Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

Chapter 351 Thank You, Heavenly King, for the Invitation (5k)
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Time flies, and in the blink of an eye,

Amidst the hustle and bustle and constant change, the entertainment industry welcomes its grandest and most star-studded New Year's Eve gala season.

During this period,

The ever-present stage of the Chinese entertainment industry has naturally witnessed countless spectacular and talked-about dramas.

The first thing to be affected is the upcoming Spring Festival box office battle.

This war without gunfire began months before the film's release, and its most attention-grabbing focus...
Undoubtedly—

Detective Chinatown VS Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back!
Gu Qing VS Chris Wu!

The head-to-head clash between these two top influencers was like a collision of planets, instantly igniting the passion of the entire internet.

Who will prevail in this battle of box office and word-of-mouth has become the biggest point of curiosity for all onlookers and industry observers.

"Is there even a comparison? Think back to how 'The Left Ear' utterly crushed 'So Young 2' at the box office and in terms of critical reception?"

"Even if you don't like Gu Qing, you can't lie and say that Chris Wu's acting is better than his, right? That would be too ridiculous."

"Su Yunjin, how are you going to pay me back what you owe me! Hahaha, I can't help but laugh whenever I hear that line now, it's become my source of joy."

On major social media platforms and entertainment forums, fierce clashes between the two fan groups are commonplace, with a large number of curious onlookers and commentators interspersed throughout, creating quite a lively scene.

"To be fair, Chris Wu's professional skills are lacking, but he knows how to curry favor with powerful figures!"

"It doesn't matter if Liu Tianxian can't carry the team, this time it's Stephen Chow! How could Stephen Chow possibly lose?!"

"Just based on the names 'Jay Chou' and 'Tsui Hark,' 'The Demons Strike Back' is guaranteed to gross at least 20 billion yuan, okay?"

"What are you bragging about? Get this straight, Stephen Chow is just the producer of this film, the real director is Tsui Hark!"
Although he's a master, he's had his share of bad films. The plot of "Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings" left me completely baffled, and the special effects were a mess.

Despite the ongoing controversy, most neutral moviegoers still slightly favor "Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back".

There's no way around it; the previous film, "Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons," raked in 12.46 billion yuan at the box office in 2013, breaking more than twenty Chinese film box office records, demonstrating its profound foundation.

Moreover, this sequel, in addition to Stephen Chow's golden brand, also brought in director Tsui Hark, who is regarded by countless movie fans as the "godfather of martial arts" and "the first person to bring the martial arts world to life on screen."

In many people's minds, only Tsui Hark could truly capture the fantastical world of swords and chivalry, where justice is served.

With these two industry giants joining forces, plus Chris Wu's massive fan base, this combination makes it hard to be pessimistic about the box office prospects.

"Tsk tsk, those two little Karamis love to fight over things all the time. You're both here to fight for the second child, aren't you?"

"Let's talk after the box office reaches 1 billion, brothers."

"Hahaha--"

Whenever the "Gu family" and "Megni" are arguing fiercely.

The "Reed Sisters" would then barge in with an air of superiority, launch into a barrage of indiscriminate mockery, and then leave satisfied.

The two fan groups were left seething with anger but unable to refute each other for the time being, and could only silently vow in their hearts: "You just wait! When the Spring Festival box office results come out, we'll see if we don't crush you!"

But for now, they can only endure it for the time being.

In addition to the verbal battles among fans, major professional movie ticketing platforms have also released box office prediction reports based on pre-sales and data models.

Referring to the record-breaking total box office of 3.6 billion yuan set during last year's Spring Festival, most platforms predict that the box office will continue to be hot this year and is expected to break through the 4 billion yuan mark.

As for the most anticipated "Big Three," the predicted rankings are roughly as follows:

First place: Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back (Estimated box office: 18 billion to 20 billion yuan).
(Analysis: With the powerful combination of "Stephen Chow as producer" and "Tsui Hark as director", the Journey to the West IP itself has a very strong market appeal.)

Lead actor Kris Wu boasts top-tier popularity, but his acting in his previous works has been controversial, potentially influencing the viewing choices of some casual viewers and the spread of positive word-of-mouth.
Second place: Detective Chinatown (estimated box office: 12 billion to 14 billion)
(Analysis: The comedy genre perfectly matches the family-friendly atmosphere of the Spring Festival film season. Regarding the cast: Wang Baoqiang, the comedic lead, has excellent audience appeal;)

The other lead actor, Gu Qing, is a top-tier celebrity with a strong fan base. He has also built a positive reputation among casual viewers and generated high expectations through numerous hit dramas and songs. If the film's quality holds up, it has the potential to be a dark horse hit.
Third place: Kung Fu Yoga (Estimated box office: 800 million to 1 billion RMB) (Analysis: Following "CZ12", Chen Long returns to the kung fu comedy field, partnering with popular young actor Sheep. It combines nostalgia with freshness and has the potential to become a dark horse.)
This prediction immediately sparked a new round of debate among fans.

"What does this mean? Why are Gu Qing receiving so many positive reviews? It's so obvious that Gu Qing is buying PR articles!"

"Our prince's movies are clearly very good! I've watched each one more than ten times! What's wrong with them?"

"Exactly! It's obvious that Gu Qing bought these marketing accounts to brag about himself and put others down!"

However, the fans' attempts to forcefully control the comments and defend the situation only provoked more resentment and backlash from bystanders.

"Heh, how long has it been since the incident with Jiapaowang? Have the fans already collectively forgotten?"

"Don't you know how many terrible movies you've made? I was actually looking forward to it when I saw that Stephen Chow and Tsui Hark were starring, but when I saw that Chris Wu was the lead actor, I instantly lost interest."

"+1, I've also decided to watch either 'Detective Chinatown' or 'Kung Fu Yoga'."

Seeing that public opinion was at risk of spiraling out of control, Chris Wu's team quickly initiated emergency public relations, notifying major fan clubs and influential fans to calm emotions.
Guide fans to remain calm and avoid taking drastic actions that could damage their reputation.

We must not allow the situation to become unpredictable and cause unnecessary complications due to the excessive behavior of fans.

With the fans' reckless attacks gone, online public opinion has gradually returned to a rational discussion of the film itself.

"I think the ranking should be 'Detective Chinatown' first, 'Kung Fu Yoga' second, and 'Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back' third."

"I think 'Kung Fu Yoga' has a chance to make a comeback and take first place. Don't underestimate the bond between Brother Chen Long and Little Sheep!"

"Um...is it possible that The Great Wall is the biggest variable and dark horse among all the movies?"

"I think it has the potential to become the GOAT (Greatest of All Time)!"

In an instant, the fan groups of the three movies burst into laughter.

It's like everyone's discussing which celebrity has the strongest box office carrying capacity during the Spring Festival season:
Stephen Chow is definitely the best.

Gu Qing could very well become a dark horse.

We also have to mention Brother Chen Long!

Who is Da Tiantian? (Holy crap!)

Despite having the largest investment and seemingly the most international cast, "The Great Wall" is surprisingly the least favored by ordinary viewers.

After all, although the female lead "Da Tian Tian" has incredible resources, her acting skills and box office appeal are well-known to those in the know.

For the average Chinese audience, the male lead, Matt, has limited appeal. It seems that aside from the name of director Zhang Yimou, the film lacks any other compelling reason for viewers to flock to the theaters.

Just as discussions about the Spring Festival film season were in full swing and extended into the New Year, another bombshell was dropped in the entertainment industry – this time the protagonist was "Yumi"!
Blasted!

It wasn't the ball that exploded, it was the house that exploded!
China's top paparazzo, "Weiwei," exposed the "script reading in the dark" incident and produced video recordings that can be described as irrefutable evidence, instantly causing a huge uproar online.

"Holy crap! The fans are still defending it? Reading a script takes four hours? And you need to turn off the lights? You're kidding me!"

"Where's my husband? Where's my husband? Honey, tell me!"

"Wow, I really didn't expect that the handsome young man with thick eyebrows would do something like this."

Faced with this explosive scandal, Yang Mi, who is always hailed as the "marketing queen" and is constantly trending on social media,

His social media accounts have fallen into a long period of silence, and he himself has temporarily disappeared from the public eye.

However, most passersby were simply watching the drama unfold.

Even many of Yang Mi's fans, besides expressing their heartache, felt a sense of relief and happiness deep down.

They had always had reservations about this "brother-in-law" and wished that their sister could escape her misery and be beautiful on her own.

The person happiest about this matter is probably Principal Wang, also known as "Young Master Wang," who recently completed an equity transaction with Gu Qing.

Principal Wang, never one to shy away from a good spectacle, once again displayed his true colors as the "entertainment industry watchdog," first mercilessly mocking the male protagonist of the incident.
He then went so far as to publicly declare on his blog, "Let's get a divorce, and I'll marry you!" This infuriated Liu Wei, who responded with a post: "Please take care of yourself first, get your illness treated! What right does an outsider have to interfere in our family affairs?"

The two engaged in a heated online spat, creating quite a spectacle and adding even more talking points to this drama.

Some are happy and some are sad.

Hou Hongliang, the producer of "Nirvana in Fire", called Gu Qing specifically, his tone filled with helplessness and anxiety.

On the one hand, he poured out his grievances, and on the other hand, he comforted Gu Qing, saying that the production team would take emergency measures, delete Wang Ou's scenes as much as possible, and postpone the release time of the series appropriately to avoid being affected by this scandal.

Gu Qing, on the contrary, remained calm. He comforted Hou Hongliang, saying, "Producer Hou, there's no need to be too anxious. The script itself is complete; making significant cuts and changes at the last minute might actually affect the overall quality."

Moreover, in "Nirvana in Fire", Wang Ou played a villainous character who was cunning and ruthless.

When viewers see her, they might not only not feel pulled out of the story, but they might even feel that she is more fitting and more relatable.

Everything is geared towards ensuring the best possible final product for the series.

New Year's Eve galas are undoubtedly one of the most important stages for celebrities to prove their commercial value and status throughout the year.

After the hustle and bustle of movie promotions and the disruption caused by unexpected scandals, the annual New Year's Eve gala has finally arrived.

Gu Qing's New Year's Eve gala this year has finally been awarded to Jiangsu TV.

This marks the third consecutive year that he has changed his New Year's Eve broadcasting platform, successfully collecting "Moonlight TV", "Huangguo TV" and this year's "Sujiang TV", which can be described as "the TV stations come and go, but the top star remains unchanged".

Of course, this was also accompanied by sarcastic remarks from rival fans (especially Meigeni and Luwei).

He was being subtly mocked as a "traitor to three masters," an attempt to mask his inner envy, jealousy, and hatred.

To persuade Gu Qing, a figure of great importance, Suzhou TV went all out this year, with senior executives personally intervening and playing the emotional card.

Taking advantage of their past collaboration on "The Mystic Nine," he showed concern and care for her every day.

Ultimately, they not only offered the highest salaries to all participating artists, but also provided them with the highest level of treatment in all aspects, including stage design, program arrangement, and publicity resources.

Of course, the final headlining performance opportunity, given their seniority and status in the music industry, was reserved for true superstars.

Gu Qing is taking on a heavyweight "supporting role" this time, but this is already the best treatment that the four top celebrities can get.

Ultimately, the person who won the grand finale role on Jiangsu TV's New Year's Eve gala was "King Xie" —.

This legendary idol is known in the hearts of those born in the 80s as the cool and unrestrained "Singer Xie".
In the memories of those born in the 90s, he was the "actor Xie" with superb acting skills.
For the younger generation born in the 00s, it might be "Chef Xie" who loves food.

When he burst onto the scene, his unique personal charm earned him the title of "the man who ended the era of the Four Heavenly Kings," making him an undisputed first-generation top-tier celebrity and national idol.

Upon arriving at the rehearsal venue, Gu Qing was immediately surrounded by reporters who had been waiting for a long time.

"Gu Qing, what are your thoughts on the box office competition with Chris Wu during the Spring Festival? Do you think you have a chance to beat the combination of Stephen Chow and director Tsui Hark?"

“Gu Qing, my little brother! Director Chen Sicheng said in a previous interview, ‘You are Qin Feng, and Qin Feng is you,’ praising you for having a talent that everyone envies. Can you reveal what that talent is?”

"Gu Qing! Principal Wang recently posted a photo of himself and you on Weibo. Is there some new collaborative project between you two?"

"Gu Qing! What's your opinion on Yang Mi's husband's infidelity?"

A dense array of microphones and cameras were practically shoved in his face, and the reporters' questions were varied, covering his work, personal relationships, and even completely unrelated gossip.

Gu Qing calmly removed her sunglasses, paused for a moment, and calmly swept her gaze over the reporter who had asked the question. Her tone was composed yet clear as she answered:
"Stephen Chow and director Tsui Hark are seniors and idols I greatly respect. I grew up watching their movies."

As for the box office battle with Chris Wu, I believe the final judgment rests not with me, nor with any predictions, but with every audience member who goes to the cinema.

"The talent that Brother Sicheng mentioned will be revealed when the movie is released. For now, let me keep you in suspense."

"My relationship with Principal Wang is just that of ordinary colleagues. Of course, if he helps me make a lot of money one day, then he will be my good colleague."

"As for Teacher Yang's private matters, I am not aware of the situation and therefore cannot comment. Thank you for your concern."

After answering, he deftly put his sunglasses back on and, escorted by his assistant and security guards, broke through the encirclement and entered the rehearsal venue.

After entering the venue,

Gu Qing was lucky; she happened to bump into Xie Tianwang, who was rehearsing.

On stage, Xie Tianwang sported his signature unruly hairstyle, held an electric guitar, and wore a black leather jacket adorned with silver ornaments, exuding a cool and charismatic aura.

Even though it was just a rehearsal, their dedication and stage presence were in no way diminished.

"So young that you can be as decisive as a wafer when you meet anyone, and even half a day of happiness feels like living a million years!"
Everything can be as crisp as youth, joyful enough to grow a year older every day…

The atmosphere at the rehearsal was ignited by the rousing electric guitar solo and the vibrant vocals.

"Oh oh oh!!!"

"Teacher Nicholas Tse! That was fantastic! One more song!"

The surrounding staff couldn't help but cheer and applaud. Gu Qing also showed appreciation in her eyes and sincerely clapped and cheered along with everyone.

Unexpectedly, Xie Tianwang on stage noticed Gu Qing in the crowd at a glance.

During a break in rehearsals, he smiled and approached Gu Qing, his attitude very kind and friendly: "You must be Gu Qing? I've heard your songs, they're very good."

I also saw the action scenes in the movie "Brotherhood of Blades," and they were very well done and stylish.

He paused, then said with a hint of sarcasm, "Speaking of which, I should thank you. Brother Chen Long used to always say in front of the Hong Kong media that I was his successor, which put a lot of pressure on me."

"Now everything's alright, he praises you every day, I can finally 'escape my misery'."

Previously, as the "successor to action films" publicly named by Brother Chen Long, Xie Tianwang bore enormous expectations.

He was truly a daredevil when filming action movies, and he often teetered on the brink of death.

But he was too scared to take any more pictures.

In recent years, he has gradually shifted his focus to his more beloved fields of music and food, and founded the "Chef Nic" brand, opening a new chapter in his career.

The two had a very pleasant conversation, talking about music, movies, and food, and even took photos and signed autographs together.

Finally, Xie Tianwang extended an invitation to Gu Qing: "Next time you have the chance, come be a guest on my show 'Chef Nic'? I'll take you out for a delicious meal and we can have a good chat."

With the generous invitation from the Heavenly King, and given the excellent reputation and viewership of "Chef Nic," the opportunity to personally experience Chef Xie's culinary skills is irresistible.

Gu Qing also found it to be a very interesting thing.

He smiled and readily agreed, "Thank you, Brother Nicholas, I will definitely find time to bother you."

I just don't know if I'll have the chance to experience Huang Xiaochu's cooking in the future.

Upon hearing Gu Qing's agreement, Xie Tianwang's smile deepened.

Seeing the little guy glancing at his guitar every now and then, he said directly, "When you come to 'Chef Nic's Taste of the World' next time, I'll give you one of my treasured guitars."

"Brother Nicholas, is it a deal?"

"A word is settled!"

After saying goodbye to Xie Tianwang, Gu Qing threw herself into the intense rehearsals for her own show.

His performance this time also featured "Spring Snow in the Courtyard," aiming to reinforce the audience's impression of his amazing performance on "Chinese Poetry Competition."
This also serves as a prelude to Chen Sicheng's upcoming publicity campaign.

Time flew by amidst the intense rehearsals, and the day for the live broadcast of the Suzhou TV New Year's Eve Gala finally arrived.

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(End of this chapter)