New Employee Kim Chul-soo

Chapter 13

“You!”

At Choi Kyung-hoon’s words, Park Soo-ho from Sales Team 1, who was giving the presentation, became tense and answered.

“Yes, Chairman-nim.”

“Exercise a bit. What is that body? How can you have a bigger belly than the executives behind you? Someone might think you’re a Managing Director.”

At those words, laughter erupted from among the executives.

Park Soo-ho, his face flushed, repeatedly bowed his head and said.

“I will exercise diligently, Chairman-nim.”

“Good. It would be troublesome if you suddenly collapsed while working. The company would have to handle the expenses, but we can’t lose a competent employee like you who gives such good presentations.”

At the word “competent,” Park Soo-ho’s face brightened.

“Thank you. I will definitely lose weight.”

“Yes. These new employees are all good at presenting? I thought they’d be nervous with me here, but this is unexpected? I like it very much. However, the presentation is good, but the content is a bit…… It just doesn’t stick in my head. It feels like someone who doesn’t know much about the work just skimmed the surface, and the proposed improvement plan doesn’t resonate? What do you think, presenter?”

At those words, Park Soo-ho’s face fell, but he racked his brains and gave an excuse that wasn’t really an excuse.

“It’s only been two months since I started working, so there are things I haven’t grasped yet. But……”

Choi Kyung-hoon cut Park Soo-ho off and called CEO Yoo Ji-hoon.

“Tsk tsk tsk. CEO Yoo!”

“Yes, Chairman-nim.”

“That new employee got paid this month, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“The company paying a salary means they should be working, so what’s the point if they still haven’t grasped the work?”

“I apologize, Chairman-nim.”

At Choi Kyung-hoon’s words, a silence fell over the auditorium.

Park Soo-ho was so frozen in fear that he might as well have fainted.

“Presenter. You’re from the sales team, right?”

“Yes, Chairman-nim.”

“Are you going to tell clients that you haven’t grasped things yet?”

Park Soo-ho felt like crying right there on the spot.

“N-no, Chairman-nim. I will correct it.”

“Correct what, you punk?”

“I apologize.”

“Ah, what are you apologizing for…… You have no guts for a man.”

As Choi Kyung-hoon glared at Park Soo-ho and leaned back in his chair, the executives’ sharp questions began to fly. Park Soo-ho, completely torn to shreds, sat down with his head bowed.

The presentation continued in a cold atmosphere until Hwang Dae-hoon from the HR team finished his presentation.

Unlike his previous posture of simply watching with arms crossed, Choi Kyung-hoon had been paying close attention.

“HR team, you said?”

“Yes, Chairman-nim.”

“Did you really make that?”

Remembering Park Soo-ho’s dressing down, Hwang Dae-hoon answered with enough energy to shake the auditorium.

“Yes, Chairman-nim.”

Choi Kyung-hoon wrote something in the notebook in front of him and turned around, saying.

“Ask any questions you have.”

The executives, noticing that Chairman Choi Kyung-hoon was very pleased with the presentation, gently asked what they were curious about.

“Amazing. If a job rotation system is completed in that way, it will be able to significantly enhance the capabilities of the sales team.”

Choi Young-joon nodded his head in admiration, and Yoo Ji-hoon also replied with satisfaction.

“Not only that, but it would also break down the invisible walls between the sales teams. If someone resigns, immediate support can be provided.”

“Yes, CEO Yoo is correct.”

‘He deserves to be ranked first in the overall recruitment score. That friend. The game is over, there won’t be any reversal.’

Yoo Ji-hoon watched Hwang Dae-hoon answering the questions with a pleased look, and Choi Young-joon looked at Kim Chul-soo, who was waiting for his turn as the last presenter, and thought.

‘Does that mean his topic is even better than that one, enough to give up on such a topic?’

Hwang Dae-hoon’s presentation ended successfully, and the last presenter, Kim Chul-soo, stood up.

Choi Kyung-hoon asked the chief secretary sitting next to him.

“Is that the one? Choi Young-joon’s pick?”

“Yes, Chairman-nim.”

“He has a good physique, like that guy.”

Choi Kyung-hoon said so and leaned back in his seat with his arms crossed.

Kim Chul-soo thought as he walked towards the podium.

’18 years ago, the chairman also came to this event and gave me a certain order.’

Yes! You did a perfect job.

The presentation screen was displayed.

━Reconsideration of business model for general trading company according to internet development.

Looking at the title, Choi Kyung-hoon opened his mouth.

“The title is quite grand. Does the presenter accurately understand the content and present it?”

One of the important things Kim Chul-soo did at the company was to gather information about Chairman Choi Kyung-hoon.

He meticulously and thoroughly investigated and collected information on what kind of conversations he liked, how he handled work, what decisions he had made, and what remarks he had made.

“Yes, Chairman-nim. The content is as grand as the title.”

At Kim Chul-soo’s retort, Choi Kyung-hoon chuckled and said.

“Haha. You’re an interesting employee. So, did you make this yourself?”

“Yes, Chairman-nim.”

The people around them looked at Choi Kyung-hoon nervously, and Ahn Jeong-gyu, in particular, was unconsciously fidgeting with his knees.

‘Why is he suddenly targeting Chul-soo?’

Yoo Ji-hoon had a subtle smile on his lips, and Choi Young-joon’s face hardened slightly.

“I see. So, what do you think is the most important virtue a salesman should have?”

Choi Kyung-hoon asked, and Kim Chul-soo organized his thoughts for a moment before answering.

“The words that come out of a salesman’s mouth are promises themselves. A salesman’s words are a letter of credit in themselves. Therefore, I think they need to be good with words.”

Choi Kyung-hoon nodded and said.

“Well, that’s not wrong. In what language do they speak those words?”

“In the case of international trade, most communication is done in English.”

“Right! You know well. I really dislike salesmen who can’t speak English fluently.”

Choi Kyung-hoon said, widening his eyes.

“So, can you give your presentation in English?”

Even if the training team set the rules, the highest authority in the company was the chairman.

The chairman’s words became law and regulations.

This was not a choice, but pressure to proceed in English.

Hearing the gasp of surprise from Managing Director Choi Young-joon next to him, CEO Yoo Ji-hoon smiled.

‘It’s over.’

Assistant Manager Ahn Jeong-gyu grabbed his head with both hands and quietly buried it in the desk.

‘This is too much! Chairman-nim!’

Watching from afar, Park Joon-hyung’s face was filled with a smile.

‘What’s the use of making a good presentation if you can’t speak English?’

Kim Chul-soo quietly met Chairman Choi Kyung-hoon’s gaze.

This was the reason why Kim Chul-soo came last 18 years ago.

The chairman’s order to give the presentation in English, only to him.

He must have heard from somewhere that his English skills weren’t good.

For an overseas salesman who had to achieve immediate results, not being able to speak English was naturally unacceptable to Choi Kyung-hoon.

He had lived like a lone wolf, but because of this incident, his promotions were always slow, and he gritted his teeth.

Kim Chul-soo briefly looked around.

Most were shaking their heads.

Taking a deep breath, Kim Chul-soo looked at Choi Kyung-hoon again.

“Understood, Chairman-nim.”

A sigh of disappointment came from somewhere.

Kim Chul-soo knew it was Assistant Manager Ahn Jeong-gyu without even having to look.

‘That idiot. Why didn’t he refuse! He just accepted it. Argh!’

‘Good. You said the words that come out of a salesman’s mouth are promises themselves, right? Show us, as a representative of the new employees, how well you can speak English. There’s no one here who can’t understand English, right?’

Choi Kyung-hoon asked, turning around, and everyone answered loudly.

“No, sir.”

“Good.”

Kim Chul-soo turned to look at the screen and then turned back again.

“Then, I’ll change the presentation materials for a moment.”

At those words, everyone’s eyes turned to Kim Chul-soo.

‘Change the materials? What does he mean?’

Kim Chul-soo opened the second file from the USB drive plugged into his laptop.

━Reconsideration of business model for general trading company according to internet development

Choi Kyung-hoon looked at Kim Chul-soo with a slightly surprised expression, as if he hadn’t imagined an English version of the presentation, and then straightened his back, which had been leaning against the chair.

‘Look at this guy?’

Ahn Jeong-gyu, almost in despair, looked at Kim Chul-soo with a dumbfounded expression.

‘That guy. When did he make that?’

Everyone except for two people showed great curiosity about Kim Chul-soo’s English presentation materials.

CEO Yoo Ji-hoon frowned slightly, feeling like something was going wrong.

‘What is this? I feel uneasy.’

Kim Chul-soo stood tall in front of the podium, looked at the people, and bowed politely.

This was a competition for new employees.

He could show off his skills without hesitation.

‘Let’s do this.’

Kim Chul-soo began to speak fluently in English.

“I am Kim Chul-soo from Sales Team 5. Now, I will begin my presentation on my topic.”

With just one sentence, everyone except Choi Kyung-hoon had a shocked expression on their faces.

It was not the pronunciation of a Korean, but that of a native speaker.

Choi Kyung-hoon glared at the chief secretary sitting next to him and listened attentively to Kim Chul-soo’s presentation.

The concept of a general trading company was a unique business model that only existed in Japan and Korea.

These people, called “Sangsa-men,” traveled all over the world to discover and trade business items, but with the development of the internet, they could access all the information with just a few clicks of the keyboard, without having to travel the world.

In an era where overseas resident representatives sent daily special reports and real-time exchange rates and physical transaction prices could be seen on monitors, the outdated business model needed to change. However, most companies were slow to adapt, resulting in significant losses or even closures.

After about 10 minutes of presentation, people just stared at Kim Chul-soo with dumbfounded expressions.

Only Choi Kyung-hoon nodded his head and began to clap with a satisfied expression.

As the chairman’s applause began, it soon turned into a round of applause from everyone.

The sound of applause filled the auditorium.

It was the first time applause had been heard since the presentation began.

The new employees stared at Kim Chul-soo with disbelief.

However, Jang Yoo-mi nodded her head and clapped.

‘As expected, he was hiding his skills. To give a presentation in English so fluently without a single stutter. It wouldn’t be strange to say he’s the best English speaker in this auditorium.’

Ahn Jeong-gyu’s heart was pounding so hard that he needed some Cheongsimhwan right away.

‘Kim Chul-soo, you rascal! You hid such skills? Let’s talk later. Oh, my heart!’

Choi Young-joon clapped with a wide smile, and CEO Yoo Ji-hoon’s face was contorted in displeasure.

‘Manager Park Joon-hyung. I’m disappointed. What was the HR team doing to treat such a talent like an idiot?’

Park Joon-hyung trembled, gripping his desk.

‘What happened! How could this be! What on earth is going on!’

The applause subsided shortly after Choi Kyung-hoon stopped clapping.

“What’s the presenter’s name?”

“It’s Kim Chul-soo.”

“Good! You did a perfect job. I heard that the new employees this year are very skilled, and they certainly are. With this level of language skills, you can do anything. Don’t you think so?”

Choi Kyung-hoon asked, looking back, and everyone answered loudly.

“Yes, Chairman-nim.”

Choi Kyung-hoon looked at Kim Chul-soo with a very pleased expression and said.

“Let’s speak Korean from now on.”

“Yes, Chairman-nim.”

“Regarding the presentation, can you give a specific example of project organizing as a new business model?”

“Yes, Chairman-nim. A representative example would be winning a bid for new city development. Previously, large construction companies led the bidding for new city development, but it can be considered more suitable for general trading companies equipped with logistics and financing systems. With construction companies, civil engineering companies, electrical companies……”

Kim Chul-soo explained in detail, and Choi Kyung-hoon nodded, as if he understood quickly.

“Indeed, there hasn’t been a case of a general trading company using new city development bids as a business model. The same goes for resource development. In an era where the internet allows us to access all the information in the world with a few clicks in front of a monitor, the practice of salesmen carrying bags and physically canvassing will disappear. Those are truly piercing words.”

Choi Kyung-hoon wrote something in the notebook in front of him and leaned back in his chair.

“Ask any questions you have.”

After about 5 minutes of questions and answers, the presentation concluded, and Choi Kyung-hoon stood up.

“CEO Yoo.”

“Yes, Chairman-nim.”

“I’ll be upstairs, so come up when you’re done. There seem to be some issues raised today that require urgent management discussion.”

“Understood, Chairman-nim.”

After Chairman Choi Kyung-hoon left, Assistant Manager Cha Soo-young stood in front of the podium and concluded the presentation.

The new employees stood to one side and waited, shaking hands with the passing executives and employees.

They shook hands with Kim Chul-soo, who had caught Chairman Choi Kyung-hoon’s eye with his unexpected performance, for a long time.

After they all left, Assistant Manager Ahn Jeong-gyu stood in front of Kim Chul-soo.

“Team Leader-nim.”

However, Ahn Jeong-gyu didn’t answer and grabbed Kim Chul-soo’s ear.

“You rascal! Come with me!”

“Ouch, ouch…… Assistant Manager-nim.”

“You punk! If you had such skills, why didn’t you tell me sooner? You almost made my heart stop!”

“Ouch, ouch…… Assistant Manager-nim. It really hurts.”

At the words “it really hurts,” Ahn Jeong-gyu let go of his ear.

Then he hugged Kim Chul-soo and rejoiced like a child.

“Oh! My boy! My precious boy!”