The unprecedented backstab by 【Intere】 resulted in a super cycle for domestic semiconductor companies, including 【Guseong Electronics】.
The demand for DDR DRAM skyrocketed after learning that 【Intere】 would not support reverse DRAM.
Recently, 【Guseong Electronics】 announced plans to increase production lines, but due to immediate shortages, prices soared.
Companies that had increased or were in the process of increasing reverse DRAM facilities were hit hard.
Of course, they were also producing DDR DRAM and benefiting from the super cycle, but the profits were offsetting the losses from reverse DRAM.
This was the case for the better-off companies. Many Japanese companies that quickly switched to reverse DRAM were in a dire situation.
Seeing this, Kim Tae-hyun made a bold proposal to his father, Kim Sung-moo.
“How about acquiring Japanese companies at this opportunity?”
“Acquisition, huh… Doesn’t the current boom always indicate future downturns?”
“That’s true, but if we have perfect market dominance, can’t we control supply and demand?”
Hearing his son’s words, a smile spread across Kim Sung-moo’s face.
It was a plausible prediction.
But Kim Tae-hyun went further.
“And if 【Guseong Electronics】 makes Japanese companies foreign subsidiaries, we can establish a very stable chain. For example, Japanese companies produce semiconductor materials and equipment, we produce semiconductors, and finally, complete products are made in China or Southeast Asia.”
“Good, proceed with that.”
With his father’s approval, Kim Tae-hyun left his office with a determined look.
What followed was rapid progress.
『Kim Tae-hyun’s trip to Japan: Prelude to a massive M&A?』
『【Guseong Electronics】 acquires 【Ram&Rom】 for 700 billion Yen』
『【Hwaizu Semiconductor】 embraces 【Guseong Electronics】』
『【Guseong Electronics】 buys the reverse DRAM division of 【Sonic Semiconductor】, producing semiconductor equipment with facility changes』
『Kim Tae-hyun says it’s still not enough, where is he looking?』
Billions of dollars were already spent on M&As.
Yet, after the summer, he even included 【Mashita Electric Industry】 in the lineup.
‘Phew… The top companies aren’t willing to sell.’
Only the big three Japanese semiconductor companies were left.
They were 【Renaissance Technology】, 【Dovershi Semiconductor】, and 【Nylon Electronics】.
In fact, Kim Tae-hyun’s ambition was to surpass 【Intere】 this time.
As of last year, 【Intere】, the top in the semiconductor industry, was leading by a significant margin over the second-place 【Guseong Electronics】.
The total sales were three times different, and even counting the newly acquired companies, they couldn’t surpass 【Intere】, so he wanted more.
However, upon meeting Lee Hyun-woo, he received another piece of advice.
“This is enough. 【Intere】 has lost market trust this time, right? And we have an edge in the laptop platform, and our mobile APs completely dominate 【Intere】’s. So, we could reverse the rankings within 1-2 years.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Of course. Given the wireless internet spread in our country, predicting the future isn’t hard. This year, it’s entering the US, Europe, and other Asian countries, right? Then laptop demand will rise, and next, our dream of increased smartphone demand will come true. 【Guseong Electronics】 will become the world’s top semiconductor company.”
“Haha, it feels good just to hear that.”
In truth, Kim Tae-hyun had a similar prediction.
He was merely confirming it.
“By the way, I feel bad being the only one benefiting. How about you, brother-in-law?”
“No way. Just advancing the wireless internet era is great. We’ll have more to sell.”
“Really?”
Lee Hyun-woo nodded.
If 【Guseong Electronics】 continued to build IT infrastructure globally, 【Jungle】 was consecutively creating platforms based on it.
Moreover, 【Guseong Electronics】 wasn’t the only one planning M&As.
A significant piece of news broke a while later.
『Lee Hyun-woo to acquire the British semiconductor design company 【ARMY】?』
It had been pursued so quietly that Kim Tae-hyun was surprised upon hearing it.
During a gathering around Chuseok, he asked Lee Hyun-woo for the truth.
“Yes, it’s true. We plan to acquire 【ARMY】.”
“It’s true. It must be expensive.”
“Indeed. They didn’t call it cheap. It’s over 10 billion dollars.”
“10… 10 billion!”
That amount in Korean won was 9.5 trillion.
Even with the recent appreciation of the Korean currency, it was still a huge sum.
“Is 【ARMY】 that profitable? They only do design and licensing, meaning patent contracts, right?”
“So, I think it will create synergy. If 【Guseong Electronics】 and others manufacture the processors and other semiconductors designed there, and 【SJ Electronics】 and 【Won Electronics】 handle the finished products, we can finally usher in the smartphone era we’ve dreamed of.”
“Ah…”
Kim Tae-hyun immediately understood what Lee Hyun-woo was getting at.
Lee Hyun-woo saw the acquisition of 【ARMY】 as a step towards designing processors and semiconductors for smartphones.
‘Well, this means I can’t backstab my brother-in-law?’
Not that he intended to, but Lee Hyun-woo had blocked that possibility.
As 【Jungle】 prepared for smartphones, so did 【Guseong Electronics】.
However, if they prioritized their products and neglected processors and other essential semiconductors supplied to 【Jungle】, Lee Hyun-woo could proceed similarly.
Also, even if the relationship between father-in-law, brother-in-law, brother-in-law, and in-law ended or unforeseen events occurred, the same would apply.
‘Even if our family loses control of 【Guseong Group】, we can’t treat 【Jungle】 lightly.’
After all, how could you survive by becoming enemies with the world’s best processor and semiconductor design company?
‘This means the smartphone era is imminent?’
Lee Hyun-woo’s actions were significant. It was a signal that the era of widespread smartphones was near.
Therefore, the conclusion was:
‘We should discuss smartphones in the strategy planning meeting soon.’
If Kim Tae-hyun pushed it forward, it probably wouldn’t be difficult.
Recent endeavors had all led to enormous success.
As time passed, Kim Tae-hyun’s qualifications as a successor were strengthened.
The reason was simple.
As time went by, he was increasingly influenced by Lee Hyun-woo’s values and philosophy.
Lee Hyun-woo also believed that the smartphone era was imminent.
So, after Chuseok, he immediately moved to the UK to finalize the acquisition.
At nearly 10 billion dollars, the world watching him trembled once more.
That amount was among the top three in IT technology sector M&As, seen as a signal that 【Jungle】 was seriously entering the hardware market.
It affected the stock prices of 【Jungle USA】 and 【Jungle Japan】 using the 【Jungle】 name in the US and Japan, but the biggest beneficiaries were 【Guseong Electronics】, 【SJ Electronics】, and 【Won Electronics】.
Looking at 【Jungle】’s recent actions, it seemed like they would collaborate on something.
This was true.
A rumor that smartphones had been in the works for 2-3 years circulated in the market, and some media reported that preparations were almost complete.
A month later, in an interview with reporters, Lee Hyun-woo declared:
“Smartphones will be released by 【Jungle】 in the first half of next year. We will have a separate presentation then.”
For Lee Hyun-woo, the acquisition of 【ARMY】 was more of a conclusion than the beginning of smartphone preparation.
‘I will make it with the determination not to be satisfied with the first attempt.’
Even before 【ARMY】 joined 【Jungle】, processor and key semiconductor designs were done through 【Guseong Electronics】.
So, the start would proceed smoothly, but that might only apply in Korea.
Once the smartphone infrastructure was built outside Korea, numerous fast-follower companies would mass-produce smartphones following 【Jungle】.
To compete with them, it was essential to bring 【Guseong Electronics】, 【SJ Electronics】, and 【Won Electronics】 into a joint front along with the acquisition of 【ARMY】.
Steven called immediately.
(As expected, your company is the first to bring out smartphones.)
“Ah, if you read the articles carefully, you’ll see that not only smartphones but also decent tablet PCs will be released.”
(Alright, alright. Just take it as a congratulatory comment, why are you being so picky?)
Lee Hyun-woo smiled.
He knew that Steven was already working on smartphone and tablet PC designs at 【Pineapple】.
(By the way, your country should be grateful to you. Without you, they wouldn’t have been able to lead the ecosystems of MP3 players, e-book readers, and the future smartphones and tablet PCs.)
“That’s right. Korea should be grateful to me.”
(All good, but you lack humility.)
“It’s quite surprising, hearing that from you.”
(Alright, see you next year. Send me an invitation for the presentation, and I’ll definitely visit Jeju Island.)
This meant he wanted an invitation.
There was no intention of not sending one.
How could he not invite Steven, the innovator of smartphones?
After ending the call with Steven, he chatted with Billy Keats.
“【Macro Soft】 isn’t talking about smartphones?”
(Of course not. We blew it with the e-book reader and MP3 player.)
That was true. The reason was simple. When Billy Keats strongly advocated, they hesitated, and later rushed to release those items when they dominated people’s daily lives, only to fail.
This showed how significant it was for Billy Keats to step down as CEO.
Even so, Billy Keats was still the world’s top stockholder.
‘That won’t last long.’
Currently, the difference in their stock evaluation was exactly 10 trillion won.
If 【Jungle】 succeeded in smartphones, that gap would soon be bridged.
