AGIWPUC Chapter 49

Chapter 49: An Unexpected Call

 

Gasp…

The dizzying array of numbers lined up on the report was out of ordinary. 

My eyes were immediately drawn to the final profit figures at the bottom.

 

#

Movie theater revenue: 54 billion won  

Distributor’s revenue: 6.6 billion won  

Production company’s revenue: 20.2 billion won  

Investor’s revenue: 30.3 billion won

#

 

“30.3 billion?”

My head started spinning slightly, but I took a deep breath to calm myself. 

Half of the entire budget was my share. 

That meant half of the investor’s profit—30.3 billion—was mine, about 15.1 billion won.

“Huh… Fifteen-point-one billion…?”

With my head buzzing from the amount, I left the study and stepped out onto the terrace. 

The cool breeze helped clear the daze clouding my thoughts.

“Okay, stay calm. Let’s go over this step by step.”

I began reviewing the settlement report in detail. 

But I couldn’t help my jaw from dropping as I went through it. 

The final audience count for ‘Nemesis’ was around 16.26 million, with total earnings of 138 billion won. 

Considering the total production cost was 9 billion won, the revenue was almost 15 times the original budget.

“Let’s see here…” 

First, from the total revenue of 138 billion won, 13.8 billion won was deducted as Value-Added Tax (VAT) (10%), and another 4.1 billion won (3%) went to the Film Promotion Fund. 

This left 120.1 billion won. 

The remaining amount was divided between the theaters and the distributor, with the theaters taking roughly 45%. 

It’s around 54 billion won. 

This left about 66.1 billion won. 

From this, the distributor took 10%, or 6.6 billion won, leaving 59.5 billion won. After subtracting the production cost of 9 billion won, 50.5 billion won remained to be split between the production company and the investors.

“The profit split was 6:4, right?”

In the Korean film industry, the typical profit-sharing ratio between investors and production companies is 6:4. 

This means 60% of the remaining 50.5 billion won, or 30.3 billion won, goes to the investors according to their shares. 

My share was exactly 50%, which means I earned just over 15.1 billion won.

The report even included a friendly note explaining that this was the [highest profit margin ever achieved compared to production costs].

“But this isn’t the end, is it?”

The important thing was that this only covered the ‘theatrical revenue’. 

There was still more to come—additional income from ancillary rights, overseas exports, sponsorships, and secondary merchandise. There were still more ‘bullets’ in the chamber.

“Wow, this is incredibly sweet.”

My initial investment of 4.5 billion won had ballooned to 15.1 billion won in just one year. 

And when I considered the future additional revenues, I couldn’t even begin to estimate the final profit.

“If that’s the case, my total assets…”

As I mentally calculated, I covered my mouth with my hand. 

My assets, which had started at 10 billion won, had now surpassed 30 billion. And this didn’t even include the stock value of Beslo.

One thought came to mind.

“It’s not money that attracts more money.”

From a distance perspective, it wasn’t entirely wrong, but my thoughts were a little different.  

“People attract money.”  

And I had the ability to recognize the ‘people’ who could bring in the money.  

Investing in people carried an allure that couldn’t be compared to stocks or cryptocurrencies.  

“Even if the profits are realized, the person I invested in remains the same.”  

Watching someone I invested in break through their limits and grow rapidly gave me a sense of accomplishment and a deep satisfaction.  

I turned my gaze toward the gently flowing Han River.  

“I want to be an investor who invests in people.”  

It was at this moment that my path forward became crystal clear.  

 

---

 

A building near Seolleung Station.  

As soon as I got off the elevator on the 10th floor, I saw a softly glowing sign illuminated by the lights.  

[BESLO]  

“Oh, it looks pretty good.”  

A few days ago, I had been asked—no, practically begged—to come and see the new office after the recent move. I couldn’t say no.  

As I entered the office, the first thing that caught my eye was a cafeteria with tiered seating where the employees could relax. In the spacious, open office area, a dozen employees were working on their laptops, and the overall atmosphere felt free and relaxed.  

From a glass meeting room, I saw Lee Jang-won, who was in conversation with someone. He noticed me and waved enthusiastically.  

When I stepped into the meeting room, I saw some familiar faces.  

“It’s been a while, Dae-woon-ssi.”  

“Hello, CEO-nim.”  

It was CEO Lee Jong-hoon of Buksan Ventures and team leader Kim Seong-hoon, both of whom I had met before.

“Do you personally go on-site, CEO-nim? Isn’t it more typical to just receive reports?”  

“Hahaha. Where’s the fun in that? It’s meaningful to come out here, mingle with the younger folks, and absorb some of that energy.”  

Watching CEO Lee Jong-hoon’s characteristic warm smile, I couldn’t help but smile along.  

“Kim Team Leader must be uncomfortable, having to move around with the CEO all the time.”  

“Hahaha, not at all. I actually like it. When I’m with the CEO, I don’t have to worry and can eat good food on the company card.”  

“Weren’t you already using the company card pretty freely, Team Leader Kim?”  

“No way. I’ve been trying to be as conscious as possible.”  

“If you weren’t conscious even for a moment, the company might stumble. I appreciate your consideration.”  

“It just shows how much I care about the company.”  

Seeing the banter between the two, it felt less like a formal boss-employee relationship and more like a partnership.  

“But this office is really nice. You’re not overextending just because business is going well, are you?”  

At my comment, Lee Jang-won flinched slightly and hurried to explain.  

“That’s not it, Hyung. Thanks to CEO Lee’s introduction, we practically got this place for free.”  

I turned my gaze toward CEO Lee Jong-hoon, who burst into hearty laughter as he explained the backstory.  

“Hahaha. We got lucky. One of the companies Buksan Ventures invested in recently had a successful IPO and moved into a new headquarters. Thanks to that, Beslo was able to take over this space.”  

“That’s great to hear.”  

It was clear that Buksan Ventures was putting a lot of focus on Beslo.  

“That’s perfect timing. Since you’re one of Beslo’s major shareholders, Dae-woon-ssi, why don’t you join us?”  

At CEO Lee Jong-hoon’s suggestion, I took an available seat and focused on the screen where the presentation materials were displayed.  

Lee Jang-won stepped forward and continued the presentation.  

“Currently, DAU (Daily Active Users) for ‘Thumbs Up’ is nearing 500,000, and cumulative downloads have reached 2 million. The marketing campaign targeting university students for the new semester has yielded significant results.”

After receiving a 15 billion won capital infusion from Buksan Ventures, Beslo quickly expanded its user pool through aggressive marketing while also increasing staff.  

“Especially, the decision to choose Rosie as our model was a significant move, creating a major buzz and yielding excellent promotional results.”  

Rosie was a well-known member of a popular girl group, particularly trending among students.  

“Last year, we achieved total sales of 6 billion won, and this year, we are aiming to achieve 20 billion won.”  

For a company just over a year old, this level of growth was astonishing.  

CEO Lee Jong-hoon, who had been silently nodding as he listened to the presentation, asked Lee Jang-won,  

“What’s the basis for this year’s 20 billion won sales projection?”  

“We analyzed last year’s YAU (Yearly Active Users) and applied those metrics to this year’s anticipated numbers. Additionally, we expect extra revenue with the upcoming release of our new BM (Business Model) next month, which includes avatar customization content.”  

“Hmm… that sounds good.”  

CEO Lee Jong-hoon and Team Leader Kim Seong-hoon both nodded in approval, their smiles showing satisfaction.  

“That’s impressive.”  

Even I couldn’t help but quietly express my admiration. 

The company had grown explosively since the hackathon days, a transformation that felt like night and day.  

“Of course, as you’re well aware, we must avoid being too blatant with in-app purchases. Users can be unforgiving. The moment they feel the service is just out to drain their wallets, they’ll leave without looking back.”  

He wasn’t wrong. 

I recalled how recently Gae-haeng recommended a game, but I immediately deleted it after it shamelessly pushed for payments. 

I mean, paying the price of a full meal just to draw a single card? Ridiculous. 

That money would have been better spent buying extra snacks for my lazy cats lounging at home.  

“And what do you think about expanding into the Southeast Asian market?” 

“Southeast Asia?”  

At CEO Lee Jong-hoon’s suggestion, Lee Jang-won’s eyes widened in surprise.  

“It seems like the domestic market will stabilize to some extent within this year. One of the main reasons Buksan sees such high potential in ‘Thumbs Up’ is its scalability. Every culture might be different, but the desire for recognition and praise is universal, especially during the sensitive school years when emotions run the highest.”  

I nodded in agreement because that sentiment resonated with me as well.  

“Plus, the timing couldn’t be better. Countries like Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines are currently experiencing a strong Hallyu wave due to K-pop. We can definitely expect a trickle-down effect. Buksan also has connections in Southeast Asia’s distribution network, so we should arrange a meeting to discuss this further.”  

“I understand what you’re saying. I’ll work hard to make it happen.”  

Seeing the potential, Lee Jang-won’s expression brightened, and he nodded confidently.  

It was clear that Buksan Ventures was not only providing capital but also fulfilling its role as an accelerator, offering guidance like a compass.  

With that, the formal conversation concluded, and we moved on to more casual talk.  

“You’re doing well. It’s good to see.”  

I gave him a pat on the shoulder in recognition of his hard work, and he smiled bashfully.  

“I have to. You’re the one who told me, right? You said ‘Thumbs Up’ was like my child, and as a parent, it’s only natural to give everything I have to help it grow well.”  

“Look at you, turning into a real entrepreneur now.”  

Not only was the company growing, but Lee Jang-won himself had matured, and I couldn’t help but feel proud.  

“But lately, I’ve had a bit of a dilemma. We’re getting flooded with investment inquiries from all over the place.”  

“Investment inquiries?”  

CEO Lee Jong-hoon nodded knowingly.  

“Of course. Right now, ‘Thumbs Up’ is one of the hottest platforms in the startup scene. It’s only natural that several venture capitalists would be eyeing it. But in your current situation, you need to be cautious with new investments.”  

His tone was calm but firm.  

“There’s this misconception that investments are essential for startups, but that’s not true. Investments are just an ‘option’. For something like ‘Thumbs Up’, which is already profitable and has a bright future, there’s no rush to take on more funding. The right time to seek investment is when you’re making a major change in your business or if you’re running low on cash. But of course, the final decision is up to CEO Lee Jang-won.”  

Bzzz Bzzz.  

As soon as he finished speaking, CEO Lee Jong-hoon’s phone, which had been resting on the table, began vibrating noisily. 

Apologizing, he excused himself and stepped outside to take the call, while Team Leader Kim Seong-hoon discreetly followed suit, leaving the room.  

“My thoughts aren’t much different. If you’re not in a position where you need additional investment, then continuing as you are seems like the best course.”  

Investment money is never free. 

It comes at the cost of giving up company equity, and that’s not something to take lightly.  

Lee Jang-won, who had been deep in thought, slowly nodded in agreement.  

“You’re right. There’s no major expense coming up soon, so staying on course for now seems like the right decision.”  

We continued chatting about this and that until the meeting room door opened once again.  

“That call went on a bit longer than expected. Shall we wrap up today’s meeting here?”  

“Sounds good. Thank you for your time, CEO-nim.”  

“Do you have any plans after this, Dae-woon-ssi?”  

“Me? No, nothing in particular…”  

Curious about his intentions, I tilted my head. Then, CEO Lee Jong-hoon made an unexpected suggestion.  

“How about joining us for dinner? My father asked if you’d like to join him for a meal.”  

It was an invitation from Chairman Lee Seung-hwan of Buksan.  

 

---

Support my work by buying me Coffee! ☕️