Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

When Gun-Ho checked his email, there was a new email waiting for him. It was from W Chemicals’ president with an attachment of a letter promising that W Chemicals would keep every single employee of Dyeon Korea even after it acquired its ownership interest.

“I’m going to forward this to Dyeon Korea’s Vice President Kim and the internal auditor.”

Gun-Ho forwarded the email from W Chemicals with the attachment of the letter, to Dyeon Korea’s Vice President Kim and its internal auditor.

Even though Gun-Ho made sure with W Chemicals’ President that W Chemicals would keep every current employee of Dyeon Korea including its key executive officers such as the vice president and internal auditor, Gun-Ho knew that it wouldn’t necessarily guarantee the authority and autonomy that these positions would usually have. In fact, W Chemicals could change their positions, or add an equivalent or higher position to Deyon Korea, in order to plant their own people. There were tons of ways that they could do in order to control the management.

After work, when Gun-Ho went back home, Young-Eun was laying down on the bed. She usually came out to the front door to greet him whenever he arrived at home.

Gun-Ho asked her, “Are you feeling alright?”

“No, I’m not feeling well. I couldn’t sleep last night because Sang-Min woke up several times. And, I had a hectic day at the clinic, which is usual since it’s Friday. I had to stay late at work. You know what? When I worked for Seoul National University Hospital, I didn’t easily feel tired like this, but ever since I started working at this small clinic, I always feel exhausted.”

“You didn’t have a child when you worked for Seoul National University Hospital. You are a mom now. You drive your car to commute, right?”

“I sometimes leave my car at home and use public transportation. The clinic has a very limited number of parking spaces, so sometimes it’s more comfortable taking the subway.”

“You take the subway to go to work?”

“Yeah. I take the subway at Dogok Station and change to line no. 2 at Seoul National University of Education Station.”

“That clinic is not located close to the subway station where you get off, isn’t it?”

“I have to walk about 1 kilometer after getting off the subway.”

“1 kilometer?”

“Oppa, I think you should have your dinner by yourself today. I’m sorry. The helper lady cooked a stew. You just need to warm it before eating it.”

“Don’t worry about me. Just take a rest and get better. Do you want me to raise the room temperature?”

“No, it’s okay.”

Gun-Ho placed the back of his hand on Young-Eun’s forehead.

“Young-Eun, you have a fever. I will go out and buy some medicines for you.”

“I already took pills.”

Gun-Ho went to the kitchen to have his dinner. He heated the stew that the helper lady had cooked before leaving for the day. He then pulled out several side dishes from the refrigerator.

When Gun-Ho was eating the food sitting at the dining table by himself, Young-Eun came to him. She was a bit staggering.

“Why did you get up? You should stay in bed.”

“I heard you eating, oppa. I think I want to have some too.”

Young-Eun scooped cooked rice and put it in a bowl for herself. She then fried two eggs.

“When you take the subway to work, there must be a lot of people there, isn’t it?”

“Of course. It’s filled with people all the time. Sometimes, it’s hard to get off at the station where I’m supposed to be off.”

“Is it the same when you come home too?”

“It’s better than morning time. But, if I get off work late like today, it’s very crowded. That’s usual.”

“What do you think about us moving to Bangbae Town?”

“Bangbae Town? Well, we don’t have to move just to make my commute easier…”

“What about living in a single house in Bangbae Town?”

“A single house? Is there a single house in Seoul City these days? I guess we can still see several single houses in Seongbuk Town where we used to go to visit Gilsangsa Temple when we were still dating.”

“You heard about Seorae Village, right?”

“Seorae Village? Of course. One of my friends from college used to live there. Oh, that’s right. I think I saw some single houses there too when I walked from Banpo Town to Bangbae Town… Some of them looked like a castle. I guess the people living there are rich people like the owner family of a conglomerate or something.”

“You are right on that. The founder of Daewoo Group—Chairman Woo-Choong Kim—used to live in that village too.”

“Really? Is Chairman Woo-Choong Kim still living there?”

“Nah, he no longer lives there as he went bankrupt. Well, I remember this. I read it in a newspaper a long time ago. Chairman Woo-Choong Kim sold his single house in Bangbae Town at an auction.”

“You seemed to be intrigued by various things, oppa.”

“My life goal was to become the owner of a conglomerate.”

Young-Eun giggled.

“You dreamed big, huh?”

“Because I dreamed big, I could come this far, don’t you think? I’m running my own business now even though it’s small.”

“Haha. Maybe it is so.”

“You seem to be feeling better now, right? You laugh a lot.”

“I guess I feel better because I ate some food. I’m still having an acute headache.”

“So, what do you think about us moving to a single house in Bangbae Town?”

“I don’t know. Maybe a single house in a provincial city is affordable, but a single house in Seoul City must be very expensive. Maybe a tiny single house in Gangbuk District is reasonably priced, but a single house in Seongbuk Town or Gangnam District should be extremely expensive.”

“Maybe we can afford it.”

“Well, it will be nice to live in a house with a garden. We can plant some flowers there, and maybe we can have a dog too. Growing up with a dog can probably benefit our baby, you know like stabilizing his emotional state and all that. Sang-Min can have a better life there, rather than living in this packed condo complex.”

“Let’s do that then. Let’s plant flowers and fruit trees, and we can also have a lawn with grass.”

“Is there such a house?”

At that moment, the couple could hear Sang-Min crying. Young-Eun quickly ran toward the room where Sang-Min was sleeping.

“Mom is coming.”

Gun-Ho thought that the main reason why Young-Eun was feeling sick that day was probably her lack of sleep because of the baby, rather than her work in the clinic or commute through the packed subway.

‘I think I should seriously consider moving to a single house. I heard that many celebrities are living in Seorae Village as well, like Joong-Ki Song, Hyo-Joo Han, Hyun-Jung Go, Min-Soo Choi, etc. That single house is sitting on a large lot which is 300 pyung large. I can later build a residential building or something, and that will create tens of residential units. This can be a good investment opportunity.’

It was Monday.

Gun-Ho didn’t go to work in Jiksan Town or Asan City that day, but he stayed in Seoul.

Dyeon Korea’s stock price dropped by 3% after there was no clear confirmation about W Chemicals’ acquisition of Dyeon Korea. It resulted in many disappointed investors having sold their Dyeon Korea’s shares. The following day, the stock price stayed the same for a while, and then the price started decreasing again slowly. The stock candlestick was showing blue light as the price had declined.

‘Of course, the price is dropping. Once I get the payment for the acquisition from W Group, people will talk about the acquisition again, and subsequently, Dyeon Korea’s stock price will hit the upper limit again.

If I don’t tell anyone, no one would know about it. Well, W Group might leak the information, if they already bought enough number of Dyeon Korea’s shares.’