8
Chapter 8
“Unni, what do you think of this actor?”
Writer Seo Eunbyeol placed her phone on the table. On the screen, a man was casually grabbing a woman by the hair and whispering in a detached voice.
“Dying is easy. But you're still useful to me.”
The woman sitting across from her set down her teacup.
Kim Heeseon.
One of the biggest names in Korea when it came to genre dramas. She scrutinized the screen with a critical eye.
“A rookie? His face is refreshing.”
“His acting is good too. That scene was done in a single take without a rehearsal.”
“...His eyes are unusual.”
Kim Heeseon zoomed in on the screen.
“They’re empty. Since he's playing a murderer, you'd expect him to put more force into it, but they're just completely hollow. That makes it even creepier.”
“Right? He's a gem I found.”
Seo Eunbyeol smiled proudly.
In truth, it wasn't really Seo Eunbyeol who had found him. It had been Director Ryu—or rather, the assistant director who had accidentally discovered him while picking up a script. But Kim Heeseon had no way of knowing that.
“I heard you're having trouble casting the lead for your next project. You said there aren't any actors in their twenties with both acting skills and the right look.”
“That's right. They're either former idols or actors who only do romance dramas. I'm not looking for that soft kind of image.”
“Take a look at him. Kang Seojun.”
Seo Eunbyeol pushed the phone toward Kim Heeseon.
“He's like a blank canvas. Whatever color you paint him with, he'll absorb it.”
Kim Heeseon silently watched Kang Seojun on the screen.
The way he casually stabbed the knife into the floor.
The detached gaze with which he looked down at the other actor.
Her finger tapped lightly against the table.
“Agency?”
“None. He works independently.”
“Really?”
The corner of Kim Heeseon's lips curled upward.
“Then we'd better claim him before his price goes up any further.”
#
Episodes 7 and 8 of Pursuit aired.
The results spoke for themselves.
[Ratings Surpass 18.2%! Breaks Through the Infamous 15% Barrier]
[Pursuit's Murderer Hong Jinsu Becomes a Legendary Villain]
[Kang Seojun, Who Is He? The Arrival of a Monster Rookie]
Graphs didn't lie.
The ratings curve shot upward like a rocket.
It was the clearest indicator of how the market was valuing him.
Portal sites and TubeTube's algorithms were flooded with his face.
The kidnapping scene he filmed with Park Juyeon, in particular, spread through online communities under titles like:
"An Acting Masterclass."
Kang Seojun lay on the sofa in his Mapo officetel, calmly monitoring the reactions.
The comments weren't bad.
└ Wow, his acting is insane. Has he actually killed someone before?
└ Look at Park Juyeon's acting improve. A strong acting partner really elevates you.
└ Please don't let Hong Jinsu get caught. I want to keep watching him.
└ He's still a serial killer. Saying he shouldn't get caught is a bit much lol.
There were no malicious comments.
No acting controversies.
The response was overwhelmingly positive.
Although...
A few days earlier, while he was walking down the street—
“Uh, uh! It's a murderer! A murderer!”
“What? A murderer?!”
“No, I mean... the guy who plays a murderer in that drama.”
“Ah, damn. You scared me. I thought he was an actual wanted criminal!”
A small incident like that had happened.
One passerby recognized him and shouted "murderer."
The friend's face immediately turned pale before calming down after hearing the explanation.
After giving a bit of fan service to the people who recognized him, Seojun quietly left.
“I almost got dragged to the police station for no reason.”
He opened a can of beer.
Fizz.
Foam rose from the opening.
His heart was completely at ease.
After that, the remaining filming proceeded smoothly.
Park Juyeon trusted him completely.
She no longer picked fights with him and instead adjusted her acting tone to match his.
Director Ryu also modified camera movements around Seojun's performances.
As a result, NGs were rare.
Filming time decreased, and Seojun could return home promptly every day to hide behind his blackout curtains.
Park Juyeon's acting had also improved dramatically, which contributed to the reduction in retakes.
And finally—
“Cut! Okay! That's a wrap! Great work, everyone!”
The sound of party poppers exploded throughout the set.
The staff cheered and hugged one another.
A bouquet was placed into Seojun's hands.
“You worked hard, Seojun! Seriously, great job!”
Director Ryu threw his arms around him.
The faint smell of sweat rose from the man's body, but Seojun didn't particularly dislike the moment.
#
A black pork restaurant in Yeouido.
The wrap-up party was absolute chaos.
The ratings had been a massive success, and the broadcasting station had even approved special bonuses.
Smoke from grilling meat filled the air, while toasts erupted from every direction.
“Alright, everyone! Raise your glasses! To Kang Seojun, the number one contributor to Pursuit!”
“To Kang Seojun!”
Dozens of glasses clinked together in the air.
Before he knew it, Seojun had become the star of the celebration and was forced to accept drink after drink.
It was only natural.
After all, Pursuit's ratings had risen continuously after his appearance.
From single digits all the way to 18%.
Coincidentally, it all began after the trailer featuring him was released.
“Seojun, I'm a huge fan! Have you picked your next project yet?”
“Oppa, can I get a picture with you?”
“Seojun, let's grab a drink sometime. I'll contact you.”
Staff members and actors lined up to talk to him.
Even the senior actors who had bullied him at the beginning were now calling him "brother" and acting friendly.
Seojun simply smiled and nodded.
“Thank you.”
“Please contact me.”
Internally, though, he desperately wanted to go home and sleep.
The noise.
The smell of grease.
The alcohol.
He missed his comfortable officetel.
Still, he didn't leave.
Networking was useful if he wanted to survive in this industry.
There was no reason to make enemies.
As long as people weren't rotten to the core like his former department manager.
That was when—
“Quite popular, aren't you?”
Someone sat down beside him.
It was Seo Eunbyeol.
She picked up a piece of pork from the grill and grinned.
“It's thanks to you, Writer. The character was written so well that the project turned out this successfully.”
“Wow, listen to you. You're better at socializing than I expected. You don't look like the type.”
She filled his glass with soju.
“You worked hard. Thanks to you, I've got a near twenty-percent ratings drama on my résumé. It's an honor.”
“The honor is mine. It was a valuable experience.”
“Wouldn't it be a waste to stop at experience? You should keep going.”
She pulled a thick document envelope from her bag and set it beside his plate.
Careful not to let grease splash onto it.
“What is this?”
“You need your next project, don't you? I brought something good.”
Her voice lowered.
“You know Writer Kim Heeseon, right? The one who wrote Scalpel and Code Blue.”
Seojun's eyes widened.
Of course he knew.
A master of medical dramas and thrillers.
Every project she touched became a hit.
“She wants to meet you. Not for an audition. A meeting.”
That wasn't a normal proposal.
Skipping the audition entirely meant they already had a role in mind.
Seojun carefully opened the envelope.
The synopsis sat on top.
[Working Title: Doctor Criminal]
[Written by: Kim Heeseon]
And then the character list.
At the very top:
[Han Jaei (Male, 32) – Thoracic Surgeon / Sociopath / Lead Role]
Lead role.
Not a supporting male lead.
Not a main villain.
The protagonist carrying the entire drama.
“...The lead?”
“Seojun, you're the male lead.”
Seo Eunbyeol whispered into his ear.
“A genius doctor without emotions. It's basically your role.”
“Can I handle that? I'm still a rookie.”
“If the writer wants you, then you do it. And...”
She formed a circle with her fingers.
The universal sign for money.
“The pay? It'll have a different number of zeros than what you're getting now. It probably starts in the thousands per episode.”
A different number of zeros.
The words lodged themselves deep in his mind.
It wasn't just about earning more money.
A lead role.
That meant a different level of treatment on set.
No more being stuck in a corner of the waiting room.
A dedicated vehicle.
Personal staff to manage his condition.
In other words, a dramatically improved working environment.
He slipped the synopsis back into the envelope.
A medical drama.
Actors tended to avoid them because of the difficult terminology and numerous surgery scenes.
The workload would be brutal.
But the character was a sociopath.
Minimal emotional exhaustion.
Surgical skills?
The Switch could solve that.
It was worth trying.
No—it was something he had to do.
He carefully tucked the envelope into his bag.
“Writer.”
“Hm?”
“Let me know when the meeting is scheduled.”
He bowed politely.
“I'll make sure a doctor's gown looks good on me.”
Seo Eunbyeol clinked her glass against his.
“Good. Go show them what you've got. And don't forget me later.”
“I never would.”
He emptied the soju in one shot.
“Ugh.”
The alcohol tasted bitter.
Back when he worked at the company, soju had tasted sweet.
Then he remembered a saying.
When life is sweet, soju tastes bitter.
When life is bitter, soju tastes sweet.
Which meant...
His life had become incredibly sweet.
It was strange.
The taste of alcohol changing depending on how life was going.
He had always thought it was nonsense.
But now that he experienced it himself, it felt completely true.
While Seo Eunbyeol left to greet people at another table, Seojun pushed the envelope deep into his bag.
The restaurant remained noisy.
The lighting director was shouting at the top of his lungs after getting drunk.
The youngest staff members were hugging each other and crying.
Seojun finished the rest of his soju and prepared to leave.
Then someone staggered over from across the room.
It was Park Juyeon.
Her cheeks were slightly flushed from alcohol.
But her eyes remained focused on him.
“Where do you think you're running off to? You're the star of tonight.”
“Running away? I'm just going to the restroom.”
“Liar. You already packed your bag.”
She smirked and blocked his path.
Then she held out a glass.
“Take it. It's the final wrap-up party.”
He had no reason to refuse.
He obediently accepted it.
“You worked hard, Seojun.”
“You too, sunbae.”
“Honestly? When you first showed up, I couldn't stand you. You know that, right?”
“I know. You made it pretty obvious.”
“But... now I feel a little cheated. We finally started working well together, and now it's over.”
Park Juyeon emptied her glass with a bitter smile.
“Have you chosen your next project yet?”
“I'm considering one.”
“Choose carefully. Your position is different now. If you grab just any project, it'll come back to bite you.”
It was sincere advice from a senior actor.
“And find an agency. Going around alone isn't a good look. Once you're lead-actor level, you need proper support. Mental care too.”
“I'll consider it.”
He gave a short reply and set down his glass.
“Then I'll see you on another set.”
“Yeah. Survive wherever you go. I'll be watching.”
As planned, he picked up his bag and quietly slipped outside.
The night air was cool.
To be continued...