Huayu: Traffic is king

Chapter 227 Reaching the Top of the Entertainment Industry
2020年1月12号，《少年的你》上线25天票房21.3亿。

This achievement would be remarkable for anyone.

But for Gu Jingyi, he could only be described as excellent, not particularly outstanding.

But the "Better Days" crew was ecstatic, and the schools added extra screenings for the film, extending its run for another two weeks.

This means that "Better Days" can have more time to boost its box office performance.

With 14 days left, even if the film's performance declines as it progresses, it's still enough to push for another 8 million yuan in box office revenue.

Even if Gu Jingyi is willing to cooperate with the production team to increase the number of roadshows.

This achievement can be raised indefinitely, and reaching 30 billion in box office revenue would be a piece of cake.

"What? I'm going to do roadshows starting this week? Didn't I just go? Why do I have to go again? And so many, 20 shows in two weeks. Am I a spinning top, running around to different cities in a van?"

Gu Jingyi and Liu Haolin's movie had just finished filming, and Huace said he came during his free time. In reality, Gu Jingyi went to Changsha to hold two or three autograph sessions.

These are autograph sessions because a professional filming team has been following Gu Jingyi's Asian tour since the project was initiated.

Gu Jingyi's concert will be burned onto DVDs and produced as a Blu-ray collector's edition gift box.

Priced at 948 yuan, it also comes with a free Good Gu headband and a photo album of Gu Jingyi.

This is another source of revenue for concerts, and other entertainment companies in the industry, besides Huace, operate in the same way.

However, Gu Jingyi was not signed with a traditional record company, so he received a larger share of the revenue.

HuaCe was ecstatic, completely carried by Gu Jingyi, this all-around warrior.

This is the kind of thing that requires the least technical skill, yet can make you a fortune.

Huace suggested a price of 948 yuan for Gu Jingyi's Blu-ray concert, the same price as the Blu-ray DVD collector's edition of IU's concert.

Gu Jingyi, hailed as "Apop's first person," wouldn't have trouble selling the collector's edition alone, even without producing regular or deluxe versions to attract customers.

On foreign websites such as Twitter, Naver, and Instagram, many overseas fans are "carpooling" to buy the Blu-ray version of Gu Jingyi's concert.

Don't be fooled by the fact that you can find Blu-ray quality concert videos on Bilibili now. In reality, those Blu-ray DVD concert videos all require fans to be willing to upload them.

We're all fans, why should I pay to treat everyone else?
In addition, when Blu-ray DVDs were first released, various agencies would keep an eye on these "pirated resources".

Even if a well-meaning fan did upload it, it would be reported immediately.

If restrictions are to be relaxed, it will be at least one or two years from now.

Moreover, the image quality is compressed when uploaded to websites, so it doesn't reach the "true Blu-ray" level.

Most fans with the financial means to support their idols would rather wait and buy the official version directly.

While the most ardent "girlfriend fans" and "wife fans" don't care whether the picture quality is high-definition or not, they will still buy it.

Please, this is a spin-off product from Gu Jingyi's concert.

Do you really think all fans can snag tickets to Gu Jingyi's concert?

Gu Jingyi's tickets were quite difficult to obtain. At that time, websites like Damai were not yet so standardized that you had to link your ID card to buy tickets.

The concert venue didn't require the purchaser's information to match the ticket for entry, meaning that getting a ticket to Gu Jingyi's concert not only meant competing with a huge number of fellow fans, but also with scalpers using automated clickers or bots—making it extremely difficult.

A VIP ticket for Gu Jingyi's front row was being resold for as much as 22 yuan, according to a screenshot posted by a netizen on a scalper's WeChat Moments.

This attracted a lot of attention from netizens, who asked, "Does a ticket costing 22 yuan mean you can sit on Gu Jingyi's lap to watch the show?"

"Scalpers have now learned the art of manipulation: 'It's not that their tickets are expensive, it's that you're too poor.' It's just a concert; if you can't see it domestically, go see it abroad. If you can't see it this year, see it next year. Don't fall into their brainwashing trap."

"22 yuan for a single ticket? Don't scalpers have to pay taxes?"

"Could this be a scalper orchestrating this to sell tickets?"

"Zhou Naicha's most expensive ticket is 18 yuan, but Gu Jingyi's ticket is even more expensive. Now he has surpassed Zhou Naicha in every aspect, whether it is album sales, die-hard fans or popularity."

"Hey, this news is true. (Screenshot) It was posted on a scalper's WeChat Moments. It sold out in just a few minutes."

"It's not surprising; Jingfei is known for having many wealthy female fans. A little-known fact is that Gu Jingyi single-handedly raised the VIP (VIP membership) threshold for the nine luxury brands he endorses. The required sums are getting higher and higher because Gu Jingyi's wealthy female fans are incredibly powerful. Without raising the bar, the brands wouldn't have enough internal VIP banquet slots to invite Gu Jingyi to events..."

"A rich woman who can afford to buy concert tickets for 22 yuan, surely she has connections to get tickets to Gu Jingyi's concert?"

"It's really difficult... because it's not something you can achieve just by having money. It depends on your social network..."

"It's difficult. Do you think rich women just rely on connections? Instead of relying on favors, it's better to solve the problem once and for all with money."

"Correct and objective."

"Actually, luxury brands like Van Cleef & Arpels, Dior, and Guerlain also received a small number of complimentary tickets, which were given to the customers with the highest spending that day. Didn't you know that? My sales associate told me. But I didn't go because those complimentary tickets were only for the front row of the inner circle at most. You still have to spend millions, why not just buy VIP tickets? 22 yuan a ticket is not bad, much more cost-effective than being ripped off by the brands."

"Rich woman, catch her!"

"Jingfei... she has really refreshed my understanding of fangirls again. She's obsessed, isn't she? She just went to a 22 yuan concert without a second thought. I wonder if she donated any money to the earthquake relief efforts or to support children in impoverished mountain areas to go to school."

"22 yuan is enough to build a Hope Primary School..."

"Those two people who commented earlier are so pitiful, fans, please transfer some money to them. (Image: WeChat payment QR code)"

"Oh no, there's no code!"

"Lin Xiao, your insults are really sophisticated now!"

"Le, Suanji is still so prone to jumping up and down. His fellow fan is still so sweet-talking, and Tianwei can quietly support Gu Jingyi's business and activities from behind."

"Sisters, remember to report anyone who criticizes Gu Jingyi. The most expensive ticket for Jingyi is only 16888. What business is it of Gu Jingyi if scalpers are shameless?"

When the economy is booming, consumption tends to be free and proactive.

Although Gu Jingyi's concert tickets gained popularity in this way, they did not cause any resentment among the general public.

Even some casual fans bought a Blu-ray DVD to show their support.

As for "aggressive promotion," needless to say, they have to participate in anything related to Gu Jingyi, no matter what it is.

Although most fans do not have an external Blu-ray drive, they need to buy an extra "display device" in order to watch the Blu-ray version of the concert DVD.

However, this did not diminish their enthusiasm for supporting Gu Jingyi!
Meanwhile, fans were stirring up emotions in the supertopic, saying things like the idol would also get a share of the revenue from derivative products. The higher the Blu-ray DVD sales, the more Huace would notice how high the fans' spending power was. They hoped to add more shows when Gu Jingyi held his concert this year.

Hmm... that makes sense.

After all, Gu Jingyi also visited Southeast Asia, South Korea, and Japan during this Asian tour.

In fact, during this Asian Tour, only half of the events were held in China.

Not all fans have the convenience to travel abroad, nor do all fans have the time to attend concerts.

Due to a number of factors, Gu Jingyi's album sales exceeded 5000 million yuan on its first day.

Even Blu-ray drives were boosted by fans to the top of Taobao's trending searches, with single-day sales reaching the equivalent of six months' worth in the past.

This is why Gu Jingyi got a little angry when he heard that he had to do so many roadshows.

Are you kidding me? He just had a book signing yesterday!
The tickets for the autograph session were drawn from the previous purchases of reissued albums.

Just as much fun Huace was having harvesting profits from consumers, Gu Jingyi was exhausted these past few days.

Does holding a book signing event in Xingcheng count as a book signing event? Is Gu Jingyi some kind of robot that never gets tired?
After three events, I finally got a day to rest at home.

Hey, we have a job!
What else could Gu Jingyi do? He could complain a few times, but he still had to go to work.

Criticism is one thing, action is another.

"Better Days" has already grossed over 20 billion yuan at the box office, and another step forward would set a new record.

Gu Jingyi is the male lead, how could he not cooperate at a time like this?

When they went on the roadshow again, Gu Jingyi could clearly feel that Zhou Dongyu was much more enthusiastic than before.

She is very self-aware and has never been the type to attract attention.

The Golden Horse Award for Best Actress is valued for its prestige and status, but its popularity is far less than that of celebrities.

Why did Yang Zi transition from a young leading lady to a popular idol? Of course, it's because popular idols earn more money and can carry a show better.

In terms of popularity, Zhou Dongyu, this "post-90s film queen," is not as popular as Zizi before her transformation.

Those in the industry also understand that the reason this movie had such a high box office is entirely due to Gu Jingyi.

With a box office of 21.3 billion yuan, Gu Jingyi alone raked in 21 billion. Zhou Dongyu earned 0.3 billion, a win without lifting a finger.

Even the film's promotional direction has consistently focused on Gu Jingyi.

I met Xiao Ye again during the roadshow, and she was as lively as ever.

In front of fans and film critics, Gu Jingyi certainly couldn't be too obvious.

The roadshow process was largely the same, including answering media questions and playing games.

Afterwards, Gu Jingyi took Zhou Ye home to watch the "kitten doing backflips" for a while.

One night fish and dragon dance.

The promotional tour for "Better Days" also generated numerous trending topics.

"Better Days" is currently showing in 60% of theaters, and its box office has already exceeded 20 billion yuan, yet it has maintained steady growth.

Theaters aren't stupid; they know that the only way to generate revenue is to increase the number of screenings.

What does 60% mean? It means that if you randomly select a movie theater, 60% of the screenings will be given to "Better Days".

It's so unfair that all the other movies combined are vying for the remaining 40% of screenings.

"Better Days" not only achieved both box office and critical success, but also attracted the attention of many official media outlets due to its unique subject matter. This youth crime film about school violence has drawn attention from many of them.

The topic of school bullying is still too novel, yet it appears frequently.

The authorities will certainly pay attention and provide some implicit support.

Gu Jingyi clearly felt that the screening times for "Better Days" had been getting better and better recently.

They changed the off-peak hours from after 23 PM to daytime.

Some schools even took students to see the movie "Better Days" and held class meetings to prevent school violence.

By the time the film finished its run in February, Gu Jingyi had secured seven new endorsements.

Another small goal easily achieved; Gu Jingyi's endorsement now earns her over 2000 million a year.

The final box office gross for "Better Days" was 32.3 billion yuan, and Gu Jingyi is now known as the "60 billion yuan box office man".

This is a nickname given to him based on the combined box office revenue of all his leading roles in films. This title is not only unmatched by the new generation, but even the middle generation envies it.

"The 60 billion box office man" is a leading man in a movie. If Gu Jingyi had a little more shamelessness, he could have starred in "Wolf Warrior 2" or "Looking Up".

In terms of actual achievements, they've managed to create a "10 billion yuan box office star"...

But Gu Jingyi was too protective of his reputation and didn't want to do that.

"Better Days" brought Gu Jingyi more than just box office success and popularity. Since the release of "Better Days," Gu Jingyi, who played Xiao Bei, has been considered one of the biggest surprises of the film.

It could even be said to be a major turning point in his acting career, making the public and film critics fully recognize his strength as an actor.

This is a groundbreaking breakthrough for Gu Jingyi as an actor. Film critics generally believe that he has completely shattered the public's preconceived notions of him as an "idol" and "traffic star".

"His performance is full of primal vitality, roughness and explosiveness, which perfectly matches the marginal, wild, stubborn and affectionate character of Xiao Bei."

"It's still Gu Jingyi. His eye acting is amazing. It contains so much: forbearance, anger, despair, tenderness, protection, pain, and a glimmer of light in despair. Whether it's his determination to protect Chen Nian, the complex emotions in the interrogation room, or the helplessness and struggle when facing his own fate, he conveys it all vividly through his eyes. If he had been born in the golden age, Leung Chiu-wai would have met his greatest rival."

"Gu Jingyi successfully portrayed a marginalized youth who is cold on the outside but soft on the inside and willing to do anything for love. The audience can feel that Xiao Bei's 'ruthlessness' is forced by his living environment, while his protection of Chen Nian is the purest light in his heart."

He accurately grasped Xiao Bei's layers: his outward thuggishness, his ruthlessness in fights, his clumsy gentleness towards Chen Nian, his vulnerability and loneliness when alone, and his resolute decision to sacrifice himself in the end.

He held his own against award-winning actress Zhou Dongyu, even creating a powerful chemistry between them. Their emotional interactions were genuine and moving, allowing the audience to deeply feel the bond between two lonely souls who found warmth in each other and faced the world together.

"The masterful micro-expression control is evident in the scene where Chen Nian and Xiao Bei are being interrogated separately by the police, pretending not to know each other. When the police (Huang Jue) pressures Xiao Bei, attempting to sow discord between them, the camera focuses on his face for an extended period. When he hears the police say that Chen Nian might betray him, shock, hurt, and doubt flash through his eyes, but are immediately replaced by a deeper stubbornness and a resolute 'I've made up my mind, and I won't turn back' attitude. The subtle twitch at the corner of his mouth, the suppressed tears, and finally, a seemingly disdainful but actually heartbroken cold laugh. The two don't exchange a single line of dialogue; they convey information and emotional entanglement entirely through their eyes and expressions, creating immense tension."

"Gu Jingyi's crying scenes are extremely moving. During the prison visit, he went from holding back to breaking down, with tears silently streaming down his face. His eyes were filled with heartache, helplessness, farewell, and unfathomable love."

One after another, reviews from well-known film critics emerged, all praising Gu Jingyi.

This surprised many actors in the industry. Is this still the same film critic who could poison you with a single word?

It turns out they can also say nice things.

The audience, needless to say, were all praising Gu Jingyi.

"You protect the world, I protect you. A woman like a female eagle, crying her heart out in the movie theater. Enough said, who can withstand the heartbreak of Gu Jingyi! Xiao Bei's departing figure in the rainy night has become my white moonlight. Younger man, loyal dog, Zhuo! From now on, I will have a filter for Gu Jingyi."

"Gu Jingyi really went all out. Before going to the cinema to watch a movie with his girlfriend, I thought it was just another boring movie where fans were boosting the box office for their idol, and that it was just a sentimental youth film."

When I saw Xiao Bei being brutally beaten and forcibly shaved by thugs hired by Wei Lai and others for protecting Chen Nian, I, a grown man, couldn't help but shed tears. Gu Jingyi really had no idol baggage; he just lay on the ground with his head in his hands, realistically portraying the pain, humiliation, and despair of being beaten. The head-shaving scene was even more full of the connotation of stripping away dignity; it was so relatable. This guy is really something else; I'm a fan now.

"Xiao Bei is a big wolfhound, right? Who knows? The fierce-looking Xiao Bei clumsily keeps his distance, silently protecting Chen Nian. He follows behind on his motorcycle and waits by the wall. He really is like a big dog, such a cute contrast."

"Both lead actors delivered solid performances, with Gu Jingyi's acting even surpassing that of Zhou Dongyu. The director used numerous close-up shots to showcase the characters' emotions, forcing the audience into their world and allowing them to empathize more deeply. This is the film's greatest strength."

"By passerby, the movie was too depressing. It felt like director Zeng was taking a huge gamble. He placed all his bets on the acting of the two leads; only with outstanding performances could the movie succeed. Without a doubt, these two are the strongest actors of the new generation on the big screen. A good script attracted good actors, and good actors made a good movie."

"Better Days shattered my preconceived notions about Gu Jingyi's acting skills. His performance absolutely deserves an award for Best Actor. Director Zeng has a really sharp eye; he found the perfect actor for Xiao Bei."

"A very meaningful movie. Look at the names of the characters. The girl who bullies others is named Wei Lai, which sounds like 'future.' If this is the future, then such a future is better off not having. The police officer's name is Zheng Yi, which sounds like 'justice.' He is determined to uncover the truth, even though the truth means that two poor teenagers will have to face legal punishment."

Chen Nian's name sounds like "adulthood" in Chinese. Having survived the final stretch of the college entrance exam, she's now an adult, but no one has ever taught her how to be one. Xiao Bei's "Bei" refers to Beijing (BJ), reflecting the hope that the two of them will eventually fulfill their wish to start a new life together in Beijing.

"Gu Jingyi was truly amazing. I personally feel that the male lead was better than Xiao Huangya. After watching it in the cinema, it was obvious that Gu Jingyi overshadowed Xiao Huangya in several scenes."

"I suddenly remembered what Director Zeng said at the start of filming: it's a widely accepted view in the industry that Gu Jingyi has already fallen behind the new generation. He's no longer suitable to be compared with other young actors of the same age in terms of acting skills, because his strength is no longer on the same level as those people. So that's why Gu Jingyi's movie is filmed with a post-90s Best Actress, instead of Zhang Zifeng and Mai Mai."

"I'm Jingfei. I really didn't understand why my brother took on this film role. I never expected the finished product to be so amazing. Finally, I have to say, school bullying is truly disgusting!"

The entire cast of "Better Days" was present this time, but the biggest benefit was still snatched away by Gu Jingyi's acting skills.

The movie itself is more popular than the male lead, Xiao Bei!

South Korea, in particular, highly praised "Better Days".

Actress Son Ye-jin posted a still from "Better Days" featuring Gu Jingyi looking up, along with a movie ticket stub, on Instagram. Jun Ji-hyun also brought up "Better Days" at an event.

Popular idols Im Yoon-a and Kim Ji-soo also shared the movie with fans on Instagram and their official fan cafes.

Of course, South Koreans also like it.

Just like "Secret", it was hailed as a "masterpiece".

It's quite amusing that South Koreans, who are known for their penchant for bullying, would so highly praise a film about anti-bullying in schools.

However, the film's export to multiple countries and its impressive box office performance are also great news for Gu Jingyi.

He received a larger share of the box office revenue.

The film opened with a score of 8.9 on Douban, setting a new record for the highest score ever for a youth film.

"Better Days" has rightfully entered the history of Chinese box office, once again proving Gu Jingyi's box office appeal.

This movie didn't add much to Zhou Dongyu's career.

She was already a Golden Horse Award-winning actress before filming began.

For Zhou Dongyu, making "Better Days" was simply about "repaying a favor" and having faith in the director's abilities.

From this moment on, Gu Jingyi has the qualifications to compete for the Best Actor award.

After all, it's the highest-grossing youth film, and it's estimated that this achievement will be hard to break in the future.

If Huace can't even get Gu Jingyi a Best Actor award, then they're utterly useless.

Gu Jingyi doesn't expect to win the Golden Horse Award for Best Actor, but he does hope to win an award like the China Film Association Award or the Platinum Award, which offer more room for negotiation.

It would be too much to not take them down, wouldn't it?

As Gu Jingyi had predicted, "Better Days" earned him two Golden Horse Award nominations for Best Actor.

However, the film was a huge success overall. It marked China's first nomination for Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards in 18 years and was also selected for the Generation section of the Berlin International Film Festival.

In terms of awards, the biggest winner of "Better Days" is the film crew.

Gu Jingyi was nominated for Best Actor all the way, but with each nomination, he gradually accumulated experience.

The film "Take My Brother Away" made him the youngest nominee for Best Actor in China.

With the help of Huace's promotion and the exchange of benefits, Gu Jingyi won the Golden Eagle Award for Best Actor, the China Film Association Award for Best Actor, and the Platinum Forest Award for Best Actor.

Although he missed out on the "Golden Horse Best Actor", "Golden Rooster Best Actor" and "Huabiao Best Actor" awards, he became the new "Triple Crown Best Actor".

At the age of 22, how can it not be considered a success?

It may not be that prestigious, but Gu Jingyi is still young!
He has unlimited potential if he continues to delve deeper into film.

He'll definitely win the Huabiao Award for Best Actor in the future, and he'll also win a Golden Horse or Golden Rooster Award before he turns 30.

Winning the "Triple Crown Best Actor" award is undoubtedly a crucial step for Gu Jingyi in the film industry.

Gu Jingyi's performance has soared once again, making him the "number one among the post-90s generation".

In 2020, due to the mask mandate, Gu Jingyi was not as hardworking as before, so he filmed "You Are My Glory" with Dilraba Dilmurat.

In the second half of the year, Gu Jingyi immediately embarked on a global concert tour.

The venues are getting bigger and bigger, and there are more and more stages and performances.

After nearly four months of global tour, Gu Jingyi has achieved almost 10 small goals.

Gu Jingyi's new album hasn't even been released yet, but her reissued album "Write Our Story," released in the first half of the year, sold 276 million physical albums and nearly 500 million digital albums, despite only adding two new songs. Gu Jingyi has already made a fortune.

He suddenly understood why Zhou Naicha's new songs were coming out slower and slower. Anyone would be confused in that situation. Even a self-disciplined man like him was dragging his feet on his second album.

Because the money doesn't only come after an album is released; previous albums also bring in new revenue every year.

With four albums that have consistently ranked among the top five best-selling Chinese-language albums over the years, Gu Jingyi is truly terrifyingly strong.

In February 2021, Gu Jingyi's drama "You Are My Glory," which he filmed with Dilraba Dilmurat, also became a hit on the platform.

In the same year, Gu Jingyi's portrayal of "Chen Yannian" in "The Age of Awakening" was also broadcast.

The execution of Chen Yannian, and Gu Jingyi's portrayal of the idealist who sacrificed himself for his country, moved countless people.

In 2021, Gu Jingyi won the Best Supporting Actor award at the Magnolia Awards.

He was only 23 years old that year.

However, in 2019 he won the Huading Award for Best Actor in a Costume Drama and the Macau International Television Festival for his role in "Ashes of Love".

Gu Jingyi broke the record for the fastest time to win the "Best Actor" award in the industry, becoming a "Best Actor" at the young age of 21.

"Go Go Squid!" also earned Gu Jingyi the Golden Eagle Award for Most Popular Actor.

As the second highest-rated TV series of the year, it is currently the pinnacle of idol dramas.

Gu Jingyi truly deserved this award; no one called him the "Water Emperor."

Gu Jingyi was also nominated for Best Actor at the Magnolia Awards for his roles as "Xu Feng" and "Han Shangyan".

Gu Jingyi has no hope in this case, since his competitors at the same time are all "old guys".

The Magnolia Award seems to prioritize seniority and age too much; without a patriotic drama, it's really difficult for Gu Jingyi to win. He has no choice but to get more nominations and increase his public profile.

At the end of 2021, after the broadcast of "You Are My Glory".

Gu Jingyi's hard work finally paid off, and he won the Feitian Award for "Outstanding Actor".

He won the Best Actor award again at the Golden Eagle Awards.

Gu Jingyi was only 22 years old that year.

Throughout his life, he returned from military service.

He was only 22 years old, still that dashing young man.

Yet he holds three Best Actor awards, two Golden Eagle Awards for Best Actor, a Feitian Award for Best Actor, and the Magnolia Award for Best Supporting Actor, among other prestigious awards.

Awards like "Weibo King" and "Person of the Year," as well as Tencent's Star Awards and Taobao's Scream Night awards.

The concubines no longer bother to include it in their calculations, and they don't even bother to mention it when they're arguing.

Because everyone in the industry agrees that "no one is more popular than Gu Jingyi."

In 2022, the topic of traffic in the Chinese entertainment industry came up.

Gu Jingyi can never escape the title of "Emperor".

When it comes to popularity, Gu Jingyi has never lost.

(End of this chapter)