Episode 444 Villain (1)

Standing in the pitch-black subspace, Kang Woo-jin couldn't help but smile.

"Haha, yeah. This is good."

In front of him, a glowing white square displayed a list of Hollywood scripts that had surged in popularity.

One title, in particular, caught his eye—Pierrot: Birth of a Villain.

[11/Scenario (Title: Pierrot: Birth of a Villain), EX +++ Grade]

'EX +++ grade?'

It had jumped two levels from its previous EX+ rating. Considering that EX+ was already a massive hit, just how insane was this going to be?

Woo-jin's heart pounded as he stared at the upgraded ranking of Pierrot: Birth of a Villain.

And then, a thought crossed his mind.

"As expected—the red carpet stunt was a success, huh?"

His Joker-themed appearance at the Emmy Awards red carpet.

Tens of thousands of attendees had been left speechless. The shock rippled beyond the venue, shaking audiences watching live across the world. His statement had been clear—

"This is the villain. Watch or don't."

With his already massive influence in Hollywood, dropping a bomb like that had drawn the kind of attention no one could ignore. The curiosity surrounding him had skyrocketed.

Even Woo-jin had to admit it.

"Even I can't resist."

That performance must have been a massive success. On top of that, Woo-jin, winning the Emmy Award for Best Actor, undoubtedly played a role.

In other words, Kang Woo-jin's power, performance, and Best Actor win had fused into a perfect storm—a firework explosion that shook the industry.

And the result?

"The grade has gone up."

It had skyrocketed to an absurd EX +++ level.

'But... is EX +++ the highest rank? Or can it go even further?'

Well, it didn't really matter. There could be a level beyond this, or maybe EX+++ was the final stage. Either way, Woo-jin—who had access to the mysterious subspace—wasn't too concerned. He simply enjoyed the moment.

His gaze shifted to the other projects.

"The Beast and the Beauty is now EX+, and John Persona has reached SSS+."

Both films had risen by a grade. Clearly, this was the ripple effect of Pierrot: Birth of a Villain and his Emmy Best Actor win.

But more than anything, the rapid rise of John Persona stood out. It had started as an S-grade project and had now skyrocketed to SSS+. Of course, he couldn't be completely sure how things would turn out.

There was always a chance that something unexpected could send it crashing down.

Still—

"That's a problem for later. For now... I'm just going to enjoy this, hehe."

With a grin, Woo-jin shrugged his shoulders excitedly. Who wouldn't be thrilled after seeing a result like this?

After shaking off his excitement, he suddenly flopped onto his back. The journey ahead would be long, and he needed to conserve his energy.

Who knows how much time passed?

After lying down for a while, Woo-jin abruptly sat up.

"S-Should I go back now?"

He returned to reality—where his name was now everywhere.

Back in reality, Kang Woo-jin wrapped up the remaining Emmy Awards schedule. Most of it was just formalities, but he still had to go through a string of interviews with broadcasting teams and reporters.

And that wasn't all.

"Hahaha, congratulations, Woo-jin! I'd love to sit down and talk sometime."

"Thank you."

"Is your agency representative here?"

Directors, producers, and major production companies all wanted a word with him. On top of that, Hollywood actors and stars from around the world were flocking to Woo-jin—shaking hands, greeting him, taking pictures, and exchanging social media contacts.

It was well past 2 a.m., but the energy in the room remained high.

Even though the Emmy Awards broadcast had long since ended, the online chat rooms were still going wild. Messages in various languages flooded in, creating a chaotic yet exhilarating stream of reactions.

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Crazy!! Seriously, Kang Woo-jin won Best Actor???!! ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

-WOW! Honestly, I still can't believe Kang Woo-jin won the Emmy for Best Actor!

-Beneficial Evil taking home six awards is just insane.

-There had to be some behind-the-scenes deal. No way Kang Woo-jin had the highest chances of winning!

-Come on, stop it. He won because he deserved it.

-No... seriously... Kang Woo-jin is on another level... Beneficial Evil, a six-time Emmy winner! Congrats, Woo-jin! ㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-It must be an unforgettable night for Koreans. Everyone's already celebrating like crazy.

-ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Did Woo-jin just outshine all the Hollywood actors??

-Now I'm even more curious about his villain role. He won Best Actor at Cannes and now an Emmy... This is going to be different.

-Ugh!! My patriotism is off the charts right now!!

-What the hell did Kang Woo-jin just do to Hollywood??

It was an outcome that no one had expected.

By the time Kang Woo-jin finally made it back to his home in L.A., it was already 4am. The moment he walked in, he peeled off his tuxedo jacket and collapsed onto the bed.

"Ahhh—"

Thanks to his subspace, he wasn't particularly sleepy, but his body felt heavy. Fortunately, Director Ahn Ga-bok had adjusted the filming schedule, giving him the morning off. Taking advantage of this rare break, Woo-jin grabbed his phone and turned it on.

It was completely flooded.

His messages, texts, and DMs were piling up nonstop. Since he had just spoken to his family, he decided to check the rest later, after getting some rest.

Still, out of curiosity, he opened the internet and browsed through Korean news sites.

As expected, it was all about Beneficial Evil and Kang Woo-jin.

『[Breaking News] Kang Woo-jin wins the Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama Series! During his acceptance speech, he thanks the people of Korea and his fans in fluent English.』

『Explosion! Kang Woo-jin wins Best Actor, Song Man-woo wins Best Director... Beneficial Evil secures SIX Emmy Awards!』

『[Breaking] Kang Woo-jin becomes the first Asian actor to win an Emmy for Best Actor!』

It was everywhere. Korea had completely erupted.

And Kang Woo-jin—lying in bed—let out a deep breath.

This... was only the beginning.

[Beneficial Evil Makes History: Wins 6 Out of 10 Emmy Nominations—First for a Non-English Series]

[Standing at the Top of L.A. Kang Woo-jin Claims Emmy for Best Actor—His Acceptance Speech: "Now, Only the Academy Awards Remain.]

Given that the Emmy Awards had just concluded, this level of media frenzy was almost expected.

[[Star Talk] From Villain to Jang Yeon-woo—Kang Woo-jin Wins Best Actor and Sets Sights on the Academy Awards.]

[After Cannes, Now the Emmys! Kang Woo-jin Wins Best Actor—His 'Joker' Red Carpet Performance Sends 'Pierrot: Birth of a Villain' into Overdrive.]

Lying on his side, Kang Woo-jin's lips curled into a smile.

"Heh... This feeling never gets old."

His thumb scrolled faster over his phone screen.

Korean news portals, online forums, blogs, and social media were all in a frenzy over Kang Woo-jin and Beneficial Evil. It was a sight both thrilling and surreal. As he lay there, watching his name dominate the headlines, his eyelids grew heavy. Before he realized it, he had drifted off to sleep.

But the world?

The world was wide awake.

Even as Woo-jin slept, both Korea and the international entertainment industry remained in turmoil.

[The World Goes Wild! Kang Woo-jin Wins Best Actor for Beneficial Evil! Global Media Declares: 'This Drama Has Rewritten Emmy History.]

[[Big Issue] CNM Reports: 'Beneficial Evil—A True Masterpiece!' Foreign Media Praise It as a Historic Moment.]

From the moment the Emmys ended, it wasn't just Korea or Hollywood buzzing. The entire world was swept up in the aftermath.

News outlets, YouTube, social media—no matter where you turned, Kang Woo-jin's name and Beneficial Evil dominated every conversation.

And then, there was this:

[【Breaking News!!】 Full Video of Kang Woo-jin's Emmy Acceptance Speech!! He Starts in English, Then Switches to Korean... Absolutely Flawless!]

His name was no longer just a hot topic. It was a phenomenon.

As the hype reached its peak, it didn't die down—it multiplied. Even two days after the awards, on August 3rd, the flames of excitement only burned hotter.

[A Living Legend: Beneficial Evil Sparks a Global Sensation—What's Next for Best Actor Kang Woo-jin? Could an Academy Award Be on the Horizon?]

And then, of course—there was the "Joker" effect.

His now-iconic red carpet performance had turned into a massive talking point, fueling speculation and curiosity across global forums. The mention of an Academy Award had only added gasoline to the fire.

But while the world was still reeling from Kang Woo-jin's Emmy win, he had already moved on.

Returning to work as if nothing had happened.

As Kang Woo-jin stepped onto the set, he greeted everyone with his usual calm demeanor.

"Hello."

But the reaction he received?

Explosive.

The moment he arrived, a wave of over a hundred staff members and actors surged toward him.

"Wow!! Mr. Kang Woo-jin!! Congratulations!"

"Hey—the Best Actor winner just walked in! Do you know that Hollywood is losing its mind over you right now? Congratulations!"

"This is amazing! Our lead actor just won an Emmy—this is huge!"

"A Best Actor win is no joke! And that Joker performance? Absolute chills!!"

"Hahaha, honestly, wasn't this year's Emmys basically just a Kang Woo-jin celebration?"

Laughter, cheers, applause.

The energy was electric.

After all, it wasn't every day that an actor won an Emmy for Best Actor in the middle of filming a project. His victory wasn't just his own—it elevated the entire film's prestige. This was a win-win for both Kang Woo-jin and Pierrot: Birth of a Villain.

As Woo-jin accepted the flood of congratulations from foreign staff, he noticed two familiar figures approaching him.

Director Ahn Ga-bok and Producer Nora.

And they weren't alone.

Accompanying them were several high-ranking executives from Columbia Studios.

Among the gathering of high-profile figures, Director Ahn Ga-bok was the first to speak.

"Congratulations on your award. And your 'Joker' performance? Absolutely phenomenal. Columbia's SNS servers practically crashed that night."

It was true.

The buzz generated by Kang Woo-jin's performance had been unprecedented. No amount of marketing—not even hundreds of millions in ad spend—could have achieved this level of global exposure.

Recognizing this, Columbia's executives had personally come to express their gratitude.

One by one, they approached Woo-jin, led by producer Nora, shaking his hand and offering sincere words of appreciation.

"Thank you for being such a defining force in our cinematic universe."

Woo-jin, unfazed, simply nodded.

"Yes."

Even as they left, all the executives had the same thought.

"We're going to have to raise his price."

And if there was any doubt about him playing Joker again—

"Let's double-check the finalized contract. We can't afford a global uproar if we lose him."

August 8th—One Week Later

A full week had passed since the Emmy Awards, yet the shockwaves had barely subsided.

Global media continued to churn out fresh headlines every day, while behind-the-scenes clips from the Emmys flooded YouTube and social media.

Especially anything with 'Kang Woo-jin' in the title—those clips were easily hitting a million views within hours.

But Woo-jin?

He had already moved on.

With the second half of 'Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain' underway and the first shoot for ' Beast and the Beauty ' looming, Woo-jin had no time for anything else.

Endless offers for advertisements, interviews, and TV appearances were piling up like a nuclear explosion, but they would have to wait.

Right now, filming was the priority.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Beneficial Evil team had wrapped up their Hollywood schedules and were returning home.

『[Issue Pick] 'Emmy-Winning' Beneficial Evil Cast & Crew Make Special Appearance on American Talk Show!』

After a series of high-profile Hollywood appearances, the Beneficial Evil team finally touched down in Korea late in the afternoon on August 8th.

『[Exclusive Photos] The Emmy Awards Trophies Arrive in Korea—Beneficial Evil Team Returns Home in Triumph!』

Their return was nothing short of a hero's welcome.

Hundreds of news articles flooded the internet, and massive crowds gathered at the airport to greet the award-winning team.

Even before they landed, Korean variety and talk shows were scrambling to book them for appearances.

But amidst the celebrations, one man was already back in work mode.

The Emmy-winning director of Beneficial Evil, Song Man-woo, had no time to bask in the glory.

"PD, are you heading straight to the editing room?! You should rest first!"

"Rest? No way. "** His eyes were sharp, focused.**

"We've caused a global frenzy. If we slack off now, today's praise will turn into backlash tomorrow. We need to finish strong."

"...That's true. But at least grab something to eat first."

"Fine. I'll eat at the editing room."

Just like Kang Woo-jin, he was already back to work.

The final edit of Part 2 of Beneficial Evil was nearly done, and Netflix was expecting the finished version in just a few days.

A Few Days Later, Something even bigger was about to unfold.

And Kang Woo-jin?

He was right at the center of it.

Late Morning – DM Production Editing Room

The editing suite at DM Production was eerily quiet.

Inside, PD Song Man-woo sat hunched over his workstation, his once-clean-shaven face now scruffy, his hair unkempt, the unmistakable look of a man who hadn't left his chair in days.

And then—

"Agrhhrhhh!"

He stretched back in his chair, arms wide, exhaling as if releasing weeks of tension.

Finally, it was done.

The final edit of Part 2 of Beneficial Evil was officially complete.

His tired eyes lingered on the monitor, where the final frame froze on Kang Woo-jin's face.

He chuckled.

"It feels like just yesterday he was filming The Profiler Haryang... and now he's an Emmy-winning Hollywood actor."

Then—

—Bzzzt. Bzzzt.*

A double vibration. A new message.

He glanced at his phone.

Sender: Director Kim So-hyang.

His brows furrowed.

"What the...? How did she text me right as I finished? Is she a psychic?"

But as he tapped the notification, his tired expression shifted.

It wasn't about editing.

Director Kim So-hyang: PD, have you seen the Hollywood 'Pierrot' movie poster? I think it just dropped.

Director Kim So-hyang: (Photo attached)

Director Kim So-hyang: The mood is insane.

Song Man-woo opened the file. His exhausted eyes suddenly sharpened.

The screen filled with a single, haunting image—

A pale face.

A twisted expression.

A villainous smile beneath hollow, piercing eyes.

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

"...Holy shit."

Meanwhile, in LA. It was morning in Korea, but here it was afternoon. Hollywood downtown, packed with cars. Two large vans were running between them.

Among them, blonde Miley Cara was seen in the van in front. Unlike PD Song Man-woo, she was looking at the tablet screen, but the picture displayed on the screen was the same.

[Pierrot: Birth of a Villain 1st Poster] Cara, who was quietly looking at Kang Woojin's pale face that filled the screen, smiled faintly.

There was a mixture of admiration.

"Is this the villain? His visuals are killer."

The face of 'Joker' has been revealed to the world for the first time.