A Chairman Who Has No Regrets - Chapter 180



Only Noblemtl

The Chairman Who Has No Regrets Episode 180 – In America.

My plane landed at John F. Kennedy Airport.

The economy seat was not very comfortable, especially since it was an 80s airplane seat, but I was able to endure it thanks to my young body.

That short but long waiting time before the plane lands and people disembark.

A lot of things are going through my head.

My whole life.

When I first set foot on American soil, those painful memories came flooding back.

Now, those memories, beautified by the passage of time, have become something I can just laugh about and move on from.

Multi-ethnic country.

Multiracial country.

The land of America has always been, is, and will be inhabited by even more peoples and races. However, immigration to America during this period will not be as difficult as it was before.

“hmm.”

Although it was brief, the thought of immigration crossed my mind. There are some places where it is better to live than in Korea, but there are also places where it is not so good to live. And I was guessing to myself that my mother would never think about immigration even if she died.

That’s why the grand plan that was originally planned was also like that.

“If you have a lot of money, Korea is the best.”

I got off the plane like that, muttering to myself as if making a promise.

The immigration process wasn’t too difficult. They asked me a few more questions because I was young and had come to the US alone, but I didn’t think much of it.

If we think about a future where terrorist attacks occur here and there, security is tighter after 9/11, and entry procedures are stricter, then this is for a nobleman, no, a king.

“Here it is!”

As I passed through the gate, a man in his mid-30s wearing a suit waved his hand and called me. I quickly turned my head to him as he spoke familiar Korean.

“Did you run in the primary?”

“Yes, you are a student of Jeon Gang. No, you are the shareholder, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I’m Kim Kang-min, the manager of Imperial Flower, no, Gyeongseon Flower.”

I nodded and shook his hand. It was a schedule that had been discussed with Choi Tae-woong in advance. And Choi Tae-woong had arranged someone for me. Whether it was for me or for him, it would be clear as time goes by.

I don’t think there is any purpose to surveillance at all.

“First of all, since it’s your first day, should we move to the hotel?”

I nodded at his words.

The market in New York has already closed.

Of course, even if the market was open, there was no need for me to move from today.

Plaza Accord.

It is true that I visited the US because of that, but it was not yet the right time to buy.

“Have you been in the United States for a long time?”

“No, we’ve been in and out of each other often, but this is the first time we’ve actually lived together.”

“I guess you worked at Imperial Japan.”

“Yes, fortunately the ball is still attached.”

His words are bitter and vague. It is no exaggeration to say that Imperial Shoes, the predecessor of the Imperial Group, has fallen from grace, and its wings have been clipped, so it is regrettable. The current Gyeongseon seems to have little interest in Imperial Shoes, so it is even more regrettable.

It seemed like it would be profitable, so he put several affiliates in one basket, but he was not interested in shoes, but rather in construction and distribution. So, he must have given up a lot of shares to me.

“Still, it seems they care about the US market, and they even send employees there.”

“At the time, Imperial Shoes was doing well. They even won third place at a forum. They may not be well-known in Korea, but they were gaining recognition overseas. They were a mid- to low-priced brand with quality.”

Even while driving, he answered with confidence and pride. Perhaps he was the epitome of a father in this day and age, with a strong sense of patriotism.

“okay.”

“Now that it has become a competitive shoe brand, fortunately, our shoe brand name remains the same, so awareness remains the same. Sales are still low, but they are on an upward curve.”

I nodded slightly at the news that the stock price was rising. It wasn’t a bad thing for me.

A fleeting glimpse of American scenery.

To be exact, a New York that was quite different from the New York I knew was passing by.

Some things were the same, some were different.

To be more precise, it looked old and shabby.

“I guess you have some good ideas.”

I nodded slightly at Manager Kim Kang-min’s words. My mood was so good that he could tell.

What a tacky New York.

What a shabby New York.

New York didn’t seem that great to begin with, but anyway, to me, this rustic, shabby place seemed like endless opportunities, so how could I not like it?

“You seem excited to have come to the land of opportunity.”

“Hahaha, that too…”

It felt like I swallowed the ending of the old saying. I also knew very well how much the first and second generation immigrants had suffered. When I came to the US, I heard the story so many times when I went to Korean community meetings that it was drilled into my ears.

Squeak.

A vehicle that has come to a soft stop.

I got out of the car and frowned.

“The Ritz-Carlton.”

At my words, Manager Kim Kang-min comes over to open the door and looks surprised.

“Oh, is this the hotel you know?”

“Was it really necessary to book a hotel like this?”

“There were instructions from above.”

He shook his head repeatedly.

I have no idea how many pairs of Pfeiffer’s shoes they would have to sell to cover the cost of this hotel.

From Choi Tae-woong’s perspective, he may have done it out of consideration for me, but from my perspective, from the perspective of a shareholder who should be receiving a lot of dividends, this money was useless.

“How many nights?”

“I have booked all my appointments.”

“Starting tomorrow, there is a four-star hotel across from Central Park. I can’t remember the name, but please take me there. Just add breakfast.”

That was enough.

When I went to Germany with my mother, I enjoyed staying at a five-star hotel, but when I was alone, I didn’t need such luxury. Just like my sisters pressured me to spend money, I’m also a cost-effective person.

Kim Kang-min looks at me with a slightly surprised expression.

“Oh, yes. There is a nice residence across the street.”

“It’s okay.”

“yes.”

Then he quickly takes my luggage out of the trunk. As expected from a luxury 5-star hotel, the bellboy comes out and tries to help me carry the luggage that Kim Kang-min is carrying.

It’s all money.

“It’s okay. Give it to me.”

You should give a dollar as a tip.

The bellboy looks drowsy.

It will be disappointing for Americans who earn money through tips rather than salaries. But that doesn’t mean they can’t waste money.

Kim Kang-min, who seemed to know what I meant, still carried my luggage with a surprised expression on his face.

Crunch.

When I came up to the room.

“oh my.”

They are playing.

I chose a room with a panoramic view of the park. I think this would cost at least 500,000 won per night. That’s five months’ salary.

My whole life.

This is what my American home looked like.

It was a little higher than this, but anyway. If I showed more dislike to Kim Kang-min, it could be seen as absurd, so I didn’t say anything else.

“There are some things that are provided for free.”

“Yes, I understand.”

I wonder if he has caught my unique traits by now, so he goes out of his way to explain them further.

It’s free.

I took my eyes off the expansive view of Central Park and turned my head to look at the minibar.

From wine to champagne and beer.

And I’m alone in the room.

“Ahem.”

Kim Kang-min sees my gaze and moves quickly.

“Ah! I didn’t take into account that you’re still a minor. I’ll clean it up quickly…”

“Okay.”

“yes?”

“It’s okay. Leave it alone.”

“Uh… yes.”

“Ahem, what’s your schedule like tomorrow?”

It was never a question meant to quickly change the subject. It was simply a way to use time as efficiently as possible.

Yeah, that’s right.

Gulp.

“I understand that you requested a meeting for the purpose of establishing a corporation, as instructed above.”

I nodded.

It was accurate.

“To be exact, please proceed to an investment specialist firm.”

“Yes, I will handle it that way.”

“And the day after tomorrow, I’ll stop by Pfeiffer.”

“yes?”

“I was curious, what is it like in New York?”

“Ah… yes, I understand.”

I heard that they have a fairly large store in New York, so I was curious. How different and how similar it is to what I only saw in news articles.

I’m still seeing the potential of Pfeiffer, like Adios or Nice someday.

A long time after Kim Kang-min left.

I cast my gaze upwards, where there was a blue sky and white clouds.

“What are you doing…”

For what?

Have I ever tried to go there in my life, thinking that there’s something to see in that blue place?

I lowered my head again and looked down. A view of New York, with people smaller than dots moving around and cars smaller than fingernails going somewhere busily.

People running, walking, and maybe eating cheap hot dogs from a food truck somewhere along the Central Park trails.

“There is so much to see.”

Why was it like that back then?

Okay.

Now I have to live looking down, there’s no need to look up, because I already know very well how to get up.

If I look down, I see that there is such a diverse and interesting world out there, a world that makes me laugh and be happy. Even though I didn’t know it then, I do now.

“First, the Plaza Accord.”

People in the world may not know this.

The G5 summit held in September.

The method chosen by the United States to see the current account deficit due to the strength of the dollar.

I am talking about the repercussions of the solution that would lower the value of the dollar by increasing the value of other countries’ foreign currencies.

The current export powerhouses are West Germany and Japan.

In the case of Japan, the economic growth rate was surprisingly fast and it was going up without end. And it is the opinion of experts and American citizens that it is having a serious impact on the American economy.

The United States, which needed to appease public sentiment politically and reduce its economic deficit even a little, could not afford to look favorably upon Germany and Japan.

“It was different from what I expected.”

After the Plaza Accord, Korean experts used to talk about the fall of Japan. As time went by, it became more about wishes and comments aimed at gaining public support rather than facts.

So now is the time to target the US market first, not the Japanese market.

The Japanese market is next.

“Hehehe.”

A sinister smile escapes my lips without me knowing. It’s been a long time since I’ve done anything proper. To be exact, the thought of jumping into the stock market, which is like hunting, makes my mouth water.

Before I knew it, my gaze was drawn to the hotel’s spacious kitchen, near the refrigerator and minibar.

“At least ten times.”

We have to make delicious seeds, there are endless opportunities in the future. In the Korean market, the American guys are crazy about the derivatives market that is like a lynx. If I were to ask them to lead an investment corporation and make it, they would probably ask me what I am talking about.

Knowing the future.

Seeing the future.

Because that’s impossible.

Only I can do it.

Now, let’s enjoy a world where I’m alone.

“Hehehehe-”

For the first time in a long time, I hummed a song and started walking towards the minibar.

A drink while looking down on the world.

Gulp.

My mouth is watering already.