Chapter 86: Hiring a Former Boss
Chapter 86: Hiring a Former Boss
After touring the drama set.
I must have let my guard down in the cheerful atmosphere.
Vice President Jeong Beom-tae cautiously made a suggestion.
“CEO Kim. If you don’t have any plans this evening, how about joining us for the company dinner?”
“A company dinner?”
“Yes. I think your presence would be a huge morale booster for the employees, and the staff would love it too.”
I could have just said I was busy.
It was only my second day back in Korea, and I was being flooded with meeting requests from politicians, business leaders, and civic groups.
I had a lot to take care of, but…
‘A company dinner…’
Back when I was at Arcor, the words "company dinner" and "schmoozing" were one and the same.
Of the doctors, by the doctors, for the doctors.
How many times had I practiced my flattery in the mirror just to pour a drink for the hospital director with a pleasant smile?
If there was a single doctor at the general hospital, I’d try to avoid sitting next to the pretty nurses at these dinners.
I had become an incarnation of consideration, having learned to read the room so much while working in sales.
But now, at Dream Art Rainbow…
‘I’m the CEO.’
I wasn’t expecting anyone to suck up to me, but I didn’t have to walk on eggshells around anyone either.
I used to hate company dinners, but they had an oddly addictive quality.
Eating and drinking boisterously with a group of people made you feel closer.
I never had company dinners in the U.S.
The most I did was grab pizza and Coke with Oh Myeong-woo.
“Sounds great. The dinner is on me tonight.”
“Woooooah!”
The staff cheered along with Vice President Jeong Beom-tae.
Since hundreds of people were mobilized for the outdoor shoot, including extras, we decided to eat on-site instead of going elsewhere.
A hotel catering team was brought in, and writers and on-site staff drove out to pick up food from restaurants.
“CEO Kim. Thank you for entrusting me with the production of a scenario I've held onto for a long time. I'll work hard on filming.”
“It was fun watching the set. Please create a wonderful drama.”
A drink with the director.
“Coming to Dream Art Rainbow was the best decision of my life. The set is so much more energetic thanks to you, sir. I look forward to your continued support.”
“The pleasure is all mine.”
A drink with the assistant director.
“I’ll pour my heart and soul into creating entertaining content for the advancement of Korean media. I will continue to work hard.”
“That’s quite the resolve. Mr. Hong Yo-seop, was it? I’ll remember that name.”
A drink with the floor director.
I downed three shots in a row but felt fine.
I wasn’t a heavy drinker, nor did I drink often, but I was a former pharmaceutical sales rep.
It was a profession that came with a bit of pride in one's drinking ability.
I picked up a slice of raw fish… and in that short time, a line had formed.
“I’m Kim Seong-hwan, the camera director. My daughter is a huge fan of yours. If it’s not too much trouble, could I get an autograph?”
“An autograph?”
I wasn’t even a celebrity.
In any case, I signed one for him.
“I’ll shoot some fantastic footage!”
“Yes. I’m counting on you.”
A drink with the camera director.
Next came the music director, lighting director, and art directors for a drink each.
How could I refuse when people in their 40s and 50s were coming up to me, asking to share a drink?
‘I can still handle this.’
They were being considerate, only pouring my soju glass about halfway.
‘It’s not often I get a chance to drink with my employees in Korea.’
Even if I came back to Korea again, it would be difficult to come to a film set and drink like this.
After the directors, it was the staff's turn.
“My wife was just bawling her eyes out a moment ago.”
“Excuse me?”
“When I told her on the phone that my salary was going to more than double, she couldn’t hold back her tears. It sounds cliché, but we were struggling so much with the cost of formula and diapers that we had to ask her parents for help. Thank you. Truly.”
“…I’m just paying you what you’re worth.”
The junior staff members were genuinely grateful.
They shared stories that made it impossible not to have a drink, and we drank one shot after another.
“Take your time, sir.”
“I’m fine.”
I tried to control my pace.
I even used the cheap trick of not completely emptying my glass.
I tried to manage it one way or another, but my consciousness was slowly starting to blur.
The lead actors, the supporting actors.
There were so many actors gathered for today’s shoot.
* * *
A post appeared on a film staff community forum.
- Title: Exposing Kim Shin’s true character on set.
I got a job at Dream Art Rainbow a month ago.
Was working at a big corporation, but because of this damn dream of mine, I wanted to get a taste of the film industry, so I started as the most junior staff member.
Kim Shin came to the set.
I was totally shocked when he first appeared.
The aura he had walking in with his foreign bodyguards was no joke.
Even the actors were just staring, mesmerized.
Anyway, he toured the set and bought us all a meal. Hotel chefs came and cooked for us. It was the best food I’ve ever had in my life.
And then… when the director asked for more support for the art team, the mood suddenly soured.
In this pandemic era, there’s no better job than Dream Art Rainbow.
Everyone was watching anxiously, but then Kim Shin completely restructured the staff salaries.
All staff at Dream Art Rainbow will now start at a minimum monthly salary of 3 million won.
I guess this is the power of a true chaebol.
- OMG OMG
- Look at the generosity of Korea’s richest man.
- But why call him Kim Shin? He raised your salary, you should at least call him hyung. ㄴ Author) He is a god. He needs no title. ㄴㄴ True…
- Is this for real? What are other production sets supposed to do now? Everyone’s going to want to work at Dream Art Rainbow.
- The industry has its customs and circumstances. If only one place raises wages like that…
ㄴ We’ll all starve to death clinging to customs!
ㄴㄴ One place has to raise wages for others to follow. There’s no industry that undervalues its people as much as ours.
* * *
The day after my visit to Dream Art Rainbow was also packed with appointments.
Since it had been a while since I was last in Korea, I had no choice but to make use of every minute.
“Jong-yeop.”
“Yes, hyung.”
My head was pounding from the hangover.
I drank a convenience store hangover remedy and had bean sprout soup with rice for breakfast.
The staff at the restaurant were staring at me with curiosity, but it’s a universal truth that when in Korea, you must eat gukbap.
“Is the car ready?”
“Yes. It’s been delivered to the dealership.”
A Bentley SUV.
It had been a while since Team Leader An Myeong-guk and Team Leader Seo Jong-gi had gotten new cars, so I had prepared them as gifts.
What was the point of becoming immensely wealthy if I didn’t do anything for the people around me?
“Let’s pick up the cars later and go meet them.”
“Yes, sir.”
* * *
“Team Leader An, when is he supposed to get here?”
“Still got 40 minutes.”
Team Leader An Myeong-guk and Team Leader Seo Jong-gi stood on a quiet park road.
Since it was a Saturday, they had met up early and were just waiting for Kim Shin to arrive.
“Heh heh. It feels different from when we met last year.”
“Right? Back then, he was just a well-known rich guy in Korea.”
“Assistant Manager Kim is seriously talented. Seems like luck is on his side, too. How do you multiply your fortune by ten?”
Team Leader An Myeong-guk and Team Leader Seo Jong-gi.
They, along with the other employees at Arcor, read every single article about Kim Shin.
It was a story about someone they knew, and reading the articles gave them a significant sense of vicarious satisfaction.
- What is Kim Shin’s current net worth? Estimated to be over $30 billion.
- The undisputed richest man in Korea.
- Kim Shin, one of the world’s 40 richest people.
From the perspective of the domestic media, there was no better story than Kim Shin.
Just writing about him guaranteed an enormous number of views.
Team Leader Seo Jong-gi licked his lips.
“They say his fortune is over 30 billion dollars.”
“And that’s excluding Biolife and Earth Resource.”
“He’s truly rich. Super rich. He’s what politicians call the richest man in Korea since Dangun.”
To think they had an appointment to meet such a person.
Team Leader Seo Jong-gi couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of how much things had changed.
“There’s still 30 minutes until our appointment.”
“He might not be exactly on time.”
“Of course, of course. He’s a busy man. It’s fine if he’s an hour or two late.”
They waited silently by the roadside without calling him.
And then, 10 minutes before the scheduled time.
Two Bentley SUVs and a convoy of large Mercedes-Benz sedans pulled up in front of them.
Kim Shin and Lee Jong-yeop got out of the driver's seats of the Bentleys.
“Team Leader.”
“Hey. It’s been a while.”
An Myeong-guk and Seo Jong-gi smiled as they took turns shaking Kim Shin’s hand.
“The American air must be doing you good. You look incredibly stylish.”
Kim Shin was in a suit, and the material and design were clearly out of the ordinary.
“You look the same as ever, Team Leader.”
“Haha. Well, it hasn’t even been a year. I’ve been working out a lot lately after watching YouTube.”
“Working out?”
“Yeah. I got motivated after seeing you play tennis and swim. Trying to lose some of this belly fat.”
As An Myeong-guk chatted on the street, he found himself getting subtly conscious of the bodyguards scanning the surroundings.
‘So this is the gravitas of a super-rich person.’
Just as he was thinking that, Kim Shin handed him a Bentley car key.
“Should I drive?”
The thought that he was being treated like a chauffeur crossed his mind, but he figured he could do at least that much for his successful junior.
A Bentley SUV was his dream car, one he had mentioned when it was first released.
It wouldn't be bad to drive it just once.
“It’s a gift.”
“Huh?”
“This car is for you.”
“Hey. That’s not a funny joke.”
He thought the joke was a bit much.
But then he saw Team Leader Seo Jong-gi, who had just received a key from Lee Jong-yeop, already getting into the driver’s seat.
An Myeong-guk asked, finding it hard to believe.
“Are you really giving me this car?”
“Yep.”
“…Thank you.”
“It’s a small token compared to everything you’ve done for me, Team Leader.”
* * *
Team Leader An Myeong-guk drove the Bentley SUV, following the procession of Mercedes-Benzes.
He felt like people on the street were staring at his car, and that other vehicles on the road were driving more politely around him.
‘So this is what a really expensive car feels like.’
A car with a price tag an office worker could never afford.
It might have been a trivial gift for Kim Shin, but for An Myeong-guk, it was the most precious gift he had ever received in his life.
He then recalled the job offer Kim Shin had made at a coffee shop right after they met.
“I need someone to support Biolife’s operations.”
“Support?”
“Since I’m in the U.S., I can’t oversee everything personally. For instance, construction on the dormitories has just begun.”
I wanted to do many things to improve the working environment, starting with employee welfare.
Furthermore, once the vaccine was in production, there was the issue of transporting it to governments around the world.
It would have to be air-freighted, and a single box of the vaccine was worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“While Biolife’s work has been focused on research and development until now, we now need to create a vaccine transport team. I’d like you to take charge of these various support operations.”
“Me?”
“Your position will be around Senior Managing Director.”
The offer was even more shocking than receiving the Bentley SUV.
Although Biolife wasn’t a publicly traded company, it was already the undisputed number one in the Korean pharmaceutical industry.
At a time when there wasn't a single domestic pharmaceutical company with over 1 trillion won in sales, Biolife was projected to earn over 10 trillion won in net profit next year alone.
“Can I really do something like that?”
The thought of refusing never even crossed An Myeong-guk’s mind.
What was being a team leader at Arcor in comparison?
Even the president of the Korean branch might jump ship. The only question was whether he could do the job properly.
“You’ll have to learn as you go. Isung Group will provide a great deal of help with what’s required for the job.”
It was a condition I had set when signing next year’s vaccine contract with Isung Biologics.
I had asked them to help create Biolife’s vaccine delivery system, and Isung Group had promised to provide support at the corporate level.
“So you need someone at Biolife to work in cooperation with Isung Group.”
“Yes, that’s right. For the sake of the vaccine’s credibility, we won’t be shipping from the manufacturer. Biolife will supply it directly to each government.”
“Hmm. That makes sense.”
“It’s an important job, and there are very few people I can personally trust. I was hoping you would do it, Team Leader An.”
Improving the work environment and the delivery system.
With Isung Group’s help, it seemed possible if he worked hard.
“Shin. I’ll take the job, but just one thing.”
“Yes?”
“I love you, man.”