Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

Later that day, Gun-Ho received a call from someone who introduced himself as a manager of an economic newspaper publisher.

“Mr. Chairman, I just saw the public announcement made by Dyeon Korea, on having a new president. Is it related to the acquisition rumors, by any chance?”

“As our previous public announcement stated, we reviewed the possibility of acquisition, but nothing hasn’t been decided yet.”

“Then, why is a new president coming in at this point?”

“Oh, that’s according to our joint venture contract. American partner and we take turns every two years producing a new president. My term as its president will soon expire.”

“I heard that you will be inaugurated as chairman, sir. According to the Financial Supervisory Service Website— DART (Data Analysis, Retrieval, and Transfer System), you also own companies— GH Mobile and GH Development. Are you resigning from the president position of those companies as well?”

“We have competent CEOs.”

“How many companies are there under GH’s name?”

“I beg your pardon? Oh, do I have to disclose things like that too?”

“You don’t have to, sir, but it’s no secret either, is it?”

“Well, I have a few more companies in Korea, and two companies in China. They are all small companies.”

“Can I have those companies’ names, sir? I’m sorry if I’m taking too much of your time.”

“GH Machines, GH Media, and GH Logistics. These are all located in Korea. In China, I have GH Parts Company in Suzhou City, and GH Antang Transportation Company in Antang City.”

“You have many businesses, sir. This will be my last question for you, sir. Dyeon Korea has a great business, and its sales revenue is rapidly increasing even at this very moment, I believe. Why are you selling your ownership interest in this very lucrative business, sir?”

“Dyeon Korea’s stock has been classified as a theme stock, and I don’t enjoy getting public attention.”

“Haha, I see. Well, thank you for your time today, sir. I appreciate it.”

It was December 15th.

“I’m supposed to receive the payment for my ownership portion in Dyeon Korea. I wonder if W Chemicals would send it today as promised. Well, I hope they keep their words.”

Gun-Ho sat at his desk in his office in GH Building, Sinsa Town. He then turned on his computer and checked Dyeon Korea’s stock price. The price was still decreasing.

Gun-Ho made a call to SH Investment Partners’ President Geun-Soo Son.

“The price is decreasing today again.”

“Yes, sir. I’m monitoring it right now.”

President Geun-Soo Son asked, “Sir, Ms. Seung-Hee Park told me that you are no longer president, but you became chairman. She said that she heard about it from a friend.”

“Really?”

Gun-Ho thought that the friend who Seung-Hee sister heard the news from was probably his sister— Gun-Sook— who was working in GH Logistics.

“Mr. Chairman, there is news coverage about you in an economic newspaper. I also read one from the Internet as well. Have you seen the news, sir?”

“No, I haven’t. I didn’t know.”

After getting off the phone with President Geun-Soo Son, Gun-Ho searched for news about himself.

[Dyeon Korea’s President Gun-Ho Goo, who is receiving a lot of public attention these days because of his company’s stock which is classified as a theme stock, has been inaugurated to chairman. It was said that he was removed from the president position of Dyeon Korea according to the joint venture’s policy. Chairman Gun-Ho Goo currently owns GH Mobile, GH Development, GH Machines, GH Media, and GH Logistics, and he also owns two companies in China— GH Part Company which is an auto parts manufacturing company in Suzhou City, and GH Antang Transportation Company; it’s an intercity express bus service provider located in Antang City.

As Chairman Gun-Ho Goo officially took the chairman position, the companies under GH’s name seem to form a group. It is known that Chairman Gun-Ho Goo recently reviewed the possibility of selling his ownership interest in Dyeon Korea. And, it seemed that he hasn’t felt comfortable about receiving a lot of public attention since the company’s stock was classified as a theme stock, and that probably motivated him to consider disposing of his ownership portion.]

Gun-Ho somewhat felt embarrassed by reading the newspaper that was talking about him.

“Sh*t. Where did they get my photo? It’s huge. I feel so embarrassed that my photo is published in a newspaper. I should have hung up the phone when I received the call from that economic newspaper journalist.”

Gun-Ho then opened the Internet news. The news about him could be found everywhere online, including Naver.com and Daum.net. Some netizens commented on the news.

“Is there a job opening for this company?”

“I’m sure that he is a second-generation rich kid.”

“He is now a chairman, and he is only 38 years old. Man… I am unemployed, and I spend most of my days playing online games. He is the same age as me. I’m jealous that he was born into a rich family.”

“I saw the company when I was passing by the area. I heard that you have to work really hard, but their pay is really good too.”

“Hey, Chairman Gun-Ho Goo, why don’t you make some donations to help others since you seem to be making a lot of money.”

“So, he is feeling uncomfortable that his company was classified as a theme stock being influenced by politics, huh? Yeah, I think people are better off by staying away from politics.”

“Hey, the news reporter who wrote this news article, so what are you saying? What’s your point?”

Gun-Ho giggled as he was reading the comments made by people who read the news.

At that moment, Gun-Ho received a call from Attorney Young-Jin Kim at Kim & Jeong Law Firm.

“Wow, Chairman Goo. I didn’t know that you were such an amazing person. I didn’t know you own 8 companies. You are the chairman of a conglomerate company.”

“Don’t be silly. I just have a few tiny businesses. You don’t call that person as the chairman of a conglomerate company. Well, since you are an attorney, you should know better. In order for a company to be deemed big enough with the duty to make public announcements for each of its material events, its assets have to be more than 10 trillion won. You know that, right? The Fair Trade Commission determines that status on May 1st every year, don’t they?”

“Whatever it is, the fact that you are an unbelievable man doesn’t change. I’m so proud of myself now who has a friend like Chairman Gun-Ho Goo.”

“Those news reporters exaggerated when they wrote those news articles. Don’t believe everything you read from a newspaper.”

“You are indeed incredibly amazing. I’m going to call Professor Jien Wang and the professor friend in Washington University in Seattle, and share this news with them. They will be proud of you, my friend, as I am.”

“Stop it. You make me feel embarrassed.”

Won-Chul Jo, who was Gun-Ho’s high school friend, was talking on the phone with another high school friend— Byeong-Chul Hwang— who was working in a research center. Won-Chul, Jo was recently promoted at work, and he called Byeong-Chul Hwang to share his excitement.

“Hey, now I am a manager. From now on, I won’t feel so embarrassed to tell people around me about my job title at work. How are you doing? Did you get a promotion to a lead researcher?”

“No, not yet. Being a lead researcher or a manager doesn’t seem to be a big deal any longer. Read today’s economic newspaper. They have a news article about Gun-Ho Goo. It covered the front page.”

“What about Gun-Ho Goo? He is doing great, right?”

“Not just great, man. It looks like he will soon become the chairman of a conglomerate company.”

After getting off the phone with Byeong-Chul Hwang, Won-Chul Jo read the newspaper about Gun-Ho.

“Wow, I can’t believe this. His father used to work as a security guard in a factory or something, and he is running several companies now, and he is forming a group of companies. I don’t understand this. He graduated from a low-ranked college, and he used to study desperately to become a level-9 government employee, in Noryangjin Town, while eating cheap and crappy food. How could this happen? I guess that smartness shown in school doesn’t really have something to do with money-making skills,” Won-Chul let out a deep sigh.

Won-Chul Jo felt depressed that day. He felt like he was a stupid loser. In fact, he graduated from a top university and got a job in a large company. People around him envied him. He thought that he was better than anybody, especially among his friends from high school. That day, he felt so small.