Chapter 36

"Ah, Da Fa! A movie director!" Hyo-yun's eyes sparkled as she looked at Li Zhong.

"Uncle, aren't you a scriptwriter? How did you become a director?" Hwang Mi-young was a bit confused.

"Hehe, I have written scripts, but I am also a director. Can't a director write a script and then shoot it into a movie?" Li Zhong found it amusing to see the confused look on Hwang Mi-young's face.

"Ah, a director who writes and directs their own work is even more talented. Has Uncle's script been filmed?" At this moment, Suuny spoke up.

"Yep, it's already been filmed. It's now under review, and it should be released soon, possibly in January." Li Zhong estimated that if nothing unexpected happened, it would be around that time.

"Ah... Ah..." A chorus of exclamations arose. No one had expected that Li Zhong was really a movie director who had already filmed a movie.

"What? Can't I have already finished filming a movie?" Li Zhong said.

"No, no, it's just that Uncle is a bit too young..." Soo-young said.

Li Zhong felt a bit embarrassed. You call me Uncle, yet you think I'm young.

"Who is the lead actor in Uncle's movie?" Kwon Yu-ri asked curiously, as she had no idea Li Zhong was a director, let alone that he had already filmed a movie.

"Kim Yun-seok and Ha Jung-woo, a dual lead movie." Li Zhong explained.

"Kim Yun-seok, I really like that uncle. His performance in 'The Good, the Bad, the Weird' was amazing. Ha Jung-woo is also great, he's a very nice uncle too!" Lin Yoon-a finally spoke up. She had been sitting quietly the whole time and hadn't said a word to Li Zhong. Suddenly, she said this, and Li Zhong looked at her.

"You like the uncle who always plays villains? That's quite a unique taste..." Li Zhong looked at Lin Yoon-a curiously. Didn't girls usually like pretty boys? Even if they were uncles, they should be like Jang Dong-gun or Won Bin.

Lin Yoon-a, feeling Li Zhong's gaze, quietly sat back down without a word. Jung Soo-yeon found it strange. This crazy girl had changed her ways. She was so calm and quiet today, which was very unusual. Earlier, she had even put her cold little hand into Hwang Mi-young's collar. Why was she so obedient now that Li Zhong oppa was here? Could it be that Yoon-a also knew Li Zhong oppa? But from Li Zhong's expression, it didn't seem like they knew each other...

Just as Jung Soo-yeon was puzzled, TVXQ finally finished their performance. Despite the cries of regret from thousands of girls, they retreated backstage. S&M's other girl group,天上智喜 (Tian Shang Zhi Xi, note: this is a direct translation of the Korean name, which is actually 'Sistar'), took the stage to perform.

"Ah, Director Li Zhong." Yun-ho had just come off the stage and hadn't even caught his breath when he saw Li Zhong surrounded by Girls' Generation.

"Hehe, Yun-ho, don't be so formal. There's still some hot coffee. You should have some to warm up." Li Zhong was already familiar with TVXQ.

Back then, when H.O.T. left S&M, Lee Soo-man quickly launched TVXQ to maintain S&M's competitiveness and fill the gap left by H.O.T. Li Zhong was one of the main drivers behind TVXQ's debut. He was responsible for shooting all the MVs for TVXQ's debut album. TVXQ swept the charts upon their debut, and Li Zhong's MVs played a significant role. This album made Li Zhong a lot of money, and from then on, he felt that Lee Soo-man was truly a man of great vision.

"Okay, Brother Li Zhong, we won't be formal." Chang-min, who was much younger and less composed than Yun-ho, was cold despite sweating from the dance. The staff quickly brought him a down jacket and a warm cup of coffee, which was a real treat in the winter.

"What were you talking about?" Park Yoo-chun, wrapped in a down jacket and holding a cup of coffee, squeezed into the circle.

"We were just saying that Uncle Li Zhong is actually a movie director, and his movie is about to be released." Kwon Yu-ri, like a child with a new candy, excitedly shared the news with her friends.

"Brother Li Zhong, you're making a movie? I remember you just got out of the military not long ago, right?" Park Yoo-chun asked, looking at Li Zhong.

"Hehe, it's been almost half a year. The script was ready, but I lacked the funds. After getting the funds after my discharge, I started filming. I just finished editing and sent it for review," Li Zhong said, noticing the five people's ears perk up.

The film and music industries, though both part of the entertainment world, have very different statuses. People in the film industry are treated much better. From the allocation of waiting rooms, the attitude of the staff, the fees for appearances, advertising fees, and even taxes, there are significant differences. Many idols aim to enter the film industry before they turn 30, to be recognized by the film industry and the public, as the life of an idol is short. Two role models for all idols are Sung Yu-ri and Yoon Eun-hye, both of whom successfully transitioned from idols to actors.

Directors are the main drivers in the film industry. South Korea is a unique country where the main factor influencing box office success is not the lead actors, though they do play a part, but the director and the script. As long as the movie is well-made, the box office performance is not a concern. If the actors' performances can enhance the film, it's even better, leading to more than just fame and fortune.

So everyone looked at Li Zhong with envy.

Li Zhong felt a bit awkward in this atmosphere. "I'm just a new director. Is it really that big of a deal?" He knew there was a gap between the two industries, but he didn't expect it to be so significant. This was also a form of recognition for his previous achievements in the film industry.

"Girls' Generation, get ready, it's your turn soon!" The staff's shout brought everyone out of their strange mood. It turned out that another ten minutes had passed.

This performance, co-organized by S&M and Lotte, was actually planned to promote Girls' Generation. Kim Young-min had some brains. Knowing he was behind JYP, he came up with the strategy of using the company's two top groups to boost the popularity of the younger generation. While it had some success, the drawbacks were also evident.

"Alright, I won't disturb your performance. I have some things to do, so I'll leave first. See you later." Li Zhong, hearing the shout, got up and said goodbye to everyone.

Everyone said their goodbyes. Jung Soo-yeon and Kwon Yu-ri were a bit reluctant. Jung Soo-yeon hadn't seen Li Zhong in a long time and wanted to chat more, as she had a lot on her mind recently. Kwon Yu-ri, on the other hand, wanted to know how he liked the yam juice she had given him.

Li Zhong walked out of the backstage area and shook his head at the stage still filled with fans. He could see some of S&M's development strategies. If Lee Soo-man were still in charge, things would be better, and the company wouldn't be so short-sighted. While Girls' Generation might face some initial setbacks, they would eventually soar. However, with Kim Young-min's strategy, Li Zhong was afraid that Girls' Generation might not survive, given what had happened to Jung Soo-yeon.