The Magician’s Memorial - Chapter 197



Only Krnovel

Episode 197 Age of Confusion (1)

next day.

I received a call from Delphine Arnor in the morning and visited the Arnor family’s Korean subsidiary.

“The vice president is the first visitor to the Korean corporation. “Please understand that it is a bit messy as it has not been tidied up yet.”

“no. I’ve been to many companies, but this is the first time I’ve seen a building decorated so beautifully. “It’s much more beautiful than a museum or art center.”

“Thank you for saying that. “I have something to show you.”

You couldn’t have just called me.

I followed Delphine to the space where designers work.

“The product design draft has been completed. “I’m sure you will be satisfied with the design, as it was created by our family’s designers in France, who worked all night long for several days.”

“I will look at it thinking I am appreciating a work of art.”

Delphine revealed the product design that was covered with white cloth.

As I said, the design was like a work of art.

It was an excessive design for a refrigerator, and if you passed by it without knowing it, you would never think it was a refrigerator. It was a work of art.

“Very good! “I have never seen such an old-fashioned design in my life.”

“Thank you for the compliment. Honestly, I hate having appliances in my room. “The poor design of home appliances ruins the ambience of the room.”

“I guess that’s because home appliances often focus on practicality.”

“I designed it to blend in with the atmosphere of the room and the atmosphere of the house. “Just like hanging a picture on the wall, we made the refrigerator to create that same atmosphere.”

It was a product that perfectly fit the image of a luxury product.

An old-fashioned design that does not spoil the atmosphere of the house, and in fact, thanks to the refrigerator, can enhance the atmosphere of the house.

“I am very satisfied. As expected, it was great to collaborate with the Arnor family!”

“Then that’s a relief. “Starting with refrigerators, I plan to personally supervise the design of home appliances that are placed in the room, such as air conditioners and TVs.”

“I am very grateful to you for being so proactive in collaborating.”

“Then, would you like to buy lunch, Vice President? “I’m a little hungry because I haven’t eaten yet.”

“I will guide you to the most delicious restaurant in Seoul.”

“It’s not the restaurant you went to before, is it? “It’s a bit weird to go to the same restaurant.”

“There is a restaurant where you can truly experience the taste of Korea.”

I went with her to a Korean restaurant in Cheongdam-dong.

The secretary’s office had already made a reservation at a Korean restaurant, and we were able to enjoy our meal in a quiet atmosphere.

“Did you reserve the entire restaurant for me?”

“I was a little careful because I had to attend an important guest.”

“Please don’t do this next time. “I hate quiet restaurant atmospheres.”

There was a bit of awkwardness.

As soon as the food came out, the atmosphere improved, and Delphine’s expression brightened as she was satisfied with the taste of the food.

“Do you know why I hate making reservations for entire restaurants?”

“Do you have any bad memories?”

“Every month, my father reserves the entire restaurant and dines with my five siblings.”

“Isn’t it for a private meal with family? “I don’t think it’s a bad memory.”

A father’s desire to eat with his children.

No matter how you think about it, it wasn’t a bad memory at all.

However, from Delphine’s next words, I could understand why she hated making reservations for the entire restaurant.

“On the surface, it is a family meal, but in reality, it is no different than a discussion time for the successor competition.”

“Are you saying that the competition for successor will be held at the restaurant?”

“that’s right. We pose topics such as which brands should be merged, how to reorganize brands, and how to improve the quality of handbags, and have them compete against each other. So, when I enter a quiet restaurant, my heart starts pounding without me even realizing it.”

He said he doesn’t even touch the dog while eating.

But you turned a meal into a competition for successor.

Just like Korean conglomerates, French conglomerates also have fierce competition for successors.

“Next time I’ll have to make a reservation at a very noisy restaurant.”

“I also don’t like restaurants that are too noisy. I’d like to ask for a medium-sized restaurant. “Is this too picky?”

“If those conditions are met, there’s nothing particularly difficult about it.”

We enjoyed wine with our meal.

Even though work hours were not over, I had no choice but to have a glass of wine to entertain the guests.

After drinking a glass of wine, Delphine blurted out what was inside.

“I really like Vice President Kim Min-jae. “Because he doesn’t have any brothers to compete with.”

“I would rather have a brother. When my grandfather retires, the thought of having to run Taewoo Group alone gives me a headache. “If I had brothers, we could have divided the management.”

“Is that possible? “No matter how much we are brothers by blood, we end up being worse than others when it comes to management power.”

These words showed how stressed Delphine was due to the competition for successor.

As with all companies, there was a tendency to want to pass the company on to the most talented child.

Delphine was trying her best to be recognized by the family’s elders, and was experiencing a lot of stress in the process.

“Still, isn’t Ms. Delphine recognized by the family? “I heard it through the media, so it may not be accurate, but I understand that the successor to the Arnor family is Delphine.”

“It is now. But if younger siblings participate in management, the structure will be broken.”

“Why do you think that? Even if his younger siblings participate in management, wouldn’t Mr. Delphine, who has already achieved results, take the lead?”

“The elders of the family do not like a woman becoming the heir of the family.”

“I thought France was more open than any other country in the world, but I guess that’s not true.”

This was a case that was not difficult to find in Korea.

Even though CL Group has a daughter, it adopted an adopted son to succeed the company.

I thought it only happened in Confucian countries, but it wasn’t much different in France.

“There are problems like that, but the bigger problem is that the third brother has a different mother.”

“It looks like there are factions even in the family.”

“It’s hard to call it a faction, but it’s true that there are quite a few people who want their third brother to be their successor.”

It was a very complex problem.

It was also a structure that, if used well, could benefit Taewo Group.

However, I had no intention of getting involved in detail as there was no reason for me to help yet.

“Mr. Delphine, you will do well. “I guarantee it.”

“Thank you for just saying something.”

It was a lunch meeting where we had a deeper conversation than expected.

After listening to Delphine’s complaints for over two hours, I was able to return to the office.

***

While Delphine and Minjae Kim enjoy lunch with wine.

Chairman Kim Tae-joong was sharing soju with Congressman Choi Jae-seok in Busan at a shabby bok house.

“I really didn’t know that Chairman Kim Tae-joong would ask to see me. “I heard he keeps his distance from politicians. What’s going on?”

“Do you know why I keep my distance from politicians? Because they are the ones who are desperate to take my money. But that doesn’t mean you take money and take Taewo Group’s side.”

“If you were looking for me for that reason, the street address is wrong. “I have absolutely no intention of receiving money from corporations and doing politics on their side.”

Chairman Kim Tae-joong’s eyes lit up.

Chairman Kim Tae-joong had a better eye for people than anyone else, and he recognized that Rep. Choi Jae-seok was Jin-guk with just a few words of conversation.

“Isn’t that way too old-fashioned? “It’s a method that only works during the military regime.”

“Then what do you want from me?”

“Fair competition, that’s all I want. I just want to prevent other companies from collaborating with politicians to keep Taewo Group in check in an unfair way. “I have no desire to get involved in politics, nor do I have any desire to profit from the political world.”

Chairman Kim Tae-joong did not hear the detailed story from Kim Min-jae.

However, Kim Min-jae was conveying what he wanted to Rep. Choi Jae-seok.

This was because after spending a long time with Kim Min-jae, we came to have the same way of thinking.

“You say you don’t want gain, but in the end, people chase after gain. “Isn’t it human nature to want to swing a sword when it’s in your hand?”

“Hehe, what will Taewoo Group do with their sword in this small area of ​​Korea? We’re competing on the world stage. So I just don’t want to think about Korean politics.”

“Although Korea’s land mass is small, there are many interests and businesses that Taewo Group may be interested in.”

“Do you know how much profit Taewoo Group earns from exports each year? “It’s been a while since we exceeded the profits earned from domestic consumption.”

Does Congressman Choi Jae-seok not know about Taewo Group?

When you work in politics in Korea, you are bound to hear stories about the Taewoo Group.

In particular, local politicians had to be well-versed in information about large corporations in order to attract factories or redevelop them.

“I am well aware that Taewoo Group’s export volume is increasing significantly every year. But isn’t it true that we are expanding the scope of the domestic market?”

“Then what are you going to do? Can’t we only launch new products or new services overseas, leaving out the Korean market? If you do that, people will say that you are discriminating against the domestic market.”

“Are you really hoping that Taewo Group will not be treated unfairly?”

“That’s all that Vice President Kim Min-jae and I want.”

Representative Choi Jae-seok accepted Chairman Kim Tae-jung’s sincerity.

There was no reason for him, a giant of the Korean economy, to lie to someone with a small constituency.

“Then what can I do?”

“I’m thinking of creating a negotiating group. “We have already recruited about 20 people, but wouldn’t it be necessary to have at least 50 politicians run in the next general election to properly form a negotiating group?”

“Are you asking me to become a focal point for recruiting politicians?”

“I can’t see anyone else who could fill that role other than you.”

“There are many politicians across the country who are more popular than me.”

“Then what are you going to do? These are people who are already bound by the chains of power. “It is better to do nothing than to be with such a person.”

Chairman Kim Tae-joong was a person who had first-hand experience with the political world.

At one time, he was even nominated as a presidential candidate, and I also clearly saw the kind of political retaliation that Chairman Jang of Hyunjae Group suffered when he ran as a presidential candidate.

“Even among people who are not involved in this world, there are people who are more well-known than me.”

“Awareness is important, though. Taewoo Group can solve the awareness problem. “What I want is a politician who can focus solely on the development of the Korean economy.”

“Thank you for thinking highly of me. “I will try the politics that the Chairman wants.”

Representative Choi Jae-seok bowed his head slightly.

Chairman Kim Tae-jung poured soju into his glass.