Top Star by Luck

Chapter 125

The schedule was set up in a rush.

‘This weekend, huh.’

In just four days, a plan was proposed to hold a fan meeting in Gwanghwamun.

However, it seemed like perfect timing as there were already several tasks to handle simultaneously.

“This is my first time coming here with my official account.”

Lee Min Ki, fixing his gaze on the monitor, chewed on chicken breast while tapping on the keyboard.

Tadadak, tadak.

The crisp sound of typing echoed briefly before his true account appeared.

[protein140g]

Protein140g.

It was the account Lee Min Ki used to remain anonymous.

Usually, he only browsed silently.

Occasionally, he would post reviews of products he promoted as an actor and model.

[Title: New Real Protein Product Is Out~]

[Author: protein140g]

[Content: I heard the product the actor promoted has been released, so I got it immediately.

Previously, the taste was a bit dry, but now it tastes good even when mixed with water, haha.

It’s even better with milk.]

[Comments (2)]

[Hello.]

[Is this a health community or an actor community?]

This was the extent of his usual activity.

He kept his identity hidden. If he used his real name, it would draw too much attention, so he deliberately stayed undercover.

He also enjoyed taking a step back and reading the posts others shared.

[Spoiler! Am I the only one who cried watching Fashion and Fashion?]

[Our actor Min Ki truly grew up so well ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ]

[They’re launching clothes—when will they release them? Please share if you know!]

I know everything.

I know all your posts.

I even comment on them!

[protein140g: Most of the products are ready, and they’ll be doing a photoshoot soon.]

[ㄴ Really? Can you share an official link?]

[ㄴ But who is this person?]

[ㄴ Looks like the usual person who only posts promotional stuff.]

The reactions weren’t always positive.

Anyway, the time to hide his strength and play around was over.

The moment had arrived to reveal his identity and fully harness the power of his fan club.

“Whew.”

Lee Min Ki took a moment to compose himself.

Quickly, he began typing a post that he had meticulously prepared over the past day.

Tadadadak!

[Title: Hello, this is actor Lee Min Ki.]

[Author: protein140g]

[Content:

(Attached photo)

Hello.

This is actor Lee Min Ki.

For the first time, I’m greeting all the members of my official fan club, Min Ki Dan.

Thank you for your support so far.

Watching from behind the scenes, I’ve gained a lot of energy.

To celebrate the release of Fashion and Fashion, I’d like to host a pledge event.

For example, how about a fan meeting at Gwanghwamun if we achieve 1.5 million viewers in the first week?

Once it’s decided, I’ll post an official announcement on social media, but before that, I’d like to hear your opinions!]

It might seem crude.

However, the draft had already been reviewed by JC.

[Hmm, it’s a bit rough around the edges, but it captures the actor’s personality well. Writing too neatly could make it feel impersonal.]

He had even included a verification photo, so there shouldn’t be any suspicion.

Click.

He uploaded the post.

As he nervously waited, his heart racing to see what comments would appear.

“Min Ki, come help with the cooking.”

From the kitchen, Kim Tae Yang, who was frying and stir-frying something in a pan, shouted out like a lion.

“Oh, it smells good. What is it?”

“It’s a dish called Xihong Shichao Jidan.”

“Simons... what?”

“No, Xihong Shichao Jidan. It’s a common Chinese home-cooked dish, known in Korean as tomato egg stir-fry.”

“Ah, tomato egg stir-fry.”

“While I stir-fry, you can cut the tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, plate them, and drizzle olive oil on top.”

“Caprese, right? Today’s theme is tomatoes.”

After finishing the cooking and meal in about 30 minutes.

He returned to his desk, patting his full stomach, and looked back at the monitor.

“Hmm?”

Something far beyond his expectations was unfolding.

[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[I knew this bait would show its true colors eventually, but wow.]

“...?”

Lee Min Ki’s eye twitched.

The comments were completely different from what he had anticipated.

[Who do you think you are, claiming to be Lee Min Ki?]

[This person always posts promotional stuff, hahaha.]

[Impersonating an actor is crossing the line.]

[Why isn’t the admin removing this?]

[No humor, no emotion.]

[Does this make you feel recognized in society?]

[I don’t believe this.]

The comments under his post were oddly hostile.

Even the recommendation/dislike ratio was shocking.

[Recommendations: 2 / Dislikes: 121]

More than 60 times over.

What was this?

The absurd numbers made Lee Min Ki’s head spin lightly with dizziness.

‘Don’t tell me they don’t believe I’m Lee Min Ki?’

He had posted everything properly, so why were they complaining?

He even attached a photo.

What was the issue?

As he pondered, he noticed some ongoing discussions at the bottom of the comment section.

[If you’re going to impersonate, at least post a verification photo, haha.]

[This is truly shameless.]

[Judging by their posts, they’re probably just a fan who likes the actor.]

[Looks like someone turned bitter from lack of attention.]

[Seriously, couldn’t they at least put in the effort to upload a photo they found online?]

Wait.

Did I not upload the photo?

When he checked the post through the image editor, he finally realized.

‘The photo didn’t upload properly.’

Oh no.

When uploading the photo, it was in WEBP format, but it seemed like this fan meeting community site didn’t support WEBP files.

Technically, it was uploaded, but it just didn’t display on the screen.

When viewed through the phone, no photo appeared, proving the issue.

Lee Min Ki muttered absentmindedly, his fingers resting on the keyboard.

“…This is ridiculous.”

Was it just bad luck?

No, probably not.

Strictly speaking, it was his carelessness.

Should he rewrite the post from the beginning?

There were already over 100 comments on it.

Some of them were even insulting.

[ㅋㅋ Seems like someone needs attention?]

[People with gimmicks like this always ruin the mood.]

[What’s the admin doing? No moderation?]

It was painful.

It felt like being poked with an awl.

Who would’ve thought there would come a day where he’d post in his own fan club and face this?

‘Oh, screw it.’

Still, he didn’t feel entirely bad about it.

After all, it was just a misunderstanding, and in the end, weren’t his fans protecting him?

The sharp responses to the impersonator were proof of how much they cared for him.

‘Alright, let’s rewrite the post.’

Letting out a sigh, Lee Min Ki resolved to re-upload the selfies in JPEG format this time.

The comments section.

Among the comments, a series of replies stood out.

[If the OP is really Lee Min Ki, I’ll go to Gwanghwamun and perform Taekwondo poomsae.]

[If the OP is Lee Min Ki, I’ll b-boy dance next to them.]

[If the OP is Lee Min Ki, I’ll grill pork belly right there.]

[If the OP is really Lee Min Ki, I’ll sing a song at Gwanghwamun.]

[If the OP is Lee Min Ki, then I’m Choi Yoo Chang.]

The chain of comments stretched on unusually long.

In summary, they all claimed they’d do something outrageous if the OP were truly Lee Min Ki.

There were over 20 such comments.

“……”

In the quiet room, where only the computer fan’s noise could be heard, Lee Min Ki stared at the screen in his chair.

He revised and re-uploaded the post.

[Title: Re-upload) This is Actor Lee Min Ki.]

[Content:

(Attached photo)

(Attached photo)

It’s really me, Lee Min Ki ㅠㅠ

There was an error when uploading the photos, so the attachments didn’t appear.

Now, will you believe me?

Also, looking at the comments earlier…]

Tap, tap, click!

Moments after uploading the revised post, the comment section exploded.

[No wayㅋㅋㅋ]

[It’s fake.]

[Definitely fake.]

A few days later.

For a movie by Director Hwang Ui Seong, Fashion & Fashion recorded unprecedented numbers.

1.7 million viewers in its first week.

Exceeding 400,000 on its opening day and maintaining the pace throughout the week.

1.7 million.

It might seem like a modest figure.

But for a movie by Director Hwang Ui Seong, it was extraordinary.

Typically, blockbuster films with ten million audiences often hit 3 to 5 million in the first week.

But this was a Hwang Ui Seong film.

Despite his reputation, his polarizing style made surpassing 2 million difficult.

With 1.7 million in the first week, it was likely to exceed 3 million and, if things went well, even aim for over 5 million.

And.

[This is Actor Lee Min Ki.

Thank you to everyone who loved Fashion & Fashion.

I’ve come to announce my pledge!!

I wanted to reach 1.5 million in the first week!]

The 1.5-million-viewer goal he had shared on SNS was easily achieved.

‘I did it…’

Thanks to this, Lee Min Ki could finally let out a sigh of relief.

‘I was worried it might flop.’

Every time he joined a project, he had the same concern.

Would his involvement drag down the film’s performance?

Would he tarnish projects that great actors were about to complete by joining in?

It was an anxiety he couldn’t escape.

If he had been trying to leech off others’ efforts, he wouldn’t even worry.

Though an actor, Lee Min Ki was also a cinephile.

If his participation ruined a project, he felt he couldn’t face the sacred history of cinema.

However, as his involvement turned out to be a foundation for success, pride and confidence filled him.

‘Wow, so many people.’

At Gwanghwamun Square, where he attended an event.

“This might be the most-viewed work I’ve ever been a part of,” Director Hwang Ui Seong murmured with his usual stoic expression after finishing filming.

“Several domestic award ceremonies have sent invitations, but I don’t care about those. They don’t mean much.”

“…Really?”

“Money, school connections, and regional ties matter. The judges have their own set of values, and awards are handed out like favors within that framework. They’re as good as meaningless. They’re more like a dog leash.”

It was uncharacteristic of him to speak with such sharp undertones.

A dog leash.

Lee Min Ki gave a wry smile.

‘So domestic awards aren’t appealing to him because he’s on a different level.’

Well, his goals were overseas, after all.

He hated catering to others’ tastes.

As Lee Min Ki smiled silently, Director Hwang suddenly continued.

“Min Ki, you probably feel the same way about awards.”

“Well.”

Lee Min Ki opened his mouth as if remembering something.

“Now that I think about it, I think harnesses are better than leashes.”

“Harnesses?”

“Yes, they’re like clothing-style leashes. Cats can easily escape leashes, but harnesses are safe.”

“Hmm, I see. What the judges do isn’t much different. They bind tightly and evaluate.”

“Speaking of binding, do you like chicken soup?”

Lee Min Ki casually changed the subject with a smile.

Apologies, but he wouldn’t engage with the director’s remarks.

After all, people were watching.

While the director didn’t care, Lee Min Ki found domestic awards appealing.

‘Min Ki just deflected the topic.’

‘Poor guy.’

‘I suffered every day being held up by the director.’

‘It’s uncomfortable to talk with someone who has such strong opinions.’

In reality, his assumptions were almost entirely accurate.

“Let’s put that topic aside,” Director Hwang Ui Seong said, waving his hand.

“I’ve submitted the film to overseas awards as well. I don’t think the response will be bad, but we’ll have to wait and see. I thought it would be good for you to know.”

Overseas awards, huh.

Who knows how that’ll turn out.

Lee Min Ki, now accustomed to the director’s tone, smiled faintly as he replied.

“Well, it’s always nice to win awards. One is better than zero, after all.”

“That’s not wrong. An award is an award. Even a cheap one is better than not getting anything at all.”

Oh.

Director Hwang Ui Seong agreed with his comment.

As expected, even someone like him isn’t completely dismissive.

Understanding even the most rigid people in the world depends on how you approach them.

Lee Min Ki smiled and responded.

“Now that I think about it, I heard Korean customs around awards feel quite occult-like to people overseas.”

“Hm.”

“Placing a pig’s head on the altar, a shaman dancing with a knife—it’s apparently very frightening to them. Even the act of enshrining ancestors on an altar, or having a daughter-in-law conduct ancestral rites, seems unusual.”

A few minutes later.

While they were casually chatting, something strange happened in the middle of Gwanghwamun.

“Hmm?”

“What’s that?”

A man.

A man wearing a mask, covering his face, began dancing in the middle of Gwanghwamun.