Black Label [EN]: Chapter 193

193. Counterattack (2)

“Excuse me? What are you suddenly talking about…?”

President Choi Yu-hoon, trying his best to appear nonchalant, wore a humble smile as he settled onto the sofa across from Jaeseung.

At that moment, President Choi Yu-hoon seemed solely focused on resolving the situation quickly and effectively.

“Representative Lee Jaeseung, it seems there was some misunderstanding between us…”

Jaeseung nodded once, muttering, “Misunderstanding…?” President Choi Yu-hoon, seeing an opening, began to speak rapidly and brazenly.

“If you had answered our calls, Representative Lee, we could have found a compromise that would have satisfied both of us. Frankly, we are disappointed that you so hastily made this public…”

Jaeseung frowned deeply, retorting in an eerie tone, “Disappointed?”

President Choi Yu-hoon, momentarily taken aback by the sharp reaction, tried to appear composed as he continued speaking.

“Of course, I’m sure Representative Lee was also very disappointed. Now that we’ve met, how about we try to adjust things even now…?”

President Choi Yu-hoon, barely finishing his words in a subdued voice, cautiously observed Jaeseung’s reaction.

He had to admit he felt suppressed by the young man sitting across from him.

He knew Jaeseung wasn’t just managing a large sum of money purely by luck.

This place is a jungle. Surviving on luck is fleeting.

But what was it about Jaeseung?

The young man maintained an overbearing attitude so naturally, so effortlessly.

As President Choi Yu-hoon watched Jaeseung’s reaction, Jaeseung muttered mockingly, “Adjust?” before continuing in a nonchalant tone.

“Adjust now? Are you joking? If you really wanted to adjust things, you should have coordinated schedules with the department store brand managers involved in this collusion and requested a meeting sooner. It’s not a good look to see you scrambling now that things have blown up. It’s quite pathetic and even pitiful…”

It was an openly provocative remark, but President Choi Yu-hoon’s reaction remained the same.

“Th-then, could you wait just a moment? I’ll try to get everyone together as quickly as possible. Of course, we will make sure that the terms of Wallflower’s entry are far more generous than those of other premium brands.”

His voice was filled with desperation. President Choi Yu-hoon knew this meeting was his ‘last chance’.

Jaeseung had already publicized the collusion among domestic department store brands through influential overseas media outlets.

[Is Korea a country that doesn’t give artists a place to stand? About the genius artist ‘Lee’ suffering due to nationality.]

[Famous critic Phil Adore says, “Korea is full of foolish rich people who want to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.”]

[Why is it that only Korean department stores don’t have Wallflower stores? About the Korean department store brands’ ‘taming of artists’.]

[Wallflower’s owner, designer Lee’s confession: “I just want to create art to my heart’s content, but the pressure is so frequent that I am considering naturalization.”]

The world is such that interesting gossip spreads rapidly.

This collusion case, starting in overseas mass media, flowed into the country quickly.

The public’s reaction? It was explosive, like pouring oil on a fire.

Whenever a new article was updated, comments with angry content appeared quickly.

-Ramkai: Wasn’t there a designer association in the past? Didn’t some group try to open a store for designer Lee Jaeseung? If I were designer Lee Jaeseung, I would have naturalized a long time ago…

-Pillsong: I agree. Jaeseung is a globally recognized designer who is treated well everywhere. Why these clumsy power trips? Be moderate with your greed.

-Mino: This is an international disgrace. We are losing talent because of the greed of the privileged. I wish they would just release the list of colluding department store brands.

-1027xc: The list of colluding department stores will probably be released in an official article soon. It seems like it’s time to start a boycott.

-Taewoo: Naturalization is a bit much, though…

-Hipdae: A bit what? Would you want to keep making clothes in Korea? It’s much better to make them in a place where you can be recognized and treated well, even if it means giving up your nationality.

Just before Jaeseung entered his office, President Choi Yu-hoon, who had hastily checked the comments, began to bite his fingernails.

His position as president was already precarious due to poor management.

What if the list of department store brands that participated in this collusion is released publicly?

President Choi Yu-hoon closed his eyes.

His face was pale, and he breathed rapidly.

‘Absolutely not…’

This could warrant a ‘dismissal’.

Moreover, the heads of other department store brands would reveal that Choi Yu-hoon was the mastermind behind this collusion to get a pardon.

It was a situation that should never happen.

He had to persuade the young designer, ‘Lee Jaeseung’.

Even if it meant offering unprecedented conditions, he had to silence him.

If he couldn’t silence him through mutual agreement, he must prevent the leakage of the list through threats or other means.

As President Choi Yu-hoon closed his eyes and calculated, Jaeseung tilted his head slightly and spoke.

“Well? I don’t think my mind will change, no matter how generous the conditions you offer.”

“Are you really going to give up the entire Korean market because of a momentary bad feeling? You should take some more time and think about it rationally.”

“I made this decision after careful consideration. And a few department store brand entries wouldn’t be the entirety of the Korean market, would it?”

President Choi Yu-hoon, after giving a short reply, suddenly looked up at the ceiling and let out a deep breath.

He was convinced that he couldn’t defuse the situation by coaxing and appeasing. He thought it was time to change tactics. No matter how strong he pretended to be, when you peeled back the layers, what was inside was just the vulnerable core of a newcomer.

‘Yeah, there’s no need to be intimidated….’

“Aren’t you being too arrogant just because you landed one punch?”

When Jaeseung chuckled instead of answering, President Choi Yu-hoon raised his head slightly and began to speak in an arrogant tone.

“Let me give you a piece of advice: the ‘present’ doesn’t last forever. The world is full of sensational gossip, and much of it is artificially created. And the public doesn’t have a very good memory. Eventually, the public will forget.”

“That’s a valid point.”

“Well, whatever. Do as you please. But if you disclose the collusion list or even mention it directly, you will have to take responsibility for it.”

Jaeseung nodded a few times and replied.

“You still don’t understand the situation. Take responsibility? If I were afraid of that, I wouldn’t have started this in the first place. I would have signed the entry contract under the ridiculous conditions you offered. Isn’t that right?”

“Y-You guys…?”

Jaeseung gave a subtly wicked smile and whispered softly.

“You know, Mr. President.”

“……”

“I don’t even start a fight if it seems like a losing battle.”

Just as Jaeseung was about to get up, there was a sudden, urgent knock on the office door—‘Knock, knock’—and the door swung open.

Standing in the doorway was Team Leader Lim Dong-bin, his face pale white.

President Choi Yu-hoon began to vent his anger on the innocent Team Leader Lim Dong-bin.

“Hey, you bastard! Can’t you see I have a guest? How dare you burst in like that….”

“P-President. I’m sorry. It’s just that it’s too urgent….”

Sensing a series of anxieties, President Choi Yu-hoon began to stare intently at Team Leader Lim Dong-bin’s face.

A moment of silence passed. Jaeseung broke the silence in the office.

“It seems like a few of the gifts I prepared have finally arrived, so I’ll step aside first.”

Then, he bowed his head and added, “Then, I hope you have a pleasant time.”

As soon as Jaeseung left the office, President Choi Yu-hoon picked up the phone and shouted in an agitated tone.

“Grab that guest who just left, no matter what! Even if it’s just for ten minutes—no, even five minutes—tell him to talk some more!”

Then, as if wishing the phone would break, he slammed it down violently and glared at Team Leader Lim Dong-bin, asking.

“Why? What is it now?”

“That’s….”

Team Leader Lim Dong-bin showed him the smartphone in his hand. A hip-hop music video that even young children would enjoy was playing on the screen.

President Choi Yu-hoon frowned, looking annoyed, and asked, “What is this?”

-It was only a short time ago. Eight out of ten of the Billboard Top 10 were mine. A kid with a bowl cut who learned MIDI [Musical Instrument Digital Interface, a technical standard that describes a communications protocol, digital interface, and electrical connectors] with a used Macbook bought in Myeongdong [a shopping district in Seoul] is now standing in a pretty high place.

-It’s a place I wanted so badly, but once I set foot in it, I keep seeing things I didn’t know before. At first glance, they look like they don’t even know numbers, but there are so many pot-bellied businessmen who love to calculate.

-My friend told me the other day. Someone keeps forcing him to sell my art at a cheap price. So he was thinking about giving up his nationality. It’s a strange thing.

Suddenly, the singer’s voice flowed out, saying, “Listen carefully.”

-World, Newcore, Hyunseong, Charles Lotte, Gallery, Noble, Big Square.

-World, Newcore, Hyunseong, Charles Lotte, Gallery, Noble, Big Square.

-World, Newcore, Hyunseong, Charles Lotte, Gallery, Noble, Big Square.

Again, the singer’s voice came out like a narration, asking playfully, “What is this?”

The next moment.

-If I were to talk about these people, they are omnipotent people who can put a price on art just by sitting together and exchanging a few words.

-They are capable entrepreneurs who are eager to buy works made with blood and sweat at low prices and resell them at a premium. They are also the epitome and role models of all thieves in the world.

President Choi Yu-hoon ended up screaming, “Th-This crazy bastard!”

That was because the lyrics that had just come out contained the names of all the department store brands that had joined the collusion related to this Wallflower entry.

“Th-Th-This song. What crazy bastard wrote it?”

“That’s a singer named ‘JESY.KUS’….”

Various additional explanations were added. He was originally an artist who was like a childhood friend of Lee Jaeseung, and they were known to have a close friendship. He was also the first Korean hip-hop artist to reach the top of the Billboard charts and was raising his stock price…….

President Choi Yu-hoon, who was listening to Team Leader Lim Dong-bin’s explanation with a pale face, shouted, yelling for no reason.

“Prepare for a lawsuit right away!”

“Yes, I understand….”

Just as Team Leader Lim Dong-bin was about to answer in a polite tone, the phone on the desk began to ring.

The color of President Choi Yu-hoon’s face instantly turned dark as he picked up the phone.

“Yes? D-Dismissal…?”

President Choi Yu-hoon, who asked in a low voice, could not hide his dismay and slumped to the floor of his office on his knees.