1988 Retro Game Tycoon - Chapter 34



Only Noblemtl

Episode 34 – 9 o’clock news

1988, Christmas Eve, 9 o’clock in the evening.

Today, as always, the 9 o’clock news began on MBS.

There are currently five terrestrial channels available in Korea: KBC1, KBC2, KBC3, MBS, and AFKN (American Forces Korean Network).

Among them, only MBS and KBC1 had 9 o’clock news.

“Hello, viewers? This is Lee Seok-jin from MBS 9 o’clock news.”

“I am Kim Joo-young.”

After greeting each other, the two news anchors began reporting social, economic, and cultural news from Korea and around the world.

“Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard Ambrosius Shevardnadze visited North Korea and delivered a personal letter from Secretary General Gorbachev to North Korean President Kim Il-sung during their meeting yesterday, the 23rd, Moscow Broadcasting reported. The personal letter is believed to have included a request for North Korea to pursue an open policy.”

“A high-ranking official from the Ministry of Unification said that the inter-Korean parliamentary talks will be held in Pyongyang as early as April next year.”

“As beef prices continue to rise, some butcher shops in Seoul have been caught selling imported beef as Korean beef.”

“The domestic stock market is heating up as the composite stock price index surpasses the 900 mark. It has far surpassed the 750 mark that experts initially expected. The participation of the so-called ‘ant army’ is noticeable as housewives and local investors are joining the stock market. It is said that the Korean stock market is called the ‘golden market’ among foreign investors.”

“The next news is about the year-end scenery of people enjoying Christmas Eve, which is just one day away from Christmas. Our people, who successfully completed the great festival of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, are said to be enjoying a more magnificent year-end than ever. Reporter Lee Dae-han visited Myeongdong. Reporter Lee Dae-han?”

“Yes, I am currently on the streets of Myeongdong, Seoul. Since the early afternoon, the streets have been filled with people enjoying shopping on Christmas Eve. Everyone looks happy and excited. However, there is one very unique store in Myeongdong that is catching the attention of passersby. I will go and check it out.”

“As you can see, this store doesn’t even have a sign. And yet, it’s packed with people. When you go inside, there are more than one or two strange things. There are bricks stacked inside the store, and there’s even an emergency staircase installed. Is this an emergency exit in case of fire? But the ceiling is blocked. I can’t figure it out.”

“But on the other hand, people are into video games. It seems like they’re all playing the same game. Let me interview you for a moment. Hello. Who are you and where do you live?”

“I’m a high school student living in Sindangdong.”

“What brings you to Myeongdong?”

“It’s winter vacation starting today, so I was bored, so I came out to play with my friends.”

“What are you doing now?”

“It’s a Jemix game called . I heard it was fun, but I couldn’t play it because it was hard to find. But I happened to see it here, so I quickly came in because I thought it was a great deal.”

“Is it a famous game?”

“Yes, there is no one among my friends who doesn’t know it. It’s a Korean game.”

“Oh, really? It’s a Korean game? How is it when you try it yourself?”

“It’s much more fun than I heard. I used to think that Japanese games were the best, but now it seems like our country is just as good. I’m very proud.”

“I see. There’s a young friend next to me playing a game. Where does he live?”

“I am Jinju Heo, a seven-year-old who lives in my house.”

“Yes, Jinju. What do you think? Is the game fun?”

“Yes! It looked fun, so I begged my parents to let me go in. The sound of coins being picked up is cute, and the pictures are pretty too. But it’s scary when the police chase you.”

“Oh my, were you scared? The police officer only chases bad people, so Jinju, you have to live a good life too.”

“I really want to be a good kid and get this game as a Christmas present!”

“Yes, I can definitely get it. There’s a young couple next to me playing a game. Do you usually play video games often?”

“No. I went out to dinner with my girlfriend after shopping, and there were a lot of people, so I came in for fun. It was my first time doing it, and it was easy at first, but it got difficult quickly.”

“How do you feel about our ladies playing the game?”

“I thought computer games were just for kids, but when I actually played them myself, the way they moved around was cute, adorable, and amazing. Also, the store was bright and stylish, so it was a lot different from what I had imagined. I like it.”

“Yes, as you can see, this place is full of people of all kinds, including students, children, adults, and couples. Let’s meet the owner to find out what kind of place he is.”

– Seo Nam-jun (20, Seoul)

“It’s run by a very young person. What kind of place is this? Could you explain it to me?”

“Yes, this is the Myeongdong Saetbyeol branch of where you can experience the Jemix game, feel the game atmosphere, and also purchase the game.”

“What’s the morning star? That’s a very unique name.”

“It’s a store that appears for a short time like a morning star, operates for a short period of time, and then disappears, so we named it Saetbyeoljeom.”

“Why do you only run it for a short period of time when people like it so much and it’s so popular?”

“The rent in Myeongdong is so expensive. I didn’t know it was this expensive. But the response was hotter than I expected, so I think it would be okay to open Saetbyeol stores in other places besides Myeongdong.”

“I see. Saetbyeoljeom, that’s a pretty name and a really novel idea. But is there a reason to run Saetbyeoljeom in Myeongdong while paying such high rent?”

“I am a game developer who created . However, the places that still sell games are mainly electronics stores like Seun Shopping Mall and Yongsan. There aren’t many people who enjoy playing games. I worked really hard to make this game, and I wanted to introduce it to more people, so I opened Saetbyeol Store in Myeongdong. As a developer, I feel very proud to see so many people enjoying it.”

“You made this game yourself? You’re really good at it. Is your business at Saetbyeol going well?”

“Yes, thankfully, many of the people who visit also buy the game. We are also selling the game console for those who do not have a G-Mix, and the response is good. If you buy the game now, you will also receive a poster as a souvenir. We also prepared pencils and notebooks, and many people buy them because they are pretty even if they do not buy the game.”

“Even a pencil and a notebook. You’ve prepared a lot, even outside of the game. Thank you for your words today. I hope you’ll sell a lot in the future.”

“Thank you.”

“The Korean computer game is adding to the joyous atmosphere of Christmas, which is ending the grand year of 1988. People of all ages are enjoying the game and making new memories on Christmas Eve. It seems that it will become a new landmark in Myeong-dong, albeit briefly, through the unique method of Saetbyeoljeom. This was reporter Lee Dae-han from Myeong-dong.”

Behind reporter Lee Dae-han, children made a V sign with their fingers and shook them wildly.

“Ohhhhh~! Oppa, you’re really on TV?”

“You look better on screen, my son?”

The MBS 9 o’clock news featured the news about the emergency staircase and my interview. My family gathered in the living room and watched the news with me.

“Are you okay? Wasn’t it a bit stiff when you spoke?”

“I think it’s okay, oppa.”

“It seems like Subin is okay, so I guess he really is okay. Actually, I was a bit flustered when the broadcasting station suddenly barged in.”

I took out the videotape from the VTR. I recorded the interview scene as a souvenir. This will all become memories and important records later.

“It’s not that hard. No, Namjoon. Even if you look at our executives, there are many who have been on TV several times but still speak like robots. Even though it’s your first time, you’re so refreshing.”

“Really, honey. Seeing you speak so calmly in front of the camera, I wish you had been a talent instead.”

“Just one TV interview and you’re a talent. What?”

“By the way, Saetbyeoljeom will be very busy starting tomorrow.”

“Yes, I already urgently contacted Jewoo Electronics to buy more Jemix. I also told the part-timers to bring more friends.”

“Yes, selling it yourself is a very important experience. It’ll be physically tiring, but it’ll be worth it. Take care. Just be careful not to have any accidents.”

My father left with a strange smile.

I went back to my room and went to bed early for tomorrow. My body was tired, but my mind was excited, so it wasn’t easy to fall asleep, but I forced myself to sleep.

It felt like the guests were already pouring in endlessly in my dreams.

***

Kim Ho-seung returned home after finishing his Christmas Eve business and was eating a late dinner. He chewed and swallowed his food without noticing the taste.

Today, Cheonggye Media’s sales were not bad. However, the numbers were good, but when you look at the inside story, it was just a facade.

This is because they held a groundbreaking discount event to attract more people in response to . In particular, the ambitiously prepared Mega Ram Pack was sold at a 20% discount as soon as it was released. It was heartbreaking.

“We can stand in line too. Let’s show them what it’s like to stand in line to buy Gemini games and Mega Ram packs!”

We held a big discount event and advertised in magazines more. Even if we sold a lot, we wouldn’t make any money, but we had to show other game shop owners that we wouldn’t be pushed around by something like made by a young kid.

That way, the anti-Seo Nam-joon coalition wouldn’t split up and would stick together. The fear that if he didn’t break Seo Nam-joon’s pride at the beginning, he would be eaten instead made him constantly anxious.

Just then, the phone rang.

“Hello? Mr. Lee, what are you doing here at this hour? What? TV? MBS? What is it?”

Kim Ho-seung stopped eating and turned on the TV after receiving a call from Lee Young-bae. He turned the knob to change the channel and the MBS 9 o’clock news came on.

And there, a face that shouldn’t be there appeared. It was Seo Nam-joon.

“Hey hey! What’s that guy? Why is he out there? What is he doing?”

“I don’t know either. I heard they opened a Saetbyeol store or a Saetnoyeol store in Myeongdong for Christmas? What the hell, how much is the rent in Myeongdong for a crazy person to move into there? costs only 10,000 won, so can’t you calculate how much you have to sell to cover the rent?”

“Ha! This brat who hasn’t even dried his blood yet has no fear. Opening a store in Myeongdong? He must have lost his mind for a long time.”

“But if you appear on TV like that, won’t there be a ton of people on Christmas tomorrow? It looks like there are a lot of people there right now.”

“under···.”

The two were silent for a moment. When the morning news ended, Kim Ho-seung spoke.

“This won’t work. Come to our store right after Christmas. We need to come up with some kind of plan together. We can’t just leave it like this. One loach is ruining the whole situation right now.”

“Okay, I got it. See you tomorrow or the day after.”

As soon as he hung up the phone, Kim Ho-seung’s annoyance reached the tip of his head.

“Ahhh~! Where on earth did that guy suddenly come from? Huh? Ahh, this is so frustrating. Ahh, this is so frustrating.”

Kim Ho-seung felt even more bitter when he thought of the people who would flock to the Myeongdong Saetbyeol branch of . He searched through his drawer for stomach medicine, but he had run out of it.

“Oh, it’s Christmas tomorrow so the pharmacy is closed!”

Kim Ho-seung was someone who had absolutely no luck at the end of the year.

***

“There is no Santa Claus in this world.”

Kim Yohan woke up on Christmas morning and was very disappointed. He had put a stocking on his bedside table and slept, but there was nothing in it. He had wished so hard for a Jemix game console and had even written it on a card.

“Or maybe I’m not a good kid?”

Kim Yohan, who didn’t receive a gift, spent Christmas feeling depressed.

“Kim Yohan! Let’s play!”

Even when his friends called him to play with them, he made up an excuse about having a cold and didn’t go out. He would show off his game console again. While watching from the side for 50 minutes, Kim Yohan could only play for about 5 minutes.

“I’m the only one without a game console.”

Kim Yohan spent the whole day lying around in the corner of the house. He felt even more depressed because he missed the Christmas special cartoon. But he ate every meal because he was hungry if he didn’t eat.

After dinner, I was overcome with sadness and tears welled up in my eyes.

And the next morning, Kim Yohan encountered a miracle. He opened a large package on his bedside table and screamed.

“Eww! Eww! Eww!”

“Santa Claus asked me to tell you that he’s sorry he’s a day late.”

“Wow! It’s okay, Grandpa! Wow! Huh? What is this?”

Kim Yohan opened another package and jumped when he saw the game pack inside.

“Huh? This! This! I saw it on TV yesterday?! That’s it! Emergency escape!!! Whoa! Whoa!”

Kim Yohan’s mother laughed in vain as she watched her son dancing to the blues in his underwear.

It was a Christmas present that my husband bought on his way home from work on Christmas Day, when he stopped by Myeongdong on purpose. My husband came back with the present and was like a kimchi stew.

“Was work very difficult?”

“No, things are okay. I went to buy this, and there were so many people that I got really confused. There were so many people that I had to wait outside for a long time.”

“Were there that many people? Enough to have to wait in line?”

“If I had been a little later, I would have gone there and come back empty-handed. Luckily, the workers handed out blankets. That was all I could get by with. I wanted to buy a notebook and pencils, but they were already gone. I really thought all the people from Seoul were gathered there.”

Kim Yohan’s father, who returned after going through all the trouble to buy a gift, has gone back to work and cannot see him, but he will probably be able to see his son’s excited face when he comes home in the evening.

Kim Yohan hurriedly opened the game pack’s plastic wrap. Perhaps because it was a game that had been shown on TV, the picture itself was unusual. The one he had seen at his friend’s house looked a bit funny even to a young Kim Yohan.

Kim Yohan’s mother struggled for a long time before finally connecting the Jemix to the TV. Kim Yohan turned on the Jemix with a pounding heart.

[ Fire Escape ]

– ⓒ1988 StarBit

“Wow···!”

Kim Yohan was immersed in a new world he had never seen before. How much time had passed as he wandered from the living room to the emergency stairs of his New York apartment?

I heard my friend’s voice outside. It was Ho-cheol who had come to play yesterday.

“Kim Yohan~ Let’s play~~!”

“Oh, you’re here? Come in!”

“Want to play at your house? What are you doing?”

“I’ll show you a surprising game! Is this your first time seeing it? It’s a game that was on TV!”

“On TV?”

“Yeah, let’s call Minsu and Chulsoo and play together!”

Kim Yohan quickly brought his friend into the house.

“What is this? Is there a game like this in the world?”

My friend Ho-cheol looked at the with a blank expression.

Kim Yohan’s shoulders naturally shrugged. Although he was only wearing underwear, he looked more imposing than ever, as if he was wearing armor in .