novelburst
Chapter 471
Chapter 471
Episode 471: Announcement (Part 1)
Romain Ducre, a renowned French actor, was widely considered a national treasure and a top-tier performer. He was a frequent guest at the Cannes Film Festival, often nominated for Best Actor, and his face had also graced the Academy Awards stage more than once. With a chiseled face and a naturally intense expression, Ducre primarily worked in France but occasionally made waves in Hollywood as well.
About two years ago, Romain Ducre had ascended to the position of an Academy Awards voting member, a privilege that brought great honor. Every year, the Academy selects members from directors, actors, producers, and key staff. Being chosen was a tremendous honor, as it gave one the opportunity to handpick the best of the year’s films. Naturally, as a top French actor, Ducre had been ecstatic when he was chosen.
Today, Romain Ducre, as a member of the Academy, was alone in a studio watching films for consideration. One particular film was playing on the monitor.
-["Hahaha! Hehehe! Hahaha!"]
The screen was filled with the laughter of the “Joker.” Romain was watching The Clown: The Birth of a Villain. He had been watching for about an hour, legs crossed, and his expression betrayed his shock.
“...That actor, Kang Woojin—”
While the quality of The Clown was impressive, what astonished him more was—
“He's grown even more... He’s become a monster.”
It was Kang Woojin, the lead actor of The Clown, who had left Ducre in awe. Although Woojin was already a global sensation, Ducre first encountered him at the Cannes Film Festival. Woojin had performed a miracle by winning Best Actor for his role in Leech, and the experience had left Ducre in a state of fresh shock.
That moment made Kang Woojin familiar to Ducre. He followed Woojin's career closely, reading every article about his Hollywood endeavors. So when the list of films for the Academy Awards arrived, Ducre had no hesitation in playing The Clown first.
Within ten minutes, his jaw had dropped, and within an hour, he was filled with awe.
“Leech was already outrageous enough. But to think he could grow even more?”
Kang Woojin’s portrayal of the Joker was beyond monstrous. Compared to his performance in Leech, his acting had grown even deeper and more refined. The irony was that Woojin’s performance at Cannes was already seen as monstrous. Yet, this time, the monster had become even more powerful. As The Clown progressed, Ducre found himself fully immersed in both the film’s narrative and Woojin’s performance.
“All the emotions—joy, sorrow, anger, and delight—are encapsulated in this film, with profound messages and lingering impact.”
On the surface, The Clown seemed like just another superhero flick, a cinematic universe time-killer, but once unwrapped, it was far from it. When the film ended, Romain Ducre found himself clapping alone.
-Clap clap clap clap.
He muttered to himself without realizing it.
“Amazing. It’s been a long time since a film gripped me like this.”
Not a single second allowed for distractions. The Clown had that kind of power. Even after the movie ended, Ducre stared at the blank monitor for several minutes, recalling Woojin’s performance. After much effort, Ducre composed himself and started another film, this time featuring a veteran Hollywood actor.
But...
“...Damn.”
Thirty minutes into the next movie, it became clear.
“I can’t focus. I can’t even pay attention to the acting.”
His mind was filled with Kang Woojin.
What was unique was that Ducre wasn’t the only one experiencing this phenomenon. Around the same time, Academy members worldwide had started watching The Clown first. The reason was simple: the buzz surrounding Woojin’s performance had been undeniable.
Most of the members soon regretted it.
Kang Woojin’s portrayal of the Joker had been so intense that—
“I should have saved The Clown for last.”
It was just too powerful.
On March 4th, around midday, under the scorching sun on a quiet road outside of Los Angeles:
-Vrooooom!
A battered, gray pickup truck roared down the empty road, seemingly in a hurry. The reason for its frantic pace soon became clear.
-Vrooooom!
Three sleek black SUVs, much more luxurious in appearance than the pickup, appeared in hot pursuit. The black SUVs were undoubtedly chasing the pickup. The lead SUV edged closer to the back of the pickup truck.
-Vrooom!
The pickup truck accelerated, but the black SUV soon caught up, slamming into the back of the pickup.
-Bam!
The pickup truck swerved violently as the SUV struck it. As the pickup spun, gunshots rang out.
-Bang bang bang!
The windows of the black SUV shattered, and the driver slumped over the steering wheel. The SUV veered off the road and tumbled down the cliffside.
Meanwhile, the pickup truck regained control. Behind the wheel was Kang Woojin, expressionless, his eyes focused as he swiftly turned the steering wheel. Glancing in the rearview mirror, he slammed the accelerator, resuming the chase. The remaining black SUVs were closing in. One SUV sped ahead of Woojin’s truck, forcing him to brake hard.
-Screeeech!
Woojin fired his gun at the rear tires of the SUV, causing it to flip over with a loud crash. Without flinching, Woojin continued down the road. But this time...
-Smack!
The last black SUV rear-ended Woojin’s pickup with incredible force. Woojin tried to steer, but his truck, already in poor condition, lost control.
-Screeeech!
The truck flipped twice before coming to a stop, upside down.
The surroundings grew eerily silent. The black SUV came to a stop nearby. Dust swirled around the overturned pickup truck, which remained completely still. Three men in black suits emerged from the SUV, each holding a handgun. They glanced at each other cautiously before approaching the pickup.
- Ssss…
They advanced slowly. It was necessary to confirm whether the target was alive. They were about three steps away when—
“Hey! On your right!!”
The shout was directed at the man leading the group. Instinctively, he whipped his head and gun around, but it was too late. Kang Woojin, covered in dust and debris, lunged from the side.
- Smack!
Woojin struck the man’s neck with precision, causing him to drop his gun as he let out a strangled grunt.
"Ugh!"
Before the man could react, Woojin twisted his arm behind his back, firing two shots with the man's own gun.
-Bang! Bang!
The gunfire rang out, and one of the suited men behind the leader crumpled to the ground, his head and face blown apart. The remaining man panicked, wildly firing at Woojin, but every bullet hit the body of his fallen comrade, who Woojin was using as a shield.
- Thud.
The lifeless body slid to the ground as Woojin moved swiftly toward the final man. Gunshots echoed, but they all missed their target. Woojin shoved the corpse toward the last man, forcing him to dodge. In the same fluid motion, Woojin advanced, grabbing the man's wrist and disarming him. In an instant, Woojin delivered a brutal kick to the man’s groin.
"Urgh!!"
With the man momentarily stunned, Woojin twisted his wrist, turning the gun on its owner.
- Bang! Bang!
Two shots echoed, and the last man fell to the ground, his head shattered. In a matter of seconds, three men had been dealt with. Woojin didn’t break a sweat, nor did he show any emotion. He calmly wiped the blood from his face before searching the bodies for anything useful.
With an expressionless face, Woojin gathered a few phones and other items from the fallen men before climbing into the black SUV, the only vehicle still in good condition. He started the engine, driving off without looking back.
At that exact moment—
- BOOM!!
The overturned pickup truck exploded in a fiery blaze. For a few seconds, there was nothing but silence.
Then, from amidst the hundreds of crew members on set, Danny Landis, the director of John Persona, shot up from his seat.
"OK!!"
His voice was filled with satisfaction, a wide smile spreading across his face. Immediately, dozens of crew members rushed onto the set to clean up the flaming wreckage of the truck. Kang Woojin, the actor portraying John Owen, returned to his position. Danny Landis eagerly approached Woojin to give feedback.
"The action was perfect, absolutely flawless—but the explosion was a bit underwhelming."
“Was it?” Woojin replied calmly.
"Hmm, let’s up the intensity on the firepower and go again," Landis said, nodding thoughtfully.
“Understood,” Woojin responded with a firm nod, though internally, he was amazed.
‘Holy crap, this is Hollywood for you! They’re seriously going to blow up another car? And those BMWs too?!’
Woojin headed off to the makeup crew to fix his appearance for the next take. As Landis watched Woojin's retreating figure, he couldn’t help but reflect. Even in Hollywood, where massive productions were the norm, Kang Woojin was something else entirely.
‘We wanted restrained, realistic action. Yet Woojin’s cool, emotionless performance is somehow overflowing with impact.’
In Danny Landis’s eyes, Woojin wasn’t just special—he was something otherworldly.
‘There are few in Hollywood who can deliver action with this level of quality. On top of that, he portrays the psychological depth of the character flawlessly. Watching him in person, it’s even more extraordinary.’
The crew around them was abuzz with praise for Woojin’s performance. Meanwhile, a towering figure, Joseph Felton, approached Danny Landis.
“Director, what do you think of Kang Woojin as John Owen?”
Joseph wasn’t referring to Woojin’s script readings, but rather his on-set performance. Landis took off his round glasses and spoke quietly, his words sincere.
“The word ‘dominating’ suits him perfectly. His movements are so precise, so controlled. Yet his body is flexible and—”
Landis trailed off, meeting Joseph’s eyes.
“You saw the Clown situation, right? Like how Kang Woojin became the Joker, I believe he’s already embodying John Owen in the same way.”
“I only saw a brief part of it, but it gave me chills,” Joseph responded.
“If we’re planning a John Persona series, we need to lock Woojin down for the entire franchise. We can’t waste time.”
Landis’s conviction was clear.
“If Woojin agrees, I’ll gladly direct the entire John Persona series.”
As March progressed, Kang Woojin fully immersed himself in the filming of John Persona. Hollywood was buzzing with news.
?CNM/Kang Woojin begins shooting for Universal Movies’ John Persona!?
?LA TIMES/Hollywood’s ‘Big Five’ Universal Movies kick off production with Kang Woojin, as John Persona sets take over social media?
The excitement surrounding the production was enormous.
?ABY/Kang Woojin and Miley Cara to collaborate with Chris Hartnett on upcoming film Guest?
Whether it was existing hype or new rumors being sparked, the spotlight on Kang Woojin and Miley Cara continued to grow. Paparazzi were quick to capture every moment, selling their photos to media outlets.
?NT/Kang Woojin and Miley Cara spotted on a restaurant date! [Photos]?
Hollywood’s focus wasn’t just on Woojin, but on everyone connected to him. The buzz around his projects was reaching new heights.
?ABY/Veteran actor Ethan Ford criticizes Kang Woojin, saying, “While I recognize his talent, he lacks humility.”?
Time flew by at a breakneck pace. As the projects involving Woojin and his colleagues progressed, people’s anticipation for the upcoming Academy Awards continued to grow.
Finally, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) made two significant announcements:
One:
?LA TIMES/The Academy begins official candidate selection process. Nominees to be announced live on April 3rd.?
The other:
-[…Our prestigious Academy Awards will open grandly on April 24th.]
The world’s most renowned awards show, with The Clown boldly entering the race, was set to kick off on April 24th.
The lineup would be announced on April 3rd, with the main event following on April 24th. Upon hearing this, Kang Woojin remained outwardly calm but was secretly filled with nervous excitement.
‘Please—just get nominated! If that happens, I’ll at least save face!’
But with the focus still on John Persona, Woojin stayed committed to his current project.
March passed in the blink of an eye.
?[Hollywood] April begins! Just two days left until the Academy Awards nominee announcement—Hollywood is on edge.?
And April finally arrived.
?[Issue Chat] With pre-release raving reviews, will Kang Woojin’s The Clown: Birth of a Villain make a splash at the Academy Awards??