Top Star By Luck [EN]: Chapter 71

71. Luck-ster Top Star

Episode 71

A shift occurred on the ‘Shorts’ filming set. Or rather, an innovation.

The latter sounds more accurate.

In any case, the source of this innovation was none other than…

‘Wow, having Min-ki here makes filming so much easier.’

Bang Eun-young’s unusual silence was noticeable.

‘Actress, please tilt your head a little more. See that red dot above the camera? Look at that.’

‘……Yes.’

Director Kwon Ye-rin chuckled at her suddenly docile behavior.

She was simply doing her job, glancing around cautiously, and didn’t exhibit the aggressive behavior she had displayed earlier.

Lee Min-ki was the reason for this change.

Like a wolf on set, she had been running wild, but upon realizing there was a tiger present, she lost her nerve.

‘It’s annoying for no reason.’

She’s so conscious of her business partner; does that mean we’re not even in the same industry?

Director Kwon Ye-rin looked at her with a pathetic expression.

‘If you were going to cower so easily, you shouldn’t have made such a fuss in the first place.’

She was literally cowering.

Because of that, her haughty charm seemed to have diminished, but so what?

This much can be salvaged in editing.

Rather, she became more interested in Lee Min-ki.

Director Kwon Ye-rin glanced at him and smiled slyly.

‘He’s a nice guy.’

She realized she had a pointless prejudice.

He’s been diligently doing his job for a while now, nothing more, nothing less.

Observing the set and tapping on his laptop.

And diligently sipping his coffee.

And the fact that he doesn’t interfere with our work at all is another charm.

‘I wish all the rookies were just like Min-ki.’

Her evaluation of him improved rapidly.

It’s not like Lee Min-ki did anything special, but that’s how the world is.

If there are a lot of useless people around, the rest of the people’s evaluations will naturally rise, even if they don’t do anything.

Like Switzerland during World War II.

In this situation, Lee Min-ki is even acting as a deterrent, so it’s even better.

‘Ah, he looked here.’

Lee Min-ki made eye contact.

After widening their eyes at each other for a moment, Lee Min-ki smiled brightly and waved his arms.

‘……’

I almost fell for it.

He’s a dangerous person.

Director Kwon Ye-rin felt a house-sized rock fall on her heart for a moment and turned her head.

It’s been three years since I decided not to stan [become a devoted fan of] actors.

Director Kwon Ye-rin almost got caught up in that rookie actor she hated.

‘Thank you for your hard work today.’

That’s how she finished filming with Bang Eun-young with a complicated heart.

‘It was not nice to meet you, and let’s never see each other again.’

I was thinking of giving Lee Min-ki a full explanation of the set in the remaining time, but someone ran up to her as she stretched and urgently spoke to her.

‘Director!’

‘……Copywriter?’

Copywriter.

It was that person who had been half-missing from the studio for the past few days.

* * *

Copywriter.

To put this job in a nutshell, there was an expression that had been passed down since ancient times.

[A person who writes sentences]

As the name suggests, a copywriter is a person who writes sentences.

From the catchphrase that you often think of when you think of advertising, to all the sentences that are exposed in the advertisement, are all within the scope of the copywriter’s work.

But it’s not as glamorous as it looks on the surface.

[You don’t like it?]

[I’ve been writing it all day yesterday]

[I’ll refine it]

[Hmm, I don’t have a feel for it, but I’ll have to do it.]

[I’ll go on a field survey……]

Rather, it’s closer to a comprehensive manual labor job.

CF [Commercial Film] scripts are often entrusted to copywriters, and narration is often the responsibility of copywriters.

Planning is also the job of a copywriter.

The BGM [Background Music] in the advertisement is also the job of a copywriter.

Packaging is also the job of a copywriter.

The parts they touch are extensive.

Once they set a direction, they weave and weave sentences fiercely like a loom in a weaving factory, repeating meetings and meetings.

That was the duty of a copywriter.

Rather than a writer, they are more like a planner who handles a lot of sentences.

But originally, building a building starts with the first shovel, and cooking starts with turning on the heat.

Copywriters also needed the first sentence.

The first sentence that sets the direction for any advertisement. Traditionally, advertising planning often starts here.

But.

This advertisement was somewhat delayed in getting this first sentence.

‘That’s right.’

It’s solved.

Studio Shorts internal meeting room.

Copywriter Hong Eui-joon’s heart was pounding as he sat on the leather sofa there.

In front of him, Director Kwon Ye-rin was staring at the laptop screen, pondering for a long time.

It was none other than reviewing the copy that copywriter Hong Eui-joon had painstakingly written and the plans derived from it.

‘Hmm.’

Director Kwon Ye-rin made an inexplicable sound.

Gulp.

Every time she did, copywriter Hong Eui-joon swallowed hard and opened his mouth.

‘What do you think?’

‘Hmm, let me take another look.’

Director Kwon Ye-rin took a moment to do the final review with her unique sharp eyes.

She raised her head and looked at copywriter Hong Eui-joon and said.

‘It’s good.’

‘……!’

She said it was good.

Copywriter Hong Eui-joon’s eyes widened.

Director Kwon Ye-rin chuckled at his honest reaction, which revealed his emotions, and then spat out the remaining sediment.

‘You knew you could do this, but you’ve been putting it off?’

‘Haha……’

She was pointing out that he had been half-hidden, using his recent slump as an excuse.

Copywriter Hong Eui-joon smiled awkwardly because it was true that he had been irresponsible, even in his own opinion, and said.

‘I’ve been blocked lately. Well, this kind of thing doesn’t usually happen, but every few months, it’s like a blue screen pops up in my head and I can’t do anything.’

‘That happened to be this time?’

‘Yes, but I solved it.’

It was a confident voice.

Not only his voice, but copywriter Hong Eui-joon was actually overflowing with confidence.

This was because the wall that had been blocking his thoughts for the past few days had been cleared.

That too, right.

‘The moment I saw actor Lee Min-ki, I had a revelation from the sky.’

Lee Min-ki was the cause.

‘Min-ki?’

When Director Kwon Ye-rin asked back as if she was surprised, copywriter Hong Eui-joon nodded vigorously and said.

‘I saw him fighting with that female model earlier.’

‘You’re talking about actress Bang Young-eun, right?’

‘Ah, yes, that person, the one who was screaming for water like a ghost who died in the desert.’

‘Haha……’

Good expression.

Copywriter Hong Eui-joon couldn’t control his excitement and got up from his seat, spreading his arms wide like wings and shouting.

‘The moment I witnessed that person being defeated by Lee Min-ki, there was a scene that struck my head like lightning, and this is what I came up with from there!’

‘Hmm.’

Director Kwon Ye-rin slowly read it again for a moment, and then couldn’t help but chuckle.

‘I see, when I apply that situation, it connects like this.’

It wasn’t a very groundbreaking plan.

It was also a copy that contained many clichés in the existing market.

But it was definitely a copy that suited Lee Min-ki perfectly.

‘Looking at this, I think I’ll get a lot of good ideas too.’

‘Right?!’

Copywriter Hong Eui-joon shouted in an excited voice.

‘We should go into a meeting right now.’

‘Ah, about that.’

Director Kwon Ye-rin smiled awkwardly and replied.

‘It might be difficult right now, unless it’s tonight.’

‘Yes?’

‘I have something to do for Min-ki.’

‘What kind of thing to do……’

‘He came to see the set. I’m going to show him around.’

‘A tour?’

‘Is it strange?’

‘No, people come sometimes.’

I know what you want to say.

You’re going to say something negative.

What would a rookie actor do if he came to see the set?

But Director Kwon Ye-rin shrugged and said.

‘At first, I wondered why he came, but after he came, he’s the one who works the best.’

‘He works well? On a tour?’

‘Yes, surprisingly.’

To an excessive degree.

Since he came and helped things go smoothly, I should repay him in some way.

‘Na Writer is out on a meeting right now, so let’s see each other tonight. Please refine it one more time by then.’

‘Yes! I understand!’

Copywriter Hong Eui-joon shouted with spirit.

Director Kwon Ye-rin chuckled at the sound, which was so loud.

‘He’s a lucky charm.’

Things are really going smoothly.

In just a few hours since Lee Min-ki came, the things that had been blocked were cleared.

* * *

The day after the Studio Shorts tour.

‘Ah, it was fun.’

Lee Min-ki visited the [Cafe del Dia] filming set for drama filming.

The staff was lined up in a straight line in front of a car.

‘Iced Americano, please.’

It was a coffee truck.

Lee Min-ki’s fans had raised money on their own and sent it.

‘This is a bit rewarding.’

Is this what they call *jogong* [tribute or offering]?

I’m living to see the day when I receive *jogong*.

As he stood back and watched, the staff members who passed by thanked Lee Min-ki one by one.

‘Thanks to Min-ki, I’m enjoying it. I’ve been enjoying it so far.’

‘I’ll try it once.’

The staff, who had already become friendly, joked around.

But this is the end now.

If things go according to the plan I was notified of in advance, today will be the last day of filming.

‘Ah, it was fun.’

But this drama [Cafe del Dia] had some interesting parts even at the end.

‘I went on a tour of the CF studio yesterday, and there’s a scene in the drama where they’re filming a CF.’

That’s right.

The development in the drama was in line with Lee Min-ki’s actions yesterday.

The main characters of [Cafe del Dia], [Sung Jin-woo], formed a team with [Cha Young-hwan] and [Oh Yu-na] and succeeded in winning the World Coffee Championship.

Sung Jin-woo, who had become a star in the world of the drama.

The content of the last episode was that he appeared in a CF to promote [Cafe del Dia].

‘This is really something.’

Is this what they call a drama within a drama?

It feels like acting while acting.

As he sat still and reviewed the script, Director Noh Ho-yeon called him.

‘Min-ki, get ready, we’ll start in a bit.’

‘Yes.’

‘You’ll do well, right? CF acting.’

Director Noh Ho-yeon’s voice was filled with anticipation and anxiety.

‘I shouldn’t have put in the CF filming scene.’

It was because of the scene they were filming this time.

CF scenes were like that.

Even if decent actors acted, they would be criticized for their bad acting, so even directors avoided them.

If they thought it wouldn’t work, they would often exclude it from the storyboard altogether.

Why do actors have difficulty with CF acting?

This is because drama acting and CF acting are clearly different genres.

The subjects watching the broadcast are different, so the approach is also different.

‘Acting in a drama is acting as a character in that world, but CFs have to be shown as if they’re talking to the viewers outside the screen.’

The two acts looked similar at first glance, but they were clearly different.

‘The way you look at the camera is different, and even the tone of your voice has to be different.’

Is it the character Lee Min-ki, or the actor Lee Min-ki?

Or is it the actor Lee Min-ki acting as the character Sung Jin-woo and promoting to the viewers?

He had to be able to clearly distinguish and show these nuances.

It wasn’t easy at all.

This gap was as big as the difference between a musical singer and a ballad singer.

But why do actors show such decent acting skills in CFs?

This was only because the studio put in manpower to create the best possible short sequence.

The actors also only extract a dozen seconds from the videos they shot for a few hours to as long as 10 hours a day, so the results were bound to be good.

But dramas were different.

At the end, it’s basic to shoot while suffering from *jjokdaebon* [last-minute scripts] and lack of sleep, so there’s no way they can exert the same concentration.

‘Fortunately, we’re doing well, and we’re almost done filming, so it’s a bonus stage, but I hope we can do well and finish strong.’

I don’t want to hear that it’s a *ok-eui-ti* [flaw in perfection] at the end.

Lee Min-ki smiled at Director Noh Ho-yeon, who had subtly revealed his anxiety.

‘I’ll try my best.’

‘CF acting is never easy, but I trust you, actor. You can feel free to improvise.’

‘Haha……’

Which one do you want to express, trust or anxiety?

Lee Min-ki had a small question, but soon walked to the filming set.

They had rented an entire CF studio and turned it into a filming set.

That meant there were two layers of cameras.

Lee Min-ki was acting in the middle of this.

‘Hoo.’

Lee Min-ki calmed his breathing and blinked his eyes three times.

‘Let’s recall what Director Kwon said.’

What did she say?

[The most important thing in a CF is to recognize that there are viewers watching beyond the camera. It’s the opposite of a drama, right? There, you have to forget about the existence of the viewers as much as possible and become the character completely.]

Recognizing the viewers.

That means I have to act to show the viewers.

Unlike dramas, where naturalness that seems to pop out of reality right away is important, I had to show exaggerated gestures to convey emotions clearly to consumers, even if it was childish.

Exaggerated stretches.

A voice as if to be heard by someone.

A gaze looking beyond the camera.

It was full of movements that seemed to come out of a Japanese drama.

And there’s one more step here.

‘The fact that Sung Jin-woo is acting in a CF.’

This was also the task that Lee Min-ki had to overcome from now on.

‘Hoo.’

Wait.

Did he say I could improvise?

‘Sung Jin-woo’s acting.’

Wait, I think I know something.

Something flashed through Lee Min-ki’s head.

It was like he knew it vaguely by feeling, but he couldn’t articulate it into a concrete sentence.

‘Ah, what is it?’

Instinct says it’s okay.

But reason said something different.

‘Should I do it or not?’

He stood at a crossroads of contemplation.

But at times like this, there was a moment that came to mind.

When I shouted at the baseball stadium.

What if I hadn’t shouted then?

I could have been buried smoothly, but I wouldn’t have gained anything.

When his thoughts reached this point, Lee Min-ki decided.

‘Even if I do it, let’s regret it after doing it.’

Let’s just go for it.

As anxious gazes crossed in the air along the lights, Director Noh Ho-yeon sent a signal from afar.

A signal to send a signal if you’re ready.

Lee Min-ki nodded.

And 5 seconds later.

‘Ready, action.’

The moment a signal that was different from the drama PDs’ [Production Directors] ‘standby, cue’ echoed, as he was from the film industry.

A strange expression was plastered on Lee Min-ki’s face like a mask, and then he shouted in a stiff voice like a wooden doll.

‘Wow, it’s really delicious―.’