Traveling through the Tokyo bubble era

Chapter 974 Hong Kong Entertainment Industry in 1990

Hideki Hanyu treated everyone to a meal, and although he didn't mind bringing the entire crew, South Korea's unique class culture meant that the crew would inevitably be divided into different classes.

Of course, these are not things that Hideki Hanyu should worry about.

Based on seniority, job level, and background, the production team quickly decided who was qualified to have the honor of dining with Hideki Hanyu.

The crew included the director, the advertising company producer, the representative of KBS television station, Lee Young-ae and her agent, and of course, Andy Lau, as well as Chan Suk-fan, the general manager of Hengxing Entertainment.

As for the remaining people, they naturally have other arrangements.

Namsan, where KBS headquarters is located, is home to two famous bustling areas of Seoul: Hannam-dong and Itaewon-dong. These areas are not only home to many wealthy people's mansions, but also to upscale restaurants and nightlife venues.

Hideki Hanyu's mansion is located in Itaewon, so he is quite familiar with the area.

South Korea has a limited variety of delicious food, but it's not entirely devoid of it. For example, the whole roasted chicken in Hannam-dong is considered a specialty dish.

When Hideki Hanyu is treating everyone, he certainly wouldn't invite them to eat at a roadside stall.

Led by Hideki Hanyu, the group quickly arrived at a high-end restaurant in Hannam-dong. Although it didn't specialize in roasted whole chicken, the other dishes were quite good.

Most importantly, compared to those simple roadside shops, these high-end membership restaurants that require reservations have more sophisticated ingredient selections and more refined cooking, so the taste is naturally much better.

The restaurant has a strong neon colonial-era style, with private rooms decorated in a Japanese style and tables that are typical small plates, requiring diners to kneel to eat.

Then the style of the food is also the kind of '100 points for tableware, 90 points for service, and 70 points for food' model. The plating is exquisite, but it's gone in one bite.

However, this dining model also has its advantages. At 5.4 million Korean won per person, which is about 6,800 US dollars at the current exchange rate, it is the most expensive set meal. It is simple and straightforward, and there is no need to order. You can just sit and chat while waiting for the food to be served.

Hideki Yuzuru only learned about this restaurant because of Li Jianxi's introduction.

After being led into the private room by the waiter, Hideki Hanyu greeted everyone with a friendly smile and asked them to sit down.

After everyone was seated, beautiful girls dressed in traditional clothing immediately knelt down next to the guests and began to provide personalized one-on-one service.

Immediately afterwards, the bamboo partition next to them was opened, and women dressed in traditional costumes sang and danced for everyone.

Before the food was even served, the mere act of service caused a variety of reactions from the crowd.

Some were nervous, some were curious, some were surprised, and some pretended to be calm.

how so?

It wasn't just because of the service, but also because of the cost of the meal.

In 1990, the average monthly income of urban families in South Korea was 2.1 million won, while the average monthly income per person was around 920,000 won.

In other words, each of them spends the equivalent of half a year's net income for an average South Korean.

Although Hideki Hanyu didn't think much of the money.

But for those he invited, it was already a glimpse of South Korea's "Heavenly Palace."

The total cost of the meal for everyone was $50,000 to $60,000. Even though those who could afford to come here today are considered high-income earners in South Korea, such an expense is still considered extravagant.

In fact, even decades from now, this would be an extremely exaggerated number for many people.

Of course, not everyone earns a high income. For example, Lee Young-ae, who is still a student, only received 160,000 won for filming this advertisement, which is not even enough to cover a small portion of the package fee.

The young girl appeared reserved and somewhat uneasy while being served by the waitress next to her.

Just then, Hideki Hanyu smiled and said to everyone.

"Please don't be shy, everyone. If you need anything, you can just tell the female general next to you."

With his handsome appearance, elegant demeanor, and composed expression, looking at Hideki Hanyu, Li Ying'an couldn't help but feel a flutter in her heart, as well as a faint longing for her current life.

After Hideki Hanyu finished speaking, everyone naturally had to exchange pleasantries.

Anyone who has watched South Korean dramas has probably seen the drinking culture depicted in the shows, where those in lower positions bow and scrape, saying ingratiating words, and respectfully and humbly offering a toast to those in higher positions.

The way everyone toasted Hideki Hanyu at this moment was exactly the same as in the TV drama.

However, Hideki Yuzuru dealt with the situation rather perfunctorily, as he was currently focusing his energy on chatting with Andy Lau and Florence Chan.

Compared to the rigid hierarchical culture of Japan and South Korea, Hideki Hanyu prefers to communicate with his fellow Chinese, who are on a more equal footing.

As for what Hideki Hanyu and the two could talk about, it was naturally related to the entertainment industry.

1990 was the peak of the Chinese entertainment industry, and they had so much to talk about.

Speaking of the music scene, this year can be considered a year of transition between the old and new generations in Chinese music.

Alan Tam stopped participating in award ceremonies, Leslie Cheung announced his retirement after holding 33 "farewell concerts", and Danny Chan, although at his peak in 1989, began to decline after hearing about someone's marriage.

But as the older generation fades into the background and new talents emerge, it is also a year of classic works and fierce competition among the best.

Beyond, preparing to expand into Japan, released masterpieces such as "Grey Track" and "Glorious Years".

Grasshopper's signature work, "The Breakup Frontline," was also released in that year.

Wu Sikai's "Special Love for a Special You" has a simple yet moving melody and has won numerous awards since its release.

Huang Pin-yuan's breakup hit "How Could You Bear to Make Me Sad" contains the lyrics "The person who loves you the most is me, how could you bear to make me sad," which has pierced the hearts of countless heartbroken men and women.

New father Emil Chau created "My Dear Baby," a song that showcases the warmth of paternal love.

Sally Yeh's two love songs, "Autumn Comes and Goes" and "Take Care," are both poignant and heart-wrenching, making them two major tearjerker hits on the radio.

Chen Shuhua's song "Rolling Red Dust" is a bitter medicine of fate condensed from Luo Dayou's years and life experiences.

"A Laughter in the Vast Sea," personally commissioned by James Wong and sung by Sam Hui, perfectly depicts the vastness of the martial arts world and the ups and downs of life, showcasing the heroic spirit and chivalry that only the Chinese people can understand.

Zhao Chuan's "I Am a Little Bird" is a unique grassroots cry.

Sandy Lam also released her signature work, "Falling in Love with Someone Who Never Comes Home," in that same year.

Aside from these, the ones who best represent the "new" in the transition between the old and the new are none other than the Four Heavenly Kings, who have yet to be officially named.

Having already made a name for himself in the film industry, Andy Lau released three albums in a single year to gain a foothold in the music scene, embarking on his path as a multi-talented superstar in film, television, and music.

Jacky Cheung, who was not crowned "God of Songs," also released two albums. One of them, a relatively unknown Cantonese song called "Li Xianglan," later became a hit in Stephen Chow's movies.

Leon Lai, on the other hand, debuted at the peak of his career with his first album, "Meeting in the Rain," sweeping almost all the newcomer awards in Chinese music.

But the most outstanding achievement belongs to Aaron Kwok, who debuted in the Taiwanese music scene. His album "I Can't Stop Loving You" became a hit across Asia, selling over a million copies and enjoying unparalleled popularity.

During this period, the only group that could rival Aaron Kwok in terms of sales was the Little Tigers, who released "Red Dragonfly".

Besides these popular songs, Hideki Hanyu also knows a representative work from the 1990s, which is "Asian Heroic Spirit" that will be sung at the opening ceremony of the Asian Games in China next month.

Speaking of which, when the Asian Games faced financial difficulties and sought donations from the outside world, Hideki Hanyu's domestic investments all stepped in to help.

Hideki Hanyu generously donated money and is also an "old friend" of the country, so he naturally received an invitation to the Asian Games opening ceremony. He will definitely be there to witness history.

Compared to the music scene, Hong Kong's film industry in the 1990s was equally impressive, with a diverse range of films vying for attention at the box office.

But if we're talking about the most representative...

First and foremost are gambling films.

"God of Gamblers," which sparked a gambling film craze, was released in late 1989, but its run continued into 1990. The film's immense popularity also spawned a host of copycat movies.

It was precisely because of these copycat works that he rose to become one of the most representative figures in Hong Kong cinema that year.

The future king of comedy, Stephen Chow.

After years of honing his skills at TVB, Stephen Chow officially entered the film industry last year with "Final Justice".

This year, after two comedy films, "All for the Winner" and "Curry and Pepper," Stephen Chow finally achieved worldwide fame with "God of Gamblers," which broke box office records in Hong Kong.

"God of Gamblers" was released on August 18th, and less than half a month has passed since then. It is currently sweeping the Hong Kong film market.

Therefore, when Hideki Hanyu, Andy Lau, and Sarah Chen talked about Hong Kong movies, they all mentioned Stephen Chow.

“Ah Xing is so popular now. His movie has grossed over 20 million Hong Kong dollars in just half a month. I didn’t even have time to ask him to have tea before I came to South Korea.”

Andy Lau spoke with emotion when Stephen Chow was mentioned.

Both of them were once entertainers at TVB, so they saw each other all the time. It would be impossible for them not to know each other.

In the future, Andy Lau will invite Stephen Chow as a guest to his charity concerts and commercial concerts.

As for the specifics of the relationship, that's unknown.

Even Hideki Hanyu wouldn't ask such a personal question.

However, as soon as Andy Lau finished speaking, Sarah Chen joked.

"He'll still be called Ah Xing. Now everyone in the industry says that the box office of 'God of Gamblers' will definitely exceed 40 million and break Hong Kong's box office record. Then he should be called Master Xing."

Chen Shuhua was just joking around.

But Hideki Yuzuru knew very well that the title of "Master Star" would soon be placed on Stephen Chow's head.

Because this year, Stephen Chow had more than one film, "God of Gamblers II," which he co-starred in with Andy Lau at the end of the year, also grossed over 40 million Hong Kong dollars.

In the top ten of Hong Kong's box office rankings in 1990, Stephen Chow took the first and second place, with both films grossing over 40 million HKD, and he was far ahead of the third place.

However, in this timeline, the Hong Kong box office rankings that Hideki Hanyu remembered are destined to never appear.

After all, his presence inevitably brought about some changes in Hong Kong's entertainment industry.

First, there's "A Chinese Ghost Story: The Human World," which was originally ranked sixth. Because Wang Zuxian was in Canada giving birth to Hideki Yuzuru's child, this movie simply didn't appear.

Moreover, after giving birth, Wang Zuxian was able to focus on taking care of her son, and with Yu Sheng Hideki supporting her, she didn't have to worry about money. Therefore, she made it clear that she would not make any payments in the short term.

Hideki Hanyu would never force a woman to do anything.

In addition, another male lead, Leslie Cheung, announced his retirement from the entertainment industry.

Therefore, the chances of filming "A Chinese Ghost Story: The Human World" are slim, and Nie Xiaoqian will probably become a swan song.

This is indeed a regret for movie fans in this era.

Another change is that Li Jiaxin was originally cast in "The Ultimate Scoundrels", which ranked ninth at the box office.

In later short videos showcasing beautiful women from Hong Kong, the scene featuring Li Jiaxin in red removing her mask comes from this movie.

But in this timeline, because of Hideki Hanyu's appearance, Li Jiaxin didn't even participate in the Miss Hong Kong pageant.

Now, thanks to Hideki Hanyu's financial support, she spends money like water every day and lives the life of a socialite in high society. She would never care about the meager earnings from making movies.

Occasionally, he might make a cameo appearance in a movie or participate in a variety show, but it's just for fun, to increase his fame, or to show off.

There was nothing they could do; the girl was not even eighteen when she met Hideki Hanyu and witnessed the most extreme splendor in the world, which distorted her values.

Of course, besides these, Hideki Hanyu's butterfly effect has also caused many other changes. After all, the emergence of the Cloud Entertainment Group has already taken root in the Asian entertainment industry.

However, due to the Asian cinema chain, the brokerage companies invested in by the Cloud Group, although holding a large number of star management contracts, have not directly participated in the investment and production of Hong Kong films.

This is why the impact of the Cloud Group on Hong Kong films is not as significant as one might imagine.

“Actually, before I came to South Korea, Manager Peter Fang called me and said that a dark horse had emerged in Hong Kong cinema. Now it seems so powerful that it can no longer be described as a dark horse.”

Hideki Hanyu said to Andy Lau and Florence Chan.

Stephen Chow's movies were huge hits, and even though Hideki Yuzuru didn't invest in them, Yunshang Group had nothing to do with Stephen Chow.

However, due to the monopoly of Asian cinema chains in Hong Kong, he is also one of the biggest beneficiaries.

According to the current revenue-sharing ratio, 50% of the box office revenue goes to the cinemas.

Based on a box office of 40 million, and with an Asian cinema chain holding nearly 80% of the market share, the guaranteed minimum is 15 million Hong Kong dollars.

Even after deducting all costs, they won't earn less than the production company.

"In fact, Wing Sing has already scheduled me to star in a new gambling film with Stephen Chow."

As soon as Andy Lau said this, Hideki Yuzuru knew that he was going to make "God of Gamblers II".

Chen Shufen then tentatively asked Hideki Yuzuru, "Sir, are you not planning to participate? I heard that Miss Zhang will also be playing a leading role."

The Miss Zhang that Chen Shufen was referring to was naturally Zhang Min.

Unlike Li Jiaxin, who is content to be a socialite, Zhang Min, despite her inability to conceive, has not given up her acting career.

Although he has Hideki Hanyu backing him up and doesn't have to film those works he doesn't like, he still plays the same role in this "God of Gamblers" movie.

"To ensure the neutrality and objectivity of Asian cinemas, CloudWave will not participate in the production of Hong Kong films."

As for what Ah-min wants to do, that's her freedom. I'm the kind of person who would never confine a woman like a caged bird.

After Hideki Hanyu finished speaking, he looked at Florence Chan with a smile and said, "Why do I get the feeling that Manager Chan is quite interested in Stephen Chow?"

Florence Chan replied, "There are so many people in the Hong Kong entertainment industry who are interested in Stephen Chow right now, so there's no need for me to be one more."

However, his management contract is still indefinite, and everyone is hesitant to act because they are wary of Mr. Shao.

Hideki Yuzuru shrugged and said, "Well, there's nothing I can do about it. I'm also an investor in TVB, and I can't poach my own employees."

Hideki Hanyu's words were, of course, just an excuse; they simply indicated that he didn't want to get involved in Stephen Chow's affairs.

For the next few years, Stephen Chow will be at the center of controversy in the Hong Kong film industry. He cannot possibly get involved personally for the sake of Florence Chan and break his initial promise.

The emergence of Asia Cinema Circuit broke the Hong Kong Film Company's monopoly on cinema chains, which indirectly promoted the development of Hong Kong cinema.

At least at the box office, good movies are doing better and better.

In this situation, he can make money effortlessly by controlling the Asian cinema chain, so no matter who Stephen Chow ultimately "wins" the contract, it won't affect his interests.

Knowing that Hideki Yuzuru wouldn't help, Chen Shufen naturally didn't dare to force the issue and immediately changed the subject to talk about other things.

At that moment, Lee Young-ae, who happened to be sitting next to Hideki Hanyu as arranged by him, suddenly spoke to him in a timid voice.

"Sir, what are you talking about?"

(End of this chapter)