Chapitre 6: Global Investment
Chairman Jin Yang-cheol dropped these words and turned, leaving his family with mixed reactions.
The eldest and second sons exchanged uneasy looks. This was hardly good news for them. The addition of one more potential heir threatened to dilute their hold over Soonyang Corporation's vast empire. Even a small stake in such a powerful company was worth a fortune.
Behind Do-jun, his eldest cousin, Seong-jun, glared with barely concealed resentment and jealousy.
"Tch, just because you impressed Grandpa with some fancy phrases and proverbs?" Seong-jun thought, scornfully. "Maybe he'll give your family a board position, but eventually, you'll end up working under me."
Still, for now, most regarded this as an annoyance. No one believed Yoon-ki's family stood a real chance at inheriting the empire. That honor was meant for the eldest son and his descendants.
At that moment, Yoon-ki fell to his knees, tears in his eyes.
"Father…"
Years of tension between father and son melted slightly, and Yoon-ki was deeply moved.
"Oh, get up… why all this?"
The matriarch of the family, with a rare display of warmth, came forward to lift him up, concern in her eyes.
"I've always said our family should stay close, but the old man didn't agree. Now, at last, we're back together again," she said, embracing him like a real son.
Watching the scene, Do-jun kept a neutral expression, appearing appropriately moved. But he knew the truth. His grandmother wasn't as sweet as she seemed. Yoon-ki wasn't her biological son, and her warmth was that of a queen toward the favored son of a concubine. This was a woman who adjusted her demeanor to match the family's shifting fortunes. She had previously kept Yoon-ki at arm's length, but now that the chairman had softened, she was suddenly the caring mother again.
Even more amusingly, seeing her tears brought the other in-laws to tears as well, talking about "family unity."
Do-jun nearly laughed.
"Ah, the acting in this family is on another level. These aunts could give mom, a professional actress, a run for her money. It's like a royal court drama!"
…
"Hey, Do-jun…"
Just then, Seong-jun approached Do-jun, extending a hand and giving him a warm smile.
"Let's get along well from now on, brother."
Do-jun knew Seong-jun's charming front was only skin-deep. He was capable, strong enough to manage a publicly listed company, but ultimately ill-suited for the towering heights of a global conglomerate. And Seong-jun had a flaw—he treated those around him like servants. Growing up as the favored eldest grandson, he saw himself as the crown prince and everyone else as his subjects.
Outwardly, Seong-jun always kept up a friendly facade, but deep down, he was dangerously arrogant. Behind his "big brother" smile was an unmistakable message: "I'm the future heir. You're just a junior. If I'm being nice, it's the ruler's grace towards a vassal."
With a polite smile of his own, Do-jun shook his cousin's hand, fully aware of the subtle condescension.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of strained smiles.
When it was time to leave, Do-jun's family departed in their modest car. On the drive home, his parents and older brother continued to stare at him, clearly stunned.
Do-jun deflected their questions, explaining that he'd simply been reading a lot lately, which seemed to satisfy them.
Their home, located in a mid-range neighborhood in Seoul, was comfortable by regular standards but far from luxurious for a chaebol family. It was a two-hundred-square-meter high-rise apartment, bought through years of work in the entertainment industry and still under loan.
"Do-jun, is there anything you'd like to tell us?" his mother asked gently.
"Don't push yourself too hard," she added, touching his face with genuine concern. For all their shortcomings, his parents really did care about him.
"Don't worry, Mom," he assured her, touched by their warmth.
After reassuring his parents, Do-jun retired to his room. Despite its somewhat dated setup, he had the latest in 1980s technology: a bulky Siemens computer. Personal computers were rare and expensive in 1987, but some well-off families had them.
"If I remember correctly, China only connected to the internet for the first time in 1989. I learned that in elementary school. That year, China sent its first email," Do-jun mused. "Meanwhile, families here in Korea are already using computers."
He recalled reading about this era and its technological advances in a book titled Reply 1988. Even individual investors were beginning to develop software.
He started researching what limited information was available on the internet, taking careful notes.
"This era is brimming with opportunities," he thought, and began mapping out an investment plan, not only for Korea but on a global scale.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone