Entertainment: I am the peak

Chapter 274 Trip to Busan

"I'm still filming?" Everyone gathered at Longcheng Restaurant, a long-established Chinese restaurant in Busan. On Li Qiutang's left were Xu Ke and Shi Nansheng and his wife, and on her right was Zhang Guoli. "I think I've been a model of professionalism in recent years."

Xu Ke said: "You are so young and energetic, you can shoot more. We are old and will work slower."

Which famous director is not extremely energetic? Xu Ke’s projects are all scheduled for 10 years later.

But Li Qiutang said: "In the past few years, I basically lived on the set. In the past two years, I have been slow and would not start filming without a good idea."

When Fan Bingbing mentioned that he helped Huang Xiaoming to save the situation, Li Qiutang said, "There was nothing we could do. There were more than a hundred people in the crew paralyzed, and Xiaoming came to us for help. We helped him if we could."

Zhang Guoli laughed and said, "You are the best director at the Golden Globe Awards, and you are doing this kind of work?"

"It's not a dirty or tiring job, so don't be too proud of yourself at this time."

In such private gatherings, people mostly talk about trivial matters, or irrelevant gossip and nonsense, and everyone just laughs and the conversation moves on.

For example, someone in the circle took over other people’s roles and was scolded by the director and his wife.

When someone acts like a big shot on the set, the producer reminds his colleagues in his own small circle to be careful when using this person.

Fan Bingbing’s film contracts are scheduled until five years later, and she is the most popular among the Four Dan and Two Bing.

"No matter how popular I am, I'm not as popular as you." Fan Bingbing said with a smile.

"Which one is he?" Many people in the circle don't know.

Li Qiutang said with a smile: "Don't talk nonsense, or I'll sue you for defamation. I won't ask you to act in a play anymore."

"You're still threatening me," Fan Bingbing said with a smile, "Then you better please me, or I'll explode."

Li Qiutang raised his glass and said, "Come on, come on, I'll toast you a glass. Please show some mercy, show some mercy."

Everyone chatted and laughed until late at night. They didn't stay in the same hotel. The "In Time" crew and Fan Bingbing were on the same floor in the same hotel.

The next day, "In Time" premiered in South Korea.

As the first Asian film to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Picture, although it was released in South Korea half a year later than in mainland China, the premiere still attracted a large number of media, movie fans and guests.

Many celebrities from the Korean film industry also attended the premiere, including actor An Seung-gi and director Lee Chang-dong, whom Li Qiutang personally likes very much.

As for the other guests, Li Qiutang could only name a few, especially the female guests. Li Qiutang saw that they all looked the same.

I did recognize Yoona. How come she looked so pretty in the video but so different in person?

Li Qiutang led several main creators to the stage to share the filming stories with the media and fans.

None of the crew members can speak Korean, and at most they can speak a few words. Except for Li Qiutang, no one else can speak English either.

In the end, we still had to rely on simultaneous interpretation, so the entire sharing session seemed very lengthy.

Li Qiutang was still asked about the ideological metaphors in the film at the scene, but Li Qiutang tactfully rejected the question:

"A director cannot explain his own film. It is what you think it is about."

A domestic media asked: "Hello, Director. Before I came to Busan, I watched all your movies again. I found an interesting problem. All your movies have a shallow description of love. That is to say, there are lovers and couples in your movies, but you don't seem to focus on the portrayal of love. Why is that?"

Li Qiutang laughed after hearing this question: "Really? I didn't pay much attention."

Recalling quickly, it seems to be true. From "Comet" to "In Time", all of Li Qiutang's films do not portray love, including "The Ordinary Man" which he took over, in which he cut the emotional line between Gao Dongliang and Fang Zizhen.

Li Qiutang thought for a moment and said, "Maybe every director has a different perspective on the story. I will pay more attention to dramatic conflicts and character personalities. It may also be that I am not very good at filming love scenes." He laughed and said, "I saw that director Shunji Iwai also came to Busan. I went down the stage to ask him for advice on how to film a love movie."

The last sentence caused laughter from the audience. After a few more words of idle chat, the film began to play.

Li Qiutang really didn't want to watch it anymore, so she sat in her seat and chatted with the Korean distribution representative for more than two hours.

Finally, today's premiere ended with applause.

After the premiere, I gave interviews to several media outlets.

Li Qiutang is quite popular in Busan. In terms of awards, he may be the most important director in Busan this year.

On the day of the premiere of "In Time", Li Qiutang participated in a total of eight events of varying sizes, some of which were public events and some were private meetings.

The last time Li Qiutang came to Busan was when "Comet" was released. Five years have passed in the blink of an eye.

This year we are back in Busan with honors, and it feels really different.

Koreans seem to be more proud and happy than Chinese people about winning American film awards.

Some fans even called Li Qiutang the Pride of Asia.

"Director, this is Miss Gu Hye Sun. She used to be an actress and is now a director." Through the translator's introduction, Li Qiutang got to know this beautiful short-haired director.

There are very few female directors, and even fewer beautiful female directors. Goo Hye-sun is definitely one of the best-looking female directors.

Goo Hye Sun's English is okay. She expressed her admiration for Li Qiutang and said that she saw "In Time" for the first time today and liked it very much.

Afterwards, the two met again at a symposium called "Vision Director Film Dialogue". This symposium was held for young directors. In terms of age and qualifications, Li Qiutang was certainly suitable for this symposium, but in terms of achievements, the achievements of all the other participating directors combined were not as significant as his.

But the symposium was postponed. Li Qiutang talked about his creative experience at the symposium and did not encounter any difficulties from Korean reporters and colleagues.

But this event changed its nature when it was reported in the media.

"Lee Chiu-tang appears at the Busan Film Festival, and Ku Hye-sun is full of affection."

The post showed a photo of Gu Hye Sun, who was sitting next to Li Qiutang and looking at him while he was speaking.

Can this also be interpreted as affectionate?

The report said that Goo Hye Sun was full of admiration for Lee Qiutang.

This report is actually not that bad, who would take it seriously?

The next day, Li Qiutang attended a cocktail party held by the Korean side and met Lin Yoona. Her agent said that he wanted to push her into the mainland market and hoped that Li Qiutang would take care of her.

What does this mean?
Li Qiutang’s last activity in Busan was a private meeting, and he actually made an appointment with Iwai Shunji.

The two had afternoon tea in a restaurant. The two directors didn't talk about movies, but instead talked about literature, art, and Chinese and Japanese culture.

Coming out of the restaurant, Li Qiutang's assistant said, "Director, Gu Hye Sun said she wanted to treat us to a meal."

Li Qiutang said: "I will go back in the evening and not eat."

The assistant was stunned, as if he had not expected the boss to say that. Liu Yifei was not there, so what was there to be afraid of?

"Did you hear me?"

"Okay, I'll go push it."

(End of this chapter)