Golden Print [EN]: Chapter 143

Manager Kim leaned back in his chair, a frown creasing his forehead. He tapped his pen against the polished wood of his desk. “Pavilion,” he muttered, the word feeling strange and unfamiliar in his mouth. “So, you’re saying WJ Studio will install a sculpture that looks good?”

Woo-jin nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips. “Well, something like that. Think of it as… a special piece of art, built like a small building. It stands alone, and it’s designed to be beautiful and interesting.” He paused, picturing famous pavilions in his mind. “Imagine a beautiful, open structure in the middle of the mall lobby – something that catches the eye and makes people stop and admire it. That’s a pavilion.”

“And of course, you’ll charge separately for that….”

Woo-jin nodded once more. “Of course.”

Manager Kim twirled his pen and opened his mouth. “So this is… a kind of deal?”

“I’m helping you, Manager, to bring in the wonderful brand . And you’re giving our studio the opportunity to install a wonderful pavilion… I think it’s a good deal that can be a win-win for each other.”

Manager Kim stopped twirling his pen. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes unfocused as he thought about Woo-jin’s words. He was worried about being tricked.

The truth was, Woo-jin’s request wasn’t that difficult. The mall lobby needed a sculpture. Unless they bought expensive art from famous artists overseas, it didn’t matter who they hired. If Woo-jin’s price was reasonable, hiring WJ Studio, which was connected to Bruno, who owned the design rights, was a good choice. However, Manager Kim worried about being swindled by contractors who overcharged and did poor work to make a quick profit.

It’s hard to set a price for sculptures. The price can change a lot depending on how much people value the design. That’s why many swindlers appear. And Woo-jin was openly suggesting a deal. Manager Kim didn’t know Woo-jin well and couldn’t help but be suspicious.

‘Even with the offer of bringing in … how much are you trying to rip me off?’ he thought.

Woo-jin knew what Manager Kim was thinking. Manager Kim tried to hide it, but it was obvious. Woo-jin had dealt with swindling contractors before when he worked at a construction company.

‘I would have thought the same thing,’ he thought.

But Woo-jin didn’t plan to cheat anyone with the pavilion. He wanted financial gain, but intangible values were more important. The Parafield Complex Mall, designed by a famous designer, would attract the global construction industry’s attention. If WJ Studio designed a pavilion there, it would also gain global attention. Of course, a bad design would be forgotten quickly, even with Bruno’s reputation. But Woo-jin was confident.

He had wanted to design pavilions for a long time. He had seen many pavilions in architectural magazines that became world-famous. While Manager Kim thought, Woo-jin organized his thoughts and spoke carefully.

Even though he knew what Manager Kim was thinking, he didn’t want to be too direct. The Wangsimni Parafield project was already sensitive because of bribery. “Manager,” Woo-jin said.

“Yes, CEO,” Manager Kim replied.

“Would it be okay if I made a more specific proposal?”

Manager Kim tilted his head, surprised, but nodded. He wanted to hear more. Woo-jin spoke again. “Actually, I know it can be difficult from the manager’s point of view.”

“Yes? What do you mean…?”

“Although our WJ Studio has grown recently, we don’t have any examples of pavilion designs, do we?”

Manager Kim hadn’t thought of that, but he nodded. “Yes, that’s right.”

Woo-jin paused. “So, I’m going to give you a blank check for the design fee.”

“Pardon me?” Manager Kim and Bruno stared at Woo-jin, eyes wide. The offer was very unusual.

“You mean… we can set the design price as we want?”

Woo-jin nodded. “That’s right. We’ll only charge for the cost of materials and labor. If you take care of that part… we’ll accept whatever price you set for the design fee.”

Manager Kim looked confused. “Our finance team may set it to zero.”

“I’m sure they will. They’ll try to reduce costs as much as possible.”

“But….”

Manager Kim wondered if Woo-jin was trying to cut corners on materials, but Woo-jin stopped that idea. “We’ll also let Paramount’s checking team verify the materials and labor costs.”

“……!”

“We won’t use expensive materials. The total cost will be within industry standards.”

Manager Kim was speechless. If Paramount accepted this proposal, it would be strange. “If you say so, we’re grateful, but….”

Hiring a famous overseas designer was too expensive, and checking other contractors was difficult. There was no reason to reject Woo-jin’s offer. Woo-jin even said what Manager Kim wanted to say but couldn’t. “I’ll write all the details in the contract. How about this?”

After Woo-jin finished speaking, the room was silent. Woo-jin looked relaxed, Manager Kim looked confused, and Bruno looked surprised. After a moment, Manager Kim spoke, nodding slowly. “Well, of course… it’s good. There’s no reason to refuse when you say this much.”

Woo-jin smiled. “I knew it, right?”

“But CEO Seo,” Manager Kim said.

“Yes?”

“Before we write the contract, can I ask you one more thing?”

Woo-jin shrugged. “Yes, sure. Anything.”

Manager Kim scratched his head. “Why are you trying so hard to get this pavilion contract?”

Woo-jin smiled again. “This is an opportunity, and I’m confident I can take it.”

Manager Kim looked puzzled, but Woo-jin just smiled and added, “If the design is good, you have to pay a good price for it, haha.”

Design fees are hard to value in architecture and other fields. Design is subjective, so the price depends on who is paying. If you have a great reputation like Bruno, it’s different, but it’s harder for someone like Woo-jin, who isn’t well-known.

So, Woo-jin’s deal was risky. He might only gain a ‘pavilion in a huge mall’ for his portfolio. He could work hard on the pavilion and earn nothing. But Woo-jin made this offer because he was unknown. He wanted to start his career as a designer from the highest point possible.

‘It’s a gamble, but… I’m confident,’ he thought.

Woo-jin wasn’t pricing his design. He was letting Paramount decide the value. If the pavilion was recognized globally, Manager Kim couldn’t set a low price. Paramount was a global company, and setting a low price for a famous design would hurt its image.

Woo-jin couldn’t demand a high design fee because he hadn’t debuted as a designer yet. So, Woo-jin planned to get the highest possible value for his pavilion design. Even if it sounded like a trick, Woo-jin had a big plan. But for this to work, the pavilion had to be a great design that would be recognized globally.