Chapter Forty-Five: The Press Conference

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Entertainment Around Us, No Pop-Up Windows
Story Date: April 2005
Recommended Song: "Bad" – Queen
Statement: This story is purely fictional. Please do not relate it to real persons; any similarities are purely coincidental!

The moment Jiang Yihan stepped out from behind the curtain, he felt as if thousands of eyes were fixed upon him. He stood still, took a deep breath, and smiled as he walked onto the stage.

The host’s voice rang out, clear and bright: “Let’s welcome today’s protagonist, Jiang Yihan, the exclusive spokesperson for Samsung for the next two years.” The host began to applaud, and soon everyone else joined in.

Following the host’s instruction, Jiang Yihan walked to the center of the stage, standing beneath the huge Samsung logo backdrop to give the media time for photographs. Once again, a blinding sea of camera flashes filled his vision—this was already his third time, and Jiang Yihan’s eyes gradually adjusted. Though everything remained blurry, at least he could maintain his facial expression, holding his smile throughout. The flashes lasted nearly a minute. Just as his cheeks began to stiffen, the sound of shutters finally faded.

Jiang Yihan followed the host to the front center of the stage, ready for the interview. From this vantage point, he could clearly see the mass of journalists—three or four hundred, by his estimation. It was Jiang Yihan’s first time facing such a grand occasion, and though he felt some nervousness, his innate sense for the stage helped him quickly adapt to the attention and relax.

“Hello everyone, I’m Jiang Yihan, the newcomer.” He bowed and introduced himself. “I imagine many of the veteran journalists here may not know me yet, since I’ve only debuted a few months ago. This is my first time facing such a spectacle, and my heart’s beating like a drum. Please take care of me.”

For a newcomer, establishing good relations with the press is essential, and this was his first formal press conference, so he had to leave a positive impression.

“Jiang Yihan, why do you think Samsung chose you?” the first reporter asked.

“I suppose my love songs must have touched the investors, persuading them to sign me,” Jiang Yihan joked, prompting a light laughter from the audience. Clearly, no one expected him to answer with such bold, unconventional humor. “Just kidding. I think Samsung signed me because they believe I’m suitable. And, of course, thanks to my manager—he’s quite the negotiator.” Jiang Yihan avoided giving a direct answer, opting for humor instead. This time, the laughter grew louder. After all, the question was formulaic, and everyone expected an equally formulaic reply. His unexpected response lightened the atmosphere.

“Hehe, Jiang Yihan, do you feel that being an exclusive spokesperson is a pressure or a motivation?” a female reporter stood and asked, smiling brightly, clearly impressed by him.

“Just the term ‘exclusive spokesperson’ is enough to excite anyone, isn’t it?” Jiang Yihan smiled, revealing his white teeth. “For me, the pressure outweighs the motivation. I’m still a newcomer, not many people know me. If the product I endorse doesn’t sell, I imagine my boss won’t be happy. Haha.” Now relaxed, Jiang Yihan handled the questions with ease.

The audience responded with another round of laughter.

“Then, what’s your opinion of Samsung?” another formulaic question came.

Jiang Yihan didn’t answer directly. Instead, he pulled out his phone from his pocket. “I’m only signing today, so technically I’m not a Samsung person yet. But everyone can see what phone I use and know how I feel about my future employer.” Everyone looked closely: Jiang Yihan’s phone was indeed a Samsung. Such a clever reply made the reporters marvel at his ease and composure—rare qualities for a newcomer.

Thanks to Jiang Yihan’s relaxed demeanor, the atmosphere was pleasantly lively. The press conference proceeded smoothly, nearing its end. Then, a middle-aged reporter stood and asked, “Jiang Yihan, is it true that you once disrespected a senior backstage during a program recording?”

The moment the question was asked, the room fell silent. Jiang Yihan was caught off guard, not expecting such a situation. The host quickly interjected, “This has nothing to do with today’s event. Please save the question for another time.” After the host’s words, the leaders in the VIP seats muttered, “Idiot,” since the issue wasn’t relevant to today, but it was certainly relevant to Jiang Yihan and could impact his future.

Fortunately, Jiang Yihan spoke up suddenly. “Let me tell you a story: A lady called an architect, saying that whenever a train passed, her bed would shake.

‘That’s nonsense!’ the architect replied. ‘I’ll come take a look.’

When the architect arrived, the lady suggested he lay on the bed to experience what it feels like when the train passes. Just as he lay down, the lady’s husband came home. Seeing the scene, he demanded, ‘Why are you lying on my wife’s bed?’

The architect, trembling, replied, ‘If I told you I was waiting for the train, would you believe me?’”

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After Jiang Yihan finished the story, everyone was puzzled. There was a few seconds of silence before he continued, “Just as the story says, some truths sound false, and some falsehoods are beyond doubt. I’m a newcomer—if I simply denied it, everyone would doubt me, so I told this story. Now, let me recount what happened that day between me and Lv Xianfeng, and you can judge whether I was disrespectful.”

He then recounted the events between himself and Lv Xianfeng. At the end, he added, “If you don’t believe me, you can ask the people involved, or even senior Jiang Hudong, and anyone who was present that day. I only have one thing to say: the innocent will be vindicated.”

There was a brief silence. Jiang Yihan’s bold and direct response shocked everyone; he had actually revealed the details of the situation, and though he hadn’t named the senior, it was enough to surprise them. The journalists exchanged astonished looks, and judging by their expressions, it was clear they chose to believe Jiang Yihan. After all, incidents of seniors suppressing juniors were not uncommon in the industry.

“Is the reporter who asked satisfied with my answer?” Jiang Yihan smiled to conclude, silently adding to himself, “And is the company behind you satisfied?”

The reporter’s face changed, then he shook his head and sat down.

Everyone laughed at Jiang Yihan’s final remark. His confidence, wit, and composure won over most of the journalists present, and the leaders in the VIP seats were even more pleased with him.

“Next, we come to the last segment: our mysterious guest,” the host continued. “Let’s welcome our mystery guest, Mr. Jang Dong-gun.”

As soon as the host finished, Jang Dong-gun emerged from behind the curtain. The crowd was first stunned, then burst into enthusiastic applause. Since winning the Blue Dragon Best Actor award at the end of 2004, Jang Dong-gun had officially entered the ranks of superstars, recognized by both the public and officials. He also maintained excellent relations with the media, so his appearance prompted everyone to stand up and welcome him.

Seeing Jang Dong-gun, Jiang Yihan was equally astonished. Jang Dong-gun smiled as he took the stage, giving Jiang Yihan a big hug.

“Hello everyone, I’m Jang Dong-gun,” he said expertly into the microphone. “Today, I’m not the star. I’m here for my dear younger brother, Jiang Yihan, so please take good care of him in the future.” With a smile, he made it clear how pleased he was, and by placing his arm around Jiang Yihan’s shoulder, he showed his support. “Besides my personal admiration for my brother, many senior colleagues who are close to me also think highly of him. Please pay more attention to him and help him out. Thank you, everyone.”

Jang Dong-gun’s open support for Jiang Yihan was rare, and the media were thrilled. How did they know each other? When did their relationship become so close? If it was all true, the media concluded that Jiang Yihan’s entry into the film industry was only a matter of time.

After the surprise appearance of Jang Dong-gun, the press conference soon ended. The journalists left with plenty to write about: a lucrative commercial, an outstanding newcomer, and Jang Dong-gun—all certain to be tomorrow’s headlines.

“Dong-gun, why did you come?” Jiang Yihan asked backstage.

“Coincidence. I happened to be on vacation and heard about your Samsung signing. I’m a Samsung spokesperson myself, so I came to support you.” Though they hadn’t interacted much, Jang Dong-gun had always liked Jiang Yihan; they just had the right chemistry.

“Haha, you really went out of your way, and even made those remarks in front of the media.” Jiang Yihan understood the weight of Jang Dong-gun’s words—in this industry, connections are everything, and he now had the perfect start. His future path would be much easier. If you asked how it all happened, luck played a big part, plus the right opportunities, and Jiang Yihan showed what was needed. Finally, his own charisma sealed the deal. No one could predict such an outcome, but it would make many people happy.

As the two chatted—they hadn’t seen each other since January—Jiang Yihan cheerfully shared his experiences and achievements from the past months. They laughed and talked together, when finally the person they’d been waiting for arrived: the producer of “A Million Won’s Happiness.”

“Jiang Yihan, can you do a task?” the producer asked.

“Huh? What task?” Jiang Yihan looked up.

“In our show, there’s a daily task. If you fail, you lose 500 won.” The producer explained, “Now that Jang Dong-gun is here, can you do a task with him?” Clearly, the producer couldn’t resist the allure of having Jang Dong-gun on camera, so he made the request.

Jang Dong-gun looked puzzled, so Jiang Yihan explained the show’s format, making him laugh. “So you have to go hungry, then?” Jang Dong-gun sized up Jiang Yihan’s thin figure. “Haha, if you get any thinner, you’ll probably be blown away by the wind.”

“That’s why, big brother, you must help me succeed in the task, or I won’t have money to eat.” Jiang Yihan quickly outlined the task requirements.

“Alright, alright, let’s start.” Jang Dong-gun spread his hands, shrugged, and “helplessly” accepted.

That week’s task was to have others guess the name of a movie. The producer cleverly chose Jang Dong-gun’s breakout film, “Friend.” Upon seeing the topic, Jiang Yihan burst out laughing, pointed at Jang Dong-gun, then himself, and threw his arm around Jang Dong-gun’s shoulder to indicate their friendship.

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Jiang Yihan repeated the gesture several times. Jang Dong-gun quickly caught on. “Ah, ‘Friend’?”

“Yes, yes!” Jiang Yihan clapped happily.

The producer promptly declared, “Task accomplished.”

Looking at Jiang Yihan’s radiant smile, everyone around him was infected by his cheerful mood. After chatting a bit more, Jiang Yihan and Jang Dong-gun said their goodbyes.

“Jiang Yihan, it’s almost noon. Where are you going?” the producer asked mischievously.

“Everyone else gets lunch except me. Hmph.” Clearly, Jiang Yihan couldn’t accept the reality of skipping his meal.

At the restaurant, Li Ran, Jiang Ziyi, and Xu Xian sat down and began ordering. Jiang Yihan stared at the menu, swallowing repeatedly, enduring torment for a while before asking the producer, “Is there any way I can buy food a bit cheaper?”

“If you help out at the restaurant and the owner is satisfied, you can get a discount,” the producer replied, giving Jiang Yihan some happy news.

“Really?” After confirming, Jiang Yihan rushed to the owner. “Boss, I’m filming ‘A Million Won’s Happiness’ and can’t spend much money on food. If I help out here, can you give me a discount?” He finished with a Bambi-eyed expression, eliciting sympathy. The owner didn’t hesitate, smiled, and agreed.

Jiang Yihan immediately donned an apron, first carrying bowls and chopsticks to each table, then cleaning the hall, sweeping and mopping the floor, and finally helping wash dishes in the kitchen. After more than half an hour’s work, he asked the owner to check. The owner was pleased, gave him half a bowl of rice, and said, “That’ll be 300 won.”

“No!” Just as Jiang Yihan was about to smile, the producer objected.

“Why?” Jiang Yihan looked at the producer, eyes wide, almost blazing.

“It’s too cheap, so…” The producer was a little scared.

“The boss doesn’t mind, so why should you? I’m sticking with 300 won, no matter what.” Jiang Yihan decided to ignore the mischievous producer, handed over the change, glared at him, then cheerfully thanked the owner and hopped back to join Li Ran and the others. In Korea, many side dishes are free, like kimchi, so Jiang Yihan paired his small bowl of rice with the complimentary dishes, happily finishing his meal. Though he watched Li Ran and the others enjoying their feast and kept swallowing, he could only pat his stomach and pout, sitting to eat his own humble meal.

The producer, seeing Jiang Yihan’s pout, gleefully came over. “Jiang Yihan, why pout? Are you unhappy?”

“Producer uncle, be careful—I might bite you if I get too hungry.” He grinned wickedly, making a mischievous face.

“No way, you’re too old to bite people,” the producer scoffed.

“It’s true,” Li Ran interjected, sending the producer “straight to hell” with a frightened look, stepping back half a pace.

Jiang Yihan laughed triumphantly, then continued eating his pitiful meal.

Broken Cat’s Rambling Time: Only one chapter update today, sorry!

As I mentioned earlier, I’ll be taking leave soon. I’m going abroad at the end of the month, at the latest by the 31st, so updates will only be these last couple of days. Afterward, I’ll be on hiatus until I’ve settled abroad and have internet access. I promise to resume uploading as soon as possible—I'll do my best to shorten the time, but it’ll likely be about half a month. Please understand! Haha!