Chapter 1708: Cultural Industry

Wu Sijie and Kim Young-min were sparring with words, but Zhao Fusheng and Liang Jingyu didn't have such trouble.

"You're here?"

Zhao Fusheng glanced at Liang Jingyu, who had just arrived, and said with a smile, "How come you've gained so much weight in just a few months?"

Then he shook his head: "No matter how busy business is, you have to take care of your health. You're still young, and you're already putting on weight."

This was true. Liang Jingyu was just over thirty, in the prime of his life, but because he served as the representative director of Hanxing Investment, he was now busy with various social engagements all day. He couldn't find a girlfriend, and even his weight was starting to increase. Zhao Fusheng found it somewhat amusing.

"Chairman, we haven't seen each other for months, and the first thing you do is mock me. Is that really okay?" Liang Jingyu, not standing on ceremony, sat down in front of Zhao Fusheng and said with a look of grievance.

"You're about to become the next Sammo Hung. If I don't mock you, should I praise you instead?"

Zhao Fusheng ignored his act entirely and retorted, "Don't play the pitiful card with me. It won't work, I'm telling you."

Then he said to Park Sun-young beside him, "Miss Sun-young, I'll give you a task: supervise your representative's weight loss. If he hasn't slimmed down by the end of this year, I'll remove him from his position."

"Holy crap!"

Liang Jingyu instantly lost his composure, staring at Zhao Fusheng in shock: "Boss, you're not joking, are you?"

Zhao Fusheng shrugged and looked at Liang Jingyu with a half-smile: "Do I look like someone who likes to joke?"

"No!"

Recalling the image of his boss, Liang Jingyu nodded obediently: "Chairman, rest assured, I will follow your instructions and lose weight properly."

Zhao Fusheng nodded with satisfaction: "That attitude is acceptable."

Then he said earnestly to Liang Jingyu, "Old Liang, you have to understand that you still have a long way to go. Zheng Yao recommended you to me back then because she thought highly of you, and I also appreciate your abilities. So I hope you can go further in this position..."

Hearing these words, Liang Jingyu quickly nodded, feeling very pleased inside.

In fact, he knew that Zhao Fusheng meant well for him. After all, sitting in his current position, social engagements were unavoidable, and naturally, his health would suffer.

Some bosses who don't care about their subordinates wouldn't bother whether they were healthy or not. In their view, as long as subordinates got things done, that was enough.

As for other things, did they matter?

But for Zhao Fusheng, or rather for the Future Group, every talented person was a valuable asset of the company. Zhao Fusheng would not allow any company talent to waste their life.

"Also, I remember you're not much of a drinker, right?" Zhao Fusheng suddenly recalled something and casually asked Liang Jingyu.

Liang Jingyu was startled, not knowing where Zhao Fusheng had gotten that information, but he still nodded: "Yes, I have a low tolerance for alcohol. Since coming to Korea, I've been getting drunk almost every time. Luckily, the soju here has a low alcohol content, otherwise I definitely couldn't handle it."

Zhao Fusheng smiled, then his expression turned serious: "Quit drinking from now on. If someone says you have to drink to discuss business, tell them it's your boss's order: if business can only be done over drinks, then there's no need to do it."

Liang Jingyu was dumbfounded.

He really hadn't expected Zhao Fusheng to say that.

"Chairman..."

Looking at Zhao Fusheng, Liang Jingyu suddenly felt that he was incredibly lucky to have such a considerate boss.

Zhao Fusheng waved his hand: "Don't get too emotional. My point is simple: you should discuss what needs to be discussed, but there's no need to sacrifice your health for it. I'm not a heartless Huang Shiren, and you're not Yang Bailao or Xi'er. Our goal is to make a career in Korea, not to ruin our health for money, right?"

Then he smiled at Park Sun-young beside him: "Miss Sun-young, do you think I'm right?"

"Ah?"

Park Sun-young was startled, then nodded: "Yes, Chairman, what you said makes a lot of sense."

Zhao Fusheng chuckled, giving Park Sun-young a meaningful glance, but said nothing more.

"You may go out first."

Liang Jingyu shook his head helplessly and instructed Park Sun-young: "Wait at the door. No matter who comes, stop them first."

Park Sun-young nodded in agreement, understanding that he wanted to talk alone with the chairman.

After she left the room, Liang Jingyu loosened his tie, took a sip of water from the cup in front of him, and said to Zhao Fusheng with a helpless smile: "Chairman, what was that all about?"

"What, you don't understand?"

Zhao Fusheng said with a faint smile.

Liang Jingyu nodded: "Yes, to be honest, although Lee Byung-hun is a top actor, in my eyes, he's just a small fry. If you wanted to deal with him, it would be as easy as stepping on an ant. But I don't understand why you stirred up so many people only to bring Lee Byung-hun under our control. Why?"

To be honest, if the order hadn't come from Zhao Fusheng, he would have wondered if he was dreaming, encountering such an absurd situation.

Zhao Fusheng glanced at Liang Jingyu and said calmly: "In your opinion, which industry is the most profitable in Korea?"

"Profitable?"

Liang Jingyu frowned, sat in thought for a moment, and then said: "It's hard to say, but in Korea, the profitable industries are already occupied. I've been thinking about whether to venture into venture capital..."

"Yes, Korea's economic structure is already fixed." Zhao Fusheng nodded at Liang Jingyu's words: "After decades of development, thanks to the benefits of the chaebol economy, Korea's major pillar industries have been carved up by the big chaebols. Even in industries not touched by the chaebols, there is foreign capital involvement. In short, there aren't many areas where we can make a move, right?"

Liang Jingyu was silent.

He had to admit that Zhao Fusheng's words were absolutely correct.

From after World War II to the rise during the Vietnam War, Korea's economic takeoff created a large number of chaebol enterprises, but it also artificially divided the economic pie into pieces.

Whether it was steel, automobile manufacturing, shipping, or even computers and real estate, all these profitable industries had the shadow of the chaebols behind them.

Under these circumstances, how could Hanxing Investment fully establish itself in Korea?

This was a serious problem!

"So, you mean the cultural industry?"

After a long silence, Liang Jingyu looked at Zhao Fusheng.

Only then did he understand why Zhao Fusheng had previously instructed him to focus on Korea's cultural industry. It turned out he had been planning this all along.

Zhao Fusheng smiled. Liang Jingyu really was the person Zheng Yao had chosen.

He quickly grasped his meaning.

Looking at Liang Jingyu, Zhao Fusheng said: "After the 1997 Asian financial crisis, Korea faced crises such as high foreign debt, corporate bankruptcies, currency devaluation, sharp decline in foreign exchange reserves, and rising unemployment. Badly hit, Korea had no choice but to request aid loans from the International Monetary Fund."

"I know that." Liang Jingyu nodded: "At that time, President Kim Dae-jung not only proposed a second strategy of building the nation through science and technology but also, unprecedentedly, a strategy of building the nation through culture."

"Yes, building the nation through culture." Zhao Fusheng nodded and sighed: "Based on this strategy, Korea successively enacted multiple cultural industry-related laws and regulations such as the 'Framework Act on the Promotion of Cultural Industries' and established multiple cultural industry-related institutions like the Korea Creative Content Agency. The strategy of building the nation through culture focused not only on the well-known film and music industries but also on fields like gaming, e-sports, and tourism."

Then he picked up his water cup, took a sip, and said solemnly: "Relying on the cultural industry, Korea's economy was revitalized. In recent years, the export scale of Korea's cultural industry has grown by over 20% annually, generating billions of US dollars in foreign exchange."

Then Zhao Fusheng chuckled: "Based on this alone, don't you think it's a huge market?"

Liang Jingyu nodded. On this point, his thoughts coincided with Zhao Fusheng's.

"TV dramas or movies will be our focus in the future." Zhao Fusheng looked at Liang Jingyu and said solemnly: "You've been in Korea for quite a while. I believe you must have some insights into this area, right?"

Liang Jingyu nodded: "Korean dramas adopt a PD system where the producer and director roles are combined. Producers don't need to worry about funding or market sales; dramas are custom-made by production companies according to the orders of TV stations. Additionally, Korean dramas follow the principle of writing, shooting, and broadcasting simultaneously, allowing the storyline to be adjusted based on audience reactions at any time."

Then he smiled: "Early Korean drama themes mainly involved family, love, and court life, striving to explore the true, the good, and the beautiful in human nature, portraying screen images of loving couples, filial children, family devotion, and honest conduct.

In recent years, Korean producers have turned their attention to the blind spots of our vision, using film and television art to reveal the dark sides of society that we know little about, which has been widely praised by audiences."

"So?"

Zhao Fusheng looked at Liang Jingyu and asked: "This time, I've put a leash around Lee Byung-hun's neck and handed him over to you. As for what to do next, I think you won't disappoint me, will you?"

Liang Jingyu's expression suddenly turned serious: "Please rest assured, Chairman. I will not let you down."

Zhao Fusheng had already set the stage. If he couldn't perform the remaining play well, he truly wouldn't be qualified to continue holding power at Hanxing Company.