I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 240

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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 240
I quickly calmed the startled Ji-hee.
“Ji-hee, your brother isn’t such a bad person. Min-guk is the one lying.”
“O… oppa. Do I really have to study until midnight? Ji-hee gets sleepy at nine… my eyes just keep closing… the teacher said children should sleep early and wake early….”
“Hmm… Ji-hee, do you really want to become a lawyer?”
“Well… I wanted to five minutes ago…. But now I’m not so sure.”
I shot Min-guk a look.
It was clear that Min-guk was the reason Ji-hee’s resolve was wavering.
“Jeon Min-guk, Bang Mu-hyuk said he’s coming to pick you up the day after tomorrow.”
“Hyung, why are you telling me now!”
Min-guk needed to feel a little nervous too.
Of course, he wasn’t coming because of Min-guk—he was coming for business, and the plan to take Min-guk along had been hastily arranged.
Min-guk paced the room with an anxious expression.
“Hyung, why would you say that now? I can’t even run away!”
“You’ve already run all the way to America—where else could you possibly run to! Jeon Min-guk, remember that now is not the time for you to meddle in other people’s lives.”
I gripped Ji-hee’s hand firmly and spoke with the most benevolent expression I could muster.
“Ji-hee, I just want you to be happy.”
[Become a lawyer, enter politics, even become a presidential candidate! Where could there be a happier life than that! Ji-hee, look into your brother’s eyes.]
Ji-hee nestled against me with a dejected expression.
“I’m happiest when I’m with oppa!”
“Ji-hee, wasn’t it Jung-woo?”
[I’m being petty here.]
Jung-woo, my rival who had hurt me before.
“Oppa, love is supposed to move around.”
[The girl’s already forgotten.]
I smiled warmly and decided to be a bit more generous.
“Ji-hee, think carefully about it while you’re here in America for a few days. Understood?”
“Yes!”
[I’ll book some law firm tours for you. Once you see these things, you’ll want to do it.]
I embraced Ji-hee tightly.
* * *
Bang Mu-hyuk arrived in America.
In the meantime, the girl group incident had been wrapped up, and we’d received investment from Samjeon Group, but his face bore deep concern.
It was only natural—the girl group he’d worked on for years had fallen apart.
“It’s been a while, sir.”
“Sung-guk, how have you been….”
Bang Mu-hyuk gazed at me with a wistful expression.
[I know it all. This face, this appearance. An appearance coveted not just in Korea but throughout the American entertainment industry.]
I shrugged my shoulders twice.
Bang Mu-hyuk placed his hand on my shoulder.
“Sung-guk, the more you grow, the more impressive you become. Really, don’t you ever want to try working in entertainment? No, I shouldn’t even ask that. Our CEO….”
Bang Mu-hyuk laughed weakly.
“Is something troubling you?”
“Let’s talk over some hamburgers.”
“Let me treat you to something delicious. You’ve been through so much because of Min-guk.”
“Yeah, let’s get some good food from our CEO!”
Bang Mu-hyuk forced a smile.
* * *
I guided Bang Mu-hyuk to the restaurant I’d reserved in advance.
It was a restaurant with an unobstructed view of the beach.
“Sung-guk, you’ve really made it. Just coming here clears away all the suffocation I’ve been feeling.”
“I saved up by eating hamburgers every day to book this place.”
It wasn’t a lie.
“Then I should enjoy this even more. You earned this money through hardship in a foreign land, after all….”
The dishes we’d ordered began arriving one by one.
“Sung-guk, how is Min-guk doing?”
“Ever since he met Michael Jackson at the end of the year, he’s been completely absorbed in Michael Jackson’s music.”
“That kid was the same way when he met Eminem—nothing but Eminem songs all day long….”
“That’s actually why I wanted to suggest something. What do you think about having Min-guk trained as a vocalist?”
Bang Mu-hyuk nodded slowly.
“I was already thinking about that. Whenever I recruit talented kids to be main vocalists, they all seem to get poached by other agencies. Min-guk ran away from home, so his trainee schedule is temporarily suspended. And one of the vocalists who joined back then ran off to another agency after just a month… I’m really going through the worst time right now.”
It seemed Bang Mu-hyuk was indeed going through a difficult period.
“You’ll need a main vocalist, of course, but having each member harmonize together is equally important, don’t you think?”
“You’re right… anyway, I need to check on that kid Min-guk.”
Actually, when I heard that CEO Bang Mu-hyuk was coming, I made sure to go to the FaceNote office early in the morning.
“Please visit our office as well. I have something I’d like to introduce to you.”
“What is it?”
“I’ll tell you after we finish eating at the office.”
“Alright… but Sung-guk, you really don’t date?”
“I’m not interested in dating.”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“If I looked even a fraction of how you do, I’d never stop dating.”
“I enjoy work more than dating.”
[Dating is just emotional consumption anyway. I did plenty of it in my past life.]
I cut into the lamb ribs steak that had just arrived.
* * *
CEO Bang Mu-hyuk stood frozen with his mouth agape when he saw the FaceNote Headquarters.
“Sung-guk, this is really the FaceNote Headquarters?”
“Yes….”
[Though Jeon Tae-guk is the one paying for it.]
I shrugged my shoulders.
“When will I ever get to own a headquarters like this….”
Bang Mu-hyuk gazed around with an envious expression.
[CEO Bang, once Sevens hits it big, you’ll just buy a building in Yongsan and use it as your headquarters. That day will come… though your wealth will still be far less than mine….]
Bang Mu-hyuk examined various corners of the open-concept office before taking a sip of coffee.
“Sung-guk, you’ve really made it….”
“We haven’t even gone public yet.”
[Of course, we will in a few years. I’m going to become a legend, CEO Bang.]
Just then, I noticed Min-guk hunching low and trying to sneak away.
“Jeon Min-guk!”
At my call, Min-guk instinctively straightened up.
“Ah… y-yes… CEO.”
Bang Mu-hyuk smiled warmly.
“Min-guk, I’m not here to scold you. Come here.”
Only then did Min-guk hesitantly walk over.
“CEO, I’m sorry.”
“Your brother told me you met Michael Jackson and got your head on straight?”
“Yes…. When I go back to Korea, I promise I’ll focus hard on practice without any distractions.”
“Good. You’ve had your fun—now let’s work hard for the next few years.”
“Yes, CEO.”
Bang Mu-hyuk patted Min-guk’s shoulder.
Then he looked at me.
“Sung-guk, didn’t you say you had something to show me?”
“Min-guk will show you.”
“Me?”
Min-guk looked at me with a bewildered expression.
“Min-guk has been uploading videos of his time in America to YouTube. There are singing videos and dancing videos. He has quite a lot of subscribers.”
“Really? Min-guk, let me see.”
“Yes, CEO!”
* * *
Min-guk’s videos were admittedly amateurish, but most YouTube videos from this era weren’t particularly polished.
Min-guk uploaded a kind of vlog where he rambled about his mood or the music he’d heard that day, and he also covered pop songs he was currently listening to.
“Min-guk, I think you’d do well to shift your focus toward vocals. You have a youthful voice, but it’s pleasant to listen to… and there’s power in certain parts. Just like Michael Jackson.”
“CEO, really?”
“Really. When you get back to Korea, let’s get you more serious vocal training.”
“Yes!”
As Bang Mu-hyuk continued watching YouTube, his eyes sparkled.
In that moment, I realized Bang Mu-hyuk was thinking the same way I was about how to leverage YouTube.
Businesspeople truly understood each other.
“Sung-guk, YouTube really seems like an excellent channel. It’s great for communicating with fans… and… how do I put this. Because he uploads his daily life like this, Min-guk feels incredibly relatable.”
“Sir, I think the whole mystique around celebrities is getting old. These days, people realize through the internet and various media that stars aren’t untouchable beings—they’re just people like us. And while I don’t know much about the Korean entertainment industry, without a major talent agency backing you, there aren’t many broadcast opportunities, and performances get cut all the time.”
Bang Mu-hyuk nodded at my words.
“Sir, I’m not sure what group Min-guk will debut with, but if a debut lineup forms, I think promoting them on YouTube like this should work fine.”
“Sung-guk, that’s exactly what I was thinking. I don’t know who’s running this YouTube, but they’re impressive.”
“Sir, I’m the CEO of YouTube.”
I answered with a slightly embarrassed tone.
“What?”
“I’m running it. Since it’s still operating at a loss, I need to turn it profitable within two years.”
“Sung-guk… what exactly are you….”
[Is there nothing I can’t do? Director Bang, what can I do about being born this way…]
“This guy is a complete monster. There’s really no one who can compete with him.”
[Of course there isn’t.]
“By the way, Sung-guk. Could I learn about YouTube from you?”
I called for Sam.
“Sir, this is Sam. He’s a developer who’s been with YouTube since the beginning. Sam, this gentleman is a music producer and creator from Korea, and he’ll be creating world-class groups in the future, so please explain YouTube to him in detail.”
“Sure thing, Sung-guk.”
“Sir, then learn comfortably from Sam and let’s have dinner together.”
“Sounds good….”
As I turned to leave, Bang Mu-hyuk suddenly grabbed me.
“But Sung-guk….”
“Yes, sir.”
“You’ll be twenty years old next year by Korean age, right?”
“Hmm… I suppose so.”
[Why is he asking that?]
“Running a production company, the biggest issue with male idols and singers is military service. You’ll have to go too, right?”
“….”
[The military, of all things!]
I had forgotten about it.
Age aside, in my previous life, I naturally fabricated a torn anterior cruciate ligament to avoid the military entirely.
[This… there really are perks to being a chaebol….]
Bang Mu-hyuk waved his hand apologetically.
“No, you’re still young. Well, see you later.”
* * *
There was only one person who knew the answer to this problem best: Jeon Tae-guk.
I contacted Jeon Tae-guk immediately.
“Hyung, I have a question. Did you get your military service sorted out?”
– I got exempted for a herniated disc.
“Hyung, you ride horses and play golf well, but you got exempted for a herniated disc?”
– You know how it is. The company handled it. Sung-guk, ah… you’ll need to take your physical exam next year too, right? Your nationality is still Korean.
“Yes, hyung.”
– I’ll mention it to Secretary Yang. Of course he’ll exempt you. Sending talent like you to the military is a waste of time. Don’t you think?
“Hyung, I still have some time to think about it.”
– The South Korean military—there’s nothing good about going and coming back. Don’t waste your time with this national defense obligation nonsense. That’s for kids without money or connections. You have me.
What is this feeling? Reassuring yet irritating?
I bet people saw me like this in my past life.
“I’ll think about it.”
– Alright, anyway, see you at home later.
“Hyung, aren’t you staying at the hotel?”
– Mother came by wanting to eat bossam. How could I not go?
After hanging up, I fell into deep contemplation.
I knew well that a few words to Jeon Tae-guk would make Samjeon resolve my military service issue without difficulty.
But unlike the past, when military privileges were quietly overlooked, things were different now.
This wasn’t a decision to make lightly or hastily.
Then my phone rang.
Who could it be?
“Hello?”
– Hello, Sung-guk. I’m Liam Brown, Special Assistant to President Barack Obama.
“What is this regarding?”
– The President wanted to offer you an opportunity to obtain United States citizenship as a commemoration of his inauguration. I’m calling to guide you through the process.
“If I receive U.S. citizenship, I would have to naturalize, correct?”
– Typically, yes—unless you were born in the United States and automatically acquired citizenship.
That meant I would have to renounce my Korean nationality forever.

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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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