Mining And Construction Tycoon [EN]: Chapter 148

Mining Mogul and Construction Tycoon – Episode 148

148. Han Kyung-ryun (1)

“Whenever I see the TaeYang Apartments commercial, I can’t help but think how beautiful the apartments are and want to buy one. But whenever our Cheongil Apartments commercial airs, people say they’re going to grab a bite!”

Han Cheong-ho threw the newspaper he was holding.

The newspaper article that hit Secretary Park and fell to the floor caught his eye.

“Kang Bu-ji is in 30 food commercials! And they want to put our Cheongil Apartments ad on top of that?”

That’s why he’s even more frustrated.

“What if the image of Cheongil Apartments, which should be glamorous, becomes as folksy as a country meal?”

Secretary Park lowered his head.

“I clearly conveyed your instructions, Chairman.”

“Then why did this kind of advertisement come out! How much money did I spend on that commercial!”

“As you requested, we hired the highest-paid star actress in the industry.”

They brought in Kang Bu-ji, the hottest star, to film the commercial.

“We even subtly included the TaeYang Apartments ad copy, which is the most impactful these days. And we emphasized the unique aspects of our Cheongil Apartments in the process.”

The more he heard, the more he felt like he was going crazy.

“I can’t listen to this anymore.”

Han Cheong-ho slammed his fist on the desk.

“You said you conveyed my instructions? Are you saying that now?”

He was so frustrated he couldn’t live.

“I told you to hire the most glamorous actress that fits Cheongil Apartments, not just the highest-paid actress!”

That’s not all.

“I didn’t tell you to copy the TaeYang Apartments ad copy, but to come up with an ad copy that’s as impactful as theirs!”

When did he tell them to copy it?

“If I told you to include the unique aspects of Cheongil Apartments, you should have included a completely different atmosphere. Are you talking about differentiation by just awkwardly copying it? Is it all different just by changing the location from the living room to the kitchen? Is this how you’re going to work?”

Secretary Park closed his mouth.

But the expression that he felt wronged was still there.

“Still not saying you’re sorry? What are you looking at with those wide eyes, like you did something right?”

“…I did my best. To meet your expectations, Chairman.”

“You still haven’t come to your senses.”

Eventually, Han Cheong-ho threw a book that hit Secretary Park’s chest.

Secretary Park staggered and took a step back.

“Even if you just conveyed my instructions, this kind of advertisement wouldn’t have come out! Did your best? Met my expectations? If the result is this, what else can I say but that you’re incompetent?”

Secretary Park bit his lip.

Han Cheong-ho glared at Secretary Park with fierce eyes.

“How far did you bribe the bank presidents?”

“Bribe… what do you mean?”

“The banks sent Cheongil a letter of demand [a formal request for payment]. I shook them from the front, and you should have tied them up from behind. That’s why I put you in that position.”

“How can I handle that? It’s something even you couldn’t handle, Chairman.”

“I have the face of the head of a conglomerate [a large corporation].”

No matter how much Han Cheong-ho threatened, he couldn’t just spout threats in a place where the bank presidents were all gathered.

“So you should have used any means, fair or foul, to win over the bank presidents from behind.”

“What means could I have possibly used…….”

“Any means, fair or foul. Carrots are good, whips are good, you should have used every possible method.”

Han Cheong-ho’s eyes grew colder and colder.

The way he looked at Secretary Park was like ice.

“The secretary is supposed to take care of all the dirty work. Otherwise, why would I need a secretary?”

The more he thought about it, the more dissatisfied he became.

‘I can’t use him.’

To have to take that clueless guy around as a secretary.

If it were Secretary Song, he would have been trembling and trying to find a way to survive.

Was he thoughtless, or was he fearless?

‘No matter how perfectly I say it, he understands it like garbage. I didn’t know Secretary Song’s absence would be this big.’

It was so comfortable when Secretary Song, who understood even garbage-like words perfectly, was around.

Han Cheong-ho glanced down at the letters of demand piled on the desk.

“This is your last warning. Take care of these letters of demand. At this rate, Cheongil Construction will go bankrupt.”

Secretary Park’s vision went dark.

How could he do what even Han Cheong-ho couldn’t do, just by being yelled at?

The words the bank presidents had said to Secretary Park echoed in his head like a mantra.

-A large foreign bank investor wants to clear the corporate loan deficit, which is at a dangerous level.

-Our bank has decided to prohibit corporate loans and credit loans other than collateral loans for the time being.

-Cheongil, please repay the principal quickly. We will also raise the interest rate after this month.

Seeing Secretary Park hesitate, Han Cheong-ho even let out a hollow laugh.

‘Come to think of it, Secretary Park has never tasted the spicy flavor [experienced hardship]. That’s why he can’t tell the difference between heaven and earth.’

It was something he didn’t have to worry about when he used Secretary Song.

He must have been too lax all this time.

It was then.

Knock knock.

“Father, I’m coming in.”

Han Il-kwon came to the study for some reason.

He was the guy who had been busy running away because of Cheongil Apartments and the hotel these days.

“What’s going on?”

“Your voice is echoing all the way outside, Father. Why are you raising your blood pressure? Just get rid of him.”

Han Cheong-ho only rolled his eyes and glared at Secretary Park.

How could Han Il-kwon not know what that look meant?

“The guys to take care of him are waiting outside the door. Should I bring them in?”

He wanted to get rid of that useless secretary right away.

But he hadn’t used him up yet.

“Send him to the Gukbin Hall [likely a euphemism for a place where people are pressured or intimidated].”

Then he’ll wake up.

“Hey, Father, you’re too soft. You can’t fix people by reusing them.”

Han Il-kwon grumbled.

Wasn’t Han Cheong-ho’s heart the same?

“I know. But remember, you have to wipe your butt with toilet paper before you throw it away [use someone completely before discarding them].”

Even if he threw Secretary Park away, he had to use him properly before throwing him away.

“If he still doesn’t come to his senses even after going in and out of the Gukbin Hall a few times…….”

A ruthless smile hung on Han Cheong-ho’s lips.

Only then did Han Il-kwon chuckle and nod his head.

“Hey, Secretary Park. You’re lucky today. Hehehe.”

Han Il-kwon grabbed Secretary Park’s tie and dragged him away.

“Hey, come in and take this guy. To the Gukbin Hall.”

Before he could even say uh-oh, the study door opened, and two burly men bound Secretary Park on the left and right.

Secretary Park turned to Han Cheong-ho with a pale face.

“Ch, Chairman!”

“Shut his mouth and drag him away, he’s being too loud.”

Han Cheong-ho roughly pulled on his tie as if he was suffocating.

“Which bastard blocked the bank loan? So boldly.”

There was no way to get money.

“This won’t do. We don’t have enough funds to build the Cheongil Hotel and Cheongil Apartments.”

There was none.

Cheongil was already restructuring.

“I didn’t know the bleeding from tearing off Cheongil Oil and Cheongil Heavy Industries, the cash cow affiliates, would be this big.”

Since they didn’t have cheap oil to bring in and use, they were bringing in oil at a high premium.

As a result, the management status of affiliates, including the petrochemical field, deteriorated across the board.

There wasn’t a factory that didn’t use oil.

“I think I should sell at least one affiliate.”

The places with the most deficits right now are automobiles and shipping.

“Father, they say they won’t even buy Cheongil affiliates even if you put them up for sale.”

Since the Cheongil Oil M&A [Mergers and Acquisitions], the acquisition of Cheongil affiliates has been repeatedly canceled.

This is because the rumors of Cheongil’s garbage behavior are widespread in Korea.

But if it doesn’t work in Korea, he can just sell it to a foreign country.

“I told him to look into foreign companies, but that incompetent guy can’t do anything right no matter what I tell him. Tsk.”

“Are you really going to sell it?”

Honestly, he couldn’t sell it because it was too precious.

How did he collect the affiliates by clinging to the regime!

“Cheongil Hotel or Cheongil Apartments. I want to build and sell the apartments first and use that money to build the Cheongil Hotel. But I can’t ignore Cha Ki-beom’s warning.”

It was a dilemma.

“Father, I have a good idea.”

Han Cheong-ho was tempted.

“What is it?”

“You’re good at something, Father.”

“I’m good at more than one or two things? It’s harder to name what I’m not good at. So tell me clearly.”

“How did Cheongil grow to this point?”

By clinging to the regime.

He bribed and lobbied, and clung like a parasite to extract privileges.

“When did you become a chaebol [a large, family-owned business conglomerate] through business, Father?”

Honestly, the business was run by competent subordinates, not Han Cheong-ho.

“You have to break through the crisis with your specialty. What’s the point of doing something wrong?”

Han Cheong-ho’s specialty is seeing people and political maneuvering that starts with bribes.

Han Cheong-ho frowned.

“Cha Ki-beom, that son of a bitch, is openly interfering…….”

Cha Ki-beom was wary of Jeon Doo-ho, so he was checking even Han Cheong-ho, who was a prospective in-law.

“Cha Ki-beom has identified and eliminated all the guys he had attached to the president.”

The spy search operation that started in Saudi Arabia was still ongoing.

“Even those from Oseonghoe [a private group with political influence] are being picked off.”

Han Il-kwon asked slyly.

“Why don’t you ask His Excellency once?”

“His Excellency doesn’t meet me these days.”

Park Jeong-hwan, whom he trusted, was pretending not to know.

“Besides, it’s not a domestic bank, so how can His Excellency tell foreign bank investors what to do?”

“Contact Secretary Kim Jeong-rim. He’s like your right-hand man, Father.”

“He doesn’t answer the phone either.”

Han Cheong-ho slammed the desk.

“Kim Jeong-rim! How much money did I feed that bastard behind his back!”

He’s not helpful, not helpful!

Han Il-kwon chuckled with glittering eyes.

“When did you start trusting those guys, Father? Those guys just suck the sweet stuff and throw it away.”

“That’s right.”

“Look elsewhere. There’s a hole to get money out of.”

Wasn’t his son quite good at turning his head for bad deeds?

“Okay, what should I do?”

“Han Kyung-ryun [Federation of Korean Industries] is choosing the next chairman this time, right?”

“That’s right!”

Han Il-kwon understood at once.

“The huge amount of public funds that Han Kyung-ryun members pay every month!”

“That’s it.”

The method Han Il-kwon came up with was embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds.

That’s because Han Kyung-ryun used to collect public funds for the benefit of the chaebols and use them for lobbying the political world.

It was cheaper than companies lobbying individually, and it became possible to lobby even higher-ups.

“Just borrow the public funds for a while and fill them back in.”

The term of the Han Kyung-ryun chairman is two years.

He was confident that he could somehow cover up the annual audit.

No, he could fill it back in before the Cheongil Apartments sale was over.

“If it’s Han Kyung-ryun’s public funds, it’s enough to build the Cheongil Hotel and Cheongil Apartments at the same time. Hehehe.”

“He also holds the title of Han Kyung-ryun chairman, gathers chaebols to create power, and uses money. Hehehe.”

The rich were so in sync when it came to bad things.

“That public fund is for feeding politicians anyway, and you’re good at that, Father. You can embezzle it appropriately without it showing.”

“Okay, I’ll have to take over this Han Kyung-ryun chairman position.”

He could see a way out.

* * *

TaeYang Apartments model house and temporary studio.

After finishing filming the daily drama, CP [Chief Producer] Go Seok-man shouted loudly.

“There will be a company dinner tonight! Don’t run away home, let’s gather!”

People applauded and cheered.

“The ratings are good and the ads are sold out, so let’s eat something expensive.”

“I want to eat beef!”

CP Go Seok-man smiled and said.

“Today, the TaeYang Group is sponsoring the company dinner. Beef is not under my jurisdiction.”

“Chairman, you’re the best!”

“Chairman, you’re awesome! Beef! Beef!”

“Beef! Beef!”

Tae-soo, who was watching the filming from behind the studio, smiled.

“Good. Since we’re eating, let’s eat beef ribs.”

“Wow, beef ribs!”

People were so happy they went crazy.

Since it was a company dinner organized by the TaeYang Group’s public relations manager, Hol쭉이 [likely a nickname] was embarrassed.

“No, it’s a company dinner organized by me, so why are you sending the cheers over there?”

“The chairman is paying for it. Beef! No, beef ribs! Beef ribs!”

“Beef ribs! Beef ribs!”

People shouted, excited.

“The chairman is attending today, right?”

“Chairman, let’s have a drink together!”

Tae-soo handed his entire wallet to Hol쭉이.

“Our Manager Kim will treat you generously.”

Hol쭉이, who received a thick wallet, raised the hand holding the wallet.

“Hey, did you see that? The wallet is in my hand. I can’t hear you, what are you going to eat?”

“Beef ribs! Beef ribs!”

“Let’s go! Let’s go eat beef ribs!”

Hol쭉이 took the lead, receiving the cheers of the people.

* * *

As the filming team and the actor team left, the studio became quiet.

It was when Tae-soo was turning off the lights.

Knock knock.

Someone knocked on the studio door.

Tae-soo went out and saw Jang Seo-yeon standing outside the door.

“What brings you here at this hour?”