Episode 58: Italian Towel
Somehow, Kim Jung-o’s side heard the rumors and contacted him immediately.
“Hey, I heard you’ve been making some money lately by improving the weaving machines? I’ll pay you properly, so come and take a look at our side too.”
As soon as the news spread that Cheongwoo Industries had entrusted their repairs to him, Lee Chang-jin’s office phone was ringing off the hook. Textile companies from far away were coming, to the point where work was almost paralyzed. As the business grew too big for him to handle alone, Lee Chang-jin decided to create a separate department dedicated to equipment repair. Yoon Jung-pil, who had recently returned from overseas training, was assigned to head the new department.
For a machine enthusiast like Yoon Jung-pil, it was the perfect position.
Through the process of repairing weaving machines, Lee Chang-jin gradually expanded his network.
During this time, Lee Man-soo took the initiative to arrange a luncheon with textile company presidents.
The presidents of textile companies, who had received help, held a welcoming party for him.
“Thanks to President Lee, life has become enjoyable lately. Cheers!”
“Thank you for your kind words.”
Lee Chang-jin accepted the glass without hesitation. As Lee Chang-jin busily emptied his glass, President Lee Man-soo, who was watching with satisfaction, murmured in a soft tone.
“It would be nice to have a son like President Lee. Capable, handsome, well-educated — is there another man like him in the world?”
“Haha, President Lee is indeed desirable. Let’s see, isn’t President Lee around thirty now?”
“Yes, that’s about right.”
“You’re a bit late. You should hurry. You need to get married, have chubby kids, and live happily. Are you seeing anyone?”
“Yes, I am seeing someone. She’s a very good woman.”
“That’s a pity. If you weren’t, I was going to introduce you to my niece.”
“Haha, it’s better for capable men like President Lee to marry late. With your qualifications, women will line up for you, so there’s no need to rush. You can enjoy your life and still not be late. Getting married early, like me, isn’t always the best.”
Another president chimed in.
“That’s right. Marriage is the grave of life. Look at my wife. She’s a lady outside but a demon at home. Lately, she doesn’t even give me food when I come home.”
“Haha, I’ll be sure to tell your wife when I meet her.”
“Are you trying to get me killed? Forget it, let’s have another drink.”
As they exchanged drinks, the atmosphere became lively.
Lee Chang-jin, sensing the right moment, spoke softly.
“President Lee, do you know of any good businesses for sale lately?”
“For sale? What kind of business are you talking about?”
“Actually, handling weaving machines has gotten me interested in the textile business.”
“Are you planning to enter this industry too? We should be on high alert. Just stick to what you’re doing; this industry is already a red ocean. The textile business requires a lot of money, and profits aren’t that high.”
“That’s right, President Lee. Why are you eyeing other fields when you’re already running a successful business? You’re quite greedy.”
“Haha. Don’t get me wrong. After consulting with the accounting department, they suggested that investing in export-oriented businesses would be good for tax savings. I thought it might be worthwhile to acquire and run a company that’s up for sale.”
President Lee Man-soo, his face flushed from drinking, murmured.
“If it’s for tax savings and you’re just looking to maintain a small business without aiming for high profits, it’s not a bad choice. But you can’t just buy anything.”
“Haha, I’m not looking for a factory with the latest equipment. Even a small scale is fine.”
“Hmm… In that case, how about Shim in Ganghwa?”
“Is he still running his business? He’s quite persistent. I heard he’s over seventy now.”
“He’s quite something. That guy seems to have some kind of conviction. Despite making a lot of money, I don’t know why he keeps going.”
“Who are you talking about?”
“Ah, there’s an old man named Shim Yoon-sik in Ganghwa who runs a textile company. He’s been making fabric from Sochang for about 50 years. He’s a living legend in the industry. In the past, Sochang was a specialty of Ganghwa and sold like hotcakes. Nowadays, only a few people know about it.”
“Ah, I know Sochang. It’s often used for diapers and quilt linings. It’s also good for dishcloths.”
“See, President Lee is knowledgeable. That makes it easier. Anyway, that old man is quite stubborn and seems to want a successor. He’s tried several times to pass on the textile factory, but no one has stepped up. So, he has no choice but to keep going.”
This news piqued Lee Chang-jin’s interest. The next day, through President Lee Man-soo, Lee Chang-jin conveyed his interest in acquiring the company to President Shim Yoon-sik in Ganghwa.
As soon as contact was made, there was an immediate response.
“If it’s for that purpose, you’re welcome. Come and see the place as soon as possible, even tomorrow.”
With permission to visit, Lee Chang-jin, along with Manager Koo, went to the factory area early in the morning. Textile factories were lined up on one side of Ganghwa-eup. However, there weren’t many factories with smoke coming out of their chimneys, suggesting that many had ceased operations.
Among them were some factories built during the Japanese colonial period.
Seeing the closed and abandoned factories, Manager Koo murmured.
“Is this the right place? It feels eerie.”
A block further, cotton, the raw material for Sochang, was densely planted along the wall, and behind it stood a white cotton sculpture. Behind the sculpture was an old wooden utility pole with an old sign that read ‘Gyeongseong Textiles.’
President Shim Yoon-sik, who had heard about Lee Chang-jin’s visit, came out to greet him personally.
The president was an elderly man in traditional Korean attire, leaning on a cane.
“Are you President Lee Chang-jin?”
“Yes, that’s me. Nice to meet you, sir.”
“It’s a bit cold. Please come inside, although it’s humble.”
Inside the factory, the clanking sound of looms could be heard. The employees, operating the old weaving machines, were all elderly. They greeted Lee Chang-jin as they saw him.
“Many of the nearby factories are empty, aren’t they? It wasn’t always like this. Many companies left during the last oil shock, so there are quite a few vacant places.”
“But you still have quite a few employees here.”
“I’m very grateful to them. During tough times, they all stuck together with one heart, which is how we’ve come this far. They’re practically family. We’ve been working together for decades. I’ve probably spent more time with them than with my own wife.”
The factory was filled with antiques. There were brass kettles of unknown age, a 30-year-old coal boiler, and old, faded paintings.
When Lee Chang-jin’s gaze fell on a painting that depicted the bustling factory area at night, the old man spoke proudly.
“It was a gift from a worker who passed through here long ago. He was good at drawing, so I helped him get into college. Around the time he graduated, he came by and gave me this painting. He said it won an award at an art competition. Isn’t it well-drawn?”
“It’s impressive. Did Ganghwa have such times?”
“Of course. There were really good times back then. There were over 4,000 workers employed in textile factories in this area. Can you imagine that? At that time, there were over 60 textile factories, big and small. The clanking sound of thousands of looms operating day and night echoed throughout the entire island.”
“It must have been very popular.”
“Indeed. Back then, there were women selling noodles and hotteok at the corner of the street. When the shift ended, the line would stretch hundreds of meters. People used to fight a lot, trying to be the first to eat. It’s all in the past now though…”
The old man’s eyes became distant as he recalled the memories. The heyday of Ganghwa’s textile industry, which had flourished with Sochang, didn’t last long. With the advent of synthetic fabrics like nylon, acetate, and polyester, and the rise of modern textile factories in places like Daegu and Guro, the industry landscape changed.
The oil shock dealt a direct blow to the struggling small businesses.
The old man, who led Lee Chang-jin to his office, served him warm green tea.
“Ah, warm green tea really warms the body. It must have been hard running the company all this time, hasn’t it?”
“There were good times and hard times. But now, Sochang has become outdated. With no demand like before, many people have closed their factories. I’ve also been pondering a lot for the past few years. My wife told me to stop the business since we’ve done enough. We raised our kids, sent them to college, and even bought them houses with this business. But I couldn’t quit easily. The thought of the workplace I’ve nurtured my whole life disappearing was suffocating. Moreover, if I quit, where would the employees go? So, I stubbornly held on.”
“Aren’t skilled workers welcomed anywhere?”
The president smiled bitterly at those words.
“That’s only true when the market is good, or the workers are young. Do you know how many textile factories are left in Ganghwa? Including mine, there are six in total. The rest are just small-scale home-based businesses. If I quit, only five will be left. Where would the people here find new jobs? I’ve heard you’re a very capable businessman. You’ve even appeared in the newspapers lately. My only wish is that this factory doesn’t disappear until all the employees here retire. Nothing more, nothing less.”
President Shim said he didn’t expect much money for the company as long as the employment was secured.
“We had a good tour of the factory. I’ll contact you later.”
“I hope this leads to a good relationship.”
As they left the factory site, Manager Koo, looking concerned, spoke up.
“President, I don’t mean to be presumptuous, but are you sure it’s okay to acquire a place like this? The factory is old, and the machines are all antiques. Some of the workers’ hands were even shaking. Even if it’s a strategic purchase, with the condition of taking over the employment, it might become a burden.”
As President Shim said, the land wasn’t particularly valuable, and the weaving machines were decades old, so it didn’t seem profitable. However, Lee Chang-jin had already thought this through.
“Don’t worry, Manager Koo. The factory is old, and the machines are second-hand, but they are very well-maintained. Moreover, we won’t need to hire skilled workers separately. This is more than enough.”
“More than enough? What do you mean?”
“It was exactly as I expected. By the way, Manager Koo, can you stay late today? There’s one more place we need to visit.”
“Of course, President. Where should we go?”
Lee Chang-jin checked his notes and nodded.
“Fortunately, it’s not too far from here. It will take just another hour.”
They headed to a small fishing village on the way to Seokmodo in Ganghwa. The village was surrounded by Bonghwasan and Guksusan mountains to the south and east, and the beautiful scenery of Seokmodo and the West Sea unfolded to the west.
“The scenery is very nice. It’s a good place for a retreat. But why are we here?”
“If we’re going into the textile business, we’ll need a technician. Neither you nor I are experts in this field, so we need someone to be the factory manager.”
“Are you saying someone like that is here?”
Lee Chang-jin arrived at an old, shabby house in the corner of the fishing village.
When he rang the bell at the iron gate, an elderly woman came out.
“Is anyone here? Is this President Hwang Cheol-gwan’s house?”
“Yes… Who are you?”
“I’m Lee Chang-jin from Daese Industries. I’m here to see the president. Is he in?”
The elderly woman, receiving the business card, nodded.
“Daese Industries? What kind of business do you run?”
“I’m in the industrial business. I think I contacted him before. Do you remember?”
“Ah, yes, that’s right. Please come in.”
“Thank you.”
Inside, the house looked quite impoverished. Shortly after, the elderly woman came in with a tray of sujeonggwa (traditional Korean cinnamon punch).
“My husband went out to the garden. He’ll be back soon, so please enjoy this while you wait. It’s homemade sujeonggwa.”
“Thank you.”
Soon, the sound of footsteps was heard, and a middle-aged man, looking to be in his fifties, returned.
It was none other than Hwang Cheol-gwan. Recognizing who he was, Lee Chang-jin immediately greeted him.
“Hello, I’m Lee Chang-jin from Daese Industries.”
“Ah, you’re the one who contacted me before. Please, have a seat.”
As they sat facing each other in the main room, Hwang Cheol-gwan spoke first.
“I heard you’re in the machinery business. What brings you all the way here?”
“Actually, I have a favor to ask of you, President Hwang.”
“What use could an old man like me be? Anyway, let’s hear it.”
“Before I ask, please take a look at this first.”
Lee Chang-jin took out a green, coarse bath towel. Hwang Cheol-gwan’s eyes widened at the sight.
“This is commonly known as an Italian towel. It’s a product you patented, right?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Isn’t there another person who claims to be the creator? The one who appears on TV and in newspapers.”
Feigning ignorance, Hwang Cheol-gwan replied, but Lee Chang-jin smiled gently.
“No need to hide anymore; I know everything. You’re the one who invented this product. Although TV and media make it seem like someone else developed it, the reality is different.”
After giving Lee Chang-jin a once-over, Hwang Cheol-gwan sighed and admitted the truth.
“Yes, I did develop it. Though someone else commercialized it. But why did you bring this?”
“Our company is starting a textile business, and we need someone like you. That’s why we’d like to invite you to be our factory manager and technical advisor.”
- To be continued in Episode 59 -
