Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

For some reason, Gun-Ho played golf very well that day even though he couldn’t compete with those three other men who had been playing golf for years.

The three men made a birdie while Gun-Ho kept making a bogey. They eventually arrived at the fourth hole, and it was Gun-Ho’s turn.

“Be careful. There is a small pond there.”

Despite the warning, Gun-Ho overswung there letting the ball fall into the water hazard.

CEO Choi laughed and said, “I guess it will be President Goo who’s going to pay for our game fees.”

The four men sat at a table under the shade and had a beverage. H Group’s CEO Choi asked Gun-Ho, “How’s your business these days?”

“It’s going okay.”

Minister Jin-Woo Lee, who looked very comfortable and relaxing while having his beverage, looked at CEO Choi and said, “CEO Choi, give him some help in business.”

A Group’s CEO Park, who was sitting next to Minister Jin-Woo Lee, said to Minister Jin-Woo Lee, “H Group is currently a client company of one of President Goo’s companies.”

“Oh, really? That’s very nice. It’s good that I invited President Goo to join us in playing golf today. Is that why you are losing in golf right now, President Goo? Are you letting CEO Choi win on purpose to make him feel happy?”

The three men laughed out loud, and Gun-Ho said, “Not at all. I was wondering all morning if I’ve been just a distraction to you all because I’m a bad golf player.”

The four men continued to play golf and finally completed the 18 holes. Minister Jin-Woo Lee said as he wiped the sweat off his face, “Mr. CEO Choi, why don’t we have lunch here after we take a shower. They have a very good restaurant in the clubhouse.”

“Sure. It sounds good. I’ve been to this country club several times before. Their food is not bad at all.”

“It should because the food is prepared and provided by the food and beverage team from Hanhwa Hotel & Resort.”

The restaurant in the clubhouse was spacious. Since it was a weekday, there were not many people in the restaurant though. It was also past lunchtime as well.

The four men sat at a table and had lunch together. While having his food, CEO Choi asked, “Mr. Minister Lee, I heard that you are joining the political party— Gongmyeong.”

“Yes, everything is already arranged. Once I join the political party, it will draw me public attention, and it will be hard for me to enjoy golf with you all here any longer.”

“I will inform my chairman as it is then.”

“Thank you. How is the chairman doing by the way? He is well, right?”

“Yes, he is well.”

They stopped their conversation for a while and started eating.

Gun-Ho couldn’t bring up the topic on the table, which he wanted to ask about all along. He wanted to say that GH Mobile’s shares that were transferred to Minister Jin-Woo Lee’s father— Mr. Beom-Sik Lee— were excessive given the fact that GH Mobile was not making enough money with A Electronics’ product order. He just couldn’t blurt the topic out of blue, and also since it was somewhat related to politics, he knew he had to be extra careful.

A Group’s CEO Park said, “I’m not sure how the political party— Gongmyeong— is doing financially.”

“They are not doing great,” Minister Jin-Woo Lee said.

A Group’s CEO Park said, “We will contribute 1 billion won to the party. I already have our chairman’s approval on it.”

H Group’s CEO Choi added, “I haven’t received our chairman’s approval yet, but we will send our contribution to your political party as well, probably about the same amount as A Group’s contribution. We will get the receipt for the contribution, so we can get tax benefits for it anyway. It could become an issue among the opposing political party if it’s publicly known though.”

Gun-Ho thought about it for a second.

‘If I can get a tax benefit for the contribution that I make to the political party, maybe I should make the contribution too. I know that a businessman shouldn’t have a close or distant relationship with politicians, but this is probably the chance to make my “investment” in politics to gain a bigger profit later.’

Gun-Ho then declared, “My company is a small company with the annual sales revenue of 100 billion won, but since we can get the tax benefit, our company will send our contribution to support your political party as well, Mr. Minister Lee.”

“Haha, it’s okay, President Goo. You don’t have to do that.”

“I insist, sir. You presided over my wedding, and we took classes together at the Advanced Center for Administrative Development at Seoul National University, Mr. Minister Lee. I’ve always and truly wanted you to succeed. Please accept my contribution of 100 million won.”

“100 million won?”

The other three men looked genuinely surprised.

Minister Lee laughed loudly and said to CEO Choi, “I guess you should give good care to President Goo for me as you do to your little brother, CEO Choi. Since your company is already doing a business with his, please be good.”

“Okay, I will. Haha.”

CEO Park said while having his vegetable salad, “As to the timing of the contribution, we will send it around 15 days after you join the political party.”

By then, Gun-Ho realized that this golf meeting was intentionally arranged by CEO Park. He was the man who was leading the A Group’s planning and coordination department. A Group was one of the hardest companies to get a job in. They required a personality test to all job applicants who already passed their first screening process with their education degree which was above bachelor’s degree. Once they passed the personality test, they would be invited for an interview for the third screening process. The competition to be hired by A Group was over 100:1. And their number of current employees must be more than tens of thousands. CEO Park was in the leading position among those smart and competitive people. He must be a remarkably smart man.

‘I’m sure that CEO Park set up this golf meeting with purposes. In order to maintain his powerful position within A Group, he has to keep a good relationship with A Group’s owner family. In order to do that, he brought H Group’s CEO here and led him to make a contribution to A Group’s son-in-law’s political party. Additionally, he brought me in this too. I guess I can expect that GH Mobile’s sales will increase soon because of H Group’s help.’

Once they determined how they were going to make their contribution to Minister Lee’s political party, they dropped that topic, and they no longer talked about politics that day. They were all very experienced men who could read each other’s minds by making a short conversation. After they learned what they wanted to know skillfully, they simply moved on.

Minister Jin-Woo Lee looked at Gun-Ho and said, “Eat more, President Goo.”

“Yes. I’m having enough food now.”

CEO Choi was smiling while having his beer. Gun-Ho glanced at H Group’s CEO Choi and thought, ‘This man knows how to put on a poker face, and he is doing it perfectly. No wonder why he is the CEO of an enormous company like H Group.’

Gun-Ho came back home after playing golf with the three men. Since it was Saturday, the traffic was congested, and he could arrive home in the evening. Minister Jin-Woo Lee and CEO Park stayed in Tuscan Village of the country club. They said that they would spend the night there and would leave for Seoul early in the next morning so they could avoid the heavy traffic.

It was Monday.

Gun-Ho was supposed to go to work in Jiksan Town and Asan City, but he didn’t. Instead, he made a call to the branch manager of the stock brokerage company where he was holding his account with 170 billion won in it.

“This is the branch manager in Gangnam District location.”

“It’s Gun-Ho Goo.”

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

“Are you busy today? Do you have time to have lunch with me?”

Gun-Ho was a big player in the Gangnam District area, and a stock brokerage company’s branch manager was practically in no position to say no to him.

“Of course, sir. I always have time for you. Where do you want me to come?”