Generation Z Artists

Chapter 339 A Dream Start
Time flew by and it was the last day of 2004, but Fang Xinghe still hadn't returned to China.

This wasn't his first New Year's Day abroad, but it was certainly the busiest one.

Tokyo, Shinjuku, early morning.

Standing in front of the hotel's floor-to-ceiling windows, looking at the bustling crowds and densely packed heads at Shibuya Crossing, Fang Xinghe seemed to see China 20 years from now.

Interestingly, due to inadequate governance and the lack of safety for those attending the gatherings, both Japan and South Korea began to regulate New Year's gatherings after several stampede incidents.

Gradually, more activities shifted to temples, shrines, or commercial venues, and young people no longer gathered on the streets.

Meanwhile, outdoor events in China are becoming increasingly large-scale. In Nanchang, 110 million people participated in the National Day fireworks display without a single accident, which caused a sensation on the international internet and prompted netizens from various countries to reflect on their own experiences.

The bustling scene before Fang Xinghe's eyes slowly overlapped with the images in his memory, then separated again, creating a strong sense of dreamlike illusion.

This kind of comparison will not create any confusion, but only bring determination.

—I am on the right path, and I have a part in that bright future.

Thinking about it this way, I suddenly realized that 2004 was also a very fulfilling year.

I stood by the window for a while, watching the excitement, when my phone started ringing incessantly.

So many people were sending New Year's greetings that my inbox was quickly overflowing.

Wang Yali, Chen Danya, Li Qigang, Yu Hua, Gong Li, Emo, Zhang Ziyi, Nenxian Xiaomi, Da Dan, Kobe, Chuanzi, Son Ye-jin, Yui Aragaki...

Those he conversed with were all learned scholars; none of his associates were uncultured.

He has deeply rooted himself in this era, and while he has fewer and fewer friends he can talk to, his sense of identity with the times has grown stronger.

What is this called?
My influence on the world is also the anchor the world uses to hold me.

China in 2030 will be better, but I shaped a part of the China of 2004.

Fang was in a great mood and suddenly wanted to make a summary.

In the past two years, he has stopped doing year-end summaries; he thinks it's a waste of time and he can't finish them anyway.

But this year is different; I'm in the mood.

So I opened my most private notebook and started writing.

[2004 Year-End Summary]

First, I was so engrossed in filming TV series at the beginning of the year that I didn't attend any film festivals.

Note 1: I was not invited to the Taiwan Golden Horse Awards. Although I certainly wouldn't go, their failure to invite me is a heinous crime.

Note 2: The Hong Kong Film Awards invited the cast and crew of "Better Days", but I didn't go. They only wanted to humiliate me and didn't intend to give me any awards. Otherwise, I should have swept the awards regardless of whether I went or not. In the end, I not only didn't win anything, but there were also people making sarcastic remarks at the awards ceremony.

The Hong Kong entertainment circle is guilty of heinous crimes.

Note 3: The Hundred Flowers Awards for Popular Films awarded "Better Days" the Best Feature Film Award. It was a tie, and I don't remember the other two winning films, nor do I remember the three winners of the Best Feature Film Award.

Every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor; I have always been fair in my dealings.

The organizers and the ghouls of the film industry are guilty of heinous crimes.

Note 4: The China Golden Rooster Awards extended a warm invitation to me to attend, but I really didn't have time this time. Dong Youde accepted the Best Actor and Best Director awards on my behalf, and Yi Fei accepted the Best Actress award.

As a rising performing artist recognized by the public, I've noticed she's getting more and more creative. When filming "Little Dragon Girl," she often makes surprising remarks, trying to reach new heights in her performing arts... crazy!
We can't work with her again anytime soon. This first disciple of mine is really clueless. Let other directors worry about her.

Note 5: The Oscars gave "Better Days" six nominations and wanted to invite me to walk the dog, but I didn't go. Warner Bros. thought I would win an award if I went. Pshaw, do you think I don't know what kind of people you are?
However, not participating this time was a disgrace to the college, making it 3 points more difficult to win the prize next time. Remember to be cautious and don't throw your chances away when there are no new strategies.

Note 6: A total of 42 well-known public figures, including Wang Shuo, Lie Yanshan, Zou Runfa, Chen Xiaochun, Zhang Weijian, etc., have criticized me on different occasions. It would be too much of a show to criticize them individually. I hope to have the opportunity to personally confront them.

Note 7: Kai Zi's big film is almost finished filming, I want to see it.

II. The excitement has subsided, and this concludes the year-end summary.

……

Summarizing is really difficult. Fang Ge got tired of writing it and ended up not even knowing how much he earned or spent this year.

Anyway, The Return of the Condor Heroes broke even.

Of the $8000 million in disc sales in the United States, Fang Xinghe secured 45%, which amounted to approximately $3600 million in revenue.

The Japanese DVD release of "Xiangyang" sold 150 million copies, generating $6000 million in revenue.

South Korean DVD sales reached $1500 million, with rampant piracy.

The company earned 18 million USD in cash from copyright revenue from Japan and South Korea, and split the 160 million USD advertising revenue 50/50, totaling another 80 million USD.

The total price was $2.09 million, or 18 billion RMB, which is considered a good price to sell the fame accumulated since "Les Young".

Income from Southeast Asia is not worth much. Even a developed country like Singapore is just a small market with 400 million people, not worth mentioning.

Hong Kong and Taiwan can't make big money from this either. Fang Xinghe has a bad reputation, and local businesses and people are definitely not willing to pay for it.

Not to mention Europe, America, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, those with economic scale lack the fervor of Japan and South Korea, and those with fervor lack economic scale; they're basically just throwing money away.

But Fang Ge didn't feel any more relaxed.

The taxes due for "The Return of the Condor Heroes" have not yet been fully collected, and the actual performance will affect subsequent revenue.

Furthermore, the success of "The Return of the Condor Heroes" also determines the start of the next work; the higher the ratings, the greater the room for negotiation and manipulation.

Finally, "The Return of the Condor Heroes" is the best cultural export project he could find. If it doesn't become a hit this time, the budding patriotism among international troublemakers will not be cultivated, which will greatly delay the progress.

So he moved the manuscript and the entire screenwriting team to Japan, paying them to do research while continuing to organize the project, intending to stay in Japan until things were more settled.

Tomorrow is the first Saturday of 2005, and South Korean broadcaster KBS will air the first episode of "The Condor Heroes" at 11 p.m.

The second episode will air in South Korea the day after tomorrow, the 2nd, while Japanese channels will broadcast the first two episodes at once.

We'll see what they're made of and put them to the test.

……

On January 1, 2005, at 10 p.m., Fang Xinghe appeared at South Korean KBS television station at the invitation of the station.

Only his confidants were present in the small conference room. Gao Guangzhe, the station director at the time, was so nervous that he kept rubbing his hands together and expressing his gratitude.

"Thank you, Fang Xinghe, for coming to support me in person..."

"You're too kind, this is a project we're working on together."

"Ha! Of course, but it's different. To be honest, The Return of the Condor Heroes is of great significance to me..."

KBS's victory, like Nippon TV's victory, was also influenced by intense off-field factors.

Simply put, Gao Guangzhe is about to be replaced by Li Bingchun, within two months to six months, and it's almost certain he'll be eliminated.

Fang Xinghe certainly couldn't get involved in their messy political struggles, but his presence alone would give Gao Guangzhe a strong sense of confidence.

You, Brother Fang, have absolutely no political influence.

Fang Ge not only has influence in terms of votes, but he's at the peak of it.

As soon as Gao Guangzhe posted the photo of the two of them, his public support rate immediately surged by 5 percentage points.

Therefore, Gao Guangzhe's support for "The Return of the Condor Heroes" is comprehensive.

Except for the broadcast time, which cannot be changed, the rest of the lineup is top-notch.

Starting in the afternoon, a scrolling notification appeared below all KBS programs: "Today at 11:00 AM, Fang Xinghe's martial arts drama 'The Return of the Condor Heroes' will be broadcast."

Large posters of Yang Guo and Xiaolongnu are displayed everywhere in major shopping malls and bustling streets of Seoul.

Even KBS's music show "Music Bank" featured the Korean version of "Lemon," pushing it into the top three of the charts.

A side note 1: Seoul is about to be renamed from Seoul City, and the process is already underway.

If "The Return of the Condor Heroes" is not promoted or released now, it may not be able to be released until the public is excited after the name change.

A side note 2: The Korean version of "Lemon" performed very well in South Korea, easily becoming a huge hit, but it cannot be compared to the phenomenal success in Japan; there is a fundamental difference.

However, on the other hand, the theme song "Lemon" only needs to be a hit in Japan; its historical mission is to open the door to Japan for "The Return of the Condor Heroes".

Domestically, it doesn't matter at all... whether it has a theme song or not, "The Return of the Condor Heroes" is bound to be a hit.

After sitting down with Gao Guangzhe, the two groups of people moved on to the data monitoring room.

At 11:00 AM Korean time, the highly anticipated drama "The Return of the Condor Heroes," which had been in the works for over a year and caused a worldwide sensation, finally premiered.

"Director!"

The head of the monitoring room yelled, bringing Gao Guangzhe back to his senses.

"The premiere viewership rating was 55.7%!"

"Great!" Gao Guangzhe almost jumped for joy. "That's fantastic!"

Fang Xinghe asked with great interest, "What level is it?" "The level of 'Dae Jang Geum'!"

Gao Guangzhe kept rambling on: "Fang Xinghe, the highest rating for 'Dae Jang Geum,' which premiered two years ago, was only 57.8%! The average rating was 47.2%, which is already a ratings legend in the 21st century!"

Going back further, the 96 drama "First Love," starring Bae Yong-joon and Choi Soo-jong, was a true national ratings phenomenon in South Korea, but its average viewership rating was only 56.1%!

Fang Xinghe watched the ratings curve plummet, then chuckled and waved his hand.

"Don't be too optimistic. It's just curiosity. It will probably be difficult to stabilize the situation."

Gao Guangzhe glanced at the data that was falling back to 50%, but his mood remained good.

"You didn't even appear in the first two episodes, so isn't it normal for the ratings to drop? Having such a peak at the start of the series is already a great success."

"Let's see how stable it can be."

Fang Xinghe also felt a little nervous. There was no way he could help it; with such high expectations, it was hard not to be affected.

On the contrary, Gao Guangzhe felt he could finish his task and laughed loudly, "Good, good, let's watch the show!"

There was a large, professional screen in the data room. When Gong Li appeared, the room suddenly erupted in a gasp of surprise.

……

Night, moon, cliff edge.

A lone figure stands with his back to the viewer, gazing at the manor below.

The wind was strong on the cliff, and her clothes fluttered loudly.

It was an extremely gorgeous dark red Taoist robe, modified to be completely different from the traditional simple and elegant style.

The Taoist robe consists of two layers. The inner layer is red with silver patterns, making it exceptionally luxurious. The outer layer is covered with gauze, and the black gauze is covered with gold patterns, whether embroidered or applied.

The gauze is transparent, with gold and silver patterns appearing and disappearing, sometimes overlapping and sometimes slightly misaligned, forming lines that resemble dragons and snakes.

"Wow! So beautiful!"

Kim Tae-yeon and Im Yoon-ah sat side by side in front of the small TV in their dorm room, their eyes wide with surprise.

"Oh my, how can it be so gorgeous?"

Under the moonlight, the Taoist robe seemed to shimmer.

In the fierce wind, the Taoist robe fluttered and the sleeves billowed, like a fairy looking down upon the world.

That figure stood alone, its posture upright and solitary, as if it might fall at any moment, or as if it would stand there forever, frozen in silence.

The full moon in the sky was so big for some reason, and its cold yet beautiful light outlined a hazy edge around her, which was deeply engraved in the little girl's heart.

Until this moment, the bewildered girls suddenly realized what kind of aesthetic conception Fang Xinghe had shown them.

The camera silently zooms in, panning over the shoulder towards the manor below the cliff.

The courtyard has at least four sections, with a back garden, and two rows of large red lanterns extend from the central courtyard all the way to the back garden.

A gentle breeze blows, and the lanterns sway slightly.

Under the pure white moonlight, the manor was quiet and peaceful, exuding both wealth and tranquility.

"Ah!"

With a soft laugh, the over-the-shoulder shot of the distant view below suddenly pulled back.

The camera slowly rotates around the figure, framing the person in the frame, and gradually pulls back.

The first thing shown to the audience was her face.

Her long hair was tied up and secured with an antique-style bronze hairpin with a rusty look, while the rest of her hair was loose and swayed slightly in the wind.

Suddenly, the wind shifted, blowing her long hair aside and revealing half of her profile.

A long, slender neck, a slightly raised chin revealing a bold and defined jawline, sharp eyebrows, and a high nose bridge.

The camera continued to rotate, and Kim Tae-yeon and Im Yoon-ah gradually became clearer in terms of their faces.

Her makeup was exquisite but the tone was cool, her lips were dark red like dried blood, and a few strands of hair fluttered between her eyebrows and eyes, revealing her fierce eyes in the middle.

hatred!
Those eyes held no other emotion, only a surging hatred.

That face had no other expression, only coldness.

But beneath the coldness, the corners of her mouth were tightly pursed, slightly curved upwards, as if in a chilling mockery.

Many laypeople have a misconception about TV dramas—that the story must be presented through the actions of the characters.

No, actually, it's not necessary.

For a good director, visuals alone are enough.

For a good actor, the eyes alone are enough.

When a good director has good actors, the result is what we see now—in the first minute and a half, without a single action or line of dialogue, Li Mochou's beauty, hatred, and murderous intent are vividly portrayed.

Kim Tae-yeon was both nervous and excited.

"Oh my god, is Goddess Gong Li trying to kill someone?"

Yes, Fang Xinghe's pace was crisp and efficient. After setting up the scene, he immediately sent Li Mochou down to kill people.

This is an extremely tense and exciting action-packed drama.

Li Mochou's sleeves fluttered, and her silver whisk was like a venomous snake. Each time it was drawn, it was accompanied by a violent hiss. When it struck a person's face, no blood or flesh flew, only bones became soft as cotton.

A silver light would occasionally flash in her left hand, making it impossible to see how she made her move. With just a flick of her finger, the small fry would immediately be covered in frost.

After a spectacular massacre, Cheng Ying and Lu Wushuang fled for their lives.

Jun Ji-hyun's appearance once again caused a stir among Koreans.

Although her character is portrayed as a feisty woman, her period costume is elegant and graceful, reflecting her parents' expectations for her to become a well-bred lady.

Before fleeing, Lu Wushuang tore her sleeve, grabbed her sword, threw her hairpins aside, and tearfully swore, "Li Mochou, no matter the cost, I will avenge this!"

The scene was both brilliant and tear-jerking, which perfectly established the character of Lu Wushuang.

Jun Ji-hyun's performance was superb, abandoning the exaggerated style of Korean dramas. Every word she uttered was heart-wrenching and tear-stained, making people feel extremely sorry for her.

This immediately stabilized the viewership rating at 47.5%.

Next, the scene shifts to the appearance of young Yang Guo.

What makes The Return of the Condor Heroes special is that its story begins with Yang Guo's childhood.

Such dramas must address the disconnect between young and adult actors, so if they fail to engage viewers in the first two episodes, they will inevitably lose a large number of impatient viewers.

In the original version from the previous life, Ding Dang's performance was just too noisy.

Judging by Fang Xinghe's professional standards, Dingdang's performance follows the same formula as Da Mimi's: highly formulaic, exaggerated, greasy, and overly elaborate.

Originating from the comedic routines of crosstalk and sketch comedy, exaggerated facial expressions, and loud shouting...

High emotional intelligence is described as "witty and clever," and if you don't want to be rude, you can just say, "Who taught you to act like this?"

So, after much deliberation, Fang Xinghe brought in 9-year-old Weng Feiran.

As a child, Xiao Weng was truly remarkable.

There was always a lingering gloom between his brows. Occasionally, when he relaxed and seemed to be smiling broadly, you always felt that his eyes were a deep pool, and you could never see the bottom no matter how hard you tried.

Xiao Weng wore GEO's top-of-the-line Fangxinghe colored contact lenses, a style specially made for the performance, with the color tone slightly lighter by about 30%.

This did not affect his emotional expression; on the contrary, it added a sense of alienation from the world.

Who wouldn't feel sorry for such a beautiful child?

Therefore, the ratings stabilized at the next level.

After appearing for 10 minutes, the ratings dropped to 40% and began to fluctuate around that level.

The ratings only dropped again after Lu Wushuang was captured by Li Mochou and temporarily taken offline.

Ultimately, The Condor Heroes started strong but faded in South Korea, achieving a peak viewership rating of 55.7%, a low of 33.5%, and an average rating of 40.2%, making it a great success!
KBS's expectation for the first two episodes of The Condor Heroes was that maintaining a 20% viewership rating would be a major victory, and they would gradually pull it back once Fang Xinghe appeared.

The result...more than doubled!
Even Fang Xinghe himself did not expect that Gong Li, Jun Ji-hyun, and Weng Feiran could create such a success, keeping most of the curious viewers glued to their television sets.

This is... a dream start.

**********
The document that was approved yesterday was only discovered today.

So I updated one chapter yesterday and two chapters today.

(End of this chapter)