Top Star By Luck [EN]: Chapter 197

197

There are often actors like that.

How should I put it?

[Good at observing other actors, but not so good at recognizing their own flaws.]

They were born with sharp eyes but clumsy execution.

They know how to dissect a production. They know how to analyze acting. They analyze acting and know how to improve it. They can even convey that to others.

But.

“I’m almost embarrassed to say it myself, but you have no talent for acting.”

They can’t apply their insights to their own performances.

“Ah-sung, even for a supporting or minor role, to become a lead, you need a show-stopping moment that grabs attention, right? Strangely, you don’t have that one thing.”

“…….”

Kim Ah-sung.

He was just that kind of person. He could critique others’ acting, but he couldn’t embody it himself.

Like a top-notch editor who can appreciate comics but can’t draw them. Like a chef who can critique food but can’t create it.

“Ah-sung, I know you work hard. But…”

Is it a trick of fate?

There was one cliché-like pain that often followed these people.

That is.

“Your acting lacks a certain spark. You might be better off teaching.”

The fact that their true aptitude lies elsewhere.

It was as if the heavens had cursed them with insight but denied them the ability to apply it to themselves.

“Still, you’re great at the technical aspects, and you have a good eye for acting. So, I was wondering if you should aim to be an instructor.”

What if someone born with Messi’s soccer talent dreamed of being a painter? If you told such a person that they have no talent for art and should become a soccer player, how would they take it?

Would they be happy?

“I thought you called me to say something important.”

Kim Ah-sung chuckled, put his chopsticks down on the table, and got up from his seat, saying.

“Are you making fun of me because I can’t even compare to a supporting actor right now? Do you think I’m easy to underestimate, hyung-nim [older brother or respected male acquaintance]?”

“Hey, I’m not saying this to start a fight.”

“From now on, if you run into me on the street, don’t even pretend to know me.”

It’s a funny thing.

I’ve been treating him with respect as “hyung-nim” for five years, and all he has to say is that kind of thing. Telling an actor that they have no talent and should give up acting.

Does that even make sense?

‘How much have I been underestimated?’

Let’s see in exactly three years.

I’m going to succeed as an actor and talk about today’s events on a variety show. I’m going to tell the story of someone who advised me to quit because I had no talent.

“Hey, Kim Ah-sung, stop right there. Are you really not going to see me again?”

Who’s going to stop me?

Let’s see if I ever go back to you.

Later, even if you come begging and pleading that you were wrong, I won’t listen.

‘Just you wait.’

From now on, you’re not my hyung-nim.

You’re a competitor.

Just as Kim Ah-sung steeled himself and took a step, about to pass the counter of the restaurant.

“Ah-sung, it’s good that you’re leaving, but you have to pay for your share.”

At that one sentence, Kim Ah-sung’s feet stopped.

“…….”

“You’re just going to leave without paying?”

He stopped a person who was leaving.

Kim Ah-sung, whose pride was as fragile as pork left at room temperature in the summer, glared back with a fierce look and said.

“Hyung-nim, what do you take me for?”

“Then what are you?”

Kim Ah-sung gritted his teeth and said.

“I’m just going to the bathroom for a moment.”

It’s not the time yet.

A gentleman’s revenge is never too late, even after ten years.

* * *

After the company dinner.

[Think carefully about what I said. I’m saying it all for your own good.]

Only the words he heard at today’s dinner echoed endlessly in Kim Ah-sung’s head like a reverberation in a cave.

The sky is black. The stars are out. The sounds of insects chirping can be heard all around.

A scene that looks beautiful at first glance.

But if you lower your gaze just a little here, Kim Ah-sung saw something a little different.

‘A hillside shantytown in Sillim [neighborhood in Seoul] where buses don’t even run. Half of the neighborhood isn’t even inhabited.’

That was the reality given to him.

Beep-.

When Kim Ah-sung, who had entered his room, fumbled for the switch on the wall and turned it on, another thing given to him soon came into view.

‘Did I not clean enough?’

A studio apartment of 5 pyeong [approximately 180 square feet].

A deposit of 2 million won [approximately $1,500 USD] and a monthly rent of 220,000 won [approximately $165 USD].

A maintenance fee of 40,000 won [approximately $30 USD].

The location is poor, but the price isn’t bad. He managed to get a cheap contract after being introduced by senior actors.

“Bap, bara-bap-bap-bap. Bap, bara-bap-bap.”

Kim Ah-sung hummed as he washed the rice in water.

The meal is always similar.

Cup ramen, which he orders two boxes of at a time online, and cooked rice are his staple foods. Don’t look down on rice. With just one rice cooker, you can make rice, scorched rice [nurungji], and rice soup.

Protein? He buys 10kg of eggs and frozen chicken breasts online and eats them. Sometimes he buys pork shoulder or ham when they’re on sale.

As an actor whose body is his asset, he took care of his muscles as frugally as possible, even in his poor circumstances.

“Damn it, I shouldn’t have been so proud.”

The meat he couldn’t eat and left behind at the restaurant kept bothering him.

I should put some oil in my stomach today.

Kim Ah-sung soon took out a white lump from the refrigerator.

It was lard.

He got it for free from the butcher shop in front, asking if they were going to throw it away. Aside from the cost-effectiveness, he liked it because it tasted quite savory.

Sizzle.

He heats the pan on the stove and rubs the lard on it. After putting the rice mixed with egg wash on top and mixing it for a few seconds.

‘This is the moment.’

Splash!

He added soy sauce.

Soon, Kim Ah-sung’s staple food, soy sauce egg lard rice, was completed.

“Hoo, hoo.”

Was it thanks to sweating all day in the practice room? As soon as the rice grains that entered his mouth passed through his throat, they teleported to his stomach in an instant.

“Ah, that was good.”

Kim Ah-sung, who had finished his rice in an instant, sprawled out on the floor without even washing.

Satisfying.

A cheap and old house, cheap food.

Some might call this a miserable life, but Kim Ah-sung didn’t necessarily think so.

‘As long as I don’t starve to death.’

Isn’t it possible to live as an actor anyway?

On the days he gets paid, he can eat something a little more delicious. Sometimes there are people who buy him things because he works hard.

What do aspiring actors expect to be luxurious? This is doable.

If I build up more skills, I’ll get bigger opportunities someday.

They said great talents mature late. They said try, try again. They said there’s no tree that won’t fall if you chop it ten times. An old saying said that the person who wins is the person who perseveres until they win.

“As you wish~.”

Kim Ah-sung began to hum a song while lying on the floor.

But why is that? He would normally be getting sleepy by now, but he couldn’t close his eyes at all.

He knew the reason.

It was because the words he had heard from the person who was no longer his hyung-nim were endlessly circling in his head.

[People can’t always be good at what they like. Even if you like acting, there’s no rule that says you’ll be good at acting yourself.]

Is it about the acting criticism?

No.

The story he heard before that.

[Think about it. You’re good at teaching.]

It was about education.

The story of the qualities of an educator, which he had heard so many times that it was like a callus on his ear, circled in Kim Ah-sung’s head over and over again.

[Look at the classmates who were lectured by you. They’ve all settled down now. You have an excellent eye for seeing other people’s weaknesses. Maybe you should go down that path.]

“…….”

Is it true?

He had heard a lot of stories about having a good eye for people since a long time ago. Strangely enough, he could see other people’s weaknesses very well.

Kim Ah-sung’s eye for talent was so exceptionally good that it felt strange why they didn’t fix the obvious weaknesses, why they couldn’t recognize them.

[Ah-sung! I got the lead role thanks to you!]

[That actor said to tell you thank you. The criticism he heard from you kept bothering him, so when he focused on it, the director praised him for improving.]

If it’s a talent, it’s a talent.

But Kim Ah-sung didn’t think about using this talent as his main focus.

Because if he did, it would be like admitting that he lacked acting talent himself.

He thought that education was something to consider after he had first succeeded as an actor.

Even so, what should I say?

‘Is this right?’

He had doubts.

‘Am I being stubbornly useless?’

Is it right to be stubborn?

While others are comfortably making money as actors and continuing their acting careers, isn’t he being stubbornly useless?

Isn’t this stubbornness harming myself?

Maybe the path as an actor will only become more difficult.

“…….”

It was something he wouldn’t have thought deeply about normally.

But today, as if his depression hormones had exploded, he couldn’t fall asleep easily.

“Damn it.”

At some point, Kim Ah-sung got up from his seat.

And he tapped on his phone for a long time.

“Yes, hyung-nim.”

Kim Ah-sung said in a determined voice.

“Is there still a spot available for that job you mentioned during the day?”

A moment later.

A voice was heard over the receiver.

[Isn’t this a funny bastard? Hey, you said you were cutting ties with me, you ungrateful bastard.]

Silence followed for a moment.

Kim Ah-sung opened his eyes wide like a Joseon Dynasty [Korean kingdom from 1392 to 1897] warrior and opened his mouth.

“Introduce me to a girl.”

[Call.]

Kim Ah-sung.

He was a person who had an unusually large amount of female luck since a long time ago.

* * *

A practice room rented for several hours.

“Haaam.”

Kim Ah-sung let out a huge yawn that emptied his lungs.

‘To tell the teacher to come all the way to where he lives and make a fuss. Annoying people.’

Today, he came all the way here for an acting lesson.

The travel time from his studio apartment in Gwanak-gu [district in Seoul] to a certain place in Gangnam [affluent district in Seoul] took 40 minutes.

Considering the round trip time, it was an extremely tiring distance. But since they said they would pay for the taxi fare, there was no other way.

Of course, he came by bus.

‘Is it because he’s a rich son? He’s different.’

The taxi fare he received will become his precious nourishment.

Moreover, the lesson fee is substantial. It’s hard to ask for more from an actor with that level of career. He said it was a good job, and it really is a good job.

He sat there humming a cheerful tune for a long time.

“But…….”

One question popped into Kim Ah-sung’s trainer’s head.

“When is he coming?”

He didn’t come.

That son of a rich family, it’s been more than 20 minutes since the scheduled lesson time, but he still didn’t know when he would come.

Thinking that he might not know, he called him, but he didn’t answer.

“…….”

This time, he called his parents.

The words he heard were somewhat embarrassing.

[That child again, teacher, I’m sorry. He seems to be wandering around PC cafes [internet cafes]. A similar thing happened with the teacher last time.]

“PC cafe?”

[He’s probably somewhere in the neighborhood… The child is addicted to games.]

He felt very embarrassed.

PC cafe.

To call a teacher after paying a lot of money, and then be holed up in a PC cafe playing games as if he didn’t care about the money, is that what he meant?

Kim Ah-sung burst out laughing in vain.

‘The kid looked a bit sullen, so I wondered what was going on, but does he not want to take the lesson?’

Of course, it was a profit from Kim Ah-sung’s point of view.

Even if he’s late for class, he can rest that much. It’s like getting paid without working.

But apart from that, there was a matter of pride here.

‘A rude bastard.’

It’s something that can’t happen in the land of Jangyuyuseo [Confucian principle emphasizing respect for elders and social hierarchy] Joseon Paldo [the eight provinces of Korea].

How dare, how dare you ignore the teacher?

Kim Ah-sung smiled and said, holding the phone that was still connected.

“Mother, you said PC cafe just now, right?”