Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 117

Hyung, Am I Cute? Episode 117

Steve Baek asked, repeating my question.

“You mean future industries?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve heard the term, but I don’t really know what it entails.”

“Sales methods have changed a lot in recent times. We’ve gone from small variety, small quantity production, to small variety, large quantity production, and now multiple variety, large quantity production.”

“That’s right.”

“And you know that IDAS [a hypothetical company name, similar to Adidas] produced a pilot plant for small-quantity, multi-product production, right?”

Steve Baek nodded.

IDAS is a company famous for sports and shoe clothing.

Currently, the factory is running as a pilot operation, and it’s attracting a lot of attention.

“Um. Are you going to automate the factory system? Are we going to produce small quantities of various products too?”

“No. I don’t think that will work out well just yet.”

I shrugged and took out the data from my bag, handing it over to him.

“If you look at IDAS’s case, isn’t it very dreamy? If you choose what you want and order shoes, the factory will print them out and deliver them to your home.”

“I think it sounds pretty good.”

“I thought differently. I didn’t think it was very good.”

“Oh! Really?”

“Yes. I got an idea from this ‘not-so-good’ thing.”

“That makes me curious.”

I smiled and touched the top of my mug.

“Do you know what was the first thing that came to my mind when I heard about this business, packaged as such an advantage?”

“What is it?”

“It’s annoying. That was exactly the feeling.”

“Hmm?”

“Isn’t that right? I have to go to the site every time, choose the design I want, combine it, and then buy the shoes. I can tolerate that trouble once… but it’s not really attractive.”

“I can see thinking that way.”

“Yes. Nowadays, systems are pursuing convenience for consumers. Korea especially is like that.”

“Looking at the delivery services here, it’s amazing in that respect.”

Steve Baek nodded as if he agreed.

Time is important to everyone.

Even having this conversation right now.

“So I thought about it. What business items would work in the United States, not in Korea?”

Steve Baek swallowed and focused on my lips, as I was finally preparing to reveal the main point.

You might be disappointed because the idea sounds plausible, but not practical, when you actually hear it.

Or it could be a trivial idea that anyone could think of.

But it’s always amazing how people make money from those trivial things.

“I found the answer in this convenience.”

I paused for a moment and put the word in my mouth.

“Subscription service.”

“Huh? You mean to subscribe to clothes on a regular basis?”

“Yes. We survey subscribers’ tastes and send them the latest trendy clothes. The target market would be adults, but I think it would be better to focus on children.”

“Children’s clothing…….”

“Children can’t wear a lot of clothes for very long as they grow up. They grow up so fast that you have to buy them clothes often, unlike adults.”

“That’s right. That’s true for ordinary people. It’s a little different for people who are interested in fashion.”

“But how convenient would it be if we ‘decided’ and brought them clothes that suit their tastes?”

“Hmm…….”

Steve Baek moved his fingers as if he was calculating.

I rushed in, regardless of his thoughts.

The important thing is to focus on children’s clothing, not adults.

“I also have data from a diplomat. The U.S. children’s clothing market is currently $30 billion, an increase of 5% year-on-year.”

“Children’s clothing…….”

I combined all the information that came to mind and re-established it.

There is only one thing needed to accelerate the decision and realize the idea.

It was an accurate figure.

“The population is shrinking now, but the parent age group is growing. Do you know what this means?”

“Economic power.”

As expected, he understood immediately.

As a person in the clothing business, he was quick to calculate.

“Then you’ll know what will happen. It won’t accelerate even more and get younger [referring to the increasing economic power of parents].”

“That’s right. Since there’s that much money, the purchase rate for children’s clothing is also increasing… Is this why it increased?”

“You’re asking even though you know.”

It is a simple miscalculation to think that sales will be low just because there are fewer children being born.

In reality, sales are increasing.

The reason is that parents are making a stable income as the marriage age rises.

Then there are also problems here.

To say that income is stable means that parents are busy with work.

There are also many people who can’t invest a lot of time in buying clothes for their children.

It is convenience that solves that.

In fact, there was no problem doing this business in a large market like the United States.

Perhaps it was a business that Steve Baek’s position and power could easily accomplish.

“How is it? Now, if we focus on distribution, there will be more room to grow. If those well-known brands are holding a tight grip on the market share, we have to break through a new path.”

Steve Baek burst out laughing at my words.

“Hahaha!”

He laughed, holding his stomach with one hand and hitting his knee with the other.

I realized that this was Steve Baek’s expression of satisfaction.

He shook the contract as if he had been struck hard by an idea.

“Si-hyuk.”

“Yes.”

“You’re amazing. I’ve been hit hard. In this case, Parang Mall [a hypothetical online shopping mall] will take a big hit in terms of distribution ratio.”

“If you’re an early member, you should take care of this much.”

I grabbed the phone on the table and turned off the recorder.

Now everything is over.

“You can write an autobiography based on this story, right?”

“Haha. Is an autobiography the problem now?”

“Of course. This is my job.”

“Then can I make a good suggestion too?”

I looked at Steve Baek.

I know what that look is now.

So my answer was this.

“I don’t think you can hire me. I like Korea here.”

“That’s a shame. Is it because of your brother?”

“Well, yes.”

“But you can’t just take care of your brother forever, can you?”

“Yes?”

Steve Baek smiled and stood up.

“It was a really informative conversation today. Let’s proceed as is. I don’t think it will take long.”

“Really?”

“The trading partners and distribution are already amazing. And another trading partner has been created.”

“Hmm…….”

“And I also have a research company that I trade with often. It’s quick to make if you just make it [referring to the subscription service].”

“Steve Baek will be able to do it.”

“Haha. That’s right. I will definitely do it. I can use the capital I’ve been rolling here. In fact, it was a part I was worried about.”

“Like how to raise the company one more time?”

Steve Baek had a relieved expression.

“Yes. I’m starting to see some light. I have to try it once. It was worth listening to you here. But it doesn’t fit my budget.”

“Yes?”

“I think the balance has shifted too much to my side. This is crossing the line.”

What does that mean again?

“I’ll repay you with a good gift. Please look forward to it.”

“I don’t know what it is, but I’ll look forward to the gift.”

The two hands that were held again were held lightly without any force.

***

-Daycare.

Another peaceful day was passing.

But that peace never lasts long.

Crack.

Jaehwi looked at the handle of the cup in his hand with a bewildered expression.

“Uh?”

This shouldn’t break so easily?

Jaehwi looked around.

No one saw what Jaehwi was doing.

He touched the pretty mug, but he didn’t know it would break.

He gently hid the mug behind the cushion.

The teacher didn’t notice.

He sighed, thinking it was fortunate.

“Jaehwi!”

“Uh, Jongsu.”

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing.”

Jaehwi was so scared that the teacher would scold him.

He was nervous and his heart was pounding.

Jaehwi’s conscience was pricked because he knew he had done something wrong.

Jongsu looked at Jaehwi strangely.

“Let’s play together. We’re going to find the different pictures with the kids today.”

“Okay.”

Jaehwi followed Jongsu to where the kids were.

He glanced at the broken mug and quickly turned his head.

He pretended not to know.

Jaehwi pretended not to know.

While he was playing with the kids, Siha found the hidden mug.

“Ah?”

Currently, Siha was playing treasure hunt with Seungjun and Hana.

A game where they actually hide and find treasures.

But what Siha found was a mug with a broken handle.

“Sam! Sam!”

Siha called the teacher.

He learned the expression Sam [short for teacher] from Hyung this time.

Because he had seen him calling Dahee Sam, Dahee Sam.

“Yes? Siha. Why?”

“Sam! Sam! This.”

“Oh? Why is this like this? Why is it broken?”

“Broken?”

“Yes. The handle is broken? I’m sure I put it on… Did Siha touch it?”

“No.”

“Really?”

“Ah ah.”

“Hmm. Then who did it? I’m sure I’ve never put it here.”

“Ah?”

The teacher looked around at the children.

The mug that she told them not to touch was definitely touched.

She warned everyone, but there must have been kids who didn’t listen.

“Everyone stop! The handle of this mug is broken and hidden!”

Jaehwi made a slightly flinching expression.

Seungjun and Hana came closer and tilted their heads.

The teacher didn’t notice and looked at the children around her.

“Like a spot the difference, the mug is not in its place here. Now! The culprit is here! Good children, please tell me honestly! Then I won’t scold you!”

But even when the teacher said that, the children said they didn’t know.

The teacher nodded as if she knew it would happen.

“That’s a shame. I can’t find the culprit like this.”

Then Jongsu stepped forward.

“Wait a minute!”

“Jongsu. Why?”

“The culprit is the person who found it first. I saw it in that cartoon!”

“Really?”

It seemed like Jongsu watched too many cartoons.

But it wasn’t wrong.

It was natural to suspect the first witness.

“Siha was the first to find this.”

“Siha. No.”

“Yes. The teacher doesn’t think so either. Because there are many cases where the witness is not the culprit in cartoons!”

The director looked at teacher Yoo Dahee with a pathetic look.

It was an expression that the basis was just a cartoon.

But teacher Yoo Dahee was so caught up in her situation that she couldn’t see that expression.

Because she was a professional teacher optimized for daycare.

“Then who did it?”

Jaehwi flinched at the teacher’s narrowed eyes.

The teacher who captured that look nodded.

It was because she guessed who the culprit was.

So she didn’t want to reveal that Jaehwi did it in a situation where everyone was watching.

So she was going to warn him and end it by telling a good story.

It was then.

“Ah ah!”

Siha raised his hand.

“Yes? Siha, why?”

“Siha. Ara [knows].”

“What, what?”

“Siha. This. Ara.”

Could it be that Siha noticed the culprit?

The teacher put her ear close with a worried expression.

“Then can you tell me secretly?”

“Ah ah.”

“Who did it?”

Siha whispered to the teacher.

“Jaehwi.”

“Oh? How did you know?”

“Like this. Like this. Ara.”

Siha flipped it over several times with his hand.

It seemed like he was making a sparkling gesture.

Then he turned around once and glanced at Jaehwi.

He circled his finger around.

Siha drew a circle around Jaehwi.

But the children didn’t know what he was doing, so they turned their heads around, following Siha’s hand.

Then Siha stuck out his stomach and looked at the teacher.

“Like this.”

The teacher didn’t know what that action meant.

Would Si-hyuk have understood?

“Um. I see.”

She pretended to know for now.

“Ah ah.”

“I see. That’s what happened.”

“Ah ah.”

The teacher was worried about what to do with this situation.

She couldn’t say no to Siha in this case.

Because Siha would become a liar.

She couldn’t reveal it in front of so many people either.

Because she didn’t know how Jaehwi would be hurt and how the kids would look at him.

Then Siha pulled on the teacher’s skirt.

‘Isn’t it over yet?’