Chapter 94: Plot Twist (2)
Chapter 94: Plot Twist (2)
The third trailer for The Chaser.
Initially, the reaction was that it was simply a rehash of the first and second trailers.
After all, there are only so many scenes a movie can show, and in the case of a thriller, revealing too much can ruin the immersion when the full film is released.
Thus, the only notable scenes in the first and second trailers were the culprit in a raincoat and the police chase. Even the identity of the victim wasn't clearly shown.
But then.
Those final.
Ten seconds.
The part in the trailer where Cha Seo-ah, the culprit of The Chaser, appeared lasted ten seconds.
Even then, her face was visible for only two seconds.
The rest simply set the mood, showing her silhouette.
However, that was enough.
Enough to seize the world's attention in an instant.
[The Chaser 3rd Trailer: 13 Million Views]
Five days after the trailer's release.
The view count was heading toward a record-breaking figure.
Even now, as the initial momentum had slowed, it was gaining at least 500,000 views a day. On a good day, it hit a million.
This sudden storm even affected various online communities.
Regardless, the communities discussing Ju Seo-yeon were currently seeing posts uploaded at double the usual speed.
A community that usually barely filled a hundred posts a day had seen its volume increase tenfold over the past few days.
Speculations about the trailer flew back and forth.
Some talked about how refreshing it was to have the twist revealed so openly.
Furthermore, the role was the polar opposite of Jo Ha-rin, the character she was currently playing in Dream Future.
“Director, will this be alright?”
At éclat Étoile.
As a company that had recently seen a massive promotional boost thanks to Seo-yeon, this buzz wasn't entirely welcome.
“Of all things, it had to be a villain role,” Team Leader Jung Tae-soo said cautiously.
He had reached a point where he acknowledged Ju Seo-yeon’s talent as an actress.
Because of that, he couldn't help but feel uneasy.
If The Chaser became a massive hit, he feared the concept of their advertisement might crumble.
“……Hmm.”
“Director?”
Director Baek Min-chan stood with his arms crossed, looking out the large glass window at the city. Jung Tae-soo waited quietly for him to speak.
“Who knows.”
“Pardon?”
“Haha, how could I know? Predicting the public's reaction is a truly difficult task. As the Team Leader of the Business Strategy Department, wouldn't you know that better than anyone?”
Jung Tae-soo was left speechless by Director Baek’s remark.
He wasn't wrong.
And according to the gut feeling of a Business Strategy Team Leader, the situation was quite dangerous.
Based on the data so far, he was almost certain.
This wasn't good.
If a negative image became strongly associated with her, a cosmetic ad—where image is everything—would almost certainly take a hit.
“I saw the trailer, and the impact was certainly remarkable. My wife has already booked tickets for the movie. It opens in two days, right?”
“……Yes.”
“Hmm, she must have done well. Very well, indeed.”
Baek Min-chan nodded.
“But we still have Dream Future, don't we?”
“Sir? But that’s……”
He knew about Dream Future.
But honestly, it looked meager compared to a blockbuster movie invested in by the GH Group.
The internet reaction to the first episode had been quite positive, but the second episode had been ambiguous.
No matter how successful The Chaser turned out to be, it was clear that her image as the killer in that movie would swallow everything else in her current state.
“It didn't even seem like a very significant role to begin with.”
“Market logic follows the money.”
A minor role.
Director Baek Min-chan, who watched everything Seo-yeon appeared in, was aware of this.
He knew that Seo-yeon’s screen time had decreased significantly in the second episode.
It was likely because the focus on the protagonist would have been too diluted otherwise.
Or perhaps there were other reasons.
But if The Chaser became a hit, would people just let it be?
“I think we just need to wait and see for now.”
“Is that…… so?”
“And who knows? It might become a huge hit due to another unexpected factor.”
Recalling the time during Desert Island Survival, Baek Min-chan smiled.
The path of this rising star, returning after ten years, always seemed to defy his expectations.
*
Lately, Seo-yeon could feel it.
A stir followed her wherever she went.
Even today, when she went to school, she could hear her friends whispering while looking at her.
As Lee Ji-yeon put it:
“It’ll get even worse once the movie actually comes out.”
“Really?”
“It depends on how you come across in the film, though.”
Lee Ji-yeon’s words made her feel unnecessarily anxious.
She felt their relationship had smoothed out quite a bit recently, but you never knew.
In fact, there were many stories about actors who played villains.
Some said people would curse at them on the street.
And that reaction carried over to the filming set as well.
“What, you were the killer?”
On set, Ma Yeon-woo, who now spoke to her casually, was the first to ask.
“……That sounds a bit strange when you put it that way.”
“Ah, no. I just meant the role. Since your character's name hasn't even been revealed.”
That was true.
Cha Seo-ah’s face had been exposed at the end, but her name hadn't been mentioned.
If you looked at the pamphlets, she was still just listed as the ‘Part-timer.’
Cha Seo-ah.
Seo-yeon let out a breath.
To be honest, she felt that character was the closest to her own ego.
If she had lived a twisted life, she might have become someone like her.
Because of that, she also had concerns about how such a persona would be perceived by the public.
Of course, she would mostly be hated.
“Ju Seo-yeon.”
Just then, a voice cut between the two.
Park Jung-woo.
He strode toward them.
For the record, the staff and the other actors on set were all busy stealing glances at Seo-yeon.
After all, the third trailer for The Chaser had surpassed 15 million views.
It was a number that no one in the industry could ignore.
There was much they wanted to ask, but the impression from the trailer was so strong that they couldn't bring themselves to do it easily.
‘It was only about ten seconds of screen time.’
The image of those red eyes glowing in the dark came to mind.
A blood-stained face and pale skin.
Rather than a human, it felt like encountering an Anomaly.
“Did you see the script revisions?”
“Pardon? Ah, yes.”
Actually, the "revisions" only amounted to a few lines of dialogue and one scene being cut.
Seo-yeon had a few theories about it.
‘Maybe it’s because I have a stronger presence than the character Song So-ha.’
Or perhaps they reduced her screen time because The Chaser was about to be released, and she was playing a killer.
That’s what she thought.
Honestly, it wasn't a welcome change for Seo-yeon.
After all, she had taken the role of Jo Ha-rin specifically to offset the image of Cha Seo-ah.
‘But it’s still okay for now.’
The core parts that defined Jo Ha-rin remained intact.
Touching those would shake the very foundation of the drama, so they had been left alone.
“I can speak up for you if you need.”
“What?”
“Your script.”
Park Jung-woo spoke to Seo-yeon seriously.
“Revisions like these last-minute scripts aren't common. It’s true you’ve been overshadowing Song So-ha, but even so, this kind of editing isn't good.”
“Is that so?”
“It’s not just for you. It’s not good for Na-hee either.”
Cha Na-hee, who played Song So-ha.
She also knew that Seo-yeon’s screen time had been reduced.
But rather than being happy about it, she seemed to feel that it was a reflection of her own lack of skill.
“I heard a rumor that Writer Im Jin-ha is close with Producer Baek.”
Park Jung-woo pondered for a moment.
It was certain that Producer Baek’s influence was behind this script revision.
Otherwise, the script wouldn't have been changed so easily at the whim of a rookie writer like Im Jin-ha.
“Would it change anything if I said something?”
Seo-yeon was puzzled by Park Jung-woo’s words.
Usually, a script wasn't changed based on an actor's wishes.
Of course, it was possible for an actor with enough clout.
But Seo-yeon wasn't at that level yet. At least, not right now.
“It’s possible. For you.”
“For me?”
“There’s someone higher up who likes you very much.”
For the record, Park Jung-woo knew that person very well.
Someone Seo-yeon was also acquainted with.
With just one word from that person, Im Jin-ha would quietly revise the script back.
“It’s okay.”
“What?”
Seo-yeon shook her head.
“The core scenes haven't been cut, anyway.”
“That’s true, but…… hmm.”
Park Jung-woo crossed his arms and thought for a moment.
The script had been revised up to episode 4.
‘Come to think of it, The Chaser premieres when episode 4 airs.’
Park Jung-woo had also seen the trailer.
The final ten seconds.
The main villain of The Chaser.
The scene where the killer Cha Seo-ah appeared.
Park Jung-woo could feel that a lot of thought had gone into that short trailer.
What form of reveal would have the most impact?
And how could they draw the most viewers to the theaters?
‘Theaters have been lacking hits lately.’
To be honest, domestic films were in a weak spot.
Only a few successful works came out a year.
With foreign blockbusters dominating the box office, that kind of power was needed to grab attention.
‘The fact that the killer’s identity isn't the twist.’
It meant the killer’s identity would be revealed early in the movie.
In that case, it was better to use it in the trailer to deliver a spectacular shock.
It also meant the killer’s role was very significant.
‘If the core of the movie isn't about deducing the killer, but about tracking and chasing them.’
If the killer’s narrative was included, the weight of that role would grow accordingly.
Then, naturally, the name value of Ju Seo-yeon, who played that role, would inevitably rise.
In many ways.
“……You.”
Park Jung-woo looked at Seo-yeon.
Seo-yeon, staring back at him blankly, seemed to have no particular thoughts.
Was she really thinking nothing?
Or.
Was she just that confident?
“Hmm, fine. This might be better.”
“Pardon?”
Park Jung-woo gave a short laugh.
“It might be fun to see them panic once the movie opens.”
“?”
“And the ratings for Dream Future too……”
He didn't particularly like it when a show was swayed by a single actor.
But for Jung-woo to do anything, Kim Si-hwan wasn't a particularly standout role.
He was the male lead, but most of his activity was concentrated in the latter half.
The beginning was told from Song So-ha’s perspective, focusing on the supporting characters she interacted with.
If the screen time of Seo-yeon, who was carrying the ratings, was reduced...
‘I should help Na-hee out a bit.’
That way, at least she wouldn't get criticized too much.
Jung-woo waved his hand at the young monster staring blankly at him.
Thinking that, either way, this kid would handle herself just fine.
*
[Dream Future Struggles with 10% Ratings]
[The Limit of Youth Romance Dramas?]
Articles about Dream Future were gradually decreasing.
The few that did appear were about the falling ratings.
10% was still decent, but the problem was that it had dropped consecutively in episodes 2 and 3.
If it dropped again in episode 4, it was certain to fall below 10%.
Ridiculously enough, the peak ratings had hit a fairly high 17%.
And that scene was, of course...
Since it was simultaneously broadcast via internet streaming, it was easy to see where the reactions were coming from.
The parts where Seo-yeon appeared.
The reason the peak ratings hit 17% was due to the influx of viewers drawn in by the recently released third trailer of The Chaser.
Of course, since it was just a trailer, the numbers weren't massive yet, but the influence was undeniable.
As soon as Seo-yeon stopped appearing, the ratings plummeted.
“This is so annoying.”
Im Jin-ha bit her lower lip as she watched the reactions.
The ratings were continuing to fall.
And of all times, it started right after she revised the script.
When episodes 2 and 3 dropped back-to-back, even Producer Baek started giving her looks.
If episode 4 dropped too……
‘The changes in the content must have created some awkward gaps.’
She could handle the "cringe" comments.
That was the intention from the start.
It was better to be cringey than blandly mediocre.
However, it wasn't good that the overall flow had been disrupted.
But she had no intention of re-revising it.
That would feel like losing.
‘Episode 4 has the group performance scene, so it’ll be fine.’
It was a scene they had put a lot of effort into.
Even Director Kim Pil-seok said it turned out quite well.
And so.
Episode 4 was released.
“What are the ratings?”
She quickly asked the staff.
And then, cheers erupted from the drama department.
‘14% ratings!!’
It had jumped by a full 4%!
The fact that the falling ratings had rebounded was a very good sign.
Only then did Im Jin-ha finally feel relieved.
She finally began to scroll through the live reactions she had been ignoring out of fear.
She had avoided them, terrified of what the response would be today.
But if the ratings had gone up by 4%, it was bound to be full of praise.
With that expectation, the moment she looked at the chat...
A very strange chat window caught Im Jin-ha’s eye.
And then, she realized.
‘The release date of The Chaser.’
Come to think of it, that day was today.