The Elitist Mindset (1)
'If I hadn't met Yoon-gi, would I have ended up like that?' Won-hee stared at the guy sitting across from him. Aside from his slightly slanted eyes, he was just an ordinary-looking guy. However, the words coming out of his mouth were anything but ordinary.
"I'm Kim Son-hwan. My father is the president of Gyeongwan Construction."
'Gyeongwan Construction?' Won-hee searched his memory. 'Ah, that Gyeongwan Construction?' It hadn't made it into the top 100 companies, but it was a fairly well-known firm in the construction industry. In particular, a few years ago, they had successfully bid on the Olympic-related construction projects pushed by JD, causing their stock price to skyrocket. The heir to that very construction company was sitting in front of Won-hee, talking about "people like us."
'I guess they have more clout than my family.' Won-hee's family ran a business too, but it hadn't seen any dramatic growth; it was just a company with a decent local reputation. Of course, because Won-hee was close to Yoon-gi, people tended to treat him with a bit more respect, but in terms of the business itself, it was just a mid-sized enterprise. Won-hee felt like he knew why this guy, Kim Son-hwan, was sitting in front of him. Because...
Tap, tap.
Kim Son-hwan was tapping the back of the head of the peer sitting next to him—a guy wearing square-rimmed glasses—with his palm.
"This is my friend, Seo Gyu-young."
Seeing Seo Gyu-young’s expression, which looked anything but happy, Won-hee spoke for the first time.
"Nice to meet you."
At Won-hee's words, Seo Gyu-young also gave an awkward smile and replied, "Oh? Ah... yes... Hello..."
"Hey, who gave you permission to speak?"
In an instant, Seo Gyu-young's expression froze. It was like a deer standing in front of a lion. It was clear that Kim Son-hwan and Seo Gyu-young had a hierarchical relationship—no, a master-servant relationship.
Pfft.
A very distinct sound of laughter spread through the area. The source of the sound was none other than Kim Son-hwan.
"Hey. It’s a joke, just a joke." There was no hesitation in Kim Son-hwan’s actions as he tapped the back of Seo Gyu-young’s head again.
"Aren't you worried about what other people think?" Won-hee asked cautiously, and Kim Son-hwan shrugged.
"Why should I care what other people think? People like us don't need to worry about things like that."
If smartphones had existed during this period and social media had been developed, Kim Son-hwan would have been pelted by public opinion. With headlines like "The Character Level of Gyeongwan Construction's Heir." But in this era, it wasn't easy for second-generation chaebols to be exposed, even when they acted like arrogant brats. Even in a public place like a freshman orientation.
However, there was one thing. Right now, no one else was sitting on either side of Kim Son-hwan. He had already gone around the drinking party and clearly displayed his personality. When Won-hee glanced over, he saw others signaling for them to come over to where they were. Well, you avoid poop because it’s dirty, not because you’re afraid of it.
'It makes me realize all over again that Yoon-gi is truly a man of character.' If Yoon-gi had wanted to, he could have treated Won-hee even more harshly than the peer named Seo Gyu-young. But instead, he had given Won-hee the chance to live a second life.
'It’s pathetic, really...' But Won-hee was powerless. At least, compared to the freshman named Kim Son-hwan.
Kim Son-hwan, the freshman who had clearly revealed his personality at the orientation. So, would he spend a lonely college life? The answer is "no." Although Kim Son-hwan acted very harshly toward Seo Gyu-young, he didn't behave that way at all toward others. And by showering certain peers and seniors with more than enough money, he had firmly established his own followers.
In reality, it’s not very difficult for a rich person to create followers. No matter how much a president is socially reviled, if they pay their employees well, the employees will keep working. Just look at employees at large corporations; even if the chairman commits tax evasion and sexual crimes for massive sums, they don't resign, do they? In the end, it means that people cannot speak ill of someone who holds the key to their own benefits. And if they give you more money the more you follow them? People could follow them blindly for the sake of greater gain. Of course, there were exceptions, but since there were more people who weren't exceptions, Kim Son-hwan was having a fun March with his followers.
'Then again, I tried to be like that when I was young, too.' From Won-hee's perspective, every time he saw Kim Son-hwan, he felt like dying because of his own dark history. The things he did in kindergarten. The things he did in the first grade of elementary school. Everything was, in fact, no different from what Kim Son-hwan was doing now. He used bread as bait to make others carry his bag, made them clean the classroom for him, and made them fetch him water. How was this any different from Kim Son-hwan’s behavior?
Because of that, Won-hee could only sigh deeply as he watched Seo Gyu-young being bullied by Kim Son-hwan. Of course, that was just the situation, and Won-hee was too busy focusing on his studies every day to care. Since Seoul National University was a place where the students were all top-of-the-class, the competition was no joke. Furthermore, Won-hee wasn't a freshman; he was a sophomore, which made it even more intense.
Still, it was a break time now. Won-hee headed to the vending machine to take a breather, and when he spotted Seo Gyu-young, he approached him slowly, feeling a bit glad.
'Huh?' There was no one at the vending machine except for Seo Gyu-young. But Seo Gyu-young was staring at the machine, pursing his lips repeatedly. It was as if he were agonizing over whether to "eat or not." Seeing him repeatedly rummaging through his pockets, it was clear he was indeed struggling.
'It’s only 100 or 200 won...' Won-hee somehow understood why Seo Gyu-young was so tightly gripped by Kim Son-hwan. It was, of course, money. 'Does he hold the power of life and death over him or something?'
Won-hee walked slowly toward the vending machine.
"Oh, hello..."
"Oh, yeah, hi?" Won-hee accepted Seo Gyu-young’s dejected greeting. Then, he naturally inserted a coin and pulled out a cola.
Click! Clatter-clatter-clatter-clatter—
There was no such thing as canned cola coming out like nowadays. A cup would drop, and the cola would trickle into it—that was the golden rule of 80s vending machines. After taking out the cola, Won-hee hit his forehead.
"Ah, damn! I meant to get cider." Won-hee sighed and looked behind him. "Oh, Gyu-young. Do you want this if you don't mind? I don't like cola."
At Won-hee's words, Seo Gyu-young’s dark face brightened a little. "Oh...? Really...?"
"Yeah. I once got indigestion from drinking cola, so I can't drink it." Won-hee handed the cola to Seo Gyu-young and inserted another coin to get the cider. And a moment later, Won-hee got a chance to chat with Seo Gyu-young for a bit.
"Gyu-young, did you know?"
"Yes...?"
"I’ve never been top of the class once while in high school."
"You, senior...? I heard you were good at studying in the department..."
"Yeah." As Won-hee nodded with a bitter smile, Seo Gyu-young tilted his head before speaking again.
"Did the person who was first go to the Philosophy department...?"
It might surprise people today, but before the IMF, the entrance requirements for humanities departments at universities were definitely not low. Depending on the university, there were even cases where they were higher than law, economics, or business administration. Of course, generally, they were around the middle or slightly above. When society is well-off, the "thinking departments" have higher entrance requirements, and when society is struggling to make a living, the "money-making departments" have higher requirements. The Republic of Korea before the IMF was definitely a country that was well-off. Even if daily convenience was uncomfortable compared to the 2010s due to lower scientific technology.
"No, he went to Law."
"Oh? Yoon-gi... no, Yoon-gi hyung... was the top of the class?"
"Yeah. Thanks to Yoon-gi, I never once managed to be top of the class from elementary to high school. Well, it’s not like I was second in the class that often, either."
Won-hee said it with a chuckle, but for some reason, Seo Gyu-young’s expression seemed to fill with hostility toward Yoon-gi. Then, a whisper so low it was hard to hear escaped Seo Gyu-young’s lips.
"Did Yoon-gi hyung use a lot of bribes too..."
Of course, because Won-hee had been paying attention to Seo Gyu-young, he could hear that mutter as well.
"Hm? No, Yoon-gi is just a born genius. And he works incredibly hard. I’ve been by his side since we were young, so I know—Yoon-gi really studies on his own. It was a common occurrence for me to burn out while we were studying together. If Yoon-gi had entered college as a regular student, one of the sophomores in Business or Law wouldn't be at Seoul National University. They would have ended up in a lower-tier department."
"Oh... really?" Even while wearing a dark expression, Seo Gyu-young reacted with slight surprise.
"I’m telling you. He’s a genius, but he’s a genius who puts in the effort. I’m the one who couldn't be top of the class because of him, so you can trust me."
"Ah... yes..." Even so, Seo Gyu-young reacted vaguely, as if he couldn't fully believe it. However, the hostility he had held just a moment ago had clearly vanished.
'I feel like there’s some secret to Kim Son-hwan... But is corruption even possible in Seoul National University admissions? I don't know about school records, but corruption related to college entrance should be impossible.'
Even for chaebols, it was impossible to buy their way into Seoul National University. If it were a private university, it might be possible if it were the number one university in the country, but Seoul National University was clearly a public institution. If you bribed your way into Seoul National University, it would immediately lead to bribery of a public official, so even chaebols had to get into Seoul National University purely on their own merit.
'Should I look into it a little...?' Perhaps because of the influence of following Yoon-gi around so often, Won-hee also began to develop curiosity, much like Yoon-gi.
There are people who say you can be happy even without money, but those people have probably never truly been without money. To them, "not having money" means growing up in a household with an annual income of 30 or 40 million won; they don't know what it really means to have no money. In reality, not having money means being unable to do any activity that requires money.
[Just ask a friend to lend you the supplies.]
You need to buy school supplies, but your parents only tell you to borrow them from a friend? Borrowing from a friend works once or twice, but how can you borrow for 365 days a year, for 12 years from elementary to high school? In poor households, this is a daily occurrence.
[If we don't have rice, borrow some from the neighbor first.]
You tell your husband there’s no money at home, and this is the answer you get? Borrowing school supplies from friends for 12 years is actually easier. But borrowing rice from the neighbor is difficult even once. No, maybe once or twice is possible. But what if it repeats? Rice in this era was effectively a bond, like cash. As such, it was naturally not an item you could just borrow as if it were nothing.
It wasn't easy to deal with the husband, either.
[The company is struggling right now, so it’s hard to raise your salary. But, Section Chief Seo. Don't worry. I’ll definitely raise your salary once the company situation improves. Don't you trust me?]
The wife says there’s no rice, the child needs school supplies, but there’s no money in the father’s pocket. He quit the job he had been working at because the president talked about their history and promised to "raise him up," but the salary is a pittance and the workload is murderous. Yet, there were always people who were fooled by the words "I’ll raise you up." Like Seo Gyu-young’s father.
He had worked at one company for 25 years, but his salary was half the industry average. Of course, it wasn't that he hadn't tried to change jobs. But every time he tried to leave, the president would soothe him with one or two months' worth of salary. Each time, Seo Gyu-young’s father would stay, thinking, 'As expected, the president is going to take care of me someday,' and the result was the current situation. He couldn't change jobs because of his age, and if he quit, his family would starve immediately. And this relationship of the father’s generation was passed down to the children’s generation as it was.
Tap, tap.
Kim Son-hwan’s action of tapping Seo Gyu-young’s head with his palm as always in the student cafeteria. But no one said anything. Because all the students here were Kim Son-hwan’s followers.
"Gyu-young, I only eat the fried egg, okay?"
Kim Son-hwan deliberately snatched only the fried egg from Seo Gyu-young’s kimchi fried rice and put it in his own mouth. Yet, Seo Gyu-young couldn't say a word. Because if it weren't for Kim Son-hwan, he wouldn't even be able to eat a meal like this.
If he had received a scholarship, things might have been a little better, but unfortunately, Seo Gyu-young didn't have the brains to earn one.
"Uhh..."
As if not having money were a sin, Seo Gyu-young endured this character assassination by Kim Son-hwan like a criminal and took a spoonful of kimchi fried rice. And just then, Won-hee, who was passing by with his tray, placed his own fried egg on top of Seo Gyu-young’s kimchi fried rice.
"What is this?"
It wasn't Seo Gyu-young, but Kim Son-hwan who glared at Won-hee with an incredulous expression.