Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

Gun-Ho was driving on a highway; he was heading home after the meeting with the elementary school teacher, which was set up by his sister. He was feeling depressed after meeting with the lady. Gun-Ho was passing by Seohae Bridge when he received a call from his sister.

“How was it? Did you like her? She is a bit short, but she seems to be really smart.”

“I don’t think she is a good match for me.”

“Why not? I really like her.”

“Just know that I am not attracted to her. I am hanging up the phone now.”

Gun-Ho hung up the phone when his sister was about to say something.

Gun-Ho received a call from his mother a few minutes later.

“How did the meeting go? Your sister told me the girl looked smart.”

“Yes, mom. She looked smart, but I don’t think I would meet with her again.”

“Don’t be too picky, son. There is no perfect girl. People say the first girl you meet with is the best girl for you.”

“No, mom. I won’t meet with her again.”

“Your dad and I are desperate for your marriage. Your dad is expecting that you will marry a school teacher.”

“I marry a person, not a teacher, mom.”

“It would be really nice if you marry a person who is a school teacher.”

“I’m not marrying the school teacher I just met. She probably would agree with me. I am driving right now. I will talk to you later, mom.”

“Gun-Ho.”

Gun-Ho hung up the phone before his mother could say anything more.

Gun-Ho let out a deep sigh while holding the steering wheel.

GH Mobile placed a job posting on the WorkNet website looking for workers in their production field at the new factory location.

Once the opening jobs were posted on WorkNet with salary and benefits, a lot of people applied for the position. The company had 30 vacant positions to fill in, and more than 600 people applied for the job. The positions especially attracted many job applicants because they were employees positions rather than contractors position.

The general affairs manager gave a report to Gun-Ho about hiring workers.

“I was thinking that we select candidates based on papers, and then the managers and directors will give them an interview. And then you sir, will interview each selected candidate as a final hiring step.”

“You don’t have to go through three steps to hire workers in the production field. Just hire them with two screening processes.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Who’s going to do the interview with the applicants?”

“We haven’t specifically decided yet, but I guess the plant manager and the internal auditor will do it.”

“Have the plant manager, the internal auditor, you— general affairs manager—and Manager Jong-Suk Park at the production department do the interview.”

“Yes, sir.”

“For the first screening process, why don’t you review the papers with Manager Jong-Suk Park? Since you are in charge of human resource matters and Manager Park will directly work with the new workers at the factory. It makes more sense that you two get heavily involved in the hiring process.”

“Yes, sir.”

When the general affairs manager was walking toward the door to leave the office carrying the approval sheet with him, Gun-Ho called for him.

“Don’t we need to place an order for our winter uniform?”

“That’s right. We distribute the uniforms to our workers every other year, and this is the year we are supposed to hand out the uniforms to the workers.”

“The current uniform design is outdated and depressing. We have been using the same designed uniforms which Mulpasaneop had used, and we just changed the company name on them. Let’s get a new design for our uniforms.”

“Yes, sir. I will find a good design company for our new uniform.”

“Actually, why don’t you talk to the design team leader at GH Media? Here is their phone number.”

“Who should I talk to?”

“Talk with Team Leader Min-Sook Oh. Mr. Jae-Sik Moon, who used to work at our security office, is working for GH Media too.”

“Oh, I remember that. The lady who came to our building dedication ceremony is the president of GH Media, isn’t she?”

“That’s right.”

“I will call them right away and discuss our uniform design with them.”

“Since it is still a business between the two companies, ask them to issue a tax invoice for the design work.”

“Yes, sir.”

After the general affairs manager left the office, Gun-Ho thought that it was a good idea that he didn’t take the president position of GH Media.

“Well, let’s see. If the joint venture with Lymondell Dyeon is established, I will be the president of the joint venture company—GH Chemical. I am also the president of GH Mobile, where GH Chemical’s raw materials will be used to manufacture products.”

It could cause some sort of conflict of interest.

“I have to think about the problems that could be raised because I own several companies. I shouldn’t cause any conflict of interest. It doesn’t look good to the public either. My companies haven’t gone public yet so there wouldn’t be any problems for now, but I will have to figure out how I handle this issue.”

Gun-Ho made a phone call to Chairman Lee at Cheongdam Town.

“Thank you, sir, for coming to my building dedication ceremony the other day.”

“Don’t mention it. The factory looked really nice.”

“Well, I only came this far because of you, sir. You guided me to learn accounting when I worked as a factory worker.”

“Haha, I did, didn’t I?”

“Speaking of which, I’d like to invite you for dinner. Will you be available next week? We can go to Ms. Jang’s bar—Pine.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I insist, sir. I’d really like to have dinner with you. Why don’t you come with your friend—Master Park—from Philosophy Hall in Gangnam?”

“Master Park? Hmm. Let’s do this then. Master Park is retiring from his work with Philosophy Hall. We can celebrate his retirement together next week at Pine.”

“Oh, is he retiring already? He is so popular in the field, and he is making good money, right?”

“He wants to build some sort of temple in his hometown—Goesan Town in Chungcheong province—and he wants to spend the rest of life enjoying nature, music, poems and those sorts of things.”

“Haha, that sounds like him. Once you decide on a good day for the celebration, just let me know; I will make a reservation at Pine.”

“Sounds good. I will let you know after discussing with Master Park.”

Lymondell Dyeon sent a letter to Gun-Ho through Attorney Young-Jin Kim at Kim & Jeong Law Firm.

“President Goo? It came in.”

“What came in?”

“We finally received a response from Lymondell Dyeon via fax.”

“Oh, they sent a fax instead of email?”

“Yeah, they faxed us. They mailed the original letter to GH Mobile.”

“Really? What are they saying?”

“Let me read it for you. I’ve already translated the letter.”

[The idea of starting a joint venture which was initially suggested by GH Mobile in Korea highly intrigued us. We subsequently performed an interview with GH Mobile’s president—Mr. Gun-Ho Goo—last month. We highly recognize his desire and will to do a joint venture with us.

Lymondell Dyeon’s foreign investment committee reviewed GH Mobile’s business plan and the interview record with its president, and they rendered a very positive decision. We are pleased to inform you that our committee gave a pass to GH Mobile based on their business plan and the interview record with its president.

Therefore, our staff of Lymondell Dyeon will visit GH mobile in Korea for business survey early next month. The vice president of the international business development department—Mr. Brandon Burke—will lead the team for the visit.]

Gun-Ho was delighted when he heard the familiar name—Mr. Brandon Burke.

“Mr. Brandon Burke is coming, huh?”

“That’s really good. We’ve already met with him.”

“When they come to our company, you will have to help us, Attorney Kim.”

“Of course. Our law firm is contracted with GH Mobile for this specific matter.”