These presentations were continuing every week, just as Jinhyuk Park had ordered. After each presentation, all the business plans were made public to the regular employees.
“Did you see that proposal for making DS Coin that came up this time?”
“I saw it. Whose work do you think it is?”
“The way I see it, it looks like it came from the Media Business Division.”
“Media Business? What does that division have to do with DS Coin?”
“I heard the Media Business Director lost a fortune on crypto. They say he blew hundreds of millions.”
“What? Hundreds of millions? But what does that have to do with DS Coin… Wait, is he trying to push his own business plan just to pump it and make his money back?”
“Why not? Knowing him, he’s more than capable of it.”
Every Wednesday, scenes like this unfolded in the smoking area outside the building. On Wednesday mornings, when the business plans were released, the regular employees started their day by looking over the proposals and gossiping among themselves.
When the executives’ business plans were first made public, everyone’s faces—both those reading and those who had written them—had been flushed with embarrassment. To the younger employees, many of the business ideas seemed nonsensical, and the executives could hardly lift their heads, knowing their plans were becoming objects of ridicule.
However, as time passed, the plans gradually began to follow current trends, and the regular employees stopped looking at the executives’ proposals with pure contempt.
“But that one that came out this time was actually pretty good.”
“What? You mean the one among this batch worth looking at? The platform for sharing work? That was the only one.”
“Yeah, that one. I actually heard a friend from college talking about something like that recently.”
“There’s something similar?”
“Yeah, there is. It’s a site that’s been getting a lot of attention in the United States lately. With the Paris Flu spreading, working from home has become huge, right? Even now, people are reluctant to stay in areas away from home for long periods to carry out projects. So, I heard that platforms where you can work on projects together as long as you have an internet connection are becoming extremely popular in the US.”
“Something like that exists?”
“They say once the platform allocates a space, programmers can share their work there. They share source code and everything… It’s spreading like crazy with the work-from-home trend. I heard the developer is actually Korean.”
“Really? A Korean?”
“Yeah. I heard a young Korean guy developed it, and it’s called SileHub. Right now, only those in the know really use it, but my friend said they secured their footing early on. Thanks to the combined trends of the sharing economy and remote work, they’re really seeing the benefits.”
The employees continued to discuss the new business plans while they smoked.
***
Jinhyuk Park was organizing the business plans piled up in his office. Since thirty or so executives submitted one plan each every week, the documents had piled up like a mountain after one month.
“This one’s done… and what’s this? They submitted something like this as a business plan?”
Jinhyuk was scanning through the executives’ proposals that he had been putting off. In truth, he didn’t even need to look at the content. This was because the value displayed above the plans told him whether it was worth flipping past the cover page or if it should go straight into the trash.
However, that was only possible when Jinhyuk was alone. To an outside observer, throwing a document away without even opening the cover would be incomprehensible. In a setting like this, where the secretariat staff was present, he had to at least make a show of looking inside so the others could understand.
Of course, that didn’t mean the bundles of paper destined for the trash could be saved.
“CEO, this one received quite a good evaluation from the employees.”
Junwoo Kim picked up an OTT business plan that Jinhyuk had just tossed into the trash. It was a proposal that had earned a fairly high score in the regular employees’ evaluations. At Junwoo’s words, Jinhyuk shifted his gaze slightly toward the plan in front of him.
Jinhyuk’s eyes weren’t drawn to the title of the business plan, but to its value.
**[120]**
It was showing a value that wasn’t even worth the price of the paper.
“Throw it away. It’s useless.”
As he placed the business plan back into the trash bin at Jinhyuk’s instruction, Junwoo asked a cautious question. There were other secretaries nearby, making it a difficult topic to bring up, but he felt it would be even harder to ask if he didn’t do it now.
“CEO, if you were going to organize them like this, why did you tell the executives to submit business plans in the first place? Not a single one has passed your review. And seeing how even the ones with good scores from the employees end up in the trash, it seems you had no intention of passing them from the start, regardless of their evaluation.”
At Junwoo’s question, Jinhyuk nodded.
“I was actually wondering when you were going to ask me that.”
“Sir?”
“Do you know why I’m demanding this useless work from the executives and having the regular employees evaluate them?”
At Jinhyuk’s words, Junwoo and the secretaries who were helping him organize the documents all raised their heads to look at him. They felt that this was a moment where they might actually learn something about their mysterious young CEO.
Jinhyuk smiled and shook the business plan in his hand.
“This stuff doesn’t matter. To be honest, scanning these plans is a waste of time. I could just shove the whole lot into the garbage and it would be fine.”
“Then why did you have the regular employees evaluate them?”
“Right. Demanding new business ideas from the executives is purely for the sake of the regular employees.”
“Excuse me? You mean the company wasn’t planning to expand into new businesses?”
“You want to call this a new business? We’d go bankrupt if we tried.”
Jinhyuk held up a mobility business plan for a car-sharing service that had come in recently. It had received a good evaluation from the staff, but in Jinhyuk’s eyes, it was nothing but trash. The value he saw on the proposal was only worth a few thousand won.
“The reason I had the regular employees evaluate the business plans was to give them a sense of purpose.”
“A sense of purpose?”
“Exactly. Look. It’s like saying, ‘The person who came up with this business plan is an executive. You guys can do this too.'”
Jinhyuk laughed as he spoke. Junwoo Kim didn’t know what kind of face to make upon hearing that the reason for collecting business plans from executives was to give regular employees a sense of purpose. However, the secretaries beside him were covering their mouths, unable to hold back their laughter.
Jinhyuk scanned the secretaries and laughed along with them.
“CEO, putting the regular employees aside, I think the executives… might be quite offended.”
“Are they offended?”
Jinhyuk threw the question back at Junwoo. At his words, Junwoo took a moment to recall the current state of the executives. At first, there had been a lot of dissatisfaction, complaints, and even some pushback. However, that behavior had changed significantly over the past month. Now, they even seemed to be competing with their fellow executives.
“Don’t you understand why an executive rose to that position? They got there because they have that much ability. Even though they’re putting out these nonsensical plans, their accumulated experience isn’t something to laugh at. By now, they’ve probably reached the point where they’re actually enjoying it.”
“Yes, that’s true. There are even executives who look forward to the moment they receive their grades every week.”
“Right. That’s why I had them graded. If I were the one giving the grades, it wouldn’t mean much, but if the regular employees are doing it, what could be more fair than that? Then there are no complaints. Instead, they’ll study more and look into things more deeply to get a good grade. Why? Because they’re people who have been doing that their whole lives—ever since they were students.”
Jinhyuk turned his body and began sorting through the documents again.
“This sense of purpose doesn’t apply only to the regular employees. The executives likely feel the same way. Even if it’s a very simple and basic goal, once a goal is established, motivation naturally follows. A place like DS Telecom, which is slow and sluggish, is prone to losing motivation easily. But if they’re coming up with new business ideas and getting evaluated on them, what do you think happens? Wouldn’t it breathe a bit more life into the place? And it doesn’t even cost any money.”
Only then did Junwoo Kim realize Jinhyuk’s intention. Most companies had used money to boost employee morale. They gave out incentives and raised salaries when performance improved. However, that didn’t work at DS Telecom. In the first place, new hires started with higher salaries than those in other industries. Since the environment wasn’t conducive to earning incentives, performance bonuses were already baked into their annual salaries. As a result, the desire for money wasn’t that high.
An atmosphere where people hoped to simply maintain their stable, unshakeable positions was prevalent within the company. Jinhyuk was revitalizing the place through something that didn’t cost a dime. The regular employees were delighted that the position of an executive, which had seemed impossibly high, didn’t feel so grand after all, and they enjoyed being able to evaluate such people with their own hands. The executives also seemed energized by the competition with their peers.
“Um, Chief.”
One of the secretaries waiting outside approached Junwoo Kim and handed him a note. Junwoo took the note, checked the contents, and spoke to Jinhyuk.
“CEO, something has come up that you need to check.”
Jinhyuk looked at Junwoo while holding a business plan in his hand. At this point, there was only one thing he could be checking. Junwoo nodded as he met Jinhyuk’s gaze.
“Deputy Director Han contacted us. She asked if you could come by when it’s convenient. What should we do?”
Jinhyuk stood up from his seat, tossing the business plan he was holding into the trash.
“The person I’ve been waiting for has contacted me. Let’s go. It sounds more interesting than wasting time looking at this useless stuff.”
As Jinhyuk brushed past his desk and headed out, Junwoo followed behind him. The secretaries who had been organizing the business plans in the office with Jinhyuk stayed behind and finished up by throwing the rest into the trash.
Once Jinhyuk got into the car waiting in front, the vehicle naturally headed toward the Cheongwoo Art Center where Han Ji-yeon was located. Perhaps because he hadn’t called in advance this time, no one was out front to greet him.
Jinhyuk stepped out of the car in front of the building and naturally blended in with the visitors as he headed inside. Since he had been there once before, he easily found his way to Han Ji-yeon’s office. As he passed by the main work area like just another art center employee, the staff didn’t initially recognize his appearance.
However, as two men boasting tall heights and expensive suits passed through the office corridor where women made up the majority, they gradually began to draw attention. By the time he arrived in front of Han Ji-yeon’s office, the art center staff had realized who he was.
“Please let her know I’m here.”
Han Ji-yeon’s secretary leaned back in her chair and looked up at Jinhyuk. Since Han Ji-yeon had told her to contact him about 1 hour ago, she hadn’t expected the man to be standing right in front of her so soon. She just stared at him with a dazed expression.
Jinhyuk waited for the secretary to regain her senses before speaking once more.
“Please tell her that I’ve arrived.”
“Oh? Yes. Just a moment, please.”
The secretary hurried to pick up the phone to inform Han Ji-yeon of his arrival, then stood up and opened the door. Jinhyuk gave a polite word of thanks and stepped inside. Han Ji-yeon seemed equally surprised.
“Why did you come without even calling?”
“When you asked if I could come by, didn’t you mean for me to come now?”
Jinhyuk naturally sat in the same seat he had occupied last time. He fixed his gaze on the plum blossom bonsai he had gifted her and spoke.
“How is it? Does it look like it will bloom?”
“If you look at it with affection, won’t it bloom eventually?”
“That’s right. No matter how stubborn a plum blossom is, it will eventually melt in the face of affection.”
“Actually, sprouts started budding a few days ago. These days, I come to the office just for the joy of seeing that.”
Sitting opposite Jinhyuk, Han Ji-yeon showed a much softer side of herself than before. Considering the sharp edge she had when he first met her, her current appearance would have been difficult to imagine back then. She smiled as she sat down across from him and began to speak.
“I received a call from Jeonghwa a few days ago.”
She pushed a photograph toward Jinhyuk. In the photo was a familiar painting.
“It’s a painting from the list you gave me. By Georg Baselitz. He’s an artist who has been receiving a lot of attention recently. He started gaining interest in Hong Kong, and his works are even appearing at Sotheby’s auctions. That’s why I remembered it easily. But… Jeonghwa reached out to me discreetly to ask if I was interested in a Georg Baselitz piece.”
“From the Jeonghwa Art Museum?”
“Yes. Well, since transactions are usually done this way, I didn’t think much of it, but the title of the painting felt very familiar, so I checked. It was a painting from the list. Georg Baselitz’s *Deep Darkness No. 5*. That’s the one, right?”
Jinhyuk looked down at the photo as he listened to Han Ji-yeon. It was a work that had been at DS Telecom, and one he had sent to the Byeoksong Art Museum not long ago.
“That’s right. To think a work that should be safely stored at the Byeoksong Art Museum has surfaced on the market. How interesting.”
“What do you plan to do?”
“Could you tell Jeonghwa that you’ll buy it and set up a meeting? If there are any financial requirements, including a down payment, I will cover them.”
“The money isn’t an issue. But if I do this, you’ll be in my debt again. Will you be okay with that?”
At Han Ji-yeon’s words, Jinhyuk straightened his body from where he had been leaning over to see the photo and spoke.
“Since I have to ask someone to verify the item anyway, wouldn’t it be better to leave it all to one person?”
“Is that so? But isn’t holding one large debt a bit different from holding several small ones?”
“It’s fine. I don’t think you’re the type to make unreasonable requests, Ji-yeon.”
“How can you trust me like that?”
“Someone who would make an unreasonable request wouldn’t go through the effort of trying to make the gift I gave them bloom. Didn’t you just say that you come to the office for the joy of looking at my gift? I’m sure you wouldn’t trouble someone who gave you a gift you like that much.”
At Jinhyuk’s sly remarks, Han Ji-yeon couldn’t help but laugh despite herself.
“Fine. It’s not a difficult request, so I’ll do it. What should we do after I say I’ll buy it?”
“Take me with you to the place of purchase. I need to verify it with my own eyes.”
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