Joy now desired to learn more about herself and her parents’ truths than about the culprit of the case.
But this too was vastly different from what Joy had anticipated.
-Ah, that creepy brat? She was a tough one, her expression never changed even when she was beaten by her parents.
-If you ever made eye contact with her, you’d stay awake all night. Not just her expression, but her eyes… Ah, I don’t even want to think about it again.
-Didn’t you try to stop it? Well, it was their family’s business, wasn’t it? And those people weren’t exactly likeable, so I didn’t feel the need to interfere.
-Maybe… Ah, whatever. It’s all in the past now. Honestly, I don’t want to delve into that story again.
The parents vilified by the village were the abusers of a child.
And even that child was something eerie.
The villagers said they didn’t want to pry into the sordid affairs of that dysfunctional family.
-…Damn.
And the climax was the bizarre incidents that had once occurred in the town.
That is, the events that happened not long before Joy’s parents passed away.
-The first night, it was the dog, the next night the goat, and on the last night, the cow. Their eyes rolled back, and they dropped dead. It was ominous, so we just burned them.
-And then, about half a year later? Those two…
-There must have been something going on with those people. After that family disappeared, those ominous incidents ceased entirely.
-The villagers whispering about it was only natural.
The more Joy uncovered, the stranger the suspicions about her own past grew.
-Maybe… it seems like we’ve found the answer.
-Yeah, that’s right. An answer has emerged. Ray.
-First off, it seems true that ‘we’ were the child mistreated by our parents. What do you think, Bay?
-Everyone’s statements have been consistent. The villagers ostracize ‘us’ and those two.
-The issue of the livestock dropping dead…
-It must’ve been a rehearsal of sorts.
-Ah, yeah. Naturally. It’s clear now. This case…
Both Ray and Bay’s opinions converged on one fact, but Joy thought otherwise.
-If everyone’s statements align, there’s only one answer.
-They’ve already coordinated their stories.
-This village is a den of malice, and our parents were eliminated by them.
-Yeah, now I finally understand why I wanted to come here so badly, why I was so fixated on that event.
-I wanted to unleash the hammer of justice on those loathsome hypocrites…
Joy’s expression began to twist grotesquely.
By this point, Ray and Bay had disappeared without a trace, and Hyde, the final personality dwelling within Joy, began to surface.
-How people haven’t changed. The shameless faces that ignored the abused child are still so recognizable. Still the same. Everything’s fine as long as there’s food on the table.
-They threw stones at me, calling me unlucky. I fled, begging for my life, but they only dragged me back to that hell.
-Kuk kuk, Joy. I told you, didn’t I? Yeah, you’ve done well. You really can’t function without me.
-Nice, let’s clean things up one by one. This place full of pretense and lies…
-That’s the reason I’ve stayed alive for so long. Kuk kuk kuk.
In Hyde’s eerie laughter, a single, unknown vial rested in her hand.
“Alright. Very well.”
The movie concludes as the last hidden personality within Joy—perhaps the real Joy—Hyde awakens.
Honestly, it’s not my kind of work.
The aftertaste is awfully bitter, and I have no idea what it’s trying to convey.
Yet this work received acknowledgment from experts in its artistic merit.
I still don’t fully understand it.
Perhaps it’s about humans’ pure malice, and what else? The main shock came from Joy, aware of her own crime, awakening Hyde and upending the entire narrative.
Moreover, the twist that Hyde was the real child and Joy was a fabricated false personality.
I admit, I was baffled.
If the plot developed this way, wouldn’t the standard progression be for Joy to realize her sins and wander in despair?
Suddenly declaring she would massacre the entire village was unexpected.
“Thank you so much. It turned out much better than I imagined.”
Well, whether it satisfies me or not is secondary. The director, who planned and directed this work, certainly seemed satisfied.
Back then, this work received nothing but harsh criticisms about the acting, but this time, with the acting aspects improved, it should garner better reviews than before.
As far as I fulfilled Director Jung’s expectations, I believe we’ve repaid the debt.
*
The movie production concluded over three days of intensive work, and I returned to the studio.
Today is the day for my consultation with Heavenly Yuah.
I received a call from Heavenly Yuah while on the way to the filming location, asking me to return immediately after wrapping up as she had something to discuss.
As a result, the wrap-up gathering with the production team had to be postponed.
Since I left my personal card with the Flame staff accompanying us to this location, I trust they’ll find adequate means to unwind after the hard work these past days.
“Director Jung and I have plenty of opportunities to meet in the future. Right now, this isn’t the most important thing.”
Heavenly Yuah’s consultation obviously pertains to the drama.
This is also an aspect I find quite concerning. I don’t have the audacity to reject a strong request from Heavenly Yuah.
Recently, it seems she has been leaning towards me, but assuming this is a given would be very wrong.
It’s only proper that if the other party shows respect, I should reciprocate.
“Are you here?”
“Yes, senior.”
“Siwoo, it’s been a long time. Why haven’t we seen you around these days?”
“Because of the movie. Now that filming is over, I’ll be taking a break for a while.”
“That’s good news.”
When I entered the lounge, Heavenly Yuah and Moon Suyeon were already there.
“Senior Hyun-ho is here, too?”
“Yeah, I’m involved with the ‘Im Jin-nyeon’ project, so I’m curious as well.”
“And Hyun-ho senior?”
“Hell, I’m curious how everything is progressing. It’s just the nature of the guy.”
As it turned out, so was Nam Hyun-ho.
Truth is, I wasn’t sure why he was there either, but he is inherently inquisitive and wanted to know what’s happening.
“Most of the projects set to air alongside ‘Im Jin-nyeon’ in the next season have been canceled.”
“Ah. Early maneuvering, huh?”
“Yes, it looks like there were some behind-the-scenes deals. These days, network channels are also like that, so there’s no point in bloodless competition.”
“Right, that’s probably true.”
“Still, since this is centered on the ‘Imjin War,’ reactions on OTT platforms aren’t good.”
“Ah, because of Japan.”
“Also, works of this nature don’t receive positive reviews in Europe or North America. They might enter considering its large scale, but the ratings will ultimately be the deciding factor.”
Materials such as Japan’s colonization period or the Imjin War are not particularly well-received on OTT platforms either.
Of course, if the work performs well, the numbers won’t be bad, but Japanese audiences largely have negative opinions about such material, thus leaving a major market behind.
Also, understanding the sensibilities of this period requires insight that isn’t easily obtained for those who aren’t Korean.
The Orientalism recognized in North America or Europe often excludes the historical and social backgrounds necessary to comprehend these stories.
SBC, the veteran in this field, surely wouldn’t be unaware of this, and given that this is a ratings-driven project, they conducted some preparatory groundwork.
“But not all broadcasting companies are like that. It seems TVA has an interesting production lined up.”
“…TVA? What kind of project?”
“Looks like they’re planning to target the niche audience with a pretty big idol.”
“…An idol?”
Thinking of idols made me think of Tae-kyu.
Could it be some kind of scheme from a major entertainment company?
Given that our situations with ‘Im Jin-nyeon’ are harsher than when we previously competed, such a move was plausible.
In a cable channel like TVA, even sacrificing one time slot has its potential benefits.
“No, not like Tae-kyu.”
“…Is that so?”
But contrary to my guess, this wasn’t a treacherous plan like Tae-kyu’s.
Rather, this was a serious attempt to target the niche market.
I was curious as to which idol would take such a risk.
“Hey, Senior Yuah, stop teasing us, and just tell us already.”
“Sure. Since Siwoo’s expression is about to explode.”
Exasperated by being kept in suspense, Moon Suyeon urged Heavenly Yuah on, and I shared her sentiment.
Is this what they call the sensation of dizziness?
My expression must’ve been pretty strange because Heavenly Yuah gave a small laugh before explaining further.
“Are you familiar with Cha Entertainment?”
“Cha Entertainment… Ashbloom?”
“Yes, thanks to Cha Entertainment’s investment, we will be producing a new show. Its title is ‘The Supernatural Boss, Her.’ The lead role is…”
“Isn’t it Ji Seo-eun with Ashbloom?”
“No. Ji Seo-eun wouldn’t make this an interesting plan. The lead role goes to Na Ye-ri.”
“…Na Ye-ri? Leader Na Ye-ri of Ashbloom?”
“Yes, Na Ye-ri.”
I had assumed naturally that if Ashbloom were participating, it would be Ji Seo-eun, but an unexpected figure emerged.
Na Ye-ri, the leader of Ashbloom.
Famous alongside Moon Suyeon as one of the top performing “center” members in the music industry and handling sub-vocals as well as main rapping duties.
If she decides to act in this drama, it will surely create a stir, but… why?
“Ashbloom’s go-to actress is Ji Seo-eun, isn’t it? Why is Na Ye-ri pursuing drama…”
“Apparently, something funny happened.”
Recently, Ashbloom returned successfully from their world tour. As a commemoration, the fans requested Na Ye-ri debut as an actress. This happened since the group was approaching its final stages, and hence, it seemed appropriate that their leader also attempt something new.
And given her commitments to the group to honor promises, the drama production coincided with next year’s first quarter, a period that would also feature the large-scale production ‘Im Jin-nyeon.’ TVA seized this opportunity and collaborated with Cha Entertainment and Na Ye-ri for an unconventional card.
Moreover, with Cha Entertainment covering most of the investment, TVA’s financial burden was significantly reduced.
“Hmm… But does Na Ye-ri have any acting experience?”
“Before her debut, Ji Seo-eun acted in a web series. Na Ye-ri also appeared in it. She joined in to support but was picked up.”
“Ah, a case similar to Senior Suyeon’s. So, she isn’t entirely inexperienced?”
“Yes, though her role was smaller than Senior Suyeon’s. However, she performed quite convincingly back then.”
If even Heavenly Yuah commended it, this must be above average.
Of course, idols do come with diverse talents.
Even Tae-kyu, who struggles with lines, possesses commendable expression. If he avoided line flubs, he could pull it off decently.
“Considering Ashbloom has reached complete world star status…”
The way things are headed feels more intriguing than anticipated.
