Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

President Jeong-Sook Shin said as she stood up from her seat getting ready to leave, “Director Woon-Hak Sim called me the other day from Shanghai City. He is doing well, and the movie production is going well too. According to him, the movie shooting will be completed in the middle of next month, and they will enter the editing phase.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“And, just to let you know, GH Media will send a bill to GH Machines for the designing work for their business sign and card.”

“Of course, you should. I have GH Machines’ business registration that I received via fax the other day. I told Manager Hong to keep the registration in a file. So, on the way out, please ask Manager Hong to make a copy of the business registration for you. You will need it to send a bill to GH Machines.”

“Understood, sir.”

It was Friday. Gun-Ho went to work in GH Mobile.

Gun-Ho went to the production site first. Jong-Suk Park was no longer there, and the position that he was holding as its plant manager and director was vacant. The production managers seemed to work noticeably harder than before, hoping that they got a chance to be promoted to that empty position. It was September, and the promotions would be made at the end of the year in December. It was only three months away, and the production managers were working harder knowing that Gun-Ho was there. They wanted to show Gun-Ho that they deserved the promotion. Gun-Ho was the one who would make the decision of selecting one of them for promotion since it was for an executive officer’s position.

After taking a round at the production site, Gun-Ho went up to the second floor where his office was located.

Secretary Hee-Jeong Park was correcting her makeup while looking into her small hand mirror when Gun-Ho arrived on the second floor. She quickly stood up from her seat when she saw Gun-Ho in startlement.

“Please bring me a cup of coffee.”

“Yes, sir.”

When Gun-Ho was having his morning coffee, President Song entered his office.

“Ever since Dyeon Korea went public, and its shares became available to trade in the stock market, our employees are busy checking their stock price at work without working.”

“I just came from the production site. The workers seemed to work hard.”

“The production workers are working hard because they have work assigned that is supposed to be completed in time. The problem lies with the office workers here. They seem to be very distracted because of their Dyeon Korea’s shares. The price changes now in real-time in the stock market and they talk about it all day long. I had to give them a warning by posting an announcement on the board.”

“What announcement?”

“It says that those who check the current stock price with their smartphone during the work hours, and those who are chit-chatting about stocks during work hours will be severely penalized pursuant to the company regulation.”

“That’s good.”

“Well, I posted that warning on the board myself, but I guess I have to talk to you about the stock now. When I checked the stock market this morning, Dyeon Korea’s stock showed a blue light. There was a price decrease by about 7%. It is common that a stock price goes up and down constantly. I guess the price will go up soon again. I believe Dyeon Korea received a substantial amount of funds after it went public, didn’t it?”

“I believe that it did.”

“Assuming the current price of the share is 25,000 won, GH Mobile is holding their shares worth 45 billion won. After the IPO lock-up period ends, if GH Mobile sells all of its shares, we will have funds of 45 billion won.”

“Theoretically, that’s right.”

“I guess Director Jong-Suk Park must have made a lot of money with the stock. I’m not sure if he sold his shares that he purchased through the employee stock ownership program, but if he did, he must have made big money this time.”

“I think he told me that he sold his shares already.”

“When he had told me that he wanted to purchase all of the forfeited shares, I thought about something.”

“Thought about what?”

“I thought that there must be someone who is guiding him on this because Director Jong-Suk Park is not smart enough to come up with that kind of idea in the first place. He is a smart man in his field, but not savvy in the stock and other finance fields.”

“Haha, is that right?”

“Anyhow, it’s good that one of our people made money. I actually went to GH Machines yesterday.”

“Oh, you did? How is their factory?”

“The factory is cozy and nice. The size is adequate for the work building machines. The building itself looks fine from the outside, but it’s a bit old. But, it’s good enough.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“When I visited that factory, I brought him an orchid plant with my name on it with a ribbon saying wishing him prosperity with his new business. He looked delighted to have the plant and gave me a 90-degree bow. Also, I sent him the twin screws that we purchased from West Moulding and asked him for the same price that we had paid. And he looked even happier.”

“Haha, really?”

“I like the fact that Director Park is young and passionate about what he does. I believe that he won’t disappoint you, sir.”

“He will need help as he starts his own business by himself. Please give him any help or assistance that he needs.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I just talked with Dyeon Korea’s Director Kim before coming to your office. He said that he would send an orchid plant with Dyeon Korea’s Vice President Adam Castler’s name to congratulate his new business opening.”

“Hmm, really? GH Machines need workers as soon as possible. I wonder if he even posted a job opening.”

“It seems that he already hired an office worker who would handle the accounting.”

“Really? That’s good. I feel relieved that Director Park—Oh, well, he is now President Park—has someone in the company who can assist him.”

“And, about the by-election, Minister Jin-Woo Lee is leading the election again. People say that he has a high chance to win the election. There had been hard days when he wasn’t so sure if he could win the election because of the opponent candidate who was receiving enormous support.”

“That’s right. I saw the news on the internet as well. He is turning the tables and winning this congressional race now.”

“While I’ve been observing what’s going on with this election, something crossed my mind.”

“What was it?”

“I think Minister Jin-Woo Lee has someone close who plays the role of his strategist, and this person must be very good. You know, like Zhang Liang.”

“Haha, Zhang Liang?”

As President Song mentioned the name—Zhang Liang—Gun-Ho thought about what Minister Jin-Woo Lee had told him the other day. He said to Gun-Ho, “You are my Zhang Liang.”

Zhang Liang had been deemed to be the best strategist in the history of China, who helped Liu Bang in establishing the Han Dynasty. Minister Jin-Woo Lee was impressed by how Gun-Ho helped him in the upcoming by-election, and he truly appreciated his help. And he praised Gun-Ho by referring to him as Zhang Liang. Gun-Ho heard that name again that day from President Song, and that made him smile.

“The way that the Zhang Liang person designed the strategy for Minister Jin-Woo Lee’s election reminds me of a bullfighter in Spain. He is aiming and killing the bull by plunging his sword on its forehead.”

“Haha, did you say bullfighter in Spain? Well, I did hear that the word—matador—came from the word—killer—anyway.”