I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 395

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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 395
Am I lying?
Of course I am!
But it’s far from a perfect lie!
I’m on my second life, and in my previous one, I was the unparalleled heir to the Samjeon Group.
Honed by all manner of private education and blessed with a sharp mind, I was reborn into this world carrying all the knowledge I had acquired back then.
But if I hadn’t been born as the eldest son of a desperately poor family in this life, I wouldn’t have needed to work this hard.
I took a bitter sip of whiskey.
Then I looked at Steven Spielberg, who was smiling.
“Steven, what exactly am I lying about?”
“My wording was a bit harsh. Honestly, even if the position of eldest son carries weight, I can’t understand how fate would create a life without a single failure.”
At that moment, Jeon Tae-guk sensed the tension and interjected slightly.
“Steven, I’m not sure if I should jump into this conversation, but Sung-guk isn’t exaggerating. When you actually see Sung-guk’s family, you immediately understand why he works so hard.”
“Family can be a motivation to work hard, but it doesn’t determine failure.”
Steven Spielberg refused to budge from his position.
Dennis joined in as well.
“Steven, if he remembers a previous life… wouldn’t that mean Sung-guk wouldn’t need to work this hard right now?”
“What do you mean by that, Dennis?”
Steven Spielberg began to show interest in Dennis’s point.
“At some point where the timeline is tangled, the way you’re thinking about it—if someone who died in the future was reborn into the past with memories of their previous life, would they really need to work?”
I nodded slightly from beside him.
Dennis continued.
“For example, even if he doesn’t know the lottery numbers, coming from the future means he’d know which regions will prosper. He’d roughly understand stock market trends too. So with just a few proper investments, he could accumulate enough money for a lifetime. Why would Sung-guk work himself to the bone like he does, Steven?”
[Exactly my point!]
Steven Spielberg drank his whiskey, looking troubled.
[Steven, come on, say something more!]
Steven Spielberg nodded several times.
“I think I’ve been imposing my logic on CEO Jeon Sung-guk too much.”
“Actually, I’m pleased by it. It means my investments and efforts appear miraculous to others.”
“Exactly. CEO Jeon Sung-guk’s life itself is like a miracle.”
Steven Spielberg finished his whiskey and fell into contemplation.
“I think I need to reconsider how to tell CEO Jeon Sung-guk’s story.”
* * *
“Dennis, what kind of film does Steven Spielberg seem to want to make about me?”
I asked Dennis, who sat in the passenger seat, as I drove.
Dennis pondered for a moment before speaking.
“Honestly, in Hollywood, dealing with young, successful entrepreneurs is often done with irony.”
“Is it to show the dark side of success?”
“Right. How this person trampled on others to climb up, how they betrayed people… that sort of thing.”
“So ultimately, what the public wants isn’t really a success story—it’s the realization that even the successful are just flawed humans. That’s what you’re saying?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
Dennis nodded in agreement.
Jeon Tae-guk, sitting in the back seat, leaned forward between the front seats.
“If Steven Spielberg wants to tackle a story like that, Sung-guk is perfect for it. Perfect looks, perfect credentials. Plus, a globally successful entrepreneur. But here’s the thing—he got dumped by his girlfriend, and after that, he couldn’t even manage a proper romantic connection. On top of that, he’s swamped dealing with family matters every single day.”
“Tae-guk, now that you mention it, that really does describe him.”
Dennis chimed in as well.
“Well, I think everyone’s really misunderstanding me. I’m not a workaholic or anything….”
Just then, my phone rang.
Who could it be?
I quickly answered. Steven Spielberg’s voice came through the receiver.
– Sung-guk, what’s your schedule like tomorrow?
“Hmm… why do you ask?”
– I’m curious about how you spend your day… I’d like to observe you a bit. If I observe your daily life, I think I’ll be able to conceptualize a film about you more smoothly….
I glanced at my watch.
It was close to 11 p.m.
“Steven, I usually wake up at 6 a.m… Would you come to my home by then?”
– I will.
“Then I’ll arrange transportation through Samjeon Hotel.”
– Thank you.
The moment I hung up, Dennis and Jeon Tae-guk looked at me with puzzled expressions.
“Sung-guk, what did Steven say?”
“He wants to observe me all day long.”
“This is trouble.”
Jeon Tae-guk said with genuine concern.
“Hyung, what’s the trouble?”
“Everything I said is going to come true. A day in the life of a workaholic eldest son!”
* * *
Steven followed behind me, yawning continuously.
“Sung-guk, you wake up at 6 a.m. and leave home at 6:30 a.m.? What about breakfast?”
Ding!
The elevator arrived at the Underground Parking Lot.
Kim Mi-so, my secretary who was waiting, greeted Steven Spielberg.
“Director, I’m Kim Mi-so, CEO Jeon Sung-guk’s personal secretary.”
“Ah… nice to meet you.”
“The CEO mentioned it to me. I’ve prepared breakfast in the car. The CEO always has a Starbucks café latte and a sandwich, so I prepared the same.”
“Every day?”
“Every day that he commutes to work.”
“Do you also work on weekends?”
“If there’s work to be done.”
“Then, do you also commute to work with the CEO?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Steven Spielberg looked back and forth between me and Kim Mi-so with wide, astonished eyes.
Kim Mi-so whispered quietly to the stunned Steven Spielberg.
“Director, the CEO pays me well, so don’t worry about me taking this position.”
“But… work-life balance….”
“Steven, isn’t filmmaking itself a profession with terrible conditions when it comes to work-life balance?”
“That’s true.”
Steven Spielberg nodded at my words.
In reality, a film director’s working hours couldn’t be compared to those of an ordinary office worker.
I quickly climbed into the back seat, began eating a sandwich, and started reviewing the materials.
“Sung-guk, do mornings usually start like this for you?”
“Yes… As soon as we arrive, I have a meeting with the FaceNote headquarters in the United States at 7 AM. Usually it’s short—about an hour—but when there are important matters, it can run longer….”
“And after that?”
Kim Mi-so, sitting in the passenger seat, turned around and handed Steven Spielberg my daily schedule.
“Today’s schedule, Director. I prepared it in advance since I thought you’d be curious.”
Steven Spielberg looked over my schedule and shook his head.
“After the FaceNote headquarters meeting, straight into a YouTube meeting. Then an Alpha meeting right after that—you barely have time for lunch….”
“And in the afternoon, you’re scheduled to visit the FaceNote and YouTube Asia branches for strategy meetings. In the remaining time, you mainly work with Sam and Adam at Alpha, discussing the new SNS platform we’re developing.”
“But… why isn’t there a set end time here?”
“Usually when you meet with the programmers Adam and Sam, you don’t set an end time. Since all three of you aren’t dating anyone right now, you just eat dinner at the office and keep having meetings endlessly.”
I glanced sideways at Steven Spielberg.
“Steven, if you get too tired, feel free to leave in the middle.”
“Sung-guk… no, it’s fine. But this really is an incredible day. I don’t even have this many meetings….”
“Still, they’re all different meetings, so it’s not boring.”
I quickly answered and returned to reviewing the meeting materials.
* * *
“Sam, Adam. What should we eat for dinner?”
I naturally checked the time and looked at Sam and Adam.
It was approaching 7 PM.
Steven Spielberg, who had been following me since morning, was rubbing his sleepy eyes.
“Sung-guk… you really don’t rest for a moment.”
[Steven, I’m still in my twenties!]
In this second life, the thing I was most grateful for was undoubtedly this youthful stamina.
“Steven, is there anything you’d like to eat?”
“I’ll have whatever Sam and Adam are having.”
“Hmm… Sung-guk, how about we wrap up today’s meeting a bit early and grab some grilled pork belly with soju?”
“Sounds good….”
That was when it happened.
My phone rang loudly.
I quickly answered the call.
Bang Mu-hyuk’s voice came through the phone.
– Sung-guk, do you have time right now?
“What is it, sir?”
– Dennis came to Korea and wasn’t happy with the music video we shot last time, so he re-edited it. I thought it would be nice if you came and watched it with us….
“Sure thing. I’ll head over right now.”
I grabbed my bag and glanced at Sam and Adam.
“Sam, Adam. Let’s wrap up the meeting here for today. You two should grab dinner together.”
“Sung-guk, what’s going on now?”
Steven Spielberg looked at me with a bewildered expression.
“I have an entertainment business I’m investing in. Dennis shot a music video for it before, and we’re having a screening for it. Steven, come on, get up. You need to come with me.”
“Wait! You’re investing in films and also investing in entertainment businesses?”
“Yes. To put it simply, my younger brother is preparing his debut there.”
Steven Spielberg slapped his forehead.
“Good heavens! Now you’re even handling family matters?”
“I’m not handling it myself. I’m just investing. Steven, let’s hurry. Come on.”
I slung my bag over my shoulder.
* * *
As I entered Bang Mu-hyuk’s office in Nonhyeon-dong, the members of Sevens stood up in a line and greeted us.
“Hyung!”
“Hello!”
Min-guk approached me and Steven Spielberg with a surprised expression.
“Wow! I heard Director Steven Spielberg came to Korea, and this is him?”
“Yeah. Min-guk, I’ve invested a lot of money in your English over the years. Greet him in English.”
“Of course!”
Min-guk naturally struck up a conversation with Steven Spielberg in English.
“You’re CEO Jeon Sung-guk’s younger brother?”
“Yes.”
“Your English is excellent.”
“My brother insisted that I learn English properly, so he frequently locked me away in a Spartan-style English academy since I was young.”
Hearing that, Steven Spielberg fell into thought.
“Locked away?”
“Well… he basically made me study at almost imprisonment level.”
Min-guk leaned in close to Steven Spielberg and whispered.
“I read in the news that you’re planning a film about my brother.”
“I’m still considering it.”
“Director, let me tell you what kind of person my brother is.”
Steven Spielberg listened intently to Min-guk’s words.
“He’s a man without blood or tears.”
[Jeon Min-guk, I can hear everything!]
I quickly pushed Min-guk’s back.
“Min-guk, go take a seat… Alright, let’s watch the music video now!”
* * *
The newly edited music video was certainly cleaner than the previous version.
But there were still a few parts that felt lacking.
Dennis didn’t look satisfied either.
“We can’t reshoot this… Sung-guk, Director Park. That scene in the bridge section. Doesn’t it stand out a bit too much?”
I glanced subtly at Steven Spielberg.
[Steven, you’ve been covering me for free all day long. Don’t you think you owe me a favor?]
Steven Spielberg was already stroking his chin thoughtfully.
“Hmm… Dennis, what if we made that bridge section’s footage black and white?”
“Just that part?”
“Yeah. It’s a technique I used in Schindler’s List. You make it black and white, then add color only to the key focal points.”
“Ah! I remember that, Steven.”
“That way, the overall tone matches better. And it should really emphasize the impact. What do you think?”
Steven Spielberg offered the perfect suggestion, and Dennis agreed with his opinion.
The two of them kept replaying the music video and enthusiastically debated the editing of other sections as well.
I quietly slipped away and watched the two of them with satisfaction.
Bang Mu-hyuk approached with a pleased expression and whispered softly.
“Sung-guk, so when you suddenly suggested a music video preview screening… you were planning to bring Director Steven Spielberg along.”
“Dennis Chazelle directing. Steven Spielberg advising. That’s how we promote the Sevens music video.”
“Sung-guk, you had this all planned out.”
[Of course, Bang Mu-hyuk. Nothing in this world is free!]

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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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