Director Danny Landis, often regarded as one of Hollywood's greatest masters, sat in his office surrounded by stacks of scripts and documents. After reviewing something intriguing, he reached for his phone and called the famous producer Joseph Felton.
Danny, with his thinning hair and round glasses perched low on his nose, shifted his gaze between his tablet and a thin stack of papers, focusing intently on the materials in front of him. The tablet contained files Joseph had sent, while the papers were the results of Danny's own investigation.
All of it documented the career of a single actor.
"...Kang Woojin—this is absurd."
The man who had left a legend at the Cannes Film Festival and won Best Actor. The only actor Danny himself had ever openly praised for his performance. It was about Kang Woojin, the Korean actor. Ever since returning to Hollywood after Cannes, Woojin had not left Danny's mind.
His presence, his acting, his aura—none of it would fade.
And yet—
"This is an unbelievable filmography."
As Danny reviewed Woojin's materials, his unusual level of interest only deepened. Having spent decades in Hollywood, he had seen countless famous actors, but to his experienced eyes, the path Kang Woojin had taken felt entirely different.
"He was only a rookie two years ago, so what are all these abilities?"
Compared to before, Woojin's profile had been filled with new additions.
He had debuted just two years ago, yet every project he had taken part in had succeeded. That alone was impressive, but it did not end there. Within a year of debut, he had taken leading roles alongside Korea's top directors, swept rookie Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor awards, and even advanced into Japan. His YouTube channel, social media, and the countless videos and articles about him all clearly showed his multilingual ability.
"…Not just French and English, but Japanese and even sign language."
His singing, piano skills, and cooking were all exceptional as well. Beyond that, Kang Woojin was remarkable in more ways than could easily be listed. Recently, he had even caused a sensation at Cannes. That alone was already beyond extraordinary, but the greatest strength Danny saw in him was, without question, his acting.
He brought characters created by writers out of their frameworks and made them feel alive in the real world.
'A level beyond method acting.'
Danny Landis set the documents aside and recalled the past.
Back in Cannes.
Before the closing ceremony and awards, Danny had been having dinner with executives from the film company Universal Movies. The conversation had begun with one of the executives, a man with a protruding belly.
"The film we just watched was excellent, but the word 'Leech' keeps sticking in my head."
The other executives nodded in agreement.
"That's because it completely exceeded expectations. And the acting was outstanding. In my opinion, it's the best among the Competition entries so far."
"There are still many films left to see, but I agree—I liked Leech. Joseph was right. Method acting is Kang Woojin's primary strength, and 'action' is just one of his additional skills."
"Kang Woojin's 'action' was impressive as well."
At the mention of "Kang Woojin" and "action," Danny's ears perked up.
"'Action'? The way you're speaking, it sounds like you've actually seen Kang Woojin filming."
"Ah, yes. I visited his set before coming to Cannes."
"…That actor can do action too?"
"He's not just capable. You could call him a veteran."
The round-bellied executive continued,
"Well, it makes sense. He used to be in special forces."
Danny Landis frowned, disbelief written all over his face.
'Wait. Special forces? What are these people talking about?'
Special forces? Kang Woojin?
Danny snapped back to reality, returning to his office. After several minutes of deep thought, he finally decided to call Joseph Felton. His face was filled with certainty.
"Hello, Director. I was just about to call you as well."
Without any preamble, Danny went straight to the point.
"Joseph, I'll take the project. But I have one condition."
"…A condition?"
It was very simple.
"Kang Woojin must be part of the project. If you can't secure him, I'll have to decline."
──────────
Later.
At the Beneficial Evil filming set, Kang Woojin was taking a short break after immersing himself in the role of Jang Yeonwoo. It was already lunchtime. From that point on, Woojin and over a hundred staff members began preparing to eat. Meanwhile, several hours had already passed since the nationwide release of Leech, the film that had opened earlier that morning.
Sitting in an actor's chair placed along the busy outer edge of the set, Kang Woojin leaned back.
'After eating, I'll rest in the void for a bit, then go crush the next seed.'
At that moment, the large-built Jang Suhwan approached him.
"Hyung! Great work today!"
Suhwan handed him a bottle of water and a tablet. Woojin had asked for it earlier. Why? Because he wanted to check the reactions to Leech, which had premiered that morning, and The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice, which had opened the day before. He could have used his phone, but the smaller screen made it harder to focus.
Woojin answered quietly.
"Ah, thanks."
Just then, a familiar female voice came from the side.
"Woojin-ssi."
When he turned his head, it was Hwarin. The long hair that had once fallen to her chest was gone, replaced by short hair that barely reached her ears. On top of that, it was styled in a messy, almost lightning-struck way. It was a wig, but so natural that it was nearly impossible to tell.
Woojin replied politely without showing emotion.
"Yes, Hwarin-ssi."
But inside, he was startled.
'Wow, seriously… I saw it earlier, but even now it's still shocking. How does that face pull off that hairstyle and still look this pretty? How is that even possible?'
Hwarin, once known for her top girl-group image, had completely shattered that image. Her darker-toned skin and worn-out jacket gave her a rough, almost homeless-like vibe. It was a radical transformation, yet thanks to her natural beauty, the word "pretty" still suited her perfectly.
Sitting beside Woojin, Hwarin asked casually,
"Did you check the performance of the films that opened?"
Woojin, still composed, slightly lifted the tablet.
"I was just about to."
"Hmm, can I watch with you? There's still some time before lunch is ready."
"That's fine."
"Great."
Outwardly calm, Hwarin's heart pounded every time she moved closer to Kang Woojin. It had always been that way, but recently, as Woojin's popularity skyrocketed, her admiration for him only grew stronger.
'Should I ask him to eat together? This is such a natural situation. Yeah, good job.'
Praising herself internally, Hwarin pulled her chair closer and sat beside him. Then, keeping her gaze fixed on the tablet in his hands, she asked casually,
"By the way, Woojin-ssi… are you close with Miley Cara?"
Out of nowhere? Woojin felt slightly caught off guard, but he gave a vague answer.
"Close enough. Why?"
"…Ah, just curious. You two seem to be linked a lot these days. Do you message each other often?"
"She sends them."
"Interesting."
"What is?"
"No, it's nothing. Let's check the film reactions."
Feeling a slight unease, Woojin tapped the tablet a few times while maintaining his composure. Instead of Leech, he first checked the reactions to The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice, which had opened the day before. The film had drawn a staggering 850,000 viewers on its first day, and the Japanese media had gone into a frenzy.
['The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice' draws 850,000 viewers on opening day]
[How long has it been since a live-action film achieved numbers like this? 'The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice' dominates with 850,000 viewers on day one]
['Kang Woojin effect'—'Stranger's Grim Sacrifice' breaks records with 850,000 viewers on opening day!]
[Despite controversy, 'The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice' silences concerns with 850,000 viewers on opening day]
Hwarin, who had once been the leader of the Japanese-active girl group Elani, read the Japanese articles fluently and commented aloud.
"Wow, it's really causing a huge stir, isn't it?"
However, not all the articles praised the first-day record. In fact, many were harshly critical.
[The character of Iyota Kiyoshi is ruined—original protagonist nearly erased… fans of the novel erupt in anger]
[Director Kyotaro Tanoguchi delivers a sharp message to the Japanese content industry? 'The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice' shocks audiences with its ending]
While reading the extremely negative articles, Hwarin glanced at Woojin's face. His expression was completely solid, unmoved in the slightest. Every time she saw that steadiness, she felt reassured.
'He doesn't seem shaken at all. Well, someone like Woojin-ssi wouldn't get upset over something like this.'
She was wrong.
At that very moment, Kang Woojin was furious inside.
'These idiots are talking nonsense. Damn it, how does my acting ruin the film? You crazy bastards. Screw you.'
But that was all. As if it meant nothing, Woojin quickly adjusted his thoughts and moved his fingers again. He opened a Japanese review site where reactions to The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice were pouring in. At a glance, the praise and criticism were sharply divided.
[I shouldn't have watched this! I hate that Kiyoshi was made into a Korean-Japanese character from the start!!]
[Exactly. The director killed the original Kiyoshi just to cast Kang Woojin.]
[I watched both the novel and the movie, and I liked both. Kang Woojin's acting gave me chills.]
[They completely ruined the original! Too many changes, and it was way more violent than expected.]
[Honestly, the original novel felt a bit flat in parts. But the film does expose issues in Japanese society very directly.]
[It was a mess.]
[The movie 'The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice' is complete trash!!!]
[Director Kyotaro has lost his mind! He denied all of Japanese content! The protagonist should have paid the proper price no matter what!]
[Honestly, wasn't Kang Woojin the only actor worth watching? His multi-personality acting and piano scene at the beginning were incredible.]
[Why… why cast a Korean actor in 'The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice'? Even after watching it, I still don't understand…]
[This film will probably perform better in Korea than in Japan.]
[What was that ending? It's completely different from the original!]
[That ending was… terrifying… even if it was self-defense, the fact that he walked away without a scratch…]
.
.
.
.
Online, it was chaos—almost apocalyptic in tone. There was plenty of praise, but just as much intense backlash, opposition, and extreme criticism. It was the same across Japanese portals, major social media platforms, and countless communities. If it looked this severe even here, it was easy to imagine how much worse the reactions were among the hardcore fans of the original novel.
As a result, many Japanese media outlets began publishing follow-up headlines like this:
['The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice' draws 850,000 viewers on opening day, setting records, but faces intense backlash… decline in viewership expected]
More than half of public opinion leaned in a similar direction.
[This is just the beginning. Interest is high because of Kang Woojin and the controversy, but it'll collapse soon!]
The general sentiment was that The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice would only deteriorate over time.
Hwarin, worried about the hostile Japanese media and public opinion, looked at Kang Woojin again. But Woojin remained calm, his eyes even carrying a sense of composure.
This time, it was genuine.
'Tch. Keep barking. Let's see how long you can keep it up.'
The backlash from Japan was stronger than expected, but Kang Woojin did not waver. He set the tablet down and spoke quietly to Hwarin.
"Let's eat."
"What?"
"Lunch."
──────────
The following morning, Thursday the 28th.
Director Ahn Ga-bok was on the move in a van. His wrinkled face looked somewhat gloomy as he stared out the window.
"..."
At that moment, the CEO of a film company sitting beside him spoke politely.
"Director, the results just came out."
"Really? Let me see."
A phone was handed to him. Soon, the results of the film that had earned him the Palme d'Or appeared on the screen.
[As of October 27, 2021 — Audience Count]
[Daily Domestic Box Office]
Leech / Release Date: October 27 / Audience: 780,521 / Screens: 1,354 / Total: 780,521
Leech had surpassed the opening-day audience of Island of the Missing.
At the same time—
Following Korea's announcement about Leech, an official report came out in Japan as well, sending shockwaves like a bomb going off.
['The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice' surpasses 880,000 viewers as of the 27th, exceeding the previous day!]
Strangely, it seemed to completely ignore the criticism and concerns from Japanese media and public opinion.
[Hit film 'The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice' rises from 850,000 to 880,000 viewers on day two, surpassing 1.73 million in just two days]
The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice had actually increased its audience on the second day.
──────────
Meanwhile, in New York.
Unlike morning in Korea, it was afternoon in New York. With rush hour underway, the city was crowded with people and cars heading home. Among the countless skyscrapers, the lights of a massive media company occupying an entire building still shone brightly. While many employees were leaving through the entrance, inside the offices, countless reporters were still hard at work.
In the culture and entertainment department, rows of desks filled the space. In one section, a female reporter appeared to be wrapping up her work, tidying her desk as if preparing to leave.
A woman with long permed hair stood up from her cluttered desk.
"Peggy."
A man's voice called out from beside her. When she turned, a man with a square jaw and a cap approached her and leaned casually against the edge of her desk.
"Have you heard? Miley Cara might be appearing in a Korean film."