Huayu: Traffic is king

Chapter 225 Fashion and Film Dual Ascension

It is well known that top luxury brands love to categorize their clients.

VIP is just the entry level; the higher VIC level requires annual spending of at least 100 million.

It sounds like a lot, but it's really just about rich women buying a single piece of jewelry.

If it's LV, and a wealthy woman spends over 100 million at an event attended by their brand ambassador, the brand will offer her a perk, such as arranging a dinner with her.

But for Van Cleef & Arpels, spending over 100 million RMB is the threshold for meeting their brand ambassador at a particular event.

And it's not like you can just make a purchase, attend a brief appearance, and then leave; meeting the spokesperson is just a way to get a "sweetener."

The real main course is yet to come in the auction.

All the jewelry auctioned is high-end jewelry, with the cheapest item costing 5000 million.

Not going to film? Fine, then you'll just be removed from the list of private banquets where you can meet the spokesperson next time.

With sales exceeding 100 million, Van Cleef & Arpels has plenty of customers.

After all, it is at the top of the jewelry hierarchy, alongside De Beers, Chaumet, Harry Winston, and Cartier.

Even the most prestigious luxury brand, LV, cannot compare to these five top-tier jewelry pieces.

Even the eight major luxury brands, such as Bulgari, Tiffany & Co., Chopard, Boucheron, Piaget, Graff, Mikimoto, and Buccellati, cannot compare.

LV ranks second to last in the jewelry industry, only slightly better than Pandora, Swarovski, and Gucci.

The most direct manifestation of this is through recycling; brands like Van Cleef & Arpels, Chaumet, and Cartier are known for retaining their value well.

LV's prices plummeted below rock bottom, and people bought them without saying a word.

Chris is a global ambassador for LV and Bulgari, while Gu Jingyi is a global ambassador for Dior and Van Cleef & Arpels.

The upgrade of the Dior endorsement deal was already finalized, and Gu Jingyi had even filmed the promotional materials.

We're just waiting for September when Dior's official website will be simultaneously verified on its external website.

Two years into their careers, looking back, they still don't have a single truly outstanding performer.

With top-tier fashion resources and film and television roles, Gu Jingyi has already achieved great success; the only thing she's missing is an award.

After the event, both #GoGoSquidFinalNight# and #VanCeBeautyVICBanquet# trended on social media.

Gu Jingyi posted a long message on his main Weibo account, bidding farewell to the role.

@顾璟奕| 2019-09-15 23:59
#Go Go Squid! Finale#
On the day I left the film set, Shanghai experienced its first rain of the winter.

The last mark Han Shangyan left was a black trench coat hanging in the lounge, with "GUN" written in marker on the inside of the collar—it was a mark made by the props team on the third day of filming to distinguish thirty identical trench coats.

I never managed to wash it off.

This character is like a handful of snow.

When I first read the script, I tried to find a spark of warmth in his taciturn lips and furrowed brows, but I only touched the slowly flowing river beneath the ice. The director said, "Hold it back, hold it back even more. Han Shangyan's warmth is in the pauses in his Adam's apple bobbing, in the white knuckles of his clenched ID card." So I learned to use the weight of silence to replace lines, and to convey love through the curve of his back.

I remember filming the scene where we bought candy at the convenience store.

As Zi Jie, who plays Tong Nian, hummed a song off-camera, I stood in front of the shelf and suddenly remembered when Han Shangyan was ten years old. Did he also clutch a coin, wanting to buy a piece of candy, but in the end, he stuffed the money into the internet cafe's timer?

At that moment, the glint of the aluminum foil wrapper on the lychee hard candy stung me—this man had pawned the first half of his life to esports, and the medals he received in return were stomach medicine and insomnia. And for him, love was a confirmation button harder to press than a world championship.

The most difficult scene was the marriage proposal in the finale.

The script only has one line, "Did you bring your household registration book?", but it is a tsunami formed from ten years of solitary courage in Han Shangyan's heart.

Before filming began, I picked up the clothes that the costume department had chosen for me from the clothes rack. Coincidentally, it was the black trench coat with the "GUN" logo.

Inside his collar, GUN's marker handwriting was blurred by the dampness, like his unhealed teenage worries.

Han Shangyan's character is too complex. At the peak of his career, he was forced to retire by the SP club's management on the grounds of "being too old and declining in performance." They also fabricated scandals about him "fixing matches and accepting bribes" in an attempt to completely destroy his career.

If you don't have a thorough understanding of the character, you'll only be able to portray a cold and aloof war god if you only stay on the surface.

Fortunately, I grasped the essence of the character.

He was never a "cold-blooded war god," but a tragic martyr.

That was the most enjoyable scene I ever filmed.

Accompanied by the entire KK team, Han Shangyan made a surprise appearance at the SP press conference. He pushed open the door against the light, snatched the microphone from in front of the reporters' cameras, and tore open the dark secrets of the e-sports circle with a "self-destructive revenge."

When the spotlight shone on his face, a metallic taste rose in his throat—the ashes of Han Shangyan's ten years of youth burned away.

When the director yelled "Action," I heard my bones whistling:
"For the past two years and three months, I've been questioned, embroiled in scandals, criticized, and accused of shady dealings..."

I spoke calmly, even as I was revealing my wounds in front of numerous media outlets. My voice was low, as if I were talking about something unrelated to myself.

It wasn't until he mentioned being "covered up" that his voice suddenly rose to a sharp point, like a blade.

"Never offered an explanation, and there is no need to."

Tonight, the grand banquet has come to an end—success and fame achieved, but all that remains is absurdity!

The moment the lines fell to the ground, the force of tearing off the team emblem cracked the jaws of the tiger. Amid the sharp clang of metal hitting the floor, the phrase "Success and fame achieved, yet utterly absurd" was ground out from between the teeth, the vocal cords feeling as if they were being ground to blood by sandpaper.

Before he could finish speaking, he ripped off the SP team badge from his chest and slammed it to the ground! The sound of the metal badge hitting the ground shattered the silence, and he then threw the microphone at the SP executives' seats, triggering a frenzy of flashing cameras.

He resolutely left under the protection of the KK team, the hem of his black trench coat drawing a sharp, razor-like arc.

This man has always been proud; he must clear his name before he can announce his love under the spotlight.

My hands were still trembling slightly after the shoot.

Sister Zi handed over some warm water, asking, "Are you cold?"

I didn't answer, but I clearly realized that my understanding of Han Shangyan had always been correct.

The subsequent filming went even more smoothly, and for a moment I even felt like I wasn't Gu Jingyi but Han Shangyan.

When filming the final proposal scene, as my fingertips pressed against the plastic card, I could clearly feel the tremor in his soul: it was the desolation of a gambler betting his last chip, and the clumsiness of a young man offering his innocent heart.

"Han Shangyan's world is a locked arsenal, but Tong Nian is like a child knocking on the doorbell."

So when the checkout machine beeped, I let the words "Welcome to my world" break through the ice.

This isn't sweet talk; it's a white flag of surrender.

The series has finished filming, but the rain in my heart has not stopped.

Dark water stains appeared on the trench coat on the hanger, and the ink of the letter GUN blurred into a hazy gunshot.

I am grateful to have received such an excellent script and to have spent more than three months with the production team.

And thank you, Han Shangyan, for allowing me to dismantle your armor. Those details that viewers call "sweet moments"—the calluses from stroking the keyboard, the bloodshot eyes during late-night replays.

Even your habit of buttoning your trench coat with your left hand is a trace left by life.

As an actor, I merely gather the fragments of your soul into a mirror, and the reflection in the mirror is called "How a Lonely Person Learns to Be Loved."

Goodbye, Han Shangyan.

Gu Jingyi

2019 January 9

As soon as the farewell post was published, the hashtags #GuJingyiFarewellToHisCharacter#, #GuJingyiPostsLongPost#, and #GoGoSquidFinalNight# quickly rose to the top five trending topics.

Gu Jingyi's heartfelt farewell blog post directly attracted comments from some casual observers.

"Before seeing Gu Jingyi's post on Weibo, I had only seen the trailer. The male lead is indeed very handsome, but I couldn't watch it for a while because the female lead's face was too stiff. Although I do like Gu Jingyi, I can only support his next drama. But after reading his post, I have the urge to pick up the drama again. The acting skills he showed in this post alone are worth watching. PS, on a side note. Gu Jingyi, you and Yang Zi have already worked together twice. There's no need to keep collaborating, right? Look at other actresses in the industry. Dilraba Dilmurat and Tian Xiwei are both prettier than her. Just seeing you two would attract a bunch of fans who are obsessed with good looks..."

"Book fans are grateful that Gu Jingyi played Han Shangyan. But the book fans were devastated when they heard that the film and television rights had been bought. They were especially afraid that the character would be drastically altered into a domineering CEO who only knows how to show off. Fortunately, it was Gu Jingyi. The core of girls' fantasies never changes. It's still the same flavor, very authentic! He's exactly the Han Shangyan I imagined. I'll be able to play Han Shangyan again when I rewatch the book."

"Novel fans have been waiting for the TV series to air since the leaked materials. Yang Zi's portrayal of Prince Squid is so cute and adorable! Gun God's character has become much more fleshed out. He's not just a cold and aloof male god! Gu Jingyi, thank you for giving the character depth."

"Gu Jingyi is the chosen one, Han Shangyan, the epitome of a Mary Sue! Xu Feng and Han Shangyan, how can anyone be so authoritative and authoritative in the husband category!"

"Han the Conman is so handsome! Gu Jingyi is the ultimate idol in the Chinese entertainment industry!"

"Gu Jingyi has so much energy! His schedule is so packed, it's like it's overflowing. Anyone who tries to spread rumors about my handsome guy dating anyone, just try it! He can even act so charmingly with Yang Zi. Gu Jingyi's eyes, he looks at a rag with such affection."

After Gu Jingyi posted on Weibo, fans started leaving a flurry of comments.

The assistant, Little Fatty, glanced at his artist, who was "so affectionate even when looking at a rag," and realized he was currently chatting with his girlfriend at the same time...

"Jingbao, Jingbao, can a slicked-back hairstyle be semi-permanent? (Cat peeking out)"

Gu Jingyi chuckled and shifted his posture slightly to reply in an even more languid manner: "No way, you know 'Better Days' is about to be released. It would look too strange for me to go on a promotional tour with a slicked-back hairstyle."

"What should we do then? (The cat stomps its foot)"

"My new favorite has changed from Xu Feng to Han Shangyan. Can't you give me, Di, this face?"

Gu Jingyi couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Then come see me yourself. I'll have Xiao Pang coordinate with your assistant to see if there's any overlap in our schedules, and I'll grant you this little wish."

Dilraba is currently filming "Go Fighting! Season 5," and the "Water Queen" controversy hasn't had much of an impact on her career.

Even business and variety show invitations have increased compared to before.

This means it damaged the public's perception of her, whereas before, "Feng Jiu" and "Gao Wen" were praised by everyone.

Dilraba was the slowest to reply to messages among the other girlfriends, as she didn't have her phone with her while recording the variety show. Looking back at Gu Jingyi's messages, they were often delayed; the other girlfriends had already exchanged messages with him on the final night. Dilraba was the slowest to respond, only showing up after Gu Jingyi had attended the Van Cleef & Arpels VIC banquet and posted a blog entry.

After finishing his conversation, Gu Jingyi returned to his large villa, took a shower, and went to sleep.

I'm so happy! "Go Go Squid!" has come to an end.

Gu Jingyi's achievements have increased again, with "Go Go Squid!" following closely on the heels of "Ashes of Love". It ranked in the top five in CCTV and satellite TV ratings, and topped the annual viewership charts, successfully becoming the number one drama series for those born in the 1990s.

The farce of Zhejiang TV and Tomato TV's official Weibo accounts vying for ratings, even changing their profile pictures to Han Shangyan's image, has come to an end. Both sides benefited from the show's airing, with sponsorships and ratings KPIs soaring.

However, Gu Jingyi was the one who maximized the profits, as "Ashes of Love" and "Go Go Squid!" were the last two blockbuster hits in the era of internet traffic.

The annual champions mentioned later are all platform annual champions.

When the binge-watching craze swept the entire internet, even middle-aged and elderly women tuned in during prime time. If it were truly just a matter of fan support, how could the average viewership rating across two channels have surpassed 1.6?

It's because of its wide audience that the viewership ratings are so good!
TV dramas are always easier to increase national popularity than web dramas because they can reach all age groups.

"Go Go Squid!" stood out from numerous workplace romance dramas featuring middle-aged and elderly people, so how could its popularity be low?
After "A Love So Beautiful," we now welcome Gu Jingyi, a top-tier TV drama actor with 100% primetime ratings above 1%, 100% of his dramas airing on satellite TV, 100% of his dramas airing on top-tier satellite channels, 100% of his dramas being exported overseas, and the third-highest-rated weekly drama on radio stations in history, as well as the number one drama on his streaming platform in 19 years. He is a well-rounded and flawless actor!

Every generation has its own superstars, and Gu Jingyi is a triple-threat superstar in film, television, and music, whom many young people say was born in the wrong era.

Gu Jingyi's Baidu Index ranking is far ahead of the others, making history.

Following "Go Go Squid!", Gu Jingyi endorsed a total of 37 products in 2019.

All of them are top-tier luxury brands or well-known national brands, and Huace pays great attention to Gu Jingyi's high-end image.

Unlike Yuehua, who frantically accepted short-term endorsements to exploit Wang Yibo, she won't accept just any brand.

Even so, Gu Jingyi once again broke the record for commercial value in the Chinese entertainment industry.

In the Chinese entertainment industry in 2019, Xiao Zhan, one of the "Three Explosive Stars," ranked second in commercial value with 15 endorsements.

37 vs 15

Dior, a top-tier luxury brand with all the highest-level titles (including the "Eight Luxury Brands" plus one with the highest Asian title), versus Gucci, which is still under consideration.
Great! It's "Nine-Headed Luxury"! The Consorts are saved!

Gu Jingyi has been extremely busy lately, filming various endorsement materials, advertisements, and appearing as a guest on live streams.

His endorsement contract also skyrocketed to 1900 million yuan a year, achieving his small goal after the broadcast of "Go Go Squid!".

However, most brands would pay a premium to secure Gu Jingyi's services as soon as possible.

For example, Bank of Communications offered 2280 million yuan a year to Joyoung, Gree, and McDonald's credit cards, directly bidding at a premium!
So Gu Jingyi actually has 41 endorsements, but they haven't been revealed yet.

Gu Jingyi already has 10 small goals in after-tax income from advertising alone.

The impact of "Go Go Squid!" continues, and the phrase "Ao Bai Ao Bai Ao Bai Bai" is still a popular meme on Douyin (TikTok).

Of course, TikTok must have also been quietly promoting it. After all, she's their global ambassador, a major contributor to TikTok's success, and a "minor shareholder."

During the show's airing, Gu Jingyi trended on Weibo 17 times a week.

This figure is two to three times higher on Douyin.

His cover of "To the Future," his discussion of Han Shangyan, and his offline activities have all been hot topics of discussion among audiences.

Huace doesn't need purification because TV dramas attract mostly female viewers.

Male fans are just casual observers; they might follow you at most, but they don't buy endorsements or contribute to your online presence.

Moreover, both Xu Feng and Han Shangyan are very popular and charismatic characters, and the spotlight is almost always on the male lead.

Gu Jingyi and Yang Zi also had a pleasant working relationship, and neither of them got involved in tearing each other apart to make the CP (couple pairing) look too ugly.

If Gu Jingyi was an absolute top star before "Go Go Squid!" aired, then after the two consecutive hits, Gu Jingyi has infinitely raised the ceiling of that absolute top star status.

In the eyes of industry insiders and audiences, Gu Jingyi is a top-tier male actor, even more so than a top-tier celebrity.

Gu Jingyi is a "chameleon actor"; every role he plays is a different character than himself.

Now, Gu Jingyi's film and television resources on Huace's desk have filled Lin Ze's entire office. Let's put it this way: all S-level projects and big-budget scripts are sent to Huace for review first.

If Gu Jingyi doesn't want it, then this resource will either end up with other ordinary top celebrities or be offered to them.

Similarly, the same applies to fashion resources and advertising endorsements.

Gu Jingyi is much more expensive than other top celebrities, but he really can bring more money to brands!

Nowadays, the endorsement contracts of ordinary top-tier celebrities are worth tens of millions of yuan a year, which is much better than back when there were shows like "Swords of Legends" and "Love O2O". Back then, the endorsement contracts of top-tier male celebrities were only a few million yuan a year. If brands wanted to save costs, they could have hired such "empty shell top-tier celebrities" in 2019.

The era has passed, but without a follow-up hit drama to support it, an actor's endorsement fees cannot increase, because even when the drama is airing, they only earn a few million a year.

How could a brand possibly raise actor fees now that the trend has faded?

There are many top celebrities who are cheaper than Gu Jingyi, but brands with the budget and resources will only consider Gu Jingyi.

However, every time Gu Jingyi officially announces an endorsement, in addition to the products selling out instantly, the stock price also rises steadily, and consumers' psychological recognition subtly enhances the brand's prestige.

Why? Well, we have to mention the exposure of Gu Jingyi's streetwear brands "Good Gu" and "TikTok" shareholders. This led to his personal wealth climbing the rich list and establishing him as an outstanding young entrepreneur.

Even if Gu Jingyi weren't in the entertainment industry, his income outside of it would still exceed 10 small goals.

It may not sound like much, but both "Good Gu" and "TikTok" are considered "unicorn" companies by the industry.

The situation is very promising, and there are many investors with money who want to invest but have no way to do so.

Even among the wealthiest women in the world, Gu Jingyi wasn't considered an "actor." He was someone of the same social class, someone with a recognized status.

This is why Van Cleef & Arpels, which never hires brand ambassadors, stepped in and gave Gu Jingyi an unprecedented global brand ambassadorship.

Among all Asian male celebrities, Gu Jingyi is the most admired and recognized by the wealthy.

When it comes to singers, many people think that singers don't earn as much as actors.

This is a huge misconception. Top singers can make a considerable living just by releasing albums and acquiring copyrights, even without holding concerts.

For example, there's Zhou Naicha and Lin JJ.

Gu Jingyi's earning power is comparable to a money-printing machine.

All of these factors combined have made him the new generation's "national husband," replacing Wang Gongzi.

Gu Jingyi picked and chose from many films and television series, and only "Under the Power" and "The Beginning" barely caught his eye, so he accepted them.

Whether it's a minor hit or a major hit depends on the person involved; with Gu Jingyi's support, it's bound to be a "major hit."

His ancient costume look remains a hot topic on Tianya, earning him the title of "chosen one of the ancients".

With the addition of "Qingqing Daily," the platform's top-grossing show of 2022, the Chinese entertainment industry is about to enter a five-year period dominated by Gu Jingyi.

The other young actors are pitifully suppressed by Gu Jingyi, with no chance of ever getting ahead.

After finishing up the promotional materials for these past few days, Gu Jingyi also squeezed in time for his Asian tour.

He has now arrived in Guangdong Province, attending four top-tier events over three days.

Before going on stage, Lin Ze sent Gu Jingyi a video with a sly grin.

Gu Jingyi found it strange that this guy was posting a video when he was right next to her instead of just saying it, so she clicked on it.

"ONEr has gained immense popularity during their activities in South Korea, and there were even reports of fans crowding the area during their recent event at a duty-free shop. As the leader of ONEr, what are your thoughts on your achievements during this period?"

"Yes, first of all, thank you so much for your support."

Facing the microphone held to his mouth, Bu Fan thought for a moment before replying with a sincere expression and a sunny, boyish look: "We are very honored that they can like our music. We will definitely continue to work hard and live up to the expectations of all our fans."

Tch, a standard back-opening copy of the brokerage firm's template.

Gu Jingyi watched the video and silently commented on it.

After the reporter asked a few more questions, something interesting happened.

"Before ONEr, there was another Chinese person who was active in K-pop and achieved great success. Now he has extremely high popularity throughout Asia and is now the number one in APOP. Everyone in ONEr should know him. Gu Jingyi Xi also appeared on the same talent show as you, 'Idol Producer'. As a colleague, what are your thoughts on Gu Jingyi Xi?"

Although ONEr has been active in South Korea in the past few months, they have gained some popularity and fans.

However, compared to Gu Jingyi, their number of fans is like an ant trying to shake a tree.

We're all Chinese, even without the "pure Yuan" filter. Gu Jingyi's popularity in South Korea remains high; how could anyone be uninformed in the internet age?

Putting aside Gu Jingyi's "Asian heartthrob" appearance, and his fact that 100% of his film and television works are exported overseas with impressive results.

A Ferrari is always a Ferrari.

Gu Jingyi's demonstrated strength is enough to make countless Korean girls fall for him.

Even if it were a matter of pursuing a middle-aged man, Gu Jingyi and ONEr would be incomparable.

Even if a Korean girl is a fan of celebrities, she'll only follow the hottest and most handsome ones.

This also meant that although ONEr made a splash in South Korea, they would run into Gu Jingyi no matter where they went.

Gu Jingyi loomed over them like a shadow...

The reporter asked this question in the hopes of hearing some information about Gu Jingyi from Bu Fan, since any news related to Gu Jingyi always gets high click rates.

"Um……"

Bu Fan's brows were so furrowed they looked like they'd crushed several mosquitoes, while his teammate Ling Chao was on high alert and tried to grab the microphone.

The man still spoke up, "Gu Jingyi is a role model for us both in South Korea and mainland China. His success is a source of pride for the Chinese people. His songs, stage performances, and film and television works are all excellent, and there are many aspects we can learn from him..."

As Bu Fan uttered these words, he was practically gritting his teeth.

The reporter, not satisfied with that, continued to press, "What's your relationship like with Gu Jingyi? You must have a very close relationship after spending more than four months together in the talent show."

Bu Fan paused, about to dodge.

The reporter continued to press, "At the beginning of the program, there were reports that Bu Fanxi had a bad attitude towards Gu Jingyi. Does he still have the same feelings towards Gu Jingyi now?"

"..." The teammates next to him were almost laughing their heads off, especially Mu Ziyang and Ling Chao.

Bu Fan's dark face turned red and then dark again, then red and then dark again.

"Huh? Isn't this just for the show? We were just asking casually, why is Bu Fanxi's face turning pale?"

Bu Fan forced a smile. "Yes, it's for the sake of the show."

After he finished speaking, he let out a soft sigh, as if he had unloaded a burden.

But the way the host looked at her was getting weirder and weirder; she seemed to want to smash this disgusting kimchi guy with a hammer and turn him into kimchi.

"So what are Bu Fanxi's thoughts on Gu Jingyi now?"

The reporter nodded, seemingly letting Bu Fan off the hook.

Just as Bu Fan breathed a sigh of relief, he finally revealed the map of the Yan State.

Upon hearing this, Bu Fan lowered his head and pondered for a long time, his lips and eyebrows twitching as if he were going through a difficult internal struggle.

It took him a while to look up at the camera and reveal a very respectful smile: "Gu Jingyi has always been a contestant I admire. I was very impressed when I first saw him appear during the recording of the show."

"Don't be swayed by unscrupulous marketing accounts. There are other people who dislike Gu Jingyi. I'm not being mean to Gu Jingyi, I'm being mean to Wang Ziyi."

Whether it was just my imagination or not, I felt that he touched his teeth a little too often when he spoke.

Bu Fan quickly put on a stiff smile, which looked rather incongruous with his 1.9-meter height and somewhat fierce appearance.

He "kindly" reminded them, "You may not have heard of Wang Ziyi, but you must have heard of Gu Jingyi's 'The Throne.' The release of this song is inseparable from Wang Ziyi. I don't know who it was that used to play the same old tricks of comparison and underground rap in the talent show to challenge Gu Jingyi. In a battle segment, they even emphasized Gu Jingyi's status as a contestant who withdrew from the competition."

The reporter nodded and then chatted away in Korean with her colleague.

"One last question: they were criticizing Gu Jingyi. Even if you weren't being hostile towards Gu Jingyi, why were you being hostile towards Wang Ziyi?"

Bu Fan felt he shouldn't have accepted this lousy interview today because of his vanity; he was at the bottom of ONEr's popularity rankings.

The only thing I can be proud of is my position as captain.

His face turned pale and then flushed as he was interrogated, and his features began to twitch.
"I'm a fan of Gu Jingyi..."

"Ha ha ha ha……"

Gu Jingyi couldn't help but laugh before he even finished reading, especially when he saw Bu Fan's sincere expression at the end and the words he said through gritted teeth.

It perfectly illustrates what it means to say one thing but mean another and to be alive but barely alive, completely hitting Gu Jingyi's funny bone.

He was sprawled on the sofa, laughing nonstop. Bu Fan probably wished he could shove the microphone into the host's swallow-shaped hairpin.

Being an idol is really not easy, and it's even harder for those who aren't famous.

Bu Fan's awkwardness was obvious to everyone. Some viewers left comments below the video saying that something seemed off, asking if there was some hidden reason, such as that he and Gu Jingyi didn't actually have a good relationship.

"It seems like they're doing quite well in South Korea. Are they very popular?"

Gu Jingyi propped himself up and asked with great interest.

"It's alright. Do you know TimeZ and UNIQ? They're pretty much like those two groups, they start marketing as soon as they make a splash."

But then he couldn't help but laugh, "Of course, compared to you, I'm not even good enough to carry your shoes."

Gu Jingyi nodded; that was indeed the truth.

Wang Ziyi, however, broke down. This guy logged into his main account and said: "Face Doing, Don't Call Me!"

A humorous comment quickly followed, "Didn't you say you didn't have any minor adjustments, just injections?"

That Weibo post disappeared quickly; Wang Ziyi had lost his temper and deleted it!
A week after the controversy, Bu Fan officially announced on Weibo that he would retire from the entertainment industry to become a "Taoist priest".

The news caused a sensation throughout the entertainment industry.

This was probably the day Bu Fan was most popular, even more so than when he was eliminated.

"It might be PTSD from Gu Jingyi, all because of those South Korean reporters. In just a few minutes, Bu Fan will need a lifetime to heal."

"That's fine too. Bu Fan was never really suited for the Chinese entertainment industry. He can retire from the industry and become a Taoist priest. Once the hype and popularity rise, he can wear a gold chain, appear on a rap show, and become a 'mentor of mentors.'"

However, none of this concerns Gu Jingyi anymore. Today is the last show of the concert, and after filming this, Gu Jingyi's Asian tour will come to a successful end.

The ending was just as perfect as the beginning, and Gu Jingyi made headlines again despite only performing at his normal level.

The concert ended on October 20th, and Dior, which had been silent for a long time, finally made a move.

As expected, Gu Jingyi's identity as the first Asian global brand ambassador will soon be revealed.

Looking back at Gu Jingyi's Dior career, his title upgrades were the fastest.

But based on his film and television achievements, even among those born in the 90s, no one can rival him.

Aside from "A Love So Beautiful," which was a web series, every drama starring Gu Jingyi after she became a top star was broadcast on satellite TV, and all of them achieved an average viewership rating of over 1.6.

Even among the post-85 generation actresses, few could achieve this after entering the internet age.

They either flopped every time they filmed a movie, or became a "limited-time blockbuster" due to its online popularity.

Gu Jingyi never needs to release press releases to boast; his achievements speak for themselves. He has a high level of popularity with TV dramas and audiences nationwide. "Better Days" has already received over 500 million pre-orders on Maoyan.

Industry insiders predict that this film will gross at least 10 billion.

As for the other top celebrities? They've all been completely overshadowed by Gu Jingyi and have lost all ambition to make a comeback.

It wasn't Dior who chose Gu Jingyi, but rather Gu Jingyi who chose Dior.

In fact, both Chanel and LV contacted Gu Jingyi and offered him the highest title of global brand ambassador.

However, Gu Jingyi had only a brief acquaintance with Dior and was unwilling to switch jobs.

Besides, Dior really suits Gu Jingyi. His previous photos wearing grey Dior pants to a brand event were the subject of suggestive comments.
"How come someone not only has the most amazing face, but also looks amazing in Dior! Lindbergh and Dior really know how to pick people, isn't this Big Bird?"

"They're huge, I'm referring to the eyes."

"The outline is so obvious, I'm talking about the V-line."

"You two in front, you'd better be right (doge emoji)."

In short, Gu Jingyi's attitude towards Dior was very kind.

He always felt that when he did crunches and cardio with his girlfriends, his CK underwear and Dior clothes had a synergistic effect…

I don't know if it's just psychological, but he suddenly seemed terrifying!
On October 25, Dior released a global ready-to-wear advertisement without any prior notice.

When the advertisement aired, Gu Jingyi's appearance shocked everyone.

Knowing that Dior had bestowed countless titles and vast territories upon Gu Jingyi.

But global advertising is no joke, how come Gu Jingyi, an Asian, got on it?

This kind of treatment is something not everyone gets, even global brand ambassadors.

There's a hierarchy in global advertising for top luxury brands; generally, those who can serve as global ambassadors for ready-to-wear lines are at the highest level.

Those who get to appear in the latest season's advertising campaign undoubtedly receive the highest level of treatment among global brand ambassadors.

This is a new seasonal product that top luxury brands have high hopes for! Doesn't that mean they completely approve of Gu Jingyi as a person?
Is the rumor true? Is Gu Jingyi really going to renew his contract with Dior?
But wasn't he having a great time chatting with the president of Chanel Asia Pacific at the ELLE Awards?
(End of this chapter)