Chapter 398: Full Bloom (4)

Translator: Dreamscribe

‘Beneficial Evil’ is ranked #1 on Netflix USA? Kang Woojin, looking at a foreign news article on Choi Sung-gun’s phone.

“......”

On the surface, he maintained his intense concept, but inwardly, he tilted his head slightly in confusion. The reason was simple. How should he put it? It just didn’t feel real? Or maybe he couldn’t quite grasp the scale of it?

‘It’s great that it’s #1, but- how big of a deal is this??’

This was yet another first-time experience for him. Choi Sung-gun, brimming with excitement, exclaimed.

“This is huge, absolutely HUGE!! ‘Beneficial Evil’ is the first-ever Korean work to take the #1 spot as a Netflix Original in the United States!”

The first? Then that’s truly insane. At this point, Kang Woojin could have screamed in excitement. Of course, only inwardly. If Choi Sung-gun weren’t around, he might have jumped around in pure joy. But for now, he suppressed the overwhelming thrill to the best of his ability.

“Yes, I’m aware.”

“Hahaha! From what I’ve read in the articles, it seems like only the U.S. rankings have been announced so far, but regardless, since the U.S. is the main market out of the 80 countries, this is an absolutely insane start! You know, the word-of-mouth and influence in the U.S. spread like wildfire!”

“Have the rankings for the other countries not been announced yet?”

“No, not yet. They’ll be revealed soon enough. But with the U.S. Netflix ranking at #1! That alone makes it very promising to expect great results for the other countries as well!!”

Choi Sung-gun enthusiastically briefed him, his broad smile showing no signs of fading these days. To this, Woojin replied in a low tone, maintaining his cool demeanor.

“But it’s too early to jump to conclusions just because it’s #1.”

“You’re right.”

Choi Sung-gun, lowering his phone, nodded in agreement.

“It’s #1 today, but it could drop tomorrow. And more than that, unlike box office figures for movies, rankings are not definitive results, they’re highly fluid. For the current #1 ranking on U.S. Netflix to hold steady and for word-of-mouth to spread consistently, it needs to sustain itself to truly hit bombshell-level success. That said-”

Choi Sung-gun paused for a moment before raising his phone again and waving it with a grin that grew even wider.

“Even if it holds the #1 spot for just a single day, that alone is already insane. After all, it’s the first-ever Korean work to take the #1 spot on U.S. Netflix. Plus, ‘Beneficial Evil’ knocked out some U.S. dramas that had been holding the #1 spot or dominating the top rankings for weeks. It broke through those concrete walls! And it’s a Korean work!”

As Choi Sung-gun explained, every country’s Netflix had its own set of top-ranked hits that dominated the charts like immovable giants.

This was especially true for U.S. Netflix. It was full of incredibly high-quality and phenomenal works. That’s why breaking into the U.S. Netflix rankings, let alone dominating them, was an extraordinarily difficult feat. Sure, other high-quality U.S. dramas or blockbusters could manage it, but for a Korean drama to shatter these concrete rankings was nearly impossible.

The recognition and interest levels were simply too low.

And yet, ‘Beneficial Evil’ had achieved the impossible. So even if it was just for a single day, it was meaningful. It had elevated the status of Korean dramas and introduced a positive image to the U.S. Even if brief, it was a significant step forward. But if this phenomenon, this trend, lasted for more than just a day, if it stretched into several days or weeks, the world was bound to be turned upside down.

However, achieving that would be extremely challenging.

Despite this, ponytailed Choi Sung-gun was already envisioning a bright future for ‘Beneficial Evil’.

“If it keeps this up for just a week… oh, man, it’d be beyond a nuclear bomb. Woojin, your international recognition would skyrocket by several times from what it is now."

Suddenly, he clapped his hands together.

“Ah! That’s right! Woojin, your Instagram and your ‘Kang Woojin Alter Ego’ channel is probably blowing up already!”

Though he hadn’t checked, it was obvious without needing to look. Meanwhile, Kang Woojin, maintaining his stiff expression, was momentarily lost in thought.

‘The rank of ‘Beneficial Evil’ is EX grade……’

Considering the results achieved by SSS-grade works like ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ and ‘Leech’, it was clear that EX-grade ‘Beneficial Evil’ would shake the world with relentless force.

Kang Woojin barely managed to suppress the corners of his mouth from rising.

‘Ah- damn, that was close.’

At this point, instead of Woojin, it was Choi Sung-gun who was practically dancing with excitement.

“Anyway, #1 in the U.S. is still #1, but rankings in other countries are important too. And even more so, the overall global cumulative final ranking.”

It was at this moment that Choi Sung-gun’s phone buzzed. The caller was Kim So-hyang, the Executive Director, who was back in Korea.

“Yes, yes, this is me!”

As soon as Choi Sung-gun started his call, Woojin’s phone also buzzed with a long vibration. Similarly, it was an incoming call. This time, it was Miley Cara. Kang Woojin placed his phone to his ear.

“Hello.”

Soon, a voice tinged with laughter came from the other side of the phone, it was Cara.

"I'm watching 'Beneficial Evil' and the cinematography turned out amazing. I'm also happy with how I look."

“Is that so?”

“You heard the news, right? Congratulations on hitting #1 on Netflix USA.”

“Congratulations to you as well.”

“That’s right, I deserve congratulations too, don’t I? I’ve been getting an insane number of calls. And this isn’t just something I’m just saying.”

Cara then added some sincere words.

“A lot of my colleagues are going crazy over how entertaining ‘Beneficial Evil’ is.”

By 'colleagues', she was undoubtedly referring to top Hollywood actors.

Meanwhile.

Around noon on the 4th, a day after the official launch of ‘Beneficial Evil.’ As expected, the entirety of Korea was plastered with mentions of ‘Beneficial Evil’.

It was nothing short of explosive.

『[Issue Pick] The long-awaited ‘Beneficial Evil’ starring Kang Woojin, claims #1 on Korean Netflix immediately upon release!』

『Right now, SNS and various online communities are ablaze with ‘Beneficial Evil’... “This is insanely good!” and unanimous praise.』

『“It’s on par with Hollywood productions, if not better”, critics also highly praise ‘Beneficial Evil.’』

Numerous articles flooded in, but at the moment, the headlines were focused on one thing.

『‘Beneficial Evil’ creating a storm! Ranked #1 on Netflix USA... A first for Korean dramas!』

Rather than domestic news, the focus was on the whirlwind of news from overseas.

『[Issue Chat] A first for Korean dramas! ‘Beneficial Evil’ creates a storm as it claims the #1 spot on Netflix USA』

『Just how fun is ‘Beneficial Evil’? From Korea to the USA, it’s #1 everywhere!』

『Kang Woojin’s action acting resonates globally, as ‘Beneficial Evil’ becomes the first Korean drama to top Netflix USA.』

#1 in Korea, #1 in the USA. That made two countries where it had already claimed the top spot. However, ‘Beneficial Evil’ was being serviced in 80 countries, which meant there were still many countries yet to release their rankings.

Then, additional news broke.

『‘Beneficial Evil’ achieves #1 on Netflix Japan, following Korea and the USA』

『Japan also gives ‘Beneficial Evil’ a thumbs-up! Following ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ and ‘Leech’, ‘Beneficial Evil’ shows signs of a major hit.』

Japan joined the lineup of countries where the show ranked #1. By this point, domestic public opinion, actually, the Korean public in general, had been in an uproar since the moment ‘Beneficial Evil’ launched.

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ ‘Beneficial Evil’ is so damn goodㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-To be honest… I had zero expectations, but wow, ‘Beneficial Evil’ turned out incredible.

-I think it's boring

-IKRㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Kang Woojin’s action scenes were lit!!!

-Info: The action scenes Kang Woojin performed in ‘Beneficial Evil’ include a significant amount of CQC, a technique considered challenging even in Hollywood.

-Holy shit;;; Kang Woojin is so cool;;;;;

-I nearly pissed myself during the long-take scene.

-Kang Woojin and Miley Cara’s chemistry is insaneㅋㅋㅋㅋ Turns out Cara actually had more screen time than I thought. Gotta watch it again!

-Long take + Kang Woojin’s action gave me chills.

-It was just okay, don’t overhype it. No way it stays at #1 in the USA beyond tomorrow.

-‘Beneficial Evil’ quality is insane... I’m watching it now, and it feels like a legit Hollywood movie…

-Action, direction, acting, there’s nothing that isn’t top-tierㅋㅋㅋㅋ A masterpiece has been born.

-Wow... Is it really true that it’s #1 on Netflix USA?? That’s so crazyㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Watched ‘Beneficial Evil’ 10 times. Seriously, it’s eye candy.

.

.

.

Every online community, SNS platform, blog, café, and even YouTube, it was impossible to escape talk of ‘Beneficial Evil.’ The excitement wasn’t just bubbling, it was erupting into flames. What was interesting, though.

『Global success is on the horizon for ‘Beneficial Evil’, international netizens are joining the buzz / Photo』

This explosive reaction wasn’t just limited to Korea. It was also spreading to various online communities overseas. Naturally, these spaces were filled with excited, glowing reviews.

The momentum wasn’t bad at all.

The powerful word-of-mouth was starting to spread like a typhoon. As a result, everyone involved with Beneficial Evil, from Netflix Korea to PD Song Man-woo, writer Choi Na-na, and more, became incredibly busy, barely having a moment to breathe.

Meanwhile, the momentum of Beneficial Evil only grew stronger.

『Beneficial Evil viewing proof pops up on top stars’ SNS accounts / Photo』

『[Issue Talk] The intense Beneficial Evil syndrome storm sweeps through Korea and the world!』

This was the situation just one day after the release of Beneficial Evil. Of course, this was just the beginning.

Starting the morning of the 5th, one day later.

-OMG!! Beneficial Evil is #1 in Hong Kong too!!

By the 6th, new #1 rankings continued to emerge.

『Beneficial Evil climbs to #1 on Netflix in Mexico, France, Saudi Arabia, and Hong Kong! Ranked #2 in the UK and Switzerland.

Beneficial Evil was becoming something enormous.

『[Special Feature] On the third day of its release, Beneficial Evil stuns the world, maintaining the #1 spot in multiple countries, including Korea and the U.S.』

It was creating a colossal trend.

Meanwhile, in LA.

In the afternoon, in the bustling downtown area of LA stood the massive Columbia Studios. Even now, numerous tourists were coming and going inside the studio. Within one of its mid-sized meeting rooms, Kang Woojin could be found.

“......”

He was seated at the middle of a ㅁ-shaped table, staring out of the window in front of him. His expression was firm, and his attire, a blazer, reflected a sense of formality. However, inside, he was filled with excitement.

‘Wow- damn, crazy. How many countries did they say Beneficial Evil is #1 in now? Was it 20?’

Even while in LA, Kang Woojin was continuously keeping tabs on the worldwide storm that Beneficial Evil was creating. With each passing day, the news became more eye-popping. But Woojin instinctively knew that this was far from the end.

Still, he had to remain calm.

‘No, no- stop it, you damn corners of my mouth, don’t go up.’

Woojin’s inner excitement was being outwardly expressed by those around him, Choi Sung-gun and the employees of bw Entertainment’s overseas branch, who were seated nearby. They had been continuously monitoring Beneficial Evil since the morning and were now talking excitedly about it. Their broad smiles were the cherry on top.

It was only natural, given that they were breaking records and making history day by day.

It was at this moment.

-Squeak.

The glass door of the meeting room slid open, and foreigners entered. Their faces were familiar. The executive producer of Pierrot and several executives from Columbia Studios had arrived. At the back of the group, the wrinkled face of director Ahn Ga-bok was also visible.

These were the core production team members of the movie Pierrot.

Soon, more than a dozen individuals were seated in the meeting room. Five were on Woojin’s side, and seven on the opposite side. The reason for this gathering was simple.

The first meeting following the audition.

In other words.

‘Ah- this is kind of nerve-wracking.’

Kang Woojin was not here as a candidate for the role but as the confirmed actor for the role of Henry Gordon in Pierrot. Thus, Woojin couldn’t help but feel slightly nervous. He had experienced numerous such meetings before, but this was his first time entering a Hollywood production, so it was a natural reaction.

The meeting began with simple introductions.

They exchanged pleasantries, talked about impressions from the recent audition, and even mentioned the buzz surrounding Beneficial Evil currently sweeping across the U.S. Of course, Woojin had a brief exchange in Korean with director Ahn Ga-bok as well.

“Beneficial Evil has become a huge hit. I enjoyed it as well.”

“Thank you.”

“It seems like almost everyone here has seen it too. The buzz surrounding it is extraordinary. According to my rusty intuition- Beneficial Evil won’t just be a short-lived phenomenon.”

“I think so too.”

“It looks like it’s about to make a major impact.”

Roughly 10 minutes passed this way.

At this point.

"Mr. Kang Woojin."

One of the foreigners across the table, the female producer of Pierrot, suddenly put on a serious expression.

“Today, we will be finalizing various matters regarding your role as Henry Gordon. However, before that, there are two important things we need to inform you about. Both of these are directly related to Pierrot and are quite significant. While we have finalized and want you for the role, you still have the right to decline the part after hearing about these matters.”

Decline? What nonsense is that? Watching the producer suddenly set a heavy tone, Kang Woojin kept his mouth shut for the time being. His mindset was something along the lines of, ‘What are you trying to say by being so serious? Let's hear it first.’ The executive producer glanced at director Ahn Ga-bok and the surrounding executives before speaking again.

“First. It is true that Mr. Kang Woojin has been confirmed for the role of Henry Gordon. Usually, once the actors for other roles are also confirmed, we announce all casting together. That’s the standard procedure, and it’s the same for us and other film companies. We were aiming for roughly one month from now for the announcement.”

“......”

“However, we believe it’s necessary to make a change. The global attention on your Beneficial Evil, not only from Hollywood but from around the world, is significant.”

The producer, locking eyes with Kang Woojin, spoke with added emphasis in her voice.

“The announcement will, for now, be made with just Mr. Kang Woojin alone. The stage for the announcement will not be small, and the timing will be moved forward significantly, to three days from now. Are you okay with this? It’s urgent, and it could be overwhelming if it’s too much.”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“No.”

Woojin shook his head nonchalantly and answered in a low-toned English.

“I'm fine with doing it right now if needed.”

At this moment.

The official SNS account of Columbia Studios had just uploaded a new post.

- [Hello, this is Columbia Studios. We have some news to share regarding the film 'Pierrot', which is currently in production. For several years now, Columbia Studios has been preparing a major project, and only recently has this project begun to take shape.]

The post carried an unmistakable air of dedication. Naturally so.

For several years, Columbia Studios had been working in utmost secrecy to shape this massive project.

- ['Pierrot' will be the film that marks the beginning of this grand project.]

Because this was the moment they first revealed their 'Cinematic Universe'.