The trainees participating in the show had all signed contracts and agreed on compensation. They were paid per episode, 800 yuan each, for a total of 20 episodes over five months, amounting to 16,000 yuan.
Jiang Juyou looked at her phone, where over a million yuan had been deducted, and felt a headache coming on, especially since she still had to settle the bill for the virtual photography studio today.
The overall revenue for the show was over 300 million, with fan donations and merchandise sales accounting for half, while the remaining half came from various sponsors for the final performance.
With a nervous heart, Jiang Juyou opened the APP, squinting her eyes, afraid to look directly at the numbers.
"Park rental fee: 950,000 yuan"
"Equipment rental fee: 1,000,000 yuan"
"Personnel setup fee: 100,000 yuan"
"Cafeteria supplies: 150,000 yuan"
"..."
Jiang Juyou scrolled down a bit and accidentally saw the total.
She closed her eyes and patted her chest, "It's okay, it's okay!"
Excluding personnel wages, the total cost was over 4 million yuan. Wages were paid directly through the company and not included in this amount.
She pressed the checkout button, settling the filming costs for this show, and finally got up from the couch.
-
The show's popularity hadn't died down even after a week. During this time, news about various trainees kept emerging, and everyone was concerned about what would happen to those who didn't make it into the circle.
Random Entertainment didn't publicly announce the trainees' whereabouts, but seeing several trainees who didn't make it open social media accounts, it was clear they had terminated their contracts with the company. Some who hadn't opened accounts were probably picked up by other companies.
As for the twenty-one who made it into the circle—
They had already flown to Korea.
"Title: Gossip Discussion / Omnipotent XiaoHongShu, someone spotted Random Entertainment's trainees in Seoul!"
"Repost!"
"The trainees who made it into the circle are already in Seoul. Today, someone spotted them shopping at an OY store. They attracted quite a bit of attention, with people in the store thinking they were debuted idols, constantly turning to look at them."
"A blogger on XiaoHongShu said Jiujiuyao was also present. After they left, Korean talent scouts even came up to give them business cards, hilarious!"
"Oh right, the ones at the OY store were Chen Chi, Pei Luming, Gao Xiayu, Yao Sang, and three others. The rest weren't seen."
Comments:
"When did they go? So quietly!"
"The trainees and staff flew on a chartered plane. Jiujiuyao flew over yesterday, someone even saw her at the airport."
"Jiujiuyao, I swear, she's crying!"
"Looking at it this way, they're all so tall, except for the shorter Yao and Pei."
"Please, let this group debut! My seven biases! I can't accept losing even one of them!"
"How come these seven are together? Could it be they're in one group this time?"
"What a coincidence, all seven are my biases~"
In this more northern place, the temperature was much lower. This group of people immediately blended into the local life, never without their black down jackets that covered their calves.
Jiang Juyou only set out on the third day after their arrival. This time, she didn't stay with them but in a nearby hotel suite.
Last night, she had dinner with the staff, and today she finally met the trainees.
Jiang Juyou had the company card in her pocket as she led the trainees out of the OY store. After coming out, she asked, "Do you need anything else? Did you bring enough clothes? It's going to get colder soon, remember to dress warmly."
They hadn't scheduled any classes for the first week, focusing instead on adapting to the environment and undergoing various check-ups. Gao Xiayu's group had already gone for face consultations the day before yesterday, and it was the turn of the other two groups these two days, so they weren't out with Jiang Juyou.
Hearing Jiang Juyou's words, Pei Luming immediately raised his hand, "Can we buy another down jacket?"
"Down jacket?" Jiang Juyou looked back and saw that all seven of them were dressed like wrapped rice balls. She nodded and agreed, "Alright, let's go buy you some clothes. We'll pick some for the others too later."
They wandered around the mall, but the seven boys were too eye-catching. Anyone could tell they were trainees or celebrities. All along the way, many people turned to look, and some Korean fans who recognized them quietly raised their phones to take photos.
By the time they finished shopping and returned to the parking lot, these guys were laden with bags, almost unable to carry them all.
After get
ting in the car, Gao Xiayu was seen mumbling something to the driver, and the car started moving.
Gao Xiayu sat in the front passenger seat, with Jiang Juyou sitting diagonally behind him. Pei Luming and Sang Mo were in the row behind, while the others were in another car.
"Looks like your lessons are paying off," Jiang Juyou suddenly felt that the money spent was well worth it.
The trainees had been learning Korean and English since joining the company. Gao Xiayu and the others had been studying Korean for half a year, and now they could basically handle daily life without problems.
The eye-catching package in the back, Pei Luming, immediately responded: "We speak very well too!"
Jiang Juyou nodded perfunctorily, "Mm-hmm."
As if remembering something, she suddenly turned back to ask Sang Mo and the others, "What examinations have you all done?"
"Umm... maxillofacial, dental, skin, vocal cords, skeletal." Sang Mo counted on his fingers.
Pei Luming chimed in again, "The doctor said I can still grow, said I can reach 185 cm!"
The first thing the trainees did upon arrival was to undergo various examinations. The maxillofacial check was to examine bone structure and analyze future facial trends. The dental visit was for whitening and orthodontics, with several trainees, including Yao Shuo, Sang Mo, Gao Xiayu, and Pei Luming from their group, scheduled for lingual braces in a few days.
The vocal cord examination was to develop upcoming vocal lessons and determine main vocalist candidates, as some things are innate and hard to catch up with through effort alone. The skeletal examination was to see how much taller they could grow and if their growth plates had closed.
For this profession that relies on appearance, these examinations were necessary for early predictions.
In addition to dental braces, the trainees would also receive regular skin care treatments. Jiang Juyou saw on the schedule provided by the staff that there were also fitness classes and physical training classes. The trainees would have to run 10 kilometers every day in the future.
As Jiang Juyou continued to recall the arrangements on the schedule, Pei Luming in the back spoke up again: "We're going to the styling room tomorrow for image design."
Jiang Juyou in the front nodded.
After selecting the debut group members, all companies would go through rounds of image design to find the most suitable style and concept for the trainees. They would also shoot many concept posters, which is why many debut announcement posters and countdown posters are shot months or even a year or two in advance.
From this point on, the company's money would flow out like an open faucet.
"There's nothing else this afternoon, right?" Pei Luming hesitated, clearly having something to say.
He leaned over, carefully asking, "Producer Jiang, can I go out for a while this afternoon?"
"Where are you going?" Jiang Juyou turned to look at him.
"I'm going to meet my sister. She's a trainee at a big company here."
Pei Luming lowered his voice as he spoke, but it still drew the attention of several people in the car. Gao Xiayu in the front passenger seat was particularly surprised; he ate and lived with Pei Luming every day but had no idea he had a sister.
"You have a sister?" Gao Xiayu's tone changed.
The little guy scratched his head, "Yeah, a twin sister... She's strictly managed by her company, so we haven't been in touch much these two years. She recently made it into the debut group... She wasn't supposed to be able to come out, but just now she said she could."
There was too much information to process, and everyone in the car took a moment to react.
Not only did Pei Luming have a sister, but she was his twin, and she had been training here for two years already.
"How old are you again?" Sang Mo's eyes still held disbelief.
Pei Luming replied exasperatedly, "I just turned fourteen last month, okay? And you're only a year older than me!"
Jiang Juyou in the front, however, said, "Then you can go. Just be back before dark. Do you need someone to accompany you?"
"No need, no need. She'll come pick me up later. We'll have a meal and take a verification photo for our parents, that's all." Pei Luming's words seemed to reveal something else.
The car had just stopped at the hotel entrance, so Jiang Juyou gathered her things, preparing to get out. "Then go back and tell the staff member in charge of you. Be back before dark, don't be too late."
"Goodbye, Jiang Juyou."
"Mm, you can go now."
As the car door closed, Jiang Juyou's world became quiet once again.
She let out a long sigh and started walking when the familiar system notification sound rang out.
"Ding—"
"You've finally appeared!"
The system had always maintained a low profile in her daily life, mostly silent and unresponsive, sometimes not even reacting when she called for it.
Instead of immediately taking out her phone in the cold wind, Jiang Juyou hunched her shoulders and quickly ran into the hotel. Only then did she reach into her pocket, "Let's see what impossible task you've got for me this time."
After tapping the screen a couple of times, Jiang Juyou saw the task written there, "...Participate in the production of a film or TV drama?"
"Haha!" It made her laugh out loud, "Do you think my brain is cut out for directing or screenwriting?"
Jiang Juyou's gritted teeth and laughter caught the attention of other hotel guests. She cleared her throat twice, then quickly slipped into the elevator.
Just as she was about to continue speaking, the system chimed in: "It's up to you."
"..."
Every time she tried to sass the system, it felt like punching a cotton ball. Its response left Jiang Juyou at a loss for words, irritating her enough to mutter under her breath, "Stupid cotton ball."
"...Are you talking about me?" The system, which should have been silent, suddenly spoke up.
Jiang Juyou: "..."
She pretended as if she hadn't said anything.
The system, however, chose this moment to speak: "My serial number is 0743, so my name is 0743."
Jiang Juyou thought to herself: That's even worse than 'stupid cotton ball'.
But out loud, she said: "No one has a number for a name. Think of a new one." Jiang Juyou said offhandedly, just to fill the silence and avoid awkwardness.
The elevator doors opened at that moment, and Jiang Juyou stepped out, feeling for her room key in her bag.
The system, however, fell silent at this point.
