PAID

Episode 475: The Monster (Part 3)

Before Kang Woojin's name echoed across the world, it was The Clown that was first called during the Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre, starting with the Costume Design Award.

“And the winner for Best Costume Design is... The Clown: Birth of a Villain! Congratulations!”

It was the first award of the night, and the entire The Clown team erupted in applause as the key costume staff member, who had designed the iconic Joker costumes, rose to accept the award. Woojin, despite his usual stoic demeanor, stood up and clapped along with the rest of the team to celebrate her achievement.

At that moment, Kang Woojin’s racing heart began to calm down.

‘Wow—things were chaotic, but now that we’ve won an award, it’s not so bad. I can finally relax a bit.’

Before this, his anxiety had been through the roof—so bad that he had considered running to the bathroom to throw up. But thanks to years of honing his public persona, he managed to maintain his composure. As the costume designer, dressed elegantly for the occasion, took the stage, the industry titans around Woojin began to murmur.

“Haha, The Clown wins the first award of the night.”

“This must be exactly what Columbia was hoping for, right?”

“Of course. With all the buzz surrounding Kang Woojin, they’re raking in even more attention now.”

“Well, I thought the costume award was a safe bet. Those Joker outfits were truly something else.”

They threw occasional glances at Woojin, who continued to clap silently. Many of them were thinking back to his stunning performance in The Clown and his jaw-dropping portrayal of the Joker. While the costumes were impressive, it was Woojin who had truly brought the character to life.

“Kang Woojin’s performance really breathed life into the Joker. He didn’t just wear the costume; he became the character.”

Some had already seen the movie, but most of them still had vivid memories of Woojin’s unforgettable performance at the Emmys.

“The impact was huge.”

The designer, now holding her trophy, stood at the microphone, already overcome with emotion.

Clap, clap, clap, clap!

[“Alright, enough talking. It’s time to make the announcement.”]

♬♪

Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap!

Clap, clap, clap, clap!

Swoosh.

Thud.

Swoosh.