The Busan Industry Summit's auditorium pulsed with awe as Park Minho painted a vivid future for Industry 4.0. His vision of a big data era—where road sensors and intelligent driving tech made self-driving cars a reality—struck a chord. A man named Kim Min-soo, watching on TV, leaned back, eyes wide with longing. "This is too perfect," he muttered. A world where cars drove themselves, guided by navigation alone, felt like paradise.
Kim didn't know how close this was. By 2020, Korea's Hancom, partnering with a carmaker, would roll out its self-driving BlueStar model, though its high price kept it niche. Across the Pacific, Google's autonomous taxis would hit U.S. streets in 2021, launching humanity's first driverless cabs. Minho's words weren't sci-fi—they were a glimpse of tomorrow.
Big Kim of JunSeok, Korea's e-commerce titan, stood among the summit bosses, curiosity piqued. "Anything else?" he asked, echoing millions of TV viewers.
Minho paused, the *Ultimate Imitation Emperor System* feeding him future tech trends. "In Industry 4.0, when factories churn out industrial robots, home robots won't be far behind. They're simpler to build—no harder than industrial bots. Picture a cheap nanny: low power, minimal maintenance, some AI service fees. It cooks, cleans, even watches your kids."
The crowd gasped, imaginations soaring. Housewives watching TV lit up. Cooking, cleaning, childcare—endless chores that ate hours daily—could vanish? A robot chef crafting five-star meals, a bot mopping floors, soothing tantrums? "That's the dream!" one viewer whispered. The grind of housework, so deceptive in its simplicity, fueled their yearning for Minho's future.
Bosses in the room, from small-time CEOs to front-row tycoons, scribbled mental notes. Minho's speech wasn't just inspiring—it was a roadmap. Where should they invest to ride Industry 4.0's wave? Chips? AI? Robotics? Each saw their niche in the coming upheaval.
Even Xu Jia-Hu, Jaehan Mobile's CEO and Minho's summit rival, leaned forward, eyes thoughtful. He'd dismissed tech's deeper currents, focusing on low-cost phones to crush Hansung. But Minho's vision—robots, smart homes, service fees for every bot task—stirred him. A robot cooking premium dishes for a fee? That was a goldmine. Xu began plotting Jaehan's pivot, eyeing early R&D to capture this future.
Unnoticed in the VIP seats, Motorola's Asia-Pacific president, Edward Kang, sat transfixed. He'd come to Korea to audit Motorola's biggest Asian market, expecting routine. Minho's speech changed that. Industry 4.0—chips, AI, smart systems—aligned with Motorola's mobile tech. His eyes gleamed; Minho had just handed him a strategic compass.
Ni Kwang-soo, on the jury panel, broke the silence. "Mr. Park, what's the most critical piece of this future?"
Minho blinked, caught off-guard, then grinned. "Besides new materials? Chips and systems. Master those, and you own the world."
Academician Choi Sang-Woo chuckled. "Own the world, huh? Sounds like you've tipped your hand, Park. Hansung's heading for chips and OS, isn't it?"
Minho's grin widened, his youth disarming the room. "You're not wrong, Choi. Phones are my start, but they're too small for my ambition. As a novel put it—my journey's the sea of stars!"
Laughter erupted, warm and genuine. Minho's bravado, so unapologetically young, charmed the crowd. No one scoffed; his age was his shield, his audacity his charm. TV viewers chuckled, MaumNet already buzzing: *Sea of stars! Hansung's kid's a legend!*
In the VIP seats, Yoon Woo-bin of Gao Sheng Investment stared, eyes burning with hunger. Minho's speech wasn't just a hit—it was a prophecy. Hansung, with its 180,000 monthly Labor Edition 12 sales, its walnut-smashing fame, its 10-million-unit factory plan, was a rocket. Yoon's mind raced: *We must own a piece of Hansung. This kid could be Asia's richest man.*
Gao Sheng's earlier rebuff stung, but Yoon saw the prize clearer now. Minho's chip and OS ambitions, his Industry 4.0 blueprint—they screamed multibillion-won potential. Gao Sheng's playbook—buy low, control high—demanded action. Yoon would push harder, whatever it took.
Minho, center stage, soaked in the applause. Ni and Choi's nods, Big Kim's respect, even Xu's reluctant intrigue—they fueled him. Yang Joon-ho, slumped in shame, was a ghost. Xu's low-cost war, Gao Sheng's schemes, the giants' copycat phones—they loomed, but Minho saw the detour. Hansung's rugged phones, chip dreams, and AI future were Korea's pulse. MaumNet roared his name; millions watched. He was the center, and the peak was his.
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(end of this chapter)