Episode 441 Emmys (3)

Because of Kang Woo-jin's short and concise lines, he transformed into the 'Joker.'

"This is the villain, watch it or not."

The photo zone at the end of the 'Emmy Awards' red carpet fell silent for a moment. Aside from the male and female hosts, hundreds of reporters, broadcasting teams, and the live broadcast crew, many people stopped, mouths wide open.

"······"

"······"

It was a moment that could easily be explained. Woo-jin's appearance and his post-arrival interview were unprecedented. The faces of those who didn't know how to react were filled with confusion, yet inside, they were all thinking the same thing:

'Watch, Watch it or not? What kind of crazy talk is this??'

'Is he really crazy??! Where can you find an actor who promotes his next movie like this?'

'That's so rude!!'

'Hey, is it okay to just broadcast this?!'

Kang Woo-jin, staring directly at the live broadcast camera, remained calm. His expression never wavered. The concept he embodied was more intense than ever. Although, inside, he was a little excited.

'Crazy. I did it. Are you okay? Are you okay? No, I'm not okay. But why?? This is what the 'Joker' looks like.'

On the outside, he kept a poker face, and while it might seem vulgar, given that he was portraying the 'Joker,' it was inevitable. At this point, the male host was regaining his composure and asked again.

"...Oh, I see! Mr. Woo-jin, were you just describing the villain from your new work?"

"Yes. Is that clear?"

"It's Enough! But isn't 'watch it or not' a bit too much of a joke! Hahaha."

The male host's eyes practically screamed 'Please, answer normally!.' However, Kang Woo-jin remained steadfast.

"I'm serious. watch it or not, that's up to you."

Soon, a flurry of camera shutters erupted.

*Pavabavabak!* *Pavabavabavabak!*

Hundreds of reporters, who had been distractedly clicking their cameras, were now snapping away like crazy. It was an unusual scene. Some reporters even smiled. How delightful it was to witness Kang Woo-jin, who always stirred up controversy wherever he went.

'He takes the heat, and all we have to do is pass on the stimulation.'

Meanwhile, reactions from around Hollywood, where the live broadcast was being watched, were mixed. Ahn Ga-bok and producer Nora Foster, gathered on the set of Perriot: Birth of a Villain, were a blend of concern and excitement.

"Oh no! Isn't this going too far??!"

"Is that so? Hmm, but Kang Woo-jin is naturally this kind of character. Honestly, I think he'll draw a lot of attention."

The actors shared similar sentiments. Chris Hartnett was clearly enjoying the spectacle.

"Tomorrow, Woo-jin will dominate the media. Which actor promotes his movie like this? To approach the public as the real 'Joker,' not just in appearance—only he has the guts to do that."

Executives from Columbia Studios, the Beauty and the Beast production crew, and others were all keeping a close eye on Kang Woo-jin.

Then, as Kang Woo-jin left the photo zone:

"I'll stop here."

The global audience, including viewers from Korea and Japan, went wild. The chat was exploding with excitement.

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋI'm tiredㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ-

-Did Kang Woo-jin really say "watch it or not"? Am I seeing this correctly?

-What kind of crazy interview is this?-

-The foreigners are losing itㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋYou're just now experiencing Kang Woo-jin, but we've seen this beforeㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ-

-Isn't that a bit too extreme for a performance? How confident must he be in his work to do something like that?-

-Why do Koreans like it so much? Are they happy their actor is going crazy?-

-↑Give upㅋㅋㅋ Just enjoy it and have funㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ-

-Kang Woo-jin is on fire-

-So the whole red carpet thing was his character? But that last line seemed a little off-script.-

-Isn't Kang Woo-jin the first to ever show a teaser for his next work in real life?-

-Hey, don't be surprised. Kang Woo-jin's crazy actions are just beginningㅋㅋㅋㅋ-

The chats, in Korean, Japanese, English, French, and more, were flooding in, and reactions were sharply divided.

Half swearing, half cheering.

Negative responses were full of curse words like, "He's crazy," "What kind of idiot is that," "He's disrespecting the Emmys," "He's crossed the line," and "He's going too far." On the other hand, the cheers were filled with praise and rave reviews.

Though no major controversy had emerged, one thing was clear: Kang Woo-jin's influence was massive. The red carpet at the Emmy Awards had hosted many top Hollywood stars, but Kang Woo-jin's impact was undeniable.

"Kang Woo-jin is the real deal!! Whether it's praise or insults, he shakes the world upㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ"

The only one who wasn't sure was Kang Woo-jin.

He moved toward the main building, sweeping his long hair back.

—

Following the staff's guidance, he entered the building. It had a large performance hall where the Emmy Awards ceremony was to take place, as well as several waiting rooms. Walking through the lobby, Woo-jin saw a mix of officials, directors, producers, actors, and celebrities. They all glanced at him, though not openly.

At that moment:

"Woojin, this way!"

Amidst the crowd, Choi Sung-geon and his team, dressed in suits, called out. The team gave Woo-jin a thumbs-up, and Choi Sung-geon smiled.

"Your performance was great. As you can see, everyone here is talking about you."

If not, it would have been disappointing since it had been planned so carefully. Kang Woo-jin nodded nonchalantly.

"That's good."

"I haven't checked yet, but the article probably broke a while ago."

Choi Sung-geon, checking the time, hurried along.

"Oh my! Time! Woojin, let's change clothes right now. And put on some makeup!"

Kang Woo-jin, who was still the 'Joker' except for his face, moved toward the waiting room with his team.

About 30 minutes later.

-Click.*

Kang Woo-jin emerged from the waiting room.

"······"

Gone was the 'Joker.' Now, Woo-jin wore a navy tuxedo with his black hair neatly slicked back, exuding sophistication and luxury. The 'Joker' was gone—just a memory.

Woo-jin glanced at himself and murmured:

'It really does look like something out of 'Joker'.'

It felt like everything had shifted—his appearance, the mask. Then, Ahn Ga-bok's words echoed in his mind:

'They don't know you're telling the core message of 'Pierrot: Birth of a Villain.''

Kang Woo-jin had no such deep intentions. His goal had simply been to create buzz, and it was a massive success. Now, he would have to move forward as 'Jang Yeon-woo' from Beneficial Evil.

As he walked through the lobby again, someone called to him.

"Mr. Woojin."

He turned to see Miley Cara, dressed in a striking black dress with blonde hair that stood out. Kang Woo-jin was momentarily struck.

'Wow—this is crazy.'

Her beauty, her aura, everything about her was jaw-dropping. She walked up to Woo-jin, who had lost his composure, and linked arms with him.

"Let's go."

It wasn't unusual, as this was a common sight at award ceremonies. But Kang Woo-jin, now back to his senses, noticed that her arm was shaking slightly.

'What? You look so calm, but are you nervous? Or maybe it's because of me?'

Cara was clearly nervous.

'We're just linking arms as colleagues, but why is my heart racing?'

Having appeared in Part 1 of Beneficial Evil, Cara's invitation to the Emmy Awards was natural. She had attended many award ceremonies, but tonight felt different.

Suddenly, Woo-jin whispered:

"Are you nervous?"

"······No? Why are you asking?"

"It smells familiar. It's like the concept I mentioned last time."

"Do you want to tell me that I'm pretending like nothing happened?"

"I said that earlier. During the red carpet march."

"It doesn't look like that at all."

"That's the concept I was talking about."

At that moment, a foreigner interrupted them—a well-known Hollywood director.

"Miley, it's been a while. And... Kang Woo-jin? First time meeting you."

"Yes, it's been a while, Director."

"Hello."

Kang Woo-jin and Cara exchanged greetings as they made their way through the hall. The director and many others had stopped to talk to Kang Woo-jin.

"Hahaha, Woojin-ssi. Your red carpet performance was amazing. Showing your work's teaser in real life—I loved the idea."

"Thank you."

"I'd like to discuss this more later."

Some were kind, but others were openly critical.

"Right now, people are curious about your behavior because it's new, but if you plan to keep working in Hollywood, you'll need to be more humble."

Kang Woo-jin remained unshaken.

" Of course but, It's still okay."

"That pride will come back to haunt you one day."

"I'll take care of it."

Woo-jin thought briefly, 'What's that guy's problem?' but Miley Cara, noticing his unease, spoke up.

"That person's been around since old Hollywood. He's a little closed-off. Don't worry about it."

"It doesn't really matter. I don't even know who he is."

Kang Woo-jin, accustomed to handling such situations, dismissed it.

He entered the grand hall where the Emmy Awards ceremony would take place.

'Wow, this is huge.'

His reaction was entirely justified. The hall was enormous, bigger than ten large theaters combined. The ceiling, high and dark, was adorned with large pearl-like lights, resembling stars embroidered across the night sky. The hall had tens of thousands of seats, with large monitors flanking the stage.

What caught his eye was the statue on stage.

'Is that the trophy??'

It was the Emmy Awards trophy—a ten-times-larger-than-life winged woman. On either side were giant monitors with the letters "EMMYS" against a yellow backdrop.

Having experienced Korean award ceremonies and even Cannes, Kang Woo-jin couldn't help but think:

'...The quality is incredible.'

This was on a whole different level—this was why the Emmy Awards were called the "Academy Awards" of the broadcast industry. The venue was filled with some of the biggest names in Hollywood and beyond.

Kang Woo-jin couldn't help but be amazed.

Am I having trouble believing I'm here?

'Focus, Kang Woo-jin.'

Cara, who had wandered ahead, spoke.

"I think the Beneficial Evil section is over there."

But before she could point, a voice called out.

"Miley."

Kang Woo-jin and Kara both turned. A bald, bearded man in a black tuxedo approached. Kang Woo-jin instinctively knew he was an actor—he had seen him somewhere before.

'Where have I seen him before?'

The name didn't come to mind, but Cara said it for him.

"Matthew."

Matthew Majors. A seasoned Hollywood actor, currently starring in a popular American drama.

After shaking hands with Cara, Matthew extended his hand to Kang Woo-jin.

"Nice to meet you, Kang Woo-jin."

"Hello."

As they shook hands, Kang Woo-jin felt the pressure.

'Hey, old man! Why are you gripping so hard?'

They both gripped firmly for a few seconds before Matthew, his hand still in his pocket, broke the silence.

"I watched The Tonight Show, and the interview where you didn't take us into account. It was absurd."

"Us?" Woo-jin whispered, and Cara realized what was going on.

"He's one of the nominees for Best Actor in a Drama Series, just like you."

Matthew Majors, it turned out, was one of the five nominees—along with Kang Woo-jin. Apparently, Matthew hadn't been pleased with Woo-jin's interview. He spoke again, his tone slightly threatening.

"This Hollywood isn't so small that a Korean actor can do whatever he wants. I want to hear from you directly. Was that interview just a reaction to the broadcast atmosphere?"

Kang Woo-jin's expression remained neutral, and his low reply was quick.

"If it bothered you, then it was a success."

Matthew frowned.

"Success? So the interview was intentional?"

Kang Woo-jin stared at him blankly. He wasn't sure what to say, but inside he thought:

'No? I didn't mean it like that! I just said I wasn't concerned with looking around with other actors.'

But the media had interpreted it that way. It had caused an uproar, making it seem like Kang Woo-jin didn't respect the other nominees.

'Did I cross a line with Senior actors?'

But it was too late to take it back. This was a familiar situation for Kang Woo-jin.

But what can you do? The water is already spilled, and this kind of delusion is familiar to Kang Woo-jin. I don't know if I'll see Matthew again, but in these situations, Woo-jin's choice is always the same.

'Do it my way'.

"I always act with sincerity."

"······is it?."

"yes." Two men looked at each other. Or should I say glaring?

Then Matthew chuckled. "Confidence and arrogance are two different things. I recognize your ability, but if you show off too much, you'll be broken. No matter how good you are, you have to respect your co-stars, right?"

"I respect it. In fact, in the interview I did, there was no mention of the words

'I don't care about other actors.' I just said that I don't care about my surroundings."

"Isn't that what you're saying?"

"No, to be precise, I just do my job. I don't pay attention to anything else."

"······" Matthew, who had his hands in his pockets, stared at Kang Woo-jin for a few seconds, then opened his mouth again while letting out a small breath.

"Mr. Kang Woo-jin, you are the first Korean actor to make your way to Hollywood – but you are going too far."

"Well, like I just said, I'm just going my own way."

"Are you that confident about today's 'Emmys Awards'?"

"The choice is not ours."

The answer was in the public, and the world, would do it. That was the correct answer, and Matthew, who had a bald head, stroked his beard, turned around, and strode to his seat.

Matthew muttered to himself. "Let's see what happens, whether the miracle of Cannes will continue in 'Emmys'."

Kang Woo-jin watched Matthew's retreating figure, the tension lingering in the air. Matthew's words were sharp, but Woo-jin wasn't the type to be easily rattled. The confrontation was over, but the seed of doubt had been planted in Matthew's mind, and Kang Woo-jin knew that a few words wouldn't change anything.

'If Matthew has a problem with me, that's his problem. I'll do what I do.'

With a deep breath, he shrugged off the exchange. People like Matthew were bound to appear in his journey, especially in a place as high-stakes as Hollywood. But Kang Woo-jin wasn't here to make friends—he was here to make an impact.

Cara, who had been quiet during the exchange, spoke up as she adjusted her dress.

"You didn't seem bothered by him. Aren't you a little worried about making waves here?"

Woo-jin gave her a sideways glance. "Worried? About what? If I let that stuff bother me, I wouldn't last long."

She chuckled lightly. "I think you're right. Just make sure you stay true to yourself."

"I always do."

The soft murmur of conversation and clinking glasses surrounded them as they entered the main event hall. Despite the tension with Matthew, Woo-jin couldn't help but feel a thrill as he entered the center of attention at the Emmy Awards. The vast space, filled with the world's most prestigious entertainers, producers, and directors, buzzed with anticipation.

Though the red carpet had been a spectacle, the real challenge was about to begin: competing against the giants in Hollywood, both in front of the camera and behind it.

As he walked further into the hall, Woo-jin spotted more familiar faces—some nodding in acknowledgment, others whispering in small groups. He knew what they were saying, and he didn't care.

'Let's see how they like it when the show starts.'

Kara nudged him gently. "You might not know it yet, but you've become one of the most talked-about actors in this room."

"I'm fine with that. It keeps things interesting."

The night had only just begun, and Kang Woo-jin was ready to face whatever came next.