Top Star by Luck

Chapter 24

The afternoon after returning from the unexpected bit part performance.

A grin wouldn’t leave Lee Min Ki’s face.

“Hehe, hehehehe.”

“Min Ki, are you that happy?”

Yoo Seon Ah’s words startled Lee Min Ki.

“Ah, did I show it too much?”

“No, it’s nice to see. I was just curious to hear the reason.”

“Well, you see…”

As Lee Min Ki started to recount the bit part performance that had happened in the morning, Yoo Seon Ah gasped.

“Was it that important of a role?”

“Yes, although most of it might get cut during editing.”

“Even if it’s cut, at least one line will remain, right?”

“I hope so. I’m not sure how it will turn out, though.”

“It definitely will!”

Yoo Seon Ah shouted so loudly it was like her voice would burst his eardrum.

“It’s your acting, Min Ki! Everyone will recognize it. How could they cut that out?”

“…….”

“Once it airs, the viewers will go wild! They’ll be asking, ‘Who is this guy?’ Aren’t you excited already?”

Well…

He was looking forward to it, but it seemed like Yoo Seon Ah was more excited than he was.

Still, it was nice that she empathized with him.

Lee Min Ki unknowingly smiled softly.

‘It would be nice if I stood out, even in a small role, but the odds aren’t that high.’

In a single project, if there are two lead actors, there are ten supporting actors and a hundred minor roles.

The chances of a minor role receiving attention were slim.

The number of aspiring actors was as many as the stars in the sky, and for rookies, the industry was endlessly harsh.

Hadn’t there been plenty of times when people swarmed just to land a role that flashed by for less than a second in a small commercial or drama?

‘There are so many people who spend their careers stuck in minor roles, only to end up giving up their dreams.’

Even Lee Min Ki himself had met his end living that kind of life.

Given his past, his perspective as an actor was naturally a bit different from the two people in front of him.

“Min Ki, there are always stories, you know? Someone gets cast in a minor role, and then catches the director’s eye, leading to a supporting role. You could be next!”

“Haha…”

“Wow, then Min Ki’s about to make it big, huh?”

Both Yoo Seon Ah and Kim Tak, being fresh-faced hopefuls, held great expectations even for minor roles.

They treated even the rarest industry anecdotes as if they were their own stories.

However, Lee Min Ki was a little different.

‘That would be nice. But unless my luck is through the roof, that sort of thing doesn’t happen often.’

He added a bit of reality to their expectations.

Of course.

There was one thing even Lee Min Ki had overlooked.

“Oh, Min Ki, you’re still here.”

“Teacher.”

Kim Ah Sung spoke as he returned to the practice room.

“They want to see you over there.”

“Over there? You mean…?”

What Lee Min Ki had overlooked was this:

His luck had actually started to improve.

“Yeah, the production team from earlier. The writer liked you, Min Ki.”

“…….”

“Surprised? It happens sometimes.”

Rare as it was, such things did happen in real life.

As Lee Min Ki stood dumbfounded, Yoo Seon Ah clapped her hands as if she had expected it all along.

“See? I told you they’d notice! I definitely said so, didn’t I?”

Kim Tak also chimed in.

“Man, that’s awesome. This is epic. Let it go!”

* * *

A general programming channel.

These stations typically bundled several genre-specific channels into one cable package.

Originally, general programming channels were more like gossip channels that only a few people watched, but recently, things had changed.

That’s because they had started hitting the jackpot with dramas.

Gaura
Her Boss
Five Meals a Day

Each quarter, they had at least one hit drama, heralding the era of general programming dramas.

Perhaps to put a turbo engine on this momentum, the stations aggressively recruited famous drama writers and actors, even at great expense, to capture viewers’ attention.

As a result, a common occurrence had emerged.

“Director, is that person really that good?”

“Yes, even the writer will be impressed when they see them.”

Writers had begun to overpower PDs (directors) with their authority.

Kim Hee Jin was what people called a “successful drama writer,” a name that guaranteed quality in any production.

“Kim Hee Jin’s dramas are trustworthy.”

“At the very least, she doesn’t fail.”

“Her campus romance story this time is pretty fun. I didn’t think she’d be good at youthful rom-coms.”

There weren’t just one or two viewers who tuned in solely because of her three-name guarantee.

Despite that, she chose to produce her new work on an unstable general programming channel because they offered a more flexible production environment compared to public networks.

On the other hand, Park Yoo Chan was a rookie PD who had just landed his debut project.

In this relationship, it was only natural that the balance of power leaned towards Kim Hee Jin.

“I have a certain confidence about this.”

Park Yoo Chan was someone who would gladly accept such a dynamic if it was necessary.

“Even though that actor is a rookie, they have a strong presence. Did you see the footage?”

“As much as you’re saying this, I’m getting curious, but honestly, there’s usually a reason why minor roles stay minor.”

Kim Hee Jin sipped her coffee through a straw with a somewhat displeased expression.

“Of course, viewer reactions will solidify things, but bringing back a villain has considerable risk for the story.”

It was a common issue.

Even if a villain character became popular, there were reasons why they weren’t forcefully reintroduced.

A villain should exit gracefully when the time comes.

Viewers would often demand the return of a charismatic villain, but when they actually did, those same viewers would complain about fatigue.

‘Maybe this rookie PD just doesn’t know yet.’

Kim Hee Jin glanced at Park Yoo Chan, thinking.

‘Having passion is good, but sometimes stability is just as important.’

Usually, it was the writer who pushed forward while the PD requested a more stable direction.

Dramas typically completed through such back-and-forth between PDs and writers, but maybe because this was a general programming channel, the system seemed different.

Moreover, what weighed on her was the drama’s overall quality.

‘It’s not bad, but it’s just that—only decent.’

The campus story was like that.

They cast good actors.

But the audience’s reaction was lukewarm, to say the least.

It was strange: the response was good, but the ratings were subtle.

Was it because it was on a general programming channel, or was the drama itself lacking buzz?

For someone accustomed to public network dramas, it was a hard situation to accept.

Praise alone wasn’t enough.

Drama writers were judged more by ratings than by artistic value.

A makjang drama with 20% viewership would always be rated higher than a well-crafted drama with only 15%.

‘The script’s quality is fine. So what’s the problem?’

At this rate, it would end as a hidden gem, known only to a select few.

Something had to change.

‘Still, I can’t mess this up further. I’ll see for myself, and if it doesn’t seem right, I’ll refuse.’

Whether or not he knew what she was thinking, Park Yoo Chan beamed as he said,

“You’ll be confident once you see him in person.”

“This coffee is pretty good.”

“Isn’t it? They use high-quality beans here. The owner told me they use almost double the amount compared to other franchises. Haha.”

As they were enjoying a brief moment of relaxation, the doorbell rang.

Two people walked into the cafe.

One was a laid-back-looking man, and the other looked naive.

But they were both handsome.

Kim Hee Jin stared at him, thinking absentmindedly.

‘That guy looks good.’

He had a very gentle impression, but there was something about him.

For one, his physique and posture were great.

He seemed like someone whose appearance could suit many different styles.

He had what people often called “a face with a thousand looks.”

Of course, he would need acting skills to back that up.

‘Is he an aspiring actor? Or just a regular person?’

The moment Kim Hee Jin’s curiosity was piqued, Park Yoo Chan stood up from his seat and called out.

“Min Ki! Over here!”

“…….”

In that moment, the straw Kim Hee Jin had been sipping fell from her lips.

Her eyes filled with astonishment.

‘That’s Lee Min Ki? The one who appeared in the bit part?’

The impression was drastically different from what she had seen on screen.

He looked like a completely different person.

On camera, he had looked like someone worn down by life, who found everything bothersome. But now, Lee Min Ki’s face was full of energy and eagerness.

It was like the difference between a senior and a freshman.

‘Is this someone else who just looks like him?’

His posture was perfect.

But no matter what she thought, reality was reality.

Lee Min Ki had already reached her.

“Hello, PD.”

“Yes, Min Ki, it’s nice to see you again after just a few hours. This is our drama’s writer, Kim Hee Jin. Say hello.”

“Hello, Writer. I’m rookie actor Lee Min Ki!”

With the brightest smile in the world, Lee Min Ki greeted her, and at that moment, Kim

Hee Jin made up her mind.

‘Problem solved.’

* * *

A sudden casting change had occurred.

Just like that.

[You can free up time every week, right?]

[Huh?]

[Starting with the next episode, no, the one after that, I think we’ll be seeing you more often, Min Ki.]

The network staff had decided to give Lee Min Ki more frequent appearances.

For someone used to only getting bit parts, this was an unexpected stroke of luck.

Something he had only heard about in industry legends had actually come to him.

And Lee Min Ki’s thought was this:

‘It’s gotta be JC.’

He credited the casting change to JC.

‘Haha, hehe.’

Even as he scanned barcodes at the convenience store, a smile never left his face.

It was JC, after all.

As expected, JC was living up to its reputation.

Surely it was because the agency had his back, making things different from anywhere else, even when he was just taking on bit parts.

A little effort, and they paid extra attention to him, treating him well.

‘Even if I fail a hundred auditions, I still need to land in a good agency.’

Of course, this was entirely his own misconception.

The truth was, it had nothing to do with JC and everything to do with the fact that he had honed his acting and appearance.

But there was no one to correct his misunderstanding.

Caught up in his delusion, an old man spoke to him from the other side of the counter.

“Oh my, something good happened to you, didn’t it?”

“Ah, sir.”

“Seeing you smile like that makes me feel better too. Here, take this.”

The old man placed a hot bar on the counter and then strolled out of the convenience store.

Receiving such a gift so smoothly, Lee Min Ki burst into laughter again.

‘What luck.’

In truth, it wasn’t just luck.

His appearance had completely changed from what it had been in his past life.

The Lee Min Ki who had been plagued by failure, exhaustion, and paranoia was gone.

In his place stood Lee Min Ki MK.2.

Now, he exuded confidence.

He slept soundly every night without interruption.

As a result of combining a quality diet with exercise, his skin glowed.

With the financial burden lifted thanks to his modeling gigs, his expression brightened even when he wasn’t doing anything.

People say every little bit adds up, and Lee Min Ki had built a tower.

The changes were already taking root.

He just hadn’t realized it yet.

‘Haha, hehehahaha, JC forever. Hahahaha.’

* * *

A few days later.

The latest episode of Campus Story was released.

And…

[Title: Did you guys watch the latest episode?]

Things had changed.

[Why is this villain so charming?]