An Investor Who Sees The Future

I shook Taek-gyu, who was asleep, to wake him up.

“Ugh, I was sleeping. Why did you wake me?”

“I’ve got plans. Let’s go.”

“Where to?”

“To the baseball stadium. There’s an exhibition game today.”

Taek-gyu put on his glasses that he had left aside.

“When did you start watching baseball?”

“Stop talking and just get dressed.”

We didn’t really need to dress formally for going to the baseball stadium, right?

I put on jeans, a padded jacket, and tilted my hat down. Taek-gyu wore his usual gray tracksuit with a padded jacket.

***

The VIP seats were located behind home plate.

As we entered, the entire stadium came into view. The wide arena was packed with fans eagerly awaiting the start of professional baseball.

Perhaps we’d been given a heads-up, as the security guards made way for us when we approached. Chairman Im Jin-yong greeted us warmly.

“Thank you for coming.”

“I was just resting at home anyway.”

Since we had both been busy, this was only the second time we had met.

Chairman Im wore jeans, a T-shirt, and a Seosung Dragons baseball jacket over it. Next to him stood what looked like his children, wearing Seosung Dragons uniforms.

“These are my kids.”

“Oh, I see.”

So these kids are Chairman Im’s children.

Both of them were cute but didn’t have an overly posh appearance. If I hadn’t been introduced, I might have thought they were just kids visiting the stadium with their parents.

“They’re really cute,” I said, and Chairman Im smiled happily at my comment.

“Let me introduce you. These are the people who work with Dad.”

“Hello.”

The boy clasped his hands neatly and bowed to us, while the girl, perhaps shy, hid behind her brother.

The boy, appearing to be in upper elementary school, is Im Seong-ho, and the younger girl is Im Ji-young.

The girl tugged at Chairman Im Jin-yong’s clothes.

“Daddy, daddy.”

“What is it, my princess?”

“I want chicken too.”

“Alright, princess. Dad will order it for you.”

Watching him interact with the kids, he seemed just like any other dad. Come to think of it, there are rumors about Chairman Im Jin-yong being quite a doting father, right?

He instructed his executive secretary.

“Please order some chicken, pizza, and drinks for the kids.”

“Understood.”

Then he looked at us.

“You haven’t eaten yet, right? We have lunch boxes here too…”

Taek-gyu spoke confidently.

“I also like chicken and pizza.”

Chairman Im Jin-yong nodded.

“I’ll order the same for us.”

Taek-gyu whispered to me.

“Calling her ‘princess’ somehow feels really genuine.”

“Well…”

If she’s the daughter of the chairman of Seosung Group, she’s probably more than just an average princess.

“I wonder how it feels to be born with a dad who’s the chairman of Seosung Group?”

I replied in a quiet voice.

“Why not ask the kids directly?”

I’m actually a bit curious too.

“Can we ask Chairman Im Jin-yong?”

“…….”

That sounds fine. After all, Chairman Im Jin-yong’s father was the head of Seosung Group.

At this point, it could be said that he’s not just from a wealthy family but from a diamond-tier family. I looked at the boy. Could this little kid inherit the Seosung Group when he grows up?

Before the game started, another person arrived.

A woman in her early forties with a graceful appearance. There was an air of elegance in her expression and movements.

“Nice to see you. It’s good to meet again here.”

“Oh, nice to meet you.”

Her name is Im Soo-mi. She is Chairman Im Jin-yong’s sister and the president of Ceylon Hotel.

Her actual age is forty-six in Korean age, but she looks much younger. Unlike that day when she wore no makeup and simple clothing, today she had light makeup and styled herself elegantly.

“Thank you for coming that day. I was planning to find a time to express my gratitude separately.”

“Not at all.”

“Auntie!”

The girl rushed over and hugged President Im Soo-mi.

She gently patted the child’s head.

“How have you been, Ji-young?”

“Yes, Auntie.”

Seeing her fondly interact with the children, it seems that Chairman Im Jin-yong and Im Soo-mi are quite close. You might think it’s normal for siblings to be close, but it’s actually rare in chaebol families.

On the table, there was a feast of chicken, pizza, and squid, along with drinks and beer. The children sat down to eat, while Chairman Im Jin-yong, President Im Soo-mi, and we raised our beer glasses for a toast.

“Didn’t the Seosung Dragons win last year?”

“Probably.”

Both the late Chairman Im Il-kwon and Chairman Im Jin-yong are famous baseball fans.

Sports teams operated with corporate funds thrive on the chairman’s affection. Thanks to the chairman’s generous support and attention, the Seosung Dragons successfully recruited major players from the FA market and clinched the World Series title for two consecutive years.

While we were chatting, the exhibition match between the Seosung Dragons and CL Giants began.

***

I remember going to the baseball stadium a few times with my father during my childhood, but I haven’t been since middle school.

That’s because I don’t have much interest in sports.

I don’t usually keep up with games, but I am familiar with the general rules and how the game proceeds.

Unlike soccer, which is enjoyed by most countries around the world, baseball is limited to a few specific nations. There are only a handful of countries with professional leagues.

Nevertheless, baseball, along with soccer, remains one of the pillars of the global sports market. The reason for this is America.

Like the economy, sports also operate under strict capitalist logic. When America participates, it’s almost like half the world follows suit.

MLB is the largest professional league globally, and countries influenced by the U.S. have developed baseball into a popular sport.

Korea, Japan, Mexico, and Taiwan are prime examples. In contrast, Eastern European countries that once stood opposite the U.S. tend not to play baseball much.

Taek-gyu said while drinking beer, “It’s fun being here after a while. I should bring my sister too.”

I nodded in agreement. “That’s a good idea. Let’s all come together.”

The stadium had many spectators, not just friends and couples, but also families.

By now, there might be an article about me and Chairman Im Jin-yong meeting at the baseball stadium. Would the president not like to see me with Im Jin-yong?

Even though he knows that, Chairman Im didn’t seem to care much. Well, when you become the chairman of Seosung Group, you probably can’t easily offend influential powers.

As the fifth inning approached, CL Giants was leading 4-2.

“Who do you think will win?”

Without much thought, Taek-gyu replied, “I think Seosung Dragons will win.”

“But CL Giants are currently ahead by 2 points.”

“Baseball is all about the pitchers. From what I saw earlier, Seosung Dragons’ starting pitchers seem decent. Truly, in games or sports, investing is key.”

I was surprised and asked, “Don’t you watch baseball?”

“Pfft, I used to completely master the baseball trainer game.”

“…….”

He learned sports through a game.

Whether it really had an effect, Taek-gyu perfectly understood the rules and systems of baseball. He even saw through the analysis of the pitcher’s pitches and the coach’s strategies.

The game ultimately concluded with Seosung Dragons winning 7 to 5, just as Taek-gyu had predicted.

***

After the game, we said our goodbyes. Chairman Im Jin-yong mentioned he planned to spend the day playing with his kids.

It seems that no matter how big a conglomerate’s chairman is, a dad is still just a dad.

While driving back, Taek-gyu suddenly spoke up.

“How about we start our own baseball team?”

“Huh?”

What kind of nonsense is this?

“It’d be nice to have one.”

I couldn’t believe it and responded, “Do you even know how much it costs to run a baseball team annually?”

“How much does it cost?”

“……”

I don’t really know either.

Taek-gyu searched it on his phone.

“They say it costs about 300 to 400 billion won. Aren’t we in a position to spend that much?”

“Things are tight these days.”

We had already spent too much on acquiring Seosung SB stocks and establishing a joint venture. Plus, with the continuous hiring of employees, fixed costs are increasing daily.

“Still, we should have that much money.”

“No, we don’t. Who can just throw 300 to 400 billion won around like it’s a kid’s name?”

With how much money we’ve made, hundreds of billions might feel insignificant, but in the context of a large corporation, it’s a significant amount.

Additionally, this is not an investment but an expense.

In leagues like MLB or the Premier League, teams can turn a profit from ticket sales, broadcasting rights, and merchandise, but making a profit in the Korean market is quite challenging.

In reality, most sports teams, whether in baseball, soccer, or basketball, operate at a loss.

Yet, the reason large corporations manage sports teams is due to the substantial promotional effects it provides. There’s also the justification of being involved in social contributions.

“And a baseball team can’t just be created because you have money.”

Currently, Korean professional baseball consists of 10 teams.

In terms of population or economic scale, there are already enough teams. Adding another club is practically impossible.

The KBO wouldn’t even give permission for that.

“Then what about a soccer or basketball team?”

“It might cost less than baseball, but it’s still not an insignificant amount.”

Taek-gyu looked disappointed.

“I think it would be nice for us to establish something too. I could manage it well.”

“What are you even going to manage? Just play the game.”

“Ah!”

At my words, Taek-gyu suddenly had a thought.

“Then how about a professional gaming team?”

“Huh?”

“eSports is still a sport. A professional gaming team wouldn’t cost as much.”

“……”

This idea seems a bit more realistic.

***

Just as there are various sports like baseball, soccer, and basketball, there are also multiple eSports teams for different games.

Among these, the number of games that have international competitions can be counted on one hand.

Regardless of the chosen game, a team typically requires around seven to ten players, along with a coach and support staff. Additional costs include accommodation, training, employee benefits, and other miscellaneous expenses.

In total, the yearly cost would likely be at least 1 billion KRW, and could be as much as 2 billion KRW.

This amount is only about one-tenth of a traditional sports team budget. Because the financial burden is lighter, not only large corporations but also mid-sized companies like Master Chicken and Paprika TV have operated eSports teams.

**The next day.**

We went to work and discussed our plans with Senior Sang-yeop and Gi-hong, who heads the public relations team.

After hearing our proposal, Gi-hong nodded in agreement.

“That’s a good idea. An eSports team would align well with the image of the emerging OTK Company.”

For reference, Gi-hong enjoys gaming as well. After school, he would take younger students to PC rooms to play StarCraft for hours.

Senior Sang-yeop expressed skepticism.

“Will it really have any promotional effect? There are plenty of people, like me, who don’t even know what eSports is.”

“Certainly, with lower costs, the promotional impact might be less.”

Despite the recent surge in eSports and changing perceptions, it still can’t be compared to national sports like soccer or baseball.

“If the team performs poorly or if the players get into trouble, we’ll end up spending money and getting criticized.”

Senior Sang-yeop added, “But does OTK really need to create an eSports team for promotional purposes?”

Operating a sports team primarily aims to boost brand image and promote awareness, so it’s mostly B2C companies that do this; B2B companies hardly ever engage.

Banks or securities firms may sponsor players or teams, but private equity and hedge funds usually don’t, which is the reason behind this.

“Wouldn’t it be better to use that money for advertising? That way, relationships with the media might improve.”

The primary reason that media companies are hostile toward us is because of our poor relationship with the government, but another reason is that we spend not a single penny on advertising.

The top five conglomerates, including the Seosung Group, spend enormous sums on advertising in newspapers and broadcasting every year. If they suddenly stop advertising, many outlets would be in jeopardy.

This is why media companies are quick to criticize politicians but tend to avoid attacking conglomerates.

If I were to funnel 5 billion won worth of advertising to Joongilbo, would they write articles about me like that?

“Please understand it’s just a hobby for the vice president.”

Seong-yeop, my senior, immediately grasped the situation.

“Oh! Then the story is different.”

It is no exaggeration to say that the allocation of budgets and the performance of sports teams largely depend on the level of interest from the chairman.

From the moment Taek-gyu decided to take charge, the outcome was practically predetermined. If the company refused to support him, he could fund it with his own money.

Taek-gyu was full of enthusiasm like never before. It would be hard to discourage him at this point.

“I’ve already thought of a name. How about OTK Magicians?”

“……Do as you wish.”

In the end, OTK Company decided to establish an e-sports team under the leadership of the vice president.