Head throbbing.
Every meeting, the headache comes, but today is more unbearable than ever. Dealing with Japanese clients is the worst job.
“Why on earth is the client rejecting our components? We passed the mass production qualification without any problems.” [CEO Kim]
CEO Kim Dong-man angrily pounded his desk.
It’s a natural reaction, as a single misstep could cost billions of won.
Semiconductor components are very difficult to repurpose for other products.
That means if the sales channels are blocked, the expensive chips and boards will have to be thrown away. Even for a sturdy mid-sized company like Dong-man Semiconductors, it’s difficult to withstand billions of won in losses at once.
“The Hitomi client said that the rated voltage of our refrigerator controller is the problem.” [Manager Cho]
“Rated voltage? What’s the issue?” [CEO Kim]
“Currently, it operates at 4.5V, but it needs to be compatible with 5V as well.” [Manager Cho]
“Compatible?” [CEO Kim]
“In Japan, the power frequency is different between East Japan and West Japan. If a 4.5V product is used in West Japan, an overcurrent may flow, causing malfunction. Please have the development team make it compatible with 5V as well.” [Manager Cho]
Sales Manager Cho spoke as if it were a problem of the development team, and CEO Kim glared at me.
It seemed like he was asking why we didn’t consider this in the design earlier.
‘We have to change the design now? This project is doomed.’ [MC inner thought]
A bitter laugh escaped me. I could clearly see how this project would turn out. Suddenly, everything felt so tiresome.
“It’s impossible to change the specifications at this point. To make it compatible with both voltage ratings, we’d have to redesign the chip circuitry from scratch. That would be equivalent to throwing away the chips and boards that were already waiting for delivery.” [MC]
In such cases, it is a thousand times easier to modify the refrigerator temperature control software than to change the component design.
Insisting on changing the physical component specs when there is an easy solution means they don’t want to do business with our company.
“Why did we have to go ahead with pre-production… This is…” [CEO Kim]
“Wasn’t it the sales team that requested pre-production?” [MC]
“When did our team ever make such a request?” [Manager Cho]
Manager Cho pursed his lips and glared at me.
His attitude was quite different from when he had been excited about the jackpot opportunity last year when a Japanese domestic refrigerator component company, Encar Semiconductors, had burned down due to a fire.
As the qualification process progressed, the sales team requested pre-production, saying that we should seize the opportunity. Of course, I was the one who reviewed production, and the CEO approved it.
The sales manager was always conveniently out of the loop. It’s tiresome.
“What’s the point of fighting now? How can we change the product specs now? We have to proceed with mass production while making running changes. Manager Cho, you have to persuade the client like this. That’s the only way.” [CEO Kim]
CEO Kim’s tone had gradually softened.
It was as if he was speaking in front of a Japanese client.
He never would have imagined that the export deal he had secured by personally traveling to Japan and entertaining them with room salons and golf would turn sour like this.
“Uh… The thing is… Encar Semiconductors has completed their factory recovery and submitted a product compatible with both 5V and 4.5V. There’s a rumor that the owner of Hitomi Corporation has ordered mass production with that component…” [Manager Cho]
“What… What? They’re changing suppliers even after we passed the mass production qualification with Hitomi Corporation?” [CEO Kim]
Such a move was unprecedented. Adapting the dual rated voltage was merely an excuse to switch suppliers.
“It’s true that Encar Semiconductors has better technology than us…” [Manager Cho]
Bang!
“Shut up… Don’t talk nonsense…” [MC]
I couldn’t bear listening to Sales Manager Cho. I felt like I was going to throw up.
Despite Dong-man Semiconductors being a recognized leader in semiconductor technology, we were still seen as a mere copycat by the Japanese.
People like Sales Manager Cho, who don’t even know what a semiconductor is or how it’s made, judge us like that. Disgusting.
“Manager Park!” [CEO Kim]
“Mr. Kim Dong-man, how can we do business with such a mindset? We might as well subcontract to another company.” [MC]
“Manager Park!” [Manager Cho]
“Study if you’re the head of the sales team! To accommodate both rated voltages, the number of external terminals on the semiconductor needs to change. That means Hitomi Corporation must scrap their already produced refrigerator boards, and they’re willing to take such a huge loss for Encar Semiconductors! This isn’t normal business! No matter what we do, we can’t break into their connection!” [MC]
“!!!!!”
Japanese companies have long been dominated by old-fashioned people who have infinite trust in the Japanese components they’ve always used. It’s useless to push our excellent microcontrollers.
Japanese developers are merely slaves who create excuses like this, unable to argue against management decisions.
“Manager Park… is there really no way?” [CEO Kim]
“No, Mr. Kim Dong-man.” [MC]
There might be, but I don’t want to think about it anymore.
“Think about it. Manager Park, you can do it.” [CEO Kim]
“Mr. Kim Dong-man…” [MC]
“I can’t give you much time. I’ll fly to Japan myself next week.” [CEO Kim]
Flying there wouldn’t even guarantee a meeting.
You’d be quarantined because of COVID, and even after requesting a meeting post-quarantine, they’d stall using COVID as an excuse. This COVID situation is a universal excuse that can be used anywhere.
“……”
My response didn’t matter in that meeting. I just had to be satisfied with escaping the tiresome conference room. So tedious.
“Tsk, acting all smart just because you learned a little…” [Manager Cho]
“Manager Cho!” [CEO Kim]
“Hmm…” [Manager Cho]
I ignored Manager Cho’s muffled words that slipped through the door gap. There was no point in going back to argue.
‘It’s so tiring… truly exhausting…’
I knew why the sales manager could be so confident in front of the president. His salesmanship might not be unparalleled in the industry, but his corporate investment skills were the exact opposite.
He made profits by buying and selling various properties, including factory sites, under the company’s name, transformed production facilities into research facilities for tax exemption, inflated sales performance through dumping in the Chinese market, and used that record to pull in bank loans. The money earned through a mix of illegal and legal means was enormous.
From the president’s perspective, he was an indispensable asset.
He brought in money and held on tightly to evidence of illegal activities. That guy would eventually be promoted to vice president of the company and live well until retirement.
Sigh.
Returning to the office and sitting at my desk, my team members looked at me with weary eyes. They weren’t worried about the stress I was under; they were wondering what new task I had brought back this time.
This, too, was tiresome.
I had to provide solutions to technical problems that were reported to me.
Years of repetition left only passive engineers in the development team, who would only do as they were told. There was no sign of enthusiasm. The company was bound to lose its growth momentum with a team like this.
If I had known a bit sooner that the company was growing through investments rather than technology, I would have changed jobs.
By the time I came to my senses, I had already poured my youth into this place.
‘Whose fault is it… I should’ve invested in real estate too…’
In fact, I envied the sales manager. Hadn’t he bought dozens of apartments under the company’s name as employee dormitories, and then taken one as a bonus?
In times like these, when real estate prices are skyrocketing, the sales manager is indeed a key talent in the company.
Is it okay to make money however you can in a capitalist society? In a country where politicians lead the speculative front, it’s an utterly useless question.
Instead of buying a house in a new city in Gyeonggi Province, I chose to invest in my son’s education and secured a lease in Seoul’s top school district. I was just a fool.
It would be a hundred times better to leave my son a small house through real estate investment.
‘Maybe I should take out a loan and invest in stocks now… Ugh… I can’t stand it…’
As I sat down, my headache intensified. Whether it was due to the endless regrets or not, the painkillers had no effect.
There had been a few opportunities in my life to become wealthy, but every time, I was devoted to my work at the company.
Regret is killing me. Whether I gave my all to the company or just earned enough for food, as long as I didn’t get fired, the result was the same – a lifelong manager.
Those who had spent their energy on investments instead of work drove luxury cars, and some even owned a Mercedes.
‘I’ve been pushed around my whole life… and it never ends…’
In the end, I had devoted all my passion and effort to filling someone else’s pockets.
Instead of having celebratory dinners with my team members every time we succeeded in a top-tier project, I should have negotiated deals with the boss to get my fair share.
Today, more than ever, I regretted everything in my life and felt like a fool.
What’s the use of saying “I can’t do this job now”? I would have no choice but to be kicked out with a meager severance pay.
Ring. Ring.
My smartphone rang.
A black ribbon icon flashed in the KakaoTalk notification. A funeral?
‘A funeral right before the Lunar New Year… especially in times like these.’
A funeral in the era of COVID-19. It’s sad for the bereaved family, but honestly, it’s convenient for the visitors as they can just send a condolence payment via bank account using COVID-19 as an excuse.
<Seungwoo’s funeral. Jincheon St. Mary’s Hospital funeral home. Come quickly.>
“Gasp!”
A brief message. It was sent by Chunho, my best friend of 30 years.
My head was spinning. Seungwoo’s funeral, what happened? He was fine at a gathering just a few months ago…
“Manager, I’ve prepared the task force meeting. Who should we invite? Should we also call QA and manufacturing team?”
Manager Go approached me as if forming the task force was a given.
I’m tired. I’m fed up… It’s just horribly tedious.
“Today, Manager Go, you take charge. Listen to the issues from the sales team first.”
“…Sir… Manager.”
“I don’t have time today. I have to go to a funeral.”
“Oh, I see.”
In South Korea, it’s customary to be exempt from everything when attending a funeral. Even if it weren’t, Seungwoo’s funeral is a million times more important than a measly task force meeting.
‘Why Seungwoo… in Jincheon…’
The words ‘Jincheon St. Mary’s Hospital’ were stuck in my head and wouldn’t go away.
‘A car accident? No way… it can’t be…’
There’s no reason for Seungwoo to suddenly go back to his hometown and have a car accident in such a quiet rural area. Somehow, I had the feeling it wasn’t an accident.
*****
Hi everyone, I am picking up a new novel that I have been reading, and I have decided to translate it in my free time. The first chapter is a bit confusing in terms of who is talking to whom, so I have added speaker names in brackets to make it easier to understand.
