How can you become a star without money?

Chapter 222 Must-Visit Spots in Korean Entertainment

Humans have a kind of cognitive inertia.

Once you've won, you'll feel like you always have a chance to win.

Especially for those who have won many times, even if they lose once, they feel it's an accident and they're sure they'll win it back.

But it's hard to tell whether you won or someone let you win.

This kind of thinking is most common in the entertainment industry. Most of them enter the relatively closed and isolated environment of the entertainment circle at a very young age and lack social awareness.

They believe in the industry rule that hard work pays off, especially celebrities like Jun Ji-hyun who consider themselves very valuable and influential. They think that as long as they admit their mistakes, they can be forgiven.

But whether or not forgiveness is possible depends entirely on the attitude of a minority.

Jun Ji-hyun was used as a case study to teach all Korean artists a lesson. SK Entertainment was very satisfied with the result and specially invited Deng Wendi to a private banquet, hoping to get closer to her.

Deng Wendi now represents not only the media group and Fox, but also Korea's most popular social media platform, Ms.

In 2010, there were only two voices in the Korean entertainment industry: SK and CJ. The two were bitter rivals and were in a constant competitive relationship in the cultural and entertainment industry.

Ms previously collaborated with CJ to produce three realistic adaptations of the series "Melting/Simple/Play". SK did not have the opportunity to participate, but that does not mean they were not interested.

This kind of popular subject matter is a sure-fire way to make money; three films can cultivate at least three to six potential future Best Actor and Best Actress actors.

Jun Ji-hyun's counterattack made SK and CJ, two major capital groups, realize the crisis. With the help of the internet, artists who were once like ants and slaves and some emerging small capital groups suddenly had the opportunity to challenge them.

This is something neither side wants to see, so a temporary ceasefire has been reached. They plan to cooperate first, consolidate and dismantle the influence of the top Korean artists, and then engage in 'healthy competition'.

The concepts of "pacifying the internal before resisting external aggression" and "decentralization" were taught to Lee Boo-jung by Wang Yao, who then passed them on to her cousin, Lee Jae-seon, the head of CJ. This was the main reason why CJ suddenly decided to abandon Jun Ji-hyun.

Because CJ has a certain influence on NAVER, Korea's largest portal search website, if CJ gets involved, Koreans will only be able to find one-sided news about Jun Ji-hyun on the internet to guide the public.

But after realizing that he might have nurtured a tiger that would turn out to be a threat, CJ decided to give up temporarily, which ultimately led to Jun Ji-hyun's career collapsing overnight, leaving her no chance to even struggle.

Subsequently, Roh Suk-young also persuaded the incumbent president to adopt a policy of promoting Korean culture exports and building a culturally strong nation, which led SK and CJ to temporarily turn from enemies to friends and work together to contribute to cultural exports.

After all, since March, the Korean entertainment industry has been plagued by scandals, and the originally thriving trend has become somewhat turbulent. The market value of the entire entertainment sector is 40% lower than expected.

Driven by two factors, SK and CJ eventually reached a temporary settlement, with Deng Wendi representing the media group and the Ms platform, agreeing to jointly contribute to the Korean cultural industry.

To this end, the three parties held a grand internal banquet, inviting major companies and celebrities related to the Korean entertainment industry to participate.

Wang Yao, accompanied by Kim Ji-won, Kim Tae-ri, and Han So-hee, represented KT Entertainment, which had just changed its name and undergone a makeover. Although there were only four people, they became the biggest focus of the event.

In particular, it has become widely known in the acting community that Jun Ji-hyun's career was ruined and she was blacklisted because she offended this young and mysterious Chinese tycoon that night.

It was their first time attending such a top-tier Korean banquet, and the three members of TFBOYS were quite excited. The entire hall was filled with dazzlingly handsome men and beautiful women, all of whom were their idols since childhood.

But the way these celebrities looked at them at that moment was filled with curiosity and envy.

This feeling of being admired by an idol makes them feel flattered and overwhelmed, while also giving them more complex feelings towards the man in front of them.

They all knew very well that without Wang Yao, they might never have had the chance to appear in such an occasion in their lives.

"Wow, it's Kim Min-hee unnie!" Kim Tae-ri exclaimed softly.

"So beautiful," Han Suxi exclaimed softly.

“Song Hye-kyo,” Kim Ji-won said with a smile.

"You can let them explore freely, but no drinking. They can exchange KT contact information with their favorite seniors," Wang Yao instructed Li Enhui.

These occasions also provide an opportunity for agents to help their artists network and meet more people, which will increase their chances of future collaborations.

He was mainly brought here today by Deng Wendi to make empty promises to SK and CJ.

Knowing that Wang Yao had more important matters to attend to, Li Enhui led the three of them ahead of her.

Wang Yao looked around the scene. Most of the attendees were artists from SK and CJ, ranging from actors to idols. Among them, the most familiar were Girls' Generation and BB, both core groups from SM and YG.

SM Entertainment was previously under CJ, but they had a falling out last year. CJ reduced its stake and instigated TVXQ to disband, driving down the stock price and acquiring SM shares. CJ then invested in YG Entertainment to suppress SM.

However, SM Entertainment is not to be underestimated. With a new CEO, they used their connections to join forces with SK Entertainment to counter SM. Coupled with the explosive popularity of Girls' Generation, the two sides have been locked in a fierce battle this year.

However, now that SK and CJ have stopped fighting, SM must be feeling quite bad. YG didn't originally have the foundation to go public, since relying on just one BB can't support a listed company. It was only because of the conflict between SM and CJ that the plan to go public next year was indirectly promoted.

Wang Yao wasn't very familiar with the other actors, but he did recognize some must-see spots in Korean entertainment, such as Han Ga-in, Han Chae-young, Son Ye-jin, and so on.

Whether it's psychological or not, Wang Yao only experiences a sense of "the happiness of the rich is beyond your imagination" when he's in Korea.

Wang Yao was observing, and naturally, the others were also observing him.

"Jessica, your rumored boyfriend has shown up. Aren't you going to say hello?" Girls' Generation's Sunny immediately teased.

"Shh, don't scare me. Mr. Wang and I are just ordinary friends." Jessica Jung's lips twitched. She was startled to see Wang Yao here.

After all, she still owes Wang Yao dirt on her.

"Looking at him now, he's really handsome. He doesn't look out of place at all when he's in the same frame as Lee Byung-hun and Jo In-sung. Is he really worth billions of dollars?" Choi Soo-young asked curiously.

Girls' Generation has been involved in countless scandals and negative articles since their debut, but only the scandal involving Jessica Jung attending a fashion show was truly sensational and substantiated. Although the company later explained that it was just a chance encounter where they sat together at the same table during a work event.

However, Wang Yao's identity has long been exposed by fans, and the members of Girls' Generation know it all by heart, often using it to expose Jessica Jung's secrets.

"How would I know!" Jessica Jung said, somewhat annoyed.

"Should we go up and say hello? After all, they're a company partner," Kim Tae-yeon pondered, her face serious.

"Let's not go. It's not appropriate for us to go up and say hello, unless Jessica brings her along," Lee Soon-kyu teased.

"Oh no! I'm really angry!" Jessica Jung's face turned bright red.

Although they're incredibly popular now, idols are still at the bottom of the industry. Wang Yao is surrounded by top actors and CEOs of major companies; they certainly wouldn't dare offend him easily. "How come this man is always the center of attention?" Jessica Jung secretly glanced at Wang Yao, feeling a little downcast.

Just as they were playing with Wang Yao's crickets, Kim Ji-won, dressed in an exquisite little dress like a porcelain doll, suddenly walked over, bowed, and greeted them, "Hello~"

Girls' Generation members hurriedly bowed in return.

Although Kim Ji-won has no representative works in Korea, her popularity and media attention are almost on par with Girls' Generation, making her an absolute anomaly in the industry. Everyone knows that this girl must have a powerful background.

Seeing her come with Wang Yao today confirms some of the rumors.

"Seniors, can we exchange KT? I'm a big fan of yours." Kim Ji-won said with a big smile.

Although Kim Ji-won debuted as an actress, she was younger and debuted later than them. Although there is a professional hierarchy in Korea, the relationship between seniors and juniors is always based on the date of debut.

"Of course, of course." Cui Xiuying, acting as the diplomat, took the initiative to strike up a conversation.

“Jessica, these are the sunglasses you left in Oppa’s car last time. He asked me to bring them to you.” When it was Jessica’s turn, Kim Ji-won suddenly pulled out a glasses case.

As soon as she finished speaking, everyone's attention was once again focused on Jessica Jung.

Ugh?

Still claiming they're just ordinary friends?
"Huh? Oh, please thank Mr. Wang for me." Jessica Jung's brain went blank for a moment, and she subconsciously took the money.

Kim Ji-won smiled slightly, greeted the other women, and then left.

"Jessica Jung, I will report this to the company truthfully," Kim Tae-yeon said, crossing her arms and frowning.

Jessica Jung was stunned. Although the sunglasses were indeed hers, Wang Yao didn't need to return them to her in public like this!

Moreover, why does Kim Ji-won seem to be acting somewhat provocatively?
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Wang. I am Lee Byung-hun, representative of BH." Lee Byung-hun was the first to come over and greet him.

As the most popular and best-performing artist in Korea, and the first male artist to successfully turn his small business into a successful independent studio, he still holds a certain status in Korea.

Last year, with the help of CJ, BH Company poached two promising talents, Han Hyo-joo and Han Chae-young, from SK.

BH was also behind the scenes in this incident involving Jun Ji-hyun, but they immediately disappeared because of CJ's change of stance.

Yesterday, I heard that the role in "Snow Secret" might go to Han Hyo-joo, so Lee Byung-hun took this opportunity to get closer to Wang Yao.

Lee Byung-hun's success today is due not only to his talent and ability, but also, and most importantly, to his social skills. He not only offered himself up, but also brought his ex-girlfriend along, thus securing his place among the first to enter the scene and gaining access to information.

Just after "Snow Secret" terminated its contract with Jun Ji-hyun, it was announced that Wang Yao's company would join as a new investor, and Han Hyo-joo, who has no connection with SK or CJ, was specifically named. It is estimated that this is most likely Mr. Wang's personal interest.

However, Han Hyo-joo has a powerful background and cannot be commanded by him, so today he brought three of his subordinates, Han Chae-young, Kim Min-hee, and Song Ji-hyo, to find out Wang Yao's preferences.

"Hello, Representative Li." Wang Yao nodded in greeting.

He hadn't seen many of this guy's movies, but he had heard a lot of rumors about him. After all, sending his ex-girlfriend Song Hye-kyo to the hospital was a staple plot in all early Korean entertainment stories, which left a deep impression on him.

"We are very honored to hear that Hyojoo has the opportunity to participate in the filming of 'The Secret of Snow.' Hyojoo is an excellent actress and will certainly not disappoint Mr. Wang. Moreover, our company is also interested in entering the Chinese film market and looks forward to cooperating with Mr. Wang." Lee Byung-hun raised his glass with a smile.

"Representative Li, you're too kind. I'm here to learn from the seniors in the Korean film and television industry. If Tianhuo has any related collaborations in the future, I will definitely give Representative Li my first choice. Can you add KT?" Wang Yao took out his smartphone.

Lee Byung-hun is getting on in years and doesn't know much about these new things. After being recommended KT by Wang Yao, he said it was so useful that he plans to promote it throughout the company so that they won't dare to pretend they don't see his text messages anymore.

Lee Byung-hun was a good conversationalist. After exchanging pleasantries for a while, he roughly figured out Wang Yao's boundaries and then called over Han Chae-young, Kim Min-hee, and Song Ji-hyo to greet Wang Yao.

Han Chae-young is very popular in China and developed her career there for a period of time in her early years. However, she gave up the Chinese market after breaking up with her boyfriend. She speaks fluent Mandarin and got married shortly after returning to Korea. She only decided to make a comeback at the end of last year and wants to take an international route to regain the Chinese market.

This woman already had a foxy appearance, and after getting married, she became even more dignified, making her just as alluring to young men as Liu Tao.

Kim Min-hee is a classic example of someone with innate charm. Although her facial features are far less striking than Han Chae-young's, every smile and gesture exudes allure, making her the epitome of captivating charm.

In comparison, Song Ji-hyo, who has started to adopt a "tomboy" image, seems somewhat inferior, although Wang Yao is the one who knows her best.

Han Chae-young and Kim Min-hee knew the main purpose of their trip before they arrived and had a basic understanding of Wang Yao, but they were still pleasantly surprised when they met him in person. Kim Min-hee, in particular, had such a bright smile that her crescent-shaped eyes seemed to devour Wang Yao whole.

Just as Wang Yao was surrounded by artists from BH Company, a clear, cold voice broke the noisy atmosphere.

"gone."

Just two words were enough to make Lee Byung-hun and the others change their expressions and fall silent.

"Looking for me?" Wang Yao turned to look at Li Fuzhen, who was dressed in a black tuxedo.

“Otherwise what?” Lee Boo-jung glanced at Han Chae-young and the others, then turned and gestured for Wang Yao to follow.

"Excuse me for a moment." Wang Yao smiled and nodded, following behind Li Fuzhen.

"Tsk, what a pity." Jin Min smiled as she looked at Wang Yao's figure with lingering delight.

“What a pity? Lee Boo-jung’s worth may not be as high as this Mr. Wang’s. We should still try to win him over. At least I think he’s quite interested in Chae-young,” Lee Byung-hun said dismissively.

Although Lee Boo-jeong is the eldest princess of the Three Stars, she is still just a princess. If she were a prince, he would be somewhat afraid of her.

"Chaeyoung unnie's outfit is so stunning, even I can't take my eyes off her, let alone the little boys," Kim Min-hee said with a coquettish smile, staring at the depths of Han Chaeyoung's low-cut dress.

"Don't joke about a married man." Han Chae-young playfully slapped Kim Min-hee, her beautiful eyes sparkling.

“Um, this Mr. Wang has a good relationship with Kim Ji-won,” Song Ji-hyo said.

She became friends with Kim Ji-won while filming Running Man together, and I accidentally saw her phone wallpaper, which was a picture of Wang Yao.

“A man like that would never have a good relationship with a woman, especially a young girl.” Kim Min-hee curled her lips into a charming smile.

"Let's wait until the role of Hyo-joo is finalized before making a decision," Lee Byung-hun said with a smile.

(End of this chapter)