Prologue (1)

 

In the United States. No, the most prestigious film festival in the world, the ‘Academy Awards’. The ‘Academy Awards’ is also called the ‘Oscars’ and has been the goal and dream stage for all filmmakers in the world, including the United States. It already has a history and tradition of over 70 times, and even if you don’t win, you can still get a lot of attention just by being nominated.

Of course, if you win, you will receive a greater honor than if you were nominated.

The ‘Academy Awards’ are decided by the votes of thousands of ‘members’ distributed around the world, from nominations to final awards. After the first round of voting, the ‘Academy Awards’ announce the confirmed nominees, then conduct a second round of voting, and then hold an official awards ceremony to announce the finalized award works and actors. The ‘members’ are distributed around the world, including actors, directors, and key staff in various fields.

Of course, in order to receive votes from the ‘members’, the conditions for the ‘Academy Awards’ must be met, and the most basic of these conditions is that the film must be released in theaters in LA, USA for more than a week.

Aside from that, there are many other conditions other than the movie’s running time.

In this way, works and actors selected through many quests and complex processes stand at the ‘Academy Awards’ and receive awards. And up until now, Korea has never won an award at the ‘Academy Awards’. In the first place, the only Korean actor currently working in Hollywood is Kang Woo-jin, and it was rare in the past, so it was natural. In addition, the ‘Academy Awards’ performance is poor in Asia as a whole.

However, since last year, for the first time in the history of the ‘Academy Awards’, Korean actors have been mentioned frequently.

Kang Woo-jin, who is causing a sensation in Hollywood.

The Cannes Film Festival was the start of his sudden and blatant mention of the ‘Academy Award’. After Woo-jin received the Best Actor Award at Cannes, he mentioned the ‘Academy Award’ in his acceptance speech, which was watched by the world. As ‘No-Pak-Ku’. This was the first time this had happened in the entire world, and because the matter was so big, there was no way that the group that hosted the ‘Academy Award’ would not know Kang Woo-jin.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).

Even Kang Woo-jin mentioned the ‘Academy Awards’ in press conferences and interviews after Cannes, and at the recent ‘Emmy Awards’. So Kang Woo-jin was very famous within ‘AMPAS’, which hosts the ‘Academy Awards’.

“Is this the first time a Korean actor has been mentioned like this?”

“That’s right, and it’s never been the case that a Korean actor has ignored the ‘Academy Award’ like this.”

“Ignore? Well, it’s true that his tone is a bit harsh, but if you look at his comments from Cannes to the recent Emmy Awards, it should be seen as a challenge rather than an ignorance.”

“That’s a completely different idea. Kang Woo-jin, he’s been treating the ‘Academy Awards’ like anyone can easily get in and out of it since Cannes. I don’t think he should set foot in the ‘Academy Awards’.”

“Well, his image isn’t all that good even among actors.”

“In some ways, it’s because he’s been running wild that he’s really focused attention on me, so I feel like this year is getting more attention than any other year.”

Within ‘AMPAS’, there were various evaluations of Kang Woo-jin, including those who openly disliked him, those who were neutral, and those who were positive. There was even a character who made a rather cool-headed judgment.

“When the ‘Academy Award’ was mentioned in Cannes, I thought it was just a boiling enthusiasm, but it is getting more and more serious. In fact, he even won the Best Actor Award at the ‘Emmy Awards.’ For some reason, I have a feeling that he will do something wrong at this ‘Academy Award.’”

At ‘AMPAS’, where the first round of selections has already begun, the story of Kang Woo-jin was hot. However, they are also currently in a wait-and-see attitude. In the end, the nomination for the ‘Academy Award’ is decided by the votes of the ‘members’.

“Kang Woo-jin has such high expectations and interest that it will influence the voting of the actor ‘members’. Even if his acting is generally decent, there is a possibility that he will receive a low score this time.”

“If it weren’t for explosive acting skills that defied expectations, then you wouldn’t even be nominated.”

“If you look at the performance at the ‘Emmy Awards’ or the poster and trailer for ‘Pierrot,’ it’s a shocking visual.”

Well, ‘Pierrot: Birth of a Villain’ hasn’t been released to the world yet, but maybe the evaluation of Kang Woo-jin has already started.

“It’s an anticipated character, but the acting has to easily surpass the shocking visuals.”

January 11th, ‘spt studio’.

A large set complex filled with the world of ‘Beauty and the Beast’. Among them, a man entered a splendid banquet hall. It was Kang Woo-jin wearing tights.

-Ugh.

There were hundreds of people watching Kang Woo-jin as he entered the banquet hall with dim lighting and various patterns on the floor. Director Bill Lautner, who was staring intently at the monitor with headphones on, the actors of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ including Maria Armas, staff members from ‘World Disney Pictures’, and easily over a hundred staff members.

Everyone held their breath.

“······”

“······”

I just watched Woojin as the camera angle came in. His outfit was tights, but unlike in the past, no one was smiling. Everyone was extremely serious. Maybe it was because they had gotten used to it.

‘That expression of anticipation and anxiety, that gait that is heavy like a ‘beast’ but also cautious, that heavy breathing, that stiff but dangerous gesture. Now, you can’t even see the special costume.’

As director Bill Lautner, who was now burying his nose in the monitor, muttered to himself, Kang Woo-jin neatly erased the ridiculous feeling by releasing the ‘beast’ he had imprinted into reality. Now, in the eyes of hundreds of foreigners, Kang Woo-jin was simply a ‘beast’ wearing a blue-colored banquet suit.

That kind of Kang Woo-jin.

-Ouch.

He stopped in front of a piano on one side of the empty banquet hall. A golden piano on a white background. Kang Woo-jin, who was currently filled with the ‘beast’ all over his body, felt uneasy for some reason. The camera took a close-up of Woo-jin, whose eyes were slightly trembling.

‘Can I be like this?’

Is it okay to have such a fun time? Kang Woo-jin. The ‘beast’ was no different from a life with a time limit. Even at this moment, his existence was being erased little by little. His original form, not the ‘beast’. He was anxious. He was nervous. He was immature. Like a child trembling with fear, he wanted to let out a roar of anger right away.

But Kang Woo-jin suppressed his excessive emotions.

A dull breath escaped his mouth, but he tried to sit calmly on the piano chair. Because of his heavy body, a creaking sound could be heard. In reality, there was no sound, but Kang Woo-jin clearly heard it. He could hear the noise around the banquet hall. Those guys. Clock, teacup, kettle, etc. Kang Woo-jin’s vision was already ‘Beast and Beauty’ itself.

“······”

Kang Woo-jin held back his embarrassment, even though it was rising. Yes, it was all because of her. The woman who suddenly appeared and shook his unfinished heart. He wanted to show off to her, and relieve her tension even a little.

‘No- no. I want to let you know that I am human.’

I wanted to show you the scent of a human being. Even though you look like a monster now, you were once a human being like me. So don’t be afraid.

-♬♪

Kang Woo-jin or ‘the Beast’ began to play. A soft melody spread throughout the banquet hall. It was clearly a different performance from ‘the Beast’ at the beginning, and a blonde woman in a light yellow dress appeared in the banquet hall. Miley Cara. No, it was ‘Bella the Beast’. She, with her blonde hair braided in a single line, slowly approached ‘the Beast’ sitting at the piano. ‘Bella the Beast’ put her hand on his shoulder and smiled.

Woojin, who made eye contact with her during the performance, did not smile. He avoided Kara’s gaze as if he felt awkward.

But Kara said with an even brighter smile.

“It’s a pretty song.”

Several cameras mounted on cranes took pictures of the banquet hall. The images of the ‘Beast’ and the ‘Beauty’ were captured at once, but the compositions were different. Kang Woo-jin’s piano playing became more intense, and the candles on the pillars were lit. The same goes for the chandelier on the ceiling. Kara, who was watching the ‘Beast’, stood in the center of the banquet hall.

And then.

-Ugh.

They started dancing flexibly to the piano playing. A soft song was also added. Kara, who was spinning around, grabbed Kang Woojin, or ‘the beast’, who was playing the piano. Woojin followed her hand awkwardly. The piano playing stopped, but the music resonating through the banquet hall continued.

-♬♪

Kara was enjoying the dance, and Kang Woojin was cautiously accepting her rather than dancing. The camera captured her anxious expression, worried that she might step on his foot or trip him. That lasted about 5 minutes. The song reached its climax, and mysterious things began to mix in between Kang Woojin and Kara’s exchange of glances. Kara was finally able to comfortably express her ‘real’ feelings and her feelings as ‘beautiful Bella’.

Her clear blue eyes turned to Kang Woo-jin.

Woojin, the ‘beast’, quietly looked at the blonde Kara and the ‘beautiful Bella’ and muttered.

“······thank you.”

Kara asked, tilting her head slightly.

“What?”

“That, just everything.”

“Thank you too.”

What should I do with this woman who is smiling brightly? The ‘Beast’ was also afraid of this happiness.

“If everything… disappears, I won’t be able to bear it.”

The music continued, but Kara’s dancing had stopped. She stared at the exhausted ‘beast’ for a moment, then suddenly.

“are you okay.”

I hugged him.

“Nothing disappears.”

Here, the ‘Beast’ and ‘Beauty’ stopped talking and moving. In the banquet hall set, it was as if time had stopped and no one opened their mouths. It was at this moment.

“···Cut.”

Director Bill Lautner stood in front of the monitor, headphones around his neck, and gave a sign.

“OK.”

He then gave both actors a round of applause.

The next morning, Walt Disney Pictures made an official announcement.

『LA TIME/’World Disney Pictures’ side “‘Beauty and the Beast’ cranked up yesterday, will be a fantastic live-action version”』

Filming for ‘Beauty and the Beast’ has ended.

A few days later.

Kang Woo-jin was found in a small theater. It was a theater that could accommodate about 100 people. However, this was not an outside theater, but a theater inside Columbia Studios. Woo-jin’s seat was in the middle.

“······”

Kang Woo-jin, with his hat pulled down low, had a more serious expression than ever. His face was filled with indifference. However, inside, he was expressing his curiosity about this theater.

‘Wow- this is crazy, Hollywood! They’re just holding a test screening in a movie theater! What’s the scale? It’s like a regular Korean theater??’

Is this really Hollywood? Kang Woo-jin tried to cool down his excitement and crossed his legs as if he was relaxed. At the same time, he felt a slight sparkle in front of him.

‘Ah- bald head.’

In the front row sat a bald executive from Columbia Studios. Of course, there were other executives on either side of him. Kang Woo-jin furtively glanced around. On the right, Choi Sung-geon with his ponytail was staring at the screen in front of him. His face was serious. On the left, starting with Director Ahn Ga-bok with his wrinkled face, executive producer Nora Foster, Chris Hartnett, and the actors of ‘Pierrot’ were seated.

In the back, there were dozens of staff members and officials.

Everyone came to see the beginning of the ‘cinematic universe’.

Yes, Kang Woo-jin was currently attending a test screening of the completed ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’, and it was right before ‘Joker’ was shown on the screen. Kang Woo-jin’s ‘villain’ was revealed to the world for the first time.

Kang Woo-jin, who was rolling his eyes without showing any sign of being noticed.

-Ugh.

I turned my gaze to the screen in front of me. A faint tension spread through my body.

‘Oh, sir, I’m a little nervous.’

He was anxious. He was afraid that he might hear the faint beating of his heart in the quiet situation. The more he felt that way, the more intensely Kang Woo-jin turned his mind control on.

‘It’s okay. It’s a test that’s always been done. Calm down. It’s just that the place got bigger. Yeah, that’s right.’

Director Ahn Ga-bok, with his arms crossed, glanced at Woo-jin, whose expression remained unchanged.

‘That’s ridiculous, I guess there’s no reason to be anxious. You should like the ‘Joker’ I finished.’

Chris Hartnett also looked at Kang Woo-jin’s face and then turned his gaze straight ahead again.

‘Oh, it looks like I’m the only one nervous. He’s so calm, so I shouldn’t be nervous.’

It was when he let out a long sigh.

-Ugh.

The lights throughout the theater went dark. Then, as images appeared on the black front screen, the sound boomed loudly.

-[“Kekekekeke! Hahahaha, hahahahaha!”]

A man’s laughter boomed. The screen showed the face of Chris or ‘Robert Franklin’, who was flustered. The back of the red-haired man’s head was also displayed at the same angle. The bizarre laughter became more intense, and the classical music that had been quietly playing gradually became louder.

-♬♪

Classical music was playing in the common restaurant, and a different face appeared on the screen that had been showing the mysterious-looking reporter ‘Robert Franklin’.

-[“Hehehehe, hahahaha, kkekeke!”]

Wet, flowing red hair, pale face, torn red lips, red jacket and pants, mismatched socks. It was the ‘Joker’ laughing without mercy. Reporter ‘Robert Franklin’ asked him.

-[“······Why are you laughing all of a sudden?”]

‘Joker’ or Kang Woo-jin waved his hand.

-[“Kekekeke, sorry sorry buddy.”]

This time, the angle of the reporter’s head is the front bust of the ‘Joker’. He keeps laughing while taking a long drag on his cigarette. He looks crazy, but when you include the laughing part, he just looks like a monster. ‘Joker’ points upward with his index finger.

-[“There’s a memory lingering in this song. It reminded me of that time.”]

In an instant, the screen changes to a screen showing ‘Joker’. A black and white screen with no color. Inside a pizza place covered in flour, a large chunk of meat lying on the floor, and liquid surrounding it.

and.

-[“······”]

‘Henry Gordon’ drawing a smiling lip that is torn apart by the liquid. The classical music flowing out here is the same song as the one from the restaurant earlier.

-♬♪

The song gradually grew louder. The theater was about to rip apart. Then the screen gradually turned black and the title appeared in the center of the black screen.

–< 'Pierrot'>

The title had a rough feel to it in white. There were also subtitles underneath it.

–< 'Birth of a Villain'>

By now, all the foreigners gathered in the theater.

‘······They’re killing me.’

I couldn’t help but fall in love with ‘Joker’.