The Cannes Film Festival, regarded as the most prestigious among the world's three major international film festivals, is a gathering attended by renowned filmmakers from across the globe.
Although it is somewhat less widely known than the Academy Awards, from an actor's perspective, Cannes remains an extremely important event. Its influence and ripple effect are also significant.
For that reason, even top Hollywood actors strive to win awards at Cannes. Korea has also shown a noticeable presence, but most of those achievements belong to directors, and actor awards are rare enough to be counted on one hand.
France, Cannes.
To Kang Woojin, who was holding his phone close to his ear, these words felt somewhat unreal.
'Cannes… Cannes? Is it because I've never seen it in person? I don't really feel nervous.'
He had seen it a few times on television and in articles, but that was all. He thought the atmosphere would be similar to the Blue Dragon Film Awards, perhaps slightly larger in scale.
Even after hearing Director Ahn Gabok's explanation over the phone, Woojin did not feel particularly tense. It simply registered in his mind.
'Ah, so the Cannes Film Festival opens on September 30.'
He could picture it, but the image was vague.
Even so, Woojin lowered his voice. He needed to show a serious attitude to Director Ahn Gabok.
"September 30. I will remember that day."
"Mm. It's not something to take lightly, but there's no need to worry too much either. It will only make you anxious. There's still plenty of time, so just keep it in mind."
"Yes. I will keep it in mind for now."
"There's no need to contact CEO Choi separately, right?"
"Of course. I will pass it along."
"Good. Let's meet when you return to Korea. Ah, right. This is just an old man's unnecessary concern, but even while handling multiple projects, don't forget Park Hasung from 'Leech.'"
Woojin frowned slightly inwardly.
'What does this old man take me for?'
However, he could understand the concern to some extent. He was currently handling multiple projects at once, and on top of that, he was working abroad in Japan.
'Rather than doubting me, it's closer to genuine concern.'
Among Korean actors, Kang Woojin was the only one capable of managing such a demanding schedule. Naturally, for Director Ahn Gabok, who had decades of directing experience, this was the first time encountering such a case.
As if proving that, Ahn Gabok's aged voice came through the phone again.
"Hehe, the older I get, the more things I worry about."
Woojin thought he should at least offer some form of reassurance.
"I always keep Park Hasung in my heart."
There was a brief pause.
"…Hearing you say that puts me at ease. Alright, let's hang up."
"Yes, Director."
A click followed.
Kang Woojin slowly lowered his phone.
He was currently standing in the outdoor parking lot of A10 Studio. After stopping to take the call, he lightly nodded toward his team, including Han Yejung, who had been waiting.
"It's done. Let's go."
The Kang Woojin team began moving again.
Meanwhile, walking at the very back, Woojin took out his phone and searched for the Cannes Film Festival. As expected, an overwhelming amount of information and data poured out.
There was an enormous volume, from the past to the present.
He was able to confirm what Director Ahn Gabok had mentioned through an article.
『Cannes Film Festival confirms opening on September 30. How many works, including Ahn Gabok's 'Leech,' will be invited this year?』
Woojin muttered inwardly with a serious expression.
'Wow, that's really impressive. Just from the atmosphere, it feels like being invited to Cannes alone is already considered a huge achievement.'
He was referring to the Korean film industry. In reality, Korea's presence at Cannes was still quite limited, and in terms of results, Japan was ahead.
After continuing to search for information, Woojin soon put his phone back into his pocket.
'Well, I'll find out when the time comes. More than that, I'm actually looking forward to going to France. Seriously, how many overseas trips am I making this year?'
Then he shifted his thoughts.
As he approached the A10 Studio building, Woojin took out the script tucked under his arm. It was the script for episode one of the animation Boy Friend: Remake.
Today's script reading was for that episode.
'For now, this is more important than Cannes.'
Rather than worrying about something in the distant future, he chose to focus on what was right in front of him. Attending Cannes would be his first time, but voice acting was also completely new to him.
After receiving the offer for Boy Friend: Remake, he had studied and researched related materials whenever he had time.
The conclusion was clear.
Acting as an actor and acting as a voice actor were distinctly different.
Even Choi Sunggeon, who had looked through voice acting materials, said that while acting experience would certainly help, voice acting was a completely different field. However, he also emphasized that consistent effort was important.
For Kang Woojin, that was the correct answer.
—Puk!
However, he had something else.
Before entering A10 Studio, Woojin first entered the Void Space. Then he looked at the white rectangle labeled Boy Friend: Remake.
-[10/Script (Title: Boy Friend: Remake), SS Grade]
Since he had no real experience as a voice actor, he had no choice but to rely heavily on the script reading experience within the Void Space. At least, that was his judgment.
"Besides, the world of animation is really fun."
Woojin moved his finger, as if savoring the feeling of traveling to another world.
["Preparation complete. This is a very perfect script or scenario. Implementation is 100% complete. Begin reading."]
Soon, a massive gray curtain enveloped him.
Time passed.
When Kang Woojin, who had experienced life inside the world of Boy Friend: Remake, returned to reality, he quietly muttered.
'That was really fun.'
He was satisfied.
As expected, the world of animation was fresh and interesting. Although Boy Friend: Remake was based on the original Boy Friend, it had a distinct Japanese animation style. The overall setting was completely different, and many aspects of the characters and story had changed.
In other words, it was a completely different world from Boy Friend.
The setting was a high school, and naturally, the characters' names had also changed.
Han Inho became Sengoku Toru.
He was a musical genius with exceptional vocal and piano skills, but he carried an unresolved trauma from the past.
The character Lee Bomin, originally played by Hwarin, was changed to Enma Kyoko.
Enma Kyoko was Toru Sengoku's childhood friend. Thanks to her excellent fashion sense, she enjoyed immense popularity at school, but her personality was rough and aggressive.
The story of Boy Friend: Remake began when the ordinary Toru Sengoku suddenly transformed after wearing a costume at the school festival.
When he transformed, his hidden good looks burst forth.
As Kang Woojin entered the first-floor lobby of A10 Studio, he muttered to himself while thinking about Boy Friend: Remake and voice acting.
'Anyway, everything is already imprinted in my head. Voice acting doesn't seem that difficult.'
There was no reason for it to be difficult.
──────────
Meanwhile, inside a meeting room at A10 Studio, preparations were underway.
The walls were covered with photos of famous animation characters, and the desks were arranged in a U-shape. Among the many meeting rooms in the large building, this was the biggest.
It had already been converted into a script reading room.
The desks were neatly arranged, with character nameplates, bottled water, and spare scripts placed on top. Folding chairs surrounded the setup, and dozens of staff members were busy with the final preparations.
The voice actor introduction and script reading for Boy Friend: Remake were similar to other projects. The only noticeable differences were the microphones on the desks and the large monitor placed at the front.
The purpose of the monitor was simple.
It was to match the voice acting while watching the completed animation.
From the U-shaped arrangement, it was clear that at least twelve voice actors would attend today's reading.
About seventy percent of them were well-known, top-tier voice actors.
Among them was Sayaka Asami, who was close with Kang Woojin.
Judging by the seating arrangement, Kang Woojin, the lead, would sit to the left of the director, while Sayaka Asami would sit across from him.
In this situation, several staff members who had finished setting up quietly whispered to each other in Japanese.
[Did you know? Among voice actors, the reaction to Kang Woojin's casting isn't very favorable.]
[I heard that too. Honestly, if I were a successful voice actor, I'd feel uncomfortable as well.]
Opinions were divided.
Some viewed it negatively, others neutrally.
The reason was simple.
Voice acting was a completely different field.
It required precise pronunciation, harmony with the character, breathing suited to the role, tone appropriate to the situation, emphasis, timing, control of dialogue speed, nuance, rhythm, and even proper pauses within long lines.
It looked similar to acting at first glance, but it was fundamentally different.
In acting, the actor becomes the character.
In voice acting, the actor becomes the voice of an already existing character.
That required even greater precision.
Because of this, it was common for rookie voice actors to make mistakes from their very first line.
Even grasping the timing to begin speaking was difficult at first.
In simple terms, the challenge was matching the character's rhythm.
Of course, overcoming mistakes through repeated trial and error was something all voice actors experienced.
It was simply a matter of experience.
[From a voice actor's perspective, doesn't Kang Woojin feel like a sudden intruder?]
[Maybe. But he might bring a fresh change.]
[Still, the industry isn't in decline. It's actually doing quite well. So it might feel unnecessary.]
[At least he'll be better than rookies. His pronunciation should be solid, and his emotional acting is good.]
Opinions were clearly divided.
Moreover, although Kang Woojin was a Korean actor, Boy Friend: Remake was a Japanese animation. He would need to demonstrate native-level Japanese and fully express the protagonist's abilities and emotions.
That alone was already difficult.
On top of that, there were many obstacles.
Actors and voice actors were similar, but clearly different.
Yet Kang Woojin, who had no experience in voice acting, had been cast as the lead after gaining popularity in Japan.
In the voice acting industry, many believed that his popularity was the reason for his casting.
It was a field where countless aspiring voice actors competed fiercely, and success was extremely difficult.
As a result, many felt concern or jealousy.
It was not an uncommon situation.
Inside the reading room, several voice actors who had already taken their seats were also talking about Kang Woojin.
[Is Kang Woojin really coming today?]
[Of course. He's the lead. There's no way he wouldn't come.]
[I'm so excited! After being cast in this project, I watched Boy Friend on Netflix to understand it better, and I became a fan of Kang Woojin.]
[Really? But that sounds a bit strange.]
[Why?]
[I don't know. It just feels like he was cast because of his popularity.]
[Ah…]
[I know he's good at acting. He even played the lead in Director Kyotaro's work. He'll probably analyze the script well. But voice acting is a completely different skill.]
Their conversation naturally centered on Kang Woojin.
Even when leaving the room, going to the restroom, or walking through the hallway, voice actors continued whispering about the same topic.
[Since Kang Woojin was cast, interest has exploded. But doesn't it feel like our industry is being taken lightly?]
[Yeah… that kind of atmosphere is definitely there.]
[Even veteran voice actors aren't very positive about it.]
[Even professionals struggle with every project. Casting a Korean actor as the male lead… that's a bit much.]
[I've seen his interviews in Japan. His pronunciation seemed fine.]
[There's a difference between speaking fairly well and mastering it completely. You have to convey every nuance and match the animation timing perfectly.]
Those who had not experienced his acting judged him based on general standards.
Perhaps it was territorial instinct.
[Maybe it's good for attention since A10 Studio hasn't been doing well lately, but I hope they're not being too greedy.]
[Anyway… today is going to be tough. He's an amateur, so he'll definitely make mistakes.]
[Want to make a bet?]
[What kind of bet?]
[Whether he messes up from his very first line.]
At that moment—
from behind the voice actors who were opening the glass door—
a cold male voice was heard.
"Sounds good."
It was low Japanese.
"Let's make that bet."
The voice actors turned their heads in surprise.
A man with black hair and a firm expression stood there.
They immediately recognized him.
"Kang… Woojin."
As if confirming their thoughts, Kang Woojin walked toward them with his team, his expression unchanged.
Then he spoke again.
"Shall we bet on who makes more mistakes?"
His tone was calm.
Cold.
"Me, the amateur… or you, the professionals."
Every single person in the room heard it.