Quite an enticing proposal. That was the conclusion reached by Kim Sohyang, Executive Director of Netflix Korea, regarding the sudden suggestion PD Song Manwoo had thrown out. It felt a little abrupt, but it made sense. The core of it was not simply dividing the 12-episode Beneficial Evil into two parts, but shortening the long stretch of time until release.
'It's not bad. No, this might actually be a really good idea.'
The content market these days was a complete battlefield. Public broadcasters, cable channels, variety networks, YouTube, and every kind of OTT service had all flooded the field.
There were more than enough platforms for the public to consume, and the amount of content being supplied had reached the point of oversaturation.
That meant quality mattered if you wanted to survive, but timing mattered just as much.
And right now, PD Song Manwoo was calculating that timing.
The 12-episode Beneficial Evil would be released in two sections: episodes 1 through 6, and episodes 7 through 12. In other words, it would be split into two waves. They would rush through the filming and editing of episodes 1 through 6 first, release those as quickly as possible, and continue filming and editing episodes 7 through 12 in the meantime.
It was a strategic move.
Normally, dramas were released one episode at a time, three episodes a week, or all at once.
But with content pouring in from every direction, they had to do whatever it took to stand out.
That was why splitting one work into two parts was not strange at all.
At that moment, Executive Director Kim Sohyang, who had a slightly plump build, suddenly had a question. She turned directly to PD Song Manwoo.
"PD-nim, it's definitely an appealing idea, but is there a particular reason you came up with a plan like this so suddenly?"
Song Manwoo, a veteran PD who had directed multiple hit works including his recent project Profiler Hanryang, had already calculated all of it based on his decades of experience.
To be honest, it was because of their lead actor.
"The lead actor? Ah—Kang Woojin?"
"Yes. Of course, we could still follow the original plan, finish all twelve episodes, and then start the release. But by then, I'm certain Mr. Woojin will have already caused some kind of major wave, either domestically or internationally. But..."
"But?"
"Every project has a moment when it needs to be pushed forward. In my opinion, the timing for Beneficial Evil should be as early as possible."
PD Song Manwoo grew more serious and spread his five fingers, folding them down one by one.
"Mr. Woojin has The Stranger's Grim Sacrifice, the album collaboration with Miley Cara, and now even Cannes. And interestingly enough, Hollywood people are involved too."
"Come to think of it, Hollywood people really did come to Bangkok this time too, didn't they? I'm not sure whether it was because of Cara, but they did seem to watch Mr. Woojin's acting."
"I think Mr. Woojin will break into Hollywood by the end of this year, or early next year at the latest. Well, even if he doesn't aggressively pursue it himself, just being invited to Cannes already shows that possibility. And on top of that, Hollywood heavyweights are going to watch Leech. There's no way they'll just leave Kang Woojin alone after that, is there?"
As the plane shook lightly, Kim Sohyang and writer Choi Nana gave short nods in agreement. PD Song Manwoo continued.
"Whether he causes a sensation at Cannes or somewhere else, Mr. Woojin's value is going to shoot up, not just in Hollywood but overseas in general. And if Beneficial Evil comes out while that's happening? Naturally, global interest will be far greater than usual."
At that moment, Kim Sohyang and Choi Nana both let their imaginations run wild. Kang Woojin, who was already drawing international attention, detonated a bold global bomb, and in the middle of that explosive wave of interest, Beneficial Evil was released worldwide through Netflix.
"Of course. Since 'she' is on our side too."
Miley Cara was a bonus.
Song Manwoo lowered his voice.
"But the release schedule for the full twelve episodes of Beneficial Evil is too late."
"So we cut it in half."
"Would that be difficult?"
Kim Sohyang shook her head.
"No. The content and characters in each episode of Beneficial Evil are so distinct that splitting it into two six-episode parts would not be a problem at all. Since the overall story is still connected, it wouldn't feel like the flow was broken either."
Then she turned toward Choi Nana, who was sitting beside her.
"Writer, what do you think?"
A major decision was being made. Startled, Choi Nana flinched before answering.
"Huh?? Ah! Yes! If both of you think it works, then I'm fine with it too!"
Smiling, Kim Sohyang raised a thumbs-up.
"I'm in as well. Even if it doesn't succeed, I think it's worth trying."
Her expression turned a little more serious, and she picked up her phone as if checking something.
"Hmm, of course, it's not something we can decide and execute immediately. As you know, this is a Netflix Original series with a simultaneous global release, so there are a lot of related parties we'd need to coordinate with, including Netflix headquarters..."
"But?"
"It's possible. I'll handle that part. The workload will increase, but that's nothing."
Then Kim Sohyang turned back to Song Manwoo.
"The original plan was for Beneficial Evil to air sometime in the middle or second half of next year. PD-nim, if we split it into two six-episode parts, when do you think it could actually be released?"
As though he had already worked out the answer, Song Manwoo responded at once.
"If we shoot like we're breaking our bones and edit in every spare moment, we can move much faster than usual."
He answered immediately.
"At the earliest, this year-end. At the latest, early next year. We'd have to wait until editing on episodes one through six is finished."
Back in Cannes, France.
It was around lunchtime.
Kang Woojin, who had arrived in Cannes amid a city overflowing with hundreds of thousands of tourists, had just entered his hotel. The hotel, located near the Palais des Festivals where the Cannes Film Festival would be held, was a five-star establishment with a swimming pool and a broad terrace that looked almost like a park.
The interior, decorated entirely in white, was naturally packed with people.
"$@%@(%&*@"
")@(@&%(@%&@"
The wide lobby in particular was bursting with energy. Different languages from different countries mixed together in the air, and the people gathered there came from all kinds of backgrounds.
Every single one of them had been officially invited to Cannes.
From Hollywood insiders to famous filmmakers from around the world, the hotel was teeming with them. Naturally, the other hotels in the city were no different. Everyone either looked excited or visibly tense.
And that made sense.
There were only six hours left until the opening of the Cannes Film Festival.
It was already past one in the afternoon, and the opening ceremony was scheduled to begin exactly at seven that evening.
From that point onward, countless famous figures would walk the red carpet laid out before the Palais des Festivals. Roughly five thousand officially invited reporters had probably already taken their places around the red carpet.
"When I looked earlier, there were an unbelievable number of reporters gathered around the Palais."
"Well, of course. I heard more than twice as many people were invited to Cannes this year compared to last year."
Naturally, reporters who had not received official invitations and staff from broadcasters across various countries had also gathered beyond the red carpet barriers.
The number of journalists alone was estimated to be close to ten thousand.
One thing all the guests and reporters here had in common was that they were dressed in attire suitable for Cannes. The men wore black tuxedos, and the women wore dresses. The reporters were dressed no differently, and that unified appearance only further emphasized the grandeur of Cannes.
At this point, Kang Woojin was no exception.
"Oppa!! Woojin oppa!! The tuxedo's here!!"
"Ah, there are only six hours left! Oppa! As soon as you put the tuxedo on, we're starting your hair right away!!"
Kang Woojin was busy preparing for Cannes. The location was his room. It was not just Woojin in there, but also the styling team led by Han Yejung, all of them moving in a flurry.
Naturally, Kang Woojin would be stepping onto the Cannes red carpet.
"Oppa, you have to look insanely amazing on the red carpet today!!"
"You could wipe out the Hollywood stars too! I saw the actors in the lobby earlier, and honestly, none of them looked that great!"
"Didn't you practically jump up and down earlier when you saw how good he looked downstairs?"
"Kya! Sunbae-nim, Yejung sunbae! That's a secret!"
The whole room was filled with excitement. Choi Seonggeon, seated in one corner, was just as busy on the phone.
But Kang Woojin, who had just received the tuxedo, remained calm the entire time.
"Then I'll get changed and come right back."
Or at least, he pretended to be calm.
It was only a mask.
The moment Woojin stepped into the dressing room—
-thud
and the door shut behind him, he ran a hand through his black hair and let out a small sigh. The intense tension finally leaked out through his lips.
'...This is insane. Calm down, heart. You stupid heart, calm down.'
He really was tense.
It had started the moment he arrived at Nice Airport. Then it rose higher when he saw the Palais des Festivals where Cannes would be held, and again when he saw the hundreds of thousands of people who had flooded into Cannes.
And finally, the moment he stepped into this hotel, the tension had reached its peak.
That was because actors he had only ever seen in Hollywood films, along with imposing foreigners from around the world, were all right there in front of him.
This was not some domestic event.
It was a global festival.
In a situation like this, who would not be nervous?
Especially Kang Woojin, who had only just entered his second year since debut.
His rise had been unbelievably fast, and his adaptability was exceptional, but no matter how many times he looked around, France—Cannes—still did not feel real. Walking into a crowd of hundreds of thousands was on an entirely different level from the Blue Dragon Film Awards.
Still, what else could he do?
'Ah, whatever. It's all about mindset! It's not like I'm going to die anyway.'
Whether this felt like a dream or some other world, there was no turning back now.
To calm his pounding heart, Kang Woojin took a deep breath.
Then he began putting on the tuxedo piece by piece.
When Woojin emerged fully dressed, the waiting stylists rushed over. Their skills were essential in fastening his bow tie and adjusting the fit of the tuxedo until it was flawless.
While all of that was happening, Han Yejung, standing in front of him, asked,
"Oppa, aren't you nervous?"
Ah, I feel like I'm dying.
But outwardly, Kang Woojin maintained his cool, indifferent attitude and lowered his voice as much as possible.
"Not at all."
"Honestly, I thought I'd see you break a little once you got to Cannes. It's Cannes, after all. But I guess I was wrong. You look like you'd be exactly the same even if you went into space."
No, no, wasn't space a bit much? Wait, would it really be? If there were an empty void space, then there was no real reason he could not end up in space someday—or even in a black hole.
'Ah, now that I think about it, maybe all those experiences in the void really are why it's easier to stay calm even in a situation like this.'
As the stylists started on Woojin's hair and makeup, Choi Seonggeon, who had been sitting in the corner of the room, ended his call and stood up. He had a tablet in his hand, which he held out toward Woojin.
"This year's Cannes jury."
The screen displayed the names of ten foreign jurors. They were all prominent figures from the film industries of their respective countries. These jurors would watch the twenty films selected for Competition and decide the winners.
"They were already making a huge fuss taking selfies in front of the Palais earlier. They've done a lot of interviews too, and Leech got mentioned a lot. Just wait a little."
He pulled out his phone and started reading from a memo.
"'There is a great deal of anticipation surrounding Leech. It is the only Korean film, and Director Ahn Gabok is an outstanding director.' Stuff like that. It could just be lip service, but the reaction from the jurors looks positive."
Choi Seonggeon swiped the screen and moved on to the next item.
"Next is the Competition screening schedule for this year's Cannes Film Festival."
In a way, this was the real heart of the matter.
"The official screenings begin tomorrow, October 1."
All the invited films at Cannes would be screened at various theaters throughout the city. Among them, the twenty films selected for the main Competition would only be shown in the Lumière Theater, the largest venue inside the main Cannes festival building.
That theater seated around three thousand people.
The screening schedule itself was simple.
All twenty films would be shown over ten days, with two films screened each day. The screenings were divided into two time slots, one in the morning and one in the evening.
So on October 1, two films would be screened.
On October 2, another two films.
And so on.
Festival attendees could choose which films they wanted to watch, but the official jurors had to watch every one of them. Over the ten days of Cannes, all twenty films would be screened, and on the final day, the ten jurors would make their final decision.
Then, at the closing ceremony, the awards would be presented.
In any case, Choi Seonggeon tapped the tablet screen with his index finger.
"Leech screens on the second day, October 2. The screening times are 9 a.m. and 7 p.m."
At that exact moment—
-bzz, bzz
Kang Woojin's phone, sitting on the table, began to vibrate.
Choi Seonggeon set the tablet down, picked up the call, and handed the phone to Woojin. The caller was none other than the superstar currently in Cannes.
"Who is it?"
"Miley Cara."
Woojin took the phone and raised it to his ear.
"Yes, it's me."
From the other end of the line came Miley Cara's voice, tinged with amusement.
"Where are you right now?"
A few hours later.
In front of the grand venue, the Palais des Festivals.
The area in front of the building where the Cannes Film Festival opening ceremony was about to be held looked as though it was on the verge of exploding. Hundreds of journalists and Cannes staff crowded the entrance, and a long, wide red carpet had already been laid out.
Thousands of reporters and broadcast crews lined both sides of it, and the tens of thousands of tourists behind them outnumbered them by far.
The time was 7:10 p.m., and the red carpet procession had already begun.
"Hey!! Natalie!! Natalie!!!"
"Natalie!!!"
"Over here!! Please look this way!!"
"Wave at us!! Please, just wave once!!!"
The sight of thousands of reporters in full tuxedos alone was overwhelming. Their shouting never stopped, and camera shutters exploded without rest.
-flashflashflashflash!
The flashes were going off so quickly that it felt less like evening and more like broad daylight. Tripods were the bare minimum, and many journalists had climbed onto small ladders to get better angles. There were even broadcast crews using small cranes and drones.
It was truly a sea of people.
With the added screams and cheers of the tourists, it was enough to make one's ears hurt.
Was this the World Cup?
It really felt like the World Cup.
By contrast, the world-famous directors, actors, and celebrities walking down the red carpet showed no signs of tension at all.
"Swinton!!! Swinton!"
"Eric!!! Hey! Eric!! Wave for us!!"
"Annie~! Annie!!!"
They waved to the press, exchanged light conversation, and carried themselves with ease.
They looked experienced.
And whenever a Hollywood superstar appeared, the heat of the place rose even higher.
About ten minutes passed like that.
The time was nearing 7:30 p.m., and dozens of major stars had already crossed the carpet.
Then—
-vrooom
Amid the steady line of vans and limousines pulling to a stop one after another, a white limousine came to a halt at the very end of the red carpet. That stretch was packed with reporters of every race and nationality, all dressed in tuxedos.
-flashflashflashflash!
-flashflashflashflash!
Before anyone had even stepped out of the white limousine, the reporters were already setting off their flashes like mad.
And then—
-click
A large-built bodyguard opened the rear door of the limousine. A blonde woman stepped out, wearing a black dress with a low-cut neckline and an open back. The moment the hundreds of nearby reporters saw her, they exploded and started shouting her name.
"It's Miley!!!"
"Oh my god!! That's Miley Cara!!"
"Miley!! Miley!! Over here!"
"Hey, hey!! Miley!!"
It was only natural.
She was Miley Cara, one of the biggest global superstars in the world.
Wearing her trademark bright smile, she waved to the press. The reporters, almost entranced, hammered their shutters without pause.
And then it happened.
-swish
Another person stepped out of the white limousine behind Miley Cara. He was a man in a black tuxedo, his bow tie perfectly tied, his black hair slicked neatly back with a glossy sheen. His face looked calm and indifferent. The moment he stepped out of the car, he coolly swept his eyes over the chaotic surroundings.
"..."
The hundreds of reporters looked bewildered and tilted their heads in confusion.
Who was that?
They did not recognize him.
But regardless, they kept pressing their shutters frantically and taking his photo. The flashes burst so fiercely that they stung the eyes. A moment later, Miley Cara naturally slipped her arm through his and whispered under her breath.
"Woojin, it's your first time in Cannes, but your face looks like you've already been here ten times."
It was the moment a monster appeared at Cannes.