Daehan Ilbo's Calculated Column
The day after the Android listing frenzy, Yoo Jae-won—still in New York—received a routine call from Choi Kang-wook regarding a column in Daehan Ilbo.
"Daehan Ilbo ran a column about ID Group in their evening edition."
"Oh? Is it a surrender declaration?"
"No, it's not that. You'd be better off reading it yourself than having me summarize."
"Is that so? Then let's take a look."
With his internet connection active, Yoo Jae-won downloaded the column via a paid scan service.
"Daehan Ilbo is doing what Daehan Ilbo does."
The piece began by praising Android's listing as a source of national pride, then pivoted to argue that the government should invest in companies and boldly deregulate growth-stifling rules to foster more such firms. It concluded by urging the state to back promising companies without hesitation as they approached global scale. In essence, Daehan Ilbo was using Android as a prop to push for pro-chaebol politics.
"They seemed quite eager to see our reaction—probably because of what happened with Dongha Ilbo," Choi Kang-wook added.
Dongha Ilbo had also been one of the papers that stirred up trouble. Until the impeachment crisis, ID Group had cut off all advertising and cooperation with them. But when public opinion needed rallying for the impeachment, ads were placed in Dongha Ilbo after the paper ran articles pressuring Judge Ma Tae-sik to resign voluntarily. Once the ads started flowing, Dongha Ilbo became even more vocal in supporting impeachment—and received even more advertising in return.
Daehan Ilbo appeared to be following the same playbook, running flattering columns it had never published before. Yet even with that intent, the piece ultimately revealed its true pro-chaebol colors in the end.
"They don't even realize the last train has already left," Yoo Jae-won remarked.
Dongha Ilbo had managed to catch that final train. While a formal apology was still pending and regular advertising wouldn't resume, ads would still appear when needed—as during the impeachment. Daehan Ilbo, however, was different. If they wanted to change their stance, they needed to do so decisively. Half-measures like this column would only make their future more difficult. Yoo Jae-won had no intention of going easy on the media. No one understood the dangers of fake news better than he did. When the time came to reform the press, Daehan Ilbo had the highest probability of becoming the test case. For now, newspapers still wielded considerable power, so action would have to wait. Once former lawmaker Kim Dae-jung—someone with his own deep grievances against the media—became president, press reform would begin, and Yoo Jae-won's master plan for reshaping the media was already aligned with that timeline. When that moment arrived, he intended to make everyone—from publishers to reporters—pay dearly, regardless of rank. Naturally, Dongha Ilbo would not be exempt simply because it received advertising.
"Understood."
Having confirmed Yoo Jae-won's thinking, Choi Kang-wook offered no further opinions.
"By the way, will you be returning to Korea before the Lunar New Year?"
Just before the call, Yoo Jae-won had finalized his mid-February schedule: remaining in the U.S. until February 6, then arriving in Korea on the 7th.
"Yes. I'll handle a few matters here and spend the holiday at home."
"Understood. I'll make the arrangements. Given the massive events you've set in motion, a lively arrival scene at the airport is unavoidable."
"Haha, I was prepared for that. Oh, and please have President Hwang Jae-hong meet me on the day I arrive."
"President Hwang Jae-hong? Are you planning to invest surplus funds in real estate?"
"Yes. Holding cash only leads to losses from inflation. I'll set aside minimal reserves and invest the rest."
"Understood. Though if word gets out that you're investing in real estate, there will be quite the commotion."
Korea was notorious for blindly following successful people. Since Yoo Jae-won had achieved the greatest success through self-made means, any real estate move would likely trigger copycat investments.
"That's a risk we'll have to accept. Besides, having others invest alongside us isn't necessarily a bad thing."
Yoo Jae-won had already learned how to leverage his fame to achieve his goals smoothly. If people followed his investments, it could generate greater synergy—and used correctly, that posed no major problem.
"What's today's schedule?"
After ending the call with Choi Kang-wook, Yoo Jae-won turned to Kim Dae-seok, who had been waiting.
"You have a meeting with Mr. Donald Trump this morning. In the afternoon, there's the ID Investment move-in ceremony at Trump Tower, followed by a video conference with the presidents. After that comes a brainstorming session with the AP team and the Tiffany team. In the evening, you're scheduled for interviews with The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal."
Today was packed. All the tasks postponed after the listing were converging at once.
The "Tiffany team" was the codename for the mobile phone development team. Last year, ID Group had paid a premium to America's largest advertising agency for naming suggestions. The name that came back was Tiffany Phone. It wasn't because Yoo Jae-won had deliberately inserted his girlfriend's name. If he were truly seventeen, he might have blurred the lines between personal and professional matters, but the seasoned personality now inhabiting his body had earned him the reputation of an old soul in a young body. The name Tiffany Phone had been proposed without a single trace of personal bias by the Interpublic Group, America's largest advertising conglomerate.
The name Tiffany had been inspired by the phone's design. The prototype had gone through multiple iterations, reaching Mark 4. While the basic bar shape remained unchanged, each version brought dramatic improvements to both exterior and internals. The latest Mark 4 prototype featured a matte black plastic back replaced with black tempered glass, and the keypad shifted from rubber to a thin metal plate. Though rubber offered better tactile feedback, the metal plate looked far superior. The small LCD screen remained a flaw, but overall it was the most advanced design yet.
Even more remarkable was that these advancements hadn't come from Yoo Jae-won's ideas—they originated from the development team itself. While not yet at 21st-century levels, the progress was substantial. Changing the materials and keypad clearly differentiated it from existing phones. The tempered glass back evoked the feel of a jewel, which inspired the name Tiffany. However, due to several issues, it hadn't been officially adopted and remained an internal development-team nickname.
The biggest concern was Tiffany's consent. Their relationship was better than ever—passionate, though distance due to his schedule only intensified the flame. Still, no one could predict what might happen between two people. If they ever broke up, the name would become an embarrassing chapter in history. Another issue was the existence of the famous high-end jewelry brand by the same name. Tiffany was one of America's few traditional luxury jewelry houses. Though ID Group's legal team was overwhelmed with the Electronic Arts lawsuit, they had analyzed that even if the name was traced to his girlfriend, the jewelry brand would have little grounds to object. Still, to be safe, a collaboration proposal had been sent to Tiffany & Co.'s headquarters. Releasing a premium collaboration model studded with their signature tiny diamonds would eliminate any obstacles to using the name Tiffany. Details would be finalized during the afternoon meeting with the phone development team.
"Let's begin right away."
"Yes. Mr. Trump has been waiting since yesterday—he seems quite eager."
Yoo Jae-won nodded at Kim Dae-seok's words and stood up. There was no need to go far. His accommodation was the penthouse of Trump Tower, and the meeting place was the lobby on the first floor. A private elevator ride down would suffice.
"I knew Chairman Yoo would make something big happen!"
Trump shook Yoo Jae-won's hand with visible excitement. He continued shaking it without letting go, congratulating him on Android's listing.
"Thank you."
The handshake lasted three times longer than usual, but there was no reason to dislike hearing good things. Besides, the usual Trump—who would normally assert dominance by patting shoulders or tapping arms—refrained from doing so with Yoo Jae-won. He clearly understood he needed Yoo Jae-won's help now.
After all, for an ordinary real estate transaction, there would have been no need for a separate meeting after the contract was signed. Once the balance was paid, the title transfer would be handled through the brokerage. Trump was different. Apparently hoping to use this deal as a turning point from his crisis, he had staged the transaction as a major achievement. In reality, he was selling his most valuable asset under duress, yet the presentation made it look like Trump was making a big deal with ID Group. Photos and videos from the event could be used for publicity anywhere. While anything even slightly suspicious warranted refusal, Trump wasn't the type to starve, and nothing was illegal—so Yoo Jae-won played along.
They signed a large contract, shook hands, and toasted. Each time, the media Trump had assembled erupted in flashes. The grand event lasted an hour, and Trump Tower's title was fully transferred to Yoo Jae-won.
The building would serve as ID Investment's headquarters, but the purchase funds came entirely from Yoo Jae-won's personal wealth—the proceeds from selling his Android shares. If he had wanted, he could have transferred the property to ID Investment as a capital contribution, as had been done in the past. This time, however, he judged it better to keep it as personal property. Trump Tower was leased to ID Investment at a low rate, with monthly rent collected. Contracts with the various shops on the first and second floors and residents on the residential floors were also updated under Yoo Jae-won's name.
"I'll call on you again when I need real estate next time."
"Anytime! If it's Chairman Yoo calling, I'll answer even at dawn."
After completing the transaction with Trump, Yoo Jae-won waved goodbye. Trump left with a satisfied expression. It would be interesting to see what path Trump took from here. The futures of people who came into contact with Yoo Jae-won were undergoing massive changes. Whether Trump would walk his old path or forge an entirely new one was impossible to predict. If he became president again, it would benefit Yoo Jae-won, but it wouldn't matter much if he didn't. Trump's track record as president had benefited only a few countries while causing far greater harm to America and the world. At least Korea had been among those few countries that gained something. But that was limited to the North Korea issue, which had produced positive results. The economic damage from the global trade war Trump ignited had not spared Korea either.
Things were different now. Regarding North Korea—the one area where Trump had helped Korea—inter-Korean summit talks were imminent. Moreover, North Korea's nuclear development had stalled due to Yoo Jae-won's early intervention. If inter-Korean relations improved even faster, the single reason to hope for Trump's presidency would vanish.
"The next schedule is the ID Investment move-in ceremony."
Yoo Jae-won watched until Trump's car shrank to a dot before turning at Kim Dae-seok's words.
One, two, three!
At the countdown, Yoo Jae-won and Vincent Greenhill pulled the cord together. The cloth covering the entrance to Trump Tower's lobby fell away, revealing golden letters. The name Trump Tower had disappeared. Not only the building's signboard but also the registered title in New York City had changed, and the postal address was naturally updated as well. Having purchased everything from the land to the building, there was no need to keep the name Trump Tower. The new name was ID Investment Building—clearly chosen without a second thought. Since ID Investment's headquarters would occupy the space, Yoo Jae-won had decided on the name immediately. ID Investment would use the penthouse and the ten floors below it, while the remaining floors were listed for lease. Rumors suggested that simply changing the name had already attracted considerable interest. People believed the new owner would maintain the building well and that the connection could prove useful for networking.
After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Yoo Jae-won walked alongside Vincent Greenhill to tour the offices. He had deliberately arranged this event, as he rarely visited ID Investment's headquarters except on days like this to personally check employee working conditions. The staff was visibly tense at his arrival—as if undergoing a military inspection—but it was all for their benefit.
First, they visited Vincent Greenhill's office. A dedicated ID Investment elevator made reaching the top floor effortless.
"Are you sure it's all right for me to use the penthouse as my office?"
Vincent Greenhill looked somewhat burdened, yet a hint of excitement showed through.
"Of course. You've been working out of the flagship store office until now—you deserve some comfort. Besides, you're only using half of it."
The penthouse occupied the entire top floor. It had been split in half: one side for Yoo Jae-won, the other for Vincent Greenhill. Of course, Yoo Jae-won had no intention of moving to New York and would only use it during occasional visits. Vincent Greenhill, however, commuted daily during the week and needed a good environment. The space came fully equipped with a kitchen and bathroom, so if he wished, he could even live there. Having lost his wife and with his children independent, living here would be far more convenient than commuting from a small house.
The general staff offices on the lower floors were also excellent. Each employee received at least ten square meters of space, equipped with state-of-the-art office equipment including NewEgg 2 computers. Green plants, aquariums, and rest areas had been added to create a more comfortable atmosphere.
"Employee morale is at an all-time high."
While the previous environment hadn't been terrible, it couldn't compare to this.
"We will repay Chairman Yoo's consideration with outstanding results."
Speaking on behalf of the staff, Vincent Greenhill offered his thanks.
"You're already doing well. Don't push yourselves too hard."
ID Investment was performing excellently. What saddened Yoo Jae-won, however, was how much deeper Vincent Greenhill's wrinkles had become since they first met. He hoped to see only a healthy Vincent Greenhill from now on.