Third-Generation Chaebol

A small bar in Namcheon-dong, Busan.

There, I was sharing drinks with the Commissioner of the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency.

"Thank you for accepting my request."

"Of course, I had to. You took care of my son—returning the favor is the least I could do. Besides, cracking down on gangsters is part of the police's duty. Even if you hadn't asked, I was already planning to go after them soon."

Commissioner Lee Kyung-sik had two children.

His eldest daughter was an excellent student and never caused trouble, but his eldest son had no interest in academics.

However, he had inherited his father's talent for sports and had graduated with a degree in Security Studies.

If he had entered the Police Academy or passed the police exam, his father, as Commissioner, could have pulled some strings for him.

But the boy lacked the intelligence to pass the exam.

So, I got him a job at Captain Kang's security company.

The company was already among the top three security firms in the country.

Its salaries were on par with, or even higher than, those of major corporations—making it one of the most coveted employers for Security Studies graduates.

"He won't be involved in any dangerous tasks. And if you prefer, I can have him assigned to Busan instead of Seoul."

"That boy needs to toughen up a little. If he stays in Busan, he'll just run back to me again. This is a good opportunity to let him struggle a bit in Seoul."

"Then I'll arrange for him to start his security work at the Seoul headquarters. I also promise to provide structured training to help him climb up to an executive position."

"If you do that, I couldn't ask for more. I was worried about his future, but at least now he'll be able to earn his own keep."

Raising children was the toughest job in the world.

Even a man who had risen to the rank of Commissioner was struggling with it, and I had just eased that burden.

"How long will it take to handle the Ohseong gang?"

"We've already arrested their boss. We'll round up the executives soon, and the rest of the gang will scatter on their own. But why is someone like you so interested in Ohseong?"

It was a reasonable question from his perspective.

It wasn't every day that the heir to a major corporation took an interest in organized crime.

"A man I was close to was murdered by the Ohseong gang."

"Is that so?"

"There wasn't enough evidence to prosecute them legally, but I want to use this opportunity to find that evidence."

"May I ask who that person was?"

"Gwanghwamun Bear, Chairman Lee Seon-il. His death was officially ruled a heart attack, but I have testimony from a doctor who was coerced by Ohseong into falsifying the report."

I handed him a USB drive.

It contained the doctor's testimony, along with a wealth of evidence.

It also included proof of various crimes committed by the Oseong gang.

"This will be very useful."

"Commissioner, wouldn't it be a shame to end your career as the Busan Police Chief? You should aim for Police Commissioner General before retiring."

"I've never even dreamed of that. Besides, that position is appointed by the President, and I don't have the right connections."

The Police Commissioner General was the head of the National Police Agency—the highest-ranking police officer in the country.

The Busan Police Chief was already a prestigious position, but above that, there was only the Commissioner General.

Reaching that position required both political backing and successfully passing a confirmation hearing.

"If we handle this case well, I'll make sure a position opens up for you in Seoul."

"Are you suggesting I move to the National Police Agency? Even if the President appoints me, there will be strong opposition since I don't have much support there."

"Of course, I'll make sure you have backing. I've already built a support network strong enough that no one in the National Police Agency would dare oppose you. You just need to step into the role."

Many government officials were subscribers to the SAVE Fund, including a significant number of police officers.

Until now, there had been no clear leader to rally around, so they had remained silent.

But if Lee Kyung-sik became the Commissioner General, he would immediately become the center of the largest faction in the police force.

"I will make sure to resolve this case thoroughly. I will arrest every last member of Ohseong and uncover the truth behind Chairman Lee's death!"

"If you do that, I will continue to support you even after your term as Commissioner ends. Whether you enter politics or become the CEO of a law firm or security company, I can arrange it for you."

"I sincerely appreciate how much you're looking out for me. I won't disappoint you."

"Also, I've placed a few bags in your car to help with operational expenses. Cleaning up the gangsters who are rotting this country naturally requires a cleaning fee."

I had placed tens of millions of won in the Commissioner's car trunk.

Of course, I didn't personally put it there—Lee Young-han had prepared and delivered the money.

Even if anything unexpected happened, it had nothing to do with me.

"T-Thank you. I'll use it to support the officers working hard to take down Oseong."

"You can use it for yourself if needed. I'll also continue funding you to ensure you don't run short on resources."

"...I don't even know what to say. I've never received support at this scale before."

Would simply getting his son a job be enough to make him work hard?

No—only if he received immediate cash and a guaranteed future would he put his life on the line to eliminate Ohseong.

***

A few days later

Lee Young-han visited Captain Kang's office.

"We've secured about 70% of Myeong-dong. This was only possible thanks to your help."

"This is just the beginning. A Japanese loan company has officially registered in Korea."

"Are they entering the third-tier financial market?"

"Things are about to get very noisy this year."

1999 was, without a doubt, the year of private lending.

Loan company ads flooded TV broadcasts, and even elementary school students could be heard singing their jingle.

"I just need to focus on Myeong-dong, don't I? The elders will handle the third-tier financial issue."

"It's the same for them as it is for us. Team Leader Park controls the underground world, while Executive Lee Joon-soo manages the legal operations. To wipe them out, we must attack both fronts."

"Don't worry about Myeong-dong. My forces are already twice as large as Team Leader Park's."

"How long are you going to let Chairman Lee's old subordinates stay under Team Leader Park? You need to absorb that faction as well."

Team Leader Park's faction was essentially Gwanghwamun Bear's former force.

Naturally, it should now belong to Lee Young-han, his grandson.

"I want to, but they treat me like an enemy. Team Leader Park must have told them something—I can't even get a conversation started with them."

"Soon, his faction will begin to fracture."

"A minor crack won't be enough to shake them."

"That's why I've prepared a major blow. Shall we watch some TV together?"

I casually turned on the TV.

Lee Young-han was initially confused as to why we were suddenly watching television in the middle of an important conversation.

But as soon as the program's theme became clear, he understood the situation.

[The Death of Myeong-dong's Loan Shark King]

The most popular investigative journalism program in South Korea.

Today's topic was Myeong-dong, focusing on the death of Gwanghwamun Bear.

"The 'fracture' you mentioned… is it this broadcast?"

"Isn't Myeong-dong a place where the law doesn't apply? In that case, we need to handle things differently."

The program began with a report on a factory in Busan.

It was the same factory where Executive Director Lee Joon-soo had worked, and the segment revealed that employees there had been manufacturing hydrogen cyanide gas.

Additionally, though their face was blurred, the doctor who had declared Gwanghwamun Bear's death gave a testimony.

All circumstantial evidence pointed to Executive Lee Joon-soo, painting him as a man who committed an atrocious crime—killing his own cousin for inheritance and Japanese financial backing.

"What do you think will happen once it becomes public knowledge that Team Leader Park collaborated with the man who killed Chairman Lee? Will his subordinates still remain loyal?"

"That will definitely cause a major fracture in his ranks. I'll make contact immediately."

The investigative program was packed with solid, damning content.

It was only possible thanks to the information I provided and the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency's full cooperation.

"I believe I've done my part. Can I leave the rest to you?"

"You've prepared the entire meal for me—it's only right that I at least lift my own spoon. I'll risk my life to absorb Team Leader Park's faction."

"A major fight could break out. Never go anywhere alone."

"There's no one in Myeong-dong who can touch me… but I'll stay cautious."

Lee Young-han stood up.

Now that the broadcast had ended, Team Leader Park's faction would be in complete chaos.

The sooner Lee Young-han acted, the more people he could bring under his control.

But I couldn't just focus on Myeong-dong.

That was more of a hobby—I still had my real job at Taewoo Group.

Most importantly, I had to focus on Taewoo Telecom, which was in a fierce battle for the top spot in the industry.

"How is the eSports team coming along?"

"Everything is ready. We've set up the team house and equipment, and we've signed the players you recommended. We plan to make the official announcement within the week."

StarCraft's popularity was skyrocketing, to the point where books written by first-generation pro gamers were making it onto the bestseller list.

"Secure the official tournament schedule as soon as possible."

"We've signed a contract with a cable TV channel to broadcast StarCraft tournaments."

"Are other companies starting to form eSports teams as well?"

"So far, at least five organizations have been confirmed to be preparing for the launch of their own eSports teams."

The world's first eSports scene was about to take off in South Korea.

If Taewoo Group could position itself at the center of it, the promotional benefits would be massive.

"Once major corporations start forming teams, the issue of an association will arise."

"Are you referring to something like a football association?"

"Anywhere there's money, people will try to exert influence. Ensure that Taewoo Telecom takes the lead in managing the association."

"With Blizzard and the broadcasting networks on our side, that shouldn't be too difficult."

Everything was being done to increase Taewoo Telecom's market share.

However, it was still trailing behind KS Telecom, with only a single-digit difference in market share.

"How is the OTT service progressing?"

"The service has launched, but it hasn't gained much traction yet. While Taewoo Telecom subscribers can access it at a very low price, it's still considered expensive compared to illegal downloads, so interest remains limited."

"Once OTT services become available on TVs, the situation will change. Taewoo Electronics is set to release Internet TVs in the first half of the year—just hold out until then."

Movies were always more enjoyable on a big screen.

The best experience was, of course, in theaters, followed by televisions.

While watching on a small computer monitor was fine, making OTT services accessible on TVs would naturally lead to an increase in subscriptions.