Golden Print [EN]: Chapter 214

April was already halfway through.

The cherry blossom season had returned, and the K University campus, now bursting with pale pink and white flowers, was filled with students.

However, Woojin had no time to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Woojin only went to the large university in Seoul about once a week.

He managed to fit all the classes he needed into that one day, thanks to Professor Yoon Chi-hyung’s understanding.

After attending lectures from early morning until 4 p.m., Woojin hurried to the parking lot, his smartphone in hand.

“Yes, Chief. Has the official announcement been released?”

[Yes, CEO! It’s just as you predicted!]

“Have the basic design drafts been prepared in advance?”

[We’ve prepared drafts A, B, and C, based on the concepts you designed earlier.]

“Good. Now that the announcement is confirmed, let’s start preparing in earnest.”

[Are you coming to the office right away, CEO?]

“Yes. I just got in the car. I’ll be there in 30 minutes.”

Woojin got into his sleek black car, started the engine, and gripped the steering wheel, a pleased smile on his face.

The article he had been waiting for had finally been published.

[ Project to be Relaunched. Will Undergrounding Gangbyeonbuk-ro be the First Step?]

[Development Plan for Seongsu Strategic Redevelopment Zone Approved! A New Premium Residential Area with 15,000 Homes is Coming!]

[Seoul to Host a Major Design Competition?]

[Seoul Mayor Gu Yun-kwon: “I Want to Give the Most Beautiful Han River to the People of Seoul.”]

The Gangbyeonbuk-ro undergrounding project was already unofficially confirmed.

All the official steps had been approved within Seoul City, and only coordination with the members of the Seongsu Strategic Redevelopment Zone remained.

Since Seoul City’s plan was something the Seongsu members would likely agree to, the official article was just a matter of time.

‘Good. Now I just need to create an amazing design and win the competition.’

The Seongsu Strategic Redevelopment Zone was going to change a lot, becoming a huge, fancy area with over ten thousand homes.

Woojin felt a surge of excitement as he imagined WJ Studio’s name on the design of this incredible place.

The designer hadn’t been chosen yet, and Seoul Mayor Gu Yun-kwon hadn’t promised Woojin any special treatment.

But Woojin was confident he could win this project, no matter what.

‘I’ve worked so hard to prepare; I can’t let someone else take the credit.’

He believed in his design and architectural skills, which had been recognized by the EAC, and he felt he understood the project better than anyone else.

‘The official steps moved faster than expected… and Uncle Hong-shik is doing even better than I thought…’

Woojin smiled, thinking of Hong-shik, who was working hard in Seongsu-dong every day.

Asking Hong-shik to join as a business partner seemed like a brilliant idea.

[Is the Seongsu Strategic Redevelopment Zone Project Finally Moving Forward?]

[Seongsu Strategic Redevelopment Zone District 1 Achieves 75% Agreement Rate! Association Establishment Imminent!]

After the article about the Gangbyeonbuk-ro undergrounding project in Seongsu was published, an article about District 1 always followed.

The district that had been the most troubled in the Seongsu Strategic Redevelopment Zone was now progressing quickly, making it a hot topic.

Hong-shik’s energy was amazing.

Seongsu District 1 became the “hottest topic” – everyone was talking about it and wanted to be involved because it was suddenly very valuable.

A post by someone claiming to be an investor in Seongsu District 1 had over a hundred comments.

[Title: I’m an investor in Seongsu 1 since December last year.]

[Content – As you know, Seongsu 1 had been slow because of the Hangang Renaissance project. Compared to Districts 2 and 3, it was slower and riskier, so people avoided investing. However, I thought it was worth the risk, so I invested. Now, it’s taking off. The current situation of the Seongsu Strategic Redevelopment Zone is…….]

……Omitted……

└ What was your initial investment?

└ I can’t say exactly, but it was under 80 million won (less than $60,000 USD).

└ Wow, were properties available at that price in December?

└ There were plenty back then. You could buy a ‘뚜껑’ (unit with redevelopment rights) for around 50 million won.

└ Now you can’t buy anything even with 300 million won……. What’s this person’s rate of return?

└ It’s not too late, everyone. The development plan has been announced, so it’s just the beginning, and if it’s completed, it will become a fantastic residential area.

└ If it goes up more than it is now, it will be around 1 billion won for a 30-pyeong unit (around 100 square meters or 1000 square feet)……. Do you think that’s possible?

└ I think it will go even higher. In just five years, it will be as wealthy and desirable as Gangnam.

└ That’s too much. Seongsu as Gangnam? That’s nonsense…….

└ I heard that Chairman Seon-yeong of Cheongdam is leading the District 1 Promotion Committee. Is this true?

└ Wow, really? That’s amazing?

└ That’s right. Kwak Hong-shik is currently the head of the Promotion Committee. I think he’ll even be the chairman of the association…….

The agreement rate for District 1, which had been the worst and was expected to take at least 10 years to establish an association, had more than doubled in just a few months.

Investors were naturally curious about who was leading the Promotion Committee.

It was Hong-shik, who had recently been praised for the Cheongdam Seon-yeong Apartment reconstruction.

As word spread, the good news from Seoul City became official.

The value of properties had jumped more than five times in a short period.

‘Well, I don’t plan to sell anytime soon, but it still feels good that it’s going up.’

While driving to Seongsu-dong after class, Woojin received calls from acquaintances who had invested with him.

Seok-jung and So-jeong, who were very wealthy, didn’t care much about the news.

But Jae-yeop, Su-ha, and other acquaintances were excited.

Woojin also learned that Soyeon’s old apartment by the river in Seongsu-dong was in District 1.

Soyeon, as the head of the household, was also a member of Seongsu District 1.

‘I really didn’t expect this.’

Perhaps by the time Soyeon returned from Spain, her old apartment would be a shiny new one.

Woojin smiled, thinking of Soyeon’s kind younger siblings.

‘I hope everyone does well.’

Filled with these thoughts, Woojin happily went to the office.

Woojin got off the elevator, put his luggage down in the CEO’s office, and headed to the conference room.

The meeting was ready, and the design team was waiting for Woojin.

“CEO, here…….”

“Thank you.”

Woojin took the drink from an employee and looked at the documents on the table.

“Okay, let’s start the briefing.”

Woojin clapped his hands, the lights went out, and the screen lit up, starting the design meeting.

Kwon Joo-yeol, 60 years old, was a well-known designer in the Korean architecture world.

He started as a young architect in his 30s in the late 80s and quickly gained recognition.

Kwon Joo-yeol was talented and had a strong background that helped him succeed.

He was a student of Park Moon-joo, the former chairman of the Korea Institute of Architects and the most famous modern architect in Korea.

It was natural for him to become a successful architect.

However, Kwon Joo-yeol lacked one thing: international fame.

He was known as the best architect in Korea but wasn’t known globally.

He hadn’t been nominated for the Pritzker Prize and had only been invited to the EAC a few times.

Joo-yeol believed that the problems in the Korean architecture industry were the reason he hadn’t become world-renowned.

He thought that the insufficient budgets and complicated interests in Korean architecture prevented him from reaching the global stage.

But Joo-yeol had recently faced a dilemma.

It was an architect named Seo Woo-jin, who had quickly become famous.

Joo-yeol first heard Woo-jin’s name on the entertainment program .

Kim Ki-sung, who was on the program with Woo-jin, was an architect who was friendly with Joo-yeol.

He watched the program because he found it interesting that someone he knew was on it.

Joo-yeol didn’t like Woo-jin from the start.

Kim Ki-sung praised Woo-jin as talented, but Joo-yeol saw him as someone who cared more about his appearance than becoming a good architect.

He didn’t have any specific reason to dislike Woo-jin.

But he didn’t like that Woo-jin was on an entertainment program at a young age, before even graduating from college.

After that, he forgot about Seo Woo-jin.

There was no reason to remember the name of ‘just a college student.’

But the name reappeared, making him uncomfortable.

“An architect who surprised the world……. Reporters always exaggerate.”

Joo-yeol, sitting at his desk and looking at the article, looked uncomfortable, turned off the monitor, and stood up.

But then, the phone rang loudly.