The Conglomerate Family Became A Villain [EN]: Chapter 130

130. To Nasdaq (3)

On the way back to Boston.

“Do you think it will really work?”

Sarah’s question was about Victoria Corporation going public.

“You mean the IPO [Initial Public Offering]?”

“I can’t quite picture it in my head.”

“Going public isn’t that difficult. Many companies smaller than ours do it.”

“Still, I can’t imagine our company being listed on the Nasdaq [National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations].”

Victoria Corporation is listed on the Nasdaq, and countless people are buying and selling Victoria Corporation stock.

She couldn’t quite picture this.

“Since it’s our company, we should show it to people even more. Show them that it’s such a great company.”

“Charlie, you’re confident, aren’t you?”

Hyun-woo Jung retorted.

“Sarah, aren’t you confident?”

Sarah trailed off at his question.

“I don’t know…”

Was it because she saw what happened after Activision went public?

She didn’t think there was only a bright future after going public.

‘It won’t be like Activision, but not only good things will happen.’

Once Victoria Corporation is listed on the Nasdaq, various financial newspapers and magazines will pour out articles about Victoria Corporation almost daily.

The articles wouldn’t be limited to the company but would also highlight the company’s key executives and shareholders.

Who bought what.

Who is dating someone. Or who met with someone to discuss a merger.

Even these small things could be reported.

‘The more the company’s value increases, the more the media will focus on us.’

After the IPO, Hyun-woo Jung and she might have to give up some of their privacy, even if not to the extent of Hollywood actors.

‘And maybe, Charlie and I will have to live separately.’

It might seem strange for two young major shareholders to live in the same house.

Hyun-woo Jung hadn’t thought about these things. He was focused only on the success of the IPO.

“Sarah, don’t worry. Once the equity deal with Bank of America is completed, Victoria Corporation’s value will soar even higher.”

Sarah sighed briefly and nodded.

“I hope so.”

Soaring higher.

This meant receiving even more attention.

‘Yeah. There’s no need to tell Charlie.’

She didn’t think it was necessary to tell a businessman running towards success about the side effects that would occur after the success.

* * *

Daewoon Group Chairman’s Office.

Standing in front of Chairman Jung Woo-sun were Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik and Managing Director Jung Min-young.

“So, General Cho misunderstood and told me?”

Jung Min-young cleared his throat and replied.

“General Cho seems to have heard about another group.”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun didn’t unfold his frowning face and raised his voice.

“Not us, but another group is on the list?”

Jung Min-young had heard the answer directly from Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Heo Moon-young, so he could confidently raise his voice.

“That’s what I heard from my father-in-law. However, he asked me not to disclose this matter.”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun raised his right hand and pointed to the two people alternately.

“What we just talked about stays between the three of us. I will never forgive you if it leaks anywhere else.”

Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik and Jung Min-young straightened their posture and raised their voices.

“I understand. I will keep it absolutely secret.”

“I will keep the secret.”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun knew very well what would happen if he didn’t properly keep the story from the Blue House [the presidential residence and executive office of South Korea].

‘If we don’t handle the rumors properly, Daewoon Group, not another group, might be the one being investigated this time.’

As he turned his gaze, Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik said.

“I’ve also looked into it through various channels, and it wasn’t our Daewoon Group.”

“Hmm, really?”

“And there are rumors that the Blue House will soon be cracking down on companies’ discipline.”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun groaned lowly at the story that the Blue House was cracking down.

“Hmph.”

For Korean businesspeople, political power, that is, the Blue House, was always a target of fear.

“It seems to be because the Asian Games are coming up.”

Next year was exactly one year before the Asian Games.

South Korea had never hosted such a large event as the Asian Games.

“The Blue House won’t want to fail.”

Companies should be at the forefront for the success of the Asian Games.

This could be said to be the Blue House’s message.

“Chief Hong.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Prepare additional subsidies.”

Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik bowed.

“I understand.”

Since the economy was good this year, it wasn’t too difficult to raise slush funds.

“Min-young.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Consult with Chief Hong and send a gift to your father-in-law.”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun didn’t forget to express his gratitude to Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Heo Moon-young.

‘Perhaps Secretary Heo changed the name of the company on the list.’

At first, Daewoon Group was on the list, but he changed the name with the power of the Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs.

It was a plausible scenario.

“And Chief Hong.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Min-seok is coming back today, so go out and listen to what he has to say.”

Vice President Jung Min-seok was scheduled to return home today after touring business sites in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

“Yes, I understand.”

Chairman Jung Woo-sun thought that Vice President Jung Min-seok might have caused an accident.

‘If the Blue House was targeting us, it might be because of Min-seok.’

If he made a mistake to a foreign head of state or took a stance criticizing the president, he would have no excuse for incurring the wrath of the Blue House.

However, Vice President Jung Min-seok was a man who had little interest in politics or ideology.

“You can go now.”

Jung Min-young and Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik bowed deeply.

“We will leave now.”

The two took a long sigh after leaving the chairman’s office.

“Hoo…”

They were like porters who had put down a heavy load.

“Fortunately, we got through it well.”

“Shall we have a cup of tea?”

Jung Min-young nodded at Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik’s suggestion.

“Let’s do that.”

The two had to have a meeting anyway because they also had to discuss the gift to send to Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Heo Moon-young.

The place where they sat facing each other was Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik’s office.

“Did Secretary Heo really say it was another company?”

Jung Min-young leaned back in his chair and replied.

“He couldn’t mention the name of a specific company, but he said it wasn’t Daewoon Group.”

“Hmm, it seems the Blue House is really trying to put pressure on the business world.”

“Where did you hear the news, Chief?”

Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik replied with a bitter smile.

“I heard it from Hyun-woo.”

“Hyun-woo?”

“Even when he’s in the United States, he sometimes has faster news than us.”

Jung Min-young knew that Jung Hyun-woo had met with Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Heo Moon-young, so he thought that he had heard this story from Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Heo Moon-young.

‘Then both Hong and I heard the story from the same source.’

If it was Senior Secretary for Civil Affairs Heo Moon-young’s words, it could be trusted 100%.

“But why is Hyun-woo hiding his identity?”

At Jung Min-young’s question, Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik slowly shook his head.

“How can we know what that child is thinking?”

“But haven’t you ever thought about the reason?”

Just as Jung Min-young had, Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik had also tried to guess Jung Hyun-woo’s intentions.

“I’ve thought of two reasons.”

“Two reasons?”

Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik sighed briefly.

“Hoo… The first is the burden.”

“If it’s a burden, do you mean the expectations of the Daewoon Group are burdensome?”

“Not the burden of the Daewoon Group, but the burden of South Korea. If he’s the richest Korean in the United States who succeeded, and a young rich man at that, how much expectation would be focused on him?”

Jung Min-young lightly exclaimed at his question.

“Ah, that could be true.”

“Like a national representative athlete competing in a game, a heavy sense of responsibility may be weighing down on Hyun-woo’s shoulders.”

Jung Min-young nodded as if he could understand.

“I would feel burdened too.”

Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik raised his right hand and then spread two fingers.

“The second is because of the possibility that he’s not real.”

“If he’s not real…”

“Can you believe that a boy who is not even twenty years old is the richest man in Korea? There’s no choice but to think that there’s an untold story behind it, isn’t there?”

“That’s right.”

Jung Min-young had also once thought that Jung Hyun-woo wasn’t the real deal and that the Hilton family was the true power behind him.

‘Even now, that suspicion hasn’t completely disappeared.’

No matter how successful he was in business in the United States, the title of the richest person in Korea wasn’t something easily obtained.

“What do you think?”

“What do I think about what?”

“Hyun-woo’s potential, I mean.”

Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik was talking about the possibility of Jung Hyun-woo being the real deal.

“I currently think it’s about 80%.”

“So, you’re saying 20% is still lingering in doubt.”

“Even you, Chief of Staff, you can’t believe everything about Hyun-woo’s story, can you?”

Both of them had met Jung Hyun-woo in the United States.

“Hyun-woo in the United States seemed like a different person.”

In Korea, Jung Hyun-woo was nothing more or less than a smart young man of his age.

But in the United States, it was different. He overwhelmed them, solved problems they couldn’t solve, and met people they couldn’t meet, engaging in natural conversations.

It felt like a young Asian man who had succeeded in business in the United States had become a member of American high society.

“I felt that way too. Hyun-woo in the United States was different from his 모습 [appearance] here.”

“Despite that, you’re saying 20% of doubt still remains?”

“The Hilton family keeps bothering me.”

Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik nodded.

“I feel the same way.”

There was no way an American chaebol [family-owned conglomerate] family would support Jung Hyun-woo for no reason.

Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik hesitated for a moment before asking a question.

“Could it be that Miss Hilton has feelings for Hyun-woo?”

Jung Min-young had met Sarah at the 후원회 [sponsorship event/gala]. He shook his head from side to side.

“I don’t think so.”

“You don’t think so? Is it because of the age difference?”

“There’s the age difference, but she’s also an incredible beauty. Why would such a beauty in America want to marry an Asian man like Hyun-woo?”

In the 1980s, mainstream American society was still conservative.

“You’ve met Miss Hilton.”

“I happened to meet her in the United States this time.”

“Hmm, if she’s as beautiful as you say, there’s no way she’d have feelings for Hyun-woo.”

Suitors from other prestigious families in America would be lining up.

“What are you planning to do going forward?”

“I have to go this way.”

Now that he had taken Jung Hyun-woo’s hand, there was no other way, was his answer.

Jung Min-young bowed his head at his answer.

“Thank you.”

Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik raised his voice at the end.

“Why are you thanking me?”

“I thanked you on his behalf for accepting Hyun-woo’s intentions.”

“So, you and Hyun-woo are a team.”

“Didn’t you already know that?”

Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik crossed his legs and replied.

“I knew.”

He wanted to smoke a cigarette. But for some reason, he felt like he shouldn’t smoke now.

“Chief of Staff, about Hyun-woo. Is he coming in for the holiday?”

Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik rested his right hand on the armrest without taking out a cigarette.

“It seems like he’s planning to come in for a very short time and then leave.”

“I guess he’s focusing on the United States after all.”

“You could say his main base is the United States.”

Both of them saw Jung Hyun-woo’s intentions as being in the United States, not Korea.

Of course, Jung Hyun-woo had compared his American business to a lottery ticket and Daewoon Group in Korea to a school or workplace.

This meant that he wouldn’t give up on Daewoon Group either.

* * *

Jung Hyun-woo returned to Boston.

He spoke with Choi Kyung-min after a long time.

“How is the company?”

Choi Kyung-min slightly lowered his head even though he wasn’t being watched.

“It seems busier than last year. Chief of Staff Hong is especially busy.”

Jung Hyun-woo knew that Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik had become busier because of him.

‘Since this side of things has been added, he probably can’t even leave work properly.’

He nodded and said.

“I guess it’s thanks to the economy recovering?”

“The economy has recovered, and there are also strange rumors circulating.”

Jung Hyun-woo narrowed his brows at his answer.

‘Is it a rumor that Daewoon Group has incurred the government’s displeasure?’

He slightly raised his voice at the end.

“What kind of rumors?”

“There’s a rumor that the chairman might decide on a successor next year.”

This was a rumor that Jung Hyun-woo hadn’t heard.

“Decide on a successor next year?”

“The rumor came from the personnel department, and it says that your two uncles’ promotions have been decided.”

“Are you saying that my uncles will be promoted in this regular 인사 [personnel reshuffle]?”

Choi Kyung-min nodded and replied.

“There’s a rumor that Executive Director Jung Min-seok will be promoted to president and Managing Director Jung Min-young will be promoted to vice president.”

This rumor wasn’t just a rumor; it was a fact.

“It’s understandable that my eldest uncle is being promoted to president, but it’s unusual for my youngest uncle to skip senior managing director and be promoted from managing director to vice president.”

“So, everyone suspects that the chairman is giving them a final chance to compete before deciding on a successor.”

Jung Hyun-woo thought that he should call Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik to ask about this matter.

“Are there any other rumors?”

“Company politics are becoming more intense than rumors.”

“If company politics are intensifying, does that mean that the group executives have started to split between my eldest uncle and youngest uncle?”

Chief of Staff Hong Won-ik joining hands with Jung Min-young was a good example of that.

“That’s right.”

“The time is slowly approaching.”

Jung Hyun-woo was planning to step up as a kingmaker in this successor decision.

‘It’s still too early to inherit the chairman position.’

Being nineteen years old was an obstacle in many ways.

“If the time is approaching, are you coming back to Korea?”

“I wish I could, but I think I need to stay in the United States a little longer.”

Choi Kyung-min didn’t know how much success Jung Hyun-woo had achieved yet.

All he knew was that Victoria Corporation, which he had founded with Sarah, was doing quite well, and thanks to that, Jung Hyun-woo had become very wealthy.

“I might return for the New Year, so let’s see each other then.”

Choi Kyung-min bowed deeply.

“I understand. Then I’ll see you then.”

He let out a long sigh after hanging up the phone.

“Hoo……. It’s getting harder and harder to talk to 도련님 [young master] on the phone.”

Was it because he was getting older?

He thought that Jung Hyun-woo’s voice had gained strength.

‘Come to think of it, I’m at the age where I have to get a physical examination soon…….’

Choi Kyung-min was worried about Jung Hyun-woo’s military service.

‘If the chairman doesn’t intervene, he won’t be able to avoid military service.’

However, Jung Hyun-woo himself wasn’t too worried. He had Jung Min-young’s proposal, and he was in contact with Senior Secretary Heo Moon-young, so he thought he could solve it somehow.

At the same time.

Samjung Group Chairman’s office.

Chairman Shin Byung-chul tilted his head to the side at the report from his eldest son, President Shin Young-jin.

“Is this correct?”

“As far as I’ve investigated, it’s correct.”

Chairman Shin Byung-chul frowned at President Shin Young-jin’s report.

“I can’t believe it at all.”

The report that President Shin Young-jin submitted to Chairman Shin Byung-chul was about Victoria Corporation and Jung Hyun-woo.

“I couldn’t believe it at first either. So, I inquired with people in the United States who are quick with information.”

“You mean reporters?”

“Not only reporters but also friends who are former FBI agents.”

If the FBI’s data had been verified, there was no choice but to believe the investigation results.

“So, this is the result you got?”

“That’s right.”

According to the report submitted by President Shin Young-jin, the richest person in Korea wasn’t Chairman Shin Byung-chul but Jung Hyun-woo.

“Hahaha, I’ve worked my whole life, and I’ve been caught up by a young friend who isn’t even twenty years old.”

President Shin Young-jin bowed his head and said.

“I’m thinking of going to the United States myself to meet Jung Hyun-woo.”

“Because he’s the richest person in Korea?”

There were thorns in Chairman Shin Byung-chul’s words. Of course, President Shin Young-jin knew that too. However, he didn’t waver even at his father’s thorny question.

“No. Victoria Corporation is one of the leading IT companies in the United States. I think there’s enough room for cooperation with our Samjung Group.”

Chairman Shin Byung-chul let out a long sigh.

“Hoo……. Investigate thoroughly and proceed.”

He couldn’t believe today’s report.

‘It will become clear when Young-jin returns from the United States.’

Victoria Corporation and Jung Hyun-woo.

Rumors about him were slowly spreading within Korea.