Episode 34: The Manufacturing Process
“Hey, isn’t this place a bit expensive? Why’d you come here?”
“Haha, don’t worry about it. This time, it’s on me, so feel free to order whatever you want. You must be hungry after all that work earlier. I’ve come well-prepared.”
“Oh, really? Then, thank you.”
At those words, old man Shin showed a welcoming expression. In truth, though he didn’t say it, it wasn’t easy to cover the food expenses because Yongpal had a huge appetite.
Looking at the menu, Lee Chang-jin spoke confidently.
“Alright, shall we start with three servings of makchang (pork intestines) and two servings of gopchang (beef intestines)? Or is that too little? old man Shin, you usually eat about three servings, right?”
“Of course. That little won’t do. Look at this guy’s size. He eats like seven people in one meal. We need at least ten servings.”
“Really? Then let’s start with ten servings.”
After a while, various side dishes like peppers, garlic, chives, sweet onions, and dipping sauces were brought out. Soon, the preheated makchang and gopchang arrived, piled high in a pot. As the gopchang started sizzling on the grill, the savory smell filled the air.
Yongpal, unable to resist the smell from the grill with the white kimchi, swallowed his saliva and picked up his chopsticks. Seeing this, old man Shin smacked his hand.
“Ouch! Why are you hitting me?”
“Hey, you need some patience. It’s not cooked yet.”
“Yes, just wait a little bit longer.”
Though Yongpal pouted in dissatisfaction, he soon fell silent at the sizzling sound of the meat. When the yanggimori (beef tripe) and yeomtong (beef heart) were done, the delicious aroma wafted from the golden-brown surface.
While Yongpal was drooling, old man Shin placed the well-cooked gopchang on the white kimchi and took the first bite.
The fresh juice from the well-cooked meat and the crispy yet chewy texture was amazing. Unable to hold back, old man Shin exclaimed in delight.
“Wow, thanks to Chang-jin, we’re feasting today. We can’t miss out on alcohol in a place like this. Owner, two more bottles of soju!”
“Yes! Right away!”
Thinking it had been a while since he had a big spender, the owner quickly brought over two bottles of soju.
old man Shin, already having a drink, offered a glass to Lee Chang-jin.
“This is the life… Come on, Chang-jin, have a drink.”
Lee Chang-jin politely declined and filled the empty glass.
“Haha, I’m good. I brought my car. But is it okay for you to drink while working?”
“One or two bottles is just like drinking soda. I heard from Cheol-ho that your startup is doing well these days. Congrats on your opening, even if it’s a bit late.”
“Haha, it’s too early to talk about success. We’re just getting started. How about you, Elder? Are you getting enough work these days?”
old man Shin, who had just emptied his glass, replied.
“Well, more or less. It’s not like the old days. These days, many places mass-produce metal goods, so the orders for farming tools have dropped a lot. The factory-made quality has also improved. But I’m doing okay. Recently, there’s been an increase in orders for making large nails for construction companies.”
Lee Chang-jin, with a glint in his eye, showed interest.
“Large nails? Do you mean the ones used in excavators?”
“Yes, the big nails used in excavators. With the construction industry recovering, business is decent. I heard one of our companies got a contract in the Middle East. Everyone’s rushing to build up their achievements to expand overseas, so it’s been a bit of a relief.”
“That’s good news.”
Large nails, often used to break concrete or stone, were essential in major construction projects, sometimes ordered in bulk by the hundreds. Lee Chang-jin nodded, thinking to himself.
‘It seems the construction industry is recovering faster than expected.’
Given the industry’s sensitivity to economic fluctuations, it was crucial to plan well when entering or exiting the market. Expanding recklessly could lead to significant losses if the economy took a hit.
For Lee Chang-jin, who was now interested in the construction sector, this was valuable information.
As Lee Chang-jin occasionally chimed in agreement with old man Shin, Yongpal continued to eat without paying much attention to their conversation. Before they knew it, over half of the meat, which had been piled high on the table, was gone. Annoyed by Yongpal’s rapid eating, old man Shin tapped the table with his chopsticks.
“Hey, you! Pay attention when the elders are talking. Can’t you see we’re discussing something important? You need to know the industry’s trends if you’re going to run a workshop in the future.”
“I’m not the boss, so why should I listen to that stuff? I’m content with just being a salaryman. As long as I’m full and warm, what more do I need?”
“Darn you, boy. Do you think that’s all there is? And how much have you eaten already? Are you a pig? Eat a bit more slowly. Are you going to eat us out of house and home?”
“If you treated me more often, would I be like this? Treat me more and then talk.”
old man Shin snorted in disbelief.
“You eat at least five to seven servings per meal. Who can afford that? And didn’t you sneak a box of ramen from the warehouse last night?”
Yongpal, with wide eyes, replied.
“How did you know?”
“How could I not know? It’s written all over your face. You can’t hide anything. You’re like an open book. I can’t even hire a part-timer because of you.”
As old man Shin sighed in frustration, Yongpal grumbled with a sullen expression.
“But I work hard, don’t I? I do the work of at least three people. And I’m okay with a new hire. I’d welcome a junior.”
“Are you kidding? I’m scared another one like you will come in and bring the house down. You’ll ruin everything.”
“Why are you being so harsh? My senior is here, too. Isn’t that too much? I have my pride, you know.”
“Pride, my foot. Then stop eating so much. Got it?”
“Ugh, why are you being so stingy about food?”
Yongpal made a sad face as old man Shin tried to take his plate.
Watching the two bicker, Lee Chang-jin smiled softly.
“Alright, alright. I’ll order more meat, so take your time. Boss, five more servings of makchang, please!”
“Yes, right away.”
The owner, delighted at the thought of making good money, hummed a tune as he brought more makchang.
Yongpal, with his cheeks stuffed like a squirrel, continued to munch, looking quite comical.
In the end, Yongpal finished all ten servings by himself.
He even finished three servings of spicy bean sprout soup and fried rice, only stopping when his belly was full.
“Burp, that was a delicious meal. I wish we could eat like this every day.”
“You’re going to drive me crazy. Move around a bit after eating so much. You’ll get diabetes.”
“I’m fine. I plan to live short and intense… Don’t worry about me, Elder.”
“Ugh, this rascal. Always has the last word.”
old man Shin, chuckling, turned to Lee Chang-jin.
“Now that we’ve finished eating, let’s get down to business. Why did you come?”
“Oh, it’s actually because of this.”
Lee Chang-jin handed over a picture he had brought from Anyang Steel.
old man Shin showed interest in the vacuum dryer in the photo.
“What’s this? I’ve never seen it before.”
“It’s a machine for drying cables. I need it made, and I need your expertise. I sketched out the design like a pressure cooker. The measurements and specifications seem complicated. Could you take a look?”
As he alternated between the sketch and the photo, old man Shin snorted in disbelief.
“Why make it so complicated? This is just a big safe, isn’t it? Like a bank safe?”
“A safe?”
Lee Chang-jin asked, having never heard of this before.
“Yes, it’s similar to the safe I delivered to Shinil Bank decades ago. No need to make a mold like a pot. Just make a big safe with a hydraulic door. Why make it complicated?”
“Ah! That’s true.”
It was a perspective Lee Chang-jin hadn’t considered.
In fact, there had been a major fire in Seoul on December 25, 1971.
One of Korea’s top hotels, Daeyeongak Hotel, had burned down completely. The fire resulted in 163 deaths and 63 injuries.
It was recorded as the worst fire disaster in Korea since its founding.
After the fire was extinguished, something unbelievable was discovered among the charred remains. There was an object that remained intact, without any deformation, under the blackened debris.
It was the bank’s safe located on the hotel’s first floor. Despite the thousands of degrees of heat from the flames, the safe’s door and walls remained intact. This incident greatly improved the public’s perception of safes.
“Well, I have the design drawings. Just need to adjust the size.”
Confident, old man Shin replied.
“Can you make it yourself, Elder?”
“No. I don’t want to. Why should I make this? Why go through all that trouble?”
“Why not? Didn’t you say you could do it?”
“I have a mountain of work to catch up on. Do you know how long it will take to make this? By the time I’m done, I’ll be out of work. Will you take responsibility if I lose my regular clients? Stop talking nonsense.”
Unmoved by old man Shin’s refusal, Lee Chang-jin grew anxious.
“I can compensate you for the lost orders, can’t I?”
“You speak so easily. What about the raw materials and labor costs?”
“How much would it take for you to accept this job?”
“Well, you’d have to cover my and Yongpal’s six months’ wages. Otherwise, I can’t do it.”
Seeing old man Shin’s smugness, Lee Chang-jin smiled meaningfully.
“Oh, in that case, you can start today.”
“What? Are you showing off? Don’t talk nonsense.”
Lee Chang-jin immediately handed over a thick envelope filled with money.
“Here’s a year’s salary in advance. Please take on this job.”
Seeing the cash, old man Shin’s eyes widened. It was the advance payment from Anyang Steel.
With 15 checks inside, old man Shin’s eyes bulged like a fish.
Noticing the amount, Yongpal blurted out.
“Oh my, this is over a million won. When did our factory start making this much annually?”
“Shut up. Why are you ruining the moment? Ahem. So, when do you need it done?”
Suddenly changing his attitude, old man Shin asked politely.
“The sooner, the better. You need to finish quickly and take on more work. Please help with the design first.”
“Just say the word! Hey, Yongpal, get up now.”
“Why now? I just ate. Can’t I rest a bit? I worked hard earlier.”
“If you get paid, you work immediately. Let’s hurry!”
With old man Shin’s cooperation, Lee Chang-jin began designing the product based on the Shinil Bank safe’s drawings.
The key to the vacuum dryer Lee Chang-jin wanted to make was its high fire resistance and airtightness. The dryer had to withstand temperatures up to 1500 degrees, similar to a safe. Showing a blueprint that looked like a refrigerator, old man Shin explained.
“The size is about 3m wide and 4-5m high, right? We can’t make and transport this big a thing. We’ll have to assemble it on-site. It’ll be a double-walled structure like a safe. But first, we’ll need to heat-treat the steel plates.”
Lee Chang-jin nodded in agreement.
“We’ll get the steel plates directly from Anyang Steel. We’ll need a large hydraulic system. One cylinder needs to lift over 4 tons.”
“Right? But such a product isn’t readily available. Do you have a way to get it?”
Pondering for a moment, Lee Chang-jin suddenly thought of the construction equipment factory he visited recently.
To be continued in Episode 35.
