Chapter 95: Letters from Children
Chapter 95: Letters from Children
- Kim Shin: The media’s being relentless, so I don’t think I can come into the office for a while.
- Eddie: Don’t worry. The Vice President and I will take good care of the company.
- Kim Shin: Thanks.
Whether its CEO was present or not, Earth Resource’s business divisions were growing like bean sprouts.
“To think the Earth Girls were just ordinary people…”
Oh Myeong-woo had fallen into a brief spell of disappointment after his trip to Korea, but he had since discovered new games.
His eyes shone despite his exhausted expression from gaming all night.
“This game, which sublimates the loneliness and solitude of space into art, is absolutely amazing. We need to amplify this fun.”
He used Earth Resource’s funds to acquire indie game companies.
The plan was to significantly enhance the sound and graphics, add more content, and officially release the games when Earth Channel launched.
“The age of COVID. It’s bleak. Hopeless. Shin, the vaccine is out, but it won’t end right away, will it?”
“Yeah. Probably not.”
“In that case, the vaccine for everyone is gaming. Because the most fun you can have while staying at home is playing games.”
It was good to see Oh Myeong-woo so animated again.
The girl group might have left a void in his life, but it felt like gaming had more than filled it.
- Vice President Jeong Beom-tae: Filming for the three dramas is past the halfway point.
- Kim Shin: Already?
- Vice President Jeong Beom-tae: The screenplays were already complete, and with ample funding, the shooting schedule is moving quickly. It’s also easier to book the actors’ schedules.
- Vice President Jeong Beom-tae: Actors are showing a lot of interest in the dramas and movies set to be released on Earth Channel, so their agencies are contacting us first.
Thanks to COVID, the content business was thriving.
The launch of Earth Channel was set for late November, a result of my eagerness to debut it before the year was out.
* * *
Vaccinations began in the United States and Europe.
[ UK Government Begins Mass COVID Vaccinations ]
[ US Cumulative Cases Surpass 5.3 Million, K-Vaccine Steps Up as the Savior ]
[ K-Vaccine Arrives in Israel, Prime Minister: “I Will Be the First to Get It.” ]
[ K-Vaccine Released on Schedule, But Stability Concerns Remain ]
[ K-Vaccine Rollout Begins, How Effective Is It? ]
The news showed images of people rolling up their sleeves to receive the vaccine shot in their arms.
It would be a lie to say there was no fear in getting a vaccine that hadn't existed before.
‘Even I, who knew the whole process from start to finish, felt a little uneasy.’
Despite such worries, a call came from Israel two days later.
“The vaccinations are going smoothly. There are almost no reports of high fevers or severe pain. The few cases that do occur are easily managed with simple over-the-counter medicine.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Israel wishes to purchase an additional 5 million doses of the K-Vaccine.”
Israel’s population was about 9 million. My impression was that they were extremely proactive when it came to safety.
They also actively provided us with their COVID vaccination data.
- Paul: Israel’s vaccination records are even better than what we predicted in the third clinical trial.
- Kim Shin: Really?
- Paul: The K-Vaccine spreading across the globe will reduce the number of COVID infections.
Although Earth Resource offered many services, selling a vaccine that could save lives felt special.
* * *
While staying at the mansion, I read the letters people had sent.
Over 1,000 letters arrived every day.
Lee Jong-yeop, thinking it was too many for me to possibly read, had been burning them, but now we read them together.
[ To Mr. Kim Shin,
Thank you for making the vaccine.
My mom, who is raising me, quit her job at the supermarket. She said it’s because of COVID.
I saw my mom crying because she said we have no money.
I don’t need to wear pretty clothes, and I don’t have to eat out.
When COVID is gone, my mom can work again, right?
Thank you. Really! ]
I had thought they were simple letters of gratitude, but each one contained the sender’s heartfelt story.
“I’m sorry, boss.”
“No, it’s fine. I hadn’t thought about it this deeply either.”
I recalled my own childhood.
The days of anxiety, falling asleep alone every night.
I hated my father for leaving me to go to the gambling dens, but at the same time, I trembled in fear that he might abandon me for good.
What must it feel like for children not living in good environments to write letters like these?
Weren't these letters filled with gratitude, appreciation, and hope?
“There are a lot of people struggling.”
“Yes. The US has a lot of service jobs, so the unemployment rate is staggering.”
The US government had released massive amounts of financial aid. But government support couldn't save every family in need.
“The COVID vaccine will help American families, but it’ll take a long time before we see the effects.”
It would take more than a year or two for society to return to normal.
How much anxiety and sadness would the little girl named Amy have to endure during that time?
“I should get into some charity work.”
“Charity work?”
“Yeah. A significant portion of my wealth grew through the US financial market. Helping children would be a meaningful thing to do.”
“What about the adults?”
“The adults… well…”
Since I was born with nothing and had to claw my way up, I honestly didn't have strong feelings about helping adults.
Any adult without health problems should be capable of taking care of themselves.
“We can’t take care of everyone who’s struggling. Let’s focus on the kids first.”
“Yes, boss.”
The method of charity also required some thought.
I wasn't going to create a massive global foundation like Bill Gates, nor could I donate too much of my fortune.
The fun of making money.
It was too soon to give up the joy of growing my wealth.
‘Save every struggling family in America with my money? That’s just arrogance.’
The US government was pouring trillions of dollars into aid. What could I do with a hundred billion dollars?
My entire fortune would be gone in less than a week.
Besides, the people who sent letters were more than just strangers; they were people who liked me, which was reason enough to help.
“Let’s sort the letters. Prioritize the ones from children. If any kids are sick or from difficult family situations, we help them, no questions asked.”
“Yes, boss.”
Children in difficult situations.
I decided to provide support so they could attend school, buy groceries, and pay their rent.
I couldn't save everyone, but at least I could help the ones who wrote to me.
I wanted to be a good adult to those children.
“How many letters are there?”
“Well, actually, there’s an enormous amount.”
There was a reason Lee Jong-yeop had been burning them.
A large volume of letters had started arriving when the COVID vaccine passed its second clinical trial, and they now filled an entire room.
Over 1,000 letters piled up daily, and after sorting, there were over 20,000 from children alone.
“…This pile of letters is no joke.”
“Boss, we’re going to need a lot of people to go through all this.”
“Fortunately, I have people who can help.”
I called Seong Ho-jin, the producer, and the writers who were following me around with cameras to film my daily life for the YouTube channel.
“I need you to read these letters.”
“Us?”
“Yes. They’re children’s stories, so please come quickly and help me read them.”
* * *
[ Hello. This is Mr. Kim Shin.
I read your letter carefully.
I know your mom is going through a tough time, but I’m sure seeing Emily’s bright smile gives her strength.
I’m sending a small gift so you can have fun at school, too. ]
Lee Jong-yeop and the writers read and sorted the letters.
I was busy writing replies to the children.
“Wouldn’t it be faster to type them on a computer?”
Writer Kim Soo-jin suggested, but I firmly refused.
“The children wrote these letters by hand. So I want to reply by hand, too.”
Every time I replied to a child’s letter, I felt a lump in my throat.
I thought I had become emotionally calloused after a tough childhood.
But being able to help these children brought me joy and made me appreciate the value of money all over again.
* * *
“I’m so sorry for making you work through the night.”
“Not at all. We’re doing a good thing, aren’t we?”
Lee Jong-yeop apologized to the writers.
The B-team’s producer and writers had also been mobilized in the middle of the night to read letters.
It was to find the letters from children in truly dire situations as quickly as possible.
The female writers teared up, moved by the sight of Kim Shin painstakingly writing his letters. But up close…
“I guess even the seemingly perfect CEO Kim Shin has a flaw.”
“Yeah. It would probably be better if he typed.”
His handwriting was atrocious.
It looked like an angry earthworm writhing in agony.
“It’s probably because it’s in English, right?”
“His Korean is even worse. At Arcor, whenever he left a work-related memo, it was hard to decipher. He could read and understand it just fine, though.”
“Ahem.”
In any case, Kim Shin wrote over 200 letters a day.
He spent a solid six or seven hours writing replies, enclosing gift certificates for the Earth Shopping mall worth between $1,000 and $10,000 in each letter.
Children from particularly difficult families were sorted separately for additional help.
* * *
Jin Yoo-kyung, a managing director at Mirae Group.
She flew from Incheon Airport and arrived in San Francisco.
“Will this be okay, ma’am?”
“Of course. Haven’t you ever heard it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission? What are they going to do, we’re already in the US. They can’t just send us back.”
Arriving in San Francisco with only her female secretary.
She had been to the US often, so she had no trouble finding her way.
“I think it’s this way.”
“Yes, looks like it.”
They rented a car and headed for Kim Shin’s mansion in Palo Alto, where they saw over a dozen broadcast vans parked along the street.
Jin Yoo-kyung’s eyes flashed like a wildcat’s.
“How are we going to get through that and into the mansion?”
If they could just get past the broadcast vans, everything would be settled.
“Should I ask Mr. Kim Shin to come get us? I wanted to surprise him inside the mansion.”
“I have the producer’s phone number.”
“Huh?”
“I contacted Dream Art Rainbow and got the filming producer’s number. How about we ask the producer to let us in?”
Jin Yoo-kyung was impressed by her secretary’s competence.
“Hye-rin, getting that producer’s number might be the best thing you’ve done since you started as my secretary.”
“Excuse me?”
“No! The best thing you’ve done since you joined Mirae Group.”
Jin Yoo-kyung’s not-quite-a-compliment.
And so, she called the producer, and under the crew’s guidance, they entered the mansion wearing hats like writers.
‘So this is the place from the YouTube videos.’
She was thrilled as she walked through the garden, seeing the swimming pool and the parked cars.
Finally, she passed through the entrance and into the living room.
She was giddy with the thought of meeting Kim Shin.
But a writer led them to a room piled high with an incredible amount of letters.
“Read these letters.”
“Letters?”
“Yes. You need to find the ones that talk about difficult family situations. Even if they don’t say it directly, pull out any that feel like they’re from someone struggling.”
A mountain of letters was entrusted to them.
The producer and writers were all engrossed in reading and sorting.
“Where is Mr. Kim Shin?”
“He’s upstairs writing letters. And you can’t go up to the second floor where he is, you’ll interfere with the filming.”
“What?”
“I told the CEO that you were here, Ms. Jin. He said you’d be happy to help.”