Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

The following day, Gun-Ho went to work in the GH Building in Sinsa Town.

GH Media’s President Jeong-Sook Shin came up to Gun-Ho’s office on the 18th floor.

“A Group’s marketing department contacted me and asked me to visit their office. Isn’t A Group one of your client companies, sir?”

“That’s right. Why do they want to see you?”

“They want to make their company’s history book, and they want us to make it for them.”

“Is that right? Those sorts of books are not for sales, right?”

“That’s correct. They are not making it to sell. However, it is expensive to make it. Usually, we use very high-quality papers and color inks. Also, they are usually thick books with a lot of pages.”

“Who is writing the history book of their company?”

“Probably their marketing department will write it. So, you are not aware of this work, sir?”

“No. I haven’t been told about it by anyone.”

“Actually, making a company’s history book is lucrative work to a book publishing company. We don’t have to worry about sales, and companies pay in a lump sum for the work.”

“Oh, really?”

“Well, I’d better leave to visit A Group’s marketing team now. I’m taking Chief Editor Cheon-Young Pi with me.”

After President Shin left the office, Gun-Ho thought about the new work that GH Media received from A Group.

‘Maybe CEO Park is having a hard time giving GH Mobile more work. So, he probably felt sorry for it, and he is trying to get me more work through other companies that I own. Asking GH Media to make a history book for A Group is so random. Even though President Shin said it would bring good income to GH Media, it won’t be enough.

If this is the maximum that CEO Park could help with my business, maybe I shouldn’t have started the deal with him by transferring GH Mobile’s shares to Minister Jin-Woo Lee’s father— Mr. Beom-Sik Lee. I will play golf with him at Golden Bay this Saturday, and I will ask him about it.’

At that moment, his phone began ringing. It was from Director Woon-Hak Sim in Shanghai, China.

“It’s Director Woon-Hak Sim, sir.”

“How are you?”

“The movie production presentation to attract potential investors is scheduled on Tuesday next week.”

“I see. I will have GH Media’s President Jeong-Sook Shin be there.”

“Thank you, sir. I will be at the airport with my car to pick her up.”

“Are casting actors completed?”

“We need more time to complete it. We are still negotiating the performance price with a few actors and actresses. Huanle Shiji Production Company’s President Baogang Chen wants to make his determination on it after the movie production presentation; he wants to see how many investors would be willing to invest in his movie first.”

“I see.”

It was Friday evening.

While having dinner with Young-Eun, Gun-Ho said, “I was going to have a picnic with you and Sang-Min tomorrow, but it turned out that I would have to play golf instead. CEO Park contacted me and asked me to play golf, and Minister Jin-Woo Park will join us too.”

“How come does he always pick Saturday to hang out with you?”

“Yeah, I know. A Electronics’ CEO Park is an important client of my company. I can’t say no to him.”

“Where are you going to play golf?”

“He wants me to come to the country club called Golden Bay. It seems to be located in Taean County.”

“Taean County? You mean the Taean County in South Chungcheong Province? That’s far.”

“I know. We will have a morning round, so I will have to leave home very early in the morning tomorrow.”

“Make sure that you set the alarm clock.”

“Young-Eun, you should learn how to play golf too. Try Sportime in Yangjae Town.”

“I know that place. One of my friends mentioned it, and she wants me to join her there.”

“Are you talking about a friend who is working as a deputy director in a small hospital or something?”

“Well, this friend is my high school friend, not a college friend. She majored in diplomacy, not medical. We were not very close when we were in high school, but she often calls me lately. She is living in Banpo Town.”

“I think you should join her playing golf or other activities in Sportime.”

“I want to wait until Sang-Min grows more. By the way, I went to Seoul National University Hospital today.”

“For what? To see your friends there?”

“I had Sang-Min receive his regular physical exam there, and also stopped by the ward where I used to work. Sang-Min was so popular among the nurses there. They competed with each other to get the chance to hold Sang-Min. I’m not saying this because he is my baby, but Sang-Min is exceptionally cute.”

“Is that right?”

“I ran into the old colleague who had previously told me how come I was still driving my old SM5 even after I married a rich man. I told her that I’m now driving a new Genesis G80, and that my husband bought me the car right away when I told him about what she had told me.”

“What did she say?”

“She said that since I got the new car because of what she said, I should buy her lunch. So, I bought her lunch. Yeah… I ended up spending money again.”

“Did you spend a lot?”

“I bought three pizzas.”

“Haha, really? That shouldn’t cost you a lot at all.”

The following day, Gun-Ho arrived at Golden Bay Country Club in Taean County. When he saw the country club, he was impressed by its size and the ocean view. It was 700,000 pyung large with a lot of pine trees. The ria of the ocean on the west side unfolded in front of Gun-Ho. It was a kind of view that Gun-Ho had never expected to see in Korea.

“You came early.”

CEO Park from A Group’s planning and coordination department walked close to Gun-Ho as he extended his hand to him for a handshake. He was wearing a T-shirt with a hat.

“Hi. How are you, sir?”

Gun-Ho greeted showing his respect.

“It has been a while, Mr. President Goo.”

It was Minister Jin-Woo Lee. He came close to Gun-Ho as well. Minister Lee asked CEO Park, “What about CEO Choi? Isn’t he here yet?”

“He is coming over there.”

A tall man with a hat was walking toward Gun-Ho’s party. Surprisingly, it was H Group’s CEO Choi. He was not the owner of H Group, but he was definitely a powerful man there.

“Good to see you.”

Minister Jin-Woo Lee offered his hand to CEO Choi for a handshake.

“One of our members for golf couldn’t make it today, so I invited President Goo to join us. You’ve met President Goo before, haven’t you, Mr. CEO Choi?”

“Yes, we’ve met once.”

CEO Choi grinned as he extended his hand to Gun-Ho for a handshake. Minister Jin-Woo Lee said while tying his hands together behind his back, “What do you think about this place? It’s your first time here, right, President Goo?”

“Yes, it’s my first time here. This place is stunning.”

“Right. We can see the ocean from here. I’ve been staying here since the day before yesterday. I went fishing too, and I caught two rockfish of the size of a forearm. Haha.”

A Group’s CEO Park said, “Since not everyone here is on the same level in playing golf, we should do stroke play rather than match play.”

“Sounds good. I’m currently unemployed, while you three are running a business. You take care of all the fees like the green fee, caddie fee, and cart fee.”

The game started. It was a beautiful sunny day with a pleasant breeze touching Gun-Ho’s cheek. Gun-Ho loved the ocean view from the place where he was standing on. It was a perfect angle.

“I’m feeling energetic with the fresh air in this nice place.”

“President Goo, do you know who designed this country club?”

“I have no idea.”

“Annika Sorenstam designed this herself. She is one of the best professional golfers in history.”

“Really?”

CEO Choi looked at CEO Park with a smile and said, “She could hit a 280-yard driver, huh?”

“I know. She is just an amazing golfer.”

“No wonder why people call her the queen of LPGA.”

“I heard that she played once with the Korean golfer— Se-Ri Pak.”

“Right, I heard of it too.”

The four men enjoyed the day playing golf without talking about business or politics that could give them a headache; they instead made agreeable small talks while playing golf.