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CH168 | GSI
🕑 Added 2025-02-26 03:35:01 +0000 UTCMido Department Store, Myeong-dong branch.
As Seok-won stepped inside through the revolving doors, the signature scent of cosmetics from the first floor immediately filled his senses.
Despite being a weekday morning, the department store was bustling with a surprising number of customers, radiating an energetic atmosphere.
Centered around the information desk in the main atrium, various cosmetic and perfume brands were neatly arranged, while along the walls, luxury brand boutiques displayed their dazzling storefronts.
Among them, Seok-won spotted the Gucci store, confidently taking its place among other high-end brands. Without hesitation, he made his way toward it.
A neatly dressed female employee standing at the entrance greeted him with a practised, professional smile.
“Welcome.”
Since the store operated on a system where each customer or group was assigned a personal sales associate, there were times when one had to wait if the store was busy. However, given that it was a weekday, Seok-won was able to enter immediately.
“Are you looking for anything in particular?”
“I’m just browsing.”
“Understood. Please take your time, and let me know if you need any assistance.”
Maintaining her polite smile, the employee stepped back a few paces, giving him space to explore comfortably.
It was a small but noticeable touch—some luxury salespeople tended to hover, but her well-trained approach ensured that customers could browse without feeling pressured.
Of course, Seok-won’s attire—a full luxury suit paired with a Rolex on his wrist—likely played a role in influencing the level of hospitality. Regardless, it was a pleasant shopping experience.
“Hmm…”
Seok-won leisurely strolled through the boutique, taking in his surroundings.
The store had already begun showcasing its latest autumn collection, with mannequins dressed in newly released designs. However, his primary focus was on the women’s handbags.
Among them, he paid particular attention to the Bamboo Bag, crafted with signature bamboo handles, and the Jackie Bag—a sleek shoulder bag made famous by Jacqueline Kennedy, the former First Lady of the United States and a global fashion icon.
Despite being one of the most recognizable Italian luxury brands, Gucci’s reputation had taken significant hits due to internal family disputes and various scandals—something straight out of a melodramatic soap opera.
‘And among all those incidents, the Paolo Gucci scandal was the one that left an irreversible stain on the brand’s image.’
One of the grandsons of Gucci’s founder, Guccio Gucci, had been ousted from the family’s power struggle. In retaliation, he launched his own brand, Paolo Gucci, producing clothing, handbags, and accessories at a lower price point.
While no one could fault him for starting his own business, the real problem was that he was aggressively selling cheap products under the Gucci name, severely damaging the luxury brand’s image.
As a result, he was eventually expelled from the company. But rather than backing down, Paolo Gucci took revenge in the most shocking way possible—he reported his own father’s tax evasion to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, leading to his arrest.
"Imagine being the kind of son who turns in his own 81-year-old father and sends him to prison. With a family like this running the company, it would be more surprising if Gucci wasn’t falling apart."
Naturally, such scandals became the talk of high society, and with one misfortune piling on top of another, Gucci’s reputation plummeted. Sales declined, creating a vicious cycle that dragged the company further into decline.
"Up until just last year, Gucci was widely seen as an outdated luxury brand—far from cool, and completely out of touch with modern fashion."
However, thanks to brilliant leadership and a rising star in the fashion world, Gucci—once a sinking ship—was now spreading its wings for a dazzling comeback.
- Higher heels.
- Shorter skirts.
- Deeper necklines.
These iconic words were spoken by Tom Ford, the man who not only transformed Gucci but left an undeniable mark on the fashion industry.
Though he had only been the chief designer for a little over a year, his influence was unmistakable. Looking around the boutique, Seok-won could clearly see his signature bold yet elegant design philosophy reflected in the newly displayed collections.
Seeing this, Seok-won reaffirmed his decision—he had to acquire Gucci while it was still undervalued.
"The best investments come from buying high-quality assets when they’re at their lowest price."
At that moment, something caught his eye—the Gucci Horsebit Loafer.
It had a distinctive gold-tone double ring and bar motif across the vamp, a design that struck a perfect balance between simplicity, sophistication, and a touch of flashiness.
“This one—can I take a look?”
“Of course, sir. What’s your shoe size?”
“275.”
"Oh, it looks like we have your exact size."
The store assistant placed the loafers in front of Seok-won.
'The leather quality checks out.'
It had a refined luster—luxurious but not excessive. The Italian smooth leather was supple and resilient, elevating the shoe’s elegance.
Most importantly, the fit was exceptionally comfortable, almost like a custom-made pair.
As Seok-won admired the shoes in the full-length mirror, adjusting his stance to view them from different angles, a memory surfaced—an old conversation with Manager Oh.
~
As usual, Seok-won had been sitting in a small shoe repair shop when he noticed Manager Oh removing his shoes. He raised an eyebrow.
"You got new shoes?"
"What do you think? Pretty nice, right?"
"They’re Gucci. That’s a luxury brand."
"Hah, I knew you’d recognize them right away," Manager Oh replied, looking smug as he casually pulled out a cigarette.
"Are they real?" Seok-won asked, teasingly.
"Hey, you punk! Do I look like someone who wears fakes?"
Seok-won chuckled at his defensive reaction.
"Well, you’re not exactly the type to flaunt luxury brands."
"Hmph. My wife gave them to me."
"Who just hands out luxury shoes like that?"
"My wife does."
Hearing that, Seok-won lifted his head and looked at Manager Oh.
"Your wife?"
"Yeah. She saw me still wearing the same shoes I bought when we got married and told me to stop being so stingy. So she picked up a pair from the department store."
"Well, you do have a bit of a miserly streak, sir."
Despite earning a decent salary, Manager Oh had a habit of using things until they were completely worn out.
"Must be nice to have a wife who buys you luxury shoes."
"Hmph. It’s my own money anyway."
His gruff tone didn't match the slight upward curve of his lips.
Seok-won chuckled silently at the sight and picked up the shoes.
"They’re brand new, so I don’t need to polish them. I’ll just dust them off."
"Yeah, do that."
As Seok-won carefully brushed away any dust, Manager Oh suddenly spoke as if he had just remembered something.
"Hey, do you know the nickname for Gucci Horsebit loafers?"
"Huh? They have a nickname?"
Grinning, Manager Oh replied, "They’re called ‘The Uniform of Wall Street.’"
Seok-won tilted his head in curiosity, prompting Manager Oh to launch into one of his usual trivia-filled explanations.
"When you work in an office, you have to wear dress shoes all day, right?"
"Right."
"Most dress shoes are tight, uncomfortable, and make your feet ache after a long day. But Horsebit loafers? They have a polished, professional look while being way more comfortable than traditional dress shoes. And on top of that, they carry Gucci’s luxury brand prestige. That’s why traders on Wall Street used to wear them all the time."
"Oh, so that’s why they call them the Uniform of Wall Street?"
"Exactly. I have no idea if my wife knew all that when she bought them, but don’t you think they suit me perfectly?"
"They really do, sir."
~
Seok-won smirked, realizing that Manager Oh’s roundabout storytelling had really just been an excuse to brag about his wife.
Snapping out of his recollection, Seok-won glanced down at the Horsebit loafers on his feet before turning to the sales associate.
"I like them. I’ll take them."
"Excellent choice! Honestly, they looked like they were meant for you," the associate beamed.
She eagerly suggested matching accessories like belts and ties, but Seok-won declined—he didn’t need anything else.
"How would you like to pay?"
"One-time payment."
"Understood."
As the associate processed the transaction, Seok-won turned to the full-length mirror once more, admiring his reflection with a satisfied smile.
***
Wearing designer sunglasses and an expensive short-sleeved luxury brand shirt, Woo Ho-geun sat under a parasol at a poolside table, sipping a cold beer while watching the stunning women playing in the pool.
Their tiny bikinis looked as if they might slip off at any moment, and their wet, glistening skin exuded pure sensuality.
Just then, a man in an ill-fitting suit—completely out of place at the hotel pool—approached. Oh Sang-hyun, a department manager, pulled out a chair and sat down across from him.
"You’re here earlier than I expected."
"Fortunately, the roads from the airport weren’t too congested, so I was able to get here quickly."
Woo Ho-geun took another sip of beer before setting down the glass and turning his gaze toward Oh Sang-hyun.
"You said you found something?"
"Yes."
Oh Sang-hyun handed over a manila envelope.
Woo Ho-geun picked it up and emptied its contents onto the table. Several photographs spilled out.
The images depicted Choi Bok-rak, a director from the Financial Supervisory Service, attending various events.
As Woo Ho-geun examined the photos, he looked up expectantly.
Oh Sang-hyun immediately explained, “His name is Choi Bok-rak, a director in the Financial Supervisory Service’s First Investigation Bureau. He was the lead investigator on the Boseong Telecom case from start to finish.”
Woo Ho-geun leaned back in his chair, signalling for him to continue.
“He was also the driving force behind the raid on Donghae Peregrine Securities headquarters. As per your request, I dug deeper into his background and found some interesting connections.”
“What kind of connections?”
“He rarely participated in external events outside of work, but recently, he attended the founding ceremony of the Ubo Foundation. Shortly after, he was invited to the book launch of Vice Minister Choi Jin-woo from the Ministry of Technology, where he seemed quite friendly with the guests.”
Woo Ho-geun furrowed his brows and studied the photos again.
“Vice Minister Choi Jin-woo? Isn’t he well-connected to the Blue House?”
Oh Sang-hyun nodded and added, “Correct. He’s been considered multiple times for the Minister of Strategy and Finance position. He also briefly served as the CEO of Daheung Securities.”
“……!”
“And as you may already know, the Ubo Foundation is a public organization named after its founder, the late Chairman Park Yong-joo.”
Recognizing where this was headed, Woo Ho-geun tossed the photos back onto the table.
“So, everything ties back to Daheung Group.”
“Exactly.”
Woo Ho-geun crossed his arms and asked again.
“No other connections between Vice Minister Choi Jin-woo and Choi Bok-rak?”
“Other than sharing the same last name, there are no ties—no academic, regional, or familial links.”
Oh Sang-hyun shook his head as he replied.
“Then how did he manage to get acquainted with someone as influential as Vice Minister Choi Jin-woo?”
“My investigation shows that they first met at the Ubo Foundation’s founding ceremony…”
Oh Sang-hyun hesitated for a moment, stealing a glance at Woo Ho-geun’s expression before continuing.
“The person who introduced them was Director Park Seok-won.”
“Park Seok-won? Are you sure?”
“I confirmed it through a source who attended the event.”
“I see…”
Woo Ho-geun’s eyes widened sharply, his expression turning cold as he clenched his jaw.
“There’s still no concrete evidence linking Daheung Group or Director Park Seok-won to this. Honestly, I don’t even see what Daheung Group would stand to gain from it.”
Oh Sang-hyun maintained a cautious stance, but Woo Ho-geun was already convinced.
This was Daheung Group’s doing. No—this was Park Seok-won’s work.
“They came after me.”
Woo Ho-geun clenched the scattered photos on the table, his eyes burning with hostility.
TL/n -
The Gucci Jackie Bag became famous largely thanks to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (Jackie O).
Originally introduced by Gucci in 1961 as the "Constance" bag, it was a sleek, structured handbag with a curved shape and a distinctive piston-lock closure. Jackie Kennedy was frequently photographed carrying it in the 1960s and 1970s, which boosted its popularity. Because of her influence, Gucci renamed the bag the "Jackie" in her honor.
Over the years, Gucci has reissued the Jackie Bag multiple times, with designers like Tom Ford, Frida Giannini, and Alessandro Michele updating it for modern audiences while maintaining its iconic shape.
