A Sacrifice for Ilhyeon
The news that Lee Tak-hyeon would visit the Los Angeles Consumer Electronics Show sparked a major stir.
In the difficult economic climate of the foreign exchange crisis, the story of the Ilhyeon Group chairman personally attending the world’s largest electronics show was like a ray of hope amid a sea of grim economic headlines.
The press scrambled over one another to cover Ilhyeon Electronics’ participation.
The media speculated that Ilhyeon Electronics would unveil new products and perhaps walk away with several awards in Los Angeles. They tied the story to the indomitable Korean spirit that refused to break even in the depths of economic hardship, stirring national pride.
On the plane bound for Los Angeles, Jo Byeong-jin leaned toward Kim Seong-ho, who sat beside him, and spoke in a low voice.
“Do you know how many reporters are on this flight with us?”
“How many?”
“Fifty. Fifty of them. Everyone’s been crying about empty pockets and the sky-high dollar, but I guess the papers and networks still have cash to burn. The foreign press will cover everything anyway, yet they’re flying their own people all the way to America. Must be nice having deep pockets.”
“That just shows how big a story this is.”
Kim Seong-ho turned a page of his newspaper as he answered. The pages were filled with nothing but gloom—another company collapsing into bankruptcy, the job market shrinking to a pinprick, stories of fifty-year-olds being told they had no shame for still hanging on to their desks long past any hope of retirement. Of course, not every item was dreary. A large piece speculated that the Big Deal among the top five conglomerates might redraw the entire map of Korean business. But even that failed to hold public attention for long. When people were struggling simply to put food on the table, shifts in the corporate landscape were the last thing that interested them.
“You’re really going to go through with it?”
Jo Byeong-jin’s voice was heavy with worry. Kim Seong-ho lowered the paper and called to a flight attendant passing down the aisle.
“A glass of wine, please.”
“Right away, sir.”
The attendant turned to prepare the drink. Jo Byeong-jin stared at his friend with open puzzlement.
“You hate wine. What’s this? Plane ride suddenly make you thirsty?”
“When have you ever seen me drink wine?”
“Then why’d you order it?”
“For you.”
“Me?”
Jo Byeong-jin pointed at himself. Kim Seong-ho nodded.
“Yes. You. Drink a little and get some sleep.”
He accepted the glass from the attendant and pressed it into Jo Byeong-jin’s hand, giving him a firm pat on the back. Jo Byeong-jin held the glass and looked at him.
“I’m only worried. With this many reporters and this many people watching, do you really need to do it like that?”
“That’s exactly why I’m doing it. Crowds of people. Crowds of reporters.”
Kim Seong-ho folded the newspaper and set it on the little tray table.
“The more people watching, the faster the rumor spreads.”
“Well… true enough.”
Jo Byeong-jin nodded, stared at the wine for a moment, then drained the glass in one go and set it down.
“You’re a strange one, you know that? Other people try to hide the things you deliberately put on display in front of a full house.”
The alcohol hit him almost at once. He muttered “strange” a few more times, then closed his eyes and fell quiet. Kim Seong-ho watched him for a moment, then reopened the newspaper and quietly read the rest of the way to Los Angeles, where the electronics show awaited.
After landing, the Ilhyeon Group party was met by the president of Ilhyeon Electronics’ U.S. branch and guided to their hotel. Staff who had been in Los Angeles for the past month greeted Lee Tak-hyeon and the others with open enthusiasm and immediately launched into a rapid-fire report of preparations.
“Chairman, we have—”
Lee Tak-hyeon raised a hand, cutting him off.
“I’m tired. Report everything to Director Kim instead.”
He handed the entire operation to Kim Seong-ho and disappeared into the hotel suite. Kim Seong-ho, still in his travel clothes, simply said, “Continue.”
“Yes, sir. We’ve secured the largest booth—roughly three hundred pyeong—right in the center of the convention hall. We’ve also reserved a thirty-pyeong booth among the venture companies on the side; that’s where we’ll showcase the mobile phones and other compact devices.”
“What about the showrooms in the city we discussed last time?”
Kim Seong-ho asked as they walked toward the hotel’s large conference room. The branch president answered at once.
“We’ll display the new products in five locations across downtown Los Angeles for the duration of the show. Construction on the showrooms is finished; right now we’re selecting which units to place inside.”
“Stock them exactly the same as the main booth.”
“Exactly the same?”
A note of worry crept into the branch president’s voice.
“Director, this is America. Security isn’t what it is back home. If we’re not careful, the prototypes could be stolen—”
“I’m aware.”
Kim Seong-ho calmed him with a steady look.
“This is our chance to make a real impression on American consumers. We can’t put second-tier products in the showrooms while saving the real goods for the convention floor. Stock them identically and strengthen security.”
“Understood.”
The branch president remained uneasy, yet he could not refuse. From the moment Chairman Lee Tak-hyeon had arrived, every decision in America belonged to the Restructuring Headquarters. Kim Seong-ho was the man in charge and the man with the final say, so the branch president swallowed his misgivings and prepared to place the same flagship models in the city showrooms.
“Director, everyone’s here.”
While they talked, Jo Byeong-jin had gathered every Ilhyeon Electronics employee and every member of the Restructuring Headquarters into the conference room. Kim Seong-ho gave him a brief nod of thanks and faced the assembled staff.
“As you all know, a large contingent of the press has flown over with us. They came because they hope we will deliver outstanding results at this show and give the people of Korea something to cheer about.”
He paused, sweeping his gaze across the room, then continued.
“We must not forget that hope. Even in these hard times, we have to show the world that Korea’s technological power is still very much alive.”
Every Ilhyeon employee answered with a firm “Yes, sir.” They spoke of pulling together, of producing results that would make the nation proud. Jo Byeong-jin watched both the staff and Kim Seong-ho with a complicated expression. Knowing how this entire affair was meant to end made every word of the speech cut a little deeper.
“Director.”
A secretary approached as soon as Kim Seong-ho finished.
“The Chairman is asking for you.”
Kim Seong-ho acknowledged the message, then turned back to the room one last time.
“Those of you who came with the main party—unpack and rest today. Starting tomorrow you’ll join the advance team and execute the plan as scheduled. Branch President, please handle staff assignments in my place. I’m going to see the Chairman.”
“Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll finish up here.”
Kim Seong-ho offered the branch president a grateful glance and followed the secretary to the suite where Lee Tak-hyeon waited.
Knock, knock.
Kim Seong-ho entered the suite. The living room came into view first; in its center, Lee Tak-hyeon sat on the sofa looking exhausted, waiting for him.
“So. You heard the report?”
“Yes. Everything is proceeding exactly as planned.”
“Then we simply follow the plan?”
“Yes.”
Lee Tak-hyeon nodded.
“You’ve come a long way. Go rest. Tomorrow will be busy enough.”
“Please rest well yourself, Chairman.”
Kim Seong-ho bowed and began to back toward the door. Lee Tak-hyeon’s voice stopped him.
“Wait.”
Kim Seong-ho halted and turned.
“Is there something else you wish me to do?”
“Not an order… just a question.”
Even through the fatigue, curiosity sharpened the Chairman’s eyes. His tone was quiet, almost casual.
“Still the same?”
He was asking whether Kim Seong-ho intended to stick to the plan. A faint smile touched Kim Seong-ho’s lips; he nodded.
“Yes. My mind has not changed.”
“We can still call it off. Hwang and I simply forget we ever heard of it. What do you say? Do you still want to go through with it?”
“Chairman.”
The smile faded from Kim Seong-ho’s face. His voice grew firm.
“This is not for me. It is for Ilhyeon. Right now, unity of purpose is more important than anything else. If we do not seize this opportunity, Ilhyeon will never move forward.”
A small smile curved Lee Tak-hyeon’s mouth at the unyielding answer.
“Good. Since you put it that way, I will not ask again. And I will not forget the sacrifice you are making.”
“As long as you understand that everything is for Ilhyeon, that is enough for me.”
Kim Seong-ho finished, bowed deeply, and left when the Chairman had nothing more to say. Lee Tak-hyeon stared at the closed door for a moment, then spoke to Hwang Do-beom.
“Cancel every appointment I have in America.”
“You’ve come all this way. At least meet a few politicians—”
“That boy is ready to throw his own body on the fire for Ilhyeon. What kind of chairman would I be if I went off playing politics? I will match his step.”
Hwang Do-beom turned to look at the door as well. Lee Tak-hyeon’s smile deepened.
“What did I tell you? I said we didn’t even need to test him, didn’t I?”
“It’s still a shock. I never imagined he would come up with a method like this.”
Fatigue or no fatigue, the Chairman’s voice grew lively as he spoke.
“This isn’t just about Ilhyeon Electronics. It will put the entire group on notice. And he thought of it all on his own.”
Satisfaction settled over Lee Tak-hyeon’s face. He rose from the sofa.
“When a man is willing to go that far for Ilhyeon, the least I can do is help him.”
He walked slowly toward the bedroom, shaking his head with a low chuckle.
“Still… ha. Of all the affiliates he could have chosen, he picked Ilhyeon Securities. Even I never saw that coming.”
Muttering to himself, Lee Tak-hyeon stretched his travel-weary body out on the bed and closed his eyes.
The Los Angeles Consumer Electronics Show held the world’s attention. It was the place to glimpse the next decade of technology, to measure the strength of every major appliance maker, and even to study the design trends that would shape the coming years. This year the show felt different. Talk of a new age called the Internet had drawn not only the traditional giants but a swarm of venture companies as well.
Walking the convention floor beside Kim Seong-ho, Jo Byeong-jin surveyed the booths and clicked his tongue.
“What is this? Half the exhibitors don’t even have a product—just a monitor and a demo. You call this an electronics show? Looks like the Los Angeles show has gone soft.”
“Think of it the other way around.”
“The other way around?”
Jo Byeong-jin gave him a puzzled look. Kim Seong-ho stopped in front of a booth advertising online used-book trading.
“This is going to be the mainstream. They’re already showing us the future right here.”
Finished speaking, he turned toward a man who stood staring blankly at the passersby with a look of pure boredom, and spoke to him.