The Conglomerate Family Became A Villain [EN]: Chapter 10

Becoming a Billionaire Villain – 10 – This is Wall Street 01 –

– This is Wall Street –

New York.

The epitome of the American Dream.

A land of opportunity where simply standing there makes you realize you are in America.

Instead of getting intoxicated by the illusion of freedom and opportunity, Jung Hyun-woo coldly assessed reality.

‘Japanese cars and the signs of Japanese companies are dominating the streets.’

During the time when Japan’s bubble economy was reaching its peak.

New York had become the biggest target for Japanese companies. They were shopping for skyscrapers in New York with their overflowing dollars.

“There are a lot of Japanese signs, aren’t there?”

Sarah said, putting down her coffee cup.

“It wasn’t like this when I came before, but it’s become like this at some point.”

Jung Hyun-woo pointed to an advertisement for a Japanese car company and asked.

“Do you think there are opportunities there?”

The Japanese bubble burst after the Plaza Accord in the mid-80s [an agreement signed in 1985 by the governments of France, West Germany, Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom to depreciate the U.S. dollar in relation to the Japanese yen and German Deutsche Mark].

In other words, there were opportunities in Japan now.

“Some of my relatives invest, but I don’t know much about it.”

“Isn’t Japan a country that makes cheap and good products?”

“Even so, I think it’s too overvalued.”

Sarah was both an optimist and a pessimist. This duality of hers might have been inherited from the Hilton family.

“Why? Is Charlie interested in Japan?”

“Since there are so many signs, I thought it might be worth looking into.”

Sarah took out a notepad and said.

“Then I’ll put it in the portfolio.”

“Are you going to invest in Japan?”

“Didn’t you say you were aiming for an investment company?”

Sarah thought of the joint venture as a full-fledged game development company. But Jung Hyun-woo shook his head.

‘If I keep making games, I’ll end up plagiarizing the ideas of the masters instead of following in their footsteps. I don’t want that.’

He thought it was no different from the crime of stealing the ideas of pioneers.

‘There may be no one to punish me, but the one above may think differently.’

He turned his gaze to Sarah and replied.

“I did.”

“Didn’t you say that because you had something in mind?”

It wasn’t just having something in mind. Ideas about investment filled Jung Hyun-woo’s head to the point of overflowing, streaming out of his eyes and ears.

“I’m just looking for opportunities for now.”

Sarah wrote something in her notepad and said.

“You’re waiting for oil prices to stabilize, right?”

The early 1980s was a difficult time for companies due to the oil shock that had started in the late 1970s.

Paul Volcker, who became Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board in 1979, was still adhering to a high-interest rate policy. This led to a contraction in investment, and money giving high interest rates flowed into banks.

“No.”

“No?”

“When I wasn’t developing games, I mainly read newspapers.”

Sarah thought that Jung Hyun-woo was the type to study a lot before making any decisions.

‘He seems to move spontaneously, but Charlie always moves based on evidence.’

She smiled faintly and asked.

“Did you see something in the newspaper?”

“The game industry is growing explosively.”

With more than ten million game consoles being sold a year, it was nothing short of a boom.

“The future is bright. That’s what you mean.”

“I thought the opposite.”

Sarah’s eyebrows rose.

“The opposite?”

“If they sell too many, won’t there come a time when no one buys game consoles anymore?”

A great depression caused by supply far exceeding demand.

Sarah’s raised eyebrows softened and lowered.

“Charlie thinks the current boom is a bubble.”

“I don’t know if it’s a bubble or not. But I think it’s true that it’s overheated.”

Sarah stopped taking notes and looked at her wristwatch. The watch wrapped around her slender wrist was Cartier’s legendary Tank Solo.

As befitting a chaebol heiress [a Korean term referring to the daughter of a wealthy conglomerate family]?

Of course, she didn’t have a hobby of collecting luxury goods. According to her, a relative gave it to her as a birthday present a few years ago.

‘That’s even more like a chaebol heiress.’

To explain a little more, the Cartier Tank series she was wearing on her wrist was literally inspired by tanks.

‘A blonde beauty wrapped in a tank?’

Sarah got up from her seat and said.

“It’s time for our appointment.”

Appointment.

The two of them hadn’t come to Wall Street for sightseeing. They were planning to have several meetings with Wall Street investment experts here.

“Where is the meeting?”

“The Plaza Hotel.”

Built in 1907 on 5th Avenue on the south end of Central Park, this historic hotel gained fame for the Plaza Accord.

Of course, in 1981, the Plaza Accord was not even planned.

‘It’s more famous to Koreans as the backdrop for ‘Home Alone 2’.’

At the time, the Plaza Hotel was owned by the famous Donald Trump. He made it a condition that he had to appear as a cameo as a condition for filming ‘Home Alone,’ and eventually succeeded in appearing as a cameo in the movie.

“It’s a historic place.”

Sarah responded to his words in a bright voice.

“It’s a place where you can be with Audrey Hepburn.”

Jung Hyun-woo tilted his head and got up from his seat. With ‘Home Alone’ not yet produced, the most famous movie set in the Plaza Hotel was ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s.’

***

“It’s really fancy.”

The lobby of the Plaza Hotel was even more splendid than he had seen in the movies.

‘Come to think of it, did this hotel also appear in The Great Gatsby?’

It had been a long time since he had read The Great Gatsby, so he didn’t remember well.

Sarah ordered a drink and responded to his words.

“It’s not really New York style, though.”

“You mean it’s not modernism?”

“The Plaza is a boutique.”

Sarah and Jung Hyun-woo were sitting by the window.

“Is this okay?”

“It’s not just okay, it’s great.”

How could it not be great to drink coffee in a historic hotel lounge?

“A successful businessman would be able to use the business lounge, but we’re not quite there yet.”

She could have leveraged her status as a Hilton family heiress, but she didn’t think it was good to abuse her family’s name.

Jung Hyun-woo put aside his feelings about the Plaza Hotel and wanted to move on to business.

“Who are we meeting this time?”

The moment Sarah was about to answer, Jung Hyun-woo opened his mouth wide.

“It’s Donald Trump.”

At his words, Sarah’s gaze also changed.

“Really?”

In the early 1980s, Trump had not yet experienced his famous hotel bankruptcy.

In other words, he was a young businessman who was on a roll.

Sarah turned her head again and asked him.

“Do you know him?”

Jung Hyun-woo nodded and replied.

“He’s famous.”

“Really? He often shows his face in social circles, but I don’t think he’s that famous yet?”

Jung Hyun-woo’s gaze was still fixed on Donald Trump.

“He was in a magazine I read.”

Sarah nodded at his words.

“Well, he’s a good talker, so the reporters must like him.”

In 1981, Trump had not yet published his best-seller ‘The Art of the Deal.’

To add, ‘The Art of the Deal’ was ranked number one on the New York Times bestseller list for 51 weeks and was ranked fifth among business books of all time.

With the success of this book, he became one of the most famous people in America.

‘So he wasn’t just full of hot air.’

He slightly raised the end of his sentence.

“Sarah doesn’t seem to like people like Trump?”

Sarah raised her right index finger and replied.

“Didn’t you know? I prefer the serious type.”

“Then it’s Tom.”

When Choi Kyung-min was mentioned, Sarah shrugged.

“Ha, he’s too stiff. Even a soldier would be better.”

The secretary of the Daewoon Group and the heiress of the Hilton family.

The weight was heavily tilted to one side.

“So, who are we meeting this time?”

Sarah twirled the right index finger she had raised and hesitated.

“Who could it be?”

Was she going to bring Warren Buffett or something?

‘Even for her, this is impossible.’

Jung Hyun-woo asked, as if frustrated.

“Is it a big deal?”

“He’s a rising star on Wall Street.”

A rising star.

Then it wasn’t Warren Buffett.

That old man was already famous in 1981.

“A rising star on Wall Street. I don’t know.”

“Hasn’t he been in a magazine?”

“I guess he’s a serious person.”

When Jung Hyun-woo’s voice became slightly curt, Sarah said teasingly.

“Are you jealous now?”

“Of whom?”

“Of someone who’s not in a magazine.”

“Am I?”

“Aren’t you?”

Looking at this side of her, it couldn’t be said that Sarah had no playfulness.

“Ah, here he comes.”

Instead of getting up from her seat, Sarah waved her hand. Then a neat young man approached her.

She said to Jung Hyun-woo in a low voice.

“That’s Peter Lynch of Magellan Fund.”

Peter Lynch.

A living legend of Wall Street.

Jung Hyun-woo felt a thrill the moment he heard his name.

‘I’m meeting Peter Lynch here?’

An unbelievable thing was happening before his eyes.