Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

Chapter 209: New Product (3) – PART 2

Gun-Ho asked Jae-Sik to make a reservation for a good restaurant around the Gangnam Station area.

“How many seats do I need to reserve?”

“Around fifteen people will be coming. I guess the same number of people showed up when we had a gathering at Gyeongridan Street last time.”

“Who are coming?”

“Those friends who talked bad behind you, that you were a swindler.”

“Our classmates from high school?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t want to see those people.”

“You sound just like Min-Hyeok.”

“Is Min-Hyeok coming too?”

“Yeah. He is visiting Korea soon because his grandmother passed away. He will come to our gathering as well.”

“If Min-Hyeok is coming, I will join the gathering too.”

“Okay. Pick a quiet place.”

“I know a good place in the area. I will make a reservation.”

Gun-Ho’s cell phone started ringing; it was a call form Won-Chul Jo who was working as a manager in a big company.

“Shoot. I feel like I am being surrounded by all the friends from high school these days.”

Gun-Ho murmured before picking up the phone.

“Gun-Ho Goo? It’s me, Won-Chul. Did Suk-Ho call you about our high school reunion?”

“Yeah, I spoke with him already.”

“We are going to meet at Gangnam Station. Do you happen to know any good restaurant around the area?”

“Actually, I already asked Jae-Sik Moon to find one and make a reservation for our gathering.”

“Jae-Sik Moon? Where is he?”

“He is working for a publishing company these days. He is a chief editor.”

“Really? Isn’t he the swindler who tried to deceive some of our friends from high school?”

“What makes you think he is a swindler? He didn’t deceive anybody. He sent our high school’s alumni directory book to everyone as he promised.”

“That’s true, but there is a rumor like that.”

“I don’t hear any rumor like that at all. He is working as a chief editor, and he won an award for his novel lately.”

“Really?”

“Jae-Sik Moon will join us at our gathering this time and Min-Hyeok is coming too, from China.”

“Min-Hyeok Kim is coming too? I guess we will have a big high school reunion this time. Min-Ho Kang said he will be coming as well.”

“Min-Ho Kang?”

“Don’t you remember him? He used to actively participate in a civic organization and did a lot of protests.”

“What is he doing now?”

“He just came back from the big house. He is unemployed right now.”

“The big house?”

“Yeah, he has just been released from the prison in Yeoju City. He violated some regulation in protesting, so he was sent to prison.”

“Really? I think I heard he was involved in some civic group. I see.”

Min-Hyeok arrived in Korea and he came to GH Mobile factory in Asan City.

“Wow. The factory is huge. It’s several times bigger than the factory in China.”

Jong-Suk ran to the area where Min-Hyeok was having a tour in the factory, to see him.”

“Bro, good to see you.”

Min-Hyeok and Jong-Suk hugged each other.

“Jong-Suk, you seem to lose some weight. You look slimmer than the last time you came to China.”

“Don’t get me started, bro. I have been working with a hectic schedule. I worked to develop a new product during the day, and took a night class after work at Polytechnics College.”

“You are going to college now? Good job, Jong-Suk. You made the right choice. I am thinking of getting an MBA degree once things go easy at work. We need to develop ourselves to grow with President Gun-Ho Goo, don’t you think?”

“Gun-Ho bro actually forced me into the Polytechnics College.”

“It’s good for you.”

Gun-Ho introduced Min-Hyeok to the major directors and managers of GH Mobile.

“This is President Min-Hyeok Kim. He is running our factory in China.”

The plant manager extended his hand to Min-Hyeok with a bright smile.

“Nice to meet you.”

“I am retiring soon, and President Goo suggested me to work at the factory in China for a year after I retire and give some technical advice and educate the workers there. I guess I will join you at the factory in China soon. I look forward to working with you, President Kim.”

“I heard of it too. We are expecting you there, sir. We actually need you there as soon as possible. The factory is producing way too many defective products right now, and we are getting a lot of claims from our customers. It is a war zone with defective products. We are welcoming you.”

Min-Hyeok also met with the sales director, the chief officer of the research center, Director Yoon from the new factory in Jiksan Town, and the general affairs manager.

“This is my business card.”

Min-Hyeok gave his business card to everyone whom he was introduced to. His business card had the same company logo as GH Mobile in Asan City.

As Gun-Ho instructed, Jong-Suk took Min-Hyeok to the new product’s production line.

“Bro, this is the new product that we recently developed. Do you see the man over there, who is carving something while sitting on a chair? He is a Japanese engineer— Mr. Sakata Ikuzo who successfully developed the product for us.”

“Hmm, it looks great. The product looks like it was extruded twice, and the material is something related to urethane.”

“Your time in the factory seems to be well paid off, bro. You sound like an expert now.”

“Hey, Manager Park, give me one of the new products like a sample. I want to take it with me to China.”

“Why? You want to try to make it?”

“There is no way our factory in China would be able to make a product like this one. I just want to show it to our customers in China to show off that our parent company in Korea manufactures a product like this.”

“Why don’t you take 100 of them then?”

“Sure. Please pack those products in a bag before I leave.”

Gun-Ho, Min-Hyeok and Jong-Suk headed to Asan Bay. They wanted to have sashimi with soju while looking at the ocean. It was actually Min-Hyeok’s idea to go there.

“You know what? When I was in China, I desperately craved for sashimi.”

“Why didn’t you eat it then? Isn’t there sashimi in China?”

“There is, but I wasn’t sure if it is safe to eat raw fish in China. Since Chinese people usually cook everything and they don’t really eat raw food.”

“I see.”

“So I planned to eat a lot of sashimi once I arrived in Korea.”

“Eat a lot, bro. You can have mine too.”

They arrived at a beachfront restaurant.

“Jong-Suk, order the food as much as you want. I will pay for it. My monthly salary is 20,000 Yuan.”

“20,000 Yuan? How much is it in Korean Won? Is it 3.6 million won? Bro, I’m sorry to tell you that I beat you on the salary. I am being paid more than 5 million won. I used to get paid 3 million won when I worked at a factory in Yangju City, but when I joined Gun-Ho bro’s company, I got a huge raise. Thanks to Gun-Ho bro.”

“Still, I will pay for it today. I am getting a stock option too.”

“Stock option? You have to produce a good outcome to receive it. If you don’t reach a certain level of sales revenue, getting a stock option becomes meaningless, right?”

“You will see. I am sure I will earn a lot this year.”

“Keep up the good job, bro, and buy me a drink too once you successfully get that stock option thing.”

Jong-Suk ordered all sorts of sashimi: flatfish, flounder, sea cucumber, sea squirt, and so on. They drank soju with sashimi in the moonlight while looking out at the ocean. They talked about their old days when they were younger and when they were still living in Incheon City, until late at night. They laughed together and had a good time. They came back home after 11 pm that night.