Chapter 44: The StellarBucks Building Owner
“Are you Song Dae-woon-ssi, the one who called me?”
“Yes, and you must be Director Jeong Dae-yoon-nim?”
With a gaunt frame, long hair tucked under a beanie, and a scruffy beard, Director Jeong Dae-yoon looked like the embodiment of a stereotypical film director I had in my mind.
“Yes, I’m Jeong Dae-yoon. It’s nice to meet you.”
Director Jeong Dae-yoon took the seat across from me. His tired eyes and shadowed complexion seemed to reflect his current state of mind.
“I heard you wanted to discuss something regarding an investment?”
Jumping straight to the point the moment he sat down showed just how urgent his situation must be.
“That’s correct. I reached out because I wanted to talk about your latest project.”
Realizing he’d rushed things, Director Jeong Dae-yoon lowered his head in apology.
“I’m sorry. I should’ve introduced myself first. I’m Jeong Dae-yoon, a film director.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Song Dae-woon.”
I pulled a business card from my wallet and handed it to him.
[Sapling Investment – Song Dae-woon]
It was a new business card I’d just made.
Sapling Investment was a one-person corporation that I established on the recommendation of my tax advisor, and I named it after the Sapling Nursery, where I spent my childhood.”
As he accepted the card, Director Jeong Dae-yoon awkwardly scratched his head.
“I’m afraid I don’t have a business card to give in return…”
“At your level, Director-nim, your name alone serves as a business card. No worries.”
Director Jeong Dae-yoon looked puzzled at my praise.
“Forgive me, but do you… know who I am? I’m just a rookie director in the commercial film industry…”
Of course, I knew.
Right before this meeting, I had crammed every bit of information I could find about Director Jeong Dae-yoon into my head.
“Of course, I know. I’m quite familiar with your work, Director-nim. I’ve watched films like ‘The Summer Outside the Window’ and ‘Casanova’s Mission is Over’ multiple times. I’m really a big fan.”
“Those were independent films, so they weren’t easy to find… but thank you, regardless.”
It seemed I’d definitely scored some points.
I could see the dark expression on his face lightened a bit.
It was time to go for the knockout punch.
“Your new project… To be honest, I don’t know much about it.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I should’ve shown you the script first.”
Director Jeong Dae-yoon hurriedly pulled a script from his bag and placed it on the table.
But I didn’t even glance at the script. Instead, I kept my gaze fixed on Director Jeong Dae-yoon.
“I’ll take a look at the script later. I’m more interested in investing based on the authenticity I see in you as an artist.”
“My… authenticity?”
He looked at me, bewildered.
“Looking at the films you’ve directed so far, it’s clear how much passion you have for your work and what kind of messages you’ve wanted to convey through your films. That came through strongly.”
“Oh… thank you. It means a lot to hear that…”
His eyes became moist as he was genuinely moved.
“From what I’ve heard, you’ve been preparing this new project for quite some time, but I also understand things aren’t going well right now.”
“That’s right… The investment company that had promised to fund the project is now threatening to withdraw their investment because I refuse to alter the script to their liking. But…! If I modify the script the way they want, it will completely destroy the film’s unique character and originality that only this movie can give. If that happens—”
“How much were they promised to invest?”
Director Jeong Dae-yoon, who had been red-faced and furious, paused at my question.
“Out of the total 9 billion won production budget, they were going to contribute 4.5 billion.”
“4.5 billion, huh…”
It wasn’t a small amount.
In fact, even for my current situation, it was a considerable sum.
Excluding my real estate assets, I had about 5.5 billion won in liquid funds.
That meant I’d have to invest nearly all of my cash reserves.
It was a highly risky investment, but I wasn’t particularly worried.
The golden light had never steered me wrong before.
“I’ll invest.”
“Wait, really?”
Director Jeong Dae-yoon’s eyes widened, as if he couldn’t believe the speed of my decision.
It made all those exhausting meetings with other investors suddenly become meaningless.
“I’ll invest. And don’t worry, I won’t interfere with the film at all. Just focus on the film, Director-nim. That’s all I ask.”
“Thank you…! Thank you so much. I promise I’ll work hard. No, I’ll make sure to do a great job.”
As if the cloudy sky was clearing after the heavy rain, the worries that had filled Director Jeong Dae-yoon’s face suddenly vanished, and a bright smile spread across it.
It was almost astonishing how a person could change so quickly in a single moment.
“When do you expect the release to be? I’m not familiar with the film industry.”
“Once we finish casting and start filming right away, we can move into post-production quickly… I’d say 10 months should be enough.”
Suddenly, the image of a woman sitting dejectedly with a script in hand came to mind.
“Oh, may I ask you just one more thing?”
“Of course. Ask away.”
“What do you think of the actress Hong Seul-gi in general? She carried your script around like it was a cherished item, so I assume she’s incredibly dedicated to the project.”
At the mention of Hong Seul-gi, a bright smile appeared on Director Jeong Dae-yoon’s face.
“Ah, actress Hong? Absolutely. Honestly, she’s the person I’m most grateful to. She asks me about the project several times a day. If this film had been scrapped, the person who would’ve been the most disappointed is definitely Actress Hong Seul-gi. I’m truly thankful to her. From the very beginning, I never considered anyone else for the lead role besides her.”
“Is that so? Well, that’s good to hear.”
It was thanks to Hong Seul-gi holding onto Director Jeong Dae-yoon’s script that I had seen the golden light in the first place.
If another actress were cast instead, who knew what would happen to the film’s success?
Is this why farmers can never give up on farming?
I was incredibly curious to see what the seeds I’d planted would yield in just a few months.
Time flowed like water in a river.
The sweltering summer had passed, the beautiful colored autumn leaves had fallen one by one, and before I knew it, winter arrived with biting, bone-chilling winds.
In front of Exit 8 at Hapjeong Station.
As expected in such a bustling area, even in the cold weather, people clad in thick padded coats filled the streets.
Hapjeong Station is a major commercial hub, connecting a large office town, densely populated residential areas, and a university district.
With around 170,000 people passing through daily, and crowds present all seven days of the week, the bustling nature of the area was unmistakable.
Exit 8, in particular, was a prime spot, known as a ‘honey pot’ for businesses because its main clientele were office workers, often using company credit cards for their purchases.
“Oh dear, what a mess.”
I muttered, standing in front of Exit 8, stomping my feet in the cold and glancing at my watch.
“Guess I’m not used to taking the subway anymore. I got here way too early. Ugh, it’s freezing.”
It had been a while since I’d used public transportation. I thought it would be fun, and I wanted to avoid the hassle of driving in such a crowded area, but the biting cold was making me regret that decision.
Should I just go in first? I was mulling over the idea when—
“Boss Song! Huff, huff!”
From a distance, I saw Kim Jeong-nam, the head of real estate, rushing over, out of breath.
His nose was red from the cold.
“Chief Kim, didn’t you drive here?”
“Hahaha, I had a meeting nearby, so I decided to walk for some exercise. Sorry to keep you waiting. If I’d known, I would’ve come earlier.”
“No worries, I just got here early. Shall we go? Gosh, it’s freezing.”
Kim Jeong-nam must’ve felt the same since he turned around without a word, and we started walking.
Our destination was a commercial building right in front of Exit 8 at Hapjeong Station.
It was a sleek, modern structure that blended well with the surrounding buildings but also exudes its own unique vibe.
The streets were bustling with people, and for a good reason—
[StellarBucks]
Korea’s love for coffee was so intense that it had earned the nickname ‘Coffee Republic’.
True to that reputation, cafés were everywhere.
Among them, if anyone said, ‘Let’s grab a coffee’, the first place that came to mind was always StellarBucks.
The brand itself had become a symbol of trust.
As soon as we stepped inside, the familiar aroma of rich coffee beans filled my nose, and the loud chatter of customers assaulted my ears.
“So many people…”
“Why don’t you grab a seat first, Boss Song? I’ll get the coffee.”
It seemed like a good idea, so I glanced around to see if there were any available seats.
Luckily, there was one spot open in the farthest corner of the café.
Worried that someone might snatch it up, I rushed over and managed to claim the seat just in time.
“Phew, even though it’s my building, I still feel this kind of pressure.”
Surprisingly, this very building where StellarBucks Hapjeong branch was located was my newly constructed property, finished just a short while ago.
The spacious interior and warm, wooden design created a cozy atmosphere.
As I took in the surroundings, Kim Jeong-nam approached me with a tray in hand.
“Wow, it must be because of the prime location—it’s packed as soon as it opens.”
“Right? I didn’t expect this kind of crowd.”
“So, how does it feel to be the proud owner of a building with a StellarBucks? The dream of every building owner.”
“Honestly? It still doesn’t feel real yet.”
Though I owned the entire building, I hadn’t fully grasped it yet. My only real thought was that with such a thriving business, I wouldn’t have to worry about tenants missing rent.
“Looking at this, I’d say the store’s monthly revenue could easily exceed 100 million won. With a 15% variable rent rate and the income from the other floors… Wow, that’s quite something. Congratulations! Building this place was a brilliant move.”
“Well, all I did was make the decision. You’re the one who did all the hard work, Chief Kim. I’m truly grateful for that.”
And that was the truth. Kim Jeong-nam had used all his connections to find a reliable construction company, and he even helped secure tenants and introduced me to a reputable property management firm.
Thanks to him, my workload was significantly reduced, and I was genuinely thankful.
Of course, I made sure to compensate him generously, but gratitude is gratitude.
“Looks like the crowd’s growing even more.”
“Let’s get going. We’ve confirmed the buildings are in good shape, and the business is doing well. That’s enough for today.”
“Shall we head out then? If anything comes up, please contact me right away. I’ll handle it immediately.”
“Thank you, Chief Kim.”
With that, we gathered our things and stepped outside, weaving through the growing crowd.
One month later.
The first day of my final year of college had crept up before I knew it.
Sitting in my usual spot in the central library’s lobby, I found myself blankly watching students pass by.
“Time really flies… A whole year’s already gone by.”
It felt like time had slipped through my fingers in the blink of an eye.
“I guess it makes sense…”
Like someone who had come to love what they’d learned late, I’d thrown myself into university life with relentless passion.
A perfect attendance record was a given, and I made it a point to participate in every festival and event that the school had to offer.
On top of that, I had to oversee the construction of the building in Hapjeong, made a hefty investment in Director Jeong Dae-yoon’s new project, and most importantly, I had taken on the role of accelerator for Beslo.
Every single day had been a whirlwind, leaving no room to catch a breath.
“A business accelerator, huh…”
Living and working alongside the Beslo team, I had realized just how little I knew about this industry and how much I still had to learn.
That creeping desire to dive in and fully understand it started to grow within me.
Ding
“Hmm?”
At the familiar sound of my phone’s notification, a smile spread across my face as I picked it up.
“Oh, that’s right. Today’s the first rent payment day.”
I quickly checked the bank transfer notification, and my lips curled into a round ‘O’ as I stared at the amount.
“Whoa! Amazing!”
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