Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

Gun-Ho was thinking about how he disliked the fact that a man wore make-up; that entertainment company’s manager continued to talk,

“I thought you were running a manufacturing company, sir. That’s what I read from your business card. Did I misunderstand?”

“You are correct. I spend half of my week in the manufacturing company in Jiksan Town, Cheonan City, and I stay here in this building for the remaining half of the week.”

“I saw the sign on the office door on our way here. It says GH Development. Is it the management company of this building?”

“You can say that. Let’s not talk about me anymore. Let’s talk about why you are here to see me.”

“We couldn’t do our performance in the fall of last year in Shanghai. Our management company planned the event. It was a shame.”

“I see.”

“So I want to try it again in the spring of this year in Shanghai. You and the director of the bureau of cultural affairs and art—Seukang Li—are close. I am here to ask you to help us get permission to do the performance there.”

“China has its own policy and regulation. It’s not something I can help you with. I have nothing further to talk with you about.”

“China values personal connections, and they are very powerful since they make things work. We will pay you for it, sir. It is for the benefits of our country too.”

“Director Li is not those types of person, who would do something because he gets paid.”

“Sir, please help us.”

“I already told you it’s not something I can help you with.”

Gun-Ho sounded annoyed, and the entertainment company’s manager couldn’t ask a favor again.

“If you happen to have a chance to talk to him, please consider talking about our situation. It’s like an exporting service to China. We will make money there, and that gives benefits to our country.”

The entertainment company’s manager and the young man with one earring walked out of Gun-Ho’s office.

When Gun-Ho came back to the factory in Jiksan Town, Mr. Sakata Ikuzo entered Gun-Ho’s office with the interpreter.

“It’s almost time for me to go back to my country. I wanted to say goodbye to you yesterday, sir, but you were not here.”

“Oh, time flies.”

“Manager Park now can handle the product manufacturing and simple machine repairing work on his own.”

“I was feeling confident when you were here with us, Mr. Sakata Ikuzo. We will miss you. The internal auditor will give you your incentive tomorrow for the successful new product development. We truly appreciate your hard work here.”

“Thank you.”

“Once you reserve your flight, please let me know. I want to have dinner with you and with the workers here who worked with you.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Gun-Ho received a letter from Mr. Brandon Burke—the vice president of Lymondell Dyeon in Seattle. Gun-Ho asked the new secretary who he hired a few days ago to translate the letter. The secretary translated the letter immediately and sent it to Gun-Ho via Kakaotalk.

[Our company’s foreign investment committee decided to start a joint venture with GH Mobile in Korea. We will arrange a meeting with GH Mobile to sign the official contract on the 26th of this month. Please have the GH Mobile’s president and the person in charge come to our company in Seattle.]

“She is so quick. It’s very convenient to have a secretary who can speak English.”

Gun-Ho gave a call to Attorney Young-Jin Kim at Kim & Jeong Law Office.

“Hey, we received the letter.”

“What letter?”

“The letter from Lymondell Dyeon. They said they will start a joint venture with us, and they are asking us to come to Seattle to make a contract.”

“Really? Congratulations.”

Gun-Ho convened a provisional meeting to share the news with the directors and managers of GH Mobile.

“We finally received a letter from Lymondell Dyeon to make a contract for a joint venture.”

“Wow. So we are really doing it.”

They all seemed delighted.

Gun-Ho showed the letter that was written in English to them. Director Yoon started reading the letter thoroughly.

“Director Yoon, let’s get the infrastructure construction work on our land in Asan City started. We will have to find a construction company to build our factory too.”

“One second, sir.”

The internal auditor stopped Gun-Ho.

“Before we sign on the actual contract, we shouldn’t start building the factory. The cost for the infrastructure construction work has to be borne by the joint venture once it is established. If we start the construction now, GH Mobile will have to bear the cost.”

“Hmm. That makes sense. Okay, then, Director Yoon, why don’t you get some price quotes for the construction? I will go to a bank and see if I can get a loan for the factory construction.”

“Maybe we should talk with our major bank—Gangnam bank in Seoul?”

“We already have a huge loan with Gangnam Bank. I will talk with a local bank in Asan City if they are willing to lend some funds to us.”

“Sounds good, sir.”

“Also, I think maybe we want to get a new appraisal for our factory in Jiksan Town.”

“We already have it, sir.”

“That’s not for our new factory though. I believe the appraised value should be different now since we built a new factory here.”

“Oh, so you want to get a higher appraisal and get a loan based on the new appraised value.”

“Exactly.”

Gun-Ho made a phone call to Min-Hyeok Kim in China.

“We will start a joint venture with Lymondell Dyeon.”

“Really? So it is confirmed.”

“They want to make a contract on the 26th of this month.”

“That’s nice. Our storage is empty now. I want to pile up our products there as soon as possible and sell them in China, nationwide.”

“Haha. You will soon be able to do that.”

“Did your parents visit you in China already?”

“Yeah. They went back to Korea last week.”

“How was the meeting with your fiancée’s parents?”

“It was good. We had the meeting at a hotel. If we were in Korea, we would have to meet in a restaurant, but I managed to do it in a hotel because we are in China.”

“Were your parents satisfied?”

“Both parents were happy. My wife studied in the U.S., and her parents are artists. My parents loved them. My father was a bus driver. I wouldn’t be able to meet someone like her if I was in Korea.”

“Right. People in Korea prefer for their child to meet someone with a similar family background. Well, congratulations, Min-Hyeok. It’s really nice that both parents were content.”

“Yeah. Thank you.”

It was Saturday. Gun-Ho didn’t go to Seoul, but he stayed in Onyang Town and enjoyed a hot spring bath in Onyang Hot Spring Hotel. After the hot spring bath, he wanted to have some cold beer.

“I want a company to enjoy beer today. Maybe I should call Jong-Suk. Even though it’s Saturday, he is probably at work. He usually stays there on Saturday morning.”

Gun-Ho called Manager Jong-Suk Park.

“Jong-Suk? It’s me. When are you going to Seoul?”

“Tomorrow. I am still in Jiksan Town. I have to repair the extruding machine in no. 4 line.”

“Okay. When you are done, come to Onyang Hot Spring Hotel. Let’s have some beer together.”

Jong-Suk Park came to Onyang Hot Spring Hotel around 5 pm. He was still wearing the company uniform. He probably came straight from work.

“Did you repair the machine?”

“Yeah.”

“You are not going to Incheon City to see your parents?”

“The traffic is so heavy on Saturdays. I will probably leave for Incheon City tomorrow morning.”

“Oh, I see.”

“I’m going to have a cigarette. I will be back.”

“Let’s go together. Let me have one too.”

Gun-Ho and Jong-Suk walked out of Onyang Hot Spring Hotel. When Jong-Suk took out a pack of cigarettes, several men that looked like gangsters surrounded Gun-Ho and Jong-Suk.