Chapter 80

The power of Korean dramas in the Asian region is immense, to the point where it's not an exaggeration to say that they have influenced an entire generation. In a cultural powerhouse like China, it's still manageable, but in countries like Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, the public's obsession with Korean dramas borders on madness. The broadcast of "Heaven's Stairway" not only made the lead actors, Kwon Sang-woo and Choi Ji-woo, famous throughout Asia, but the second female lead, Kim Tae-hee, also gained immense popularity with her outstanding acting and exceptional beauty (the latter being the key factor), even surpassing the leads.

Shintaro Koji (a name that sounds like "always good" in Japanese, a cameo by a book friend), a Japanese student studying in the United States, found himself idle and financially strained during the holidays, so he decided to take a part-time job at Disneyland to earn some extra money while enjoying the park. Unfortunately, reality was far from his ideal. He was assigned to cleaning duties, and after just half an hour, he felt his back was about to break. The idea that Americans don't litter is just a myth, and Shintaro Koji quickly realized this.

Shintaro Koji had hoped to find a job as a guide, something light and easy, and perhaps even meet a beautiful American woman and start a grand international love story. However, he was told his English wasn't good enough. Shintaro Koji was furious; he had won the elementary school English speaking championship in his town. How could they say his English wasn't good enough? He saw this as a ridiculous reason and concluded that these Americans were practicing racial discrimination by giving him the dirty and tiring jobs. He decided to report them after collecting his day's pay.

However, while cursing "Bakayarou" in his head for the umpteenth time, Shintaro Koji suddenly saw an angel, his dream goddess, the person who increased his demand for tissues in life—Kim Tae-hee! Japan is a major importer of Korean dramas, and when "Heaven's Stairway" aired in Japan, Shintaro Koji was a second-year high school student. At the height of his youthful passion, he was instantly captivated by Kim Tae-hee. He liked bad girls, and Shintaro Koji, who had always harbored a secret crush on the delinquent leader of his school, enjoyed being bullied. He would deliberately walk in front of her to be extorted and beaten, "Please punish me," was his inner cry.

However, Kim Tae-hee was holding hands with another man, not like children holding hands on a spring outing, but in Disneyland, a world-famous romantic destination. Could it be that Kim Tae-hee was already in love? With a thud, Shintaro Koji felt his heart shatter. Filled with hatred, he decided to follow, no, to tail Kim Tae-hee and the man who had stolen his goddess, determined to expose their relationship.

Although Li Jingming could sense the aura of others, in the crowded Disneyland, it would be more of a superpower than a martial arts skill to sense someone following him. Thus, Shintaro Koji successfully followed the two, even turning on his camera and recording until his phone battery died. Fortunately, he left after his phone died; otherwise, if he had followed them to a less crowded place like a haunted building, Li Jingming would have noticed him.

That night, a strong rumor storm swept through Japan. The first beauty of Korea, Kim Tae-hee, was reportedly in a relationship, and the two were seen on a date at Disneyland in Los Angeles. Shintaro Koji didn't post the video on a student forum but directly uploaded it to YouTube. He also posted the same content on his personal blogs on various Japanese portal websites, causing widespread despair in Japan.

"Hubby, did you hear something from next door? It sounded like a cup falling on the floor," a Japanese woman asked her husband, who was lying in bed.

Her husband remained silent.

"There was definitely a sound," the wife nudged the man beside her, who seemed like a corpse.

"Thud!" The same sound came from beside her.

"Ah, what's going on? We're hearing this sound on our bed too," the wife was shocked.

"It's the fragile heart of a young man..." a low voice came from the darkness.

The last time Japan experienced such a scene might have been when Yamaguchi Momoe retired. Kim Tae-hee's image was too good, her family background, appearance, education, and cultivation were all outstanding. The sudden news of her being in a relationship, with such concrete evidence, was like a death sentence for the men who had harbored hopes for her.

The video was noisy, but the two figures were always clear, mostly in profile, but with occasional frontal shots, it was undoubtedly Kim Tae-hee and Li Jingming. Not only was there video, but there were also several very clear frontal pictures, one showing Kim Tae-hee playfully patting Li Jingming's arm, and another with her clinging to his arm, extremely intimate. With this evidence, it was almost certain that Kim Tae-hee was in a relationship.

Kim Tae-hee was well-known, but as the male lead, Li Jingming was almost unknown in Japan. The highest call among Japanese men was to "dig up" Li Jingming. Although a few Japanese students studying in Korea recognized him as the rising star Li Jingming, Li Jingming was known as "Mysterious Li" in Korea, and no one could uncover his background despite his fame. The Japanese, being on the other side of the ocean, had no way to dig up Li Jingming's past. This only fueled their competitive spirit. How could a singer steal their goddess? They wouldn't rest until they dug up every detail of his past, even if it meant exposing his childhood peeping at his neighbor's aunt.

Li Jingming, far away in the United States, had no idea that a "dig up Li Jingming" movement had started in Japan.

The speed of the rumor storm was incredibly fast. Thanks to the internet, it exploded in Japan overnight, faster than a plane, making it a super-fast rumor.

The next day, Monday morning, Li Jingming personally sent Kim Tae-hee to the airport. Before boarding, Kim Tae-hee was a bit reluctant. Li Jingming was different from her younger brother, lively and open-minded. She thought it would be great if Li Jingming were her brother. Kim Hyung-soo (Lee Wan) was a pushover at home, with two domineering sisters who often complained about him being boring. Kim Hyung-soo had his own grievances; he was bullied even when he tried to be unobtrusive. If he showed a bit more personality, he would be even more of a target for his sisters.

Before parting, Kim Tae-hee and Li Jingming hugged tightly, agreeing to go out again when she returned to Korea. This hug wasn't a big deal in the world, especially during a farewell, but it was captured on camera. Although Korea didn't have paparazzi, there were plenty in the United States. Since Kim Tae-hee attended an event the previous night, several people had been following her, hoping to get some good material. Americans rarely saw such a beautiful woman, especially one with such exotic charm. The delicate beauty of Asian women, like fine porcelain, was unmatched anywhere else in the world.

"Sir, someone just took a photo, probably a paparazzo. Should we have our people stop them?" The speaker was sent by Li Jeong, not Lee Seung-min, who could call Li Jingming by his name. They all called him "Sir."

"Let them be. American paparazzi can't cause much trouble, and I'm just a minor celebrity, so at most, it will end up in a gossip tabloid," Li Jingming said casually.

Li Jingming had important matters to attend to. The press conference for "Juno" was scheduled to start at 10 AM, and it was already 8 AM. Given the traffic in Los Angeles, he would likely be late. However, as he wasn't a key figure at the press conference, being a bit late wasn't a big deal. He just needed to show up to make an appearance. His main goal was to meet the other key creatives.

The term "key creatives" had different interpretations, but Li Jingming planned to treat the director, screenwriter, lead actors, and others to a meal. Since it was an independent film, he was the investor, and the production company was his own, so as the boss, producer, and executive producer, Li Jingming would definitely invite his employees. Team spirit comes from shared benefits, not just empty slogans. A film crew, including production assistants, lighting, photography, logistics, and post-production, could easily number in the dozens, but more people just meant more money, and money could solve any problem.

When Li Jingming arrived, the press conference had already started, and it was in the Q&A phase. "Juno" was a well-known script, having been submitted to many companies and dealing with a very sensitive topic, so many people were aware of it. There were very few people, fewer than twenty journalists, even after LK Company's extensive outreach. The challenges of independent films were well-known, and in a country like the United States, where money is worshipped, anything without profit would not attract much attention.

The few journalists present didn't mean the film wouldn't be successful. Many highly anticipated films have been panned by audiences, and a film's success ultimately depends on its quality. Li Jingming was confident in "Juno," not just because of his past life's memories but also because of his own character, which always made him confident. He had done thorough preparatory work, and the staff he hired were even more capable than those in the original "Juno" production. With better marketing channels, more substantial financial backing, and stronger technical support, every aspect would make Li Jingming's "Juno" surpass the original.

"Next, please welcome our investor and producer, Mr. Jamie Li." Director Jason Reitman introduced Li Jingming to the stage after receiving a message from backstage.

The investor, easily understood, is the person who funds the film. "Independent film" doesn't mean there's no investment. Are independent films funded by the scriptwriter, director, actors, and crew pooling their money? (In fact, many independent films are indeed funded this way.) An independent film refers to a film that is free from the traditional Hollywood system and has an independent spirit. In a sense, films from other countries are all independent films because they are outside the traditional Hollywood system. Of course, this is a joke. The independence of independent films lies in their ideological content. If one narrowly believes that a film can't be independent if a company is involved, many excellent independent films would still be sitting in warehouses. A film funded by an individual and produced by a film company, like Li Jingming's, is a form of independent film.

Li Jingming walked to the stage, smiled, and nodded to the journalists below. In terms of demeanor and appearance, he was a standout. His appearance immediately sparked a buzz among the audience, but it didn't seem to be about his good looks.