Top Star By Luck [EN]: Chapter 172

172

‘What’s going on all of a sudden?’

Director Shim Sung-bo’s eyes widened at the sight unfolding before him. The phenomenon of a person changing in an instant—the acting of a rookie actor named Cheon Geon-ju was the cause.

“Okay, 9.5. It can’t be more than this. Huh? I need to make a living too. Hey, if I earn 100,000 won [approximately $75 USD], it’s only 5,000 won [approximately $3.75 USD] for me. I can’t even buy a Whopper at Burger King with that, you know? If I starve to death, you’ll lose out too, don’t you know that?”

He’s strangely pathetic. So pathetic that anyone watching would feel sorry for him.

A feeling like wanting to toss him a coin while passing by. If he went to Qatar and begged with that patheticness, wouldn’t he be able to become a building owner within a year?

‘Is something like this even possible?’

The acting he showed just a moment ago was completely different from the level of acting that could only be called mediocre at best.

Like Jekyll and Hyde.

Like night and day.

How could such acting spring forth from an otherwise ordinary level of acting ability? Is such a thing even plausible?

At that moment, Director Shim Sung-bo’s left temporal lobe twitched.

‘No, maybe that was the real thing from the start.’

Did you know?

Just as there’s pacing in food, there’s pacing in acting too.

Just like a hamburger is a diverse dish composed of salty, greasy, and sour flavors, where the flavors complement each other’s shortcomings, allowing you to eat endlessly, acting was the same.

Acting that’s consistently stimulating has no appeal.

Sometimes, you need to include a bland flavor to bring out a strong hook at the necessary moment.

‘Was all the plain acting from before a pacing adjustment for the sake of the current reversal?’

Looking at it that way, it wasn’t strange.

“Find someone else? They’ll suck you dry and then disappear, but what about me? You know my home address. You know my League of Legends account too. You even know my mother’s name. If I take the money and run, you can come with a sledgehammer and smash my head open. Like breaking a piggy bank.”

He’s desperate.

That’s why all the more pathetic acting is unfolding under calculation. In other words, the rookie was showcasing pacing as skillfully as a veteran actor.

Of course, it could have been a coincidence.

‘It’s possible that he’s simply better at that kind of acting.’

This was the truth.

Just because a person changes doesn’t mean they can flip like a pancake overnight. Jekyll and Hyde is only possible in novels.

The actor Cheon Geon-ju had talent, but not to that extent. His usually withdrawn and timid personality simply created a reversal effect.

Of course.

‘I think I understand now.’

Director Shim Sung-bo wasn’t stupid enough not to grasp this level of possibility.

However, he saw something else within the actor Cheon Geon-ju.

‘He memorized the script in a short amount of time and analyzed it to this extent.’

It was analytical ability.

He had grasped the script, which he had only skimmed for about a minute, to a level where he could somehow utilize it in his acting, even if it wasn’t perfect. Furthermore, he had added his own interpretation to the lacking character description and brought it to life.

In other words, analytical ability for acting.

This was the point that Director Shim Sung-bo truly valued.

‘He has his own strengths, and on top of that, he’s quick to learn and can even apply it. He’s like a sponge.’

Director Shim Sung-bo’s eyes gleamed.

‘He has talent.’

Within the actor Cheon Geon-ju was a treasure trove of talent that was difficult to calculate.

Even Lee Min-ki, who had recommended him, didn’t know about this talent.

In the first place, the future he knew only had about three years left. In his memory, Cheon Geon-ju was just an unlucky rookie.

It was as if he had unintentionally triggered his awakening while working together, but it was literally just luck.

‘If it’s that level.’

But that level of luck was enough.

“That’s enough.”

Director Shim Sung-bo stopped Cheon Geon-ju’s acting.

“Yes?”

“I’ve seen enough, so you can stop now. You also made a lot of mistakes in the lines from the middle onwards.”

“…Ah, I’m sorry…”

“I’m not scolding you. It’s better to keep going than to stop.”

“Then should I continue?”

“I told you to stop. I’m saying the same thing for the second time.”

Director Shim Sung-bo sighed softly.

It seems his timid acting is more in line with his original personality. That’s why he couldn’t use it in his ordinary acting.

“I felt while watching, that there are still many areas where you’re lacking.”

At those words, Cheon Geon-ju pursed his lips and slightly lowered his head.

He had desperately tried to act, thinking it was an opportunity to be evaluated by a world-renowned director, but it seems that if something isn’t meant to be, it isn’t meant to be.

…Or so he thought, when.

“You’ll have a mountain of things to learn in the future.”

Unexpected words flowed out.

“Yes?”

“When is the current project you’re filming scheduled to wrap up (end of filming)?”

“I can’t say for sure, but I think it’ll probably end sometime next month…”

“That’s suitable.”

Director Shim Sung-bo roughly calculated in his head and then said.

“There’s a project that will start filming around that time, so come to our studio.”

“…!”

Come to the studio.

Cheon Geon-ju, who still hadn’t grasped the situation, widened his eyes.

“You’re going to give me acting lessons.”

“I only know how to see acting, I don’t know how to teach it. Someone else will be in charge of the details.”

The person who brought him will be responsible and take care of it. I’ll just point out things and give direction.

Director Shim Sung-bo added a task to Lee Min-ki without consulting him and said.

“Let’s film the next project together.”

He drove the wedge in.

Those words flew like an arrow, faster than anyone else, and lodged into Cheon Geon-ju’s ear.

“Huh?”

Thud.

Cheon Geon-ju fainted in a textbook pose.

* * *

It took 30 seconds for Cheon Geon-ju to faint and wake up.

After urgently sending him to the hospital, the conclusion was that it was simply due to anemia combined with tension.

Lee Min-ki, who arrived late at Maiar Pictures, asked with a dumbfounded expression.

“Director, no, what on earth did you make him do that made him faint? I didn’t know you were that kind of person.”

“I didn’t really say anything, I just made him an offer to appear…”

“Then he should be happy, why would he faint? I’m disappointed. Even though I’m the one who sent him to test, I didn’t think you would push him to the point of fainting.”

“But I really didn’t do anything… I’m wronged.”

Director Shim Sung-bo hesitated at Lee Min-ki’s questioning.

But no matter how wronged he felt, he didn’t have any particular excuse to make. Cheon Geon-ju met him and fainted from tension.

He knew that this was the truth unfolding before Lee Min-ki’s eyes, and there was no denying it.

“Didn’t you say something harsh? Like criticizing his acting or doing a pressure interview.”

“If the actor himself felt that way, I have nothing to say, but I pride myself on having spoken relatively gently.”

“If someone of your stature scolds a rookie harshly, they’ll faint.”

“…I think I did something wrong.”

Why am I being scolded?

‘I’m still a director…’

Director Shim Sung-bo became a pushover after a few words of conversation.

As soon as they moved away from talking about the project, he had returned to his original personality. In other words, he had become timid.

Only a sparrow’s claw better than Cheon Geon-ju [a Korean idiom meaning ‘slightly better than someone else’].

‘How timid must he be to faint from happiness? Was something like this even possible?’

Of course, Lee Min-ki didn’t think Director Shim Sung-bo’s words were completely false either. He was just finding it hard to accept the situation and throwing out jokes as he could.

‘I know it’s easy for actors’ mental states to crumble during filming, but even so, this is a bit much.’

Cheon Geon-ju, you rascal, you can actually proceed with filming properly, right?

You’re not going to go to the bathroom and sob every time you get scolded during filming, are you?

‘No, wait.’

Lee Min-ki hurriedly asked, realizing that he had missed one of the most important questions due to worrying about Cheon Geon-ju’s health.

“Director, come to think of it, what about the audition!”

“He passed.”

“Ah, he passed!”

It was at that moment.

Lee Min-ki finally let out a sigh as if he was relieved and collapsed onto the sofa.

“Ugh, I thought I was going to die from the tension.”

He didn’t show it, but he was just as nervous. It also felt like he was having his judgment tested.

Also, he had become attached to Cheon Geon-ju that much, even if it wasn’t intentional.

They hadn’t met for very long, but why, it was like seeing his old self. Being intimidated by the gazes of those around him and not being able to straighten his shoulders.

“I’m glad, I’m really glad.”

Watching Lee Min-ki, who was relieved and mumbling contentedly, Director Shim Sung-bo finally smiled and said.

“That actor, he’s still lacking, but I understand why you specifically recommended him.”

“Can you give me a little hint?”

“It seems like it’ll be a long story, so I’ll tell you later. Over a drink or something.”

“Not alcohol. I’m in the middle of preparing for a body profile shoot these days.”

Body profile?

At those words, Director Shim Sung-bo squinted at Lee Min-ki and said.

“You live very diligently. Even during your vacation period.”

“Yes?”

Lee Min-ki cut him off and casually tossed out.

“Body profile is just a hobby.”

“Yes?”

Director Shim Sung-bo’s mouth slightly opened.

‘Body profile is a hobby?’

Isn’t that something you have to manage your body incredibly strictly to even attempt? Managing your diet at a professional level.

Director Shim Sung-bo frowned even more and said.

“Usually, people don’t do body profiles as a hobby… Is it for some kind of commercial shoot or something?”

“No. I just take them once every six months.”

“Huh? Once every six months?”

“My personal trainer said it’s good for maintaining tension.”

“…Who on earth is that trainer?”

“Don’t you remember? The person we met at the gym last time we had a gathering.”

“…”

What on earth is he teaching Lee Min-ki?

No, does he not even realize that it’s strange?

I knew from before that he was fanatical about exercising to the point of carrying around protein shakes on set, but has it gotten to the point where he doesn’t even care about body profiles anymore?

‘Athletes do that, but… Min-ki is an actor, not an athlete.’

Look at that innocent face.

Doesn’t he even feel a sense of problem?

Lee Min-ki was being steadily brainwashed, no, remodeled, according to Director Kwon Jun-yong’s intentions without even realizing it.

“Geon-ju must have fainted because he’s weak. He was so skinny, he won’t last long. Filming is all about enduring with physical strength. Next time I get PT [personal training], I should take him with me and teach him how to exercise.”

And he’s thinking of spreading it to others.

The world is coming to an end. Is it possible that even that delicate young man could become a physical monster like Lee Min-ki in a few years?

Faced with a reality that was difficult to accept, Director Shim Sung-bo shook his head and said.

“Even if muscle training is one thing, you’re getting vocal training properly, right?”

Vocal training.

That word flowed from Director Shim Sung-bo’s mouth, who had decided that it was time to start thinking about the project.

“You have to sing yourself in our project. I can’t compromise on this.”

Since the genre is a music film, it can’t be helped.

This is perhaps more connected to the success or failure of the project than the script.

In those words, which were filled with deep concern, Lee Min-ki readily nodded his head.

“Ah, of course.”

He’s receiving it well.