The sky over Jeju’s Moseulpo, which had been battered by snowstorms until just yesterday, was now clear and bright, not a single cloud in sight, and the waves were calm as if in disbelief at the change.
A Bell 430 medium helicopter made broad circles in the air above this scene.
Seok-won, who sat in the cockpit’s rear seat wearing Ray-Ban sunglasses and a headset, gazed through the windscreen at the picturesque blue sea and the pitch-black basalt coastline below.
"The...
Oil prices were falling every day.
The Financial Tower was letting out happy cries day by day.
But little did I expect I would make a similar sound.
“Did you say you even added an automatic translation feature to the video conferencing program?”
“You can’t really just call it a video conferencing program. It’s used in various fields like meetings, gaming, and lectures. That’s why we added the translation feature.”
One of the few people to aston...
The issues of the Saudi royal family were matters for later.
Right now, the imminent oil war was far more important.
Perhaps for that reason, even George, the head of the Quantum Fund, had come to Korea.
“Mr. Kim, you’ve sold all the crude oil futures you held. When should we start short selling?”
“I’ve seen the atmosphere in Saudi firsthand. It looks like they’ll soon implement an oil production increase policy. Just wait a little longer.”
“...
Salman’s anger had greatly subsided.
After all, parents naturally think of their children.
Salman was curious about what plans I had for Muhammad’s future.
“Brotherly succession is a long-standing tradition in Saudi Arabia. That’s why I could become Crown Prince.”
“In the end, isn’t it up to the King?”
“No matter how absolute the King’s power is, the entire royal family won’t allow policies that they oppose.”
The first King of ...
A month passed, and it was mid-June.
I had spent the entire month going over the employee roster.
Being the number one conglomerate, the number of employees was naturally enormous, and just creating a new organizational chart took up all my time.
While I was busy with this, Lee Jooyoung, president of Taewo Telecommunications, came to the vice chairman’s office bringing good news.
“Vice Chairman! The recently released Diablo 2 from Blizzard was a massive hit.”...
The day of the Russian president’s inauguration arrived.
Until then, I had been staying at a resort villa, so this was my first time meeting many people, and in particular, I had the chance to greet someone whose name I had heard countless times.
“I’m Minjae Kim, Vice Chairman of Taewoo Group. It’s an honor to meet you.”
“I’m Roman, Governor of Chukotka. I’ve heard a lot about you from him. I understand you have a very deep connection?”
It was a m...
Putin knew everything.
He already knew that I was the heir to Taewoo Group and the CEO of SAVE Investment Company, and he subtly implied that he knew even more than that.
“This time, I’ve come to Russia representing Taewoo Group.”
“I’ve seen you many times in pictures, but meeting you in person is moving. I’m grateful. Thanks to you, I was able to rise to this position.”
Putin extended his hand for a handshake.
He sincerely appreciated the supp...
I entered the meeting room without knowing the results.
The moment I opened the door, applause erupted.
From the way President Woo Sung-il spread his arms and performed a ceremony, I could guess the outcome.
“We will appoint Director Kim Min-jae as vice chairman. Since 90% of the presidents approved, please accept it humbly.”
My grandfather patted my shoulder as he spoke.
But 90% approval? That was beyond my expectations.
I had thought there would...
“Is this really a cellphone? I’d believe you even if you said it’s a computer!”
Team Leader Han exclaimed in astonishment.
Even after arriving at Apple headquarters, he hadn’t relaxed his expression.
But the moment Steve pulled out the iPhone, Han couldn’t close his mouth.
He kept uttering words of amazement, while I continued my conversation with Steve.
“It’s much smoother than the last time I saw it. From touch responsiveness to screen tran...
In the spacious, elegantly decorated chairman’s office of the Daehung Group, Chairman Park Tae-hong sat at an antique wooden desk, wearing reading glasses as he reviewed a report. As he aged and his eyesight weakened, he often wore magnifying glasses to read documents.
Knock, knock.
Breaking the silence, the sound of a knock came, but Chairman Park Tae-hong didn’t lift his head and simply said,
“Come in.”
The large wooden door opened, and his closest aide, ...
Chairman Woo Yong-gap trembled so violently with shock and a profound sense of betrayal that his face flushed as if it might burst at any moment.
It wasn’t just anyone—it was a trusted family member who’d stabbed him in the back, making the pain and fury surge inside him all the more.
The executives of the Donghae Group, who stood nearby, couldn’t conceal their own bewilderment and began to murmur in confusion.
Especially Chief Secretary Jeon Hae-chul, whose face ...
One day before leaving for Saudi Arabia,
I visited the old Taewoo Group building across from Seoul Station for the first time in a while.
“The construction is still in full swing.”
“It’s a building that hadn’t had a proper remodel for over 35 years, so there’s a lot to fix.”
All subsidiaries of Taewoo Group had moved to the new headquarters, and the old building had entered a major renovation phase.
Since it had been used as office space, many area...
After the EPL charity football event ended,
I used the promotion of Chinese electric vehicles as an excuse to head to China.
David, who had already been busy “greasing the wheels” in China, came out to greet me.
"Did your lubricating efforts go well?"
"Thanks to continual greasing over the past ten years, there’s hardly anything left that needs attention. I’ve arranged a dinner with former Standing Committee member Zheng Hongqin. He told me to expect a good gue...
Starting with Manyoung Machinery, Seok-won personally visited the labor union leaders at Hansan Heavy Industries, cement, and construction companies, and after overhauling the management, he immediately began behind-the-scenes work to acquire Min-guk Life, the next target.
“Since Chairman Shim In-yeol of Haechun Group was arrested on charges of foreign currency evasion, Min-guk Life, which has been designated as a distressed financial institution, is likely to be handled not by self-f...
2025-08-21 12:30:02 +0000 UTC View PostDonghae Group's Headquarters
A sleek black Mercedes-Benz sedan glided smoothly to a stop in front of Donghae Group's towering headquarters.
As soon as the car came to a halt, Han Ji-sung stepped out from the passenger seat and swiftly opened the rear door before stepping aside.
Emerging from the vehicle, Seok-won stretched out his long legs, his presence commanding in a navy-blue tailored suit accented with a pocket square.
For a brief moment, he s...
Summoned urgently, Woo Ho-geun hurriedly stepped out of the elevator with Manager Oh Sang-hyun, making his way toward the chairman's office with brisk strides.
"So, you're saying that during a parliamentary questioning session, a first-term lawmaker from the New Era People's Council raised suspicions about Donghae Mutual Credit Union's illegal loans?"
His face twisted in frustration as he asked, and Oh Sang-hyun, keeping pace beside him, responded immediately.
"They claim...
The outdoor parking lot at the Hangang riverside park, shrouded in deep darkness, was completely empty except for a single old Sonata standing alone.
Lee Cheol-gyun, sitting alone in the driver's seat with the engine off and the window slightly rolled down, was smoking a cigarette when he noticed the bright headlights of a car entering the parking lot.
Under the moonlight, the car soon revealed itself—it was Seok-won's prized BMW 540i.
As the BMW came to a stop a short ...
With the extraordinary general shareholders' meeting confirmed, both sides took a brief pause. As the Mido Department Store stock hovered around 70,000 won per share in a temporary lull, a sudden surge sent the stock skyrocketing, forming a massive bullish candle.
The securities firm's trading floor erupted in excitement.
"Look at that trading volume! I shouldn't have sold… Why does it always go up right after I sell?"
"What the hell is going on?"
"I thought the ...
A few hours later
Woo Ho-geun sat across from Kwon Seung-seop, the president of Donghae Mutual Credit Union, in a private room at a high-end Japanese restaurant in Seoul.
An elaborate spread of fresh sashimi and exquisite dishes filled the table, yet neither of them had touched much of the food.
Having been summoned without explanation, Kwon Seung-seop had listened to Woo Ho-geun's request—and was now staring at him, eyes widened in shock.
"So, y...
Crash!
"Shit! Shit!"
Blinded by rage, Woo Ho-geun swung a golf club wildly, spewing curses as he smashed everything in his private office.
A computer monitor shattered and crashed onto the floor. Expensive vases, decorative pieces, and glass cabinets were reduced to fragments, scattering across the room.
The deafening sounds of destruction seeped through the walls, but the employees outside, well aware of Woo Ho-geun's notorious temper, kept their ...
"You said we could block the sale of Daehung Textiles shares until the emergency general meeting. Then what the hell is this?!"
Chairman Woo Yong-gap's furious roar shook the conference room, making everyone instinctively shrink their shoulders and lower their heads—fearful of catching the fallout.
His flushed face turned sharply toward Jung Chan-won, the company's legal director. His eyes burned with anger as he barked,
"If you have a mouth, at least try to make an exc...
Hong Kong Kai Tak International Airport
Despite being ranked among the top 10 busiest airports in the world, Kai Tak International Airport had only one runway. Surrounded by mountains and high-rise buildings, it was infamous among pilots as one of the most challenging airports to land at.
Landing here was so difficult that even veteran pilots with over five years of experience had to undergo specialized training before they were certifie...
Copper, often referred to as "Dr. Copper" for its ability to reflect real-world economic conditions, was one of the most actively traded commodities in the futures market.
Following its aggressive investments in Southeast Asian junk bonds, Peregrine Securities had also poured substantial capital into copper futures in pursuit of higher returns.
'But their timing couldn't have been worse.'
Unfortunately, the firm's entry into copper futures coincided with the down...
As Seok-won stepped out of the elevator, he walked down the plush-carpeted, elegantly decorated hotel corridor under the guidance of Eric Bernas.
Before long, Eric stopped in front of a meeting room at the end of the hallway.
"This is the place," he said.
Seeing Seok-won give a small nod, Eric lightly knocked on the solid wooden door before opening it.
Upon entering, the first thing that caught Seok-won's eye was the breathtaking view of Victoria Harbour, stretchin...
One Week Later
Daehung Group Headquarters
Chairman's Office
Inside the spacious office, Chairman Park Tae-hong sat alone at his mahogany desk, holding a newspaper with both hands as he read an article on the economy section.
[Bribery Scandal at the Financial Supervisory Service Confirmed]
As the Board of Audit and Inspection continues its investigation, evidence has emerged that former a...
Sunday morning.
Even though it was a holiday, Prosecutor Bae Sang-yoon, the director of the First Investigation Bureau, couldn't afford to rest at home.
After all, a major corruption scandal had erupted just the day before.
With a haggard face from lack of sleep, Bae Sang-yoon had barely set his briefcase down on his desk when he was summoned to the director's office.
As he entered, he found Director Hwang Sang-hyun seated at his desk, his back to ...
[Osung Information & Communications, Evidence of Overlooked Accounting Fraud Emerges—Allegations of Systemic Corruption at the Securities and Exchange Commission]
Fresh off the printing press, the evening edition of Sechang Ilbo still carried the strong scent of ink. Seok-won read the article thoroughly, a deep smile forming on his lips.
It wasn't just Sechang Ilbo. Spread across his desk were various evening newspapers, each featuring a headline expo...
"What the hell is this?!"
Woo Ho-geun shouted as he crumpled the paper containing the details of the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) corruption scandal.
Standing in front of the desk, Manager Oh Sang-hyun spoke with a grave expression.
"Given that all the companies implicated—like Osung Information & Communications—had their IPOs underwritten by Donghae Peregrine Securities, this situation seems anything but ordinary."
Woo Ho-geun narrowed his eyes at h...
Dimon and Team Leader Han arrived in Japan.
With Captain Kang's security detail escorting them, they entered the loan company's office.
Given that the company was funded by Yakuza money, three Japanese swords hung prominently in the center of the office.
The last time Team Leader Han had visited, they had even used one of those swords to intimidate him.
He had been bracing himself for a repeat of that experience.
However, the loan company's president reacted...
After wrapping up my meeting with Chairman Jang Kyung-joon, I headed to Captain Kang's office.
The reason for meeting Chairman Jang was to prepare for the acquisition of Hyundai Semiconductors. An expert in mergers and acquisitions was waiting for me at Captain Kang's office.
"Dimon! It's time to start preparing for the Hyundai Semiconductor acquisition."
"Oh! We're finally acquiring the semiconductor business? I've been waiting for this."
"Not right away, but by e...