Chapter 98: Not on My Side
Chapter 98: Not on My Side
As Bitcoin soared, my father's words came to mind.
“Shin. Money isn't something you save little by little. Life is all about one big score. One big score!”
My father gambled relentlessly, but in the end, he never managed to hit that one big score.
One big score, and then another.
I remembered my father going to the gambling halls countless times, hoping for that one big score, only to return with slumped shoulders, drowning in self-loathing.
‘When I was young, I resented my father.’
Through middle school, high school, and college, I hated him every day.
‘If it weren't for the gambling... he was a kind and caring man in many ways.’
Working part-time jobs and then getting a full-time one, I thought the right way was to earn money diligently and steadily.
But now, I had to admit... life was indeed about one big score.
The Bitcoin my father left me. And the results of a few investments that hit the jackpot—that was my reality now.
There was a limit to the money you could earn through steady labor.
Living a life of honest work brought personal satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment, but to change your life, you needed one big score.
‘My father's words... were right. Though most people who try for a big score just end up getting clobbered.’
The online communities for retail investors were also seeing more and more posts about crypto.
- Heard rumors that crypto is a bull market, so I'm here.
- What's going on with the crypto scene? Why is it suddenly on fire?
- Is "To the moon!" Season 2 starting?
- Bitcoin is finally rising ㅠㅠ I never thought I'd see the day I'd break even on this.
- It's running ㄷㄷㄷ Pumping for the first time in a while.
- Is now the time to buy?
As Bitcoin recovered to $13,000, people's interest clearly surged.
The fear caused by COVID-19 seemed to be rapidly fading with the release of the vaccine.
‘Bitcoin...’
Investors were scoring big wins in stocks and real estate.
And now, the flames had spread to cryptocurrency.
‘Cryptocurrency will either go up in flames or be extinguished completely. It's one or the other.’
* * *
As the United States and various European countries began their vaccination campaigns, media attention on me started to wane.
Until then, it had been difficult to speak carelessly in front of reporters.
‘Just one word from me, and broadcasters all over the world would run it as their main story.’
Every country had its own situation, and reporters' questions knew no bounds.
“Who do you believe is responsible for the spread of COVID-19 in the UK?”
“While the quarantine measures in Asian countries have been effective, many argue that they disregard individual freedoms and rights. Could you comment on that?”
“What vaccination rate do you think is needed to be safe from COVID-19?”
“Do you believe US President Trump's handling of COVID-19 was effective?”
These were the questions reporters had thrown at me as I entered my home.
“CEO Kim Shin! Please give us your honest opinion.”
“They say Biolife's K-Vaccine is superior to Pfizer's or Moderna's. What was the reason for not adopting the mRNA method? Was it for safety reasons?”
Answering any of these questions could send the footage viral across the globe.
It could embarrass the governments of the countries in question, so I chose to avoid reporters as much as possible.
Once mass vaccinations began and media attention died down, I resumed my external activities.
“How are the preparations for Earth Channel coming along?”
“On the hardware side, it's perfect.”
I went to the Earth Resource office for the first time in a while and spoke with Eddie.
Eddie, who had been slim when I first met him, was getting chubby like Oh Myeong-woo over the past few months.
“So the content is the problem.”
“Yes. I'm not sure if the Korean content you're preparing will catch on. I like it, but I don't know about its mainstream appeal.”
“That's true.”
Korean content was still considered niche in the global market.
While Korean films occasionally won awards overseas, they couldn't be said to have significant international box office power.
Dramas and variety shows did well within Asia, but they had aspects that were difficult for American or European audiences to connect with emotionally.
“Live streaming will be tough too. YouTube is such a powerhouse.”
“You're right.”
YouTube, TikTok, Instagram.
Now that I'd jumped into this market, I was realizing just how formidable the strongholds of the existing giants were.
‘It's never easy being a latecomer to anything.’
Oh Myeong-woo offered an immediate solution.
“There's no choice but to compete with money.”
“Huh?”
“We host the world's largest gaming tournament to grab users' attention. And we break down the barriers between countries.”
“Barriers between countries?”
“Yeah. Take YouTube, for example. The content in the US and Korea is completely different. There are emotional differences, but the biggest issue is that it's hard to understand the language.”
“That's true.”
“How about we include a service that perfectly translates languages as a basic feature?”
The idea was to put a system in Earth Channel that automatically translated all languages between countries.
Even if they couldn't change the emotional differences between cultures, they could overcome the barrier created by language.
“In real-time, during the broadcast?”
“Yeah. Otherwise, there's no point.”
“It could be applied not just to broadcasts, but to games as well.”
“Of course.”
“Is real-time translation technically possible?”
“That's what we need to find out.”
If implementing the translation feature was possible, there was no reason to hesitate.
Developing it ourselves would take a lot of time.
After looking into AI translation companies in Silicon Valley with Oh Myeong-woo, I decided on an acquisition on the spot.
The founder, a former developer, was the CEO.
“We don't have any revenue yet, but we don't want to be acquired by another company.”
“I'm fully prepared to guarantee your independent management rights.”
“So you're saying not much will change from how things are now?”
“Oh, things will change. I'll give you the opportunity to shine on Earth Channel. And Earth Resource will actively support you to improve your AI.”
Computational power that overwhelmingly surpassed supercomputers, mediated by Source Coin.
I acquired the company, named Art Language, and began providing massive financial support.
In the meantime, I got a call from Korea.
- Vice President Jeong Beom-tae: A drama has been completed. It's the one you attended last time.
- Kim Shin: Is that so?
To think the drama they were filming in Korea a few months ago was safely completed.
I didn't have high hopes for its success, but I hoped it would at least be entertaining.
- Vice President Jeong Beom-tae: If you'd like to watch it, I can send you the first cut.
- Kim Shin: Really?
Squid Game.
I was curious to see what kind of show a drama with such an unfamiliar name would be.
And it wasn't like I had much to do at the mansion anyway.
- Kim Shin: I'd like to watch it at home with my friends, but would the director allow it?
―Vice President Jeong Beom-tae: Since you are the head of Dream Art Rainbow, sir, there should not be a problem with you watching it, but...
- Kim Shin: Still, I wasn't involved in the production, and I'm not in Korea. It seems best to ask the director's opinion beforehand.
- Vice President Jeong Beom-tae: Then I will check.
Vice President Jeong Beom-tae seemed to have respect for his superiors ingrained in his very bones.
It made him trustworthy, but also a little worrisome.
A reply came 10 minutes later.
- Vice President Jeong Beom-tae: The director has given his permission. He said it's fine as long as you're careful not to let it leak externally, even if you watch it with friends.
- Kim Shin: Understood. Then I'll enjoy watching it.
* * *
Oh Myeong-woo, Lee Jong-yeop, Jin Yoo-kyung, and Yang Hye-rin.
I decided to watch the drama with the people at the mansion.
Since it was late at night, Jin Yoo-kyung showed up in her pajamas.
“This is the content you're going to release on Earth Channel?”
“That's right.”
“I'm really looking forward to it.”
We watched it on Isung Electronics' 86-inch television.
There's nothing more satisfying to spend money on than home appliances.
‘I wonder if it's any good.’
Episode 1 of Squid Game began, and I found myself watching blankly.
The protagonist, addicted to gambling, was a character who reminded me of my father.
The gripping story, combined with comedic elements, led into a survival game, and we watched all the way through episode 3 in one sitting.
“This is freaking awesome.”
“It felt more like a movie than any Korean drama I've seen before. It's incredible, isn't it?”
“It's fun.”
Oh Myeong-woo, Lee Jong-yeop, and Yang Hye-rin expressed their great satisfaction.
Jin Yoo-kyung had fallen asleep at some point while watching the drama.
‘Was it not interesting enough for a chaebol heir?’
The others' reactions were good, but more importantly, I was having fun.
Perhaps because of my personal experiences, I felt as if I was being sucked into the story's immersive power.
With each game came moments where life and death were decided, and I couldn't put it down.
“Looks like we'll be up all night watching this.”
“I'm getting hungry.”
“I'll go make some ramen.”
I made ramen myself, and we ate together, then watched the final episode in one go.
‘I really underestimated Korean content.’
The regulations of broadcasting stations, insufficient production budgets, formulaic storytelling.
Once freed from those various constraints, they were able to produce truly entertaining content.
9 AM.
I hadn't slept a wink and was tired, but my mind was clear.
Having watched something so entertaining for the first time in a while, my excitement hadn't subsided.
- Kim Shin: I've finished watching the video you sent.
- Vice President Jeong Beom-tae: What did you think?
- Kim Shin: It was extremely enjoyable.
- Kim Shin: I'd like Dream Art Rainbow to start producing more content. Please provide them with sufficient support.
* * *
Jin Yoo-kyung felt a wall around Kim Shin.
They would eat together, go for walks, and she would even help him with his work, but she felt it was difficult to get any closer than a certain point.
“Why is that? He just doesn't know my charm.”
Until now, everyone had fallen for her.
She came from one of the top families in Korea.
“Hmm. Does he have more money than me?”
In terms of looks, she was top-tier among non-celebrities.
“I guess he could meet celebrities.”
When it came to intellectual beauty, she was confident she wouldn't lose to anyone.
She was an elite who had graduated from a prestigious university and a graduate school in the US.
She knew she could be foolish and a bit naive at times, but she thought even that was part of her charm.
“It's because he's a man with many scars.”
Lee Jong-yeop.
Befriending the assistant who was Kim Shin's employee and spent a lot of time with him during her stay at the mansion was a huge gain.
“Scars?”
“Yes. Well... you must know that he's divorced.”
“I know.”
“Han Chae-won was a huge b... ahem. Anyway. His family history isn't exactly normal. He grew up without receiving love from his parents. When he got married, he told me with a smile...”
“What did he say?”
“That he finally had someone on his side, who he could be with for the rest of his life.”
“Ah.”
Jin Yoo-kyung let out a soft exclamation.
This was a side of Kim Shin from a time she didn't know.
Kim Shin, who had a poor and unhappy childhood, worked hard to earn money while at Arcor.
The image of him eagerly awaiting his wedding came to her mind.
“For him, the marriage that started like that was the absolute worst. He had somehow survived this harsh world on his own, only to find that the person he thought was on his side was actually his greatest enemy.”
“Was the marriage that bad?”
“Han Chae-won was just that vicious. Anyway, he's been much more at ease since the divorce.”
Jin Yoo-kyung made a mental note of the name Han Chae-won.
She knew he was divorced and had deliberately not paid it any mind, but now it seemed like something she needed to know inside and out.
“Isn't everyone like that? Even a cool, successful man can be lonely or have a lot of scars on the inside.”
“Is that so?”
“A wound to the heart doesn't heal easily. Personally, I think he needs a warm person who can embrace even those scars.”