I Was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor

Chapter 474

Episode 474: The Monster (Part 2)

Around 6 p.m., the front of the Dolby Theatre, where the Academy Awards were about to begin, was nothing short of grand. Lights from the theatre shone brightly, huge statues, sculptures, billboards, and screens adorned the area. The excitement was at its peak.

The crowd was going wild.

The red carpet stretched from the theatre’s entrance all the way down the long steps and beyond, lined with thousands of people in tuxedos. Reporters, broadcast teams, and journalists filled the area, with even more spectators surrounding them.

And the red carpet itself—

It wasn’t just that the carpet had been rolled out; it felt as if the entire floor was naturally red. The sheer scale of the area covered by the red carpet was massive.

And then—

“Whoa—did they even bring cranes here?”

“Were there cranes last year?”

“No way, this is the first time they’ve brought something like that to the entrance ceremony.”

The reporters and media cameras were immense in size, with equipment that looked like it belonged on a movie set rather than at a red-carpet event.

“Is this the red carpet, or a film set?”

Comments like this were exchanged among the hundreds of journalists, their jaws dropped in awe at the scale. Sure, the Academy Awards happened every year, but the atmosphere today was something else.

And then, actors began to make their entrance onto the red carpet.

Hollywood’s top stars, dressed in tuxedos and gowns, began to appear, and the cameras went wild.

• Flash! Flash! Flash!

Flashes lit up like lightning, and the screams of the gathered journalists filled the air, combining into a deafening roar. In the midst of this chaos, some amusing scenes unfolded.

“Robert! Robert!! You’ve been nominated for Best Supporting Actor! Do you think you’ll take home the trophy?!”

“Haha, no matter what I say, you’ll write something crazy anyway.”

“No, no—it was a mistake last time, I swear!”

“Sure, it was.”

The Academy’s red carpet was unlike anything in Korea. It was incredibly free-spirited. On the expansive red carpet, Hollywood actors performed all sorts of antics—some approached reporters for casual chats, others danced, and a few struck pre-planned, unique poses.

And it wasn’t just the actors—invited directors and celebrities joined in the fun as well.

The number of people on the red carpet kept growing.

As more stars arrived, the live broadcast being aired around the world exploded with activity. While the Academy’s official team was streaming the event, influencers and internet personalities were also broadcasting live from the scene.

The energy and excitement escalated by the second.

Around this time—

“Oh!! There’s Miley!! Look, it’s Miley!!”

A woman wearing a dress with shades of gray and white appeared on the bustling red carpet. It was Miley Cara. With her shimmering blonde hair, she had not been nominated that year but was invited as a guest.

“Miley!! Hey! Miley!!”

“Over here! Look this way, Miley!!”

“Miley, weren’t you coming with Kang Woojin?!”

The thousands of gathered journalists grew even more frenzied. After all, Miley Cara was one of the hottest actresses in Hollywood that year. She waved briefly at the reporters, but someone called out to her from behind. Turning around, she saw a male actor walking toward her. It was the actor who had competed against Kang Woojin for the role of the “Beast.”

Miley gave him a slight smile.

“What, are you trying to steal some of my spotlight?”

“Haha, Miley, why do you always pick a fight the moment you see me? I was just saying hi because I’m glad to see you.”

“Is that so? Well, nice to see you too. But could you back off a little? I’d hate for any weird articles to come out and upset him.”

“Kang Woojin? Miley, aren’t you a bit too obsessed? I’ve never seen you like this before.”

“Shut up.”

They bantered playfully while maintaining a composed appearance in front of the reporters. Naturally, the photographers focused on them, snapping away. Miley continued down the red carpet, having walked about halfway when—

“Huh?”

The male actor tilted his head, noticing something unusual. The movement of the thousands—or perhaps tens of thousands—of spectators seemed to shift dramatically. A massive wave of people surged toward the entrance of the red carpet. Even the flashes of the cameras, which had been firing non-stop, suddenly decreased.

Both Miley and the actor turned to see what was happening behind them.

“Oh.”

Miley smiled warmly. The actor let out a small sigh and muttered.

“Well, I guess it’s time for the supporting actors to step aside. The main star has arrived.”

At the entrance of the red carpet, they saw—

“Kang Woojin!! Kang Woojin!!!”

“Wow!! It’s really Kang Woojin!!”

“Hey Woojin!! Wave over here!! Look this way and wave!!”

“Kyaaaah!!”

“Kang Woojin is here?! Where? Where?!”

“Over there!! Look!! Over there!!”

“Ahhh! Move! It’s Kang Woojin!!!”

Everyone was going crazy over Kang Woojin’s arrival.

But unlike the thousands of journalists who were frothing at the mouth, Woojin himself—

“…”

—wore a calm expression.

However, inside, it was a completely different story.

‘Ugh, I feel like I’m going to puke. This is dizzying. My ears are ringing. Should I make a run for it? That’d be over the top, right? Whatever, just focus on the walk and the look.’

The red carpet felt like walking on a tightrope. With his slicked-back black hair, an all-black tuxedo, and polished shoes, Woojin looked perfectly composed. Yet, this was the most nerve-wracking moment of his life.

He wasn’t alone, though.

On his left was Chris Hartnett in a white tuxedo, and to his right, Director Anga Bok, in a simple suit. Surrounding them were other actors and key staff from The Clown: Birth of a Villain. It was the entire The Clown team.

“Kang Woojin!! Give us that Joker smile!!!”

With their entrance, the entire media and live broadcast teams swarmed toward them. After all, The Clown was the hottest contender at this year’s Academy Awards.

Smiling and waving, Chris turned to Woojin and spoke.

“Woojin, you lead the way. The Joker should be at the front.”

Woojin glanced at him briefly and thought to himself.

‘What are you talking about? You’re the pretty boy here; you should go first! I’m going to trip and die here!’

However, unable to voice his internal complaints, Woojin took a heavy step forward.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

Kang Woojin conquered the red carpet at the Academy Awards.

About an hour later, inside the Dolby Theatre.

The interior of the theatre, where the Academy Awards would take place, was nothing short of grand. The ceiling stretched four stories high, with lights installed everywhere, and there were nearly a thousand seats filled with some of the world’s most famous actors, directors, and filmmakers.

The stage was magnificent.

A massive statue of the Academy Award trophy stood prominently at the front of the stage, surrounded by enormous monitors that added to the grandeur. The various rounded structures decorating the stage were all emblazoned with the Academy’s logo. In front of the stage, the production team and staff were gathered in abundance.

It was everything one would expect from the Academy Awards, the pinnacle of any filmmaker's dream.

And the people gathered there were nothing short of dazzling. Hollywood elites, along with some of the most powerful figures in global cinema, were seated in the audience. The combined net worth of everyone present was enough to make one’s head spin. Kang Woojin couldn’t help but be awestruck by it all.

‘Wow—damn, those lights are incredible. Did they design this stage to look like a trophy? How much money did they pour into making it look this good?’

He was seated close to the stage on the first floor.

‘To think I’m sitting here, at the Academy Awards. This is truly an honor for my family, isn’t it? Man—I really want to take a picture of this.’

He was dying to take a commemorative photo but had to restrain himself. Ever since he had entered the hall, everyone had been sneaking glances at him. Even the cameras kept focusing on him. It felt like he was surrounded by CCTV cameras on all sides.

So Woojin did what he could.

“…”

He said and did nothing, maintaining his composure and staring straight ahead at the stage. Around this time, Chris Hartnett, sitting beside him, leaned over and spoke.

“Woojin, you’ve made it to the Academy Awards, a place you declared you would reach—and yet, you don’t seem the least bit happy.”

I’m freaking ecstatic, pretty boy. But outwardly, Woojin responded with a calm, detached tone.

“It’s not as impressive as I thought.”

“Hahaha, not as impressive? Saying something like that here is shocking.”

Director Anga Bok chimed in.

“He had the same attitude at Korean award shows, Cannes, and the Emmys. To him, the Academy Awards are probably just another award show. Isn’t that right?”

“Something like that.”

“Or maybe he always knew he would be sitting here.”

Chris suddenly clapped his hands as if he had an epiphany.

“That must be it! After all, Woojin, you declared your intent to be here back at Cannes. If you’ve been confident since then, it would be strange to make a fuss now.”

The rest of The Clown team nodded in agreement, buying into the growing misconceptions about Woojin’s calm demeanor. Inside, Woojin wanted to scream, “No, that’s not it!”, but he kept his composure.

• ???

Suddenly, upbeat classical music filled the vast hall. On the main stage, where a trophy-shaped statue stood, a man in a tuxedo appeared.

• Swoosh.

Holding cue cards, he was a famous MC and comedian who would be hosting the Academy Awards tonight. The host walked to the standing microphone and greeted the audience.

“Hello~ Hello~”

Despite being surrounded by some of the world’s biggest names, he showed no sign of nervousness as he began his opening remarks.

“Hmm—before we officially start, how about we have a little chat?”

True to the Academy’s free-spirited nature, the host began with some casual banter.

“This year’s Academy Awards—well, let’s be honest, The Clown has been the hottest topic, right? Oh! Kang Woojin is here, isn’t he? Where’s Kang Woojin? Kang Woojin!”

The spotlight and camera angles suddenly shifted toward Woojin, who was seated in the audience. Naturally, all the attendees turned their gaze toward him as well. The host gave him a thumbs-up.

“Man, that Joker performance was incredible. Once that movie is released worldwide, it’s going to be a game-changer!”

The night’s Academy Awards began with the spotlight on the monstrous talent that was Kang Woojin.

How much time had passed?

In Korea, where it was now midday, the Academy Awards were being broadcast live in many places. People on the subway, in buses, cafes, and other public spaces were glued to their phones.

Even at restaurants, televisions were tuned in to the Academy Awards.

At a large two-story barbecue restaurant in the heart of Gangnam, packed with customers enjoying lunch, a large TV was broadcasting the live stream. It was the hottest topic, so the restaurant owner had turned it on.

As a result, most of the diners’ eyes were fixed on the TV.

“Wow—look at that! Kang Woojin is sitting among those legends. That’s crazy.”

“It’s beyond crazy; Kang Woojin is a living legend. But seeing him there, I’m feeling some serious national pride.”

“When Hollywood stars first started mentioning Kang Woojin, man, that gave me chills. I felt my chest swell with pride.”

“But do you think Kang Woojin has a shot at winning Best Actor?”

“Just being nominated is a massive deal, isn’t it? Winning Best Actor though… I’ll be honest, it might be tough. I’ve heard there’s still some bias at the Academy.”

The restaurant was buzzing with conversations about Kang Woojin. Every bite of barbecue was followed by a comment about him.

“Oh, man! Why am I so nervous?! It’s like watching the World Cup or something.”

“Agreed! I really hope Kang Woojin wins!”

“Some of the articles I read said Woojin’s chances of winning are slim because the other nominees are all veteran Hollywood actors. I mean, even I have a hard time imagining Woojin winning.”

“Yeah, it’s going to be tough. I bet they were stingy with the points because he’s a Korean actor.”

Among the diners were Kang Woojin’s close friends, Kim Dae-young, Lee Kyung-sung, and Na Hyung-gu.

“Man, what are these people talking about like they know anything?”

“Hey, hey, I need to pee again. Damn, this is making me crazy. Kim Dae-young! You work at Woojin’s agency, right? Don’t you have any insider info?”

“Are you nuts? Even the agency has stopped working to watch this.”

“Whoa, whoa, everyone shut up! Isn’t it time for Best Actor? They just finished Best Actress.”

Indeed, the live broadcast showed a male and female actor standing on stage, ready to announce the nominees for Best Actor.

• [“Alright, enough chit-chat. Time to make the announcement.”]

• [“Right, though I have to say, I’m too nervous to do this. Why don’t you take over? Look at my hands shaking.”]

• [“Sigh, fine. I’ll do it.”]

The female actor took the cue card. Behind her, the large monitor displayed the five Best Actor nominees. At the far end was Kang Woojin, proudly visible for all to see.

The restaurant erupted in even more noise.

“Ahhh! Woojin! Woojin, you better win!”

“Yes! Please! Woojin!”

“If Woojin wins, drinks are on me for everyone here!!”

“Wooohoooo!!!”

On TV, the female actor looked at the paper she had pulled from the envelope, her eyes widening. Then she turned to the crowd of Hollywood elites and suddenly smiled.

• [“Wow! The 95th Academy Award for Best Actor goes to…”]

Meanwhile, in New York.

Times Square, a bustling hub that attracts millions of people from all over the world each day, was shining as brightly as ever, despite the darkening sky.

The skyscrapers were adorned with massive electronic billboards and advertisements, lighting up the night.

Times Square was filled with people, easily numbering in the hundreds of thousands. It was as if the entire world had gathered in one place. The array of languages being spoken was overwhelming.

It felt like the entire global population was here.

In the center of Times Square, on the largest billboard attached to a gray building—

• [“Wow! The 95th Academy Award for Best Actor goes to…”]

The Academy Awards ceremony, taking place in LA, was being broadcast on the screen. In front of it, thousands of people had stopped in their tracks, looking up at the screen.

“I like Kang Woojin, but the other nominees are way too strong. Looks like he’ll have to try again next year.”

“Right? Look at that lineup. They’re all veteran Hollywood actors. How’s he supposed to beat that?”

Everyone was watching the Academy Awards. They were chatting in various languages.

“Huh? There’s Kang Woojin. Wait, is this happening live right now?”

“Yeah, there’s been tons of news about it since this morning. I actually saw him in person when I was in Japan.”

“Best Actor at the Academy Awards? Wow—that’s incredible.”

“I really hope he wins, but looking at the other nominees, it seems tough.”

“Still, they say Kang Woojin caused quite the sensation this year.”

More and more people stopped walking to watch.

“Even if he doesn’t win this time, I bet Kang Woojin will take it home next year or the year after.”

“Yeah, he’s already a huge deal. Just look at how many people here know who he is!”

“Let’s at least stay until they announce the winner.”

“Yeah.”

From a bird’s-eye view, it seemed like the entire world was looking up at Kang Woojin.

And in that moment, Kang Woojin’s name echoed across Times Square. The female actor on the screen had announced it.

• [“The Best Actor at the Academy Awards is… Kang! Woo! Jin! Congratulations!!!”]

At the same time, the thousands gathered in Times Square stood with their mouths agape.

“…Huh? Kang Woojin? Did she just say Kang Woojin?”