episode_0112

The broadcast of Special Task Force 808 continues.

Kim Yu-han stole a car and took off, saying he’d catch the criminal his way, and Lee Kang-cheol is chasing after him, veins popping on his forehead.

The confrontation between the two is dizzying and sharp.

Will he be caught, or will he evade capture?

Will Kim Yu-han gain the upper hand, or will Lee Kang-cheol rise above?

The editing didn’t let go of the viewers for even a moment. It was intentionally designed so that the audience couldn’t predict what would happen.

Therefore.

“…Kim Yu-han, Lee Kang-cheol, Kim Yu-han, Lee Kang-cheol.”

Deer’s reaction, like chanting a mantra, was understandable.

She couldn’t figure out whether to root for Lee Kang-cheol or Kim Yu-han. Both had their own circumstances, and their charms were completely different. It was making it hard to choose.

“Is that really Soo-ah’s acquaintance?”

“I guess I like men with white hair….” “There are plenty at nursing homes.” “Shut up. Wow, the acting is something else.”

The chatter died down, and they simultaneously shut their mouths a little while later.

『Haha, this is fun.』

They ended up making eye contact with Kim Yu-han on the screen.

Thump, thump, their hearts were racing. “What’s with the level of rookies these days….” “Are idol agencies not interested? He’s perfect.”

“…Even a VTuber’s avatar isn’t that good-looking.”

Seeing a part of the teaser video and his acting in the drama were worlds apart in terms of impression. At first, their eyes were drawn to his face, but later they were captivated by his skills. This rookie is definitely skilled.

‘Even I, who doesn’t usually watch dramas, think he’s good?’

‘How could Starcatch have missed such a talented rookie all this time?’

Moreover, Kim Yu-han’s screen time wasn’t short either.

“….”

Soon, the three became quiet and just watched the drama, and now they were slowly focusing on the story in the play. The content was quite interesting.

Kim Yu-han stood on the roof of a tall building.

To survey the surroundings before beginning his own operation.

『Where should I look first?』

His eyeballs moved abnormally fast. A zigzagging trajectory, it was impossible to know why he was doing that.

But the three soon understood.

Kim Yu-han had literally seen everything.

Scribble, scribble, scribble—

Afterward, he meticulously draws the cityscape he briefly looked at into his sketchbook. His hands don’t rest for even a moment, and he himself doesn’t have the slightest awareness that he’s doing anything significant.

The mouths of the Soo-ah Task Force fell open.

“What the heck, did he memorize it all after just one look?” “Is that acting? Or is he just a genius from the start?”

“…Soo-ah couldn’t do that kind of acting, right?”

The three nodded simultaneously.

It wasn’t that they disliked or ignored Soo-ah.

But, well, it was just really hard to imagine. Kim Yu-han and Soo-ah felt like completely opposite human types at opposite ends.

Meanwhile, Wonsungying quietly scratched his cheek.

‘With this level of acting, it’s enough for proof. The community reaction will be completely overturned, I bet. So far, there’s no reason to criticize him.’

The worst genius in history who even blasphemes against God?

Wonsungying thought that with this level of quality, it was worth uttering such a joke. That’s how shocked he was.

Thwack—!

Around this time, Kim Yu-han, having finished grasping the entire structure of the city, kidnaps Police Officer Lee Ga-ram (Park Do-hee) in his own way.

Only for the sake of private retribution.

『You’re awake?』

And the torture chamber.

『Welcome.』

The three felt as if they were being kidnapped.

The camera angle and Kim Yu-han’s expression controlled their emotions.

“…Ugh, his whispering voice gives me goosebumps.” “Is it because he’s handsome? It’s kind of romantic?”

“I can’t tell if he’s playing a good or bad character.”

Then.

Boom— Boom— Boom—

Background music started playing, like a heartbeat.

『Why did you do it? In the end, all the bad guys are caught by my hands.』

『W-What are you trying to do? L-Let me go. No, you’re a detective. All you can do is arrest me. W-Why, why are you doing this….』

『You’re wrong.』

『What…?』

『I’m Kim Yu-han. I’m the guy who finds and kills people like you.』

—♩♪♬

The sudden background music was unexpected.

It wasn’t the sound typical of thrillers that makes people anxious. Just a sweet classical melody. That’s all.

It was also a device that Soo-ah had arranged.

The result of going to the sound team and advising them on the background music.

Thanks to that, the three were mesmerized. In an incredibly brutal situation, Kim Yu-han had a very sweet face.

Like a conductor of a musical piece.

『So, from now on….』

Gulp, the three swallowed hard.

『…You’re going to experience it too. Slowly.』

“Ah, the music just makes it creepier.”

“I mean, it feels really scary.” “Ugh! How cruel!”

Afterward, Park Do-hee bit Kim Yu-han’s arm.

And when Kim Yu-han kissed Park Do-hee on the forehead.

Smooch. “Kyaa!” “Ugeugak!” “Gasp!”

The three simultaneously collapsed backward.

Each of them clutched tightly at the area around their hearts.

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[Saengji: Soo-ah, what is your friend?] [Saengji: Soo-ahn-ssi, it was amazing?] [Deer: Please introduce me] [Deer: No, please introduce me. Unnie.] [Wonsungying: Be sure to keep the video call promise.]

[Soo-ah: What, did everyone actually watch it?] [Soo-ah: What about Black Bear?] [Deer: He joined the army….] [Soo-ah: Ah.]

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Special Task Force 808 is a Wednesday-Thursday drama broadcast simultaneously nationwide.

In other words, anyone who tuned into tvS channel at this time could watch it. The accessibility is different from a short film.

Even those who don’t watch short films can easily come across dramas.

The kitchen of a certain restaurant was no exception.

Now, after closing time, the back is being cleaned up.

“Hey, hey, why are you handling a knife so dangerously? How can you carry it around like that? Is this your first time working in a kitchen?”

When the clumsy part-timer nodded. “Aigoo, another Soo-ah-like person came in.”

The chef grabbed the back of his neck. The part-timer only tilted his head.

“Who is Soo-ah?”

Then the employees who were doing dishes or mopping the floor simultaneously burst out laughing.

“There is. An employee who made it impossible to let our guard down for even a moment.”

Those who finished cleaning first were watching the TV placed on one side, and Special Task Force 808 happened to be airing.

“Kim Yu-han, isn’t that the hot rookie from the community?” “That’s right. He’s really handsome.”

“He seems smart too. His role is of a genius.” “Ah, I wish someone like that would come in as a part-timer.”

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Gangnam, Pilates Studio.

After finishing the last class, members gathered together.

They were chatting while eating the lunch boxes they had brought according to their respective diets. They had physiques that didn’t seem to be lacking when looking at each other. In the first place, only those who risked their lives for their bodies gathered.

Suddenly, one person looked in the mirror and sighed.

“It’s driving me crazy, I can’t be as good as Soo-ah even after going this far.”

She spewed out words close to deception with a sculpted body, but no one felt it was deception. At least everyone here could sympathize with the grumbler’s concerns.

“That’s because Soo-ah was an exception. We’re big and pretty enough. The likes on this group photo were crazy, right?” “That’s right. It was also on the real-time popular feed.” “Well, anyway, even so.”

A new member, who had been listening quietly, blinked her eyes like a chick.

“Soo-ah? Was she really big? And good at Pilates too?”

Everyone shook their heads.

“The former is true, but the latter is not. While being very big, she was also very stiff. It felt like a wooden block was doing Pilates.” “…Excuse me?”

“I guess size is ultimately innate.”

“Let’s stop talking about departed members. Everyone, let’s eat.”

Afterward, the full-fledged meal began.

Originally, the stories to be shared were obvious.

I hate the sponsorship offers that come through DM so much. I bought a luxury bag. Your body is amazing, I’m jealous. My current boyfriend is doing what kind of business somewhere. I’m going abroad somewhere next month….

Today was different.

That’s because everyone’s eyes were drawn to the TV.

Special Task Force 808. Especially Kim Yu-han.

“…He’s too handsome.” “If I had a boyfriend like that, I’d be confident I could support him for the rest of my life.” “I have to go home, but I can’t leave. Should I watch it?”

A little later, the members mumbled as if they were voting.

“I’m Lee Kang-cheol.” “I’m Kim Yu-han.” “Me too, Kim Yu-han.” “I want to strip them both and compare them.”

Black and white. A stickler for principles and a mad dog.

Which one will you choose?

Viewers were already faced with a dilemma.

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Gangnam Sports Center.

After the swimming lesson, the members were moving to a nearby restaurant to eat. Hearty beef and rice soup to fill their bodies.

One of the instructors tilted his head.

“No, who is Soo-ah-ssi?”

“There is. Someone whose butt floats like a buoy when she falls into the water.”

“What….” “Anyway, as long as you’re not that bad. What I’m saying is that the member who made things difficult for you today is nothing. Do you understand?” “That doesn’t make sense.”

Soon, their eyes were also drawn to the restaurant TV. “Wow, he’s got the face.” “That’s a rookie, right? Is that not a lie?” “His name is Lee Soo-ahn? I have to search for him after the drama is over.”

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The faces of the profile shooting team were no different.

A mixture of satisfaction and admiration on their faces.

“Wow, he pulls off the cross-dressing so well?”

“Actually, didn’t we not even need to do his makeup? If he’s this good, I’d believe him even if I were brainwashed to think he’s a man.”

“Eh, that’d still be difficult. His body is too curvy.”

“Ah, that’s true. Come to think of it, the CG team is amazing. We at least just did his face makeup, right? And left his body alone.”

The shooting team leader burst out laughing.

“The drama’s CG team must have suffered properly.”

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And some studio.

The space where the Special Task Force 808 CG team is staying.

“….”

Silence.

“….”

Only silence.

A space where the concept of sound has been eradicated.

It’s just quiet.

Each of them had a tissue blocking their nose as if they had a nosebleed, and in the midst of all this, there wasn’t one person who looked normal. There were many chairs, but there wasn’t a single person sitting in them. Everyone was sprawled on the floor.

Like corpses. Or ashes that had been burned completely white. “I can’t do it, this kind of work. I can’t do it again….”

One person muttered like a last will and testament.

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Broadcasting stations other than tvS were in a frenzy.

They didn’t discriminate between MBQ, KBM, or SBT affiliates. Their expressions hardened as soon as they started monitoring Special Task Force 808.

Special Task Force 808.

They immediately realized that the competition was too strong.

“He’s a rookie, what is this?” “He’s too different from our rookies? Didn’t they hide something and do media play? Didn’t they bring him from overseas somewhere?” “He’s good, he’s good. Ah, this is giving me a headache….”

Everyone began to feel dizzy.

The reason was simple.

“It seems Kim Yu-han has proven himself to some extent? What do we do? We used every spice we could on the article….”

“….”

They were not in a position to deal with the aggro they had unleashed.

Somehow, only Kim Yu-han managed to slip out of the situation. If it continued like this, wouldn’t they only get pelted with stones?

In the end, one person shouted nervously. “Turn off that monitor right now! Focus on our drama!”

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At this time, the smoking room of Starcatch was very crowded.

The current situation differed from the reporters’ expectations. No, it wasn’t just different. It far exceeded expectations. One reporter said, with a cigarette in his mouth.

“Kim Yu-han, this guy can actually act?”

Sighs erupted from all over the place.

“What do we do? Should we delete all the articles we wrote in advance?” “You have to delete them. How can we release them when he’s this good?”

The articles they had prepared in advance were obvious.

[Could it be Kim Yu-han? Just as expected, bluster.] [The harm of noise marketing? What is this?] [Kim Yu-han, ‘Empty wagons make the most noise.’]

If Kim Yu-han was below expectations, they were planning to release articles criticizing him immediately, but it went awry. Rather, the article that felt like bluster no longer felt like bluster.

The opposite situation had occurred.

One person said, sounding wronged.

He was once a sunbae of Saengji-Kim Seon-ah, and was the instigator who suggested preparing these articles in advance.

“No, how could we have predicted that the article wasn’t bluster? Seriously, it looked like nonsense to anyone! Logically, who would have thought that a rookie would be that good!” One of the people nearby shook his head and put out his cigarette.

“Anyway, one thing has become clear.”

“…What is it?”

“This is already the second time Kim Seon-ah has been right. At least she doesn’t write nonsense in articles. It’s hard to see it as a coincidence now. From now on, we should just trust Seon-ah and go.”

The sunbae felt it at this point. That while Kim Seon-ah’s approval rating was rising like crazy, his own position had hit rock bottom.

“No, still….”

The sunbae was about to protest something.

Tap, tap. Other reporters tapped his shoulder.

“It’s okay. It’s our fault for listening to you. Honestly, you didn’t work very hard either, did you? You were always just exploiting the new employees.” “…!”

“Okay, let’s go up and rewrite the articles right away! It’s not too late! Focus on Kim Yu-han properly and fire away like crazy!”

The implications were clear.

“Team leader Kim Seon-ah, and let’s get in line behind Kim Yu-han!”

Soon after, articles flew over the internet like missiles.

[Can’t help but write praise for the first episode of Special Task Force 808…. New possibilities for rookie actors revealed ‘Kim Yu-han─Lee Soo-ahn’]

Starcatch boarded the Special Task Force 808 ship.

◈◈◈◈◈

Finally, the broadcast of the first episode was finished.

High-end Korean beef restaurant.

The Special Task Force 808 production team was already in a festive mood.

“Cheers, cheers!” “Please give us one more bottle of beer here!”

They hadn’t checked the public’s reaction at all yet, but they were like this. It was because everyone was already satisfied. The result they had seen with their own eyes was at least something they wouldn’t regret.

“As expected, Director Choi PD’s directing is no joke!” “The actors’ acting is no joke either!” “It seems the sound team and CG team worked hard too.” “…Hm? Come to think of it, why is no one from the CG team here?”

A CG team disappearance mystery seemed to be circulating, but it didn’t last long.

For now, the celebration came first. Empty bottles increased like crazy. Like the Great Wall of China.

And meanwhile, Kim Yu-han, who played the role of Soo-ah.

‘I ended up watching it intently without realizing it. Jackpot.’

He was feeling an immense sense of pride inside.

At first, his appearance as a man felt awkward, but later he fell in love with it.

‘It feels like I’m looking at someone else. That’s why I was able to watch it straight through without any awkwardness. The drama is also fun.’

The question came after a moment.

At least the people here, including himself, seemed to have watched it very satisfied, but what about other people?

Will they give positive reviews? In the first place, how many people watched it?

Buzzing—

It was at that moment that Soo-ah’s cell phone rang.

‘It’s a complete mess. A complete mess.’

It was on fire. That’s because friends in the group chat room were madly writing down their impressions. Like beasts. Living up to their nicknames.

Afterward.

Buzzing—!

Once again, the cell phone rang loudly, but this time it wasn’t Soo-ah’s. At the same time as PD Choi Hee-won jumped up from his seat, everyone shut their mouths tight.

Choi Hee-won PD put one index finger over his lips and answered the phone. The surroundings were already silent. “Yes. This is PD Choi Hee-won.”

A tense voice. His Adam’s apple bobbed.

“Of course. It’s enough if you tell me based on what’s been tallied so far. Yes, yes. I’m listening. Um….”

Soon his call was over. “PD-nim, how did it go? What’s the percentage?” “Ah, please! I’m too nervous to listen!” “It’s better to get the beating over with quickly! Tell us quickly!”

Soo-ah finally understood. They were talking about viewership ratings.

Thump, thump, thump—! Only outwardly did he try to look calm, but Soo-ah’s heart was beating like crazy. The surroundings were already in chaos. Because there were all kinds of people having seizures and unable to stay still for even a moment.

Thump, thump, thump—! It was shaking like crazy.

At the same time, he hoped for a good result. Please.

In that chaos.

Choi Hee-won PD carefully opened his mouth.

“First, I will tell you based on what has been tallied so far. KBM, which said they would win with action, is at 8%”

Everyone stopped all movements in an instant.

The announcement continued in silence.

“SBT, with romance, is at 7.8% and MBQ, a historical drama, is at 6%”

Time seemed to have stopped.

In a moment that seemed to be caught in eternity. 1 second was no longer the same as the previous 1 second. Everyone was concentrating entirely in a taut tension like a tightly drawn string.

That’s when it happened.

Suddenly, Choi Hee-won PD called Soo-ah.

“Soo-ah-ssi, how much is all this added together?”

Soo-ah remained silent for some reason.

However, Seo Yeon-joo, who was next to him, quickly blurted out an answer.

“…21.8%? Huh, seriously?”

Seo Yeon-joo’s eyes widened.

“Seriously?”

Then Choi Hee-won PD smiled. “It’s higher than that. 23%”