Top Star by Luck

Chapter 20

Kim Tae Yang.

A third-year student in the prestigious Theater and Film Department at one of Korea’s leading universities for the arts, Hanye University.

He possessed both a naturally Western-like face and a tall, lean physique, along with an abundance of talent.

Not only did he enjoy acting from a young age, but he also loved the entire process of filmmaking. If there was something unique about him, it was that he didn’t rush into debuting.

“Debuting happens when the time is right.”

For now, he wanted to study leisurely.

He wanted to delve deeply into the essence of acting itself.

Just as good fermented sauce requires both the intense heat of summer and the cold of winter to mature, he regarded the entire process of preparation, including failures, as part of living the life of an actor.

In his eyes, Lee Min Ki was…

“His visuals are definitely something.”

He was someone who stood out.

Though he wasn’t sure about his acting, the moment he saw his fashion, he knew.

Fashion isn’t something you can just pull off by suddenly donning fancy clothes if you’ve never dressed well before.

Before the clothes, a person needs to have the right attitude to match them.

And Lee Min Ki had that.

“He knows how to wear his clothes, and his steps are natural.”

He took an instant liking to him.

Meanwhile, Lee Min Ki, upon seeing Kim Tae Yang, thought this:

“…Why is Kim Tae Yang here?”

He was stunned by the mere presence of Kim Tae Yang.

“This guy is an elite actor, one of the best. A first-rate talent, obsessed with acting.”

He was already a success.

Despite being a rookie, he had made an immediate impact with his insane acting skills and had captured everyone’s attention.

He was a top-tier actor, easily counted among the next generation’s top five male stars.

Even though Daon’s Kim Ji Hwan was successful, Kim Tae Yang was just as remarkable.

Who would have thought that this guy came from Jam Acting School?

“How did I not know?”

No, it made sense.

Maybe he had just enrolled without actually attending classes—just enough to show his face at auditions now and then.

“He wasn’t signed with JC, at least not from what I remember.”

As he stood there, still shocked by the future star in front of him, Kim Tae Yang approached him.

“Nice to meet you.”

Kim Tae Yang smiled as he walked over, greeting him with a bright smile.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from the teacher.”

The teacher must mean Trainer Kim Ah Sung.

“I’ve heard so many good things from him that I’m looking forward to it.”

The fact that this person praised me?

That guy, who would snicker at even the smallest mistake? It was hard to picture Kim Ah Sung complimenting anyone in his mind.

Caught off guard, Lee Min Ki shook the hand that Kim Tae Yang extended to him.

“Nice to meet you. And, uh, good luck with the audition.”

“Great. Let’s have a friendly competition today. I’m looking forward to it.”

A friendly competition, huh?

In that short sentence, Lee Min Ki found himself bracing for the challenge.

“Once I debut, Kim Ji Hwan or Kim Tae Yang—both will become my competitors.”

The competition was simply starting a little earlier than expected.

Lee Min Ki decided to see it that way.

And then…

“Come on in.”

The moment the seven participants entered the practice room assigned as the audition venue, Lee Min Ki recognized one of the judges sitting there.

“This guy?”

The man in the stylish beige coat.

The one he passed on the street earlier.

Looking at the nameplate in front of him, it was Director Seo Jung Woo.

* * *

“Oh, it’s him.”

Director Seo Jung Woo realized it the moment he saw him.

The pieces of the puzzle in his mind clicked into place.

The person he had only heard about by name over the past few weeks was standing right before him.

“Heh.”

“Why are you laughing?” asked Trainer Kim Ah Sung, noticing.

Wiping the corner of his eyes, Seo Jung Woo replied, “Just remembered a funny joke.”

“You’ll have to share it with me later.”

“Sure, after this.”

He couldn’t help but laugh.

“What are the odds?”

The person Trainer Kim Ah Sung had praised to no end and the one that CEO Yoo Gyu Eon had raved about—turned out to be the same person.

That’s right.

Director Seo Jung Woo realized the moment he saw Lee Min Ki.

“The clothes he’s wearing… it’s one of the designs Yoo Gyu Eon bragged about recently.”

He also remembered seeing him as a model for an online shopping mall.

Despite Trainer Kim Ah Sung’s high praise, he hadn’t realized it was Lee Min Ki, due to his own personal superstition.

He believed that knowing anything about a contestant would lead to biased judgment during auditions.

Being someone who valued fairness above all else, it was a rule he set for himself.

As someone responsible for personnel decisions, he was constantly being approached by people trying to introduce aspiring actors, so he made a point of ignoring it whenever possible.

But now that he knew, it was hard to act like he didn’t.

“Both sides said nothing but great things about him, huh?”

He was curious.

What kind of skills would this guy show?

His fashion, at least, was a pass.

Of course, it was, since Yoo Gyu Eon had dressed him personally.

“…”

Just by looking at how he stood there, one could tell.

His overall silhouette was great.

He wasn’t that tall, but he had a solid frame, and his head shape was attractive.

It was the kind of physique that Director Seo Jung Woo preferred.

“Most people think the best physique is a small head, long limbs, and broad shoulders like an alien, but if that’s the case, you should just pick a Westerner.”

Reality was a bit different.

In general, the public tended to prefer a physique that, while ideal, felt more relatable than something unrealistic.

The line between awe and admiration was very thin.

What made a successful actor wasn’t being awe-inspiring but evoking admiration.

A sense of aspiration.

The kind that makes people think, “I want to be like that.”

“Min Ki, right?”

“…Yes!”

At the mention of his name, a strong voice rang out.

Director Seo Jung Woo smiled faintly and said, “Since there aren’t many participants today, we’ll conduct a more in-depth audition. Before we start the acting portion, I’d like to ask you a few questions.”

“Yes!”

“Why do you want to act?”

It was a rather abstract question.

But after a brief moment of contemplation, Lee Min Ki opened his mouth.

“…Acting saved my life.”

The voice was a 3 out of 10.

It seemed like he hadn’t paid much attention to vocalization, something he would have to refine later.

Of course, that would only happen if he was chosen.

‘Or maybe not. Did he intentionally speak that way, as part of his acting?’

He needed to consider it.

As Director Seo Jung Woo evaluated every single movement, Lee Min Ki continued speaking.

“A few years ago, when I had given up on everything, I found strength again thanks to a movie that was showing at the cinema. After watching that movie, I thought to myself, ‘Movies have the power to save people.’ That’s why I want to become an actor who can give others strength.”

It was a contrived answer, but it was sincere.

In reality, Lee Min Ki had been someone who, due to severe misfortune, kept failing over and over.

By his early twenties, he had already given up on everything.

He continued to fail even into his thirties.

If it hadn’t been for that movie he watched by chance, he might have made an extreme choice.

And also…

In the world of films, at least, luck played no part.

“Hm, what’s the title of that movie?”

“That would be…”

Lee Min Ki composed his breath for a moment before answering.

“Ocean Man.”

Ocean Man.

It was a film about someone who had failed at everything in life, but attempted to cross the Pacific Ocean with nothing but a small sailboat.

“What a coincidence. I like that movie too.”

He got lucky.

While Lee Min Ki was subtly surprised, Director Seo Jung Woo smiled and asked,

“Do you have a favorite line from the movie?”

This time, he didn’t need even a moment to hesitate before answering.

“‘Live, not just survive.’ It’s a line from the latter half of the movie.”

It was a famous line that summarized the entire theme of the film in one sentence.

What meaning could there be in merely surviving life, like a plant without any will?

Better to live fiercely, even if it feels like you’re dying.

That’s the meaning behind the line.

“That’s a great line.”

Director Seo Jung Woo smiled brightly and said,

“But there’s another line that I truly love. Do you know what it is?”

This was the second question.

While Lee Min Ki grew nervous again, Director Seo Jung Woo spoke.

“‘The reason people despise wealth is because they have no hope of becoming rich.’”

Lee Min Ki responded to that.

“Of course. That’s my eleventh favorite line.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

Unfortunate?

It was an incomprehensible reaction that came out of Director Seo Jung Woo’s mouth at that moment.

Lee Min Ki continued speaking.

“It’s a line from the movie France is Bacon, isn’t it?”

“Aha.”

At that moment, a short laugh escaped.

Because Director Seo Jung Woo had asked about a quote from a different movie altogether.

He even clapped and replied,

“Wow, this is the first time I’ve met someone who knows that line. It’s not a very well-known movie.”

“Well, I make sure to watch every movie that gets released.”

“That’s a great attitude.”

Director Seo Jung Woo slowly nodded, seemingly pleased.

“Input is always better when there’s more of it. Surprisingly, many people claim they love acting but barely watch movies. When you accumulate enough input, it’ll shine one day. Just like now.”

His voice was overflowing with affection.

Anyone watching this scene could easily guess that Lee Min Ki had given an answer worth 140 points out of 100.

But the person in question, Lee Min Ki, was busy sweating nervously inside.

‘I almost fell for it.’

He had been just one step away from the cliff’s edge.

[The reason people despise wealth is because they have no hope of becoming rich.]

That line had come out so naturally.

If he had made the mistake of pretending it was a line from Ocean Man, he would’ve been torn apart on the spot.

‘Director Seo Jung Woo, I thought he was a clean-cut person based on his appearance, but I didn’t expect him to set such a trap.’

He was a true trickster.

But Lee Min Ki had handled it well in the end, and the atmosphere had brightened as a result.

“Oh, Director, you’re really mischievous.”

Kim Ah Sung, the trainer, gave up on keeping a serious tone and burst out laughing.

At the same time, someone at the audition bit their lips hard.

‘What’s with that guy?’

It was a few of the scholarship students.

They didn’t like the fact that Lee Min Ki had garnered attention over them.

‘I’ve seen Ocean Man too.’

‘Who hasn’t seen that movie? It’s a classic ranked in IMDb’s top 100. He’s just lucky he got an easy question.’

‘He’s pretending to know everything.’

Of course, even if they had been the ones up there, they would have stumbled at the second question.

But to them, the result was all that mattered.

In just a short conversation, Lee Min Ki had gained extra points. Or at least, it appeared that way.

And that was something they couldn’t stand.

Naturally.

‘That guy, Lee Min Ki, must really love movies. I wouldn’t have been able to handle that like he did.’

There were also people like Kim Tae Yang, who were purely impressed.

‘How does he manage to watch all those movies? Min Ki works part-time at a convenience store, does modeling, and goes to the gym. Does he have ten bodies or something?’

And people like Yoo Seon Ah, who were already inclined to be impressed by him.

As everyone reflected on the interview in their own ways,

“It seems like there’s no need for more questions.”

Director Seo Jung Woo’s voice had returned to its calm state.

“Now I’d like to see your acting. Can I expect an output as good as your input?”

Lee Min Ki, sensing that the real challenge was about to begin, responded.

“Yes!”