The film The Private Investigator, which had drawn the attention of many major figures because of Kang Woojin's appearance, reached its climax as the setting shifted to a villa.
Sigh—
The realism of the sound design was striking.
The moment the scene and the sound fused together, the villa on screen became chillingly eerie.
Kim Ryujin's anxious expression amplified the fear even further.
For many of the Directors watching, it was enough to make their breath catch.
At that moment—
"Damn."
Amid the tense atmosphere, Kim Ryujin on screen staggered clumsily.
That delicate piece of physical acting released some of the tension for the elite audience, and about half of them let out a laugh.
Of course, there were also viewers who were simply in awe of Kang Woojin's acting.
That was how The Private Investigator gradually pulled its audience deeper and deeper into the horror created by sound.
Kim Ryujin took center stage while trapped in a narrow space.
The rustling sounds from somewhere unseen.
The breathing of a hidden woman.
The footsteps of a heavily built man drawing closer.
The film moved quickly, but Kim Ryujin's facial acting, captured on screen, was exquisite.
Tension.
Urgency.
Relief.
Surprise.
Tension again.
Fear.
Then relief once more.
There were not many lines, but Kim Ryujin conveyed everything through expression and movement alone.
His eyes brimmed with constant anxiety, and his breathing trembled.
His acting was delicate, yet precarious.
Everyone's gaze was locked on Kim Ryujin.
The Private Investigator showed an editing style that made it impossible to look away.
From the moment Kim Ryujin stepped into the villa, there was not a single pause.
Compared to the other short films that had screened, it overwhelmingly stood out in craftsmanship.
The judges seated on the left could not help but murmur in admiration.
"...Where did that actor come from?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying. Look at the trembling under his eyes. The gap in acting ability between him and the others is huge."
"But has anyone seen that actor before? He doesn't look familiar."
Then—
"He's not very well known here. He was overseas."
Director Kwon Gitaek, who had a particular talent for causing misunderstandings, spoke from among the judges.
"I heard he stayed abroad for quite a long time."
At that, the judges' eyes widened.
"Ah, Director Kwon, do you know him?"
"You know that actor?"
"Overseas? Where?"
Faced with the barrage of questions, Director Kwon Gitaek answered gently.
"I don't know the details. I only heard about it through a minor connection."
After the drama world, the film world also saw a sharp rise in the number of people infected by misunderstanding.
And when The Private Investigator finally ended, the audience reacted like this.
Clap, clap, clap…
It was clearly more intense than for any of the other films.
Two days later, on May 7.
The nonstop screening schedule of the Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival had wrapped up as of the day before.
Now only one event remained.
The closing ceremony and awards ceremony.
It was just past 2 p.m., and the event was set to begin at 3.
This year, the closing ceremony and awards ceremony were being held inside the office building of the festival's new sponsor.
More precisely, inside the building's event hall.
It was a mid-sized hall used for all kinds of events.
There were about 500 seats, and a fairly large stage stood at the front.
Both the hall itself and the entrance were crowded with people.
"Oh my, Writer Park! It's been so long, hahaha."
"Ah, Director Kim. Have you been well?"
"Very well. Hahaha, I'm looking forward to your new drama!"
Including writer Park Eunmi, who had been invited to the closing ceremony and awards ceremony, more than half the seats in the hall were already filled.
Even though everyone had assigned seats, the attendees were bustling around, greeting the people they needed to greet.
"Ah, Soojung! I really enjoyed your film this time. Work with us again on your next project!"
"Your production company's been a little quiet lately, hasn't it?"
"Ah, there wasn't much in the first half of the year, but I'm planning to push harder in the second half."
Around fifty people were already inside.
The entrance was packed too.
At least thirty people were mixed together in the crowd.
People exchanging greetings.
Reporters carrying cameras.
Guests entering the venue.
Everything blended into one noisy, restless scene.
Meanwhile, the reporters were busy firing off flashes from their designated area.
Flash—
Flash—
At the photo zone marked with the Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival and sponsor logos, actors and famous Directors posed for pictures.
By that point, at least a hundred people had gathered for the closing ceremony and awards ceremony.
Then—
Swoosh.
The team from The Private Investigator arrived.
Director Shin Dongchun.
Hong Hyeyeon.
And a sharply dressed Kang Woojin.
They stood out immediately.
Kang Woojin's suit had been tailored perfectly to his body, and his lightly styled hair and makeup were flawless as well.
It was clear Han Yejung's styling skills were shining through.
Today, with his serious expression, he gave off even more of a true actor's aura.
But—
This is insane. What is this? There are way too many people. Ah, my legs are shaking.
On the outside, Kang Woojin looked calm.
But his legs were trembling slightly.
It was a scene he had never seen before.
Famous actors he had only ever watched on TV were all around him, and blinding flashes were going off from every direction.
Is this really the world I live in?
It felt like another universe.
I think I'm going to throw up.
Then—
"Woojin."
Hong Hyeyeon, standing beside him, called his name.
She too was wearing a suit, and the wide-legged pants in particular made her look stylish and sharp.
"Have you ever been to a film festival before?"
"...No."
"But you're not reacting at all. I mean, it may not be huge, but it's still the Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival."
Humility?
Here?
To Kang Woojin, even the major film festivals he might someday attend felt impossibly far away.
Meanwhile, Director Shin Dongchun patted his chest.
"Ah, I've gone to the SBS Drama Awards often enough, but coming as a Director makes me nervous."
Hong Hyeyeon replied at once.
"Director, you're the one leading us. You can't be like that. Straighten your shoulders."
"Like this?"
"More."
"This much?"
"More. More."
As expected of a top actress, Hong Hyeyeon was overflowing with confidence.
Naturally.
She must have been to places like this too many times to count.
Right then, some people near the entrance of the hall recognized The Private Investigator team.
"Oh, Hyeyeon!"
As soon as someone called Hong Hyeyeon's name, nearly every gaze turned toward them, reporters included.
Because of Hong Hyeyeon, a storm of camera flashes rained down.
"Hyeyeon! Is there a reason you suddenly did a short film?"
"The short film you did is getting incredible reviews! Hyeyeon! How do you feel?!"
"Hong Hyeyeon! Over here, over here! Please strike a pose!"
The place became loud with every kind of noise mixed together.
At least, that was how it sounded in Kang Woojin's ears.
But Hong Hyeyeon still wore a smooth, practiced smile.
Swoosh.
She turned toward the dozen or so reporters, then grabbed Kang Woojin by the arm.
Woojin flinched for a second.
Why?
Why are you grabbing my arm?
As he stared blankly at her, Hong Hyeyeon whispered,
"I know you don't like this kind of thing, but you usually pose warmly in front of reporters. I'd appreciate it if you could put up with it for just a little."
Of course.
While desperately suppressing the urge to grin, Kang Woojin looked toward the reporters firing flashes and thought:
Nice.
That's one more thing I can brag to my friends about.
The Private Investigator team had to greet a lot of people for several minutes.
"Hahaha, Hyeyeon. You filmed a short movie while shooting a drama too? That's impressive."
"It wasn't a big deal. The shoot only took a few days."
"Do you know how shocked I was when I saw you in the film?"
Just as expected, actors, Directors, and staff all spoke only to Hong Hyeyeon.
Sometimes they spoke to Director Shin Dongchun too.
But no one spoke to Kang Woojin.
To be honest, that was actually a relief for him.
Interestingly enough—
Cut.
Whoever it was, once they finished speaking, they would always stare at Kang Woojin as if evaluating his face and overall build.
At this, Kang Woojin thought nothing of it.
Well, I guess they're curious because my face is unfamiliar.
He brushed it off.
Right then—
"Hello! You're the The Private Investigator team, right? You may go inside now!"
A film festival staff member ran up and pointed inside the hall.
The Private Investigator team entered without any preparation.
The moment they stepped inside, the curious gazes of the fifty or so people already there sharpened even more.
Unlike outside, no one came up to them directly.
But openly or discreetly, everyone observed The Private Investigator team.
Of course—
Ah, there's Writer Park.
Park Eunmi, dressed elegantly, and Director Kwon Gitaek, seated in the very front row of the judges' section, both waved at Kang Woojin.
A few minutes later, once everyone had taken their seats, a staff member hosting the event announced from the stage,
"We will now begin the awards ceremony."
For reference, Kang Woojin and The Private Investigator team were seated right in the middle of the audience.
Woojin rolled his eyes inwardly in disbelief.
It was probably because the surrounding actors were openly curious about him.
Still—
First, the Encouragement Award in the short film category.
The awards ceremony officially began.
Top invited actors and master Directors presented the awards.
Five works had been nominated, and from Bronze to Gold, one work each was selected in each category.
Every time a rookie Director stepped onto the stage to receive a plaque and bouquet, thunderous applause followed.
All the rookie Directors looked overwhelmed with emotion.
Then the host shifted focus to the microphone.
"This year, we will also be presenting a newly created acting prize. We will award both the Best Actor Prize and the Grand Prize in Acting, and we will begin with the Best Actor Prize."
As soon as the MC finished speaking—
Whoosh.
Director Kwon Gitaek, who had been seated among the judges, stepped onto the stage to present the award.
Standing in the center of the stage, Director Kwon said,
"I attended last year as well, but this year's Mise-en-scène Film Festival was especially rewarding. I learned a great deal. Now then, I will announce the winner."
Without delay, he looked down at the cue card and announced the actor's name to the audience.
"Best Actor Prize. Actress Hong Hyeyeon from the film The Private Investigator. Congratulations."
The top prize went to Hong Hyeyeon.
The moment her name was called, she rose from her seat at once.
But the applause was oddly subdued, and there was more murmuring among the invited actors and guests.
"What? Hong Hyeyeon got Best Actor?"
"Ah, then does that mean Park Junghyuk might get the Grand Acting Prize?"
"Did you see Park Junghyuk here today? I don't think I did."
"But didn't Hong Hyeyeon get completely overshadowed in acting by Park Junghyuk?"
In any case, Hong Hyeyeon went up onto the stage wearing a faint smile and looking perfectly calm.
There wasn't even the slightest trace of disappointment on her face at receiving the Best Actor Prize.
A moment later, she swept back her long hair and stood before Director Kwon Gitaek, who handed her the trophy.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you, Director."
The trophy was shaped like a camera and engraved with the Mise-en-scène Film Festival logo.
Next came Hong Hyeyeon's acceptance speech.
But she only stared at the trophy for about ten seconds without saying anything.
Then she addressed the roughly hundred people in the audience.
"First of all, thank you. The acting by the other performers was so strong that I came here without expectations, so this feels much better than I thought, and I'm a little surprised."
She continued without hesitation.
"I'd also like to thank Director Shin Dongchun for making The Private Investigator such an amazing work, the entire production staff who worked so hard with us in such a short time, and the actors I acted alongside."
Just as Hong Hyeyeon was about to wrap up, she suddenly added,
"There's just one more thing I want to say."
She looked toward Kang Woojin, seated in the middle, and added:
"Congratulations in advance."
That left many people tilting their heads, wondering what exactly he was being congratulated for.
But without any further explanation, Hong Hyeyeon gave a brief greeting and returned to her seat.
At the same time—
"Congratulations. Next is the Grand Prize in Acting."
The host announced the next presenter.
"This award will be presented by Director Tanoguchi Kyotaro, who kindly accepted our invitation."
The Grand Prize in Acting was awarded to the actor who had delivered the best performance among all performers at this year's Mise-en-scène Short Film Festival.
Viewers who had not seen the short films often assumed that since Hong Hyeyeon had received the Best Actor Prize, Park Junghyuk would take the Grand Prize.
Soon—
Shh.
Director Tanoguchi Kyotaro, his short hair full of white, stepped onto the stage.
The distinguished Japanese Director, famous for many works, had been specially invited to the Mise-en-scène Film Festival.
Wearing a gentle smile, he said,
"光栄です."
Then the interpreter beside him translated:
"It is an honor."
Director Kyotaro briefly shared his thoughts with the audience.
"Thank you for giving me the chance to stand on such a precious stage. As a Director who loves art and short films regardless of nationality, I will do my best."
The interpreter quickly rendered his words into Korean for everyone.
As soon as the interpretation ended, Director Kyotaro looked down at the cue card he had been handed.
"The Grand Prize in Acting..."
Then Director Kyotaro raised his voice into the microphone.
"Actor Kang Woojin from the film The Private Investigator. Congratulations!"
Kang Woojin.
Kang Woojin, who had once been nearly unknown, had won the Grand Prize in Acting at the Mise-en-scène Film Festival.
On top of that, The Private Investigator had swept both the Best Actor Prize and the Grand Prize in Acting.
But what was strange was this—
Unlike before, the applause from the invited guests did not come immediately.
"Kang... who?"
"Huh? Kang Woojin?"
"What? Not Park Junghyuk?"
"Who is this Kang Woojin? I've never even heard of him."
"Then does that mean Kang Woojin beat Hong Hyeyeon?"
"Is he an unknown actor? Where did he come from?"
There were all kinds of actors and staff present.
For those who had not seen The Private Investigator, or did not know Kang Woojin, the reaction was natural.
So everyone looked around with unfamiliar expressions.
Who is he?
Which one is he?
Then finally, the applause burst out.
Clap clap clap clap.
Kang Woojin, who had been sitting calmly in the middle section, stood up.
Only then did a look appear on everyone's faces.
Ah, so it was him.
"Is he not happy? His expression is so cold."
"Maybe he's just too nervous?"
"He's way too handsome to be getting caught up in something like this."
"Who is that guy? Does anyone know him?"
"He won the Grand Prize in Acting and he's still that unknown? Wow. An unknown just reached the top."
Ignoring the low murmur around him, Woojin walked calmly toward the stage with a cool expression.
There was no hesitation.
No trembling.
He was simply composed.
Though there was one tiny misstep in his stride—
so small it was almost impossible to notice.
And so—
"..."
Sharply dressed in his suit, Kang Woojin stepped onto the stage where Director Kyotaro was standing.
The white-haired Director Kyotaro broke into a bright smile the moment Woojin stopped in front of him, as if he had discovered a treasure he had long wanted.
The interpreter standing beside him spoke to Kang Woojin.
"You're standing too far back."
"Would you step forward a little?"
"Yes, yes."
"Sorry."
"It's alright."
Then Director Kyotaro received the trophy and bouquet from a staff member beside him, handed them to Kang Woojin, and expressed his delight in Japanese.
"Congratulations. It was a truly excellent work."
It was a short sentence in Japanese.
But just as the interpreter was about to translate—
"ありがとうございます, 監督."
With an expressionless face, Kang Woojin answered first in fluent Japanese.
"Thank you, Director."
Then he added,
"It is an honor that you thought so highly of The Private Investigator."
The interpreter standing beside them blinked in shock as he stared at the expressionless Kang Woojin.
What—
Wait.
Why is his pronunciation better than mine?