I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 188

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 188
Mark stared at me with a worried expression.
“Sung-guk, Barack Obama is running for president? I thought the Democratic Party had pretty much decided on Hillary Clinton as their nominee… What if you side with Obama and later face political retaliation?”
Mark’s concern, not knowing the future, was entirely reasonable.
On top of that, a CEO running a rapidly growing business openly displaying political leanings could become the subject of gossip.
“Mark, I’m Korean anyway, so I won’t be joining the presidential campaign. I’m too young and don’t even have voting rights. How could I possibly join a presidential campaign?”
“Oh, that’s right! Sung-guk, you’re Korean. But Barack proposed it, didn’t he?”
“Yeah. I think if I accept his proposal, he plans to use me as an initial publicity stunt, and then at an appropriate moment, I’d declare my support for Barack and withdraw.”
Barack Obama certainly had fewer issues compared to Hillary Clinton, who had been riding on her former president husband’s name and continuously campaigning as a presidential nominee.
It was clear he had made me a recruitment offer to raise his profile within the Democratic Party.
Compared to the conservative Republican Party, the Democratic Party had a liberal image, and its supporters were mostly young people, women, and progressives—as the founder of FaceNote, which they primarily used, my support for Barack Obama alone would be enough to generate significant interest.
Of course, the fact that I held Korean citizenship and was a minor without voting rights was certainly ammunition for attacks, but Barack Obama, with lower name recognition than Hillary Clinton, was in a situation where he had to take such risks and make bold moves.
“Sung-guk, but what are you trying to do by looking at this political map?”
“I think Barack Obama will become the next president of the United States.”
[And he’ll do it again after that, Mark.]
Mark scratched his head.
“I really don’t understand politics.”
“Mark, I think our FaceNote is going to grow a lot through this presidential election.”
“What do you mean?”
“Users will start posting content revealing their political leanings, those posts will spread, and people’s attention will shift to FaceNote. If JFK won the presidency thanks to television, then this time the outcome of the presidential election will be decided by social media.”
“Will social media really have that much influence?”
Mark still looked skeptical.
“We’ll probably fall a bit behind Twitter this time around.”
“Anyway, sometimes when I listen to you, you sound like a prophet.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
[I just know the future, Mark.]
* * *
Barack Obama was reading the rejection message Sung-guk had sent.
– I am Korean and a minor, so it would be difficult for me to be of help to the presidential campaign. However, I always offer my support to candidate Barack Obama. I am confident that Barack Obama will become president, no matter what anyone says.
Barack Obama smiled faintly.
An aide who saw that expression quickly asked a question.
“Candidate, did the FaceNote CEO accept our proposal?”
Barack Obama slowly shook his head.
“No. But this guy… he seems remarkable. He seems to have uncannily figured out that we needed a publicity figure and avoided it.”
“Could Hillary Clinton’s side have recruited him?”
“They probably won’t, since they already think of themselves as the Democratic presidential nominee. They’re not as desperate as we are.”
“Hmm… Anyway, we’ll need to find more new figures before the Democratic primary.”
Just then, Barack Obama’s phone rang again.
It was another message from Sung-guk.
Barack Obama examined the message with a slightly puzzled expression.
– I believe that just as television changed the outcome of the presidential election, social media will determine the fate of this one. Please remember that.
“This guy is something else. How do I put it… it feels like he’s pulling the strings from behind.”
“Why is that, Candidate?”
“He’s telling me to focus on social media. Says it’ll be crucial in this presidential race…”
Barack Obama’s eyes suddenly gleamed.
And Barack Obama immediately began posting on social media.
* * *
Mark glanced at his phone and tilted his head.
“What’s this, Sung-guk? Barack’s not posting on FaceNote—he’s uploading like crazy on Twitter instead?”
“I told you. Twitter’s going to be bigger this time around.”
[But in a few years, we’re going to blow up even bigger.]
“The odds are low, but still—he’s a presidential candidate. We’re not going to get caught up in this, right?”
“Don’t worry.”
[We’ll help him out here and there, and he’ll return the favor.]
Then I yawned repeatedly.
Sleep was finally catching up with me.
“Mark, I think I need to head home and get some rest.”
“Yeah… Sung-guk, before you go, give me some advice.”
“What is it?”
“I’m thinking about getting into stocks. You know Notia, that phone company? I was thinking of buying some of their stock. What do you think?”
“Mark, don’t do stocks.”
[When the iPhone comes out next year, all those companies’ stocks are going to plummet.]
“Really?”
There was something in Mark’s tone that suggested he’d buy them anyway despite my warning.
I shrugged.
“Go ahead and buy. Let’s see if it goes up or down.”
“That’s what makes me want to do it.”
“If you’re going to buy it anyway, why are you asking me? I’m going to bed, Mark!”
* * *
I was looking at the invitation to Charlie Jobs’s first iPhone presentation.
Jeon Tae-guk grumbled beside me.
“Apple should just stick to making computers. Why are they making phones?”
In my past life, the iPhone gave me plenty of headaches too.
No matter how high the specs Samjeon released, we always lost to Apple.
But in this life, Samjeon had nothing to do with me, and Charlie Jobs was also one of FaceNote’s investors.
In my past life, there were times I wanted to use an iPhone, but I only used Samjeon phones because of what others would think. Being a chaebol didn’t mean I could live however I wanted.
[I’ll get one the moment the iPhone launches.]
Just then, Charlie Jobs called.
I answered immediately.
– Sung-guk, you’re coming tomorrow, right?
“Of course.”
[Charlie Jobs’ presentation is coming up soon. I absolutely have to see it.]
The venue was Apple World in San Francisco.
Charlie Jobs’ voice carried a hint of excitement.
I had something I was genuinely curious about.
“Charlie, are you nervous before the presentation?”
– Me? Not at all. I’ve already practiced hundreds of times, so I can’t be nervous.
“I want to know the truth, Charlie?”
When I asked playfully, Charlie Jobs laughed and answered.
– Actually, I’m terrified, but I’m just acting like I’m not. I’m putting on a show too, you know.
“Charlie, when the iPhone launches tomorrow, will the world change?”
Of course, I already know the answer. The iPhone will change the world.
– Hmm… probably….
Charlie Jobs believed that too.
“Charlie, I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
I hung up and opened the stock market on my laptop.
How long I had waited for this moment….
I smiled with conviction and bought as much Apple stock as I could.
Jeon Tae-guk, watching from behind, shook his head.
“Phones are always made best by the companies that already make them. How good can a product be from a company launching for the first time? And besides, shouldn’t you buy stocks after watching tomorrow’s presentation?”
[By then it’ll be too late, Jeon Tae-guk.]
In fact, I had been buying Apple stock every day, liquidating other holdings to align with the iPhone launch.
Including what I bought today, it was over a billion won.
[Apple is a long-term investment!]
I smiled with satisfaction.
* * *
January 9th, 2007.
Apple World in San Francisco was packed with people gathered to witness history.
I took a seat at the front of the presentation hall with Mark.
Inside Apple World, people buzzed with anticipation.
There was one exception, though.
“Sung-guk, I bought more Nokia stock yesterday.”
“Mark, didn’t I tell you not to buy?”
“Nokia’s performance last year was incredible.”
[That’s the end of it, Mark.]
“Oh, and I… bought some Apple stock too.”
“Really? Mark, have you finally opened your eyes to investing?”
“Well, Charlie is still our investor, so I thought I should hold some stock out of courtesy. I bought one share.”
[Yeah, that figures….]
I shook my head in resignation.
At that moment, I saw Jeon Tae-guk walking into the presentation hall through the entrance. Instantly, flashes erupted around him like madness.
The heir to Samjeon, who would compete against the Apple Phone, had shown up at the Apple Phone presentation—it was certainly massive news.
Jeon Tae-guk sat down next to me and muttered.
“Why are there so many people?”
“Charlie Jobs’ presentations are naturally famous. Some people come just to see this.”
“Charlie Jobs is strange anyway. Why does the CEO have to do the presentation himself? Just have someone good at it do it.”
Jeon Tae-guk had absolutely no entrepreneur’s mindset.
When a CEO personally explained the product they had developed, it gave consumers that much more confidence.
Charlie Jobs was the person who understood this point best.
Soon, an announcement came through the auditorium that the Apple Phone unveiling presentation would begin. Then the lights in the auditorium went out.
The murmuring of the crowd subsided, but the auditorium was filled with tension.
I waited and waited for this famous presentation by Charlie Jobs that was about to begin.
In my past life, I had never seen Charlie Jobs’ presentation in person because of what others might think, but this presentation video was a speech I loved so much that I would secretly replay it every time.
It was then.
Charlie Jobs walked out to the center of the stage.
And he began speaking as if indifferent.
“Throughout life, innovative products change the way we live….”
I took in this historic moment that I had only seen through videos.
And today was also the day the mobile phone was reinvented, just as Charlie Jobs said.
* * *
As soon as Charlie Jobs’ speech ended, the auditorium filled with applause.
Jeon Tae-guk was completely mesmerized.
[Everyone becomes a fan when they see Charlie Jobs’ presentation….]
I quickly shook Jeon Tae-guk’s shoulder.
“Let’s go.”
“Oh… yeah. But Charlie Jobs really speaks well. I think I’ve become a complete fan. I should buy an Apple notebook on the way out.”
Jeon Tae-guk rushed through the crowd toward the Apple store without giving me a chance to stop him.
I shook my head in disbelief.
I could already tell that tomorrow morning, a photo of Jeon Tae-guk buying an Apple notebook would be plastered across the front page of newspapers.
– Samjeon Group’s heir also falls for Apple.
– Apple notebooks are better than Samjeon notebooks!
Just as expected, photos of Jeon Tae-guk holding an Apple notebook decorated various news outlets across South Korea with headlines like these.
* * *
The United States was heating up with the Democratic primary race.
The confrontation between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton was creating various issues—from a battle of the sexes to a clash between people of color and white people, from a political newcomer versus a veteran.
And the Democratic presidential candidate had just been decided.
Mark looked at me with disbelief.
“Sung-guk… Barack won. How did Barack beat Hillary? I can’t believe it.”
Mark muttered to himself, then looked at me with a slightly frightened expression.
“Sung-guk… you didn’t help Barack with the presidential campaign or anything, right? You said you didn’t become a presidential advisor.”
“Well, I don’t know. Mark, did you sell your Notia stock?”
“I haven’t checked the stock window in ages.”
“Sell it before you lose more.”
“No way! Notia’s going to bounce back! I believe in Notia!”
In June 2007, as the Apple Phone launched across the United States, Apple’s stock soared wildly while Notia’s stock plummeted just as dramatically.
“Mark, it’s not too late even now. Buy more Apple stock.”
“No! I’m going to buy more Notia stock and average down.”
I shook my head in disbelief.
Just then, my phone rang.
It was Barack Obama, fresh from winning the Democratic primary.
I answered immediately.
“Barack, congratulations. You’ve become the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee!”
– Sung-guk, do you have some time right now?
Unlike someone who’d just achieved victory, Barack Obama’s voice trembled.
“What’s the matter?”
– There are vicious rumors about me circulating on the internet, and I wanted to discuss how to handle them.
“Vicious rumors?”
– My middle name is Hussein.
Barack Hussein Obama—that was his full name.
– Because of that, rumors are spreading online that I’m Muslim. Is there any way to suppress this rumor? You’re an expert in this field, aren’t you?
“Rumors should be countered with humor.”
– Sung-guk, what do you mean by that?
Barack Obama’s voice was serious.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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