Golden Print [EN]: Chapter 308

Woojin gave an interview about his new project, **SGBC – the Samsung Global Business Center**. This interview became a hot topic, especially in the design world.

Woojin knew the future, so for him, SGBC was a sure thing. He was confident it would succeed.

But people who didn’t know him well saw it differently. They thought Woojin was taking a big risk with his company just to follow his passion for architecture and design. Some even thought it was about his ego.

People had different opinions.

Some admired Woojin. They praised his strong belief in good design and his courage.

Others thought he was being irresponsible. They saw him as a CEO who was risking his whole company for his personal ideas.

But most people had a positive view. Looking at everything Woojin had already achieved, it was hard to say he was being irresponsible. He had a history of success.

Online, where the interview was shared, people argued about it.

└ Wow, 240 billion in company value? That’s huge! WJ Studio is a real giant now.

└ I think it’s too much.

└ What’s too much?

└ A company that was much smaller last year is now using so much money? They might fail because the CEO is too greedy.

└ Has anything Seo Woojin done ever seemed normal? He’s always surprising.

└ True. He started a company in his first year of college. This is nothing new for him.

└ Does that guy even understand business? WJ Studio is still worth more than people think.

└ Why?

└ Look at their profits compared to other companies. They make more money than even the biggest construction companies.

└ Should I buy their stock now?

└ Buy what? Stock?

└ Yeah.

└ I buy some every time I get paid.

└ If SGBC is a success, their stock will skyrocket!

└ I’m buying now!

└ I sold all mine yesterday. It’s as high as it will go.

└ We’ll see who’s right next year.

Woojin ignored all the online chatter. He didn’t care about the opinions.

From the moment he signed the contract for SGBC, design and architecture were the only things on his mind. He was completely focused.

Even though Woojin was already known as the best architect in the country, he knew chances to work on a project this huge were rare. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

So, Woojin promised himself, again and again, that he would create the best design he possibly could. He would push himself to his limits.

Woojin gathered his design team. The room buzzed with energy. He stood before them, his eyes shining with excitement.

“SGBC will be in Samsung-dong,” Woojin began, his voice clear and strong. “This is a place where global companies from all over the world come together. It’s a center of innovation and collaboration.”

“Samsung-dong is growing fast. It’s becoming a major global hub, right here in Gangnam. Our design, WJ Studio’s design, will be the highlight of this place. The most important building.”

He paused, looking at each team member. “We cannot make mistakes. No compromises. From today,” he declared, “we are designing the most beautiful, most amazing skyscraper in the world!”

More than half of WJ Studio’s design team was now working only on SGBC. Everyone was as driven and passionate as Woojin himself. They had never seen him so enthusiastic about a project. They were all ambitious and ready to create something incredible.

“Maybe we should avoid pointy designs, like the Burj Khalifa in Dubai?” one designer suggested.

“What about a roof-like shape, like the Taipei 101 building?” another asked.

“We’d need to make a model,” someone else said, “it could look cheap if we’re not careful.”

“A symmetrical design could be interesting, like the Petronas Towers in Malaysia,” another voice chimed in.

Because this was WJ Studio’s first skyscraper, Woojin hired top architectural engineers from around the world.

He brought in experts from the US and Germany, known for their skyscraper technology. He spent a lot of money to get the best people.

“I’m thinking of a more geometric shape,” Woojin said, considering different ideas.

“It’s a skyscraper over 500 meters tall,” an engineer pointed out. “Even a small change in the shape can cause big problems with the structure.”

“It’s hard to make a unique design when we have to be so careful with the shape,” another engineer added.

“The outside look is important,” Woojin agreed, “but we also need to think about what goes *inside* the building.”

“What do you mean by ‘inside’?” someone asked.

“Of course, a complex, geometric shape gives us more design options,” Woojin explained. “But good architecture is about finding beauty even when we have limits. It’s about creating something beautiful within the rules.”

“You’re right, CEO Seo,” Team Leader Lee agreed.

“Team Leader Lee,” Woojin said, “please look into different patterns for the outside of the building. Use computer design to explore many options.”

“Yes, CEO Seo.”

“And Team Leader Jeon,” he continued, “work with Dr. Kim on how to build the building in sections, using standard parts, within the shape we’ve decided on.”

“Understood, CEO Seo!”

“We have time,” Woojin reminded them, “but we need to work hard. Let’s look at many different designs and try out lots of ideas.”

“Of course, CEO Seo. I’ll have some initial designs ready next week,” Team Leader Lee promised.

Designing a huge project like this was not something one person could do alone.

Woojin would create the main idea and the overall shape, but teamwork was even more important. He knew that.

*This project could show everyone how talented our WJ Studio team really is,* Woojin thought.

So, Woojin spent more time encouraging his team and talking with them than working on the design himself. He believed in his team.

Weeks turned into months. One month, then two months passed quickly.

Slowly, their hard work started to show results. Designs were taking shape.

Then, one day, Woojin looked at the latest design plan and said, “I am very satisfied.”

The whole team froze. They looked at him, surprised.

“Really, CEO Seo?!” someone finally asked, hardly daring to believe it.

“Yes,” Woojin nodded, a small smile on his face. “Of course, no design is ever truly perfect. But I think we have created the best design we possibly could.”

“Thank you!” someone whispered, and a wave of relief washed over the room.

It had taken two whole months just to create the basic design idea. Two months of intense work.

Finally, Woojin had seen a design plan he was happy with. And that meant a lot.

“Now, let’s focus on the details,” Woojin said, pointing to the plan.

“We’ll fine-tune it as we develop the detailed design,” Team Leader Lee replied.

“Yes, do that,” Woojin agreed. “As we work on the specifics, we’ll definitely need to make changes.”

This project involved a huge amount of money. Every day of delay was very expensive.

So, at WJ Tower, where the design work was happening, the lights were always on, day and night. And Woojin worked harder than anyone. He spent almost all his time on the design.

*I don’t want to have any regrets about this project,* he thought. *Not even the smallest one.*

From a business point of view, WJ Studio didn’t need to work this hard. There were no competitors for this project. There was no client who would question their design choices.

They could have done the minimum work and still made a lot of money. That would have been the most profitable approach.

But Woojin wasn’t focused on profit this time.

He just wanted to create the best building possible. He wanted to leave behind a masterpiece of architecture.

Finally, fall 2017 arrived.

The designs were complete. The construction could begin. The first shovel broke ground at the SGBC site.

Soon after, Woojin gave another interview. This time, he said something that surprised everyone.

“I believe I have created a building that shows everything I am as an architect,” he stated confidently into the microphone.

“The moment we finished the design, I felt no regrets. No doubts at all.”

Woojin’s words made the whole country curious. They were amazed by his confidence.

He had never spoken with such certainty about any of his previous designs. What kind of incredible building had he created? What would it look like? People were desperate to know.

It wasn’t just people in Korea who were curious. Woojin’s fame was spreading around the world.

WJ Studio had started several big projects overseas the year before, and those projects were now becoming visible. Woojin and his studio were becoming known internationally.

So, Woojin’s interview was reported by news outlets in other countries too.

Headlines appeared like: “[Seo Woojin, Korea’s genius architect in his 20s. Focus on his first skyscraper!]” and “[Will the Samsung Global Business Center SGBC become one of the most beautiful buildings in the world?]”

Architects from all over the world were also intrigued. They wondered how Woojin, who was quickly becoming a world-class architect, would design SGBC, one of the tallest skyscrapers ever built.

But WJ Studio and KCA Invest decided not to reveal the final design yet. They kept it secret.

They knew they couldn’t hide the building itself once construction started. It was too big.

But they could keep the design drawings secret. By not showing what the building would look like beforehand, they hoped to create even more excitement and curiosity.

This idea came from Director Song Jubin, the marketing expert.

“This is the best marketing we could ask for, CEO Seo,” Song Jubin explained. “If we keep the design secret, and people see this amazing skyscraper rising day by day without knowing what it will fully look like, the media will keep talking about it for years!”

“I agree,” Woojin said.

“And it’s designed by you, Korea’s best architect, CEO Seo Woojin!” Song Jubin added with a smile.

“Haha, you’re too kind,” Woojin chuckled.

“By not showing the design now, this beautiful building will become its own giant advertisement,” Song Jubin concluded.

Because of this secrecy, many news companies and magazines created their own fake designs of what they thought SGBC might look like. These drawings spread online, but they were all very different from Woojin’s actual design.

But surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, the person who was most excited and curious to see the finished SGBC building was Woojin himself. Even though he designed it.

“They say construction will take about five years, right?” Seokhyun asked.

“Yes, around September 2022,” Woojin replied.

“So, that’s when it will be finished?”

“That’s the plan.”

It was October 2017. Woojin and Seokhyun were having dinner on the terrace of Woojin’s new penthouse apartment. The city lights of Seoul twinkled below them.

“I’m really excited,” Woojin said, looking out at the view.

Seokhyun chuckled. “Are you?”

“Of course,” Woojin nodded. “The design I created… it’s going into that building.”

“It is,” Seokhyun agreed, smiling.

“And it was your dream, wasn’t it?” Woojin added, looking at Seokhyun.

“Yes, it was,” Seokhyun said softly.

They gazed at the south side of the Han River, where the city lights shone like scattered jewels.

Across the river from their Seongsu penthouse was Cheongdam-dong. And beyond that, Samsung-dong.

“It’s over there, isn’t it?” Seokhyun pointed towards Samsung-dong.

“I think so,” Woojin squinted, trying to see in the distance.

“In a few years, a giant building will be standing there,” Seokhyun said, his voice full of wonder.

“It will be more than just visible,” Woojin corrected him. “It will be the tallest building in Seoul. You’ll see it from everywhere.”

Even from their 50th-floor terrace, they couldn’t see the SGBC construction site yet. Construction had only just begun a month ago. The site was still being prepared.

But soon, as they both knew, a magnificent skyscraper would rise above the skyline by 2020.

Not just from high places like Woojin’s penthouse.

No matter where you were in Seoul, you would be able to see it. The beautiful skyscraper designed by Woojin and WJ Studio.

SGBC would be a truly magnificent building, reaching for the sky, just like its name suggested.

“I wish it was 2022 already,” Seokhyun said, his eyes fixed on the horizon. “Don’t you?”

Woojin’s expression changed. It became thoughtful, a little uncertain. “Yes and no,” he said slowly.

“Really?” Seokhyun tilted his head, confused.

“I’m excited to see it finished,” Woojin explained. “But… I’m also a little afraid.”

Seokhyun frowned. “Afraid? Of what? What people will think of it?”

Woojin just smiled, a faint, enigmatic smile. He didn’t answer.

He put down his fork and walked to the edge of the terrace, resting his hands on the railing.

The night view of Seoul from the 50th floor was breathtaking, as beautiful as ever. Millions of lights twinkled like stars scattered across the dark landscape.

*This beautiful Seoul skyline… it will be even more stunning in five years,* Woojin thought, his gaze distant. *With SGBC rising above it all.*

He breathed in the cold, fresh night air of Seoul, closing his eyes for a moment. A shiver ran down his spine, a mix of anticipation and something else, something he couldn’t quite name.

And just like that, time began to rush forward again, carrying them towards an unknown future.