Chapter 17

Bear Soup is Now My Specialty 17

017 Ramen and Mayonnaise / The Second Newspaper to React

Ten days later, at Yuri Yusupov's house.

Nikolai and Sasha were able to obtain diplomatic passports with the help of their grandfather Yuri.

This was possible due to the chaotic situation in Russia.

Moreover, Yuri Yusupov was classified as one of Yeltsin's closest confidants, making such matters trivial.

"Finally, you're going. I knew you had a special interest in Korea, but I have many questions about why you're going like this."

"I'll tell you everything when I come back."

"Alright, try to hold on until then. Take care of yourself. Although the security there is said to be better than in Russia, you must always be cautious in a foreign land."

"Yes. By the way, have you ever been to Korea, Grandfather?"

At Nikolai's question, Yuri Yusupov had a nostalgic look on his face.

"I went there as part of a delegation of economic representatives during the Soviet era, accompanying Secretary General Gorbachev."

"Oh, how was it?"

"I visited Seoul and Busan, and they were truly free places. Although I could only see the areas guided by government officials, the people's clothing and expressions felt very free. And the apartments stretching up into the sky were quite impressive, unlike in Russia."

"I heard there are new cities made entirely of apartments there. It would be great if Russia had such cities too."

"Hmm. How do you know so much about Korea?"

How would I know? I was originally a Korean.

"…I studied a lot."

"Your brother Denis is obsessed with Britain, and you with Korea. Young people these days are really different from my time."

"Russia is one of the world's leading countries in terms of land, but it still lacks in economic and cultural aspects. We should now aim for the world stage."

"That's true. It's also a way to benefit Russia for young people to see and experience the high standards of the world. I hope this visit will be a great learning experience for you. Have a safe trip."

"By the way, any gifts?"

"I received Korean ginseng as a gift on my previous trip, and it was quite good."

"Oh, ginseng is great. I'll bring a lot back."

Nikolai said goodbye to his grandfather and started preparing to leave with Sasha.

* * *

In the workshop behind the house.

"Ilya, it will take about a month."

"A month?"

"There's a lot to do there. Oh, and if you know any IT experts, contact them all."

"All of them?"

"Yes, Grandfather said he wants to prevent Russian talents from leaving the country and plans to hire a large number of IT professionals."

"If I connect with the people I know, it will really be a lot of people."

"As long as they are skilled, the more the better. Make a list and ensure they can come whenever they are contacted."

"Understood. I'll finalize it before you return."

Nodding, Nikolai then looked at Sonya, who was watching with wide eyes.

He couldn't help but smile.

"Sonya, I'll bring you a lot of gifts, so you must listen to your father and stay healthy. Got it?"

"Sonya will be fine."

"Aww, you're such a good girl. And don't forget to earn money even when I'm not around."

"Yes. I'll sing to Grandfather and Grandmother every day and to Uncle Denis and Aunt Victoria too."

"That's right. You must never stop working, even for a day. Always remember your初心 (initial determination)."

"I really… You are so consistent, which is great."

Sasha, who was packing her bag, interjected.

"But do you really not need an interpreter for Korea?"

"I speak Korean quite well."

"You? When did you learn?"

"You can't just judge me by your standards. I learned to read Hangul in a week and studied Korean whenever I had time."

"But I've never seen you study?"

If this guy were just like that, I'd let it go, but he's too meticulous.

"Is there a rule that you can only learn a foreign language by reading books? I studied in my mind every day."

"Can you really learn a foreign language that fast…?"

"I even studied in my dreams. Ilya, you speak English well, right? How did you study?"

"I didn't find it difficult. After about five months, I could read and write. By eight months, I could have everyday conversations. By a year, I could have professional conversations."

"Did you hear that? Ilya finished English in five months. So, what about a genius like me?"

"Do you expect me to believe that?"

"I'll show you when I get to Korea. I'll prove why I'm a genius."

"I'll believe it for now."

* * *

The regular route between Seoul and Moscow was established on March 30, 1990.

Since the first landing of the Soviet state-owned Aeroflot flight SU 590 at Gimpo Airport, the route has been maintained, though with limited traffic.

Nikolai and Sasha said goodbye to their family the next morning before heading to Moscow Airport.

"Take care and come back safely. Call as soon as you arrive."

"Yes, Mother. I'm not a child. Don't worry."

"You always seem like a child to me. Sasha, you need to take care of him."

"Don't worry. I'll stick with him."

"Father, I'll be back soon."

Nikolai's relationship with his father had improved significantly from the past, but there was still some awkwardness.

He knew it would take time to become closer, so he didn't rush it.

"Alright, since your business is in Korea, you should go. If you need help, contact me anytime."

"I will."

"And I've revised the supermarket design plans as you suggested, so we'll proceed with three locations simultaneously."

"Good. Don't skimp on manpower and equipment. Invest as much as possible. Time is money."

"I plan to do that. By the time you return, the foundation work will be completed."

After saying goodbye to Denis and Victoria, Nikolai got into the car, looking forward to the next month.

However, he ended up with four suitcases due to all the things he had to pack.

Sasha tilted her head and asked.

"What did you put in the two extra suitcases?"

"I packed them full of chaga mushrooms."

"…Are you going to sell them?"

"Not at all. I'm bringing them as gifts for the people I'll meet."

It's hard to express how good chaga mushrooms are for blood circulation, especially for men.

"Oh, right, Sasha, did you book the hotel I mentioned?"

"I already did. But why are Seoul hotel prices so high?"

"The ruble hasn't stabilized yet. By mid-next year, it should be better."

With the Unicorn Group taking the lead in place of the weak government, Russia was gradually stabilizing.

The first sign was the gradual rise in the value of the ruble in the foreign exchange market.

Thanks to Yuri Yusupov's large-scale sale of dollars and gold, speculative forces quickly withdrew, allowing Russia to breathe.

As the value of the ruble showed signs of stabilizing, some people tried to buy companies, buildings, and land on the market, but it was too late.

After Yuri Yusupov's aggressive shopping spree.

"This is only the second time I'll be staying in a hotel. And it's the first time I'll be staying for a month."

"They provide breakfast. There will probably be an indoor pool and sauna too."

"I've traveled abroad before. I'll see a lot of new things by following you."

"Korea is just the beginning. In the future, we'll travel to the US, UK, China, Japan, Germany, France, and more. You shouldn't be surprised now."

"I hope so. But what are you going to bring back from Korea?"

"Food. Two items for now."

Nikolai was thinking of 'lunch ramen' and 'mayonnaise'.

These two products conquered Russia first and have been loved by Russians to the point where they have never lost their top sales position.

Nikolai planned to visit '8Do' and 'Ottogi Food Co., Ltd.' in Seoul.

He had already set up meetings with both companies.

There's a famous anecdote about ramen.

Ando Momofuku, who developed the world's first instant ramen and cup noodles, loved ramen so much that he ate it for one meal every day.

Ultimately, the side effects… He died in 2007 at the age of 96.

If you want to live a long life, try eating one ramen a day.

Ramen was a health food.

And while Koreans consume 100,000 tons of red pepper paste per year, Russians consume 800,000 tons of mayonnaise.

This is why Russia has never lost its top sales position.

Russians even put mayonnaise in their meat soups, making it the top-selling country in terms of single-country sales.

Arriving at Moscow Airport, Nikolai saw a newspaper stand while checking in his luggage.

"Sasha, can you buy a newspaper? I didn't get to read one this morning. Also, buy some drinks."

"Should we exchange money at Gimpo Airport?"

"Only beginners exchange money at the airport."

"Then where should we exchange it?"

"There are many places to exchange money in Seoul, so just get enough for immediate use at the airport."

"Got it. I'll buy the newspaper."

Besides ramen and mayonnaise, there was something else to do.

Faces he hadn't forgotten since starting his new life.

'Father, Mother…'

As an only child, he was the only child of his parents.

'But now I'm in someone else's body. Who is in the house in Busan?'

This thought had been on his mind since he started his new life.

'Is it me? Or is it not?'

His mind was getting complicated.

With no one to share these complex feelings with, it felt like something was pressing on his chest.

'Anyway, I have to visit. This is something I can't avoid, so I have to face it head-on.'

He also planned to meet people who would stand out in Korea in the future.

Nikolai closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and looked at the airport display.

The flight to Seoul departs in three hours.

It takes about nine hours to reach Gimpo Airport.

In nine hours, he would set foot in Korea, a place he had longed to visit.

He was filled with the same excitement and anticipation as when humans first landed on the moon.

He saw Sasha coming back with a bag and a newspaper, her mouth full of something.

"Wow, why is there such a big difference between inside and outside the airport? Outside, people are waiting in endless lines to eat, but here, so many people are going abroad. The world is truly strange."

Sasha's words perfectly described the current state of Russia.

On one side, people worry about having one meal a day, while on the other, they buy luxury items and travel abroad.

With the shift to a capitalist economic system, there was nothing to say about it, but it was a truly ironic Russia.

"Anyway, the newspaper."

Nikolai took the newspaper and checked the date.

Wow!

'Finally, the date and content have changed.'

But…

【The Choco Pie Craze Sweeping Russia. Ecos Food Imports Korean Choco Pies】

'A company called Ecos Food is importing choco pies before me? These guys!'