Reboot the heyday

Chapter 3501 A new starting point
Wang Taika is not suitable to get involved in Netflix matters.

His identity is a sensitive issue; his nationality is a given. Having such a large business empire and refusing to become a citizen makes him an easy target for criticism.

Of course, Wang Taika has already largely resolved this part of the problem. Various companies and agents control the system, but on the surface, they have no connection to him.

Netflix sent professionals directly to handle the business coordination. Wang Taika's primary goal was to obtain review authority; other benefits were essentially bargaining chips.

Now that they have the right to review content and have also ceded some of the profits to Netflix, it's a win-win situation.

After all, Wang Taika himself didn't intend to make money from this industry. The lion's share definitely goes to the US; Netflix is ​​quite domineering when it comes to profits.

Most other companies would find it difficult to partner with Netflix. However, XB Entertainment has no problem, as they don't rely on Netflix for profit anyway. Wang Taika is eyeing the censorship rights; as long as they can secure them and break even, they'll consider it a profit.

Having grown to its current state, XB Entertainment had become somewhat bloated. Taking advantage of this partnership with Netflix, XB Entertainment underwent a complete restructuring.

It has now become XB Group, with several subsidiaries responsible for different areas such as idol artists, film and television dramas, and distribution. It also includes investment holdings in some cornerstone industries.

Then came various cross-shareholdings, the establishment of holding companies, and then layer-by-layer control through overseas companies such as those in the Cayman Islands.

The capital games are so smooth that they don't even need to be done personally; specialized companies handle everything. And there's no need to hide any of this, because as the company grows, these details will be documented and made public.

Then they released information to the public, with the first thing they mentioned being the salaries of the actors and screenwriters. XB Entertainment was expected to offer two or even three times the market price to invite top actors and production teams.

Few can resist the temptation of doubled income. Although it's just a rumor, those in the industry know Netflix's situation and are basically certain it's not just boasting, but that they truly have the potential to deliver.

The mere spread of this news caused a huge uproar. Suddenly, many big-name actors who had previously worked closely with the three major broadcasting networks KBS, MBC, and SBS, or cable channels tvN and JTBC, began to frequently express their desire to collaborate in various ways.

Although many people are still observing due to personal relationships and long-term cooperation, the power of capital has begun to stir up the previously relatively stable actor lineup.

The screenwriting community is also seething with activity. The creative freedom and global platform promised by Netflix and XB Entertainment are undoubtedly a huge attraction for many writers who aspire to break away from traditional Korean drama formulas and tell grander or deeper stories.

Young screenwriters, in particular, who were tired of local television stations' excessive interference in creative processes, their pursuit of safety, and their prioritization of ratings, sent their resumes and project proposals to XB Entertainment.

Traditional television stations and production companies naturally felt unprecedented pressure. Their response, of course, was simply to engage in empty rhetoric.

These people, while publicly criticizing XB Entertainment and Netflix as barbarians who disrupt market rules and taint art with money, are also forced to hold emergency meetings to discuss how to respond.

Increasing the budget is virtually impossible for these people. It's not that they don't want to, but they genuinely lack the capability and can't afford to gamble.

Wang Taika remains uninvolved, leaving the external public relations battles to a professional team. At this point, Wang Taika no longer needs to be involved in specific projects.

There was only one exception: Wang Taika expressed particular concern about the lesbian drama project that alluded to the past between Wang Taika and the Queen Mother.

At the script discussion meeting, the atmosphere was somewhat tense. At one side of the long table sat the respectful writer and director, listening to Wang Taika's demands.

Wang Taika pointed out: "Remember, the emotions must be delicate and genuine. You need to express the subtle feeling of two girls leaning on each other in a cruel competitive environment, developing feelings that go beyond friendship. Especially the sense of taboo that they know is impossible yet still do it, and the helplessness and tragedy of being ultimately crushed by reality. And it must be profound!"

The screenwriter and director nodded repeatedly, but they were a little puzzled. How could this person have such a deep understanding of the yuri genre? And this project clearly didn't have a large budget, so why was the director so particular about details?

Indeed, the budget for this drama was among the lowest of all the projects. It was basically the budget of a small web series.

However, it's a bit strange that Wang Taika, the mastermind behind the scenes, actually showed up to provide guidance.

Does he like this kind of thing?

Never mind, this drama is a completely assigned project anyway. For the sake of money, we just need to fulfill Wang Taika's ideas.

These people, of course, were unaware of the wickedness in Wang Taika's heart.

Heh heh, you two cheated on me, so I'll take your embarrassing past, give it a makeshift makeover, and put it on the screen for the whole world to see. Ahem, I mean, I'll give it a serious artistic makeover!

Thinking about the possible expressions that Wang Taika or that "Empress Dowager" might make when they happen to see this show one day, Wang Taika felt a lot of relief from his pent-up frustration.

What expression will that idiot's icy face make? Surprise? Shame? Or a smirk?

And if that person saw this, wouldn't they be so angry that even their perfectly maintained face would wrinkle up? Oh dear, I'm not getting revenge, I'm dedicating myself to art, helping them record their beautiful youthful memories!
We're just too kind.

Okay, it's revenge. So what? Hit me?

This revenge was elegant, subtle, and enough to give him a long-lasting sense of satisfaction.

Haha, how could I be such a despicable person? Haha, the more I think about it, the more satisfying it feels.

"So, the key lies in that tension of unspoken words!" Wang Taika tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his eyes sharp, as if dissecting some world-class classic: "Especially in the practice room late at night, sweat, exhaustion, and only the sound of each other's breathing. That unintentional touch of fingertips, the evasiveness and longing in the eyes, you have to capture that... well, that atmosphere of more than friendship, less than lovers, but clearly already crossed the line, understand?"

A female writer wearing black-rimmed glasses, though somewhat speechless inside, still looked very serious, taking notes quickly while nodding repeatedly: "Yes, Mr. Wang, we understand. We want to highlight the special interdependence that arises under extreme pressure, that intimacy that transcends ordinary friendship and carries a sense of complicity."

Another middle-aged male director quickly chimed in: "Mr. Wang's grasp of emotional nuances is truly precise. We will pay special attention to capturing the nuances in his eyes and subtle body language."

"I'm glad you understand!" Wang Taika was very satisfied.

(End of this chapter)