Chapter 420: Appearance (3)

Translator: Santos

The perspectives of Hollywood actors in the script reading room varied. Some were intrigued, others envious or skeptical, and a few simply bewildered by Kang Woo-jin’s extraordinary journey.

No matter how well he acted, the sight of a Korean actor with no prior Hollywood experience making such waves felt alien to them. As they watched Woo-jin, expressions of shock filled the room—wide eyes, stunned silence.

In the midst of this, Chris Hartnett glanced at Woo-jin and chuckled. "So, that was you going easy?"

Woo-jin simply nodded. "Yes."

Chris let out a half-laugh, amused by Woo-jin’s straightforwardness. "Most people wouldn’t say that so openly. But you’re… never ordinary, are you?"

To Chris, Woo-jin felt like a new species—an enigma that only deepened his interest. As he continued to observe him, Chris muttered, half to himself, "That explains why it felt different from the audition."

Woo-jin, maintaining his serious façade, wondered what was so amusing about the idea of “holding back.” He genuinely believed it made sense to restrain his performance for a script reading, giving about 30% of his full effort. After all, he didn’t want to look desperate by overdoing it, and he knew he’d made an impression even at this level.

From the stunned expressions around him, it seemed his calculated restraint had worked wonders.

*Thanks for the setup, Chris,* Woo-jin thought with a silent smirk.

However, his intention to keep a cool, nonchalant air had an unintended effect. Starting with Chris, a misunderstanding began to spread among the gathered Hollywood actors.

*So he’s only giving us a taste, holding back his full power,* they thought, each inflating the perception in their own way.

*“Holding back”? So, that wasn’t even his best?* The idea rippled through the room. *Was he purposefully establishing a clear line to show us he’s in a different league?*

*What does that mean for us? Here we are, blown away by his “restrained” performance. Is this some kind of power move to assert dominance?*

Each actor processed this notion differently, but the effect was the same—a rising tension filling the room. Watching Woo-jin’s calm demeanor, they grew increasingly aware of the immense gap they now imagined existed between them and him.

Even the journalists and staff members who had been observing began murmuring.

"Wait, are we supposed to believe that wasn’t his best?" a reporter whispered. "He said he was holding back, right?"

Chris Hartnett had an unusual glint in his eye as he regarded Woo-jin. To Chris, Woo-jin had become even more intriguing.

Amid this growing tension, Director An Gabok broke the silence.

"So, Woo-jin, would you be able to handle any other roles besides Henry Gordon in *Piero* if needed?"

Everyone’s gaze shifted in confusion, and the room grew quiet. *What does he mean by other roles?*

Without hesitation, Woo-jin answered in a low, even tone, "Yes, no problem."

For a moment, the room seemed to tremble with silent shock. Chris leaned forward, a spark of curiosity in his eye.

"If you really could manage other roles, I’d love to see you try mine."

With An Gabok’s approval, Woo-jin took on Chris’s role without a moment’s hesitation, instantly morphing into a completely different character. Watching him perform, Chris felt a chill run through him. This was not simply "good acting"; it was as if Woo-jin was a different person altogether.

Chris’s reaction reflected the sentiment of the entire room: *Is this even acting? He’s more like a chameleon… no, something far beyond that.*

The rest of the script reading was filled with a mix of awe and quiet dread. Some actors approached Woo-jin afterward, bombarding him with questions, while others quietly left, overwhelmed by what they’d witnessed.

After the reading, reporters raced to publish their impressions within the studio’s approved boundaries. Articles about the *Piero: Birth of a Villain* script reading flooded Hollywood within minutes.

---

As Woo-jin rode in a van afterward, he skimmed through the headlines on his phone:

*“CNM: Kang Woo-jin Leaves Everyone Speechless at *Piero* Script Reading—A True Force of Nature!”*

*“LA Times: Kang Woo-jin’s First Hollywood Script Reading Shakes the Room, Ready to Conquer Hollywood”*

Every headline seemed to feature his name prominently. Woo-jin allowed himself a small smile as he scrolled through the articles.

*“Heh… they sure like to hype things up.”*

He continued scanning through foreign media before checking Korean articles. The buzz surrounding his Emmy nomination was still going strong, with posts and comments that showed how much the news had inspired pride back home.

---

After his hectic schedule of interviews, meetings, and even a few parties, Woo-jin finally returned to Korea a week later, where he resumed filming for *Beneficial Evil* Part 2 without missing a beat. The energy on set was high as everyone pushed to finish production by June.

"Okay, Woo-jin, close-up shot! Action!" Director Song Man-woo called out.

*Beneficial Evil* Part 2 was nearing completion, with the entire team motivated to wrap things up by early June. The prospect of a fall release was thrilling to everyone, especially with the Emmy buzz in full swing.

"Airing Part 2 right after the Emmys would be perfect," someone commented, reflecting the shared hope that Woo-jin might bring home an award.

---

As filming wrapped up that evening, Woo-jin returned to his seat, his suit torn and smeared with special effects makeup from the intense shoot. Director Song patted him on the back, satisfied with the day’s work.

Returning to his seat, Woo-jin saw his manager Choi Sung-gon approach with a sly grin.

"Guess what?" Sung-gon said. "I just got a message—*Piero*’s first filming date is set."

"Really? When?"

"Second week of June."

A satisfied smile crossed Woo-jin’s face. His Hollywood journey was just beginning, and it was time to show the world what he was truly capable of.