Top Star by Luck

Chapter 18

Luck comes silently.

Because it comes without warning, unexpectedly, it can be called luck.

‘No, should I really call this luck?’

Lee Min Ki sighed deeply while holding his phone.

On the screen, a post from a certain online community was displayed.

[Title: The Cheer Guy at Nokde Yotoons]

Inside the post, several animated clips (GIFs) had been uploaded.

A clip of a man dancing.

A clip of a man striking a pose, showing off his presence.

A clip of the man shouting enthusiastically.

The comments were filled with explosive reactions to these clips.

[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[He’s seriously enjoying it 10000% for real]

[Totally dedicated to cheering]

[But seriously, who is this guy? He’s handsome.]

[He’s good-looking but also hilarious ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[Who is he? A celebrity? Doesn’t seem like just a regular guy.]

[Maybe he’s an idol trainee?]

[Which company is he training with?]

[Any more pictures? Does he have an SNS account?]

[I found the shopping mall where he took the photos!]

[ㄴWow, that fit is amazing!]

The post had over 20,000 views and more than 100 comments.

There was no need to search far to figure out who the star of the trending post was.

The man holding the phone, writhing in embarrassment.

Lee Min Ki himself was the subject of all the fuss.

‘Right! They say that any attention is better than none, but seriously, getting known for something like this before debut… it’s a bit much…!’

He had no one to blame but himself.

Kim Ah Sung had only instructed him to make his presence felt, but the one who overdid it was none other than him.

Still, he had learned something.

He now had a clear understanding of what ‘presence’ really meant.

Something that had previously felt vague now seemed almost tangible.

It felt like he now knew how to act in a way that would draw attention.

However.

“Aaaaaargh――!”

The embarrassment was still unbearable.

Lee Min Ki grabbed his head and rolled around on the floor.

The floor was cool to the touch.

‘At times like this, I’m thankful the practice room floor is made of soft wood… wait, that’s not the point! Aaaaargh!’

As Lee Min Ki battled silently with his past self, a voice interrupted him.

Creak.

The door suddenly opened, and before he could react, the man who appeared spoke.

“Wow, are you practicing b-boying now?”

It was Kim Tak.

He spoke with genuine admiration.

“Wow. As expected, you’ve got to prepare for everything before debut if you want to be an all-around entertainer later on.”

He even clapped, but Min Ki didn’t have the energy to argue.

In Min Ki’s eyes, Kim Tak wasn’t someone who would understand no matter how much he explained.

But he couldn’t help himself from responding to the next comment.

“You were at that baseball stadium before.”

“…You saw it?”

“Of course, you danced really well.”

His heart sank.

Min Ki knew that Kim Tak didn’t mean any harm.

That’s what made it worse.

Like a child innocently burning ants at the playground, Kim Tak’s pure goodwill felt as brutal as a punch from a top-tier boxer.

“What do you want to drink?”

“…Venti Java Chip Frappuccino, extra shot, extra drizzle, extra java chips.”

“You’re ordering something expensive. Are you sure you’re okay with the calories? You usually manage your diet strictly and only drink Americanos.”

“Today feels like one of those days.”

“How about a drink tonight?”

“No matter what, I’m not in the mood for that.”

“You’re so picky. Still, I’m proud of myself for being considerate of someone like you.”

With that, Kim Tak hummed a tune as he left the practice room.

Left alone, Lee Min Ki stared blankly into space for a moment.

‘…Did I just get pitied by Kim Tak?’

Just as he was about to burst into another fit of frustration, the door creaked open again.

This time, the person who entered said:

“Hey.”

It was Kim Ah Sung.

With a grin, he greeted him.

“Good morning, Nokde Cheer Guy.”

“Aaaaaaargh!”

This was too much for him to handle.

***

Unlike usual, they were sitting in a café instead of the practice room.

Trainer Kim Ah Sung, sitting with his legs crossed casually, spoke up.

“I believe each of you learned something from the last mission. Min Ki, you did, right?”

“…Yes.”

As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he had certainly learned something.

He had come to realize what it meant to have presence, and that he hadn’t been able to express it subconsciously before.

The process was just mortifying.

Kim Ah Sung chuckled and asked, “How about you, Seon Ah?”

“…”

“Seon Ah?”

“I managed.”

Yoo Seon Ah, who had been looking at Min Ki, nodded as she turned away.

“At first, I didn’t understand why you had me walk without my phone. But after doing it, I realized how many details I’d been missing.”

Yoo Seon Ah’s mission had simply been to walk.

Specifically, to walk slowly along the edge of a large lake without holding her phone.

Ten laps.

It had seemed boring at first, but gradually, she found herself becoming more relaxed, and without her phone in hand, she could focus more deeply.

“Yeah, that’s right. There was a kind of nervousness in your acting before. You’re already doing great, but once you learn how to naturally release tension from your body, it will lead to even more improvement in your acting.”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung laughed as he continued.

“People often don’t realize what it means to act naturally. How high should your shoulders be? Where should you place your hands? What expression should you make? Knowing or not knowing these things is what separates top-tier actors from the rest.”

It was a well-known theory in the industry.

When a director asks you to stand naturally, if you can pull it off immediately, you’re considered a first-class actor.

Especially if you know how to position your hands naturally, it elevates you even more.

“Even special agents train the same way. Acting naturally is a skill they practice for their entire lives.”

Kim Ah Sung chuckled as he glanced at his watch, sensing it was the right moment.

“And the judge for your audition has been decided.”

“Suddenly?”

“Yeah, there was a meeting in the evening.”

Lee Min Ki flinched, but Trainer Kim Ah Sung continued speaking calmly.

“For now, only one more person besides me is coming.”

“Who is it?” Kim Tak asked.

“Is it the CEO of JC? Or a famous composer? Maybe an active actor?”

“Unfortunately, none of those. It’s someone more famous for their work in the sales side.”

“Sales?”

“Someone who goes around dealing with external companies. You could say he’s one of the key figures in JC.”

With the atmosphere building up, Trainer Kim Ah Sung finally revealed the identity of the person.

“He’s Director Seo Jung Woo.”

The moment he heard that name, someone flashed through Lee Min Ki’s mind.

“Seo Jung Woo from Gongseong?”

“Huh? You know him?”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung seemed surprised, and Min Ki awkwardly responded.

“Ah, yes, I’ve heard his name. They call him the god of celebrity casting.”

That’s right.

There were a few exceptional talents who played a significant role in growing JC into what it is today.

Among them, the two most famous were JC’s current CEO, Goo In Mo, and Director Seo Jung Woo.

Nicknamed “Goo In Mo of Defense” and “Seo Jung Woo of Offense.”

‘Goo In Mo keeps celebrities from leaving, while Seo Jung Woo is a master at bringing them in.’

These two had earned titles even within the industry.

It might sound silly, but their reputations were that highly regarded across the industry.

Especially, Seo Jung Woo’s casting skills.

He was, in every sense, JC’s alpha and omega.

‘Once he brings someone in, they’re guaranteed to make it big.’

Seo Jung Woo was known for his legendary casting ability.

[People questioned why he chose someone overweight and poorly groomed, but once they lost weight, they hit the jackpot.]

[Even though their voice was nasal and annoying, after training, they became a top-tier rapper in Korean hip-hop.]

[He picked a random person off the street, sent them to a variety show, and they went wild like a crazy horse.]

Seo Jung Woo had countless such stories to his name, and his trademark was his insane foresight.

People even joked that his eyes had a Photoshop function.

Some called him a manager with future vision.

Others said he was living his second life.

‘They even joked that his real job was being a shaman possessed by spirits.’

The fact that even someone as out of the loop as Lee Min Ki had heard about him said enough.

Of course, since Seo Jung Woo seemed so far out of reach, Min Ki had only heard the stories but had never seen the man in person.

As Min Ki tried to maintain a serious expression, Trainer Kim Ah Sung asked in surprise.

“Min Ki, you’re more informed than I thought?”

“Huh?”

“Not many people know about Director Seo Jung Woo.”

Ah.

So Seo Jung Woo wasn’t as famous during this time.

“I’ve just heard his name before.”

“Modest, aren’t you?”

As Lee Min Ki pondered the gap in time, Trainer Kim Ah Sung nodded and spoke.

“You two should learn from Min Ki. In this field, acting skill is important, but so is information. Having an eye for good investors, picking the right studio and director—all of that is part of your skill set. Remember that.”

Before Min Ki could say anything, Kim Tak and Yoo Seon Ah chimed in with admiration.

“Hey, share some of this insider info with us! Don’t keep it all to yourself!”

“Min Ki, you really know everything, don’t you?”

No, not at all.

It’s just a coincidence, really.

“Well, Min Ki’s right. Director Seo is a famous person, and his eye for talent is impressive. But there’s one thing to keep in mind.”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung paused, seemingly pondering something before he continued.

“His standards are a bit… strange.”

“Strange how?”

“He has a very specific set of criteria, his own personal measuring stick, if you will. Every time he casts someone, he sets a theme for the selection. This time, I think the theme will be fashion.”

“Fashion… fashion… in an acting audition?”

Yoo Seon Ah closed her eyes and let out a short groan at the unexpected criteria.

“If it were just about acting, it would be easier.”

“You just have to accept it.”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung carried on without hesitation.

“And while it’s true that the people he picks always succeed, you could also say he only picks those who are destined to succeed. No, more accurately, if you’re destined for success, then you’ll be selected.”

Only those destined for success will be chosen.

It was a statement of result and veered close to a belief in fate.

But there was someone present who had an especially acute sensitivity to such fatalistic notions.

‘He only picks people who will succeed in the future.’

That’s bad news for me.

Lee Min Ki muttered quietly to himself.

‘Wasn’t I originally destined for failure?’

Having once thoroughly wrecked his life, he harbored a certain anxiety.

Even though his luck had improved dramatically compared to his previous life, he still wasn’t completely confident that he was someone destined for success.

However.

After some contemplation, another thought rose in Min Ki’s mind.

‘I’ve changed too.’

He was no longer the person he once was.

Over the past few months, his life hadn’t changed by a full 180 degrees, but it had shifted by at least 20 degrees.

Despite some ups and downs, his trajectory was gradually trending upward.

As a result, alongside his instinctual fears, a sense of anticipation was beginning to grow.

‘I handled things at the baseball stadium, didn’t I? Maybe I can pull this off too.’

The mindset that successful people share.
Why not give it a try?

That mindset began to take root, if only slightly, in Lee Min Ki’s heart. The experience at the baseball stadium had given him that strength.

Trainer Kim Ah Sung continued.

“And another thing, he’s known for making his decisions on the spot without even looking at profiles beforehand.”

He took a sip of his coffee, as if his throat had gotten dry.

“But really, this is just gossip. The fundamental rule of auditions is that the best performer gets picked, so don’t overthink it. There are only three days left until the audition, and it’s not like there’s any special trick to it, right?”

He casually offered some last-minute advice, as if giving pointers on someone else’s game of Go.

“The best advice I can give is to pay a little more attention to your fashion that day. That’s about it. Oh, and the acting will be a free performance. Choose a scene from a JC-affiliated actor’s work.”

Fashion.

At least it was a useful tip.

‘I’ll have to ask the CEO to help me with my audition outfit.’

Min Ki made sure to cement that in his mind as he stood up.

He had done all he could to prepare.

Now, all that remained was to compete fairly.

Relying on luck because of Director Seo Jung Woo’s renowned foresight would be too much of a gamble.

That was the mindset of someone who had already given up.

Min Ki had something more reliable to believe in.

“Let’s get back to practice.”

That was the time he had invested.

For Min Ki, luck wasn’t something to wish for.

It was something to expect.

And so, he decided to put a little more trust in himself.