Top Star by Luck

Chapter 118

Yes, it was true.

The SNS screen on Lee Min Ki's phone.

The number displayed there was truly extraordinary.

[3,120,000]

It could rival the population of Busan.

Moreover, the number was steadily increasing in real-time.

‘This actually works.’

Even Lee Min Ki, who had proposed the bet, couldn't believe the result and pressed firmly on his temples.

Pressing the temples stimulated the tear glands, producing a natural eye-drop effect.

‘It’s still the same no matter how many times I check.’

That meant it wouldn't work if you didn’t need eye drops.

“Hah.”

Lee Min Ki let out a small sigh.

At the time of his bet with Director Seo Jung Woo, their goal was merely 1 million in three months.

Three million had seemed like an impossible feat, and they had bet against it.

It was all to test their luck.

But what happened after they began the bet?

Like a snowball greedily growing in the Himalayas, it swelled until it turned into an avalanche, tripling the original goal.

‘Luck certainly plays a big role in bets.’

But to this extent?

It’s ridiculously strong.

Realizing that the bigger the stakes, the bigger the results, he felt a twinge of fear at his own luck.

It even made him want to keep betting.

‘Is this the mindset of gamblers?’

No, stop.

Hold it in, you inner gambler.

‘Remember your real job!’

While Lee Min Ki was battling his inner dark impulses, Director Seo Jung Woo clapped his hands and spoke.

“As expected, you’re incredible, Actor. Among all the celebrities I’ve encountered, you’re absolutely one of a kind.”

“Hmm.”

“Acting, fashion, marketing—you excel in everything. Do you know that? These days, trainees say they want to be like you. You could truly be called the guiding star for rookie actors.”

A few exaggerated compliments from Director Seo Jung Woo brought Lee Min Ki back to his senses.

Seeing this, Director Seo Jung Woo smiled and continued.

“At any rate, with 3,120,000 followers, you rank among the top 50 male celebrities in Korea.”

Hearing it like that made it feel neither too much nor too little.

Even as Lee Min Ki marveled at the number 3 million, he couldn’t help but notice the gap in objective rankings.

As if reading his mind, Director Seo Jung Woo said.

“You probably think it’s middling, don’t you?”

How uncanny.

“Well, yeah, kind of.”

As Lee Min Ki nodded, Director Seo Jung Woo sat beside him and pulled out his phone.

“But as you can see, most of the top ranks are held by celebrities or global stars.”

That was undeniably true.

Looking at the glittering names on the screen, two-thirds were idols, while the rest were internationally renowned figures.

“So, am I at a disadvantage because I’m a domestic-focused, full-time actor?”

“For now, yes. But on the flip side, you could say you’re at the top among pure domestic rookies.”

The top, huh?

Realizing that reaching this level so quickly no longer felt strange, Lee Min Ki was struck by a peculiar emotion.

‘Is it okay to rise so fast?’

It felt like just yesterday when he couldn’t even consider competitors like Kim Ji Hwan or Kim Tae Yang and thought of them as distant stars.

But now, with just a few blinks, the world had changed.

He had only done a handful of projects.

What would happen once Fashion & Passion was released?

“If you make an overseas debut soon... you might not just be the best rookie but the top among seasoned actors. This is a big event for Korean entertainment.”

Director Seo Jung Woo murmured sincerely, clearly pleased.

Despite losing the bet, he didn’t seem the least bit troubled—if anything, he appeared refreshed.

And rightly so.

‘It’s a shame I lost the right to force him into a project of my choosing, but the gains are immense.’

Having 3 million followers was a massive asset in itself.

In today’s media-driven world, an actor’s SNS was like a gigantic billboard.

Exactly.

With an audience of 3 million, it was a billboard on an immense scale.

With such a platform, the revenue potential of even one or two mediocre projects couldn’t be underestimated.

‘Especially since he excels in fashion. A few ads in that field could turn him into a Hallyu star in no time.’

Director Seo Jung Woo chuckled with satisfaction.

As if the company’s success was his own.

And in truth, it was.

Though not widely known, Director Seo Jung Woo owned shares in JC Entertainment.

While CEO Goo In Mo was the majority shareholder and essentially ran it as his private company, an investment firm followed.

And the next major stakeholder was none other than Director Seo Jung Woo.

In other words, the more JC Entertainment prospered, the more his wealth grew.

‘With the actor’s rising success, I’ll have to consider cashing out some shares soon.’

It wasn’t just out of goodwill that he had been catering to Lee Min Ki’s tastes lately.

Although, it was also entertaining in its own way.

“Actor, let’s shoot a fashion ad soon.”

“Representative Yoo Gyu Eon recently asked for a collaboration for the Terminus Collection’s upcoming overseas launch.”

“Haha, Representative Yoo Gyu Eon... or should I say, he’s lucky.”

The people who built positive connections with Lee Min Ki always seemed to thrive, which was amusing.

As Director Seo Jung Woo smiled, Lee Min Ki shrugged and spoke.

“I’m practically Representative Yoo’s exclusive model these days. Even this outfit is from him.”

Lee Min Ki adjusted the collar of his shirt, revealing the word [Terminus] written in bold black lettering.

Indeed.

Lately, almost everything Lee Min Ki wore publicly was handled by Representative Yoo Gyu Eon.

Naturally, it was all custom-made.

“This outfit feels great.”

“Yes, especially since it’s for a significant event. There’s even a photo shoot afterward.”

“Where’s Manager Park Han Mo?”

“He’s waiting downstairs.”

“Alright, have a good trip.”

“Stay healthy.”

“Healthy... yes. You too, Actor. Wishing you a long life.”

With that, Lee Min Ki exchanged what might or might not have been goodbyes and descended to the first floor.

Using the stairs, not the elevator.

[Sir, your physical activity has been decreasing lately. That won’t do.]

[But, Trainer Kwon, filming has been so hectic.]

[Then at least walk. Deal?]

Trainer Kwon Joon Yong’s orders.

If he couldn’t carve out time to exercise, he was to turn his daily routine into exercise.

He didn’t fully understand it, but he followed instructions anyway.

‘At least it’s convenient that he trains me personally at the company gym.’

Though unintended, it was one of the fortunate connections he had made.

Step by step.

When they descended to the first floor, it happened.

"Manager!"

At Lee Min Ki's voice, Manager Park Han Mo, who had been sitting and waiting, rose from his seat and spoke.

"We'll be late for the premiere. Let’s go quickly."

The press preview for Fashion and Fashion.

The moment to face the result of all the hard work was imminent.

"Oh, and it’d be good to fix the crease in your pants a little."

"Ah, yes!"

Going up and down the stairs was fine, but this was the problem.

Red Cinema, Konkuk University.

The press preview was held at Hall 8, which had been rented for Fashion and Fashion.

The atmosphere there was nothing like the casual, lively vibe of most preview venues.

It was reminiscent of a battlefield.

It was intense.

Eyes gleamed sharply.

The reporters, lined up like a market crowd, looked as though they could draw swords and fight at any moment.

Why were these people, usually calling each other "bro" and "sis," acting this way?

Why weren’t they even exchanging greetings?

The reason, of course, was Lee Min Ki.

‘These days, Lee Min Ki is top-tier.’

A string of hits, Fashion was a hit, and he was a sensation on SNS as well.

Recently, he even flaunted his friendship with a Billboard star.

On top of that, he was refreshing.

For an actor to feel fresh in the public’s eyes was a huge advantage.

How could there be another giant who had grown so much in such a short time?

Even a fool could tell.

‘Lee Min Ki is the trend.’

Lee Min Ki’s current project could very well define an era in Korean media.

If there was a flaw, it might be Hwang Ui Seong.

"Well, since it’s Hwang Ui Seong’s work, naturally..."

One reporter cautiously opened their mouth.

"Yes, it’s hard to expect commercial success."

"Exactly."

"Because it’s Hwang Ui Seong. The work might be good, though."

Indeed.

Hwang Ui Seong had a chronic issue as a director.

In terms of pure artistic value, his work was top-notch in Korea.

But when it came to box office results, his reputation was disappointingly lacking.

Significantly so.

"Lee Min Ki should stick to commercially successful projects to ride the trend."

"That’s right. If he plays his cards well, he could aim for the title of a ten-million-viewer actor."

Reporters who had built camaraderie while covering the film industry tossed out their evaluations of Lee Min Ki.

In truth, becoming a ten-million-viewer actor wasn’t something you could force.

First, the movie had to succeed.

Conversely, the more likely a movie was to succeed, the more it tended to cast top-notch actors.

The bigger the investment, the more premium actors were sought.

"Why on earth did it have to be Hwang Ui Seong?"

From this perspective, the reporters saw Hwang Ui Seong as an obstacle for Lee Min Ki.

They didn’t want Lee Min Ki involved in art films.

They wanted him to be evaluated by the public through commercial films and rise to stardom.

"Ugh."

"And his acting is good too."

"No, no, it’s because his acting is so good that Hwang Ui Seong snatched him up."

"That bear-like old man has a sharp eye for actors."

"Remember when I went to interview him, and he shut me out, saying they were filming?"

Adding to the dislike was the fact that Hwang Ui Seong had a negative reputation among reporters.

It stemmed from his uncooperative attitude toward interviews.

Of course, there’s no obligation to accommodate reporters who show up unannounced.

But reporters, who were used to being treated hospitably under the guise of their job title, took issue with it.

"Hwang Ui Seong is outdated now."

"Lee Min Ki deserves better."

"They say the movie’s about fashion, but how can someone out of touch handle such a trendy topic?"

"Unless it’s about Dongdaemun Market in the ’80s."

"Hahaha, that’s kind of funny."

"Seems like Lee Min Ki doesn’t have a good eye for choosing projects."

While the reporters were locked in competitive chatter about the people behind the movie rather than the film itself, it happened.

"He’s here."

One reporter spoke.

At that moment.

Everyone went silent as if their mouths had been zipped shut.

Then, like meerkats on the savannah, they raised their heads and looked in one direction.

The entrance and exit of the theater.

A softly lit spot, like moonlight resting on mist.

A man stood there, wearing a beige coat with a texture as smooth as silk.

‘……!’

‘No wonder he rose as a fashion model.’

It was Lee Min Ki.

He smiled gently and spoke.

"This is actor Lee Min Ki. It’s been a while since Café del Día."

His next words.

They were ones that could only heighten expectations.

"I’ve brought you the best movie of my career."