Chapter: 80
– “Oh, The Chaser—another thriller, huh?”
– “Is this Bae Jin-hwan’s new work? Sounds promising.”
– “Who’s the cast? The convenience store actress is really pretty.”
– “Isn’t she still in high school? She was Princess Yeonhwa in Looking Back at Memories.”
– “Oh, is that her?”
– “She’s definitely pretty, but what a waste to be stuck in a convenience store role.”
– “I heard she’s going to be on a variety show next week.”
– “Do supporting actors get to promote now?”
– “She’s pretty, let’s have a drink!”
The trailer for The Chaser was released, and the internet buzzed for a moment.
Bae Jin-hwan, a director often called a genius in Korea.
His new film had sparked considerable excitement.
Plus, the cast was pretty solid for a thriller.
The film was backed by GH Group, so some were skeptical, but it was undoubtedly an anticipated new release.
Especially as recent Korean films had been struggling against foreign superhero flicks, the anticipation was even higher.
“I just hope the plot isn’t too cliché.”
Film critic Na Dong-sik mumbled, shaking his head.
“Thrillers are good, though.”
It was said that Bae Jin-hwan had a significant say in casting the actors as well.
“Uvi-murderer, who even remembers that trope anymore?”
His colleague chuckled at Na Dong-sik’s comment.
“…I mean, I don’t think that’s bad. It’s classic. But, hmm.”
“Is the impact just a bit too weak?”
“Exactly. Like…”
He rewound the trailer again.
The trailer released yesterday was a two-minute snippet.
Of course, it didn’t reveal the entire plot.
So all they could glean was,
“Why’s the murderer so small?”
“Especially next to Kim Dae-heon, who’s huge!”
“Right? You can’t help but get that vibe. The criminal… definitely has a certain presence, though.”
Why did they decide to cast such a small actor as the villain?
Sure, anyone — even women — can be dangerous with a knife, but still!
“Wait, the villain is a woman?”
Na Dong-sik said, eyes narrowing.
“Oh, the murderer is female? That makes sense.”
“Hmmm, I’m not feeling too excited about that.”
A villain should exude a certain aura.
It’s not that women can’t, but there’s a distinct vibe that tends to be lacking.
You need that absolute evil image.
It felt comparatively insufficient for what they needed.
“And is she a main cast member too? I saw her face in the trailer.”
“Oh, Joo Su-yeon? They probably included her since she’s been getting a lot of attention lately.”
Her face was indeed stunning.
The face of someone working part-time at a convenience store.
And according to the internet, she was going to be on a variety show soon.
“Sending the supporting cast to promote…”
“It seems they want to ride the recent buzz despite the movie’s release being a while away.”
The film wouldn’t hit theaters for at least a few months.
Posting the advertisement video was one thing, but featuring her on a variety show felt a bit premature.
But they saw it as a move to capitalize on the current hype.
A quick jab now, and significant promotions later!
“Hmmm…”
But Na Dong-sik felt something was off about this Joo Su-yeon actress.
He’d heard that Chae Dong-jin was involved in this film.
He’s a smart operator.
They didn’t just let him take the reins for nothing.
“Could it really just be that simple?”
Common sense said so, but still…
He definitely recognized Joo Su-yeon.
He remembered her from The Sun Hidden by the Moon.
He recalled her performances as a child actor very vividly.
Plus, her recent appearance in Looking Back at Memories.
Snow Eyes had attracted significant audiences.
The impact she had allowed her to break free from being just a convenience store supporting role.
“No way.”
That couldn’t be right.
A young actress in a position many would want.
Having someone like her in the cast was suspicious in various ways.
“Oh, I should probably jot down my thoughts on the trailer today.”
Na Dong-sik nodded at a fellow critic’s comment.
He figured he had an idea of how they planned to frame their review.
Since Na Dong-sik often shot critiques like darts, the areas he felt The Chaser was lacking would be clearly highlighted.
Not exactly a critique—just a quick one-liner for social media.
“I’m going to hold back this time.”
“Oh really?”
His colleague looked surprised.
Na Dong-sik was usually the first to jump in.
But somehow, this time, it felt wrong to do so.
At least, not until the movie debuted.
*
There’s a saying that life can change overnight.
Of course, in my case, it felt a bit different but had some similarities.
Having previously filmed a drama, I thought it would feel similar, but…
“Ah, hello there.”
“?”
The convenience store clerk, whom I usually saw before heading to school, surprisingly spoke first.
Curious about why, I asked.
“I recognize you from the movie! I totally recognized you at a glance.”
He pulled out his smartphone to show me.
The views of The Chaser trailer, now over 2.4 million.
To be honest, it didn’t feel real.
Every time I refreshed the video, the views ticking up, it was hard to believe someone was actually watching it.
“I’ll be cheering for you!”
I chuckled lightly at the convenience store worker’s words, and as I ran to school…
I noticed more people recognizing me than before.
The first change was when I filmed the variety show Looking Back at Memories.
Next was As Long As It’s a King.
Having been recognized a few times was nice, but this time felt like it was double or even more.
“Maybe…”
I felt like I had stepped into a much bigger world than I had imagined.
“People are really responding well to the first trailer, so we’re preparing the second one.”
Bae Jin-hwan said to me with an incredibly happy expression.
The positive response was expected given the circumstances.
I’ve heard it was the highest number for any film released this year.
“Joo Su-yeon.”
“Yes?”
“How did your exams go?”
“…”
Honestly, I didn’t expect him to ask about my grades, so I fell silent.
For the record, I’m not bad at studying.
I just genuinely disliked studying, like just about any student.
“Cough, but it’s still good to care about your studies. You know that, right?”
“Yes.”
Many young actors think that it’s unnecessary to worry about academics since they’re pursuing an acting career.
But at least Bae Jin-hwan believed students should stay focused on their studies.
Even if they weren’t brilliant, it was a matter of attitude.
“Of course, Su-yeon looks like she’s got it all figured out, so I’m not worried.”
“…”
Admittedly, even I couldn’t agree with that.
Honestly, I’m not particularly smart.
I could easily imagine my dad chuckling at that comment.
That thought left me in a bad mood.
“The movie will be released soon. Until then, we will focus on promotions.”
In other words, I’d be quite busy running around.
“Will you keep Chae Seo-ah a secret until the end in the trailer?”
“At least until the second one.”
“Then for the third…”
“Yes. Just a little hint.”
We had no plans to hide things entirely.
There’d be a scene suggesting who the killer is closer to the end.
“Will you take a break until the film release then?”
“Nope.”
Hearing Bae Jin-hwan say this, I smiled brightly.
I reflected on Kim Dae-heon, who was all dressed up for promotional activities, and smiled.
Today was the interview day.
“Oh, aren’t you taking a break? You’re busy, Su-yeon.”
Kim Dae-heon addressed me in a casual tone.
Now that we had become better acquainted, most actors treated me comfortably.
Although I had said there was no need for formalities, Kim Dae-heon insisted on using them regardless.
He believed in respect, even if it could be awkward.
“So, is it an ad shoot? I heard the Eclat Étoile model recently changed.”
Jeong Ji-hyeon, playing Han Ye-hwa, said that.
Recently, posters and advertisements featuring the previous model, Song Hui-bin, were being taken down.
Replacing the model signified a change.
Everyone in the room knew who the new model was.
“Nope.”
“Of course.”
“An audition, huh?”
“An audition?”
Wait, another audition here?
It could happen, but honestly, I thought she was quite diligent for a student.
“What’s the drama about? Is it the new thriller drama….?”
“It’s not a thriller drama.”
“Oh, right. Chae Seo-ah’s image is just so strong.”
In this scenario, I was Chae Seo-ah to Jeong Ji-hyeon.
That image was so powerful that I couldn’t picture myself in a thriller role; rather an action drama would be a better fit.
This response from Jeong Ji-hyeon solidified my confidence in the upcoming drama.
“It’s a youth romance genre.”
“…Youth romance?”
That felt so far removed from my usual roles.
Everyone seemed to share that sentiment.
It made sense; even Chae Seo-ah wouldn’t it rather lean towards an action-oriented drama.
“The audition for Dream Future is soon, so…”
Precisely, three weeks from now.
It would be after my variety show and advertising activities.
‘If I pass the audition…’
I was aiming for the relatively minor but significant supporting role, Jo Ha-rin.
While her role looked simple, she had a lively and strong character personality.
If things went well and I scored a role in Dream Future…
The airing date of this drama would coincide perfectly with the premiere of The Chaser.
More specifically, Dream Future would be airing its fourth episode around the time The Chaser hits theaters.
That was my goal.
To prevent the image of a murderer from creeping up on me due to cosmetic ads.
‘Besides, from the eighth episode onwards, the character’s significance diminishes, meaning I won’t have much screen time—I can sink into my role cleanly!’
A minor role meant fewer shooting days.
So I planned to enjoy a refreshing image makeover then vanish without a trace.
A perfect plan indeed.
I chuckled inwardly as I thought about it.
*
“Director.”
“What?”
Baek Min-chan of Éclat Étoile glanced up from his paperwork, responding to the team leader of the business strategy team, Jeong Tae-soo, who spoke in a hushed tone.
Feeling the tense atmosphere, Baek Min-chan paused his paper shuffling.
“…Is there bad news?”
A sense of anxiety escaped.
After all, his strong opinion tied to this ad model meant any issues would circle back to him.
“10 percent….”
“Did it drop?”
“Actually, it went up.”
“Ugh! Why did you phrase it like that?!” Baek Min-chan slammed the desk.
10 percent.
That might sound small, but it was a significant increase.
Of course, when considering the previously declining sales, it felt like a huge relief.
“It’s only been a week since the change?”
“Yes.”
“Just give it some time; it’ll keep going up.”
Baek Min-chan said confidently, chuckling.
He was well aware of what Su-yeon was up to.
Today was the day Su-yeon’s variety show aired.
Right after Survival Without People.
‘If only she could casually mention our cosmetics…’
To be honest, Baek Min-chan didn’t expect Su-yeon to stand out in Survival Without People.
More than likely, just avoid causing a huge mess.
He thought that was all he could hope for.
If she bombed out completely, it would reflect poorly on Éclat Étoile.
Being associated with a troublesome actress could be disastrous.
But he had faith in Su-yeon.
At least the Su-yeon he once met didn’t seem troublemaking.
However…
The next day.
“Director! Sales…”
“…”
Baek Min-chan froze at the abrupt spike in daily sales.
Never in his wildest dreams did he think it would soar this high.
“I thought even recovering a portion of sales would be enough.”
Dramatic.
That word perfectly described the situation.
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