A few days later.
Standing in front of the mirror in his dressing room, Seok-won was wearing a dress shirt and tying his necktie.
As always, the tie in his hand was a silk one adorned with the Gucci logo—its smooth texture and sophisticated design matched Seok-won perfectly.
J...
2025-09-06 18:08:59 +0000 UTC View PostChairman Park Tae-hong furrowed his brow, clearly taken aback, and asked again for confirmation.
“You’re saying the Nonhyeon branch of Nasan Department Store needs to be demolished?”
Seok-won met his father’s gaze directly and nodded.
“Yes.”
Park Jin-hy...
January 23, 1998 — The Plaza Hotel, New York.
Seated on the penthouse sofa with one leg crossed, Seok-won, dressed in a cashmere coat, was waiting for the helicopter that would take him to the airport. He was scheduled to return to Korea today.
Just then, he fel...
While a sudden cold snap had frozen all of New York solid, the penthouse suite of the Plaza Hotel radiated a gentle warmth.
Dressed in comfortable loungewear, Seok-won stood by the large living room window, slowly tilting a mug filled with rich, aromatic coffee.
He gazed out over ...
The next day.
Seok-won was seated with Landon at an outdoor table of the Del Coronado Hotel’s restaurant.
The sky was perfectly clear and blue without a single cloud, and the refreshing breeze blowing in from the wide beach just ahead gently brushed through their hair.
T...
Del Coronado Hotel, San Diego, USA.
The golden afternoon sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, brightly illuminating the spacious penthouse living room.
Dressed in a linen casual suit accented with a hanger chief point, Seok-won sat at a long mahog...
January 16, 1998.
Seok-won sat by the window seat aboard a Gulfstream IV private jet, talking on the phone with Porter, the head of Eldorado Fund’s Japan branch.
“We’ve finalized the contract to acquire all the bonds in the bulk sale for ¥114.82 billion.
Publicly, it wi...
January 15, 1998
– Head Office of the Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan, Chuo Ward, Tokyo.
Around a long conference table, John Porter and the staff of Eldorado Fund’s Japan branch sat across from officials of the Long-Term Credit Bank.
W...
The very next day, just as he had expected, Deputy Prime Minister Choi Jin-woo contacted Seok-won to say the government had accepted his proposal.
It was only natural. No matter how they looked at it, the offer was all benefit with no downside for the government.
After formally si...
“You said you got hold of the minutes from the creditors’ meeting in New York, right?”
Deputy Prime Minister of Economy Choi Jin-woo, dressed in a white shirt and red tie, asked Vice Minister Shin Seung-gi, who was seated on the sofa to his right.
“Yes. The consensus appea...
Seok-won turned off the shower and stepped out of the glass stall, now filled with steam.
He roughly shook the water out of his damp hair and stood in front of the mirror, revealing his firm chest and clearly defined six-pack abs.
After briefly checking his face in the mirror, he ...
Bright sunlight poured in through the large glass window on one side, illuminating the spacious CEO’s/President office.
Sitting at an L-shaped desk, Seok-won stared intently at several monitors displaying a variety of charts, carefully analyzing the movements of global financial markets...
December 24, 1997
"Market’s closed!"
At Noh Hee-won’s shout, Jung Hwan-yeop stretched both arms high into the air with a loud
yawn.
“Ahhh… Another day wrapped up.”
At that moment, Choi Ho-geun, sporting a red silk tie and holding a cof...
“Did you say broadband?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Under the curious gaze of President Kim Jae-choon and Secretary General Woo Chun-il, he responded with utmost seriousness.
“First, second, and third—it's all about broadband. For Korea to overcome the foreign excha...
Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province.
After making a left turn at the intersection and driving a little further, a luxurious neighborhood of single-family homes appeared, nestled along the base of Jeobal Mountain.
Among the rows of modern upscale houses, one s...
“Did you say Modunet?”
Choi Ho-geun blinked and asked, and Seok-won nodded.
“That’s right.”
“Modunet is a high-speed internet service provider, isn’t it?”
“You know it well.”
“Our office internet is provided by Modunet.”
“I didn...
“Take care.”
With his wife seeing him off at the door, Oh Chang-il, a department manager in his 8th year at Hanseong Bank, stepped outside.
After walking for about ten minutes along a sloping road lined with various multi-family homes, he arrived at the subway station.
Th...
The president’s office was bathed in bright sunlight pouring through large, full-length windows.
Inside, an L-shaped desk was set up with multiple monitors.
Seok-won, dressed in a deep burgundy silk tie, sat behind the desk reviewing some approval documents.
At that moment,...
“Did you just say Korea Express?”
Chairman Park Tae-hong narrowed his brows and asked again, to which Seok-won responded
immediately.
“Yes.”
Korea Express, one of the core subsidiaries of the Apate Group, was a top-tier logistics company in Korea, competing for fir...
As befitting Daeseol —the day that usually sees the heaviest snowfall of the year—the entire
world had turned white from the snow that had begun falling the night before.
It was the day of the month when the entire family gathered for a meal, so Seok-won arrived
early in the morn...
Three young men sat around the office conference table, their faces grim. Scattered across the table were messy stacks of paperwork and a mug filled with cold coffee.
“Future Computer went bankrupt yesterday.”
The heavy voice of Seo Hoon-taek, CEO of Seum Technologies, echoed th...
[First Tranche of $2 Billion ADB Support Confirmed for Tomorrow]
[World Bank President Promises Rapid Financial Aid with IMF by Weekend]
[Government Expands Foreign Investment Cap in KOSDAQ to 25% — ADB Support Condition Fulfilled]
[A Total of $8.5 Billion in Foreig...
Government Complex No. 1, Gwanghwamun, Seoul
“The exchange rate that had surged to 2,067 won per dollar is now plummeting!”
Jung Ji-hoon, Director of Financial Policy, burst through the door as if he might break it and
shouted loudly.
At that, Deputy M...
Daehung Venture Capital HQ, Gangnam, Seoul.
[USD/KRW: 1,730.10 (177.42)]
Sitting at his desk in the CEO’s office, Seok-won watched the exchange rate crash—plummeting as if the morning’s surge past 2,000 KRW per dollar had been a lie—and let a deep smile form...
After ending his call with Seok-won, Landon slipped his phone back into his pocket and lifted his head to gaze at the large market board mounted in front of him.
[USD/KRW: 2,067.01 (+160.33)]
When he lowered his eyes again, he saw more than thirty traders scattered across the wide tra...
2025-09-06 17:52:09 +0000 UTC View Post[Financial Institutions to Buy All Non-Performing Loans by January Next Year]
[Shinsegi Investment to Be Suspended Starting Tomorrow]
[Government Guarantees Up to $20 Billion in Bank Foreign Loans]
[Corporate Liquidity C...
2025-09-06 17:52:07 +0000 UTC View PostKim Jae-jun, the President of the New Era National Council, returned to Seoul after completing a ten-day campaign trail that started in Gyeongsang Province and passed through Jeolla, Chungcheong, and Gyeonggi Provinces.
Looking visibly exhausted, he was handed a document by Secretary-Genera...
2025-09-06 17:52:05 +0000 UTC View PostContrary to the initial tension, the two bank presidents left with smiles on their faces.
As they exited, Go Young-il, the president of Daheung Securities, turned to Seok-won, who remained seated comfortably, and said,
“If those two are on board, the merger should go much more smoot...
2025-09-06 17:52:03 +0000 UTC View PostA black Mercedes luxury sedan was cruising along the Gangbyeonbuk-ro expressway that stretched beside the Han River, heading in the direction of Gwangnaru.
Since it was a weekday, the road wasn’t too congested. Seok-won leaned back comfortably in the plush rear seat, gazing out the window...
2025-09-06 17:52:01 +0000 UTC View PostNovember 11, 1997.
[KDB’s $2 Billion Bond Issuance Indefinitely Postponed]
The bad news that came from across the Pacific over the weekend sent shockwaves through
Korea’s already fragile stock and currency markets.
At the Korea Exchange Bank’s tradin...
2025-09-06 17:51:59 +0000 UTC View Post