“Seongtae, remember scene 85? The two of them meeting at the ice cream shop. How about we play this part a bit lighter?”
The set of Baeknyeoncho.
Before filming began, Han Seongtae sat across from Kim Mucheol, reviewing the script.
Decisions had already been made regarding synchronizing movements like action sequences.
Nevertheless, right up until the moment filming began, the two pondered how to present their best possible performance.
Driven solely by the desire to deliver great acting and create a great scene.
That single ambition fueled Han Seongtae and Kim Mucheol’s passion.
“Hyung, there’s this scene where I’m beating up monsters on the street, right? You’re supposed to be messing with me here. How about doing it in a way that’s more like teasing me?”
“Teasing?”
“Yeah, I think it would be good to really bring out that annoying, mischievous feeling of the gumiho.”
“Hmm… That’s not bad. Let’s mention it to the director later. If it really doesn’t work, we can just shoot it multiple times ourselves.”
Han Seongtae found talking about acting with Kim Mucheol incredibly enjoyable.
It was surprising to him that he was having this kind of conversation with someone like Kim Mucheol.
More than that, he could feel how much he himself had grown.
“This should be good enough. Hey, have you seen the backlash?”
“Backlash?”
“Yeah, it’s crazy lately. The articles are all about the backlash. The communities are flooded with it too. Didn’t you know?”
Han Seongtae nodded at Kim Mucheol’s words, then paused abruptly.
He hadn’t paid attention to other things, focused as he was on the drama.
Come to think of it, most of the messages in his department group chat and from friends seemed to be about War of the Villains.
He’d only been getting perfunctory messages like “Enjoying the movie?” lately, so he hadn’t been checking them.
“When you get home later, at least take a quick look. If there’s a lot of hate, it’s probably better not to see it. But if the reactions are good like now… seeing that can give you strength.”
“Yes, I’ll check when I get home.”
“Alright. Ah, the director is calling. Shall we head to the shoot now?”
“Yes, sir!”
Han Seongtae answered energetically and stood up.
The filming of Baeknyeoncho proceeded very smoothly.
From the lead actors to the supporting cast.
Everyone showed a passion to do their best, and that passion naturally translated into the final product.
“Let’s keep it up like this!”
Amidst this excellent atmosphere, Han Seongtae finished filming safely and headed home.
How good are the reactions that he’s saying that?
As he was about to look at the script, he suddenly recalled what Kim Mucheol had said on set and pulled out his smartphone.
[War of the Villains, cumulative audience count reaches 970,000.]
[A very smooth stride. War of the Villains: Can it surpass a million and reach five million?]
[This summer is with War of the Villains.]
Articles showed War of the Villains was achieving good results.
There was talk that it might hit a million soon and could even aim for five million.
That’s how highly War of the Villains was being rated.
「[War of the Villains, the more you watch it, the more you get hooked.]
I’m the kind of guy who doesn’t rewatch movies I’ve seen, you know?
But I couldn’t resist War of the Villains.
It just… stimulates a man’s heart.
Before I knew it, I found myself booking tickets.
The action is amazing, and the actors’ performances are truly incredible.
Especially the scenes where Park Haejun and Jang Sudong roam together – they get more impressive the more you watch them.
Watch War of the Villains. Watch it twice. No, watch it five times.」
―How Courage Crumbles: I totally agree. I’m not much of a movie person either, but War of the Villains has this charm that makes you want to rewatch it over and over.
―Gurak: Ah, right. The more you watch War of the Villains, the more fun it gets. So watching it just once is a waste. The first time and the second time feel completely different.
―Potbelly Uncle: It is fun. I watched it with my boyfriend too. I looked over and saw him clenching his fists the whole time. When we left the theater, he shouted, “Wow! This is what a movie should be!” I totally get that feeling. Especially when Park Haejun died, it was so sad. But Jang Sudong getting revenge felt so satisfying.
―Supportive: I know that feeling. The action is so satisfyingly cool. Park Haejun, his character is just so compelling. Honestly, he wasn’t the type to die like that. But thinking about it, maybe dying that way made him even more compelling. The actor really brought him to life.
We started praising the movie and somehow ended up talking about Han Seongtae.
The character Park Haejun was so captivating, and Han Seongtae brought that charm to life perfectly.
[The One With a Thousand Faces says people have eyes to see.]
[The One Who Defined an Era smiles at you, saying this is how one becomes known to the world.]
[The Founder of Jeet Kune Do suggests you train your body now to prepare for the even greater attention you’ll receive.]
Han Seongtae reviewed each and every reaction alongside the acting gods.
Seeing people praise him, a smile had somehow appeared on his lips.
「[Lately, everyone’s only talking about War of the Villains.]
How could they not talk about War of the Villains?
The action, the story.
How could you criticize a film where everything is perfect?
Especially the actors’ performances were no joke.
Ma Seokdong was truly Ma Seokdong, and Kim Mucheol’s action scenes got even better.
But I was really surprised by Han Seongtae.
Han Seongtae, if you look at when he debuted, filming this movie was his very first acting project, right?
And yet he shows this level of acting skill?
That’s truly incredible.
Honestly, looking at kids these days, a lot of them just push forward with their looks.
But with Han Seongtae, you really feel like you’re watching real acting.
Same with Race Start.
I think Han Seongtae’s influence is why The Devil’s Advocate could be completed.」
―Boongboongi: You gotta admit that. Just looking at acting skills, he’s almost on par with Kim Mucheol. No idea where this kid came from.
―Sings: I’m someone who came over after watching Race Start. Han Seongtae, this kid is no joke. He shoots a movie and immediately shoots a drama. He’s a student at Korea University. He’s got musicals and short films he shot with friends? They’re on YouTube, check them out. You’ll see exactly what it means to be different from the start.
―Gone in a Flash: But isn’t it a bit much to hype a rookie this much? He’s still a rookie. Won’t he just rise briefly and then disappear?
―Sings: Absolutely not. An actor with this level of acting skill disappearing quickly? That’s an impossible scenario from the start. If you watch the YouTube videos, you’ll understand exactly what I mean. Seriously, just watch them. I’m already excited to see what kind of projects he’ll take on later.
―Delicious: Just watched it. Damn, he’s good. A guy who just turned twenty-one, and his acting is incredible. But, didn’t Han Seongtae say he’s doing a new drama? Seems like he’s working with Kim Mucheol. He even posted a photo on OnStar. Kids are freaking out about it right now.
I never expected to be praised this much.
No, he hadn’t acted to receive praise in the first place.
He did it because he wanted to.
Acting properly was his last wish before dying.
Yet, those actions produced positive results for the projects he participated in.
[The One Who Lives and Dies by Speed asks if you will begin practice immediately.]
Han Seongtae didn’t hesitate; he nodded his head right away.
Click.
Lee Jaeseon moved his mouse, searching for information about War of the Villains.
Among the audience reviews, critics’ evaluations appeared.
[A story and direction that aren’t bad in their own way….]
[Refreshing action, but the character narratives feel a bit lacking….]
Watching their assessments, he soon let out a deep sigh.
Lee Jaeseon.
He was a film critic recognized by the public.
His reputation for critiquing every film was quite high.
Yet now, he was agonizing over how to rate War of the Villains.
It was better than I expected.
Perhaps because he hadn’t had high hopes.
After watching War of the Villains, he was quite strongly impacted.
The direction was fresh, and the actors’ performances were good.
The story and its flow were also satisfying.
Particularly, the direction that captured each actor’s performance one by one made him feel a bit of admiration.
Yet, he had to evaluate such a work.
“…Guess I’m getting old. Seeing myself agonize over something like this.”
In the past, he would have immediately found the flaws and written a critical review.
But this time, the feeling was different.
He could clearly see how much effort the director and actors had poured into the film.
It was a story about cops and gangsters hunting down a killer – perhaps a cliché.
But precisely because of that, the director’s skill in weaving the narrative so naturally deserved praise.
Above all, the actors’ performances were outstanding.
Ultimately, the actors’ performances captivated his eyes.
This time, he didn’t want to criticize them. They delivered such vibrant performances, truly becoming their characters.
“Still, it’s not without its flaws.”
Praise what deserves praise, criticize what deserves criticism.
With that thought, Lee Jaeseon placed his hands on the keyboard.
Tap tap tap.
There was only room and the sound of keys being struck echoed quietly.
―Enough. Hand that bastard over to me.
Inside the theater, Ma Seokdong’s voice filled the space.
People seated watching the film clenched their fists, completely absorbed in the screen.
Among them was Kim Rina.
It was already the second time she’d seen this movie.
Previously, she’d watched it with a friend; now, she was with her father.
Kim Cheolmin, Head of Netflix Korea.
He had come to see the movie with his daughter and was watching War of the Villains with great seriousness.
I found it entertaining, but would Dad find it entertaining too?
Given his profession, Kim Cheolmin ended up watching movies and dramas every day.
As they piled up, his standards became quite high, and ordinary works couldn’t satisfy him.
To her eyes, War of the Villains was quite entertaining, but just because she found it fun didn’t mean Kim Cheolmin would too.
―Let’s have some real fun.
With Ma Seokdong’s final line, the end credits rolled.
Kim Rina stood up from her seat with Kim Cheolmin.
On the way out of the theater.
Kim Cheolmin was silent until they got into the car.
“Park Haejun from the movie.”
“…?”
She immediately turned her head at Kim Cheolmin’s words, spoken after a moment of hesitation.
“Rina, you said he was a senior at your school, right?”
Kim Rina faltered at his question, then nodded.
What was he thinking?
Kim Cheolmin’s face looked deep in thought after hearing Kim Rina’s answer.
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