Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

It was after the Lunar New Year’s Day when Gun-Ho went to Guweol Town near the city hall in Incheon to look for a condo for his parents. When he got off from the subway at Seokcheon’s Four-Way Intersection, the first thing he could see was a majestic high-rise residential complex—Hillstate.

“I would buy a 25 or 30 pyung large condo for my parents; however, since Jeong-Ah would stay with them most of the time, I’d better buy a bit larger condo than that.”

When he saw a realtor’s office at a commercial building, he entered the office. The realtor was a female who looked like in her late 40s.

“Hello, I came to see a condo.”

“Are you selling or buying?”

“I want to buy one. Around 50 pyung large.”

The realtor lady took out her note and looked for a condo that was currently on the market.

“We have one on the fourth floor. Would you like to take a look?”

“How much is it?”

“It’s 420 million won.” (It costs more these days.)

“It’s expensive. Is there anything else that came out for a quick sale?”

“I don’t see any quick sale, but there is another condo with a tenant.”

“When will the lease expire?”

“It says it will expire this fall, so I would say about six more months left.”

“That’s too late for me. Let me leave my number here. Would you give me a call if you see any good condos on the higher floors come on the market?”

“Hold on a second. I might be able to find a condo for a quick sale.”

The realtor made a call to another realtor’s office.

“Dongwoo realtor’s office? You have a 50 pyung large condo for a quick sale, right?”

“I don’t have a 50 pyung, but I do have a 45 pyung condo in building number 511.”

“How much is it?”

“The owner said they won’t sell it below 400 million won.”

Gun-Ho was thinking that maybe the 45 pyung was better for his parents and the 50 pyung condo was too big to maintain—like cleaning it. Just three people would be living there after all.

“I will take the 45 pyung condo.”

The realtor lady called the other realtor again to request a tour to that condo. It seemed that realtors were all connected to each other and shared information.

“He said the condo is vacant right now. Would you like to see it now?”

Gun-Ho followed the realtor to see the 45 pyung large condo. Since it was a newly constructed condo, it was clean, and he didn’t have to do anything before moving in.

“You don’t even have to redo the wall and floor.”

The realtor’s sales pitch continued.

“As you see, the kitchen and bathroom are brand new. They have never been used. Moreover, look outside the window. The view from here is magnificent.”

Gun-Ho bought the condo and took the purchase contract that day. The owner was living in the vicinity of the condo and came right away when he was told there was a buyer waiting for him. The owner looked like he was in his 60s.

“Since the condo is vacant, you can move in any day you want after paying the remaining sale price.”

“I will pay the remainder after a week.”

The owner handed to Gun-Ho, the real estate registration and the receipt of the last HOA payment of that condo.

After completing the sales contract, Gun-Ho walked out of the realtor’s office and looked at the majestic condominium complex again.

“Whew. If I lived in a condo like this when I was in high school, I wouldn’t have had to suffer because of money and my poor family.”

Gun-Ho felt mixed feelings.

Gun-Ho headed to his parents’ home. On the way there, he saw his brother-in-law buying something in a supermarket close to his parents’ townhouse apartment.

“Gun-Ho? What are you doing here? Jeong-Ah, your uncle is here. Say hello to him.”

“Hi.”

Jeong-Ah said hello to Gun-Ho while hugging her snack; she was cute. Gun-Ho smiled and gave 10,000 won to Jeong-Ah.

“I just made a sales contract for the condo in Guweol Town. I will ask my parents to put their apartment on the market.”

“You already made a contract? That early? I will talk to your mom about placing their apartment on the market.”

“Umm, I gotta go now. Please tell my mom that I had to go because I’m really busy. Jeong-Ah, bye, bye.”

Gun-Ho made the payment of the remaining condo sales price. He was thinking of buying the condo under his name, but he placed his parents’ name instead because if he successfully acquired the TowerPalace condo at the auction it would make him own two residential properties which would cause tax issues.

“I will ask them to throw out all the furniture and stuff they have been using in that townhouse apartment before moving to their new place.”

Gun-Ho filled the new condo with new furniture and household appliances: refrigerator, sofa, washer, dining table, gas oven, big screen TV, etc. They were all new and expensive ones. He even purchased a desk for Jeong-Ah. The condo looked wonderful with new furniture in it. The spacious 45 pyung condo went elegantly well with the luxurious furniture Gun-Ho purchased.

He didn’t buy an air conditioner yet since summer wouldn’t begin anytime soon.

It was a moving day. Gun-Ho went to his parents’ old apartment in Juan, Incheon. It was Sunday, so his sister was there helping his parents to pack up without having to go to work.

“Just throw those refrigerator, dining table, TV and all. There is a new gas oven in the new condo so toss out the old one.”

“It’s still working fine. I can clean it and it is still usable.”

Gun-Ho’s parents were loading the moving truck with all the old refrigerator, gas oven, table, and stuff when Gun-Ho raised his voice asking to unload them. Their old stuff was being unloaded, and his parents stared at their old furniture and stuff get dumped on the ground for quite a while.

After throwing out most of his parents’ old stuff, the moving became easier. Gun-Ho didn’t even need to rent an aerial ladder truck to move the stuff up to the condo.

“Mom, dad, this is the home you will be living in.”

Gun-Ho’s parents were stunned once they looked around the condo. Their jaws dropped in amazement. Gun-Ho remembered when his mom compared her life with his aunt’s after she visited his aunt’s 30 pyung large condo; she had always been envious of her. This 45 pyung large condo had a two-door refrigerator, a sofa, and a dining table.

“Oh my God! Oh my God!”

Gun-Ho’s mother couldn’t hide her excitement and amazement.

“Live happily ever after in this home, mom… dad.”

“Oh, my goodness. Look at the floor.”

After stroking the floor a few times, Gun-Ho’s mother sank to the floor and shed tears.

“Thank you, my son. I guess I lived this long to have this luxurious life because of you.”

Gun-Ho’s mother blinked her eyes which had become small like date seeds with her age in her wrinkled face; tears ran from her eyes. She then held Gun-Ho’s hands. Gun-Ho could feel his mother’s rough and wrinkled hands and he felt sad. At that moment, Jeong-Ah ran to Gun-Ho’s mother.

“Grandma, is this our home?”

“No, Jeong-Ah!”

Gun-Ho’s sister quickly dragged Jeong-Ah’s hand toward her.

“Yes, it is our home, Jeong-Ah. Your uncle bought a desk for you too, over there.”

Gun-Ho’s mother said to her granddaughter.

“Whoa, it’s my desk.”

Jeong-Ah ran to the room where her desk was placed.

After finishing a cursory unpacking, Gun-Ho explained to his parents how to use the new home appliances which were already placed in the condo. Gun-Ho then called a Chinese restaurant and ordered Jajangmyeon and Tangsuyuk* for delivery.

The movers already left without having their meal. Gun-Ho’s family sat at the new dining table after the food Gun-Ho ordered had arrived. It had been a while since Gun-Ho’s whole family had a meal together. It reminded Gun-Ho of the old days when he was little.

Gun-Ho was smoking in the veranda after the meal when his sister came to talk to him.

“Gun-Ho, I’m sorry that I had to leave Jeong-Ah with our parents here. I’m so worried that she might scratch something in this new condo.”

“This is not my condo. It’s our parents’ home.”

“Is it okay with you to leave Jeong-Ah here for a while? Your brother-in-law and I, we are trying hard to improve our financial situation.”

“Huh? You don’t have to ask me, sister. It’s our parents’ home, so as long as they are okay with it then it is okay. It seems our parents like to be with Jeong-Ah. She is entertaining them.”

“Thank you, Gun-Ho. I didn’t want to impose.”

Tears welled up in her eyes.

Gun-Ho was getting ready to leave for Seoul.

“Why don’t you stay here and spend the night? There are many rooms you can use. And I am cooking for dinner.”

“Mom… dad, you’re probably really tired already. Take a good rest now. I will send you the living expenses to your bank account, mom. Don’t forget to pay the HOA on time. I’m leaving now. Bye, Jeong-Ah!”

Gun-Ho walked out of the condo. He felt good while heading to the subway station. Gun-Ho turned around to see the condo complex again.

“Don’t worry about your parents anymore!”

The majestic high-rise residential complex seemed to say that to him.

Note*

Tangsuyuk – Korean Chinese deep-fried pork dish with sweet and sour sauce.