• "The Chaser? Another thriller, huh?"
  • "Is it directed by Bae Jin-hwan? Then it might be worth watching."
  • "Who are the actors? That convenience store actress is really pretty."
  • "Isn’t she still in high school? She was the princess in Looking at Memories."
  • "Oh, it's her?"
  • "She is indeed pretty, but it's a shame she's being wasted in a convenience store role."
  • "I think she's also appearing on a variety show next week."
  • "Do supporting actors do promotions now?"
  • "She's pretty, so why not have a drink?"

The release of the trailer for The Chaser briefly stirred up the internet. Director Bae Jin-hwan.

A new film by a director often called a genius in Korea. Moreover, it was a thriller with a fairly impressive cast.

Since it was a film produced with investment from the GH Group, some people were wary of it, but it was still a highly anticipated release. Especially because Korean films had recently been struggling against foreign superhero movies, so expectations were even higher.

"I just hope the plot isn’t too predictable."

Film critic Na Dong-sik shook his head as he said this.

A thriller film? That’s fine. There were even rumors that Director Bae Jin-hwan had given a lot of power to the casting decisions.

"A raincoat killer? Isn’t that a bit outdated?"

Na Dong-sik’s fellow critic snickered as he commented.

"…I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. It’s classic, but, hmm." "Does it lack a bit of impact?" "Exactly. It’s just…"

They replayed the trailer. The trailer released yesterday was only two minutes long.

Of course, you can't know everything about the movie from that. So, based on what could be inferred:

"The physique is too small." "Especially since the tall actor Kim Dae-heon is right next to them." "Exactly. That’s the feeling I get. The culprit… Sure, there’s atmosphere, but…"

Why did they choose someone with such a small build as the culprit? Well, even a woman with a knife can be dangerous.

"A woman?"

Na Dong-sik narrowed his eyes as he muttered to himself.

"Oh, the culprit is a woman? That could be it." "Hmm. In that case, it’s not very exciting."

The culprit needs to have a strong presence. It’s not that I have a macho attitude thinking it can’t be a woman, but there’s something about the appearance that sets the tone. An absolute evil. It seemed somewhat lacking to portray that image.

"And, is she also a main character? Her face appears in the trailer." "Oh, actress Ju Seoyeon? Maybe they included her because she's trending these days."

Indeed, her face was very pretty. The face of someone working part-time at a convenience store. And judging by the internet reaction, it seems she’ll soon appear on a variety show as well.

"Promoting a supporting actor on a variety show…" "It seems like they’re trying to capitalize on the current buzz, even though there’s still quite a bit of time before the movie is released."

Even at the earliest, it would be several more months before the movie is released. Advertising videos aside, sending her to a variety show seemed a bit premature. However, it was clear they intended to leverage her recent popularity.

They probably plan to hit with a jab now and do a major promotion a few months later.

"Hmm…"

But somehow, Na Dong-sik couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about this actress, Ju Seoyeon. He’d heard that producer Cha Dong-jin was involved in this film. He was a smart person. GH didn’t entrust this to him for nothing.

‘Is that really all there is to it?’

Logically, it made sense. But actress Ju Seoyeon… Of course, he had seen her before. He clearly remembered The Moon Embracing the Sun. He vividly recalled Ju Seoyeon’s performance as a child actor.

Moreover, her recent appearance in Looking at Memories. Her drawing power in Eyes Closed. The influence she had on the public was beyond that of a mere convenience store supporting role.

‘No.’

That couldn’t be it. It didn’t make sense for such a noticeable actress to be in such a minor role.

"I should at least write a brief review of the trailer today."

Na Dong-sik nodded at his fellow critic's words. He had a rough idea of what kind of post he would write.

He was a critic known for harsh reviews, so he would likely point out the negative aspects of The Chaser. It wouldn’t even be a full review. Just a quick comment on social media.

"I'm going to refrain this time." "Really?"

His colleague looked puzzled at Na Dong-sik’s words. After all, Na Dong-sik was usually the first to do something like this.

But, somehow, he felt that he shouldn’t do that this time.

At least, not before the movie’s release.

There’s a saying that one’s life can change overnight. My experience was somewhat different, but there were similarities.

I had previously shot a drama, so I vaguely thought it would be similar.

"Ah, hello." "?"

At the convenience store I always stop by before school, the part-timer spoke to me first, which was rare. When I asked why:

"You’re an actress in that movie, right? I recognized you instantly."

He pulled out his smartphone and showed it to me. The view count for The Chaser trailer had already surpassed 2.4 million.

To be honest, it didn’t feel real. The rapidly increasing view count, updating in real time, made me wonder if people were really watching.

"I’ll be rooting for you!"

Smiling lightly at the convenience store worker's words, I ran to school. I noticed more people recognizing me than before. The first change happened when I shot the variety show Looking at Memories. And the next was If It Starts, Become a King.

I gained some recognition after those two, but this time, it felt like it might be more.

‘Maybe.’

I thought that perhaps I had entered a world bigger than I had imagined.

"The response to the first trailer was really good, so we’re preparing a second one."

Director Bae Jin-hwan said this to Seoyeon with a very pleased expression. Given the positive response, it was understandable. I heard it was the highest number for a film released this year.

"Seoyeon." "Yes." "How did your exams go?" "…"

Seoyeon was taken aback by the question about her exam results. She wasn't bad at studying, but she was just an ordinary student who didn’t particularly enjoy it.

"Still, it’s good to focus on your studies. You know that, right?" "Yes."

There were many young actors who wondered why academics were important if you were working as an actor. But at least Bae Jin-hwan believed that students should study, even if they weren’t the best at it. It was a matter of attitude.

"Of course, Seoyeon, you seem very sharp, so I’m not worried." "…"

Even the usually confident Seoyeon couldn’t bring herself to nod at this. She wasn’t exactly a sharp person. If she said so, she could already see her father laughing.

She felt a bit irritated.

"The movie will be released soon. Until then, we’ll focus on promotion."

In other words, she would be busy being called here and there.

"Are you going to keep Cha Seo-ah’s identity hidden until the end of the trailer?" "Until the second one." "So in the third?" "Yes. Just a little, but we’ll hint at it."

There was no intention to keep it hidden entirely. They planned to include a scene that hinted at the identity of the culprit towards the very end.

"So, will you be taking a break until the release, Seoyeon?" "No."

Seoyeon smiled brightly at Director Bae Jin-hwan’s question. Looking at actor Kim Dae-heon, who was dressed up for the promotion, Seoyeon chuckled. Today was interview day.

"Oh, you’re not resting? You’re quite busy, Seoyeon."

The actors had all gathered in one place. Kim Dae-heon spoke casually to Seoyeon. By now, most of the actors had grown comfortable with her.

In fact, Seoyeon had told them they didn’t need to use formal language with her, but Kim Dae-heon insisted otherwise, saying it wouldn’t be right.

"So, are you shooting a commercial? I heard the model for Eclat Etoile was recently changed."

It was Jeong Si-hyeon, who played Han Ye-hwa, who said this. Recently, the posters and advertisements featuring the previous model, Song Hee-bin, had been taken down. It meant a new model was being introduced.

And everyone here knew who that new model was.

"No." "Then?" "I’m going to audition." "Audition?"

Another audition? Well, that was possible. But for a student, she sure was working hard.

"What kind of drama is it? I heard there’s a thriller drama in production…" "It’s not a thriller drama." "R-right. Oh, the image of Cha Seo-ah is just so strong…"

To Jeong Si-hyeon, Seoyeon was Cha Seo-ah. The image was so powerful that it was hard to imagine Seoyeon in anything other than a thriller or similar genre.

Seoyeon’s reaction only strengthened her resolve regarding this drama.

"It’s a youth romance." "…A youth romance?"

Wasn’t that a genre completely disconnected from Seoyeon? Everyone seemed to think so.

Sure, Cha Seo-ah was a factor, but considering her physical roles, it seemed like she’d be better suited for an action drama.

"The audition for Dream Future is coming up soon."

Specifically, in three weeks. It would be after Seoyeon’s variety show and commercial aired.

‘If I pass the audition.’

Seoyeon was aiming for a relatively minor yet significant supporting role, Jo Ha-rin. Though the role was small, the character had a strong, quirky personality.

If things went well and Seoyeon ended up filming Dream Future, the drama would air around the same time as The Chaser was released.

Seoyeon’s goal was clear. To prevent the killer’s image from sticking to her cosmetic advertisement.

‘And from episode 8 onward, my role decreases significantly, so there’s no burden.’

With less screen time, there would be fewer filming sessions. So Seoyeon planned to improve her image and then quietly step away.

A perfect plan, Seoyeon thought with a smile.

"Director." "What?"

Director Baek Min-chan of Eclat Etoile responded while looking over some documents. The head of the business strategy team, Jeong Tae-su, spoke in a low voice.

Hearing this tone, Baek Min-chan paused his review.

"…Did it not go well?"

He asked in a tense voice. It was understandable since he had strongly pushed for this new advertising model. If it didn’t work out, it would be a significant blow to him.

"Ten percent…" "Did it drop?" "It went up." "Damn it, then why did you phrase it like that?!"

Baek Min-chan slammed the desk. Ten percent. It might sound small, but it was actually a significant increase. Of course, considering the previous drop in sales, it was a relief.

"It’s only been a week since the change, right?" "Yes." "Then let’s wait and see. Sales will increase even more."

Baek Min-chan chuckled confidently. He was fully aware of all of Seoyeon’s activities.

Today, Seoyeon’s variety show was airing. Survival on a Deserted Island.

‘It would be great if she casually mentioned our cosmetics…’

To be honest, Baek Min-chan didn’t expect Seoyeon to accomplish much in Survival on a Deserted Island. Since she was an actress, he just hoped she wouldn’t cause any major trouble.

If she messed up, it would negatively affect Eclat Etoile, the brand she was representing.

Of course, Baek Min-chan trusted Seoyeon. She didn’t seem like the type to cause trouble based on what he had seen of her.

However.

The next day.

"Director, the sales…" "…"

Baek Min-chan froze upon seeing the sharp increase in daily sales. He hadn’t expected sales to rise this much.

‘I just hoped sales would recover a bit…’

It was dramatic.

The word fit the situation perfectly.