Chapter 383: Overwhelmed (12)

Translator: Santos

 

When the announcer at the Daejong Awards called out this year’s top actor:

“Best Actor! Congratulations to Kang Woo-jin for *The Symbiotic Leech*!”

As Woo-jin stood up, all cameras turned their focus on him. Despite the applause and congratulations from the surrounding actors and industry representatives, Woo-jin’s face remained calm and collected as he steadily walked to the stage.

"…"

His mind was buzzing. The lights were blinding. His ears rang. His mouth was dry, adrenaline coursed through his veins, and a tingling sensation spread through his hands and feet. His heart raced, and his vision narrowed.

But his practiced poker face held firm.

Walking to the stage, Woo-jin took in the reality of his journey.

“Two years—no, almost three years now. I started knowing nothing, and here I am. Best Actor? It still doesn’t feel real… but standing here doesn’t feel hard anymore.”

Somehow, the ruthless entertainment industry had become familiar to him. Just yesterday, it seemed, he was a regular guy who had never even cracked open a script. Now, surrounded by brilliant lights and applause from top actors, it all felt natural. He’d adapted, having pushed through so much to get here.

But Woo-jin hadn’t lost his original drive.

It was that unshakable core that made him who he was.

“Still! Damn, it’s a little unnerving having all these famous actors staring at me… I wonder how many more years it’ll take for this to feel normal?”

In some ways, the domestic film awards felt even stranger to Woo-jin than Cannes. Hollywood, with its foreign faces and global glamour, was different, but here, he was surrounded by familiar actors whose faces he’d grown up seeing in theaters and on TV. Now, those very stars were giving him a standing ovation.

Yet, the more attention he received, the firmer Woo-jin’s resolve became.

From the moment he stood up until he reached the stage, his expression never wavered, and his calm demeanor impressed the hundreds of actors in the audience.

“He’s got no hint of a smile, just like at the Blue Dragon Awards.”

“Is he really that unsatisfied?”

“Wow… he won Best Actor at Cannes, starred in two 20-million-viewer films, and now he’s swept all the domestic Best Actor awards this year?”

“He must think completely differently from us. He was like this when he won Best Actor at Cannes, too.”

His unshakable aura only added to his mystique. He had accomplished in just two years what had seemed impossible.

“Is this what people mean when they say someone is on a different level?”

“It feels like a fantasy. Even seeing it, I can’t believe it.”

“With Hollywood knocking on his door, would domestic trophies really matter to him?”

But that was a misconception.

After receiving his trophy and bouquet, Woo-jin stood at the mic stand, his mind filled not with lofty ambitions but with simple thoughts.

"Ha—Best Actor is great and all, but I could really go for something sweet. I’ll just sneak out after the awards wrap up.”

---

A few hours later.

Woo-jin finally arrived home, just before midnight. The reporters’ spotlight had been relentless after the Daejong Awards, with countless questions and flashing cameras. After responding to the media, Woo-jin skipped both the Daejong after-party and the BW Entertainment gathering, heading straight home.

He stretched out as soon as he entered his living room.

“Ughhh!”

Gone was the composure he had worn all day, replaced by a relaxed smile. He looked at the shelf in the living room, now boasting a new addition—the Daejong Best Actor trophy.

“How many is that now?”

It felt like a collection of medals. Since his debut, Woo-jin had gathered a host of awards, including more than eight just last year, spanning Rookie Awards, Supporting Actor awards, and even television. While this year’s total was lower, each one was a major lead actor accolade. And, of course, the Cannes trophy was the crown jewel.

Crossing his arms, Woo-jin gazed at his impressive array of awards, a satisfied grin spreading across his face.

“Conquered Cannes and all the domestic awards… I guess all that’s left is Hollywood?”

Though he had achieved incredible things, Woo-jin knew he wasn’t at the top yet. There were still the world’s most prestigious awards—the ones where true giants of the industry gathered. The future was uncertain, but right now, Woo-jin felt like he could take on anything.

“Stick to what I’ve been doing, nice and simple.”

With those words, the newly crowned top actor of the year in Korea turned away. Casually, he reached for something on a nearby shelf.

“First, let’s tackle this.”

A cup of instant noodles.

Later.

As he prepared his late-night snack, pouring hot water into the noodles, Woo-jin picked up his phone.

“Let’s see how it’s going—”

He was curious about the media’s reaction. Though he’d experienced a similar frenzy last year, this year’s situation was clearly different. The internet was buzzing with year-end award news.

“Second-year actor sweeps Cannes, Blue Dragon, and Daejong Best Actor Awards… Kang Woo-jin’s unparalleled achievements”

“[Star Photos] ‘Daejong’ Best Actor Kang Woo-jin calmly accepts his award”

It was clearly Woo-jin’s stage alone.

“From Rookie and Supporting Actor last year to sweeping Best Actor awards this year… Will Kang Woo-jin make it to the Academy Awards next year?”

Woo-jin had set legendary records and created a legacy of firsts, from Cannes to Korea’s major film awards, all within a single year. It was no wonder the media was in a frenzy.

“The ‘Record-breaking Korean Actor’ and the ‘First Korean Actor to Win International Best Actor Awards’—Kang Woo-jin lives up to his legendary status, not without his trademark bombshell acceptance speech”

The public response was just as fervent. On YouTube, social media, and forums, Woo-jin was the main topic. Fans discussed everything from his awards to his steady acceptance speech, his effortless red-carpet presence, and the surprise announcements he dropped in his speeches. At this point, even his breathing seemed to become a headline.

In fact—

“The year-end party is all about ‘Island of the Missing’ and ‘The Symbiotic Leech’—our two 20-million-viewer films!”

As expected, this year’s awards season had been dominated by *Island of the Missing* and *The Symbiotic Leech*, sweeping categories like Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. But no one contested this result. Both films had exceeded expectations and rewritten Korean cinema history.

And at the center of it all was Kang Woo-jin, who was about to enter his third year in the industry.

Meanwhile.

While Korea was buzzing with year-end festivities and awards season, a different conversation was lighting up a major film forum.

—[If they’re really making a live-action *Beauty and the Beast*, how are they going to portray the Beast? CGI, maybe?]

—[If it’s Hollywood, they might go all out and use an actual beast for the role!]

—[It’s probably just a rumor, but I hope they don’t overdo the adaptation if they make it]

—[I agree. Some of Disney’s live-action adaptations went way off-track with the script]

The sudden buzz around *Beauty and the Beast* had begun just days ago.

It had started with a simple post from a user in LA claiming, “I heard rumors, and it seems *Beauty and the Beast* is being adapted into a live-action movie.” But that post quickly attracted massive attention. For days, it dominated discussions, with almost every post focusing on the possible adaptation of *Beauty and the Beast*.

—[Honestly, I hope they cast someone who truly embodies the characters for *Beauty and the Beast*]

—[This is just speculation, though! Why’s everyone treating it like it’s official?]

It might have been baseless gossip, but the poster had upped the credibility by uploading a photo of a business card proving they worked in the Hollywood film industry.

—[Confirmed—there’s a rumor circulating in Hollywood!]

—[Come on, how many times have we heard “confirmed” rumors turn out to be false?]

The discussion quickly shifted from the rumor itself to hypothetical casting ideas.

—[Here’s my dream cast for *Beauty and the Beast*!]

A virtual casting board for *Beauty and the Beast* was circulating online, with users suggesting their ideal Hollywood actors for the lead roles. *Beauty and the Beast* was such an iconic story that everyone had their own thoughts on who should play Belle and the Beast. While there were unique suggestions, several actors frequently appeared on these lists.

—[Looking at these, I always imagined Miley Cara as Belle]

—[Honestly, Miley Cara is perfect! For the Beast, I’d go with Jack Pettifer]

—[No way, Natalie Theron would be a better fit than Miley!]

—[The Beast could be played by anyone, but Belle has to be blonde!]

—[My childhood favorite is getting a live-action remake… this is exciting. I hope it’s true!]

For the Beast role, various names were thrown around, with top Hollywood actors known for their voice and acting abilities. Miley Cara’s name appeared often as a fan favorite for Belle. Naturally, no one thought of casting an Asian actor, much less Kang Woo-jin.

—[Will an Asian actor even make the cut?]

—[Maybe as an extra, like “Village Person #1” or something]

Who could’ve guessed that Woo-jin had been secretly considered

 for the role of the Beast in *Beauty and the Beast*? This wasn’t a prediction anyone could’ve made. After all, in the history of *Walt Disney Pictures* live-action adaptations, while Asian actors might have played minor roles, there had never been an Asian lead.

Curiously, though—

—[I heard a rumor in a Korean forum that *Beauty and the Beast* is being adapted?]

—[Wait, really??!]

—[No way, I love *Beauty and the Beast*! Is the rumor true?!]

—[There’s nothing in Hollywood news. It’s probably fake.]

The *Beauty and the Beast* rumor had crossed over from Korea into Japan, spreading primarily on forums and social media. The film’s popularity in Japan ensured it would draw attention quickly.

But Korea and Japan were just the beginning.

In Hollywood—specifically, LA—the rumor was already spreading. With the speculation gaining traction in Korea and Japan, the news had already become a hot topic in the US, with a much larger scale of discussion. Many online forums in the US treated the live-action *Beauty and the Beast* rumor as fact, with fan-casting speculation reaching fever pitch.

—The Beast has to be Brad Depp, and Belle must be Miley Cara. Anyone else would be a disappointment.

Naturally, Korean actors were never mentioned.

---

**December 21, Early Morning**

A man entered a movie theater in Seoul, dressed in a black puffer coat, hat pulled low, and a mask covering his face. Everything he wore was black. Checking his phone as he stepped off the elevator, he glanced around the lobby.

Despite it being a weekday morning, the lobby was quite crowded, with dozens of people munching on popcorn or watching the commercials on a large TV.

“Wow—this is my first Japanese film.”

“Still, doesn’t it feel less like a Japanese film? Maybe it’s because of Kang Woo-jin.”

“Yeah, Woo-jin is probably speaking Japanese, right?”

“Obviously, dude! He was clearly speaking Japanese in the trailer.”

“It’s crazy seeing a top-tier Korean actor starring in a Japanese film.”

As they waited for their movie, they shared their thoughts openly.

“I heard this film topped 20 million views in Japan?”

“Yep, over 23 million, I think?”

“That’s insane. Japanese audiences love it too. I heard there was some backlash initially, but in the end, it became a huge hit.”

“Did you see Woo-jin’s acceptance speech for Best Actor yesterday?”

“Yeah, I saw it in the news.”

“Hah—I can’t wait to see him in a Hollywood movie.”

A few glanced curiously at the man in black, but they didn’t pay him much attention. There were others by themselves, and with it being winter, wearing a mask wasn’t unusual.

After a few more minutes, the monitor displayed the title of the movie they were about to enter.

—*Strange Sacrifice* / Theater 7.

It was an early screening, and *Strange Sacrifice* was playing for the first time in Korea. The man in the black puffer coat entered the theater alone. Seeing that more than half the seats were filled, he let out a small exclamation.

“Oh—”

Surprised at the turnout for a morning showing, he found his seat, a spot near the front. As he settled in, the ads began to play on the large screen, signaling that *Strange Sacrifice* was about to begin.

Just then—

A vibration came from his coat pocket. Pulling out his phone to switch it to silent mode, he glanced at the message that had arrived.

**Director Choi:** Woo-jin, are you resting well? Just leaving a message in case you’re asleep. We just received final confirmation from Columbia Studios.

**Director Choi:** The audition and screen test are set for January 25th, so we should plan to leave around the 20th.

It was from Choi Seong-geon, his agency’s CEO.

**Director Choi:** And we also received an email from Disney. You’re confirmed as a candidate for *Beauty and the Beast*.