episode_0055

– Just watched “The Sea Diary.” Gonna watch it again tomorrow. Seriously, it’s so good. You have to watch it. Watch it twice.

– Yeah. Went in with no expectations and came out crying.

– Seo Eisu’s acting was really good.

The audience all praised it.

However, despite such reviews, the film was low-budget from the start.

They couldn’t spend much on promotion, so even with the title of an award-winning film at a film festival, it didn’t have much public recognition.

Thus, the start of “The Sea Diary” was shaky.

“The Sea Diary” daily attendance:

Day 1: 27,000 seats

Day 2: 30,000 seats

Day 3: 39,000 seats

…

…

The turning point came on the 4th day of release.

– How did they manage to monopolize the screens? I tried to book tickets for “The Sea Diary,” but they were all sold out. But I found out there are very few theaters showing it.

– They focused all the theaters on blockbusters. And those weren’t even good.

– I thought it was just me. How can’t I get tickets for “The Sea Diary”?

Online booking.

On-site purchase.

Tickets for “The Sea Diary” were completely sold out.

There were several reasons for this.

Due to the low budget, they initially booked fewer theaters.

Also, many theaters were showing big-budget blockbusters at the same time, leading to a lack of theaters for “The Sea Diary.”

In such a situation, word of mouth about “The Sea Diary” spread through SNS and various communities, attracting attention.

For various reasons, theaters showing “The Sea Diary” across the country were packed.

And a sold-out show.

Whatever the reason, it creates a buzz.

“The Sea Diary” cumulative attendance:

Day 7: 307,600 seats

The film broke even in just a week.

[Nationwide sold out. “The Sea Diary” emerging as the dark horse of this season.]

[Can’t watch a good film because there are no tickets. Screen monopoly. Is this okay?]

Articles were written.

Netizens across the country browsing the entertainment news section of portal sites read the article.

The buzz grew even more.

This “The Sea Diary” commotion had all the elements the media loves.

The rise of an unnoticed dark horse.

The performances of rookie directors and actors.

And above all, the unreasonable issue of screen monopoly dominated by major distributors…

With such juicy material, the media couldn’t just sit back and watch.

And so, “The Sea Diary”…

– This is the next news. Recently, an interesting phenomenon is happening at ticket booths in movie theaters nationwide. You can see people pacing back and forth unable to get tickets for the movies they want to see.

Suddenly, it made its way onto the news broadcast.

It wasn’t specifically about “The Sea Diary.”

Rather, the focus was on major distributors.

The story was about good films being overshadowed by capital and monopolies.

Not a single word about “The Sea Diary” was mentioned.

Instead, they showed the full poster of the film…

And thus.

“The Sea Diary” daily attendance:

Day 8: 104,600 seats

Day 9: 107,100 seats

The growth didn’t stop at 100,000.

Despite the distributor initially increasing the number of theaters due to public demand, it remained at 100,000 due to full house shows.

In the end, the distributor is a business.

Even if it’s a film they didn’t invest much in, if it shows signs of success, they have no choice but to increase the number of theaters.

And so, the wind blowing from the sea reached the mainland.

As the fierce sea breeze swept through Seoul, Busan, and all over the country…

– Actor!

A call came from Han Kyung-jin.

“We did it. We finally did it! Now we can finally repay our debts to the actors who shone so brightly for us…”

Finally, I was able to pay off that debt.

He said.

Day 14 of Release

Daily Attendance: 179,300 viewers

Cumulative Attendance: 1,009,700 viewers

1 million viewers.

In an era where 10 million viewers have become commonplace, this number may seem modest.

But for some, it’s a symbol of a dream come true.

One day, Han Kyung-jin, with aspirations as a director, vowed to create a film that could attract 1 million viewers, even for the sake of his dedicated actors.

That very number.

1 million viewers.

The time it took to achieve this was just 14 days since the film’s release.

Considering that most new films take at least a month…

The success of could be considered just the beginning.

***

“Congratulations, Mr. Seo Yisoo.”

“Congratulations!”

Upon arriving at the filming set, staff and supporting actors gathered to congratulate him.

…Seo Yisoo is sensitive to others’ emotions.

“Oh, no. It’s nothing.”

Trying to be humble in any way possible.

But it was clear that his mouth was twitching upwards.

“Hehe, hoho, huhuhu.”

Shin Ji-hoo, who was leading Seo Yisoo to the dressing room, chuckled.

“Are you really that happy?”

“Well, it’s nothing special. I’m not that great of an actor to be happy about such things. I didn’t become an actor to achieve success.”

“Oh?”

Shin Ji-hoo continued to play along.

The more he did, the more Seo Yisoo felt proud.

She said with a smug expression, “As long as I can enjoy acting, that’s all that matters. I’m just a carefree actor.”

“Wow, impressive.”

“Yeah, you’re starting to realize how great of an actor I am.”

“Really? I don’t know about that.”

“Hehe, hoho, huhuhu.”

Trying to hide the laughter coming from his mouth, Seo Yisoo quickly covered his mouth.

Although his shoulders were shaking, it didn’t hold much significance.

In fact, there was nothing untrue in what Seo Yisoo said.

He was quite innocent and didn’t fully understand the meaning of money and fame in the world.

At least for now, Seo Yisoo was truly acting for the joy of it.

Shin Ji-hoo scratched his chin.

‘What should I do?’

Should he gently awaken this naive actress to reality?

Or should he let her remain in her pure bubble?

Soon, Shin Ji-hoo made a decision.

‘It wouldn’t hurt for her to have a bit of reality.’

Shin Ji-hoo decided to gently enlighten Seo Yisoo.

But…

“You’re really amazing. Oh, by the way, did you know?”

“I do.”

“…But I didn’t say anything yet?”

“Hehe, hoho, huhuhu. Shin Ji-hoo. A person as amazing as me wouldn’t not know, right?”

…

Seo Yisoo’s behavior at that moment was quite annoying.

‘Here goes.’

Shin Ji-hoo steeled his heart.

“Right. Anyway, listen up. When you signed the contract for , there was a clause for a running guarantee. The basic appearance fee was already high.”

“Running guarantee?”

A running guarantee was a clause that paid an additional amount per viewer after the film reached the break-even point.

And…

had not yet reached 300,000 viewers for the break-even point.

…

“So, since then, the dividend that will be paid to you has been accumulating. It’s not a huge amount yet, as the rate was set low, but…”

At this point, Shin Ji-hoo paused for a moment.

For dramatic effect.

After all, shocking news should be delivered after a brief pause.

“Still, right now, you could buy 100 bowls of mango shaved ice with the money that’s accumulating for you, couldn’t you?”

“…!!”

“Moreover, since the production is just starting to gain traction, more opportunities will come in the future.”

“….”

“But, Seo Yisoo, you are truly remarkable. You have no interest in such worldly matters. Let’s just make a donation. It’s money that we have no use for anyway. It can help maintain our image.”

“….”

Seo Yisoo understood the word ‘donation.’

Her proud expression turned pale blue.

The mango bingsu.

Those brilliant crimson jewels.

Faded away miserably.

“What do you think? It’s a good idea, right?”

“….”

“Hey, why aren’t you responding?”

“….”

“Well, it’s too obvious to even mention, right? Shall we do it this way then?”

“Um, well….”

“Oh, come on. You’re truly amazing.”

“Oh, no. I mean…”

“You’re donating 100 bowls of mango bingsu. It’s something unimaginable for someone like me.”

“Sh-Shin Jihu….”

Shin Jihu pretended not to hear.

And Seo Yisoo noticed that Shin Jihu was pretending not to listen.

Desperately, she grabbed Shin Jihu’s sleeve.

“Shin Jihu, I mean…”

“Huh? Why are you acting like that, top actress Seo Yisoo?”

“Oh, no. I’m not that kind of person.”

In the end, Seo Yisoo looked up at Shin Jihu with a trembling face.

Her watery eyes filled with remorse.

“I think I may have been carried away for a moment.”

“Hmm?”

“I was wrong. Let’s forget about the donation talk. I can donate later when I have more money, right?”

In such a pitiful state, she apologized for her mistake.

“Hehe.”

If this was how it was going to turn out.

Pretending to be superior on such a topic.

Shin Jihu laughed contentedly at his small and insignificant sense of victory.

“Shin Jihu.”

Seo Yisoo asked him.

“Why?”

“Um… about increasing the number of audience. What should I do?”

Her eyes sparkled brightly.

It seemed like she was completely captivated by the formula ‘audience = mango bingsu.’

“Well, in my opinion, you just need to…”

“Me, me? What about me?”

“You, too, should act.”

“Act.”

Shin Jihu gazed calmly at Seo Yisoo, whose eyes sparkled as she imagined mango bingsu.

“Yes, act. Act, Seo Yisoo.”

He told her to act.

“Shine brighter than anyone else. Be so captivating that once people see you, they can’t look away. So, whatever you do, it will be to make you shine, and anyone will understand that.”

To shine like that.

So that no matter who you are, no matter what you do.

People will nod in admiration at your brilliance.

“Wow, Seo Yisoo’s gaze is so intense.”

“Indeed. She must be putting in a lot of effort into her acting.”

As Seo Yisoo prepared to act in front of the camera, the staff murmured to themselves.

“Sometimes, she’s really amazing. While other actors do interviews and shoot commercials when their works are successful, Seo Yisoo focuses solely on acting.”

It was a misunderstanding.

Simply because Seo Yisoo was so peculiar.

That’s why she was refusing interviews in case she made a mistake in front of reporters.

“That’s right. Besides, she’s always the first one to arrive on set. Her passion for acting is truly remarkable.”

It was a misunderstanding.

Just because Seo Yisoo was so picky about food.

Shin Jihu would bring her to the set early and hand her food to eat.

The environment shapes a person.

As Seo Yisoo’s status rose, the staff who didn’t know her well were making their own misconceptions about her.

Unaware of the misunderstandings spreading among the staff.

‘Mango bingsu….’

Seo Yisoo, engulfed in worldly desires, began her acting.

***

In the story, Haesoo is originally portrayed as a flawless character.

Not flawless in the sense of having no flaws.

She was so perfect because she didn’t need anything other than what made her up.

“Miss Haesoo. Did you have to say it like that?”

“Why?”

When Haesoo talked to the victim’s family to gather information, she couldn’t empathize with them at all.

She didn’t even know why they were crying.

She couldn’t understand why people got angry at her for speaking what she thought was reasonable.

Haesoo was that kind of person.

She didn’t understand people.

And so, people found her repulsive.

Only two people were different.

The first one was her mother.

And the second was Doyeon, who had become Haesoo’s new guide in place of her deceased mother.

Haesoo said to Doyeon, “I don’t know why people get angry at me. But… if you tell me to try, I will.”

Among the people she knew, only Doyeon didn’t hate Haesoo.

Doyeon told Haesoo what she could and couldn’t do.

So Haesoo told Doyeon that she would act differently if she shouldn’t do something.

And Doyeon responded with a gentle smile, “No, it’s okay. You’re fine just the way you are, Haesoo.”

So Haesoo tried not to change anything.

“Hey, Miss. You’re not saying weird things these days?”

“…Am I? I’m not sure.”

As she experienced various incidents, Haesoo changed little by little.

A desire was blooming in her heart.

But Haesoo’s change had not yet fully revealed itself.

She couldn’t figure out exactly what that change was.

She only felt a bitter thirst from time to time.

As her team succeeded in their missions and celebrated together.

As the victims they rescued expressed their gratitude and cried.

And most of all, as Doyeon and her other teammates shared deep connections with each other.

Haesoo struggled with a thirst unlike any she had felt before.

Time passed in that state.

Incidents piled up, and stories intertwined.

Thus, the Crime Eater, Episode 8.

The numerous followers following the perpetrator who killed the protagonists’ families.

They were still fulfilling their desires through murder in various places.

To reach the perpetrator.

The Crime Eaters tracked down one of the followers, a serial killer.

In a forest filled with tall trees.

A chase unfolded.

In the twists and turns of the pursuit, fate led Haesoo to face the serial killer one-on-one.

The opponent was a sturdy man.

But Haesoo had a trick up her sleeve.

She seized the opportunity, injected the man with a drug, and he lost his balance and fell.

“Please… spare me!”

“I won’t kill you. I’ll hand you over to the police.”

“No! Why are you trying to catch me? You’re not even a cop. And… I can tell just by looking at you. You’re on the same side as me.”

“…”

“Do you, too, sometimes struggle with a desire to kill? Even if people cry because of you, you don’t understand why they’re crying.”

“…”

“I do too. I’m the same as you. We’re not enemies.”

Haesoo.

With the same destructive desire as him.

As a monster who didn’t understand people’s hearts.

She faced a man who had freely committed murder.

Crime Eater Episode 8.

#New 34

– Mountain cottage in the forest.

I couldn’t say anything for a moment.

It was the first time.

I had met someone like me.

The man said to me, “You’re the same as me.”

“…”

Confusion binds people’s actions.

I was the same.

I didn’t say anything and just watched the man in front of me.

He kept talking.

“I heard rumors. Some crazy bastards are cleaning up and helping victims. But why are you involved with those people?”

“…”

“Why are you doing such foolish things? Wake up.”

“Wake up, you say?”

“Yes. What you’re doing is a stupid waste of time. It’s like risking your life for dogs or pigs.”

The man uttered words I had never heard before.

“We are special. Different from other people.”

He said we were special.

Because we are special.

Ordinary people can easily commit things that others cannot do.

Because we are special.

Even if a normal person can cry over sad things, they can remain indifferent.

To me, who has lived without understanding people for a lifetime, those words sounded quite charming.

“Wouldn’t it be better to do it this way? To become our ally.”

“….”

“If you do that, you will be able to enjoy the privileges of being a special person.”

Killing those you want to kill.

Making those you want to cry, cry.

Those kinds of things.

The man told me that those were privileges.

Because we are special.

So, those privileges are given to us.

Such…

For someone like me who has lived with the shackles of rules, receiving the disdain of others, those words sounded really charming.

“Hmm? What do you think?”

“….”

I didn’t answer right away.

Instead, I looked at a corner of the mountain lodge where we were.

“….”

The sky was darkening as night approached.

As the light that illuminated the lodge receded, darkness filled the space.

“….”

I, without saying a word.

Looked at a corner of the lodge.

That place.

Located in the square of the window, it was a place where even the light did not reach during the day.

Now that it was becoming night.

The darkness there thickened even more, making it impossible to see beyond.

I knew.

Even if I peered through that darkness, there would be nothing there.

Because my world, too, was filled with the darkness of night.

And usually, darkness.

Tends to come when there is nothing to emit or reflect light.

When it is so empty.

Ting-

At that moment of realization, a dull pain in my chest and a strange thirst were felt.

“….”

Just as I don’t understand people’s hearts.

I still didn’t know the identity of this thirst.

But one thing seemed certain.

“We…”

This man said we were special.

But is it really true?

Many scenes flashed by.

Comrades…

Their laughter.

Their tears.

Their warmth, and

And their light.

That light gave me enlightenment.

“We are not special.”

“….?”

We are not special.

“We can do things that others can’t just because we lack patience.”

We just lack empathy more than others.

“Just, non-existent. We are. Since birth.”

Just like sometimes someone is born without arms or legs.

We are also like that.

And, being human.

“In the future, too, always.”

It was impossible for non-existent arms and legs to grow anew.

I felt a strong, heart-wrenching thirst that I had never felt before.

Different from the destructive impulse that came when the impulse was felt, a desire that heated the chest.

In that thirst.

I sadly told the man.

I said it as if I sympathized with him.

I said it sympathetically as I saw myself reflected in his eyes.

“We are just, disabled people.”

“….”

At my words.

The man, for a while, seemed dazed, and for a while, he gritted his teeth.

And. After a while had passed.

“Shut up!”

He rushed at me.

Even though he was still under the influence of the drug.

He really did it desperately.