Top Star by Luck

Chapter 8

Early morning.

Min Ki no longer dreaded waking up in the morning.

‘I can stretch without worrying.’

Not too long ago, he could have injured his joints simply by stretching carelessly after getting out of bed.

Or perhaps he might have rolled out of bed while sleeping.

Or maybe, the noisy cats living next door would have kept him from falling into a deep sleep.

But now, he could sleep deeply and wake up feeling refreshed.

This alone made him smile.

‘Great, this morning is perfect.’

After waking up, Lee Min Ki had a light breakfast, did some light stretches, and jogged to his acting school with a spring in his step.

In the past, even power walking made him nervous, but now he knew.

You can’t sprain your ankle just by walking quickly!

‘Looks like I’m the first one here today.’

After arriving at the acting academy, having worked up a light sweat, it wasn’t long before three others joined him.

“Looks like you’re the last one today, Kim Tak.”

“I even took a taxi!”

It was Kim Tak and Yoo Seon Ah.

“Didn’t you know? Taxis are always the slowest in the morning.”

“This is so unfair.”

“Rules are rules, though. You’ll have to buy coffee as a penalty.”

It was a rule they had made among themselves.

Whoever arrived at the practice room last had to buy the morning coffee.

‘I still don’t know why these people are in the same class with me.’

Somehow, that’s how it turned out.

Trainer Kim Ah Sung didn’t say much, so they just naturally ended up hanging out together.

During that time, Min Ki learned a few things about these two.

First, Kim Tak wasn’t a particularly bad person or someone who held a grudge against him.

“Min Ki, you like iced Americano with an extra shot, right? Venti size.”

He just had a terrible sense of social awareness.

His behavior made it clear.

He wasn’t malicious, just completely clueless, though his actions were generally friendly.

“But you know, drinking too much coffee can lead to cardiovascular disease and early death.”

Again, to be clear, he really couldn’t read the room.

It was Yoo Seon Ah who stepped in to check Kim Tak’s behavior.

“Hey. Kim Tak, you shouldn’t just say things like that to people.”

“But it’s true.”

“Don’t you get it? Even if it’s true, there’s a time and place for everything. You love sweets, right? How would you feel if someone kept telling you that eating too much sugar will make you die early?”

“Oh, right. You’re right. Sorry, Min Ki. I’ll buy you lunch later.”

Maybe he was just a pampered rich kid who was raised with indulgence.

Regardless, the three of them somehow found their balance.

They spent their mornings chatting over coffee before starting their practice.

But today, there was a more important topic.

“Min Ki, you saw it, right?”

Yoo Seon Ah asked in a serious tone.

Min Ki paused, exhaled, then slowly nodded.

“Yes, I got the text this morning. The announcement for Daon’s second audition.”

That’s right.

That morning, the notice for the second audition at Daon Entertainment had arrived.

The second audition would take place in one month.

And there was only one evaluation category.

[One free performance]

Short and to the point.

A free performance meant they could perform anything they wanted, as long as they chose something they could do well.

But with so many participants, the key was to stand out immediately in front of the judges.

“And the fact that they gave us nearly a month until the audition means they want us to polish it to perfection.”

They had been given a full month.

For an acting audition, that was quite unusual.

Normally, after the first round of screening, the second audition would take place within two weeks at most.

But Daon had given them a month.

“No matter how prestigious the company is, this is a bold move.”

Yoo Seon Ah twisted her hair in frustration.

Meanwhile, Min Ki remained calm and said.

“The time doesn’t matter. They just want us to bring our best performance.”

“And by best performance, you mean?”

“They don’t want shortcuts. As you know, in acting auditions, many people bring performances that were quickly put together by their acting schools.”

It was a common practice.

Not everyone could be a great actor, but acting schools had the responsibility of helping even those people pass auditions.

So they would often create performances for their students.

In fact, seasoned judges could often guess which academy a performer had attended just by observing the habits in their acting.

“Hmm, so it’s going to come down to real talent.”

Kim Tak muttered.

It seemed he had forgotten that he hadn’t even applied to Daon.

“Min Ki, do you have any ideas?”

Yoo Seon Ah asked, her eyes full of curiosity.

Though it was unusual for one student to ask another such a question, she seemed to have high expectations for Min Ki.

And.

“I do have something in mind.”

Min Ki had an idea ready to meet those expectations.

“Knew it.”

“Oooh.”

As the two leaned in to hear what Min Ki would say next.

“I’m here.”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung had finally arrived at the practice room, the last to show up.

* * *

The first words Trainer Kim Ah Sung said after seeing the Daon audition notice were:

“Hm, really? I figured they’d do something like this.”

It was as if he had expected it all along.

Kim Tak asked in a surprised voice.

“You knew?”

“I heard some rumors.”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung replied casually, as if it were no big deal.

“Daon is mostly run according to the president’s whims, but they’ve done things like this before. I did some digging and found a pattern in their audition processes over the past few years. It was about time for something like this.”

Min Ki was quietly impressed.

‘Didn’t expect him to go that far.’

He had thought Trainer Kim Ah Sung would just help with acting practice, but it seemed he was more serious than that.

He really was a competent man.

However, digging up inside information like this could be seen as unfair, which explained why Kim Ah Sung hadn’t mentioned it until now.

“These arrogant punks think they’re something special. And don’t get me started on their president. What kind of agency president acts like a celebrity?”

That last comment seemed unnecessary, but still.

In reality, all auditions were more or less the same.

You just had to do what they asked.

“Anyway, you’ve got to go where you want.”

After grumbling for a while, Trainer Kim Ah Sung sat down casually on the practice room floor and said.

“Well, it’s good timing. I’ve been watching your acting these past few days, trying to figure out what you should perform at Daon. Let’s decide today.”

For the past few days.

Instead of formal practice, they had spent time exploring what roles would suit each of them best.

Choosing favorite pieces, testing them out.

They had spent about a week of the month’s preparation time just selecting roles.

Now, it was time to reveal the results.

“Let’s start with Min Ki.”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung was about to say something when Min Ki spoke up first.

“I want to try playing a gangster.”

“Alright, a lawyer—what?”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung was surprised and asked again, while Min Ki confidently repeated.

“A gangster. I feel like it’s the right role for me after the practice sessions.”

It was a moment where he emphasized his previous statement.

“That’s not easy.”

Kim Tak muttered in surprise.

“Yeah, if it’s even a little off, it’ll stand out awkwardly. Maybe it’s better to go with a more stable role.”

Yoo Seon Ah agreed with Kim Tak.

Playing a gangster was difficult for several reasons.

The character type was rigid.

Within that framework, you had to make your character come alive, which was a tough challenge for a newcomer.

But Min Ki was confident.

‘One of the skills of an actor is choosing the right role. Daon wants to see if we can do that.’

Choosing a character.

That was one of the key skills of an actor.

While it’s true that actors who can handle a wide range of roles are praised for their talent.

In the real world, it’s a bit different.

‘It’s better to play one role perfectly than to play ten roles at 80%.’

You survive by excelling in at least one role.

And those who know their image well can make the most of their acting.

Min Ki not only believed he could pull off a gangster role but knew it was his strong suit.

Why?

Because he had learned it the hard way from experience on set.

‘I was always praised for this role.’

Rather than blindly following the roles everyone else was choosing, Min Ki knew that a slightly risky choice—one he excelled in—would truly shine.

“There are easier and more stable scripts.”

Trainer Kim Ah Sung said, and Min Ki nodded.

“You’re right. Playing a gangster is hard.”

“Do you know why it’s hard?”

“Because you have to carry a lot of energy, but control it without letting it explode, revealing it subtly.”

“You understand. But why choose it?”

“Because it’s difficult.”

Min Ki reaffirmed.

“Since it’s rare, it’ll be unique. I know it’s risky, but I think I can do it well.”

Because it’s rare, it stands out.

Since it’s unique, it increases his chances.

But that was only if he succeeded.

In reality, playing a gangster was so challenging that most actors failed to pull it off, even barely making it through auditions.

But Min Ki had another reason for being confident in this role.

And that reason was

:

‘…That’s what the Daon president said in an interview.’

The president of Daon had once said on a broadcast that he liked actors who could play gangsters well.

That’s why Min Ki had already decided that if he had to choose, it would be this role.

“Hm.”

After hearing Min Ki’s reasoning, Trainer Kim Ah Sung rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

‘He’s definitely not ordinary.’

Everything Min Ki had said was, in a way, obvious.

It was normal for actors to understand their own image.

It was also normal to choose roles that fit their image.

But very few beginners actually put this into practice.

In fact, even after 10 years of acting, many actors still didn’t fully understand themselves, often struggling to find their place.

Some never figured it out, even by the time they retired.

‘They say, “Know yourself, and you’ll win every battle,” but this guy already understands himself before even starting.’

Trainer Kim Ah Sung felt his admiration for Min Ki growing.

‘I was going to assign him an easier role, but if he’s determined to take on a tough one, there’s no need to stop him.’

He also saw the potential for Min Ki to pull off a gangster role.

From Kim Ah Sung’s perspective, every actor had a natural aura.

And Min Ki’s aura?

Despite his age, his demeanor was calm and laid-back, yet there was an unexpected fierceness that surfaced at times.

Especially when he acted.

‘In any case, those qualities are what make a good gangster character.’

Even so, the only reason he had tried to dissuade Min Ki was because the gangster role carried a lot of risk for an audition.

But if Min Ki was determined, there was no need to hold him back.

‘If I were a regular academy teacher, I would’ve insisted he take an easier path.’

But he wasn’t tied to the academy, nor was he restricted by a fixed curriculum.

He didn’t have to force standardized acting onto his students.

He could just take a step back, offer support where needed, and enjoy watching how things unfolded.

“Alright, let’s see what you’ve got.”