Top Star by Luck

Chapter 52

Where do they usually hold auditions?

To explain this, it depended on the preferences of the organizer.

If it was a large-scale audition with hundreds of applicants, they would have no choice but to rent a large venue.

Sometimes, they would rely on a broadcasting station or a studio.

But if it was a small-scale audition, it was a bit different.

[“They called me for an audition, and it turned out to be in an abandoned factory.”]

[“Maybe because it was a school drama, they called us to a school. Some even came in school uniforms.”]

Occasionally, there was a theme.

They would match the audition venue to the work in order to observe the chemistry between the actors and the project more closely.

The drama Lee Min Ki had applied for, Café del Dia, was no exception.

‘So, places like this exist.’

The audition was held at Cafe Rio, a massive three-story cafe located in the western part of Incheon.

Lee Min Ki looked around the building from outside and sank into thought.

‘Did they say this was an old factory converted into a cafe? They roast and blend their own beans and sell them nationwide. They even set up a dedicated farm overseas.’

He had researched the location in advance.

This cafe was slated to be the filming location for Café del Dia in the future.

And also.

[Cafe Rio is like a holy ground for Korean coffee blending culture.]

Cafe Rio itself was a renowned spot among industry professionals.

Barista Kim Kyung Hee had informed him.

[Anyone who’s into coffee beans visits there at least once. I even received my training at Rio in the past.]

She had taught him the details.

She said knowing the layout of the equipment, the kitchen flow, and the tools used would help with the acting.

She had even brought some of the tools from there and let him try them out.

According to Barista Kim Kyung Hee, the handling sensation could vary greatly depending on the brand, even if the coffee tools were similar.

‘Who would’ve thought she worked here before. I got lucky.’

It seemed like there was such a thing as good connections in life.

Perhaps the biggest stroke of luck in his life was the people he had met.

As Lee Min Ki smiled faintly and stepped into the building, about twenty actors were already waiting on the first floor.

But.

The atmosphere in the waiting room was heavy.

‘Everyone’s tense.’

Perhaps because everyone here was not just colleagues but also competitors, the gazes were sharp enough to prickle the skin.

Moreover, each face he glanced at was surprisingly familiar.

‘So they also applied here. Unexpected.’

It wasn’t just actors that fit the description of the lead character.

There were also actors specialized in villain roles and those known for playing unattractive characters.

Judging by the fact that he hadn’t seen them in the drama, they were probably eliminated.

And they would likely continue to be.

He hadn’t expected them to apply for a role like this, but it seemed every actor tried to break free from their fixed image.

“Please sit over here and wait until we give further instructions.”

“Thank you.”

Lee Min Ki bowed politely to the staff and sat by the window.

Though some glanced his way, it seemed like he was no longer of much interest.

Or so he thought.

Rattle.

Then, the door opened, and someone entered.

“……”

“……”

It was Kim Ji Hwan.

The actor who had lost the Daon Entertainment audition but whom Lee Min Ki had defeated.

He appeared, flaunting his tall figure in a long coat.

‘He does have the looks.’

Had he dressed up specifically for the audition?

He came wearing a neat white shirt and black dress pants.

His hair was styled in soft waves.

A familiar look.

It was exactly like the lead character he had seen in a drama.

But.

“……”

“……”

Why was he glaring like that?

Kim Ji Hwan’s gaze fixated on Lee Min Ki to the point that it felt unsettling.

“Are you Actor Kim Ji Hwan?”

“Yes.”

“Let me show you to your seat.”

Even while following the staff, Kim Ji Hwan continued to stare at Lee Min Ki.

Like a bird of prey eyeing its meal from hundreds of meters away, he didn’t take his eyes off him.

Even after sitting about twenty steps away.

It had gotten to the point where even Lee Min Ki started feeling uncomfortable.

‘What’s with him?’

Was there something wrong with me?

Why does he keep staring like that?

Did I have something on my face? Or was he trying to start a staring contest?

‘What a weird guy.’

Whatever.

He couldn’t keep staring forever.

If he ignored it, the guy would eventually mind his own business.

“……”

Geez, how long does he plan to keep staring?

No dry eyes?

Must have blessed genetics.

Just as that odd tension lingered for a while.

“We will now begin the Café del Dia open audition. Please come up to the second floor when your name is called. First, Min Ki, Kim Ji Hwan, please come up.”

With the staff’s announcement, the audition began.

* * *

The structure of the second floor was like a bar.

There was an open kitchen in the center, surrounded by tables.

At one of those tables sat the person in charge of this drama.

“I’m No Ho Yeon, the director of this production. Thank you for coming all the way here.”

Director No Ho Yeon smiled.

A man with an extremely laid-back appearance.

In other words, he had a lot of hair—from his head to his beard.

“The coffee smells really nice, doesn’t it? Just to let you know, we plan to use this place as the filming location later on.”

He started some small talk as if trying to ease the stiff audition atmosphere.

Meanwhile, in Lee Min Ki’s mind, Director No Ho Yeon’s career was being clearly recalled.

‘He used to work in film but recently switched to directing dramas.’

It was a rare case, even in the industry.

Normally, film directors were considered higher-tier, and dramas were often avoided due to the tougher production environment.

Because of that, there were even rumors that Director No Ho Yeon had fallen out of favor with investors and been chased out of the industry.

‘But he gradually built his career in dramas, and later on, hit it big with overseas exports during the OTT boom.’

It felt like there had been a reason for it all.

He wasn’t someone to be underestimated just because of his gentle appearance.

One of Director No Ho Yeon’s characteristics was that he was terrifyingly meticulous down to the smallest detail.

“Alright, let’s get started. Min Ki, you’ll go first.”

Last time at the Daon audition, Kim Ji Hwan had gone first.

But this time, it seemed different.

Lee Min Ki was up first.

“We’ll begin with the set lines. There will be no signal, so start whenever you’re ready.”

“Understood.”

Lee Min Ki took a step forward and drew a deep breath.

The pleasant aroma of coffee filled his lungs, elevating his mood.

Then, scenes from the drama began to form in his mind.

[“Hey, Sung Jin Woo, do you think you’re so great?”]

The voice of the opposing actor began to surface in his mind.

It wasn’t written in the script.

But Lee Min Ki could hear it clearly.

“Specialty coffee. Every barista dreams of selling it at least once. But they give up because it doesn’t make money.”

His acting had begun.

This was the scene that explained the character of Sung Jin Woo in the early part of Café del Dia.

“Cheap Robusta beans blended with low-cost ones. Catering to local tastes by serving value-for-money coffee, don’t you get tired of that?”

The lines were unpleasant.

No, more than unpleasant—they were arrogant.

But that was exactly right.

A man with the looks of a nobleman and the career of a winner at international coffee competitions.

Sung Jin Woo was a man deeply dissatisfied with the state of Korean coffee culture.

“Roasting any old beans at high heat just because it’s the norm. That’s not coffee; it’s burnt bean water.”

Not only did he have an immense pride in his profession, but he also carried a sense of mission.

In a way, he was very much like Barista Kim Kyung Hee.

‘He wants to overturn the entire Korean barista culture.’

Though their genders were different, the two sought the same thing.

They both wanted to move beyond Korea’s widespread culture of budget coffee and popularize the taste of high-end, specialty coffee.

“Korea is now in the top 10 globally in coffee consumption, right? But the cafes popping up are all franchise shops focusing on value for money.”

[“Don’t we all know that? But Korean consumers aren’t that interested in premium coffee. We’re selling the space, not the coffee.”]

Gradually, the voice of the unseen counterpart actor seemed to ring in his ears.

Lee Min Ki visualized the presence of his acting partner in front of him as he spoke.

“Selling space? You’ve been reading too many marketing books. It’s because of that mindset that this country’s coffee culture stays stagnant.”

Lee Min Ki smirked.

The character Sung Jin Woo he portrayed was unmistakably different from the original.

‘It’s fine to use Kim Ji Hwan’s Sung Jin Woo as a reference, but that’s his Sung Jin Woo. It doesn’t suit me.’

He had his own concerns.

How could he portray Sung Jin Woo in a way that suited him?

In the end, the reference he found was Barista Kim Kyung Hee.

A woman who loved coffee.

Right now, the Sung Jin Woo Lee Min Ki aimed to portray was a battle-hardened version of Barista Kim Kyung Hee.

Lee Min Ki’s fingertips drew sharp curves in the air.

“Handling specialty single-origin coffee is a condition of me working here.”

Yes.

What he had learned from Barista Kim Kyung Hee wasn’t just about coffee.

He had learned to embody the character of Kim Kyung Hee herself.

“……”

Of course, whether he had won an international award or not, if a mere barista acted aggressively toward a cafe owner like that, they’d be treated as a crazy person and kicked out.

According to Barista Kim Kyung Hee, everyone in the domestic coffee scene had the same precarious, fleeting existence.

All of this was exaggerated for the drama, so it was fine.

‘…The attention to detail is making me notice things I didn’t need to.’

Suddenly, he felt a wave of embarrassment.

In the midst of focusing on his acting, the shame he had pushed aside now came crashing over him like a wave.

Indeed, in media, sometimes it’s necessary to gloss over things.

But.

‘Ugh. So embarrassing…’

Embarrassment was always his burden to bear.

* * *

‘Oh.’

By the time Lee Min Ki’s set performance ended.

Director No Ho Yeon was feeling a certain level of awe.

‘His character is solid.’

The character that Lee Min Ki portrayed was incredibly well-defined.

A handsome man who, despite his gentle appearance, turned into a madman when it came to coffee.

Sung Jin Woo’s character was naturally seeping from Lee Min Ki.

‘I thought he couldn’t pull off a performance like this because of his delicate features, but once he started acting, it was like he became a different person.’

It was surprising.

Of course, an actor was expected to have this kind of range, but Lee Min Ki’s performance was on another level.

‘Has he been to a lot of cafes?’

He seemed familiar with cafes as a space.

It felt like they could shoot this performance as it was without any issues.

However.

Set performances were just that—a set performance.

Any seasoned actor would do well with a prepared scene.

Lee Min Ki did well, but others would probably do just as well.

What mattered was whether he could go beyond that.

‘I’ll see how much he’s prepared.’

Director No Ho Yeon, filled with a sense of expectation, opened his mouth.

“Good job. Now we’ll move on to the free performance.”

It was time for the free performance.

“You can use any lines you’ve prepared, and feel free to use any props in the cafe if needed for your performance. There’s no time limit, so take your time.”

“Yes!”

Upon receiving Director No Ho Yeon’s instructions, Lee Min Ki inhaled deeply and exhaled.

Now the real thing was starting.

Why had he gone through all that trouble in the barista lessons?

Now was the time to see the results.

‘I’m not sure if this will work or not.’

Lee Min Ki glanced around for a moment, then confidently strode over.

He examined the kitchen counter in Rio’s coffee bar and, with a surprised expression, began rummaging through the shelves.

He soon found what he was looking for and sighed with relief.

It was.

‘Here it is. A Hario coffee dripper.’

A coffee dripper.

Specifically, a Hario model.

This was the essential tool for the performance that Lee Min Ki had prepared for this audition.

“I’ll begin.”

Swish.

As soon as he announced the start of his performance, Lee Min Ki smoothly donned the apron hanging on the shelf.

He then rolled up his sleeves and began grinding coffee beans with the grinder.

‘Oh?’

The expressions of Director No Ho Yeon and the judges shifted to one of surprise.

‘Is he actually making coffee?’

‘His movements are natural. He doesn’t seem like a novice.’

‘What’s he planning to do with this?’

But there was a common thread in their gazes.

‘It’s all well and good, but when is he going to start acting?’

There was confusion due to the lack of lines.

However, Lee Min Ki acted as if he wasn’t aware of the stares and carefully folded a filter before placing it into the dripper.

Next came the rinsing.

He measured out the ground beans and placed them into the dripper.

Then came the blooming and extraction.

Every step of hand-drip brewing, as though straight out of a textbook, unfolded at the fingertips of Lee Min Ki.

It was like watching a scene from a painting come to life.

‘Clean.’

‘His coffee-dripping form is incredibly smooth.’

‘He must have practiced a lot.’

After a brief moment.

Lee Min Ki poured the finished coffee into a cup.

He walked over to Director No Ho Yeon.

“……”

“……”

What was he going to do next?

At the moment when everyone’s curiosity reached its peak, Lee Min Ki gracefully placed the coffee in front of the director and spoke for the first time.

“Enjoy your time.”

In that moment.

‘Aha.’

‘So that was all part of the performance.’

Everyone realized.

Every single action, from preparing the hand drip, to the extraction, to serving.

Each and every movement had been part of Lee Min Ki’s performance.

‘Haha.’

Amused by how effortlessly he had acted, Director No Ho Yeon chuckled inwardly.

‘This guy, Lee Min Ki. I thought he was gentle and quiet, but he’s a total wild card.’

To think he would deliver his free performance this way.

Because it was a coffee-themed drama, he had decided to showcase a coffee-making performance.

Director No Ho Yeon began to rethink Lee Min Ki’s performance, savoring it like a well-brewed cup of coffee.

At first, he hadn’t given much thought to the initial movements, but when viewed as a performance, every detail was a masterclass in attention to character.

All of the details of the character Sung Jin Woo.

‘Even though there were other drippers available, he deliberately searched for the Hario dripper. Why? Maybe because he used it a lot in competitions? Well, considering Sung Jin Woo’s personality, that’s a fitting choice. After all, he’s a competition-winning barista.’

From the choice of tools.

‘And the deep squat with his hips and raised arms. Oh, I see, that’s Barista Kim Hee Kyung’s signature move. Did he do that on purpose?’

To every subtle gesture.

The more he thought about it, the more fun it became.

‘He prepared meticulously.’

The details that emerged, sparkling like gems, could only be noticed by someone with a deep understanding of coffee.

Director No Ho Yeon was making a coffee-themed drama because he was a coffee maniac himself, to the point of planning to open a cafe after retiring.

These details weren’t things an average person would notice.

Even Director No Ho Yeon himself only barely recognized them because of his own interest in coffee.

‘Wasn’t this too risky?’

Only a few people knew that he liked coffee.

If Director No Ho Yeon hadn’t realized it, he might have failed the audition, thinking it was rude or irrelevant.

‘He could’ve played it safe.’

Of course, Lee Min Ki knew this much.

He knew that playing it safe was the steady option and that any misstep could lead to failure.

He was aware that Director No Ho Yeon might not catch on to the details.

In fact, he hadn’t even known for sure that the director liked coffee.

But.

‘If I want to beat Kim Ji Hwan, I have to go this far.’

He took the risk.

Because Lee Min Ki’s goal was not just to play the lead in the drama, but to surpass the original lead.

Thus, his choice came down to one of two options.

Fail by playing it safe, or succeed by taking a risk.

Meanwhile.

“……”

Kim Ji Hwan, watching all of this, bit his lips in disbelief, unable to accept what he was witnessing.