How a Loan Shark Survives as an Actor Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 

The first thing that came to mind after reading the script Director Jang sent me was this:

‘They still don’t have much expectation for Yoo Seulho.’

Unlike the feeling I’d gotten near the end of our meeting, where it seemed like Director Jang was somewhat on my side, the role I’d been given had very little significance.

‘Looks like I still won’t be escaping the “Deadweight” title this time.’

I’d heard Yoo Seulho’s nickname once or twice before.

A nickname earned from constantly playing characters who appeared on screen but weren’t actually necessary to the story.

And after spending the last week watching all of Yoo Seulho’s recent works, I couldn’t help but agree.

I’d originally thought, ‘How useless could these roles really be?’

The reality far exceeded my expectations.

Yoo Seulho had genuinely spent years playing completely pointless characters.

If I had been Yoo Seulho, I would’ve quit acting out of sheer pride.

The fact that he’d continued acting despite receiving endless hate comments felt strange.

‘It’s time to settle this.’

He couldn’t keep carrying the “Deadweight” label forever.

It wasn’t that I was greedy for more screen time.

Hell, if I only had a few lines and still got paid, that sounded pretty damn good.

‘But I can’t be satisfied with this amount of money.’

As someone who knew exactly how much money celebrities could rake in, the income Yoo Seulho would earn from this project was absurd.

A twenty-year-old college student working part-time at a café could probably make more than this.

The money sitting in Yoo Seulho’s personal banking account was equally pathetic.

‘If I want to make serious money, I need to move beyond this position.’

I had no idea why he’d signed with this garbage agency.

But if I wanted to earn the kind of money I had in mind, Yoo Seulho needed to become an actor who was actually ‘valuable.’

Only then could I find a ‘good agency’ capable of legally untangling this ridiculous contract.

Even if I marched into the CEO’s office right now and demanded to know whether he seriously thought this contract was reasonable, nothing substantial would change.

Companies like this weren’t worth fixing.

The answer was to escape as quickly as possible.

And to do that?

Other agencies needed to start wanting Yoo Seulho.

“Well, you can’t fill your stomach overnight.”

Instead of sending Director Jang a complaint-filled response, I suggested we have a face-to-face meeting three days later.

Then I began practicing for my role.

 

***

 

“Hyung, come here for a second.”

“…!”

“W-Why? I’ve been quiet! I didn’t say anything! Why again?!”

Hyun Jingae, Yoo Seulho’s manager, stumbled backward with a deathly pale face.

All the beatings I’d given him lately seemed to be paying off.

Now he trembled whenever I called him.

Normally, I’d have kindly sent him away.

Unfortunately, I was currently preparing to play a psychopath.

Which meant I had no choice but to keep summoning him.

“Who said anything? Come here.”

“Sniff…”

Looking utterly miserable, the manager slowly shuffled over.

One step.

Then another.

After staring at him silently for a moment, I asked:

“Hyung, what do you think is more painful?”

“W-What is?”

“What kind of behavior would make you suffer more? For example, would it be worse if I acted like I wasn’t going to hit you and then hit you anyway? Or would constantly hitting you be more difficult?”

“Is ‘not hitting me’ not one of the options…? Who hits people these days? Let’s act like civilized human beings, Seulho.”

I smiled brightly at the manager, who trembled like a fragile little bird.

“Hyung, I’m a psychopath. How can you expect common sense from a psychopath?”

“…”

“Acting is really difficult. I don’t actually want to become a violent lunatic who beats people up, but being an actor is tough.”

“It doesn’t look difficult at all…”

“What was that?”

“Nothing!”

The manager quickly avoided my gaze and curled up in the corner of the couch.

When I’d first started beating him, he’d resisted fiercely.

Yet after only a few days, he’d become as docile as a lamb.

It was familiar.

‘As expected, violent people need to be dealt with through violence.’

Honestly, considering how much he’d hit Yoo Seulho, what I was doing now was mild.

This was practically a joke.

After getting beaten for two straight days, he’d finally snapped and yelled:

“Hey! I’m reporting you! For abusing your manager!”

So I’d immediately smashed his phone and laptop.

Then I locked him in a room and spent an entire day gaslighting him so he wouldn’t even be able to leave behind evidence that I’d done it.

The result was a surprisingly useful assistant.

“So who usually watches romantic comedies?”

“Well… pretty much everyone. Men, women, young, old. The exact target audience depends on the project, though.”

Apparently, Hyun Jingae wasn’t just an entertainment employee in name.

He knew quite a bit about the industry.

Considering all I knew were celebrity scandals and gossip, and almost nothing about dramas or movies, the information he provided was genuinely useful.

“Then who’s the target audience for Director Jang’s drama?”

“You can tell just by reading the script. The setting is a university, and it takes place during the spring semester when the cherry blossoms are blooming. Dramas like this are usually popular with younger female viewers, but people in their forties and fifties watch them too.”

Perhaps afraid I’d hit him again, the manager answered every question earnestly.

According to him, Director Jang’s new drama, Our Space, was a romantic comedy built entirely on familiar clichés.

A lonely, troubled male lead meets a sunshine-like heroine and finds happiness.

A completely predictable story.

And the role I’d been assigned?

The male lead’s older brother.

That didn’t mean he had any major influence on the protagonists’ romance.

He was simply a domestic abuser who beat the male lead whenever he got the chance and a creep who flirted with the younger heroine.

The character didn’t accelerate the romance.

He didn’t affect the plot.

He wasn’t connected to any meaningful story developments.

The drama could remove him entirely without changing anything.

In other words…

A truly useless character.

“If you want to act well, you need to start by understanding the character.”

“All he does is beat his younger brother. What understanding is there?”

“He also hits on the heroine! And you’ve beaten me plenty already, right? You’ve practiced that part enough. Maybe it’s time to focus on something else?”

“…Are you suggesting I practice hitting on ‘you’?”

“No! You psycho– I mean, what I’m saying is that it’s time to practice something besides the violence. You’re meeting Director Jang tomorrow.”

Hmm.

He had a point.

That said, I had absolutely no interest in practicing flirtation using my manager.

So I dismissed him.

Judging by how quickly he fled the room, he felt the same way.

“A psychopath…”

Finally alone, I stared at the script.

It was definitely the kind of role I’d requested.

A villain the audience could happily tear apart.

Honestly, I’d mostly used acting practice as an excuse to beat up the manager.

A pathetic role like this didn’t require deep character analysis.

All I had to do was imitate the countless assholes I’d met throughout my life.

‘No need to look far.’

I could simply imitate the real-life behavior of Woo Junseo.

I’d seen him flirt with countless women.

I’d watched him beat weaker colleagues and acquaintances.

Despite serving as my inspiration, the character Woo Junseo played in the drama was a kindhearted, pitiful protagonist.

The contrast was amusing.

As I thought about it, I began organizing my approach.

‘My role exists to make the protagonist look better, right?’

A piece of trash was one thing.

But a piece of trash standing next to a good person?

That was much more entertaining to watch.

For several hours, I compared the male lead’s likable lines to my own sparse dialogue.

By the time I finally finished working, the night was practically over.

And before I knew it, the day of the in-person meeting had arrived.

 

***

 

“Aren’t you tired? The lights were on all night.”

The manager rubbed his eyes from the corner of the couch.

It seemed he’d faithfully obeyed my order to stop going home and sleep in my living room for the time being.

“I’ve never needed much sleep.”

Just like my original self, who rarely slept more than four hours a day, Yoo Seulho also seemed accustomed to insomnia.

Though I’d already guessed as much from the pile of sleeping pills beside the bed.

‘I am tired, though.’

Over the past ten days living as Yoo Seulho, I hadn’t properly slept even four hours a night.

Ten consecutive days of poor sleep had left my body feeling noticeably heavy.

Maybe because I looked even worse than usual, the manager became extra cautious around me as we headed to the meeting location.

Ding.

“Hello.”

“You’re here? Oh, your manager came too.”

Director Jang wasn’t alone this time.

“Sunbaenim, it’s good to see you again.”

Woo Junseo was here as well.

Just like before.

I smiled back at the face I’d used most often as a reference while practicing.

“Likewise. You must really like Director Jang. You’re at every meeting.”

“Ah~ Well, I was fortunate enough to receive an important role this time. And thankfully, Director Jang trusts my judgment quite a bit.”

I nodded at his bright eye-smile.

“You said you’re the one who recommended me. Thank you.”

“Haha, it’s nothing! As I said, I’m your fan. I’ve really wanted to see your acting in person.”

His smile was kind.

His eyes were not.

They radiated contempt and ridicule.

I could practically hear his thoughts.

‘Let’s see with my own eyes just how awful your acting really is.’

“Then shall we get straight to it?”

“Sounds good. Do you need any preparation time?”

I turned toward Director Jang.

Unlike last time, there was far more life in his eyes.

“No. I’ve already prepared everything.”

“You only had three days, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Today’s just about getting a feel for things.”

Why would I feel pressured?

This wasn’t even actual filming.

Ignoring Director Jang’s concern, I pulled out the script I’d practically worn out from rereading over the past three days.

“Then let’s begin with my first appearance scene.”

“Good. Let’s see… Oh, it’s a scene with Actor Junseo. Junseo, play the other role.”

“Yes, Director.”

Woo Junseo obediently sat across from me.

I could feel everyone’s eyes on us.

Woo Junseo.

Director Jang.

My manager sitting beside me.

“Whenever you’re ready, Sunbaenim.”

I looked at the man smiling so hypocritically at me.

Then I abruptly stood up.

“…? Sunba–”

Cutting off Woo Junseo’s confused question, I casually delivered the line.

“You’re still not dead?”