Chapter 19: The Collapse of GameSphere & The Birth of NexMall
📅 Date: April 1993
📍 Location: NexTech Headquarters, Seoul, South Korea
Jin Hoshino sat at the head of a large conference table, surrounded by his top executives.
The atmosphere was electric.
✔ NexBox had completely dominated the gaming industry.
✔ GigaSearch was growing faster than any tech company in history.
✔ NexMall—his online shopping platform—was preparing for launch.
But today, the focus was on one thing.
📢 GameSphere was collapsing.
Jin leaned back in his chair, watching as a financial report was displayed on a large screen.
📌 GameSphere's Current Situation (April 1993):
🔻 Massive financial losses from failed projects.
🔻 Their online service, GameNet, was abandoned by most players.
🔻 Developers were refusing to work with them.
🔻 Stock value had dropped by 60%.
CEO Park Jae-woo had tried everything to stop NexTech.
Now, his company was on the verge of bankruptcy.
And Jin was about to deliver the final blow.
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GameSphere's Last Move: A Merger Attempt
📅 Date: April 10, 1993
📍 GameSphere Korea Headquarters
Park Jae-woo sat in his office, staring at the latest financial report.
His company had less than a year before complete financial ruin.
There was only one option left.
📌 His Plan?
✔ Propose a merger with NexTech to save GameSphere.
✔ Offer Jin a controlling stake in GameSphere's assets.
✔ Convince investors that working with NexTech was better than dying.
If Jin agreed, GameSphere would survive.
If Jin refused… GameSphere would be erased from history.
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Jin's Response: The Ultimate Power Move
📅 Date: April 15, 1993
📍 NexTech Headquarters, Seoul
Jin received a personal call from Park Jae-woo.
"Let's meet. I have a business proposal."
Jin smirked. "I'll give you 15 minutes."
That afternoon, Park Jae-woo arrived at NexTech's skyscraper.
He sat across from Jin, his face tense.
📌 GameSphere's Proposal:
✔ Merge with NexTech under joint leadership.
✔ Keep GameSphere's branding and identity intact.
✔ Share NexBox's gaming technology to revive GameSphere's console.
Jin read the contract silently.
Then, he ripped it in half.
Park's face turned pale.
"You… You're rejecting it?"
Jin smiled coldly. "No. I'm saying you don't get a merger. You get an acquisition."
Park clenched his fists. "You want to buy GameSphere completely?"
Jin nodded. "I'll give you ₩50 billion for everything—your console division, your patents, and your gaming studios."
Park hesitated. "If I refuse?"
Jin leaned forward. "Then you'll be bankrupt in six months, and I'll buy your company for half the price."
Silence filled the room.
After a long pause, Park sighed.
"Fine. You win."
📢 BREAKING NEWS: NexTech Acquires GameSphere—The End of a Gaming Giant!
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The Birth of NexMall: The First E-Commerce Platform
📅 Date: April 20, 1993
📍 NexTech Research Lab, Seoul
With GameSphere erased from history, Jin turned his focus to the next step—NexMall.
✔ The first online shopping platform.
✔ A digital marketplace for electronics, books, and games.
✔ Seamless online payments—years ahead of PayPal and Amazon.
Jin stood before his development team.
"This will be the future of shopping. The world just doesn't know it yet."
By the end of 1993, NexMall would launch years before Amazon.
And NexTech would take its first step into controlling global commerce.
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End of Chapter 19