episode_0043

The abilities of Seo Isu and Gil Hye-yeon shone brightly during the reading.

Naturally, the articles also revolved around the two, and this was directly utilized as promotional material for “The Predator of Crime.”

[The Predator of Crime, Two Actresses with Unexpected Acting Skills!]

– Watching the video, Seo Isu’s acting has a strong impact.

– It might be better than expected? It seems like it won’t be too late to admit it after watching.

Opinions like these began to form.

Of course, it was still just a minority of opinions at this point.

The rest were still negative about the unverified casting of Gil Hye-yeon and Seo Isu.

Positive and negative.

Either way, it wasn’t a bad trend for “The Predator of Crime” team.

After all, the drama’s first episode ratings would only come out if the buzz gathered.

The promotional team subtly fueled the casting debate.

– Even if a rookie acts well, it’s nothing special.

– Haven’t you watched the video?

– Stop fighting. Let’s just wait and watch the first episode.

While “I See Ghosts” on KTBC was still the public’s main pick.

Amidst the debates among drama viewers.

Time passed.

It doesn’t stop.

Step by step, it approaches the highly anticipated day.

The first shoot.

And the “The Predator of Crime” team proved themselves as actors on the stage.

In other words…

“Actors! Come over here and get ready!”

“You know, you’re investing money as much as you hope the work will succeed, right?”

“Ah, do I really have to do this? Every time… I feel like I’m becoming a fool.”

“What can we do. If we do it, it feels like we’re clinging to a myth, but if we don’t, it’s uncomfortable.”

They also prepared for the shoot with a ritual beforehand.

Memories of the past resurfaced.

During the filming of “Sea Diary,” wasn’t there a ritual prepared back then too?

Back then, Seo Isu comforted the soul of a pig sacrificed as an offering with magic and slightly enhanced the power of the ritual.

But today.

Seo Isu didn’t use magic.

Instead, she fixed a sharp gaze on Shin Ji-hoo.

“Shin Ji-hoo.”

“What.”

She said.

“You’re really stupid.”

“…What?”

“You’re really stupid.”

“…I never thought I’d hear you call me stupid in my life.”

Life doesn’t always flow as we build it.

But to hear someone like Seo Isu call me stupid.

Am I living my life so wrong that I’m experiencing such terrible things?

“Why are you saying that again?”

Shin Ji-hoo asked, getting annoyed.

This strange girl has things she can say and things she shouldn’t.

Who is she to call someone stupid?

She’s crossed the line by far.

Why is this girl acting like this today? Shin Ji-hoo was genuinely curious.

But Seo Isu maintained a stern expression.

“Shin Ji-hoo, you said that. The ritual is done for the success of the work.”

“…Did I?”

“Earlier, when I told Gil Hye-yeon about the ritual, she laughed. She called it all a myth.”

“…Huh?”

Aren’t all kids like that?

When they learn something new, they can’t stand not telling others.

Seo Isu had a similar mindset, even though she wasn’t a child.

She had proudly explained the purpose and importance of the ritual to Gil Hye-yeon.

And in return, she received laughter and a loving touch as if she were adorable.

While the touch felt good,

Apart from that, Seo Isu felt wronged.

“My 17 seconds!”

“…?”

“Shin Ji-hoo, because you didn’t know that the ritual was a myth, my 17 seconds were wasted!”

During the ritual for “Sea Diary,” the amount of mana Seo Isu used for the spirit magic was equivalent to 17 seconds out of 100 years.

Of course, Shin Ji-hoo had no idea what Seo Ee-soo was talking about.

Honestly, it was just unfair.

‘No… Is it strange to believe in magic after hearing that?’

Such thoughts naturally came to mind.

But before he could even argue, Seo Ee-soo sighed, clicking her tongue.

She spoke generously.

“I’ll overlook the fact that you’ve taught me a lot so far. This time, I’ll let it slide. But from now on, make sure to pay more attention and inform me properly.”

Compassionately.

But also sternly, like disciplining a child.

Seo Ee-soo scolded Shin Ji-hoo in that manner.

Seeing her like that, I wondered what I was doing with her.

A sense of reality hit me.

In the end…

“Okay. I see.”

Shin Ji-hoo smiled kindly.

Upon hearing Seo Ee-soo call him stupid, all the anger that had risen in him dissipated.

Or rather, he no longer felt it was worth getting angry.

“I was completely wrong.”

“Yes! It’s good that you know.”

“Yes. I’m really sorry.”

“…Well, you should apologize more sincerely.”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

“…Is it really right to be so apologetic?”

“Of course.”

Shin Ji-hoo replied casually.

“Hmm.”

Shin Ji-hoo noticed that something was off about his attitude, but what more could he do when he had already apologized?

“From now on, do well.”

“Yes. I’ll do better.”

“…Well then.”

Seo Ee-soo mumbled that it wasn’t right, but she still went along with Shin Ji-hoo’s words.

“Hmph.”

And Shin Ji-hoo, finding Seo Ee-soo’s behavior amusing, patted her head without even realizing it.

“Is the filming starting now?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“Do well. I’ll be watching.”

“…I clearly said I’ll be watching. Promises must be kept. Got it?”

“Yes. I got it.”

“Good. Don’t go anywhere else, just make sure to watch me act.”

“Yes, yes.”

And so, after various incidents and accidents.

As an underdog in the masterpiece “I See Ghosts.”

“Actors, please give the signal when you’re ready!”

“Camera, rolling!”

“Sound, speed!”

“Ready, action!”

The first filming of “Crime Predator” began.

In the early stages of the story, Haesoo’s character is somewhat monotonously portrayed.

In the first scene where she discovers her murdered mother, she creates a clear sense of otherness compared to ordinary people, but then she is overshadowed by other supporting and lead actors for a while.

“…You’re saying you’re a prophet? Are you crazy?”

Late at night.

Fast food restaurant.

Bae Dong-geun, who plays the gangster in “Han Sung,” looked as if he had seen a crazy person.

Lee Hyun-seong, who plays the rookie detective “Joon-seong,” had a similar expression.

It was only natural.

The people gathered here had just met Doyeon today.

Doyeon…

This woman who introduced herself as a prophet led several people she met during the day to this cheap fast food restaurant.

She persuaded Han-sung, who was about to commit suicide at his wife’s funeral, not to die.

She took Joon-seong, who had fallen into alcohol after his brother’s death, and saved Haesoo from being interrogated at the police station for possible murder.

“Hey. Miss. You said that to me. That I can catch the criminal. That I shouldn’t die. Weren’t you a detective?”

“I am a detective. Sir. But sir, where have I seen your face before? Shall we go to the police station together for a moment?”

In the midst of confusion, they raised their voices at each other.

Only Haesoo remained quiet.

She sat there, silent, showing no interest in the outside world.

“What about you? Aren’t you going to say something?”

Not liking Haesoo’s attitude, Joon-seong called her out.

But even then, Haesoo just played with her cola and fries, not saying a word.

It was amusing.

She didn’t even eat a hamburger, claiming to be a vegan.

“You shouldn’t harm lives.”

“Star…”

That was when Haesoo moved, upon finding a piece of potato fry that had fallen on the floor.

“Hey. What are you doing, seriously. Disgusting.”

Without hesitation, Haesoo picked up the potato fry with clear tooth marks, and threw it in the trash.

With an expressionless face, she said, “You shouldn’t throw away trash. That’s the rule.”

“Rules my foot….”

People thought Haesoo was a bit of a peculiar person. Even though she didn’t cry when her parents died, they considered her to be someone who lived a righteous life without any proper manners, given her eerie demeanor and actions.

Of course, that wasn’t important right now.

Baek Dong-geun, Han Sung, growled.

“Miss. Were you lying? Just to prevent me from dying.”

It shouldn’t be.

In a low, suppressed violent voice, Han Sung added, “That person is a bit strange, isn’t she?”

To everyone’s surprise, a real murderer appeared.

More precisely, an attempted murderer.

A man chasing a woman with a knife in hand on the street.

The face of rookie detective Junseong contorted like a demon.

“That bastard is after my sister…!”

Junseong tried to catch him without anyone stopping him.

But they were still inexperienced.

As vigilantes seeking justice for the crimes committed.

Junseong’s hasty charge failed, and the culprit managed to escape without committing the murder.

“Get him!”

“He went left!”

Night.

It was a moonlit neighborhood.

The streetlights were sparsely placed, and some were broken or dimmed.

Narrow alleys shrouded in darkness.

An awkward chase unfolded amidst the chaos.

The running individuals were all different.

In gender and, naturally, in stamina and agility.

The group naturally split up one by one.

Was it fate?

Haesoo was the first to encounter the murderer.

“Why are you chasing me, you bastard?”

Underestimating Haesoo, the attempted murderer engaged in a physical fight.

Initially taken aback, Haesoo struck the man’s head with a brick within reach.

“Ouch!”

The man fell.

Breathing heavily, Haesoo got up.

Her appearance was a mess.

A stretched-out t-shirt, disheveled hair, and bloody lips.

Her breathing was rough, forcing her to breathe through her mouth.

Looking down at the fallen man, Haesoo couldn’t understand him.

Why on earth.

Do people kill others?

“I….”

Haesoo mumbled broken words.

The urge to hunt the man dominated her.

And that question led her to reminisce about the past.

She spoke again.

“I, too, am trying to endure.”

During the early stages of filming, the assistant director cautiously approached Kim Jungho.

“Director. Isn’t Haesoo coming off a bit bland?”

“What?”

“Well, I mean, even though her true character is revealed in the latter half of episode 1, wouldn’t it be better to have more impact even if the character seems too dull in the beginning?”

Perhaps it was a valid concern.

Having taken on the role of Detective Haesoo, the actor Seo Yisoo seems to be at the center of controversy.

If she doesn’t show proper impact in the first episode…

I knew it would be like this.

Sure enough, viewers will criticize the casting of that actor to the point of turning it to dust.

Knowing this, Kim Jungho didn’t even get angry at the worries of the assistant director.

Instead, he smiled meaningfully.

“You’ll understand later.”

“What?”

“I said you’ll understand. When you see acting that you can’t ignore even if you turn your eyes away… keeping the early directing dull will be a stroke of genius.”

“…?”

At that time, the assistant director couldn’t understand what Kim Jungho was saying.

But soon, he would understand.

Right now.

Through Haesoo’s one shot.

Episode 1.

#God 78

-Back Alley at Night

It reminded me of the old days.

When I was young…

My mother was afraid of me.

She watched my every move and didn’t come close to me.

That changed when I killed a few cats, and finally, my father ran away from us with various excuses.

My mother got angry at me for the first time.

And she started forcing things on me that I couldn’t understand.

“Live right. Follow promises and rules. Above all, never take a life…”

I couldn’t understand why.

But I lived by it.

When my father left, and I was driven out of school and the neighborhood, only my mother embraced me.

My mother was my world.

And at the same time, the rules of that world.

She was the only light that illuminated my world covered in darkness.

…

Sometimes strange and destructive desires overwhelmed me.

But I had to endure.

Because that was the rule.

I got used to enduring.

Hunger and thirst were unbearable, but I thought it couldn’t be helped.

But…

“I also… …do.”

Rough breath muddled the pronunciation of the words.

I looked down at the fallen man.

I saw a man who lived breaking the rules as he pleased.

He was bleeding from his head.

He couldn’t gather his senses properly.

Staggering without being able to get up.

Taking backward steps with his buttocks.

“…”

It was a pitiful sight.

I spat out the words that had been muddled.

“I also… endure. Why is this person killing people when I’m enduring?”

I was curious.

An unbearable desire rose in my head.

“…”

In my eyes.

The knife that the man seemed to have dropped entered.

A sticky desire arose involuntarily.

My mouth dried up and felt sticky.

“Haah… Haah…”

The rough breath rose hotly.

I was tormented by a more intense desire than ever before.