Top Star by Luck

Chapter 124

How much do you think it’ll gross?

Hearing a topic that was hard to ignore as an actor, Lee Min Ki's ears perked up, and his attention turned to the conversation among the audience behind him.

“Well, it’s Lee Min Ki, so it’ll probably surpass 3 million at least, right?”

It seemed they were discussing the expected box office performance of the movie.

A man spoke confidently.

“I’m betting on 5 million.”

5 million, huh? That’s not going to be easy.

If it were a blockbuster made by a seasoned commercial film director, maybe. But this is a semi-artistic film by Director Hwang Ui Seong.

While there’s confidence in the film’s quality, box office performance is another matter entirely.

‘Still, if everything goes well, maybe it could really hit 5 million.’

Just imagining it was enjoyable.

It was at that moment Lee Min Ki chuckled softly.

“Raise it to 10 million.”

“……!”

At the sudden rebuttal that popped up like a comet, Lee Min Ki involuntarily let out a dry laugh.

10 million?

10 million is a bit much.

Even in a year, only two or three films achieve that kind of figure.

For a movie like Fashion and Fashion, which isn’t particularly box office-friendly, 10 million is a stretch.

“Come on, 10 million is an exaggeration.”

“Is it?”

“When you watch enough movies, you get a feel for the box office results. For 10 million, it’s not just about the movie itself, you need some good fortune too.”

Luck, huh?

Well, when it comes to luck, he was a bit confident.

Though, in the industry, 10 million was often referred to as a number granted by the heavens.

“Hey, it’s Lee Min Ki and Hwang Ui Seong, so why not? It’s totally possible.”

Thanks for the high praise.

If it weren’t a movie theater, he’d want to express his gratitude personally.

“Lee Min Ki’s a top-tier actor these days. A top-tier actor should hit 10 million at least once.”

Wow.

While Lee Min Ki was secretly thrilled, eavesdropping on the conversation...

“Don’t most actors hold events or something when their films surpass a few million viewers?”

A different topic surfaced.

“True, right?”

“Why hasn’t Lee Min Ki done anything?”

That’s true.

Now that the idea had come up, maybe he should plan something.

Lee Min Ki’s brain began spinning at lightning speed.

Or rather, it was just about to.

[Thud]

[Thud-thud! Boom!]

Amid a few sounds, the lights went out, and the movie began screening.

A few minutes later.

The protagonist, Lee Jong Ho, was shown taking off his worn clothes and changing into proper attire.

“…Wow.”

A collective murmur of admiration rose from the back seats.

Hearing it, Lee Min Ki couldn’t help but feel proud.

Fashion and Fashion completed its early morning screenings with great success nationwide.

At the same time, reviews started pouring in on online communities.

[No Spoilers: I just watched Fashion and Fashion.]

[No Spoilers: What on earth did Lee Min Ki film?]

[Fashion and Fashion is seriously way better than expected.]

The response was as expected.

[Now I understand what people meant by calling it a Lee Min Ki fashion photo shoot.

I tried counting how many outfits he changed into mid-film. Stopped around 17 and gave up.

Every outfit change was incredible.]

The reviews were glowing.

[Wasn’t there some designer named Yoo Gyu Eon who collaborated on this? At first, I wondered why they even advertised that, but now I get it.

I genuinely want to buy the clothes.]

Consistent waves of positive feedback.

[Every time he changed outfits, it felt like a whole different person, giving me Jekyll and Hyde vibes.]

[Honestly, I started doubting if Lee Min Ki had a split personality.]

[LOL, you all HAVE to watch Fashion and Fashion.]

[I watched it with my sibling who’s in a fashion design major, and their eyes practically shot lasers, haha.]

In fact, there wasn’t much mention of Director Hwang Ui Seong’s screenplay.

That’s because the plot of Fashion and Fashion was quite straightforward.

A genius’s tragedy.

From Mozart to Leonardo da Vinci, it’s a theme that’s been polished over the years. No need to reinvent it.

If anything, the storyline was relatively conventional.

Instead.

[This is definitely a visual masterpiece.]

Pouring all its strengths into visual storytelling, the film overwhelmed with its direction and visual quality.

It wasn’t a hexagon.

It was a triangle whose edges pierced beyond the universe.

That’s how much visual impact the film delivered.

[No time to rest your eyes.]

[You’ll be scared to go to the bathroom.]

[LOL, every scene change had me wondering what outfit would come next.]

This synergy, combined with Lee Min Ki and Yoo Gyu Eon, exploded into palpable chemistry.

Of course, not every review was positive.

[The story’s a bit dark.]

[There’s an eerie tension throughout the film, ugh.]

[Should we call this a “fashion thriller”?]

[The poster was so bright, it threw me off.]

Such polarized reactions were noted.

However.

[It’s incredibly well-made...]

The level of craftsmanship.

The film’s quality itself was indisputable.

Even those who strongly disliked Fashion and Fashion agreed that the movie was destined for success.

[Looks like it’ll hit 5 million.]

[It could even reach 10 million if it goes well.]

[10 million is tough. The genre’s too niche.]

[But the quality backs it up.]

[In terms of quality alone, it’s on par with most 10-million blockbusters. Agreed.]

[It’s Hwang Ui Seong, after all, haha.]

After all, no matter how much effort the production team puts into a movie, until it hits the big screen, no one can predict its box office performance.

Not even the audience.

And even more so for the creators.

Everyone gives their all to their work.

There’s no such thing as a director who films their project half-heartedly.

But when it comes to box office numbers, no one can be certain.

At some point, creators tend to become intoxicated with their own work.

And when intoxicated, they can’t see what’s ahead.

They can’t discern whether what they’re saying is right or wrong.

All they can do is cautiously await the objective report card from those who remain sober.

Report Card.

The report card for [Fashion and Fashion] read:

[Fashion and Fashion attracts 450,000 viewers on its first day]

It was a record-breaking figure from the very first day.

[The Lee Min Ki x Hwang Ui Seong effect works]

[Is spring finally coming to art films?]

[Breaking away from the mainstream to target niche markets]

The day after [Fashion and Fashion] achieved a solid opening score,

Lee Min Ki was on his way to an interview with [Star Magazine] for the movie's promotion.

Manager Park Han Mo, gripping the steering wheel, glanced at Lee Min Ki through the rearview mirror and spoke.

"Actor, you must have guessed by now, but judging from the first day alone, the current trend shows definite signs of success."

The tone was optimistic.

However, Manager Park Han Mo always left room for interpretation in his words.

As if he were tossing out a problem to be solved.

Lee Min Ki mulled over the hidden meaning behind his words before responding.

"The part about it being limited to the first day bothers me. Also, the phrase 'current trend' does too."

Manager Park Han Mo remained silent.

Sensing he was close to the right answer, Lee Min Ki continued.

"It means there's a chance the numbers might plummet afterward, right?"

"Yes."

Manager Park Han Mo turned the steering wheel sharply as he replied.

"After all, on the opening day, marketing has a much greater impact than the quality of the movie itself."

"Hmm."

The tone was somewhat discouraging.

It felt as though he was cautioning against raising expectations too high.

True to his practical and realistic advice, Manager Park Han Mo added with a small smile.

"Of course, it also means that the value of Actor Lee Min Ki has grown significantly."

"My market value?"

"Director Hwang Ui Seong's films generally have low profit expectations, so distributors tend to put less effort into promotions. The figure of 450,000 means..."

Screech.

The car came to a halt at a red light near the crosswalk.

Finally, Manager Park Han Mo turned to look at Lee Min Ki in the back seat and said.

"It's the result of Actor Lee Min Ki himself becoming a massive billboard."

Was that so?

Did my name contribute significantly to that 450,000 figure?

It felt good to hear such a favorable evaluation, but he wasn’t sure if he should purely feel happy about it.

Manager Park Han Mo was that kind of person.

He always seemed to have a trap card hidden somewhere, making Lee Min Ki deliberate before speaking again.

"Looking at the performance of Director Hwang Ui Seong's past works, even if the initial numbers are weak, the longevity tends to be exceptional. You can look at this positively. This time, the early reception is unusually strong."

Manager Park Han Mo concluded the conversation on a rare optimistic note.

While he usually made sharp remarks, he wasn’t cold-hearted enough to maintain that demeanor on a good day like this.

Also, the results were undeniably good.

'If this momentum continues, the numbers will... No, it's better not to say it out loud.'

Positive comments could sometimes be irresponsible.

Just as excessive expectations could lead to disappointment, overly optimistic remarks could easily turn into jinxes.

"Don't say anything you can't take responsibility for."

Even to avoid burdening Lee Min Ki, he chose to hold back his words.

"So, I've been thinking about something."

Lee Min Ki nodded and replied.

"How about making a pledge?"

"A pledge?"

"Yes, Manager, you and JC said my strength is creating buzz, right?"

"That's true, but..."

Was something specific coming to mind?

While Manager Park Han Mo waited in confusion, Lee Min Ki picked up the topic again.

"So, how about making a pledge? You know, something like promising to do something if a certain number of viewers is reached. Like holding a fan meeting if we hit 5 million viewers or donating to a hospital."

It was a common occurrence.

Actors in films often made pledges to attract attention and promote their movies, promising to do something if they reached a specific audience milestone.

"Hmm, it wouldn't hurt, but why did you think of this?"

"You mentioned that Director Hwang Ui Seong’s films have strong longevity."

"Yes, that's true."

"The better the longevity, the more it helps to get audiences into theaters early. That’s where the pledge comes in."

He wanted to contribute, even if only a little, to the film’s success.

He’d already done his part within the movie.

He was confident he had given his all.

So why not pitch in outside the screen too?

For Lee Min Ki, it wasn’t just about the film’s success; it was also about personal interest.

'A pledge. I’ve always wanted to try that.'

Indeed.

During his earlier, less successful days, he envied famous actors who made such pledges.

What was a pledge, after all?

It was an act of using one’s promise to draw audiences to the theaters.

'It all comes down to confidence in your public recognition.'

For an actor with average popularity, a pledge was nothing more than a hollow cry.

What did it take to give weight to a pledge?

Recognition.

Absolute recognition.

The kind of recognition that could drive people to theaters on the strength of an actor’s name alone.

It was something Lee Min Ki had recently acquired.

"Hmm, terrible driving... bad habit," Manager Park Han Mo muttered, frowning as he turned the steering wheel.

"Apologies. Someone cut in without signaling. It could have been serious."

"We have insurance, right?"

"We do, but that’s not the point."

"Why?"

"If you, by any chance, were injured, they’d have to compensate you based on your earnings from last year."

"..."

"It’s likely something the average income couldn’t cover."

Was my market value really that high now?

While Lee Min Ki let out a small laugh, Manager Park Han Mo casually added, turning the steering wheel again.

"Anyway, it’s not a bad idea. I get it. So, what’s the pledge you have in mind?"

"Well, I’ve been thinking..."

He’d been pondering it for some time now.

Perhaps even overthinking it.

There were so many things he wanted to do.

Something bold yet certain to create a buzz.

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Lee Min Ki finally spoke.

"How about a fan meeting at Gwanghwamun?"

"Gwanghwamun?"

"Yes, so as many people as possible can see me."

He added with a small grin.

"I mean, I have a fan club now, don’t I?"

If you’ve got it, use it.

Plus, there was another matter he could resolve along the way.