Just before Kang Woojin's name rang out at the closing ceremony and awards of the 74th Cannes Film Festival, Kang Woojin himself, seated in the audience, was not thinking anything in particular. It would be more accurate to say he had no expectations at all.
Still, he had imagined a moment like that once before.
"If I ever won Best Actor at Cannes, that would be completely insane."
In any case, he had now spent around ten days experiencing the explosive atmosphere of Cannes, the greatest festival of film directors in the world. Countless foreign reporters, directors, and actors had already recognized or mentioned him on social media. In a situation like that, if he were to officially win Best Actor—
Then that would be it.
It was obvious that not only Korea, but the entire global film industry, would erupt. But that was all. It would have been a lie to say he had come this far without a shred of attachment, but Kang Woojin had let go of all obsession. More than anything, the words Choi Seonggeon had said before the closing ceremony and awards had influenced him deeply.
"There is definitely a chance you could win, Mr. Woojin. But in the end, the final decision is made by people, and that goes for the ten jurors too."
Choi Seonggeon wanted Kang Woojin to win more than anyone else.
But at a film festival of this scale, it was difficult to say with certainty that the decision would be based on acting alone. An actor's career, aura, recognition, and public standing all came into play as well. No matter how good the acting was, those factors could still influence the evaluation. There was a high chance that prejudice or bias might creep in, so it was best not to expect too much.
He had given him advice that was realistic and brutally honest.
Your goal of using Cannes as a stepping stone has already been achieved. In fact, the impact has been far greater than expected, and you have made a strong impression on plenty of people in Hollywood. That alone is already an enormous success.
Choi Seonggeon's advice was largely correct. It was true that Kang Woojin had never seen Cannes itself as the final goal, but as a stepping stone. Strictly speaking, that was only because of the misunderstanding shared by Director Ahn Gabok and Choi Seonggeon, but in the end, everything had become reality. Reaching Cannes only two years after debut had explosively raised his profile in Hollywood and across the global film industry.
Even if Kang Woojin were to go to Hollywood right now, quite a lot of people would recognize him.
And even if they did not recognize him immediately, a little digging would be enough for them to find out who he was.
That was why Kang Woojin had let go of his obsession. In truth, for the ordinary citizen Woojin hidden behind the public image, even standing on a stage like this still felt unreal.
And right then, it happened.
"My eyes were not deceiving me."
The name of this year's Cannes Best Actor winner echoed through the grand hall of the Palais des Festivals. It was Kang Woojin, the same Kang Woojin who had been sitting there looking calm, as though he had already abandoned all expectation.
The Best Actor award of the 74th Cannes Film Festival went to Kang Woojin of Leech.
At first, Woojin showed almost no reaction.
"..."
He had not registered it at first. Part of it was because of the awkward pronunciation of the Italian director presenting the award, and part of it was because it was so completely unexpected that the meaning had not reached him right away. Only after he realized that the cameras in the hall and the more than five thousand celebrities from around the world were all turning toward him did Kang Woojin abruptly come back to his senses.
Huh? What?
At that moment, Director Ahn Gabok and the entire Leech team all turned their heads toward Kang Woojin. Outwardly, Woojin remained calm, but inside he was cursing violently.
No way, damn it. Me?
Again and again.
Is this real? Really real? Oh my god. What is this? Is this some hidden-camera prank?
But his face remained expressionless. It was not that he was acting. His mind had simply gone blank from shock and confusion. What is this? Is this actually real? No, this has to be a dream. But why does this dream feel so vivid?
Kang Woojin's thoughts were still in complete disarray.
The atmosphere in the grand hall began to shift in a strange way, and so did the reaction of the thousands in attendance. Murmurs. Whispers. Curious looks. Mouths hanging open in astonishment. The reason was simple. The winner of Cannes Best Actor, one of the most prestigious honors in world cinema, had just been announced as a Korean actor.
"Kang Woojin? Where is he?"
"My god, this has never happened before, has it?"
"As far as I know, it is the first."
The first in Cannes history.
And the first for Korea as well.
Right then, a blonde woman seated inside the wide, hushed hall rose to her feet.
A woman with blue eyes filled with joy and certainty.
The global superstar Miley Cara became the catalyst for the change.
Following her lead, thousands of audience members began rising from their seats one by one.
And then—
Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!
A standing ovation exploded through the hall.
Clap clap...
The hosts onstage.
The ten jurors.
The distinguished guests filling the first and second floors of the hall.
The reporters and broadcast crews.
Even Woojin's own Leech team seated nearby.
Every one of them applauded sincerely.
And not only that—
Clap clap...
Even the tens of thousands of spectators watching the Cannes ceremony outside on the giant beachside screen were applauding. Of course, not every single person was. Around thirty percent were looking around with expressions that seemed to say:
[What is going on?]
Some of the five thousand people inside the hall during the closing ceremony and awards probably felt the same.
Because firsts and change always brought a certain degree of resistance with them.
And in the middle of that, the Kang Woojin in the white tuxedo did only one thing.
He rose to his feet without realizing it.
His expression was still blank, but inside, everything was chaos.
Damn it. Seriously. What is this?
It was not that he doubted what he was seeing. He was simply suffering from total information overload. In a situation this absurd, who could possibly stay calm?
Music like a fanfare filled the hall, so loud it numbed the ears. Endless applause. Congratulations pouring in from the powerful figures around him. Countless cameras rushing toward him. Bursting flashes. It would not have been surprising if he had fainted on the spot.
Clap clap...
Yet on the outside, Kang Woojin looked very calm and composed. The powerful image he had cultivated, the feeling of I will do it my way, rose instinctively to the surface. Woojin shook every hand extended toward him. The handshakes never stopped. Then the aged voice of the short-haired, white-haired Director Ahn Gabok reached his ear.
"My sincere congratulations. I am proud that you now carry the title of the first actor in Korean history."
Veteran actor Shim Hanho gripped Woojin by the shoulder and patted his back.
"What I could not achieve in decades, you did in only two years. I am truly happy. Kang Woojin, I am proud of you."
Oh Heeryeong, looking more enchanting than ever that day, embraced him. The corners of her eyes were red. Woojin also heard the heated congratulations of Jin Jaejun and Han Sojin. Only the humble words "Thank you" came out of Kang Woojin's mouth, but the flashing lights and applause only intensified. The whole world was celebrating Kang Woojin.
What was interesting was that—
Ah, whatever. I am okay now. I think I am starting to settle down.
Even in a situation where no one would have blamed him for losing his mind, Woojin's emotions were calming instead. Was it adrenaline? Whatever the cause, Kang Woojin looked up.
In the midst of the countless cameras and cheers, he looked toward the host and the ten jurors waiting for him onstage.
"..."
In that moment, one brief thought passed through Kang Woojin's mind.
Take one step forward.
And do not look back.
The concept he had built for appearances, his greatest strength for keeping up the act, became the one thing he could truly rely on in this impossible moment.
Step.
Woojin walked down the aisle with an indifferent face. Tens, hundreds of important figures on both sides of him were applauding on their feet. His ears were ringing, but Kang Woojin's stride never wavered. Some audience members watched him with curious eyes.
"Does he not look happy? Is he too calm?"
"No way. He just won Best Actor at Cannes, and he is the first ever. He must be incredibly nervous."
"For someone who is nervous, he is walking very calmly. Did he expect to win?"
"I understand. I saw his performance in Leech*."*
Kang Woojin was now only about five steps away from the stage.
The lights are blinding.
He could feel the fierce heat of the spotlight pouring down on him. Around then, the explosive celebration was being captured by the cameras around him and fed into the YouTube livestream.
[Is this real??!!!!!!!!!]
[This is crazy]
[Goosebumps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]
[Insane!!!!]
[Kang Woojin!!!!!!!!!]
[No... wow...]
[Legendary]
[This is insane]
The live chat had become utter chaos.
It was packed with every kind of language from around the world, including English, but Korean overwhelmingly dominated the stream. Korean comments were updating nonstop, and even though it was already well past three in the morning in Korea, the heat showed no sign of fading.
The waiting room beside the hall was in no better shape.
"Waaaaaaah!"
This was the room where the Korean reporters, Choi Seonggeon, Woojin's team, and the production and distribution teams of Leech were gathered.
"Woojin! Woojin did it!"
"This is incredible! CEO-nim! Woojin-hyung actually did it!"
"That is right! It is our Woojin!"
"This is insane! This is really insane!"
"That really is oppa, right? The one going up there really is oppa, right?"
Everyone was out of their minds, hugging each other and jumping around while watching the live broadcast on the giant TV.
"This cannot be happening! No! It is real! It really is real!"
"I am seeing it with my own eyes! I am actually watching this moment with my own eyes!"
At that moment, they were no longer separate teams.
They were simply Korean citizens feeling pride.
Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!
Endless screaming, cheering, and applause. It was only natural. This was the peak of national glory. It was the moment when the name Kang Woojin became known not only in Korea but around the entire world, and it was generating an even bigger sensation than Cannes itself. It was such a monumental moment that even if the President were to personally step forward and offer congratulations, it would not have seemed strange.
Because of the time difference, it was now around four in the morning in Korea, and the whole country was trembling with excitement.
Woojin's family in Jinju:
"He won! He really won!"
"Oh my god, oh my god."
"Mom! Pull yourself together! Dad! Mom is acting weird!"
At the home of Kang Woojin's close friend Kim Daeyoung, where all the friends had gathered—
"Oh my god! No! What even is this!"
"Kang Woojin won Best Actor at Cannes? Is this real?"
"He is insane. Woojin won Best Actor at Cannes? Are you serious?"
"Call him! You have to call him!"
"You idiot! Do you seriously think he is going to answer right now?"
"Stop him! Somebody stop that moron!"
And in that same moment, the Korean press moved with lightning speed.
[Breaking News] Leech's Kang Woojin wins Best Actor at Cannes, first Korean ever to do so.
The instant Kang Woojin's name was called at Cannes, related articles began pouring out.
Then—
at Cannes, Kang Woojin stepped onto the stage as the Best Actor winner. The applause and cheers of the host, the jurors, and the countless audience members never stopped.
Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!
Wearing a white tuxedo, Woojin stood calmly before the host, a Belgian actress smiling brightly at him as she extended something into his hands.
It was the Best Actor trophy.
A trophy bearing a palm leaf inside a glass case.
In Cannes history, and in the entire history of Korean cinema, this was a sight that had never existed before. Woojin stared down at the trophy in his hands without a word, feeling a shiver run through his whole body.
Ah. So this is that thing I have only ever seen in pictures.
What was amusing was that it did not actually look all that special. From Kang Woojin's perspective, it might not have looked all that different from the trophy he had received at the Blue Dragon Film Awards. Maybe that was because what was surfacing at that moment was not his monster-actor mask, but Kang Woojin himself.
Then the host pointed toward the microphone placed at the center of the stage and looked at Woojin.
It was time for his acceptance speech.
"..."
Without changing expression, Kang Woojin set the trophy down on the podium. His body already felt as though it were moving automatically. His heart had gone cold like ice. Concept. As long as he held on to the concept, that was enough. Acceptance speech? My god. How could he possibly have prepared one?
In any case, Woojin stood before the podium. Directly in front of him, he could see dozens of foreign reporters holding huge cameras.
Flash flash flash!
They were taking pictures of Kang Woojin on the stage like mad. Behind them, the thousands of dignitaries who had been giving him a standing ovation began sitting down one by one as Woojin prepared to speak. The same went for the ten jurors onstage.
Kang Woojin slowly lifted his head.
This is absurd.
From the stage, the grand hall was breathtaking. Soon, the interpreter moved into place at Woojin's left, ready to translate him into French. Woojin was fluent in French, but he did not stop her. The reason was clear. He had no prepared speech, but there was one thought that kept circling through his mind.
With as calm a face as possible, Kang Woojin ignored the cameras as much as he could and spoke to the thousands of powerful figures seated before him. Naturally, he kept his voice as low as possible.
"Bonsoir."
He began in French.
What should he say next?
Hmm. Just say whatever comes to mind.
"I am not especially good with words. And even standing here right now does not feel real."
His perfect French startled the interpreter at his side, the dozens of reporters in the front rows, the host, the chairman of Cannes, the broadcast crews, and the thousands of people in the hall. Of course, a fair number of them remained relatively calm. They had already heard his French during the second screening of Leech.
But they were the minority.
Most of the people in the room were visibly shaken. Still, Woojin continued in quiet, steady French.
"Thank you. It is a genuine honor to receive an award at such a prestigious festival. I deeply thank all of my fellow actors and staff who worked with me to make the great film Leech*."*
His French was as fluent as a native speaker's. It was far beyond something achieved through practice or preparation. The interpreter beside him blinked in surprise.
After a slight pause, Woojin shifted his gaze a little to the right.
Then he changed languages.
"I am Korean actor Kang Woojin."
It was a low, gentle Korean voice. Even though he had just been speaking French, Woojin intentionally continued in Korean. It was not that he was trying to deliver some grand message. He simply wanted to give his acceptance speech in Korean at this international film festival.
"I think a lot of people in Korea are probably celebrating right now. It must be very early morning there, but I am sure there are fans who stayed up all night to watch."
The interpreter was about to begin translating, but Woojin did not need her help.
He could do it himself.
In a quiet voice, he repeated in French what he had just said in Korean. The murmur in the audience grew louder. In Cannes history, there had never been a Best Actor winner who gave part of his acceptance speech in Korean and then translated it into French himself.
But Kang Woojin paid no attention to that. He stopped the French and continued in Korean.
"It is an award that is honestly hard to believe. When I won Best New Actor at the Blue Dragon Film Awards last year, I said, 'This year it is Best New Actor, but next year I will win Best Actor. Just wait and see.' And now I have really won Best Actor. It did not even take a full year."
As he prepared to translate into French again, a lot of thoughts passed through his mind. How far should he go? Maybe he should think about it. But the thought did not last long. Ah, whatever. Just leave it. It was not like he had never done something like this before.
Kang Woojin resumed in Korean, full of confidence.
"Recently, I bought a house in LA. So next year, I plan to move there."
Even at Cannes, he did not forget his attitude of never backing down.