The Chaebol Freshman
It goes without saying, but the students' expressions crumpled instantly. Two hours? In reality, even a thirty-minute commencement address from a principal is excruciatingly boring, so two hours? Not only the freshmen but even the President of Seoul National University felt his face stiffen.
However, no one dared to stop him. Because of the military? Certainly not. The military regime had already vanished. Then why? It was, naturally, the donations. Although Yoon-gi had been admitted as the top student, he had made a "record-breaking" donation to Seoul National University the moment he finished his registration. Furthermore, he had hinted that this wouldn't be a one-time occurrence. In such a situation, blocking Yoon-gi’s speech? That was practically an act of suicide.
Of course, Yoon-gi wouldn't be the type to hold a grudge over something like that, but the President didn't know Yoon-gi's personality at all yet, so he couldn't act rashly.
"Speaking of L.A., it reminds me of when I was five years old..."
The two-hour warning. And with the story starting from when he was five, the students' faces turned pale. And then, at that moment, Yoon-gi suddenly grinned and cut himself off.
"I'm kidding, just kidding. If I talked for two hours, my throat would hurt, and I'm too lazy for that anyway."
The students' complexions brightened.
"Everyone, we are going to move to the gymnasium building now."
At the sudden announcement, the students' faces were filled with confusion.
"Why, you ask? It's simple. Everyone, today is the entrance ceremony, isn't it?"
Everyone nodded naturally.
"It's an entrance ceremony, shouldn't we wear some new clothes? Let's be honest with each other. Raise your hand if you borrowed a suit from a family member to come here today?"
At Yoon-gi's words, everyone looked around cautiously and didn't raise their hands.
"Hey, be honest. I'm wearing my father's suit right now. As you can see, it looks pretty ridiculous, doesn't it?"
Only then did the students look at Yoon-gi's body instead of his face. Yoon-gi’s suit was incredibly baggy. No one had noticed until now, but at that moment, laughter erupted from everyone.
"See? It feels good to be honest, right? I knew this would happen, so I've prepared a massive amount of clothes sold at YK Department Store at the gymnasium. And they're all brand new! I'm going to let you all pick out a full set!"
For a moment, the students all dropped their jaws and fell into silence. And a moment later:
The roar from the massive number of students was truly immense. The cheers were so loud that the sound soldiers make during morning roll call could be called "nothing" in comparison. It would be hard to get this level of cheering even at a top star's concert.
"Mr. President. I'd like to move to the gymnasium now, would that be alright?"
Who could possibly object? The President nodded before he even realized it.
"Alright, then we will move sequentially under the guidance of the YK Department Store staff. Everyone, please get ready!"
Smiles blossomed on the students' faces, and they began to follow the staff's guidance one by one. Then, the people who weren't students—the Seoul National University officials mobilized for today's entrance ceremony—began to show looks of envy.
"Ah, of course, the Seoul National University staff should get a new outfit too. After the students are done picking, it's the staff's turn."
The staff cheered just as loudly.
"Mr. President, you'll come to the department store separately this evening, right?"
Yoon-gi winked at the somewhat dazed President.
"Uh... uh-huh... I, is it... okay to do that...?"
The President still couldn't figure out whether he should use formal or casual language with Yoon-gi. They had already spoken a few times before. However, before Yoon-gi was a freshman at Seoul National University, he was the Chairman of the YK Group. Even if people whispered that he was just a figurehead.
"I told you to speak comfortably, didn't I? If it were about business, mutual formality would be appropriate, but here, I am just a student of Seoul National University."
"Uh... uh-huh... I see. Th, thank you."
The President finally managed to find his footing.
"Well then, shall we head to the gymnasium, Mr. President? You should see how happy the students are. If we take a photo, wouldn't it become a legendary picture for Seoul National University?"
"Ah! Th, that's right!"
How envious the Presidents of Korea University and Yonsei University must be of the Seoul National University President. The President had hit the jackpot.
Countless clothes were displayed in the gymnasium. The freshmen were entering in order. Each person was given only five minutes. It couldn't be helped since there were so many people, but as expected of students who passed into Seoul National University, they were picking out their clothes with incredible focus. There were hundreds of students picking out clothes, and even more waiting. A staff member in charge of photography for Seoul National University was capturing the scene today over and over again.
"Um... Chairman. Wouldn't you like to change your clothes as well?"
At the staff member's words, Yoon-gi smiled while still wearing the baggy suit.
"What does it matter? Just take the picture."
"Uh... um... I understand."
Yoon-gi looked at the students with a bright smile. The President wore a look that said he had hit the jackpot. The students were overjoyed to be wearing new clothes. Of course, they didn't change in changing rooms. The number of changing rooms was limited. However, the students huddled together to make "human changing rooms" and changed inside them. Some of the more easygoing guys just changed without a changing room. In this era, no one was going to complain about seeing a bit of underwear.
"By the way, is it really okay to spend this much money...?"
"Seeing my fellow classmates smiling makes me happy enough."
Yoon-gi looked at the President with a bright smile, and the President thought, 'He truly has a pure heart.' Choi Deok-bae, who knew the truth, knew that the clothes Yoon-gi brought today were items that cost an average of 1 million won per set. In short, he had spent several billion won in just one day. This investment was fundamentally intended to create "positive public opinion." Why? Because now that the military era was over, there would definitely be people trying to scheme against Yoon-gi.
Actually, as of the 2010s, only 22 percent of South Korea's "chaebol heads" were from Seoul National University. Yonsei and Korea University combined were 24 percent. In other words, there were fewer "highly educated" individuals among chaebol heads than people thought. Even those heads were constantly suspected of "donated admissions" and "bribery," and those suspicions remained to this day. How to resolve such suspicions? The head of the S Group was a case who resolved this very exemplarily. First, maternal lineage. Since the S Group head's maternal side had a family line that went through Gyeonggi High School and Seoul National University, people were largely convinced by this alone. Not stopping there, he went through Keio University, an MBA, and Harvard Business School. Even though he was nicknamed the "Hand of Minus" by the public, he had proven himself quite definitively when it came to individual academic achievement.
But Yoon-gi? Unfortunately, Yoon-gi lacked the capacity to "prove" his "innate intelligence" on either his paternal or maternal side. Choi Deok-bae was clearly a man of talent who had passed the civil service examination in the Joseon Dynasty. Furthermore, the family itself was so brilliant that they could even have others take the exam for them. However, due to the Japanese colonial period, there was virtually no data to prove the Choi family's past. Moreover, although Choi Deok-bae's son survived due to documents related to the persecution of Catholics, the path to government office was completely blocked...
Yoon-gi's grandfather, Choi Ki-hyun, had shown his individual competence by founding the Samwoo Group, but he lacked formal education. Choi Cheol-ho? Same thing. Then what about the maternal side? Sadly, Park Yeon-ji married early, so she had no university credentials. Colson was an officer who had completed the US military officer curriculum, but it was insufficient to prove an innate academic lineage. As Choi Deok-bae said, there were many parts of Yoon-gi that could be picked at. First, attendance. Yoon-gi’s attendance was on the edge. Even with all means, including proxy attendance, Yoon-gi barely managed to meet the graduation requirements.
Aware that such suspicions were bound to arise, Yoon-gi decided to become a person who was generous to the university from the start. 'That's right. Even if I reveal my achievements at the university, it will be hard for the suspicions to disappear.'
Even if he plastered his transcript with A+s in department exams, the suspicions wouldn't vanish.
Yoon-gi had even showered the university with donations. As such, these suspicions couldn't be resolved.
'I'll probably have to take tests like the TOEIC often.'
Tests taken in public with many others. Of course, even this...
If they claimed that, it would be truly annoying. Therefore, Yoon-gi decided to push the "generous chaebol" stance altogether. The moment most of his alumni said in unison, "Yoon-gi is really kind!", it would become quite difficult for groups trying to scheme against him to do so. Originally, when you are scheming against someone, if that target is socially respected, the scheme can easily backfire. Even more so if the scheme is a real one without evidence? It's beyond a backfire; it's like pulling the trigger of a pistol against your own temple. But if the opponent is someone who is socially despised? Even a real scheme without evidence works very well. The SNS of the 2010s proves that fact very well.
'Well, I did it for various reasons, but anyway...'
Yoon-gi grinned.
'It feels really good to get attention.'
Anyone could be a Jesus to the masses like Yoon-gi. If they were just as rich as Yoon-gi.
"Uh... so in criminal law..."
A lecture at the College of Law. In a sense, it was a huge relief for the business professors. If Yoon-gi had gone to the business department? The moment Yoon-gi said to a professor, "Uh, that's not right," a great deal of trouble would have blossomed. Of course, Yoon-gi wasn't that kind of person, but the fact that "it could happen" meant the probability wasn't zero percent. That didn't mean the law professors were entirely comfortable, though. Yoon-gi could be a future client or a future employer. As such, the professors lectured with desperate sincerity, as if they were being interviewed.
And finally, the freshman welcome party after the semester started. Yoon-gi was too busy to attend the university OT, but he did attend the law freshman welcome party held at a bar near the school in the evening. Cheap bar, cheap snacks, cheap alcohol. Yoon-gi thought about upgrading the place, but stopped. Spending money on everything could, in a way, be a path to becoming a pushover. Furthermore, just Yoon-gi's presence made the atmosphere of the welcome party incredibly excited.
"Yoon-gi oppa, sit here!"
"No! Yoon-gi, sit here!"
People calling out to Yoon-gi. Among them, there were especially many female classmates or female seniors. The fact that Yoon-gi was a married man had already spread, but there are many people in the world who don't care about such things. It's not for nothing that seats around a handsome married employee are more popular than those around an ugly single employee at work.
'What do I do...'
Yoon-gi began to look for a vacant seat where everyone in the vicinity was male. However, sadly, all the seats were already full.
'Should I just go back?'
While he was seriously contemplating this, turning his body halfway, one of the female seniors tried to grab Yoon-gi's arm.
"Come over here... huh?"
At that moment, a fair, delicate hand was seen grabbing the female senior's arm.
'Ah!'
Yoon-gi turned his head with a pleased expression.
"Get lost, you bitch!!"
An unfamiliar, harsh sound popped out of Merrill's mouth.