Chapter 325: Bangkok (1)
Translator: Santos
The four synopses Joseph was reviewing included preliminary draft scripts for the initial scenes. Naturally, the root concept of these synopses came from the Hollywood giant *Universal Movies*, the studio that provided the project’s basic concept. After all, all it really was at first was a rough concept or idea that Joseph, as the executive producer hired by the studio, passed along to several screenwriters in advance.
This was before the recent team meeting.
Even Megan Stone, the casting director, had seen and understood this concept, as *Universal Movies* had presented it to her when she joined the project. It was inspired by *Jekyll and Hyde*, incorporating dissociative identity disorder—a story of multiple personalities. However, without the screenwriters’ touch, this concept was nothing more than a vague idea.
It would only come to life after passing through the hands of a writer.
-A slight shuffle.
Now, the synopses in Joseph’s hands were the result of that creative process. It took a considerable amount of time to produce these synopses and draft scripts, but at last, they were here. And interestingly...
“Each one turned out completely different.”
It was remarkable how the content and genre of the synopses and drafts varied, despite sharing the same core concept. The four scripts laid before him seemed to contain four entirely different movies. This was expected, given they had been assigned to four different screenwriters. Still, the tall Joseph couldn’t help but smile, feeling a strange sort of wonder.
“The world of creation truly is mysterious.”
The Hollywood screenplay development system differs in significant ways from that in Korea. While there are some directors in Hollywood who write their own scripts, it’s rare. Only a few renowned auteurs work this way; typically, as Joseph was doing now, the concept is passed along to Hollywood writers to develop the screenplay.
And, of course, there isn’t just one writer; there are several.
Furthermore, the writers who are offered the opportunity to work on the script cannot know or contact one another. Thus, several Hollywood writers develop different synopses from the same concept or idea. The finished synopses are then sent to executive producers like Joseph, who work with the studio to select just one.
Only after the selection is made does the project officially enter the full screenplay development stage.
In other words, Joseph was now at the crucial moment of choosing the scenario that would shape this future Hollywood film. While the studio does have input, most of the decision-making power lies with the producer. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that this single choice could determine the success or failure of the film.
If it failed, they’d all be out.
Not just Joseph, but Megan, and every Hollywood production staffer he had recently gathered for that first meeting. The staggering amount of money invested would vanish as well.
-Page flip.
For this reason, Joseph, a towering figure over 190 cm tall, began re-reading the synopses he’d already seen. In fact, he would likely need to re-read them countless times from here on out. From the first synopsis to the second, then the third, and finally, the fourth. He even went back to the first synopsis and started reading it again.
-Page flip, page flip.
Joseph was used to reading synopses and scripts repeatedly, so he read quickly. However, the time passed just as swiftly.
At last,
-Tap.
Joseph stacked the synopses he’d been reading and tossed them casually onto the front of his desk, crossing his long legs and muttering.
“Thriller, noir, crime action, comedy. Each genre is so different, which makes it harder. Though, this is what makes it interesting.”
A smile spread across his face.
“If only someone could tell me which project had the brightest future, that’d be nice.”
This was a fantasy Joseph often entertained in such situations. While he knew no such person existed, it was something he, as an executive producer, frequently daydreamed about.
“No one could possibly have such a divine gift.”
At that moment,
“Well... there is one person.”
One figure crossed Joseph’s mind—a Korean actor, Kang Woojin. In his filmography, there was no trace of failure. Even now, he was on a winning streak. In Korea and Japan, people had even dubbed him “Midas’ Touch.”
“Of course, it’s due to his sharp instincts and exceptional eye for projects, but still—he has talent that’s almost divine.”
Joseph, who had been thinking of Woojin for a moment, spoke quietly to himself.
“If time permits, it might not be a bad idea to show him these synopses.”
He uncrossed his legs and pushed the synopses aside, pulling out a different set of files—one containing a list of potential Hollywood directors and another with the schedule and list of people who would go to Bangkok. This Bangkok-related file, of course, concerned the upcoming shoot for *Beneficial Evil*, starring Kang Woojin.
“I can finalize the director choice after the synopsis is selected. Let’s start with the simpler tasks.”
He opened the file on Bangkok. The discussions with Woojin’s side and the *Beneficial Evil* team were already settled. Joseph scanned through the list of accompanying personnel in the file. For now, it included Joseph himself, casting director Megan Stone, the finalized stunt teams, and some executives from *Universal Movies*, the distributor and film company.
It seemed like a sizable group.
In reality, moving this many people at once is no easy feat. While Joseph and Megan were enthusiastic due to their admiration for Woojin, getting the rest on board was more challenging. However, Joseph had secured confirmations from everyone, using the trip as an opportunity to finalize multiple agendas.
“From Bangkok, we’ll head straight to France. It’s been a while since I’ve had a schedule this intense.”
Joseph’s team was set to attend the Cannes Film Festival after Bangkok.
---
Meanwhile, on the same day, after an extended meeting with Miley Kara, producer Song Man-woo, Kim Sohyang, and writer Choi Nana boarded a flight back to Korea.
They arrived in Korea on the 12th.
Despite the intense schedule, Song Man-woo had to keep moving without rest the moment he arrived in Korea.
“Good work, everyone. Take a good rest and let’s meet tomorrow.”
“Yes, Producer. But are you heading straight to the office?”
“Of course. We’ve got a script reading tomorrow.”
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“Wow—you should take a break. If you collapse, it’ll be a disaster.”
“I’ll be fine. I’m used to this.”
The script reading for *Beneficial Evil* was set for around noon on the 13th. While Kim Sohyang and Choi Nana were also attending the reading, the only one who had to work around the clock today was Song Man-woo. With the lengthy pre-production phase finally coming to an end, and the first global step of the challenge set for tomorrow’s script reading, there was no time to rest.
Soon, Song Man-woo returned to DM Production.
As for Kang Woojin, he was, as expected, in the midst of his packed schedule. In the morning, he had attended a fan-signing event as a model for an advertisement, and now he was on his way to another advertising shoot. Later that night, he planned a simple internet broadcast for his fans on social media.
“Ugh, I feel like yawning. I should step into the subspace for a quick energy boost.”
While trying to suppress a yawn, Woojin’s phone vibrated briefly. It had been buzzing all day, but this time it was a message from DM. The message was from top Japanese actor Mana Kosaku, offering Woojin a brief message of encouragement alongside several Japanese news articles.
"Was it planned as shock marketing? The proclamation of *Face Invader*’s Kang Woojin spreads like wildfire!"
"Is it confidence or arrogance? Kang Woojin’s bold challenge to the Japanese film industry sparks mixed reactions among experts."
The articles Mana Kosaku sent were all related to *Face Invader* and centered around Kang Woojin.
“What arrogance? It was just a passing comment.”
Woojin laughed to himself and replied with a brief response before opening other tabs. For about ten minutes, Woojin browsed through Japanese portal sites, social media, and online communities. His conclusion:
“They’re going all out with the marketing.”
The marketing for *Face Invader* was on another level. Ever since the production press conference, the film team, including director Kyotaro, had been dropping news pieces every single day to the Japanese media.
"With anticipation heating up after the press conference, editing for *Face Invader* is expected to be complete by the end of this month, with a release anticipated for late October."
They were following through with their plan to significantly expand the film’s reach.
"Following Kang Woojin’s bold attitude? *Face Invader* team to scale up preview screenings by several folds."
Woojin continued observing the situation in Japan, imagining the aftermath.
“If they release *Face Invader* after building it up like this, won’t it blow the Japanese audience’s minds?”
Just imagining the storm that might hit after the release gave him chills. But only for a moment.
“Not like I have anything to worry about.”
Woojin quickly brushed aside his thoughts. As people often say, so long as the project succeeds, nothing else matters. By the time Woojin arrived at the shoot location, he had about thirty minutes to spare thanks to the setup time.
Lately, Woojin’s main focus had been on *The Leech*.
The production company for *The Leech*, which had been silent throughout filming, had recently begun active promotions following
a completed screening test. Consequently, among the many issues cropping up in Korea, news surrounding *The Leech* was gaining traction.
"*Cannes-bound film *The Leech* completes screening test; all eyes on which category it will enter!*"
*The Leech* was already confirmed for an invitation to Cannes, and the submission process was complete, though the exact category was yet to be decided. Among the various sections at the Cannes Film Festival, the most prestigious was the “Competition Section.” Here, about 20 films from around the world are selected to compete for the festival’s top award, the Palme d'Or.
The Palme d'Or is the festival’s highest honor, while other awards in this section include the Grand Prix, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay. All these awards represent Cannes' main section, where renowned actors and filmmakers from around the world compete.
The announcement would come as follows:
"*Cannes Festival announces official invitations for the Competition Section on the 17th; how many Korean films, including *The Leech*, will make the cut?*"
The Cannes team would announce this through a press conference in France, which would also be live-streamed on platforms like YouTube. Only films in the Competition Section would be named in the live announcements, while the rest would be posted on the official website.
In short, while just making it to Cannes was an honor, to truly make an impact on the world stage—
"*Director Ahn Gabok’s *The Leech* sets its sights on the Cannes Competition Section.*"
Getting into the Competition Section was the goal.
---
On the 13th, at DM Production.
The door to the large conference room of DM Production, where *Beneficial Evil* was being produced, was firmly closed. Several staff members stood guard in front, with a sign taped to the glass door behind them:
*[The Beneficial Evil Script Reading Room]*
This was where the script reading for *Beneficial Evil* was taking place. Inside the spacious conference room, the square table was filled with actors. Around the square table stood various production staff members, including the chief director, martial arts director, cinematographer, and others. Of course, the foreign stunt team, including Ethan Smith, was also present.
“Script readings in Korea are a lot like Hollywood’s. The atmosphere is just a bit calmer.”
With the addition of Netflix representatives like Chief Director Kim Sohyang, the gathering included at least a hundred people. At the head of the square table sat Producer Song Man-woo and Writer Choi Nana.
“Next up, we’ll introduce the cast.”
Most of the actors were new faces or unknowns. Among them, the ones who stood out the most were Hwarin and Ha Kang-soo, as well as a few A-list actors. There was also the cute but dark Im Hae-eun and the fresh-faced Jo Mu-chan, though they were still newcomers.
But the real focus of this script reading lay on one particular figure.
“Kang Woojin, who will be playing the role of ‘Jang Yeon-woo.’”
“Hello, I’m Kang Woojin. Pleased to work with you all.”
Only in his second year since debut, Woojin was already an established name on the global stage, with influence and impact that made him one of the top stars in Korea.
Thus, he officially began his role as “Jang Yeon-woo” in *Beneficial Evil*.
Just hours later, the Korean media began releasing articles about *Beneficial Evil*.
"*[Photo] Netflix’s *Beneficial Evil*, script reading held with Kang Woojin and cast.*"
"*Beneficial Evil*, aiming for a global audience, successfully concludes script reading, led by Woojin’s presence.*"
Then, exactly four days later, on Friday the 17th.
With just three days left until the overseas location shoot for *Beneficial Evil*—
-Slide!
Having just finished a photo shoot, Woojin got into the van and immediately took out his phone, as did his manager, Choi Seong-geon. It was around 4 p.m. Woojin, maintaining a neutral expression, felt a hint of nervousness internally.
“Ah, the Cannes Film Festival announcement must have started by now!”
Though it was afternoon in Korea, it was morning in France, and the Cannes team was likely announcing the official selection right at that moment.
-Swipe.
Woojin opened YouTube. The link had already been shared, so it didn’t take him long to access the live video. On the screen, the head of the Cannes Film Festival’s organizing committee appeared. A bald man standing under flashing lights began announcing the 20 films selected for the Competition Section.
These were the main works that would shine at this year’s Cannes Festival.
“Thankfully, the film announcements have just started.”
Woojin focused on the video. From the Cannes committee member’s mouth, titles were announced in French. The first film was French. The second, Japanese. The third, German. Then, British. The list continued. Before he knew it, they’d reached the 15th film. Japan was called once more, but still, no mention of a Korean entry.
Finally,
“The 19th film!”
The announcement neared its end. But the 19th film was also French. Woojin almost swore under his breath.
“Oh, damn!”
Yet he managed to keep his composure.
At that moment,
["The 20th entry in the Competition Section. South Korea, directed by Ahn Gabok, *The Leech.*"]
At last, *The Leech* was called.