Episode 471 Announcement (1)



French actor Romain Ducret is regarded as the national actor of France and was a top actor. He was frequently invited to the Best Actor Award ceremony at the Cannes Film Festival and was often seen at the Academy Awards. With his sharp features and strong presence, he left a lasting impression. While primarily active in France, he also made a name for himself in Hollywood.

Romain Ducret was appointed as a member of the Academy Award jury about two years ago.

The Academy Awards select members each year from among directors, actors, producers, and crew members. Since the Academy Awards hold immense global prestige, being chosen as a jury member is considered a great honor. After all, having the power to select the best of the year is no small privilege.

So, when French top actor Romain Ducret was selected two years ago, he was overjoyed.

Today. Romain Ducret, now an Academy Awards jury member, was watching a movie alone in a studio he had been invited to. He had several films to evaluate, and the one currently playing on the monitor was—

-["Hehehe! Kekeke, hahahaha!"]

The Joker could be seen laughing maniacally. In other words, the movie he was watching was—

'Perriot: The Birth of a Villain'

About an hour had already passed, and Romain Ducret, seated with his legs crossed, had an expression of extreme shock on his face.

"······That actor, Kang Woo-jin—"

The overall quality of Perriot was impressive, but what truly astonished the top French actor was—

"He's grown several times over. He's become a monster."

It was because of Kang Woo-jin, the lead actor of Perriot.

In fact, Romain Ducret was already familiar with Kang Woo-jin. After all, Woo-jin had become a global sensation. However, the first time Romain Ducret saw Kang Woo-jin was at the Cannes Film Festival—where Woo-jin performed a miracle by winning the Best Actor Award. It was there that Romain Ducret first witnessed the brilliance of The Leech—and he had been stunned ever since.

That's why Kang Woo-jin was familiar to Romain Ducret.

He also kept up with articles about him, as Woo-jin was very active in Hollywood. So, when the Academy Award nominees were announced this year, Romain Ducret started with Perriot without hesitation.

After exactly 10 minutes, his mouth was wide open. After an hour, he felt awe.

"It was already absurd when it was Leech, but has he grown even further?"

The Joker played by Kang Woo-jin is more than just a monster. Even compared to Leech, his concentration and the finesse of his acting have developed even further. The problem is, the Kang Woo-jin at the Cannes Film Festival was already a monster. Now, that monster has become even more destructive.

As the movie Perriot progressed, Romain Ducret became completely absorbed in both the film and Kang Woo-jin's performance.

"Perriot contains all the joys and sorrows of life, leaving a lasting impact on society."

At first glance, Perriot seemed like a cinematic universe superhero movie or just another blockbuster for entertainment. But once the film started, it was clear that it was something else entirely.

When Perriot ended, Romain Ducret was the only one applauding.

*Clap, clap, clap, clap.*

Without realizing it, he found himself muttering—

"Wow... how long has it been since I've watched a movie this intently?"

The power to hold your attention completely, without allowing a single stray thought. Perriot had that power.

Even after the movie ended, Romain Ducret stared at the black monitor for several minutes. Kang Woo-jin's performance kept replaying in his mind. Finally snapping out of it, Romain Ducret turned on another movie—this time, a film starring a Hollywood veteran actor.

But

"······This."

After 30 minutes, he realized—

"I can't focus. I can't even see the acting."

His mind was still completely filled with Kang Woo-jin.

What was unusual was that Romain Ducret wasn't the only one experiencing this.

At that very moment, other Academy Award members across the world were also watching Perriot, just like Romain Ducret. The reason was simple: all the hype and recent buzz surrounding it.

And soon, almost all of them regretted their choice.

Kang Woo-jin's 'Joker'...

"I should have watched Perriot last."

Because it was just that overwhelming.

March 4th. It was a hot, sunny afternoon.

A quiet road, far from downtown L.A. Suddenly—*BOOOOOOM!!*

A worn-out gray pickup truck appeared, its exhaust roaring loudly. There were few cars on the road, yet the pickup truck was speeding furiously. The reason was obvious.

*WOOOOOOOM!!*

Three sleek black vans appeared behind it, one after another. Unlike the battered pickup truck, these black vans exuded a luxurious, menacing presence. Judging by their speed, it was clear—they were chasing the pickup truck.

One black van was already ahead, tailing the pickup truck's trunk.

*BOOOOSH!!!*

The pickup truck accelerated. The black van closed in.

And then—*BANG!!*

It rammed the pickup truck. Right into the trunk.

The pickup truck wobbled, spinning out of control. It suddenly veered dangerously close to another black car.

*TANG! TANG! TANG!*

Three gunshots rang out.

The driver's window shattered—not the pickup truck's, but the black van's.

Inside, a man in a suit slumped forward, his head crashing against the steering wheel. The black van, now out of control, swerved wildly off the road.

*CRAAAAASH!!*

It disappeared down a cliffside.

The pickup truck barely stabilized.

Inside, in the driver's seat, Kang Woo-jin gripped the wheel, his face unreadable.

Expressionless.

He glanced at the rearview mirror. Then—*VROOOOOM!!*

He slammed his foot down on the accelerator.

The chase resumed.

Another van closed in.

Woo-jin suddenly hit the brakes—HARD.

*SCREEEEEECH!!!*

At the same time—*BANG!* A gunshot.

He aimed straight at the rear wheels of the advancing black van.

For a moment, the van wobbled, teetering on the edge. Then—*BOOM!!*

It flipped over, tumbling violently across the road. A deafening crash.

But Kang Woo-jin's face remained unchanged.

He kept driving.

Until—*Bam!!*

The remaining black van was faster than Kang Woo-jin. It slammed into the back of the pickup truck at high speed. Kang Woo-jin quickly turned the steering wheel, but the pickup truck was already in bad shape.

*Gigigigigigig!!*

It spun twice while struggling to maintain balance—then flipped over and came to a stop.

The road fell silent. A black van stopped nearby.

The pickup truck, now covered in dust, didn't move at all.

Three men in suits stepped out of the black van, their pistols in hand. They exchanged glances.

They cautiously approached the pickup truck—they had to check if he was still alive.

About three steps away—

"Hey! Next to you!!"

A sudden shout pierced the tension.

The man in front quickly turned his head and pistol, realizing the danger.

It was useless.

*Pak!*

Kang Woo-jin, his head covered in dirt, struck the man in the neck.

"Eeeeek!"

The man let out a strangled noise, instinctively pulling his trigger.

*Bang! Bang!* Two gunshots echoed.

One of the men in suits behind him collapsed—his head and face blown apart.

The last remaining man aimed at Kang Woo-jin in a panic, firing wildly.

But—All his bullets hit the falling body of his colleague.

Using the lifeless man as a shield.

*Hook!*

Woo-jin charged at the last man. Gunshots rang out again—all missed.

Kang Woo-jin threw the body at him. The man dodged to the side.

Woo-jin moved in sync. The gun was raised. But Kang Woo-jin was faster.

In one swift motion, he grabbed the man's hand and gun, twisting the wrist.

Then— A powerful kick to the chest.

"Ugh!!"

The man staggered.

*Snap!*

With a quick twist, Woo-jin snapped his wrist.

Now, the gun was aimed at its owner.

*Tang! Tang!*

The man collapsed, his head shattered.

In an instant, all three men were taken down.

Kang Woo-jin stood there, breathing heavily.

"······"

Without hesitation, he wiped the blood from his face and searched through the men's belongings—his expression unreadable.

Gathering their cell phones and other items, Woo-jin walked toward the black van that was still in good condition.

He got in.

The van sped off.

But—The camera didn't move.

At that moment—*Kwaaaaang!!*

The overturned pickup truck exploded.

Silence followed—for about ten seconds.

And then—

"······Cut!!"

Danny Landis, director of John Persona, who had been seated among hundreds of crew members, suddenly jumped to his feet.

"OOOK!!"

He had a big smile on his face, as if he were satisfied. Soon, dozens of staff members rushed to the scene and cleaned up the burning car. The male lead, Kang Woo-jin, who played the role of 'John Owen', also returned. Director Danny Landis, who was there immediately, gave feedback to Kang Woo-jin.

"The action was top-notch, more than satisfying – though I guess the explosions were a little boring?"

"Is that so?"

"Well, let's turn up the heat a bit and go again."

"Yes, I understand."

Kang Woo-jin answered solemnly, but inside, he was quite surprised.

'Crazy Hollywood! Another car bombing?? Then you're going to destroy those BMW cars too?!'

Soon, Kang Woo-jin moved toward the staff to have his makeup fixed. Director Danny Landis quietly watched Woo-jin's back. Even he, a major figure in Hollywood, recognized it.

'We asked for plain, unspectacular action, but the result was cold, dry, and full of impact.'

Kang Woo-jin was an alien—no more than special.

'Even in Hollywood, there aren't many who can do action scenes with this level of quality, and he even portrays the character's mental issues so vividly. In person, he's an incredibly absurd actor.'

Of course, the surrounding staff were also busy praising Woo-jin's action and acting. At this point, the giant Joseph Felton approached Director Danny Landis.

"Director, what do you think of Kang Woo-jin's 'John Owen'?"

A question about Woo-jin on set, not during a script reading. Director Danny removed his round glasses and answered quietly, his tone very sincere.

"The word 'subjugation' fits so well. Controlled action, shooting. And yet, the body is flexible and······"

He met Joseph's eyes, his voice trailing off.

"Have you seen the recent 'Perriot' incident? Kang Woo-jin is the character itself, just like 'Joker'. 'John Owen' from 'John Persona' will be the same."

"Yes, I got goosebumps even after just a quick look."

"Are you thinking of a series called 'John Persona'? If so, you should start working on securing Kang Woo-jin for the entire series right now."

Hollywood heavyweight Director Danny Landis, speaking with confidence, took a picture of himself.

"If he does it, I'll direct the entire 'John Persona' series."

After that—

With the start of March, Kang Woo-jin began filming John Persona in earnest. And March in Hollywood—

『CNM / Kang Woo-jin, 'Universal Movies' new John Persona cranks in!』

『LA TIME / Kang Woo-jin, who started filming a new film for 'Universal Movies,' one of Hollywood's 'Big Five'—John Persona filming site spreads through SNS』

It was truly a bumper crop of issues.

『ABY / Kang Woo-jin's girlfriend Miley Cara, Chris Hartnett's Guest script reading imminent』

Issues that had been piling up or had recently exploded were now blooming or growing as bait for the media. Of course, the fact that several times more paparazzi were following Kang Woo-jin and Miley Cara also helped. All the photos they took were sold to the press.

『NT / Kang Woo-jin and Miley Kara, caught on a date at a restaurant! / Photo』

Not only that, but other Hollywood figures besides Woo-jin also joined in, and Hollywood was experiencing an unprecedented boom in recent issues.

『ABY / Veteran Actor Ethan Ford's Sharp Criticism of Kang Woo-jin: "I Recognize Kang Woo-jin's Skills, but He Is Not Humble"』

Time passed quickly in the world.

Kang Woo-jin, of course, along with all the projects and people related to him, continued doing what they had to do. They repeated their routines. As people's clothing gradually became lighter, the announcement for the upcoming Academy Awards approached.

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

One.

『LA TIME / AMPAS begins selecting official nominees for the Academy Awards: "Nominees will be announced on April 3rd"』

The official Academy Award nominees and actor announcements would be broadcast live on April 3rd.

Two.

-[······Our Academy Awards will open grandly on April 24th.]

The world's most prestigious Academy Awards, where Perriot had boldly entered the competition, would take place on April 24th.

In other words, the nominations would be announced on April 3rd, and the ceremony would be held on April 24th.

Everything would be decided within April, and Kang Woo-jin, upon confirming the announcement, looked calm on the outside—but inside, he was growing anxious.

'Ao-shi, just let me make it as a real nominee! At least then I won't lose face!'

But for now, it was still March, and he had to focus on filming John Persona.

March flew by in the blink of an eye.

『[Hollywood] April Begins! With only two days until the official announcement of the Academy Awards nominations on April 3rd, Hollywood is now on high alert』

April has begun.

『[Issue Chet] Will Kang Woo-jin's name be called at the Academy Awards after the pre-release rave reviews of Perriot: The Birth of a Villain?』