Top Star By Luck [EN]: Chapter 137

137

21st Century.

What would be the biggest change in the film industry in the 21st century?

Anyone who watches movies can answer that question without much thought.

[Universe]

It was the universe-ization of film franchises.

Creating multiple movies within a shared world.

[Wow, these guys were in the same universe?]

[They’re making like one movie a year. The speed is insane.]

[But isn’t this the second time they’ve scrapped their universe?]

When a work becomes popular, they develop a universe based on that work.

They keep producing works, producing and producing again.

That’s how they dominate the theaters.

That was the universe craze.

[Everything’s a universe these days.]

[Hey, isn’t making a universe out of horror movies a bit much?]

[Horror movies are the foundation of the universe.]

[What?]

From the audience’s perspective, it’s great to see different aspects of their favorite movie world.

It’s also great to see my favorite characters in other movies.

In many ways, it was a phenomenon that could be seen as a new frontier for people consuming these universes.

Phenomenon is not enough.

A revolution—a revolution was more fitting.

The great revolution in the film industry swept through Hollywood like Dvořák’s New World Symphony [a famous and influential symphony].

[There are too many movies to watch.]

[It’s a buffet. A buffet.]

Of course, it’s not without its side effects.

Because those franchise blockbuster movies have taken over theaters, relatively smaller movies have been pushed out.

How could there not be criticism?

[This is not Cinema. It’s just a Movie.]

As the franchise-ization of works accelerates, production costs balloon like helium balloons.

The more the production costs increase, the more difficult it becomes to take risks.

As a result, there was too much emphasis on commercial viability, and the artistic value of the work was ignored.

‘As a result, those art films have succeeded in entering the OTT [Over-The-Top, meaning streaming] market and building another base.’

Lee Min-ki, who briefly recalled the history of film in his head, looked ahead.

‘The head of that franchise is standing in front of me right now.’

Emma Specter.

As the head of AST, a mega-sized Hollywood film studio, she was the person who started the current universe craze.

She smiled brightly at Lee Min-ki.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from Bae Jeong-mun. Is it okay if we talk for a moment?”

* * *

Barely thirty minutes after finishing the whirlwind-like filming.

Around the time he finished talking with Emma Specter.

“It was a pleasure talking to you.”

She held out her hand to Lee Min-ki.

“Think about it more, and I look forward to a good answer.”

“Ah, yes.”

As Lee Min-ki grabbed her hand with a somewhat uneasy look, Emma Specter said, her lipstick sparkling.

“It’s still early to tell, but I think we can be good partners, Min-ki.”

“…I’ll contact you again.”

“I’ve taken up your time. Hehe, then see you again.”

She left like a typhoon, just as she had come like a whirlwind.

Lee Min-ki, who had met a big shot without a moment to catch his breath, thought, ‘Is this okay?’

He couldn’t say he felt good.

“Actor, would you like to take a walk for a moment?”

“Yes.”

Out of the studio and onto a nearby walking path.

As if to prove it was California, the weather was terribly nice, and he walked silently along the street for a long time.

“Manager.”

Suddenly, Lee Min-ki turned his head and looked at Manager Park Han-mo and asked.

“What do you think about that offer from earlier?”

“I’ll be honest with you.”

Manager Park Han-mo said in an ice-cold voice.

“It’s an offer that shouldn’t be refused.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, AST has come directly to scout the actor.”

That’s right.

The reason why Emma Specter contacted Lee Min-ki directly was because…

“Especially in the new Odin Universe movie.”

…it was to invite him into the movie.

It was also the Odin Universe, the leading player that comes to mind first when you think of the universe today.

Is there anyone who doesn’t know the Odin Universe these days?

A universe with countless heroes and villains.

The number of works has already exceeded thirty.

Except for two of them, all were successful at the box office.

It would be an achievement that anyone making a movie would be shocked by.

It is clear.

The current film industry is led by the Odin Universe and AST.

“Hoo.”

Nevertheless, the reason why Lee Min-ki can’t be happy and only sighs is…

“To think I have to bet four works on the Odin Universe.”

…it was because the conditions that AST had set for him were too heavy.

‘They said I had to appear in three consecutive works, and all schedules outside of filming had to be reviewed during the filming period. They even assigned an in-house trainer to manage my body directly.’

And that’s not all.

If an unfortunate incident occurs in the middle, AST can unilaterally terminate the contract at any time.

Even if he is filming other works overseas, he must return immediately if AST calls him.

In addition, he must participate in events hosted by AST.

The basic requirement is that they can demand his departure if he opposes the provided script.

It’s called a scout, but it’s essentially tightening the noose.

He would be mortgaging his acting career for at least 5 years.

‘The fruit is sweet, but…’

That was the bigger problem.

“But if the actor completes this contract, your value will probably not be the same as before.”

As Manager Park Han-mo said, it was a gamble worth betting his life on.

That Odin Universe.

How many people were unknown and became stars after appearing here?

‘There was even someone who worked as a stock image model and whose value jumped hundreds of times after just one movie.’

It was a proposal that was difficult for an actor who was a little short of being a top star to refuse.

He hasn’t been told yet which work he will be filming.

He was just told that he would be cast as a supporting character in a new hero movie, and could be promoted to a leading role depending on the reaction.

‘I can guess roughly, but…’

There were a few clues.

Emma Specter needed an Asian in her new work.

He starts as a supporting character but can be promoted to a leading role depending on the reaction to the work.

Then, for Lee Min-ki, who knows the future, it was obvious what kind of work this would be.

‘They’re trying to put me in Anonymous.’

Anonymous.

The only leading Asian hero in the Odin Universe.

[My power is the world itself.]

[I am invisible. I just exist.]

A genius hacker who dominates the internet world.

He was also the leader of the hacking group Anonymous.

Later, he awakened superpowers and controlled electronic devices with pure mental power.

It was an ability later called Human Interface.

‘In fact, if you only look at the work, it’s a very successful work.’

In terms of the work’s performance, it was slightly above average within the Odin Universe.

But that’s just average, within the Odin Universe.

Looking at the entire film industry, it was a top-tier performance even within Hollywood.

‘A noose or success.’

Lee Min-ki was having a hard time making a decision.

“…To be honest.”

Manager Park Han-mo blinked and said.

“People in the actor’s position often have to make a choice at this time.”

“A choice?”

“Yes, everyone has to stand at a crossroads at least once.”

He wondered what he was trying to say, but he calmly continued to explain.

“You can either pursue commercial success and move to a bigger stage to chase blockbusters, or you can find yourself as an actor.”

“Ah.”

“Neither is right or wrong. It’s just like choosing a job in a game, choosing a path as an actor.”

Suddenly, he seemed to know what this meant.

Accepting AST’s offer meant giving up art for the time being.

Lee Min-ki blinked for a moment and opened his mouth.

“Once I join the Odin Universe, it will be difficult to go back to the way I was before, right?”

“That’s usually the case. The image tends to become a little fixed.”

It was a chronic disease of the Odin Universe.

The character in the work overwrites the actor’s image.

Don’t you have that?

Once you appear in a work, you are called by your hero name instead of your real name even outside of the movie.

[Isn’t Valkyrie cool?]

[The actor said he didn’t like being called by his hero name.]

[I need to know his real name to call him that lol]

It’s not easy.

Even if you graduate from the Odin Universe, I heard that many actors struggle for a long time to wash away that image.

‘What do I want to do?’

Manager Park Han-mo was right.

This is a crossroads.

Whichever side he chooses, he won’t lose, but instead, the next few decades of his future will change.

Lee Min-ki, who was standing between two paths that were difficult to decide, slowly blinked.

‘If I don’t appear in the Odin Universe, is there any other work I want to appear in?’

That’s wrong.

On the contrary, there are too many.

Rather than having many alternatives to the Odin Universe, Lee Min-ki was originally a person who wanted to appear in many works.

There are many here, and many there.

In fact, if his body allowed it, he would want to film 10 works a year.

“Ugh.”

He was groaning without making a decision.

“I actually thought the actor had a thousand faces.”

Manager Park Han-mo opened his mouth.

“Me?”

“Yes, the actor has a wide range of acting skills.”

Lee Min-ki tried to flinch, but he calmly continued to speak.

“But I’m not just talking about acting. Rather, it’s all fields in the entertainment industry. Modeling is a good example. There are many things you can express, and you want to express them. You can turn from water to fire, and from solid to liquid.”

“Haha… Thank you.”

The moment Lee Min-ki nodded at the rare compliment, Manager Park Han-mo replied.

“What the actor has to sacrifice is all of that.”

“Yes?”

Lee Min-ki’s eyes widened.

“What I’m about to say is not as a manager representing the company’s position, but as a person who watches the actor’s works.”

This is a big deal.

Once you hear what’s about to come out, it seems like it will be difficult to go back to the way it was before.

But at the moment when Lee Min-ki was looking forward to what he was going to say.

Manager Park Han-mo finally said it.

“Why are you trying to cut off your own potential?”

“……!”

He opened his mouth blankly.

Was this person evaluating me that highly?

Was he evaluating him as someone who could achieve more success than the title of JC’s first Odin Universe celebrity, even if he gave up that title?

‘It doesn’t make sense from the company’s point of view.’

They should be putting him in unconditionally for stable income.

Was I misjudging Park Han-mo?

‘Was he not just saying harsh things from the company’s point of view, but just saying everything he wanted to say according to his beliefs?’

While Lee Min-ki was surprised.

“The actor is going to be big.”

Manager Park Han-mo straightened his clothes and continued to speak comfortably as if he had shed a layer of pretense.

“Aren’t you confident that you can succeed even with works other than the Odin Universe? Or have there been times when you were itching to appear in the Odin Universe?”

“That’s not it.”

“Yes, I said that because I thought so. If it’s the actor…”

How can he say that so openly?

Is it possible to be so confident that he knows my four works perfectly?

If he was a person with a strong desire for commercial success, he might have treated Park Han-mo as a psychopath.

But.

It’s hard to deny.

If Lee Min-ki chooses the Odin Universe, what he will get is the Odin Universe.

What will he get if he gives up?

‘Everything.’

It was everything else.

‘Commercial success? Good, not bad.’