Chapter 389: Overwhelmed (18)

Translator: Santos

 

As Woo-jin's younger sister, Kang Hyun-ah—known online as “Sister Girl”—stared at him, stunned, Woo-jin couldn't help but suppress a mischievous smile.

'She's totally lost it—ah, it'd be hilarious to mess with her right now.'

Under normal circumstances, the playful Woo-jin would have teased her with a comment like, “Are you okay? That face is looking pretty weird.” Or perhaps, “Try not to shoot your face off unexpectedly.” And Hyun-ah would have inevitably exploded in response. But, surrounded by hundreds of fans, Woo-jin had to maintain his serious demeanor. It was times like this when he found his composed “celebrity act” somewhat constraining. For now, he lowered his voice, pretending to know nothing.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Feigning ignorance, he glanced at her, and Hyun-ah, eyes widening further, held out her phone.

“T-this article just came out?”

On her phone was a newly published headline:

『[StarTalk] Kang Woo-jin Included Among Candidates for “Beast” Role in Walt Disney Pictures' *Beauty and the Beast* Live-Action Adaptation』

Woo-jin’s expression didn’t change; he’d already guessed this would happen when Hyun-ah had asked him about the “Beast” role. Disney likely announced the list of candidate actors for the part.

‘Though it’s surprising, even for them, to make a move this sudden.’

It felt similar to the buzz around *Pierrot*. But with *Beauty and the Beast* being such a beloved classic, he anticipated an even bigger reaction than before. He thought to himself,

‘I’d be shocked too if there were a Korean actor in the running for the “Beast” role.’

Although Woo-jin hadn’t given much thought to the other candidates, he could already picture the lineup—Hollywood’s top actors, no doubt. Lost in thought for a moment, he raised his gaze from the phone to look at his dazed sister, replying casually.

“Yes, it’s accurate.”

His low, matter-of-fact tone made it seem as though Hyun-ah was starting to accept it, then she blinked and exploded.

“What?!” she shrieked, her voice echoing throughout the department store lobby, instantly amplifying the crowd's chatter tenfold. Still, Woo-jin just nodded calmly.

“Yeah, it’s true.”

Hyun-ah’s eyes went wide, her mouth agape. She managed a weak response.

“…Whoa.”

By now, the entire fan signing event was in an uproar.

“%&^^@*!*!!”

“Woo-jin oppa!*%*(#(*%*(#”

“Kyaa!!$*#%*#(%@)(”

The murmuring escalated into a cacophony of frantic screams, hundreds of fans holding up their phones and taking pictures like there was no tomorrow. The fan signing had transformed into utter chaos. Yet, Woo-jin sat there, maintaining his calm facade.

Internally, though, he was a bit nervous.

'What if they actually start charging at me?'

The crowd’s intense reaction was unnerving, and though the security guards were holding them back, he wasn’t sure how long that would last.

Just then,

“Woo-jin.”

From behind him, CEO Choi Sung-geon approached with a whisper.

“Let’s wrap things up for now. I’ve arranged for the event to resume later; for now, we’ll make an exit.”

“Yes, sir.”

Lowering his pen, Woo-jin rose from his seat. His movement stirred a fresh wave of loud cheers from the crowd in front of him and those leaning over from the balconies above. Woo-jin started to descend from the platform but stopped. He turned to face the ecstatic crowd and gestured for silence, indicating they should quiet down.

As the volume dropped significantly, Woo-jin spoke.

“By now, you’ve probably seen the news or heard the rumors. Yes, I am confirmed as a candidate for both *Pierrot* and *Beauty and the Beast*. I’ll do my best to make sure you see my name as the confirmed actor for both roles.”

A piercing wave of screams filled the store once again.

---

As mid-January approached, Woo-jin’s name sparked a media storm across Korea and beyond. More accurately, Walt Disney Pictures had ignited it. Without warning, they had announced the candidates for the key roles in *Beauty and the Beast*.

Woo-jin was listening to the announcement from inside a van.

“We appreciate the tremendous interest in our live-action adaptation of *Beauty and the Beast*.”

The briefing was being handled by CEO Choi Sung-geon in the front passenger seat, with Woo-jin and the team listening intently.

“We’ve seen the hypothetical casting discussions across SNS and online communities and are thrilled by this show of affection. In response, we are releasing the official candidates for the major roles, starting with ‘Belle.’”

Choi Sung-geon began listing the actresses, each name more famous than the last, causing the team to react with awe. Woo-jin was similarly impressed, albeit a bit detached.

‘Wait—who was that actress? I know her name from somewhere.’

It reminded him of Chris Hartnett. She was famous, yet he couldn’t quite place her. Then Choi Sung-geon mentioned a familiar name.

“Miley Kara.”

Oh? Miley Kara? That was unexpected. Woo-jin had seen her name floating around on fan-casting boards. It turned out she really was a candidate. He hadn’t heard it directly from her, though.

‘Coincidence? Probably just that.’

Some of the stylists chimed in.

“Woo-jin oppa and Miley Kara seem to have quite the connection!”

“Right? *Beauty and the Beast* was probably just a coincidence, right? You haven’t heard anything about it, have you?”

“Nope, nothing.”

“But Miley Kara would honestly be perfect for Belle.”

Woo-jin nodded in agreement. Just then, Choi Sung-geon began listing the candidates for the “Beast” role. Hollywood’s top actors, including a hugely popular pop singer, were named, and finally,

“And… Kang Woo-jin.”

The team erupted into thrilled exclamations. Amid the cheers, Choi Sung-geon added,

“Wow—this post is blowing up in the comments.”

Everyone immediately checked their phones, Woo-jin included. He wasn’t wrong—the SNS post by Walt Disney Pictures was swamped with comments, in countless languages, all actively pouring in.

‘Seriously? This is insane.’

The comments easily surpassed tens of thousands. As Woo-jin scrolled through them, he saw a flood of passionate reactions—many positive but an equally large number of critical ones. This didn’t surprise Woo-jin, though he noticed the darker expressions on Choi Sung-geon and the team’s faces.

“...We expected this, but—some of it’s really harsh.”

Woo-jin switched over to a local news site. Sure enough, his face was plastered across the main headlines.

『Kang Woo-jin Named as Candidate for “Beast” in Live-Action *Beauty and the Beast*!』

Below it were countless articles with his name front and center.

『Walt Disney Pictures’ *Beauty and the Beast* Candidates Announced, Including World Stars—and Kang Woo-jin?』

『[Issue Talk] Kang Woo-jin Shocks the Nation Once Again with Disney’s Unforeseen Announcement』 

---

Articles were popping up non-stop. With *Pierrot* already a major story, the news of Woo-jin’s candidacy for *Beauty and the Beast* only added fuel to the fire. Who would have thought his name would be attached to such a beloved classic?

Local media outlets quickly began covering the story exclusively.

『“From *Pierrot* to *Beauty and the Beast*? What Happened During Woo-jin’s Recent Trip to LA?”』

Throughout the day, Woo-jin’s name was everywhere—news, radio, even on YouTube, which was flooded with exclusive takes on the story.

SNS and community sites were already at their limit.

- Lolololol is this for real? Hahaha, Woo-jin is insane!

- Goosebumps...Is this not history in the making? A Korean actor as a candidate in not one but two Hollywood major films?

- Am I the only one who’s losing it seeing Woo-jin’s name among all these huge Hollywood stars?

- Why is everyone so hyped? I honestly don’t think Woo-jin suits the “Beast” role.

- ↑ You’re not alone, there’s a lot of backlash against Disney online for this.

- What nonsense is that? He’s only a candidate, he’s not confirmed yet.

The polarized reactions continued to clash.

- Disney...if he gets cast, his fame will skyrocket, but so will the hate… a double-edged sword…

- People! This is a Korean actor making waves in Hollywood! Why the hate? We should be cheering him on!

- Haters gonna hate. Woo-jin just has to blow everyone away with his talent, end of story.

- This really gives me chills, haha. Imagine if Woo-jin actually lands both *Pierrot* and *Beauty and the Beast*…

- He fits the role well, actually. And if he’s paired with Kara, that’s a solid match. Great voice, incredible acting.

---

This buzz persisted for several days. The flames of interest were fierce. Woo-jin’s social media and YouTube channels were bombarded. Practically everyone in the domestic entertainment industry, from actors to directors to the general public, was talking about him.

『[Issue Check] Media and Public Fixated on Kang Woo-jin—A Monumental Start to the New Year Despite His Silence』

Japan was equally ab

uzz.

“Did you hear? Kang Woo-jin’s a candidate for Disney’s *Beauty and the Beast* live-action!”

“Really? Not *Pierrot*?”

“What’s going on? He’s confirmed as a candidate for both?”

“Amazing! I just watched him in *The Leech* the other day!”

“He really should appear as a guest somewhere!”

Even Japanese variety shows frequently mentioned Woo-jin, and local media was filled with stories about him. Though reactions varied, Japan, like Korea, was filled with discussions centered around Woo-jin.

And the conversation spread beyond Hollywood.

『[Global Topic] Kang Woo-jin’s Name Resounds in LA—Divided Opinions on Whether He Fits *Beauty and the Beast*’s “Beast” Role』

The topic was quickly gaining worldwide traction.

---

A few days later, January 18, at DM Production.

The large editing room at DM Production, where *Beneficial Evil* was being finalized, was filled with the musty smell of long hours. Huddled around the room were editors exhausted from non-stop work.

They all sat silently, staring at the monitors in front of them, barely moving except for breathing. In the middle, one bearded man was still at work—PD Song Man-woo.

- Tap, tap tap.

Moving deftly over the controls, his beard had grown even thicker, and the dark circles under his eyes were more pronounced. Despite Woo-jin’s rising fame beyond Korea, Song Man-woo’s focus remained unshaken.

- ♬♪

Music played and stopped in the room, and Woo-jin’s face appeared on the monitors, freezing in various scenes. After hours of editing, Song Man-woo finally leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh.

“Phew—It’s done.”

The editors gulped, watching him, as Song Man-woo rubbed his face with both hands. After a few seconds, he picked up his phone and dialed a number. The call connected quickly, and he spoke.

“Yes, General Director.”

On the other end was Kim So-hyang from Netflix Korea, and amidst the frenzy over Woo-jin’s global fame,

“The editing is finished.”

*Beneficial Evil* was now ready to launch.