Episode 126: Rolls-Royce
Nam Tae-hee, furious, expressed his protest to the Football Association.
“What nonsense is this! Cha Geun-beom going abroad? This breaks our agreement, doesn’t it?”
“We apologize. The player’s personal desire to go abroad was too strong to stop. The association isn’t the player’s parent, how can we stop someone from pursuing their own path?”
“Excuse me, but does that make any sense? With the team already formed, this is clearly a breach of contract!”
At that moment, Park Sang-myeon’s dismissive voice could be heard over the phone.
“So what are you going to do about it?”
“What did you say?”
“Listen, Executive Nam Tae-hee. Do you think I bow to you because I lack power? I might not have money, but I have pride. You seem to think you can treat people like fools.”
Although Nam Tae-hee hesitated slightly at Park Sang-myeon’s calm demeanor, he wasn’t one to back down easily.
“Listen, Chairman. Are you joking? You were the ones who broke the promise first, weren’t you? There’s a limit to turning the tables. Isn’t this problematic?”
“Alright then. Withdraw the formation of the team if you wish. But remember, you might come in as you please, but you can’t leave as you please.”
Nam Tae-hee was so taken aback that he stammered.
“Are you serious right now?”
“Think what you will. I’m busy, so I’ll hang up now.”
Nam Tae-hee was left speechless by Park Sang-myeon’s sudden change in attitude.
“What a crazy bastard! What is he relying on?”
Just as Nam Tae-hee was about to dial again, his secretary burst into the office.
“What’s going on?”
“Executive! We have a major issue. Our company is all over the news right now.”
The secretary, holding a newspaper, appeared very urgent.
The newspaper he was holding was the sports section of the 『Gyeongun Daily』, featuring an article with the headline:
[Tae-yang Group demands Cha Geun-beom’s signing in exchange for team formation]
[Corporate tyranny extends to amateur teams with shady connections]
「It has been revealed that Tae-yang Group demanded Cha Geun-beom’s signing as a condition for forming a new team, causing a scandal. According to a recent whistleblower from the Football Association:
“It seems that Tae-yang was discussing team formation on the condition of acquiring Cha Geun-beom. If it weren’t for Mirae Group, it would have been difficult for Cha to go abroad.”
While the times are changing, the mindset of Korean companies remains myopic. Deciding a player’s career based on the interests of associations or private corporations is a blatant disregard for the individual’s freedom of career choice. We hope such incidents do not repeat in the future.
- Reporter Joo Young-mi」
“Damn it, that woman! She should mind her own business, what’s this nonsense?”
“Executive, that’s not the only issue. The tabloids are all over it now.”
Nam Tae-hee tried to manage the situation somehow, but the issue had already spread uncontrollably. Even magazines that sold less than 100 copies a day were plastered with the same content.
The news that spread overnight caused an uproar among football fans.
“What, are players some sort of merchandise to buy and sell at their whim?”
“Player trading? Is this lobbying real? Who do they think they are, demanding players like that? Did they deposit money or something?”
“Damn them, isn’t this just power abuse? Let’s boycott Tae-yang products!”
As angry football fans rose up, public opinion rapidly worsened.
Although opinions were divided, a significant number of people seemed to support Cha Geun-beom’s move abroad. They wanted to see a Korean player make a mark on the global stage.
As the boycott movement among football fans began, Tae-yang Group’s stock price plummeted.
Upon hearing the situation, Nam Tae-gon immediately called for Nam Tae-hee.
“You called for me, father?”
As cautious Nam Tae-hee responded, Nam Tae-gon, who was watering a plant, murmured without turning around.
“I called you to gain some practical experience, but you’ve made quite a mess.”
“I’m sorry, father. Mirae Group suddenly intervened.”
“No excuses. Results matter, not the process. Your enthusiasm is commendable, but this was a misjudgment. The group shouldn’t be embroiled in scandals.”
“I’m sorry, father. I will cancel the team formation.”
Nam Tae-gon sighed at the deeply bowing Nam Tae-hee.
“Foolish. Haven’t you heard the public sentiment? If you withdraw now, it will be as if you’re admitting to everything the tabloids said. Withdrawing the formation would just make you fodder for public gossip. Don’t speak impulsively; think it through.”
“Then…”
“There’s no choice. Keep the amateur team. If you maintain the sports team and achieve good results, the controversy will die down. Withdrawing now isn’t feasible, so focus on running the club for a while.”
Nam Tae-hee’s eyes widened in shock.
“F-father, that’s…”
“Enough. You need to clean up your own mess, don’t you? Don’t even think about returning to the headquarters until you win the league.”
Though his words were gentle, his attitude was firm.
Biting his lip, Nam Tae-hee had no choice but to retreat.
Returning to the club office, Nam Tae-hee chuckled bitterly.
He had endured abroad, hoping this was his chance, only to find himself exiled again.
“Where did it go wrong?”
As Nam Tae-hee pondered, he noticed an orchid he hadn’t seen before.
[Congratulations on becoming the club owner!]
Irritated, Nam Tae-hee called his secretary.
“Who sent this?”
“It’s from the head of Future Group, Joo Moon-gwang. There’s a letter too…”
“What?”
Reading the letter made Nam Tae-hee’s blood boil.
[Looking forward to seeing the skills you learned in the US. Let’s compete in the league!]
The mocking tone made Nam Tae-hee snap.
With trembling hands, he crumpled the letter.
Unable to contain his anger, he grabbed a golf club and smashed the orchid pot.
Crash! The pottery shattered loudly, scattering pieces everywhere.
Moments later, blood dripped from his cut skin.
Unable to control his temper, Nam Tae-hee raged like a madman.
“You bastard!! Lee Chang-jin, you son of a bitch! Aaaahhhhh!!!”
One month later, December 1978, Bangkok Asian Games football.
The match between South Korea and Thailand was being broadcasted.
The commentator’s voice could be heard.
“This is a fierce battle. The players seem very exhausted.”
“They played an extra time match just the other day, running full 120 minutes.”
“Park Chang-woo looks like his legs have given out.”
“It’s not over until it’s over. They need to stay focused. Ah, a Thai player intercepts the ball.”
At that moment, cheers erupted from the stands, and the commentator’s voice sped up.
“Ah! Cha Geun-beom has the ball!”
“The Thai players can’t catch him. Cha Geun-beom with an explosive dribble! This is his specialty!”
“Cha Geun-beom is breaking through. It’s a one-on-one with the goalkeeper!!”
Unable to keep up with Cha Geun-beom’s footwork, defenders were left behind. He swiftly bypassed three defenders and fired a powerful long-range shot. The 30-meter shot seemed to be sucked into the goal as if by a black hole.
“Goal~in!!”
“Goal! It’s a goal, Cha Geun-beom! He never misses a chance!”
The excited commentator shouted, spitting as he raised his voice. The players embraced each other in Cha Geun-beom’s solo performance.
Moments later, the whistle signaled the end of the match.
“1:0! South Korea advances to the finals!”
“Three consecutive goals! Cha Geun-beom is on fire. Is he trying to make a statement?”
“His form is different from before. He has already scored 10 goals in four matches.”
As his overseas move became more likely, Cha Geun-beom played like a beast on fire. With double the score difference from the second top scorer, he was already the MVP of the Asian Games, regardless of the final result.
For the agency, this was a significant advantage, and Lee Chang-jin couldn’t help but smile. Just then, the phone rang.
“Hello?”
It was Brandon’s voice.
“Did you watch the match, boss?”
“I was watching. He’s really good.”
Since winning the military uniform contract, Brandon had started calling Lee Chang-jin ‘boss.’
Brandon, slightly excited, spoke rapidly.
“A new team has joined the negotiations. Bremen wants to negotiate. They want to use him as a wing forward and are offering 200,000 marks (about 52.6 million won) in salary.”
“They’re offering a lot for their standards. Is he guaranteed a starting position?”
“Yes, absolutely. They promised the best treatment.”
“So, what’s Cologne and Hamburg SV offering?”
“They’re offering between 150,000 and 180,000 marks. Including options, it’s about the same.”
“Then look into Dortmund as well. I think we can get up to 250,000 marks (about 65.75 million won) from them. They’re quite desperate with some of their starters out for the season, so they don’t have many options.”
“Got it, boss!”
Feeling light-hearted, Lee Chang-jin left the office.
A chicken advertisement was playing at a nearby TV store.
“Chicken is definitely Daese Chicken! Chicken is love.”
With the notable performance of the players at the Asian Games, chicken consumption had surged.
Beer sales also increased rapidly, recently surpassing IB and threatening Goryeo Beer’s dominance.
“Indeed, sports and chicken and beer are the answer.”
Lee Chang-jin started selling chicken with photo cards of popular stars of the time.
Inspired by the photo card stars of the 80s, he took it a step further by offering life-size celebrity posters for those who bought ten servings of chicken.
It worked perfectly, with some consumers buying chicken just to get the photo cards.
Conversely, actors were eager to be featured on the photo cards, to the point of proposing photo shoots themselves.
A few days later, Brandon secured a 250,000-mark annual salary agreement with Dortmund.
As Lee Chang-jin was packing his things, the phone rang in the office.
“Mr. Lee, I’ll be there in ten minutes. Come outside.”
When he stepped outside, a heavy and well-designed car was waiting in the parking lot. The radiator grille and bonnet ornament, the Spirit of Ecstasy, shaped like the Parthenon temple, were noticeable at the end of the long hood.
Seeing the chrome-plated emblem, Lee Chang-jin immediately recognized it.
It was a 1977 Rolls-Royce, known as the ‘mansion on wheels.’
“Ah, you’re here, Mr. Lee. Please get in.”
Outside the door, a uniformed driver was waiting politely.
Following the driver’s guidance, Lee Chang-jin got into the car, and Jin Tae-chun greeted him.
“How have you been, Mr. Lee? You must be very busy with the new business ventures. I wonder if you have time for a vacation?”
“If it’s a request from you, I’ll make time no matter what. Isn’t a son-in-law like a son? It’s the least I can do.”
“Anyway, thank you. I was feeling lonely with no one to go fishing with, and I’m glad you could join me.”
“No, I should be the one to thank you for inviting me. I’ll make sure you’re comfortable.”
“You young rascal, don’t be so sly. Who’s looking after whom? I’m not that old-fashioned.”
The interior, finished with top-quality leather, was soft and pleasant-smelling.
As he fastened the seatbelt, the car started moving silently.
“I didn’t know fishing was one of your hobbies. Have you always enjoyed it?”
“Haha, I used to be more active when I was younger. But as I got older, it became more difficult. My physician strongly advises against strenuous activities, so what can I do? It’s a way to pass the time and get some fresh air.”
“If you have the time, there’s no more relaxing hobby than fishing. Where are we headed today?”
“First, we’re going to Geoje Island. Blackhead sea bream fishing is the dream of all anglers.”
The car was plush and comfortable. It was so quiet inside that you could only hear the ticking of the clock. Even while driving on unpaved roads, there was hardly any shaking, making Lee Chang-jin drowsy.
Meanwhile, the vehicle, driving along the coastal road around the hillside, soon reached its destination.
“We’re here. Time to wake up.”
“Sorry, I dozed off.”
“You must have been really tired. It’s okay to sleep when you’re tired. Let’s start getting ready.”
Looking out the window, he saw the winding Haegeumgang. It was Geoje’s representative harbor, Gujora, with black-tailed gulls circling the sky, seemingly hunting for fish.
The group headed to the ticket office after getting out of the car.
“There’s still a lot of time left before departure.”
The ticket office, with the regular ferry schedule posted, was bustling with people.
Glancing at his watch, there were about two hours left until departure.
Seeing Lee Chang-jin checking his watch, Jin Tae-chun chuckled and shook his head.
“Haha. You’re joking, right? Time is money. Do you think I’m that idle? We’re taking that.”
Jin Tae-chun pointed to a docked 100-foot (31 meters) yacht. It was equipped with two 1,650 horsepower engines.
The streamlined body had the name ‘Pietà’ written in cursive.
- To be continued in Episode 127 -
