Why Is This Showing Up Here? (2)
In the script, Action Leader Kim Chan harbors dark intentions toward his deputy leader (Chae Ji-hyun).
Succumbing to her seduction, Kim Chan pockets a fortune and dreams of a lavish life abroad with the deputy leader.
Though disgusted by his lecherous gaze—since she hired him purely for his skills—the deputy leader feigns acceptance for the mission's success.
Kim Chan constantly paws at her with sleazy advances, steadily building her disgust.
Yoon Hyeong-sik, the impressionistic actor originally cast as Kim Chan with solid acting chops, had nailed that role with delicious sleaziness.
Now, Jeong Seo-hoon—with his entirely different visuals—delivered the same lines.
"Su-jin, let's grab a drink tonight. My treat. We're gonna be living together soon—how long you gonna keep playing hard to get?"
"Don't you know how critical this time is? Drinks later, after everything's done."
"Why you always gotta dodge like that? Makes a guy feel bad. You aren't getting second thoughts, are you, Su-jin?"
"No. It's just... this is a really important period. I need to stay sharp."
"Man, you drive a hard bargain. Think I'll fall for that, and you call me the bad guy? Don't toy with a man's heart."
Yoon Hyeong-sik had played this scene with such infuriating snark, piling up Deputy Leader Kim Su-jin's irritation.
But when Jeong Seo-hoon said the same lines, the tone shifted completely.
Hwang In-jun, the cinematographer, and the planning team lead from the production company huddled together, replaying the just-shot footage on loop.
"All that sleazy, obnoxious vibe is gone. This is why visuals matter so much."
"It's hard to buy Kim Su-jin's irritation emotionally. Even as a guy, if a man like that came onto me, I'd be flattered, not pissed."
"Yoon made it feel like cheap moves, but Seo-hoon turns it into fatal temptation."
Hwang In-jun stroked his chin.
"From his intro scene torching that Lamborghini, he's been pure fire. At this rate, audiences won't buy the snarky sleazeball character."
"Didn't you cast Jeong Seo-hoon knowing that from the start, Director?"
"Maybe we cut the irritation from Kim Su-jin's direction here? If a guy with that face hits on her and she gets annoyed, it'll look ridiculous."
"It's fine. That's how I directed it."
"Oh, there's intent behind it?"
"Yeah. Check this revised part in the latter half—you'll get it."
The planning team lead read the blue-highlighted section aloud and nodded with an "aha."
"So that's what it meant. Ties into Kim Su-jin's emotional arc perfectly."
"So we stick with the sleazy snark concept as is?"
"Up to the mid-to-late act. Things change after that."
The director deliberately kept Kim Chan's sleazy concept intact.
Everyone thought it clashed with Jeong Seo-hoon's looks, but the crew stifled laughter every time he giggled flirtatiously at Chae Ji-hyun.
Having seen Yoon Hyeong-sik's version flirting with her already, the contrast hit them even harder.
"Same lines, but swap the actor and the vibe flips completely."
"If I were Kim Su-jin, I'd have fallen for it. How do you resist a face like that coming on strong?"
"Chae Ji-hyun seems way too embarrassed off-camera, though."
"Yeah. With Yoon, she'd high-five at wrap and cheer him on like it was nothing."
"She's way more flustered around Seo-hoon."
***
Clap!
As the camera cut, the surrounding scenery vanished in an instant.
Chae Ji-hyun, slipping out of Kim Su-jin, flushed red all the way to her ears.
She stared at Jeong Seo-hoon's cheek—half-turned from her slap—not knowing what to do.
"S-sorry! I hit you too hard, didn't I?"
"It's fine."
"That must hurt... I'm really sorry."
"It's just acting."
"Ugh, why'd I do that? I never mess up like this."
Chae Ji-hyun, mortified, stomped her feet and gnawed her nails.
Too immersed, she'd forgotten to pull the slap and gone full force without realizing.
For some reason, syncing with this guy always spiked her immersion beyond control.
It wasn't unpleasant, but screwing up like this made her feel awful.
"Really, it's okay. Didn't hurt at all."
"It's all red and swollen. Shouldn't you put something on it?"
Jeong Seo-hoon politely declined her repeated concerns and returned to his spot.
Chae Ji-hyun trailed after him, apologizing nonstop out of guilt.
A few staffers eyed the scene.
"Chae Ji-hyun's acting awfully sorry around Seo-hoon, huh?"
"Yeah, but you hit hard in the heat of the moment sometimes."
"Not on purpose?"
"Why would she?"
"To create an excuse to follow him around apologizing."
"Nah, no way. She's famous for shutting guys down cold. Smiles sweetly and pushes away anyone who tries."
Chae Ji-hyun always smiled brightly, was inherently cheerful, and incredibly kind.
So plenty of celebs—confident in their looks and careers—misread her.
Thinking a little push would win her over.
But she was notorious for blushing embarrassed rejections amid the advances.
Despite the rumors, guys still fell for it.
"Never seen her chase after anyone first like that."
"Nah. Just feels bad for slapping him hard. She's an angel like that."
***
When alone with Jeong Seo-hoon on set, Kang Byung-cheol subtly probed.
"Seo-hoon, doesn't it seem like Chae Ji-hyun's into you?"
"Nah."
"A girl not into you brings ointment to dab on your face? It didn't even break skin."
"She's just that nice. Saw it at the drinking party last time—her personality's naturally bright."
"Feels suspicious to me. You got no dating experience, so you miss girls' signals. Third parties see it clearer."
Jeong Seo-hoon recalled first meeting Chae Ji-hyun in the director's editing suite.
She'd punched in the code herself and strolled right in without hesitation.
Even if it was a shared editing room, not private—could talent really come and go that freely?
"Hyung, just my take."
"Spit it out. My lips are sealed."
"Nah, forget it. Not saying."
"What? Hey! Half-assed teases are the worst. What is it?"
"Media folks all claim 'sealed lips,' but they lie. Can't trust you either."
"I swear I won't tell a soul. Come on."
Jeong Seo-hoon kept his mouth shut.
No need to voice his hunch that she might have something with Hwang In-jun.
It fits too perfectly, though.
If she and the director were more than flirty...
She'd care about the film's success even more than the leads and show extra warmth to his hard-sourced replacement.
***
JJ Stars Entertainment headquarters.
The somewhat childish name came from founder Tae Jin-jong's initials.
Once Chungmuro's undisputed kingpin, now faded glory.
Still, decades as a major player lent clout—JJ Stars still commanded respect.
President Tae Jin-jong's mood soured again lately.
"Fucking insane? Actor bangs his girl, and they invest more in that movie? SH Invest's CEO got no balls? What kind of money ghost is this?"
"Gave up his barely used Lamborghini to burn on camera for killer shots."
"Real psycho. Or does Hwang In-jun have some special silver tongue? Guy trembled and stammered under me."
"Word is, President Park really likes Jeong Seo-hoon."
"Jeong Seo-hoon, huh..."
Tae Jin-jong drummed the table, lost in thought.
He'd watched Illegal.
The early twist, Lee Jin-wook's reveal, that fresh star's acting—it'd felt like a big talent emerging.
He'd even seriously considered casting him next project.
But if he went under Hwang In-jun, no chance for our films.
That bastard must've poisoned him against JJ Stars.
"What about Yoon Hyeong-sik?"
"Done for. Booted from every variety show, can't show his face. Home life's a mess too."
"And he only messed with one or two actresses?"
"Three more scandals already leaked."
"Told him—guard the middle leg right, or suffer."
Tae Jin-jong kept drumming.
"Any way to use that guy? He won't go down alone."
"Production's locked in as victims now—hard to push more. But I'll try."
"Good. And Jeong Seo-hoon... wasn't there a scandal with Yoo Jeong-ah? Status?"
"Thought they'd deny post-finale, but agency zipped it. Hype died down—no need to stoke."
"Wish something would blow up."
Tae Jin-jong scowled; his secretary glanced around cautiously.
"President, I heard something from inside Illegal's production."
"What?"
"At the wrap party, Jeong Seo-hoon quietly left with a female staffer. Someone saw him grabbing her stuff too."
"Come on, guy scandalized with Yoo Jeong-ah, why chase staff?"
"She's a total beauty. Ex-aspiring actress who switched paths. Photo here."
Tae Jin-jong's eyes narrowed at the dozens of shots.
Jeong Seo-hoon facing a slim woman at some bar entrance, chatting.
She laughed nonstop, even rested a hand on his shoulder naturally.
"Where'd this come from?"
"VisPatch secured it. Told 'em to hold—too weak to drop now."
"Smart."
Paparazzi-famous VisPatch was JJ Stars' de facto subsidiary—ownership tangled beyond notice.
"Pretty."
"Not Yoo Jeong-ah level, but actress-tier."
"When, where?"
"Night after Illegal's finale. Cheongdam-dong bar."
"Suspicious. Fresh off debut finale, sneaks off alone with hot staffer? Cozy celebration?"
"He clocked 'em, so they bailed without more."
"Guilty ones always twitchy. So Jeong Seo-hoon's two-timing Yoo Jeong-ah with staff?"
Truth didn't matter.
The narrative fit—that was key.
A sly grin creased Tae Jin-jong's heavy wrinkles.
"Track down the wrap-party witness for testimony. Promise secrecy."
"Already done."
"My right-hand man. Good work."
"Drop at the right time—won't tank the film, but rattle Hwang In-jun's nerves."
"No one reads me like you."
Tae Jin-jong's true goal wasn't killing the movie.
Just a means to an end.
Hwang In-jun, you dog. Bite the hand that fed your rise, bolt—pay forever. Think you can quit on your terms?
As long as he breathed, he'd torment Hwang In-jun.
Keep the bastard too rattled for comfy directing—that twisted hate drove him.
***
Reshoots flowed smoothly.
Jeong Seo-hoon nailed every scene take one, no NG; Hwang In-jun grinned ear-to-ear.
Bonus good news: Veteran actor Lee Min-soo joined for a free cameo.
"Director Hwang, I have to sync with Jeong Seo-hoon again. Whatever role—work me however."
"Perfect fit: Ilseong Group chairman. Mentioned but never appears."
"Chaebol boss again? 'Chairman Min-soo' memes incoming."
"Suits your image perfectly. You'll shine with Seo-hoon—ideas already sparking."
"Looking forward."
Lee Min-soo's cameo news built hype—and "Min-soo again?" hate comments.
And at the Jeong family home...
"Seo-hoon, you don't die this time, right? If you do, Mom's boycotting the movie."
"You die, but not tragic—should be fine. No on-screen death."
"Why can't directors and writers leave our son alive? Anyway, that Lee Min-soo seems nice. Invite him over for a home-cooked meal sometime?"
"I'll ask."
Mom—hooked on clipping son-related articles—stared at her tablet, then shrieked.
"Oh my! What's this? Seo-hoon, another scandal article on you?"
Jeong Su-ryeon rushed in.
"Scandal? With who? Chae Ji-hyun? Knew it—that vixen tailing you around."
"Hold on. This photo... Su-ryeon, isn't that you?"
"Huh... yeah, looks like me?"
"Why the hell are you in here?"
"Beats me. Why am I?"