Chapter 144: Conservative Investor in a Mad World
Chapter 144: Conservative Investor in a Mad World
Seong Ho-jin, the PD who had produced Kim Shin's YouTube videos, returned to Korea and continued working on the movie script.
"No, this isn't good enough."
He revised it, and revised it again.
Watching the K-dramas and films dominating Earth Channel, he whipped himself into shape.
Kim Shin's movie.
Even the title had been named after Kim Shin himself, but it felt too blatant and childish.
"Let's change it to God of Investment."
The initial script had been for a two-hour film, but as he worked on it, new scenes kept getting added, pushing the runtime toward over five hours.
It was unavoidable. Right now, Earth Channel was achieving dazzling success.
It would be such a shame not to include all that content.
―An Won-jae PD: The CEO went head-to-head with China, but Earth Channel's popularity is holding strong.
―Seong Ho-jin PD: Really? I was worried being back in Korea.
―An Won-jae PD: Korean media made a big fuss about the friction with China, right?
―An Won-jae PD: The vibe here is totally different. The CEO seems a lot tougher now too. Not like before.
Seong Ho-jin received a few videos of Kim Shin working at Earth Resource.
The videos showed him chatting with employees, holding meetings, and passionately discussing new ventures.
"Damn... A Korean-born super-rich CEO."
If done right, it could be a massive hit.
* * *
Rumors spread like wildfire through Chungmuro that Seong Ho-jin PD was diving into movie production.
"A variety show director making a movie?"
"Terrestrial PD jumps to YouTube, and now he's doing everything under the sun."
"With Dream Art Rainbow backing him, nothing's impossible these days."
"Still, they're saying it's a trilogy."
"A trilogy? A variety PD who hasn't even debuted in films has big dreams. What, aiming for Lord of the Rings?"
Dream Art Rainbow dominated Korea's film and drama market.
Its over 400 million Earth Channel subscribers were a whole new world for production companies that had lived or died by 1-2% ratings.
Generous funding, no meddling or petty gatekeeping, and OTT platform freedom meant they could produce adult-rated content without limits.
Even flops got their budgets recouped, so studios were dusting off all their shelved scripts.
"We need to make Korean movies."
"Movies are best on the big screen. That's what sets them apart from dramas."
The holdouts were the directors and studios that had refused to partner with Dream Art Rainbow.
The purists and elites of the industry viewed Seong Ho-jin PD's project with disdain.
'Partnering with Dream Art Rainbow is a straight shot to success.'
'The path to glory is right there, but major shareholders make it impossible.'
They had stakes owned by broadcasters or distributors, tying their hands.
Talent agencies were watching closely, playing the angles.
"Seong Ho-jin PD's making a movie this time."
"Manager hyung, you think it'll work?"
"Who knows? Guy's had a good nose since his PD days. He racked up serious cred in the US this time."
"Yeah, huge. Rumor is Jeong Beom-tae VP wants to carry him on his back."
"Word is, production budget's insane. Actor fees guaranteed too."
"Even Hollywood staff are collaborating, they say."
"What if they pour that much into a Korean film and it tanks?"
"If it tanks, it tanks. Dream Art Rainbow won't blink at three or four flops."
"With Earth Channel in the mix, it'd take real effort to fail."
While everyone watched, Seong Ho-jin PD sent synopses and scripts to actors' agencies.
"God of Investment?"
"A movie inspired by Kim Shin?"
"..."
"What? It's literally a Kim Shin biopic."
It told the story of a turbulent life that began in childhood poverty and desperation and ended in enormous success in America.
It included his marriage to Han Chae-won, and the trilogy's content left no dull moments.
Some fictional episodes were added for fun.
Kim Shin's hobby yacht wasn't extravagant, but the film had booked a $500 million-plus superyacht for shooting.
"This is guaranteed to succeed."
"Considering Kim Shin's popularity here, ten million viewers is a lock."
"Ten million? With Earth Channel release, it'll fight for top spot. Over a hundred million views worldwide easy."
"No-name actors? No problem. Even supporting roles turn into Hallyu stars."
A-list and above actors started reaching out to Dream Art Rainbow for roles.
* * *
Earth Resource was busy acquiring software firms for Pangea Live.
Oh Myeong-woo munched on fries as he spoke.
"Shin-ah, we need time to improve the software functions."
"Huh?"
"It's got a long way to go compared to market leaders. For Earth Channel distribution, we need to hit at least 90%."
App market in mind, distribution prep for various software began.
"Shin-ah, what about the word processor?"
"I've got a company in mind."
He pulled out his phone and sent a message.
―Kim Shin: Hey.
―Kim Sang-gi: Yes, sir.
They chatted casually, but Kim Sang-gi played along with the teasing.
―Kim Shin: You know the Hangul and Computer company in Korea?
―Kim Sang-gi: Of course. I use it every day.
―Kim Shin: I want to acquire them. Check it out and get it moving. Report back as you go.
―Kim Sang-gi: I'm the esports team manager?
―Kim Shin: You don't want to?
―Kim Sang-gi: Honored to take it on.
They decided to acquire Hangul and Computer for word processing utilities.
It was solid functionally. The issues were getting heavier with upgrades, occasional freezes, and bugs.
Life stayed hectic, but the world plunged into chaos.
〈NY Stock Market: Treasury Yields Spike on Inflation Fears. Bitcoin Explodes〉
〈Yellen: "Inflation Manageable."〉
〈Dow Hits Record Highs for 4th Straight Day on Biden Stimulus〉
〈Powell: "Inflation Temporary. Recovery Far Off."〉
〈China Crypto Exchange Founder: "Bitcoin to $300K by Year-End."〉
〈Biden Admin Preps $3T More Stimulus〉
―Inflation headlines everywhere lately?
―Stocks at all-time highs, but why so jittery?
―Kim Shin hyung's end-of-last-year "sell stocks" warning comes to mind.
―That was wrong. Nasdaq up 15% after he sold.
―Stocks are sold at the peak. Greedy ones hold till the end and get wrecked.
―Sold everything then, felt like a fool alone buying back in.
―US stocks don't lie. They're the future.
―Gov and Fed printing money from thin air—stocks never drop. Economic fact.
―Bitcoin's king now.
―Never thought coins would change my life a few years back.
―Doge woof woof.
Both stocks and cryptocurrencies were surging.
The get-rich-quick era bloomed wide open.
US stocks surged relentlessly, Bitcoin shattered $60K.
Unknown altcoins doubled daily.
Investor enthusiasm routinely sent them up tenfold in a single week.
Western investors and coin buyers made bank.
―Source Coin over $33.
―Knew it!
―Bought at $5. Great gains, but feels meh compared to now.
―Not as volatile as others. Peace of mind is the perk.
―Doge up 800% daily is truth.
―Elon Musk doesn't joke. Might really send Doge to the moon.
―Tech to actually do it exists too.
―Kim Shin hyung's too quiet. Pick one coin we like, and we'll pump it 1,000% easy.
―Fr, he's feeling like a conservative investor these days.
Running Earth Resource left plenty of time, honestly.
Tech and dev to Oh Myeong-woo and Eddie, Earth Channel managed by staff.
So he kept tabs on coins and NY markets steadily.
'This is insane.'
One example was the altcoin Dent.
Enabled smartphone users to trade data; up 51x in just three months.
Its market capitalization now exceeded nine hundred million dollars, making its earliest investors rich.
$97 in Jan 2018, crashed to $0.2 last year. Boom and bust incarnate.
AscendEX had risen from five cents at the start of the year to more than two dollars, a fortyfold increase.
Other examples included Harmony, which supported blockchain applications, and Pundi X, which targeted payments in Latin America.
These jumped 40x in three months too.
'Earned huge last year to now, but pure returns? Coins are crazier.'
Cash-out end of last year because gains were plenty enough.
'Market madness is impossible to predict casually.'
No one saw Bitcoin smashing records in January, or these coins 10x-ing dozens of times.
Even "never gonna rise" Ripple hit $1.5.
Speculation and greed out of control—no urge to jump back in.
'Booms and busts—that's capitalism's rhythm.'
Leonard, running Earth Resource's coin exchange, reported.
"Source Coin's price stalls easy due to the mall's impact, looks like."
"Yeah."
Mileage-style payouts vs purchase amounts slowed buys past $30.
It was effectively a money-printing machine.
Regular use of Earth Shopping Mall steadily generated Source Coins.
Instead of company shares, the employees received Source Coins, along with a steady stream of gadgets and furniture.
Donations to welfare groups, gifts to Biolife researchers—every act piled up printable coins.
We deliberately did not hoard them at the company, since we could issue more whenever necessary.
'Spending money makes more money—this is real printing.'
There were few regulations and almost no meaningful oversight in the cryptocurrency markets.
Suddenly, faces came to mind.
Investor accelerator Jim Bowman who'd pitched partnerships.
And Kwon Do-jin, Tayform Labs CEO.
"How's Roona doing?"
"Up 24x from early this year."
"Really?"
"Announced partnership with major e-commerce for payments, disclosed massive Source Coin holdings."
"Source Coin?"
"Over $3 billion worth."