The Next Day
I woke up to an overwhelming smell of alcohol.
The stench came from David, who had spent the entire night drinking with Indian politicians.
"How many drinks did you have?"
"You should be asking how many bottles, not drinks. Honestly, I lost count, but the bill came out to around 50,000 dollars."
What, were they drinking liquid gold?
Well, with some high-end wines costing tens of thousands of dollars per bottle, it wasn't impossible.
"Did you at least get your money's worth?"
"More than that. Through the chairman of the Indian National Congress fundraising committee, we secured a promise of a 100-million-dollar donation. Plus, every politician in the party has agreed to support us."
"You only spent a hundred million? You should've spent more. Don't want them thinking we're stingy."
A hundred million dollars was over 120 billion won.
In Korea, where election funds were a constant source of controversy, even a 10-billion-won fund transfer would dominate front-page news for months.
And here I was, pouring in more than ten times that amount into India's political arena.
This wasn't just lobbying—it was an investment. And I was confident I could extract at least ten times the return from India.
"100 million should be enough. Indian elections are notorious for vote-buying, but the individual bribes aren't usually that large."
"I heard they even hand out cash at polling stations?"
"Not just money—alcohol, jewelry, even drugs."
"Unbelievable. It's a miracle that someone like Manmohan Singh even emerged from such a political scene."
I knew elections could get dirty, but this was beyond anything I had imagined.
Bribery was one thing, but distributing drugs?
India's political battlefield was far more ruthless and cutthroat than I had assumed.
Then again, in Korea, blatant vote-buying had been common just a decade ago.
"If the Indian National Congress wins the election, Taewoo Group will be in an incredibly advantageous position. But if they lose, we won't recover a single cent."
"After throwing in a hundred million dollars, do you really think they're going to lose?"
"The general sentiment is leaning toward a change in power. Manmohan Singh's clean image has made him incredibly popular."
That was precisely why I had aligned myself with the opposition, the Indian National Congress.
Manmohan Singh's popularity wasn't a passing trend—it was strong enough to last at least a decade.
"For now, stay in India and take care of the loose ends."
"What exactly do you mean by 'loose ends'?"
"Meet with Indian broadcasters to schedule the airing of Korean dramas, and establish connections with IIT officials."
"I should find out what Indians eat for hangover food."
"I heard they drink coconut juice. I'll order 100 boxes of it for the hotel."
"…I'll finish all 100 boxes before I head back to the U.S." David collapsed onto the bed.
Leaving him at the hotel, I headed to the airport.
A lot had happened while I was in India. The moment I returned to the company, the Chief Planning Officer was waiting for me with an enormous stack of reports.
"The iPhone has officially launched. It was released simultaneously in major countries, and in just four days, over a million units have been sold."
"As expected, the sales numbers are seeing a significant increase with each new version."
"At this pace, total sales could exceed 20 million units."
The first and second iPhones had already achieved tremendous sales. But the initial sales of the iPhone 3 were on a whole different level. Its reputation as the world's first AI-powered smartphone had propelled it to global fame.
"How are sales in Korea?"
"We've already sold over 100,000 units. At this rate, we could surpass a million units in Korea alone."
"That must mean Taewoo Electronics' new product sales have also increased."
"Buying an iPhone and then visiting a Taewoo Electronics store has practically become a routine. Thanks to that, sales are steadily rising, and for our best-selling TVs, customers are now waiting 10 to 20 days for delivery."
As expected, we ran into stock shortages. Even though our factories were now running 24/7, production couldn't keep up with demand.
"How about the overseas market?"
"We're also facing supply shortages in the U.S. However, we can still manage to deliver within a month, so it's not a critical issue yet."
"We're planning to continue launching home appliances that integrate with iPhones, but at this rate, our current factories won't be enough to keep up."
"Fortunately, our Vietnam factory is in its final stages of construction. By the end of the year, we'll be able to produce some home appliances there, which should help alleviate the supply issues."
Was this my grandfather's foresight at work? Having practically lived in Vietnam, he had pushed the construction ahead of schedule, allowing the factory to be completed earlier than planned.
"Any other issues?"
"Not a problem, but rather a positive ripple effect. With increased home appliance sales, Taewoo Semiconductor's revenue has also surged. Our new products require significantly more semiconductors, so our semiconductor business is now seeing a massive boom."
"Taewoo Semiconductor, which was recording astronomical losses not too long ago, is finally pulling its weight."
"At this rate, its revenue might surpass that of our other subsidiaries. And its operating profit is nothing to scoff at either."
The era of semiconductors being a major moneymaker had arrived sooner than expected. I had essentially forced the world into the smart era, driving up semiconductor demand exponentially. And the true smart era hadn't even arrived yet. Once electric vehicles hit the market, semiconductor consumption would skyrocket even further.
"This is good news. And with the Vietnam factory starting operations, we'll have some breathing room, meaning we can proceed with the next project."
"By 'next project,' do you mean the Pixie Project?"
"That's right. Schedule the launch of the Pixie Project to coincide with the completion of the Vietnam factory."
The Pixie Project.
The name sounded grand, but in reality, it wasn't anything groundbreaking. It was simply about bringing the AI used in iPhones to an internet TV set-top box.
"I'll coordinate with Taewoo Electronics and Taewoo Telecom to finalize the release schedule."
"For those who don't own an iPhone, Pixie will be essential to using Taewoo's new products."
The AI for iPhones was Siri. The AI for the set-top box was called Pixie. If Pixie could control home appliances like TVs, refrigerators, and air conditioners, even customers without an iPhone would become interested in purchasing Taewoo Electronics' products.
"If Pixie drives another surge in appliance sales, we could become the market leader not just domestically, but also internationally."
"A temporary boost to first place means nothing. The real goal is securing lasting brand power to maintain that position. To do that, we have to stay ahead of the competition by at least one step."
"I understand."
I was always confident in staying ahead. Taewoo Electronics had the best employees in Korea, and our research labs were continuously developing new technologies. The only thing we lacked was brand power and image. Apple was filling that gap for now, but we couldn't rely on them forever.
"Even though our new products are priced about 10% higher than previous ones, sales are still increasing."
"Since home appliances are long-term purchases, customers tend to prefer better-performing products, even if they cost more."
"Luxury goods and home appliances are surprisingly similar in that sense."
"Are you referring to luxury items like watches and handbags?"
"Exactly. And that's why I want to collaborate with luxury brands."
For now, Taewoo Group alone couldn't build strong brand power. That's why we brought Apple into the equation. And now, it was time to bring in luxury brands as well.
"Do we really need to collaborate with handbag manufacturers?"
"You're underestimating the luxury market. Many luxury brands actually generate higher revenue than Taewoo Electronics."
I remembered something from my previous life—one name that consistently appeared in the world's wealth rankings. Most of the top spots were held by American tech founders. But the owner of a French luxury empire had also secured a top position.
"Reach out to the Arnault family. They own the largest number of luxury brands."
"Back when Taewoo Group owned department stores, we had frequent contact with luxury brands, but those connections are now gone. I'll personally work on reestablishing those ties."
"I'll introduce you to someone who can help." This was the kind of work best left to experts. David, who had been drinking heavily in India. Since he had consumed a lot of hard liquor there, it was time for him to enjoy some wine in France.
*
A few days later.
David, completely drunk, called me.
[Boss! I made contact with the Arnault family. I strongly conveyed Taewoo Group's desire to collaborate.]
"Already? Sending you to France was definitely the right move."
[It wasn't too difficult since I already had connections in France. Also, your reputation has spread there as well. They were curious to meet the person who gave a joint presentation with Steve at the Apple product event.]
This is why having a famous name matters. Many people didn't know much about Korea, but quite a few foreigners recognized the names of its major corporations. And thanks to Taewoo Group's partnership with Apple, our name had become even more well-known.
"Great work. By the way, have you wrapped up everything in India?"
[Yes, everything has been handled smoothly. The drama Hur Jun will start airing on Indian television next month. Plus, a documentary about Queen Heo Hwang-ok is currently in production. The entire production budget is being covered by SAVE Investment Company.]
"Don't worry about money—push forward aggressively."
[Indian politicians are actively supporting us, so it's not too difficult. But I'll still visit India from time to time to keep an eye on things. Oh! Also, someone from the Arnault family is coming to Korea this week.]
David was exceptionally efficient with his work. He was worth every penny of his high salary. But the Arnault family seemed quite eager to work with us as well. I didn't expect them to send a representative to Korea so quickly.
"Alright, then. I'll see you in the U.S. next time. Feel free to visit Korea if you have time."
[I'll check my schedule and let you know. For now, I need to get to bed. This expensive wine keeps making its way down my throat.]
I ended the call with David. But within seconds, my secretary knocked urgently.
"What is it?"
"Vice Chairman, a guest from the Arnault family has arrived."
"Already? Bring them to my office right away."
How was this even possible? David had only met with the Arnault family last night. So how could they have already sent someone from France to Korea?