Top Star by Luck

Chapter 96

‘Is the director enjoying this?’

It was none other than Director Hwang Ui Seong.

He always wore an expressionless face, like a sticker glued on, exuding charisma just by his presence on set.

Even the top-tier actors would fall silent with just a glance from Director Hwang Ui Seong.

And now, that very Director Hwang Ui Seong was…

Enjoying Lee Min Ki’s video.

‘Smart. From beginning to end, every action was calculated to grab attention.’

Gyeongbokgung Palace as a location, for one.

Wearing traditional Hanbok, for another.

Bringing along a tall, striking white woman and a manager—such an unusual combination.

The exotic shuffle dance as well.

The viral spread was expected.

But for it to extend beyond a mere trend into a challenge, the agency must have been involved.

‘The details are impressive.’

It’s good to become the center of attention and raise awareness.

But appearing in random advertisements and variety shows without thinking…

‘Would be worse than not doing anything at all.’

It cheapens you.

Sometimes it’s better to keep quiet and cultivate a bit of mystery.

That’s why actors must carefully choose how they present themselves in front of the public and select their actions wisely.

However, Lee Min Ki’s choice was different.

“He managed to draw attention without exhausting his image.”

Smart.

He didn’t need to look far—just the combination with a female singer who had topped the Billboard charts sparked imagination.

‘Is he thinking of doing a song feature? Or perhaps she’s entering the Korean market?’

The Hanbok alone sparked thoughts.

‘Is he considering a historical drama?’

He made people wonder what the next move for actor Lee Min Ki would be.

No, to put it more clearly, he made them curious.

Every calculated element meshed together in a complex precision process, sparking a chemical reaction.

Of course, Lee Min Ki hadn’t calculated any of this.

He simply picked a topic that would be good bait, knowing he’d be appearing in Bojana Olson’s music video.

But does it matter?

If it worked brilliantly in the eyes of others, then it’s a good thing.

In summary.

Lee Min Ki undoubtedly had the qualities of a star.

‘Interesting.’

A faint smile appeared on Director Hwang Ui Seong’s lips.

It was so subtle that only a long-time friend might have noticed.

But it was indeed a smile.

It was because he had seen something more than expected from the actor Lee Min Ki.

‘This actor will be interesting to watch.’

There are many actors who are good at acting.

Actors with just exceptional skills are as common as stones on the ground.

But few possess the qualities to become a star.

A person with overwhelming brilliance.

Will actor Lee Min Ki emit enough brilliance to not only stand out domestically but also reach foreign lands?

‘And could he become a character in the dream I’m trying to realize?’

It was at that moment when these thoughts crossed his mind.

“Director Kim.”

“Ah, yes!”

Assistant Director Kim, who had been standing still, flinched at Director Hwang’s words.

Still staring intensely at the monitor, Director Hwang Ui Seong spoke.

“Keep a close watch on Lee Min Ki from now on, and if there’s any noteworthy news, make sure to report it.”

“…Yes! Understood!”

* * *

Did you know?

That South Korea is more serious about fostering its cultural industry than many might think.

Although the gaming and comics sectors often get hamstrung…

The film industry, surprisingly, benefits from a fairly generous budget.

[Ministry of Culture’s Annual Budget: 7 trillion won allocated]

For one, the amount of money involved is substantial.

With its massive resources, the government even provides direct support to those working in the film industry.

But more frequently, what happens is…

They offer support more towards film infrastructure.

[Incheon Cinema Town Project Launched]

[Daejeon Daedeok CG Special District Proposal]

[Busan Film City Five-Year Development Plan Announced]

Among these initiatives, the one that showed the most recent success…

Was the film-specialized district near Expo Science Park in Yuseong District, Daejeon—[Studio Cube].

‘Wow, I can’t believe I’ve actually made it here.’

Lee Min Ki’s eyes sparkled as he looked around in amazement.

‘I’ve seen this place in photos before.’

The ceiling, which resembled a gymnasium, was layered with a dazzling array of lights.

Below, green screens covered the floor, while top-tier, high-tech filming equipment bustled around.

It was the very definition of a massive video production studio.

‘This place is incredible. You could build an indoor soccer field in here.’

Overcome with emotion, Lee Min Ki closed his eyes and trembled.

‘I never thought I’d ever come to Studio Cube.’

Another dream accomplished.

Studio Cube, what kind of place was it?

It boasted the largest scale of any video production studio in Korea.

It was established by the state as part of a plan to turn Daejeon into the hub of the film industry. There’s no larger studio than this.

It even had a single studio space of over 1,500 pyeong (approx. 4,959 square meters).

With rare Hollywood-grade filming equipment, any resident company could freely utilize it.

But the true value wasn’t just in the quality of its facilities.

‘This is where Korea’s film industry began conquering the world.’

History.

It was the future history that Studio Cube would continue to build.

World’s number one.

Three consecutive works that achieved number one on a global streaming platform were all filmed here at Studio Cube.

Korea, number one in the world.

And not just once, but three times in a row.

It was something unimaginable.

Even if you told someone, they wouldn’t believe it.

But that’s what history shows.

Since then, Studio Cube has firmly established itself as the mecca of South Korea’s film industry.

‘I would’ve been happy with just a small part filmed here.’

Strangely enough, the opportunity never arose.

It was as if the place itself had erected a barrier, refusing his entry.

But now, he had done it.

He had made it.

And not just for a small role, but as the lead.

‘Yes!!’

Director Hwang Ui Seong.

If the chance arose, maybe he could even talk about films with him.

As Lee Min Ki clenched his fist in excitement, he heard a cold voice from behind.

“Who is that?”

He flinched.

The voice was utterly devoid of warmth, so cold that it made one doubt whether the speaker had any emotions at all.

Yet, it was a voice that was somehow familiar.

Just as he turned around, thinking it couldn’t be…

“…!”

It was indeed the person he thought.

It was Director Hwang Ui Seong.

* * *

Facing that expressionless face, which felt almost cold, for a moment…

“Director! Hello!”

Lee Min Ki quickly gathered his wits, bowed, and shouted.

“I’m actor Lee Min Ki! I look forward to working with you during this shoot! It’s an honor to meet you, sir!”

“There’s no need for such long greetings.”

“…”

So curt.

Director Hwang cut him off as if uninterested in pleasantries.

At first glance, his tone seemed so cold and impersonal that it lacked any human warmth.

‘They said he was difficult to deal with, and it seems that’s true.’

But for those who saw it as part of his character, the impression was a bit different.

‘This really is the Director Hwang Ui Seong in the flesh.’

As Lee Min Ki felt the weight of his presence, Director Hwang spoke again.

“You’re a bit early.”

“Ah, yes! I wanted to look around.”

Lee Min Ki glanced around as he responded.

“I’ve read so much about Studio Cube in the news. And now that it’s fully operational, I wanted to experience it for myself.”

“Hmm.”

Director Hwang narrowed his eyes.

Was he really just curious about the studio’s facilities?

There was something a bit off about Lee Min Ki’s actions.

It made sense, though.

‘There are still four hours until filming starts, and he came this early just to look around?’

It was a little too early.

Of course, many people arrive early to allow time for makeup, condition adjustments, and other preparations, which can take time.

But four hours?

‘Let’s keep an eye on this.’

At the very least, he seemed diligent.

Director Hwang Ui Seong continued to stare at Lee Min Ki with his usual expressionless face.

In truth, this was a fortunate situation for Lee Min Ki.

Director Hwang was a workaholic.

And being a workaholic director meant that he rarely had any time to be alone.

Given his job, a director was always surrounded by a sea of people.

Coincidentally, there was something that Director Hwang was curious about.

“Let me ask you something.”

Director Hwang opened his mouth.

“What is your goal as an actor?”

“Pardon?”

Surprised by the sudden, direct question, Lee Min Ki asked for clarification.

“What do you mean by goal?”

“As an actor, you must have a goal, right? Do you want to become a ten-million-ticket seller? Make a lot of money? Act with someone in particular? Or maybe work on a film under a specific director?”

“Are you talking about my dream?”

“No.”

Director Hwang corrected him.

“I mean your goal.”

A goal, as an actor.

A goal is different from a dream.

A goal is something you can seriously believe is achievable, not just something you wish for.

For an aspiring actor, the dream might be to debut, but the goal would be to get into a particular agency.

Then, what would the goal be for an actor who had already turned

professional?

However, Director Hwang believed that he could measure an actor’s caliber by this question.

‘After three films, it’s about time for him to have a significant goal.’

It was a question he’d often asked actors he met, partly as a way of greeting them.

It was a peculiar social habit of Director Hwang, known for his lack of interpersonal skills.

‘Maybe he’ll say something like aiming for a five-million-ticket-seller status, or perhaps winning the Blue Dragon Film Award.’

This time, too, it was asked casually, partly out of curiosity.

“Ah, my goal is…”

Lee Min Ki cleared his throat lightly and then spoke.

“To win the Academy Award for Best Actor and star in a film that becomes number one in the world.”

“…”

An overwhelmingly grand goal appeared out of nowhere, like a kid popping out in an alley.

‘Is he being serious?’

Taken aback by the unexpected answer, Director Hwang blinked.

Not the Blue Dragon Film Award, not even Korea’s number one spot.

He mentioned the Academy and being number one in the world.

Such a goal, something even global stars in Hollywood might hesitate to utter, came out of the mouth of an actor who had only shot three films.

‘Is this just rookie bravado?’

Director Hwang captured Lee Min Ki’s somewhat tense expression with his eyes.

Does he think that just throwing out the highest number makes it a goal?

If so, this wasn’t a goal.

Unsure, Director Hwang asked again, as if to clarify.

“I asked for your goal, not your dream.”

“Oh, yes. I mean my goal.”

That’s right.

It’s a goal.

Tell me your goal.

As Director Hwang focused his attention again, Lee Min Ki boldly reiterated.

“My goal really is to win the Academy Award for Best Actor! I’m not sure how long it will take, though.”

Is he serious?

Even Director Hwang, this time, felt slightly baffled.

But Lee Min Ki wasn’t lying.

‘I seriously want to be number one in the world.’

Seeing Bojana Olson had inspired him.

The people who reach number one are those who run toward it with that goal in mind.

He had felt that during their conversations.

[I’m planning to hit number one on the Billboard chart with my next album.]

She aimed for number one, even as a rookie, and later achieved that.

Despite how audacious her claim was, Bojana Olson hadn’t seemed arrogant when she said it.

Rather, how could one describe it?

‘She was cool. Confident.’

He had almost been captivated.

And so, Lee Min Ki thought to himself.

Even if it sounds arrogant, I should believe it with all my heart.

Let’s state my ambitions more boldly.

“I think Korean films have enough merit. If given the opportunity and the right setting, they can confidently compete on the global stage, even against Hollywood masterpieces.”

“What kind of work do you think can achieve that?”

“Your work, Director.”

“My work?”

“I’ve watched all of your films multiple times, and I think they’re just as impressive as Hollywood’s best. Especially ‘Fashion…’.”

No, that’s not right.

He almost let too much of his true feelings slip.

How could he claim that a film that hadn’t even started production would become a stepping stone to international recognition?

Lee Min Ki quickly adjusted his words.

“And the project for ‘And Fashion’ was so good, even from the synopsis alone. If I had to set a goal right now, it would be to give my best for this upcoming film.”

In truth, his real goal was to find his place in the global scene amidst the ongoing wave of globalization.

But if he was aiming, he might as well aim for the number one spot in the world.

It wasn’t strange at all if people laughed when they heard such an audacious goal.

As that bold statement hung in the air…

“You said your goal is to star in a number one global film?”

“Yes.”

“And to give your best for this upcoming project?”

“Ah, yes, that too.”

“In that case…”

At that moment.

Director Hwang spoke in his usual indifferent tone.

“You’re saying that appearing in my film is equivalent to aiming for a number one global film.”

“Oh.”

That wasn’t what he had meant.

Somewhere along the way, his words got twisted.

But if he tried to refute it, the situation would only grow more awkward, so he kept quiet and assessed the situation instead.

“I understand.”

Still expressionless, Director Hwang nodded and said.

“When the time comes, we’ll start with the script reading, so go prepare.”

“…Yes!”

Just as Lee Min Ki was about to retreat, he heard one more thing.

“I’ll be watching closely.”

Lee Min Ki blinked at Director Hwang’s departing back.

He said he would be watching closely.

Watching what?