Chapter 37: Hanryang (3)

Translator: Dreamscribe

Inside a high and enormous warehouse studio set. The difference from the ‘Exorcism’ days was quite literally like heaven and earth. Woojin was genuinely astonished. What could possibly be prepared inside such a large and spacious warehouse?

“They even shoot dramas in such a large logistics warehouse-”

Moreover, the number of staff members was tremendous.

The lighting team running around with lighting equipment, the shooting team carefully moving the cameras, the directing team coating the entire scene with shooting storyboard, and the props team moving various props in a minibus, and so on.

There were roughly more than 60 people. With the addition of actors and their management teams, it would easily surpass 100 people.

‘All these people are going to watch my acting?’

The energy of the staff was different from the script reading time.

Even then, there were about a hundred people, but there was no movement, so it was static. However, this was like a battlefield itself, and the first day of shooting, so how nervous would you be?

Thanks to that, Kang Woojin,

“Oh- shi. This is a bit overwhelming.”

His veins began to throb throughout his body along with his heart. This was a different kind of nervousness. Yes, it was close to tension. In the midst of this grandeur, he had to perform in front of hundreds of eyes watching.

For Woojin, who was close to an ordinary person, it was normal that his breathing became faster.

Still,

‘Phew- deep breaths, deep breaths. Just think of them all as cats and dogs. That’s all it takes.’

Woojin had already finished his warm-up at ‘Exorcism’. Hence, he cooled down his fiercely pounding heart.

Around that time,

-Swoosh.

Two people joined Kang Woojin who was looking at the studio set. It was road manager Jang Su-hwan and stylist Han Ye-jung. Han Ye-jung, with green patches in her short hair, glanced at the expressionless Kang Woojin.

‘Why is he so calm? Isn’t he nervous at all? How peculiar.”

Then, the bulky Jang Su-hwan exclaimed somewhat cheekily.

“Wow- shi. This place is huge, isn’t it?! Are you okay, Woojin Hyung? I’m nervous, it’s my first time on a real set, I’m nervous!”

Although his voice was yet to mature, his voice was loud. Looking at him, the expressionless Kang Woojin answered inwardly.

‘Comrade, I’m also nervous.’

But outwardly, he remained cool.

“I’m also nervous.”

“Eh? You look so calm though??! Ah! Maybe you’re pretending to be nervous for my sake?”

Why do they interpret on their own after I said I was nervous? However, Woojin gave up explaining. Instead, he showed composure.

“It’ll be fine soon.”

“Yes! I’ll secretly take some deep breaths.”

Choi Sung-gun, who had been on the phone somewhere, appeared laughing.

“Alright, let’s go in!”

With that, team Kang Woojin entered the large studio.

The studio set was even more enormous inside than outside. It was not only vast, but also, what to say, quite spectacular? Different sets for shooting were laid out in each section. Dozens of staff members were bustling about these sets.

Around them, cameras and lighting were being meticulously set up.

Kang Woojin was busy taking in this world of a different dimension. However, he didn’t have much time. Because PD Song man-woo approached as soon as he arrived. He put his hand on Woojin’s shoulder and smiled.

“Did you arrive? Mr. Kang Totem.”

“Yes?”

“No, no, just joking.”

Soon, Team Kang Woojin, including Choi Sung-gun, greeted PD Song man-woo, and PD Song locked eyes with Choi Sung-gun.

“You arrived early, CEO Choi? You’re first among the actors.”

“Hahaha, our Woojin is a rookie, isn’t he? He must come in first.”

Director Song’s gaze moved to the calm Kang Woojin.

“Right, a rookie. Or, is he? I’m a bit confused.”

At the same time, Choi Sung-gun also agreed with a laugh.

“Yes, it’s true. He is a rookie, but then again, he’s not.”

Jang Su-hwan and Han Ye-jung, who recently joined Kang Woojin’s team, tilted their heads. They hadn’t experienced Woojin yet. Regardless, PD Song moved on to the main topic.

He began explaining to Woojin while showing the shooting storyboard.

“Woojin, about half of today’s schedule is Park Dae-ri, so keep that in mind.”

In other words, Kang Woojin’s filming would continue relentlessly. In fact, today’s shooting storyboard contained a lot of ‘Yu Ji-hyeong’ and ‘Park Dae-ri’ cuts.

Dramas cannot be filmed sequentially from scene 1 in the script.

Considering the situation, the actors’ routes, and their schedules, the shooting roadmap is drawn up, and they shoot haphazardly according to it. PD Song will arrange this in the final editing.

Therefore, neither Hong Hye-yeon nor other lead and supporting actors are attending the shooting today. According to the plan, they would join from tomorrow.

“Okay, Woojin should get makeup first, and try on the costume as well. Can the stylist come with me to check Park Dae-ri’s costume?”

“Yes, PD.”

At that time, PD Song man-woo, who remembered the secretly arrived guest on the scene, continued to speak.

“There might be a surprise for Woojin today. No, I’m sure of it.”

He patted Kang Woojin’s shoulder.

“The junk car goes, and the foreign car comes1, exactly that kind of feeling?”

Of course, Woojin casually asked back.

“What do you mean?”

PD Song man-woo’s smile deepened.

“It means that a foreign car is at the scene.”

A few tens of minutes later.

A large black van arrived at the set studio’s parking lot. It was the van of the lead actor of ‘Profiler Hanryang’, Ryu Jung-min. Inside the car, Ryu Jung-min, with baby perm hair as his character, sat with his eyes closed.

“…”

He wasn’t sleeping. He was controlling his mind, including regulating his breathing. Soon, the top actor Ryu Jung-min, whose mind was filled with thoughts of acting, slowly opened his closed eyes.

Even more so.

-Swoosh.

The script he just opened was worn out from how much he had read it. The script was full of notes everywhere. It was a trace of his analysis. About 5 minutes later.

“Brother.”

Ryu Jung-min, who had been looking at the script and regulating his breath, called his manager and team. He was ready to go to the set.

“Let’s go.”

So the police and the prosecutors are pushing themselves to their limits. The entire nation is watching. And in the center of it all was the profiler ‘Yu Ji-hyeong’. He thoroughly analyzes Park Dae-ri’s past and his tracks up to the present. And this scene was the second meeting between Yu Ji-hyeong and Park Dae-ri.

So it was natural for Woojin to wear handcuffs.

However, Kang Woojin,

“······”

used the handcuffs as a trigger. As soon as the cold chunk of metal filled his wrists, he pulled out the implanted Park Dae-ri.

The starting point was an unpleasant emotion.

The emotions of Park Dae-ri, engraved by the void space, developed into sensations, and those sensations woke up emotions and reason. Soon, Kang Woojin’s aura transformed. Dark eyes, deep and unknowable, filled with madness.

He became Park Dae-ri.

At the same time,

-Swish.

A supporting actor playing a detective moved next to the handcuffed Park Dae-ri. Park Dae-ri looked at him. The supporting detective flinched a little. It was scarier because there was no expression.

At this moment,

-Clap!

A staff member called out the scene number in front of the main camera and clapped the slate.

“Hi-”

PD Song man-woo, with a goatee, shouted into the megaphone.

“Action!!”

This meant that the filming of ‘Profiler Hanryang’ had officially begun. Then the camera captured Yu Ji-hyeong with baby perm hair in the interrogation room. There’s a thick file in front of him. Yu Ji-hyeong, seemingly tired, rubbed his eyes.

“Phew, this is getting big. Why did I take this case?”

He was naturally complaining. Then the door to the slightly dark interrogation room opened. A detective and Park Dae-ri entered. The detective sat Park Dae-ri, still in handcuffs, across from Yu Ji-hyeong.

Yu Ji-hyeong sighed lightly and looked at Park Dae-ri.

Today’s Park Dae-ri does not have the humor he had when I first saw him. How should I describe him? It felt like there was no color on his face. That’s how Park Dae-ri Park was.

“······”

He stared intently at Yu Ji-hyeong with deep eyes. Then he tilted his head slightly. But his mouth remained shut. No message was contained in his eyes. It’s empty but not dull. It was blurry but also clear. This expression was vividly captured in a close-up by the camera.

Next was Yu Ji-hyeong’s turn.

“Ha-”

As soon as he saw the strange being across from him, Yu Ji-hyeong scratched his baby perm head as if bored.

“Just looking at your face makes me tired.”

He had already started the work. He had to show his vulnerability to Park Dae-ri. Clearly, he was not an easy opponent. So, he induced complacency first. Nonsense stems from arrogance covered in complacency. Let’s start with that.

Yu Ji-hyeong sighed again.

“Don’t you think the matter has gotten too big?”

“······”

Park Dae-ri, who was still calmly looking at Yu Ji-hyeong, didn’t show any particular change in his expression. However, he knew what Yu Ji-hyeong was thinking. Trying to ease the atmosphere, huh? Yeah, you must have been through countless crimes.

But I’m different from those guys who are just well-packaged.

Think about me, think again, analyze, and tear me apart. The more you do, the more you’ll get stuck in the mire? Park Dae-ri was enjoying this situation itself. The pleasure when everyone, including Yu Ji-hyeong, moved as he expected. And ecstasy.

You guys are just my puppets.

Suddenly, the stuffy air in the interrogation room tickled Park Dae-ri’s skin. Although it was a gloomy space, it was a playground for Park Dae-ri. It seemed as if the small dust particles dancing in the light.

Then, Park Dae-ri’s eyes went down to his wrist. First, let’s get these handcuffs off.

“Can you loosen this? They hurts.”

The detective by the door flinched, but Yu Ji-hyeong shrugged nonchalantly.

“Yeah, why not. Please remove them.”

However, the detective, after looking at the expressionless Park Dae-ri, whispered to Yu Ji-hyeong.

“It could be dangerous. Let’s just keep it this way.”

-Scrape.

Suddenly standing up, Park Dae-ri pushed both hands in front of Yu Ji-hyeong. Only then did a smile spread.

“Are you scared?”

Yu Ji-hyeong also laughed.

“It’s okay, please unlock them.”

Soon, the detective, with a reluctant expression, unlocked Park Dae-ri’s handcuffs. Park Dae-ri’s laughter deepened.

“It’s done.”

He then stretched refreshingly. It was an intentional act. I’ll pretend to be flexible since that’s what you want Then, Park Dae-ri, who had abruptly stopped moving, asked Yu Ji-hyeong.

“Are you tired?”

“Why do you think so?”

“You finished your coffee before I came, and it smells like stale cigarettes. It’s a smell that comes out when you smoke all night. You must have done it while investigating me.”

“I’m at the bottom.”

At this point, Park Dae-ri suddenly straightened his posture. He lifted the corners of his mouth even more. It was a thoroughly practiced smile.

“So what can I help you with?”

“First, let’s talk a bit. About trivial things.”

“Go ahead.”

“Hmm- Well, the alibi you mentioned.”

“Did you have breakfast? I want a hamburger.”

“I don’t like fast food. But you can have a hamburger now.”

“I like shrimp burgers; other patties like beef or chicken taste off.”

At this point, Yu Ji-hyeong suddenly asked something else. It was to steer the conversation flow.

“You had a sister, she committed suicide.”

For the first time, Park Dae-ri’s smile slightly wavered. Soon, a cold chill ran down Ryu Jung-min, who was acting as Yu Ji-hyeong’s back. This was not an act. It was real.

“······”

It was because of Park Dae-ri’s black eyes, which were quietly watching him with a faint smile. They were intensely empty.

“Yes, I had a sister.”

It was an eerily calm and horrifying gaze.

*****

TL Notes:

1) Korean equivalent of ‘Out With the Old, in With the New’ with slight changes to fit the situation.

*****