I Was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor

Translator: Dreamscribe

A chubby reporter who, upon seeing Hollywood’s famous producer Joseph Felton, immediately thought of Kang Woojin. That was the most likely possibility. After all, there was no other actor in Korea right now who could be called a ‘World Star’.

“Two of Hollywood’s ‘Big Five’ film companies have already connected with Kang Woojin. That alone is unprecedented- but could ‘Universal Movies’ also join in, making it three companies clinging to him?”

Of course, it might not be the case. Joseph Felton might not have come to Korea for Kang Woojin but for some other reason. Logically, that would make more sense.

‘But the timing is just too perfect.’

Woojin had turned the world upside down by being cast as the male lead in two major Hollywood films. Even though it had been about a week since his return to Korea, the heat surrounding him was still like a blazing furnace. And now, Joseph Felton had appeared in Korea. The coincidence was just too precise.

The chubby reporter instinctively sensed that this would make for a highly sellable article. He was already so focused on it that he barely paid attention to the girl group that had appeared in the arrival hall.

-Swoosh.

He scanned the chaotic surroundings caused by the girl group’s arrival. Dozens of reporters and onlookers were completely unaware of the foreigners who had passed by just moments ago. The chubby reporter raised his camera and checked the pictures he had taken of Joseph Felton.

“……Whether they came because of Kang Woojin or not, I should just throw this out there first.”

A smile quickly spread across his lips. Kang Woojin- was there ever an actor in Korean entertainment history with such an immense impact? If he published the article, it would sell like hotcakes, no matter what. Even if Joseph Felton wasn’t here for Woojin, the article would still attract enough attention. But if they really had come for Woojin…

“This is a scoop.”

Soon, the reporter left the noisy arrival hall, walking away at a leisurely pace.

-Swipe.

He sent the photos he had taken somewhere. Then, he enthusiastically tapped on his phone, leading to a phone call.

“Yes, it’s me. You saw the photos, right? They’re not just any foreigners- they’re Hollywood big shots. No, just listen to me first, the script is solid.”

His conversation included names like Kang Woojin, Universal Movies and Joseph Felton. After roughly ten minutes, he ended the call and lowered his phone. Then, he looked at a large advertisement on the airport lobby’s monitor and chuckled. The person in the ad was Kang Woojin.

“But if even ‘Universal Movies’ has joined in… doesn’t that mean he’s at a level even Hollywood’s top stars can’t compete with?”

Meanwhile, inside a speeding van on the highway.

Two vans were driving fast. The one in front was filled with foreigners. The most striking figure was a tall, broad-shouldered man in a leather jacket sitting by the window. It was Hollywood’s famous producer, Joseph Felton.

“……”

Joseph rested his chin on his hand, gazing out the window before murmuring softly in English.

“Korea- it’s been a while. The last time was during the filming of ‘Leech’ last year.”

The bald man sitting next to him reacted quickly.

“……I’m concerned about the reporters who were gathered at the arrival hall earlier. They mostly seemed unaware of who we were, but they might have taken photos.”

“That’s possible, but what can we do? We didn’t expect our schedule to overlap with a popular Korean group.”

“A reporter might have recognized us.”

Joseph let out a chuckle, crossing his long legs and shrugging his shoulders.

“Haha, do you really think a reporter would recognize me and then link it to Kang Woojin? But it doesn’t matter. Even if it gets out, it’s not a big deal. Actually, the truth is, I don’t have time to worry about things like that.”

Bald-headed Robert, who had been looking at the giant Joseph, let out a small sigh.

“Coming all the way to Korea just to deliver the script to Kang Woojin- isn’t that a bit excessive? Of course, we gave other reasons like distribution, but still.”

“Too late.”

“Excuse me?”

“It’s already too late. I was the first to discover Kang Woojin, but I ended up in last place. In all my years in this industry, I’ve never felt this frustrated.”

Joseph Felton ran a hand through his hair, recalling the first time he had seen Kang Woojin. It had been quite a while ago. Early last year, around the time of the screen test for ‘Last Kill 3’.

“The moment I saw his extraordinary energy, I knew he’d make his presence known in Hollywood soon enough… but I never expected his value to skyrocket by dozens of times this fast. Last year, he was a complete nobody- but now, he’s already a superstar in Hollywood. We had some prior agreements, but in the business world, promises are as insignificant as dust.”

“……”

“I have to show this level of sincerity myself just to get Kang Woojin to show even a little interest, don’t you think? ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ and ‘Beast and the Beauty’ are already locked in. He might not even care about us at all. We’re the ones who are desperate here.”

Joseph Felton, a man who had been navigating Hollywood for decades. Even for someone like him, Kang Woojin’s insane growth was something he had never witnessed before. In the blink of an eye, Woojin had become a global star. It was enough to make Joseph feel frustrated. He had been the first to recognize the rough diamond, but someone else had cut and polished it, then sold it to the world.

But what could he do? The situation had already turned out this way.

Raising the white flag wouldn’t be strange at this point. However, Joseph Felton, who had been observing Woojin all this time and had Kang Woojin’s monstrous potential burned into his mind, couldn’t let him go. More precisely, he couldn’t give up. He wanted to experience the same awe he had felt when he first saw Woojin, during ‘Leech’, and ‘Beneficial Evil’ all over again.

‘So what if I’m in third place? As long as I’m the one who catches him in the end, nothing else matters.’

More than anything, Joseph had another goal in mind.

‘If I secure Kang Woojin, I can also lock in Director Danny Landis.’

Hollywood’s heavyweight director, Danny Landis, had conditionally accepted the directing role- on the premise that Woojin would join the project. One way or another, Joseph Felton had no choice but to stake everything on Kang Woojin.

“…When is our meeting with Kang Woojin?”

Bald-headed Robert answered immediately.

“Two days from now.”

“He’s currently filming Beneficial Evil Part 2, right?”

“Yes.”

“Hoo-“

After letting out quite a long sigh, Joseph looked down at the stack of papers – no, the script – on his knee and muttered quietly.

“I wonder how this will look to Kang Woojin.”

That same day, just past noon.

The location was a massive set complex in Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province. A familiar place. It was the set of ‘Beneficial Evil’, after all. Of course, the vast warehouse set looked completely different from how it had been in Part 1. The construction for Part 2’s filming had already been completed.

Outside, in the parking lot of the set complex.

-Screech.

A black van came to a stop, and a man with jet-black hair stepped out. It was Kang Woojin with his concept-heavy face.

“……”

Though he looked indifferent as he gazed at the set complex, internally, he was deeply moved.

‘Damn- it’s been a while since I was here.’

It felt almost like coming home. Having spent so much time overseas, his return made the feeling even stronger.

As Woojin adjusted the cap on his head.

“Looks like they really went all out.”

A voice spoke up beside him. It was Choi Sung-gun, his hair tied back in a ponytail.

“The success of Part 1 wasn’t just crazy- it created a worldwide phenomenon. I heard they doubled the original plans for the Part 2 set construction.”

Even the CEO of Netflix’s headquarters in the U.S. had personally stepped in to praise ‘Beneficial Evil’. Naturally, the funding had poured in toward the project. Woojin was looking forward to it as well.

‘Oh-ho- is that so?’

The transformed set, the beginning of Beneficial Evil Part 2’s filming today, all of it. Looking at his schedule, adding ‘Beneficial Evil’ to the mix would make it even more of a living hell, but

‘It’s fine, I’m good. Still, I should stop by the Void Space once before we start.’

Kang Woojin’s condition was at its peak.

With that, Woojin, Choi Sung-gun, and the team stepped into the ‘Beneficial Evil’ set complex.

Not long after, some assistant directors and staff who had been waiting near the entrance spotted him and immediately.

“K-Kang Woojin-nim has arrived!”

After sending the radio call, he quickly approached Woojin. Within minutes, a man came rushing over, it was PD Song Man-woo, who had recently been making a name for himself on the global stage. Alongside him were several familiar faces, including the now visibly more confident writer Choi Na-na and executive director Kim So-hyang, along with many others.

Before long, the entrance to the set complex was teeming with people, and Kang Woojin, filled with anticipation, thought to himself.

‘Whoa- damn, their energy is something else. Kinda made me flinch for a second.’

Instinctively, he layered on an extra dose of cynicism.

What was amusing, though.

“Woojin-ssi!”

PD Song Man-woo, still catching his breath from running, threw out an unexpected question.

“Did you sign on for another project with ‘Universal Movies’?!”

“……”

Huh? Suddenly? Kang Woojin was internally confused by this question that came before any greeting. Writer Choi Na-na, Kim So-hyang, and all the gathered people looked at Woojin with the same expression as PD Song Man-woo. Meaning they were 100% of the same mind. Why is ‘Universal Movies’ suddenly being mentioned? Woojin, who had been silent, glanced at Choi Sung-gun. He slightly shook his head.

At this point…

“No, but the news just broke.”

PD Song Man-woo held up his phone, showing Woojin the screen. He must have been reading it just moments ago because the article was still displayed.

『[Exclusive] Hollywood Famous Producer Joseph Felton Spotted at Incheon Airport, The Reason Why He’s in Korea While Working with ‘Universal Movies’… To Meet Kang Woojin?』

The photos in the article clearly showed the giant Joseph Felton and his team. At that moment, Kang Woojin thought internally.

‘Ah, he got caught.’

There were already discussions about meetings with Joseph’s side. But why did he come in so boldly? Though there wasn’t any talk about secrecy, from the flow of things, Woojin thought their meeting was supposed to be private. Soon, Executive Director Kim So-hyang, who had joined beside PD Song Man-woo, spoke with a slightly excited voice.

“I know Joseph Felton too! I’ve met him a few times in the past, and he even came to our Bangkok location shoot, remember? But for him to come to Korea at this timing, it has to be connected to Woojin-ssi, right?”

PD Song Man-woo chimed in.

“There’s no way he’s just here to casually watch our Part 2 filming. So, are you actually discussing something with ‘Universal Movies’?”

The situation was becoming full of curiosity. Understandably so. Two of Hollywood’s ‘Big Five’ weren’t enough, and now a third, ‘Universal Movies’, had appeared. After being silent for a moment, Kang Woojin answered casually. His tone was quite low.

“There’s nothing discussed with ‘Universal Movies’.”

“Ah- really?”

And he didn’t seem particularly interested in hiding anything either.

“But I will be meeting with Joseph Felton.”

At that moment.

“!!!”

The eyes of everyone, including PD Song Man-woo, widened dramatically.

Up until now, Kang Woojin had already made history with his unprecedented moves, yet this statement meant that his legendary journey was far from over. With a dazed look, PD Song Man-woo muttered.

“At this rate… Hollywood folks are gonna start having existential crises.”

Later on.

By the time Kang Woojin had finally begun filming Beneficial Evil Part 2, the domestic media had already gone into a frenzy, scrambling to chase down the explosive scoop that had suddenly dropped.

『Columbia Studios, World Disney Pictures, and now even Universal Movies? Did a major Hollywood producer really come just to see Kang Woojin?』

『[Issue Pick] The Hollywood producer spotted at Incheon Airport is reportedly involved in a project with ‘Universal Movies’』

『Kang Woojin, planning to dominate all five of Hollywood’s Big Five? Now even ‘Universal Movies’ is making a move』

『’Universal Movies’ joins the Kang Woojin casting war, Kang Woojin’s side remains silent despite the shocking news』

The articles pouring in didn’t care about facts or anything else, they were just being blasted out recklessly. Speculation, clickbait, and rumors were running rampant. Since Kang Woojin was already at the center of countless issues, the wildfire spread in an instant.

-Whaaaat????? What the hell is this ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ this came outta nowhere ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-No way Universal is actually going after Kang Woojin, right? The reporters are just getting ahead of themselves after spotting some random foreigner ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-Nah nah nah, the Black guy in the picture is actually a legit Hollywood producer. Other articles confirmed it.

-He probably came to Korea for something else… but if Universal is actually trying to sign Kang Woojin… then damn, he’s basically a god-tier…

-I think he really did come to recruit Woojin ㅋㅋㅋㅋ this is insane.

-At this point, isn’t Kang Woojin just steamrolling all of Hollywood??

Then, exactly two hours later,

『CNM / Joseph Felton quietly arrives in Korea! Korean media speculates, “Is ‘Universal Movies’ also interested in Kang Woojin?”』

The flames had now spread to foreign media as well.

Two days later, Thursday, March 24. bw Entertainment.

It was a medium-sized conference room inside the newly expanded bw Entertainment headquarters. The time was around 8 AM. Several people sat around the large ㄷ-shaped table. By the window, a group of foreigners. At the center of them sat the giant, Joseph Felton. On the opposite side were Choi Sung-gun and other bw Entertainment staff.

And then.

“……”

Kang Woojin, staring at Joseph with an indifferent expression. The greetings had already been exchanged. Joseph, wearing a slight smile, spoke to Woojin.

“I apologize. It seems our arrival has stirred up quite a bit of noise in Korea.”

Woojin casually responded in English.

“It’s fine. It happens all the time.”

“Haha, is that so?”

“Is everything okay on Hollywood’s side? Looks like the news spread all the way over there too.”

“There’s been a lot of calls, but nothing problematic.”

Joseph answered with a relaxed tone.

Then.

-Swoosh.

He slid a stack of papers toward Kang Woojin.

“This is it. The script I’ve been telling you about for a while now.”

Maintaining his poker face, Woojin picked up the script.

‘Damn, this took forever. Or maybe this is normal? Whatever, gotta check it in the Void Space first.’

He was about to discreetly press the black square attached to the script. But before he could.

“Woojin.”

Joseph Felton spoke first.

“You know Director Danny Landis, right?”

Danny who? For a moment, Woojin blanked, but then he recalled the director he had seen at the Cannes Film Festival.

“Of course.”

“In Hollywood, Danny Landis is one of the greatest of the greats. And he wants you. He’s made it a condition, if you take this role, he will personally direct the film. This is probably the first time he’s ever done something like this.”

Choi Sung-gun, who had roughly understood what was being said, was internally shocked.

‘Th-That Danny Landis?!’

Meanwhile, Kang Woojin remained completely unfazed.

“Is that so?”

Joseph Felton continued.

“Additionally, we will not require any auditions or screen tests from you.”

This was his trump card.

“If Kang Woojin agrees, the male lead role is yours. No questions asked.”