Son Jangwon.
The founding chairman who established Daeil Group.
A unique point about him is that he is originally from North Korea. Originally a major wholesaler in Hamgyeongbuk-do, Son Jangwon moved to the South around the time the Korean War broke out.
Son Jangwon founded the predecessor of Daeil Group, Daeil Trading, in the ruins of Seoul, which had been swept by the war.
It is said that he shouted while looking at the ruins of Seoul:
“This is an opportunity, an opportunity to turn life around!”
This story comes from the autobiography of the late chairman, which I read in the past. By the time I became a scholarship student of Daeil Group, the chairman was already no longer in this world.
I never imagined I would meet the legendary chairman in this way.
Later, when I entered the grand mansion in Pyeongchang-dong, which is revered in Daeil Group, I felt a special emotion.
The garden was spacious enough to be mistaken for a playground. The old pine trees, which seemed to be tended by hermits, added to the atmosphere.
An elderly gardener wearing a straw hat was bending over to pull out weeds, and the golden carps in the pond boasted their elegant figures.
“There he is.”
Grandfather took a step forward. I closely followed behind him.
“Hey, Son!”
Son?
At grandfather’s voice, the elderly gardener straightened his back.
“Gasp.”
I involuntarily held my breath. I had thought he was just an ordinary gardener. But under the straw hat appeared the face I had seen in the autobiography.
The chairman looked much healthier than in the photos from the autobiography. He must be over seventy, just like my grandfather.
“Oh my, you old man, coming in without the owner’s permission?”
The chairman greeted my grandfather with a smile. From what I felt in the corporate history, the chairman’s personality was like a fiery tiger. Even Son Ilsung admitted in his autobiography that he was afraid to face his father alone.
However, the chairman was smiling like a child. My grandfather was the same.
In a word, they were bosom friends, 막역지우 (moyeokjiwoo).
“So, you are the grandson Yoo Chairman boasts about so much.”
“Yes, my name is Kang Hyun.”
I involuntarily straightened my posture.
“Ma’am, please bring two coffees and one orange juice.”
“Yes, Chairman.”
The study was filled with antique furniture. Like my grandfather’s house, it felt more restrained than luxurious. They must have become friends because of their similar dispositions.
“It looks just like the future.”
The furniture I had seen in my past life was in the exact same place without a single deviation.
Later, the grand mansion in Pyeongchang-dong, like the site of Daeil Trading, became a revered place within Daeil Group. It showed how much Son Ilsung idolized his father.
For instance, when business didn’t go well, Son Ilsung would come to Pyeongchang-dong to sleep.
“So, you were the top student in your class?”
“Yes, sir.”
Son Jangwon smiled faintly at the word ‘sir.’
“Haha, just call me grandfather.”
To think I would call the chairman of Daeil Group ‘grandfather.’ Life is indeed unpredictable.
“Yes, grandfather.”
“Hyun, just call him ‘uncle.’ It’s not like he’s your actual grandfather.”
“You’re quite the stubborn old man. Should I tell my granddaughter to call you ‘uncle’ too?”
Grandfather and the chairman bickered back and forth. But even that proved they were close friends.
“Yoo Chairman, don’t you think it’s time to expand your business? When will you stop focusing only on the chemical industry?”
The chairman said, taking a sip of coffee. I cautiously sipped my orange juice as I listened to their conversation. Such opportunities were rare.
“A department store business would be good, or maybe even the aviation industry. More people will be traveling abroad from Korea in the future. Yoo Chairman, your management skills are too valuable to be confined to Dongju Chemical.”
The chairman’s foresight made my grandfather shake his head.
“Chairman Son, we are already old. After I die, my eldest and second sons will take over the company. Do you think they are capable enough? Having more than one can handle is worse than having less.”
At my grandfather’s firm words, the chairman didn’t press further.
Just then,
“Grandfather!”
A voice from outside the study made the chairman smile and stand up.
The person who entered as the chairman personally opened the door was indeed significant.
“Let me introduce you, my granddaughter, Son Yooha.”
“Hello, my name is Son Yooha.”
Son Yooha bowed politely.
I was taken aback by the familiar face. Daeil Group has had women involved in business from the past. They valued individual abilities more than gender.
Son Yooha, the chairman’s granddaughter and the only daughter of Son Ilsung, later takes over Daeil Trading.
‘The Ice Queen.’
That was the nickname given to Son Yooha within the company. She was so tough that even most men were intimidated, and her business acumen was a spitting image of her father’s.
Some elderly executives recalled that Son Yooha was just like her grandfather, the chairman, rather than her father, Son Ilsung.
And this very person.
“Hi, I’m Son Yooha.”
Extended her hand for a handshake.
“You came from the countryside, right?”
Countryside?
Son Yooha, who was showing me around the mansion, spoke to me.
“I want to visit the countryside too.”
There was no malice in her words. Rather, it was a pure and innocent comment.
In my past life, I rarely encountered Son Yooha while staying in Daeil Group’s legal team. But from a distance, she was always cold and difficult, living up to her nickname, the Ice Queen. Her current demeanor was nothing like that.
“They say you can be the top student in your school with little effort in the countryside. Is that true?”
I suppressed a laugh.
“I’m currently studying ahead of the high school first-year curriculum. How far have you gotten?”
She spoke as if she was proud of herself. Although she would later be known as the Ice Queen and take control of Daeil Trading, now she was just an 11-year-old girl.
I had already peaked in my entrance exam studies. Son Yooha’s actions were like a caterpillar trying to show off.
“I’ve probably done more than you.”
“What?”
Son Yooha’s eyes narrowed, showing disbelief.
“Follow me.”
I followed her. The mansion truly felt vast. Perhaps because of my small frame, it felt even bigger than it did in my past life.
After walking a long way down the corridor, Son Yooha opened a door and entered.
Unlike other rooms, this one was filled with cute items. The bed with lace gave off a strong girlish vibe.
“Try solving this!”
Son Yooha took a problem book from the shelf and handed it to me. At a glance, the problems seemed beyond middle school level.
Well, considering that she would soon be learning the principles of becoming a leader, this level of pre-study wasn’t surprising.
“Give it to me.”
The problem book was clean.
But how much time had passed? My hand continued to write down the answers, solving everything as if I already knew the answers.
At most, these were high school first-year level problems. But Son Yooha’s eyes were filled with disbelief.
“I’m done.”
“Liar!”
It hadn’t even been twenty minutes when I handed the problem book back. Son Yooha looked skeptical.
And why was she still speaking informally to me?
I was about to correct her manners but stopped. After today, we probably wouldn’t meet again.
“Y-you got them all right.”
Son Yooha’s mouth dropped open as she checked the answers with the key. She looked cute.
At that moment, something caught my eye.
“Yooha, do you play the violin?”
Recently, I had been seeing violin cases often. As a member of a wealthy family, social hobbies always followed. Especially instruments like the piano and violin were essential for the daughters of such families.
“Yes, I’m good at playing the violin!”
Son Yooha quickly changed the subject to the violin. Like any child, she wanted to show off what she was good at.
She must have decided in that short time that she couldn’t beat me in studies.
Before I could say anything, Son Yooha grabbed her violin case.
Although I didn’t know much about violins, the case looked quite expensive.
Son Yooha opened the case with her small hands. It was a small violin, tailored to her size. The condition of the strings and bow showed that they had been well-maintained.
“Watch this.”
Son Yooha skillfully took her position.
She placed the violin between her chin and shoulder and even used a shoulder rest tailored to her size. Her left-hand position and bow grip were textbook perfect.
Just by her posture, I could tell how long she had practiced the violin.
Zing.
The melody of the violin pierced my ears.
This piece?
Could it be a coincidence?
Son Yooha’s gaze was focused on the tip of the violin bow. She didn’t close her eyes, as if not allowing a single mistake.
“Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, Winter, 3rd movement.”
It was the same piece that music teacher Kang Hyejung had played.
Given her age, she should be practicing with the Suzuki Method. The Four Seasons is undoubtedly a challenging piece, but Son Yooha played it without a single mistake.
The sheet music must have been engraved in her mind through repeated practice. But aside from her efforts.
‘She has talent.’
She had natural talent.
Her sense of rhythm was particularly outstanding, compensating for the slower melody due to her short fingers.
When the performance ended.
“How was it?”
Son Yooha immediately looked at me and asked.
“You did well.”
I smiled and praised her. Considering her age, her performance was impressive. But that was it.
“Yooha, did your violin teacher tell you to practice this piece?”
“No! I begged to do it?”
As expected.
It’s not a suitable piece. Son Yooha lacks the maturity and technique to play it.
It’s like a child wearing their parent’s clothes. I could easily imagine her violin teacher struggling with such a demanding student.
“How about practicing a different piece?”
“Why? I played it without any mistakes!”
How should I explain this?
Wearing ill-fitting clothes too often can lead to bad habits. To explain the difference to Yooha, I would have to show her a perfect performance of the Four Seasons. But how do I even know this?
“Oppa, do you know how to play the violin?”
“Huh?”
I was more surprised by the word ‘oppa’ than the question about the violin.
To think I would call the chairman of Daeil Group ‘grandfather,’ and be called ‘oppa’ by Daeil Trading’s Son Yooha.
“Show me!”
Son Yooha puffed out her cheeks and handed me the violin.
What should I do?
I took the violin involuntarily, but I had only learned to play it briefly a long time ago. I had given up because I had no talent.
But why?
When I held the violin and bow, my heart started to race.
The small violin seemed to be urging me to play it.
Could I play the violin?
I moved as my heart guided me.
“Huh?”
Son Yooha’s eyes widened. I had quickly taken the position with the violin. It felt natural, as if I had been playing for a long time, becoming one with the instrument.
And then,
The bow was slowly raised.
Son Yooha unknowingly held her breath.
The moment the bow touched the string.
Zing.
