Chapter 7 : Business Strategy Division Meeting (2)
Business Strategy Division Meeting (2)
The executive vice president, Kim Sangho, who is also the division director of the Business Strategy Division, turned to look at me.
He was sitting right next to me.
"Division Director Hyunmin, since today is your first time attending, please don't feel too much pressure. Just take it slow, and think of it as an opportunity to get to know things."
"Thank you for your consideration."
I nodded slightly toward him.
If it hadn't been for what happened yesterday, I might have genuinely thought it was consideration.
I glanced at Kim Cheol-jin, the team leader of the Event & Performance Team.
He still looked pleasant, at least on the surface. But when our eyes met, he smirked at me with one side of his mouth.
Why does he come across as so sly?
Since it was a regular meeting, there weren't any special issues. It was mostly reporting on what had happened over the past two weeks.
No major issues had come up, likely because the vice CEO's policy was, "Let's not cause unnecessary trouble."
Kang Sangsu, the finance team leader who'd helped me yesterday, gave a presentation on sales and the deficit.
It was dismal.
However, no one's expression darkened.
Suddenly, the executive vice president clapped his hands to get everyone's attention.
"Even though the theme park's deficit is significant, now more than ever we need to stay positive and unite behind a shared purpose. Last month's sales at least improved compared to the month before."
The month before last was January... It's normal for theme parks to struggle with sales during winter.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
As if they don't know. It's something everyone is aware of, but they just let it slide.
"Let's all do our best to boost this month's sales. There's no need to worry too much. Headquarters trusts our Senior Executive Vice President immensely. Let's put our trust in the Senior Executive Vice President."
After that, we discussed ways to boost sales. The conclusion was to repeat what we did last year. No one objected.
Out of all the meetings I've attended in my career, this was the most peaceful but least productive.
Just as the meeting was about to end, Kim Cheol-jin, the Event & Performance Team Leader, raised his hand.
"Now that we have a new division director for the Reform Division—someone who was an outsider until recently—surely he must have a fresh perspective. Shouldn't we hear that? The division is even called the Reform Division."
Over 20 pairs of eyes zeroed in on me.
As a regular office worker, when such meetings occurred, I would only throw out ideas in my sphere of expertise at an appropriate level.
If it wasn't directly my area, I'd just take notes and never raise objections or questions.
That way, I wouldn't be bothered and I could avoid conflicts with others.
The executive vice president patted my shoulder and said,
"Come on. Division Director Hyunmin is still busy grasping the basics. How can we expect opinions already? Don't let it burden you—let's just go have dinner."
Telling me to just keep quiet.
But now, I can't do that.
"Expecting different results from repeating the same actions is wishful thinking."
With my words, the looks on people's faces changed dramatically.
Most of the managers, including the executive vice president, wore tired expressions. Only Kim Cheol-jin chuckled quietly.
"There is no way this quarter's sales will dramatically increase compared to the same period last year, is there?"
If I backed down now, I would be treated as just an inexperienced parachute who knows nothing about theme parks.
"See? He does have an opinion. As the head of the Reform Division, he's got a rebellious spirit. You would have been so disappointed if we'd closed the meeting without this."
The executive vice president glared at Kim Cheol-jin, and Kim Cheol-jin shut his mouth, though the corners of his lips kept twitching.
Fine, taking things further from here means most of the managers will dislike me.
The chairman's message came to mind.
[Chairman: Believe in yourself. And find people who believe in you.]
When I first received that message, I thought it was just empty words.
Now, I get it.
Here, I need to cause a stir.
I need to make my presence unforgettable.
For whom?
The team leaders?
No.
It's for the key staff members from each team who follow those team leaders.
Surely, there will be someone among them who resonates with my sincerity.
"We need to find the theme that will save Next Planet."
Most of the managers, including Kim Cheol-jin, sighed or shook their heads. Anyone can spout such words, was the implication.
Kim Cheol-jin mocked,
"So, what innovative and creative theme have you come up with, Division Director?"
"I haven't found it yet. But I will. That's what I'm here to do."
As Kim Cheol-jin was about to say something, I interjected first.
"To be honest, I don't know much about theme parks. I'm just a parachute with nothing but game company planning experience. But don't worry—I have no intention of picking themes like rock or heavy metal festivals."
For a moment, the division directors and some team leaders exchanged glances.
"I'm getting to know Next Planet seriously. I'm aware that Next Planet's circulation design is the best among domestic theme parks. But it's a shame. That circulation design can only shine if there are many visitors. Yet, there's no opportunity for it to be in the spotlight."
A buzz started up.
Because I brought up something a newcomer to the theme park would never know.
Now that I'd asserted myself, I began mentioning detailed elements of Next Planet.
Choi Hyena of the Business Strategy Team. I don't know who she is, but I'm truly grateful.
Besides chronicling the history of business failures, she wrote many reports, all of which were like treasures to me.
Someone raised their hand.
"I'm Lee Siwon, the team leader of the Business Strategy Team. I feel relieved to see how much you've studied, Division Director."
He was one of those, along with Kim Cheol-jin at the welcome party yesterday, who openly showed hostility toward me.
"But there's something I'm curious about. Why does Next Planet need a new theme? The theme is the identity of a theme park. In that sense, Next Planet already has a highly polished theme. Isn't it unreasonable to change it just because sales are low?"
It was a valid point, and a shrewd one.
Next Planet is decked out in headquarters' game IPs.
In other words, as a game theme park envisioned by headquarters, it does have a clear theme.
However, the person who designed that theme had shallow theme park experience, so it's hard to say they're organically connected.
Each section doesn't connect as one story.
The issue is that this is hard to point out. It's a field closer to intuition than logic, and you could call it abstract.
The team leader attacked me on that point.
"Other than Battle Fire, is there any IP from headquarters that is well-known even to non-gamers?"
So I brought up the one thing everyone knows but dare not mention.
"We are not Neentendo."
"No, Division Director, we know that very well... But wasn't the whole reason for building Next Planet to utilize headquarters' IP? We've always stayed true to that objective."
"Sorry, but I disagree."
"What do you mean...?"
"The reason Next Planet was built—leveraging headquarters' IP and boosting Nonsan's economy—those are the second- and third-most important reasons. They can never be the first."
"Then, what do you think the most important reason is?"
"To give as many visitors as possible a fantastic day."
The room suddenly fell silent.
They must think I'm being naïve. They probably see me as someone who can only talk theory and can't handle reality.
So I raised my voice.
"To create a single theme beloved by many, I plan to eliminate all headquarters' IPs from the theme park—except Battle Fire."
The meeting room erupted.
"That's absurd."
"Can he even do that?"
"Damn... wow... I'm speechless."
Even staff below manager level, who had remained silent so far, started to speak up. I waited for them to calm down.
I glanced at the calm-looking woman sitting next to the Business Strategy Team Leader.
Could she be Choi Hyena?
Her reports didn't just organize information well; they had excellent insight.
Any team would covet such talent. She must be a core figure.
The executive vice president, looking pale, spoke.
"Division Director Hyunmin, did you get the chairman's approval for that?"
"I haven't gotten explicit approval."
"So you just throw that out there? I doubt the chairman will just let that slide."
"That doesn't matter to me. I'm just doing what I need to do."
The executive vice president half-opened his mouth but couldn't continue.
I alternated my gaze between the Event & Performance Team Leader and the Business Strategy Team Leader as I spoke.
"Oh! I'll be setting a principle too. The reason I mentioned for Next Planet's existence earlier—anything that violates that will be scrapped."
The team leaders of Event & Performance and Business Strategy frowned and avoided my gaze.
"HR team leader, please post an internal announcement. Say that I'm looking for people to help me find a new theme for Next Planet."
***
A meeting was called in the Business Strategy Team.
Choi Hyena was puzzled. There wasn't a meeting scheduled today, and it was almost quitting time.
'Seriously, why is a team leader who loves leaving on time acting like this?'
The Business Strategy Team is a core department, with 11 members including team leader Lee Siwon.
All of the members take pride in being key staff at the theme park.
But as Choi Hyena saw it, her assessment of the members was this:
A bunch of overpaid slackers with nothing but pride who lounge around during work hours.
Team leader Lee Siwon spoke grimly, clearly angry.
"Listen up, everyone. You know that new parachute division director."
Parachute division director.
The company had been abuzz with talk of him yesterday.
After all, who likes parachutes being brought in?
"They say the new division director is in his early 30s. Is he the chairman's relative?"
Some employees let their imaginations run wild with this fresh rumor. It was soon revealed he wasn't a relative, though.
Choi Hyena remained mostly indifferent. No, cynical.
'How is this company so full of parachutes? Old parachute, middle-aged parachute, now the youngest parachute ever. Is this even a company? Seriously.'
Sitting at the far end of the conference room, she watched the team leader rant as if watching a distant wildfire.
"Don't get swept up by his ridiculous, absurd ideas. Just do your own job and keep your focus, okay?"
He put it diplomatically, but the message was clear: absolutely do not help the new division director.
In other words, ostracize him.
"I'll be keeping a close watch."
He didn't forget to add a subtle threat.
Choi Hyena was speechless.
'Is this even a meeting? He called everyone just to say that? He's a parachute himself, anyway...'
She shook her head.
'Forget it. Don't care. None of this has anything to do with me anymore.'
Neither the team leader nor the members paid any attention to her. It was like she didn't exist.
After the meeting, she returned to her desk. As she was getting ready to leave, a message popped up in the company messenger.
[Lee Hyunmin: If you have time, I'd like to meet with you.]
She hastily closed the messenger window so no one else would see.
'What the...? Why does the youngest parachute want to see me?'
She spent a long time thinking about how to reply.
She glanced at the empty seats of the team leader and team members, who had left without saying goodbye to her.
[Me: I'm busy. I have to go home, so please don't bother me.]
On her way home, she gazed at the evening sky.
'I need to move back to Seoul. Now that I'm unemployed, what am I going to do...? Mom and Dad are going to be furious, aren't they?'
Then, another message arrived.
[Lee Hyunmin: Even if it's tomorrow, I'd really like to meet and talk with you.]