Chapter 91: Soul Food
Chapter 91: Soul Food
- Jin Yoo-kyung: What are you up to today?
- Jin Yoo-kyung: Have you eaten?
- Jin Yoo-kyung: Want me to make you some ramen?
My schedule in Korea was incredibly laid-back.
Except for the endless stream of messages from Jin Yoo-kyung.
- Vice President Jeong Beom-tae: Ever since your visit, CEO, employee morale has been through the roof.
- Vice President Jeong Beom-tae: The staff and actors are overflowing with passion. They've absorbed your energy and are ready to sweep the Academy Awards and Golden Globes.
Vice President Jeong Beom-tae was still a master of flattery.
They say you should dream big, but weren't the Academy Awards and Golden Globes a bit of a stretch?
“Yaaawn.”
After visiting Dream Art Rainbow, Oh Myeong-woo declared Korea was boring.
He said he was greatly disappointed after meeting Earth Girls in person.
I had to meet with the chairmen of Isung Group and DK Group, so I ended up not attending the fan signing.
“Why? Were they not that pretty?”
“They were. Even prettier in person, actually. Their small faces seemed to glow, you know? Not a single part of them wasn't beautiful, right down to their hands and ears.”
“Then why?”
Most guys would have been thrilled as long as they were pretty.
“They existed in reality.”
“Huh?”
“Back when I had no hope, when I was struggling just to survive, girl groups were my fantasy, my ideal.”
“...”
“Just looking at them made me happy. It was like they radiated bright, positive energy. But when I actually met Earth Girls, they were just ordinary people. I even had dinner with them, you know? They worried about gaining weight after eating and were picky eaters.”
“...”
“I was dreaming of an unattainable love, but then I met them in real life and was disappointed because they were human. Could you possibly understand my delicate sensibilities?”
If anyone else had said that, it would have sounded like a joke, but I knew Oh Myeong-woo was being sincere.
It was rare to see him this dejected.
That's how much he must have loved girl groups.
“Cheer up.”
“I don't know. My future feels bleak. What's more...”
“What's more?”
“Jung-yeon, the main center, said she thought I was cute.”
“And?”
As his friend, I could see that Oh Myeong-woo had his cute side.
He had a round face and a chubby build, and he was a gentle person by nature.
He wasn't popular in middle or high school, but as an adult, he came across as a genuinely good guy.
“It's too human, isn't it?”
“...”
“I wanted Iron Man. But it felt like I ran into Robert Downey Jr. at a Korean spa.”
Oh Myeong-woo, his long-held fantasy shattered.
The one person who was actually excited to be in Korea was Lee Jong-yeop.
I gave him a vacation since he didn't need to follow me around every day.
He was apparently enjoying being approached by women while sitting at a terrace cafe.
Due to COVID-19, the culture in Gangnam had changed a lot. The clubs were dead, and people were meeting more often over a casual coffee at cafes.
“Myeong-woo.”
As I searched for words to comfort Oh Myeong-woo, an idea came to mind.
“Let's go get some gukbap.”
Ever since college, we'd go eat gukbap whenever we got paid from our part-time jobs.
The satisfaction of a hearty meal.
Even now that I had a lot of money, my love for gukbap hadn't faded one bit.
There's a reason they call it soul food.
* * *
He had been so naive about the world until now.
‘I acted confident in front of Kim Shin, but this won't be easy.’
Kim Sang-gi steeled his resolve.
No matter the industry, it's always hard for a newcomer to gain a foothold.
From founding the team to recruiting coaches, a director, and players...
“I want to join the Earth gaming team.”
“Excuse me?”
He was completely taken aback when players started showing up on their own.
“Gomdori, aren't you considered one of the top players even on the first-string team?”
“I believe the Earth gaming team has a vision.”
“What kind of vision could a brand-new team have?”
In response to the general manager's question, the player Gomdori smiled slyly.
“Personally, I'm a fan of CEO Kim Shin.”
“Ah. I see.”
“And I believe the Earth gaming team will become the best in the world, not just in Korea.”
A player wanting to join because he liked Kim Shin was relatively normal.
“Um... I'm here to join the Earth gaming team.”
“Chovy? But... why would one of the top pro gamers in the country want to join?”
“Because I like the Earth gaming team.”
“I mean, why? Is it because of CEO Kim Shin?”
“Well, that's part of it.”
The player was reluctant to reveal his reason.
During the contract signing, he made only one request.
“Could I receive my salary in Source Coin?”
“...”
Though it was a new team, they had recruited top-tier gamers, a director, and coaches, and entered the league.
‘The other teams will probably try to haze us.’
He expected some hazing during interviews and matches, but...
“The Earth gaming team? I think it's a positive development for revitalizing the domestic gaming league. We ask all the fans to give the Earth gaming team their full support and attention.”
DKT1, the most popular team, welcomed the Earth gaming team.
“In terms of skill, I believe the Earth gaming team is competitive enough to reach the semifinals.”
Isung Galaxy also gave them a generous review.
‘Since things have turned out this way, we have no choice but to perform well.’
As the general manager, Kim Sang-gi felt even more pressure because of it.
The team maintained a top-three ranking with a record of win, win, lose, lose, win, win, win.
Although it was early in the league, they were getting reviews that their performance was steadily improving.
- Kim Shin: You're doing great. Take it easy.
- Kim Sang-gi: Thanks! I'll work hard.
Kim Sang-gi thought to himself.
‘Can life really be this easy?’
* * *
- Kim Shin visits a gukbap restaurant near his home
- Diners at the restaurant: "It's Kim Shin."
- Kim Shin pays for the other customers' meals
Even eating at a gukbap restaurant was becoming news.
In the U.S., there were plenty of people far more famous than me, so trivial articles like this never came out.
But in Korea, any news about me was usually on the front page or the main screen.
- Jin Yoo-kyung: I like gukbap too.
- Jin Yoo-kyung: Gukbap is delicious, isn't it?
- Kim Shin: You don't look like the type.
- Jin Yoo-kyung: Who are you calling a liar? I even mix rice into my vongole pasta.
I exchanged messages with Jin Yoo-kyung occasionally, but I didn't feel the need to meet up with her.
‘It's a waste of time.’
With my business in the U.S. growing at a frightening pace, I couldn't afford to spend too much time in Korea.
- Kim Shin: I'll treat you to pasta in the U.S.
- Jin Yoo-kyung: Really?
- Kim Shin: It'd be more comfortable to see you in the U.S. than in Korea.
- Kim Shin: Don't be too disappointed that I'm leaving without seeing you, even though I came all the way to Korea.
Jin Yoo-kyung had been helpful in many ways.
- Jin Yoo-kyung: Not at all! I wasn't thinking that for a second.
- Jin Yoo-kyung: The U.S. is way more comfortable! Much more than Korea!
My remaining schedule in Korea wasn't very packed.
‘I just have a few more people to see.’
I went to visit the grandmotherly landlady from when I lived in the semi-basement apartment.
Although she was old, she wasn't in poor health, but it had been two years, and I wanted to see her before it was too late.
The landlady was living in an ordinary apartment with her daughter's family.
“This is a small gift.”
“Hm?”
“It's nothing much. Just so you can go to the hospital comfortably.”
When I had visited Dr. Lee Ho-yeon at Mirae Hospital, I had donated 10 billion won and registered her for the Honors Club in her name, which provided free lifetime medical care.
I wanted to give her cash, but I figured she would feel burdened or refuse it, so I prepared something she truly needed.
The landlady took my hand with her wrinkled one.
“I saw how much you struggled. It's so good to see you succeed.”
“Yes...”
Her sincere words brought a slight tear to my eye.
To think the person who treated me like family was my landlady.
“You'll stay for a meal, won't you?”
“Huh?”
“I heard you were coming, so I made some spicy braised chicken for the first time in a while.”
I ate the spicy braised chicken she had put her heart into, a taste I hadn't had in a long time.
The slight spiciness had a satisfying, savory kick.
‘Gukbap for breakfast and spicy braised chicken in the afternoon. A perfect day.’
And as I was leaving the apartment, I had a brief chat with her daughter.
I had seen her a few times during the long period I lived in the semi-basement, and she had given me things like laundry detergent and fruit.
I always thought I had lived my life without relying on anyone, but looking back, I had received kindness from those around me.
“Ma'am.”
“Oh, yes. CEO.”
“Please, call me what you're comfortable with.”
“Okay. Should I?”
An ordinary woman.
I'd heard from the landlady a long time ago that her son and daughter were in middle school, and that she and her husband were struggling to pay for their academies while both working.
At the time, I had only heard it in passing, but I remembered it now and was able to repay her kindness.
“From now on, I will cover the children's education expenses.”
“Huh?”
“You're the landlady's family. I want to help in any way I can.”
How many meals had I eaten thanks to the landlady? Compared to that, private education costs were nothing.
“And in a few months, I was thinking of moving you to a new house.”
“A new house?”
“Yes. This apartment is fine, but I'd like the landlady to live somewhere a little nicer. I'd like to do it discreetly so she doesn't feel burdened. Would that be alright with you?”
“Oh, my. I would be grateful. If my mother and the kids can live in a better environment, of course.”
The landlady had worked hard in her youth to own a house, so she wasn't poor. But I found out that the building with the semi-basement apartment hadn't sold yet; they were waiting for redevelopment.
Ultimately, her money would be tied up for a long time, so I figured it was better to help if I could.
“Student, thank you so much.”
“It's nothing.”
I had lived there since my college days, so she was more used to calling me 'student'.
The next person I met was my uncle.
“It's been a while, Uncle.”
“Yes. It's good to see you doing well.”
My large-framed uncle welcomed me.
My cousins, and my niece and nephew, looked at me with curiosity.
He was a kind man who had helped us out a little when my father was alive and after his funeral.
I remembered he had even given 500,000 won as a wedding gift and offered words of blessing.
“You've found yourself a fine wife. Shin. I'm so happy for you, it feels like a reward for all your hard work.”
In reality, I had divorced Han Chae-won, and my success was due more to luck than hard work.
My uncle ran a small auto repair shop.
“Uncle. Is there any way I can help?”
“No. Seeing you do well is enough for me.”
After having dinner at my uncle's house, I saw my cousins on the way out.
Two older male cousins and one older female cousin.
After my father got addicted to gambling, we hadn't visited anyone besides my uncle, so our relationship was awkward.
We might have passed each other on the street without even recognizing one another.
“Seong-jin.”
“Yeah.”
He was the eldest cousin, but we'd never met when we were young, making it awkward.
“I'll have my secretary contact you later.”
“Alright. See you next time.”
* * *
After spending a week in Korea, I returned to the United States.
I chartered a large plane for the trip.
‘I've made a lot of money, so I might as well spend it on things like this.’
As soon as I landed at the San Francisco airport, I was greeted by much cooler weather.
Two weeks passed as I focused on Earth Resource's business.
- U.S. surpasses 1,000 daily COVID deaths
- U.S. sees nationwide surge in COVID cases
Starting in August, COVID-19 began to rage, forcing a change in America's public health policies.
California's total confirmed cases exceeded one million, and a nighttime curfew was implemented.
Schools were closed, and mask-wearing became mandatory.
News articles would come out even if just a few people died, but in the U.S. alone, over 1,000 deaths were being reported daily.
- Vice Chairman Seon Jae-yong: Vaccine production has begun. We are slightly ahead of schedule. There will be no issues supplying 230 million doses by the end of the year.
- CEO Oh Hee-jin: The vaccine will begin shipping next month. DK Bioscience is giving its all.
The Korean vaccine companies had started production.