Return To The Building Owner [EN]: Chapter 508

Hyun-sung greeted him with a loud, welcoming voice.

“Hyung-nim [older brother or respected male figure]! Welcome!”

The person who opened the store door and entered was Choi Yun-soo, a video business expert. That’s why Hyun-sung’s voice was filled with such delight as he welcomed him.

“Hey! Mr. Kim, how have you been?”

Choi Yun-soo seemed just as pleased, his voice also full of warmth. The two exchanged handshakes and greetings for a moment.

They had agreed to be like brothers before parting ways on the day they first met in Anyang, which made their meeting even more joyful.

A moment later.

Choi Yun-soo glanced around the store and then looked at Hyun-sung, asking,

“By the way, did you finish organizing all those videos in just two days?”

Choi Yun-soo was the one who had brought the videos from the closed store to Hyun-sung’s shop. That’s why he was asking, looking at the neatly organized videos now.

Hyun-sung’s reply came immediately.

“Yes, Hyung-nim. I finished the barcode work just a little while ago, following the sorting.”

“Barcode work?”

“Yes, I put all the labels on individually and entered everything into the computer. Now, we just need customers to come.”

Choi Yun-soo tilted his head at Hyun-sung’s words.

Including the videos he had brought in addition to the existing ones, there were a little over 30,000 in total. So, he couldn’t help but be surprised that Hyun-sung had finished the barcode work on all those videos.

But the truly astonishing thing was something else entirely.

It was the genre-based classification. All the videos, including dramas, action, and thrillers, were classified by genre as if they were a painting.

The classification work is something that can only be done with considerable expertise in videos. But he had perfectly finished organizing all those videos.

Choi Yun-soo asked immediately.

“Whose work is this?”

“Pardon? What are you talking about?”

“The video classification work. Who came and helped with all this?”

“I did it myself with my staff.”

“Staff?”

Choi Yun-soo tilted his head at the word ‘staff’ and looked at Hyun-sung.

Then, Hyun-sung seemed to understand what he meant and immediately opened his mouth.

“I mean my employees.”

“Employees? Did you just say ’employees’? So, that means you have more than one employee?”

“Yes, I have five.”

“…….”

Choi Yun-soo could only stare at Hyun-sung, seemingly at a loss for words at the number five.

Could this be real? The store is only 40 pyeong [a Korean unit of area, approximately 132 square meters or 1,420 square feet] at best. But he has five employees?

Nowhere in the country would you find a 40 pyeong store with five employees. Then, there could only be one reason.

Choi Yun-soo asked immediately.

“Are you perhaps going to do deliveries?”

“As expected of a pro, you immediately figured out that we’re doing deliveries from the number of employees?”

“That’s basic. But can you handle it?”

Hyun-sung smiled and nodded at the word ‘handle’.

He fully understood why Choi Yun-soo had said that.

He was asking if he could maintain the business with five employees in a store of this size.

“It’s a conclusion I came to after much deliberation.”

“Is it perhaps because of the Movie Heart that’s opening up there?”

He had already talked about Movie Heart when he first met Choi Yun-soo in Anyang a while ago. So, Choi Yun-soo already knew about that Movie Heart.

“Yes, that’s right. Movie Heart will be opening next month anyway, so we’ll inevitably have to fight a war, won’t we?”

“So, you’re going to do deliveries as well?”

“Of course. Since we’re starting, I’m going to do it properly. And the reason for doing deliveries isn’t just for rentals, but also for the greater purpose of retrieval.”

“Retrieval?”

“Yes, if they call after watching the movie, we’ll go pick it up right away. If we retrieve it that way, the video turnover rate will increase accordingly.”

Choi Yun-soo nodded.

That was obvious. Usually, they would rent it for one night and two days, but if they pick it up directly, someone else can rent it again, so the video turnover rate will naturally increase.

But the problem is the response.

How much will the customers actually respond?

Choi Yun-soo asked immediately.

“Will the customers really respond?”

“We have to make them respond.”

“That means you have a method?”

“Of course. We’ll give them cash back.”

“Cash back?”

“Yes, cash is the best anyway, rather than accumulating points. If they call right after watching it, we’ll retrieve it and give them 500 won [Korean currency, a small amount] back. Actually, 500 won isn’t a small amount.”

Snap!

Choi Yun-soo snapped his thumb and middle finger together and immediately continued.

“That’s a good idea. Once they’re done watching it, there’s no use in keeping it at home. And 500 won isn’t a small amount of money.”

“That’s right. That way, we can solve the chronic problem of video stores.”

“Chronic problem?”

“Yes, the late fee issue.”

When running a video store, the retrieval issue can be surprisingly troublesome.

It would be great if they returned it the day after renting it, but that’s often not the case. The biggest problem is that the video turnover rate drops.

The video turnover rate is directly related to sales, so it’s the most important issue.

The next is the late fee issue.

As they often say, video rentals are a neighborhood business. So, when people are late, the first thing they say is, ‘Why are you charging late fees when we live in the same neighborhood?’

Of course, that’s not wrong, but the problem is that it’s not just one or two people.

So, they have no choice but to receive late fees even while hearing those words.

But the problem is that it’s not easy to receive those late fees.

Some people argue severely or throw money at the counter. Some even stubbornly insist on following the law.

In the end, they use the last resort of ‘rental ban,’ but how could they do that?

This is the chronic problem of rental stores.

Those who haven’t experienced it wouldn’t know how stressful it is.

Some people even file lawsuits.

The late fee issue is inevitably a serious chronic problem in video stores to that extent.

That’s why Hyun-sung is now trying to solve that chronic problem by having the staff retrieve the videos directly.

Choi Yun-soo continued.

“Well, fighting with the neighbors over late fees every day while running a rental store isn’t something to do.”

“Exactly, but if we retrieve it directly, that problem is automatically solved.”

“So, you’re ultimately going to increase the video turnover rate and automatically solve the late fee issue?”

“That’s right, and more importantly, the additional sales will increase quite a bit.”

“Additional sales? What are you talking about?”

“People who like movies won’t just return them.”

Pfft.

As soon as Hyun-sung finished speaking, Choi Yun-soo chuckled lightly, as if he understood what he meant, and immediately continued.

“So, what Mr. Kim is saying is that they’ll order another video while calling to return it?”

“Yes, that’s exactly it. Of course, it won’t be 100%, but I expect about 60% of them will do that. Especially on weekends.”

“Probably so. There are many people who like movies and watch them all night long.”

That was the reality. Back then, there weren’t many other leisure activities to do, so many people watched videos.

On weekends, there were quite a few people who rented about five videos as a basic.

Some even rented 20 or 30 episodes of martial arts series. In that case, they would alternate between two video players. The machines would get hot, so they would stay up all night watching them that way.

Choi Yun-soo said again.

“Mr. Kim, no matter how I think about it, it’s strange.”

“Pardon? What are you talking about?”

“You clearly told me that this is your first time running a video rental store, right?”

“Yes, of course.”

“But?”

“Yes? What is it?”

Hyun-sung pretended not to know. He knew very well why Choi Yun-soo was asking that question. But he couldn’t talk about his past life experiences, so he pretended not to know.

Choi Yun-soo continued.

“This doesn’t make sense. Who would call Mr. Kim a novice?”

“I’m just…….”

“Just what? I’ve been in this business for exactly 10 years this year. But when I listen to you talk, you’re one step ahead of me. What do you think?”

“Hyung-nim, you’re saying too much. How could I possibly be better than Hyung-nim…….”

“No!”

Choi Yun-soo raised his hand and interrupted Hyun-sung. Then, he immediately continued.

“I can’t be fooled. When I look at Mr. Kim, I’m sure you’ve done something related to videos in some way. Am I wrong?”

“Um…….”

After thinking for a moment, Hyun-sung immediately opened his mouth.

“I heard a lot of complaints from the owner of the video store I used to go to.”

He had no choice but to lie. It wasn’t important anyway, so Hyun-sung couldn’t help it. He had no choice but to make Choi Yun-soo understand in that way.

“So, you found a solution after listening to those complaints?”

“If you think about it, that’s how it is. That owner said that if he had the means, he would want to operate in that way as well. But he didn’t have the resources, so he just complained…….”

“So, Mr. Kim is putting that into action?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Did you perhaps work part-time there sometimes?”

Hyun-sung hesitated for a moment, but he had no choice but to open his mouth. He had already started lying, so he had no choice.

“Yes, sometimes when the owner had things to do.”

“Now my question is answered.”

“Question?”

“Yes, actually, I didn’t understand when Mr. Kim said earlier that he classified all these videos by genre with his employees. That classification work is something that can’t be done without considerable expertise in videos.”

That’s right. It’s not easy to classify over 30,000 videos by genre, not a small amount. Hyun-sung was able to do it because he had experience from his past life.

Choi Yun-soo immediately continued.

“Anyway, you ended up causing an accident.”

“Accident? Me?”

“Yes, I’m talking about ‘Hit,’ which is being released the day after tomorrow. You ordered 300 copies.”

“Oh? How did Hyung-nim know that?”

“You don’t know that this industry is narrower than you think. Probably not just me, but most of the business owners across the country already know.”

It was something he had fully expected.

Competition is essential for each sales office anyway. So, the expected sales volume would have already been released. But suddenly, 300 more copies were added in the Incheon sales office, so the rumor would have spread immediately.

Moreover, since that increased volume was ordered from one place, all eyes would inevitably be on it.

“I see. Actually, that’s why I wanted to see Hyung-nim.”

“What does that mean?”

“My younger brother caused an accident, so Hyung-nim has to solve it, right?”

“You want me to take responsibility?”

“Hyung-nim is capable enough to do that. What do you say?”

“Haha…….”

Choi Yun-soo suddenly started laughing instead of answering.

In the end, he understood what Hyun-sung meant.

The most important thing for a used goods dealer is the goods. Their ability depends on how much new product they can distribute.

But Hyun-sung is now saying he’ll give him that volume.

It’s becoming a commonly referred to symbiotic relationship. Hyun-sung solves the large initial volume, and Choi Yun-soo distributes the used goods again.

Hyun-sung also won’t need the 300 copies he initially bought after some time.

A moment later.

Choi Yun-soo looked at Hyun-sung and asked.

“How many copies are you going to take out [sell as used]?”

“250 copies.”

“250 copies, huh…… So, that means you’re going to digest 50 copies on your own?”

“Yes, I can slowly take them out later.”

“Well, even after a month or two, small stores will need them anyway. Okay, when are you going to take out the goods?”

“10 days after release.”

The timing is important even when taking out the goods. If it’s too early, the price is high, and if it’s too late, it’s difficult to distribute.

“That’s perfect. Not too early and not too late.”

“I thought that was the right amount. Selling goods is all about timing anyway.”

“You’re really amazing. Okay, what’s the most important thing, the price? How much does Mr. Kim want?”

Perhaps it’s the most important issue.

Even though it’s a used transaction, there’s a set price in the used market. The problem is whether Hyun-sung knows that price, and Choi Yun-soo couldn’t help but be curious.

Was that why?

Choi Yun-soo’s eyes couldn’t help but be filled with anticipation as he looked at Hyun-sung.

Then Hyun-sung’s mouth opened.

“Ten thousand won [Korean currency].”

“Ten thousand won?”

Choi Yun-soo tilted his head. It was less than he had expected.

Usually, a new product is 22,500 won. Of course, that’s only for blockbuster-level movies. The price is slightly different for non-blockbuster movies. 19,800 won, 17,600 won, etc., the price varies slightly depending on the movie.

In the case of blockbuster-level movies, the price in the used market is determined based on the release date.

If you take it out in a week, it’s 15,000 won, and if you take it out in ten days, it’s 12,000 won. Usually, it drops by 1,000 won per day.

It’s a publicly known secret that those who know, know.

But the problem is that Hyun-sung called out ‘ten thousand won’ now. That means he doesn’t know the price in the used market.

‘What should I do?’

Choi Yun-soo couldn’t help but fall into 고민 [a state of worry or contemplation]. Should he tell the truth, or should he just pretend not to know and take it for 10,000 won each?

If he takes it for 10,000 won each, he’ll earn 500,000 won on the spot for 250 copies. It’s not just one or two movies, and if he calculates six movies a month, it adds up to 3 million won.

But that’s not all. He’ll add a profit of 2,000 won per copy and sell it to general rental stores. In other words, it’s like picking up money off the street.

But…….

After thinking for a moment, Choi Yun-soo shook his head from side to side.

He didn’t think it was right in good conscience.

Choi Yun-soo opened his mouth to look at Hyun-sung. No, he was about to.

But Hyun-sung was faster.

“The 2,000 won per copy is a gift from me to Hyung-nim.”

“…….”

Choi Yun-soo had nothing to say. He could only breathe a sigh of relief inside. What would have happened if he had pretended not to know and nodded?