Real Man

Chapter 544:

Thud.

The next slide that Yoo-hyun showed was also unrelated to the semiconductor display.

“The reason why Retina Premium succeeded, and why OLED is rising. It’s all because of smartphones. Last year, smartphone shipments were 300 million units, this year, 500 million units, next year…”

Smartphones were growing so fast, but investing in a different industry was unreasonable.

Yoo-hyun continued his speech silently in front of the puzzled people and looked at President Lim Jun-pyo.

He was curious and eager, as if he had reached his limit.

“As you all experienced, the explosive growth of smartphones completely surpassed the experts’ predictions.”

Yoo-hyun deliberately paused as he met President Lim Jun-pyo’s eyes.

He took advantage of the natural gap and President Lim Jun-pyo asked a question.

“I’ll tell you right now.”

Yoo-hyun gestured in a situation where the attention was at its peak.

Swoosh.

The screen changed and the words ‘NEXT Smartphone’ appeared.

Behind it, there was a pair of glasses.

What is this?

Seeing is believing.

Instead of explaining to the doubtful people, Yoo-hyun immediately played the prepared video.

-Google’s vision of the future smartphone is, not carrying it around, but just wearing glasses…

English subtitles flowed on the screen, and a person wearing glasses appeared.

It looked like a normal pair of glasses, but there was information on the glass like a smartphone screen.

The people wearing glasses moved their hands in the air to check the information.

Of course, it was not a real video.

It was a video that Google used to persuade the Future Product Research Institute to make a 0.9-inch semiconductor board.

The video that Hong Il-seop, the executive director of the Strategic Product Group, got through the Future Product Research Institute, left a strong message in people’s minds.

Google was preparing for the next-generation smartphone.

There was no need to talk about the growth potential of the non-existent smart glasses, as the explosive growth of smartphones came to mind.

It was thanks to the groundwork that Yoo-hyun had laid in advance.

Thud.

Yoo-hyun turned the next page, having drawn the intended picture.

Only then did the concept of a semiconductor display that could achieve ultra-small and ultra-high resolution come to mind.

It felt like he had linked Google Glass and the semiconductor display, and Park Beom-jin, the executive director, raised his hand to object.

“What’s the point of showing us that smart glass? You can’t project an image on that transparent glass with a 1.8-inch semiconductor display.”

1.8 inches was the size of a small lens.

It was impossible to attach that board, which was not even transparent, to the glasses.

It was true, but the premise was wrong.

“1.8-inch panel?”

“Didn’t you negotiate with the Future Product Research Institute and Shinwa Semiconductor to commercialize the one you made last time?”

“That never happened.”

Yoo-hyun shook his head, and this time, Song Pyeong-su, the executive director of the Production Technology Center, intervened.

“Then are you saying you’re not going to commercialize it?”

“No. If it was a technology that wasn’t ready for commercialization, I wouldn’t have been here.”

“Then what are you going to do?”

As Song Pyeong-su said, everyone was impatient.

The only ones who had a different expression here were Hong Il-seop, the executive director of the Strategic Product Group, and Oh Ju-hwan, the executive director in charge of management innovation.

Especially, Hong Il-seop, who already knew everything, admired Yoo-hyun.

‘He’s playing with them.’

If he had started with an impact from the beginning, he might have finished the job without a fight.

But Yoo-hyun deliberately delayed and provoked a fight.

It was to crush the opponent with a bigger twist.

His intention seemed to be exactly right, as Yoo-hyun opened his mouth.

“It’s a 0.9-inch HD panel.”

Thud.

The specs of the panel appeared on the switched screen.

Unlike the existing HMD, it was attached to the side of the glasses, not in front of the eyes, and used like a projector.

This technology, which projected an image on the glass through a lens, was a secret project that the Future Product Research Institute had prepared.

Questions poured out without going into the details of the technology.

“Are you saying Google is the customer?”

“The semiconductor board price is too expensive to compete, right?”

“Even so, will this sell?”

Yoo-hyun didn’t respond, and the questions became more intense.

When the atmosphere reached its peak, Yoo-hyun pressed the button.

-Customer: Google

Quantity: 10 million units/year

Production time: 2Q 2012

Semiconductor board price: $15

Buzz.

As soon as the concrete figures of Google and 10 million units came out, the atmosphere heated up.

There were less than six months left until the production time, so they had to move right away, but that wasn’t important.

“Are you really saying that Google promised 10 million units?”

Oh Ju-hwan, the executive director in charge of management innovation, answered directly to Song Pyeong-su’s question, whose eyes widened.

His words had the power to turn the simple numbers into facts.

“Yes. We received a contact from the Future Product Research Institute and Hansung Electronics Promotion. There is room for negotiation, but the investment possibility is enough.”

“What the hell…”

Before Song Pyeong-su could be confused, Yoo-hyun nailed it.

“10 million units is only 5 percent of the smartphone market. What about next year?”

“…”

Of course, Google Glass didn’t do well in the past.

But at this point, where Apple and Google had a frozen image, there was no need to argue about something that didn’t exist.

Rather, it was easier to think that Google was making a product that would overtake the Apple Phone.

President Lim Jun-pyo seemed to think the same, as he rolled his eyes quickly.

Then, Kim Han-ho, the head of the mobile business division, asked sharply.

“The board price is $15. Do you know that the price of a 9-inch tablet panel is that much?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“That expensive board, plus OLED, will cost about 12-inch panel price. Just 0.9 inches.”

“That’s right. The 12-inch panel price is $20. If we take a 10 percent margin, we’ll make $2 per sale.”

“What does that mean?”

It was the moment he had been waiting for.

Yoo-hyun showed the next content to nail it down.

-Semiconductor board price: $15

Panel cost: $20 (estimated)

Panel price: $50

As soon as he saw the numbers on the screen, President Lim Jun-pyo spat out a harsh word.

“This is crazy.”

He quickly took back his words and asked with a flustered expression.

“You’re selling 0.9 inches for $50? That’s more expensive than a 20-inch monitor panel?”

The answer was again given by Oh Ju-hwan, the executive director.

“Yes, sir. That’s what we got from Electronics.”

“How can this be? If you sell 10 million units, how much is that?”

“About 360 billion won.”

“How much is the factory investment cost?”

“200 billion won.”

As Oh Ju-hwan answered briskly, President Lim Jun-pyo calculated simply.

“Simple calculation, it’s 160 billion won. That’s the level of last year’s operating profit.”

“Of course, there are things that will change since we haven’t started yet. But it’s a very promising story.”

“Right. And we can even get the title of the world’s first.”

President Lim Jun-pyo smiled satisfiedly.

Park Beom-jin, the executive director who was burned inside, cautiously tackled.

“Sir, you can’t just calculate it like that. If we convert part of the OLED factory, we won’t be able to produce OLED panels potentially…”

“Park, are you in charge of technology or production?”

“I was just giving you my opinion.”

But Park Beom-jin should have known that his opponent was Lim Jun-pyo, who had a hot temper.

He never backed down once he got hooked on something.

As if to prove it, he immediately called Yoo-hyun’s name.

"That’s enough, Han. "

“Yes, sir.”

“What do you think? Do you think it will really work?”

“It depends on Google’s will. The scale will be determined by them. Of course, I can’t guarantee that it will get bigger.”

“Oh, you’re saying it’s done now.”

“Yes. There is no problem with the initial product shipment. However, we have a problem that our personnel and equipment need to be attached quickly.”

Yoo-hyun tried to get what he wanted by reassuring President Lim Jun-pyo.

“Personnel?”

“Yes. It’s a part that requires a lot of technology, so we need developers, process engineers, and production staff.”

President Lim Jun-pyo rolled his eyes once and nodded to Hong Il-seop, the executive director.

He seemed to have already made up his mind, and his expression was firm.

“Hong, make a team. Call it the Future Product Team.”

“Got it. How about the personnel?”

Hong Il-seop asked calmly, hiding his joy.

He had already received a list of personnel from Yoo-hyun, but there was no reason to cause trouble by bringing it up now.

As expected, President Lim Jun-pyo took care of it himself.

“CTO guys are idle. Attach everyone who is not on the main project.”

“Sir, that’s…”

Park Beom-jin, the executive director, made a desperate expression, but it was useless.

“Did you see the numbers and not go blind?”

President Lim Jun-pyo pointed to the screen with his finger, and Park Beom-jin’s mouth closed immediately.

“…”

“Same goes for the business division and the production technology center. Give Hong whatever he asks for.”

“Yes. I understand.”

Yoo-hyun smiled inwardly at President Lim Jun-pyo, who made everyone lower their heads.

‘He’s still the same as ever.’

It was the same in the past Apple product review and the Retina Premium presentation.

He never backed down once he got hooked on something.

He was the kind of person who would call right away and make things happen even if he was far away.

Yoo-hyun was reminded of his old memories.

“Again? Oh, equipment. Oh, executive director.”

President Lim Jun-pyo clapped his hands and looked at Oh Ju-hwan, the executive director.

“Yes, sir.”

“Raise the factory investment plan right away. Buy whatever equipment you need, and make sure you meet the deadline. Got it?”

“We’re already preparing.”

As Oh Ju-hwan bowed his head, President Lim Jun-pyo looked around and emphasized.

“Remember what I said. Don’t spare any support for Han. Not just personnel and equipment. Anything he asks for, food, drinks, whatever, buy it for him.”

“Yes. I understand.”

They all had bruised egos, but no one could refuse.

That’s how fierce President Lim Jun-pyo’s momentum was.

He gave Yoo-hyun a friendly smile.

“How about that? That should be enough, right?”

Yoo-hyun suppressed the laughter that came out and bowed his head.

“Thank you for sorting it out.”

“What are you talking about? I should thank you. You did a great job.”

With that one word from President Lim Jun-pyo, the not-so-long TF launch ceremony ended.