Work had no manners. It tended to show up without warning and bring along a whole crowd of friends.

This time was no different. Following the unexpected public service announcement shoot and the survival show reappearance, a new job came my way. It was an offer to play a villain in a drama.

Just from reading the script, I figured there would be plenty of actors besides me aiming for this role. It didn’t carry much weight at the beginning, but its presence exploded in the latter half, and I figured it would be attractive to actors who wanted to show a diverse range of non-one-dimensional acting.

However, the reality of the drama world seemed to be a little different.

‘─ What was the writer’s previous work?’

‘There isn’t one. I heard it’s their debut.’

‘─ So that’s why no one’s taking it. The drama scene is tough these days, so it’s hard to get a slot. If the broadcast slot is uncertain, most actors are reluctant.’

I called Mr. Gu Jahan just in case, and that was what he told me.

‘─ Are you going to do it?’

‘We’re not in a position to turn down offers. Since they offered, I’m planning to go to the audition.’

‘─ Find out who the PD is and text me.’

I did as I was told, and not long after, I received another call from Mr. Gu Jahan.

‘─ Doesn’t seem like you’d lose anything by doing it.’

‘Is that so?’

‘─ He’s a person with good instincts. We didn’t get along, though.’

I didn’t ask why they didn’t get along. There were probably very few people who got along well with the past Mr. Gu Jahan.

The call ended with me saying thank you and that I had enjoyed Mr. Gu Jahan’s recently aired drama.

I looked for an opportunity to ask for the members’ understanding about my individual schedule, but there was no need. Jeong Seongbin and Park Juu were swamped with assignments for their final exams, and Kang Giyeon was nowhere to be seen, as he went off to play the guitar whenever he had a spare moment. Even if I had landed work for them, it would have fallen through because the members wouldn’t have had the time.

Thanks to that, I had no choice but to accept my overflowing good fortune alone. My planner was getting more and more packed.

PD Jeon was racking his brain over the difficult casting. While actors’ fees had skyrocketed into the hundreds of millions, upper management kept ordering him to cut the production budget no matter what, pounding his back without mercy.

‘The project itself is °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° good, though.’

Thanks to a passionate rookie actress, the female lead role was filled, but the male lead and the major supporting actors’ roles were still vacant, even though it had been a while since the script was sent out.

Was it because this wasn’t a romance comedy with guaranteed box-office appeal? PD Jeon sighed, flipping through the script for the first episode.

They said the Korean drama scene was overrun with mass-produced rom-coms—yet when a truly minor genre came along, the reality was that no one even looked at it.

At the very least, he had high hopes for one of the villains. He was a mid-level boss, but he was a charming character who showed a different kind of charisma from the main villain.

PD Jeon had already picked out a person to play this character early on. Convincing the writer had been a bit difficult since the person wasn’t an actor, but he was someone with the talent to turn the atmosphere around with just one video clip.

That person was Kim Iwol—the standout target who had received the highest praise last season on Act On, known for quick thinking and an unhesitating willingness to eliminate anyone who got in his way.

He had first seen the variety show clips last year. After taking on the new drama and reading through the script, Kim Iwol from back then suddenly flashed into PD Jeon’s mind. That night, he binge-watched Act On, this time dissecting and observing every aspect of Kim Iwol in detail.

His ability to create a high-level atmosphere even without a script. His appearance that exuded a powerful aura even when he was just standing still.

His tall height and sharp face, and his harmony with a suit that made him look like he was born wearing one, were more than enough to portray the villain in the drama.

"Shall I cut off the limbs first....... "

Added to this was a voice that was soft yet had a chilling charm, like a thin layer of ice. By PD Jeon’s standards, it was more than enough to pass.

‘There aren’t many people like him.’

He wasn’t completely without acting experience either. While the character of Do Younghwan didn’t require great acting skills, you could tell from the drama that his acting sense wasn’t bad.

PD Jeon also liked the fact that he had an upright character. In the drama industry, where incidents of actors being replaced due to problems popping up when you least expect it, the private life issues of the cast could not be ignored.

While there were people whose public image was good but their actual selves were not, Kim Iwol had a good reputation in the broadcasting industry. There was even an opinion that, if anything, his attitude was being undervalued because he was an idol.

Though, his wholesome image was so firmly established that, around the time PD Jeon put in the casting offer, Kim Iwol ended up filming a public service announcement that was the complete opposite of the drama character. PD Jeon couldn’t count how many times he’d beaten his chest the day he saw Kim Iwol in a suit, smiling kindly and saying he’d stand on everyone’s side.

In any case, Kim Iwol accepted the audition offer. Though it was called an audition, it was really closer to a process of seeing how well he fit with the production team. PD Jeon, thanking him for the quick response, had diligently scheduled a meeting.

‘I hope the casting works out like a miracle. Let’s just fill one spot securely, please...’

PD Jeon prayed silently. Hoping that the heavens would recognize his desperation.

Maybe it was because I’d been through it once before. Compared to In My Office, the atmosphere on set felt much more relaxed. It probably helped that I had some understanding of the inner workings going on.

Moreover, the production company staff were kinder than at the "In My Office" audition.

‘─ The villain is as important as the lead, and the fact that they contacted you first means they won’t treat you disrespectfully. They’re the ones in a tight spot, so don’t just grovel yourself to them.’

Mr. Gu Jahan was right. So this is where all that effort of raising Gu Jahan properly gets used, huh. Not that I was going to change my attitude just because I’d received some advice.

"When we reached out, we explained this beforehand, and as you know from the synopsis, this is a villain role that requires emotional acting. The emotional arc will be more complex than your previous roles—do you think that’ll be a burden?"

"My personal abilities may fall short, but I intend to do my utmost to match the image envisioned by the writer and the PD."

"You’re an idol, is it okay for you to play a villain?"

"I’ve never shown any illegal behavior or an insincere attitude, so I believe the fans will be able to distinguish between my real self and my acting."

"What are your activity plans for the second half of the year? There are a lot of scenes to shoot, and many that need to line up with the leads, so it’d be great if we could plan things flexibly."

"I’m scheduled to participate in a survival variety show, but it’s one I appeared on last year. Since I’m familiar with the system, I’ll try to keep the workload to a minimum. If you can accommodate the broadcast recording days, I’ll devote all other time to the drama."

The interview questions came from within the expected range, so it wasn’t difficult to answer.

"This isn’t confirmed yet, but... are you okay with upper body exposure? Just the back!"

...except for the fact that I was suddenly asked a question I had never imagined.

"My back?"

"There’s a setting where Cheon Yoonsung has a large tattoo on his back. It’s a device the writer put in for the character’s personality, so it’s not certain if it will remain in the final draft, but for now, there’s a scene around episode 10 where he shows his back while changing his dress shirt."

I was momentarily flustered. The cunning son of a chaebol family chairman, with a back tattoo...? Wasn’t that a bit old-fashioned? Or was I just out of touch with current drama trends?

"Has the design of the tattoo been decided?"

"A dragon."

...

The PD’s expression wasn’t very bright either.

I could roughly imagine what kind of scene would come out. A mid-level boss who’d grown up feeding on injustice, standing above a sprawling city nightscape, throwing on a dress shirt, fastening an expensive watch, and delivering some despicable line.

But a dragon tattoo, no matter how I looked at it, seemed like it would make the character of Cheon Yoonsung look petty. I would understand if Cheon Yoonsung’s group name was Miru Group, but it wasn’t.

Or was it supposed to be that? A symbol of a tragic imugi that never became a dragon...? Even that metaphor felt overused by now.

"I have a scar on my back. If it’s a one-time thing, it might be okay, but if it’s multiple times, it will require a lot of work in the video editing process. I did a similar scene when I was filming a music video, and I heard that the post-production was difficult then too. I can’t be sure it would look good on screen, either."

"It’s not that hard to cover up most scars. Is the scar very big?"

"Yes. About this big..."

When I showed him with my hands, the PD’s mouth dropped open.

"Did you get into an accident? No, maybe I shouldn’t ask things like this."

"It wasn’t from doing anything bad!"

"Oh, no, that’s not what I meant. I’m sorry. My mouth runs away with me."

The PD was lost in thought. I waited quietly until he’d sorted things out in his head.

"You don’t want the scar to be revealed? This won’t decide whether you pass or fail, so tell me honestly. That way, I can talk to the writer and have the scene removed or replaced."

Hmm.

I had never thought about it this far, so I took a moment to think. But the answer wasn’t difficult.

"If viewers won’t feel uncomfortable, I don’t mind."

I had a similar thought when I was filming the music video. After all, it wasn’t my fault that I got it.

"But it’s very unsightly. If you’re going to ask for the writer’s opinion, why don’t you see it for yourself and discuss it?"

The PD was flustered as I undid a couple of the top buttons of my shirt and spread the collar to create an open space at my back. I might look like someone desperate to be cast, but I didn’t want to create a big problem later by not explaining properly.

The PD asked for my permission, came up behind me, and pulled on my shirt collar. I heard a gasp and a sharp intake of breath from above my head.

With reactions like this every time, I couldn’t help thinking that maybe I really should get scar removal surgery before meeting noona.