Grab the Regressor by the Collar and Debut - Chapter 583

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————

583. Frustrated, So I’ll Do It Myself (4)
As everyone anticipated, Kang Ha-jin immediately bolted toward the entrance of the Secret Passage.
Though it was far longer and more circuitous than using the stairs or Elevator, given the physical prowess Ha-jin had demonstrated thus far, it seemed possible somehow.
– Wow, seriously, please.
…if only the passwords to the Secret Passage he’d painstakingly unlocked hadn’t all been reset.
[06:57]
[06:56]
[06:55]
Only five minutes remained.
Not enough time to turn back toward the Elevator, nor enough to crack the new passwords.
-Graaaagh! Kieeeek…!
-Damn it! I get it, I get it!
【Hordes of zombies now sprawled near the entrance】
A moment of being caught between a rock and a hard place.
With his hand resting on his waist, Ha-jin fell silent in thought, his eyes gleaming sharper than ever. The feeble lighting in the dark corridor cast his cool profile in an even more atmospheric glow.
His black short-sleeved shirt, drenched with sweat, shifted its silhouette with each movement of his shoulders and back.
【Ha-jin: I thought about it.】
【Ha-jin: Whether there might be some way.】
With Ha-jin’s composed voice, everything he’d experienced from the moment he entered this Haunted Building hours ago rapidly overlapped in his mind.
His unfocused dark eyes were magnified in close-up. His gaze, which had been fixed downward all along, suddenly lifted, and the lighting above filled both his pupils. The moment awareness returned to those eyes that had been staring into the void was instantaneous.
【Ha-jin: It was a gamble.】
【Ha-jin: Either way, I had nothing to lose.】
Ha-jin on screen began running again.
Yet when viewers confirmed he was heading downward rather than upward, they could only be puzzled.
[04:27]
[04:26]
【Sara: Oh, seriously, please….】
Over Ha-jin descending unobstructed into the depths, images of the dwindling time, the Production Team announcing the end of recording, and the cast members standing guard at the entrance with hands clasped in prayer all intersected and passed by.
Using the Secret Passage to descend swiftly without interference from the zombie hordes, Ha-jin arrived at….
【The Waiting Room?】
Ha-jin’s destination was the Waiting Room where he’d first been guided.
While most of the other cast members’ Waiting Rooms had been overrun by zombie hordes after they’d escaped, Ha-jin’s remained in its original state, since he’d exited through the Ceiling from the start.
-Whoosh…!
From the very passage that had birthed “Ha-jin has arrived,” Ha-jin now leaped down in the opposite direction, landing on the floor without time to catch his breath, his hand pressing against the desk. His eyes swept rapidly across the test papers still lying on the desk.
At that moment, as if embodying his thoughts, the situation from roughly an hour ago when he’d first entered this Conference Room was cross-edited in.
-Today is literally just a preliminary meeting, and we’ll be conducting a simple test to confirm what kind of stats you possess for our program.
-We’re giving you 60 minutes. Within this space, just proceed with the test to the extent you’re capable.
The Production Team’s explanation, which had been composed to the point of dryness, was inserted alongside urgent music.
The zombies slowly approaching beyond the glass window and Kang Ha-jin holding the test papers alternated in focus, heightening the tension.
Once more, his interview voice was layered in with perfect timing.
【Ha-jin: A disaster situation has occurred, so why is the test timer still running?】
Ha-jin’s figure, breathing heavily and agonizing, was shown at length. Conflicted over something, Ha-jin moistened his dry lips briefly with his tongue and lifted his head.
The front-facing camera for cast members installed in the Conference Room met his gaze.
-Then we’ll begin the test now.
【Ha-jin: What if this entire situation right now is actually part of the test itself?】
With less than a minute remaining.
As if resigned to whatever would come, Ha-jin exhaled a sigh and opened his mouth with an expression of acceptance.
-I’m stopping.
-I’m ending the test.
And at that very moment―.
[00:48]
[3:30 PM. Kang Ha-jin’s test has been terminated.]
Time, stopped.
Realizing that his reckless move had been the right call, Ha-jin’s lips spread into a light, unburdened smile.
* * *
The response to 【In the Chaos】 Episode 0 was nothing short of explosive.
– Where can I watch Inderca’s OTT?
– Wait, I actually liked this;;;>
– Inderca is so fun, seriously felt like watching a movie
– If this is Episode 0, what on earth is coming in the main series?
– Production Team please work hard and earn a lot
A fresh ensemble cast, cinematography that reeked of serious budget, puzzle-based storytelling that showed meticulous craftsmanship, and trendy, sophisticated editing.
Among all these elements, the greatest appeal seemed to lie in these particular aspects.
Mitchell
@minemine
Huh?
This… is delicious?
(Screenshot of Ji Ye and Tae-jin running hand-in-hand.jpg)
(Screenshot of Zeus and Esther walking together.jpg)
Shares 12K Retweets 1.2K Likes 14K
[Why does Yong-guk look so handsome in Inderca]
I already knew he was a middle-aged guy despite his comedian image
But why does he look so refined in Inderca? The fit is absolutely insane
Plus he’s smart, has the physique, seriously so sexy
– You’re not normal either, choosing Uncle Yong-guk over Ha Tae-jin, Son Je-u, Kang Ha-jin, and Hong Bin
└ Shut up, what do you know
[Nam Sa-ra’s Instagram post: Inderca female cast bonding]
(Photo of Inderca’s female cast members gathered at Nam Sa-ra’s home, verifying their Episode 0 viewing.jpg)
(Selfies and photos of Nam Sa-ra and the female cast members.jpg)
They gathered for Nam Sa-ra’s housewarming and the cast combination feels so good
According to Sara, the actual broadcast is even more insane
Why wait until January, seriously
– Wow, Seo Ji-ye is gorgeous, holding her own against the actors
– Is this a team survival show? Usually survival programs don’t upload friendship content like this before airing
└ After watching episode 0, I think it could be possible this time
– (Screenshot of Kang Ha-jin’s comment ‘@Noona, about me’ .jpg) Ha-jin’s comment here lolololol looks like they’re all close
I think there’s a group chat room too lol ah I’m so excited for the main broadcast
Kwon Myung-eun deliberately—very deliberately—selected the cast members.
In the Chaos wasn’t merely a survival game where intellect alone determined skill.
It required immersion in a somewhat unrealistic setting, and all those situations needed to carry enough persuasiveness that they wouldn’t feel like mere window dressing.
If it looked like rigged games or if tired, forced comedy bits ruined the atmosphere at every turn, it would be quite problematic.
[Good Points About Inderca]
Many of the cast members are relatively new to variety entertainment
Even if they aren’t, their on-screen personas often contrast sharply with their usual public images, which really helps with immersion
Honestly, in this type of broadcast, forced sketches or attempts at humor can completely shatter the mood
From what I saw in episode 0, there’s none of that, which is great
I’m looking forward to the actual broadcast
Solid acting fundamentals would support it; if not that, then exceptional immersion in the situation.
Approaching it with genuine sincerity—enough to forget it’s entertainment—while simultaneously possessing the sensibility to create broadcast moments―.
Beyond these conditions, she applied a rigorous eye to the cast’s appearance and public image as well.
-They didn’t have to be conventionally beautiful, but they needed likable, appealing visuals.
-Gather diverse personality types where possible, but exclude anyone with a villain image tied to cheating or shortcuts.
-Balance the gender ratio equally. In particular, absolutely avoid the common variety show tropes of a lone female or lone male among the opposite sex.
The drama was already prepared; what mattered was finding actors who would faithfully perform this wordless script.
As she intended, viewers came to see the cast from episode 0 not as simple variety show panelists, but as genuine ‘characters’.
Leafbaby
@leafbaby
Just guessing the Inderca cast positions for fun
(Special Agent AU)
2,034 Retweets 183 Quotes 2,337 Likes 4,223 Bookmarks
From just two pre-recorded episodes barely forty minutes each, fan accounts were already sprouting up.
I’d triggered something that K-DRAMA enthusiasts couldn’t resist.
– Wow
And make no mistake—the greatest architect of this ‘Inderca boom’ was none other than―.
– Kang Ha-jin’s shorts already hit 20 million views; crazy
me.
I, Kang Ha-jin.
With barely ten minutes of screen time across both parts, I was already being called the de facto protagonist of In the Chaos episode 0.
Ha-rang
@dohajin_luv
Breaking the fourth wall itself
Jumping over it like a jump rope
A man of audacity
OMG I’m calling the PD right now….
(Ha-jin’s ‘Ending the test’ ending scene.mp4)
Shares 27K Retweets 1K Likes 31K
[Nam Sa-ra mentioned Inderca Episode 0 on her radio show today (Guests: Ha Tae-jin, Hong Bin)]
Nam Sa-ra: Ah, and we received a lot of comments about the Episode 0 ending too.
Nam Sa-ra: I was curious about it anyway, so I asked the PD after it ended?
Nam Sa-ra: Apparently it was kind of like a shortcut? Or something.
Nam Sa-ra: Like an emergency escape button they created just in case—’What if one of the cast members actually figured out this loophole?’
Nam Sa-ra: But also… I can’t say much, but this ‘test’ is a really important keyword, everyone.
Ha Tae-jin: Huh? Is this a spoiler? Are you spoiling us right now?
Nam Sa-ra: Well, I’ll leave it at that for now. Anyway, we all felt like we’d been hit with something that day.
Apparently, it wouldn’t have mattered if it was anyone instead of Kang Ha-jin—if they’d just said ‘I’m quitting’ the moment that zombie horde incident started, they would’ve gotten the test-ended route
Ha Tae-jin said this seemed like the kind of idea only Ha-jin could come up with since he’s a former PD who often observes situations from the outside, and I kind of agreed with him lol
– Oh yeah, I got kind of a Truman Show vibe from it too lol, you know what I mean
– Right, celebrities naturally assume they need to stay immersed until they get the cut signal
└ Yeah, only Ha-jin, being a former PD, could reach the conclusion that ‘the zombie horde is ultimately part of the test’
– I still get chills watching that part from Ha-jin lol I was so immersed in the zombie performance too
[This comment’s gonna be pinned throughout all of Inderca lol]
– Honestly I don’t care lol he’s handsome and has decent physique so they probably just threw in one pretty-boy flower-field member, just watch lol he’s really something
Endless hype keeps building
Usually comments like this become pilgrimage posts
But here everyone’s talking about karmic retribution
Even bad luck doesn’t work this badly
– Lmaooooo I laugh every time I see that comment
– Actually everything except the pretty-boy flower-field part is accurate;
– It’s basically a malicious comment disguised as criticism, but since the subject’s been flying around so much it’s become legendary in a different way
– I wrote that comment and I’m watching Ha-jin’s Haeundae busking video six thousand times as penance. Please let me go. I’m sorry, Ha-jin. (Comment verification photo.jpg)
└ Lmaooooooooooooooooooooooooo
└ Lmaooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
└ Lmaooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
From that point on, no one doubted Kang Ha-jin’s qualifications anymore.
Even the somewhat noisy PD-pick controversy died down. The funniest comment was one saying, ‘Even they must’ve thought at this point he didn’t arrive via parachute but like a special forces operative rappelling down on a paraglider to rescue the program.’
– Ha-jin’s really putting in the work
Water wasn’t just seeping in—it was pouring.
And you’re just sitting there watching without rowing?
That’s giving up on being human.
“…Hmm. The thumbnail looks good enough like this.”
Ju Eun-chan had coolly swiped his card for a top-of-the-line laptop without so much as a second thought about the cost, and on its screen, the AiTube Studio management dashboard appeared—something I hadn’t seen in a genuinely long time.
Determined not to miss even the smallest detail, I meticulously checked everything from the title to the description, and once I confirmed there were no issues, I clicked the mouse button.
[Scheduling complete.]
Direction by Kang Ha-jin.
Photography by Kang Ha-jin.
Editing by Kang Ha-jin.
Equipment and budget provided by Ju Eun-chan. (Sponsored)
Featuring Kang Ha-jin and Seo I-neui. (And more)
【Monitoring for the first time in 8 years ‖ Inderca Episode 0 Review ‖ Kairos·Kang Ha-jin·Seo Tae-hyun·Lee Yu-gun】
Want a PD moment?
I’ll give you one.
Kang Ha-jin’s AiTube activities had officially begun.

—————

This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

—————