Episode 452: Speed of Light (4)



Choi Sung-geon's faint smile radiated quiet confidence.

'He had already raised the funds?'

Despite maintaining a poker face—thanks to the Joker makeup—Kang Woo-jin was genuinely shocked.

'Wow—so fast!'

Honestly, he had expected this to take much longer. Hundreds of billions were involved.

'How did he pull it together so quickly?'

Once again, Woo-jin was amazed by Choi Sung-geon's abilities, but he kept his excitement in check.

"It was faster than I expected."

Sung-geon shrugged.

"Well, since we're talking about it, might as well move quickly. First, I boiled and boiled Chairman Yoshimura Hideki—wore him down until he was all in. Then I took care of the rest. Not gonna lie, it wasn't easy. But thanks to BW Entertainment's reputation and your name, it worked."

He clapped a firm hand on Woo-jin's shoulder.

"Do you even know what your estimated value is right now?"

Woo-jin barely reacted.

"I don't really care."

"Oh, you don't. But trust me—the world does. A lot."

Sung-geon let that sink in for a moment before smoothly changing the subject.

"Now, about 'Guest'. How much do you plan on investing? Any thoughts on that?"

Woo-jin stayed silent for a beat.

Investment? That wasn't exactly his area of expertise. Before becoming an actor, he had never even dabbled in stocks, let alone dealt with figures this massive.

But now wasn't the time to hesitate. It was time to act tough.

Later that night, after an intense day of filming Perriot: Birth of a Villain, Woo-jin caught Chris Hartnett just as he was about to step into his van. Most of the cast had already left, and both actors had removed their makeup.

"Chris."

Chris, surprised that Woo-jin—usually reserved—was initiating a conversation, stepped out of the car with a grin.

"Oh? You're the one calling me first?"

"I have something to talk about."

Chris raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's rare. I'm listening."

Gesturing for his team to wait, Chris approached Woo-jin. Without any small talk, Woo-jin handed him a thick stack of papers.

"I wanted to recommend something."

Chris glanced at the script in his hands.

"A recommendation?" His expression turned more serious.

"That's unexpected. You're recommending a project? What kind of work is this?"

"Read it. You'll like it. Of course, if it's not for you, feel free to pass. No pressure."

Chris flipped open the first page, intrigued.

"Are you starring in it?"

"Officially, no. Expanding my schedule any further isn't realistic. But I still don't want to let it go. If you take the lead, I'd consider a special appearance."

Chris studied Woo-jin for a long moment before returning his gaze to the script.

Woo-jin tapped the front page with his index finger.

"I'm recommending you for the male lead. It's a role I've played before."

Two days later, September 14th--.

A small film company, located just outside downtown LA.

Inside the cramped office of A8 Media, CEO Jennifer Thurman sat at her desk, staring at the 'Guest' script with a heavy expression.

Their time was up.

Despite endless meetings, not a single investor had shown interest. Today, she had to make a decision.

Jennifer sighed.

'In the end, I have no choice but to let it go.'

Just then—

*Knock, knock.*

A freckled male employee peeked into the office.

"Ma'am, the team is waiting."

"...Alright. I'm coming."

Jennifer picked up the 'Guest' script and walked into the small meeting room next door. Three employees were already seated. She set the script on the table and exhaled deeply.

"No calls? No last-minute investors?"

The freckled employee shook his head. "Nothing."

Another female staff member spoke up.

"I followed up with everyone we pitched to. They all said it's not feasible."

Jennifer nodded grimly.

"I see. Then there's nothing else we can do."

A heavy silence settled over the room before she took another deep breath.

"...Let's pull the plug. There's no more hope for 'Guest'."

At that exact moment—

*Knock, knock, knock.*

A different employee hurried into the meeting room, looking flustered.

"Ma'am."

Jennifer frowned. "What is it?"

"Uh—there's someone outside."

"Outside? Who?"

The employee hesitated before relaying the message exactly as it was given.

"They said... they're from BW Entertainment."

Silence.

Jennifer blinked.

"...BW Entertainment?"

Hollywood had long since learned the name of Korea's rising powerhouse agency. More importantly, it was Kang Woo-jin's agency.

"Why would BW Entertainment be here?" she asked cautiously. "Who came?"

"Their CEO."

Jennifer's breath hitched.

"The CEO?"

She immediately rose from her chair and hurried out of the meeting room.

Standing outside was a man with his long hair tied back, wearing a crisp blue polo. A confident smile played on his lips.

Two other employees stood beside him—undoubtedly Korean.

The man stepped forward and extended his hand.

"Jennifer Thurman, I presume?"

Jennifer hesitated for only a second before accepting the handshake.

"...And you are?"

The man's smile widened.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Choi Sung-geon, CEO of BW Entertainment."

Jennifer Thurman shook his hand absentmindedly, still processing his unexpected presence.

"Jennifer Thurman, A8 Media," she introduced herself. Then, narrowing her eyes slightly, she asked, "BW Entertainment... That's Kang Woo-jin's agency, isn't it?"

"You're right."

A flicker of confusion crossed Jennifer's face.

"Why would an agency like yours be here...?"

"I heard you're working on a remake of Detective Agency."

"...!!" Jennifer's breath hitched.

Meanwhile, Choi Sung-geon, his expression composed and relaxed, accepted a stack of papers from one of his team members. It was the 'Guest' script. Holding it up, he met Jennifer's gaze.

"I also heard you're struggling with funding."

Jennifer stiffened.

"...How do you know about that?"

"I received this from Korean director Shin Dong-chun. He mentioned 'Guest' and gave me a broad overview—nothing too detailed."

"Ah."

Jennifer immediately recalled Shin Dong-chun, the square-jawed director from Korea. As the original creator, he had shared updates whenever something changed. It seemed that information had trickled down to Choi Sung-geon as well.

"Okay..." she muttered, still wary.

Then, Choi Sung-geon spoke clearly, his words sending a ripple through the room.

"BW Entertainment will be the main investor in 'Guest'."

Silence.

The surrounding A8 Media staff turned to stare, eyes widening in shock. One even let out a soft gasp.

Jennifer, still catching up, replied reflexively, "Ah—so you came here to discuss investment...?"

Then realization hit her like a freight train.

"Wait... What?! You want to invest?"

"That's right."

"In this 'Guest'?"

"Exactly."

Jennifer blinked, trying to process the information.

"This... This is so sudden. For a second, I thought I was dreaming."

"I assure you, it's real."

Choi Sung-geon leaned forward slightly, his tone steady.

"As you know, Kang Woo-jin is making waves in Hollywood, and BW Entertainment has been planning an expansion into international investments for some time. We originally intended to move at a later stage, but..." He tapped the script. "Woo-jin personally recommended 'Guest' as a priority. So, we decided to act now."

Jennifer's heart skipped a beat.

"Kang Woo-jin recommended this project?"

"Yes. He believes in it. And frankly, so do I."

A strange emotion welled up in Jennifer's chest.

For so long, 'Guest' had been ignored—rejected by investors, dismissed as a risky project. Yet now, of all people, Kang Woo-jin backed it?

She hadn't even realized how much she'd needed to hear something like that.

At that moment, Choi Sung-geon spoke again.

"Shall we continue this conversation here?"

Jennifer snapped out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Ah! No—this way! Please, follow me!"

She quickly led him into a small meeting room, gesturing for him and his team to sit. Once everyone settled, she cleared her throat.

"But... CEO Choi," she asked cautiously, "just how much are you considering investing?"

Choi Sung-geon's response came without hesitation.

"When I said 'main investor,' I meant we're covering everything."

"!!!" Jennifer Thurman's mind went blank for a moment.

"'Guest' has potential," Choi Sung-geon continued, his tone calm yet firm. "And since it's a remake of Kang Woo-jin's debut film, Detective Agency, it holds symbolic value for us as well."

Jennifer swallowed, still in disbelief.

"All... all the production costs—?"

"Yes. Every single one."

Choi Sung-geon's response was immediate, but then he added something even more shocking.

"And Kang Woo-jin will be making a special appearance in the film"

Jennifer's eyes widened—twice as much as before.

This was beyond unexpected.

While Choi Sung-geon was making his bold move in Los Angeles, halfway across the world in Korea, the industry was buzzing about a different matter—the sequel to the series that had shaken the world with its six Emmy wins.

『Beneficial Evil Part 2 is only days away from release! Will it live up to the sky-high expectations?』

With less than a week until the premiere, excitement for Beneficial Evil Part 2 had reached its peak. Part 1 was still dominating Netflix's rankings, and with Kang Woo-jin's star power skyrocketing post-Emmys, anticipation was at an all-time high.

Not just in Korea, but globally, the hype was overwhelming. Some, however, were skeptical.

"Since Part 1 was such a massive hit, won't Part 2 fall short?"

But then—

『[Breaking News] Six-time Emmy Winner Beneficial Evil Part 2 Releases Worldwide!』

On September 19th at noon, Beneficial Evil Part 2 launched simultaneously across more than 80 countries, including Korea, Japan, and the United States.

Reviews poured in immediately.

Rave reviews:

– Is Part 2 even better than Part 1?! I think it surpasses the original! And Kang Woo-jin's action? Next level! – The directing, the performances, the story—this is how you make a sequel. Absolutely phenomenal.

Harsh criticism:

– I sat through Part 1, but I couldn't even finish Part 2. What a letdown. – Did the director rush this? The only saving grace is Kang Woo-jin's action scenes. Everything else? A downgrade.

Love it or hate it, the world couldn't stop talking about Beneficial Evil Part 2.

And the very next morning—

『[Breaking News] Beneficial Evil Part 2 Takes Over as the #1 Show in the World!』

Faster than its predecessor, Beneficial Evil Part 2 had claimed the top spot worldwide, setting social media ablaze.

Yet, despite the celebration, Kang Woo-jin himself had no time to bask in the success.

At that moment, he was deep in filming.

The location? A set within Columbia Studios.

But unlike before, this wasn't a pristine, modern city.

Buildings had crumbled. Cars lay overturned and ablaze. Corpses littered the streets. Sirens howled in the distance.

A city engulfed in war.

-Step.*

A lone figure strode through the carnage, surrounded by flickering flames and burning wreckage. His presence was commanding—terrifying.

Pale white skin. A twisted, crimson-lipped grin. A cigarette between his teeth.

The Joker.

Or rather—Kang Woo-jin.

His vibrant red hair whipped in the smoky air as he walked, unbothered, down the center of the war-torn street. The camera tracked him, rolling backward, capturing every detail.

Then—

*Hack!*

A bloodied man stumbled out from the driver's seat of a car wrecked against a telephone pole, coughing violently.

Blood streamed down his forehead. His limbs trembled as he struggled to drag himself forward.

And just ahead, the Joker took a long, slow drag of his cigarette.

A man spotted the Joker amidst the chaos. Desperate, he stretched out a trembling hand.

"Hey... save me."

Kang Woo-jin, unwavering in his stride, barely spared him a glance. Instead, he smiled—a slow, eerie curve of the lips.

"Okay."

*Bang! Bang!*

The man's head snapped back, exploding in a crimson mist. His body crumpled lifelessly to the ground.

But Woo-jin—no, the Joker—didn't even pause. He took a few more steps, exhaled a lazy plume of cigarette smoke, and then—

*Thud.*

His foot tapped the pavement.

Then another.

And suddenly—He started tap dancing.

Amid the corpses and burning wreckage, the Joker danced, his red hair swaying, his movements precise yet chaotic.

Then, as abruptly as he started, he stopped.

Woo-jin ran a hand through his red-dyed hair, letting out a quiet chuckle.

"Ah, yeah."

He turned to face the camera, his lips curling, his painted face locked in its perpetual grin. Or maybe he wasn't smiling at all—perhaps, beneath the smeared white paint, his expression was utterly vacant.

Then he murmured, as if struck by inspiration—

"A funny prank just occurred to me."

Silence. Utter silence. Hundreds of eyes were locked on him.

The entire film crew. The camera operators. Director Ahn Ga-bok, staring at the monitors filled with the Joker's face. Nora Foster, standing behind him with her arms crossed. The hundred or so foreign staff members. The executives from Columbia Studios, who had come to witness the final moments of the shoot.

Not a single soul spoke.

The only sound was the crackling of flames, devouring the wreckage around them.

Then—

"Cut."

Director Ahn Ga-bok, still quiet, finally exhaled and gave the signal.

"OK."

And with that—

A bald executive from Columbia Studios, his face unreadable, muttered behind them,

"It's done. Finally."

Then—

*Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.*

Applause erupted.

First a few, then dozens, then hundreds of foreign crew members clapping in unison.

That single "OK" was the final cut. The last scene.

The completion of Perriot: Birth of a Villain.

And now—

A challenge for the Academy Awards begins.