The Replacement
Glug glug—
Mo Yeon-hee nodded as she watched Jeong Seung-il drain an entire glass of wine in one go. The bartender promptly refilled the glass with deep red wine.
But Jeong Seung-il paid no attention to the wine. His eyes remained fixed on the video of Kang Tae-san that Mo Yeon-hee had sent him.
Only after a long while did he finally set his phone down. Folding his arms, he stared at Tae-san on the screen for a moment before speaking in disbelief.
“……This is the test video you received yesterday?”
“That’s right. I asked Kang Tae-san to film a test for the role of Won Do-jin yesterday.”
“You showed it to me because you wanted me to accept it wholeheartedly.”
Mo Yeon-hee unfolded her arms and nodded.
“Honestly…… yes. I gave him the script yesterday, and this is what he produced in a single day.”
Jeong Seung-il’s brow furrowed. He already knew Tae-san. When they had acted together in Psychopath, he had been struck by how terrifyingly completely the man immersed himself in his character. Of course, the role had been a psychopathic killer, so the intense impression was partly due to the character’s nature.
But the performance in this video felt different from that time.
“You didn’t direct him. If Kang Tae-san himself came up with that framing……”
Jeong Seung-il muttered. Among Korean actors, only a handful possessed that level of camera awareness. In truth, there were maybe only one or two.
“He could replace Yoon Si-on.”
“Exactly.”
Mo Yeon-hee smiled.
“I don’t know where he learned it, but Kang Tae-san is using the exact same acting technique that Yoon Si-on used—the one that made us look like fools before he disappeared.”
Jeong Seung-il’s eyebrow twitched. He knew Yoon Si-on’s technique better than anyone. It was the kind of performance that accumulated emotion in spaces the other actors’ gazes never reached, elevating everyone else’s acting in the process—like an orchestra conductor. It was something ordinary actors could never hope to imitate.
Tae-san wasn’t just copying it. He had added his own reinterpretation of the character on top.
“Honestly, if we ignore things like recognition and other minor factors, I think his interpretation is better than Yoon Si-on’s.”
Mo Yeon-hee’s voice carried genuine admiration. Jeong Seung-il silently replayed the video. It was only about ten minutes long, yet he couldn’t help but feel the wall between them. Until now, he had believed that if he gave his all, he could still compete. But after seeing this, his instincts told him that once this project ended, Tae-san would be recognized as a leading actor far above him.
Jeong Seung-il’s throat bobbed.
‘No matter how I look at it, that growth rate isn’t human.’
A brief silence passed between them. Mo Yeon-hee lifted her wine glass, took a sip to wet her throat, then spoke quietly.
“Jeong Seung-il.”
“Yes.”
“We’re going to take a week to reorganize. From the sets to the shooting schedule—everything will be rearranged around Kang Tae-san.”
“After seeing that performance, even I would want to cast him as the lead.”
Mo Yeon-hee smiled.
“Of course, we can’t leave you out either. That’s why I’d like to ask you—please take the role of Gong Geon-ah. I want you in this project too, Seung-il.”
She bowed her head respectfully. It was rare for a director to bow to an actor first. Jeong Seung-il’s eyes wavered. Without a word, he stood up and gave her a slight bow in return.
“……Understood. If Tae-san is at this level, I have to acknowledge it.”
“Thank you.”
Mo Yeon-hee smiled in relief. Jeong Seung-il looked once more at the paused screen. Tae-san was still smiling calmly. Swallowing dryly, he turned off his phone.
“What a monster.”
***
In front of an old-looking officetel, Kang Tae-san stepped out into the first-floor lobby with an exhausted expression.
[Ding!]
[Cleaning completed.]
[800 Smile Points have been awarded.]
After checking the familiar notification on his phone, Tae-san swung his arm through the air as if throwing something. His fingertips sliced sharply through the air with a whooshing sound.
“……Hey, this actually feels pretty good.”
Right after receiving the request from Director Mo Yeon-hee to replace the lead role of Won Do-jin, Tae-san had scoured every client note on the Smile cleaning app in search of experience that would help him play a baseball player. He had found a client who was a former high school baseball ace and immediately rushed over to clean.
After acquiring Yoon Si-on’s acting technique, he felt somewhat confident about the filming. But the role of an athlete—someone who had never even thrown a ball before—was still too far removed from his own experience.
“I think I can imitate the form with this. I’ll have to try it on set to know for sure.”
Just then, a familiar black van pulled up in front of him. After loading his cleaning tools into the automatically opening trunk, Tae-san got into the passenger seat and greeted Min Jin-cheol with a bright voice.
“Thanks, hyung. You came right on time.”
“Timing isn’t hard. Put on your seatbelt. We’re heading out right away.”
“Got it.”
While heading home with his seatbelt fastened, Min Jin-cheol’s phone vibrated.
[Wife]
Tae-san answered the call for him, pressing the button on the phone mounted on the dashboard.
- Is that Tae-san?
“It’s been a while, noona.”
Baek Yeon-joo’s voice was much higher and gentler than usual as she asked after him. Then she spoke with genuine warmth.
- Thank you for making my husband act like a proper person. So, I want to cook for you. Are you free today?
“Noona, aren’t you having morning sickness?”
- I’m fine right now. If I wait any longer, I won’t be able to even if I want to. Don’t argue and just come.
Min Jin-cheol grinned as if he had already known his wife would invite Tae-san. He glanced over at him.
“She already went grocery shopping a few days ago, saying she’d cook for you.”
“Alright, then I’ll take you up on that.”
They arrived at Min Jin-cheol and Baek Yeon-joo’s newlywed apartment. Thanks to the newlywed points and the pregnancy, they had easily won the lottery for an 18-pyeong apartment.
When they stepped inside, Baek Yeon-joo, wearing an apron, greeted them with a bright smile.
“Welcome, Tae-san. You worked hard too, honey.”
“Whoa, did you prepare all this by yourself, noona?”
Baek Yeon-joo had been on maternity leave, so she had spent the entire day cooking at home. The table looked like a feast—soup, pancakes, braised short ribs, grilled fish, even japchae.
“Isn’t this too much? You’re not even supposed to overexert yourself……”
Baek Yeon-joo gently touched her belly.
“Once the baby’s born, I won’t be able to do this even if I want to. That’s why I’m doing it now.”
“Still, you shouldn’t push yourself.”
“Don’t worry. These days, the supermarket sells pre-cut ingredients, so it wasn’t that hard.”
Min Jin-cheol leaned in and whispered secretly into Tae-san’s ear.
“I can’t guarantee the taste. She’s been having morning sickness, so she couldn’t taste the seasoning properly. But appreciate the effort. You know how to react, right?”
“I can hear you, you know?”
Baek Yeon-joo shot him a glare.
“What? I was just telling the truth.”
“Oh, look at you getting all excited just because your little brother is here.”
“Come on, I was joking, honey. Your cooking is the best in the world. I could eat it for the rest of my life.”
Watching the two of them bicker like friends, Tae-san fiddled with his chopsticks for no reason. Once the meal began, he lowered his head and quietly took a bite of the braised short ribs. His eyes widened.
“……Oh, this is delicious?”
“Really?”
“Yes, the meat is so tender and the seasoning is perfect. It’s exactly to my taste.”
“See? I told you I’m good at cooking.”
Baek Yeon-joo shrugged, and Min Jin-cheol burst out laughing.
“Of course. Who would dare criticize food made by a pregnant woman?”
“You stop it too. If you keep going, Tae-san will feel awkward.”
Tae-san watched the two of them teasing each other nonstop like close friends and asked,
“Hyung, noona—when did you two start dating? I saw you hanging out a lot when we were kids, but it didn’t seem romantic back then.”
Both of them turned to look at him at the same time. Baek Yeon-joo sighed.
“Right. I must have too much affection. I don’t know what I saw in this guy to end up living with him.”
Min Jin-cheol waved his hands in protest.
“Hey, back then you were the one following me around saying you liked me. You stuck to me like glue and wouldn’t let go.”
“Glue?”
Baek Yeon-joo narrowed her eyes, and Min Jin-cheol quickly looked away.
“Anyway, you were the one who confessed.”
“Hey, was that even a confession? I was just taking pity on you and picking you up like a stray.”
“Tae-san, do you remember? Between Yeon-joo and me, who was more popular when we were kids?”
Tae-san chewed on the short ribs and thought for a moment. Both of them had been popular. Especially Baek Yeon-joo—she was good at studying, had a sharp personality, and carried herself with a cool, elegant air that made her well-known among the boys at nearby schools. She often received chocolates and Pepero as gifts on special occasions.
Of course, Min Jin-cheol had been famous too—among the male students.
‘All the guys who tried to hit on noona Yeon-joo got dragged off by hyung Jin-cheol.’
Looking back, it was clear that Min Jin-cheol had liked Baek Yeon-joo more. But seeing the two of them, who had been friends for so long and eventually became lovers and then family, Tae-san felt a strange sense of envy.
‘They’re like drama protagonists.’
The lead couples in Psychopath had also started as childhood friends before becoming lovers. But no matter how thoroughly Tae-san memorized the script, he couldn’t fully understand that kind of solid yet warm relationship—being both friends and lovers.
As time passed, a few more drinks were poured.
“Tae-san…… When are you going to get married and start a family? Huh?”
“I haven’t even thought about it yet.”
“People like us need to start families early. You know that?”
Surprisingly weak to alcohol, Min Jin-cheol’s face was flushed red.
“Tae-san, marriage is like a pitcher and a catcher.”
“Huh?”
“The pitcher throws, the catcher catches. No matter how well the pitcher throws, if the catcher doesn’t catch it, the game is over. That’s marriage.”
“……Hyung, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Me neither. Damn it.”
Min Jin-cheol staggered and laughed.
“But the important thing is…… there are always two people standing on the field.”
“Are you trying to be moving or telling a joke right now?”
“Both.”
With those words, Min Jin-cheol’s head slammed onto the table with a thud.
“Hyung?”
Baek Yeon-joo sighed.
“He’s drunk again. I knew he was weak to alcohol, but he always ends up like this.”
Tae-san stood up.
“I’ll help him to bed.”
“Thanks. Just lay him down in the master bedroom……”
At that moment—
“Ugh!”
The second Tae-san tried to support him, Min Jin-cheol suddenly turned his head. It was too late to shout “Wait!”
Half-digested kimchi pancake batter splattered across the once-clean living room carpet. Baek Yeon-joo grimaced and covered her mouth at the sight.
“Noona, are you okay?”
“I’m not okay…… Morning sickness…… Ugh……”
One had actually thrown up, and the other was about to. Tae-san first helped Baek Yeon-joo into the master bedroom, then laid the dazed Min Jin-cheol on the sofa. He went to the kitchen to find a mop.
A little later, after finishing the battle with the vomit and rinsing the mop, Tae-san’s phone lit up with the Smile app notification.