Chapter 764 This Summer, Abundant Harvest
This summer, TV dramas, web series, and movies have all become huge hits one after another.
It swept away the slump that preceded summer.
Before this summer, it was difficult for top films to break 300 million yuan at the box office. But this summer, seven films have suddenly achieved more than 700 million yuan at the box office.
The same goes for TV series.
While "Chinese Paladin" achieved a precipitous lead in viewership ratings and online streaming data, other dramas of different genres also garnered significant attention.
One is the palace drama "The Rise of a Palace Maid," which attracted a large number of female viewers who stayed up late to watch it, watched it at work, and watched it on the subway. Although its viewership data was not as high as "Chinese Paladin," its popularity on the Internet was comparable to that of "Chinese Paladin."
Linghe did suspect that the other party was buying data, after all, the actual playback data in the background was a whole order of magnitude different—even if the other party's data was definitely popular, it was not on the same level as the number of viewers of "Chinese Paladin".
However, Linghe discovered that they really hadn't bought the data.
Viewers of "The Rise of a Palace Maid" happen to be the group most likely to voice their opinions online. Meanwhile, a large portion of "Chinese Paladin" viewers are still under restrictions on their mobile phone use.
Besides "The Palace Maid's Rise to Power," another suspenseful crime drama received rave reviews, sweeping all other dramas this year with a score of over 9 on Yemai.com. One advantage of such a critical acclaim is that although its viewership was suppressed by other dramas, its positive image led to numerous reviews and discussions about the plot, characters, and artistic value from various media outlets. This positive image naturally attracted brands seeking to invest in advertising and promotion.
The cast of this drama is entirely made up of talented actors, and the show has become incredibly popular. While the show itself hasn't generated as much buzz as some other dramas, the actors' dedication to their craft during their hiatus and their past experiences have become fodder for gossip and marketing.
Overall, this summer's box office was a resounding success.
A large number of viewers have returned.
Even Linghe was worried that the viewership of "Chinese Paladin" would be siphoned off by two other dramas.
However, at that very moment, the episode featuring Lin Yueru's sacrifice aired.
Then, the Legend of Sword and Fairy series caused a sensation.
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Lu Yanhe is not worried at all about the decline of "The Legend of Sword and Fairy" in its later stages.
The reason this drama had such an explosive long-tail effect in its original timeline is because it had an ending where almost everyone suffered a tragic fate.
Lin Yueru was hit by a boulder and imprisoned in the Demon Locking Tower while protecting Li Xiaoyao and Ling'er.
In order to defeat Bai Yue, Anu and Tang Yu Xiaobao paid the price of their lives by making a wish on the pendant, summoning the power of the earth to defeat Bai Yue.
Liu Jinyuan infiltrated the Moon Worship Cult to avenge his parents, but ultimately died.
In her final act, Zhao Ling'er fought a great battle against the Water Demon Beast to protect all living beings, but ultimately died.
Except for Li Xiaoyao, almost everyone else died.
This is why, despite being disguised as an idol drama, it remained a powerful and memorable epic drama for many young people at the time.
Lin Yueru's death was a delicate love hidden behind her seemingly carefree demeanor, a sacrifice and fulfillment made without regard for anything in her youth.
The deaths of Tang Yu Xiaobao and Anu were for justice to triumph over evil, and for two people who could hold hands and face life and death together.
Liu Jinyuan's death was for revenge, a struggle and hatred after being bewitched by Baiyue, and also for the sake of friendship, he was willing to endure humiliation and hardship, and be an undercover agent who was misunderstood by everyone.
Zhao Ling'er's death was a mutual destruction, a choice made without hesitation or struggle in the face of the common people, and also a last breath as she lay on his back and softly called out "Brother Xiaoyao".
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If the early chapters of "The Legend of Sword and Fairy" were just a mix of humor and youthful passion, interspersed with tragic sacrifices and tear-jerking scenes, then starting with Lin Yueru's sacrifice, "The Legend of Sword and Fairy" entered another chapter.
Young boys and girls transition from a tender, youthful, and passionate stage to a point where they must shoulder the heavy responsibility of protecting the common people and defeating a formidable enemy.
Lin Yueru's sacrifice became the first point that ignited the entire internet due to the fate of a character and the plot after the premiere of "Chinese Paladin".
On short video platforms, even many parents who are self-media creators have posted videos of their children breaking down and crying at home after watching this episode of "Chinese Paladin".
Lu Yanhe's comment section was flooded by drama fans for the first time, who called him cold-blooded and heartless, and demanded that he return Lin Yueru to them.
The Legend of Sword and Fairy, which started strong but ended weakly, saw its popularity surge again as it reached its 28th episode and was nearing its end.
In episode 31, Anu, who was controlled by Baiyue, used a poisoned knife to slash Tang Yu Xiaobao, forcing Tang Yu Xiaobao to sever both of his arms.
Lu Yanhe's comment section was once again flooded with comments from tens of thousands of viewers criticizing his terrible plot.
In episode 32, Li Xiaoyao and Zhao Ling'er get married.
The entire online platform was "flooded" with this drama; at this moment, it seemed like everyone was watching "Chinese Paladin".
Everyone is talking about it.
The lack of discussion about the plot and characters in the early stages of "Chinese Paladin" including the criticism that it was "too much like an idol drama" has been almost completely diluted by the strong "resentment" and "emotion" of casual viewers in the past few days due to the plot twists.
Then, the day came when the final episode aired.
Lu Yanhe immediately turned off his phone. He could already imagine how everyone would react after watching this episode.
However, he underestimated the public's reaction.
He lives near Ziyuan Bridge.
Neither Li Zhibai nor Yan Liang are here tonight.
After Chen Siqi returned, she watched the finale with Lu Yanhe.
Upon seeing Zhao Ling'er dead, Chen Siqi covered her mouth in disbelief.
She didn't know the fate of each character in the show.
She didn't ask Lu Yanhe, and Lu Yanhe didn't mention it either.
Chen Siqi stared at Lu Yanhe in shock, unable to utter a word for a long time.
Then, as the two of them stared at each other in disbelief, a heart-wrenching scream suddenly came from outside the window: "Lu Yanhe, you son of a bitch—you son of a bitch—give Zhao Ling'er back to me—ahhhhhh—"
At that moment, Lu Yanhe recalled some videos he had seen online before he transmigrated here.
That day, a top celebrity suddenly announced that he was in a relationship, and the entire Weibo account crashed. Then, some videos appeared online, in which they recorded screams that seemed to tear the sky apart.
Lu Yanhe knew that Zhao Ling'er's death would anger some male viewers who were following the show, after all, she was the ultimate white moonlight. However, he did not expect that such a male viewer would appear right next to him, so close.
Chen Siqi said, "Do you think it would be better if we went to Lingyang District to avoid them? Will they come looking for us? There are still some people in Ziyuan Bridge who know that we live here."
Lu Yanhe nodded and said, "You're right, let's go."
Chen Siqi: "..."
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The final episode of "Chinese Paladin" achieved a viewership rating of over 3% on Yuehu TV.
Local TV stations, 3%.
This was a night that kept many people awake.
These days, a mere 24-hour exclusive window is enough to bring Yuehu TV back to its peak ratings before the online broadcasting era.
Facts have once again proven what Lu Yanhe said—
There are many Chinese people. In the past, there were few forms of entertainment, so many people watched TV dramas. Now there are many forms of entertainment, but fewer people watch TV dramas.
But the economic level was much worse in the past than it is now.
The revenue generated by a TV series with a few million viewers is now higher than that of a TV series with tens of millions of viewers in the past.
Why? Because an advertisement used to cost hundreds of thousands of yuan, but now it costs millions, and sponsorship can even cost tens of millions.
Nowadays, apart from the few in the top tier, most traditional television stations are basically "bankrupt".
But are those in the top tier having a hard time now? Not necessarily. It depends on how you manage it.
They still have top-rated variety shows and a group of top-notch production talents in the industry. Most importantly, they have a powerful backer. Even if they lose a lot of viewers, the traditional significance of a TV station gives them leverage and bargaining power.
Judging from the situation of Yuehu TV this year, the average viewership has increased significantly compared to two or three years ago.
Besides the fact that several dramas such as "My Own Swordsman", "Friends" and "Chinese Paladin" raised the ratings ceiling for Yuehu TV, Yuehu TV's overall business strategy is to never give up and continue to innovate, create exclusive content, and compete on content quality.
Yuehu TV has produced many film and television review programs like Lin Yu's, which last for fifteen minutes every day.
What is this "Breakfast News Time" segment? It primarily targets people who get up between 6:30 and 7:30 to exercise indoors or make breakfast, broadcasting important information, which is essentially news.
But Yuehu TV doesn't just act as a porter; it has a team that collects and organizes materials every day before dawn, then edits them into programs, which are then broadcast to those who need the information the next morning.
Over time, this program, which aired from 6:30 to 7:30 in the morning, actually managed to achieve a viewership rating of around 0.25%.
Most importantly, advertisers have their eyes on the audience during this time slot—the so-called "elite class," who either enjoy watching TV or need it for work, and thus have the habit and time to do so after waking up early.
Even with a viewership rating of only around 0.25%, it still attracted advertisers.
Yuehu TV is now focusing on both large-scale broadcasts and specific market segments. They design different content for different audiences at different times, specializing in a particular niche. Most importantly, they don't engage in simultaneous TV and online broadcasts; they opt for exclusive content.
Although this caused them to lose a lot of profits in the short term, once they gained a foothold, like the morning news program, they gained a group of loyal viewers.
Everyone has limited energy. During morning runs or breakfast time, they turn on the TV and get all the information they need. The key is that the content is indeed well-made and meets their needs. It's just turning on the TV—but this group of people would buy a record player to listen to at home in pursuit of a so-called high-end feel.
Lu Yanhe had a conversation with Xu Senjin, the director of Yuehu TV.
Director Xu stated frankly, "If it were purely market competition, television stations would probably have been crushed long ago. But our system isn't a purely market-driven economy. Television stations can't collapse, and we can't relinquish all media power to internet media. Compared to internet media, television stations have an advantage bestowed by the times: media image. Television stations are established media outlets, representing the public, while internet media are newcomers, perceived as private in the public eye. Yuehu Station is a station that has always been vying for viewers and refuses to give up. By adapting to the times, from a television station catering to a broad audience to a media outlet that focuses on high-quality content and retains a following, this is enough for us to continue shining and maintaining our foothold in this era."
Director Xu said it, and he did it.
To date, all the TV dramas broadcast on Yuehu TV have exclusive broadcast times.
The window period can be as short as four hours or as long as twenty-four hours.
This means their film acquisition costs will be very high.
However, Yuehu TV now mainly broadcasts new dramas exclusively during prime time. At other times, it either rebroadcasts old dramas or shows produced by the TV station.
This effectively controlled the cost of purchasing new dramas.
Excluding the Sunday night "Jump Up Theater," Yuehu TV basically only needs to purchase about 25 new dramas a year.
What they purchase are mostly big-budget dramas. These dramas have their own built-in audience, strong production teams, and high-quality productions that can guarantee high viewership.
The viewership and advertising revenue that these new dramas brought to Yuehu TV, when all factors are considered, far exceeded their costs.
Over the years, their model has proven to be sustainable.
Besides that, how amazing is Yuehu Terrace?
In an effort to boost viewership, they not only produced a program on weekday afternoons from 5 to 6 pm, featuring expert teachers explaining fun and challenging brain teasers for elementary school students, but also invited renowned teachers to explain the questions.
They even aired this segment irregularly during the daytime hours on weekends.
It's so that every family with children will keep the TV on all the time, waiting for this program to air so they can invite their kids to learn.
Do elementary school students not want to learn?
It's okay, there's a kind of learning called "your parents want you to learn (force you to learn)".
Of course, Yuehu TV also tries its best to make these questions interesting, so that children can enjoy the joy of solving problems with the teacher after reading them.
To prevent other platforms from poaching talent, Yuehu TV signed exclusive cooperation agreements with all the teachers they invited, including guests from other programs, for one or two years at a time, and then used its own resources to conduct "celebrity-style" operations.
Lu Yanhe was truly impressed by Yuehutai's "outrageous actions".
But it is true that their methods have yielded considerable results.
Yuehu TV's advertising, with its diverse range of brands and high advertising costs, stands head and shoulders above all other traditional local television stations.
Lu Yanhe's dramas are just one of Yuehu TV's trump cards.
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After Lu Yanhe hid in Lingyang District for three days, news came from Yuehutai that they were going to hold a celebration banquet for "The Legend of Sword and Fairy".
They want to turn the victory celebration into a gala.
"..." Lu Yanhe sighed once again, "Yuehutai's business acumen is truly amazing."
A drama like "Chinese Paladin" with its ensemble cast could really be the setting for a whole variety show.
From the six main actors to so many commendable supporting actors, each person could sing a song and the show would last for an hour and a half.
Most importantly, news of the gala didn't even reach Lu Yanhe and his group before some drama fans found out.
Once the news leaked, it spread like wildfire.
When Yuehutai came to find Lu Yanhe, he played the card of "Look how many fans are looking forward to it".
How could Lu Yanhe not want to participate?
The Legend of Sword and Fairy is Linghe's first big-budget production.
Moreover, this is the first time he, Li Zhibai, and Yan Liang have co-starred in a drama.
Perhaps the three of them will have the opportunity to work together again in the future, but their spirited youth is captured in this drama.
Yuehu TV probably had a lot of confidence from its sponsors, and when they wrote checks for the main creators, they were very generous, with appearance fees of seven figures for just one night.
People like Lu Yanhe, Li Zhibai, Yan Liang, and Yan Lingyu all command appearance fees starting at 1.5 million.
The appearance fee for a commercial gala is actually around this price.
In the end, the event was decided.
It was scheduled for the first weekend of September.
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At the same time, "The Legend of Sword and Fairy" launched joint business collaborations with 13 brands, including Sunny Coffee and Baixing Stationery.
Most of these business collaborations were arranged in advance.
No one expected that as soon as Sunny Coffee's "character-themed cup sleeves" went online, the number of orders for Sunny Coffee on that day surged by 30% compared to usual.
The "Legend of Sword and Fairy" themed stationery bags launched by Baixing Stationery sold out completely on the first day of their release in stores across the country, with a supply shortage.
Those drama fans who were chasing after Lu Yanhe and cursing him were buying the show while they were cursing him.
For all thirteen brands, Linghe's collaboration model with them is not just about collecting licensing fees for co-branding, but also about sales revenue sharing.
In just one week, according to a rough estimate, Linghe could earn 130 million yuan from the joint business collaborations with these thirteen brands.
Sold out.
Lu Yanhe was stunned.
Xu Tianming, who was in charge of copyright operation and derivatives, was initially overshadowed by Chen Yin, who was in charge of film and television production.
Xu Tianming is clearly the CEO of Linghe, but his presence has been greatly diminished by Chen Yin.
Until this point, he earned in one week what Linghe earned in film and television production, roughly equivalent to two quarters' worth of revenue.
Linghe's cash flow has become more abundant than ever before.
Chen Yin's first thought was that he could start a few more projects.
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"The copyright management of 'Chinese Paladin' far surpasses that of 'You Are the Apple of My Eye,' even though both films have a huge impact," Lu Yanhe told Chen Siqi. "It's strange."
“What’s so strange about that? The subject matter of the two shows determines the situation of their copyright operations,” Chen Siqi said. “Moreover, almost everyone in ‘Chinese Paladin’ died in the end, which left so many people with a deep sense of regret. Recently, the comment section of our ‘Jump Up’ show has been full of attacks against you.”
Lu Yanhe: "...I didn't expect everyone to be so crazy."
“That’s right,” Chen Siqi said. “But the more upset you are, the harder it is to get over it, the deeper your feelings for this story and these characters become. Merchandise development is actually the fan economy. The higher the fan loyalty, the stronger the purchasing power. That’s how it is.”
Lu Yanhe: "Even LEGO has come to collaborate with us, wanting to license their products to make a set of LEGO toys themed around 'Chinese Paladin'."
"It's incredibly popular," Chen Siqi said. "Recently, our 'Jump Up' magazine's submission inbox has been flooded with fan fiction about 'Chinese Paladin,' and quite a few of them are exceptionally well-written, the kind that even moved our editors to tears."
Lu Yanhe: "Will you publish it?"
“I’ve selected one article, and it will be published in the next issue,” Chen Siqi said. “I estimate that ‘The Legend of Sword and Fairy’ will become your company’s most profitable IP. I heard that you’re also developing a game based on it recently, is that right?”
“Yes.” Lu Yanhe nodded, “VR virtual reality game.”
“The revenue from games is even more outrageous and terrifying,” Chen Siqi said. “Before ‘Squid Game’ was making a live-action game, no one came to discuss video game adaptations with you?”
"No, there really isn't."
“That’s true. It doesn’t have much of a world view, so it’s not easy to adapt into a video game,” Chen Siqi said. “To be honest, when Sister Ziyan made Xu Tianming the CEO and Chen Yin the deputy, she probably already saw that the profits from copyright derivative development would be Linghe’s main source of income. Film and television production is risky and doesn’t earn much.”
Film and television production itself is indeed an industry with low commercial returns.
We still need to learn from Hollywood. Look at them; their mindset is all about IP management. Their film companies may be losing money hand over fist, but their group financial statements show huge profits.
Lu Yanhe initially established Linghe purely to facilitate his own script development.
Chen Ziyan, however, planned ahead and appointed Xu Tianming as CEO, starting copyright operations and commercialization early on.
"It still has to be Sister Ziyan."
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With August over, this lively and bustling summer movie season has finally come to an end.
Two weeks after its release, Hurricane 2 has grossed over 600 million yuan in China, and it is a foregone conclusion that the Chinese box office will exceed 100 million US dollars.
Besides the Chinese market, Hurricane 2 also grossed over $100 million in other parts of Asia.
The first "Hurricane" film did not gross more than 70 million in the entire Asian market.
This allowed "Hurricane 2" to maintain a similar box office performance in North America as its predecessor, while its estimated global box office reached over $500 million.
Whether it can break through 600 million depends on the performance in other markets such as Europe.
In any case, Lu Yanhe has done an excellent job in fulfilling his mission for this film.
On September 1st, The Washington Post first reported that Lu Yanhe was in talks for the third installment of "Cloud".
The first "Cloud in the Sky" film grossed $820 million worldwide, and the second film grossed $650 million, making it a top-tier film series with countless fans.
As soon as this news came out, it was reposted and reported by major media outlets around the world.
Lu Yanhe's side naturally did not respond.
He has to wait for news from the production company.
The domestic box office of "You Are the Apple of My Eye" has come to an end, having surpassed 700 million yuan. It can still run for a while, but it certainly won't surpass that amount by much.
For Linghe and Luyanhe, this summer has been a summer of great harvest.
They ushered in a "fruitful autumn" ahead of schedule.
In September, Linghe still has another drama to air.
Roommates 3
However, this drama belongs to the category of steady and reliable production.
This drama is still being broadcast on Yuehu TV, but it is the first new drama on Yuehu TV this year that is not broadcast during prime time.
Yuehu TV put it in the late-night slot, between 10 pm and 11 pm.
Linghe did not do much promotion for this drama, just regular promotion.
Therefore, when this romantic sitcom premiered, no one had high expectations.
The fact that it wasn't aired during prime time shows that Yuehu TV didn't have high hopes for it. They bought it simply to maintain their cooperative relationship with Lu Yanhe and Linghe, and to prevent other TV stations from taking advantage of the situation.
After all, once it happens, it will happen again.
Yuehu TV seems determined to take over all the dramas in Linghe.
The first episode, which aired outside of prime time, summer vacation, and featured neither a major IP nor big stars, surprisingly garnered a 0.35% viewership rating, much to many people's surprise.
Even during prime time, this viewership rating would place it among the top three local TV stations.
The series' power has finally begun to bear fruit after the first two seasons.
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I recommend a new fantasy novel called "The Demon-Slaying Sword," which has 180,000 words.
(End of this chapter)
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