Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

When Gun-Ho walked up to his office on the second floor, President Jang-Hwan Song entered his office.

“I won’t be available for the rest of the day, sir. I have to attend the friendship golf tournament today with other client and vendor companies’ presidents. S Group’s chairman will be there too. I asked the accounting director to give you a report on our profit and loss status.”

“Where will that golf tournament take place?”

“It’s Lake Hills.”

“Oh, the one in Yongin City! It’s close from here. That’s nice. Have fun.”

“Well, I will see you later, sir.”

President Song walked out of the office after giving Gun-Ho a bow.

After President Song left the office, the accounting director— Ms. Director Min-Hwa Kim— entered the office. She was carrying documents.

“Sir, I came to give you a report on our profit and loss status.”

“You don’t have to do it. I’ve already reviewed the documents that GH Development’s Manager Hong brought to me earlier.”

“That one is just an overview of our profit and loss. I have some details that I’d like to present to you. I also have the profit and loss statement for the third quarter of this year as well.”

“I will then hear about the profit and loss statement for this year’s third quarter only. I have to leave the office soon.”

Gun-Ho let the accounting director give him a report on this year’s profit and loss statement for the third quarter period. Since Gun-Ho used to work in an accounting department, he had a rough idea of how the profit and loss statement would look like for that specific time period, which turned out to be about the same as the one that the accounting director brought to him. However, Gun-Ho was the president of the company, and he was supposed to encourage the workers so they would keep up the good work.

“Thank you for the report, Ms. Director Kim. You did a good job. Why don’t you have dinner with the workers in the accounting department today, appreciating their nice work?”

“Thank you, sir.”

While picking up the documents from the table in getting ready to leave, the accounting director said, “How old is Manager Hong in Seoul?”

“He is around 40 years old, I guess.”

“He seems to know a lot about accounting.”

“I was told that he has a tax accountant license. He joined GH Development very recently.”

“Oh, I see. We exchanged our contact information lately between the workers in each GH company’s accounting department. I suggested they get together sometime in the near future.”

“That sounds great. I think you are the oldest among them, Ms. Director Kim. Buy them delicious food when you meet them.”

“Thank you, sir.”

That day, for some reason, Gun-Ho felt a craving for Jjajangmyeon*. Gun-Ho gave a call to Chan-Ho Eum.

“Chan-Ho, I’m on my way out now. Wait for me at the building entrance.”

“Yes, sir.”

When Gun-Ho arrived at the front entrance, Chan-Ho was there already with the Bentley.

“Are we heading to Dyeon Korea, sir?”

“Let’s go to have Jjajangmyeon* first.”

“Jjajangmyeon*, sir?”

Chan-Ho quickly searched for a good restaurant that specialized in Jjajangmyeon* around the area with his smartphone. He then lifted his head and told Gun-Ho, “There is a restaurant called Chipalseon in Dujeong Town.”

“Does it have good reviews?”

“I don’t know, sir, but someone introduced this restaurant as a good one in his blog.”

“How bad a bowl of Jjajangmyeon* could be. They should all taste the same in every restaurant. Let’s go to Chipalseon. I like the name, Chipalseon.”

Chan-Ho headed to Chipalseon using a GPS navigator. The restaurant was surprisingly a huge Chinese restaurant. Its interior was decorated in a very Chinese way too, with a lot of red colors. Chan-Ho giggled and said, “This restaurant looks familiar. I think I saw a very similar one when I went to China with you last time, hahaha.”

Gun-Ho ordered two bowls of Jjajangmyeon* and one Tangsuyuk*. Gun-Ho finished his Jjajangmyeon and a few pieces of Tangsuyuk, while Chan-Ho ate the rest of Tangsuyuk along with his bowl of Jjajangmyeon.

“Would you like to have a coffee, sir? I can get it from the vending machine over there.”

“Sure.”

After having his cup of coffee, Gun-Ho got into the car heading to Dyeon Korea. On the way in his car, he kept dozing off until he arrived at work.

“Sir, we are almost there.”

“Huh? Oh, umm. We are in Korea already?”

Gun-Ho was getting ready to get out of the car. He checked himself in the mirror. He wanted to look neat with dignity to his workers.

Once he entered his office, he called for his secretary— Ms. Seon-Hye Yee.

“Do we still have jujube tea?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Let me have a cup of jujube tea then.”

“Yes, sir.”

Gun-Ho was having a cup of jujube tea when Mr. Adam Castler came into his office.

“Good afternoon, boss!”

“Please take a seat, Mr. Castler. Would you like to have a cup of jujube tea?”

“Jujube tea?”

Gun-Ho called for Secretary Seon-Hye Yee.

“Please bring us two cups of jujube tea for Mr. Vice President Castler and Mr. Interpreter Myeong-Joon Chae here.”

“Yes, sir.”

While having the tea, Mr. Castler said, “The agreement about increasing the capital has been sent back to the head office in the U.S. Two copies were sent, and Mr. Brandon Burke will send one of them back to us with his signature. He said that they didn’t make any modification on the agreement.”

“I see. I’ve already asked Director Yoon to get an appraisal on this building. I also asked him to make sure that we get the appraisal from an appraisal organization with public confidence, as stated in the agreement.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Once we get the appraisal, I will ask Mr. Myeong-Joon Chae here to translate it into English.”

“Thank you, haha.”

“Is the native English teacher from Hoseo University giving the English class to our employees? I believe we have a class for GH Mobile’s employees in the morning, and a class here in the afternoon?”

“That’s right.”

“Mr. Adam Castler, you probably find it nice to have that native English teacher around here. She could be a good friend to you, especially because she is an American too.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Mr. Myeong-Joon Chae! Do many of our employees attend the class in the afternoon?”

“I would say the class is usually 70% full.”

“Hmm, I guess we will have to encourage them to participate more in the program then. I want more employees to take the class.”

After Mr. Adam Castler and the interpreter left the office, Gun-Ho tried to take his afternoon nap, but he couldn’t fall asleep.

“I already took my nap in the car on the way here after lunch. I guess my body only allows me to take a nap once a day.”

Gun-Ho picked up a newspaper.

When he was reading an economic newspaper, he received a call from Min-Hyeok Kim in China.

“President Goo? It’s me, Min-Hyeok Kim.”

“Hey, it has been a while since we talked on the phone last time.”

“I just received a call from Suk-Ho Lee. He is coming to my area from Shengyang City. He called me from Shanghai City before taking the express bus heading to where I am.”

“Is that right?”

“I don’t know why he wanted to see me. I don’t have time for this. He is no use for me.”

“He is still our friend from high school. When he gets there, buy him something delicious.”

“Since he hasn’t been in this area, I told him that I would be at the bus terminal waiting for him to pick him up. I have a meeting scheduled for this afternoon with a client. I’m having a hectic day because of him.”

“Well, he is coming all the way from Shenyang City just to see you. Just be good to him while he is there.”

Note*

Jjajangmyeon – noodle dish topped with black bean sauce.

Tangsuyuk – deep-fried meat (usually pork) with sweet and sour sauce.