Chapter 1
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Soccer Fan Vice Chairman from That Era
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Match ended. The Nexia Football Legends Match ends with the Defenders All-Stars victorious, 3:1.
"Yes!"
I cheered, having watched the match right up to the end on my smartphone.
Kaká, Forlán, Shevchenko, Del Piero, Pirlo, Puyol, Casillas, Buffon, Van der Sar...
Just hearing those names from soccer's golden era made my heart swell.
For these legends of the game to gather in Korea after retirement and put on a legends match in front of 60,000 fans—it was truly monumental.
"If I didn't have work, I'd have snagged VIP seats ages ago and watched from there!"
"Vice Chairman, we'll be arriving at the hotel shortly."
"Ah, got it."
I absolutely love soccer.
My father, who built Daeyang Group into a top-20 conglomerate, had sent me to study in the UK with the words, "Learn in the big leagues." I enrolled at the LSE—London School of Economics.
The undergrad program only took three years, so it was a breeze. I was already a soccer fan, but that's where I truly discovered the sport's magic.
Back then, I spent more time at matches than on assignments or exams.
After finishing my degree, I returned to Korea and dove into management. I had three chances to get involved in sports, but Father's stubbornness—he only knew golf as a "sport"—shut that down.
Since then, I'd shouldered all the group's operations under my brother, who just held down the chairman's seat, growing the company to its current size. But I still never got my own soccer team.
"If I'd bought a club in Europe back then, I'd be the one running this legends match..."
All I could do was enjoy Nexia—the game company famous for soccer titles—hosting this "Legends Match" through videos, scouring for more footage.
"Vice Chairman, we've arrived."
"Ah, got it."
Hotel staff came out personally, greeting me politely and escorting me inside.
Hanyoung Hotel.
This place on Eulji-ro felt more like home than home itself.
As always, I headed to the same suite, showered, lit up a cigarette from the ashtray setup on the table, and flicked on the TV.
[Next up: Today's Nexia Legends Match wrapped up to a packed house of 60,000 at Sangam World Cup Stadium.]
Watching the world's greatest soccer legends in that match made it sting even more.
I'd mobilized up to a trillion won on my end—maybe I could still make it happen now?
"Honestly, after getting this far, I should be able to chase my own dreams, right?"
It was a lament.
Do you really want to do it? Become a soccer club owner?
"Hm?"
A voice from somewhere.
I turned off the TV and looked around, but nothing.
"Who's there?"
Let me ask once more. Do you truly want to run a soccer team as its owner?
I stubbed out my cigarette and stood.
Scanning for the source, the voice rang out again.
Lee Dae-hyun, you get one chance to fulfill your lifelong wish. Do you truly want your own soccer team?
"...Absolutely!"
Then do it.
"Wait, who the hell..."
That instant, I blacked out.
Match ends! France defeats Brazil to claim the World Cup.
A calm yet addictive voice.
My eyes snapped open at the sound.
France's First Championship
"Bullshit—France has won the World Cup twice alrea... What?!"
The massive LCD TV was gone, replaced by a bulky CRT broadcasting ancient-quality footage of a soccer match.
Zinedine Zidane and Fabien Barthez embraced in World Cup glory, while Ronaldo knelt sobbing.
I'd never forget it.
I'd booked a room at Hanyoung Hotel instead of watching at home, just to catch that final alone.
"Wait—why are they airing that match from whenever?!"
I grabbed the remote and frantically flipped channels.
[Next up: On July 12 local time at 9 PM, the France World Cup final saw host nation France defeat Brazil for their first title.]
[France's first win! Victory's goddess crowns Zidane.]
Every channel buzzed with France World Cup final coverage—or...
[The government announced it wants swift restructuring and business reforms from the top 10 firms post-bailout.]
[Unemployment hits record highs as the dollar and pound soar daily.]
1998—a year no Korean could forget.
And my phone? A clunky green-screen GSM relic from the era.
I'd regressed.
I'd wished to run a soccer team, and it sent me back here with a "go for it."
This was right after I'd wrapped up in the UK and answered Father's call to handle group affairs.
The IMF crisis that devastated the nation...
"You're letting me buy a team, but why drop me in this mess?!"
If only it'd sent me a year earlier—I'd close my eyes and take it!
I paced the hotel room wildly, then wandered outside reminiscing on nostalgic streets before heading back.
My cigarette count climbed; my mind stayed tangled.
But thinking calmly, it wasn't impossible.
Working at the UK branch then, I'd gotten a "friendly" tip: "Korea's economy's at risk—hoard cash."
So I'd stockpiled foreign currency for Daeyang Trading's imports—not dollars, but pounds. When the won-dollar rate hit 1,900, we held pounds at 3,300 per.
That let me effectively run the group's restructuring as de facto head.
"Looking back, I only planned 5-10 years ahead. I couldn't separate what to keep from what to sell."
I lit another cigarette, mulling it over.
"If I can just convince Father—solve restructuring, then do what I want..."
My father, Daeyang Group Chairman Lee Won-gyu.
Born 1932 in Gyeongsan, Gyeongbuk—a Korean War vet who started with two trucks in civil engineering, building the group from scratch.
But his only "sport" was swinging a white ball on vast greens—golf. Even now, as "2002 Korea-Japan World Cup Organizing Committee Chairman," he cared solely for soccer stadium construction.
I'd begged him multiple times for a group soccer team while he lived, but his "nonsense" mantra—"business means smokestack factories making tangible goods"—wore me down.
And I'd complacently thought, "Next chance will come."
"This time, no matter what, I'm becoming a club owner. A Premier League team—I'll buy one and run it."
Like Man City's oil princes, Inter's romantic president, or Chelsea's Russian dreaming of a century club!
Resolved, I picked up the phone.
Daeyang Group's UK branch.
"Ah, Director. What can I do for you?"
"Branch Head, while I'm handling restructuring back home, take on one special task in the UK."
"What is it? Tell me."
"Right now, gather intel on all 20 Premier League clubs."
"?"
Daeyang Trading UK Branch Manager Kim Eun-tae—a man who'd looked after me since my study days, the most trustworthy exec.
"Analyze current attendance, stadium concessions and ticket sales, merchandise revenue—everything for England's 20 clubs."
"Ah, prepping sports marketing ahead of the World Cup? Understood."
That assumption worked—he'd have it ready when I returned.
With the seed planted, I opened a notebook and jotted plans.
Until checkout, I detailed the restructuring—stuff I'd done before, armed with 25+ years of future knowledge.
I checked out an hour early.
Father summoned me from the hotel; the car waited.
"Director, this way."
Father's secretary opened the door—Father inside.
Seeing him again after his passing from old age... Joy surged, but I hid it.
"Father..."
"You skip home to watch soccer, then hole up in a hotel? What for?"
"Uh... well... It's about restructuring and the group's future ventures."
Squeezing it out amid the emotion, Father tsked and lit a cigarette.
"Let's go."
"Yes, Chairman."
The car headed home—10 to 15 minutes away.
As Father puffed away, I cut to the chase.
"Father, I want to start a new business in Europe."
"Haven't you heard about restructuring? Fail by next year, and Daeyang crumbles."
"I'll handle it—wrap it up by year-end."
"Confident?"
I pulled out my notebook and handed it over.
Father's eyes widened, licking his finger to flip pages.
"Once my work's done, I have something I want to do in the UK. Please allow it."
"Hmmm... Talk at home first."
The car turned toward our Jangchung-dong residence.
This life, I'll do what I want.
Live as a club owner building my soccer team—from the '90s onward.