They were in the studio next to the waiting room.
At the center of the studio, where everything had been prepared and the screen test was just about to begin, two men were standing face to face.
One of them was the Chinese actor who had just arrived. His name was Wang Bang, and he was dressed in a suit. He was about the same height as Kang Woojin, but his features gave off a slightly sharper impression.
The other was a foreign man in a gray short-sleeved shirt.
His build contrasted sharply with Wang Bang's. They were nearly the same height, but the man's forearms and chest, visible beneath his clothes, were thick with muscle. His hair was cut short, and his face was defined by a square jaw.
That made sense.
He was the stunt team leader for Last Kill 3.
His name was Gary Peck.
He was well known in the industry. In Hollywood, Gary was called a stunt coordinator, which was practically the same role as an action director in Korea. That meant every action scene in Last Kill 3 had passed through his hands, and he had overseen the action for the entire Last Kill series.
So for this screen test, which included a martial arts sequence, his role was critical. He checked the partition that would act like a mirror, then did what he needed to do.
Soon, his eyes met Wang Bang's.
"How much of the script have you memorized? Don't tell me you can do more than you actually can. That won't help your score. Be honest."
Wang Bang nodded once at the question asked in English.
"I remember the full sequence, but if it gets too fast, I might stumble."
"Alright. Then move at a pace you're comfortable with, and if it gets too hard, stop right away. Again, this test is more about checking how your face looks on camera than your actual martial arts skill."
"Yes, I understand."
After hearing the answer, stunt coordinator Gary slowly looked Wang Bang over from head to toe. He was the one who had designed every fight scene in the Last Kill series. As a veteran, he could already make a rough judgment just from the atmosphere an actor carried.
'...The look is a bit lacking, though the build is similar enough. The eyes are disappointing. He doesn't seem to have much force to him. Even his unconscious movements feel weak.'
As far as image went, it was a failure.
Still, the final decision belonged to director George Mendes. As the overall action lead, Gary's role was only to support the discussion.
A moment later, after checking Wang Bang's condition, Gary gave a thumbs-up toward the long table in front of him. It was the signal that they could begin.
Thanks to that, George, who looked like Santa Claus, fixed his eyes on the monitor in front of him. Wang Bang and Gary were already shown on the screen from the front, side, and back.
"Not bad."
His mutter reached the men seated beside him.
They were executives from the film company.
"But it's not the look we wanted, is it? Didn't we send the script to China a month ago?"
"There wasn't enough time to build the body, but if this is how prepared he is after a month... then he wasn't prepared enough."
"If he still looks like this after another month... hm. Director George, you said a few days ago that you informed the Korean actor about the test schedule. Is there any reason to waste time on him?"
"And if you were considering casting a Korean actor just to shake things up, you really should have said so earlier."
It sounded like nagging, but George had heard similar remarks even before coming here.
"That Korean actor is just an extra. He came up because the timing happened to line up. Calling that a 'change' would be a stretch."
Slightly brushing them off, he kept his eyes on the monitor and shouted in English.
"Let's start the test."
At that, one of the women standing among the dozens of staff in the back ran to the center of the studio. The moment she clapped the slate, Wang Bang fixed his gaze forward.
More precisely, he looked at Gary, who was standing three steps in front of him.
He was not merely staring.
The acting had begun.
Murderous intent had to be visible in his eyes.
Gary was checking it directly, while director George watched through the monitor.
'Hm. There's no weight in his gaze. It isn't frightening. It feels closer to hatred than actual killing intent.'
Then Wang Bang, who had been glaring at Gary, moved his foot.
Normally, there would have been a line here, but perhaps because he was nervous, Wang Bang seemed to have forgotten it and reached for Gary's throat instead.
Straight in.
The speed was ordinary. Neither fast nor slow. It felt less like action and more like a preliminary rehearsal.
Even so, Gary calmly received Wang Bang's fist.
He caught the strike aimed at his throat and twisted the wrist. With his other hand, he grabbed the back of Wang Bang's neck to distract him. The real threat came from the knee rising from below.
Smack!
Wang Bang took the first hit, but blocked the second with his own knee.
The speed of the two bodies syncing together gradually increased.
But—
"Cut. That's enough."
In the middle of the test, director George stopped the martial arts sequence. Then he asked the slightly winded Wang Bang for something else.
"Mr. Wang Bang, look at the camera in front of you and think of a target you want to eliminate."
"Understood."
"Just thinking about it isn't enough. Capture the emotion right before you charge in with your eyes."
"..."
About ten seconds later—
"Alright. Good."
George announced the end of the test, then muttered under his breath.
"This one's no good."
──────────
The next actor entered the studio.
He was Chinese as well, which was only natural since today's audition was meant for Chinese actors. He went through the same process as Wang Bang. After Gary checked him and George gave the signal, the actor stepped in.
"Action."
The clap of the slate echoed through the studio.
The actor appeared on the monitor.
A carefully prepared martial arts routine unfolded.
Director George, dozens of people involved in the production, and the staff all watched.
And so the test gradually picked up speed.
Unlike Wang Bang, this Chinese actor earned a lot of praise.
"This is good, right?"
"Yes. His movement path was clear. He came thoroughly prepared."
"His face works well on camera too."
They were all Chinese actors, but there was still competition among them. Thousands of candidates had probably been filtered out just for this small role, and among them, only the three most suitable actors had been selected.
Then the third Chinese actor followed.
His evaluation was also good. Similar to the second actor, or perhaps even slightly better. Because of that, director George's expression gradually brightened as he watched the monitor. The executives seated around him seemed to feel the same way.
Before long, dozens of staff members, including the CD and the production team, applauded the actor's passionate performance.
Clap clap clap clap clap!
Gary, breathing a little heavily, gave the Chinese actor a thumbs-up.
"Well done. The timing and the eyes were impressive."
"Thank you."
Soon, the third Chinese actor left the studio.
The staff immediately began whispering about the next actor.
"Who's next?"
"The Korean actor this time."
"The second Chinese actor set a pretty high bar, so he'll end up being compared to them pretty clearly."
"But I caught a glimpse of him earlier, and he looked the most handsome out of all of them."
"Ah, right."
Right then—
Kang Woojin, the Korean actor, stepped in through the studio entrance.
He was wearing a suit.
Every member of the staff turned their attention toward him. CD Megan and Joseph from the producer team, in particular, watched him with sharp interest. Joseph, a huge man over 190 centimeters tall, even raised his hand and waved broadly at Woojin.
As a result, all attention concentrated on him.
Every foreigner gathered in the studio had their eyes on Kang Woojin as he walked in calmly.
Meanwhile—
'...Wow, this pressure is no joke. They're all foreigners. This seriously feels like a real shoot.'
No one could tell what he was thinking.
With an expressionless face, Woojin stood upright in the center of the studio.
Soon, Gary, the stunt coordinator standing beside him, looked him over. Even from his face alone, there was a strange sense of mystery and coldness about him.
'The face and atmosphere are good. Has he done villain roles before? There's something unusual about him. He feels psychopathic, but also somehow dignified.'
Muttering inwardly, Gary greeted Woojin.
"Nice to meet you."
Kang Woojin answered in a low voice.
Naturally, in English.
"Hello. I'm Kang Woojin."
"Do you have any experience filming action scenes in Korea?"
"Not as an actor, but I do have some experience. I've also been preparing for acting work."
"...Your English is pretty good."
"Thank you."
It was only a brief exchange, but Woojin's fluent English surprised not only director George Mendes but everyone else as well.
'Wow, his English really is impressive... and his voice is good too.'
'Practice? No. With that pronunciation and fluency, he definitely lived in America.'
'The Chinese actors were good too... but this Korean actor is on a different level compared to them.'
The atmosphere had been low on expectation, but suddenly it rose. Megan and Joseph, who had been bickering from the start, were now whispering to each other in praise.
"Megan, what is this? That Korean actor... Kang Woojin, was it? He's handsome. But why is he so natural? I thought he'd be nervous since he hasn't been active for long."
"I didn't say this before, but apparently that actor once subdued an actual thug himself in Korea. Still, he looks even calmer than I expected."
"A thug? What are you talking about?"
In any case, English was English, and martial arts were martial arts.
While the murmuring continued, George, his stomach protruding slightly, looked toward Gary standing next to Woojin.
It was the signal to begin.
Soon, the heavily built Gary asked Woojin a question.
"How much of the script have you memorized? Ah, right. They said you only got the test material a few days ago. Then let's focus more on camera movement than the martial arts."
"That's alright. You can proceed as usual."
"What? No, that's for me to decide..."
"Is that so? What I meant was that I've memorized the entire script, so acting it out won't be a problem."
"Ah, alright. Then go at the pace you want. Don't overdo it."
"Understood."
As Kang Woojin replied without the slightest change in expression, Gary frowned faintly.
'He's way too calm. Is he acting like this on purpose because he knows he lacks confidence? Either way, he's definitely a hard actor to read.'
First, Gary gave a thumbs-up toward director George at the table in front of them. The director returned the same signal.
"Action."
The female staff member running toward them clapped the slate.
And then—
So quickly that no one could even notice it, Kang Woojin infused his entire body with martial skill as if it were second nature. He suddenly closed his eyes.
Then he took one deep breath.
"Hoo— haa."
None of the Chinese actors had done anything like that.
But Woojin continued the performance as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
And all at once, the air around him settled.
Soon—
With a face that was cold yet eerily calm, Kang Woojin slowly opened his eyes.
Gary was standing right in front of him.
The moment Woojin recognized him, he steadied his breathing and stared.
Then, little by little, something deep condensed in Woojin's eyes.
A purpose.
Or killing intent.
Once fully formed, it pierced straight through his gaze.
The air around Kang Woojin, which had been still a moment ago, was now filled with murderous energy. Gary's brow twitched. In that instant, he felt his whole body tense.
It was the first time he had felt that all day.
'The surroundings haven't changed. This atmosphere was created by that Korean actor.'
Acting.
Yes, it was acting.
And yet Gary was gradually forgetting that it was only acting.
What had become absolutely clear, however, was that he had been marked as prey.
At that exact moment—
Without the slightest extra movement, Kang Woojin stepped forward.
He advanced in long strides without a trace of hesitation, and the killing intent radiating from him seemed to soak through the entire room.
Gary reacted before he was even aware of it.
One step back.
It was a ready stance.
Even so, Kang Woojin came in close without any preparatory motion or warning glance and shot out his right arm.
His target was Gary's throat.
But it missed.
Instead, Woojin's hand seized Gary by the collar. His expression remained fixed, and every movement carried the force of a finishing blow. Gary caught the back of Woojin's neck with his left hand.
Pull downward.
Straight in!
Woojin blocked Gary's rising knee with his own. Then he grabbed the hand that had seized his neck and twisted it. A small groan escaped Gary.
"Ugh!"
Woojin immediately twisted the captured hand the other way. Gary's body naturally turned, exposing his back. Woojin lifted his knee and struck twice at the softer part of Gary's side.
Thud! Thud!
Gary took both hits, but twisted his bent arm the opposite way and broke free. Then he kicked Woojin in the stomach.
Woojin's body was shoved backward.
Gary rushed in immediately.
Using that momentum, Woojin flipped Gary over and slammed him down.
Boom!!
It was a disadvantageous position.
Instead of reaching out, Gary blocked. He brought both hands together in front of his face, making a solid shield. But Woojin did not care. He drove his elbow into the side of Gary's face behind that shield.
Once.
And then again.
A sharp sound cut through the air.
Gary raised both legs and kicked Woojin aside, covering his face at the same time.
Woojin flew back with a swish.
Gary sprang to his feet and reset his stance.
"Haah!"
A few steps away, Woojin rose just as quickly and started striding toward Gary again.
It was not that he lacked hesitation.
It was that his face held nothing but the will to kill.
Eliminate.
Eliminate.
Eliminate.
Only eliminate.
Kang Woojin and Gary faced each other once more.
But this time, neither of them rushed in right away. They first checked each other's condition. Then, without breaking eye contact, they moved their arms through the air, ready to catch anything that came at them.
Gary moved first.
Whoosh!!
He kicked toward the groin between Kang Woojin's spread legs. Woojin blocked with his knee, then immediately caught Gary's extended leg and drove it toward the ground.
The two of them tangled together in an instant.
"Tsk!"
"..."
Expressionless, Kang Woojin was just about to move into the next action when—
"Cut!!"
A familiar man's shout rang out.
It was director George Mendes.
His eyes were wide, like a startled Santa Claus. George stared back and forth between the Kang Woojin on the monitor and the real Kang Woojin standing in the studio.
'My God.'
He was completely captivated.
It showed plainly on his face.
Every foreign staff member in the studio, including CD Megan and producer Joseph, wore the exact same expression. Quite a few of them had their mouths hanging open without even realizing it.
They were all wondering what exactly it was they had just seen.
At that moment, George, still staring at the monitor, lifted his eyes toward Kang Woojin in the middle of the studio. Woojin had already stood back up and was brushing dust from his suit alongside Gary.
"M-Mr. Kang Woojin. Filming is scheduled to begin in June next year..."
"Yes."
"The role you just showed us will join the team around August. Before that, there will be action rehearsals with the other actors."
"..."
"That role suits you perfectly. Perfectly. Usually we'd need an interview, but in your case, I don't think that will be necessary. Personally, I'd like you to join starting in April."
In other words, he was saying Woojin had taken first place.
He had passed.
The staff immediately started murmuring. It was only natural. There was no way to land a role in a place like this without standing out in a major way. The screen test was not the end of the process.
And yet, a Korean actor had just won a part in Hollywood on his very first try.
It was a small role, but it was still a success.
Ordinarily, someone would have thrown both arms into the air and cheered.
But—
"Hmm."
With an indifferent expression, Kang Woojin tilted his head slightly.
Then he started calculating something in his mind.
It did not take long.
Five seconds.
Exactly five seconds later, Kang Woojin spoke in a low voice.
"Ah, then I think that will be difficult for me. If there's another opportunity later, it would be better for us to meet then."
Director George Mendes blinked in confusion.
"W-what did you just say?"
Just then, from among the staff in the back, the tall Black producer Joseph let out a quiet laugh.
"God. What is this strange guy saying?"
Because Kang Woojin had just turned down his first offer from Hollywood.