I Don’t Want to Play Villains Anymore - Chapter 4
Don’t be discouraged by the limits of the atmosphere.
Typically, child actors are evaluated based on their ability to cry.
Unless they are kids who can manage some degree of communication after the age of ten, it’s a struggle to make those younger children who attend kindergarten act.
The most visible and clear standard for evaluating child actors is, in fact, tears.
Thus, when watching the performance of child actors, how well they can cry tends to be the key factor.
For this reason, the role of ‘Yeomra’ in this production was extremely challenging.
As the original work depicted a young girl, attempts were made to slightly alter the age to fit the unique “innocent baby face” of the character…
“Essentially, a great being must embody the appearance of a pure young girl, and that disconnect and the imposing yet cute element must come through; this cannot be compromised!”
Thanks to the original author raising such a point, Yeomra ended up with a clear standard of being a “young girl aged 5 to 8.”
As a result, the audition became chaotic.
Auditioning a young child actor was never an easy task to begin with. Often, young performers lack emotional expression or fail to accurately understand the director’s requests.
However, this time, the difficulty was heightened.
It wasn’t a matter of just crying well.
‘Yeomra’ was not your typical child role.
Yeomra was not simply a “young child.”
She needed to be young in age but possess an overwhelming presence.
She had to be adorable and cute yet, at the same time, frightening.
However, expecting such performance from a 5 to 8-year-old child was quite unreasonable.
Yet, a child who could do just that appeared.
Not merely ‘well-done,’ this child became ‘Yeomra.’
At that moment, all the staff in the audition room realized.
This was not just simple acting.
The emotion in the delivery, the resonance of the Shin Sound, even the rhythm of breathing.
As soon as that little child stepped on stage, the very air changed.
Yeomra had to be cute and adorable, yet simultaneously imposing.
She needed to appear light yet exude an absolute sense of existence.
The pure innocence unique to children and the majesty that could only be possessed by someone transcending the atmosphere had to coexist.
To demand that of a child aged 5 to 8 was nonsensical.
But Baek Ha-neul accomplished it naturally.
This was not mere coincidence; it was the result of thoroughly calculated emotional control and instinctual expression.
“Isn’t it amazing, Geon-hwan?”
Crash!
In a cafe in Seoul, Jung Hee-chang exclaimed while striking the table.
“Yes. It seems like my daughter is being praised more by you than by me, Director Hee-chang. Haha.”
Baek Geon-hwan smiled.
It was a smile with a hint of sincerity, but it wasn’t warm deep down.
He was always like that.
Somewhat distant, cold, and not expressing emotions easily.
Seeing his demeanor, Jung Hee-chang chuckled lightly.
“How can I not boast? You’ve seen what took place during the audition.”
At those words, Baek Geon-hwan slowly lifted his coffee cup and took a sip.
“That’s true.”
A short response.
An attitude that seemed to ask, ‘So what do you want to talk about?’
Seeing Geon-hwan gazing at strange places, Hee-chang felt a twinge of discomfort.
Realizing that he wanted to get to the main point, Hee-chang took out the file that was on the desk.
“Ahem. Anyway, the reason I created this meeting today is for two reasons.”
He continued to speak calmly as he flipped through the file.
“The first is to discuss the contract terms.”
Baek Geon-hwan raised an eyebrow.
“And the second?”
“The second is… I wanted to confirm whether this child is truly ready to act.”
Jung Hee-chang slowly unfolded the file.
“First, let’s discuss the contract terms.”
He gently pointed at the clauses with his hand.
“The current offer for Baek Ha-neul is a short-term acting contract. She will take on the role of ‘Yeomra’ for a limited time, with the possibility of extension to be discussed later. The basic appearance fee is—”
He waved his hand toward the amount written on one side.
“—This level. Compared to other child actors, it’s quite high, but to be honest, I personally think it should be higher.”
Baek Geon-hwan silently gazed at the file.
His eyes quietly scanned the letters.
After taking a moment to breathe, Jung Hee-chang added,
“This fee is merely for ‘appearance.’ Any other brand sponsorships or advertisement contracts that Baek Ha-neul receives will need separate negotiations.”
“Advertisement contracts?”
Baek Geon-hwan tilted his head slightly.
“Yes. Since the audition footage went public, several brands have already started reaching out. There aren’t any major brands as of yet… but I believe there will be soon. This production is quite large-scale.”
Baek Geon-hwan lightly waved his hand dismissively.
“That doesn’t matter to me, as long as it doesn’t burden the child.”
“Of course. It’s purely a negotiation matter.”
Jung Hee-chang spoke earnestly.
“And lastly, there is one important point.”
He clasped his hands and looked at Baek Geon-hwan.
“Does this child really want to act? And, Geon-hwan, will you truly allow her into this world?”
At the moment that question was posed, a brief silence followed.
Baek Geon-hwan showed no reaction to the words.
He simply quietly lifted his coffee cup and took a sip.
Then, placing the cup down, he spoke.
“Hee-chang.”
“Yes.”
Baek Geon-hwan slowly interlocked his fingers.
His tone remained calm.
“My daughter likes acting.”
He offered a very brief smile.
“When Haneul was about three years old, she tried to take out a copy of Dante Alighieri’s ‘Divine Comedy’ from the highest shelf in my study and fell, hurting herself.”
“Oh dear…”
Baek Geon-hwan quietly placed his coffee cup down.
There was still a faint trace of concern in his fingertips.
However, his demeanor remained composed.
“That child truly loves reading.”
Crunch.
A suspicious sound came from somewhere in the cafe.
He turned his gaze toward the ceiling, recalling memories as he spoke softly.
“When I see her reading, sometimes she looks like she is living within the stories she reads.”
Jung Hee-chang listened quietly.
It’s not uncommon for children to enjoy books, but for her to attempt to read ‘Divine Comedy’ is not typical.
“‘Divine Comedy’… that’s not a book children usually read easily.”
At his words, Baek Geon-hwan chuckled.
“That’s right. I too thought it was quite unusual.”
He paused briefly before continuing quietly.
“But that wasn’t the end of it.”
Swaying.
As the story about Haneul progressed,
From the front of the cafe, a silver-haired child started shifting slightly.
Jung Hee-chang raised his eyebrows slightly.
Baek Geon-hwan lightly tapped the table with his fingertips.
As if it were nothing, Geon-hwan looked back at Jung Hee-chang and continued.
“That child wasn’t just reading; she was ‘re-enacting’ it.”
Thunk.
The silver hair moved slightly more.
Jung Hee-chang turned his gaze at that moment, but Geon-hwan feigned ignorance.
“…re-enacting?”
“Yes. Mimicking the lines directly from the book, as if performing in a play.”
He said with a short breath.
“At the time, I thought it was just a simple game. Children often want to imitate what they see. However, from that moment on, I began to change my perspective.”
Jung Hee-chang listened quietly.
The flow of the story was becoming more interesting.
Baek Geon-hwan took another sip of his coffee.
“That child wasn’t simply mimicking.”
He slowly closed his eyes before reopening them.
“She understood the emotions.”
Boom.
One child fell over, quickly shifting the atmosphere.
Jung Hee-chang desperately tried not to look, but his fingertips trembled subtly.
“It wasn’t just simple memorization?”
“If it were, I wouldn’t be worried.”
Baek Geon-hwan’s tone remained calm.
“She understood, absorbed, and had the ability to make it ‘her own.'”
Jung Hee-chang quietly clasped his hands.
This was not merely a matter of ‘talent.’
This was a nearly genius-level grasp of emotion.
“So.”
Baek Geon-hwan smiled once more.
“Every time she used difficult words, I became increasingly suspicious. ‘Has this child read something else in my study?’ I thought.”
Jung Hee-chang took a short breath.
And quietly smiled.
“If that’s the case…”
He leaned back slowly and opened his mouth.
“You must have accepted when a child with such exceptional emotional grasp expressed a desire to act.”
Baek Geon-hwan placed his coffee cup down.
“Yes. But one thing I needed to ensure.”
He recalled the moment he saw Haneul performing.
Not just emotional acting,
But her completely transformed presence at that moment.
That was closer to transformation than acting.
So, just how far could this child take this talent?
When he posed that question—to find the answer—
“Haneul, what do you really want?”
“I want to be an actress. I will become the brightest star.”
That answer came back.
At that moment, Baek Geon-hwan felt certain.
This child was not merely dreaming of becoming an actress; she already was one.
Now, only one thing remained.
It was time to deal with what had been bothering him since earlier.
Baek Geon-hwan quietly looked at his watch.
“So, I will let my daughter do what she wants.”
Thud. Thud.
Having finished speaking, Baek Geon-hwan slowly rose from his seat.
There was a slight stir.
Haneul moved slightly.
“But except for things worth scolding her for.”
“Uh… Geon-hwan? Where are you going…”
“Just a moment.”
His movements had a sense of leisure, and that unique calmness remained undisturbed.
However, his steps did not lead straight to the cafe exit.
Rather, he walked slowly toward the furthest corner of the cafe, as if he had known from the start that something was there.
The quiet sound of his footsteps was light but carried an unusual sense of presence.
As he passed by, the staff felt something peculiar.
Some stood up straight for no reason, while others took another sip of their drinks.
Baek Geon-hwan moved along the wall in the corner of the cafe.
Then, he narrowed his eyes slightly and stopped.
There.
In the darkest corner of the cafe.
A small alcove, adequately hidden by bookshelves and potted plants.
Within it, a tiny shadow was huddled.
An existence that had quietly hidden without saying a word until the adults’ conversation ended.
A little being who appeared oblivious yet had been listening intently to everything.
The silver hair shone dimly amidst the shadows.
It seemed as if moonlight had quietly settled there.
The sleeves of the dress covered tiny hands, and her legs were carefully gathered together.
Holding her breath, she was curled up.
Yet, the small shoulders were seen to rise ever so slightly.
Baek Geon-hwan instantly understood the reason.
He took a quiet breath.
Then, in a very low and gentle voice, he spoke.
“Haneul.”
At that moment.
The small body flinched.
Seemingly startled, her shoulders tensed momentarily before gradually relaxing.
The sound of her quiet swallowing was audible.
Her eyes widened, and yet, she couldn’t bring herself to move.
The reaction was unlike that of a child caught playing hide-and-seek.
And Baek Geon-hwan knew that very well.
Before he could advance any closer, Haneul cautiously lifted her head.
Her large round eyes quietly shone.
“…How did you know?”
A small, apprehensive question.
Baek Geon-hwan smiled softly in response.
“Because I’m your dad.”
Haneul, having eavesdropped on the adults’ conversation, was grounded for a week.