Chapter 38

The Christmas of 2007 passed by, and Li Chong neither went out to party nor invited anyone for a meal. Instead, he went home and fell into a deep sleep. He hadn't had a good night's rest for over 20 days.

And the thing Quan Yuli feared didn't happen. Because it was Christmas, Girls' Generation had a particularly busy schedule with various Christmas specials, forcing them to split up and act separately. They usually returned to the dormitory in the early hours of the morning.

On December 27th, Li Chong got up early. Today was the day the rating for "The Chaser" would be announced. Actually, Li Chong could have just waited for a phone call at home, but he felt it was better to visit the Film Rating Board. He believed "The Chaser" would be rated for viewers 18 and older. After all, the word was out, and if it didn't become a reality, CJ's CEO Liu Xiuli would lose credibility and face in the entertainment industry.

Li Chong still had his goatee and put on a trench coat before heading out. As he closed the door, he glanced at the tightly shut door opposite, wondering how exhausted the girls must be.

He went downstairs, got into his car, and set off. He first went to have breakfast and then arrived at the Film Rating Board building at 9 o'clock. Li Chong got out of the car, entered the building, and went to the review office. "Hello, I'm Li Chong. I'm here to pick up the rating form for my film," he said to the staff.

"Hello, just a moment, I'll find it for you," the staff member who had received Li Chong three days ago turned around and started searching through a pile of file boxes.

"You didn't have to come. I was planning to call you once I finished my work. These rating forms were only delivered this morning," the staff member found Li Chong's file box, which contained the rating form and the film he had submitted for review. The staff member handed the rating form to Li Chong.

Li Chong looked at the rating form titled "The Chaser," took a deep breath, and thought, "Please don't be 18 and older, please don't be 18 and older." He opened the rating form, and on the first page, in large red letters, it read "Rated for viewers 18 and older."

Li Chong's face turned grim. He then flipped to the second page, which contained the evaluations from the 10 reviewers. Four of them rated it for viewers 15 and older, commenting that although there were many bloody scenes and a lot of profanity and violence, the film had profound social significance. Five of them rated it for viewers 18 and older, commenting that there were many bloody scenes, the characters were brutal and violent, and the language was excessively violent, lacking any positive influence. One person rated it for viewers 19 and older, with a comment that was even more absurd, saying that the script and direction were misleading the audience, defaming the police, and would have a very negative impact on society...

Li Chong's face turned green as he read the comments. He had already cut out many of the bloody scenes, yet so many people still rated it for viewers 18 and older. Wasn't this a blatant insult? If he hadn't cut those scenes, it would have been a 100% rating for viewers 19 and older.

The staff member noticed Li Chong's expression and glanced at the rating. "Ah, 18 and older," he was surprised. Generally, films rated for viewers 18 and older were mostly pornographic, and commercial films rarely received such a rating.

"Director Li Chong, you can go back and edit it again. The Film Rating Board allows multiple applications for rating, of course, with additional fees," the staff member kindly advised.

"Thank you, I'm fine. I'll go back and take a look," Li Chong thanked the staff member and left the Film Rating Board building. The sunlight outside was blinding, and Li Chong shielded his eyes. The winter sun was warm, but Li Chong felt a chill inside.

Li Chong got into his car, placed the file box beside him, turned on the air conditioning, lit a cigarette, and took a few deep puffs. He thought, "Should I go back and edit it again, or just release it as is? 18 and older is 18 and older. At least it's not rated for viewers 19 and older."

Just as Li Chong was considering whether to let it be and find a distributor, his phone rang. He saw an unfamiliar number. "Hello, I'm Li Chong," he answered.

"Hehe, I'm doing well. I'm Liu Xiuli," a voice came through, and Li Chong felt his blood boil.

"Hello, President Liu. Is there something you need?" Li Chong steadied his emotions and asked.

"I heard your film was rated for viewers 18 and older. I'm here to ask if you're interested in finding a distribution company. CJ is the largest distribution company in the country. I'll take 80% of the profits to distribute your film. How about it? It's a good deal for you," Liu Xiuli felt it was a pleasant thing to play with someone like a cat with a mouse.

"The rating for 18 and older is all thanks to you, so don't pretend. Besides, what's the big deal about 18 and older? 80%? Why don't you just rob me? My film doesn't need your concern!" Li Chong said angrily.

"Hehe, you're angry? What can you do? Films rated for viewers 18 and older can still have good box office results, but think about what attracts the audience—pornographic scenes, hilarious plots. There has never been a commercial film rated for viewers 18 and older that had outstanding box office results," Liu Xiuli said casually.

Li Chong was speechless. Liu Xiuli was right. There had never been a commercial film rated for viewers 18 and older before. Directors usually cut such scenes or, like Director Kim Ki-duk, never intended to release their films domestically.

Li Chong felt a surge of determination. He didn't believe it. He wanted to make a commercial film that would show everyone what a genius director could do.

"Thank you for your offer, President Liu. I'll think about it. After all, I borrowed money to make this film, and I need to ensure I can pay it back. Please give me a few days to consider," Li Chong decided to buy some time to figure things out.

"Alright, I'll give you a few days. After all, this is a tough decision..." Liu Xiuli felt he had the upper hand.

"Okay, that's it for now, President Liu. I'll contact you once I've made up my mind," Li Chong hung up the phone.

Liu Xiuli held a glass of red wine, feeling proud of his tactics. After getting the news from the Film Rating Board, he had the idea of bringing Li Chong under his wing. However, Li Chong was too rebellious and needed to be tamed first. Then, with a few small favors, he could make money for him. The Film Rating Board had estimated that even with its current rating, "The Chaser" could reach 2 million viewers, which would be a box office of 14 billion won at 7,000 won per ticket. This was an incredible achievement. If he could successfully persuade Li Chong, Liu Xiuli would make a fortune for CJ.

Li Chong thought for a moment and decided he needed to find out what power could influence the Film Rating Board's rating. If he could find this power, there might be a turning point.

Li Chong remembered the message Zhang Xun had brought, that it was An Byung-gi who had told him that someone was trying to get his film rated for viewers 18 and older. Li Chong called Director An Byung-gi, "Hello, Director An Byung-gi, I'm Li Chong. I have something I'd like to consult with you."

"Sure, come to my company. I'm here," An Byung-gi said.

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