller studio but one of Hollywood’s ‘Big Five’. And as a lead actor candidate, that means he’s competing with top Hollywood actors.'

Mana Kosaku and the other Japanese actors from 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger' widened their eyes in astonishment. Naturally, all of them were looking at Woojin, who stood beside Director Kyotaro, their gazes filled with genuine amazement rather than mere shock.

“Wow! ‘Columbia Studios’??!”

“My God, this means he’s opened the doors to Hollywood in just his second year?”

“Even Japan’s top talents couldn’t achieve something like this in ten years... but he did it in just two?”

It wasn’t just the Japanese actors who were astounded. The same went for Koreans. Which actor could possibly sweep Cannes and confidently enter Hollywood in just two years? Of course, his lead role wasn’t confirmed yet, but even being a candidate for the lead in a new film from a massive studio like ‘Columbia Studios’ was monumental. It meant standing shoulder to shoulder with Hollywood superstars.

The Japanese actors, fully aware of this, couldn’t help but gape.

And then,

“K-Kang Woojin-ssi!! When did you first get in contact with ‘Columbia Studios’?!!”

“Was your recent trip to LA for this project?!!”

“Did you have meetings with any of the other ‘Big Five’ studios?!!”

“If this is for a new ‘Columbia Studios’ film! Is it the one directed by Director Ahn Ga-bok, which they recently announced?!!!”

The hundreds of reporters were in a frenzy. Calling them half-crazed wouldn’t be an exaggeration. The screening had instantly transformed into a press conference. By now, all the reporters had confirmed the scoop that had just broken.

-‘Columbia Studios’ announces lead actor candidates for its new film, a total of five, including four top Hollywood actors and Kang Woojin. Official!

Amid this, Kang Woojin, maintaining a strong poker face, was feeling a bit uneasy inside.

'Ugh- damn, the timing! Should I just leave for now?'

Of course, Woojin had known that this news would break today. The team at ‘Columbia Studios’ in LA had already informed him. However, the exact timing hadn’t been clear. And asking them to delay the announcement because of the 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger' screening would have been strange.

Regardless, he hadn’t expected the timings to overlap like this.

This was something even Kang Woojin couldn’t control. Meanwhile, the reporters’ frantic, almost hysterical questions didn’t stop.

“Woojin-ssi!! Is it true that this Hollywood project is directed by Ahn Ga-bok?!!”

“Have you had discussions with Director Ahn Ga-bok?!!”

“Have you met with the Hollywood actors who are also candidates?!!!”

The atmosphere became overwhelmingly intense, far surpassing the nature of a screening. After observing the half-crazed reporters for a moment, Woojin.

“Director.”

Leaned toward Director Kyotaro beside him and whispered softly in Japanese.

“I think it would be best for me to leave for now.”

If Kang Woojin stayed any longer, the situation wouldn’t calm down. Director Kyotaro, along with all the Japanese actors, had taken great pains to make time for The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger's Korean release. Woojin sincerely expressed his apologies.

“I’m sorry.”

Director Kyotaro gave a small smile.

“It’s fine, Woojin. You couldn’t have known. Things getting tangled like this isn’t uncommon in this field. For now, congratulations. I was confident we’d hear some Hollywood news soon.”

“Thank you, Director.”

“This is the project directed by Director Ahn Ga-bok in Hollywood, right?”

“Yes, but it’s not confirmed yet.”

“Turning the impossible into possible is what you do, Woojin. We can consider it confirmed without any issue.”

Isn’t that an overly strong belief? Woojin then also apologized to Mana Kosaku and the other Japanese actors. Naturally, they, like Director Kyotaro, offered their congratulations and encouragement. Following this, Kang Woojin barely managed to leave the screening room with guidance from the event staff. While the reporters in the audience bombarded him with flashes like crazy, thankfully, they didn’t follow him outside.

It must’ve been their instincts barely controlled by reason.

Soon, as Woojin exited the screening room, Choi Sung-gun immediately joined him. He, too, was already aware of the scoop that had just broken.

“‘Columbia Studios’ made an official announcement. The title of the project and the candidate actors were all revealed.”

“Yes, it was chaotic inside the screening room as well.”

Choi Sung-gun gave a short laugh and showed his phone to Woojin.

“Man, you have no idea. The entire country of Korea is going nuts.”

Meanwhile.

The domestic entertainment industry was in turmoil. Various film companies, entertainment agencies, production studios, broadcasting stations, and more.

“What?! The Hollywood studio Kang Woojin connected with is ‘Columbia Studios’?!”

“Wait, is this the real official announcement? Just a few days ago, people were claiming it was baseless nonsense!”

“‘Columbia Studios’ announced it themselves! It’s 100% legit!!”

“Then… does this mean ‘Columbia Studios’ appointed Director Ahn as the executive director and sent a offer to Kang Woojin at the same time? Both at once?? This setup is strangely groundbreaking.”

“More than that, his first Hollywood studio meeting being with none other than ‘Columbia Studios’…”

Everyone in the entertainment industry was reading similar articles: foreign news pieces translated into Korean.

『CNM/‘Columbia Studios’ announces the title and lead actor candidates for their major new film!』

- [‘Columbia Studios’ has released additional information about their new project. The film, directed by Korea’s Ahn Ga-bok, who won the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, is titled 'Pierrot'. Among the candidates for the male lead are Chris Hartnett and… the one catching attention is Korean actor Kang Woojin. He is the same actor who, alongside Director Ahn Ga-bok, won the Best Actor Award at Cannes for the film 'Leech'...]

The foreign news articles detailed information about Director Ahn Ga-bok, the title 'Pierrot', the Hollywood actors being considered for the male lead, and, of course, prominently mentioned Kang Woojin. Interestingly, while the headlines and details varied slightly, most of the articles gave significant coverage to Woojin. This indicated that even international media were paying close attention to him.

It made sense.

His declaration of intent toward the Academy Awards at Cannes, the Miley Cara-related buzz, and other factors had all played a role. Considering this, it was only natural that the possibility of a Korean actor, already a hot topic, potentially joining 'Columbia Studios', a Hollywood powerhouse, was generating excitement.

On top of that, the storytelling around the situation was captivating.

『BBX/What if Cannes’ Palme d’Or-winning Director Ahn Ga-bok helms 'Pierrot' and Kang Woojin takes the male lead? “A groundbreaking first in Hollywood history”』

‘Columbia Studios’, which had announced 'Pierrot' as a major project, had, for the first time, entrusted a Korean director with the film’s direction. Following Director Ahn Ga-bok, Kang Woojin’s potential inclusion as the male lead added another Korean to the film’s major players. If Woojin landed the role, it would create an unprecedented event in both Korean cinema and Hollywood.

The scale was beyond imagination.

By this point, Kang Woojin's phone in the van was.

'Whew - it's going crazy ringing.'

The phone was literally vibrating every second. Countless people, family, acquaintances, colleagues, and many others, were flooding in with congratulations or questions. Meanwhile, Woojin's team, including Choi Sung-gun, who was in the same car, quickly began monitoring the situation.

“Wow!! There are already this many articles?!”

“Oppa! You're on Naver’s main page! Oppa has completely taken over!”

The frenzied domestic media churned out articles within mere minutes of the scoop breaking. It was like an unstoppable runaway train.

『[Breaking] Kang Woojin officially breaks into Hollywood!』

『Hollywood’s 'Big Five' studio, Columbia Studios, announces: “Kang Woojin is a candidate for the lead role in the new major project 'Pierrot'.”』

『[Official] Kang Woojin on the verge of becoming “the first Korean lead in a Hollywood film”, foreign press buzzing as well.』

『Director Ahn Ga-bok’s Hollywood film 'Pierrot': Kang Woojin stands shoulder to shoulder with Hollywood’s top actors.』

The internet, already teeming with various issues, was quickly overwhelmed with Kang Woojin’s name.

『“Waiting for the screen test”... Can Kang Woojin secure the lead role in 'Pierrot'?』

『Winning Best Actor at Cannes wasn’t the end: Kang Woojin knocking on Hollywood’s door in just two years!』

The speed of the buzz was unlike anything ever seen.

“The online communities too!”

“Even YouTube is ridiculously fast about this!!”

"SNS is going crazy too!"

Just a few days ago, rumors about Kang Woojin’s Hollywood debut were dismissed as overblown hype and outright nonsense. But now, with the sudden official announcement out of LA, everything had flipped.

It felt like a dramatic plot twist.

-Wow…crazy…goosebumps…

-Is this real??!! Kang Woojin making his Hollywood debut?! And it’s with Columbia Studios?? That’s a fucking major studio!!

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ I thought I was dreaming when I saw the articleㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Holy shit...I literally screamed in excitement!!!!

-Never thought I’d live to see the day when a Korean actor is even mentioned for a Hollywood lead roleㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Kh!!! My national pride is overflowing!!!!

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋWhere are all the people who said Kang Woojin’s Hollywood debut was BS now? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

The domestic public was overflowing with emotions, astonishment, shock, excitement, pride, confusion, and thrill, among others.

-Wow, Kang Woojin’s on another level right now.

-TBH getting Best Actor at Cannes was already crazy...but Hollywood lead in his 2nd year???

-Does this mean Kang Woojin’s fees are going to skyrocket, and we won’t see him in Korean projects anymore?

-Please.... let Director Ahn cast Kang Woojin as the confirmed male lead.

-And it’s with Columbia Studiosㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ of all places ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋThe potential is off the chartsㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Dude, looking at the foreign articles, the Hollywood actors mentioned alongside him are just… insane.

Since it was an official announcement, there were barely any negative comments. Not that there were none, but the current public sentiment was overwhelmingly in favor of Kang Woojin, with people busy showering him with praise.

-Director Ahn Ga-bok and Kang Woojin's collab! Makes my heart swell

By lunchtime, news of Kang Woojin’s Hollywood venture was spreading rapidly through radio and news broadcasts.

“A few days ago, we reported on Director Ahn Ga-bok’s entry into Hollywood, didn’t we? This time, it’s the news of Kang Woojin, who won Best Actor at Cannes for 'Leech', making his Hollywood debut. Kang Woojin has been named as a candidate for the male lead in 'Pierrot', directed by Ahn Ga-bok, by Columbia Studios, one of Hollywood’s ‘Big Five’. This is Kim Ji-hye reporting.”

This was definitely not an issue that could simply be brushed aside. The timing was excellent. Just as Cannes buzz had died down, Director Ahn Ga-bok entered Hollywood, followed by Kang Woojin. A series of events causing a surge of national pride was unfolding.

Additionally, Japan, where 'Leech' was soon to be released, was not much different from Korea.

『Already a global star? 「Kang Woojin」 confirmed as a candidate for the male lead in Columbia Studios’ new project.』

Kang Woojin, who had already created a legend in Japan as the first Korean actor through the anime 'Male Friend: Remake' and the film 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger', was naturally breaking news material in Japan too.

Korea, Japan, and Hollywood were all boiling with excitement.

And by the next morning, Kang Woojin was already being referred to as,

『“Promoting Korean culture to the world”, the path walked by global star Kang Woojin [Special Feature]』

practically treated as a world star.

Meanwhile, in LA.

Unlike Korea, where it was morning, it was the afternoon in LA. As the home of cinema, LA was always brimming with countless issues, and among them, news about 'Pierrot' was the hottest topic. Thanks to this, the sprawling headquarters of 'Columbia Studios' was bustling with relentless activity. In particular, the 'Pierrot' team stood out as unusually busy.

Even now, they were gathered in a mid-sized meeting room, holding a production meeting.

Having revealed the title and key buzz points for the project, the next steps were just as critical. The meeting room was filled with a number of foreigners, key staff such as the executive producer, CD, and Director Ahn Ga-bok. However, 'Columbia Studios' executives were not present at this meeting.

Currently, under the leadership of the female producer, the discussion centered around publicity strategies and actor auditions.

“Let’s aim to keep the buzz going for at least a week.”

“We were already planning to stir things up until next week.”

It was at this moment.

Director Ahn Ga-bok spoke up.

“Hmm-”

He had been scrolling through the list of male lead candidates for 'Pierrot' on a tablet, which included Kang Woojin. Then, in his aged voice, he addressed the group. His English, though not fluent, was clear and deliberate.

“How about making the audition, the screen test, public?”