Top Star By Luck [EN]: Chapter 176

176

The reception room in Maiyar Pictures’ new office.

Three people sat in the soundproof conference room that could accommodate about 10 people: Lee Minki, Director Shim Sung-bo, and Son Hee-jeong.

The atmosphere in the conference room was silent due to the unexpected timing of the guest’s arrival.

‘Why aren’t they saying anything?’

Director Shim Sung-bo cautiously observed Son Hee-jeong.

‘I thought they would have something to say since they came all the way to the office, but are they usually this taciturn?’

They seemed quite flamboyant on variety shows.

‘It’s Son Hee-jeong in person.’

Lee Minki was simply marveling at the fact that Son Hee-jeong was sitting right in front of him.

In any case, Son Hee-jeong, the person in question, was deep in thought.

Specifically.

‘A professional’s philosophy.’

It was a very basic yet high-level topic about what mindset one should have when approaching work.

Son Hee-jeong. He had a nickname: the fastest composer in Korea.

Sonic Jung.

The nickname was given because his work speed was as fast as the character Sonic in the game, and he was once very proud of this nickname.

[The virtue of a professional? It’s about properly handling tasks within the deadline. If you only focus on quality, you can’t become a proper professional.]

A professional must meet deadlines.

A professional must know how to compromise.

A professional must be able to create products that the market demands.

Son Hee-jeong was introduced to the industry while receiving such education. It was inevitable that he valued speed. Perhaps because of the career he had built as a composer, his reputation naturally grew in this direction.

[You can trust Son Hee-jeong with your work.]

[Even if the work isn’t a huge hit, it’s guaranteed to be a success. You can trust him.]

[Isn’t he the best composer?]

That was the reputation he had built.

Fast and stable work. This was the modifier that followed the best composer in Korea.

And so, from what point was it?

‘What did I even want to create?’

Son Hee-jeong lost ‘himself.’

Son Hee-jeong disappeared from his songs.

In the songs where the composer himself was missing, formulas and devices for achieving stable results replaced his place.

[Isn’t there a lack of individuality?]

[If you want to achieve results, you should create it according to this formula.]

[It sounds like I’ve heard it somewhere before.]

[You may not know, but the public likes familiar music.]

The composing style that started with rationalization became his identity, with the flattering title of catching trends and creating music that appeals to the market.

It certainly should have been fulfilling, but why wasn’t it?

‘To throw away such stable and well-regarded acting, just because of a lack of character?’

It was difficult to comprehend the actor in front of him, who was starting over from the bottom.

Lee Minki.

Son Hee-jeong’s eyes, upon seeing his acting, shook like the ground during an earthquake.

“Um, Composer?”

Lee Minki hesitated and called out to Son Hee-jeong. He felt like he had to say something since the composer was just sitting there blankly.

‘What is it? A battle of nerves?’

The subtle respect had faded in the few minutes spent in the conference room.

‘Logically, if you come to someone else’s office, shouldn’t you have something to say? Did they just come to be treated with respect?’

Did they just barge in without saying anything?

Or did they come, but my acting wasn’t good enough? Ah, if I knew someone was watching, I would have focused a little more and shown better acting.

‘Did I act with too little energy?’

Were they disappointed after seeing my acting?

Even as Lee Minki reflected on his acting due to the unexpected visitor’s gaze.

“…….”

Son Hee-jeong was just keeping silent. No, this wasn’t mere silence. It was something completely different.

Savoring.

Yes, Son Hee-jeong was savoring the acting and attitude of the person named Lee Minki.

‘No matter how good the result is, it can’t be without me?’

Acting and music cannot be the same. They are bound in the same category of art, but they are completely different.

The methods are different, the styles are different, and the goals are different.

However, Lee Minki’s attitude clearly had implications for fellow artists.

“I have just one question.”

Son Hee-jeong opened his mouth.

Looking at actor Lee Minki, not the young junior Lee Minki.

“Isn’t the acting you just showed a waste? To throw it away like that.”

“If you ask me that…….”

What are they suddenly trying to say? What are they trying to probe? Ah, I need to answer well.

Lee Minki scratched his head with a very complicated feeling and said.

“As an actor, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed, but I want to do it this way…… If I just do what I used to do, it feels like it won’t be my work later on.”

“Even if the result is flawed in the process?”

“Having flaws is, um, a difficult question.”

Is this a question with a hidden intention?

Even if it’s a result that’s already on track, do you have to fix it even if you risk having flaws?

It’s quite a difficult question.

But to be honest, it was a question that didn’t even need to be considered.

“They say there’s no such thing as perfection in art, right?”

At least that was the case for Lee Minki.

“Having flaws assumes that there is a perfect blueprint, but I don’t think there is such a thing.”

Perfection is just a concept.

A perfect sphere, a perfect straight line, a perfect square—these only exist as concepts.

Perhaps they can only be seen in Plato’s realm of ideal Forms [Plato’s theory that the physical world is an imperfect reflection of a higher realm of perfect, unchanging Forms]. Lee Minki thought that such things do not exist in the real world.

Even more so if it is art, where 100 people have 100 different impressions.

“Rather, what should I say?”

Lee Minki scratched his head as if he was embarrassed and said.

“Even if I introduce flaws in acting, it’s closer to sculpture.”

“Sculpture?”

“It’s about constantly refining and finding the form I want to create.”

That’s right.

Trying all sorts of methods and finding the one point that you like the most. This was the revision and improvement that Lee Minki was thinking of.

‘Ah, why am I having such a serious conversation?’

And that too, with a composer, not an actor.

I think someone else would be more suitable for this high-level conversation. For example, Director Hwang Ui-sung.

‘No, he might grab me by the collar.’

Lee Minki hastily corrected his thoughts, realizing that he had overestimated his social skills.

Again, there is no right answer in human relationships.

“It’s just my opinion, so other people may think differently haha…….”

It was at that moment.

“No.”

There was someone who agreed with Lee Minki’s words.

“I actively agree with the actor’s opinion.”

It was Director Shim Sung-bo.

He interrupted Lee Minki and chimed in.

“If you only try to make stable things, you’ll end up like [Sphere].”

“Ah, you’re talking about the work that competed with [Manman-tu]?”

“A hero movie, yes.”

“That was a bit too much. If you look at the first scene, you can guess the whole story until the end.”

“It would have worked a few years ago. But these days, audiences have higher standards. AST was lazy. They tried to succeed with the same old methods.”

The silence was broken in an instant.

Director Shim Sung-bo, who had been carefully observing the atmosphere, desperately continued to speak as if he couldn’t miss this opportunity.

“The main character is also a main character I’ve seen somewhere, the jokes are also jokes I’ve seen somewhere, the plot is the same, and the villain is the same.”

“But wasn’t the completeness good?”

“It was amazing. Our small studio can’t even follow it. You can tell that they spent a lot of money just by looking at the screen.”

“Haha.”

It would be rude if someone else said that, but it’s okay because the director said it.

The next moment, Director Shim Sung-bo’s eyes lit up and he said.

“But. Sphere, honestly, it was a work that you could see anywhere, right?”

“Um.”

Has the moment come to make a blatant evaluation?

I was going to refrain from speaking a little because there was a guest in front of me. No, let’s just take out the sincerity.

Lee Minki groaned for a moment and said.

“I’ve seen about five similar works this year. Is there any reason why I have to watch this work? To the point where I’m suspicious.”

That’s right.

The reason for the failure of the work called Sphere was that.

They were too obsessed with the formula for success and became complacent. As they became complacent, they became careless, and as a result, they lost everything to their competitor [Manman-tu].

“But it was a box office success, so it’s a success?”

“I don’t think so.”

Director Shim Sung-bo scratched his chin and said.

“Maybe, it just looks like that right now.”

“Just right now?”

“Sphere is not a stand-alone work, right? It’s closer to a sequel that follows many works in the Odin Universe [a fictional cinematic universe, similar to the Marvel Cinematic Universe]. So it sold that much with the anticipation and the power of marketing based on that anticipation.”

In short, it’s a falling stock.

Even if it is a newly listed software company, it is normal for the initial value to be high if the background is strong. But that is just a stock price filled with expectations.

The moment comes when you have to endure it with your own strength.

“According to the director, you can see that the Odin Universe is slightly doomed.”

“Yes.”

Director Shim Sung-bo answered as if he was sure. And then he immediately added the next word.

“But Odin Universe is not stupid either. There are rumors that Emma Specter was kicked out, and after a period of reorganization, they will probably look for an opportunity to change. The rich can last for three generations even if they go bankrupt, and the film company is similar, so they will do something within three works.”

“So there are two more revival coins left.”

“If you put in 100 won, you will be revived~.”

“Um?”

“Don’t you know this?”

Director Shim Sung-bo coughed in embarrassment, thinking that he had thrown out an old joke.

And at the same time, he realized.

‘Oops, the story went too far.’

I was so engrossed in the chat that I got carried away.

There is a guest right in front of me, but the story of [Sphere] was so interesting that I got carried away. No matter what, it wasn’t a story to tell in front of a guest.

‘What if they think our company is laughing at other people’s failures when they see our company?’

The first impression is half the battle, but wasn’t I too rude? I should have tried to talk about something similar, even if I didn’t know much about composing.

Ah, that’s why I just leave guest reception to Joo-yeon.

Director Shim Sung-bo was in the middle of choosing a set of blankets and pillows that would be kicked around tonight.

“Interesting.”

Son Hee-jeong, who had been listening quietly, finally opened his mouth.

“I think I have to bet my remaining composer’s life on this work.”

It was at that moment.

“Yes?”

“Um?”

The remaining two people twitched their eyes as if they didn’t know what he meant.

Son Hee-jeong shook off his relaxed demeanor, paying them no attention.

‘I was the Odin Universe all along.’

I recognized the problem and found the answer.