Huayu: Starting from the top talent show

Chapter 494 From God of Draft Picks to God of Idols

This reputational bullying, which arose from the momentum of the Black Minggui Movement, will inevitably have an impact on Shen Juan.

After all, no one wants to have a better public image, and no one wants to lose more support and affection.

But this is the real world.

Everything has its limits.

Shen Juan has now reached a threshold.

Just like the salary cap rules set by many leagues to disrupt the league structure and eliminate the suspense of competition by having wealthy players form super teams, his star power, artistic personality, and influence can only support him in expanding his fan base to the current level.

It's not impossible to go further up.

But then you have to pay an expensive luxury tax (when a celebrity becomes popular to a certain extent, they are extremely vulnerable to backlash from the public).

Ultimately, this world isn't a game of cultivating champions, but rather a game of cultivating champion challengers.

People are fascinated by dynastic changes.

Rather than one person making absolute decisions for all time.

Monopolies are universally condemned in any field.

Therefore, he may need to take some time to mature before allowing his already large fan base to continue to expand.

This way, one can compress and solidify their fragile fighting spirit while waiting for new challengers to emerge.

It doesn't matter whether you're male or female.

In short, he needs an opponent, a sufficiently valuable and influential one, to minimize public resentment and resistance towards his frequent headlines.

It can only be said that American entertainment and Chinese entertainment are different.

While artists are doing their jobs well, they also need to create a likable storyline for themselves so that they don't seem boring or dull.

How to be a good celebrity?
How to become a superstar?

It is indeed a subject of study.

On the afternoon of June 6th.

After seeing Wang Churan, who had been investigated last night and confessed everything, off onto the plane, Shen Juan followed his team to his hometown of Shanghai as planned, to attend the opening ceremony of the movie "Love Like a Bouquet" tomorrow.

On the plane, Shen Juan was chatting with someone on WeChat.

Sister Tian said that Shen Juan forgot to bring his charger.

Shen Juan was starting to lose control.

If you didn't bring a charger, you can just buy another one, right?
Is it necessary to send a special WeChat reminder?

However, he knew Sister Tian very well and knew that she was just trying to find an excuse to talk to him.

After all, she's the kind of woman who seems carefree, but when she's truly shy, she'll say one thing and mean another!
So, being the considerate person he is, he directly typed a reply: "Tianbao, could you bring it over for me sometime?"

Sister Tian sent a cute and slightly arrogant voice message saying, "emmm, if you really need this charger, then it's not impossible for me to make a special trip to Shanghai."

Xiao Xiao sent him a screenshot of his game stats. Since Shen Juan rarely played this game except when duo-queuing with friends, the rank difference between him and Xiao Xiao, who usually solo-queued, was getting bigger and bigger. So, in order not to affect their sweet duo-queueing in the future, she decided to become a booster to help Shen Juan rank up.

Xiao might have felt bad because he'd been getting a lot of flak lately, so she kept sending him funny videos.

But he's actually really okay.

After all, Chinese people venturing into the United States are already walking a tightrope.

He had long been prepared for this day to come.

He even felt that being ridiculed and attacked, and having his reputation tarnished, was the only way to reach the next stage and get closer to greatness.

Like her senior, Zhang Jingyi also tried to post cute cat and dog videos to cheer Shen Juan up.

She's been feeling terrible lately.

So much so that every night after work, I would stay in my hotel room editing videos and brainstorming scripts, and the update frequency on Bilibili exploded!
However, she didn't tell Shen Juan.

Shen Juan doesn't know yet.

Then, Liu Haocun also comforted Shen Juan.

They even comforted him for several days in a row!
Every day, she would either forward screenshots of her online battles with American haters to Shen Juan, seeking praise and pats on the head, or share some of her self-created inspirational quotes to encourage him, such as...
I just turned on my phone to vent about all the bad things that's been happening in my life lately, and then I saw you updated your social media with a selfie after a long time. You look so handsome! So good-looking! So I guess maybe I don't hate this world that much after all, at least not this world with you in it.

Shen Juan was puzzled.

Was my previous assumption wrong?

Is she really not my hater?
For example...
[So annoying! You don't think I'm too noisy or clingy, do you? But I think relationships need to be maintained with care. Even if we don't contact each other for a week, the feelings will fade. I don't want the first thing I say when we meet again to be, "Long time no see, do you remember me?" So I'll message you every day to bother you~ Let me take the initiative to keep in touch! I'm used to it anyway!]

Sigh. Shen Juan couldn't help but sigh.

This poor child clearly has no idea what she will face in the future, or whether it will be good or bad for her.

While he was having a great time chatting with his girlfriends, the promotional campaign for "You Are My Glory," a super project co-produced by Tencent's Starlink Space Agency to set a new benchmark for Chinese dramas going global, had already quietly begun on Weibo, Douyin, and other platforms.

#YouAreMyGlory#
#Shen Juan Wang Chu Ran#
#The real domain of Shen Juan is the current idol#
#Gu Man says Glory was written for Shen Juan#
#National Space Administration Official Weibo Posts Promotional Content#
Several related terms, pre-designed and prepared by the production team, were instantly pushed to the top of Weibo's trending topics.

The information revealed by these trending topics is quite simple:
Gu Man's new book, "You Are My Glory," published last year, has been confirmed to be adapted into a TV series!
Shen Juan, who brought countless sweet moments to everyone last summer with his role as Han Shangyan, is finally returning to the realm of modern romance dramas!
Mr. Shi Nanyi, whose scandals have never stopped since his debut, is going to co-star in a TV series with his sister-in-law again!

At the same time, the two lead actors also began to exert their strength.

Shen Juan: [#TV series You Are My Glory# Hello, Qiao Jingjing is everywhere @Wang Churan]

Wang Churan: [#TVSeriesYouAreMyGlory# Hello, Mr. Yu who is utterly disdainful @ShenJuan]

This kind of official announcement, which is very rare in the Chinese entertainment industry, involves tagging each other's co-stars. It's just too touching for fans!
In addition, the official Weibo account of "You Are My Glory" also released a video message that the two had recorded in advance to promote the drama at the same time.

In an instant, the crowd was in high spirits, and everyone was celebrating! The time for gossip lovers and those who appreciate good looks to revel in the moment had come once again!

[This is Teacher Yu! This is the superstar Jingjing! The camera work is beautiful, their looks match perfectly, and their temperaments complement each other! A feast for the eyes! A dog's life complete! The shining star of next year's BG! They don't need to fall in love on set anymore, this is clearly them playing themselves, hahaha! Go, Glory!]

This should be the first domestic TV series about modern aerospace. However, it's said that Gu Man (the author) was hesitant to write too much about aerospace in the original novel, but now that the space agency is involved, the script will likely include more plot points related to aerospace and promoting its themes of national pride. Plus, the lead actor is Shen Juan, so this series is destined for overseas distribution. It seems the higher-ups are taking this project very seriously. If it's well-made, it could really cause a sensation in Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia. My anticipation is off the charts!

[Because Juanjuan is taking this role, I, who haven't read a romance novel in ten years, finished reading Glory! I'm practically overwhelmed with happiness today! I'm so happy! Shen Juan, you know how to comfort your fans. You've been getting so much flak online lately, and you immediately announced a modern romance drama to cheer them up. You're so sweet!]

[Fireworks Girl is finally not just a rumored girlfriend, but a proper leading lady! How can this not be called a happy ending after hardship? As a fan, my only curiosity now is whether the plot will give her another chance to set off fireworks, to completely solidify her character, hahaha!]

Putting everything else aside, Shen Juan's eye for choosing dramas is truly amazing! From e-sports pros to aerospace engineers, he's practically shattered the ceiling for modern romance drama male leads, hasn't he? The key is that he embodies every role he plays; a Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actor in a modern romance drama is like a game-changer! I love the satisfying feeling of using a cannon to kill a mosquito!

[As expected of the world's number one! While the international internet is abuzz with rumors of his fabricated streaming data and the racial knight controversy, he immediately announced his new drama with his rumored girlfriend on the domestic internet, showering everyone with sweetness. The entertainment industry would definitely be less interesting without him; he seems born to attract public attention and adoration.]

[Even the official Weibo account of the space agency is promoting this? Is this drama going to be a hardcore aerospace science popularization? Modern romance + e-sports aerospace + patriotic theme, is Shen Juan going to lead Chinese modern romance dramas to new heights! Actually, last year's "Go Go Squid!" didn't give me this feeling, but "Glory" really makes me feel like we have a chance to counterattack South Korea!]

Fans were undoubtedly very excited about this shocking official announcement that caused a brief earthquake in the Chinese entertainment industry and even the Asia-Pacific region.

Moreover, since the original novel tells the story of superstar Qiao Jingjing and aerospace engineer Yu Tu, who reunite and fall in love ten years after graduating from high school, they are also very much looking forward to Shen Juan, who is the ambassador for China's aerospace promotion, playing a professional role related to aerospace work!
Was it already decided back in April? Otherwise, why would they suddenly announce the space ambassador?
Wow, this is really tied to space exploration!
At this moment, they felt a deep sense of pride and couldn't wait to see the show!

Yangyang Jin Gang walked over to discuss the upcoming work arrangements with Shen Juan, only to see him browsing netizens' comments. He couldn't help but remind him, "We don't need to get involved in the promotion of Glory for now. The show won't be released until next year, and promoting it too much now would be counterproductive."

"I know." Shen Juan put down his phone and looked up at Yangyang Jin, who was holding a tablet. "You're here to talk about work again?"

Yangyang Jin sat opposite Shen Juan, blinked, and said in a slightly strained voice, "Can't we talk about other things?"

"Sure! But you have to put the tablet down first."

Yangyang Jin rolled her eyes and got straight to the point: "The Billboard weekly chart is out. STAY has been number one for five weeks. Plus, the three billion-view medals that 'Sound Breaking' sent us recently are for 'Rain On Me,' 'Ghost,' and 'INDUSTRY BABY.' So when you land in Shanghai, you can take a group photo and post it on social media to celebrate your achievements while responding to those mindless haters on the internet who blindly follow the trend and smear you."

As everyone knows, Shen Juan's public persona is that of a true man who fights when he's wronged and settles scores face to face!
Therefore, in the face of overwhelming cyberbullying, choosing to back down and act emo is actually a sign of a collapsed public image.

While it might indeed be effective in getting fans excited and boosting their morale, Shen Juan didn't want those scoundrels to get away with it. Therefore, the entire team, including Republic Records, changed their approach to handling public opinion.

Instead of wasting a lot of time and energy on meaningless self-proof, he should ignore these scandals that cannot shake his foundation, and carve out a path with solid achievements, letting these controversies accompany him and develop into a sideline that can continuously bring him exposure and attention.

As for STAY's consecutive number one rankings...
Perhaps this cyberbullying incident left them holding their breath!
Alovers around the world unanimously contributed points to "STAY" within the rules by purchasing downloads and streaming views, aiming to break the record for the number one single of the week!
Sigh. I wonder how many poor kids will be stuck at number two because of this, and how many people will hold a grudge against Shen Juan because of it.

Of course, Shen Juan was never afraid of offending people.

After all, only mediocre people are not envied, right?
Moreover, he would love to encounter more competitive opponents, because that would make him more valuable and meaningful!
Yangyang Jin swiped down on the tablet, "Then the movie starts filming tomorrow. Apart from the Dragon Boat Festival, when we're working with the government to prepare a global live-stream promotional event, we'll be staying on set and filming diligently the rest of the month."

"What kind of event? Is it to promote the Dragon Boat Festival?"

"Yes, we also plan to invite Li Ziqi to Shanghai for a collaboration. She has a certain following on foreign websites now."

Shen Juan frowned slightly: "Isn't it too early? I don't think her video style is suitable for excessive exposure."

Video bloggers like Li Ziqi clearly have a different career path from Angelina Dazatalan.

The latter needs high-intensity exposure, which is why Starlink had them appear on shows this year that aim to get involved in the entertainment industry and increase their popularity.

What the former needs more is mystery.

Yangyang Jin nodded slightly: "We have considered what you said, but it is actually a good thing for her to have appropriate exposure within a certain range. After all, as you know, the number of fans she has gained after months of diligently posting videos is not as much as the attention you bring her in one live broadcast."

"Then we should carefully control the pace of public opinion and not create a god-like image for her, otherwise she may suffer the same fate as me, being devoured by her reputation."

"Don't worry, we know what we're doing."

Yangyang Jin continued, "The episode of Produce Camp that you recorded before was released the day before yesterday. Did you watch it?"

"I watched it at home with Sister Tian and the others."

Thankfully, the main content of this episode was Shen Juan sharing his experience of surviving and thriving in this industry with the contestants. Otherwise, if it had been some intimate interactions, Sister Tian would probably have gotten extremely jealous seeing Shen Juan surrounded and groped by so many girls, and dragged him into a room for a final, intense encounter.
"So what about the members who will debut? The final is on July 4th, it's time to decide who will debut." Yangyang Jin opened the current rankings on the tablet. "Liu Xiening and Jiang Zhenyu are currently ranked in the debut group in terms of popularity, but if we're going to play dirty tricks, Sun Zhenni could also be manipulated into getting in."

"No need. Sun Zhenni can just be an actress in the future. But we need to make arrangements for Shen Xiaoting and Lana's future."

“Lana is easy to talk to. She has already told me that after she comes out of Produce Camp, she will transfer to the MCN department to join Angelina and her group, namely Shen Xiaoting. She said she still wants to try debuting as an idol again. What do you think we should do?” Yangyang Jin threw the question to Shen Juan.

Shen Juan thought for a moment and replied, "How about sending her to South Korea? Aren't we planning to run two girl groups simultaneously? The first girl group is entirely managed by Min Hee-jin and is scheduled to debut early next year, so she definitely won't have a chance. But we can try to squeeze her into the second girl group."

In fact, the lineup for the five-member girl group led by Min Hee-jin has already been finalized.

It's basically the same personnel framework as the original NewJeans, but the troublesome Vietnamese girl and the little-known Lee Hye-in have been replaced by Seol-yoon and Moon Chanel from Fifty Fifty.

As for the second girl group cultivated by Starlink, Shen Juan plans to debut it at the end of 21 or the beginning of 22.

This way, they can take advantage of the benefits of IZ*ONE's disbandment in the middle of the year, when the members go their separate ways.

At that time, they might be able to recruit a few popular contestants to mentor the newcomers, such as Miyawaki Sakura, who would be quite suitable.

"Okay, then there's the variety show schedule for July. Hunan TV's 'Chinese Restaurant 4' has sent an invitation, wanting you to go to their final destination, Wuhan, in mid-July to participate in a four-day final recording. Considering the special situation Wuhan has encountered this year, this recording is still very meaningful."

"Then let's arrange it!" Shen Juan readily agreed.

Even disregarding everything else, just for Xiao Xiao's sake, he would make the trip to Wuhan worthwhile! Not to mention the positive energy he brings.

"Another reason is that our business contract with ANA expires this October. They want to continue working with us, but at the same time, many other airlines have also sent cooperation invitations. We carefully screened and considered them and felt that Emirates Airlines offered better terms."

"So you want me to switch sides and join Emirates?"

"Simply put, ANA's routes are mainly concentrated in Asia, while Emirates is more global. This will enhance your international reputation to some extent. Moreover, you are also Abu Dhabi's global tourism ambassador, which can help you strengthen your ties with West Asia."

How much do they charge per year?

"Seven million euros, plus frequent global advertising campaigns and the addition of your exclusive elements on select routes."

What else can I say?

Shen Juan shrugged and began to pay tribute to a certain executive vice president of Goat in his transfer remarks: "You know, sometimes making decisions is difficult, but I can't wait to bring my talents to the West Coast. As for ANA? I've left my 'Flying Ship' behind. I wish him all the best in the future."

It's almost double the ANA endorsement fee they quoted, so unless there's a special reason, it shouldn't be difficult to make the choice.

Ultimately, it's just basketball.

In this world, nothing is off-limits for trade.

"Then Madame Tussauds will create 14 new wax figures for you that will travel across four continents this summer and be exhibited simultaneously in Madame Tussauds stores in 14 cities. Although the exhibition times will vary in different countries and cities due to anti-drug regulations, they will all be available to the public."

Which thirteen cities?

Yangyang Jin listed them off one by one as if they were her own treasures: "Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong in China, Tokyo, Singapore, London in England, Paris in France, Berlin in Germany, Orlando, Hollywood and New York in the United States, Sydney in Australia, Budapest in Hungary, and Amsterdam in the Netherlands."

"And among all the merchandise for the Leviathan tour, the Friendship Bracelet became the best-selling item, didn't it? Also, the lyrics of the new song you released a few days ago, written for your fans, mentioned the Friendship Bracelet. So they're reinforcing this label and using the Friendship Bracelet for global teasers."

Five in Asia, five in Europe, three in North America, and one in Australia. Except for South America, which is too poor, they cover almost the entire globe.

At a time when Shen Juan is facing a nationwide wave of criticism, this can be considered a significant and somewhat effective show of support.

"Finally, it was a work invitation from Riot Games, or rather, the Shanghai municipal government. This year's League of Legends World Championship will be entirely hosted by Shanghai, so they plan to ask you, the global ambassador for League of Legends and the son of Shanghai, to create a theme song for the championship to boost the event."

Are there any requirements regarding the content of the creation?

"If you're willing to take this job, they'll be overjoyed for the New Year. How could they dare to make any demands on you?"

"Does that mean I can write whatever I want?"

Yangyang Jin nodded. "Yes, the company says they will create a music video based on the lyrics you wrote."

"They said if you're willing to join, they'll make you the central protagonist of this theme song's music video."

Shen Juan understood.

Isn't this just like the theme song MV for S14?

Those who don't know might think that so many professional League of Legends players are just performing martial arts and big shows for Linkin Park.

It completely overshadowed the main topic.

But it must be said, this is the kind of prestige he deserves.

After all, no matter where Shi Yi goes, he's always the protagonist!
"What about time?"

"It will be completed by August at the latest."

"Then let's proceed."

Although Shen Juan taking on this kind of theme song work is considered a demotion, he didn't refuse.

Because it was a special period, to some extent, this was a propaganda mission assigned to him by the Shanghai municipal government.

So there are still many benefits ahead.

The reason he's been so successful in Shanghai all these years is because all those powerful figures in official positions are very satisfied with him, isn't it?
He also thought of something really funny.

That is.
According to the original timeline, South Korean team DK will defeat SN to win the championship this year. In addition, Shen Juan opened the finals for SKT and SSG in 17. In the two finals of S8 and S9 that Shen Juan did not attend, LPL won both times. So, will League of Legends fans call him the jinx of LPL?

Shen Juan thought it was indeed possible.

After all, he just sang the theme song this year, and with S11 being held in Iceland next year, Riot Games definitely won't ask him to sing it.

If next year, just like in the original timeline, the Chinese team EDG defeats DK and wins the championship, who can he complain to?

This bizarre move has probably cemented his image as an international friend who gifted the LCK a championship!

(Friendship Bracelet City Official Announcement)
(End of this chapter)