The next move was a straight punch.
“I’ll make sure you get what you want with money, Father.”
“To make sure that money isn’t wasted…”
“Have some confidence. Aren’t you the one who built Korea’s top film company? You’ll do great.”
While his brothers squandered hundreds of billions on baseless confidence, he was the only one who turned a profit and grew the company beyond the initial investment.
Once he gains confidence, he’ll be able to handle larger-scale projects with ease.
After a long silence, my father spoke again, seemingly having made up his mind.
“So, what do you need me to do? Assuming it all works out, of course.”
“Gain influence. And share that influence with me.”
“Influence? Aren’t you mistaken? At best, we’re talking about movies. Maybe even dramas. But as a producer and distributor, what kind of influence could I possibly have?”
In the future, influence isn’t just about money or legal power. If many people listen to what you say, you’re a person of power.
Public opinion is power, and those who sway it hold the real influence. That power comes from a big platform. My father could easily wield cultural influence.
That time isn’t far off, and my father is still young. In ten years, he could be a strong pillar of support for me.
“You never know what the world will bring, right? It’s changing every day.”
My father looked at me thoughtfully and took a sip of his beer.
“If you just give up on Sunyang Group, our family could live quite comfortably. You could run a decent investment firm, and I could make movies.”
“Is that what you want me to do?”
“No. It’s just a father’s wish for his son to live peacefully. But I have no desire to force a life you don’t want.”
He chuckled and patted my shoulder.
“Telling a carnivore to live on grass is like asking for death. Born a fierce predator, you have to live by hunting.”
“And what about you, Father? Are you a herbivore?”
“I’ve lived like a cow in a pasture until now. But it’s time to live like a wild buffalo.”
“Wild buffaloes can take on most predators, you know?”
“Well, I guess I need to adapt for my son’s sake, don’t I? Haha.”
Watching my father down his beer, I couldn’t help but wonder.
Is my father, who has the blood of a predator, truly a herbivore?
I spent a week at the Ritz-Carlton, throwing caution to the wind.
I didn’t care how much money I spent, as long as my parents were having a good time. Who knows when we’ll have another chance like this? For this moment, I wanted to live like a peaceful herbivore grazing in a field.
After a week, my father returned to Korea, claiming he had a lot to prepare. Interestingly, my brother Sang-jun also boarded the plane, scratching his head and saying there was no point in wasting foreign currency while just lazing around.
Back in New York, I focused on recovering the funds I had invested in dot-com companies and selecting stable, long-term investment opportunities.
I also delved into the world of derivatives, learning from the experts at the company.
Time flew by.
President Bill Clinton publicly apologized for his scandal with Monica Lewinsky, and I cheered on Se-ri Pak at the LPGA. I wanted to watch Chan-ho Park’s games too, but I had to settle for TV broadcasts due to scheduling conflicts.
On September 4th, I didn’t miss the historic launch of a company called Google, celebrating with two geniuses at an incredible party.
As the biting cold heralded the approach of winter, I met Michael Dell.
Seeing him struggle in the now-saturated PC market, I was reminded of his resilience. Isn’t he someone who will continue to thrive for over 20 years?
As Christmas trees began to appear, signaling the holiday season, I boarded a flight back to Korea.
The person who welcomed me most warmly wasn’t my parents or grandfather, but my aunt, Jin Seo-yun.
When I arrived home, my parents were comforting my tearful aunt.
“Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for you? I was about to fly to the U.S., but President Oh stopped me.”
Before I could even unpack, my aunt sat me down and began to vent.
“What’s going on?”
She recounted how my grandfather had taken drastic measures just as I was leaving for New York.
In any case, one goal was achieved: Jin Young-jun had been exiled to Geoje Island. I could feel my grandfather’s anger without even seeing it.
But divorce?
Was he trying to discipline my uncle, or was he serious?
Even for someone as extraordinary as my grandfather, would he really push his daughter towards divorce?
“Aunt, what can I do? It seems like Grandfather is really upset…”
“You can persuade him. He listens to you, even if he doesn’t listen to anyone else.”
My father, unable to stay silent any longer, spoke up.
“Sister, what about brother-in-law? Does he know about this?”
“I haven’t even brought it up. How do you start a conversation about divorce?”
Even my seemingly cold aunt was hiding her ordinary side.
She couldn’t show this side to anyone else. Her brothers were competitors, not family, always ready to draw swords against each other.
If it had been just the two of us, she might have maintained her composure and discussed the issue calmly, but in front of my parents, her hidden side emerged.
To my parents, she was family, not a competitor.
“By the way, what happened with the prosecution? Are they still at odds?”
“No. It was resolved by transferring the chief prosecutor. Your grandfather stepped in to settle it.”
Seeing my aunt wipe her tears, my father gestured for me to follow him outside.
“Stay out of this.”
“What?”
“You haven’t spoken to Se-hyun yet, have you? Se-hyun found out that your uncle seems to be playing into Daehyun Group’s hands.”
“Daehyun?”
“Yes. Hanseong Ilbo’s sudden turnaround was at Daehyun’s request. Isn’t it obvious?”
So my uncle’s new sponsor was Daehyun Group?
“Your grandfather must know this. That’s why he’s taking such drastic measures with the divorce. Daehyun is the only real competitor in the business world. This is an unforgivable betrayal. If you get involved, that anger will spread to you too. Do you understand?”
Of course, I understood.
“Yes. I’ll keep my mouth shut and pretend I don’t know. Please comfort Aunt for me. I’ll head to my room.”
Back in the living room, I spoke to my distraught aunt.
“Aunt, I’ll come see you tomorrow. Let’s talk then.”
I had no intention of doing anything for my aunt or uncle.
But the idea of separating the department store and hotel businesses was worth considering.
Was my grandfather really planning to give these companies to his daughter? There’s no need to overthink it.
Separating a department store and hotel isn’t easy. To break free from the tangled web of ownership, you’d need to buy a massive amount of shares.
My grandfather and our family hold less than 3% of the shares. To separate the businesses, you’d have to buy back the shares held by each subsidiary, and my grandfather isn’t one to spend money on such things.
If he were serious, he’d give them to my aunt, whether she divorces or not.
Lying on my bed, I pondered. Should I seize the opportunity to take control of the department store and hotel?
The next morning, I met my aunt at the department store. She was back to her composed self, as if nothing had happened.
“Did I make a fool of myself yesterday? I must have been drunk.”
“I liked seeing that side of you, Aunt.”
“Don’t be silly…”
She chuckled softly. An awkward silence followed. Her expression told me she had something to say. I had something to say too. It was just a matter of who would speak first.
Naturally, my aunt, who had more at stake, cleared her throat and spoke.
“What do you think?”
“About what?”
“Let’s drop the pretense. No matter how much you deny it, it’s too late. You’re going to inherit part of Sunyang in your father’s stead. The size will depend on how well you do.”
What was she getting at?
Was she asking for help? Or proposing an alliance?
“I’m not denying it. I already have an idea.”
Seeing my slightly troubled expression, her eyes lit up.
“This is a battle among the adults. No matter how much you inherit, your uncles won’t leave you alone. They’ll try to take it from you by any means necessary. If you’re lucky, they’ll buy it from you at a high price.”
“And you, Aunt?”
“Me? I don’t have anything yet. That’s my dilemma.”
“Department stores, hotels, condos, golf courses. That’s not nothing.”
She frowned.
“Are you telling me to get a divorce?”
“The choice is yours, Aunt. Your husband or Sunyang. But I don’t think you’d give up Sunyang for your husband.”
“Your opinion could help me make a quick decision.”
“What do you mean…?”
“To protect what you’ll have and what I’ll have, or to gain even more, how about we join forces?”
She’s in a hurry.
Seeing my grandfather exile his eldest grandson and cut ties with his son-in-law must have seemed like a swift move to decide on a successor. My aunt feels the pressure to secure her territory before it’s too late.
“What happens if we join forces? Specifically.”
Seeing my interest, she quickly sat beside me.
“Let’s split everything we gain in the future. I’ll gather people who can support us. Half of Sunyang Group’s power lies with the executives, including the CEOs of the subsidiaries. A ruler is nothing without subjects. You know that, right?”
I pretended to ponder for a while before slowly speaking.
“First, take whatever Grandfather offers. Don’t try to grab everything at once. Take it slow and steady. That’s the right approach.”
Aunt’s face twisted in frustration.
“Are you telling me to get a divorce? Now?”
“You need to take control, Aunt. If you keep letting them drag you around, you’ll end up with nothing.”
“How is a divorce supposed to give me control?”
“Not the divorce itself, but the divorce papers. Present them to Uncle. He’ll be groveling at your feet in no time. Being the son-in-law of a powerful family is a weakness for a politician, but make him realize he’s nothing without that connection.”
Aunt blinked, processing the idea, then let out a soft exclamation.
“Oh! I see. The divorce papers can be a weapon for both sides.”
She’s a sharp woman. She understands two things when you tell her one.
“Exactly. With that single document, you could secure the department store, the hotel, the condo, the golf course, and even reclaim the mayor’s office.”
Aunt looked at me with eyes gleaming with newfound understanding.
“How did you get so clever? No wonder your father dotes on you.”
I gave a wry smile at her compliment.
“Being clever doesn’t help much.”
“What do you mean? How can it not help?”
“Has anyone with a brilliant mind ever become a ruler? They’re always the right-hand man. Like Zhang Liang to Liu Bang, Zhuge Liang to the Emperor of Shu, and Jeong Do-jeon to Yi Seong-gye. In the end, I’m just destined to be someone’s right-hand.”
Aunt is perceptive enough to catch the underlying meaning of my words.