A Refreshing Start with One Million

The advertisement was incredibly modern. Because it was a style of ad rarely seen at the time, it instantly captivated the hearts of the audience watching it.

It was an ad that perfectly blended the sensibilities of the 80s with a modern touch. The dialogue, which sounded like a casual conversation between ordinary people, effectively drilled the intended message into the viewers' minds. On top of that, it featured the name 'Son Min-gwan'—the current gold standard for bestsellers in South Korea. Thanks to this, as soon as the movies ended, audiences grabbed MEV staff members to repeatedly confirm ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if the advertisement they had just seen was true.

Of course, it was true. Furthermore, on the first day of the ad campaign, MEV’s daily visitor count hit 570,000, which was higher than usual. Because of this, it didn't take long for the news that Son Min-gwan’s new work would soon be serialized to spread across the entire country.

"Director! The phones are going absolutely crazy right now! Subscribers are calling to ask if our newspaper is being supplied to MEV!"

The editor-in-chief of the Seoa Ilbo felt like he was going to lose his mind from the reports coming in since earlier.

"I told you to tell them we are positively considering it!"

"I’ve been giving that instruction, but the staff below keep asking what to do! And I don't know how the readers found out, but they even got a hold of our internal office numbers, so all the lines are jammed. Business is paralyzed!"

The situation was exactly the same at the Angjung Ilbo.

"President! The phones are in total chaos! If we don't land a deal for author Son Min-gwan’s work, we’re going to lose at least hundreds of thousands of subscribers!"

"Hey! Use whatever means necessary to sign that supply contract!"

"But we aren't the only ones eyeing that contract, are we?"

"That's why I'm telling you to secure the contract by any means necessary!"

As the president roared, the editor-in-chief scurried out of the office. This was the situation unfolding at every newspaper company in South Korea. Landing the contract meant gaining 400,000 in daily circulation, plus the exclusive rights to serialize Son Min-gwan’s new work. Consequently, not just Seoa Ilbo or Angjung Ilbo, but Seonjo Ilbo, Gukhan Ilbo, Sangin Shinmun, and countless others were in a state of absolute frenzy.

They were like fish in water. However, Ma Seok-il was the fisherman casting his net into that very water.

What was the price of a newspaper in 1988? For a newspaper founded in '88, the price per copy was 100 won. The amount of newspapers YK was planning to contract for per day was 400,000 copies. Of course, that was the retail price for the public, but for the sake of convenience, calculating at 100 won meant an expenditure of 40 million won per day. That was 1.2 billion won a month, and 14.4 billion won a year in added costs for MEV.

[It's pocket change.]

Yoon-gi could honestly think that way. From the start, he had intended to spend 14.4 billion won to sway the Korean media, so he considered it a perfectly worthy investment. Therefore, all Ma Seok-il had to do was constantly find well-performing newspaper companies. However, Ma Seok-il felt he shouldn't stop there.

'If I only meet the level he ordered, I can't prove my worth. I have to achieve more than that.'

He already had enough venom in his heart; how could he not do more? Of course, this was also because the standards Yoon-gi usually demanded of his subordinates were always consistent.

'If I were at my old company, I would never have thought like this.'

Typical office workers never work hard at their jobs. If they work hard and achieve double the results, the boss soon dismisses it as an 'expected outcome' and is busy cursing them out for not being able to produce such results again. However, since YK didn't have that kind of pressure, Ma Seok-il voluntarily sought to produce the maximum possible results.

"President Ma, as you know, our Seoa Ilbo currently has nearly 2 million subscribers. As such, we can supply the 400,000 copies MEV wants without any issues. Superior supply stability compared to any other newspaper! Honestly speaking, what could be more important than this?"

Ma Seok-il nodded while listening to the management support director of Seoa Ilbo.

"The supply capability of Seoa Ilbo is certainly excellent. One can tell just by seeing your papers everywhere at train stations, subways, and bus terminals."

Thinking it was a compliment, the management support director nodded his head vigorously several times.

"That is correct. So, please give our Seoa Ilbo the opportunity. If this contract is successful, I will never forget the President's grace."

The management support director placed a vintage, palm-sized box he had brought on the table. He then opened it slightly and closed it. Inside were two gold beads the size of thumbs.

"Ah, I cannot accept something like this."

At Ma Seok-il's words, the management support director wore a sinister smile.

"Hey, why can't you accept it? Just close your eyes and build a good relationship with us. We will consistently reward you."

Ma Seok-il shook his head again.

"That's not it; it's because the supply contract is signed on a weekly basis. In other words, depending on the circumstances, we might trade for only one week and then switch to another newspaper, so I cannot return the favor even if I accept this."

The management support director looked a bit surprised.

"Pardon? You mean the vendor can change every week?"

"Yes. I conveyed that as well; did you perhaps not hear it?"

The management support director had heard about the 'weekly transaction' from his subordinates. He had understood it to mean that payments would be settled on a weekly basis.

"Ah, did you perhaps mistake it for the payment schedule? Payments will be settled immediately every day once the completion reports for newspaper receipt come in from each MEV branch."

It was an incredible condition. In business-to-business transactions, receiving cash daily instead of promissory notes was a massive advantage. Thus, the management support director gulped and smiled again.

"Hahaha! What does a weekly contract matter? We just need to build a good relationship so that the contract continues. One week, two weeks, three weeks, and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠so on."

"Hmm, that could be a way."

At Ma Seok-il's concession, the smile on the management support director's face deepened.

"However."

"Yes?"

"I heard Seoa Ilbo has a branch in Japan."

"Pardon? Ah... yes, that's correct."

The management support director's face darkened slightly.

"As you know, our YK Group considers our relationship with the government more important than anything else. I believe you know what that means."

"Umm..."

This was not something the management support director could decide easily, so an answer didn't come immediately.

"If you can give me a definitive answer on this, I will consider Seoa Ilbo very positively. Why don't you go back and seek the opinions of your superiors?"

At Ma Seok-il's smiling attitude, the management support director nodded.

"Understood. I will try to persuade the higher-ups."

"Yes. I am also thinking that I would like to work with you, Director, so I look forward to it."

His voice and face seemed to carry a purely sincere meaning. The management support director left the office, harboring the hope that he only needed to persuade the top brass.

And about 15 minutes later, the finance director of Jeongsim Ilbo arrived for a sales pitch.

"If you trade with us..."

The content was similar to that of Seoa Ilbo's director. Thus, Ma Seok-il went straight to the point.

"You are aware that our contracts are on a weekly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠basis, right?"

"Yes, I am aware."

"Then you must also know what style of newspaper we want?"

"Of course. You can tell just by looking at our newspaper's name, can't you? 'Jeong' for upright, 'Sim' for heart—a newspaper written with an upright heart. It will naturally be to YK's liking. Given President Ma's style that floats around in the world, I would have thought you'd have read our paper, but if not, may I show you a copy?"

The finance director smiled and expressed his confidence. Currently, Jeongsim Ilbo was a small-scale newspaper with only 80,000 subscribers. Because of that, the finance director was smiling on the outside, but cold sweat was running down his back on the inside.

'If I only land this contract, it will be a huge help to our Jeongsim Ilbo. Please... please...!'

"No, that's fine. As I said, I've already grasped that. But does Jeongsim Ilbo have the capacity to produce 400,000 copies a day?"

At Ma Seok-il's remark hitting the weak point, the finance director looked flustered. However, he quickly managed his expression and spoke rapidly.

"D-don't worry. We will ensure there are absolutely no setbacks in newspaper supply."

"Actually, YK can help you with that part. If, that is, the contract is successful."

"I-is that true?"

Ma Seok-il looked at the wide-eyed finance director with a slightly sinister expression and said,

"Yes, but there is one condition."

"What is it?"

"Author Son Min-gwan's novel will only be published in the newspapers distributed at MEV."

"Gasp!"

400,000 copies was one thing, but Son Min-gwan's novel was also an incredibly important option. Thus, the finance director gasped without realizing it.

"Don't be too surprised. Jeongsim Ilbo has 80,000 subscribers. The moment you sign with us, the center of sales will already shift to MEV."

"T-that may be so, but..."

"Instead, I will give you one advantage."

"W-what is it?"

"We will create a separate newsstand for Jeongsim Ilbo at MEV. In other words, people can buy the newspaper without watching a movie. However, we will raise the price. We'll sell it for 300 won per copy. Of course, I promise to share a certain percentage of the sales profit with Jeongsim Ilbo."

Gulp! A loud sound of swallowing came from the finance director's throat.

"You don't seem to like it very much? Well, it can't be helped. Then, with other newspaper companies..."

Ma Seok-il didn't actually have anyone to call, but he deliberately picked up the receiver. The finance director hurriedly grabbed Ma Seok-il's wrist.

"We'll do it!"

A smile appeared on Ma Seok-il's face.

"Good. Let's start by doing well for one week."

Ma Seok-il didn't hesitate any further and finished the one-week contract with Jeongsim Ilbo. From the beginning, Ma Seok-il had finished his research on each newspaper company perfectly and had even prepared a draft of the contract before proceeding. Thus, once he decided on a newspaper company, there was no reason to drag it out. Of course, that didn't mean he sent away the people from the other newspaper companies whose sales pitches weren't finished yet. Naturally, he had to hear their opinions to make decisions for the second and third weeks.

In the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠process, he even met a newspaper company that made a rather absurd proposal.

"Pardon? You want to know if you can just give us only author Son Min-gwan's novel?"

It was a newspaper employee who had come for an off-the-wall sales pitch. Of course, that sales employee was very easily suppressed when MEV's president, Choi Cheol-jun, walked in and frowned.

People watching movies at MEV received one copy of Jeongsim Ilbo per ticket. Furthermore, Jeongsim Ilbo's content became significantly better compared to before. The most immediately noticeable change was the accessibility to politicians. As Jeongsim Ilbo was a small-scale newspaper, it had been extremely difficult to schedule appointments with politicians. However, YK used its connections to help Jeongsim Ilbo reporters schedule appointments with politicians instead. Thanks to this, the quality of the articles improved drastically.

Not only that, Jeongsim Ilbo was able to take photos that could make ordinary people have a small laugh.

These weren't jokes written from imagination, but articles written through interviews with the actual people, so the audience's response was incredibly positive. It was free to begin with, and the quality of the newspaper was superb. Therefore, audiences laughed like crazy on their way home after watching a movie while reading Jeongsim Ilbo. Added to that was Son Min-gwan's daily serialized novel.

Consequently, by the third day, along with MEV's 400,000 copies, the additional copies sold reached a whopping 600,000. In an instant, Jeongsim Ilbo achieved the astonishing feat of surpassing 1 million in daily circulation. A newspaper with 1 million in circulation that had suddenly appeared like a comet. This created a new wind in the 'advertising market'.