A Light Jab, Part 4
“Miss, the Vice Chairman is asking for you.”
The voice from outside the bedroom roused me. It was time to face the music.
I gathered myself and headed downstairs to the living room, where my husband sat with his head hung low, looking like he hadn’t quite shaken off last night’s drinks.
“Look at you. Tsk tsk.”
Vice Chairman Jin Young-gi clicked his tongue, his expression quickly turning cold again.
“Did you drink too, daughter-in-law? Are you still hungover?”
“No, Father. I’m just feeling a bit under the weather…”
“Are you so unwell you had to skip breakfast?”
He knew the situation perfectly well, yet he kept pressing. I found it infuriating, but all I could do was bow my head in silence.
“Daughter-in-law, listen carefully to what I’m about to say and inform your family.”
”…Yes.”
I was terrified of what he might say, but his stern expression and tone left no room for disobedience.
“You never bought any land. Understand?”
“What?”
“No matter how much land is under your name, you know nothing about it. Someone from your family must have bought it without your knowledge. You never agreed to lend your name. In short, you’re not involved in this at all. Got it?”
“But, Father… that’s…”
It was impossible.
Hadn’t Hong So-young personally been courted by real estate agents while scouring Susaek-dong?
As the daughter of a media family, she knew any rookie reporter could easily uncover that she had personally verified and purchased the land.
“Do you still not understand? What do you think will happen if it’s revealed that the first thing the eldest daughter-in-law of the Sunyang family did after marriage was engage in land speculation? Are you trying to bring shame to the family?”
His words were not a suggestion but a command.
“If even a single article comes out linking you to this, both you and your family will pay dearly.”
“Yes.”
For now, I had no choice but to comply, even if I had to think of a solution later.
“And our eldest son.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Lift your head. How else can I slap you? It’s a bit much to hit a grown man’s head, isn’t it? Your brain’s already not the best; we can’t have it getting worse.”
Jin Young-jun gritted his teeth, holding back a string of curses. He slowly raised his head, but his father’s hand remained still.
Emboldened by this, Jin Young-jun spoke up.
“Father, I’ll handle this.”
“You? How?”
His father’s lips curled into a mocking smile. But now was not the time to provoke him.
“The land under my name isn’t much. Most of it was bought under the corporation’s name. I’ll transfer the land in my name to the corporation at the purchase price.”
“And then?”
“We’ll wait until things calm down.”
“Wait? The land prices are dropping by the day.”
“There’s no market for it now. Even if we put it up for sale, no one will buy.”
“You paid several times the value for land no one wants?”
He pretended not to hear his father’s sarcastic remarks.
“Once the development in Sangam-dong begins, the land will regain its value. It’s just across the street. It’ll definitely go up. We can sell it then without a loss.”
“Ah, so you’ll make money eventually. The development period is ten years, so… in about ten years, right? You fool! Is that what you call a plan?”
Just as Vice Chairman Jin Young-gi’s arm was about to rise in anger, Hong So-young quickly interjected.
“Father, I’ll meet with Uncle and Aunt to resolve this.”
“Stay out of this!”
Jin Young-jun shouted, but it was too late.
“Oh, I almost forgot about our daughter-in-law. If you have a good plan, let’s hear it. Go on.”
“Even though Uncle made an official statement, if we temporarily hold off on additional procedures, I can spread rumors among the Gangnam agents. I’ll say it’s just a pause to cool down the speculation frenzy and that the plan is proceeding as intended. We can sell it off quickly then.”
Hong So-young seized what might be her only chance and spoke rapidly.
“Oh, I see. Our daughter-in-law is quite sharp. To think you came up with such a clever plan so quickly.”
Seeing her father-in-law’s expression, Hong So-young realized why her husband had tried to stop her.
His face twitched with anger, and she didn’t miss the look of disdain in his eyes.
In her haste, she had forgotten that people like him despise having to repeat themselves.
“Daughter-in-law, go upstairs and pack your things immediately.”
“What?”
“Pack and go to your family. Don’t come back until your traces in this matter are completely erased. Understood?”
“Yes!”
Hong So-young fled upstairs as if escaping.
Vice Chairman Jin Young-gi resisted the urge to smack his son’s head.
A father’s duty is to take responsibility for his foolish son’s mistakes, isn’t it?
I’m uneasy.
Uncle, who had been following the script, has started to concoct plans that weren’t part of the original. He says the outcome will be the same, but I’m worried it might end up as a pointless commotion with no gain.
Uncle holds the power to make or break Jin Young-jun. Whether it’s through connections or influence, the words of those in power carry weight.
For now, I need to keep an eye on Uncle’s moves.
And…
I need to put my own plan into action. This time, it’s going to be a bit more challenging.
Because this plan doesn’t involve using foreknowledge or fighting an opponent. It’s about instilling desire in someone who lacks ambition.
Persuasion is easier when it appeals to desire rather than goodwill. A person without greed has no chink in their armor to exploit. So, the first step is to ignite the spark of desire.
And the person without much ambition is smiling at me now.
“Seeing that serious look on your face makes me a bit nervous, son. What’s going on?”
“Usually, this is when I should be smiling, but it’s not easy.”
“If it’s good news, you should smile. Why can’t you?”
“It’s good, but it’s also a big deal.”
“A big deal?”
“Yes. It’s about placing the first piece of a puzzle that will be completed in ten or twenty years. I have the puzzle pieces and the frame ready, but I need someone to put it together.”
The smile faded from my father’s face.
“You’re telling me this because you want me to find someone?”
“Yes.”
“Then tell me what it’s about. I’ll see if I can find the right person.”
“You know about the New Seoul Town project, the so-called Digital Media City that Uncle announced, right?”
“Yes, it’s the project you and Se-hyun started.”
“That’s right. I don’t see it as just a construction project.”
“Then what is it? Is there more to it?”
“It’s exactly what it sounds like. We’re going to build a Media City.”
My father furrowed his brow, not quite understanding, then his eyes widened.
“I see. You want more than just the shell; you want the substance too.”
He seemed to grasp that the shell was the buildings, and the substance was the media companies.
“Yes. We’re transitioning from analog to digital. It’s a symbol of the new millennium. The pace of advancement in telecommunications and electronics is beyond what people of this era can imagine. I want to fill Sangam-dong with massive media companies.”
Perhaps because of my past actions, he didn’t dismiss my words as nonsense. Instead, he seemed intrigued.
“Film companies, independent productions, record labels, agencies, and so on. There are many media-related businesses. But this industry is all about specialization. Controlling everything is impossible.”
“Is it really?”
I continued with a sly smile.
“You don’t have to look far. Just look at the Sunyang Group. From electronics to food, it’s all under one umbrella. The media market has grown fragmented because it was small, not because it’s impossible.”
My words shouldn’t sound far-fetched. After all, I’m the son of a family that controls everything.
“Look at the market. Dramas with 60% viewership ratings are coming out one after another, and albums selling over 2.5 million copies are flooding in. Titanic is on track to surpass 5 million viewers. Who’s to say a movie won’t come out that surpasses 10 million viewers? The market is growing at an incredible pace.”
As someone in the industry, my father must be aware of these facts. It’s just that the puzzle is too big.
If it were a 100-piece or 200-piece puzzle, he wouldn’t hesitate. But what I’m talking about is over 2,000 or 3,000 pieces.
Now it’s time to talk about a 10,000-piece puzzle.
“It’s not just about movies, broadcasting, and music. I’m also thinking about channel businesses.”
“Channels? You mean broadcasting companies?”
“Yes.”
Seeing my father at a loss for words, I realized I needed to elaborate. In this era, when people hear “broadcasting” or “channel,” they only think of terrestrial networks. Cable TV is still in its infancy.
“Don’t get me wrong. I’m not talking about terrestrial networks. I’m thinking of starting with cable TV. We should start modestly.”
“You rascal. Modestly? Do you think starting a cable TV business is easy? Even getting a business license is tough. And most cable TV stations are running at a loss.”
“That’s why it’s modest. We can start by acquiring a struggling station.”
“Acquire?”
“Yes. Isn’t there one already on the market?”
“DCN?”
Launched in March 1995, it’s a movie channel.
Despite being a free movie channel, it has been bleeding money to secure foreign films, leading to severe losses. Moreover, with its foray into the multiplex cinema business, it’s on the brink of bankruptcy due to the financial crisis.
It’s not a media sensation because so many large corporations are collapsing, but it’s well-known in the industry.
“Isn’t film your area of expertise, Father? We can easily secure foreign films too. Miracle Investment in the U.S. is a major player in Hollywood. Acquiring the Korean rights would be a breeze. What do you think? Doesn’t it sound perfect?”
With the assurance of securing content, the plan suddenly seemed much more feasible.
Funding for the acquisition?
Father never worried about money. He knew his son was incredibly wealthy.
“I plan to start with films and gradually expand the channel. Drama, music, games…”
“Games?”
Father, who had been quietly listening, reacted to the unexpected word.
Oops, I could have introduced that idea more slowly… But it just slipped out in my excitement.
“The highest-rated segment on the animation channel Tooniverse is a corner called ‘Plus Game,’ which started last year. It’s not just kids watching; adults are tuning in too.”
The 99 Pro Gamer Korea Open, the precursor to next year’s Star League, will kick off the era of game broadcasting.
We need to secure a game channel before that happens.
That way, we can invite friends like Lim Yo-hwan, Lee Yoon-yeol, Hong Jin-ho, and Guillaume Patry for a round of StarCraft.
Of course, I’ll probably lose every time, but isn’t there something similar in Go? They call it a teaching game. Even Grandfather invites Master Cho Hun-hyun for a teaching match now and then.
People can’t work all the time. Sometimes you need to unwind with a game.
Once I get better, maybe I’ll try some 2:2 team play.
“Why are you grinning like that?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.”