Chapter 24

Finally, based on what I just observed...

[ He has a shellfish allergy. And he's left-handed. ]

Okay, that's it.

──The power of "Quantity to Quality Conversion" is activated.

──The "Preview" skill is activated!

──Please select the result.

──A. Information about the hair salon Tae-jun frequents

──B. The full interview of Tae-jun with <Korea F&B>

──C. The handwritten letter So-jeong sent to Tae-jun

...I really wanted to know C.

I could tease him about it for the rest of my life.

But I had to choose B.

──"Quantity to Quality Conversion" is starting.

Tae hummed like an LED fan, glowing and spinning.

And a little later.

──"Quantity to Quality Conversion" is complete.

──Please "consume" the converted item.

I snatched the memo that fell from Tae.

'Who could it be?'

The memo was filled with tiny print from a magazine article.

But I didn't need to read it all.

"Oh."

The title and subtitle were enough.

[ Special Feature on Self-Made Men in Their 30s ③: From a Small Shop in Dongmyo to a 700 Billion Won Franchise ]

[ Meeting the Rising Star in the Food Industry, Tae-jun Choi (CEO of Ilpum Korea) ]

Tae-jun Choi, CEO of Ilpum Korea.

A big name I had heard of before.

I just couldn't match the name with the face.

"Unbelievable..."

Bang──

I hurriedly left the restroom.

I had so many questions I wanted to ask right away.

Especially since I was already thinking about the building and the cafe, my mind was a mess.

When else and where else would I get advice from such a big shot?

'He's a benefactor!'

I'm glad I got to know So-jeong.

Really glad.

If you're the King of Carp, then he's Gyarados.

Ilpum Korea.

The hottest name in the Korean food industry recently.

Ilpum Don, Ilpum Hanwoo, Ilpum Pasta, Ilpum Kitchen, and so on.

A company that owns franchises everyone has tried or heard of at least once.

'The CEO is right in front of me!'

Moreover, Tae-jun Choi is someone who started from the bottom, frying cutlets and interacting with customers, and succeeded as a self-made man.

'Something is different, very different.'

In the Korean F&B industry, most are heirs who took over food companies after failing in succession battles.

Tae-jun Choi, CEO of Ilpum Korea, has taken a completely different path, which makes him a role model for an ordinary person like me.

'How did So-jeong hook such a big shot?'

Excitement.

I hurriedly walked back to the private room.

"Sorry, I had an urgent call."

The private room was in the middle of discussing Min-seok's cafe.

"Really, is Tae-jun going to take it over?"

"I decided to take it all, cleanly. Hahaha."

So, Tae-jun is taking it over after all.

You're really something.

"We have a new 2nd owner among us! Congratulations!"

"Min-seok did a great job setting it up, but I want to completely change it. Make it more sophisticated, more grand, more impressive!"

"Of course!"

I looked at Tae-jun Choi's face.

He was just nodding while listening to the story.

'He's deceiving us! A deceiver!'

He's probably the most knowledgeable person about the food industry and entrepreneurship within a 10km radius.

"Ha-ha."

But he just laughed and didn't say anything.

So-jeong was the same.

She seemed to be listening with interest, but her thoughts were probably along the lines of 'Good job, good job, keep it up.'

'You're a deceiver too! A deceiver couple! If you have a nephew, I'll call him Deceiver! Tae-deceiver!'

But they probably aren't trying to deceive us.

'There must be a reason.'

A few possibilities came to mind.

He might think the members would feel uncomfortable if they knew who he was.

Or, he might want to meet us as equals, without any titles.

I don't know the real reason, but I wanted to respect his thoughts.

I decided to treat Tae-jun Choi like an ordinary person.

'I'll deceive him too!'

It was beneficial for me too.

I don't really need to get valuable advice from Tae-jun.

"But it's funny, even I get nervous when I think about starting a business, despite owning a few buildings. Could this become a franchise someday? Hahaha!"

"I'm really curious too. How will Tae-jun run the cafe? I hope it goes well."

"By the way, I heard your husband also runs a small business?"

Tae-jun Choi lied without changing his expression.

"Ah, yes. I run a small one."

Small? Ilpum Korea?

You have big ambitions.

"What kind of business? Can you give me a business card?"

"I forgot to bring it today, but I'll definitely give it to you next time. I sell food."

"Ahem... Selling food is more like a trade, isn't it?"

"Ha-ha, you could say that."

"Ha-ha! Just kidding, just kidding!"

Oh, this is getting interesting.

Should I throw in a log?

I'm also curious.

I casually asked Tae-jun Choi.

"Did you hear where Min-seok's cafe is located?"

"Yes, it's on Mangridan-gil."

A polite and cautious answer.

But Tae-jun Choi's eyes were different.

Under the calm lake, a fire is burning.

Yes, someone who has reached this position can't just listen without pride or dignity.

Here comes the log.

"What's the key to the business district there? Since you're in the industry, do you have any advice for Tae-jun?"

Then.

"I'm not sure if this is something to discuss among coffee lovers, but there's a saying in our industry."

Tae-jun Choi threw a straight pitch.

"Advise someone you dislike to open a cafe."

Tae-jun had no choice but to swing the bat hard.

"What?"

"Going to a cafe to drink, enjoy, see, and hear is completely different from running one yourself."

"Damn."

I listened to Tae-jun Choi's words even more intently.

They were exactly what I needed to hear.

"But there are beginners who want to open a large, impressive cafe right from the start. They pour all their capital and effort into making it the biggest success of their lives, a one-time big hit. I understand that."

Isn't that Tae-jun?

Well, I wouldn't say I didn't feel that way.

"But such success stories are few and far between. Even those are often due to good luck and smooth sailing, and most don't last 3, 5, or 10 years."

"Have you ever run a cafe? I mean, have you experienced it yourself?"

"Ha-ha, from my memory, the closure rate of cafes within 3 years is about 40-50%."

Ah, I knew this too.

It's data I always included in franchise briefings.

Recently, it's even over 50%.

In Seoul, it's in the mid-50s.

But I didn't need to add that, so I stayed silent.

Tae-jun Choi continued calmly.

"From what I heard, Min-seok ran his cafe quite solidly. For a first-time business, that's very impressive."

"Thank you."

Min-seok, who had been listening, bowed his head.

Even if he didn't know who Tae-jun Choi was, he seemed to feel the weight of his words.

Tae-jun Choi turned his head and looked at Tae-jun again.

"Does a well-run cafe really need to be completely overhauled by a first-time business owner? It would be better to continue as it is and build up experience and expertise."

"No, I just got frustrated and had to say something. I own 9 buildings in the Sadang area. I've seen successful and failing stores more than once."

"Ah."

"I'm approaching it with a plan based on my experience, ahem."

Tae-jun! Show him your experience! He's on a different level, a different level!

If you're the King of Carp, then he's Gyarados!

...I wanted to shout but barely held it back with a laugh.

"Ha-ha, I see. I might have overstepped."

Tae-jun Choi casually brushed it off and picked up his water cup.

It was my turn to jump in.

I had a mountain of questions, but given the situation, I focused on the core.

"So, if it's not a takeover but a new start, and for a beginner, it's better to start with a small capital, right?"

Tae-jun Choi's eyebrows raised.

"Right. In business management, it's called 'Wucheng'... In simpler terms, you need a testing period. To see if this business suits you, what the essence of the business is, what challenges you'll face, and what expertise you need."

Ah.

Don't start big right away...

"As you build your own experience and expertise, there will come a time when you can expand. Or, if it's not working, it's better to quit early."

"What do you think about 5 or 6 pyeong stores?"

"Good for a cafe. If someone can't make a profit with a 5-6 pyeong store, how can they run a 20-30 pyeong store properly?"

My head buzzed.

'Right on the mark...'

Ugh, is this the quality of someone who went from a small shop in Dongmyo to a 700 billion won franchise?

How much is that building, how much did that three-story cafe cost? I suddenly felt embarrassed, having been fantasizing about it.

At the company, I only managed the surface things, with no direct business experience.

'I was just full of hot air.'

My complicated mind became clear.

Prioritize building my capabilities and depth.

"But don't you already know all this, Yu-won?"

"Huh?"

I looked at So-jeong, who was sitting right next to me, giggling.

You traitor!

"No, I handle store openings and quality control, so I don't know the big picture or the complex details. You don't make a car just to check it, right?"

"Ha-ha, you're honest."

"In that sense..."

I bowed to Tae-jun Choi.

"Can I call you 'Brother'?"

"Ha-ha!"

"Ha-ha-ha!"

So-jeong exaggeratedly shrugged and asked.

"If my husband is 'Brother,' what am I? 'Madam'?"

So-jeong was ignored, and I bowed to Tae-jun Choi.

"Brother! Please help me, a mere novice, grow into a proper adult!"

"Ah, Yu-won, I didn't see you that way. You're being too harsh on yourself."

"Wait, what, 'Sohan'?"

"Ha-ha!"

The meal was wrapped up nicely.

I had more questions, but I didn't want to make things awkward by uncovering what they were hiding.

We'll have another chance.

'Sohan? What is that? Ugh!'

The food I just ate almost came back up at the thought of that terrible nickname.

*

Before leaving the restaurant, I stopped by the restroom.

Click──

"Yu-won."

"Yes, Min-seok."

Why are you locking the bathroom door again, brother?

This brother is strange.

"There are a lot of people out there."

"Yes, what is it?"

"I'm just saying, when you asked about the cafe, it wasn't because you wanted to take it over, right?"

"No, not at all."

I'm not interested anymore.

"Good. I was a bit worried."

"Is the takeover almost finalized?"

"Yes, almost. I've finished talking with Tae-jun, and we just need to sign the contract."

I see.

"Did you talk about the auction too?"

"Yes, but he didn't seem too concerned. He said he could handle it all since he's an expert."

"Really?"

"It takes about 6 months to appraise the building and bid. He said we could prepare during that time."

6 months to bid? Noted.

"Surprising."

"Right? Instead, Tae-jun seemed more... how should I put it, desperate. Last time, he said he was doing it as a hobby."

Tae-jun is really serious about the cafe?

He'll be a good example to learn from.

"Then, are you going back to the countryside? With your wife?"

"Ah, our lease is almost up. We'll go and settle in, and then come back."

Min-seok's eyes darkened.

He's usually full of energy, but now...

"Where in the countryside?"

"Muongyeong."

"North Gyeongsang Province?"

"Yes."

"I'll visit you, brother."

I was already planning to visit my hometown, so I'll stop by on the way.

"Sure. I'm glad to see you doing well. Whether you invest or run a cafe, I hope you succeed."

"Of course!"

"Wow, confidence."

"You'll do even better when you come back. I'll help you with all my heart!"

"Ha-ha, that's reassuring."

Click──

Phew, the faculty room door opened.

"By the way, Yu-won."

"Yes?"

"When I opened the cafe, Chae-yeon was just a regular person like us. She didn't do SNS or anything."

"That's right."

"But now she's a celebrity. If you really start a cafe, ask her for help. I tried to ask her once but couldn't."

Hmm, I've been thinking about that too.

But where did she go?

*

I left the restaurant with Min-seok.

As is common with suburban Korean restaurants, everyone was exchanging greetings in the parking lot, which was decorated like a garden.

As soon as we stepped out, So-jeong quickly approached.

"Yu-won! Thanks for coming today! I'm glad I'm not alone."

"No, thanks to you, I had a great meal. That brother seems like a good person."

"Hehe, I have a good eye."

"You've been working hard at the broadcasting station, but now your luck has turned, So-jeong. Be happy!"

At that moment, Tae-jun Choi suddenly approached.

"Yu-won, it was nice meeting you."

"Brother! It was nice meeting you too!"

Tae-jun Choi looked