Golden Print [EN]: Chapter 248

After Woojin’s interview was released, the new WJ Studio building was bustling with activity.

Seoul Forest Road was already busy with people visiting Seoul Forest. Now, even more people were coming.

Woojin’s interview appeared not only in general news but also in design magazines and media.

Every article also showed a photo of the beautiful WJ Studio building.

The main lobby, which Woojin had put the most effort into, always appeared on visitors’ social media.

It became a famous place in Seongsu-dong. People felt they had to visit and take a photo if they were near Seoul Forest.

The interesting thing was that the hundreds, even thousands, of photos of the building’s lobby online each looked different, just as Woojin had said.

The atmosphere and light changed depending on the angle and the person taking the photo.

This space, with its different atmospheres and light, was interesting to both experts and regular people.

(Photo)

└ Wow, where is this? It looks like it’s abroad!

└ It’s WJ Tower in Seongsu-dong, a neighborhood in Seoul near the popular Seoul Forest park. I heard that architect Seo Woojin designed it.

└ Seo Woojin? The one from ‘Why Did You Come To My House?’

└ Yes, that’s right. I visited it recently, and it was truly amazing and wonderful.

└ But does the lighting keep changing here? That’s amazing.

└ It’s even more amazing when you go there. I came out after eating at the restaurant on the second floor, and the atmosphere was completely different from when I first came in.

└ Wow… Is that even possible?

└ You’ll know once you go. It’s worth visiting at least once.

WJ Tower was more than just a beautiful building.

Only the upper floors were used as WJ Studio’s office. The first to fifth floors had shops and restaurants.

Everyone wanted to be in WJ Tower, from the popular coffee shop, , to well-known brands.

Seongsu-dong was becoming a commercial area, but it didn’t have a place where people could relax and spend time. WJ Tower became that place.

When you searched for ‘Seoul Forest’ or ‘Seongsu-dong’ online, these posts appeared:

[Seoul Forest WJ Tower: A must-see place in Seongsu-dong.]

[Seongsu-dong popular restaurant. Jeron Bakery in WJ Tower.]

[ Finally opens in Seoul Forest!]

[The trendy WJ Tower, parking information and reviews.]

As WJ Tower became more popular, economic news became interested in Woojin’s investment.

Woojin was becoming famous, so his investment story was a great topic for them.

So, these exciting articles appeared:

[Architect Seo Woojin. Was he a genius investor?]

[From buying land to building… WJ Tower in Seongsu-dong built with less than 10 billion won. Is the market price now 150-200 billion won? Real estate expert A says 200 billion won is a low estimate…….]

[WJ Tower effect, land prices near Seoul Forest go up!]

[WJ Tower success, sales of nearby stores increase quickly…….]

Woojin was eating hot sujebi, a type of Korean noodle soup, and looking at the articles on his phone. He shook his head and said,

“It’s too much. Now they’re talking about everything.”

Woojin was not completely happy about being famous.

He wanted to be known for his architectural design, but the articles focused more on gossip than architecture.

Joohee, Woojin’s mother, sat across from him and smiled. “You’re a public figure now. People will talk about you.”

“I guess so. I knew this would happen.”

Woojin looked around and ate his sujebi again.

Joohee’s Korean noodle soup restaurant was always full. If people knew who he was, it would be chaotic.

Woojin spoke quietly to Joohee. “Mom, how’s business been?”

Joohee smiled, gesturing around the busy restaurant. “Busy as ever, can’t you see?”

“Are you tired? It must be a lot of work,” Woojin worried.

Joohee chuckled. “Remember I hired that chef you told me to? It’s much easier now. Are you eating properly, though? You look a bit thin.”

Joohee’s Korean noodle soup restaurant was in the best spot in WJ Tower.

When Woojin was deciding where to put the restaurants, he made sure his mother’s restaurant was in the best spot.

Because of this, Joohee’s restaurant made almost six times more money than when it was in Gaepo-dong. But Woojin felt bad that he had given her such a good location.

He wanted to have lunch or dinner at his mother’s restaurant, but it was too crowded.

‘Still, I’m proud because she seems happy these days because business is doing so well…’

Woojin finished his soup and got up slowly.

“I ate well, Mom.”

Now that he had eaten, it was time to get back to work.

“Woojin, are you going back to the office?” Joohee asked.

Woojin shook his head. “No, Mom. I have to go out.”

Joohee nodded. “Okay. You’re working too hard.”

“It’s not hard work. I enjoy it.”

“Even if you enjoy it, don’t overdo it, okay?”

“Thank you for your concern, Mom.”

Woojin left Joohee’s Korean noodle soup restaurant and took the elevator to the underground parking lot.

In the elevator, Woojin muttered, “It’s been a while since I’ve heard Mom nagging.”

When he arrived at the parking lot on the third basement floor, he saw his car.

It was parked in the spot for the CEO.

Woojin got in the car and started the engine. He suddenly thought,

‘Yeah. Maybe I should take some time off, like Mom said.’

Of course, not today.

Once he finished some important tasks, Woojin decided to take a few days off.

That afternoon, Woojin was meeting with Lim Jungwoo, the CEO of Dajin Architecture.

He had met Lim Jungwoo through Kim, the CEO of Cheongdam-dong Real Estate, before the Seongsu-dong project.

He was meeting him for work.

It had been about two months since the first meeting. Dajin Architecture and WJ Studio were working together on a luxury townhouse project in Cheongdam-dong, and it was going well.

The overall plan for the project was now finished.

‘If I meet CEO Lim today, we can start designing.’

Lim Jungwoo and Woojin wanted to create a new luxury residential brand together.

They needed to decide what each company would do to launch this brand.

Now, they had almost finished discussing this.

Woojin was meeting CEO Lim at a luxury hotel lounge in Hannam-dong.

CEO Lim often used this quiet and private space for important meetings.

Woojin left his car with the valet and went to the meeting.

When Woojin got off the elevator, CEO Lim greeted him with a smile. “You’re here early!”

Woojin and Lim Jungwoo were meeting for the second time, but they felt comfortable with each other because they had talked about the project often.

“Haha. I had lunch here today. Did you have a meal too, CEO Seo?”

“Of course.”

“Please sit here. Let’s have a relaxed conversation today.”

“Alright, CEO.”

Woojin sat down. Desserts and drinks were placed on the table.

Lim Jungwoo was a regular, so the table was set without any special orders.

Woojin felt better after drinking the sweet and cool fruit drink.

He didn’t know how much it cost, but it was delicious.

After Woojin took a moment, CEO Lim Jungwoo spoke again. “By the way, CEO.”

“Yes, CEO.”

“I was really surprised last month.”

“Yes? What are you talking about?”

Lim Jungwoo smiled. “The Seongsu district public project.”

“Ah……!”

“To be honest, I didn’t think you would win the project, no matter how skilled you are.”

“Haha. I understand why you’d think that.”

“I was really surprised. I could tell you were experienced just from our conversation that day. But I didn’t think you could win the project, which is so important to the architectural association.”

Woojin and Lim Jungwoo looked at each other.

Woojin could tell what Jungwoo was curious about.

‘I wonder what kind of connections I have. That’s what you’re curious about.’

Woojin’s presentation was amazing, and he used social media well.

But Jungwoo had been in the industry for decades and knew that Woojin had more than that.

So he asked Woojin casually.

He was curious about how capable Woojin was.

However, Woojin wouldn’t tell him everything.

“It worked out because the mayor, who planned this project, is a very honest person.”

“Oh, the mayor…….”

“This project, which started with the undergrounding of Gangbyeonbuk-ro, was the first big project of the new Mayor Gu Yoonkwon.”

“That’s right.”

“The mayor didn’t want this project to be unfair. That’s why I had an easier time.”

Woojin didn’t say much more, but Lim Jungwoo nodded.

Woojin didn’t say it directly, but Jungwoo guessed that Woojin knew the Mayor of Seoul.

‘The Mayor of Seoul… Even the association has to respect that.’

Lim Jungwoo looked at Woojin with even more interest.

He thought that this project with WJ Studio might be more successful than he had thought.