Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

Gun-Ho took GH Mobile’s Director Park to the production site in Dyeon Korea. While they were there, some management people delightedly came to greet Director Park when they recognized him. Manager Hee-Yeol Yoo also came close to Director Park to welcome him.

“Mr. Plant Manager Park, it’s really good to see you here.”

“The production site looks much more organized and systematic than when I was here. I guess you are running the site very well.”

“Thank you, sir. I still have a lot to learn from GH Mobile.”

At that moment, Manager Ahn at the maintenance team came to Director Park; he was wearing work gloves.

“Little brother, it’s good to see you.”

“Big brother, how have you been?”

“Brother, can you come to see me before you leave for today?”

“What’s wrong?”

“The cooling water keeps overflowing. I need your advice on it. After you are done with the thing that you came here for, just stop by where I am before you leave, okay? I will give you a cup of coffee.”

Gun-Ho moved to another production line with Director Jong-Suk Park. Several machines were making loud noises.

“You know how to handle all of those machines, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I do. I learned a lot from Mr. Sakata Ikuzo.”

“Can’t we manufacture machines like that in Korea?”

“We do have manufacturing companies in Korea that produce extruding machines. However, the machines over there are large sized machines. Even the screws that are used for those large machines are different from the ones that we are familiar with. Moreover, even if we manage to produce machines like that in Korea, we don’t have enough demand in our national market for the manufacturers to make enough profits.”

“Once we find a factory in China and India to acquire, we will need those machines there. The thing is that Lymodell Dyeon will sell the machines to us for a very high price. I’m trying to figure out if we could get those machines from someplace else at a lower price.”

Jong-Suk Park walked closer to the machines and tapped on them, and then he said, “These machines are using twin screw types. If I can get the electrohydraulic drawing and those twin screws, I think we can make these machines…”

“Are you saying that you just need the twin screws and the electrohydraulic drawing? You want to try it?”

“Do you think you can get those?”

“What about the metal parts that are covering the entire machine? They are huge.”

“We can ask a foundry to make us a customized part like that. We can’t possibly make every part of the machine from scratch, but we need to buy necessary parts from other factories.”

It made sense, and Gun-Ho nodded his head.

Gun-Ho came home after work in the evening. Gun-Ho noticed that there were more varieties of dishes on the dinner table than usual. And, Young-Eun looked to be in a good mood as well.

“Do you have good news? You look delightful today.”

“Yeah. Sang-Min rolled over by himself today for the first time.”

“Really?”

“And, this.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a car key. The car dealer delivered the Genesis to me today. It’s in the parking lot.”

“Do you like the car?”

“It looks great. I gave it a test drive for a few minutes. It drives very smoothly, and I couldn’t even hear the engine sound while driving either.”

“I should have gotten you the car earlier. You are my wife. I want you to drive a high-quality vehicle. I could lose face if my wife drives an old and shabby car.”

“You shouldn’t lose face on such a thing. You need to focus more on practical things.”

“Oh, about your SM5. Chan-Ho Eom will come and pick up your car. Give me your old car key, and remove your belongings from the trunk.”

“Here is the key. Take it. I already cleaned up the old car.”

“Someone in my company wants to buy the car, so I sold it to him for 4 million won.”

“But, Mr. Chan-Ho Eom told me that the current price of a used SM5 is at least 5 million won…”

“Just sell it for 4 million won. He is one of the workers in my company. Chan-Ho Eom will pick it up tomorrow. Let’s have dinner now. I’m hungry.”

“I’m going to Yangpyeong District with Sang-Min tomorrow.”

Young-Eun said as she laughed and ran to Gun-Ho. She gave a kiss to him on the cheek.

“Are you visiting your aunt? Take the new Genesis. Show it off a little bit. You will feel great.”

“I just gave you a kiss on the cheek, didn’t I? That implies that I’m already excited.”

Gun-Ho went to work in the GH Building in Sinsa Town.

He read an economic newspaper for a while, and then when he felt like he wanted fresh air, he went up to the rooftop. The book café was still occupied by several mid-aged ladies from Gangnam District, who were so busy chatting with their friends, and a few young workers, who were probably working for the companies in the building, were smoking cigarettes.

“We have a very clear sky today. There are only a few pieces of clouds.”

Gun-Ho looked up at the sky in the west and thought about China and India. And then he turned to the east side and thought of Japan and the U.S. When he thought about the U.S., he could recall Lymodell Dyeon’s bald man—Mr. Vice President Brandon Burke. And, when he thought about Japan, the beautiful fairy—Mori Aikko—crossed his mind.

Gun-Ho breathed deeply a few times before going back to his office. He then called for Secretary Yeon-Soo Oh.

“I’m going to make a call to Lymondell Dyeon’s Vice President Brandon Burke now, and I want you to say this to him for me.”

Yeon-Soo Oh grabbed a pen and a sheet of paper to get ready to write down what Gun-Ho was about to say.

Gun-Ho said, “I will be in Seattle tomorrow. I have an appointment with a friend there. Since I will be in the area, I would like to have dinner with Mr. Vice President Brandon Burke privately and quietly. If you will be available, I will give you a call when I get there. I hope you could come to the hotel where I will be staying to meet me. Did you write it all down? I want you to deliver this message to him.”

“Yes, sir.”

Gun-Ho dialed Mr. Burke’s office number with his smartphone.

“Mr. Vice President Brandon Burke? This is Gun-Ho Goo from Dyeon Korea.”

“Oh! Mr. President Goo. How are you?”

“I will let the interpreter talk to you for me.”

Gun-Ho handed his smartphone to Yeon-Soo Oh, and Yeon-Soo Oh started speaking in English. She perfectly delivered Gun-Ho’s message to Mr. Brandon Burke.

When she finished talking on the phone, Yeon-Soo Oh covered the phone with her hand and told Gun-Ho, “He said okay.”

“Tell him that I will be staying in Sheraton Hotel in downtown Seattle. I will give him a call once I arrive there.”

“Yes, sir.”

Yeon-Soo Oh said what Gun-Ho said on the phone and hung up the phone.

“Good job. Now, please make a room reservation with Sheraton Hotel in downtown Seattle for me, and also reserve a flight ticket for tomorrow. As to the hotel, you can make a reservation through their website. The full name of the hotel is Sheraton Walkerhill Hotel.”

“Got it, sir.”

“You know my full name in English, don’t you?”

“Yes, I previously wrote it down in my note.”

Yeon-Soo Oh walked out of Gun-Ho’s office with a proud look on her face again.

When Gun-Ho came home after work, he told Young-Eun, “I’m going on a business trip to Seattle in the U.S. tomorrow. I will stay there for three days.”

“You need to pack your luggage then.”

“Nah. I don’t need anything. How was your day? Did you go to see your aunt in Yangpyeong District?”

“My aunt didn’t give me a chance to hold Sang-Min all day long. She carried him around. She was so happy to see me and Sang-Min.”

“Is that right?”

“I actually went there with the helper lady. I had to drive, so I couldn’t watch Sang-Min in the car, so I asked the helper lady to accompany me to Yangpyeong District. Our helper lady used to live in the countryside before, and she loved the area.”

“I see.”

“Do you see the pumpkins on the dining table? My aunt gave them to us. They are from her little farm.”