He Only Plays Villains 028: Too Good to Leave Only a Bitter Taste (2)
"Sorry about this. The script didn't get delivered on time. Everyone's swamped. I'll give the assistants hell about it. Cut me some slack for my face."
"No problem."
Song Jeong-woo PD had come in person with the additional script to find Jeong Seo-hoon.
"Without a manager, stuff like this happens all the time. It's on me, so don't say anything to the others."
"Heh, Seo-hoon, how are you such an angel—in looks, acting, and heart?"
"My role isn't exactly angelic."
"I'm just saying you nailed it."
They sat facing each other at an outdoor table, and Jeong Seo-hoon opened the script he'd been handed.
"Done reading."
"Already? You're fast. Feels like you just skimmed it."
Observing Jeong Seo-hoon's calm eyes, Song Jeong-woo suddenly asked,
"What do you think of Yoo Jeong-ah as a woman?"
"She's stunning."
"The kind guys fantasize about, right? Born top star. Any guy opposite her in a kiss scene would be too excited to sleep the night before."
"……."
"What about you, Seo-hoon? How do you picture kissing Jeong-ah?"
"Hard to say."
"I'm gonna give detailed direction anyway. Just curious what vibe you got from one read."
Song Jeong-woo didn't take his eyes off Jeong Seo-hoon's mouth.
"At first, I thought it'd disrupt the flow. But the script says otherwise."
"So, what now that you've read it?"
"I get the emotional arc the writer was going for."
Song Jeong-woo's face lit up, as if to say exactly.
The soldier's memories flashed vividly.
For three years, he'd had no chance to build bonds with women. Not even an opportunity.
Babies are born even in war, but that was worlds away from a brutal battlefield where countless died daily.
I've never analyzed a script before.
Before, scripts let him grasp situations, but not the characters' emotions.
Once the camera rolled, the shifting backgrounds naturally pulled him into the precise feelings.
What he'd done wasn't acting—it was becoming the real thing.
Now it was different.
"I can almost see the writer's face as she typed it out on her laptop."
"Kim Sang-hee would love hearing that. Say it to her face later. But directing this myself feels like nagging. Anyway."
Song Jeong-woo leaned forward.
"What do you think this scene symbolizes?"
"Plunder."
The unhesitating answer made the PD's face beam.
Scenes that needed wrapping before sunset were progressing smoothly.
Yoo Jeong-ah, Jeong Seo-hoon, and Lee Min-soo sat in folding chairs, calmly watching the group action sequence.
Yoo Jeong-ah, arms crossed about two meters away, asked,
"You got that handled?"
"Yes."
"Surprised? Or thought it was too picky?"
"No. Preparing like that is basic courtesy to your partner. Thanks for the tip."
Yoo Jeong-ah glanced back with a smirk.
"Still, asking you to pick scents on the spot? Kinda much, right?"
"Specificity doesn't hurt."
"Here's my take. Kiss scenes happen anyway—better to leave good memories. Makes reuniting on set pleasant later."
Her white teeth flashed through her smile, sincere.
"That's why I avoid certain actors for rom-coms."
"Lucky me. Missing your projects would've cramped my career."
"Now make it good. We picked scents we both like."
"Time's about right……."
Song Jeong-woo checked the hour and the moon's position.
"Perfect. Lights, shift left a bit."
"Got it, PD."
"Mic—keep it from blocking the moon."
"Roger."
After a test shot sans actors to check angles and tones, Song Jeong-woo called the two.
"Actors, ready up."
Final quick direction and notes delivered, he retreated behind the camera.
Standing by the DP, he said,
"Director Jang, nail this."
"Don't sweat it. I've gripped cameras longer than you've lived. It'll be perfect for you."
All awaited his command.
Producer weight mingled with thrilling buzz.
"Action."
S#52.
Hwang Ra-hee the prosecutor trembled like a rain-soaked fledgling.
Lee Jin-wook approached, eyes bloodshot, face twisted savagely.
-I said just watch. That you'd get what you want on your own. But you interfere?
She'd never imagined he'd rage this hard over something so minor.
His fury's trigger was utterly alien to normals.
-Or was it? Not you, Prosecutor Hwang, but that impatient mouth of yours? Yeah, that's it.
Shall I punish that mouth? Yeah, devour it. So it never yaps again.
Hands bound behind the pillar, no escape, no fight.
Lee Jin-wook's face loomed close.
Teeth parted to swallow her lips.
Not sweet kiss—beast's fang ripping flesh.
As upper and lower teeth clamped her lips, 'Yoo Jeong-ah' felt her mind jolt electric.
The beast mimicking man gripped her throat with its forepaw.
To still struggles before tearing and guzzling.
Lights, camera, director, crew—nothing registered.
Only starving fangs poised to shred her face.
'Hwang Ra-hee' forgot the stage direction.
「Lee Jin-wook slowly, agonizingly tears her lips till blood pours, then steps back to savor.」
Terror-struck, she bit his lips instead—unscripted.
The soldier stuck to Song Jeong-woo's direction.
This is plunder in kiss form. Not rom-com happenstance—docu of beast ripping rabbit. Pleasure-killer Lee Jin-wook with his strict rules wouldn't see Hwang Ra-hee as woman to flutter over. No way.
Don't see as person, as woman.
Plunder prey ruthlessly.
That vibe.
Simple order, command.
You know it. Lee Jin-wook sees no one as equal to him.
Perfect setup for the rampaging soldier.
On battlefield, enemy troops and civilians weren't people—numbers, resources, spoils, sometimes trash.
Grief for dead comrades eroded emotions, letting him dehumanize foes.
To him, people are just livestock for the butcher eventually.
Pillage, trample, dispose—memories surged.
Camera spun; scenery shifted.
From dense jungle isle amid ocean, soldier captured enemy who'd slain countless allies.
Time to mock the POW.
But alien pain hit. Hot liquid dripped from his mouth.
Soldier recoiled, spat, head low.
Looked up, fixed on defiant prey.
Clumsy resistance sparked not anger, but anticipation of crushing harder.
As soldier licked blood from lips with a grin, moonlight through leaves highlighted his flushed face.
Off-script NG.
But no one called cut.
DP tuned his grip minutely to capture every frame.
Sl lightest shake, and he'd be sucked in.
Decades with cameras, never this sensation.
Like maxed-out senses on drugs.
Lee Min-soo gaped motionless; Kim Sang-hee clamped mouth, quivering in thrill.
Jeong Su-ryeon couldn't believe that was her brother.
Nor Lee Jin-wook.
As if something else possessed him.
If she felt this from afar, what of Yoo Jeong-ah facing it alone?
No wonder I couldn't snag bit parts. That's skill…… Wait, that's not the script?
Only non-actor realizing NG, Jeong Su-ryeon was dumbfounded.
Hey! In the biting scene, why's he biting back?
The Lee Jin-wook-thing slowly retreated.
Real blood mixed with fake smeared lips casually; he savored the terrified fragile woman.
Vampiric eyes seducing human prey, fangs.
-Be grateful, Prosecutor. Can't kill you yet. My rules.
Silky whisper, eerier.
-Watch yourself now. Unless you want every drop, every scrap sucked dry.
Monster slipped back into human shell.
"Cut!"
Yoo Jeong-ah snapped out, gasping deep.
Shoulders spasming, legs jelly.
Like surviving a mountain vampire.
That instant, nothing but Lee Jin-wook and moonlight registered.
Unconscious block on the rest—eerie clarity lingered, chilling.
Oh, NG!
Now she realized her NG.
Script: he bites her, she spits fake blood like injured.
She'd bitten him instead.
"S-sorry! You okay, Seo-hoon?"
She bolted up, rushing him.
His manager beat her, handing handkerchief, wiping blood.
"My fault. Stupid move. Really sorry. Hurt bad?"
"I'm fine."
"I bit you like an idiot. Bleeding so much……."
"Fake blood, right? Yours. Doesn't hurt, so okay."
Song Jeong-woo approached, practically dancing.
"Jeong-ah, Seo-hoon, great work. Gave us an awesome shot……."
"NG! I bit Seo-hoon! He's hurt!"
"Wh-what? Let me see!"
Finally alarmed, Song Jeong-woo fussed over Jeong Seo-hoon.
Thought they'd transcended script in immersion—turns out accident.
For PD, worst was accidents—first, second, always.
"I'm fine."
"Still, check it. Hold on."
Assistant dashed with kit, disinfected, inspected.
"Uh…… no wound? All fake from Jeong-ah. But just in case, salve."
Jeong Seo-hoon applied himself; Yoo Jeong-ah apologized profusely.
"Hurt, right? So sorry. I'll cover everything—meds, plastic surgery."
"Skip that. Next good project, cast me."
"Deal."
Seo-hoon no issue, Jeong-ah sincere—atmosphere thawed.
"PD, what now? NG, reshoot……."
Song Jeong-woo, regaining poise, grinned awkwardly.
"Well, about that."
"Why?"
"We're keeping it."
"Keeping that?"
"Look."
Her gaze followed his finger: Kim Sang-hee typing furiously on laptop knees, oblivious to injury.
"Who am I to argue? Writer wants it kept."
"Can I monitor too?"
"Sure, but why not watch broadcast? It'll be fun."
His sly grin screamed overconfidence.
"Fine. Looking forward to your devilish edit."
Too Good to Leave Only a Bitter Taste (3)