I am a historical film director in the entertainment industry.

While some people still consider "playing and sleeping with clients" to be the highest level of unspoken rules in the entertainment industry, thinking that this is already astonishing, in reality, this is at most just the "tip of the iceberg."

Even more outrageous are the strange demands disguised as "work," the exorbitant breach of contract penalties of millions, and the vulgar practices that push the limits of physical endurance, which are truly astonishing.

These things haven't been exposed not because they don't exist, but because the industry's silence and the power of capital have tightly covered them up.

When it comes to "creative freedom" in the entertainment industry, many people unconsciously become more lenient towards directors and production crews, thinking that "for the sake of art, it is inevitable to make some sacrifices."

The bottom line of art is to respect people. Those who overstep the boundaries under the guise of "pursuing reality" or "enhancing the effect" are not creating art at all; they are blatant workplace harassment.

For example, when people think of Li Caihua, they immediately think of Ellie, the character in "The Temptation of Going Home" who is both loved and hated. Who would have thought that she, who is so bold and outspoken on screen, is actually a tough person who doesn't easily bow down to unspoken rules in private?

Just as his career was getting on track, he suddenly received a strange instruction from his boss: to accompany a client on a trip, under the guise of "work requirements."

It was obvious at a glance that this wasn't about asking someone to be a tour guide; it was blatantly about using her as a bargaining chip. If it were someone else, they might have hesitated, but Li Caihua didn't even think about it and resolutely refused.

Her refusal infuriated the company, which immediately turned hostile, accusing her of violating the contract and demanding over two million yuan in compensation.

This amount of money was not small for her at that time. After refusing, she was locked up by the company, the job she had agreed to was canceled, and her career plummeted.

But she didn't give up. She desperately raised money to pay the penalty for breach of contract and finally won the freedom to terminate the contract.

Li Caihua's story exposes the false prosperity of the entertainment industry. The more than two million yuan in breach of contract fees were not money to be spent casually, but rather a "redemption fee" for her resistance to the industry's unspoken rules, not a price to pay for her willfulness.

From the perspective of capital, she may just be a cash cow that can be exploited, but she proved with her persistence that an artist's bottom line cannot be measured by money.

Compared to domestic capital, the practices of South Korean chaebols are truly terrifying.

In the South Korean entertainment industry, the influence of conglomerates is ubiquitous. They exert systematic control over artists through their entertainment companies or affiliated media outlets.

When celebrities disobey arrangements or attempt to rebel, they face various forms of suppression.

The first step is to blacklist and sideline them.

The conglomerates, leveraging their monopolistic position in the entertainment industry, can directly demand that television stations, production companies, and advertisers refuse to work with specific artists.

The most typical case is the Jang Ja-yeon incident, in which she was completely blacklisted for refusing a chaebol's request to accompany him for drinks, and all her entertainment activities were forcibly suspended, ultimately leading to the tragedy.

This ban is not limited to film and television works, but also includes music programs, variety shows, and commercial endorsements, completely cutting off artists' sources of income and exposure opportunities.

Secondly, there is economic control.

Entertainment companies owned by conglomerates often sign extremely unequal contracts with their artists.

These contracts often last for 10-15 years, with revenue sharing heavily favoring the company, leaving artists with only 10%-20% of the income.

Through this economic constraint, even if artists become famous, they find it difficult to achieve economic independence and must completely obey the company's arrangements.

If an artist wants to terminate their contract or transfer to another agency, they will face exorbitant breach of contract penalties, making it impossible for them to escape the control of the conglomerate.

Third is the smear campaign by public opinion.

Chaebols control major media resources in South Korea, and when they need to suppress a celebrity, they manipulate the media to release negative news.

These reports may be fabricated rumors, drug use allegations, or character flaws, all aimed at damaging the celebrity's public image. Song Hye-kyo has been embroiled in various false rumors multiple times, and although they were eventually clarified, they still had a substantial impact on her career.

Such attacks on public opinion are often coordinated with online trolls and hype, creating overwhelming negative public pressure.

Finally, there are threats and intimidation.

The most extreme tactic is to directly threaten the personal safety of the artist and their family.

Choi Jin-sil suffered various threats and malicious slanders for a long time before her death, and eventually, unable to bear it any longer, she chose to end her life.

Chaebols use organized crime or private security teams to stalk, harass, and even threaten disobedient artists, forcing them to submit to their demands.

These suppression measures are often used in combination to form a complete control system.

Once an artist is targeted by a conglomerate, it becomes extremely difficult for them to continue their career in the South Korean entertainment industry. This is why so many South Korean artists choose to terminate their contracts or pursue opportunities overseas.

Therefore, after learning that the Central Academy of Drama had shielded him from many 'troubles' thrown at him by entertainment industry capital, Cheng Sheng was very grateful to the leaders of the Central Academy of Drama.

Especially regarding Wu Baige's case, no matter how much Wu Baige attacked him, the Central Academy of Drama stood behind him.

Therefore, nowadays, no matter what movie he's filming, he always brings the Central Academy of Drama along.

This way, he can not only express his gratitude to the Central Academy of Drama for its help, but also be bound to the academy. After all, feelings are not very reliable, and only a bond of mutual benefit can make him feel safe.

After the screening, Cheng Sheng saw off Master Han and the others.

Then I went back to my office.

Upon turning on his computer, Cheng Sheng immediately saw a trending topic pop up.

The movie that trended on social media was Chen Kaige's new film.

Ever since the outside world learned that Cheng Sheng had written the script for Chen Kaige, there has been a great deal of interest in the film. Media reporters have been keeping a close eye on Chen Kaige, hoping to get first-hand information about the new movie.

The trending topic shocked countless people; the main cast and crew for Chen Kaige's new film have already been finalized.

The two female leads are Charlene Choi (Ah Sa) and Gillian Chung (Ah Jiao), and the male lead is Chef Tse.

Emperor Entertainment's decision to secure the male and female leads in Chen Kaige's new film has left everyone speechless.

Chen Kaige has always collaborated with Emperor Entertainment Group, which is known to people in the entertainment industry. However, even with these collaborations, he has never entrusted Emperor Entertainment Group with both the male and female leads.

Many insiders suspect that Emperor Entertainment and Chen Kaige have reached some kind of agreement.
The absence of the male and female leads has left many actors in the Chinese entertainment industry extremely disappointed.

This movie is a collaboration between two of China's top directors. If they could play the male and female leads, it would definitely elevate their status even further.

Now all hope is gone, and the male and female leads were played by actors from Hong Kong. It's no wonder that mainland Chinese artists are angry.

In particular, several top actresses such as Li Shuangbing and Fan Shuangbing had already set their sights on the female lead in the new film.

Now that someone else has snatched it away, they're almost driven mad with jealousy. (End of Chapter)