Fifteen Billion a Bottle
◈ Attorney Kim Sang-joong ◈
Attorney Kim Sang-joong was the managing partner of Kim & Park, one of South Korea's five largest law firms.
Roughly two hundred attorneys worked under him, and while the firm handled domestic law as well, its real strength lay in international law—international commercial law above all.
Just the night before, when his only son had come home, the boy had thrown a small fit the moment he walked through the door, declaring that he had finally found work that truly suited him.
Then he'd insisted—begged, really—that his father was indispensable for some contract being signed with China, and so Kim Sang-joong had had no choice but to drag himself out to this meeting.
And then it turned out to be the very building that housed the office of Chairman Jang Young-wook, a man he had long known well.
And there, of all places, he had run into Chairman Jang himself.
So startled was Attorney Kim that the question slipped out before he could stop himself.
"Huh? Chairman, what are you doing here?"
"My dear boy, am I not allowed to be here?"
"Your office isn't in this building, is it?"
Running into Chairman Jang out of nowhere had put Attorney Kim slightly on edge.
But he quickly remembered why he had come and collected himself.
"Ah—this is no way to behave. Ki-hyun, pay your respects. Chairman, this is my son."
It was Ki-hyun's first time seeing Chairman Jang that day, but the moment he realized this was a man even his own father tread carefully around, he squared his shoulders and greeted him boldly.
"Good afternoon, sir. Kim Ki-hyun. It is an honor for our entire family to meet you."
"Hehe. Must take after you—he's got real polish. Good manners."
"Thank you, Chairman. Please look after my boy going forward."
"Of course. Though I confess, I didn't expect you to come in person."
"Ah, yes, well. My son here is fond of a girl group, and they're apparently about to sign a contract with a famous Chinese media group, and he said they need an international lawyer for it.
And he's also going into the coffee business with these people, so he begged me—pleaded with me—to come meet them at least once. That's what brought me out here today."
"So then, does your son actually know his coffee?"
"Hold on. Hey, you—speak for yourself."
Without a moment's hesitation, Ki-hyun launched into introducing himself.
"First of all, I hold a Class 1 barista certification.
I majored in barista studies at university, and to deepen my knowledge of coffee, I traveled to every major coffee-growing region in the world.
So when it comes to knowledge of coffee, I can say with confidence that I'm second to none.
If given the opportunity, I will give it everything I have."
"Hehehe. Sharp as a tack. That old goat Choi is going to love him."
Attorney Kim found it strange that Chairman Jang should mention "the Choi family"—a man he notoriously couldn't stand.
"Chairman, the Choi family... do you mean Chairman Choi, by any chance?"
"Who else would I call 'that Choi goat'? Let me explain.
Kim Dae-pyo over there, myself, and the Choi goat—the three of us started a company together.
It's called YH Corporation. That young man is the CEO, and the Choi goat and I are advisors."
At the news that he had founded a company with the two chairmen, Attorney Kim Sang-joong turned to Young-hoon with widened eyes.
A man who looked barely older than his own son, doing business with two of the most powerful figures in South Korea—it was impossible not to be astonished.
"We have a number of ventures in the works—culture and entertainment, a world-class liquor company and a beverage business, and finally, a mixed-use shopping complex.
The man sitting in front of you, Kim Dae-pyo, is the one who'll drive those businesses. The Choi goat and I are just the money men.
The other ventures are moving along without a hitch, but we've had no real expert in the coffee field, and it's been giving the Choi goat headaches.
If your son has the chops, we'll gladly take him on."
Ki-hyun thanked Chairman Jang once more.
"Thank you, Chairman. I will do my very best."
"What have you to thank me for? If you've got ability, we use you. If not, we don't.
And Attorney Kim—you'd best stay on Kim Dae-pyo's good side too.
He's the man who could make Kim & Park the number one law firm in South Korea."
Flustered by Chairman Jang's grand pronouncement, Young-hoon hurried to smooth things over.
"Chairman, that's quite an exaggeration. What do I have the standing to do, exactly?"
"Oh come now. Kim Dae-pyo, you have a habit of selling yourself far too short.
If the dramas you produce sign licensing contracts with countries around the world, who's going to handle that? And when the liquor and beverages we make get exported overseas, someone has to review all the contractual relationships—who's going to handle that?
You're going to need lawyers, plain and simple.
And not just one or two of them. At the very least, a few dozen."
If things unfolded as Chairman Jang described, it was self-evident that Attorney Kim Sang-joong's own firm, Kim & Park, would become the number one firm in South Korea.
But as the saying goes, even a stone bridge deserves a tap before you cross—so he raised one more objection.
"And you want our Kim & Park to take on that role?"
"Why? Don't want to? Then don't. We'll find another firm."
"Chairman, why must you do this?
You know full well we employ more attorneys specializing in international commercial law than anyone in the country."
"Exactly. So stay on Kim Dae-pyo's good side."
"Understood. I'll give it my best."
"You should've said that from the start. Secretary Byun! Find Chairman Choi and tell him to come over here.
You three can hash out the details among yourselves—and I'll take your son with me."
With that, Chairman Jang led Ki-hyun back to his office, and a brief silence settled over the room.
In the meantime, Park Dae-ri had gone down to the first floor and brought President Lee Jae-man back up with him.
"It's gotten awfully quiet now that the Chairman's gone. Allow me to introduce myself properly.
As Chairman Jang mentioned, I'm Kim Young-hoon, CEO of YH Corporation.
And these gentlemen are President Lee Jae-man of Girin Entertainment, a YH subsidiary, along with Director Kim Jong-seok and Team Leader Park Sung-ho."
As the three men rose from their seats and bowed politely, Attorney Kim Sang-joong offered his own introductions in turn.
"Then allow us to introduce ourselves as well.
I am Kim Sang-joong, managing partner of Kim & Park.
And this young man is Attorney Min Young-wook, head of our International Law team."
With the introductions concluded, Young-hoon got down to business.
"The reason I asked to meet you today, Attorney Kim, concerns the contracts for the girl group we have here at Girin Entertainment.
Have you perhaps heard of Five Girls?"
"I'm afraid music isn't my field... Min, have you heard of them?"
"Of course! They're the hottest girl group around right now.
I listen to A Loving Heart and After Farewell more than ten times a day.
Managing Partner, if you give them one listen, you'll never claw your way out of that swamp."
"As Attorney Min says, it's true that our girls have been rising fast lately.
But it seems word has reached China as well—today, the heads of China's top two music companies are arriving in Korea.
Officially, it's to purchase the rights to an MBS drama airing this December, but that drama features a song sung by our girls as its OST.
So we suspect the music company heads are really coming because of our girls' music. That's why we asked to meet you—in case a contract does come through, we wanted counsel on hand."
The truth was, Attorney Kim Sang-joong had come to this meeting for his son's sake—and now he was the one being retained for legal services.
The smell of an enormous windfall was thick in the air, but he kept it off his face.
"Well then, this works out nicely.
Our firm already specializes in legal counsel for Korean entertainers expanding overseas.
Attorney Min here leads that team, so you'll want to work with him."
"Thank you, Managing Partner.
Attorney Min, would it be possible for you to accompany us starting today?"
"Of course. Although—might I have the chance to meet Five Girls as well?"
"Naturally. You can meet them this very evening."
"This boy cares more about the funeral feast than the funeral itself, I swear.
Anyway, I'll head over to Chairman Jang's office now.
Min—draft up a business cooperation agreement with YH Corporation, and consider yourself engaged as of today."
With that, Attorney Kim Sang-joong crossed over to Chairman Jang's office, while Young-hoon's party and Attorney Min continued their conversation.
Even as they talked, President Lee Jae-man's phone rang without pause—presumably inquiries about booking Five Girls.
Then, mid-call, President Lee Jae-man suddenly held out his phone to Young-hoon.
On the screen, the name Shin Hye-yoon PD was glowing.
"Oh, PD Shin. You must be busy—what can I do for you?"
[Well... you see... Mr. Kim, could you possibly help us out?]
"I'm sorry—what's the matter?"
[We've suddenly got guests arriving from China... and it's the chairmen of both groups. In person.
They're the two men famous for absolutely despising each other, so it's a nightmare of a situation.
We have to have dinner with both of them tonight, but there's no way we can seat them at the same table. Could you take care of one of the two here at Girin Entertainment? Please. I'm begging you.]
"Wait—group chairmen?"
[Yes. Thanks to them, we're in full meltdown mode right now.
The problem is, both of them want to see Five Girls.
So could you host one of them tonight, and the other tomorrow evening? We'll cover every expense, of course. Please, I'm begging you.]
"Hmm. Let me discuss it with President Lee Jae-man first, and I'll call you right back."
It was clearly a problem that demanded an immediate solution, so Young-hoon relayed Hye-yoon's proposal to the others.
After turning it over for a long while, President Lee Jae-man offered his opinion.
"As you know, CEO, we're in a position where we can only bow down. We're young across the board, and we've never hosted magnates of that caliber... So here's my thought—shouldn't we just ask Chairman Jang for help?"
Young-hoon shared the sentiment entirely.
"Honestly, that's what I was thinking too.
It's not as if Chairman Jang has no stake in this.
Would you excuse me for a moment?
I'll go ask Chairman Jang's opinion and be right back."
Young-hoon suspended the meeting and crossed over to Chairman Jang's office.
Somewhere along the way, Chairman Choi had joined as well, and the four men were seated together, chatting comfortably among themselves.
Chairman Choi greeted Young-hoon warmly.
"Oh, Kim Dae-pyo. Is the meeting over in that conference room?"
"Not yet, Chairman. I've come with a favor to ask."
Young-hoon relayed everything that had just happened to the two chairmen, leaving nothing out.
When he finished, Chairman Jang delivered his verdict, simple and decisive.
"