I Don’t Want to Play Villains Anymore - Chapter 23
So, you don’t want to play a villain.
The lights slowly settled over the set.
Artificial snowflakes softly drifted about, and I walked slowly across the winter landscape that was perfectly recreated.
I wore a warm and cozy ivory-colored coat.
I usually prefer more serious acting over the cute vibe of a child actor, but to be honest, I kind of liked this coat.
‘…It’s warm.’
Emotional immersion was always easy.
The cold wind felt like it was touching my skin, and my eyelids trembled slightly without me knowing.
As I walked slowly, suddenly a snowflake fluttered down from the air and landed on my fingertip.
I slowly opened my palm to catch the snowflake.
‘I thought it was fake…’
Surprisingly, it felt cold like the real thing.
I smiled for a moment at that feeling.
A very subtle smile, just enough for the viewing Buram to notice.
This smile was not acting; it was sincere.
“Cut! Haneul!”
The set was momentarily silent before it was soon covered with applause and cheers.
“Wow, it really looks beautiful!”
“Haneul has arrived! How was it just now? The emotions were really alive!”
I tightened my coat and slightly bowed to the filming staff.
“Thank you.”
The adults laughed as if finding me irresistibly cute, but deep down, I felt a little embarrassed.
To be honest, I wondered if it looked like I was just trying to show off rather than act.
‘Well, if the filming went well, that’s what matters.’
After changing out of my coat and into my usual clothes, I felt a little lighter on my shoulders.
To be honest, today’s filming wasn’t very tiring.
In fact, I felt more comfortable doing an advertisement sh**t while moderately regulating my emotions.
As I was about to head out after changing clothes, I suddenly heard someone hurrying toward me from behind.
“Um, Haneul! Wait a minute!”
When I turned my head, a hurried filming staff member came running, out of breath.
“The director wants to speak with Haneul.”
“…What?”
I tilted my head in confusion.
The director of the advertisement I just filmed was right in front of me, so why the need for a phone call?
The staff seemed flustered as they continued.
“Oh, it’s not Director C. It’s Director Gong Mu-heon.”
“Excuse me?”
I doubted my ears.
Director Gong Mu-heon?
‘Does he want to call me now? Could it be… for a villain role?’
I smiled awkwardly and nodded quickly.
“Okay. Please put him on.”
The staff hurriedly handed me the phone.
I held the phone to my ear and took a very small breath.
And then, a low, heavy voice came over the phone.
[Is this Baek Ha-neul?]
“Yes, Director.”
[I heard you just finished filming, so I’m sorry if you’re tired.]
“It’s fine. I’m okay.”
There was a short silence, and then the director paused for a moment before continuing.
[…Do you happen to know about a work called ‘Villain Diary’?]
“Yes, I heard it’s in preparation as your next project…”
[Actually, I’d like Haneul to consider a role in that project.]
My heart suddenly raced.
‘Is he suggesting that I take a role in this project?’
Director Gong continued speaking, not noticing my silence.
[To be honest, that role won’t be easy. It’s challenging, and you’ll have to go emotionally very deep.]
I swallowed hard.
So, he’s suggesting the role of a villain to me right now.
The director continued.
[But I believe that if it’s Baek Ha-neul, you can definitely handle it.]
“…Director.”
[Yes. Haneul, please respond.]
“I’m not playing a villain.”
[…What?]
I said I don’t want to play a villain.
Director Gong Mu-heon was shocked.
He was literally taken aback.
‘Isn’t it obvious that I should accept the role?’
He was lost for words, putting his phone down and standing there for a long time.
I couldn’t even tell what time it was anymore.
The coffee I had casually enjoyed a moment ago was already cold, and the confident expression he had sported just moments ago seemed to have instantly frozen.
To be honest, this was the first time in 25 years of directing that such a situation had occurred.
Actors usually queued up wanting to work with him; he had never had to personally persuade anyone before.
‘Baek Ha-neul. I never thought you were like this…’
I never dreamed that such a stubbornness was hidden behind that innocent and clever face.
What’s worse, he found himself speechless in front of that bold and firm rejection until the call ended.
It felt like the humiliation of having been brushed off like some rookie actor fresh out of the audition scene.
And just as Gong Mu-heon finally gathered his composure, he hurriedly dialed the number again.
But all he heard on the screen was the all-too-familiar monotone voice.
[The call could not be connected, and you are being redirected to voicemail…]
“Wait a minute… Blocked?”
A cold sweat began to trickle down his back.
“Did she really block me…?”
Gong Mu-heon wanted to deny reality.
What kind of actress blocks a director?
‘I’m a somewhat famous director…’
Right, this must be a mistake.
He couldn’t make sense of it.
He sighed and set his coffee cup down.
But even more than irritation, a greater emotion was swelling within his chest: urgency.
There was no one else he could entrust this role to besides Baek Ha-neul.
An even bigger problem was that he had already boasted confidently to the production department.
‘I made a big claim about Haneul being the right choice, and now what do I do?’
The scene before him blurred into darkness.
When did he become so swayed by one actress?
And then, a sharp comment summed up the whole situation in a painful sentence.
“Really messed up.”
“Don’t say bad words.”
Suddenly, Gong Mu-heon froze.
Before him stood a small, adorable girl who hadn’t been there just moments ago.
“…When did you come in here?”
“Um, about ten seconds ago.”
Haneul pursed her small, cute lips and stared at Director Gong.
He opened his mouth to make an excuse but only sighed in resignation.
He couldn’t justify cursing in front of a child.
“I understand. I’m sorry.”
Haneul then nodded her head slightly, seeming satisfied.
“But you just said you wouldn’t, right?”
“Yes. I won’t.”
Her tone was firm, her lips pursed with the stubbornness typical of a child.
However, Gong Mu-heon could not back down.
This project had reached a point where it couldn’t be sustained without Baek Ha-neul.
‘Let’s have a proper conversation at least once.’
Gong Mu-heon gathered his mind and spoke again.
“Haneul, could you tell me why you don’t want to play that role?”
“I actually came to say that. Saying I wouldn’t just like that was a bit rude to you, Director.”
So mature for a child.
Gong Mu-heon smiled and met her gaze.
“Then please tell me.”
“I don’t want to be called bad because people think I acted as a villain.”
Her voice wavered slightly.
The gaze in her young eyes held something deep.
‘Has she acted as a villain somewhere?’
There was certainty in his tone, not just speculation.
“Haneul, I think the reason you must take on the role is precisely that.”
“What do you mean?”
Her eyebrows moved slightly.
After taking a brief pause to breathe, Gong Mu-heon spoke as sincerely as he could.
“Acting exists to deceive others.”
He picked up the script from the table and continued.
“However, drama is a medium that starts knowing it’s fake. In short, it’s not easy to deceive. A villain plays the role of deceiving others, almost like a necessary evil.”
“…But I don’t want to. I’m afraid people will think I’m really a bad person.”
“Then may I ask you one question?”
Gong Mu-heon spoke in the softest, lowest voice he could muster.
“Yes.”
“You have just started acting, right?”
Haneul paused for a moment.
A profound thought seemed to arise in her two eyes.
That gaze was too deep and serious for a five-year-old.
“I just love acting.”
“Why do you love acting?”
“Because I can live as someone other than myself.”
At that moment, Gong Mu-heon flashed a very faint smile.
He had gotten the answer he hoped for.
“Haneul, that’s the greatest advantage of someone like you as an actress. Understanding the most inexplicable things.”
“…What do you mean?”
“A villain is not just a ‘bad person’ as you think, Haneul. A villain is… the one who understands the deepest pain.”
Haneul’s eyes widened.
“The one who understands the deepest pain?”
“That’s right. It’s the actor’s duty to convey the suffering of the most misunderstood character.”
Haneul bit her lip lightly. There was a tremor in her voice.
“So you believe I can understand that character?”
“Yes. I am confident that you will perform this role better than anyone else.”
Director Gong Mu-heon carefully crouched down in front of Haneul to meet her eye level.
“I’m sure you will succeed. I don’t know how you’re going to play such a character, but…”
“….”
“Your role is not a simple villain. Please prove that, Haneul.”
Haneul couldn’t reply to those words.
After a silence that felt like a very long time, she whispered.
“Will people… hate the character I play?”
“No.”
Gong Mu-heon smiled warmly as he looked into her eyes.
“You will be understood, Haneul.”
Haneul’s voice was still quiet and weak as she murmured.
“I still… don’t want to be hated by people.”
Gong Mu-heon pondered for a moment before speaking again.
“Then let’s make a promise.”
“A promise?”
“If, with this drama, you keep getting offered only villain roles and can’t move toward better roles, I will cast you in various other roles even if it means forcing you.”
“Um. For example?”
“I could cast you without wigs in historical dramas or even as a grandmother over 500 years old.”
He thought she would dislike the idea but felt compelled to say what was on his mind.
‘If this doesn’t work out either, I should just let it go.’
Gong Mu-heon was already in a state of despair.
Yet, upon hearing his words, Haneul suddenly smiled brightly and said.
“That’s exactly the role I want!”
“…What?”
Director Gong Mu-heon’s mouth fell open in surprise. A completely unexpected turnaround.
“I’ll do it! I’ll play any role, villain or whatever! But you have to give me lots of unusual roles! I would love to act as a completely absurd character! And the historical drama has to actually be filmed without wigs!”
Haneul laughed, her previous seriousness now a performance, filled with childish charm.
It felt like the awkwardness of adults acting like children had completely disappeared.
It was pure excitement.
“You promised, Director! Instead of acting as a villain, you promised to give me strange roles! You can’t back down now!”
Gong Mu-heon was at a loss for words.
Then slowly, he let out a somewhat defeated smile.
‘This child is truly something else.’
He took a deep breath and nodded seriously at the small girl.
“Since we promised, we must keep it.”
Thus, Haneul’s first villain role was decided.