novellhall 52, wants to adopt Huang Zhongze's persona.
52, wants to adopt Huang Zhongze's persona.
After replying to Bae Joo-hyun's message, Lee Kyung-sung casually put his phone in his pocket, leaned back lazily in his seat, and slowly stretched. The warmth of being bombarded with messages from Bae Joo-hyun so soon after their separation still lingered in his heart, and a faint smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.
"Brother Hao, where should we eat later?"
While concentrating on driving, Luo Yonghao casually struck up a conversation, "Don't you like Chinese food? There's a really good private Chinese restaurant near MBC."
Li Jingcheng nodded slightly, as long as it wasn't filled with kimchi.
This Chinese restaurant is located in a small commercial building facing the street. The storefront is understated and unassuming. Inside, the decor is simple and elegant, with warm yellow pendant lights hanging softly. Several minimalist ink paintings of landscapes adorn the walls, and the air is filled with the aroma of fresh food mingled with the subtle scent of tea. Elegant screens subtly separate the main seating area from the private rooms, ensuring excellent privacy. It's a popular spot for MBC staff and celebrities to dine together privately.
The two got out of the car together and walked slowly toward the private room they had booked in advance.
After taking his seat, Li Jingcheng picked up the menu and started browsing. The menu was extensive, mostly a mix of Sichuan, Cantonese, and Hunan cuisines—a fusion of home-style dishes with spicy, savory, and light flavors—perfect for his taste. He inherently preferred Chinese food, finding it far superior to the sweeter and blanderity of Korean cuisine.
Without much thought, he casually ordered a spicy chicken dish, a stir-fried beef dish, and two bowls of white rice. Luo Yonghao then ordered a Mapo Tofu dish and three more bowls of rice.
Luo Yonghao couldn't help but remind him, "Take good care of your weight. You'll be officially joining the crew the day after tomorrow, so your figure and condition can't be ruined on camera."
Li Jingcheng smiled faintly upon hearing this, completely unfazed. He smiled calmly and said, "Don't worry, Brother Hao, I'm naturally thin, so it's fine."
Luo Yonghao shook his head helplessly, taking this opportunity to carefully explain to him a bunch of things to note when joining the crew.
Lee Kyung-sung listened casually, but as he listened to the rules and regulations, he felt increasingly emotional. The more he listened, the more he realized that the rules and regulations Luo Yong-ho mentioned were almost identical to the tips that Lin Yoona had given him in private before.
At this moment, he felt particularly overwhelmed by the unspoken rules of South Korea. Being an artist in South Korea was too restrictive, with many rules, hierarchical distinctions, and constraints, requiring one to be careful in every aspect.
Fortunately, being backed by CJ reduced the number of problems by 90%.
But this also made him secretly compare it to the Chinese entertainment novels he had read in his previous life. How carefree and free those top stars were! Resources came easily to them, their status was undeniable, even veteran actors didn't dare to use their seniority to suppress them, they didn't have to be subservient to anyone, and they were much more at ease. However, if you don't have a fan base, then you might as well just wait to die.
But looking at myself now, and at the atmosphere of the entire South Korean entertainment industry, I suddenly realized that the difference in treatment and freedom is like night and day.
Lee Kyung-sung couldn't help but ask, "If I achieve that..."
But the thought had barely formed when he suddenly froze, completely unable to think of a comparison. All the top celebrities he knew were his favorite girl group idols; he knew absolutely no Korean actors, because in Korean entertainment novels, practically 90% of the characters were idols.
Luo Yonghao saw through his thoughts at a glance and immediately smiled and took the initiative to explain, "You are a direct artist under CJ's actor headquarters. Backed by a big platform and big capital, your starting point is much higher than that of ordinary newcomers. Basically, no one will dare to be disrespectful and give you a hard time or use their seniority to suppress you. You have already saved yourself 90% of the troubles in the workplace."
"Once your national popularity, industry status, network of contacts, and the support of CJ, the ratings and box office performance of the dramas you star in will all reach the top, and the rules of the entire industry will automatically make way for you."
"By then, even under the camera or at the awards ceremony, there will be no need to bow and be polite to everyone you meet, and you won't have to stick to those rigid honorifics and hierarchical rules. You'll just need to maintain basic manners and nod politely in return, and no one will dare to stand up and criticize your etiquette."
These words, spoken one by one, fell into Lee Kyung-sung's ears, instantly bringing him a sense of relief, and he nodded in secret satisfaction. Having grown up at Dongda University and transmigrated to the Korean entertainment industry, he was truly unaccustomed to this distorted seniority system. Moreover, debuting early allowed him to exert pressure, judging people solely by seniority regardless of character, requiring daily bowing and respectful speech.
Her thoughts drifted further away, and she realized that she had been reborn and originally planned to form a bond with a group of idols, live a good life, and build her own harem. If she were to be bound by the rules of South Korea all the time, having to be restrained and avoid suspicion at every turn, it would be too troublesome.
Suddenly, a name flashed through his mind—Wong Chung-chak from Hong Kong entertainment.
This guy is something else. He's been in the industry for 25 years and has had over 20 rumored girlfriends. He's been involved with almost half of the female stars in Hong Kong. During his eight-year relationship with Hu Xin'er, he cheated on her multiple times and had affairs with several other women at the same time. There's a lot of solid evidence of his messy private life, and rumors are flying everywhere.
However, his fans are extremely tolerant, and the capital doesn't block him, nor do the public criticize him. He continues to film movies and make money on mainland variety shows year after year, and his career is not affected at all. His public image remains positive, and he lives a carefree and unrestrained life.
Isn't this exactly the state I want? Having status, popularity, and works; being free and easy in private; not being bound by my private life; not having to pretend to be a perfect saint; and not affecting my career development.
Thinking of this, Li Jingcheng looked at Luo Yonghao beside him, a new idea forming in his mind. "Brother Yonghao, do you know Huang Zhongze from Hong Kong?"
Luo Yonghao, who was looking down at his phone, glanced up at him upon hearing the voice, and shook his head slightly. "I don't pay much attention to Hong Kong celebrities. Why are you suddenly bringing him up?"
A knowing smile played on Li Jingcheng's lips, his eyes filled with a hint of amusement and longing. He had already made up his mind to move in that direction. "Brother Hao, when you have time, take a good look into his background and his persona. I think I can totally follow his path in the future."
Luo Yonghao, being a man, could easily see through the thoughts in Huang Zhongze's eyes. He instantly understood the meaning behind it and, without saying a word, picked up his phone and started searching for Huang Zhongze's information.
While waiting for the dishes to be served, Luo Yonghao looked down at some gossip articles from Hong Kong media circulating online, his expression changing rapidly.
Li Jingcheng sat quietly to the side, waiting patiently.
He didn't intend to immediately copy and imitate or act recklessly. He just wanted to lay the groundwork for this persona first, and then gradually reveal to the outside world that he is not a perfect saint, but has some casualness and flaws. He didn't need to deliberately package himself perfectly, which would make him more real and down-to-earth.
This is also a way of at least reminding Luo Yonghao and the rest of the team first.
Not long after, the waiter pushed open the door to the private room, and the three dishes we ordered were brought out one after another. The freshly cooked hot dishes were steaming hot, and the rich wok aroma instantly filled the entire room, with a mouthwatering spicy and savory fragrance.
Li Jingcheng's nose twitched slightly, and a strong appetite welled up in his heart. He truly felt the charm of freshly stir-fried home-style dishes. The cooking time was just right, the flavor was rich, and the food was full of the warmth of home cooking. Compared with those cold, pre-cooked dishes, they were worlds apart.
"I'll put together a proposal and see, but don't get your hopes up too high. This also needs Representative Lee's approval." Luo Yonghao put away his phone, looking somewhat worried.
"Haha, it's all up to you, Yong-ho!"
Li Jingcheng didn't mind picking up a piece of tender beef and putting it in his mouth. He figured there was still a long way to go, so he'd take it slow.