The Egg PC Design
The concept of an all-in-one computer, where the main unit and monitor are integrated, has existed almost as long as personal computers themselves. The Macintosh was not the first to offer such a design. Yet it was the Mac series that truly made the all-in-one format a commercial success. While the design offered excellent aesthetics and space efficiency, it sacrificed the PC’s greatest strength—expandability—rendering it unappealing to many users. Macintosh systems had few expansion slots and strictly enforced standards, so the limitation was manageable. IBM-compatible PCs, however, often featured expansion cards exceeding thirty centimeters in length, making the all-in-one format impractical.
“So, who drew this?”
Lee Yong-kwon was well-versed in all-in-one computers. As vice president of one of Korea’s leading finished-PC manufacturers, he understood the history of personal computers and the concept of integrated designs. To him, all-in-one computers had always felt like a pretty but ultimately limited option. Yet the design now spread before him felt different from anything that had come before.
The front view showed a rounded rectangle housing a CRT monitor, with circular speakers embedded on either side of the lower section. Below that sat a 3.5-inch floppy drive that resembled a mouth. For a moment, the rounded rectangle made it look like a television, but no television had ever taken that shape.
“Of course, I drew it myself.”
It was not, regrettably, an entirely original creation. Trends always circled back, and the aesthetic of the late 1980s had become fashionable again in Korea around 2030. This was the era when curves first entered a world of sharp angles. Even the Lincoln that Remington had recently purchased featured rounded edges on the new model, unlike the boxy previous version. That same styling would soon appear on the upcoming New Grandeur. The distinctive sensibility had its admirers even in the twenty-first century, and the all-in-one computer design Yoo Jae-won now presented blended that retro charm with modern sensibilities.
“My word!”
Jae-won had worried the design might be too early, but Lee Yong-kwon’s reaction dispelled that concern. Though the model was a restored retro design from 2030, it clearly resonated with 1989 sensibilities as well. Jae-won continued with easy confidence.
“To be precise, I didn’t do it entirely alone. I received some assistance from an industrial designer. Do you have a computer with a 3.5-inch floppy drive and VGA? I’ve brought the image files and CAD drawings on diskette.”
“Who do you think I am? Of course I have that basic equipment.”
Lee Yong-kwon led Jae-won to the computer on his desk. The printed drawings already conveyed a level of design sophistication that overturned any notion of all-in-one computers being merely pretty but limited. Normally, the format’s only advantage was trading expandability for space savings. With this level of design, however, the aesthetic benefit multiplied several times over. It was striking enough to justify sacrificing expandability.
Once the system booted, Jae-won inserted the diskette and changed the prompt to the drive. He typed “egg” and pressed enter. The diskette whirred loudly, the screen switched to graphics mode, and a cleanly rendered all-in-one computer appeared. Lee Yong-kwon immediately recognized it as the source of the printed image Jae-won had given him. When Jae-won pressed enter again, the view changed to a side profile. The translucent white outline and emerald cover made an immediate impression.
“Computer cases are usually aluminum with ivory paint. It looked good at first, but people are tired of it now. So this product uses transparent polycarbonate with color added—something completely different.”
“Polycarbonate?”
“Yes. Acrylic has the best transparency, but it scratches easily and shatters on impact. Curves are also difficult to form with it. Polycarbonate can be pressed into shape once the mold is ready. It’s more expensive, of course.”
Jae-won pressed enter while explaining. Diagrams appeared showing the case broken into large sections, the internal board layout, and how expansion cards would be installed. Even with the substantial bulk of a fourteen-inch color CRT, the design managed to accommodate everything neatly. To Lee Yong-kwon’s professional eye, it looked entirely feasible to manufacture.
“The case alone will cost over a hundred thousand won.”
New molds would be required, and a process for handling polycarbonate would need to be developed, driving production costs sharply higher.
“You’re planning to manufacture the cases in-house? That would be ideal, but working with an unfamiliar material will be challenging. Even if we create the molds, it would be better to outsource the actual fabrication to a company that specializes in polycarbonate.”
“Ah, outsourcing?”
“Yes. We should save wherever we can.”
Lee Yong-kwon nodded. The young man who earned hundreds of millions of dollars in America was the first to suggest cutting costs. It was the right approach. There was no need to produce the cases internally.
“Also, when making the molds, the curvature must match these design specifications exactly. If Korean mold makers could handle it, we could do it cheaply, but their current technology isn’t sufficient. We’re looking into Japanese mold companies.”
Lee Yong-kwon agreed. Domestic presses could handle the internal chassis, but machining hard alloys into the smooth curves shown in the drawings was still beyond local capability. As he nodded, a sudden realization struck him.
“By the way, have you patented this design?”
“No. The concept of an all-in-one computer has existed for too long to patent. Instead, I filed for international design registration. We’ve already received certificates in Korea, Japan, the United States, and other major countries.”
Learning that certificates had been granted brought both relief and a touch of regret. Lee Yong-kwon was certain the design would create a sensation if released as-is. Yet because ID Technology held the rights, it would be difficult to market under the Sambo Computer name.
“How did you come up with this design?”
“Ah, that. You know we opened two flagship stores in the United States? They’re in prime locations with outstanding interiors. The only flaw was the demonstration computers. They were assembled units with excellent performance, but their crude appearance clashed with the store atmosphere. This design was created to suit the flagship stores. Its official name is the ID Egg PC. It will probably just be called the Egg.”
Egg? The name made sense. Viewed from the side, the shape resembled a sliced egg.
“But isn’t it a waste to produce only forty units and then shelve the molds? A single mold costs several million won, doesn’t it?”
“Heh, are you interested in the Egg design? If so, use it.”
“Really?”
“Yes. If we install them in the flagship stores, visitors will definitely ask where they can buy one. I’ll tell them they can purchase it from Trigem.”
Trigem was Sambo’s American trademark. The name “Sambo” meant three jewels, and Trigem was its direct English rendering.
“You’re even offering promotion? Thank you! Thank you so much!”
ID Technology’s flagship stores stood in San Jose in the west and Manhattan’s Central Park in the east. Both locations enjoyed enormous foot traffic and had become centers of attention through the Security Challenge. They had evolved into pilgrimage sites for expert teams and hacker groups of every conceivable combination. With so many teams converging, participants used ID Technology’s private BBS to coordinate time slots and minimize chaos. The stores themselves became attractions, drawing even more visitors and turning the two locations into local landmarks.
“What’s the catch? Even I can see how valuable this design is. There must be a real reason you’re offering it to us.”
“A catch? Hmm!”
Of course, Yoo Jae-won had something in mind. For someone aiming to encompass the global market through ID Technology, Korea’s presence remained small. Yet it was the country of his birth, the home of his parents, relatives, and friends. His master plan included substantial provisions for national development. The more allies who shared his vision, the better.
“It would be enough if the relationship between ID Technology and Sambo, and between Sambo and ID Technology, advanced one step beyond simple cooperation into something more like an alliance.”
In his heart, Jae-won wanted to hold a significant stake in Sambo Computer so he could steer the company away from wasteful ventures like pagers, city phones, and cable broadcasting toward mobile telecommunications. Even without equity, however, it would not be bad if his influence grew large enough that his advice was accepted without question. If the Egg PC became a hit, his voice within Sambo Computer would become enormously powerful. Moreover, Sambo Computer would list in the early 1990s; he could simply purchase the necessary shares then.
“Thank you! Of course, Sambo Computer also hopes our relationship with ID Technology will move beyond cooperation into a true alliance.”
Lee Yong-kwon signed the design licensing agreement that Chief of Staff Choi Kang-wook had prepared in advance. The key terms stipulated a royalty of ten thousand won per Egg PC sold, with the contract renewable annually and automatically extended absent objections from either party. Sambo Computer agreed to complete the product and deliver it as quickly as possible, with a deadline set for early November. The reason was simple: Comdex, the world’s largest computer show, would be held in November. Jae-won was confident that unveiling the Egg PC at Comdex would generate an extraordinary response.
“Sambo Computer should prepare in advance if you want to handle the flood of orders.”
“Heh, I’ll be counting on it.”
Having concluded his business at Sambo, Jae-won prepared to end the meeting. At Lee Yong-kwon’s invitation to lunch, however, they headed to a nearby restaurant. The meal was simple home-style Korean food, yet it tasted excellent. It felt less like a business lunch at a fancy restaurant and more like a family meal, which suited him far better.
With his stomach comfortably full, Jae-won climbed into the car bound for ID Technology’s Seoul branch. Kim Dae-seok was driving the Grandeur, which now felt as comfortable as home. After lunch, drowsiness began to creep in. Kim Dae-seok, for his part, had been beaming lately. It seemed his relationship with Oh Hyun-ji from Mirae Group—whom Jae-won had introduced—was progressing well. Until this past spring, Oh Hyun-ji had shown little interest, and Jae-won had expected the match to fail. During their recent trip to America, however, Kim Dae-seok had been given extended leave, and something had clearly advanced between them. They appeared to be in the early, affectionate stage of dating. Jae-won worried that if things eventually fell apart, Kim Dae-seok would sink into prolonged despair, but he chose not to interfere. After all, few experiences fostered personal growth as effectively as romance.
Ring ring.
Just as he was about to doze off, the phone rang. The call came through the car phone installed in the Grandeur. Few people would call at this hour, but anyone who knew this number was either a close acquaintance or a colleague. Jae-won shook off his drowsiness and answered immediately.
“Hello?”
—President, this is Hwang Jae-hong.
The caller was Hwang Jae-hong, field manager of ID Investment. Having successfully completed his assignment in Bundang, Hwang had recently been escorting Jae-won’s parents on a tour of Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, teaching them real estate transaction know-how while showing them successful development models to sharpen their eye. Jae-won’s parents had started with no background knowledge, but a few years of dedicated learning would surely give them their own expertise. Today, however, his parents were at home, so Hwang had little reason to call.
—President, it’s finally happened!
“What’s happened?”
—The land price in Bundang has reached the target amount you set! Five hundred billion won!
Jae-won had invested 4.5 billion won in Bundang, where a new city was planned. After that, he had cut off all updates until the target price was reached. He had instructed Hwang Jae-hong not to report any news about the new city until the target was met.
“Already?”
Yet on October 2nd, the price had already hit five hundred billion won. Jae-won had expected roughly an elevenfold return. He had anticipated reaching the target no earlier than November, but it had arrived a full month ahead of schedule. By securing prime locations first and then refusing to negotiate as instructed, ID Investment had forced compensation amounts to rise even faster. Still, the profit was not excessively greedy. First new-town land compensation prices were also in the eight-to-ten-times range.
—What would you like to do? Shall we hold until November as originally planned?
Jae-won considered briefly.
“No. This is sufficient.”
Greed could certainly extract a higher compensation amount, but compared to the money he would soon earn, it was not a large sum. A major wave was coming in the financial futures market, and simply riding it would generate far greater profits than this. Stubbornly holding out for a little more money risked drawing the president’s unfavorable attention. He had already benefited enormously from the president’s goodwill; turning that into a loss through petty greed would be foolish.
—Ah? You mean now?
Hwang Jae-hong had apparently expected instructions to wait until November. Jae-won’s resolve, however, was firm. He already had numerous places requiring capital, and the timely arrival of this lump sum brought him considerable peace of mind.
“Ah, right—once the sale is complete, come up to Seoul. There’s land I want to look at with you.”
—Excuse me? There’s land worth buying in Seoul?
—Understood!
At the mention of another land deal, Hwang Jae-hong’s voice brightened. Yet large-scale development projects like Bundang would be rare going forward. The land Jae-won referred to was already expensive Gangnam real estate, and his immediate goal was simply to secure enough space for a single flagship store. The scale was still substantial. While sufficient for one store now, the site would eventually support a building exceeding ten stories. It made no sense for ID Technology to have two flagship stores in America but none in Korea, where its headquarters was located.
“Ah, then I’ll need to speak with Chairman Jeon Myeong-heon.”
The person holding large tracts of land in Gangnam was none other than Chairman Jeon Myeong-heon of Mirae Group. Among Korea’s many chaebols, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Jeon Myeong-heon was the closest to Yoo Jae-won.
“We’re even on betting terms.”
Indeed, they had once placed a wager over a large piece of land. Jae-won had advised Jeon Myeong-heon to recover Mirae Construction’s outstanding receivables from the Middle East, particularly Iraq, even at a loss, citing impending instability in the region. While the true reason was next year’s major event—known only to Jae-won through his regression—the explanation aligned with the instinctive judgment that had built Jeon Myeong-heon into the man he was today, so the bet had been struck.
“I’ll take the Dogok-dong land as my winnings at a bargain price and ask him to sell the Apgujeong land first.”
Apgujeong was home to the famous Mirae Apartments. Mirae Construction had purchased surrounding land while developing the complex and still held a significant portion. If Jae-won asked, Jeon Myeong-heon would surely offer a reasonable price. But whom should he call? The land belonged to Mirae Construction, yet the chairman’s position remained vacant. The previous chairman had been dismissed last year, and the succession process within Mirae Group was still stalled. Mirae Construction was currently run by a salaried president who reportedly could not approve even ten-billion-won expenditures without approval. Rumor had it that all important matters were handled directly by Chairman Jeon Myeong-heon. Since the Apgujeong Rodeo Street land Jae-won wanted was worth at least hundreds of millions of won, the answer was clear.
“Dae-seok, could you contact Hyun-ji noona for me?”
Having organized his thoughts, Jae-won spoke to Kim Dae-seok, who was focused on driving.
“Huh? Why are you suddenly asking for Hyun-ji?”
Kim Dae-seok reacted instantly at the mention of her name.
“I need to set up a meeting with Chairman Jeon Myeong-heon. I want to see him as soon as possible. I’m hoping to buy some Apgujeong land that Mirae Construction owns.”
“Ah, yes! Understood.”
Realizing this was business rather than teasing, Kim Dae-seok pulled the car to the side of the road and picked up the car phone. After a short deep breath, he dialed. He apparently had the chairman’s secretariat number memorized.
“Hyun-ji? It’s Kim Dae-seok.”
Kim Dae-seok’s call was brief. He relayed that his president wished to meet Chairman Jeon Myeong-heon and requested the earliest possible appointment. A voice asked him to wait, and after several tens of seconds, he received a short reply and hung up.
“President, Chairman Jeon Myeong-heon says if you want to meet, let’s do it now.”
Now? That was just like the chairman—decisive as ever. Jae-won’s afternoon schedule had been set aside for reviewing documents with Choi Kang-wook at the Seoul branch. It was regrettable for the chief of staff, but the matters could easily be postponed.
“Understood. Then let’s go see the chairman.”
Yoo Jae-won’s car turned toward Mirae Group headquarters. Still, he wondered why Chairman Jeon Myeong-heon had suddenly summoned him. Unlike Jae-won, whose official schedule rarely exceeded one item per day, the chairman’s daily itinerary was measured in minutes. His meticulous nature—managing every detail of the massive group—was so extreme that newspapers had reported he felt there were never enough hours in the day. Of course, such an approach was not always ideal. No matter how carefully one reviewed matters, decisions ultimately rested on reading reports prepared by others. When Mirae Construction submitted blatantly falsified accounting reports, the chairman had accepted them without question. Jae-won had thought the Mirae Construction incident might have changed his character, but it seemed he had reverted. In any case, the chairman was never idle. His sudden summons could not be explained by mere friendship alone.
“Ah, perhaps…”
After a moment’s thought, Jae-won had a guess. The only new variable involving the chairman was the recent phone call. Perhaps there was something specific to discuss regarding the Gangnam land. Yet nothing concrete came to mind. Curiosity grew as to what the matter might be. Fortunately, traffic was light at this hour, so the answer would come quickly.