Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

Chapter 928: Big Fish (1) – Part 1

Gun-Ho opened the Financial Supervisory Service’s website— DART (Data Analysis, Retrieval, and Transfer System)— to check the Style Apparel’s audit report. That company owned the building in Bangbae Town that Gun-Ho wanted to buy. That apparel company was generating an annual revenue of 30 billion won. The company had some debts, but it was not high. It had a good amount of assets as well.

“So, this company has no reason to sell its building.”

On the way back from the restroom, Gun-Ho stopped by Director Kang’s desk.

“Is that apparel company’s owner working in the building in Bangbae Town?”

“No, sir. She has a small office building in Cheongdam Town, and she is working there. The building in Cheongdam Town has their own retail store as well.”

“Hmm, really?”

Gun-Ho thought about it while having his coffee in his office.

‘That apparel company seems to be a financially stable company, and I can see that she doesn’t need to sell the building in Bangbae Town for money. However, since she has another building in Cheongdam Town, she might be interested in closing the building in Bangbae Town and focusing more on the building in Cheongdam Town. The location in Bangbae Town doesn’t appear to be suitable for clothing selling anyway. She has a way higher chance to succeed in the clothing industry with the location in Cheongdam Town.

Since her business is with apparel, she is surely interested in opening additional retail stores. Cheongdam Town is good for her business, and also Myeongdong Town and the area around Dongdaemun will be good too.’

Gun-Ho asked Director Kang to come to his office.

“I want you to meet with the owner of that apparel company again.”

“You are aware that she is asking 30 billion won for that building, right, sir?”

“When you meet her for the second time, I want you to show her that we are serious about buying her building, and that we are not just poking around fishing. Tell her that someone wants to open a clinic there, and the potential buyer is willing to pay for up to 25 billion won. And, leave your business card with her and ask her to contact us if she is interested in selling it, then you will set up the meeting between her and the person who is actually interested in buying it.”

“What if she doesn’t contact us?”

“That’s fine as well. We just do what we can do, and if she doesn’t want to sell, then that’s it. Nothing much we can do about it then.”

“Mr. Chairman, there are tons of nice buildings for 25 billion won in the area such as Anyang City, Seongnam City, or even in Bongcheon Town in Seoul City where I’m living right now. I’m not sure why it has to be that particular building in Bangbae Town.”

“Well, let’s try this first, and if that doesn’t work, we can seek another building in other areas.”

“I guess that you want to buy a building for your wife’s clinic. She can commute to Anyang City or Uiwang City from your home in Bangbae Town. If you find a chauffeur for her, then she doesn’t even have to drive.”

“Well, let’s revisit that option later. For now, go and see that apparel company’s owner in Cheongdam Town.”

“Yes, sir.”

It was early April.

Gun-Ho received an email from Director Woon-Hak Sim in China. He attached the business registration of their new company— Menghuan Yule— to the email.

When Gun-Ho was reading the email, he received a call from Director Woon-Hak Sim.

“Mr. Chairman, did you receive my email with the business registration?”

“Yes, I did.”

“We are making a contract with Ms. Mori Aikko. And, we raised her pay dramatically higher than last time.”

“How much did you offer her this time?”

“We offered her 500,000 dollars, sir.”

“How much did you pay her for the previous movie— Menghuan Yinghua?”

“We paid her 200,000 dollars at that time.”

“Hmm, well, I can see the raise.”

“Ms. Mori Aikko is now doing a lot better in her acting than last time. And, she is also well-known and popular as well since the movie— Menghuan Yinghua. She deserves 500,000 dollars.”

“Hmm, is that right?”

“We will sign the contract with her on April 5th when she visits here in Shanghai City.”

“You asked her to travel to Shanghai City to sign the contract, rather than you traveling to Tokyo and see her there, huh?”

“Well, the location was not determined based on convenience, sir. The signing event can be used as part of marketing too. The news reporters will be in the signing event too. Otherwise, we will have to take photos, and make documents, and send them to journalists ourselves. They will certainly be intrigued by the fact that the same actress who starred in Menghuan Yinghua will take a leading female role again in a new historical movie— Wo Yingxiong.”

“Hmm, I see.”

“Sir, if you could visit us on April 5th in Shanghai City, that would be great.”

Gun-Ho indeed missed Mori Aikko. But, he hesitated. Gun-Ho was concerned that people including Huanle Shiji Production Company’s staff and even Director Woon-Hak Sim looked at Gun-Ho and Mori Aikko with a suspicious gaze, like they were having an affair, or having an inappropriate relationship or something. So, he thought that it would be wise to see her privately later without letting others know.

“I can see Mori Aikko maybe next time. Please say hello to her for me.”

“Alright, sir. I will also tell her that Mr. Chairman Goo greatly contributed to raising her pay this time.”

Gun-Ho received a call from GH Mobile’s President Song.

“The loan of 120 billion won has been successfully processed. That amount of fund will be deposited in GH Development’s business account later today. Also, as of today, every single employee of GH Development is hired by GH Mobile as our new hires.”

“Good job. Thank you.”

“The thing is that many works that have been handled by Manager Hong and Assistant Manager Jeong would be handled by our relevant departments in GH Mobile. For example, handling the Four Major Public Insurance for employees will be taken care of by our general affairs department. And, the accounting work that has been handled by Manager Hong will be handled by our accounting department.”

“Hmm, that makes sense.”

“That means that I’m afraid that we will need to let one of them go. Will it be okay with you, sir?”

“They have been working with me so closely for years…”

“If you want to keep both of them, we can reassign their job then. We can have Assistant Manager Jeong assist Director Kang in managing the tenant companies’ rent. She can also manage the cleaning crew and security guards.”

“What about Manager Hong?”

“What if we make a new department that will directly report to you, sir, like the planning and coordination department? And, have Manager Hong work in that department. She has a tax accountant license. I think she can handle tax matters, manage GH companies, and also assist you to manage your assets too, sir.”

“Hmm.”

“Other than that, we have to let one of them go.”

“Let’s make a personal secretary office for the chairman, rather than a planning and coordination department. And, let Manger Hong work as a manager in the new department, and relocate Secretary Yeon-Soo Oh to the same department as staff. Manager Hong will handle financial matters while Ms. Yeon-Soo Oh will handle secretary work. When you assign them to the department, make sure that you write their brief job description on the paper.”

“Yes, sir. That sounds good.”

Gun-Ho called for Manager Hong, Assistant Manager Ji-Young Jeong, Secretary Yeon-Soo Oh, and the maintenance team lead— Mr. Soo-Nam Jeong. The four employees came to the chairman’s office and stood up in front of Gun-Ho in a row.

Gun-Ho smiled and said, “Is Director Kang currently not in the office?”

“He went to Cheongdam Town, sir.”

“You are now working for GH Mobile, not GH Development. You are aware of it, right?”

“Yes, sir. We were told by Director Kang.”

“This office will be called the Building Management Department. Even though now you are working for GH Mobile, nothing much would be changed. I just wanted to tell you that you just need to keep up the good work as you have done.”

“Yes, sir,” said the four workers simultaneously.