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CH298 | GSI
🕑 Added 2025-04-10 02:32:38 +0000 UTC“We’ll proceed with this as is.”
“Understood.”
After handing the approval file back, Seok-won leaned back in his chair and looked at Choi Ho-geun, who stood in front of the desk.
“By the way, have you finished converting all the operating funds into dollars, like I instructed?”
Receiving the cue, Choi Ho-geun answered while still holding the file in one hand.
“Yes. I was going to report it anyway. With Director Eom’s help, we completed the currency exchange yesterday afternoon.”
“How much did it come to?”
“With the recent rise in exchange rates, the total came out to 209.443 million dollars.”
Hearing the figure, Seok-won gave a small nod.
“You’ve grown the operating funds quite a bit.”
“It’s thanks to the huge gains we made on the three stocks you picked, President. Without those, we wouldn’t have seen this level of growth.”
Choi smiled as he gave Seok-won full credit.
And truthfully, he wasn’t wrong. Even the lowest-performing stock among the three, Korea Mobile Telecom, had risen by 50%, while S-1 Corporation had gone from 42,000 won to 236,000 won—a staggering 550% return. The numbers were almost unbelievable.
Despite such extraordinary gains, Seok-won reacted as if it were nothing special.
“It wasn’t just me. It was the result of you and the whole team working together.”
Of course, the team had made some profits through their own trades, but those returns were embarrassingly small compared to the windfall Seok-won had brought in with a single stroke.
Even so, hearing Seok-won credit the team for the success left Choi deeply moved.
“It must’ve been a bit shocking when I suddenly told you to liquidate all individual positions too.”
“To be honest, I was confused at first. But when the market started struggling and couldn’t find any momentum, I couldn’t help but admire your perfect timing.”
In fact, the stock market, which had been rallying on the hopes of a new telecom business license, began to tumble right after the government made its announcement.
“With the yen depreciating and worsening export conditions, plus the continued drop in DRAM prices—a major export product—it’s going to be hard for the market to recover anytime soon.”
“I completely agree.”
Seeing the concerned look on Choi’s face, Seok-won spoke reassuringly.
“In times like this, it’s often best to sit back and watch the market until the next upward cycle comes around.”
“You’re absolutely right.”
Choi nodded in agreement, then added playfully,
“Still, I have to say—it’s uncanny. Talking with you sometimes feels like chatting with a seasoned veteran who’s spent decades in the trenches of Yeouido.”
Choi was genuinely impressed by Seok-won’s wisdom, which far exceeded what one might expect for his age.
“Haha, I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Seok-won gave an awkward smile, slightly flustered.
“Oh, right—do you have your passport?”
As Seok-won naturally shifted the topic, Choi Ho-geun looked slightly puzzled by the sudden question.
“Yes, I have one.”
Since the 1988 Seoul Olympics, overseas travel had been fully liberalized, and with Korea’s rising economic status, international trips had become a craze. Many people were now visiting nearby and affordable Southeast Asian countries.
“It got so bad that newspapers and broadcasters started blaming the surge in overseas travel for Korea’s growing current account deficit.”
Brushing the passing thought aside, Seok-won looked at Choi and said,
“That’s good. I’m planning a long-term business trip to the U.S. soon, and I’m thinking of taking the entire asset management team with me.”
The unexpected announcement made Choi’s eyes widen.
“You mean… the whole department?”
“Yes. I mentioned before that I personally run a separate fund management firm in New York, right?”
“Yes, you did.”
Choi nodded.
“Since the team exceeded expectations with their performance, I thought this would be a good opportunity—not just as a reward, but also to let you all experience firsthand how Wall Street, the heart of global finance, really operates.”
For anyone working in finance, Wall Street was a dream and a pinnacle. Choi could barely contain his excitement.
“But if the entire department is away, we won’t be able to handle any of our tasks while we’re gone.”
His voice carried a hint of concern, but Seok-won simply shrugged.
“There’s no urgent work right now since we liquidated all positions.”
“Well, that’s true…”
In fact, it was more than true. Ever since Seok-won had instructed them to halt even individual trading, the team had little to do but keep their seats warm.
At first, everyone welcomed the break, enjoying the downtime—but that only lasted a day or two. Now, most of them were going stir-crazy.
“Well… except for Jung Hwan-yeop”
Jung Hwan-yeop, known for his love of slacking off, was practically thriving these days. He’d been wandering around the office, grinning and humming tunes—more than once, Choi had to fight the urge to smack the back of his head.
“No, the president’s right.”
Since they’d already decided to sit out of the market for the time being, it made more sense to spend that time productively abroad rather than wasting it idly at their desks.
No, this wasn’t just a good idea—it was an opportunity that couldn’t be missed.
Even though international travel had become easier, flying across the Pacific to the U.S. was still a big deal. And more than anything, getting the chance to see Wall Street traders in action—with their own eyes and in real time—was beyond thrilling.
“And it’s not even out of pocket—it’s on the company’s dime. No way I’m missing this.”
Not that he was going just to avoid watching Jung slack off, of course.
Choi bowed his head slightly and gratefully accepted Seok-won’s offer.
“Thank you very much for giving us such a great opportunity.”
Seok-won smiled and replied,
“Think of it as a reward for all the hard work you’ve done. And if the team comes back with broader perspectives after experiencing Wall Street, it’ll benefit the company too, don’t you think?”
“I’ll make sure we learn as much as we can while we’re there.”
“Even though we’re calling it a training trip, think of it partly as a reward vacation. Don’t overdo it—just go and take it all in with an open mind.”
“But still, since we’re spending a lot to go all the way to the U.S., we should make sure we come back with something worthwhile.”
Though he wasn’t going to pressure anyone, Seok-won knew how much they got out of the trip would depend entirely on their mindset and initiative, so he said no more on the matter.
“So… how long are you planning to stay in the U.S.?”
Choi Ho-geun asked, his face brimming with excitement.
“Well, it’s hard to say for sure until we get there, but I’m planning to stay for about a month.”
“A month, you say…”
Caught off guard by the longer-than-expected stay, Choi’s voice trailed off.
“There might be some changes along the way, but let’s plan on staying at least a month and prepare accordingly.”
“A whole month?”
When Choi asked again in surprise, Seok-won paused mid-stroke, having been stroking his chin, and spoke with a hint of sympathy.
“Ah… you have a family, so being away for that long might be difficult.”
“No! Actually, that’s great!”
“…?”
Seeing him wave both hands frantically, Seok-won raised an eyebrow.
“Ahem.”
Choi cleared his throat awkwardly, his face slightly flushed, and quickly added,
“I feel bad for my family, of course, but it’s for work, so they’ll understand.”
He looked at Seok-won with desperate eyes, clearly hoping he wouldn’t be left behind.
“Ah, I see.”
Having once had a family before his regression, Seok-won immediately understood the expression on his face.
Reading Choi’s unspoken plea, he chuckled and gave a nod.
“The company will apply for the visas as a group, so just make sure to prepare the necessary documents. And tell everyone to get their passports ready.”
“Yes! Understood!”
Choi replied with more enthusiasm than ever, his face lighting up with joy.
A short while later, he left the president’s office, holding the approval folder in one hand, and made his way back to the department with noticeably lighter steps.
The thought of spending an entire month away from home, living freely, brought a grin to his face and even made him start whistling unconsciously.
“Heh heh.”
Still smiling, he walked into the office—only to be greeted by the sight of Jung Hwan-yeop slacking off as usual.
Shoes off, wearing three-stripe slippers, Jung had one foot bouncing as he sat back in his chair playing Minesweeper on the office computer. It was hard to tell if this was a workplace or his personal living room.
On a normal day, Choi would’ve furrowed his brows, smacked the back of Jung’s head with the approval folder, and launched into a lecture—but not today.
Instead, he walked up behind him, bent over slightly, and casually rested the folder-carrying arm across Jung’s shoulder.
“Having fun?”
“Eek!”
Startled, Jung Hwan-yeop quickly sucked in a breath and scrambled to close the game window with his mouse.
“B-Boss!”
He stammered, launching into a flustered excuse.
“I-I wasn’t slacking off! I swear, I was working hard just a minute ago, and I only played one quick round to clear my head!”
Judging by how he looked, it clearly wasn’t just one round, but Choi Ho-geun, feeling unusually generous, replied with a forgiving tone.
“We’ve closed all our positions, so it’s not like there’s anything urgent to do right now. Might as well relax a little while we can. It’s not often we get this kind of downtime.”
“Really? You mean it...? Wait, what?”
Jung blinked in disbelief, his face frozen in confusion.
As a section chief, he’d expected a scolding in front of the team for being a poor example—but this totally unexpected response left him speechless.
The other employees were just as stunned. Today, Hong Jae-hee was dressed up in a navy two-piece suit with a brooch pinned near her chest. She leaned over and whispered to Yoo Seok-hyun,
“What’s up with the Manager?”
“Right? That’s not like him at all. Normally he’d blow up if he caught Chief Jung slacking off this blatantly.”
Both of them exchanged confused glances.
Jung Hwan-yeop seemed to be thinking the same thing. He suddenly jumped out of his seat and reached out to place his hand on Choi’s forehead.
“Sir, are you feeling alright?”
“What?”
“I mean… did you eat something weird? Or maybe hit your head really hard?”
Choi scowled and smacked Jung’s hand away with his approval folder.
“What nonsense are you spouting?”
“It’s just that… you’re acting way out of character! They say when someone suddenly changes like this, their time might be up!”
“Up?! Where the hell do you think I’m going, huh?!”
Choi’s eyebrows shot up as he glared at Jung, looking thoroughly offended.
“You trying to send off a perfectly healthy man to the afterlife or something? You asking for a beating?!”
Relieved, Jung let out a long sigh and grinned.
“Phew, now that’s more like the boss I know. Seriously, though—don’t try playing the role of the warm, generous manager. It doesn’t suit you.”
“You little—!”
Choi raised the folder and whacked him on the shoulder.
“Ow! That hurt!”
“It was supposed to hurt, you idiot!”
After the usual scuffle with Jung, Choi turned around and clapped his hands, scanning the team.
“Alright, listen up for a second!”
Once all eyes were on him, he called out loudly,
“Raise your hand if you don’t have a passport.”
Both Hong Jae-hee and Yoo Seok-hyun hesitantly raised their hands.
“Me.”
“I don’t have one either.”
That’s when Jung, unable to keep his curiosity in check, piped in like the chatterbox he was.
“Why the sudden question about passports?”
Choi Ho-geun furrowed his brow but quickly let out a sigh and muttered to himself.
“Whew… it’s a good day. I’ll let it go.”
His odd reaction only fueled Jung Hwan-yeop’s curiosity. Tilting his head, he kept pressing.
“Seriously, what’s going on? You suddenly ask about passports out of the blue—it’s driving me nuts!”
“You got a passport?”
“Of course not.”
Jung answered proudly, and Choi looked even more exasperated.
“Fine, I get the others, but you—how have you not even bothered to get one all this time?”
“Well, it’s not like I ever had a reason to go abroad. Why would I spend all that money just to make one?”
He wasn’t exactly wrong, so Choi just smacked his lips and looked around at the other staff.
“Anyway, everyone needs to go get a passport first thing tomorrow.”
“Huh?”
“All of a sudden?”
Amid the murmuring, Jung quickly jumped back in with another question.
“Why the passports? Are we all going overseas or something?”
Choi shoved Jung’s face away from his own and nodded.
“Yeah. It might end up being longer depending on the situation, but for now it’s a month-long trip. We’re heading to New York with the president for a training program.”
The second the words left his mouth, the whole team erupted in surprise.
“Wait—New York?!”
“Are you serious?! No way. Are we really going to America?!”
Jung’s eyes widened as he blurted out in disbelief.
“You mean the actual New York in America, not that pub down the street called ‘New York Hof’?!”
“Yeah, the real deal. It’s a reward trip, too—the president said it’s a thank-you for all our hard work. So be grateful.”
Once it sank in that he wasn’t joking, everyone cheered with excitement.
“New York! This’ll be my first time going abroad!”
“Same here!”
“Going to New York as a vacation… wow.”
“Man, our CEO really knows how to treat his people!”
Everyone buzzed with joy, practically bouncing with excitement—except for Jung Hwan-yeop, who suddenly wore a deeply serious expression.
“Boss. We have a major problem.”
“Let me guess, something totally useless.”
“No, seriously, this one’s important!”
“Yeah yeah, let’s hear it.”
Jung rested his chin in his hand and spoke in a grave tone.
“How are we supposed to find the best food spots in New York?”
“……”
“I mean, the food’s the most important part of any trip. Oh—and I have to have kimchi at least once a day. If I don’t, everything tastes too greasy, and I can’t eat properly.”
Choi Ho-geun stared at him, seriously debating whether or not to just beat the guy senseless.
