Chapter 367 – Part 2. 1993

When Kim So-young opened a door and entered, Seong-jin hugged her from behind without hesitation and buried her face in her neck.

“Hmm… Soyoung. Why did you bring me here? Hehe…”

“Heo Eok.. Seong.. Seongjin. Sleep… Wait a minute. Don’t do this.”

Seong-jin put it into Kim So-young’s ear and spoke her words with a sly smile on her face.
Then Kim So-young twisted her body and began to rebel against her violently.

“Kuheumm… Seongjin-gun. I must have been in a lot of hurry. Come and sit down, not there.”

Seongjin was taken aback by the sudden sound of a man’s voice, so he hurriedly fell to Soyoung Kim and looked at the source of her voice.

“Heo Eok.. Great.. Mr. President. Uh.. Why are you here..”

Where Seongjin looked in surprise, President Kim Hyun-sam and Blue House protocol secretary were sitting on the sofa.
President Kim Hyun-sam was blushing with embarrassment because she was his granddaughter, and protocol secretary was struggling to contain the smile on his face.

When Seong-jin glanced at Kim So-young, Kim So-young’s face turned red, so she couldn’t even meet President Kim Hyun-sam’s eyes and she was restless.
It was as if the relationship between the two had been uncovered without being able to get rid of it.

Seongjin was embarrassed and scratched the back of her head and smiled condescendingly. She nodded to President Kim Hyun-sam and sat down on the sofa.

“Hmm. I have something to say, so I won’t care about the two of you, but I want you to be a little more careful.”

“Yes. Sorry. I will be careful.”

Seongjin bowed her head once more and spoke her words.

Soon after, Kim So-young also came to Seong-jin’s side and sat down a little further away.

“Then why did the President suddenly call me? Seeing that I attended the party today, it seems that I was the only one invited. Do you have something urgent to say?”

“I was going to talk about it when I go back to Korea, but I called it this way because I thought it would be better to give it as a gift anyway. I learned a lot from meeting President Clinton this time. In particular, I thought that the future of the country could change in the future with the project called the information highway. So Seongjin-kun, I was just curious about what you think, so I called him like this.”

Could it be that he called because he was curious about Sungjin’s thoughts?
Anyone can already guess that the future will come to a world that we only saw in movies, and even if it wasn’t for Sung-jin, anyone who was smart enough to ask them would be able to tell you.

If so, it was clear that President Kim Hyun-sam had come up with these words in order to throw something at Seong-jin.

“Yes. In the future, the world of the Internet will open up. A world where you can do anything with a computer will come. And the wireless mobile communication market will spread rapidly. I already use a cell phone, but it’s not just a phone like this, but soon there will be a computer that you can hold in your hand as seen in the movies. Naturally, this project must be led by the state, and the future may change depending on which country develops and leads the technology first.
That is why the semiconductor business led by Jangsung Electronics must be made to be the best in the world at all costs. And if possible, it would be even better if Korea brought the standards of wireless communication networks by increasing the number of wireless communication operators.”

“Hmm.. You already knew about it. Well, it wouldn’t make sense if you didn’t know.”

For some reason, it seemed that President Kim Hyun-sam’s trust in Seong-jin had gone too far.
President Kim Hyun-sam’s eyes were burdensome Sungjin.

“So, when I go back to Korea, I plan to immediately select and announce the 3rd and 4th mobile carriers. Seongjin-gun, would you like to try it?”

“Yes? Are you asking me to start a mobile telecommunications business?”

“That’s right. I’ll give you a hard push I was going to give you a gift the other day, but didn’t you cross the water because of someone’s interruption? So this time I’m going to give you a gift properly. That’s why I called Seongjin-gun to the party like this. What do you think?”

Seongjin was shocked and couldn’t keep his mouth shut.
I hoped, but there was no such shock.

The 2nd mobile telecommunications business drove President Roh Dae-woo, the former administration, to select his in-laws entrepreneur.
Public opinion was boiling over him, so Seonjeong gave up the business, but this year, it took over Korea Telecom, a state agency, and became the second mobile communication operator.
As a result, Korea Telecom again committed an absurd act to create a new Korea Mobile Telecommunications (KTF).

“I… I’m a restaurant owner or operator, and I don’t know anything about mobile communication, so I don’t know if it’s possible.”

“Huh.. I haven’t seen this person that much, so why is there so little distribution? Why would Sunseon and other companies jump into this business knowing from the beginning? I just do it.”

“Haha.. That.. But this isn’t a business that costs a penny or two.. Now that I’m in the school lunch business… Even this… Huh?”

At first, Seong-jin tried to say no, but then he suddenly remembered the pre-return mobile communication, in other words, the PCS business in the late 1990s.

Jinsegi Telecom, also known as 017, was run by two large companies and shared shares, but the management was ruined due to disagreements with each other.

Hyunsol Group’s mobile telecommunications company, called 018, started business during the IMF and endured for a little over a year before eventually being merged with Korea Telecom.

This 018, Hyunsol Group, was a mobile communication company that was spun off from Jangseong, in other words, Jangseong set up to sell its cell phones.
However, due to financial difficulties such as the semiconductor chicken game, the IMF ambush, and excessive advertising spending, the company closed its doors.

It was one of the cases in which the general touched and strategically pushed it and then ended it properly.
Of course, car companies are one of them.

Seongjin suddenly had an interesting idea.
He knew how the mobile communications market would be restructured in the future.

And he also knew about the IMF crisis that would come in the next four years.

Now, it is not an exaggeration to say that the Jangsheng Group only needs to seat Mrs. Hong Ra-gyeong as the chairman, and she himself controls it behind her.
If so, he came up with the idea that he could adjust the timing and proceed with the business in the form of a joint venture with the general.

In addition, Sungjin knew how to dramatically attract cell phone subscribers.
It occurred to him that if he moved quickly, he might be able to outrun the zen.

And what if Jinsegi Telecom is eaten during the IMF?
Seongjin was clapping his hands, and joy burst out from within as much as he would like.

All in all, this was a dip in the money-making business.
In the future, the mobile communication market is destined to grow unconditionally.
This is because it becomes an essential product for people’s lives.

If Sung-jin, who knows a certain future, moves quickly from now on, it seemed that he could bring back the market position that SJ Telecom enjoyed before returning.

Seong-jin, who paused and thought for a while, smiled a lot on his face and bowed to President Kim Hyun-sam.

“Thank you. Mr. President. We will do our best with a spirit of innovation so that we can advance the future of Korea.”

“Heh heh. It seems that the calculations in my head are over. Seongjin-gun, may I hear your plans?”

Seong-jin did not leave out anything, and because it was brief, he only spoke to President Kim Hyeon-sam of the outline he had thought of in his head.
Of course, we haven’t talked about the Jangseong Group yet.

To President Kim Hyun-sam, he drew a lot of colorful blueprints for the future and showed them.

‘Quack. I’m really grateful to the president for this. I’m going to spend my money on a pitchfork. It would be perfect if I prepare next year and start my business at the end of the year or early 1995. So, are you going to go from 2G to 3G? What? 3G? CDMA? Ah~ this Qualcomm..’

While having a conversation with President Kim Hyun-sam about the future of mobile communications and the Internet, Seong-jin suddenly thought of Qualcomm.

Even Sung-Jin doesn’t know exactly what CDMA is.
However, I knew that it was used to cope with the sudden increase in the number of mobile phone users after 1995.

And it was a story that everyone knew that the source technology was in the US company Qualcomm.
It was a place where Jangseong sold mobile phones and gave royalties to the extent that Qualcomm took all the money, and it was a story that often appeared in newspapers.

Sungjin’s heart skipped a beat.
They say that the president is pushing the business forward, but he also found a new investment destination in the United States.

Qualcomm is where the company sees tremendous stock growth in the next few years.
And it was a place that never went bankrupt as long as cell phones were sold.

Seong-jin wanted to run to the investment company he had set up in the US right away.

I ended my conversation with President Kim Hyun-sam in such a good mood.

“Yes, Sungjin. It was a very good time. I will do my best when I go back to Korea. Now, it’s good for Soyoung to take us. Hehe.”

At President Kim Hyun-sam’s smirk, Seong-jin and Kim So-young remembered what had happened earlier and their faces turned red.
Leaving President Kim Hyun-sam’s laughter behind, Seong-jin came out with Kim So-young.

Sungjin and Kim Soyoung came out at once.
It’s definitely because Seattle is north, so it was very cold.

‘Ah~ Sooner or later, ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ will be released. I really enjoyed watching the movie with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan..’

Sungjin remembered a movie called Seattle Honey.

“Soyoung, do you know the actor Meg Ryan?”

“Sure. I really enjoyed watching the movie ‘When Harry Met Sally’. Ah~ Come to think of it, a movie starring Meg Ryan will be released in Korea soon, right?”

“Yes. It’s a movie called Sleepless in Seattle. It should have already been released in the US.. Shall we watch that movie?”

“Really? Wow.. You came up with that idea because this is Seattle?”

“Yes. I think the movie will be fun, and I absolutely love the actor Meg Ryan. From my point of view, he is like the best actor in a romance movie.”

‘Of course, I don’t like it anymore because of comments that demean Korea, but…’

Although he couldn’t say anything about something that hadn’t even happened yet, Seong-jin remembered that Meg Ryan would face a tremendous aftermath in 1997 for making disparaging remarks about Korea.

In the mid-1990s, Seong-jin also fell in love with Meg Ryan, a very fresh and beautiful actress, and I remember looking for and watching all the movies in which the female lead appeared.
Then I remembered that I had lost interest when the incident of derogatory remarks about Korea broke out.

So the two of them got in the car and went to see if there were any movie theaters still showing “Sleepless in Seattle.”

Fortunately, I found a place screening at a theater downtown, but it was late at night and the theater door was already closed.

The two gave up their regrets and decided to just walk the streets.
It was cold, but the fresh air made me feel very refreshed.

After a while, Kim So-young shrugged her shoulders and rubbed her hand, perhaps because it was cold.
Seongjin quietly hugged Kim Soyoung’s shoulders.

As her white breath escaped from her mouth, Kim So-young smiled broadly as she looked at Sung-jin.

As I was walking down the dark streets of Seattle where only a few neon signs were lit, something melancholy was created.

“Soyoung, are you cold? We go to any bar. Let’s have a beer and enjoy our last night in Seattle, right?”

“Maybe? I also came to the US and just worked, so I really like what I’m doing now. Ho Ho..”

Seong-jin started looking for a nearby bar with Kim So-young.

Then, just as I was turning around a street corner, two men with knives jumped out and pointed their knives at them, threatening them with their wallets.

Seong-jin quickly turned Kim So-yeong behind her and she looked at the two of them, then she quickly kicked the man in front of him on the wrist.
The man let go of his knife with a groan, grabbed his wrist, and stepped back.

Then, the man next to her jumped at Seongjin like a deukdal and stabbed her with a knife.
Seeing that, Kim So-yeong screamed ‘Kyaaak’ at her, and Seong-jin laughed at her, turned her body slightly to her side, dodged her sword, and counter-straightened her with her fist. Blown away.

There was a sound of something breaking and the man flew backwards just as he had been running.
Seeing that, the man who was hit on the wrist first said “Uhh” And then ran away in a hurry behind him in surprise.

In the early 1990s, there weren’t many Asians, especially Koreans, outside of LA, so it was a time when Americans were amazed that kicking or something like that would be called Taekwon Boy or Kung Fu Boy.

Suddenly, the sound of someone running quickly came from behind Sungjin.
It seemed that her footsteps were not one or two, so Seong-jin stepped in front of Kim So-young again, holding her stance and straining.

If Seong-jin was alone, she could somehow fight or run away, but since she was with Kim So-yeong, she was afraid that she would get hurt, so she had no choice but to be nervous.

“Ah… Miss. Are you okay?”

Fortunately, the people who ran were the bodyguards who were protecting her Kim So-young from a distance.
Seongjin let out a sigh of relief and looked back at Kim Soyoung.