Reckless Challenge, Overwhelming Retribution
Yoo Jae-won was spending the Lunar New Year holiday in Korea. Even while handling pressing group matters or indulging in personal projects like Fantasy Universe, the world's clock never stopped. Just as time continued to flow no matter how the Department of Defense might try to turn its own clock backward, global events kept unfolding, large and small alike. One such development was the Federal Communications Commission's decision that Time Warner Nextcom's application to merge with the U.S. terrestrial broadcaster NBC required a more thorough review.
Most people outside broadcasting and media would have paid little attention, but for a direct participant like Yoo Jae-won, the news came as a surprise.
"Ah, so this is happening in America right now?"
Ted Turner was equally affected. As vice chairman of Time Warner Nextcom and the executive in charge of the NBC acquisition project, he was a principal party to the matter. Yet when he answered Yoo Jae-won's urgent call, his voice remained unusually calm.
"I'm still looking into the details, but I just heard something amusing. Murdoch—that bastard—has made a move."
His tone was not truly calm; beneath the surface he was nursing his anger, and it showed in his voice, especially the sharp accent he placed on the name Murdoch.
Yoo Jae-won reacted with equal surprise at the mention of the man.
"Murdoch? What on earth is he doing showing up out of nowhere?"
Ted Turner and Murdoch's relationship was beyond hostile; the word "rival" hardly captured it. They had clashed countless times in the broadcasting industry, and their political leanings were diametrically opposed—CNN's rapid, fact-driven reporting versus Fox TV's sensationalized style. Fox had even aired the worst false report in ID Group's history, claiming phosgene gas used in the Jewish genocide had been employed in the production of NewEgg PCs.
"The young president over at Universal apparently asked for help. Rumor has it Gates is also putting money into the Universal-GE consortium."
"Gates?"
"Haha, when you hear the name Gates, who else could it be?"
"Surely not the ever-so-grateful Mr. Bill?"
Gates had once been a benefactor who helped create the massive pillar now known as Android Inc.—formerly Microsoft—within the ID Group, only to later trip over his own schemes when he tried to crush the rising conglomerate. ID Group had paid him roughly six billion dollars for Microsoft, after which Yoo Jae-won had largely lost interest in the man's subsequent activities. Whether Gates was joining the Universal-GE consortium for profit or out of lingering resentment toward Yoo Jae-won, his name was now attached to the bid.
"I don't know how Steve Burke managed to sweet-talk everyone, but it looks like everyone who ever got burned by you has lined up behind the Universal-GE consortium. Even good old Bill has signed on, so it must be true. What still doesn't make sense is Murdoch."
"I can't figure out why Mr. Murdoch is so hostile toward me."
"Heh, that's just the kind of man he is. Maybe he's feeling threatened by your growth. News Corp's channels have been getting crushed by the internet lately. On top of that, his wandering below the belt means he'll have to pay Maria a fortune in alimony. He probably figured he had to do something before the alimony payments destroyed News Corp."
Despite his usual impulsive image, Ted Turner had a sharp grasp of the situation. Given Fox TV's track record, Murdoch had never held any goodwill toward him. As ID Group expanded and the internet exploded, the influence of television and newspapers took a direct hit. While TV still retained a loyal audience, newspaper subscriptions plummeted. Even Time magazine, Time Warner Nextcom's flagship, saw its print circulation drop to a quarter of its early-1990s levels. Yet because it belonged to Time Warner Nextcom, the shift to digital had been swift and the response to smartphones effective. Although print runs declined, the number of readers accessing Time digitally had grown, and advertising revenue had far surpassed 1990s figures.
In contrast, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp had failed to adapt and was being battered from all sides. Meanwhile, his extramarital affair had landed him in divorce proceedings, with an enormous alimony bill looming.
"I see. So what exactly is the Federal Communications Commission objecting to?"
Yoo Jae-won had his suspicions but wanted confirmation from Ted Turner first.
"They say it's because the launch of an internet-media giant like Time Warner Nextcom is unprecedented, and adding a terrestrial network would create a mammoth media empire."
"And News Corp isn't a mammoth?"
News Corp already possessed terrestrial networks, cable channels, newspapers, radio, magazines, music labels, film studios, and even regional internet infrastructure—not only in the United States but across Asia, Australia, and Europe. It was the undisputed predator of the media industry, outpacing even Time Warner Nextcom in scope, especially with Fox TV's terrestrial reach and extensive overseas operations.
"Exactly. That's why I said that for healthy competition we need our own terrestrial network too. Quality-wise we're superior, but the more channels the better—from the consumer's perspective, at least. We'd be the perfect counterweight to News Corp, wouldn't we?"
"Of course."
Quality alone already gave Time Warner Nextcom a decisive edge. CNN, which had scored a massive success during the Gulf War, had delivered equally shocking coverage of the 9/11 attacks. Although other networks beat them on live footage from the World Trade Center site, CNN led with Pentagon and Capitol Hill breaking news. Most importantly, it had broadcast live from the USS Nimitz during Operation Thor's Hammer—the mission that captured Osama bin Laden—and had covered every phase of the subsequent campaign to eliminate al-Qaeda. The footage of bin Laden being led off the helicopter upon the carrier's return had been permanently archived online, with the CNN logo clearly visible in the corner and at the bottom of the frame.
The same held true in film. Twenty-First Century Fox, like Universal, found itself firmly suppressed by Warner Bros. In capitalist America, such performance translated directly into stock prices. News Corp's market capitalization barely exceeded fifty billion dollars, while Time Warner Nextcom's had surged past one hundred twenty billion to the mid-one-hundred-forties—an increase of nearly twenty percent in just a few months. Adding NBC would push the combined value to one hundred eighty billion, completing Time Warner Nextcom's final puzzle piece with a terrestrial network and generating synergies that could realistically drive the market cap toward two hundred billion.
From that perspective, Rupert Murdoch's desperate opposition made perfect sense.
"By the way, that bastard Rupert is apparently using your nationality as an excuse to cause trouble."
"I thought as much."
"Don't worry. Remington, the chairman of Time Warner Nextcom, is one hundred percent American. They won't be able to object openly. Still, they can nitpick, just like this time."
"Understood. I'll handle what I can on my end."
"Your voice is full of mischief. I wonder what you're planning!"
"You'll find out soon enough. In the meantime, make sure the Federal Communications Commission doesn't pull any surprises."
Yoo Jae-won had already anticipated that his nationality would be raised as an issue and had given it considerable thought. Ted Turner was burning with curiosity but, mindful of his own earlier misstep, refrained from pressing further. Asking him to keep an eye on an independent U.S. federal agency was an amusing request, yet in America it was entirely feasible. Lobbying was legal, and contact between commissioners and lobbyists was not prohibited. Just as Murdoch could attempt to influence the commissioners, so could Ted Turner. Moreover, Time Warner Nextcom held both the moral high ground and practical advantages, easing the burden. NBC itself preferred joining Time Warner Nextcom over the ragtag Universal-GE consortium; the vision and resources after the merger were simply superior.
"I suppose I'll have to obtain U.S. citizenship after all."
While Yoo Jae-won was on the call with Ted Turner, Tiffany—who had been waiting patiently beside him—received the bombshell announcement.
"What? Citizenship?"
Tiffany had found the earlier conversation between Yoo Jae-won and Ted Turner entertaining, though she had been mildly startled when Rupert Murdoch's name surfaced. She had been about to offer her own thoughts when the word "citizenship" completely derailed her. The suggestion was that unexpected.
Yoo Jae-won had built the colossal ID Group and met countless powerful figures through his business dealings. Tiffany knew many of them had subtly encouraged him to become an American. They understood better than anyone that even among eight billion people, a genius of his caliber was unique; they wanted to attach an American label to keep him from slipping away. This was not merely wifely bias—Tiffany herself held a Stanford degree in electronic engineering and possessed enough expertise to operate supercomputers at Chevron. Her conclusion was reached through objective analysis after setting affection aside. The development of semiconductor hardware, software, and the internet had been fundamentally altered by Yoo Jae-won's arrival.
"You weren't interested before. Did NBC change your mind?"
"Yes, though not only because of NBC."
In truth, Yoo Jae-won's strong attachment to his Korean nationality stemmed from memories of his previous life. No one would believe him if he spoke of it now, but beginning around 2030, Earth had undergone climate changes of an entirely different magnitude. In the United States, events like Hurricane Katrina became routine. The worst was the eruption of the Yellowstone supervolcano, triggered by a massive western earthquake. Although North America did not sink as in the most catastrophic simulations, the central U.S. breadbasket was reduced to a sea of fire. In contrast, East Asia—particularly Korea—maintained relative stability. While a few megaton typhoons struck, the damage was negligible compared to Southeast Asia and Europe, where volcanic ash, rising sea levels, and tsunamis had devastated entire nations.
Naturally, climate refugees emerged worldwide, creating enormous headaches. Korea was no exception. Its previously lax nationality laws underwent a complete reversal. Those who had renounced citizenship and later sought to return faced outright denial of entry; even if reinstatement was eventually granted, the scarlet letter of having abandoned the country remained indelible. Having once stood on the brink of brilliant success only to collapse in his previous life, Yoo Jae-won was desperate for achievement and recognition. That was why he had never considered relinquishing his Korean nationality. On the contrary, he had planned to help Tiffany and the rest of his American family obtain Korean citizenship.
What had recently shifted his thinking was the birth of Choi Jae-young's third child. He had largely avoided contact with the Choi family and had meticulously engineered the acquisition of Ilseong Electronics to minimize friction, yet the third child had still not been born. Though his business instincts now dominated, Yoo Jae-won had originally been a programmer, accustomed to calculating variables and running simulations before acting. This incident had taught him that reality did not always follow that order. Climate change remained thirty years in the future. Mountains and rivers could change in a decade; clinging to a single sealed option for three decades was a losing strategy. More flexible and decisive choices were necessary.
"Shall I apply right away?"
Tiffany spoke as though U.S. citizenship were as simple as ordering takeout coffee. In a sense, it was—one route to citizenship was marriage to an American citizen, and given the marriage and time requirements, Yoo Jae-won's case was essentially automatic upon application.
"Not right this moment."
It was not hesitation at the final step. Several matters needed resolving before he pursued citizenship. He had to inform his parents first, then brief close associates including Choi Kang-wook. Finally, he needed to speak with Kim Kwang-il, the communications director. Through Kim, he had been in contact with the Unified National Party; a political solution might still be possible.
"Well then, let's head home. Didi must be waiting."
After quickly clearing the delayed immigration procedures, they made their way to the house where Didi waited. Yoo Jae-won had already endured a major incident upon landing at the airport. He had expected a moment of respite at home. Yet events refused to leave him in peace. During the Lunar New Year holiday, China—quiet until now—made its move. Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth: it announced large-scale retaliatory tariffs.