Episode 33: The Foundry Complex
As Lee Chang-jin arrived at the Guro Shopping District, he was greeted with a warm smile from Kim Cheol-ho, who was sweeping the yard as usual.
“Oh, Chang-jin! I heard you went back home for the holiday. How was your trip back to your hometown?”
“It was great. The people in the village haven’t changed a bit. I had a good rest.”
“How’s your father? Is he still healthy?”
“Yes, he has more wrinkles than before, but thankfully, there are no major issues.”
“That’s a relief. I should visit sometime, but I can’t seem to muster the courage.”
Kim Cheol-ho scratched his head with a bitter smile. He too had a strong desire to revisit his hometown but felt guilty. In his youth, he had borrowed money from selling a cow and ran away from home, never returning since.
Like many rural areas, it was a time when small-scale farming couldn’t promise a future. Moreover, as the second son, inheriting the family’s meager assets was out of the question.
Surviving on relief supplies and grass porridge, Kim Cheol-ho decided to move to the city.
Though he had meticulous plans and goals, his dreams were short-lived. Soon after arriving in the city, he was mugged and lost all his emergency funds.
Kim Cheol-ho endured various hardships afterward. He moved from one factory to another, learning skills, but his family also suffered greatly.
Once he finally settled down, he was able to look back on his family. However, his father could not easily forgive him. It was difficult to forgive the second son who ran away with crucial money.
Although the resentment had faded over the years, the incident remained an indelible guilt for Kim Cheol-ho. Perhaps, this was why he spared no effort in helping his nephew, Lee Chang-jin. Sensing his uncle’s feelings, Lee Chang-jin spoke gently.
“Is it because of that incident? Mother has probably already forgotten about it. You’ve helped us a lot over the years, both financially and emotionally. Please don’t worry too much and visit occasionally.”
“Still, it’s hard to change one’s feelings. By the way, did you deliver the thermal underwear I sent?”
“Of course, I did.”
“Good. If I had said it was from me, she wouldn’t have accepted it. Well done. Anyway, what brings you here today? You must have come to discuss something.”
When Kim Cheol-ho subtly changed the subject, Lee Chang-jin detailed the products he had been ordered to produce.
After listening and pondering for a moment, Kim Cheol-ho shared his thoughts.
“If it’s a factory for making pressure cookers, you don’t need to go far. You could call in some sheet metal workers to make the outer shell, add insulation, and cover it with tin. That should do, right?”
“Well, we need something with excellent sealing properties. We need to apply vacuum pressure, so even a tiny pinhole on the surface won’t do.”
Even a tiny hole in a sealed container could cause it to collapse under vacuum pressure or deform vacuum-dried goods, so high manufacturing precision was required.
Moreover, creating such large structures with molds was very challenging, and ensuring fire resistance and sealing properties required meticulous planning and preparation from the design and groundwork stages. Hearing Lee Chang-jin’s point, Kim Cheol-ho fell into deep thought.
“Hmm… vacuum, huh? Then, you can’t use just any technician. Let me see… I have a list of iron processing companies. Where did I put the foundry complex address?”
After rummaging through his drawers for a while, Kim Cheol-ho pulled out a yellowed booklet.
A moment later, he opened a page, pointed to a red line on the paper, and murmured.
“Ah, found it. Here it is. You know the Geomdan District in Seo-gu, Incheon, right? Go see old man Shin at the foundry complex there. He should be able to help.”
“Wait, do you mean Shin Dae-gil? I heard he’s over seventy now… Is he still working?”
Lee Chang-jin was surprised. Shin Dae-gil was an authority in Korea’s iron processing field, a master who had learned his craft at Japan’s Kawasaki Foundry. During his college years, Lee Chang-jin had worked part-time under him. Smiling, Kim Cheol-ho replied.
“Of course. He’s still very active. I visited him last month, and he’s still the same. His stamina is better than younger folks. He’s truly remarkable. You haven’t visited him since your military service, right? Go see him early tomorrow. He’ll be glad to see you.”
Receiving the address, Lee Chang-jin stopped by the new factory to check the final progress before heading home.
By the time he got home in the evening, the interior was dark.
“Did he already go to bed?”
As he was about to take off his shoes, a shadowy figure appeared.
It was none other than Dong-geun.
“Hyung, I’ve been waiting for you. Just got back?”
“Hey, give me some warning. You almost gave me a heart attack. Why are you in the dark?”
“Ah, sorry. I didn’t want to waste electricity since there’s nothing to do. I just waited after finishing my work.”
“Stop being so frugal. I told you not to save on electricity. Keep the lights on.”
As Lee Chang-jin turned on the lights, he was met with an unexpected sight.
A feast was laid out on the dining table.
Kimchi stew steaming, rolled omelets, braised burdock, stir-fried anchovies, and more.
Speechless, Lee Chang-jin finally spoke.
“What is all this? Did you make it?”
Scratching his head, Dong-geun, wearing a pink apron, replied.
“No, it’s not all mine. Your mom packed a lot of food when we came up from the countryside. I figured you hadn’t eaten and were busy working, so I just made the stew and rice.”
“Why go through all this trouble… Where did you buy the groceries?”
“Well, I figured it out. I went to Inwang Market across from Yujin Shopping District and got what I needed. But come on, sit down and eat.”
Unable to refuse, Lee Chang-jin sat at the table.
As he tasted the soup, Dong-geun asked expectantly.
“How is it? It’s pretty good, right?”
“Wow, this isn’t your first time cooking, is it? Where did you learn to cook like this?”
“Hey, don’t underestimate me. I used to be a well-known cook back in the day. From now on, I’ll take care of your breakfast, laundry, and cleaning, boss.”
Impressed by Dong-geun’s attitude, Lee Chang-jin felt grateful once again.
“It must have been tough organizing the house. Thanks, but don’t overdo it. I called you here to pass the test quickly, not to act as a housekeeper. You don’t have to go through all this every time.”
Dong-geun waved his hand dismissively.
“No, please. I can’t just freeload. I need to earn my keep. Otherwise, I’d feel uncomfortable.”
“Alright, do as you please. But did you enroll in the academy?”
“I was getting familiar with the city, so I haven’t yet. I’ll do it tomorrow.”
“Remember to enroll tomorrow. And don’t overexert yourself.”
“Yes, I will. But eat quickly, or the stew will get cold.”
Smiling at Dong-geun’s words, Lee Chang-jin felt a warm feeling inside.
After finishing his meal, Lee Chang-jin soon went to bed.
The next morning, he set off early for the Geomdan Foundry Complex in Incheon.
Seo-gu in Incheon, once called Seogoet and Geomdan, was more familiar as Seogoet until Geomdan was incorporated into Seo-gu, Incheon in 1995.
In the street lined with dozens of blacksmith shops, rusty sickles, pitchforks, hooks, and hinges were displayed along the roadside.
Passing by shops reeking of iron, he turned into an alley opposite the township office, where a shabby blacksmith shop without a signboard greeted him.
With a low roof requiring a stooped entry, the 10-pyeong building had a furnace with flames in one corner, and tools like an anvil, tongs, and hammers scattered around.
In front of the over-2,000-degree Celsius coal fire, an elderly man was carefully pulling out a glowing red iron rod.
The craftsman placed the iron on the anvil and hammered it dozens of times.
His furrowed forehead showed a determined look. This was Shin Dae-gil, a master blacksmith with 40 years of experience. Despite being over seventy, his dark skin and well-defined muscles were impressive.
A huge man stood assisting him, over 190 cm tall with broad shoulders, resembling a sumo wrestler.
As the hammer struck, a dull noise echoed, and sparks flew like flower petals. The sound of iron being hammered was rough.
How many times had the red-hot iron been hammered?
Without turning around, old man Shin muttered.
“Are you a customer? Sorry, but I’m swamped right now. Leave your name and order; I’ll get back to you. I can’t take orders at the moment.”
“Got it. I’ll wait a bit longer then.”
Hearing the familiar voice, old man Shin turned to look.
Seeing who it was, he exclaimed in surprise.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Chang-jin!”
“Long time no see, sir. How have you been?”
“It’s been a while. How have you been? I heard you joined a company. What have you been up to without a word?”
“Haha. Sorry, I’ve been busy with work. Do you have time to talk today?”
Still hammering away, old man Shin replied.
“Hold on a bit. I need to finish this task right away. Let’s talk afterward. Hey, Yong-pal! Can’t you put your strength into it? Show some muscle!”
“Yes, sir!”
As the hefty Yong-pal hammered with all his might, old man Shin also quickened his pace. Watching them work, Lee Chang-jin guessed.
‘Ah, they are making a traditional sword.’
Combining iron with different properties to create composite steel is called “folding.”
After attaching two metals with different properties to a red-hot mild steel, they sprinkle borax powder to prevent oxidation. Then, they carve a groove in the middle, fold it inward, and repeat the process. By layering it like steamed rice cakes, the once soft iron becomes hard and elastic.
If even a tiny air bubble forms between the layers or if the timing is off, the work is likely to fail. This folding process is so difficult that even experienced blacksmiths like old man Shin succeed only half the time.
Holding their breath, they continued hammering tirelessly.
Sweat dripped like rain from old man Shin’s forehead.
Learning the craft of a blacksmith is tougher than it seems. From bellows blowing and hammering to handling tongs and refining tools, it takes at least ten years to learn it all.
Working with iron is a battle of patience.
With unwavering eyes, old man Shin watched the layered iron in the furnace. The melting point of iron is 1,500 degrees Celsius. A blacksmith must sense the moment just before the iron melts. Especially without a thermometer, they rely solely on their intuition to gauge the furnace’s temperature.
Watching the meticulous work, Lee Chang-jin recalled the past. It was something old man Shin used to say often.
“How do you know the right time to work?”
“It’s simple. Iron speaks through its color. If it’s still reddish, it needs more time. If it’s too bright red, it’s overdone. So, you have to hammer it when it’s just right with a slight whitish hue.”
Before his recollection ended, old man Shin moved on to the next step. Placing the elongated iron into a water tank, steam erupted.
After heat treatment and polishing, old man Shin finally straightened up.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he exhaled.
“The first step is done. The rest can wait until after we eat.”
“Phew, that was tough.”
Panting, Yong-pal put down the hammer. Lee Chang-jin quickly handed him a clean towel.
“Thank you for your hard work. Aren’t you tired? You’re not young anymore… Isn’t it time to rest?”
Wiping his sweat, old man Shin replied as if the idea were absurd.
“What are you talking about? What would I do if I stopped working because I’m old? There’s nothing else to do. I don’t even have a wife anymore… This is my only joy.”
“You’re amazing. By the way, who is this next to you? Could you introduce us? I’ve never seen him before.”
“Oh, this is Yong-pal, Park Yong-pal. He’s my new apprentice. He’s very strong and quite useful. And this is Lee Chang-jin, the smartest student I’ve had. Top of his class at Korea University. You two should introduce yourselves.”
Proudly boasting, old man Shin made the hefty Yong-pal bow his head.
“Wow, Korea University! Impressive. I look forward to working with you, senior.”
“Senior? That’s too much. Just call me Chang-jin.”
Taking off his gloves, old man Shin spoke again.
“Chang-jin, you must have something to say if you came to see me, right?”
“Haha. You’re always in a hurry. Let’s eat first and talk. You must be hungry… I’ll treat you.”
Lee Chang-jin took them to a famous local beef tripe restaurant. The interior had been recently renovated and was clean and comfortable.
Following Lee Chang-jin’s confident stride, the massive Yong-pal and old man Shin entered and sat down.
- To be continued in Episode 34 -
