Top Star By Luck [EN]: Chapter 103

103

Director Hwang nodded.

He had come to suggest a meal, but he happened to overhear Lee Min-ki’s conversation with Heo Su-oh.

In that series of events, Director Hwang’s assessment of Lee Min-ki was revised.

‘He’s not just foolishly ambitious; he also has some skill. On top of that, he has the logic to understand the production team and some social skills to manage the set.’

At first glance, it was nothing special.

What’s so difficult about intentionally disrupting the coherence and gaining development in return?

But the fact that a rookie actor was aware of this was worth remembering.

Moreover, he succeeded in persuading another rookie.

‘That kind of person is easy to work with on set.’

There are often people who can’t escape their artistic tendencies, no matter how much experience they gain.

They are, in a word, the most tiring type to work with as a director.

Anyway, the fact that Director Hwang overheard this conversation could be both Lee Min-ki’s luck and Heo Su-oh’s fortune.

Because.

‘He has a narrow view.’

He was thinking of abandoning Heo Su-oh and finding a substitute if necessary.

How could he tolerate a minor role challenging the lead and asking for a reshoot?

There’s no solution if the on-site staff is swayed by a mere extra.

So, from some perspectives, it was fair to say that Lee Min-ki had helped even Director Hwang himself.

‘I was going to kick him out and reshoot, but I guess there’s no need to go that far.’

Reshoots are something a director wants to avoid as much as possible unless it’s unavoidable.

Thanks to Lee Min-ki’s good mediation, he saved time and money.

‘I should go and share some thoughts about the movie.’

Director Hwang let out a small sigh that no one could see and then revealed himself.

“You were here.”

The intention was good.

But with his appearance, Heo Su-oh froze like ice from the encroaching sense of unease.

“Uh… uh…”

“I enjoyed watching you two.”

Because he skipped explaining whether he was talking about acting or the conversation, it was even more so.

“Lee Min-ki, you seem to have a lot of room for improvement in your acting.”

And again, he threw out a comment about acting, making it even more so.

* * *

Some time after the incident.

A change came to the set of [Fashion & Passion].

Namely.

“Min-ki, I told you to keep your stride.”

Lee Min-ki’s exclusive instructor had appeared.

And a very capable instructor at that.

A professional model actively working in the field, and a recognized person with a track record of participating in Seoul Fashion Week [a major fashion event held biannually].

Moreover, a talent who had been chosen by Director Hwang.

“Stride is life. Just as computer parts are made up of 0s and 1s, the runway starts and ends with walking. You must use accurate steps before you can express anything.”

A person who has been repeating the basics over and over again until his mouth is worn out since earlier.

The identity of whom is none other than.

“…Isn’t Su-oh doing too well?”

Heo Su-oh was the one.

At Lee Min-ki’s protest, Heo Su-oh shook his head.

“No. Min-ki, you have to trust me on this. Any aspiring model can do this much. Watch again. Please take a video with the camera over there.”

“Ah, yes.”

Heo Su-oh went next to Lee Min-ki and showed a walking demonstration.

At that moment, a perfect gesture unfolded as if Heo Su-oh and the outside world were cut off above the cluttered floor of the studio.

Only 20 seconds.

The time it took for Heo Su-oh to walk forward, strike a light pose, and then turn back.

In the meantime, everyone on set let out a small exclamation.

‘He’s good.’

‘As expected of a professional model.’

He’s just picky because he has an unusually strong sense of pride, but he certainly has the skills to have pride.

No, he had the skills to have pride.

But what was surprising was what happened after the walking ended.

“Min-ki, watch closely.”

Heo Su-oh played a video of his own walking and then played a metronome over it.

Tock, tock, tock, tock.

The sound of the metronome matching the beat as accurately as a knife.

It was when Heo Su-oh’s walking video was laid over it.

“… !”

It was accurate.

During the 20 seconds of walking, every step matched the beep without a single deviation.

‘Perfect.’

While Lee Min-ki was admiring it, Heo Su-oh said calmly.

“Did you see? This is the most basic thing for a model. Keep the exact stride and beat. Expression is the next problem.”

He’s calm.

He pours out his knowledge very calmly.

But there was someone whose eyes twitched at this sight, which was so calm and natural.

‘You guys were fighting until recently.’

It was Kim Gam.

‘No, that’s not it, why are you here today, Heo Su-oh, when you’re not even scheduled to work? Are you really here to teach actor Lee Min-ki?’

They were fighting to the death, but suddenly he’s teaching with all his heart.

Why is he suddenly giving Lee Min-ki one-on-one training like he’s become an action director?

And it’s not just a one-time thing, it’s been almost half a month already.

‘Huh, you really never know what will happen in life.’

Kim Gam rubbed his eyes at the sight that he couldn’t believe no matter how many times he looked at it.

But reality was just as coldly located in that place as the laws of thermodynamics [fundamental principles of physics governing energy and its transformations].

“Again, one, two, three, four, five, six, no. Keep the exact beat. Even if you take one step, it must be like a knife.”

“Ugh, I thought I kept it perfectly this time.”

“Not enough. Don’t just think with your ears, remember with your body. Break down the beat even more. The basics must be in place before you can express yourself.”

The same words were repeated several times.

In the meantime, Heo Su-oh, whose lips had dried up, sighed as he focused on Lee Min-ki’s footwork.

And he thought to himself.

‘He’s not as talented as I thought.’

That’s right.

Lee Min-ki had surprisingly little talent as a model.

No, to be precise, he had about average talent or more.

But it fell far short of the expectations felt from the Lee Min-ki brand.

More than anything.

It was hard to even imagine that he lacked the basics so much from the wonderful runway he had shown earlier.

‘Was that really just shown with expression?’

I remember.

It was insignificant compared to the runway of a traditional model.

You could say it was heresy.

Heo Su-oh, recalling that, clapped his hands and opened his mouth again.

“One, two, three, four, again. You got it about right this time.”

“Ah, really? I guess it works if I do it.”

“But instead, your posture is off. You bent your knees slightly because you were too focused on your feet. Your gaze is also off. You must look straight ahead. Be careful not to look down.”

“Kuaaak.”

It’s the same now.

His walking is awkward right now.

Professional fashion models practice the basics for more than half a year, starting with the simple footwork of walking.

The way you walk.

The rhythm of walking.

Eye contact.

Only after perfectly handling these three can you put expression on top of them.

Just like pianists, models were strict about the basics.

‘It’s definitely the basics among the basics.’

Even a mere aspiring model can do this much.

But why?

It was difficult to feel even a trace of these basics in Lee Min-ki’s walking.

His steps are shaky.

‘Why can’t he do it?’

There was a reason.

It’s not because he lacks talent, or because he didn’t study modeling properly.

He looked into it as seriously as he would if he were going to pursue it as a career.

It was just because Lee Min-ki was special.

‘Tsk, it’s not easy even if I’m conscious of it.’

It was because of trauma.

Wasn’t it his past life that he broke his ankle just by walking?

Even walking was a burden.

The trauma that had been built up over decades remained subtly in the nuances without Lee Min-ki himself even realizing it, and it held him back.

It wasn’t easy to completely remove it.

Baseball players who have had their shoulders ruptured once never recover their original pitching ability for the rest of their lives.

Even after their shoulders have fully recovered.

The injury they once experienced becomes a trauma that gnaws at their minds.

Lee Min-ki was also in the same state.

The only difference was that he had an overwhelming will to overcome it.

“One, two, three, four.”

Lee Min-ki walked step by step.

It was difficult to feel anything neat about his appearance.

That’s it.

His expression is extremely good, but he’s a singer who deviates from the basics such as pitch and rhythm.

Even so, the problem is that it’s worth listening to when you listen to it.

As a model, the whole process is lacking, but he still managed to capture the coolness, which is the result.

I don’t want to admit it.

Isn’t it too absurd?

Perhaps Heo Su-oh was even angrier because he didn’t want to admit the coolness he felt in Lee Min-ki’s runway.

Because it was so different from a traditional model.

Because he didn’t want to admit that it was quite watchable even though it was like that.

“Your gaze is off this time.”

“Again?”

“The basics only stand out when they are placed among people who have the basics. Let’s start again.”

The staff, who were watching the scene from afar, groaned at Heo Su-oh’s strict criticism.

“Wow… his soles must be burning.”

“Min-ki seems to be doing well enough now, why is he doing that?”

“Isn’t he just being hysterical because he was embarrassed during the last shoot?”

“He looks normal, but his personality is twisted.”

For half a month now, he’s been nagging about the basics until his mouth is dry.

Nothing else but walking.

“He’s not teaching anything special either.”

“Wow, he’s tough.”

Isn’t it a scene of absurdity?

That’s how it can only be seen from afar.

“He’s doing well now, why is he doing that?”

This is also the reason why Heo Su-oh is teaching even more strictly.

‘It’s not bad as a fitting model, but it’s far from enough to stand on the Seoul Fashion Week runway.’

Lee Min-ki must not end at a decent level.

The stage for professionals is not far away.

Being decent in it was not much different from losing well.

In other words, it meant losing.

The reason why Heo Su-oh is deliberately teaching strictly is also in that.

He may have a bad personality, but he is not someone who lacks professionalism.

Moreover, he was an instructor who had taught several junior students.

He knew better than anyone else that superficial, gentle guidance would not help the other person.

“Min-ki, let’s take a 5-minute break and start again.”

“Yes!”

He repeated walking practice for an hour without a break.

Lee Min-ki, exhausted from repeating walking practice for the shoot, sat down on the bare floor.

“Ouch.”

Lee Min-ki took off his shoes and rubbed his sore feet.

Heo Su-oh opened his mouth after staring at the sight for a while.

“…Don’t you think I’m going too far?”

“Yes?”

“Well, there are rumors, aren’t there? That I’m deliberately retaliating against Min-ki.”

He was worried about it.

He was teaching, but he was worried that it would seem like he had ulterior motives.

“Um.”

Lee Min-ki trailed off at the words.

It was surprising that Heo Su-oh was taking the lead in teaching him how to walk.

But what should I say?

Lee Min-ki thought of it as his own way of apologizing.

“That’s right.”

Lee Min-ki nodded and said.

“Su-oh has a very strong sense of pride, right? Right?”

“Well, that’s true.”

The moment Heo Su-oh nodded, Lee Min-ki stretched out his toes as if he were pulling them and said.

“There’s no way someone like that would deliberately teach wrong, right?”

“Yes?”

“That’s an act of tarnishing his pride and name.”

Lee Min-ki smiled and said.

“Lee Min-ki, a direct disciple who learned from Heo Su-oh, can only do this much. It’s a mess. Then what would Su-oh hear from behind? I’m going to tell everyone all over the place.”

“…”

“You’ve come all the way to Daejeon to teach me. There must be a reason.”

Heo Su-oh blinked at the confident words.

Is he threatening me now?

That he’s only going to lose if he teaches me carelessly.

But Lee Min-ki’s words unexpectedly had a part that accurately penetrated the essence of Heo Su-oh.

Heo Su-oh.

To put it bluntly, his personality was arrogant.

Also, it was the personality of a typical fashion model.

He set strict standards and devalued anyone who didn’t meet them.

Here.

He applied the strictest standards to himself.

To match his noble temperament, he pushed himself to the limit, not anyone else.

That was Heo Su-oh.

“I see.”

Heo Su-oh smiled and said.

“Min-ki, do you have any schedule tomorrow?”

“No. I’m resting tomorrow.”

“Let’s just fill 10 hours.”

“…What did you say?”

“Tomorrow, let’s just focus on fixing the eye contact, even if we don’t do anything else.”

“Kuaaak…”

Lee Min-ki groaned as if he couldn’t accept reality.

But even so, he doesn’t refuse.

As he looked at this, a thought suddenly came to Heo Su-oh’s mind.

‘He did that much even without the basics.’

In other words, isn’t this it?

Isn’t it like a boxer who hasn’t learned jabs and straights debuting on the professional stage and being active in brawls [unorganized street fights]?

What if.

What if such a boxer met a proper coach and started building up the basics, starting with the steps?

What kind of boxer would he become?

It was as if [Lee Jong-ho] in the movie had spread his wings after taking model classes.

“…”

Heo Su-oh swallowed his words after being lost in thought for a while.

Instead of saying something he couldn’t take responsibility for, he said something else.

“Let’s practice.”

Words he could take responsibility for.

That was just to teach to the best of his ability.