When Robert Wise first watched Scourge of War, he was utterly stunned.
Originally, Robert had never been particularly interested in television dramas.
It was evident from the fact that his career had been built almost entirely on films.
However, with the rise of OTT platforms, even Robert Wise had begun paying attention to dramas. That was why he had participated in producing the mini-series The Last Frontier.
He wanted to experience firsthand the possibilities that serialized storytelling offered.
In that sense, his challenge had been successful.
The Last Frontier had even secured a Primetime Emmy nomination.
Yet, if someone asked whether Robert Wise was satisfied with the production—
The answer was no.
Not at all.
The reason was simple.
While researching reference works for The Last Frontier, he had stumbled across Scourge of War—
And encountered an unexpectedly towering wall.
There’s a drama like this in the world…?
Even by Robert Wise’s standards—a man who had created countless masterpieces over decades in Hollywood—
Scourge of War was extraordinary.
Because there wasn’t a single weak element.
The subject matter.
The story.
The structure.
The pacing.
The characters.
The dialogue.
The historical authenticity.
The directing.
Everything required to complete a masterpiece was present.
What especially caught Robert Wise’s attention, however, was the acting of the two leads who played Kim Seong-wol and Han Seung-hye.
Robert already knew Song Ji-eun.
He knew she was an exceptional actress.
But who is that male actor?
He had never seen him before.
And yet—
That actor kept drawing Robert’s eyes in a way that felt almost strange.
Eventually, Robert found himself feeling that the male lead’s presence surpassed even Song Ji-eun’s.
Their screen time wasn’t significantly different.
Yet somehow—
That was how it felt.
It was proof of just how exceptional the actor’s skill truly was.
As a result, Robert binge-watched Scourge of War without even thinking about sleep.
By the time he finished, his eyes were bloodshot.
The very first thing he searched was the name of the male actor.
Kang Taeha.
That was how Robert Wise engraved the name in his memory.
But during his search, he discovered something shocking.
The writer of Scourge of War—
Was Kang Taeha himself.
What? He actually wrote this?
Robert could hardly believe it.
But it was true.
Netflix officially listed Kang Taeha as the writer.
Unbelievable…
To Robert Wise, it was genuinely astonishing.
As an actor alone, Taeha was already extraordinary.
Though young and relatively inexperienced, he looked like someone destined to threaten even Robert’s position one day.
But he wasn’t merely a gifted actor.
He was also a brilliant writer.
Goosebumps rose on Robert’s arms.
He revisited every element of Scourge of War, analyzing it once more.
And the conclusion remained unchanged.
It was flawless.
A complete work with nothing missing.
Could it have just been luck?
The thought came partly from jealousy.
After all, Taeha seemed absurdly blessed—like someone personally favored by God.
And it wasn’t impossible.
Sometimes an average writer could produce a masterpiece through excellent directing or strong performances.
Or maybe an experienced planner helped shape the story.
Unable to let it go, Robert searched for Taeha’s other works on Netflix.
By then, he had been awake for nearly thirty hours—watching Scourge of War and researching nonstop.
Yet he had forgotten exhaustion entirely.
And eventually—
I have to admit it.
Robert Wise had no choice but to acknowledge the truth.
Taeha’s skill wasn’t luck.
Because The Stranger Director was equally outstanding.
In some ways—
It was even harder to understand why such a drama hadn’t already become globally famous.
After watching The Last Winter as well, Robert became completely captivated by the person named Kang Taeha.
That was also why, whenever he had free time before the Primetime Emmy Awards, he kept watching Scourge of War.
And finally—
At the Emmys—
He met Taeha in person.
The joy Robert felt was beyond words.
It felt like a fan finally meeting a celebrity they had admired for years.
That was why Robert stayed glued to Taeha.
He wanted to savor that feeling for as long as possible.
Fortunately, the real Kang Taeha was even better than the image Robert had formed from the screen.
That much had become obvious from how Taeha calmly put the rude interviewer in his place earlier—without crossing the line.
Most importantly—
Despite writing and starring in a masterpiece like Scourge of War—
There wasn’t a hint of arrogance in him.
Not even the slightest trace of pretension.
“Taeha, how many awards do you think Scourge of War will win tonight?”
“Well…”
Taeha thought for a moment.
“Maybe one or two?”
Just from that answer alone—
Robert could tell what kind of person Taeha was.
Because Robert had never once doubted that Scourge of War would achieve something extraordinary tonight.
And sure enough—
When the winner of Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series was announced—
The person standing beneath a storm of applause was Kang Taeha.
Robert clapped together with everyone else.
I’m glad the award went to someone who truly deserves it.
***
Taeha was genuinely stunned.
He couldn’t help it.
He had never imagined his name would be called this early.
It felt unreal.
Like a dream.
Yet somehow, he found himself walking toward the stage.
Standing at the podium, he looked out across the hall.
Before him sat the world’s greatest stars of drama, limited series, and comedy.
Only then did the reality truly sink in.
So this is what it means to win an Emmy.
A shiver ran through his body.
Receiving the trophy was overwhelming enough—
But then came the microphone.
Everyone was waiting for his speech.
He couldn’t simply stand there frozen.
Finally, Taeha leaned closer to the mic.
And spoke.
“I’m amazed.”
Just those two words—
Yet they carried complete sincerity.
After that first sentence, the next words came naturally.
“I still can’t quite believe this. I never imagined I’d be recognized as the writer of the best drama in the world.”
Fortunately—
That sincerity reached everyone in the room.
No one made a sound.
Every eye remained fixed on him.
Taeha continued.
He hadn’t prepared an acceptance speech for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.
But there was something he had always wanted to say about why he wrote Scourge of War.
“One of the biggest reasons I decided to write this drama…”
He paused briefly.
“…was because I wanted people to understand what ordinary individuals suffer during war.”
The hall grew even quieter.
“And even now, at this very moment, there are countless ordinary people still suffering.”
His voice remained calm.
Steady.
“I hope this award reminds people of that reality once more.”
He lowered his head.
“Thank you.”
The audience responded with heartfelt applause.
Because instead of celebrating his first Emmy victory—
Taeha had chosen to quietly speak about the message he wanted to share.
And somehow—
That reflected exactly the kind of person Kang Taeha was.
Taeha himself felt satisfied too.
At least, on a stage as massive as the Emmys—
He had managed to honestly share the story he wanted to tell.
After all—
The reason he had always wanted success—
The reason he wanted to be loved by many—
Was so more people would hear his message.
And now…
Me, someone who used to write stories in a tiny gosiwon while starving—stories no one cared to read…
I’m standing on the Emmy stage.
For Taeha—
It was deeply moving.
At the same time—
He felt fulfilled.
Because he believed—
This would likely be the final time he personally delivered an Emmy acceptance speech.
But—
That assumption turned out to be very wrong.
Unfortunately, Director Jo Joong-hoon failed to win Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.
The award went to Thomas Walker of Empire of McKay.
For Taeha, who believed Jo Joong-hoon was slightly superior as a director, it was disappointing.
Still—
It was also somewhat expected.
Thomas Walker had done remarkable work too.
And unlike Jo Joong-hoon—
His global reputation was immense.
To the point where many people felt it was strange he hadn’t won an Emmy already.
So even the Emmys care about reputation.
That was simply how award ceremonies worked.
Unless the difference in skill was overwhelming—
Reputation mattered.
People preferred winners everyone could accept.
That was why upsets were called upsets.
Because most awards followed predictable patterns.
Still—
That logic worked in Scourge of War’s favor too.
Especially when—
“And the Emmy goes to… Song Ji-eun!”
Song Ji-eun won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series—
Becoming the first Korean actress ever to do so.
Her competition against Kiara Wing of Golden Mirage had been fierce.
Their performances were similarly praised.
But Song Ji-eun’s greater recognition gave her the edge.
The moment her name was called—
She froze.
Then covered her mouth with both hands.
Disbelief.
Shock.
Emotion.
All at once.
Eventually, she made her way to the stage.
Unlike Taeha, Song Ji-eun delivered a traditional acceptance speech—
Thanking the many people who had supported her.
And at the very end—
She added something meaningful.
“…The greatest achievement of Scourge of War…”
She smiled softly.
“…is that the most Korean story ended up receiving love from audiences all over the world.”
Her eyes glistened.
“I was happy to walk this incredible journey as Han Seung-hye.”
“Thank you.”
Taeha applauded generously.
He was proud.
Because Scourge of War had already achieved more than enough.
It had fulfilled its purpose.
But—
Its unstoppable momentum wasn’t over.
“And the Emmy goes to…”
A pause.
“Kang Taeha.”
Once again—
His name echoed through the hall.
This time—
He had won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
For Taeha, who believed he still lacked international recognition as an actor—
It was a complete upset.
***
And the surprises of the night—
Still weren’t finished.
The presenters opened the final envelope.
“And the Emmy goes to…”
A breathless silence filled the room.
Then—
“Scourge of War.”
The winner of Outstanding Drama Series—
And the first Korean drama in history to achieve it—
Was Scourge of War.