Chapter 161: Approaching Opportunity
Chapter 161: Approaching Opportunity
Maybe it was because I hadn't set up any SNS accounts until now.
A meme had formed among major companies, congratulating me on opening my SNS.
[Kim Shin Opens SNS, White House and Numerous Companies Leave Comments]
[Over 1,000 Companies Post Welcome Comments on Kim Shin's SNS]
[Companies' Comments Highlight Kim Shin and Earth Channel's Influence]
As Earth Channel gained a massive user base, companies had started opening their official channels.
They were mostly from the US, Europe, and Asian countries, but there were even some unfamiliar ones from Mexico and South America.
My secretary, Rosina, said,
"Leaving comments on your channel lets them promote their company names to people, and it even makes the news. Seems like a great idea."
"Yeah, you're right."
It had turned into a promotional stage for the companies from my perspective, but the instant feedback gave me a taste of SNS's appeal.
―Kim Shin hyung's power is insane lol
―With this kind of influence, Kim Shin hyung could kill off a mid-tier company just like that.
―Media keeps comparing Kim Shin hyung to Elon Musk, and seeing this really shows what influence means.
It had happened by chance, but it seemed to leave a huge impression on the public.
'Is this how you get overhyped?'
The White House official account leaving a comment wasn't something that happened every day.
Since I'd already opened the SNS account, I decided to use it occasionally to share updates.
[Started working out. Might show some workout footage in the next video.]
―All geared up and now working out too...
―Better late than never, I'm a fan!
―Whoa, what's this? S-rank celebrity is on another level. Views at 100 million, 50 million followers, no sweat.
―Kim Shin really seems to live life to the fullest. Conquered the internet market in just a year and a half since starting up.
―Super rich folks are probably meticulous about fitness too.
―Obviously. Saving a buck on canned coffee with that kind of money isn't normal discipline.
There were too many comments to read them all, but a few caught my eye.
"I'll work out six days a week. Hold me accountable, no mercy."
"Hahaha, sir, you're all in."
I did over an hour of CrossFit each day and even adjusted my diet.
I used to be the type who thought, "Eat what you want and live," but now that I was working out hard, I hated wasting it on junk and sought out healthy options.
Top chefs prepared grilled salmon and other nutritious meals.
'Money really is the best.'
Meeting elderly President Biden in San Francisco on purpose wasn't easy, but calls from him came every two or three days.
It felt like the White House valued my wealth, businesses, and fame.
―Trying to restart economic activity, but Delta variant is a real headache. Experts say variants weaken symptoms but boost transmissibility—Delta's deadlier though.
"Yeah."
I was used to the polished speech of elite Korean doctors.
―I've got a lot on my mind.
That meant, "Can't you do something about it?"
"Biolife has developed a vaccine effective against the Delta variant too."
―Oh, really? As expected, Kim Shin is the one solving my problems. Biolife is impressive. Hope we can get it out in the US as fast as possible.
Politicians got a lot done with words.
After chatting with the president, it was hard to prioritize sales to other countries first.
In exchange, I could count on full support from the US administration.
―Kim Shin: Talked with President Biden. Need to sell 100 million doses of K-Vaccine Plus to the US within the year.
―An Myeong-guk VP: Got it. No problem. Isung and DK are cranking it out like mad, so we have surplus production.
―An Myeong-guk VP: Leons starts K-Vaccine exports in the second half.
―Kim Shin: Leons?
―An Myeong-guk VP: K-Vaccine's selling like hotcakes. They keep calling me out for drinks, then say they've got the protein recombination process system and want some of the production quota too.
I hadn't anticipated this when investing in Leons.
But giving funds and connections to President Yoo Seok-tae of the bulldozer company made it almost inevitable.
―Kim Shin: Leons stock's gonna skyrocket.
―An Myeong-guk VP: Yup. Went all-in, even took out loans.
I'd heard Leons' market cap was 5 trillion recently.
Until two years ago, no Korean pharma company had surpassed 1 trillion in sales.
Isung and DK's bio subsidiaries did it last year, and Leons was next in line.
A dazzling rise from a typical small-to-medium enterprise in Osong over two or three years.
And bits of news kept trickling in.
"Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote is acquiring Arsenal, the prestigious Premier League club."
"Aliko Dangote?"
"Yes. Africa's richest businessman."
Lee Jong-yeop was a big European soccer fan.
Dangote's files showed he'd started in the '80s exporting raw materials like cement, sugar, and flour.
Dangote Group had tentacles in manufacturing, e-commerce, finance, oil, and renewables.
Back when I was a salaryman, media bias made me view conglomerates negatively.
As an entrepreneur, diversified groups made my mouth water.
"How about we swoop in and snag it, hyung?"
"Arsenal's a famous club—price must be steep, right?"
"Reported acquisition price in negotiations is around $2.7 billion."
"That's it?"
"Dangote's worth about $11 billion. Big investment for him."
$2.7 billion was huge, but in today's soccer market, a star player's transfer fee topped $100 million.
Factoring in stadium, infrastructure, and brand value, $2.7 billion felt reasonable.
More than that, Earth Resource's coin exchange monthly revenue alone could buy Arsenal outright.
"Let's try acquiring it."
"Yes, hyung."
I dispatched an acquisition team to the UK—lawyers, accountants, sports experts.
They were negotiating at $2.7 billion, so we started around there but set $3.5 billion as our limit.
[Kim Shin Pursuing Arsenal Acquisition]
[Super Rich Kim Shin Joins the Rich Man's Hobby of Owning a Soccer Club?]
Articles broke first, so I posted on SNS.
[Working on acquiring Arsenal. But nothing's decided yet.]
―Whoa. Becoming a Premier League owner?
―Owner game—rich folks only!
―LOL true super rich class.
―Kim Shin hyung's wealth makes this a modest hobby.
―Arsenal supporters welcome Kim Shin's acquisition.
The team in the UK reported enthusiastic welcomes from actual supporters.
Arsenal was prestigious but had been struggling with debt from stadium construction.
A regular SNS for chatting with friends had become a positive channel for major updates.
[Elon Musk: "No Need for Government Crypto Regulation."]
[Doge Father Elon Musk Posts Puppy Pic]
[Musk Tweets: "Naming My Shiba Inu Floki."]
[Floki Crypto Surges 4,108% in One Day]
Elon Musk's Twitter was nonstop chaos.
'I shouldn't do that.'
A social-networking service was meant to connect people.
Different from uploading edited YouTube or Earth Channel videos.
The world felt bigger, and I sensed people's goodwill.
―Jo Soo-ah: Must be nice having so many fans.
―Kim Shin: Yeah, it's great. Always feels new. Thrilling.
Jo Soo-ah and I had grown closer after her US trip.
We'd shared tons via calls and KakaoTalk, but dating meant too little time together.
Seeing her after so long felt even more affectionate.
Meanwhile, after she returned to Korea, I'd been mulling inflation.
'Didn't realize inflation was this brutal.'
[US Faces Shortages of Essentials]
[School Supplies Running Out Ahead of Fall Semester]
[Labor Shortages Cause Container Backlogs at Major US Ports]
[Global Food Prices Surge 40% in One Year]
Prices soared unchecked, led by food and energy.
Flooded money was at play, but China's issues exploded on top.
―Ellie: China's problems are getting serious. They were the world's factory.
―Kim Shin: China?
―Ellie: Pushing carbon neutrality and energy reduction under green policies.
China aimed to curb emissions amid global pollution backlash.
The issue: Local governments couldn't meet central targets.
―Ellie: Local officials get dinged in evaluations and promotions if they miss targets. So they came up with a fix.
―Kim Shin: Fix?
―Ellie: Cut the power.
Local officials' brilliant idea: Suppress emissions and energy use by blacking out.
The local authorities cut power to industrial parks and other areas with high energy consumption.
―Kim Shin: That make sense?
―Ellie: Nope. But it's happening.
No power in modern society means factories shut, homes go dark.
Absurd, so I searched articles at the office—confirmed.
'Classic China.'
China wasn't just cheap labor exports anymore.
They supplied massive high-tech materials, intermediates, raw goods—factory shutdowns hit global supply chains.
―Jin Yoo-kyung: Car production down, killing us.
―Kim Shin: What's that about?
―Jin Yoo-kyung: Semiconductor shortage for vehicles.
Last year, COVID hit globally; auto CEOs thought alike.
'Big downturn coming.'
'Cut costs max. Halt new investments.'
'Reduce production to minimize losses.'
Auto industry slashed chip orders.
The key suppliers included NXP in the Netherlands, Renesas in Japan, and Texas Instruments and Bosch in the United States and Germany.
Their execs made obvious calls.
'Orders way down.'
'Auto chips low-margin.'
'Shift to phone/appliance chips now.'
Chain reaction: Japan fab fire, Taiwan drought halts plants.
But COVID era saw insane electronics and auto sales.
Now the automobile industry was being crippled by the chip shortage.
―Jin Yoo-kyung: Can sell all we make, but can't make cars.
―Jin Yoo-kyung: This year might scrape by, but next year chip shortage could wreck auto industry.
Both Ellie and Jin Yoo-kyung had contacted me with warnings.
Contacts from various connections.
Inflation seemed unavoidable.
'Bubbles burst in stocks, coins, real estate... what happens then?'
A chance to move over $150 billion might be brewing.