Chapter 428: Joker (6)

Translator: Santos

Chris Hartnett came to a sudden conclusion.

“So, that ad-lib was completely spontaneous?”

Kang Woo-jin, maintaining a neutral expression, was internally screaming.

‘What nonsense is he spouting? Does he really think I came up with that on the spot?’

But Chris, fully immersed in his own misconceptions, seemed deeply impressed.

“A performance like that, on the spot—it’s both shocking and thrilling.”

What part of that was thrilling, exactly? Woo-jin kept silent, confused by the Hollywood superstar's reaction. Chris continued talking, mentioning how he enjoyed ad-libbing himself and how he hoped Woo-jin would be open to it.

Woo-jin had heard from Choi Sung-geon and Miley Cara, as well as the crew, that Hollywood was far more open to improvisation compared to Korea. Directors here often relied on the actor’s instincts without strict directions, allowing top actors like Chris considerable freedom in their performances.

Was this a declaration of war?

For Chris, it wasn’t. But to Woo-jin, it might as well have been. The popular Hollywood actor was inviting him to embrace his ad-libs freely. Outwardly, Woo-jin’s expression remained steady, but inwardly, he felt a sharp jolt of tension.

‘So, he could just jump in and improvise whenever?’

However, Woo-jin’s determination kicked in. In the past, he might have felt overwhelmed, but he now had enough experience to stay calm.

Besides—

‘Screw it. I can handle anything he throws at me with my abilities.’

Woo-jin knew he had the freedom to break boundaries with his role, no matter what kind of performance came his way. The Joker he had unleashed on set could go even crazier if needed—but only under Woo-jin’s control.

With a composed tone, he responded to Chris, his voice steady but heavy.

“You won’t enjoy it, I’m afraid. You’ll need to be prepared.”

Chris’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“Prepared?”

“Yes. You mentioned that you act freely.”

“I do.”

“Any kind of freedom comes with a price.”

This statement was, frankly, a warning shot. Woo-jin was practically saying, ‘Just don’t do it!’ But Chris, a Hollywood veteran of over ten years, wasn’t likely to be intimidated by a warning. Still, his deep brown eyes wavered, a sign that the message had hit its mark.

“A price… I see.”

Woo-jin’s carefully constructed aura and the misinterpretations surrounding him had amplified his authority. As Chris met Woo-jin’s gaze, he swallowed, reflecting on the warning.

‘It’s like he’s telling me I could get chewed up if I make a wrong move.’

He steadied his resolve.

‘This is exhilarating. It’s like I’m David, facing Goliath.’

The warning shot had indeed hit home for Chris, but rather than dampening his spirit, it fueled his excitement even more.

“It’s been a while since I felt like a challenger. Preparation, huh? I wouldn’t expect any less.”

“….”

Woo-jin kept his mouth shut, feeling a slight irritation.

The warning had backfired.

Moments later, Chris left Woo-jin’s trailer, running a hand through his hair and laughing.

‘I’ll definitely grow as an actor through this project.’

Chris couldn’t have known that all his excitement was based on a misunderstanding. He strolled toward the set with a mixture of eagerness and nervous anticipation.

Late that night, the crew was beginning to wrap up, with foreign staff clearing the set. Chris approached Director Ahn Ga-bok, who was deep in conversation with the key staff.

“Director, did you know?”

“Know what?”

“That the Joker’s awakening scene from the first shoot was an ad-lib. Woo-jin told me himself.”

The eyes of the surrounding crew members widened.

“What?”

“Ad-lib? Chris, are you serious?”

Chris’s misunderstanding began to spread like wildfire. Director Ahn Ga-bok added to it.

“…Did Woo-jin say that himself?”

“Yes, just now.”

“Of course. That sounds like him.”

“Of course?” Chris looked at him, puzzled.

Director Ahn thought back to Woo-jin’s earlier work on *Leech*.

“I never directly asked him, but knowing him, that kind of ad-lib would be nothing out of the ordinary.”

“…”

“When I first saw his performance, I figured it was probably on the spot. Woo-jin isn’t an actor who went through a formal or elite path. He’s more of a wild talent that’s honed itself. You could say he’s a bit of a beast.”

As Ahn Ga-bok reminisced about Woo-jin’s impromptu genius, his reputation among the crew skyrocketed.

“That family photo scene in *Leech*, the one that hinted at the Ripley syndrome—that was also improvised. Woo-jin’s creativity goes beyond the norm, making him both exciting and intimidating for a director.”

Chris’s smile grew wider, and murmurs of admiration spread among the foreign staff. Many of them whispered in awe.

The director looked at Chris.

“You all saw him during the script reading, how he slipped into various roles effortlessly. With him, it’s natural for spontaneous ad-libs to flip the entire scene upside down.”

He then announced to Chris.

“If your ad-lib is grounded in the script, it’s always welcome. I’d rather see a scene’s scope expand through experimentation than stagnate.”

This was part of Ahn Ga-bok’s philosophy as the head director of *Piero: Birth of a Villain*.

“So Chris, just like Woo-jin, bring your creative acting freely. Let loose.”

Later, Chris sat in a van leaving the set, staring out the window with a growing sense of exhilaration. Though he was already thrilled to be filming *Piero: Birth of a Villain*, today’s events with Woo-jin and Director Ahn had heightened his anticipation even more.

“This is legendary.”

“Hm? Did you say something, Chris?” his manager asked, looking puzzled.

Chris shook his head, pulling out his phone to scroll through some missed messages. For some reason, he found himself opening *Reddit*, one of the most popular online communities, to check global reactions.

He typed “Kang Woo-jin” into the search bar. Woo-jin was trending on Reddit, with posts about everything from his Emmy buzz to his roles in *Beauty and the Beast* and *Piero: Birth of a Villain*, whose first shoot had just wrapped a few days ago.

‘People are excited.’

Anonymous posters from around the world were dissecting Woo-jin’s performances and upcoming projects with fervor.

-“Columbia’s cinematic universe is bound to flop. They planned it out so grandly, but to kick it off with a Korean actor? It’s odd, don’t you think?”

-“Such a biased take. Admit it already—Woo-jin is an actor Cannes, Hollywood, and the Emmys have acknowledged.”

-“He might have some talent, but launching him as a lead villain in his Hollywood debut is a stretch. It’ll flop.”

-“I saw *Beneficial Evil*, and sure, he can act, but as the lead in *Piero*? I doubt he’ll hold up. He’s probably too nervous to show his real skills.”

-“He mentioned the Oscars so boldly at Cannes and his press conferences—there’s no way he’s nervous.”

-“This subreddit is crazy. Woo-jin’s global popularity speaks for itself.”

-“His action scenes were decent, but his serious acting? I’m not convinced.”

Elsewhere, Hollywood media outlets frequently covered *Piero: Birth of a Villain*.

> LA Times: *“Piero: Birth of a Villain” Begins Filming: What Performance Will the World See from Kang Woo-jin?*

Seeing the buzz, Chris smirked.

‘Columbia Studios should thank Woo-jin. He’s the perfect villain to launch this universe. The Joker will take over the world.’

Chris turned to his manager, sitting in the front passenger seat.

“Director Ahn said we’re free to be as creative as we want.”

“Oh? That means you can do your signature ad-libs, huh? You were hesitant, but it worked out. Just don’t overdo it, though. Some actors don’t appreciate ad-libs—there are both newbies and veterans in *Piero*.”

“Woo-jin will handle it.”

Chris thought of Woo-jin’s impassive expression.

“He can handle anything thrown at him.”

---

A few days later.

June 20. Having started filming on the 11th, *Piero: Birth of a Villain* was now in its second week of production. The early scenes focused mainly on Woo-jin as the lead, switching back and forth between his roles as the Joker and Henry Gordon.

During this time, Hollywood saw other headlines beyond *Piero*. *Beauty and the Beast* continued progressing in pre-production.

> CNM: *Maria Armas Confirmed for Beauty and the Beast Cast!*

> BBX: *With Miley Cara and Maria Armas On Board, “Beauty and the Beast” Boasts a Star-Studded Lineup. Script Reading Expected by July.*

There was also buzz surrounding *John Persona*, the latest project by Universal Movies, where Woo-jin was cast last. The project was gearing up to gather the team for the script and official pre-production.

And, of course, there was *Beneficial Evil*.

> LA Times: *“Beneficial Evil” Nominated for Ten Emmy Awards! Netflix CEO Announces Part 2 to Launch in September.*

As *Beneficial Evil* and the prestigious Emmy Awards made waves, Woo-jin arrived at the *Piero* set. Though the location had shifted slightly, the setup remained mostly unchanged. He and

 his team moved toward his trailer, having arrived half an hour early as the crew continued preparations.

Holding the script in one hand, Woo-jin entered his trailer when he heard a familiar voice.

“Woo-jin.”

Choi Sung-geon approached, just finishing a call. Recently, Sung-geon had been busier than Woo-jin, coordinating between Korea, Japan, and Hollywood to manage Woo-jin’s increasing workload and expansion.

Sung-geon asked Woo-jin about the Emmy Awards.

“It’s still a while off, but it’ll be your first Emmy. Everyone’s watching, both in Korea and worldwide—so we need to plan your look.”

“Is that so?”

Woo-jin responded calmly as he entered the trailer, thinking to himself.

‘Isn’t this a bit excessive? It’s just like Cannes, right?’

Actually, no. Cannes and the Emmys were both prestigious, but the Emmys held a different level of global influence and power. Following him into the trailer, Sung-geon nodded.

“Yes, speak to our stylist about it. Whether you want a tux or a suit, any color, and whatever luxury brand you prefer. We’re getting offers from top brands.”

The names of some of the world’s leading luxury brands flashed through Woo-jin’s mind. He was already a model for several.

Suddenly, Woo-jin thought to himself.

‘Hmm, it’s getting boring. I wore similar things to the Blue Dragon, Baeksang, Grand Bell, and Cannes.’

Realizing he was getting tired of standard suits, Woo-jin wondered,

‘Should I just show up in something casual? A hoodie, maybe? I’d probably get trashed for that.’

Just as he was entertaining the thought, something caught his eye in the trailer.

Hanging on a rack was the Joker’s costume.

‘Hmm… maybe it’s not such a bad idea after all.’