The Bank's Brand Story
The Ciel Bank Brand Strategy Team.
According to Branch Manager, this was the core organization responsible for the bank's external image—promotion, advertising, marketing, and branding.
Coming to find me from such a place...
Honestly, I couldn't quite wrap my head around it.
'Branch Manager said it was a good thing...' I thought so too.
But I couldn't quite picture what they wanted from me.
Then.
The automatic door opened, and a woman in a suit entered.
Professional short bob.
High-end suit.
Sharp, confident eyes.
One look and I knew.
She was a headquarters employee from the Ciel Bank Brand Strategy Team.
“Mr. Kim In-ha, correct?”
Calm tone, soft voice.
She extended her hand.
“Jung Soo-yeon. Head of Marketing at the Ciel Bank Brand Strategy Team.”
“Nice to meet you. Kim In-ha.”
I shook her hand.
The handshake was as cold as the atmosphere.
At that moment, Branch Manager, as if waiting for it, came over and greeted me.
“Kim Jae-young, Branch Manager of the Samil Branch. I came to say hello because you had business with our staff.”
“Yes, it's Jung Soo-yeon from headquarters.”
Team Leader Jung Soo-yeon exchanged handshakes.
Branch Manager glanced at me and said with a noticeably excited face.
“You probably already know, but our Kim staff member is the pride of our branch these days.”
“I heard about it too. Branch Manager says he cherishes and supports Kim In-ha very much.”
“...What? How did you know that?”
Branch Manager's eyes widened.
It was the same for me.
I had just briefly written a history on the amateur selection application form.
'Just wrote "Company" or something.'
There was no need to write in detail, and no one had forced me to.
But how did they find out?
At that moment, the young man behind Team Leader Jung Soo-yeon stepped forward.
“Ahn Ho-jun, Deputy. Jung Soo-ho, Deputy from Seongdong Branch, is my senior colleague. I heard it through him.”
“Ah, that friend Branch Manager Do was bringing around.”
I remembered.
It was the one who lost to me in the Sudambae quarterfinals.
The puzzle pieces were falling into place.
Team Leader Jung Soo-yeon smiled lightly.
“Yes. Thanks to that, we were able to come here knowing that Kim In-ha is our staff.”
I nodded.
“This is a customer, but... let's go to the VIP room instead of doing this here.”
Branch Manager smiled and led me inside.
VIP Room.
A space I never thought I'd enter.
But today, I was sitting like the protagonist.
Team Leader Jung Soo-yeon sat opposite me with a calm expression.
Deputy Ahn Ho-jun was connecting his laptop to the large monitor.
Branch Manager gestured, and Section Chief Ha brought coffee with an unpleasant expression.
'This feeling.'
Not a real VIP, but today the owner of this VIP room was me.
Why adults always say success is something you have to do, I felt I understood a little.
Once all preparations were done, Team Leader Jung Soo-yeon picked up the remote and flipped through the screen.
“We are focusing on Mr. Kim In-ha's story.”
On the screen, a PPT followed.
Photos of major tournaments, articles from media, evaluations from pro players, and the activities of 'Mumyeong'.
Slides neatly organized like a single video flowed.
“It's not a story of pros beating pros.”
Team Leader Jung Soo-yeon said in a calm but powerful voice.
“A story of an ordinary office worker, a bank security guard, advancing to the world championship finals. That's a success story in itself.”
Team Leader Jung Soo-yeon flipped to the next slide.
“To be honest, our Ciel Bank Cup always follows the same pattern every year. Same players, same results. Due to the nature of Go, the image of senior targets only gets more solidified.”
I sighed inwardly.
The way they explained everything with numbers and graphs.
And that was persuasive.
Beep.
Next slide.
- Bank investing in people.
People-centered.
Growth-centered.
Customer-centered.
Those words filled the large monitor.
“A representative case where people-centered values actually turned into real results.”
Her tone was quiet but firm.
“We want to deliver a new message this year. Mr. Kim In-ha is the perfect person for that message.”
Branch Manager next to me let out a small sigh.
The look in his eyes said he had to do it.
“Of course, it might not work out well. Predicting public reaction is difficult. Still, I think Mr. Kim In-ha is worth the time as a 'brand narrative' character.”
After that, marketing plans followed.
YouTube video filming.
Media interviews.
Content direction and image management.
Pre-screening, internal cooperation, and filming to minimize interference.
Last slide.
Kim In-ha Brand Content Proposal
The familiar Ciel Bank logo was at the bottom.
“Please review it.”
Team Leader Jung Soo-yeon handed over the contract.
I slowly unfolded the documents and skimmed through them.
Various clauses, obligations, and legal terms filled the pages.
“I'll look at the main points with you.”
Deputy Ahn Ho-jun next to me started pointing out key items.
“This part is about the amount.”
Four video productions of 10 minutes each centered on the person.
Five interviews.
Total model fee to be paid: 20 million won.
Considering it's an ordinary person, it wasn't a small amount.
“Here are additional clauses.”
Deputy Ahn Ho-jun flipped the page.
Additional filming: 5 million won per session.
If a CF is produced, separate model fee of 30 million won.
In other words, it was performance-based bonus.
If the reaction is good, the utilization expands, and the reward increases accordingly.
Team Leader Jung Soo-yeon added in a soft but confident tone.
“We set it to the highest level of industry standards based on in-house staff model contracts.”
At that moment, one word in the contract caught my eye.
'In-house staff.'
That one sentence stood out.
Only then did the meaning of this contract become clear.
'These people see me as...'
Not as the amateur strongest, the likely pro entrant Kim In-ha.
Just.
A security guard at Ciel Bank Samil Branch.
Someone existing within the frame of 'employee'.
Placed on this contract.
A product to be made.
A person whose price is set.
And nowhere in there was there an item called Kim In-ha the Go player.
They were only chasing virality, not considering my potential value.
I quietly lowered my head and closed the contract.
“Thank you for the good proposal.”
Team Leader Jung Soo-yeon's eyes slightly dimmed.
It seemed she had read the strange nuance in my words.
“I'm sorry, but I have to decline this contract.”
A short, quiet sentence.
Heavy silence settled in the VIP room.
Branch Manager looked flustered, not knowing what to do.
Team Leader Jung Soo-yeon's expression also showed momentary surprise.
“May I ask why?”
She quickly recovered with a calm smile.
“I want to focus only on Go.”
“That's... we will do our best to make it as comfortable as possible...”
I shook my head.
Met her eyes.
She was still smiling, but I felt a slight tremor in her eyes.
“And I am not a bank employee. I am a dispatched worker from a staffing agency.”
“But...”
“I have a sense of belonging to the bank, but I don't have a sense of attachment to the company. Well, no.”
I finished the sentence and pushed the contract forward.
I said it a little twistedly, but...
In the end, I had no good feelings toward Ciel Bank.
“I'm sorry. It seems a bit early to show my story to someone.”
None of the numbers, clauses, bank logo on the contract...
Under the guise of 'in-house staff', it didn't properly reflect my value.
And no expectations.
I didn't feel any belief that I would go beyond the finals.
“I will keep winning, and I will prove it. When my value rises... I hope we have a chance to talk again then.”
I left a 'later' clue and gave room.
At least basic courtesy.
I don't know if we'll meet again, but until then, focusing only on Go is fine. The results will naturally follow.
Team Leader Jung Soo-yeon quietly lowered her gaze.
Perhaps she sensed that I could no longer be persuaded by my firm attitude.
Or did she see some other possibility?
She closed her laptop and took a short breath.
“I understand what you're saying...”
She stood up from her seat.
Polite action, but more cautious than before.
After picking up the contract, she looked at me one last time and said.
“I sincerely wish you well. And soon, we'll meet again.”
Team Leader Jung Soo-yeon bowed her head and opened the door.
Deputy Ahn Ho-jun hurriedly followed her.
'We'll meet again soon?'
That word lingered in my mind.
But I didn't think deeply about it.
“Kim staff.”
Branch Manager looked at me and smiled.
“It's not for me to judge, but... I respect your judgment, Kim staff.”
He lightly smiled and patted my shoulder.
He didn't say much more or try to teach me.
“I can guarantee it, Kim staff will stand at the top. When that time comes, you'll be properly recognized and can even sign a contract with better conditions.”
I couldn't help but smile.
The person who believes in and supports me more than anyone else.
Branch Manager's one word left a heavy impression in my heart.
“Thank you, Branch Manager.”
“Why are you thanking me for this. Who knows what will happen.”
I nodded and stood up from my chair.
Following Branch Manager to leave the VIP room, at that moment.
-Ding!
An alarm sounded.
Simultaneously, the system window appeared.
Congratulations! You, who have recognized your own value, have partially met the system usage conditions.
If all conditions are met, an additional Talent Roulette ticket will be issued.
'My value.'
Yes, it would be like this from now on too.
Proving myself in the way I chose.
That was the direction my own compass pointed.
* * *
The next day.
Branch Manager and I had lunch at a high-end sushi restaurant and were returning to the branch.
But.
“May I have a moment? Is the time okay?”
The woman in high-end suit who was sitting in the customer waiting seat stood up.
It was Team Leader Jung Soo-yeon from the Brand Strategy Team.
“Um... wasn't our conversation yesterday concluded?”
I asked in surprise.
She smiled gently.
“I said we'd meet again soon, didn't I?”
“Well, yes, but...”
Reappearing after just one day.
No matter what, this is a bit too fast.
Branch Manager quickly read the situation and smiled, chiming in.
“Our team leader seems to like Kim staff's heart. Let's not do this and go inside to talk.”
We moved to the VIP room.
Same space, same seat.
But the atmosphere had strangely changed in just one day.
“First, let me apologize, Mr. Kim In-ha.”
Team Leader Jung Soo-yeon bowed her head.
“I'm sorry.”
“...Why are you suddenly doing this, honestly a bit surprising.”
“Yesterday, we were too hasty.”
She lifted her head and met my eyes.
“We didn't fully consider Mr. Kim In-ha's emotions and position.”
She took a Ciel Bank logo document envelope from her bag and placed it on the table.
“I know that you, Mr. Kim In-ha, as a dispatched worker, don't have good feelings toward the company.”
She paused for a moment.
She pushed the envelope on the table with her fingertips.
Thud.
The paper slid across the table with a small friction sound.
“We can't change your feelings. That's a domain the company can't intervene in.”
Her voice was no longer businesslike.
Clear.
Clear and persuasive.
“Instead, we can properly acknowledge your value, Mr. Kim In-ha.”
Team Leader Jung Soo-yeon said quietly.
“As Kim In-ha the pro Go player, not as a bank security guard at Ciel Bank.”
Her hand slowly withdrew from the envelope on the table.
“This is a new contract with the value assessed.”