Kang Woojin made this statement in front of hundreds of reporters.
"Yes. The blonde woman in the photo taken at the filming site of the movie 'Beneficial Evil' in Bangkok is indeed Miley Cara."
Even at the moment those words were spoken, Miley Cara was still enjoying explosive popularity overseas, including in Hollywood.
Her new music video, which had swept the Billboard charts, had already surpassed 560 million views, and because of that, her songs were echoing all over the world. Naturally, that also meant Kang Woojin's global recognition was rising just as sharply.
However, while the overseas media reported on the ripple effect caused by Cara's new album,
[CNM / Miley Cara reaches No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100! Multiple songs enter the Top 10! First record of its kind in the chart's 64-year history!]
they were also strangely obsessed with another topic.
[LA Times / Miley Cara remains silent on rumors of appearing in Korean project 'Beneficial Evil,' allowing speculation to spread]
[BBX / The controversial photo featuring Kang Woojin! Is Miley Cara really appearing in the Korean drama 'Beneficial Evil'?]
The rumor that Miley Cara was appearing in a Korean film spread rapidly throughout Hollywood, and now the photo believed to be from the 'Beneficial Evil' filming set had even spread across social media.
But Miley Cara stayed silent.
As a result, the situation only worsened.
On top of that, Miley Cara was a global superstar whose new album had become a massive hit, and the lead of 'Beneficial Evil' was Kang Woojin, the Cannes Best Actor winner. With such irresistible keywords flying around, the overseas press freely spun their own narratives and poured out article after article.
But aside from those media outlets that exaggerated the issue, most of Hollywood did not believe a word of it.
"Miley Cara appearing in a Korean film? What kind of trash article is this?!"
"But if you read it carefully, there are a few pieces of evidence and some context."
"Don't be ridiculous! Everyone in Hollywood is desperate to cast her, and you expect me to believe she'd turn down that enormous fee just to appear in a Korean film?"
"Exactly. It doesn't make any sense at all."
There was not a single person in Hollywood who didn't know Miley Cara, whether they worked at film production companies, broadcasters, or agencies, and the majority flatly dismissed the media's claims as false.
The same went for Miley Cara's countless fans scattered all over the world.
[You damn reporters, stop writing fake articles!!]
[The idea of Miley appearing in a Korean film is interesting, but it's probably just a rumor, right?]
[There's no reason for her to suddenly film a Korean project, but why is 'Beneficial Evil' specifically being mentioned?]
[Kang Woojin is filming that project right now! A photo from the set leaked, and people are saying the blonde woman in it is Miley Cara, but I don't think so.]
[Kang Woojin? You mean that Korean actor who was with Miley Cara at Cannes recently? The one who publicly said he's aiming for the Oscars.]
[Why is this absurd rumor even spreading? If she really appears in a Korean project, I'll run down the street in my underwear.]
[Calm down, everyone. It's just another fake article like always.]
One thing was certain. Even though no one believed the rumor, the global recognition of both 'Kang Woojin' and 'Beneficial Evil' was rising rapidly. Korea was much the same, though the news arrived there slightly later than it did in Hollywood.
[The media is seriously milking this, huh? Stop milking Miley Cara already.]
[Yeah, sure. Another tabloid.]
[This was probably leaked on purpose by the 'Beneficial Evil' side, wasn't it?]
[Miley Cara must be really pissed.]
It was treated as nothing more than a typical tabloid story.
This went on for almost two weeks.
Moreover, Miley Cara's side, Kang Woojin's side, and the 'Beneficial Evil' team all refrained from taking any real position. Because of that, the domestic and international press reported on the matter extensively, but the substance remained shallow, and countless people, including those overseas, refused to believe it. They dismissed it as groundless rumors, trivial gossip, hearsay, or sheer nonsense.
No one believed it.
Well, the magazines themselves sold very well. The keywords involved were just too popular. Who could resist a story about world-famous superstar Miley Cara, who was sweeping the Billboard charts, appearing in a Korean project? That was why the domestic media and public alike showed strong interest and heightened anticipation.
Especially because 'Issue King' Kang Woojin was the male lead of 'Beneficial Evil.'
But then—
"Miley Cara has already finished filming."
In response to a casual question tossed out by one of the hundreds of reporters, Woojin, who had shown nothing but indifference from the start, suddenly dropped a bomb. Naturally, all the reporters were left stunned.
"What?"
"…What?"
"What did you just say?"
"Is it really Miley Cara?"
They were so shocked that even the nonstop flashes of the cameras briefly stopped. But Kang Woojin, wearing the same heavy expression as always, gave the same answer again.
"Yes. Miley Cara appears in 'Beneficial Evil.'"
That statement was enough to send not only domestic fans but also Miley Cara's fans all over the world into a frenzy, yet Kang Woojin remained astonishingly calm. In contrast, the hundreds of reporters, whose minds had gone blank for an instant, all burst into laughter.
"It was real?!!"
"No way! How is that even possible?!"
"Wait a second! Mr. Kang Woojin! You're not joking, are you???"
"If this is true, this is a huge scoop!"
"What?! Miley Cara is really in 'Beneficial Evil'?!"
"…No, seriously? Why?!"
The scene instantly turned into complete chaos. As if they couldn't decide whether they were dreaming or awake, they bombarded Kang Woojin with questions and instinctively began taking photos of him standing right in front of them.
The flashes that had stopped for a moment came pouring down again like mad, and under that assault, Woojin's face looked pale.
"M-Mr. Woojin!! Miley Cara is in 'Beneficial Evil'?! No—how much screen time does she have?!"
"When was her casting confirmed?!"
"Did Cara film only in Bangkok, or did she shoot in Korea too?!"
"What role does Miley Cara play in this project?!"
"This is the first time a Hollywood superstar has appeared in a Korean production! Why did she join?!"
"Was this kept secret all this time?! Why are you only announcing it now, Mr. Woojin?!"
The hundreds of reporters, whose attitudes had completely flipped, now looked like drooling hyenas.
"..."
Quietly scanning the confused crowd, Kang Woojin sank into thought.
'Wow, my god, their attitude changed in an instant. This is seriously hilarious.'
Then he lowered his voice and delivered the prepared statement.
"The 'Beneficial Evil' team will release the detailed information. That's all."
Sometimes, what isn't said is enough to drive people insane. Taking advantage of that fact, Kang Woojin turned his back on the hundreds of reporters and began walking toward the venue hall. But the reporters, half out of their minds, desperately called his name.
"Ah! Ah!!! Mr. Woojin!! Please tell us just a little more!!"
"Just one more line!"
"Mr. Woojin!! Kang Woojin!!"
But Kang Woojin had already made up his mind, and he did not look back once. The reporters quickly realized this and snapped back to their senses. After all, a scoop had just come out of that "monster's" mouth.
"W-We don't have time for this!!"
Now it was time to move.
Suddenly, most of the hundreds of reporters put down their cameras and pulled out their phones. Then, as if they had all agreed in advance, every one of them started calling someone.
"Editor! It's a scoop! A huge scoop!!"
"No, no!! You can't be drunk in broad daylight! Damn it, write the article first!!"
"Yes, that's right! Kang Woojin himself said it! Just post the rough details first and get the article up!!"
"Ah!! One hundred percent, one hundred percent certain!! Miley Cara is definitely appearing in 'Beneficial Evil'!!"
They had to be the first to announce this exclusive to the entire world.
Right at this moment.
A gentle-faced man emerged from the parking lot of Harmony Film Company, the production company behind 'Island of the Missing.' It was Director Kwon Gitaek. He had just heard the news of the explosive success of 'Leech,' but his expression remained calm from beginning to end. The staff with him, however, were in a very different mood.
"Huh? This feels strange."
"Right. Of course we should congratulate Director Ahn, but from our standpoint, it's a little… disappointing."
The huge success of 'Leech,' which had been right on the heels of 'Island of the Missing,' was obviously something worthy of praise, but at the same time, the thought that they might lose the number one spot in Korean film history left them uneasy. Well, it was a perfectly natural feeling for any human being.
"Twenty million. Twenty million viewers. That's a completely unprecedented number domestically… It might be a record we never see again, and yet losing first place in less than a year is honestly absurd."
Strictly speaking, it had not even been half a year. Hearing this, Director Kwon Gitaek, who had been quietly listening, gave a warm smile.
"If it's a climb, there's nothing anyone can do about it."
"What?"
"It's only natural that he's grown with time. The situation now is completely different from when 'Island of the Missing' opened."
"…Ah, you mean Kang Woojin."
"Yes."
Director Kwon Gitaek folded his arms and recalled Woojin's calm face.
"'Island of the Missing' depended heavily on Woojin's brand power, but now that power has grown several times over. It's only natural that 'Leech' would overtake us."
"That's true."
"And after watching 'Leech,' I could feel that Woojin's acting had improved even more. With such a terrifying monster rampaging like that, what kind of work could possibly fail to shine?"
Soon, Director Kwon Gitaek's smile deepened.
"In any case, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Woojin now holds both first and second place in Korean film history. What's interesting is that despite having caused such a huge wave in Korean cinema since his debut, Woojin himself doesn't seem to care about any of it. It feels obvious that this was all part of his plan from the start, and he carried it out as though it were nothing."
Director Kwon Gitaek quietly murmured to himself.
"He's already working on something else. Kang Woojin is probably thinking about what comes next."
Around this time, the 'Leech' team, which had been charging forward without slowing down, made an official announcement.
[[Official] Hit film 'Leech' confirmed for overseas release… Beginning with Japan, it will open on Thursday, December 23, just before Christmas!]
News arrived that it would be released overseas beyond Korea, particularly in Japan. The release was set for the very next month. And as if it had all been planned in advance, a similar article about 'Leech' appeared in Japan as well.
['The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice' confirmed for Korean release on December 21]
News also spread that 'The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice' would be released in Korea.
In December, the final month of the year, 'Leech' and 'The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice' would effectively be passing the baton to one another.
[[Issue Talk] Korean film 'Leech' opens in Japan on December 23, Japanese film 'The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice' opens in Korea on December 21?]
Once again, the timing was almost exactly the same.
──────────
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles—
It was morning in Korea, but late afternoon in LA. At the same time that news about Kang Woojin was exploding across Korea and Japan, that same news reached a massive theme park in Los Angeles.
No, not a theme park.
It was Columbia Studios. In the conference room of the team preparing the production of 'Pierrot,' several executives who looked like senior officials were reviewing the news.
[ABY / Columbia Studios announces production of a new blockbuster! Who will direct it, and who will star in it?]
Yesterday, news broke in Hollywood that Columbia Studios had begun work on a major film production. Distributors and production companies always made these announcements for publicity purposes, but thanks to Columbia Studios' immense weight in Hollywood, the news spread instantly.
The executives, scanning the articles on their laptops, muttered one after another.
"Hmm, something about this feels lacking. We should push harder."
"And what exactly is this strange actor lineup? I don't even know where it started."
"It would be better to leak details of the confirmed actors' audition results as soon as possible."
About thirty minutes passed like that.
Then—
The conference room door creaked open and someone new entered. He was a bald foreigner with glasses, one of the executives who had spoken the most with Director Ahn Gabok throughout the meeting.
"I'm a bit late. I was on the phone with Director Ahn Gabok."
As soon as he stepped into the room, he addressed the 'Pierrot' team.
Director Ahn Gabok had delivered the script to Kang Woojin, and Kang Woojin had reviewed it and responded immediately.
"Oh? He replied that quickly? That was fast. So what did he say?"
"He said he'll do it."
At those words, the Columbia Studios executives smiled.
"We need to contact Kang Woojin's side immediately."
"Let's get things moving right now."
At that exact moment—
"What?"
One of the foreigners, looking at his laptop, tilted his head with a puzzled expression. Then he turned the laptop around so everyone could see the screen. The article displayed there had absolutely nothing to do with 'Pierrot.'
It looked like it had just been published moments ago.
[Is it true that Miley Cara is appearing in a Korean film?]