Beauty is Justice

After the host asked the questions, the Q&A session began.

The first person to raise their hand was a young South Korean actress. She stood up and asked, "You juggle being both an actress and a singer, filming while preparing for your solo concert tour. How do you balance these two completely different careers?"

Gu Zhiyan smiled faintly: "Acting is the foundation of my livelihood, and I always put actors first. For me, concerts are not a side project, but another way to express myself. Acting is about portraying other people's lives, while singing is about expressing my own emotions."

I've now handed over all the concert preparations to my team. I'm only controlling the core direction. I'll focus on film creation and won't let music interfere with my primary job as an actor.

Another film critic asked a question about the recently wrapped-up "Joy of Life 3," expressing curiosity about how he portrayed the complex character of Fan Xian.

Gu Zhiyan briefly shared her insights during filming, discussing the tension between ideals and reality in Fan Xian's character, as well as the character's growth and struggles. She did not reveal any plot details, only sharing her thoughts on the performance aspect.

The entire masterclass lasted nearly ninety minutes, with no gimmicks or unnecessary entertainment interactions; it revolved entirely around performance, narrative, and filmmaking.

The filmmakers in the audience nodded frequently, and many industry insiders took out their phones to record his views.

The masterclass concluded with prolonged applause from the audience.

Gu Zhiyan stood up, bowed to express her gratitude, and before leaving, she paused to wave slightly to the fans waiting below the stage.

Clips and excerpts from the interview quickly went viral on Korean online forums.

Numerous threads were created on Theqoo and Pann to discuss the topic, and Naver's real-time trending topics were refreshed again, sparking heated discussions once more.

【고지언마스터클래스감동】(Gu Zhiyan’s master class is moving)

【영화는진심이통한다】(The most important thing about movies is sincere connection)

【고지언배우로서의자세】(Gu Zhiyan’s posture as an actor)

"This wasn't an idol-style talk at all; it was a genuine discussion about acting, and the viewpoints were very insightful."

"After listening, I understand why his character is so compelling. He understands the story and he understands people's hearts."

"I was very clear-headed when talking about the concert, I could distinguish between what was important and what was not, and I wasn't blinded by the hype."

"I hope to see more of his works released in South Korea in the future."

Some fans also commented, "I'm more moved by his thoughts and vision than his looks."

Several South Korean film and television media outlets published special reports praising Gu Zhiyan's masterclass as a highly valuable exchange at this year's Busan International Film Festival.

The news exploded across the Chinese internet, with "[Gu Zhiyan Busan Master Class]" and "[Gu Zhiyan on the Balance Between Actors and Singers]" trending on social media.

Netizens left numerous comments.

"Every sentence is clear-headed, showing a clear understanding of one's primary responsibilities and avoiding any impetuousness."

"This is the kind of vision an actor should have: let their work speak for itself."

……

After the successful conclusion of the film masterclass, Gu Zhiyan's Busan trip entered the most intensive and core stage of industry exchanges in the middle of the film festival.

According to the official complete schedule of this year's Busan International Film Festival, apart from the opening ceremony red carpet, film screenings, and GV post-screening discussions, the subsequent schedule is packed with high-quality events: a special session for Asian actors to discuss films, a film academic class, an Asian project pitching session, a group interview with global media, and an official industry cocktail party dinner.

Despite a packed schedule for several days, he showed no signs of being perfunctory or relaxed.

The morning following the masterclass, the multi-functional hall of the Haeundae Conference Center was packed to capacity.

This Asian actors' exchange and dialogue focuses on "narrative breakthroughs of emerging powerful actors," and invites many established actors from China and South Korea to share the stage.

Unlike the in-depth sharing of a master class with a single speaker, this dialogue is more inclined to cross-industry collision and exchange of experiences.

The host discussed Gu Zhiyan's diverse acting range, spanning period dramas, realistic family dramas, and historical political intrigue, drawing on his screen experience.

Veteran South Korean actors on the same stage expressed their amazement: "It is rare to see young actors who can simultaneously handle grand national narratives and delicate everyday warmth. The work's reach among the general public is extremely rare in Asia."

Gu Zhiyan sat upright, spoke gently and modestly, and remained calm and composed: "Regardless of the size of the subject matter, the only source of confidence for an actor is to sincerely treat every role and wholeheartedly embrace every story."

The entire dialogue was packed with valuable insights, devoid of any entertainment-style gimmicks or interactive elements. It revolved entirely around refining performances, empathizing with characters, and cross-cultural film and television creation.

The entire event was recorded and archived as official academic exchange material for the film festival.

In the afternoon, Gu Zhiyan attended the official film academic open class of the film festival on time.

The classes are led by top film critics and film school professors from China and South Korea, focusing on narrative innovation, humanistic core, and overseas dissemination trends in contemporary Asian cinema.

He had no airs of a top star, sitting quietly and listening attentively throughout, taking careful notes of the viewpoints, and occasionally speaking briefly during the interactive sessions to share his understanding of "cross-cultural communication of film and television works".

He mentioned that truly successful film and television works do not rely on deliberately catering to overseas aesthetics or on gimmicky marketing, but only on genuine emotions, sincere expression, and a heartfelt humanistic core.

This brief sharing was highly recognized by the scholars present and was included in the selected quotes of academic exchanges at this year's Busan International Film Festival, becoming a hot topic of discussion in the industry.

The Asian Film Project Market in the evening is the core industry business section of the Busan International Film Festival, bringing together producers, directors, investors, and screenwriters from all over Asia, focusing on new project negotiations, copyright cooperation, and the exchange of film and television resources.

Many up-and-coming directors and producers took the initiative to approach Gu Zhiyan, handing over their new project outlines and sincerely inviting him to collaborate.

Despite the constant stream of offers of cooperation, Gu Zhiyan has always maintained a cautious attitude.

He carefully reviewed the project introductions and politely communicated his creative concepts. For projects with realistic themes and humanistic narratives that aligned with his aesthetics, were insightful, and had warmth, he patiently and meticulously exchanged views. For formulaic and fast-paced scripts, he gently and tactfully declined, maintaining a frank and appropriate attitude.

Throughout the entire event, he remained unpretentious, did not try to curry favor, and did not engage in perfunctory small talk. His professional yet self-possessed attitude greatly enhanced the goodwill of many industry professionals.

Following the venture capital exchange meeting, there was an officially arranged group interview session with domestic and international media.

Dozens of mainstream South Korean media outlets, Asian entertainment media, and international film and television news agencies gathered at the scene, with cameras and recording equipment all pointed at him.

The reporters asked questions in turn, covering multiple dimensions such as film and television creation, cross-cultural exchanges, future cooperation directions, and reflections on the trip to Busan.

Gu Zhiyan responded with composure and clarity of thought, and spoke with sincerity and restraint. He switched fluently between Korean, Chinese and English, and his demeanor was calm and composed throughout, demonstrating excellent manners.

The group interview, which lasted only one hour, produced a massive amount of high-definition official photos, dynamic fan-taken pictures, interview clips, and written transcripts.

Once the material was leaked, it caused a massive surge in popularity on Korean online forums, with trending topics dominating the screens.

【고지언미디어인터뷰】(Gu Zhiyan's temperament during a media group interview)

【아시아배우대화클래스】(famous dialogue scene between Asian actors)

【영화학술수업진심】(Gu Zhiyan listening attentively in class)

【바산영화제최고의게스트】(Best guest at Busan Film Festival)

Theqoo and Pann posts instantly went viral, with thousands of highly-rated comments praising the content.

"He is truly a man of both literary and martial talents, capable of both acting well and having his own insights into film."

"He remained low-key and serious throughout the academic classes and venture capital meetings, without the slightest bit of celebrity airs."

"They're not here to ride the red carpet for publicity; they're here to truly exchange ideas about film with talented actors."

"His eloquence, vision, and professionalism completely surpass many of the guest performers who came in unexpectedly. He is the true benchmark for Asian actors."

The news quickly spread on Weibo in China, with "Gu Zhiyan's In-Depth Participation in Film Festival Academic Exchanges" and "Gu Zhiyan's Professional Actor Qualities" trending on Weibo.

Netizens commented that his international success was never due to his good looks or hype, but rather to his solid work and professional expertise.

Okay, looks also play a big part.

After all, good looks are everything.