The outside was a dark night, but inside the set, which was larger than a logistics warehouse and bustling with over a hundred staff members, the lighting was dazzlingly bright.
The filming site of 'Beneficial Evil'.
PD Song Man-woo, who was stationed by several monitors,
“......”
looked at Kang Woojin, no, 'Jang Yeon-woo' in the frame, and suddenly shouted.
“Cut!! OOOOK!!”
As soon as his shout ended, dozens of staff members nearby rushed into the set. Then, PD Song Man-woo called out to the staff.
“One scene! Just one scene left, so hang in there a little longer!!”
Today's schedule was another grueling march. Not only for Kang Woojin but also for the over one hundred staff members and other actors. Yet, no one complained. From the start, PD Song Man-woo had been juggling filming and editing, staying up all night for several days already. His sleep was mostly short naps taken during travel.
Given the circumstances,‘Whew- feeling a bit stiff?’
it was only natural for fatigue to build up, but Kang Woojin had to appear more composed than anyone. For someone with such a strong concept, he needed to maintain an image of 'this level of forced march is nothing'. Well, having used the void space several times already, Woojin was more than capable of enduring.
-Swish.
It was when Kang Woojin sat down on a chair with a nonchalant expression.
"Woojin."
A familiar male voice called from the side. It was Choi Sung-gun. Having sorted out some piled-up tasks, he had returned to Kang Woojin's set. However, with year-end events and everything else, it was harder for him to stick around as constantly as before. Anyway, Choi Sung-gun handed a water bottle to Woojin and spoke in a slightly quieter voice.
“Director Ahn Ga-bok called about an hour ago, saying he wants to schedule a meeting with you as soon as possible. Do you already have something worked out with him?”
'Ah, I forgot to mention it because things were hectic.'
Woojin lowered his voice and answered.
“I heard he’s in LA. He contacted me asking if I could make some time once he returns to Korea.”
Kang Woojin briefly explained the content of his recent call with Director Ahn Ga-bok, including whether he might have taken on a Hollywood project. Listening quietly, Choi Sung-gun stroked his chin.
“Director Ahn is in LA, on top of that, he asked you if you’ve received a Hollywood project?”
“Yes.”
“Why would he be in LA?”
“I didn’t ask for the details.”
“Hmm...... Since there’s no news in the press, it seems like he went quietly, keeping it a secret.”
After a brief moment of thought, Choi Sung-gun quickly came up with a guess.
“Maybe he got an offer to direct in Hollywood? He did win the Palme d'Or at Cannes, so it’s a perfectly plausible story.”
Suddenly, Choi Sung-gun smirked and met Kang Woojin’s gaze.
“And then he immediately wants to see you once he’s back in Korea. This smells like another opportunity, doesn’t it?”
Well, his instincts for these things were almost dog-like. Of course, Kang Woojin had also picked up on it. The hints dropped by Director Ahn Ga-bok were just too clear.
“He might bring a script with him.”
“Exactly. That’s what I think too. It’s not 100% certain, but, if it’s true, this is shaping up nicely, isn’t it? The two stars of Cannes connecting again in Hollywood?If it leads all the way to the Academy Awards......that story alone would be worth making a movie about."
“Not bad.”
"It's way beyond that, man. Anyway."
Taking out his phone, Choi Sung-gun said something along the lines of 'I'll schedule something with Director Ahn' before bringing up another matter.
“Since you’re staying in Korea for now due to ‘Beneficial Evil’ and year-end events, overseas schedules that were planned or put on hold are starting to pile up. Soon, you’ll have to go back and forth, and if possible, it’d be good to decide on a Hollywood project.”
“Yes, I understand. Send them my way as they come in.”
"Yeah. It's a bit tricky to take domestic projects at the current timing, so I'm narrowing things down focusing purely on overseas direction."
This essentially meant he’d be using the private jet as casually as having a meal.
November 5th, Friday.
The first week of November. Meanwhile, the morning news playing on TVs in Japanese homes was full of news about 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger'.
- [“The movie adaptation of Akari Takikawa's original work, ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger', is causing a terrifying frenzy. It has been over ten days since its release, yet it still dominates as the number one in advance ticket sales, and it continues to be endlessly mentioned on SNS and community forums. What's unusual is that, despite growing controversies and public criticism since its release, the number of viewers for ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger' keeps skyrocketing…”]
This news played as a Japanese family chatted over breakfast.
“That movie’s been getting tons of hate, yet people are still watching it?”
“I’ve seen it too, and honestly, I thought it was fun. Sure, the ending was a bit shocking.”
“What was it like?”
“If I tell you, it’ll spoil the fun. Mom, you should watch it with Dad. Honestly, it felt fresh. Japanese movies always feel the same, don’t they?”
“The lead actor is Korean, right? Kang Woojin, was it? Does it feel awkward?”
“Not at all. Mom, don’t you know Kang Woojin won Best Actor at Cannes this year? ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger' also stars top actors like Mana Kosaku, but Kang Woojin’s acting was the best.”
It had already been 11 days since 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger' was released, but the fire showed no signs of dying down. In fact, the ripple effect had grown so immense that it even became the subject of conversation in family households. It had surpassed being just “hot” and evolved into something closer to a sensational phenomenon. The news, of course, along with various media outlets and articles, reported daily on the real-time power of 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger'.
『Unstoppable momentum: ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ maintains number one in advance ticket sales for 11 consecutive days.』
『Despite controversy, if this momentum continues, ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ is guaranteed to surpass 10 million viewers, and may aim even higher!』
『As criticism and controversy intensify, the box office performance of ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ continues to rise. Film critics: ‘This is an unprecedented and baffling situation.’』
Naturally, it dominated the front page of Japan’s major portal sites, and on platforms like YouTube and SNS, everything revolved around 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger'. Simply put, it was a surefire way to generate views. This was evidence of how focused public attention was.
What stood out, however, was the comment sections under YouTube reviews of 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger', as well as on film review sites, SNS posts, and community discussions.
- This is so weird. Why is this movie still doing so well???
- Honestly… I can understand the buzz lasting for three days or so. But over ten days? I don’t get it….
- Stop whining and admit it! People aren’t stupid! They’re watching it because it’s fun!
- The movie is definitely entertaining, but as a fan of the original work, I still feel deeply betrayed.
- With an ending like that, why do people keep watching it?
-Sick of hearing about the ending ending, don't you think you're the ones stuck in a box?
- Exactly! The downfall of Japanese content is entirely because of people like them.
- This movie’s success sets a bad precedent! It must not succeed!
- It’s already a success though?
- You’re all idiots!
·
·
·
·
Despite the overwhelming criticism and polarized opinions about 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger', its momentum showed no signs of slowing down. From the general atmosphere and numerous media predictions, it seemed like it should have crumbled already. Yet, strangely enough, the runaway train called 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger' was becoming more monstrous by the day.
At this point, even the smartphones of packed subway commuters on their way to work were filled with content about 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger'.
In other words.
『Thanks to ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’, theaters are thriving, packed with audiences every weekend.』
It was clear that more and more Japanese people would continue flocking to the theaters. This phenomenon was also evident in Korea, and Kang Woojin, seated in a van, was desperately trying to suppress the corners of his lips from curling upward.
‘This momentum is insane. Haha, burn brightly burn! SSS grade power!’
However, the corners of his lips weren’t curling solely because of 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger'. It also included 'Leech', which was currently shaking up the Korean film industry. The difference from Japan was that 'Leech' was showing an absolutely insane box office success without any controversies.
『[Movie Talk] 'Leech' passes ten days since release, remains firmly at number one at the box office despite new releases!』
『'Leech' continues its box office sprint on the 10th day since release, outpacing 'Island of the Missing' in speed.』
The explosive buzz from the Cannes Film Festival had created immense anticipation among the public, and 'Leech' didn’t betray those expectations, leading to an equally explosive word-of-mouth effect.
- A 10-minute summary of Ahn Ga-bok’s <Leech>, the nuclear bomb dropped on Cannes!｜Movie Pickie
- ‘Kang Woojin’s Insane Acting!!!’ Review of the blockbuster hit ‘Leech’!! (Spoilers Included)｜Movie Monster
- [Leech] Analysis: Chilling foreshadowing & detailed breakdown! Here’s why it’s such a hit｜Issue Gulp
Neither Japan's 'The Eerie Sacrifice' nor Korea's 'Leech' showed any signs of their box office run cooling down. While pretending to be cool and indifferent, Kang Woojin couldn't help but smile at the situation. But above all, what made him want to dance inside was the current performance of both films.
Numbers he had seen several times already but never got tired of.
『'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger' surpassed 9.45 million yesterday, on the 4th, and as of today, the 5th, the 10 million mark is confirmed.』
'The Eerie Sacrifice' had reached an incredible 9.45 million viewers in 10 days total, excluding today, the 5th.
『10 million viewers certain for 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger', public eagerly anticipates its final box office performance.』
Although today marked the 11th day since its release, the exact numbers hadn’t come out yet. However, considering the advance ticket sales figures, it was already guaranteed to surpass 10 million.
'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger' was now outpacing or standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the highest-grossing films in Japanese history. The key point here was that most of those record-breaking films were animations. For a live-action film to achieve such explosive power, 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger' was essentially the first.
‘Alright- now for 'Leech'.’
While maintaining his persona as best he could, Woojin tapped his phone a few times. The screen quickly changed.
[Audience Count as of November 4, 2021]
[Daily Domestic Box Office]
1. Leech / Release Date: October 27 / Audience Count: 711,055 / Screens: 1,354 / Cumulative Audience Count: 8,358,754
'Leech' had reached 8.3 million viewers. A monstrous achievement in exactly 9 days. While it seemed slightly behind 'The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger', the difference was negligible since its release was a day later. Having already surpassed 8.3 million, 'Leech' was heading into the weekend, including today, Friday. At this pace, it would hit 10 million on Saturday, the exact 11th day since release.
For reference, if the current trajectory continued, 'Leech' would reach 10 million faster than 'Island of the Missing'.
『'Leech' faster than 20 million viewer 'Island of the Missing' which hit 10 million on its 12th day!』
『'Island of the Missing' hit 10 million on its 12th day of release, but 'Leech' is set to achieve it by the 11th day!』
『Korean all-time movie rankings changing again? At this rate, both 1st and 2nd place could be 'Kang Woojin' films!』
It was just one day's difference.
The next day, early Saturday morning. bw Entertainment.
The time was around 8 a.m. Despite the early hour, the underground parking lot of bw Entertainment, which was preparing to move its headquarters after recently securing its overseas branch, was quite crowded with cars. In this underground parking lot, a gray van had just come to a stop, and an elderly man stepped out.
-Swish.
Wearing a lightweight padded jacket in the chilly weather, with short white hair and a face deeply lined with wrinkles, stood Director Ahn Ga-bok.
His expression was characteristically calm, befitting his veteran status. In one hand, he held two thick bundles of paper. As soon as he got out of the van, three people approached him, his agency’s CEO and a few others who had accompanied him to LA.
“Let’s go.”
Leading the way with steady steps, Director Ahn Ga-bok stood in front of the elevator. At that moment, he was filled with both anticipation and apprehension.
‘Haha, this feels like waiting to get my report card checked.’
For someone considered a legend in the history of Korean cinema, it was an unusual sentiment. However, Director Ahn Ga-bok didn’t dislike how he was feeling. In fact, everything unfamiliar that had stemmed from the 'Cannes Film Festival' felt the same way. Like a parched, cracked land soaking in a gentle rainfall.
At that moment.
-Ding!
The arriving elevator doors opened, and shortly after, Director Ahn Ga-bok stepped into bw Entertainment. The office, lined with posters of bw’s top stars like Kang Woojin, Hong Hye-yeon, and Ryu Jung-min, was quiet. It was still before office hours, so no employees were present.
Soon.
“Ah! Director-nim!”
A man’s shout broke the silence of the office. It was Choi Sung-gun, coming out of the CEO’s office. As soon as he spotted Director Ahn Ga-bok, he rushed over.
“If you had called, I would’ve waited for you outside!”
After a brief handshake, Director Ahn Ga-bok responded with a wrinkled smile.
“No need for that. Meeting here is good enough, isn’t it?”
“My apologies.”
“Not at all. By the way, where’s Woojin?”
"Ah ah. He's inside."
Choi Sung-gun pointed toward the CEO’s office where he had just come from. Slowly nodding, Director Ahn Ga-bok gestured to the people accompanying him to wait for a moment. Then, he and Choi Sung-gun entered the CEO’s office together, where Kang Woojin was already standing.
“Director-nim, good morning.”
A low-toned voice. Since he hadn’t yet gone to the salon, Kang Woojin was in his natural state. Still, in Director Ahn Ga-bok’s eyes, even this appearance radiated an unmistakable aura.
‘As expected, he’s grown even heavier with presence since Cannes.’
Director Ahn Ga-bok extended his hand toward Kang Woojin.
“Sorry for bothering you so early when you must be busy.”
"It's fine."
After a brief exchange of greetings, Kang Woojin and Ahn Ga-bok sat facing each other. Choi Sung-gun took the seat beside Woojin. At the same time, Director Ahn Ga-bok placed the two thick bundles of paper he had brought onto the desk. He spoke directly to Kang Woojin without beating around the bush.
“First, take a look at this. One’s in English, the other’s in Korean. You can read whichever is more comfortable.”
He slid the two bundles across the desk toward Kang Woojin. Glancing indifferently at the documents, Woojin replied.
“Understood.”
As expected, Kang Woojin picked up the English version. For a brief moment, Director Ahn Ga-bok’s gaze shifted to Choi Sung-gun, seated beside Woojin. His eyes carried a mix of anticipation and excitement.
Then.
-Flap.
The sound of pages turning drew Director Ahn Ga-bok’s attention back to Kang Woojin, who was calmly reading through the bundle. Naturally, Ahn Ga-bok remained silent.
‘Now’s the time to wait. I need to give this child enough time.’
Kang Woojin turned another page.
-Flap.
But then.
“Director-nim.”
Barely a few minutes had passed when Kang Woojin suddenly addressed Ahn Ga-bok. His tone was notably low.
“I’ll take on this project.”
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