Huayu: Starting from joining the mainstream entertainment industry in 96

Chapter 307, page 305: A barrage of gold coins from Shiba and Baga

On the last day of July, the capital city was still shrouded in sweltering heat.

The hustle and bustle of the day gradually subsides as night falls, but the lights in the executive suites of the Kunlun Hotel, located on the East Third Ring Road, are as bright as day.

Wang Sheng, who had just finished filming "Fake Marriage", met with Jung Tae-won, the president of Tae-won Entertainment.

"President Wang, I'm so sorry to bother you so late at night!" As soon as Zheng Taiyuan entered, he gave a standard bow. His Chinese had a noticeable accent, but his tone was extremely sincere and enthusiastic. "Congratulations on 'My Sassy Girl' achieving another miracle in the Chinese market! 1765 million! That's an amazing number!"

He waved his arms as if he had created the box office success himself.

"President Zheng, you must be tired from your journey." Wang Sheng shook hands with him, speaking in a calm tone, and led him to the reception area of ​​the suite. "This small achievement is inseparable from the overall market environment and the support of the audience."

He gestured for the other person to sit down, and his assistant, Li Tingting, quietly brought over two cups of freshly brewed Longjing tea. The fragrant aroma of the tea slightly eased the tension and calculation in the air.

After exchanging pleasantries, Zheng Taiyuan couldn't wait to get to the point.

He leaned forward slightly, crossed his hands on his knees, and lowered his posture: "President Wang, let's not beat around the bush."

I came here specifically for "My Sassy Girl." I believe the film's concept and this subversive "sassy girlfriend" image have huge market potential in South Korea! It might even spark a social debate!

Wang Sheng picked up his teacup, gently blew away the floating leaves, took a sip, and said nothing, only gesturing with his eyes for him to continue.

Jung Tae-won took a deep breath and presented his carefully considered plan: "Therefore, I hope to obtain the remake rights for 'My Sassy Girl' in South Korea."

He deliberately ignored the words "introduction and distribution" and kept his eyes fixed on Wang Sheng's reaction.

The suite fell silent instantly, with only the low hum of the central air conditioning unit.

Wang Sheng put down his teacup, leaned back on the sofa, and gave a meaningful smile: "Remake rights? President Zheng means you don't plan to import our current version?"

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Jung Tae-won's face, but it was quickly covered up by a smile: "President Wang, as you know, the Korean market... well, it's rather special."

Directly importing the original Chinese version may encounter some unforeseen difficulties in terms of censorship, audience acceptance, and screening schedules.

Localized remakes, featuring Korean actors and telling stories set in Korea, are more likely to resonate with audiences and are easier to produce.

He paused, then added, "Just like our successful collaboration on 'Happy Family,' the format is very successful!"

Wang Sheng pondered for a moment.

After a long pause, he spoke slowly, his tone calm and unhurried, yet carrying an undeniable weight: "President Zheng, our collaboration has indeed been very pleasant. So, I'll be frank. Wanting the remake rights to 'My Sassy Girl' is fine. But…"

He paused deliberately, looking at Jung Tae-won's instantly tense expression, "We must buy all the copyrights of the original Chinese films in South Korea together—including screening rights and distribution rights."

Jung Tae-won's smile froze on his face.

Wang Sheng seemed oblivious to his reaction and continued to offer his terms: "Considering our previous good working relationship, the price remains the same as always, four million US dollars. In addition, if you need an adapted script outline that is more in line with the Korean cultural background and the audience's tastes, I can provide that for one hundred thousand US dollars."

He said in a very calm tone, "Of course, President Zheng should know the value of this outline after watching the finished film and box office results of 'My Sassy Girl'."

Four million dollars!
They also require you to purchase the original distribution rights as a bundled deal!
Zheng Taiyuan's heart sank.

This price was much higher than he had expected for the pure remake rights, and the bundled sale of the original version meant that he had to bear the risk that the original version might not be well received in the Korean market.

His original plan was to acquire the remake rights at a low price and then concentrate resources on creating a pure Korean version.

“President Wang…” Zheng Taiyuan tried to struggle a bit, “The original distribution rights… You see, it really takes time for Korean audiences to accept non-Hollywood foreign films, especially Chinese films.”

Could we try a different approach? For example, could I only purchase the Korean distribution rights for VCDs, videotapes, and other audio-visual media? Would that result in a… discount?

He looked at Wang Sheng cautiously; this was the compromise he could think of.

Upon hearing this, Wang Sheng raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly genuinely considering the suggestion.

He paused for a moment, then looked at Zheng Taiyuan with a deep gaze: "Buying only the audio-visual distribution rights... is certainly an option."

Zheng Taiyuan was overjoyed.

But Wang Sheng's next words instantly dampened his newly risen hope: "The price can be reduced by two million US dollars. That is to say, the original audio-visual distribution rights plus the remake rights will cost two million US dollars in total, and the script outline will be calculated separately at 100,000 US dollars."

Two million!
This still crossed Zheng Taiyuan's bottom line.

He opened his mouth, wanting to try again.

However, Wang Sheng didn't give him a chance to speak, and casually raised another question, as if it were just a casual remark: "President Zheng, when doing business, you have to have a long-term vision. You only consider the cost, but have you thought about whether other Korean companies, such as CJ Entertainment or Lotte, might be interested in this kind of subversive subject matter that has already been proven successful in the Chinese market while you are hesitating? At that time, what they come to me to talk about may not be just the remake rights."

A seemingly casual remark struck Jung Tae-won like a thunderclap! CJ! Lotte! These two behemoths of the Korean entertainment industry instantly shattered Jung Tae-won's mental defenses.

He knew all too well how these big companies operated. Once they sensed a business opportunity, with their vast capital and distribution channels, they could easily offer him conditions he couldn't refuse and kick him out of the game!

The success of "A Little Thing Called First Love" has already brought him considerable attention in the industry, and countless eyes are now watching his collaboration with Wang Sheng.

A phenomenal project like "My Sassy Girl" will definitely attract the interest of those giants!
By then, he will have lost not only a project, but also a strategic opportunity to become deeply intertwined with Wang Sheng and the rising Chinese film market!

This is far more fatal than a difference of several million dollars!

Cold sweat instantly seeped from Zheng Taiyuan's forehead.

He picked up the teacup in front of him, his hand trembling almost imperceptibly, and drank the slightly cool tea in one gulp, trying to calm the turmoil in his heart.

He quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind. Bundling the purchase of the original distribution rights with the original version certainly carried risks, but it was not impossible.

We can first create momentum and generate buzz by using the original audio-visual products, and then launch a Korean remake to create a synergistic effect.

Moreover, by possessing the original copyright, he gains the upper hand, can control the promotional pace of the original version, prevent it from having too much impact on the Korean version, and can even use it as a "prequel" or "background" for marketing purposes.

More importantly, we must eliminate any possibility of other competitors entering the market!
We must not give CJ or Rakuten any chance to interfere!

Having figured everything out, Zheng Taiyuan put down his teacup, a smile returning to his face, but now tinged with determination and bitterness: "President Wang, you're right! I was short-sighted and didn't think things through."

We'll do as you say! The entire Korean rights to "My Sassy Girl," plus the remake rights, for four million US dollars!

We at Taewon Entertainment want it all! Also, please sell me that script outline suitable for the Korean market, for $100,000!

Wang Sheng smiled with satisfaction, as if he had expected this outcome: "President Zheng is a smart man. It's a pleasure working with you."

He raised his teacup again, using tea instead of wine.

"It's a pleasure to work with you!" Zheng Taiyuan quickly raised his glass and lightly clinked it with Wang Sheng's.

He wasn't worried about money; the South Korean film and television industry had many more ways of operating.

Now that things have come to this, Zheng Taiyuan decided to strike while the iron is hot and try to gain even more benefits.

He rubbed his hands together, forcing an even more ingratiating smile: "President Wang, you see... our cooperation is so seamless, and our foundation of trust is so solid."

"Regarding your company's other highly successful film, *Flying Colors*, I wonder if you could also grant us the rights to its Korean adaptation, as well as other related copyrights, at a... well, a more affordable price?"

He stared at Wang Sheng with longing eyes, much like a vendor at the market haggling over prices while hoping to get a free scallion.

Wang Sheng found his appearance somewhat amusing.

He pondered for a moment. The inspirational underdog story of "Flying Colors" does have universal appeal in East Asian cultural circles. Selling it to Jung Tae-won would not only earn him another profit but also further solidify this South Korean partnership.

Weren't all those projects he had stockpiled and developed for this very moment?
"President Zheng has quite an appetite."

Wang Sheng smiled and said, "How about 'Flying Colors'? Considering our long-term cooperation, two million US dollars. It's the same as the full copyright in South Korea plus the adaptation rights."

Two million!
Although it still stung a bit, compared to the four million for "My Sassy Girl," this price felt much more "affordable" to Jung Tae-won. He nodded almost without hesitation: "Okay! Thank you so much for President Wang's support! It's settled!"

He quickly calculated in his mind that, if handled properly, an inspirational film like "Flying Colors" might not be less profitable than a romantic comedy, especially in South Korea where education is highly valued.

Over the next few days, Zheng Taiyuan's team worked closely with Shengying Media's legal and business departments to finalize all the details of the two contracts.

The day before the official signing, Wang Sheng received another visitor he had expected—Yoshihisa Inoue, a senior producer from Shochiku Films in Japan.

This old-fashioned Japanese businessman was also there for "My Sassy Girl" and "Flying Colors".

With the success of "First Love" in Japan, Yoshihisa Inoue is very confident in the commercial value of Wang Sheng's works.

His goal this time was more specific and generous—to directly buy out the permanent copyrights in all regions except mainland China and South Korea.

The negotiations proceeded almost without any setbacks.

Wang Sheng demanded a high price, and Inoue Yoshihisa made a token counter-offer. Ultimately, the two parties reached an agreement for the global (excluding mainland China and South Korea) rights to the films "My Sassy Girl" and "Flying Colors" for $15 million.

It may seem easy, but it's really just Wang Sheng standing at the top of the industry, a winner-takes-all situation.

(End of this chapter)