Chapter 131
As soon as Lee Min Ki arrived at LAX.
The first emotion he felt was this:
‘The weather is great.’
The weather was unbelievably good.
In Seoul, seeing a clear sky even two or three times a month was rare.
Even such rare weather seemed cloudy compared to LA.
On the way from the airport to his accommodation, Lee Min Ki mumbled excitedly like a child.
“Manager, is today’s weather unusually good?”
“It’s normal. There are even clouds.”
So, it was said.
Anyway, the next thing Lee Min Ki felt after the weather was this:
‘It’s comfortable!’
It was the sense of ease.
Starting from the airport, no matter where they went, there were hardly any people recognizing him.
‘Walking like an ordinary person is such a joy.’
Overcome with emotion, Lee Min Ki trembled slightly and mumbled.
“This is what it feels like not to wear a mask.”
Indeed.
How much had he been concerned about others' gazes in the past?
It was standard to pull down a baseball cap tightly whenever stepping outside, and wearing a mask was considered a courtesy.
But even that wasn’t enough.
Was it because of his naturally noticeable physique?
Even with his face covered, people still managed to recognize him.
As a result, he had to wear clothes as thick as possible, and in hot weather, it felt like being a dumpling steaming in a pot.
‘It’s a luxury complaint, but it really hits me in the chest.’
Step, step.
In Korea, walking freely without being fully geared up was almost impossible.
He had half given up on visiting bustling streets.
Even waiting in an airport lounge was nerve-wracking, fearing someone might suddenly shove a camera in his face.
“Heh, heh.”
Being ordinary was such a joyful thing.
Even the act of walking made him hum a tune, prompting Manager Park Han Mo to chuckle and comment.
“Are you that happy?”
“Yes, I can’t even remember the last time I jogged without worry. It’s great that no one here recognizes me yet. Guess I’m still not that famous.”
“Well, that’s uncertain.”
Leaving room for interpretation, he glanced around the street before saying:
“Even after you become famous, it probably won’t be much different.”
“Really?”
“Even in Hollywood, meeting stars on the street is only occasional, and respecting privacy is an unspoken etiquette.”
“What about paparazzi?”
“That’s why they’re called paparazzi. They have no etiquette.”
“Ah.”
So, it was explained.
It reminded him of something that evoked an image of Japan’s famous politicians, making Lee Min Ki clap his hands in realization.
[Did you ask about 3? If so, 3 is the number between 2 and 4.]
In front of the airport.
‘I should walk a lot while I can.’
While Lee Min Ki was savoring the moment.
Screech!
Suddenly, a car came to an abrupt stop right at his feet.
A vintage classic car.
Despite its design seemingly from the 20th century, its polished finish made Lee Min Ki admire it as he asked Manager Park Han Mo:
“Manager, do you think it stopped because of me?”
“No, this is Hollywood. It probably has business around here.”
“Still, just in case.”
“I’ll say it again, this is Hollywood.”
Manager Park Han Mo emphasized in a calm voice.
“They probably just have an errand at that burger shop up ahead.”
Now that he mentioned it, there was indeed a burger shop right next to them.
The shop’s name was Excalibur Burger.
‘Excalibur? Like the legendary sword from Britain?’
Living up to its name, the store’s sign had a sword embedded in it, piquing Lee Min Ki’s curiosity enough to ask.
“Is this place famous?”
“It’s a must-know eatery in Hollywood. Employees in medieval costumes bring the menu to you.”
Wow, places like this exist?
Maybe he should have lunch here today.
After all, Trainer Kwon Joon Yong wouldn’t come all the way to America to monitor his diet.
While pondering, Lee Min Ki was about to move forward when:
Whirrr—
The window of the classic car rolled down, revealing a pale face with teeth as white as pearls.
‘Who’s that?’
The man grinned broadly, showing his straight teeth, and spoke in English.
“Mr. Min Ki, right?”
“……”
“I’ve been eager to meet you. Could we talk for a moment?”
Hearing that, Lee Min Ki blinked, then turned slightly to glance at Manager Park Han Mo.
“Hmm.”
Manager Park Han Mo, who had been standing idly, opened his mouth.
“Technically speaking, this area is closer to Beverly Hills than Hollywood, so…”
Inside a quiet corner of Excalibur Burger.
Slurp.
“Here’s your Silver Age Coffee. Sir, please spare my life just this once.”
“Thank you.”
Sipping the coffee brought by a waiter dressed as a serf, Lee Min Ki listened as the man across the table spoke with a bright expression.
“The coffee tastes pretty good, doesn’t it? I come here often.”
It was the same man who had been driving the classic car earlier.
It was hard to gauge the age of a Westerner, but he seemed to be in his forties.
Yet his well-maintained appearance left his face almost free of wrinkles, radiating a youthful glow.
“You keep checking your phone. Do you have an appointment?”
“No, just contacting a friend briefly. We’re meeting later.”
“A friend? Someone living in Hollywood?”
“Something like that.”
The man, exuding the aura of a dashing middle-aged gentleman, introduced himself as Jeffrey Rogers in a vibrant voice reminiscent of a comedy show host.
“Haha, today must be my lucky day. I was just passing by, and what a coincidence to meet like this.”
“You know me?”
“Yes, I read an article this morning. I couldn’t imagine someone like you existed.”
With an exaggerated gesture, he leaned forward across the table, saying:
“Who would’ve thought that on my way to work, I’d run into the famous Mr. Min Ki? It must be destiny.”
His tone made it sound like meeting Lee Min Ki was pure chance.
But in reality, that wasn’t the case.
‘I’m glad I staked out here.’
He had been waiting in the vicinity for quite a while.
Ever since he heard the news that Lee Min Ki caused a major incident on the plane.
Although Lee Min Ki was not widely recognized in the U.S., and the event on the plane wasn’t widely spread, he confirmed enough details online.
Why was he so eager to meet Lee Min Ki?
The reason was simple.
"Arthur Danto personally stepping forward to claim him is enough to believe in his potential."
It was because Arthur Danto, the editor-in-chief of the fashion magazine [LE], had selected Lee Min Ki.
Surely, he wouldn’t have done so without reason.
Jeffrey Rogers firmly believed that wasn’t possible.
"Magazine folks have an ear for information better than anyone. And for Arthur Danto to personally invite someone to the U.S., where they have no prior connections? It's obvious. There must be something significant. A solid opportunity must be present."
There was something about Lee Min Ki.
Perhaps he had signed a contract for his next project in Hollywood, or maybe he had promised a collaboration with a major brand.
If not, he could have come to invest in a business venture.
For Arthur Danto to extend a personal invitation to the U.S., it must have been one of these.
That was Jeffrey Rogers’ speculation.
Of course, the reality was entirely different.
Arthur Danto had simply invited Lee Min Ki on a whim.
But regardless of the reason, misunderstandings happen to everyone.
Especially when a powerful figure in society makes an offhand remark, it's not uncommon for it to be exaggerated into a significant event.
"Arthur Danto’s insight is sharp. While this person may only be a local actor from Asia for now, he probably has the potential to become a star in the future."
At least, he was right about one thing.
And there was another reason.
"Mr. Min Ki, I’d like you to appear as a surprise guest on our show, haha."
It was because Jeffrey Rogers was the host of the show.
Slurp.
At that, Lee Min Ki took another sip of coffee before asking.
“What kind of show are you referring to?”
“Have you ever heard of Last Man Standing?”
The moment those words left his mouth.
“…!”
Lee Min Ki's eyes widened.
Last Man Standing.
For those interested in U.S. entertainment, it was hard not to have at least heard of it.
‘That show, if I remember correctly, was quite popular.’
As Lee Min Ki was recalling memories from deep within, Jeffrey Rogers continued.
"It might be unfamiliar if you're from overseas, but the format isn’t difficult. One hundred participants compete until only one remains. The only thing they fight with is quizzes."
That was correct.
Last Man Standing was a quintessential quiz show.
However, it followed a battle royale format, where the prize money increased as the number of participants decreased.
In the end, the final prize went to the last person standing.
That was why it was called Last Man Standing.
"If you answer incorrectly and get eliminated, you walk away with $0. But if you choose to withdraw voluntarily, you can leave with a moderate sum."
“What kind of prize amount are we looking at for the winner?”
Lee Min Ki asked at that moment.
Jeffrey Rogers’ teeth, as white as rice noodles, gleamed once again, and an audacious number rolled off his tongue.
“$100,000.”
“…!”
A hundred thousand dollars.
One hundred million won.
It was a sum hard to imagine for a single quiz show.
“Winning one quiz show is like getting a sports car as a bonus. How does that sound? Tempting, isn’t it?”
It was tempting.
But there was something even more enticing.
Perhaps noticing the glimmer of desire in Lee Min Ki’s eyes, Jeffrey pressed his advantage.
“It’s a local LA broadcast, but it still has a national fan base.”
“What about the viewership ratings?”
“You can assume it has at least several million viewers. And considering the international OTT market, it’s much more.”
“…That’s quite a lot.”
The numbers were indeed large.
For a local broadcast, it was impressive. The scale of the U.S. market was undeniable.
As Lee Min Ki clicked his tongue, the man grinned confidently as if he’d already secured his victory.
“This is Hollywood. Even local broadcasts have national reach. What does this mean? It means that for someone like you, Mr. Min Ki, who plans to be active in the U.S., it could significantly boost your recognition.”
It was clear.
Certain of his triumph, Jeffrey added with a wink.
“At the very least, trying it out for fun wouldn’t hurt, would it?”
Lee Min Ki slowly ran his finger across his lips.
To be honest.
‘It’s quite tempting.’
He was intrigued.
If it had been a talk show or a typical variety program, he would’ve refused outright due to his lack of fluency in English.
While his English was decent, there was a world of difference between casual conversation and performing on a show.
Why else would even Korean celebrities active in the U.S. try their best to avoid talk shows?
But a quiz show was different.
‘The ability to speak well might not be as crucial.’
What mattered was the ability to solve quizzes.
Opportunities to speak were far more dispersed, and only results would remain.
If he succeeded, it would be a benefit.
Lee Min Ki slyly asked.
“What’s the question format for this season?”
“Do you know it’s a seasonal program?”
“It seemed like it would be. Most American TV shows are.”
“You’re not wrong. In any case, you choose one answer from three options. Occasionally, there are other types of questions, but not many.”
So it was mostly multiple-choice.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to Lee Min Ki.
‘Isn’t guessing also luck?’
Few things incorporated luck as much as quizzes did.
Subjective questions would be tough.
But what about multiple-choice?
‘It’s just a matter of picking one out of three.’
His good luck had been repeatedly proven through countless tests.
If he entered a quiz show and, as Jeffrey Rogers claimed, showcased an impressive performance in front of millions of viewers, what would happen?
‘It would likely help my future activities in the U.S.’
Any form of publicity would be beneficial.
While it would take some time, it might only be a day or so.
Just as Lee Min Ki reached this conclusion.
“However, we can’t give everything away for free.”
Jeffrey Rogers set a clear boundary.
“Since it’s your first appearance, there won’t be an appearance fee. I hope you can understand this. Instead, it will serve as promotion, won’t it?”
He had dangled the carrot before entering negotiations.
If he had brought up money first, it would have been a rejection.
However, by highlighting the recognition Lee Min Ki would gain from the broadcast, he made it hard for Lee Min Ki to refuse.
It was a cunning approach.
Although it was overseas, it was essentially a proposal to use a star like Lee Min Ki for free.
However, this strategy was working quite well.
‘The important thing is to do something, anything.’
Lee Min Ki’s mind was spinning rapidly.
‘Alright, that’s another deal closed.’
Jeffrey Rogers grinned widely, lifting the corners of his mouth.
But there were still two things he didn’t know.
The first was that Lee Min Ki was very familiar with American entertainment shows, to the point of watching most of them.
That’s right.
Lee Min Ki knew Arthur Danto.
‘At first, I was a bit confused, but I never imagined it would really be him.’
He wasn’t foolish enough to follow a stranger he met abroad just because they asked for a chat.
And the second thing.
Lee Min Ki was fully aware of how little he knew about the American entertainment industry.
He also knew that JC wasn’t well-versed in the American market.
So naturally—
“This conversation is interesting.”
He had called in an ally who was well-acquainted with the local scene.
“A quiz show? I like quiz shows too.”
Bojana Olson.
She greeted Park Han Mo and Lee Min Ki with a bright smile.
“Min, do they pay a lot for appearing on that show?”
“……”
Her sudden appearance made Jeffrey Rogers glance awkwardly at Lee Min Ki and ask.
“Is she the friend you mentioned?”
“Yes.”
Lee Min Ki finally smiled and replied.
“As you can see.”