Chapter 34

"adies and gentlemen, this flight is scheduled to arrive at Chiang Kai-shek International Airport (renamed Taoyuan International Airport in 2006) in half an hour. The ground temperature is 15 degrees Celsius. Thank you!"

As the announcement echoed through the plane, Jin Yufan, who felt he had only slept for a short while, woke up from his dream. "Bro, are we there yet?" Rubbing his eyes, Jin Yufan instinctively asked Lu He, who was sitting next to him.

"Yep, the in-flight announcement just said we'll be at the airport in half an hour!" Lu He put down the documents in his hands, smiled, and looked at Jin Yufan.

"Ah~~ So fast, I feel like I just slept for a bit!" Grumbling in dissatisfaction, Jin Yufan saw that Lu He was busy with his documents and curiously leaned over. "Bro, what are you looking at?"

"What else, just some information about the entertainment industry in Taiwan, and of course, the main focus is on the materials about the agency we're going to in Taiwan."

Noticing Jin Yufan's genuine curiosity, Lu He smiled and handed the documents to him.

"Universal Music!" Upon receiving the documents, Jin Yufan's first glance landed on the agency he would be affiliated with in China, which turned out to be Universal Music. This made Jin Yufan feel a bit shocked.

"Uh~~ But you missed a few words, it's actually the Taiwan subsidiary of Universal Music!" Lu He smiled and pointed out Jin Yufan's mistake.

Ignoring Lu He's teasing, Jin Yufan lowered his head and carefully examined the documents. Being affiliated with Universal Music made Jin Yufan not only shocked but also satisfied.

After all, Universal Music is one of the world's top record companies, currently owning the largest music content library in the world, and annually occupying 25% to 30% of the global music market. This clearly demonstrates how terrifying and powerful Universal Music is.

To date, there are four top record companies in the world: Universal Music, Sony Music, EMI, and Warner Music.

These four major record companies almost monopolize and divide over 95% of the global music market. The world's top singers, most classic songs, and best albums all come from these four major record companies.

Moreover, as a latercomer, Jin Yufan was very well aware of Universal Music's prowess. The most famous point is that in 2011, Universal Music directly acquired EMI, which was in an economic crisis, reducing the world's four major record companies to three. Due to this acquisition, Universal Music undoubtedly surpassed Sony Music and Warner Music, becoming the world's number one record company.

This move by Universal Music even led the European Commission to worry that the transaction would give Universal Music a dominant market position, causing music prices to rise. As a result, the European Commission began to suppress and investigate Universal Music, ultimately forcing Universal Music to abandon many of EMI's subsidiaries and businesses.

However, regardless of everything, in 2011, with the acquisition of EMI, Universal Music had already surpassed Sony and Warner, becoming the world's number one record company.

Being affiliated with Universal Music was undoubtedly something Jin Yufan felt very satisfied about.

Although Universal Music is a large and powerful company that wouldn't pay much attention to a small ant like Jin Yufan, he firmly believed that with his own strength, he would stand out among Universal Music's various subsidiaries worldwide and be noticed by the headquarters of Universal Music.

With Universal Music's support, it would undoubtedly be a huge help for his entry into the American market.

Jin Yufan firmly believed that as long as he had enough strength to make Universal Music decide to promote him, he could easily enter the American market with Universal Music's resources and influence.

Due to Universal Music's influence and connections, Jin Yufan would not be excluded from the American music market. Don't underestimate this exclusion; many top singers from other countries, despite having the talent, often fail to enter the American market due to exclusion, which applies to both singers and actors.

As long as he entered the American market, he would definitely succeed with his own strength.

Thinking about this, Jin Yufan couldn't help but smile. Being affiliated with Universal Music would undoubtedly be the best platform for his future career development.

In fact, Jin Yufan didn't know that Li Haoyan chose to cooperate with Universal Music not because of his importance.

To be precise, Jin Yufan's importance was a factor, but more importantly, it was for DSP's future. For Li Haoyan and DSP, choosing Universal Music was a strategic decision.

Due to Universal Music's enormous influence and status worldwide, and its subsidiaries and superior positions in various entertainment-developed countries, cooperating with Universal Music would allow DSP to enter other countries' music markets under Universal Music's assistance if there were opportunities and conditions.

Li Haoyan hadn't considered the American market yet, but he had thought about the Japanese market. If Jin Yufan developed well in Taiwan or even China and decided to enter the Japanese market, the Taiwan subsidiary of Universal Music could directly contact the Japanese subsidiary of Universal Music. Since they are all part of the same family and system, they would give face, making it easier for Jin Yufan to enter the Japanese market.

For these reasons, Li Haoyan ultimately chose to cooperate with Universal Music. Even without Jin Yufan, considering DSP's long-term interests, Li Haoyan would have chosen Universal Music. Later, the KARA group under DSP was also affiliated with the Japanese subsidiary of Universal Music.

Compared to Universal Music, DSP was undoubtedly a minor player. Logically, Universal Music should have looked down on DSP and not chosen to cooperate with them.

However, the reality was the opposite. With Li Haoyan's active contact, Universal Music quickly agreed to the cooperation.

For Universal Music, the best strategy is to cast a wide net, as evidenced by its establishment of subsidiaries in various economically and entertainment-developed countries, showing its confidence in its global development plan.

As for the Taiwan subsidiary of Universal Music, the president of the Taiwan subsidiary basically decides all major and minor matters.

So, this cooperation between DSP and Universal Music is more accurately described as cooperation between DSP and the Taiwan subsidiary of Universal Music.

The Taiwan subsidiary of Universal Music did not refuse DSP's cooperation request. After all, both Li Haoyan and the president of the Taiwan subsidiary of Universal Music are businessmen, and as long as there is profit, it's fine.

In recent years, with HOT's explosive influence in China and the entry of high-quality, tear-jerking TV dramas, the Korean wave has begun to take off.

The president of the Taiwan subsidiary of Universal Music also considered the rising value of Korean artists in the Chinese market and the potential for profit, so he naturally did not refuse.

Moreover, as a Chinese person, the president of the Taiwan subsidiary of Universal Music also held the idea of making more friends and fewer enemies, so he naturally did not look down on DSP.

Furthermore, with the huge attention "Autumn Tale" received in China, the popularity and value of Korean artists in China continued to rise, and the president of the Taiwan subsidiary of Universal Music naturally did not miss this point.

Therefore, with Li Haoyan's active contact and promotion, and the president of the Taiwan subsidiary of Universal Music having similar ideas, both parties naturally reached a consensus and established a cooperative relationship.