Golden Spoon Investor

Behind the towering buildings of the city, in a dimly lit alley, the neon lights flashed vibrantly as the night settled in. The street, alive with activity, was even more bustling than during the day. In one corner of this lively area, an old, narrow tavern was packed with office workers who had left work early to enjoy a Friday night drink.

The atmosphere, which had been filled with laughter and loud conversations just moments ago, suddenly turned silent as everyone tuned in to the television in the corner of the room, listening intently to the president's special address.

[

Our economy has been hampered by the cancerous issue of anonymous accounts, leading to reduced investment and financial market instability. The Financial Real-Name System, which we have decided to implement, will restore investor confidence, increase financial market transparency, and contribute to healthy economic growth. I am confident that the Real-Name Financial System will establish justice and fairness in our society and significantly contribute to sound economic development. Once again, I ask for the active support and cooperation of all citizens.

Thank you.

]

The faces of those watching were a mix of shock and disbelief.

"They're really going through with the Financial Real-Name System?"

"What's going to happen now?"

"That's a problem for the rich to worry about. What does it have to do with us?"

"They wouldn't close the banks like before, would they?"

"Come on, they wouldn't go that far."

"You never know. It'll take time to figure out which accounts are under real names and which are under aliases."

"That's true now that I think about it."

"I have to pay my rent deposit next week—this is a disaster."

The sudden and shocking announcement caused a flurry of anxious whispers to spread among the patrons.

Likewise, Choi Ho-geun, who had been enjoying a drink with his team on this Friday evening, was equally stunned by the news.

"Good grief. I can't believe it," he muttered.

"Did you hear that, Manager? The morning trading session on Monday is canceled. The market won't open until 2 PM," Jeong Hwan-yeop said, his voice full of nervous energy.

"They must expect a flood of sell orders as soon as the market opens," Choi replied, gulping down his soju.

"You're right. It's going to be chaos," Yoo Seok-hyun said, shuddering at the thought.

Then, Hong Jae-hee, who had been munching on some spicy pork cartilage, blinked her large eyes and remarked, "If we hadn't sold the stocks as Team Leader instructed, we would have suffered a huge loss. Isn't that right?"

"Indeed," Yoo Seok-hyun agreed with a serious nod. "We sold off all our stocks just days before this happened. Could he have known?"

"Come on, don't be ridiculous," Hong Jae-hee scoffed.

"Don't forget, he's the chairman's son. He might have access to information we don't," Jeong Hwan-yeop said, lowering his voice as he glanced at the nearby tables.

"Oh my, maybe you're right," Hong Jae-hee said, her eyes wide with realization.

"Hmm, it's not entirely impossible," Yoo Seok-hyun murmured, nodding thoughtfully.

As the three of them continued their speculation, Choi Ho-geun couldn't help but think it was highly unlikely.

'Even if he's a chaebol heir, there's no way he could have known about this in advance.'

The implementation of such a system would have turned the entire country upside down. If the information had leaked beforehand, there would have been a huge public outcry. The fact that there were no signs before the announcement indicated that the Blue House had kept this under tight wraps.

As these thoughts ran through Choi Ho-geun's mind, a shiver ran down his spine.

'So, does this mean he anticipated this without any prior information?'

Even if he hadn't specifically predicted the Financial Real-Name System, it was still an astonishing realization. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Choi Ho-geun quickly stood up.

"Where are you going, Manager?" Hong Jae-hee asked as she watched him head to the counter.

"I'm going to call the Team Leader. You guys stay here and keep drinking," Choi replied over his shoulder.

At the counter, he urgently addressed the middle-aged tavern owner. "I'm sorry, but can I use the phone for a moment? It's urgent."

"Of course," the owner replied, recognizing Choi as a regular customer and offering him the phone.

Thanking the owner, Choi pulled the phone towards him and fished Seok-won's business card out of his wallet. He dialed the personal number printed on the back, listening to the ringing tone until the call connected.

[Hello?] Seok-won's voice came through the line.

"Team Leader, it's Manager Choi."

[You must have seen the president's special address.]

"Yes, I did," Choi replied, glancing nervously at the TV showing the follow-up news reports.

"Did you… anticipate this?" Choi asked cautiously.

[Of course not. How could I have known about something that was kept so secret by the Blue House?]

Despite the denial, Seok-won's calm voice told Choi that he had anticipated this situation to some extent. Even so, Choi didn't let on, instead readjusting his grip on the phone.

"I'll gather the team and head back to the office immediately."

[Why would you do that?]

"Now that the Financial Real-Name System has been announced and will be implemented right away, we need to come up with a plan."

But unlike the panicked Choi, Seok-won's response was relaxed.

[We've already sold off our entire position. What plans do we need to make?]

"…!"

[If the market crashes on Monday, it'll be a chance to buy back stocks at a much lower price.]

Choi was left speechless, his face resembling someone who had just been struck by a hammer.

[Since the market won't open until the afternoon on Monday, there's no need to panic. Just enjoy your weekend.]

"…Are you sure that's alright?"

[It's not us with our feet to the fire—it's the ones still holding stocks.]

"That… that's true," Choi stammered, slowly starting to understand.

[See you on Monday.]

The call ended with a series of beeps. Choi stared at the receiver in a daze, slowly placing it back on the cradle.

"Unbelievable…" he muttered to himself.

After paying the bill, Choi returned to the table where his team was waiting. As he approached, Jeong Hwan-yeop started putting on his jacket.

"You're heading back to the office, right?" he asked.

Both Hong Jae-hee and Yoo Seok-hyun had also gathered their things, ready to leave. "No, just sit back down," Choi told them.

"What?" they replied in unison, puzzled.

They had all assumed they would be returning to the office for an emergency meeting.

Still confused, Jeong Hwan-yeop hesitated before sitting back down. "But you did speak with the Team Leader, didn't you?"

"Yes," Choi replied, pouring himself another shot of soju.

"And what did he say?" Jeong asked, still bewildered.

Without a word, Choi downed the shot, wincing at the bitter taste.

"He told us to take the weekend off and see him on Monday."

"What?" they all exclaimed, blinking in disbelief.

Choi couldn't help but smile wryly as he realized he must have looked just as stunned during the call.

He turned his head to look at the TV, which was still broadcasting news about the implementation of the Financial Real-Name System.

* * *

Monday morning arrived after a tense weekend.

In Yeouido, the atmosphere in the securities district was as heavy as the calm before a violent storm. It was the first day the full effects of the Financial Real-Name System would be felt, following the president's surprise announcement on Friday evening.

Although all financial institutions had been ordered to open at 2 PM under the president's directive, securities company employees had arrived at the office early, working in emergency mode.

Ring, ring! Ring, ring!

"No, you can't trade right now!"

"We'd like to help you, but we can't process withdrawals without real-name verification, as per government orders."

"I'm very sorry."

"You want to sell everything at once?"

"Even if you sell, any withdrawals over 30 million won will be automatically reported to the National Tax Service."

Phones rang incessantly as sell orders flooded in, turning the office into absolute chaos.

"If you sell now, you'll incur significant losses," one broker warned a client over the phone.

[That's fine. Just dump it all when the market opens!]

With no other option, the broker reluctantly agreed. "Understood, but with so many sell orders, you'll have to accept some losses."

As he hung up, the broker loosened his tie and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Damn it, this is driving me crazy," he muttered.

It was only the morning, but the endless stream of frantic calls from clients had already drained him.

His colleague, who had just finished a call of his own, turned to him with an equally exhausted expression. "Another sell order?"

"Yep," the broker replied in a tired voice.

"This is going to be a disaster when the market opens," the colleague predicted grimly. "The customer lounge is already packed with people trying to sell their stocks."

"Ugh…" the broker groaned, running a hand over his face in frustration.

"Bring me the sell orders we've received so far," he instructed.

The colleague quickly gathered the orders and handed them over.

As the broker reviewed the stack of sell orders, he couldn't help but wince. "Ughhh…"

He had anticipated a shockwave from the Financial Real-Name System and had prepared as best he could over the weekend. But seeing the sheer panic among investors, the broker could only imagine how disastrous the market would be when it finally opened.

He glanced over at the section where the 4th Investment Team was located.

Unlike the rest of the office, which was in complete disarray, the 4th Investment Team, which had sold all its holdings before the announcement, was remarkably calm.

As he watched with a hint of envy, the phone on his desk rang again, piercing the air with its shrill tone.

Ring, ring! Ring, ring!

The broker's brow furrowed as he reached out to answer, already feeling on the verge of a breakdown. It was shaping up to be a long and grueling day.

Meanwhile, in Seok-won's private office, Choi Ho-geun and his team were gathered on the sofa, waiting for their leader to return.

Despite the thin walls, the noise from outside was almost overwhelming. The constant ringing of phones and the frantic voices of the staff made it clear that the market was on the verge of a meltdown.

"It feels weird just sitting here while everyone else is panicking," Hong Jae-hee remarked quietly.

Yoo Seok-hyun nodded in agreement.

Jeong Hwan-yeop, shuddering at the thought of being out there, added, "Be grateful we're not in that hell. I bet everyone out there is on the verge of losing it."

His expression was one of horror as he shook his head, a sentiment echoed by Choi Ho-geun. "He's right. Everyone's on edge, so keep a low profile when you're out there."

"Yes, Manager."

"Understood."

It was a time to stay under the radar, avoiding unnecessary attention. As the team nodded in agreement, the office door opened, and Seok-won walked in.

"Team Leader!"

The team quickly stood up as Seok-won made his way to his desk.

"Take a seat, everyone," he instructed.

As they settled back onto the sofa, Seok-won spoke in a calm tone. "I'm sure you're all aware of the situation."

The team listened closely, their eyes now filled with a newfound respect for their leader. What had initially seemed like a reckless decision to sell all their stocks had turned out to be a masterstroke in timing.

"As you can probably guess, the market will take a significant hit when it opens this afternoon."

The relentless ringing of phones outside, even now, was a clear indication of the impending market crash.

"When the panic selling begins and the market tanks, we'll scoop up all the stocks at the bottom. Be ready," Seok-won instructed.

"…!"

Stunned by the unexpected directive, Choi Ho-geun and his team stared at him in wide-eyed disbelief.