I Was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor

Chapter 440

Chapter 440: Emmy (2)

Translator: NovelBin

This year’s Primetime Emmy Awards were broadcast live not only in the United States but also in countries like South Korea, Japan, and France. The show’s coverage began when celebrities and notable figures started walking down the red carpet in LA, drawing in audiences worldwide. As one of the most prestigious events in entertainment, the Emmys held an immense global appeal, heightened even further this year by the buzz surrounding *Beneficial Evil*, nominated in multiple categories, and the anticipation for Kang Woo-jin.

In South Korea, the excitement was at fever pitch.

**"Lead Actor nominee Kang Woo-jin and *Beneficial Evil*, with nominations in ten categories, grace the Emmy’s red carpet, starting the event with a bang!"**

Media coverage had been non-stop, with social media, forums, and YouTube channels ablaze, making it clear that South Korea was entirely focused on the Emmys.

In Jinju, Woo-jin's hometown, the anticipation was even more personal in his family’s home.

“Wow, look at this! That red carpet’s huge!” Woo-jin’s sister, Kang Hyun-ah, exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement. She, along with their parents, Kang Woo-chul and Seo Hyun-mi, was glued to the TV.

“Where’s Woo-jin?” Woo-chul asked, leaning closer to the screen. “Is he there yet?”

“Dad, relax! He hasn’t shown up yet,” Hyun-ah replied, although she, too, looked restless.

The three of them sat transfixed as the red carpet spectacle continued on screen, hoping to catch a glimpse of Woo-jin. Every few minutes, one of them would voice the same concern.

“Why isn’t he showing up?” Woo-chul asked, brows furrowed. “Did we miss him?”

“No way!” Hyun-ah replied. “My brother’s so popular at the Emmys they’d never skip him!”

Their anticipation was understandable. They had seen Woo-jin on red carpets before, but this time it was the Emmys—the biggest event yet. Suddenly, Seo Hyun-mi pointed to the screen, noticing a man in an eccentric outfit.

“Oh, look at that actor! His clothes are...unique,” she remarked.

“It’s Hollywood, after all,” Woo-chul said, crossing his arms. “I heard the people here are pretty eccentric, but this is… unusual. Everyone else was in tuxedos.”

“It’s not just unusual. It’s... kind of crazy, isn’t it?” Hyun-mi added, squinting. “Red jacket and pants, blue shirt, yellow vest—and his socks don’t even match!”

At that moment, Hyun-ah’s eyes widened as she squinted closer. “Wait a second. Dad, Mom, that crazy-looking guy… I think it’s my brother!”

Woo-chul and Hyun-mi chuckled, dismissing her.

“What are you talking about?” her dad asked, shaking his head. “No way Woo-jin would show up dressed like that.”

“No, really, it’s him!” Hyun-ah said, now staring in shock.

Then, on the screen, the eccentric man brushed his red hair back with both hands, revealing his face. Woo-chul and Hyun-mi gasped in unison.

“Woo-jin?” Woo-chul stammered.

“Is that really…our son?” Hyun-mi asked.

For a few moments, the entire family stared in silence, processing what they were seeing. Then they erupted.

“That crazy guy is our son?!” Woo-chul shouted.

“That crazy guy is my brother?!” Hyun-ah yelled.

The scene wasn’t limited to his family. Across South Korea, fans, colleagues, and industry figures watching the live broadcast had similar reactions. At Woo-jin’s agency, BW Entertainment, the atmosphere was electric, with exclamations from the staff and celebrities gathered there to watch.

Amidst them, actress Hong Hye-yeon gasped, “What is he wearing?! Is that really Woo-jin?”

Ryu Jung-min, trying not to laugh, shook his head. “I think he’s the first actor in Hollywood history to show up at the Emmys like this.”

“Are you serious?!” Hong Hye-yeon shot back. “They’re going to think he’s insane!”

In the industry, opinions varied, but the reactions were universally shocked. Acclaimed actor Shim Han-ho could only laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. Even the prominent director Kwon Ki-taek was taken aback.

Elsewhere, in Japan, the reaction was no different.

“What on earth?! Woo-jin-san…looks so strange!” exclaimed Uramatsu Mihuyu, a top actress who had starred with him in *Mask of Deception*. Directors and writers from Japan, including those Woo-jin had worked with, were equally shocked.

Meanwhile, one of Woo-jin’s major backers, Chairman Hideki of the Kashihi Group, simply chuckled, pleased. “Yes, he certainly knows how to capture attention.”

The reaction from fans and the press was explosive. The moment Woo-jin appeared on the Emmy red carpet in his unconventional outfit, viewers around the globe went wild, with media outlets scrambling to capture and post pictures.

In the midst of this international uproar, Woo-jin maintained his composure.

Standing before the flashing cameras on the red carpet, his expression remained unreadable, calm, though he was quietly struggling with the sheer intensity of the scene.

*‘Whoa, this is something else. This feels even crazier than Cannes!’* he thought, bracing himself.

The deafening shouts and relentless flashes were disorienting, surpassing anything he’d experienced. The Emmy’s red carpet was not just large—it felt oppressively vast, a staggering display of prestige and intensity.

*‘This is insane...and the Oscars are supposed to be even bigger than this?’*

Trying to stay focused, Woo-jin took a deep breath, reminding himself of his role. He wasn’t just there as Kang Woo-jin but also as the Joker. Although he wasn’t in full makeup, everything else about him channeled the character. He couldn’t falter now.

*‘I need to embrace this. I’m the Joker.’*

Woo-jin gathered himself, pushing his composure to the limit as he channeled the Joker’s presence. He ran his hand through his red hair, letting it fall dramatically around his face. The cameras flashed even faster, capturing every move.

With his hand casually in his pocket, Woo-jin began to walk down the red carpet. Cameras and reporters trailed after him, captivated, while whispers of disbelief and awe filled the air.

“What is he doing?”

“Is this some kind of performance? This is the Emmys!”

“I’ve heard the rumors, but he really is insane!”

As the live broadcast continued, comment sections across streaming platforms exploded, messages pouring in from viewers worldwide:

- "Is that Woo-jin? Why is he dressed like that?!"
- "What’s with the red hair and mismatched socks?"
- "Has he lost his mind?"
- "Is he doing some kind of Joker cosplay on the red carpet?!"

Woo-jin, unfazed by the uproar, found himself thinking it might be too tame.

*‘This is getting reactions, but it needs more impact.’*

He quickly decided on a final flourish. Slowing his pace, he reached into his red jacket and pulled out a cigarette, placing it casually between his lips.

The reporters froze.

“Wait, what?!”

“Is he seriously…smoking on the red carpet?”

It was a first in Emmy history. No actor, let alone a nominee, had ever pulled a stunt like this. Woo-jin could feel the waves of shock, but he continued unfazed. Stepping closer to the press barricade, he extended his hand to a nearby photographer, silently requesting the man’s camera. Bewildered, the photographer handed it over, and Woo-jin held it up, snapping pictures of the crowd, then turning it on himself to take photos, as if he were a clown playing to the crowd.

A sudden cheer rose, and one female fan threw her phone onto the carpet near him. Woo-jin glanced at it, his expression calm, then nudged it back toward her with his foot, all while maintaining a deadpan look.

*‘Maybe that was a bit much, but whatever,’* he thought, feeling a thrill at the chaos he’d created.

As he resumed his walk, this time he added a bit of swagger, almost dancing, his red coat flaring around him, mismatched socks catching the light with every step. The crowd screamed louder, the energy reaching a fever pitch.

Finally, Woo-jin spotted the photo zone at the end of the carpet, where Emmy logos decorated the backdrop. The host, holding a microphone, motioned him forward with obvious excitement.

As Woo-jin stepped up, the male host grinned, “Wow! It’s Kang Woo-jin, everyone! The hottest name in Hollywood right now! Woo-jin, can you tell us about this outfit?”

The female host chimed in, “It’s unforgettable!”

The host rattled off questions about the cigarette, the eccentric walk, and every other shocking moment, as cameras and flashes focused solely on him.

Woo-jin, now fully in character, took the microphone and replied in a low, measured tone.

“I’m here as the ‘Terrible Clown,’ or should I say, the ‘Pierrot.’”

The host blinked, confused. “Clown? Pierrot? What does that mean?”

“It’s a teaser,” Woo-jin said, his tone unhurried, “for the beginning of the cinematic universe: *The Birth of a Villain*.”

A murmur swept through the crowd. As the world watched, Woo-jin gazed into the live-stream camera

, and with a smirk in the Joker’s distinct, mocking style, he added:

“This is the villain—watch, or don’t. Your choice.”