Golden Spoon Investor

Afternoon

The sun was shining warmly as a loud voice echoed near the entrance of the golf club's clubhouse, and a group of men strolled inside.

They were none other than Woo Ho-geun, the eldest son of Donghae Group's chairman Woo Yong-gap, and his friends.

Perhaps because it was a weekday afternoon, the clubhouse was nearly empty and quiet.

The three of them, moving with familiar steps, settled at the table right next to the large glass windows offering the best view.

"Man, what kind of spring weather is this? The sky's clear, but it's still so cold my fingers are stiff. My shots were a complete mess today."

The man, dressed in a dark navy polo shirt and white pants, grumbled. Jeon Geon-woo, the son of a senior ruling party lawmaker, chuckled from the seat next to him.

"If you hit three OBs, it's not the weather's fault—your skills are just lacking."

"I'm serious!"

"Quit making excuses and admit it like a man."

"Wow, damn, this is so unfair. You know how good I am!"

The first man pounded his chest in frustration.

His name was Yoo Seok-chan, the son of a big player in the Myeongdong loan market, his demeanor smooth and easygoing.

Together with Woo Ho-geun, the three formed a tight-knit group, often indulging in nightlife and leisure activities together.

"May I take your order?"

Amid their noisy chatter, a neatly uniformed female staff member approached, placing menus on the table.

Since they frequented the place like it was their own, Woo Ho-geun didn't even glance at the menu before speaking.

"I'll have the hangover soup."

"I drank last night too, so I need something to cure this hangover."

"You two are such lightweights. Whatever, I'll just get the same thing to keep it simple."

Jeon Geon-woo teased the others, then turned to the waitress.

"You heard that, right? Three of the same."

"Of course, please wait a moment."

The waitress gathered the untouched menus and walked away.

Jeon Geon-woo's eyes lazily followed her as she walked, a smirk curling at the corner of his mouth.

"She's got a nice body."

"What, planning to hit on her?" Yoo Seok-chan asked, taking a sip from his water glass.

"Don't even need to call it that. A girl like that will fall for me with just a few words."

"Forget it. This place is popular with the old men too. If you screw around and word gets out, it'll be a hassle."

Woo Ho-geun tried to sound like he was cautioning him, but Yoo Seok-chan, still grimacing from his hangover, scoffed in reply.

"What's this? You join your dad's company, and now you care about your reputation?"

"I just don't want to hear the old man nagging, you bastard."

Woo Ho-geun frowned and shot back.

"And I heard there's a chance Congressman Jeon might become a Cabinet Minister in the upcoming reshuffle. Shouldn't you be more careful then?"

"Yeah, something like that," Jeon Geon-woo muttered, smacking his lips.

"My old man's been threatening to ship me abroad if I don't behave."

"Man, you're not a kid anymore. Isn't that a bit much?" Yoo Seok-chan said with a sulky expression. Jeon Geon-woo just shrugged.

"What can I do? If I want to keep getting the crumbs that fall from the table, I gotta stay in line."

While the three of them were chuckling and chatting, their food arrived.

"Let's see how this tastes."

Yoo Seok-chan was the first to take a sip of the broth, raising an eyebrow.

"Mm, not bad."

"The food here's decent enough," Woo Ho-geun added.

"Man, I'm starving. Let's dig in," Jeon Geon-woo said.

Having just come off the golf course, all three were famished and quickly grabbed their spoons to start eating.

"My putting was on point today, but my driving was off."

"Same here. I guess the chilly weather's keeping me from playing my best. Next time, let's go somewhere warmer for a round."

"Listen to this guy, blaming the weather again."

"Ah, shut up. Hey, how about we head to the Philippines? I hear Clark is amazing."

At Yoo Seok-chan's suggestion, Jeon Geon-woo's eyes lit up.

"I've heard about that too. They say it's great for golf, but even better for nightlife."

"Man, all you ever think about is women."

"Isn't that normal for a guy?"

With a shameless grin, Jeon Geon-woo shot back, and Yoo Seok-chan playfully flipped him off before turning to Woo Ho-geun.

"What about you, Ho-geun?"

"The Philippines? Sounds good to me," Woo Ho-geun replied, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"Alright then, I'll take that as a yes and start planning."

Jeon Geon-woo chimed in excitedly, "I'll handle getting the girls."

"I liked those models we met last time," Yoo Seok-chan added with a grin.

"Heh, got it," Jeon Geon-woo laughed.

Once they'd finished eating, Woo Ho-geun took a sip of the coffee that had come out as dessert, set the cup down, and glanced around before speaking.

"I've got an idea that could pull in a big payday. You guys interested?"

At that, Yoo Seok-chan and Jeon Geon-woo, who had been laughing just moments ago, immediately perked up, their eyes gleaming with curiosity.

"Got a good deal lined up or what?"

"Yeah, spill it."

When the two showed interest, Woo Ho-geun leaned back in his chair and said coolly,

"First, tell me if you're in or not."

"From the way you're talking, sounds like it's something big?"

Yoo Seok-chan pulled his chair closer to the table, his face full of curiosity.

"If everything goes as planned, we're looking at at least five billion won each."

Whistle!

Yoo Seok-chan let out a short whistle.

"Man, that doesn't sound bad at all."

"Five billion? You sure this deal's solid?"

Jeon Geon-woo's eyes gleamed with open greed.

At the time, a 13-pyeong (about 43 square meters) apartment in Dogok-dong's Jugong complex was priced around 180 million won, so five billion was a hefty sum even for this crew.

"What kind of deal is it?"

At Yoo Seok-chan's question, Woo Ho-geun crossed his arms and replied,

"So, you in?"

"Of course! There's no way I'm missing out on something like this."

"Sounds good to me. I'm in too."

As Jeon Geon-woo eagerly rubbed his hands together, Yoo Seok-chan nodded in agreement.

Woo Ho-geun, who had expected them to jump in without hesitation when money was on the table, smiled inwardly.

"Ever heard of Boseong Electronics?"

"Never heard of it. What do they do?"

While Jeon Geon-woo tilted his head in confusion, Yoo Seok-chan, true to his background as the son of a big player in the Myeongdong loan market, showed a spark of recognition in his eyes.

"Isn't that the company that makes electronic dictionaries and radios?"

Woo Ho-geun gave a faint smile and nodded slightly.

"Right. Knew you'd be familiar."

"They had a big stock jump a couple of years ago over that merger and acquisition rumor, didn't they?"

Recalling something, Yoo Seok-chan narrowed his eyes and looked at Woo Ho-geun.

"You planning to manipulate the stock?"

"Exactly."

Woo Ho-geun picked up his cup, but noticing the coffee had gone lukewarm, he set it back down.

"A factory they built in China is set to start full-scale operations this year, mass-producing high-value deck mechanisms. Word's going to start circulating in Yeouido that they've secured massive export contracts and that their earnings are about to skyrocket."

"Is all that true?"

Jeon Geon-woo asked, and Woo Ho-geun gave him a sly grin.

"When has a rumor in the stock market ever needed to be true?"

"Exactly."

Yoo Seok-chan, instantly recognizing it was a fabricated rumor to inflate the stock price, replied with a similar smirk.

"Ah, right. It's not like the company officially announced anything. Just a rumor after all."

Realizing it a bit late, Jeon Geon-woo nodded in agreement.

Woo Ho-geun leaned back against his chair, speaking in a relaxed tone.

"Plus, if we shuffle some funds through borrowed-name accounts to give it a little pump, the retail investors will swarm in on their own and push the stock price up."

"But if the major shareholders dump their shares first and disappear after we've driven the price up, we'll be left holding the bag too."

Yoo Seok-chan pointed out sharply, but Woo Ho-geun answered leisurely.

"I've already got that covered, so don't worry about it."

Already thinking about the money they'd rake in, Jeon Geon-woo asked, his face lit with excitement.

"How much are we planning to drive the price up?"

"At least five times. Anything less wouldn't be worth it."

As Woo Ho-geun spread his fingers wide, Jeon Geon-woo chuckled.

"Man, that's huge. Yeah, if we're doing this, we gotta make it count!"

While Jeon Geon-woo buzzed with excitement, Yoo Seok-chan, more calculating when it came to money thanks to his background in the loan market, asked calmly.

"So, how much do we need to put in?"

That was the most crucial part.

Woo Ho-geun's voice lowered slightly as he looked at both of them.

"Ten billion won each. We need it all by the end of this month."

"That sounds doable. What about you?"

Yoo Seok-chan turned to Jeon Geon-woo after answering first.

"Tch, unlike you guys, my old man grips the family fortune like he plans to take it to the grave. He won't let go of a dime."

"So, are you out?"

"Hey, hey, let me finish."

Jeon Geon-woo snapped irritably, scratching his head.

"I've got no choice. I'll have to go sweet-talk my mom."

With both of them confirmed to be in, Woo Ho-geun put on a more serious face.

"Handle it however you want, but until we wrap this up, this stays completely under wraps."

"Of course."

"Don't worry. My lips are sealed."

Jeon Geon-woo, following Yoo Seok-chan, playfully mimed zipping his mouth shut.

"Heh, once we stuff our pockets with this, I won't have to care what the old man thinks for a while."

"Let's proceed with this plan as is."

"Yes, understood."

***

Sitting at the prime spot on the sofa, Seok-won handed the file folder back to Team Leader Choi Ho-geun and spoke.

"Oh, and starting next week, I'll be in the U.S. for about two weeks on a business trip. So if anything comes up, just call me."

"I will."

Having often traveled to the U.S. on extended business trips since his days as a team leader, Choi Ho-geun responded casually.

"So, will you be joining us for the team dinner tonight?"

Balancing the file on his lap, Team Leader Choi cautiously tested the waters with his question, and Seok-won made an Ah expression, as if he'd just remembered.

"Right, the department dinner was scheduled for today."

"Yes. We originally planned it for Tuesday, but, as you know, it was postponed because of the major earthquake in Japan."

Though the earthquake happened in Japan, it had rattled stock markets around the world, including Korea's, leaving no room for leisurely dinners.

"If you're busy, should we postpone the dinner again?"

"No, I can't miss a full department gathering. Have you decided on a place?"

"There's a samgyeopsal place nearby we often go to. I was thinking of reserving there."

"You mean Cheongwon Restaurant?"

"Oh, you know it?"

It was a place where nearby securities firm employees went for cheap samgyeopsal and soju.

It didn't fit the image of Seok-won, who seemed more like someone who'd pair steak with wine. Surprised, Team Leader Choi asked, and Seok-won lightly shook his head.

"I haven't been there myself, but I've heard the staff mention it."

"I see. Well, it has plenty of space for groups, and we're all familiar with it, so I thought it'd be good for the dinner."

"Hmm."

Seok-won stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Instead of the same samgyeopsal place we always go to, how about trying somewhere different this time?"

"Excuse me?"

Team Leader Choi looked puzzled.

"I'll make the reservation. Just keep that in mind."

"Ah, yes. Understood."

Choi Ho-geun nodded, still slightly confused.

***

That afternoon.

After the market closed, the trading department staff quickly wrapped up their work and arrived at the dinner location, only to find themselves standing in front of an unfamiliar building, wearing puzzled expressions.

"This is the right place for the dinner, right?"

Manager Song Jong-geun nudged Team Leader Choi Ho-geun with his elbow.

"Yeah. Miss Na gave me the address, and this is it."

Choi Ho-geun pulled a slip of paper from his inner pocket with the address and a hand-drawn map, waving it for everyone to see.

"See? It's right here."

"It is, but… there's nowhere around here that looks like a place for a team dinner."

Hearing this, the other employees nodded in agreement, equally confused.

At that moment, Assistant Manager Jung Hwan-yeop raised an arm and pointed at a large bowling pin sculpture in front of the building.

"Uh… this is a bowling alley. We're not seriously having our dinner here, are we?"

"Are you crazy? Who has a team dinner at a bowling alley?"

Manager Song Jong-geun shot him a glare, and Jung Hwan-yeop, realizing how ridiculous it sounded, awkwardly stepped back.

"Still… the only place to go in is that bowling alley…"

Just as the staff stood around like a flock of lost sheep, unsure of what to do next, a familiar voice called out from behind them.

"What's everyone doing out here instead of going in?"

They turned to see Seok-won walking toward them, his secretary Na Sung-mi by his side.

The employees quickly bowed their heads, then gradually straightened up, exchanging glances with each other.

"It's cold out here. Let's head in."

"Um… this is a bowling alley. Where exactly did you reserve the dinner?"

Team Leader Choi Ho-geun carefully stepped forward to ask, while the other staff stood behind him, looking equally confused.

"This is the place."

"…Excuse me?"

Team Leader Choi and the rest of the employees widened their eyes in disbelief.

"You reserved a… a bowling alley?"

Thinking he might have misheard, Manager Song asked again, but Seok-won's answer didn't change.

"That's right. Instead of just drinking, I thought it'd be nice for everyone to bond over a few games of bowling."

Manager Song's eyes met Seok-won's, and he reflexively nodded.

"Ah, yes. Of course."

Realizing this wasn't a mistake and that the bowling alley was the venue, the employees exchanged glances, forcing awkward smiles.

"It's been a while since I last bowled. Wonder if I've still got it," someone muttered.

"Getting some exercise together sounds good," another chimed in.

"Yes, definitely," another echoed, trying to sound upbeat.

Seok-won gave them a quick look, then led the way toward the entrance.

"All right, let's go in."

As they followed behind, Manager Song leaned toward Team Leader Choi and whispered,

"A team dinner at a bowling alley… this is a first."

"Tell me about it."

Assistant Manager Jung, who'd been looking forward to the dinner, chimed in with a disappointed face.

"He studied in the States, right? Must be an American thing."

"Yeah, sounds about right."

"Do Americans even like bowling that much? First I've heard of it."

"Maybe it's trendy these days."

"Is that so…"

As the team leader and manager nodded along, Assistant Manager Jung Hwan-yeop let out a deep sigh, his shoulders drooping.

"When I heard the director personally picked the venue, I thought we'd be tasting some premium hanwoo beef like last time. Instead, we're just gonna end up sweating."

At that, Team Leader Choi Ho-geun shot Jung a sharp glare and snapped,

"Who sweats from bowling?"

"Do you know how hard it is to throw a heavy bowling ball down the lane perfectly? It's exhausting, both physically and mentally!"

"Oh, listen to this guy. You'd think he's on the national bowling team or something."

Choi Ho-geun gave Jung a playful smack on the back.

"Quit whining and get inside already."

"Alright, alright, I'm going…"

Still sulking over the lack of hanwoo, Jung Hwan-yeop dragged his feet as he disappeared into the building.

At first, the other employees felt a bit awkward, but once they split into teams and started playing, their competitive sides kicked in.

Soon enough, everyone was fully engaged, throwing balls and cheering each other on, completely immersed in the game.

Thud! Rrrrrroll… Crash! Clatter!

With a sloppy form, Jung Hwan-yeop hurled the ball, but to everyone's surprise, it knocked down all the pins in one go—a strike!

The members of Team 4, who were seated nearby, jumped up with both arms in the air, letting out a loud cheer.

"Nice shot!"

"That's what I'm talking about!"

"You're amazing, Assistant Manager Jung!"

Beaming with pride, Jung turned back to his teammates, flashing a big V-sign with his fingers.

"Ha! You guys see that? This is nothing for me!"

On the other hand, Manager Song Jong-geun, who was on the opposing team, looked like he'd just bitten into sand.

"How does that throw get a strike? This has to be rigged."

"This is ridiculous. We've lost two games in a row now."

Shin Myung-hee, a junior employee from Team 1, pouted as she spoke.

Team 1's leader, Kim Jung-sik, also looked frustrated as he glared at Song Jong-geun.

"Hey, Manager Song! Didn't you say you were pretty good back in college? What happened to that skill?"

"Well… it's been years since I last bowled, so I'm a bit rusty."

"Yeah, right. Earlier, you were acting like you'd hit strikes left and right the moment you stepped up. Geez, what a letdown."

"I'm sorry."

Song bit his tongue to keep from saying what was really on his mind—that if Kim Jung-sik hadn't thrown two gutter balls, they wouldn't have lost both games.

Meanwhile, riding high from his back-to-back strikes, Jung Hwan-yeop turned to Seok-won, who was calmly wiping down his bowling ball with a towel.

"By the way, this place has great facilities, but it doesn't seem to get much business."

"Yeah, I noticed that. We're the only ones here."

Hearing that, Hong Jae-hee glanced around the nearly empty bowling alley, suddenly noticing how quiet it was.

"I rented out the whole place for the day."

Seok-won casually replied, slipping his fingers into the holes of his bowling ball and lifting it effortlessly.

"You rented the entire bowling alley?"

"That's right."

With that short answer, Seok-won stepped forward to make his next throw, leaving the employees staring after him in disbelief.

"Wow. That's third-generation chaebol level right there."

"No kidding. I never imagined he'd rent out the whole place."

Even Yoo Seok-hyun, who had been quietly racking up points with steady, no-nonsense plays, chimed in, nodding along. Like Hong Jae-hee, who was still wide-eyed with surprise, the rest of the staff could hardly close their gaping mouths.

The ball rolled smoothly down the lane but narrowly missed knocking down all the pins. Seok-won turned back, a slight look of disappointment on his face, and addressed the team.

"By the way, aren't you all getting a bit hungry?"

Immediately, Assistant Manager Jung Hwan-yeop shot his hand into the air and shouted,

"I'm starving, Director! Skipping dinner and exercising like this—I'm about to die of hunger!"

"Haha. Well, perfect timing. The food's here, so let's eat while we play."

Everyone turned their heads toward where Seok-won was looking, confusion written all over their faces. Instead of moving to a restaurant, food was apparently being brought to them.

A group of people dressed in crisp white uniforms began pushing carts through the entrance. They rolled them over to a space at the back and started setting up tables and laying out food.

"Wait, did you arrange for those people too, Director?" Jung asked, his eyes round with surprise.

"It's a company dinner—you've gotta eat well. I like the food from Walkerhill Hotel, so I ordered a catering buffet."

"Oooh!"

Jung instinctively gave a thumbs-up, while the female employees squealed with excitement at the mention of a hotel buffet.

"You're the best, Director!"

Seeing everyone so delighted, Seok-won with a smile.

"Like I said earlier, we've got this whole place to ourselves today. So eat and drink as much as you like."

"Director! Since it's a company dinner, I assume there's alcohol too?"

"Of course. I had them bring soju, beer, and even a case of Chivas Regal, so drink to your heart's content."

At that, the male employees, including Jung Hwan-yeop, all lit up like Christmas trees.

"Whoa, a whole case of Chivas Regal!"

"Forget soju, we're drinking the good stuff tonight!"

"Wooooo!"