Chapter 35
interview
While traveling in Colombia, I received a call from Korea.
“Pneumonia of unknown cause?”
―According to the Wuhan city health authorities, it is. It is said that there are currently 27 pneumonia patients.
It was a contact from Dr. Lee Ho-yeon, who invested in R&D and held a 67% stake in Biolife.
It has been two years since we invested in the development of artificial intelligence that analyzes influenza and corona viruses.
“If it’s contagious, it could have more than 27 patients.”
-yes. It is likely that the disease spread from a fish market in Wuhan. Currently, the fish market is closed. Now, 7 of them are said to be in critical condition.
“The power of the disease is quite strong.”
―We will contact you again as soon as we understand the situation.
“yes. Please do your best.”
I hung up the call from Dr. Lee Ho-yeon.
Medellin, Colombia.
The city, which was the base of the drug lord, became a tourist destination due to steady development and was crowded with tourists.
Nevertheless, the crime rate was high as expected from large cities in South America, and even in tourist destinations, if you go to the back alleys a little bit, there were places openly for prostitution.
‘Is this the end of my trip to South America?’
For the past year, I have been traveling around the world in my spare time.
Learning about the world, I felt freedom and loneliness.
There are many countries that I haven’t been to before, but I feel like I’ve grown up a lot while looking around the wide world.
“Jason, let’s go to Korea.”
“Yes. boss.”
* * *
Two years have passed since I signed a contract for a Han River View apartment in Gangnam.
I couldn’t come to Korea for several months because I was busy with work and travel.
―Boss, the charter period is over.
“yes? Has it already been that time?”
When I had just arrived at Incheon Airport, I got a call from a real estate agent I had dealt with in the past.
-I’m really sorry. As you know, the rent for an apartment has gone up a lot.
“okay. How much?”
―The landlord is talking about 3 billion won.
The house that was contracted for 2.5 billion won two years ago became 3 billion won.
The reason why you can be calm even if you get a call from real estate is probably because you’ve made a lot of money in the meantime.
60 sqm apartment.
Every time I went on a trip to the spacious house, I bought souvenirs, and one room was decorated as a space to exercise.
An 86-inch TV was installed in the living room, and a treadmill was installed to run while looking at the Han River.
Living alone, the space in the house was large enough to be left behind.
“Maybe we should just move out.”
– Would you like to? Honestly, it is possible to extend the contract period by doing anything with the 3 lease laws.
“Please find a house for me to live in.”
-yes. Then how much… … , Shall we find it in the complex where we live now with 2.5 billion?
If you set it to 2.5 billion won, it will probably go to about a 40-pyeong apartment.
That’s a lot of space, but I didn’t have to live in such a house with the money I had.
Arcor.
I thought about it even when I quit the company I was working for.
‘I made close to $1.1 billion in coins. Wouldn’t it be difficult for the property to increase any more?’
But after Netflix made $320 million, Google, Apple, Microsoft, etc.
The stocks invested in the United States steadily rose, and the wealth gradually increased.
In addition, Nikola, which invested $ 200 million, hit the jackpot.
〈KRW 120 billion bet on Doohwa Group’s hydrogen refueling station industry〉
〈Nikola Announces Plan for Hydrogen Network Across North America〉
〈Nikola Motors announces design patents〉
〈Nicola showing off his hydrogen technology〉
〈Nikola Motors Innovative Battery Cell Development〉
Nicola constantly appeared in the press and showed off her technological prowess.
It doesn’t have a single plant, but the stake that was bought for $200 million based on future potential is now valued at more than $4 billion.
Now, even if I make $100 million a week, I don’t feel as nervous as I did when I was at Arcor.
It was thanks to getting used to dealing with big money and growing distribution.
“I don’t care much about the complex, but near the Han River. I want to get a house with good access to Gangnam. The equilibrium should be a little wider.”
-yes. president. So, shall we look for 60 pyeong?
“no. over 80 pyeong. Please make it as advanced as possible. This time, we will proceed with sales rather than charter, and it is okay even if the price is high as long as it is appropriate. And since we need lodgings for the bodyguards, please let us sign a contract across the street or downstairs together.”
-yes? bodyguard. president?
I think the real estate agent lady is a little surprised. I couldn’t help it.
The bigger the house, the better.
It was also true that the bodyguards needed accommodations to stay.
* * *
Jeongyeon Real Estate in Gangnam.
Oh Myung-hye, the boss, has dealt with a lot of wealthy people.
From professionals such as doctors, lawyers, and judges to land rich people and executives and owners of corporations.
“Yeonsu, Jiyul.”
“yes. president.”
“What happen?”
Two beautiful employees.
They were employees who were deliberately selected based on their appearance in real estate.
From apartments and villas to small buildings. When I signed a contract in real estate, customers definitely responded well when pretty women introduced me.
“Do you guys remember the tenant of building 104, room 1103?”
“yes! Is it that young man?”
“I remember.”
A man who paid 2.5 billion won in cash at once.
When I was doing real estate in Gangnam, I did not forget that I received a fairly large commission for each transaction.
“He must be very rich.”
“You were originally rich, right?”
“It is, but. The way you talk on the phone is quite strange.”
“Are you buying a house?”
“yes. I’ll come in the afternoon to see the house I’m moving into.”
Luxury houses and apartments are often vacant, so I contacted them in advance and found a house to visit.
3 p.m.
Oh Myung-hye was waiting with two female employees.
When the appointment time came, vehicles lined up on the road in front of the property.
Four Mercedes-Benz limousines with tinting.
Foreigners in suits came out, looked around and opened the back door of a car.
“Wow… … .”
“It’s a movie.”
While Oh Myung-hye and the female employees were admiring, the tall-looking Kim Shin got out of the car and walked towards the real estate with the bodyguards.
* * *
“Boss, how is this house? I can see the Han River well, and the school district is good.”
“I will live alone, so I don’t have to worry about the school district. I wish the house was more upscale.”
“Ah, that’s right.”
I saw some pictures from real estate.
The process of looking at the exterior and location of luxury villas and choosing a place to visit.
Most of the large apartment complexes in Gangnam are old and run down, and I wanted to live in a new construction.
Furthermore… … .
‘Does the house price feel so cheap?’
Real estate prices have risen a lot, and the price of high-end apartments has also increased by 1 billion or 2 billion won.
In just a year and a half, the value of currency has not changed, but the wealth has increased so much that several billion won did not go unnoticed.
Thanks to that, it is a level that is not burdensome no matter which house you choose.
“This is across the river. A high-end apartment complex was formed in Hannam-dong.”
“Can I go see it?”
“yes. Sure.”
A high-end apartment complex built on the site of foreign apartments used by US soldiers in the past.
I liked the luxurious appearance along with the strict access control.
Although it was annoying to have a view that was not open, or that the complexes in front or next to it were close.
‘While I’m in Korea, I’ll be able to use it somehow.’
I liked that the parking lot was wide and it was built luxuriously.
“Boss, it is a house over 100 pyeong. Is it too wide to use alone?”
In the real estate, a lady and two female employees came out together to guide us.
Some high-quality imported materials were used in the dressing room, and where are the kitchen appliances?
Although detailed explanations were given, they did not come into my ears well.
“The area is fine. Is there anything larger than this house in this complex?”
“no. This is the most penthouse.”
penthouse.
In an apartment, it is a dream word that means the most luxurious in the complex.
“Is there another one with the same structure?”
“yes. The house next door is also for sale. Would you like to see that house?”
“If there is no problem, I will buy this house and that house. I will use one of the two as a bodyguard’s quarters.”
It is true that real estate in Korea has overheated to some extent, and I do not know if it will rise further or not.
However, I had the financial resources to not have to worry about such things, and I got used to it.
* * *
Forbes, an economic magazine, was announcing a ranking of billionaires around the world every March.
Due to the rise in stock prices of American stocks and Nikola, I received a call from the end of the year asking for an interview.
“hello. This is Pamela Dawson.”
“Thank you for coming all the way here. This is Kim Shin.”
“You’re welcome.”
Newly moved house.
Although the furnishings were not yet properly equipped, the interview was conducted sitting on a large sofa.
“He is an unknown rich man. I want to know how they accumulated assets.”
I had never done a media interview before.
Thanks to the stocks he invested in the United States and his stake in Nikola, he was listed on the list of the richest people in Korea, and Forbes contacted him separately.
“I was an office worker just two years ago.”
“Are you an office worker? Then on the IT side… … .”
“I was a salesperson for a pharmaceutical company.”
I lightly crossed my legs in a chair in a suit.
The clothes made with 230-threaded Lansmere fabric cost 30 million won.
Even if I became rich with trillions of won, I was concerned that expensive clothes would secretly get dirty.
Money is money, but getting it right was tricky.
Although only four months ago, I was wearing 300 rupee tracksuits in India with my bodyguards.
Maybe it was because I had a beggar spirit to the bone, but I felt more comfortable then.
“The beginning of investment was coin.”
“Coin? You mean virtual currency.”
“yes. I started building my wealth with coins. Bitcoin or Ripple.”
There is no need to go into more detail than necessary, but it is a story that will inevitably be known to some extent if you do an interview.
I was roughly guessing the ripple effect of this interview.
‘Korea has a lot of interest in rich people. A lot of people will be interested because of the story of getting rich with coins.’
People who knew me would be surprised.
From middle and high school classmates to distant relatives and co-workers.
“How did you proceed with your investment in Nikola? You seem to have great foresight.”
“I received a recommendation as a good company.”
Nicola was preparing for an IPO.
They were launching hydrogen trucks and announcing new models, but they were not yet at the mass production stage.
It has been evaluated that its current market capitalization has surpassed that of American automakers GM and Ford, based solely on its growth potential without selling a single vehicle.
Looking at traditional Korean automobile companies, even though they manufactured and sold millions of cars, their market capitalization was very low.
‘It seems that the future value is overestimated, but maybe the future value is not important.’
I experienced this situation while investing coins.
If investors believe that they can make money, stock prices rise based on that.
During the two-hour interview, he talked about living in poverty in the past and added his company life.
“Oh, you were divorced.”
“yes.”
“If it’s not rude, when we got divorced… … .”
“I had very little property. Even the villa was handed over to my ex-wife.”
When the story of his ex-wife comes up briefly, Pamela smiles strangely.
“How would your divorced wife feel knowing you were a multi-billion dollar rich man?”
“I do not know.”
It was a bit of a bad taste question, but maybe I was curious too.
What is Han Chae-won thinking?
“The article will be published online first next week.”
“It’s fast.”
“Anyway, it’s an article that the public can be interested in.”
Forbes is a magazine, so it is published once every two weeks. Before that, it was explained that it was posted directly as an internet article.
“You come to America often? See you next time you have another chance.”
“Go with caution.”
He even escorted the reporters out of the office, leaving reporter Pamela’s business card in his hand.
The front of the business card had the company, mobile phone number, and e-mail address.
On the back was another cell phone number written in pen.