It's Not an Impossible Goal
As the second-half presidents' meeting got underway, the presentations from the Ilhyeon Group affiliates continued one after another.
"Next is Ilhyeon Department Store."
At Chief of Staff Hwang Do-beom's words, the prepared president of Ilhyeon Department Store brought the microphone to his lips and began his presentation.
"Ilhyeon Department Store has currently opened new branches in the Ulsan and Masan regions, and we are accelerating the business with the goal of opening in Gwangju and Mokpo within the coming year. The business is proceeding smoothly, and..."
After finishing the report on current projects and those scheduled for the future, he wrapped up with the projected second-half performance, and the Ilhyeon Department Store presentation came to an end.
Once it was over, Chairman Lee Tak-hyeon flipped through the submitted report and began firing off questions.
"Busan branch second-quarter sales are down year-over-year. What's the reason?"
"What's the construction progress on the Mokpo branch? Can you finish it by the second half of next year?"
"Haven't you set the second-half targets too low? If you deliberately lowballed them just to raise your achievement rate, I'm disappointed."
The president of Ilhyeon Department Store broke into a cold sweat with every single one of Lee Tak-hyeon's questions.
One slip of any kind and a thunderous rebuke would come down, so he poured every ounce of concentration into answering.
After a stretch of time like that, Lee Tak-hyeon closed the report.
"That's enough for Ilhyeon Department Store... Next."
At Lee Tak-hyeon's order to begin the next report, every gaze among the presidents present turned toward Kim Seong-ho.
Hwang Do-beom also looked at Kim Seong-ho as he spoke.
"Next is Ilhyeon Hotel. As the position of president is currently vacant, Team Leader Kim Seong-ho of the Restructuring Team under the Strategic Planning Office will present in its place."
Hwang Do-beom introduced Kim Seong-ho and raised a hand to signal him to begin.
"Team Leader Kim Seong-ho, please begin."
At Hwang Do-beom's cue, Kim Seong-ho started his presentation.
"Good afternoon. I am Kim Seong-ho. Ilhyeon Hotel has been undergoing restructuring since the beginning of this year. The restructuring..."
Watching from behind as Kim Seong-ho calmly laid out the start of the restructuring, its goals, and its current progress, Jo Byeong-jin shook his head from side to side.
Is that guy's heart made of iron or what?
More than sixty affiliate presidents, plus the attendants assisting them like himself, put well over a hundred people packed into the large conference room.
And in the seat of highest honor, Chairman Lee Tak-hyeon was watching Kim Seong-ho with a hawk's eyes.
Just standing behind Kim Seong-ho was enough to make the crushing pressure and tightening atmosphere leave a man barely able to breathe, yet Kim Seong-ho was unfolding everything he had prepared without a single tremor in his voice.
Jo Byeong-jin could not even begin to imagine how vast Kim Seong-ho's capacity truly was; he simply stared at that back in silence.
After Kim Seong-ho's presentation had continued for some time, the highlight of today's presidents' meeting finally arrived.
"I will now present Ilhyeon Hotel's projected second-half results."
At Kim Seong-ho's words, tension flooded the quiet conference room.
Everyone's eyes and ears fixed on him, waiting to see what the results of the restructuring would truly be.
"Projected second-half revenue is 57 billion won. That is an increase of approximately 80 percent over the same period last year, and it exceeds our target of 50 billion by 14 percent."
The announcement of 57 billion in projected second-half revenue left the people in the room wearing stunned expressions.
Even the original target of 50 billion had struck most of them as far too ambitious; now he was presenting results more than 10 percent above that, and surprise was the only possible reaction.
But it was not finished yet.
"Operating profit has also turned positive, and we expect to realize more than 10 billion won in profit."
"Hold on."
Lee Tak-hyeon, who normally waited until a president's presentation was fully finished before asking questions, uncharacteristically cut in first this time.
"Turned positive? You mean a real black-ink turnaround is possible? And for 10 billion, no less?"
Even as he asked, Lee Tak-hyeon kept examining the materials Ilhyeon Hotel had submitted.
He could have seen the numbers in the documents himself, but he wanted to hear them from Kim Seong-ho's own mouth.
"July and August continued in the red, but from September onward operating profit turned black. The margin is expected to widen further in October and November, so the second-half operating profit of 10 billion should be achieved without difficulty."
"Hah... remarkable."
An exclamation of admiration escaped Lee Tak-hyeon's lips.
"What kind of magic did you pull off?"
Lee Tak-hyeon looked at Kim Seong-ho as if genuinely astonished.
"I don't believe in miracles... but I can't find any other way to describe this except as a miracle. Just what did you do to make Ilhyeon Hotel succeed in turning a profit?"
Even faced with Lee Tak-hyeon's sudden question, Kim Seong-ho answered calmly.
"It is simply the result of work progressing well according to plan."
"Plan? So Director Kim anticipated Ilhyeon Hotel's turnaround to profitability from the very beginning?"
"Yes. And while we are on the subject, I will also present the next phase of the plan."
Kim Seong-ho immediately began speaking of the targets for the following half.
"For the first half of next year, I intend to aim for 80 billion in revenue and 30 billion in operating profit."
"Eighty billion?"
"Thirty billion in operating profit?"
The presidents listening beside them, even with Chairman Lee Tak-hyeon present, found themselves echoing the figures in startled voices before they could stop themselves.
Kim Seong-ho smiled faintly at their reaction and continued.
"Rather than after-service, in which the customer must first request something, Before Service—service provided proactively before the customer even asks—has taken root at Ilhyeon Hotel. Because of that, customers satisfied with Before Service will continue returning, and hotel performance should improve by a wide margin."
"Before Service, is it..."
Lee Tak-hyeon murmured to himself, clearly impressed by the new service model Kim Seong-ho had introduced.
Kim Seong-ho kept speaking of Ilhyeon Hotel's goals toward him.
"By the first half of next year, we expect to finish organizing the preference data for the VIPs who frequent Ilhyeon Hotel. On that foundation, if we provide high-quality service tailored to each VIP, achieving 80 billion in revenue should be entirely manageable."
"Manageable is 80 billion... Then what is your honest personal target?"
"The amount I myself am projecting, you mean?"
"That's right. That. I'm curious what that number is."
Lee Tak-hyeon closed the Ilhyeon Hotel report and put the question directly to Kim Seong-ho.
Every president in the room looked at him with the same curiosity as the chairman.
Whether it was achievable or not no longer mattered; they simply wanted to know what target Kim Seong-ho himself held in mind.
Kim Seong-ho briefly swept his gaze over the more than one hundred pairs of eyes fixed on him, then slowly opened his mouth.
"I am aiming for 100 billion in the first half of next year, and for full-year revenue of 250 billion."
"How much? Two hundred fifty billion?"
The smile that had been on Lee Tak-hyeon's face hardened.
"Did you just say 250 billion?"
"Yes. My target is 250 billion."
The presidents who had been startled only moments earlier by the figures of 80 billion revenue and 30 billion operating profit now could not even manage an expression.
Just as Lee Tak-hyeon had asked again thinking he had misheard, Kim Seong-ho's goal sounded far too absurd.
A company that had been gasping under deficits with half-year revenue of 30 billion and annual revenue barely clearing 60 billion last year had already flipped to black ink in one stroke—that alone was shocking enough. Now he was talking about annual revenue of 250 billion, and everyone first suspected they must have misheard.
"Two hundred fifty billion? Hahaha. Two hundred fifty billion."
Lee Tak-hyeon pounded the desk with a delighted face, thoroughly enjoying himself.
"If you really achieve 250 billion, I'll give Director Kim a very fine present. Look forward to it."
"Knowing you will give me a gift, I will work even harder so that the words I have spoken today do not become empty boasts."
"Hahaha. Good. I hope so as well."
As Lee Tak-hyeon continued to laugh with open pleasure, Lee Sang-jong's face crumpled.
Lee Mun-jong's expression was no better.
They both had a rough idea of what the "present" Lee Tak-hyeon had mentioned might be.
I can never allow that bastard to take the president's seat of any Ilhyeon Group affiliate.
Lee Mun-jong could not tolerate a bug landing on the food he intended to eat himself.
So, once Lee Tak-hyeon's laughter began to subside, he deliberately voiced a negative opinion in front of everyone present.
"I wonder if that isn't a rather absurd claim."
The presidents present shifted their gazes toward Lee Mun-jong.
He tapped the report with his palm as he spoke.
"Even if the chairman told you to speak freely, is it proper to spout something so baseless? Director Kim was called to this presidents' meeting to accurately report the situation at Ilhyeon Hotel—not to feed the chairman flattering nonsense that sounds pleasant to the ear."
"Vice Chairman, you are absolutely right."
As soon as Lee Mun-jong opened the door, Lee Sang-jong chimed in with agreement.
"Do you think this is the kind of place where you can just throw out any number you like? Two hundred fifty billion? Why not go for 300 or 400 billion while you're at it?"
Lee Sang-jong sneered, turning Kim Seong-ho's words into a joke.
Lee Mun-jong opened his mouth again, determined to crush Kim Seong-ho completely.
"In my view, Director Kim's figure is impossible to realize."
"In which respect do you see it that way?"
Anyone else might have been cowed, yet Kim Seong-ho asked the question with the same calm expression and voice as at the start.
Lee Mun-jong tapped the report once more with his hand and said,
"Even half-year revenue of 80 billion would already be an astonishing performance. But claiming that would produce annual revenue of 150 billion is already hard to believe under present conditions. And yet you say 250 billion?"
Lee Mun-jong twisted the corner of his mouth into a sneer.
"Ilhyeon Hotel ultimately lives off its guests. Looking at the current rate of increase in occupancy, do you truly believe 250 billion is achievable?"
He turned his head toward Lee Tak-hyeon, who until moments earlier had been laughing so heartily, and said,
"Chairman. From his very first presidents' meeting, Director Kim has attempted to deceive you. This is not something that can simply be overlooked."
"Deceive?"
Lee Tak-hyeon's face hardened.
Narrowing his eyes, he looked at Kim Seong-ho and asked,
"The vice chairman claims you tried to deceive me... What do you have to say about that?"
Even under Lee Tak-hyeon's sharp words, Kim Seong-ho answered with an unchangingly calm face.
"I was about to address that myself."
"What do you mean?"
Kim Seong-ho looked at Lee Mun-jong, who was frowning, and spoke.
"As the vice chairman said, it is true that the increased revenue so far has been limited to the food-and-beverage and service sectors. For genuine expansion, guest occupancy must rise."
"So... you are saying you have a plan?"
Lee Mun-jong put the question to him with a look that said he could scarcely believe it.
As if he had been waiting for exactly that, Kim Seong-ho answered.
"Our Ilhyeon Hotel has been selected as an official designated hotel for the World Cup tournament organized by FIFA. The public announcement will come next week, but FIFA has already contacted us first to prepare a selection ceremony."
Kim Seong-ho looked around at the presidents seated there and continued.
"It will be officially announced that when traveling in the Republic of Korea, staying at Ilhyeon Hotel is the best way to enjoy the trip. Accordingly, I plan to aggressively pursue marketing to attract overseas travelers in line with that."
"FIFA-designated hotel? Is that true?"
Lee Mun-jong asked, staring at Kim Seong-ho with an expression of disbelief.
Kim Seong-ho smiled, nodded, and replied.
"I came in such a hurry that I did not bring the fax from FIFA with me, but as soon as I return I will ensure that the chairman receives it through the secretariat."
After informing Lee Tak-hyeon that an official document had arrived from FIFA, Kim Seong-ho continued.
"And it is not only FIFA. Our Ilhyeon Hotel has also been selected as the venue for the official FTA conference with China scheduled for the end of the year."
"Our Ilhyeon Hotel was chosen as the Chinese side's base camp?"
"Yes. And this kind of expansion will continue next year as well. Both the World Bank meeting and the Asia Economic Forum to be held next year will take place at Ilhyeon Hotel."
Kim Seong-ho looked around at the presidents once more as he spoke.
"In name and in substance, Ilhyeon Hotel has already been recognized by multiple overseas organizations as Korea's finest hotel. If we use that recognition for aggressive marketing to capture overseas travelers... the occupancy problem will clearly be solved."
Finally, Kim Seong-ho looked at Lee Tak-hyeon and said,
"Chairman. Two hundred fifty billion is by no means an impossible figure. On the contrary, I consider even 250 billion to be conservative."
"Two hundred fifty billion is conservative? Hahaha. That guts of yours is something else. Hahaha."
At Kim Seong-ho's words, Lee Tak-hyeon burst into loud laughter once again, and to the same degree that his laughter grew, the faces of Lee Mun-jong and Lee Sang-jong twisted further.