Top Star by Luck

Chapter 75

Thump, thump.

Lee Min Ki’s heart raced uncontrollably, not allowing him even a moment’s rest.

Recently, he’d become quite courageous, yet now he couldn’t calm down.

The reason was simple—he was just moments away from meeting a legend in the industry.

‘I’m really going to meet CEO Goo In Mo.’

CEO Goo In Mo.

The head of JC Entertainment, and along with Director Seo Jung Woo, one of the two pillars supporting the company.

Moreover, he was known by a specific nickname.

[The Defender, Goo In Mo]

If Seo Jung Woo was focused on bringing in celebrities, Goo In Mo was famous for ensuring that none of them left.

‘Even people who were full of complaints about JC supposedly turned into JC devotees after meeting CEO Goo In Mo. They said it’s almost like magic.’

Once a celebrity loses trust in a company, it’s nearly impossible to recover that. How on earth did he manage to hold onto them?

Lee Min Ki had heard of his reputation over and over again during his time as a no-name actor, to the point where his ears nearly wore out.

The Defender, Goo In Mo.

It was a name you couldn’t forget after hearing it once.

‘It’s a bit childish to give someone a nickname, but on the flip side, it means they’re that successful.’

How amazing could this person be?

How exceptional must his abilities be as a human being for this to be possible?

‘Does he have, like, six arms? Two sets of eyes, noses, and mouths? No, wait, eyes are normally in pairs.’

Despite all this, he was rarely seen in the media.

It was hard to even find a single picture of him.

‘He must dress super stylishly, right? His voice would be deep and low, giving off immediate trustworthiness.’

While Lee Min Ki was sitting in the conference room lost in all sorts of imaginations, Director Seo Jung Woo spoke up.

“It’s your first time meeting the CEO, isn’t it, Actor Lee?”

“Oh, yes.”

“The CEO is often very busy. He rarely comes to the office.”

Director Seo spoke in a casual tone.

Then, as if he felt he hadn’t explained enough, he added more.

“To be precise, it’s his principle that a CEO should be out of the office to work properly.”

Was that so?

Lee Min Ki was quietly impressed.

‘A person with their own beliefs is different.’

In truth, if someone wanted to be critical, they could argue against it.

How many companies have been ruined by CEOs being away from the office and missing internal discontent?

But since he’d grown the company with this approach, from a results-driven perspective, there didn’t seem to be a problem.

“When you meet him this time, you’ll be quite surprised.”

“Will I?”

“Yes, in both good and bad ways. He’s an unusual person. The CEO is an entertaining man.”

Director Seo Jung Woo smiled faintly.

For some reason, that smile had a mischievous hint to it, which Lee Min Ki would understand just a few minutes later.

“Damn it.”

The person who entered the conference room.

A man wearing sunglasses, with tanned skin and arms covered in tattoos, walked in and spoke.

“Why the hell are you dragging a busy man to the office? The company should come to me.”

“……”

Lee Min Ki’s brain momentarily froze.

‘Who is this guy?’

His tone was a bit rough.

Even after pulling himself together, the man still looked completely native.

His slouching posture showed he wasn’t new to this attitude either.

Even in the best possible light, he seemed like someone completely unfit for company life.

Maybe someone who would beat people up in an underground gambling den in Macau.

‘What’s with that black plastic bag he’s carrying? Smuggling goods? Wait, why is the director staying quiet?’

While his brain struggled to catch up with reality, Director Seo smiled warmly and said.

“Actor Lee, this is the CEO.”

“What?”

Had he heard wrong?

While Lee Min Ki’s mind was still overwhelmed, Director Seo turned to the gangster-looking man and said.

“CEO, this is Actor Lee Min Ki.”

“I know.”

Ah, so he really was the CEO.

He really was.

Wasn’t he?

As Lee Min Ki’s doubts grew more intense, Director Seo laughed even deeper.

‘As expected.’

Since starting at JC, seeing this reaction had become one of his small pleasures.

* * *

In the perfectly soundproof conference room, where no noise came in or out.

In that silent space.

“You’re handsome.”

CEO Goo In Mo spoke up.

“I’ve seen a few of your works, but you look better in person.”

“Yes, Actor Lee is visually quite appealing.”

“Jung Woo has an eye for people. Let’s schedule a photoshoot soon. Jung Woo, what would be good?”

“How about furniture?”

“Furniture? Yeah, that’s good. A bed or interior lighting. If we’re making a premium actor, we should shoot premium ads.”

While leaving Lee Min Ki standing like a backdrop, the two continued their conversation.

From the way they talked, it seemed like he really was the CEO.

He was.

But looking at his actions, it was still hard to believe.

For example.

Psssh!

Gulp, gulp.

“Ah!”

The fact that he’d brought beer cans into the conference room and was cracking them open.

‘What is this?’

So that black plastic bag contained this.

No wonder it looked lumpy; it was full of beer cans.

‘Ah, where is JC’s future headed?’

A CEO cracking open beer cans at the office. Or is it because he’s the CEO that he can do that?

But after being shocked from the start, nothing could surprise him anymore.

That was what he thought.

Until—

“Would you like one too, Actor?”

With just a single sentence, CEO Goo shattered that expectation.

“…I’ll pass.”

“Is it because of a diet?”

No.

Would it really be because of a diet?

Isn’t it more normal to not even consider the idea of drinking in a conference room?

As Lee Min Ki declined, CEO Goo clicked his tongue in disappointment and said.

“Ah, real honest conversations come out when you’ve had a bit to drink.”

Right, they were here to talk.

Lee Min Ki, who had almost forgotten, remembered this fact when CEO Goo sighed and spoke.

“From what I’ve heard from Director Jung Woo, you were attacked by some thug on your way home?”

“Oh, yes.”

Lee Min Ki nodded.

“And the weapon was… a flashlight?”

“Yes, it was designed as a self-defense tool.”

“Did you see the attacker’s face?”

“No. He was wearing a hat. And a mask.”

“A professional.”

CEO Goo appeared deep in thought.

What should be said?

It seemed less like speculation and more like he had expected this.

As he tapped his chin, his sharp eyes suddenly gleamed, and he turned to Director Seo Jung Woo.

“I’ve already come to my own conclusion, but what do you think, Jung Woo? Could it be him?”

At that, Director Seo blinked briefly, then nodded in agreement.

“Yes, I think so.”

“If anyone would pull this kind of stunt, it’s obvious.”

“There aren’t many who would.”

The two seemed to have reached the same conclusion.

While Lee Min Ki, left out of their understanding, wore a confused expression, CEO Goo spoke again.

“Actor, from here on out, what we discuss is strictly off the record. Can you keep a secret?”

Sensing the gravity in his words, Lee Min Ki nodded carefully.

He instinctively felt it.

What he was about to hear would be more confidential than anything he’d learned during his entire time in the industry.

“Alright, let’s talk.”

CEO Goo took a deep breath before speaking.

“The culprit is probably Hwang In Goo.”

“What?”

Startled by the unexpected name, Lee Min Ki flinched as CEO Goo continued.

“Hwang In Goo of Daon, he’s probably the one who ordered the attack.”

Daon Entertainment.

Just recently, it had been the agency of Lee Min Ki’s dreams.

The very name he had yearned to join for years came out so bluntly from CEO Goo’s mouth.

“He’s the biggest bastard in the business.”

So bluntly.

* * *

“Actor, did you know that the entertainment business used to be heavily linked with gangsters?”

CEO Goo began to explain the fundamentals.

“It’s not as bad now, but up until about ten years ago, gangster capital was mixed into the industry. These days, it’s more sophisticated. Mainly through nightlife. You’ve probably heard of it at least once, right?”

“Well.”

After a brief hesitation, Lee Min Ki slowly nodded.

“Yes, to some extent.”

Was it only something he’d just heard about?

The Korean entertainment industry had been thrown into chaos.

‘A significant number of celebrities from major entertainment companies were tied up with dirty money.’

Loansharking, gambling, drugs, and even the sex industry—everything was tangled together in a massive scandal.

It had gotten to the point where it was rare not to see a headline about it daily.

But despite all the noise, the conclusion had been rather anticlimactic.

[Suspect Y, Not Indicted Due to Lack of Evidence]

Aside from a few key figures, most of those involved were let go.

As a result, even the prosecution was rumored to be in cahoots with the entertainment industry.

‘There was a lot of talk about how they were above the law.’

Dirty money never disappeared with time.

It merely changed form.

It hadn’t exploded yet, but it wouldn’t be long before it did.

Maybe three years at most.

‘Have I been too complacent?’

In light of a future already set in motion, Lee Min Ki couldn’t help but feel a renewed sense of unease.

Now that he thought about it, who was the real culprit back then?

Even during that massive controversy, only the branches were cut, and the roots remained unnamed.

Just how influential must that person have been?

‘Was it someone on the level of a congressman? The prosecution covered it up, after all.’

Would he learn the truth if he stayed in the industry long enough?

As he quietly chewed over his curiosity, CEO Goo continued.

“The one ruling behind the scenes is Hwang In Goo.”

“Cough!”

Lee Min Ki burst into a coughing fit.

“CEO Hwang In Goo?”

“There’s no one who hasn’t gotten tangled up with him. He’s notorious for controlling almost every industry you can’t enter without going through him. He’s also got some political connections.”

“Even with the prosecution?”

“Huh? Yeah.”

That came out so easily?

That’s a bit—

No matter how much, shouldn’t there have been some time to process it?

This was too abrupt, like throwing out an answer sheet right away.

“Yeah, you’re probably shocked, Min Ki. Who would’ve thought that Hwang In Goo of Daon was behind the scenes, playing both gangster financier and pimp?”

Yes, I was definitely shocked.

I really hadn’t thought of that name even once.

The fact that the CEO of the company I had dreamed of working for was the culprit—it’s quite startling.

“I’ve known for a long time. That sly bastard. If an actor asked him to make coffee, he’d spit in it and mix in his cigarette ashes. He’d cause trouble and make the juniors clean it up.”

“…You seem to know a lot of details, so were you close?”

As Lee Min Ki pulled an awkward face, CEO Goo continued, in a tone that was both nostalgic and somewhat unpleasant.

“He and I started from the same bottom. So yeah, I know him well.”

“That’s true.”

Director Seo Jung Woo chimed in from the side.

“Actor, you might not know since you’re from a younger generation, but in the past, both our CEO and Hwang In Goo were famously known in the industry as ‘Goo In Goo.’”

“Hey, don’t go saying things like that.”

So there was such a nickname.

Now that he thought about it, their names were indeed similar.

“Ahem, it was just a saying. Just a saying.”

“What’s there to hide? Mad Dog Hwang In Goo and Hunting Dog Goo In Mo. Everyone in the industry knew about them.”

Mad Dog? Hunting Dog?

That was absurd.

‘Is it a custom in this industry to give everyone nicknames?’

This wasn’t some martial arts novel.

As he began to feel a growing sense of skepticism about these childish antics of grown adults, CEO Goo shrugged and said.

“Anyway, judging from the situation, this is the method they often use. If they see someone they don’t like, they break them down just enough so they leave the industry voluntarily.”

“Are you certain it was CEO Hwang In Goo’s doing?”

“I’m not 100% sure. There’s no physical evidence.”

Not being 100% meant they were close to it.

The next moment.

CEO Goo placed his beer can on the table, clasped his hands together, and said.

“Actor, do you understand? You’ll likely face more trouble in the future.”

“I suppose so.”

“This isn’t something to take lightly. Although this time it ended in an attempt, there could be another attack.”

That’s right.

An incident that happened once wouldn’t just stop after one occurrence.

If it wasn’t a coincidence, it could happen again someday.

What should he say?

In CEO Goo’s gaze, Lee Min Ki saw something strange.

As if he wanted him to leave the industry.

To leave.

To run away out of fear of the threats.

‘Is that really the answer?’

Lee Min Ki sank into thought.

There was a huge evil lurking in this industry. And that evil had already bared its fangs at him.

But does that mean leaving is the answer?

‘Will they really stop bothering me if I leave?’

Unlikely.

But just because someone might come after him, was it right to run away out of fear?

Was it really the answer for the victim to leave just because they were scared of the perpetrator?

‘Quit acting? Now that I’m finally landing my first lead role in a drama, just as I’m starting to establish myself in the industry?’

That’s not an option.

Even if the knife is at my throat, I’ve resolved to see this through. I won’t give up.

I’ll keep going, even if I die.

In fact, being an actor means coming back and doing it even if you’ve died once.

“I want to see this through to the end.”

I won’t turn back.

As he made that resolution and locked eyes with CEO Goo, something unexpected came out of his mouth.

“Right. We can’t just sit back and do nothing either.”

What he said wasn’t defeatist or a suggestion to quit.

It was something completely different.

“They can screw each other over for all I care, but they dare mess with my actor?”

CEO Goo’s teeth audibly ground together.

“That bastard, he crossed the line this time.”