The Genius Actor Who Brings Misfortune — Episode 238

Before Killing Horn was released, the production team had made a prediction: the drama would be a solid hit.

And that prediction was shattered without mercy.

It hadn't merely been a hit — it was a bona fide mega-hit.

The response, exceptional from the very day of release, only grew hotter as time went on. In less than five days, the drama had reached #1 in the TV drama category across 29 countries, South Korea included.

It was a full-blown syndrome. Everywhere you went, people were talking about Killing Horn; whoever you met, the conversation turned to Killing Horn.

Of course, that much attention came with plenty of chatter, too.

Given the easy accessibility of OTT dramas, the cumulative viewer count kept climbing despite the mature rating.

The fact that the lead actor, Lee Yeonjae, had only just turned sixteen also emerged as a point of controversy. Some criticized the subject matter as inappropriate for a minor to film, while others fired back that such remarks ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠amounted to a refusal to respect child actors as professionals.

As the controversy intensified, the production company released an official statement: "Medical staff were present on set at all times to ensure the actors' safety, and filming proceeded only after confirming the actors' condition."

When behind-the-scenes footage surfaced showing Lee Yeonjae laughing and joking between takes, the controversy died down considerably.

The real problem wasn't Korea. It was overseas.

Some scenes from Killing Horn were shared through short-form video platforms, and a number of foreign viewers mistook them for real footage.

Seeing a boy soaked in blood, wailing, someone actually reported it as child abuse.

Then several foreign influencers familiar with K-culture raced to upload videos titled "This is fiction — the crying boy is a famous Korean actor," and the scope of discussion widened to include the drama itself.

Once it became known that it was a drama, the conversation shifted.

It was Horn's superpower — bursting blood with a snap of his fingers — that caught foreigners' eyes. Against the gory backdrop of exploding blood, Horn's mischievous smile had a strangely magnetic quality. Even the little tik sound that accompanied his finger snap sounded charming.

In other words, it was more than enough to captivate people's attention.

The first to move were the TikX influencers. They began producing videos in which they stuck balloons filled with red liquid all over the ceiling, then snapped their fingers to make the balloons burst as if by superpower.

The moment one person uploaded a video, a flood of similar ones followed. These videos — eventually dubbed the Killing Horn Challenge — swept the world.

People rushed to buy food coloring to make the red liquid, and when the dye became hard to find, the trend mutated into "comedic" videos substituting cranberry juice or tomato juice instead.

Plenty of people went crazy over the challenge — so many, in fact, that there were hordes of foreigners who filmed it simply because it was trending, without having any idea why it was trending in the first place.

Within days, the challenge videos had spread to foreign celebrities. When famous international stars that even Koreans would recognize started filming the challenge, it was the Korean viewers who ended up bewildered.

'They like it this much...?'

Just as Koreans concluded they could not possibly understand the foreigners' fascination, videos like the following began appearing one after another:

That's right. Killing Horn had landed squarely in the "national pride" lane that no Korean could resist.

Right on cue, NetFlix began an aggressive marketing campaign, and the number of foreigners genuinely interested in the drama grew.

The sensational challenge videos may have been the spark, but judged on its own merits, Killing Horn was a genuinely solid work. With the trademark taut pacing of Korean dramas and exhilarating action sequences, its ratings climbed high as well.

As the drama gained popularity across America and Europe, interest in its cast naturally followed. And it was only natural that attention would converge on Lee Yeonjae — the baby-faced actor whose performances overwhelmed even seasoned adult performers.

'Blood Boy.'

That was the name the world came to know him by.

And when America's hit late-night talk show, The Jim Fury Show, came calling for Lee Yeonjae, it had been less than two weeks since Killing Horn's release.

"A talk show?"

One eyebrow rose at the completely unexpected words.

"Yes. A famous American talk show. It's hosted by a comedian named Jim Fury."

Jinbae handed over his phone, a video already pulled up on the screen.

"You can think of it as the most popular talk show in America. Its reach is considerable, and Korean actors have appeared on it before."

Ah. 'I think I've seen it somewhere before.'

Nodding, I watched the rest of the video.

"They say CEO Jang was contacted directly."

"Hmm. And what did the CEO say?"

I had a rough guess, but I asked anyway, just in case. And sure enough, Jinbae answered with a smile on his face.

"He said it's entirely up to you, actor."

"...The CEO is getting stranger by the day."

What would he even do if I said no?

When I shook my head, Jinbae patted my shoulder and laughed.

"Well, you're just that good. No matter how much money our side offered, we could never get you on a talk show this famous. Things are going so well for you without us lifting a finger, so from the CEO's perspective, he's apparently decided to simply leave it all in your hands."

"I'm grateful for the trust, but... what do you think, hyung?"

"Me? Obviously, I think you should go. Opportunities like this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠don't come around often — and it's a solo appearance, no less."

"Sorry?"

I blinked. "They only invited me? What about Jeonghyeon hyung and Seokjun hyung?"

"I'd say the interest is in Lee Yeonjae the actor, not the cast of Killing Horn."

A hollow laugh escaped me at the sheer pride in Jinbae's voice. How could he be so delighted about it? It was almost cute.

'A solo appearance, huh.'

That was a little daunting.

Reading the hesitation on my face, Jinbae lowered his voice, calm and measured.

"Do you not want to do it?"

"Hmm, it's not a recorded show — it's live, right?"

"Yes. If speaking English on air worries you, you can go with an interpreter."

"That's not really an issue."

I spoke English with Haram practically nonstop as it was, so what was the problem? Having taken lessons steadily for over a year, English wasn't a hurdle for me.

'The problem is that it's live.'

A 100% live broadcast, where a single slip of the tongue would be beyond salvaging.

"I don't know much about American culture, so I keep worrying I'll do something that gets me torn apart for no reason."

Jinbae nodded, understanding.

"That's a perfectly valid concern. You don't have to decide today, so take some more time to think it over."

"Okay. Thank you."

"That said, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I think you'd do wonderfully. So I'm not worried at all."

His softly smiling eyes were brimming with trust. I smiled back and murmured,

"I appreciate you saying that, but I can't help worrying."

"Sorry? Why?"

Why? The question was so absurd that my face twisted before I could stop it.

"Because obviously I'd worry. If I go on the show, they're going to ask me about the drama, aren't they?"

"...And?"

Watching Jinbae's face, still utterly lost, I swallowed a sigh.

"And I won't be able to answer. I haven't watched the drama — no, I can't watch it."

"...Ah."

Only then did an awkward smile cross Jinbae's face. "That's... true. Haha."

"You never did say I was allowed to watch it to the end."

"It would be far too cruel for you to watch."

The rebuttal came the instant the words left his mouth.

Our promise to gather at Jeonghyeon hyung's place and watch Killing Horn together had been shredded — by Jinbae, who had watched the drama first. The gathering had only ever been possible on the condition that he cover my eyes during the violent scenes, but Jinbae's verdict was that "it's brutal from start to finish, so no."

He was so unshakably firm about it that even Jeonghyeon hyung, who had practically begged through tears, eventually gave up.

And so, with the drama's release approaching its two-week mark, I became an actor who hadn't seen his own work.

...Officially, that is.

'I already watched the whole thing with Angae.'

Having binged all eight episodes with Angae the moment the drama dropped, my conscience pricked at me — all the more so whenever I saw that resolute face promising to shield me from harm.

'Enough of this.'

Time to change the subject.

"Let's get through today's schedule first."

"Yes. We'll head to the studio now."

Jinbae took the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wheel.

When we arrived at the studio, the familiar Injun came bounding over. I scooped up the kid, who had thrown himself into my arms without a moment's hesitation, and he giggled before whispering secretly in my ear.

"Hi, Yeonjae."

Today was the day of my photo shoot with Han Haram.