WeTried Translations
Translator: uglyidol
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ I Became a Top Star by Only Playing Villains ◈
Chapter 12: One Great Scene After Another
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<The Last Clue> was far more fun to film than I had expected.
Playing the villain Kim Minu gave me incomparable pleasure and freedom.
I also grew close to actors and staff members I had only watched from afar back when I was unknown.
That was why I felt more regret with every passing day.
Serial killer Kim Minu was the main villain of the first half of <The Last Clue>.
...My filming was slowly nearing its end.
‘What a shame.’
Even after my part ended, the <The Last Clue> team would continue filming.
We had started together, but I could not finish with them. That fact left a deep sense of regret in my heart.
Of course, regret was not all I felt.
The greater my regret, the more intensely I needed to perform until the very end.
Going all out in a villain role left some aftereffects.
That was why I had held back from performing at full force until now, but...
Today was finally the day to unleash everything I had been saving.
“Senior! Hello!”
“Oh? Ah, yes, yes...! H-hello...!”
Song Ji-yeong played Yu Hye-seo, the younger sister of <The Last Clue>’s protagonist and the seventh victim in the serial murder case.
She had begun acting as a child. Though she was four years younger than me, her experience made her a tremendous senior.
Still, she seemed to find me rather difficult.
“Y-you don't need to call me senior. Just call me Ji-yeong comfortably. Haha...”
“Ah, yes. If you prefer that, I'll call you Ji-yeong from now on.”
“...Yes. Um, Hansol, what did you want to see me about?”
There was a trace of fear in Song Ji-yeong’s eyes as she looked up at me.
I understood.
At the last table read, she had been overwhelmed by my villain performance and frightened herself.
But for Scene 62, which we were filming today, I absolutely needed her permission and help.
“Do you know that you and I have a scene together today?”
“Are you talking about Scene 62? Of course I know. I've practiced it hard.”
“Actually, I plan to perform at full force in Scene 62 today.”
“...!”
Song Ji-yeong’s eyes widened at my words.
She remembered what kind of villain performance I had given Shin Ah-gyeong at the table read when I went all out.
‘Malice that ordinary people could never bear poured out of me.’
That was why I had to ask Song Ji-yeong for permission.
Sometimes, an excessively intense performance could hurt someone emotionally.
If things went wrong, my villain performance might even traumatize her.
“Umm...”
“...”
Song Ji-yeong fell silent for a long while, deep in thought.
Then she hesitantly asked me,
“If I don't give you permission, won't you perform at full force?”
“Yes, of course.”
It went without saying that I would not go all out if Song Ji-yeong did not permit it.
No matter how important the production and the acting were, they were not more precious than people.
‘Ah, is she going to refuse?’
Judging from her reaction, I expected her to turn me down.
But...
“I'm sorry for putting pressure on you. I was just...”
“No, it's okay. I'll give you permission.”
The next moment, Song Ji-yeong wore a resolute expression full of courage.
“I'm an actor too. I want people to be surprised or impressed when they see my acting.”
“...Ji-yeong.”
“I have no intention of half-assing any scene. So, Hansol, give it 100%... No, give it 200%. That way, I can do my best too.”
Song Ji-yeong was an actor.
Not just any actor, but a veteran actor with a strong professional spirit.
Sure, she was younger than me, but she had far more experience. Who was I to worry about her?
I bowed my head deeply.
“Yes, senior. Then I'll give it my all in Scene 62. Please take care of me!”
“I told you to call me Ji-yeong... I'm counting on you too. Let's make a great scene together!”
“Yes!”
Clap.
We exchanged small smiles and high-fived.
A few hours later.
“Stand by! We’re rolling Scene 62!”
Filming for Scene 62 began.
* * *
Scene 62.
Kim Minu’s workshop.
Windowless cement walls, dim lighting, faint bloodstains left on the floor.
...Even sharp tools that called surgical instruments to mind.
Classical music played in this place, which looked disturbing and brutal at a glance.
-♪ ♬♪♩ ♪♩♬
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.
It was originally a grand and exhilarating piece, but now it sounded like a lonely funeral march sending someone away.
And amid that eerie atmosphere stood a man humming to himself.
“Hm-hm-hmm~”
As if something good had happened.
He hummed along to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.
A cruel, chilling hum.
“Hmm~ Hm-hmm~ Hm-hm-hmm~”
“Ugh...”
“Oh, what? You're awake?”
There was a woman where Kim Minu had turned his head.
Yu Hye-seo, the younger sister of Yu Hyeju, the protagonist of <The Last Clue>.
Bloodied, she was tied down on something like an operating table.
“Mister... Please save me...”
She begged.
Made completely helpless before enormous, horrifying malice and violence, she wept as she pleaded.
“Ugh... P-please save me...”
“...Wow.”
Outside the set, director-producer Park Yeong-won let out an exclamation as they watched.
‘Why are our actors so insanely good these days...?’
Song Ji-yeong had gained great popularity as a child actor thanks to her cute appearance.
But child actor Song Ji-yeong was no longer here.
Only the skilled actor Song Ji-yeong remained.
“I won't tell anyone when I get home... Sob...”
“...”
“So please... save me...”
Pitiful.
It made one feel sympathy and sorrow.
Kim Minu stared intently at Yu Hye-seo and whispered,
“Don't worry. You'll live.”
“...!”
For a moment, hope flashed in Yu Hye-seo’s eyes at Kim Minu’s words.
But...
“In my heart.”
“Ah... Ah...”
“You'll become my work and live forever.”
Kim Minu’s malice thoroughly crushed even that sliver of hope.
It plunged her into an even deeper abyss of despair.
“I'll make you pretty soon.”
“Ah... Ugh... Aahhh...!!”
“I love you.”
Rustle.
Kim Minu tenderly stroked the hair of Yu Hye-seo, who would soon become his work.
“Waaah...! M-Mom! Sis! Save me...!! Aah...! Someone, please save me...!! Please...!! Waaah...!!”
“Ah, fuck. I can't hear the music. It's my favorite piece.”
Kim Minu turned up Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 until it drowned out Yu Hye-seo’s screams.
Then...
“You're fucking noisy with all that crying. I should cut off your limbs first.”
He picked up something sharp from beside him.
“...”
“...”
The staff silently recoiled in horror as they filmed the terrible scene.
Some trembled, while others shut their eyes as if they could not bear to watch.
Director-producer Park Yeong-won’s face had gone pale, but they did not take their eyes off the monitor.
‘...This is insane.’
Disgusting.
And yet, intoxicating.
Dopamine could also be released when people experienced frightening or disgusting stimuli.
Lee Hansol’s malice and Song Ji-yeong’s terror.
As director-producer Park Yeong-won watched the result of the two actors’ possessed performances, dopamine burst endlessly through their mind.
‘...This is a truly insane great scene.’
When people first watched Scene 62, they would probably frown.
But this scene would keep resurfacing in their minds.
The shock and stimulation they felt after first seeing Scene 62 would be so strong that, despite their disgust, they would seek it out again.
Everything Lee Hansol and Song Ji-yeong showed today would become iconic lines and iconic performances.
And Scene 62 would become a great scene.
‘Has there ever been a time when I was in charge of a production that kept producing great scenes like this?’
In truth, <The Last Clue> had numerous great scenes besides Scene 62.
‘Come to think of it, Hansol was in every one of those great scenes.’
Built from countless great scenes, <The Last Clue> would eventually be called a masterpiece.
Filled with immense joy, director-producer Park Yeong-won called cut.
“Cut!!!!”
It was another moment when they became convinced that <The Last Clue> would become a masterpiece that remained in their career forever.
* * *
“Whew...”
“Hansol, you worked so hard today. You're exhausted, right? I'll get you home soon.”
“Yes, Seongsu hyung. Thank you.”
The moment I got into the car after filming, I collapsed against the seat.
It was the aftereffect of performing a villain role at full force.
‘Ugh, my head.’
My head hurt so badly that it felt like it was throbbing.
No matter how often I experienced it, I did not think I would ever get used to this aftereffect.
‘Still... Today’s shoot was very successful thanks to it.’
After Scene 62 ended, Song Ji-yeong smiled in satisfaction and said she felt she had finally landed a great scene of her own.
Director-producer Park Yeong-won even gave us a standing ovation.
It had been a perfect shoot.
Today had been another successful day.
‘...I'm happy.’
Ever since I took the role of Kim Minu in <The Last Clue>, I had spent every day as an actor in the greatest happiness.
And that made me anxious.
‘...How long will this happiness last?’
To suppress my evil nature, I had to keep playing villain roles.
But after <The Last Clue> finished filming, would I be able to find a role I loved as much as Kim Minu?
‘Who knows. That seems unlikely...’
My part in <The Last Clue> was gradually coming to an end.
Wasn't it ironic?
I was more regretful and anxious than ever because I was happier than ever.
Just as I was becoming sentimental while worrying about my next role, Seongsu hyung glanced at me from the driver’s seat and hesitantly spoke.
“Um... Hansol.”
“Yes?”
“Are you very tired? I had something to ask you, but should I ask later if you're tired?”
My head hurt from the excess dopamine, so I thought having a comfortable conversation would be better than sitting blankly alone with it.
I gave Seongsu hyung a small smile.
“No, I'm fine. What did you want to ask?”
“Hansol, do you prefer beef or tuna?”
“...What?”
...Why was he suddenly asking that?
It was unexpected, but if I had to choose, I did prefer beef to tuna.
I could not eat it often because of the cost, but well-marbled ribeye was my favorite food.
“I think I prefer beef to tuna.”
“Okay! Then I'll make a reservation at a high-end hanwoo restaurant.”
“Haha, are you buying me dinner?”
“Not me. The president is.”
“...What?”
...Why was the president suddenly coming into this?
Park Dong-pyeong, the president of D&P Entertainment.
Having risen from road manager to president of a company, he was practically a legend in this industry.
I had not seen President Park Dong-pyeong since I first signed an exclusive contract with D&P Entertainment.
But suddenly, I was having a meal with him...?
I sat upright in surprise, and Seongsu hyung laughed heartily as if it were nothing.
“I told you before. The president is very interested in you, Hansol.”
“...I thought you were half-joking back then.”
“I wasn't joking. The president has been watching you very closely these days. And this is a secret, but...”
The next moment, Seongsu hyung’s expression became extremely furtive.
“The president won't be coming empty-handed. He said he wanted to give you a nice present.”
“...A nice present?”
“Yeah. A reaaally nice present. Heh heh, you can look forward to it.”
Seongsu hyung could be prone to exaggeration, but he was not the type to lie.
‘The president is giving me a present...?’
He was not Santa Claus, so what kind of present was the president suddenly going to give me?
‘Is he giving me a holiday gift set?’
Lunar New Year had already passed, and Chuseok was still far away.
I could only tilt my head in confusion.
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