Chapter 83
I’m translating the chapter into publishable HTML now, keeping the dialogue separation and the in-universe phone call styled as required.CHAPTER_TITLE: Urbantex (2)
Cha Hee-ju rose from her seat and carefully studied the final booth interior mockup and promotional materials laid out on the table.
Instead of the antique, overseas-looking booth arrangement they might have used before, this time they planned to create a refined atmosphere built around soft beige tones and blue accents.
After repeated discussions with the staff, they had settled on a design that highlighted the color of the newly arrived Harmony bedding pattern while also bringing the sense of luxury that VIP customers would feel up to its highest possible level.
“At this rate, I really think people would pull out their cards even if one set of blankets cost five million won."
Designer Oh Gi-yeol smiled as he spoke, and Cha Hee-ju nodded.
“Exactly. Anyone buying GyeolBit bedding isn’t going to blink at five million won if they really want it, even if they wouldn’t spend five hundred thousand. The only problem is making sure at least one in ten people actually likes it, and I think that’s absolutely possible.”
Her eyes were bright.
Ever since her mother, President Jin Seong-im, had recently made her the ambitious promise of a special promotion if she hit monthly sales of seven hundred million won, her motivation had only burned hotter.
If she met the target this time, her presence would be brought sharply into focus.
Truthfully, she didn’t have any grand plan for what she’d do after a promotion.
She only cared that she would no longer be treated as someone who had come in on her mother’s backing and done nothing but draw a salary.
And if a promotion came on top of that, wouldn’t she earn the title of a genuinely capable office worker?
It was undeniably an attractive title.
At last the promotional materials were finished, and just as Hee-ju was leaving the office with a pleasant fatigue settling into her body, she happened to run straight into her older brother, Vice President Cha Kwang-jin.
He was walking toward her with his tie slightly loosened, as if the meeting had run long.
“Hey, kid sister. Working hard?”
He always spoke like that, so Hee-ju answered without missing a beat.
“The GyeolBit bedding launch is coming up soon. There’s a lot to prepare.”
She nearly added more, then held back.
She thought it best to stay quiet until she had some results to show.
But Kwang-jin, regardless, looked her up and down with a grin.
“Honestly... a set of blankets going for several million won and still expecting seventy hundred million in monthly sales. Isn’t that a bit of a reach? Seven hundred million isn’t easy. Plenty of our stores don’t even clear a hundred million a month.”
For a moment, Cha Hee-ju’s brow furrowed.
But this was the sort of thing she had long since come to expect from her brother.
She had never expected much from him, so she answered calmly instead.
“Could you call it GyeolBit bedding instead of just blankets? And it has real recognition as a high-end bedding line, especially with the Promemoria collaboration. You’ll see later, but this pattern also suits domestic tastes very well. Vice President, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t pour cold water on it before the launch even happens.”
At her response, Cha Kwang-jin let out a derisive sound somewhere between a snort and a laugh, then walked off.
Hee-ju watched him go and shrugged.
“He’s just sulking for no reason.”
She muttered it under her breath and went on her way.
She wasn’t hurt by it so much as more fired up than before.
“I’ll beat you.”
She pouted as she said it.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Hanil Global executive office.
President Jeong Man-sik had risen from his seat and was idly rubbing the sample fabric spread out like a rug beneath his fingertips.
Urbantex, the new high-function fabric Haesol Textile had supplied this time.
The outer layer was a Cordura blend laminated with a TPU film, while the inner layer used a highly elastic material.
Thanks to that, it boasted a perfect specification set: waterproof, windproof, and stretchable, with nothing missing.
“Hah... what exactly has our research lab been doing? Is something like this really possible in just a few months?”
As he irritably reexamined the fabric, the executives lowered their heads.
When he thought about how Hanil Global’s capable researchers had spent tens of billions of won and still needed years to produce results like this, the fact that a small mid-sized company like Haesol Textile seemed to have accomplished it without difficulty was enough to sting his pride.
“I have nothing to say. If there is one point worth considering, though, it’s that all development begins with a flash of genius. I’ve heard that Haesol Textile’s CEO has a naturally gifted sense for fabric development.”
Executive Director Han Se-gyeol offered the explanation cautiously, but President Jeong Man-sik did not seem to hear a word of it.
“Sense, my foot... do you know how much money we pour into R&D every year? It’s probably more than Haesol Textile’s entire annual operating budget.”
No one in the room could answer him.
It was simply a fact, after all.
“Then why can’t we make fabric like this? Am I asking for too much? No... I’m saying this because I honestly don’t understand. It’s not as if I’ve never worked in textiles. And do you know how many patents Hanil Global has filed over the past three years? Sixteen. Just sixteen patents in three years. And only two of them were fabric patents. Do you even know how much money the lab has swallowed in that time?”
“...”
“I’m not saying I didn’t understand what Executive Director Han just said. The world has always been driven by a small number of geniuses. But isn’t this too much? At this point, besides tax breaks, is there even a reason for us to keep running a research lab?”
As President Jeong Man-sik’s voice rose, everyone else pressed their lips shut.
They knew that keeping quiet was the fastest way to let this storm pass.
In the end, Jeong Man-sik knew that shouting would not change anything, and he let out a long sigh.
“Hoo... Executive Director Han said before that he’d check the lab’s condition again, right? Go through the recent research results in detail, and if they can’t produce a certain level of progress, send them to a dead-end department. There’s no reason to keep employing people who do nothing but eat a salary.”
“Understood.”
Only then did Jeong Man-sik turn back to the fabric and speak to Managing Director Kang Ho-yoon of the brand strategy division.
“At this level, it should create a considerable synergy if we attach it to WindRover. What do you think, Managing Director Kang?”
Managing Director Kang, who had been tense enough to feel his spine stiffen, hurriedly leaned toward the microphone.
“I agree. Honestly, the performance of this Urbantex developed by Haesol Textile is astonishing. Its windproof and waterproof capabilities are so strong that the inner layer stayed dry even after being exposed to rain for quite some time. On top of that, the stretch is remarkable. It’s hard to find a fabric better suited to hiking or running. If it’s released to the market, I believe it will draw a strong response.”
“Good. Then set a clear concept with this and bring me another report. I’ll give you three days, so come back with something proper.”
Managing Director Kang answered in a voice that sounded properly disciplined.
“Yes, sir!”
Jeong Man-sik then turned to Executive Director Han Se-gyeol.
“Are we moving forward with the advertising for the Lesser Factory export deal?”
“Yes, we are.”
“Check the schedule, estimate sales after the ad runs, and bring me the figures. If it jumps enough, we’ll hit Japan with the advertising right away.”
“Understood.”
President Jeong Man-sik’s face remained stiff.
It was rare for the air to feel this heavy at Hanil Global.
Still, although he had spent a good while scolding them, deep down he was already feeling a surge of expectation that, with Urbantex in hand, WindRover could make a major leap.
Even if the fabric had been developed through someone else’s hands, in the end all that mattered was showing results through sales to the chairman he would have to report to directly.
This time, he felt he might finally be able to submit a proper report to the chairman.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
One week later, in a studio in Seongsu-dong.
Soft afternoon sunlight filled the main hall of Creative One Studio in Seongsu-dong.
Han Saet-byeol stood before the camera wearing the classic line from Lesser Factory.
The oatmeal-toned sweatshirt and high-waisted pants she wore seemed to condense the brand’s strengths into a single look.
Its soft texture and natural fit worked together to create the feeling of not merely showing off a body, but expressing both everyday comfort and polished sophistication at once.
“Good. A little brighter now. Great. Raise your hand this time. Ah, beautiful! Now give me a slightly cooler expression.”
The photographer directing the shoot did his best to draw out Han Saet-byeol’s free-flowing poses.
From farther back, Seung-hyun watched and chatted with Director Park Ji-won of Creative One.
“Goodness, Han Saet-byeol almost never responds this quickly to an ad shoot... she must really like this brand.”
Seung-hyun gave an awkward smile.
“Haha, that’s a relief for us.”
“She accepted the ad fee right away, too. We originally figured that if we offered seven hundred million, the other side would naturally ask for a billion.”
“That would have been a real headache.”
Right now, Lesser Factory’s sales were extremely encouraging, breaking records day after day.
On top of that, the monthly royalty income coming in from Roche Bobois was no small matter, even if it was still less than what they made by producing fabric itself.
So while the corporate account had already accumulated several billion won, the idea of spending a billion on a single ad still made his chest tighten.
“These days, people are putting more emphasis on YouTube and online ads than on television. Since Lesser Factory is targeting younger customers in particular, we’re going to focus exposure on YouTube, SNS, and large billboards around Gangnam and Hongdae. In a few months, Lesser Factory won’t just be one of those brands only people in the know recognize. It’ll be a brand even people who aren’t interested in fashion will know.”
“Understood.”
“For that, expanding offline stores is essential, too. Do you already have plans?”
“Yes. We’re preparing to enter major shopping malls, starting with COEX in Samseong-dong.”
“Then the effect will be even greater.”
After that, Han Saet-byeol went on to work through the Comfort Line outfits one after another.
When she changed into the signature loose-fit shirt and mini skirt, the clothes only made her beauty stand out even more.
After the shoot finally wound down, it was break time.
Han Saet-byeol checked her photos on the monitor, then turned to Seung-hyun with a bright little smile.
“What do you think?”
“Oh, it’s perfect.”
Seung-hyun gave her a thumbs-up.
“But why do you look so young, sir?”
“Me? Ah... I inherited the factory from my father.”
“Oh, really? Ooh... so you were making clothes back then too?”
“No. At the time it was just a fabric factory, but now I make clothes, bedding... anyway, that’s how things turned out.”
At Seung-hyun’s embarrassed explanation, Han Saet-byeol and even Director Park Ji-won looked impressed.
“How did you end up making clothes?”
“By chance...”
At that moment, Seung-hyun’s phone rang.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
The caller was Lieutenant Colonel Mok Jae-gyun.
At this point he was practically one of Haesol Textile’s major customers, so Seung-hyun stepped out of the studio and answered with proper deference.
“Good afternoon, CEO. I hope you’ve been well.”
“Yes, hello. I’m doing well. The combat uniforms haven’t had any issues, have they?”
“No issues. The response within the military has been very good.”
“Haha, I’m glad to hear that.”
He had gone to the trouble of acquiring the company and supplying the goods, so if someone started nitpicking about quality or some other detail, it would become a headache; he couldn’t afford not to care.
Then Lieutenant Colonel Mok Jae-gyun’s voice came through the receiver, lowered and serious.
“CEO, I’d like to meet for a moment. There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Yes? What is it...?”
“In fact... the Ministry of National Defense has issued an order to improve the combat uniforms for the Navy and the Air Force.”
“What?”
“So I was wondering whether Haesol Textile could also take on the Navy and Air Force combat uniforms.”
Seung-hyun was left dumbfounded.
“No... we don’t have the capacity for that. Even if we diverted all of the military clothing production to the Hwain Company we acquired, it would still be a question whether we could even handle the Air Force, and that’s simply not possible. We still have other products to make. At this point, it’s truly impossible for us.”
“I understand. It would be difficult. Still, shouldn’t we meet first and look for a solution? I’m planning to visit your company tomorrow. Would that be all right?”
It was clearly an offer that would make him money, but for Seung-hyun it was nothing short of bewildering.