Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

Gun-Ho, Attorney Kim, and Amiel started drinking at the restaurant & bar—Pine in Hannam Town. Their room door was opened and three beautiful young ladies in their 20s entered the room. They were wearing a traditional Korean dress.

“Oh, wonderful!”

“This guy looks so happy to see the young ladies.”

“Who wouldn’t?”

Another young lady entered the room. She was carrying a Geomungo*. She was the same girl who had joined Gun-Ho’s party when he had come to the bar with Chairman Lee. She seemed to recognize Gun-Ho as well; she nodded her head to Gun-Ho.

Richard Amiel from Lymondell Dyeon craned his neck to get a better view of the girl with a musical instrument.

She started playing music; it was beautiful.

Gun-Ho couldn’t tell which music she was playing, but it was touching his heart. It sounded sad and also fantastical.

Amiel was listening to the music with his eyes closed. Knowing Amiel couldn’t see what Gun-Ho was doing, Gun-Ho looked at Amiel’s business card again closely.

His business card said that he was the president of the exclusive distributor in Japan for Lymondell Dyeon and the president of a subsidiary company in Asia. The other side of the business card was written in Japanese.

“So, their products in Korea were from Japan?”

Gun-Ho was thinking about it when Attorney Kim tapped his arm.

“Why aren’t you drinking, President Goo? These pretty ladies poured liquor in your glass already.”

“Sure. I’ll drink.”

When the lady finished playing the Geomungo, Amiel clapped loudly and shouted ‘wonderful.’

The lady sitting next to Amiel told him to drink one more glass of liquor in English. Amiel seemed to be satisfied with the fact that he could communicate with the lady in English. He started talking with the lady.

Amiel also talked with the ladies who were sitting next to Gun-Ho and who was sitting next to Attorney Kim. They all could speak English, and they all talked in English except Gun-Ho.

Gun-Ho couldn’t say anything in English, so he just sat there and kept drinking.

“I’m the only one here who can’t speak English. It’s embarrassing.”

“Oh, you look upset, sir. You just keep drinking without saying anything.”

The lady sitting next to Gun-Ho put a crab meat into Gun-Ho’s mouth.

Gun-Ho asked Attorney Kim to drink one more glass of liquor.

“Hey, Attorney Kim. Tell your friend that I used to work in a plastic factory and the factory used the products made by Lymondell Dyeon.”

Attorney Kim told Amiel that Gun-Ho used to work in a big company where they used the Lymondell Dyeon products and he was now about to start a joint venture with the Chinese provincial government. He added that Gun-Ho and the Chinese government already signed the letter of intent. Attorney Kim seemed to exaggerate a bit, Gun-Ho thought.

“Oh, really?”

Amiel’s eyes widened and he took out Gun-Ho’s business card from his pocket and looked at it again.

“It’s a real estate development company.”

“Yeah. This company is known to be a company without debt.”

“Really?”

Amiel looked at Gun-Ho with his arms crossed.

Attorney Kim tried to add fun to the conversation.

“Hey, President Goo. Tell Amiel that you want to operate an exclusive distribution agency of Lymondell Dyeon for the Korean Market.”

Attorney Kim didn’t wait for Gun-Ho’s response and asked Amiel right away.

Amiel seemed to think about it.

Gun-Ho said while giving a glass of liquor to Attorney Kim.

“That’s not my intention.”

“Then what? This could be your opportunity. Lymondell Dyeon doesn’t give the exclusive distribution right to just anyone.”

“There should be a company that imports Lymondell Dyeon products from the distribution agency in Japan. That’s not what I want.”

“What do you want then?”

“I want to produce their products in Korea.”

“What? You want to manufacture their products here?”

“I understand that they won’t share critical technology with us, but I guess I can still operate a chemical plant that produces chemical compounds.”

When Attorney Kim tried to interpret what Gun-Ho said to Amiel, Gun-Ho stopped him.

“Don’t. If they want to open a plant in Korea, they would select the one that already has experience and ability to do it.”

“What do you mean by ability?”

“A company that already has a factory to produce chemical compounds, for example.”

“I see.”

While Gun-Ho and Attorney Kim talked to each other, fortunately, Amiel was also busy in talking with the lady sitting next to him.

“Could you elaborate on the production of chemical compounds?”

“I meant that we could bring basic materials from Lymondell Dyeon and process them. For example, we add plasticizer, filler, or pigments to the materials and produce the final products.”

“In order to do that, you will need the right equipment and plant, I see.”

“Right.”

“Hmm.”

“However, if you open a factory like that in Korea, you won’t succeed.”

“Why is that?”

“Because the Korean market is too small. You have to target China and Asia market to succeed.”

“Oh, I see.”

Gun-Ho went on while pouring liquor in Attorney Kim’s glass.

“Do you know what I really want to do? I used to work in a factory. I was a factory worker in a small factory.”

“Hmm.”

“The reason why I run a real estate development company, invest in the stock market, and participate in a joint venture with China to build an industrial park is because I want to open a huge international manufacturing company in the future.”

“Hmm.”

“I will acquire a manufacturing company someday. When I do that, please set up a meeting again with Amiel for me.”

“If you open a sizable manufacturing company, you will have several thousands of employees. Wouldn’t it hard to manage them?”

“I don’t want to manage the company or employees. I will hire a CEO to do the job and I want to sit back and control the company behind the scene.”

“Hmm.”

“I believe a chemical plant has to be operated by someone who studied chemicals, and a construction company needs to be run by someone who studied civil engineering or architecture. That is a necessary setting in order to maintain a good quality of products or services. I just want to let them do their job and sit back while watching them working and encourage them. I don’t mean to be a big player in a private loan market or anything like that. I want to be a big player who controls big companies behind the scene.”

“Just like Howard Hughes—the reclusive billionaire?”

“Well, I’m not sure if I can be as successful as he was.”

“I do admire you, Gun-Ho and I respect you. I’m sure you will be the number one big player in Gangnam someday. Let’s drink to it.”

The night grew late at the secret bar.

The bar was filled with the melody of Gayageum and the sound of people’s laughing. They all had a good time.

It was time to call it a night. Amiel held Gun-Ho’s hand and said,

“Can you meet me sometimes? I want to get to know you and be friends with you. It seems that we can be good friends. You seem to know a lot about the chemical field in addition to the real estate.”

“Sure. Let’s be friends.”

“Come visit me in Tokyo. There are secret bars like this in Tokyo as well. They do play music and dance.”

Attorney Kim clapped and said,

“That sounds great. You two seem to get along fine.”

The three men walked out of the bar while staggering. I guess I will have to call for a designated paid driver again.

Gun-Ho went to work the next morning. His head hurt.

It seemed that he drank too much last night.

Gun-Ho walked out of his office after reviewing and signing the daily report. After he ate a blowfish hangover soup, he went to a sauna. While sitting in a sauna, he thought of a lot of things.

“I currently have 10 billion won worth of Kumho Chemical stock. Should I buy more?”

Gun-Ho closed his eyes while enjoying the relaxing feeling in the sauna.

“After I set aside 1.5 billion won for the joint venture from the amount of 8 billion won of the sales proceeds of the land in Gangdong District, I have 6.5 billion won in my bank account. Should I invest all of them in the Kumho Chemical stock?”

Gun-Ho splashed warm water on his body.

“When there was a sign that the two owner brothers of Kumho Asiana Group were about to fight each other over the company, many people speculated that the company’s stock price would go up. Little people in the stock market started purchasing their stock accordingly, just like honey bees that are gathered around flowers. However, after two months when they realized the stock’s price didn’t go up much, many little people sold their stock.”

Gun-Ho made his decision.

“I have 6.5 billion won in my bank account. I will use 5 billion out of it and invest all in the Kumho chemical.”

When Gun-Ho came back to his office, he purchased more stock of Kumho chemical with his 5 billion won.

“Okay, I have now 15 billion won worth of the Kumho Chemical stock. Maybe I can become the major shareholder of Kumho Chemical.”

Gun-Ho decided to give enough time to the stock and enjoy running his business while waiting for the stock price to increase.

“Two brothers will not easily reconcile.”

Gun-Ho smiled.

Note*

Geomungo – A traditional musical instrument of Korea