I Will Raise This Family to Greatness - Chapter 420

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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 420
The eleventh floor of Pangyo Techno Valley.
Koo Soo-young and I stood side by side, taking in the skyline of Pangyo.
“If I were just ten years younger, I’d love to start fresh in a place like this….”
“Chairman, you’re still in excellent health.”
“Excellent health? There’s not a part of me that doesn’t ache, and there’s not a medication I don’t take…. At this point, I should step back and focus on helping talented people like you.”
Koo Soo-young had stepped away from Hyojin Group’s affairs and was now dedicating himself almost entirely to the Junho Foundation.
“By the way, Sung-guk. Have you given any thought to my proposal?”
At our previous meeting, Koo Soo-young had proposed that I become an outside director of Hyojin Group.
“It’s not a difficult matter. After legal review, it appears there’s no significant issue with serving as an outside director while working as a social service officer. I was thinking—while you’re certainly accomplished with Alpha, how would you feel about becoming an outside director for our Hyojin Group’s IT division?”
“Chairman… I’m deeply grateful for the offer, but I’m concerned whether I can truly handle that responsibility properly. I’m also worried about whether I might become a liability.”
“Sung-guk, are you still underestimating yourself? Your mere presence alone would bring global attention to Hyojin Group’s IT sector.”
What Koo Soo-young said was true.
My very existence would likely draw attention to Hyojin Group.
But FaceNote’s listing awaited next month. Mark and I would become among the world’s wealthiest individuals, but that also meant we could never truly escape the scrutiny of shareholders.
Even as an outside director for Hyojin Group’s IT division, I couldn’t simply occupy a seat. In fact, anything I did at Hyojin could potentially harm FaceNote.
“Chairman, I’ll be honest with you.”
“Please do.”
“I’m currently a co-representative of FaceNote, and in May, FaceNote will go public on NASDAQ.”
“I know that well. I should have bought some of that stock back then.”
“In short, I’m saying that I’m no longer just Sung-guk—I must now make responsible decisions as FaceNote’s co-representative. I suspect you understand this implication better than anyone, Chairman.”
Only then did Koo Soo-young seem to grasp the situation, letting out a hollow laugh.
“Ah… I let my own desires get ahead of me again.”
Koo Soo-young looked at me with genuine sincerity.
“Sung-guk, my thinking was shortsighted. I know that position well. Now that you’re the representative of a publicly listed company, if you suddenly became an outside director of a South Korean company and performance suffered… you’d face attacks from all directions…. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that.”
“Chairman, it’s fine. I also seriously considered the outside director position because I wanted to help you, but I realized there were these obstacles.”
Koo Soo-young looked at me with admiration in his eyes.
“The Junho Foundation’s first scholarship recipient is now the representative of a company going public on NASDAQ…. That alone is my pride and the foundation’s pride. Let’s forget about the outside director proposal. I don’t want to be a stumbling block in your life. I want to be your supporter in every way I can.”
“Chairman, I’ll make TikTok a success and repay your kindness.”
That sentiment was genuine.
I was here because of the unconditional support Koo Soo-young had given me.
“Sung-guk, while that’s reassuring, don’t burden yourself too much. In our line of work, don’t we experience more failures than successes? When you’re doing business, the most important thing is this: when you fail, not losing yourself. That’s what matters most. After all, before we’re businesspeople, we’re just people….”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
I nodded.
Koo Soo-young was truly unchanged from my previous life.
When I encountered him while working as vice chairman of Samjeon Group, expanding semiconductor factories and running around everywhere, he always said the same thing.
– Don’t fear failure. Even if you fail, the important thing is not losing yourself. That’s what matters most. After all, before we’re businesspeople, we’re just people.
Koo Soo-young looked at me with warm eyes.
“Sung-guk, there’s not much time left until FaceNote’s NASDAQ listing. I’m looking forward to that day more than anyone. How about you?”
“It still doesn’t feel real.”
I simply smiled.
A company I built with my own strength, not one inherited along with assets and wealth, was finally being listed on NASDAQ in the United States, not even Korea….
Even I couldn’t quite believe it was real.
* * *
The moment I stepped into my office, Secretary Kim Mi-so jumped up from her seat.
She seemed curious about this confrontation with the Iron Lady.
“CEO, how did it go?”
“The Madam is requesting the original file.”
In deals like this, there had to be something each side gained and something each side lost.
Of course, there was also something we needed to take away.
“Secretary Kim, please prepare a copy of the file.”
“I’ve already made all the copies. I even created a separate file for CEO Jin Sung-gyun.”
Secretary Kim Mi-so always seemed energized when it came to this kind of work. And I felt a little frightened too.
“Secretary Kim, did you perhaps… create a separate file for me as well?”
“CEO, from what I can see, you do nothing but work. Would there be any need to create a separate file for you?”
“Either way, I’d hate to become enemies with you, Secretary Kim.”
“Don’t worry. By the way, I was thinking of creating files on all the Samjeon people while I have the chance. What do you think?”
“All of the Samjeon family?”
Secretary Kim Mi-so nodded.
Actually, I didn’t need files on the Samjeon people.
They were already firmly lodged in my mind.
I waved my hand dismissively.
“I appreciate the sentiment, Secretary Kim Mi-so, but let’s stop here.”
“Understood.”
“Secretary Kim, send the original file to the Madam by courier.”
“Yes, CEO.”
Secretary Kim Mi-so left the office lightly.
Jin Sung-gyun’s abuse of power would eventually explode anyway. Whether by my hand or not.
But the drug issue was different.
Mistreatment of drivers and housekeepers could be apologized for when public opinion boiled over, and things could return to normal once the noise died down. But drugs threatened one’s very position.
The Iron Lady would know this too.
No matter how many original files she received, she’d know that Jin Sung-gyun wouldn’t be able to quit drugs. And that I could use that fact whenever I wanted.
This was sufficient leverage to defend against the Iron Lady.
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
My phone, set to vibrate, rang loudly.
The caller ID showed Bang Mu-hyuk.
[The Iron Lady is already making her move….]
I answered the call leisurely.
“Uncle, what’s the matter?”
– Sung-guk, PD Jeon contacted me and said he’d put our kids in a reserved slot. Isn’t that great? And it looks like we might be able to secure another stage next week too.
The Iron Lady had a clear give-and-take approach.
“Sir, things worked out well.”
– Still, it’s a shame. I wasn’t able to lobby effectively, so we couldn’t land variety shows at the broadcasting stations. All the major talent agencies have their members placed there, so mid-sized companies can’t compete.
“Sir, we decided to compete on skill, didn’t we?”
– The kids have talent, sure. That’s not what I’m disappointed about.
“Sir, don’t worry. Sevens is going to build awareness through YouTube and SNS. Going forward, this method will be more advantageous than broadcast media.”
– You’re right, I’ll trust your foresight. The kids are already busy filming choreography videos anyway. Sung-guk, this whole situation was resolved thanks to you, right? Thank you.
In truth, I was the root cause of all this.
“Sir, just tell the Sevens members to focus hard on practicing their debut stage.”
– Alright, come by the office soon.
“Yes….”
I hung up the phone and exhaled quietly.
Finally, things were falling into place one by one.
And the legend of Sevens that we all knew was being written right now.
An idol from a mid-sized agency.
Debuting as a last-minute replacement!
[Jeon Min-guk’s time to earn his keep was drawing near.]
I smiled and posted the company relocation notice on the intranet.
– Alpha’s office building is relocating to Pangyo Techno Valley. It will be in one month. Please prepare accordingly.
* * *
The relocation of Alpha’s office building was already anticipated, so employee unrest was minimal.
While Pangyo had less accessibility than Seocho in terms of proximity to Seoul, most employees had no major complaints about the move.
For employees living independently, we provided moving allowances and relocation costs when they moved to Pangyo, and we covered commute expenses for those with longer distances.
The problem was Sam and Adam.
The two of them lived in Hannam-dong with me and Jeon Tae-guk, and neither drove in Korea.
On top of that, with their frequent late nights, Pangyo was not only far but also an unfamiliar place.
Sam, Adam, Jeon Tae-guk, and I sat down with beer, troubled by the situation.
“Sam, Adam… it’ll be difficult to commute to Pangyo without a car. You could come with me, but….”
“Sung-guk, we don’t want to leave at 6 a.m.”
Adam spoke firmly.
With their frequent overtime, commuting with me at 6 a.m. was simply not feasible.
“Then, what about moving the dormitory closer to Pangyo?”
“I’m against that!”
Jeon Tae-guk, who had been silent, voiced his opposition.
“Are you all really doing this? Now Min-guk has to eat alone, and you’re telling me to live in this house by myself? For your information, our mother and father are in the middle of divorce proceedings right now, so neither of them wants to live with me. Of course, I don’t want that either.”
Faced with Jeon Tae-guk’s strong objection, Sam and Adam showed reluctance.
After all, the three of them had built a strong bond through beer and chicken, soju and grilled pork belly over the years.
“What are you thinking, Sung-guk?”
Sam asked with a worried expression.
“I’ll try commuting for the first few weeks, and if it seems too difficult, I’ll move to Pangyo. We’re planning to relocate FaceNote and YouTube’s Korean branch there anyway.”
At that moment, Jeon Tae-guk clapped his hands together sharply.
[What’s this about, Jeon Tae-guk?]
“Sung-guk, I could just move to Pangyo.”
“You, hyung?”
“I’m not commuting to the Seocho headquarters every day anyway, and Pangyo is closer to Dongtan. I’ve been going to Dongtan a lot lately… Since I have a driver and a car, I think it’ll be fine as long as I’m not commuting from Jeju Island.”
[Jeon Tae-guk, stop following me around.]
I stared at Jeon Tae-guk coldly.
“Hyung, what if we each lived separately from now on?”
“Huh?”
“Sam and Adam have their own private lives too. So do I. We can’t keep living together like this forever anyway. I thought this would be a good opportunity for all of us to become independent.”
I looked at Sam and Adam.
“I’ll look for a place near the company. What do you think?”
“I… disagree. Honestly, I like living with Sam and Tae-guk.”
Adam quietly expressed his opinion.
“Sung-guk, same here. Having someone to rely on in a foreign country is such a comfort.”
“Well then, I’ll become independent on this opportunity!”
At that moment, everyone slowly nodded their heads.
[This isn’t the reaction I expected? Shouldn’t they all be trying to stop me?]
“Sung-guk, yeah. You should become independent this time. You wake up too early anyway, and work too late. Because of that, we’ve had a hard time staying quiet when we need to. Sam, Adam, and I have compatible lifestyles, so we can just live together.”
My mind went blank at that moment.
What did I just hear?
“Sung-guk, that’s right. Your lifestyle is quite different from ours.”
[Even Adam….]
Sam, sitting beside me, quietly nodded his head.
[Sam….]
I quickly hid my bewilderment.
“Right, well then… I’ll become independent on this opportunity.”
Even at these words, no one reacted.
I quietly left the awkward situation.
And I lay down on the bed in the dark room.
[Could it be… I’m being ostracized right now….]
Independence was natural anyway, but since no one tried to stop me, I felt a bit disappointed.
I shook my head vigorously.
[Get it together, Jeon Sung-guk! You need to become independent now!]
But why did my heart feel so lonely….

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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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