Comprehensive Film Studio.
Inside Sua’s heart, a mixture of tension and excitement swirled chaotically.
This was a mock filming. Normally, this kind of experience would never occur in a lifetime. It was almost absurd, even making her question if it was really happening.
But this was no situation to back out of, and she had no intention of doing so.
Still, at first, time passed without much difficulty.
Sua’s precious companion was always at hand — her phone.
[ Saeng-ji: Who on earth is Kim Yu-han…? ]
[ Saeng-ji: I might lose my mind. ]
[ Sua: Actually, it’s me! ]
[ Saeng-ji: Sister, now is not the time for jokes ㅠ.]
Attempting a playful tone, she realized it was futile; no one believed her.
Perhaps due to the early hour, the group chatroom that was typically buzzing with noise remained strangely quiet. Eventually, Sua found herself aimlessly wandering through various communities.
[ Special Tactical Unit 808 Gallery ]
[ Title: Today’s mock filming has finally begun, hasn’t it? ]
[ Even if nothing else, I hope they release some stills. If the atmosphere is good, I’ll use it as my wallpaper. ]
– Kim Sun-il and Seo Yeon-joo would look stunning together.
– Plus, they’re in police uniforms! It’s practically a pictorial.
[ Title: So, what’s the conclusion on the Kim Yu-han controversy? ]
[ Is it Joo Il-hyun? Or Kang Do-jin? The people on the scene must be lucky to already know Kim Yu-han’s true identity by now. ]
– I think Joo Il-hyun was too busy to participate.
– Maybe it’s because of his busy schedule with Special Tactical Unit 808?
– Is Kang Do-jin supposed to play the joker role?
‘Ugh, why does everyone expect so much from Kim Yu-han?’
Truthfully, Sua understood the reason. It was simply the completion of an unfinished character. Who wouldn’t be curious about that? It just added weight to her shoulders.
Regardless, the Special Tactical Unit 808 series was receiving far more attention than Sua had anticipated, and among all the topics, Kim Yu-han’s true identity was the hottest.
As the discussions continued, Sua’s window of time to linger on her phone began to shrink.
Vroom—!
Vehicles began arriving in succession, their line seemingly endless. Right before Sua’s eyes, the parking lot began to fill.
‘…Is it because they’re pros? They sure park well.’
Each incoming vehicle parked with absolute precision, akin to a military formation, regardless of the variety of car models present.
This was another reason why Sua felt the inevitability to tense up.
‘I am someone who doesn’t flinch even when a meteor falls. Even at the moment Earth perishes, I can remain poised.’
Though she reaffirmed such thoughts with some worry, it was somewhat fortunate that no one approached her.
If by chance their eyes met, most would look away first. Rarely did anyone come up to speak to her.
Instead, they seemed deeply engaged in their own conversations.
“Yo, where are you headed?”
“Got to set stuff up. Aren’t we using the second studio today?”
“Turn around. They’re replacing it with the outdoor set today.”
In a flash, the space became bustling with noise.
Thanks to this chaos, Sua could quietly observe.
Large, pitch-black bags likely filled with high-end equipment, a procession of dedicated staff leading another set of unique characters – the actors… Even just watching made time pass quickly for Sua.
Everything was new to her, just like another world.
Nevertheless, the people there weren’t solely focused on work. Despite their busy hands and feet, they still managed to chatter nonstop.
“So, who exactly is Kim Yu-han?”
“No idea. Still, we’ll find out today for sure.”
Here and there, all the talk revolved around Kim Yu-han.
Kim Yu-han? This was getting ridiculous…
“Wow, they must’ve been super picky selecting him.”
“Did you hear that people guessed it was Joo Il-hyun? But he reportedly applied but got rejected.”
“What? Really?”
“Shhh, it’s a secret, you know.”
Every time the name Kim Yu-han was mentioned, Sua couldn’t help but quiver. It was as if she’d become the subject of a wanted poster, or perhaps felt the need to come forward with an explanation.
It was then.
Suddenly, someone approached Sua.
“Excuse me, are you handling the valet parking service?”
“Excuse me?”
Confused, Sua repeated the question. The person holding two one-thousand-won bills also appeared startled.
“Ah, are you not a valet parking attendant?”
“No, I’m not.”
Sua responded with utmost seriousness because these were the clothes she had painstakingly selected after deliberating all night.
“Hmm, you can’t be a parking attendant with such great proportions. By any chance, could you take off your hat and mask once?”
“…Why?”
“Ah, don’t take it the wrong way. It’s just a habit from my job. You know Park Do-hee? I’m Do-hee’s manager.”
Sua politely refused with some firm statements, causing the person to slightly flinch and step back. Thinking she was a parking attendant—how absurd.
Afterward, Sua slipped away from the parking lot. In fact, using the term “escape” might have been more appropriate. She was looking for a less crowded spot—whether Studio 1 or Studio 2.
Soon, she became wholly engrossed in observing.
‘I get it. That’s where they’re going to shoot that scene.’
Could it be from the exhaustive study of the script? Every glance at the set made scenes vividly appear in her mind. Not only that, but she could also imagine what viewers wanted from such scenery and the identity she needed to embody…
Though hard to express verbally, her body seemed to absorb it naturally. Both her thoughts and perception had unmistakably changed.
Just as she was introspecting amidst this revelation,
─♩♪♬
A call rang through, the caller being writer Lee Geum-sook.
“Hello? Ms. Sua?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, indeed. I believe I informed you prior about the mock filming schedule?”
“I’ve already arrived. Just looking around the studios.”
“Ah, is that so? Can you come to the outdoor set?”
Silently, Sua followed the instruction.
It was finally time for the mock filming. The reality of it hit hard; her heart thumped like a drum.
‘Ugh, I’m so nervous.’
She struggled to calm her racing heart through imagination.
In her mind, she was lying down comfortably, rubbing her cheek against a rabbit doll’s belly, and even imagined herself fiddling with its ears because that barely calmed her either.
And at the moment she stood beside writer Lee Geum-sook,
The people surrounding her like a fence all stared directly at her. Sua couldn’t help but stiffen. Their eyes felt like countless cameras scrutinizing her.
Their lenses were capturing her.
“What kind of character are you?”
While they questioned, Sua whispered to herself.
‘Sua, you need to introduce yourself. Sua, you need to introduce yourself. Sua, you need to introduce yourself.’
A message from the past came back to her then.
─[ Monkeying: Yang Ha-rin’s real personality might be like an angel.]
At that moment, she deeply understood the importance of image management. This was a first impression—a chance to present the character of Sua exactly as she wished.
Sua greeted with a hat off.
“Hello, this is Kim Yu-han. I’m playing the role of Lee Su-a.”
Her voice, sharp and unexpected even to herself.
The surroundings grew even quieter. Feeling a bit awkward, Sua quickly pulled her hat back down.
It was then she realized her blunder.
‘Ugh, what am I doing? I even introduced myself wrong!’
But it was too late.
The audience had already heard and wouldn’t forget how she introduced herself. This only increased the attention on her.
“Lee Su-a playing Kim Yu-han?”
“Did she intentionally reverse it?”
“Is this confidence due to deep immersion?”
“Radical, something even veteran actors wouldn’t do.”
The shooting team, the directing team deep in thought, the actors in other roles—everyone was struck with astonishment.
‘What’s with this atmosphere? I’m so nervous. Seriously, I’d be dead if I hadn’t worn a mask.’
Sua thought while hiding her trembling lips.
Meanwhile, writer Lee Geum-sook, PD Choi Hee-won, and Seo Yeon-joo’s reactions were different. With a curve to their lips, they gazed at her pensively, as if enjoying this scene like spectators.
Amidst the unexpected silence in the mock set,
“Everyone, do you see it clearly? This is the much-anticipated Kim Yu-han.”
Writer Lee Geum-sook broke the silence. The people around her finally seemed to snap out of their deep musings.
“Let’s proceed immediately. Everyone head to their positions.”
Then, as the crew started the official filming preparations, those who finally collected themselves began talking, causing quite a ruckus.
“Is that really Kim Yu-han?”
“He wasn’t a parking attendant, was he?”
“He’s too striking to be a parking attendant. Still, is he an actor we recognize?”
“That’s too much energy. It’s intense.”
“The casual wear looks a bit too relaxed. That can’t work.”
Everyone felt the same confusion.
“Isn’t she female? And Kim Yu-han is supposed to be male.”
“Could the marketing team be pulling an April Fools’ joke?”
“Perhaps.”
“Still, this is no place for amateurs, right? Remember the related provisions in the contract about mock filming?”
“Of course.”
Problematically, Sua heard every single word murmured nearby. Naturally, she couldn’t avoid listening closely.
‘Was there anything significant in the contract?’
The only thing remaining in Sua’s mind was the striking amount of several hundred million won per episode. She had no clue about the rest!
Luckily, someone else offered the answer.
“They said that if this mock filming results in a mismatch, the contract will be immediately voided. On the other hand, for those who fit well, the terms will be significantly improved.”
“…!”
Sua quietly gasped. The mock filming was far more important than she had anticipated.
‘I absolutely cannot afford to screw up. I have to be careful—so very careful.’
In the midst of all this, there was also someone who approached her first.
“Hello, Ms. Sua. Or should I call you Mr. Yu-han?”
“Yes. Yes?”
Unthinkingly, she replied “yes” before immediately questioning back, but it was too late—she had already confirmed it.
“Normally, many productions just skip to script readings, so the mock filming feels a bit strange, doesn’t it? What were you doing before the drama?”
“Soccer, baseball, golf, swimming… anything.”
“Ah, I see. That’s how it is…”
Sua’s strategy was to avoid lying but to keep answers as brief as possible. If her explanations grew, there was a higher chance of getting tangled up.
Naturally, this only made her seem even more standoffish.
“Too proud, isn’t he? Is this his original personality?”
“Mr. Sun-il is definitely going to criticize him.”
“What does ‘various stuff’ mean? Oh, could it be that Su-a introduced herself as Kim Yu-han according to the character’s setting? You know, the one about having a genius in every field.”
“Wow, this is no joke. He’s deeply immersed. Is this called method acting or something?”
“Feels unsettling from the get-go.”
“Still, there must be reasons for Ms. Geum-sook and PD Hee-won to bring him here.”
Amidst the incessant chatter.
“Alright, let’s start the mock filming! What a great day, isn’t it?”
Came the thundering voice of PD Choi Hee-won.
The intense enthusiasm echoed how significant this moment was.
◈◈◈◈◈
And finally, the mock filming commenced.
They were shooting scenes especially regarded as pivotal in the script—right from the very first scene, which was already remarkable. The audience’s anticipation was palpable.
Sua, too, could feel it.
After all, it was a scene where Seo Yeon-joo and Kim Sun-il were to appear together.
“Wow, Yeon-joo and Sun-il right from the first scene?”
“Given the good weather, our eyes are in for a real treat.”
“This is better than eye drops. It’s an eye feast.”
Naturally, Sua focused intently.
‘This isn’t a joke for the first scene. I’ll be up next…’
And the next turn was indeed Sua’s. To avoid unfavorable comparisons, it was crucial to observe the performances of the lead actors.
Scene #32 – Special Tactical Unit HQ Office / Day
When Strong-steel enters the headquarters, Yoon-jin warmly greets him as if waiting all along.
Special Tactical Unit 808.
The story begins with Lee Kang-cheol being assigned to the 808 department.
This unit only goes after criminals who must be caught within 24 hours. They handle cases of extreme difficulty. Consequently, it’s a department yearned for by everyone but simultaneously avoided due to its dangers.
The principle-centric Lee Kang-cheol is assigned here, given his reputation for handling difficult cases labeled as ‘mad dogs.’
<“What exactly is required of me?”>
Kim Sun-il, portraying Lee Kang-cheol, murmured these lines. The obsessive and principle-driven portrayal fit perfectly in Sua’s view.
<“Don't be so hasty. People usually don’t open with that kind of question. Know that?">
Hyon-jin, portrayed by Seo Yeon-joo, replied with casual certainty.
She plays the commander of Unit 808 in this production, embodying unwavering integrity that’s convincing even at a glance.
Kang-cheol blinked quietly.
<“It seems you expected a different introduction from me.”>
<“Of course! Naturally, I’m curious, aren't you? Why is it that an elite with an impeccable record like you would be exiled to a department like this?”>
<“Probably because I have my uses. That was how I perceived it.”>
<“Correct. Officer Kang-cheol, can you handle one very difficult case for me?”>
<“A difficult case?”>
<“Yeah. A criminal who ferociously tears apart his opponents. Though he's not actually a dog but a person—much more dangerous. His name is Kim Yu-han.”>
Kim Sun-il and Seo Yeon-joo had perfectly immersed themselves into their roles, earning obvious admiration from the onlookers around Sua. When she glanced at people’s reactions, most were smiling with satisfaction.
‘Hmm.’
But Sua tilted her head, slightly puzzled.
What should be the focal point in this scene?
Lee Kang-cheol appears as someone trusted by everyone, but in reality, he doesn’t trust anyone. That nuance was being excellently portrayed by Kim Sun-il.
‘…Why do I know this?’
Was it from the full experience of all the roles?
Sua felt like she had become an omniscient entity within the world of Special Tactical Unit 808. Everything was calculated: how each character should move, which remarks they should utter, even what expressions they should wear.
This was not a deliberate calculation but happened naturally, effortlessly.
‘Just need the last actor to wrap it up impeccably.’
Right then.
<“Commander! This is urgent! You need to see this!”>
The moment another actress entered the acting zone.
“No, no. What’s going on? That wasn’t the way to perform it.”
Without realizing, Sua started murmuring.
“…”
Immediately, the shooting was halted.
“…”
And just as quickly, every gaze in the room turned toward her.
“…”
