Chapter 24

Nova 

Still at the office, Deputy Jang was the first to emerge and prepare for the day's tasks. Sorting through printouts, organizing the desks, and switching on economic channels on the TV.

"Hey there," Lee Sang-hoon greeted Deputy Jang enthusiastically, but Deputy Jang merely nodded in response, focusing on the tasks at hand. Undeterred, Lee sat down near Deputy Jang and engaged in small talk as he sipped coffee.

"What's on the agenda for today?" Lee inquired.

"We have a broadcast today, so the chairman will be leading that. You just need to observe," Deputy Jang informed.

"A broadcast? Where will it air?" Lee questioned, observing Deputy Jang's desk as he spoke. He noted that Deputy Jang had neatly arranged and selected important headlines from various newspapers.

One article caught Lee's eye, discussing the commencement of presidential candidate registrations 240 days ahead of the election. Reflecting on the previous president's impeachment and the subsequent consequences, Lee silently hoped for a stable and successful presidential term.

As he set down the newspapers and reached for his coffee, Chairman Wang entered the office, exclaiming, "There you are! I had a feeling you'd show up!"

After exchanging pleasantries with Deputy Jang, Chairman Wang patted Lee on the shoulder and remarked, "We're practically family now, so I'll be speaking freely. I hope that's fine with you?"

"Yes, of course," Lee affirmed.

"Alright. I found it odd, but I actually enjoyed your company. Deputy Jang mentioned that you might not show up, but assured me that it wouldn't be me you'd disappoint. I feel quite pleased about it. I almost considered making a bet with Jang."

Chairman Wang chuckled and patted Yeon-shin Lee Sang-hoon's shoulder, checking if he was indeed feeling good. It occurred to Lee Sang-hoon that perhaps he had discussed something about himself with Chairman Wang and Deputy Chief Jang on their way home last Saturday. It seemed like Jang, who had initially said he didn't need to come out that day, had assumed Lee Sang-hoon wouldn't show up.

"I will certainly gain valuable insights from President Wang."

Lee Sang-hoon expressed something he didn't even believe himself. He had come here because the book had led him to this place. Had the book not indicated that he was an expert, these places would have seemed abnormal to him, and he wouldn't even have glanced at them.

Nonetheless, Lee Sang-hoon resolved to enjoy his time here and chuckled. He responded with a smile to President Wang's remarks and attempted to build rapport by engaging with Deputy Jang first.

At 8:50, Deputy Chief Jang set up Lee Sang-hoon's computer. He accessed a platform called Pineapple TV and entered the room where President Wang was scheduled to broadcast.

Pineapple TV was a cable channel that Lee Sang-hoon had watched several times. It was known for exclusively featuring stock-related stories 24 hours a day. Numerous stock experts conducted broadcasts on the internet site.

'The most successful actual traders? Value investment expert Poongsan? Designated figure for 3-second matchmaking? There are countless star experts there.'"

Around twenty experts were gearing up for the broadcast, each preparing to engage with their members. Lee Sang-hoon joined President Wang's room and began his own preparations as approximately fifty people gathered to kick off the event.

Lee Sang-hoon surveyed the members and inquired to Jang, "Are all these individuals paid members?"

It cost 50 million won for 50 people, amounting to 5,000 won per month. Lee Sang-hoon had assumed it would cost 50 million won every month, so he had anticipated a better return.

Jang, managing the chat window, responded, "Half of them are actual paying members, while the other half have signed up for free membership."

"Free membership?" Lee Sang-hoon queried.

"Yes. Individuals can't join without any prior knowledge, so they can enter for about a month for free upon application. They are encouraged to watch the broadcast for a month before making a decision. Around half of the attendees here joined for free."

"So, there are still about 25 paying members. That's 20 million won per month for 20 people. Hmmm... It's not as lucrative as I had imagined," Lee Sang-hoon mused.

Initially, 50 million won seemed substantial, but 20 million won appeared somewhat insufficient. Considering office rent and employee salaries, it was evident that a significant portion of the membership fees had to be shared with Pineapple TV. Lee Sang-hoon concluded that the income relative to the associated risks was lower than expected. In essence, although members' funds circulated, the actual returns did not align with his expectations, prompting him to contemplate additional sources of profit.

"Relying solely on this wouldn't be sufficient. There must be other ancillary gains in addition to membership fees, or perhaps the memberships themselves represent supplementary income, with substantial profits stemming from elsewhere," Lee Sang-hoon reasoned, deciding to observe from behind the scenes how Chairman Wang generated profits.

President Wang settled into his seat and activated the microphone.

"Good day! Another week has commenced, so let's begin with a brief recap of last week."

Chairman Wang initiated the broadcast, holding and perusing the documents provided by Deputy Jang. As he read through the headlines, if he required additional details, he would signal for Deputy Jang, who would promptly procure the relevant information, print it, and hand it over to President Wang. Their coordination seemed somewhat off for a day or two.

Following the preliminary briefing, President Wang addressed the members, stating, "Alright, based on the briefing, I will set the target for today. Today, I am going to act as a property developer. Which one of the builders?"

He gestured and Deputy Jang presented an A4 sheet containing the names and market caps of various companies, one of which was encircled with a highlighter.

"Today, we will focus on small and medium-sized builders, not the large-scale ones. Now, everyone take a quick break, and when the market opens, we will reconvene."

President Wang switched off the microphone and conversed with Deputy Chang while seated.

"Seoil Construction?"

"Yes, Seoil Construction seems like a viable option."

"Alright. What is the current stock price?"

"It's at 12,500 won. It started with a similar trend, but there aren't any major issues, so I anticipate a dip once the market opens."

"Excellent. Accumulate some shares near Bohap. Alert me once you've secured the quantity."

"Understood."

Lee Sang-hoon observed their discussion closely, but it didn't sit well with him. The mention of work and preparation grated on his ears.

From the seat adjacent to him, Manager Jang observed the price, which hovered around 12,500 won, and strategized his purchases, seemingly deliberating each move as if washing clothes at different price points.

At 9 o'clock, the market opened. Chairman Wang addressed the audience through the microphone, while Manager Jang eagerly began purchasing shares of Seoil Construction. He appeared to make a concerted effort to conceal any overt indication of a large, deliberate acquisition by gradually accumulating shares instead of buying in bulk.

After about an hour of purchasing Seoil Construction, Manager Jang raised his right hand. Upon noticing this, President Wang switched off the microphone and inquired, "Finished?"

"I bought Manchuria," responded Manager Jang.

"Manchurian? Fine. Let's get started then. Our target is 13,000 won, understood? Let's seize everything at 12,990 won. Ready?" President Wang instructed.

"Yes."

President Wang concluded his conversation with Deputy Jang, resumed the microphone, and began the broadcast.

"Today, I mentioned we would focus on construction owners, right? Construction owners' activity appears promising today. Let's begin by examining Seoil Construction. The chart looks quite favorable. Notice the robust support on the floor and the surge in quantity? This and this," President Wang shared, displaying the chart to the audience. Meanwhile, Deputy Jang divided and dispersed 100 shares, selling them at around 12,990 won.

"Today, our target is this level. After some fluctuations for 30 minutes, I will identify the support around the 20-line on the 5-minute bar. The 12,600 won level looks promising. Watch for the 600 won support and make gradual purchases. We will revisit the target price shortly. This is today's prime opportunity," Chairman Wang declared.

As soon as Chairman Wang concluded his speech, purchases began streaming in for Seoil Construction. Given the stock's low transaction price, participants in Chairman Wang's room swiftly initiated their purchases.

As the price reached 12,600 won, the buying volume surged and bolstered Seoil Construction. Despite an increase in sell volume, the buying volume was outpacing the selling volume.

"Look at that. We're consistently maintaining the 20-moving average of 5 divisions. If it climbs here, we're in for a ride," Chairman Wang remarked.

Approximately 5 seconds after Chairman Wang's statement, Seoil Construction began to ascend, seemingly propelled by Lee Pyeong-seon's genuine support.

"It's going up. If you've made your purchase, hit 1," Chairman Wang announced.

Following Chairman Wang's announcement, the chat window started registering numerous 1's, representing those who had made their purchases. Chairman Wang reassured those who hadn't bought yet, "If you missed out, it's not too late. Join in. It's not looking too bad. Even if you jump in now, there's still plenty to gain."

Seoil Construction witnessed a rapid surge in purchases. As per President Wang's guidance, the influx of trades appeared to align with the members' actions.

"Rising. The target price is 13,100 won. Set eyes on 13,100 won and let's forge ahead," President Wang exclaimed, playing an exhilarating tune of Pongjak-ryu in the room. In the chat window, people exclaimed "Young Cha Young Cha" as the value of Seoil continued to climb. It seemed that as Chairman Wang had predicted, the buying volume would continue to soar toward 13,100 won.

As Seoil Construction surpassed 12,800 won and approached 12,900 won, Chairman Wang raised his hand. Deputy Jang, noticing this, scrutinized Hogachang closely.

"Alright, let's aim for 13,000 won. Let's see if we can break through 13,000 won. If we breach 13,000 won, it will ascend to around 13,100 won with impressive resilience. Keep a close watch and sort it out," Deputy General Jang advised.

Following President Wang's statement, he continued to carry out transactions. He sold the shares bought at 12,900 won at 12,910 won and acquired them at 12,910 won before selling them at 12,920 won. Two windows were opened, and the funds were directed to two accounts. Subsequently, purchases began flooding in, surpassing 12,990 won and soaring past 13,000 won.

The relentless sound of selling resonated as shares purchased around 12,500 won continued to be offloaded. Deputy Jang's actions mirrored this movement, as he bought at 12,900 won and offset the incoming purchases.

Chairman Wang exclaimed as he observed the hogachang, "13,000 won. Let's breach 13,000 won. Push through. Push through."

Chairman Micro Wang passionately cheered "Young Cha, Young Cha" in the chat window. When Chairman Wang cleared all the orders around 12,990 won, the buying trend effortlessly surpassed 13,000 won, prompting a search for any remaining sales. Due to the narrow hoga window, once 13,000 won was surpassed, it swiftly peaked to 13,100 won.

"It's reached. 13,100 won. Now, if you witness 13,100 won as I had indicated, go ahead and type 1," Chairman Wang instructed.

In the chat window, the number 1 quickly spread.

"Stop. Stop. Hahaha. You can cease hitting 1. Ultimately, I secured a single-win today. For those who have secured a win, please indicate," Chairman Wang declared.

Contrary to previous occurrences, the ascent by a single unit was sluggish, and there seemed to be few individuals who had secured multiple wins.

"It's fewer than anticipated. To those still holding on, if you're holding, go ahead and type 1," Chairman Wang encouraged.

Following his statement, more individuals began utilizing the number 1.

"Oh~. It appears that due to the rapid ascent, some couldn't sell appropriately. It's a bit regrettable as the broadcast unfolded this way. Due to the timing not aligning with mine... I had emphasized the selling point, but it hit too swiftly," Chairman Wang noted.

Seoil E&C was unable to sustain 13,100 won following the surge past 13,000 won and dropped after touching it. Numerous individuals missed President Wang's 13,100 won, impeding their ability to sell due to setting it at that level.

Presently, Seoil E&C continued to elevate the bid price immediately after sell orders, as there was a lack of patience for purchasing.

"I will revisit this aspect in the future. It's lunchtime now, so I'll grab a meal and catch up with you later," President Wang announced, lowering the microphone and humorously suggesting to Deputy Chang, "Let's grab lunch together, Deputy Chief."