183: Chapter 181

In the meeting rooms of various agencies, the directors, department heads, and management teams responsible for IZ*ONE's affairs were collectively staring at their computer screens. They were watching viral program clips, trending topics, and a flurry of media inquiries and partnership invitations. These inquiries asked if their artists "really did those things on the show," "how their future images would be managed," and "if they were interested in relevant endorsements." The executives felt a wave of dizziness and rising blood pressure.

"Shibal—!!!"

Almost simultaneously, similar outbursts of shock and anger erupted in the meeting rooms of several companies.

"Shibal! Jiang Zhiyu is a lunatic! What did he do to our girls?!!!"

"Is this an idol variety show? This is a circus act!!"

"What about the artists' images? Their positioning? High-end, fashionable, youthful vitality? It's all been ruined by those roast ducks, juices, soaps, and those nonsensical headgear!!"

"Contact the production team immediately! Demand they stop filming these things that damage the artists' value! File a formal protest!"

"He's crazy! Absolutely insane!" In one company's meeting room, an executive slammed the table, his face flushed red. "Making Wonyoung (Jang Wonyoung) eat in Myeong-dong with a mineral water bottle on her head?! And dancing in the same frame as a roast duck mascot?! Does that make any sense?! The visual image and elegant aura we worked so hard to build! It's all ruined! Does this Producer Jiang Zhi Yu have even an ounce of respect or care for the artists?!"

"Exactly! And Chaewon and Yuri, what kind of song were they singing?! A commercial jingle?! With such blunt lyrics, where are the main vocalists supposed to hide their faces?" another person chimed in.

"How long are they going to play the gag about Nako's height-increasing insoles? And Sakura's 'Rice Cake Ball Instant Kill Array'... it's all over the internet now! How is she supposed to pursue an acting career in the future?!" Worried voices rose one after another.

"This Jiang Zhiyu! We must warn him! He can't keep acting so recklessly! For the next shoot, we must send someone to monitor the entire process, and the script must be reviewed in advance!" a person in charge shouted angrily.

On the screen, several of the most "impactful" clips from today's Myeong-dong leaks, which assistants had urgently gathered, were playing: a close-up of Jang Wonyoung's "bottle head," the moment Sakura's voice cracked while shouting "Benevolence Mermaid," Kim Chaewon and Jo Yuri awkwardly singing commercial lyrics, and a group of girls wearing animal headgear gathered around eating roast duck...

With every clip they watched, the collective blood pressure in the meeting room rose a bit higher. These images couldn't be said to be merely unrelated to the "pure," "talented," "goddess," and "actress face" positions the companies had planned for their artists; they were diametrically opposed, even destructive.

They felt as if they were watching the precious artists they had painstakingly cultivated with immense resources sprinting toward the "abyss" of being "variety personalities" and "comedians" under Jiang Zhiyu's "clutches." All their past efforts in image positioning and character building seemed to be going down the drain. That feeling of their own prize cabbages being uprooted by a pig (a particularly troublesome pig at that) and turned into bizarre shapes made these executives want to storm TG Entertainment immediately and drag Jiang Zhiyu out for an argument.

However, amidst the room full of anger and condemnation, the head of the business and data department tremblingly, yet with uncontrollable excitement, handed over a preliminary assessment report regarding brand feedback and potential endorsement collaborations involved in the show.

"Um... Directors, Managers, please calm down for a moment... look at this..."

The executives impatiently took the report, scanning it with furrowed brows.

The report listed:

Due to the program's effect, Jufu Zhai Roast Duck saw a 1,200% increase in online topic discussion that day, with estimated sales in the Myeong-dong area stores growing by 80%. They have already sent an invitation to TG Entertainment for exclusive title sponsorship and specific member endorsement deals, with a preliminary endorsement fee of... (followed by a number that made their eyelids twitch).

Iceberg Source Crystal Mineral Water's high-end brand image was not damaged by the absurd plot. Instead, its "unique" and "high-priced" attributes, combined with the show's theatricality, sparked massive discussion, with search volume skyrocketing by 900%. They have officially proposed negotiations for Jang Wonyoung's individual endorsement, with an offer of... (another staggering number, along with a promise of global advertisement placement).

orion pie, XX Juice, YY Soap, ZZ Toys, AA Instant Noodles, BB Sports Drink, CC Energy Bar... almost all the brands that appeared saw explosive growth in online buzz and consumer favorability (or curiosity). The interest in collaboration was strong, and the proposed endorsement models (individual or group) and preliminary quotes, when totaled, resulted in... an astronomical figure that even these executives, who were used to big scenes, couldn't help but gasp at!

And this was just the preliminary feedback and intent! Once the program officially aired (which could be foreseen as a ratings bomb), the subsequent effects and commercial value would only become more terrifying!

In the meeting room, the executives who had just been filled with righteous indignation and were cursing Jiang Zhiyu for "ruining the girls" fell into a collective silence as they looked at the concrete data and heart-pounding quotes in the report.

The anger on their faces hadn't completely faded, but another kind of light began to flicker uncontrollably in their eyes—the instinctive, irrepressible excitement of seeing massive commercial gain.

On one hand, there was the worry and annoyance that the idol image might be damaged (though it didn't seem like a real scandal, but rather added strange "relatable" and "variety sense" labels) and that the positioning was deviating.

On the other hand, right in front of them was the easily accessible, staggering monetization of individual and group commercial value that far exceeded what a conventional variety show could bring!

That raging fire of anger was like having a bucket of ice-cold water poured over it.

Pshhh... it died down mostly, but smoke was still rising, and their hearts felt stifled.

An extremely complex, indescribable emotion began to permeate the company.

Damn that Jiang Zhiyu!

He really did turn the high-end idols we painstakingly cultivated into street roast duck advertisers, juice promoters, soap models, and comedians wearing bizarre headgear! This is absolutely a "harm" and "downgrade" to the idols' value and image!

But...

These endorsements... these collaborations... these cold, hard profits and explosive popularity...

Why... does it feel like...

A love-hate relationship?!

This contradictory feeling was like being caught between ice and fire, tormenting their reason.

A director opened his mouth, wanting to continue cursing Jiang Zhiyu, but as the words reached his lips, he looked at that string of numbers and swallowed them back down. It turned into a complex mutter: "This Jiang Zhiyu... his methods are a bit unorthodox, but the results... are just too..."

"Yeah, these endorsement amounts..." another department head rubbed his temples, his tone conflicted. "If we can really negotiate these, it would be a huge boost for the company and the girls' personal development. It's just that the process... is also too..."

"What's with this love-hate feeling?" Someone finally voiced everyone's inner thoughts.

They loved the cold, hard cash and explosive topic-worthiness he brought, but they hated how he "tormented" their artists so miserably (and shamefully).

The atmosphere in the meeting room shifted from the initial common outrage to something subtle and complex. The voices of condemnation grew quieter, and discussions on "how to use this wave of popularity to maximize commercial value," "how to negotiate subsequent cooperation and profit distribution with TG Entertainment and Producer Jiang Zhi Yu," and "how to digest the impact of this 'unconventional' exposure while maintaining the artists' basic image" began to take the upper hand.

Finally, the most senior managing director, who oversaw the entire situation, tapped the table and made the final call:

"Let's not rush to conclusions. Contact TG Entertainment and Producer Jiang Zhi Yu immediately and demand an emergency meeting!"

"First, we need him to provide a formal explanation and commitment regarding today's recorded content and the potential impact of the subsequent broadcast, ensuring that no irreversible negative image damage will be caused to our artists!"

"Second," he paused, his gaze sweeping over the numbers in the report, his voice lowering slightly, "regarding these brand collaboration invitations... we need to understand them in detail and evaluate them carefully. The principle is that the artists' basic image and long-term development must not be harmed. Under that premise... we can talk."

"Also," he added, his eyes sharp, "tell Producer Jiang Zhi Yu that if there's another 'creative idea' like this next time, he must communicate fully with all our agencies in advance! It can only be executed after obtaining explicit permission!"

"Yes!" everyone responded.

Although their tone still carried dissatisfaction and wariness, their attitude had quietly shifted. It had changed from a simple "interrogation" to a coexistence of "negotiation and cooperation."

In any case, the "Midas Touch" Jiang Zhiyu and his set of deviant yet shockingly effective variety philosophies had, through this "nonsense" on the streets of Myeong-dong, truly shaken the established trajectory of IZ*ONE and the various management agencies behind them.

Was it a blessing or a curse? Perhaps it was both.

But what was certain was that after this battle, no one would ever dare to underestimate this twenty-year-old "genius" Producer, whose head was filled with whimsical ideas (and commercial calculations).