Chapter 402: Full Bloom (8)

Translator: Santos

Kang Woo-jin was walking down the corridor of a building inside *World Disney Pictures* with Choi Sung-geon. Their team members waited back in the van. Keeping up his composed facade, Woo-jin moved his gaze forward as a foreign female staff member led the way. He glanced at her back and silently marveled.

‘Wow, she’s huge. Is she as tall as me? Maybe even taller?’

The woman had an impressive physique, standing almost as tall as Woo-jin, who was over 180 cm. It reminded him once again that everything in America seemed larger. But it wasn’t just the woman that caught his eye. The corridor itself was filled with fascinating sights. Disney posters adorned the walls, life-sized character statues stood at intervals, and countless foreigners passed by.

Interestingly enough—

‘Hmm?’

Many of the foreigners they passed stared openly at Woo-jin or whispered among themselves. Choi Sung-geon, adjusting his ponytail, whispered into Woo-jin’s ear, explaining what was going on.

“They’re curious about you.”

“...”

“Don’t take it the wrong way. To them, you’re like an alien. Think about it—you came out of nowhere, got linked with Miley Cara, blew up with *Benevolent Evil*, and now you’ve snagged the lead in *Piero*. Plus, you’re a contender for the role of the Beast in *Beauty and the Beast*. It’s not every day that an unfamiliar Korean actor accomplishes what’s hard even for seasoned Hollywood stars.”

Was that so? As Woo-jin thought it over, he realized it made sense. It was like if an actor from a country no one had heard of suddenly appeared in Korea and started dominating the scene.

‘Yeah, that would be weird.’

Being treated as an outsider was natural. He had made huge waves without any warning, after all. Woo-jin quickly ignored the curious stares. Being regarded as an eccentric was something he’d been used to since acquiring his unique abilities. It didn’t bother him at all.

Soon enough—

-The staff member, a towering woman, stopped walking. She smiled and pointed to the right.

“Please go inside.”

Beyond the glass door, the inside was visible. It looked like a meeting room, complete with a long table. Choi Sung-geon opened the glass door first, and Woo-jin followed. Inside, over a dozen foreigners were already seated. Woo-jin scanned them as he entered.

‘Hmm, are these the people I saw at the pre-meeting? Some new faces here too. But what’s this? Is this where the audition is happening? That’s odd.’

These were the higher-ups from the *Beauty and the Beast* team—executives, producers, and even the director from *World Disney Pictures*. They all stood to greet him as soon as he stepped in, most of them offering congratulations.

“Congratulations on landing the lead in *Piero: Birth of a Villain*.”

“I didn’t expect such a big announcement.”

“Congratulations, haha. Your recognition is skyrocketing.”

“It’s been a while. I’m enjoying *Benevolent Evil*. It’s amazing that it reached number one on Netflix in the U.S. I hope it continues to do well.”

Woo-jin accepted their congratulations with polite handshakes, though he found it somewhat tiresome.

‘Why do they all have to come up and talk? Couldn’t just one representative do it?’

But he had to endure. The audition was ahead, and maintaining his composed image was essential. Woo-jin kept his stoic expression intact. After about 10 minutes, he and the *Beauty and the Beast* team sat across from each other at the long table. An older man sitting in the middle spoke first. He was half-bald and wore black-rimmed glasses.

He appeared to be in his 60s.

“I found *Benevolent Evil* really entertaining. The action scenes, in particular, were spectacular. I didn’t know you were so skilled in action sequences, Mr. Kang.”

Woo-jin replied in composed English.

“Thank you, Director.”

The man in black-rimmed glasses was Bill Rotner, the director of the live-action *Beauty and the Beast*. He was an acclaimed Hollywood director, known for his numerous hits despite not winning many awards. He had collaborated with *World Disney Pictures* multiple times.

Bill Rotner continued with a serious expression.

“Today’s *Beauty and the Beast* audition and screen test will be conducted privately.”

This meant that Woo-jin wouldn’t see any other actors competing for the role.

“And the audition will take place at a different location. We called you here first because you’re up first and we’ll move together.”

He then explained the audition procedure.

“The screen test location is a set that will be used for the actual filming of *Beauty and the Beast*. Although the set is still under construction, the area where the audition will be held is complete. We’ll want you to perform as we direct. You’ll also change into costume.”

A real filming set? Woo-jin, listening nonchalantly, felt a twinge of excitement inside. He would be the first actor to step onto the *Beauty and the Beast* set. After fielding questions from the producers and executives for about 30 more minutes, Woo-jin and the team left the meeting room.

The *Beauty and the Beast* team seemed to be moving as one.

The group was massive—over 100 people, and that was only half of the total crew. Vans, trucks, and buses began to exit *World Disney Pictures*, including Woo-jin’s van. In the van, Choi Sung-geon searched the location on his phone and spoke to Woo-jin.

“It’s the *SPT Studio*. Apparently, it’s a well-known film set here. It’s a whopping 50,000 square meters. Whoa—what a size...”

50,000 square meters? Woo-jin had no real sense of how big that was, but he figured he’d see for himself soon. Choi Sung-geon continued briefing him on the *Beauty and the Beast* filming plan, which involved eight sets and two outdoor locations.

“Most of the set shooting will happen at this *SPT Studio*. They couldn’t use the stages at *World Disney Pictures* because another movie is currently using them. It seems they contracted an external studio because the schedules didn’t align.”

After an hour of travel, during which Choi Sung-geon shared various details, the van arrived in an area with fewer buildings and more open spaces. Ahead was a massive gray warehouse—the entrance to the sprawling 50,000 square meter *SPT Studio*.

-Vroom!

The *Beauty and the Beast* convoy, including Woo-jin’s van, entered the *SPT Studio*. At this point, Woo-jin was—

“...”

Trying to maintain a cynical expression, but inwardly, his jaw dropped.

‘Whoa—this is insane! Is this really a film set?!’

He couldn’t help but be awestruck by the sheer scale. He’d been impressed by large Korean film sets before, but this was on another level. The expanse was several times larger than a huge apartment complex. The warehouse-like stages, double the size of logistics warehouses, numbered in the dozens, each flanked by bustling construction teams.

The sight was impressive on its own.

But what truly left Woo-jin speechless was when he stepped into one of the enormous warehouses.

‘Holy—! Is this real life?!’

As soon as he set foot inside the set, Woo-jin forgot to maintain his act and stood still, taking in the scene before him. A high ceiling adorned with countless lights, dozens of elaborate chandeliers, antique furniture, ornately decorated columns, and a marbled floor with a large painted mural.

If nobles in ball gowns and suits were present, it would be a palace ballroom straight out of a storybook.

Looking at the grand beige-and-brown themed ballroom set, Woo-jin thought:

‘This is incredible.’

He felt as if he had stepped into a fairytale or fantasy world. But this was reality. The vast ballroom set was bustling with over a hundred foreign crew members, cameras, and equipment being set up all around.

‘...Spectacular.’

The word “spectacular” fit perfectly. At that moment, Choi Sung-geon, who was openly expressing his awe, brought Woo-jin back to reality. He patted Woo-jin’s shoulder.

“Woo-jin, look over there.”

Woo-jin, now recollecting his demeanor, turned to where Choi Sung-geon pointed.

‘Ah, the piano.’

A grand piano was set up in one corner of the ballroom set.

And of course—

‘Even the piano is extravagant.’

It was the piano Woo-jin would play.

Soon after.

The set for the *Beauty and the Beast* screen test was fully prepared. Lights illuminated the grand ballroom ceiling, making the chandeliers sparkle. Cameras, both mounted and handheld, were in place. Audio equipment was set up.

The crew of over a hundred, including the director and various officials, gathered. The equipment and personnel made it feel like a real shoot, though this was considered a minimal setup. Foreign staff, including Director Bill Rotner, producers, key staff, and *World Disney Pictures* executives, gathered at a table with monitors displaying different camera angles.

The main focus was the piano.

The cameras were ready. Director Bill Rotner glanced around, searching for Woo-jin. He was off to one side of the set, checking his costume, and appeared ready to step onto the stage. At that moment, the executive producer whispered to Director Rotner.

“His popularity has soared in a short time. When we picked him

 as a candidate, or even at the pre-meeting, he wasn’t this talked about. What do you think?”

The half-bald Director Rotner shrugged.

“About what?”

“Unlike the pre-meeting, today he has to show what we’ve outlined. Will he manage it well?”

“I don’t know. But we already know he’s talented. He’s been vetted, and we saw him at the pre-meeting. I’m expecting his acting to be impressive. If he wasn’t solid, *Columbia Studios* wouldn’t have entrusted him with the start of such a huge project.”

At that moment—

“Hmm—”

An unfamiliar foreign executive, who hadn’t attended the pre-meeting, spoke up.

“Still, regardless of his existing skills, the point of today’s audition is how convincingly he can become the ‘Beast’. We know his vocal, piano, and acting skills are top-notch, but the key will be how authentically he embodies the ‘Beast’.”

It wasn’t wrong. It was the general consensus in the industry. Moreover, *Beauty and the Beast* was based on a beloved global classic. The production would prioritize perfect synchronization with the original over flashy, creative reinterpretations.

In other words, he would need to abandon his own style and fully commit to being the ‘Beast’.

“There are times when an actor’s ego gets in the way, and they alter or overinterpret a character.”

Several executives nodded, having seen such incidents before.

“It’s true. Talented actors sometimes fall into that trap. And Kang Woo-jin is known to be strong-willed, right? That can be a strength but also a concern.”

“An actor needs a certain amount of stubbornness, but... ultimately, getting as close as possible to the character is fundamental. For a live-action adaptation like *Beauty and the Beast*, even more so. I hope Kang Woo-jin doesn’t make a mistake, thinking he can ride the wave of his current momentum.”

In the end, both the producer and Director Bill Rotner nodded in agreement. From the flow of the conversation, it was clear that *World Disney Pictures* wanted a faithful portrayal of the ‘Beast’ rather than an overly creative one. They knew Woo-jin’s skill level. His energy at the pre-meeting had most closely matched the ‘Beast’.

But his status in Hollywood had changed significantly since then.

He might let that boost in status lead him astray during this audition. This was what *World Disney Pictures* was worried about.

At that moment—

“We’re ready!!”

A staff member called out, and Woo-jin stepped onto the ballroom set.

“...”

His expression was composed. His attire was an elegant combination of blue and beige, adorned with silver patterns. As Woo-jin approached the piano, the eyes of over a hundred crew members focused on him, and Director Bill Rotner spoke from the table with the monitors.

“You can start whenever you’re ready.”

Woo-jin sat at the piano, its white surface decorated with golden patterns. Every monitor displayed him from different angles. He placed one hand on the keys.

-Swish.

He slid his hand over the black-and-white keys briefly before placing both hands down.

And then—

-♬♪

The sound of the piano filled the grand ballroom set. Woo-jin’s performance had begun, and the tempo gradually picked up.

Within just ten seconds—

“Impressive...”

“...Wow.”

“Is he really an actor?”

“He’s playing at that level, even though he’s only had the sheet music for a short time?”

The jaws of everyone in the room dropped. Kang Woo-jin’s piano performance was truly breathtaking. Director Bill Rotner watched Woo-jin on the monitor.

‘...He’s smiling.’

Woo-jin had a faint smile mixed with exhilaration. It was only natural. Right now, Kang Woo-jin wasn’t the ‘Beast’.

‘He’s just a prince, thrilled by the sheer joy of playing the piano.’

The prince before he became a beast.