Top Star by Luck

Chapter 62

CEO Song Jin Bae.

During his time studying abroad, he tasted a coffee that made him feel a turning point in life, and after returning to Korea, he entered the food and beverage (F&B) industry, building a vast kingdom.

His goal was always just one thing.

It was the dissemination of coffee.

“I want to create a country where everyone starts their morning with a cup of coffee.”

For this one purpose, he ventured into any field related to coffee, and after many hardships, he now believed he was close to achieving it.

As long as a person didn’t particularly dislike coffee, it had already become a part of the life of Koreans.

That’s why he wanted to move on to the next stage.

“From the life of consumers to the life of producers.”

It was no longer just about consuming coffee; it was about cultivating the culture of coffee itself.

That’s why he increased his investment in media.

He wanted to foster a romanticized culture of baristas.

What he discovered during that process was the drama Café del Dia.

The moment he confirmed its existence, he realized.

“This is it.”

This was the work that could become a unique point in Korean coffee culture.

However, regardless of that, the entertainment industry itself had never sat well with him.

It was because there were too many people who treated coffee merely as gossip material.

“We talk about the future of coffee. BFC.”

“Shall we have coffee together?”

He needed their popularity, so he would use fair compensation to promote it, but he didn’t believe they had any real philosophy.

This time Café del Dia was no exception.

He made a large investment because the production team put their heart into it, but he never felt sincerity.

But.

“This is interesting.”

Just a moment ago, that preconception had cracked.

“The risk to the coffee market is the environment. To be precise, it’s global warming.”

That crack was caused by Lee Min Ki.

He had thought of him as no more than an actor who had practiced coffee art diligently, but in his words, he felt sincerity.

It wasn’t just some empty words.

“For the coffee market to last a long time, we first need to think of ways to reduce carbon emissions. I believe that’s the answer not just for the coffee market, but for the entire global agricultural market.”

These were clearly sincere words.

Not just lip service, but words filled with urgency, that could only be shown by someone who truly worried about the future of the industry.

“How can he speak so confidently? Is it because he’s an actor and has good pronunciation?”

No.

The reason he could feel sincerity in Lee Min Ki’s voice wasn’t for such trivial reasons.

It was because he had experienced that future.

He had seen with his own eyes the graph showing the price of coffee beans doubling in just one year.

Unlike the armchair experts who only talked theory, Lee Min Ki was speaking of things he had seen and experienced firsthand in this world.

Even if they said the same words, the appeal was bound to be different.

“He’s not like the small fry.”

This was the moment when CEO Song Jin Bae began to view Lee Min Ki and Café del Dia differently.

“Excuse me, but I was asking about the current coffee market, not the future coffee market.”

One of those armchair experts had opened his mouth.

Though he had tried to maintain neutrality, that remark was something CEO Song Jin Bae found difficult to let slide.

It was the driving force that made him open his mouth.

“Since last year, the drought has started. Because of that, the price of coffee futures has risen by 12% between last month and this month alone.”

“…….”

“Whether it’s due to climate change or not, we’ll have to wait and see, but the reality is that discussions about carbon emissions are happening at the forefront of the industry.”

CEO Song Jin Bae shot his words like arrows at Kim Bawi Cham, who stood like a punching bag with his mouth closed.

Then, turning his gaze with a slightly softer look towards Lee Min Ki, he asked.

“To add to what actor Lee Min Ki said, what improvements can be made, starting with the way coffee beans are transported? Any alternatives?”

“…….”

Lee Min Ki furrowed his brow even more.

At first, it seemed like CEO Song Jin Bae was supporting him, but now he was throwing more questions.

He had thought he was an ally, but it turned out he was a hidden enemy.

“Ugh, my information is starting to run dry.”

Of course, from CEO Song Jin Bae’s perspective, it was a question meant to boost Lee Min Ki.

Someone who understood environmental issues so well wouldn’t be unable to answer such a simple question.

But the reality was, while he knew about this change, he had only a surface-level understanding.

“Argh!”

His brain felt like it was about to explode, like a firework going off.

Whizz—

Across the event hall.

Through the glass on the other side of the hall, the blue sky caught his eye.

And.

A plane flying leisurely through the white clouds came into his view.

Just one plane, flying at a low altitude.

It was pure coincidence that he witnessed that scene with his own eyes.

But that coincidence was clearly driven by Lee Min Ki’s luck.

Then.

“……A plane.”

That was a revelation.

The revelation that would finally bring the decisive blow to this discussion.

From deep in his mind.

Lee Min Ki, who had retrieved the last piece of a dormant memory, opened his mouth.

“These days, I’ve heard that transporting coffee beans by plane has increased carbon emissions. It would be good to innovate the distribution process so that fresh coffee beans can be supplied mainly by ship.”

“Hmm.”

At that response, CEO Song Jin Bae let out a short hum.

Lee Min Ki’s suggestion was valid.

But it also had its drawbacks.

From the perspective of a merchant who imported coffee in real time for sale, there were realistic flaws in it.

However.

“That’s enough.”

He’s an actor, so what’s the problem?

It was something he could compliment and move on from.

No, it was more than enough.

That’s why CEO Song Jin Bae, with a satisfied smile, said.

“That was a good opinion. I would like to have you as our company’s ambassador.”

At that last remark, a small wave of laughter spread through the venue.

It seemed people thought he was joking about hiring him at the company.

Lee Min Ki also barely managed to hold on to his composure as he responded.

“…Haha, if you just give me a call, I’d be happy to anytime.”

Ah, he almost died from anxiety.

Finally realizing that this surprise debate was over, he let out a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile.

“I’ll have to make sure to contact him next time.”

CEO Song Jin Bae had developed even greater affection for the actor.

“Shit, shit, shit.”

Kim Bawi Cham, who had stepped up to attack, ended up boosting his opponent instead, and sat back down in humiliation, shaking with anger.

And.

Sitting quietly with a microphone in hand, Kim Ji Hwan thought with an empty heart.

“He researched so deeply.”

He realized the reason he couldn’t help but feel lacking standing next to Lee Min Ki no matter how hard he tried.

“It was the difference in detail.”

At a critical moment, the ability to take one step further was the difference between them.

It might not be necessary for acting.

Maybe he would never need to use it in his lifetime.

But Lee Min Ki was willing to study and accept knowledge beyond that.

“Sigh, I worked so hard for this project.”

Was it still not enough?

Kim Ji Hwan shook his head at what he thought was Lee Min Ki’s obsessive character research.

Also.

“That’s the student I taught.”

Kim Kyung Hee, the barista, couldn’t hide her delight as she smiled brightly, her dimples deepening.

“Sigh, really, Min Ki, can someone be this likable?”

She knew he was always sincere in everything.

But she never imagined he would come prepared to this extent.

As a teacher, how could she not like a student like that?

Following her.

“I picked the right person.”

Director No Ho Yeon also foresaw the success of the project from this simple presentation.

Lastly.

“This is newsworthy.”

“A barista who knows his coffee, Lee Min Ki.”

“Not only is his body sexy, but his brain is sexy too?”

The eyes of the journalists, who had caught their prey for the day, turned upside down.

* * *

There was a production presentation for Café del Dia.

Usually, when a production presentation was held, the protagonist was often the work itself.

What is the theme of the project?

What is the genre?

Who appears in it, and what’s the storyline?

This was generally the natural flow of things.

However.

This time was an exception.

“Lee Min Ki transforms into a one-day barista.”

Lee Min Ki monopolized the highlights of entertainment news.

“Had an unexpected debate on coffee?”

“Even a marketing proposal from BFC’s CEO Song Jin Bae?”

“Did his homework for the drama thoroughly.”

“There’s a reason why rising stars are rising.”

Articles from the journalists who attended the event poured out.

Lee Min Ki was already an actor who looked good on camera.

He had a small head and broad shoulders, and for some reason, he looked great in photos, making him ideal for media coverage.

And now, it was revealed that his brain was just as full, so was there even a need for further explanation?

“A genius at acting, and now a genius at coffee?”

Even [Star Magazine], known for its harsh criticism, added to the praise of Lee Min Ki.

Meanwhile, fans’ reactions were starting to explode.

“Our Min Ki is smart too.”

“Was that a real-time conversation and not a script?”

“No way that wasn’t scripted.”

“No, it’s not. That guy is a famous troll in coffee communities.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, there’s testimony coming up. He posted on the forum before the show aired, saying he’d destroy the arguments with facts.”

“He really taught them a lesson, lol.”

“Wow… This is really embarrassing. Min Ki is amazing.”

If things had been vague, this might have been dismissed as a staged circus.

But since Kim Bawi Cham was already a well-known online user, even this controversy died down before it could ignite.

Instead, it emphasized Lee Min Ki’s talent even more.

“What was that latte art? I’ve never seen it before, but it’s so pretty.”

The latte art had even placed a final punctuation on it.

“They say that art will be featured in the drama?”

“Wow…”

“Look at his focused profile while making coffee. So sexy. I never knew watching a guy making coffee could be this attractive.”

“Do they not sell that offline?”

“Isn’t it going to be sold in a collaboration soon?”

“I tried doing something similar at home, but it’s really hard.”

There was no need to look further.

It was obvious.

The true star of this production presentation was Lee Min Ki, and his stock, which was already soaring, had pierced through the clouds with just one event.

“Isn’t this something every coffee lover knows?”

Some people belatedly tried to downplay it, claiming they already knew it.

“If you could’ve said it at that moment, then go ahead!”

“I’m a barista, but I didn’t know about environmental issues.”

“Me too, lol.”

“This is what they call the ‘egg of Columbus.’ It’s when people act like they already knew something after hearing about it.”

It didn’t matter.

In the drama community, they had already united over the rookie actor Lee Min Ki.

With just one day left until the broadcast.

Even though Lee Min Ki hadn’t appeared on screen yet, in terms of buzz, he was already one of the top five rookie actors.

* * *

The day Café del Dia was set to premiere in the afternoon.

Despite having received a rare break from the production team out of goodwill, Lee Min Ki was rolling around on the floor, unable to find something to do.

“Aaagh, aaagh, aaagh, aaagh!”

He was too nervous to bear it.

His heart was pounding so hard that it felt like he might die of a heart attack at any moment.

In the past, he had been so nervous that he really collapsed and was taken to the hospital.

“Aaaaaaaagh!”

That’s right.

Even though he himself had forgotten lately, the truth was that Lee Min Ki was an extremely timid person compared to ordinary people.

If a street vendor approached him while he was walking, his brain would freeze.

If he stepped on a tile wrong in the shower, he would scream with his whole body in fear of slipping.

After experiencing a kiosk malfunction at a restaurant once, he became so terrified that he avoided restaurants with kiosks altogether.

A fragile human being.

That was the kind of person Lee Min Ki was.

The only reason he had learned to hide his naturally timid personality was thanks to the training he received under Kim Ah Sung, his trainer.

There was no way the personality he had from his frog-to-tadpole days would just disappear.

“Someone please hit the back of my neck and knock me out!”

A person’s nature, no matter how hard they tried to hide it, would leak out when faced with extreme situations.

With the drama he starred in as the lead about to air, Lee Min Ki’s true nature finally woke up.

“Hoo, hoo, ha, hoo, hoo, ha, hoo, hoo, ha.”

Eventually, as his energy was completely drained, he lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling, practicing Lamaze breathing.

Vrr—

“Aaah!!!”

At the sudden sound of his phone ringing, he finally let out a real scream and jumped up.

It was just one text.

A single, insignificant text.

But the text was dangerous to his heart, already on edge.

“Wh-who is it?”

Nervously, he picked up the phone while hiding under the covers and checked the message.

“Huh?”

A hint of surprise passed across Lee Min Ki’s face.

Because.

The three characters displayed on the phone’s screen were extremely familiar.

[Kim Ji Hwan Actor]

It was his rival.

To be exact, the actor playing the role of his rival.