My capital is quite large.

In late July, Seoul was filled with an almost manic sense of national pride throughout the peninsula.

In just over a month, the same name has been ubiquitous, appearing on everything from the prime-time news broadcasts of the three major terrestrial television stations to the giant LED screens in shopping malls throughout Seoul.

BTS.

If it were just about winning a few music show awards in South Korea or sweeping a few big prizes at the end of the year, discerning Seoul netizens might not be this excited.

But this time, the flames of war among these young people spread to Emily across the ocean!

At the Billboard Music Awards ceremony that just concluded the day before yesterday, BTS pulled off a major upset—

They actually beat the globally popular Justin Bieber to the Best Social Artist award, all under the spotlight of the world's media!

This broke Bieber's six-year monopoly on the award!

They became the first Korean idol group in the entire history of K-POP to win an official award at a major Billboard Music Awards!

Unprecedented!

This is absolutely a miracle that has never happened before!

It's important to know that for the past decade or so, the phrase "venture into America" ​​has been the deepest obsession in the entire South Korean pop music industry, and a persistent nightmare for countless management companies and investors.

From Rain, who was a sensation across Asia in his early years, to Wonder Girls, who later became a sensation with "Nobody," wave after wave of top South Korean artists have crossed the Pacific Ocean carrying the hopes of the entire nation.

But the result?

The cultural barriers and racial class structures in Europe and America are too rigid!

Hollywood and Wall Street's arrogant white old money, who don't even have enough of their own pie, how could they possibly tolerate Asian idols with yellow skin entering their territory?

Those so-called "pioneers who ventured into America" ​​who were once extremely popular ended up doing nothing more than opening acts for second- or third-rate singers' tours across the ocean. They were exhausted and eventually had no choice but to slink back to Asia to live off their past achievements.

But now!

There really was a team that won a very prestigious award on the Billboard!

Even on Twitter and major radio charts across the United States, he outperformed a host of local European and American singers, making a name for himself!

The resources and promotion efforts are so great that even describing them as "outrageously good" seems a bit too conservative.

"The pride of South Korea!"

"The mythical miracle of K-POP conquering Europe and America!"

The Seoul media and netizens went wild, bombarding the public with all sorts of exaggerated headlines as if they were free.

But after the euphoria, countless South Korean netizens with microscopes and seasoned industry professionals inevitably harbored doubts:

Something's not right!

At the end of last year, BTS was just a struggling, obscure group from a small, nearly bankrupt organization.

How come in just a few months, the streaming resources behind it seem like they've been given a cheat code?

They've already expanded beyond Asia and are making waves in the European and American markets?!

Who would believe this without some powerful backer?!

Curiosity piqued, South Korean netizens began frantically digging into the background of the boy band's management company.

When they dug, everyone was stunned.

It turns out that... several months ago, Big Hit Entertainment's legal representative and shareholding structure had already been completely changed!

"I knew it! If Fang Shihe had that kind of power, why would he be working in that dilapidated basement where they don't even bother to turn on the heating?!"

As this layer of capital mystery is lifted, a previously rarely mentioned name in Seoul's high-society circles has naturally been thrust into the spotlight—

Kim Soo-hyuk!

Not only does he have a genuine Ivy League degree, but he also served as a senior executive director at several top Wall Street investment banks, including Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, in his early years.

Both their network of contacts and the Swiss fund behind them are unfathomable!

With such an impressive resume, the agency, now renamed Happy Forever, has seen its industry standing leap forward in a very short period of time!

With just this successful "American lift", he has crossed the gap of decades of experience and is now on par with the three established giants, SM, YG and JYP!

however.

Before Seoul's citizens could recover from this star-making myth, HF Entertainment's official planning announcement stirred up an even bigger storm.

HF Entertainment has announced that it has acquired a prime piece of land in Gangnam District, Seoul, and will invest in the construction of a brand-new 20-story modern headquarters skyscraper over the next two years!

Gangnam District!

A brand new 20-story headquarters building!!

The announcement caused an uproar throughout South Korean society!

That's Gangnam District in Seoul!

Gangnam District, where land is incredibly valuable and chaebols and top celebrities gather!

In the traditional Seoul entertainment landscape, even giants like SM and YG, who have dominated the industry for decades, would at most dare to buy a seven- or eight-story building on the outskirts of Mapo-gu or Cheongdam-dong to make a show of their wealth.

But what about this newly emerged HF Entertainment?

Not only did they establish their headquarters in the heart of Gangnam District, but they also made a move with a towering 20-story landmark!

"This is insane... Just how rich does this new boss have?!"

"Buying land in Gangnam and building a 20-story skyscraper? You couldn't even finish the foundation without at least 4000 billion won!"

"Wow! This isn't just an entertainment company, it's a chaebol!!"

Suddenly, in the eyes of those South Korean boys and girls who dreamed of becoming famous and the parents of trainees, the three major entertainment companies suddenly lost their appeal.

With incredible resources, guaranteed access to Europe and America, and an inexhaustible financial reserve behind it all!

HF Entertainment, overnight, became the Mecca for all trainees in South Korea!

……

At this time.

Jinling, Xianlin Science and Technology City.

In the president's office on the top floor of Haofeng Group's headquarters building, Zhang Yuxi gently placed a reimbursement approval form, which had just been urgently delivered from the overseas investment department, on the desk in front of Li Feng.

"Mr. Li."

Zhang Yuxi reported to the supervisor:

"Director Zhao Zhe of the Overseas Investment Department has just completed the expedited reporting process."

"Regarding the newly established HF Entertainment branch in Seoul, Director Zhao used our standby credit line in the Cayman Islands to acquire a plot of land in a prime location in Gangnam District, Seoul, and initiated the bidding process for the infrastructure construction of a 20-story headquarters building."

Zhang Yuxi paused for half a second, a look of pain and confusion appearing on her delicate face:

"All things considered... the acquisition of this one asset alone will cost at least 30 billion RMB."

At this point, Zhang Yuxi couldn't help but mutter to herself:

"Mr. Li... although you did grant Director Zhao the authority to make 'decisive decisions' in Seoul before."

"But in that tiny place, to casually spend 3 billion to build a skyscraper for a fledgling entertainment subsidiary... isn't that a bit too extravagant?"

In Zhang Yuxi's pragmatic logic, 30 billion RMB is not worth it. Why not use it to build skyscrapers for a few Korean idols?

No matter how you look at it, it's a losing proposition.

however.

Despite his chief secretary's complaints, Li Feng remained calm.

Only the eight-character proverb is given:

"Trust those you employ, and do not employ those you distrust."

In Li Feng's view, buying trending searches for BTS, pushing them to the top, creating idols on Billboard, and even spending a lot of money to build a building in Gangnam District are all part of the effort.

All of this is just a smokescreen.

As long as we can get that most devoted man in Seoul onto the ship in the end, then it will all be worth it.

but……

Too much power is best kept in check.

Li Feng added, "That's right."

"Go and inform Zhang Xinyu later."

"Let her have the title of deputy director in the investment department."