Chapter 190: A New Era
President Biden couldn't hide his astonishment as he surveyed the Earth Factory construction site.
He had seen many construction sites before, but the scale here was overwhelmingly unmatched.
"Is this entire vast area the Earth Factory construction site?"
"It appears so."
White House staff and reporters bustled around, exploring the factory grounds.
Hundreds of cranes had been erected, and heavy machinery was digging up the earth.
What had once been mere plains had been completely transformed into a construction zone.
"They say it'll take two and a half years until the Earth Car launch, and it really looks like they're planning to finish the factory within that timeframe."
President Biden nodded at his chief of staff's words.
"CEO Kim Shin was serious."
President Biden had thought Kim Shin's promise to supply Earth Cars during his term was just political rhetoric to garner support.
But touring the Earth Factory, that goal no longer felt like empty talk.
They had turned the entire area into a construction site less than a month after acquiring the land.
It was an astonishing speed unseen in American companies.
The chief of staff said,
"Sir, from what I've heard, tens of thousands of Koreans have come to this site and the Austin area."
"Really?"
"Yes, construction and technical personnel. Once the massive Austin factory complex is complete, the companies' annual revenue is expected to exceed $170 billion."
Earth Cars at 1.3 million units.
Adding in batteries, electrical components, motors, and machinery needed for car production created astronomical revenue.
"CEO Kim Shin seems like a man who can achieve anything."
President Biden raised his estimation of Kim Shin by several notches.
* * *
Every morning, he watched real-time drone footage connecting to Austin, Texas.
Roads were being built, worker dormitories erected, and construction equipment pouring in.
The changing landscape every day filled him with awe.
He had guided President Biden around the Earth Factory, but he himself was the most shocked.
A place that had been nothing was completely transforming.
'A factory twelve times the size of Yeouido.'
He hadn't invested much in real estate relative to his wealth, but suddenly he felt like a land baron.
Owning twelve times Yeouido's area made him one of Korea's biggest landowners.
〈Earth Car Pre-Orders Hit 1.8 Million, 2 Million in Sight〉
〈Kim Shin Promises Navigation Standard on SNS for Pre-Order Customers〉
〈Earth Car's Infotainment System to Fully Support Earth Channel〉
Fall, with the Earth Car project in full swing, felt impossibly short.
〈Earth Rollable Officially Launches〉
〈New Earth Phone Coming in October〉
〈Earth Rollable Draws Attention for Unique Side-Unfolding Experience〉
〈Earth Rollable Manufactured by LK Electronics〉
The Earth Rollable launch.
The rollable version of the Earth Phone had been officially named, thanks to a generous concession from Isung Electronics, which held exclusive Earth Phone production rights for two years.
―Seon Jae-yong, Vice Chairman: I believe the rollable phone should naturally carry the Earth Phone name.
―Kim Shin: By contract, Earth Phone rights belong to Isung Electronics.
―Seon Jae-yong, Vice Chairman: Customers will think of it as an Earth Phone anyway. It's the right direction for diversifying Earth Phone and strengthening the brand.
Isung Electronics and LK Electronics had long been rivals in Korea.
Thinking their rivalry had dissolved into harmony was utterly naive.
'LK Electronics isn't reviving their smartphone division with this anyway.'
LK Electronics was only handling Earth Rollable production.
Considering Earth Phone's annual sales exceeding 100 million units, Isung couldn't let go of Earth Resource.
As long as there was no direct harm, sharing the name was a minor concession.
〈Earth Rollable Sells Out in 12 Seconds〉
〈500,000 Units Gone Instantly from Earth Shopping Mall Earth Phones〉
The Earth Rollable sold out the moment it hit the market.
―Earth Rollable launched?
―Yeah, today.
―Where can I buy one?
―Sold out in 12 seconds.
LK Electronics could supply 3.4 million Earth Rollables this year.
It was the maximum from restarting idle smartphone factories and sourcing parts. Yet shortages showed no sign of easing.
―LK Gu Jin-mo, Chairman: Earth Rollable's popularity is truly phenomenal.
―Kim Shin: Yes, it is. LK Electronics' technology seems outstanding.
―LK Gu Jin-mo, Chairman: It's a shame about the rollable. It was our mobile division's smartphone project, bleeding billions in losses yearly as we tried to save it.
―LK Gu Jin-mo, Chairman: Honestly, I never imagined it would hit this big after selling to Earth Resource.
It was a tearjerker for LK Electronics.
They'd developed the rollable but never officially launched due to smartphone division losses.
Now, under Earth Phone's name, it was flying off shelves—more than heartbreak, it must sting.
―LK Gu Jin-mo, Chairman: Earth Console launches Q1 next year.
―Kim Shin: Yes, looking forward to it.
Earth Console development.
It supports games distributed via Earth Channel.
Installing additional software from Earth Resource's development team turns it into a cloud-powered computer.
'The initial Pangea version unlocks.'
Use Earth Console like a computer.
Run games, internet, all software.
A new era was imminent.
―Elon: Earth Resource starting an EV business is utterly reckless.
A message from Elon Musk.
Allied with Korean firms, they were now real EV competitors.
Elon Musk, delivering results across advanced industries.
―Elon: Think you can surpass Tesla's accumulated tech with Mirae Motors?
Was Mirae Motors getting trashed in America too?
He had no grand plan to technologically leapfrog Tesla, the EV pioneer.
Earth Car might lag slightly in acceleration, motor performance, range.
'But we'll aim for superiority in spacious interiors, rich options, ride comfort.'
He didn't want a car that wowed with specs.
A rationally appealing good car.
One that satisfied after purchase—that was Earth Car's goal.
Of course, saying this directly to Elon Musk was risky.
This quirky genius rarely admitted weaknesses, but if he took it seriously and overcame, Tesla could leap further.
―Kim Shin: Got greedy and gave it a shot, but it's really tough.
He played the dying card first.
A sales rep's secret weapon.
When truly struggling, whining about hardship surprisingly works sometimes.
Most dismiss it, but it's hard to quantify, so it lands with certain types.
―Elon: Tough, right? You'll learn a ton doing it yourself. EVs aren't for amateurs.
―Kim Shin: Yes. Watching from afar hid it, but doing it reveals endless issues.
It seemed that he had taken the “tough” bait perfectly.
―Elon: Underestimating factory builds or vehicle dev is a rookie mistake. It's a world apart from internet keyboard warriors.
―Elon: EVs can revolutionize human life.
―Kim Shin: Exactly, so I wanted to challenge it.
―Elon: I get it. Big dreams are good.
They messaged back and forth for a while.
We had started as rivals, yet he spent thirty minutes praising Tesla.
―Kim Shin: Tesla's vehicles are near tech perfection, right? They sell out as production ramps.
―Elon: Even production shortages are fixing fast. Tesla aims for 20 million by 2030, building Gigafactories worldwide.
―Kim Shin: Gigafactories everywhere is ambitious. Legacy automakers can't catch up.
―Elon: See, you get it. Industry suffering makes talk easier.
―Kim Shin: You've shown me Tesla's greatness.
He could guess their pains.
He kept flattering smoothly.
Nothing compared to schmoozing doctors at bars or fishing spots.
Next day, Elon Musk tweeted:
[Earth Car won't catch Tesla. But it's clearly on a better path than Benz, BMW, Audi half-assing EVs.]
German automakers got struck by lightning.
* * *
When she sold her Gangnam apartment and lost all remaining assets, Han Chae-won wanted to die.
The glamorous life she'd dreamed of vanished with Roona.
〈Domestic Crypto Exchange Roona Delisted〉
Kwon Do-jin fled, Roona's ecosystem collapsed.
Yet she didn't give up.
'Am I done for like this?'
Born poor, she'd clawed her way up.
'Opportunities exist. Earn it back. Publish a marriage book, do interviews, make money.'
She subscribed to Earth Channel.
She hated thinking about Kim Shin, but following him was essential if she wanted to understand the times.
[God of Investing]
She watched the movie starring Kim Shin.
It started from his youth.
'He really lived poor young. Explains the penny-pinching.'
Dating while working at Arcor.
The film showed him admitting that he had never eaten spaghetti.
She ordered vongole, left some for image, but he took it all, saying waste not.
'Embarrassing at a nice restaurant, for real.'
After getting married, he bought a compact car.
He spent 2-3 hours washing it.
Grinning about his first car—genuinely embarrassing.
'Others drive luxury imports, and he gets an Avante...'
Suggest vacation, he scouts cheap lodgings days ahead, coupons, deals.
The Kim Shin she knew was exactly as in 'God of Investing.'
―Learning from Brother Kim Shin's life today too.
―Born poor, but hard work + luck = success.
―Real story? Yeah.
―Kim Shin said in interview poverty didn't hit him 'cause he was healthy.
―Successful folks got different mentality.
Watching, Han Chae-won regained hope of riches.
'God of Investing' topped charts in 76 countries.
Kim Shin raking astronomical sums on NYSE, entering EVs.
Korean news covered him hourly.
Cable channels his every move.
Guiding Biden and White House staff at Earth Factory, on repeat.
'How long will he keep succeeding?'
She wished his investments and businesses to fail and crash. But now was inconvenient.
She could profit riding his surging popularity.