I Was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor

Chapter 476

Episode 476: The Monster (Part 4)

Kang Woojin, who had just been announced as the Best Actor at the 95th Academy Awards, stood on stage before a massive audience of Hollywood elites and a global viewing public. It was a moment where anyone’s heart could burst from sheer excitement.

But Woojin? He was boldly shedding his persona.

For the first time in this grand setting, he decided to reveal his true self, free from the usual calculated image he had maintained. This was the pinnacle of his career, and he wanted to be genuine.

‘In this moment, I just want to show my real self. Screw it. If people criticize or if there’s backlash, so be it. I'll deal with that later.’

Woojin wasn’t thinking clearly, overwhelmed by the unexpected outcome and the sheer magnitude of the Academy Awards experience. There was no time for cold calculations or careful words. With a bright smile, he decided to deliver his acceptance speech as sincerely as possible.

“Wow—I don’t know what to say, honestly. I didn’t prepare anything for this. You guys know the feeling, right? When your heart feels like it’s about to explode. I’ll just speak from the heart.”

Whatever happens, happens.

So he began slowly.

“Well, first off, I have to say thank you. Really, thank you. The actors who were nominated alongside me are all incredible, and I want to express my gratitude to them as well.”

The thousands of foreign attendees in the audience began to murmur.

“Kang Woojin... doesn't he seem different?”

“Yeah, it's strange. The stoic, cold persona is gone.”

Since his debut in Hollywood, Woojin had cultivated a reputation for being serious, cold, and sometimes even arrogant. He had always appeared indifferent and curt in interviews and public appearances. But now, that aura was gone.

“He looks... lighter. Didn’t he say something about showing his real self?”

“Yes, I heard that too. What does he mean by ‘his real self’?”

The audience began to buzz with confusion, as Woojin’s heavy, imposing persona had suddenly vanished. But Woojin pressed on, undeterred by the growing murmurs.

“Um, yeah—about those bold declarations I made about the Academy Awards before? Those were just things I said to make some noise. I hope there were no misunderstandings about that. As for filming The Clown, I think I had a lot of fun. The main character was interesting, and the costumes and makeup were pretty shocking, which I think helped elevate my performance. Anyway, thanks again to the entire The Clown team... ah, the lights are so bright...”

His words were more like rambling thoughts than a formal speech. The murmur in the audience grew louder.

“What’s going on?”

“What is he doing?”

Woojin could feel the growing unease in the room, but instead of backing down, he chose to lean in harder, fully embracing his "no-holds-barred" approach.

“Surprised? I figured if I didn’t show my real self here, I might regret it later. Please, just bear with me and listen until I finish.”

He continued to push forward with confidence. Meanwhile, the audience, as well as viewers from around the world, were getting increasingly confused. But this was Woojin's moment to own.

“This feels strange, like he’s lost his mind.”

“Shouldn’t someone stop him?”

“He seems a bit unhinged. I think the Academy staff are looking a bit concerned.”

Just then, someone in the audience, a woman with blonde hair and a thoughtful expression, spoke quietly.

“…It’s the Joker.”

It was Miley Cara. A subtle smile spread across her lips as she made her declaration.

“He’s the Joker. Woojin is giving his acceptance speech as the Joker, because it’s the role that won him the award.”

Or rather, it was her belief.

Her certainty quickly spread to those around her.

“The Joker? Miley, are you saying he’s acting right now?”

“…Oh my God. Could he really be delivering his acceptance speech in character as the Joker?”

“Come on. Even for a guy like him, that would be too much, right?”

Yet more and more people began to agree with Miley’s interpretation.

“No, it makes sense. I saw The Clown. That playful, mischievous vibe he’s giving off? It’s the same energy that defined his Joker.”

“Yes, I thought so too when I first saw him smile. He looked exactly like the Joker from The Clown.”

Meanwhile, Woojin, who had no idea what was going on in the audience, continued his speech in Korean.

“To my family back home—Dad, Mom, my sister—I love you all. And to my friends—wait, no, not friends. To my brothers, thank you. To CEO Choi Seong-geon and everyone at BW Entertainment, thank you. Ah, what else... I really can’t think of anything right now.”

He was grinning and speaking in Korean, which only added to the audience's bewilderment. They looked around, silently asking each other if everything was alright. The murmurs grew to a crescendo, threatening to overwhelm the ceremony.

It was at that moment that Miley Cara, seated in the audience, muttered confidently again.

“…It’s the Joker.”

A confident, yet mistaken assumption. But that confident assumption quickly spread like wildfire.

“The Joker? So he’s doing this whole thing in character?”

“No way! He’s actually giving his speech as the Joker?”

“Yes! Of course! It all makes sense now!”

The word Joker began to echo throughout the hall.

“He’s really in character, isn’t he? The whole playful attitude—it’s Joker all the way.”

“Is he actually doing this? Giving a performance during his Best Actor acceptance speech? At the Academy Awards? That’s insane.”

“He didn’t even do this at the Emmys, did he? Wow, he’s really a madman.”

It was a bizarre scene.

While Woojin was pouring out his genuine feelings, the audience was interpreting it as a masterful performance from his Joker persona. The misunderstanding spread throughout the hall like wildfire.

The entire The Clown team was now smiling. Director Anga Bok, arms crossed, was amused.

“Haha, this kid—he never ceases to amaze me. Who else would have the guts to give a performance like that on such a massive stage?”

Chris Hartnett shook his head in disbelief.

“He’s a monster. A Korean-speaking Joker? Incredible. This speech is going to be talked about for years.”

The rest of the The Clown team echoed similar sentiments.

“He really started and ended with the Joker. That’s true acting.”

“I’ve got chills.”

“Using the Joker to cement his presence while also promoting the film—that’s what a true actor does.”

Before long, the misunderstanding had completely taken over the massive hall. The buzz spread to global live streams, with comments flooding in from viewers worldwide.

• ??? What the heck is he doing?

• I think he’s in character as the Joker?

• The Joker? Really?

• If you’ve seen The Clown, you’ll understand. He’s giving his acceptance speech as the character that won him the award.

• The Joker? The villain from The Clown?

• Definitely. Why else would Kang Woojin pull a stunt like this?

• Wow, if that’s true, this is genius! Giving his Best Actor speech in character? Who does that?

• Joker! Joker! Joker!!!

• OMG! Kang Woojin’s crazy, but I love it!

The Joker had firmly taken over the narrative. The misunderstanding was going viral globally, infecting viewers everywhere.

By now, even the Academy staff had caught wind of the rumor and calmed down. The murmurs in the hall quieted, and the crowd settled into a more relaxed atmosphere. Watching from the stage, Woojin felt a wave of relief.

‘They get it. Wow, this settled down quickly. Hollywood really is something else.’

He paused, took a deep breath, and prepared to wrap up his rambling acceptance speech, this time switching back to English.

“Miley Cara, I’m not great with words, but thank you as always. I don’t have anything else to add, so if I forgot anyone, thank you too.”

Woojin lifted his Best Actor trophy high.

“I’m not satisfied with just this award. I’ll keep challenging myself next year, and I hope all the films I work on will have good results. How do I wrap this up? Uh—yes, thank you so much, really.”

At the same time, the entire audience erupted into a standing ovation once more.

• Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap!

• Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap!

This time, the applause was even more intense than before. They were acknowledging and celebrating the actor Kang Woojin.

“His mindset, his dedication—it’s truly admirable.”

The audience had fallen in love with him. Whistles and cheers rang out from all corners of the hall as Woojin smiled, lifting his trophy toward the ceiling before finally stepping down from the stage. Cameras followed him as he made his way back to his seat, shaking hands with every person who reached out to him.

“Let’s work together sometime.”

“Incredible. I’ll be rooting for you, Kang Woojin.”

“You deserve to be praised. Keep being the kind of actor who only cares about the craft.”

Though the compliments were a bit over the top, Woojin accepted them with a grateful smile. After shaking hands with dozens of people, he finally returned to the The Clown team’s section, where Chris embraced him, and the rest of the staff showered him with congratulations.

But when Woojin spotted Director Anga Bok, he hesitated.

‘Ah.’

Woojin paused, unsure of what to say to the man who had been with him for so long. Eventually, he decided that the first thing he should do was apologize.

“...Director. About what just—”

“Woojin.”

Before Woojin could finish his sentence, Director Anga Bok cut him off with a warm smile.

“You really are something. How do you manage to pull off such wild stunts with that stone-cold face of yours? That performance just now—it felt like the Joker had possessed you. Well done.”

“…”

Woojin blinked, speechless for a moment. He couldn’t quite process what the director was saying. Wait—Joker? What’s he talking about? Before Woojin could ask, Chris Hartnett chimed in.

“The whole audience was stunned during your speech. They couldn’t believe the Joker had made an appearance on that stage. Your Joker speech is going to be all over the news tomorrow.”

Everyone around him, from his team to the Hollywood elites nearby, was nodding in agreement and giving him thumbs up.

“I haven’t seen The Clown yet, but after that speech, I have to watch it.”

“It was a bold and unique speech, exactly what a true actor would give. You’ve left a lasting impression on all of us.”

And so on. At this point, Woojin finally understood what had happened. He couldn’t help but laugh internally. This was a familiar feeling, an all-too-familiar misunderstanding.

‘Hah, this is insane. What just happened?’

Woojin looked across the room and spotted Miley Cara, giving him double thumbs-up with a big grin. They hadn’t exchanged any words, but it was clear that she, too, had bought into the whole Joker thing.

“Phew.”

With a soft sigh, Woojin looked around at the hundreds of eyes on him, all filled with admiration and awe. Woojin laughed internally.

‘It’s all just a huge misunderstanding.’

He resigned himself to the situation.

Meanwhile, back in Korea and around the world, the news was exploding.

?BREAKING: Kang Woojin Raises the Academy Award for Best Actor… Speech Delivered as The Joker?

?Triumph! Kang Woojin Wins Best Actor at the Oscars, Delivers The Joker-Inspired Acceptance Speech?

From Japan to Hollywood, Kang Woojin’s triumph was making headlines globally. Or, to be more accurate—

?CNM: He Started as the Joker and Ended as the Joker! Kang Woojin Wins Best Actor at the Oscars / Photos?

His achievement was being broadcasted like a nuclear bomb exploding across the world. Just as Woojin had predicted—

?LA TIME: The 95th Academy Award for Best Actor Goes to Kang Woojin—His Speech was Unlike Any Other, with Viewers Commenting, “I Didn’t Expect the Joker to Show Up!”?

It was all because of a giant misunderstanding.