Golden Print [EN]: Chapter 18

Building big things like office buildings or apartment complexes is a huge business. Companies fight hard to win these jobs. A ‘bidding war’ is like a contest where these companies try to convince the people in charge to choose them for the job.

For a project the size of an office building in Suseo, bidding wars weren’t that common.

However, for building entire apartment complexes, a bidding war was almost always guaranteed.

For large complexes with over a thousand apartments, the project could cost trillions of won (a huge amount of money), making it a great source of income for construction companies.

So, how does the competition work?

Who do they need to impress to win?

The answer was simple: the owners of the land where the building would be constructed, the original residents who lived there before the development.

The construction company that won their hearts won the bidding war.

As seen in Woo-jin and Kyung-wan’s conversation, Cheonwoong Construction won against KC Construction for the Ahyeon 3-2 district in Ahyeon-dong.

KC Construction was a much bigger company than Cheonwoong, so this was a big win.

Woo-jin wanted to get the job of making models of buildings for the model house at this site.

‘Ahyeon 3-2 is a complex with over fifteen hundred apartments… I can definitely make at least ten million won, even after expenses.’

The money involved in redeveloping apartment complexes was so much that the model house job wasn’t a big deal.

That meant the contract could be easily signed. That’s why Woo-jin went to Park Kyung-wan.

He thought that Park Kyung-wan, as a department head, would have the authority to approve it.

Kyung-wan leaned back slightly, looking at Woo-jin. “So, you’re saying you want to build the model for the apartment building?”

Woo-jin nodded, smiling. “Yes, Department Head. That’s right.”

Kyung-wan chuckled softly. “Wow,” he said, shaking his head a little. “I really didn’t see this coming.”

Park Kyung-wan was surprised again and again by Woo-jin. It seemed like every time he thought he understood Woo-jin, there was something new and unexpected.

‘The company will probably start talking about choosing a model company within the next week or two. The timing is perfect…’

The construction company that wins the bidding war starts getting ready to open the model house.

If they won the hearts of the original residents, now they had to make the apartments appealing to buyers.

Just like Woo-jin signed a sales contract at the model house in Munjeong-dong, people who wanted to buy an apartment had to visit the model house first.

They would usually look at the model of the house and the outside of the building to decide whether to apply for a housing subscription.

So, the model to be built in the model house was very important.

That’s why Park Kyung-wan couldn’t easily decide, even though the contract wasn’t that big.

“Are you confident you can do well? No, you wouldn’t have brought it up if you weren’t confident.”

“Of course.”

Kyung-wan had come to trust Woo-jin quite a bit during the week they worked together.

But that was only for carpentry work, and the model was different.

“This is different from a labor contract, you know that, right?”

“I know it’s much more important than hiring a single carpenter.”

“What about examples of your work? Actually, before that… do you have official permission to run a business?”

Kyung-wan put down his chopsticks, looking serious.

His attitude changed as soon as they started talking about work.

He wasn’t going to give Woo-jin special treatment just because he liked him. He was going to judge him like any other company.

That alone was a good thing for Woo-jin, who was just a college student.

“I don’t have examples of my work yet… but I do have official permission to run a business.”

“Shouldn’t you have examples of your work too?”

“Well, should I?”

Kyung-wan looked at Woo-jin, who was smiling, with a surprised expression.

“You’re still shameless!”

It wasn’t normal to ask for work from a big company without any examples to show.

But Woo-jin wasn’t just asking for a favor. Park Kyung-wan wasn’t the type to listen to that.

Park Kyung-wan was very strict when it came to work.

Woo-jin watched Kyung-wan’s expression for a moment and then spoke again.

“Let’s see… the 3-2 district has already been approved, right?”

“The approval was last month. Why?”

“Then the sales will probably start around the summer…”

“…?”

“The model house will open in June or July.”

“Unless something changes?”

Park Kyung-wan’s eyes lit up as he looked at Woo-jin, who was suddenly talking about the redevelopment schedule.

It wasn’t normal for a twenty-two-year-old to know the redevelopment process, but he was more curious about what Woo-jin would say to convince him.

Woo-jin made a reasonable proposal to Park Kyung-wan.

“Give me a week.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’m saying, give me a week to buy time before choosing a model company.”

Park Kyung-wan nodded. He wasn’t going to finish choosing a company within a week anyway.

“Then?”

“If you give me a blueprint and a week, I’ll make a sample model and bring it to you.”

“A sample… model?”

“I’ll make a sample of one building in the complex and bring it as an example of my work.”

“Hmm…?”

New companies usually don’t have a history of past work to show because they are just starting out.

So, Woo-jin’s proposal was reasonable.

“If you don’t like the sample, I’ll leave without saying a word.”

“What about the cost of the sample?”

“Of course, I won’t take any money.”

“Oho.”

Park Kyung-wan was starting to like Woo-jin’s ambitious proposal.

Woo-jin’s confidence reminded him of the day they first met.

“That’s an interesting proposal.”

“So, do you accept it?”

Park Kyung-wan smiled. “It’s a proposal where I have nothing to lose.”

“You’re right, Department Head. Absolutely.”

Woo-jin clenched his left fist, which he had placed on his knee, happy that Kyung-wan agreed.

But Kyung-wan wasn’t finished.

“But don’t get me wrong.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m going to judge you as fairly as possible.”

“…?”

“I’m saying I’m ready to tear apart the sample you bring without any mercy.”

Woo-jin nodded, looking at Kyung-wan, who was speaking strongly.

He understood why he was saying that.

‘He wants me to bring a really good sample.’

But Woo-jin wasn’t worried. If he had the chance to show his skills, he was confident he could win the model job.

“Of course. Then, I’ll see you again next week.”

“Is next Wednesday okay?”

“That’s enough.”

“Good. Let’s meet at the cafe on the second floor of the headquarters around 5 PM on Wednesday.”

Kyung-wan finished speaking and picked up his chopsticks again.

The work talk was over.

Any more conversation would be better after seeing the sample that Woo-jin brought.

Woo-jin, who had achieved his goal, also put the sushi back in his mouth, looking satisfied.

“By the way, this place is really delicious.”

“Isn’t it?”

“Can’t you buy me this next week too?”

“That depends on the sample you bring.”

“No, you have to keep work separate, Department Head.”

“Why, are you losing confidence?”

“No. If the restaurant depends on the quality of the sample, we’ll have to eat Korean beef that day.”

“You’re good at talking big!”

After that, Woo-jin and Kyung-wan had an enjoyable conversation.

On the way home after leaving Kyung-wan, Woo-jin made a phone call.

“Hey, Seok-gu. Is class over?”

He called his business partner and childhood friend, Seok-hyun, who was key to this first project.

Woo-jin’s childhood memories were always of being poor.

He always felt poor, even though he had food and a place to sleep. Poverty is relative.

Woo-jin never asked his mother to buy him the toys that other kids had.

He was careful about buying even a single snack.

But that was only in Woo-jin’s memories.

His family was quite wealthy before he could remember.

That was until Woo-jin’s father, Seo Chan-young, lost all his money.

[Mr. President, did you know that the government recently announced a large-scale development plan for Hanam Misa?]

[This is practically unclaimed land. The market price will increase a lot once you start building.]

Seo Chan-young was a kind and good person, but he was also foolish and innocent.

He believed the real estate agent that a friend introduced him to.

He quickly got into debt.

He bought forest land that was restricted by green belts for ten times the market price, even taking out loans.

Seo Chan-young died young, probably because of the stress from the debt.

[Honey… I’m sorry…!]

[If you’re sorry, get a grip! We can’t give up!]

[Hoo… It’s too late… now…]

[Sob, sob…!]

The good thing was that Seo Chan-young was responsible.

He tried to repay as much of the debt as possible, and he paid off almost half of the 500 million won debt.

But Lee Joo-hee and Woo-jin still had a debt of over 200 million won.

In the 1990s, 200 million was a huge amount for a mother and son.

The average monthly salary was less than one million won.

A bowl of sujebi (hand-pulled dough noodle soup) cost just over 2,000 won.

This was why Woo-jin was poor until he went to college, even though the sujebi restaurant run by Lee Joo-hee was successful for over ten years.

‘But there’s not much left now. If I pay off a little more… this debt will finally be over.’

Joo-hee opened the sujebi restaurant early in the morning and started working, as always.

She was happy these days because of her son.

She was proud that her son, whom she had raised with difficulty, was going to a good university.

“Oh, Mrs. President. I heard Woo-jin is going to K University?”

“Wow, you must be proud of raising your son so well.”

“My daughter is taking the college entrance exam next year… I hope she gets into college like Woo-jin.”

She felt happy and relieved when she heard compliments from regular customers who had children and were interested in college.

‘Okay. Let’s work a little harder. I have to pay off Woo-jin’s student loan no matter what.’

Joo-hee smiled as she made the sujebi.

She was happy these days.