Top Star By Luck [EN]: Chapter 84

Originally conceived as a supplementary feature for an interview, “60-Second Acting” quickly surpassed expectations and established itself as a leading short-form content in the entertainment industry.

There were three main factors behind the success of this show:

Acting skills.

Character.

Provocativeness.

The key to success was to perfectly capture these three elements within 60 seconds.

And.

[Has Lee Minki always been this good at acting?]

It just so happened that Lee Minki possessed all three.

[Yeah, he’s always been good]

[Minki is amazing ㅠㅠㅠ]

[He’s really good at acting ㄹㅇ]

[I knew it after watching ‘Cafe del Dia.’ He’s going to be a star]

[He was good from his debut. I first saw Lee Minki in ‘Campus Story’ and didn’t even realize he was a rookie. I was so surprised when I found out.]

[I thought he was some unknown actor who’d been around for about 7 years ㅋㅋㅋ]

[ㅋ You must be new to Minki ㅎㅎ]

[Oh man ㅠㅠㅠ Was I the only one who didn’t know? ㅠㅠㅠ?]

[Let’s study together from today]

The MiTube [Korean YouTube] community, as well as female-oriented online communities, were in an uproar.

His acting was already guaranteed.

His potential was already there, and after repeated practice, it had fully blossomed.

The character also followed the success formula of “60-Second Acting.”

In other words, pursuing stereotypes.

[Ah, I’ve imagined something like that too]

[Delusion on]

[Everyone imagines terrorists invading the classroom and fighting them off when they’re in school, right? ㅋㅋ]

[ㄹㅇㅋㅋ Imagining unleashing a 108-combo while the teacher is teaching~]

[I used to do that when I was young. I miss it.]

[I still do it]

[?]

[??]

[What, why, what]

By assuming situations and characters that everyone has thought about at least once, they were able to save time that would have been spent building a character separately.

Of course, there were unexpected reactions too.

[I got goosebumps watching the acting;;;; My sister had a similar experience, so I really related….]

[ㅇㅈㅇㅈ It’s just acting alone, but it’s really scary when you think about the situation;;; If you add a little more directing, it’s real;;;]

[I heard that’s a common thing guys do when they live alone. Looking around to see if someone’s there. But is that really a thief or a stalker ㄴㅇㄱ]

[Honestly, the woman is crazy;;;;; Why are you going into someone else’s house;;;;; Insane]

[ㅋㅋㅋㅋ No, why are you all so invested? It’s just acting alone ㅋㅋㅋ큐ㅠㅠ]

[ㄹㅇ Horror]

The reaction varied depending on the viewer.

This was something that even Lee Minki himself hadn’t imagined.

It was a comedy to some, and a horror performance to others.

Anyway, following the character, there was the provocativeness.

There’s nothing special to say about this.

The acting was calibrated to meet the standards of the future “60-Second Acting,” where the threshold for stimulation had been built up.

It was difficult for today’s innocent content to keep up.

To summarize.

Acting skills, character, and provocation, all three.

Lee Minki thoroughly calculated the success from head to toe and performed the acting as meticulously as solving a math problem.

The result was.

[Title: Did you guys see ㅇㅁㄱ’s new work this time?]

There’s no need to say more.

[Ah ㅋㅋ I saw it ㅋㅋ Of course, I saw it ㅋㅋㅋ]

[Lee Minki worship season #1581259]

Captures of Lee Minki and Kim Doha’s interview broadcast spread throughout internet communities.

No, to be precise, it would be more accurate to say that only Lee Minki’s part of “60-Second Acting” spread.

60 seconds is a short time.

It was infinitely short to show full-fledged acting.

Since acting basically requires a story, it was almost impossible to create a build-up that would allow viewers to immerse themselves in the 60-second time frame.

This is close to an inherent limitation.

But that’s why there was also an advantage to be gained from the 60-second time frame.

That is.

[What’s with flailing in the air ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ]

[Ah, I think I’ve watched it about 10 times]

[I see Lee Minki everywhere I go]

[The clickbaiters are working hard]

It was easy to share.

As short as it was, it could be watched intently in a short amount of time.

Compared to dramas that require at least 30 minutes and movies that require more than an hour of full attention, it was an unbelievable destructive force.

It was even shorter than the MiTube content commonly referred to as 3 minutes and 8 minutes.

To generate full-fledged revenue from views on MiTube, a playback time of 3 minutes or more is required, but “60-Second Acting” does not pursue view revenue from the beginning.

The purpose is the actor’s recognition and buzz itself.

It wasn’t exactly what the production team intended, but Lee Minki’s “60-Second Acting” was close to perfect in all these respects.

[Lee Minki could film a comedy?]

That was the point of the buzz.

[But he’s really talented]

[ㅇㅇ Lee Minki seems to be a talented guy?]

[Of course ㅋㅋㅋㅋ How can you underestimate a rookie actor who took the royal road [a path to success] three times in a row as soon as he debuted]

[He’s really amazing]

On the other hand, there was someone who was thoroughly alienated while Lee Minki was receiving warm attention.

That is.

[Kim Doha also filmed it]

When viewers heard that he was participating in this project, they all thought the same thing.

‘Kim Doha is good at acting.’

‘Lee Minki acted that well, so Kim Doha must be good too, right?’

They were imagining acting that was befitting of Kim Doha’s reputation as an all-around actor.

Wouldn’t it be common sense to expect the acting of a veteran actor who has filmed more than ten works, rather than a rookie who has filmed only three?

Moreover, he has proven his entertainment sense in variety shows.

‘What kind of acting will Kim Doha show?’

All the viewers clicked the mouse with their hearts pounding.

And.

“Sprinkling pepper on pork belly… 210 degrees in the air fryer for 3 minutes?”

It wasn’t fun.

Literally, there was no fun to be felt.

[It’s a bit boring]

[Ordinary]

[He’s good, but just that much?]

[I don’t want to watch it again]

[It’s strangely pathetic]

[Doha, it’s okay because you’re handsome ㅠㅜ]

It would have been better if Kim Doha’s video was the first one they encountered in “60-Second Acting.”

But unfortunately, his misfortune was that Lee Minki was in the front.

Lee Minki, who has been exposed to the “60-Second Acting” content in three digits and conceived its evolved form.

Kim Doha’s prototype had no room to compete in front of him.

[It’s not that Kim Doha didn’t do well, but Lee Minki is too another level]

[If you compare the two, you can definitely feel the difference]

It was a natural thing.

Next to a high school student who just registered for art school and is trying to learn the basics of charcoal drawing, there is a fauvist [early 20th-century style of painting] oil painter with 7 years of industry experience, so what can you do?

The business is bound to fail.

[I don’t know about his career, but his acting skills are really amazing]

[Kim Doha has a good career?]

[No, Lee Minki, not Kim Doha]

It was a moment when Lee Minki’s acting skills were being reevaluated.

From a rookie actor with moderately good acting skills and a good eye for talent, to a tier 1 rookie actor who overwhelms with acting skills first.

He put his words into practice.

Literally, he devoured Kim Doha.

In the eyes of the public, Lee Minki stepped on Kim Doha as a scale and climbed up.

* * *

An afternoon with the sun shining brightly.

“Haaah.”

Lee Minki yawned long while sitting on a bench at a nearby bookstore.

“Isn’t that Lee Minki?”

“It’s probably just someone who looks similar.”

People around him often recognized him, but thanks to his efforts to hide his face, it wasn’t common.

Wearing a thick hat and a mask.

“Did you see that person’s proportions earlier?”

Of course, there are things in this world that can’t be hidden even if you try to hide them.

“Is he a celebrity?”

“Hey, your boyfriend is passing by.”

“…I wish he was.”

These days, it’s slowly becoming difficult to go out on the streets.

Even if he doesn’t do anything particularly noticeable, there are so many people around him who recognize him.

Even now, he can only take a walk.

Sitting down somewhere is becoming an event in itself.

‘I can still go outside now, but even that won’t be possible in the future.’

Lee Minki glanced at the blue sky and thought.

How long will I be able to enjoy everyday life?

‘Maybe it’s because I’ve been involved in so many absurd incidents lately. Just the fact that it’s quiet and peaceful is healing.’

Everyday life is so ordinary that it’s easy to overlook, but once it’s time to miss it, it becomes infinitely precious.

Especially for celebrities.

According to a famous anecdote, Michael Jackson couldn’t even shop at the local mart [small grocery store].

So his friends rented out the entire mart so he could enjoy a day as a normal person.

‘I doubt I’ll ever get that famous, no matter how famous I become.’

Michael Jackson went too far.

Lee Minki smiled briefly and then sighed slightly as he looked at the air.

‘It’s a time of many worries.’

There’s also what happened with Daon.

The work of organizing the data contained in the acquired phone is almost finished.

If I’m going to reveal it, I should reveal it.

‘But when, where, and how.’

I haven’t decided on this yet.

It’s not the end.

If the Daon controversy is a concern as a person, there is another concern as an actor.

‘It’s about time to start a new project.’

It was about his work.

JC was also slowly bringing it up.

[I think you’ve rested enough.]

Even if he doesn’t go into filming right away, it would be good to keep an eye on one or two works.

That way, it’s easier to negotiate schedules with the production team.

Also, even though he’s a rising star, he’s still a rookie, so he needs to row when he’s in the public eye [strike while the iron is hot].

[A rookie actor’s fame may burn momentarily, but it doesn’t last that long. If you don’t want to end up as a one-hit wonder, you should keep putting out works.]

That was Manager Park Hanmo’s advice.

[Of course, since you filmed a successful work, you may be afraid of failing in your new work. But you have to change your thinking. It’s okay to fail. Even if it’s a failed work, it’s important to film it first.]

Yeah, filming is okay.

But the problem is, which work to film.

Lee Minki was deep in thought.

‘A popular work in this period.’

In fact, there are many popular works themselves.

Lee Minki roughly knew the list of successful works.

If he chose from within that, the possibility of failure would be small, unlike Manager Park Hanmo’s concerns.

But the most important thing is, which work do I [want to film]?

‘Commercial success is good, but I want to film a work that I can grow in.’

He was instinctively drawn to growth.

‘Joaquin Phoenix said that. If you’ve filmed two or three commercial works, you should film one artistic work.’

That’s the best balance.

It’s a golden pattern that allows you to take care of both success and growth as an actor.

If you only film commercial works, your acting range gradually becomes fixed in that direction, and there is no long-term development.

And someone else said this.

[Commercial films create recognition, and art films create skills.]

Art.

Art is appealing.

Is there a work that is artistic and allows me to use my body in a variety of ways?

“Ugh.”

The decision is not easy.

If he just chooses anything, it will affect at least 3 months, or even more than a year of activity, once he starts filming.

He couldn’t just film any work.

Furthermore, if he chooses a work with good results, he has already witnessed it with his own eyes.

That he can make the results even better.

‘Cafe del Dia wasn’t supposed to be this popular.’

In other words, conversely, his participation could lead to a drop in performance.

That’s why he has to choose carefully.

He has to choose until his head hurts, until a work that matches him well comes out.

‘Sigh, but compared to when I was worried about not having money and being sick, it’s a happy worry.’

He was walking aimlessly as his feet led him, pondering all sorts of possibilities.

“Ah.”

When he came to his senses, he was already in a familiar place.

That is.

‘Jam Acting School.’

It was the acting school he graduated from.

He was walking without thinking, so his body unconsciously walked the path it had memorized.

‘Wow, creepy.’

How much was his consciousness tied to this school?

At this point, he’s almost a salmon [returning to its birthplace].

But at the same time, he thought it was a good thing.

It’s an acting school.

A place where people who like acting gather and think about acting.

It feels like he’s returning to the days when he was desperate for his debut.

‘Yeah, maybe if I look around here, I’ll get a sense of something.’

With that thought, Lee Minki turned around and entered the building.

Hoping not to run into the director.

Because that person would grab him to film an interview.

‘Hmm, let’s see.’

As he was walking down the hallway, he saw people engrossed in practice in each practice room, doing various acting exercises.

“Ah, Tophus, why have you hidden yourself in this shadowy place? It’s damp and dark here.”

“Michela, I have become someone who can no longer go to bright places.”

“Everyone can bask in the light.”

“You will change your mind when you see my ugly appearance.”

There were people matching exaggerated combinations as if preparing for a play.

“Hoop!”

“Good! More resilient, again!”

There were also people warming up by doing somersaults in the air as if doing a circus.

‘Flexible.’

That’s a bit amazing.

As someone who has a small trauma from rolling his body, Lee Minki often felt awe when he saw movements that were easy to get hurt if he slipped.

‘I feel like I’m getting a sense of something.’

It’s fun.

I wonder if there’s something that will catch my eye if I see more.

One step forward.

It feels like I’ll see it if I take just one more step.

What is it?

I feel like I’m going to see something, but why can’t I see it?

The fog in his head cleared for a moment with the mind that had returned to his original intention, and he was walking quickly, believing in the sign that he could grab the end of it.

‘Huh?’

The corner of Jam Acting School.

There was a scene that unintentionally caught his eye.

In a quiet practice room where no one was around, there was a person sitting alone with their knees curled up, with a face that looked like they were about to burst into tears.

It was also someone he was familiar with.

‘Seona?’

Yoo Seona.

She, who he hadn’t seen at gatherings lately, was still sitting on the practice room floor.

‘Why are her eyes so swollen?’

With a face that was extremely depressed.