I Was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor

Chapter 445

Chapter 445: Villain (2)

Translator: NovelBin

The first official poster for *Piero: Birth of a Villain* debuted on Columbia Studio's official social media accounts.

-“Hello, this is Columbia Studio. We’re excited to unveil the much-anticipated first poster for *Piero: Birth of a Villain*, which captured considerable attention even at the Emmys. Our cast and crew are committed to bringing you an unforgettable experience…”

Although the post included a few pleasantries, the core was the poster itself. Miley Cara, who was traveling through the streets of L.A., also saw the poster.

“So, this is the villain? The look is killer.”

She meant it. Holding her tablet, Cara was immediately struck by the intensity radiating from the image.

‘He’s unrecognizable. I expected something shocking, but this goes beyond that.’

Cara shared the poster with her teammates, curious about their reactions.

“What do you think of this?”

Responses came quickly.

“It’s more intense than I expected, honestly.”

“The makeup is incredible—chilling even. You’d never guess that was Kang Woo-jin.”

“It’s got a scary vibe, but it fits, considering it’s called *Piero*.”

“Transforming Woo-jin’s quiet, cynical look into something this insane is impressive.”

“This poster grabs attention, that’s for sure.”

Cara let a slight smile spread across her face as she looked down at the poster again.

“I like it.”

Unlike the outrageous outfit and makeup Woo-jin wore at the Emmys, this was something darker and more impactful—a teaser or character poster that hinted at what was to come. The entire background was a swirl of deep reds and blues, with black dominating the center. It resembled a city in flames. Only Woo-jin’s figure was visible, and he wasn’t *Henry Gordon*—he was “Joker.”

With long red hair slicked back, his face painted white, and a pair of red dots over his eyebrows and nose, his eyes had sharp black triangles extending outwards. His lips were exaggeratedly red, thickened, and stretched into what could have been a grin—or perhaps a blank stare shaped by the makeup. His suit was atypical, something fit for an anarchic clown.

Cara remembered Woo-jin’s own words from the Emmys about his character—“a terrifying clown.” She recalled his unsettling, unhinged behavior during the performance and felt a surge of excitement. What would he bring to life with this villain?

Curious to gauge the world’s reaction, Cara checked the post’s comments, nodding as she saw similar reactions from fans across different languages.

“That settles it,” she whispered, sharing the poster on her own social media.

The impact was immediate. Hollywood took notice. The team behind *Beauty and the Beast* couldn’t ignore it either.

“That’s one intense poster,” someone remarked.

“It’s like he gave us just a taste at the Emmys.”

“With that performance and this image? I don’t think anyone can resist watching. I mean, he literally said, ‘Watch if you want.’”

“He’s making me jealous, but our ‘Beast’ will be just as spectacular.”

Even *John Persona*’s crew had something to say. Director Danny Landis voiced his admiration openly to producer Joseph Felton.

“That mask is fantastic. I’ve never wanted to watch a movie just from a poster before.”

The first poster spread like wildfire.

-“*LA Times*: ‘Watch if you want’: The shocking ‘Joker’ revealed at the Emmys. *Piero: Birth of a Villain* First Poster Unveiled.”

-“CNM: Kang Woo-jin, Emmy-winning actor, reveals his villainous look to the world!”

In Korea, reactions were equally enthusiastic:

-“Just the poster alone… this is going to be legendary.”

-“That makeup, combined with Kang Woo-jin’s acting skills… What kind of movie will this be?”

-“They’re saying ‘terrifying clown,’ and they’re not wrong, lol!”

As Woo-jin headed to the set, he scrolled through the reactions. Despite his nonchalance, he couldn’t help but smirk as he skimmed through the comments, especially on the global Reddit threads that dubbed his character “Joker.”

“Is it really that shocking?” he thought, reading comments that alternated between awe and horror. Some called him a monster, others worse, but none of it fazed him. If anything, it showed the power his portrayal was already wielding.

He reflected on the potential impact of this role. *Piero*, with its recent jump to an EX+++ rating, was going to be a worldwide release—unlike any he’d done before. Woo-jin’s previous record-breaking *Leech* had pulled 30 million viewers in Korea and Japan combined. But *Piero* was a different beast altogether.

At that moment, the driver, Choi Sung-geon, motioned to him from the front seat.

“Woo-jin, look behind us. See all those cars following? They’ve been tailing us for a while now. They’re probably paparazzi.”

“Paparazzi?” Woo-jin glanced back, raising an eyebrow. Sung-geon just chuckled.

“Congrats. You’re officially a Hollywood star.”

Two days later, on the morning of August 14, the *Beauty and the Beast* team was preparing their set in a sprawling 50-acre studio complex. Director Bill Roettner was conducting a final walk-through with the team, ensuring the set was ready for the first day of filming.

“Let’s run the blocking with the extras for Belle’s village,” Bill said, noting how quickly things could get chaotic with the large set.

Eventually, the team reached the grand castle entrance, where Bill stopped in front of a massive tree.

“This would make an ideal spot for the main poster shot. We’ll take both ‘Prince’ and ‘Beast’ shots here.”

As the team finalized their plans, the *Beauty and the Beast* crew returned to the front entrance, with Bill noting that the first shoot was now just two weeks away.

Meanwhile, across town at Columbia Studios, Woo-jin’s team gathered for their monthly production meeting. Director Ahn Ga-bok, producer Nora Foster, and several studio executives were present to discuss progress and any notable issues on the set.

After discussing various updates, an executive with a shaved head asked Director Ahn about the anticipated wrap date.

“I think we’re actually running ahead of schedule,” Ahn replied.

“Oh, that’s excellent news.”

Ahn then asked, “How’s the casting for Woo-jin in your future ‘cinematic universe’ projects coming along?”

The bald executive exchanged glances with his colleagues before sighing.

“We’re working on it.”

Ahn nodded thoughtfully. “Understandable. His value keeps rising, and he won’t commit without seeing the script.”

Ahn then directed his next question at the group. “Have you decided on the release date for *Piero: Birth of a Villain*?”

“Worldwide release, marketing, post-production—it’s all on track for late next year.”

“Next year… alright.”

Ahn Ga-bok paused, recalling Woo-jin’s Emmy acceptance speech.

“Is the cinematic universe the only goal for *Piero*?”

“What do you mean?” one of the executives asked.

Ahn’s expression grew serious. “Are you aiming for the Oscars?”

The room grew quiet, but the executive with the shaved head eventually replied.

“Of course, every Hollywood project wants an Oscar nomination. It’s likely too soon for the Oscars next April, but once it’s released, we’ll definitely aim for the following year.”

Ahn shook his head slightly. “I disagree.”

“Disagree?”

Ahn thought of the potential he’d seen in Woo-jin’s *Joker* portrayal and added, “I’m convinced we should be aiming for this year’s Oscars.”