Top Star By Luck [EN]: Chapter 127

127

Choi Yoo-chang.

A ten-million actor [referring to actors whose movies have sold over ten million tickets, a mark of huge success in South Korea].

He, who is most often mentioned with the number ten million in Korea, walked out naturally from among the audience.

Like a neighborhood uncle, with chopsticks in one hand and a pack of Korean beef in the other.

“Choi Yoo-chang?”

“Why is Choi Yoo-chang here?”

With each step he took, the voices swelled like a Doppler effect.

Lee Min-ki asked in a voice of bewilderment.

“Senior? Why are you here…”

He clearly asked.

But Choi Yoo-chang, without any answer, strode forward and plopped down in front of the frozen Lee Min-ki.

Zzzzzip!

He cheerfully tore open the package of Korean beef and said.

“Why are you so surprised? I clearly said it. If you’re Lee Min-ki, then I’m Choi Yoo-chang.”

Tap.

The sound of chopsticks splitting was cheerful, as if conversation wasn’t even on his mind.

Lee Min-ki asked again, dumbfounded.

“When did you say that?”

“At the cafe. I left a comment.”

Ah.

It was at that moment.

A line of comment vividly surfaced in his mind.

[The writer is Lee Min-ki? Then I’m Choi Yoo-chang]

That.

That comment that looked like nothing but bullshit to anyone.

He couldn’t believe it, but it really was actor Choi Yoo-chang himself.

‘Is this even possible?’

Unbelievable.

He wondered if it was someone else who looked similar.

Lee Min-ki, sweating in the face of a reality that was hard to accept, opened his mouth.

“Senior, you’re the one who got into a fight with the people next to you while drunk last time.”

“Our Kang Do-won.”

It’s him.

Hiding his face with both hands in front of the dark reality, Lee Min-ki sighed heavily and raised his head again.

“Um, if you were coming, why didn’t you check the 쪽지 [jjokji – 쪽지 means a short note or message] I sent? I sent 쪽지 to everyone who left a comment.”

“It wouldn’t be fun if I told you in advance.”

I see.

You came all the way here for the sake of fun.

A person with such a high value.

Choi Yoo-chang clicked his tongue and said.

“I called Do-won to come with me, but he said he wouldn’t.”

Ah, actor Kang Do-won.

Lee Min-ki, recalling that face full of charisma and even murderous intent, shook his head and said.

“I think it’s good that he didn’t come.”

“Why? Do you hate Do-won? You like me better, right?”

“No. It’s not that, but it’s already burdensome that you came, senior. If Senior Do-won had come too, this wouldn’t be my fan meeting.”

“Hmm, should I just leave then?”

“No.”

Lee Min-ki shook his head and said.

“It’s not the way a junior should act. Since you came all the way here, have some meat and go.”

Anyone who becomes a topic of conversation is welcome.

Choi Yoo-chang is the best weapon for the media.

On the other hand, his appearance was also part of Lee Min-ki’s luck.

Choi Yoo-chang, a senior so far above him, joined his junior’s fan cafe.

He joined and saw the 인증 [proof/verification] post when it was uploaded, and left a comment.

It could all be seen as his luck.

“Aren’t you opening soju [Korean distilled beverage]?”

“I’m not that kind of actor.”

“Too bad.”

* * *

A great chaos show disguised as a fan meeting unfolded in Gwanghwamun, and before he knew it, a day had passed.

Looking at the overall composition, it was very close to fan service.

The planning itself was a fan meeting in the first place.

It would be rare for such a commotion to be widely known to the general public.

[Lee Min-ki’s Gwanghwamun Fan Meeting Full Story.txt]

[Summary of the Lee Min-ki Incident That Took First Place in Today’s Search Rankings.jpg]

[Lee Min-ki Grills Pork Belly, Plays Janggu [Korean double-headed drum] in the Back, and Plays Games]

At least, it would spread as a humorous post on internet communities.

[(Attached Data)

Lee Min-ki Wrote an 인증 Post in the Cafe, but No One Believed Him ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ [laughing sounds]

But It Was Really Lee Min-ki]

Very vividly too.

The entire process, from beginning to end, spread with high-level descriptions like a college entrance exam question book commentary.

[Comments (231)]

[Ah ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I Have to Go]

[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ An Actor Called, but the Fans Didn’t Come? That Can’t Happen]

[If It Were Me, I Would Brag About It for the Rest of My Life ㅋㅋㅋ]

[From Now On, I Will Play the Top 10 Most Amazing Moments in the Deceased’s Life.]

It’s funny.

In fact, this isn’t the first time this has happened to Lee Min-ki.

It wasn’t just once or twice that fans didn’t recognize the celebrity themselves.

[I’m Really DJ Row ㅠ]

[ㄴ Poor Kid]

There have been several similar incidents so far.

And there were times when it was posted as a humorous post.

But.

[ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[No, Seriously, It’s So Funny Every Time I See It ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[The Funniest Thing Is That Lee Min-ki Bought Everyone Meat After the Fan Meeting and Took Pictures Together ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[ㄴ What Is He, the Pied Piper ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[ㄴㄴ Choi Yoo-chang Also Got Some?]

[ㄴㄴㄴ Ten Million Actor Level ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[ㄴㄴㄴㄴ He Ate That Much and It Still Fits in His Stomach?]

There has never been one that happened on such a large scale.

[인증) I’m the Person Who Danced Talchum [Korean mask dance] in Gwanghwamun at That Time]

[Lee Min-ki Only Ate Galbi [Korean BBQ short ribs]….

I Wanted to Eat Sirloin, but Lee Min-ki Kept Ordering Galbi, so I Had No Choice but to Eat Galbi….

It’s Delicious, Though…

It’s Delicious…

I Asked Him to Order Dessert, but Ordering Two More Servings of Galbi Was a Bit Too Much…

I Felt Like a Ghost Who Died Because He Couldn’t Eat Galbi Was Attached to Him…

It Was Like a Galbi Villain…]

[ㄴ Our Member… You Ate Well?]

[ㄴㄴ Who Are You?]

Words were bound to spread.

Was it only on internet communities?

Reporters were also trembling at the large news item that had arisen after a long time and were busy typing on their keyboards as quickly as possible.

[This Month’s One Shot / Lee Min-ki Grilling Meat]

[‘Talchum x Bicycle x Lee Min-ki x Game x Choi Yoo-chang x Longboard’]

[Lee Min-ki, ‘Trendy’ Even When He Just Breathes]

Becoming a topic of conversation.

What could be more welcome to actors than news spreading in a positive direction?

Especially at a fan meeting.

A fan meeting, which is usually only talked about among fans, is spreading widely to the entire nation.

The effect is needless to say.

The fact that 300,000 more subscribers were added to Lee Min-ki’s official SNS in just a few days is proof of that.

Moreover.

Lee Min-ki prepared one more gift at this fan meeting.

That is.

[JC, Rookie Actors 2 +1 출격 [chulgyeok – sortie/launch]]

[Lee Min-ki Congratulates Directly at Fan Meeting]

Such a gift.

JC’s dorm, which had become as familiar to Lee Min-ki as his own living room.

“Wow, the interior has changed a bit.”

“We bought a new sofa.”

“With Min-ki’s money?”

“No, even if I said I would buy it with my own money, the company insisted on doing everything.”

Sitting casually on the sofa there, Yoo Seon-ah pouted and said.

“…But, Min-ki, I didn’t know I would receive the acceptance notice so suddenly at such a place.”

* * *

Lee Min-ki chuckled at the childish grumbling and said.

“Were you surprised?”

He wondered why these words weren’t coming out.

It was the right time to bring up the congratulations on acceptance.

Lee Min-ki smiled awkwardly and said.

“Wasn’t it a pretty good gift?”

“A surprise gift should be moderately shocking. I thought my heart was going to drop.”

Yoo Seon-ah muttered in disbelief at Lee Min-ki’s sly words.

“Where else would you give congratulatory remarks at your own fan meeting?”

That’s right.

At the last Gwanghwamun fan meeting, Lee Min-ki notified Kim Tak and Yoo Seon-ah of their joining JC when the atmosphere had calmed down.

As if introducing them to the audience.

[These are two friends who will be working with me as actors at JC in the future. It’s sudden, but please welcome them with applause.]

That was the first acceptance notice.

Their acceptance was confirmed with the applause of over a thousand people.

Lee Min-ki smiled awkwardly and said.

“Was I too much?”

“Yes, do you even have any idea how I felt at that time?”

“I heard the results from A-sung 선생님 [seonsaengnim – teacher/instructor], roughly.”

“That’s right. Roughly. In passing. I heard it changed from what to do in class to what to do on set right away.”

That’s right.

It wasn’t that Lee Min-ki had completely hidden it and committed it.

He heard that Kim A-sung’s mouth was cheap and told them about the acceptance notice in a metaphorical way.

And that they accepted it too.

The important thing is where it is officially announced, and he just did it at the fan meeting venue.

‘Even so, there’s nothing better than recognition for a rookie actor.’

It’s always like that.

Recognition is important, to the point where it’s better to be infamous than unknown.

Even if you are covered in shame, if you can engrave your name in three letters on the public, it is a worthwhile business.

Lee Min-ki gave his fan meeting audience to them as a gift.

In the form of recognition.

[These are friends who have been with me since I was in acting school. They were my friends, teachers, juniors, and seniors. They have taken their first steps as professional actors, so I hope you will bless them together.]

Thanks to this, their names were imprinted on the public as soon as they debuted, through articles.

“I wanted as many people as possible to know about you two. I was like that too, but one attention is so precious when you’re a rookie.”

It’s like 80s rock stars taking their junior bands to their concerts.

Wanting to nurture juniors in any way possible.

No, wanting to let the public know that his judgment is amazing.

This may be a human instinct.

‘I believed that these two would definitely succeed.’

Still, it would have been a bit greedy to do that as a surprise gift.

“I apologize if it was too sudden.”

It was the moment Lee Min-ki opened his mouth.

“Well… it’s not like I was necessarily in a bad mood. Don’t misunderstand.”

Yoo Seon-ah said, pursing her lips again.

“I was a little touched. Actually, a lot.”

“Right?”

“Thank you. I hope you’ll tell me in advance next time.”

“Huh? I liked it. Do it again.”

Kim Tak, who jumped in at the timing when a plausible line was about to come out, still had no tact.

“Come to think of it, Ji-hwan didn’t come today.”

“I heard he was called away urgently to film something?”

“Wow, that’s fast.”

Kim Ji-hwan was absent.

In fact, he was notified of his acceptance on the day of the audition, so there was nothing more to say.

“Hyung [older brother/male friend], aren’t we rivals now?”

“Come on, take off your rookie tag first.”

“It hasn’t been that long since you landed your first lead role.”

They talked about their debut for a while.

A man appeared from the kitchen with a hot tomato smell.

“Let’s talk while we eat.”

It was Kim Tae-yang.

He placed a gratin baked in the oven on the table.

“Wow, the smell is amazing. Did you make this yourself?”

“Of course. I did everything myself, from the sauce to preparing the ingredients.”

“Kya, Sasseuga Taeyang쉪 [Sasseuga Taeyang Chef]. I’ll enjoy it.”

“Taeyang쉑?”

“It’s an abbreviation for Taeyang Chef.”

“Ah, I thought it was an abbreviation for 새끼 [saekki – literally means ‘offspring’ but is used as a curse word].”

Kim Tak, who had already hit it off, picked up a spoon.

Kim Tae-yang stared at the scene for a while, then turned his head to look at Lee Min-ki and said.

“Min-ki, congratulations on your overseas expansion.”

* * *

“…Did I say that?”

“I heard it from the director. Am I wrong?”

“It’s not that.”

Lee Min-ki scratched the back of his head and said.

“That’s how it happened.”

That’s right.

Just a few days ago.

Lee Min-ki’s overseas expansion was confirmed.

Kim Tak, who heard the words, said with eyes popping out.

“Huh? Overseas expansion? Hollywood?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Bollywood?”

“It’s not that either.”

Isn’t he too excited?

Lee Min-ki waved his hand at Kim Tak’s voice, which seemed to be spitting.

“It’s not like filming a movie. I’m just going for a photoshoot and promotion.”

“Hmm, what kind of promotion is it?”

“Why, Seon-ah, you know it too, right? Terminus. The brand I modeled for at the fashion show last time.”

Lee Min-ki coughed and said.

“They said they wanted to distribute it in the United States, so they called me to see it together.”

The fact that Terminus received attention overseas was quite a while ago.

But recently, a formal distribution proposal came from a brand in the United States.

Lee Min-ki was invited as a set to the launching show.

[If a soccer team and a soccer player are one body, then a brand and a model are also worthy of being called one body.]

With a rather abstract analogy.

It seems that the brand Terminus will fully resonate with Lee Min-ki.

As a model, it wasn’t a particularly unpleasant thing to say, so he gratefully accepted it.

“Wow, then you’re almost a world star now? If you just put out a piece of clothing you used to wear, you’ll sell it for hundreds of millions of won?”

“Hmm.”

“Kyaaa, it’s different. People who are meant to be are different from the class of overseas expansion.”

Lee Min-ki coughed at Kim Tak’s slightly excessive fuss and continued.

“It’s not that grand. It’s an overseas expansion, but it’s just about handling a magazine interview and coming back.”

He’s going to have a showcase for a while and come back.

“Hey, it’s good if it goes well. You’re secretly hoping for it, too.”

“…….”

“How do you know you won’t be invited by an industry giant after you go?”

Honestly, that’s right.

Even if he stayed still, his heart was tickling and he couldn’t sleep properly.

But it’s not good to have too much expectation, so Lee Min-ki didn’t bother to show it.

‘No, considering the jinx, should I rather be making a fuss?’

He was in trouble for a while.

After a while, he thought it wouldn’t be bad to make a fuss, but he stopped because he was embarrassed to do that in front of people like family.

“Um, it’s embarrassing, so let’s put this story off.”

It was the moment Lee Min-ki was about to cut off the topic, thinking it would never end.

“So!”

Kim Tak, who had been making a fuss for a long time, opened his mouth with a more confident expression.

“We have a special super-special surprise gift that we have prepared for Min-ki.”

Super-special surprise gift?

Lee Min-ki’s breathing stopped slightly at the moment.