Fu Zicong's expression immediately darkened the moment he saw these trending topics.
He instinctively clicked into each of the trending topics and saw that the netizens and viewers were lavishing praise on Weiwei's Smile: Infinite City:
"This drama, Weiwei's Smile: Infinite City, is really amazing. This is the youth idol drama I love! Xu Yifei and Fu Shan are both gorgeous, and their acting is also superb. Ah, I love it! I love it! I'm definitely following this great drama!"
"The person above, you truly spoke my heart. I originally came for Xu Yifei and Fu Shan's looks, but who knew I'd be hooked after just a bit? I watched two episodes in one go and still wanted more, immediately lying flat at the bottom of the pit. Ah, Weiwei's Smile: Infinite City is too good!"
"I wasn't worried about Xu Yifei's acting. What was unexpected and surprising was that Fu Shan's acting is also so good? He's handsome and can act, Fu Shan is quite capable. Just based on this pair of high-value, good-acting leads, I'm definitely following Weiwei's Smile: Infinite City!"
"So, a real couple showing real affection online is just beautiful. Isn't this much better than those awkward, manufactured sweet scenes? Weiwei's Smile: Infinite City is really damn sweet and beautiful! Must follow!"
Netizens and viewers were unanimous in their praise and approval of Weiwei's Smile: Infinite City.
They all expressed that they were charmed and had fallen into the pit.
People were heaping praise on Weiwei's Smile: Infinite City, and on its two main actors, Xu Yifei and Fu Shan. Everyone was saying they were definitely going to watch Weiwei's Smile: Infinite City!
But the netizens and audiences weren't so kind about A Sweet Love in the City.
There was all sorts of mockery and criticism:
"Is A Sweet Love in the City a trash movie, or what? The most sincere blockbuster of the year? Seriously?"
"Agree with the person above. I watched this drama yesterday, and I was just staring at my phone with a blank expression. The plot, the acting, and the special effects that cost a few pennies... It's so awkward, I was taken out of it every minute, okay?"
"I originally went to watch it because of the all-star cast and the so-called ten billion investment in a well-made production. But, after watching for less than ten minutes, I really couldn't watch anymore. The plot was idiotic, the costumes and props were terrible, the actors' acting was collectively offline, and the post-production and special effects weren't even as good as Balala the Fairies. It's just a way to fool the audience!"
"I think the ten billion investment was all spent on hiring traffic stars and celebrities. After all, the salaries of these stars are not cheap. Just Zhao Xiao and Zhen Cheng alone probably cost several hundred million. Salaries take up the majority, and how much money is left? No wonder everything is so terrible!"
"Do they really think we, the audience, are idiots? Watching this drama is a complete waste of time and self-inflicted suffering. They're forcing us to eat shit."
"Hahaha, the person up front, you nailed it!"
"The person up front, nailed it +1!"
"Anyway, I'm not watching this brain-dead, garbage drama. Anyone who watches it is an idiot!"
Watching the online audience's mockery of A Sweet Love in the City, Fu Zicong was almost knocked over in anger.
"President Fu, look..."
Seeing Fu Zicong's expression, Li Yi looked troubled.
Li Yi had never expected such a situation.
However, he had to admit that these netizens and viewers weren't just spouting nonsense or blindly criticizing.
For example, he admitted that most of the one billion yuan they had invested was indeed spent on hiring celebrities and top-tier stars.
The combined salaries of Zhao Xiao and Zhen Cheng alone amounted to six hundred million yuan.
Adding in the salaries of other stars, the actual budget the crew had for filming and post-production was only around ten million yuan.
This amount of money seemed like a lot.
If they were making other types of TV dramas, it should have been more than enough.
However, in order to compete with Aifei Entertainment's previous hit drama, Legend of the Sword and the Hero, President Fu had said that they must make a similar Xianxia ancient idol drama.
And filming Xianxia ancient idol dramas was actually very expensive.
The post-production, costumes, makeup, and props all required a considerable amount of money.
One million was clearly not enough.
In this situation, Xinchen Entertainment had to choose to cut costs.
They hired third-rate screenwriters to write low-budget scripts, and they saved wherever they could on costumes, makeup, props, special effects, and post-production.
Anyway, with Zhao Xiao and Zhen Cheng, two very popular top-tier celebrities, and an all-star cast, the ratings for their show wouldn't be low.
However, reality slapped them in the face.
"What exactly is going on? This shouldn't be happening. Previously, audiences always loved big productions with all-star casts like A Sweet Love in the City, didn't they? Why have they suddenly stopped liking them?"
Li Yi was extremely puzzled, and he couldn't help but mutter.
They'd always operated and filmed TV dramas this way before.
And it had always worked like a charm.
As long as they had top-tier celebrities and stars to carry the show, even if the plot was brainless, and even if the costumes, makeup, props, post-production, and special effects were cheap and uninspired, the ratings were always great.
The company could also make a lot of money.
They gained a lot of popularity and buzz.
Why wasn't it working this time?
"Hmph, who knows what these viewers and netizens are thinking. They probably all got water in their brains."
Li Yi's mutter was soft, but Fu Zicong still heard it. Hearing this, he immediately snorted unhappily, and glared at Li Yi.
It made Li Yi cower.
Fu Zicong and Li Yi were completely baffled. However, what they didn't know was that this time, their loss was entirely due to Fu Shan and his Aifei Entertainment.
Fu Shan's excellent scripts and Aifei Entertainment's genuinely heartfelt, high-quality dramas had gradually refined the audience's tastes.
Today's audiences had higher standards and expectations.
Simply hiring popular celebrities and stars to act, without putting heart into the actual drama's creation—
This kind of film and television production method could no longer satisfy the vast majority of the audience's needs.
Such dramas flopped, and it was inevitable.
Over on this side, in Fu Zicong's office, the atmosphere was thick with gloom, incredibly oppressive; while far away in Modu, Fu Shan was currently enjoying a warm and joyful parent-child interaction with his three little adorable children: The small garden in front of Xu's villa
Fu Shan was playing hide-and-seek with his three little adorable children.
"Daddy, come catch Yun Duo! Daddy, come quick~"
Yun Duo toddled around, dodging left and right, waving her little white hands, and giggling in a milky voice.
Tian Yu, who was nearby, also clapped his chubby little hands and shouted: "Hey hey, me too! Me too! Daddy, come catch me! Come catch me! Oh, oh, Daddy, you can't catch me! Haha, hic."
Unlike his younger siblings' chattering, the eldest, Tian Yi, didn't say much. He just occasionally walked past Fu Shan, who was blindfolded, and deliberately stomped heavily on the twigs on the ground, making a little noise.
Or he would reach out a little hand to suddenly pull Fu Shan, then quickly run away.
They were having a blast…
-----------------------
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(End of Chapter)