Kang Woojin's deep, resonant voice rang out through the hall of the Cannes Film Festival closing ceremony and awards. His expression remained calm and composed, almost absurdly so for a man who had just become the first Korean male actor to achieve something like this at Cannes.
Before an audience filled with major figures from the global film industry and reporters from multiple countries, he said in Korean:
"I have a house in LA, so I plan to move there next year."
It was practically a declaration of war. This time, his target was the world.
The statement was more than strong enough to send shockwaves across the globe. But Kang Woojin treated it as if it were nothing. No, more accurately, he had to act as if it were nothing. Every second of maintaining his concept was a battlefield, and under no circumstances could he retreat. Even on the Cannes stage, where he looked icily composed, Kang Woojin was under crushing pressure inside.
So, as always, he focused only on playing his role.
It was essentially his usual 'I'll do it my way' line, just dressed up with a little more politeness.
"You're welcome to keep watching me this time as well."
As Woojin delivered the words in that calm, indifferent tone, the eyes of the interpreter standing beside him widened several times over. It was an understandable reaction. He had never expected Woojin to suddenly throw down a challenge to the entire world. Meanwhile, the host on stage, the ten jurors, the dozens of reporters in the front rows, the Cannes broadcast team, and the thousands of notable people seated in the audience showed no immediate reaction.
That was only natural. The meaning had not been fully conveyed yet.
"LA? I think he just mentioned LA."
"Yes, he definitely said LA."
Foreign reporters began whispering among themselves while snapping photos of Kang Woojin. Thousands of audience members tilted their heads or stared at him intently as they waited for the interpretation. Meanwhile, on Cannes' YouTube livestream, the Korean comments exploded.
[I can't believe what I'm seeing with my own eyes.]
[But why is Kang Woojin so good at French?]
[Seriously LOL why is Kang Woojin's French so insane?]
[Who cares about that LOL the important thing is that Kang Woojin won Best Actor at Cannes LOL.]
[Praise me for staying awake all night!!!]
[Wow... Kang Woojin really raised our country's status.]
[His French pronunciation is insane.]
[Why do I feel so happy?]
[Bartender! Give me a drink mixed with patriotism!!!]
[This is ridiculous LOL was it even possible to win Best Actor at Cannes after only two years since debut LOL.]
[I'm getting chills...]
[Tomorrow it's going to be chaos everywhere LOL.]
[Congratulations!!]
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There were only a few people in the audience who understood Korean, but they reacted to Woojin's words immediately. They were the production team of Leech. Director Ahn Ga-bok, with his short white hair, stroked his chin and smiled faintly.
"He's talking about Hollywood. About the Academy Awards. Right. Without that kind of ambition, he could never have become who he is now. Cannes was only ever a stepping stone for him."
Shim Hanho nodded in agreement, recalling Kang Woojin from last year's Blue Dragon Film Awards.
"I expected it, deep down, but still... he really said it with that much confidence and not a trace of nerves."
"He doesn't care about the result."
"Or maybe he's convinced he'll win Best Actor again next year too."
"Both are true. But it's not empty bravado. Look at his face. He's utterly certain."
"He's the first Korean man to win Best Actor at Cannes. He has to show that kind of spirit."
"Ha. Hm. I suppose I'm falling behind now."
"I need to work harder."
Director Ahn Ga-bok looked like he was enjoying the moment, while veteran actor Shim Hanho stayed composed even after being overtaken by a much younger colleague. His eyes seemed to suggest he would come back for the prize next year. Meanwhile, Jin Jaejun and Han Sojin stood there with their mouths slightly open, unable to hide their shock, and Oh Heeryeong smiled elegantly as she murmured under her breath.
"That's a wonderful picture. By tomorrow, not only Korea but the whole world will be stirred up by this."
There was far more anticipation than worry in her gaze. Director Ahn crossed his legs as he looked up at Woojin on stage.
"Then I'm out."
Shim Hanho understood what he meant and answered,
"...Because Leech already took Best Actor."
"Mm. Then that means Leech can't win anything else at this Cannes."
Cannes had many rules, given its long history, but the one Ahn Ga-bok referred to was this: only one major prize could be awarded to a single film. If a film in Competition won Best Director, for example, it would receive no further major awards.
In other words, for Leech, which had just won Best Actor through Kang Woojin, that was supposed to be the end of its prizes.
Of course, if you looked back through Cannes history, there had been instances where one film swept multiple major awards in Competition. But that was a story from the early 2000s. In the last twenty years, no single film had taken multiple major awards at once. Ahn Ga-bok looked a little regretful, but he did not seem to mind very much.
"Still, this is more than enough. Leech and Woojin have made history at Cannes. It's also a first in Korean film history. This is enough. More than enough. It's wonderful."
If anything, the smile in the wrinkles of his face only deepened.
"Not bad for my hundredth film."
At that moment—
He began translating his acceptance speech into French with the same composed face. At the same time, his words were relayed in English through the headsets worn by many in the audience. Soon the reporters, the broadcast crews, and the thousands of people in attendance all understood what Kang Woojin had said. Many eyes widened.
"W-what did he say?"
"When he says his goal is there... does he mean the Academy Awards?"
"This is... going to stir up some controversy."
"That feels less like confidence and more like arrogance. Cannes is prestigious enough, and yet he suddenly brings up the Academy Awards?"
"Isn't he saying that far too lightly?"
"It doesn't sound like something he just thought of on the spot. The way he said it was too natural... he must have prepared it beforehand."
"...Did he plan this provocative acceptance speech in advance?"
Murmurs spread across the entire hall.
"But isn't that actor's French incredible?"
"Yes. Has he lived here before?"
"Just listen to the pronunciation. He must have lived in France."
"There was no information like that at all."
"Maybe he studied here."
"Ah, then did he learn acting here?"
Confusion, bewilderment, shock, surprise, curiosity. The faces of the thousands of distinguished guests all held different emotions, but at their core, they were strikingly similar.
What was interesting was this:
"Kang Woojin... he really is a strange actor. But can he handle the repercussions of this?"
"This acceptance speech will follow him for the rest of his life."
More than seventy percent of the audience clearly wore expressions of disbelief, but the rest showed reactions that were oddly the exact opposite. Some nodded in agreement, some smiled faintly, some looked on with anticipation, and some seemed almost supportive. The reason was simple.
They had seen Leech.
For people who had watched Kang Woojin's performance in Leech, his bold declaration did not feel like childish swagger or empty affectation.
'With that level of acting, the kind that swept through Cannes, he could absolutely make it in Hollywood.'
'If he finds the right project, even an Academy Award would not be impossible.'
'If there's still room for him to grow beyond what he showed here, then the possibilities are endless.'
Meanwhile, Kang Woojin continued his acceptance speech into the packed hall.
"To my parents and older sister, who believed in me and supported me, to my friends and colleagues who helped me so much, to the directors, staff, my company's CEO and employees, and to all my fans, thank you. I dedicate this moment to all of you."
He finished in his deep, low voice.
"Once again, thank you for allowing me to stand on this glorious stage."
Kang Woojin immediately began rendering those words in French. At that moment, the Hollywood master director Danny Landis, seated in the audience, smiled faintly.
"He has strong nerves. It's impossible to believe he only debuted two years ago. Something definitely happened before his debut."
And with that, his desire only grew stronger.
"That star quality, that ability to pull people in. I want to be the one who takes this actor to the Academy Awards."
Miley Cara covered her mouth with one hand, as if trying to hide her excitement.
'How many men are there who can express pure ambition on a stage this huge without worrying about their image? The Academy Awards... this actor will absolutely end up there.'
The eyes of Hollywood figures like Joseph and Megan seemed to light up with expectation as well. Elsewhere in the audience, murmurs rose as people tried to make sense of Kang Woojin's speech and the difficult-to-process phrases they had just heard.
"Didn't he win Best New Actor last year? Then does that mean he won Best Actor at Cannes the very next year?"
"...Unbelievable."
"Didn't he debut only recently?"
"No way. He must have debuted long ago and only gained attention recently."
Soon after, Woojin, holding the Best Actor trophy, bowed toward the audience from the stage.
At the same time,
a few dozen people in the audience rose to their feet again and began applauding. That momentum spread instantly.
Before long, most of the thousands of people in the hall were on their feet, clapping. Some truly congratulated him, but many others were visibly shocked or skeptical. Even so, they were swept up by the atmosphere and followed along.
Thunderous applause filled the hall. Kang Woojin stepped down from the stage with quiet composure. Immediately, several cameras from the Cannes broadcast team zeroed in on him, and dozens of foreign press photographers followed after him, firing off their shutters without pause. For the media, this was the perfect scoop. It was the moment the first Korean actor to win Best Actor at Cannes delivered a stirring acceptance speech.
Even amid the thunderous applause and pouring flashes, Kang Woojin's expression did not change.
"..."
He calmly returned to his seat. Of course, inside, he was absolutely panicking.
'Wow, is it over?? It's over, right? Damn, this is insane! I don't even remember what I just did! Whatever, just sit down. I seriously need to rest.'
Still immersed in character, Kang Woojin barely managed to sit, and the Leech team immediately began congratulating him. Naturally, the eyes of thousands of audience members were still fixed on him. Right then, one of Korea's top actors, Jin Jaejun, spoke carefully.
"Um, would it be okay if I took a proper look at the Best Actor trophy?"
Without making a fuss, Kang Woojin opened the case. Jin Jaejun and Han Sojin both let out startled sounds.
"Oh—"
"Wow... so this is really it."
Even Shim Hanho looked at the trophy with a grave expression. At that point, Director Ahn Ga-bok smiled and spoke to Kang Woojin in his aged voice.
"By tomorrow, your acceptance speech will have the whole world in an uproar, and half of them may attack you for it. But that doesn't matter at all, does it?"
Kang Woojin answered in an even tone.
"It's fine."
Meanwhile, back in Korea...
It was still the middle of the afternoon in France, where the Cannes closing ceremony and awards were underway, but in Korea, it was past 4:30 in the morning, and a media earthquake was already erupting. Most of the domestic media outlets that had been waiting on standby began vomiting out articles at a frantic pace.
[Breaking: Kang Woojin wins Best Actor at the Cannes International Film Festival / Photo]
[Breaking: "Kang Woojin did it!" Wins Best Actor at Cannes for Leech]
As the Cannes ceremony continued, articles with nearly identical headlines poured out by the second.
[Star Photo: The first Korean actor ever to win Best Actor at Cannes! Kang Woojin delivers his acceptance speech in fluent French / Photo]
["Second-year actor" Kang Woojin makes history as the first Korean to win Best Actor at Cannes]
[He speaks French fluently too? The Korean actor who made history by winning Best Actor at Cannes delivers his speech in near-native French / Photo]
Kang Woojin's name covered Korea's three major portal sites, social media, countless online communities, and YouTube.
[First Korean ever to win Best Actor at Cannes, Kang Woojin gives a shocking acceptance speech: "Next year, I challenge Hollywood"]
["Monster actor" Kang Woojin references last year's Blue Dragon Awards and says in his speech, "I already have a house in LA, and I'm aiming for the Academy Award for Best Actor"]
Even though it was still early morning, the media and public reaction was already verging on madness. Kang Woojin had not only brought honor to his home country, but had carved his name into world history.
And he had done it barely two years after debuting in the Korean entertainment industry.
If the response was already this intense at such an early hour, then by the time morning properly arrived, the flames would surely grow several times larger. In reality, domestic broadcast networks had already sent countless reporting teams into motion before dawn.
"Materials just came in!! The materials!!"
"Over here!!!"
"The video of Kang Woojin's acceptance speech!! Including the French version!!"
"We're editing it right now!!"
"What about the reporter on site?!"
"We made contact!"
They had to air Kang Woojin's legendary achievement as a morning news special.
"Is this the only photo we've got?!! Get me a clearer one!!"
"Yes, yes!!"
"We don't have time! Hurry and get everything ready!! There won't be any more Cannes awards related to Leech, right?!"
"Of course not! He already won Best Actor, so under the rules it can't win anything else!"
"Good!! This morning we're going live with the news that Kang Woojin won Best Actor at Cannes! And at noon we'll air follow-up footage from after the ceremony! Make sure we get an interview with Kang Woojin too!!"
"Understood, I'll pass it along!"
Every second, every minute, the name "Kang Woojin" kept pouring across both online and offline platforms in Korea.
After about forty-five minutes like that,
as the heat across all of Korea intensified, the conference room of Leech's official production company looked more like the site of a frenzied party.
"Woohoo!! Kang Woojin! Kang Woojin!!"
"It's over!! It's over!! Korea and the whole world are going to be in an uproar now!!"
"Articles are already pouring out!!"
"Good, good!! Contact our team in Cannes!! Tell them to call Woojin as soon as the ceremony ends!!"
"We'll push for theatrical releases in Japan and France too!"
"Of course!!"
The executives from Leech's production and distribution companies who had stayed behind in Korea were beside themselves with excitement. They had all gathered from early morning to watch the Cannes livestream on the large TV screen in the room. Naturally, the moment Kang Woojin's name had been called for Best Actor, their excitement had reached its peak.
"Tell our Cannes staff to stay glued to Woojin the second the ceremony ends! I want everything filmed, from the commemorative photos to the interviews to the after-party! We need the original footage!!"
"Understood!!"
"And what was the name of that trophy again?! Tell them I want at least a hundred photos of Woojin holding the Best Actor trophy, full body shots and close-ups! And ask him about his French too!"
Of course, at that very moment, the TV at the front of the conference room was still livestreaming the Cannes closing ceremony. A French director who had just won the runner-up prize had finished his speech, and it was now time for the biggest award at Cannes, the Palme d'Or.
But the film and distribution executives in the room were barely paying attention.
They knew the rules of Cannes very well. Since Leech had already won Best Actor, there was no chance of it being awarded again. That was why all of their attention was now focused solely on Kang Woojin. If a double win somehow happened, it would be a global sensation, but no one believed such a thing was possible.
"Still, do you think Woojin's acceptance speech was okay? It was pretty strong."
"Who cares!! Thanks to that, we're about to cause a worldwide sensation!! If anything, we should be grateful!!"
And then, at that exact moment—
["It is my honor to announce the winner of the prestigious Palme d'Or at the 74th Cannes Film Festival. Ah, this year's Cannes has truly been full of surprises."]
As everyone's eyes shifted toward the TV at the front of the room, one of the ten jurors, a female actress, was announcing the winner of the Palme d'Or.
["Congratulations!! This year's Palme d'Or goes to... Leech!!!"]
In an instant, the executives of Leech's production and distribution companies, who had been shouting and jumping around in excitement just moments earlier, all froze where they stood. Then, with expressions as if they had been struck by a spell, they stared at the television.
"...? What did she just say—?"
On the TV screen, Director Ahn Ga-bok's astonished face appeared.