Black Label [EN]: Chapter 80

Black Label 79

80. When a Fish Rots, It Starts at the Head

After a brief explanation that all products were sold out, Director Song immediately led Jaeseung to the product warehouse.

“Seeing is believing. Let’s go take a look.”

The moment Jaeseung stepped into the product warehouse, the employees, who were busy packing and organizing, greeted him with wide eyes.

“Oh? Boss! When did you get here…?!”

“Hello!”

“We missed you!”

From Lee Kangjun to Nam Gwangmin, Chu Jihun, and Yoo Seungwoo. The skilled veteran employees gathered in the warehouse, efficiently processing *택배* [delivery service] packaging.

“How have you all been?”

Even while exchanging greetings, the employees’ hands continued to move tirelessly.

It seemed Yoo Seungwoo, originally a part-timer in logistics, was solely responsible for folding boxes.

When Yoo Seungwoo folded the boxes well, Chu Jihun from the design team carefully placed the ‘OPP bag’ containing the clothes inside.

After packaging, Lee Kangjun and Nam Gwangmin compared the order form with the contents and attached the shipping label.

Perhaps because they were seasoned? Everyone seemed to be working with expertise.

Director Song pointed to the warehouse interior and said, “See the boxes stacked up? To ship this volume, one or two trucks wouldn’t be enough.”

As Director Song said, large and small *택배* towers were piled up. Considering the boxes in the hallway outside, the outgoing volume would exceed several hundred pieces.

“I feel full just looking at it.”

“Hey, you still have to eat.”

“Well… I’m just saying.”

Director Song smiled and nodded in satisfaction. “It’s no exaggeration to say all the remaining stock has been completely cleared out. In all my years, this is the first time I’ve seen a clothing warehouse completely emptied.”

Jaeseung agreed. It was certainly unusual for the warehouse to be completely empty.

Director Song spoke again, seriously. “Jaeseung, that’s why I wanted to discuss how we should handle additional *물량* [volume/quantity].”

“Additional *물량*? Isn’t it just placing an order with the factory for the *부족한* [deficient] amount?”

It wasn’t even a discussion. The fact they hadn’t placed an order felt *의아하게* [questionable] to him.

They weren’t having problems with excessive *악성 재고* [dead stock], but couldn’t sell because they didn’t have *물건* [goods], right? What reason was there to *고민하고* [worry] and discuss *발주* [ordering]-related issues?

“So, what I mean is…”

Director Song hesitated, raised an eyebrow, and asked, “Do we really need to *공급해* [supply] the amount that they need, *알맞게* [appropriately] to the *수요* [demand]?”

“Yes…?”

“Jaeseung, I think this opportunity is like a weapon.”

Weapon? Jaeseung stared intently, and Director Song continued, “Let’s say you have a *총* [gun] that has *화력* [firepower]. If it’s in the hands of someone who knows how to use it, it’s a great weapon, right?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“Then, what if it’s in the hands of someone who doesn’t even know how to shoot, let alone *장전* [reload]? Then what good is it? It’s just a piece of *쇳덩어리* [metal], isn’t it?”

Director Song shrugged and continued cheerfully, “It’s definitely an opportunity, but it’s an opportunity like a *’총포’* [firearm]. In the end, it’s *관건* [key] how you utilize it.”

“Then, how do you want to utilize it, Director?”

To Jaeseung’s question, Director Song smiled and replied, “It’s simple. How about completely transforming the image of the ‘Wall Flower’ brand itself?”

“How?”

“From now on, we’ll *공급* [supply] only a much smaller *양* [amount] than the *수요* [demand], and properly *활성화* [activate] the ‘*세컨더리 마켓* (Secondary Market: *2차 유통시장* [secondary distribution market] that opens after normal sales are over)’?”

Jaeseung fell into *상념* [thought].

Activating the *2차 유통시장* and establishing a *리셀* (Resell: *상품을 구입한 뒤, 웃돈을 받고 되팔아 수익을 올리는 행위* [the act of buying goods and reselling them at a premium to make a profit]) culture among customers.

It was a very efficient strategy, although difficult to apply. Every time a new product is released, it will be *완판* [sold out] in no time.

“If we could do that, it would be great. We’d be able to *매진* [sell out] every time we *출시* [release] a new product. But that’s not something that happens easily, right?”

“If it were possible, what would you want to do?”

“If it were possible, of course, I would definitely want to do that…”

Director Song raised his palm as if to stop him and said, “I don’t have any *확실한 증거* [concrete evidence], just a *심증* [hunch], but… it seems like ‘resellers’ have already started to appear.”

“Oh my gosh, really…?”

“A few individual customers ordered *물량* [quantities] worth millions of won. If that’s not for ‘resell’, then what is it? Are they just going to pile it up in their closet?”

It was as unbelievable as all products being *매진* [sold out].

That meant people were making a living by *사재기* [hoarding] Wall Flower’s clothing products.

For a fashion brand to *활성화* [activate] a resell culture, it must first have the *저력* [power] to ignore *감가상각* [depreciation].

From another perspective, it was receiving a series of ‘*인정* [recognition]’ from *마니아층* [enthusiasts].

“Do you think resellers are ordinary people? Absolutely not. They’re people who make a living by *되파는* [reselling] for a premium. They have an amazing sense of *돈 냄새* [money smell]. They probably *예상* [predict] that Wall Flower will *전향* [shift] into a *프리미엄 브랜드* (Premium Brand) after releasing the next S/S season *의류* [clothing] of ‘Alexander King’. ”

Jaeseung nodded. It was a reasonable *예측* [prediction].

If that were to happen, the *희소성* [rarity] of the existing street products would inevitably *격상* [rise], making it worth investing in.

Of course, there was a plan to *신설* [establish] a *스트릿 라인* (Street Line), but that was information only *공개된* [disclosed] internally.

Director Song continued, “First of all, I think it would be good to *맞춰주면서* [cater to] the reseller’s *장단* [pros and cons] and *극대화* [maximize] the *수요* [demand]… what do you think?”

“Well, I’m a little *긴가민가* [unsure]. Actually, I’m *의문* [doubtful] whether that *수요* [demand] will be *유지* [maintained] until next season. Even if we *극대화* [maximize] the *수요* [demand], it’s *소용없는* [useless] if we can’t *바로 이어붙이지* [immediately connect] a new product, right?”

No matter how much *관심도* [interest] they *끌어올려* [raise] at this point, there’s no *보장* [guarantee] that it will be *유지* [maintained] until the next season’s product is *출시* [released], right?

Although this method doesn’t have a large *단기적인 매출액* [short-term sales], it is *채택* [adopted] because it has the *장점* [advantage] of being able to *완판* [sell out] all *물량* [quantity] every time it is *출시* [released].

In simple terms, it is necessary to set a *일정 기간* [fixed period] and *출고* [ship] a *적정량* [appropriate amount] of new products *주기적으로* [periodically] according to that *기간* [period].

But can he adapt to life at Parsons, prepare the designs to *넘겨줄* [hand over] to Alexander King, and *주기적으로 출시* [periodically release] new products?

At that moment, when Jaeseung was deeply in *상념* [thought].

“If Jaeseung has to *디자인* [design] the new products *혼자* [alone], then of course *출시* [release] will be *힘들* [difficult].”

“Ah…!”

“But if that’s the case, why do you have design team *직원* [employees]? And if that’s the case, why would *쟤들* [they] stay in the office until *새벽 늦게* [late at night]?”

Director Song, who asked quietly, smiled *자본주의* [capitalistically] and added, “Think about it. They’re working so hard, shouldn’t they be given a *합당한 기회* [reasonable opportunity]? In fact, Jaeseung only needs to *검수·검토* [inspect and review] the designs *짜* [created] by the *직원* [employees].”

“That’s true, but…”

“Rather, that’s the way for *서로 윈 & 윈* (Win & Win)! The *직원* [employees] are happy because they have a *기회* [opportunity], and we’re happy because we can *뚝딱 해결* [quickly solve] it by *갈아 넣어서* [grinding] the *직원* [employees]. Isn’t that so?”

The expression *갈아 넣는* [grinding] was a little *마음에 걸리기는* [bothersome], but it was *구구절절 옳은 말* [absolutely right], so I couldn’t *반박* [refute].

Soon, Jaeseung began to look at the *직원* [employees] who were *열중* [absorbed] in *포장 업무* [packaging work] without knowing anything.

Everyone, I’m always *미안합니다* [sorry].

And thank you.

* * *

All work began to proceed as planned.

Additional *물량* [quantity] was *입고* [stocked] only in *극소량* [very small quantities], and even that achieved the *쾌거* [feat] of being *품절* [out of stock] on the day of *입고* [stocking].

Also, all design team *직원* [employees] were *투입* [投入: put in] to *짜* [create] new street line designs.

The *직원* [employees], who originally *지키던* [守: guarded] the office *밤·낮 가리지 않고* [regardless of day and night], now *상주하다시피* [常住: almost resident].

Jaeseung was also *맞이하게* [迎: welcomed] a busy *일상* [日常: daily life]. Being able to *지낼 여유롭게* [過ごす余裕: spend leisurely] was only until the day of *귀국* [帰国: returning to the country].

From the day after *귀국* [帰国: returning to the country], he had to *처리* [処理: handle] the *스케줄* [schedule] that Director Song had *독단적으로 수락* [独断的: unilaterally accepted].

In the backseat of a *승합차* [van] speeding down the *고속도로* [highway], Jaeseung began to *뜯어대기* [tear] the *포장지* [packaging] of a *편의점 샌드위치* [convenience store sandwich] with *몽롱하기 그지없는* [朦朧: hazy] eyes.

He didn’t even have time to *제대로 끼니를 해결* [properly solve a meal] because he was *진행* [進行: proceeding] the *인터뷰 일정* [interview schedule] all day.

It seemed that he would have to *지내* [過ごす: spend] like this for the next few days.

“Director, is this the last *스케줄* [schedule] for today?”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

He had already *진행* [進行: conducted] interviews with four *매거진* [magazines] today alone.

Perhaps because he felt *안쓰러웠던* [可哀想: pitiful] that he was *고생하는 홀로* [苦労: suffering alone], Director Song, who had *끝마친* [終: finished] all the *사무실 업무* [office work] in the evening, was *자처* [自ら: volunteered] as a *운전기사* [運転: driver].

Thanks to *덕분에* [お陰: thanks to], he was able to *이동 비교적 편안히* [移動比較的楽: move relatively comfortably], but that doesn’t mean that the *누적된 피로* [累積疲労: accumulated fatigue] was *가시는* [癒: healing].

Jaeseung, who had a *하품* [欠伸: yawn] that *찢어져라 입이* [裂: tore his mouth], began to *바라보기* [眺: look at] the *차창 밖* [車窓外: outside the car window].

‘The *작업실* [作業室: studio] is definitely more *편하네* [楽: comfortable]….’

For some reason, the *인터뷰* [interview] didn’t seem to *익숙해질* [慣: get used to]. When he tried to *자랑스럽게 늘어놓으려니 제 이야기* [自慢: proudly tell his story], he felt *괜히 낯이 뜨거워진다고 해야 할까* [恥ずかしい: should I say that his face was hot for no reason]?

Also, because he was *나누다 반복적인 대화* [分: sharing repetitive conversations] with *워낙 여러 매체* [余り: so many media] on the same topic, he was *헷갈릴 지경인지 자신이 기억하고 있는 게 맞는지* [混乱: confused whether what he remembered was correct].

Just as Jaeseung was *바라보고 멍하니* [眺: staring blankly] the *차창 밖* [車窓外: outside the car window].

Director Song *바라보고 Jaeseung 힐끔* [眺: looked at Jaeseung ちらり: glancingly] through the *룸미러* [room mirror] and *이어* [続: continued] again.

“Are you okay? You look very *힘들어* [大変: tired].”

“If I’m not *괜찮아* [大丈夫: okay], are you going to *취소해* [取消: cancel] the *일정* [日程: schedule]?”

Director Song, who *답해* [答: answered] in a *사뭇 장난스러운 투* [茶目っ気: playful tone], *뱉어 탄성을 “아!”* [吐: exclaimed] and *이어* [続: continued] again.

“Look at my *정신* [精神: mind]. I forgot about this.”

“Yes? What?”

“About this *스케줄* [schedule], there’s been a little *변동 사항* [変動事項: change].”

“What *변동 사항 갑자기* [変動事項突然: sudden change]?”

With a series of *불안감* [不安感: anxiety], he *문득* [ふと: suddenly] ‘Is there any *여지가* [余地: room] to *변동 사항* [変動事項: change]?’

The last *스케줄* [schedule] for today was a *녹화* [録画: recording] for a *교양프로그램* [教養番組: cultural program] that is *상영 중 in 절찬리에* [上映中: screening in great popularity] on the *방송국* [放送局: broadcasting station] called ‘EBN’.

It was a *포맷* [format] of a *프로그램* [program] where a ‘*화제의 인물* [話題人物: person of interest]’ who has *성공 in 쌓아올리는 a certain 입지 in their 분야* [成功: succeeded in building a certain position in their field] *출연* [出演: appear] and *풀어놓는 제 이야기 as if 담소를 나누 with a 리포터* [話: tell their story as if chatting with a reporter].

Not only is the *구성* [構成: composition] simple, but even the ‘*런타임* (Runtime)’ of the *프로그램* [program] is only about *십오 분* [十五分: fifteen minutes].

What kind of *변동 사항* [変動事項: change] can happen to a *프로그램* [program] like this?

“Originally it was a *단독 출연* [単独出演: solo appearance], right? I heard another *한 명이* [一人: one person] is coming?”

“Hmm, I don’t *크게 상관은* [大: greatly care]…”

Jaeseung, who *흐려 the 말끝* [濁: blurred the end of the word], *끄덕여 several times as if 대수롭지 않다는* [頷: nodded several times as if it were not a big deal].

If another *한 명이* [一人: one person] is *투입* [投入: put in], wouldn’t he only have to *뽑아내* [抜: extract] about 7 minutes and 30 seconds of *이야기* [話: story]?

He was already *바짝 긴장한* [緊張: very nervous] because it was his first time with a *제대로 된 방송 촬영* [放送撮影: proper broadcast shooting], so he thought it was *차라리 다행* [寧: rather fortunate].

Soon, Jaeseung *갸웃거려 a little and 건넸 the 물음* [傾: tilted his head a little and asked the question].

“But who is it? It must be someone with *연관성이* [関連性: relevance] with me, so they were *투입* [投入: put in]… is that person also a *디자이너* [designer]?”

“No.”

“Who is it?”

“Do you know ‘*KFDV* (Korea Fashion Design Verein)’?”

“Isn’t that the *한국패션디자이너협회* [韓国ファッションデザイナー協会: Korea Fashion Designer Association]?”

When Director Song *답해 경쾌하게* [答: answered cheerfully], “Yeah, that’s right. I heard an *이사* [理事: director] from there is coming,” Jaeseung *미간을 찡그린 잔뜩 and 되물었다* [眉間: frowned a lot and asked back].

“That’s a place with *아무런 연관성도* [関連性: no relevance] with me, right? Why am I *촬영* [撮影: filming] with them *대체* [一体: at all]?”

“Don’t you think you know why? Because *맛있는 냄새 is coming, 이놈, 저놈 are 몰리기 without 할 것 없이* [匂: delicious smell is coming, this guy, that guy are flocking without exception].”

As *으레 그렇듯, 날파리가 are 꼬이게 잔뜩 in places where 이권을 can be 취할 수 a little* [蠅: as usual, flies are swarming in places where interests can be taken a little].

*한국패션디자이너협회, ‘KFDV’* [韓国ファッションデザイナー協会: Korea Fashion Designer Association].

*자고로, among places like ‘협회’ and ‘연맹’, isn’t it 여간 어려운 일이지 to 찾아보는 곳 that are 원활히 하는 제 기능* [協会: generally, among places like ‘association’ and ‘federation’, isn’t it difficult to find a place that is functioning smoothly]?

Although it’s not a place he’s *겪어본 directly* [経験: experienced directly], there’s a saying that *when a 생선이 썩으면, 대가리부터 썩는다* [魚: when a fish rots, it starts at the head].

Of course, he didn’t think the *사정이 would be 별반 다르리 now* [事情: circumstances would be much different now].

Since he *갑작스레 얽히게 with such a place, he wasn’t 마냥 유쾌하지 기분이* [絡: suddenly entangled with such a place, he wasn’t just pleasant feeling].

Soon, Director Song *살피고 재승’s 눈치를 and 꺼냈다 재차* [窺: looked at Jaeseung’s mood and took out again].

“Well, *설마 they have a 별다른 목적* [目的: surely they have a special purpose]? They’re probably just trying to *형성해 좋은 관계* [形成: form a good relationship]. Even if they’re not, just *맞춰줘 the 말 원하는 대로* [合: match the words as desired]. There’s no point in *괜히 척을 져서 with the 협회, other than that, right* [敵: unnecessarily making enemies with the association, other than that, right]?”

“Unless they make *말도 안 되는 요구* [要求: ridiculous demands], I don’t have any *생각 to 굴 적대적으로. 애초에 I’m not that kind of 성격* [敵対: thought to act hostilely. From the beginning, I’m not that kind of personality]…”

“Okay. Well, I’m sure you’ll do well.”

Director Song, who *답해 짤막하게* [答: answered briefly], began to *집중하기 운전에 다시금* [集中: concentrate on driving again]. Jaeseung 역시 마찬가지 [同: also the same].

*자꾸만 스멀스멀 피어오르는 불안감을 뒤로한 채, he began to 밀어 넣기 the 부실한 샌드위치 들린 손에 into his 입안에* [不安感: constantly smoldering anxiety behind him, he began to push the poor sandwich in his hand into his mouth].

*여러모로 피곤한 하루다* [疲: It’s been a tiring day in many ways].