These Days, the Division Director is So an (1)
A few days before I spoke with Event & Performance Team Leader Park Seok-min about the parade.
"Cough! Cough!"
I had caught a sumr cold. The reason was because I rode the Tempest Boat with Lee Yunjung in the rain.
My temperature was 39 degrees.
To think that this was why I couldn't go to work...
Well, since it turned out like this, I decided to spend so ti at ho reflecting on myself.
The ceiling feels unfamiliar. I've lived here for over six months, and yet...
How could this be?
Right, I ca ho late every night, just slept, and then headed right back out...
The house is spacious. Actually, it's too spacious for just one person to live in.
All I have in the house is a bed, a desk, a PC, a refrigerator, and a microwave.
That's it. There's not even a sofa or TV, the most common ho essentials.
It's my ho, and yet it surprises .
I checked my bank balance. I was so busy with work that I never had ti to spend my money.
So each paycheck, aside from ergency funds, I dumped everything into the S&P500 and QQQ.
Wow! Money really piles up.
Maybe the best investnt strategy is just to work all the ti and live with no leisure?
I'll end up being able to buy an apartnt in Gangnam in a few years at this rate.
I'm really starting to feel that my life has changed.
Of course, I haven't beco super rich. It's just that I live each day with hope for the future.
I like this feeling of fulfillnt.
I have lost things too. My personal ti and friendships...
Oh! On friendships, let's just say I fell out of touch a bit, and they grew distant.
If things could break so easily, it'd be pathetic for .
― Dding!
A ssage ca in.
[Lee Yunjung: Division Director-nim, I'm so sorry. I heard you caught a cold because of . I'm really, really, really, REALLY sorry.]
Lee Yunjung, apparently, was totally fine. That's the resilience of soone in her early 20s. I'm jealous.
[Lee Yunjung: I'll co by with unni Hyena after work.]
I told her not to. If she caught my cold and that affected her work, only we'd lose out.
Huh? Only we'd lose out?
What was I thinking... I sound like a small business CEO scheming to work their employees to the bone.
After a nap, I started thinking about all the shortcomings of Next Planet one by one.
To increase the number of visitors and diversify the custor base, I wanted to target family custors. Especially families with preschool children.
To reach these people, I'd have to get the Event & Performance Team to do sothing.
For imdiate results, I should figure out the parade first.
So I started by watching parade videos all day long, from D*sney to regional the parks in Korea.
As expected, we can't just follow D*sney or big the parks. The reason is simple: we can't afford the financial support.
If it's Park Seok-min's ability, he'd sohow raise the parade's quality and produce aningful achievent. He's incredibly competent.
But would that actually help Next Planet right now?
With this perspective, it's hard to answer "yes" easily.
That's when a particular video caught my eye.
A regional the park on the verge of going bust. Worse off than Next Planet.
Since it was run by the local governnt, there was no one like chairman-nim to keep pouring in money.
Their parade video. There's really nothing to it. It's barely even a parade. No budget, nothing works right.
But it made a deep impression on .
The issue is convincing Team Leader Park Seok-min.
At the sa ti, I had doubts. He joined because there was sothing he wanted to do.
Maybe I'm no different than the higher-ups who rip the wings off talented planners and force them to conform to the organization.
Sa thing happened with Lee Yunjung. I purposely poked at her complex too.
Maybe it's because I'm sick, but I'm reflecting a lot more...
***
"This idea is also related to child participation performances. How about shifting the entire parade audience to focus on preschool children?"
I opened the conversation.
"In what way?"
Team Leader Park Seok-min, true to character, replied in a calm voice.
Now, I would have to hurt Team Leader Park Seok-min's pride. Every ti I do this, it burdens .
But if it's sothing necessary, I do it. My resolve was already set.
"Please watch this video."
"This... This can't even be called a parade, can it?"
Park Seok-min's brow furrowed.
The video was simple. The parade team literally marched until they spotted children. Then, they'd stop, wave, take pictures with the children, and walk together.
That was it.
A brief silence passed between us.
"It can be called a parade."
I broke the uneasy silence.
But he still didn't say a word.
I get why he's reacting this way. I'd be upset myself if it were now.
Team Leader Park Seok-min aid for a high-quality, musical-like parade.
He agonizes over improving the parade and trains his team to the best of his ability every day.
And yet, soone from higher up can't even provide support and is outright dismissing all that effort. And keeping soone who was set to go to the US.
"Team Leader, I believe in your abilities."
"So why propose this?"
"Because of Next Planet's situation. Also, because of the direction I have in mind."
"You don't need to explain that you won't be able to support us properly for the ti being. I already expected as much."
"My next target is family custors with preschool children."
He nodded.
I explained why.
"To attract families with preschool children, two things are necessary. First—sothing I ntioned before. Wear out the child's stamina, and reduce the parents' fatigue."
"Yes, I agreed at the ti... But I didn't an that we should lower the parade's quality to simply spending ti with children."
"The second is to create happy mories for the children."
"That's why a wonderful parade is even more important, isn't it? So that it really grabs the children's attention."
"That's exactly why your parade is too advanced, Team Leader."
Park Seok-min was visibly surprised. Maybe I'd touched on a point he hadn't considered.
He still looked grim, but a little less so than before.
"I'm truly sorry, but very few children revisit a the park just because they liked the parade. Most probably can't even recall the parade's concept or content."
"That's not always true..."
"At D*sneyland, elsa appears; at N*Ntendo World, Mario greets you. There, the parade is incredibly effective. That's the power of IP. If we could collaborate with Minecraft, I wouldn't be proposing this."
He exhaled softly.
He's wavering. He's like a craftsman stuck in his ways. I can't change his mind imdiately.
All I need now is to make him think. Soone else can take over after that.
"It's the sa for rides. Next Planet has ten rides that small children can ride. But do they co all this way just because they want to go on those rides? Not at all."
He was even more shocked than before. Of course, a the park is more than just rides.
But aren't rides the core?
"When I was young, I always begged my parents to take to a the park. I rember wanting to ride this or that ride. But when I think back, while I did enjoy the rides, none were sothing I desperately wanted to get on no matter what."
Happy mories co back of holding my parents' hands while visiting a the park.
Wasn't it the most anticipated day of the year?
I continued.
"It was the happy feeling of going out with my parents, the taste of sweet cotton candy that I begged my mom to buy , and the excited atmosphere of the people around . All these elents ca together to make love the experience. Of course, the rides and parade help, I admit that."
There's a huge difference before and after elentary school. As an elentary student, it's the rides I rember most.
But as a young child before elentary school, the only ride I really rember is the bumper cars. That ride where you steer little cars and bump into each other.
Actually, I rember the viking and the roller coaster too.
But that's because the sheer size made such a huge impression, and anyway, as a child, I was too short to ride, so the disappointnt stuck with .
"What we need is not a flashy and grand parade."
His expression darkened. But it wasn't angry, like before.
"When children experience sothing new, they usually smile and get excited. Otherwise, they laugh when they feel noticed or loved. That's the kind of parade I want."
I bowed at a 90-degree angle.
"I apologize, Team Leader. I promised you full authority over the parade and performances, but now I'm forcing you into a concept you don't want."
"You're just doing your job as the division director..."
"I'd like it if you could grant so ti."
"What kind of ti?"
"By the ti we fulfill the assignnt chairman-nim gave us, Next Planet's daily average visitor count will easily surpass 2,000. Then, we'll need new thods to expand further."
"Expansion never ends."
"When that ti cos, I'll trust your abilities and ask you for much more."
"I'd like so ti, too. Ti to think. Right now... I don't know if it's my pride or what, but I just can't accept it."
Good, that's success for now.
As soon as I parted from Team Leader Park Seok-min, I picked up my phone.
A smooth, easygoing voice ca through the receiver.
[Division Director-nim, what's up?]
"Could you persuade Team Leader Park Seok-min for ?"
It was HR team's Deputy Kang Dae-hyun.
[Of course. Considering who's asking. Division Director-nim, that's another favor you owe .]
"I'm just asking you to calm him down."
[That's two favors, not just one. That's not a small debt, it's a big one.]
He's reliable; it gives peace of mind.
Sotis, though, I find him a bit annoying.
***
Park Seok-min almost never drinks. He has to lead parade and performance rehearsals, after all.
Sotis he even demonstrates things himself.
But today, he thought he could use a glass of soju.
Just then, a call ca in.
His friend Kang Dae-hyun asked to get dinner.
"Will you have a drink?"
[How unusual. What happened?]
"I can, if you're up for it."
[Only if you buy king crab.]
"Are you crazy? King crab?"
[Hey, you're the one asking to drink. I'll listen to you as best I can. King crab's the price. That's fair, right? If not, then never mind.]
His friend was super annoying.
They t at a seafood restaurant. Kang Dae-hyun actually ordered king crab.
He thought he was joking.
Over a shot of soju, Park Seok-min told Kang Dae-hyun what had happened today.
Then Kang Dae-hyun spoke.
"If you don't like it, just quit. Simple."
"You're the one who told to stay here..."
"Things have changed. Back then, I thought working with Division Director Hyunmin would benefit you more."
"It's not like working with him isn't helpful now... It's just frustrating."
Kang Dae-hyun chuckled.
'Yeah, he's not really planning to quit.'
Kang Dae-hyun knows his friend very well. He clinked his full soju glass.
"Let be straight. Honestly, I don't get you. Parade and shows fall under content, and I get that artists have egos. I do. But you're an employee, aren't you?"
"I am an employee... right."
"Don't evade. And if you're going to rebel, do it properly, like Division Director Hyunmin. But you won't, will you? Then just do what an employee does: follow the company's direction."
Park Seok-min groaned.
Kang Dae-hyun found all this pretty entertaining.
'This must be what Division Director-nim wanted to say. I'll make it clear for him.'
Kang Dae-hyun pointed at Park Seok-min.
"Everyone kept calling you the ace, amazing and all that, so you got a bit big-headed and still don't know how things work."
"When did I get big-headed? And I do know how things work."
Park Seok-min grabbed the king crab Kang Dae-hyun was about to eat.
"If you're just going to nag, don't eat the king crab."
Kang Dae-hyun took the king crab back.
"It's not nagging, it's advice from the HR team perspective. Listen up."
When he said it was from the HR team, sohow it sounded more convincing.
"You've always had great HR appraisals. Do you know why?"
"Why?"
"Because you did everything the previous team leader was supposed to do."
"That's... true."
"And now? Are you still the previous team leader's sidekick? Is that all you're here for?"
"No."
"Right, now you're the leader of a team."
Park Seok-min glanced at his friend. That made him realize this was the real HR team viewpoint.
Kang Dae-hyun continued in a sharp tone.
"You don't know what it ans to be a leader."
"I do. I'm a team leader. It ans being responsible for the team mbers. You're the one who's not a team leader."
"Idiot."
For a second, Park Seok-min was angry at his friend's words. He wanted to throw the soju in his hand at that annoying face.
But he knew. His friend wouldn't say this for no reason.
"Seriously, this is from the HR team's perspective."
"Don't drag this out, just say it."
"A leader who only looks out for his own people is trash."
"Wait, that's..."
"In the end, the team has to move with the company's direction. That's when the team mbers can be happy, too."
Kang Dae-hyun downed a shot of soju.
He'd seen this in his own life, too.
"You being talented isn't as big a deal as you think. Actually, I misspoke. You are talented. But so what? How much money are you bringing into this deficit-ridden company? Can you answer that?"
Park Seok-min took a shot, too. Bitter, so bitter.
"A team leader is soone who aligns the team with the company's goals, co what may."
"I know. But I stayed here because I want to do what I want."
"Sure. And Division Director Hyunmin will give you that chance. Just not now. Let add sothing else, from the HR team's viewpoint."
"Damn it, what now?"
"Upper managent asked us to do this because things aren't going well. And we couldn't even do that. So why all the discontent?"
Just then, Park Seok-min banged the table with his fist. Anyone who knew him would be shocked at this outburst.
"Oh? Team Leader Seok-min, deputy Dae-hyun, hello."
Just as tension peaked, a young woman with schoolgirl looks suddenly leaned in.
It was Lee Yunjung.
Kang Dae-hyun imdiately adjusted his expression and waved with his typical easy charm.
"Yunjung, what brings you here?"
"I've been touring famous restaurants lately because of the assignnt from Division Director-nim."
She briefed them on what she'd been up to.
"Perfect timing. There's a thirty-sothing guy here worrying about the sa things as you. Want to join us?"
"Oh! Can I?"
"Sure. This anxious old guy will even buy you king crab."
"Wow! King crab! I'm so excited."
"Hey! Yunjung-nim, don't worry about us. You can eat separately."
"No, Team Leader, I really would like to chat with you and Deputy over a drink."
Lee Yunjung lifted her soju glass.
"These days, Division Director-nim is really an, don't you think?"
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