Episode 22: Market Research
It was none other than the employees of Daese Industries who collapsed in front of the office door with a faint groan.
“Ouch, that hurts…”
Goo Chang-dong, who had fallen on his buttocks, grimaced in pain and groaned.
Lee Chang-jin, who was dumbfounded, asked him,
“Manager Goo, what on earth are you doing?”
Goo Chang-dong’s face turned tomato-red as he quickly got up. The other employees awkwardly stood up and lined up.
The employees, looking like criminals receiving punishment, hung their heads low.
Goo Chang-dong, who had nothing to say, scratched his head awkwardly.
“I’m sorry. We didn’t mean to eavesdrop from the start, but Team Leader Seo was so curious that he insisted…”
Seo Yohan, taken aback, hurriedly defended himself.
“What are you talking about? It was Manager Goo who coaxed us into it first…”
“When did I ever?”
Lee Yong-shik, who had been watching, added quietly.
“Manager Goo was so curious that… I’m sorry, sir.”
“What? Even you, Team Leader Lee? Are you all putting the blame on me?”
Goo Chang-dong glared at the team leaders in frustration, and Lee Yong-shik poked Seo Yohan in the ribs.
Watching the three of them bicker, Lee Chang-jin burst into a hearty laugh.
“Haha, it’s alright. People can be curious. By the way, I’m late in introducing you. This is Manager Jin, who oversees the Daehung Trading affairs.”
Jin Seon-ah, who had her hair swept back, politely bowed her head.
“I’m Jin Seon-ah. Nice to meet you. Please take care of me.”
“May I ask what your relationship is… if it’s not too personal?”
At Goo Chang-dong’s question, which seemed to carry a lot of anticipation, the two looked at each other.
As Lee Chang-jin hesitated on how to answer, Jin Seon-ah, with a playful smile, spoke up.
“Well, it’s not just a simple business relationship. To be honest, you could say I’m the biggest creditor in his life.”
“A creditor in life? Are you two dating?”
“Well, since I’ve even taken his body as collateral, you could say so. Right, Chang-jin?”
“Oh my!”
Yeo Jin-joo covered her mouth in surprise.
The employees looked as if they believed it completely.
Nodding continuously, Goo Chang-dong murmured in admiration.
“Impressive, sir. You’re not just good at business.”
“You two look great together. Truly a perfect couple.”
“Sir, I truly respect you.”
The employees looked at the two with eyes as if they were watching celebrities.
Seeing the crowd of employees gathering, Lee Chang-jin, feeling awkward, looked at Jin Seon-ah, who linked arms with him as if to show off.
Jin Seon-ah winked at the startled Lee Chang-jin and whispered softly.
“Just play along.”
Feeling triumphant, Goo Chang-dong clapped his hands and looked around.
“Alright, everyone heard that, right? I was right, so hand over 100 won each as promised.”
“Geez, you’re really squeezing us dry…”
The employees grumbled but still searched their pockets.
It seemed like they had made a bet on the relationship between the two.
Lee Chang-jin, feeling exasperated, chuckled, and Jin Seon-ah, with a smiling face, said,
“Well then, everyone, I’ll be borrowing the boss for a bit. He’s been hard to reach lately. In return, I’ll cover the dinner expenses tonight.”
Jin Seon-ah, smoothly asking for understanding, handed over a thick envelope of money.
Seeing the blue face of King Sejong on the bills, Goo Chang-dong quickly changed his tone to a respectful one.
“Of course, ma’am. Borrow him anytime. Alright, everyone, what are you doing? Go see them off.”
Pushed by the employees, Lee Chang-jin was reluctantly driven out of the factory.
Outside, in the parking lot, a pretty Pony Coupe was parked.
It was a limited edition car that hadn’t been officially launched in Korea yet.
From the driver’s seat, she playfully patted the seat next to her.
“Get in, Chang-jin. I’ll drive you today.”
“Thank you. But somehow, I feel like I’m always swayed by your momentum whenever we meet.”
“Oh, come on.”
As Lee Chang-jin fastened his seatbelt with a cough, Jin Seon-ah, holding the steering wheel, smiled softly.
“Shall we go, Chang-jin?”
“Hmm… So, where are we going?”
“First, let’s have a meal, then visit the Gwanghwamun car dealership. Choosing the factory site will take some time, and it looks like you’ll need a truck or a jeep. You were thinking that earlier, weren’t you?”
Impressed by her seemingly mind-reading words, Lee Chang-jin internally admired her.
“Wow, did you receive some kind of divine inspiration? How do you know my thoughts so well?”
Smiling, Jin Seon-ah answered as if it were natural.
“Just by looking around the factory, I can tell what’s needed. I’ve done over 300 factory auctions, you know?”
“Wow, I’m sorry for not recognizing a master. I’ll serve you as my mentor from now on.”
When Lee Chang-jin pretended to bow deeply, Jin Seon-ah smiled in satisfaction.
“Good. So, where are we going to eat?”
“There’s a place called Bukchang-dong Hand-Cut Noodles, famous for its small clams and sujebi. If that’s not to your liking, how about oyster soup? There’s a good place nearby that’s not fishy and quite spicy.”
“Hmm… I’m craving sujebi. Let’s go there.”
A little later, the Pony car carrying Lee Chang-jin arrived in front of the restaurant. Lee Chang-jin pulled out the chair for Jin Seon-ah.
“Thank you.”
Jin Seon-ah looked around as if searching for something, and Lee Chang-jin asked,
“What are you looking at so intently?”
“I think I’ve been here before… Judging by the wear and tear, this place seems quite old.”
“They say it’s been around for over 50 years. The owner hasn’t changed, so the taste remains the same.”
“Shall we order first? Excuse me, we’d like to order!”
“Yes, what would you like?”
A friendly-looking staff member approached.
Pointing at the menu, Jin Seon-ah said,
“Two hand-cut noodles, an oyster pancake, clam sujebi, barley bibimbap, and a mung bean pancake, please. Oh, and one grilled pork belly.”
Lee Chang-jin wasn’t surprised, knowing Jin Seon-ah’s generous nature.
Soon, the table was filled with a hearty spread of food.
After a while, as she was busy with her chopsticks, Jin Seon-ah, with a satisfied expression, said,
“Ah, I missed this taste. When I was abroad, there wasn’t anything proper to eat. Everything was either sweet or salty. I got so tired of eating sushi and sashimi all the time. I feel alive again.”
“Abroad? Where did you go?”
“I was on a business trip to Tokyo, Japan, for about two weeks. Recently, there’s been a boom in bowling over there. Many business owners are looking to shift from the pachinko business to bowling, so I went to check the situation and collect payments.”
“Oh, does Daehung have branches in Japan as well?”
“Of course. Money knows no borders. We’ve been there for over ten years. We have several business locations in Midosuji and Ginza as well.”
Pachinko, named after the friction sound of metal balls dropping, is a type of slot machine derived from pinball machines.
After World War II, surplus ball bearings, once produced as military supplies, flooded the market at low prices, naturally becoming a national pastime in Japan.
Most people involved in the pachinko business back then were Zainichi, or Korean residents in Japan. Due to severe discrimination, it was difficult for them to get good jobs despite their abilities.
To avoid starvation, Koreans had no choice but to flock to the pachinko business. Daehung Trading provided low-interest loans to these Koreans.
Initially, the pachinko business was a small, low-capital venture, but Korean credit made it difficult to use banks. By the 1970s, more than 70% of pachinko business operators were from Chongryon or Korean descent.
However, the inherent nature of people to move towards legitimacy could not be denied.
Recently, many Korean business owners were shifting towards the bowling business. Jin Seon-ah, the daughter of Jin Tae-chun, went on a field trip to Japan for this very reason.
“I understand. Even if the pachinko business is doing well, people would naturally want to earn money in a more legitimate way if they can.”
“I checked it out myself, and the bowling boom is indeed huge. That’s why I haven’t made a decision yet. What do you think, Chang-jin? From a business perspective, is it a worthwhile investment?”
Seeing her expectant eyes, Lee Chang-jin thought for a moment before answering cautiously.
“Well… I think popularity in sports is subject to timing. Even if there’s a craze now, it could die down over time. Moreover, bowling isn’t an irreplaceable sport, and there aren’t star players to keep the momentum going. Leisure industries are also influenced by government policies. However, there are businesses that never fail through the ages.”
In reality, the bowling boom in Japan rapidly declined in the 1980s. The nationwide saturation of bowling alleys contributed to this decline.
Furthermore, the emergence of golf star Isao Aoki in the early 1980s shifted national interest to golf, contributing to the decline in bowling’s popularity.
Hearing Lee Chang-jin’s words, Jin Seon-ah seemed to agree.
“Hmm… You’re right, Chang-jin. I was quite tempted, but I guess I need to rethink. I’ll talk to my father about this. Thanks for the advice.”
“I’m glad I could help.”
Lee Chang-jin smiled gently. By now, the table was clean, with all the food gone.
After finishing their meal, the two headed to the Gwanghwamun branch.
Entering Sejong-ro Street in Gwanghwamun, with Bukak Mountain as the backdrop, the old Joseon Government General Building, now the Central Government Complex, stood solemnly in the middle of the intersection.
As the vehicle entered the intersection, the Hansung Ilbo building and the post office came into view, with the New York Bakery, known for its premium bread, on the opposite side.
One block further, the sign of Mirae Group Insurance Company and Mirae Automobile Sales Agency on the third floor of the building appeared.
As Jin Seon-ah’s car arrived in front of the building, the manager, who had been informed in advance, opened the front door and greeted them.
“Welcome, Manager Jin. We’ve been expecting you. How have you been?”
Jin Seon-ah responded with a familiar attitude.
“Oh, Manager Kim. I’ve been well, thanks to you. How about you?”
“Of course. Thanks to you, the last quarter went smoothly. Thank you for visiting us regularly. By the way, did you change your cosmetics? You look even more radiant than before.”
His words flowed like honey.
To him, pressured by performance, Jin Seon-ah was nothing short of a god, or more accurately, a cornucopia.
Jin Seon-ah, seemingly not bothered by the flattery, covered her mouth and laughed.
“Haha, please don’t say such embarrassing things. I’m simple-minded and might take your compliments seriously.”
“Haha, I’m just stating the facts. But I thought you recently got a new car… What brings you here? Is there a problem?”
“Oh, it’s not about my car. I’m very satisfied with the new one. Today, it’s not about me but this gentleman here who’s the customer.”
Lee Chang-jin, who had been standing behind, naturally handed over his business card.
“I’m Lee Chang-jin, president of Daese Industries. I run a small machinery company in Mapo.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Manager Kim Jong-ryeol, in charge of the Sejong-ro dealership.”
Though his attitude was polite, his eyes were meaningful.
Seeing the curiosity in Manager Kim’s eyes, Jin Seon-ah casually threw a remark.
“He’s my fiancé. He’s in business, so please take good care of him.”
“Oh, got it.”
With her words, Manager Kim Jong-ryeol’s posture lowered even more. He spoke respectfully.
“Well then, sir, is there a specific item you’re looking for?”
“I’d like to see construction trucks first… Can I see them now?”
“Yes, this way please. I’ll guide you.”
Manager Kim led Lee Chang-jin to the parking lot where new cars were displayed.
The parking lot, which had been neatly cleaned in the morning, was lined with various types of trucks, from GMC, also known as Jemushi trucks, to cargo trucks from Cheongwoo, M602, and Chevrolet.
- To be continued in Episode 23 -
