Military (1)
One month later, in the Mirae Department Store president’s office.
President Jin Sung-im was carefully reviewing the GyeolBit bedding launch promotion proposal spread out on her desk, while Cha Hee-ju sat opposite her with a tense look on her face.
Through the office’s wide window, the Seoul cityscape stretched out below, and the walls were lined with photographs of Mirae Department Store’s most successful brand launches over the years.
“Is this really a brand worth this much attention?”
President Jin Sung-im’s calm voice rang through the office.
She slid her glasses down and gave her daughter a sharp look.
“I think so. GyeolBit isn’t just a bedding brand. As the collaboration with Promemoria proved, it has real competitiveness in the high-end luxury market. Above all, the quality of this fabric and its design have already been recognized in the European market as well. And more than anything, President Jung Seung-hyun of Haesol Textile has an artistic sensibility that even Davide Sochi of Promemoria couldn’t help but take notice of.”
President Jin Sung-im skimmed the proposal once more.
A dedicated space spanning more than four bays, a large-scale marketing campaign, and guaranteed monthly sales of over 700 million won... It was a substantial investment.
“So Royal Department Store really is this fixated on GyeolBit, is that right?”
“Yes. Vice President Kim Jun-hyuk is personally pushing hard. But I made contact first through the Promemoria collaboration with President Jung Seung-hyun, so I’ve got a chance to snatch it away. President Jung, whose first impression of Vice President Kim Jun-hyuk was less than favorable, is leaning toward signing with us, so I think this is an opportunity we can’t afford to miss.”
President Jin Sung-im’s expression held a cool, rational chill, the kind she might have reserved for a powerful executive rather than her own daughter.
“Think carefully. Promemoria is a world-class luxury name, but GyeolBit is still an unripe fruit if you call it luxury. You need to understand that it will automatically test your judgment.”
“I’m sure of it. And the fact that Grandpa cherishes the bedding so much is proof enough for me that there’s no need to doubt GyeolBit’s quality.”
All the other reasons were nothing more than speculation, but the fact remained that the bedding old chairman Cha Sang-wook had been pampering and treasuring was real.
For that reason, President Jin Sung-im pressed the intercom and called for her secretary.
“Please bring me Director Lee Seo-yeon from the Product Division.”
A few minutes later, Director Lee Seo-yeon walked into the president’s office.
“You called for me, President?”
“I’d like your opinion on this GyeolBit bedding brand launch plan.”
The report already contained Director Lee Seo-yeon’s opinion.
It was unthinkable for a launch proposal to be submitted directly to President Jin Sung-im without her approval.
What had taken place between mother and daughter up to now had only been an exchange of opinions, not as president and employee, but as mother and daughter. Now, however, they were stripping away that family warmth and checking once more on the matter itself.
“I also rate this brand’s potential highly. During the Promemoria collaboration, the reaction from VIP customers was excellent, and in terms of both quality and design, it is clearly differentiated from other brands. More importantly, Royal Department Store is also eyeing it. I believe it is important for us to secure it first.”
President Jin Sung-im fell into thought for a moment, then finally pulled the proposal toward her and signed it.
“Good. Proceed with it. But, Cha Hee-ju?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t forget that you’re responsible for the outcome.”
Relief bloomed across Cha Hee-ju’s face.
“Thank you. I’ll repay you with good results.”
Once Cha Hee-ju left the president’s office, the promotion she had just gotten approved began to stir up fresh worry inside her.
We’ll sell 700 million won a month, right? At least 500 million... No! We will. We have to!
She trusted herself, and with determined steps headed down to the product division.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Busan, Haesol Sangsa Factory, formerly Hwain Sangsa.
Seung-hyun was carefully inspecting the newly produced military uniform prototypes.
In the spacious inspection room, military uniforms in various sizes were lined up in neat rows, and Factory Manager Park Han-soo and the quality control team were watching his reaction closely.
Seung-hyun lifted a uniform in his hands and checked its lightness and texture.
“Hmm... It came out pretty well.”
It reminded him of his time in the military.
Compared with what he had worn back then, this was clearly a different class of quality, and his first thought was that if he had worn this while training or working, it would have been far better.
Unlike the old uniforms, which had been stiff and heavy, these uniforms made from Dual-Tex were light, soft, and yet durable.
A person who moved briskly in civilian life would become sluggish the moment he put on a uniform and combat boots, as though he no longer wanted to move at all.
Seung-hyun thought that maybe it had been the weight of the combat uniform, that overall stiff, uncomfortable feeling, making everything drag.
“It looked good in the samples, but the mass-produced version has kept the quality intact as well.”
“That’s right. They turned out better than expected. The digital printing Haesol Sangsa—no, the old Hwain Sangsa—already had on hand also took well to Dual-Tex, so even from the outside there’s no problem, and because the outer layer still keeps that crisp feel, attachments like epaulets don’t sag.”
“Yes, that’s good.”
Who would have thought that an imperfect Dual-Tex would suit military uniforms this well?
The information that surfaced from his touch was astonishing.
Durability: A-Grade
Water Resistance: B-Grade
Breathability: A-Grade
Wear Comfort: A-Grade
At this level, it was practically perfect.
Factory Manager Park Han-soo smiled proudly.
“All production lines are running steadily. The workers are satisfied with this fabric too. The first shipment can go out as scheduled.”
Seung-hyun nodded and asked, “Where will the finished products be sent?”
This time, Kang Min-ho, now serving as Haesol Sangsa’s representative, stepped forward.
“Yes, the first batch will be sent straight to Cheongju, where the First Supply Depot of the Army Logistics Command is located.”
From start to finish, he spoke to Seung-hyun with the utmost respect, in polite honorifics despite the fact that Seung-hyun was much younger than him.
It was probably because he had spent his life in business, employing workers, and knew better than anyone how the salary that had put him in that seat came from whose hands.
“Good. Then send it out.”
When the final pre-delivery inspection passed, Park Han-soo and the staff around him all broke into bright smiles.
Seung-hyun walked through the factory, checking the state of the production lines.
Many of the old, halted machines had been newly refurbished and were now running without pause.
Even the workers looked livelier.
One worker caught his eye, bowed his head, and gave him a grateful smile.
Seung-hyun looked around with satisfaction, then asked Kang Min-ho, “How’s the Lesser Factory production line coming along?”
“Installation is nearly complete. We should be able to start test production next week, and I think full-scale production will be possible within a month. The factory manager here helped a great deal, so things moved along smoothly.”
Seung-hyun nodded in satisfaction.
“Then we’ll be able to split Lesser Factory clothing production between this plant and the Seoul factory.”
“Yes, that’s right. In that case, we expect production capacity to more than double. It should also make it possible to secure the volume needed for expansion into Japan. As for quality, this factory’s workers are highly skilled, so I don’t think you need to worry.”
Factory Manager Park Han-soo answered with confidence.
“That’s a relief. You’ve worked hard, so let’s have a meal together.”
And so Seung-hyun had samgyeopsal and dinner with Kang Min-ho and the other key executives near the factory before heading back to Seoul.
By evening he had arrived in Seoul, and he went straight to the hotel in Jongno.
When he reached the Japanese restaurant on the second floor of the five-star hotel and gave his name, a staff member immediately showed him inside.
“You’re here. You said you might be late, but you came early?”
Cha Hee-ju, who had been waiting, smiled brightly.
“Traffic was lighter than I expected.”
“I heard your meal was almost ready, so I ordered it. Is that okay?”
“Yes, of course.”
As soon as they sat down, she handed over the proposal.
“I don’t really like beating around the bush, so I’ll just give it to you right away. It’s Mirae Department Store’s proposal.”
Taking the documents, Seung-hyun immediately checked the conditions Mirae Department Store had put forward, and his eyes widened.
“This much...?”
“Yes. I got a very stern warning from my mother.”
“Aren’t you taking on too much?”
“It’s not not a burden... but I believe you can handle it. If it really comes to it, I’ll have to ask Saet-byeol to hug a blanket and roll around in it again.”
She was wielding her close friend Han Saet-byeol almost like a secret weapon.
“That’s reassuring. If necessary, we can call on top star Han Saet-byeol again...”
“This is why people say connections matter. In that sense, I’d like to argue that President Jung Seung-hyun should also count himself very lucky to be doing business this closely with me. Where else would you get to sit down for a meal and talk business one-on-one with a chaebol third-generation heir?”
“Fair point. In that case, dinner’s on me tonight.”
“Oh, no. I brought you here today, so I’ll treat you. I’ll accept President Jung’s meal another time. That said, don’t relax too much. I’m going to order expensive things.”
That was the sort of woman she was: bold and straightforward in everything, and all the better for it.
“Haha, understood. I’ll make sure to get you something expensive.”
“But why were you in Busan?”
She remembered him saying when they made the appointment that he was coming from Busan and might arrive late.
“Ah, we acquired a textile company in Busan recently.”
“Oh, really? And the finances were okay?”
“That’s the first thing you ask?”
She laughed, sounding a little embarrassed.
“Aha, I just wanted to let you know that if you were short, I might be interested in investing.”
“Fortunately, we didn’t lack the funds for the acquisition.”
“Oh...”
Cha Hee-ju let her face fall in disappointment.
“It was a factory that mainly supplied military uniforms, but business had gotten difficult, so we acquired it and took over the military uniform contracts.”
“What? Haesol Textile is supplying military uniforms?”
“Yes. There were all sorts of complicated things because of it, but everything got wrapped up well. The sample passed the Defense Acquisition Program Administration inspection, and I came up after seeing the prototypes we produced today being sent to the supply depot.”
“Wow... no, isn’t your company growing a little too fast?”
“We got lucky.”
“Bedding too, and military uniforms too... You know, right? Burberry trench coats started out as military wear. You’re already writing history, aren’t you?”
“What? Ah, no, I’m not thinking about anything like that.”
But the moment he heard her words, something flashed through Seung-hyun’s mind.
Still, he didn’t bring it up and simply continued the meal with her in silence.
After parting with Cha Hee-ju and returning to the company with the proposal she had given him, Seung-hyun did not leave for the day. Instead, he looked over the Hanil Global document he had received the previous day.
They had sent over a document containing detailed requirements for developing a special fabric for the WindRover brand.
The first page of the proposal laid out WindRover’s next-season concept in detail.
WindRover Concept: “Urban Explorer.” An outdoor line for the modern person moving between city and nature. A hybrid concept combining urban refinement with outdoor functionality. In particular, it aims for functional clothing that maintains comfort even in changeable urban environments and can respond to sudden shifts in weather.
Seung-hyun read the specific fabric requirements listed beneath the concept description.
Requirements.
Lightweight: A light weight for comfortable wear in city life
Waterproof / Windproof: Functional performance to handle sudden rain or wind
Breathability: Excellent airflow for temperature control during activity in urban environments
Stretch: Four-way stretch for unrestricted movement
Urban appearance: A natural look that preserves urban refinement while still offering outdoor functionality
“Difficult. This is difficult...”
Because it was outdoor wear, waterproofing and wind resistance had to be the main functions, and that didn’t really fit Dual-Tex.
So he would have to find another way.
Seung-hyun was beginning to sink deeper and deeper into the weaving program.