Translator: Dreamscribe
‘Leech’, the film that won both the ‘Palme d’Or’ and the ‘Best Actor Award’. While Kang Woojin, who made history with ‘Leech’ at the Cannes Film Festival, was immersed in the Cannes after-party, news of this extraordinary Cannes Film Festival was spreading rapidly across the globe.
From France to Japan, Hollywood, and beyond.
It was happening simultaneously. In almost every country that attended this year’s Cannes Film Festival. It’s typical for the media to make a fuss once Cannes, the grand festival of international filmmakers, ends, but this time, it was several times more sensational than usual. There were countless spectacles, loads of controversial moments, and above all, many ‘firsts’.
『The 74th Cannes Film Festival Ends! Spotlight on Palme d’Or-winning Director Ahn Ga-bok and Best Actor Award winner Kang Woojin, a Korean film drops a bomb on Cannes』
Breaking a tradition that had persisted for over 20 years, Cannes awarded two major prizes to a single film. The first-ever Palme d’Or and Best Actor Award for Korea. Kang Woojin, only in his second year since debut, delivered a speech in native-level French and did his own interpreting, declaring his ambition toward Hollywood, and more.
With such an impactful event, it was no surprise that the global film industry was captivated. Photos of Director Ahn Ga-bok and Kang Woojin spread across the world. Especially Woojin’s face, his recognition was skyrocketing globally, in what people called a meteoric rise. The declaration he made toward the Academy Awards was no small affair.
Moreover.
『Kang Woojin, collaborated with Miley Cara, who is set to release a new album on the 12th』
『Korean actor involved in Miley Cara’s album, Best Actor winner at Cannes, Kang Woojin』
As Woojin’s popularity rose, the promotion of Miley Cara’s new album, set to release in two days, was also soaring. Of course, Cara alone had enough star power, but now it had doubled.
While the world was in such turmoil, Kang Woojin had no time to care about it.
He was being drained by the Cannes Film Festival afterparty.
-Bzzzzz.
-Bzzzzz.
His phone was buzzing non-stop. Messages, chats, DMs – congratulations were pouring in. But regardless, dressed in a white tuxedo, Kang Woojin was.
‘Ugh.’
Outwardly, he was maintaining a firm face while shaking hands with global bigwigs, but internally, he was groaning.
‘I just want to get back to the hotel.’
He bitterly regretted not bringing along any scripts or scenarios.
Meanwhile, though dawn had already seen a flood of news in Korea, now that most people were awake, the frenzy was several times greater.
From the news segments of almost every broadcasting station in the country.
[“The film ‘Leech’ has become the first Korean film to win the ‘Palme d’Or’ and ‘Best Actor Award’. Director Ahn Ga-bok has reached this milestone with his 100th film, and actor Kang Woojin has achieved a world-stunning result just two years after his debut. Notably, this year’s Cannes broke long-standing traditions specifically for ‘Leech’. Let’s connect to our international correspondent, Song Jung-min, for more details.”]
The radios playing in many cars of those hurrying to work, the smartphones of people on buses and subways, famous portal sites, various online communities, and beyond – all were flooded with the names ‘Leech’, Kang Woojin, and Director Ahn Ga-bok. Articles were being updated by the second, and video platforms, including YouTube, were overflowing with Cannes coverage.
-Kang Woojin makes new history at Cannes!!!｜MovieBuffDaily
-[Subtitles] Actor Kang Woojin, 74th Cannes Film Festival Best Actor Award moment & acceptance speech edit｜NewsGirl
-The first Korean film to win Palme d’Or and Best Actor Award! Highlights from this year’s Cannes Film Festival｜IssueMonsterS
-Kang Woojin delivers acceptance speech in native-level French? How is he so fluent in French??!｜MovieTimes
-‘Leech’ wins Palme d’Or (feat. Kang Woojin interpreting)｜CrazyReporter
-Actor Kang Woojin wins Best Actor at Cannes in his 2nd year since debut!! [Live footage]｜ManWhoExplainsMovies
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Of course, this continued through the morning, into lunch, and lasted well into the late afternoon. In fact, it only expanded over time. Everywhere you looked, everywhere you went, everyone was talking about Director Ahn Ga-bok and Kang Woojin. The media, public opinion, the entertainment industry, corporations, and even the government – there wasn’t a single sector that remained quiet.
『Top actors posting congratulatory messages for Director Ahn Ga-bok and Kang Woojin on their social media! It’s becoming a trend!』
『The President sends a congratulatory message to Cannes winners Director Ahn Ga-bok and Kang Woojin… “You have accomplished something incredible, affirming the uniqueness of Korean cinema.”』
Korea was boiling over. It was, without exaggeration, a celebration.
『Major corporations eyeing the Cannes-winning ‘Leech’; an advertising war already underway to secure appearances』
As if they would pounce as soon as Kang Woojin and the ‘Leech’ team returned. Meanwhile, over in Cannes, France, Kang Woojin was:
“Hello, Director Ahn Ga-bok, Mr. Kang Woojin.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“Hello.”
In a large studio. They were filming an official interview video organized by the Cannes Film Festival. All the staff were foreigners, as were the host and the dozens of reporters observing. While it was late afternoon in Korea, in France it was morning, and Kang Woojin and the ‘Leech’ team had a full day of interviews scheduled.
Their flight back home was scheduled for early in the afternoon.
By this point, Kang Woojin was thinking to himself.
‘Ah— I’m really starting to miss Korea.’
No, actually, he was beginning to grow tired of Cannes.
Noon, the 12th. Japan.
While global interest in Korea was exploding due to the Cannes Film Festival, Japan, which had two films to the ‘In Competition’ section, was in a somber mood. The reason was simple.
『Complete defeat to Korea at the Cannes Film Festival; Japan had two films in ‘In Competition’ section but left empty-handed』
Japan hadn’t won a single award at Cannes this year. When they had two films in the ‘In Competition’ section, the atmosphere had been optimistic, but now they were overshadowed by the overwhelming presence of ‘Leech’. The entertainment industry, film industry, media, and public opinion were all of the same sentiment.
『“Korea” astonished the world, while “Japan” could only watch from the sidelines』
『The Japanese film industry suffers a crushing defeat to “Leech”; criticism spreads on social media: “Learn from Korean cinema”』
『Film critic: “The reason Japan lost so openly to Korea is due to Japan’s outdated film production system”』
『“Quality over quantity” – “Leech” won two major awards with a single film, while Japan left empty-handed』
At the same time, Kang Woojin’s recognition was skyrocketing in Japan as well.
『Cannes Best Actor winner Kang Woojin, will he return to Japan for the release of “The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger”?』
『Kang Woojin’s “The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger”, which won him the Best Actor Award at Cannes just two years after his debut, generating explosive interest among the public』
Of course, opinions were mixed. While the Cannes incident brought in droves of new fans, it also added Japanese detractors who criticized Kang Woojin.
A few hours later.
While Japan was drowning in a sense of defeat, the atmosphere at Korea’s Incheon Airport was the exact opposite, buzzing with excitement like a nightclub. In other words, a massive crowd had gathered.
It was near the arrival gate.
From the moment the doors of the arrival gate opened, guards and airport staff formed a line, barely leaving enough space for two people to pass. Just the security personnel alone seemed to number over thirty. Surrounding them were hundreds of people.
“Watch it!!”
“Aagh!! Don’t push!”
“Who stepped on my foot just now?!”
“Please! Hold your ground!!”
“Hey!! Don’t move forward! You’re blocking the camera!”
They were reporters, all jostling with massive cameras, trying to get even a bit closer. The crowd surged forward little by little. Of course, there were even more onlookers and spectators than reporters. Among them were a significant number of Kang Woojin’s fans. A common sight among them was the smartphones in their hands, ready to snap photos as soon as someone appeared.
Outside the airport.
“Hurry up!!”
“How much time left?!”
“Ten minutes! He’ll be out in ten minutes!”
“Run! Run!!”
News teams from various domestic broadcasting stations were lined up. All of them started sprinting into the airport, as if they were being chased, to join the massive crowd inside.
And at that moment.
-Swoosh.
As the doors of the arrival gate opened, the crowd everyone had been waiting for finally appeared. In an instant, the hundreds of shouting reporters fell silent and began furiously pressing their shutters. The arrival hall was soon lit up like a storm of lightning, as reporters shouted loudly, their voices blending together in a chaotic din that was difficult to make out.
And then.
“Oh my— there sure are a lot of people here.”
The first person to appear before the reporters was Director Ahn Ga-bok, his short white hair glinting under the lights. In his hand, he held the ‘Palme d’Or’.
“Director! Director Ahn!”
“Hello, Director!”
“Congratulations! Could we get a comment from you?”
“Please hold up the trophy for us!”
“Director Ahn Ga-bok!”
Standing at the entrance to the arrival hall, Director Ahn Ga-bok waved at the hundreds of reporters. Behind him, the cast of ‘Leech’ who had accompanied him to Cannes started to appear one by one. First, the empty-handed but majestic veteran actor Sim Han-ho, followed by Oh Hee-ryung and Han So-jin with their arms crossed, and finally Jin Jae-jun.
-Pababababak!
The fervor of the Korean press was no less intense than it had been in Cannes.
At that moment.
-Swish.
A man in a black cardigan with natural hair and a calm expression appeared last. He was right next to Jin Jae-jun.
“Ah! Ah!!!”
“There he is! Over there!”
The shutter sounds grew even more intense. It was no surprise.
“Kang Woojin! Kang Woojin-ssi!!!”
The last person was Kang Woojin.
With his appearance, the puzzle of the ‘Leech’ team was complete. By now, a line had formed in the arrival hall, from Director Ahn Ga-bok to Kang Woojin, and the gathered reporters and spectators were photographing them relentlessly.
“The trophy! Director-nim, Woojin-ssi!! Please raise the trophy once more!!”
Director Ahn Ga-bok and Kang Woojin lifted the trophy they held, the one that had made history at Cannes, up over their chests. The reporters displayed an almost frenzied energy.
-Pababababababababak!
It was a triumphant return.
At the same time, in Tokyo, Japan.
Inside the chairman’s office at the headquarters of the colossal Kashiwa Group. In the spacious office, an old man in a suit sat at the head seat of an elegant sofa. His eyebrows were peppered with white hairs, yet his eyes gleamed with a powerful presence – it was Chairman Hideki Yoshimura.
“……Hmm.”
He let out a small grunt with his arms crossed. Chairman Hideki was currently sitting at the head of the sofa, watching a large TV directly in front of him, which was broadcasting Japanese news.
The topic was this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Naturally, images of Kang Woojin also appeared. Chairman Hideki leaned back into the sofa, showing a wrinkled smile.
“Haha, who would’ve thought he’d make such a global mark this quickly.”
Recalling the past Kang Woojin. It was after the crank-up for ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’, during the meeting and celebration. Even back then, Chairman Hideki knew they were aiming for Cannes with ‘Leech’, and he had held a certain level of expectation. But he had never dreamed that it would lead to results significant enough to shake the world.
“The Palme d’Or and Best Actor Award — the first-ever for Korea and all of Asia — what a magnificent title.”
But above all, what captivated Chairman Hideki was, of course, Kang Woojin. He was currently the main investor in Kang Woojin and bw Entertainment. In other words, his backer.
‘Have I ever seen such quick results from an investment before? As expected, Korea and Japan are too small for Kang Woojin. His talent is better suited for the world stage.’
Although Chairman Hideki had only met Kang Woojin recently, he felt a strange sense of pride.
‘And to think he would, without hesitation, boldly declare his ambition for the Academy Awards, right there at the prestigious Cannes, surrounded by Hollywood titans. He’s beyond eccentric.’
Kang Woojin’s bold acceptance speech had also become a huge topic in Japan. His fluency in French was just a bonus. Here, Chairman Hideki stroked his chin.
“Next year, huh— is it really possible for Kang Woojin to make it to the Academy Awards within just one year?”
His thoughts were swirling with fierce expectations and calculations. At this point, it would feel almost disappointing if Kang Woojin didn’t make it to the Academy Awards ceremony. But surely, there would be realistic obstacles as well. The Academy Awards was not a stage one could reach with passion or bravado alone. It was the world’s most prestigious and esteemed film festival, its authority towering above all others.
-Swish.
Chairman Hideki, lost in thought for a moment, pressed the intercom to call his secretary. Soon, a woman with a neat appearance and her hair tied back in a single ponytail entered the chairman’s office. It was Chief Secretary Lili Tetsugawa. After she gave a small bow, Chairman Hideki crossed his legs and spoke.
“Get in touch with CEO Choi and tell him to prepare everything Kang Woojin will need for his entry into Hollywood next year.”
“Understood, Chairman.”
“Kang Woojin is already moving at an incredible speed, but if I fully support him in every way, he’ll be able to go even faster.”
As Lili picked up her tablet, Chairman Hideki turned his gaze back to the TV and changed the topic.
“By the way, when Kang Woojin gave his acceptance speech, he mentioned something about ‘getting a house in LA’. What did he mean by that?”
Lili, standing with a proper posture, responded immediately.
“We haven’t heard anything from CEO Choi Sung-gun’s side. It seems likely that Kang Woojin prepared it on his own. I will look into it as well.”
“No, no, never mind. Hm— it’s my oversight. I should have prepared it when we discussed bw Entertainment’s LA branch. It’s too late to bring it up now.”
A hint of regret crossed Chairman Hideki’s face as he murmured quietly. Then, he tapped his index finger on the sofa’s armrest. About ten seconds passed like this. Finally, he met Lili’s gaze again and gave a slight smile.
“Kang Woojin has turned the world upside down; it wouldn’t be right if his main backer didn’t give him a gift. And soon, ‘The Eerie Sacrifice of a Stranger’ will be released as well.”
“Do you have something specific in mind?”
“Whether it’s Japan or LA or anywhere else, from now on, Kang Woojin will have to travel all over the world.”
“Yes, I think so too.”
Chairman Hideki stood up from the sofa, hands in his pockets, and declared decisively.
“We should give Kang Woojin one of our private jets.”