July 8, 1997.
The office of Daehung Venture Capital's Fund Management Department had decided to wait and observe the market until buying pressure resumed. It was calm, but a slight tension hung in the air.
Everyone was sitting at their desks, resting, but keeping a sharp eye on their monitors, ready to start trading at any moment.
Even Jung Hwan-yeop, the usually talkative, was silent, holding a small handgrip exerciser in one hand, alternating between sq...
A female staff member in a neatly arranged hanbok began setting the dishes down on the table.
The meal consisted of rich and nourishing dishes like king crab porridge with perilla seeds and mushrooms, nine delicacies platter (gujeolpan), sea cucumber and shrimp in vinegar sauce, and even wild ginseng—perfect for restoring strength and boosting vitality.
Once the staff member left, Seok-won took a spoonful of the creamy porridge and looked across the table at Minister Choi Jin-...
The Asset Management Division office at Daheung Investments was buzzing with activity from early morning.
Beep! Beep!
“Sell 200 contracts at 5,500!”
“What? I can’t hear you—say that again!”
Team members clutched their receivers, raising their voices, but trades weren't going through as easily as they'd hoped.
With his shirt sleeves rolled up, Choi Ho-geun popped a lozenge into his mouth and bit down as he glanced at the monitor i...
As usual, Seok-won arrived at the office in the morning, handed over his linen jacket, and said,
“Could you get me an iced Americano, please?”
“Of course. The usual—extra strong, right?”
“You know my taste well.”
When Seok-won replied with a light chuckle, Na Seong-mi gave a small bow with a smile.
“Right away.”
With that, she neatly hung his jacket in the wardrobe and then stepped out.
Meanwhile, Seok-won sat down and looked ...
June 24, 1997.
Summer had arrived early, and for days, a scorching heatwave had pushed temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius.
Although the temperature dipped slightly at night, the heat that had accumulated in the city’s asphalt roads and concrete building walls during the day radiated back out, leaving many people tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
Seok-won was also awake past midnight—but not because of the sweltering weather.
As he poured...
Seok-won sat at the spacious desk, watching as a female secretary cleared away the teacups from the sofa table and left the room. He finally spoke.
“Are you certain about this?”
Since the story came out of the Blue House, the chances are high that it’s true.
The government, believing that the reckless, overlapping investments of large conglomerates were the main cause of the nightmarish foreign exchange crisis, had from the very beginning of its administration set t...
Chanos’s reputation was no lie.
In just two weeks, he had driven hedge funds to the brink of bankruptcy.
Even veteran executives who had spent their entire lives in finance were shocked at the sheer brutality and recklessness with which Chanos devoured the hedge funds.
“These days on Wall Street, people are saying Chanos has gone insane. Some have even started calling him the Grim Reaper of Wall Street.”
“Two weeks ago, they were calling him a traitor. Now ...
The day after meeting with Congressman Choi Jae-seok,
I had tea with Vice Chairman Park Man-deok for the first time in a while.
As the executive overseeing the entire financial division, Park was someone who always arrived earlier than anyone else and left later than everyone. Perhaps because of this, his health had noticeably declined over the past few years.
“I should have visited you more often and had more conversations with you. I feel sorry for neglecting that.”...
Exactly one week.
That was how long it took David and President Han to prepare for the voluntary delisting.
It was only possible thanks to the approval—and tacit consent—of the U.S. government and the SEC.
“Chairman, starting today, the delisting and tender offer will be officially announced.”
“While President Han is away, please make sure you personally oversee Taewoo Securities’ affairs as well. It’ll only be for a few days, and then President Han will ...
2025-08-29 12:36:01 +0000 UTC View PostA heavy silence lingered in the office.
Warren Buffett took a refreshing gulp of the remaining cola before continuing.
“So, you’re planning on waging quite the war against the short-sellers.”
“Calling it a war is a bit excessive. Think of it more as a small skirmish. Still, it will be a very entertaining one—the kind you rarely see in the stock market.”
“Hmm. I’m not particularly interested in you fighting the short-sellers. What matters to me is the oi...
2025-08-29 12:35:01 +0000 UTC View PostWearing a gray coat and carrying a briefcase in one hand, Choi Ho-geun walked into the office.
“Good morning, everyone!”
Maybe it was because he had just bought a new car with his generous year-end bonus, but his voice was especially cheerful.
“Good morning, sir.”
The team members, already at their desks, greeted him with smiles. Just then, Manager Jung Hwan-yeop came out of the break room holding a cup of coffee, his silk tie neatly knotted.
“Oh? Sir, ...
2025-08-29 12:30:04 +0000 UTC View PostI watched the National Economic Party’s event from the vice chairman’s office.
It was a talk-show style event with Representative Choi Jaeseok and affiliated politicians.
Since a perfect script was prepared in advance, the conversation flowed naturally and professionally.
“The event is going quite well.”
“A few politicians who are weak in English memorized their English scripts for several days just for today’s event.”
“Election campaigns are...
The conversation between Chun Min-jeong and Lisa continued for quite some time.
What had started at Taewoo IT didn’t stop, and in the end, they even went into the hotel together.
A day passed just like that.
At the beginning of work hours, both of them showed up at the Vice Chairman’s office.
They looked a little haggard, as if they had talked all night, but Lisa’s face was beaming.
“Good morning.”
“It really is a good morning. It feels es...
The Lithium Triangle.
More than half of the world’s lithium reserves were concentrated here: Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile.
Yet, at this time, global interest in the Lithium Triangle was still limited.
This was mainly because extracting lithium from salt flats like the Uyuni Salt Desert was inefficient due to high impurity levels.
But the moment the smartphone and electric vehicle era arrived, lithium demand skyrocketed exponentially, making even...
After finishing my business in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, I returned to Korea.
I’d been overseas for more than two weeks, meeting countless people. And during that time, a lot had erupted back home.
“Vice Chairman! We have an unprecedented situation. A motion to impeach the sitting president has been introduced! It’s already been reported to the plenary session, and although the Judiciary Committee hasn’t approved it, the authority has been passed on to the National Asse...
Now it was my turn.
Team Leader Han and David had already taken turns delivering a mountain of reports.
Finally, the moment had come for me to speak.
“As you all know, the president’s seat at Taewoo Electronics is currently vacant. I’m planning to bring in someone new to fill it.”
“Did President Woo Sung-il get fired? Wasn’t he one of the key people who helped you rise to Vice Chairman?”
“He wasn’t fired. I gave him a chance to move up to s...
A sensational incident that would go down in Super Bowl history.
During the halftime show, Justin ripped off Janet Jackson’s top.
In 2004, the shocking moment of Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction was broadcast live across the nation.
The incident sparked a storm of rumors and speculation.
It was widely believed that while the tearing of the top had been pre-agreed upon during the planning stages, Janet Jackson had deliberately worn nothing underneath in an attem...
2025-08-29 08:36:38 +0000 UTC View PostIT powerhouse.
A phrase often used to describe South Korea.
But South Korea was a country full of regulations and restrictions, making it extremely difficult for fledgling IT companies to survive.
Fantasy TV was no exception.
At launch, it held a market share far exceeding YouTube.
Yet, due to exorbitant network fees and discriminatory policies against domestic companies, it struggled in the red and eventually lost users as its market share ...
There was one fact I had briefly overlooked.
Before the sharper hedge funds could fly to Korea, another group came looking for me first.
Not all of the short sellers were based in the United States; two hedge funds that had offices in Korea’s Financial Hub Tower had also joined the short-selling campaign.
“Chairman, the representatives of Rail Hedge Fund and Mark Hedge Fund are here to see you.”
“They’re the ones who joined the short-selling, correct?”<...
At the heart of the short-selling forces was the Chanos Company.
As usual, several hedge fund representatives had gathered in the office, staring at the stock charts while holding a meeting.
“We dumped all our shares, yet the price isn’t moving. Are you telling me Taewoo Group absorbed nearly five billion dollars’ worth of stock on their own?”
“They might be able to take it for now, but time is on our side. Don’t be too anxious. And if you sti...
After finishing his discussion with Minister of Defense Ahn Yong-guk, Seok-won stepped outside with his party. A black Mercedes-Benz sedan that had been waiting nearby pulled up and came to a stop.
Settling back against the plush leather seat in the rear, Seok-won let himself relax as Ju Geun-seong, behind the wheel, smoothly guided the car forward.
By the time they exited the Ministry compound and merged onto a main road, Choi Tae-ho, president of Blue Space, who was seated bes...
Monday morning, June 16, 1997.
President Park Jin-hyung of Daeheung Textile had just arrived at the office and was sitting at his desk as usual when his close aide, Chief Secretary Oh In-hwan, knocked and hurried in.
“Sir, Taehwa Shopping has just issued an announcement that they’ve filed for court receivership.”
At the unexpected news, President Park frowned and straightened his back.
“Is that true?”
“Yes. They made the disclosu...
Westchester County, New York.
As he sat at the breakfast table, picking at his bacon, scrambled eggs, and hash browns, George Soros’s brow furrowed as he read the Wall Street Journal. An interview with Syed, the Malaysian Prime Minister, caught his eye:
… To counter the predatory acts of George Soros and the Jewish hedge funds, we may restrict all foreign exchange transactions within Malaysia, except those directly tied to trade settlements.
2025-08-27 16:51:09 +0000 UTC
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Outskirts of Los Angeles, USA.
Under the blazing sun typical of the dry desert climate, a red, old-model Chevrolet Camaro cruised down a quiet road in the middle of the day.
Edmund Cho, dressed in a white T-shirt with a piercing in one eyebrow, pressed his hand to his nose and inhaled a line of cocaine.
The drug hit instantly, sharpening every nerve in his body.
Rubbing his nose with his other hand, Edmund turned his head toward the Hispanic man at...
Sa-seong (Samsung) Electronics Headquarters, Taepyeong-ro, Seoul.
An Byeong-seok, president of Digital Wave, and Deputy General Manager Yoon Nam-ho entered the spacious lobby, lined with artificial marble.
Although they had visited several times before, the sheer presence of the conglomerate, which was vying with Hyunwoo (Hyundai) Group for the top spot in the business world, made them feel somewhat overwhelmed and intimidated just by stepping into the lobby.
"Hey, President Park."
Accompanied by a lady in a beautifully arranged hanbok, Executive Director Woo Chun-il entered the private room of the Ojinam restaurant. With a smile on his face, he greeted Seok-won, who had been waiting.
Seok-won rose from his seat and slightly bowed his head. As he did, Woo Chun-il extended his hand towards him.
"It’s been such a long time since we last met."
"I should have visited more often, I’m sorry."
Grasping Seok-won’s ...
Quantum Fund Headquarters, 7th Avenue, Manhattan, New York.
In a spacious office overlooking the towering skyscrapers of Wall Street, George Soros and Rodney, the CIO, sat across from each other on a sofa.
“…The Southeast Asian currency crisis has been manipulated by a few wealthy elites and the Western media who do not wish to see Southeast Asia prosper. The key forces behind this crisis are hedge funds led by Quantum Fund, whose wealth has been built by im...
The next day.
In the large conference hall of the Japan Securities Dealers Association in Tokyo, a crowd of reporters had gathered.
Today’s press conference was set to address the major issue that had recently erupted — the massive losses from option contracts.
When President Yamakawa entered through the side door, accompanied by the presidents of Nikko, Daiwa, and Yamaichi Securities, flashes from cameras went off relentlessly.
With a faint look of discomfort,...
Once the conversation ended, Seok-won stood up first and left the study.
President Park Jin-hyung watched the door close, then turned to Chairman Park Tae-hong—who was already lighting his third cigarette—and spoke with a face full of concern.
“Are you really planning to entrust the reserved funds you converted into dollars to Seok-won?”
While Park Jin-hyung looked serious, Chairman Park leaned back comfortably on the soft sofa, unfazed.
“Worried I might ...
A few days later.
It was the day of the month when the entire family gathered at the main house, so Seok-won made his way to the mansion in Hannam-dong.
At the wide dining table, Chairman Park Tae-hong sat at the head seat. On either side were his eldest son, President Park Jin-hyung and his wife, Madam Jo, and Seok-won himself. Together, they enjoyed a generous meal, engaging in pleasant conversation.
Wearing a light gray vest, Chairman Park spooned up some soup and said...