Chapter 812: Stock Subscription

"As of noon, we've received over five trillion won."

Even if we had only gathered one trillion by this morning, I would have considered it a massive success. After all, one trillion won was such a staggering amount that there was a saying: even if you spent six hundred thousand won every day since the days of Dangun mythology, you would still have principal left over.

In just half a day, we had pulled in a whopping five trillion won.

"Is that true? Five trillion?" I asked.

Cha Dae-Hyun nodded excitedly. "Yes. At this rate, we're looking at eight to nine trillion by the end of the day. Who knows how much it'll be by tomorrow!"

Of course, this subscription deposit wasn't actually our company's money. Subscription deposits were like collateral, temporary funds placed in hopes of buying shares, which would be returned after stock allocation.

Still, the reason everyone got excited over these numbers was that it meant tons of people wanted to buy Hoop Entertainment stock. In other words, with this level of demand, we could hit a double upper limit on the first day, starting at twice the IPO price and then hitting the 30% daily limit. It might even hit a triple upper the next day.

Right then, Yoo-Jin, Ju Yung-In, and Miso, who had just gotten out of the car, cheered.

"Whoa!!"

"Seriously?"

Then Yoo-Jin suddenly tugged at me. "Oppa, let's go buy our shares right now! You said there's a huge crowd. What if we're too late?"

I shook my head. "It's not about when you buy. It's about how much you put down as a deposit. The more you put in, the more shares you get."

"Still!"

Miso, caught up in the excitement even if she didn't understand it, clapped her hands and tugged on my sleeve. "Uncle Yoon-Ho, hurry, hurry!!"

Cha Dae-Hyun of Daebak Securities smiled warmly and led the way. "Well then, let's head to my office."

Yoo-Jin, Ju Yung-In, and Miso were three of the most in-demand celebrities in Korea right now. To Daebak Securities, they were future VIP clients. It was no wonder they were rolling out the red carpet.

"Understood."

Yoo-Jin, Ju Yung-In, Miso, Jung Sang-Bong, and Ahn Yung-Hee followed close behind.

Just before we boarded the elevator, Cha Dae-Hyun turned to me. "We'll be giving you and the rest of the Hoop Entertainment family a double preferential allocation."

Currently, demand for Hoop Entertainment stock was so high that even if someone put in a hundred billion won, they would only be allocated two billion won's worth of shares. The other ninety-eight billion would be refunded in a few days.

With preferential allocation, that hundred billion would get you four billion in stock. And if those four billion worth of shares hit the double upper limit, they would become ten-point-four billion in just one day. That was why preferential allocation was so important.

But of course, nothing in life came free. That truth hadn't changed before or after my regression.

"What's the condition?" I asked.

"Well... I wouldn't call it a condition, exactly, but... if you could sign up for one of our securities products for about three months..."

As the president of Daebak Securities, he also had performance targets to meet. So this was his way of customer hunting. That wasn't a problem. After all, Hoop Entertainment stock was the most valuable asset on the market right now.

Still, I needed approval, so I looked over at Yoo-Jin.

"If oppa says we should do it, I'm all in," Yoo-Jin said.

Ju Yung-In nodded. "As long as it's not some derivative product, I'm good."

Miso added brightly. "I'll do whatever Uncle Yoon-Ho says!"

"Really?"

"Yup!"

"Nice~" I turned to Cha Dae-Hyun right away. "Alright. Just one thing though. Please keep it in deposits, not funds. I'd rather avoid unnecessary risk."

Cha Dae-Hyun grabbed my hand with both of his hands and beamed. "Thank you, Mr. Jung!"

"Shall we head up, then?"

"Yes."

Now that we were true VIP clients of Daebak Securities, we were treated with the utmost care as we made our way to Cha Dae-Hyun's office.

***

Inside the luxurious office, one wall held a large monitor displaying the main floor of the first-floor customer hall.

-TAKE MY MONEY!

Not just Koreans but countless foreigners were all clamoring to buy Hoop Entertainment stock.

As he watched the scene, Cha Dae-Hyun offered a bit of commentary before getting to the point. "Everyone, the maximum subscription deposit per person is one hundred billion won... How much do you each plan to invest?"

Yoo-Jin was the first to answer. "I'll put in seventy billion."

Even Cha Dae-Hyun's eyes widened at the idea of a private individual, especially not an institution, putting up tens of billions.

"That much?"

"Yes! And please register ten billion under Miso's name too. Since I'm her mom, I can sign for her, right?"

"

Ah

, yes. Of course."

Then Ju Yung-In spoke up. "I'm putting in one hundred billion."

Cha Dae-Hyun couldn't help but laugh. "

Hahaha

. You really do live up to being Korea's top stars. Incredible!"

Even among the wealthy, it was rare for someone to throw their entire fortune into a stock subscription. After all, no one could predict how a stock would move. Yet, the confidence of betting a huge amount left Cha Dae-Hyun visibly impressed.

"I'm just throwing in everything we've got. Where else are you going to find a surer investment than Hoop Entertainment stock?" Ju Yung-In shrugged.

Cha Dae-Hyun paused for a moment before nodding. "True. I've never seen a company rise this fast with nothing but good news surrounding it. Honestly, I thought Hoop was the only entertainment company in Korea. Hahaha."

Over the past month, every single piece of news around Hoop Entertainment has been record-breaking.

'

Of course it had, I worked my ass off to make sure it was.

'

"Now then, Mr. Jung... how much are

you

planning to invest?" Cha Dae-Hyun asked.

I had about twenty billion won in my account. I had already received advance payouts from dividends and this year's earnings, but I had also spent a good chunk on our employee stock plan, making it far short of the hundred-billion ceiling. This meant I would only get a small allocation of shares.

Just then, Ju Yung-In glanced over at me and asked, "Oppa, I've got about twenty billion left. Should I lend it to you?"

"Wow, Yung-In. You've been making bank, huh?"

Ju Yung-In gave a smug shrug. "I earned it in China thanks to you."

That was true. Still, I had no plans to borrow from Ju Yung-In. After all, I had a secret card to play.

"There's no need. I'm good."

"Huh? Why?"

"Because I've got an ace up my sleeve."

And right then, my phone rang as if on cue.

Buzz~

[Caller: Ahn Seok-Hoon, President of Yetterang]

It was the call I had been waiting for. I picked up, and Ahn Seok-Hoon spoke.

-Mr. Jung. I've arrived.

"

Ah

, yes. One moment, please."

I turned to Cha Dae-Hyun and asked, "Would it be alright if we brought in two more guests?"

"Guests?"

"Yes. You know the cosmetics company Yetterang, right? The guests are their executives."

Cha Dae-Hyun's face lit up. "Of course. I'll send someone to escort them right away."

Yetterang, too, was preparing for a stock market listing. Originally, they had planned to go public in early March. However, as their revenue grew rapidly, they hadn't yet settled on a lead underwriter. So it was no surprise Cha Dae-Hyun was eager to make a good impression once he heard their president had arrived.

Cha Dae-Hyun immediately sent someone down. And before long, Ahn Seok-Hoon entered the office with his younger brother, PR Director Ahn Myung-Hoon. They were both still in their blue work uniforms as if they had come straight from the factory floor. Despite running Korea's top emerging cosmetics brand, neither of them wore luxury brands.

"You're looking sharp as ever, Mr. Jung!"

I smiled and shook hands with Ahn Seok-Hoon for the first time in a while. "Yes, sir. You've been well, I hope?"

"

Hahaha

. With sales growing every day, both my body and my mood are in top shape!"

I also exchanged greetings with Ahn Myung-Hoon.

Then Yoo-Jin and Miso, who were Yetterang's ad models, stepped forward to say hello. "Hello, Mr. Ahn!"

"Oh my, I forgot to greet our exclusive models! But really, how do Miss Yoo-Jin and Miso keep getting prettier every day?"

Yoo-Jin responded with a dazzling smile. "Because we use Yetterang products."

"

Oh

, that answer? A perfect 100 out of 100."

That was exactly the kind of response any advertiser would love—saying the product works. After exchanging greetings with Ju Yung-In as well, everyone took their seats.

Then Cha Dae-Hyun turned to me. "Are the gentlemen from Yetterang also here to subscribe to Hoop Entertainment stock?"

"Yes."

"

Ah

! I see!

Hahaha.

Then how much are they planning to subscribe?"

Ahn Seok-Hoon smiled softly. "Of course, we're going all in."

"One hundred billion?"

"Yes. Both of us."

"Wow. Really?"

"And that's not all." Ahn Seok-Hoon then pointed at me. "Please register Mr. Jung's subscription at one hundred billion as well."

"Pardon?"

"Our company will be providing Mr. Jung with a stock-collateral loan. We've already prepared the funds and the paperwork."

I currently held a three percent stake in Yetterang. Originally, I had planned to use Yetterang stock to buy Hoop shares after their IPO. However, the order flipped, and Ahn Seok-Hoon arranged a separate loan using my Yetterang stock as collateral. After all, each one percent of Yetterang stock was worth around thirty billion won.

Cha Dae-Hyun stared at me in shock. "How much stock does Mr. Jung hold to get that kind of treatment...?"

Ahn Seok-Hoon answered, "It'll be public knowledge soon anyway, so no harm in sharing. Mr. Jung holds three percent of our company. Miss Yoo-Jin has two percent, and Miso also holds two percent."

Yoo-Jin had followed my advice and transferred a portion of her additional shares to Miso. And now, that decision was paying off.

As Cha Dae-Hyun was left speechless, Ahn Seok-Hoon continued. "Which is why we're offering Miss Yoo-Jin and Miso each up to sixty billion in subscription deposit loans."

Yoo-Jin and Miso's eyes widened.

"For us?"

"For me too?"

Ahn Seok-Hoon nodded. "Yes. Mr. Jung requested it."

Yoo-Jin and Miso turned to me.

I shrugged. "You both said you'd leave it all to me, remember?"

After all, a 100-billion subscription deposit was just that—a deposit. With preferential allocation, we would receive about four billion won worth of stock per hundred billion. The remaining ninety-six billion would be refunded, and we could return it to Yetterang immediately.

Yoo-Jin and Miso already had a combined eighty billion in their accounts. With the extra 120 billion loan from Yetterang, they could each place the full 100 billion deposit.

I smiled. "When you have the chance to earn big, go big. Right?"

"Oppa, you're the best!"

"Uncle Yoon-Ho, you're the best!!"

Their double thumbs-up made me puff up with pride for the first time in a while.

That's when Ahn Seok-Hoon smiled gently and said, "Well, since this is the brokerage that Mr. Jung has chosen and seeing the energy in the trading hall on the monitor... You're definitely rowing while the tide is high. So, I was thinking... Maybe it's time for us to make Daebak Securities our lead underwriter as well. Would you be interested?"

Cha Dae-Hyun jumped up from his seat and bowed deeply. "Thank you! If you choose us as your underwriter, I promise we'll stake our lives on doing the best job possible."

"

Hahaha

. I'll be counting on you, then."

"Yes, absolutely!" Cha Dae-Hyun then turned to me and gave a sincere nod of gratitude. "This is all thanks to you, Mr. Jung. Truly, thank you."

Just then, Ahn Seok-Hoon glanced out the window and said, "

Oh

, it looks like our factory staff have arrived. Please take good care of them as well. Everyone's dying to get in on the Hoop Entertainment IPO."

A group of workers in blue factory uniforms came pouring into the lobby.

Before security could even consider stopping them, Cha Dae-Hyun snatched up the intercom in a rush. "Team Lead Choi! Everyone in blue work uniforms are VIPs! Treat them with the utmost kindness, respect, and politeness! Got it?"

He was in such a hurry that he even called them VIPs without hesitation.

As Cha Dae-Hyun continued issuing orders, I turned to Ahn Seok-Hoon and bowed deeply. "Thank you for your help."

Ahn Seok-Hoon shook his head. "When we had nothing, you were our white knight. Now it's time for us to be your white knight."

The fact that Ahn Seok-Hoon and Ahn Myung-Hoon remembered my help and chose to repay it like this made my chest swell with emotion.

***

The IPO fever passed, and April 1st—the listing day for Hoop Entertainment—finally arrived.

Thanks to all the effort over the past month, the IPO fever had spread even among the general public. Now, articles about Hoop Entertainment stock were flooding the monitors in our company meeting room.

[Hoop Entertainment hits IPO jackpot! 15 trillion in subscription deposits!]

[Public subscription rate 52.23 to 1—Hoop Entertainment hailed as the next big KOSDAQ hope!]

[LT Entertainment directly invests in Hoop Entertainment. Partnership announced for film and broadcast content.]

[Jinseong Inc. signs MOU with Hoop Entertainment for mutual growth in future industries.]

[Hot pick of early 2021 in KOSDAQ? Entertainment stocks!]

Assistant Manager Kim Mi-Hye, who had been monitoring headlines since 5 a.m., was practically shaking with excitement. "Looks like we're really going to hit a double upper limit, huh?"

She held about 50 million in company stock through the employee share scheme. Depending on how much more she secured through public offering, a double upper limit would turn that 50 million into 130 million.

I nodded. "Yes, I think we will."

"Thank you so much, Mr. Jung."

"Shouldn't I be the one thanking you instead? I know how hard you've worked, Ms. Mi-Hye. And early congratulations."

"Congratulations? For what?"

"I've requested your promotion to team lead in next week's personnel changes."

Kim Mi-Hye had practically single-handedly handled the entire PR load. The volume of her work exceeded what an entire team could manage, so I made an official request for her promotion, which had already been approved.

"Th-thank you, Mr. Jung!"

At that moment, applause burst out around us.

"Seriously, Ms. Mi-Hye worked so hard all last year."

"You did great, Ms. Mi-Hye."

Praise for Kim Mi-Hye poured in from all directions. By then, it was 8:55 a.m. No one was getting any work done with everyone sneaking glances at their phones.

So I turned to the talent agents in Division Jung and said, "Normally, stock trading during work hours is prohibited. But since Hoop Entertainment’s stock price is tied to the company’s future direction, I’ll make an exception today. Just for this morning."

"Yes, sir~!!"

Kim Mi-Hye immediately opened the live stock trading window. Everyone, including Do Ran-Hee and Lee Yung-Jin, took their hands off their laptops and turned to the LCD monitor.

Then suddenly, with a bang, Chief Gu Seong-Cheol and Chief Lee Dong-min, along with Team Leads Joo Yung-hoon and Oh Duk-Gu, burst in.

"Let us watch the broadcast too!!"

Behind them, talent agents from Actor Division 2 and Singer Division 2 entered with excited expressions. They were the ones who held onto their employee stock options to the end after hearing my words.

"Okay!!"

I hoped for their success just like mine and pulled out chairs for them.

"It’s starting."

At Kim Mi-Hye’s words, Hoop Entertainment’s stock graph began to shoot upward. With the IPO price at 35,000 won, the opening price started at 70,000 won. And within five minutes, it had climbed to 73,000 won.

"Let’s gooo~~!!"

Perhaps that shout worked, because the graph kept surging upward. By 9:30 a.m., the current price was 85,000 won. The target of a double upper limit at 91,000 won was within reach.

However, something seemed off with Do Ran-Hee today. Even though she knew how much she would gain from the double upper limit after investing 200 million won in employee stock, she was trembling.

Concerned, I walked over to her. "Ran-Hee, what’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?"

Trembling, Do Ran-Hee confessed. "Actually... I bought more shares during the public offering with help from my parents."

"You didn’t put in your parents’ entire savings, did you?"

"Well,

um

..."

Just then, Kim Mi-Hye shouted urgently. "

Uh

...

uh

... Mr. Jung! Mr. Jung!"

Turning at her shout, I saw the graph shoot up again.

'

89,000 won. 90,000 won. And... 91,000 won

.'

"It’s a double upper limit!!!"

Everyone in the meeting room burst into cheers.

At that moment, Do Ran-Hee fainted right on the spot in the middle of raising both hands to shout "double upper limit."

"D-double..."

Startled, I quickly rushed to support Do Ran-Hee.

Thud.

Then her boyfriend, Lee Yung-Jin, came over to help hold her. "Ran-Hee!!"

I handed Do Ran-Hee over to Lee Yung-Jin.

Cradling his girlfriend, Lee Yung-Jin gently tapped her cheek. "Ran-Hee. Hey, Ran-Hee!"

Then, Do Ran-Hee suddenly opened her eyes and said in a trembling voice, "I-I... just made... hundreds of millions!!"

'

How many hundreds, exactly

?'