Huayu Entertainment: The Birth of a Succubus Top Star

In the warm, yellow private dining room, the food steamed gently.

The cast and crew of "Joy of Life 3" had just finished watching "Love Letter to Grandma" and were still immersed in the film's simple yet profound warmth. Their casual conversation naturally drifted to the current state of the film and television industry.

2026 is widely recognized as a harsh winter for industry reshuffling.

The entire market continued to cool down, the overall market shrank, and box office revenue in the first half of the year declined sharply year-on-year. Many film and television companies suffered losses and were under pressure, and projects were stagnant.

The once invincible formula of commercial blockbusters has completely failed, and audiences are already thoroughly tired of assembly-line works that rely on piling up viewership, bombarding special effects, and formulaic storytelling.

This summer's film season was a dismal one, with the market experiencing a stark contrast between success and failure. Several top-tier big-budget productions suffered critical and commercial failures, forcing them to be pulled from theaters. Films like "Battle of Luoyang" and "The Stars Shine" were hugely expensive but left the market in disappointment. Even a sequel to a top-tier IP like "Avatar 3" failed to live up to its former glory and performed only moderately.

Poorly made products that prioritize packaging over substance are quickly eliminated by the market, and the industry has entered its most brutal stage of survival of the fittest. Everyone present is an insider and feels this deeply; there were inevitable sighs and lamentations during the gathering, and everyone felt a sense of helplessness and uncertainty about the future.

Just as the atmosphere became somber, almost everyone's phones simultaneously rang with a series of push notifications.

The moment the screen lit up, a trending topic that had gone viral across the internet was firmly pinned to the top.

Gu Zhiyan is the first actor in the Chinese entertainment industry to reach 600 billion yuan in box office revenue.

With the box office of "A Love Letter to Grandma" soaring against the trend, Gu Zhiyan's total cumulative film box office has officially exceeded 600 billion yuan.

This is a brand new milestone that no one in the history of Chinese entertainment film industry has ever reached. It has left all its peers far behind and firmly held the top spot, instantly igniting public opinion across the entire internet.

Someone immediately clicked on the trending search page, and a flood of comments, discussions, and analyses swept across the screen. The opinions of fans, passersby, and film critics were intertwined, perfectly reflecting the most striking contrast in the industry this year: blockbusters collectively flopped, while sincerity was finally crowned.

The fans' comments were enthusiastic and sincere, full of confidence and pride.

"Well deserved! The 60 billion yuan box office is the result of the trust cast by the audience, one ticket at a time!"

"Only Gu Zhiyan could defy the trend and surge in popularity during the 2026 film and television industry downturn, while everyone else suffered losses, he steadily climbed to the top!"

"Without relying on hype or a single blockbuster, 'The Wandering Earth 3' carried the film like a top-tier industrial blockbuster, 'Life's Big Events' supported a critically acclaimed art-house script, and now 'A Love Letter to Grandma' once again proves his ability to evoke empathy. He handles all genres, big and small, with ease!"

"With zero hype and zero marketing, and ten years of dedicated acting, he is the true pillar of box office success this year, when internet fame has lost its effectiveness!"

The perspective of passersby is more objective and clear, and every word is in line with the current market situation.

"This year has been truly surreal. Big-budget films with investments of hundreds of millions of dollars were pulled from release just like that, while a sincere little film with a budget of tens of millions of dollars has swept through the market."

"600 billion would have been outrageous in previous years, but in 2026 it would be nothing short of an industry miracle."

"Box office performance cannot be completely equated with acting skills, but the fact that it can rise against the trend when the industry is at its coldest is enough to prove that the audience recognizes sincerity, not formula."

"After reading 'Love Letters to Grandma,' I finally understand that what the market eliminates now are empty shells; what remains is sincerity and substance."

Meanwhile, film critics and bloggers in the industry have published articles to review the situation, comparing Gu Zhiyan's record of 600 billion yuan with the comeback of "A Love Letter to Grandma", and identifying them as the most important industry examples of the year.

"2026 is the first year of the demystification of film and television. Capital tricks, star halo, and special effects piling up have all become ineffective. The failure of blockbusters is not because audiences don't like watching movies, but because hollow industrial products can no longer move people's hearts."

"This comeback against the odds proves an industry truth: tricks will fade and traffic will collapse, but sincerity and content will always have core competitiveness."

The online buzz that filled the screen completely turned the previously somber atmosphere in the private room upside down.

Looking at the data, hot reviews, and industry analysis on their phones, and then thinking about the blockbusters that flopped and were withdrawn this year, everyone felt only shock and sincere admiration.

Chen Daoming slowly put down his phone, filled with emotion: "This year, the entire industry is in decline. Many veteran box office actors have seen their data shrink. Big films dare not set release dates, and new films dare not be released. Everyone is suffering in the cold winter. Only you have gone against the tide and stood firmly at the top."

"Others' box office success, built on capital investment, can't withstand market fluctuations," the director agreed, nodding. "Your 600 billion is the result of hard work, honed from film after film, and accumulated from each character. It's the most solid and convincing."

The young actor looked at him with admiration and said softly, "Too many people in the industry like to take shortcuts, take on multiple projects at once, and rely on marketing to create hype, only to be quickly eliminated by the market. But Teacher Gu, just like in this movie, doesn't play fancy tricks; he speaks only through sincerity and professionalism."

Amidst the chorus of praise, Gu Zhiyan remained calm and gentle, showing no trace of arrogance or impetuosity.

He scanned the diverse discussions on the screen—some praising, some objectively questioning, and some analyzing the industry—and with a clear and calm mind, he slowly began to speak: "What's said online is quite right. All the turmoil in the industry this year is actually a complete reshuffling."

His tone was calm, smoothly connecting with the sentiments expressed by the crowd, and clearly revealing the essence of the matter.

"The reason why blockbuster films collectively flopped and were forced to withdraw from release is not because of insufficient investment or small scale, but because the creators lost their original intention and only used industrialized routines. Audiences have seen too many fake and unrealistic plots and deliberately created conflicts, so they are naturally aesthetically fatigued and unwilling to pay for them anymore."

"The reason why 'Love Letters to Grandma' was able to make a comeback and why I was able to maintain my performance in the cold winter is ultimately the same thing."

Gu Zhiyan raised her eyes, her gaze clear and resolute: "It moved the audience with its real visits to 300 families and 90% of the real-life prototypes; I established myself in the market by meticulously polishing each character and treating each work with a down-to-earth attitude."

The 600 billion mark has never been my personal glory; it is the audience's vote for "sincere creation." Capital can package hype, and special effects can create a spectacle, but they can never replace the resonance of people's hearts.

The more volatile and manipulative the market, the scarcer and more precious genuine sincerity becomes.

His words, spoken gently yet powerfully, completely soothed everyone's anxieties about the industry. The private room fell silent instantly, followed by heartfelt applause.

Outside the window, the internet is still buzzing with excitement, the 60 billion yuan box office record is sweeping across various charts, and the trending topics continue to soar; the film and television winter of 2026 still looms over the industry, and the reshuffling continues.

The glitz and glamour fade, and the great waves wash away the sand.

Those eliminated by the market are all opportunists; those who survive the harsh winter are ultimately those who prioritize sincerity and content.

The film and television industry downturn of 2026 witnessed the fall and exit of countless blockbusters, but it also witnessed the ultimate victory of sincerity over formulaic plots and the triumph of true heart overcoming adversity.