Story of a Big Player from Gangnam

Gun-Ho went to GH Building in Sinsa Town to work on Friday.

A banner placed on the GH Building was waiving in the wind. It was the banner for Mr. Sakata Ikuzo’s wood carving art exhibition. Gun-Ho said while looking at the banner, “His art exhibition ends this Sunday. If no one hasn’t purchased his art pieces yet, President Shin must be feeling anxious by now. However, since a lot of visitors came to see his art exhibition, it increased foot traffic in this area, and other businesses around here like convenience stores and restaurants must have received unintended benefits from it.”

When Gun-Ho arrived at his office, his secretary—Ms. Yeon-Soo Oh—brought him a morning paper along with a cup of coffee.

“Yeon-Soo, do you still go downstairs to work at the gallery these days?”

Gun-Ho sometimes talked in a very informal way inadvertently to people who were younger than him. Maybe that was what the other younger person might want since they might feel more comfortable if Gun-Ho did that. It was not always good being too polite when talking to a person because it could create distant feelings.

“Yes, sir. The gallery is getting so many people these days, and they definitely still need my help. I will come down to help them around 10 am today. If you need me, sir, please let Ms. Assistant Manager Ji-Young Jeong know, then she will contact me. I will come up right away then.”

“It seems that the exhibition will go on tomorrow and even the day after tomorrow. You won’t be able to enjoy your free time this Saturday and Sunday then.”

“Well, President Shin said she would buy me delicious food once the art exhibition is over.”

“Haha, she said that? Okay. You can go back to work now.”

“Yes, sir.”

Ms. Yeon-Soo Oh gave a deep bow to Gun-Ho and left the office.

Gun-Ho was reading the morning paper while enjoying his morning coffee. He could read the newspaper well through other devices like a smartphone, but he preferred to read the news in the paper since it gave more comfort to his eyes that way.

After reading his newspaper, he looked at his watch; it was 10 am already. Gun-Ho was about to fall asleep when he heard someone knocking on his office door. It was President Jeong-Sook Shin. She looked different that day though. She was wearing a colorful outfit; she even wore make-up.

“Please come on in.”

Gun-Ho looked at the handbag that President Shin was holding. It looked familiar.

“Oh, are you looking at my bag? It’s the Chanel bag that you bought me, sir.”

“I feel thirsty.”

Gun-Ho was going to call for his secretary—Ms. Yeon-Soo Oh—and then he realized that she was not there.

“Oh, that’s right. She is at the art gallery to help with their work.”

Gun-Ho stuck his head out of his office door and called for Ms. Assistant Manager Ji-Young Jeong instead.

“Ms. Assistant Manager Ji-Young Jeong! Would you bring me a cup of green tea, please?”

“Sure, sir. Your tea will be right up.”

While having his green tea, Gun-Ho continued to walk around his office.

“Did Jae-Sik successfully sign the sales and purchase contract? Why does S Group’s president want to see President Shin?”

Gun-Ho couldn’t just stay in the office and keep wondering about all these.

Gun-Ho decided to go down to the art gallery in the basement and see Mr. Sakata Ikuzo’s wood carving art exhibition.

Gun-Ho went to the art gallery.

There were tons of people in the art gallery even though it was only morning time. Gun-Ho found Yeon-Soo Oh. She was distributing the pamphlets to the visitors without knowing that her boss was there. She looked busy. It was not just Yeon-Soo Oh who was there to help the gallery’s work. Most of GH Media’s workers were there. They seemed to watch the art pieces most of the time to make sure no one would touch them or take them.

“Please do not touch the art pieces.”

“Please do not cross the red line in front of the art pieces.”

GH Media’s workers with their name tags on their chests were controlling the traffic and movement of the visitors, especially group visitors.

Gun-Ho walked around with other visitors and looked at the artworks. The art pieces there were not new to him since he had already visited Mr. Sakata Ikuzo’s previous wood carving exhibition in Yokohama City, Japan. However, looking at them again here in his art gallery in Korea gave him different feelings.

“Every time I see Mr. Sakata Ikuzo’s artworks, I feel impressed! These are amazing.”

He remembered the moment when Mr. Sakata Ikuzo sat in a kneeling position on his home’s tatami floor while preparing tea for Gun-Ho when he visited his home in Motomachi near Yokohama City.

“He is indeed a great engineer and an artist with true artisan spirit.”

When he came back to his office after having a round at the art gallery, it was 11:30 am.

“Time passes very slowly today.”

When it was almost noon, he finally received a call from Jae-Sik Moon.

“President Goo? We signed the sales and purchase contract. The cosmetic company’s director stopped by at my office this morning.”

“Oh, really?”

“But that son of a bi*ch brought only 200 million won as an earnest money.”

“That’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

“They will make the middle payment 15 days later, and they will send the rest of the payment within 30 days.”

“I guess you can stay there for the next 30 days then.”

“I think so.”