Chapter 147: 500 Million
Chapter 147: 500 Million
After I clashed with China, many people were worried.
"Isn't there going to be a sudden brake on Earth Channel's skyrocketing growth?"
"You can't underestimate the Chinese government. In China, they go hard even against the US, ready for diplomatic friction."
"They must have blocked it somehow. There's no way China would freely allow games and broadcasts to go outside."
Chinese media ran articles criticizing Earth Resource, Earth Channel, and me every day.
[Earth Channel's Brutal Content Lacking Any Philosophy on Humanity]
[Insulting 1.4 Billion Chinese People! Does Kim Shin Have No Intention to Apologize?]
[Shameless Man Who Knows No Wrong. Kim Shin]
[The Culmination of Content Promoting Murder, Drugs, and Violence]
[Game Addiction Is a Disease Nations Must Solve in the 21st Century]
While the Chinese government was pouring out harsh criticism against me through the media like that.
Secretary Rosina reported.
"Earth Channel's subscribers have surpassed 490 million."
"Really?"
"Yes. It's hugely popular in the UK and Germany. Seems like the lockdowns from COVID have increased time spent watching TV or the internet. Even France, with its strong national pride in its culture, is leading the trend."
"A trend, huh..."
The French had tremendous pride in their own culture.
"Your recognition as CEO in France has helped too."
"Probably because of the vaccine, right?"
"Yes, exactly."
Earth Channel's movies and dramas had swept awards after gaining popularity in the US.
They were now exploding big-time across Europe, belatedly.
"But more than half of the recent subscriber growth is from Chinese people."
"What's the reason?"
A bizarre phenomenon where subscribers kept increasing despite the Chinese government blocking it and the media piling on criticism articles.
Rosina flashed a smile that would make any interviewer pass her instantly.
"The Chinese media seems to be doing the promotion for us."
"Promotion, huh. Yeah, that makes sense."
Back in Korea, I hadn't realized it, but America was a vast country.
What made news in Los Angeles, nobody in New York knew about.
Each state had different natural environments and sensibilities; people watched local broadcasts and media. Creating a trend in such a massive land with so many people wasn't easy.
China had a huge continent and the world's largest population, and with various newspapers and broadcasters jumping on the criticism bandwagon, it had the effect of promotion.
'There's the appeal of being able to watch content blocked by the Chinese government on Earth Channel.'
People always wanted to do more what they were told not to.
- Kim Shin: Vice President Jeong Beom-tae. Got a moment to talk?
- Jeong Beom-tae Vice President: Yes, CEO. Have a good day. Congratulations on Earth Channel nearing 500 million subscribers.
He was the vice president of Dream Art Rainbow, always full of energy no matter when I messaged.
He was a manager with a distinctly Korean sensibility, unlike the Americans around me.
- Kim Shin: There are a lot of Chinese people on Earth Channel. I'd like you to develop content to satisfy them.
- Jeong Beom-tae Vice President: Yes. We'll start right away. Do you have any advice on what kind of content would work well?
- Kim Shin: Romance dramas that would sell in China. Or history, Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Making some Hong Kong noir could be good too.
China had surpassed the US to become the world's largest film market.
With movie ticket sales nearing $9 billion, Hollywood had no choice but to watch China's reactions.
Through Earth Channel, which the Chinese government had blocked, movies and dramas that Chinese people would like.
Competing against Chinese production companies with that would be quite fun.
- Jeong Beom-tae Vice President: Sensitive content might cause issues if we produce it ourselves. We'll handle it by collaborating with Hollywood.
- Kim Shin: Yes. Proceed that way.
The next morning, the consequences arrived.
When I got to the office, Oh Myeong-woo said urgently.
"Shin-ah. Subscribers are at 497.32 million right now."
"Over 5.5 million added overnight?"
"Yeah. It's exploding."
Subscribers were surging from China and Europe, with their different time zones from the US.
"500 million."
"I knew this moment would come, but not this fast."
In Earth Resource's office, employees couldn't hide their excitement.
Pride and a sense of honor in working at San Francisco's fastest-growing company.
I went around the office shaking hands with employees.
"Jenny. You've worked hard all this time."
"CEO, you're not firing me, are you?"
"Of course not. You're an original member. Even if you wanted to quit, I'd beg you to stay."
Some employees I hadn't seen since their interviews.
I spent time chatting lightly with them.
In the afternoon, the moment finally surpassed 500 million.
I sent an email to all staff from the office.
[Everyone, great job. Thanks to you all, Earth Resource's subscribers have exceeded 500 million.
I want to share this joy with the staff, and we will create an even cooler world.]
[Earth Channel Surpasses 500 Million Global Subscribers]
[Earth Channel Sweeping the OTT Market]
[Earth Channel's Next Goal: 600 Million Subscribers? Growth Rate Suggests It Won't Take Long]
[Earth Channel Announces Monthly Revenue of $7.2 Billion]
[Netflix Subscribers Drop 13 Million in One Month]
Earth Channel's revenue was increasing at a tremendous pace.
They charged $5 to watch dramas, movies, and other broadcast content, $10 if adding basic games.
On top of that, revenue from games, videos, and personal broadcasts was surging.
Monthly revenue growth of $700-800 million was seen as a miracle in the industry.
Annualized, it meant enormous profit increases.
"Channel 7 is flooded with ad inquiries from companies."
"Hmm. To what extent?"
"Over 20,000 companies waiting. With current staff, we couldn't handle them even in a month."
With Earth Channel serving worldwide, ad inquiries from Asian, European, and South American companies were massive.
As staff grew, corporate ad revenue grew accordingly.
Typically, one employee generated 10 times their salary in added value, but at Earth Resource, it was over 200 times.
They even used AI to only accept reasonable contracts from ad requests.
'The more technology advances, the better the world for business.'
Reshoring was in full swing in the US.
Companies moving back from overseas, aided by tax breaks and policy support.
But also because tech advances like full automation in Nike shoe factories meant no need for factories in Asia.
'Being in San Francisco, I can feel tech progress in my bones.'
Running a company made me feel technological advancement throughout my body.
- Bill: Congress is delighted with Earth Channel's expansion.
I got messages every other day from Bill Karen, the senator.
- Kim Shin: What's up?
- Bill: America First. I see it as showing the dynamism of the US economy.
- Bill: It's also good for checking China diplomatically.
I wasn't checking China for the US government at all.
No intention to join America First either. But if politicians saw it positively, it wasn't bad for us.
- Bill: If you're ever thinking of a joint session speech in Washington to the Senate and House, you're welcome anytime. I'll invite you.
- Kim Shin: Thanks, but I'm awkward in crowds.
- Bill: For someone like that, you're hugely popular online, aren't you? Videos on Earth Channel hit 50 million views in less than a day.
- Kim Shin: ...
Sure, I wanted some fame and popularity.
With money printer benefits, I'd given essentials to struggling California families.
'Anyway, the US government doesn't seem to plan on stopping the money printing anytime soon.'
It suited their taste, trying to overcome COVID damage with consumption and employment.
Han Chae-won became famous in Korea.
Thanks to the massive sales of the book published under her name, One Year of Marriage.
After a historic hit centered in the US, it became a bestseller in Japan, Europe, China, and now Korea.
Even Koreans who hated reading picked up her book in subways or libraries.
- She's a total bitch.
- Unbelievable. All this actually happened?
- Victim writing a book? Are they insane to publish this?
- Yeah. It's selling like crazy worldwide.
- Funny thing is, it's the top seller among books in recent years.
- This book has two positive effects: makes you think twice before marriage, and reflects before divorce.
- What's that about reflection before divorce?
- Reading Han Chae-won's book, you realize how much you've wronged your spouse.
Male-dominated communities, female-dominated ones—everywhere was cursing Han Chae-won.
Despite becoming a national target of criticism, she enjoyed a hot bubble bath overlooking the Han River from her Gangnam apartment.
"Nice. Really nice."
She luxuriated in the large tub full of bubbles.
She knew online communities were cursing her, but so what.
- Han Sang-chae: Sis, are you insane?
- Han Chae-won: What?
Contact from family, her younger brother even.
- Han Sang-chae: Writing a book like this and getting hated by everyone. How do you plan to live? Can you even go out in public from shame?
- Han Chae-won: So what if I get hated? If that scares you, how do villains in high-rated dramas exist?
- Han Chae-won: Ashamed? Being broke is shameful. Get rich, and you're VIP everywhere in the world.
- Han Sang-chae: Ha...
- Han Chae-won: You know about life? Ditch the fixed idea that you shouldn't get hated. We're divorced already, and he's doing great. So what if I pick up some scraps? Think of it as the alimony and division I didn't get.
- Han Chae-won: And the hate is temporary anyway. I'm more worried if they stop hating.
- Han Sang-chae: What does that mean?
- Han Chae-won: World's busy, right? Attention fades fast. Then it'd be hard for me to make money!
- Han Sang-chae: I believed you and beat up my brother-in-law thinking he cheated...
- Han Sang-chae: Now I'm getting ostracized at work because of it.
- Han Chae-won: Don't worry. When sis succeeds, I'll get you an apartment.
- Han Sang-chae: Really?
- Han Chae-won: Of course. Just trust sis.
Han Chae-won thought she had a flexible mindset.
She deliberately posted stylish photos of her Gangnam apartment on Instagram, showing off the sofa, bed, and luxury goods.
Her Instagram got tens of thousands of hate comments daily.
- Stabbed Kim Shin in the back and brags about making money off it.
- Not your average villainess mentality lol
- Ruthless. Worried I'll meet a woman like this someday.
- Giving up on marriage after seeing Han Chae-won.
"I don't get people stressed by comments."
To Han Chae-won, comments were just sentences written by others.
[500 Million] End