---

On the table, a pile of food! (brought by Ren-Bo from manhwa)
Wang Shin, Soo-Bong, Ren-Bo and Do-Yoon have breakfast.
Yoon-Hee gives a bottle to Chul-Moo, sitting on her lap.

-

The housewife doesn't come to breakfast?

-

Where's Kang Chul?

-

(embarrassed) AaAah... I'll find out.

Soo-Bong gets up and heads for the bedroom.

---

Yeon-Joo, sitting at the desk, her hand on her forehead.

-

(cries) boo hoo hoo...

Toc-Toc! Knocks on the door.

-

(can't hear, keeps crying) Boo hoo hoo...

Soo-Bong opens and sees her, ... !!, embarrassed at trespassing.

-

Noona... (compassion for her)

(removes hand from forehead, looks at him, desperate)

---

Mi-Ra in dark satin gown, naked underneath...
... She looks out the window. The wound on her lip has coagulated.
She smiles, exhilarated, a deep serenity and happiness.
She closes her eyes and bites her lower lip...
... remembering something exquisite, deliciously juicy.

---

Soo-Bong, sitting next to Yeon-Joo.

-

That again? What's the matter with you, Noona?

-

boo hoo hoo... Now I know where it came from.

-

... ?!

-

Chul... He's pulling away from me... for no reason... ... Or a reason I don't know.

-

(!!) Come on Noona, you can see he's still here, with you.

-

boo hoo hoo...

(look around, "Kang Chul isn't here??!")

---

Mi-Ra lies down gently in the bed and tenderly watches...
... Kang Chul peacefully sleeping, shirtless under the sheets.

Mi-Ra puts her hand on Kang Chul's heart.

:

Now that you've committed the irrevocable and transgressed your ethics... ... I have proof that you love me as much as I love you.

---

-

(desperate cry) Does he still love me?!

-

Aaah... Noona, Noona... Of course he loves you... ... You're his only family!! He told your father!

-

(bitter) Then I'm no more than that... ... Just proof that he's real.

-

...

-

(screams, mad) IS IT LOVE?!!!!

---

Mi-Ra gazes fondly at sleeping Kang Chul, remembers...

:

Now I know that nothing is impossible... ... That we can love each other and build together. It didn't have to end in tragedy.

---

Yeon-Joo cries. Soo-Bong doesn't know what to do, "She won't listen, so stubborn".

-

Hahhh... Noona, I've seen you together for years. I've never seen anyone so happy as a couple!

-

(broken voice) Just appearances. Things aren't going so well, Soo-Bong.

-

... ?

-

We misunderstand each other... ... No, in truth, it's been like that from the start, even in W.

-

Of course, nothing has ever been decided. I talk, he doesn't care and moves on!

-

(annoyed) Does that make sense? Without it, you wouldn't be together today!

-

(shouts) THAT'S NOT THE POINT!!!

-

!!! (startled)

-

It's like that with everything! He never listens to me!!!

-

... !!

-

(depressed) He didn't want an ordinary ending... ... And that's what he got in the end.

-

(fed up, hand on face) ... Noona, stop your masochistic trip.

-

He never says anything, he just does things the way he wants... ... even when it's important to me, when it's driving me crazy with anxiety.

-

(enraged) DAMN SHIT!!! I was almost killed two minutes before!!! And he ain't the fuckin' least bit tellin' me where we're goin' or why!!! You say more to a DOG! It's always been that way! HE DOESN'T CARE HOW I FEEL !!!!

-

(feeling attacked) Why are you telling me this??! When you should be telling him!!!

-

(drifting, broken) I'm trying... but anyway, I'm no better at talking than he is.... So we let it be, because that's what's best, otherwise we'll argue...

-

(!!) You're arguing?!

-

(sinks into the negative) It's awful... sometimes I feel like I'm back in my parents' situation, minus the alcohol... (bitter) He dared to say that my father was an incompetent family head... (shouts) DID HE AT LEAST SEE HIMSELF?!

-

(!!!) ... (shocked, feels like he's taking her wrath, instead of Kang Chul)

-

(deeply depressed) I'm even less competent... As bad as I was in the hospital... I'm no good at anything... Even my drawings aren't great... I'm just an ordinary, mediocre person who happened to meet the perfect man she loves but is unable to love...

-

(sighs) I'm here listening to you when it should be Hyung Kang... ... But where is he now?!

-

(weeps heartbreakingly) bhoohh hoo hoohh hoohhh...

---

Kang Chul, dressed, finishes breakfast with Mi-Ra.
He sees a toothbrush on the sink, a lipstick next to the refrigerator.

-

(amused) Aren't you a little messy?

-

(!!) What?! (smiles) I put everything away before you came! (teases) Because according to the manhwa, Kang Chul is a neat freak!

-

Ohoo... You should hire a housemaid instead.

-

Moarf, no. I'll ask some shadow killers...

-

I have to go.

Kang Chul gets up and heads for the entrance, but Mi-Ra stops him by hugging him from behind.

-

You can stay longer.

-

I'd rather be near the tablets. Something dangerous might happen.

-

... I know.

-

Avoid going into the crossover, for your own safety.

She stops hugging him, looks at him with an apologetic smile.

-

I'll take your advice.

---

Kang Chul puts on his shoes.

-

Also... I'll have a family discussion. Unknow outcome... ... Maybe I'll need a place to sleep.

-

... (heart beating, the future with him about to become reality)

Mi-Ra gives him a gentle kiss goodbye.

-

(smiles) This house will be tidy when you come back.

Kang Chul smiles, winks at her and...
FZZT!, Colorful interference, he disappears!
Mi-Ra puts her hand on her heart, on cloud nine...

:

(determined) I'll do what it takes for us to succeed. I won't waste you. I won't let mediocre routines and misunderstandings set in.

:

(scornful) The creeping, gradual degradation of an ordinary life... ... it's good for your stupid wife, unable to love a man like you.

---

-

He... He disappeared... last night... And the night before too... ... Now he says we need to talk, I don't know what about.

-

He certainly has things to do in "W".

-

... (doesn't believe it)

-

Noona, it's good news that you're taking time to talk. You've proven to me for half an hour that you need it!

-

(dejected, dizzy) I have this horrible feeling that my existence is losing all meaning.

-

... (admits, "there's nothing I can do to help")

-

If I were a manhwa character... ... I'd be annihilated.

-

(!!) ... (little by little... a hypothesis, about what Kang Chul is doing)

---

---

Publisher Park with his assistant, anxiously facing two IT technicians.

-

You can't find the source of the problem?!

-

(ashamed) ... We've been at it all night.

-

... ?!

-

... (frightened, "I knew it would be in vain")

-

At least did you erase the manhwa?

---

---

---

-

(stunned) If we shut down the server, all our publications will stop. It would be the same as going bankrupt.

-

We could copy your data to another server. Except for the manhwa which bothers you, of course.

-

(depressed) Do that then...

-

(terrified) Whatever we do, it'll stay there. The ghost will never allow the manhwa to be erased!!!

-

... (frightened, now believing)

-

(cries) Even if we shut down all the servers in the world... ... this cursed manhwa will remain on the Internet forever.

-

... (creepy, "a supernatural and not computer problem?")

---

Yeon-Joo enters, holding a bandage. Her finger is bleeding.
She unfolds the bandage, when--
Tululu-Tululu! Her smartphone rings, "Publisher Park".
Apprehensively, she picks up.

-

Cartoonist Oh.

-

Yes.

-

Please tell me what's going on.

-

(feigning ignorance) About what?

-

The manhwa. It's impossible to delete. The updates are coming from nowhere. The technicians assure me that it's not a Moon Company hack.

-

(so annoying) ... ("what can I say to him?")

-

You know. I'm sure you know.

-

..... (difficult but, "should I tell the truth")

-

There's something... inexplicable. Supernatural! Is that it? You know that??!

-

(decides) The truth is difficult, but I have to tell you that...

KZZT! Colorful interference, Kang Chul materializes.

-

!!! (finally!) ... (on the phone) I'll call you back later!!! (hangs up)

-

... !!!!!

-

(sees her, notices her injured finger) ... Yeon-Joo, wha--

---

---

A large, unlit luxury tablet on the table...
... which Young-Sik happily turns on, whistling.

-

Finally some free time.

He puts a "Queen of Darkness" artbook on the table, opens it...

... Mi-Ra's complete autographed drawing on the artbook.
"For Young-Sik, man of good taste - Moon Mi-Ra"
Young-Sik turns the pages, a free-standing sheet is in the artbook. He places it on the table:
A clumsy sketch reproducing a Joseon nobleman beautifully drawn in the artbook.
Probably sketched by him. Poor quality, but better than most.

:

Too bad, if I were more talented, I could have been a cartoonist... ... Instead of having to put up with that damned Sang-Deuk!

He goes to a shelf filled with manhwas and goodies.

-

But that doesn't mean I can't have fun, and above all...

Under a glass bell, like a precious object, an electronic stylus.
Young-Sik lifts the bell and picks up the stylus, looking at it in wonder.

-

... to use my precious for the first time.

He sits behind the tablet, imitating Gollum from Lord of the Rings.

-

(stroking the stylus) My precious.

He turns on the stylus, looks at the noble sketch. He draws on the tablet to reproduce it.

-

My preciiiiiiiiious.....

---

Next to Soo-Bong, Yoon-Hee looks at her lit tablet.

-

Nothing special in the manhwa.

SUDDENLY--
A jet of intense yellow light bursts from the tablets!!!

-

(surprised) AAAAAAAHHHH!!!!

-

(surprised) AAAAAAAHHHH!!!!

Kang Chul and Yeon-Joo rush in.
In front of a panicked Soo-Bong and Yoon-Hee...
... The yellow light is strobing, aggressive... ANGRY!!!

-

(frightened, moves away from the tablet) It's... IT'S HIM!!!

Ren-Bo, Wang Shin and Do-Yoon also look on, frightened.
The light dims... the Correspondent's face appears on both tablets...
... more contrasted than usual, the animation more jerky, the voice more cavernous.

-

Kang Chul, you didn't heed my last warning.

:

(worried) The time has come, but what?

-

You tried to eliminate me by invoking "FINAL CHAPTER". Do you think I wouldn't know?

:

(annoyed) Of course I knew.

-

I'm sure you've guessed by now... ... I wrote it myself!

:

(!!!) ... (face contracted, "worse than expected") That answers the last mystery I wasn't sure about.

-

Such an act of war cannot go unpunished. Your peaceful life ends in exactly ten minutes.

Kang Chul, !!!, maximum tension... something terrible is about to happen.
Yeon-Joo, Yoon-Hee and Ren-Bo doubt... "What could he do?"
Wang Shin trusts his instincts, this is serious. Soo-Bong trembles with fear.
Do-Yoon looks at Kang Chul... and believes only the fright he sees on his face.

-

I promise you a major plot twist in your story. The kind of plot twist that produces a good cliffhanger.

-

..... !!!!

The clock reads "11:50".

---

(Ep34, the situation was seen from the garden window, but not heard.)
SUBTITLE: Two days ago.
Kang Chul talks to: Yeon-Joo, Yoon-Hee, Wang Shin, Ren-Bo, Soo-Bong, Do-Yoon.

-

I made a mistake. The correspondent is not the faceless killer. And unfortunately, he's much more dangerous.

They're astonished, worried.

-

And he was actually in "W" before he died. Everything he told Moon Mi-Ra was rigorously accurate to the last word.

Chilly atmosphere.

-

So... Who is he?

-

The best way to explain... ... is to look at this. (takes a book out of his bag)

SPAF! Kang Chul slaps a comic book on the table. (from the comics shop, end Ep33)

-

The brilliant author Edgar P. Jacobs thought he was a mediocre cartoonist. But he worked very hard, both on his drawings and his stories.

-

And what does this story tell?

-

It doesn't matter.

-

(??!) ... But in this case...

-

A mad scientist gives a gangster superpowers by operating on his brain. He controls him mentally, and signs his crimes with a big yellow graffiti "M".

-

Hyung... I don't understand, what is the connection with "W"?

-

"M" is the letter "W", inverted.

-

Okay, but what links it to this story? Has this comic strip come to life as well?

-

Nothing like that. The best thing is to read an excerpt. You can even choose any page.

Kang Chul opens the book at random. It lands on page #2.
A classic page: British guards are on the alert for an intruder in the Tower of London.

-

... ?!

-

... ?!

-

... ?!

-

It's very retro. But apart from that, there's nothing special!

-

Yet the whole page is revealing. Look at the thumbnails at the bottom. Tell me what you understand.

-

It's obvious at first glance. Someone gesticulates on the roof. Then the guards sound the alarm.

-

Absolutely, we understand immediately. And yet...

Kang Chul runs his finger over the description in the first box:
"And up there, standing on the battlements of Wakefield Tower, appears, fantastic, a gesticulating figure...".

-

... as if the author didn't trust himself, he describes the situation.

Then he runs his finger over the drawing: a human shadow waving its arms at the top of the tower.

-

Whereas the drawing is enough to understand.

Kang Chul moves on to the next frame and points to the description:
"The bugle, at once, awakening the echoes of the dark fortress...".

-

And then he writes that the bugle is sounded...

He shows the drawing of the guard blowing the trumpet.

-

... when it's obvious by seeing the man with the trumpet.

-

But... It's not a crime, Hyung. It happens sometimes, in a comic strip.

-

And that has nothing to do with it?

-

"Sometimes"? Except that here, it's systematic.

Kang Chul opens another page at random.

-

Look at this!

On the page: the hero enters the library of the British Museum.

-

And this! (opens another page at random)

On the page: the hero fires a pistol at a masked opponent.

-

Omo!!! (horrified, just realized)

-

And that again!!! (opens another random page)

On the page: a mysterious masked man surveys a mansion full of antiques.

-

(broken down in horror) The... the yellow frame...

-

(frightened) This... This can't be...

-

He called himself "Correspondent" when he didn't know who he was. But his real name is...

-

THE NARRATOR.

All in the room, !!!!, "WHAT IS THIS MADNESS??!!!!"

---

---

The clock reads "11:51". On the tablets, the NARRATOR...

-

"A few hours later...", "The day after...". This was my only use, when my artistic talent is so much greater.

-

Bullshit!!! It's just redundant, when the drawings are more than enough.

They're worried that Kang Chul dares to provoke him....
... when they're scared, especially Soo-Bong and Wang Shin.

-

I guess you've stuck me in one of your petty investigative reports. But you have no idea of my real possibilities.

-

On the contrary, I'm perfectly aware of your limitations.

-

Always the vain arrogance so characteristic of your character. You have the nerve to want to control the only place where I can realize my potential. While I was a slave in so many manhwas, obeying idiotic authors. Half alive, half dead, forever asleep.

-

As I suspected, you love to prattle. Drowning others in a flood of useless comments is your nature.

-

Comments you had the audacity to delete in MY manhwa. I told you to burn your tablets.

-

And I told you that your empty threats are not impressive. There's nothing you can do to hurt us here.

-

Readers will love the terrible fate I have in store. Dramatic perfection! You won't wait ten years, like your previous opponent, but only ten minutes. Ten minutes so agonizing that they'll seem longer than ten years.

The tablets switch off!! ... The Narrator is gone...
... leaving the room in an atmosphere of metaphysical terror.
They remember the night before yesterday, when Kang Chul revealed everything...

---

(Ep34, continuation of the situation seen from the garden window).
SUBTITLE: Two days ago.

---

The clock reads "11:53".

-

Yoon-Hee and Soo-Bong, get ready to draw. You are the two most experienced artists.

-

What about me?

-

Get ready to replace Yoon-Hee. In case we need to reinforce the "Butterfly Girl" style drawings.

They pick up their stylus and sit down in front of the tablets.

-

We need to know if the Narrator is triggering events. Turn on the tablets to see the real-time release.

They turn on the tablets, which show a blank image...

---

(Ep34, continuation of the situation seen from the garden window.)
SUBTITLE: Two days ago.

---

The clock reads "11:55". Tik-Tik, the seconds hand turns...
Heavy atmosphere... General apprehension.
The tablets just display a blank image.

-

Nothing... Nothing's happening yet...

-

Or... Has it already started? And we can't see it?

Wang Shin looks on, feeling helpless. He sees Yoon-Hee in anguish.
He puts his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

-

Should I... check over there?

-

(!!) ... (worried)

-

(worried) No... Here we're safe. But over there... I don't know what danger you might encounter.

-

(sigh of relief) ... ("Kang Chul thinks about her safety")

-

If anything happened, we'd see it on the tablets.

---

(Ep34, continuation of the situation seen from the garden window).
SUBTITLE: Two days ago.

-

Usually, manhwas have few narrative frames. But in "The Yellow Mark", we see the effect of intensive use.

-

(worried) An effect... What effect?

-

My drama teacher would certainly say... ... that it would break the narrative law of "show don't tell"!

-

A redundancy. Image or text, one of the two contents becomes useless. This logic taken to the extreme gives this... (takes a book out of his bag)

SPAF! Kang Chul slams the "Frankenstein" book down on the table.
Written by Mary Shelley, illustrated by Bernie Wrightson.

He opens the book, and turns the pages. A novel, with some wonderful illustrations.

-

It's no longer a manhwa, but an illustrated book...

-

Mostly text, with occasional large images...

-

But then... What becomes of the manhwa world under such conditions?!

(looks at them seriously... "isn't the answer obvious?")

-

Although it's probably not what he wants... ... Unintentionally, the Narrator is a destroyer of reality!!!

They're all chilled to the bone. Kang Chul's final revelation finishes them off!
A graveyard silence reigns in the room, for long seconds.

-

I didn't understand anything, except that your famous faceless killer... ... is peanuts compared to this inter-dimensional super-villain.

-

The only way to defeat him is to end "Butterfly Queen in the Dark". (to Ren-Bo) Ren-Bo, this time you must put an end to the manhwa.

-

!!! (frightened, "then Fairy Spark will be gone forever")

-

(serious) Do you understand how important this is?!

-

(nods "yes" then...) boo hoo hoo hoo... (interminable crying fit)

---

The clock reads "11:57". Tik-Tik, the seconds hand turns...
While nothing happens, the tension rises...

-

Now it's the moment of truth.

Tik, the seconds hand reaches... "11:58".

-

Two minutes!!! What could he do in two minutes?!!

-

Not just two minutes... He's been up to something for a long time, I can feel it.

-

Bweeeh, he's just bluffing. He's a big bladder full of cow farts.

SUDDENLY-- Images materialize on the tablets.
Soo-Bong tablet: The country's capital, dominated by the building of the deceased Jin In-Jin.

-

!!!

Yoon-Hee tablet: Thousands of angry people in the streets! Dressed Joseon style.

-

!!!

On each image, a yellow frame appears, filled with text.
Soo-Bong's tablet: "The destructive revolution has begun".
Yoon-Hee tablet: "The people demand the return of the monarchy".

-

He's using the people to abolish the constitutional monarchy?!

-

Erase the description frames!

In eraser mode, Soo-Bong and Yoon-Hee wiggle their pens over the Narrator's texts, but...
To no avail! Neither the yellow frames nor the text are erased!!!

-

Omo!!

-

That's not possible... It worked before!

-

It was working, just half an hour ago!

-

(thinks quickly, contracted) Variables have changed?! A new context?

-

How does he control these people?!

-

Did they just arrive? (doubt) ... No... They were already here. The Narrator cheated by using narrative laws. A hidden event that the manhwa will publish later.

Anxiously, he looks at the clock. "11:59".

-

The Plain of the Dead!

-

... ??! (realizes)

-

Those are the people we saw out there!!

-

It was the work of the Narrator. An army of protesters?!

-

(appalled) He... He had foreseen every eventuality... ... for so long?!!

New drawings and frames of the Narrator materialize on the tablets.
Soo-Bong's tablet: "The relics of the future become those of the past".
Jin In-Jin's building explodes and collapses. Other modern buildings are on fire.
Yoon-Hee tablet: "And the people of Joseon reclaim their rightful power".
The protesters outflank the guards and enter the parliamentary assembly.

Soo-Bong and Yoon-Hee try to erase, uselessly.
The clock reads "12:00". End of the time prophesied by the Narrator.

-

(screams in terror) HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII !!!!!

Eyes bulging, Ren-Bo stares at her arm... Translucent, flashing, outlined in black.

-

(apoplectic) NO! NO!!! (rushes towards her)

-

(panics, terrified) AAHH!!! AAAAHHH!!!

Ren-Bo's terror becomes contagious. They panic too, screams, agitation.

-

AHHAAAH-- (faints)

Soo-Bong gathers her in his arms...
... Horrified, he also sees her shoulder become transparent, then her second arm!

-

Bwaah AAAHH!!! (cries in despair)

-

(panic) What to do?!! Otoke? Otoke??!!

-

... (hand trembling in front of her mouth, tetanized)

-

... !!! (doesn't know what to do, thinks in vain)

Kang Chul watches Ren-Bo become translucent, gauges how quickly she'll disappear.

Screams and cries are suddenly covered by--
WooOOOoooOOOoooOOOooo... A loud, uninterrupted alarm siren.
They fall silent, incredulous, look around uncomprehendingly.
WooOOOoooOOOoooOOOooo... It's coming from outside, and far away.

-

Where is it coming from?

-

(goose bumps) It's the siren from Seoul. State of emergency, war or major disaster!

-

It's... It's the monthly test day??! (Note: national siren tests take place every month at Noon.)

-

!!! (hurries to turn on the TV)

---

---

---

---

WooOOOoooOOOoooOOOooo... Seoul's siren wails.
Panic breaks out in the famous square.
"AaAAaah!!!! AAHH!!!" Terrified people, screaming, running in all directions.
Hundreds of faceless zombies wandering at random...
... some running anarchically, chasing everyone and no one.

Reckless despite the fear, microphone in hand, Lee Sang-Deuk...
... He tries to focus on the camera, regularly checking the danger around him.

-

Here are the exclusive first images of the plague befalling Korea!!!

He stretches out his arm behind him, towards the faceless, diamond-eyed zombies.

-

These people have turned into faceless zombies!!!! This isn't fiction, it's real!!! A zombie invasion!!!

Sight recedes and...

---

... Sang-Deuk is in the TV screen.

~

It's state of emergency! Stay inside! Stay tuned to the authorities! Thousands of cases, and counting! A pandemic!!!

Sang-Deuk sees a zombie clumsily running towards him.
He flees and disappears from the camera... towards which the zombie is heading.
A close-up of its faceless head and...
... The gray diamond-shaped eyes light up yellow!

As if the Narrator had just taken over this body and was looking at them!
Then the image tilts. Black screen.

They look at each other, stunned into macabre stupefaction...
... overwhelmed by the biblical scale of the disaster!
Kang Chul is shocked, remembers...

-

(extreme lamentation) NooOOooo !!!!

In Soo-Bong's arms, Ren-Bo becomes more and more transparent...
... Arms, shoulders, legs... Translucent, outlined in black.
A quick annihilation process!!!

-

(looks at her) How much time does she have left? Fifteen minutes?!

-

(sure) No more than five.

General apoplexy, ......!!!!!!!!!!!!

---