Top Star By Luck [EN]: Chapter 53

53. Top Star Through Luck – Episode 53

Lee Min-ki’s part in the audition was over.

It was excessively unique for a typical audition, but it certainly left a lasting impression.

‘Lee Min-ki, was it?’

‘I should remember his name.’

‘I don’t know about his acting, but if we can capture that detail in our work, who knows what the result will be?’

Sometimes, being different, beyond good or bad, becomes a powerful asset.

Lee Min-ki had shown a different side of himself.

Even he harbored expectations that he might get a positive result.

Meanwhile, someone else was seething with anger in this situation.

‘Lee Min-ki, Lee Min-ki. So, you’re playing it like this?’

It was Kim Ji-hwan.

To him, Lee Min-ki’s uniqueness wasn’t just unnerving; it was infuriating.

“……I will start.”

Kim Ji-hwan, who had been secretly grinding his teeth, finally stood up from his seat.

And then, his acting.

‘He’s definitely good.’

‘Daon is outstanding at fostering new actors.’

‘His last work was good, too, right?’

It was worthy of unanimous high praise from the judges.

“Have you heard of the Third Wave? The local coffee market has already matured beyond cost-effectiveness and moved into the premium market.”

He basically pursued the opposite approach from Lee Min-ki.

Good acting without being too flashy.

Acting that was faithful to the character.

Acting close to the textbook definition of a role audition.

That was the [Sung Jin-woo] acting that Kim Ji-hwan had prepared.

That’s why it was good without being too flashy, but on the other hand, it was a bit disappointing.

‘It’s a bit bland.’

‘A little compared to Lee Min-ki.’

‘Hmm, it might have been better if he had taken on a different role.’

The judges felt something was missing.

Because they had seen a different, more striking approach earlier, the missing element in Kim Ji-hwan’s acting was bound to catch their eye.

As the judges’ impressions solidified, their focus on the acting also lessened.

Do you know how much the change in the judges’ gaze means to someone who has participated in an audition?

‘Look at my acting more closely.’

Kim Ji-hwan was almost going crazy.

Those gazes had been full of anticipation when they watched Lee Min-ki’s acting.

Why did that turn into disappointment when directed at him?

Was his level of acting insufficient?

That couldn’t be.

Objectively, there was nothing lacking in his acting.

He practiced with the thought of defeating Lee Min-ki in this [Cafe del Dia] audition, and he poured in all the effort that he would never have put in otherwise.

Actually.

‘He’s incredibly good.’

Even Lee Min-ki himself was impressed by the force in his lines.

‘He’s much better than the Kim Ji-hwan I remember. Is it because it’s on set?’

He was definitely different from the Kim Ji-hwan in his memory.

You could say that his acting skills had improved significantly.

But at the same time, a flaw was felt.

‘He has no 余裕(yeoyu,余裕, composure).’

It was impatience.

“That’s why this country has no progress in this shape.”

In Kim Ji-hwan’s acting, there was an impatience that didn’t suit [Sung Jin-woo].

A subtle difference in nuance.

A look of restlessness, conscious of Lee Min-ki’s acting.

That transformed the confidence in Kim Ji-hwan’s acting into impatience.

Yes, this is what the judges were seeing in Kim Ji-hwan.

‘He’s the second-in-command.’

‘He’s the second-in-command.’

‘He’s Kong [a reference to being second best].’

‘He’s Kong.’

Being in Lee Min-ki’s shadow.

Even after entering the free acting section, this evaluation did not change.

Rather, it seemed to have become even more solidified.

“That’s not my style. I’m everyone’s man, or in other words, I’m not just your man.”

Kim Ji-hwan’s greatest strength was the 여유(yeoyu, composure) that radiated from his expression to his fingertips.

Acting that made full use of his natural charisma and personality.

There was nothing he could do since that had disappeared without a trace.

“……”

“……”

He did well enough.

But having seen better acting, it was hard to praise it enthusiastically.

“Thank you for your hard work. We will send individual notifications later.”

The audition came to an end with Director Noh Ho-yeon’s short greeting.

That was all.

Both played the same role, but the sound of their footsteps leaving the audition room was different.

* * *

The [Cafe del Dia] audition came to an end.

‘I’m worried that I did too much 튀는(twineun, standing out) acting.’

Lee Min-ki let out a short groan.

He did his best to show good acting, but the result was something he had to wait and see.

Because it was 튀는(twineun, standing out) acting.

His not 무난(munan, ordinary) acting might appeal to some, but on the other hand, it could be seen as the worst acting.

And Kim Ji-hwan’s skills, which he saw on set, far exceeded his expectations.

‘Did he improve after joining Daon?’

Sometimes there are people who develop exponentially after gaining experience in the field.

It seemed that Kim Ji-hwan was like that.

If he had foreseen this, Daon CEO Hwang In-gu’s insight would have to be considered remarkable.

‘After all, the audition judges have a discerning eye.’

That’s enough.

More than that, Lee Min-ki was preoccupied with other things today.

“Hmm, I don’t see any 매물(maemul, real estate for sale) that I like as much as I thought.”

Right.

“If I like the location, it’s too expensive, and even if I give up the location, the building isn’t good either.”

He was preparing to move.

As he muttered to himself and clicked the mouse, Joo Ha-na crumpled a coffee straw with one hand and said.

“Take your time to find it. There’s no point in rushing to find a house.”

Lee Min-ki couldn’t readily agree with her words and said.

“I think so too. But the situation is what it is.”

“Situation?”

“What I told you before. I think my address was exposed.”

“Ah.”

That’s right.

Lee Min-ki originally lived in a studio in an alley, but he started to feel strange gazes, as if the location had leaked somewhere.

‘In the past, reporters even took pictures.’

He came out to the convenience store in front of his house in comfortable clothes, and they took a picture of it and suddenly posted it.

Fortunately, the response was good.

[He looks like a pictorial even in comfortable clothes]

[Real photo깡패(kkangpae, gangster) [meaning: someone who looks good in photos]]

[His real-life appearance is also 깡패(kkangpae, gangster) lol]

[There is no composition in which Lee Min-ki fails to be photographed]

He was lucky even in this situation.

But apart from that, the fact that a photo was taken near his house was a burden.

Some people even tried to guess his home address.

“I don’t feel like I’m resting even when I go home.”

After that incident, he became nervous about everything.

He can’t open the window, so he can’t ventilate.

When he hears someone walking down the hallway, he holds his breath without realizing it.

Even going to the neighborhood mart has become a burden, so he uses online delivery more often.

“It might be my overreaction, but anyway, I’m tired because of this.”

“Hmm.”

At those words, Jerry nodded with a heavy expression as if deeply sympathizing.

“If you’re a famous celebrity, it’s something everyone has to go through at least once. Especially if you’re a handsome actor like me.”

“……Whether you’re handsome or not is secondary, but it’s like that even though I’m not famous yet.”

It was the moment when Lee Min-ki sighed deeply at Jerry’s words.

“Then why don’t you just not live in a studio? Why do you live in a studio? Do you not have money? Is there no one around you who can lend you money?”

He poked at the core issue.

“……It’s frustrating, but it’s true.”

“Min-ki, you’ve filmed one drama and one movie, and the supplement ad was well-received before. Didn’t you get paid?”

“I’m a rookie. If you put it all together, it’s barely enough for a studio deposit.”

“Oh, right, Min-ki, you’re a rookie.”

Jerry nodded as if he had belatedly realized.

In fact, Lee Min-ki had little money.

Since he was a rookie, the pay he received per work was too low.

He had no leverage during the drama, and the appearance fee for [Evergreen] was calculated based on rookie standards, barely making a living.

The advertisement earned him a lump sum of money, but after setting aside living expenses, savings, and spare money, it was still barely enough to use as a deposit.

‘Now that my recognition has increased a bit, I think I can get a higher pay from the next work, but the immediate problem is now.’

Honestly, he could move into any studio if he didn’t care about the quality of the place.

But since the reason for moving was privacy, he wanted to go to a place where privacy was protected to some extent.

“Is there any place where the deposit is free, the monthly rent is cheap, the house is big, safe, clean, and the location is good?”

“Min-ki, aren’t you trying to get everything for free?”

“How did you know? Ah, I want to live my life for free. I wish someone would give me an apartment in front of the Han River for free.”

“Even if they gave it to you, you wouldn’t be able to pay the inheritance tax.”

“Ugh.”

It was the moment when Lee Min-ki, who had been listing his wishes for a long time, collapsed on the desk in exhaustion.

“Ah, come to think of it.”

Joo Ha-na, who had been lost in thought for a while, turned her gaze as if she had remembered something and said.

“Doesn’t Min-ki’s agency have dormitory support?”

“Dormitory support?”

As Lee Min-ki tried to turn his head at the unexpected words, Joo Ha-na hesitated and said.

“Sometimes they do. The company provides support for people who live far away or have unavoidable circumstances.”

“I don’t think actor agencies provide dormitory support as often as idol agencies?”

Joo Ha-na shook her head at Jerry’s rebuttal and said.

“I think it depends on the company. There are even people in our agency who lived in the CEO’s house because there was no dormitory.”

“Wow, his mentality is amazing.”

“He still lives there.”

“Wow, his mentality is really amazing.”

So, there are places that provide support, but it’s not common.

As Jerry said, it is common knowledge that general actor agencies do not have dormitory support.

Idols take a large percentage from the company, so there are many welfare benefits, while actor agencies were fundamentally individual endeavors.

‘I don’t know what JC will be like.’

But it doesn’t hurt to ask.

It may be embarrassing to say that you have no money and ask for a dormitory, but it’s even more embarrassing if you don’t ask because you’re embarrassed.

“I’ll ask right now.”

Lee Min-ki took a breath and typed a message to Manager Park Han-mo.

And a moment later.

“Oh my!”

A reply came back immediately in less than 30 seconds.

The contents were:

[Of course, there is a dormitory.]

It was a green light.

For now.

* * *

A promenade in an apartment complex.

“I understand the situation well.”

Manager Park Han-mo walked ahead of Lee Min-ki and said.

“It is true that general agencies do not have dormitory support. But JC is not a general agency.”

“It’s a good company.”

“Of course. Our CEO’s motto is that treating rookie actors well will all come back as money later.”

“Is the monthly rent deducted from the settlement later?”

“Huhu, of course not. I don’t want to be accused of trying to take credit with a loan to save a few hundred thousand won.”

I see.

Lee Min-ki listened to Manager Park Han-mo’s words with one ear and was busy looking around the apartment.

‘It’s definitely good. No, it’s a little too good.’

It was literally a good place.

A large apartment complex near Mapo-gu, where the JC headquarters is located.

It hasn’t been built for 5 years, and even without seeing the inside, the first impression from the entrance of the complex was good.

At least it was definitely not comparable to a 5-평(pyeong, approx. 16.5 square meters) studio in an alley.

‘But he said I’m not the only one using it.’

That’s right.

No matter how generous the company is, they wouldn’t give a rookie actor an entire apartment.

He said it was a dormitory used by several people in common.

“Besides you, one person is already living there.”

“Really? Who is that person?”

“He’s a rookie actor, and you probably know him. You’ve met him before.”

“What’s his name?”

“Huhu.”

He’s just laughing, so it seems like he doesn’t want to tell me.

Well, it’s something I’ll find out in a few minutes anyway.

‘I hope it’s not too strange of a person.’

Lee Min-ki walked slowly behind Manager Park Han-mo with half expectation and half worry.

Beep-beep-beep.

And when the door opened.

Lee Min-ki was finally able to understand the meaning of what Manager Park Han-mo had said to him.

‘Ah.’

The person sitting on the sofa watching TV beyond the front door.

That person’s appearance was quite familiar.

“……Kim Tae-yang?”

Kim Tae-yang.

He was the person who competed with him in the last JC audition.

A genius rookie actor.

If Kim Ji-hwan was considered above average among the rookies, Kim Tae-yang was even better, definitely not below him.

He was sprawled out on the sofa.

However, Lee Min-ki, who had seen Kim Tae-yang’s appearance, could not easily escape from the shock.

Because.

‘Kim Tae-yang, wasn’t this person supposed to debut much later?’

The contract period was at least two years earlier than he remembered.

Even.

‘You weren’t even affiliated with JC.’

The company was different too.