Chapter 418
I Was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor
Translator: NovelBin
As Kang Woo-jin held his phone to his ear, he mentally calculated the date.
"Today is the 8th, right?"
It was May 8th, which meant May 17th was less than ten days away. The timing might seem tight, but Woo-jin didnât mind. Heâd already been informed that the script reading for *Piero: Birth of a Villain* would be sometime between the second and third week of May.
Woo-jin planned to depart for LA on the 12th, giving him time to attend to his LA schedule before the script reading. Though it would interrupt *Beneficial Evil* filming, his schedule was already set, and PD Song Man-woo, who understood Woo-jin's demanding calendar, would surely be accommodating. Woo-jin responded to Director An Gabok on the phone.
"The 17th. Got it, Director."
From the other end of the line came An Gabokâs warm laughter.
"Columbia Studio will be in touch with BW Entertainment as well, to finalize everything for the reading. It feels like itâs all coming together."
"Time really does fly."
"Weâre all keeping busy, no doubt, but Iâd say youâre handling the heaviest load. By the way, thereâs nothing you need to prepare for the reading. Weâll provide the script here, though feel free to bring your own if youâd prefer."
"Understood."
"Iâll send over the exact location and time in the next few days."
Sensing the conversation was winding down, Woo-jin ended with a polite farewell.
"Thank you, Director. Iâll see you then."
As they were about to hang up, An Gabok added a parting thought.
âYou may already know this, but youâve made quite an impression here in Hollywood. The whole place was abuzz with *Universal Movies*, and since the Emmy news broke, youâre all anyone talks about.â
âIs that so?â
âYeah, and if the crewâs this hyped, imagine how the other actors feel. During the reading, theyâll all be watching you.â
An Gabok chuckled, his voice brimming with amusement.
"Thereâll be curiosity, envy, admiration, maybe even jealousy mixed in. Should make for an interesting experience. This is your first Hollywood script reading, right?â
As the call ended, Woo-jin lowered his phone, mulling over what the director had said.
âOh, right. Itâs my first Hollywood reading.â
Apart from Chris Hartnett, he hadnât met any of the Hollywood actors cast in *Piero: Birth of a Villain*. This would be his first introduction to many of them, and vice versa.
"Come to think of it, itâs a pretty momentous day," he realized.
For Woo-jin, Columbia Studios, and the cast, it was a day of firstsâa fitting debut into Hollywood. In the past, he would have felt some nervousness, but now he only felt a steady confidence.
âIf theyâre expecting anything different, theyâre in for a surprise.â
At this moment, Choi Sung-geon spoke up.
"Was that Director An? What did he say?"
Woo-jinâs tone was as composed as ever.
"The script reading is set for May 17."
Choi Sung-geon clapped a hand on Woo-jinâs shoulder with a grin.
"Alright, letâs do this."
---
The next day began with a commercial shoot for a new sports brand Woo-jin was endorsing. Meanwhile, *Beneficial Evil* and Woo-jinâs Emmy nomination dominated Korean media more than ever.
- **"*Beneficial Evil* Earns Ten Emmy Nominations - International Media Coverage Soars!"**
- **"Kang Woo-jinâs Thoughts on Best Actor Nomination: âThanks to Fans Worldwide of *Beneficial Evil*â"**
- **"[Hot Topic] *Beneficial Evil* Takes Ten Emmy Nominations - Hollywood Director An Gabok Says, âOvercoming Language and Cultural Barriersâ"**
- **"Will *Beneficial Evil* Sweep the Emmys? Korean Fans Are Already Predicting âAt Least One Winâ"**
Over the next two days, the intensity reached fever pitch. Newspapers, online communities, and social media platforms buzzed with endless discussions of Woo-jin and *Beneficial Evil*, creating a storm that swept through Japan and beyond.
- **"Japanese Fans Praise *Beneficial Evil*âs Emmy Achievement: âWe Envy and Support You!â"**
- **"Japanâs Current Obsession - Kang Woo-jin Sweeps Through Media Outlets"**
The Emmy buzz continued to expand globally, with sites like Reddit discussing *Beneficial Evil* and Woo-jinâs accomplishments.
In response, Columbia Studios posted on social media:
- "Hello, this is Columbia Studios. Weâd like to congratulate Kang Woo-jin and his remarkable work. Weâre also pleased to announce the script reading date for *Piero: Birth of a Villain*..."
---
On the morning of May 12th, while the world was abuzz, Woo-jin quietly resumed filming *Beneficial Evil*.
- **"âAsiaâs First Emmy Best Actor Nomineeâ Kang Woo-jin Departs for LA for *Piero: Birth of a Villain* Script Reading"**
- **"Woo-jin Bids Farewell to Fans at the Airport - The Nominee Exudes Aura as He Heads to LA"**
With over 200 reporters and countless fans at the airport, Woo-jin boarded his private jet, relieved to have a quiet space at last.
*Alright, time to work,* he thought, pulling out the *Piero: Birth of a Villain* script for a final read-through, hoping to internalize Henry Gordonâs character even further.
A few minutes later, the jet took off.
---
May 17th arrived. Columbia Studios in Hollywood, bustling with visitors and paparazzi outside, became the dayâs focal point. The main building filled with staff preparing the conference room for the reading.
The room, set with a square formation of tables draped in black cloth, was arranged with scripts, water bottles, microphones, and name cards. Around the perimeter, dozens of chairs were prepared for journalists, studio executives, and actorsâ teams.
Hollywoodâs top five studios were involved, and the importance of this âcinematic universeâ project elevated the event to a large scale.
Within an hour, the studio executives, foreign journalists, and other guests began to trickle in, filling the room with English chatter.
"Finally, the day has come. Did we arrive too early? None of the actors are here yet."
"Thereâs still an hour to go. Iâm looking forward to seeing Woo-jin play the lead."
"Me too. Iâve heard so much about himâ*Piero*, *Beauty and the Beast*, *John Persona*, and the Emmys, of course. Itâs my first time seeing him in person."
Most of the gathered reporters and executives were similarly curious, and as time passed, actors cast in *Piero: Birth of a Villain* started to appear.
Supporting actors, extras, and leads began arriving in an array of greetings.
"Hey! Good to see you again, Bill."
"Itâs been a while! Lost some weight, havenât you?"
"Director An insisted we get in shape for our roles."
Gradually, the seats around the main table filled up. As the roomâs occupancy surpassed a hundred, the excitement grew, especially among the cast members who hadnât yet met Woo-jin.
"How much have you practiced your lines, Mark?"
"Enough to recite them in my sleep. What about you?"
"Same here. Still, I keep getting distracted thinking about Woo-jin."
"Yeah, me too. I mean, I understand Columbia wanting him, but Disney and Universal too? Thatâs wild."
"And heâs up for an Emmy. Talk about making waves."
The common topic of conversation was Woo-jin. Every actor, from the leads to the extras seated further back, couldnât help but glance at the name card beside the directorâs seat:
- **Henry Gordon / Kang Woo-jin**
It was the only Korean name in the room, sparking even more curiosity.
"I became a fan after watching *Beneficial Evil*."
"Really? I thought *Beneficial Evil* was a bit underwhelming. Itâs strange that he outperformed Chris Hartnett in acting."
"Yeah, Chris really gave it his all in that film, but Woo-jin just outshone him."
"I heard a rumor that Woo-jin has connections with some powerful Hollywood insiders."
"Come on, that sounds like gossip."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
"How else could he be causing such a stir?"
At that moment, a calm voice interrupted.
"Where do these rumors even come from?"
The deep brown eyes of Hollywoodâs top actor, Chris Hartnett, scanned the room. His casual entrance drew everyoneâs attention, and with a small shrug, he continued.
"And by the way, I didnât even try to compete with him. I gave up after seeing his performance. It was like he completely knocked the wind out of me."
Despite his frankness, Chrisâs manager sighed from the back row, covering his face with his hands.
But Chris didnât stop.
"Well, in the end, I think I grew from the experience."
As every eye focused on Chris, a low voice sounded directly behind him.
"Hello, Chris."
Chris flinched, quickly turning around to find Woo-jinâs composed face looking back at him.
"Long time no see."
It was Woo-jin.
In an instant, the entire room fell silent. The lively chatter that had filled the space vanished.
With Woo-jinâs arrival, the main star of *Piero: Birth
of a Villain* had made his entrance.