The elder introduced himself as Sam Walton and said that after handing the company to his son, he was spending his days resting.
“Are you the father of Jim, who visited our house last time?”
“Yes. That guy is my youngest son.”
Jaesung told his parents in Korean that the old man who arrived driving an old truck in casual clothes was the founder of Walmart.
Surprised to hear he was the chairman of a huge company, his parents greeted Sam Walton again.
“Your son said you have a harmonious family, and indeed, just looking at you makes one feel warm. While in Arkansas, stay comfortably at my house.”
“You don’t have to; it would inconvenience you.”
“This town is rural, no decent hotels. It’s been a while since the house felt human warmth, so I’m inviting you—no burden.”
Unexpectedly ending up staying at Sam Walton’s house, Jaesung’s family boarded his pickup truck, uncomfortable yet slightly excited.
“I’ve been to Korea too.”
“Really? How was it?”
When Sam Walton, an American unlikely to visit Korea unless in the military, said he had been, Jaeeun showed interest.
“I visited a tennis ball factory. Very poor, but hardworking people.”
Seeing him recall with a distant expression, Jaesung asked when.
“Let me see. It was in the 70s, I think. Impressed seeing workers do group calisthenics before starting morning shift.”
Thought it a good idea, so upon returning to America, made Walmart employees do chants and exercises before store opening.
Imagining Korea during the Saemaul Undong peak, Jaesung told him it had developed a lot since.
Sam Walton said he’d visited Korea afterward too, surprised each time how fast it changed.
Talking about Korea, they soon arrived at Sam Walton’s house.
The house was more ordinary than expected.
A typical American home subtly nice, seeming infused with the frugality symbolic of miserly Sam Walton.
Influenced by parents who survived the Great Depression, thrift was ingrained in Sam Walton; he brainwashed—no, educated—his children with “effort, honesty, sociability, frugality.”
“Rob, now chairman, earned pocket money carrying boxes and cleaning floors at stores. Other kids too—worked at stores or delivered newspapers for allowance. In that sense, James, you earn your own too.”
Sam Walton was an immensely rich stingy old-timer who built Walmart, but as a retired elder, he smiled grandfatherly just seeing cute, handsome Jaesung and Jaeeun.
Guided them to guest rooms, served simple refreshments; while touring the house briefly, Jim Walton arrived.
“You must be tired from the long trip. Any discomfort?”
“Thanks to you, first private jet ride—came very comfortably. Your father welcomed us so kindly too.”
Parents greeted Jim first; Jaesung and Jaeeun thanked for invitation.
“James will be busy working, but family think of it as visiting grandfather’s house—relax. Bentonville rural, but has its rustic charm—not boring.”
Jaesung rode in Jim’s car, leaving family at Sam Walton’s, heading to Walmart headquarters.
Sam Walton appeared as a ho-ho grandfather in old age and retirement, but he was a fearsome man who won in battlefield-like retail competition, building an empire.
Walmart wasn’t a good workplace; Greenpeace awarded worst company, always nominated.
Biggest tyranny Jaesung thought: suppliers must enter logistics hubs exactly on time.
Arrive too early—rejected immediately; 1 minute late—no payment for goods.
Meaning, 1 minute late—they seize goods.
Walmart handled massive volumes, so super-power bullied; no exceptions for big firms like Apple or Samsung.
Only two companies fiercely resisted and raised white flag: Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
When Coca-Cola delivery late, Walmart refused payment; angered Coca-Cola threatened to cut ties.
Coca-Cola and Pepsi had systems sending directly from regional wholesalers to retailers; bothered sending to distant Walmart warehouses, no pay for “late”—rebelled.
Plus, not just soda—water, milk, various drinks, countless snacks; if both refused supply, half Walmart’s snacks and beverages gone.
Eventually Walmart applied exceptions only to Coca-Cola and Pepsi; others subcontracted to specialized transporters for Walmart, even at extra cost.
Vicious way to torment suppliers, but thanks to it, Walmart maintains low prices.
Riding in Jim’s car, recalling Walmart’s notorieties, curiosity arose—asked.
“I heard Walmart built employee bunkers—is it true?”
“Haha. You heard the rumor. There is something like that. Father did business during Cold War, thought war would break out—built it.”
In previous life occasionally reading apocalypse novels, Jaesung thought if zombies came, good to enter Walmart bunker.
Soon arrived at headquarters with IT team; Jim showed current Walmart logistics management program.
“So many item types and stores—definitely lots of data.”
“Millions just maintaining servers. Dozens solely tracking inventory status.”
Still early development from initial systems, interface hard for non-majors.
Volume large, but structure and functions intuitive, simple—not hard for Jaesung to understand and grasp.
Understanding logistics system, confirmed not much different from thought; showed prepared mockup interface.
“Now using C++-based program, hard inputting commands. I thought leave current program, add Windows-based management program running on top.”
Replacing entire current system too time- and cost-intensive.
Adding user-friendly management program on top—general people could control sufficiently.
Would need more memory and computation, but computers doubling performance yearly now—no big issue.
Not formally working, but showed clean-screen beta management program; demonstrated data checking and usage.
“Impressive. If program you described really works, work speed multiples faster, labor costs drastically reduced.”
“My principle making programs: ‘easy enough for little sister and mom to use.'”
“Truly, even Father could use it.”
Jim Walton loved the mockup Jaesung brought.
From clunky 1994 management program to one based on clean UI/UX 30 years later—no added complex functions, but accumulated 30 years usage know-how.
“How long to make this?”
“Leaving current system, making admin program on top—about one month winter break.”
“Christmas soon—winter break season. Can you stay here making it during break?”
“I’m fine, but need parents’ permission first.”
Jim showed Jaesung’s mockup to executives and brother, current Walmart CEO; wanted quick contract.
Some executives opposed seeing Asian middle schooler Jaesung, but mentioning Microsoft license sale and Costco logistics program experience—unanimous proceed.
“We’ll bear all costs—okay for James stay here during winter break making program?”
“Hard working from Seattle home?”
“Must work in server room here—program runs on local system and data.”
Jaesung could stay Seattle commuting to Arkansas, but said much longer time.
Walmart side wanting quick completion requested Jaesung stay Bentonville during winter break.
Parents thought conservative Walton family—Jaesung staying fine.
“If worried sending young son alone, how about whole family spend Christmas and New Year here?”
“University break, but hospital shifts—hard spend year-end here.”
“Family head must earn money. Wife, son, daughter stay; you visit holidays.”
Sam Walton, melted by aegyo from living short-form generator and cuteness bundle Jaeeun, said stay during winter break.
Parents briefly pondered—since in America, good for kids experience big traditional family Christmas—agreed.
With parents’ permission, Jim Walton brought contract.
“Hmm… written $25 million—did I read right?”
“Talks finished with James, so Father sign here.”
Amount beyond Seokhun’s imagination paused him momentarily, but program Jaesung making worth that to Walmart.
Handling vast numbers, accurate grasp vital; could reduce over half personnel in logistics and accounting.
Not just reducing staff—save massive time, neatly organize graphs and rankings—worth investment for Walmart.
“First $5 million deposit as initial work fee; mid-check $10 million; completion remaining $10 million transfer.”
Parents flustered at higher-than-expected amount, but companies invested would go public—grow incomparable units; need get used.
Thus Jaesung’s contract written; returned Seattle, then soon as winter break started, took Walmart private jet with Mom and Jaeeun to Bentonville, Arkansas.
“You’re James?”
Arriving at Jim Walton’s house, a blonde girl Jaesung never saw glared and asked.