Chapter 12: The Success of Dollar Investment and a Second Investment
10-Time Transfer Admission Champion.
After eight months of grueling effort, I finally held my report card, a testament to my achievement.
I had finally completed my enrollment in the Department of Business Administration at Hanyeong University, which was close to home and the one I wanted to attend the most.
It wasn’t until after transferring the tuition fee that it finally felt a bit real that I would be a student of this prestigious institution.
“I’m a Hanyeong University student now.”
A dream I had never dared to dream of as a child had become a reality.
Reflecting on my school days, I remember that only the top students in the entire school wrote applications to Hanyoung University.
I didn’t take the college entrance exam, but I heard that to get into the Department of Business Administration at Hanyeong University through regular admissions, you had to have no more than six or seven wrong answers on the exam.
Even though I hadn’t even attended orientation yet, I already felt a bit sentimental.
I printed out the acceptance letters from all the schools I had been accepted to and carefully framed them, placing them proudly on a shelf.
It felt gratifying to see the once empty space now filled with these achievements.
Moreover, it was an achievement I had proudly accomplished through my own efforts and determination.
Just looking at them made my heart swell with pride.
And so, a month of life-changing events passed by.
***
February was incredibly busy with no time to catch my breath.
Although I wasn’t a complete freshman, my heart felt refreshed, so I felt like I needed to pay attention.
I picked up my phone and started searching the internet.
[Male College Freshman Look]
[College Male Spring Outfits]
[College Freshman Opening Day Look]
“Well, maybe this is a bit too much…”
I saved photos of styles that looked clean and wouldn’t make me feel awkward wearing them, excluding ones that seemed overly difficult to pull off.
Then I headed straight to the nearby department store.
Although I felt a bit awkward since I had never really bought clothes before, I diligently browsed the store and started grabbing items that were similar to the styles I had saved.
It wasn’t until I couldn’t carry any more shopping bags, so I had to call a taxi to go home.
I had spent more than ₩300,000 at the department store that day, but I didn’t regret it.
What mattered more was how I could leave a good impression on the classmates I would soon meet.
“Phew. But it’s so tiring to walk around with all these bags.”
Taking a taxi home with both hands full of shopping bags was no easy feat.
Suddenly, I strongly felt the need for a car.
“I need a car to commute to school anyway.”
One of my dreams had always been to be a college student with my own car.
And I had enough assets that owning a decent car wouldn’t be a burden.
“Come to think of it, Mr. Kim told me to stop by the bank. I should go there tomorrow.”
I had been so focused on studying that I hadn’t paid much attention, but I had received a text message saying that the dollars I had invested eight months ago were generating a good return.
“Hmm~ I should go. I’ve made some money.”
A little tune escaped from my lips.
As I gazed out the window at the flowing Han River, a soft smile formed on my lips.
February of this year was the happiest month of my life so far.
***
“It’s been a while, Mr. Kim.”
“Mr. Dae-woon, have you been well?”
I extended my hand for a handshake, greeting Mr. Kim Seong-gi with the same formality as I would my boss at work.
As usual, the bank was packed with people waiting their turn, holding numbered tickets.
In my case, I was guided directly to the VIP lounge by Mr. Kim Seon-gi.
Although I could feel the eyes of people behind me, it wasn’t particularly unpleasant.
“I should have visited more often, but I’ve been busy with other things.”
“Hahaha. Of course, if you’re busy with work, that’s understandable. That’s why I deliberately sent you the investment performance by text.”
“I appreciate your consideration. Thanks to you, I was able to review it comfortably.”
Honestly, I hadn’t really looked at it because I was so focused on my studies, but I appreciated the gesture.
“So, how much did the dollar go up?”
In response to my question, Mr. Kim Seon-gi handed me a piece of paper.
“Would you like to take a look at this data?”
[Buy (KRW) / Sell (KRW)]
1,169 / 1,435
[Profit (KRW) / Profit Rate]
1,135,000,000 / 22.7%
My pupils grew wider as I read the paper.
“22%?”
The profit rate from the dollar was an unbelievable number.
Seeing my astonished expression, Mr. Kim Seon-gi couldn’t hide his pride.
“It’s the first time since the 2008 financial crisis that it has surpassed the ₩1,400 mark. As you can see, the total profit is 1.135 billion won. Moreover, the exchange rate gains are not subject to tax. So, after deducting about 2% for the exchange commission the net profit is a little over 1 billion won.”
“1 billion won…”
Studying crazily and not paying attention, the dollar returned after 8 months with a profit of ten billion.
The dollar, which I had been too busy with my studies to pay attention to, had returned 1 billion won in profit after just 8 months.
It was a sum of money that was difficult for an ordinary worker to even dream of.
Is this what they mean by money begets money?
I was simply speechless.
“What on earth happened to the dollar?”
“Several complex reasons came together, but the main cause was as expected, the United States, as the reserve currency holder, massively printed dollars. As a result, inflation started to soar like crazy. When the Fed implemented a high-interest rate policy to control inflation, the dollar skyrocketed frighteningly.”
I couldn’t fully understand what was being said, but one thing was clear.
‘The light doesn’t lie.’
It might be difficult to catch, but as long as I could see the light, I felt confident in taking bold action.
“The reason I invited you today, Mr. Dae-woon, is because it’s time to decide whether to take profits here or wait for further increases.”
“Hmm… What do you think, Mr. Kim?”
“Of course, it could continue to rise from here, but interest rates have risen too steeply. It’s to the point where ordinary people can’t hold on anymore. The Fed will probably come up with measures to address this. If that happens, there’s a high chance the dollar will stabilize again. Of course, this is just my personal opinion.”
Unlike the first time we met, Mr. Kim Seon-gi expressed his clear subjective judgment. Yet, he didn’t definitively say to wait or not. It seemed like consideration to allow me, the owner of the money, to make the decision.
‘The more I see, the more I like it.’
Maybe it was also because he was the one who had earned me 1 billion won just by sitting there.
“Let’s stop here. I’m more than satisfied with this much.”
Greed was taboo.
Didn’t we learn how excessive greed could bring great harm through coins?
Since the profit of one billion was already satisfying enough, I decided to look forward to the next investment.
“I’ll take care of that. What about after the currency exchange?”
“It’s the era of high interest rates. Please put it all in deposits, and let’s say about 2 billion in a conservative product portfolio for Manager Kim to manage freely.”
Even if I can’t pay for his hard work, I should pay for his performance.
“Thank you. I’ll work hard not to disappoint you.”
Perhaps due to the success of this month’s dollar investment, Mr. Kim Seon-gi shed his novice image and showed a very PB-like appearance.
I got up from the sofa for my next appointment.
“Shall we go out together?”
“Yes, let’s.”
That’s when it happened.
The moment Mr. Kim Seon-gi picked up his black backpack that he had placed next to the sofa.
“Huh?”
I was surprised and let out a word of embarrassment.
Suddenly, a faint golden glow emanated from Kim Seon-gi, as if out of nowhere.
It was a completely unexpected timing.
Why didn’t I notice it when I came in?
Thinking back, Mr. Kim Seon-gi wasn’t carrying a bag when I saw him.
It seemed like he had already brought the bag into the lounge.
“If he had left before me, it could’ve been a big problem.”
I engraved the proverb ‘Even extinguished light can be seen again’ in my mind and guided Mr. Kim Seon-gi back to his seat.
“Mr. Kim? Can we talk again for a moment?”
Seeing me sit back down after briefly standing up, Mr. Kim Seon-gi looked puzzled.
In the end, Mr. Kim Seon-gi awkwardly returned to the sofa.
“Didn’t you say you had an appointment?”
The reason for the golden light must surely be in that bag.
Even if I was considered ‘superior’, it was obvious that if I suddenly asked to see inside the bag, I’d be seen as acting like a lunatic.
What would be the most natural way to go about it?
My mind started spinning.
“Well… I actually… I will be going to college this time. A late bloomer, you could say.”
“Oh! Really? Congratulations!”
Mr. Kim Seon-gi congratulated me with a sincere expression.
I pretended to look at Mr. Kim Seong-gi with a worried expression.
“That’s why I have a lot of concerns in various ways. College is completely new to me, full of things I don’t know. When I was in high school, I just wore a uniform every day, so I didn’t have much to worry about. But being a college student is different.”
Mr. Kim Seon-gi nodded sympathetically at my words.
“That’s true. I also paid a lot of attention to my style when I was in school. After all, Image is important. Besides that…”
Rambling on, perhaps triggered by nostalgia, Mr. Kim Seon-gi began to talk about his college days.
Sensing that his story might go on for a while, I interrupted him at an appropriate moment and tossed a hint.
“I actually need to buy a bag, and I really like the style of the bag Mr. Kim carries. Can I take a look at it?”
Mr. Kim Seon-gi glanced down at the black leather backpack he was holding in his arms.
“This? It’s a gift I received when I got a job, it’s quite practical to carry around. Would you like to see it?”
Taking the bag Kim Seon-gi offered, I casually rummaged through it, smoothly unzipping it naturally.
“Oh, it’s quite spacious inside. But what do you usually carry in your bag, Mr. Kim? I haven’t had a proper job yet, so I’m curious.”
“Haha, nothing special. Just books and chargers, stuff like that.”
As I peered into the bag, my eyes caught sight of an unidentified object wrapped in colourful paper, resembling a small box.
“What’s this?”
“Oh, that? Actually, it’s for my nephew’s first birthday celebration tomorrow.”
For a moment, I felt a jolt of electricity running through my body, accompanied by a strong tingling sensation.
“Is it a gold ring?”
“Yes, it’s a one-carat gold ring.”
“What do you think about the gold outlook, Mr. Kim?”
“Gold?”
Though caught off guard by the sudden mention of gold, Mr. Kim Seon-gi began to express his views on gold like a professional.
“Generally, you can see gold and the dollar moving in opposite directions. Depending on the upcoming CPI (Consumer Price Index), if it comes out lower than market expectations and the Fed adopts a stance of no further interest rate hikes, it will put the brakes on the strong dollar. Then, as it weakens, the price of gold will rise.”
“I’ll invest in gold.”
Mr. Kim Seon-gi stuttered, clearly not expecting such an impromptu investment decision.
“This is just a simple speculation. The dollar could continue its strength, and the Fed might not adjust the pace of interest rate hikes.”
“It’s okay. In my opinion, the dollar will soon weaken.”
Of course, the reason I could say this so confidently was because I believed in the strange light that only I could see. Perhaps my unwavering determination was conveyed to him. Mr. Kim Seon-gi didn’t add any further objections.
“Alright. how about the investment method? There’s the option of buying physical gold bars, investing through the KPX gold market, or through gold ETFs or funds.”
“What do you recommend, Mr. Kim?”
“KPX.”
There was no hesitation in Mr. Kim Seon-gi’s voice.
“Then I’ll go with that. And the investment amount… let’s go with 8 billion.”
Having understood that light doesn’t lie, I decided to be a bit bold.
After discussing a bit more about gold investment with Mr. Kim Seon-gi, I left the bank feeling good, humming a tune, and headed to the Mercedes-Benz dealership I had scoped out in advance.
Now it was time to treat myself for the hard work of the past 8 months.
