I Was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor-Chapter 344: Closing (2) - Edited
Chapter 344: Closing (2)
Translator: Santos
It was morning in Korea, but in Cannes, France, where the film festival was in full swing, it was just past midnight on the 4th. The time was around 1 AM. As the globally renowned festival had entered a brief lull after a day of raucous celebration, Kang Woo-jin could be found in his hotel room.
*“Hmm—”*
He was lying on the bed in comfortable attire. His face and hair were still natural, having been washed not long ago. Of course, his usual persona was nowhere to be seen.
By the looks of it, he hadn’t gone to sleep yet.
*—Swoosh.*
While lying down, Woo-jin was checking his phone. He had just been looking at the local French media and had switched to the Korean news. The first search term was the Cannes Film Festival. It was already an incredibly hot keyword, and articles were being generated every minute. Among them, the one that caught Kang Woo-jin's eye was:
*『[Cannes Film Festival] The closing and awards ceremony will be available for viewing on October 10 at 7 PM local time, which translates to 3 AM in Korea... Live streaming confirmed on YouTube!』*
It was about the closing and awards ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival. It matched the official schedule.
*“Oh— so it’s going to be broadcast live? I should tell Mom and Dad.”*
The festival was scheduled to run until the 9th, concluding that night when the final decisions of the ten official judges at Cannes would be made. The finale would burst forth on the 10th at 7 PM. The closing and awards ceremony also featured a red carpet event, and a celebratory party afterward was confirmed.
Soon, Kang Woo-jin scratched his chin.
*“They call it a party, but isn’t it really just a time for the award winners to receive accolades?”*
That was the truth. The party and celebration at the Cannes Film Festival would naturally host thousands of invited guests, but the real main event was the congratulatory party for those who won awards at this year’s Cannes. Countless interviews with journalists, photo ops, and conversations with industry giants awaited.
Just imagining it made Kang Woo-jin feel a bit suffocated.
*“Ugh— this is going to be chaotic. I’ll have to slip away. But if *The Leech* wins any award, will I have to hold out?”*
There were about seven types of awards in the ‘competition section.’ If *The Leech* won even one, it would be a huge success. At least that’s what Kang Woo-jin thought. However, he didn’t think he would win an award himself. He wasn’t completely devoid of hope, but this was a global stage, not just a domestic one. Famous actors from all over the world were attending.
More than anything else—
*‘Were we at a disadvantage?’*
He couldn’t overlook the possibility of biases or subtle discrimination. The information relayed to him was from Choi Seong-geon. Although it had decreased significantly compared to the past, he couldn’t assure that it was nonexistent. By the way, the ten official judges decided the nominees for Best Actor and Actress in the ‘competition section.’ With a total of 20 films, there were 20 nominees, from which they would narrow down the winners.
After that, the final winners would be decided.
Of course, during the awards ceremony, the nominees were usually not listed one by one; instead, one of the ten judges would typically announce the winners. In other words, Kang Woo-jin was in a friendly competition with Shim Han-ho from *The Leech*. It would be a choice between Kang Woo-jin and Shim Han-ho.
The competition was between the great actor Shim Han-ho and the two-year rookie Kang Woo-jin.
Additionally, he had to compete with 19 other formidable actors from around the world. The choice lay with the judges, and because of that, Kang Woo-jin decided to clear his mind even more.
*“Tch, I don’t know. I’ll just sleep for now.”*
By now, it was already 2 AM, so Woo-jin closed his eyes. He was tired, and it didn’t take long for him to drift off.
And then, eight hours later—
*“...I slept like a baby.”*
Kang Woo-jin opened his eyes again around 10 AM. Since coming to Cannes, he had managed to sleep in a bit. Compared to his previous hellish schedule, this felt quite relaxed. Soon, after getting out of bed, Woo-jin stretched and looked out the window.
*“The weather is great!”*
Once again, Cannes was sunny, and the streets were bustling with people. About an hour later, Choi Seong-geon and the staff entered Kang Woo-jin’s room. Since they had little to do apart from their work, Seong-geon had gained a bit of weight during this time.
“Woo-jin, let’s pick out a tuxedo for the closing ceremony.”
Han Ye-jeong and the stylists had lined up the tuxedos that Woo-jin would wear for the closing and awards ceremony. They had different colors and varying details. Sporting a strong persona, Woo-jin examined the tuxedos solemnly. Hmm, he was getting a bit tired of black.
His choice was—
“This one.”
It was a white-toned tuxedo. Han Ye-jeong, with her blue bob, raised her thumb in satisfaction.
“Great! I was going to recommend this to you, too. Since the closing ceremony is the finale, you need to stand out.”
“I think the same.”
“Yes. Then we’ll fix this one.”
The stylist team hurriedly took away the lined-up tuxedos. Then, Choi Seong-geon, who had been sitting with his legs crossed, stood up.
“Except for a few minor interviews, the official schedule for *The Leech* has nothing until the closing and awards ceremony—what are your plans for today?”
“I’m thinking of looking over the script for *The Beneficial Evil* in the morning.”
It was a lie. However, it was impossible for Seong-geon to see through Kang Woo-jin's bold facade.
“Ah, I was just about to tell you. It’s been confirmed that *The Beneficial Evil* will be divided into two parts. I just got a call from General Director Kim So-hyang. Parts 1 to 6 will be focused on the first part, and the goal is to speed it up and launch it as soon as possible. Part 2 will be after that.”
“Is that so?”
“Are you looking forward to it?”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Seong-geon, with a broad smile, patted Woo-jin’s shoulder.
“The promotional effects of this Cannes will be quite significant, both in Korea and globally. There are already inquiries coming in. Do you know how much coverage you got for walking the red carpet with Cara at the opening ceremony?”
He was quite excited. Kang Woo-jin felt the same way, but the more enthusiastic Seong-geon got, the lower Woo-jin’s voice became.
“I saw it.”
“Just being invited to the competition section of Cannes is amazing, but if you win any award, the publicity will explode. Foreign media will cover it extensively, and naturally, you will be in the spotlight.”
“That will extend to *The Beneficial Evil* as well.”
*“Hehe, you’re right.”*
With a grin, Seong-geon remarked.
“If *The Leech* wins the Palme d'Or, it will be the first for Korea, which would be a true blockbuster—”
He gave a thumbs up to the calm Kang Woo-jin.
“And if you win Best Actor, it will be a real bombshell. Though it’s still a hope.”
---
**At the same time.**
Among the invitees at the Cannes Film Festival, rumors about Kang Woo-jin were spreading widely. In particular, French reporters and festival officials were quite active.
“Did you see *The Leech* yesterday? How was it?”
“It was amazing. Oh, the actor Kang Woo-jin, the star of *The Leech*.”
“People are talking a lot about that actor. Why Kang Woo-jin?”
“Seems like he’s lived here for a while. He spoke French fluently during the greetings before the screening.”
*“French? Wasn’t he just practicing?”*
“No. His level was that of a local; if you closed your eyes and listened, you wouldn’t think he was a Korean actor.”
It wasn’t so much rumors as it was misunderstandings and misconceptions spreading rapidly. Perhaps it was the power of the 3,000 audience members who had attended the second screening of *The Leech*.
“Ah— I can’t stop thinking about *The Leech*.”
“Was it that shocking?”
“The film was amazing, but the actors' performances were impressive. Especially Kang Woo-jin.”
“I heard the rumor that he spoke French; is that true?”
“Yes. That actor must have studied in France or lived here entirely.”
Kang Woo-jin's sudden recitation of French was the starting point. It was a gift from his space manipulation ability, so his level was that of a local. Naturally, it was expected for the whole Cannes Festival to be filled with misunderstandings. However, it wasn’t just errors being passed around.
There were also genuine truths.
Kang Woo-jin’s name was frequently mentioned among the directors from various countries who watched *The Leech*.
“Is it certain that the actor Kang Woo-jin we saw yesterday is at his first Cannes? Isn’t it strange that an actor with that level of skill is attending Cannes for the first time
?”
“I’ve confirmed it’s his first time; Korean media are saying the same.”
*“......It’s the first time I’ve seen such a chilling performance.”*
“It certainly was exceptional.”
“Let’s check on Kang Woo-jin's background. I need to see what kind of roles he’s played.”
Of course, there were numerous directors from various countries, but the Hollywood directors were particularly stirred up.
“Look into the situation regarding Kang Woo-jin in Korea.”
“Understood.”
“Is it true that the Korean actor who worked with Miley Cara on the album is the same Kang Woo-jin? Is there no connection to Hollywood regarding the film?”
“Not at this time.”
*“......Danny Landis asked to shake his hand; he must have impressed him.”*
“I’ll check as quickly as possible.”
Kang Woo-jin's performance in *The Leech*, which transcended mere method acting to give the impression of a real person, left a deep imprint on many directors.
“Find a way to watch Kang Woo-jin's past works; I need to see what kind of performances he’s done.”
Beyond just absurd performances, Kang Woo-jin's unique aura also made a significant impression on the directors at Cannes.
“The acting is one thing, but there’s something different about his energy. It has a mesmerizing power. He has the scent of a star.”
However, such reactions were only confined to *The Leech*. If numerous directors saw Kang Woo-jin's past or future works, their excitement would likely explode further. Given the current situation, that was how it seemed.
But looking at the Cannes Film Festival overall, there were still more people who hadn’t seen *The Leech*.
Even after the two screenings combined, only 6,000 attendees had seen it. Meanwhile, the number of officially invited guests at the Cannes Film Festival was in the thousands, and with tourists included, the number soared into the hundreds of thousands. Therefore, it was only natural for those who were puzzled by the spreading rumors about Kang Woo-jin to be more numerous.
“Is *The Leech* really the only Korean film invited to the ‘competition section’? It’s quite noisy.”
*“Hmm, the work is one thing, but the actor Kang Woo-jin is also drawing a lot of attention.”*
“Kang Woo-jin? Who is that?”
“The one who walked in with Miley Cara at the opening ceremony.”
*“Ah, that actor? What’s the story?”*
*“I heard he’s quite unusual.”*
---
Regardless, Woo-jin’s recognition was on the rise.
---
Later on.
As the Cannes Film Festival progressed past its midpoint, the heat of the event only intensified as it drew closer to the end. The film industry in France, Hollywood, and countries worldwide continued to pour out news related to the Cannes Film Festival without pause.
Korea was no different.
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In Korea, various issues were currently making waves.
*『Kang Woo-jin and Miley Cara, who walked the red carpet together at the opening ceremony, saw the teaser for their new album hit 70 million views.』*
*『[Trending Talk] What will Kang Woo-jin look like in the music video that briefly features him in Miley Cara’s new album, set to open on the 12th?』*
Of course, news related to the Cannes Film Festival was exploding. Just the fact that *The Leech* had made it to Cannes was enough to stir up excitement. Additionally, the rapid dissemination of issues from the festival to Korea heightened the impact.
It was natural that the Korean media had been buzzing since the opening ceremony of the Cannes Film Festival.
*『The ten judges of this year’s Cannes International Film Festival standing on the red carpet; the fate of *The Leech* rests in their hands / Photo』*
*『[Cannes Film Festival] A giant poster of *The Leech* hung on the enormous building wall, featuring Kang Woo-jin’s face waving in Cannes! / Photo』*
*『“We worked on the album together.” Kang Woo-jin and Miley Cara walking side by side on the red carpet at the opening ceremony / Photo』*
---
By the fifth day of the Cannes Film Festival, the Korean media was in a frenzy. News was reported daily, and YouTube, social media, and various communities buzzed about Cannes incessantly.
---
*“-ㅠㅜㅠㅜㅠㅠㅠ Woo-jin on the red carpet....so cool....”*
*“- LOL, it feels like watching the World Cup.”*
*“- It’s amazing that such great directors from all over the world are going in to watch a Korean movie.”*
*“- He’s just a prop.”*
*“- ↑ You fool, just getting invited to the competition section is already a big deal....”*
*“- LOL, doesn’t it seem like Kang Woo-jin and Miley Cara are really close??? Are they dating????”*
*“- I want to see *The Leech*.... Is it not being released in Korea??”*
*“- If this is the case, I hope we at least win an award. Hehe.”*
*“- I’m cheering for you!!!”*
*“- Ugh, the closing ceremony is at 3 AM, so I’ll just have to wait...”*
*“- Kang Woo-jin is seriously so cool;;;”*
*“- Please, please win the Palme d’Or!!”*
*“- The Palme d’Or is a stretch, LOL. Let’s take it easy with the national pride.”*
---
Indeed, South Korea was currently abuzz with the Cannes Film Festival.
---
**Later.**
On the morning of the 5th in Korea.
In a conference room of a large distribution company in Seoul, over twenty people were seated at a rectangular table. A projector was beaming on the front wall. What was interesting was that the output was related to the *Leech* poster and the Cannes Film Festival.
Naturally.
This was the official distributor of *The Leech*. Of course, some representatives from the film company and the distribution company, including its executives, were in Cannes. However, not everyone could go, and particularly for the distribution company, there was much to do in Korea, not Cannes.
Now, they were handling one of their many important tasks.
Soon, a bespectacled executive seated at the front of the rectangular table flipped through the materials he was viewing and spoke.
*“Regardless of how *The Leech* performs at Cannes, it’s already highly newsworthy, so we should aim to release it as quickly as possible.”*
Other executives nodded in agreement.
*“That’s right; Director Ahn said the same. This has been planned since the early production of *The Leech*.”*
*“As the Cannes Film Festival concludes on the 11th, if we’re quick, we can launch within two weeks, but no later than three weeks.”*
*“I know we started securing screening rooms long before the crank-up of *The Leech*, so how is that progressing?”*
A team leader responded quickly.
*“Yes, we’ve been working on securing screening rooms since before *The Leech* was cranked up.”*
*“Hmm. Then it’s not an issue to release *The Leech* within three weeks after Cannes ends, and as for the promotions and marketing, they’re already underway thanks to the Cannes Festival.”*
*“Additionally, we plan to advertise as much as possible regarding the domestic release of *The Leech* during the three weeks leading up to the launch.”*
The bespectacled executive flipped through another page of materials and interjected.
*“Three weeks, huh? After Cannes ends, that would mean October 27th is a suitable release date.”*
At this moment, another executive chimed in.
*“Wait, around that time, wouldn’t Japan also be releasing?”*
*“What’s that?”*
*“Kang Woo-jin’s *The Symbiotic Leech*, I believe. They said it would open at the end of October; it seems the timing is almost aligned.”*
---
The simultaneous release of *The Leech* and *The Symbiotic Leech* was on the horizon.
