Suddenly, a story about a senior who used to work at the Ministry of Finance comes to mind.
Among OECD countries, our underground financial market is probably the largest. 20% of GDP.
20%?
Yes, but that’s just an estimate. Some say it’s even more.
Wow, that’s insane.
What’s more surprising is that right after the real-name financial system was implemented 20 years ago, it was over 30%.
In other words, over the past 20 years, only 10% of the money has been legalized.
As of last year, 1996, Korea’s GDP was about 600 billion dollars.
30% of that is 180 billion dollars, which is an enormous amount.
I’m not sure if I can believe it 100%, but right now, Kim Yoon-soo is saying that our underground financial market is planning to invest in an information and communication company.
‘Does that mean it will be legalized much faster than in the past?’
There are many complex variables and uncertainties, so it’s hard to make a clear prediction.
However, since it isn’t bad news, Lee Hyun-woo casually brought up a conversation he had with Professor Geum Sang-joon earlier in the day.
“I also have something to tell you. The nature of the 21st Century Venture Business Association will definitely change in the future.”
“Huh? How?”
“It’s like a kind of market. Specifically, a place where investors and companies seeking investment gather.”
“Ah… like the 【Natural Standard Fund】 last time?”
“It will be much bigger. The government will get involved this time.”
“The government will get involved?”
“Yes, there are funds in 【Industrial Bank】 and 【Export-Import Bank】, right? They can invest, and if public enterprises also step in, money will flock to information and communication companies.”
There will be side effects that were a concern.
But everything has two sides.
At this point, Lee Hyun-woo had no choice but to look at the positive side.
He hoped that as time passed, the side effects would be mitigated and a better world would emerge.
By a better world, he meant one less affected by the foreign exchange crisis.
‘It’s no longer an impossible realm. Maybe we can do it.’
He felt inexplicably good.
As the soju went down smoothly, Lee Hyun-woo couldn’t help but get drunk again today.
“Why did you have to show up in front of me now!”
“Hyun-woo, people are staring.”
“I have no background or vision right now. I’m just a corpse except for being young!”
“Hyun-woo…”
“Please stay a little closer to me!”
“Ah, this is driving me crazy.”
“I always wanted to look good to you!”
“Let’s go, let’s go!”
Because he was singing in the pub, Kim Yoon-soo had no choice but to drag Lee Hyun-woo out.
Of course, Kim Yoon-soo wouldn’t know.
The song coming from Lee Hyun-woo’s mouth was a popular song that decorated the year 1997 in his past life.
Without knowing this, Kim Yoon-soo murmured after putting Lee Hyun-woo in a taxi.
“This guy, where did he learn a song I’ve never heard before?”
If there had been a composer or a music producer next to Lee Hyun-woo, they could have gained a lot in an instant.
The next morning, Kim Yoon-soo brought up the conversation he had with Lee Hyun-woo the previous day at the breakfast table.
Naturally, Kim Yoon-soo’s father and brother were surprised.
“The government is getting involved?”
“Yes, that’s what Hyun-woo said. And later he was mumbling drunkenly about contacting the U.S. and Japan to attract investors.”
“Hmm…”
Kim Yoon-soo’s father, Kim Dong-baek, let out a thoughtful sound and turned his gaze to his eldest son, Kim Chul-soo.
“What do you think?”
“As times change, it seems the government is trying to revamp the industrial structure. They’re trying to shift from traditional manufacturing to information and communication. It’s not a bad strategy. If done well, Korea could completely take over the paradigm in information and communication.”
“Yes, it’s good for Korea to do well. But you know that’s not the kind of question I’m asking, right?”
“Yes, it seems the government is moving faster than we expected. So we should also speed up and gather more.”
At that moment, Kim Yoon-soo, who was listening to the conversation between the two, intervened.
“Wait a minute. By gathering more, you mean father’s acquaintances, right?”
“Yes, since your brother started a fund company, we need to start picking the wheat from the chaff. As you know, I was so upset after hearing about the 【Natural Standard Fund】 last time…”
“Yes, I should have told you earlier back then. I’m sorry.”
Last time at the 21st Century Venture Business Association, the 【Natural Standard Fund】 had loaded up on information and communication companies.
In other words, they invested in those companies with a small amount of money.
The result was starting to show recently.
【Someone’s Story】, 【E-Daily】, and 【Blue Moon】 were performing well, and some information and communication companies were preparing to list on KOSDAQ.
Seeing this series of events, Kim Dong-baek regretted it deeply.
If he had known in advance, he would have somehow gone to the 21st Century Venture Business Association to shop as well.
“So, I’m telling you in advance this time. As you know, when Hyun-woo plans something, the scale gets big.”
“Yes, I know. I don’t know how our second son met such a benefactor, but now it feels even more regretful. If I had invested in 【Jungle】 from the beginning, you would be incredibly wealthy by now. When I talk to my friends, they say the value of 【Jungle】 is 1 trillion won.”
“Father, there you go again? It’s all in the past, so let’s leave it at that… Anyway, I’m giving you premium information. Don’t blame me later.”
Worried about being blamed, Kim Yoon-soo finally took a spoonful of hangover soup.
“Ah, that’s refreshing.”
At the same time, he thought to himself.
‘There will be an incredible number of people at this 21st Century Venture Business Association.’
Lee Hyun-woo had the same thought as Kim Yoon-soo.
Naturally, while thinking about the place where many people would gather, he couldn’t help but think of his girlfriend Kim Ah-young’s hotel.
After work, he met her and subtly brought it up as soon as they entered the restaurant.
“Can I borrow the banquet hall at your hotel?”
“Huh? There’s no problem with that. But why? Is there a meeting?”
“Yeah, you know, the 21st Century Venture Business Association.”
“Ah… the one you’ve been promoting since last year?”
“Yes, it looks like the meeting will be really big this time.”
As soon as the ordered food came out, they took a short break, and then Kim Ah-young asked.
“Is it big enough to need the banquet hall at our hotel?”
“We might even have to start from your hotel lobby.”
“Wow, it’s really going to be a big meeting.”
“Yeah, a lot of companies have wanted to join recently. These days, information and communication companies are popping up every day.”
“That’s right. I read an article saying they’re springing up like mushrooms after the rain.”
“Exactly. The number of companies joining the association has also increased like crazy. Especially after many companies received investments from the 【Natural Standard Fund】 last time, there are a lot of people starting businesses after hearing the rumors and then joining.”
Kim Ah-young also knew about this.
Naturally, she was curious if a similar scene would unfold at this meeting.
She is also a businesswoman.
Especially since she made a tidy profit after investing in 【Alpha Cast】 and 【Jungle Japan】, it was only natural that she had a desire for more investment.
Fortunately, Lee Hyun-woo began to satisfy her curiosity.
“I’m planning to invite places to invest in those companies again this time. But last time it was just a single fund company, this time it’s a bit different. I’m going to inform Son Jung-yi and Joe Murphy. Besides that, I’ll send emails to investment companies around the world.”
“Wow, the scale is really going to be big?”
“Of course, there’s no guarantee that everyone will come. But I think a few places will definitely come.”
“Where?”
“The government.”
“The government?”
At this point, Lee Hyun-woo conveyed the conversation he had with Professor Geum Sang-joon the previous day.
After hearing all of that, Kim Ah-young’s eyes sparkled as she asked.
“Can I go too?”
“As an investor? Of course, you’re welcome.”
“Great. I hope to find some places to invest in this time too. It would be even better if you could help.”
Lee Hyun-woo looked at her with a big smile.
‘There will be more investors than I thought.’
He didn’t initially plan to do it this way.
The thought that came to mind when he met Kim Yoon-soo was to attract underground finance, and while talking with Kim Ah-young, the idea of having conglomerates participate naturally emerged.
Naturally, he had to think of another conglomerate he knew.
That was Choi Sun-hwa.
Lee Hyun-woo met her for lunch the next day.
Choi Sun-hwa’s reaction was similar.
“Really? You’re recruiting people to invest in information and communication companies?”
“Yes, you know it’s not an opportunity that comes often, right? The 【Natural Standard Fund】 made a lot of profit last time.”
“Can I participate too?”
“Of course. The door is always open. But you have to choose carefully. Don’t blame me later if the investment doesn’t make a profit.”
“That’s obvious. Investment always comes with risks.”
Choi Sun-hwa nodded in agreement.
At the same time, she asked various questions.
“Just help me a bit.”
“With what?”
“I don’t know much about that field. So, tell me which ones are promising. You don’t mean all information and communication companies, do you?”
“Come on, if I said that, I’d be no different from a scammer. Right now, the fields that come to mind are the ones we’ve already ventured into. That is, portal sites, online shopping, music services, and cloud computing.”
“What? Then you’re saying I should invest in 【Jungle】.”
“Unfortunately, our company is not accepting any investors other than my father.”
“What do you mean? As far as I know, 【Jungle Japan】 received investments from Ah-young and Tae-hyun oppa, and 【Jungle USA】 received a $100 million investment from the 【Natural Standard Fund】.”
“That’s different. Strictly speaking, 【Jungle】 is a 100% Korean company, and the others are Japanese and American companies? So, each company has its own managers, and we only receive dividends according to our shareholding. In other words, you can think of them as branches, not subsidiaries.”
“Is that so? Then what about Hong Kong and Taiwan? You’re planning to enter there too, right? That’s why you’re planning a concert at the end of this month.”
Choi Sun-hwa’s words were true.
The concert in Hong Kong and Taiwan, which was approaching in three weeks, was essentially a promotional campaign for 【Jungle Hong Kong】 and 【Jungle Taiwan】.
It was a collaboration with 【Aejeong Cosmetics】, and now Choi Sun-hwa was starting to get greedy.
“During the time of the Japan entry, your relationship with Ah-young was different from now. So, give me a chance too. When you enter Hong Kong and Taiwan, let us invest. Okay?”
The conversation was taking an unexpected turn.
However, this approach didn’t seem bad either, so Lee Hyun-woo’s eyes began to sparkle.
