'Where the Mask Ends': 5 reasons to get obsessed with Tian Xi Wei's new Chinese drama
Bae Hyun Sung, Cha Kang Yoon, and Park Yoon Ho's upcoming youth drama The Substitute has confirmed its premiere date for November 23.
The Substitute is a thriller that depicts how young people preparing for the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) become embroiled in crime because of their desires and shortcomings.
The teaser poster features Nam Jae Yeop (Bae Hyun Sung) and Kang Geon Tae (Cha Kang Yoon). OMR answer sheets are superimposed over their faces, accompanied by the phrase, "That day, we crossed the line," hinting at an incident surrounding the college entrance exam.
Bae Hyun Sung plays Nam Jae Yeop, who comes from a wealthy family and has excellent grades and good looks, but possesses an inner self that differs from his outward appearance. As Nam Jae Yeop begins to stray from the life plan his father laid out, cracks appear in his peaceful life. He subsequently reveals his long-suppressed emotions and desires.
Cha Kang Yoon plays Kang Geon Tae, a special scholarship student from a low-income family who consistently ranks first in his entire school at Jeonggyeong High School, which is attended by students from wealthy families. He has devoted himself to his studies to escape his difficult family circumstances, but gets caught up in an unexpected incident after accepting an unfair offer that is hard to refuse.
Park Yun Ho plays Joo Hee Dong, Kang Geon Tae's friend. Joo Hee Dong admires Kang Geon Tae and takes pride in being the only friend who knows his innermost thoughts. However, when Nam Jae Yeop enters the picture, changes begin to unfold in the long-standing friendship between the two.
Although the three grew up in different circumstances, their interests intertwine as they pursue their shared goal of taking the college entrance exam. As their hidden weaknesses and desires come to light, conflicts deepen, and the possibility emerges that one choice could lead to irreversible consequences.
The Substitute combines psychological warfare among students with criminal incidents against the backdrop of intense competition for college admission.
The production team stated, "We have added suspense to the familiar subject of the CSAT and college admissions, which everyone can relate to." They added, "We will portray the story of young people who make different choices amid the desperation of knowing that a single point can change the course of their lives."
The Substitute will premiere on November 23. Stay tuned!
Source: Sports Donga
