Military, Part 3
Office of Daeyang Trading, a textile company in Daegu.
Kim Tae-young, president of Daeyang Trading, a mid-sized textile company that had supplied Army combat uniforms for the past ten years, sat with a grim expression on his face.
A formal notice had been sent to the company a month earlier.
It said that the Defense Acquisition Program Administration would no longer be taking Daeyang Trading’s combat uniforms.
Last year had been their final delivery, but Kim Tae-young had assumed, as he always had, that the contract would be extended this time too.
Yet the military’s thunderbolt of a notice had left him unable to think straight.
Without the supply of hundreds of thousands of combat uniforms, Daeyang Trading’s sales would be cut in half at once.
He opened his mouth in a bleak voice, his face looking as though the world itself had collapsed.
“You all know the situation, so I’ll keep it brief... this may not be just our company’s problem anymore.”
Across from him sat two men: one was Park Jong-woo, president of Blue Sky, which supplied Air Force uniforms; the other was Choi Min-sung, president of Pacific Industries, which supplied Navy uniforms.
“What on earth is going on... Have you filed a complaint with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration?”
Park Jong-woo frowned as he asked.
But Kim Tae-young could feel that the concern on Park Jong-woo’s face was an act.
Even the question felt light.
Would he have gathered them all here and called it a crisis without so much as complaining once?
For now, it was still someone else’s house that was on fire, so of course his worry was just as light.
“Of course we did. But since we haven’t actually broken the contract, there’s nothing more we can do.”
“Good grief...”
“And it’s not just the Army, is it? The Air Force and Navy may end up the same way soon. Their contracts are ending now, and renewal decisions are due, but we still haven’t heard a thing.”
At that, Choi Min-sung, who supplied Navy uniforms, answered with a troubled look.
“We were told the Navy renewal shouldn’t be a problem as long as there aren’t any special issues...”
Kim Tae-young’s face twisted.
“You’re saying that for sure?”
“Haha, well, no one really says anything is for sure, do they? But if they said it that way, then it’s almost... haha.”
He gave an awkward laugh and turned his head away.
His attitude made it clear that, while he felt sorry, this was no concern of his.
Kim Tae-young turned to Park Jong-woo.
“What about the Air Force? Did they give you any kind of firm answer like the Navy did?”
“W-well, that...”
“Then let’s go to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration together right now and get a definite answer! If they suddenly change their tune, it’ll put you in a bind too, won’t it?”
He didn’t want to act so casually. The situation at Daeyang Trading was pitiful, and part of him worried that he might end up in the same miserable state himself, but Park Jong-woo also didn’t want to move that lightly.
What if the Defense Acquisition Program Administration hadn’t been thinking anything of it, and by going along he ended up being bundled together and tossed aside too?
“Please don’t take it that way... Our situation isn’t even confirmed yet, so if we go complain to the DAPA now, things could get difficult...”
Kim Tae-young barely held down the anger surging up at Park Jong-woo’s retreating attitude.
“Look at what’s happening right now! All three of our companies are going to die! If we can’t supply uniforms, we’ll end up like Hwain Trading over there! They were reorganized, got taken over, and now they’re the ones supplying uniforms instead of us. All three of our companies are just going to be swallowed up by big corporations like that!”
Haesol Textile wasn’t a large corporation, but he dragged the mood in that direction anyway.
Still, Park Jong-woo and Choi Min-sung looked thoroughly unconvinced. They turned their heads away and kept sighing.
They weren’t ignorant of the crisis, but they were worried that if they stepped out together and the contract really wasn’t renewed, then what?
In the end, Kim Tae-young realized that expecting help from the two companies had been nothing more than his own wish. Inside, he cursed them both.
You think you’re not going to end up like me? You useless bastards... There’s a tsunami coming straight at your faces and you don’t even know it; you’re still standing around like you’re washing a car...
He sent the two company presidents away and headed straight for the Defense Acquisition Program Administration.
If he had to, he would try to do something on his own.
After several phone calls, Kim Tae-young managed to meet the officer in charge, Lieutenant Colonel Mok Jae-gyun, and pleaded with him as though he might grab hold of the man’s trouser leg if he had to.
“You can’t do this. What are we supposed to do if you suddenly end the contract like this? We’ll all be ruined!”
“President Kim, it isn’t as though we don’t understand your situation. But the world is changing. The higher-ups are demanding improved specifications, and your company’s combat uniforms haven’t changed in twenty years.”
“What do you mean they haven’t changed? We made and supplied another version for summer wear, didn’t we?”
“I know. But that isn’t enough. The winter uniforms are heavy, they don’t retain body heat well, and they don’t repel water properly either, so in severe cold they cause a serious loss of combat effectiveness. No, even beyond severe cold, the troops can’t endure it unless they have a thermal inner layer underneath.”
“Then can today’s combat uniforms get through winter without wearing those inner layers?”
“Of course not. But there’s a huge difference between being forced to wear them even when it isn’t very cold and needing them in extreme cold. And above all, the weight difference is enormous. It’s almost twice as much.”
Kim Tae-young found it hard to accept that their existing combat uniforms were nearly twice as heavy as the new ones.
“No, how is that even possible...?”
“You think it’s ridiculous, don’t you? That’s because we used a functional fabric that didn’t exist before. I told you the world was changing. The military is beginning to demand those standards too.”
“Damn it...”
He bit back the sorrow welling up inside him.
If it had simply been a case of someone else getting the better of him by bribing more money somewhere, then he would have taken out dollar-denominated debt and tried to win the contract back.
But if the other side had shown performance on an entirely different level through functional fabric, then there was nothing he could do.
“Why don’t you do what the companies now supplying uniforms have done, and develop competitive functional fabric instead? You’ve made a lot over the years, haven’t you?”
“And where do you think any of that money is now?”
He had thought he’d be making money like this for the rest of his life.
So the money he had earned over the years had gone into a good house, good cars, luxury goods... and the profits he had made by supplying military contracts with cheap fabric had vanished into thin air.
“Then... there’s nothing I can do. It’s a decision made above us. I’m sorry.”
Lieutenant Colonel Mok Jae-gyun left him with nothing but an apology.
Kim Tae-young, left behind, shed tears as he regretted the past, wondering why he had a good chance right in front of him but still insisted on doing only what he had always done without innovating at all.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Conference room of Creative One, an advertising agency in Nonhyeon-dong.
Seung-hyun and A-young sat side by side in the spacious conference room.
On the walls were images of Lesser Factory’s existing products along with sample photos from the Essential Moments line.
Creative One’s director, Park Ji-won, was leading the presentation in a sleek business suit, and two marketing specialists beside her were preparing the materials.
On the slide screen, the phrase Your Everyday, Elevated appeared in a stylish font.
“Lesser Factory’s ‘Classic,’ ‘Comfort,’ and Essential Moments lines are truly an interesting concept. The idea of clothing for special moments within everyday life seems to align very well with modern consumers’ needs. I’m especially impressed that Lesser Factory’s slogan, ‘Your Everyday, Elevated,’ is reflected so clearly across the existing lines.”
She moved to the next slide, and the title 30-Second TV/Digital Ad Storyboard appeared.
She picked up the remote and began her explanation.
“Now I’ll show you the actual ad storyboard. This thirty-second commercial carries the core message of the Lesser Factory line.”
The first shot showed a window in an apartment in Seoul, bathed in morning sunlight.
“The first cut shows a female model, Han Saet-byeol, gazing calmly out the window as morning sunlight pours in. She’s wearing a beige Lesser Factory blouse and comfortable slacks. The background music is a gentle, warm piano melody.”
She moved on to the next screen.
“The second cut is an office elevator. The model stands confidently among other office workers. She’s the only one with color, while the rest are treated in monochrome, making her stand out as something special.”
Seung-hyun and A-young focused on the screen with bright eyes.
Director Park Ji-won explained in detail, with a confident expression, why she had built the storyboard that way and what exactly she wanted to emphasize.
She knew Lesser Factory inside and out, and she explained it so well that it was easy to understand how the ad would make consumers feel drawn to the brand.
She felt so much like one of their own employees that it was almost uncanny.
With that level of skill, it was no wonder Hanil Global had recommended her.
After finishing her explanation of the ad storyboard, she looked straight at Seung-hyun and said, “We’ve set our primary target as office workers and university students between twenty-five and thirty-nine. In particular, this is a consumer group that values both price and style. They don’t have the kind of money to buy luxury goods, but they also don’t simply want cheap products. They want items with excellent quality and design at a reasonable price point.”
A-young nodded.
Her opinion matched exactly what A-young had been thinking when she had first conceived the design.
Park Ji-won smiled and moved to the next slide.
The screen showed profiles of several candidate models, including a photo of Han Saet-byeol.
“For the campaign to succeed, choosing the right model is crucial. We’ve selected a few candidates for consideration: Yoo Hye-jin, Lee Si-yeon, and Han Saet-byeol. At the moment, that’s the lineup we’re thinking about. None of these three have yet served as a main model for an SPA brand. As for the expected advertising fee, we’re thinking of at least seven hundred million won.”
Seung-hyun almost let out a gasp inside.
Seeing him react slightly, Director Park Ji-won gave a faint smile.
“A bit expensive, right? That’s because they’re top stars. Of the three, I understand Han Saet-byeol and Lesser Factory have a deep connection. Back when the brand wasn’t nearly as well known as it is now, she appeared on social media wearing Lesser Factory clothes and helped raise brand awareness, didn’t she?”
“That’s right.”
Seung-hyun nodded.
But Park Ji-won’s expression turned a little uncertain.
“Still, while Han Saet-byeol is the ideal model, it may not be easy once you consider her schedule and advertising fee. She’s currently filming a drama, and she also works as a model for several major brands, so her schedule is extremely packed. The chances of it not working out are high. The same goes for Yoo Hye-jin and Lee Si-yeon, so if the three of them don’t work out, we’ll consider alternatives.”
After that, the meeting continued with discussions of the ad concept, media strategy, and budget.
About two hours later, all agenda items had been discussed and the meeting came to an end.
“Thank you for the good ideas today. By our next meeting, I’ll look into the possibility of securing the model and prepare a concrete advertising storyboard.”
After the meeting ended and he returned to the company, Seung-hyun called Cha Hee-ju.
“Hello, Cha Hee-ju?”
Yes, President Jung. What is it?
“I wanted to ask a favor regarding the Lesser Factory ad campaign. Would it be possible to meet Han Saet-byeol? We’re looking for an advertising model ahead of a new line launch, and I think Han Saet-byeol would be the best fit.”
Cha Hee-ju’s voice came back bright and clear.
Ohhh, so you need me, then? Not bad. I happen to have a small gathering at my house this weekend. Would it be all right if I invited both you and Saet-byeol?
He thought the request was taking a slightly strange turn, but in any case, it was obvious that asking Han Saet-byeol directly would be better.
“Ah, yes. That would be fine.”
After hanging up, Seung-hyun thought of the model fee and silently prayed that, since this was such a large sum of money, the result would be worth it.
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