"Child Actor Joo Seoyeon, from Looking Back at the Past, Signs with Nova Entertainment" "Joo Seoyeon Joins the Ranks of Hwang Min-hwa at Nova Entertainment"

The article that appeared in the morning caught the attention of RY Entertainment's Actor Management Division head, Lee Hwi-rok, who frowned deeply as he read it. It was just the other day that they had discussed pursuing a contract with Joo Seoyeon.

And the very next day, they had even gone to her school in person.

"But she said she already signed."

And the agency that snagged her from under RY’s nose was Nova Entertainment? He let out a bitter laugh.

It wasn't a bad agency. But compared to RY? Not quite on the same level.

‘She must have been too hasty and signed the contract without thinking it through.’

He clicked his tongue, but that was all. He had thought she was a promising prospect, but perhaps this was simply not meant to be.

‘She’s still just a kid, after all. Too impulsive.’

It was disappointing, but Joo Seoyeon wasn’t the kind of actress RY needed to desperately cling to. She was more like a lottery ticket with slightly better odds of winning—nothing more.

"People need to learn to see the forest, not just the trees."

With a smirk, he closed the online article, deciding to forget about the actress named Joo Seoyeon.

While Lee Hwi-rok was busy reading the online article, Seoyeon had just finished her play and was meeting with Director Bae Jin-hwan of The Chaser at a nearby café.

"Seoyeon, you made a good decision. Opportunities like this don’t come around often."

Jo Do-yul, who had introduced Seoyeon to the director, spoke with a beaming face.

‘It would be nice if she could still appear in plays from time to time.’

Having watched Seoyeon’s recent performance, Jo Do-yul felt a bit regretful. Given her rising popularity, expanding the theater scene with her presence was certainly possible. However, he didn’t want to miss out on giving her a chance to reach even greater heights as an actress.

It wasn’t that the position of a theater actor was low, but that this was an opportunity for her to make her face known to a wider audience. You never know—if the OTT market continues to grow, her name might spread overseas.

"Pleased to meet you. I’m Bae Jin-hwan, the director of The Chaser."

A middle-aged man with a good-natured appearance said as he extended his hand. Seoyeon, momentarily flustered, quickly grasped his hand.

"I’m Joo Seoyeon from Nova Entertainment." "Oh, I saw the article about you joining Nova. It’s a good agency. With an actor like Hwang Min-hwa, you’ll have a lot to learn."

Hwang Min-hwa. Seoyeon recalled that he was an actor in the recent blockbuster movie Professional. Before Professional, he had appeared in several high-profile films and dramas, significantly contributing to Nova Entertainment’s growth.

Hearing the name, Seoyeon smiled awkwardly.

‘He’s probably leaving the agency this year, isn’t he?’

She didn’t remember the exact timing, but she recalled that Hwang Min-hwa left Nova Entertainment before The Chaser was released. That meant there likely wasn’t much time left.

The agency Hwang Min-hwa would move to was Horizon Company, a firm classified as a second-tier agency. In other words, it was a step above Nova Entertainment.

"Yes, I’ll do my best." "That’s the right attitude. An actor should always be eager to learn."

Of course, Director Bae Jin-hwan had no way of knowing Seoyeon’s thoughts as he chuckled softly. He really liked Seoyeon. She had a calm and composed demeanor.

Like a young lady from a noble family, the girl had shown remarkable talent on stage. A presence that captured the eye in an instant.

"Have you heard anything about The Chaser? I imagine it’s been generating some buzz."

In fact, The Chaser had been announced quite some time ago. Several months, at least. During that time, they had been gathering the cast and refining the script, which had delayed the process.

All that remained was to cast the villain, Cha Seo-ah. The production was ready to begin filming as soon as they found the right actor.

"I’ve heard of it. It’s a thriller, right? I also heard that GH Group is investing in it..." "Yes, that’s correct. It’s a highly anticipated project, funded by GH Group."

Director Bae Jin-hwan took a sip of his Americano as he spoke, exuding confidence. With GH Group’s backing, he had every reason to be confident.

He was a proven director with ample resources. With GH Group’s support, there would be no worries about marketing or securing enough screens for the film.

He was likely certain of its success to some degree. The only question was whether it would be a hit or a blockbuster.

‘But…’

Seoyeon knew the truth. The Chaser wouldn’t be a major success.

The reason? The actress playing the main villain, Cha Seo-ah, would cause a huge scandal. Pyo Ji-woo. She would storm into a nightclub alone and start a stabbing spree, making headlines everywhere.

The incident would make her a media sensation. A movie featuring an actress convicted of attempted murder, playing a killer—how would that be received?

The release was delayed, and the film was heavily criticized. Sure, there were people who were intrigued by the controversy, but they were few.

Pyo Ji-woo’s scenes were hastily reshot with a different actress. By the time the film was finally released and pulled from theaters, it had reached a total of 2.5 million viewers. Considering the limited number of screens and the bad press, it was an impressive number.

And Seoyeon was one of those 2.5 million viewers.

‘The replacement actress was a big letdown.’

She had been far inferior to the villainous performance Pyo Ji-woo had shown in the trailer. But the story of the film was good.

It was one of the few times in her previous life that Seoyeon remembered feeling that something was "good." And that was one of the reasons.

The reason Seoyeon wanted to be a part of this film.

"The Chaser is a thriller about a detective chasing down a psychopathic serial killer."

The director continued, then added, "Ah, but technically, the character isn’t a psychopath. The detective just thinks so."

"Yes, I’m aware."

She knew very well. Seoyeon knew better than anyone what kind of character Cha Seo-ah was.

"Let me explain a bit about the role of Cha Seo-ah that you’ll be playing…"

Bae Jin-hwan looked at Seoyeon, organizing his thoughts. Cha Seo-ah was a complex character.

"Seoyeon, you might not be familiar with this, but there’s a condition called ‘alexithymia.’"

He began explaining calmly.

"It’s a condition where someone can’t properly feel or express emotions. Can you imagine? Not being able to laugh or cry properly."

Seoyeon slowly nodded. Hearing it explained like this, she felt a strange, indescribable emotion.

"Cha Seo-ah was abused as a child because of this. She’s a broken woman."

In the film, Cha Seo-ah’s motivation is very simple. Whenever she sees happy people, she feels a sharp pain in her heart, as if she’s being stabbed.

So, she follows them and kills them. Regardless of gender.

"The scary thing about alexithymia is that it doesn’t mean the person can’t feel emotions at all."

That was true. It wasn’t that they couldn’t feel; it was more that they couldn’t recognize what they were feeling. They don’t understand the emotions they’re experiencing or expressing.

So, they can feel pain and, in some cases, even pleasure. Their brain just can’t process it correctly.

That’s why it took so long for Seoyeon in her previous life to learn how to express emotions in her everyday life. And even then, she expressed them through acting.

"So, she killed out of anger and jealousy that even she didn’t fully understand. Cha Seo-ah is that kind of villain. And even though she’s the villain… she’s also a bit of a tragic figure."

Bae Jin-hwan looked at Seoyeon.

"It’s a very challenging role to portray, but after watching your performance, I believe you can bring Cha Seo-ah to life."

At his words, Seoyeon looked at the glass with cold water droplets forming on it. She held it in both hands, trying to cool down her slightly overheated mind.

"Yes."

Seoyeon spoke calmly, looking directly at Bae Jin-hwan.

"I’m confident."

Just as Pyo Ji-woo had embodied the role of Hong Jeong-hee in Eyes Closed better than anyone, Seoyeon was confident that she could portray Cha Seo-ah in The Chaser better than anyone. She was, after all, her past self.

"I’ll do it. I really want to."

Because Cha Seo-ah was who she might have become if she hadn’t been blessed with kind parents.

"Sis!"

As she returned home, she heard the sound of little footsteps running toward her. It was Joo Su-yeon, her seven-year-old younger sister.

I grabbed her with both hands, lifted her up, and spun her around.

"Ahaha, I’m so high up!"

I smiled softly as I watched Su-yeon laugh innocently like a child. Today had been a complicated day in many ways, but seeing Su-yeon made me feel a bit more at ease.

"Oh, Seoyeon, you’re back? You’re late today." "There was a meeting about the movie." "Oh, that’s right."

Mom, holding a ladle, looked at me, who was still holding up Su-yeon, with a surprised expression.

"My, our daughter is strong…"

Su-yeon weighed well over 20 kilograms. The fact that I could lift her straight up and spin her around with both hands must have been shocking to Mom.

I guess I’m finally getting used to my strength.

"But didn’t you say the role was a villain? Are you okay with that?"

Mom had set dinner on the table, as if she had been waiting for me to come home. She had prepared the meal in advance, ready for her daughter who would be coming home late.

As I sat down at the table, my little sister climbed onto my lap, blinking her big eyes as she asked,

"Sis, are you playing a bad person again?"

Again, huh. But it’s true that I’ve taken on villainous roles back-to-back after Princess Yeonhwa.

‘Not that Su-yeon has even seen Princess Yeonhwa.’

To my sister, it might seem like I only play bad roles. I guess that’s how it looks.

"So, I’m thinking of doing a drama or variety show alongside the movie." "Won’t that make you too busy?" "If I start after the movie finishes filming, I think I can manage the timing."

Typically, a movie takes about three months to shoot. If I start filming a drama right after finishing the movie, it might air around the same time the movie is released, or perhaps a little earlier.

‘I’ll have to think carefully about what to take on.’

Considering the role in The Chaser, there’s a possibility that I’ll be heavily typecast as a villain. In my previous life, the movie wasn’t well-received due to the sudden change of actors, but the character of Cha Seo-ah has a significant impact in the story.

Even a slightly good performance could greatly influence my image as an actress.

"Then how about a romance drama?" "…What?"

"Oh, don’t look at me like that. If you’re worried about being typecast as a villain, wouldn’t a loving role help balance it out? You’re so stoic, I worry about you, my dear."

Is that so? Would that work?

I took a sip of cold water. Hmm. I thought about it for a moment. A romance role… that’s...

‘I’m not ready for that right now.’

I felt genuinely sorry, but that’s something I can’t do right now. Really.

Even if it’s not a romance, I should take my time to think about what roles might suit me.

"And stop watching YouTube while you’re eating." "Okay."

I absentmindedly scrolled through my smartphone as I ate, trying to clear my head. There was a lot to think about—The Chaser, future roles, and everything else.

‘In my previous life, I would’ve watched Ramiel’s channel to relax at times like this.’

I didn’t fully understand my emotions back then, but I think it was a form of healing. It made me feel at ease.

Ramiel used to give advice to her viewers, and I had received her guidance a few times myself.

‘Sigh.’

As I typed "Ramiel" into the YouTube search bar, yearning for someone who wouldn’t appear, something strange popped up.

"Huh?"

A channel called Ramiel had been newly created.

"Wh-what???"

There were no videos, nothing at all. I couldn’t help but stare at my phone screen in disbelief.

‘No way, could it be…?’

Until my mom told me to sit up straight and finish my meal, I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.