Chapter 169: Independence 2
“I’m sorry.”
“I told you, it’s fine. Leaving the company wasn’t entirely your fault. I warned you to be careful, but what can you do? Everyone was just trying to save face.”
It wasn’t just my mother who was trying to gauge the situation without fully understanding it.
I, too, blinked in confusion, glancing back and forth between the two of them.
“Oh, it’s nothing serious.”
He said it was nothing, but the situation was almost laughable.
I had no interest in my father’s media company, so naturally, he brought in my older brother, Sang-jun.
With his passion for music and love for the arts, my father thought Sang-jun was a better fit. Isn’t that industry tough in its own way?
My father believed in learning from the ground up and instructed everyone to be strict with Sang-jun, but no one followed through.
Instead of learning the ropes, everyone treated him like royalty, and he spent his days wandering around like a spectator before heading home.
Only those who’ve been sidelined know the agony of spending a day at work without actually working.
Seeing Sang-jun unable to lift his head, I felt uneasy.
How devastated must he have been when he realized he lacked the talent for music he loved? How miserable must he have felt ending a day without accomplishing anything?
To ordinary people, it might sound like a luxury problem, but everyone believes their own situation is the hardest.
Seeing my brother so downcast, I felt a pang of sympathy.
“Father, Mother, can I talk to my brother for a moment? Is that okay?”
I gestured to Sang-jun, who looked up in surprise, and moved to a corner table.
“Hey, what do you think about this?”
“About what?”
“These days, music agencies are all the rage. You know SM Entertainment went public, right?”
“Did you invest there?”
Sang-jun asked, eyes wide.
“No. Entertainment stocks aren’t the answer. They’re too small. Only people in that industry invest there. It’ll take about ten years for them to be recognized for their value.”
In a world where celebrities act like nobility, and every teenager dreams of becoming one, it’s not strange for imitation girl groups to flaunt their sexiness at college festivals.
A world where the term “second-generation celebrity” is as natural as “second-generation chaebol.”
By the time such a world arrives, entertainment stocks will soar. But not yet.
“That’s not what I meant. Do you want to try your hand at it?”
“An agency? Me? No way.”
Seeing him shake his head, I resisted the urge to smack him.
“You love music. Sure, loving it doesn’t mean you’re good at it, but isn’t music better than the videos Dad makes?”
“Do-jun, I appreciate your concern, but not just anyone can do that. I don’t know anything about management. Discovering new talent, training them… getting them on TV… it’s impossible.”
His response was almost admirable.
If he had jumped in without the skills, I might have stopped him.
“Learn.”
“What?”
“You need to learn the business. Did you think I’d set up a company for you?”
“No, that’s not it…”
“Pick a company you really want to work for. One that’s not successful yet, with only a few artists, but you see potential in. Get a job there.”
“So, choose a company first?”
“Work hard and learn. Drive the artists around, run errands, even take flak from difficult idols. That’s how you start.”
”…”
“Don’t use our family name. Get hired on your own merit. You studied abroad, right? You can manage on a small salary, can’t you? Just get in there.”
Does he have that kind of drive?
But if he’s thinking of skipping the hard work, he’d be better off staying unemployed. I can support him financially.
“When you feel confident, let me know. I’ll help you start a company. Show me you have the ability to grow it bigger than SM, and I’ll invest whatever it takes. How about it?”
“I’ll think about it.”
Is he joking?
Does he want to play the part of a third-generation chaebol who hates hard work but loves success?
Seeing my expression, Sang-jun quickly spoke up.
“Hey! I’m not thinking about it because of the hard work. You need to do that to learn. But I need to consider if I can even run an entertainment company, if I have the capacity for it. I can’t just waste my brother’s money.”
Oh, he can say something admirable!
“Don’t think.”
“What?”
“Just learn. As you learn, you’ll gain confidence and skills. Deciding based on thoughts alone without knowing the field is more foolish. Don’t you think?”
Sang-jun, who had been silent, finally spoke after a pause.
“Don’t tell Dad. If word gets out, it’ll spread. I don’t want to be known as someone’s son or grandson anymore.”
“Alright. It’ll be our secret. Deal?”
Even if he fails a few times, I’ll support him. I’ll invest tens of millions in the company he chooses and make sure he learns the ropes.
He can’t just waste years as a road manager, can he?
“How does it feel? At twenty-four, how many subsidiaries do you have? More than ten?”
“HW Group has nine, Sunyang Financial has four. That’s just the main ones; I lose track of the subsidiaries.”
“Wow, aren’t you showing off a bit? Haha.”
Back home, I shared a beer with my father.
“Grandfather and Uncle Se-hyun are experts at splitting companies and attaching them here and there. Honestly, I can’t even keep track of the subsidiaries.”
“Showing off again, huh? Hey! I have a lot of companies too. But I manage even the small production studios. You have to pay attention.”
“Dad.”
I called him softly with a slight smile.
“What?”
“Isn’t the scale different? The country’s number one life insurance company, a car company with 32% market share in Korea, a construction company ranked sixth in contracts. Should I go on?”
“Enough. You’re always showing off, haha.”
Whether inherited or through loopholes, my father couldn’t hide his pride in his young son building a massive enterprise.
But clothes that don’t fit well can cause problems, and my father’s laughter left a strange aftertaste.
“Have your uncles contacted you?”
“Not yet… They might contact you first, thinking they can control both me and Miracle as major shareholders.”
“That could happen. Should I do something about it?”
“Just tell them you won’t get involved until I finish my studies.”
“Studies? What do you mean? You’re graduating next February, right? Just a couple of months left. What could happen in that time?”
“No, I’m thinking of going to graduate school.”
My father looked at me, bewildered.
“You barely went to school, and now graduate school? Why? Are you thinking of studying business or economics? Or maybe accounting?”
“No, it’s not that.”
I cautiously gauged his reaction.
“Grandfather isn’t getting any younger. Once I graduate, I’ll get my draft notice and have to serve in the military. What if something happens to him while I’m away? I want to stay by his side while he’s still with us.”
“The military?”
My father’s face turned even more bewildered.
“You’re going to the military? The group should have taken care of that…”
“What do you mean?”
“Hold on a second.”
My father took out his phone.
“Ah, Brother, it’s Yoon. Yes, yes. How have you been?”
He exchanged pleasantries for a while.
“I wanted to ask about Do-jun’s military situation. Yes. Yes. Oh… that accident back then? Yes… I see. Oh, no. I hadn’t heard. Yes… Yes. Thank you. Let’s meet up soon for a drink… Haha.”
After the call, my father smiled.
“Of course. I forgot to tell you.”
“Who were you talking to?”
“Huh? Oh…! Director Lee Hak-jae. I was checking on your military status…”
Could it be?
I found it a bit odd. Neither Sang-jun nor any of my cousins had served in the military. I couldn’t recall any of them even doing reserve duty, so they must have all been exempt.
I assumed I was exempt too, but since I hadn’t graduated yet and never took a leave of absence, I wasn’t sure. I only guessed they’d handle it when the draft notice came.
Moreover, sending me to the military would be the best way for my uncles to separate me from Grandfather, so I worried they might pull some strings.
Graduate school was a backup plan, just in case…
“You’ve been exempted. It was easy for you. They used the medical records from your big car accident to handle it… So you don’t need to go to graduate school just to delay the draft.”
“I see.”
I nodded as if it was no big deal.
“Do you want to study more, even if it’s not about the military? Maybe study abroad?”
“No. People study either for success or because they love studying. I’m neither. I’ve succeeded, and I don’t like studying.”
“Then again! What should I do when your uncles start bothering me?”
“Just say you’ll wait and see for now.”
“That’s the best course for now?”
“Yes.”
My father finished his beer.
“Alright. Let me know if you need anything.”
“I will. By the way, about Sang-jun…”
“Hmm? Sang-jun?”
“Yes. He wants to try things on his own, so don’t worry about finding him a job for now. He’s an adult, after all.”
My father looked at me for a moment before patting my shoulder.
“I must have saved the country three or four times in a past life. How else could I have such a wonderful son? Don’t pretend you don’t know.”
I just smiled at my father without saying anything.
It’s not that you saved the country, Dad. It’s more like you have a son who met an unjust end in a past life. That’s why you’re so lucky now.
With the World Cup just around the corner, the Korean national soccer team was struggling, having been knocked out in the group stage of the Sydney Olympics and finishing third in the Asian Cup.
Eventually, Coach Huh Jung-moo was dismissed, and Guus Hiddink, who had handed South Korea a crushing 5-0 defeat in the group stage of the 1998 France World Cup, officially took over as head coach of the national team on January 1, 2001.
“Do you like soccer?”
“Just the usual, I guess. I only watch the national team games. That’s about it.”
Executive Director Jang Do-hyung seemed intrigued by Hiddink’s inauguration interview, but really, is there anything less exciting than knowing the outcome of a sports event?
It’s more deflating than a movie spoiler.
Seeing my lack of interest, Jang changed the subject.
“Why are you here on New Year’s Day instead of at home?”
“I figured the executives would come by to pay their respects.”
“Why not just receive them?”
“Oh, it’s incredibly awkward. It’s tough enough to greet someone like a son, but having people old enough to be my father bow to me is even worse.”
“So, am I not old enough to be your father, and that’s why you’re comfortable with me? Why did you want to see me on New Year’s Day?”
“I wanted to give you a boost.”
“What?”
“Tomorrow, casually mention at the office that you had a private meeting with me on New Year’s Day.”
“Oh…!”
Understanding the implication, Jang gave a slight smile. It seemed he saw this as the first step toward becoming a new power player.