The Showdown, Part 2
“First, can you explain the overall process? I need to get a sense of the concept.”
“Okay. First, we select the key items for this year’s S/S season. Once the selection is done, we request samples for display.”
“I got that part.”
My aunt seemed a bit excited.
She could already envision the tasks ahead, confident that everything would go according to her plan. It’s the most exhilarating and enjoyable moment when working.
“When the samples arrive, we need to think about the display. We have to design a layout that allows customers to examine each item closely and encourage linked purchases.”
“Linked purchases?”
“Yes. You buy a hat, and you want matching earrings. You get the earrings, and your eyes wander to a necklace. You buy a pretty necklace, and you need a dress with a plunging neckline, and then high heels to match the dress. That’s what I mean.”
“Can’t we just put everything on a mannequin?”
“That’s what you do with off-the-rack items. Our VIPs are picky. They want to choose each piece themselves. Mannequins make them feel like they’re being forced into something.”
“That’s really picky.”
It’s not because they’re naturally difficult. It’s the abundance of money that inflates their egos. They think, “I’m special!”
“Only those who stand alongside me are like that.”
If there’s anyone who can rival my aunt, it’s the women from the chaebol families. They would never accept a setup recommended by my aunt. It’s a matter of pride.
“You visit them at home, right?”
“Yes. On the agreed date, we go and set up the display according to the customer’s taste, and they make their selections. For them, it’s the best. They buy several of the same item, leaving some at home, some at their European villa, and some at their New York apartment. They find it a hassle to carry things when they travel.”
I knew this much already.
“Oh, would you like to go this time? Yes, that would be good.”
Suddenly, my aunt clapped her hands and stood me up. She spun me around, taking a good look at me, and then beamed.
“The grandson of the Sunyang chairman, the son of a movie star and a production company president. A young third-generation with looks that rival a star. This is a jackpot.”
“Why should I go?”
“Just go and say hello. The experts will handle the rest. Those women won’t be able to stay calm when they see you. A handsome, young third-generation standing by, watching them. Do you think they’ll hesitate? They’ll buy like crazy. That’s the only thing you can offer.”
I felt uncomfortable being used as bait, but it was also a chance to make connections and boost sales. It’s part of my responsibility.
“Alright, I’ll do it.”
“Surprising. You’re agreeing so easily…”
“We need to boost sales. Let’s set a record. Haha.”
When I laughed it off, my aunt’s eyes changed.
None of my cousins would ever try to boost sales by selling their smiles. They hate the work itself, and if they had to grovel, they’d scream and refuse.
I must have seemed different for not minding the groveling.
“So, what happens after the first round?”
“Do you know who the chef from Leux Saint-Brook is?”
“No, I was curious about that too.”
“It’s a restaurant on Rue Leux Saint-Brook in Paris. A famous chef. He’s bringing his staff over. On a private jet.”
“A private jet?”
“Yes. They’re bringing all the ingredients on that jet. Then, we display the new products at a hotel banquet and invite 100 people.”
A banquet for 100 people and an expensive luxury exhibition. Is that what this is?
“They even bring in tables, tablecloths, chairs, plates, forks, and knives. That’s also part of the product display.”
“Who are these 100 people?”
“Rich people with small houses.”
“What? How can rich people have small houses?”
“They have living rooms and homes too small to display dozens of outfits and accessories. And they’re people who look at the chaebol families with envy.”
“So, they listen carefully to your proposal and accept it because they want to be like them?”
“Exactly. The hotel banquet display is my taste. When I explain it myself, they usually listen.”
“And there’s another effect.”
“What is it?”
“Jealousy and competition.”
Scary. Women, huh? Even shopping becomes a fierce battle of wills.
“The 100 people will watch each other, trying to outdo one another. The one who reserves the most wins. It’s like an auction atmosphere.”
Suddenly, I felt a chill. Isn’t this encouraging endless competition?
“You should come and see it if you have time. The fierce and frenzied look of people who hate losing more than dying. It all comes out through shopping.”
I must see it. Isn’t it a scene where primal desires are laid bare?
“Alright, I’ll definitely go. But, Aunt, isn’t this just a way to sell products? How does this lead shopping?”
“Because the places they frequent are boutiques, they influence designers. They’re all VIP customers. Designers have to cater to their tastes. That influence trickles down.”
Is this the trickle-down effect even here? Or is it the ripple effect?
“How do you connect this with duty-free shops? You know the important thing is getting selected for Incheon Airport and downtown Seoul duty-free shops, right?”
“Of course. The 100 people I choose are influential in their fields. After the event, when we deliver the reserved products to their homes, we subtly hint at it. When that adds up, it becomes a tremendous force.”
The greatest power is the request made on the pillow, they say…
“Do-jun.”
“Yes.”
My aunt spoke with utmost seriousness.
“You’ve been dismissive of this side for too long. It might seem vulgar. But those vulgar things hold the power in this country. You need to connect with them like I do. Use that power.”
Why is my aunt suddenly like this?
It’s obvious that the more power I have, the more disadvantageous it will be for her.
She gave me a sly smile as she watched me with suspicious eyes.
“Don’t be wary. You said it yourself, until we reach our destination, we’re allies. I don’t know how it will end, but I’ve decided to follow your lead. The fact that I haven’t said a word about your true self to your uncles is proof of that.”
Has she not given up yet?
But I’m not overly cautious.
Didn’t Mike Tyson say it? Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.
No matter what scheme my aunt devises, she’ll realize in the end.
That all she can salvage is a life of luxury, flitting between department stores and hotels.
Five years ago, the NASDAQ Composite Index in the U.S. was only 800. By the start of 2000, it had surpassed 4,800.
It’s the last brilliant flame before life ends, much like the stock price of New Data Technology.
Our country was no exception. The savvy stockbrokers in Yeouido anticipated the dot-com bubble bursting in Korea and aggressively gathered funds for one last big score.
With patriotic marketing like the Buy Korea Fund and Park Hyun-joo Fund, all the available capital was funneled into IT tech stocks, creating a theme stock frenzy.
Many had already lost money due to the burst venture bubble, but there were still plenty of people who believed they were safe and would make a fortune.
It was a precarious situation, walking on a knife’s edge, but for the people I was visiting today, it was a different world. Whether the Korean economy wobbled or rode a rollercoaster, they always lived comfortably and luxuriously above the clouds.
“How is it? Isn’t it stunning? It’s like a fashion spread.”
A suit made 100% by hand, taking six weeks to complete.
Over 3,000 stitches, each sewn over 10 hours for a single suit, and 186 production processes, including more than 42 pressings for a single jacket.
This requires more than 30 times the effort and time compared to ready-to-wear production, but the price is 50 to 100 times higher for men’s suits.
My aunt and the top MD of the department store had prepared the three great Neapolitan suits—Cesare Attolini, Brioni, and Kiton—for me.
“The saying ‘fashion is completed by the model’ fits perfectly. How can all three brands suit you so well?”
The staff who would be accompanying me for a while were making a fuss, trying to match my aunt’s enthusiasm.
“Today, we’ll visit two homes. Do-jun, you just need to make an appearance. Just watch quietly. The rest will be handled by these folks.”
I wasn’t particularly nervous or worried. The places we were visiting today were chaebol families without department stores or shopping malls. And their business rankings were far below Sunyang, so there was no need to try hard to impress.
As my aunt said, the goal was to make introductions. Having someone you know when forming business relationships makes it easier to approach.
“The first visit is to the wives, daughters-in-law, and daughters of the Ilseong Group. They’re not too difficult, so it shouldn’t be uncomfortable.”
“But aren’t there any male clients?”
“Of course there are.”
The staff accompanying us smiled.
“Only female staff handle male clients. As you know…”
“When male staff go, they tend to act superior, right?”
“Yes. Maybe they want to show off their superiority.”
“Primates naturally form hierarchical societies. Humans are no different from animals, you know.”
“What?”
“Oh, nothing.”
Ignoring the puzzled staff, I leaned back against the car seat.
Ilseong Group…
They were the family that would later become in-laws with the president, right?
If I make a good impression, I’ll have another direct line to the president. For someone like the chairman of Sunyang, there’s no need to plug in a new pipe, but until then, it’s useful.
Reaching the top means not having to deal with such trivial matters, I reminded myself once again.
The car headed towards Hannam-dong.
As I stepped into the Ilseong Group’s residence, the first thing that caught my eye was the expansive, neatly manicured lawn. The garden was immaculate, though lacking in grandeur, reflecting the personality of the homeowner.
Upon entering through the front door, I was greeted by the staff, but the lady of the house was nowhere to be seen.
Even as the department store employees who accompanied me began to carefully unpack and arrange the beautifully wrapped items in the living room, the hosts remained absent.
“Excuse me, Director. Shouldn’t we subtly let them know you’ve come in person…?”
One of the employees approached a member of the household staff, attempting to reveal my identity, but I gently pulled him back.
“Leave it be. I’m curious to see how they behave when they’re not putting on a show.”
I had been told they weren’t particularly difficult, but courtesy seemed to be another matter entirely. The household staff merely stared at us, offering not even a glass of water, displaying a rather stingy hospitality.
After more than an hour of meticulous display work, someone finally went upstairs to inform them.
Yet, they didn’t appear immediately. It was another twenty minutes before I heard the murmuring voices of women approaching.
An elderly woman, three middle-aged women, and two younger women.
As they met our gaze, the employees who had come with me bowed silently.
When I gave a slight nod, their attention shifted to me. With a dozen people still bent over, I must have stood out, standing there nonchalantly.
Meeting their gaze with a light smile, the elderly woman spoke up.
“Well, today we have an interesting young visitor.”