Translator: Dreamscribe
This year’s Primetime Emmy Awards were being broadcast live not only in Korea but also worldwide, including Japan, France, where Cannes was held, and the United States. The broadcast had started right when famous figures and actors began walking the red carpet. Although the Emmys began in the afternoon in LA, time differences didn’t matter, people from all over the world were tuning in to the live broadcast.
As the most prestigious awards ceremony in the television industry, the event naturally drew immense attention.
Not only the general public but also people in the global entertainment industry, the media, and even other industries were fixated on the event. This was always the case, but the impact of this year’s Emmy Awards was more than twice as strong. There were many high-profile topics, such as ‘Beneficial Evil’.
Above all, the most raucous excitement was coming from Korea, where the entire nation was buzzing.
『’Kang Woojin’ nominated for Best Actor + ‘Beneficial Evil’ nominated in 10 categories at ‘Primetime Emmy Awards’, live broadcast kicks off with grand red carpet!』
From the day before the Emmys until now, news articles had been flooding in non-stop. Various social media platforms, online communities, and YouTube were exploding as if a nuclear bomb had gone off.
The entire country was in a frenzy.
Among them, in Jinju, Gyeongnam, a city that had become famous as Kang Woojin’s hometown, inside a family home:
“Wow- this is insane!! Look at the scale of this awards show!!! Our oppa is actually going to be there??”
Woojin’s younger sister, Kang Hyun-ah, was in a frenzy. This was the home of Kang Woojin’s parents. Naturally, Kang Woo-chul and Seo Hyun-mi were seated right beside her. All three of them had serious expressions.
“Where’s Woojin? Where is he?”
“Dad! Calm down, he hasn’t come out yet!”
“……Why am I the one feeling nervous?”
“Mom! Deep breaths!”
The three of them were watching the live broadcast of the Emmys on a large TV. On the screen, the extravagant red carpet, foreign reporters, broadcasting teams, onlookers, and more were being shown in full display. Kang Woojin’s family had been watching the live broadcast in a state of excitement for several minutes, waiting anxiously for their son, or brother, to appear.
“Why- isn’t he showing up? Did we miss him already? Or maybe that camera didn’t capture our Woojin.”
“That’s impossible! Right now, oppa is sooooo hot at the ‘Emmy Awards’ that they couldn’t possibly ignore him!”
Even though they had already experienced multiple award ceremonies, from various Korean film festivals to the recent Cannes Film Festival, each event still felt like a brand-new experience. After all, Woojin’s fame had only grown bigger every year, and this time, it was the Emmys.
And then.
“Oh my! That actor is wearing a very unusual outfit, isn’t he?”
Seo Hyun-mi pointed at the TV with her index finger. Beside her, Kang Woo-chul, arms crossed, nodded.
“Well, it’s Hollywood. I’ve heard there are tons of eccentric people in America. But still, that’s pretty bizarre. Every Hollywood actor who’s walked the red carpet so far has been in a tuxedo.”
“Isn’t this beyond just bizarre? It’s like, he’s dressed like a total lunatic. His jacket and pants are red. And why is his shirt blue?”
“That yellow vest too. Hah, and his socks don’t even match, they’re red and blue. His long hair looks soaked, and it’s dyed red? Did some weirdo just crash the event?”
Woojin’s parents were chatting in amazement as they watched the TV. It made sense. The live Emmy broadcast had just zoomed in on a man dressed in an explosion of colors, he looked like an absolute madman.
At that moment, Kang Hyun-ah, who had been silently staring at the TV with narrowed eyes, suddenly widened them in shock.
“……H-huh?? Huhhh?? Dad, Mom. That crazy bastard- no, that man, I think he’s oppa??”
Kang Woo-chul and Seo Hyun-mi chuckled in disbelief.
“What are you talking about?”
“Why are you suddenly comparing our Woojin to some lunatic? Get a grip.”
“No, no, no… That’s definitely oppa, right? Ah, wait- no, it’s not? No, it is.”
And then, the so-called “crazy man” on the TV brushed back his red-dyed, slightly covering long hair with both hands, revealing his face.
Kang Woo-chul and Seo Hyun-mi’s eyes widened just like Kang Hyun-ah’s.
“……Huh?”
“Oh.”
Then, both of them rushed forward toward the TV. Now, it was unmistakable.
“Woojin!!”
“Our son??”
The fact that the lunatic who appeared at the Emmys was Kang Woojin left his family momentarily speechless. For about ten seconds, they sat in stunned silence. Then, after exchanging wide-eyed looks, they practically shouted in unison.
“That lunatic is our son??!”
“That lunatic is my oppa?!!”
And it wasn’t just them, this was the reaction across all of Korea. The conference room at bw Entertainment, Kang Woojin’s agency, was also in total chaos. Shouts erupted from several executives and celebrities who had free time.
Among them were Hong Hye-yeon and,
“W-what the hell?! What is that man wearing?!! Is that really Kang Woojin?!”
Ryu Jung-min, who was also there.
“……If you dig through all of Hollywood’s history, Woojin is probably the only actor who’s ever attended the Emmys looking like that, hahaha.”
“What?! Oppa! How can you laugh right now?!!”
“Why? I think it’s very Woojin-like. Alien-esque and fun. He’s definitely grabbing attention.”
“He’s grabbing way too much attention! People are going to call him a total lunatic!!”
Reactions were similar among all Korean actors who knew Kang Woojin. Even ‘Leech’s actor Sim Han-ho let out a bewildered chuckle.
“What kind of performance is this now?”
Director Kwon Ki-taek and other top-tier directors also shook their heads at Kang Woojin’s insane concept.
Japan was just as shaken as Korea.
“Heeeeeh??!! W-what is that?! Woojin-san… looks so strange!!”
Top actress Mifuyu Uramatsu and Mana Kosaku, who had worked with him in ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’, along with other Japanese actors, were visibly shocked. Even writer Akari Takikawa, who was with director Kyotaro Tanoguchi, was in complete disbelief at Woojin’s appearance.
And then.
“Hahaha, yeah. The moment he appears at the Emmys, all eyes are instantly on him.”
Hideki Yoshimura, the chairman of ‘Kashiwa Group’ and one of Kang Woojin’s biggest backers, smiled in deep satisfaction.
What about the public?
The moment Kang Woojin appeared on the live ‘Emmys’ broadcast, public opinion in Korea and Japan went absolutely insane. The media was just as dumbfounded but quickly scrambled to move their fingers. Of course, it wasn’t just those two countries, his image was rapidly spreading worldwide, from France, where Cannes was held, to the U.S. and beyond.
-Has that Korean actor finally lost his mind??!
The sight of the lunatic Kang Woojin was spreading in vivid detail.
Meanwhile.
The man who had just shocked the global audience, Kang Woojin, was
“……”
Maintaining a perfectly indifferent, concept-driven expression.
Of course, the setting was right in front of the ‘Wicrosoft Theater’, where thousands of reporters, broadcast teams, and spectators were swarming the red carpet.
“%(&%(#%&%(!!!”
“@)@%@%(@((@!!”
“&^@&$$$@!!!”
Screams and shouts were erupting all around.
-Pababababak!
-Pababababababak!!
Flashes were exploding like lightning, nonstop. Thousands of cameras were clicking, and there were at least a dozen broadcast cameras in action. On top of that, the number of spectator smartphones capturing the moment was several times greater.
Somehow, while maintaining his poker face, Woojin thought.
‘Ugh, this is crazy. I think I might puke???’
He was actually feeling nauseous. The scale of the scene before him had completely overshadowed even the Cannes Film Festival. Cannes had been grand, but the Emmys’ red carpet went beyond grandeur, it felt violently overwhelming. The sheer scale was at least twice as large. Honestly, Woojin had let his guard down, thinking he was already experienced enough with film festivals and award shows.
‘Wait, wait! My feet won’t move.’
At this moment, he was getting a glimpse of what the Academy Awards might feel like.
‘If the Emmys, the most prestigious award in television, is this intense, just how insane must the Academy Awards be??’
His ears were ringing.
It was from the deafening shouts of the hundreds of reporters around him.
His head was spinning.
The heat from the crowd was simply too intense.
And then.
‘Ah.’
Something flashed through Kang Woojin’s slightly dazed mind. He caught sight of his own appearance.
‘Right. I’m ‘Joker’ right now, aren’t I?’
He hadn’t done any makeup, but other than that, Woojin was practically ‘Joker’. It was time to showcase the reality teaser for ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’ to the world through this performance.
‘I can’t weak now.’
Kang Woojin forced himself into a state of mind control. He cranked up his concept play to the maximum and, while not entirely, he let ‘Joker’s aura seep through his entire body. Naturally, he ran his fingers through his red hair, which reached down to his jawline. Because they was wet, it swayed gracefully.
At the same time.
-Pababababababak!!
An even greater barrage of flashes erupted, accompanied by the intensified shrieks of the surrounding foreigners.
Ah- whatever. Time to walk.
Kang Woojin, or rather ‘Joker’, shoved one hand into his pocket and began to walk. Thousands of cameras followed his every step, as if trailing the march of an extraterrestrial being. Foreign reporters and broadcasting teams from various countries exploded in confusion and disbelief.
“W-what is he trying to do??”
“A performance? But this is the ‘Emmys’!!”
“Kang Woojin, I’ve heard the rumors, but he really is insane?!”
The live broadcast chat, spreading across the globe, detonated like a nuclear bomb. A frenzy of different languages flooded the screen.
-Kang Woojin? But why is he dressed like that??! Why is his hair long and red??
-Wait, is that really Kang Woojin? Even his socks don’t match!!
-Huh? That’s strange. Did he always have this kind of vibe??
-Has he finally lost his mind??
-He’s wearing that at the Emmys? What the hell happened? Did no one stop him??
-Pierrot? The long hair and outfit totally scream Pierrot.
-Hollywood’s expectations must’ve been too much for him. He’s definitely gone mad!
-It’s common for actors to fall into delusions of grandeur, but this… this is next-level.
-His half-crazy hair and outfit, combined with that cynical expression, make him look ten times more dangerous!!
.
.
.
The chat refreshed without a single second of pause. By this point, not just the Emmys’ red carpet, but the entire world was stunned into disbelief. Meanwhile, Kang Woojin remained relatively calm in his thoughts. He had made it about one-third of the way across the red carpet when.
‘Is this enough?’
A concern crept into his mind.
‘Judging by the way reporters and everyone around me are going insane, this is already pretty shocking, but does it need more ‘Joker’ impact?’
He had intended to keep things from going overboard, but if he was going to commit to a ‘Joker’-esque performance, then simply walking felt like a waste.
After a brief moment of thought.
-Swoosh.
Woojin abruptly stopped walking. He cast a relaxed gaze around him and then reached into the inner pocket of his red jacket. He pulled something out.
A pack of cigarettes.
The very thing ‘Joker’ smokes every day.
Soon, Woojin placed a cigarette between his lips.
At that moment, the mouths of the surrounding hundreds of reporters dropped open.
“!!!”
“T-that crazy-!”
“A cigarette?! Did he seriously just put a cigarette in his mouth?!”
It was a first in ‘Emmys’ history. In fact, it was the first time in the entire history of American award ceremonies. A nominated actor not only showed up in a ‘Joker’-esque outfit but also put a cigarette in his mouth midway through the red carpet.
As a result.
“What the hell is that actor doing?! Has he completely lost his mind?!!”
Foreign reporters, broadcasting teams, and live broadcast crews were in complete shock, but their cameras were locked solely on Kang Woojin. The frenzy was so intense that even though a top Hollywood actor had just stepped onto the red carpet behind him, barely anyone paid attention.
-Swish.
Still holding the cigarette in his mouth, Woojin casually ran his hand through his hair again before suddenly approaching the red carpet’s perimeter fence.
Then, he reached out toward a camera held by one of the photographers frantically pressing the shutter.
The reporter hesitated, stunned.
“……?”
Caught off guard, he instinctively handed the camera to Woojin.
Then, Woojin, now acting as a photographer himself, began snapping pictures of his surroundings.
A scene so fitting for a clown, it was almost absurd.
Then, Woojin turned the camera on himself, taking selfies with the sea of reporters in the background.
He repeated this several times.
And then.
-Snap!
Among the screaming spectators, a foreign woman suddenly threw her phone onto the red carpet. Woojin glanced down at the phone that had landed right in front of him, then furrowed his brows as he looked at the woman who had thrown it.
“……”
Without a change in expression, Kang Woojin kicked the phone back toward the spectators. His face remained utterly indifferent, but inside, his heart pounded slightly.
‘Ah, shit- was that a bit too much? Whatever, whatever. It’ll work out somehow.’
Turning away, Kang Woojin, ‘Joker’, resumed his march. But this time, it wasn’t ordinary.
Now, his steps carried a hint of rhythm. At a glance, it almost looked like a dance. His red jacket and fiery red hair swayed slightly, and with every step forward, his mismatched red and blue socks became vividly exposed.
And the more he did.
“Kyaaaaaah!!!”
“@()@)%(*%()!!”
The screams and shrieks intensified, their volume rising to an ear-splitting level, the decibels climbing higher and higher.
Before long.
‘Ah, is that the end?’
Woojin’s gaze locked onto the photo zone, surrounded by countless reporters. It was right in front of the Wicrosoft Theater’s main building. The backdrop was filled with ‘Emmy Awards’ logos, and a male and female foreign host holding handheld microphones stood in front of broadcasting team cameras.
Men and women dressed in tuxedos and gowns were gesturing toward Woojin, waving him over.
A clear signal, come here, right now.
Since that was the finale, Woojin, whose every movement was under the gaze of thousands, stepped into the photo zone as the red-haired ‘Joker’, completely unfazed.
The first to speak was the male host, his voice bursting with excitement.
“Wow! Kang Woojin! It’s Kang Woojin, everyone! The hottest man in Hollywood right now! Woojin! I think we definitely need an explanation for today’s outfit??”
The female host chimed in.
“It’s so intense!!”
The male host went on, mentioning Woojin’s cigarette and various performances as he approached. The live broadcast cameras, television crews from different countries, and countless journalists all had their lenses locked onto Kang Woojin as if firing a barrage of shots.
When the microphone was handed to him, Kang Woojin, ‘Joker’, answered in a very low, relaxed tone.
“I presented to you the ‘terrifying clown’ or a ‘Pierrot’.”
“Cown? Pierrot? What do you mean by that?”
“It’s a teaser. For ‘Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain’, which marks the beginning of the ‘Cinematic Universe’.”
“Ah.”
Immediately, murmurs spread among the surrounding reporters. But Woojin didn’t care.
Fixing his gaze on the live broadcast cameras, he spoke again, in ‘Joker’s voice.
“This is the villain. Watch or don’t. Your choice.”
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