novellhall 24. CJ's proposed project
24. CJ's proposed project
Hearing the male lead's words, Lee Kyung-mi couldn't help but chuckle softly, gesturing to Park Jung-ho, a new member of the development team beside her.
Park Jung-ho understood immediately and took out the pre-prepared contract, gently pushing it towards the male lead, Lee Kyung-sung. Lee Kyung-sung sat up straight, opened the contract bearing the CJ logo, and, having read many Korean entertainment novels in his previous life, had heard rumors of rampant exploitation. He figured that perhaps Korean entertainment's ability to create stars was truly powerful, which was why so many people from other countries would go to such lengths to break into the industry. However, after landing in Korea, he chose to return to his home country to develop his career.
He meticulously reviewed the contract, word by word. The core terms were clear and concise: a five-year contract; a 60/40 revenue split between the company and the artist; covering all related income from music, film, variety shows, and commercial endorsements; the company was responsible for the male lead's styling, training, and promotional costs; the artist was prohibited from accepting any unauthorized commercial collaborations, with penalties for breach of contract amounting to three times their total income over the past three years. Furthermore, the contract clearly defined the basic rights and obligations of both parties, granting the company the rights to manage performance planning, resource allocation, and schedule arrangements.
Looking at the revenue sharing ratio alone, Li Jingcheng was actually quite satisfied. As a newcomer with no background and just entering the public eye, although he had some popularity, receiving 4% was already a good deal at a top-tier Korean entertainment company like CJ. However, the further he read, the more his brow furrowed, and concerns began to surface: the contract only mentioned the company's career development plans for him, but didn't explicitly stipulate how many TV dramas and movies he had to provide within a year.
He had heard of the plight of those unfortunate individuals: some, after signing contracts, would have even the slightest conflict with the company, only to be sidelined, deprived of resources and exposure, left to languish until their contracts expired, ultimately achieving nothing and growing old in the process. Some even struggled to maintain a basic standard of living due to a prolonged lack of income.
He hesitated, wondering whether to propose supplementary terms, clearly specifying the minimum resource guarantee. But then he thought, CJ is the leading company in the Korean entertainment industry, possessing top-tier resources and channels. Even if he added terms, if the other party didn't fulfill them, he, as an outsider with no power or influence, seemed to have no better option than to completely transform from a Korean entertainment company into a Chinese entertainment company.
Li Jingmei immediately noticed the hesitation and conflict in Li Jingcheng's expression, and asked in a gentle and curious tone, "Jingcheng-xi, what's wrong? Is there anything you're not satisfied with in the contract?"
Li Jingcheng remained silent for a few seconds before finally speaking, deliberately downplaying his concerns and simply stating logically, "Representative Li, the contract terms are excellent; I can't find any fault with them. It's just that I'm only just starting to gain some popularity and don't want to waste this opportunity. I hope the company can allocate more resources for me so I can quickly establish myself. Also, you should have reviewed my background; my family situation is rather special. After the inheritance tax, my current financial situation isn't good, and I urgently need a stable income. Therefore, I hope to start work as soon as possible and don't want to waste time."
With his current high popularity on the Korean Peninsula, he naturally wants to establish himself in the Korean entertainment industry as quickly as possible, building connections and producing quality work. Even if he eventually moves to the Chinese entertainment industry, popularity will remain a crucial factor.
After listening, Li Jingmei did not speak immediately, but looked up at the person in charge of the actors' management team sitting to the side, signaling him to explain.
Kim Min-joo immediately leaned forward and explained, "Kyung Sung-ssi, please rest assured, we have already made plans regarding resources and work arrangements. As a top film and television company in Korea, CJ will not restrict the development of artists with a single model. Based on your own conditions, we have planned the most suitable development path for you."
"Let me put it bluntly. If you use the existing actor models in the industry in China, you'll understand completely."
Chungmuro's long-term acting career path
Newcomers taking this route focus primarily on honing their acting skills and building a solid reputation within the industry. From their debut, they are committed to the film industry, with extremely strict script selection criteria. They only choose high-quality, in-depth productions that combine artistic merit with commercial appeal, as well as works by veteran directors from Chungmuro (the film industry). This type of actor avoids venturing into television dramas, participating in variety shows to boost their exposure, and accepting sporadic commercial endorsements. They dedicate themselves entirely to cultivating their film career, gradually accumulating awards and industry recognition.
Like you, Kim Go-eun is also a newcomer. She debuted last year through an audition and officially entered the industry with the film Eun-gyo. Due to her appearance, she focuses on a talent-driven approach, a path that is stable, prestigious, and has a long career lifespan, with her value expected to continue to rise.
Local balanced multi-faceted approach
This approach focuses on the domestic market in South Korea, employing a dual-track model of dramas and movies, while also appropriately incorporating variety shows, hosting, and other public activities to steadily improve public favorability and awareness. The core principle is to avoid being bound by a single label, prioritizing quality and reputation when selecting scripts, and gradually solidifying the foundation of the local market.
Actors like Lee Joon-gi and Joo Won are representatives of this type of approach. They are not limited to one field, but develop in a balanced way while keeping their focus on the domestic market. Ultimately, they achieve a virtuous cycle of solid public image and stable commercial value, but their overseas influence is relatively limited.
K-pop top idol route
This type of approach uses popular idol dramas as a breakthrough to quickly gain recognition, seize the Korean wave market in East Asia and even Asia early on, and then obtain a continuous stream of overseas trips, international endorsements and overseas market resources. It has a fast monetization speed and a very strong overseas appeal.
Lee Min-ho is a typical example of this type of actor. He has accumulated a huge overseas popularity through idol dramas and reaped the benefits of the Korean Wave. However, his shortcomings are also quite obvious. He is easily typecast by his appearance and roles, relies too much on fan popularity, and often struggles to break through the bottleneck in terms of recognition of his acting skills within the domestic industry.
For ordinary newcomers, limited resources and conditions usually mean they can only choose one path to specialize in. But with your circumstances, you don't need to be limited by a single model or confine yourself to any particular framework.
Our company has tailored a nationwide, multi-faceted career path for you, which integrates the advantages of three major approaches: solidifying your domestic Korean audience, reaping the benefits of the top-tier Korean Wave overseas, and firmly preserving the professional foundation of a seasoned actor, without abandoning the refinement of acting skills and the reputation of your works. We will also provide a comprehensive public relations strategy and awards plan, gradually aiming for prestigious Korean film awards such as the Blue Dragon Film Awards and the Grand Bell Awards, and even mainstream awards in China such as the Hundred Flowers Awards. All of this is part of our overall strategy, and it's not just empty talk.
This is the real advantage of CJ's personalized planning for you.
After all, Li Jingcheng listened very carefully to what CJ had planned for him over the next five years, and instantly understood the path CJ had laid out for him. Developing a career in three fields was a good idea and very suitable for him. So, when should he start working?
Kim Min-joo looked at the silent Lee Kyung-sung and smiled confidently. "Don't worry about starting resources. CJ's film and television library, variety show slots, and overseas partners will all favor you. As long as you cooperate with the company's pace, I guarantee that within a year you will become the most watched and talented newcomer in the Korean entertainment industry."