Making Team Leader Park Seok-min (1)
A secret maneuver.
Perhaps the most important element in rooting out corruption.
A day had passed.
In the end, I had to ask Kim Junho for help.
Kim Junho thumped his solid chest with his fist, then opened his eyes wide.
"Just leave it to me, division director-nim. I have a friend in business, so I'll ask him to check the costume prices used by the Event & Performance Team. I'll also quickly organize and compare the prices of similar costumes from other companies to make it easy."
The local community is different from the Seoul metropolitan area.
I once accompanied Kim Junho to the market for a short while. What surprised me was that everyone in the market knew Kim Junho.
Maybe it's because he's a native of Nonsan; there were so many people saying hello to him.
That's why we chose not to contact Shine Costumes, run by Victoria Popova—who is suspected of being related to Anna Popova—directly ourselves.
My task was to meet with Finance Team Leader Kang Sangsu.
We met in a secret room at the Battle Fire Base.
This place was truly great for conversations.
I greeted Finance Team Leader Kang Sangsu politely.
He quickly waved off my formality.
"Please, don't be so formal. You're my senior, at least according to position, division director-nim."
"But you, team leader-nim, are older than I am."
"That actually makes me feel more pressured."
"If I don't show you respect, it feels like I'm being rude, and that would actually stress me out."
Finance Team Leader just laughed gently at that.
"I heard you have a favor to ask me."
"Yes. I'm investigating internal corruption, so I need some organized documents from the finance team."
"I see the winds of change are blowing in the company again. I can't openly support you, division director-nim, but I can handle this kind of favor quietly for you in the background."
"Thank you. What I need is the data on the performance fees, attendee lists, and daily pay for the performances the Event & Performance Team held externally, under Team Leader Kim Cheol-jin."
I explained the situation to the finance team leader.
Most of the Event & Performance Team's foreign members are freelancers. That's why they often get paid daily.
Rebecca and Anna are full-time positions, though.
Here's what I suspected.
Suppose only eight people actually participated in a show, but together with the vendor, they'd claim fifteen people took part, pocketing the equivalent of seven others' daily pay.
That means internal Next Planet records would show data for fifteen people receiving pay.
Likely, eight would be phantom team members, and the money would very likely have flowed to accounts connected to Kim Cheol-jin, anna, or Rebecca.
Or perhaps to a single corporate account.
Choi Hyena had been sent off to Deputy Kang Dae-hyun in the HR team.
I tasked him to look for anyone who had been disadvantaged during hiring or suddenly fired, and dig up personnel corruption rumors regarding Kim Cheol-jin.
Choi Hyena would handle it well on her own. There was no need for backup.
Three days passed.
Choi Hyena, Kim Junho, and I gathered.
Kim Junho spoke first.
"It has been confirmed that the Event & Performance Team purchased performance costumes from Shine Costumes at prices over 50% higher than those of other shops. I couldn't confirm if the owner, victoria Popova, is related to Anna Popova, though..."
He handed out a photograph.
His friend had visited the shop and taken a picture with Victoria Popova herself.
Victoria's face was clear, facing the camera.
I nodded and said,
"She looks a lot like Anna Popova. I'd say they're sisters."
"I wanted to be sure, but there was no way. They said if anyone asked if they worked at Next Planet, it would look suspicious, so they didn't."
"You did the right thing. That's all for us. To here, the legal audit team will take over."
Our aim was not to obtain absolute proof—just enough to move the legal audit team, and then help them handle it swiftly.
Now it was Choi Hyena's turn.
"I've secured testimony from five people that the Event & Performance Team leader abused his authority for unfair treatment."
"Why the angry expression?"
"Haaa... Among them, there's even a claim that the team leader pressured one of them to become his girlfriend. What a piece of work."
I let Choi Hyena swear all she liked.
The evidence I had was also more than enough to raise reasonable suspicion about the Event & Performance Team leader's corruption.
According to the finance team's data, outside performances were handled by eight people under direct contract with Next Planet and others dispatched by an agency for foreign performance specialists called 'Eternal People.'
Comparing photos from performances with attendance, only the directly contracted Next Planet members performed.
In short, Eternal People received money despite not actually participating.
The CEO of Eternal People is Dmitry Ivanov.
I don't know exactly who he is, but it's probably someone connected to Kim Cheol-jin, Rebecca, or Anna.
"With this much evidence secured, the legal audit team will take care of the rest."
A single ambiguous piece wouldn't mobilize their full force, but this level was sure to make them move.
Choi Hyena spoke up, excited.
"So is it time to swing the sword of justice? Off with Team Leader Kim Cheol-jin's head!"
"There's one thing to do before that."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"It's time to catch a talented recruit with dreams as well as ability."
Choi Hyena and Kim Junho exchanged glances, then looked at me with questioning faces.
"It's my turn to act."
***
I was back again in the secret room at the Battle Fire Base.
I visited so often now, I could almost call it my second office.
I was gazing out the window.
There was a knock, and someone entered.
When I turned, I saw a man with the physique of a gymnast greeting me politely.
"Hello, division director-nim. I'm Deputy Park Seok-min from the Event & Performance Team."
Deputy Park Seok-min gave off a heavy, earnest vibe, in contrast to the slick image of Deputy Kang Dae-hyun.
I handed him the iced americano I'd prepared in advance.
"I asked to meet you here, deputy Park, because I have a scouting offer."
He frowned.
"I haven't submitted my resignation yet, but it seems you know what I'm planning."
"Congratulations on passing the recruitment for DiOni Land in Florida."
"It must have been Dae-hyun. That guy... What is he thinking?"
"He requested my help—to convince you to stay."
"Dae-hyun isn't especially loyal or diligent, but he's definitely capable and knows how to get his job done. Please look after him for me from now on."
I shrugged.
"I haven't even made a concrete offer, are you already declining?"
"I'm personally fond of you, division director-nim. You've been bringing positive change to the company. I truly respect that."
"Thank you for the compliment."
"But no matter how persuasive you are, I doubt you could make an offer attractive enough for me to give up DiOni Land and stay at Next Planet."
He wasn't wrong.
Maybe if I could offer a 300 million won salary. Problem is, I can't.
To be honest, I wasn't even sure it was right to try and keep Deputy Park Seok-min.
It really is a huge opportunity for him, and a chance to shine on the stage of his dreams.
But I'd already steeled myself.
In the future, maybe people would say I'm selfish, that I sacrificed others for my own success.
Even so, if it was for myself and Next Planet, I'd accept all such criticism.
"Deputy, I understand you're not busy at the moment."
"Yes... for the most part."
"Let's chat a bit, then. What kind of dream did you have when you joined Next Planet?"
"Isn't this the sort of small talk people make before being rejected? Seems a bit out of order."
"What does it matter? I want to hear it, even if it's late."
He walked over beside me. Sipping his iced americano, he gazed out over Next Planet.
"I work in a theme park, but I have absolutely no interest in rides."
"There are plenty of people at game companies who don't care about games. Surprising, but true."
"Is that so? As a kid, I begged my parents every day to take me to theme parks. They found me curious because I wouldn't ride anything—just watched parades and performances all day."
"Everyone has their own tastes."
"My family was in Gwacheon. We often went to that theme park there—never for the rides, just paid for admission."
"You were lucky."
"Yes, I was. That was the happiest time of my life. I started thinking there must be others like me out there. I wanted to pour everything I had into parades and performances for people like that."
A romantic, huh.
Pursuing ideals over reality, yet more dedicated to real tasks than anyone else.
No—that's wrong. He probably worked harder than anyone to achieve his ideals in reality.
It's impressive.
I wanted to hear more of his real thoughts.
"Next Planet's parades and performances are well made, but I haven't heard them called unique or creative."
His eyes filled with regret.
"That's the limit of a dying theme park. So many things just don't work. If I propose a full overhaul, they say it costs too much. If I try something low-budget, they say it's too small in scale. If I try to fix what's out of sync, they tell me to mind my own business and stick to my job."
His voice spilled forth with naked frustration.
"They just hate change. No, it's not even that—they're incapable of change. No drive, either."
"Is that about your team leader?"
"Him, but honestly, most of Next Planet is like that."
"Then why work so hard? Why didn't you leave sooner?"
"Even if planners touch the realm of artists, I see myself as just another office worker. I wanted the experience of balancing both worlds."
That unwavering gaze and tone.
I found myself drawn to him.
I respect creative work. But not all creation deserves to be understood.
Game development is also a creative field.
Among planners, there are those too deep in their artistic world who try to use too many resources or delve into places nobody can understand.
Those people usually fail. The company suffers big losses.
Honestly, I don't think I have a great eye for parades and performances. I've never really focused on that area in a theme park.
Even my favorite game, super Theme Park Tycoon, doesn't properly implement parades and shows.
It's just a limit of the genre.
As for Park Seok-min's skills—he's already proven by having passed DiOni's recruitment.
What he just said convinces me he'll strike a good balance, respecting both artistic and practical realities.
"Isn't there something you regret not achieving at Next Planet?"
He was quiet for a while.
I waited. Someone who worked with such sincerity wouldn't hide their regrets.
"I had a hand in every proposal, stage, costume, cast member, and rehearsal system. Of course, I'd have loved to manage a parade or show end-to-end, even once. But I guess that'll just remain a regret now."
The corporate life is strange.
Some say work is about realizing someone else's dream, not your own, so just do enough, don't get emotionally invested.
But work slowly becomes a part of life, and feelings inevitably seep in.
Deputy Park Seok-min was the perfect example.
"If you were given that chance, would you stay at Next Planet?"
He turned to me.
Maybe the suggestion sounded absurd, for he didn't answer straight away, just stared at me.
"Getting to manage all the parades and performances is something you couldn't even do at DiOni, is it? Your direct supervisor would also respect your autonomy."
"Are you suggesting you'd be my direct boss, division director-nim?"
"Yes. I'd do everything I could to let you do what you want. For starters, I'd ban all performers from walking around the guest areas half-changed."
Park Seok-min shook his head, then replied.
"I appreciate it, but do you think that's enough for me to give up DiOni and stay here?"
"At this very moment, I can't offer you a lot of resources."
"You're telling me to work on dreams alone? That's disappointing, though not unexpected..."
I held up three fingers.
"I will bring Next Planet out of the red within three years."
"Wait, now, that's impossible..."
Then I held up just one finger.
"I'll make Next Planet Korea's number one theme park."
He just opened and closed his mouth, seemingly at a loss.
It was a normal reaction—anyone who agreed would have to be crazy.
How could the top theme park in Korea emerge from Nonsan, when it could close any day now?
"You're a romantic at heart, so I gave you a romantic answer. But I know reality matters too. Chasing dreams without realism is no different from running a theme park with no theme."
"What are you actually suggesting?"
"I'll have you promoted to Team Leader Park Seok-min within a week."
"Hah... So that means firing our team leader. That's a very unrealistic proposal."
Park Seok-min sighed deeply, then spoke, emotion in every word.
"What with the recent cafeteria incident and everything else, staff are watching your every move. They're out to get you, division director-nim. Even your own side isn't that large. You're going to cause office unrest again?"
"If that's what it takes to make Team Leader Park Seok-min, I'll bear it."
"You could get counterattacked by the vice CEO or the executive vice president and be the one pushed out. I'm only telling you this sincerely because I respect you."
"Just watch and see. I'll make it happen."