Reborn Action Star: Starting in Hollywood

In the guest viewing area below the stage, Lee Soo-man subconsciously touched his bulging pockets. The solid feel from his fingertips made him momentarily dazed—it all seemed so unreal.

His suit jacket pocket was stuffed with business cards he'd received that day. Those top figures in the entertainment industry, who were usually unapproachable and whose opportunities to even speak with him were now extending olive branches to him.

Notable directors include: Spielberg, Cameron, Eastwood, Quentin Tarantino, Peter Jackson, etc.

The list of superstar actors is countless: Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Will Smith, Brad Pitt, George Crowner, Zell Washington...

For a moment, Lee Soo-man almost thought he was standing at the Oscars ceremony.

But he knew in his heart that the reason these usually arrogant big shots were so enthusiastic towards him was entirely because of that name—Meng Tao, or rather, Lin Yuan, who controlled everything behind the scenes.

There are always people who say that Lin Yuan is a "tree that stands out in the forest, and the wind will surely blow it down."

But witnessing this grand occasion with his own eyes today, Lee Soo-man could only sneer: What if they weren't forests at all, but the majestic Mount Tai that reaches into the clouds?

Just as he was basking in the excitement of the film industry, surprises from the music world followed one after another.

When Lee Soo-man first saw Britney Spears, he was surprised but not hard to understand, given that everyone knew about Lin Yuan's relationship with Taylor Swift.

Through Taylor's connections, Lin Yuan also has a considerable network of contacts in the music industry.

But when Madonna appeared on the red carpet, and especially when Michael Jackson made his grand entrance as the finale, Lee Soo-man's breath caught in his throat.

This has gone beyond the scope of a film festival; it is clearly a display of power by the entire entertainment empire.

What made this middle-aged "star chaser" unable to contain himself the most was meeting his lifelong idol—Dr. Dre, the legendary producer from the West Coast.

As a former obscure singer and now the head of an entertainment company, he has long passed the age of being a fanatical idol chaser.

However, he always maintained an almost devout adoration for this music godfather who nurtured Eminem and 50 Cent and created the classic "2001".

When his idol was within reach, Lee Soo-man found his fingers trembling slightly out of control.

Although they are all in the entertainment industry, for him, the big names in the film industry are certainly awesome, but there is always a layer between them and him.

These music industry giants are the true invincible kings who crush him in the same field.

Gaining the friendship of these bigwigs is not just about spiritual satisfaction, but also about tangible benefits.

On a smaller scale, when SM Entertainment produces new albums in the future, it will have the opportunity to gain the support of the world's top musicians, thereby achieving a dominant position in the small Korean market.

On a larger scale, when SM Entertainment artists leave South Korea, which is like a puddle, and come to the United States to explore the market, how much of a hurdle will these connections reduce for them?

In short, Lee Soo-man was extremely satisfied today.

He never imagined that this satisfaction would be given by another man.

He didn't even show his face, and it seems he did nothing, yet Lee Soo-man has already gained so much.

This made Lee Soo-man realize once again the terrifying influence of Lin Yuan.

He secretly made up his mind: he would cling to Lin Yuan's coattails for the rest of his life.

"Taeyeon unnie, Teacher Sooman seems to be stunned. He's drooling and doesn't even notice," Yoona whispered from the side.

"I understand, I was stunned too! I couldn't believe my eyes, I never imagined I would be able to get so close to them!" Kim Tae-yeon said blankly.

Britney Spears, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and even Michael Jackson…

These resounding names are enough to drive ordinary people crazy.

To fellow singers like Yoona and Taeyeon, who are at the bottom of the music scene, they seem as towering as Mount Everest, while I feel as insignificant as an ant.

Perhaps even a lifetime wouldn't be enough to achieve one-tenth of their accomplishments?

How could they not be shocked?
"It's alright," Lim Yoona replied.

"You saw Michael Jackson and you said it was just okay?" Kim Tae-yeon said incredulously, "Are you getting carried away?"

"How does he compare to Lin Yuan?" Lin Yoona countered.

This question stumped Kim Tae-yeon.

Are we comparing social status and position?

That's incomparable. After all, Lin Yuan is a super-rich man with an enormous fortune. Although Michael Jackson was also very wealthy, he couldn't compare to Lin Yuan at all.

What if we set aside wealth and social status and only look at achievements in the cultural field?
It must be said that Michael Jackson was not only a pop music superstar, but also a global icon that transcends time, race, and culture.

His influence extends far beyond music itself, making him one of the most representative cultural phenomena of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

However, compared to Lin Yuan, there was still an unimaginable gap.

Not to mention that Lin Yuan achieved an unprecedented three-peat as Time Magazine's Person of the Year; in fact, if he wanted, he could have won four or even five times in a row...

This means that he has been the most influential person in the world every year for the past few years.

Not to mention how Lin Yuan's films have conquered three generations worldwide, becoming a "glue" for families across age groups.

No matter how influential Michael Jackson was, he couldn't get parents in East Asia to listen to his songs, let alone grandparents.

Lin Yuan has almost become an eternal banner of popular culture, representing courage, sacrifice, and universal love.

“Without a doubt, Lin Yuan is far superior to Michael Jackson,” Kim Tae-yeon replied.

"You're not nervous in front of Lin Yuan, so can't you be a little more relaxed when facing Michael Jackson?" Lin Yoona asked with a smile.

"..." Kim Tae-yeon was speechless.

Indeed, is there any superstar in the world bigger than Lin Yuan?
Obviously not.

Lin Yuan has become so famous that he has exceeded the existing framework, to the point that when any entertainment award is given to him, it cannot be awarded according to the original specifications, but must be raised to several levels.

Otherwise, people will perceive it as malice and hostility.

Today's star-awarding ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is just like this:
Specially made gold and diamond stars.

The southern section of the main street was rebuilt from scratch.

Everything about him highlights that Lin Yuan's status far surpasses that of ordinary people, and there is no one who can compare with him.

The star-studded guest list and the more than 500,000 fans present today are also strong evidence of this.

At that moment, Kim Tae-yeon suddenly had a sudden realization.

Originally, she felt somewhat inferior in the presence of superstars, and her performance was timid and hesitant.

But now, I'm suddenly able to view these superstars with a more peaceful mindset.

She knew it wasn't that she was getting arrogant, or that she thought she could look down on these seniors at the top just because she had some connection with Lin Yuan.

Simply put, she has been demystified.

She was well aware that there was still a long way to go between herself and those predecessors, but just because you have achieved more than me does not mean that I am inferior to you in terms of character.

This shift in mindset is crucial for an artist.

This means she has become more mature and is better able to maintain a calm and composed mindset.

Kim Tae-yeon knew that she had received another gift from Lin Yuan.

That handsome face reappeared in her mind.

I already miss him after only a few hours without seeing him.

The days ahead seem a bit tough...

It seems that Yoona guessed Taeyeon's mindset, and she thought the same thing.

So she silently took Kim Tae-yeon's hand.

At this moment, Johnny Depp, dressed in formal attire, walked onto the stage, clearly signaling the official start of the star-awarding ceremony. "Welcome, distinguished guests. I am Johnny Depp, the host of today's star-awarding ceremony for Mr. Lin Yuan," Depp said with a smile to the audience.

A round of applause and cheers immediately erupted from the audience, clearly showing their respect for him.

Johnny Depp's career has been going smoothly in recent years, and he is at the peak of his career. He can be said to be one of the top male actors after Lin Yuan.

He is certainly worthy of being the host of today's grand occasion.

Depp flashed his signature quirky expression and continued, "For the past few years, people have been asking me who the highest-profile male actor in Hollywood is besides Lin Yuan. Guess what my answer was?"

The audience was stunned upon hearing this opening statement.

Everyone was clearly surprised that Lin Yuan would start talking about himself during his star-awarding ceremony.

Isn't this a bit like confusing the host and the guest?
Even more explosive was Depp's question: "Besides Lin Yuan, who is the highest-profile male actor?"

This question is incredibly popular.

Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks, Will Smith, Brad Pitt...

Of course, this also includes Johnny Depp himself.

These top actors are all qualified to compete for first place.

But it's difficult to really determine a winner because the criteria are vague.

You can't just look at a film's salary or box office performance; you also have to consider factors such as influence and acting skills.

This makes it impossible to have a standard answer. Once the question is raised, it will only cause a chaotic battle among fans.

Is Depp deliberately trying to provoke a conflict?
“Depp, you’re asking a question with ulterior motives!” a fan protested.

"Depp, then tell me who it is?" another fan asked, eager for more drama.

"Haha, do you dare say that? All the main celebrities are here today." Yet another fan, always eager to stir up trouble.

“What’s there to be afraid to say? I’ll tell you the answer right now,” Depp said with a smile.

The audience held their breath, quietly waiting for Depp to reveal the answer.

“That is…me!” Depp said shamelessly.

"shameless!"

"You're just as shameless as Captain Jack Sparrow in real life!"

"Wow! You're saying that you're cutting yourself off from the entertainment industry!"

"Hahaha, you've offended too many people this time. Let's see how you're going to get along in the future."

A chorus of mocking laughter erupted from the audience.

Tom Cruise and others in the audience also looked somewhat embarrassed.

They had no idea why Depp would choose to make such a controversial statement.

It's not that Depp doesn't deserve to compete for this position, but rather that human nature inherently dislikes self-promotion.

It's fine if others say Depp is the number one male actor after Lin Yuan, but if he says it himself, the public will inevitably want to criticize him.

“Shut up! Shut up! Let me finish what I have to say,” Depp protested.

"Fine, we'd like to hear what gives you the audacity to be so shameless!"

"Speak, we'll hear your excuses."

Depp said without any hesitation, "To be ranked second among male actors, one's career must be legendary. The more legendary, the higher the ranking. Does everyone agree?"

"That's true. To be the first outside of Lin Yuan, it must be quite legendary."

"That's true. After all, everyone's acting skills are about the same. It's their legendary experiences that really make the difference."

The audience members also acknowledged this viewpoint.

After all, other factors such as acting skills, influence, box office, and net worth are difficult to compare directly.

But a legendary aura is indeed the touchstone for achieving a qualitative leap from quantitative change in any field.

Depp turned to Lin Yuan beside him and said, "Mr. Lin Yuan, please stand up for a moment."

When he was called out, Lin Yuan stood up helplessly and waved to everyone.

This immediately sparked cheers and applause from the audience.

Then Depp continued, "Now I can say that everyone here right now, compared to me in terms of legendary filmmaking experience, is a complete wimp!"

"Wow!"

"Depp, are you out of your mind?!"

A commotion erupted in the audience, who cheered and applauded wildly.

This is so exciting! Depp is using his career like fireworks to put on a spectacular show for everyone.

But big-name male actors like Tom Cruise couldn't laugh.

They even wanted to go on stage and give that annoying guy a good punch.

Is this a pretext to use today's ceremony to subtly promote oneself and elevate one's own status?
The media, always eager for drama, relentlessly focused their cameras on the A-list male actors who were being targeted.

This is perfect news material!
This is a self-inflicted surprise, Depp is truly a selfless and great person!

The journalists exclaimed.

Depp, however, seemed oblivious to all of this. He simply smiled and said, "Think carefully about my experiences."

"I was filming in freezing cold water at zero degrees Celsius and almost drowned."

"I was filming with all my might when I was bitten by a highly venomous snake and almost died from the poison."

"When I was filming, I was on a nuclear submarine and encountered an 'underwater cliff'. I sank to the bottom of the sea hundreds of meters deep, but miraculously survived."

"..."

Johnny Depp recounts his harrowing filming experiences, each one a life-or-death ordeal.

The audience present had to admit that Depp was telling the truth.

These are all things he actually experienced.

He did indeed face the danger of death many times during filming, but he survived each time.

Even just one of these experiences is something an ordinary person could boast about for a lifetime.

But Depp has been through so much; how could he not be full of legendary stories?
Upon hearing this, Tom Cruise and other big-name male actors relaxed, and smiles returned to their faces.

They already knew what Depp was going to say; his intentions were all too obvious.

On stage, Depp continued, "The reason I have such a legendary experience is not because I am so amazing, but because I was fortunate enough to stand beside someone."

"I only followed in his footsteps and shared a fraction of his glory, and yet I am already so legendary."

So, what a great legend he must have been!

At this moment, there was no need to say anything more; the cheers from the audience were deafening.

Everyone was shouting a name:
"Lin Yuan!" (End of Chapter)