The Overly Competent Junior Employee

“Ah, I’m even scared to open my stock app these days.”

The hottest topic during office workers’ lunch breaks was stock talk.

It had become a reality that one couldn’t buy a place to call home within Seoul’s four gates with just a salary earned from work alone.

Now, everyone was telling others not to just hold onto money but to grow it, and people were easily exposed to such ideas through YouTube and social media.

“I know, right? Just yesterday, my entire paycheck was erased.”

The global stock market had been particularly unfavorable lately.

War, supply shortages, rising logistics costs leading to increases in raw materials and prices. As the era of fiscal tightening arrived to escape these issues, money was flowing out of the stock market, a risky asset.

“As if things weren’t bad enough, the crypto situation poured oil on the fire.”

The recent crypto market crash due to a major incident was dampening investment sentiment across various risky assets.

This had spilled over into the stock market, with rumors circulating that new money wasn’t entering the stock market.

“By the way, Oh Se-jung-ssi must be happy.”

At her senior colleague’s voice, Oh Se-jung, who had been eating quietly at the end of the table, looked up.

“Pardon?”

“I’m talking about Yuseong Semiconductor.”

In this difficult market, there was one shining stock. It was Yuseong Semiconductor, which had recently supplied 5G communication equipment to the United States.

Not stopping there, reports from securities firms were pouring in, expecting supply contracts to Japan and Europe as well. With stable regular dividends and large special dividends, its stock price was rising as it appealed as an attractive stock during this inflationary period.

“Didn’t you say you were going to sell it a while ago? You didn’t sell?”

Someone who had been listening to Oh Se-jung’s conversation with others asked, and Oh Se-jung nodded with a smile.

“I was going to sell, but…”

“You didn’t sell?”

“No, I was about to sell at a loss, but then I heard there would be good news soon.”

“Good news?”

“Yes… from YouTube…”

“Come on, Oh Se-jung-ssi, you need to stop watching YouTube.”

The senior colleagues chuckled at Oh Se-jung’s words.

“I don’t watch much these days! But you know, that mock investment competition.”

“Ah, Yuseong Investment Securities? I’ve been hearing about that everywhere lately.”

“Yes, yes, haven’t you seen it?”

“I’ve been meaning to watch it, but haven’t gotten around to it. Why? Did they say not to sell?”

“They didn’t exactly say not to sell, but one of the participants spoke favorably about Yuseong Semiconductor. I was convinced by his words.”

The senior colleagues laughed again at Oh Se-jung’s words. Anyone could see that Oh Se-jung was the epitome of a stock market newbie.

“What did that person say, it’s not like they’re anyone special…”

“Well, you know that incident you mentioned before, sunbae-nim… the order mistake?”

“Ah, the fat finger? Was it Misung Technology?”

“That’s right! The fat finger incident. They say this person figured it out in just 30 minutes and told his client to buy it.”

“Really?”

“Yes, and when everyone was saying Hanseong Shipbuilding was good, this person said it didn’t seem right and sold it. The stock actually fell the very day he sold.”

The senior colleagues looked surprised at Oh Se-jung’s words. Oh Se-jung might have been exaggerating, but just hearing about it made the person sound like they could predict the future.

“So did that person tell you to hold onto Yuseong Semiconductor?”

“He didn’t say it exactly like that. He just analyzed Yuseong Semiconductor.”

“And you were convinced by that?”

“Yes. At that time, I needed to hear those kinds of words.”

“Come on, didn’t you just need to hear something nice?”

At her senior’s words, Oh Se-jung started to feel a bit upset but tried not to let it bother her.

After all, the Yuseong Semiconductor stock in her account had already recovered its initial investment.

“So, Oh Se-jung-ssi, are you planning to keep holding Yuseong Semiconductor?”

“No. I sold it this morning. I made a small profit above my initial investment.”

“Why? Didn’t you say the outlook was so good?”

“I think I’m not cut out for stocks. Instead, I’m going to entrust my investments to a professional.”

Oh Se-jung, who had always shrunk back whenever stock talk came up during meals, was nowhere to be seen today. Instead, she had a lively look on her face.

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“How have you been doing lately?”

The man sitting in the center of the office smiled gently at the question from the man filming him with a camera.

It had only been a week, but the man asked as if they hadn’t seen each other for a long time.

“I’ve had a very enjoyable vacation.”

“An enjoyable vacation?”

“Yes, it was nice to get away from work for a while, analyze some stocks I like, study, and just enjoy myself.”

The interviewer looked as if he had misheard the interviewee’s answer.

“I hope the vacation I know isn’t different from the vacation our Yoon Dokyung-ssi knows?”

“Pardon?”

“I mean, a vacation is usually about resting, going on trips…”

“Yes, I did go on a trip too.”

The interviewer was Lee Seong-hyun, an assistant manager in Yuseong Investment Securities’ PR team, and Dokyung sitting in front of him seemed more and more fascinating the more he looked at him.

“That’s good to hear.”

“These days, I’ve been keeping an eye on the distribution sector. Lee Yeon-ji-sunbae, who participated in the competition with me, is in charge of distribution at the Research Center, so I was wondering what the atmosphere is like…”

“No, I mean. So even your trip was for market research?”

“Well, yes… It’s something I can only do during vacation.”

Lee Seong-hyun shook his head as if he was dumbfounded. Yoon Dokyung was indeed obsessed with stocks.

The more they talked, the more it became clear that his perspective on the market and his study of companies weren’t just created out of thin air.

He was someone who enjoyed stocks themselves, as if working in the securities industry was his true calling.

“Alright. It’s very different from the vacation I know, but I guess that’s why you won.”

Lee Seong-hyun looked at Dokyung, who was smiling gently as if admitting defeat.

“Has anything changed since your victory?”

“Hmm… I think my position has changed.”

“Come to think of it, it looks like you’ve bought new clothes too.”

“Ah, yes. A sunbae gave me a gift certificate once… And the company paid out the prize money quite quickly.”

The winner of the mock investment competition had a prize of 10 million won at stake. The company had quickly deposited the prize money after deducting taxes.

Dokyung had used that money to buy a new suit.

“And there’s a badge on your lapel. I haven’t seen that badge before.”

At Lee Seong-hyun’s words, Dokyung’s face flushed as if he couldn’t hide his pride.

“This badge… is given to employees who can directly engage in trading, like fund managers and PBs at Yuseong Investment Securities. It’s the company logo.”

Yuseong Investment Securities awarded badges to employees who had frequent external contact, such as fund managers, PBs, and analysts in the Research Center, as a reminder that they were the face of the company.

Of course, some employees felt constrained by this badge, but for Dokyung, it was a symbol of pride.

He had vowed to always wear this badge on his lapel.

“Good. After last week’s final episode was released, viewers have been curious about what position you chose, Dokyung-ssi.”

The final episode ended with the scene of Dokyung winning and receiving his award.

As the episodes progressed, Dokyung’s performance and the reason he participated in the competition—for a job transfer—were emphasized, making everyone curious about Dokyung’s choice.

Today, Lee Seong-hyun had come to see Dokyung to prepare a special episode.

“I should introduce myself again.”

Saying this, Dokyung stood up and bowed.

“I am Yoon Dokyung, PB at Yuseong Investment Securities Seongnam Branch.”

Dokyung had chosen to transfer to a PB position in his conversation with Sim Ju-won.

Of the two envelopes Sim Ju-won had handed him that day, one was for a PB transfer and the other for a fund manager transfer.

-Won’t you regret it?

Everyone thought Dokyung would transfer to become a fund manager. After all, Dokyung had said from the beginning that his dream was to become a world-class fund manager.

However, Dokyung chose to gain experience to move towards that goal.

At first glance, PBs and fund managers seemed to do the same job in terms of handling clients’ money, but upon closer inspection, they were different.

While fund managers created funds by sector or country, putting their own or the company’s name on the line to receive investments from clients, PBs at each branch were entrusted with clients’ securities accounts to create and manage portfolios according to the clients’ preferences.

-No, I won’t regret it.

In his conversation with Sim Ju-won, Dokyung said he wouldn’t regret it.

If Dokyung had chosen to become a fund manager now, it was obvious that he would end up joining another fund manager’s team to assist them.

-I also thought it was right for you to start as a PB.

And Sim Ju-won’s thoughts aligned with Dokyung’s.

He believed it was important for Dokyung to build experience and performance in managing client money and investing in the real market as a PB.

It was like how even a very promising young soccer player is made to play in youth teams at each level before slowly moving up to the adult level.

“That’s surprising. I thought you’d want to be a fund manager.”

“I still prefer to meet clients directly in the field.”

This was the biggest difference between fund managers and PBs.

While fund managers met clients through quarterly fund management reports, PBs could talk to clients daily at the actual branch.

Dokyung thought he should increase his value working as a PB at this Seongnam branch.

If academic background and other factors weren’t impressive in this industry, Dokyung saw data based on performance as the greatest weapon he could have.

“So now can Yoon Dokyung-ssi also attract client investments?”

“I’m still in the training period, so… it will probably be possible in about a month. As a junior PB, the investment amount I can handle is small, but I am a PB after all.”

There were various products managed by branch PBs. Products managed by famous PBs started with a minimum investment of 100 million won, and on average, PB services could be received with a minimum of 30 million won invested for at least one year.

The product Dokyung was currently selling required a minimum of 10 million won invested for at least one year.

“Then it might be good to appeal to potential clients through this video. Along with your final greetings.”

Lee Seong-hyun spoke to Dokyung as if giving him an opportunity, and Dokyung nodded and looked at the camera.

“Hello, YouTube subscribers and viewers. This is Yoon Dokyung, who has received more love than I deserve from you all.”

Dokyung caught his breath and continued.

“Entrusting one’s assets to someone else is not an easy decision. I am well aware of the weight of that decision.”

Trust was the most important thing between a PB and a client. As a newly transferred PB, Dokyung hadn’t yet built trust with clients.

He wanted to appeal to that point.

“I will continuously study to understand what kind of investment tendencies our clients have, and I’ll be there to assist with your investments. I will strive to be a support that can help improve your insight right by your side. Thank you for loving me during the competition period.”

As Dokyung bowed his head in greeting, Lee Seong-hyun nodded and stopped the video recording.

“Yoon Dokyung-ssi, thank you.”

As Lee Seong-hyun said this and approached, Dokyung looked puzzled.

“Thanks to you, our YouTube channel now has 40,000 subscribers.”

“That’s a big growth, isn’t it?”

“Of course, we originally had 10,000 subscribers, but during the competition period, we gained 30,000 more. Word of mouth is still spreading, so the views on the competition videos keep increasing and we’re still gaining subscribers.”

Lee Seong-hyun had recently escaped the scrutiny of higher-ups who had been threatening his position.

With the success of the project, various teams were now approaching him, asking for their videos to be uploaded to YouTube.

“Congratulations, Manager.”

“Come on, it’s all thanks to you. If I contact you again, will you come out as a firefighter?”

“Yes, it’s beneficial for me too. Please do contact me.”

Saying this, Dokyung took out his business card holder from his jacket’s inner pocket and handed a card to Lee Seong-hyun.

“This is the first one I’m giving out.”

“Ah! Then I’m the first recipient of your card. Wow. It’s impressive. PB Yoon Dokyung.”

Dokyung smiled brightly at Lee Seong-hyun’s words.

“If you need asset management, please contact me, Manager-nim.”

“Oh? Now that you’re a PB, right? You’re already trying to sell to me.”

Dokyung and Lee Seong-hyun looked at each other and laughed heartily.

“Well then, take care. See you again.”

“Yes, Manager. Please get home safely.”

At Dokyung’s farewell, Lee Seong-hyun and the PR team staff bowed slightly and left Dokyung’s room.

As the whirlwind-like interview passed, Dokyung took a deep breath and looked around the room.

“It’s still quite empty.”

As it was a newly prepared room, there was still a lot of equipment to be brought in. The bookshelves were partially empty, and Dokyung resolved to fill those spaces as he studied in the future.

[Private Banker Yoon Dokyung]

Dokyung looked at the small nameplate on his desk. It wasn’t flashy, and it was a simple nameplate that reflected his current position, but he had studied fiercely to obtain this nameplate.

“This is just the beginning.”

Dokyung didn’t think this position was the end.

Looking up, there were still many places to climb, and these challenges had always stimulated his sense of ambition.

Dokyung sat down, vowing to climb steadily towards his final destination, just as he had done so far.

“Let’s start with what we can do.”

Dokyung muttered softly to himself and began to assess today’s market.