Chapter 197 Invitation to the New Year's Eve Gala
"As expected."
Jiang Shu sat down in a chair, and Li Duohui also pulled out a chair and sat down.
"In the initial stages of Big Hit, even though Fang Shihe took a considerable number of elites from JYP, he still lacked capable talent in terms of executives.
There were only so many talents that could catch his eye, and most of them were still with the Three Greats, so our DM Entertainment naturally became his primary target."
"If I'm not mistaken, Director Young-joo, Director Kim Hye-soo, and Director Hyun-joo should have also had contact with Fang Shihe."
"You're not angry?"
Li Duohui asked curiously.
"Why should I be angry?"
Jiang Shu laughed.
"I'm just their boss.
If they think Big Hit offers better treatment, they're welcome to go."
"That should be quite difficult."
Li Duohui shook her head and said, "Our company's treatment is already top-tier in the industry.
To offer better treatment than us, they'd have to approach it from other angles, but every executive has a non-compete agreement.
To poach someone and avoid triggering the non-compete clause, they'd need to pay extra, which would make the cost too high."
"That's right."
Jiang Shu smiled and nodded, "Employees have the right to contact other companies.
As long as they don't disclose company secrets, I won't interfere."
The executives under him were all poached from other companies.
It would be too restrictive to allow officials to commit arson while forbidding the common people from lighting lamps.
"You are truly different."
Li Duohui couldn't help but exclaim, "What many consider a major transgression is just a trivial matter in your eyes, Chairman."
"When you stand high enough, you'll be the same."
Jiang Shu said with a smile.
He had always observed the people of this world from the perspective of a visitor from another world, investing emotion but not fully immersing himself.
Especially after Liu Zhimin's incident, he realized that the people here were not NPCs, which made Jiang Shu, who had originally tried to integrate, become even more detached.
He didn't belong here in the first place, so when considering issues, he wouldn't simply think from his own perspective.
However, Jiang Shu's words, heard by Li Duohui, became a testament to Jiang Shu's broad vision.
"I am ashamed that my perspective does not match the Chairman's."
Li Duohui shook her head and said.
Jiang Shu smiled, and just as he was about to say something, he saw the invitation on the table.
He picked it up, and the first thing he saw was the Bilibili logo on the invitation.
He opened it and took a look.
"Interesting, Bilibili has invited me to participate in this year's New Year's Eve gala."
Jiang Shu said with a laugh.
"New Year's Eve gala?"
Li Duohui was startled.
"Is it a TV station gala from China?"
"No, it's a highly popular software-hosted gala, very popular among young people."
Li Duohui seemed to have hit a keyword.
"Young people?"
Then you can go."
"I'm thinking about whether to bring an artist from the company."
Li Duohui's first reaction was that Koreans couldn't go, but then she realized she didn't only have Korean artists.
"There are a few Chinese trainees, but none of them have debuted.
There are quite a few Japanese ones.
Who are you planning to take?"
Li Duohui asked.
Jiang Shu smiled slightly.
"Why should I choose?
Let them choose themselves."
Li Duohui was stunned.
How could they choose themselves?
"Let Sakura, Nako, and Hitomi Honda study Chinese.
Whoever has better Chinese when we record in December will go."
Jiang Shu said with a smile.
Li Duohui suddenly understood.
So that's how they choose themselves.
"Okay, I'll go arrange it now."
Li Duohui nodded and said.
Actually, Jiang Shu wanted to bring Sakura, but he had already shown a lot of favoritism towards Sakura, and he couldn't be too biased.
Although it was normal for a group to have a 'royal' member, this kind of resource was indeed closely related to Chinese.
Instead of blindly giving it to Sakura, it was better to put the opportunity in their hands and see who could seize it.
However...
Jiang Shu remembered that Hitomi Honda had good language talent, so maybe it would be her.
The sweet and lovely face of Hitomi Honda appeared in his mind.
After so many years in K-pop, there were only two artists who could make Jiang Shu feel cute just by looking at them.
One was Hitomi Honda, and the other...
Li Yuanxi of Li.
"Then you go."
"Okay."
After Li Duohui left, Jiang Shu picked up the phone on the table.
"Ji-yeon, please reply to Bilibili's invitation for me.
I will go to the December recording and bring an artist from the company with me."
"Mm, okay."
Hanging up the phone, Jiang Shu stretched in place, then opened his computer.
He wanted to check on the company's affairs during this period; he hadn't paid attention to these matters for a while.
...
On October 17th, under much anticipation, aespa officially debuted.
For their debut song, S.M and DM Entertainment decided after discussion to use 'Black Mamba'.
Jiang Shu had provided several high-quality songs, but S.M felt that they shouldn't drop a 'bomb' right away; they wanted to build up to it first.
DM Entertainment didn't express much about this; they had given the songs, and how they were used was up to S.M.
Jiang Shu hadn't originally planned to attend aespa's debut, but then the variety show 'We Became a Family' came along.
With his eldest daughter debuting, of course, the family couldn't miss watching.
Music Core, audience seating.
"Yuan Ying's popularity is so high."
Bae Joo-hyun said enviously, watching Zhang Yuanying being surrounded by the audience asking for autographs.
"Do you sign fewer autographs?"
Jiang Shu laughed.
Just now, Bae Joo-hyun had signed quite a few autographs for the audience, and even he had signed many.
Bae Joo-hyun smiled at his words.
"When you come back from filming in Zhangjiajie, I'll pick you up."
Jiang Shu thought for a moment and said, preparing to arrange more screen time for Bae Joo-hyun.
"Can I?"
Bae Joo-hyun looked at Jiang Shu in surprise, not expecting the Chairman to offer this proactively.
"Of course."
Jiang Shu smiled and nodded, "Isn't it normal for a husband to pick up his wife at the airport?"
Bae Joo-hyun also smiled; the Chairman was really taking care of her screen time.
"What are you two whispering about?"
Zhang Yuanying, finally breaking free from the audience's embrace, walked over and asked.
"Since it's a secret, of course, I can't tell you."
Jiang Shu smiled and made room for Zhang Yuanying.
Zhang Yuanying sat down next to Jiang Shu, with her and Bae Joo-hyun sitting on either side of him.
"Dad, I heard from Kura Ouni that you have an itinerary where you'll bring one of their Japanese members?"
Zhang Yuanying said.
"Yes, I didn't tell you because this itinerary is in China, and you can't go."
Zhang Yuanying suddenly understood.
They were aware of the common knowledge that Korean artists could only go to three regions.
Other companies might be unclear, but DM Entertainment was very strict in this regard; every trainee and artist had to know and remember it firmly.
"How is the Chinese learning progress of the three of them?"