MONSTER IN THE CLOSET — Chapter 3

HUFF

HUFF

IN OTHER NEWS, TECH CONGLOMERATE BAEKSAN HAS SENT ITS STOCK SOARING WITH ITS LATEST FLAGSHIP PRODUCT REVEAL A FEW DAYS AGO.

THIS MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENT MARKS NOT ONLY A PRODUCT LAUNCH, BUT ALSO CARRIES IMPLICATIONS FOR BAEKSAN'S SUCCESSION...

LEADING TO A SIGNIFICANT RISE IN MARKET EXPECTATIONS.

HUFF

HUU

THAT'S CORRECT. LISTENERS MIGHT RECALL THAT HALF A YEAR HAS PASSED SINCE CEO BAEK GYEONG TOOK OVER LEADERSHIP OF THE CONGLOMERATE'S MOBILE DIVISION...

WHICH WAS MET WITH SIGNIFICANT SKEPTICISM IN THE EARLY DAYS.

INDEED, CRITICS QUESTIONED WHETHER HE POSSESSED THE NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE AT HIS AGE.

HUFF

AS NOTED EARLIER, THE TRUE TEST OF HIS CAPABILITY WILL BE THE FLAGSHIP LAUNCH EARLY NEXT YEAR, BUT ALL INDICATORS THUS FAR POINT TO A SMOOTH SAILING.

HAA.

NEVERTHELESS, HIS FIRST YEAR AS CEO LOOKS SET TO DEMONSTRATE WHETHER HE CAN MAKE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE IN THE RUNNING OF THE COMPANY GOING FORWARD.

Mon, September 7

Messages now GM Yun Good morning, sir. I’m waiting downstairs to talk to you about the 10 AM visit to the main house.

Calendar Meeting w. Father @ Main House 10:00 AM · In 1 hour

9:00 AM

*HALL OF THE BAEK CLAN

HUU...

PAUSE

STILL SCARED TO COME ALL THE WAY UP?

NOONA...

IN THE FLESH, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU'VE SEEN A GHOST.

NONE OF THAT TALK. YOU KNOW THE ELDERS DON'T LIKE IT.

SPEAKING OF WHICH... WHERE'S FATHER?

RATTLE

SNIP

SNIP

FATHER?

SIT.

RATTLE

ALL'S WELL WITH THE COMPANY, I TRUST?

OF COURSE. EVERY ITEM ON THE QA REPORT HAS BEEN CLEARED SO FAR...

AND THE TRIAL RUN FOR THE PRODUCTION LINE WAS A SUCCESS BY EVERY MEASURE.

WITHIN THE WEEK, WE'LL HEAR FROM VIETNAM-

DO YOU THINK I CALLED YOU HERE TO BORE ME WITH USELESS MINUTIAE?

N-NO, SIR...! ALL I MEANT IS THAT THE LAUNCH IS COMING ALONG SMOOTHLY.

IF THERE'S ONE THING YOU MUST NEVER FORGET...

...IT'S THAT YOU'VE ALREADY USED UP ALL YOUR SECOND CHANCES AFTER THE HOLE YOU DUG FOR YOURSELF LAST TIME.

SHOULD YOU FAIL ME AGAIN... WELL, I HAVE NO QUALMS ABOUT PRUNING A ROTTEN BRANCH OR TWO.

I WON'T EVER FORGET, SIR.

WELL, ISN'T THIS A RARE TREAT?

TO WHAT DO WE OWE THE PLEASURE, MR. HOT-SHOT CEO?

BUSINESS, OBVIOUSLY. HOW IS PRESIDENT SONG THESE DAYS?

OH, YOU KNOW. MOM'S STILL GOT A TALENT FOR FINDING TROUBLE.

KINDA RUDE OF YOU NOT TO ASK ABOUT ME, HYUNG, ISN'T IT?

HARDLY. IT'S MORE THAT I ALREADY KNOW PERFECTLY WELL WHAT YOU'VE BEEN UP TO.

I HEARD YOUR LATEST LITTLE INVESTMENT CLEARED 3 MILLION IN SALES ALREADY. CONGRATS.

OH, COME ON. YOU KNOW I WASN'T TRYING TO TALK BUSINESS!

AREN'T YOU EVEN A TINY BIT CURIOUS ABOUT YOUR BROTHER'S PERSONAL LIFE?

THE STRATEGIC PLANNING DEPARTMENT AT HQ JUST FINISHED THEIR MEETING...

BASED ON WHICH THE HEAD OF PLANNING AIMS TO SUBMIT ANY SUPPLEMENTAL PROPOSALS.

AS FOR LUNCH, YOU'LL BE IN THE OFFICE SINCE THERE ARE NO EXTERNAL SCHEDULES.

BUT I'LL HAVE THE MINUTES SUMMARIZED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE, SIR.

AT 1:30, THERE'S A MEETING WITH ALL RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS REGARDING THE NEW PROJECT REPORT...

OTHER THAN THAT, WE ALREADY HAVE THE ADVANCE QUESTIONS FOR THE INTERVIEW WITH NEWS OUTLET J AT 3 PM, WITH TWO SENSITIVE QUESTIONS REQUESTED TO BE STRUCK OFF THE AGENDA.

SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, MR. YUN...

...BUT JUST SO YOU KNOW, I'M CHANGING THE ROUTE TO AVOID THE PROTESTS UP AHEAD.

OF COURSE. NOW, AS I MENTIONED, THE ADDITIONAL RESPONSES ARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE DOCUMENT FOR YOU TO READ AND MEMORIZE.

GIVEN THE POSSIBILITY OF SURPRISE QUESTIONS, HOWEVER, I'VE TAKEN THE LIBERTY OF DRAFTING SOME RESPONSES-

No. of Baeksan Elec. Construction Deaths: 4 Not even a word of an apology before product lau

CEO BAEK GYEONG!!!

HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE AT THE OFFICE WHEN YOU'VE NO-SHOWED EVERY MEETING WITH THE BEREAVED FAMILIES?!

WHEN WILL WE FINALLY GET SOME TRUTH AND JUSTICE FOR THE PERPETRATORS?!

WE DEMAND THE TRUTH!

DON'T LET THEM BOTHER YOU, SIR. PLEASE, LET'S HEAD INSIDE.

BAEKSAN MUST ANSWER FOR ITS CRIMES!

YOU'RE JUST AS HEARTLESS AS YOUR COCKROACH OF A FATHER!

PARDON ME, SIR. WE SHOULD HAVE CORDONED OFF THE MAIN COURTYARD.

FUCK THE CHAEBOL SCUM

BAEKSAN MUST APOLOGIZE!

APOLOGIZE! APOLOGIZE!

I'LL HAVE THE SECURITY TEAM BOLSTER THE PERIMETER FIRST THING TOMORROW.

THE NEAREST POLICE STATION WILL BE CONTACTED FOR ASSISTANCE AS WELL.

AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT TODAY'S SCHEDULE, I SUGGEST-

STOP. I NEED A MINUTE.

DING

GOOD MORNING, MR. BAEK.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING TO YOU, TOO.

OH...

ONE LAST THING. YOU'LL FIND THE REPORT ON THE CLEANING COMPANY YOU ASKED ABOUT ON THE DESK, SIR.

BLIP

HAA...

To Be Continued