Chapter 1597 - 641: What a Coincidence
"Jisoo has arrived, please have a seat."
Seeing Jin Zhixiu walk in, President Jin, who was originally chatting with Vice President Li, paused and immediately stood up warmly, simultaneously signaling the secretary standing at the door to quickly make tea.
President Jin’s attentive attitude was somewhat understood by Jin Zhixiu’s assistant, who arrived early to help print the contract, but Vice President Li, who had just sat down not long ago, was somewhat bewildered.
It’s essential to know that as the president of one of Korea’s three major entertainment companies, Jin Zhijie, although seeming humble in front of Zhou Wang, isn’t actually an easy-going person.
Towards peers and senior board members, President Jin is known for being slick and diplomatic.
However, in the eyes of most celebrities and trainees in the company, Jin Zhijie is renowned for his harshness and impersonality, a reputation partly due to the support of the former chairman but also revealing Jin Zhijie’s true character.
...With YG Entertainment’s performance declining year after year under his leadership, the pressure he’s under is imaginable, thus his good temper cannot be expected to go too far.
Even for top artists like BlackPink and BigBang, Jin Zhijie is merely a bit more courteous, without much concern.
As the actual manager of YG Entertainment, he has such confidence.
Yet, the Jin Zhijie presented before them now lacks any presidential authority towards employees, instead... showing signs of flattering.
Yes, Vice President Li thought he wasn’t mistaken, it was indeed flattery, as his demeanor when calling Chairman Zhou earlier was the same.
Exactly the same.
Vice President Li arrived five minutes before Jin Zhixiu, finding President Jin on a call with Chairman Zhou; after the call ended, before he could say much, Jin Zhixiu came in.
Thus, Vice President Li was still unclear why President Jin had summoned him.
But being able to reach this position naturally means being sharp; Vice President Li didn’t even need to look at the contract on the table, just glancing at President Jin’s attitude towards Jin Zhixiu, coupled with the phone call, he already guessed several truths.
Immediately, his smile turned amiable, and as President Jin warmly greeted Jin Zhixiu, he helped pull a chair, leaving Jin Zhixiu quite at a loss.
After all, these two before her, without interventions from the board, are enough to control the life and death of any company artist.
Though Jin Zhixiu belongs to the top echelon at YG Entertainment, not comparable to ordinary artists, it doesn’t mean these two have no leverage over her... at least, not requiring such politeness.
"President Jin, why did you call me here?"
Already suspicious, Jin Zhixiu calmed her chaotic heartbeat and probed.
"Jisoo, these are supplementary contracts the company intends to sign with you, please review the contents, and if there’s nothing wrong, just sign at the end."
President Jin replied with a hearty smile.
Indeed...
Jin Zhixiu took a deep breath and cautiously picked up the contracts to review them one by one.
The first was a supplementary distribution contract, with terms similar to before but with a 20% increase in the distribution ratio.
20%...
Despite being prepared, an incredulous glimmer still crossed Jin Zhixiu’s eyes.
Korea’s entertainment industry is notoriously dark in exploiting artists, with online rumors often understated; the reality is far more exaggerated than the rumors.
Most newly debuted artists typically see distribution ratios like 9:1 or 8:2, persisting for three to five years at minimum; even top-tier stars, already reaching fame summits, like the once all-Asia phenomenon Dongfang Shenqi, being "King of Heaven" idols, still earned only the minimal 10% share...
Recently, Jeon So-mi, already a popular Solo singer, still largely earns money to repay the company’s "cost recovery."
The reason she eagerly sought contract upgrades, even not refusing the shameful "window rocking," lies at the root here.
Her so-called "S Level contract," YG Entertainment’s highest artist contract, offered only a 7:3 split.
After deducting operating costs, artists get 7 while the company gets 3.
This was last year’s most favorable distribution BlackPink could enjoy, as for a more exaggerated 8:2 split, even BlackPink couldn’t attain it... since they had already severed their personal contracts, YG Entertainment couldn’t concede further here.
Now, laid before Jin Zhixiu, this supplementary contract raises her personal distribution ratio from the previous 7:3 to 9:1.
This isn’t a mere contract typical for top artists; at BigBang’s peak, only key figure G-Dragon enjoyed this treatment.
Though confident, Jin Zhixiu knows she’s at least two levels below G-Dragon.
Yet now, she received this unparalleled industry best distribution treatment.
This distribution contract is merely the start, next Jin Zhixiu saw "endorsement supplementary contract," "film supplementary contract," and one granting her "free termination rights"...