The battle for traffic in Chinese entertainment

Chapter 490 Have fun

When Xu Xing returned, Ms. Pei was still asleep.

I must have woken up briefly, taken a shower, and then gone back to sleep.

She was nestled in the blankets, sleeping peacefully. Her long hair was especially soft and fluffy, and her face looked much gentler with a smile on it. She was sleeping very soundly and must be having sweet dreams.

Xu Xing had originally planned to have her perform a 20-minute rap when she got back, but now she had no choice but to go do her own thing first.

Writing scripts, replying to WeChat messages, reading work reports, surfing the internet, taking a shower... When Xu Xing finished everything and returned to the bedside, Ms. Pei was still fast asleep.

Then let's go to sleep!
Let's talk again when I wake up tomorrow.

Xu Xing doesn't need to exercise before bed to fall asleep.

The night was still and pitch black, so dark that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.

The faint voice sounded like a sob.

Xu Xing suddenly woke up.

The bedside lamp came on.

Ms. Pei, who was dancing wildly, screamed, trembled, and collapsed.

Xu Xing was truly speechless.

How much do you like it?

"No, I... I can't sleep..."

Ms. Pei sobbed softly.

She had previously felt that she had acted somewhat inexplicably, and she had underestimated the level of embarrassment Xu Xing would feel upon waking up. It was already difficult to control the rampant thoughts that were spreading in the middle of the night...

"What do you look like right now?" Xu Xing's tone was still cold. "Aloof and cold? Keep out of the way?"

"No, I'm not, I am..."

Bae Joo-hyun was extremely ashamed.

Her body was completely exhausted from the tension she had just released, and when she cried, it sounded like a mosquito humming.

"What is it?"

"Yes, yes, yes... Oppa's puppy~"

"what?"

Xu Xingzhen was truly impressed!

We did interact like that before, but now I'm asking serious questions.

"I'm asking you why you did this?"

"I can't sleep..."

"Can't wait until tomorrow?"

"I...I...I...I was wrong~"

"What's wrong?"

"...They're all wrong~"

"What kind of behavior is this?"

"I--"

"This isn't just stealing food, it's stealing a mirror in the middle of the night!"

"...No! I didn't! You saw me take the pill yesterday! I'll take it again! I'm going to make a comeback soon, I never thought about getting pregnant, I..."

Ms. Pei, who had been burying her face in Xu Xing's arms, quickly raised her head, her eyes filled with fear, and after squeezing out tears for a long time, they finally flowed out.

He looked so tearful and whimpering, it was really...

But Xu Xing still had to criticize.

Her behavior has crossed the line!

Xu Xing lifted Ms. Pei off his body and strode out of the bedroom toward the living room.

First, throw her onto the sofa, then go back and get the rope, and tie her up on the sofa.

After thinking for a moment, Xu Xing went back and got a blanket to cover her.

"You'll sleep here tonight. I have filming tomorrow, and I can't let it affect my performance."

"Mmm," Bae Joo-hyun nodded repeatedly, her eyes brimming with tears, "I... I thought you were going to throw me out the door..."

"If it happens again, I'll throw it out."

"No way!"

"Mmm," Xu Xing squatted down, smoothed her slightly messy long hair with one hand, then cupped her face in her palm and rubbed it gently, "Sleep well."

"Mmmmmmm!"

Bae Joo-hyun nodded repeatedly and even managed a forced smile.

After Xu Xing got up and left, and turned off the lights, darkness enveloped the living room, and the sound of sobbing slowly began.

Bae Joo-hyun felt like she had gone insane from the shock; she had initially thought Heo Haeng would be happy after being woken up…

Xu Xing was becoming more and more gentle, but now she has become so cold and ruthless.

She's finished, her company is launching a new girl group, Red Velvet is doomed, and now she's made Xu Xing resentful...

...His villa is so big, so dark, so empty, so quiet...wait, what's that sound? Ahhh...

"what!!!!"

Bae Joo-hyun screamed in terror and immediately tried to call out Heo Haeng's name for help.

"it's me."

Xu Xing's voice rang out so quickly, so... close, like that of a savior.

Then Bae Joo-hyun realized that it was Heo Haeng who had lifted her by the ropes like a crab.

"After thinking about it, since you're already tied up and can't cause any trouble, let's just take you back to sleep."

Xu Xing sighed helplessly.

Bae Joo-hyun, who was being lifted into the air, felt an unusual sweetness.

Xu Xing still couldn't bear to leave her in the living room. Xu Xing is really, really gentle...

Therefore, even though she was very uncomfortable being restrained and was carried back, Bae Joo-hyun fell asleep again quickly after lying next to Heo Haeng.

Wake up the next day.

The opposite of gentle.

Xu Xing finally released Bae Joo-hyun after she had completely vented her anger.

After being carried by Xu Xing to wash up and then carried to the dining table, the delicate Bae Joo-hyun felt that everything was perfect.

This is everything she wanted from Xu Xing.

Last night's little incident was still meaningful because it made me realize that Xu Xing really cares about her.

Bae Joo-hyun couldn't help but smile like a fangirl, but she became a little stiff when Xu Xing talked about the new girl group.

“I know, I saw the news yesterday too. This day was bound to come sooner or later. Red Velvet has been around for so long, and all the trainees are waiting to debut.”

Bae Joo-hyun does know her place.

Red Velvet is the girl group with the longest interval between debuts in SM Entertainment's history; they debuted in 14, while Aespa didn't debut until 20.

In all this time, SM Entertainment has failed to produce a girl group that has reached the top.

"However, the company is in too much of a hurry. I heard they were supposed to debut next year, but they're debuting so early now. It's just to suppress us. Oh, Daddy, can you find a way to let them debut later? Debuting at this time is really disrespectful to our seniors."

Bae Joo-hyun looked over with a coquettish expression and an expectant look.

This made Xu Xing laugh.

I had just praised her for being sensible, and she started having wild fantasies.

However, this version of Ms. Pei is more interesting than her previous crying and her infatuated laughter just now.

“SM isn’t my company, so I can’t control your company’s decisions. The impact of your scandal won’t be easy to get over. You don’t need to think about further career development now. After you come back, continue to be a beautiful idol, and at the same time think about how to develop your solo career. Work hard to improve your skills and prepare for your solo career.”

Xu Xing smiled.

Aside from her pretty face, Ms. Pei's professional skills are really so-so. Her vocals are average, her dancing is like an Irene ball, and she can't act at all.

Leaving the stage and the group exposes all their flaws.

However, releasing and promoting songs won't cost a lot of money. As long as Ms. Pei's face can still hold up, Xu Xing will still be willing to spend money to support a Korean vase in the future.

Every time she makes a comeback, she puts on a beautiful look, dances on stage, and the passersby sigh that she's not popular but she's beautiful. The fans feel a pang of regret that the era once stood still, and then they take a look back. It's a positive trend.

Right now, only Bae Joo-hyun and Kim Ji-soo are focused on the stage. As BP develops, Kim Ji-soo will think more and more, while Bae Joo-hyun will accept her fate much sooner.

Her hasty trip to China to find Xu Xing was practically a sign that she had already made her choice.

Ms. Pei seems to have temporarily moved on from her heartbreak, and Xu Xing has stopped being affectionate with her.

After quickly finishing breakfast, before leaving, Xu Xing gave her the task of practicing rap for 20 minutes and waiting for his inspection. Then, with a resentful look on her face, he left.

These are just minor adjustments; Xu Xing's own work is the most important thing.

After the B-list rule was introduced, Xu Xing no longer needed to pay attention to the subsequent orders for "blinding lights".

It's up to them when to relinquish first place and when to remove them from the rankings.

As they approached the film set, Xu Xing received a call from John.

During the phone call, John lamented the impact of the rule change on the industry and revealed that although they had previously agreed to sign a contract with Bigit, they might reconsider because Bigit's financial situation seemed to be worse than expected.

Finally, he asked about Xu Xing's progress in her English major.

Xu Xing told him that the song was basically finished, and all that was left was to produce it, but because his filming schedule was very tight, he still couldn't determine the release date.

John was very happy and said several times that he couldn't wait to hear it before hanging up the phone.

At noon, Xu Xing spoke with Li Xiuman.

As soon as the video call connected, Lee Soo-man laughed heartily with a beaming smile.

"What a handsome young man! I'm so envious!"

Xu Xing was still wearing Xu Fengnian's makeup and costume, with a red mark between his eyebrows. He filmed two scenes in the morning, and the crew praised Xu Xing for being in exceptionally good condition today, saying he was incredibly handsome.

Lee Soo-man flattered her several more times before asking how Bae Joo-hyun was doing with Heo Haeng. After hearing that Heo Haeng was in a good mood, he sighed and said that he would entrust Irene to Heo Haeng from now on.

He then went on to remark on how outstanding Bae Joo-hyun had been since her trainee days, how many achievements she had made along the way, and how difficult it had been for her to get to where she is today.

Then the conversation turned to Bigit.

Lee Soo-man said he had definite information that Bighit's IPO plan had fallen through, but there was a high probability that CJ Entertainment would acquire Bighit, and he told Heo Haeng not to let her guard down.

"The wolf will still bare its ferocious teeth again, son-in-law Xu."

Xu Xing really wanted to complain about his way of chatting, but there was no need to take it too seriously.

It's not just about the way you address someone, but also about this "bizarre" topic.

Actually, Xu Xing hadn't discussed Bighit with him before, but now he was acting like an ally celebrating a victory.

If Bighit collapses, the traditional "Big Three" (SM Entertainment, SM Entertainment, and Big SM) will indeed be the happiest. Bighit's momentum is too strong, and its approach is too aggressive. When it was preparing for its IPO, it even planned that its combined market value after the IPO would exceed that of the "Big Three".

Although the stock prices of YG and JYP both fell when the South Korean stock market opened today, their capital markets have a pessimistic outlook on the prospects of K-pop's expansion into the US.

SM's stock price rose slightly because their enthusiasm for expanding into the US market was not high, and they also announced the launch of a new girl group within the year.

The established reputation of older entertainment companies still gives investors a reason to believe.

The South Korean entertainment industry is only so big. Because of national strategy, companies can talk about K-pop co-prosperity, but the downfall of a strong competitor is what benefits the company the most.

Although he hasn't collapsed yet, it has made Lee Soo-man exceptionally ambitious.

"I still remember what my son-in-law said when he first came to the company!"

"Uh……"

Xu Xing tried hard to recall what she said when she first stepped into SM Entertainment as a trainee.

Lee Soo-man simply revealed the answer.

"I hear 'Let the next group revitalize girl groups! Let SM be strong again!' every day! We at SM will not lose to anyone!"

"Yes."

Xu Xing nodded in agreement.

Even after the call ended, Xu Xing didn't hear Lee Soo-man ask her what she wanted. It seemed like he was just tipping her off about CJ's potential acquisition of Bighit.

Bighit and CJ are currently working closely together, and if they really run into serious financial problems, selling to CJ is a possible option.

In 18, CJ wanted to acquire Paradox Interactive, but Bighit pulled it in to form Belift. This year, Paradox Interactive was acquired by Bighit Lending, which is aiming for an IPO.

However, Bang Si-hyuk has worked so hard for so long, he certainly won't sell Bighit easily.

In their previous lives, CJ and Hybe (formerly known as Bighit) eventually parted ways.

Therefore, Xu Xing believes that unless Bigit's financial situation collapses immediately, Fang Shihe will not sell it.

If Bighit can weather this year and stabilize BTS's core business, and if the situation improves next year, it still has a chance to successfully go public before BTS enlists in the military.

However, a piece of news that Sun Man told Xu Xing made Xu Xing feel uncertain again.

The owner of the online marketing company mentioned in the BTS audio hoarding judgment has suddenly lost contact and is no longer answering calls.

They haven't given him the money yet.

"I feel that he took the opportunity to contact Bighit again to demand hush money, and this time Bighit had no choice but to agree. Now, news of Bighit's failed IPO and deteriorating financial situation is flying around in South Korea, and they dare not take any more risks."

"The whistleblower who made the hoarding of music in South Korea a hot topic last year was fined last week for spreading false information in South Korea, and there is a lot of questioning on their social media. If I were the owner of Bighit, I would be thinking about how to hack the court's website right now."

Sun Man was in a particularly relaxed mood.

Actually, that boss is quite important.

Simply releasing the judgment online and stirring it up could be a fatal blow to Bighit.

But if the boss comes out to "clear things up" for Bighit, they can escape danger again.

As for Bighit's fate, Sun Man is now just watching with amusement.

Xu Xing was the same.

"What if someone else bought and used it?"

"for example?"

"Other competitors who want Bighit dead, or who want to acquire Bighit?"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

On September 29, the official website of Billboard was updated, and the first week's rankings after the rule changes were released.

"Blinding Lights" remains firmly at the top of the charts, securing its thirteenth week at number one, despite a download drop of over 80% to "only" 11.

Exile remains in second place, with downloads also plummeting by 80%.

Meanwhile, "Dynamite" slipped to 21st place, even falling out of the top 20, with downloads plummeting by more than 90%.

Even the most popular artists, Hsu Hsing and Taylor Swift, were still ridiculed by many netizens, but they also said that the music market had finally returned to its proper order, and that they loved "Blinding Lights".

Aside from the fandom, BTS seems to have disappeared again, but their appeal is limited to Europe and America.

In China, netizens ridiculed and mocked the performance of "Dynamite" in its second week.

In South Korea, the atmosphere is one of deep sorrow and bewilderment.

Last week, in response to the rule changes, all three singles were released in new versions to encourage fans to buy them, in order to avoid the data looking too bad this week.

"Blinding Lights" and "Exile" were each released in two editions, while "Dynamite" was released in five editions at once.

Ahead of the official announcement of this week's rankings, South Korean social media was filled with an optimistic atmosphere.

They believe that "Dynamite" will not only have a smaller drop in downloads than the other two songs, but may even top the download charts, showcasing the true strength of South Korean boy bands and giving Chinese people a resounding slap in the face.

Unexpectedly, the cold data slapped them in the face.

The rhetoric that BTS is being suppressed by China and the United States has begun to spread on South Korean social media.

until--

A Bighit verdict was suddenly released, in which the judge, while stating the facts of the case, provided solid evidence that BTS had stockpiled music as early as 2015.

Korean websites exploded.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"not us?"

"No, but the boss didn't come out either."

"Maybe they're waiting to see if Bighit will try to deny it later?"

"Maybe. So, it really could be CJ? That way, we can avoid a complete falling out with Bighi?"

"It's hard to say, let's wait and see. The judgment is on the court's official website. The issue of stockpiling music has been debated for so long, it's normal for other companies to notice and use it as a topic now. BTS has benefited greatly from the official support in South Korea these past two years, receiving all sorts of medals and awards, and they will obviously increase their support in the future."

“When BTS is at the height of their popularity, these things won’t have much of an impact on them. But once there’s a possibility of them falling from grace, there will be many more who want to take their place.”

Xu Xing had a conversation with Sun Man.

Currently, Korean online forums are filled with criticism of BTS, with BTS fans increasingly dominating EXO fans and fiercely questioning whether BTS's achievements have been inflated or fabricated.

Even though no one around me likes BTS, I see news reports saying they're getting more and more popular, their music chart rankings are suddenly soaring, and they're gaining overseas fans.

They even made a fool of themselves in the US, with "Dynamite" only getting 6 downloads in its second week, proving that BTS has virtually no overseas fans.

BTS members, however, were still talking about the harm that hoarding music tracks does to the industry at an awards ceremony?

Wasn't it BTS who ruined K-pop?
These comments were all copied and pasted by Chinese marketing accounts.

They really enjoyed the BTS data usage during this period.

An account that reposts and translates comments from Korean websites gained over 100 million followers in just one month.

Chinese netizens almost died laughing when they saw this, and they all mocked it, saying that this was a world-class boy group that South Korea had created through massive marketing, and its quality was as low as South Korea's sportsmanship.

Various people are cursing BTS, saying they're despicable and deserve divine retribution, wishing Big Hit would go bankrupt soon, and that BTS would disband quickly and all members would become male prostitutes.

The opinions expressed domestically were also taken back to South Korea.

They angrily denounced BTS and Bighit for bringing shame to South Korea and jointly petitioned to ban BTS.

Then these videos are reposted by marketing accounts and used to entertain Chinese netizens.

Spending a day scrolling through the trending topics section can bring you a day of happiness.

However, Xu Xing is not lacking in happiness.

"I heard you're hiding a pretty Korean girl at home. Where is she? Where is she? Let me see her!"

Ms. Yang, dressed in a cool black lace outfit, swayed left and right, peeking around and looking about.

Teacher Yang came specifically to thank Xu Xing.

Last week, the premiere of "The Silent Truth" was a huge hit, causing many netizens who said that if Teacher Yang was in the cast, it must be a bad show and they would never watch it to change their minds and say it was actually great.

Some also believe that Teacher Yang is still the rotten apple in this delicious dish, and that it would be better to replace her with another actress.

However, many netizens believe that Ms. Yang's willingness to play supporting roles and to hone her skills in this type of drama, with a result that doesn't feel too out of place, is commendable and deserves encouragement. It's much better than her previous melodramatic idol dramas.

The popularity of actresses born in 85, including Teacher Yang, is undeniable.

Teacher Yang's fans also stood up straight with pride.

Actually, the wasps caused quite a stir when the news about this show first came out.

Although this drama is also adapted from a novel by Zijin Chen, they felt that the most impressive aspect of "The Hidden Corner" was its director, Xin Shuang. If it were a new drama by Xin Shuang, Mi Jie might be able to play a supporting role, but for a drama like "The Silent Truth," Mi Jie absolutely deserves to play the lead role!
It smells so good right now! It smells so good ...

It has a Douban rating of 9.1!

It has a higher rating than the combined ratings of Sister Mi's previous three dramas!

I ignored the short comments that were mostly negative and focused on Sister Mi.

What Sister Mi needs right now is exactly this kind of well-received work!
However, the fans didn't go all out to praise it online, instead turning "The Silent Truth" into a drama with a strong female lead.

Over the years, netizens have mocked Teacher Yang severely, and they know that there are many reasons for their mockery. Teacher Yang has finally settled down and transformed himself, which is what they wanted to see.

—I only want to see a successful transformation; it's better to stay in the comfort zone of ancient costume dramas where the fandom is visible than to be ridiculed by the entire internet.

The wasps all felt that Teacher Yang was finally going to live a second life!
Teacher Yang's male fans also expressed their feelings, saying that it seems the teacher is transitioning towards becoming a person of both high moral character and artistic talent.

Teacher Yang herself was also in excellent spirits.

She had promised Xu Xing to give without limits and chose to trust him absolutely, but deep down she couldn't help but have doubts.

But her repeated hesitations proved to be a series of doubts about Xu Xing. Finally, she gritted her teeth and made up her mind!
Go play a small supporting role!
With the mindset of someone just starting out!
Xu Xing certainly did not let her down!
Wearing red-soled high heels, Ms. Yang moved with such lightness that it seemed as if she were flying.

They searched all the rooms but couldn't find the Korean girl.

When she turned around, she didn't see Xu Xing following her.

Ms. Yang had no choice but to jog downstairs and kneel down in front of Xu Xing, who was sitting on the sofa replying to WeChat messages, gently assisting her.

Teacher Yang used to really enjoy causing trouble at times like this.

But now she feels that Xu Xing is exuding more and more mature masculine qualities, which she can only admire.

She was as gentle as possible.

Xu Xing casually touched her forehead, gently stroked her long hair, and occasionally touched her cheek, while her other hand focused on replying to messages.

It's such a heartwarming scene!
Xu Xing was also very satisfied with Teacher Yang.

After watching the scenes featuring Teacher Yang in "The Silent Truth," I noticed that some parts were awkward, but most of the time her acting was quite good.

There has been a great improvement compared to before.

Therefore, although Xu Xing felt that both Teacher Yang and Ms. Pei had a mean temperament, they could create wonderful sparks together, so she decided to reward Teacher Yang separately tonight.

They were supposed to start right away, but as soon as Xu Xing entered the room, she received a message on her phone from Ms. Liu Yifei.

Why haven't you contacted me in so long...?

This statement is flawed, because Xu Xing never took the initiative to contact her.

Xu Xing was still thinking about the failure of "Mulan" and whether Ms. Liu had recovered yet, when Teacher Yang snuggled up to her.

(End of this chapter)