Chapter 420
I Was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor
Translator: NovelBin
The perspectives of Hollywood actors in the script reading room varied. Some were intrigued, others envious or skeptical, and a few simply bewildered by Kang Woo-jinâs extraordinary journey.
No matter how well he acted, the sight of a Korean actor with no prior Hollywood experience making such waves felt alien to them. As they watched Woo-jin, expressions of shock filled the roomâwide eyes, stunned silence.
In the midst of this, Chris Hartnett glanced at Woo-jin and chuckled. "So, that was you going easy?"
Woo-jin simply nodded. "Yes."
Chris let out a half-laugh, amused by Woo-jinâs straightforwardness. "Most people wouldnât say that so openly. But youâre⦠never ordinary, are you?"
To Chris, Woo-jin felt like a new speciesâan enigma that only deepened his interest. As he continued to observe him, Chris muttered, half to himself, "That explains why it felt different from the audition."
Woo-jin, maintaining his serious façade, wondered what was so amusing about the idea of âholding back.â He genuinely believed it made sense to restrain his performance for a script reading, giving about 30% of his full effort. After all, he didnât want to look desperate by overdoing it, and he knew heâd made an impression even at this level.
From the stunned expressions around him, it seemed his calculated restraint had worked wonders.
*Thanks for the setup, Chris,* Woo-jin thought with a silent smirk.
However, his intention to keep a cool, nonchalant air had an unintended effect. Starting with Chris, a misunderstanding began to spread among the gathered Hollywood actors.
*So heâs only giving us a taste, holding back his full power,* they thought, each inflating the perception in their own way.
*âHolding backâ? So, that wasnât even his best?* The idea rippled through the room. *Was he purposefully establishing a clear line to show us heâs in a different league?*
*What does that mean for us? Here we are, blown away by his ârestrainedâ performance. Is this some kind of power move to assert dominance?*
Each actor processed this notion differently, but the effect was the sameâa rising tension filling the room. Watching Woo-jinâs calm demeanor, they grew increasingly aware of the immense gap they now imagined existed between them and him.
Even the journalists and staff members who had been observing began murmuring.
"Wait, are we supposed to believe that wasnât his best?" a reporter whispered. "He said he was holding back, right?"
Chris Hartnett had an unusual glint in his eye as he regarded Woo-jin. To Chris, Woo-jin had become even more intriguing.
Amid this growing tension, Director An Gabok broke the silence.
"So, Woo-jin, would you be able to handle any other roles besides Henry Gordon in *Piero* if needed?"
Everyoneâs gaze shifted in confusion, and the room grew quiet. *What does he mean by other roles?*
Without hesitation, Woo-jin answered in a low, even tone, "Yes, no problem."
For a moment, the room seemed to tremble with silent shock. Chris leaned forward, a spark of curiosity in his eye.
"If you really could manage other roles, Iâd love to see you try mine."
With An Gabokâs approval, Woo-jin took on Chrisâs role without a momentâs hesitation, instantly morphing into a completely different character. Watching him perform, Chris felt a chill run through him. This was not simply "good acting"; it was as if Woo-jin was a different person altogether.
Chrisâs reaction reflected the sentiment of the entire room: *Is this even acting? Heâs more like a chameleon⦠no, something far beyond that.*
The rest of the script reading was filled with a mix of awe and quiet dread. Some actors approached Woo-jin afterward, bombarding him with questions, while others quietly left, overwhelmed by what theyâd witnessed.
After the reading, reporters raced to publish their impressions within the studioâs approved boundaries. Articles about the *Piero: Birth of a Villain* script reading flooded Hollywood within minutes.
---
As Woo-jin rode in a van afterward, he skimmed through the headlines on his phone:
*âCNM: Kang Woo-jin Leaves Everyone Speechless at *Piero* Script ReadingâA True Force of Nature!â*
*âLA Times: Kang Woo-jinâs First Hollywood Script Reading Shakes the Room, Ready to Conquer Hollywoodâ*
Every headline seemed to feature his name prominently. Woo-jin allowed himself a small smile as he scrolled through the articles.
*âHeh⦠they sure like to hype things up.â*
He continued scanning through foreign media before checking Korean articles. The buzz surrounding his Emmy nomination was still going strong, with posts and comments that showed how much the news had inspired pride back home.
---
After his hectic schedule of interviews, meetings, and even a few parties, Woo-jin finally returned to Korea a week later, where he resumed filming for *Beneficial Evil* Part 2 without missing a beat. The energy on set was high as everyone pushed to finish production by June.
"Okay, Woo-jin, close-up shot! Action!" Director Song Man-woo called out.
*Beneficial Evil* Part 2 was nearing completion, with the entire team motivated to wrap things up by early June. The prospect of a fall release was thrilling to everyone, especially with the Emmy buzz in full swing.
"Airing Part 2 right after the Emmys would be perfect," someone commented, reflecting the shared hope that Woo-jin might bring home an award.
---
As filming wrapped up that evening, Woo-jin returned to his seat, his suit torn and smeared with special effects makeup from the intense shoot. Director Song patted him on the back, satisfied with the dayâs work.
Returning to his seat, Woo-jin saw his manager Choi Sung-gon approach with a sly grin.
"Guess what?" Sung-gon said. "I just got a messageâ*Piero*âs first filming date is set."
"Really? When?"
"Second week of June."
A satisfied smile crossed Woo-jinâs face. His Hollywood journey was just beginning, and it was time to show the world what he was truly capable of.