star of the peninsula

Chapter 1158 Then I ask you
"The reviews are out, I said this movie is not good."

Chen Chen shook his wine glass, with a slightly smug look on his face.

Pei Zhonghan left after drinking the celebratory wine, and tactfully left the private room to Chen Chen and Li Zhien, allowing them to talk without restraint.

"It's true that many people think it's not good, but I just look at the comments of those who think it's good." Li Zhien put her hands on her chin, "I wouldn't lie to myself like this, but the joy of starring in a movie is really great, I want to continue this joy for a little longer."

"Almost. At least it will keep you happy until next year's Baeksang Arts Awards." Chen Chen said casually, "I just don't know how long the New Film Award can keep you happy."

"Don't think the Best Newcomer Award is in my pocket now. There's still more than a year to go." Li Zhien rolled her eyes at him. "This year's Baeksang Arts Awards haven't even started yet, and you're already thinking about next year's awards. I don't know what to say to you."

"How can a new actor be so generous as to get a starring role in a movie? Do you really think everyone is a second-generation rich man with a good background who ventures into the entertainment industry?" Chen Chen snorted coldly, "Other new actors don't have a starring role in a movie, but you do, so the new actor award can only be yours!"

"Besides, you already have the bonus of being a singer, right?" Chen Chen sighed, "Singers and movie actors are actually not related, but you are such a good singer, your influence has even crossed over, so it will be easier for you to win an award here."

"This is all thanks to you, Chen." Li Zhien picked up the wine glass, "Come, I'll toast you a glass, thank you for your strong support!"

"Don't you just want this thank you? Is there anything else?" Chen Chen held his neck tightly and didn't even look at her.

"Haha." Li Zhien chuckled, drank the wine in the glass, and blew softly into Chen Chen's ear, "I will sleep with you tonight."

"But why do you seem to be familiar with this trick?" Li Zhien bounced back to her seat, "Tell me, how many actors have you tricked into bed with using this trick during the time I've been working so hard!"

"To use movie stars to trick people into having sex, I would have to have a lot of resources." Chen Chen pouted, "I really wish I could be that well-off."

"Then I wish you can create such a scene in reality one day." Li Zhien took a piece of food and put it in her mouth. "Oh, by the way, is there any news about the Baeksang Review?"

"There's nothing there. The Baeksang group is as good as dead!" Chen Chen cursed himself, "I knew they were trying to trick me last year, but it's a pity I couldn't help but fall for it. How stupid!"

"I can't help it. Who can resist the opportunity to be a judge of the Baeksang Arts Awards?" Li Zhien can understand Chen Chen very well. "This is a magical opportunity that can allow you to surpass others' accumulation of 30 years in one step."

"But it's really too much that there is no news at all. How should I view the Baeksang Arts Awards in the future without even a polite word?" Chen Chen complained, "To take it very seriously is to look down on myself. To take it as unimportant is also completely impossible. After all, the Baeksang Arts Awards is one of the most prestigious awards in South Korea."

"No news may be a good thing." Li Zhien said: "You know that not replying to people's messages is not good, and Baeksang Arts Center naturally knows it. Then when you really have the opportunity to enter Baeksang Arts Center, the scrutiny and consideration of you will be much easier."

"By then, I might not want to live in the entertainment industry anymore." Chen Chen shook his head. "Since I'm not in the industry anymore, Baeksang Arts Festival will naturally have no meaning to me."

"We'll talk about it later anyway." Li Zhien invited excitedly: "Will you go to the movies later? Give me some box office revenue."

"That's fine. I've been free lately anyway." Chen Chen readily agreed. "Watching a movie is also a good pastime."

"Oh, by the way, you should release a song in June or July." Chen Chen suddenly mentioned.

"What? Didn't I just release an album?" Li Zhien was a little confused. "Do you have anything to do?"

"I want to force the new Hybe girl group to debut around October." Chen Chen said bluntly, "Integrate has occupied April, May, August, and September, and you can do something in the middle of June and July."

"What did Hybe do to you? It seems like you've always been targeting them." Lee Ji-eun asked curiously.

"Because it is the only rival of C headquarters, who else can we target? We can't target small entertainment companies." Chen Chen gave the answer, "It's useless to eat small fish and shrimp. Only by competing with competitors of the same level can we make progress. I think Hybe thinks so too."

"In addition, Hybe's data was inflated to such an extent that it damaged the market, which made me very unhappy. The discrimination against the Chinese market also made me, a Chinese, feel quite dissatisfied."

"They are the most direct competitors and they want to fight each other. Plus, I don't like it." Chen Chen smacked his lips. "Then isn't it normal for me to find a reason and an opportunity to beat it up?"

"That makes sense." Li Zhien didn't really care about anything else. "Can we win?"

"Kill indiscriminately." Chen Chen said calmly: "Hybe looks powerful, but it is actually empty."

Hybe is a typical example of false prosperity. Its various marketing moves have continuously made its momentum as loud as a huge wave, but when you actually look at it, you will find that it is really just waves, full of water.

It would be useful to eat up small companies one after another, but it would be useless if after eating them you just sucked their blood to nourish your main body.

International business involves cooperating with this and that. It’s useless if Kpop can’t go abroad. In the end, it can only pave a path that BTS has already walked.

BTS is not needed, and other groups are not qualified to go. In the end, they failed to play their role and a lot of resources were wasted.

Essentially, Hybe is still BTS's company, and its ups and downs all depend on the mood and thoughts of this historic Hallyu monster.

Such a Hybe is nothing compared to the C headquarters which has Tmall business routes and is backed by the Tik Tok super platform.

However, Hybe did not do this voluntarily. The South Korean market is too small, and all the paths it wants to take have long been blocked by those in front of it. If Hybe wants to truly ascend, it still has to get close to the real big forces to seek opportunities.

"Before," Chen Chen learned from the news that Hybe had colluded with the big chaebols, and the result was not good; now Hybe has also thought about contacting the two big Buddhas behind C headquarters, and the result was also not good.

It's fate and time. This is the broken environment in South Korea. If Hybe wants to really ascend, she can only maintain a stable state and wait for the opportunity, and then go all out when she encounters the real opportunity.

It’s just that “before” Hybe fell apart before they could wait, and now with C headquarters watching covetously, it’s difficult for them to go anywhere.

“What if Hybe pulls BTS out?” Li Zhien asked: “Although Integrate is incredibly strong, there is still a gap compared to BTS.”

"Not much." Chen Chen sniffed, "Then let me ask you, can BTS beat me?"

"You're definitely not going to win, but it would be too shameless for you to do it yourself." Li Zhien looked at Chen Chen with disdain, "There's no such thing as throwing nuclear weapons in a war between idols. You've already surpassed your level!"

"Don't worry about it." Chen Chen started to act like a rogue. "BTS is my senior. They can drag my senior to deal with the girl group I produced. It's reasonable for me to choose a sunny afternoon to release a song to reminisce about my youth, right?"

"It's a bit too shameless."

Lee Ji-eun gave the highest praise.

"It was the other side who was shameless first."

Chen Chen remained motionless.

"Okay, as long as you're happy." Li Zhien returned to what Chen Chen had asked her to do, "If you want me to release a song in June or July, that's fine, but you have to write the song for me."

"It should."

Chen Chen didn't say anything and didn't plan to say anything. Anyway, he just returned "Celebrity" to IU.

……

I spent a few days with Lee Ji-eun, talked to her about many things that happened when she was away, and witnessed A Pink's tenth anniversary together.

"If you stay here with me all the time, won't Joohyun say something to you?" Lee Ji-eun felt a little uneasy.

"She's busy, she's preparing for the filming of a TV series." Chen Chen replied, "She hasn't acted in a TV series for a long time, she's a little nervous, and she's spent a lot of time honing her acting skills."

"I wonder how you can be so free." Li Zhien boldly stuck to Chen Chen to satisfy her curiosity, "What TV series is it about?"

"It's a drinking story about a few urban women who like to drink." Chen Chen took the opportunity to recommend it. "It's quite good. Remember to watch it when it starts airing."

“I will definitely go and see it.”

Li Zhien nodded sensibly.

"How do you plan to ask me to pay you back for the money I owe you?" Chen Chen suddenly thought of this. "Should I give you some shares of your company or directly exchange them for assets?"

"Can't it be replaced with film and television resources or something?" Li Zhien had some ideas.

"No, then we'll really be turning this into a transaction." Chen Chen refused directly.

"Then you can do whatever you want. Anyway, you won't lose money to me." Li Zhien waved her hand, looking like she didn't care at all. "You have so many personal assets, I'm not afraid that you will default on your debts."

"Okay, I'll figure it out myself."

Chen Chen didn't take it to heart because it wasn't something particularly important.

"Dingling bell~"

At this moment, the phone suddenly rang, and the caller ID showed that the other party was KakaoM Li Xunxi.

"What's the matter?"

When Chen Chen answered the phone, Li Zhien held her breath for a moment.

"Does Mr. Chen know that Cube Entertainment wants to take back A Pink?" Li Xunxi asked.

"I don't know, but I understand." Chen Chen turned on the speaker and listened with Li Zhien, "Boss Hong has feelings for A Pink. Now Cube Entertainment has the ability and opportunity to bring them back. It's normal for Boss Hong to take some actions."

"As the largest subsidiary of C headquarters, Cube Entertainment is doing such a big thing, and you don't even know about it?"

Li Xunxi clearly didn't believe it.

"Is this a big deal?" Chen Chen asked, "Don't you know the value of an artist group that has debuted for ten years? To be honest, is this matter really worth bringing to my attention?"

"..."

Li Xunxi was speechless for a moment, and felt something was not right no matter how he responded.

"So what do you think about this matter?" Li Xunxi asked, "Do you hope that Cube Entertainment will succeed?"

"What parent company doesn't want its subsidiary to succeed? Your question is really unprofessional." Chen Chen smacked his lips, "Just be direct. Ask whatever you want to ask. I don't want to answer or lie to you. Let's be rough!"

"Is there any intention behind Cube Entertainment's attempt to acquire A Pink from C Headquarters?"

Li Xunxi asked directly, and the conversation became much clearer.

"No, it's Boss Hong's personal idea."

Chen Chen lied directly.

"Now that you know what Boss Hong is thinking, will you help?" Li Xunxi asked again.

"No." Chen Chen replied: "This matter has nothing to do with C headquarters. Although C headquarters does not want Cube Entertainment to fail, it will not help it."

“What is KakaoM’s idea?”

Without waiting for Li Xunxi to speak, Chen Chen responded with a question.

"KakaoM doesn't care. We thought that if you asked us to do so, we would give Cube Entertainment a favor and stop competing." Li Xunxi replied, "As you said, an idol group that has debuted for ten years is not very valuable. There is no need to make the competition so fierce."

"Ah, I see. You want to exchange A Pink, who is of little use to you, for cooperation with C Headquarters Bubble, right?"

Having said this, how could Chen Chen still not understand the other party's purpose? Why did KakaoM give him face? It must be for Bubble's side.

"We do think so." Li Xunxi did not hide it. "Play M already has its own new girl group. There is no point in keeping A Pink. If they can be used as a bargaining chip to exchange for cooperation with C headquarters Bubble, they can be regarded as making the final contribution."

"It's interesting. KakaoM is doing well in business. Even though the boss is leaving, we can still get some benefits." Chen Chen deliberately acted a little conflicted. "But now that you know the thoughts of Cube Entertainment, the largest subsidiary of our C headquarters, it seems a bit unreasonable for me to do nothing."

"How about this, I'll give you the result after I talk to Boss Hong in detail. Wait for a day first."

Chen Chen finally gave this reply.

"Okay." Li Xunxi was very considerate, "I'll contact you again at this time tomorrow."

After hanging up the phone, Chen Chen called Hong Shengcheng.

"How is the progress of A Pink's matter?" Chen Chen asked.

"Not very optimistic." Hong Shengcheng said with a depressed tone, "Play M has become KakaoM's most valued music subsidiary after Starship left. The pressure that Cube Entertainment is facing is much greater than expected."

"Have you talked to the girls from A Pink?" Chen Chen asked in depth, "What do they think? Are they willing to return to Cube Entertainment?"

If the girl doesn't want to return to Cube Entertainment, Chen Chen's rash actions may lead to bad consequences.

"They don't help each other and don't take sides." Hong Shengcheng sighed, "They have been with Play M longer than with us, so it's understandable."

At the end of 2015, A cube, where A Pink was located, was acquired by KakaoM. Although they were born in Cube Entertainment, these girls did stay there longer.

"I understand." Chen Chen made a prompt decision, "C Headquarters will help you take it down."

The A Pink girls are neutral but Chen Chen is not. He really wants to get A Pink.

……

(End of this chapter)