Welcome to Silicon Valley
The super synergy effect was real. The Korean Air captain kept his word, delivering Yoo Jae-won and his party safely and comfortably to San Francisco International Airport in the United States. Unfortunately, Yoo Jae-won barely registered the smooth flight. Ignoring jet lag entirely, he had simply dozed off the moment drowsiness crept in and headed straight for dreamland. After a deep sleep, he awoke to find it was still broad daylight at San Francisco International Airport.
After receiving the flight attendant’s farewell, the group stepped off the plane and were greeted first by an exotic scent. It was a distinctive smell. The airport sat right beside a bay where seawater flowed in, so the ocean odor was expected, but what Yoo Jae-won noticed was something different from mere seawater. “Hmm? Is this the smell of America?” If he had to name it, “America smell” would do. To Choi Kang-wook, who had never been to the United States before, it must have been unfamiliar, but to Yoo Jae-won it carried the weight of memory.
In his previous life, his first visit to America had been for Remington Sting’s funeral. After that, he had come many times for various business matters. America was a vast country, and each region had its own distinct scent, yet the overall impression was similar enough that he grew accustomed to it quickly.
Because they had flown first class, Yoo Jae-won’s party was the first to disembark. They soon stood before the final hurdle of U.S. entry: the immigration inspection counters. The line for U.S. citizens moved swiftly, but the foreign nationals’ line was long and slow, a time-honored tradition at American airports. After waiting a while, their turn finally came.
“What is the purpose of your visit?”
“Business.”
“You’re traveling with a child for business? Hmm, is this your child?”
“No, this gentleman is our president.”
Every time Robert Halley answered, the atmosphere grew colder. Sensing the awkwardness early, Yoo Jae-won had already suggested that Robert Halley proceed through the U.S. citizen line while he and Choi Kang-wook handled their own immigration checks. Yet Robert had insisted on helping them clear immigration quickly, only for things to turn out like this.
Yoo Jae-won stepped forward. “I really am a genius. The software I created is being distributed by Electronic Arts, and it became a massive hit this Christmas season. Have you heard of a game called Keyboard Warrior? I made it.”
While continuing his self-praise, Yoo Jae-won presented the relevant documents. He especially emphasized Electronic Arts’ invitation letter and the letter of guarantee. The immigration officer, familiar with Silicon Valley, recognized Electronic Arts at a glance. The invitation and guarantee documents were clearly authentic.
“Cleared.”
Their passports were stamped with the San Francisco entry seal. “Welcome to Silicon Valley!”
Waiting at the arrival gate, holding a large sign that read “ID Technology,” was none other than President Hawkins of Electronic Arts. For him, this was only natural. In 1988, Electronic Arts’ total revenue had reached $48 million—an enormous figure that placed it among the top companies in Silicon Valley. Yet Keyboard Warrior alone had generated $30 million of that revenue. A single piece of software had accounted for two-thirds of the company’s entire sales.
But even that comparison failed to capture the true shock. The real measure was against the previous year’s performance. Electronic Arts’ 1987 revenue had been $14.6 million, with a 1988 target of $18 million. One title had achieved 2.66 times the goal. And the sales of Keyboard Warrior were only just beginning. Although another 500,000 copies had been released across North America, retailers were still reporting shortages. Copies were selling at a premium far more often than at list price.
Beyond the financial gains, there were other benefits. New distribution channels had opened, the most prominent being the retail giant Walmart. Walmart had never carried software before. Thanks to this deal, they had created a software section stocked entirely with Electronic Arts’ new lineup, with Keyboard Warrior naturally occupying the prime spot.
When the contract with ID Technology was signed, some executives had questioned whether they were overpaying. Now, with the explosive results, they were praising President Hawkins’ foresight. That was why, upon hearing that ID Technology’s president and executives were coming to America, he had arranged plane tickets, booked the finest hotel, and even come to the airport with a limousine to greet them personally.
Yet when Hawkins saw the three people who had arrived for him, he could not help but feel puzzled. “Don’t tell me… this kid—no, this gentleman—is Yoo Jae-won?”
Having only communicated by phone and fax until now, this was President Hawkins’ first time meeting Yoo Jae-won in person. If he had personally handled the guarantee documents, he might have seen Yoo Jae-won’s birth year in advance, but that task had been left to secretaries and staff. The result was a strange shock for President Hawkins. A twelve-year-old—thirteen by Korean age reckoning—had created a game that was causing a sensation across America and even Canada. It was becoming big news in Europe as well, with European release looking promising. It was hard to believe that a child standing before him had accomplished something most software companies could only dream of.
“Mr. Hawkins. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Yoo Jae-won, president of ID Technology, and also the creator of Keyboard Warrior.”
Though the story seemed unbelievable, the documents Yoo Jae-won had brought were authentic. The identity verification had been handled by Electronic Arts itself, and it clearly stated he was born in 1977. Still dazed, President Hawkins quickly regained his composure and began the scheduled itinerary. He guided them to the limousine and took them to the five-star Sheraton Palo Alto, located in Redwood, slightly north of Electronic Arts’ Palo Alto office. The nearby hotels had been less impressive, so he had chosen the Sheraton. Naturally, he had reserved the highest-grade suite rooms—spacious, comfortable spaces large enough for several people to stay together.
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow!”
After dropping them off at the hotel, President Hawkins departed cleanly. He knew from experience that expensive hospitality would be wasted on guests exhausted from a long flight. It was better to let them rest fully and then gradually win them over with various courtesies.
Yoo Jae-won’s party agreed. Having slept well on the plane, Yoo Jae-won was still energetic despite his young age, but both Choi Kang-wook and Robert Halley felt stiff and slightly heavy-headed. Upon entering the suite, Choi Kang-wook could not help but exclaim, “Thanks to choosing the right president, I get to enjoy this kind of luxury.”
Robert Halley felt the same, even if he said nothing. First-class flights and five-star hotel suites were options he would never have chosen with his own money.
“Hehe, so please continue supporting me well. I’ll make sure this kind of treatment feels like an everyday occurrence.”
Yoo Jae-won tipped the bellhop who had carried their luggage to the suite three ten-dollar bills and spoke playfully. Making this kind of lifestyle routine was no easy task. But if it was Yoo Jae-won, they believed he would make it happen as if by magic.
The next day, Yoo Jae-won began checking off items on the bucket list he had prepared while waiting to come to America. The first and second items were having a proper breakfast at the hotel and strolling through Silicon Valley to witness living history. The legendary garage startup HP, network equipment powerhouse Cisco, and cutting-edge firms like Intel and AMD all had their headquarters here. Microsoft was present as well. Although its main office was in Redmond, Washington, it had apparently felt compelled to open an office in Silicon Valley, the leader of advanced technology.
The Silicon Valley tour was joined only by Yoo Jae-won and Choi Kang-wook, as Robert Halley had personal matters to attend to. “Cheese!” Whenever Yoo Jae-won posed in front of company signs, Choi Kang-wook took the photos. Yoo Jae-won was not particularly fond of focusing on photography during trips, but since this was his first visit to America, he wanted pictures to show his parents and to build an archive for ID Technology’s future history museum.
Choi Kang-wook photographed Yoo Jae-won, Yoo Jae-won photographed Choi Kang-wook, and they even asked friendly passersby to take group shots. “Wow! Look over there!”
Suddenly, something caught Yoo Jae-won’s eye. They had entered a street lined with stores selling software and hardware, reminiscent of Akihabara in Japan. The first thing that stood out was an enormous poster hanging at the entrance of one store. The poster, as tall as an adult, was plastered across the full glass door—so thoroughly that it was practically wallpapered. Inside the poster stood a warrior in a futuristic suit and stylish helmet, striking a majestic pose while holding a keyboard. It was the North American poster for Keyboard Warrior.
“Whoa. That’s our software!”
The ID Technology logo was clearly visible in the bottom corner of the poster. The Electronic Arts logo was also prominently displayed, but neither Yoo Jae-won nor Choi Kang-wook noticed it. Without a word, the two quickened their pace and headed straight into the store.
Even after entering, Keyboard Warrior’s presence was undeniable. Dozens of packages were stacked in the most visible spot, and beside them stood ten demonstration computers running the game in network mode. Since Keyboard Warrior supported up to four players in network mode, two of the machines appeared to be set for single-player. The demo computers were already occupied, with a long line forming behind them. There was even a dedicated checkout counter for Keyboard Warrior.
The packaging was just as large and luxurious as President Hawkins had promised. The rectangular box, 25 cm wide and 33 cm tall, featured the full-body suit printed in vivid color, and the words “Keyboard Warrior” were slightly raised, giving a three-dimensional effect.