A few days later.
It was the day of the month when the entire family gathered at the main house, so Seok-won made his way to the mansion in Hannam-dong.
At the wide dining table, Chairman Park Tae-hong sat at the head seat. On either side were his eldest son, President Park Jin-hyung and his wife, Madam Jo, and Seok-won himself. Together, they enjoyed a generous meal, engaging in pleasant conversation.
Wearing a light gray vest, Chairman Park spooned up some soup and said,
"This crab stew is spicy and delicious."
"Isn't it? The crabs we got this time are full of roe and really meaty. Here—try some of the marinated crab too."
Seated to his right, Madam Jo gently placed a piece of well-soaked soy-marinated crab onto the chairman's plate.
"You should try some too," she said, turning to Seok-won and nudging a portion of crab toward his bowl.
Across from them, daughter-in-law Choi Bokyung looked at her husband, Park Jin-hyung, and said with a sweet, playful tone,
"I'll serve you myself."
She picked up a split crab with her chopsticks, placed it onto his dish, and gave him a hopeful glance.
"Thanks," he replied.
Bokyung beamed with delight at his response.
Watching the couple's affectionate exchange—even after years of marriage—Madam Jo smiled gently, clearly pleased. Though he didn't show it outwardly, Chairman Park was quietly warmed as well.
"I heard you've been helping your mother with the scholarship foundation lately. How's that going?"
"Yes, Father," Choi Bokyung replied. "It's all new to me, so I'm still clumsy and learning, but Mother's been teaching me a lot. I'm really enjoying it."
The Daeheung Group had long been committed to the spirit of noblesse oblige, giving back a portion of their wealth to society. Through the Ubo Foundation, they had supported scholarship programs for underprivileged or at-risk students for many years.
More recently, at Seok-won's suggestion, they had begun covering school expenses for victims and families affected by the Daegu subway gas explosion.
The scholarship foundation had been personally managed by Madam Jo for years. Now, just as Chairman Park was gradually handing over control of the group to his eldest son, Madam Jo was also preparing to pass on the foundation's responsibilities to her daughter-in-law.
"It's good for the company's image, of course," Chairman Park said, "but more importantly, it's meaningful work. Do your best with it. And even when offering help, always treat people with humility and respect. Never forget that."
"Yes, Father. I'll keep that in mind," Bokyung answered sincerely.
Madam Jo, sitting beside her husband, interjected to lift her daughter-in-law's spirits in front of him.
"She's so bright and considerate—everyone on the staff speaks very highly of her."
"That's good to hear," the chairman said with a small nod, then turned back to his meal.
Madam Jo gave Bokyung a playful wink as she pretended to fuss with the side dishes, and Bokyung mouthed, "Thank you," raising her thumb in appreciation.
After finishing their cheerful family lunch, Chairman Park rose from the table and headed to the study with his two sons.
"So, what's today's agenda?" he asked.
"It's ssanghwa tea—it's good for your health."
"Well, at least this one's drinkable. The last one you gave me was practically inedible."
"They say the best medicine always tastes bitter,"
Gunsan-daek responded cheerfully, brushing off Chairman Park Tae-hong's grumbling with a smile.
"Madam said she heard you coughing early this morning and made this tea for you. She also said if you don't like it, maybe it's time to quit smoking."
"…That's enough. You can go now."
With a sour look, Chairman Park waved her off. As soon as she left, he habitually opened the wooden box on the table, pulled out a cigarette, and placed it between his lips.
He lit it, leaned back against the plush sofa, and stared sternly at Seok-won.
"I heard you were involved in that incident in Itaewon a few days ago."
Sitting on the right-side sofa, Park Jin-hyung looked slightly startled, as if hearing this for the first time.
"Do you mean the case where two Korean-American men tried to assault a college student they didn't even know?"
"That's the one."
Though Seok-won had intentionally gotten involved, the case had grown into a public controversy, so he knew it was only a matter of time before word reached his grandfather. He answered calmly.
"Yes. That's right."
Park Jin-hyung turned his head sharply, eyes wide.
"What on earth were you doing involved in something like that?"
"It just happened—pure coincidence."
Chairman Park, still wearing a grim expression, asked in a low voice,
"I heard from Secretary Gil that you fought with the perpetrators and even gave a police statement. Is that true?"
"It is, but I wasn't the one who fought them directly. The bodyguard who was with me subdued them in self-defense when they charged at us."
"Good god…"
Park Jin-hyung let out a startled breath and quickly looked his younger brother over from head to toe.
"The article said those guys had jackknives. You sure you didn't get hurt?"
"As you can see, I'm perfectly fine."
Park Jin-hyung sighed in relief, but Chairman Park, seeing how nonchalantly Seok-won was acting as if it were nothing, only grew more exasperated.
"What in the world were you doing at a hamburger joint in the middle of the night? Don't you have better things to do?"
"I just missed the taste of the burgers I used to eat when I was studying abroad. I went on a whim, and that's when everything happened."
"Ugh."
When Seok-won called it a coincidence, Chairman Park Tae-hong let out a sigh and rubbed his forehead.
"This time, it blew over without any major problems, but there's no guarantee it'll be like that next time. Be more careful from now on."
"Yes, I will."
Chairman Park wanted to scold him more harshly, but since Seok-won hadn't instigated anything—and was arguably the victim—it didn't seem worth pressing further. He decided to let it go.
He took a sip of the richly aromatic ssanghwa tea, set the cup down, and smoothly shifted the topic.
"Anyway, you've all probably heard that the Ministry of Finance and Economy announced yesterday they'll be accelerating the timeline for opening up the capital market."
At that, Park Jin-hyung's face stiffened slightly as he responded.
"Because of that, the exchange rate, which opened at 898 won yesterday, plunged to 877 won right after the announcement."
"Seeing the exchange rate swing by 22 won in just a single day… Like your brother said, the foreign exchange market has been unusually volatile this year."
"If someone had exchanged 10 million dollars in the morning without knowing what was coming, they would've suffered over 200 million won in forex losses by day's end. Exporters must be having a hell of a time."
Even Daehung Group, which had converted all its spare capital into dollars, wasn't immune to losses from the falling exchange rate.
But Seok-won looked at his father and brother and spoke calmly.
"The market jumped because investors are expecting foreign capital to flood in once the capital market opens further and more dollars are converted into won. But it's just a short-term reaction."
"You're saying that because the underlying problems—like the widening current account deficit and falling exports—haven't been solved yet, right?"
Seok-won gave a faint smile at how accurately Park Jin-hyung had identified the issue.
"Exactly. And now… there's one more new variable in the mix."
Park Jin-hyung immediately narrowed his eyes.
"A new variable? What do you mean?"
Chairman Park Tae-hong also looked on with curiosity, holding a cigarette between his fingers.
"They're hedge funds—sweeping across Southeast Asian countries like a swarm of locusts."
"..."
"You probably know Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia have already been hit. The next targets will likely be Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan."
President Park Jin-hyung leaned forward, clasping his hands on his knees.
"But Hong Kong is the financial hub of Asia, with nearly a hundred billion dollars in foreign reserves. No matter how aggressive these hedge funds are, would they really dare to touch Hong Kong?"
Chairman Park Tae-hong nodded, seemingly in agreement.
Unlike the other countries that had been overwhelmed by currency speculators, Hong Kong had a strong economy. More importantly, having long served as Asia's financial hub, its bankers were well-acquainted with Wall Street's speculative tactics.
Because of this, many believed that while other Southeast Asian nations were falling one after another, Hong Kong would remain a safe haven.
"Of course, it won't be an easy target. But on the flip side, if they do manage to break Hong Kong, the profits would be far greater than those from smaller nations. That's even more tempting, isn't it?"
"...!"
With surprised eyes on him, Seok-won shrugged.
"And after toppling one Southeast Asian country after another, their greed and confidence must be sky-high. To them, Hong Kong probably looks like a plump, juicy prey."
As they listened, it really did start to seem like a plausible scenario.
President Park Jin-hyung gulped nervously, and Chairman Park Tae-hong's face hardened.
As the atmosphere in the study grew heavy, Seok-won continued in a calm tone.
"And if they've worked their way up from Thailand, then the final destination might very well be Korea."
"Even the hedge funds wouldn't dare touch Japan so easily. If things unfold the way you're describing, Korea could indeed be next."
Seok-won turned his gaze to Chairman Park Tae-hong, who had been quietly listening to the conversation.
"That's why I'm suggesting this: instead of letting the group's spare funds sit idle in U.S. dollars, why not entrust them to me and let me manage them?"
"What?"
Chairman Park Tae-hong furrowed his brows and straightened his posture.
"You want me to entrust you with an investment again, like last time?"
"Yes. You saw for yourself how I performed last time. I'll double it for you by the end of the year."
He held up two fingers as he promised a return, prompting Park Jin-hyung to look stunned.
Even a con artist wouldn't ask for money in such a half-hearted way.
But unlike him, Chairman Park Tae-hong—who had previously entrusted his money and watched it multiply—looked intrigued.
"What are you…?"
"Double the return. Is that a sure thing?"
Chairman Park cut off his eldest son and leaned forward.
Seok-won puffed out his chest with confidence.
"You know what I can do. And that's the minimum. If things go well, it could triple or quadruple."
"Oh? Is that so?"
Chairman Park licked his lips in thought.
President Park Jin-hyung, clearly alarmed, looked between the two and tried to stop his father.
"Father! What if something goes wrong and you lose everything?"
"Didn't your brother just say it's a sure thing?"
Chairman Park's eyes sparkled with excitement.
His expression resembled that of a gambler who believed he'd found the next golden stock.
"This is it. This stock is going to explode!"
"Proof? My gut says so!"
President Park Jin-hyung was so baffled by his father's out-of-character behavior, he was at a loss for words.
As he stood there in a daze, Chairman Park looked back at Seok-won and asked,
"So, where do you plan to invest?"
"You know I've been personally running a fund, right?"
Chairman Park's eyes lit up.
"You're planning to dip into currency speculation, aren't you?"
As expected of a group chairman, he immediately grasped Seok-won's intentions from just one sentence.
In truth, Seok-won wasn't just dipping in—he was acting as one of the major players in the Southeast Asian financial crisis. But there was no need to explain further.
"Money's practically rolling on the floor. It'd be foolish to let an opportunity like this pass."
Chairman Park crossed his arms and thought for a moment before raising his head.
"This time, it's company funds. I can't decide on my own, so I'll have to discuss it with the executives and get back to you."
In Korean chaebols, the owner's decision was often final, so if Chairman Park agreed, it would essentially be a done deal.
Still, since it involved company reserves, following proper procedure was necessary in case legal issues came up later.
"Go ahead. But I won't wait too long."
"You'll have the funds wired within a week—or three days, at the latest."
Even before any discussions, he was already talking about wiring the funds, making it clear that he'd decided to go along with Seok-won's proposal.
"That works."
While Seok-won replied coolly, as if he'd expected nothing less, President Park Jin-hyung watched the two with a face full of worry.
CH343
Once the conversation ended, Seok-won stood up first and left the study.
President Park Jin-hyung watched the door close, then turned to Chairman Park Tae-hong—who was already lighting his third cigarette—and spoke with a face full of concern.
"Are you really planning to entrust the reserved funds you converted into dollars to Seok-won?"
While Park Jin-hyung looked serious, Chairman Park leaned back comfortably on the soft sofa, unfazed.
"Worried I might blow it all away?"
Park Jin-hyung leaned forward as he replied.
"This isn't something to joke about. We're talking about 320 million dollars in reserves. You're not seriously thinking of giving him all of it, are you?"
"That's the plan."
Chairman Park answered without the slightest hesitation.
In a situation where a foreign exchange crisis might be looming, it was already risky enough to invest vital group funds—especially in dollars—into something speculative. But the thought of entrusting all of it was deeply unsettling to Park Jin-hyung.
"I know Seok-won is a skilled investor, but giving him the entire reserve is too dangerous."
Trying to reason with him indirectly, Park Jin-hyung urged caution. But Chairman Park responded coolly.
"Is that how it looks to you?"
Park Jin-hyung nodded urgently.
"If you want to invest, wouldn't it be better to start safely with half—or even just a third?"
At that, Chairman Park stared silently at his eldest son for a moment, then stood up without a word.
He walked over to a wooden desk behind him, opened a drawer, and pulled out a document envelope before returning to the sofa.
"Take a look."
He placed the envelope on the table.
"What is this?"
"You'll understand once you see it."
Looking puzzled, Park Jin-hyung glanced at his father, then reached out to pick up the envelope.
He took out the documents and examined the contents.
Ogwang Industries
Principal: ₩11,300,000,000
Return multiplier: 5.3×
Profit: ₩48,590,000,000 (excluding principal)
Chunho Steel
Principal: ₩5,000,000,000
Return multiplier: 10.4×
Profit: ₩47,000,000,000 (excluding principal)
Total profit: ₩95,590,000,000
(Nine billion, five hundred fifty-nine million won)
"...!"
Startled by the numbers on the page, President Park Jin-hyung widened his eyes and looked up at Chairman Park Tae-hong.
"W-What is all this?"
Seeing the half-dazed expression on his son's face, Chairman Park let out a small chuckle.
'I had the exact same reaction the first time I saw it.'
With a faint, bitter smile, he replied.
"As you can see, it's an investment settlement report."
Then, a thought suddenly struck Park Jin-hyung, and his expression turned one of disbelief.
"Don't tell me..."
With the cigarette still between his fingers, Chairman Park explained calmly.
"I told you before—I once entrusted some money to your younger brother."
"So this is that money you mentioned?"
"Yes. In less than a year, he managed to multiply it like this."
"My god..."
Still in disbelief, Park Jin-hyung looked over the settlement papers again and again, as if trying to confirm it was real.
Even Chairman Park had to admit—thinking back on it now, he could only say it was astonishing.
'So now, I'm curious to see just how much he'll grow it this time.'
With his unwavering confidence in his younger son, the possibility of losing the money didn't even cross his mind.
Blowing out a puff of white smoke, Chairman Park spoke with ease.
"At this level, wouldn't you agree he's earned the right to manage the funds?"
Then suddenly, he frowned slightly.
"His fees and bonuses are a bit—no, quite—expensive, but he's a man who keeps his word. So even if he doesn't make three or four times the money, I'm sure he'll at least double it."
Though there was a slight grumble about how Seok-won offered no "family discounts," Park Tae-hong's voice was full of conviction.
Park Jin-hyung still couldn't believe it would be that easy, but with solid proof in front of him, he had no grounds to argue.
***
Later that evening
When Seok-won finally returned to his home in Seocho-dong, he kicked off his shoes at the entrance and reached over to flip a switch on the wall.
The lights turned on all at once, brightening the once-dark house.
He casually tossed his jacket over the back of the living room sofa, then headed straight for the kitchen.
Opening the refrigerator, he grabbed a cold can of beer.
Crack!
As he popped the can open and took a swig, the cool fizz of the carbonation spread from his mouth down his throat and throughout his body, washing away the fatigue of the day.
Seok-won chugged down more than half of the beer in one go. Just as he began unbuttoning his shirt with one hand, about to head for a shower, his phone rang.
He pulled the phone from the inner pocket of his jacket and saw Landon's number on the screen. Pressing the call button, he answered.
[Boss, is now a good time to talk?]
Holding the phone to his ear, Seok-won grabbed the half-finished beer can again and replied.
"Go ahead."
[I'm calling because it seems the Quantum Fund has started to unwind its position in the ringgit.]
Seok-won furrowed his brow.
"What's the current ringgit exchange rate?"
[3.20 ringgit to the dollar.]
"They've made a 28% gain, sure, but there's still more meat on the bone. And they're pulling out already?"
[Yes. I started getting suspicious when the ringgit rate stopped falling and began moving sideways over the past few days. Turns out the Quantum Fund was buying up ringgit in large amounts to close their positions.]
A major player like the Quantum Fund shifting positions would undoubtedly have a major influence on the ringgit's direction.
Knowing that, Landon had immediately contacted him.
"Is there any variable we missed that could be influencing the exchange rate?"
[I've been looking into that closely, but so far, nothing concrete has turned up. In fact, Malaysia's government is putting out only negative news for the ringgit—like the complete ban on short selling in the stock market and halting multibillion-dollar construction projects. I really don't get why this is happening.]
Indeed, unlike Thailand or the Philippines, Malaysia had refused to seek help from the IMF and was taking a hardline stance against currency speculators, which generally painted a bleak outlook for the ringgit.
Even so, with someone as sharp and sensitive to money flow as George Soros leading the Quantum Fund, Seok-won couldn't simply dismiss their decision to shift positions.
"What about the other hedge funds? How are they moving?"
[Some firms have scrambled to follow the Quantum Fund and started buying ringgit again, but most are still holding their positions and waiting to see how things play out.]
"But once it seems the exchange rate is shifting direction, they'll act quickly."
[Yes. If they hesitate, not only will their profits shrink, but they might also take a loss. So they're likely to move fast.]
There was so much short selling in the ringgit that if liquidation happened all at once, the currently inflated exchange rate would crash. That made it a tense game of nerves.
As Seok-won stroked his chin, wondering what George Soros's intentions might be, a sharp idea flashed through his mind.
"Maybe it's to go after a bigger target."
[A bigger target… Are you talking about Hong Kong?]
"Exactly."
Adjusting the grip on his phone, Seok-won spoke again.
"Even for the Quantum Fund, Hong Kong isn't an easy opponent. To go to war with them, they'd need to consolidate their strength first."
[Now that you mention it, that does make sense. If this is preparation to take on Hong Kong, everything the Quantum Fund's doing right now fits perfectly.]
"On July 1st, Hong Kong is set to be handed back to China after 156 years. Looks like they're planning to strike during the confusion surrounding that transition."
Landon let out a quiet gasp.
[Trying to attack during the power vacuum when neither the UK nor China can easily intervene—what a cunning snake.]
"It's only natural to strike when your opponent is at their weakest. That's the basic rule of any battle."
[Then shouldn't we hurry to unwind our own positions in Malaysia?]
Landon's voice showed his growing anxiety.
But Seok-won paused to think, then lightly shook his head.
"No. For now, keep the positions as they are."
Landon replied with a tone of concern.
[But if the Quantum Fund does target Hong Kong, won't all the other funds pull their money out of Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia and rush over there?]
Unlike the anxious Landon, afraid they might miss their window, Seok-won remained calm.
"If the Quantum Fund is really waiting for the power vacuum during Hong Kong's handover, they won't move until mid-June at the earliest."
[Because moving too early might prompt British intervention, right?]
"Exactly. And Britain holds a grudge against George Soros. If they sense anything, they might jump into the fight for revenge. The Quantum Fund will want to avoid that at all costs."
[I agree with you.]
It was only natural to expect that Britain would be grinding its teeth over the Quantum Fund—after all, the proud British Empire had suffered a major blow to its prestige.
"Then we still have about a month left, so there's no need to rush."
[That's true, but the ringgit has nearly bottomed out. It's hard to imagine it depreciating further. Wouldn't it be better to just cash out now?]
"I see things differently."
[You believe the ringgit will drop even more?]
"If my projections are correct, it'll fall to 4 ringgit per dollar."
From the other end of the line, Landon couldn't hide his shock.
[You're saying it'll drop another 25%?]
"Yes. Given how hardline the Malaysian government is acting, it's only a matter of time before they roll out strict capital controls to prevent further currency outflows. When that sends the exchange rate into another major swing, that's when we cash out and exit."
Though there was still some lingering unease, Landon nodded at Seok-won's confident tone.
[If that's how you see it… understood.]
"Still, keep a close eye on the Quantum Fund's movements—just in case."
[Will do.]
Landon gave a short reply before naturally changing the subject.
[Oh, and about the attempted murder case you mentioned last time—I've handed it over to our lobbying firm in Washington and three citizen groups.]
Seok-won's eyes lit up at the long-awaited news.
"They're worth the money, I assume?"
[Absolutely. These groups wield considerable influence—not only in Congress but also within the White House. With them applying pressure, the Pentagon or law enforcement won't be able to sweep this case under the rug.]
Rather than filing a direct lawsuit, Seok-won had changed his strategy based on Landon's advice: lobbying lawmakers and White House officials, and using citizen groups to generate public pressure to ensure justice was served.
[The only downside is the cost—very effective, but expensive.]
"You said it would cost $15 million for all three groups combined, right?"
[That's correct.]
Seok-won's voice dropped to a calm, resolute tone.
"I don't care how much it costs. Just make sure those bastards pay for what they did."