Black Label [EN]: Chapter 194

Black Label 193

President Choi Yu-hoon, kneeling on the floor, spoke quietly to Team Leader Lim Dong-bin, who stood blankly beside him.

“Water.”

“Pardon?”

“Just get me a glass of water.”

Team Leader Lim Dong-bin replied, “Yes, I understand,” and hurried out of the office.

“Hoo-”

President Choi Yu-hoon consciously exhaled, then steadied himself on his desk and struggled to his feet.

It felt as if someone had struck him in the back of the head with a blunt instrument with all their might while he was defenseless.

The reason?

It was the shocking news he had just received from the group: ‘The motion to dismiss the president has been passed.’

President Choi Yu-hoon, as if possessed, kept muttering, “This can’t be happening…” Just then, Team Leader Lim Dong-bin returned with a cup of water, walking quickly.

“President, here…”

President Choi Yu-hoon snatched the cup from Team Leader Lim Dong-bin without a word.

The splashing water soaked his shirt sleeves, but he didn’t seem to mind.

No, he didn’t even seem to notice.

Gulp, gulp. President Choi Yu-hoon drank several mouthfuls of water and shook his head a few times.

Perhaps it was the cold water, or perhaps it was his imagination, but he seemed to be regaining his senses.

‘Okay, it’s still okay…’

Although the dismissal motion had passed and he was on the chopping block, there was still time before the formal procedure began, wasn’t there?

All he had to do was win back the hearts of the board of directors and major shareholders who held the power to make personnel decisions within the given time.

Moreover, there was a high probability that this dismissal was just a ‘showcase punishment’ [a symbolic act to appease public opinion].

Since his unethical management practices had been made public, they needed a scapegoat to restore their tarnished image, even if only slightly.

And unfortunately, he was the unlucky victim.

‘Right, it’s not even a matter that should lead to dismissal in the first place…’

President Choi Yu-hoon sat down on the sofa with weak steps and said to Team Leader Lim Dong-bin.

“Give me a cigarette.”

“Yes.”

“And a light.”

“Yes.”

President Choi Yu-hoon, after exhaling a cloud of acrid smoke, gestured for Team Leader Lim Dong-bin to leave, but then…

“Um, President…”

“What is it now?”

“I’m sorry, but there’s an important report…”

“Speak.”

Team Leader Lim Dong-bin politely handed the file to President Choi Yu-hoon and said.

“The situation seems to be going very badly.”

President Choi Yu-hoon, in an irritable tone, retorted, “What is it this time?” and began to review the document, exhaling acrid cigarette smoke.

Barely a few seconds passed.

Thud.

President Choi Yu-hoon unknowingly dropped the cigarette from his mouth to the floor.

His face was pale, and the hand holding the document trembled rapidly, as if it were an aspen leaf.

“W-w-what is this…?”

Silence, heavy and absolute, filled the office.

Team Leader Lim Dong-bin took a breath and began to explain cautiously in a barely audible voice.

“Thirty-two brands under the LVMH Group [a French multinational luxury goods conglomerate], two brands under the Chanel Group, and eight other famous designer premium brands are demanding to withdraw their stores.”

President Choi Yu-hoon jumped up and began to hit Team Leader Lim Dong-bin over the head with the document, shouting as if scraping out his insides in a frenzy.

“I know that, you bastard! So, why! Why is everyone suddenly doing this-!”

“…”

President Choi Yu-hoon ran his hand over his face a few times. After suppressing his anger, he noticed Team Leader Lim Dong-bin, trembling with his head bowed, his face as red as an autumn persimmon.

President Choi Yu-hoon loosened his tie and began to jab the corner of the file against Team Leader Lim Dong-bin’s solar plexus, shouting as if wailing.

“Hey, you bastard! What are you doing just standing there? You have to stop them somehow, don’t you? If all those brands leave, the luxury mall will be empty! Are you going to take responsibility for that? Stop them! Stop them somehow!”

It was a terrifying thought. If all the aforementioned brands withdrew, the luxury mall would be as empty as a post-war wasteland.

While his heart pounded with worry and anxiety, the question ‘But why?’ kept popping up in his mind.

A situation where dozens of brands demanded to withdraw as if they were colluding?

It was unprecedented.

At that moment, Team Leader Lim Dong-bin, who had been silent, spoke quietly.

“How can I stop them…?”

“What? What are you saying…?”

“Please try your best to stop them.”

After speaking, Team Leader Lim Dong-bin added, “Because you absolutely won’t be able to stop them no matter what you do,” and began to stride towards the door.

President Choi Yu-hoon grabbed Team Leader Lim Dong-bin’s shoulder and asked again.

“W-w-what does that mean?”

Silence fell again.

“President, do you know the common condition that the brands demanding to withdraw are asking for?”

“…”

“It’s the replacement of the ‘Chief Executive Officer.’ They say they no longer want to partner with someone who devalues art, treats artists like slaves, and is obsessed with buying artworks at bargain prices.”

President Choi Yu-hoon froze and let out a sigh, “Huh…”

“So, go ahead and try as much as you want. See if you can cover the sky with your palm [an idiom meaning to attempt the impossible].”

After Team Leader Lim Dong-bin left, President Choi Yu-hoon chuckled and slumped onto the sofa.

Then, he began to retrace his memories.

Where did it all go wrong? How did he end up facing this unbearable reality?

Of course, it didn’t take long to find the answer. It was a question with a very clear answer.

The reality he faced was the price he had to pay for disturbing a hornet’s nest, no, for touching the sleeping lion’s whiskers.

* * *

-Next up is a story that perfectly fits the saying, ‘Closing the barn door after the horse has bolted’ [an idiom meaning taking preventative measures too late]. Eight famous domestic department store brands have announced a major change in management. This is a very unusual event. We will hear more details from reporter Yoon Joo-hee, who is on the scene.

As soon as the anchor finished speaking, the headquarters building of a department store located on a major street in Gangnam [a wealthy district in Seoul] appeared on the screen.

-This is reporter Yoon Joo-hee, reporting live. I am currently in front of the headquarters building of ‘S Department Store,’ one of the department store brands that have announced a change in management. All eight department stores are known to be involved in this ‘Wall Flower Collusion’…

Just as Jae-seung was staring intently at the TV screen.

Click-!

Director Song suddenly turned off the TV and said.

“Boss, stop watching and let’s drink.”

Jae-seung smiled and held out his soju [a Korean distilled beverage] glass to Director Song.

A clear “Clink-!” rang out.

Director Song, grimacing, tilted his head and asked.

“By the way, what happened?”

“About what?”

“The detailed inside story.”

It was no exaggeration to say that all the media were in an uproar over this collusion case and the change of management.

First, the controversy was triggered by Jae-seung’s statement in an interview with foreign media that he was ‘seriously considering naturalization due to the treatment in Korea.’

Then, there was the list of department store brands that had joined the Wall Flower Collusion, revealed through the song of the famous hip-hop artist ‘JESY.KUS,’ or ‘Young Guk.’

Just hours later, bombshell news hit the media.

Thirty-two fashion brands under the LVMH Group, such as ‘Christian Dior’ and ‘Louis Vuitton,’ and the premium brand ‘Chanel’ under the Chanel Group. Finally, eight famous designer brands such as ‘Marc Jacobs,’ ‘Alexander Wang,’ and ‘Thom Browne’ announced that they no longer wanted to partner with the department stores that had joined this Wall Flower Collusion.

The condition they set for maintaining their store contracts was simple: the replacement of the Chief Executive Officer.

Thanks to this, eight major domestic department store brands had no choice but to announce a change in management, albeit reluctantly.

“It’s nothing much.”

Director Song muttered, “Aww…” as if disappointed, and continued.

“If it’s nothing much, tell me about it. I thought the boss would somehow take care of it, but I’m so curious about how you persuaded all those brands and even got the management replaced that I can’t sleep at night.”

“You must have a lot of sleepless nights. Or are you just entering a period where you need less sleep?”

“Hey! That’s a hurtful thing to say! I’m still in my prime. I don’t know about others, but I’m definitely not there yet. Anyway, don’t do that and tell me.”

Jae-seung opened his mouth, saying, “Well, actually…” and began to explain.

“First, it was easy to ask for help from the Chanel Group. I received Chanel shares as compensation for taking on the role of Creative Director this season. Quite a lot.”

“Quite a lot? How much?”

“I can’t tell you the exact amount, but let’s just say I’m one of the major shareholders of the Chanel Group.”

Director Song widened his eyes and exclaimed, “Hey! Is that what you call quite a lot? That’s a lot!” and asked again.

“So?”

Jae-seung poured alcohol into his empty glass and continued.

“Then there’s the LVMH Group. I told Chairman Arnault in detail about what I had experienced and asked for help, and he said, ‘There’s nothing more fun than educating those who try to suppress others with capital,’ and immediately helped.”

“Huh, yeah. The LVMH Group has had several collaborations with you and is close to you… Then what about the other designer brands?”

“It’s the same. The designers who are close to me readily offered to help.”

Director Song clicked his tongue and exclaimed, “Ah!” and asked again.

“Then what about Young Guk? I think I saw a few press articles saying he was preparing a lawsuit…”

“It seems they’ve agreed to take down the song after negotiating with the department store brands. Since there are so many eyes watching, they couldn’t dare file a lawsuit.”

Jae-seung gestured and said.

“Anyway, it’s a good thing. There won’t be anything like this in the future.”

“Hmm, I don’t know? Will this really eradicate the bad practices…?”

“We cut off eight heads and showed it through the media, didn’t we?”

Jae-seung finished speaking, picked up his soju glass, and added in an eerie tone.

“We showed them clearly what happens when they mess with us. Well… if there are any guys who don’t understand, we can just show them again.”

Jae-seung immediately downed a glass of soju. Director Song silently watched Jae-seung.

An indescribable sense of alienation swirled inside him.

What should he say? Unlike when they first met, he didn’t feel any freshness.

Yes, to survive, you have to change.

You have to become more cruel and ruthless.