Chapter 63

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Enflix is a company that achieved great success in America.

Almost 2 years ago alone, their market cap reached a whopping $30 billion.

“But after Enflix founder Rod Vaistings declared he’d expand Enflix to 200 countries, the stock price started declining.”

From investors’ perspective, they seemed to think Enflix got too intoxicated with success in the US and Canada.

“Even as the stock price went down, Rod Vaistings pushed forward like a bulldozer. The problem is that since last year, the Chinese stock market bubble burst and the stock market slowly sank.”

China bubble collapse.

Greece default.

Stumbagen, Paris terror.

Brexit, etc.

Events shaking the international market occurred one after another.

“As a result, Enflix’s stock price that reached $30 billion came down to $20 billion, and with this Deutsche Bank bankruptcy, as all financial firms started withdrawing investment money, the $10 billion line collapsed for the first time.”

The biggest problem was that loans also got blocked together.

Isn’t the media currently making a fuss calling the Deutsche Bank situation the second Lehman Brothers?

Other European companies are quickly absorbing Deutsche Bank so it doesn’t reach that level, but that’s how human psychology is.

No matter how much they soften the shock, to investors this situation was just fear.

“The market cap was $30 billion, now with $10 billion collapsed it’s $9 billion..”

Enflix probably feels absurd too.

They didn’t do anything greatly wrong, but as the global financial market collapsed, their business was also affected.

“Probably in investors’ eyes, in this kind of recession people won’t pay monthly to subscribe and watch Enflix.”

“So they need emergency capital injection?”

“Yes. The money urgently needed now is $1 billion. So they seem to be looking for investors here and there. Since they prepared everything for global business expansion, but the loans and investments they were supposed to receive disappeared.”

If Deutsche Bank hadn’t gone bankrupt, Enflix would have smoothly achieved global expansion by now.

But due to the financial market ice age that started with Deutsche Bank’s bankruptcy, Enflix’s global expansion also got blocked.

From that shock, their market cap also came down to $9 billion.

“If we don’t inject capital?”

“They can’t even dream of global expansion. They might have to close their doors right away. Even $1 billion is actually the minimum amount. Originally Enflix tried to expand business all at once. Their greed was too big. So this crisis tore their legs apart.”

I silently stared at Vice President Kang Ji-hwan, the core of our Gwangwoon Securities.

Not only does he use formal speech to someone much younger, he even coolly gave up the position he should have sat in.

Then he could’ve followed hyung-nim and gone to Gwangwoon Group holding company to play vice chairman, but he even kept his position saying his place is here.

Not only that.

When I was department head, he spoke comfortably, but as soon as I became president, he treated me so politely it was burdensome.

He was showing a firm stance that companies aren’t places judged by age, so thanks to that, other executives also weren’t carelessly speaking casually or showing comfortable attitudes because I’m young.

He was someone very grateful to me.

The reason such a person came all the way to Gwangwoon Tower today was exactly because of the Enflix investment matter. Because as soon as Enflix heard we’re showing interest, their founder was flying to Korea right now.

“How much are you thinking for the investment amount?”

“In Vice President’s view, how much seems appropriate?”

“May I speak honestly?”

“Yes.”

“Actually I’m in the position of opposing Enflix investment.”

“Your reason for thinking so?”

“The reckless business plan trying to expand globally all at once, plus this isn’t simply buying and selling stocks but capital injection through paid-in capital increase. The risk is too big.”

For Enflix to receive investment money from us, paid-in capital increase was one way.

There’s also giving it as a loan, but what our securities firm ultimately wants isn’t loan interest but profit through investment, right?

Because that side has much better profit rates.

But since it’s investment money, if the company goes wrong, our money also disappears together.

Because of this fear, companies that invested in Enflix currently are withdrawing their hands one by one.

“But President already made up your mind to invest, right?”

When I looked at materials about Enflix.

I saw shining golden radiance there.

This isn’t a small investment.

From experience, this will be an investment boasting tremendous profit rates.

“Then $1 billion seems appropriate. It’s exactly the scale Enflix wants too.”

I slowly nodded my head.

Actually I also hadn’t grasped yet how much to set as investment money.

“I’ll say again, I’m in the position that investing in Enflix seems like it’ll be a loss.”

Plus this worry wasn’t only coming from Vice President.

Prime Department employees also had worries ahead.

Because right now Enflix was a company that wouldn’t be strange even if they closed doors immediately.

“First listen to what the other side says while reconsidering carefully.”

“Yes. Since they’re coming all the way here, we should meet once.”

Like that we waited for Enflix founder Rod who was flying to Korea on the fastest flight.

For a serious investment meeting, Vice President and several executives plus some Prime Department employees were already gathered in the conference room.

Before long Rod stepped into our Gwangwoon Tower with executives.

“I’m Enflix CEO Rod Vaistings.”

And I could see.

“..!”

Rod’s golden face sparkling enough to leave an afterimage in my eyes.

***

Enflix founder Rod Vaistings.

He achieved success by expanding Enflix’s streaming business with America as the market to even Canada.

There he gained confidence.

And as he realized the global market soon becomes money, he entered full-scale business expansion.

But the timing was really ambiguous.

The China bubble burst, then after the Greece default incident came Brexit.

Investors’ moods were already bad from statements about greatly expanding the global market, and those things all burst at once too.

Right. It was fine up to there.

Though the stock price is going down now, this is just the calm before the storm.

When Enflix achieves global expansion, he’ll make all those mocking him shut their mouths.

But this time the situation was different.

The Deutsche Bank, one of Europe’s TOP3 financial companies no less, collapsed.

Thanks to that, all investors started recovering money, and additional loans and investments, everything got blocked.

In a situation with just one step left until global expansion, there was no unfairness like this unfairness. Then news came that a company he’s hearing of for the first time has investment intentions.

“Gwangwoon Securities?”

It was a company name he’s hearing for the first time.

“I don’t know exactly either, but from rumors, their capital power seems considerable. Plus this also isn’t certain, but they say they made a killing from Deutsche Bank’s collapse.”

Such a place suddenly investing in Enflix?

But now wasn’t the time to pick between cold and warm rice.

As soon as Rod Vaistings heard talk of investment intentions, he flew to Korea.

Actually now if someone gives money, he has to grab anyone’s pants and receive investment. Otherwise Enflix has to close doors like this.

So he came to the company without properly investigating information about Gwangwoon Securities.

“Wow.. This is really Gwangwoon Securities building?”

At the ultra-high-rise building reaching 555m, Rod swallowed dry saliva.

Gwangwoon Securities is here.

Since they say it’s a company doing well these days, at first he was a bit anxious whether it’s a scam, but suddenly belief came.

“Please come this way.”

Like that Rod headed to the conference room receiving employees’ guidance.

There he faced the savior who might save this company today.

“I’m Gwangwoon Securities’ representative, Jeong Jin-ho.”

At first he thought the person beside Jeong Jin-ho was the representative here.

But such a young person is president.

Right. A young CEO existing on America’s Wall Street isn’t an awkward matter, right?

And the other party’s age isn’t important.

Somehow he has to receive investment money.

The amount urgently needed now is $1 billion.

But even $100 million is fine, so he planned to persuade the other side as much as possible.

“Then I’ll tell you the business direction Enflix envisions.”

Rod enthusiastically appealed about Enflix’s reasons for global business expansion and that future with accompanying executives.

He also presented shocking conditions.

Giving shares through paid-in capital increase and giving special preferred dividends.

In other words, granting business participation and special preferred shares to give not only dividends but also a certain portion coming from global profits.

“…”

Rod examined President Jeong Jin-ho who has all authority for today’s investment decision.

Even showing various visions and directions, President Jeong Jin-ho didn’t seem particularly interested.

He’s occasionally writing something in a notebook, but it seemed like he’s just doodling because he’s bored.

Plus the strange thing is he looks at Rod several times and squints his eyes.

What?

Does he dislike his appearance since he came right after riding the plane?

No matter how urgent, should he have washed first before coming?

‘Today’s investment crossed the river.’

Rod half gave up.

The other side seemed uninterested in this investment.

“So, the investment money Enflix desires is $1 billion?”

“..Yes.”

After answering weakly, Rod lowered his head.

But unexpected words popped out from President Jeong Jin-ho.

“I’ll give you $3 billion.”

“..?”

He doubted his ears for a moment.

$3 billion?

Did he misspeak $300 million?

Not only Rod but executives accompanying him just blinked their eyes.

“3, $3 billion? I didn’t hear wrong? Maybe the interpretation was wrong..”

“$3 billion is correct.”

“!?”

He didn’t hear wrong.

And President Jeong Jin-ho’s expression was also serious.

He doesn’t know how to react to this.

It’s investment money on a scale he never thought of, so his head is dazed now.

“As you mentioned, just give shares through paid-in capital increase and special preferred shares.”

“O-of course.”

With $3 billion, they get shares exceeding 35%.

Then becoming the largest shareholder, they can exert tremendous influence on management rights.

Plus the shocking proposal of special preferred shares on top.

Going forward, as soon as Enflix makes money it’ll go into Gwangwoon Securities’ pocket.

But is that the problem now?

$3 billion is coming in right now!

“And there’s one more condition.”

“Yes. Wh-whatever you say.”

“Listening to your presentation earlier, it seems Enflix is trying to market various dramas.”

“Yes. That’s right. Since we don’t know which work will appeal to the public, we’re laying groundwork for this and that.”

Even if internally they say a work is good, when actually put before the public there are many cases of hearing it’s not good.

So they were distributing money to various works for marketing.

“I want you to go all-in on only this work.”

The work President Jeong Jin-ho pointed to is ‘Strange Tales.’

Even internally, though the drama is well-made, there are many evaluations that since it’s a drama made with an old-time setting, it’ll be hard to gain young people’s empathy.

But President Jeong Jin-ho seemed to like this work.

No. Is there liking or not liking?

He only saw this work’s synopsis and probably didn’t see the actual result?

Plus excluding all other works and focusing only on this work?

The risk is too big.

“I’ll pour all marketing personnel only into this work.”

But as said earlier.

Now wasn’t the time to pick between cold and warm rice.

Plus the other side is a benefactor investing a whopping $3 billion.

So whatever he says, just follow like the sky!

***

Today the presentation or vision shown by Enflix people didn’t enter my eyes.

Because from when we first met, Rod Vaistings’ face was painted with gold and even emitting radiance.

Not only that, when we shook hands, my intuition stimulated me strongly enough to shake my whole body.

Thanks to that I couldn’t properly look at his face and couldn’t concentrate on the presentation.

But while looking at the other party, through intuition continuously rising, I caught the exact investment amount.

$3 billion.

Honestly I also thought isn’t this too excessive investment money?

But my intuition, not satisfied with stimulating me not to miss this opportunity, almost beat my whole body like pounding.

“Really.. Really thank you. President saved our Enflix today.”

Rod Vaistings tightly grasped my hand with both hands.

“And as you mentioned, I’ll concentrate on Strange Tales as much as possible.”

Like this face revealing radiance, Strange Tales also emitted light as if revealing its crazy presence while listening to the presentation.

So I made them concentrate there.

“Yes. I’ll be cheering.”

***

$3 billion.

It was an amount even Vice President Kang Ji-hwan didn’t think of.

Enflix’s vision or business direction.. Actually from Vice President Kang Ji-hwan’s position, it was just so-so.

It sounded like grasping at clouds.

Targeting the world market with streaming.

It was business hard to understand well.

Aren’t people still watching movies a lot on DVD these days?

Or going to movie theaters.

If not that either, it’s an era of downloading and watching.

“But $3 billion..”

When hearing President Jeong Jin-ho’s surprise talk about investing $3 billion, he felt dizzy for a moment. But there was no time to dissuade.

Because once President Jeong Jin-ho sets his mind, he never reverses it.

But even so, $3 billion!

Isn’t it an amount exceeding 3 trillion won!

“Phew.”

Vice President Kang Ji-hwan sat in front of the computer.

Because he purposely requested Enflix to send the ‘Strange Tales’ video.

“President wouldn’t have seen this.”

But why did he tell them to pour all their energy here?

Though he’s someone who’s made incomprehensible investments from before, he doesn’t know how President can be certain that drama will do well after seeing only the synopsis not even the entire scenario.

So out of really simple curiosity, and if the drama is really not fun he thought he should somehow revise the investment contract, so he received it.

Because that’s the vice president’s role.

“Ah. What if I doze off in the middle?”

Like that he started watching from episode 1.

Muttering “not bad,” he pressed the next episode.

Episode 2, 3. Episode 4, 5.

He planned to watch a little and sleep, but he couldn’t stop pressing the next episode.

“..!?”

Then he came to his senses abruptly at chirping bird sounds.

“Wh-what. Ah, it’s morning?”

How long has it been since running a drama until the next day?

No. For Kang Ji-hwan it was the first time.

“Plus it cuts off here?!”

Those wicked production team bastards!

Bring season 2 right now!

Wanting to see the next episode, Kang Ji-hwan’s hands were trembling.