Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 558, Section 556: Startup and Guidance
Thursday, August 29, 2004.

South Korea, Seoul, Nonhyeon-dong, a pre-planned filming location.

The sky was clear, and the sunlight bathed Seoul in a warm, golden glow in early autumn.

The opening ceremony for the film "Seoul Farewell" (working title) was set up in a solemn and grand manner.

A banner in Chinese, Korean, and English, reading "Start-up Ceremony for the Film 'Seoul Farewell'", fluttered gently in the breeze. Below the banner, an altar was set up with offerings of roast suckling pig, fruit, and other items, and the swirling incense smoke added a touch of solemnity and anticipation to the scene.

Although Wang Sheng's style is generally pragmatic, in South Korea, a country that places great importance on entertainment industry traditions and etiquette, it is necessary to follow local customs.

More importantly, this collaboration involves the attention of the film industries of both countries, making a sense of ceremony indispensable.

The scene was a blend of star power and authority.

Besides director Wang Sheng, the main cast including Ryu Seung-ryong, Shin Young-kyun, Hwang Jung-min, Li Bingbing, Fan Xiaopang, and supporting actress Im Yoon-ah, the lineup of guests who came to support them was even more eye-catching.

South Korea attaches great importance to this collaboration with Wang Sheng, the "Midas touch".

Kim Soo-young, the chief vice chairman of the Korean Film Council, attended the event in person, representing the official support for the project.

Meanwhile, Lee Jae-woong, Director of the Culture and Tourism Bureau of Seoul, was also among the guests, demonstrating the local government's support for the cultural industry.

In addition, Jung Tae-won, president of Tae-won Entertainment, as a major partner, and Lee Soo-man, founder and director of SM Entertainment—who is also Yoona's boss—also attended in person, their faces showing undisguised surprise and joy.

For a trainee who hasn't even debuted yet to participate in such a high-profile and in-depth international production is nothing short of a meteoric rise in the fiercely competitive Korean entertainment industry, and the envy and speculation that have been circulating in the industry are already widespread.

Although no ministerial-level officials from China attended the event, the cultural counselor from the Chinese Embassy in South Korea and the deputy general manager of China Film Group, who was appointed by Han Sam-pyeong to be in charge of international cooperation, also made a special trip to attend, demonstrating the importance attached to the Wang Sheng project and the pilot project for Sino-Korean film cooperation.

The opening ceremony was conducted in accordance with South Korean custom.

The main cast and crew members took turns burning incense and offering prayers for a smooth filming process and a box office success.

As the chief director and core member of the project, Wang Sheng calmly offered incense, his gaze sweeping over the many faces below the stage, exuding an air of authority amidst his composure.

During the group photo session, officials from both countries, representatives of investors, and the main creators gathered together, with the sound of camera shutters clicking incessantly, capturing this moment that marks a new chapter in the in-depth cooperation between Chinese and South Korean films.

The subsequent media interview session was brief but well-organized.

In his brief remarks, Wang Sheng emphasized that "Seoul Farewell" is a sincere work that explores common human emotions, and expressed his gratitude for the support from relevant institutions and partners in both countries.

Vice Chairman Kim Soo-young expressed his expectations for the project's artistic value and his desire to deepen Sino-Korean film cultural exchanges through it.

After the ceremony, officials and most of the media left, and the scene returned to the rhythm of the film crew.

……

Wang Sheng did not intend to stay in the director's chair the entire time.

His style of macroeconomic control has long been the norm within the Sheng Ying Group.

In August, he was scheduled to join a high-level cultural and sports observation delegation organized by Beijing to travel to Athens, Greece, to observe the opening ceremony of the upcoming 28th Summer Olympic Games.

This is not only a cultural exchange mission, but also an important opportunity to accumulate experience and broaden horizons for the Beijing Olympics four years later.

Therefore, his time on the set of "Seoul Farewell" was mainly concentrated in the early stages of filming to ensure that the film's style and tone and core performance direction did not deviate from the intended path.

The actual on-set directing work was gradually handed over to Huo Jianqi, who was co-directing him, on his first day on set. Huo Jianqi's delicate and realistic directing style was highly compatible with the calm and restrained narrative approach required by "Seoul Farewell," which focused on revealing the essence in the details.

Wang Sheng trusted him completely.

Therefore, in the following days, although Wang Sheng was on set, he spent most of his time sitting by the monitor, silently observing. Occasionally, when Huo Jianqi asked for his opinion, he would offer his views concisely, or after finishing work each day, he would communicate with Huo Jianqi on the core creative aspects to ensure that they were on the same page.

With a relative "free time," Wang Sheng turned some of his attention to Lim Yoon-ah, who plays the key young girl "Kim Seo-hyun" (corresponding to Te-me in the original "A Separation").

At that time, Lim Yoona was only fourteen years old and a trainee under SM Entertainment. Her pure and beautiful face still had obvious baby fat, and her eyes were clear but could not hide her nervousness.

She knew how lucky she was to get this role, and countless actors of her age or even those who were already famous in the industry envied her.

However, the tremendous opportunities also bring tremendous pressure.

Facing established and respected veterans in the Korean film industry, such as Ryu Seung-ryong, Shin Young-kyun, and Hwang Jung-min, as well as well-known Chinese actors Li Bingbing and Fan Xiaopang, she lacked confidence in her acting skills.

Although SM Entertainment and the production team arranged for her to receive intensive acting training from a dedicated acting coach before filming began, theoretical knowledge and practical experience are ultimately different.

Wang Sheng noticed her unease.

During breaks in filming, he would call Yoona aside and give her brief instructions through the accompanying Korean translator.

“Don’t try to ‘act’ out complexity,” Wang Sheng said calmly, looking at the young girl in front of him who was nervously twisting her fingers together. “At Jin Shuxian’s age, facing family changes, her emotions are more about confusion, passive acceptance, and subconscious self-protection. Your task is to find this ‘state’ correctly, rather than deliberately showing pain or struggle.”

He would give her some simple "homework": "Observe girls around your age on the street, the way they walk, their expressions when they're daydreaming, their little gestures when they're on the phone. Remember that natural feeling."

Sometimes, he would replay her performance clips directly behind the monitor, pause, and point to the screen: "Here, you planned to frown, but the character should be more blank-eyed and unfocused at this moment, rather than actively expressing emotions. Forget about the camera, and try to really think about it: if your parents were arguing like this in front of you, how would you react?"

Wang Sheng's guidance is often incisive, without excessive theoretical piling up, directly addressing the core of performance—authenticity and a sense of conviction.

He didn't lower his standards because of her young age or being a newcomer, but he also didn't scold her harshly. His calm and confident attitude made it easier for Yoona to accept him.

After a few days, even Huo Jianqi privately told Wang Sheng, "Lin Yun'er is a quick learner and has made significant progress."

Yoona herself also sensed the change.

The initial stiffness and affectation in front of the camera gradually melted away with Wang Sheng's precise guidance and seemingly casual yet trusting encouragement.

She began to learn to live more naturally in front of the camera, shifting her focus from "how well I acted" to "how the character would act at this moment".

Perhaps it was the recognition from Wang Sheng, an internationally renowned director, that gradually restored her confidence; or perhaps it was his effortless yet insightful guidance that truly opened her eyes to the essence of acting.

The crew on set also noticed that the little girl who initially always timidly hid in the corner now had a more focused look in her eyes and the courage to try.

She diligently applied the "mental techniques" taught by Wang Sheng to every movement and every line of dialogue.

On August 11, Wang Sheng's work on the set of "Seoul Farewell" came to an end.

Filming has progressed smoothly and is proceeding in an orderly manner under Huo Jianqi's leadership.

The main actors have all adjusted to their roles, including Yoona, who has made rapid progress and has already found her footing.

After a brief farewell, Wang Sheng left Seoul with his assistant and bodyguard team and returned to Beijing.

(End of this chapter)