Chapter 351: Chapter 351: Returning Home (3)

Translator: Dreamscribe

Kang Woojin got into the black van parked by the curb at the entrance of Incheon Airport. Following him, a dozen or so members of Woojin’s team also boarded, and soon the atmosphere inside the van turned lively and bustling. In the midst of it all, Kang Woojin held the Cannes ‘Best Actor Award’ trophy case in one hand, and as soon as he got in, he turned his gaze outside the window with a calm expression.

Outside, he could see hundreds of reporters, half-crazed, blocked by the giant guards.

-Pababababababak!

Even though Kang Woojin was already inside the van, the shutter sounds didn’t stop. There were even unintelligible shouts. Zombies? Kang Woojin let out a small sigh inwardly.

‘Ah, this is fucking intense! Anyway, I’m finally in Korea! My home! Been a while since I rode in this van! Finally back home!’

On the outside, he looked solemn as ever, but inside, Kang Woojin was doing a little shoulder dance. Publicly, it was a grand return in triumph, but for Woojin, it just felt like coming back to his hometown. He had arrived in Korea around 3 p.m., but it was now close to 5 p.m. The reason was simple.

‘I didn’t expect to be in interviews for almost 2 hours, seriously.’

After his triumphant return, he had to spend nearly 2 hours with the reporters who had flocked to him. Of course, it wasn’t just hundreds of reporters; there were countless spectators as well. If Woojin had been alone, it might have taken less time, but since Director Ahn Ga-bok of the Palme d'Or, Sim Han-ho, and the other cast members of 'Leech' were all there, it took a bit longer.

‘Phew- what questions did I get asked?’

Kang Woojin, who had been bombarded with an enormous number of questions from hundreds of reporters. Roughly, they were about the Best Actor Award, his French skills, Miley Cara, and the hidden meaning behind his defiant acceptance speech, but he couldn’t remember them well. Not that he had any reason to dwell on it deeply.

At that moment.

-Click!

The staff members, including Choi Sung-gun and Jang Su-hwan, who were handling the wrap-up, boarded the van. Choi Sung-gun immediately gave the signal to depart, and thanks to him, the van that had been idling began to move smoothly. The flashes from hundreds of reporters surrounding the van, as if in a final frenzy, became even faster.

About 10 minutes later.

The black van, having barely escaped the airport, was now speeding down the highway. The inside of the van was still lively and noisy.

“Whoa- every single search site has Woojin oppa on the main page!”

“That’s only natural! SNS and community boards are plastered with Woojin oppa too! But weren’t the number of reporters at the airport a bit lacking?”

“Apparently, a few hundred more were in the outer parking lot, but they couldn’t get in because it was blocked.”

“Oh! Articles about oppa’s return are flooding in now!”

Choi Sung-gun, who was sitting in the passenger seat and laughing happily, added his thoughts while looking at his phone.

“Hehe, Woojin. We expected this, but things have really blown up. Just look, this will go on for at least two solid weeks. Ah, let’s take it easy today and tomorrow, Woojin.”

“Yes.”

“I’d love to let you rest more, but there’s a backlog of schedules, and with Cannes, everything’s blown up several times over.”

“It’s fine, I got some rest at Cannes.”

Kang Woojin, who answered simply, continued to stare quietly out the window. He had returned with results that went beyond national prestige, but right now, his mind was filled with completely unrelated thoughts.

‘What should I eat when I get home? I’m craving something super spicy. Kimchi jjim? Ah- jokbal is kind of tempting too. Or just something simple like ramyeon? No, ramyeon will be the first round.’

Choosing his returning-home meal. Then, as if something else crossed his mind, Kang Woojin, who was maintaining a poker face, took out his phone. He started sending out the Cannes ‘Best Actor Award’ photo he had taken in advance to various people. Family, friends, colleagues—he informed everyone who had contacted him of his return.

Soon.

-Bzzz.

-Bzzz.

A flood of replies started pouring in. From Korea, Japan, and Hollywood.

At that moment.

-Swish.

Choi Sung-gun, who had just finished a call, turned his head toward the back with a somewhat serious expression. He met Woojin’s calm gaze.

“So- Woojin, this is a message from our main investor.”

Referring to Chairman Hideki.

“Putting aside all the small details… you’ve got a private jet now.”

In an instant, the eyes of the dozen or so members of Woojin’s team in the van widened significantly. All except for Kang Woojin. Woojin, in a voice barely above a whisper, asked again.

"...You mean a private aircraft?"

“Yes. Starting from your next schedule in Japan, you’ll be flying on a private jet.”

Kang Woojin’s mind was blown. Of course, only internally.

‘What the hell!! A private jet, all of a sudden?! Are they talking about those personal planes you only see in movies?!’

To him, a 'private jet' was nothing more than the hang glider he made as a kid.

Meanwhile, on the plane.

In the business class section of a plane soaring high in the sky, a few familiar figures were dozing off. Among them were several executives from the Hollywood distribution and film company, Universal Movies, who had attended Cannes—people like Megan, among others. The only person not asleep was a man sitting by the window. It was none other than the famous giant producer, Joseph Felton.

“......”

With his chin resting on his hand, he stared out the window. Unlike Kang Woojin, who had moved quickly, Joseph’s team had stayed in France for a few extra days after the Cannes Film Festival ended. Now, they were on their way back to LA. Soon, Joseph withdrew his gaze from the window and looked down. Four thin bundles of paper rested on his lap.

These were synopses or concepts and ideas from four Hollywood screenwriters.

Joseph picked up one of the drafts—a thriller, noir, crime action, or comedy, each in a different genre, inspired by 'Jekyll and Hyde' and incorporating Dissociative Identity Disorder.

“This one’s the right choice.”

Having been pondering this even before Cannes, he finally made his decision. Once he returned to LA, he’d officially dive into script development. But the pace of the plan was already twice as fast as usual. The core team, including Megan and others, had already been assembled early, and they had a shortlist of directors beyond Danny Landis, the preferred candidate, along with the possibility of casting Kang Woojin.

Then,

“Hm-”

The tall Joseph crossed his long legs and suddenly thought of Miley Cara. More precisely, he recalled the conversation they’d had at the Cannes Film Festival after-party. It had started when Miley Cara approached Joseph, who was watching Kang Woojin surrounded by various international bigwigs.

“Joseph, I heard you’re preparing a project with Universal Movies.”

Joseph had been a bit surprised by the sudden conversation.

“Miley, it’s rare for you to bring up a project first.”

“I did a little digging, but there wasn’t much information. I assume it’s still in the early stages?”

“You could say that. But the team formation is about 70% complete.”

“The director?”

“The shortlist is finalized, and we're most interested in director Danny over there."

A smile appeared amidst Cara's characteristically cool tone.

“Director Danny Landis, huh? But doesn’t he only work on scripts he writes himself? Given his stature, anyone would throw money at him to secure him.”

“I’m working on it. I managed to raise the odds a bit here at Cannes.”

“Hm- if Director Danny takes on this project, it’ll definitely create quite a stir in Hollywood.”

Murmuring to herself, Cara met Joseph’s gaze with her blue eyes.

“When the official synopsis or the first draft of the script comes out, make sure to send it to me as well.”

Joseph’s eyes widened slightly.

“Are you serious?”

Miley Cara was famous in Hollywood for her high fees and being notoriously difficult to cast. This was the first time she had personally approached and requested a script. Joseph asked her,

“......Could it be because of Kang Woojin?”

Cara shrugged her shoulders.

“Not exactly, but I mean, you did visit the set of 'Leech' for him, and even attended the 'Beneficial Evil' shoot in Bangkok, didn’t you? You even brought along other film executives. Officially, you said it was just a quick stop before Cannes, but from what I see, you’re someone who has a reason behind everything you do.”

“......”

“This project you’re preparing now—you’re planning to cast Kang Woojin as the lead, right? A solo lead? Whatever it is, it’s all been a journey to test him, hasn’t it? I definitely want to see that movie’s script.”

“Miley, do you perhaps… like Kang Woojin? As a man.”

Miley Cara furrowed her brows sharply.

“Are you crazy? It’s because of his acting. I watched 'Leech' and 'Beneficial Evil'. It’s the first time I’ve ever felt fear from watching someone else’s acting. I thought I was doing well in my own way, but after seeing Kang Woojin, I felt a sense of distance. I even feel respect for him.”

“It’s less like acting and more like his characters are alive, moving around in reality. Kang Woojin’s acting isn’t method acting. It’s something beyond that.”

“I want to see that, not in a short piece like 'Beneficial Evil', but in something longer. That’s all there is to it.”

Joseph smiled faintly.

“Got it. If we get a script that’s worth sending, I’ll send it to you right away. You’ll be the second actor to get it. The first, of course, will be Kang Woojin.”

Cara nodded and lowered her voice slightly.

“Securing Kang Woojin in the cast is a condition. If you fail to get him, don’t even think about sending it to me.”

Back in the present, inside the airplane, Joseph’s smile grew wider.

“For some reason, it feels like the fate of this film’s success or failure hinges on one actor.”

Soon, he looked down at his phone and murmured quietly as he took in what he was seeing.

“With this level of influence, it’s worth taking a shot.”

What he was looking at was Kang Woojin’s name spreading worldwide, including in Hollywood. Not only through articles and videos but also in countless conversations and online discussions. Thanks to his impactful presence at Cannes and his acceptance speech, Kang Woojin’s name was on the lips of big names in various countries.

And, of course, in France, the birthplace of Cannes.

“With that level of French fluency—and as the first Korean actor to win Best Actor at Cannes. Kang Woojin, has he returned to Korea already?”

“We’ve confirmed he’s already arrived in Korea.”

“I keep recalling his performance in 'Leech'. Send a script to Kang Woojin immediately, as quickly as possible. I’m sure other directors have already started moving.”

“Understood.”

Most of the prominent directors from various countries who had approached Kang Woojin during the after-party were similarly captivated. Not only was the impact Woojin made at Cannes impressive, but the fact that he was fluent in both French and English excited the bigwigs even more.

On the other hand, reactions from Hollywood were mixed.

“Is he aiming for the Academy Award next year? Huh—this Korean actor’s a bit cocky.”

“Haven’t there always been actors like this? But now, none of them are left. Winning Best Actor at Cannes is impressive, but the Academy Awards are on a different level.”

“I heard Director Danny praised him highly.”

“Director Danny? Hmm—it must have been overwhelming. For Cannes, known for its stubbornness, to break its rules.”

“I’m curious what kind of actor he is.”

Kang Woojin’s acceptance speech had been quite provocative, stirring up the pride of some in Hollywood. But along with that, interest in Woojin surged. There were many directors viewing him positively. Whether it was those hopping on the bandwagon, those truly impressed by his acting, or those with various other motives.

“Contact his agency and see if he’s available.”

“I’ve already sent an email, and I heard there’s a branch in LA too.”

“Oh—then can we get in touch with them directly?”

“I’ll check on that.”

To the renowned directors around the world, Kang Woojin was a hot topic.

The next day, Wednesday, the 13th, in the morning.

The location was Kang Woojin’s home. While Korea and the world were abuzz with news about him, Woojin himself was lying still in bed. His home was completely silent.

“......”

Even though it was past 9 a.m., there was no sign of Woojin ending his deep sleep. It was as if he was trying to shake off all his accumulated fatigue in one go. Of course, during this time, his phone was continuously receiving various messages, but Woojin’s phone remained silent. He’d set it to mute.

About an hour later,

"Uuugh-"

With one side of his hair completely flattened, Kang Woojin let out a groan resembling a zombie’s as he slowly rose from his bed. The rigid, public persona he usually maintained was completely cast aside, revealing him as his natural, unguarded self.

“...Slept like a log.”

Who would look at this disheveled figure and believe he was the actor who had won Best Actor at the Cannes Film Festival? In any case, after sitting up, Woojin spaced out for a moment before picking up his phone. He saw that countless notifications had piled up—missed calls, texts, messages, DMs. He decided to check only the missed calls first. Fortunately, there was nothing urgent. Woojin casually tossed his phone back onto the bed, stretched out, and headed into the living room.

The first thing that caught Kang Woojin’s eye was,

“Ha- this is amazing.”

the trophies displayed on the living room table. Among the awards he had received over the years, the recent Cannes Best Actor trophy had been added just a few days ago. Smiling broadly at its majestic presence, Woojin murmured,

“Why does it still feel like it’s not really mine?”

Kang Woojin was in high spirits. Something suddenly crossed his mind.

“Ah, Miley Cara’s new album.”

It was a thought he’d briefly pushed aside in all the recent chaos. Miley Cara’s new album had been released worldwide just yesterday. Woojin quickly moved back to his bed, picked up his phone, and opened YouTube. He figured the official music video must have been released along with the album.

And then

"Whoa- crazy."

There was no need to even search for it. The video he was looking for was right there, trending at #1 in real-time.

- 【alcoholism (feat. WooJin)】 | Miley Cara (TL: This line is in English in the original raws as well.)

It was the music video for the title track of Miley Cara’s new album, which featured Kang Woojin.

- 60,012,802 views / 22 hours ago

In less than 24 hours, it had already surpassed 60 million views.