Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

It was the day of the GH Mobile’s building dedication ceremony for its new factory in Jiksan Town, Cheonan City.

There were about 100 plastic chairs placed in the factory yard and a stage in the front for the speakers. In the back of those seats, food was being prepared in a buffet style. Several chefs in a white chef uniform with a chef hat were busy preparing food. They were from a professional catering service provider. They brought a huge truck with folding tables and green table cloths.

GH Mobile’s major customers attended the opening ceremony including the vice president of S Group and some other directors and managers from other companies. Vendors also sent their personnel to the building dedication ceremony. President Young-Sik Park from YS Tech was seen at the ceremony with several tens of other vendors. The branch manager of the major bank was there too, and government officials from Small and Medium Business Promotion Center and Chamber of commerce & Industry, and other business-related departments’ officers in the Chungnam province attended the opening. The invitation letters were sent to the city mayor of Cheonan City and the town mayor of Jiksan Town, but they couldn’t come because of their prior engagement; they instead sent a manager to the ceremony. GH Mobile also invited the chief of police; however, they sent a patrol car instead and they performed traffic control one hour before the ceremony started. The chairman of the Senior Citizen Association also came to the ceremony, even though no one invited him.

The general affairs manager who was leading the building dedication ceremony announced that the ceremony would soon start.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, we will now start our building dedication ceremony. We will start with GH Mobile’s President, Gun-Ho Goo’s introduction.”

Gun-Ho came forward to the stage for his speech. He was wearing a suit with a flower in his breast pocket. Gun-Ho took out a piece of paper that he prepared for the speech and read it.

“Next, our Director Hyeong-Sik Yoon who has been in charge of the construction will give the report about the Jiksan factory.”

Director Yoon was wearing a GH Mobile uniform. He made a report on the size of the factory, the duration of the construction, and the cost incurred, and etc.

They then had a tape cutting ceremony. Gun-Ho was standing in the middle wearing white gloves with a flower on his chest. The vice president of S Group participated in the tape cutting ceremony as the representative of the customer companies. President Young-Sik Park from YS Tech also joined the ceremony representing vendors. Then Chairman Lee and President Jeong-Sook Shin from GH Media joined them. The plant manager and Director Yoon were standing at the end of the line.

The general affairs manager distributed white gloves and scissors to them who would be participating in the tape cutting ceremony. Once the general affairs manager gave a sign, they cut the table with a smile. Journalists from local newspapers started taking pictures. The general affairs manager also took pictures.

After the tape cutting ceremony, the vice president of S Group approached Gun-Ho and extended his hand to Gun-Ho for a handshake.

“President Goo, congratulations. I am very delighted that our new products’ parts will be manufactured in this marvelous factory.”

“I appreciate your help and support, sir.”

Chairman Lee also quietly offered his hand to Gun-Ho for a handshake. Manager Kang who came with Chairman Lee was smiling while standing behind Chairman Lee.

“You did a great job, President Goo.”

“Thank you, sir. Thank you for coming. It’s really good to see you too, Manager Kang.”

YS Tech’s president—Young-Sik Park also came to Gun-Ho to congratulate him.

“You have done a great job. I am so proud of you.”

“Thank you, sir. I appreciate your support.”

President Jeong-Soo Shin of GH Media came to Gun-Ho as well; she was carrying flowers. She was the only female at this grand opening ceremony.

“Congratulations.”

“Haha, you brought me flowers.”

“Not just flowers, but I’ve reviewed those two books that you recommended the other day. One of those two books looks good. ‘Tactics of two groups’ will do the work.”

“What do you mean?”

“Its first edition can possibly be sold out. It won’t hit a jackpot though, but we will be able to sell the second and third round.”

“Haha, really? I will follow your decision on it.”

“This factory is enormous and majestic. I feel so proud that GH Media is a part of GH Mobile. Hahaha.”

“Thank you.”

Gun-Ho was so busy with greeting, thanking, and talking with a lot of people that day.

The general affairs manager who was leading the ceremony spoke on the microphone,

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have food and beverage prepared for you behind the seating area. Also, all doors of the factory are now open to you; you can go ahead and have a tour after having your food.”

Some people enjoyed the food while some people entered the factory to see the inside before having their food.

“Oh, this area is going to be a company cafeteria. It’s huge. It will be really nice to work at a company like this.”

“Did you see the bathroom? It’s so clean and luxurious. It has a granite countertop like a hotel’s.”

The moving to the new factory hadn’t completed yet, but there were two extruding machines from Germany already installed at the new factory; they were producing new products.

“Look at that. Those machines are manufacturing products.”

“Two machines are working now. I guess they placed those machines here to show the guests of the opening ceremony.”

“That’s right. It’s so interesting to see the products being manufactured in front of me.”

People watched products coming out of the machines and some of them took pictures with their smartphones.

Gun-Ho was sitting at a table to have food; he was surrounded by a lot of people. They were talking and laughing while having food. Even on this occasion, people didn’t forget to do their business. Some made new connections and expanded their business network at the table while having their meal. They exchanged business cards to each other.

Gun-Ho saw Chairman Lee taking phone calls constantly. He asked Chairman Lee.

“Sir, why don’t you come over here and sit with me? And have some fruits. Oh, Manager Kang, please come and join me.”

When Chairman Lee got off the phone, he came to Gun-Ho.

“I guess you are busy today since you constantly have to take calls. Please have some food and enjoy the time with me.”

Gun-Ho took a fruit plate to Chairman Lee and placed on the table in front of him.

At that moment, Chairman Lee’s phone started ringing again.

“Oh, I have to take this.”

Chairman picked up the phone.

“Well, I can’t find anyone who can buy a building that big. Haha.”

Chairman picked up a piece of apple and then put it back down on the plate as he continued to talk on the phone.

“I used to be a big player, you are right. But I am not anymore. My son is running the factory in Ansan City, and I don’t get involved in that business anymore. Chairman Park, you kept that huge building for too long. You quit drinking, right? And that probably makes your life boring. Since you can’t freely walk, you can’t go fishing like I do either.”

Gun-Ho who was sitting next to Chairman Lee couldn’t avoid overhearing the phone conversation that Chairman Lee was having. Chairman Lee continued to talk on the phone.

“Stop thinking about what others would think about you, and just put that building on the market. What? Your children will then find out? Hmm. Having so many children is sometimes burdensome. I am in a building dedication ceremony right now; I will talk to you later once I go back to Seoul.”