Chapter 54

[‘Looking Back at the Past and Memories’—a Controversial Child Actress, Sooyeon Joo, Signs with Nova Entertainment]

[Nova Entertainment’s Ten Million Audience Actress Min-hwa Hwang under the Same Management]

An article that appeared in the morning.

Lee Hwi-rok, the director of the artist management division at RY Entertainment, frowned deeply as he read it.

It had been just the other day.

The discussion to proceed with a contract with Sooyeon Joo had taken place.

And the next day, there had even been an in-person visit to her school.

“But it seems she’d already signed a contract.”

The company she’d chosen? Nova Entertainment.

A snort of laughter escaped him.

It wasn’t a bad place, but compared to RY… well…

‘Looks like they’ve managed to secure her first. Too bad we missed the chance.’

He clucked his tongue, but that was all.

Though he’d seen her as a good opportunity, wasn’t it all simply part of fate?

‘She’s still young—acting too quickly.’

Though it was slightly unsettling, from RY’s perspective, there was no need to excessively pursue or cling to her.

She wasn’t that crucial.

Probably no better than buying a slightly more likely-to-win lottery ticket.

“Indeed, one must learn to see the forest, not just the trees.”

With that wry thought, he chuckled, then closed the internet article.

He resolved to forget about actress Sooyeon Joo altogether.

***

At the same time that Lee Hwi-rok was checking the internet article.

Seoyeon, having just completed her play, was exchanging formal greetings with director Bae Jin-hwan of *The Chaser* at a nearby café.

“Seoyeon, it was a good decision. Opportunities like this don’t come around often.”

Introduced by director Jo Do-yul, Jo maintained a bright expression as he spoke.

‘Though it would be nice if she made appearances in plays occasionally…’

Jo Do-yul had indeed found Seoyeon’s performance in this play somewhat disappointing—considering her star power.

Perhaps, with such star potential, expanding the theatrical world wasn’t an unreasonable goal.

But, even so, he didn’t want her to miss higher opportunities as an actress.

This wasn’t about the play being inferior; it was about greater exposure for greater impact.

Who knows? With the OTT market growing, perhaps her name could spread overseas too.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Bae Jin-hwan, the director of *The Chaser*.”

A pleasant-looking middle-aged man extended his hand warmly.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Seoyeon quickly shook it.

“I’m Sooyeon Joo of Nova Entertainment.”

“Ah, I saw the article about you signing with Nova. It’s a solid company. With actress Min-hwa Hwang also there, there will be plenty to learn.”

Min-hwa Hwang.

Seoyeon, too, had recently seen her in *Professional*, a highly anticipated movie before its release.

She was one of the major contributors to Nova’s growth, having appeared in renowned films and dramas.

Recalling this name, Seoyeon managed a faint smile.

‘Didn’t she leave this year, wasn’t it?’

The exact timing was vague, but the memory was clear—it had been before *The Chaser*’s release. So the time left must be short.

Hwang Min-hwa had moved to Horizon Company, a mid-tier management agency, a step above Nova Entertainment.

“Yes, I agree.”

“That’s good. Always be willing to learn.”

Unaware of Seoyeon’s thoughts, Bae Jin-huan chuckled to himself. He genuinely liked her calm, composed manner.

The talent she had displayed on stage reminded him of a young noblewoman. An intense presence that captured everyone’s attention immediately.

“Did you hear anything about *The Chaser*? I believe it’s already made some waves.”

In fact, the production announcement for *The Chaser* had taken place some time ago—several months prior.

During that period, they had been assembling actors while refining the script, stretching time.

However, the one missing piece was an actress to play the main villain ‘Cha Sooah,’ the antagonist of *The Chaser*.

They were ready to begin filming tomorrow if that one final piece was found.

“Oh, I heard it was a thriller. And that GH Group financed it…”

“Yes, that’s correct. This is a highly anticipated project from GH.”

Director Bae Jin-hwan took a sip of his Americano before continuing, his confidence evident.

A project GH ambitiously prepared, so naturally, he was assured of its success.

An experienced director with abundant funding and GH’s backing meant they could bypass many traditional limitations—promotions, the number of theaters it would appear in, etc.

There was, more or less, an assumed level of success. The only question was how much of a hit it would be.

‘But…’

Seoyeon knew this.

*The Chaser* underperformed at the box office.

This was largely due to actress Cha Sooah who made disastrous headlines.

Jiwon Pyo.

The infamous nightclub knife-attack incident involving her.

Because this became headline news, public opinion shifted heavily towards her.

A known actress with a criminal charge of attempted murder appearing in a film portraying a serial killer—what kind of evaluation would it receive?

The release was delayed, and she earned a great deal of criticism.

While some found it intriguing, such reactions were rare.

They had to recast her role with other actresses, and even after reshoots, the film barely reached two and a half million viewers.

Considering the numerous adversities and the limited number of theaters, it was, surprisingly, a decent outcome.

And Seoyeon was one of those two and a half million viewers.

‘There was such regret with the recast actress.’

The antagonist’s portrayal in the trailers, featuring Jiwon’s performance, was much stronger.

But the story itself was excellent.

Perhaps, it was an instance when her previous life’s self felt a rare sense of genuine appreciation.

There were several reasons behind this.

Why she desperately wanted to be part of this movie.

“*The Chaser* is a thriller about a psychotic serial killer pursued by a detective.”

He paused briefly.

“Actually, the term ‘psychopath’ isn’t entirely accurate in this scenario. The detective pursues her under this mistaken belief.”

“Oh, I’m aware.”

Yes, she was aware, quite thoroughly.

Seoyeon knew more than anyone about the main villain, ‘Cha Sooah.’

“First, let me explain who ‘Cha Sooah’ is—”

Bae Jin-hwan looked at Seoyeon briefly and organized his thoughts; Cha Sooah was indeed a complicated and multi-layered character.

“Seoyeon, you may not know, but there’s a condition called ’emotional expression disorder.'”

He explained it calmly.

“It’s a condition that makes it difficult to feel and express emotions properly. Imagine someone who simply can’t laugh or cry.”

Seoyeon slowly nodded her head.

Though hard to describe, this concept stirred a peculiar emotion within her—emotion.

“Because of this emotional expression disorder, Cha Sooah, in her childhood, suffered abuse and became a broken person.”

Her motive was straightforward in the film—she felt the physical pain in her heart when she encountered people who appeared genuinely happy.

So, she would hunt them down and kill them—regardless of gender.

“Though it’s misunderstood, the scary part about emotional expression disorder isn’t the lack of emotion. It’s the inability to recognize those emotions.”

Correct—it wasn’t about not experiencing them, rather being unaware of them.

Not understanding what the emotions currently being felt or displayed were.

So, they may experience pain or, depending on the situation, even joy, but the brain is simply unable to comprehend it.

Because of this, in her previous lifetime, it took Seoyeon a very long time to express everyday emotions.

And even then, she did so mostly through acting.

“So that’s why she killed—driven by anger and jealousy she was unable to fully recognize. That’s Cha Sooah—a villain but a rather tragic character too.”

Bae Jin-han looked directly at Seoyeon after stating this.

“I believe this role will be quite challenging. But watching today’s play… I think you could bring life to this character.”

Seoyeon, looking into the cold droplets forming on her glass, clasped it in both hands, cooling off her heated thoughts.

“Yes.”

In a calm, even tone, she affirmed.

“I’m confident.”

As *Hong Jeong-hee in “Eyes Closed”* was flawlessly portrayed by Pyo Ji-woo, Seoyeon was certain she could also portray *Cha Sooah in “The Chaser”* with similar precision.

Because she was her—her previous life.

“I’ll do it. I want this role.”

She wanted it because it felt like the self she could have been, had she not been born into such a harsh circumstance.

***

“Onee! Sister!”

As she arrived home, a loud, cheerful sound of small feet echoed through the house.

Su-yeon Joo, her seven-year-old little sister.

Seoyeon picked up the small girl with ease and spun her around gently.

“Ahahaha, higher, higher!”

Watching Su-yeon laugh joyfully like a child filled Seoyeon with a warmth that relaxed her after a day filled with complex thoughts.

“Seoyeon came? You’re late today?”

“There was a meeting related to the movie.”

“Ah, yes.”

Holding a ladle, Seoyeon’s mother watched her daughter spinning their child with an amused yet slightly concerned expression.

“Our daughter sure is strong…”

Su-yeon weighed over 20 kilograms, yet Seoyeon lifted her with ease.

It seems strength was something that had adapted over time.

“But I remember hearing something about an antagonist… Are you sure about that?”

As if waiting for this moment, her mother set the dinner on the table—preparing it ahead anticipating Seoyeon’s return.

Sitting at the dining table, the little sister climbed onto Seoyeon’s lap, her large eyes inquisitively questioning.

“Onee, are you gonna play a bad person again?”

“Again?”

True, she had played such roles sequentially following her role as “Princess Yeonhwa.”

‘Su-yeon never saw that one.’

In Su-yeon’s eyes, it seemed like she was always playing the villain.

“Because of that, I’m thinking about starring in a drama or a variety show together.”

“Wouldn’t that be too busy?”

“After finishing the movie, if we start, the timing will roughly align.”

Typically, movie shoots take about three months.

If she started a drama right after that, it would premiere around the time the movie releases, or even earlier.

‘But what should I do next?’

Certainly, acting as a villain in *The Chaser* could fix her image as this dark character type. In her previous lifetime, a mid-project actor change caused the film to not receive the recognition it deserved. But Cha Sooah’s character was pivotal.

Just giving a good performance could undoubtedly impact her image.

“Then, how about a romance drama?”

“…What?”

“Mom, don’t look at me like that. If you’re worried about my dark image as a villain, why not try some lovely roles? Our daughter’s too stern, I worry.”

“Is that so? Would it really change that way?”

Seoyeon sipped some cold water.

Hmm. She thought about it. Romantic acting… That.

‘Not possible right now.’

Though extremely sorry to her mother, it just wasn’t feasible.

At least not yet.

Regardless, even without romantic roles, she should find a suitable character and quietly think.

“And stop watching YouTube while eating.”

“Okay.”

Casually looking at the phone placed atop the table, she soothed her tangled thoughts.

There was much to contemplate—especially regarding her roles and *The Chaser*.

‘In my previous life, I used to watch Ramiel’s channel to heal during moments like these.’

Not entirely certain of the exact feeling, but it was healing. That comforting sensation.

Ramiel often advised viewers, including Seoyeon, on their problems a few times.

‘Hyung.’

She missed her as she typed “Ramiel” into the YouTube search bar. What came up was unfamiliar.

“Huh?”

A new channel titled *Ramiel* had just been opened.

“Whaaaaa???”

There were no videos, nothing yet, but she couldn’t help but stare intently at her phone screen.

‘Could it be… No, right?’

She looked at it until her mother finally urged her to sit up properly and eat.

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