Chapter 398: Full Bloom (4)

Translator: Santos

 

*Beneficial Evil* hit number one on Netflix in the U.S.? As Kang Woo-jin stared at the foreign news article displayed on Choi Sung-gon's phone, he remained silent, his outward composure carefully maintained. Inside, though, he felt a deep sense of confusion. 

‘Number one, huh? That’s good, but... just how impressive is this, really?’

It was an entirely new experience for him, making it hard to fully grasp the weight of it. Choi Sung-gon, unable to contain his excitement, spoke with enthusiasm.

“This is huge! *Beneficial Evil* is the first Korean project to top Netflix’s U.S. chart as an original series!”

First? That sounded pretty incredible. This time, Woo-jin felt like shouting for joy, albeit only internally. If Choi Sung-gon hadn’t been present, he might have been jumping around in excitement. Instead, he worked to suppress the rush of emotion.

“Yes, I’m aware.”

“Haha! Based on what I read, only the U.S. rankings have been officially announced so far. But still, the U.S. is the main one out of the 80 countries. This is an insane starting point! The influence and word-of-mouth in the U.S. are absolutely massive!”

“Have the other country rankings been released yet?”

“Not yet, but they’ll come soon. But since we’ve topped the U.S. chart, we can definitely have high expectations for the others too!”

Choi Sung-gon’s briefing continued with gusto, his grin unyielding. Woo-jin responded in a low tone, maintaining his composed front.

“Reaching number one is significant, but it’s too soon to jump to conclusions.”

“You’re right.”

Lowering his phone, Choi nodded in agreement.

“We might be number one today, but we could drop tomorrow. And unlike box office numbers, these rankings are fluid and can change rapidly. For *Beneficial Evil*’s number one spot on U.S. Netflix to be groundbreaking, it needs to stay at the top and generate consistent word-of-mouth. But still…”

Choi paused and raised his phone again, his smile growing wider.

“Even if we hold that spot for just one day, it’s already phenomenal. This is the first time a Korean project has reached number one in the U.S. on Netflix. We’ve knocked out those long-standing top shows that dominate the upper ranks. We shattered that concrete barrier—and with a Korean drama, no less!”

As Choi explained, breaking into the top spots on any country’s Netflix chart was difficult, but the U.S. market was especially tough. The sheer number of outstanding, often monumental series made it nearly impossible. Sure, another American hit could manage it, but a Korean drama breaking through the U.S. Netflix chart was almost unheard of due to its limited recognition and interest.

Yet *Beneficial Evil* had done the impossible. Even if it lasted for just one day, it had already made history, elevating the prestige of Korean dramas and enhancing their image in the U.S. It was a significant step, even if brief. But if this momentum lasted for days or even weeks, it was clear that the entire world would be turned upside down.

This level of sustained success was incredibly difficult to achieve.

Even so, Choi Sung-gon couldn’t help but picture a bright future for *Beneficial Evil*.

“If we can hold this momentum for just a week... whoa, it’ll be a complete game changer. Your recognition abroad, Woo-jin, will skyrocket even more.”

Suddenly, he clapped his hands together.

“Oh! That’s right! Woo-jin, your Instagram and ‘Kang Woo-jin Persona’ channel are probably blowing up already!”

Even though he hadn’t checked, it was obvious. Meanwhile, Woo-jin kept his composed expression but allowed his mind to wander briefly.

‘*Beneficial Evil*’s level is EX…’

Given the results of previous SSS-level projects like *Strange Sacrifice* and *The Leech*, it was clear that an EX-level project like *Beneficial Evil* was poised to drop a series of bombs on the global stage.

Woo-jin managed to suppress the smile threatening to appear on his lips.

‘Phew—close call.’

At that moment, Choi Sung-gon, who had been metaphorically dancing with joy, spoke up again.

“Anyway, while being number one in the U.S. is incredible, the rankings in other countries matter too. The combined global ranking will be even more significant.”

Just then, Choi’s phone rang. It was Kim So-hyang, the general director back in Korea.

“Yes, this is Choi!” 

While Choi dove into the call, Woo-jin’s phone also buzzed with a long vibration. Another call. This time, it was Miley Cara. Woo-jin pressed the phone to his ear.

“Hello.”

Miley’s voice, tinged with laughter, came through the line.

“I’m watching *Beneficial Evil* right now, and it looks amazing. I’m even impressed with my scenes.”

“Is that so?”

“Did you hear the news? Congratulations on topping the U.S. Netflix chart.”

“Congratulations to you too.”

“Right, I should be congratulated too, shouldn’t I? I’ve been getting so many messages. And this isn’t just for show.”

Miley added, sincerely:

“A lot of my colleagues are raving about how good *Beneficial Evil* is.”

By “colleagues,” she undoubtedly meant top-tier Hollywood actors.

Meanwhile.

By noon on February 4th, a day after the official launch of *Beneficial Evil*, Korea was saturated with its presence.

It was an explosive phenomenon.

**“[Hot Topic] Kang Woo-jin’s *Beneficial Evil* finally revealed, tops Korea’s Netflix chart immediately after release!”**

**“Social media and various online communities are on fire with *Beneficial Evil*... ‘It’s insanely good!’ dominate reactions.”**

**“‘Holds its own against Hollywood productions,’ critics shower praise on *Beneficial Evil*.”**

Countless articles were circulating, but most of them focused on international news.

**“*Beneficial Evil* makes waves! First Korean drama to top the U.S. Netflix chart.”**

**“How good is *Beneficial Evil*? Tops charts in the U.S. as well as Korea!”**

**“Kang Woo-jin’s action resonates globally, marking *Beneficial Evil* as the first Korean show to hit number one in the U.S.”**

Number one in Korea, number one in the U.S. That made two top spots already. But *Beneficial Evil* was streaming in 80 countries, which meant there were still plenty of rankings to come.

Soon, new updates arrived.

**“*Beneficial Evil* also claims the top spot on Netflix in Japan after Korea and the U.S.”**

**“Japan gives a thumbs-up to *Beneficial Evil*, following in the footsteps of *Strange Sacrifice* and *The Leech*.”**

Japan joined the list of countries where the show had reached number one. By this point, public opinion in Korea—and to be honest, from the moment *Beneficial Evil* launched—was already in a frenzy.

**“LOL, *Beneficial Evil* is amazing!”**

**“To be honest... I didn’t expect much, but *Beneficial Evil* turned out incredible.”**

**“I thought it was boring.”**

**“Agreed, LOL. Kang Woo-jin’s action scenes were mind-blowing!”**

**“Fact: Kang Woo-jin’s action in *Beneficial Evil* includes a significant amount of CQC, which is considered highly challenging even in Hollywood.”**

**“Oh my god; Kang Woo-jin is so cool…”**

**“I almost lost it during the long-take scene.”**

**“The chemistry between Kang Woo-jin and Miley Cara is off the charts, LOL. She had more screen time than I expected, so I’ll have to watch it again!”**

**“The long take plus Kang Woo-jin’s action gave me chills.”**

**“It was decent, don’t exaggerate. It’ll probably drop from number one in the U.S. by tomorrow.”**

**“The quality of *Beneficial Evil* is insane... I’m watching it right now, and it feels just like a Hollywood movie...”**

**“Action, directing, acting—there’s nothing that falls short. This is a masterpiece.”**

**“Whoa... is it true that *Beneficial Evil* topped Netflix in the U.S.? This is wild, LOL.”**

**“Watch *Beneficial Evil* ten times; it’s a visual feast.”**

Social media, blogs, forums, YouTube—no matter where you looked online, all anyone could talk about was *Beneficial Evil*. The buzz was more than just a surge; it was an inferno. What was especially interesting:

**“Global hit potential? *Beneficial Evil* gains traction with overseas netizens as well.”**

The frenzied reactions were spreading beyond Korea, with international communities also lighting up with praise.

The momentum was strong.

Word-of-mouth was spreading like a storm, and as a result, everyone involved with *Beneficial Evil*—from Netflix Korea to Director Song Man-woo and writer Choi Na-na—was swamped with work.

Meanwhile, the show’s influence continued to grow.

**“Top stars are sharing their *Beneficial Evil* viewing moments on social media.”**

**“[Trending] The powerful wave of the *Beneficial Evil* syndrome hits Korea and the world!”**

And this was just one day after its release. It was only the beginning.

By the morning of the 5th

:

**“OMG! *Beneficial Evil* is number one in Hong Kong too!!”**

And by the 6th, new first-place announcements kept coming.

**“*Beneficial Evil* tops Netflix charts in Mexico, France, Saudi Arabia, and Hong Kong! Holds the second spot in the U.K. and Switzerland.”**

*Beneficial Evil* was creating something massive.

**“[Feature] The shockwave of *Beneficial Evil*, on its third day, maintains top spots in multiple countries including Korea and the U.S.”**

It was becoming an unstoppable global sensation.

Meanwhile, in LA.

In the heart of LA’s bustling downtown stood the massive Columbia Studio. Inside one of its medium-sized meeting rooms, Kang Woo-jin sat.

“…”

He sat at the center of a rectangular table, gazing out the window. His expression was serious, and his attire—a blazer—was formal. But inside, he was as excited as ever.

‘Whoa—how many countries did *Beneficial Evil* hit number one in? Was it 20?’

Even in LA, Woo-jin was staying updated on the worldwide storm that *Beneficial Evil* was creating. With each passing day, he was more amazed, yet he knew this was only the beginning.

Still, he needed to stay composed.

‘Nope, don’t smile, mouth.’

The excitement he held in was visible on the faces of Choi Sung-gon and the BW Entertainment staff around him. They had been monitoring the show’s progress since morning and were now chatting excitedly about all the related news. Smiles were plastered on their faces.

The creation of new records and legends every day made it inevitable.

At that moment—

The glass door opened, and a group of foreign executives entered the meeting room. Their faces were familiar. Among them were the lead producer of *Pierrot* and top Columbia Studio officials. At the end of the line was Director Ahn Ga-bok, with his lined face.

These were the key figures behind the film *Pierrot*.

Soon, the room was filled with more than a dozen people facing each other. Woo-jin’s team had five members, and the opposing side had seven. The reason for this gathering was straightforward.

The first official meeting following the audition.

Simply put—

‘Phew—it’s a little nerve-wracking.’

Woo-jin sat at his first Hollywood negotiation table, not as a candidate but as the confirmed lead for the role of Henry Gordon in *Pierrot*. A slight tension coursed through him. While he had been in numerous meetings, this was his first experience in Hollywood, so a touch of nerves was natural.

The meeting began with simple pleasantries.

Questions about how everyone had been, thoughts on the recent audition, and, of course, the current sensation of *Beneficial Evil* in the U.S. Woo-jin even exchanged words in Korean with Director Ahn.

“*Beneficial Evil* is a massive hit. I enjoyed it too.”

“Thank you.”

“People here seem to be watching it as well. It’s creating quite a stir. My instinct tells me *Beneficial Evil* won’t just fade away.”

“I think so too.”

“It looks like it’s set to make a big impact.”

About ten minutes passed this way.

Then—

“Mr. Kang Woo-jin.”

One of the foreign producers, a woman with striking features, adopted a serious expression.

“Today, we’re going to finalize several things regarding your role as Henry Gordon. But before we move forward, there are two important points to discuss. Both are related to *Pierrot* and quite significant. Although we want you for the role, you have the right to decline after hearing them.”

Decline? That was laughable. Watching her set a heavy tone, Woo-jin remained silent, deciding to listen first. The producer glanced at Director Ahn and the studio executives before speaking again.

“First, the announcement of your casting as Henry Gordon was originally planned to coincide with the casting of the other main roles. That’s the standard approach. Most studios, including ours, follow this process. We estimated it would happen in about a month.”

“…”

“But we feel it’s necessary to change the timeline. The global attention on *Beneficial Evil* is immense, from Hollywood and beyond.”

The producer locked eyes with Woo-jin, her voice firm.

“The announcement will be made solely about you, and the event won’t be small. It will be held much sooner—in just three days. Are you okay with that? If it feels rushed or burdensome—”

“No.”

Woo-jin shook his head and answered in a calm, low voice in English.

“I’m fine with it happening right now.”

At that very moment—

Columbia Studio’s official social media page posted a new update.

**“Hello. This is Columbia Studio. We have exciting news about the movie *Pierrot*, which is currently in production. Columbia Studio has been working on a major project for several years, and we’ve recently solidified its direction.”**

The post felt meticulous and carefully crafted. Understandable.

It was the first official unveiling of Columbia Studio’s long-secret grand project.

**“*Pierrot* is set to be the opening film for this massive project.”**

It was the moment they first revealed their *Cinematic Universe*.