The Magician’s Memorial - Chapter 36



Only Krnovel

Episode 36. The first flip phone (2)

I returned to the United States after a month.

From the Changwon parts factory to the audit team and technology research center.

So much happened that it felt like a year had passed, but only a month had passed.

Take a moment to reminisce.

I headed straight to SAVE Investment Company, and a team leader and Jeffrey were waiting for me.

“What’s going on Jeffrey? If you start a company, you have to focus on it. Why are you spending your time here?”

“SAVE Investment Company has an office next to it, so of course I should come. “Amazon’s biggest investor is coming to the U.S. How could he not come?”

Jeffrey founded Amazon last year.

As the Internet is finally becoming popular, Internet-based business is not yet easy.

Maybe that’s why Jeffrey’s face looked much more disfigured than when he was at SAVE Investment Company.

“Business isn’t easy, is it?”

“Still, we are able to run the company somehow thanks to a lot of support from SAVE Investment Company.”

In fact, Amazon felt closer to being an affiliate of SAVE Investment Company.

SAVE Investment Company supported the shortcomings of Amazon, a new company, such as administration and law.

Well, since I own 49% of the shares, it was something I had to do.

“If you don’t have enough investment money, please tell me at any time. “Don’t get investment from strange places.”

“There is still plenty of money. “I received an investment of 100 million dollars, so as long as I don’t go to the casino, there will be no shortage.”

“Then that’s a relief. ah! As I said before, if you ever need to share your shares with other investors, you must consult with me.”

“Of course you should. And I try to hold on to as many shares as possible. “I received inquiries from several investment sources, but I declined them all.”

Amazon’s shares exceed the value of gold in just a few years.

I knew that, and Jeffrey was sure of it.

However, at some point, we had no choice but to give part of our shares to other investors.

That way they will fight for the company.

“Then, shall we start talking about work? “Team Leader Han, are all contracts related to derivatives concluded?”

“We received $12 billion in cash and stock in Apple and Ford.”

“How much has the value of derivatives increased?”

“Every day, Japanese stocks are hitting their lowest price. “If you activate your derivatives rights right now, you can make at least 1.5 times more profit.”

In the aftermath of the Kobe earthquake, Japan’s economic situation was not good.

In one month, Japanese stock prices fell by 6 percent.

The bigger problem was that this was only the beginning, and as time passed, Japanese stock prices would continue to fall, and the value of the derivatives I created would increase accordingly.

“Now, it seems that Japanese companies are starting to catch fire. “Are you getting a lot of inquiries about canceling derivatives?”

“I’m getting so many calls that I have to unplug my phone.”

“I guess it’s not that urgent yet. “I didn’t come to see you in person.”

Well, it’s only a 6 percent drop now.

But what if Japanese stock prices fall by more than 20 percent in a few months?

At that time, the amount of derivatives that must be compensated will increase several times.

“Still, we received calls from some companies that were fully aware of the situation and offered to come to the United States.”

“Take a little more time. Negotiation becomes easier when you are properly anxious.”

“I will. And the professors are waiting for you in the conference room.”

“We can’t keep precious people waiting.”

I immediately ran into the conference room.

The professors for whom I had provided enormous research funds for today were in the conference room.

Since they were the recipients of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in the future, I greeted them with the utmost courtesy.

“I’m sorry for keeping you waiting so long. This is Minjae Kim from SAVE Investment Company. “Please feel free to call me Kim.”

“no. We just arrived too. “I didn’t know you were this young.”

Professor Goodenough spoke to me as a representative.

He was a professor who created the foundation for lithium-ion batteries, a secondary battery, and despite his old age, he still had a burning passion for research.

“It is truly an honor to meet you like this. “Thank you so much for coming this far.”

“He is the one who provided $500 million in support for the development of secondary batteries, so of course I should come and see him. And there were some research results that I wanted to talk about.”

I invested a lot of money and time in developing secondary batteries.

This was because high-performance secondary batteries were essential in the smartphone and electric vehicle fields that must be manufactured in the future.

“I also heard that the research has yielded results. “Thank you for your hard work.”

“If I had received that much research funding, anyone would have made it. “We are all grateful that you have waited for us for three years.”

“But will it be possible to commercialize the secondary battery developed this time?”

“Shouldn’t commercialization issues be addressed to secondary battery companies rather than research institutes? “Probably a battery company with good technology will be able to commercialize it.”

Technology ultimately needs to be commercialized to make money.

However, since the Taewo Group did not yet have advanced battery technology, I prepared another plan in advance.

“Is it possible to commercialize Japan’s TDK?”

“Of course it is possible. By the way, have discussions with TDK been completed?”

“I think negotiations will be possible soon.”

TDK has never had any discussions with me.

We just signed a derivatives contract with SAVE Investment Company.

From the time I first created derivative products, I created them with TDK’s excellent battery manufacturing technology in mind.

TDK’s technological prowess will dominate the secondary battery industry in the future.

An era is coming when we must pay technology fees to TDK to produce secondary batteries for not only smartphones but also electric vehicles.

I will take away TDK’s technological capabilities.

Part of the picture I want to draw is TDK’s battery technology, and Korea’s excellent battery companies will also be part of the picture I draw.

“As long as TDK’s technology can be used, commercialization is not very difficult.”

“Commercialization will proceed as soon as it is agreed upon with TDK. “Is it possible to produce a prototype in the lab before then?”

“Of course we have to make a prototype. How many do you need?”

“The more the better.”

“The current lab capacity is limited to about 30 cases per month. “We have to continue to conduct research, so it is difficult to create more prototypes.”

“That is enough. And if you need more people, feel free to hire more. “We will cover all costs.”

As I always say, this was a time when time was more important than money.

In order to make the first flip phone, the time had to be shortened no matter how much money was spent.

“Let’s recruit additional researchers who specialize in prototype production. By the way, thank you for your interest in secondary batteries, but is there a reason why investment companies are so active?”

“The era of investing in exchange rates or stock prices is over. “I believe that now is the time to invest in technology.”

“You have a very good attitude. “We will send you the prototype within this month.”

Professor Goodenough smiled kindly.

Isn’t that what a professor smiles when trying to convince an undergraduate student to become a graduate student?

“We will support research expenses as much as possible. And we promise you a share of the patent rights for the technology.”

“I am grateful for the research funding, but I am truly grateful that they are also sharing shares.”

I promised the professors a 5 percent stake.

Although it wasn’t a very large amount, it was enough to cover the professors’ retirement.

“It took up too much of the time of busy people. “Next time, I will go to the lab.”

“Hehe, the CEO looks busier than me. “We’ll just go back now.”

Team leader Han and David were called into the conference room where the professors had left.

David entered the conference room with a relaxed look on his face as always, but his face was full of fatigue.

“You seem to be very busy these days.”

“I take planes at least 20 times a month. “And if you add up all the alcohol I’ve drunk so far, you’ll be able to fill the company with alcohol.”

David was one of the key figures at SAVE Investment Company.

It was all thanks to David’s outstanding friendliness that he was able to maintain good relationships not only with politicians but also with the professor he had just met.

“It is thanks to David’s liver that our company runs safely. That’s why I’m always grateful for David’s liver.”

“My liver worked again this time. I scheduled a meeting with Steve Jobs of NEXT. I even made reservations at the restaurant so I can have lunch with him tomorrow. However, it is a vegetarian restaurant. “Please understand.”

What’s wrong with being vegetarian if you can maintain a good relationship with Steve Jobs?

For generations, aren’t we, the Republic of Korea, descendants of Ungnyeo, who survived by eating only mugwort and garlic for 100 days?

* * *

next day.

I dressed up properly and arrived at the vegetarian restaurant 15 minutes early.

After waiting for 15 minutes, Steve Jobs arrived at the restaurant exactly at the appointed time.

“Nice to meet you. This is Minjae Kim from SAVE Investment Company. “Please feel free to call me Kim.”

“I heard that you are the major shareholder of Apple, which I created. So it came out. “I was curious as to why you took a chance on Apple, which was going out of business.”

Steve’s tone was full of caution.

Since he was kicked out of Apple, which he created, it seems that even me, Apple’s major shareholder, doesn’t like him.

“Shall we eat first and then continue our conversation?”

“I don’t know if I have time for that. “Because I am a person who values ​​time.”

We must first let down our guard.

At this rate, it seemed like no matter what I said, it would be heard with one ear and ignored.

So I threw a bombshell at Steve from the beginning.

“We’ll help you get back to Apple.”

“… … Are you capable of doing that? “You seem to like nonsense.”

“It’s not nonsense. “As the majority shareholder of Apple, there is no way for Apple to come back to life other than your return.”

In fact, I wanted to bring him to Taewoo Group.

However, Steve was not the type of person to work under someone else even if he was given hundreds of millions of dollars.

So what to do? I have to join hands with him and make the future smartphone market my own.

“Can we do it with a 20 percent stake? Other than you, no other major shareholder would want me to return.”

“It may take some time, but I will try to persuade you. And although it is only a 20 percent stake now, I will have a larger stake when we push for your return.”

“What can’t I say with words? “Why don’t you just say you’ll make me president of the United States?”

As expected, these words are not enough.

So I took out the design draft I had prepared separately.

It was a draft of several cell phone designs that I sketched and Jonathan fleshed out.

“This is the future of Apple that I want to create. “Do I still seem like a person who only speaks loudly?”

Steve didn’t listen to my question.

He couldn’t take his eyes off the design draft, which only resembled an iPhone.