The negotiation with MBC went very smoothly.
The preparation time for this drama was very long. The planning started last year and the crew started at the beginning of the year. The most important female lead, He Zhiyuan, was finalized in May. The shooting would only start at the end of September.
There were many reasons for such a long preparation period. The first reason was that this project was very big and had a very high budget. There was still a huge funding gap even when the shooting was about to start.
Originally, they planned to gradually recoup their funds as the drama was broadcasted. However, when they tentatively asked Tang Dynasty, they were unexpectedly highly valued by the president, Tang Jinyan, and he came to negotiate in person. This surprised MBC.
However, it was normal when they thought about it. Tang Dynasty Film and Television City was an extremely important base for film and television filming. It had many collaborations with KBS and SBS, but not with MBC. In the long run, they might offend MBC. If such a big television station had opinions, it would be very detrimental to the development of the girls in New Village Entertainment.
MBC thought that Tang Jinyan took the initiative to communicate with MBC, so they excitedly sent someone to negotiate.
The negotiation made both the host and the guest happy.
Tang Jinyan had a lot of spare cash on hand. He originally planned to film for fun. It was too easy to invest in MBC.
MBC was overjoyed that Tang Jinyan did not want any conditions. He only wanted some female supporting roles that were not too important.
Was this not easy to negotiate?
MBC also needed to choose actors. They were not full, and the roles were not too important. So, what if they gave all of them to Tang Jinyan?
They even thought that Tang Jinyan was expressing his goodwill. They were very easy to talk to. Sure enough, they let Tang Jinyan take the roles. They were very generous.
Tang Jinyan took the list and counted. There were two or three roles that were quite enough. There were seven or eight roles that had some screen time. There was no limit to the number of extras … He could stuff all the girls in New Village Entertainment into them …
Quan Youli was cast as a Turkic female general. It suited her image and had quite a lot of screen time.
He informed SBS, and SBS was very satisfied.
To be honest, the director originally thought that it would be some unreliable lousy drama. He did not expect it to be MBC's annual production. He felt like he had picked up a pie.
Li Juli was given the role of He Zhiyuan's personal palace maid. She had a lot of scenes, but it wasn't inferior to an important female role. She was satisfied.
Tang Jinyan was even more satisfied, because this ancient costume was dressed in the style of the Yuan Dynasty's palace. It was infinitely close to the Han Chinese costume that he wanted.
(Note: Empress Qi's personal maid Hong Dan. The original actor's name was Li Zhixian ^ _ ^)
Everyone from T-Ara was cast as a supporting character. Only then did they realize that everyone was familiar with the actor who played the emperor.
Chi Changxu, the main antagonist of T-ara's "Crycry" storyline, was no stranger to all the queens.
In Younggun's single "Sending You Away", Chi Changxu and Park Ji-yeon had co-starred in the MV … It was a bit of fate. After Director Han Xi learned of this, he felt that the interaction between Chi Changxu and T-ara might arouse the queens' extra expectations.
In fact, after learning that T-ara was cast in MBC's annual drama "Empress Qi", the queens' website was in full swing, and they were very much looking forward to it …
In the eyes of New Village Entertainment, the bustling cast of characters was indeed not much different from a game.
The president was having a good time. Finally, they could choose ancient costumes for their own TV series. The elites of New Village Entertainment were in full swing, and they began to really think about what to shoot next.
In this jubilant atmosphere, on Wednesday, October 9th, SBS's Shuimu drama "The Heirs" was finally broadcast.
KBS's "The Prime Minister and I" was also broadcast at the same time. Mars collided with Earth, and passion collided.
Tang Jinyan hugged Quan Baolan like he was hugging a big doll, and laid on the sofa in the living room lazily watching TV. To be honest, he had no interest in the childish feuds of the rich and powerful in "The Heirs". He would rather study the history of the major families around him than watch that … Therefore, he watched "The Prime Minister and I", and nothing else, just Lin Yuner.
Then, he felt that this drama was quite stupid …
If it wasn't for Yuner, he would have changed the channel long ago.
KBS worked hard for half a year, and this was what they came up with?
The idiotic Prime Minister found out that the female reporter was secretly taking photos of other people, and he actually personally fought with the female reporter to snatch the camera?
Tang Jinyan thought that even his own minister wasn't that stupid, let alone the Prime Minister … Would Zheng Jiaoyuan and the others vomit blood if they saw this kind of stupid plot?
However, Quan Baolan, who was in his arms, seemed to be enjoying the show. He didn't know if she was really watching TV, or just enjoying the warmth in his arms … Well, this was a romance drama, not a political drama. If he took it too seriously, he would lose.
The phone rang. It was Song Ji-hyo reporting the ratings. "'The Heirs' AGB 11.6%, AGB Seoul 13.6%, TNS 9.9%, TNS Seoul 12%, and TNS first in the same time period."
Tang Jinyan was very satisfied. This was his first time investing in a TV drama, and he chose it because of a few pranks with Lee Yoon-rim. To be honest, he didn't have any confidence in the future of this drama. He didn't expect it to be so profitable, and it was first in the same time period.
This wasn't just a matter of making money, it was also a stimulant for the production of Xincun Entertainment's TV drama.
He still asked, "How's' The Prime Minister and I '?"
Song Ji-hyo laughed. "I knew you would pay attention to this.
Unfortunately, no matter how you look at it, the ratings for this drama are only a little more than 5%.
I think you can prepare how to appease Lin Yun-er's teary doe eyes. "
Tang Jinyan couldn't help but laugh.
Song Ji-hyo's words were very vivid. It was as if Lin Yun-er's teary eyes really appeared in his mind, blinking pitifully …
*****
"Tang Jinyan!
It's all your fault! "
As expected … Tang Jinyan pinched his head as he listened to Lin Yun-er's screams over the phone. "My previous drama is still in front of me, and you've ruined it again. I'm going to become a ratings poison!!!"
Tang Jinyan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Why is it me who ruined it again?"
"Wasn't it your drama that killed me?"
"Let's be reasonable. Your 'The Prime Minister and whatnot' is too retarded. I think that even if no one crashed into it, its ratings wouldn't exceed double digits."
"You're trying to be irresponsible …"
Tang Jinyan laughed. "Just a few days ago, I don't know who told me that it had nothing to do with me, but it was clearly a crystal that crashed into it. This was an S * M civil war …"
Lin Yun-er was speechless.
Tang Jinyan said slowly, "By the way, if I remember correctly, someone made a bet with me?
What was the wager again? "
"I've long forgotten about the bet!" Lin Yun-er angrily hung up the phone.
In truth, Tang Jinyan had also forgotten what the bet was. However, he believed that someone would definitely remember. So, he stormed into Pu Hyomin's room.
Pu Hyomin was bent over her desk and drawing. When she saw him enter, she smiled slightly. "What's the matter? Are you flipping my card tonight?"
"Uh …" Tang Jinyan scratched his head. "I'm here to ask you about the ratings bet we made with Yun-er the other day. What was the bet?"
Pu Hyomin became serious. "Who won?"
"We won."
Pu Hyomin laughed loudly. "Serves you right. You want to dominate you next year?
You wish. "
Tang Jinyan recalled that if Yun-er won the bet, he would accompany her alone on May 30th next year. That would be none of Hyomin's business. It was no wonder that Hyomin was so nervous.
Pu Hyomin said with a smile, "If we won, Yun-er said that you can do whatever you want.
By the way, she actually said that you can do whatever you want … "
Tang Jinyan was speechless.
"But there's a bet!" Pu Hyomin blinked. "If she loses, she'll help you hook up with Yuri.
Are you happy? "
Quan Baolan was stunned. She turned around and picked up the sledgehammer. "Scumbag, take my hammer!"
Tang Jinyan covered his head and scurried away like a rat. "I'm not happy!
When did I say that I want to hook up with Youli?
Don't let your imagination run wild! "