When Kang Woojin first heard about the void space's 'Beastification' ability, he was honestly a little scared.
What if he actually turned into some hairy beast?
Thankfully, the 'Beastification' granted by the void space wasn't like that.
"It definitely made me calmer. No… maybe fiercer would be the better word?"
Strictly speaking, it was closer to a beast-like instinct.
The moment Woojin summoned 'Beastification' and fused it with his usual self, his strength, self-control, restraint, even his endurance, all surged to a level that felt like it could pierce the heavens.
His coldness and composure rose several times beyond normal.
Kang Woojin had always possessed an 'absolutely never retreat' mindset, but now, it felt as if he could charge endlessly forward without even needing to think.
Like an unleashed wild beast.
Emotionally, that was the sensation.
This wasn't external 'beast transformation.'
It was internal.
Fundamentally, it was an amplified version of Kang Woojin's usual war-mode image.
Of course, it would help him portray the Beast in Beauty and the Beast, but if this had been his normal state all along, then his dramatic aura would clearly have been amplified by a full hundred percent.
Was it a passive skill?
Whatever the case, Kang Woojin let out a small sigh of relief even while using 'Beastification.'
"Whew, damn. That seriously startled me. If I'd actually grown fur everywhere, that would've been a disaster."
The void space always functioned like an insane cheat key that surpassed common sense, yet sometimes, it was astonishingly rational.
How should he put it?
It felt as though the void space perfectly adjusted Kang Woojin's potential as a 'monster' within the boundaries of reality.
Beyond imagination.
Yet still rational.
After calming his tense nerves, Kang Woojin let out another short breath.
-Swish.
He lowered his gaze to the Beauty and the Beast script in his hand.
More precisely, he stared at the black square.
It was his gateway back into the void space.
In an instant, his world changed.
Muttering to himself, Woojin stepped into the pitch-black void and walked toward the white rectangle.
"Come to think of it… doesn't the Beast from Beauty and the Beast kind of resemble me?"
In a way, it did.
Kang Woojin had maintained his misunderstood concept all this time.
And the Beast in Beauty and the Beast was, in truth, a prince deep inside.
At first, he only pretended to be a beast, but eventually, his inner prince revealed itself.
But because he had lived as a beast for far too long, acting like one had simply become natural.
Wasn't that basically the same as Woojin?
"Isn't this role literally custom-made for me?"
A prince living like a beast.
For Kang Woojin, who possessed an extraordinary inner nature, it was a perfectly tailored role.
Still.
["Preparing to read 'A: Beast'…"]
Once again, the enormous gray force swallowed Kang Woojin whole.
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A bizarre wind howled.
The windows rattled violently.
For a brief moment, the window turned white with snow before clearing again.
A blizzard.
As though thrown into a completely new world, color slowly began seeping into Kang Woojin's vision.
A dark, damp space.
"..."
There was even a strange smell of mold.
The temperature was freezing, but Woojin didn't feel cold at all.
Rather—
His body felt hot.
His heart?
No.
It was closer to rage.
Kang Woojin slowly raised his arm.
A thick, heavy sensation.
…Was this really his arm?
When he lifted it, it looked almost like a boar's foreleg.
No, it was definitely his right arm.
It only looked that way because it was covered in thick brown fur.
The fur was rough, coarse, and completely lacking shine.
This was the arm of a beast.
Woojin—
No, the one called Beast—
Rotated his arm.
His hand came into view.
Calling it a hand felt questionable.
It was also covered in dense brown fur, and his palm was enormous.
At the ends of his thick fingers were black claws sharp enough to be weapons.
"..."
Soon, the instincts of the Beast spread through his chest.
Tear.
Scratch.
Bite.
Roar.
If anyone stood before him right now, it felt like he could seize their throat and snap it effortlessly.
Silence.
Indifference.
Roughness.
Irritation.
Anxiety.
Restlessness.
And…
"Grrr…"
There was even an awkward, childlike emotion buried within.
But trust?
Not even a trace.
Everything was unsatisfactory.
Everything in sight irritated him.
Kang Woojin slowly clenched and unclenched his massive hand.
"..."
'How long do I have to keep wearing this cursed fur?'
At that moment—
"@()%(%(@%(%)."
"(%#%(#(!!$!$"
"#&%(#%*%!"
Muffled voices came from outside.
Those things.
The candlestick, the teapot, and the others.
He almost shouted at them to be quiet, but instead, he held it in and let out a low sigh.
Then he rose.
The sound of dragging fabric followed.
The Beast's ragged, tattered clothing.
Woojin's gaze naturally dropped to his fur-covered legs.
They were enormous.
-Swish.
Slowly, he lifted his head and looked into the mirror hanging on the wall.
The reflection was horrifying enough to chill his spine.
His face was buried beneath fur.
His eyes, nose, and mouth were there, but his skin was nothing like a human's.
Even his head looked nearly twice the size of an ordinary person's.
Most of all—
The curved horns rising from both sides of his head made him look like not merely a beast…
But a monster.
And yet, Woojin remained calm as he stared into the mirror.
He was already becoming familiar with this appearance.
Then—
Beast, or perhaps Kang Woojin—
Shifted his gaze.
Unlike this dark room, inside a pristine glass dome stood a single red rose.
Its crimson color was so vivid it looked drenched in blood.
Staring at it, Woojin muttered quietly.
"...This cursed thing."
Afterward—
Kang Woojin completed the Beast script reading (experience) and returned to reality.
As always, his brutal schedule still awaited him.
After showering and changing clothes, he headed down to the parking lot and boarded his usual van.
Choi Sunggeon and the team greeted him.
Woojin responded in his usual lethargic tone.
But having just personally experienced the Beast's life, he was strangely exhilarated.
How should he describe it?
It felt like being utterly immersed after watching an incredible Disney film.
Except—
Kang Woojin had actually lived it.
"That was fun. The dinosaur was fascinating too, but this was just as impressive."
And on top of that—
His concept had become even more solidified.
"Woojin-ah, why do you seem even colder today?"
"Do I?"
"Yeah. Take a breath. Your presence feels heavier somehow. Especially this morning. Your aura's unusually intense. Even your eyes!"
At this point, no matter what situation arose, Woojin could immediately begin filming Beauty and the Beast without issue.
Surely, it was thanks to the power of 'Beastification.'
Of course—
The real Kang Woojin himself hadn't changed much.
'Ah, but seriously… who's playing Beauty? Now that I've experienced being the Beast myself, I'm even more curious.'
Right then—
"Woojin-ah, did you hear what Director Ahn Gabok said?"
From the passenger seat, ponytailed Choi Sunggeon waved his phone.
He looked like he was reading an article.
Naturally, this was about veteran director Ahn Gabok.
Yesterday, at BIFF, he had declared that his next film would be directed in Hollywood.
Woojin answered in a low voice.
"Yes, CEO."
But inwardly, he found the veteran director's decision a little curious.
'That old man—no, Director. Did he maybe get inspired by me or something?'
Since Ahn Gabok knew Woojin's straightforward, 'absolutely never retreat' nature well enough, it wouldn't have been strange if he had used him as reference material.
Soon, Woojin casually pulled out his phone and opened a portal site.
As expected—
Names like Kang Woojin and Miley Cara were still dominating online buzz, but unsurprisingly, Ahn Gabok's breaking news had taken over the headlines.
『[Breaking News] Director Ahn Gabok officially confirmed for Hollywood debut!』
『Director Ahn Gabok's surprise BIFF announcement: "My next project will be in Hollywood."』
『Director Ahn Gabok to direct next project in Hollywood… joins hands with Columbia Studio!』
Ahn Gabok, already a legend in Korean cinema history, was receiving overwhelming praise from nearly every media outlet for his astonishing move.
『Fresh off Cannes Palme d'Or victory, Director Ahn Gabok heads straight to Hollywood… first Korean director to helm a Hollywood film』
From major portal sites to the smallest outlets—
There wasn't a single place where his name wasn't mentioned.
『Korean film legend Ahn Gabok now prepares to make his mark in Hollywood!』
『[Official] Director Ahn Gabok confirms collaboration with Columbia Studio… surpassing Hollywood masters to announce a new beginning』
Though Woojin hadn't heard it firsthand, even the morning radio during rush hour was buzzing.
"Before we begin! We've got news guaranteed to brighten your morning today, right?"
"Absolutely! I saw the articles and was genuinely shocked!"
"Can you believe Director Ahn Gabok, who won the Palme d'Or at Cannes this year, is directing a Hollywood movie?!"
"And with Columbia Studio, no less?"
"That's right! One of Hollywood's biggest production and distribution studios!"
"Director Ahn Gabok is incredible!!"
"The media and public are going wild over this, and honestly, so are we!"
"Just imagine! The movie starts, and 'Directed by Ahn Gabok' appears on screen! Wow!"
News of Ahn Gabok's Hollywood debut rapidly spread across morning broadcasts.
If anything, some even said the reporting had been delayed.
On YouTube, SNS, and online communities, reactions had already exploded since dawn.
[Wow… this is seriously insane… It's real…]
[LOL I thought my friend was joking, but this is actually true???!!!!]
[This is nutsㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ He crushed Cannes, of course Hollywood top studios came callingㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Honestly, Director Ahn Gabok always had massive influence in Korean film, but his awards weren't even that stackedㅋㅋㅋㅋ Congrats!!]
[Director Ahn Gabok hitting a career super-success in his later years!!]
[Of course Woojin's acting in Leech, and the other actors too, were amazing, but Director Ahn Gabok's directing was actually insaneㅋㅋ That family photo scene with Woojin was seriously… like wearing four layers of underwear.]
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It was utter chaos.
And throughout the weekend, that heat only intensified.
Rather than cooling down, by Monday the 15th, once the workweek began, the frenzy multiplied several times over.
Search online, and articles about Ahn Gabok's Hollywood debut project flooded endlessly.
But this was only the beginning.
Even Japan, which had been thoroughly defeated by Ahn Gabok at Cannes, responded.
『Cannes Palme d'Or winner Director Ahn Gabok brings Korean cinema's power to the heart of Hollywood』
France, along with numerous other countries captivated by Leech, also reported extensively on Ahn Gabok's Hollywood debut.
It was proof of just how enormous Leech's Cannes impact had been.
While Korea and the world shouted Ahn Gabok's name—
"Hi—Action!!!"
Kang Woojin silently immersed himself in filming Beneficial Evil.
As though the news meant nothing to him.
Though Pierrot, directed by Ahn Gabok, would also become deeply tied to Woojin—
Right now?
He simply didn't have the luxury.
"Cut!! Okay!! Woojin-ssi, that was excellent! Let's move to the upper-body exposure scene next!"
"Yes, PD-nim."
From Beneficial Evil filming to activities related to Kang Woojin's Alter Ego, commercials, pictorial shoots, events, interviews—
His schedule was relentless.
And with year-end approaching rapidly, there was even more to prepare.
'For now, the right choice is to quietly focus on organizing my schedule.'
Before the new year—
It was best to wrap up as much domestic work as possible.
Because next year, Kang Woojin would likely spend more time overseas than in Korea.
Well—
Even if Woojin didn't actively pursue it, opportunities would continue snowballing regardless.
Beneficial Evil, Miley Cara, Pierrot, Director Ahn Gabok—
The pile was endless.
Kang Woojin only revealed himself when things reached their peak.
Now—
Even distant Hollywood was covering Ahn Gabok's news.
『ABY/Columbia Studio confirms Cannes Palme d'Or-winning director Ahn Gabok for major new film』
The recently announced Pierrot production from Columbia Studio had officially confirmed Ahn Gabok as director.
Naturally—
Hollywood's attention immediately turned to him.
『LA Times / Korean director Ahn Gabok to helm Columbia Studio's latest… Hollywood film industry turns its focus toward him』
And Pierrot's recognition surged sharply.
November 24th, 2023.
Wednesday.
Yeoncheon, Gyeonggi Province.
Around 8 AM, near the massive set of Beneficial Evil.
Nearby stood a large resort being used as accommodations for the production team.
Inside one of its rooms—
Kang Woojin could be seen.
He looked fully prepared, as though he was about to head out.
'Whew, let's go.'
The late-November cold had arrived suddenly, so Woojin wore a thick long padded coat.
With no hair styling or makeup yet, his appearance looked natural.
After a quick trip through the void space, his accumulated fatigue had mostly faded.
Just as he placed his hand on the doorknob to head out and reapply his concept makeup—
-Bzzzt. Bzzzt.
His phone vibrated in his coat pocket.
Checking the caller ID—
Veteran director Ahn Gabok.
Tilting his head slightly, Woojin cleared his throat and answered.
"Yes, Director. Hello."
His voice was low and calm.
From the other side, Ahn Gabok was equally composed.
"I'm calling before I leave for Hollywood."
"You're leaving now?"
"Mm. I'm at the airport. Reporters are being so persistent it's exhausting. I leave in about an hour. Once I'm in Hollywood, I probably won't be back in Korea for a while. I likely won't even attend the Blue Dragon Film Awards or Grand Bell either. You're going, right?"
"Yes."
"Good. I just called to confirm before departure."
In a calm tone, Ahn Gabok continued.
"I need to begin work on Pierrot. Come quickly. I'll be waiting."
Kang Woojin answered simply.
"Yes. I'll be there soon."
The call ended.
A strange unease rose within Woojin, but he deliberately suppressed it.
At that same moment—
-Knock knock.
Someone knocked.
When Woojin opened the door—
Ponytailed Choi Sunggeon stood there in a short padded jacket, grinning brightly.
The moment he saw Woojin, he thrust out his phone.
On the screen—
A shocking set of numbers.
[All-Time Korean Box Office]
[Overall Film Rankings]
Leech / Total Viewers: 20,483,558
Island of the Missing / Total Viewers: 20,321,451
Naval Battle / Total Viewers: 16,715,955
Unstoppable Force / Total Viewers: 15,557,118
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Without even changing his expression, Woojin spoke indifferently.
"Now the picture is complete."