thenovelthief Chapter 135
Chapter 135
Translator: Dreamscribe“No, what kind of place is this that a plate of beef costs over a million won?”
“Phew. Why did we come somewhere this expensive?”
My parents still tried to save every penny, even though their son’s assets had now surpassed the trillion-won mark.
We could live in a nice house and spend money freely, but the frugal mindset they had built up over the years didn’t seem to go away.
“This place is famous. They say the quality of beef here is the best in the country.”
That’s why it was usually a place where people only ate using corporate cards.
But I didn’t have many opportunities to come to places like this.
I didn’t particularly enjoy eating beef, and whenever I went to eat meat with hyung, it was always pork belly and soju.
“Well, Chairman Hwang really likes pork, doesn’t he?”
“Looks like you’ve gotten close to our Chairman?”
“Don’t even mention it. I’m only slightly older, but he treats me with such respect that I sometimes feel sorry about it. Isn’t he the one leading the top group in Korea?”
What I was grateful to hyung for was that he would often greet my parents, and especially with my father, he would play golf together and treat him like an older brother.
“Ahem. But hey, Jin-ho.”
“Yes?”
“When are you planning to introduce us?”
“Introduce who?”
“Y’know... that person you’ve been seeing.”
I paused to think about what he meant, then glanced slightly at my younger sister sitting next to me.
She was deliberately avoiding my gaze.
“Wow. The meat looks delicious.”
My sister tried to change the subject, but it was no use.
“Why did you only tell your sister and not us?”
To be honest, I hadn’t even told my sister.
While I was on a rare date, of all times, I happened to run into my sister and her boyfriend on the street.
The awkwardness at that moment was indescribable.
Thankfully, thanks to Hye-rin’s social skills, the four of us managed to ease the tension over a meal.
Apparently, my sister couldn’t resist and ended up telling our parents.
“No, I wasn’t planning to tell them either. But oppa kept showing signs that he was dating, so mom and dad kept prying.”
“I showed signs?”
“Don’t pretend. Don’t I know my own son? You smile like a fool when you get a text from your girlfriend.”
“And then when it’s a text from work, you look all serious.”
“Right.”
“......”
I thought I was keeping a good poker face, but apparently not.
“I was planning to introduce her someday. But work’s been so busy, I haven’t even had time to go on many dates. So I feel a bit bad about that.”
“Yeah. You must be the busiest person in Korea.”
“But... is she a good person?”
“Mom, I’ve seen that unnie a few times myself. She’s really pretty. Her office is near oppa’s, so our coworkers run into her now and then. She’s super famous. At first, I thought oppa was dating a celebrity.”
“Oh my. Really?”
Seeing the expectant look in my parents’ eyes, I felt like if this kept going, I’d really have to call Hye-rin over here.
“I’ll formally introduce her next time.”
“Alright. We’ll be looking forward to it, then?”
I gave my sister a sharp look, but when I thought about it, maybe it was for the best.
I had been planning to introduce her at some point anyway.
Life really is unpredictable.
Just a few years ago, I was nothing but an unemployed guy stuck in my room, and now I was the CEO of a company, dating a woman I wouldn’t have even dared to speak to in the past, with marriage in mind.
“Oh, right. Oppa. That thing came out.”
“Hm? That thing?”
“The one you said would definitely be fun. Squid Game!”
“Oh. It’s out?”
“Yeah. It came out yesterday. And it’s really good. Out of everything I’ve watched on Netflix, it’s the best. I barely got any sleep because I stayed up watching it.”
So it finally came out.
Even before production began, it had stood out as one of the most anticipated Netflix titles.
“Netflix? Isn’t that the place Kwangwoon is investing in?”
“Well, to be precise, they own it.”
“That company is really famous. Kwangwoon owns it?”
“Dad, these days it’s harder to find places Kwangwoon doesn’t own.”
To be honest, it wasn’t quite to that extent.
The fact that the companies we acquired are doing well is true, but there are still many giant dinosaurs we have to overcome.
Google, Microhard, Apple, Bluezone, Gold Reagan, JP Madison, Bank of America, and so on. There are still many companies that dominate the world.
Of course, Kwangwoon’s size has grown tremendously as well, but we are still far from truly becoming the best in the world.
“There are tons of posts online praising Squid Game. Just like you said, oppa, it really looks like it's going to do well.”
I had paid special attention to Squid Game, but unlike other major productions, it didn’t even require a huge budget.
‘How well will it really do?’
That first time I saw Squid Game.
Hadn't my instincts shown me a vision?
An unbelievable scene of the entire world going crazy over Squid Game.
***
“It’s finally achieved global number one. They say it’s the fastest ever among Netflix titles.”
It had been a week since Squid Game was released.
And it had already achieved the number one spot globally.
“On top of the global ranking, it’s expected to hit number one in each country’s rankings as well. Its popularity is no joke right now.”
“Really?”
“Yes. CEO-nim, have you seen it yet?”
“No.”
“If you have time, please give it a watch. It’s incredibly well-made. It doesn’t give you a single second to rest.”
Even the department head, who almost never watches dramas, was saying that much, so it must be really entertaining.
“K-culture is having a bumper year, starting from last year.”
“Yes. Didn’t SPS score a mega-hit last year?”
Last year, SPS became the first Korean group to reach number one on the Billboard chart, marking the peak of K-pop.
Thanks to that, the stock price of Mega Lucky Entertainment, which we had been investing in, also broke through its highest point.
And this year, it was dramas that were reaching the peak.
Even Netflix HQ was shocked by the astonishing speed of its success.
“But there’s one problem.”
“A problem?”
“Yes. At this rate, many predict that Squid Game will become the all-time highest-grossing hit. Which means......”
“We’ll have to make Season 2, right?”
“Yes. But no matter how you look at it, it doesn’t seem like they created it with a Season 2 in mind. Furthermore, the director apparently never planned for a Season 2 at all.”
It’s said that during the production of Squid Game, the director suffered from extreme stress.
Also, since they never imagined it would become such a massive hit, they had planned to end it neatly with just Season 1.
“But Netflix strongly wants a Season 2, and the director has reportedly declined for now.”
“Well, if the director says no, there’s not much we can do.”
“Yes. Still, they want to hear your opinion, CEO-nim. Whether we should try persuading him one more time, or give up here.”
If that’s the director’s intention, there’s nothing we can do.
Even if I understand how Netflix feels, if Season 1 ended that well, it might be better not to make a Season 2.
That might be the best way to preserve the artistic integrity of the work...
“!?”
Just as I was thinking that and lightly touching Squid Game with my hand, a powerful intuition shook me.
A vision unfolded before my eyes, of Season 2 continuing the massive success of Season 1.
“Department Head.”
“Yes?”
“Please inform Netflix immediately.”
“Tell them to give up on Season 2?”
“No. Tell them to get the director, no matter what it takes, and get the Season 2 contract signed.”
“Pardon?”
The department head tilted his head.
“Didn’t you just say we should give up since there's no choice?”
“If the audience wants it, it must be made. That’s the duty of a director, isn’t it?”
“......?”
“Oh, and tell them to sign for Season 2 and move straight to Season 3 as well. Make sure they close the deal no matter what.”
Looks like our director...
Won’t be getting a break anytime soon.
***
"So I end up coming here after all."
Close AI’s CEO, Nick McTeman.
He had been planning to come to Korea at least once, but the right timing just didn’t come.
The biggest reason was COVID.
Back then, even stepping outside the house was difficult.
However, now that travel restrictions have eased to some extent through vaccines, he was finally able to set foot in Korea.
“But the fact that that vaccine came from our master... haha.”
Master.
The word sounded strange, but it wasn’t wrong.
Isn’t Kwangwoon the largest shareholder of Close AI?
Originally, they only held 45% of the shares, but since they had paid out money without question whenever investment requests were made, Kwangwoon now held 70% of the shares.
“But it’s really strange. We made a lot of excessive investment requests, but they never did so much as an audit and just kept giving us money?”
Normally, when you distribute investment funds, you monitor whether that money is being used properly.
Because you can’t have someone spending the money carelessly.
But Kwangwoon had never once interfered.
“They have quite a notorious reputation, from what I hear. Isn’t it odd?”
“Well, that notoriety didn’t come from micromanaging companies, right? It came from other reasons. In fact, the companies Kwangwoon invests in consider them a powerful funding source, so everyone actually welcomes them.”
On top of that, if Kwangwoon was with them, there was no risk of being pressured by funding, nor being exposed to threats from competitors.
Because there were more than a few competitors who had gone up against Kwangwoon and collapsed.
"Still, I need to meet them now. I can't keep pretending I don't know them forever."
As the largest shareholder, Kwangwoon could change the entire direction of the business whenever they wanted.
Even if they were quiet now, no one knew when they might suddenly change their stance and start interfering in management.
So it was better to understand now.
How they intended to run this company.
“But... we’re not going to get targeted and disappear without a trace, are we? These people are the type to blow up an entire national economy just because someone didn’t listen to them.”
“.......”
Of course, the road to Kwangwoon HQ did feel like heading to the demon king’s castle.
***
“Welcome. This is our first time meeting in person, isn’t it?”
“Yes, CEO-nim. Thank you for welcoming us.”
Today, we had some special guests at our company.
Close AI’s CEO Nick McTeman and several executives had come all the way to our office.
“We were going to go to Kwangwoon HQ, but they directed us here instead. They said all the important decisions are made at this securities firm...”
They looked somewhat nervous.
It was probably because it was their first time in Korea, and also because we were their largest shareholder.
“The reason we’re meeting in person like this today is because, although we could have told you through a video call, we’re about to unveil a project that could become a turning point not only for our company but possibly for the entire world. So we thought it was only right to report it to you in person.”
Close AI had been receiving steady investment from us.
Whenever they needed additional funds, I would send it without even asking questions.
Because for us, it wasn’t even a particularly large amount.
“What are you going to show me?”
“You may already know about XPT-3, which we unveiled earlier this year.”
XPT-3 had been released to the public, but honestly, the response had been lukewarm.
“It wasn’t something we released expecting huge applause in the first place. It was more like... a test version. To collect data and gather various feedback, so that we could build the real thing afterward.”
“So you’re saying you’ve made the real version now?”
“Yes. That would be XPT-4.”
McTeman immediately demonstrated XPT-4 in front of me.
“......!”
Honestly, I hadn’t expected much.
But the exceptional comprehension, reasoning skills, creative writing, math, coding, image input and analysis, and even voice conversations...
Its capabilities far exceeded my expectations.
“......This is really AI?”
“Yes. It’s all AI.”
It was clear that once this was released to the public, it would cause a massive impact.
I had always known AI technology would develop significantly one day, but I never imagined it would progress this fast.
“However, it’s still too early to release it to the public. For now, we’ll release version 3.5 first to gather more data, and then release the XPT-4 version.”
“For a fee?”
“Yes. It will be available in a limited way for free, but with a subscription, users will be able to use much more. For that, we’ll need a lot of servers.”
With this level of performance, I was more than willing to support them.
Then suddenly, I recalled a conversation I once had with Milon Tusk.
“If this is released to the public... competitors like Google won’t just sit back, will they?”
“No. Everyone will struggle to catch up with our technology. Most will only manage to trail behind... but eventually, there’s a high chance Google will overtake us. No, they’ll probably surpass us by far.”
Currently, Close AI was working on a system where AI could handle everything, not just simple chats but even image generation and video production.
“Google may stumble at first, but the infrastructure they possess is incredible. Their search engine, their vast data, and their strength with NewTube. If they feed all that data into their AI for deep learning, they’ll probably create something phenomenal.”
So even if Kwangwoon continues to grow and invest, is it still impossible to surpass the giants who’ve already secured their positions?
“......?”
At that moment, I felt a jolt rising from deep in my core.
How should I put it...
It felt like something was scolding me, asking why I was giving up before even trying.
“Anyway, the reason we came to meet with you in person today is because we wanted to hear your thoughts on the future direction. As you know, Close AI is currently a non-profit. We were wondering if you intend to take the company public, or...”
“There’s something I want to ask you.”
“Yes?”
“How much investment do you think it would take to surpass a giant company like Google?”
“......Excuse me?”
McTeman and the executives blinked in confusion.
“As we mentioned earlier, Google’s infrastructure is-”
“We’re not lacking either. Just as they have NewTube, we have PicPic, the largest SNS platform. And Netflix holds a massive library of video content. More importantly, the semiconductor market, which is most crucial for AI, is dominated by Kangseong and Kwangwoon. Don’t you think that gives us a real shot?”
“.......”
“What I mean is, let’s make an aggressive investment now while we’re leading in AI, create such an overwhelming gap that no one can catch up. Do you think it’s possible?”
The executives began to murmur among themselves.
McTeman looked at me quietly before speaking.
“It’ll require a lot of money.”
“Fortunately, we happen to have quite a bit of money.”
“It could become a gamble. Just pouring money in doesn’t guarantee technology development.”
I silently reached out and touched the Close AI company logo.
“!?”
Then, a powerful tremor swept through me, and a vivid vision enveloped my sight.
A world where AI was naturally integrated into everyone’s lives, where it covered all aspects of daily life, becoming something essential, something that couldn’t be lived without.
But whether the flags planted across the globe would bear the name of Kwangwoon, or a giant company like Google, felt like it depended solely on my decision.