The Netflix series ‘The Square’ is on a box office hit, entering TOP 10 in 75 countries worldwide in just two weeks since its release, and at the center of it all is ‘special appearance’ Cha Seung-won.With a presence that is much greater than his screen time, he has once again rewritten the ‘special appearance formula’.

The role that Cha Seung-won plays in ‘The Square’ is ‘Cha Young-do’, the superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency and the head of the planning and budget department.He is a character who does not belong to either of the two major organizations, Joo-woon(Heo Jun-ho)and Bong-san(Ahn Gil-kang), but shakes up the game with more powerful influence than them.He appears from the opening of Episode 2 and surrounds the central characters with sharp eyes and sly speech, leaving viewers wondering, ‘What on earth is this guy?’

In reality, Cha Young-do is the real power that has managed two major organizations at the same time for 11 years.The cold duality that considers even a person’s life and death as a means of transaction, the expression and tone of dialogue that swims the line between good and evil were details that were possible only because of Cha Seung-won.’Villain in the guise of a helper’, Cha Seung-won raised the perfection of that narrative.

What’s interesting is that this appearance is not just a ‘surprise appearance’.Cha Seung-won’s special appearances, such as Brian in the movie ‘Poison’ and himself in ‘The King of Abu’, have already functioned as a genre.The number of scenes is small, but the impact is deep, and the time spent on the screen is short, but the aftertaste is long.

Recently, he appeared in the opening of Blackpink Jisoo’s music video ‘Earthquake’, adding to the perfection with an atmosphere like the first scene of a noir film.Regardless of genre or format, the moment Cha Seung-won appears, the content takes on a new weight.That’s why he’s called a ‘branded actor’.

It is also known that his appearance in ‘The Square’ this time was due to his connection with Yong Film CEO Seungyong Lim, and his sincerity and loyalty in choosing his projects are also adding to the topic.

Cha Seung-won’s special appearance is not a simple ‘cameo’.The moment he appears, the narrative changes and the temperature changes.An actor who changes not only his presence but also the weight of the story.Now, the name Cha Seung-won is functioning as a subplot and the center of the genre.
Reporter Lee com -bi, Donga.com misty82@donga

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