Chapter 391: Overwhelmed (20)

Translator: Santos

 

As soon as Kang Woo-jin arrived in LA, *Beneficial Evil*’s first official teaser was released.

-【Worldwide Release on February 3rd!】Official Teaser for *Beneficial Evil* ｜ Netflix Korea

Though Woo-jin maintained a calm expression as he glanced at the teaser on stylist Han Ye-jeong’s phone, he couldn’t hide a bit of surprise inside.

“Whoa… this is huge.”

The teaser had been live for just 10 minutes on Netflix Korea’s official YouTube channel, yet already had over 110,000 views. Woo-jin nodded slowly, keeping his cool as he spoke to Han.

“I’ll check it on mine, thanks.”

She retrieved her phone, and soon the entire van was filled with his team, all watching the teaser. Woo-jin hit play on his own phone.

-Swish.

The 30-second clip started with a black screen, underscored by dramatic music, before revealing Woo-jin in military gear, followed by his voice-over. Miley Kara’s line soon joined his. Each shot was short, flashing through scenes that conveyed the intensity of *Beneficial Evil*’s themes—close-ups of the key characters, gunfire, explosions, fierce action sequences. The teaser seemed to almost assault the viewer with its urgency, with Woo-jin as the focal point.

As they entered the heart of LA, his team members began expressing their amazement.

“Wow, look at those shots—stunning!”

“Chills! Right as he shows up, Miley Kara’s voice comes in!”

“The quality is insane! What do you think, Woo-jin?”

“Yeah, it’s good.”

“Really? You actually think so?”

The praise poured in, and in the front seat, Choi Sung-geon nodded in satisfaction as the teaser ended with gritty gray text and release information.

-*Beneficial Evil*  
-Worldwide Release on February 3rd

Though Woo-jin’s face remained impassive, inside he was thrilled.

‘Yeah, it’s epic.’

Having already seen Episode 1, he shared his team’s enthusiasm even more.

‘If it’s already hit 110,000 views in 10 minutes, this could easily climb to millions.’

Woo-jin silently acknowledged that the scale of attention was no surprise. His international popularity was skyrocketing, especially after news of his involvement in projects like *Beauty and the Beast* as a candidate for the “Beast” role. Audiences across various countries were curious enough to search him up, and YouTube, in turn, was offering the freshly dropped *Beneficial Evil* teaser, drawing viewers from all over.

In reality…

‘The comments are wild.’

The comment section was already overwhelmed, with languages ranging from Korean to Japanese, English, French, and more. A few English comments caught Woo-jin’s attention.

-So this Korean actor is Kang Woo-jin, who’s in the running for the role of Beast?

-You don’t suit the Beast role.

-Whoa, I searched for Kang Woo-jin and found his new project? A Korean series? Guess I’ll watch it on Netflix and see.

-Looked him up, and it turns out he won Best Actor at Cannes last year? I’m curious if he’s as good as they say.

-Miley Kara? Why is Miley Kara in a Korean project?

-Kang Woo-jin and Miley were great on her last album, but Disney messed up by casting him for Beauty and the Beast.

-Why judge prematurely? He hasn’t even been confirmed yet.

The reactions ranged from supportive to skeptical to neutral, without any clear consensus. Comments in Korean and Japanese leaned more positive, expressing excitement for *Beneficial Evil*. Many were Miley Kara fans eager to see her performance as well. Still, over half the comments focused on Woo-jin’s possible casting in *Beauty and the Beast*, with some expressing doubts and others sheer curiosity.

The team members glanced at Woo-jin, who wore his usual poker face, though he seemed unfazed.

‘They’re having a fit, and I haven’t even done the audition yet.’

Woo-jin was unbothered by the uproar, his confidence intact.

‘Well, it’s gonna be mine anyway.’

---

Settling into LA, Woo-jin began preparing in earnest for the *Pierrot* audition and screen test. The days flew by amidst the Hollywood buzz—everything from *Pierrot*’s upcoming audition to the continued excitement around *Beauty and the Beast* casting and the recent release of *Beneficial Evil* starring Woo-jin and Miley Kara.

Meanwhile, Disney was carefully monitoring global reactions as they proceeded with *Beauty and the Beast*.

“Hmm, the noise around Woo-jin isn’t dying down.”

“It was expected.”

“Yes, but it’s more intense than we anticipated.”

“It’s a bold decision, but we’re committed. Besides, there’s no final decision yet, and even if Woo-jin is chosen, the end product will speak for itself.”

Used to media frenzies, Disney remained unfazed. Columbia Studios, however, was slightly taken aback, having been unaware of Disney’s *Beauty and the Beast* announcement. The tables had turned, now leaving Columbia surprised that Woo-jin was a contender for both projects.

But with *Pierrot* on the horizon, they felt compelled to proceed. This film was the launchpad for a massive “cinematic universe,” making the stakes incredibly high. Some executives voiced concerns.

“Did anyone know Woo-jin was in talks with Disney?”

“Even if we had, it wouldn’t change much. We’ve already announced him, and the audition is days away.”

“There’s still time to reconsider. Sharing an actor with Disney is unprecedented for us.”

“There won’t be an issue if our timelines are separate. Changing our decision now would be the real blow to our pride.”

Some even brought up concerns about Woo-jin’s stamina.

“If he works on both films simultaneously, it could strain both projects.”

But Director Ahn Ga-bok promptly shut down this worry.

“That won’t be an issue.”

“Pardon?”

“Woo-jin filmed multiple projects simultaneously during *The Leech*, enduring a brutal schedule. I can vouch for him.”

Ultimately, they decided to proceed with the audition as planned.

---

January 25th, 10 AM, LA.

Within Columbia Studios, resembling a sprawling amusement park, preparations were underway in a mid-sized hall where multiple tests were to be conducted. The stage, equipped with a large screen, lighting fixtures, and over a hundred seats, had a slightly intimate theater feel.

The hall bustled with activity as at least 20 staff members worked diligently.

“Move the table this way!”

“Is the camera setup ready?!”

“The table’s too small! We need a bigger one!”

“Check this spot; there’s a weird noise coming from the floor!”

Crew members were scattered across the stage, cleaning, inspecting, setting up a long table with monitors, and positioning various types of cameras. These were Columbia Studios’ people—specifically, *Pierrot*’s production team.

Their energy was both nervous and passionate.

“Stay sharp, everyone! Remember, today’s *Pierrot* audition and screen test is crucial!”

Today marked the beginning of *Pierrot*’s auditions and screen tests, starting with the male lead candidates.

Roughly thirty minutes later, with the setup nearly complete, others started to arrive. The first was a stern-looking woman with shoulder-length hair—the executive producer of *Pierrot*. After inspecting the hall, she nodded in approval.

“Looks good. Great work, everyone.”

Following her, *Pierrot*’s casting director, key staff, and Columbia Studios’ executives began entering, with around eight executives in total.

And then,

-Swish.

In came Director Ahn Ga-bok, the man tasked with launching Columbia’s cinematic universe through *Pierrot*. Scanning the expansive hall, he took a deep breath.

“Finally, we’re getting started.”

A fleeting thought of Woo-jin, who he’d soon meet, crossed his mind.

Once all the Columbia representatives were settled, the Hollywood actors began to trickle in—the heavyweights competing for the lead in *Pierrot*.

“Hello—”

The first actor, recognizable from his movies, entered with a team of four staff members, greeting familiar faces among the crew before taking a seat. Soon, other Hollywood actors arrived, exchanging brief nods with one another and filling the seats. Most had come with their teams.

The hall’s occupancy climbed over 50 as everyone awaited the auditions and screen tests. The reason for this large gathering was simple.

Today’s audition and screen test would be public, allowing everyone present to witness the performances.

Then,

-Swish.

The fourth candidate entered the hall. A black-haired Korean actor, his presence immediately drawing every *Pierrot* production member’s and Columbia executive’s gaze. Hollywood actors turned to look, each reacting internally.

‘So, that’s him—’

‘He seems taller than in photos…a striking presence.’

‘The only Korean actor. Guess we’ll see if he lives up to the hype today.’

It was Kang Woo-jin. Unfazed by the attention, Woo-jin only had his manager, Choi Sung-geon, with him. Despite his composed expression, his inner thoughts were swirling.

‘Wow, this place is huge. And those actors… I’ve seen them all somewhere. Incredible!’

Woo-jin then noticed something.

‘Ah, as expected.’

His attire matched that of the other actors sitting up front—he wore a tattered red jacket and pants, a yellow vest, and worn brown shoes, emulating “Henry Gordon” from *Pierrot*. His Hollywood competitors had clearly chosen similar attire, some even styling their hair like Henry’s later transformation into a longer-haired villain.

The sight of these seasoned Hollywood stars accelerated Woo-jin’s heartbeat. But he reminded himself of his mantra

—his steadfast persona and “beast mode” mindset.

As Woo-jin took in the scene, Sung-geon leaned in and whispered.

“Let’s go.”

Woo-jin nodded, only to hear a voice from behind.

“How have you been?”

He turned to see a tall, attractive man with striking hazel eyes—Chris Hartnett, a top Hollywood actor who had a run-in with Woo-jin in the past. Smiling, Chris extended his hand.

“Woo-jin, you’ll remember my name today, right?”

Woo-jin, stoic, took his hand.

“Hello, Chris.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing you act.”

“Same here.”

“Haha, this is going to be fun. Let’s go.”

Releasing his hand, Chris headed into the hall first, with Woo-jin following suit. Soon, all five candidates for *Pierrot*’s lead role were seated.

In the theater setup, the stage had a long table and monitor for the executive producer, Director Ahn, and the casting director. The first row held Columbia executives, while *Pierrot*’s key staff took seats at the right end. Woo-jin and Sung-geon sat just behind, surrounded by Hollywood actors and their teams.

The air was heavy with tension, yet calmly serious. The Columbia executives gave the executive producer a nod, signaling the beginning.

She cleared her throat and spoke in English.

“Shall we begin?”

Crew members manned the cameras onstage, and the monitors lit up. Adjusting the lighting, Director Ahn and the judges opened transparent files with the actors’ profiles. The producer addressed the actors again.

“We’ll be doing things a bit differently today. You were informed about performing both a prepared and an improvised scene, but we’re focusing solely on the improvised performance.”

The Hollywood actors murmured quietly. Unperturbed, the producer continued.

“So, feel free to perform any scene as ‘Henry Gordon,’ however you interpret him.”