Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

The branch manager continued to talk to Gun-Ho on the phone, “I couldn’t go and talk to you earlier because you seem to be spending time with your family. I didn’t want to interrupt you. Moreover, many big players in Gangnam are reluctant for the people around them to learn that they have a business with people like me. So, I just passed by your table while giving you a slight nod, sir. I hope you understand.”

“Haha, you did?”

“You are having lunch with your wife and child, aren’t you? Your child is so cute, and your wife seems to be a very elegant and intellectual lady. I’m so envious of you, sir. You seem to have everything, at work and at home. Well, enjoy your time and meal, sir.”

“Thank you.”

Young-Eun asked, “Who is it?”

“It’s just someone who I have business with.”

Realizing Chan-Ho Eom already left the restaurant, Young-Eun said, “Mr. Eom didn’t seem to take enough time enjoying his meat. I feel sorry for him.”

“It’s okay. I will buy him delicious food later. Don’t mind him.”

After finishing their lunch, Gun-Ho and Young-Eun walked out of the restaurant—Baekjaewon.

“Where did you park your car?”

“Over there. Oh, is that your car sitting next to mine?”

“Hmm, I guess Chan-Ho found your car and parked my car next to it.”

Young-Eun’s new Genesis G80 that Gun-Ho bought for her recently and Gun-Ho’s Bentley was standing in the parking lot side by side.

Young-Eun said to Chan-Ho Eom while holding the baby, “Mr. Chan-Ho Eom, you haven’t had enough food for lunch today, right?”

“Haha, I ate a lot, ma’am. I actually enjoy the time in the car listening to music, so I finished my lunch quickly and came back to the car.”

“What kind of music do you like?”

“I like rap music, of course.”

Gun-Ho said to Young-Eun, “Why don’t you get in the car first?”

Young-Eun opened the car door and put Sang-Min in the car seat.

“He started dozing off already,” Gun-Ho said.

“He always sleeps while I’m driving. But I still can’t take him to a place far from home though. He sometimes wakes up and cries.”

“Are you going back home now?”

“Yeah, I should. Well, I enjoyed my lunch today, oppa. Thanks.”

Gun-Ho came back to his office in GH Building, Sinsa Town.

He was dozing off while sitting on the sofa as he usually did after lunch. At that moment, his phone began to ring. It was Director Jong-Suk Park who was in India.

“Bro? It’s me, Jong-Suk.”

“Hey, you don’t have to yell. I can hear you fine. Keep a certain distance between your mouth and the phone when you talk.”

“Fine. Guess where I am right now. I’m in Hindu Temple. It’s somewhere around Chennai.”

“Did you finish installing the machines there?”

“Of course I did. It took me only two days to finish the job.”

“You know that you have to train the assistant manager from Dyeon Korea’s maintenance team before coming back to Korea, right? He’s going to stay there handling any issues with those machines.”

“I already did. Not just him, but I trained the local engineer here how to operate the machines too. I’m actually in Hindu Temple with that local engineer.”

“Did Vice President Brandon Burke come to work in Dyeon India?”

“Yes, he is here.”

“Did he hire any production workers yet?”

“Director Yoon, who arrived here before me, already hired local production workers. He said it was instructed by Director Kim. He hired 2 workers per machine, so 8 workers in total for handling 4 machines, and two more workers in case. He also hired two additional workers who will work in the maintenance team. So, they now have 10 local production workers in total.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“Director Yoon and I will soon return to Korea, but there is a problem.”

“What is it?”

“We will leave two Korean workers from Dyeon Korea here—two assistant managers from the compounding room and the maintenance department. The thing is that they are engineers, not management people.”

“That’s right.”

“They will need a Korean worker who knows about finance and sales which are usually handled by management people. Director Yoon is doing the job right now, but once he returns to Korea, there will be no one who can handle the work. Do you think it will be okay?”

“Since this is a joint venture company, it’s not easy for me to fill all the positions with Korean workers. We have engineers there from Korea, and I’m not sure if I could send someone from management.”

“I see.”

“I believe that Mr. Brandon Burke will bring someone from America to handle the management work there, or he will hire a local person who can speak English for the job. That’s probably why Director Yoon hired only production workers, but not management workers. Mr. Brandon Burke probably wants to bring in his people in the management position. We don’t have to worry about it. Mr. Burke will take care of it.”

“You think so? If a non-Korean person works in the management here, he or she will send a weekly report to you in English. Then someone has to translate the report into the Korean language, which is extra work.”

“I’m working in Dyeon Korea as its president until December 30th per the joint venture contract. An American will take over my position then. That American president will surely prefer to have someone in the management who can speak English in Dyeon India, instead of a Korean. Don’t you think?”

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

“Once I resign from the president position and take the chairman position of the board, I will only receive documents about the sales and work performance of the presidents in Dyeon Korea and Dyeon India. I won’t get into their daily operating business.”

“Hmm, really?”

“How’s the new factory in Chennai? Do you think the factory is good enough? I haven’t been to the place yet. I just sent Mr. Adam Castler and Director Kim there to make the purchase.”

“It looks good. Director Yoon did an excellent job of repairing the place. Its electricity system, sewer system, and ventilation system seem to be working great too. Director Yoon didn’t seem to be very active or enthusiastic when I saw him working in Dyeon Korea, but he works passionately when it comes to his area of expertise—construction.”

“I was told that the advance payment was received by Mr. Brandon Burke.”

“I believe so. I overheard the conversation between Director Yoon and Mr. Brandon Burke. When Director Yoon gave the company’s bank book and credit card to Mr. Brandon Burke, he said that the account is holding his advanced payment as well.”

“Hmm, really?”

“By the way, bro. Once this factory starts running and manufacturing products, it’s better that you send Director Kim here.”

“Sending Director Kim there? For what?”

“President Brandon Burke is American. He will focus on doing business with American companies or European companies. It won’t be easy for him to procure Korean companies here as new clients. I think if Director Kim can come here and take a tour of Korean companies in this area as part of sales activities, we will find a lot of Korean client companies.”

“That’s a good idea. I will think about it.”

“And, bro, after finishing installing the machines yesterday, I ran one of the machines here and manufactured sample products. Mr. Brandon Burke was there, and he tested the sample products by smelling them and burning them with a lighter. And, he kept saying ‘good.’”

“I guess the sample products passed his test.”

“You know what? I’m now very close to Mr. Brandon Burke.”

“You can’t even speak a word in English. How can you possibly be close to Mr. Brandon Burke?”

“Body language works every time, bro. He is very good at understanding my body language.”

“Really?”

“We had arm wrestling together too.”

“Arm wrestling?”

“Yeah. He is about twice larger than me, but I won over him in arm wrestling. He shook his head side to side once he realized he lost.”

“Really? I know he is a big man. How did you win over him?”

“You can’t win in arm wrestling with only your physical power. You have to know some skills. When I won, he raised his thumb to me.”