Chapter 465: Encroachment (1)

I Was Mistaken as a Monstrous Genius Actor

Foreign viewers watching Kang Woojin or 'Henry Gordon' in 'Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain' swallowed their saliva.

'What the hell is that? That expression is giving me chills.'

'Whoa, the mood is so intense right from the start……'

'So that’s how the first Pierrot is born? But, Kang Woojin’s acting isn’t bad, right?'

'Hmm, not bad at all. He definitely deserves the Emmy for Best Actor.'

There were all kinds of inner thoughts, but one thing in common: admiration. In other words, Kang Woojin captivated hundreds of audience members. And he did it within just five minutes of appearing. Of course, there were those who tried hard to deny it. But even so, this was just the beginning.

Kang Woo-chul, Seo Hyun-mi, and Kang Hyun-ah couldn’t take their eyes off the screen.

'Is that my son? Really?'

'Woo, Woojin-ah…… you’ve really gone through so much.'

At this point.

-♬♪

As the booming classical music faded out, the screen projecting Kang Woojin turned black. Then, the title appeared in the center of the screen.

-< Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain>

After staying briefly, the title disappeared and 'Henry Gordon' appeared again on the giant screen. This time in color, with the previous grotesque imagery gone. It was 'Henry Gordon' with a hunched back and slouched shoulders. Wearing a worn-out zip-up hoodie, he was walking down the street, and underneath ran an English narration by Kang Woojin.

-[“No one sees me, and I don’t see the world either.”]

The angle showed his back. Countless people brushed past him, but not a single person looked at 'Henry Gordon'. Those who did glance at him furrowed their brows or turned away. As if 'Henry Gordon' was a virus or something.

Then, for about 20 minutes, Henry Gordon’s life unfolded.

It was utterly bleak.

In a way, you could call it an ordinary life, but the way it was portrayed and the way Kang Woojin acted made the audience feel suffocated. A wide range of emotions filled the screen. Disregard, scorn, persecution, discrimination, prejudice, contempt, violence. Feeling all of this, 'Henry Gordon' gradually began to change. But it wasn’t overt. The first to notice was Director Kwon Ki-taek.

'The character’s tone changed a bit. Accent? Rhythm? It’s hard to say exactly, but anger is building up in ‘Henry Gordon’. But he’s holding it back. Forcing himself to endure it.'

Of course, Hong Hye-yeon and Ryu Jung-min also vaguely sensed it. That the words and actions of 'Henry Gordon', as performed by Kang Woojin, were gradually showing hints of aggression. There was something excessive in the way he looked at those around him.

'Henry Gordon' was weak and had rock-bottom self-esteem, but in truth, he was wearing a mask.

Because that’s the only way to belong to the world, to survive.

That’s why it stood out more. The irritation and anger he had been suppressing. Because he had endured so patiently until now, the emotions that were the opposite of that restraint struck the audience with intense force when they showed even a little. Naturally, this wasn’t easy acting. The audience was only feeling what they were because he delicately navigated that subtle boundary.

'This is frustrating, just explode already.'

'That damn pizza shop owner! Who does he think he is to look down on someone when he’s so fat? I wouldn’t care if that guy died.'

'Is it going to keep going like this? No, the protagonist is getting angrier and angrier. If we wait, something’s going to change.'

It created a mood of simultaneous frustration and anticipation. And no matter why they had come, all the hundreds of audience members gradually began to root for Kang Woojin on the screen.

The moment had come.

-Rumble rumble rumble!

On a night of thunder and pouring rain, a man in a hoodie appeared in front of the closed pizza shop. His face was hidden, but the audience was certain it was Kang Woojin.

'Yes! Blow it up!'

That cheer, that expectation for catharsis, amplified several times, and through the entire theater came the voice of the fat pizza shop owner.

-[“You- Henry? You’re Henry Gordon, right?! What the hell are you doing here, you bastard!”]

Suddenly, the yelling man’s movements slowed down. A slow-motion effect. The angle displayed Woojin’s expressionless face under the hood. His narration ran underneath again.

-["Ah- whatever, go to hell."]

As the two began their conversation, the slow motion effect was lifted, and Kang Woojin, with a grotesque smile, pulled something out of his pocket. It was a silver gun. The screen suddenly shifted, to the outside where heavy rain poured down. After a cacophony of crashing sounds, a gunshot rang out inside the now-lit pizza shop. But masked by the thunder, no one could notice it.

The camera cut back inside.

A lump of meat lay sprawled on the floor, and Woojin’s face looking down at it was covered in white flour. Kang Woojin fired a few more bullets into the lump of meat. A faint smile spread across his lips. At this moment, hundreds of audience members shouted, of course, inwardly.

“Finally!!'

'Yeah! What took you so long?! Fire a few more rounds!'

'Ooh, that’s satisfying. But what happens now?'

The audience, caught in a surge of exhilaration, forgot they were watching a screen. They were simply and wildly enjoying Kang Woojin’s rampage. Even when the classical music playing in the pizza shop grew louder, even when Kang Woojin slipped in the blood on the floor, even when he smashed his face into the butt of the meat lump, even when he chuckled and danced.

The audience couldn’t take their eyes off Kang Woojin.

No, more accurately, they couldn’t look away. Hundreds of foreigners were already deeply immersed in the swamp that was Kang Woojin or 'Joker'.

-[“Kekeke! Hahahahahaha!”]

Though his face was all white, the Kang Woojin on screen was already awakened. He picked up a card from among the scattered cards on the floor. The angle focused on the card he had picked up, and Kang Woojin’s line echoed.

-[“‘JOKER', I like it.”]

At this moment, the word 'Joker' burned into the minds of all the viewers, and Kang Woojin was suddenly standing in front of a mirror on screen. Ah, that’s right. This was the same scene that had played at the beginning. Just as the audience’s excitement peaked, the original cut of what had previously been in black and white now played vividly.

The moment of becoming 'Joker'.

Covered in flour, Kang Woojin drew eyebrows with blood. He dabbed his nose and drew a long, torn smile. He did the same around his eyes. Woojin slicked back his hair with blood-covered hands. His hair, once dark brown, was now stained red with blood. It was identical, to the 'Joker' on the card. Using both index fingers, he lifted the corners of his mouth.

At the same time, a single tear slid down his cheek.

What was the sadness for?

Audience members who had their mouths slightly open or were shocked by the powerful arrival of 'Joker' felt confused.

'Why is he crying?'

'He just went on a rampage and even transformed into ‘Joker’, and now he’s crying?'

'That tear is weirdly timed. But somehow… I feel sorry for him.'

'What is it, I don't know, but that tear seems like the only genuine emotion amidst all the grotesqueness.'

Seo Hyun-mi, watching her son on screen, even had moisture forming in her eyes.

'Don't cry, son.'

Because it struck a strange emotional chord. Kang Woojin. That single tear shed by 'Joker' was the last remnant of reason, and of time. Everything he had held back and endured until now.

'And maybe it’s the fear of all the terrible things he’s about to do.'

Just as Sim Han-ho murmured inwardly, it was also the last emotion of 'Henry Gordon', who was destined to disappear. That’s why, for a brief moment, the theater was filled with a subdued, quiet atmosphere.

As if, how should one say it.

'‘Henry Gordon’ feels like I’m watching myself, he endured enough.'

It was like the audience was patting 'Henry Gordon' on the back.

But that didn’t last long.

Because the screen suddenly shifted again.

-♬♪

Lively music filled the once-silent theater. Soon, on the giant screen, a scene played of 'Joker', who was completely different from the stifling figure seen earlier in the film, strutting down the street in outlandish attire and appearance.

With red hair and a pale face, it was Kang Woojin looking no different from 'Joker', exuding overwhelming presence.

A red jacket and pants, a blue shirt, a yellow vest, worn-out brown shoes, mismatched red and blue socks. The camera took the perspective of the world that once ignored 'Henry Gordon', but now, everyone who passed by turned to look at him. With shock, surprise, laughter, and more. But 'Joker' paid them no mind, his steps were filled with glee.

He even broke into tap dancing from time to time.

The hearts of the audience were swayed along with him. Because they had shed the gloom and were now wildly anticipating the path that 'Joker' would take.

That anticipation was soon fully satisfied.

-[“Heeheehee!”]

-Bang! Bang! Bang!!

Gunshots rang out again, explosions occurred, assaults were committed, and massacres were repeated. For 'Joker', it was a game, but in society, it was a massive problem. Still, the audience enjoyed it. Especially after the appearance of the reporter 'Robert Franklin', played by Chris.

-[“Uh, what’s your name?”]

-[“Me, I-I’m Robert. Robert Franklin.”]

Everyone was genuinely with the 'Joker', rooting for him.

'Crush them even harder! Destroy that damned society!'

It was a strange phenomenon.

Clearly, 'Joker' was a villain, yet he was being adored by hundreds of foreign audience members. What’s more, even the viewers who had negative feelings or criticisms toward Kang Woojin at the start had completely forgotten their original stance and were now purely enjoying the film.

-[“Heeheeheehee, hahahahaha.”]

By the middle to latter half of 'Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain', at this point, not a single person in the audience seating was.

-[“I just thought of another prank.”]

Doubting Kang Woojin.

About an hour later.

As the debut screening of 'Pierrot' progressed on the screen, the end credits were already rolling. The music had a strong beat to it, as a bonus. And what stood out was.

“......”

“......”

“......”

None of the hundreds of viewers seated got up. While some were seen chatting since the movie had ended, not one person left their seat to exit the theater. Of course, this included Kang Woojin’s family, as well as Hong Hye-yeon, Ryu Jung-min’s group, and Sim Han-ho’s side.

The reason soon came out of the audience’s own mouths.

“Whoa- what the heck, that was amazing!”

“A masterpiece! Best movie I’ve seen in the last ten years.”

Because the audience was still trembling from the thrill, and the lingering sensation of 'Joker' was intense. Not to mention, the final scene left them eager for a sequel, giving everyone even more to talk about. That’s why they remained seated for several more minutes. Leaving the theater felt like the moment they stepped out, all the pleasure they had felt while watching would vanish.

Then it happened.

-Swish.

Suddenly, the door near the giant screen opened, and two theater staff members entered. It looked like they were there to guide the exit, but that wasn’t the case. They set up a handheld microphone in front of the screen, then nodded toward the direction from which they had entered.

Soon after.

“Huh??”

“Wow.”

Murmurs grew among the foreign audience. It was completely understandable. Familiar actors began to enter through the same door the staff had used. Starting with the supporting cast. Hollywood actors everyone had just seen in 'Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain'. After about three of them appeared, an older man with a wrinkled face stepped in.

Sim Han-ho and the 'Leech' team chuckled from their seats.

“He’s here.”

The reason was simple. It was Director Ahn Ga-bok. Along with the supporting Hollywood cast, the appearance of Director Ahn Ga-bok signaled that this theater was the surprise guest stage event location hinted at by Columbia Studios for the advance screenings.

Thanks to this, the excitement among the hundreds of viewers intensified.

And as if to reward that excitement.

“Hahaha, it’s been a while since I’ve done one of these.”

Following behind Director Ahn Ga-bok, smiling and showing his face, was none other than Chris Hartnett, one of the top Hollywood stars. He casually waved to the crowd.

Then, at last.

-Swish.

A man dressed in brightly colored clothes caught the eyes of the entire audience. The red jacket and pants, the worn-out brown shoes, the mismatched red and blue socks. The man wore the exact outfit of 'Joker'.

It was Kang Woojin, the lead actor of 'Pierrot: The Birth of a Villain'.

“......”

The moment the indifferent-looking Kang Woojin turned his gaze toward the audience.

-Clap clap clap clap clap!

Without exception, every single person seated stood up and clapped like crazy for Kang Woojin.

-Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!

It was the moment Kang Woojin had completely conquered everyone.

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TL Note: Hi, this novel is now complete on Patreon. I will post new chapters daily for free readers, but if you wish, you can read all of it on my Patreon.

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