Chapter 3: The First Investment
Chapter 3: The First Investment
The night air was cool as Jin Hoshino sat by the window of his cramped apartment, staring at the city lights beyond. ₩1,000,000. It sat in his hands—crisp, real, and hard-earned. Not a fortune, but the first step toward something much bigger.
The system screen hovered in his vision, flickering with new information.
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[Stock Market Predictions Unlocked!]
✔ Korean stock market will enter a major growth phase.
✔ MicroWorks (Microsoft), Rainforest (Amazon), and GigaSearch (Google) will skyrocket in the coming years.
✔ Investing early in tech, internet, and software industries will create generational wealth.
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Jin's fingers curled around the bills. His heart pounded.
This was real power.
Not strength, not combat skills—but the ability to see the future of industries before they even took off.
But the money in his hands wasn't nearly enough. Even if he invested everything, it would take years to grow into something substantial. He needed a strategy.
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Building a Foundation
Jin sat at his desk, flipping through an old business magazine his father had left lying around. The articles spoke about the rise of the internet, the boom in electronics, and the growing software industry. It was the early 90s—a time when most people had no idea how much the world was about to change.
He needed a diversified approach—something that would allow him to invest while keeping steady cash flow for future opportunities.
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[Investment Plan Created]
✔ 70% into stock investments (high-risk, high-reward growth).
✔ 30% into small businesses and side hustles (stable income source).
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Jin smirked.
Let's begin.
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The First Stock Purchase
The next morning, Jin made his way to a small brokerage firm in Gangnam. The office smelled of fresh ink and coffee, with men in suits discussing numbers over newspapers.
A receptionist raised an eyebrow when he walked in. "Can I help you?"
"I want to open an investment account," Jin said confidently.
She looked him up and down. "You're a student."
"And?"
She sighed and handed him some forms. "Minimum deposit is ₩500,000."
Jin filled them out quickly. He transferred the money and logged into his new investment account using a public computer.
The system's Stock Market Forecast activated immediately.
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✔ MicroWorks (₩7,500 per share → ₩400,000 in 20 years).
✔ Rainforest (₩3,000 per share → ₩3,500,000 in 30 years).
✔ GigaSearch (Not yet public, but will be worth trillions).
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Jin exhaled. This was insane.
Most people saw these as small, experimental companies. He knew they would dominate the world.
He purchased 66 shares of MicroWorks at ₩7,500 per share, spending ₩500,000.
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[Transaction Complete!]
66 shares of MicroWorks acquired.
Investment timeline: 5+ years for major returns.
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It was a waiting game now.
But he wouldn't sit around doing nothing.
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Generating More Capital
For the next two months, Jin focused on increasing his income through multiple side businesses.
✔ Fixing and reselling old electronics (₩100,000 - ₩200,000 per week).
✔ Arcade machine repairs (₩150,000 per job).
✔ Helping local businesses set up cash flow management (₩300,000 per consultation).
By the end of Month 2, he had reinvested an additional ₩1,500,000 into stocks, diversifying into Rainforest while still holding onto MicroWorks.
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✔ MicroWorks: 66 shares → 90 shares
✔ Rainforest: 50 shares purchased at ₩3,000 per share
✔ Total investment: ₩2,000,000
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His savings were growing. But he needed a real breakthrough.
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An Unexpected Opportunity
One evening, as Jin finished another round of repairs at the arcade, he overheard two businessmen talking near the entrance.
"…Yeah, the government is planning to roll out internet services next year. Some companies are already pushing to dominate the market."
Jin's ears perked up.
Internet services? In Korea?
The system flashed.
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[New Industry Alert!]
✔ Early internet service providers will explode in Korea within 5 years.
✔ Investing now can lead to massive returns before the market stabilizes.
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Jin's heart pounded.
If he could get in before the wave hit…
He needed more money. Fast.
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A Bold Move: Small Business Expansion
Jin gathered his earnings—₩2,500,000 in cash.
Instead of putting it all into stocks, he made his first real business move.
He rented a small repair shop near a university, hiring two older men who had experience in fixing electronics but lacked business knowledge.
✔ Expanded electronics repair services to computers and arcade machines.
✔ Started importing second-hand electronics from Japan at a lower cost.
✔ Introduced a student discount plan to attract university customers.
Within two months, profits skyrocketed from ₩2,500,000 to ₩8,000,000.
He reinvested ₩5,000,000 back into stocks, purchasing more shares of MicroWorks and Rainforest.
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✔ MicroWorks: 90 shares → 150 shares
✔ Rainforest: 50 shares → 130 shares
✔ New Investment: Korean Internet Companies (Undisclosed)
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His total stock portfolio now exceeded ₩10,000,000 in value.
And that was just the beginning.
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The Market Starts Moving
Three months later, news broke out.
"MicroWorks Surges After New Software Release!"
"Rainforest Expands E-Commerce Operations!"
"Early Internet Companies Gain Government Approval!"
Jin checked his account.
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✔ MicroWorks stock: ₩7,500 → ₩15,000 per share (+100%)
✔ Rainforest stock: ₩3,000 → ₩5,800 per share (+93%)
✔ Korean Internet Stock: Initial surge of +75%
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His investments had doubled.
From ₩10,000,000 to over ₩20,000,000.
Jin leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly.
The rush, the excitement, the absolute control over his own fate—he wanted more.
This wasn't just about getting rich anymore.
He was building a legacy.
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End of Chapter 3