Chinese entertainment starts with idols

Chapter 116 Rebirth in the Entertainment Industry: I Became a Big Star - Lin Feng

Chapter 115 Rebirth in the Entertainment Industry: I Became a Big Star - Lin Feng

The large-scale fantasy drama "Swords of Legends", co-produced by H&R Century Pictures and EE-Media, has attracted much attention since its inception. Its powerful star-studded cast is the best ever seen in mainland idol dramas!

This is the second collaboration between Lin Feng and Yang Mi after the huge success of "Palace". This dazzling and popular "Bee Duo" attracted a lot of attention from the media and fans from the very beginning.

It just so happens that Lin Feng's fans are called "Bees," and Yang Mi's fans are also called "Bees." The combination of their names also sounds like "Bees," and everyone exclaimed that they are a perfect match.

Lin Feng's fans and Yang Mi's fans even joked with each other, saying, "You Lin Feng fans are male bees, and we Yang Mi fans are female bees."

"That's not right! Lin Feng's fans are all female fans, they should be called 'female bees'; while Yang Mi's fans are mostly male fans, they should be called 'male bees'!"

"That makes sense, but it's a bit confusing. If Lin Feng and Yang Mi get together, we two big fan groups can merge, then we'll both bees! Buzz buzz buzz!"

More importantly, in addition to being the second collaboration between Lin Feng and Yang Mi, "Gu Jian Qi Tan" is also the second collaboration between Lin Feng and Deng Shuang after the "Meteor Shower" series. Moreover, after two years, the story of "Chu Yuzun" and "Murong Yunhai" is a youthful memory for many people, and the resulting public opinion effect is even more explosive!

"My Chu Yuxun, my Murong Yunhai, they're finally filming together again! I'll definitely support this 'Swords of Legends'! Not for anything else, but for my Chu Yuxun! She's my youth!"

"I never expected there would be a sequel to the story of Chu Yuxun and Murong Yunhai. I love Deng Shuang and Lin Feng so much, I love watching them act together, and I really hope they can get together in real life."

"I feel like my youth has returned. I'll never forget that summer of the 2009 meteor shower. Now, three years have passed, and I'm looking forward to the summer of 2012. I want to see it right now!"

Moreover, "Swords of Legends" also featured many idol stars such as Jia Nailiang, Ma Tianyu, Gillian Chung, and Chen Weiting, almost creating the pinnacle of Chinese idol dramas.

Therefore, a simple opening ceremony for "Gu Jian Qi Tan" attracted the attention of many media reporters and fans. On the day of the opening ceremony, many fans stayed up all night just to be the first to witness the powerful star lineup of "Gu Jian Qi Tan".

And the fans were not disappointed. When Lin Feng appeared at the press conference with Yang Mi on his left hand and Deng Shuang on his right, the event reached its climax. Even in the cold winter, the fans cheered enthusiastically.

"Wow! Lin Feng! Lin Feng! Yang Mi! Yang Mi! Deng Shuang! Deng Shuang! Such a cast, so pleasing to the eye! Even if 'Swords of Legends' is made into garbage, I'd still watch it!"

"Feng Feng is finally filming an idol drama again. I've been looking forward to this 'Swords of Legends' for so long, not to mention that Yang Mi and Deng Shuang are also in it. They were Lin Feng's leading ladies before. This drama is sure to be a huge hit."

"You know what, it's true! Lin Feng has only acted in two idol dramas, the 'Meteor Shower' series and 'Palace,' both with Deng Shuang and Yang Mi. This time, he's working directly with both of them, it's bound to be a huge hit!"

"Ah! This is the scene I've always dreamed of: having two women on either side of me, holding one in each hand, and they're my favorites, Yang Mi and Deng Shuang! Lin Feng is truly a role model for men; he's achieved something no other man would even dare to imagine!"

"Yeah, I'm so envious! This is what a satisfying novel is like! I'm currently preparing to write an entertainment star-themed web novel, and I've already thought of a title: 'Reborn as Superstar Lin Feng in the Chinese Entertainment Industry.' The plot is exactly the same as the real-life Lin Feng, but the female lead will be my favorite, Liu Yifei, haha!"

"The person upstairs is Liu Yifei's simp, confirmed!"

Because Lin Feng was between Yang Mi and Deng Shuang, the atmosphere on set was quite harmonious. During the opening ceremony, the two were chatting and laughing. Moreover, Yang Mi noticed that Deng Shuang was dressed a little lightly, so she thoughtfully gave Deng Shuang two hand warmers, giving the impression that they had reconciled.

"Little Shuang, you don't have much acting experience, so you must pay attention to keeping warm when filming in winter. Otherwise, if you catch a cold, it could cause health problems later on."

"Thank you, Sister Mimi. I bought this anti-freezing cream especially for you. You should try it too; it works really well!"

"Oh! Really? Thank you, my little Shuang sister."

"No need to be so polite, Sister Mimi."

They kept calling each other "older sister" and "younger sister," their relationship was too good, but a little too good, it felt a bit fake. Lin Feng felt something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Even when the two of them were being interviewed by the media, they held hands and were as close as sisters, appearing very harmonious. However, when Lin Feng couldn't see them, their body language seemed a little stiff.

"Yang Mi, Yang Mi, a few days ago you posted a photo on Weibo that deliberately photoshopped Deng Shuang to make her look bad. Now, in front of Deng Shuang, what do you say?" The media reporter, who never misses an opportunity to stir up trouble, brought up the old matter again, not afraid of making things worse, and went straight for the kill.

"This matter is not actually as described by your media. It was just a mistake made by one of my staff members. I didn't check it carefully before posting it. Later, when I found out, I took it down. I also talked to Deng Shuang about it privately. It's not a big deal."

"You're kidding me!" The media reporters, unable to get anything out of Yang Mi, then shifted the topic to the more naive Deng Shuang, "Deng Shuang, what do you say? Yang Mi said her staff made a mistake. What about you? Did your staff also make a mistake?"

What surprised the media reporters was that Deng Shuang, who is usually very cooperative with media interviews and speaks her mind, has also gone astray this time!

"Yeah! Just like you guys said, it was a mistake made by my staff. I found out later and deleted it! Actually, I'm very close to Sister Mimi. She just taught me how to stay warm while filming in winter, and then she gave me two hand warmers!"

Deng Shuang was a little embarrassed to lie, and even felt a bit ashamed afterward, but Yang Mi wasn't so polite. She said directly and domineeringly, "That's right! You media reporters only want to think the worst of people. Deng Shuang is such a nice little sister, how could I not like her! Besides, she even gave me a bottle of anti-frostbite cream. We're on good terms! Don't make things up!"

The media reporters looked at each other, unsure of who was lying or whether Yang Mi and her group were insulting their intelligence.

One employee making a mistake can be somewhat explained! But how could two employees make mistakes, especially since they were from the same company? Is it really that much of a coincidence?

You're kidding me!

But since Yang Mi and Deng Shuang both said so, there was nothing they could do. It was just that the poor staff members who fabricated the story ended up being the scapegoats for this "mutually Photoshopped photos" incident!

At this point, the launch event began, and the media reporters were no longer able to ask any further questions.

The opening ceremony for the TV series "Gu Jian Qi Tan" was quite ceremonial. Zhong Junyan, Chairman of H&R Century Pictures, spoke first on behalf of the investors, saying, "We have put our heart and soul into creating this TV series, 'Gu Jian Qi Tan,' to set a new benchmark for fantasy dramas in mainland China!"

Both the actors' costumes and the animation special effects were handled by top teams, and the investment of over 100 million yuan is real. For example, the Fenji sword used by Baili Tusu, played by Lin Feng, was made of pure metal by the Hollywood prop team that created "The Mummy 3".

Furthermore, to achieve the magical and fantastical feel, many scenes in the series were filmed on real sets built in a studio, coupled with powerful computer animation effects. We are giving back to all the fans who support *Gu Jian Qi Tan* with 100% sincerity, especially since our male lead is Lin Feng! Please continue to support us!

Chung Chung-yan, as expected of the chairperson and founder, spoke with such sincerity. If Lin Feng weren't an investor, he would have believed that "Gu Jian Qi Tan" had an investment of over 100 million yuan. In reality, the total investment of "Gu Jian Qi Tan" was only 60 million yuan. Among them, Lin Feng's salary was 100,000 yuan per episode at an internal rate, totaling 5 million yuan for 50 episodes, and all of it was included in the production cost.

Then director representative Lin Yufen spoke. Well, a typical production for a fantasy drama like *Gu Jian Qi Tan* is 3...

There were three directors, and the filming was done in three separate groups. Lin Yufen was the general director.

"We spent half a year on the pre-production work for the fantasy drama 'Gu Jian Qi Tan'. From the very beginning, we preserved the essence of the original game, including the classic plot and lines. We also carefully preserved the character designs of the main characters, striving to meet the fans' expectations while combining the storyline and the actors' own characteristics to create a unique style for 'Gu Jian Qi Tan'."

The walls of the production crew's dressing room are covered with hundreds of handmade hairpins and accessories. Lin Feng alone has 30 costumes, and Yang Mi has 20 costumes, which is absolutely superior to any previous TV series of the same kind.

Finally, please give this drama your support and help spread the word! After all, the male lead is Lin Feng, you know. If you don't believe in us, don't you believe in Lin Feng?

The scene was filled with laughter, but director Lin Yufen was right: you may not trust anyone, but you can't go wrong trusting Lin Feng.

Because of Lin Feng, he represents quality! A huge hit!

Now it was Lin Feng's turn to speak on behalf of the actors. His speech was simple, followed by a single sentence from director Lin Yufen that immediately sent everyone into a frenzy: "Thank you for the praise, President Zhong and Director Lin. I feel a little unworthy. My success today is due to the combined efforts of all the investors, the main cast and crew, and many behind-the-scenes workers. And indeed, none of the films and television dramas I starred in have ever failed. Therefore, I would like to ask all the fans..."

Dear media and behind-the-scenes staff, please continue to trust me!

"Because I personally selected the TV series 'Swords of Legends,' I'm certain it won't disappoint everyone. Besides, I even invited my previous leading ladies, Yang Mi and Deng Shuang, to participate. I can't afford to lose face like that!"

Now, not only are the fans happy, but even the behind-the-scenes staff, such as the photographers, lighting technicians, art directors, and makeup artists, are all overjoyed. Why do people love joining Lin Feng's crew, and why are some even willing to pull strings and lower their fees? It's because Lin Feng has always been successful, and everyone needs that kind of resume!

Next came the incense offering ceremony. Investors, producers, directors, actors, heads of various departments, and ordinary staff members took turns offering incense, and each person was required to maintain a devout attitude when offering incense.

Then comes the "unveiling of the red cloth," which involves lifting the red cloth covering the camera. Usually, there are two main cameras, one on the left and one on the right. The investor, Chung Chun-yin, and the male lead, Lam Fung, unveil the red cloth for one camera, while the director, Lam Yu-fen, and the female lead, Yang Mi, unveil the red cloth for the other.

When Lin Feng and Zhong Junyan unveiled the red cloth, they chatted for a few more minutes. "President Zhong, I have some other activities these days, so please take care of things with the crew."

"It's okay, I know you're busy right now, just focus on your work! Besides, there are people watching over the production, and I'll be there to help out, so it's fine."

Originally, the drama "Swords of Legends" was specially invested in by Chung Chun-yin to recruit Lin Feng. However, Lin Feng unexpectedly became a huge star and even got involved with Enlight Media, the major shareholder of H&R Century Pictures. Now she is too embarrassed to mention signing with H&R Century Pictures to Lin Feng. However, this does not affect H&R Century Pictures' continued cooperation with Lin Feng. After all, the cast of "Swords of Legends" is so strong, and it is also invested and produced by H&R Century Pictures. It will definitely make a lot of money.

"Oh, right, I forgot to thank you in person about the fact that Jia Nailiang is the producer and second male lead of 'Gu Jian Qi Tan'. Thank you for your support."

Huanrui Century's "Big Production" plan involves signing celebrity personal studios to bind big-name stars to star in their own film and television productions, and then cultivating their own artists. Huanrui Century has signed many celebrities such as Ming Dao, Jia Nailiang, and Tang Yan, investing in their film and television productions as producers, while also requiring them to unconditionally participate in Huanrui's self-produced dramas.

H&R Century Pictures had initially been keen to sign Yang Mi, and the terms were almost finalized. Everything was going smoothly, with only Yang Mi's contract with Hong Kong's Mei Ah Entertainment expiring. However, after Yang Mi's contract expired, she didn't choose H&R Century Pictures but instead established her own studio. This puzzled and angered Chung Chun-yen. Chung Chun-yen had initially wanted to teach Yang Mi a lesson and even considered removing Yang Mi from the lead role in "Swords of Legends." However, after a few days, she learned that Lin Feng was the behind-the-scenes investor in Yang Mi's personal studio, so Chung Chun-yen stopped thinking about it. Even during the casting for "Swords of Legends," she offered Yang Mi several roles, including those for Dilraba Dilmurat, Gao Weiguang, and Zhang Yunlong.

"Mr. Zhong, I should be the one thanking you. Actually, Huanrui is the biggest investor in 'Gu Jian Qi Tan,' so we should be in control. I feel bad that I got so many roles. The remaining roles should belong to Huanrui. I should be the one thanking you! I owe you a favor."

The investor in "Swords of Legends" was H&R Century Pictures, but the most important roles—the male lead, the female lead, and the second female lead—were all played by Lin Feng's side. In addition, there were also several minor roles played by Dilraba Dilmurat and others. In the end, H&R Century Pictures was left with only the second male lead, the third male lead, and the third female lead, who were important supporting roles. Lin Feng must have felt indebted to Chung Kwan-yin for this favor.

"Okay, I'm glad you understand. There's no need for us to be so polite. I hope we can continue to cooperate in the future." Zhong Junyan had been talking for so long not for any other reason than to make Lin Feng owe her a favor, since favors can be very valuable sometimes.

After the red cloth was unveiled, the last step was a group photo. Everyone shouted the slogan, "Gu Jian Qi Tan, good luck in starting filming!" The entire opening ceremony ended here, and the filming stage officially began.

Lin Feng had some things to do these past two days, so he wasn't given any scenes to film at the beginning. He said goodbye and was about to leave when the producer and second male lead, Jia Nailiang, grabbed him.

"Lin Feng, there's something I've always wanted to talk to you about in person. It's about the villainous second male lead, Ouyang Shaogong. I think he's a very complex and tragic character. He was originally a gentle and refined immortal, but due to heavenly punishment, the separation of his soul and body, and the contempt of the world, he gradually went to extremes. Although his obsession is hateful, his thousand years of loneliness and suffering are also sympathetic."

At the same time, he is not purely a villain, but a rebel forced by fate. His deep affection for his beloved, his yearning for a complete soul, and his pursuit of "immortality" all stem from a longing for "warmth" and belonging, only expressed in extreme ways.

Lin Feng was initially patient, but Jia Nailiang kept rambling on and on, never getting to the point. "What are you trying to say?" he asked.

"I think it would be good to give the second male lead, Ouyang Shaogong, more screen time. This would make the drama 'Swords of Legends' more interesting and also make the character arc of your character, Baili Tusu, more complete."

Damn it, so all that talk turned out to be just adding drama!

Lin Feng didn't argue with Jia Nailiang too much, simply saying, "As long as the script isn't changed and it benefits the characters, adding a little screen time is fine, but the script absolutely cannot be altered. You should discuss it with director Lin Yufen and get her approval!"

Lin Yufen is the director chosen by Lin Feng. Lin Feng had communicated with her before, and she can understand Lin Feng's creative ideas very well. As long as she agrees, there shouldn't be any problems.

Jia Nailiang had many ideas, though. He felt that the second male lead, "Ouyang Shaogong," was too perfect and could be elevated to a "dual male lead" status, on par with the male lead, "Baili Tusu." As the producer, he had to put some effort into it.

After the press conference for the start of filming of "Gu Jian Qi Tan", all the character costume photos were released on the official Weibo, which attracted a lot of attention from fans. In particular, the costume photo of Lin Feng in black and red was highly sought after by fans!

"Is this Lin Feng? He's so perfect for fantasy dramas like 'Meteor Shower' and 'Palace'."

None of them really showed Lin Feng's true good looks!

"Yes! Lin Feng had a broom-shaped hairstyle in 'Meteor Shower,' and he was completely bald in the Qing Dynasty time-travel drama 'Palace.' It's only because Lin Feng is good-looking that he can pull off this look!"

However, this time "Swords of Legends" is really good. No wonder the director dared to say that he combined the storyline with the actors' own characteristics to create a unique style for "Swords of Legends." Lin Feng's look is really good!

"Lin Feng is so handsome! My dear, charming husband! I have a new screensaver. I hope my husband will always be beautiful, and let's walk the flower path together!"

Moreover, many fans of the game "Gu Jian Qi Tan" are very satisfied: "This is the Baili Tusu I imagined!" The game fans are satisfied! No, they should be extremely satisfied!

Lin Feng is indeed the first choice for "Baili Tusu"!

"The casting for 'Swords of Legends' is excellent; the men are handsome and the women are beautiful, the visuals are undeniable. I look forward to seeing how the show performs after it airs, and I hope the plot won't be too weak!"

"I didn't really like watching fantasy dramas before, but now I'm suddenly looking forward to them. As long as they don't make things up and try to stay true to the classic game storylines, I'll definitely support them!"

Meanwhile, Lin Feng had arrived at the headquarters of Tianyu Media. This was his first visit here since his meteoric rise to fame, and he wanted to have a serious talk with Long Danni.

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