Chapter 175
“A performance-based earn-out?”
“Yes.”
Ha Sangdo nodded.
“Over the next three years, additional payment would be made depending on performance.”
“If the agreed targets are met, the additional amount could go as high as one hundred billion won.”
Han Taesung looked toward me again.
I thought for a moment, then shook my head.
“It’s a good proposal.”
“But we want a guaranteed amount.”
The reception room once again fell into heavy silence.
Han Taesung rested a hand against his chin as though thinking, then glanced at me and gave a subtle signal.
He wanted to play our final card.
After a brief pause, I gave him a small nod.
Han Taesung slowly addressed the group.
“Then how about seven hundred billion won, with the performance-based earn-out clause you just proposed added on top?”
“For us, that is the absolute limit.”
“We cannot lower the guaranteed acquisition price any further.”
“So if that figure is unacceptable, I’m afraid continuing negotiations will be difficult.”
Another long silence followed.
Richard whispered something to Frank beside him before finally speaking.
“I think we need to discuss this matter further with headquarters.”
“Of course.”
I nodded.
“As I said on the first day, though, we need a conclusion before Christmas.”
Once again, I made the deadline explicit.
A reminder that Quantum was not the only party interested in acquiring Mega Cinema.
As the silence grew awkward, Han Taesung quickly changed the subject.
“By the way, I heard you’re returning to the United States tomorrow.”
“What time is your flight?”
“We can arrange transportation to the airport.”
“Oh, you don’t need to worry about us.”
Frank smiled.
“Things are moving rather quickly, so the vice president and I have decided to remain in Korea for the time being.”
“The rest of our staff will return first.”
The vice president is staying in Korea?
“Ah... I see.”
“I’m staying in Korea for a while too.”
Ha Sangdo casually joined the conversation.
“Because of us, it looks like you’ll be spending Christmas in Korea.”
Richard smirked.
“That may not be so bad.”
After the meeting ended, Han Taesung and I stepped out of the VIP room.
He lowered his voice.
“I wonder if we pushed them too hard.”
Anxiety showed on his face.
“Don’t worry.”
“Quantum won’t walk away.”
My firm answer made him tilt his head.
“How can you be so sure?”
“If they’re postponing their return to the United States just to finish this negotiation, that means headquarters must have already delegated a meaningful amount of decision-making authority to them.”
I smiled faintly.
“Looks like provoking Quantum paid off.”
“I sincerely hope your read is right.”
Time passed.
Exactly three days later, Ha Sangdo contacted me again.
“Director Min, if you have time, could you come by the hotel for a bit?”
That evening, I met Richard, Frank, and Ha Sangdo in the hotel lounge.
Richard spoke first.
“Headquarters reached a final decision today.”
They reached a final decision?!
I hid my tension by joking.
“Then I suppose this drink is either a celebratory toast or a farewell drink.”
“I’d prefer the former. Hahaha.”
Ha Sangdo laughed.
“Then you’re in luck.”
“Director Min, this is a celebratory drink.”
“Th-Then...”
I swallowed dryly before I could stop myself.
Richard smiled.
“Yes.”
“We’ve decided to acquire Mega Cinema for seven hundred billion won.”
My fist clenched beneath the table.
We did it!
“However, there is one condition.”
“A condition?”
“Yes.”
Richard continued.
“Once Quantum acquires Mega Cinema, we want the partnership between Quantum and Big Picture extended from five years to eight.”
“After those eight years, we’d like the cooperation agreement to renew in two-year increments.”
That wasn’t a condition we had any reason to reject.
If anything, it was something I would have liked to propose myself.
Before my regression, Korean OTT platforms had suffered from one major limitation.
Unlike Network Flex or Diz Plus, they never truly expanded into the global market.
They remained platforms consumed primarily within Korea.
And I had no intention of building a platform that stayed trapped inside Korea.
If our partnership with Quantum extended from five years to eight, then under the pretext of cooperation, we might also be able to take advantage of Quantum’s global infrastructure.
For us, this condition was actually favorable.
I thought all of that internally while keeping my expression calm.
“Sounds good.”
“I’ll personally take responsibility for persuading CEO Han on that point.”
“The detailed clauses will be emailed from headquarters within the next few days.”
“Understood.”
“Then will you remain in Korea until the contract is finalized?”
“No.”
Richard shook his head.
“The remaining contractual details can be coordinated after we return.”
“We’re planning to leave in two days.”
Frank smiled.
“I see.”
“Then we should at least hold a farewell gathering before you go.”
“I’ll treat you to lunch somewhere nice tomorrow.”
“Shall we? Hahaha.”
Ha Sangdo lifted his wineglass.
“All right, then.”
“Shall we raise a glass?”
Without anyone needing to say more, we all lifted our glasses together.
“To...”
Hanshin Group headquarters.
Inside Executive Director Bang Seongsik’s office.
“What the hell are you talking about?!”
Bang Seongsik slammed his fist against the desk.
“Mega Cinema is about to be sold for seven hundred billion won?!”
“What kind of lunatic would spend that much money to buy a theater chain?!”
His face was red with rage as he shouted into the phone.
Bang Seongsik, executive director in charge of finance at Hanshin Holdings, was one of Chairwoman Han Myunghee’s closest aides.
More precisely, he was her brother-in-law.
