Chapter 57: What It Means to Be a Villain (2)
Chapter 57: What It Means to Be a Villain (2)
“I’m Kim Dae-heon, playing the role of Im Seung-cheol.”
The Chaser was a story centered around two police officers pursuing a criminal.
Im Seung-cheol was the protagonist and a detective in the violent crimes unit. He was a hot-blooded detective who had trained in martial arts and never hesitated to throw himself into a fight with a suspect.
As if reflecting that character setting, Kim Dae-heon was an actor with an impressive, rugged appearance. He had a square jaw, thick eyebrows, and piercing eyes. Standing over 180cm tall, his physical presence was quite imposing when met face-to-face.
“Man, I’ve played the criminal plenty of times, but this is my first time playing a detective.”
The people around him burst into laughter at his playful remark. He was an actor who usually monopolized the roles of generals in historical dramas, but in modern settings, he was almost always cast as the villain.
It was his first time as a detective, but no actor in the room was worried. His acting skills were already legendary in the industry.
“I’m Jung Si-hyun, playing the victim, Han Ye-hwa. I look forward to working with you.”
A woman with a pure, innocent look bowed her head, greeting the actors seated around the large table. Jung Si-hyun had recently played the female lead in a drama that ended with high ratings. She had a great public image and high name recognition.
Though her role was technically the 'victim,' it was closer to the main heroine whom the protagonist had to save.
And then.
“……”
Everyone’s gaze shifted to one girl.
The youngest actress among them, seventeen-year-old Ju Seo-yeon.
‘That’s Princess Yeonhwa, right?’
‘She was on TV recently.’
Ju Seo-yeon’s appearance was, in fact, something of a surprise. It was only today, at this meeting, that they were seeing her face for the first time.
They knew that the director, Bae Jin-hwan, had been agonizing over finding the right actress for the movie’s main villain, Cha Seo-ah. They had heard he’d searched far and wide before finally securing someone, but…
‘To think it was Ju Seo-yeon.’
Ju Seo-yeon. The child actor who had suddenly vanished ten years ago.
In truth, it wasn't uncommon for child actors to retire abruptly. The reasons varied, but it happened. What made Seo-yeon unique was that she had disappeared at the very peak of her popularity.
“I’m Ju Seo-yeon, playing the role of Cha Seo-ah.”
Her voice was calm and pleasant to the ear. With a generally expressionless face and a beautiful features, her visuals perfectly matched the character of Cha Seo-ah.
However.
‘The image of Princess Yeonhwa is just so strong.’
‘I heard her performance in "Close Your Eyes" was what really moved the director.’
The staff whispered among themselves. Those who hadn't seen the play were skeptical of Bae Jin-hwan’s choice. The most recent memory they had of Ju Seo-yeon was her impressive appearance on Looking at the Past and Memories. It had been a miraculous reunion after ten years with the grown-up Yoon Seo-il and Park Jung-woo.
The Princess Yeonhwa who had moved everyone to tears… as a villain?
“Wow, I’m truly surprised that Ju Seo-yeon is playing Cha Seo-ah.”
The one who spoke was Park Hee-jun, who played Seo Gwang-il, one of the two detectives in The Chaser. Unlike Kim Dae-heon, who was bulky and fit the 'hot-blooded' archetype, Park Hee-jun had a sharp, cool-headed impression.
He seemed well-suited for the role of Seo Gwang-il, the man who kept the reins on the impulsive Im Seung-cheol.
“Since the role of Cha Seo-ah is so vital to this film, I’ll be counting on you.”
It sounded like a warm encouragement. At least, it could be heard that way.
‘There’s a bit of a sting in his words.’
‘He probably finds her casting suspicious.’
In reality, Park Hee-jun wasn't particularly pleased with Seo-yeon. How much effort had he poured into auditioning and immersing himself in the character of 'Seo Gwang-il' to win this role?
The role of a lifetime. That’s what it felt like.
Moreover, since the film was funded by the GH Group, the chances of it being a massive hit were high. He had essentially bet everything on this movie, so it was only natural for him to harbor doubts about Seo-yeon.
To be honest.
‘It’s not that I don’t trust Director Bae Jin-hwan’s judgment, but for Ju Seo-yeon to play Cha Seo-ah…’
It wasn't exactly hostility. It was more of an intense anxiety.
Sure, Ju Seo-yeon had been praised for her acting skills. But that was ten years ago, and what she’d shown on the variety show was just a short skit. And the play was on a stage. It wasn't a drama or a movie. This film would be her first real opportunity to show herself to the public again.
He certainly wasn't the only one feeling uneasy.
It was then.
“Let’s try a script reading today,” Director Bae Jin-hwan announced.
The room stirred slightly at his words. It wasn't rare to go from introductions straight into a reading. Honestly, in a situation where there was this much doubt, it was important to clear the air quickly.
‘I see.’
The production producer, Cha Dong-jin, who was also present, read Bae Jin-hwan’s intention. He had already seen Seo-yeon’s acting in the play. Therefore, he was fairly certain.
This young actress, Ju Seo-yeon, was the real deal.
But the other actors would feel differently. To them, Ju Seo-yeon was just a child actor returning after a decade.
“Let’s go with Scene #24.”
“Huh? That one is…”
Kim Dae-heon, playing Im Seung-cheol, reacted with confusion.
S# 24.
It wasn't a part where Cha Seo-ah particularly showed off her villainous side. It was the scene where the two detectives first encounter Cha Seo-ah standing at a bus stop.
The two detectives, who were chasing a killer, happen upon Cha Seo-ah at a bus stop not far from the crime scene. Im Seung-cheol gets a strange feeling from her and strikes up a conversation, and the scene ends with Cha Seo-ah leaving on a bus after a brief exchange.
It was just a simple scene.
“……Understood.”
What could she possibly show here?
Though the question lingered, the actors complied with the director’s request and picked up their scripts.
Scene #24.
Setting: A bus stop.
The table where the actors sat facing each other transformed into a small bus stop. Kim Dae-heon and Park Hee-jun held their scripts and faced Ju Seo-yeon.
And then.
「Hey there, miss.」
Kim Dae-heon—no, 'Detective Im Seung-cheol'—spoke, his thick eyebrows furrowing.
「Didn’t you see the news today? It’s dangerous to be out here alone! There’s a killer on the loose, you know?」
「Ugh, Senior. Don’t go scaring her for no reason. Why do you do that to everyone you see?」
Im Seung-cheol was in a foul mood. Three murders had already occurred within his jurisdiction. The victims were both male and female, making it even harder to profile the killer. The only lead was that the perpetrator was likely male, given they had killed a large man.
「Hey, we don’t know when or where the killer might just—bam!—show up. I should at least give her a warning, shouldn’t I?」
「That’s not a warning, that’s just being a nuisance.」
As they bickered, the two of them stared at the woman. She just stood there at the bus stop, silently watching them.
A strange atmosphere.
Yes, it was that vibe. Normally, Im Seung-cheol would have just ignored her and moved on, but that peculiar aura held his feet in place.
Was she twenty? Or maybe in her late teens? She had a small frame that didn't look capable of killing a grown man. And yet, she strangely drew his gaze.
And then.
The woman smiled.
「Thank you for your concern. I’ll be careful.」
They were unremarkable words. A plain line.
But something. Something was wrong.
‘What is this?’
The first one to feel the anomaly was Kim Dae-heon.
The smile on Cha Seo-ah, as played by Seo-yeon. It was a smile that looked as if it had been painted on.
Acting. It was clearly a smile that could be identified as acting, yet it was different.
‘Is she… acting out the act of acting?’
Yes, it felt exactly like that. She was smiling, but it felt like she was performing a smile. This is what people usually call 'awkward acting.' But this was in a different league entirely.
It was a sensation on a different plane. An indescribable sense of discomfort washed over him.
‘Humans…’
Seo-yeon watched them as she slowly let the smile fade.
‘Feel revulsion when they see something that is almost, but not quite, human.’
There is a term called the "Uncanny Valley." It refers to the emotion people feel when they look at a robot, a doll, or a drawing that closely resembles a human. It’s the feeling one gets when something looks human, but they instinctively sense it isn't.
「You’re always working so hard. If things get dangerous, I’ll be sure to call you.」
It was a light, ordinary remark. The smile on her lips, the curve of her eyes—looking at those alone, she was just a woman speaking kindly to the police. However, if you were to see her right in front of you, you could never call her 'kind.'
‘Cha Seo-ah is like me, but different.’
In her past life, Seo-yeon had been loved. Or so she chose to believe. She had been given a chance. Time had been given to her to observe, learn, and mimic the emotions of others. Even if she was scolded or punished in the process.
It… probably wasn't abuse. In her past life, she had been forced to become a 'normal person.' They wanted her to be a human who laughed and cried normally. She believed that was the expectation her parents had for her.
But Cha Seo-ah hadn't even been given that chance. Cha Seo-ah’s smile was a survival tactic learned through abuse. It was a simple imitation that didn't even reach the level of the 'Emotional Mimicry' Seo-yeon had possessed in her past life.
‘Keep the Emotional Mimicry as faint as possible, right on the border of awkwardness.’
Seo-yeon knew. She knew exactly at what point people began to feel 'strangeness.' She remembered the faces people made at her in her past life when she laughed and cried countless times. In that process, she had seen fear.
What Seo-yeon was performing now was the very edge of that discomfort. If her usual Emotional Mimicry imitated normal emotions at over 95 percent accuracy, what she was doing now was 70 percent.
Just barely at the level where a person could identify it as an 'emotion.' And the exact value where they would feel awkwardness.
「By the way,」 Seo-yeon—Cha Seo-ah—said, her calm smile returning. 「Do you detectives work at the police station near here?」
It was an ordinary question. But a heavy tension filled the air. The simple words flew like a scene from a thriller and embedded themselves in the hearts of the two police officers.
「Ah, yes. That’s right.」
「Ah~, I see. Then if I call, you’ll come right away, right? How long does it usually take? You can come immediately, right?」
Was she asking because she was worried about the killer’s threat? It felt too strange for that. How long it took to respond, where they were stationed—the woman was intensely interested in those things.
「But why are you curious about that…」
Detective Seo Gwang-il asked cautiously, trying his best to shake off the bizarre feeling radiating from the woman.
「Well, you said it was dangerous. I’m just a fragile woman, so I thought it would be good to know how and when I can get help.」
It was a reason that made sense if you thought about it, but there wasn't a shred of 'worry' in the woman’s lines. Only pure curiosity was contained in the question.
To add to that, her smile, which didn't match the content of her question, heightened the awkwardness. She mimicked a calm smile, but the emotion that surfaced was bright. As if she didn't know how much she should smile to look 'right,' so she was smiling with all her might.
「Oh, the bus is here.」
When the two didn't answer, the woman spoke and bowed her head.
「I’ll be in your care next time.」
Normally, Detective Im Seung-cheol would have made a playful remark in response to that greeting, but he couldn't bring himself to do it now.
He felt it. A feeling that he would meet this woman again someday. Because he felt that vague premonition, the two detectives could only stand there and watch blankly as the woman boarded the bus and left.
And so, Scene #24—the first meeting between Cha Seo-ah and the two detectives—came to an end.
“……Phew.”
Someone let out a breath. The tension that had settled silently over the table scattered with that sigh.
The script reading had been a smooth finish. Only flat dialogue had been exchanged without any major emotional peaks.
And yet.
‘What was that?’
The eyes of everyone at the table were fixed on Seo-yeon.
‘Was that… acting?’
Method acting. No, it wasn't in that realm. What they had just encountered was the real 'Cha Seo-ah.' They were actors, people who made a living out of acting. Therefore, they could usually distinguish what was acting and what wasn't.
But this time was different. They couldn't tell the difference.
“Se-Seo-yeon?”
Even Bae Jin-hwan asked in a trembling voice. He had expected Seo-yeon to do well, but he never imagined it would be to this extent. Wasn't the feeling completely different from Hong Jeong-hee in Close Your Eyes?
“Yes?”
At their reaction, Seo-yeon conversely became puzzled. Because the gazes of everyone looking at her were filled with nothing but pure tension.